The Learning Curve: Chapter 95

Forks Community Hospital

Edward and I were sharing a bag of M&Ms, fighting for the best colors, when a dark-haired woman in a blouse and pencil skirt rushed into the room. Her eyes landed on us.

"Are you Alice's friends?" she asked.

I nodded. "You must be...her aunt?" I wasn't sure what I'd expected, but it wasn't the polished thirty-something woman standing before us.

"Yes, my name's Elaine. I'm Alice's mother's sister. Is Alice in with her father?"

I nodded again. "She should be out soon. The nurses were threatening to kick her out half an hour ago."

Elaine cracked a smile. "How is she holding up?"

I glanced at Edward. "She's okay. She's pretty scared, on top of everything else, but I think she's coping."

Elaine raised a shapely eyebrow. "Everything else?"

I wasn't sure how much I should say. "Well, I mean...she kind of...feels like it was her fault," I said. I looked again to Edward, but he simply shrugged.

Elaine stepped forward, eyes narrowing shrewdly. "Why would she feel it was her fault? She wasn't even with them. The doctors told me they were on their way home from the grocery store."

I pursed my lips. Alice would be so angry if I told and it backfired. I'd be so angry with myself if anything were to happen to Alice now.

Elaine's face softened. "I promise not to share anything you tell me with anyone else. I just...suspect I could help her more than you think."

"Well, she sort of...um...she had a dream that this would happen," I admitted, watching Elaine's face carefully – but she remained perfectly composed. "She tried to tell them, but they didn't listen."

"And she's had dreams like this before." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yeah."

"I'm going to go see her," Elaine said, turning and walking out the door. A second later, she popped her head back in the doorway and fastened her eyes on Edward. "Are you Dr. Cullen's son?"

"Yes..." he said warily.

She grinned. "Your dad wants you two to meet him upstairs in ten minutes. He's taking you home to get some rest."

"But Alice –" I interrupted immediately.

"Alice will be okay – the doctors told me my sister is stable now. You've taken great care of my niece – time to take care of yourselves now."

She left again, and Edward turned to me with a smile and a nudge of his shoulder. "What do you say? Wanna go take a nap?"

I allowed myself to feel the ache in my eyes and shoulders and back, and I nodded quickly. "I'm so tired it's not even funny."

He took my hand. "Then let's go home."

A/N: Let's all go take a nap, shall we? Ugh, Mondays.