Okay, real quick, I know a lot of you are pissed at E and trust that I am too, but I understand this story because at one point it was mine. I may not have been pregnant, but my life was like hers and it took a long road to fix us. We are happier than ever, but it took months to find ourselves. So, if a month or two passes there is a reason for it.
Also, once you have a signed contract like his family has with the owners of the building they are constructing, you can't just walk away. It has to be finished, and being part owner, Edward's signature is on those documents and walking away would bury him.
Finally, we won't be having an update next week. Ardor comes out on Tuesday and I will be a mess. My nerves are all over the place and I just won't have the head to update.
See you all in a week.
Chapter 18
Bella's POV
A month turned to two, and slowly, I had begun to see the man I once fell in love with resurfacing. At first, it began with little things left for me to find atop my windshield every morning: flowers and small poems filled with words of desperation and love.
Edward had even begun to hound my sister Esme — who was still incredibly pissed at him — and her husband Paul for information on me and the baby. When Edward and I were together, he and my brother-in-law had developed a closeness that rivaled the relationship he had with Ben. They played ball together, went dirt biking in the summers, and from time to time shared a beer or two when we pulled in all family members for BBQs or days at the beach.
Paul was my protector when Edward wasn't near, and he was angry, but more than anything he was disappointed in the place that I found myself in with Edward.
My brother-in-law believed that it took two people to build a foundation and to allow it to crumble. Marriage was hard work and if both parties let things go unresolved for too long, then what they had built out of love would flourish into hate and animosity.
Paul was right on all accounts, and had been witness to my many failed attempts in getting Edward to talk with me to hash things out.
It was the middle of the day, about a week since I'd last seen or spoken to Edward, that my phone rang and I found a frantic Esme shouting over what seemed to be male voices in the background.
One voice I could discern easily was my Edward's, and my heart gave a painful tug. I miss you so much, baby.
"Bella." Esme sounded out of breath and scared. "Oh, shit . . . um, sweetie, can you come over like now!"
"Sis, what's going on?" The shouting grew louder and something was slammed loud enough for me to hear.
"My husband is kicking your husband's ass and if you don't stop … oh, fuck! Paul, I swear to God if you —"
My heart seized and only one thought filled my mind: I will kill Paul if he hurts him!