No.10
I get the kids home by myself now that my confidence was better, and by the time they're eating their afternoon snack Tanya and Edward make an appearance.
Tanya still wears yesterday's dress, her makeup and hair messy. She helps herself to a glass of water while I feed her daughter before she leaves the room quietly. Not a single word.
"Is she okay?" I whisper to Edward.
Not that I care.
He nods sitting beside Seth, pinching a grape.
"How was school?" Edward asks.
"Amazing," Seth beams, "I made a friend. His name is Percy and he's going to be on my soccer team. Daddy."
His smile doesn't quite reach his eyes.
"That's great bud. Lucy?" He looks at his daughter.
"I made you a drawing," she says, handing him a piece of paper she'd kept beside her all afternoon.
"This is beautiful, Lucy. Thank you very much," he studies it, "I can't believe how in the lines you can stay. I can't do that."
"I can teach you," she smiles up at him.
"I love that idea," Edward nods, "Can you kids go run-up to the playroom and get some colouring books. I'll come join you."
Without needing to be asked twice they rush off excited to spend time with their Dad.
"She got into a fistfight," he scoots closer to me, sitting beside me at the table as I feed Anna, "with some other woman, because she supposedly slept with their husband. She denied it and there's no proof."
"Edward. She'll slip up sooner or later," I whisper, "you're a good man for even going and getting her."
"If I didn't her next call would have been her father. He would have lost his shit if he learned I didn't go bail my wife out of prison," he sighs.
"Rather than him being pissed she was there?" I scoff.
"No he'd be pissed about that. I think even he has lost faith - he never sees the kids cause she doesn't give him the chance. She treats him like a monster father when he is pretty nice. Just slightly old fashioned," he shrugs.
"Meaning he'd hate adultery," My sarcasm makes him laugh quietly.
For a moment we sit in silence, both trying to understand what was going on between us.
"I have another night off this weekend. Saturday night and then Sunday morning. I can take Seth to his soccer game though," I say, "Then i guess I should celebrate my birthday with some wine and TV."
"Oh Bella," he laughs standing up, "I need to go colour in before I spill out all of my little secrets."
We'd seen little of Tanya, the kids and I.
Surprise surprise… no show at the soccer game.
I stand beside Edward as he gives his son a pep talk. Lucy had me help her make a sign that said 'Go Seth' while Anna picked at grass. Every time I looked down at her I had to take some out of her mouth.
"You play fair and listen to the coach," Edward says to Seth, "afterwards we get milkshakes if you win."
"What if we don't win?" Seth asks.
"We go home and think about what we could do better next time. We only get rewards when we succeed," he says.
He's getting the hang of this, and it's so amazing to watch. The little lessons he's teaching them makes my heart completely soar.
The coach stands off the field with the team trying to explain the rules of the kids as they play, pointing which way to run and kick. A whole bunch of five years old kicking at a ball - possibly the only sport I'd pay any attention or give any time to. His little friend Percy stops to chat with him every few minutes while the rest of their team play.
Edward and I find ourselves in hysterics at the display, but we're far from prepared when Seth actually kicks it into a goal. The pair of us scream, clap and jump excitedly cheering for the proud little 5-year-old.
"Go, son," Edward yells out happily.
He looks over at us grinning, putting his thumbs up at us. My heart.
"You've got the next David Beckham for a son," I laugh.
"Here's hoping he doesn't bring home a spice girl," he says.
"You have one already - scary spice," I joke.
We both laugh enjoying the morning together, feeling like the drama back home with his jailbird wife wasn't happening.
The kids clamber out of the car, Seth singing a terrible rendition of 'We are the Champions', Lucy yelling at him for being annoying.
"Seth," Edward warns, "no one likes a sore winner."
We had taken them for a milkshake as promised which only encouraged the sugar high. I'm beginning to see Tanya's point on the sugar debate. I'm so busy laughing at Seth I don't see the flash of blonde hair approaching me from another car.
Rose.
"What," I gasp, tears immediately pooling my eyes.
"Happy birthday for tomorrow, Miss Swan," Lucy grins up at me.
"Bella," Edward corrects his daughter, smiling at me.
Rosalie rushes me, hugging me tightly to her. I burst into tears cuddling her back.
"What are you doing here?" I say in disbelief.
"I'm here to make sure you don't just make cakes with adorable little children," Rose smiles at the twins, "she's turning 25. How old is she?"
Lucy giggles and moves to cuddle Rose tightly around her waist, excited by my excitement. Rose grins at me before kneeling down to get a better look at Lucy.
"Hi Lucy," She says, "I've heard so much about you and your brother. You guys sound like so much fun, and I hope we can be good friends."
Seth stands back behind Edward shy. Rosalie's beauty intimidated even the smallest of men.
"You're beautiful," Lucy grins, "I wish I look like you when I'm big."
"Oh Lucy," Rosalie laughs hand on her chest, "you're already more beautiful than I will ever be."
Edward offers his hand to Rose, she ignores it pulling him into a warm hug before tickling Anna's leg.
"I hope your flight went well," Edward says, "welcome to England."
"It was very fancy. He flew me here first class," Rose grins at me.
"You did this? You flew her here?" I smile at Edward in shock.
"The smallest way I could think to repay you for bringing so much happiness to my family," he shrugs, "I booked you a hotel in the city so you can spend the night learning about London's nightlife. The kids are with my parents tonight too so you don't have to stress about leaving them."
"Oh Edward," I'm going to ugly cry, "Thank you so much."
I move to hug him quickly, trying my best not to linger against his incredible body. His arm is strong around my back. Anna's small hand taps my cheek, she laughs as I kiss her hand. This family were quickly becoming my world, spinning my old one into a dark box in my mental closet. They were all I cared about at this moment.
Both the twins scream out when they notice a tall, buff man with short, curly black hair walk around from the other side of the car Rose came from.
"Uncle Met," Seth yells, "I won soccer. I beat them all."
The man lifts them both up in his arms with ease, laughing.
"Oh did I fail to mention the sexy ass brother he sent to the airport to pick me up," Rose whispers in my ear, "if you don't invite them both tonight I'll tell them about that time in college when you sucked…"
"You guys are coming right?" I ask Edward, interrupting Rose.
"It's girls night," he shakes his head, "you deserve the fun."
"No it's my birthday and I want you there," I say, "besides even a tired old lawyer with terrible dad jokes needs to have fun. You could use it. Your wife goes out constantly and leaves you here stressed out. It's your turn to have fun too."
"He hasn't been out in years. He wouldn't know how to even order a drink. I'm Emmett by the way, lovely to meet you, Bella. I've heard so much about you," Emmett teases Edward with several below the belt punches.
Does he tell his brother about me?
"I'm in," Edward glares at his brother, before smiling at me warmly, "only you better not call my jokes terrible again."
"So funny I could cry," I raise my hands in defence.
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