Happy Wednesday! Thank you for your reviews and favorites and alerts. It's been wonderful to see them in my inbox. Seems a number of you think our Dr. Sex Hair is a jerk, while some of you seem to really hate Bella. Quite a split, I have to say. Maybe this chapter can change a few minds.
SMeyer owns all Twilight characters. No copyright infringement intended.
Brunch anyone?
5.
At 10:30 AM, the doorbell rang. I'd just placed the fried chicken in the oven to keep it warm, and most of the rest of brunch was ready. All I needed to do was change clothes, having grabbed a shower earlier after Jax had her bath.
I looked down at my sloppy t-shirt and shorts and decided that it didn't matter who was at the door. I was comfortable and I'd made a truckload of food. Whoever was early would just have to accept the fact that I liked to be comfortable when I cooked.
When I opened my door, I chuckled to myself. What to wondering eyes should appear but two pissed-off doctors bearing flowers, champagne, and imported beer. I couldn't hide the laugh that bubbled in my chest at the scowl on each of their faces. "Hi, guys. Come on in. You're both a little early," I called to Edward and Jasper as I stood aside to let them in.
"I thought I'd come early to help…" they replied in unison. Of course, I laughed again. Just then, Jax, likely having heard Edward's voice, flew into the hallway and launched herself at him, which seemed to illicit a smug laugh from him as he looked at Jasper.
"Redward," she squealed. After he put everything down on the counter, he picked her up and hugged her, kissing her cheek like always before she squirmed out of his grasp. It was then that she noticed Jasper. "Dr. Jazz," she called as she walked over to him. Jasper leaned down and hugged her, and then handed her the small bouquet of flowers, seeming smug in his own right.
"These are for you, Jax. How's Blue?" Jasper asked. Of course, being a pediatrician, he was up on all the cartoons that his young patients obsessed over because he needed things to talk to them about to distract them during examinations. He obviously remembered that Blue was Jax's favorite.
"Fine. Come on," she responded, taking each man by the hand and leading them to the living room. I laughed and went to the kitchen to check that everything was okay before I went upstairs to change. I shoved the bottles of champagne and the six packs of beer into the refrigerator and found a vase to put the flowers in that each man had brought. They would make a lovely centerpiece.
I walked into the living room seeing the three of them sitting in the floor as Jax demonstrated her newest acquisition and explained to them that the occupants were a momma, a daddy, and a Jaxie. It was then that I noticed that stuffed into the Corvette between Barbie and Ken was a doll that resembled a small child. I knew exactly where that came from.
"Dr. Cullen, a word?" I asked as I watched him give Jasper a haughty smirk, rising from the floor and following me into the hallway. I had to head off the onslaught of Barbie, and I had to start with Edward.
"With what can I help you?" he asked as I pulled him by his Polo shirt down the hallway out of earshot of my daughter.
"You can help me by not bringing anymore of that Barbie shit over here. You've been in her room. That girl needs more toys like I need another hole in my head," I hissed under my breath.
"My mom sent it. Why's Whitlock here?" he snapped back.
"As I mentioned in my voicemail, I'm having everyone over for brunch. It was originally going to be just the three of us, but I decided that maybe it would be better to have the whole group. I don't want to confuse Jax," I answered.
"So, you're seriously going to go out with Jasper while you're dating me?" Edward asked. It was the first I'd heard that we were dating. I thought we were just friends getting together.
"You never mentioned anything about the fact that our spending time together was dating. As a matter of fact, last night you appeared to be the most dateless guy at the reception," I snapped back.
"I told you that it wasn't what you thought. Alice is Emmett's little sister and nothing more. She doesn't like to be in large groups of people, and I was just trying…wait. I see what you're doing. No, no, no, we're not getting off topic here. We're seeing each other, and now you're tossing Whitlock into the mix? Well, I think I'll come out on top of this one. Now, I suspect you were going to change, so go ahead. I'll take care of Jax," he announced confidently. I could do nothing more than shake my head and ascend the stairs to my room. At times, he was such a pompous ass and it drove me crazy. The thing was, though, he was absolutely adorable at the same time.
I changed into a skirt and tank top and went back downstairs. Jasper and Edward were putting together a puzzle, and my daughter was in her Blue coma. Apparently, she'd talked one of them into putting the DVD on for her. The two men appeared to be arguing quietly, and I was straining to hear what they were saying. Just then, the doorbell rang again.
I opened the door to see Emmett, Rose, and the small, beautiful brunette from the wedding reception. She looked like a porcelain doll, and I could see why Edward was attracted to her because she was stunning. "Hi Bella, I'm Alice. I'm sorry about monopolizing Edward's time last night, but, um, I'm a bit agoraphobic in situations like that, and he was keeping me company so that I didn't just bolt. He did, however, tell me about you. You're lovely," she announced as she pulled me into an unexpected hug. She really wasn't much taller than Jax, if I was being honest.
"Um, hey. Welcome," I responded feeling overwhelmed. The three walked into my house and followed the sounds coming from the living room which could only be described as whisper shouting. I wondered how Jax didn't hear them, considering she was sitting not three feet from them.
"You're butting into something that's none of your business," I heard hissed.
"No, you're butting into something that's none of your business. We've been seeing each other for weeks, and you don't hit on another guy's girl," I heard the response. As Alice entered the room, all hissing stopped.
I walked in behind her to see both men staring at Alice, and I saw the unmistakable look of awe on the face of one Dr. Jasper Whitlock. I knew immediately that I wouldn't have to worry about dating him. From what I could tell, the man had been completely disarmed by the young woman with just one look.
"Hi, I'm Alice," she announced as she walked over to where he sat in my living room floor. "Jasper," he responded as he took her hand and kissed it. Well, I was out.
"Blacksheep, where's the food? I'm starved. You know…with all the sex…" Emmett began as Rosalie reached up and clapped her hand over Emmett's mouth with a smack.
"You d-i-c-k…there's a child in the room," she shushed at him. When she moved her hand, you could see the outline of it on his face. I was pretty sure it must have hurt, though I appreciated that she shut him down before he said something completely inappropriate in front of my daughter.
"I'll set everything out in the kitchen, buffet-style, and then everyone can eat wherever they'd like," I announced. I left the room and began placing all of the food into serving dishes around the counter. I felt more than heard someone at the kitchen door, and I half expected it to be Jake. It wasn't. It was Edward.
"Well, now that I've eliminated the competition, what can I help with?" Edward asked, rubbing his hands together like a villain in a silent movie.
I handed him a bowl and a skillet full of scrambled eggs. Without missing a beat, he began dumping the eggs into the bowl. "I think Jasper Whitlock eliminated himself when Alice McCarty walked into the room," I responded after I ascertained the whereabouts of the rest of my guests.
"Oh, Alice's last name isn't McCarty. She was a foster child who Emmett's parents raised. Her last name is Brandon, though based on the looks between her and Jasper, it could be Whitlock pretty soon. If I'd known they'd have hit it off so quickly, I'd have quit giving him withering glares last night and introduced them. It would have saved us all a lot of unnecessary bullshit," Edward offered. I laughed at his astute observation. As I'd perceived earlier, the pediatrician who'd asked me for a date had fallen for the young woman at first sight.
"Yeah, I think you're right. Anyway, what was that little whisper fight you two were having?" I asked as I placed the fried chicken onto a serving platter.
"He seemed to think that you were interested in him and I was explaining to him that you weren't," Edward answered as he began placing the biscuits into the bread basket on the counter. He seemed to be very good at figuring out what needed to be done and had no problem doing it without direction.
"That's very presumptuous of you," I responded as I pulled a stack of plates out of the cabinet. I actually enjoyed the argumentative air that our discussions sometimes took. It was something to which I wasn't accustomed.
"I know the truth when I see it. Now, it seems that everything is ready. I'll get everyone," Edward announced. We all filled our plates, and Emmett made mimosas for everyone with the champagne that Edward and Jasper had brought with them.
When we'd all finished eating, having witnessed Jasper and Alice feeding each other which was nearly like watching a porno movie, the dishes were rinsed and loaded into the dishwasher. I looked at the clock and saw that it was nearly 1:00 PM, and I knew that Jax would need to go down for her nap, so I was prepared to beg off of going to the McCarty house to open gifts. My daughter…china… stemware… bull…china shop.
"Um look, I think Jax and I are going to stay here and she's going to take a nap. We'll see you guys later," I announced.
"Nonsense. Jax can help us open packages, and if she gets tired, she can take a nap at our place. You're not getting out of this, Blacksheep. If I've gotta do it, you're gonna do it," Emmett announced. Rosalie scooped up my daughter, along with her Barbie car and occupants, and they walked out of my house before I could protest.
"Bella, can I speak with you alone?" Jasper asked shyly. I nodded and the rest of the group left without us.
"Look, I'm sorry about…" he began nervously. I couldn't help myself…I had to let the guy off the hook. He couldn't help that he'd been immediately smitten by the young brunette.
"Jasper, stop. You owe me no explanation. She seems delightful, and I'm sure you two will be very happy with each other," I responded.
"God, you saw it, too? She's incredible. I've never met her in all the time I've known McCarty. I've heard Emmett mention her before, but not often. I didn't really see her at the reception, but when she walked into that room today, that was it for me. I'm sorry that things didn't pan out between us. I hope we can still be friends," Jasper replied. He was very sweet to try to let me down easily, but he needn't have tried. I wasn't actually feeling more than friendship for him in the first place, so there really wasn't a letdown.
"Don't worry about it. So, should we go before your young lady gets the wrong idea?" I asked. Jasper laughed and kissed my cheek. We walked across the street, seeing Edward and Alice sitting on the front porch waiting for us, both looking very upset. I tried to keep from laughing, but I didn't have it in me. Apparently, they were both worried about what was taking place in my house.
"So, everything okay?" Edward asked venomously.
"Yes, things are just fine. Now, shall we go watch the excessive display of consumerism that would be the wedding gifts for the wealthy doctor and the realtor?" Jasper asked.
Edward rose from his seat and took my hand, leading me inside the house without looking back. When we entered the house, I saw Rosalie and Jax sitting in the floor amongst a plethora of white paper-wrapped boxes and bows. Emmett was watching a baseball game, and when we walked into the room, he muted the TV and rubbed his hands together.
"Let's get to the loot," he called as he plopped down in the floor next to Rosalie. For the next three hours, we watched Jax and Rosalie tear into boxes as Emmett paid half-assed attention to what was going on. Apparently, the Mariners were ahead by three runs, and he wasn't going to be dissuaded from watching the end of the game, no matter how many place setting of Wedgewood where accumulating in his living room.
After all of the packages were opened, Rosalie jumped from the floor and went out of the room, returning a minute later with a small wrapped box. "Little Missy, this is for you," she called, handing the box to my daughter.
"Me?" Jax squealed. She quickly ripped open the paper and pulled the lid off of a shirt box. Inside was a clear plastic comb with a bit of tulle attached.
"A white blanket!" Jax called. Rosalie immediately affixed it to her head, and then for the next hour, my daughter proceeded to play "wedding" with everyone in the room except me. I was to officiate. Her Ken doll, clad in green and blue flowered swim trunks, was her escort, and she enjoyed herself to exhaustion.
At a point after we all had pizza that evening, she climbed up on the couch and fell asleep as we helped Rosalie haul everything into a spare room. I walked to the couch and picked her up, immediately feeling a hand on my back. "Let me," Edward insisted. He pulled her from my arms and propped her veil-clad head on his shoulder.
"Bye everyone," he whispered as he grabbed my hand and led me out the door with him. We crossed the street to my house and I let us inside. I ushered him upstairs where I proceeded to remove her shoes and veil, placing it on the table by her bed, knowing that if she didn't see it the minute her eyes opened there'd be hell to pay, and I quickly tucked her in, kissing her forehead. I was surprised when Edward did the same.
We went back downstairs, and I was suddenly nervous as to what to do next. "Would you like something to drink?" I asked. It was the first time that the two of us were alone…well, mostly alone…in my house. The few times he'd come for lunch, Jax had always been there to act as a distraction.
"Got anymore lemonade? I'm on at midnight," he offered. I didn't know he was supposed to work that night, but we hadn't really talked since before the McCartys' wedding. The night before had been a disaster, and I didn't know if he was going to bring it up, but I had no intention of so doing. I'd been able to watch him with Alice Brandon, and I saw nothing but sisterly affection, so my jealousy from the previous night left me feeling embarrassed. I had no claim to the man, and he was free to date anyone he wanted, just as I had told him, but I couldn't help but be jealous of his attention to Emmett's little sister. Of course, she was perfectly lovely once I got to know her, so that only added to my guilt.
I poured us each a glass of lemonade and went into the living room, handing him the glass and sinking down on the couch next to him. He looked tired, and I wondered whether he should go home and try to sleep for a few hours before he went to work.
"You look tired. Maybe you should go home and sleep for a while," I suggested as I sipped my drink.
"Um, I was wondering if you minded if I just crashed here on your couch for a while. You're a lot closer to the hospital than my parents' place," he requested. I certainly couldn't deny him his request because, in all honesty, I just didn't have it in me.
"Sure. I'll get you a blanket, and I'll go watch TV in my room," I offered. It was only 7:30 PM and I wasn't tired at all, but I'd gladly allow him to sleep on my couch for a while.
"No…please don't go. I can sleep through anything, I promise. Just stay here next to me," he responded as he slipped off his shoes and lie back on my couch with his head on my lap. I was stunned until he handed me the remote before he emptied his pockets onto the coffee table and appeared to settle in.
"Go ahead. Watch TV. I just need a little nap," he urged. I put my feet up on the coffee table and let him settle his head on my lap with his feet crossed at the ankles over the arm of my couch. I flipped on the television and settled in to watch a Lifetime movie. Midway through, he flipped on his stomach and wrapped his left arm around my back and his right arm around my legs like I was a pillow. Without a lot of thought, my right hand found purchase on his back and gently moved up and down his spine. I didn't even realize I was doing it until he hummed in contentment. I immediately stopped and surveyed the scene. It wasn't something for which I was prepared, yet it had all happened without my notice. I didn't know what that meant.
"So, this is cozy. I see that Whitlock is out of the picture. Are you ready to give that guy a shot yet?" I heard from across the room. I looked in the direction of the chair in the corner and saw Jake sitting there with his right leg crossed over his left and that cocky goddamn smile on his face.
"How'd you end up here?" I whispered. I seriously needed to check into a mental hospital. It was all becoming completely ridiculous.
"You tell me. I only show up when you need to talk about shit. Maybe you should talk to Romeo there about things instead of talking to me," Jake replied sarcastically. It wasn't anything I wasn't used to from him. It was one of the things I actually loved and missed about him the most.
"I'm confused," I confessed. It was true. I didn't know what Edward and I were to each other, but he seemed to have a clear idea of it, even though he wasn't letting me in on the secret.
"What do you want to be to him?" Jacob asked. I really had absolutely no idea how I wanted him to regard me. I knew there were feelings buried deep inside me for him, though I tried to tamp them down when they reared their ugly heads. I wanted to be ready, but I just wasn't, and I had no idea what to do about it.
"I don't know. That's the problem. I'm a married woman, and here I am with a friend lying in my lap. That's not normal," I whispered.
"Bells, it's perfectly normal, and honey, you're not a married woman any longer. You're a widow. You need to look into your heart and acknowledge the fact that you have feelings for the guy and give him an actual shot. I know you're worried about you and Jax getting hurt, but he seems sincere," Jake observed. He was right on that count.
I thought about what he said, but I wasn't sure how to take it. Was he really saying that I should let another man try to fill the void I felt since I'd lost him? That couldn't be right. My Jacob was a very jealous, possessive man. The Jacob sitting in the chair in the corner almost seemed resigned to the fact that I'd be spending time with another man, and maybe even making love to another man. It wasn't the first time I'd contemplated Edward Cullen naked. With his head in my lap, it was a whole lot easier to visualize certain things that made my body tingle in a way it hadn't in a very long time.
"Yes, Bells, I anticipate that at some point, you'll have sex with another man. I'm not completely thrilled with the idea, but I know it's inevitable. You're a beautiful woman, and I, of all people, know how much you actually enjoy sex. Remember the cabin?" Jacob asked.
I remembered the cabin which was likely where Jax was conceived. We'd made love everywhere in celebration of our marriage. We hadn't waited for marriage to have sex, but something about finally being Mrs. Jacob Black renewed the spark. Maybe it was the fact that I knew he was going to be deploying and I needed to feel him next to me while I could, but we were insatiable during our quick honeymoon.
"Of course I do. I don't know if I'm ready for that step yet," I answered. Edward Cullen was a very attractive, sexy man, and I was convinced that if I were ever to contemplate having sex again, he'd definitely be a man who could restart the engine in me.
"Would it bother you if we did it? You wouldn't show up and watch, would you?" I asked feeling guilty for even contemplating it.
"I only show up when you need me. I'd guess if that guy was putting the moves on ya, you wouldn't need or want me anywhere around. So, no, I doubt I'd be anywhere near anything like that. Now, it's about time for him to wake up. Love you, Bells," Jake responded and then he was gone.
My eyes snapped open, which surprised me because I didn't realize I'd fallen asleep, and I looked at the clock on the cable box and saw it was just after eleven. "Edward, it's time to wake up," I whispered to him as I scratched my nails through his incredible hair. I couldn't help myself…it was right there, after all.
"Mmm. Just a little longer, babe," he whispered as he pulled me closer. I couldn't help but laugh a little because he sounded like a little boy who didn't want to get up for school.
"Um, you need to wake up so that you can go to work," I whispered in his ear. I actually couldn't help myself and took a healthy sniff of him. He smelled so damn incredible.
He rubbed his face against my right thigh and sighed. He flipped over and sat up on the couch. "How long was I out?" he asked as he rubbed his eyes.
"About four hours. Do you want me to make you some coffee or do you want to shower?" I asked. I missed the heat of him on my lap, and I was completely gob smacked by it.
"No. I'll shower at the hospital. You work tomorrow night, right?" he asked, and I nodded in agreement. I hated Mondays, but if he was working and maybe we could have dinner, maybe it wouldn't be a horrible Monday after all.
"Have dinner with me? I'm on until Wednesday morning, but I'd like to see you again while you're on duty. I'm glad I elbowed Whitlock out. Now, what are you doing tomorrow?" he asked as he fastened his watch on his wrist.
"I'm going to see my father-in-law and get my oil changed. I'll be in at 4:00. Dinner sounds good. I'll bring something. I'm kind of sick of cafeteria food. The garden behind the emergency room is actually in full bloom," I announced.
"That sounds perfect. Whitlock aside, I enjoyed spending time with you and Jax today. I'll see you tomorrow evening," he responded as he rose from my couch. I walked him to the front door not sure what to expect.
I reached for the knob, and he stilled my hand, looking deeply into my eyes. "Bella, I don't really like the idea of you seeing anyone else. I know we haven't had the talk about what we're doing here, but until we figure it out, it's going to drive me crazy if I think someone else is in the picture. I'd appreciate it if you'd give me a chance to talk to you about it tomorrow night. I truly enjoy spending time with you and Jax. You're both very special to me, and I was about ready to pull my hair out when I thought you were going to date Whitlock. Will you give us the opportunity to at least talk about it?" he asked. Hell, I couldn't not give him the opportunity to explore what the hell we were doing, right?
"I won't entertain another man's advances until I talk to you tomorrow evening, Dr. Cullen. I don't actually work that fast, but Girl-Scout's honor…no other dates between now and tomorrow evening. Good-night, or should I say good-morning? I hope it's very calm for you," I responded. He leaned down and kissed my cheek and then he was gone. It was very sweet, though I actually wished he'd have kissed my lips.
That night, I didn't dream of Jake at all. I woke with a start at 7:00 AM when the alarm went off, and I couldn't believe it because it was the first time in nearly four years that I hadn't talked to him in my dreams. I chalked it up to talking to him in my living room while Edward slept with his head in my lap. That's what I was telling myself anyway.
"Are we there yet?" Jax called from her car seat. I'd made a casserole for Billy, and we were headed out to La Push for Embry to change the oil in my car and for the two of us to spend time with Jacob's dad. I felt guilty that I hadn't seen him in nearly a month, so I brought food.
When I'd called Billy that morning, I could hear how excited he was that we were coming down. He told me he'd call Embry, and he was anxious to see us because he'd really missed us. That only tossed gasoline on the flames of guilt that were consuming me for my abandonment of him. I loved him like a second father, and I was ashamed of myself for having stayed away for so long.
"We're here," I announced to Jax as I pulled into the driveway seeing Embry and Billy on the front porch. Embry ambled off the steps toward the CRV and it reminded me of Jacob more than I wanted to admit. His hair was shorter, but his demeanor was just like my husband's. I fought hard not to cry, just like every time I spent time with our friends from the reservation. It was a constant reminder to me of all the time we'd spent there during high school and everything I was going to miss for the rest of my life.
"It's been too long, Bella," he announced as he opened my car door and pulled me from it. He hugged me tightly and then quickly released me. He opened the backdoor and pulled Jax out of her car seat with a raspberry kiss on her cheek. "How's Miss Jax? What's that?" Embry asked looking at my daughter with the make-shift veil perched on her head. I couldn't talk her out of wearing it and gave up the will to fight that morning.
"She went to a wedding over the weekend. Here's the key and the oil is in the back. Lunch will be in an hour," I responded as I pulled the casserole out with me and walked to the porch, hugging my father-in-law.
"Bella, honey, it's been too long," Billy remarked. I knew he was right, and I felt awful about it.
"I know, and I'm sorry. I've just been busy," I answered trying not to show the guilt I felt. I wondered to myself if parents took a class on guilt. My mom, dad, and Jacob's father could make me feel guilty without effort. Hell, if I really thought about it, Esme Cullen had that ability as well. I wondered if I'd ever have that power over my daughter.
"Big Pop," Jax squealed as she scurried to the porch. She hopped up on his lap as he sat in his wheelchair, which added more guilt, and hugged him tightly. He'd been in a car accident that had taken Jake's mother's life and Billy's ability to walk, and his daughters didn't seem to have the same sense of obligation to take care of him that Jake had felt. I remembered cooking the two of them many a dinner over the years that Jacob and I dated. If I didn't cook for them, they'd have eaten bologna for every meal.
"What's this on your head, baby girl?" Billy asked her as he pulled out of the hug while I stood on the porch with the casserole in hand.
"It's my white blanket. Rose got married and she made it for me. I'm married now, too," she announced confidently as she scurried down from his lap and turned around to show him the veil. He looked at me for clarification.
"My neighbors got married and she was at the wedding. She became enthralled with the veil, and Rosalie made one for her. We spent yesterday afternoon with her getting married to everyone in the room at the McCartys' house," I answered as I opened the front door and waited for him to wheel himself inside. It took him three tries to get up the ramp, and that worried me. He wasn't able to walk, but he was a strong man who'd always been able to get around. The fact that he was having a problem worried me.
I put my hand on his shoulder once he was inside, and I saw how winded he was. "Billy, are you sick?" I asked. My hand instinctively went to his forehead, and he was burning up.
"Fuck, you're sick. Why didn't you call me?" I chastised. I was supposed to be taking care of him and I'd let him slip through the cracks. It was yet another thing that I'd screwed up because I was too involved with my own life. That wasn't good at all.
"It's a mild infection. I saw the doc three days ago and he gave me an antibiotic. I'll be fine. Now, what did you bring for lunch?" he asked.
"Bullshit," I announced. I went to the kitchen and looked for the medicine, finding nothing. I opened the refrigerator and saw that there wasn't much food inside.
"William Ephraim Black, have you been eating?" I snapped accusatorily. I knew the answer before he opened his mouth to lie.
"Bella, honey, I'm fine. I haven't had a chance to get someone to go to Forks and fill the prescription, but I'll be fine," he responded and then began hacking and coughing. I was immediately pissed.
I ran out the front door and yelled, "Embry? Come to the house, please."
Embry peaked out of the garage and saw me frantic on the porch and ran to the house. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"Billy's sick. Can you get him into his bed? I can't lift him by myself," I pleaded. He nodded and went inside. I went to the house phone and called my dad.
"Chief Swan," I heard with a laugh in his voice. I was sure he thought Billy was calling him to go fishing.
"Dad, it's me. Billy's really sick. Can you come down here? He needs to have a prescription filled, and nobody's been taking care of him," I snapped. It was my own fault. It was something Jacob asked of me before he deployed, and I'd made him a promise. I was a complete failure, and I couldn't help but break down.
I wiped my tears and went to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom and found an old-fashioned thermometer. I cleaned it up, shook it down, and walked into his bedroom finding that Embry had settled him into bed. Luckily, Jax was playing with a wooden toy that Billy had for her in the living room and she wasn't aware of what was going on.
"Open," I commanded. He did so without argument, and I placed the thermometer in his mouth. I adjusted the pillows behind him to make him more comfortable, and I saw Jake standing in the corner watching me.
I waited a few minutes and pulled it out of his mouth and saw it registered over one hundred two degrees. "That's it. You're going to the hospital," I snapped at him. I wasn't mad at him…I was ashamed of myself for neglecting him.
"Bells, I have two sisters who should have been looking after him. Don't you dare take this on yourself," Jake called from the corner of the room.
"Bullshit. They're so fucking self-centered that they can't see the forest for the trees," I responded without thinking. I picked up the house phone to dial 9-1-1, and Billy grabbed it from me.
"I have doctors down here, and my disability won't cover a hospital stay. Just get the prescription filled. I'll be fine," he announced.
"Ha! That's a load of crap. I've got money…your son's money. You're going to the hospital in Forks, and that's all there is to it. Damn you, old man, for not calling me," I screamed as a new raft of tears fell.
I called for an ambulance, and then I called Edward. His phone was off, so I called Jasper. "Whitlock," I heard. I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Hi Jasper. Look, I know Emmett's out, but I'm bringing my father-in-law in by ambulance. I tried Edward, but it went to voicemail. He's a bit old for your practice, but he's got a fever of 102.2. He looks like he could be dehydrated, and he's a cantankerous son-of-a-bitch. Can you get someone to meet us?" I asked.
"I'll find Cullen. This is more up his alley than mine, but I'll be here when you get here. We'll take care of him, I promise," Jasper assured. I hung up and paced while I waited for the ambulance.
"Jax? Come here," I yelled. Embry was standing by the door looking dumbfounded.
"Yeah, Momma," she asked. I looked at Embry hoping he'd snap out of it.
"Embry is gonna take you over to Miss Sue's house for a while. I'm gonna take care of Big Pop, and I'll pick you up later. You behave yourself," I told her. That seemed to snap him out of it. He picked her up and carried her out of the room.
"Wait," I called. I gave him the casserole I'd made to give the Clearwaters as a thank you, and I sent them on their way just as the ambulance showed up with my dad right behind them.
"Bells, how bad is he?" Dad asked.
"I don't know, but he's running a fever and he's dehydrated. It's my fault, Dad. I haven't been down here to check on him in a month, and I promised Jake that I'd…" I began before I broke down. I'd put my own needs before those of the people I loved, and it was a horrible mistake.
##
I climbed into the ambulance with Billy, holding his hand and crying the whole time. "I'm so damn sorry. I should have been here. Why the hell didn't you call me?" I begged. If something happened to Jacob's father, I didn't know what I'd do.
"Bells, don't take this on as your fault. My dad is fifty-six years old. He knows how to dial a phone. This isn't your fault, honey," Jacob told me as he sat next to me in the ambulance.
"It's my responsibility. It's the one thing you asked me to do, and I didn't do it. It's every bit my fault," I snapped. I saw the EMT look at me like I was crazy, but I didn't care.
"So, you still talk to him?" Billy asked behind the oxygen mask. Apparently, he knew how crazy I was, and I didn't have the heart to lie.
"Yes. Every night. He asked me to do one thing, and I failed miserably. I'm so damn sorry," I answered, continuing to hold his hand.
"Bella, don't be silly. I'm an old fool. I knew I was sick and I should have had one of the kids or Sue go get the prescription filled for me, but I didn't. This isn't your fault. You know, I used to talk to him all the time until I let him go. I got to the point where I knew that I had to let him go. Our legends teach us that spirits staying with their loved ones until the need to have them there is no longer. He'll stay as long as you need him, but it's been four years, honey. You need to let him go, just like I did. It's hard, I know, but he won't leave you until you tell him you'll be okay," Billy explained before the EMT put the mask back over his face.
Luckily for me, we were at the hospital and I didn't have to answer him. When the doors opened, I was relieved to see Edward waiting with an anxious look on his face. I climbed out quickly, and the EMT began spouting information as he and Edward pulled the gurney out of the ambulance. Unfortunately, Jessica Stanley was with him, but Edward seemed to be taking in the information and was spouting orders to her as we all ran into the hospital.
They wheeled him through the doors, and Edward skidded to a stop. "Bella, sweetheart, stay here. Where's Jax?" he asked.
"The Clearwaters are watching her. Please help him…it's my fault he's so sick. I'll pay everything I have. Just make sure he's okay. It's the last thing Jacob asked of me and I've failed miserably," I sobbed. Edward hugged me and pushed me into a chair in the waiting room.
"I'll do everything I can. Stay here. I'll be back when I have news," he assured. At least I knew I had a good doctor for him.
"Bells, honey, you're not in the wrong, here. Call my sisters," Jacob instructed. I walked out of the ER entrance and called Rachel and Rebecca. Neither picked up, but that didn't surprise me because they never liked me. I left messages and walked back inside, seeing my dad sitting in the chairs next to my purse.
"Shit. I haven't been down to see him in two weeks. He made mention of a fall he took, but he said he was okay and I didn't think anything of it. I don't wanna lose my best friend," Dad remarked. The tears started all over again. I hugged him, and we sat there together for a while.
My mom blew into the room looking crazed, and I wasn't sure what to tell her. "How is he?" she asked as she sat down next to my dad, taking his hand in comfort.
"We don't know yet. We're still waiting," I responded. For an hour, we heard nothing. I was about to go storming into the ER when Edward came into the waiting room.
"Okay, here's what's going on. Dr. Simmons has decided that he needs to be MedEvac'd to Seattle. He took a spill a few weeks ago and broke his right leg. He didn't know it because of the paralysis and an infection has set in. He's going to lose the leg, but he understands it. We can't do that difficult of a procedure here, so we're sending him to Seattle. He wants to see you, Bella. I'm going to go with him in the chopper to make sure they understand everything," Edward informed. I couldn't help myself but hit the floor. It was too much. I shouldn't have been so wrapped up in myself. I should have been looking out for Billy. If I'd been there for him, I'd have known and taken him to the doctor and the whole mess could have been avoided.
"God, I…shit," I sobbed as I hugged my chest. It nearly felt as bad as when that fucking chaplain told me that Jacob was gone. I remembered having to call Billy. I'd called Sue Clearwater first, and she and Harry went to Billy's house to wait for my call. It was the news I never wanted to tell him. I remembered the phone hitting the linoleum in his kitchen and hearing Sue on the end of the line saying they'd take care of Billy. My heart broke all over again.
I felt strong arms around me, and I was picked up without my consent. I was being carried to the chairs, and when I opened my eyes, I found that Edward had me on his lap. "Listen to me. He told me you'd blame yourself and he said that he was depending on me to make sure you didn't. He wants to talk to you, but you've got to calm down, love. He says it's his own fault that it's gotten this bad because he was too proud to tell anyone what happened. Now, you need to get yourself together because the chopper will be here in about half an hour. I'll make sure he's okay, I promise you," Edward vowed. He kissed my forehead and dried my tears. I didn't deserve his kindness, but he was right there giving it to me.
Five minutes later, I was led to Billy's room. I found him sitting upright in bed talking to Bree Tanner. Apparently, she was on duty in the ER that day, and I wasn't exactly happy with her being his nurse. "There's my Bella. Come here, daughter. We need to have a talk before I go in a flying coffin for the first time in my life," he joked. I didn't know how he could have such a blithe attitude about it. I was a nervous wreck.
"Morphine," Edward whispered to me. I couldn't help but laugh at the revelation because it was as if he read my mind.
I walked over to the bed and sat down on the side, taking Billy's hand. "William Black. If I could turn you over my knee, I would spank you," I teased as the tears cascaded down my face.
"I bet that young man over there wishes you'd say the same thing to him," Billy joked back, looking at Edward. I turned to see him blushing, and then the two of us burst into laughter.
"I'll be outside if you need me," Edward called as he left us alone.
"Listen to me, little one. This is all going to be okay. Do you know that Dr. Cullen is in love with you?" Billy asked.
"What?" I shrieked. Clearly, the painkillers were playing tricks in my father-in-law's mind.
"Remember when I found out that Jacob was sneaking out at night and crawling into your window to stay at your house? He told me he couldn't help himself because he was in love with you and he couldn't be away from you that long. He had a look on his face that I remembered when I thought about his mother. That's why I never grounded him or told Charlie about it. That's also why I took him to the store and made him buy condoms. Anyway, I knew my son was head over heels in love with you.
"When I asked Dr. Cullen what his intentions were with you, I saw the same look on his face as I saw on my son's. Bella, that man loves you. It's been four years, honey, and Jacob's not coming home. Now, I have every faith that I'm going to be fine, but in the event that something happens to me, I want a promise from you," Billy asked. Again, I was attributing his words to the morphine.
"Billy, please don't talk like that. I can't lose another person I love," I sobbed.
"I'm gonna be fine because I'm too damn mean to die. Have a little faith, Bells. Anyway, give the man a shot. He and I talked about Jax, and his face lit up like he was talking about his own daughter. You need to open your eyes and see what's in front of you and waiting for you. You can't stay buried in the past, daughter. Jax needs a father, and you need a man to love you. Give Dr. Cullen a fair chance. If he doesn't measure up, then I'll kick his ass with the half-assed good leg I have left. Now, call my other two daughters and tell them to get their selfish asses to Seattle. Go get Jax and go home. I'll call you in a couple of days," Billy told me.
Just then, Edward came back into the room and walked over to me, gently placing his hand on my back in a very comforting manner. "I talked to Mom, and she'll take Jax for a couple of days. I just need your house keys so she can go there and get stuff together for her. She said she'd throw something together for you as well if you wanted her to. I know there's no way in hell you're not going to come to Seattle with us. I've got you covered for your shifts, and I booked us a hotel in Seattle," he related. I was shocked at the level of planning he'd put into it.
"How's our stuff going to get to Seattle?" I asked. The helicopter was set to show up any moment, as I was told.
"Dad's going to bring it with him. He's going to drive down to Seattle to help, if he can. Now, keys?" he asked. I reached into my pocket and handed them to him without question. I was amazed at the fact that a family that barely knew me was willing to pitch in and do things that Billy's own family wasn't.
"Bells, listen to Dad. He's telling you what I've been trying to tell you all along. You're just too damn stubborn to listen. As much as I hate to admit it, I think Cullen's in love with you. You need to decide how you feel about him. Listen, honey, leave me here. Got to Seattle with Dad and make sure he's okay, but don't take me with you. Let's see how that goes. I'll just make sure Jax is okay. One of us should be with her, right?" Jacob asked from the corner of the room. I nodded. I didn't want to answer because I knew I'd sound crazy, but I believed I could do as he asked. At least, I hoped I could.
Well, I'm certainly interested in knowing what you all think! Please drop off a little 'hi' if you're a lurker. I'd love to hear from you.
Till next time…xoxo