The day dawned cold, gray and misty as I drove up to Bella's house to pick her up to take her to the airport. An absolutely perfect day, at least for my plans. Bella must have been watching for me as the front door opened and she came out as soon as I drove up. She only had a carry on bag and a canvas tote. I will meet with her disapproval later when he sees the two Italian leather suitcases Alice packed for me. She was dressed in a Seattle Seahawk's hoodie and sweatpants, hopefully for comfort and not because she is still upset by my insistence on this very necessary trip. I can hear her heartbeats increase and see a blush creep up her cheeks as I exit my car and move to take the bags from her. Emotions I did not think I could have flooded over me as my smile lights up her face, the one she reserves only for me.
"I missed you." she said.
"I've only been gone a half hour" I replied.
"I know, but I still missed you."
Despite her protest, I picked her up with her bags and carried her to my car. After securing her seatbelt, I gave her a gentle kiss, counting the seconds in my head and remembering not to breathe, so I would not hurt her. Sometimes being a vampire is a real pain. I could hear Charlie in the house, already missing her, and wishing she was not leaving with me. It took a half second to stash her carry on in my trunk and hop in the front seat of my car.
"Edward, I could have walked."
"That would have deprived me of the pleasure of holding you , and I kept your shoes from getting wet. It is raining."
I also noticed that she was wearing a little white cami under the hoodie. Today definitely has possibilities.
The airport smelled of disinfectant as the cleaning crews were finishing up their shift and the early morning flights were preparing for take off. Bella checked to see if our flight was on time while I checked our bags. The young woman at the baggage check was agonizing over where she was going to get the money for baby formula and baby sitting since her hours had just been cut back. I surreptitiously slipped her a $100.00 bill. Bella would like that if she knew. Our flight was on time, and since we have first class tickets, we can board as soon as we get to the gate. Once we were airborne and the seatbelt sign was turned off, Bella crawled into my lap and snuggled into my chest. She smelled so good. I tried to focus on the scent of her hair and not on the delicious aroma of her blood. My control is much better, I don't have to hold my breath as often.
As she slept, I thought about my existence before meeting her and how different things are now. I became Edward Cullen when I was dying of the Spanish flu. Carlisle Cullen was my doctor and he was also a vampire. My mother begged him to save my life as she died and he changed me into the monster I am today. Over the years, Carlisle changed Esme who became his wife and my mother, Rosalie and Emmett who became my sister and brother. Alice and Jasper her mate joined us later. Alice has the gift of premonition and she saw that they were part of our family. Jasper can change the moods of the people around him and I have the gift of reading minds. I can read everyone's mind except Bella's. Her thoughts are a mystery to me. We are different than other vampires. We do not drink human blood, but sustain ourselves with the blood of animals. As a consequence, our eyes are golden rather than red like vampires who consume human blood. Bella's blood is sweeter to me than any other blood I have encountered. I had a hard time controlling myself when I first met her, because I wanted her blood so badly. The only thing that saved her was my desire not to kill a human, but it was the hardest thing I have ever done. I decided that I had to learn to control this craving for her blood. I found she was all I thought about, and everything I did was to protect her. I realized that I had fallen in love with her, and then I had no desire to kill her.
Bella stirred in her sleep. Thinking she might be cold lying against me, I took off my jacket and wrapped it around her. As I cradled her close, I ran my lips along her neck taking in the delicious scent of her blood. She sighed and I wondered what she was dreaming about. It is so difficult hearing everyone else's thoughts, and not being able to hear hers, and her thoughts are the only ones I care about at the moment. Is she worried about seeing her Mom? Is she still suspicious about why I insisted on this trip?
Last year, I could not have held her this close without it causing me physical pain. Now I welcome her scent because it means she is alive. Twice, I thought I had lost her, and I cannot exist without her. I. introduced Bella to my family and I invited her to play baseball with us. While we were playing, three vampires suddenly showed up and asked to play. When they smelled Bella, they wanted her. I got Bella out of there, but one of the vampires, James was a tracker. He followed Bella, so I had Alice and Jasper take her out of town. I ended up killing James, and now his mate Victoria wants to kill Bella to avenge his death. Bella doesn't know this, but Victoria is going to try again this weekend. That is why I insisted on this trip.
Esme gave Bella two plane tickets to Jacksonville for her birthday, so she could see her mother. Bella cut herself at her birthday party and Jasper tried to kill her. In order to protect her, I told her I didn't want her anymore and my family left. Bella did not handle my disappearance well, and turned to her friend Jacob Black for comfort. It was just her luck that he and his friends turned into werewolves. Bella does not understand how dangerous young werewolves can be. She still wants to be friends with Jacob. I have to protect her from him. Although I told her not to do anything reckless before I left her, Bella turned into an adrenaline junkie, riding motorcycles and finally cliff diving. Alice thought she was committing suicide when she saw her jump off a cliff. Rosalie called and told me Bella was dead, and I tried to get the Voltari, our ruling family to kill me, so I would not have to live without Bella. Alice brought Bella to the Voltari in Italy, so I could see that she wasn't dead and wouldn't get myself killed. The Voltari let us leave, but not before they made us promise to change Bella into a vampire. This is not a promise I want to keep. However, my concern at the moment is keeping Bella away from Victoria while my family tries to destroy her. If Bella knew about Victoria, she would be on the first plane back. I don't like deceiving her, but I have to protect her.
It seemed as though no time at all had passed when I woke Bella to go back to her seat for our landing in Chicago. After a two hour layover, we were airborne again. Remembering that she liked pizza, I bought her a slice of Chicago deep dish pizza while we waited for our flight. I always feel better when she eats. Sometimes it seems she hardly eats anything, and I worry that she will make herself sick. We arrived in Jacksonville in the middle of the afternoon. My eyes almost fell out of my head when I saw Bella exiting the ladies room. She was wearing the white cami with a pair of khaki cargo shorts. She must have her sweats folded up in her canvas bag. I can't wait to see what else she brought with her. Suddenly, I felt over dressed in my polo and khakis. After claiming our bags, I went to the rental car office to pick up my car keys. Bella said I wasn't allowed to buy her a fast car, but she never said I couldn't rent one.
Alice loved driving the yellow Porsche she stole in Italy, so I arranged to rent one here. Bella just shook her head, she knew she wasn't going to win this one. I let her drive to give her the experience of driving a sports car, and because she knew where we were going.
"Look to the left and you'll see the Gater Bowl. Those gray houses are built of tabby. Seashells are mixed with cement instead of gravel. The white flowers are called Oleanders and the red ornamental trees are crepe myrtles."
"So, Tour Guide Barbie, how much longer until we reach your Mother's house?," I asked.
"Not long now since we are crossing the St. John's River. She lives near the beaches." "We should be able to see the ocean soon."
I played with the radio until I found a station I liked and started singing Margaritaville along with Jimmy Buffet and I gently caressed her leg. I thought she was going to wreck the car and I grabbed the steering wheel from her just in time to keep her from running off the road. Maybe she can't handle too many distractions. I heard her catch her breath and her heart race. I do like doing that to her.
"You could be useful and help me find the Ponte Vedra exit. Mom lives in a subdivision near there." Bella said.
As we drove into their driveway, I could hear Renee and Phil discussing whether I would be more comfortable sleeping on the sofa in the family room, or the one in Phil's den/work out room.
"Bella, your parents are having a heated discussion about which sofa I should sleep on. Where do you want me to spend the night?"I asked although I knew what her answer would be.
Renee and Phil's house was one of those popular mass produced one-story ranch houses. Esme would have hated it. She prefers to renovate old houses and would have loved to update one of the Victorian era beach houses we passed on the way from the airport. Rosalie loves her antiques and fine china and crystal. Emmett learned the hard way that breaking Chippendale chairs and Wedgwood china is not a good idea. You break it, you replace it. I buy the cars, it's safer.
Bella told Renee last year when she was in the hospital that I was born without the enzyme needed to process protein, so I am on a very limited diet. She added an allergy to wheat and that one of the dietary supplements I take makes me susceptible to skin cancer and I have to stay out of the sun, I came with the appropriate amount of nutritional drinks and vitamin supplements as well as SPF 50 sunblock. Bella thinks this stuff makes my cover story seem more plausible.
After Renee and Phil retired for the night, I asked Bella if she would like to go for a run to the beach. We had not had a chance to go for a run together since we returned from Italy. It was a beautiful night, not too humid, lots of moonlight and stars. It was low tide when we got to the ocean. Gentle waves lapped at the white sand beach. There were a few of the day's revelers still enjoying the beach. I could smell the smoke of a bonfire in the distance. Fiddler crabs ran for cover and fish swam farther out to sea as Bella and I walked towards the water. I had not planned on swimming, but the water looked so inviting that I asked Bella if she would like to swim with me. I pulled off my shirt, kicked off my sandals and ran into the water. I turned to see Bella looking at me with a horrified expression on her face.
" What's the matter? I asked in the gentle voice I use when I don't want to scare her.
"I'm not wearing my swimsuit" she said nervously while biting one of her nails.
"That's what you're worried about?"
" Come on in and I'll carry you on my back. If you get wet, your clothes will dry in this heat."
In a few seconds, I was a mile out from shore. It was so peaceful here, just us. I lay on my back floating in the water and let her lay on my chest. It didn't take long for Bella's lips to close on mine. She is so delicious, I have to constantly remind myself she is breakable. Fire like I had not felt since Carlisle changed me burned through the lower regions of my body. I did not know a vampire could have such a reaction to a human. Imagining the conversation with Carlisle helped me maintain control.
"Hi Dad, how do I make love to my girlfriend without killing her?"
Most men just want to have safe sex, their biggest worry is what size condom to buy. I don't want to become my girlfriend's murderer. Gently, ever so gently, I pulled my lips away from hers. Reluctantly, I carried Bella back to her mother's house. I smiled as I remembered Bella's embarrassment when her father decided to have the sex talk with her before we left for Florida. At the time, I did not think such a thing was possible, now, I wonder.
While she prepared for bed, I made the necessary adjustments to the sofa in Phil's den, so it looked as though I had slept there during the night. Bella was in bed when I returned to her room. She had put on the pink satin Victoria's Secret pajamas her mother bought her for Christmas. Lying there with her hair spread out on the pillow, she looked like one of the Victoria's Secret angels. She was so tired from a long day that I only had time to kiss her on the forehead before she fell asleep. She slept peacefully as I kept watch over her protecting her from whatever might harm her on a warm Florida night.
Renee is no better cook than Charlie, so Bella made herself a bowl of cereal and poured a glass of orange juice. I bent down and gave her a kiss. Her lips were sticky and tasted tangy. Orange juice. A forgotten memory floated to the surface. A pretty red-haired woman pouring a glass of orange juice and saying,
"Drink this, Edward, it is good for you."
My mother. I used to like oranges. So long ago in another life. Bella gave me back oranges.
Phil had an early morning practice session with his baseball team and Renee wanted to take Bella out shopping and to lunch. I made the excuse that I had a research paper to write and planned to spend the day surfing the net gathering data. I also bought tickets for a theater performance that I thought Bella might enjoy.
As I listened to Renee's thoughts when they returned, I knew I was in trouble. Bella was extremely distressed.
"Mom thinks we are more serious than we are."
"How much more serious than I will love you forever." I asked?
"She thinks we are engaged."Bella said with panic in her voice.
"She would be right if you had said yes."I answered.
"I refuse to discuss this right now, I want to have a nice weekend, no stress,"
"It would be a very good weekend if you said yes."I replied smiling the smile she loves.
I can wait. I am the one she says she loves and I'm not going anywhere.
After she finished eating her dinner, I surprised Bella with the theater tickets. Since she seems to like Shakespeare tragedies so much, I took her to see Othello. It was being performed by a local theater company in a restored historical landmark. The proceeds of the evening's performance were being given to the family of a little boy to pay for a surgery he needed that was not covered by his insurance.
It wasn't the best performance of Othello I had ever seen, but Bella seemed to enjoy it. I found the thoughts of the audience more entertaining than the play. One of the young men thought he was going to get lucky tonight because he took his date to the play. Unfortunately, the young lady only went with him because she would get extra credit points in her Freshman English class if she brought in a play bill, and if she went with him, he would buy her ticket. A group of Senior citizens were attending as part of a tour package they had purchased. They were critiquing the way other people in the audience were dressed or not dressed. A bunch of college students were there to get the extra credit points and were having a hard time understanding the play since it was performed in Shakespearean English. Since I knew we had drawn the attention of a couple of elderly women seated behind us, I put my arm around Bella and kissed her hair. Hearing their disapproval, I moved Bella's hair and kissed her neck. This is fun. I should take Bella to dark theaters more often.
As we left the theater, I said "I won't have to guess if you are unfaithful, I will know what everyone is thinking." At her dismayed look, I added "That was meant to be taken lightly. I know you are the faithful type." "I just wish some people could keep their thoughts to themselves," I added as I realized she was thinking of Jacob.
I could smell the storm coming in. It wasn't forecast on the weather channel and Alice didn't call. Although I expect Alice had more important things to concentrate on right now than Florida weather. I had heard that violent storms come up quickly on the Atlantic coast. I have to get Bella home now. The storm broke as I fastened Bella into her seatbelt. In all my years on this earth. I had never seen a storm come up so suddenly and with as much violence as this one. This was just the kind of thing that frightened me the most. I can protect her from most things, but what if she were struck by lightening? She is afraid when I drive fast and had even voiced her concern about how I would survive a car accident, but she might not. I floored the Porsche as lightening flashed and thunder rumbled. The rain came in such a deluge that even with my enhanced senses, I could barely tell where the road was.
Bella said, "Slow down, Edward and pull over to the side of the road until the storm passes."
"Relax, Bella. I'll have you home in a few minutes," I said in my most soothing voice.
My concentration on the road and concern for Bella made me forget to scan for the thoughts of other drivers. I saw the flashing lights and heard the siren before I heard the police officer's thoughts. I rolled down the window and gave the officer my license and registration as he requested.
"Son, do you know how fast you were driving?' "We have speed limits in Florida unlike some of those western states where they don't have speed limits."
"140 miles an hour I replied without thinking." States without speed limits, I'll have to check them out.
The police officer returned with my ticket. I looked at it and pulled out some money, but the police officer said I had to pay it at traffic court which wouldn't be open until Monday.
As quickly as it came up, the storm diffused. It lasted all of 10 minutes, just long enough for me to get my first ever speeding ticket. Now I can hear everyone's thoughts as if they are mocking me thinking about how fast they are traveling since they saw the police officer. Bella tried to console me by saying she was sure Phil would take the money to traffic court on Monday for me. I should have been more careful. Storms, who knew? Instead of cooling things down, the storm only made things more hot and sticky. For once, I was glad I was cold. My cold skin offered Bella some relief from the stifling humidity. When she got out of the car at her Mom's house, Bella invited me into her bed and I cradled her in my arms all night while she slept peacefully against my cold skin. She called me her own personal air conditioner.
We left the next morning after a tearful goodbye on Renee's part and Bella's promise to e-mail often. We had a quiet return home. Bella seemed content to cuddle in my arms and I was content for her to do so. As we landed in Seattle, I started scanning thoughts for my family. I was eager to find out how their weekend went.