Spring Blossoms
Chapter 1:
Edward and Bella had been reading quietly in their living room. She was reading 'The Divine Comedy' by Dante Alleghieri. Specifically, she was reading a version that was footnote free. He opted to read the poems of Ernest Hemingway. He hummed to himself a small tune.
"Is that a new song you are composing?" Bella looks up from her book. "How many does that make it this month? Three?"
"I don't know, Bella." Edward closes his book, and puts it away. "I don't think this tune is going anywhere."
"Too bad. I'm sure it will come to you eventually." Bella places her bookmark on the page she was reading, closes the book, and puts it on her shelf. "I think I should learn classic Italian. It'd be interesting to read 'The Divine Comedy' in it's original language, don't you think?"
"I think so, yes." Edward looks out the window. It was a nice spring morning. "Oh my, we spent the whole night reading."
"Perfect." Bella smiles. "What better way to spend a night, really?"
"I think Emmett would argue for a far more 'adult' activity." Edward chuckles.
"To each his own." Bella gracefully moves towards the third library of their house. "Do you think we could do with more books?"
"I think we own more books than the library does." Edward lets out a loud laugh. Bella chuckles with him. That was when she suddenly remembered something.
"I forgot to tell you. Alice, Rosalie and I are going shopping this afternoon." Bella goes to the master bedroom, and checks her clothes. "I guess I better start picking my outfit right now."
"Why?" Edward looks at her quizzically.
"You know how Alice can get when I dress up casually." Bella smirks.
"Ha ha, yeah." Edward checks his record collection. "I wish they didn't stop making records. I love this technology."
"It's rather cozy." Bella eyes her spring dresses. "God, what would Alice say if I showed up wearing a summer dress?"
"Why don't you?"
"Because it's Spring." Bella puts a pink sundress back into the closet.
"Ugh, women and their fashions."
"And men and their technology." Bella playfully hits Edward with one of her hats. "But seriously, I sometimes wish Alice wouldn't be so fashion conscious, you know? I feel fine with just a shirt and some jeans."
"Oh well, you know how she can be." Edward starts imitating Alice's voice. "Oh my gosh, look at you! Look at those shoes, they so don't go with your eyes! Oh, Bella, you need to let me teach you how to use your closet!"
Bella laughs at Edward's spot on impression. That was when Renesmee walked into the master bedroom. She looks directly at Bella.
"Is something wrong, honey?" Bella suddenly remembers. "Oh my gosh, I am so sorry honey! I forgot completely!"
"What did you forget this time?" Edward picks up his daughter, whom he noticed started looking somewhat downtrodden.
"Renesmee wanted to visit Jacob today. I promised to take her." Bella bites her lip. "Oh my God, how could I forget?"
"You were so absorbed by the Divine Comedy, you simply must have forgotten." Edward smiles at his daughter. "But it's ok, you're gonna take her this morning, and then go with Alice in the afternoon, right?"
"Renesmee wanted to spend the whole day at Jacob's." Bella suddenly looks apologetic. He places a hand in her daughter's hair. "it's ok though. I will just call Alice and tell her I can't make it."
"Actually, love. How about you go with Alice? Don't worry honey, I will take Nessie to La Push." Edward spins Renesmee around, which causes her to giggle. "You go shopping, ok?"
"Oh my gosh, you'll do that?" Bella kisses her husband.
"Sure, you know how Alice can get when she's disappointed. Jasper will not let me hear the end of it." Edward laughs out loud.
Later that day…
Edward saw what a beautiful day it was outside, so he opted to drive his convertible. He straps on his daughter, making sure she is well fastened. He drove at 45 miles per hour, because he knew that Renesmee, just like her mother, hated high speeds. They arrived at La Push without incident. No sooner does Edward unfasten his daughter, she runs off towards Jacob's.
"Fast little thing, isn't she?" Edward chuckles to himself. He closes the door, and calmly walks towads Jacob's house.
"Hey Edward!" Edward look towards who was calling him. It was Seth. "Dude, been a while! How ya been?"
"Hey Seth. I am fine, yourself?"
"You know, no complaints." Seth smiles. He is sweating from running so much. "What brings you here?"
"Hey Edward." Jacob calls out. In his shoulder, Renesmee sits contently. "How are you?"
"Well, I am fine, thank you for asking." Edwards shake Jacob's hand. Seth, upon seeing Renesmee on Jacob's shoulder, chuckles to himself.
"So, father-daughter day?" Seth smirks. "It's not many dads who include their daughter's imprinter to their field days."
"Bella was supposed to take her today." Edward sighs. "But, you know how she can be."
"Was it Decameron this time?" Jacob ensures Renesmee is safe on his shoulder.
"No, 'The Divine Comedy'. Now she's thinking of learning Italian, so she can read the original version." Edward bursts out laughing.
"You think I could ask her about it? We're reading that book up in school, and…well.." Seth twiddles his fingers.
"Having a hard time figuring it out?"
"It's just, the guy talks about all these people, and I don't know who the heck they are!"
"Aren't you supposed to read the footnotes?" Edward reaches for Renesmee, but she kicks his hands away. Nope, she's not moving from that spot. Edward, Seth and Jacob simply laugh at this scene, as Renesmee clings onto Jacob.
"Seth? Seth, it's lunch time." Leah calls out to her brother from their house. She steps outside. "Oh! Hey Edward!"
Edward beams her a smile. "Hey Leah! How did it go?"
Leah sighs. "Not so good. The professor didn't like it. Gave me a C minus."
Edward snaps his fingers in frustration. His scowl was very well pronounced. Leah sees this. "Hey, don't worry about it. Such is life, you know?"
"Yeah…" Edward place his hands in his pockets. Jacob and Seth exchange confused looks
"Eh…what are you guys talking about?" Seth interjects.
"Oh…just schoolwork." Leah quickly tries to drop the subject.
"So…Edward helped you out?" Jacob gives Edward a quizzical look.
"Kind of…" Leah attempts to dismiss the subject. She hates it when people try to butt into her business.
"Anyway…so what's for lunch, sis?" Seth walks towards his house. As soon as he smells the fish fry, he hurries into the house. Edward and Jacob chuckle at this.
"So, how about we invite ourselves to that fish fry?" Jacob chuckles at the idea. "Mr. Clearwater is out of the house today, o maybe Leah wouldn't mind some extra company. Know what I'm saying?"
"I find it quite rude to show up to someone's house for lunch, uninvited." Edward says with utmost seriousness. That was when Seth came out of the house, lunch bag in hand.
"Hey guys, gotta hit the library." He says, sounding disappointed. "Need to look up some information."
"Then why not finish your lunch at home?" Jacob holds onto Renesmee.
"Oh, I'm not hungry at the moment."
"Well then…" Jacob has no idea what to say next. That was when Leah exited her house again.
"Well then, let's have some fun today, Nessie." Jacob smiles as Renesmee lets out a giggle.
"You two have fun now. I guess I will come by to pick her up in a few hours." Edward sighs. He wondered if Bella was having a good time, too. He watches as Jacob transforms into his wolf form, and runs off wile Renesmee holds onto his fur. Her joyous laughter grows harder to hear the farther away they went.
"Sad to see her go off alone, huh?" Leah stands next to Edward. "She's not even my daughter, and even I know it must be hard to see her grow up so fast."
"Sometimes I wonder how it's like to be a regular father." Edward looks at the ground, saddened. "I never had to change her diaper or anything."
"Some would call you lucky." Leah looks at Edward with sympathy. "I wish I could have them…"
"I know…" Edward stands still, thinking of what he should do next.
"You want to see this book I got? I found it at the bookstore the other day." Leah tries to cheer Edward up. "It's a book of literature made by Native American authors."
"Wow, never read any Native American literature before." Edward scratches his chin. "Sure, why not?"
They enter her house. She takes out the book, and shows it to him. He begins to read some of the poetry in the book.
"Wow…amazing…" Edward marvels at the mastery of the English language found in the poems. He marvels at their skilful use of imagery, prose and verse. But what he finds the most fascinating were the subject matters that most of the poems dealt with. They dealt with the difficulty of maintaining native traditions and identity in a world that does not care for such things, with the struggle for a cultural identity, the yearning of times long gone. Edward felt a sort of kinship with these authors.
"They really are something, huh?" Leah smiles at Edward. She's been smiling more, these days. She notices Edward's humming a tune she's never heard before. "What's that song?"
"What song?"
"The one you are humming just now?"
"Oh." Edward suddenly realizes what he was doing. "I compose music. My hobby, you see. I've been forming a new song lately."
"Cool."
"But I have no idea how to finish it." Edward keeps reading the book. As he finishes yet another poem, inspiration strikes. "I know! Listen to this."
He hums the whole sung. Leah listens.
"Sounds rather folksy. It's excellent."
"Now…what type of instruments should I use to make this song come to life?" Edward suddenly stops, realizing he hadn't thought of that.
"Relax, it will come to you." Leah thinks for a second. "You want to borrow that book?"
"Sure, it's a good read."
"Ok then." Leah smiles. "Wow, it's almost night fall."
"Oh. I better get Renesmee, then. It's time for her dinner."
"Seth should have been home by now." Leah frowns. As if on cue, Seth enters at that exact moment.
"I'm home…" Seth looks somewhat downtrodden. "Hey Edward."
"Hey Seth, I was just on my way out. Good to see you again." Edward pats Seth on the shoulder, as he leaves.
"Leah…mom's dating again…"
That evening, Edward spent the whole night reading the book Leah gave him.