A/N: Another chapter. I told ya I'd start writing again!
Song:
BBMak – Out of Reach (AWSOME!)
Chapter 4
"Bella! Come on we're going to be late!" Mom screamed up at me. She, despite my protests, arranged for us to go to a spa. According to her, I have not been taking care of my skin and my feet are badly neglected. I told her that I didn't care but she sees it as 'mother-daughter bonding' and once she started the tears, I had to give in. However I made her promise not to tell Alice.
"I'm coming. I needed to pee." I growled at her as I ran down the stairs, slowing as I reach the bottom so as not to fall. I slipped on my plimps before grabbing my bag and following mom into the blinding sun.
When we reached the spa my stomach was in knots. I hate these places. I had to be Rose and Ali to let me have a spa rest for a while. They thought I was insane when I told them that I wasn't a fan of massages; I could hardly walk the last time I had it done.
After Mom had checked us in, we were directed towards the locker rooms where we disrobed and wrapped ourselves in the fluffy dressing gowns. That is the only part I like, the dressing gowns. Before I knew it I was being shoved onto a bed, being rubbed down by the horrible slimy oils.
"So, Edward? Why exactly did you decide to sleep with your best friend?" My head snapped in the direction of my mom's voice where she laid in the bed next to me.
"W...what?" I stammered, shocked by her sudden question. She sighed as she turned her head to face me.
"Oh come on Bella. I'm your mom, we talk about things like this." It was my turn to sigh. My mom was a pit ball, she would never leave me along and knowing her, she'd probably ring Edward and ask him if I didn't say anything.
"Well...um...It just happened. He came round, we were talking and then..." I wasn't going to give her any details. I mean this is my mum for Christ sakes.
"Did you start it or him?"
"Him."
"Hmm." I looked at her in confusion. What does she mean by 'hmm'?
"What do you mean?" She looked at me as if I was an idiot, as if I should know what was going on in her crazy head.
"Well, if he started it, he must like you more than a friend." I shook my head. I did not agree. Edward doesn't feel anything but friendly love for me. It hurt to know that but there was nothing I can do about that.
"There's no chance of that, I'm just he's friend. Plus he had just broken up with his girlfriend, I was just a rebound." It was mom's turn to shake her head at me.
"Really Bella? He could have gone to anyone, Alice, Esme, but he went to you. You, who he once declared his love too. I can guarantee that boy still loves you unconditionally." I chewed on my lip as I thought it over.
She sounded absolutely insane but she had a point. Edward came to me; whether that was because he needed more than comforting or because he loved me? That was the question. Did Edward still have deep feelings for me? He seemed to be enjoying himself that night; I can remember how my name sounded as it fell from his lips in a sigh, how his lips and hands caressed me so gently it was a bare-there touch.
"I don't know mom, I just needed to leave." I whispered, still deep in thought.
"Did you ask him how he felt about you?" My brows furrowed as I run though every conversation we had over the past few weeks.
"No." Maybe that is where I went wrong, I just assumed. But what if he did feel the same? Or would he say he did because of the baby? That is such an Edward thing to do.
"Maybe you should."
I returned home with blood red toenails with finger nails to match. Weirdly I felt quite relaxed, maybe it was because I was pregnant that I suddenly had a pamper fetish. God I hope my baby isn't anything like Alice. There is only enough room in this crowded world for one erratic pixie.
I spent the rest of the day, relaxed with my feet up on the sofa. I couldn't believe that I had been in Florida for over two weeks now. Mom has been keeping me entertained, taking me shopping, sunbathing on the beach and of course the spa. I have been able to catch up on marking as well as plan the next two semesters of class. It was such a relief to have work off my back for a while; by the time I had to do a more plans I would have finished with my morning sickness. Fingers crossed.
I haven't heard from Edward since I arrived, not a text or a phone call. I had briefly asked Alice about him but she told me he was moping. I decided to let him come to me. I still wasn't convinced that he loved me and if he did, he would tell me eventually, wouldn't he?
My phone buzzed beside me; I glanced over to see Alice's name flashing on the small screen. I smiled as I flipped it open.
"Hey Ali, How's it going?" my voice was cheery compared to our previous calls, which I guess gave her hope that I was happy.
"Hey B, Just checking up on ya. How's your day been?" I sighed dramatically.
"Well, my day started with cooked breakfast that I had seconds of, followed by a half hour of morning sickness and marathon pees. Then I was whisked off to the spa where I was forced to get naked and be rubbed down by a bulky woman. Apart from that, I have had my nails nicely painted. Now I'm chilling on the sofa." She laughed at my disheartened voice.
"Oh poor Bella." She laughed again. A voice on the other side of the phone, which could only belong to Esme, told me to 'drink plenty of ginger ale and eat crackers to help with the morning sickness'. I laughed at her.
"Thanks mom!" I called back, knowing I was on speaker phone.
"Hey, Bella, what's the weather like?" Jasper called over the phone; a smile spread across my face at the naturalness of this conversation. It was like old times, when we were kids.
"Hot, I'm sweating like a pig. My skin is so irritable that I can only wear yoga pants and thin tops. I can't stop itching otherwise. And at night it's so hot I have to sleep naked!" I forgot for a moment that I was speaking on answer phone until I heard Emmett's booming laugh.
"Oh Bella, I'll come and cool ya down." I laughed as a loud whack followed his comment.
"Damn Edward, what was that for?" Edward was there? I felt a shiver run down my spine as I thought about him, sitting on the sofa; his lips pulled into a crooked smile, his hair crazy as ever, his jeans hanging on his hips as one leg is crossed over his knee in an L shape. Seconds later another whack sounded. "Rose? Baby? That hurt!"
"So, seen any hot guy on the beach Bella?" Rosalie, of course.
"A few; there's a few that go for a run along the beach every morning, topless. One, Riley, has asked me out but I don't know. I mean, I'm pregnant and all." Riley. He was undoubtedly handsome however he is no Edward. He had short spiked black hair, and amazing abs but he seemed too...boring. Its football this and cars that. I have only spoken to him twice and already I knew he is a mechanic who plays and coaches football in his spare time.
"Is he cute?" Alice asked.
"Yes but I don't know. I think I'll just leave it." I could hear muffled chatter in the background before there was a click to announce that the phone was no longer on speaker.
"Come on Bella. I mean, so what you're pregnant, you can still have a good time." I shrugged forgetting that she couldn't see me.
"I've got to go Alice. I've got to start packing. I'll speak to ya later, ok?" She muffled a quiet 'ok' before hanging up.
I let out a deep breath; I'm dreading arriving in forks.
Epov
Hearing Bella's voice made my heart sore. She was ok. It was a relief to hear her voice however I felt sad for her having to go through all that morning sickness. I just wanted to wrap her in my arms and comfort her.
"Hot, I'm sweating like a pig. My skin is so irritable that I can only wear yoga pants and thin tops. I can't stop itching otherwise. And at night it's so hot I have to sleep naked!" I choked on the sip of water I had taken. Memories of a naked Bella began to run before my eyes; I could almost cry at the thought of knowing that I will not be able to feel her body against mine or to touch her creamy skin. My Bella.
"Oh Bella, I'll come and cool ya down." Emmett shouted from next to me. On reflex my hand shot out and smacked him in the back of his head.
"Damn Edward, what was that for?" he whined at me.
"Don't be a dick Em." I growled; my fist clenched in a tight fist. Rose stood from her seat in the armchair across us, walked around our sofa, swiftly smacking Emmett in the head.
"Rose? Baby? That hurt!" He rubbed his head before he rose and stomped his way towards the stairs.
"Bullies." He muttered before he disappeared out of sight.
"So, seen any hot guy on the beach Bella?" Typical Rose. My fist was clenched so tight that my knuckled had grown white; I ground my teeth in anger as I tried to keep myself calm.
"A few; there's a few that go for a run along the beach every morning, topless. One, Riley, has asked me out but I don't know. I mean, I'm pregnant and all." My heart sank. Of course she had moved on. Why would she wait for me? I had ruined her life. I had hurt her in the worst possible way, taken her trust in me and tore it apart. I was worse that a coward, I was a total bastard.
"Is he cute?" What kind of question is that to ask Alice? I mean really? Is she trying to torture me more?
"Yes but I don't know. I think I'll just leave it." I had had enough. I sprung from my seat and stomped towards the garage door, I needed to escape.
"Edward, where are you going?" Alice whisper shouted at me, her hand over the retriever.
"Out, I need to go out." I growled at her, not caring if I was loud enough to be heard over the phone.
"Oh, grow up Eddie. You blew your chance and now you have to live with the consequences." Oh how I wish I could just punch Rosalie in that pretty little face of her.
"Fuck off Rose." I growled before slamming the door to the garage and making my way towards my Volvo.
I must have drove for hours, listening to the CD I had made for Bella years ago; it was her fifteenth birthday and I wanted to do something special, I knew how much she hated gifts. I made her a CD of all her favourites, I even made a cover. She had been so happy, her face aglow. She had practically demanded that we played it straight away, which we did, dancing like crazy people around my bedroom. I had made myself a copy of that CD and when she left for college, I used to play it constantly, letting the memories of her smile and her beautiful mane of hair flood my brain.
I hadn't even noticed that I had stopped outside of the footpath in the woods until the CD had finished. I got out of the car, pulling up the hood of my jumper before making my way towards the footpath. Even though it was dark, I knew where I was going without fail; Bella and I had trekked this path every Saturday until we reached the small clearing that settled past the ivory arch.
As I came into the clearing, I was flooded with memories of Bella and I; having a picnic, playing scrabble or some card game she always won at but most were of us, laying in the sun, absorbing the peace and quiet we never got at home.
It wasn't until now that I realised who much time I've missed. I went to the same college as Tanya because I felt obligated as her boyfriend to be with her, when where I really wanted to be was at U of S with Bella. I don't know why I stayed with Tanya to be honest; sure she was pretty but she was also a major bitch. She was nothing like Bella.
I sat on the wet grass, glaring up at the stars, wondering if Bella was wondering what I was doing. Did she miss me? I doubted it. I sighed, pulled my phone out and stared at the display, watching pictures of Bella and I slide across my screen. I decided to do something rash.
Bella, I miss u, please come back!
Maybe not...
Bella, I love you. x
Hmmm...
Bella, I miss u. Hope u r ok? E x
Best I'm going to come up with...that doesn't sound too desperate.
I hit send, sighed and laid back into the grass, closing my eyes to hold back the tears. In my heart I wished everything will sort itself out but in my head, I knew I have lost them both forever.
I woke to my phone bleeping, the sun shining above me. I groaned as I removed my arm from over my eyes, using it to grab my phone from my jacket pocket.
Three missed calls and five text messages.
Shit.
I flipped open my screen,
Call log -
Alice x2
Dad x1
Texts -
Alice – Edward, pick up the phone!
Alice – Edward, if you don't pick up the phone u'll be seeing it on an x-ray!
Rose – Eddie, don't be such a drama queen and come home.
Emmett – Don't do anything stupid!
Bella – I've just had a call from Alice, worried out of her mind, where r u?
The last one surprised me. Bella cared for me enough to worry about me. Or is it for Alice's sake.
I hurried to my car, my clothes sticking to me due to the night's rain. I arrived home in record time however I sat idle outside the house, not knowing what sort of reception I would receive. I sighed. Don't be a coward Eddie.
I quietly opened the door, slipping through the small gap and tiptoed towards the stairs.
"EDWARD ANTONY CULLEN. HERE NOW." Of course dad would be up at six in the morning; he probably hasn't slept all night. I cautiously poked my head around the corner; at the Kitchen Island, sat mom and dad, faces full of worry.
"You storm out of the house and am not heard from for twelve hours and you expect to be able to walk in as if nothing happened. Not in my house." I can't believe how much I felt like a teenager in that moment caught sneaking into the house after sneaking out that night.
"I'm twenty five years old, it's not like I can't take care of myself. Plus I don't even live here. I had just gone for a walk to clear my head and fell asleep in my car, no need to panic." I shoved my hands in my soaked pockets, shrugging my shoulders before turning to leave.
"Edward, I think we should talk." Mom's soft voice called. I stopped to look at her confused. "I understand that you are having a hard time at the moment but it will get better, you just have to be patient. But please, don't take it out on the people around you. We care about you and hate seeing you like this, but we can't help unless you let us." I nodded before leaving the kitchen.
Alice Pov
"I mean it Bella; I don't know what's gotten into him. Dad said he just walked into the house as if nothing happened. He was missing for twelve hours without telling anyone where he was or if he was ok." I ranted to Bella over the phone; I had rung her the moment I knew my idiot brother was safe as she had ordered.
"He texted me. He asked me if I was ok and said he missed me. I...I'm worried about him Alice. What if he does something stupid and it's my entire fault? First Tanya cheats and breaks up with him and then I leave him. What if him going missing is a cry for help? What if..." I had to cut her off, hearing her begin to break into sobs.
"Bella, this is just your hormones. Edward is fine; Rose had just been messing with him and he got angry, you know what they're like." I heard her sobs begin to ease up a little.
"I miss him so much Alice it hurts. I've never missed him so much. I just want to grab him in my arms and squeeze him tight and never let go. I love him so much." I sighed, I am so tired of these two; they should have shacked up years ago before Tanya and then they would have been happy. So happy.
"He loves you too Bella. It's hurting him too. You two need to sort this out before it's too late and that baba grows up without its father. You know he will be an excellent father." I had no doubt, Edward loves kid's hence the reason he became a teacher.
"I don't know Alice. I saw him mouth it to me the day I left but what if he didn't mean it, what if he just said it to make me stay." She had saw him? He seemed adamant that she hadn't when he told me about it.
"He meant it Bella. Trust me. Give him a chance to make it right."