AN:
Welcome back, guys – sorry for the wait!
Thanks to ginginlee and sparklingtwilight for their lovely, super fast, super awesome beta work! And thanks, as always, to my ficbest / prereader lizzylillyrose!
Thanks to Janine / Sweetlovincullen for the SW pimp on Twilightficzone!
So you guys like that Edward is a firefighter, huh? Good, because I can have a lot of fun with that ;) ...
Again, I own nothing.
Back from chapter 2:
A smile slowly slid onto the man's face as his eyes took in my practically naked body.
"Wow," he began. "I can't believe it."
I stood there dumbfounded.
"You're looking really good, Bella," he drawled out slowly.
"Masen!" the boys called from the truck. "Let's go, buddy, clock's a tickin'!"
He smiled quickly before he bounded off towards the red engines. I turned around and watched as his form disappeared.
"You are one conniving old man, Charlie Swan," I mumbled seriously.
He went back to whistling and headed back inside the house as I stayed glued to my spot…watching in amazement as he drove away.
O.o
June 2010
The red trucks finally disappeared from view, but I still couldn't find it in me to get my feet to move. I knew Charlie was up to something…
"Charlie!" I yelled, finally stomping back into the house. I found him sitting on his recliner, flipping through the channels on the television.
"Bella, hush, the TV is on," he dismissed me.
"When was that last time you used your oven?" I asked, stepping in front of him and blocking his view. Things were starting to add up, and I didn't like it. Charlie hadn't cooked in years, and the smirk on his face outside before Edward came out had given him away.
"This morning…now move before I hit you with my cane."
I stood defiantly. "You know what I meant…"
"Yesterday."
"Liar," I countered.
He huffed and sat back, finally looking me in the eye. "About ten years ago," he admitted. "But, Bella," he started with more force, "it was for your own good!"
"My own good? You almost burnt the house down!" It was just silly that he went so far as to endanger his safety just to…whatever it was he had planned with a certain firefighter.
"Psh!" He waved his hand for emphasis. "I did no such thing. You're being a bit dramatic – always have been!"
"If I'm being so dramatic, why did you choose this morning to cook in the oven after not touching it for a decade?"
"You…um…I…breakfast?" he stammered.
I raised my eyebrow skeptically, not saying anything else until he continued.
"Okay! Fine, fine! I surrender!" He sighed heavily and crossed his wrinkled arms over his small chest. "I just thought you could use a nice distraction," he mumbled softly, looking down towards the floor.
"A distraction? A distraction from what, Uncle Charlie?" I asked just as softly, while relaxing my stern stance.
"Don't go thinking that I forgot what you had with that boy all those years ago, Bella…" he led on.
I shook my head vigorously. "Oh, Charlie…please, please do not go there! That is such ancient history! To be honest, I'm surprised he still remembered my name."
"That's not all he remembers," he scoffed, probably not meaning for me to hear.
"You are delusional, old man," I dismissed. "That summer was…"
"A long time ago, I got it," he finished for me.
"That was a dirty trick you pulled…I'm practically naked!" I said, once again taking in my tank top and underwear.
Charlie laughed out loud. "That was just an added bonus."
I sat down on the couch and ran my fingers through my hair, pulling it into a pile on the side of my neck. "Uncle Charlie, really, it's sweet that you're thinking about me, but I really am not in a place to get into a relationship. Sure, coming here reminds me of…him, and then, but I would never have acted on it. It's a sweet memory – I had planned on keeping it just that."
"I wasn't trying to get you romantically involved with him, Bella! I just set the kitchen on fire, you're the one who came down dressed in…that," he snickered.
"You're not funny," I warned.
He laughed again. "Okay, okay. I won't play cupid. But I think both of you have a lot more in common than you think."
"I don't even know what that means…this is just…ridiculous!" I stood up and yawned, my abrupt wake up call finally catching up with me. "Please don't meddle. I don't need sympathy friends," I mumbled and walked out of the living room and upstairs to shower.
I stripped out of my little clothing and allowed the hot water to cascade over my aching body. I honestly should have expected as much from Uncle Charlie. He had always been a fan of Edward, and he definitely wasn't too fond of Mr.-He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. Charlie would always comment how my husband…er, ex-husband…never made me as happy as Edward had that summer. Did he not realize, though, that at seventeen everything was more blissful?
Edward wasn't as perfect as Charlie seemed to remember him being, either. Even Mr. Masen broke my heart once upon a time…
I quickly chided myself, refusing to let my memory drift back down that dark path. I always tried so desperately to hang onto the good times, the happy memories of that summer – that was what first loves were about, right? Happiness, growth, innocence…not to be blinded by the pain of the goodbyes.
I didn't know how to react to Edward being in Johnston County. I hadn't seen him since…I banged my head against the wall of the shower. Not going there, I thought again to myself.
I thought for sure he would be in some big city somewhere, living out his dream of becoming a lawyer. He used to tell me all the time how he wanted a better life than this town, to go out and travel the world, experience things greater than these dreary town limits. He wanted excitement, danger, uncertainty…
I laughed, realizing that he was now a firefighter…I guess it didn't get much more dangerous than that,I thought. Something must have had happened, though. I had always been curious as to what had happened to him. Every summer that passed, I would reminisce over our relationship – the field, the tree, the lake, the carnival. I would picture him in a black suit, standing proudly in front of a courtroom, and I would smile.
But now? It was no longer just my fantasy of where Edward could have been…now, I knew. And it scared the ever living shit out of me. This was Edward we were talking about, after all!
My body shivered involuntarily, and I turned off the water and stepped out, shaking my head to clear my thoughts.
I was being ridiculous – I was a grown woman! No boy…or man…should have been able to get under my skin like that. That was exactly the type of thing that got me in trouble in the first place.
O.o
I dressed leisurely in a pair of cut off jean shorts and a more modest white tank top. I was lucky that I had inherited my mother's body, and my slim curves only showed slightly through the flimsy material. I pulled my hair into a bun on top of my head and grabbed my sunglasses off my dresser before heading outside. My boots were sitting out on the back porch, and I slipped them on, making sure to tie the laces nice and tight.
It was still relatively early, so the heat wasn't quite as unbearable. The clouds were pathetic whispers in the sky, and the blue color seemed to cover vast acres. I walked over to the stables, and the boy I had met when I had first arrived here was hard at work.
I laughed at the memories that surfaced from being back in here, but my noise had taken the poor kid by surprise. He jumped and held onto his chest.
"It's just me," I said, laughing. "Bella, remember?"
The boy breathed out and nodded. "Right…you've got to stop coming out of nowhere like that, though!"
I smiled sheepishly and picked up an extra shovel. "Sorry about that. So, what is your name? I don't think I caught it the other day."
He looked surprised when I started helping him shovel the manure in one of the stalls, but he didn't question my actions. "I'm Seth," he replied, getting back to work. "You know," he finally said after a minute of silence, "you really don't have to help me. I get paid to do this."
I chuckled and nodded. "That's alright – I enjoy doing it. It brings back some good memories. Besides, I'm sure you would like the help…" I led on, and he laughed, nodding his head in agreement.
Seth and I worked side by side for a few hours before both of us grew famished. He and I agreed that we wouldn't ride the horses until the work was done, so he agreed to continue working if I went inside and made lunch. I hastily threw together some ham and cheese sandwiches for Seth, Charlie, and myself, and I handed it to my uncle before heading back out to the barn.
I called Seth over to sit under the adjacent tree, which allowed us to eat in the coolness of the shade. I rested my back against the thick, scratchy bark, and practically scarfed down my meal in just a few bites.
"Wow, such a lady," Seth joked at my lack of eating manners.
"Bite me," I mumbled with a mouthful.
He laughed, finishing up his own sandwich before taking a swig of his water and lying down on the soft grass. He shut his eyes and spread out his arms, seeming to be totally content in that moment.
"Seth, may I ask you a question?" I requested, laying down myself and mirroring his actions.
"Sure," he agreed easily.
"How old are you?"
"Um…" he mumbled uncomfortably. "You're really cool, and all, Bella, but you're like old enough to be my mom."
"What!" I shrieked before I erupted in laughter. "You…you thought…" I couldn't even finish my thought because I kept laughing. I curled over onto my side, pressing my hands into my stomach. His comment really wasn't that funny, but since I was laying down, probably heat exhausted, I thought it was the funniest thing I had heard in months.
"You were hitting on me, right?" he asked, confused.
"No…no, not at all," I answered, while still bubbling with laughter.
"Hey! I'm insulted. It wasn't that far of a stretch!" he complained. "I'm a catch!"
"Uh huh," I mocked, my laughter finally winding down. "Sorry, kid, you're not really my type," I relayed, laughing once again.
"Okay, okay, joke's on me, got it," he retorted, finally laughing a little bit. "I shouldn't have assumed."
I wiped the tear that fell from my eye. "It's all forgiven," I said sitting up. "But, seriously, how old are you?"
"Sixteen."
"Woo," I whistled. "That would be totally illegal if I had been hitting on you," I joked.
"And really gross," he added.
"Yes…definitely that."
O.o
"So are you finally ready to ride?" I asked Seth a few hours later as we finished everything up. The horses were fed, their stalls were clean, and the hay barrels were moved.
He checked down at his watch nervously. "Um, I can ride for a little while, but I, uh, um, kind of, have something to do later."
I laughed and saddled up a white horse named Jenna. "And what exactly is this something?"
A smile erupted across his face, but he still tried to play it cool. "Oh, you know, nothing big."
"Is this something a date, perhaps?"
"A date?" he asked in a much higher pitched than normal. "Psh, no one goes on those anymore. No, this…we're just, you know, hanging out."
"Right…" I mocked as I climbed on Jenna. "So what is her name?"
"Tonight, it's Rebecca."
"Tonight?" I asked incredulously. "As in, there are multiple girls you take out through out the week.
He shrugged, indifferent. "A playa gots to play."
"No, no, no, no." I shook my head vigorously. "A 'playa' is another term for 'chicken shit.' Be a man and only court one girl. Be a gentleman, a nice guy, a charmer," I emphasized. "Trust me, as soon as those girls find out that you're 'playing' them, they will be gone faster than fried Twinkies at the county fair. They'll probably all gang up on you, too…make an I Hate Seth club, or something," I rambled.
"For real? They would name a club after me?"
"You're missing the point, Seth. Do you like this Rebecca girl?"
He kicked his feet in the dirt and looked at the ground. "She's okay, I guess."
"Then stop trying to act all cool. Back in my day, guys used to fight each other to win a date with a girl. They would be so proud if she said yes. Just…be a guy who would fight for someone."
"Back in your day? Wasn't that eons ago."
"Okay, all these jokes about my age are getting really old."
He laughed. "Old…you would know."
"Seth!" I yelled. "I'm not kidding! I'm really not that old – even though I definitely feel like it some days," I said with a hint of sadness.
"Did you have someone fight for you when you were my age? A charmer, as you so nicely put it?"
I was sure I turned bright pink, but I quickly turned my back and started galloping on Jenna out into the field. "You only wish you knew, kid!" I yelled behind me.
Before I knew it, Seth had jumped his horse and had caught up to me. "Will you tell me about it?"
"About what?" I ignored his piercing gaze.
"When you were sixteen…and your 'courter,'" he said, using air quotes.
"First of all, I was older than sixteen, and no, I will not be sharing that adventure."
"Why not?" he asked, pouting.
I sighed softly. "Because it doesn't have a happy ending."
"I'm sorry, Bella," he said sadly.
I laughed without humor. "Oh, don't be sorry. I wasted too much of my life on him, anyway."
"So, why are you telling me to be a charmer and court these girls when it's not guaranteed to work out, when people get hurt?"
I smiled and looked at him seriously. "Because, sometimes…love wins in the end."
O.o
Seth only rode with me for less than half an hour, and I was left to the peacefulness and serenity of the open field. I rode Jenna without abandon, fast, strong, and carefree. I felt the summer breeze whip across my skin, and I released the elastic from my hair, allowing it to blow behind me.
I rode, not having felt that alive in months. It felt like everything, for even those few moments, was lifted. I had only wished all of my problems could have been so easily lost in the wind. I would have had gladly given my issues away – the broken heart, the failed marriage, the miscarriages, the depression, the cheating…all of the lost years.
I laughed to myself, shaking my head. Wasn't that the real reason why I was here?
Sure, I had come to help Charlie…but, in reality, I was the one who needed to be healed.
The sun was just beginning to descend in the sky, and I knew it was time to wrap up with Jenna and go make dinner for Charlie and myself. The stable was just about in view when I saw another car parked out back. When I got closer, I could see someone sitting on the steps on the back porch.
I got Jenna back into the gated area when the man stood up and walked over to me.
At least I had clothes on this time.
"Hi, Bella," he said nervously, his hands shoved deep into his pockets.
"Edward Masen," I whispered, a small laugh escaping my lips. I looked to him and then to the horse, finding his eyes again. I had no idea how long I was out riding, and I felt bad if he had to wait. "I'm sorry, I hope you haven't been waiting on me for long…"
He laughed, my comment taking him by surprise, I suppose. He turned a nice shade of pink, and his eyes shot down to his boots. "You have no idea," he drawled slowly.
I didn't understand, but okay…
Both of us were at a loss for words, and the moment got more awkward by the second. I tried desperately thinking of a way to cut the silence, so I offered the only thing I had…
"You want to stay for dinner?"
END NOTES:
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