This was my contribution to the Babies at the Border part 2 compilation…if you have not read chapter one, I would recommend hitting the little 'previous' or 'first' button at the bottom and getting Bella and Edward's backstory.
"So, let me get this straight. You haven't seen or even heard from this Edward person for over ten years, and thanks to getting names mixed up, you run into him last night when you went to the wrong bar. Which, thank you very much, Missy, means you owe me big time. I got stuck with Mike and his ever frat-boy-flirt-a-licious self."
Bella blinked twice as she listened to Alice pontificate while selecting just the right ingredients for her salad in the dining hall.
"Ooh, it's Thursday. That means there are garlic knots over at the Italian bar."
Again, Bella blinked as she watched the diminutive woman trot over to said food service station and load up a small bowl.
"Can I get your number, Bella?"
Agate green eyes filled with uncertainty filled her memory as she remembered Edward pulling a perfect beer and handing it to one of rush of customers that filled the bar.
"Yo, Bella! Are we eating or are we contemplating belly button lint?"
A quick shake of her head cleared the memories from her mind, and Bella gave a wan smile to Alice who had a garlic knot shoved in her mouth, her cheek billowed out like a chipmunk's.
A few minutes later, the two friends were ensconced at a table in a quiet part of the dining hall, and after Alice set her napkin in her lap, her silverware just so, and her drink at the ready, the woman laced her fingers together and rested her chin on them.
"So, darling, tell Auntie Alice everything."
Bella snorted, shaking her head at the mock-innocent look her friend sported.
"What? You've been distracted all day. Hell, even that kid talking about Molly instead of Molybdenum in this morning's talk didn't even get a rise out of you."
"I don't know, Alice. It was surreal." She rubbed the little bowtie ring on her finger, sliding it from one side to the other, before picking up a cherry tomato and popping it into her mouth. She thoughtfully chewed as she tried to give words to how she was feeling.
"He was my best friend in all the world. For a summer, we talked about everything in the world, and we promised to stay friends no matter what. Then he was gone. I have no idea if he tried to keep in touch, but I sure as hell did."
Bella took a deep breath and slowly released it.
"But you two didn't get to talk last night?"
"No. Right after I realized who he was a crowd came in, and he was swamped at the bar."
"You've got his number, right?"
She nodded as she pulled out her phone and made sure the entry had not miraculously disappeared overnight.
"But he hasn't texted yet."
"Well," Alice grunted around another garlic knot before chewing quickly and swallowing. "If he was working a bar last night, he may not have gotten home until early this morning and may still be in bed."
Bella pictured a sleep rumpled man, shirtless and tangled in crisp, white sheets.
"You're blushing! I take it this Edward is a handsome man?"
"Alice…"
"Well, you already said he was wearing a kilt so that gives him fashion points in my book." Alice picked up her drink and toasted the notion of what men don't wear under their kilts before taking a sip. "And judging from the continued blush, I'm going to say he's aged well."
"So well." Bella shook her head. The handsome young man she had known had been replaced by an even more so specimen.
"Any rings?" Alice waggled the ring finger of her left hand to emphasize what she meant.
"Not that I remember. Just a tattoo."
"ORLY?"
"A paperclip."
Alice knew her friend's love of said office supply and smiled wisely.
"So maybe he didn't forget me?" Bella's voice was meek and hopeful.
"I don't think he did." Alice reached across the table and squeezed Bella's hand encouragingly. "Besides, it's not like you can't text him and invite him out. Give you a good excuse not to go to another MRS after hours."
So she did.
*Shit!*
Bella cursed as she caught her backpack on the doorknob, effectively horse collaring herself. This always happened. The more in a hurry she was, the more dangerous to her physical well-being she became.
*Dammit*
Her phone binged an alarm, reminding her just how behind in her plans she was. Edward was taking her to dinner tonight to explain his disappearance all those years ago. She wanted to look nice, not wear her lab clothes and smell of chemicals. She had planned on a shower and a best friend approved outfit lay on her bed waiting.
Damned Mike and his thousand inane questions that delayed her almost an hour.
A quick glance at the time told her she had thirty minutes to get ready. Maybe. Bella seemed to remember Edward habitually was early, a trait she used to admire, but right now, it was raising her blood pressure.
Tossing her backpack toward a corner, Bella began to strip her shirt off while toeing off her shoes.
Or, more appropriately, she attempted to strip off her shirt while toeing off her shoes. In a moment of cranial flatulence, Bella forgot she was wearing lace-up boots and that her long-sleeved blouse required the buttons at her wrists to be unfastened before taking off. With her shirt over her face, blinding her, Bella squirmed and wrestled, trying to yank it back down, but her feet tangled with one another, knocking her off balance.
Then she fell.
Whether it was fortuitous to be near the sofa so she landed on something soft or unlucky because she fell so far over the piece of furniture that she found herself high and dry with her feet off the floor, wriggling free herself, she would never know. Regardless, it was with her ass in the air, shirt caught over her head with her arms tangled that she heard a familiar voice.
"Bella?"
*Fuck!*
She pushed with her elbows, trying to pivot over the back of the sofa, but once again, she was unevenly balanced and could not do a thing.
"Bella, love, be still. You're going to hurt yourself."
She heard the door shut and a few steps toward her.
"I'm going to touch you at your waist, if that's okay."
Edward's voice was soft and soothing, calming her.
"I need to hear the words, Bella. I'm not going to touch you without your permission."
Something about the tone he took startled her, as if her friend was no longer in the room.
"Do you accept my help?"
"Yes."
No sooner were the words out of her mouth then warm hands touched her hips. She jumped, eliciting a soothing murmur.
"On three. One. Two. Three."
On the count, she found herself gently lifted and placed on her feet. His hands never left her waist as she regained her balance and wiggled her shirt down.
"Um, hi," Bella said with a half-smile, hoping her face was not half as red as it felt. Thank every creator god in the heavens she had put on a new bra this morning.
"Your door was cracked so I knocked and heard a struggle. Thought the worse and came in."
"I am so embarrassed."
"What happened?"
"Meeting ran late, was in a rush, tried to strip while heading to bedroom and…"
"Fell over the couch."
"Fell over the couch. Joy of short legs."
"You're fun sized, remember?"
With a fake scowl, she smacked at his chest, remembering the number of times he had teased her back at camp when she could not reach the top shelves at the library.
Bella suddenly became acutely aware that his hands were still resting gently on her waist and that she did not mind the feeling one bit. The air got a little harder to breathe, and she froze when she realized one of his thumbs was gently rubbing back and forth, soothingly.
"Work ran late?" Edward asked as if discussing the weather.
"Sadly. Mike."
He nodded. She had mentioned her co-irker and his incessant need to appear the smartest in the room.
"You still up for dinner?"
"I really need a shower. I smell…"
"You are lovely, Bella. But if you'd rather I come back in an hour or so?"
"You don't have to go!" She realized how desperate she sounded and paused to take a breath, but in all honesty, a part of her still worried he would disappear and it would be another decade before they caught up. She was not certain she could handle that.
"I mean," she continued, "I'm alright if you stay. I'll be quick."
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"Yes."
His hands dropped from her waist, and she immediately missed the warmth.
"You go do whatever you do, and I'll answer a few emails."
Bella's smile was blinding as she paused before running to her bedroom for the quickest, most thorough shower of her life.
Dinner was ordered, drinks were served, and a fresh from the oven yeast roll with smoked salt whipped butter was devoured by the diners as they exchanged pleasantries and settled into the comfortable leather chairs.
Edward raised his glass with a perfectly made Old Fashioned and took a sip.
"So, the large elephant in the room needs to be addressed."
"It does." Bella twirled the garnish stick of her martini in her fingers, hesitant to hear what he had to say.
"And I'm trying to decide if I want to do the band-aid approach or work my way into it. Neither are particularly exciting."
"Why did you disappear? Just answer that, Edward. I wrote you and wrote you and those letters were returned with no forwarding address. There wasn't the internet like we have now. I had no idea if you were alive or dead!"
"I couldn't write you back."
"Were you in a coma?"
"No."
"Kidnapped?"
"No."
"Expelled from school and sent to military college?"
"No."
"You're actually a vampire and getting to close to me put my life in danger so you had to disappear before the powers that be realized we were connected."
"No." It became quickly apparent that he was growing amused with her guesses.
"Father got mixed up with the mob, and you had to go into witness protection?"
"You watch too many B rated television shows."
"That's not a no."
Edward set his drink down on the cocktail napkin provided and straightened it, his eyes not meeting hers.
"My father works for British Intelligence. Hence, his wanting to keep a low profile. No Facebook. No e-mail. No media exposure of any sort. And while finishing school, I was recruited to join him."
"I thought he was a doctor."
"He has several degrees. He's a genius, really."
Bella processed the information, thoughtfully running through her mind what exactly it all meant.
"What do you mean by recruited?"
"I'm really good with computers and electronics."
"Well, I knew that."
She remembered the drone he had created during the summer program and the images it had taken. Edward had been called into the dean's office for a stern talking to over one particular shot involving the chancellor and a co-ed. Or was it video? She could not remember. In the end, Edward had won an award for his project but the university had put restrictions on when and where he could use the drone.
"So, I was given the opportunity to speed up my education and play with some really cool toys."
For a moment, the years dropped away, and she once again saw the young man who loved tinkering and creating. A proud smile graced Bella's face. She understood.
"You got to live your dream."
"In a sense."
"In a sense?"
"I was a nerd. Still am. Just a cooler one because now I can do illegal 'stuff' with government permission."
He grinned broadly, earning one in return.
"But," he continued, his tone and features growing serious, "I had to give up a few things, including the greatest friendship I ever had. I missed you. I missed our talks. And I greatly missed having someone who understood me."
"Surely you were surrounded by those who were of like minds."
"Not exactly."
Something in his tone told her not to push the issue just yet. His eyes tightened and a coldness in his demeanor settled over him.
"But my father has decided to retire," Edward continued after taking a healthy draught of his Old Fashioned, setting the cup back down with a louder than necessary clunk. "And that gave me the opportunity to part ways as well."
"And that's what brought you back to Chicago?"
"Temporarily. We are here to close a few things down and then will be moving."
"Oh." Bella was not ready to give up her newly rediscovered friend.
"Once again, I'm not entirely in control of the situation."
"So, what does that mean?"
"That means I get to have a new start. With conditions. And complications."
At that exact moment, their server placed their salads before them and broke the mood with queries of did everything appear to their satisfaction, would they like fresh ground pepper, and did either party require a refill on their beverages.
Yes.
No.
Absolutely. And this time, make it a double.
The couple slipped into a quiet comfortableness while drinks were refreshed and the salads consumed.
"I've always loved candied walnuts in a salad," Bella observed as she chased down the last little bit of one.
She kicked herself mentally for such a dorky comment, but Edward smiled.
"Bella," he said softly, taking her hand. "I'm still me. Deep down, I am. Some things, I can't talk about. Yet. Some things, I can't ever. But a large part of me is still that goofy, bow tie loving doofus who fell hard for a paperclip loving nerd."
"I thought I was the doofus, and you were the nerd!"
She chose to table the thought train on the whole 'fell hard' revelation, but her heart was not getting the memo and began to beat a little harder. She had truly enjoyed their times together, and he had been her best friend in all the world, someone who understood her, supported her dreams of being a scientist, and had an equally quirky sense of humor.
Memories of being teased once back in high school that she had met her 'soul mate' during that summer flooded her brain.
Had she?
As someone who never truly experienced a fully equal, completely overwhelming and all-consuming relationship, Bella was uncertain what all this meant.
She wondered WWAD. What would Alice do?
Buckle up and enjoy the ride!
Alice gave very good advice, even if she very seldom followed it herself.
"And if at all possible, I'd really like to stay in touch this time," Edward continued, completely oblivious to her cranial acrobatics.
"I'd like that. A lot."
She was certain the joy radiating from his face was equaled by that glowing from her own.
Of all the first date meals in the history of first date meals, Bella and Edward were certain tonight had to be the best one ever. After addressing the why Edward had disappeared off the face of the Earth, the years seemed to fade away and the two spent hours catching up with each other.
Horrible exam results and sleepless all-night study sessions, lousy blind dates and all the reasons not to tip Uber drivers before sitting down in the vehicle were discussed as well as some topics that brought deep blushes from both parties.
At his insistence, Edward walked Bella back to her apartment door, gently swinging her hand in his.
"So, I'll call you tomorrow?" he asked in a low, quiet voice as to not disturb the neighbors.
"Sounds great."
Silence. Neither wanted the other to leave.
"Um. I have a Keurig, if you'd like some coffee," Bella offered, nodding toward the door.
"That sounds wonderful."
A broad grin graced her face, and she pulled out her keys.
"Coats," Bella said, motioning toward the row of hooks before removing her own and hanging it.
When she spun around, he was next to her, his brow furrowed as if he were deep in thought.
"Something wrong?"
"Just debating."
"Never your strong suit," she teased.
"I've won many a debate, Miss Swan."
"Not against me, Mr. Cullen."
"Hmm…"
"Yes, hmmm."
"I was debating the pros and cons of kissing you."
"Oh!" She flushed a delightful shade of pink.
"Yes, oh."
"And?"
"The ayes were winning."
He studied her for a moment, trying to determine her response.
"Aye," she whispered, rising up on her toes to kiss him."
As the kiss grew in intensity, his arms wrapped around her waist, holding her closer. Her arms slid around his neck, her fingertips scratching lightly through the hair on the nape of his neck.
When Irish eyes are smiling…..
"Fuck." Edward reached for his back pocket to silence his phone.
"What in the world?" Bella giggled.
"Emmett's sense of humor. McCartney's is an Irish pub, and he has an Irish ringtone set in my phone.
When Irish eyes are smiling…..
"You better check it. If he keeps calling back, it has to be important."
Bella stepped back.
"I'll start up the Keurig while you call him," she offered.
He nodded in agreement but waited for her to step away before dialing.
Bella pulled out the matching coffee cups and searched her pantry for a cookie or two to offer while the Keurig warmed up. Just as the bubbly grumble of the water heating sounded, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist from behind. Warm lips touched her neck lightly.
"I have to go," he whispered in a voice full of regret.
"Go? As in…"
"We've been cleared to leave."
Her body deflated as she realized just what that meant. He was leaving Chicago.
And her.
Edward gently spun her around to face him.
"I have your number, Bella. You have mine. This isn't going to be ten years apart again. Not unless you send me away."
"But where?"
"I can't tell you yet. We have to get settled in first."
"So this is good bye?"
He shook his head. "This is 'see you soon.'"
Tears filled her eyes. With a soothing sigh, he pulled her into his arms and held her close. She felt his phone buzz and sniffled, brushing at an errant tear.
"Don't cry, beautiful."
"I just…"
He silenced her with a kiss.
"Soon," Edward whispered as his phone buzzed again. "I'm going to kill Emmett."
"You're too pretty for jail," Bella giggled.
"Soon."
"Soon." She nodded, agreeing.
And then he was gone.
Two months later…
Bella pulled her luggage through the airport, stepping to the side to pull up the Uber app on her phone.
She smiled wistfully at the selfie Edward had sent her three weeks after their only date that had become her lock screen.
Enough of that, she told herself. She needed to get to the hotel so she could review her presentation at the University of Seattle and then get to sleep. Time changes were a bitch, even if it was only two hours.
Your driver, Masen, will be there in five minutes. Vehicle is a silver Volvo.
Bella trudged to the Uber/Lyft/Taxi area and searched for a silver car. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a familiar shock of auburn hair, but it disappeared when she gave it her full attention.
"Isabella?"
She knew that voice and scanned the crowded area for its owner. Then she saw him, a dry erase board in his hands, standing in front of a shiny silver Volvo. Bella ran toward him, laughing as she read what was written.
SOON.
Again, thank yous galore go to Midnight Cougar who beta'd this tale and to Readergoof for her magic banner making abilities. I would send copious baked goods to y'all if I had addresses.
I am uncertain if these two are going to continue to speak to me, so I will leave the story as unfinished for now (March 2020). I'd really love to have A Port in the storm Bella and Edward talk before I launch into anything further, just saying. *grin*
Thank you for reading! Mwah!