I heard a knock at the kitchen door.

“Bella!” Alice called. “Rose and Emmett want to go. Come out now if you want to say good-bye.”

I could hear the burning curiosity in her voice and realized that I should anticipate giving an in-depth explanation of what was going on once I was off the phone with Edward. I sighed, much preferring to stay here with him, even if it meant tiptoeing through our conversation as I tried to avoid offending him further. Anything was better than facing Rosalie and Alice.

But I sighed. “Edward? I’d better go.”

“Oh, I’m sorry Bella. I’m keeping you, aren’t I?” Edward said hurriedly. “Well, we’ll…talk later. Have a wonderful Christmas.”

“Yeah,” I said quietly. “You too.” He hung up, and already I missed the sound of his voice. I put the phone back on the receiver, thankful that I had to be composed for my friends outside. That thought alone would control the breakdown bubbling beneath the surface.

When I left the kitchen I was immediately confronted with Alice, who was glaring angrily up at me. “What in the world are you doing with my brother!?” she hissed so that they wouldn’t hear us in the other room. “Don’t you realize his heart is broken up as it is? Don’t make it worse.”

My eyes widened in surprise. Of all possible reactions, I hadn’t expected this one. I was so certain Alice would be begging me for details, assuming that everything was alright between Edward and I again and we could all go back to normal now. But her arms were crossed and she was planted firmly in front of me, her eyes burning into mine. I was taken aback by her obvious anger.

“Uh…” I groped for an explanation. “It’s nothing Alice, really. We just talk.” It was the truth, but I doubted she would believe me.

“What do you mean you ‘just talk’, Bella?” Alice attacked again before I could blink. “You broke my brother’s heart! You have no right to be ‘just talking’ to him.”

Abruptly, I was frustrated and upset with Alice for assuming that I would be hurting Edward. After all, he was the one who called me. He’d started the Christmas calls, and if he wanted to end them, well, more power to him then.