DISCLAIMER: The story doesn't belong to me; the characters are property of S. Meyer, and the plot belongs to Annalau Thank you so much for letting me share your story in English!
Gracias Laura, por darme esta oportunidad!
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Chapter 10
James
Months ago…
After dinner I couldn't find the ideal time to bring up the subject.
I smiled dumbly as Edward took the dishes out of the dishwasher and was arranging them in a pile on the counter.
I bit my bottom lip and kept watching him. He had finished sweeping every corner of our kitchen.
"Alice is crazy," he mentioned, concentrating on drying each plate with a clean rag, "I don't want to dress up as a cowboy for Jasper's party. "I don't understand those theme party trends," he laughed.
The blessed party. Jasper was celebrating his thirtieth birthday and Alice jumped at the chance to celebrate in style. Party at a ranch very much in keeping with the cowboy theme and the guests would have to dress very appropriate to the theme: hats, boots, denim, and plaid shirts.
"Eleazar is thinking of opening another new branch of the shipping company," I began to explain. Not even two seconds passed, and I had his attention, his green eyes were on me, I sighed deeply. "I will have to travel to California."
That was it. I had finally told him what I had been holding back for a week.
"When?" his voice was muffled.
"Tomorrow."
"And you're telling me now?" he asked as he laughed.
"I didn't know how to tell you. But don't worry I'll make it to Jasper's party. I'll buy the clothes and we'll go together."
He rested his palms on the counter and kept his head bowed. He was angry or lesser said, furious.
With a few steps I hesitantly approached and touched his left arm. I slid my fingertips all over the limb.
"Please understand me," I added. "It's part of my job. It's what I like to do since I decided I wanted to study. Support me."
"And who supports me, Bells? I have to run out of the office to get Eric because you don't come early. Lately I go to the grocery store alone because you don't have time to go with me. I do all the damn homework because you're so exhausted you can't even stand up! Do you know why? Because you don't sleep! Do you think I don't notice you getting up in the wee hours of the morning and getting on the damn laptop? I'm tired of this.
"Sometimes I think all your anger is because I earn more than you do," I countered. "You know well that with my salary we can support ourselves well. You don't need to work, at least for a while," I shrugged my shoulders.
Edward faced me.
"I don't know if you do it to annoy me or if you are not even aware of what you are saying. You're obsessed with being the best in that damn office and I swear I curse the time you went to work there."
"Why don't you support me Edward? Why doesn't anything I do make you happy?"
"Because you're not equitable! There's no fucking balance for you! It's just you and you and always you."
"You didn't complain before."
"Before you didn't work the way you do now. That is the difference and don't think I envy you, although I also don't admire that you are giving up Eric for a damn workplace where you will surely be thrown out as soon as you say no. Ultimately, Bells, do what you want, I don't care anymore."
He came out of the kitchen.
That was our new argument followed by others and others.
It was worse when the flight was cancelled, and I couldn't attend Jasper's party.
I watched the torrential rain through the airport glass. The bad weather had prevented us from going out.
"You should stop blaming yourself," James said, offering me a Kleenex.
I quickly wiped away my tears and put the cell phone in my purse. I didn't want to keep watching Edward dance around happily with that stranger.
Alice had taken it upon herself to upload every damn story to her Instagram. She knew damn well I would see them, and she didn't care. On the contrary, she took it upon herself to post pictures and stories of the party, of her brother dancing and very friendly with some random girl I had no idea where she came from.
Of course I went straight to the tag, but the stupid girl had her Instagram private. The only thing I knew was her name: Tanya Denali.
"Isabella..." spoke James bringing my mind back to the present "What's wrong with you?
"I'm having a lot of problems with my husband."
"Oh... I'm not married," he said with a half-smile. "If there's anything I can do to help you, trust me.
I looked into his bright blue eyes. They were a strange and beautiful color at the same time, I had rarely seen people with that shade of eyes.
"I want to make him proud of me," I revealed. "It's just that nothing seems to work on my husband."
He shook his head in a slight nod.
"Never do anything for anyone, because in the end he'll tell you he didn't ask for it and he'll be right."
I meditated on his words and tried to smile. Edward and I didn't seem to want the same thing.
"Shall we have dinner?" he proposed, his hand outstretched toward me, "I wouldn't like to eat alone."
"No, thank you."
James moved closer. Part of his torso close to my body, I pulled away.
"Isabella, it's just dinner and a glass of wine. I'm not proposing anything else."
"It can be misunderstood."
"I know you're upset, and I want to listen to you. Let you vent on my shoulder, plus the flight is scheduled in five hours."
I nibbled on my lower lip.
"Where is Eleazar?" I asked when I didn't see him in the crowd.
"Apparently he left with his partner."
"He is married."
"Does it matter?" he questioned. "Come on, come with me."
His hand went to my waist. Which I moved quickly keeping a safe distance as we walked.
We occupied one of the tables in the center of the small place and after two glasses of wine our conversation was still flowing extraordinarily.
I discovered that we had a lot in common and were self-critical of our own jobs.
"Edward doesn't know it," I said, after a sip of wine, "but if everything keeps going great in three years I will have put more than half the down payment on the house."
"Wow, congratulations. That's great. And why haven't you told your husband?"
"He says I exaggerate with my work hours."
"I think I understand," he said. "If you were my wife I'd forbid you to work so much too. I'd die of jealousy if you were around other men."
I assumed he was joking because he gave me a broad smile as he shook his head from side to side.
"You are very intelligent," he continued. "Really any man would be proud of what an extraordinary woman you are. Especially the way you work hard for your heritage."
I remained pensive, wishing that Edward thought the same way he did.
That one day he would be able to understand and recognize all that I was capable of doing for our financial stability.
I smiled at him, feeling dizzy. We had to go back to the airport lounge.
I didn't dare say that from that night on James became my friend, but that he was a good listener, which was all I needed.
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