As September rolled in, Edward finally found employment. It took awhile – clerks came much cheaper than Edward was willing to settle for as wages, and in the end, it took Edward's father calling in a few favors and granting a few more for someone to offer Edward a job.
I could tell he wasn't pleased with the situation at all. Though he never said as much, I knew he chafed at the idea of owing anybody anything. He was already bristling at having to ride his father's coattails.
"...And the worst part," he continued to rant as I watched him fiddle with his tie on his first morning on the job, "is that I'm not making nearly as much as I could doing something else, and yet I have to be grateful for 'the opportunity' because it's only a favor."
I struggled valiantly to keep a straight face, because he could see me in the mirror, sitting on the bed behind him – but eventually he noticed me shaking with laughter and scowled – which only made me laugh harder.
"Oh, Edward." I stood and went to him, smoothing down his vest. "It's just a job, remember? It's only until you've satisfied your father, not forever. And most importantly, I'll wait for you. You don't have to make all the money in the world so you can rush me to the altar. I'll still be here."
My pep talk had the desired effect – Edward's mouth twitched in his involuntary smile, and I felt his shoulders relax under my hands.
"Maybe you can wait," he said, "but I'm not sure I can."
"You'll just have to remember that patience is a virtue," I said, stretching up on my toes to kiss him. "And I am, after all, the guardian of your virtue. You'd best listen to me."
Edward snorted, though he held our bodies close together. "I'm beginning to think that you're the lousiest possible guardian of my virtue I could have found. I find myself nearly compromised at every turn."
"Pot, kettle," I said succinctly, pointing to him and myself in turn. "Now, I believe you have approximately twenty minutes. You'd better get moving."
He reluctantly moved away and pulled his jacket over his shoulders. Dressed up like a proper businessman, he did look devastatingly handsome. His navy blue jacket and trousers stood out in perfect contrast to his coppery hair; a striped vest emphasized his lean, solid torso; and the tie was like a ribbon on the beautiful package waiting to be opened. I was no more keen on his leaving than he was.
"I'll see you when I get home," he sighed, kissing me one last time.
"Looking forward to it," I said as I followed him down to the front door. He shot me a grin over his shoulder before he went out into the street.
While the men were gone, Elizabeth tried to teach me to knit. It was incredibly domestic, and I wasn't sure I really liked it. I'd never been very good at domestication.
"Don't worry, it didn't come naturally to me, either," Elizabeth said, struggling not to laugh at the tangled mess I'd made of my yarn. Somehow I'd formed a pile of knots in my lap instead of a row of stitches like I was supposed to have.
"I've never been much good at this sort of thing," I sighed, flexing my tired fingers that had spent hours clutching a needle. "You know, crafty things. All I can really do is cook."
"Well, that's the important one," Elizabeth laughed. "Edward won't mind that you can't darn his socks if he's well-fed."
I sputtered in my shock, to which she smiled gently. "Yes, Bella, I know. Edward told me he wanted to marry you – but even if he hadn't, I would have known. I can read my son like an open book. And that's why I know that you're exactly what he needs. I'm glad to know he'll have you looking after him."
My throat felt too tight, making it hard to breathe. Would she feel the same way if she knew what I was condemning Edward to by letting him remain in the city? "I hope – I hope I can," I finally said, picking at my pile of failed knitting.
"I know you will," Elizabeth replied, patting my hand. "I don't so much mean physically...he is a boy, so I doubt he would ever forget to eat. But he gets so lost in his own head sometimes that he loses sight of the bigger picture. And I think you're just the girl to make him see."
My smile was a little watery, but I couldn't help it. This woman was better than I'd ever dreamed Edward's mother could be, and she was being so kind to me. It would be so very painful to say goodbye to her. "Thank you, so much. For everything."
"There's nothing to thank me for," Elizabeth said. She reached out and picked up my tortured project. "I think we'd better give up on this one."
I agreed wholeheartedly.
When Edward came home, the expression on his face suggested he'd just returned from a war zone. He was exhausted, and a little grouchy to boot. I didn't really mind; compared to one of my Edward's moods, this Edward was just plain cute.
Edward didn't ask permission before sneaking into my room that night, and I couldn't blame him. It would be ridiculous, given his obvious weariness and the scowl on his face, to accuse him of any impure intentions.
"Was it really so bad?" I asked him as he dropped his head onto my shoulder. I ran my fingers aimlessly through his hair; it always relaxed him.
"I suppose it could be much worse," Edward sighed. "I shouldn't complain. But the work is so tedious, and I'm always running errands and taking orders, it seems. I'd rather be doing manual labor than wasting my mental power on this nonsense."
I snorted. "What kind of law is it?"
"Property," Edward said distastefully. "Dreadfully dull. I should have demanded something in criminal law. At least there would be some good stories there."
"You would make a terribly self-righteous prosecutor," I laughed, imagining Edward playing a role on Law and Order. No jury would stand a chance against his persuasive powers.
"I would argue, but I'm too tired," Edward sighed, burying his face in my neck. "Can't I just hide in your bed forever?"
"You could, but I have a feeling someone would think to look for you here. Especially if I stayed with you."
"Hmm..." He was drifting off now. I kissed his forehead and wrapped my arms tightly around him; the need to protect him, to care for him, surged strongly within me. He was so vulnerable, in the human ways and in the ways that plagued my Edward, too, though he tried much harder to hide them. It occurred to me that I'd never done as much as I could to protect my Edward – not from external threats, but from himself. If I got back...when I got back, that would change. I would take care of him like he needed, like he deserved.
The days flew by as I fell into an easy routine. Edward kissed me goodbye every morning and went to work. I would do anything and everything I could to help around the house – as many times as Elizabeth insisted it wasn't necessary, and as many times as Edward said his father had nothing against me, I still felt like a burden, and I didn't want to give any one of them any reason to change their minds about me. So I helped with the cooking and the cleaning, even though Elizabeth continually tried to convince me that the servants could handle it. I ran errands, helped in the garden, and even continued to struggle with sewing and knitting, though I didn't improve much.
Today was September 12th. A day before my birthday, not that my birthday really meant anything in this time. It had only been a couple months since I'd celebrated my birthday in my time. I still didn't know why my wish had meant sending me to July 19th, of all days, but I'd given up on questioning it.
I was off to the fabric shop in a quest for thread. The streets were packed today; it was the coolest day since I'd arrived. I couldn't blame them for wanting to get out.
Inside the store, all was quiet. There were two other women shopping together, browsing through delicate silks. I made my way to the rolls of thread shelved on the other side of the store, browsing through the many different colors. I wasn't sure what to get.
I was debating between two shades of yellow to match the fabric it would be used on when I felt the distinct chill of eyes watching me. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw the last person I wanted to run into today approaching with a smile that was nothing less than feral.
"Bella, I was beginning to despair of ever seeing you again," Norman said, sidling up beside me. I took a step back; he made my skin crawl unpleasantly.
"I've been busy with Edward," I said pointedly, crossing my arms protectively over my chest.
"Ah, yes, Edward," Normal smiled darkly. "I heard he decided to quit school, that he's taken a clerk job. How undignified. Don't you want someone more refined? A girl like you deserves a real man."
I snorted in his sneering face. "I have a real man, thanks. Speaking of, shouldn't you be off at school right now, sneaking naïve young girls into your room?"
"I've already finished," Norman replied smoothly. "I was a year ahead of Edward. Now don't try to tell me little Edward's been satisfying all your needs."
"Nothing about Edward is little," I snapped. "And I'm perfectly satisfied."
Norman leaned back against the shelves with his arms crossed, trying a lazy smile – but it came out as a leer. "Are you sure, Miss Swan? Does he make you scream? Because he's not doing it right, otherwise."
My temper was flaring, and I knew I was wandering into dangerous territory, but he provoked me so. "He's doing it right," I hissed. "And if you don't leave me alone, I swear I'll kick you where it'll make you scream."
It didn't have the desired effect. Instead of running away from me, he laughed aloud. "So you've let Edward up your skirts, have you? I wonder what his parents would have to say if they knew."
I couldn't very well admit that I'd never actually had sex with this Edward when I'd just been defending his prowess, but his threat unsettled me.
"They won't know."
"Oh, but I should inform them," Norman said innocently. "They should know what kind of girl their son is consorting with."
I narrowed my eyes, clenching my fists. I felt my tear ducts reacting, as they always did when I was angry. "They would never believe you over Edward."
"Don't worry, Bella. I can be very persuasive when I need to be. I've done my research, Bella. I know you have no family, no friends. When they kick you out on the street, maybe you'll reconsider your attitude toward me."
With that final threat, he left me. I waited until he'd sauntered lazily out of the store before I turned back to the forgotten thread, tears spilling down my cheeks. He couldn't touch me, I told myself. I would explain what had happened to Edward, and he would understand. Elizabeth would believe us, not Norman. And Elizabeth could convince Edward, Sr. There was nothing to worry about, nothing at all.
But that still didn't stop my hands from shaking a little as I reached for one of the spools, not paying any attention to which shade I grabbed.
Edward poked me in the side, startling me out of my daze. "What's the matter?" he asked, plucking the unread book out of my hands. "You've been distant all evening."
"Oh, um...well...I had an unpleasant encounter today," I admitted, knowing it was useless to resist him. He would wheedle it out of me one way or another.
Edward narrowed his eyes. "What sort of unpleasant encounter?"
"Norman Bouchard," I sighed, watching his fists clench automatically. His neck had gone red; I worried he would do himself injury – or do injury to someone else.
"What did he say to you?" Edward demanded. "Did he...did he make advances on you again? Because I swear –"
"It was just the usual," I cut him off. "He tried to imply again that I wasn't...you know, satisfied, and I...well, I was angry, so I sort of implied that...that you were...satisfying me." Innuendo was such a pain.
Edward's cheeks had gone pink, but it looked as though some of his anger had faded. "And how did he take that?"
I scowled. "He threatened to tell your parents."
Edward considered that for a moment. "That sounds like Norman to me."
"You're not worried?" I asked, looking for reassurance. Edward actually rolled his eyes at me.
"Bella, my parents love you and they trust me. There's nothing at all to worry about. Even if we had...I mean, we are engaged. Not that I would approve of that," he stammered, "but if we were getting married anyway, it wouldn't be much of a scandal...now I suppose you'll really need a ring."
I gaped at Edward, but he'd already begun muttering calculations to himself about his wages and when he would be able to buy me a decent ring. I sighed and took my book back. Leave it to Edward to use a bad situation as an excuse to be even more...matrimonial.
I would have to tell my Edward that he hadn't changed a bit.