A Chapter Eight Outtake
(Bella and Jasper's conversation in the foyer)
Maddie, put the soap back in the dish," Jasper says, trying not to let his frustration resonate in his voice.
"Ducks," Maddie says as she lays them on the counter making a family.
"Yes, they are very nice ducks, but Grandma wants them to stay in the dish," He says reaching for the blue soap only to have his hand slapped.
"Mommy duck and Daddy duck and Maddie duck," Maddie points her chubby little finger at each one.
Jasper has a flash of genius, "Yes, sweetheart, what a lovely duck family, but it's time for them to go home. Oh no, where's their home?" he says with mock concern.
"Here," Maddie says, proud that she knows the answer and begins setting the duck family back into the soap dish, Daddy, then Mommy, and then Maddie.
"Oh, that's perfect. They'll be so happy there," Jasper sighs with relief that it worked.
"Let's go make some hot chocolate, Sweetheart." He says helping Maddie off of her step stool and pushing it under the vanity.
As they walk down the hall toward the kitchen, Jasper catches a glimpse of someone walking past the window. He stops Maddie and sees the coated figure cross the front window again. He sets Maddie on the bench in the foyer and goes to the door.
He opens it to find Bella pacing on the porch.
"Bella?"
"Oh, um—Jasper, I was just …" she stops and shrugs.
He sees that she has been crying.
Women amaze him, so strong and so tender at the same time. He smiles at the thought of his sweet Alice as he steps onto the porch.
"Jasper, it's too cold. You should go back in," Bella stops pacing with concern.
"Bella, why don't you come help me make hot chocolate with Maddie," Jasper takes another step toward her.
She looks down the driveway for a moment and then back to Jasper, seeing Maddie standing in the doorway behind him.
She smiles reluctantly and moves to join them inside.
~o0o~
"Bewuh, mushmewow," Maddie says, handing Bella another marshmallow.
"Thank you, Maddie," Bella says quietly as she sets it next to the two on the counter.
Maddie nods and stuffs one in her mouth.
Jasper moves the bag to the other side of the counter, "That's more than enough little girl. Mommy is going to have my hide if you have anymore."
"Hide and seek," Maddie says eyeing the group on the counter next to Bella.
"Yes, I'll have to hide and Mommy's gonna seek me out," Jasper grins over Maddie's head at Bella. She gives him a small smile in return.
Jasper decided to forgo the packaged hot chocolate and make it from scratch to keep Bella preoccupied. He knows that for Alice, this family conversation is long overdue and there will be no quick fix.
Keeping a hand on Maddie sitting on the counter, he opens the spice cabinet and begins digging. Bella moves around him to stir the simmering pot as Maddie stuffs one of Bella's marshmallows in her mouth.
"My mom used to put nutmeg in mine," Jasper says from the depths of the cabinet.
"I think that's for eggnog, maybe vanilla?" Bella offers quietly as she watches the spoon's repetitive movement.
"Yeah, vanilla," Jasper grabs it and opens it over the pot.
"Just a small dash, it's strong and you want it to be a background flavor adding depth to the cocoa," Bella states without looking up.
"Now how would you know that?" he says with a smile.
She shrugs, keeping her eyes fixed on the movement of the spoon. "I worked in a shelter kitchen for three years."
Nineteen and she worked in a shelter for three years. Jasper does the math and frowns as he puts three drops in the cocoa.
"Volunteering in a soup kitchen would teach you institutional cooking habits. Where did you learn the finesse of vanilla?" He asks moving Bella's last two marshmallows away from his daughter.
Bella shrugs again, "I watched cooking shows on the food network." She put the spoon down, "I think it's done," she adds.
"Hold Maddie, please," Jasper says as he takes the pot over to the mugs.
Bella gives Maddie one more marshmallow while Jasper focuses on not spilling the hot mixture.
He drops an ice cube in Maddie's before pouring the mixture in and letting Maddie drop marshmallows into the mugs and her sippy cup.
Setting the pot in the sink, he turns to the girls. "Let's go sit in the dining room."
Moondoggie kisses under the mistletoe
She swallows thickly, shaking her head as tears form.
"Oh, okay, how about the foyer? That will give Maddie room to run," Jasper smiles kindly at the hurting girl.
They make their way out to the foyer and the adults sit down on the bench along the wall as Maddie runs down the foyer and hallway, stopping occasionally to take a chocolate milk sip.
Keeping an eye on Maddie, Jasper tells Bella about growing up in Texas and about teaching at the University of Chicago; about Maddie's birth, and how his life has changed. Anything and everything to keep Bella on the bench. As he talks he watches her eyes roam to the pocket doors and then to the front door, finishing the circuit to drop to the hands in her lap, only to look up to the pocket doors again.
In time, Maddie crawls up in Bella's lap and begins sucking her fingers, playing with Bella's hair. Jasper pulls Maddie's legs onto his lap, scooting a bit closer to the girls. He takes off her shoes and gently rubs her stocking feet.
As he rubs, Maddie lays her head on Bella's breast and Bella begins to sing quietly.
Butterfly, how I love it when you flutter by,
All the flowers in my garden grow 'cause they love you so,
Butterfly.
Maddie makes a little flying butterfly with her one free hand and then goes back to playing with Bella's hair.
Ladybug, how I wish that you and I could hug,
With your wings of red and spots of black,
Won't you hurry back, ladybug.
Jasper fingers begin crawling up Maddie's leg until she smiles around her fingers.
Oh, I wish, I too could fly.
In and out of tiny places,
Taking flight through open spaces,
You and me; magically.
Maddie's eyes begin to droop as she stills and sinks into Bella.
Honey, honey, honey, honeybee,
How I love the gifts you bring to me,
Life is sweeter after you arrive from your busy hive, Honeybee.
With your wings of red and spots of black,
Won't you hurry back, ladybug.
All the flowers in my garden grow 'cause they love you so,Butterfly.
As Bella finishes the song, rocking his Maddie softly, Jasper takes a moment to study the gentle girl who has already stolen his baby's heart. She has a quiet strength for being so young. He sincerelyhopes she and Alice can become friends. He would like this kind, young woman's influence in his family.
"Let's lay her down," Jasper says, expertly slipping his daughter onto her tummy across their two laps.
Bella plays with Maddie's curls and looks up to the pocket doors again.
"They'll be out soon, I would think," Jasper says quietly.
Instead of comfort, he sees panic register as she looks once more to the front door.
"Bella?"
She shakes her head as the tears begin to flow, "I shouldn't be here," she whispers past the lump in her throat.
"I seriously doubt that's the case."
Her eyes dart to the pocket door, "No, he told me to leave," her face crumbles, "that he shouldn't have brought me here." A sob escapes before she can catch it.
Jasper shifts under his daughter and moves a little bit closer to Bella.
In his softest voice, he says, "Bella, I think you misunderstood him."
She shakes her head, but he continues, "I've never seen a man so much in love. It's a bit nauseating really," he laughs but sees her look at the pocket doors again.
He rubs Maddie's back as she stirs and resettles, "Do you want to know why I'm not upset over all this?"
She looks his way and sniffs.
"Much like you and Edward, I met Alice when she was nineteen. I was twenty-four and fell hard when I saw her for the first time in Crerar Library. She was sitting by the long windows and was just a vision." He clears his throat to continue. "As we began dating and started to get to know each other, I found one of the sides of my multifaceted Alice was a hurt sixteen-year-old girl who lost her brother.
"For Alice, she is still that sixteen-year-old girl when it comes to Edward. It's as if she's frozen in time on this one subject. I love and adore my wife, but today she has been at her very worst. I understand why, but I hate that this is your first impression of her." He looks down at his sleeping daughter, "I want what is best for my wife, even if it means breaking her apart to fix her. I know today is going to be good for her, for all of us."
She sniffs. "It's sweet to see that kind of love. You're a good husband and father, Jasper. You have a beautiful family."
She looks at the front door and frowns and looks back to the pocket doors, finally dropping her eyes to her lap.
"But that's the love I see in your Moondoggie, Bella. He adores you, above all else. He wears it on his sleeve. That man would not send you away from him. He would leave with you." Jasper catches her eye and sees his words register.
She gives a slight nod.
"So just wait and see what he has to say."
"K," she whispers, looking at the pocket doors.
~o0o~
"I'm sorry Bella; Maddie's making a drool spot on your clothes."
Bella looks down and laughs quietly, "That's all right, Jasper, Esme splattered me with gravy and I think I have mashed potatoes in my hair from dinner."
He shares a smile with her as the pocket doors finally open.
He feels Bella tense next to him.
His first reaction is to protect her, but one look at the love-struck man in the doorway and he knows it's unnecessary.
"We good?" Jasper asks.
"You tell me," Edward says as he looks them over and 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.
"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 smiles.
Alice is perfection.
Jasper begins to pull Maddie carefully to his chest and Bella helps him.
"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.
Bella giggles softly and sees Jasper pat Moondoggie's shoulder as he passes him in the doorway.
She watches Jasper awkwardly close the pocket doors behind him and then he's gone.
Bella drops her eyes to her now empty lap only to find it full of Moondoggie a moment later.
"I want to go home. I miss our bubble, Sweets," he says as he wraps himself around her.
She can't help but run her fingers through his hair as his arms encircle her waist pulling her lap closer. "I thought this was home," she says quietly.
"No, alone with you is home," he groans hugging her hips.
In her relief, she feels foolish for having ever doubted this beautiful man.