Thank you to hollenheist for making this chapter more readable. You could totally not tell that I wrote this last night when I was exhausted. I'm not being sarcastic at all.

Happy reading!

13

When Claire wheels my mom back into her room, Edward and I are there waiting for her in the two uncomfortable chairs under the window. His hand is in mine, his thumb drawing soothing circles. Considering I've already met his dad, it seemed silly to make him continue to wait in the hallway. It wasn't the most opportune situation, but it was happening anyway. Maybe it was better this way; I didn't have time to overthink it.

My mom's eyes zero in on the man beside me as Claire gets her back in bed. Her movements are slow, clearly the events of the night have taken it out of her. Once the nurse has left my mom's attention turns toward us, her blue eyes intrigued.

"Mom, this is Edward." I motion to the man next to me. "Edward, this is my mom, Renee." I introduced them, an air of awkwardness to the room, but it was probably stemming from me. Edward and my mom meeting wasn't something that I thought would happen for a while. Not on the evening of our first date.

Edward stands, going over to my mom to shake her hand, giving her that crooked smile of his that was quickly becoming my favorite thing. "It's nice to meet you. Bella's told me a lot you."

My mom smiles, shooting me a look momentarily, telling me without words that I'd done good. "I'm sure none of it good."

"None of it." He replied, making my mom release a belly laugh, completely winning her over by playing along. If there was one thing my mom loved, it was people that had a sense of humor and would give it right back to her.

"I like you." She says, looking back over at me. "If you don't marry him, I will."

"Mom!" I fuss, feeling my face heat, but she just laughs. Even though I'm embarrassed, seeing her smile after everything she's been through tonight, makes my heart feel a little lighter.

Carlisle made good on his promise of getting us out of the ER as quickly as possible. It was the shortest trip I'd ever had in the emergency room.

Edward, ever the gentleman, drove us back to our apartment, and even helped my mom up the stairs. After her fall she was stiffer, so she was having more difficulty than normal getting up the stairs on her own. I added looking for an apartment with an elevator to my to do list, which just seemed like it kept growing lately.

"Do you want some tea?" I asked my mom when we finally made it inside.

She shook her head. Her face was pale and the goose egg on her forehead was more pronounced than it was earlier. She looked exhausted. "No, I just want to go to bed."

"Do you need anything?" I knew I was being more of a helicopter than normal, but, in my opinion, I had good reason.

"No, baby, I'm okay." She gives me a tired smile before she disappears down the hall, the sound of her bedroom door closing following behind her.

I take a second to take a breath, running my hands down my face, before I turn back to Edward.

"You're just seeing all the facets of my life tonight." I cross my arms over my chest. "I promise it's not usually this eventful."

He chuckles softly, giving me that smile of his, but I find it hard to return it. My mind wanders back over the events of the night, and how I wouldn't blame him if he decided this was too much.

"Hmm," Edward hums, looking at my face with a furrowed brow. "I don't like that look." I drop my gaze from his, hating that everything is always written on my face, and how well he seemed to be able to read me after such a short time.

He takes my wrist, tugging me toward him so my knees are touching his where he's sitting on the arm of the couch. His thumb finds my chin, bringing my eyes back to his. The warmth I find there is like coming home, and my thoughts can't help but go to how long he could stay patient with me. I was a mess, much more than I even realized.

"Talk to me." His voice is so soft, his emerald eyes searching mine, trying to figure out why my mood suddenly changed. "I want to know what's going on in that beautiful mind of yours. There isn't anything you could say that would make me run."

I take a shuddering breath, my mind reeling. How was he so perfect? How was it that someone who had their life together, wanted to be with someone like me?

"I was thinking about how what happened tonight is my life," The words are like razorblades as they come out of my mouth. "And how I can't just drop everything on a whim and jet off. I feel like I have to think about my mom first, because she needs constant supervision. I couldn't even go out for a few hours without something happening to her. I barely want to have to deal with this myself sometimes, and I sure as he'll don't expect someone else to want to, either."

"It's a good thing I'm man that lives by making plans." His words actually make me laugh. "I realize, and understand, that your mom has to come first. I also know that you're used to being the one taking care of others, and it's about time you had someone to take care of you." He pushes some hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering on my neck; my eyes close at the contact. "I'll do whatever it takes to prove to you that I'll always be here. I want to see where this goes, because I like you, Bella. A lot."

My eyes find his and drown in those green pools. "I like you, too."

"Then stop giving me an out, because I'm not looking for one." He gives me a lopsided smirk and I wince a little, because that's exactly what I'd been doing.

"Okay."

"Okay." He brings me into a hug, and I bury my face in his neck.

"You give good hugs." I tell him, breathing in his scent. His grip was firm, but not too tight. I could stay here like this with him for hours and be perfectly happy.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it." He kisses my hair, cementing in my mind that he is in fact the perfect man.

"We didn't talk about your painting." I mention, playing with the collar of his shirt when we part.

"No, we didn't." He thinks for a moment. "I think I want you to paint me anything you want. I want to see what that mind of yours can come up with."

"I think I can do that."

See you next time!