Folktale

Chapter 34

Edward's P.O.V

Muriel was at a complete loss of words. She opened her mouth and shut it over and over again, trying to say something but nothing comes out. Eventually, the sound does come out, but it's nothing but a small gasp. She grasps me by the shoulders tightly and then grips my face between her hands, making me look at her and nothing but her.

"Edward, listen to what you're asking me to do."

"I know what I asked you," I say, tearing her hands from me. "And if you care for me, for Bella as much as you say you do, you'll do it."

"You're asking me to commit murder!" She hissed, fisting her hands in the air. "Edward, I know you're feeling helpless and I know you're scared, but think about it for a second. You're asking me to end your life and you're not even taking into consideration another factor. You have Toby, you have a beautiful baby boy and if he loses his mother, he cannot afford to lose his father as well."

I shake my head. "He has Carlisle and Esme and Charlie, all of whom will take care of him and love him-"

"No one will ever love him as much as his parents! His father, Edward!" She snaps, tears trailing down her cheeks. "I don't know if Bella is going to survive and I know it feels like you can't live without her, but please, think about Toby. He needs you. I cannot do that and allow you to abandon your child. Bella wouldn't want that."

"No, Muriel." The words get caught in my throat. "It hurts. It's killing me. I'm a resident, I know what they meant when they said we should prepare ourselves! It means she's most probably going to die and I can't handle it!"

"But there is also a possibility that she might live. No matter how small, you hold onto that small possibility and you don't give up." She grabs her purse and steps away. "Don't be stupid, I'm begging you, Edward. It won't end well."

And she walks away.

I let myself fall on the bench, looking out at the dark grey sky. The air feels like ice against my skin. I close my eyes, looking up at the sky and I do something I haven't done in years, not since my parents forced me to church every Sunday when I was a child. I prayed. I prayed like I never did before.

Please... If you're there... If you're there, watching this... Please, don't take her from me again. Please, please, don't take her from me...

I feel someone sit next to me, but I don't open my eyes. I keep praying, maybe I'm even begging, but I'm hoping He is hearing me.

"Out of everyone in there, I didn't expect you would be the one to walk out."

And out of everyone I expect to be seated right next to me, I didn't expect it would be Jacob Black.

I look at him, but I don't say anything. He's sitting next to me, looking down at his hands as he plays with his fingertips.

"After everything with Bella ten years ago, I hated you. I hated you for a long time. I thought you were nothing but a bastard who took the woman I loved from me and I wished you dead... It took me a long time to get over it."

"I bet that feeling came back, hasn't it?" Because trust me, I wish the same.

Jacob shakes his head. "No, not at all. I thought of seeing you again, now married and with a child with Bella, the feeling would come back. But then I saw Bella and she looked genuinely happy. Happier I'd ever seen her and that was all because of you. Alice and I knew... We knew you two had a connection we may never understand. It's like a gravitational pull toward each other and she and I never had that."

He finally looked at me. "And I know you being out here is you hurting. And if you're hurting, she's hurting, Edward. This is the last thing any of us would have expected, but she needs you. Whatever the doctors said, she needs you and I may not know you well enough, but I know you won't forgive yourself if you aren't by her side whether she lives or dies."