This is a story that popped into my head while my fiancée and I were taking a walk. This story takes place in the beginning of Breaking Dawn about a week after Charlie finds out about the engagement. Enjoy
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.
Charlie's POV
"Dad!" Bella called from the top of the stairs.
"Yeah Bells?"
"I think it's time you meet the rest of my new family. You know Alice, Edward, and Carlisle, but if I'm getting married, you need to know the rest of them." She explained as she walked down the staircase with a hairbrush in hand.
"Um, uh, w-w-when, uh, do you want this, uh, to h-h-happen?" I stuttered, as she dumped my coffee cup in the sink
"Dad, are you afraid of the Cullens? We're going over to their house in twenty minutes, get out of those sweatpants and for the love of all things holy, brush your hair!" She said while handing me the brush.
I got to thinking. It's not that I'm afraid of the Cullens per se, it's more that I'm afraid they won't like me. Carlisle, with his huge home, beautiful wife, and five perfect kids. The big one, Em-something, the blond beauty Rebecca? No. Something old fashioned. And then that tall blonde one Jackson? That doesn't sound right. The one who makes Alice smile. Alice. I sighed. My second daughter. The short little girl who pushes the seat all the way up in Bella's truck. The one who never eats. The one who pulled my daughter out of the deep depression. Alice. How could someone so incredibly adorable like someone so scary? And then there was Edward. The bronze haired beast who stole my little girl's heart. The one who in about two month's time would have her forever. or at least as long as he lives. I wish I could have something to do with the latter.
"Come on Dad," Bella practically moaned.
She threw me the keys to the truck and ran, unsuccessfully, to the driveway. She tripped over her shoelaces on the way over. I helped her stand back up as we both blushed. I got in the front seat. I had to push the seat back. As I started backing out of the driveway Bella screamed,
"Stop the truck!"
I slammed on the breaks. "What's wrong Bells?" I asked concerned.
"I'm bleeding, I got a scrape when I fell."
"Bella, I'm sure Carlisle has bandages in the house he's a doctor for crying out loud get back in the car."
"I uh, don't want to drip blood on Esme's white carpet, just hold on like two minutes. I have to clean up."
Well that's just weird. A little scrape on her elbow and she starts freaking out. About five minutes later she came back in the car. She smells faintly of rubbing alcohol and her whole elbow is bandaged. Her face is flushed and she's toying nervously with the ring on her finger.
"You okay?" I asked slowly.
"Yeah dad, sorry about that. It's just, uh, Esme works really hard to keep that house clean and uh, you know how I get around blood."
"So, uh, on a different note, do you think I should have brought something to them, like a fruit basket or that box of cashews in the pantry?"
"Oh dad, no. You'll be totally fine without anything. Uh- Rosalie has a lot of severe allergies like nuts, and strawberries They can't have any food come, uh, in the house unless Esme gives it the okay. Just being too close to the foods could be deadly" She explained blushing again.
That statement made me think back to that Newton kid's dad telling me how the Cullens sit alone in the lunchroom. The allergies must be why. Or maybe the Cullens are just as weird as they say.
"Turn left here," She said the color slowly fading from her face.
She must be nervous too. I thought.
"Another left here, and then a right at the next stop sign."
Soon enough we pulled up into the long driveway. The big white house stood in front of us. I gulped, Bella blushed, and then I opened the door. We walked a little faster than normal. Bella, because she hadn't seen Edward since yesterday, and me, because the faster we could get this over with, the better.
She rang the doorbell, and about a second afterwords Alice swung the door open.
"Bella, Charlie! What a surprise!" She grinned in her singing voice. She pecked both of us on the cheeks causing us both to blush. "Why don't you two come on in. Esme made a crumb cake and Edward's at the piano!"
She grabbed Bella's hand and let us forward. Their house was so light and open. A sweet aroma filled the air, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was. Lavendar? A sunny day? Maybe a combination of both, plus the crumb cake smell. Plus whatever music Edward was playing added to the mystery. He was too good for being an eighteen year old boy.
"Ah, you must be Charlie," A woman greeted us from the couch.
"I'm Esme, Carlisle's wife, Edward's mother. I'm so pleased to meet you." The sweet woman smiled, as she stood up to shake my hand. I winced it was cold. Esme looked away.
"Children," she called into an intercom speaker, "Charlie and Bella are here, why don't you come down and say hello?"
A few moments later the other 4 kids shuffled in.
"I'm so sorry Carlisle couldn't be here today, he is at the hospital. Emergency surgery." Esme sighed.
Bella made her way over to Edward and he leaned down and kissed her on the lips, she snuggled into his chest for a moment and I looked away embarrased. No father should have to see something like that.
"Charlie, this is Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie." Alice said pointing to the thin blonde one, the tall big one, and the beauty.
"It's nice to meet all of you." I said.
"Dad, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie are all a year ahead of me. They just finished their freshman year in college." Bella explained to me.
"Oh so where do you all go to school," I asked.
"Yale University majoring in Psychology," Explained Jasper.
"Harvard University majoring in Physics," Grinned Emmett.
"Stanford University, majoring in Pre-med," Sighed Rosalie.
I guess the doctor was richer than I had thought.
"Edward, why don't you show Charlie the rest of the house?" Esme asked in a sweet tone.
"Sure Esme, no problem. Follow me Charlie, Bella, why don't you come along?" Edward said.
I followed Edward up the stairs and looked around. This house was a lot bigger than I had previously thought. The downstairs was just one room. But the upstairs was like a hotel. A room everywhere you looked.
"In this room is Carlisle's study." We walked in and books were on every shelf in the room. Medical journals, dictionaries, and even books in a language I couldn't read. Latin maybe? Paintings were all around the wall. One of them really intrigued me. A painting of 3 men in robes and red eyes.
"Who are those men?" I asked. "And why do they have red eyes?" Bella blushed and looked down at the floor.
"Those men are relatives of Carlisle who lived in Italy hundreds of years ago. The red eyes are meant to be brown, but due to the age of the painting, the paint has faded over the years." Edward explained smoothly. Something about his explanation was off.
"Shall we move on?" Edward asked.
"Uh Okay." I said.
"Here is Carlisle and Esme's bedroom." Edward said.
I looked around. The room was huge. Probably bigger than the whole second floor of my house. I felt weird in my future son-in-law's parent's room. I cleared my throat, "This is very nice, what's next?" I hoped Edward would get the message.
"Here we have an extra closet, for Alice and Rosalie," Edward opened the door to the next room and showed me a closet bigger than my bedroom. It was piled high with clothes, shoes, and dresses."
"Wow, uh, that's very nice of your father to buy the girls such nice things." I had a feeling Edward was trying to show off. One-up me. Just because he can afford nice things for my daughter doesn't mean he should show it. I glowered.
"Uh, next is Rosalie and Emmett's room," Explained Edward as he led us into the next room."
"You mean to tell me that your brother and sister share a room?" I asked shocked.
"Well Charlie, Rosalie and Emmett don't have a blood relation. Both of them are almost twenty years old, and they are married." Edward sighed. I took a look around the room. A glittering mirror. Two huge walk in closets, and a huge white bed. I shuddered.
"Our next stop, is Alice and Jasper's room. They were just married."
Another huge white bed, and another shudder.
"Here is Jasper's study, and the last room is mine."
We walked into Edward's room. The walls were as covered in music as Carlisle's were in books. He had a huge sound system, and in the center of the room was a huge gold bed. Great, in two month's time that will be my daughter's as well. I winced and Bella blushed again.
"And that raps up the tour of the second floor of our house."
"Yeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssss!" Came a shout from downstairs.
"What was that?" I asked confused.
"Emmett's watching the Packer game. He's kind of obsessed with Wisconsin sports teams. That's where we used to live." Edward chuckled.
The thought of a football game going on downstairs made me feel a little better. Well, at least when I come over to visit I'll be able to relate to someone.
"Dad, do you want to go check it out?" Laughed Bella. She knew me so well.
"Uh, sure." I said.
At the end of the game Jasper had to leave. Something about an appointment. As he left Alice went up to him and he picked her up so her 4'10" could match his 6'3". Even when the man was as lean as he was, he had no problem picking Alice up. Although she probably only weighed 80 pounds. She wrapped her legs around him and kissed him passionately. I was almost shocked. Seeing sweet little Alice being kissed by such a scary man made me a little nervous. Even if he was her husband. Hmph. Alice giggled and he put her down. He kissed the top of her head once more before he walked out the back door.
Emmett explained how he needed to go with Jasper. He kissed Rosalie with as much passion as Jasper with Alice. This scared me less though, because Rosalie didn't seem as fragile as Alice. Her tall frame and more filled out body made her seem old enough to be married. I looked at my watch. 4:00. Had we really been there that long?
Bella seemed to sense my discomfort. She got out of Edward's lap and said, "Alright Charlie, we can go now." Edward laughed kissed her and thanked us for coming.
Esme came down the stairs with a basket of laundry to see us off.
"Charlie, I'll see you next week for your first fitting," Alice said.
"Alright Alice, if you think that's necessary.
"Bye Edward, Alice. I'll see you two tomorrow." Said Bella.
"Bye Charlie." Smiled Esme. "Come back any time."
I guess that wasn't as bad as I thought. Bella really loves the family. I think she'll be in good hands. Just as we walked outside the door the sound of the garage opening could be heard. Carlisle was coming home from the hospital.
"Bella, Charlie. How nice to see you." He grinned. "Will you be coming back again soon?"
