Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but I'm grateful to Stephenie Meyer for her dream/vision. Please don't steal my original work.
To clear up any confusion from Chapter 3, Garrett and Kate Cooper live in Washoe Valley, Nevada, not Carson Valley, Nevada.
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understand. In all they ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil." ~ Proverbs 3:5-7
EPOV
I had remained outside the boarding house for awhile, debating about whether I should ask Bella's forgiveness again, or whether I should get a ladder and climb up to her room to be certain. I decided against either as she'd already said we could be friends and I'd likely scare her if I climbed up outside her window in the dark.
Back at home in my bed, I tossed and turned, sleep unwilling to come. I finally got out of bed, kneeled beside it and gave the entire situation over to God. If anyone could fix the mess I'd made of things, it would be the Creator of the universe.
Saturday dawned bright and beautiful. It was going to be a very nice day for Ben and Angela's wedding. I was filled with excitement again about seeing Bella, but then reminded myself we were just friends. I hoped things would not be strained between us in the light of a new day.
I arrived at the church in my Sunday suit and a light blue shirt. I caught sight of Bella, who was assisting Rachel with setting things up for the reception. She was in a deep green dress with lace at the neck and the cuffs. Her hair seemed a little softer today, with small ringlets framing her face. I was stunned anew at her beauty. She must've sensed me watching, because she looked up, caught my eye and blushed. I smiled at her and she returned it. I was hoping that meant something good. I knew now I'd never be any good at reading a woman's mind. I'd just have to ask them straight out what they were thinking.
The ceremony seemed to be over quickly or maybe it was because I was daydreaming through most of it. Ben and Angela looked very happy. We quickly moved outside for a potluck lunch reception.
Soon, Mayor Hale was making his way over to me. "Edward, my boy! How are you doing?" his voice boomed. His all-white suit and shoes looked almost ridiculous in this dusty desert setting. I kept my smile to myself.
"Doing well, Isaac. You?" I returned as I shook his outstretched hand.
"Oh, fit as a fiddle," he said as he sat down in the vacant chair next to me. "I wanted to let you know, I've hired two additional police officers for you since our town is growing by leaps and bounds. My nephews, James and Eric Smith, should be arriving on the stagecoach sometime today. They were already on the police force in Ithaca, New York, so you won't have to train them. I think it's high time you and your boys have a day or two off."
"That will be great!" I said, sounding enthusiastic.
He continued, "After a couple of days rest from the journey, they'll be staying at the boarding house so they can stay close to the action in town. My place isn't in the best location for them; it's too far out on the edge of town. They're bachelors, so you won't have to be concerned about working around their family schedules."
"Right. Of course," I replied, a little less enthusiastically. I thought to myself, The boarding house? Where Bella was staying? I knew Eli and Rachel wouldn't allow any harm to come to her, but …
"Well," Isaac said, interrupting my train of thought, "I'd best be getting back to my family." He slapped me on the back and was gone. I waved him off. I suddenly felt queasy.
I got up and walked over to the edge of the church property. Maybe a short walk would do me some good. I focused on the surrounding vistas. I barely noticed when someone joined me until I heard her voice.
"Edward, are you all right?" Bella's concerned voice cut through the myriad of thoughts in my mind.
I absently rubbed my stomach and said, "Yeah, I'm ok."
Bella's gentle hand on my arm was comforting. She continued, "You're rubbing your stomach. Are you certain? Do you want me to get your father?"
"No," I answered gently. "Just walk with me for a bit?" She agreed and we began walking around the perimeter of the church property. Wedding guests were still enjoying the potluck buffet. I decided total honesty was best, "Mayor Hale just told me he's hired two new police officers; nephews of his from New York."
Bella smiled up at me and replied, "That's good, right? Then you and the other officers will be able to have a day off once in awhile."
I stopped mid-stride and looked into Bella's eyes as I said, "They'll be staying at the boarding house. I don't know anything about them other than they're related to Mayor Hale. Please assure me you won't go anywhere with them until I've had time to check them out."
"I won't, Edward. I promise," Bella said. "Thank you for being concerned about me. I appreciate that." She gave me a meaningful smile and then our attention was diverted by the announcement of the wedding cake being cut. That would have to be sufficient for now. It would have to be another thing I'd leave in the Lord's hands.
BPOV
Eli and Rachel introduced me to James and Eric Smith one night at dinner. James was nearly as tall as Edward with light brown hair, blue eyes, and non-descript features. Eric was a bit shorter than his companion with black hair, brown eyes, and was built ganglier than James.
They seemed like nice and polite gentlemen. Almost from the beginning, Edward placed them working on the night and evening shifts.
After several weeks of teaching, it occurred to me obtaining a teaching certificate and using one in the real world were two different things. It prepares you on the theoretical level, but when you're facing a classroom full of students, you somehow wish you had a more practical application before diving in.
I began each school day at 9 a.m. with drills, oral quizzes, and recitation exercises for all age groups, beginning with the younger children first. If the particular age group was not included with that group, they could study in the book provided. The youngest children in school were eight years old and already knew how to read, so I was not privileged to teach anyone how to read this year. After those exercises were completed, we worked on penmanship, increasing reading skills, and arithmetic. I provided two recess periods per day – one in the morning and one combined with the noon meal time. School was dismissed promptly each day at 2 p.m. The children and I brought our lunches in pails or baskets and ate them outside during nice weather or inside when it was cooler.
I asked Pastor Webber one Sunday after services if he would consider allowing the school children to perform a Nativity play for the congregation at the Christmas Eve service. He thought that was an excellent idea. In addition to their schoolwork, the children were also rehearsing for the upcoming play. With only ten children attending school, I was able to provide a part for each one of them.
I should've known things were going too well in my classroom when one afternoon all the children were working on their reading. Suddenly, one Miss Rosalie Hale let out a shriek of horror. My first thought was, Oh dear Lord, Edward didn't repair all the holes and there's another mouse loose in here!
But then the shriek was quickly followed by a cry of, "Emmett Dale McCarty! I will never forgive you!" Rosalie had now dissolved into sobs and had her face buried in her arms folded on her desk in front of her. I quickly rose from my desk at the front of the classroom to see what the matter was.
As soon as I was even with her, I could see the damage. Emmett, it appeared, had stuck a lock of Rosalie's beautiful long blonde hair into the inkwell on his desk. It was an easy reach for him. He sat directly behind her. This lock of hair was now raven black and permanently so, I might add. Oh dear!
This class had been so well-disciplined up to this point. And now I was going to have to take some disciplinary measures. My heart sunk. My mind quickly ran over the disciplinary tactics they proposed during my certification process. I decided to offer Emmett the least of two evils.
"Emmett, did you do this to Rosalie's hair?" I asked.
"I did, Miss Swan," he admitted solemnly, his eyes downcast.
I asked him to come with me into the small entryway of the school. I knelt down next to him and said, "Emmett, I don't want to do it, but I need to enforce some discipline for your actions."
He looked fearful, but said, "I understand."
"So," I continued, "you can either stay after school to copy the first three pages of the dictionary or you can get the strap across your hand twice."
Emmett replied, "Miss Swan, I can't stay after school. My mother needs me at home. I'll take the strap."
I think if my eyebrows could've shot up into my hairline and stayed there, they would've due to my shock at his statement. "You will?" I asked.
"Yes," he said, with finality.
I escorted him back into the classroom and had him stand at the front, near my desk. I rummaged around in my bottom desk drawer, trying to find the blasted small strap. It was at the very bottom of the drawer. After finding it, I asked Emmett to hold out his right hand, which he did. I could not even glimpse to see if the rest of the class was looking, but I'm certain they were.
I gave his hand two quick smacks with the strap. I could tell it smarted; just by the way his eyes winced. But he gave no other outward indication of pain. Then I asked him to go take his seat.
Once Emmett was in his seat and my desk was back in order, I told the class school was dismissed for the day, even though it was early. I needed to take Rosalie home and explain things to her parents. I wanted to sit and have a good cry, but there was no time for that.
When I took Rosalie to her house, her mother was justifiably horrified. In assessing the damage again, it appeared only about an inch of Rosalie's long hair would need to be cut off. I did not consider it a total loss, but the way Mrs. Hale was going on, you would think she was going to have to shave Rosalie's head bald. Mrs. Hale wanted to speak with Emmett and I told her it I had already taken care of the necessary discipline.
On the way back home, Emmett joined me on the road.
"What are you doing here, Emmett?" I asked.
"Oh Miss Swan," Emmett fairly cried.
"What is it?" I wondered, concerned.
Emmett's little voice broke, "I like Rosie so much and she never notices me. And now she'll never forgive me." He began wailing and I knelt down and pulled him close to me.
"Oh sweetie," I said, "just wait until this blows over. I think Rosalie likes you just fine. How many other girls at school know your middle name?"
His sniffles calmed and he said, "I don't think any of them." He brightened a bit, gave me his big dimpled smile, and continued, "I didn't even think she did."
"Well, see? Things are looking up already!" I said. "I'm sorry I had to punish you, Emmett."
"It's ok," he said as he tucked his hand into mine as we walked down the street toward his house. "It only stung for a second. I deserved it. It was a bad thing to do. I won't ever do anything like that again."
We said goodbye at the roadway to his house and he seemed happier to think Rosalie might actually notice him. Thankfully, a lesson was learned as well.
As I continued down the street to the boarding house, it appeared there was a scuffle going on in the middle of the street. A small crowd had gathered. Two men were struggling against each other. I wasn't all that concerned, thinking I would avoid them until one man's cowboy hat was knocked from his head. The bronze hair was unmistakable. Edward was in trouble!
I fairly ran down the street until I was closer. I knew there was nothing I could do except pray, which I did – fervently. From this angle, I could see Edward's trousers were ripped at the knee. Was he bleeding? I hoped not!
Edward had wrestled the other man to the ground. Finally, Eric Smith came up behind the other man and put him in handcuffs. Then he led him toward the jail. Edward was still seated on the ground, heaving great breaths at his physical exertion.
I wanted to go to him, but something stopped me. I was focused on the rip in the knee of his trousers. It revealed his knee and part of his lower leg. I had never seen a man's lower extremities in other than a textbook. If I thought Edward attractive before, he even had attractive knees – or at least the one that was visible at the moment. I could feel my blush beginning at the bottom of my neck.
Edward looked up just then. "Bella? How long have you been there? What's wrong? I must look like a real prize at the moment."
Oh, Edward, if you only knew! Bella, get yourself in hand. I mentally chided myself.
He got up from the ground, picked up his hat and placed it back on his head. Thankfully, his knee that was certainly shaped by the fingers of God was not quite as visible at the moment. "I…um…was just making sure you weren't injured," I eloquently stated.
"I'm fine. Want me to walk you home?" he asked with a smile.
"Yes!" I stated enthusiastically.
When we got to the boarding house, Edward sat beside me on the porch steps. "How was your day?" he asked. Hot tears started flowing from my eyes before any words would come. "Come here," he said as he wrapped his arms around my shoulders and just let me cry. Once it seemed my tears were spent, he asked gently, "Do you want to talk about it?"
The whole story came spilling out then – about Rosalie and Emmett and how bad I felt about having to impose discipline in my classroom.
"Bella," Edward said, "that's your job. The children know you're there to enforce the rules. They know there are consequences when they break the rules. I don't believe they think you take any amount of pleasure in inflicting pain on them. How do you think I feel every day? I have to carry a gun that could easily kill or inflict great bodily injury on someone."
I replied, "When you put it in that context, my infraction doesn't sound half bad."
"It's not. I'm sure your students will love you tomorrow just as much as they loved you today," he said. "Some probably even more so – like your really incorrigible students."
Then Edward stood up and said, "I'd best be getting back to the jail and process the paperwork on our last inmate. I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day, beautiful Bella."
Then he kissed my forehead, squeezed my hand and was walking down the street before I could process what just happened.
Author's Notes:
Lest you think Bella was being extremely harsh on Emmett, I discovered this excerpt on a website: http:/www(dot)pioneersholesschool(dot)org/pages/discipline(dot)html
"Punishment took numerous forms. Corporal punishment was not unheard of nor were other extreme penalties such as detention, suspension and even expulsion. Lesser punishments, more common at that time than now, included such things as a rap on the hands or knuckles with a steel edged ruler; standing in a corner with face to the wall; wearing a dunce cap, facing the room, and sitting upon a high stool beside the teacher's desk; standing for long periods with arms held straight out in front; standing with an arm outstretched, palm up, while holding a heavy book on that hand for a long period; or being banished to the girls' cloakroom (if the culprit were a boy)."
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