Chapter 17
Bella opens her eyes to a strange room full of odd smells and a new bed full of familiar warmth.
Bobby is dying.
The feeling of being set adrift; abandoned; washes over her. She closes her eyes and swallows thickly as her stomach dips and rolls.
When her breathing calms and she feels in control again, she swings her legs over the side of the bed.
"Thank you for this day," she breathes as she tentatively stands, taking a moment to pull the blanket over her love's broad shoulder.
"Thank you for Moondoggie," she whispers tenderly as her finger brushes an auburn lock from his smooth brow, before turning from the bed.
She makes short work of dressing, quietly slipping from the RV and into the gray morning chill. She picks the lock on the side, storeroom door and, removing her coat and shoes, she tiptoes to the living room of Dunny's apartment.
Dunny is snoring rhythmically and she stops to cover his cold feet with his tangled blanket.
"Thank you for Dunny."
She pats his blanket-covered foot before continuing on to Bobby's side. She picks up his hand, cool and smooth, and lets the tear roll down her cheek unabated.
"'Nuf uh dat . . ." Bob whispers as he pulls her hand to his chest and closes his eyes.
A small sob escapes as she follows the hand onto the bed. He pats her arm as she rests her head on his thin shoulder.
"I love you, Bobby. Don't leave me," she whispers with a hiccough.
He pulls some tissues from his small box on the mobile table.
Handing them to her, he takes a deep breath.
"Would stay, nah my call, Lil' Beh," he squeezes her hand.
He lies dry-eyed and lets her quietly cry herself out, patting and rubbing her hand and absentmindedly playing with her engagement ring.
After a time, they lie still together and Bob's breathing evens out.
"Thank you for Bobby," she sighs with a hitch of her breath and drifts to sleep sharing Bob's pillow, exhausted before sunrise.
~o0o~
Dunny rolls and stretches his legs, pushing against the arm of the couch. He groans softly as he rolls to sit up and adjusts himself in his sweat pants as he yawns.
Not wanting to know what else he does when he thinks he's alone, Bella makes noise as she sits up.
"What are you doing here?" Dunny asks in surprise.
"I came to check on Bobby. How did he do last night?" She asks as she stretches.
"Good, his pain got ahead of him around two, but Carlisle came and sorted it out. He's been comfortable since then." Dunny says as he folds up his blanket and pushes it to the end of the couch.
She swings her legs carefully over the edge of the hospital bed.
"Come sit by me, Bella Girl," Dunny says as he pats the cushion next to him.
She plops downand he gives her thigh a pat as she rests her head on his shoulder.
He studies his hands dangling between his legs and she closes her eyes.
After a moment he sits back, disturbing her and says, "You should be snuggled up in Edward's bed, Girl, not here with a couple of old men."
She sits up straighter and pushes her hair behind her shoulder.
"I have my whole life to be in Edward's bed," she blushes and smiles shyly before sobering and continuing, "But I only have so much time with Bobby."
Dunny nods and thinks on her words while he picks up her hand and plays with her ring.
"You would think that, but life can change on a dime without a 'by your leave.' You get now, make it count," he finishes with a sigh.
She rests her head on his shoulder again, "I will, Dunny. I promise I won't waste a moment," she pats the gnarled hand on his knee and adds, "and time spent with you and Bobby is not wasted."
He pats her head awkwardly with his calloused hand, "I know. You're a good girl."
He clears his throat, "Bob and I are pleased as punch for you and Edward. You make each other happy. That makes us happy."
He sighs and grabs the remote. The flickering screen of a black and white Andy Griffith Show marks the end of the conversation. When Bella begins to snore softly, Dunny covers her with his blanket.
~o0o~
Edward rolls over and pulls her pillow into a hug. He buries his face, breathing in her shampoo and body wash.
Sweets
His cheek lifts against her floral pillowcase in a contented grin.
His eyes pop open and he bolts up as his heart begins to race.
"Sweets?" he calls.
Nothing
He grabs his boxers and walks into them as he moves to the bathroom—empty, and the rest of the motorhome—vacant.
He works on controlling his breathing as he returns to the bathroom. Flipping on the light, his frown is illuminated in the mirror. His eyes move up to the lipstick message: With D&B-signed with a lipstick kiss.
"Okay," he nods and drops onto the closed toilet lid. He laughs at himself with relief, "You're going to have to stop going there every time she leaves the room, you ass," he says to the mirror.
He takes one more deep breath, rubbing his hands over his face, before dropping his boxers and stepping into the shower.
~o0o~
He sees her shoes and discarded coat as he comes through the side door. He follows the sound of voices back to the small apartment and finally the living room.
Edward stands on the threshold and takes in his family. Dunny is sitting in his recliner with Mac taking up two cushions of the sofa. Carlisle and Esme are sharing an overstuffed chair while Bella is snuggled up alongside Bobby, who rests against his pillow with a contented smile on his face.
Mac is telling a story of Dunny getting lost in Detroit and winding up on the wrong side of the tracks. Dunny keeps correcting and contradicting much to the enjoyment of the room of listeners.
"Moondoggie!" Bella says, popping up. Bob gives her hand a squeeze and releases her to go to him.
Edward steps into the room just as she wraps around him.
"Good morning," she says against his collar.
"Good morning, Baby," he sighs into her hair.
"You found my note?"
"Yes, thank you for that. Are you having a good morning?" he asks as he begins to rock them.
"Yes, I missed you, though," she whispers.
"I'm glad—on both accounts," he says with a smile as he pulls back, running his hands down the sides of her head and meet, pulling her hair into a low ponytail as he leans in for a gentle kiss.
She follows as he moves to end the kiss, demanding more. He obliges by releasing her hair, wrapping her in his arms, and pulling her into a luscious melding of lips.
"Aw, have mercy, man, single men here; that just ain't healthy to see!" Mac's voice booms.
The room erupts into laughter as the couple breaks apart with a glare shot over Bella's shoulder, causing the room to erupt anew. When Bella hides her red face in her hands, Edward pulls her protectively into his chest and guides her to sit at the other end of the couch, shoving Mac to make room.
~o0o~
Carlisle helps Esme serve coffee and breakfast tacos. By unspoken consent, the group spends a good part of the day in Bob's room. People come and go, a chess board is brought out, and Bob fades in and out of participation.
In the afternoon, a 1978 Pontiac Firebird, sporting a fire-red roof and hood, and black chassis divided by a flowing, two-inch silver ribbon, parks in front of the gas station.
Edward and Mac jog over.
"Well, hell, Peter!" Edward calls. The three men hug and slap backs genuinely glad to see each other.
As Peter walks around the car to retrieve his woman, Edward turns to Mac.
"Did you do this?"
Mac cuts his friend a crafty smile. "Hell yes, Pete and Lottie are just the first of many. I worked with Esme on this. Most are going to camp out and Esme reserved one floor of the hotel down the road.
"My God," Edward has no words, "thanks, man."
Mac smacks him on the back, "Bob's my friend too."
Edward swallows thickly, "That he is."
~o0o~
Pete and Lottie add a new dimension to the group. Pete's dad had worked in Bob's shop, Marcus Motors, for three decades, all total. Pete calls Bob, Mr. Marcus, a fact that brings Mac to giggles every time he hears it.
Lottie doesn't seem to match Pete. Where Pete is ripped jeans and grease under his nails with Sir, Please and Thank you forever on his lips; Lottie is Rebel Circus in Doc Martens and takes the stance of a cornered dog more often than not.
Bella watches the group slowly draw Pete into the circle of conversation and acceptance while quietly ignoring Lottie, not really knowing how to approach her.
As the men work at getting Pete to talk dirt on 'Mr. Marcus,' Lottie moves toward the door.
Bella slips on her coat and shoes and follows her out. She catches up with her against the wall of the garage, cupping her hand and lighting a cigarette.
Bella stands upwind from her. "Are you staying here tonight?"
Lottie doesn't look at her, "Yeah, we've got a tent with a heater."
"I'm glad you're here. I'm excited to meet Edward's friends."
"Peter's his friend," Lottie says flicking her ashes.
"Oh."
Lottie cuts her eyes over to the pretty little girl, "I don't make friends easily, but Pete is everyone's friend."
"You made friends with Pete. He seems to like you very much." Bella smiles and gathers her wind-blown hair over one shoulder.
Lottie gives a sly smile, "Yeah, well, I warm his bed." She shrugs and drops her cigarette.
Bella watches her grind it with her boot, "It's more than that; I think you're his person."
Lottie grins and cocks her head, "Yeah—maybe. You're a little 'Hallmark'. It's kinda annoying."
"Oh."
Lottie bumps shoulders with Bella, "Might as well own it."
Bella frowns and nods.
"Wanna walk with me? That room has old guy funk."
Bella doesn't know what to make of that but wants to like Lottie.
"Sure," she says and buttons her coat as Lottie lights another cigarette.
~o0o~
Lottie and Bella walk the road without talking. Sporadically, vintage cars and motorcycles, all with custom paint, rush past the girls. Lottie stops occasionally to take pictures of the distant horizon, close-ups of desert flora, and covertly, Bella, in profile against the horizon. Bella asks questions about the digital camera and finds Lottie is quite passionate about photography.
As the girls walk the road back to Dunny's, they see Pete and Edward walking towards them. Bella sees the cigarette in Edward's hand and sighs inwardly.
He was worried.
She quickens her pace and skips the last few steps into his arms. He breathes a sigh of relief into her hair as he wraps her snug in his arms.
"You missed me," she whispers.
He gives her a squeeze and pulls back.
Her nose and cheeks are red.
He pulls off his beanie and places it on her head, pulling it over her ears, and capturing her fly-away hair. He kisses her chilled nose and cheek.
"Yes, I did."
They watch as Lottie catches up and Pete pulls her to him. She takes the last drag and flicks her stub as Pete grabs the nape of her neck and locks his lip over hers.
Bella's head cocks, when a moment later, Peter exhales smoke through his nose. He moans and grabs Lottie's ass as his tongue works her mouth.
Bella looks at Edward with rounded eyes and he laughs pulling her to him.
After an awkward moment, Pete and Lottie break their kiss. Pete throws his arm over Lottie's shoulders and begins to walk with her.
She smirks and gives Bella a shrug, "He's really into secondhand smoke."
"Oh."
Edward and Pete share a laugh and Edward throws his arm over Bella's shoulder. "Come on Sweets; let's get you warm."
The four walk companionably across the parking lot, now busy with people setting up tents and going in and out of the marquee tent.
"How many have showed up?" Bella asks in astonishment as she watches the scramble of activity before her.
Edward pulls her closer, sliding their joined hands into his jacket pocket. "I'd say about a dozen or so while you were walking."
"Are they all your friends?" Bella looks a bit daunted.
"No, I've met all of them, but some are Bob's friends from before I stayed with Dunny. Pops may know some of them better than I do."
Lottie leans away from Pete, "Bella, meet me in the food tent and I'll show you my landscapes' book." She smiles at Bella's nod and Edward sees what Pete sees in her, a beautiful girl with a genuine personality. She likes Bella and that's enough for Edward.
"We'll be there in about fifteen minutes. I think Mom is serving stew." Edward says over his shoulder as he steers Bella toward the RV.
~o0o~
"You really missed me," she giggles as he tugs at her leggings after tossing her on the bed.
He growls in victory as she lays before him, bare from the waist down. Kneeling before her, he pulls her to the edge of the bed. Throwing her legs over his shoulders, he licks her from stem to stern, and after she screams, he settles into a focused discipline of making her writhe.
He brings her to the edge over and over and as he sucks her clit, her movement stops. He looks up to see her propped on her elbows.
"Are you punishing me?" she pants.
He thinks for a moment as his tongue runs from inside her knee to the crease where her leg joins her pelvis. "Nooo, I'm reclaiming you."
He continues sucking and rolling his tongue as his hand runs up her torso, covering her breast and urging her back down.
He feels a shiver run through her.
"Oh."
~o0o~
As they enter the warm food tent, they spot Mac, Pete, and Lottie at the edge of people eating and milling about.
Mac throws open his arms, "Gimme some sweetness, Sweetness."
She giggles and drops Edward's hand to wrap her arms around his neck.
Mac wiggles his brows over her shoulder at Edward and laughs at his scowl.
She pulls back, eyeing the table.
Ooo, that smells good, Moondoggie, you want some?" She moves back to her place under his arm.
"Yeah,"
"I'll get it, you sit." She gives him a peck on his chin and is gone.
"Moondoggie?" Pete leans around Lottie to look at Edward.
Mac speaks up, leaning back in his chair, "Yeah, it's Moondoggie and Sweets, how precious is that I ask you."
Pete and Mac laugh as Lottie barks out, "Ewww, really?!"
She's too new to the group for him to tell her to go fuck herself, but by his look, it's implied.
Bella comes back with a tray. She takes a seat next to Moondoggie and spreads it out between them. She begins fishing out her carrots, placingthem in his bowl as he butters her bread and puts it next to her plate. She removes her lemon wedge from her tea and slides it next to the other one already on his glass as he pulls her closer and takes her hand before scooping up a spoonful.
Mouths full, they look up as they realize the table is quiet.
"Wha—?" Edward swallows looking across the table.
Lottie smiles at Bella and Pete barks out, "Are you guys for real?"
"What?" Edward asks as he holds up Bella's bread for her to take a bite.
Lottie elbows Pete, "Nothing, you're cute together."
Bella smiles and tucks her hair behind her ear.
"A bit symbiotic," Pete begins.
"But not parasitic," Lottie counters.
"No, mutually beneficial, it would seem." Pete agrees thoughtfully.
Edward scowls at them. "Thanks, I think."
He turns to Sweets, "Thanks for the carrots, Baby," he whispers against her cheek.
"I know they're your favorite," she smiles patting his cheek and taking another bite.
Mac laughs, "Yeah, definitely symbiotic."
Pete and Lottie nod in tandem.
~o0o~
Edward lies in the darkened room listening to voices rise and fall around the fire in the center of the tents. He runs his hand along Bella's slender arm lazily.
Carlisle gave her a B-12 shot yesterday and she is taking B-12 slips that melt under her tongue along with a multi-vitamin every morning. She's put on a pound since they brought Bob home and hasn't needed her Queasy Pops in several days. He thinks of how rosy and happy she looked walking in the wind and smiles in the darkness.
"Moondoggie?"
His hand stills. "Yeah, Baby?"
"I'm thinking sooner rather than later." She murmurs.
He shifts next to her and feels her stretch and mold into him.
"Sooner?"
He feels her push her hair over her shoulder.
"Yeah, I—I want to get married sooner, rather than later," she yawns.
That gets his attention.
"That sounds great to me. I would have dragged you down to the chapel with the bell in Reno if I thought I could have gotten away with it. Why do you think so now?" he asks kissing her hair.
"Well, Dunny and Bob play with my ring and all of your family and friends will be here, so . . ."
"I've seen the guys playing with your ring," he says softly as he picks up her hand and kisses the ring, "You're sure?"
She rises over him and looks into his eyes in the dim light. "I'm your forever and you're my one-and-only-ever. Yes, I'm sure."
The intimacy of her breath on his skin does funny things to him and he pulls her over his lap as he sits up against the headboard.
He taps the flashlight on his phone to give them a bit more light. He finger combs her hair as she runs her fingers lightly through the light patch of hair on his chest.
She's so beautiful, so simply beautiful.
His throat thickens at the thought of what a heaven-sent treasure she is and he lifts her chin with his fingertips. "I love you, Bella, my sweet forever."
Her eyes shimmer in the soft lighting. "I'll love you always, Moondoggie," She whispers in deep sincerity.
He brings her to him for a kiss, tender, reverent—an act of worship.
She sits back and sighs softly, running a finger over his cheek and sighs again.
"So, yes?" She smiles.
"So hell yes, Baby." He smiles back.
She nods shyly, "K."
He wraps his arms around her and rolls them, "Okay," he whispers hotly against her skin.