This is different from the norm. In all of the stories that I've read or that I've seen, all of the characters are disgustingly perfect unless they are written with very clear flaws. This story is about love (um, duh! Look who's writing it. I'm the queen of romance), and finding it in the least likely place with the least likely person.
Now, this story is based in a hospital. My medical training comes from...WebMD. I'm not a doctor, nor do I claim to be. I'm a music teacher who has a wild imagination and a penchant for all things Twilight (and with this story, added in a mix of ER! I loved Luca Kovac...) Which brings me to my disclaimer: None of this is mine. I'm not, nor ever will be, Stephenie Meyer. If was, I'd be rolling in the dough from her insane imagination that gave us Bella and Edward. No copyright infringement is intended.
Chapter Seventeen
BPOV
"So you just left," Alice squeaked. "You left Alinea. The restaurant that has a year-long waitlist for reservations."
"Yes, Alice," I said. "Your ex boyfriend was being an ass. We ALL left."
"Damn," she said. "I don't get why he's so hell-bent on hating you, Bella."
"I don't either. But, I'm not going to fixate on it. If Jasper hates me, then fine. As long as his hatred doesn't affect my relationship with Edward or his family, then I'm not going to worry about it," I said strongly. "Based off the reaction of all of the Cullen's, I don't think it'll be an issue. They were all pretty embarrassed with Jasper's behavior. I'm also guessing he got a stern talking-to when he got home. He just received his doctorate in history but he's really stupid."
"He is," Alice spat. "He let me go."
"Yes, he did. What moron would want to lose a wonderful woman like you?" I asked, hugging her. As I hugged her, our cell phones rang. We were getting some coffee from Perkalator. I desperately needed since Edward, despite his promise of just one romp between the sheets, was quite amorous. We eventually fell asleep around three in the morning. I had to get up around eleven to get to work at noon. Bella needed lots and lots and LOTS of coffee. And a sex ban from Dr. Sexward Tattward. Unfortunately, no coffee for us. Checking the phone number, it was a text from the ER. "Crap. Apartment fire."
"Ugh, I hate burn victims," she grumbled.
"Me, too. The smell of burnt flesh and hair takes so long to get out of your nose and clothing," I cringed. My phone dinged again and it was Edward. He was called in since it was a mass casualty situation. "Edward's coming in early. It's all hands on deck, Ali."
"Shit," she spat as we walked quickly back to the hospital, minus our cups of coffee. When we got back to the ER, it was already hopping with several ambulances bringing in smoke inhalation victims. They were divided up into the examination rooms with nebulizers and oxygen. The residents and interns took care of those victims while Eleazar, Felix and, ugh, Jacob, worked on the more serious patients.
Alice and I were called in with Felix, Dr. Denali, to work on a young teenage girl who was caught in her apartment. She had burns on her legs, arms and face. Nothing too severe, but enough to char the skin and perhaps garner some skin grafts. Unfortunately, it was her lungs and swelling in her airway that were causing our concern. She was not getting enough oxygen to her body and her pulse ox was dangerously low. To make matters worse, her airway was swollen. We couldn't intubate her due to the swelling and Felix was talking of performing a tracheotomy.
"Dr. Denali," Alice said as she read the girl's lab report. "She's pregnant." Her eyes were wide and nervous.
"How far along, Alice?" he asked.
"Not far. Two months," she replied. "Will this affect the baby?"
"The distress could cause her to miscarry," Dr. Denali said. "We've got two lives to save now. Get OB down here to come down and do a consult." Alice nodded and made the call. I was standing, pumping air into her lungs through her mask. "Bella, we may have to trach. Get the tray ready."
"Yes, sir," I said as I passed of the breathing to one of the nurse techs. I quickly prepped the neck and waited for Dr. Denali's instructions. He looked at her monitors and she was clearly not getting enough oxygen.
"We need to trach her," he sighed. "Are the meds on board?"
"Here," I said as I handed him the syringes with the necessary medications to sedate the patient. Injecting the medications into her IV, she was rendered unconscious and paralyzed.
"Scalpel." I handed him the scalpel and we worked quickly to open up her airway, placing the trach. Once it was in, we attached to a breathing machine. As soon as she was hooked up, her oxygen levels picked up immediately. "Good. Very good."
Edward strode into the trauma room where I was working with Dr. Denali. He was wearing a pair of scrubs and his lab coat. "What do we have?"
"Fifteen year old girl. She was brought in, unresponsive and wheezing. Patient is approximately two months pregnant with smoke inhalation and burns on twenty percent of her body," I began. "Upon further examination, her airway was blocked from swelling. Dr. Denali performed a tracheotomy and her oxygen level is rising."
"Do you need me here?" Edward asked.
"Check with Dr. Sanchez and Dr. Black," Dr. Denali said. "Bella and I have this, right?"
"Yes, Dr. Denali," I smiled.
"You've got one of the best nurses with you, Felix," Edward winked. "Do you know if any more victims are coming in?"
"We may have some of the firefighters, but the victims were brought in here and Lakeshore," Dr. Denali explained. Edward nodded and left, walking to the second trauma room. I saw Jacob's stance tense when Edward entered the room. To say that Jacob hated Edward was a vast understatement. His abhorrence of my boyfriend was made abundantly clear with his scowls, glares and underhanded comments. It didn't faze Edward. He just documented each instance, adding it to an ever-growing file on Jacob's performance in the ER.
Dr. Denali and I monitored the patient. We wanted to see if she or her baby inside of her were in distress. Thankfully, the trach helped tremendously with her oxygen levels. Now, we were focusing on her burns. One of the doctors from the burn unit came down and checked her injuries while we waited for an OB consult. However, since the girl's injuries were no longer life-threatening, we moved her to one of the curtain areas to be monitored. As we worked on her, we got another call that one of the firemen had fallen through a ceiling, nearly thirty feet to the basement. Dr. Denali and I were going to work on that incoming case. We passed the teenage girl to a third-year resident. Alice was going to stay with her until she was admitted.
The gurney rolled in with the fireman and he had already been divested of his heavy clothing. He lay on the stretcher in his shirt and pants, that were cut open. His legs were broken horribly, bones protruding from his skin. In addition to the broken bones, a majority of his body was covered in second and third degree burns, specifically on his arms, legs and feet. "Bella, call ortho," Dr. Denali said. "And get Dr. Cullen in here."
"Yes, sir," I said as I darted into the next trauma room. Edward was pounding on an older woman's chest, trying in vain to get her heart beat back. "Dr. Cullen?"
"Time?!" Edward hissed. "How long without a pulse?"
"Twenty-seven minutes," Ben replied, pumping the oxygen bag for the patient. His voice was weary and incredibly sad.
"Son of a bitch," Edward growled. "Time of death...thirteen-eighteen. Black, you get the honor of notifying the family of her death since it was your mistake that she's dead in the first place." He turned on his heel, looking at me. "Yes?"
"We need you next door," I said quietly.
"Okay," he sighed. With one last glare at Jacob, Edward walked to the trauma room. Dr. Denali and Edward worked quickly on the fireman, stabilizing his legs, intubating him and cleaning his burns. The orthopedic surgeon came down and he took the fireman up to surgery to fix his broken limbs, then passing him off to plastics to further clean his burns and wounds.
By eight in the evening, the storm had settled down and it was quiet in the ER, save for a few random homeless people that were brought in by the police and a few minor cases. The girl had been admitted to the burn unit and was being monitored. She had regained consciousness and was very confused when she couldn't talk. Her family was the woman who had died under Jacob's care and her baby brother. Her brother was brought to Lakeshore but he was suffering from smoke inhalation. He would be released in a few days after several nebulizer treatments. We were looking for more family for the girl and her brother. She had indicated on a whiteboard some other family members. The nurses up in the burn unit were making the calls.
I was getting ready to go and I wanted to say good night to Edward who was still on until midnight. As I walked to Edward's office, I heard the distinct sound of my normally calm boyfriend screaming.
"Jacob, this is ludicrous! You saw on her wrist that she had a medic alert bracelet. Did you take the fucking TIME to even read it before administering the medications?" Edward yelled. "That woman, who died unnecessarily, had an allergy to the antibiotic that you administered. As soon as you injected the penicillin into her bloodstream, you signed her death certificate. Her injuries were not that serious but due to your negligence, she's in the morgue."
"Like you haven't done it before!" Jacob snapped. "No one's perfect, Edward."
"I know that, Jacob, but I've never lost a patient because of an allergic reaction to a medication that was CLEARLY indicated on her bracelet," came the snarling response of my boyfriend. "Until we can have your review of the case, you're suspended. Prepare your defense, Jacob. Contact your union rep because you're in deep. Go home and we'll contact you."
"Am I going to get paid?" Jacob hissed.
"What do you think, Jacob?" Edward said coldly. With a growl, Jacob threw the door open and he nearly sprinted out of the office. He ran right into me, causing me to fall on my ass. He glared at me icily, stomping down the hallway, not bothering to help me up.
Asshole!
"Bella!" Edward called as he jogged toward me. Carefully, he helped me to my feet. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I said as I watched as Jacob slammed out of the locker room. "I landed on my rear. Extra padding and all."
"Isabella Marie Swan," Edward said sternly. He was running his hands over me, checking for injuries.
"I'm perfectly fine. I'm actually going to go," I said as I ruffled his already disheveled hair. He sighed and leaned against my hand. I could tell that he just rolled out of bed and into work. "Slacker, wearing scrubs and not showering."
"What? I was woken up out of a dead sleep to come in for the fire," he snickered. "The hospital should be grateful I didn't show up nekkid! I was sans clothing in your bed, Miss Swan. I swiped a pair of spare scrubs and booked it out of there."
"No one sees your nekkid ass but me," I said, waggling my finger at him.
"Damn right, woman," he smirked, taking my finger between his lips and flicking it with his tongue. His green eyes darkened and his breathing increased. "God, I want you."
"But you can't have me," I said, pulling my finger away. "I'm tired. I'm cranky. I'm sore."
"Shit! I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked, his eyes wide with panic.
"No. My muscles in my legs and back. I'm also a little sore, down there, but not as much as the muscle pain," I said.
"How about I give you a massage when I get home?" he asked, smiling sweetly.
"I'm going back to my place. I'm off tomorrow and I have to do laundry," I sighed. "Then, I'm on for five days straight on overnights. Ugh!"
"I won't be able to see you," he frowned. "Can I come over tonight? I promise, we'll just cuddle and I'll let you sleep. I have to work tomorrow at nine so, I'll be down for the count anyway."
"Okay. Use your key," I acquiesced. Looking around, I stood on my tiptoes, kissing his lips softly. "Love you."
"Love you more," he replied, pecking my lips one more time. "I'll be at your place in a few hours, sweet girl. Oh, and Bella?"
"Yes?"
"Don't put on any pajamas," he smirked, waggling his brows. I glowered at him before turning on my heel to leave. I took the el back to the apartment. Once home, I showered and spent some time paying bills, transferring my older journals onto my computer and listening to some music online. My eyelids were drooping and I decided to get ready for bed. Following Edward's request, I stripped off my clothes, sliding between the sheets.
An hour or so later, I heard my door click open. I was slightly aware of the movement in my room as Edward moved around, removing his own clothes and getting ready for bed. A few minutes after his arrival, Edward slipped into bed with me, wrapping his strong arms around my body. I could feel his warm chest pressed against my back. "I love you, my Bella," he whispered, kissing my ear.
"My Edward," I sighed, cuddling in his embrace. Safely ensconced in his arms, I fell into a deep sleep.
xx APFL xx
The next week dragged. I mean, dragged! Working overnights sucks. It sucks even more when you're stuck working with people you don't necessarily care for. Alice was working days and Angela was out of town for some family thing with her cousin who was graduating from college or something in the Pacific Northwest. I was paired up with Jessica, Lauren and another one of their cronies, a new nurse named Britney. Now, Lauren ignored me for the most part. Jessica and Britney were being bitchy and mean to me.
Couple that with working overnight when you should be sleeping and you've got a miserable situation.
Suffice it to say, I journaled a lot while I worked my stint of overnights.
I dragged my body home after my fifth consecutive overnight shift and I was half-asleep, wanting nothing more than to go to bed for an entire day. I prayed that they were not doing any work on James' apartment because I fucking needed sleep.
As I walked toward my apartment, I noticed Jasper standing outside of my apartment building. He was smoking and pacing in front of the main entrance. What does he want? I wanted to turn around and head to Edward's home, to avoid the confrontation with Jasper. Much to my dismay, he saw me and stomped out his cigarette, jogging over to me.
"Hey Bella," he said somberly.
"Hi," I said curtly. "What do you want, Jasper?"
"Can we talk?" he asked, nervously twisting his hands.
"Jasper, I just got off an overnight shift. The fifth consecutive overnight shift in a row. I'm tired. Can't we do it some other time?" I begged.
"Please? I won't take long. I promise," he said.
"Fine. But, one foul word to me and you will be kicked out of my apartment faster than a blink of an eye. I'm not in the mood for any of your shit," I snapped. "Come on." We rode up in the elevator. It was tense inside of the tiny box. Jasper followed me a few feet behind, shuffling in his flip flops. Unlocking my door, we walked inside and I dumped my bag in my room. "Do you want anything to drink?"
"I'm good," he said quietly, sitting down on the couch. He looked incredibly disheveled. His blond hair in disarray and unwashed. His shorts were wrinkled and covered with several stains. He blew out a breath and looked at me, his green eyes filled with repentance. "I bet you're wondering why I'm here?"
"Kind of," I shrugged, sitting down opposite him. "Though, I wished you had decided to talk to me tomorrow. Or at least called first."
"Sorry," he chuckled. "It's not like I had your phone number programmed in my cell phone. Plus, Edward and I aren't really talking right now. None of my family is talking to me."
"I wonder why?" I spat. "Jasper, I don't know what I did to you to make you hate me so much."
"You didn't do anything, Bella. It's all me," he sighed remorsefully. "You are a sweet girl and you've made my brother so happy."
"Then, why can't you accept me for what I am? I know I'll never be stick thin and based off our interactions, you have an issue with my weight," I growled. "Or is your hatred of me stemming from something deeper?"
"I don't hate you, Bella. I guess part of it is your weight. I used that as the impetus to torment you, but another part of it is me. I'm jealous, Bella," he sighed. "I'm jealous of what you and Edward have..."
"Our relationship?" I asked, arching a brow.Oh, this is rich...
"Yeah. It's like you two are two halves of a whole. I've never seen him like this. Even when he was with Tanya, he was never, EVER this attentive or caring. I mean, he's compassionate since it's in his nature. But, with you, his entire demeanor changes. He'd do anything for you, Bella," he murmured. "I so desperately want it."
"What about Alice? Didn't you care about her?" I asked.
"I love her. I still do, but she said that it would be a cold day in hell if she ever takes me back," he muttered. "I was too horrible to you for her to ever forgive me. It was one of the many relationships that I fucked up because of my jealousy of what you and Edward have."
"Let me get this straight," I said as I shot up, pacing in the living room. "You're acting like a complete douchebag asshole because you're jealous of the relationship that Edward and I have?"
"Yeah. It's lame, stupid and...and..."
"And extremely childish," I laughed hysterically. I'm too tired to be dealing with this bullshit. Really, Jasper? Really?! "So, you begrudge your brother of his happiness, alienate yourself from your family and make me feel miserable because you're jealous? I can't believe you, Jasper. I mean, really?"
"I'm a fucktard," he said miserably.
"To put it mildly," I replied flatly.
"Bella, I want to try and make amends with you," he said. "I want another chance."
"Jasper, it'll take time, if it happens at all," I said coldly. "You've hurt me terribly and I don't want to be hurt anymore. My dad is an asshole. I've had a shit life prior to this and your behavior is not something I want to contend with in the future. I can be cordial toward you if you can't see past what's in front of you and be respectful to me; if you can't get over your jealousy of my relationship with your brother. But, do not expect me to your best friend. What you did to me was incredibly hurtful and I don't think I could ever trust you, Jasper."
"I don't expect that. I know I was an asshole, Bella," he sighed. "I ruined my graduation dinner. I ruined my relationship with Alice. I ruined so many things because of my jealously of your relationship with Edward."
"And that's your problem, Jasper. You have to deal with the consequences of your actions," I said, sitting down exhaustedly on the chair in our living room. We sat in silence as I processed what Jasper had said. He was nervously fidgeting with his t-shirt while I was thinking. With a heavy sigh, I turned to him. "I'm willing to give you another chance, Jasper. But, you have to treat me civilly and not knock me down with your words. Additionally, you have a lot of apologies to make to your family, specifically your brother. He may not have told me in so many words, but he is incredibly troubled about your behavior. He mumbles in his sleep and your name has been mentioned several times. Also, one harsh word and we're done. Do not consider this as an acceptance of an apology. You've got a lot of groveling, ass-kissing and sniveling to do before I can even consider it."
"Okay," he said, giving me a smile. When he did that, I could see Edward's smirk in his expression. "Thank you for giving me another chance, Bella. I promise I'll treat you respectfully, what I should have done in the first place."
"Damn right," I snickered. "Now, as nice as our little 'chat' has been, I need to sleep."
"Right," he laughed. "I'll see you later, Bella."
"You too, Jasper," I said as I led him out of the apartment. I was shocked when he hugged me briefly before he left. He must have noticed when I stiffened.
"Too soon?" He asked with a sheepish grin.
"Way too soon," I said tersely. His grin fell and he knew that he had a LONG way to go to get in my good graces, if it was even possible. With his shoulders drooping, he turned to leave my apartment. I watched him walk down the hallway, mentally scratching my head about the whole interaction. Why did he have this sudden change of heart? Shaking my head, I decided to push this whole thing onto the back burner so I could get the sleep I so desired and desperately needed.
I went inside and stripped out of my scrubs. I made myself a bowl of cereal, fresh fruit and yogurt, nibbling on my 'dinner' before going to sleep. Washing my dishes, I padded back to my room and crawled into bed. I dug around in my nightstand, searching for my eye mask. It was already very sunny and my meager blinds would do nothing to block out the sun.
Unfortunately, I couldn't fall asleep. My mind just kept racing about the conversation with Jasper. Additionally, they were working on James' apartment. After tossing and turning for nearly two hours, I gave up and decided to go to Edward's. He was on today but would be off the following day, along with me. I packed my bag and grabbed a load of laundry to do in his home. I hated going over there with a bag of dirty clothes, but I was running low on scrubs. Not wanting to deal with the el, I hopped into a cab. Ten minutes, I was inside of Edward's house with a load of laundry in the washing machine. I wanted to wait until the clothes were done and switch them over before going to bed. I curled up on the couch to watch some television.
The next thing I knew, Edward was sitting with my head in his lap. He was idly running his fingers through my hair as he watched the television. "Edward," I said sleepily. "What time is it?"
"A little before seven," he answered, smiling at me softly. "I came home to find you curled up on the couch with Maury Povich blaring."
"I was watching the news," I snickered, stretching out the kinks. "Ugh, your couch is not as comfortable as your bed."
"Why were you on the couch as opposed to the bed?" he asked, pulling me close to his body, kissing my forehead.
"I wanted to flip over the clothes from the washer to the dryer before going to sleep," I yawned, cuddling against his chest. "That didn't happen, obviously."
"Well, you didn't do it. I did," he said as he leaned his cheek against my head. "Though, I was pleasantly surprised to see a sleeping angel on my couch."
"I couldn't get comfortable in my apartment," I sighed. "Too many outside stimuli and a lot on my mind..."
"Such as?"
"I had a visitor," I replied, looking at Edward. His brow furrowed and his eyes grew dark. "Your brother."
"Did he say something? I'll kick his reefer-smoking ass if he disrespects you in any way," he said. His temper was rising and his face was getting flushed.
"Edward, relax," I said. "He wanted to apologize."
"Did he sound sincere?" Edward asked derisively. "Because, after his behavior at the restaurant and whatnot, he didn't seem very sincere or genuine about being respectful to you. Asshole!"
"Did he sound sincere? Kind of," I said, pulling my hair into a messy bun. "I think he's more upset that you and the rest of your family are ignoring him. He thinks that apologizing to me will be the cure-all for all his problems."
"Did you accept the apology?" Edward asked, narrowing his eyes behind his glasses.
"Begrudgingly," I answered. Edward's lips pursed and his pale face was growing red with anger. "I don't want to be the cause for the rift in your family, Edward. There is one between you and your brother. Our relationship is the cause."
"I don't trust him, Bella," Edward said quietly.
"I don't trust him, either," I said as I looked at my boyfriend. "But, if this apology will heal the relations between Jasper and your family, then I'm all for it. Despite their anger, I could see the sadness in your parents' eyes stemming for his actions. You know?"
He sighed, scrubbing his face with his hand. He pressed his lips to my forehead and breathed deeply. "Did he say why he was acting like an asshole?"
"Jealousy," I replied. "But, I told him that he needed to talk to you. Get the story from, Edward. Not me."
"I still need time to process what he's done and how he's done it. I'm not ready to forgive him yet," Edward said curtly. "I'm surprised you accepted his apology so quickly."
"I was ambushed. Besides, I just wanted him out of my apartment because I wanted sleep. Unfortunately, that didn't happen so I came here," I snickered. I pulled back and looked at him. He was still pissed off. "Edward, please? Don't be mad at me."
"I'm not mad at you, sweet girl," he said, softening his expression. "I just think that my brother is up to something. He's always been manipulative. Dumber than a box of rocks, but manipulative. He's probably apologizing because he needs something."
"Well, if that's the case, then he'll have to deal with his consequences," I replied. "Have you eaten?"
"I picked up some vegetarian pizza on the way home. I ate a few slices and there's some for you," he answered. "I also got a salad, too."
"I'm going to eat dinner," I said as I got up, heading to the kitchen. Turning around, I smirked at him. "Afterward, I'm going to take shower and I'd love some company. Maybe you'll get a blowjob out of the deal." He perked up, looking at me with a wicked grin. "Such a guy, Edward. Promise of sexual favors and you think with the little head."
"You did offer, Bella," he said.
"Are you thinking about your brother?"
"No."
"Then, I have accomplished my goal," I said.
xx APFL xx
"Edward, I have to get up. Your mom and sister will be here in an hour," I said as I tried, in vain, to get out of Edward's vice-like grip around my body.
"NO! I want to spend our day off together," he whined, burying his nose in my hair. "I haven't seen you in forever, sweet girl." It had been a week and half since Jasper's apology to me and my time with my boyfriend was insanely lacking. I missed him. But, Esme had made an appointment at this local spa called Allyu and wanted to treat Rose and me. Edward had tentatively made plans with Emmett to go golfing but was obviously not wanting to go. Instead, he wanted to crush my bladder with his imitation of octopus.
"Dude, if you don't let go, I'm going to pee in the bed," I said as I tried to wriggled out of his arms.
"Don't care," he pouted. "I don't want you to go."
"Jesus, Edward. You're awfully clingy today. What's up?" I laughed, running my fingers through his thick hair.
"I just haven't seen you very much," he said. "We haven't had a date since we made love for the first time and I'm missing you."
"Are you horny?" I teased.
"Bella, I'm a guy. I'm in a perpetual state of horniness," he quipped. "But, no. I want to have a date with you, baby. I know that my mom and sister are taking you out for some girly-pampering, but I want to be selfish and tell them to fuck off so I can spend time with you. Have some fun in the city, you know?"
"I know that our time together has been sorely lacking," I frowned.
"Bella, this is the first time we've shared a bed in nearly a week and half," he pouted. "I miss you. I want to love you. Make love to you..."
"No dice, Dr. Cullen. I've got a monthly visitor and the last thing I want is your manly bits touching my vajayjay," I said, wrinkling my nose.
"Bella, it's just a little blood," he cooed, nuzzling my neck.
"No, Edward," I said flatly. "I can give you a blow job if you are really wanting some action."
"Not the same," he said.
"Edward, I love you. Very, very, very much, but your mom went through a lot of hoops to get these appointments. I promise you that the next day we have off, we'll do all of the couply things you want to do," I said as I ruffled his hair. "Go golfing with Emmett. Perhaps, you could invite Ben, your dad or your brother."
Edward's nose wrinkled when I mentioned Jasper. They still hadn't spoken since he came to visit me. "Maybe next time," he said flatly. Reluctantly, he released me and fell onto his back. I slipped out of the bed and kissed his pouting lips.
"I'll be back this afternoon, Edward," I said.
"Okay. I'm going to call Emmett and see if he can pull together a tee-time," he sighed. I kissed his forehead and went into the bathroom. I took a quick shower and put on a light summer dress along with a pair of ballet flats. I braided my hair and let hang over my shoulder. After I finished getting dressed, I went down to the kitchen, where Edward was still on the phone with Emmett. He was wearing a pair of khaki shorts and no shirt, displaying his delicious manness. I gently ran my fingers along his tattoo and earned a shudder from him. He shot me a look, capturing my hand in his and admonishing me with his eyes. I wriggled my fingers out of his grip and continued my assault on his tattoo. "I'll call you back, Emmett." He hung up the phone and spun me, pressing me against the fridge. "You are a cruel woman, Swan."
"Why?" I asked sweetly.
"Touching me and getting me all riled up," he growled lowly, swiveling his hips against me. His cock was hard and ready for action.
"I wanted to touch you," I said coyly.
"You know how you touching my tattoo makes me turned on," he purred, ghosting his lips over mine. "Especially with your soft, gentle hands." His mouth descended fully onto mine and moaned as his tongue darted in and out of my mouth. Pulling back, he kissed my neck. "I may need a cold shower, sweet girl." I giggled and sank to my knees, unbuttoning his shorts. "Bella, you don't..."
"Hush and enjoy," I chided as I lowered his shorts and boxer briefs. His stiff cock slapped against his belly as I lowered his clothes. Using my thumb, I spread the small amount of pre-cum that had leaked out. He groaned and leaned against the counter. Slowly, I licked the length of his arousal, tracing the vein on the underside of his straining dick. Looking up at him, his eyes were black with desire and they watched me like a hawk. With a wink, I swirled my tongue around the head of erection, earning another guttural moan. My right hand was wrapped around the base of his body and my left was toying with his balls.
"Bella, God! You look so amazing with your mouth around my cock," he growled.
"Feel good, Dr. Tattward?" I asked as pressed soft, butterfly kisses along his length while my hand began pumping up and down.
"Fucking amazing, sweet girl," he replied.
"What do you want me to do, Edward?" I smiled as I sucked on him like a lollipop. "Soft, slow and sweet. Or hard and rough." He let out a choked groan. I wrapped my mouth around his dick and sucked on it hard, hollowing out my cheeks.
"Oh my, Bella!" he yelled. His hips were moving and it looked like he wanted to fuck my mouth. Looks like hard and rough.
I released him and began pumping him in earnest. "Fuck my mouth, baby," I said seductively.
"Bella, I don't want hurt you or make you feel..."
"I'm telling you to do it, Cullen," I said sternly. "Fuck." Twist of the hand. "My." Tug of his balls. "Mouth." Suck his dick into my mouth. Edward's hand's shot to my hair and he began thrusting his hips. I steadied myself with one hand on his hip while the other was holding the base of his cock, twisting it to optimize what I couldn't fit in my mouth, which honestly was a lot. My man was hung like a fucking horse.
I relaxed my throat muscles to allow him to move easily in and out of my mouth. I suppressed my overwhelming need to gag and bobbed my head in concert with his thrusts. I rolled his balls with my hands, my fingertips grazing the skin behind them. Edward grunted as he felt me. I looked up at him. He was flushed and obviously very turned on as his dick twitched inside my mouth. "Bella, so good..." he choked out. "I'm so close, baby." I hummed and increased the frequency of my bobbing. "Oh, shit! Bel-la...I'm, fuck! I'm coming," he hissed. I wrapped my lips around him as his release shot down my throat. I kept my mouth on his cock, swallowing all he had to offer. It wasn't my favorite thing to do, but Edward liked it and I loved seeing him lose all control.
I released him with a pop and pulled up his boxers and shorts. He slumped against the counter, breathing heavily. I got up and giggled before I went to wash out my mouth with some water. I finished my gurgle and spit routine by the sink when Edward snuck behind me and nuzzled my hair. "You still got your blow job, Dr. Tattward."
"Hmmm, and what a blow job it was," he cooed against my neck. "I want to repay the favor."
"You can. In three days," I laughed. I felt him pout. Turning in his arms, I looked up at him. "You're insatiable, Edward."
"For you," he said as he kissed my nose. "I don't think I could ever get enough of you, my Bella." He bent down and placed a soft kiss on my lips, caressing my mouth with his. His hands were moving along my body before settling on my ass, pulling my hips flush with his. Just as his tongue dipped inside my mouth, the doorbell rang. "God damn it!"
"Sorry, baby," I said as I pecked his mouth. Dancing out of his embrace, I went to the door and opened it up. Rose and Esme were standing on the other side. "Come on in."
"Hi, Bella," Rose said as she hugged me. With a wink, she released me and Esme crushed me into a warm embrace. There was something about Esme's hugs that reminded me of my own mom. I think it's something in a mother's genes that makes them feel warm and loving. I reveled in Esme's embrace until she pulled back.
"You look lovely, Bella," she said as she tucked a hair behind my ear. "Has Edward been treating you well?"
"Yes, Mom," Edward groaned as he walked into the foyer. He hugged both Esme and Rose, getting grief for not wearing a shirt. "My house, my rules. Plus, I could be naked..."
"Ugh! NO! I do not want to see Eddie Jr.!" Rose squealed. "Keep your trouser snake in your pants, Eddie."
Edward and I shared a look, knowing full well that not ten minutes ago he was, for all intents and purposes, naked. "So, what's on tap for today?" Edward asked.
"Massages, pedicures, facials and waxes," Rose replied.
"Oh, goody," I said dryly. "I love getting waxed."
Edward grabbed me and kissed my ear. "You know, I love you getting waxed, too," he murmured against my earlobe, nibbling it slightly. "For me, sweet girl?"
"Edward, quit acting like a caveman," Esme admonished. "Bella can get whatever she wants for our afternoon. If she wants to get waxed, she can. If not, then deal with it. Besides, it's my treat. I want to spoil my two daughters. It's a mother's prerogative to show her love to her children." I stiffened and looked at Esme. Her eyes were twinkling and she was smiling at me. "Come on, Bella. Let's get ready to go."
"I'll be right out," I whispered. "I have to get my purse."
Rose and Esme nodded, leaving the house. Tears were falling down my cheeks. "Hey, sweet girl, don't cry," Edward soothed, wiping my tears away.
"She called me her daughter," I sniffled. "She said she loved me."
"Oh, baby," Edward said as he pulled me into a hug. "My mom adores you. She knows that eventually you will officially become one her children. She's just waiting for me to get off my ass. You know I want to marry you, Bella."
"I want to marry you, too, Edward but it's so soon," I mumbled against his chest.
"When the time is right, we'll know, sweet girl," he said, leaning his head against mine. He pulled back, taking my face in his hands. "You okay?" I nodded. He wiped more tears from my cheeks, kissing me softly. "I love you, Bella. Have fun today with my sister and mom. Emmett and I have a tee-time at one at a par-three course in Itasca. We don't want to make fools out of ourselves. So we're going to warm up there. I should be home by four or five."
"Kay. I love you, too," I said, brushing my lips against his. "Wear sunscreen."
"Yes, dear," he laughed. I rolled my eyes, picking up my purse and heading outside. In the driveway was a massive Range Rover. Esme was pointing to the passenger seat and I clambered into the seat. Rose was sitting in the back.
"Thank you for driving, Esme," I said quietly, shooting her an appreciative smile. "I would have been fine meeting you there."
"Nonsense," she said with a wave of her hand. "More time to talk."
"You mean gossip, right?" Rose snickered from the backseat. "You want the deets from Bella about her and Edward. I just know it."
"Okay, that too," Esme said with a wry grin. "Edward's been pretty tight lipped about his relationship with you but I know that he's over-the-moon happy and completely head over heels in love." Esme looked at me with a look of happiness. However, the light dimmed in her eyes and a frown replaced the smile. "I also owe you an apology on behalf of my middle child. The way Jasper acted at dinner a few weeks back was embarrassing and I want you to know that we didn't raise him to be like that, Bella."
"Esme, I know that it's not your fault," I said.
"No, Bella. I've never been ashamed of any of my children but when Jasper acted that way, I was ready to crawl into a hole after I slapped some sense into him," Esme said sternly. "The day after the dinner, we called Jasper over to our home and explained that if he didn't clean up his act and start treating you respectfully, his trust would be closed to him. He wouldn't get his monthly allowance."
Wait, what? I knew his apology was too good to be true. He wants his fucking money.
"Bella, you're flushed," Rose noted. "And you look pissed off."
"Oh, I'm pissed," I said curtly. "A couple of weeks ago, Jasper bombarded me at my apartment. He begged for forgiveness. I thought he was sincere, but in light of this new information, he wasn't. He wanted his damn money."
Esme's lips clamped together in a grim line. She reached for her cell phone and dialed a number. "Walter?" she barked. "You know what I mentioned to you earlier this month? Do it. Please inform Jasper of our decision and that if he wants to receive his trust, he needs to change his attitude and behavior. Thank you." She hung up the phone and took my hand. "We'll talk to Jasper."
"I don't him to get in trouble," I said, feeling slightly ashamed at what I just admitted.
"Bella, he brought this on himself," Esme said sternly. "His prejudicial behavior toward you and his cruel words sealed his fate."
The rest of the drive was spent in an uncomfortable silence, save for the quiet music being pumped through the car. Esme pulled up to a fancy spa, Allyu, and used the valet to park the car. We walked inside and were greeted by some friendly staff. After checking in, we were ushered to a locker room and given fluffy robes and fuzzy slippers. I was quiet as I changed, putting my dress and flats into the locker. Esme left and Rose walked up to me. "You look upset, Bella."
"I am," I said quietly, sitting down on the bench.
"Why? My asshole brother was being a jerk and this is how he's going to get his punishment. He's cut off," Rose shrugged as if it was nothing.
"Rose, he apologized. His reasoning behind it was unclear. He could have been sincere," I said as I nervously fidgeted with my braid.
"Knowing Jasper, he wasn't. When his gravy train was threatened to be taken away, he got scared and put on a good show, to make you believe that he was ready to accept you," Rose said angrily. "Such an ass."
"He's going to blame me for the money," I said as I hopped up, pacing around the room.
"He better not. His behavior toward you is the reasoning behind it, Bella," Rose said as she hugged me. "You need to relax and enjoy the day with me and Mom. Put Jasper out of your mind. We'll cross that bridge of his apology and the seriousness of that apology later. By the time you're done here, you'll be a bowl of mush."
"Okay, I'll join you in a few minutes. I need to go to the bathroom and calm myself," I said as I squeezed her.
"Journal?" she asked.
I nodded. "I promise. I won't take long, Rose." She kissed my cheek and left me to quickly write my thoughts in my journal. I pulled out the third in the set from Edward, having filled up the other two. Turning to the next available page, I began scribbling my thoughts and fears of what had transpired in the car.
May 30th, 2013
Have you felt like you were stuck between a rock and a hard place? That's where I'm at right now. Early last week, Jasper had come to my apartment, begging for forgiveness. I was unsure at the time if he was genuine and was hesitant to give it to him. However, he was persistent and I caved. Despite his behavior, I want him to be a 'good guy' since he is Edward's brother. He's also Rose's brother and Carlisle and Esme's son. It's not like I'm NOT going to see him. He's a part of the family of the man that I love. I figured I could be a bigger person and give him a second chance.
I think I was mistaken.
Fast forward to today. I'm sitting in a locker room of some fancy spa with calming music, incense and massage therapists. I'm anything but calm. I'm actually a hot mess. I'm upset and nervous because today, Esme said that if Jasper wouldn't change his tune, he was going to be cut off from his trust fund. I put two and two together and I assume that is why he apologized to me. There was no sincerity. He just wanted his damn money.
I feel like a fool at bowing to his will so easily. I should have went with my gut and told him to fuck off when he was standing outside of my apartment.
Today, Esme called her banker or something, effectively cutting Jasper off after I told her about the apology and the timing of it. She assumed the same thing as me and she put her plan into action. She still cut him off. What if Jasper seeks retribution, blaming me? What if comes and spews more hate about me? Will Edward finally realize the mess he's gotten himself into? A girl who has singlehandedly broke up his family? '
I don't know what to do.
My thoughts were broken by my cell phone beeping. I picked it up and saw a text from Edward. Heading onto the links. The phone will be off, sweet girl, but I wanted to say that I loved you very, very much. I'll see you tonight after you get beautified with my mom and sister. Xoxoxo – Edward
I tapped out a response, saying that I loved him too. Silencing my phone, I put my journal into my purse and walked out to the reception area of the spa. Esme, Rose and I were getting massages first. I'd never had a professional massage before. Edward had rubbed my shoulders or massaged my feet but he's not a professional masseuse.
An hour and half later, my limbs were the consistency of jelly and I felt amazing. My mind was still churning from the events in the car, but my body was incredibly relaxed. Plus, the masseuse used a special technique to aide with cramps and bloating. I loved her. I wanted to come to her whenever I had my little friend. My cramps were gone and I didn't feel like a damn whale.
Next on the agenda were our facials, followed by waxing. I was hesitant to get my poon waxed since I had my period. The aesthetician said that it was paid for but I could come back once I felt comfortable. I made arrangements to come over the weekend.
The last treat was pedicures and manicure. I declined the manicure since I washed my hands so much at the hospital. The color wouldn't stay on for more than a day, maybe two at most. Besides, my nails were short and manicures didn't work on short nails, in my opinion.
As we sat in the chairs, getting our pedicures, Esme turned to me. "Are you okay, Bella? I feel that what I did to Jasper upset you and that was not my intention."
"I'm fine. I'm fearful that Jasper will blame me for what happened to him," I said quietly as I rolled the bottle of nail polish I had chosen in my hands. I picked red. Just for Edward. "Do you really think that he apologized to me as an ulterior motive?"
"I do," Rose said as she flipped through a gossip magazine.
"Bella, I love my son," Esme began. "However, he knows ways to manipulate the system to make it work for him. You know?" I bit my lip and continued to look at her. "He's not as bright as Edward or Rose, so he learned quickly to use his other strengths to get ahead in life."
"He did receive a doctorate in history," I said.
"Yes, he did. However, it took him nearly six years to complete the program when it should have taken about three to four," Esme explained. "Bella, do not feel any guilt for I did to Jasper. If he was smart enough, he would have saved part of his monthly allowance leading up to now. He'll be starting to teach in the fall and he should have enough to last until he gets his paycheck or until he apologizes, seriously."
"What we get as a monthly allowance from our trust is the equivalent of some people's salaries," Rose snorted. "We get roughly ten grand a month from our trusts. Edward and I invest our allowances. Jasper was the only one who spent it."
I gulped and stared at Rose, shocked at her admission. Edward got an additional ten thousand dollars a month, in addition to his salary from the hospital? Damn.
"You look surprised, Bella," Esme said as she reached over to me.
"I knew Edward was well-off, but not that well-off," I squeaked.
"Edward doesn't like to flaunt his money," Rose said. "He's the most reserved with his inheritance. Nearly all of it is invested in stocks and money markets. About half of mine is invested and the rest is in an account for when I start medical school."
"Have you heard from the other schools, Rosalie?" Esme asked.
"Everyone except Chapel Hill," she replied. "I've been accepted everywhere so I'm excited." She smiled tentatively. "I can't wait to finally start. I'm actually going to take a few classes over the summer to get back into the swing of things."
"Where are you going?" I questioned. "I know you were up in the air with your decision."
"I've decided to go to Johns Hopkins," she answered, blushing slightly. "I was this close to going to Northwestern, but Johns Hopkins has an amazing psychiatric program and that's what I want to focus on in medical school."
"Have you told Emmett?" Esme asked.
"I have and he said that he'd support me in any decision that I make," she said quietly. "I really like him and I know that he'd do anything for me, but I don't want him to move his whole life because of me."
"Rose, that boy loves you tremendously," Esme said, looking at her daughter.
"We're not even dating. I don't know what we are," Rose sighed. "I'm so afraid that I'm going to clam up when he tries to do anything besides hold my hand or hug me."
"You take control, Rose," I said. "If you want to be kissed, you kiss him. Not the other way around. I'm certain that Emmett will understand that you need to be in control of your physical relationship. Edward was amazing and let me call the shots about our relationship and even though we've crossed that bridge, he's still letting me call the shots."
"Any grandbabies anytime soon?" Esme asked, waggling her brows.
"Mom!" Rose snickered.
"No, Esme," I stammered out. "I'm on birth control and I'd like to be married before I have children, if it's even feasible."
"Do you have girly issues?" Rose asked.
"No, not really. I'm on birth control to regulate my cycle. If I don't, it's pretty erratic," I shrugged. "We've got a long way before we start thinking about kids."
"Don't keep us waiting too long," Esme said with a knowing smirk. I blushed and hid behind my hand. We finished our manis/pedis and left the spa. Esme treated Rose and I to a late lunch before driving me back to Edward's home. He wasn't home and his cell phone was still off, indicating that he was on the golf course. I checked in his bedroom to see if I had scrubs for work tomorrow. Thankfully, I did and I decided to stay the night.
Even though I had eaten a late lunch, I decided to cook some dinner for Edward. It was something light: chicken stir fry and some vegetables. As I was working on completing the rice, I heard yelling outside of the kitchen door.
"Jasper, you need to stop! " Edward yelled. "This is not Bella's fault. You can't keep blaming her for everything that goes with you!"
The door flew open and a very angry Jasper stomped inside, followed by a sun burnt Edward. "You! What did you say to my mother?" he growled.
"Jasper, you need to come the fuck down," Edward hissed, pulling him away from me.
"I fucking apologized to you, Bella. You accepted it," he snarled. "What did you say to make my mom cut me off, you bitch?!"
"I guess this answers my question," I spat. "I doubted your sincerity in your apology. I figured I'd give you the benefit of the doubt and accept it. However, the motives behind your apology were strictly selfish. You didn't mean it. You just wanted your money. Why else would you be pissed off at me? Jesus, Jasper! You are an asshole and you are a selfish prick who thinks only of himself."
"That's why you apologized to her?" Edward asked, his voice deadly calm. "Did you mean any of it, fucker?" Jasper didn't respond. He just glared at me. With a growl, Edward reared back and punched Jasper's face, causing him to stumble onto the kitchen table, smashing into a million pieces under his weight. "Get the fuck out of my house, you selfish douchebag."
"This isn't over," Jasper grunted as he got up. He dusted off his clothes and left Edward's home, slamming the door as he did.
Edward turned to face me and he was in obvious pain, both mental and physical. He was cradling his hand. "Come here, Edward," I said, my voice leaving little to argue with.
"I'm fine, Bella," he said as he walked toward me. "Jasper just has a hard head." He held out his hand and his to knuckles attached to his ring and pinky fingers were getting swollen.
"Edward, this doesn't look good," I said, grabbing some ice and a towel. "It could be broken."
"It's not. I didn't feel a crunch," he said as I put the ice on his hand, earning a low hiss. "Damn."
"Edward, you're going to the ER and getting his x-rayed," I said, my tone harsh and leaving little room for any discussion. I turned off the food and tossed it all into the fridge. "Keys?"
"Right pocket," he said. I reached inside and grabbed his car keys. I swiped his ID, my ID and purse, shoving him out the door. I drove us to the ER and was greeted by Angela.
"Hey, Bella. Hi, Edward," she said. "You guys are off today."
"We're not here for work," I said flatly. "Edward punched his brother's face and I think he broke his knuckles."
"It's just a bruise," he said, arching a brow at me. He took off the ice and grimaced. The swelling had doubled in size. "Or not. Shit."
"Come on, Bruiser," Angela snickered. She took Edward's arm and a new chart. She walked us to one of the private examination rooms. She took his vitals and made note of them on the chart. I wanted to help but Edward wouldn't let go of me. His left arm was wrapped around my waist. "Dr. Denali, Dr. Crowley and Dr. Newton are on. Which one do you want?"
"Felix," Edward replied.
"Okay. We'll be back in a bit," she said as she left the room.
I wrapped my arms around Edward's neck. He smelled of sunscreen, sweat and the outdoors. It wasn't his usual scent but it still was appealing. His hair was covered by a Cubs hat and his polo shirt was the same color blue as the hat. "You didn't have to punch him, Edward," I whispered in his ear.
"Yes, I did. He's a fucking idiot to think that his ruse wouldn't have been found out," Edward sighed, kissing my neck. "He's an even bigger idiot by yelling at you in our home."
"Knock, knock," came Felix's voice. Edward pulled his mouth away from my skin and looked up. His arm was still firmly planted around my waist. "Hi, Edward, Bella."
"Hi, Dr. Denali," I said politely. He shot me a look, arching his brow over his glasses. "Sorry, Felix. It's a force of habit."
"It's okay," he chuckled as he sat down, taking Edward's hand. "Can you wiggle your fingers?" Edward did but he grimaced. "Make a fist, if you can. Don't push it if it hurts." He was able to make a loose fist. "Okay, let's get an x-ray. You may have chipped the bones in your knuckle or have fissures in the bone."
"Do I need a cast?" Edward grumbled.
"Probably a brace," Felix said. "And you can't perform any procedures until the brace is off. But, we'll get a better idea of what's going on in there after the x-ray." We walked to radiology and had several films taken of his hand. Felix gave Edward a mild pain-killer. It honestly made him a little looped since Edward didn't usually take medications. He was very touchy-feely in his drug-induced stupor. It was cute. Kind of. When he goosed me as Felix walked in, I wanted to hide in the corner of embarrassment. "I take it that Edward's reacting to the medications," he laughed.
"Yeah," I said as I laced my fingers with Edward's. "Behave, Dr. Cullen."
"Kay," he slurred drunkenly. "You're pretty, Bella. So pretty." He smiled at me as Felix chuckled. The x-rays were put on the light box and he pondered the results.
"Well?" I asked. "Is it broken?"
"No and there are no fissures," Felix said. "I'm still going to put him in a brace for two weeks because he may have some muscle damage."
"Can he work?" I questioned.
"He can supervise but he can't perform procedures until the brace is off," Felix said as he grabbed a black brace from the storage closet in the room.
"I can always take off the brace," Edward snickered. Felix rolled his eyes and put the brace on Edward's hand.
"You're off tomorrow, Edward," Felix said sternly. "If you come in, I'll be forced to send you home."
"Technically, I'm your boss. You can't send me home," Edward said as he pointed to Felix.
"If you can't do your job, I can," he said as he patted Edward's shoulder. "Your hand will hurt and you need to take some more of the medication I gave you. Do you think you treat patients right now?"
"Probably not," he said, scratching his head. "Who'll cover for me?"
"I'll do it," Felix said. "Go home, ice and take one of the pain killers before bed and another when you wake up. If you need another one, take it prior to bed but use over the counter medications after that, okay?"
Edward nodded. Felix handed me the medications and we left after we got the discharge instructions from him. I drove us back to Edward's home and we headed inside. I reheated the dinner and we ate quietly. Edward was a bit sloppy since it was his right hand in the brace. Half of his meal ended up on the floor. As he ate, I began cleaning up the broken table in the kitchen.
"Bella, stop," he said as he put down his plate.
"It's not going to clean up itself," I said as I put down the random leg I was holding. "You think the cleaning fairies are going to make this magically disappear?"
"I'll clean it tomorrow," he said as he tossed the leg onto the ground. "Come." He took my hand and led me into the music room. He sat down and pulled me against his chest. I wrapped my arms around his neck and nuzzled against his shoulder. He idly rubbed his hand up and down my back. "I'm sorry about Jasper."
"I'm sorry about your hand."
"This will heal. My relationship with my brother? That's on shaky ground," he said as he tightened his hold around my waist.
"You're not as loopy as before," I said as I pulled back.
"I think my body adjusted to the pain meds," he said. "The food helped, too." He brushed my hair away from my face. "Bella, I can see you thinking. I know that you think that Jasper is going to ruin our relationship."
"Isn't he? I mean, he's your brother," I said.
"And you're my life," Edward replied fervently. "Do not doubt my love for you because my brother is a moron."
"I don't. I know you love me, but I hate that it's because of our relationship that there's this rift between Jasper and your family," I said quietly.
"He created the rift. But you need to know that there are three constants in this situation. Number one: my parents and my sister love you like you are a part of the family. Number two: I love you more than I could ever possibly express. I want everything with you, Bella. My brother's small-mindedness will not deter me from getting that. And number three: I guarantee that before the new year, you will be my fiancée, if not my wife."
"Is that a proposal?" I quipped.
"No. You'll definitely know when I propose. I will not be half-looped on pain medication and in sweaty clothes I wore on a golf course. I will have the engagement ring of your dreams and I will be able to make love to my reason for existing," he said as he pressed his lips to mine. "Now, I'm injured. Can Naughty Nurse Swan give her favorite patient a sponge bath?"
A/N: Bites lip...well? What did you think? I hope you liked it. This chapter was a bit tough to write. Not that it had touchy subject matter, but I just couldn't get into a groove, ya know? Anyhow, picture teasers (from Allyu) are on my blog. Additionally, extra teasers are posted on my Facebook page: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation and on my twitter: tufano79.
Up next will be some clues as to who posted Charlie's bail. I know I promised it in this chapter but it ran away from me. Also, we'll get some resolution with the Jasper situation, possibly? Finally, out of our antagonists: Jasper, James, Jacob and Charlie, which one do you think can be redeemed and be the good guy? Leave your suggestions in my reviews. Hugs!