Chapter Eight
"Enough!" Carlisle stands to take Edward's seat across from Alice.
"Edward, go to sit by your mother," Carlisle commands over his shoulder.
Edward moves to sit stone-faced next to his mother. A shaking Esme clings to his arm, as if he'll bolt. The connection thaws him slightly and he pats her hand while working on calming himself.
Carlisle looks over to his wife and she gives him an encouraging nod.
"Alice, your words are so hurtful and unfounded I don't really know where to begin."
"Pops, I know I may have misjudged Edward's relationship with Bella. I don't know her, but …"
"No Alice, you don't know her. She's a beautiful person, someone I would want to be a friend to you. Your words concerning her…" Carlisle shakes his head with a look of disgust, "you owe Edward an apology."
"Sorry for what I said about 'Sweets,'" Alice says saccharinely in Edward's direction.
Edward rocks, trying to remain seated.
Carlisle leans forward resting his forearms on his thighs.
"Alice, when things happened years ago, you were young. You didn't get the full story because we were trying to protect you. I think, now, that was a mistake. You seem to have come to some erroneous conclusions. Your attitude toward Edward, and especially Bella, who is innocent in this family drama, has been totally off the mark."
Alice glares at Edward. "All I know is he tore our family apart and then took off and didn't look back. I've had to live in the shadow of his shame my whole life. And now he waltzes back in and you just take him in with open arms. It isn't right. He needs to," she shrugs, "I don't know, at least show some remorse."
Carlisle begins to speak, but Edward holds up his hand. "Alice, I am sorry for the part I played in hurting you. I was young and hot-headed, I made mistakes. I should have stayed and worked it out, instead of running. I should have said goodbye. I should have kept in touch with you and Mom, but I was scared and didn't want to face my failures. I'm sorry for all the ways my actions hurt you." Edward takes a shuddering breath and sits back.
Alice crosses her arms in front of her as she uncrosses and re-crosses her legs.
Carlisle threads his hands together in front of him and draws her attention back to him.
"Alice, very little blame should be laid at Edward's feet. I am the one who should be taking the brunt of your anger." After a deep breath he continues, "When Edward finished his pre-med, four-year program; he came to me and confided that he didn't want to continue on to medical school. He wanted to go into woodworking, a craftsmen trade. In my opinion at the time, it was as if he was saying he wanted to throw his life away on becoming a mime.
"I was appalled that he would throw his promising future away. We had heated words and neither of us heard the other. About two weeks later, Lauren Mallory came to my office at the hospital and showed me a positive pregnancy test," he ran his hands through his hair.
"She had been dating Edward off and on for two years and was such a sweet girl. She told me how she wanted to get married and raise the baby while he attended medical school. She went on to say that he had thrown money at her demanding she abort the baby and then broke up with her, refusing to see her or answer her calls.
It was just one more way I thought Edward had failed. I was ashamed and disgusted at my son's behavior. It was as if I didn't know him at all," he shoots a sorrowful glance toward his son but Edward is looking at his mother's wedding rings on the hand wrapped around his bicep.
"I went home and confronted him. It was heated and ugly; and truthfully, not my finest moment. I was hurt and ashamed that my son had brought our family to such a shameful state. He told me that he and Lauren had broken up after he confided in me. He felt she wanted the prestige of being a doctor's wife and the pregnancy scare was just her way of trying to marry into our money.
"I felt he had developed the bitterestof cavalier attitudes and was ashamed of him. I attempted to force him to do the right thing—to go to med school and marry the girl but he bolted. We didn't hear from him directly for eight months until we got Dunny's first call telling us Edward was staying with him and working in his shop.
Alice glares over at her brother in righteous indignation. Edward now has his arm around his weeping mother as he hangs his head. She knew it was his fault. Who knocks up a girl and leaves her?
Carlisle draws her back to him. "The Mallorys came to me distraught that their little girl had been treated so badly by my son," Carlisle runs his finger down the crease of his pant leg. "They dropped not so subtle hints of Edward's drug use, and forceful, erratic behavior. There were threats of legal action, speculating on what the gossip alone would do to my family's reputation. The idea of drug use made Edward's behavior seem understandable," he shrugs, "I was at a loss.
He takes a deep breath, "so I made sure they were on Esme's event guest list. I worked hard at making sure Stan was in my circle and Esme kept Leslie close to her, including her in her circle of influence. We gave them money for the best doctors for Lauren and any other accrued expenses.
Three months later when I saw Lauren descend the steps into the ballroom at the Gala, I knew I had made a grievous error. She was the same, model thin girl poured into a dress that left no room for speculation."
"It was a mermaid cut," Esme clarifies for Alice.
Carlisle gives his wife a small smile, "this was not a hurt, abandoned, pregnant girl. This was a social climber at the top of her game. I watched her work the room and laugh with her friends and knew I had betrayed my son in the worst way.
"I found out later that she had never been pregnant. She had tried to blackmail Edward after he left and that was one reason he discarded his cell phone. The Mallorys were blackmailing us for social position and money, and I had lost my son.
Carlisle glanced once more at his son before continuing. "When I told Esme, well my heart still feels the sting," he let out a shuddering sob, "All I could do was work the problem. I took Stan off any list I was on and Esme blacklisted Leslie and Lauren in her circle of influence. When the Mallorys came to confront us one more time, stating Lauren had miscarried, I video recorded it and told them it would go to the police and the media if they ever approach our children or us again. I reminded them that they and their daughter had much more to lose in this than our well-established family.
Carlisle's shoulders droop, "but Edward—the damage to Edward was not fixable. I had betrayed him and doubted his integrity, treated him as a child instead of the honorable young man I had raised." Carlisle shakes his head and sobs out, "I ruined everything."
Unable to take anymore, Edward bounds off the couch and grabs his father up into a firm embrace. For the first time, he feels stronger than the greatest man in his life. It is as if Carlisle's grief has diminished him physically.
"I'm so sorry Son," Carlisle chokes out, resting his forehead on his son's shoulder.
"No Pops, I'm sorry for staying away so long, I was a chicken-shit. I'm so sorry I hurt you," Edward chokes out.
When they finally pull apart with manly back smacks and shoulder squeezes, they find Esme and Alice huddling together in tears.
The two men sit across from the two women.
Alice looks up from her mother's arms, "I didn't know. I—I thought you had some adolescent fit and left in a huff because you didn't get your way. I thought that you've been blowing through your inheritance without looking back." Her voice is small and shaken.
"No Alice, that's what confirmed for me that I had been wrong, completely wrong. When I asked Dunny about Edward's drug use, he laughed at such a ridiculous notion, and Edward never touched a penny of family money when he left. All this time he's been making his way without any help from the family," Carlisle says with a sad pride.
A sob bubbles to the surface, "You left me, Edward!" Alice cries.
And finally, there it is—the most refined hurt.
"I know, Alice, and I am so sorry. If I could take it back, I would. I was scared and hurt and after a while I didn't know how to come back so I just kept going," Edward shrugs and runs his rough hands over his face.
"But you're here now," Esme smiles through her tears.
Without venom, Alice asks, "Why now—why did you come back now?"
Edward looks up to the pocket doors, "Her."
Carlisle and Esme share a watery smile.
Thinking they won't understand, he continues. "She never had a mother she could depend on. I have a beautiful, loving, supportive mother to share with her. She never knew her father. I have a strong, loving, honorable man to call father. She never had anyone. I have a sister who has grown into a beautiful, strong woman. She's never had a family. I have a family I threw away because of fear and pride. I came back to give you to her. You three, and now Maddie and Jasper, are my Christmas presents to her." He shrugs and looks at his family as a tear slides down his weathered cheek.
"So you really love her?" Alice prompts.
He smiles toward the doors, "She has my heart," he shrugs. "Somewhere in my wanderings I lost my heart, then one day, she comes bounding through the swinging doors into Dunny's store room holding coffee and banana bread with my heart tucked safely in her pocket.
Edward looks up as feminine, 'Awws' fill the room. He looks at Carlisle, who shrugs. They both laugh at the women's sentiment as Esme moves to sit on the other side of her son.
Watching her brother wedged between her parents, Alice feels small, cold—alone.
After a moment, Edward stands; breaking his parents' hug, and holds his arms open. Alice bounds into them, wrapping herself around her big brother's waist. He wraps his arms around her, laying his cheek on the top of her head.
"I'm so sorry, Alice, please forgive me."
"Of course, Edward, I didn't know. I'm so ashamed. I've behaved like such a horrid brat today," she hiccoughs.
"Yeah, well, that's true. Some things never change," He smirks down at her.
Carlisle and Esme wrap themselves around their children and let the hurt of the past dissipate.
~o0o~
In time, they break apart. One glance at Alice's raccoon eyes and Edward can't help but laugh.
She smacks his shoulder, "Shut up, you shit."
"Alice," Esme admonishes.
"He started it," Alice says.
The four smile at the familiarity of the moment and an ease settles over the family.
"I'm going to go clean up." Alice sighs with a small smile.
"Esme and I will get coffee and cake," Carlisle smiles at his son whose eyes are locked on the pocket doors, "go find her, Son."
Edward nods and heads for the foyer. Sliding the pocket doors open the scene before him causes him to pause. Jasper and Sweets share the bench along the wall with Little Bean stretched out across their laps.
"We good?" Jasper asks, seeing Edward in the doorway.
"You tell me," he says as his eyes drop to their closeness; shoulders touching, their thighs touching, their hands close to the other, over the sleeping little girl. He then pulls his eyes back up to Jasper's in challenge.
Jasper's eyebrows shoot up in surprise, "Yeah, dude, we're good out here. Is my wife still in one piece?" he smiles tentatively.
Edward relaxes his stance, "Yeah, she looks like a raccoon, but she dragged a designer bag into the bathroom with her, so I assume she'll be perfection before she exits."
Jasper begins to pull Maddie carefully to his chest. Sweets helps him wrap her little legs around his hips before he stands.
Edward can't help but glare at the two working so closely to care for the little one. The scene is too domestic and personal for him to tolerate.
"I'll go find my wife and let her take Maddie. I forewarn you, after this nap she's going to be wound tight," Jasper says groaning as he stands with the dead weight on his shoulder.
Sweets giggles softly, making Edward scowl.
As Jasper passes him in the doorway and pats his shoulder, "She just needs your words."
Edward tenses.
What words?
With his free hand, Jasper awkwardly closes the pocket doors behind him.
Moondoggie closes the gap and drops to his knees in front of Bella, laying his head in her lap.
"I want to go home. I miss our bubble, Sweets." He swallows thickly as his eyes sting.
He feels her cool fingers thread their way through his hair and closes his eyes. He wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her lap closer.
"I thought this was home," she says quietly.
"No, alone with you is home," he groans hugging her hips.
He notes the thick tone of her voice and pulls back to find a blotchy faced, swollen-eyed Sweets.
"Sweets?" he whispers in alarm.
She doesn't look him in the eye but gives him a small smile.
Taking her in fully, he notices her stiff posture and then her coat.
"Why are you wearing your coat, are you cold? You've been in this drafty foyer for too long," he runs his hand through his hair. "You're going to get sick," he says putting his hand on her cheek and forehead.
His rambling and concern give her a timid confidence, "you told me to leave," she shrugs and looks at her hands.
"What!" he frantically tries to comprehend.
She begins worrying the button on her coat, "You told me to leave. You called me, 'Bella.' I—I didn't know if you still wanted me after I caused your family so much trouble."
He sits back on his haunches.
"You were going to leave me," his heart sits like a rock in his chest. Then why are you still here?" he asks stiffly.
She looks up from her button to his stony glare. Instead of intimidating her, it maddens her.
"You told me to leave, Edward," she spits out.
It's as if she's slapped him.
She has never taken this tone with him and it gives him pause.
She just needs your words.
"I—I was angry, furious at Alice and I needed you away from the blast zone, safe. Never— get this settled in your head here and now —never will I send you away from me. You will have to leave me. I'm not going anywhere, ever. I love you. I need you. Sweets, those are forever words for me. Okay?"
She smiles shyly at him, "K."
He smiles and sighs as he takes a seat next to her on the bench and pulls her into him. "And don't think I wouldn't have come after you." He squeezes her tightly.
She smiles softly, "I would have been looking over my shoulder, hoping."
"I'm sorry you misunderstood me," he shakes his head and squeezes her closer.
"Jasper said I misunderstood and should wait for you. I'm glad he was right," she leans her head against his chest.
He kisses her hair, "so you and Jasper were pretty cozy."
She sits up, "Moondoggie, are you jealous?" she laughs.
"I didn't like it, so yeah. You're mine, Sweets. I don't want you snuggling up to another man," his heated gaze warms her and draws her to him.
She climbs to straddle his lap and wraps her arms around his shoulders, lacing her fingers behind his neck.
"You'll never have a need to be truly jealous, Moondoggie. I don't see anyone but you. You and me," she smiles before she gives him a tender kiss.
"You and me," he whispers against her lips before claiming them again, running his tongue along her bottom lip before pulling back to break their connection and hover a whispered breath from her lips.
He moves his lips gently over hers again, before sucking her bottom lip between his. She lets out a little moan and licks his upper lip with the tip of her tongue.
That tongue.
He breaks their connection and runs hot kisses along her jaw, before claiming her neck. He nuzzles and sucks as she pants and moves her hair to her far shoulder, angling her neck for better access.
He slowly retraces his lips' path up her neck and across her jaw reclaiming her lips with a growl.
As their tongues dance, he slips his hands under her thighs, pulling her in tight against him, so tight.
She scrapes his scalp with her nails before grabbing thehair at the nape of his neck and maneuvering his head to deepen the kiss.
Moving his hands up the back of her thighs to her junction, he spreads her wider and rocks up into her.
Her breathy, 'Oh God' makes him smile against her neck as he rocks into her again. He's rewarded with her shudder as she wraps her arms around his head and holds on to him as waves of emotion crash over her.
Licking along her collarbone, he is about to rock into her again when he hears a dish clank and a cabinet door bang in the kitchen.
He comes out of his Sweets induced fog to see they are still in the foyer of his childhood home. He relaxes his hold on her and rests his head on her shoulder as his panting mixes and echoes with hers.
"I want to go home too," she whispers against his neck, kissing behind his ear.
He runs his hands over her once more before pulling back and looking toward the front door.
She giggles softly, "No."
"What?" his eyes wide with false innocence.
"Esme made two cakes, two pies, and cookies. We can't leave yet," she sighs and runs her nose along his collar.
He huffs and nods, "It's a once in a lifetime moment and we shouldn't scrimp on it?"
She pulls back and smiles that he remembered her words spoken under the umbrella, "Yes, exactly."
He pats her cute little butt, for her to hop off, but steals one more kiss before she gets away.
~o0o~
He stops them before they open the pocket door, smiling down at her, so beautifully mussed. The caveman wants to leave her this way, a work of art crafted by his hands.
He begins to finger comb her hair and understanding brings a thankful smile to her face.
They take a moment to straighten each other's clothes and hair;all while sharing sweet kisses and whispered love.
He takes a moment to not so subtly adjust himself.
She gives him a sheepish smile and he grins widely at his woman.
They share one more kiss of solidarity and open the doors together.