Chapter 30
BPOV
I was awoken by the sound of someone puttering around in the kitchen. I slowly opened my eyes, unwilling to rejoin the living world. I didn't want to face reality yet. Though I had slept better than I would have thought. I'd still had a slight nightmare where I relived the entire encounter, which hadn't been pleasant. But I'd slept through night.
Somehow remembering Edward's arms around me helped me through the night, keeping me from waking up as I focussed on that warm and safe feeling he'd given me.
'How was she?' someone asked softly, my ears pricked up.
'I think she had a nightmare. She talks in her sleep. But she didn't wake up. So we let her sleep.' came the murmured reply.
'Won't she be upset that you're here though?' someone else asked.
'I… I don't know. I hope not. She said something yesterday…' he sighed. 'I just couldn't stop myself from checking on her today.'
'Alright. but perhaps you should go outside and come back in again after we've woken her up.'
I recognized the voices now. it was Edward, Alice and Rose talking together in the kitchen. Edward was here? He wanted to check on me? A warmth spread through my chest as I thought that over.
But I wasn't sure what to do now. I was very aware of my extreme bedhead, the fact I wasn't wearning a bra and only a t shirt, also didn't help. Plus I surely had sleep in my eyes and a bad case of morning breath. Did I want to see Edward like this? Not really. Well, I just didn't want him to see me like this.
But I did want to see him, the more I thought about it. I wanted to thank him again, though he probably didn't want me to do that.
I sighed and decided to just go for it.
I sat up and stretched, giving a slightly louder than usual yawn, and then called out: 'Rose? Alice?'
It was silent for a beat. 'We're in the kitchen Bella.' Came Rose's voice.
Alice came around the corner, a forced smile on her face. 'Edward came and brought over breakfast if you're hungry.'
'Breakfast?' I asked surprised. He had brought breakfast? I just htought he'd come by to see how I was, I hadn't expected him to also be so kind to think of everyone to bring something to eat.
Alice nodded and gestured to the kitchen. I got up from the makeshift bed we'd created and headed after her towards the kitchen. I stopped in my tracks as I saw Edward standing by the kitchen counter, arranging bagels and croissants on a large tray, with coffee brewing on the side.
He looked up as I stepped into view and his eyes trailed slowly up my body, before a breathaking smile overtook his face.
'Hi.' He said. 'I hope you don't mind I'm here.'
'No… No, that's fine. You brought breakfast?'
'I thought maybe you weren't in the mood to go out or cook.' He rubbed the back of his neck as he did when he felt slightly uncomfortable. It was endearing really.
'Thank you.' I said giving him a smile. 'you didn't have to do that.'
'I know.' He said softly. 'But I wanted to. I took Jake for a walk as well. Hope you don't mind.'
'How deeply was I asleep?' I muttered. How did I miss all of that? It seemed Edward had been here for a while already. Shit, did that mean he'd seen me asleep?
His smiled distracted me from that train of thought though. Then his hand reached out to stroke a strand of hair away from my face. 'You had a busy day yesterday, it makes sense you were out of it for a while.'
My heart stopped and for a moment I couldn't think about anything else but his hand on my face.
'What time is it anyway?' I asked, clearing my throat and stepping away from his touch before I sank into it further.
He did the same 'It's just after ten.'
'Ten?' I gasped. 'no! no! no!' in a panic I ran into my bedroom.
'Bella?' he asked confused.
Rose and Alice also reappeared having mysteriously disappeared while Edward and I had been talking.
'What's wrong Bella?' Rose asked.
'I'm late!'
'for what?' Edward frowned.
'I had two interviews today. The first one at 9.30!'
'Bella, everyone will understand if you take a day off today. You had quite the shock yesterday.' Rose said kindly.
'But I can't just not show up! And we need new coaches. Emmett is being run ragged.' I countered. 'I need to know if I can hire them!'
'Bella, calm down.' Edward said, stepping into my bedroom and grabbing hold of my arm as I dove into my closet and start throwing out clothes.
'But, I have to get ready.'
'Will you just listen for a second?' he snapped exasperated.
I froze, he'd never used that tone with me before. I glanced up at him uncertainly, seeing his face was set in a frown. I didn't like seeing it.
'what?' I asked in a small voice.
'Emmett called Harry this morning, telling him about the interviews that were planned. He's taking over for you and giving you his opinion. Then you can do the second interview if you want.' He explained.
'Emmett… called Harry?' Edward nodded.
'Yes, Bella. You didn't think we'd let you get right back to work as if nothing had happened, did you? you nearly went into shock, yesterday. That's not something to just laugh off or wave away, bella.' He said sternly.
I realized now how scared he'd been for me, how scared they'd all been for me. I had noticed it yesterday when he'd clutched me to him, and in the car when he told me he was glad I wasn't hurt. But it was only now that it hit me that no matter how terrifying it had been for me to experience it, it had been a shock to my friends as well. They were worried about me and here I was pretending everything was fine and ready to sweep it under the rug.
'Now please, will you calm down and eat something?' Edward finished, his expression softening as his hand slipped down my wrist to hold my hand.
'I don't have to go into the office?' I asked.
He nodded. As did rose and alice.
'everything's taken care of. Jane knows what to do.' Rose said coming over and wrapping her arm around me. Edward dropped my hand and took a step back as Alice took her spot on my other side.
'come on. let's get you cleaned up and then we'll have breakfast, okay?' Alice said gently.
I could only nod. I was still in shock that somehow everything had been handled for me. They'd done all of this for me to make sure I had some time to recover.
Rose and Edward seemed to have a silent conversation as they stared at each other, before Edward let out a sigh and turned to leave the room.
'I'll wait in the kitchen.' He mumbled.
Alice and Rose took my hands and guided me to the bathroom. They turned on the shower for me, setting my products up and fluffy towels within reach. Alice grabbed some underwear from my drawer and put it on the bench as well. Then they left me to my shower, after Alice promised to pick something comfortable for me to wear and lay out on my bed.
I stepped under the hot spray and realized how worn out my body felt, probably from all the adrenaline and tension I'd been holding in since yesterday.
I let the water relax my sore muscles, tilting my head into the spray. I don't know exactly how long I stood under the stream, but it was a while before I got around to actually washing myself. When I felt clean and more relaxed than I had in while I stepped out of the shower and wrapped myself in the fluffy towels Alice had put on the bench. I dried off at the same leisurely pace as I'd showered. Enjoying the simple proces.
By the time I was dressed and ready it was almost eleven.
'There you are.' Alice said as I appeared in the kitchen.
'We were about to come in and see if you'd fallen in the toilet or something.' Rose joked.
I smiled and shook my head. 'the shower was better than I'd thought.' I said.
Edward handed me a cup of coffee that was still hot somehow and we all sat down at the table.
'thanks again for doing this.' I told Edward.
'Please stop thanking me, Bella.' He said in a soft voice, his eyes on his hands.
'but you didn't have to do this. So thank you.'
He huffed. 'I wanted to do this.'
'Well, I think you could have done better.' Alice interrupted before I could insist on thanking him again.
Edward looked up at her with a quirked brow. 'oh?'
She nodded. 'There's no chocolate. How can we have a proper brunch without something with chocolate.'
'there's a chocolate bar in the pantry.' I told her waving my croissant in the general direction of the pantry.
Edward grinned and shook his head as Alice jumped up and actually started searching for it.
'Who eats chocolate with brunch?' I grubled. Rose snorted in agreement.
'so, I don't have to be at the office at all today?' I asked no one in particular.
Edward nodded. 'Yes. Harry insisted you stay home today. He'll probably be by later today. Carlisle too.'
'Carlisle?' I asked in surprise. 'your dad?'
He smiled bemusedely 'yes.'
'but… why?'
'to check on you.' he answered easily.
'oh.' Was my stellar response and I quickly stuffed the croissant in my mouth to avoid embarassing myself further. Alice returned holding a bar of chocolate in her hands with a gleeful smile on her face.
'I found it!' she exclaimed proudly. She quickly unwrapped it and I was engrossed as I watched her break of a few pieces, then proceed to cut open her croissant and put the chocolate inside of it, before pressing it closed again and taking a bite.
'Did you actually just eat that?' Rose asked with an incredulous expression on her face.
'She does it all the time' Edward said with a shrug, looking completely unperturbed as he bit into his own sandwhich.
When we'd finished breakfast there was a knock at the door.
Edward who had been putting the dishes in the dishwasher called out that he got it and opened the door. IT was odd ahving people in my home doing things for me that I was so used to doing by myself. But Alice and Rose had cleared the make shift bed from last night, putting everything neatly folded away again and Edward had insisted on clearing teh table. They'd all said that they wanted to do it.
So I found myself sitting on the couch with not much to do, except pet Jake.
'Good morning.' Carlisle's voice floated down the hallway as he rounded the corner.
'Good morning.' I greeted him, standing up, slightly unsure what to do now that he was here.
He came over and hesitated only for a moment, before pulling me into a hug.
I was surprised for a moment, but it wasn't hard to let myself give in. My arms wrapped around his waist and for a moment I was transported to the last hug Charlie had given me. Fatherly warmth and strength just oozed from CArlisle as he held me tightly and his hands rubbed soothingly on my shoulderblades.
He broke the embrace after a moment, holding me at arm's length and looking down at me with kindness and concern shining in his eyes. 'How are you today?' he asked, guiding me back to the sofa again and sitting us down.
'Okay, I think.' I muttered.
'Did you sleep well?' he asked.
'I think so. Though perhaps you should ask Rose or Alice. They can probably tell you if I woke them up during the night at all.'
They both smiled at me as they came back into the room. 'You talk a lot in your sleep.' Rose said with amusement.
' Oh god, what did I say?' I tried to remember everything I'd dreamt, but apart from the pap incident I couldn't really remember anymore.
'I think you had a nightmare.' Alice said, reaching over and taking my hand in hers. 'it sounded like it for a while at least. But you slept through it.'
'I think I rember that dream.' I said wincing slightly.
'what was it about?' Carlisle asked, clearly concerned.
'I was kind of relieving everything that happened.'
Carlisle nodded. 'That's to be expected.'
'But I woke up feeling quite well rested, and the shower this morning also helped.'
He smiled at that. 'Good. I'm glad you're feeling better.'
'Thank you for helping me, yesterday.'
'It was no problem at all, Bella. I was glad I could help you.'
'Still, thank you.'
He nodded his head in acknowledgement. 'Now, I know that your publicist warned against having dinners with my family. But still I was wondering if you would like to join Esme and me tonight?'
I bit my lip, hesitating.
'Carlisle, don't pressure her.' Edward snapped.
I glanced over at Edward who was looking like he was upset with his father.
'No it's fine… it's just… I'd need to check with Leah… my publicist.'
Carlisle nodded. 'if it helps we can do it at a restaurant? I know a lovely little Italian place.'
'I think that would be better than meeting at your home.' I nodded.
'Good. Let's say seven then?' Carlisle stood up. He smiled at me and I could only nod, feeling slightly overwhelmed. 'oh, Alice, Edward you're welcome to come as well of course. And If you and Emmett are free, you're welcome too, Rosalie.'
'Carlisle.' Edward sighed. 'Bella can't do family dinners.'
Carlisle shrugged. 'It's not though is it? She's going to dinner with her employees and her friends, all mixed up together. Don't worry about the press. The place I'm talking about is excellent at being discreet. We won't be bothered by paparazzi there.' Then he smiled at Edward, turning fully towards him. 'and if you're really worried you can just pick her up and bring her yourself.'
With that he turned around and waved at us before heading out the door, saying he'd see us all tonight at seven. We were left looking at each other to see if that had really just happened. And more importantly what exactly just happened?
