I don't own anything in regards to Twilight. I do own several containers of leftovers.
Chapter 22
Katie took to her father much like she took to everything else, with gusto. She seemed delighted to have another adult to worship her.
Beth's eyes followed the man as her played with her sister, waiting and watching.
He had been sternly informed by his mother how to endear himself to his daughters.
Beth sat in Bella's lap and when she decided that this new person would suffice she let out an imperial sounding command.
Edward approached with some trepidation, not wanting to frighten either Beth or Bella. Once Beth had allowed her father to hold her she wasted no time inserting her damp baby fingers into his hair, mouth, ears and eyes. While she was making her explorations, the rest of the family watched snickering.
Edward had had very little to no experience with babies, especially ones who were teething. He had never seen so much drool.
Edward relaxed after his examination, pleased that his daughters more resembled him than his former wife. He smiled at Bella hoping to gain some encouragement from her.
Bella just watched the whole exchange, intrigued, getting the measure of the man. There was no sign of the unstable lout she had met twice before, just a man who needed patience.
What she found was a man, lost and unsure, who wanted to find his way back to his family. A man who was slowly coming alive again as if from a deep sleep.
During the six week leave, Edward spent as much time as possible with his children and their nanny. He was careful not to engage Bella without at least one other person around. While she proclaimed that she had forgiven him for his outrageous behaviour he knew she had not forgotten. There was still an air about her that reminded him of a startled rabbit, willing to bolt at the slightest noise.
Bella, herself, was feeling more secure than she ever had before. She was confident in her role as the children's care-giver. They, she and the girls, had been spending almost all their time at the Cullen's mansion being fussed over by Mrs. Cope.
She had been praised to the stars for having stood her ground against the enraged Edward, reaching the point where she no longer wanted to talk about the incident. The past was the past and, for Bella, it was best to let it go and not dwell on it.
Bella thoroughly surprised everyone in the Cullen house when she requested a private audience with Edward.
She wanted to discuss his expectations regarding his children. To see if there was anything he felt she should do differently. To transfer the balance of power and gently remind him that these were indeed his children and that Bella worked for him.
For as much as Bella was treated as a member of the family, part of her staunchly held on to the employee role she was hired to fill.
She also wanted to clarify a schedule of sorts regarding his contract for sailing. Would he be at sea for great periods or in and out of the girls lives frequently?
She wanted to see this family whole, repaired and renewed. The kindness shown to her by everyone she had encountered since leaving the orphanage had emboldened her and brought her from her shell.
She wanted the children she had come to love to have that entire family and the love they provided.
She was still afraid, though, of the children becoming too accustomed to their father's presence, and of how his leaving would effect their development. She did realise that even though they were very young, not even a year, they were bound to miss him when he departed.
She hoped that by keeping them at their Grandparents house during his visit and then returning to the farm when he left, would lessen their sadness.
Their meeting was a success after the initial nervousness, on both parts, subsided.
Edward received a lesson in early childhood development and was informed as to what steps he may miss in the coming year and a half that his contract held him.
Bella was informed of the preferences the new father had for his children's upbringing. There was to be no change, for his preferences were to defer to his mother and Bella for all things pertaining to the girls.
Edward's schedule of two months of sailing followed by one week of leisure spent with his family would prove to be a pleasant distraction from daily activities and mostly likely not a detriment in the children's development.
For the first few visits, they would meet at the Cullen mansion. As the time drew nearer to Edward's permanent residence at the farm, they would convene there.
So, as Bella bobbed her curtsey and Edward paid a small bow, both left their meeting satisfied and relieved.
AN: Thank you.