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The Practice of Love	By : belladonnacullen Category: Twilight Series > AU/AR > Het > Het Views: 2642 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or make any money from this story.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
BPOV, con’t

“Hello?”

“Mama!”

“Baby, are you okay?”

“We comin’ to get you, mama.” This call was coming a couple of hours earlier than I expected. The plan had been for Rosalie and Nessie to pick me up from the party later in the evening. Jake was a nut about car seat safety, and when I tried to take Nessie’s seat out of my car this morning, it seemed like it had been welded into place. Given the fact that Jake worked in a garage, there was a very real possibility that it was, in fact, welded to the car. So, it had simply been easier for Rosalie to take my car to drive Nessie to Jonah’s birthday party.

I’d taken the train, and Rosalie, after seeing my boss’s fancy address, had offered to pick me up. I’m sure it was just to help me out; it couldn’t have had anything to do with her weaseling her way into an exclusive party, uninvited.

“Is everything okay, honey?”

“Jonah getted sick, and then a turtle peed. He peed on Rosie!”

“What?”

“A turtle peed, I said!” Nessie repeated insistently.

I held the phone away from my ear. Nessie’s voice was loud enough that I’m sure even Edward could easily hear. Edward! I’d almost completely forgotten about him. I turned around, but he was nowhere to be seen, almost as if he had actually been a fantasy.

“Mama, a turtle peed!”

I put the phone back to my ear, looking around the backyard for Edward, feeling sad and uneasy all at once.

“Right, uh, Nessie, I heard you, baby. Could you put Rose on?”

“Rosie’s angry, mama,” Nessie whispered in a voice that was much louder than her normal speaking voice.

“Put Rose on, baby,” I repeated, a little impatiently.

“Isabella?” Rosalie nearly growled.

“Rose, what’s going on?”

“Can we pick you up, early, Bell?”

“Uh, really? How early is early?”

“Why do you sound disappointed? I thought you didn’t want to go to this thing. I figured we’d be doing you a favor.”

As I continued to scan the yard for Edward, Emmett caught my eye and started making his way over. I fought the urge to duck and hide. Actually, leaving early was probably was a very good idea. I’d had enough close encounters with Emmett for one afternoon. I’d made a good impression on the boss and his wife. I hadn’t spilled anything on my dress. And then there was Edward. My stomach flip-flopped as I remembered kneeling in the grass with him just a minute ago, the feel of his breath on my face as he said, ‘fucking perfect.’ He’d given me more than enough material to keep my fantasy going for weeks.

Meanwhile, my real life was on the other end of the phone. The life where I’d have to make Nessie dinner, and then do at least two loads of wash so we both had something to wear in the morning. The life where Jake was going to come home hungry and grumpy that he’d had to work a weekend shift, and had missed the Mariners game this afternoon. The life where I was supposed to be finding a lawyer to deal with my crazy ex.

I sighed. “It’s fine, I guess. You’re right, I’ve put in my time.”

“Then why does it sound like I just took your cake and ate it too?”

“No, it’s just, well… it’s been more --” I jumped as two enormous hands began to massage my shoulders.

“So tense,” Emmett whispered in my free ear. I swatted his hands away while I tried to put some space between us. “Emmett, I’m on the phone,” I hissed.

“Sure, pretty doc, just wanted to let you know Alice is bringing out dessert.”

“Thanks,” I said, dismissing him with a strained smile.

“Alright, Bella. I’ll catch you later,” Emmett said, giving me a playful, and thankfully, very gentle punch to the arm.

“Was that a guy, Bella? A guy named Eh-mmett?” Rosalie asked on the other end of the line, referring to my slip-up the other night when I almost gave Edward’s name away.

“No! I mean yes, his name is Emmett, but it’s not --”

“Eh-mmett? And you suddenly don’t want to leave? Oh my god, Bella! We’re, like, ten minutes away. I’ve got to see this guy!”

“Rose, it’s not --” But before I could get another word out, Rose hung up.

Well, to hell with dessert, I had about ten minutes to get out of there. I couldn’t let Rosalie into the party thinking Emmett was the guy I had a crush on. One glance at him flirting with me and I’d never be able to convince her that Emmett wasn’t my fantasy man. And it’s not like I was going to introduce her to Edward. Whatever I felt for him, he was still my patient, and Rosalie knew way too much about his case.

Right. Edward was my patient, and I had a boyfriend. Holy crap, I really needed to go.

I found Carlisle and Esme easily. Carlisle asked if I could come in early the next morning to review some of the cases I’d covered while he was away. I agreed with a sinking feeling in my stomach. Surely, Edward’s name would come up, and I didn’t know how I’d be able to handle that discussion in a professional manner. Then Esme invited me to dinner the following week and I accepted happily, until I realized I was unconsciously hoping that Edward would be there too. Fuck! I really had to leave. Being at this party was hazardous to my sanity.

I looked around for Alice, but I spotted her in the far corner of the yard with Sasha and Emmett. I wasn’t touching that with a ten-foot pole. I wanted nothing to do with Sasha after how she’d treated Edward. And once Emmett found out I was leaving, I knew I’d have to deal with a very insistent football player trying to force me out on a date. No way I was dating the boss’s son and lusting after his nephew. Not to mention, Swan, that YOU HAVE A BOYFRIEND!

After completely freaking myself out with my inability to remember Jacob for more than five seconds at a time, I retreated to the house to find my purse. Alice had stashed them all in the front room. I idly wondered what that room would be called, a parlor, or a day room, or maybe a drawing room?

I didn’t notice the tall, leggy blonde standing with her arms folded across her chest until I nearly bumped right into her in the parlor, or whatever it was called. I stopped short and I think my mouth might have fallen open. She was easily six feet tall and she was wearing one of those outfits that you wouldn’t think people wore in real life. I think I’d seen something very close to it in a Nair commercial, actually. She had on a pink-checked button-down, open low enough to show off her considerable cleavage, and it was tucked securely into a pair of tight, short shorts. Red sparkly teardrop earrings, a thin red patent-leather belt, patent-leather peep-toe pumps, and cherry red nail polish completed the ensemble. And she was looking at me with pity, like I was a small bird that just ran into a window, or something.

“Fuck.”

I’d know that ‘fuck’ anywhere. Leggy blonde and I both turned to glance at the owner of the velvety voice.

Edward was red-faced and obviously trying really hard not to glare at the blonde, his hands deep in his pockets. I could see just a little bit of the waistband of his boxer briefs peaking out from the between his T-shirt and his jeans. God, what was wrong with me? Stop staring at the man, Swan!

“I’m sorry, excuse me, I was just leaving,” I mumbled, turning around and pulling my purse out of the small pile as unobtrusively as possible.

“You’re leaving?” Edward asked.

“Um, yeah, I have a ride coming,” I said, glancing over my shoulder at him. I thought he looked disappointed, but it could have been because I’d walked in on him and the blonde.

“You haven’t answered me, Edward,” the blonde cut in, like Edward and I hadn’t said anything at all.

“Can’t this wait, Tanya?”

“Oh, yes, we always work around your schedule, don’t we?”

“I should go,” I said to no one in particular, trying to scoot out of there inconspicuously.

“Tactful, Tanya. Very fucking tactful,” Edward growled.

“You’re one to talk about tact, asshole.”

“That’s enough.” Edward’s voice was clipped and sounded hollow. “I will not have this out here, not today.”

I didn’t intentionally listen as I made my way down the hall, but it was impossible not to, as their voices grew progressively louder.

“Then maybe you shouldn’t have come.”

“This is my family!” Edward shouted.

“I’ve been coming here since I was ten years old, you fuckface! You think you can walk out on me and I’m going to rearrange my life for you? That I’ll just cut these people out of my life to make you feel better? I’m not the one in this relationship that does that.”

“I thought I explained --”

“After everything I’ve fucking done to make you feel better! All the shit I put up with, in the hopes that you would fucking feel better, and you never fucking did! And somehow that’s my fault!”

“Tanya.”

“Go to hell, Edward!”

I heard the loud click of high heels stomping in my direction. I’d made it as far as the kitchen, but I didn’t think I could get to the back door without having Tanya run me down. So, I ducked out of the way and pressed my back against the sidewall by the breakfast bar. I don’t think Tanya even noticed me as she strode out into the backyard with black eyeliner streaming down her face.

Holy crap! That had not been part of my fantasy. I sunk into the nearest chair, my heart thudding audibly in my chest. It was obvious that Edward had just broken up with that woman. But why did it feel like I’d been punched in the gut? The answers dangled in front of me, each more unappealing than the next. Firstly, if that was the kind of woman that Edward dated, he would never be interested in me. Secondly, if that was the kind of woman Edward dated, I shouldn’t be interested in him.

Which shouldn’t have mattered at all, because I had a boyfriend. But it mattered, a lot. And I was crushed, sitting in the chair, playing with the strap of my purse. Damn!

“Sorry you saw, or fucking heard all of that. Fuck, Bella, that was the last thing I wanted.”

My head shot up to see Edward, his hands still in his pockets, biting his bottom lip, looking off out the back window.

“I wasn’t paying attention. I didn’t mean to walk in on you two.”

“We were in the sitting room. It’s not like you burst into a bedroom.”

It was called a sitting room. And I didn’t want to even think about Edward and that woman in a bedroom.

He was still staring out the window, and I was pretty damn sure he was staring at the tall, leggy blonde bitch. I could hear her sobs drifting into the kitchen from outside. I squeezed my eyes shut reflexively, as if that would block everything out.

“I should fucking leave,” he muttered. I opened my eyes and looked at my hands. I still had that little folded piece of paper clutched in my fingers.

“Hey, Edward?” As soon as I’d said his name, Edward’s eyes connected with mine. God, I loved his eyes.

“This is yours,” I said, placing my hand on the tabletop, holding the folded prescription in my fingers. “I, um, added the thing about shoes. It did seem important, in the grand scheme of things, you know.”

My heart skipped a beat when that funny lopsided smile made its reappearance. I couldn’t help hoping that maybe I’d made him feel a little better, at least for the moment.

“Thanks.”

“Sure.”

Edward seemed to hesitate a second before he walked across the room, and he kept sneaking glances at me, like he didn’t have permission to look at me anymore, or something. I stood awkwardly to my feet, knocking into the chair I’d been sitting in so that it clattered against the wall.

The barest hint of a smile still hung around his mouth, but in those big green eyes I could see pain and embarrassment, and that other look, that haunted look I’d seen in the lab that first day we’d met. It took everything I had not to wrap my arms around him and to tell him that everything would be all right. That the blonde he’d been fighting with was a bitch, and that he could do better.

But something told me that he actually cared about that woman, and that he didn’t want to hear that she was a bitch. He wanted to know that she was going to be all right. Damn. I felt the telltale sting in my eyes that let me know tears were threatening, and I blinked quickly to make sure that didn’t happen. My god, I was such a basket case. I was taking one of my patient’s break-ups personally.

“What’s wrong?” Edward asked quietly.

I shook my head and shut my eyes, trying to smile a little, and I held out the little scrap of paper. “I’m an idiot.”

“Fuck, Bella. We’ve just met, but you might be the smartest woman I know.”

I felt his fingertips brush against mine, and god, that spark was still there. His hand trembled and his fingertips curled just slightly so that they held onto mine for much longer than necessary. I think, anyway. I couldn’t really be sure, because in my mind, I grasped his hand and crawled onto the table to get closer to him. Winding my free arm around his waist, our lips met, our tongues met, and his hand was knotted in my hair, pinning my face against his, pressing my back down against the tabletop as he climbed on top of me.

But really, we stood in the kitchen, our fingers touching across the table, my eyes closed, as I tried not to cry. Yes, I was an idiot, and for so many different reasons.

“Hey, Bella?” he whispered. “Cheer up. Don’t forget about your shoes, and the cheeseburger I saw you eating earlier. That’s two out of the five ingredients for happiness. Don’t tell me our list is a crock of shit.”

I opened my eyes to see a tall, gorgeous man staring at me with bemused concern, no matter that he’d just been through a cancer scare and an ugly break-up. He wasn’t a fantasy, he was someone real, with real problems, and a really messy life, and a real habit of swearing, from what I could tell. And he was really fucking beautiful.

“There, that’s better,” he almost whispered. And looking into his eyes, it was better.

“I should go find Emmett. If I stay it would only fuck things up for everyone.”

“Okay.”

“Will you be okay?”

“I’m leaving too. Just waiting for my ride.”

“Bella?” Edward and I both jumped a little and turned to see Esme at the back door, smiling from ear to ear. “I found you! You have to come out and see this!”

“I should actually, maybe, wait out front, Esme. I’m catching a ride home.”

“They came through the back way, dear. That’s what I wanted you to see.” Esme motioned for Edward and I to come out.

The music got louder the closer we walked to the door, and I realized that while I’d been inside it had changed from smooth jazz to Vampire Weekend. It was one of Nessie’s favorites. She had very adult taste in music, thanks partially to me. Without any little brothers or sisters or cousins of my own, I didn’t really know any kid music. Instead, I’d sung her Death Cab for Cutie and REM to get her to sleep as a baby. It had worked just fine, as far as I could tell; she just preferred college radio to Raffi.

The first thing I noticed as we stepped into the backyard was Sasha and Irina huddled around a table with Tanya, holding her hands, stroking her back and talking in soothing, hushed voices. Laurent, Irina’s fiancé, glanced over at Edward and shrugged his shoulders apologetically. On seeing Edward, Sasha whispered in Tanya’s ear, and the two of them stalked off towards the back of the yard.

“Fuck,” Edward muttered again.

Then I spotted Rosalie and Emmett a couple tables over, their heads bent together, talking conspiratorially. “Oh no,” I murmured. That was exactly what I’d wanted to avoid. What if she mentioned the prescription, or the office visit, or the fantasy? That wasn’t good at all.

And someone was missing. “Wait, where’s Nessie?”

“Who’s Nessie?” Edward asked, turning those man-pretty eyes on me, and for a second, I was transported back to my dream - minus the car, and me straddling him, of course.

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you, dear,” Esme explained, patting me on the shoulder. “She’s over there.” Esme waved her hand towards the corner of the yard where Alice had set up an improvised dance floor. It hadn’t been in use when I was out here before, but now guests were crowded in a circle, clapping and bopping to the music.

“She’s precious, Bella! How old is she?”

“A daughter?” Edward asked, disbelievingly. He looked shocked, like I’d just given birth right there, or something.

“And she’s got quite a personality… She told us exactly what she wanted to dance to. It turns out that she and Alice share the same musical taste.”

“She loves to dance, and this is her favorite right now,” I explained, craning my neck, trying to catch a glimpse of her.

“That’s just what she told Alice and me. She said she wanted to hear the new Vampire Weekend. Not the old one, mind you. And then she informed us that the music we had on was for poopy people.”

I cringed, unsure how Esme would take the poop talk. If you gave Nessie enough sugar, she was like a four-year-old Andrew Dice Clay. Coming straight from a birthday party, there was no telling what she’d let rip.

“Sorry,” I offered.

“Please, don’t apologize! It’s wonderful to have a little one around here again. At the rate these three are going, I’ll be dead and buried before I have any grandchildren to speak of.”

“It’s not like Emmett doesn’t give it his all,” Edward remarked. “He’s like a force of nature.”

I eyed Emmett and Rosalie, and sure enough, Emmett had reached across the table to hold one of Rose’s hands in his. I didn’t understand how a guy could seem so good-natured and sleazy all at once. Rosalie saw me looking at her, and quickly pulled her hand away and jumped to her feet. I couldn’t help but wince as I noticed her soggy, brown-splotched mini-skirt.

“Edward, do you think you could help me move some things from the car to the house?” Esme asked, brushing invisible lint off his chest. I had a flash of momentary jealousy that she got to touch him so casually like that, but then reminded myself that she was his aunt, for god’s sake.

“Of course.”

“Excuse us, Bella,” Esme said, looking back at the cheering crowd and laughing a little. As she left with Edward, I heard her whisper in a hushed voice, “Edward, dear, what in heaven’s name happened with Tanya?”

Wow, this break-up was a real family affair. But then, I thought about what might happen if Jake and I broke up, and I understood completely. My dad would be crushed; Mr. Black was his best friend in the world. And Jake and I were godparents to his sister Rachel’s newborn daughter. I bit my lip and fought off tears I couldn’t understand, again. Why the hell was I acting this way?

“So, I was just talking to Eh-mmett over there,” Rose said, taking me by surprise. I’d been so lost in my thoughts, that I hadn’t even seen her walk over.

“Would you stop calling him Eh-mmett?” I grumbled.

“Bell, your fantasy was just hitting on me,” she hissed.

“He’s not my fantasy! I’ve been trying to tell you that.”

“So, are you saying that your mystery man isn’t here?” she asked, eyebrows raised, arms across her chest.

“Yes?”

“Seriously, Bell, you need to take lying classes, or something.”

“Fine, he’s here,” I admitted. “But he is not Emmett Cullen! Don’t you think I would have picked up on the fact that he had the same last name as my boss?”

“I guess,” she allowed. “You’re sure it’s not Emmett?”

“I think I should know who my own fantasy is.”

With that comment, Rose’s face lit up and she smiled bigger than I’d seen in years. “Whew! Because the guy was all over me, Bell,” she whispered.

“Yeah, I hear he gets around.”

“I wouldn’t mind getting around that,” she mumbled.

“Rosalie Hale, what did you just say?”

Rose’s cheeks turned a pale shade of pink. Honestly, I think it was the first time I’d ever seen her blush. Then she looked away so that I couldn’t see her face.

“He’s going to give me a ride home.”

“What?” I was flabbergasted.

“Bell, I’m covered in soda, kiddy vomit and tortoise piss. I can’t stay here another second.”

“We don’t have to stay, Rose. I just have to extract Nessie.”

Rose raised her eyebrows and nodded towards the dance floor. Someone had moved a table into the middle and Alice and Nessie were up there together, shaking their backsides at the crowd. “You’ve got your hands full with that one, Bell.”

“Don’t I know it.”

“Listen, it’s going to take a little while getting Ness out of here. Don’t rush it. University City is completely out of the way for you. I, um, really don’t mind,” Rose added with a sheepish shrug of her shoulders.

“Really? That guy?” I asked, nodding towards Emmett. In response, he got up from his seat and flashed a smile at me, or Rose, or both of us. Who could tell, really?

“It’s just a ride, Bell. Now shut up, or I’m going to launch an investigation to root out the real mystery man at this party. It shouldn’t be hard: he’s gorgeous, with a name that begins with ‘Eh.’”

And she would, too.

“Fine. Just stay safe, okay? From what I’ve seen, Emmett’s got more hands than an octopus.”

“Don’t worry. I’m wearing natural man repellent,” Rose laughed, as she gave me a quick hug and jokingly tried to brush her soggy skirt against my dress.

“Rose!” I yelped, jumping out of the way.

We both giggled and turned to look at Ness. She was bowing to the applauding crowd, and I could just hear her saying, “Thank you. Thank you very much.”

“Ready babe?” Emmett asked, winding his arm around Rosalie’s waist. Really? He’d just tried the same move on me not two hours ago. So much for the man repellent.

“All set. See ya', Bell.” Rose gave me another quick hug.

“Bye, doc,” Emmett said with a wave and a wink. I shook my head. Emmett had nerve; I’d give him that. And I didn’t get Rosalie’s behavior at all. After turning down dozens of seemingly nice guys, she was interested in Emmett? Emmett Cullen might have been even worse than Royce, if you asked me. Well, except that Emmett probably couldn’t fit inside a closet, so there could be no supply closet quickies with him. That was a plus, I suppose.

I shook my head as I made my way over to the dance floor crowd. Alice and Nessie were gyrating to “Sexy Back”, and I couldn’t help giggling at Nessie’s mash-up of ballet and hip-hop moves. I thought only a four-year-old could get away with something like that, but Alice was copying Ness with remarkable grace, making the dance look practically legit.

As soon as Nessie saw me, she started jumping up and down. “It’s mama, Alice! It’s mama! Mama! Mama!” Nessie waved frantically and people stepped back to let me through. Nessie jumped off the table and into my arms.

Words began immediately pouring from Nessie’s mouth as she hugged me tight. “I see’ed elephants, and giraffes, and a polar bear, and a really, really, really big turtle!” Nessie held her hands out wide for emphasis. “And then I danced with Alice and peoples watched me like I was on a big stage! The turtle peed on Rosie!”

“I think it was a tortoise,” I commented, giving her another hug.

Nessie scrunched her eyebrows together, confused. “No, a turtle. It had a shell for a home. And it peed and peed and peed all over her,” she giggled.

“Nessie! Rose was upset about that.”

“But it was funny!” Nessie protested.

“Hey, where are you taking my new best friend?” Alice laughed, making her way towards us through the dispersing crowd. Her forehead was glistening with perspiration, but she looked as effortlessly chic as ever.

“That’s Alice, mama. She’s a good dancer.”

“And so are you, Vanessa! Not to mention your daring fashion sensibility,” Alice chirped, twirling a finger through one of Nessie’s curls. “I love what you’ve got going on here.” Today Nessie had paired a fuchsia tunic with navy polka dots, with knee-length plaid shorts, and pink Chuck Taylors. It was one of her more conservative looks.

“Carlisle says you’re leaving early,” Alice said, giving me the same pouty look she’d given Esme in the driveway.

“I guess. I thought I was, anyway. My friend Rose --”

“Got peed on by a turtle!” Nessie snickered, covering her hands with her mouth. I smacked her lightly on the back of the head, reminding her that it wasn’t nice to laugh at other people’s misfortune. Nessie scowled and squirmed out of my arms.

“But she just, uh, got another ride home.”

“Emmett?” Alice asked, narrowing her eyes. I guess it made sense that she’d figured it out; she had known Emmett his whole life.

“Yep,” I agreed. “Alice, should I be worried about--”

“Mama!” Nessie suddenly shouted, interrupting me in mid-sentence.

“Baby, say ‘excuse me’.”

“'Scuse me! 'Scuse me!” Nessie said, dancing at our feet.

“What is it, Nessie? And you don’t have to shout, baby.”

“It’s a secret,” she hissed urgently, still dancing, waving her arms wildly to try to get me to stoop down so that she could whisper in my ear.

“Sorry, Alice,” I said, dropping to my knees. But Alice dismissed the interruption with a wave. Alistair happened to walk by and she grabbed his arm and dragged him out onto the dance floor, where she literally started dancing circles around him.

“I gotta pee, mama,” Nessie hissed in my ear, pressing her thighs together. “I gotta pee a lot.” We just barely managed to get her on the toilet in time.

“Why there are two potties?” she asked, before hopping off the toilet seat.

“That one’s not a potty. It’s bidet, I think.” I’d seen one once when I was in Europe with James, just before medical school.

“What a bidet is?”

“Well, after you poop, you can sit on it, and it shoots water up your butt to clean it.”

Nessie started laughing so hard that she tottered where she sat. “Water up my butt,” she laughed, toppling off of the toilet seat, and falling onto the floor. She hit her knees on the tiles and her laughter promptly turned to loud wails. I had to try not to laugh, myself.

“Baby, are you okay?” I asked, picking her up off the floor, checking for obvious injuries, helping her to wipe and pull up her pants, all at once.

“That potty hurt me! I want to use the other potty instead.”

“Ness, you just peed. And that isn’t a potty.”

“I want water on my butt!” she cried.

“You don’t need to use the bidet, sweetie.”

“Pa-lease! I. Need. The. Bidet!”

“Come on, Ness. Let’s wash your hands.”

“I wanna play with dat! I wanna play with the bidet!”

“Vanessa, the bidet is not a toy. Now let’s wash your hands!”

“I don’t wanna!”

Well, now that Rose was gone we could technically stay longer, but Nessie was rapidly approaching full-blown breakdown mode. At the end of a long day, after a birthday party at the zoo, and then dancing for everyone at the Cullens’, it wasn’t surprising. “Come on, Ness, let’s get a move on,” I said, picking her up, and positioning her hands under the stream of water.

“I don’t wanna move on!” she whined.

“I know baby, but we should get home. Jake’s going to be home soon.”

“I wanna stay!”

“We’ll make Jake some dinner.”

“I don’t want dinner!”

“And we can watch a video before bed.”

“No—o-o-o-!”

I heard footsteps in the hall momentarily pause by the bathroom door before continuing on. “Come on, Ness. Let’s pull it together.”

Nessie had dissolved into a whiny, clingy, sobbing mess, her little hands wrapped around the edge of the porcelain sink, her feet stomping on the tiles. Another set of footsteps walked past the bathroom door. I really didn’t want to leave everyone with a last impression of me yelling and wrestling a screaming and kicking child into the car.

There was one thing that I knew would help in this situation. I hated to do it.

“Do you want cherry water ice, Ness?”

Nessie’s foot froze in mid-stomp, and she looked up at me with wide, wet eyes. “I want cherry ice,” she quietly whined.

“Then be a good girl, and no more whining, and listen to mama, and then we’ll get you ice before we go home.” It wasn’t my finest moment, but I wasn’t above bribery in situations such as these. I grabbed Nessie’s hand and pulled her down the hall and towards the front entry. I’d already said my goodbyes, and I didn’t want to risk bringing Ness out back again, where she might get pulled into dancing or eating, and we’d have another scene on our hands.

Nessie pranced next to me, chanting, “We gonna get cherry ice, we gonna get cherry ice…” I pulled my keys from my pocket, opened the front door, and nearly tripped over Edward sitting on the front step, his head held in his hands.

“Edward!”

“I’m gonna get cherry ice!”

Seated, Edward was eyelevel with Nessie, and as he turned around, Nessie’s chubby little face was right in front of him. “I’m gonna get cherry ice!” she repeated.

At first, Edward’s expression was hard and flat, but when he looked at Ness, a little of the light returned to his eyes, and I saw the twitch of a smile on his lips. He cocked his head to the side and opened his mouth just a little, like he was about to say something. But no words came.

“You pretty,” Nessie cooed.

Like mother, like daughter, I guess.

“Ness, boys are handsome.”

“But his eyes are pretty, mama,” Ness said looking up at me. Edward glanced up at me too; and there was no hiding his smile now. And he did have the prettiest eyes I’d ever seen.

“Ness, this is Edward, Alice’s cousin. Edward, this is my daughter, Vanessa,” I said. Edward blinked a couple times, before he looked back at Nessie again.

“I Nessie Swan.”

“Nessie?” Edward asked.

“Her nickname.”

“Jake did it,” Nessie explained. “He gived it to me.”

“I like it,” Edward said, smiling.

Nessie smiled big and pressed her cheek to her shoulder in her best, exaggerated cute look.

“You’re like a tiny version of your mom.”

“No, I not,” Nessie said in a singsong voice. “I big, not tiny.”

Edward grinned and looked between Nessie and I. “Still, I bet one day, you’ll look just as… just like… your mom. But with curls.”

“Okay,” Nessie allowed. “And I’m gonna have cherry ice!”

“All right, Ness. We’ve taken up enough of Edward’s time.”

“No problem there. I’ve got time to spare,” Edward laughed bitterly.

“Wait a second, Emmett left you here?”

“There’s a train in an hour,” he said, shrugging.

“You’re going to wait out here for an hour?”

Edward gave a wry smile. “No, the walk to the station should take about twenty minutes.”

“Do you want a ride?”

“What?”

“A ride? You shouldn’t have to sit out here.” I was indignant. I wasn’t about to get into the family politics of it all, but it seemed completely wrong that the Cullen’s nephew should have to sit outside, while his ex and her posse got the run of the place. Unless, whatever he’d done had been so inexcusable that Esme had asked him to leave. If that was the case, should I even let him in the car with my daughter?

“I don’t have to sit here, I chose to. I should have known she’d still come,” Edward half-mumbled to himself, shaking his head.

No, I couldn’t believe he’d done anything wrong; the irrational part of my brain wouldn’t allow my fantasy to fade that completely. Choosing my fantasy over the reality that was staring me in the face was dangerous, a much more sober and sane portion of my brain piped up. Shut up, I nearly hissed out loud to my sober and sane self.

“Come on, Edward. I’m sure you have better things to do than wait on the porch.”

“Like cherry ice!” Nessie cheered, jumping up and down between the step and the lawn. Cherry ice! Ewoord, come get cherry ice!”

“But I don’t like cherry ice,” Edward chuckled.

Nessie’s mouth fell open and she stopped jumping. “Why not?” she almost whispered.

“Well, when I was little, I liked watermelon instead.”

“Eeww!” Ness scrunched up her face in a look of pure disgust.

“To each their own, little Bell,” Edward said, rising to his feet. My heart fluttered in my chest as I watched the muscles shifting underneath Edward’s clothing, and once again I had to hold myself back from touching him: his chest, his waist, his hip, anything. That annoyingly sober part of my brain warned me that this ride was a very bad idea, but I thought about that blonde bitch, and the crowd of sympathetic people surrounding her, and I couldn’t leave him stranded here. After all, if my friend hadn’t gone home with Emmett, Edward wouldn’t have this problem in the first place.

“I’ve got to warn you, there are rules if you ride with us.” I couldn’t believe I was speaking with such a calm and steady voice, given the war raging in my head and the palpitations in my heart.

“Rules?”

“What are the car rules, Ness?”

“No candy or gum, or nothing that’s gonna stick to the seats.”

“Hardly a problem,” Edward laughed, reaching out for Ness’ hand.

“And no bad words,” Nessie added, skipping along the path.

I raised my eyebrows challengingly, and couldn’t help but smile.

Edward rolled his eyes, then glanced down at Nessie and squeezed her hand. “I’ll try my best.

“You say bad words?” Nessie asked.

Edward shrugged. “Sometimes.”

“Mama used to say bad words when she drived. I tolded her it wasn’t nice.”

Edward grinned at me. “Dr. Swan, I’m shocked. Friggin’ shocked.”

“Is friggin’ a bad word, mama?”

“Don’t push your luck, Edward.”

“I’m pushing it already, Bella.”

xXxXx

It took longer than usual to get situated in the car. Ness wanted Edward to buckle her into her seat, and he’d obviously never seen a car seat in his life. I noticed that he sat down somewhat tentatively in the passenger seat, as he eyed the odd assortment of plastic toys and game pieces at his feet, and the pile of papers, compacts and lip gloss in the front console.

“Sorry for the mess,” I said, pulling away from the curb and heading for the nearest Rita’s.

“No, uh --”

“I wanna listen to music,” Ness shouted from the back seat.

“Okay, baby.”

“Ewoord’s music!”

“Baby, I don’t know if Edward has music.”

“Do you have music, Ewoord?”

“She means an iPod. I have a dock,” I clarified.

“I do, but it’s --”

“Pa-lease! Pa-lease, Ewoord!” Ness interrupted.

“I don’t know, Bella. I don’t think --”

“Pa-lease?” I could hear the mounting urgency in Nessie’s voice. She was about one minute from dissolving into irrational tears.

“Listen, Edward, she’s tired. And if you want a decent ride, let’s just put your music on for a minute. Otherwise, this,” I said, nodding back towards Ness, “ this is going to seem tame, and you’ll have to watch me switch into mean mom mode.”

It looked like Edward was considering whether or not to say something, but then he forked over his iPod Nano without another word. I popped it onto the dock and turned on the radio. Edward had been listening to loud, poppy nineties skater punk. I could almost place it. It was a little heavy, but I looked back to see Nessie bopping her head.

“Dance, laugh and play.
Ignore the message we convey…”

“Bella, I don’t know. I think --”

“We’re knee deep in shit! … And I don’t care any fucking more! …”

Nessie opened her eyes wide and puckered her mouth in a little “o”. I immediately turned down the volume. “I want Ewoord’s music back!” Ness whined.

“Maybe the next song?” I suggested.

“Firestorm, My Ass?” he laughed. “I don’t think so. Maybe we should listen to something of yours, instead.”

“Mama likes a Smiths,” Nessie piped up.

“The Smiths?” Edward looked surprised.

“What’s wrong with The Smiths?”

“A celibate vegetarian moaning about how he wants to die? That brings you joy?” Edward asked, turning his whole body so that he was facing me. God, even with Ness around, even in my messy car, even as he challenged my musical taste, the space between us was still charged and my body buzzed.

I shrugged. “I started listening to them in high school.”

“So did I. I bought Meat is Murder when I was thirteen. I was a sucker for vegetarian anti-establishmentarianism. Guess I wasn’t thinking about joy.”

“Maybe Ness can help us out.” I glanced back into the rearview mirror. “Ness, Edward wants to listen to something happy. What do you think is happy?”

“Carby!” she shouted.

“Carby? Is that like Barney?”

“Hardly.” I flipped through my iPhone and scrolled to Discovery, popped it in the dock and hit play. Electro pop bubblegum dance music filled the air, and Nessie started shouting along in the background, remarkably in tune. She knew more words than I did.

“But, wait
Oh, it's much too late
Oh, and I cannot be walking home
Until I've found my love…”

“Dance, Ewoord!” Nessie shouted from the backseat.

He couldn’t help smiling at Nessie’s antics. No one could, really, as her curls flew and she sang along, slapping the arms of her seat in time with the beat. But she kept her eyes on Edward, waiting for him to dance.

Edward glanced at me and raised his eyebrows. I shrugged my shoulders in reply. “You heard the girl. Dance, Edward.”

Edward began cautiously bopping his head and I shook my own head a little in sympathy. But I had to stop watching as I navigated a tricky set of turns.

“Yay! We’re all dancing!”

Edward chuckled, and I felt that little twinge again. You know, that twinge. Even with my daughter in the car. Yikes. I gulped and glanced at Edward out of the corner of my eye. He was almost completely turned around towards Ness, shimmying in his seat and thrashing his head. Nessie’s moves were more frenzied than ever as they spurred one another on. Well, a car seat dance-off wasn’t exactly my fantasy, but it would definitely suffice.

As the song faded, Ness clapped and cheered and I could feel her almost humming with anticipation. “Carby” was only the beginning of her game. I bit my lip, glancing quickly at Edward and he smiled back at me - an unabashed, breathtaking smile. He was having fun.

“Slang Tang’s next, right mama?”

“Uh, Ness, I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, right now.”

“Why-ee?”

“Umm,” I watched Edward running his fingers through his hair, pushing it out of his eyes. It was a mess after the head banging. “Ugh, I mean, uh, okay,” I stammered.

The next song began with a slightly slower, dancehall beat, and Wes Miles, accompanied by Nessie, lamented that he was going to have to change his sheets.

“Sticky, sticky, sticky, sticky, sticky, sticky in my bed,” Ness and Wes loudly complained together.

I felt my cheeks blushing scarlet, and I kept my eyes on the road. Edward immediately began to chuckle, but after another chorus about sticky sheets, his sincere, uncontrollable laugher practically drowned out the embarrassing lyrics. Nessie, encouraged, sang even louder, and Edward laughed harder.

“I need to wash, I need to wash, I need to wash my sheets or I’m’a go insane.”

Finally, the song ended, and Nessie clapped and cheered again. I glanced over to see Edward wiping the tears from his eyes.

“You don’t think I’m a bad mom, letting her sing that?”

“I think you need to put that shi-, that stuff on YouTube.”

By this time, I’d pulled into the Rita’s parking lot. Edward managed to get Nessie out in half the time it took to get her belted in. He was a smart man, I decided. Well, maybe not with relationships, but clearly I’d seen him and Tanya at their low point. I decided to try to withhold judgment. Maybe once upon a time, they were spectacular together. But I didn’t like that idea either, and decided to simply banish Tanya from my thoughts completely.

Edward held the door for Ness and me, and by the time he made it to the counter, Nessie was already chatting with the counterperson, ordering a kid’s sized cherry water ice, and telling her about Rosalie and the turtle pee.

“And for you?” the teenager behind the counter asked me.

“A small mango ice.”

“You, um, sir?” the girl asked Edward with wide, starry eyes. I couldn’t blame her for a second. I’m sure it wasn’t everyday that someone like Edward walked into the store.

Edward seemed almost embarrassed as he ordered a watermelon ice and pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. Lucky wallet, I thought to myself. My thoughts stalled on Edward’s back pocket, or more accurately, what was underneath that layer of worn denim, and I realized too late that he intended to pay for all of us.

“Edward, no, I can pay.”

“Not a chance. I haven’t laughed that hard in years. It’s the least I could do.”

We settled on a bench underneath a tree, Nessie seated between the two of us, swinging her feet and humming Discovery songs as she happily got to work on her ice. The sun was starting to set and it was finally cooling down. The light breeze felt almost nice. I watched as Edward hesitantly took a spoonful of his water ice. I half expected him to spit it out on the sidewalk, but I relaxed a little after I saw him swallow and go in for another bite.

“So?” I asked, placing my plastic spoon in my cup, and leaning back on my hands.

“Just like I remembered it,” he said, staring into his cup. It looked tiny in his big, well-manicured hands.

“Like one of the seven circles of hell?”

“No,” he whispered, glancing up to meet my eyes. “Sweet.”

I felt like I was caught all over again, and I was powerless to look away. I gulped, Edward bit his bottom lip, and Nessie sang the lyrics to “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” under her breath. Edward put his cup down, and slid his hand along the bench behind Nessie, until it was covering mine. I held my breath as I felt his warmth bleed into my skin, race up my arm, and ignite me from the inside out. Edward smiled a little and I leaned in towards him, over Nessie’s head. “Hey there,” he whispered.

A car backfired as it passed on the street, and it broke the spell. All three of us jumped a little. Nessie tumbled backwards, and Edward and I caught her in our arms. We righted her and mopped up spilled cherry ice with some paper napkins, and Edward and I peered at one another sheepishly.

“So, let me get this straight,” Edward said, suddenly studying his ice again. “You won’t let Nessie listen to music by vegan anarcho-activists, but you’ll let her listen to songs about boys with sticky beds?”

“Maybe he spilled juice in the bed,” Nessie offered. “Or syrup.” Edward and I both laughed and Nessie looked pleased.

“Yeah, Edward. Who says the song isn’t about syrup? What’s wrong with syrup?” I challenged.

“How exactly do you think the syrup got into his bed?” Edward laughed a little.

God, was he implying what I thought he was implying? He smiled at me, and looked away laughing, taking another bite of his ice. He was. He definitely was. And it was indecent and hot, and my daughter was sitting between us.

“How long has it been?” I asked.

“Since?” he asked, his eyes twinkling. There was a good chance he thought I was still talking about syrup. Had there really been syrup in his bed once? Or maybe there’d been something else sticky? My subconscious screamed out possibilities: honey, whipped cream, Jell-O.

“Since your last watermelon ice?” the saner portion of my brain answered.

Edward shook his head a little, and studied the tiny cup in his hands. “Twenty-five years.”

“Holy cra -, I mean, wow.”

“My mother used to take me.”

“Your mommy likes cherry ice?” Ness asked.

“Orange, actually.” Edward looked at Ness, and she wrinkled her nose in disgust. Edward laughed a little. “I don’t like artificial orange flavoring either, Little Bell.”

“So let me get this straight,” I teased. “No to artificial orange flavoring, but yes to artificial watermelon?”

Edward shrugged, took one last enormous bite of his ice, and then tipped the cup to his lips to slurp the last of the syrup. “Yes to the syrup. Do you have a problem with that, Bella?”

I found it hard to look away from his lips, glistening with sticky sweetness. God, how I wanted to taste them. I gulped, and looked back at my nearly empty cup. There was no way I was in any shape to answer.

“I done!” Nessie called out.

xXxXx

By the time we had Nessie strapped in her seat again, she was completely passed out. I watched as Edward pushed the curls out of her face before he quietly shut the back door, and checked to make sure that it was locked.

“Where are we headed?” I asked, as he settled into the front seat.

“Do you know Spruce Hill, over in West Philly? Near 43rd and Pine?”

“Sure, I used to live near there. Are you, uh, a grad student or a professor or something?”

“No, I’m staying with Emmett. I’m kind of… homeless at the moment.”

“Oh.”

As we made our way to Falls Bridge, I popped the iPhone back into the port. Discovery’s re-mix of The Jackson Five’s “I Want You Back” was on.

“I like this. It’s definitely happy music. Nessie was right.”

“So was Propagandhi. But I couldn’t keep the swearing on with Nessie. She’s like a parrot with a sponge in its beak. I’d get a phone call tomorrow from her camp counselor saying that Nessie was telling the kids she was knee deep in shit. She gets in enough trouble already, without that.”

“You knew who it was?” Edward seemed impressed.

“It took a couple minutes. But sure. Less Talk, More Rock is a classic. I didn’t know the song you played, though.”

“It’s off their first album.”

“Oh. I guess that was before my time,” I giggled. Edward rolled his eyes. “So, uh, Alice says Emmett has something to do with football?”

“He’s a coach at Penn. He played for the Eagles a few years back.”

“Well, I guess that explains things.”

“What things?”

“Rose is a big Eagles fan. Never misses a game, season passes, the whole nine.”

Edward nodded his head knowingly. “Don’t worry. It’ll be the sweetest break-up she’s ever had.”

“Excuse me?” I was immediately offended for my friend.

“But you’d think that after all these years, maybe I’d have learned something from him.”

“No, no, wait. Back up. You just assume Emmett’s going to break up with Rose?”

“It’s nothing personal, I just know Emmett.”

“And I know Rose. There’s a very good chance Emmett won’t even get her number, let alone more than one date.”

“Oh, I bet there’s going to be a date.”

“You’re on, Masen. What’s the bet?” But Edward didn’t answer. As we came up to a stop light on Baltimore, I turned to see Edward studying me, his head cocked to the side. He might have been biting the inside of his cheek instead of his lip this time.

“An indulgent meal,” he said in a voice so soft and low that it blended with the quiet hum of the engine.

“What?”

“Indulgent food, in moderation. The winner’s choice.”

“Uh…”

“An indulgent lunch,” he quickly amended, seeing my hesitancy. “I’ve enjoyed our lunches.”

Holy crap! He was asking me on a date. Oh my god! What had I done? What was I doing? I’d never done anything like this before. I’d completely led him on, and I’d completely wanted to, and I wanted to go out with him, and, and… and… I took a deep breath.

“Lunch? Edward, listen, I didn’t mean to… I wasn’t… I have a boyfriend.”

Edward didn’t miss a beat. “Jake? The giver of the nickname?”

“Yeah, Jake,” I agreed as I pulled up to the address Edward had given me. The ornate Victorian duplex was breathtaking. Forget it; if Rose saw this house, I was losing the bet, big time.

“Bella,” Edward began, glancing back at Nessie. “I would never want to fuck up what you have here. I wasn’t trying to… I know what I’m capable of. I like your company, a lot. I’m not going to lie; you make me feel better, about everything. Fucking happy. But right now, I’m fucked. Like, seriously fucked. And Jake’s a lucky man. So, lunch? Not a date?”

Say no! Say no, damn it! You know you have to say no!

“Okay. Not a date.”

Holy crap.

“Not a date, then. Night, Bella. Give Little Bell a hug for me.” He swung the car door open without looking back. Jesus, he was just going to leave?

“Edward!” I said more frantically than I’d intended.

Edward turned back towards me, and his green eyes were practically glowing, so open and vulnerable. My quick intake of air was involuntary, and it drew his scent deep into my body. I held my breath for a few seconds, unwilling to let that little piece of him go.

“Thanks for the ice.”

“And thanks for the ride, Bella. I’ll be in touch about lunch, after my cousin’s inevitable date.”

I silently prayed that Rose had turned Emmett down. Our lunch would happen that much sooner.

“You said you were happy just before?”

“Thanks for that too, Dr. Swan. Your prescription might be helping after all.”

xXxXx

I tucked Ness into bed, closed her blinds and turned on her nightlight. It was early, but she was completely out. It meant she’d be up at some ungodly hour in the morning, starving for a huge breakfast. I kissed her on the cheek and she sighed in her sleep and pressed her chubby cheek against my lips. Little Bell.

I left Ness’ door open a crack, and ran down to the basement to start a load of wash, then jogged back upstairs to see what I could throw together for Jake’s dinner. But as I gazed at the contents of the refrigerator, all I could think about was what I’d make for Edward if I won the bet. At first I considered pancetta risotto, decadent and light, but then I remembered that he’d been vegetarian at some point, maybe even up until he ate that hoagie at my office. With that thought, I started pulling summer veggies out of the refrigerator, and before I knew it, I was making vegetable fajitas with cojita cheese crumbles and a chili lime sauce to drizzle on top. I was experimenting with a homemade avocado dressing when two strong arms wrapped themselves around my waist from behind. Jake planted a little kiss just behind my ear.

“What’s all this, baby?”

“Dinner, what do you think?” I said, wriggling free from his embrace.

“I think this looks inspired. Thanks, Bells,” Jake said, pulling a beer out of the refrigerator and leaning back against the countertop.

“How were things at the garage today?”

“A couple chicks came in with overheating SUV’s, a couple oil changes. But there’s something I wanted to talk to you about. Something big.”

“Something big?” I asked, setting plates on the table.

“Bells, stop for a second and listen, okay? I got you an appointment with this guy.”

“A guy? What are you talking about?” I asked, trying to imagine what kind of appointment he could have possibly made for me. Maybe another physical therapist? I hadn’t gone to the gym since Wednesday, and I’d been limping a little more than normal these past couple days.

“A lawyer. He’s the best, Bells. He deals with kids and custody and he wins every time.”

“How do you know?”

Jake shrugged. “Paul told me about him. His cousin used him, and then I checked it out on the Internet. I called on Thursday, but I didn’t hear back and I wasn’t going to mention it, even. But his assistant got back to me today. She said he’d see us.”

“A man? I don’t know, Jake.”

“Bell, this is big. He’s the best. Does it really matter if it’s a guy?”

“When is the appointment?”

“Tomorrow at noon.”

“Jake, I have work!”

“Isabella Swan, this is important, for your daughter’s safety,” Jake said, crossing the kitchen, and placing a hand on either side of my face and looking into my eyes. His eyes were brown, a little darker than mine. At night, they tended to look black. Once, I thought that was mysterious, but I was used to it now, comfortable that I could never see myself inside there. After all, I didn’t have to see, I just knew. With everything Jake had done, he’d showed me what I meant to him.

I didn’t want to hurt him. Up until I met Edward, I hadn’t even considered that I might. Jake and I were a done deal. A family, kind of.

“Now, you covered that doctor’s ass all last week. The least he could do is give you some extra time for lunch. Baby, I’m just trying to keep my girls safe, the only way you’ll let me, the legal way. I won’t ever let anything happen to you and Ness,” he said, placing a dry kiss on my lips.

“I’ll talk to Carlisle,” I said, pulling out of his embrace to finish setting the table. “I’m going in early, so maybe I can get away for a longer lunch break. Where’s the office?”

“16th and JFK. I could meet you there.”

“Isn’t there a park right over there? The one with the fountain and the love sign?”

“Love Park? Yeah, it’s right across the street. I’ll meet you at the fountain, just before noon.”

“Not so fast. I’ll ask Carlisle in the morning and I’ll let you know.”

“Dude, Bells, get him to say yes. It was like moving a mountain to get this appointment.”

“Thanks, Jake. Really. For everything.”

I had a hard time eating dinner that night, the dinner that I’d inadvertently prepared for Edward. I had an even harder time sleeping. I finally drifted off thinking about Edward and I kneeling in the grass, his hand pressed over mine, his warm breath on my face.

“Fucking perfect, Bella.”

After that, the phone hadn’t wrung, Tanya never came, and my real life and my fantasy blended together into one sexy and satisfying dream.

A/N: In this last chapter, lyrics from "Carby" and "Slang Tang" are by Discovery, and they're not mine. Lyrics to "Anti-Manifesto" are by Propagandhi, and I don't own those either. All Twilight characters are Stephenie Meyer's, but this story-line is mine. Whew, that was a lot.
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The Practice of Love