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"Are you going to tell me what happened tonight?"
Edward frowned and scratched the back of his neck.
"Mind if I have another glass?" He gestured to the water bottle.
"Of course. Help yourself."
"Thanks." He poured himself another glass and took a long drink. "I met my two sisters-in-law tonight," he said.
Bella stared at him. He was married?
What?
"We met at The River Café," Edward said, looking at the coffee table.
"You never told me you were married, Edward," she said, her voice flat and expressionless, her insides revolting.
Why oh why had she even let him inside? Jasper had been so right. But why hadn't he just told her?
He was married.
Edward looked up at her, and it seemed that he had to process what she'd just been saying.
"I'm not," he said, so softly she almost didn't hear him. "Tanya and Kate are Irina's sisters. They are visiting from Chicago. They always do, at this time of the year."
He went back to staring, lost in his thoughts.
"Edward?"
"I'm sorry." Rubbing his forehead, he looked up at her. "We had dinner and drinks, and talked. I ordered one whiskey after the other. I know that's not a good excuse," he shook his head. "I know that," he mumbled.
Bella watched him, her heart breaking as she did.
Somehow, she already knew what was to come.
"So you got tipsy," she said.
"Drunk," Edward corrected her.
"Okay, drunk. Tell me what happened."
"We talked. About stuff. You know. What they're doing. Tanya is a barrister, and Kate is this something-something-big at a big firm. I have no idea what she does. Making tons of money. Wearing shiny shoes."
Bella's eyes went to Edward's own shiny shoes.
It took him a second to understand, and then he smiled.
"Yeah, but I'm not like that. To me, they're just too expensive shoes, you know? Not a concept of living." He let out a deep sigh, and placed his face back into his hands. "I'm bad at explaining things," he mumbled.
"No, I think I know what you're saying."
"You do?"
He looked up. His eyes were beautiful, and deep with sorrow and longing.
"What happened at dinner, Edward?"
"Nothing, really." He shrugged. "It was the same as always. We met at a restaurant. Garrett, Kate's husband, came this time. Tanya's boyfriend had to stay back in Chicago for work. We talked about this and that, and agreed on a time for tomorrow. And then I ordered another whiskey." He chuckled uncomfortably.
He became quiet again, staring at his nails. They were very short. Bella imagined that he kept them that way so no paint would get under them.
"And then?"
Edward shook his head, still staring down.
"Edward?"
"It's basically the same, every year," he said, finally looking up into her eyes. "We meet, I get drunk, and we meet again the next day at the cemetery."
"Why do you meet at the cemetery, Edward?" Bella whispered.
She stretched out her hand. After a few seconds, Edward did the same, and their pinkie fingers touched.
"We meet to remember Irina."
A tear dropped on his collar.
"My wife."
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