Chapter Five

I flip through the pages of my notebook, barely looking at the words written on the pages. I can't get the interview with Edward out of my head. I can't get Edward out of my head. The way he looked at me. The way he spoke. The way he carried himself. I can't get over the way he looked, he was probably the hottest guy that I had ever seen.

I shook myself away from my thoughts. I can't think like this about him, it could throw off everything I'm working for if I'm attracted to the person I'm supposed to be psychoanalyzing. How could I even consider him anyway, we come from very different lives. We have very different futures. I need to remember that.

I close the notebook and sigh. I pick up the remote and turn on the TV. I'm supposed to be writing a report on what I learned on my first visit with the inmates I'm working with this semester. My professor wants to make sure I'm on the right track with them, but I can't bring myself to get started. I flip through the channels until something catches my eye. I turn the volume down on Criminal Minds, now playing on the TV. I want to leave it on for background noise and see if that helps me get started.

This week, I met with both Alice Whitlock and Edward Cullen.

I get the first sentence typed into a Word document on my computer. Surely having the beginning will help me. My mind flashes back to the time I spent talking with Edward.

"Let me start at the beginning. My biological father never wanted to have children. So, when my mother got pregnant, he gave her the ultimatum." Edward frowns.

"The ultimatum?" I ask, unsure of what that could mean.

"My biological father told her that she either got rid of the baby, got rid of me, or he would leave." Edward sighs. "She wanted a baby more than she wanted anything. Or, so she says. So, she decided to keep me and hope that he would come around once the time got nearer for me to be born. Clearly, he meant what he said, because when it was time for me to be born, he was nowhere to be found."

"I'm so sorry…" I trial off, unsure of anything I could say that could possibly make this story any better.

"Don't worry about it, it was a long time ago. Anyway, with my father gone, it was just my biological mother left to take care of me. She was never fit to be a parent though, honestly. She developed this thing." He pauses for a moment.

"This thing?" I can't help the question slipping out of my mouth.

"Munchausen by proxy, they call it. Have you heard of it?"

I nod, we covered it in my psych classes before, but I didn't know anyone that had actually gone through something like that.

"Then you're familiar with the way she would take me to doctors all over the place, begging them to help her baby." He sneers at the last two words. "The way she would make me sick, just to get some attention."

"Oh, Edward." I am at a loss for words.

"The year I was taken from my biological mother, I was taken to the hospital 25 times and admitted to the hospital on eight of those occasions. I was taken to a pediatrician's office sixty times and given 143 prescriptions from those visits. My biological mother would make calls to the pediatrician's office nearly daily. Something always had to be wrong with me. And when one doctor started to get suspicious, she would move onto another doctor." Edward is looking at the table by the time he is finished telling me this part of his story.

"She wasn't fit to take care of you." I muttered.

He shakes his head. "She wasn't."

I pull myself from the memory. I can't control the anger that I feel towards his mom. I know it might be unfounded because, after all, she was sick herself. But, all the things that she put him through. I can't even imagine how differently his life might have turned out had he had caring parents from the very beginning.

I look at the single sentence written on the computer screen. I've wasted all the time I was supposed to be working on this report. I have to be at work in less than an hour.

I stand up from the couch and move towards my bedroom. I pull my work outfit from the closet and lay it out on my bed. As I get ready for work, I spend my time thinking about if Mike will be at work with me today. He's been particularly overwhelming lately. Though, I guess that's just his way.

I climb into my old truck, slightly amazed that she still runs after all this time as I start her up. The drive to work is filled with the loudness of my truck, but my thoughts couldn't be farther from that. My thoughts are back on my interview with Edward.

"Do I ever get to learn anything about you?" Edward looks up from the table and meets my eyes.

I nod. "What would you like to know?"

"Everything. But, I guess we could start with your family life." Edward offers a crooked smile that makes me melt inside.

"My parents divorced when I was young. The typical story, they both loved me very much but they couldn't be together anymore. My dad never moved on. But my mom got remarried. I lived with my mom most of my life, but I moved in with my dad when she got remarried. I had a pretty happy, normal childhood." I grimace, I never thought I would be so sad to tell someone that I have lived a life without struggles.

"Don't make that face. You deserved a happy childhood." Edward's smile grows.

I can't help but smile back.

When I finally come back to real life, I find myself parking my truck outside of the sports store where I work. I sit in the truck for a moment, trying to clear my mind.

I gather myself and step out of the truck. I walk into the store, noting that Mike is currently working behind the counter. I can't help the feeling in my stomach, the way it drops when I see him. I don't want to feel this way about my friend, but he wants to take things a step too far.

I walk to the back room, grabbing my time sheet and clocking in.

"Bella." Mike sneaks up behind me.

I turn, my hand moving to my chest, resting over my racing heart.

"Holy shit, you scared me." I murmur.

"I must have, you never cuss." Mike looks at me, concerned.

"Can I help you with something?" I try to move on as fast as possible, not wanting to discuss my sudden need for cussing when someone scares the life out of me.

"I was thinking we could grab dinner tonight when you get off work." Mike smiles at me, I can see the hope in his eyes.

"Tonight just isn't a good night for me, I'm sorry." I've always been nice about turning him down, but I was starting to wonder if he would ever get the hint.

"Oh, well, that's okay. Another time." He decides before turning around and walking out of the back room.

I take a moment to let him get to another part of the store before I follow him out. I walk to the counter, where I am normally stationed and put my bag down behind it.

"Can you help me, please?" I look up at the man on the other side of the counter who is starting at me intently.

"Sure, what can I help you with?" I offer my best customer service smile.

"I'm looking for a…tent." His eyes go wide.

"Okay, I'd be happy to direct you to someone who can help you with that." I run my hand down the cord to my radio, ready to ask someone else to take this on.

"I'd really prefer to have you help me, Bella." He said, looking at my hand on the radio.

"Oh, okay." I am beginning to feel a little uncomfortable, but this isn't the first time a customer has refused to get help from someone else.

I walk around from behind the counter. I find myself face to chest with the stranger. He is quite tall and extremely built. I don't think that I have ever seen someone as big as he is. I look up at his face, he's smirking at me, probably assuming I'm checking him out. I find myself slightly more intimidated that I was before.

"What kind of tent are you looking for?" I ask, look at his golden eyes. There's something familiar about them, but I'm sure I've never seen this man before.

"One to sleep in." His eyes go wide again.

I can feel the tension coming off of him, but I decide to let it go.

"Follow me, I'll show you what we have in stock." I smile.

I turn away from him, walking down the aisle.

"These are the tents we have in stock. There's ones that range from one person to eight people." I point to different tents as I speak.

"I like this one." He points to an average four-person tent, though I can't imagine three other people fitting in there with him.

"That's a great choice. Is there anything else that I can help you with today?" I ask, reading to walk away.

"Okay, I have a confession to make." He looks at the floor, reminding me of a guilty child.

"Umm…I could get someone else." I offer quickly, not ready to see where this takes.

"I'm Emmett Cullen." He says quickly.

"Cullen…" I trail off.

"As in Edward Cullen's brother." He looks from the floor to my face, probably watching for a reaction.

I honestly don't know what to think. I have no clue how he knows who I am or where I work. I start to back away. This shouldn't be happening. Is he here to hurt me? Did Edward send him for some reason? My mind races with a million questions.

"Please stop thinking whatever you're thinking, I can see it written all over your face. I'm not here for the reason you think." He holds his hands up in a surrendering type of way.

"Why are you here?" I frown.

"Edward told me about you. And I know it's…socially wrong for me to show up like this. But I really wanted to talk to the girl who my brother is so smitten with. I just had to see her for myself. My brother has never been this way about anyone before." He smiles at me, a wide smile showing off his dimples.

"Smitten with me? I think you have the wrong girl." I laugh.

"Look, let me take you out to eat when you get off, I'd like to talk to you more." He offers.

"Sure." I nod, suddenly feeling like I'm crazy.

He leaves quickly after getting my information and confirming the time for our dinner plans. The rest of my shift pass quickly, but I spend the entire time wondering what on Earth made me accept his offer for dinner. I barely know him and I barely know Edward. There's a million reasons this could go wrong. This shouldn't be happening. I go through the motions of packing up and clocking out while thinking about how much trouble this could be asking for. I'm pulled out of my thoughts when Mike shows up in front of me.

"Really? That dumb hulk is your type, but I'm not?" Mike stares me down.

"What?" I try to slide past him to get out of the back room.

"I saw you talking to him. I heard you accept his offer for dinner, right after you told me that tonight isn't a good time." He puts his arms on either side of the door, keeping me trapped in the back room.

"Mike, it's really not like that. He's the brother of a…friend. He just wants to talk." I fold my arms across my chest, starting to get annoyed that he won't let me out.

"Just wants to talk." He scoffs. "Men like that never want to talk."

"Please move out of my way." I ask nicely, not wanting to be a part of this conversation. "I'm late."

"This conversation isn't over." He warns as he steps out of the doorway.

Little does he know, that's the least of my concerns at the moment. I walk out to my truck, looking around the parking lot. It's deserted this time of evening. I climb into my truck and drive to the restaurant where I'm meeting Emmett Cullen.

A/N: Thank you so much for your well wishes about my hand! Thankfully, it is healing, but it's not at the point we want yet. However, I have figured out how to type. So hopefully, we are looking at more regular updates!

Thank you guys so much for being awesome readers! I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Continue to let me know what you're thinking of the story so far! I absolutely love hearing from you guys!

It might be a little unorthodox to ask here. But, I'm looking for a beta for my story. I am hoping to find someone who is good with grammar, spelling, and finding holes in the plot. If you're interested, send me a PM and we will see if we can figure something out!

XOXO

NewTimes