SUPRISE! I bet you didn't think you'd be getting another chapter so soon. To be fair, neither did I!
I'm currently in school holidays, so I had plenty of time to write, and this chapter came really easily.
I also just want to dress something I noticed a few people commenting. When Edward was texting Bella in the last chapter, he said that he though Bella was Maria's soulmate, not his.
Now be prepared, because this chapter is also LONG! I just couldn't stop. Each time I thought I should wrap it up, it didn't feel right. So I kept on going and ended up with something I'm really happy with. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
BPOV
The fog was so thick in the morning, that I could barely see the entrance to the car park as I waited outside my apartment building. I bounced on the spot, trying to keep my body active and warm, but even wrapped in my thick coat I still felt the intense chill as it permeated through the layers of my clothes. Luckily it wasn't raining yet, so at least I was dry.
Lights cut through the haze, turning into the car park. A silver hatchback, which looked vaguely familiar, made its way slowly towards me. But then I remembered it as the car Edward had been standing next to outside the library the night he told me about Maria. The shiny car slowed and came to a stop in front of me, the passenger side window rolling down.
"Good morning," Edward said as he leaned across the seat to see me. "Hop in."
I quickly opened the back doors and set my bag in the backseat, before sliding into the warm passenger seat beside Edward. His car must have seat warmers because I was suddenly engulfed in delightful heat. It smelt strongly of coffee, and without even meaning to, I groaned after inhaling the delicious smell that hung in the air.
"Oh, geez," I groaned at Edward's chuckle, blushing furiously. "Sorry. I'm a coffee person, and I can never resist that smell."
"Well, it's a good thing I got one for you when I went through the Starbucks, then," he said, pointing to the large cup in the rest between the seats. "I didn't know what you might like but thought you can't really go wrong with a caramel macchiato."
I couldn't help but gasp as I picked up the warm cup, bringing it to my nose and inhaling the intoxicating aroma. "Oh my God, you are a life saver! Thank you so much," I said, before I took a sip, being mindful of the high temperature.
"You're welcome," said Edward, a lopsided smile spreading across his face and making my heart skip a beat. I suddenly needed to concentrate very hard on making sure the lid of my cup was on properly. "Now, where we're going?" he asked.
I gave him my dad's address, which Edward typed into the touchscreen on his dashboard. His car was very quiet, and he drove smoothly as he wound through the early Saturday morning traffic on our way out of the city. I avoided staring at his face by studying his hands. He gripped the steering wheel in a firm, yet elegant hold that showed confidence. I also couldn't stop looking at how long and graceful his hands and fingers were. They weren't feminine but masculinely beautiful.
Needing to find something other than Edward's long fingers to think about, I said, "Thank you for doing this, by the way. I know I said it last night, but I really mean it."
When I sent him the text last night, asking him if he would be willing to come to Forks with me so I could speak to my dad, he immediately agreed. Without me having to make any creative arguments or do any begging. He wasn't even deterred when I told him it would be a nearly four-hour drive, just asking if that meant he should pick me up early.
"I really don't mind, Bella," Edward said, shooting me a smile. "Like I told you, I want to find out the truth for Maria's sake and I'll be here as much as you need."
"Still, I really appreciate it. I just hope I'm not being too much of an inconvenience. You didn't have work, or plans, did you? I really should have asked that first, shouldn't I?"
He shook his head and waved one of his hands. "Don't worry about it. One of the perks of working for yourself is that you get to make your own schedule. I dictate my hours as long as I get everything done before my deadline."
"Oh," was all I could think to say. I had assumed that he was a doctor because I'd first seen him at the hospital. But in actual fact, I had no idea what Edward did for a living. "What is it you do?" I asked.
"I'm a composer," he answered, surprising me. "I write music for clients in a whole lot of different industries."
"Wow! That's so cool." I couldn't help the amazement in my voice. "Would I have heard any of your stuff before?"
He shrugged. "Maybe. The biggest thing I've done is probably a video game series called Bloods Curse. The last one was called Bathory's Castle, and we're working on the latest instalment now."
"I'm sure that's something my brother would understand more than me," I laughed lightly. "But that sounds like an interesting career."
"It really is," Edward said with his lopsided smile. "I've always loved music, and my career has allowed me to translate that passion."
I couldn't help a small snort escaping "So, that's what you meant what you meant when you said you were a music nerd?"
He laughed along with me. "Amongst other things. I also have a massive song library on my phone. No matter what's happening, there's a song in there to go along with it."
"Like a soundtrack for your life?" I teased, raising an eyebrow as I smiled at him.
"Exactly," he grinned broadly.
Smiling back at him as he concentrated on the wet road, I felt more comfortable with Edward than I probably should be around someone I barely knew. But I couldn't help but bask in the warmth that talking to him brought up in me.
"What song would you play for right now?" I asked, wanting to keep our light conversation going.
"Hmmm," his face looked instantly contemplative. Even though he was looking ahead, I could see the furrow between his brow as he thought. "Well, the misty road and the long drive make me think of The Long and Winding Road by The Beatles." With practised skill, he reached out to the touch screen and pressed a few icons. Moments later the tuneful voice of Paul McCartney and the light strains of a piano was playing clearly over the speakers. The song was a little haunting, and it made left a pang in my heart.
"It's quite sad," I said quietly.
Edward shrugged. "It doesn't entirely fit, but the song definitely has an atmosphere that matches this weather." He laughed lightly. "It's not an exact science, but every now and then a moment and a song align and it's pure magic. Or you have those good, old stand-bys you play in specific situations."
I was equal parts amused and intrigued. I took the last sip of my coffee to hide my grin. "What sort of specific situations?" I asked.
"Like when you're driving at night and there's no one on the road and the world feels empty. Or when you're really hungry. Or when you're driving and you really need to go to the bathroom, and you need a distraction, so you don't shit yourself," he finished with a goofy grin.
The snort that made its way out of me this time was anything but small, before I dissolved into giggles, which were in complete contrast the melancholic song that was still playing. "What kind of song do you play to stop you from shitting yourself?" I wheezed out around my laughter.
With a broad grin, Edward reached back out to the screen and began flicking through a list. "Something fast," he said, as a frenetic disco song came on. He bopped his head to the fast beat, winking at me when I couldn't help but laugh at him. "It keeps you moving, and the energy keeps your mind occupied. Extra points for any classics you know the lyrics to."
"I could see how this would distract you," I laughed. I tried not to worry about how natural it felt to talk and joke with Edward. I reminded myself that it was perfectly okay for us to become friends. "What would you play if you're driving alone at night on an empty road?" I asked, as if trying to prove to myself that I was fine and could have a perfectly normal conversation with him.
Edward ruminated for a second, then reached out to change the song. "This is what first comes to mind."
The screen on the dash said the song was Hannah Hunt by Vampire Weekend. What sounded like static was soon joined by a rhythmic electronic beat and a soft piano. A soft male voice began to sing a dreamy story, before the piano took back over in a joyful key change. The song was both upbeat and moody, and we both sat quietly as we listened to it play out with smiles on our faces.
When it came to an end, Edward turned to me. "What would be your empty road song?" he asked.
"Ah… I have no idea." I could feel my face heating as my mind went blank. The look Edward gave me was encouraging and I relaxed enough to think of something. "I've always like Ophelia by The Lumineers."
"Oh, that's a good one," he praised as he put the new song on.
We spent the better part of the next hour taking turns play songs for a range of different hypothetical situations. The song you play when you're annoyed at someone you work with, for example, caused quite the debate. We agreed that what you play when you're making food depends on what you're cooking, and we were both more likely to play music while cooking Mexican food than anything else.
By that point I was leaning forward, scrolling through the extensive list of songs he had downloaded. There were more names that I didn't recognise than ones I did. Edward had music from all around the world, and from a huge variety of genres. Seeing Soundtracks, I clicked on it, thinking that I might have a better chance at finding a song I knew that way. I scrolled until I found one that jogged a particularly strong adolescent memory.
"Songs that instantly remind you of a movie you watched repeatedly as a teenager," I said, as the dreamy synth of the Fools Rush In cover from the Marie Antoinette soundtrack began to play. I remember watching this movie with Angela one night when we'd had my house to ourselves. We tried making macaroons, but it was a disaster. So, we ended up devouring a whole box of Oreos while we oohed and ahed at all the beautiful clothes Kirsten Dunst was wearing.
Just as the vocals began, Edward's hand had shot out and switched the music off. "Not that song," he said, abruptly cold. Then after a pause he quietly added, "sorry."
"No, I'm sorry!" I rushed to apologise, unsure of what had happened to make him change so suddenly. "I didn't mean to…"
"No, it's just…" Edward interrupted. "Just, not that song." He stared straight ahead at the road, his jaw clenched and his knuckles almost white as he gripped the steering wheel.
Confused I sat back in my seat and stared at my lap. Obviously the song had triggered a memory for him too, but his wasn't as pleasant. Maybe the film had been a favourite of my twins, as well? Another one for the tally.
The quiet hung heavily in the air after the jovial mood we'd been in moments ago. I could hear Edwards deep breaths, even over the rain that had begun to pelt the car and whirring, whoosh of the tires as we drove through the water. Needing to find anything to focus on, I turned to the window and watched the trees fly by.
I don't know how long we sat in that silent tension, possibly ten minutes, when the clear and beautiful strains of Clair de Lune began to play. I turned from the window to look at Edward, who was looking between me and the road with a cautious look.
"Music you play when you're overwhelmed and need to think straight again," he said with an apologetic smile.
I didn't want to push to find out what had happened, so I just returned his smile and relaxed back in my seat. "Debussy is a good choice."
"You know classical music?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"It's the best music to read by," I said with a shrug.
Edward didn't say anything in response, and not really know what else to say, I stayed quiet too.
~oOo~
I don't know how much time had passed like that, but I must have fallen asleep. The next thing I know Edward was shaking my arm lightly to try and rouse me.
"Hey, Bella," he said quietly. "We're almost here. Is this right?"
Blearily I looked around. The sun had fully risen, though it was behind thick grey clouds, like it always was in Forks. It wasn't currently raining though, so there were a few intrepid people out meowing their lawns on a Saturday morning. We were a few streets away from my dad's house, so I nodded and pointed put the corner he should turn down.
When we pulled up outside of the house I had grown up in, it was obvious no one was home right now. Not only was neither Dad or Sue's cars in the driveway, but I could see all the lights were off inside. Edward parked on the curb, even though I'd told him it would find if he pulled into the driveway, and we grabbed out stuff before making our way up to the porch and to the front door.
Finding my spare key on my keychain, I let us in and turned on the hallway lights. I immediately made my way down the hall, to the kitchen, where I opened the cupboard to see if my dad had any coffee I could put on to ward off the chill in the air. With the coffee brewing, I turned to see Edward leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest.
"So, what do we do now?" he questioned.
"I don't know," I replied, biting my lip. "My dad must be back out with the search for the hiker's that went missing, and Sue's most likely at work. I guess they won't be home till later."
"Your dad does know we're coming, right?" Edward asked, his eyebrow raised this time.
"Yes. I called him this morning. At least… I left him a message when he didn't pick up this morning. Which means he will know as soon as he comes down from the mountain base and checks his messages," I added with a wince, which I turned around to try and hide. I knew how bad Dad was at checking his phone.
Out of habit, I walked to the refrigerator and looked to see what was inside. There was a few vegetables as well as a whole frozen fish that was defrosting on a tray, covered with a towel. But no cheese, or cold cuts that would make a quick meal. I knew Sue was making sure my father was eating healthier since they had been seeing each other. Her first husband, Harry, died quite young from a heart attack, so it was understandable she'd be weary. Dad had probably been going down that route since I'd moved away for college, and he'd had to fend for himself. I'd done the majority of the cooking growing up, which meant that as soon as I moved away my father's dietary habits deteriorated. He'd relied heavily of frozen meals, or eating at the local diner, which was one of the few places to eat in Forks.
It's sad to say, but getting shot in the leg had probably saved Dad's life from some sort of coronary embolism later. It had brought me back home to care for him, and Sue's offer to help me when she could, as her job was as an at home carer for disabled and elderly people, had changed his life for the better. Not only was he healthier than ever, but he'd also finally found someone to share his life with.
Unfortunately, this health kick meant there really wasn't anything I could throw together quickly, and it was coming up to midday. I highly doubted Sue had left anything like the boxed Mac Cheese, or the frozen foods we'd had as staples growing up.
"I can make us some lunch, but we might have to go to the store to get a few things." I turned to look at him. "We could also get some things to make dinner, because we might be here longer than I'd anticipated. I'm really sorry, Edward."
"Hey," he said in a soft tone, taking a step towards me but stopping suddenly in the middle of the kitchen. "It's seriously okay. It's a kind of a long drive, so I figured this could happen. I did actually bring a change of clothes and a toothbrush," he added with a charming smile.
"Alright," I said, feeling myself begin to blush. "What do you feel like for dinner?"
~oOo~
We drove to the Thriftway, Edward following my directions. It was raining by the time we were leaving the house, and all the people who'd been out trying to do some gardening in the rare break were back inside. Every now and then I saw Edward look at something for a little longer as we passed by. It weirdly felt like I was showing him my hometown, sharing a part of myself with him. I tried to shake off the feeling, to squash it back down deep, but it was getting harder and harder.
We'd decided to make a healthy baked ziti, which Edward had said was one of his favourite dishes. The feeling I got in the pit of my stomach when he said that made my fingers tingle as I wrote out the ingredients we'd need to buy. I was going to make it vegetarian if there wasn't any turkey meat, and I knew my dad was going to grumble about it. But it would keep me in Sue's good books, which was always a helpful card to have in your back pocket.
As we walked into the supermarket I groaned, seeing Lauren Mallory on the till. She was one of the few people from high school that I genuinely didn't like. It didn't help that she remained one of the biggest gossips, and a world class heinous bitch, even as an adult. I quickly grabbed a basket and steered Edward towards the deli section and away from the registers, where I'd knew she'd see us sooner.
"What's that look for?" he asked with a chuckle. One of his eyebrows was raised again, and his lopsided grin was back. He looked playful, and devilish, and I quickly looked back down at the list I'd written to hide my blush.
"There is someone working today that I really don't like," I answered quietly, making sure no one could possibly overhear us. "She's been a pain and a gossip since high school, and as soon as she sees you she's going to start fishing for information. I'm just buying us some time."
Edward smirked and subtly tried to look back over his shoulder to the front of the store, but I pulled him away towards the meats. "What?" he laughed. "I just want to see who I should avoid. I'll be sneaky."
"Oh hush, and grab some ham," I said, swatting him on the arm. "I'm going to get some cheese."
We had walked the back way down the aisle to the pastas when I heard a familiar voice from behind me. "Bella?"
"Shit," I whispered, quickly shooting Edward a warning glance, I turned around. "Hey, Jess. Fancy seeing you here." Smiling, I stepped forward and gave her a hug. I loved Jess - she had been a good friend since childhood and had been there for me when I lost both my son and then Jacob, with all my other friends being so far away in the city - but just like Lauren, she was a major gossip. Jess and Lauren had always been friends as well, and when the two of them got together, nothing stayed secret for long.
"Fancy seeing me here? More like fancy seeing you here!" Jess laughed as she patted me on the back and stepped back towards her cart. "I mean, it's not like I don't live here in Forks, and you live out in Seattle, or anything."
I could see her eyes straying to Edward behind me, fully taking him in. Trying to draw her attention back to me, I quickly explained with as much detail as I wanted to get out to the town. "I'm just down to sort something out with my dad. I'm just grabbing some things to make for dinner tonight."
"Right," she said with a slightly sceptical tone. Her eyes once again drifted to Edward, looking him up and down.
"This is my friend, Edward," I introduced, gesturing to where he was standing behind me. "Edward, this is my friend Jessica."
"Nice to meet you" Edward said in a politely casual voice.
"You, too," Jess replied, her eyes a little boggled.
With a smile, Edward turned to me and plucked the shopping list from my hands. "How about I go get the tomato sauce. Do you want a particular brand?"
"No, just get whichever," I answered with a perfunctory smile. "It's in the next aisle over." I wasn't sure if I was grateful he was leaving so I could try smooth things over as much as possible before a massive rumour started or peeved that he'd left me here by myself. It was more that I was jealous that he got to get away from the conversation so quickly.
When I turned back to Jess, she was smiling, and I could see a fire in her eyes. "So, who was that?" she asked innocently.
"My friend, Edward," I repeated, trying to play it off as if it was no big deal. "He gave me a lift because everyone else was busy this weekend."
Jess looked sceptically at me again. "He drove you three and a half hours and he's just a friend?"
I didn't want to lie to Jess, because that would make me feel like a bad friend, but I also didn't want to talk about it all in the middle of the grocery store. Once Jess started in on a 'juicy story', as she would put it, she could question you for hours. Thinking of a way to explain everything that was both the truth, but also provided no scandal for her to sink her teeth into, I tried to act as normal as possible.
"Yes, we're just friends. We met at the support group Angela running in the city. He lost his wife around the same time I lost Jake, and that's really brought us together. I needed to talk to my dad about something, and I asked Edward if he could drive me when no one else was able to."
It felt weird to say, like it was a lie even though it was all one hundred percent true. It glossed over almost every major detail, but when she eventually finds out, I technically won't be caught in a lie. It still felt like one though. I knew once Jess found out, and she would eventually find out, she would be hurt that I didn't tell her, but that was going have to be something future me dealt with.
"So, you're like grief buddies?"
"Exactly," I nodded enthusiastically. "Like, a grief sponsor." That may have been stretching the truth a little further than it wanted to go.
"Well, you lucked out in the sponsor department, 'cause he is a hottie," Jess giggled. She didn't stop, though. "He may be sad, but I'm sure he looks beautiful while doing it."
"Jess, stop!" I laughed; glad I'd found a way to escape a grilling.
"I'm just saying, if he needs to find comfort in someone's touch, I'd be happy lend him more than just a shoulder."
"Shut up! You're the most married person I know, besides my brother." I swatted her arm. "Anyway, I better get going and find him before Lauren sees him alone."
"Oh, yeah. Be careful," Jess tittered. "She was the one who told me you were here with a man, so she's probably getting ready to give you the third degree."
"Fantastic," I deadpanned, as I gave her another hug and quickly ran off to find Edward.
I found him in the ice cream section, seemingly deep in thought about which flavor to get. Though it was probably more to do with the fact that this section of the store was completely obscured from the registers. It looked like he'd found everything else on our list, including a few other snacks that he must have picked up while trying to occupy himself.
"Ready to go," I said as stepped up to him. He smiled and picked up the full basket, following me out towards the front.
Lauren was indeed ready and waiting for us. I could see her stand straighter when she caught sight of us coming around the end of the end aisle. She was chewing bubble-gum, and as Edward placed our basket on the belt, she blew a massive bubble that made a loud SNAP when it popped.
"Hey, Bella. How's it going?" she asked in her annoying, nasal voice.
"I'm good, Lauren," I answered with a fake smile. The worst part about small towns was the need to be civil to everyone, even the people you didn't like, just to keep the peace and stay off the town gossip radar. "How are you?"
"Oh, you know," she drawled, slowly scanning our items. "Life's been crazy."
I had no idea what could possible constitute being called 'crazy' in a sleepy place like Forks. It took all my strength not to roll my eyes into the back of my head. "Sure," was all I said.
I should have known better than to let the small talk drop though, because her eyes soon wandered to Edward standing beside me. Instantly her mannerisms changed, becoming flirty, as she looked him over.
"Hi, I'm Lauren Mallory," she said, completely stopping what she was doing to stick her hand out for him to shake.
Edward shook her hand awkwardly over the conveyer belt but pulled back quickly. I could tell Lauren tried to keep a hold of his hand though, as he had to tug a little to be released.
"Nice to meet you," he replied cordially. "I'm Edward C…" Sensing he was about to give her his last name, I quickly elbowed him in the side as subtly as I could. Luckily he seemed to understand because he stayed quiet.
"What does it come to?" I ask her in a businesslike manner.
Lauren turned back to the register, smacking her gum obnoxiously. "$18.46," she said in a bored voice.
I quickly handed her a twenty as Edward collected our two bags before we high-tailed it out of there. Once back in the safety of the car, I couldn't help but release a little pent up, breathy laughter.
"You have no idea how lucky we are," I told him as I buckled my seatbelt, and he started the engine. "We just survived a run in with two of the biggest gossips in town and lived to tell the tale."
"They can't really be that bad," he chuckled at me.
"Believe me, they are. I stopped you from giving Lauren your last name because if you had, she'd have found you online within five minutes, and then would have put your photo all over twitter, or something. It wouldn't have mattered that she's not supposed to be on her phone while at work. Nothing is sacred in a small town."
~oOo~
I prepared the sauce for dinner later and made us some grilled ham and cheese sandwiched for lunch after we got back to the house. It was still only just after one, and I doubted either my dad or Sue would be home for a few more hours. While trying to think of how we could fill the time until then, Edward asked if there was anyone I'd like to see, or somewhere I'd like to go while I was here.
That's how we found ourselves parked on the road along the almost deserted First Beach, in La Push. The rain had slowed, but it hadn't completely let up, meaning that only a few people were out on the pebbly waterfront this afternoon.
Getting out of the car, Edward paused to retrieve an umbrella from the back seat. We huddled underneath it was we strolled down to the water's edge.
"This is one of my favorite places," I explained to him, kicking a large rock into a wave, and staring out across the water. "My dad used to bring us here all the time when we were kids. But even when I got older, I would come here if I needed to clear me head. It's always been able to make me feel calmer, like the crashing waves could drown out anything in my head."
We spent some time walking along the shore, picking up interesting shells and avoiding getting wet, without saying much of anything. After a little while we came to a large driftwood tree that had been washed up all the way underneath the tree line and settled on it to take a break. It was peaceful, watching the push and pull of the ocean and listening to the tinkling drops of the rain as it fell through the leaves.
"Bella," Edwards quiet voice broke the meditative silence we'd been under. "Can I ask you something?"
I turned to him and saw he looked uncomfortable. Or maybe apprehensive. "Of course," I said cautiously.
"Why didn't you drive yourself out here today?" he asked, his tone equal parts concerned and curious.
I gulped and turned back to look out at the horizon. It stunned me a little that he didn't already know, as it seemed like something someone would question when asked to drive such a long way. But the fact that he hadn't brought it up until now was also a bit of a surprise. If it had been me, I don't know if I could contain my curiosity.
Gripping my hands against the smooth wood beneath me, I took a deep breath.
"Well, I don't drive," I said, looking up him. "Not anymore. I haven't been able to since the accident. Ever since, the thought of being behind the wheel makes me panic. I know it's not the healthiest way to deal with my fears, but I just haven't been able to do it yet."
The look Edward gave me was so full of understanding that it almost made me cry. Feeling the tears well up in my eyes, I quickly looked away.
"That's understandable," he replied, the vibrations of his deep voice seeming to permeate down into my bones. "It must have been very traumatic."
Falling silent again, a few more minutes passed before the quiet was broken by Edward's small and humorless laugh.
"You want to know what's funny?" He wasn't looking at me, but out at the rippling water as I had been. "You and Maria deal with trauma is very similar ways."
That puzzled me. "What do you mean?"
"It sounds like you both make big changes in order to avoid something that will trigger you," he answered bluntly. "She basically did the same thing after she was shot - not that I don't understand why she did it. She quit her job and changed career pathways, because she couldn't imagine stepping back into the courthouse she'd worked at."
I didn't know what to say in response. It wasn't what I had expected him to say, so I just looked at him with my mouth gapped open like a stunned fish.
Of course, I'd wanted to know more about what had happened to Maria when she was shot, but I tried desperately to keep all my questions about her light when I'd been talking to Edward during the week. But it seemed like he was leaving the door open for me to ask, so I decided to step through it.
"Do you mind me asking about that?" I questioned gently. "About the shooting?"
His face turned to me, and I could see the sadness in his eyes. "No, I don't mind."
"What happened?"
Edward blew a long breath out and ran his hand through his wild hair, which was already in disarray because of the wind. "She had been working on this case about this rich college guy who was accused of raping several female students, though he'd been getting away with it because his daddy was a big doner.
"Her team were leaving court one day after depositions with their key witness. She'd not been the only student to remember what he'd done to them, but she was the only one who'd gone to the police for a rape kit. He was waiting for them, and when they came out he shot directly at the young woman, then opened fire on the people standing around her."
The Adam's apple in Edwards throat bobbed a few times before he continued. "Maria was one of the lucky ones. If you can call being shot twice in the abdomen lucky. But the witness and one of her colleagues died, so I guess she was at least luckier than them. And the guy ended up getting charged with double homicide, which was more than he was ever going to get for his pervious crimes. An all-round fucking idiot."
My heart broke for what my sister had been through. On some level I could understand, my father had been shot in the line of duty after all. But at the end of the day, that is an unfortunate possibility in his line of work. Every day he went to work with the understanding that something could happen to him during his shift. But the sheer terror you'd feel after having your safety violated like that must be immense.
After a couple minutes of tense silence, I decided to try and ask something more. "I know you said she was in hospital for two weeks. Was she really hurt?"
"The surgeon said it could have been a lot worse. The bullets tore through her major abdominal muscles though, so recovery was tough. She did physical therapy for a while, which was especially hard in the beginning when she couldn't stand up fully. It took about three months after she got home from the hospital for her to be ready to go back to work. And even then, her father had pulled some strings and made sure she wouldn't be asked to do anything too strenuous for the first couple weeks she was there."
"That doesn't sound like she was making changes to avoid triggers. It sounds like she did what she needed to do to take care of herself." I don't know why I was feeling so defensive, especially when Edward had just shared a rather difficult story. It was like I needed to defend my sister, and maybe even myself.
"No, I know that. She was never going to feel safe going back to work at the D.A., especially if she was sent to work in that courthouse." He looked up at me them, as if suddenly hearing the double meaning to my words. "And I didn't mean to say anything about you choosing not to drive since your accident. Both situations were extremely traumatic, and people deal with that is many different ways. I just thought it was interesting that you both seemed to do the same sort of things after something horrible."
I reached out and placed my hand on his arm comfortingly and gave him an understanding smile. I certainly wasn't accusing him of anything, and I wanted him to know that.
"Another one for the tally, then," I said, trying to lighten the mood.
~oOo~
We left the beach when the rain began to fall more heavily and made our way back to my dad's house. It was after four and between the time of day and the heavy grey clouds that were once again emptying themself above us, twilight had begun to set in. Still, no one was home yet when we pulled back up in front of the house and made our way up the path quickly, trying not to get wet.
Making sure the heater was on, we made our way back to the kitchen where I got started on putting together the dinner I'd begun to prep. For thirty minutes we hung out, me getting things together at the counter and Edward sitting at the kitchen table trying to find a song that matched the mood of the evening. Edward brought out a bag of chips he'd added to the basket at the grocery store, and we steadily made our way through the majority in of it.
"Oh damn," I swore when I spilled sauce covered pasta down my front as I poured everything from the pot I'd been stirring it into the oven dish. Quickly opening the oven, I set the dish inside. "I think this might be ruined," I said as I turned back to Edward with a frown on my face, plucking at the stains on my light blue sweater.
Looking up at me, Edward winced. "Yeah, that looks bad. Could you soak it?"
It actually wasn't a bad idea. And the sooner I got it in the wash, the more likely it was I would be able to clean it. "Maybe. I'll go see if there's something I change into upstairs." I'd not brought a second warm shirt to change into, so I hoped I'd be able to find something warm.
I headed upstairs to my old bedroom, hoping to find something that had been long forgotten at the bottom of one of the draws. Luckily, I was able to find an old sweatshirt folded at the very back on the top shelf of the closet. I was only just able to see it standing on my toes, so I had to get the chair from my old desk to give me a boost. Retrieving it, I jumped down and quickly changed out of my soiled sweatshirt into the one I hadn't worn since I was a teenager, which I was honestly surprised still fit.
It wasn't until I had left my room and was heading downstairs with my dirty top to go to the laundry that I became aware of other noises in the house.
"Who the hell are you?" came my dad's angry voice from the kitchen. Moving quicker down the stairs, I came around the corner to see my father's tense back as he looked at Edward, still sitting at the kitchen table with a deer in the headlights expression
"Aaaah," was the unsure noise that came out of Edwards mouth when he tried to speak.
"Hi, Dad," I said, quickly stepping around him and into the room. The shocked looked on my father's face told me that he had no idea we were going to be here waiting for him tonight. "I guess you haven't checked your voicemails yet, huh? This is Edward." Standing next to his chair, I put my hand on his shoulder. "He drove me down so we could talk sooner."
Dad looked from me to the man sitting next to me, the only expression to give away what he was thinking was the slightest twitch of his mustache. I could feel how uncomfortable Edward was under my father's intense gaze, but to his credit, he stayed calm and didn't fidget. Knowing Dad, he'd be studying every move Edward made for the rest of our time here.
"Edward, eh? As in Cullen?" Dad finally asked, moving to stand across from him at the table and leaning over the back of the chair. He was obviously trying to intimidate Edward. I couldn't help but roll my eyes and I moved to sit down too.
"Yes, sir," Edward answered promptly. His back was tense, like he expected that any second he would be under interrogation. He was a smart man.
Fortunately for him, he was saved by the front door opening and Sue trooping inside out of the rain. Looking down the hall, she saw more people that she expected sitting at the table and she came to join us.
"Well, hello," she greeted me with an affectionate smile and a wave, then turned to look between the two tense men sitting before her. "What's going on here, then?"
Before anyone could explain anything, the time on the oven went off, making us all jump.
What did you think!?! Aren't they just so cute!!!
I swear next chapter, Bella will finally having a talk with Charlie. It's about time the girl got some answers!!
I don't know when I'll get the next chapter done, with school starting back next week and going back to work. But please leave a review, because they are some of the best motivation out there!