"It's a good thing you're bulletproof." I sighed. "I'm going to need that ring. It's time to tell Charlie."
He laughed at the expression n my face. "Highly dangerous," he agreed. He laughed again and then reached into the pocket of his jeans. "But at least there's no need for a side trip."
He once again slid the ring into place on the third finger of my left hand
Where it would stay – conceivable for the rest of eternity.
I was nervous the whole way home, and Edward telling that held my hand, rubbing his thumb over my knuckles.
As we pulled into the driveway and saw the cruiser there my palms instantly began to sweat.
"Do we have to tell him?"
"Yes Bella, you would regret it if we don't. Charlie is a very rational man, everything will be fine. Relax."
His attempts at comfort did nothing for my nerves.
"Dad?" I called as I opened the front door and walked in, automatically leaving it open for Edward.
"In here." I heard come from the living room, the game, of course.
"His thoughts are calm, relax."
I wasn't sure why I was so worried about this, I would do it anyway, regardless of what he said.
"How's the game?" I asked as we walked in.
"Great, we're up three to one. Hello Edward."
"Hello Charlie." Edward was always so polite to him.
Edward pulled me by my hand to the recliner which we both squished into.
"What are you kids up to today?" Charlie asked at the next commercial.
"Well, dad, we kinda want to talk to you about something."
I saw him stiffen, crap.
"Yes?" he tried to remain calm.
"Charlie, I would like to ask you for your daughters hand in marriage."
Edward was almost too blunt with the question but with Charlie it was always better to get right to the point.
We sat there, and watched as Charlie's face turned from a normal healthy color, to pale first, then it turned pink, and eventually ended up a fusha shade.
"WHAT?!" He bellowed,
"Absolutely not, you are too young, you both have your whole lives ahead of you, no, no you can't marry her. I won't allow it. No."
I'd never seen him react this way; he was usually so relaxed, and calm.
"But dad we love each other, and have it all planned out. We will go to University of Alaska together, get an apartment there, we'll both get jobs, and be fine. You wont have to worry about children, we already had that discussion, and you wont have to worry about school, you wont have to worry about us living on the streets, Edwards family is pretty well off to do. You've seen their house."
I was making it up as I went along, but Edward caught on quick.
"yes, sir, I will love, and protect, and take care of your daughter the way she deserves. She will only have the best."
Even I could tell he was using his most persuasive voice, kicking up the vampire willies.
"I promise to get a job, I'll go to school at nights, provide for her, protect her, and worship her."
That was it, that was what Charlie needed to hear, that I would be fine, and would be well taken care of, even if I wouldn't need the protection anymore.
Charlie's resolve was weakening, it was visible.
"No, I still don't agree." He said in a last ditch attempt.
"Dad, I. Will. Be. Fine." I stressed each word. "You know the Cullens and what a good family they are. How high morals they have, and how much they help each other. If we ever did need help with anything, Carlisle and Esme already said they would be there."
Charlie looked at me, oblivious to the fact that the game had come back on.
"Edward, your parents already okayed this?"
"Yes, sir, my family is happy that Bella will be joining our family."
Alice was exstatic, Esme wasn't too far behind her, Carlisle was happy for us, Emmett loved it that I would be part of the family, even Jasper was happy. Even though he kept his distance. The only one I didn't know about was Rosealie, Edward keeps telling me she's happy but I still don't believe it. Ever since the night she told me about herself, we haven't really talked.
"You are only waiting on my approval then?" Charlie said.
"Yes." Edward and I agreed in unison.
"Well, since Carlisle and Esme both agreed to it, then I don't see anything wrong with it. But." He held up a hand. "I still think you both are too young."
"We understand Dad. Thank you. We'll let you get back to your game, looks like we lost some of that lead we had."
I got up, and pulled Edward with me. Up in my room I plopped down on my bed.
"Wow." Edward said as he sank gracefully to the bed next to me.
"I know, I've never seen him react that way to anything."
Pulling me into his lap Edward laid back against the headboard.
"I didn't know humans were capable of turning that color." He joked.
"I hope Rene takes it better than Charlie." I mumbled more to myself than Edward, but he of course heard me.
"She will. From what you told me about what she said to you in Phoenix, she knows how much we love each other. She will react better."
It sounded like he was trying to be Alice. Telling the future."
"Guess I should get it over with, she wont like it either."
I got up and grabbed the cordless phone I recently installed in my room.
"Hello?"
"Hi mom."
"Bella! Honey its Bella. How are you, how's Edward?"
"Good, everyone's good. But I want to talk to you about Edward and I."
"What happened?" She asked with blatant concern.
"Nothing happened, but we sort of want to talk to you about something, and I know I shouldn't do this over the phone, but Mom, Edward asked me to marry him, and I said yes."
I rushed through it, and waited anxiously for her response. She was silent for longer than I liked, but she more than made up for it with her next sentence.
"You did what?! Didn't I teach you anything, you're too young, your whole life… Tell me you're not pregnant." She said the last in horror.
"What? No mom, I'm not pregnant."
I spent the next twenty minuets passing to and getting the phone back from Edward while getting lectured about my future, and how bad of a decision it would be to get married straight out of High School.
After Edward, Phil, and I talked my mother down, we hung up on a good note. She was happy for us.
