Secrets & Lies

Chapter Eight

Bella

I've never wanted something so bad in my life. Just looking at him, his lips slightly parted, looking at me with such intensity it could melt me. Our lips were so close, just barely grazing each other when reality dawned on me like a punch in the gut.

We can't do this.

It's wrong on so many different levels.

I sigh, defeated and lay my head against his shoulder. Edward sighs as well, but kisses my exposed shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"You're right," he whispers against my hair.

I force a chuckle. It's almost as if he could read my mind. I pull away, patting the tears away with my finger tips and pull my hair behind my ears. Edward cups my face between his hands, gently caressing my cheeks and for a second I fear he has changed his mind and will kiss me. I wouldn't fight it. I want him to take the initiative that way I can stop overthinking, but he doesn't. Instead he places a gentle kiss on my forehead and leans his head against mine.

"I'll drive to the school to pick up the boys," he says, standing from the bed. "I have to pick up Lucy from preschool."

"I don't know..." I think the last thing I need right now is to be in tight proximity with him.

"Bella, you car is still at the hospital. We'll go pick up the kids and then I'll take you to your car." He takes my bottled coke and hands it to me again. "Drink it. I mean it."

"Fine."

Lucy's preschool - which was the same preschool Jaime and Noah attended - was next to the boy's elementary school.

She's such a daddy's girl. Almost as soon as she sees Edward, she jumps in his arms and starts telling him all about her day. She's so bright and beautiful, just looking at her makes you smile. She also tells me about her friends and what they did as we walked to the boys school. I spot Jaime right at our designated spot for picking them up, but Noah is nowhere in sight. Jaime's back is turned to us as he stretches his neck, trying to look over the crowd of kids and parents making their way out of the playground.

"Hey, where's your brother?" I ask him when we're close enough.

"I don't know. His class was let out but I haven't seen him." He scratches his head nervously. "It's been ten minutes."

"Wait here with Edward," I tell him. I jog over to his classroom where Mrs. Cope stands waving goodbye at the students. She smiles when she sees me. "Mrs. Cope."

"Mrs. Swan, so lovely to see you," she said, smiling from ear to ear.

"Hi. Is Noah still inside?"

Her smile drops. "No, he's not. He left as soon as the bell rang to look for his brother like he always does."

Oh... my god...

"But he never made it to his brother."

Mrs. Cope shrugs with a light shake of her head. "That's what he said he was going to do."

"Didn't you watch him and make sure he actually made it to his brother?" I snapped. My heart begins hammering my chest. "He's your responsibility until he is under my care."

"Mrs. Swan, I have twenty other kids I am responsible for and have to make sure they make it to where they're supposed to go. I can't watch them all."

"Oh... oh dear god." I look around the playground flooded with children. What if he's gone? Oh god, what if someone took him?

No! No, no, no, not my little boy. Not my little boy.