Three weekends and lots of raspberry stains later I think I've actually made a real best friend. I can't believe how easy it is for me to be around Edward. He's great with Alice since he's an uncle. I love the neighborhood and even though it's really rainy here, I love the weather. Everything is so green and alive. My little purple shamrock is thriving in the sunroom. I've even divided the pot so that I can give some to Esme.
This weekend Edward's having a cookout and I'm going to meet his brother and sister-in-law and nephews. I met his dad the last week. Apparently this house belonged to Carlisle's sister. She passed away a few years back after she lost her battle with breast cancer. I found out that since Carlisle and Esme own the house they are pretty choosy about who it's rented out to and I'm only the 2nd tenant they've ever had.
While I'm fixing dinner for me and Alice there's a light knock on the door. I don't know anyone in the neighborhood other than Edward, but even if I did I'd know him by the light knock. It's like his version of restitution from that morning we met. I shout out for him to come in, and before he even rounds the front hall to come in the kitchen I'm getting an earful about locking the door and checking who'd out there before letting anyone inside. He's right, but I guess I just feel so safe here that I'm not being very careful. I promise him that I'll do better.
He scoops Alice up into his lap and starts tickling her, much to her delight. At this point in their little friendship she just lights up when he comes into the room. She's trying to say Edward every now and then but it's a little hard for her and usually ends up like a mix between the Canadian affirmation "Eh?" and "egg".
I haven't decided what to do long term with regard to keeping James's memory alive for Alice, but at this point she's stopped saying DaDa so I've stopped mentioning her Daddy. There's really no point in talking to her about it now since him being gone doesn't make any sense to her. I guess I'll just keep all the pictures in storage and cross that bridge when we get there.
"So are you ready to meet Emmett and Rose and the boys?" he asks while Alice is still giggling like a maniac.
"I'm super excited. So, Riley is four and Jasper is two, right?" I'm scooping up bowls of Chicken and Dumplings for us while he's putting Alice in her high-chair.
"Yeah, that's right. What is this stuff? I mean, I'll eat it but this doesn't look like soup." He's got a suspicious look on his face as if I'm attempting to feel him play dough instead of real food.
"Uh, it's Chicken and Dumplings. I guess it's just a southern thing. It's chicken and flat strips of biscuit dough. I eat mine with pepper sauce in it. Do you want to try yours like that? Or do you want it plain like the way Alice is eating it?" One look at the way Alice is shoveling hers in and he decides to try it plain first. If his moans and slurping sounds are any indication, plain suits him just fine.
Edward has been having dinner with us once or twice a week since we moved in, usually Wednesday and Friday nights. It's nice to have someone other than Alice appreciate my cooking and having help with the dishes is a treat.
Once he's finished his first bowl and is well into his second helping he asks me if I've been watching the new season of some SyFy original show. This is only the hundredth time I've had to remind him, "Edward, we don't have a TV. You're constantly asking me about shows, and I tell you everytime that I don't have a TV because I don't want to rot out Alice's brain. She watched cartoons in Jacksonville and when she did she would completely ignore me. I could talk and talk and she wouldn't look away from the stupid television. The road-trip was her TV detox. No more TV."
"Yeah, I'm sorry. I just can't believe you don't even have one in your bedroom."
He can't believe I don't have a TV and I can't believe he doesn't have a girlfriend. I'm so thankful for his friendship and I love our dinners and picking raspberries in his backyard, but I feel like there should be a love interest in his life. I try not to be superficial, but the man is seriously sexy. He could have his pick of women, but there doesn't seem to be any lady in his life. I'm afraid to ask, and he's never brought it up. Since he's aware of my circumstances I would think that if there were some sordid story to share he would have told me by now, but he's never mentioned his past at all.
We finish up dinner and he heads home with one last reminder to show up tomorrow for his cook out. I wouldn't miss it for the world.
The cook out was awesome. Alice had a great time playing with Riley and Jasper, well her version of playing was pretty much just following them around and hugging them if they stood still long enough. Riley said she was cool because she ate two whole hotdogs and sweet little Jasper just kept calling her pretty.
I think I figured out why Edward was transfixed by Alice that first day too. She looks like she could be one of Emmett and Rose's kids.
Rose recommended her pediatrician for Alice and I'm so so glad. Finding a pediatrician is such a pain, but a recommendation from another mom takes all the stress out. So I'm going to be calling on Monday to set up an appointment for Alice's 2 year well baby visit.
Emmett was funny, but a little loud for me and Alice. The only weirdness at the cookout was when Emmett said my ex had some competition for Alice's affection since she is clearly so fond of Edward. You could have heard a pin drop. Apparently no one told him that I'm a widow. Those are the moments that I hate the most. He felt horrible, but I promised him it was alright.
One of the funniest moments was when Emmett asked if I was going to go back to my maiden name. I actually hadn't even considered it, but decided to keep things light with a funny story.
"When I was growing up I was certain I wanted to hyphenate my name when I married. I loved my name so much. But when I married James that idea went out the window…I would have been Isabella Swan-Hunter. It was a bit too gruesome."
Emmett's guffaw was so loud that Alice startled and almost started crying. After that, she stayed in my lap or Esme's. Emmett started calling me "bird-killer" and made me agree to use their baby-sitter Emily so that I could have a night out with him and Rose. Alice has never been in daycare or even had a baby-sitter, but Rose convinced me by saying Alice would have a great time playing with her boys.
A week later, I'm in a loose dress to hide my bump when we go to this coffee shop slash wine bar. Apparently coffee is a big enough deal here that a wine bar isn't complete without an espresso machine. We slip into a round booth with Edward and Emmett on the outsides. The boys get up asking for our drink orders.
"I'll have a glass of whatever house red. Bella, what do you want?" Rose looks at me with a smirk. Weird.
"Um, can I just get a Vanilla Latte? I don't want to get tipsy and then have to take care of Alice by myself" I'm hoping they buy my excuse for not drinking. Emmett tries to talk me into a glass of what Rose is having, but thankfully Rose defends me.
"Emmett, she's going to be going home to a teething toddler she'll need her wits about her. Just get her the damn Latte." As the guys walk off to the bar Rose reaches down to pat my leg in some kind of women's solidarity move. But just before she makes contact, her hand detours and lands on my belly.
She knows. She knows. She knows. My brain is on repeat. I finally lift my eyes and find Rose leveling at me, "We need to have a talk, huh?"