Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or its characters. Stephenie Meyer is in no way associated with this project.
I'll be updating my four other stories soon, but I needed to get this idea down! No worries, I am still completely devoted to my other fics, but this will actually help me stay interested in them all. :)
Enjoy!
EPOV
"Edward, did you let Lucy out?" Jessica calls from the bed.
"Yeah." I reply, uninterested.
Tonight is a carbon copy of yesterday night and the night before that. And the night before that. And then the bland pattern resumes.
Ever since our youngest child, Tanya, left for a university in Alaska, Jessica and I have fallen into a limbo of boringness and repetition. For almost 22 years we have raised children together and now that we're alone….we're disconnected. The passionate love we once had is slowly vanishing day by monotone day.
I love Jessica, don't get me wrong. She's the mother of my children and my best friend. But as a lover? There's no spark, no chemistry. Once upon a time, we couldn't keep our hands off each other's flesh. Now, we're lucky if we even kiss on the cheek a couple times a week. Yeah, it's that bad.
Jessica and I were your typical high school sweethearts. Until, on the day of graduation, she informed me she was carrying our child. She had crocodile tears in her eyes as she was expecting me to disown her and our unborn baby. The opposite had occurred. I chose her over my original dream of playing in the NFL. It just wasn't a practical career for a man with a family.
Looking back, a part of me can't help but wonder what would have happened if I hadn't given up the notion. Of course I would never change my decision to be a father to our daughter, Irina. She was the light of my life. Living without her would be like living in purgatory.
However, my choices in life have led me to become a man of forty-one who works in his father's family business, our own medicine practice. The pay is very generous, but there's no passion on my side. I love helping people and I'm expletory at what I do…it's simply unsatisfying to me. Besides, I believe it has contributed to my shattered marriage with Jessica. A large portion of my time is distributed towards work and that creates a strain between us. We're both in our early forties, yet we're living like we've already hit the eighty mark.
Sighing, I clean my face from any leftover shaving cream and tidy up the essentials in a drawer. I shut the bathroom light off and climb into bed with my wife who is currently absorbed in a coverless novel. She looks incredibly sexy, in an innocent way. She's got her black rimmed glasses pushed up her nose and her lovely face is scrunched up in amusement. Her blonde curls are cascading down her shoulders. I roll my eyes eternally at that image. I much preferred Jessica's natural brown locks, but she insisted that they made her look boring. Wow, and blonde is so much more exotic.
"What are you reading about, babe?" I ask, actually wishing to know the answer. I love my wife regardless of the issues at hand.
"It's a biography about William Shakespeare. My class is scheduled to begin studying his work starting tomorrow; hence I want to familiarize myself with him again."
I chuckle. Jessica is an extremely thorough literature professor at the University of Washington. Therefore, she made certain she knew every aspect of every subject she lectured on. Even if she already knew everything there was about it, such as she did with Shakespeare. I am positive she could recite his entire life story by memory. I admire her intelligence and her dedication to her job. There were too many teachers out there that didn't give a genuine fuck about their students.
"Which reminds me Edward, one of my students is dropping by tomorrow. I'm assisting her in writing a column that she plans to submit in a contest. Do you mind?" Jessica quires. That's another thing I love about her- she doesn't assume I'll be okay with random strangers popping by. Even though she will invite this student no matter my answer, it feels good to be considered.
If only we could have a serious discussion about our situation, we may be able to work it out. But both of us are too worried as to how that would transpire. We've never been without one another, the thought is scary. Deep down, I think we both are aware that this isn't working.
"Sure. She's not a psycho though, right? It's a bit unsettling that one of your students knows where we live. Just in case this ends erm…less than good." Call me an overprotective fool, but this is the mother of my children! Grown children, but still their mother just the same. Oh, and she's my wife….
"It's so cute how you worry." She giggles. "And yes, I trust her. She's got the most potential I've seen in a while, Edward. I'd really like the opportunity to help her out. Who knows, perhaps in fifty years it will be her writings that are lectured about."
"Right. I uh, guess you never know." Quickly, I kiss her cheek and mumble my goodnight wishes.
I place a pillow over my face to drown out the light. As well as the palpable tension nestling between us.
A sigh of relief escapes my lips as I pull up to my drive way. I sit in my car before entering the house, desperately needing a moment to breathe. Today I had the hostile privilege of informing a young woman that she had breast cancer. That aspect of the whole doctor position never gets any easier. She wasn't even my patient, but I refused to allow the idiotic resident handling the case, to break the news. He was an insensitive prick who thought he was a God.
Once my thoughts are collected, I step out of my vehicle and scan my surroundings. I immediately notice the beat up, red truck that is foreign to my home. Then I proceed to realize Jessica's car is nowhere in sight. Shit, I hope she didn't crash- that fucking car cost an arm and leg!
Ugh, I'm disgusting. My wife was possibly involved in a crash and my intentional thought is the cost.
"Jessica!" I holler as I enter the front doors.
"She went out to grab some grub." An unfamiliar voice resounds from the kitchen.
I stalk over to that particular room and sure enough a stranger is plopped down on one of the high stools, looking as if she lives here.
My eyes are instantly attached to the beauty before me. She's threading a pencil between her pouty red lips, deep in concentration. Her bright brown eyes are intently scanning over the various papers before her. Her pale hand pushes away a long brunette strand that is attempting to block her vision.
God, how I would LOVE to tug on that beautiful hair.
It's long and has red streaks mixed in with its dark, chestnut locks.
Heavenly.
STOP THESE INNIAPROPRIATE THOUGHTS NOW, CULLEN! YOU'RE A MARRIED MAN! I scold myself.
"Umm…hello?" I greet this goddess, wanting her undivided attention.
She cranes her head back and her face lights up in the most glorious smile. She scampers off her stool and skips down to introduce herself. Or at least that's what I presumed. Instead, she embraces me in a gigantic bear hug that rivals those of my best buddy, Emmett.
"You must be Mr. Cullen. I'm Bella, Mrs. Cullen's student." She releases me.
"Oh, now I remember. She's spoken very fondly of you." I offer. Bella blushes.
I want her sooo bad.
"Yes, well, she is an excellent teacher. I've never had an instructor who pays me so much attention and actually listens when I inquire for advice and the likes."
"That's my Jessica." I beam with pride.
"Lucky boy you are. It must be nice to have such an attentive wife." There's another layer to her words. I'm stunned at the suggestive tone she opts to use and momentarily frozen in place.
"Yes…it um, is." I stammer.
"And what a lucky girl she is. I've heard rumors of your looks, but they didn't do you justice. You're much, much yummier than Brad Pitt or any of those other yahoos considered sex gods." She continues, her voice becoming sultrier with every word.
"Um…thanks?" Bella giggles at my obvious nervousness.
"You know, I'm going to be attending this new bar, Volturi, if you want to tag along….Alone. I really don't want to go by myself."
"I'm flattered; however, I really don't think that would be appropriate." I'm astounded at how formal this girl is daring to be. I'm the husband of her teacher after all!
"Too bad." She genuinely looks disappointed. "If you change your mind, call me. I'll direct you to where to meet me." She scribbles what I presume to be her phone number on a blank sheet of paper and stuffs it in my front pocket.
"If Mrs. Cullen returns, I mean WHEN she returns, tell her I'm really sorry, but I had to run." She adds before leaving out the front door.
The reality of the predicament hits me and I slump down on a stool. Bella's notebook catches my eye and I quickly grab it.
"Bella! Wait!" I run outside after her, but she's already gone.
I'm going.
I'm not going.
I'm going.
I'm not going.
I debate with myself for the rest of the afternoon.
Part of me hates this girl. How dare she disrespect Jessica in such a major manner? Especially when my wife thinks so highly of her. Jessica had been deeply disappointed when Bella was nowhere to be found once she returned with lunch.
Then another part of me, a part I couldn't properly explain, was fascinated with this beautiful girl who took me off guard. Jessica was so…predictable. Bella possessed many qualities, but that was DEFINTIELY not one of them.
Would it be so bad if I attended the club opening with her? These days it's unsafe for such a young woman to go to such an event alone. Besides, I need to give her her notebook back as well.
Surely no harm could come of me enjoying a few beers with an exciting woman?
A woman that's not my wife.
ARGG! DAMN MY CONSCIENCE!
I glance over at Jessica, who's typing away furiously on her laptop.
Before I can talk myself out it, I dial the digits Bella left me.
"Hello?" Her angelic voice asks from the receiver.
"Hey, Bella?"
"Yeppers. Who's this?" Yeppers? That must be what the kids are saying these days….
"It's erm…Edward." I check to make sure Jessica is oblivious to the exchange happening right under her nose.
"Edward! Yay! What's up?" The obvious joy in her voice makes a smile appear on my normally glum face.
"Well, I was thinking over it, and I'd VERY much like to take you up on your offer…"
Those words would change my life forever. I could already feel it.
And I'm…excited.
Thoughts? How do you find Edward? Bella? Jessica?
I'm thinking about writing this in only Edward's point of view. What do you think?
Please let me know in a review and thanks SOOO much for taking the time to read.
=)