The 80's Power Ballad Contest: Twilight Edition
Name of song and artist chosen: Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns N Roses
Pen-name: Shelby0321
Twitter name: Shelby0321
Title: Friday Night Tradition
Word Count: 2465
Rating: T
Pairing: Edward & Bella
Summary: Friday nights have always been special to Bella and Edward. Over the years, the events of the night change but one thing remains the same. A look at how one song can create memories, laughter, and most importantly, love within a family.
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own Twilight, that glory belongs to Ms. Meyer. If I did Edward would be mine in real life! I also don't own the song Sweet Child O' Mine, that belongs to Guns N Roses. But I thank them for the inspiration. I do however own a copy of Guitar Hero and Abbie is all mine.
BPOV
When we found out I was pregnant with Abbie, it was 2006.
Edward and I always spent Friday nights together; it was our date night, so naturally, it was a Friday when I told him I was pregnant.
I remember that night like it was yesterday. We had only been married for six months and children weren't in our immediate plans but I knew that we'd be okay.
Edward was over the moon. He was so happy and started making plans immediately. He just knew our unborn child would be a girl. "How can my beautiful girl not give me a beautiful girl that looks just like her? I know it's a girl, Bella," he said as he kissed me.
We went out to celebrate that evening and Edward decided he wanted to go get ice cream. "We have to get a head start on those cravings, baby," he said as he licked ice cream off his spoon. I just laughed and shook my head as we finished our treats and got back in the car.
As we drove home, Sweet Child O' Mine started playing on the radio. Edward grinned, turning up the volume, as he started crooning to me at the top of his lungs. He was so happy and carefree it made my heart melt.
While stopping at a red light, Edward leaned over to me and put his palm on my belly as the chorus came across the speakers. "Oh, oh, oh sweet child o' mine," he sang. "Oh, oh, oh sweet love o' mine," he whispered as he kissed my tummy sweetly.
My eyes watered at this wonderfully sweet man that I was so lucky to call my husband as I placed my palm flat against his cheek. "I love you so much," I said as I looked into his eyes.
"I am so in love with you," he replied as he kissed me.
The sound of a horn brought us out of our kissing as the light turned green. Edward looked at me and grinned as we drove away. We kept up our Friday night traditions for the next nine months until our beautiful girl, Abigail Renee Cullen, was born. Then, our Friday nights changed for the better.
18 months later
"You ready to rock, baby girl?" Edward asked our 18-month-old daughter.
It was Friday night and we were at home, as per the usual now, and Edward had the Xbox on and Guitar Hero II ready to go. He liked to set Abbie up facing him in front of the television so he could make her laugh while he danced around and played the game.
Abbie was such a daddy's girl. The minute he walked into the room, her little face lit up like it was Christmas morning. She adored him, and there was nothing that Edward wouldn't do for her.
"Ahhhhhppsssttt! Da!" Abbie squealed and laughed at her daddy. She loved the 'shows' he put on for her.
"Okay, baby! Let's rock!" Edward said in a horrible rocker accent. "What song do you want to hear?" he asked, as he scrolled through the games choices.
"Ahhh. Here's the perfect song for you, sweet girl," he said as he reached down to tickle her belly. He turned towards me and, with a wink, said, "This one's for you too, beautiful."
Swoon! Have I mentioned how much I love my husband? Sigh….
As the opening notes to that popular Guns N' Roses song, Sweet Child O' Mine, came through the speakers, I had to smile. Edward sang that song to my belly constantly throughout my pregnancy. Then, he continued to sing it during those late nights when little Miss Abbie felt she didn't have to sleep anymore. It made her fall asleep very quickly. The song meant so much to me, as cheesy as it sounds, but I knew that it meant my husband was totally and completely in love with our daughter. It made my heart feel so full, it was going to burst because I knew he meant every word of it he has ever sung to her.
Abbie has heard the song sung so much by Edward that, as soon as he started singing, she got very excited. She gets so happy every time she hears it. Probably because it's been with her since she was still in the womb.
This time though, something new happened. As Edward sang and danced goofily in the living room, Abbie decided she wanted to sing with her daddy too.
But, bless her heart, it sounded more like she was singing "blah, blah, blah." It didn't really sound like words; it sounded like she was blabbering.
Edward stopped playing and singing and looked in awe at our beautiful baby girl. He turned to me with the biggest smile I'd ever seen grace his face and said, "Did you hear that?"
"I did!" I smiled.
To Abbie, he said, "Is that my baby girl singing with Daddy? Huh? How about that!"
"I don't know if it was really singing, Edward. It sounded more like blabbering." I laughed at my silly husband.
"Don't listen to Mommy, baby! You just tell her that blabbing IS singing," he said as he picked her up. "In fact, I think we will start our own Guitar Hero band and we will use your blabbing to get you a really cool rock name! How about that, Blabby Abbie?"
He blew a raspberry on her belly and she squealed and grabbed at his neck.
"Blabby Abbie sounds perfect," I said with a smile. "Now give me my baby so she can go to bed."
Edward kissed her on the head and handed her to me. I chuckled to myself as I walked up the stairs to put her to bed.
3 years later
If any night of the week is sacred for my husband and daughter, it's game night.
Usually, it's Friday night and we go all out. Pizza for dinner - homemade, of course, with a full topping bar for Miss Abbie to go completely crazy with - which primarily ends up half on the floor. Ice cream sundaes complete with bananas, sprinkles and whipped cream. You get the picture.
All of this is followed by the ever-popular game, Guitar Hero.
Like I said, family game night is sacred in the Cullen household. And by sacred, I mean it's strictly Daddy and Abbie time.
They are so sweet together that I'm really okay with not being included in this particular ritual.
And here's why:
"You weady, Daddy?" my four year old asked Edward.
"You bet, sweet child of mine!" Edward said as he ruffled her hair. "You need any help here, sweetheart?" He asks as he kisses me sweetly on the forehead.
"No, you two go and have fun. I'm just going to clean up the kitchen, and then read while you two do your thing," I said with a smile.
"Come on, Blabby Abbie!" he called to our daughter teasingly as he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.
"Just Abbie, Daddy!" she squealed as he walked out of the kitchen.
I heard the tale tell sounds of the Xbox being turned on as Edward tried to get Abbie to pick any other game than the one she always wants to play. It's currently her new favorite and while Edward acts like he is bored with it, I really think he's just as happy to play it every Friday.
"You sure, Blabby Abbie? Guitar Hero again?" I heard him ask one last time.
"Uh huh! We HAFT to pway our song daddy!" she said in her best pouty voice, as she calls it. Silly girl.
Edward sighed dramatically, "AGAIN? Aren't you sick of this game yet?"
"No, daddy. It's twadition!"
Edward chuckled, "How can I say no to that?"
I shook my head and grinned as he started up the game and sang along to the theme song. Abbie singing with him, only she wasn't sure of the words so she more mumbled and squealed her way through it. I quickly finished up in the kitchen and went to sit in the window seat to watch the show. And a show it usually is.
Abbie really only likes this game because of one song, a song that she had dubbed her and her father's song. And that's the only song she wants to play. So, as Edward hands her a guitar and straps his own on, he's already headed to 'their song'.
"You ready, Sweet Child O' Mine?" he asks her with a smile.
"Weady, Daddy!"
"Are we gonna finish strong tonight?" he asks sweetly, as they have yet to finish the song out completely.
"You got it dude!" she says, giving him a thumbs up.
Edward chuckles and starts the song.
As the opening sounds of the guitar pour through the speakers on the TV, I set my book down to watch the show. And it always starts the same way.
Abbie has the most adorable look of concentration on her face as she struggles to hit the notes on the screen. What she doesn't know is that Edward had turned the no fail option on in the game, so she can miss as many notes as she wants and would still make it to the end of the song. But you can tell she throws her all into the game.
My husband, however? Well let's just say HE's the reason they never finish the song.
Goodness, he's such a dork!
A beautiful, thoughtful, wonderful dork.
As Axl starts crooning on the television, Edward starts his little show for his daughter.
While playing, he starts swaying side to side in the typical Axl Rose manner and leans down to sing to Abbie.
She's got a smile that it seems to me
Reminds me of childhood memories
Where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky
Now and then when I see her face
She takes me away to that special place
And if I stare too long, I'd probably break down and cry
Abbie's look of concentration starts to waiver as a huge smile spreads across her face as she looks at her daddy.
Whoa, oh, oh, sweet child o' mine
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, sweet love of mine
Pretty soon, the notes on the screen are long forgotten as he continues singing to her. She starts to giggle as Edward really gets into dancing like Axl Rose.
She's got eyes of the bluest skies
As if they thought of rain
I'd hate to look into those eyes and see an ounce of pain
At this point, Abbie has abandoned all playing and takes off her guitar. Edward does the same and reaches down to pick her up. "Her hair reminds me of a warm, safe place
"Where as a child I'd hide"
He playfully puts his face in her hair and blows raspberries in her neck as she squeals in laughter while Axl takes the lead on the last couple of lines.
And pray for the thunder and the rain to quietly pass me by.
And here is where the show really begins. Why I live for these Friday game nights. Because nothing, I mean nothing, can melt your heart like a father making his daughter so happy and carefree. Nothing pierces your heart like her peals of laughter and joy.
Whoa, oh, oh, sweet child o' mine
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, sweet love of mine
Edward sings as he dances Abbie around the room.
"Sing with me, baby girl!"
Whoa, oh, oh, sweet child o' mine
Oh, oh, oh, oh, sweet love of mine
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, sweet child o' mine
Ooh, sweet love of mine
He continues to dance her around the room as she laughs and eats up all the attention her daddy is bestowing upon her, anxiously awaiting her favorite part of the whole production.
As the guitar solo starts, Edward swings Abbie up in the air and catches her, simultaneously flipping her sideways so that she resembles a guitar in his arms. He then proceeds to tickle her relentlessly as the guitar solo drags on.
Laughing so hard that her sweet little face turns red, she begs, "Stop, Daddy! Let me down!" when you really know all she wants is for him to keep tickling. She lives for her Daddy and he for her.
As the guitar solo winds down, she 'escapes' his clutches for the finale of their Friday night ritual. She giggles and runs around Edward's legs, trying hard to confuse him with her six year old wiles and runs behind the couch to hide.
In a dramatic tone, Edwards sings loudly in the living room.
Where do we go? Where do we go?
Where do we go now?
Where do we go?
Where do we go now?
Oh, where do we go now?
Changing the words to "Where did she go?" he stalks around the living room looking for her. Her attempt at stifling her little giggles fails miserably as Edward jumps over the back of the couch to grab her.
"Mommy, save me!" she squeals as Edward unleashes full tickle fury on her, attacking her with kisses and raspberries.
As the song ends, Edward picks her up and engulfs her in a hug as they both calm their laughter.
Abbie lays her head on his shoulder and sighs, tired after all their fun.
"Daddy?"
"Yeah, baby?"
"I wove you."
He squeezes her tight as he answers, "I love you too, Abigail Cullen."
"We didn't fwinish our game daddy," she says with a big yawn as she rubs her eyes.
"That's okay, baby girl. We can try again next time," he says as he carries her toward me. "Say good night to Mommy."
"G'night, Momma. I wove you," she says as her little arms wrap around my neck.
"Sweet dreams, my precious girl," I tell her as I kiss her on the forehead.
As I watch my beautiful husband carry our daughter up the stairs to bed, I can't help but get a little teary eyed. I love them both so much and can't believe this is my life. This is how I spend my Friday nights, watching my husband and our daughter play and laugh and love so freely and without abandon.
And as I sit there in the now quiet living room, I lay my hand on my belly, which is still flat for the time being, and think sweet child o' mine indeed. And I can't wait to tell Edward Guitar Hero just might have to be upgraded to full out Rock Band.