Chapter 31 - Less Filing, Tastes Great

EDWARD

I hadn't seen or heard from Bella since Christmas break. I hoped to see her on New Year's, but apparently, people had let off some fireworks early, startling and scaring several animals. She said she was too busy caring for stray animals and finding owners for the others.

I tried not to take it personally, but then she gave Alice Max's medicine. He joined me in the fight against Bella ignoring us by being extra difficult and absolutely refusing to take it. I finally just scooped him up and took him over to her, ignoring her cold shoulder and whined, "You've got to help me. He won't take it from me, look!" I said and offered the medicated meat-flavored chunk to Max, who promptly swatted it out my hand and pranced away. "He won't take it from me."

She let out a sign and picked up the medicated cube. "Come here, baby boy," she said.

She sat down, and Max climbed into her lap. "Take it, Max, it's good for you," she whispered in his ear looking down at him with sweet adoring eyes, and he took it from her no problem.

I looked at her shocked. "Why won't he take it from me?" I asked exasperated.

She shrugged and went back to writing in one of her files. "Maybe he just likes mommy best."

"Well, mommy needs to not be so cold to daddy."

"Well, daddy should've told mommy he was leaving her and not get her hopes up leading her on."

"I wasn't leading you on."

"Weren't you?"

"No, I'll be back for all the school breaks. You know Esme would have a cow if I wasn't. Bella, I wasn't leaving you. I mean we'll be apart, but it wouldn't be like it's the first long distance relationship in history."

"Relationship?"

This was it; it was my chance to fix it. "Yeah, Bella, I want to be more than friends."

She looked up at me with watery eyes. "Really?"

I stepped forward, pulling her into my arms. "Yes, really."

BELLA

Edward said he wanted to be in a relationship. He wanted to try a long distance relationship, and I knew I could never ask him to stay. I would go away to college if I had the money and the chance. I didn't know why I hadn't seen it sooner. I guess I just thought he would go to UW and still be close, but New York was on the other side of the country. I didn't know if we could make it work, but I definitely thought we should give it a try.

Valentine's Day was only two weeks away, and it would be my first time ever having a boyfriend. I asked for it off and was thrilled when Dr. Gartner didn't have a problem with it. I talked to my mom about what I should do for Edward, after I confessed to her that we were dating.

She squealed and clapped excitedly. "Tell me everything, baby."

I told her as much as I was willing to admit to my mother. I did tell her that we had kissed. She smiled so wide, and we decided it was best not to tell dad about it. He liked Edward, and we wanted to keep it that way.

EDWARD

Valentine's Day. I was freaking out, because Valentine's Day was coming up, and I wanted to prove to Bella that I really meant it when I said I wanted to do the long distance thing with her. Everything I thought of just seemed so generic. I wanted to do something special for her.

In the end, I gave her a calendar, one that I had the exact copy of. It had all the breaks marked, and they were called Bella breaks, and on the weekends I wrote Bella dates.

She started crying, and I was happy when she hugged me, letting me know that she liked it. I was worried she wouldn't.

I was so relieved that she was willing to try and make it work. I hated that I was leaving her, but her mother's health really limited her ability to leave Forks at all. I wished she could come to New York with me, solely for selfish reasons, but hey, they had pets in New York, too, didn't they?

Bella surprised me when she gave me a present. She blushed and said she felt stupid. "It isn't much. You know what, it was a stupid idea."

"No, no," I said pulling the package away. It was a picture, but not just any picture; it was one of us with Max. From the angle, her mother must have taken it from the house. I loved it. We looked so happy, like a perfect moment trapped in the frame. I didn't want to look away. "It's perfect," I said and finally looked up to see my girl biting her lip nervously. I pulled it free with my thumb and kissed her softly.

"You're not just saying that?"

"No, I love it. This is the perfect family picture," I said pulling her down on the porch steps to sit with me. "You're amazingly beautiful, and it'll always remind me of how happy you make me," I said pointing to my smile in the picture. "Besides, our little boy is just too cute for words."

She leaned into my side, snuggling. "I'm glad you like it. I thought this way it'd help you not miss me so much."

"Oh, I'll miss you, the same if not more. This picture just reminds me of what I'm missing."

I saw her eyes dart to my lips, and I took the hint, leaning in and kissing her again. I would never pass up a chance to taste her lips.

BELLA

Gone too fast. That was all I could think. He was gone way too fast. Summer went in a blink, and Edward was gone before the end of it, so he could set up his place with Jasper and Alice.

Edward called me daily. I was sure his phone bill would be too high, but he assured me he had unlimited talk time and planned to get his money's worth.

We talked about our professors and of Max. There were no pets allowed in the dorm for this first year of college, and he was required to live there. It was driving him nuts, but I would visit with Max at least monthly to give him his medicine, and he was always happy to see me.

When the time for Thanksgiving came, I was a nervous wreck and practically leaped on him. We had yet to progress our physical relationship beyond light touching over our clothes, but our conversations would sometimes get heated over the phone.

Max literally climbed up Edward's leg, demanding his attention. When Max got to the family jewels, he had definitely grabbed Edward's attention. Luckily for Max, Edward missed him like crazy and found Max's impatience endearing.

EDWARD

I was back in Fork, and though I loved Bella, I really wished I could convince her to come back with me to New York. Not just because I loved her, but because I loved life there as well.

I finally decided to broach the subject after Thanksgiving dinner, as I drove her home.

"Do you ever see yourself leaving Forks, Bella?"

"No."

"Why not?" I was about to argue with her, when she put her hand up, stopping me.

"Edward, I can't leave my mom. She needs me. I have to stay here. It isn't that I don't want to go, but if I did and something happened to my mom, I'd never forgive myself."

I just nodded in acceptance, hating that she was stuck in Forks with no chance of escape.

"Do you ever plan on moving back here?" she asked quietly.

Truth was I didn't. It was never in the plan to come back to Forks, but to move on with Jasper and my plan, and we couldn't do it in Forks, Washington.

I must not have answered fast enough, but the truth was I couldn't come up with a good answer to give her.

"You weren't," she said sadly and twisted her fingers.

I took a deep breath and shook my head. "I made that plan before we were really together. I'm sure there's a way to modify it. Maybe I could telecommute or something." I knew it would never be possible, but I thought I would throw it out there in a last-ditch effort.

She smiled sadly at me. "It's okay, Edward, I kind of always knew I'd end up alone." She leaned in and kissed my cheek softly. "It was nice to have you while I could." She slipped out of my car and hurried to the back gate, so she could go into her back door and clean up before she entered the house. I had to tell her I still wanted her, that we would find a way to make it work. I didn't want it to be over.

When I came to her back porch, I saw her stripping down slowly. When I saw her wiping her face with her shirt, I knew it was because she was crying. I couldn't stand it any longer. I pushed in the door and grabbed her, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her tight against my body, hoping she could feel that I needed her with my very being. I needed to stay with her, and I would find a way to do it, somehow.