It's a short one but it will be worth it for the next chapter!
Leave me love!
A/n I do NOT own Twilight but I DO own Colleen
Once we had all taken our seats at the long dinning room table, the tension I felt began to ease. I wasn't afraid Colleen would say anything about us, I knew she wouldn't, but I didn't like her having to see this part of my life either. Imagining the hurt she must feel seeing Bella, knowing it couldn't be her, left a dark mark on my heart. I also knew she wouldn't be serving the meal, we had staff for that.
We made small talk, my mother asked Bella about her hobbies and how many children she wanted to have. My father asked Charles what it was like to be in the police force. All very routine, mundane, and boring.
I tried to seem interested, but my thoughts lingered on Colleen.
"Edward, dear,"my mother prodded.
"What, what did I miss?" I asked, forcing a smile.
"When would you like the wedding to take place?" my mother's eyes lit up as she asked.
"I was thinking maybe a year from now," I had never really given it thought and now I wanted more time.
Everyone looked at me, shock painted on their faces, it was highly not ordinary to wait so long.
"Well I would like to have time to pick a school, so I can know where we will be settling," I tried to placate them.
I felt the room relax as everyone listened to me, thank goodness. We had already had the man course and were awaiting the light desert my mother had ordered our cook to make, when I heard her familiar footsteps.
My head snapped in her direction, Colleen's hair was in a long braid down her back, her head was down, a slight blush rising in her cheeks. She placed a desert in front of Bella then, very quickly, exited the room. Guilt tainted the rest of my meal.
As we said our goodbyes, my mind was elsewhere, I wanted to make this up to Colleen. My brow was furrowed and I could tell both my mother and Bella had noticed my change of mood. I didn't care.
"Goodbye Edward," Bella leaned in and Gently kissed my cheek.
"Goodbye Bella," I forced a smile as I returned her gesture.
The door shut behind Bella and he father and I was prepared to go find Colleen directly.
"Edward," my mother called, "are you sure you are feeling well?"
I nodded as I hurried off toward the kitchen, she wasn't in there, I felt odd inquiring where Colleen was to cook, but I did anyway. Cook told me that Colleen had taken some laundry to the yard to dry. So, I headed towards our garden.
There was a light breeze and the sun was warm, I saw her, standing behind the sheets and linens wafting lazily in the breeze. Her eyes were rimmed in red, Colleen had been crying, I felt my heart sag in my chest. Casually I walked to the clothes lines.
"Why have you been crying," I asked, concealed behind one of the sheets.
"I wasn't, onions always make my eyes water," she said, looking only at the laundry in her hands.
Stepping out form behind the sheet, I ran my finger along her delicate jaw, forcing her to look me in the eyes. Not only had she been crying, she still was crying. Sighing, hard, I crushed her to me and felt her sobs against me.
"You knew about Bella," I breathed, "why did you offer to stay?"
"I knew nothing could come of us," she began her reply, "so I decided I needed to just act as I always do. I would never hesitate to lend an extra hand. It effected me so, seeing you there, bored out of your wits, with your bride to be."
Her eyes were filled wit the sweetest sadness and I ached to be with her. To be able to offer her the support she surely deserved, I felt like a monster. Instead, I pushed my lips ti hears, not urgent, just soft, soothing, trying to relay to her all the things I could not say and did not understand.
"Let me come home with you tonight," I begged, confused at my own sudden need, "I want to meet your family."
"Edward, you can't possibly mean that, what if you get caught?" I could see the fear in her eyes.
"I won't," I promised.
"How can you know that?" she scoffed.
"I'm a boy, Colleen, I will tell my parents I am going to a show or something, they'll believe me," I said softly, running my fingers along her cheek.
Colleen grabbed my hand and pressed the palm to her lips, I leaned my head back and breathed in deeply. Her touch was so much to me, such a strong feeling over took me, did I love her?