Edward
Edward knew he was being unreasonable as he walked away. He didn't know what it was about Bella that prompted his reaction. Was he truly afraid of being made the fool and having it publicized to her thousands of fans? Was it that he didn't have control over any of it or that she was asking him to give up control?
Was that really going to happen?
She'd been interested in him. She'd been the only person in years to inquire about his music…his interests. When was the last time anybody cared to ask? Since Rose?
Bella
Bella paced back and forth in her room, and Angela sat, watching her.
"Wow," Angela said. Bella had just told her what had happened during lunch, and she waited for Angela to give her assessment of the situation.
He'd been such a jerk! What had she been thinking inviting a man like him to lunch? Had her guidance been wrong leading her to that? What was the lesson here?
"You are really rattled, Bella," she said finally.
"Yeah, I guess you can say that."
"Seriously, I haven't seen you this upset since Jake cheated on you."
"I've obviously grown since then. Jacob and I were never meant to stay together."
"No, but you say it all the time. People are in your life for a reason. The things he says obviously provoke an emotional reaction."
"True," Bella said, still pacing. "I'm very triggered."
"So, Edward 'saved' you from that guy who was shouting at you, and then you two had lunch and then he got upset because we wouldn't edit him out of the footage. He never really got over it. Yet, he thought enough of you to get you out of that situation."
"Maybe it's the universe trying to show me that people have two sides to them. Yeah, that's what it is."
"Or…maybe you really like him and don't want to admit it."
"He's handsome, Angela…but that's it. He's so serious. And wow, I doubt I could spend any length of time with him because he's just so full of… he's too unconscious."
"It is not the first time you've interacted with people like him. Maybe that's what you're meant to do. You're like Tinkerbelle from Peter Pan, the reminder to show him that at heart he's still a child. He just needs to wake up."
Bella held up a finger, and her face was so flushed. "He's in too deep."
"Awww c'mon now. You're not one to back down from challenges."
"He hates me. And you know that I'm not going to do what he wants."
"No, of course not. But when a person is deeply asleep, sometimes you have to shake them. That's what you're doing right now."
She plopped down on the bed. "Most people can't conceive of it, Ange. They think this is their reality and that's it."
"And what do you do?"
"I tell them things to remind them…but it's no use. Sometimes..it just doesn't work out."
"Sounds like resistance to me."
"What if? What if you meet him where he's at?"
"I'm not going to change who I am."
"No, it's not about changing yourself. Like you say…"
"It's about becoming the best version of me," Bella said. "Right. I know. But, I'm not sure if he's worth my time. Maybe I just need to send him love and let him go. Accept that some things cannot be helped and be okay with it."
"Okay. You know there's one way to find out: do nothing and see how that feels."
"But, why? Why do I have to do anything?"
"What are you being guided to do?"
She sat for a moment on the bed and closed her eyes. They popped open after a moment.
"Uh huh!" Angela said. "You got an insight. And it's not to leave him alone, isn't it?"
Her lips curved. "Nope. It's not to see him in person either though. But, it's gonna be good."
Edward
They were getting changed for dinner, and Renesmee wore the most adorable pink gown for formal night. An artificial rose decorated the hair clip on the top of her hairband. They were getting pictures taken and he would see about the dance that followed. Of course, he really hoped that Bella would sit this one out.
"You look very handsome, Daddy," she said.
"And you are as beautiful as a princess," he said, holding his arm out to her.
A knock at the door prompted their attention and Edward knit his brows. Oh, no. It couldn't be Bella, could it? Did she just have some obsession with him and Nessie? Please don't be Bella, he thought, but his heart raced at the prospect of seeing her again. Of looking into those mesmerizing once more.
A peek through the peephole revealed his blonde room attendant, who'd always greeted them enthusiastically. She simply handed him an envelope, asking if he needed anything and then left…leaving him to grapple with his dumb mixed feelings.
"What's that?" Renesmee asked.
"I don't know." His brows knit together as he opened the envelope, and he bristled at the cursive he recognized from Nessie's book.
Edward,
Please take advantage of the grand piano in the lounge. It is being reserved for you during the early mornings from 7-9. (I know people)
Love and Light,
Bella
Beneath her name sat a little smiley face.
Huh. A grand piano…Oh because he told her that he missed composing. And what had she done? Wait. Was this a set up? Why did she do this?
Ness read the note and squealed. "She invited you to use their piano! That's so exciting. Wow, Daddy! How thoughtful! I guess you two got along pretty well at lunch."
"Actually no, Ness."
Her expression fell. "Oh." But then the smile lit up her face. "Well, that's even better. After all that she still made this arrangement for you."
Was it even better? Why did he feel like an absolute wretch now? Wasn't she just trying to make up for the whole video incident? But why? She didn't owe him anything.
Nessie spoke as though she was answering his thoughts. "It's because you saved her from that nasty man, isn't it?"
He exhaled, wishing his daughter hadn't witnessed that. Or that it had never happened.
She didn't wait for him to respond. "Tomorrow, you can go do your thing and I'll just hang out with Joseph."
"You sure are spending a lot of time with Joseph."
"We're both onlies. And there's lots of stuff to do!"
He tucked the card back inside the envelope. "We'll see."
They hadn't seen Bella at the dance that followed dinner, and he wasn't as relieved as he wanted to be. He wondered…if he had seen her, would he have expressed gratitude for the arrangement she'd made for him or pretended she wasn't there? Would he have been able to ignore her presence? Bella Swan was like a specter…able to appear at any moment.
Could he still be upset with her? Was she really trying to make up for not editing Nessie and him out of that godforsaken video? Why did she care whether he played the piano or not? Still, he didn't want to admit to the way he was peeking behind his shoulder and darting his gaze around the room.
After saying goodnight to Nessie, he actually had no intention of going to the lounge. He hadn't played in years…and he couldn't even remember the opening to the song he'd begun so long ago. Plus, he could be having breakfast with Nessie instead. No, he wasn't going to go.
His natural body clock woke him up, though, and energy buzzed through him. Notes played in his head, and he itched to hear them on the piano. Nessie was awake when he got up, and she'd already made plans to meet Joseph's family for breakfast.
"Are you sure, Ness? I feel bad for missing so many meals with you."
She hugged him. "I'll feel bad if you don't go. Please? Go have fun."
He kissed her on the forehead. Go have fun. Who was the parent here? They made plans to meet afterward at the pool.
He located the lounge on the map, his legs carrying him as though on a mission toward the third floor. A hanger, which read Private Party, hung from the doorknob. Was this for him? Finding it unlocked, he entered the dark room and flipped the switch beside the door. The piano bar… a shiny black grand piano sat about 8 feet from the bar and tables and chairs were placed around it. A glass jar that had the word tips in marker sat atop its shiny surface, and he moved it to one of the tables…this would not do. He opened the lid, propping it up with its stand, and then took the seat at the bench. His fingers couldn't wait to run along the keys, and he pulled up the fall board for access to the keys. He found blank music sheets and a pencil with a post-it with his name on it. Bella had done this. For him.
He sat for a moment in silence. What was he doing here? He should be with Nessie…
Just play, Edward!
He closed his eyes, took a breath, and released it. Now, how did that song go?
A second later, the notes took hold, and as his fingers brushed the ivories, the song took over. Minutes passed as he became engrossed in the music, stopping every so often to record the notes on paper. Yes. The exhilaration echoed through his arms, through his hands, his fingers, his feet, engaging with the pedals…until finally a knock at the door shook him from his focus.
A woman in a cleaning uniform called out, "Hello?"
"Hi," he said back, glancing at his watch. It was after 11 already. The time had just flown. He couldn't remember the last time he'd become so engrossed in something that it was like time had stood still. "I'm done…I'm leaving."
She smiled. Apparently, his time was up. He closed the lid, and she told him to leave it as she headed toward him with a can of polish and a cloth.
He took his composition with him and headed back to the room. The notes buzzed in his mind, and the end was so close… if he'd had maybe another hour he could have finished. The feeling stole through him, sweeping through his body with something he hadn't felt in a long time. Joy. Anticipation. Progress.
Nessie and Edward spent the rest of the day together. They'd conquered the miniature golf course; he'd even tried the wave machine and lasted for more than a minute on the surfboard with his daughter cheering. The day had been filled with so many activities, that by the end of it, he'd hardly noticed the time. It was the first time that he'd let go of the seriousness that had taken hold of his essence. He played like a child, and relished in the pleasure of just laughing with his young daughter.
After she went to bed, he sat out on the balcony as the warm air brushed against his face. What a day.
He grabbed his phone, opened up his email, and selected Bella Swan's name. In the subject line he typed in the word Piano. In the body of the email, he considered what to say, to express how much it meant to him that she had done this. He finally settled on a very simple message:
Dear Bella,
Thank you.
Gratefully,
Edward
Bella
Bella couldn't help herself. She didn't want him to see her, so she hid in the back room with the stock of dishes and extra alcohol. As much as she wanted to watch him at work, she merely listened to the music as it rang out from the piano.
The piece was breathtaking, full of heart with a little giddiness to it, and he played just as she imagined, masterfully, as though he'd been an accomplished musician.
Her head sat against the door as she listened, engaged in the bliss of his creation. The magic…that's what he'd been missing. Once he'd given in to it, he flowed like a river.
She'd had 2 workshops to prepare for and set up, and needed to consult the sign-up sheets to see if there would be a need for extra seating.
It was all fun. These workshops, though intended to teach, were an extension of play, and this was what she tried to instill in her participants…the need for play…because there was more to life than the daily grind. Finding joy was the reason for living. And that we were here to seek it out.
Angela met her for a drink in their private lounge later, and Bella took a sip of her seltzer.
"Did he go?"
"Oh yeah."
"You were there!"
"Oh yeah."
"Did he know?"
"No. That would've been too much of a distraction. He needed to be by himself. Just like any other solitary activity like writing or…"
"Do you think he'll be back?"
She nodded. "Oh, I hope so."
"You haven't heard from him, though?"
"How would I?" Probably the same way…he could look for her in one of the workshops…or send a message through one of the stewards. "I don't expect to hear from him, Ange."
"But you want to."
Bella bumped Angela's shoulder. "Maybe."
Angela teased her after that, probably knowing her better than anyone. When Bella was back in the privacy of her room, she dropped onto the bed. Email. That thought had come to her in a flash. Then when she checked it, she found his message. When she fell asleep that night, she pictured Edward's fingers running along the piano, and with a smile she drifted off to sleep.
A/N: Okay, so now what happens since she's cracked that grumpy, hurt exterior? Will try to update when I can. Thanks for reading and for your reviews!