'Til I Can't Eat No More
I glanced up from my book as Charlie stormed towards the door, dragging a large duffle bag behind him. I flinched as the door slammed shut, but didn't comment on his attitude – I mean, who could blame him for being upset when he had to go to an all-day meeting on Thanksgiving Day?
I hardly noticed that Charlie had come back into the room until I realized that he was standing in front of me, his hands on his hips. I closed my book and placed it on the couch, waiting for him to speak.
"So – what are you planning to do for Thanksgiving, since I'm not going to be around?"
"Well, I was planning on going over to Edward's house and have dinner with him and his family." I nearly let out a laugh as I said this – after all, I would be the only one eating, the rest of them would probably just watch as I shoveled food into my mouth.
Charlie nodded, "All right, but just so you know, Billy told me to tell you that you are welcome to join him and Jacob. Sounds like they're going to be getting together with Jake's other friends for Thanksgiving."
"That sounds like fun, but I already told Edward that I would be over for dinner. But I'll be sure to call Billy later to tell him thanks."
Surprisingly, Charlie shrugged, "It's your call, but I've got to get going."
Awkwardly, I got up and gave him a hug. The display of affection caused Charlie's face to redden slightly as he returned the hug.
"Don't worry, I'll cook you a big Thanksgiving feast when you get back, so that you don't miss out," I said, smiling up at him, causing his face to light up.
"Thanks Bells," he grinned, "You're the best."
I followed him outside and stood in the doorway as Charlie got into his cruiser and drove away. I let out a sigh once he was out of sight and went back into the house.
Walking up to my bedroom, I wondered if I was really going to have a home-cooked meal for Thanksgiving, or if the Cullens were just going to take me to another extremely fancy – and extremely expensive – restaurant. So far, Edward had been keeping our dinner plans a secret, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to know, regardless.
In my room, I closed the curtains and changed into an outfit that Alice had gotten for me at some exclusive, designer store. It still bugged me that she bought me such expensive clothes – I just couldn't get over my aversion to having people spend money on me. Once I was finished changing, I opened the curtains again and headed to my closet to get my most comfortable pair of old tennis shoes.
"Just what do you think you're doing?" an outraged voice hissed from behind me.
Knowing who it was, I didn't bother turning around and continued to reach for my shoes. Rather predictably, I found my path blocked by Alice's tiny figure.
"Don't even think about it," she scolded, "I bought those heels that you have hidden in your closet because they go with that outfit. You will not be wearing shoes that you got at a thrift shop!"
I scowled, but didn't bother arguing – it was useless to go against Alice when it came to fashion. I watched as she threw open my closet door and shoved blankets and pillows aside, finally withdrawing a pair of silver high heels.
"Put these on," she ordered with mock sternness.
"Yes madam!" I saluted teasingly, causing Alice to roll her eyes.
"Just get these shoes on before I have put them on your feet myself," she grumbled half-heartedly. I let out a sigh and grabbed the shoes from her outstretched hand, trying hard not to appear to be pouting as I put them on.
Without bothering to ask for permission, Alice picked me up and flew down the stairs, depositing me in a kitchen chair before disappearing as she darted around the room in search of something.
"Found it!" she announced happily, holding the camera that I'd gotten from Charlie in her hands. I couldn't help but roll my eyes – having dinner wasn't a big deal for me, so I couldn't see what the point of a camera would be.
"Let's just get going already!" I groaned, pretending to be impatient. Alice glared mildly at me before suddenly picking me up in her arms and darting out the door. My surroundings became a blur, and then I found myself seated in Alice's yellow Porsche. An instant later, Alice was in the driver's seat, starting the engine.
I stared out the window as we sped down the road, going way past the speed limit. As trees and houses whipped past, I suddenly realized that we weren't on the right route to be headed to the Cullens' house.
"Where are we going Alice?"
"To the mall of course!" she grinned. I moaned.
"Seriously Alice, it's Thanksgiving! Can't you put off shopping for today?"
"I could, but that wouldn't be any fun." she pouted, "Besides, Esme wanted me to keep you busy so that she could cook. She wants the meal to be a surprise."
"But did distracting me that have to include shopping?"
Alice flashed me a glare, "You'd think that going shopping with me was torture with the way you're acting."
I nodded, causing Alice to narrow her eyes threateningly.
"You had better not act up like this when we go home. Esme is working really hard to make this meal special for you, so you'd better do your best to eat all of it!"
"I will, I promise." My answer appeared to satisfy Alice, and she continued driving without saying anything more on the topic.
I couldn't believe that Alice had managed to fill both the backseats and the trunk with just clothes! I was horrified just thinking about what all those receipts added up to. And to add insult to injury, most of them now belonged to me – courtesy of Alice.
Alice weaved the car nimbly down the long drive to the Cullen's home, a happy smile taking up her entire face. She parked next to the garage and flitted around the car, opening the door. But, somehow, two strong arms managed to wind around my waist before she could get to me. I turned my head to see Edward's face right behind me.
"Hey," he muttered, kissing the side of my neck, causing me to blush. I tried to turn and he loosened his grip to allow me to face him. I leaned up so that my lips could press against his, savoring the kiss while it lasted. As usual, Edward pulled away far too soon, causing me to pout. He laughed at my expression.
"You are too cute for your own good," he murmured softly into my ear, causing me to turn a deep shade of red. Alice coughed impatiently and Edward smirked.
"We'll follow you in a second." he told her, staring intently at my face. I was dazzled by his golden eyes, and didn't even notice that Alice had left.
"Be good," he warned me, "This dinner means a lot to them, especially Esme. Everyone worked hard to make this meal special for you, so at least try to act like you're enjoying this."
"Do you guys have no faith in me? I don't act up every time there's a party!" I said, pretending to be insulted. Edward merely rolled his eyes.
"Whatever you say," he muttered, using a tone so low, I wasn't sure if I was meant to hear.
We walked into the house together, Edward keeping an arm around my waist to be sure that I didn't fall, due to my heel-impaired balance. Going through the door, I was greeted by the sight of Jasper, egg yolk dripping from his hair, storming up the stairs.
"What happened?" I whispered to Edward, forgetting for an instant that everyone in the house would be able to hear me.
"Emmett!" Jasper snarled in answer. At his tone, Edward threw him a dark glance, then turned back to look at me.
"Emmett went a little overboard cracking the eggs, so Esme took the bowl away from him. I don't think she'd realized that he'd still had a couple of eggs in his hands. Anyway, he apparently decided to crack them on Jasper's head, thus the goop in his hair."
I nodded in understanding – poor Jasper – then a thought made me frown.
"Wait – what did they need eggs for?"
Edward smiled and ruffled my hair, "You'll see."
He wrapped his cool fingers around my hand and led me towards the table. I sat down and breathed in the scent of roasting turkey.
"Smells real good," I commented. The corner of Edward's mouth lifted into my favorite half-smile, and his eyes shone with amusement.
"Are you sure? Because this doesn't smell appetizing to me at all!" He plugged his nose for good measure. I giggled as a faint hiss came from the kitchen.
Then, I gasped as – suddenly – my eyes were covered by two small hands.
"Alice!" I hissed.
"Oh, calm down," she hummed happily, "I'm just making sure that you don't peek."
"Is that really necessary?" I grumbled, only to be ignored.
"You guys can bring in the food now!" Alice sang. I listened for their approach, but couldn't hear anything besides the sound of me, breathing. Abruptly, I was hit by the delicious scent of a blend of various foods.
"Is that all of it?" Alice asked.
"Yeah," I heard Jasper answer. There was a moment of silence, and I noticed that Alice had gone completely still.
"Emmett – don't you dare hit Bella with that!" she snarled sharply. I could hear Emmett grumble in indignation.
"What was it?" I asked, worried.
"A pie," Edward answered flatly.
"Emmett," I called in a calm voice.
"Yes?"
"You're an idiot."
"Why thank you, sweetheart," he crooned. It was all I could do to hold back a growl.
"Shut up, Emmett." Alice commanded impatiently. Then, she removed her hands from my face. I gasped in shock; there was so much food.
The table was laden with different dishes; turkey, cranberries, mashed potatoes, corn, pies and a cake – which had to have been made with the eggs – as well as several other dishes I wasn't quite familiar with. Everything was perfectly made and the smell was absolutely mouth-watering.
"Wow. You guys did all of this for me?" I was astonished.
"Well of course we did! Esme made most of the sides, Jasper and Edward cooked the turkey, and Rosalie and I made the deserts," Alice informed me.
"And I mashed the potatoes!" Emmett added proudly. I rolled my eyes – of course – Emmett got the job that involved smashing the food.
I stared at the table, unable to decide where to start. My eyes zeroed in on the turkey, but, before I could do anything, a white hand darted out and neatly cut a slice using a large knife. Edward then took my plate – which barely fit on the table – and laid the slice on it, quickly followed by several more.
I opened my mouth to protest, but then stopped as I noticed Alice out of the corner of my eye.
You had better eat as much as you possibly can; they put a lot of effort into this meal. The words ran through my head, and I gulped, eying the massive amount of food before me.
My plate – now stacked with turkey – was placed in front of me, and, resigned; I grabbed my knife and fork and dug in.
I had to be crazy. That was the only explanation that I could come up with as I took another bite of stuffing. My stomach felt bloated and painful, and I wondered if it was even healthy to eat this much. Thinking back at how much Jacob and his pack ate, I would guess that I'd eaten about as much as two werewolves. And here I'd thought just one of them ate a ton.
I was beginning to feel nauseated, and I fought to keep my expression under control. All of my efforts would be wasted if they read my pained expression and figured out what this was costing me.
I froze when I suddenly realized that I'd forgotten something – Jasper. He had the ability to sense that I was in pain, and even if he chose not to say anything, Edward would see his thoughts and panic. I glanced towards the living room – the last I'd seen Jasper go to – and was relieved to see that he didn't appear to have noticed me. His eyes were fixated on Alice, watching as she washed the dishes; his normally stern face lite up with a soft smile.
Now I just needed to control myself and stay calm. I could do that. If I couldn't, then how will I possibly be able to convince Edward that I was strong enough to endure being changed? Tense, I forced another bite into my mouth.
It was then that I realized that my body was like a glass of water; it would overflow if it was filled beyond capacity. I jerked and my hand flew to cover my mouth. Shoving the chair back roughly, I dashed for the trashcan in the kitchen. I barely registered that all eyes were on me; filled with surprise and worry.
I grabbed the sides of the wastebasket just as my body convulsed and I became violently sick.
"Bella!"
"What's wrong –?"
"What's going on?!?"
"What the hell –!" (Emmett)
"Oh my –!"
Their voices overlapped one another, but I could easily make out Edward's worried voice from all the others.
"Bella! Are you okay?" He touched my back gently, as if fearing I would break at the slightest pressure. I wanted to reassure him, but I couldn't seem to catch my breath. Struggling to focus, I glanced pointedly towards the table, hoping he would catch my meaning.
"The food made you sick? Was something wrong with it?" I felt a flash of irritation; of course he had to think that the problem was their fault. I waited until I caught my breath to answer.
"Ate too much," I managed to say. Emmett chuckled and Edward glared at him, then he turned to look back at me with concerned eyes.
"Are you going to be all right, or do we need to take you to see Carlisle?" he asked. I realized that I'd forgotten that Carlisle'd had to work at the hospital today.
"I'll be fine. No need to go to the hospital." Edward frowned, but said nothing.
"Do you need anything?" Esme asked. I thought about it, but nothing came to mind. Suddenly, I groaned and moved closer to the wastebasket.
"What's wrong Bella?" Edward demanded, his panic renewed.
"How the heck am I supposed to make a Thanksgiving dinner for Charlie when he gets back?" I moaned unhappily, "I can't stand to even think about food right now!"
As if on cue, my stomach heaved, and I lurched over the trashcan. Edward kept my hair out of my face and he held me gently.
"It's okay, love," he murmured soothingly, seeming relieved that my answer wasn't something more serious. He rubbed my back softly, and I sighed gratefully.
"I just feel so bad. Charlie's probably having his thanksgiving dinner at some fast food place somewhere."
Meanwhile. . . . . .
"Have some more turkey," urged the wife of one of the officers. Charlie had gone home with an acquaintance from the meeting to have thanksgiving dinner, and he was beginning to regret his decision.
He fought to suppress a moan. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to pass on that offer. I've already eaten far too much."
Charlie didn't add that if he ate any more, he was pretty sure that he would be sick. At this rate, he had no idea what he was going to do about dinner with Bella when he got back home.
At that moment, the thought of consuming more food acted like a kick to his system. With a quick apology, Charlie darted to the bathroom with his hand clamped over his mouth.
Okay – so a second thanksgiving was out of the question.
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