The One That Got Away Teaser

“Damn it,” Bella barked, cradling her wrist. She scowled at the shattered casserole dish that now lay strewn on the floor. Her wrist was still very weak. She’d forgotten that when she went to pick up the cheesy potatoes to put them in the fridge for Christmas Day.

“Are you okay?” Edward asked, running into the kitchen. He was wearing nothing but a towel, holding it at his hip, but had heard the crash of the dish just after he hopped out of the shower.

“I’m fine, but the Pyrex bit the dust,” Bella sighed, massaging her injured wrist.

“Your wrist again?” Edward murmured, wrapping the towel around his waist and maneuvering her wrist tenderly. Bella whimpered when he pushed in a circular motion, and again when he asked her to grip his hand. “Where’s your brace, Bella?”

“Upstairs. I thought I could handle putting this together and into the fridge,” Bella pouted. “Apparently not.” He pulled on her hand and she yelped. “Fuck!”

“Sorry, sweetness,” he frowned. “We may need to call your orthopedic surgeon. Your wrist should be showing more improvement by now. Have you been doing your exercises?” Bella nodded. Edward swiped an icepack from the freezer. “Go upstairs and put on your brace, wrapping it with the icepack. I’m going to clean this up.”

“I can clean up my own mess,” she said petulantly, pouting adorably.

“Bella, please?” Edward pleaded. With a sigh, she carefully stepped over the casserole mess. Edward quickly cleaned it up, tossing the plate and food into the garbage can. He knew he’d have to clean the floor, but that would have to wait until he was dressed and had on shoes. Going back upstairs, he checked on the twins and told them to steer clear of the kitchen. They were too drawn into their television show to even notice the crash downstairs. “Offspring, please respond to what your father has said,” Edward deadpanned, snapping his fingers.

“No kitchen. Got it,” Liam said. “We’re into this, Dad. Go put some clothes on. The towel look is a bit, I don’t know, gross. You’re a dad.”

Rolling his eyes, he left them and checked on Bella. Her wrist was back in its brace, with the ice around it. “Keep that on while I finish my shower, Bella.” She nodded, her eyes red and puffy from crying. He frowned, walking over to her. “What is it, sweetness?”

“I’m just feeling very, very useless,” she said, giving him a watery smile. “I can’t do anything, really, in the kitchen. The one thing I thought I could handle … yeah, didn’t happen. I made a mess and we won’t have any side dish for Christmas Day.”

“Please, don’t stress out. I can whip something up,” he murmured, cupping her face with his hands. “You ice your wrist and I’ll be out in ten minutes.”

“Probably longer. You have to shave,” Bella sniffled, her left hand trailing down his scruffy cheek. “Esme wanted to take a family photograph today. Remember?”

“Crap,” he muttered. “It’s the holidays and I love spending time with our family, but I really want to crawl into bed with you and curl up.” Though, his plans were going to be put into motion today, while opening their one requisite Christmas present after dinner. The rest of their gifts were going to be opened on Christmas Day, but one gift was meant to be opened on Christmas Eve. That present was going to be a combination gift from the twins and himself, with a framed document with adoption papers for the twins, along with the necklace the twins had designed with Guy.