Chapter 4
BPOV
DISCLAIMER: Twilight and all of its characters belong to the awesome Stephenie Meyer. I just get have my way with them…especially Edward. No copyright infringement intended.
Sunshine, laughing, smiling, and feelings of happiness, joy and hope. For the past two years those emotions had been very foreign for me. Except for when I am spending time with my little boys. My two little snoozing rays of hope, they're the two things that keep me going every day, the two things that keep me pushing onward to the next day.
Those were my thoughts as I stood over their cribs watching them sleep and dream peacefully, earlier abandoning my novel and comfy seat that I couldn't focus on because the thoughts of the new neighbor consumed me as I began to doze. I stood there wishing that I was capable of that kind of slumber, the kind of slumber where you don't have to worry about oversleeping, having to be aware and alert at all times of where you are or what you are doing. Always having to be mindful of almost every hour in the day; living this life wasn't just like walking on eggshells. It was more like walking a thin tight rope at a very dangerous height, one wrong move, one foot put astray and you would fall hard and fast. I walked that tight every day.
I stopped my musings and put all thoughts on hold until I had another spare moment later. I looked over at the little elephant clock on the dresser, the time telling me that it was still very early in the morning at that this was going to be a long day because Mike had only been gone less than 50 minutes and time was moving by really slowly. I looked at the small window noticing the navy blue sky having its pinkish spots in it. Knowing that the spots would soon turn into streaks, and would slowly start turning into orange bringing in the sun. I walked closer to the window and noticed that the moving vans were slowly starting to pull away from the house next door.
I went downstairs into the living room looking around the small area, trying to think of something that I could but there wasn't anything that hadn't been done. I'd already shampooed the carpet and vacuumed it a few days ago, scrubbed the walls and windows, swept, mopped, and waxed the kitchen floor, and lemon pledged all of the other surfaces. Hell I'd even cleaned out the refrigerator and scrubbed that as well.
Damn, what the hell am I supposed to do now? Just sit on my ass all day till Mike comes home and I have to fix him dinner? Uh, yeah I don't think so; last time I did that and was caught I got a serious verbal slaying. So that was completely out of the question.
I heard the mailman just like I did every morning like clockwork, dropping off the daily mail. I walked to the hall closet and pulled out my jacket, not knowing whether or not the temperature had taken a major dip the way the weather man had predicted the day before on the evening news. I slipped my jacket on and made my way to the front door and outside. I was thankful that I had chosen to wear my jacket because it was so snippy outside. And wet. I hate wet cold because it's been raining, and you can feel the moisture in the air and seep into your bones. Give me dry cold any day.
We have a long front yard so it takes a bit longer to get to the mailbox than it does most other people. As I made my way to the mailbox, I lifted my head to take a look at my familiar surroundings. To my right was a small white house with light pink trim, and a long yard somewhat similar to mine. It had a small porch with one step and two hedges in front of it.
The house belonged to Mrs. Cope, she was the secretary at the local high school. She took on the job stating that she wanted to have something constructive to do with her time other than sitting in her favorite chair knitting things she knew her grandchildren wouldn't wear.
But anyone who knew her well enough knew that she took on the job as high school secretary because it was just too sad and lonely sitting in the house that she shared with her deceased husband. It was the first and only home they had shared together after they wed. Nearly fifty years of memories wrapped up in that house. I can understand why she took the job.
Straight ahead of my house was nothing but trees, moss, and never-ending forest. And to my left was the no-longer empty house that happened to be currently holding its newest occupant. An occupant that for some reason I was unnaturally interested in knowing more about; who was he? Is he new to town? Is he married? Does he have kids? Is he living alone?
All of these questions were flowing through my mind as my curiosity continued to get the best of me. I finally made my way to the mailbox, opening it and pulling out its contents. Bills, bills, bills, and envelope addressed to Mike with no return address. No return address? Any other woman might open the letter, never give it to her husband or live in boyfriend, etc. etc. but I happened to know better. It may be something and it may be nothing. I felt the envelope to feel its thickness. But it felt very thin so it could have been just a letter from a bill collector, or someone advertising their business. It wouldn't have been the first time, so I dismissed the letter from my thoughts.
"Good morning Bella!" Mrs. Cope yelled from across her lawn.
"Good morning Mrs. Cope, how are you this morning?" I asked her, truly interested, she lived alone and she was always so kind and warm towards her.
"I'm doing well dear, just getting the mail and going to sit in front of a warm fire. You know the cold…it hurts my bones." Grunting as she made her way over to the fence that kept our yards separated.
"Yes, I remember you telling me that." I recalled a past conversation with her. "And don't you forget what I said either, if you need me to do anything for you, or you want to chat while Mike is at work just come on by or give me a call and I'll be there." I stated, kindly yet firmly.
She chuckled, "Yes, yes, I remember your words and I haven't forgotten them. Now how are those precious boys of yours?" she asked, dismissing my firm gaze with a soft smile in a motherly fashion. Reminding me of my own beloved Grandma Swan, I guess that's one of the reasons I've kind of attached myself to Mrs. Cope the two years that I've known her. I was trying to make up for the time that I lost with Grandma Swan.
"They're inside sleeping." I said.
Even through my light jacket I could really feel the cold setting in. I began to bounce in place attempting to try and create any kind of heat I could.
"Well it sounds like to me they have a better idea than we do," she began to turn a little preparing to head inside, "I'm going to take their cue dearest, a warm fire, and a nap sounds alright with me at the moment. And you should do the same; you make sure you give them each a big kiss for me." She said absently, walking away.
"Yes ma'am I will." I called after her, heading back inside myself.
I turned to head back up the long walkway to the house, and that's when I saw him. Tall, possibly six feet, six foot two at the most. Untamable looking copper locks of hair that looked like it was in need of a good trimming, pale skin, with somewhat dark shadows under his eyes. As if he hadn't slept for a few days, possibly from traveling a long distance. He had a strong chiseled jaw with what looked like a few days' worth of scrub.
Long legs that you could tell were muscular, hidden beneath a pair of seriously distressed jeans, and a firm chest covered in a thin sweater that supported broad shoulders. I stood there trying to hide my staring by discreetly looking but pretending to focus on my pieces of mail. He was walking in and out of his carrying boxes back and forth from the trunk and backseat of his Volvo.
I read the side of his boxes written in large sharpie print, most of the boxes were labeled books and important, the others were miscellaneous. After he walked back into the house with a box I looked out past his drive and into the yard where the for sale/rent or lease sign was. Apparently he was renting or leasing, it had to be one of the two, because if he had bought the house there would have been a large bold printed sticky sign saying sold. I don't know why it concerned me so much but it did.
I continued standing there gazing at the sign I saw the realtor place there months ago.
Hmm, I wonder if he is just staying here temporarily until he moves on to where is headed to. I thought to myself. What the hell was I talking about?
I don't know this man from Adam, and he doesn't know me from Eve. Maybe he moved here because this is where he wanted to be. But then again who in their right mind would ever want to be here. In Forks.
Must be for a job or something I said to myself, coming up to a conclusion all on my own without evening knowing a single about the highly interesting man. Well highly interesting to me.
I heard a bit scuffling, kind of like boxes and other things being moved around. The nameless man walked out in a huff as if he possibly had to work his way around boxes and luggage and it wasn't pretty. He was making his way to his car when he spotted me standing there looking. He had the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen.
It was if they literally pulled you into a trance like state, they were emerald green. The color of freshly grown grass and moss at the beginning of spring, so rich in color and vibrancy; that's the best way I could possibly describe it. They were very deep and engaging, as if they were saying there is so much I could say, so much I could tell you. Show you things you've never seen or heard of before…that kind of depth.
But the strongest thing I felt when I looked into his deep penetrating eyes was that I felt like I knew him. There was a very strong sense of knowing. But that's not possible, because I've never seen the man before in my life. You can't know a person that you've never even shared greeting with before…can you?
A slight impish smirk slid across his face, he threw a quick wave and continued on to what he was doing beforehand. I decided it was way past time for me to go back inside, besides my toes were starting to go a little numb from the cold. I jetted back inside and turned the heat up a smidge, making sure it didn't get too warm so I didn't catch a cold or worse.
I threw the mail onto the counter where I always left it for Mike to see when I came in. Walking to the hallway closet and replacing my jacket to the hanger and exchanging my boots, with a pair of slippers. I went upstairs to make sure the boys were still sleeping. It wasn't even seven a.m. yet. Once I finished checking on the boys I went into the living and decided that it was ok for me to lounge around until maybe Mikey woke up or a couple of hours before Mike came home from work.
I turned on the TV to an old I Love Lucy rerun, made my way into the kitchen to make myself a cup of hot chocolate with extra marshmallows to warm me up even more. That's when I heard a knock at the door; I knew it wasn't Mrs. Cope because she would have called instead of coming by due to her aching bones, and everyone else who lived on the street were all at work.
The visitor continued to knock until I gave in went to the door. I opened it to a pair of glorious green eyes.
He had a small smile playing at the corner of his lips with his hand stretched out, "Hello, my name is Edward Cullen. I'm your new neighbor, nice to meet you."
AUTHORS NOTE: I know what you all are thinking, why the heck is it taking so long for her to update?! I've taking on extra hours at work and with school by the time I get home all I want to do is sleep. So to make it up to all of you I plan on posting a new chapter within the next 2 to 3 days. I SWEAR, SCOUTS HONOR. Give me reviews and tell me what you think, because if I don't think that its going over too well then I'll possibly scrap it and try a new story rambling around in my head.
