CHAPTER THREE
The sun was high overhead as Edward Cullen stepped onto the back deck of his downtown Chicago apartment. Gripping a hot coffee cup in one hand, he placed the other on the edge of the railing around his deck and looked over. On the street below, his wife Jessica had parallel parked in front of the building and was unloading his two children from her car. Alex was first, his dark blonde hair shining in the summer sun. Carlie was next and Jessica pulled her from the car seat and then into her arms.
It was his weekend with the kids. He'd had them a few days before but only because Jessica had a doctor's appointment. Ever since Edward had suggested that they separate, she'd been a bitch about letting him see his kids. He'd even given her their house and he had moved into a two bedroom apartment that was up the street from the body shop. He'd sacrificed for her and she'd still taken the two things that meant more to him than anything else in the world. She might have been able to live through their failing marriage but he couldn't do it. He needed to get away from her.
From inside the apartment, the buzzer rang for his door bell and he left the porch and pushed the button, allowing Jessica and the kids allowance into the building. Three minutes later, they were on his floor and Jessica's delicate knock signaled their arrival. Dressed only in flannel pajama pants and a coffee cup, he opened the door.
"Good morning," he said, with a smug smile. His hair was tousled and his sheets were imprinted on his face. He would have enjoyed sleeping in but Jessica insisted that she bring the kids by at exactly eight o'clock in the morning. Therefore, Edward had slept in until seven forty five before he woke himself up.
"Hi dad," Alex said, happily as he stepped past his father and hurried into the apartment.
"Hey," Edward said, letting him pass. He watched him move to the couch and then turned his eyes back to Jessica who was looking at him with raised eyebrows. He smiled.
"You could have at least put on a shirt," she said.
"Oh, don't tell me that you don't like it," he said, raising his cup to his lips. He took a long, hot drink of the black coffee and then smiled as his daughter finally realized she was going to be handed over to her father. A broad smile crossed her lips and she reached out for him which made Edward grin deliciously. From the day that she was born Carlie had always been a daddy's girl. He shifted his coffee cup and took her as Jessica leaned in closer. Carlie buried her face into Edward's neck and he kissed her temple gently.
"They haven't had breakfast yet," Jessica said, as she set Carlie's diaper bag beside the door. "I was in a hurry and I figured that you'd be okay with feeding them."
"They're not a burden or anything," Edward said. "It's not like you're forcing me to have them. I like having them with me and yes, I can feed them and will be happy to do it so thank you for allowing me that pleasure."
She shook her head and took a deep breath and stepped back.
"All right. All right," she said. "Enough with the hostility, Edward. I'll go. I'll be back for them on Monday morning before you have to head over to the shop."
"Okay," Edward said. "Say bye to mom, guys."
"Bye mom," Alex called from the living room. Edward moved Carlie's arm so that she waved goodbye. Jessica blew them kisses and Edward dodged it so that it wouldn't hit him. Jessica scowled and he laughed as he shut the door.
It wasn't that he hated his wife, he'd just grown tired of her. Their marriage had become boring. He attributed it to the fact that they'd started too young and had accomplished everything that they'd wanted to do before they'd ever really had the chance to enjoy it. One kid right after another and before they knew it they were closing in on their fourth wedding anniversary and both of them had forgotten. Between work, moving from Seattle back to Chicago, and the new business, they'd lost their spark. She was still beautiful and she was still a wonderful mother but he felt as if they only existed for each other now. The passion was gone. They were fighting constantly about the smallest things. They'd lost their patience and their tolerance for each other.
Although Edward was the one who had suggested that they separate, Jessica had hesitantly agreed that it was for the best. But despite her best efforts to make him pay for bringing it up at all, Edward was determined that by the time they decided on a divorce, he would have a good fight prepared to have joint custody of his kids.
"All right, guys," Edward said, turning back towards Alex. He set his coffee cup on the shelf by the door and adjusted Carlie in his arms. He kissed the tip of her nose and she smiled happily. "What do you guys want to do today? Anything at all. We'll do it."
"Let's go to the park!" Alex shouted and jumped and down from his place near the coffee table. "Park! Park!"
Edward laughed, somehow amused by the fact that he knew his son would suggest the park as their destination. It was his favorite place to be and Edward didn't mind going because he could sit in the grass with Carlie, catch up on a good novel, listen to his iPod, and enjoy his day off under the sun.
An hour later, he found himself doing just that. Lying on his stomach, Edward faced the playground so he could keep an eye on his son. He'd peed in the sand box the week before and Edward wasn't about to see a reoccurrence of that. Although a really pretty woman had caught his eye through out that whole ordeal… but, nonetheless, he wouldn't let it happen again. With Carlie playing in the grass beside him, a hat on her head and her limbs covered in sun block, Edward was set to enjoy his afternoon.
Every five minutes or so he looked up from his book, an old British classic that he'd found at an antique book store in Seattle and made sure that Alex was not getting into trouble. He found him in the sand box again and so Edward put his book down and kept this gaze on his son. Alex was sitting in the sand beside a small, brunette girl about his age and he was talking animatedly with his hands, no doubt explaining how to make a magnificent sand castle like the ones that his uncles had made him on the beaches on the east coast. The little girl just watched him patiently but Edward could tell that she was eager to get a word in too. Just when he was about to turn away, assured that Alex was not mixing up any trouble, he noticed the pretty girl sitting in the grass at the opposite side of the park.
She was resting on a blanket, with a small baby stretched out beside her. She was facing the sky, her eyes closed, and her skin bathed in shadows. Her chesnut hair was free and lying wild on the blanket. She was wearing simple blue jeans and a light yellow tank top. Her sandals were lying in the grass beside her blanket and a stroller was parked on the opposite side. Intrigued, Edward pulled himself up slowly and dog-eared his page. He set the book down on his own blanket and glanced to Carlie. She was sitting in the grass, happily snacking from the bag of Cheerios that he'd given her a few minutes before.
How to get her attention… he thought, as if he were reading a self help book designed for this specific occasion. He pictured the title in his head. "How to Pick Up Hot Moms at the Park". He laughed to himself as he realized how ridiculous that sounded. Obviously, if she was a mom then she was most likely married. But that didn't mean he wasn't allowed curiosity. Judging by the woman's vicinity to the sand box and the way that she would methodically glance in that general direction, the little girl that was playing with Alex was her daughter.
After standing up, Edward lifted Carlie into his arms, replaced her Cheerios in the diaper bag, and then strolled confidently to the sand box. With a nod, he grinned to Alex as they approached. He sat on the wooden edge of the box and gently lowered Carlie into the sand. He knew that he would have to give both her and her brother a bath when they returned to the apartment but he didn't mind. Meeting a pretty girl would be worth the trouble.
"Hey guys," Edward said, as he positioned Carlie between his legs. She reached out and dug her fingers into the sand, amazed by it.
"Dat's my dad," Alex said, proudly and pointed to Edward. He was looking at the little girl. She turned and looked at Edward and gave him a dramatic but genuine grin, the kind that only a three-year-old could get away with.
"Hi!" she said. "I'm Lana." Her words were fluent and he understood them.
"Hello Lana," he said, tipping his head to her. She giggled and pushed her orange plastic shovel deep into the sand.
"Dis is LiLi," Alex said, scooting closer to his sister. He tugged at the pant leg of her jeans and then patted her knee in an awkwardly affectionate way. Edward laughed, still amused with the title that Alex had given his sister. She had been born when he was only 2 and he was still learning his words. He couldn't say Carlie so her name had turned into LiLi.
"LiLi!" Lana cried and burst into hysterics at the sound of the name. Just as Edward had hoped it would, her laughter caught her mother's attention. The woman looked up and at the sight of Edward sitting in the sandbox with the kids, her gaze lingered. Without being obvious, he watched as she turned over onto her stomach and sat up slowly. She fussed with her baby and then slowly she rose to her feet and with him nestled in her arms, she made her way to the sandbox.
Edward looked away, pretending not to be interested and focused on burying Carlie's legs with sand. She was amused and sat still, letting him do so. Just as the woman stepped up to the sand box, Edward lifted Carlie and she watched happily as the sand dispersed from her legs and fell back to the ground. He lowered her back into the sand and let her recreate the same burial process as he turned his eyes to the woman as she sat down on the opposite edge of the sand box.
"Hello," she said, smiling softly. Her eyes were beautiful and Edward noticed that they were a light brown color with a hint of yellow. He'd never seen that before. Her hair was light brown and streaked with the sun. Her face was round and her smile brilliant. She was gorgeous.
"Hi," Edward answered, with a sexy smile. Her smile widened and he knew that he had her then. Did she remember him from the week before? How often did she come to the park and have young fathers smile at her? Would he stick in her mind?
"I thought I'd come over here and see what had made Lana laugh so loudly," she said. "I was hoping that someone hadn't peed in the sand box again." Edward laughed and his cheeks flushed red. Alex hadn't even heard. He was bossing Lana and telling her how to make the perfect castle moat.
"No," Edward said, smiling. "We all used the bathroom before we came this time. That won't happen again." He watched as she let her baby dip his feet into the sand. She held onto him, keeping her grip under his arms.
"Well, at least Lana's making friends," she said. "She's usually pushing kids off of the slides or biting them." Edward laughed.
"Well, Alex's usually the one with the bite marks so I think it's a good balance," he said. And then she smiled widely and Edward grinned, taking the opportunity to introduce himself.
"I'm Edward Cullen," he said, reaching his hand out to her. She met his hand with hers and Edward noticed a wedding band and small diamond ring on her left ring finger. He'd taken his wedding ring off a few days before, sure that he wouldn't need it anymore. Neither he nor Jessica had discussed getting back together. It just seemed that the answer was clear.
"Bella Newton," she said, smiling gently. "This is my son, Sam." She bounced her baby in the sand and he laughed happily. "And I'm sure that Lana's already introduced herself."
"Oh, has she ever," Edward said, winking at Lana when she glanced up to him. She smiled and turned back to the castle that they were slowly building. It was more like a pile of sand but Edward wasn't about to point that out. He picked up Carlie and lifted her onto her feet. She stood between his legs and held onto his knees as she stomped on the sand.
"This is Carlitta," he said. "My baby girl. We call her Carlie though."
"Nuh uh," Alex interjected. "LiLi!" Lana burst into a fit of giggles again and fell over onto her side in the sand. Bella moved to pick her up but realized that it wouldn't do any good. The little girl was already rolling in the sand. She waved her off and then smiled back at Edward.
"Carlie," she said. "That's such a pretty name"
"Thanks. It fits her perfectly. So, are you from around the area?" he asked.
"No, I'm from a small town in Washington." She answered timidly.
"Washington, huh?" he asked. "What are you doing out here?"
"My husband's job," she said, her tone suddenly growing sad. Although upset to learn that she did, in fact, have a husband Edward smiled. He sensed that she was too far away from home and that she hated being here. He hoped that she was in search of a friend.
"Well… I hope that you're doing well here," he said, smiling. "We're always happy to make some new friends here at the park." She smiled and he saw a glimmer of something flicker in her eyes. Hope, gratitude. He wasn't sure but it was something and it was beautiful. She was beautiful. He wished that she wasn't married.
"It will be good to have new friends," she said. "I was hoping I could find some kids Lana's age that she could play with."
"Alex's here to play and I'm sure that Sam and Carlie have some common interests. Sleeping, eating their feet," Edward said, and he smiled as Bella laughed. Her laugh was beautiful and her face bright. She looked no more than 22 years old yet she had two children and a husband at home. Had her life been as tangled as his? Where had she been when she was 19 years old? Cradling a baby? Wearing a wedding ring? Was she happy?
"And now the park will be more exciting," she said, adjusting Sam so that he was sitting in the sand at her feet. He pawed at the sand and smiled at it as if he'd never seen something so amazing before.
Her children were beautiful, balanced and consistent. Lana's hair was the same golden color as her mothers and although Sam's was slightly darker, he had his mother's face and her eyes. Edward's children were different, contrasting. Alex's dark blonde hair stood out against his sister's dark locks. Neither of them looked much like he did. Carlie was a mirror image of her mother and Alex looked like… well, Edward wasn't sure half of the time but he did have Jessica's face. In the beginning he'd even questioned his involvement in Alex's conception but after a while, it didn't seem important anymore. The truth was that he loved his son no matter what and nothing would change that.
"Do you want to meet here with the kids again tomorrow?" Edward asked, after a few moments of silence had passed. Bella had turned her attention to Lana who was putting sand in her hair. After brushing her hand through the little girl's hair, she looked up to Edward and smiled.
"Yes," she said her voice soft and gentle without any hidden agenda or reluctance. She wanted to see him again and even if it was only because she wanted her children to have playmates, Edward was okay with that.
"Are we comin' again?" Alex cried, picking up on the adults conversation. He stood up quickly, throwing sand from his plastic pail. It rocketed into the air and came straight down, blanketing Lana's hair and face. She screeched in surprise… maybe pain but Edward wasn't sure. He moved quickly, pulling Alex away before Lana had the chance to grab for him… should that be her reaction.
"Mooooommy!" she cried, tears instantly falling from her eyes and mixing with the sand on her cheeks. Without a word, Bella shoved Sam at Edward. He pushed Alex off to the side, away from the scene and adjusted Carlie in the sand before he took the baby from his new friend and rested him on his knee. Carlie watched the new baby curiously as if she were examining her competition. While Bella attended to her crying child, Edward looked down at Sam who was looking back at him with wide eyes and a sandy fist shoved inside of his mouth.
"Don't eat that," Edward said, reaching out to him. He pulled Sam's hand away and smiled down at him. The baby smiled back and then tossed his hands through the air happily, oblivious to the fact that his big sister was miserable. Edward laughed gently and kept a strong hold on the baby until his mom was available again.
"I'm sorry," Bella said, once she had Lana's cries down to a dull roar. The little girl had stood up and was standing beside her mother with a red face and gentle tears. Small cries escaped her lips but she kept sending Alex nasty glances. The little boy just leaned against his father, upset that he had made his friend cry but not sure how to handle it.
"No. It's me who should be apologizing," Edward said, as he returned Sam back to his mother. Bella held him against her hip and took Lana's hand. "I'm the father of the sandbox monster." Bella laughed and it made Edward smile.
"Well, I'm glad… I'm glad that I met you today… even if it ended like this," she said, tossing her head back gently so that her hair fell away from her eyes. "Maybe we'll stay away from the sandbox next time."
"Tomorrow," Edward said, reminding her that they'd made plans. She nodded and smiled.
"Tomorrow," she repeated as she stepped away from the sandbox, her children in hand.
"Bye Bella," Edward called, watching her go as she turned around and took her children back to their blanket in the grass. Taking a deep breath, Edward smiled and turned back to Alex who was looking back at him with guilty eyes.
"You may be a pain in the butt, kid," he said, poking him in the belly gently. "But I love you." He kissed Alex's forehead and smiled as he helped Carlie up and took her hand. With Alex holding onto his other hand, he led his children back to their own blanket, a smile on his face the whole time.