Chapter 11: Sunny Days and Picnics
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The next day, Edward does, in fact, call me. We make plans to take the kids to the park, since autumn has arrived in Forks in dramatic fashion. The leaves turn wonderful shades of red and orange, and the cooler-than-normal breeze makes it perfect to just be outdoors.
This of course also means more people will see us. But at this point, I could give a crap.
Edward picks us up around two.
Hoodie, glasses, jeans, crazy hair.
Le sigh.
G’s super excited and gives Edward a high five.
“Do I get one too?” I ask playfully, locking the door behind me.
“No. You do get one of these though,” he whispers, looking over his shoulder to make sure the kids are already in the car.
Then his kisses me. Too short, but what can you do?
“Mmmmm. I’m special,” I say.
“Yes, you are,” he responds, resting his hand on the small of my back to lead me to the car.
The day is gorgeous. This park is still exactly the way I remember it growing up, only they’ve updated the playground quite a bit. The kids pretty much zoom away towards the fun, leaving Edward and me sitting on a blanket.
“You really didn’t have to do al this, you know. I could’ve brought something..” I gesture toward the picnic basket filled with sandwiches, chips, water and juice.
“Please, it was my pleasure, and it was actually more Bree’s idea. We used to have picnics back in Seattle all the time. Since we’ve moved, we haven’t had a chance to.”
“Well, I’ll have to make sure and thank her. I can’t even remember the last time I had a picnic.”
We sit in companionable silence for a bit, just watching the kids run, climb, and swing.
I’m tired just watching them.
Before long, Edward inches over until our fingers touch. Hesitant, he gives me a glance before twining his fingers with mine.
We both smile, like we have some big secret to keep. It doesn’t escape me that there are several families-- all known, some with kids in the very school where Edward teaches. He’s aware too, as his exasperated groan attests.
“It kinda pisses me off that I’m letting a few prying eyes stop me from kissing you right now,” he says, his voice deep and growly.
It’s pretty sexy, actually. Like, seriously, my panties might be a little wet right now.
“Well, we have a right to be out here, spending time together. It’s not wrong, and we’re not doing anything inappropriate.”
“What if I want to do inappropriate things?” I hear him mumble under his breath.
I gape at him and inhale sharply.
“What? What was that, Mr. Cullen? Did I hear you correctly?”
Edward’s ears immediately redden at the tips, but he quickly recovers, unleashing a lopsided smirk that could well be the leading cause of death among women.
Oh, this is fun.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He looks straight ahead.
“No, no. I distinctly heard you say something about wanting to do inappropriate things. Do you care to elaborate?” I say, trying out my sexy, sultry voice.
At least I hope it sounds sexy and sultry. I might just sound like a bad transvestite.
Edward turns his head towards me and leans in and it’s like this all the time-- this pull towards him, like he’s the center of gravity.
He stares at my mouth and lick his lips before his eyes meet mine, and gah! I want this man so much I contemplate risking arrest due to indecent exposure.
“We’ll take things as slow as you want to. But trust me, Bella. You’re all I think about... and when the time is right, I’ll show you,” he whispers, his lips mere millimeters from mine.
And I’m dead. D. E. A. D.
Holy shit.
A throat clears. We both freeze.
“Hello there, Bella. How nice to see you again.”
My eyes wander to the source of the familiar voice. When I recognize who it is, I inwardly cringe.
“Wow. Charlotte. It’s been... wow. How are you?” I don’t really want to know, but you know, just being polite.
“I’m doing great,” she says absently, but her eyes focus on Edward. I don’t really blame her, but shit, stop looking at him.
Mine.... MINE!
Charlotte extends her hand towards Edward. “Charlotte Waters. And you are?”
Bat your lashes at him one more time, bitch, and I’ll...
“Edward Cullen. Nice to meet you,” he replies shaking her hand.
“Cullen... Cullen... wait. You’re the new teacher in town, aren’t you?”
Oh, God, Charlotte. Really? I roll my eyes as I look away, pretending to be checking up on the kids. They’re still there. Great.
“Um, yeah. How’d you know? Are you a parent or...?”
“Oh, no, no!” She giggles. Her very fake, fake giggle.
“Oh, no. I’m way too young to have kids. My brother’s son is in your class. Timmy?”
Edward simply nods. I can sense how tense he is.
“Charlotte, we’re the same age.”
“Mmm. I know. But don’t worry. No one thinks any less of you for having an unplanned pregnancy, Bella. You managed to snatch Mike up and get him to marry you. He was such a great guy.”
Her patronizing face... I just wanna throw her down and use a million sharpies to draw obscene things on it.
“By the way, where is your little munchkin?” She looks around towards the swings.
“Umm...” I look around like a dumbass.
“Well I should probably get going. It was nice to see you again. And Edward,” she coos.
I want to shoot her with a paintball gun.
“It was certainly a pleasure meeting you.”
I want to take tweezers and pluck every single last eyelash out of her head.
Edward only waves in silence as she saunters away, adding a little extra swing to her hips that makes her look like she has a bad limp.
He leans into my ear.
“Who the hell was that?”
Oh good. He looks scarred for life.
“THAT... is Charlotte. She had a thing for my ex-husband when we were all in high school. She’d practically throw herself at him, much like she did to you just now,” I confess, taking a deep breath to down.
“She was... intense... and I have to say, not in a good way.”
I turn to him and smile.
“She wasn’t that bad.” I lie.
“Bella, she was a total bitch to you. What’s the story there?”
“Oh, the usual. High school arch nemesis. I’m pretty much convinced that something might’ve happened between her and Mike behind my back. At the end of it all, she’s bitter he ended up with me... a lot of good it did me anyway.”
“I’d say you got the best of him right over there,” he said, gesturing to my son swinging high on the swings, clearly in a contest with Bree to see who can swing higher. G’s laugh rings through the air, causing me to grin from ear to ear before turning to Edward.
He smiles knowingly. I kiss him on the cheek.
I agree.
“The very best.”
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