I have loved hearing from you guys! So I want to address this since a few have asked about my plan for our poor little lovebirds. I'm a big, fleshy kind of writer. Meaning I believe in having a meaty burger of a story instead of two people just jumping into a relationship willynilly and somehow it just all works. I love fluff. I do. But WHEN Bella and Carlisle get together, I want it to because they worked for it. (Sorry, Manda, that it's not just tooth rotting fluff. But also, in an even more real sense, I'm not sorry.)
The song for this chapter is The Nearness of You by Norah Jones.
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Disclaimer: I'm only doing this for a friend. I don't get anything from it but her undying appreciation. I certainly don't get to have fun with Emmett and the boys in my head.
Chapter Six: The Nearness of You
BPOV
Alice was crazy.
But it was the kind of crazy I could get behind. She'd shown up at my house after school with my truck and immediately made herself at home. She had my missed work for the week for me but I set it aside and focused on interacting with her. She had told me stories about her family, thrilling me with embarrassing things all her siblings had done and now she was sitting in the kitchen while I made lasagna for dinner.
"So how does your family work," I asked her after a lull in the conversation. "Are you all adopted or…?"
"Esme adopted Jasper and Rosalie. They're twins. Edward, Emmett and I all came to Carlisle over the years but being with them is almost all I can remember." I smiled. "What about you? Any siblings?"
"Nope. Just me. My mom remarried but… he split after the first round of cancer treatment. It was just me and her until… anyway, now it's me and Charlie. I've always wondered what it would be like to have a brother or sister."
"Let me disillusion you right now: it's a double edged sword," she promised with a laugh. "I love Rose to death but sometimes I feel like I could just rip her head off. And I love Edward dearly but he is drowning in teen angst." I chuckled, surprised at the casual mention of the brother that clearly had it out for me.
"It must be nice, though, being so close. Having someone in your corner no matter what."
"I guess it is," she conceded. "Privacy is basically nonexistent in my house but you get used to it."
"Why'd you guys choose Forks?"
"Esme loves the rain. She wanted to be close to venues that allowed us to have family bonding time but was small. She really hates traffic."
"And your dad was okay coming here instead of somewhere with a bigger hospital?"
"Carlisle works because he loves his work, not because he's attached to a paycheck. He'd work for free if he could get away with it. And Forks allows him to practice a wider range of skills. In a place like LA or New York, he'd be pigeonholed into one specialty. Here, he can see all kinds of patients. He performs surgeries sometimes." I was touched by the generous nature of her father. I wished the doctors who had treated my mom had the same mentality. The medical bills still remaining from her cancer treatments were a burden I wished I could have been rid of.
"He sounds really nice," I said instead.
"He is. But… I get the feeling he's lonely," she said mournfully.
"He's never been married?"
"No. There have been interested parties but Carlisle has always put our needs first. Actually, everyone's needs come before him. I always assumed it was because he just didn't want to deal with it but now… now I think he just needs someone special. You know? Someone who appreciates him for who he is but can also accept my family. It's a weird dynamic but we're happy." I nodded, staring into the pot of pasta I was boiling. "Has Charlie ever dated anyone since he and your mom divorced?" I snorted out a laugh.
"Uh, no. My mom used to say that he's married to his job. I guess to an extent that's true but he has a duty to the people here. And I… Well, I guess he never really got over my mom. She left him because she hated it here. It's a small town and she was always a wild spirit. It was… stifling for her to be here. I almost wish he'd moved on like she did but I guess he's like your dad and just never found anyone who caught his interest."
"Would you be okay if he started dating again?"
"Yeah," I said automatically. She raised a skeptical brow. "Really, I just want him to be happy. He's been alone as long as I can remember and in a couple years, I'll be leaving for college. It'd be nice if he had someone. What about you? Are you sure you could handle it if your dad started dating? Got married?"
"Absolutely. It doesn't even matter who, as long as he was happy." It was my turn to raise a skeptical brow. "Really, Bella, I'd be okay with anyone. He could date you and I would be over the moon." I barked out a laugh.
"Really, Alice? You'd be okay if I was your wicked stepmother?" She began to giggle.
"I already have my Prince Charming so I don't think you could turn me into a scullery maid."
"As funny as that is, I'm not interested in dating some middle aged guy with a receding hairline and a growing gut." She snorted into her hand and I laughed along, amused by the image.
The phone rang and I stepped away from the stove to answer it.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Bells," my father said from the other end. "You doing okay?"
"Yeah. Alice is here and I'm just making dinner."
"Sorry, kid, but I have to pull a double shift tonight. One of my deputies hurt himself pretty badly and there's no one else to cover for him."
"That's okay. Do you want me to bring some dinner to the station for you?"
"No. I'll just pick something up from the diner while I'm patrolling. You going to be okay alone?"
"Yeah. Worst case scenario, I can ask Alice to stay later." I turned to her, silently asking if that'd be okay and she gave me a thumbs up.
"Okay. Well just make sure to lock up tight tonight. I won't be home until after you're in bed."
"Okay, Dad. Be safe."
"You too, baby. See you tomorrow." I hung up the phone and headed back to the stove, turning off the burner to the pasta.
"Your dad isn't coming home," she asked. I shook my head.
"He's got to cover for another officer. Is it okay if you stay later?"
"Absolutely! I'll stay as long as you want. You can always come over to my house, too, if you don't want to be alone." I was touched by how openly she welcomed me into her life. Maybe it was just me, but I'd always had trouble making friends. I assumed it was because of how awkward I was. But maybe I just needed to meet more people like Alice.
"Thanks. Would I be a terrible daughter if I wanted to just save this for tomorrow and order pizza?" Alice jumped up.
"No way! I'll clean this up and order some pizza. You go change into some pajamas and we can have a girl's night. I can even call Rose if you want."
"Thanks, Alice. We can hang out with Rose another night though. I'm having a nice time with you." She beamed at me and I smiled back tentatively, pleased at how happy I'd made her. I headed upstairs to change into pj's and tidy my room up a bit. When I was finished, I headed downstairs.
"The lasagna is in the fridge and ready to go for tomorrow, pizza is ordered and my dad is going to drop off a bag for me just in case I end up staying the night." We settled in the living room, debating between two romantic comedies before finally settling on one. Ten minutes in, the doorbell rang and I hopped off the recliner to answer it. I unlocked the door and pulled it open, expecting the pizza man and froze.
It wasn't the pizza man.
At least, I didn't think it was the pizza man.
Unless the local pizza man wore a navy blue henley shirt with the sleeves rolled up the forearm that molded to his torso like it was hugging him and had slightly longer, tousled, golden blonde hair, a face that even the gods themselves would be envious of and the exact same eyes and pallor as Alice.
"Holy pantdropper," I breathed and I swear I saw his mouth twitch. He was holding a pizza box and a duffle bag and smiling self-consciously.
"You must be Bella," he finally said and I wanted to wrap myself up in his voice and die. "I'm Alice's father, Carlisle." I just sort of nodded dumbly, unable to tear my eyes away from his face. "She asked me to drop some stuff by and to drop off your pizza." I continued nodding until Alice came up behind me and poked me.
"Right, sorry! Come on in," I offered, my cheeks flaming with embarrassment. I stepped aside so he could move past me. His scent washed over me as he passed and my knees nearly gave out. He smelled like freshly cut pine trees and leather bound books and I felt like just burying my head in his chest and inhaling like a druggie.
Right in front of his daughter.
I suddenly realized why she'd laughed so hard earlier when I'd described him. Carlisle Cullen was hotter than the face of the sun and I'd just made an utter fool of myself. I closed the door hurriedly and then made my way through the entry and into the family room where Carlisle was setting the pizza box on the coffee table while Alice chattered about her day. He smiled at me over her head and my stomach flipped around like it was auditioning for P.T. Barnum himself. My blush spread from my head to my toes.
"I'm going to change really fast. Some kid threw up in class today and I swear I can smell it on me," Alice complained before dragging the duffle bag he'd carried in and flitting up the stairs.
"First door on the left," I called. Once she'd disappeared from sight, I turned back to Carlisle. I was hot with embarrassment and my brain was drawing a blank whenever I tried to think of something to say to him. "Um, please have a seat," I offered, gesturing towards the furniture. I collapsed gracelessly onto the recliner as he seated himself in the spot Alice had vacated.
"Thank you," he said and I was reminded again that if this man wanted to sit and read a textbook, I'd listen for hours. I desperately searched my brain for something clever to say. "I just wanted to… well say thank you. I heard about what happened in school today." I ducked my head awkwardly.
"It was really not that big of a deal," I muttered.
"Maybe not," he agreed, "but I appreciate it nonetheless. This town is small and as such, my family and I haven't really found our place among the people here. To be honest, we have a hard time fighting in."
"Preaching to the choir there, Doc," I mumbled and he laughed deeply.
Well hell, if I thought his speaking voice was irresistible, his laugh made me want to rip his shirt off.
"Maybe I am. I guess we outcasts will just have to stick together," he suggested, ochre eyes twinkling.
"Can I ask you a question," I asked suddenly.
"Anything."
"Why do you guys all look the same?"
"Beg your pardon," he asked, head tilted to the side curiously.
"Alice told me that all of your and Esme's kids are adopted. But you all have the same color eyes and skin. So I was just wondering how that was." He regarded me contemplatively.
"You know, I don't think I've ever had anyone ask me that," he mused. "You're the first to notice and say something. I have a genetic disorder that is somewhat tricky. It is, at the very least, restrictive. When I came across Edward, I noticed that he had the same disorder and wanted to open my home to him, help him treat it."
"That's so kind of you. What is the disorder called?"
"It's quite rare but it's called Hirudo Anemia."
"Wow. Yeah I've never heard of that," I said with an exaggerated grimace. He laughed charmingly and I joined. "Not that I spend my free time reading about rare genetic disorders."
"What do you spend your free time doing," he asked, propping his chin on his palm and watching me.
"Mostly reading and listening to music. Nothing exciting."
"On the contrary, I think you and I both know that reading can be very exciting. What do you like to read?"
"Anything really. I've read most of the classics."
"What's your favorite book?"
"Who's your favorite child," I sassed and he laughed again. "Okay, fine. I reread Wuthering Heights once a year."
"Interesting choice. It's certainly not the lighthearted romance one finds in an Austen novel."
"True but I kind of love that. Heathcliffe and Cathy were truly terrible people and their love was toxic but from all of that comes this beautiful story of redemption for Hareton and Catherine. They could have continued that cycle of dysfunction and instead they chose to do the opposite."
"Ah, so you're a romantic," he said teasingly and I blushed furiously.
"Isn't everyone? Secretly, at heart?"
"I'm a romantic but it certainly isn't a secret."
How in the hell had this guy never been caught by a woman? Lines like that and I was ready to throw myself in his arms, climb onto his steed and ride gracefully into the sunset.
What the hell was wrong with me?!
This was Alice's father. Was I really flirting with him?
I shifted suddenly, turning to look at the stairs behind me.
"I wonder if Alice is okay," I mused.
"I think I heard the shower going. She's obviously taking the 'make yourself at home' offer to the extreme. I thought I'd taught her better manners than that," he lamented. I giggled and a smile grew on his face, stunning me. How was a man this good looking and young possibly a father of three teenagers?
"She certainly isn't shy," I remarked. He chuckled.
"Not in the least." I looked around at our mess and my eyes landed on the pizza box.
"Would you like some pizza," I asked him.
"Oh, that's okay. I wouldn't want to intrude on your night."
"Please, you brought it and I get the feeling Alice is taking her time. Here, I'll grab some plates," I said and I stood hurriedly to go get the plates. I walked into the kitchen, a jittery excitement making my hands shake. I grabbed three plates out of the cabinet but lost my grip on them. They crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces all around me. I looked around me, tears starting to form in my eyes.
"Bella?" Carlisle came into the doorway and stopped, taking in the scene. "Don't move. I'll grab the broom and clean this up."
"Pantry," I said, nodding towards a closet in the hall behind him. He appeared a moment later with the broom and dustpan and began to sweep up the shards of destroyed plates. I felt awkward just standing there while he cleaned so I took a careful step forward.
"Here, I can-" I started to say but I wobbled and stepped down on a particularly large shard. Pain burned through my foot and then I felt warm liquid flowing around it. My head began to spin and my breathing became labored. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I looked down to see a small puddle of red spreading on the floor.
"Bella," Carlisle said urgently but it sounded like he was at the other end of a large tunnel. Black spots exploded across my vision and then everything went dark.