oOo
By the time it was three p.m., Bella still hadn't heard from Edward, and she was getting tired of waiting, maybe in more sense than one. He could sugarcoat his drinking all he wanted, the fact was that he had a problem.
Bella went shopping for groceries and cleaned her flat, working up a healthy irritation with her boyfriend as she vacuumed under the sofa, trying to catch every single dust bunny.
She loved Edward, truly, but if she was honest with herself, he still was an enigma in many ways. She wished she could look into him and understand the force that drove him. His pain, and his passion. Were they the same?
She was scrubbing the bathtub when her phone rang; it was Leah. Grateful for the interruption from her brooding, Bella greeted her with exuberance. After chatting for a few minutes, she realized how much she missed her best friend. They hadn't seen a lot of each other over the past weeks. Bella's studies and Edward had taken up all her time, just not necessarily in that order.
"What are you doing tonight?" Bella asked.
"Um, I don't know? Watch Downton Abbey and eat liquorice?"
"Why don't you come over?"
"Over?" Leah repeated with more than a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "To your place, you mean?"
"Uh, yes. We could watch Downton Abbey together."
Bella swallowed and chewed on her thumbnail. All of a sudden, she felt she was a horrible friend. Of course, she was in love and all, but neglecting your friends was a cardinal sin.
There was a small silence on the phone.
Bella stared at her frayed thumbnail, bitten to the point of no return.
Leah saved her after another painful moment.
"Okay," she said. "I'll bring a bottle of Baileys and popcorn. Seven-thirtyish?"
And just like that, they were back to their old level of comfort and familiarity.
.
Edward finally called while Bella prepared carrot and cucumber sticks with a yoghurt dip. He sounded contrite.
"I would have called earlier, but Mike rang again at around two and he said if I didn't get my ass to the gallery, he'd stop representing me."
A hollow laugh.
"He was only joking, of course."
"Did you go?"
"Yes. Actually, I'm still at the gallery. Apparently, everyone's going to have dinner at this super-hip place."
"Oh."
Okay, she needed to stop with the thumbnail, or there'd be no finger left by the end of the day.
"I told them I'd just give you a call. Are you coming, what do you think?"
Bella bit her lip.
"Actually, I agreed to spend the evening with Leah."
"Oh, I see."
She could tell he was trying to sound nonchalant about it, but she recognized the hurt in his voice.
"It was a spur-of-the-moment decision," she explained quickly. "I haven't seen her in weeks," she added, ashamed of herself.
"Of course," Edward said. "I guess I've been hogging you."
Another small and empty laugh made her heart cramp.
"So I guess you won't be coming over later," he said, "if you're having a girls' night."
"No, I guess not," Bella whispered.
"I love you," he said, sounding earnest. "You know that, right? I know I'm difficult and insufferable sometimes, but never forget that I love you, my Bella."
"I love you too," she vowed.
They said goodbye a couple of minutes later.
Bella sat down in her rocking chair and cried.
oOo