Interminable E. Cullen

Chapter 7

Her gentleness was a constant reminder of the monster that hid inside me

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Ophelia made Edward do many tasks to solidify the reality that is him being a vampire. 

From her whispering something outside of the house whilst he was locked in the bathroom upstairs to her literally pushing him out the window at one point, he did it all. To say that he wasn't amused by her persistence would be a lie. Edward smiled watching her giggle and try not to squirm out of the shock that came with the new information. She told Bella at one point, after he gave her the okay, and she simply looked at the vampire and told him that if she woke up to her sister's blood drained, she would kill him. 

Now, as she sat on the bed and him in a chair in front of her, she cuddled the giant dog laid across her lap. He watched in amusement as she swung her legs that were too short to touch the floor, becoming even more aware of how hard it was for her to sit still regardless of the time of day. 

"Is Bella sleeping yet?" 

"Yes. She fell asleep about an hour ago," Edward responded with furrowed brows, not sure what that had to do with anything they were currently speaking about. 

Ophelia quietly got up, "I'm going to make coffee." 

"What? Its 11 o'clock, you should already be asleep." 

"I can drink coffee and go right to sleep. I just want some to drink while I wait for Dad." 

He shook his head in disbelief, listening carefully as she stumbled her way through the kitchen downstairs and the sound of Kingsley's heavy paws trying desperately to keep anything from happening to her in the tiny space. 

She took a sip of her coffee, sighing in content as the warmth enveloped her, before making her way to the couch where she grabbed a fluffy blanket and got comfortable. "I hear you wait up for your dad a lot. Do you always do it?" Edward asked as he took a seat next to her. 

She nodded. "Every night he works the late shift. I wait until Bella's asleep so she doesn't try to mother me to bed, and I usually try to get up early so I can tell him goodbye for work."

"Why?"

"Even if he had a job that wasn't dangerous I think I would do it, but especially since he's always out looking for dangerous stuff I just want to be sure he gets home okay and I get to tell him I love him before he leaves." 

Edward spoke, perplexed, "I hadn't realized you were that close to your father." He watched her tense up for a moment before relaxing. 

"We're not, but that's not his fault." Ophelia blew out air from her mouth, feeling worked up at the topic that always filled her heart with sadness. "My mom took us when we were babies and we never really got to see him. She was childish in a way, like she didn't want us to like him more than her or something so she never let me get too close. Never let me call him as much as I wanted, never tried to be the bigger person and arrange for us to see each other more. And for a long time I think I resented her for that, probably still do, for taking away the opportunity I had to have a parent that was real since she never wanted to grow up." 

Ophelia continued, "Affection has always been difficult for my dad but I know he tried with us. Love is a difficult thing, but I have no doubt about the love he has for Bella and myself." 

Edward reached forward, grabbing her warm hand in his which she gratefully accepted. "One time, when I was really little, I was crying because I wanted to watch baseball with him since he likes it so much, but obviously I can't see. So that day after he came home from work he bought an old radio and brought it home. He tuned into the station that did commentary for sports and he just listened to the game with me instead of watching it on TV. And that has really stuck with me, that an action that would seem so small to anyone else meant so much to me. I know it was one of his ways of showing he cared. He doesn't say gushy stuff often because he shows it in his actions; when he put new tires on the truck or listens to the best baseball game of the season instead of watches it. "

From then on Edward asked her about more stories, listening and responding. Ophelia's heart would beat faster the more she moved closer to Edward, still holding the hand that was offered to her. The tingles that started to move up her arm from his touch now covering her whole body as she leaned into his side. Soon the conversation began dying out as she succumbed to the sleep she desperately tried to avoid. 

Hours later Edward moved quickly when he heard the front door click from a key turning. Moving upstairs then out of Ophelia's open window he watched from a tree as Charlie Swan placed his stuff down, a small smile on his exhausted face as he saw that once again his youngest daughter tried to wait up for his safe return. Picking her up he walked her up the stairs and to her room, carefully tucking her into bed and kissing the top of her head goodnight. 

Edward watched this play out, seeing how loving and careful her father was with her despite not being good at obvious displays of affection. Seeing how he put no effort into himself once he made it to his own room, just taking off his boots and falling asleep fully clothed. 

And yet, both the father and daughter unknowingly fell asleep with smiles on their faces at the exchange. 

Honestly this chapter was to showcase more of Charlie and Ophelia because I love them so much. 

If you have any tips on how you handle stuff like depression or anxiety (safely!) please let me know in the comments if you're comfortable doing so <3