Again: Chapter 8

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Chapter 8

Chicago, 2012

Come Monday morning, Alice turns into a drill sergeant, barking out orders to
Jasper and me. We're the only ones in the gallery, prepping for Edward's show,
which opens in approximately eight hours.

"Bella, the bridge painting needs to be moved to that wall over there." Alice
points and I follow her command. Small as she is, Alice can be very scary. Toss
seven months of pregnancy into the mix and, well, the results are one hundred
percent terrifying.

We spend the next two hours hanging pieces and adjusting lighting until
Edward's collection has fully filled the space. I take a lap through the gallery,
surveying our hard work and admiring just how incredible of an artist my former
lover has become.

"Bella?" Alice pulls me out of my trance and motions for me to follow her to the
office, where she closes the door and takes a seat behind her desk. "Are you
sure you're okay doing this? I can still call Irina and have her come in."

I shake my head as I drop into the chair across from my boss and good friend.
"That's not necessary, Ali. I'm looking forward to this evening."

"You don't have to put on a whole sunshine-and-rainbows act for me, Bella. I
would be more than understanding if you want to bail."

"It's not an act. I swear. I'm looking forward to seeing someone I know garner
success." Edward isn't my favorite person in the world, but I'd never wish failure
on him. His letters had shined light on a few things, and though I was still mad
that he threw everything we had down the drain for his addiction, I was also
proud of the changes he'd made and how far he'd come.

"Okay, well, if you change your mind, you let me know and I'll get Irina in here.
Now, the caterers will be here at four, people should start arriving by five …" I
listen intently and jot down the information. Once Alice has given me all the
pertinent details for the night, I bid her and Jasper farewell, and set off in the
direction of my apartment.

I do a mental inventory of my closet as I walk, and decide to make a quick stop
at Macy's. I want to look good for tonight. It's my first solo showing, the first
time Alice and Jasper have entrusted me with the keys to their kingdom. I want
to make a good impression, so I scan through the racks until I find the perfect
dress. It's black, one shouldered and form-fitting, falling just above my knees. I
grab a pair of sparkly black heels to go with it. The ensemble is just the right
mix of professional and elegant, and I know it will catch Edward's eye, too.

I shake my head as the silly thought crosses my mind. Catching Edward's eye
shouldn't even be on my list of reasons to buy anything. Reading his letters
gave me some insight into his life, and helped me understand his addiction a bit
more, but it didn't change the way things went down between us. The simple
act of putting pen to paper isn't enough to erase every wrongdoing or mend the
scars.

I spend the early part of the afternoon cleaning my place, rearranging the
furniture, and figuring out exactly which shade of lipstick I'm going to wear. By
three, I'm dolled up and ready. The caterers arrive right at four, just like Alice
said, and Edward arrives shortly after. He looks stunning in a pair of dark grey
slacks and an off-white sweater. His hair is styled into a tousled look and his
beard is trimmed down. I look at him—really look at him—for the first time since
seeing him again. He's filled out so much, really grown into his 6'3" frame. His
broad shoulders and hard chest are all man, but the twinkle in his eye and the
smirk on his lips are reminiscent of the boy I used to know.

He says nothing at first, simply walks through the gallery, taking everything in.
His expression morphs from bewilderment to pride to full-on happiness, and
even though we'll always have this broken history between us, I can't help but
feel so very proud of how far he's come and all that he's accomplished.

"This is amazing," he says when he finally finds me in the office.

I smile and wring my hands together. "I'm glad it meets your expectations."

He laughs. "As soon as I discovered you'd be involved with the show, I knew it
would meet my expectations."

A blush creeps up my cheeks and I bite the inside my lip to keep from smiling.
"How many showings have you done up to this?"

"None. This is my first one."

I frown. "Your first one? I thought you were just saying that the other day." His
expression falls and he looks away, eyes roaming over the walls of Alice's office.
I immediately feel bad for even bringing the topic up. "You know, forget I even
asked." I look at my watch, taking note of the time. "It's almost time. Let's go
show the art world what you're made of, yeah?"

He shoves his hands in his pockets and grins again. "Let's go."

The showing goes off without a hitch. A steady stream of people come and go
from the gallery, some more prominent in the art world than others. I introduce
Edward to the ones I know, including an art critic for the Chicago Tribune. He's
the perfect gentleman, talking about his art, answering their questions, and
exuding an air of confidence I've never seen from him before. By the time the
night comes to a close, I'm exhausted but filled with a rush of happiness.

"That was … perfect. Just perfect." Edward beams. The caterers are finishing
cleaning and I'm compiling a list of the buyers for Edward's work.

"You did wonderful," I tell him. "People loved you as much as they loved the art.
That's a good thing in this world, believe me."

"You think so?"

"I know it." I leave all of the buyer information on Alice's desk and grab my
purse. Once I've made sure the caterers are gone and the gallery looks as it did
before the showing started, Edward and I head out into the night.

"Can I walk you home?" Edward asks. I bite my lip and look down the street.
It's late, and though I'm used to making the five-block trip on my own, I can't
say I'll mind the company.

This is what I'm telling myself when I agree a minute later. "Sure."

We set off in the direction of my house and a comfortable silence blankets us.
We're about a block away when he finally speaks again. "Its nice to see we still
make a good team after all these years."

I chuckle. "That we do—when you show up, at least."

He hangs his head and slips his hands in his pockets. "I deserve that."

"Yeah, you kind of do." We walk the rest of the way in silence. When we arrive
at my building I stop and turn to face him. "Edw—

"Did you read any of my letters?" The words fall from his lips quickly. I take my
keys out of my purse and spin them around my index finger.

"Yes."

"Did they mean anything? Be honest, Bella, because if they didn't, I want to
know. I need to know."

I try to think of something spectacular to say, but my mind comes up blank. "Of
course they did."

He looks up at me and I catch the spark of hope that flashes behind his eyes.
"Can we get coffee tomorrow? I know I've asked already, and I know you've
said no, but the letters … they're just the tip of the iceberg, Bella. I have so
much more I want to say, so many things I want to tell you."

I look down at my keys and every reason I should say no flashes behind my
eyes. I've seen his song and dance before. I know how this could go. But then I
remind myself that this Edward is different. He's been through hell and back on
his own, and if his letters are any indication, he seems to have come out on top.

"I'll meet you for coffee," I finally say.

"That's great, Bella. Thank you. Thank you so much." We iron out the details
and say goodnight.

I try not to notice the little flip my heart does as I watch him start to walk away.