I think pretty much all of you called this one...
banks
8
"You."
"You," Bella volleys back with a grin as she and Archie make it to the bottom of the steps leading onto the deck.
Of all the people…
I don't really do awkward, but there's a pinch of it when I wonder if she's gonna be one of those clingy girls who's upset I bailed the morning after. She doesn't look it right now, but for all I know, that's just 'cause Archie's still hanging onto her hand.
I file that away to think about later, too; Archie is comfy with very few people, but Bella has somehow become one of them.
"What are you doing here?"
Henry's little brother—Dale, I think—crashes into Bella's legs just as she says, "I couldn't miss my godson's birthday."
"And me! You wanna see me tooooo!" Dale chimes, scaling her like a tree until they're nose-to-nose.
"Of course I want to see you, too." Bella laughs, shifting him around to her hip but keeping a hand on Archie's hair as his eyes bounce between her and Dale. To me, she explains, "Rose and I grew up together. This little yahoo and his brother and sister are my honorary niece and nephews. Isn't that right, Dale?"
Already bored, Dale nods distractedly and wriggles to get down, tearing off toward the clown making balloon animals on the grass. I stifle a shudder.
Okay clowns are freaky, didn't know I had that ick. Noted.
When Henry hollers for Archie, he takes off too, launching himself on the bounce house and joining in their game of trying to see who can jump the highest.
That leaves me alone with Bella.
I flash her the lopsided smirk Es says is my key to having women fall at my feet. "Small world, huh?"
Raising a brow, she slips her thumbs through the belt loops of her torn-hem shorts, hip cocked. "You've got a lot of balls tryin' to lay on the charm after you ditched the other day."
Well, shit. "Hey, I'm so—"
She snorts before I can get my apology out, half-assed as it would've been. Probably for the best she cuts me off. "I'm messin'. Chill. We both got what we wanted. I'm just surprised you made it past Satch." The dog? "He's not usually very tolerant of people if I'm not in the room."
Leaning against the railing, I admit, "He looked like he wanted to kill me."
Her laughter turns my smile genuine, my eyes dipping to her tits as she moves a braid over her shoulder. When she speaks I look back up, amused by her satisfied smirk; she knew exactly what she was doing with that little move. "Then you're lucky. He usually just does whatever he wants."
Looking around, she sighs and joins me leaning against the railing, only facing out toward the party, elbows on the wood, tits very distractingly pushed together. "So I'm guessin' your boy goes to school with Henry?"
"Uh huh, they're in the same class." I spin around to face the same direction, adjusting Charlotte a little as she starts to wake up, rubbing her eyes with balled fists. She's kind of giving me a dead arm from holding her up in one spot, so I move her down to the crook of my other arm and catch Bella watching with a soft, unreadable expression.
"That's nice," she finally says, mismatched eyes finding mine. "He's a good kid. He'll watch out for him."
As if they know we're talking about 'em, the boys run over to show off their balloon animals and ice cream cones I saw Rosalie handing out a few minutes ago. Henry with a bee and chocolate, and Archie clutching a balloon dog like it's the best thing he's ever seen in one hand, a strawberry ice cream in the other.
"Hey, you wanna see somethin' funny?"
Henry and Archie watch me with open curiosity as I take the balloon dog and gently rub it over Charlotte's head. Slowly lifting it away, I grin when her hair follows in pin-straight bronze spikes, the static standing it on end.
Just like I expected, the boys find it hilarious and demand I get them, too, and then Bella's pulling out her cell to snap a picture of them with their crazy hair. "Is this okay?" She checks first, and I nod, warmed by her thought, then she smirks and grabs the balloon to attack my hair with it before snapping a picture of me, too. Slack-jawed and handicapped by the baby giggling in my arms, I settle for swiping a finger through Archie's ice cream and smearing it over her cheek.
"Oh my god, you…no fair!" She splutters through a laugh, touching the cold on her cheek with an incredulous smile.
"Here, Aunt B, get him back!" Henry holds out his cone and Bella wastes no time hitting me directly in the face with it, ice cream and wafer going all over me, the kids cackling.
Pursing my lips at her, I stick my tongue out to get some of the ice cream in the corner of my mouth, humming. It's fucking good stuff, not the cheap shit I get from Jed's.
I watch her amusement turn to something else, heat turning her cheeks pink.
Now that I remember.
"Fuck, Edward…" Her moans ricochet off the trailer walls, back arching, her fingers in my hair and my dick trying to drill a hole through the mattress as I lick and kiss my way over her flushed chest.
I know she remembers it too. All of the teasing is gone from her expression, and it's her turn to lick her lips as she stares at mine.
Oh, yeah, I think with a satisfied grin, how the tables can turn.
- banks -
By the time Henry's blown his candles out on a cake almost as big as him, Bella and I have spent almost two hours shooting the shit.
She's funny and not afraid to call me on my bullshit, something I both admire and hate.
Charlotte likes her too, pressing herself against Bella's chest when I return from the bathroom and try to take her back.
"Nu uh, we're having girl time, right baby girl?" Bella coos, fingers tickling Charlotte's chubby baby belly, the smile big on Bella's face as Charlotte flails and giggles, toothless grin wide as I've ever seen it.
Emmett swings by with two rainbow paper plates each holding a slab of the gooeyest, fudgiest chocolate cake I've ever eaten, and I have to stop myself from reaching over to get the chocolate sauce on Bella's lip with my tongue.
Cool it, man. Not a good idea. This one's dangerous.
"You, uh, you've got some chocolate…" I mumble, touching the same spot on my own mouth, and shake my head when she flashes a mischievous grin like she knows exactly what's on my mind.
"Ed-Edwaaaaard!" I have just enough time to move the plate from my lap before Archie is leaping into it, the crippling agony shooting through my entire body when his knee crushes my balls pulling a pathetic whimper from deep within. I growl a curse without thinking and regret it immediately.
"I'm sorry! Sorry, s-sorry, s-s-sorry, Edward!" Off my lap and plastered to the fence behind Bella, Archie peeks at me through his fingers. Even from here I can see him trembling. Fuck.
"Hey," I wheeze, trying like hell not to curse up a storm. "It's okay, man. Don't…don't sweat it."
For a split second he looked so fucking happy. He's never done that, either. Never jumped into my lap or asked for a hug. Of course the first time he did, he'd manage to crush my nuts.
"I-I h-h-hurt you," he whines shakily.
I can see Bella's eyes bouncing between us, but I can't focus on her right now. It takes every bit of me to force a smile onto my face as I shift to the edge of the seat and reach out a hand to tug him toward me by his tee. He's frozen in place, feet in the middle of a flower bed I hope Rosalie and Emmett aren't too attached to.
"C'mere, Ace. I'm not mad, I swear. It was an accident."
He doesn't budge until Bella leans in closer to him and loudly whispers, "Your daddy's not mad, but maybe a hug would be cool anyway."
Blowing out a shaky breath, he lowers his hands and gets onto my knee like he wants to be anywhere else. Stiff as a board, he blinks away tears and tugs on his hair with both hands. "I'm s-sorry. I d-didn't mean to h-hurt you." He's shaking like a little leaf. I can see his chest rising and falling in quick breaths, each one cutting me to my core.
Swallowing hard, I breathe out slowly as the pain starts to become less intense. "I know, buddy, I know you didn't."
Fuck me, I've never wanted to hurt someone more—whoever made this kid so scared…they'll die if I ever get my hands on them.
It feels weirdly normal to wrap my arms around Archie and give him a hug. The temptation to crush him against my chest to knit him back together is immense, but I let him lead, holding him until he relaxes and then releasing him when he starts to sit back up.
Catching Bella's eyes over Archie's head, I wonder what she's thinking. Try to guess what's making her brows furrow and what theories she has about us.
The warm buzz I was feeling minutes ago is long-gone, the itch under my skin back again.
Time to go.
"You wanna head back to the trailer, Ace?"
Archie rubs his cheek, smearing his face paint a li'l, and nods. He looks as drained as I suddenly feel. "I wan' Aunt Essie."
Me too, pal, me too. She always knows what to say.
"I'll call her on the way." I hesitate before scooping him up with me when I stand, sitting him on one hip as Bella stands and I reach for Charlotte.
"I can carry her out to the car for you," she offers quietly, and actually that'd be helpful since Archie's taking the opportunity to wrap himself around me like a monkey.
"Thanks. I just gotta say bye to Emmett and Rosalie." I spot Emmett right away, still by the grill with the guys, but Bella smiles and sways with Charlotte.
"We'll be right here."
Okey dokey.
Saying 'bye' to Emmett is quick and painless until he invites me to a 'Dads' poker night.' He and a few of the guys here today apparently get together once a month, have some beers, and play some cards. I can't help but compare him and his polo-shirt-wearing, golf-on-the-weekends buddies to my usual friends.
Then my sister pops into my head with the little pep-talk she gave me when I tried to talk her into coming today instead of me.
"This'll be so good for you, brother! Archie's making friends, and you can, too—friends who are at the same stage of life as you. Dad friends who can relate and talk to you about parenting stuff."
"Yeah, man, sounds good," I finally say against my better judgment, quickly adding his number to my phone and texting him a smiley face so he has mine, too. "Thanks again for having us. It's been great." Mostly.
He slaps me on the back and I'm treated to a few more from some of the other guys, then I manage to escape. Rosalie is with Bella when I get back over there so that's easy, and she's super nice about us bailing early.
"Come with me. I'll get you some goodies to take home. We've got way more food than I know what to do with. Y'all might as well make use of some."
"Oh, no, you don't need—"
"I'd just roll with it, if I were you," Bella interjects smoothly with a small smile, and okay, I guess I'm not really in a position to argue.
Rosalie loads us up with a whole ass dish of stuff: potato salad, burgers, chicken kebabs that were elite, and some salad. Before I can tell her she's being way too generous, she presses the dish into my free hand and then hands Archie a tupperware box. With a twinkly-eyed smile, she tells him it's dessert. "You don't have to share with Daddy if you don't want to," she teases, earning a bashful, tired smile from my boy.
My boy.
I hold him a little tighter, throat thick. "Thank you, Rosalie. Really."
She squeezes my arm and the knowing look in her eyes makes me antsy to get outta here. I flick a glance at Bella, wondering what—if anything—she told her while I was talking to Emmett, and decide I don't care.
I'm tired and just done with today.
It's awkward once I've put Archie in the truck and Bella's buckled Charlotte in for me. Baby girl is more than happy to chew on her fists and drool everywhere, but I don't know what to do with my hands. One ends up in my hair, the other in my pocket.
"So, uh, thanks for the assist."
I think we both know I don't mean her carrying Charlotte to the truck for me.
She smiles, and if at that exact moment she didn't reach up to tuck a random piece of hair behind her ear, I might have been tempted to do it for her.
Time to get outta dodge.
"Aight, I'm gonna…get outta here. See you around?"
I don't know why it comes out like a question, but I find myself feeling less ambivalent than I should when she nods and sticks her hands in her back pockets. "You sure will."
- banks -
Esme is working late but she comes over in time to give Archie his bath and read him a story before bed.
I take the opportunity to chain smoke on the steps, bare feet on metal, eyes following the smoke up to the stars. I'm fighting a losing battle. I'm completely unprepared for this, for raising a kid who's clearly traumatized.
My stomach rolls, Archie's fear earlier replaying on a loop in my brain.
I want to ask him what he's so afraid of. I want to know why every noise makes him jump. Who turned him into a frightened little puppy.
But I'm scared.
I'm scared I know the answer already.
And I'm fucking furious that the person who could have, should have, protected him got herself wrapped up in something I warned her away from and left Archie and Charlotte with me.
They deserve better.
I believe that with every fiber of my being.
The only person who doesn't think that comes out to join me, fitting herself between my legs with her head leaning back on my chest.
"He's not asleep. He wants to talk to you," she whispers after a moment.
Sighing, I stub my cigarette out and toss it into the little can I keep out here. "How is he?"
"He's…okay." Turning in my arms, Es hugs herself and bites her lip. "Have you thought any more about the school counselor? I think it might really help, Ed."
My knee-jerk reaction is to say "fuck no." The last thing we need is the counselor telling the social workers how badly I'm fucking this up. But I swallow it down and nod, just a reluctant dip of my chin. "I'll give that therapist a call and speak to Miss Lauren on Monday."
Es smiles, reaching up to smooth the furrow of my brows. "Good. I'm gonna head home, but call me if you need me, okay? I'll come right back."
I can't hug her tightly enough. I try, but I can't convey how grateful I am, how much I need her and rely on her support. It should be the other way around, but I honestly don't know what I'd do without my baby sister.
"I love you, Essie," I croak against her hair, hoping she knows. Knowing my words will never be enough.
Against my chest, she says, "I love you more," squeezing me tight before climbing in her car and reiterating her promise to come straight back if I need her. I wait until her taillights are specks in the distance then go inside. Charlotte's sound asleep in her crib when I make it to the bedroom, hands above her head.
Archie looks tiny sitting in the middle of the bed. My chest aches, and I kick myself for forgetting to pick up more antacids. This heartburn is doing me in.
"You okay, Ace?"
He nods slowly, barely meeting my eyes. "Will you…um, w-will you sit with me? Just til I-I fall a-a-sleep."
"Sure."
He scoots over just enough for me to come join him by the headboard. I get comfy on top of the covers while he slides under, a couple of his favorite toys with him. Captain America is a firm fave, as well as a stuffed tiger we got on clearance the other day. I smile when he reaches over the side of the bed and pulls the balloon dog into the huddle, too.
"Careful, if you pop that, it's gonna be loud," I warn him, chuckling when he thinks about it for a second before setting it on the nightstand instead.
My smile slips when I realize it'd probably sound like a gunshot to him if it woke him up in the middle of the night.
He wasn't there when Bree was shot, I know that much, but I don't know where he was. It didn't seem like an important question to ask in the grand scheme of things. But now, I suddenly want to know.
Doesn't seem right to ask Archie, though.
"You comfy?" I ask instead, making a mental note to call the police station tomorrow. Maybe it's time I talked to Taylor and Hodges properly.
"Uh huh," he mumbles, hugging the tiger and his Captain America doll, big, sleepy eyes watching me. "I had fun today."
Smiling, I rub a hand over my jaw to stifle a yawn, sliding down a little bit to be more comfortable. Man, this bed is better than the shitty couch. "Yeah? That's good."
"Henry's nice. B-Bella, also."
Hell yeah, she is.
"She's great, huh."
Archie nods real slow, dozing off. Then he smiles sleepily. "She got you with ice cream. That was so funny."
"You liked that, hey?" I snort, reaching out to ruffle his hair, my hand staying there when I look over again and see his eyes are shut.
Sleep is getting closer for me, too, I can feel it. I'll just lie here until he's fully out, I tell myself. Then I'll head back to the couch.
Just five more minutes…
Except five minutes turns into the whole night, and I wake up with his head on my chest and his arms wrapped right around my bicep. I realize three things right away.
Charlotte slept through the night for the first time, Archie moved around in his sleep like a heathen, and for the first time in weeks, I didn't dream of Bree.
I dreamt of Bella.
I'm sorry this update is a day late! Totally lost track of my days this week, but better late than never I hope!
I think there's some sort of issue ongoing with reviews atm, apparently the way to get around it is to log out and leave a guest review with your username in it. I know that sounds like a lot of faff but you have no idea how much of a boost they can be sometimes, so I'll appreciate every single one even more this week than ever lol. Thank you all for your continuing love and support with this one!
Also, if you run on over to my reader group on FB, I teased a lil somethin' somethin' inspired by a certain whirlwind romance unfolding across the pond...might share the banner today, idk ;)