Alice sighed with muted frustration. The little clothes store was packed with people, crammed in against dated clothes rails, raking desperately through knits and denim. She stalked distractedly from rail to rail pulling out the odd sweater, pair of jeans, dress edged with delicate lace. The garments were very passé, very unglamorous; nothing like Alice. Nothing at all.
She turned to leave. One more store before she had exhausted all of Port Angeles. The only department store in town.
She had a glance around the dress section, trying on every garment in her size. She sat dejectedly in a pile of satin and net in the changing room, feeling heavy. She was tired of this place – and tired of the hour long runs to other cities to fulfil her shopping needs.
She stalked out of the changing room. She could feel the envious eyes on her, looking at her label clothes and red soled Christian Louboutin heels that clacked smartly across the floor. She swung her Juicy Couture bag over her Gucci clad shoulder, straightened the McQueen dress she wore and took out her Chanel powder compact. She smiled a little at her reflection, and wandered to her car.
…
Alice lay on her front, sprawled across the floor. She flipped the pages of Harpers Bazaar noisily, admiring some Jaeger, come Valentino, onto a studded leather purse… she sighed with deep longing.
She knew a way out of all of this. But she wouldn't' go alone. Where was the fun in that? Shopping without a partner? Please.
The key was not to over think it. Edward would be onto her. She felt a huge stab of remorse as she realised what she was going to do. But she swallowed it bitterly. After all, years in dreary places were finally taking their toll. New York was grey enough too! And think of the clothing opportunities there...
She shook the thought. No more thinking.
The pile of Bella's birthday presents rested on the side table in the dining room. She picked them up lightly, burbling jovially to Edward as she went, carrying them deftly to her room. He seemed distracted; he was going to see Bella. He wouldn't be looking in Alice's head tonight.
Alice carried each present upstairs, tucked into the fold of her arms. She placed them on her chaise longue, next to the paper, tape, glue and ribbons. She stood under her crystal chandelier, and sprung up lightly, breaking of a droplet hanging off of it deftly, grasping it gently between stone cold fingers. She sat cross-legged on the chaise, and began to wrap the gifts.
she had them all done, except the plane tickets from Carlisle and Esme. She wrapped them half heartedly, and then took the crystal droplet in her hand, between two fingers. And she began to crush it, ever so slowly, until only chunky sugar-like grains remained in the palm of her hand.
The glue was tacky beneath her fingers. She spread the teeny glass splinters across the joins in the parcel. Let the glue set. And tried not to think about it.
…
"Alice! ALICE!" Carlisle yelled. "Where are the gifts for Bella?"
"Right here," she sang brightly, skipping down the stairs. She placed the gently on the sideboard. Her head was busy with translating the Bible from English to Farsi – something she found a little blasphemous at times.
She skipped back up the stairs. "Bella! It's time, it's time" she giggled, pulling Bella and Edward downstairs.
She watched gifts being opened, snapped a picture of Edward and Bella. She handed Bella the small, flat gift from Esme and Carlisle.
Bella flipped the parcel over awkwardly, fumbling with the join between paper and tape. It felt almost rough beneath her fragile human fingers.
"Ouch," she said quietly. "Paper cut…"
No one was looking to see Alice's little smile. Just as well really.
And the rest is history…