I am posting this chapter, with a very heavy heart. The wonderful and talented AWayWithWords has left us. AWayWithWords, Barbara Dennis or Bobbi Wordsmith ... which ever one it was that people knew her by, they knew her passion for words. Barb was a wonderful woman, who fought and won against stage 4 breast cancer back in 2016. She lost her wonderful loving husband of over 65 years in 2021, and all the while she was fighting that same cancer from 2016 that metastasized into her liver. After battling for seven years, her fight ended on October 1st, 2023. Most people didn't know she was in her late eighties, because she loved and enjoyed people seeing her young self. For over ten years she has been a sounding board for me, alone as TeamAllTwilight, and for Nicola Pitt and myself as WeeKittyAndTAT. She was a wonderful woman, who I will always hold dear. Please send your thoughts and prayers (if you believe) to her family. Rest in peace, my wonderful friend. Thank you for making me a better writer over the years. XOXO.
Okay enough of the heavy ... I need to say a huge thanks to Babs (LaPumuckl) for talking out the story with me, and helping me get my words straight. Also huge thanks to the wonderful Dowlingnana for her wielding her red pen on this. As always all mistakes are mine, I am hard to reign in sometimes.
Twilight doesn't belong to me, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Chapter 10 - (LITTLE TIME JUMP - approximately two months)
Things have been going great at the shop and at home. Edward has fit in like he was meant to be a part of our lives. He and I ride to work together most days, and it is nice to have someone around all the time. We take turns cooking when we are home, and I am impressed that he not only cooks but helps clean up. We have spent a few nights after work unwinding in the hot tub, but mostly we just sit and talk or watch something on TV.
Edward's license came through within a week, and he's been laying ink for six weeks now. Between the article in the paper and the news story about us expanding that Aro initiated, Edward's schedule has been booked pretty solid. About ninety percent of his clients have been after his Japanese work, which is what I figured would happen. Rose was his first client, followed closely by Liam, Emmett, Jasper, Alice and myself. I didn't have anything huge done, but got a small but very colorful Koi on the back of my neck.
At home things are wonderful, we still all gather at my house—well Edward's place too—to have dinner every Sunday. Edward has joined us twice when we all take Lillian out to dinner and dancing once a month. Jane and Edward are thick as thieves at Five Points and he has started leaving her his own 'tips' when we go there to eat. Dave has also been in again, this time to have Edward do a Foo Dog for him on his leg. Edward is starting the tattoo removal process on his leg, and I am taking him tomorrow for his first procedure. Edward has scheduled all his removal appointments on Wednesdays and asked me if I would take him. The doctor thinks it will be about a twelve-month process, due to scar tissue and depth of the ink for the full removal. Edward will not be able to wear his prosthetic for at least three days after each treatment, depending on inflammation, and will endure a procedure every six weeks until it is done. Edward has also been seeing the therapist his dad recommended, and things seem to be going well with that. Edward opened up to Jasper and Emmett about the things he went through, and it only strengthened the bond between the three of them. Alice and Rose know what happened, but it was from Emmett and Jasper with Edward's permission.
Things for me have been steady, I finished Edward's back piece on a Sunday three weeks ago. Alice wasn't feeling well so she and Jasper decided to stay home, and Emmett and Rose had plans with Rose's mom and her sister, so Edward and I decided it would be a good time to work on his back. I was planning to do the wings separately, but he asked if I could at least outline both. I did the outlines, which went pretty fast considering the details. After the outlines were done, we agreed to continue until either I got tired, or he did. We talked as I worked, and before I knew it, we had finished. We had gotten up for breaks and such but didn't even seem to notice that a total of seven hours had passed. Now that it is healed it looks amazing, and everyone here says it is one of the best pieces I've ever done. I think it is more about Edward's drawing than it is about me laying the ink, but I do agree it is beautiful.
"Hey, Bella, I have to put in an order earlier than normal for some supplies. What do you think of me adding about a twenty-five percent increase to the normal supply order? We are going through them faster than we anticipated," Alice says.
"Sounds like a good idea, but maybe do a double order for now, to get the stock back up. I'd rather have too much than not enough. Make sure you check with Jasper, Emmett, and Edward to see if they need anything extra too before you place the order."
"Sounds good, I am also ordering some more designer jewelry, we've had a big uptick in body piercings over the last five weeks or so. I have done more than two hundred in the past week alone."
"Are you serious?" I ask. "I mean I knew you had been busy, but wow, that is a lot."
"Yeah, I think the article, updating the website, and the interview caused a stir. I've been asked more than once if any of the guys do piercings here."
"This is why I don't do piercings," I laugh.
"Yeah, I enjoyed telling them that Jasper does piercings, but only on males who want their private parts pierced. I had one girl ask me if Edward would pierce her clit, when I told her he wouldn't, she asked me if I thought he would kiss it to help it heal faster if I did it for her."
"Okay that is gross, and why do people think saying shit like that is okay?" I ask.
"I know, I ended up refusing to pierce her anyhow. She had sparkly stuff all over her body, and I was concerned about infections."
"What do you mean, sparkly stuff?"
"It was like she used a sparkly bath bomb or something, either way, it was unsanitary and I will not have her get an infection and blame it on me."
"Good choice," I say as Edward walks into the room.
"Alice, I was going to ask for your help, but your girl for her tongue piercing just came in. Hey, Bella, are you free for about thirty minutes?"
"Yeah, my client is not due to come in for about an hour, what's up?"
"I would like it if you could come in my room for a bit, I'm having issues with this client, and I would rather have a female in with us for the additional part she wants for this tattoo."
"What happened?" I ask.
"I just got done doing the rose she decided on. After I wiped it down, she wanted to add a yellow ribbon to it. The requested placement of the ribbon is strange, but then she says she thinks it is hot in my room, and she removes her shirt … she is not wearing a bra. I was working on a piece on top of her thigh and she kept putting her clothed breasts in my face. If I do this ribbon, she insists she has to have … I'm just not comfortable with her having her shirt off, and the possible implications it could cause."
"Yeah, I will come in with you," I tell him and follow him to his room.
As we get close to the door of his room, I act like I need him for something. "Hey, Edward," I say as I follow him into the room.
We both stop dead in our tracks when we see that the client has removed all her clothing and is proudly showing off her private parts with her legs spread and hands indulging in some self-satisfaction.
"What … where are your clothes?" Edward asks as he turns his back to her.
"It's so hot in here," the woman says, in a tone I assume she thinks makes her sound sexy.
"Please, stop and put on your clothing," Edward says.
"Can't you see how hot I am?" she purrs.
"If you are that hot, as owner of this establishment, I need to call an ambulance, you could have a serious infection," I say, grabbing my cell from my pocket.
"No … no, I'm okay. I am okay, really. I … ah, I … I wanted to show Edward what I could offer," she stutters.
"Please put your clothes on and I am not interested," Edward says, while facing the wall, still not looking at her.
"But, I really like you," she almost whines.
"Edward, go out and take a break while your client gathers herself," I say before turning back to the client.
Edward leaves the room, and I purposefully leave the door open.
"You have to put your clothes back on immediately. Just so you are aware, these rooms are fully covered by the security system we have in place. So work and conversations are recorded live on video and audio, as the signs say. Not to mention the contract for tattooing states that information as well and I know you signed one because all clients must sign it before any work is done. You will be paying for the tattoo you received, and Edward will also be charging you an extra fifty dollars for the cleaning and sanitizing that will need to be done, due to your potential bodily fluids getting on the equipment. You will also be referred to another establishment, for any touch-up or additional work you want completed. Should you ever desire to have anything else inked or pierced on your person, you are to not come here. Am I clear?"
"So Edward isn't going to finish my tattoo?"
I look at her thigh and see that it is a simple rose, and it appears to be finished. "What else did you ask for besides the rose, which looks to be completed?"
"I asked him to add a ribbon, a yellow ribbon in remembrance of my grandparents," she says, indicating the ribbon would trail to her inner thigh.
"So when you hired Edward, you mentioned the rose and a yellow ribbon in remembrance of your grandparents that you wanted to trail to the inside of your thigh?" I ask, feeling as if this woman is off her rocker.
"Yeah, it is very important to me," she says in an authoritative voice.
"Bella, Edward is dealing with my client, he asked that I bring this to you. It is a copy of the original drawing, and this client signed the agreement of placement and all colors to be used," Alice says walking in the door.
I look at the drawing and notice that Edward had the customer, Tia Kebi sign. "Well, Tia, this indicates only the rose, and that Edward was to place it in the location, exactly where it is. This mentions nothing about a ribbon or the color yellow at all. The price for the rose was agreed upon at one-hundred and seventy-five dollars, adding the additional fifty for cleaning, and you owe Etched Swan Two-hundred and twenty-five dollars. Will that be cash or debit?" I ask.
"Debit," she snottily replies.
"Great, and just so you know the card processor charges a five percent charge for debit card purchases, so the total will be two-hundred-thirty-six dollars and twenty-five cents unless you are adding a tip," I say with a snark to my tone.
"No, that is not necessary," she mutters as she starts putting her clothing back on.
"Let me wrap that so that it does not become infected. I will also need your signature on the care instructions, and I will have Alice make you a follow-up appointment with another shop here in town if you would like?"
"No, just charge my card and wrap this up."
"Okay," I say and get to work cleaning the tattoo and wrapping it. I bandage it and give her a copy of the care instructions, as well as, make her sign a copy saying she received them. I even took a photo of her holding the care instructions, just like I did of the tattoo before bandaging it. I hand her back her card and receipt after she signs for the charge, and escort her out of the building. "Have a great day, Tia," I say before closing the door and burst out laughing because she flips me off.
"Well damn, I am guessing you won't be on her Christmas card list," Emmett laughs.
"Emmett, I don't think she likes Bella much at all," Jasper adds.
"Well, I don't particularly like her much either. She was finger-banging herself in Edward's chair when we walked in there. What a disgusting creature!"
"No way," Emmett says.
"Yes, she was. It was nasty," Edward states walking toward his room wearing a face mask and long-sleeved yellow cleaning gloves.
"Throw the gloves away when you are done. I'll be in to help you clean the chair in a minute," Alice says as she walks into the room with a huge tub of Clorox wipes.
"Don't forget your gloves," Emmett laughs, and Alice flips him off.
I wrap up my part of the paperwork for the incident and my client comes in and I get to work. After I finish the tattoo and wrap up things with my customer, I am done for the day. I clean my room, and things around the shop are calm. I walk over to where Rose is sitting and plop down beside her.
"I really don't understand people," I say.
"Yeah, Emmett told me what happened before he went in to finish with his last customer. So that chick was really double-clicking her own mouse when you guys walked in the room?"
"Yes, naked as the day she was born, and she was masturbating."
"That is got to be one of the strangest things we've had happen thus far, but there has been an increase lately of new clients. Seems that everyone loved the photos of the new artist," Rose says.
"Yeah, I'm sure that the picture of me and him, showing off his ink I did, had nothing to do with all the extra attention he or I have gotten," I say.
"The piece is amazing, and Edward did give us permission to put it on the shop website. The fact that Alice got such a great picture of you and him standing by the mirror, looking at it together was perfection. You don't have to like it, but it is amazing, and you both have a chemistry the camera picks up on. I'm sure the television ads have helped bring in business too."
"Yeah, whatever," I say, as I go to get up.
"Hey, Bella, I just got off the phone with my friend from Chicago. I hate to ask, but he was thinking of taking a week off and wanted to come check out where I'm at now. Would it be okay if he came and hung out with us?" Edward asks.
"Yeah that would be fine," I say.
"Awesome, he said if it was cool he was going to come up this weekend. I'll go book him a room, and be ready to go eat dinner in about twenty," he says looking at his wristwatch.
"Don't bother booking a room, he can crash at our place. There are four bedrooms in the house, not including the basement. He can sleep in the basement or in one of the extra rooms upstairs," I tell him.
"Are you sure? I don't want to invade your area with a complete stranger."
"If you are worried about it, you stay upstairs too, or whatever. It's all good as much as you talk about him, I feel like I sort of know Diego already. Plus we have talked on the phone more than once," I laugh.
"Yeah, I think he enjoys making you laugh telling you about the stupid shit we did as kids."
"I don't know many kids that didn't do some kind of stupid shit once in a while," I smile.
~E.S.~
As usual, I am sitting in my chair on the balcony sketching, where I've been since the break of dawn. I hear an odd sound and look up to see Edward walking toward me with crutches.
"Are you ready to go to your appointment?" I ask.
"Yeah, I forgot how much I hate using these damn things," he says, tapping them together.
"Okay, let me put this away, and I will be ready to go," I tell him.
"You should take it with you, the appointment will take an average of an hour. I don't want you to be bored."
"Edward, we talked about this, and I told you I would go back with you unless you've changed your mind?"
"No, I would prefer that you went back with me, but that makes me sound a bit like a big-ass baby."
"Well, you can be my big-ass baby," I say, and then feel myself warm and know instantly that I am blushing.
The appointment goes well, and the dermatologist takes the time to speak with us after he has completed the first treatment.
"So, Mr. Cullen, as I said before this will take several appointments to remove. I am apprehensive to say that we will be able to complete the next treatment as we scheduled. Most times if things go well it is easy to say that the trauma will be healed enough, but after the treatment today I am not so sure it will go well. Keep in touch with the office if you have any massive swelling or irritation. I am worried that you may not be able to wear your prosthetic. The nurse will call you on Thursday, and we will see how things are going. I want you to come in on Friday morning at eight, so I can see the area before you attempt to wear your prosthetic on Saturday."
"Okay," Edward says, sounding dejected.
"Are the care instructions you gave us before the procedure the same?" I ask.
"Yes, for the next three days clean and layer with the script antibiotic cream I gave him. After it is cleaned twice a day, and layered with the medicated ointment, wrap with clean fresh gauze. Keep the area out of the sun, and do not pick or itch the area. If Edward starts running a temp or you feel there is something wrong, call the office any time of the day or night. Someone will call me and I will call you back," the doctor says.
"Thank you, doctor," I say before putting the paperwork in my backpack.
We go home we relax around the house. For two hours Edward barely leaves the sofa where he has been sketching. I pretty much wait on him, and it is starting to make him grouchy. I get him a granola bar, because he refuses lunch.
"Why are you mad?" I ask after he again growls to himself.
"I'm not really mad, Bella. I just feel helpless. This hurts way more than I thought it would."
"Are you feeling sick?" I ask, reaching out to feel his forehead again.
"No, and I would appreciate you not acting like I am a baby," he huffs.
"Fine, I will leave you alone."
I walk out of the living room and go to my room. For the first time since Edward moved in I close my door during the day. I'm not really mad, but I know he is annoyed and now I am too. He is annoyed with his after-treatment instructions, and I am annoyed with his bad attitude.
About four hours later, I decided to go cook supper. I go back into the living room to find Edward has laid down on his stomach on the sofa. He has his leg elevated on a cushion with an ice pack on it. I walk over to him and see he looks flushed. I touch his forehead and it's burning up.
"Edward, I am sorry to bother you, but I need to take your temperature, you're burning up," I say, trying to rouse him.
He doesn't respond very well, so I shake him harder. "Edward," I say louder, "you need to wake up."
He still doesn't wake and I am instantly worried even more. I grab the thermometer from the medical supply bag I set by the sofa. I stick the end in his ear until it beeps. Pulling it back, I see it says his temp is one-hundred and two, point seven. I immediately pulled out the paperwork and called the office.
The answering service answers since it is just after five o'clock. "Hi, this is Bella Swan and Edward Cullen had a procedure this morning. He is currently running a fever over One hundred and two, and he will not wake up."
They tell me it is best if I call an ambulance, and have him taken to Harborview. They assured me the doctor would meet us there. I hang up and call nine-one-one. I explain everything to them and call Emmett who comes over right away.
"What do you need me to do, Bellsy?"
"Emmett, cancel all of Edward and my appointments for tomorrow. Make sure Alice knows what the deal is. Watch him so I can go grab a few things because I am pretty sure we will be in the hospital all night at least. The ambulance is about another five minutes out according to the times the dispatcher gave me."
I run back to my room and grab a knapsack. I throw in a change of clothes and my sketch pad and charger cord. I put on my shoes and head back to the living room. I call Edward's father and let him know where we are going. Edward made me his medical proxy in case of an emergency, but I want his dad to know what is going on.
A/N: Please let me know what you think. Thank you for reading and reviewing.