Only by Moonlight

Chapter 14

With utmost thanks to the lovely and talented ladylibre on FanFiction.net, who knows her stuff and helped me dismantle and rewrite this chapter when it came out all wrong the first time. She’s brilliant beyond words! 

Chapter 14 

            I woke to my cell phone buzzing on the bed table. I groaned, not wanting to turn over to grab it; my body felt stiff and sore when I attempted the movement. Edward reached over me, scooped up the phone, and handed it to me.

            I glanced at the number but didn’t recognize it. “Hello?” I mumbled.

            “Isabella, this is James. How are you doing?” It took me a moment to recognize the deep voice at this time of the morning and in my slightly drug-influenced state.   “I’m doing okay,” I answered, my voice bleary.

            “Are you really okay? You don’t sound like yourself. And your e-mail stated that you had been hospitalized and had some broken bones.”

            I sighed, touched by his concern, but goodness—this early? “I really don’t want to get into it right now, James. Especially at….” I peered at my alarm clock, “…seven in the morning.”

            “I’m just worried about you, Isabella.”

            “Well, I’m fine, James. Really. But I’m going to have to postpone our meeting today. Perhaps I’ll feel better tomorrow, and we can meet then.”

            After a short pause, James suggested, “Listen, why don’t I stop by this afternoon after classes to visit you? And if you feel up to it, I can fill you in on the parameters of the project, and we can decide who will do what. But only if you feel well enough. What do you think?”

            Ignoring Edward shaking his head at me, obviously wanting me to decline, I replied, “Okay. I might still be a little strung out on pain meds, but we can give it a try.” As he already knew the address since he had attended the party, he said he’d be by around four. After a couple of “See you soon’s,” I ended the conversation.

            I had forgotten about James being there at the party, actually. Maybe he could be a witness if I pressed charges against Mike….

            Coming out of my thoughts, I noticed a rather annoyed Edward sitting beside me on the bed. “I don’t think that having someone over today is a good idea,” he stated, his voice firm.

            I shrugged, glad that the movement that had been so painful yesterday produced only a twinge today. “I’m really much better today, Edward. I’ve agreed to stay home from classes even though doing so really worries me; I hate getting behind. At least with James coming over today, we can get started on the project. I think we have to submit it within six weeks, so we don’t have much time to do all the research and write it up.”

            His demeanor softened…slightly. “Be that as it may, I still believe you’re making a mistake, Isabella. You’ve been through a great deal over the past few days.”

            Before I could open my mouth to reply, Edward turned toward the door. “I think Emmett’s coming,” he said, moving across the room and taking his usual seat in the rocker before dematerializing.

            Em came barreling in as usual, all fun and grins, and I couldn’t help smiling at his exuberance…even at seven in the morning.

            “How’s my patient this morning?” he asked, the concern in his eyes belying his cheerful bedside manner.

            “I’d feel better if I weren’t missing classes,” I sighed. “If Alice can get some of my assignments for the week, am I allowed to try to keep up with my classes here at home? And perhaps work on my project with James?” I tried (and failed) to smile beguilingly, causing Emmett to chuckle as I dramatically batted my eyelashes at him.