Beneath the Undertow
Epilogue
The steep stairs to our new condominium were lined with painted clay pots full of geraniums and begonias. I quickly surmised Bella was quite busy while I was away for three games in Montgomery. Southern summer heat saturated the night air as I made my way through the front door. "Babe, I'm home," I shouted gratefully as my large team duffle hit the cool foyer floor.
"Edward," she squealed. "I'm in the tub." Smiling, warming at the mere sound of her voice, I quickly kicked my running shoes off and tossed my tangle of keys on the kitchen bar. Shady images, black and white… familiar but not, drew me in. Small, yet significant glossy paper held me still and tense. Ovals and arrows, numbers and names, our baby waiting, developing and growing and there, here… ours. The shiver I couldn't shake suddenly had me braced against a tall, black painted barstool. Then a note, spiral edged, jagged and torn written in bright blue permanent marker brought me forward.
Mommy's impatient. Please don't be mad. I'm healthy and cute and have boy parts…
Bella moved down the hallway, tying a loose bow across her short, white cotton robe and swollen middle. We stared, she anxiously chewed her lip. A natural glow from warm bathwater and pure happiness lit her porcelain skin. "Hi."
"Hi, yourself," I said quietly, closing the distance. I held the evidence of our love and future out and in front. "You just couldn't wait, could you?" I teased. She turned, tearing towards our bedroom, bare toes bolting across earth toned tile. Giggling louder as I caught closer; we landed gently on our bed.
"You're not mad are you?" She snatched the sonogram pictures, thumbing over them slowly, lost. "I couldn't help it. Dr. Weber offered at my appointment this morning." We laid back, holding him over us.
"No way."
Pointing and detailing, she shared the reality of everything we'd hoped for. "Isn't he pretty…" Nudging my tight, tired arm playfully, I caught her in a soft kiss. Deepening, our lips desperate, a cathartic and silent release of love. "He's going to be okay…" She whispered at my mouth.
"Yeah." I pushed her dark waves, slightly shorter, from her beautiful face. "It's a boy…" She nodded, smiling the reassurance I usually gave.
"Oh, I have two exams next week and study group on Sunday. I don't know if I can come out to watch Sunday night," she pouted sympathetically.
"I'm just throwing balls. You need to study." Rolling her eyes and smirking, she pushed my t-shirt up and off. I reactively opened her robe, needing to feel. As I smoothed over her growing tummy, she fell back, sighing.
"I like your balls…" Grinning against her sweet skin, we laughed together. Her fingers began their habitual dance to ease the ache. "How's your shoulder?" Though barely edging the pain, I melted at her soothing touch.
"This may be it, baby. Double A, the minors might be the end game."
"You don't know that. Hey…" Cradling my face, she searched and smiled. "They've already moved you up once." My drive had waned, wanting made me weary. Bella and I already survived forever and a day on love. Our only true need was each other, the baby reminded us of that…
I rolled her hip, urging to the side. Dusting hair behind her freckled shoulder, I left a wet trail of kisses along the most gorgeous arched neck. Rough, battered fingers ran the outside of her soft thigh as her ass teased, rotating against my hardening length. "Yes?" Tugging her earlobe with my teeth, hands slid beneath and between.
"Mmmm… yes. I missed you," she breathed, tipping her head. She grazed and tasted along my jaw with warm lips, tongue. Making love was our magic… our quiet moment of perfect in the wild rush and effort of life.
~BtU~
"Where's Mommy," I asked, settling Sam on my lap. Taking the end of a bottom bleacher, I searched for Bella in the sea of flat, dark graduation caps. The small community college commencement packed an even smaller Southern Baptist gymnasium with proud families. I craned and focused, shifting our almost year old son to balance on strong, busy feet.
"There she is, Sammy. Look... Look at your smart, beautiful mommy." I pointed, Bella waved. Glowing bright with excitement, she beamed confident. I blew a kiss with his small hand in mine to reciprocate. Bella smiled, wrinkling her nose watching Sam wield his wide green-eyed charm on the elderly woman next to me. I smoothed his dark curls over and back, smirking against the top of his head.
"Excuse me, are you… Edward Cullen?" A young, blond haired boy tugged at my white dress shirt from the aisle stairs. A man, I assumed to be his father, kneeled behind him, holding a thick black pen.
"Yeah, hey buddy. What's your name?"
"Jason," he mumbled, staring at my hands.
"We were at the ball game last night, but missed the warm-up autographs," the father explained, chuckling.
I felt over my pockets with one hand, corralling Sam with the other. Grabbing a spare program off the bleacher, I penned a short message, while my young son climbed over and around my shoulders.
"Thanks a lot," the father said with a masculine handshake and a nod. "Hope you're enjoyin' it here in Jackson. You doin' the kids pitching camp again this summer? Jason's finally old enough."
"Yeah? Well then I guess we'll see you on the mound." I offered my fist for a friendly bump as they walked away.
Eight years and some days since the last time she held a diploma, she grasped the new one a little tighter. We had a glimpse into more, into plenty… settled and thriving in a small community, a place we found, a place we made. Slow and measured since our Sam was born… we savored. Life was uneven, no promises… we'd practiced and learned. We knew exactly what we wanted to take away…
a/n
Thank you for reading xo
Warm and happy hugs for our amazing friends Obsmama and FFpassion. You made the details special. Love you xo
Huge thanks and mad love to our friends at TLS for the endless encouragement. xx
Beneath the Undertow was nominated for an Avant Garde Award... thank you very much to the anonymous and wonderful nominator :)
For every tweet, rec, post and beyond for this short love story we are very grateful.
Outbound, our multi chapter love story will post in late summer. The first chapter will be included in the Fandom for Sexual Assualt Awareness charity collaboration. Please take a peek at the gorgeous teaser video Jaime created on our profile page.
And so it goes... our young loves are set and settled, loving and living. Please say hi or farewell... xxoo