Only Time Will Tell

Permanent Stay

Elizabeth looked up from her book to glance at the grandfather clock on the wall once again. Waiting impatiently for her husband to get home. It was considerably late and he was still at work. Edward and Jacob had already gone off to bed to sleep unaware that she was downstairs. She would also like to be 'getting her beauty sleep' as Jacob would say. But it was imperative she talk to her husband before the next three days were up and Jacob would be sent on his way. She would have called him at work, but she needed him in a good mood and she knew he didn't take too kindly to being interrupted when he was focused on something.

She was about to give up for tonight though as it seemed like he may be staying in the office. She let out a sigh as she took off her reading glasses putting the book away. She got up and was about to put out the living room fire that is until she heard the sound of the front door opening. She couldn't help the excited smile as she heard her husband come in. She rushed quickly over to the door. She ignored her husband's puzzled look seeing her up so late as she came over to him taking his coat off of him.

"Welcome home dear!" She said happy that she would not have to stay up tomorrow night in another attempt to see him.

She'd been doing this for the last week and it was really starting to get to her. She was afraid the darkness under her eyes was beginning to show through her make up. Even more so when Jacob had suggested that she take a nap earlier that day, having smelled the fatigue on her. He'd taken to subtly using his shifting abilities whenever he could in order to satisfy his wolf a little. Seeing as he hasn't been able to shift in weeks. Not that Elizabeth knew that. All she could assume was her tiredness was becoming noticeable and that was unacceptable.

"Darling, why are you up so late?" Her husband asked.

"I needed to speak to you dear." She said putting away his coat as the two walked up to their room together.

"You could have just telephoned me. There was no need for you to deprive yourself of sleep." He replied facing her for a second seemingly looking for signs of tiredness. Which he found pretty easily. He frowned a bit. He'd given his wife his work number because he didn't want her to have to wait so long to speak to him, losing sleep in the process. Which couldn't be good for her health. He was a little upset that she'd done so to herself anyways.

"Oh I know sweetie but I wanted to talk about this with you in person." She said sitting on their bed as she watched her husband start to disrobe.

"Really now? What could be so important? Are you pregnant?" He asked facing her seriously. She laughed a little at the absurdity of the question. Leave it to her husband to think the only reason she'd need to speak to him in person was because she was pregnant.

"No! Nothing like that, Dear! I want to discuss Jacob and possibly allowing him to stay with us for longer? Maybe even until the end of the year?" She asked tentatively.

He finally stopped getting ready and sat down next to her giving her his full attention.

"Alright, clearly this must be serious. You'd never ask to let a stranger stay so long unless you truly believed it'd be a benefit. Tell me why you think he should stay?" He said and Elizabeth had to bite her tongue in order not to correct him in that Jacob was no longer a stranger.

"Well, I know you aren't hear to usually see it but I know you've at lest notice during parties that Edward is concerningly distant with others?" She said and was happy that her husband nodded. He and his son may not be the closest they could be but even he can see when they are out as a family Edward is not near social enough. Something that was very important in the business world and even in life in general. He'd been meaning to talk to Elizabeth about getting him a tutor for that.