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Chapter Six

Melanie

It’s wonderful having Edward home after so long away. The house has seemed so quiet and almost empty since he left for college. It doesn’t help that over the past few years John and I have grown apart somewhat. We’re still very close, and we do love each other, but the spark isn’t really there anymore.

It makes me happy to see how much he’s grown, that he’s getting to live his life and experience it in a way I never really did. I don’t hold that against him in any way, it was my choice to be his mother.

Like me though, they fell in love from the first moment they saw him. I knew in the moment that he was handed to me that I would do anything for him. He’s my baby boy, and even though he towers over me now, he always will be.

I can feel him watching me as I busy myself with dinner preparations, and I smile, remembering how he would trail after me around the house as I did things, or was always quietly waiting to lick the spoon clean of whatever creation I had made that day.

I sigh, lamenting the fact that I won’t ever have that again. Max doesn’t want any more children, and as he’s four years older than I am, I suppose I can understand his reluctance. I’m not as young as I was when we adopted Edward, but I’m not too old to have children. I shrug to myself and shake off the feeling of disappointment. It would have been nice to give Edward a little brother or sister to run around after.

“Anything I can help with, Mom?” his deep voice sounds from right behind me, making me jump and bringing me out of my daydreams.

“No, it’s fine. You’ve been traveling for two days, you need to rest. Besides, there’s not much left to do but leave it to finish cooking.”

He nods and retakes his seat at the table.

“I’ll let you lick the spoon when I’m done,” I tease, winking at him as I give the sauce another rigorous stir and replace the lid on top.

Something flashes in his eyes for a split second, but it’s gone so quick I begin to wonder if I imagined it. Shaking off the strange feeling of unease that settled over me for a moment. Eventually, I come to the conclusion that I must have been imagining things, and I go back to cooking dinner. Humming quietly to myself, I pull out some garlic bread and pop it into the oven to bake .

Soon the smell of garlic joins the mixture of tomatoes, herbs, and beef, and after putting on the spaghetti, I sit down at the table next to Edward. He seems lost in thought, and I put my hand on top of his.

“Is everything okay?” I ask softly, covering his much larger hand with mine.

Sliding it out from underneath mine, he looks at me for a moment before nodding.

“I’m fine, Mom.”

“Well, as long you’re sure?” I probe, retaking his hand.

Edward smiles. “I am.”

I sigh as he takes my hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze. “You can talk to me about anything, you know that, right?”

“I know I can, Mom. I promise, everything is fine.”

I’m not entirely convinced, but I'll drop it for now. I relax my shoulders and take a deep breath, shoving away the worry and tension that niggles at me, despite his words. I guess I’m just being a typical protective mom, worrying about her child. Even though Edward is a grown adult who is able to take care of himself now, I’ll never not worry about his well-being.