I truly think this is one of the most beautiful stories I’ve ever read. Thank you for putting this out into the world.

I'm guessing it's a little too late for that outtake?

Thank you!

This was a lovely, uplifting story. I admire you passion for writing it because you know the heartbreak of what cancer does to a family. You are not alone in this.

Aww...I just knew he'd make it for her dance.

Damn these two are so proud and stubborn. Edward has money in a trust he could have been using instead of freezing while sick? Seriously? He couldn't be thinking of his health for not taking that account and using it to be in a healthier place. And Bella too, she could have used Renee's help to stay in school. Anyway. Thrilled that Carlisle found his Esme and he'll be closer to his kids now. This family needs to start accepting each other as family and take their support all the way around.

I like how there is some humor mixed in with the sad. Like Edward and cleaning the bathroom with her hair gel mess. Don't blame him for switching it out and she gets to clean that crap. So Bella does want to pursue he doctorate in psychology and really does intend going back to post graduate work? And Edward, I'm not clear what he's going to major in.

I'm glad all is well with Charlie and that Alice turned out to be a decent enough person to come to Bella and support her at her time of need. Alice didn't have to do that, and I think Alice explained or tried to explain to Bella just how much she loves her brother and how hard it is to have watched him deal with cancer. I hope Alice and Bella find some common ground so Edward has two strong women on his side.
I'm curious if Renee seems to be giving Bella money but Bella is saving it instead of using it to help her finish classes or get an apartment and not worry so much about money, and she is trying to live in the moments and all that, why save the money when she seems to need it now. She's got a parent who seems to have more money than she knows what to do with it and is very loving and supportive, let her help her now that she needs it? Seems to be the same for Edward, parents are there for these kinds of things and if they can help I'm sure they ought to and want to no matter that the two want to do things on their own, there's plenty of time for that to come.

Talking Edward into going back to Chicago to be with his family and prove to him that there are people, besides her, who love him...was very mature and wise of her to do that for him. And the little detail of Edward accepting the iPhone from his dad was great and shows that maybe Bella is rubbing off on him and he'll give his family a chance to care for him and not feel guilty.
I'm going to predict that Tyler is gay and no threat to Edward in regard to being jealous about another man. And now Bella has Charlie to worry about. I'm so glad Bella confronted Edward about not smoking, she ought to be a model and quit herself since she admitted she doesn't really like smoking any way.

'Just the flu' for the normal person is horrible but when your immune system has gone through chemo...poor Edward.

Oh no Edward is sick! Now Bella is going to see the reality of being with Edward.

This chapter, this Edward, helped me understand Bella and himself. I love how Bella is opening up and sharing who she really is by sharing herself with Edward and he realizes her worth and how she's so accepting of those she loves. I'd say they are teaching each other valuable life lessons. Wonderful chapter.

Christmas in Canada with Renee sounds lovely. I'm glad Bella got Edward to go with her instead of being alone. And Bella's thoughts about living in the moment and waking Edward for sex was on one hand an excellent idea but sadly Edward just did it for her because he's just not perfectly well enough and up in the air still with his cancer. I felt bad for him as did Bella when he put it like he did, that she needs to let him be in on decisions like this first.

I'm so glad Bella found out just how poorly Edward's living conditions are and that he can't live like that when she's got a perfectly good apartment she can share with him. And now that he's got a job, he can contribute to living expenses, whether he stays at his apartment now because he'll be able to afford heat etc. I think Edward is being foolish, and young and thick headed not letting his family help him out especially given the circumstances. There's being independent and then there's being stupid.

Why does Bella taunt Edward like she does? I get why he wants to be treated 'normally' and that's what he usually likes about Bella but then she goes and acts the way she did at the club, gets drunk and says and acts, as Edward said, slutty. She says she likes him because he's a jerk and I guess he likes her because she's one too. Why doesn't she just ask him to communicate with her and lay all his truths on the line and she can do the same?