I finally drifted into a fitful sleep, and when I woke it was after 8:00. I groaned involuntarily as the light seemed to pierce my skull. When I moved my arm to cover my eyes, pain snaked through my torso. I remained in bed for another half hour then finally dragged myself into the shower.
The hot water seemed to ease some of the soreness from my muscles, and the steam cleared my head a little. Still, I felt lousy. I drank some orange juice and downed two Tylenols and two vitamin C tablets, and then I picked up the phone.
Edward answered cheerfully. "Bella! I was just going to start back to town."
I cleared my throat rather uncomfortably. "Is everything… all set up?"
"Yes." I could hear the satisfaction in his voice.
"Um… Are you sure about the weather? I mean about this being the only clear night for the next ten days?"
"Yes, Bella, I'm quite certain." His tone became more somber. "Is something the matter? Have you changed your mind about coming?"
"No, of course not. It's just…," I paused, trying to come up with a plausible excuse. "Tonight's spaghetti night, and with all the wedding stuff coming up, it might be Charlie's and my last one—spaghetti night, I mean."
"Oh." His disappointment seemed to reach through the phone and weigh down my limbs.
"But it's fine. Really. If tonight's the only night we can do this—"
"Bella, I don't want you to come if there's somewhere else you'd rather be. This isn't an obligation."
"But there's nowhere else I'd rather be!" I blurted out. And it was true. Sick or well, in Edward's arms was the only place I ever wanted to be.
He heard the sincerity in my voice. "I feel the same way," he replied warmly.
"So, see you in a few hours."
"I can't wait."
I hung up. I was feeling a bit better; either the Tylenol was beginning to work, or my anticipation about seeing Edward was buoying my body and mind. Whichever the case, I was glad. But I planned to take some additional action, too.
I returned to the drug store and purchased several different cold medicines, erring on the side of caution since I wasn't sure which one I might need. I also bought two cough suppressants, one of which promised to evict all that nasty mucous from my chest. I could feel its heaviness settling in, so I hoped the medication would work.
I returned home and took two cold tablets and one of the anti-mucous pills. Then I called Charlie to wish him a good night and tell him I could leave spaghetti for him if he liked. As it turned out, he'd already made plans with Billy, so he wouldn't miss my pasta.
By the time Edward's car pulled up in front of the house, I'd prepared a small backpack with some warm clothes, a few toiletries, and my supply of over-the-counter drugs. I also had a couple of bottles of water. I debated bringing along some food but decided I'd ask Edward about that. He'd told me he would have everything I needed, so I suspected that included dinner.
He was beaming when I opened the door for him. I hadn't seen him this excited in quite a while—certainly since before we'd faced the newborn vampires. He kissed me softly, then his eyes darted about the room. Immediately he saw my backpack and had it over his shoulder in an instant.
"Anything else?" he asked.
"That should do it."
Soon we were speeding along toward the parking area near the trailhead. The clouds overhead were beginning to dissipate, and the air was warming. It was truly a beautiful day for a hike. I wished I felt a little more energetic, but at least the medications were working. My chest wasn't quite as heavy, and the Tylenol seemed to have taken care of my aches and fever. I had several liquid-filled capsules in my pocket, ready to swallow a couple if I began coughing again.
Edward insisted on carrying my pack. I didn't protest; I was glad to avoid the extra weight. As we began walking, the sunshine and warmth washed over me, and I almost forgot about my cold.
My fiancé was glowing. Occasional patches of sunlight left his skin sparkling, and his mood was ebullient. He kept my hand in his and often bent to kiss me or trail his fingers over my hair.
"You look gorgeous today," he told me.
"I do?" I asked, surprised by the comment. I thought I'd looked rather pale earlier…
"Your cheeks are rosy, and your eyes are bright."
Well, those were clearly due to the fever, but I supposed it was a logical mistake for someone who hadn't been ill in nearly a hundred years. So I smiled up at him and said, "You look gorgeous, too. But then, you always do."
"You too, Bella."
Honestly, I was sure I'd never understand what he saw in me, at least on the outside. But the veneration with which he spoke sent a new shiver through me that had nothing to do with my cold.
We emerged from the dense woods into the clearing, and my breath caught in my throat. If this was Edward's idea of camping, I decided I could spend every night of my life under the stars. He squeezed my hand gently as my wide eyes moved over the scene before us.
Beautifully painted paper lanterns hung from silvery strands all around the clearing. A large fire pit had been dug near the center of the meadow, neatly lined with stone and stacked with wood. Beside it was a filmy canopy, delicately and artistically draped with complex folds that gave it a lacy appearance. Inside I saw dozens of softly colored satin and velvet pillows and several blankets; the fabric looked suspiciously like the cashmere Esme often wore.
Baskets sat near the canopy, and I could just glimpse fresh vegetables poking out of one. I took a few steps and lifted the cloth from another to find an array of scrumptious pastries. Another contained loaves of bread, and a fourth had several large wedges and wheels of very exotic-looking cheeses.
"Edward," I breathed. "It's… wonderful."
He smiled. "Do you really like it?"
I hugged him without restraint. "I love it."
His hand moved tenderly over my hair. "That's all I want."
I stood in his embrace for a long time, inhaling his alluring scent and allowing his cool hands to chase the feverish warmth from my limbs.
I managed to excuse myself to attend to human needs, escaping Edward's sharp eyes to duck between the trees. I carried my pack, making sure he saw the roll of toilet paper poking out. I knew he'd leave me alone long enough for me to swallow two cough pills, two more Tylenols, and another cold tablet. Truth be told, I wasn't feeling terribly bad, but I wanted to stave off any recurrence of my symptoms. The night promised to be too magnificent to ruin with chills or aches.
When I returned to the meadow, Edward handed me a mug of hot cocoa. We sat beneath the canopy, nestled in a mountain of supremely soft pillows as I sipped the rich, warm liquid.
The light was fading now, and shadows stretched across the meadow. I felt relaxed and drowsy as he wrapped one of the blankets around my shoulders then eased me back to lean against his chest. Soon my eyelids lowered, and I began to doze. His lips brushed over my hair, and then sleep claimed me.
When I woke, I was lying among the pillows, alone. It took me a few moments to orient myself; I'd forgotten I was out in the woods. But the luxurious texture of the blanket against my cheek reminded me that I lay beneath the canopy surrounded by more opulence than Charlie's entire household possessed.
It was dark now, but Edward had lit the lanterns. I sat up, blinking against a momentary wave of dizziness, then exhaled slowly as I looked about. The lanterns glowed softly, each offering a gently hued radiance, casting shades of pink, yellow, and lavender over the grass. The effect was truly breathtaking.
Edward was busy at the fire pit, his back to me. I coughed once then delved frantically into my pocket for one of the capsules. I managed to swallow it before he turned around.
"Sleeping Beauty awakes," he said with a smile. "And just in time for dinner."
"I'm sorry," I stammered, testing my voice to be sure it wasn't too croaky. "I didn't mean to fall asleep—"
"It's all right. It gave me a chance to practice my culinary skills without an audience."
With one swift step he was kneeling before me, holding out a plate. I glanced down to find a beautiful array of cheese, bread, and fruit. I wasn't really hungry, but I knew he'd gone to considerable trouble to prepare things he thought I'd like, so I had a handful of grapes and sampled two of the cheeses. One was extremely buttery and rich.
"Do you like that one?" he asked, watching as my tongue darted out to catch a bit clinging to my lip.
"Mmm," I responded around the cheese and bread.
"It's Brillat-Savarin, from France."
I swallowed. "You had it brought in from France?"
He shrugged casually, but I knew he was pleased that it appealed to me. "I understand it's quite delicious… to humans."
"Oh yes. It's like if butter were cheese."
Edward chuckled. "I'm afraid it's lost on me, but I'm glad you're enjoying it."
He'd also prepared coq au vin, something I'd never had before. The chicken really didn't beckon to me, but I enjoyed the soft pearl onions and carrots, and the broth was divine—just what my scratchy throat craved.
My stomach was full and I was completely sated after the chicken, but he still brought the basket of pastries to me. Really, I didn't want anything else, but I nibbled on a Madeline and had a few bites of éclair.
By the time I'd finished the food, I was feeling slightly loopy. I was tempted to blame it on the wine he'd used in his main course, but I knew that the alcohol had cooked off. I couldn't quite recall how many cough capsules I'd taken, but for the moment they were staving off the pesky, barking outbursts.
The evening passed quietly but pleasantly. We snuggled beneath the canopy, looking up at the stars overhead. Edward knew the names of all the constellations and pointed them out to me. Together we reviewed the various myths associated with each one, though he knew much more than I did—likely a consequence of completing high school and college several times over.
I excused myself again to swallow more Tylenol and cold medicine, and when I returned I found that Edward had prepared my sleeping bag. It was just inside the shelter of the canopy. It looked quite enticing, and I was relieved when he suggested that I crawl inside. I was growing sleepy again.
He lay beside me, wrapping me securely in his arms. I fell asleep quickly as he hummed my lullaby softly in the still night air.
To be continued…