Place and Time
A/N: Your comments keep me inspired, so thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts! :)
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This chapter picks up where we left off in Chapter 6 before Bella's trip down memory lane in chapter 7.
C-8: Bits and Pieces
I realize Rose is probably waiting for some kind of response from me regarding her unexpected revelation about Edward Cullen. With my thoughts still spinning, I give her text another read, and then type my reply.
Of course, I remember Edward and his parents! That week on Catalina was unforgettable! I can't believe Edward is a friend of Emmett's! And a groomsman, no less?! I have so many questions!
Rose responds with a crying laughing emoji and a text saying she can't talk right now but will call me later tonight. I respond with a thumb's up.
For the next half hour, I'm on autopilot, setting the table and making a salad while dinner cooks in the oven. But all the while, my mind flits from question to question, wondering where life took Edward Cullen in the last ten years that he wound up friends with Rose's husband-to-be. I don't even know how Rose met Emmett! Is he from Chicago like Edward? Is that where they met? Or did they go to college here in Washington? Or somewhere else? More importantly, if Emmett lives here in Washington now, does that mean Edward does too?
Mercifully, the oven timer goes off, distracting me from my barrage of self-inflicted, currently unanswerable questions, and I let Dad know dinner is ready.
After dinner, while Dad does the dishes, I sort through my room, bagging up donations and boxing up a few things headed for Seattle. Dad helps me carry them out to the garage, then we move my bookcase, dresser, and mirror out, too. They will be my subjects for tomorrow's painting project.
I'm getting ready for bed when Rose calls back.
"Oh my god, finally!" It's not your typical phone greeting, but Rose just laughs in response. "Seriously, Rose, that was evil! There's so much I don't know about you or Emmett, and now you throw Edward Cullen into the mix?!"
"I'm sorry I left you hanging, Bella. I knew you'd be going crazy, but we were at dinner with some of Emmett's extended family."
"That's totally understandable, so I forgive you. I just have a lot of catching up to do!"
"Same here! I have all kinds of questions! I know you didn't want to go to Jacksonville with your mom or stay in Phoenix by yourself, but what made you decide on Seattle?"
"The job market is really good for what I do. I'm a Medical Sonographer, you know, an Ultrasound Technician?"
"Ultrasound? Like for pregnant women?"
"Among other things, yeah."
"Bella, that's so cool!"
I smile. "Yeah, I think so, too."
"So, you got a job in Seattle?"
"Not yet, but there's a lot of demand, so my prospects are pretty good. Hopefully it won't take too long. I just sent out quite a few applications, but I need to update them with my new address. What about you, Rose? Are you working?"
"Yeah, I'm an assistant manager at the BMW dealership in Bellevue. That's where I met Emmett."
"Oh, wow, that's great. And Emmett works there too?"
"No, he's a physical therapist, but he brought his old BMW in for a repair, and we wound up chatting while he was waiting. Then I saw him again the following week. He was having some other issue with his car. A week later, he comes back in to buy replacement floor mats, tracks me down, and tells me it's getting really expensive to keep finding reasons to bring his car in just so he can see me and talk to me, and would I be interested in meeting him for coffee or lunch, or both?"
"That's so cute!" I tell her, laughing.
"Right?" She's giggling too. I can tell she loves their story. "I said I appreciated his honesty and agreed to meet him for coffee, and things just went from there. I told him about Royce early on, and Emmett was very understanding. He let me take things really slowly. He can come off as being rather boisterous, but he's one of the kindest, sweetest men you'll ever meet."
"Aww… I'm so happy for you."
"Me too. And my parents just love him. Such a contrast to Royce."
"That's awesome. And do you get along with his parents?"
"Oh, yeah. And his sister, Kate. They're all sweethearts."
"And they live here?"
"Yeah, they're originally from Tennessee, but they've lived in Washington since Emmett was like ten years old."
"I see. So, let's get to that little bomb you dropped on me this afternoon. How does Emmett know Edward Cullen? You said they've been friends since college. How did that happen?"
"They met their freshman year at the University of Washington, playing baseball for the Huskies. They became really good friends and were even roommates for a few years during college."
"But the Cullens lived in Chicago. How did Edward wind up at U-Dub?"
"Edward's dad accepted a position at The Seattle Children's Hospital and the Cullens moved here after Edward's senior year of high school. Emmett had gotten a scholarship to play baseball for U-Dub right out of high school, but because Edward's family just moved in from out of state, he was a walk-on and had to try out for the team. But he was good enough to make it, and that's how they became friends."
"That's crazy!"
"I know!"
"How did you not meet Emmett through Edward?"
"I never saw Edward. I knew he was there at school, but he was older, we ran in different circles, and then I started dating Royce. And when my parents moved to Seattle, they got together with Esme and Carlisle from time to time, but I guess Edward and I were busy doing our own thing by then. I never spent any time with Edward until after I met Emmett. What a waste, huh? I could have completely skipped Royce if I'd hung out with Edward and met his hot baseball buddy a few years earlier."
"Seriously! So, now Edward and his parents still live in Seattle?"
"They do. And they'll all be at the wedding, so you'll get to see them and talk with them. Oh, and speaking of the wedding… I know you'll have a ton of stuff to do to get settled in after your move, but I was wondering… Would you like to join us for the rehearsal dinner on Friday?"
Oh. Wow. It's really sweet of Rose to want to include me, but when I envision her and Emmett surrounded by their bridesmaids, groomsmen, and closest family members, I know I would feel out of place. I would be a distraction requiring an explanation, and I don't want that. The focus should be on them and their wedding. But Rose is kind to have extended the invitation and even kinder to have left me an out.
"That's really thoughtful, Rose, and I truly appreciate the invitation, but I honestly don't think I should commit to that. I have no idea how things will go."
"I totally understand. What I can do is text you the where and when, and if you can make it and feel up to it, awesome, and if it's just too much, that's perfectly fine, too. Believe me, I get it."
"Okay, thank you."
"Of course! Listen, Bella, it's getting late and I'd better get going. I've got another busy day tomorrow. But I'm really glad we had a chance to talk."
"I am too, Rose. I can't wait to see you. And if I don't see you Friday, I will definitely see you on Saturday! I remember you saying you'd be the one in white, so you'll be easy to find. And trust me, Rose, I will find you!"
She laughs. "You'd better! I can't wait to see you, too, Bella. And I'll keep my fingers crossed that all goes well for your move on Thursday. Love you lots."
"Love you lots too, Rose. Bye."
As I drift off to sleep a short while later, I find myself thinking about Edward, wondering if he'll remember me. He might, I decide, though I doubt he ever thought about me after we all left Catalina. I'm pretty sure he just enjoyed teasing me because I got so flustered and he could tell I found him attractive. But by the end of the week, I think he realized I was developing a crush on him and he felt guilty about teasing me. He was certainly more considerate, and I think that's also why he said what he did and kissed me.
*O*
On Tuesday morning, I get an email from the leasing office at The Elysian, outlining what I'll need to do on move-in day and asking me to select a block of time to reserve the freight elevator for our use. I know Dad wants to get an early start, but it might be slow-going with the U-Haul, so I book the noon to two slot, figuring on a four to four and a half hour drive.
I make a run into town to drop off donations at the clothing bank and thrift store, then I swing by the hardware store to pick up more paint because what I have left isn't going to cut it. Once I'm back home, I get down to business, cleaning thoroughly and then painting.
By the time Dad comes home from work, I'm sore from squatting, kneeling, and leaning over, but my bedroom dresser and mirror frame are now gray to match my nightstands, and my bookcase and TV stand are black to go in my living room. All that's left is Grandma Swan's old rocking chair, but maybe I'll just keep it as is. I haven't decided.
Thankfully, there are leftovers for dinner, and once Dad and I have eaten, I head upstairs for a nice long date with a soothing bubble bath.
As I soak, I think about my phone call last night with Rose. I'm glad I got caught up a little and learned a few bits and pieces about Rose, Emmett, and Edward, but I wish I'd had the chance to find out more about Edward. I wonder what kind of job he has, assuming he's working. And is he single, attached, married, divorced? Yikes… He could even be someone's dad by now, for all I know.
Despite my curiosity, I'm not going to call and interrogate Rose. I know she's crazy busy these last few days before the wedding. Besides, she would think I'd lost my mind, being so curious about a boy I saw on a handful of occasions, ten years ago. I never told her I'd had a crush on him. By the time I could admit it to myself, we were back in Forks, and I wasn't about to share my silly daydreams about a boy who was so far out of my league, let alone so far out of state.
But with our paths converging again in a few days, here I am, thinking about him. I've become that cusp-of-fourteen girl once again, and it's absurd. I barely knew him and I certainly didn't spend the last ten years pining away for him. I've had boyfriends. I've been in relationships. Maybe not many, but they were important.
My questions will just have to wait. At least I've got conversation starters if I get the chance to talk to Edward at the wedding.
*O*
Dad takes the next two days off work to help me with my final shopping and the big move.
We take his truck to Port Angeles on Wednesday morning and pick up the U-Haul he reserved, then we go hit up some furniture stores.
I find my new queen-sized bed and headboard in the first store we check out. But before I can get my wallet out of my purse, Dad is already giving the salesman his credit card.
"Hey, I'm paying for this!" I protest, but Dad shakes his head.
"I'll sleep better at night knowing you're sleeping better at night and you didn't have to dig into your savings to do so."
I laugh. "Okay, fine. Thank you. But this is all you're buying, Dad. You're already paying for the U-Haul and my first and last month's rent. And I still have the money Mom and Phil sent me for furniture too."
We check out a second store for a living room sofa, but everything seems very pricey.
In a third store, I find a small charcoal gray sectional sofa I like. It's comfortable, in stock, and on sale. Displayed with it is a round, glass-topped coffee table on a silver base, and I hear Mom's voice in my head, suggesting I incorporate metallics and a little sparkle into my apartment. I decide it's the perfect table to go with my sofa, and Mom will be happy knowing I bought both pieces with the money she and Phil sent.
Leaving Dad to wait for them to load the furniture into the U-Haul, I take his truck over to the Walmart Supercenter. Starting with kitchenware, I pick out a cookware set, utensils, cutlery, and a set of knives. Then I head off to look at bedding for my new queen bed. An abstract design catches my eye. On a pale gray background, small brushstrokes in black and white accent more prominent splashes of aqua blue and sea green. The overall effect is both pretty and soothing, and I decide I've found my "pops of color" Mom was talking about. I pack the set into my cart, along with four pillows for the bed.
Dad texts that he's in the store, and I let him know I'm going to look at lamps. He meets me there, and I pick out a pair of silver lamps with white shades for my bedroom.
"I think this is the last of it," I say, handing him the lamps to carry up to the register.
"You sure, Bells? Or are you just saying that because you can't stuff anything more in your cart?"
I laugh as I push my haul down the aisle, picking up lightbulbs on the way. "I'm just glad you turned up when you did to carry those lamps for me."
"It's good to feel needed." He's teasing, but I make sure he knows how much I appreciate everything he does for me.
We pick up lunch for the ride home and then drop Dad's truck off near the police station in Port Angeles. It'll be a safe place to leave it until he picks it up Thursday night after dropping off the U-Haul on his way home from Seattle.
Back at home, we load everything else into the U-Haul so it's ready to go first thing in the morning. Then I take Dad out for Mexican food for dinner, complete with beers and Margaritas, because if we didn't earn them today, we sure as heck will tomorrow.
A/N: I hope this answered a few questions. Next stop, Seattle!