I sat on the pale white couch in the living room, watching my Uncle Emmett very carefully. He had been searching through the library upstairs when he had come across a few puzzles that were mine when I was little. Of course, I had quickly outgrown them, so why we still had them was beyond me.
The first had been my favorite at one time, a small Blue's Clues puzzle of only ten pieces.
Emmett dumped the small box out and stared at the pile of cardboard pieces that lay on the pastel carpet. As I looked on, he ever so carefully picked up two pieces and fit them together. A huge grin spread across his face as he picked up another piece.
This piece, however did not fit. He frowned and picked up another, which also did not fit.
"Try separating the outside pieces from the inside ones, and make the frame first," I advised, mostly because, as funny as it was to see Emmett fail at simple tasks, nobody wanted him to lose his temper, especially not me. And it was not just because I had my new Blackberry in the room with me; that was only about 60 % of the reason. Can you blame me for not wanting it ruined by Emmett's huge fists?
Emmett began to push pieces to the sides, creating separate piles.
Edward entered the room and sat on the couch next to me. I rested my head on his shoulder.
"Tired?" he asked.
"Sort of. You and Mom kept me up all last night," I said, a mischievous grin on my face. I raised my hand to his neck, showing him the memory.
"I love you," Bella said breathlessly.
"I love you," Edward whispered.
I heard a noise, sort of like a scuffling noise, and the sound fabric ripping. I peeked my eye through the keyhole of my parents' bedroom, and I couldn't believe the sight before me.
"Ew, gross!" I couldn't help shouting out.
Edward lifted his lips from Bella's, and they both went to the door. I had already made my escape, and was safely in my bed, singing the Barney theme song in Mandarin Chinese, the way Alice had taught me to when I wanted to hide something.
I began humming the song now, and Edward narrowed his eyes.
"I knew that was Alice. Nobody else ever sings that song anymore."
"Ever sings what song anymore?" Alice asked, bouncing through the door, her tiny arms filled with shopping bags.
"The Barney theme song in Mandarin Chinese," I told her. "Thanks, by the way."
Edward's golden eyes narrowed even more.
"And by that, I meant, 'Thanks for always being there for me,'" I covered quickly.
Alice grinned. "Nice save." She caught Edward's eyes. "Nice saving that puzzle, I meant. Emmett, you're so close…okay, no you're not."
Emmett glared at her.
She shrugged. "You want praise and encouragement, call your wife."
I couldn't take it anymore. "Emmett, do you want some help?"
His lower lip trembled. "Please?"
"Okay, I'll help you. But never make the puppy face again, please," I begged.
"Deal." Emmett was smiling again. Good grief.
I knelt down on the floor.
I surveyed the pieces before me. Two piles of pieces.
"Good start," I told him. "Try putting this pile together first." I pointed to the slightly larger of the tiny piles.
Emmett hooked together three pieces by himself, but the fourth didn't fit. He threw it at the floor angrily, where it snapped in half and left a large dent in the carpeting.
"Emmett," I groaned. "How are we supposed to do the puzzle now?"
He thought about that one. "Oh yeah."