A/N: I was on track, I was doing a lot of writing, and then I came down with the evil Influenza B. Kicked my ass good and proper. No joke, I thought I was dying. Not the dreaded Rona, but worse - so says the doc. Great. The last couple of days has been the only time I've felt like my old self again, but I'm still hocking up my lungs daily. When it rains it pours. Hopefully this is the last of the many bumps in the road.
A few people have messaged me to to ask if I'm going to write an Edward's POV. I've addressed this before, and to answer, no, I'm really not. I'd rather keep you all guessing through Bella's POV, and to know things now would ruin it. I give enough hints, and the punchline is soon. Promise. I'm not going to change my mind *cough cough hint*. Sorry, you impatient lot, you.
Anywho, the next chapter is almost finished, so fingers crossed for a timely update. Surely I'm done with life throwing me curveballs?
Hope you enjoy.
Footprints in the Sand
Chapter 19
It takes close to two hours to find the perfect dress for Addie, and during that time she tried on several. In the end, Alice decided on one with a long tulle skirt and an embroidered bodice, slightly off the shoulder with lace straps.
She looks absolutely adorable, but like her father, she could wear a potato sack and still pull it off.
The only problem is, by the time we're done she's so overstimulated she's practically bouncing off the walls, and the fact that Alice keeps feeding her Skittles only exacerbates it.
"Al, you know what sugar does to these kids," I complain in confidence as Addie skips and jumps off my arm, almost pulling it out of its socket as we leave the boutique.
"Oh, she's fine," she waves her hand. "Aren't you, Ads?"
"I'm fine," Addie parrots sweetly. "Bella?"
"Addie?" I tease her.
"I'm hungry. Can I have donuts?" she asks, big, green puppy dog eyes wide.
"For lunch?" I say, tickling her under her chin and making her giggle.
"Donuts sound great!" Alice pipes in. "Let's go to Krispy Kreme!"
"Chicken nuggets for lunch, donuts for dessert." I put my foot down, because I can't imagine Edward will be too impressed with me if I return his daughter smack bang in the middle of a sugar high. "Sound good, sweetie?" I put to Addie who only nods her head, cheesy grin wide.
"Killjoy," Alice jokes, prodding me with her elbow.
For February, the weather is mild, so Alice decides we should eat outside. Westlake Park is another block south-west along Pine Street, with Macdonald's across the road. This is where we lead Addie, and after ordering lunch, we sit in the sun in the open plaza in the brightly colored seating.
Addie eats in the same crazy manner that Edward drinks coffee, and is finished within minutes. Though, the huge climbing dome in the center of the park was no doubt the reason behind it. Her eyes remained glued to it even as she shoved fries into her mouth.
"Bella, can I go play?" she asks pointing at it with her broken arm and sipping her orange juice loudly.
"Sure thing," I agree, and dumping her drink to the table she immediately races toward it.
"Let's sit closer, Al," I suggest, eyeing the bench seating where the other parents are all situated, watching their kids.
"'Kay," Alice replies getting to her feet, her eyes on her phone. "It's almost two. You'd better let Edward know we're going to be a bit longer. Addie still hasn't bought her Woobix Cube," she says lightly.
I text him instead.
Eating lunch now, and we still haven't taken Addie Rubik's Cube shopping. Say about 3:30?
All good. I'm swamped at the moment, so no need to hurry.Edward replies almost immediately. How's she been? He adds as I'm halfway through replying.
Deleting my message I start over. She's been really good.
Not talking too much?
Well, she's very chatty, but I don't mind.
That she is.
I'll message you about 15 minutes beforehand when we're ready to leave. Okay?
Ok. See you soon.
"BELLA!" Addie's excitable high-pitched voice immediately draws my attention. She's perched on top of the dome jungle gym waving manically at me. You'd think with only one good arm it would hinder her, but it doesn't appear to be the case.
"Be careful, sweetie!" I call back, waving in return.
"I'M OKAY!" she shouts, demonstrating it by removing both hands and raising them above her head.
"We should probably leave soon before she breaks her other arm," Alice says ruefully, chuckling to herself.
"Oh god..." I mumble to myself as Addie flips herself over and swings upside-down by her knees with her skirt falling over her face.
"She's fine," Alice assures me. "She's just a little daredevil."
"Yeah..." I agree, but I'm on tenterhooks. It's my first time being responsible for her, and I don't want to send her home to Edward less than perfect.
Still, I give her another ten minutes to burn off all her excess energy, but during that time she gets caught in the trajectory of a bully. A little boy, older than her, decides to continuously chase her down to pull her hair.
After the third time I'm ready to intervene, but that's when Addie turns to him, kicks him in the shin and shoves him over. The boy immediately bursts into tears, picks himself up, and hobbles to his mother.
"You go, girl," Alice says with a snicker.
"Oh, geez..." Getting to my feet, I make my way over to Addie to retrieve her, when the boy's mother approaches her first. Pointing her index finger an inch from Addie's face, she loudly berates her.
Addie immediately cowers and I'm instantly seeing red.
"Get the hell away from her!" I demand, grabbing Addie and pulling her behind me. She's infinitely close to tears and she clings to the back of my sweater with both hands.
"You should teach your daughter some manners and not to act like a brat," she retorts, scowling down at Addie who hides herself further behind me.
"Brat!?" I echo as my hands instinctively ball into fists. I'm about to strangle this bitch. "Your child was—"
"It was your kid who was bullying her!" Alice interjects from behind me, and I know if we don't leave soon, I'll be forced to hold her back as well as myself.
"He was playing," the delusional woman insists, patronizing both of us.
"Pulling hair is not playing!" Alice practically screeches, moving in closer.
"Maybe you should teach your son to keep his damn hands off little girls!" I snap before turning my attention to Addie; she's continuing to cower, and right now, it's more important to remove her than it is to continue causing a scene. "Come on, sweetie, let's go." Addie nods anxiously, and picking her up, I walk away before I'm arrested for assault.
"Keep your feral kid at home next time!" Alice adds before falling into step with me, and she's fuming as much as I am. "Can you believe some people?"
"Sadly, yes." I huff. "You okay, sweetie?" I ask Addie gently, rubbing her back. She has both her arms wrapped tightly around me, with her face buried against my neck.
"She's a mean lady," she sobs, her voice hopelessly muffled.
"She is," I say quietly, "but she's gone now, and I won't let anyone hurt you, 'kay?"
"'Kay," she mumbles softly in reply.
"Hey, high five for socking that little brat, Ads," Alice says brightly, and tentatively raising her head, Addie slaps the hand Alice holds out to her as a small smile pushes through her tears.
"So, are we getting donuts, or not?" I tease her, placing her back on her feet and taking her hand. Alice grabs her casted other.
Addie giggles, nodding her head again, and with the smile back on her face, I can begin to relax.
I have no idea where the hell we're walking, but I'm fairly certain there's a store close by, and just around the corner we happen upon Daily dozen, a donut-selling café.
Two chocolate donuts with sprinkles later and Addie's back to her usual chirpy self. She skips between me and Alice, both hands in ours, happily chatting away as we make our way back toward Pine Street.
Alice wants to go to Sephora before we stop back at the mall to find a Rubik's Cube, but along the way, we pass a pet store. Sucking in her breath in open joy, Addie pulls from me and Alice and runs to the shop window, squashing her nose to the glass.
"BELLA, LOOK!" she points inside. "SIMONESE KITTENS!"
"Simon-what kittens?" Alice turns to me dubiously.
"Siamese," I clarify as I gaze through the window at the three snoozing kittens huddled up just inside.
"Bella, can I buy one? Can I?" Addie pleads with me, jumping up and down in over-excitement.
"Sweetie..." I say with a sigh, wondering how the hell I can get out of this one, "they cost a lot of money."
"But... don't I have enough?" she wonders as her large green eyes steadily well with tears.
"I... I'm afraid not." How the hell can anyone have kids? I constantly feel like an absolute monster. "I'm sorry..."
Big, fat tears quickly spill over and down Addie's cheeks, and wrapping her arms around me, she presses her face to my stomach and quietly sobs.
"Hey, what about a fish, Ads?" Alice suggests, attempting to distract her by playing with her braids. "Fish are really cool."
"A fish?" Addie peers up at her, her brow furrowing with obvious curiosity.
"Al!" I whisper harshly. "I have no idea whether Edward will be okay with that."
"Well, ask him."
Groaning only semi-below my breath, I tug my phone from my purse and open my messages to Edward.
Would you be against Addie buying a fish? I hastily text him.
Are you serious?
I'm serious.
Jesus, I suppose so.
"What did he say, Bella?" Addie asks, clumsily wiping her tears as she stretches on her toes in an effort to see the screen.
"He said 'I suppose so'," I imitate her father as she immediately bursts into giggling. "Are you sure you want a fish?"
"Uh-huh—uh-huh!" She nods her head, insistent.
"Well, come on, then," I say, holding out my hand as she tugs me and Alice inside the store.
After much deliberation, Addie chooses a red and blue Siamese fighting fish—because they sound like the kittens—and together with a small bowl, a filter, a fake plant, aquarium stones, and fish food, the money her father gave her is all but in the red. But she's more than cheered up, and at this point, I'm taking it as a win.
"I'm going to call him Bob," Addie decides as we leave, lifting up the plastic bag with Bob inside. "He looks like a Bob, doesn't he?" She holds him up higher for me to see.
"He does, just don't drop Bob or he'll get a headache," I say, shaking my head to myself, despite the fact that I'm grinning right along with her.
"Why don't you put him in his fish bowl," Alice suggests. "That way he can see if he likes it." I'm fairly certain she's worried Addie will drop Bob as well, and we'll have more tears on our hands.
"Okay," Addie happily agrees, plopping the plastic bag inside Bob's square-shaped enclosure that Alice holds out for her.
"So, let's get that Woobix Cube, hey, Ads?" Alice says, tucking Bob and his bowl in the pet store shopping bag and taking Addie's other hand. "Then we can call your dad to pick you up so you can get Bob home safe and sound."
"Okay," Addie repeats, her smile toothy this time.
"She is so adorable I really am going to kidnap her," Alice confesses.
"Hmm... She has seventy-five cents left," I point out in the same tenor that's out of Addie's earshot, but in all honesty, I'm fully prepared to buy her a Rubik's Cube if she asks.
"It'll be my thank you gift for being my flower girl—and what do they cost these days? Five bucks?"
I ponder it for a moment, but I have no idea either. "Ten?"
"Eh..." Alice shrugs her shoulder before she pulls both me and Addie down the sidewalk. "We're off to see the wizard..." she sings, skipping in tune and making Addie burst into laughter.
. . .
On the same bench where I braided Addie's hair earlier, the three of us wait for Edward. Addie sits slumped on my lap, her attention diverted by the Rubik's cube in her hands. She's already mastered one side, and I'm beginning to think she's a genius.
Alice and Bob sit beside us; Alice with her phone in one hand and a coffee in the other because she's just as exhausted.
Edward arrives close to twenty minutes after I messaged him. I spot him first, returning his smile, before nudging Addie to alert her.
"Your dad's here, sweetie."
The sight of her father gives her second wind, and sucking in her breath, she jumps from my lap and runs toward him.
With his grin turning broad, Edward holds out his arms and scoops her up as Addie proceeds to tell him all about her day, talking a mile a minute.
"The way he adores that little girl is absolute porn, Bells," Alice murmurs against my ear.
"You have no idea," I say in full agreement.
"There was a mean lady at the park who yelled at me, but Bella yelled back at her and Alice was going to beat her up!"
"I...I'm sorry?" Edward says blankly, turning to me for explanation.
"An older boy kept bothering her, but Addie took care of herself and his mother didn't like it," I relay, noting with quiet relief as Edward's lips twitch.
"Sort him out, did you, tiger?"
Addie nods. "Uh-huh. I did what you said, Daddy. I kicked him and then pushed him over."
That's my girl," Edward notes, fighting the obvious urge to laugh.
"And I got a Simonese fish and I called him Bob. Wanna see?"
"When we get home."
"And Bella brought me McDonald's and three donuts—"
"Bought," Edward corrects her.
"I ate one," Alice fesses up.
"But that's okay," Addie quickly adds, "because I was pretty full. And Alice got me this as a flower girl present." She thrusts the Rubik's Cube an inch from Edward's face causing him to angle his head away from it. "I already did the red side—see?"
"So you did."
"And...and Bella took lots of photos in my berry beautiful dress."
"Berry?" He quirks his brow teasingly.
"Daddy, you know what I mean."
"Want to see?" I ask, and opening up my photos, I hold my phone out to Edward, slowly flicking through the collection of them until I get to the dress Alice decided on. "What do you think?"
"You look beautiful, tiger," he says softly, his frown momentarily appearing, despite the wistful smile that pulls almost subconsciously on his lips.
"Am I gonna be Bella's flower girl, too?" she asks her father innocently, as he immediately clears his throat awkwardly.
"...Sure. Um...Bella?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I give you a lift?" he offers.
"It's not out of your way?" I ask.
He smirks this time in a knowing kind of way, and I can't believe I once thought he was arrogant. "It's not out of my way. How about you, Alice?"
"I drove," Alice replies. "This is yours." She hands him the bag carrying Bob and his fishy accessories before turning to me. "I'm going to go home and take a long, hot bath."
"Enjoy," I say perfectly understanding her meaning as I lean in to anticipate her hug.
"Call me when you get home, you still haven't told me about..." she arches an emphatic brow, reminding me that I still haven't given her the scoop on dinner with Edward's parents the night before.
"Okay. Talk soon."
"Bye, Adalyn Cullen," Alice teases Addie, scrunching her face up and making her giggle.
"Bye, Alice," Addie replies chirpily, as Edward gives Alice his usual, first-name-only farewell.
I watch as she disappears around a corner and out of sight, before turning back to Edward. He's awkwardly clutching the bag with Bob and his fish bowl inside, with Addie still in his arms.
"Let me take that," I say, untangling the plastic handle from his long fingers.
Flashing me a quick grin, he puts Addie back on her feet and takes her hand. He then offers me his other.
I pause for a moment, and immediately comprehending my hesitation he breaks into a grin and grabs my hand regardless. "The kid's onto us. Let's go."
It doesn't last long, though. Addie wrangles herself between us, holding both our hands as Edward leads us out of the mall and south down 7th Avenue.
Addie skips between us, continuing to chatter away about the day. Edward completely humors her, nodding his head, grinning and delivering the odd "Really?" and "That's great, tiger". Addie's none-the-wiser, and neither is Edward in regards to the attention centered on the three of us.
Women, most especially, observe us closely, their eyes first drawing to Edward, then me, and finally to Addie with more than obvious interest.
One thing is clear; they all envy me, and I'm not so sure I like it. I have no idea how Edward can be so oblivious to what he does to the opposite sex, either. Does the man even own a mirror?
An elderly woman comments on "what a beautiful little girl we have" after one of the many stops we're forced to make so Addie can peer through various store windows.
Edward smiles and thanks her, while Addie on the other hand, has her own opinion on it.
She turns around and boldly declares, "Daddy says it's better to be smart than beautiful."
The old woman chuckles, pats her on the head and replies, "Right he is."
"Better to be smart than beautiful, huh?" I say softly to Edward, nudging him teasingly as he opens the front passenger door of his car for me.
"Fortunate for me I met someone who's both," he says with a wink.
"Smooth," I note after he slides behind the wheel beside me.
With his grin turning toothy, he starts his car and pulls away from the curb.
Addie's chattering lasts exactly half a minute before she turns quiet, and glancing over my shoulder to the back seat, I realize she's fast asleep in her booster seat.
"She's plum tuckered," I mumble affectionately, using one of my father's expressions.
"I think I'll get you and Alice to take her shopping more often," he jokes.
"Alice was serious when she offered," I say as his smile broadens, and it suddenly occurs to me that he smiles almost as much as he once frowned.
"Nothing against Alice, I'm just not comfortable leaving her with anyone outside of family," he says, his tone hedging seriously, and the fact I'm an exception to his rule makes it hard to not grin like a loon.
"She gets it," I assure him, "and something tells me she'll soon have her own bundle of joy to keep her busy."
"Already?" he puts to me, sounding skeptical, as he turns to glance at me, and I realize that frown of his is creeping back to his expression.
"If Alice has her way. She practically melts every time she sees a baby these days."
"Babies are nowhere near as cute as they appear," he says so quietly I barely hear him.
"I think that's why they're so cute," I attempt to lighten the mood, because Addie was definitely onto something when she mentioned how her father doesn't like them.
Either way, Edward quickly moves past it, and the rest of the ride is spent in silence.
He drives with a grin pulling lazily on his lips, looking lost in his own thoughts, while I attempt to watch him without making it too obvious.
Does he realize how appealing he looks when he ponders?
After parking in the visitor's lot of my apartment block, Edward pulls the handbrake and turns to me. I lean toward him to kiss him in farewell, when he intercepts me and grabs my chin.
"Let's talk for a moment," he suggests so nonchalantly that it's hard to read his intentions. "Outside," he tacks on, his head slightly angling in reference to his sleeping daughter.
"'Kay," I agree, reaching for the door handle in mirror to him.
Rounding the front of his car, he takes my hand and guides me with him to lean against the passenger-side door I just exited from.
Tugging me close to his side, he crosses one ankle over the other and stares down at the pavement. It's not something he's prone to do, but once again, before I can attempt to decipher it, he shakes himself from it and locks his green eyes to mine.
"I'm going to talk to her tonight and explain to her what's going on with us," he begins, before quickly elaborating. "She thinks two people meet and then get married a week later."
I break into an immediate grin and nod. "Hmm, I figured. She told every second person today how I was marrying her daddy."
He groans and momentarily closes his eyes despite the faint smile on his lips. "I'm sorry."
"It's fine," I say before realizing it, but he doesn't bring it to my attention this time.
"Next weekend... I'll make you dinner," he decides, his eyebrows pulling high in an obvious effort to gauge my response.
"At your house?" I query, adding when he nods. "Already?"
He hums to the affirmative and casually pushes both his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. "I had no idea what I was protecting her from. She caught on immediately."
I chuckle and wrap my arms around myself. The night air is approaching and the temperature is plummeting.
"You're cold," he says, releasing an arm to curve around my waist, moving me against him. "Why do you never wear a jacket?" he says as a statement and more or less to himself.
"I don't like carrying them," I answer regardless. The truth is, I usually leave them behind, and I got tired of constantly replacing them.
His smile visibly broadens, but what he finds so amusing about me, I have no idea.
"You're a complicated woman," he murmurs, staring ahead of him as though he were coming to some kind of conclusion about me.
I turn to him to enquire further when his attention returns to me and he pulls me flush to his chest and kisses me. "Text date tonight?" he practically growls in my ear after publicly groping me.
"You don't always have to ask me. It's not as though I'm going to ignore you," I tease him in return, glancing hastily behind me to a still peacefully sleeping Addie in the backseat.
"You want me to surprise you?" he ventures, his brow quirking.
"You already do," I say simply.
"Good." He appears satisfied before lightly tipping my chin, and leaning forward he plants his warm lips to my temple. "I should get going. Talk tonight."
"I'll be waiting—oh, here," I suddenly recall, pulling several coins from the pocket of my jeans and placing them in Edward's palm. "Addie's change."
Again, this appears to amuse him, and leaning forward he kisses my lips, just as briefly, and playfully nudges me forward. "Go inside, you crazy woman, before you end up sick as well."
. . .
Bella. Our date starts at eight p.m. on the noodle with—in typical Edward fashion—just my name.
Edward. I respond in kind, glass of white wine in hand and my grin already spread wide. I cannot text him without some kind of chiller to bring me down or I'll be awake for a week. You speak to Addie? I add before he can reply.
I did, and explaining to a five year old what dating is was not in the handbook. The kid grilled me.
I laugh, and express it to him with an emoji, but I'm more than curious. She did? Do tell.
I'll let her tell you, but I honestly have no idea how I got her to five without killing the both of us.
You don't give yourself enough credit. You're doing a great job. Addie's an amazing little girl.
I can't take all the credit.He answers like he once did, implicating his mother in Addie's upbringing.
How's Bob? I change the subject.
Who?
He's red and blue and has fins.
Bob. Bob is still alive as well shockingly.
She really wanted a kitten.
Kitten, puppy, rabbit. She changes her mind every other day.
You ever going to cave and get her one?
We'll see how she goes with a fish. If it's still alive six months from now, maybe I'll consider it.
Meanie. I tease him.
What did that kid do to her for her to retaliate? She wouldn't tell me.
He was pulling her hair.
Little shit.
When she's a bit older, you need to teach her how to knee a guy in the groin. My father taught me. It brings them down instantly.
Ok, remind me never to upset you.
I laugh again and come close to spilling wine down my shirt. You're funny.
I cannot believe that bitch came onto Edward! A text from Alice chimes in complete with seven exclamation marks. How can I invite Emmett but not her to my wedding? I really don't want her there!
We spoke on the phone earlier. I spilled on everything, and then made her swear on her soon-to-be husband's life to take it to her grave.
You're funnier. And you're beautiful.
I know. I can barely believe it myself, and I don't think you can. Sorry, babe.
I'm sorry? Edward replies, making me realize I sent him my reply to Alice.
"Oh, shit," I mutter to myself, because that could have been really bad. Sorry. Alice is texting me too.
Ah. I thought you were calling me babe there for a moment. You don't strike me as a 'babe' kind of woman.
Bella!? Alice again, and there's too many exclamation and question marks to count without going blind this time.
Al, I'm talking to Edward, and I just sent him a reply meant for you.
Oops. Kay, let's talk more about it tomorrow.
Alright, and not a word, okay?
What do you take me for? Is Alice's last message, before I focus back on Edward.
What kind of woman do I strike you as?
One who says stupidly handsome, and calls her boyfriend an asshole.
Are you sure that doesn't bother you?
Positive. I'm teasing you. What are you and Alice talking about?
You're very nosey. Her wedding. We only ever seem to talk about her wedding these days.
It's coming up pretty soon, isn't it? I have the invite in my office somewhere.
It is. Just over six weeks to go. She's been planning it for twenty years though.
What about you? Planning your wedding too?
Wouldn't I need a fiancé first?
Every woman I know is planning her wedding, with or without a fiancé.
I am not planning any wedding. It's not something I like to think about. My father won't be there to walk me down the aisle.
Oh shit, sweetheart, I'm so sorry. That was insensitive.
It's okay. It is what it is.
It's not ok. It's shitty. Sometimes life is just shitty.
Sometimes it is.
What are you doing tomorrow?
I'm not sure. Running. Cleaning my apartment. What about you?
I'm free for a few hours. Addie's going to a birthday party tomorrow at midday. Let's go for lunch.
Sure.
Anything you feel like.
Anything will be fine.
Bella. Just my name again. It's become synonymous with affection for him, and something so uniquely Edward. It makes me wonder whether he's like this with everyone else, or if it's just me.
Hm?
You are unlike any woman I have ever known.
If you keep telling me that I'm going to get a complex.
It's a compliment.
Sometimes I honestly don't know whether to be flattered or concerned over the type of women you're used to.
The type of women I'm used to are nothing like you, and that's not a good thing.
How did that happen?
I have no idea.
Actually, I do.He adds a few moments later, prompting me to erase what I was typing.
Are you going to tell me?
They're all friends or acquaintances of my wife. He admits a little too easily that I immediately pause.
He hates talking about his wife, so I decide to veer away from the subject of her.
Whose birthday party is Addie going to tomorrow?
A neighbor's kid. He's a bit older than her, so I had my doubts about her going, but she insisted on it.
She definitely has a mind of her own.
She does, and it worries me.
Why?
It's nothing. Are you like your mother?
This time he's really stumped me, and I have to wonder whether his line of questioning is connected to his wife. He skirts around her so much it's often hard to tell.
Bella?
No, I'm nothing like my mother.
That's good.
Is it? I reply because he's completely lost me.
It is. It gives me further reason to hope.
A/N: Yay? Nay? You can let me know your thoughts, or not. All good. See you next time.