A Little Jingle
S. Meyer owns all rights to Twilight.
He was being a bah-humbug, and he knew it, but this would be a Christmas without Bella, and his heart ached. Billy and Rachel were going up to Omni's cabin for the whole week; he refused to go. All that merriment would just bring him down further. He'd rather sit at home, counting the snowflakes as they fell against his bedroom window.
Two days before his family set off for the cabin, a card came in the mail. It was postmarked, New Hampshire. It had to be from Bella. Jeez, he hadn't heard from her since the wedding. He might regret it, but his pulse still quickened as he tore it open.
Dear Jacob,
I miss you terribly. Things haven't worked out between Edward and me, so I'm coming home. My marriage was a huge mistake. Go ahead and say it—I told you so.
Can I see you? I'll understand if you don't want me to. I'll call you when I reach Forks. Don't tell Charlie. He'll freak.
Love,
Your Bells
Your Bells? Was he grasping at straws—reading between the lines? Or … was she trying to tell him something?
Rachel hugged him goodbye, and wheeled Billy out to the car. Jacob stood at the entrance, waving at them. Then he raced to his room and reread the card that was hidden in his sock drawer.
That afternoon, he heard some bells jingling outside, then a knock came at the door. What the …? There she was, with those chocolate eyes staring at him, and a rose flush creeping up her face. She was … she was … still human. He looked closely at the necklace of small golden bells she was wearing. He also noticed the absence of a ring on her left hand.
Bella looked down at her feet, and in a soft voice, said, "I had to talk to you in person. I hope you don't mind. May I come in?"
Dumbstruck, the poor boy answered, "Sure, sure!"
They sat together on his lumpy old couch. Taking his hand in hers, she began, "You deserve the truth, Jacob. I thought that by marrying Edward, I would be a woman by now, but he treats me like a child. I can't go on like that. Our marriage is a sham, we haven't even …" She bit her lip.
Jacob jerked up in his seat. "You mean you didn't have a real honeymoon? Then you're still—"
She looked away again. "Yes. He wouldn't even give me a real kiss. Not like the one we shared, anyway. The marriage is already annulled." A sigh escaped her lips, and she stared intently into his eyes. "So, I was thinking, can we start all over again? Do you think you could be my Jacob once more? You know I love you. Will you give me a second chance?"
That Jacob smile broke out over his face. "Jeez, you havta ask? Damn, you had me at jingle … Bells."
He stood up, and hauling her up with him, crushed her to his chest. Their lips met, and when the kiss broke, she led him back to his room. Looked like there was more jingling in store.
Needless to say, that week before Christmas was the best ever. With Bells in his arms, Jacob needed no other gift. The gift of love was more than enough to fill the hole in his heart. He couldn't stop singing. Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle … yeah, all the way!
The End