"You ready for this?" I asked her as we climbed out of the rental car.
"This is where you grew up? Its, well, amazing!" I smiled at her. It was like she never seen a big house before. Granted Summerville wasn't full of mansions but still it's not like I grew up in the biggest house ever built.
"Yea. My dads a doctor remember."
"You said doctor. Not mega bucks doctor. And to answer your question I don't think we could be any more prepared then we are but there is no turning back now is there." She smiled at me while I grabbed our bags from the trunk.
It was a cool foggy morning in Forks, but when was it not. After the flight, time change, and long car ride it was now 11 am. We barely made it to the steps when the front door flew open.
"Eddie! Your home!" My mother carefully came down the front steps to greet us. "Honey get out here! Edwards home! Bring Emmett to help with the bags!" She gave me a tight hug and then turned and noticed Bella standing beside me.
"Oh and this must be Isabella. Oh dear you did not do her justice on her beauty." She said pulling her into a hug.
"Thank you. And you can call me Bella." My mother gave me a side glance at the difference in name. "Yea Edward likes to use Isabella, he says it beautiful. But it's so nice to finally meet you Mrs. Cullen."
"Oh dear, please call me Esme. No need for the Mrs. stuff. You here are already family." She hugged Bella again as my dad and brother came outside.
"Wow man you bagged a hottie." Oh good lord I was going to slap him.
"Thanks man. Dad, Emmett, this is Bella, my girlfriend." I added though I am sure it was unnecessary.
"It's nice to meet you both." Bella said shaking their hands.
"Here let me take those bags." Emmett grabbed the bags from me and headed towards the house.
"Come here babe. Let me give you the grand tour." I said jokingly as everyone else headed inside in front of us. Bella laughed at my sigh of relief and we followed my mother and father up the front steps. "And this is my old room. I guess where we will be staying." I walked into the room and was instantly annoyed at myself for not checking it first.
Of course it still looked exactly like it did when I was in school. The desk in the corner where a picture frame sat of my family, to the half naked model in a bikini plastered by my bed. That on the other hand was different. My mother must have decided that since I was having a girl come home with me I needed a larger bed. I watched Bella go over to the tall book shelf that sat in the room and look at all of my awards and trophies for various things. Mainly sports but still an embarrassing shrine my mother refused to pack away.
She glanced at the poster now. "Nice." She said while laughing.
"Yea sorry about that. I didn't think it would still be up."
"It's fine." She smiled again. I placed our bags to the side of the room and watched her as she looked through the rest of my high school bedroom. It felt weird being in here with her. Not that I hadn't ever had a girl in here before. It was just I never had one in here that my parents knew about.
"Edward! Alice and Jasper are here!" My mothers voice came from door stairs.
"Round two." Bella said with a wink. I threw my head back throwing a silent prayer up that all this would be worth and work. Alice being my twin would be the hardest to fool. We seemed to have that connection of knowing when something was wrong or off. I had never been able to lie to her. "Come on. If you look like that it will never work."
"Sorry I just, I'm nervous I guess." She started walking towards me staring straight into my eyes.
"What are you nervous about?"
"That I will mess up. That Alice will read me like a book like I know she always has been able to." She took another step closing the gap between us. Her eyes moved to my chest and her fingers tracing the outline of the muscles in my arms.
"Anything else?"
"That, um, that I will, um, hurt my mom, um, because I lied to her." Her hand moved up over my shoulder and to the back of my neck.
"And?" She said moving her lips to my ear whispering. I couldn't think. She smelled amazing and her body felt amazing against mine and without thinking I moved my own hand down her arm taking her hand in mine pulling her closer if that was even possible.
"Hey, oh sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt." Bella and I quickly moved apart my she kept her hand in mine. Alice was standing in my doorway with Jasper next to her.
"Oh not interrupting just having a quick moment. You must be Alice and Jasper. I'm Bella, it's so nice to finally meet you." Bella had plastered a smile on her face and greeted them. She was better then I thought.
"Likewise!" Alice said pulling her into a hug. "I can't wait to get to know you."
We followed them downstairs hand in hand. The moment Bella's lips had almost met mine had pushed every worry out of my head. I assume that was her goal. We spent the day catching up with my family and making small talk. Rose, Emmett's wife, joined us not much later and soon we were talking dinner ideas.
I watched as Alice pulled Bella into the kitchen to help with dinner and for the next hour I barely tore my eyes from the door.
"Dude, they're not going to chase her away in one day relax." Emmett said punching my arm.
"Sorry just nervous." I admitted though I probably shouldn't have because of the look I was receiving from all the men in the room. "I just mean I'm nervous because I've never brought a girl home before. I mean one that I was so serious about." I was rambling. Crap.
"Well she is also not like any other girl you have been with." Jasper said laughing. He had been in my family's life for as long as I could remember. He and Alice have been together for a couple years now and have been planning their wedding for the last year. It was to take place this coming summer.
"Yea I know." It was true Bella was nothing like the normal girls I ended up dating. Normally I found myself with clingy overbearing headcases. Not being able to take it any longer I got up to check on Bella but made an excuse that I was getting something to drink.
I made my way through the door into the dinning room and towards the kitchen. I heard laughter coming from the slighter ajar door. I stopped to listen as I got closer.
"Oh my god I so need to those pictures!" Bella's voice floated into my ears.
"Oh dear don't you worry. We have plenty of time to look at those." They were all giggling. I really was wondering what pictures they were talking about.
"Baby pictures."
"Jesus dude don't scare me like that." Emmett was standing behind me.
"Figured you were spying, but its mom playing to show off your baby pictures. Don't worry she did it to me when I first brought Rose home."
"Great." That was all I wanted to was to torture Bella with Mother-Girlfriend bullshit. I needed to get her out of there. But then it was Alice's voice that broke me from my train of thought.
"This may be to early to say but I like you so much better then any other girl that I have meet because of Edward. He usually dates stuck up bitches who wouldn't be caught dead in here with us laughing and joking."
"Well like I told Edward when we first meet. Life is to short to not enjoy it so why not laugh when you can."
"Oh and she has a brain. I think you are a keeper." Alice threw her arms around Bella and surprising Bella was smiling from ear to ear. Damn she was a good actress. I walked back into the living room feeling a little bit a peace that I knew what was going on in there. Though I would have to apologize to Bella later for letting her get stuck hanging out and talking gossip with them.
"Boys, dinner is ready." Alice yelled into the living room. None of us wasted time getting up. It had been to long since I had a home cooked meal and I was looking forward to it.
Dinner was filled with laughter and more catching up. And of course more stories of me and my siblings just to embarases us in front of our 'guests'.
"Mom what else have you found out about the cancer?" I finally spoke up. It had bothered me that not a word had been said since I arrived. Everyone got really quiet and focused on their plates.
"Now dear lets not spoil the dinner." My mom said quickly passing my father more potatoes.
"Well when is a good time?"
"Edward." My fathers voice was harsh.
"No whats going on why hasn't anyone talked about it all day."
"Because I don't want sure them to." My mother said setting her silverware down and looking at me. "I know this is hard for you but I don't want to be remembered as being sick. I don't want to discuss it." I wasn't why I got so mad. I understood that she didn't want to be remembered that way but I just didn't want her to ignore the sickness either.
I couldn't sit there everyone was just eating. Before I knew it I was out the backdoor and making my way across the backyard.
"Hey," I ignored her. I was to pissed off to care about anything at the moment. The river that ran at the edge of or yard was still tonight. That is until I started throwing rocks into it. "I'd ask if you are ok but I'm thinking that is a dumb question." I still didn't say anything as she made her way to stand next to me. "You know losing the people you love is never easy. But at least you know. It means you have a chance to say goodbye. Most of the time we never know when someone will be taken from us. You know?" Her hand was held out with a rock in it. I moved to grab it but stopped instead finally looking at her.
"I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry to me about. Or anyone else really. You have a right to how you feel. Just maybe shouldn't have walked out on dinner."
"I use to come out here and skip rocks when I was upset. No one ever bothered to come out and talk to me though. They would just let me blow of steam."
"I can go back inside. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you." Bella moved to go inside but I reached out for her instead.
"No, please don't go." She looked down at her hands entwined together. "I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that I'm not use to someone coming after me." Her hand brushed my cheek and then she was in my arms.
"I know this entire situation isn't ideal but just so you know, I will always be here for you." I hugged her back as she buried her face into my neck.
"Thanks."
"You ready to go back inside yet?" She said pulling back and looking at me. I nodded yes and she left the embrace of my arms and pulled me towards the house. When we got inside the dinning room table was empty and soft voices came from the living room. We walked in to find my mother and father sitting on the couch together enjoying a glass of wine.
"Where did everyone else go?" I asked.
"Oh they were tired and wanted to get home." My mother set her glass down on the coffee table.
"I'm going to let you guys talk." Bella smiled and placed her hand on my cheek giving me a quick kiss and going upstairs after thanking my parents for dinner.
"Look honey I didn't mean to upset you. I just want my remaining time to be happy not about being sick."
"I know I'm sorry I over reacted. I just wish there was something someone could do."
"Well there might be." My head snapped to my father. "A doctor in Seattle is doing a trial and it might help."
"Help?"
"Yes. If it helps enough surgery might be worth doing but right now its only a trial and a very big what if. So please don't get to much hope for this. Right now we are just looking at options."
"Ok." I nodded. We said goodnight and I went upstairs. Bella was sitting on the edge of the bed in a sports bra and booty shorts. She was flipping through my senior yearbook.
"Hey,"
"Oh, hey, sorry. I just got curious." She stood up and put the book back on the shelf and turned towards me. I hadn't realized it till now that I had been walking towards her. "Are you ok?"
"Yea, I'm better. Thanks for talking to me. And calming me down." My fingers found the soft skin above her hip.
"It's really no big deal." She said smiling. "Ready for bed. I'm exhausted." I moved my hand away quickly worrying if I over stepped and silently cursed myself for not thinking clearly.
"Um, yea." We both glanced at the bed. "I can, um, sleep on the floor."
"Really." She said turning to me. "Don't be an idiot. Get in the damn bed." I gave her a fake dirty look for the idiot comment. "Oh come on I just flew across the country with you I think I can manage to sleep on opposite sides of the same bed with you. She giggled again and then climbed under the covers of the bed.
I had followed suit and fell asleep quickly but woke up a few hours later to find that instead of being by the wall I was now in the center of the bed and Bella's head was resting on my chest. Her leg entwined mine and my arms were wrapped around her body. I thought about moving us but I was to comfortable to care.
Waking again as the sunlight flooded the room, I found myself alone. I felt disappointed but reminded myself that this wasn't about that. I wandered downstairs to hear my mothers voice coming from the kitchen followed Bella's.
"Aw, he was such a cute kid." Bella cooed.
"I know, prettiest baby ever. Aside from my other two of course." Another laugh. "Ok so now that we have all this mixed together you have to add the secret ingredient. These are my Eddie's favorite."
"Well he has good taste this batter is amazing." I walked in to find Bella licking her finger and my mother teaching her how to make blueberry pancakes. She was still in her pajamas but had added one of my old high school shirts.
"Morning." I said walking up to Bella kissing her quickly on the cheek.
"Morning babe." She said with a wink.
"So what are your plans today?" My moms said tearing my eyes from Bella.
"Um, I don't know. Were we suppose to have plans?"
"No, I just have a doctors appointment to go to this afternoon. I thought it would be nice if you showed Bella around town. You know show here where you grew up."
"Oh yea, um, sure sounds good."
"Oh and call you brother and sister. I know they really miss you as well and since we don't know how long it will be before your next visit you really should spend some time with them as well." My mother turned to me holding a plate of pancakes. "Now go eat and get ready for the day." Bella hoped down from the counter and followed me to the table.
"Your mother is amazing." She said as we sat down.
"Thanks, I kinda think so too." I said with a laugh.
"No I really mean it. Your whole family is so accepting."
"Well that is because you are nothing like I use to date or well do date. I don't know. Anyways they like you so of course they are nice to you and accept you. And why wouldn't they. Your kind of amazing yourself." She blushed. "You can't say you don't believe me because look at what you are doing for me." She blushed again and we started eating.
We spent the morning with my parents until it was time for them to leave and then meet Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rose at the local diner for lunch.
"Hey guys!" Alice called us over to their table as we walked in the door. "About time you got here. So what are we doing today?"
"Well mom suggest I show Bella around so I thought maybe hit up the high school."
"Oh I haven't been there in years!" Rose gushed. "Bella you will love it! We can tell you so many stories." I let my head fall back and I smiled. They were really testing her with the amount of stories and the scary part is they all know the worst ones.
"So all you meet in school?" She asked.
"Yea. Emmett didn't leave me alone until I finally agreed to go out on a date with him."
"And then she was like putty in my hands." Emmett smiled putting his arm around Rose's chair.
"More like I had you whipped in two dates." We all started laughing as Emmett put his head down in defeat. "We got married a little over a year ago. And Jasper and Alice's wedding is in two months but I am sure Edward has told you about that."
"Oh yea, we plan on being there."
"Really?" Alice asked brightly.
"Oh course why wouldn't we." Bella glanced at me looking confused and then looked back at Alice.
"Well he said he didn't know if he could get it off work and that if he could he didn't know if you would be able to as well. Of course this was like a month ago but this is so great because now he can be in the wedding too!"
"Yea sorry Alice I forgot to tell you. I just guess it slipped my mind with everything." I took Bella's hand and smiled at unable to help myself and I was glad to see her smile back.
As we made our way to the high school memories flooded my mind. I couldn't believe I was about to set foot back in this place and I hadn't seen it since I graduated. We walked the halls together laughing at the random memories until our group slip into couples.
"So what are your favorite memories here?" Bella said slipping her hand into mine.
"No one else is around you don't have to act." I laughed a little but for some reason part of me didn't want her to let go.
"You never know Mr. Cullen." She said with a wink. "Anyway are you avoiding the question."
"No." I said shaking my head in amusement. "Come on." I pulled her along the hallway till we made it to the gym doors and walked inside. "This is where I got in my first fight."
"That's your favorite memory."
"Well no but one of them. I was a sophomore and the guy was a senior. I was picked to be on the varsity team and so there was some hazing involved. You know to see if I was tough enough. And the guy sucker punched me."
"That sounds like bullying not hazing."
"True but when everyone was laughing because they thought I was down in one hit I took my chance and tackled him when he wasn't looking. Got in two hits before he really realized I was attacking and then the teacher broke it up. Granted a sneak attack is a bitch move but I was accepted because I guess it took a lot of balls to do that."
"Nice." She shook her head. "Anything else happen in here that you like to remember?"
"Ah, they told you." She laughed. "Ok for the record it was just kissing. Nothing else was happening and it wasn't out in front of everyone like Emmett likes to say. It was under the bleachers."
"I was told nothing of kissing in the gym. I was thinking more along the lines of hitting the game winning shot for the state championship title."
"Oh," It was my turn to blush.
"So making out under the bleachers huh?" She picked up a basketball and tossed it to me.
"Yea, whats it to ya?"
"Well as the girl you love I might be jealous."
"Really now." I said spinning the ball on my finger walking towards her. "And what would the boy you love do to make it up to you?"
"Hm, I think I like this game." Bella said taking a step towards me. "How do you do that?" She pointed at the ball.
"Here." I pulled her closer to me and then gave the ball another spin. "Put your hand like mine." She gave me her finger and I placed it under the ball moving the ball to on top of hers and gave it a spin again.
"Wow." She looked amused that she was holding it by herself, that is until I blew on it to knock it off her hand. "Hey!" She chased after me laughing. "You are so dead for that!"
We were laughing and joking as I let her bring me to the floor and pin me.
"I win." My arms were above my head as we both fought to catch our breath.
"Trying to take care of a weird fantasy lil brother?" We both looked towards the open door.
"Hey Em." I said laughing as Bella climbed off my lap.
"You guys ready to head out of here before we are caught. We could hear you two down the hall." Bella jumped on my back as we followed everyone else outside. We drove in separate cars but decided to meet back at our parents house.
"So were you going to say anything to me about the wedding?" Bella asked once we were alone again.
"Yea about that you really didn't have to agree to that. You are doing enough for me already with pretending to be my girlfriend and everything."
"It's important to your sister and probably your mom so when I said I would do this I figured it would be more then this one time."
"You did?"
"Yea. Plus I happen to like your family remember. So if you want to go, which you should. I'm in."
"You amazing."
"If you keep saying that my ego isn't going to fit in this car." We both laughed as we pulled into the driveway. The others hadn't made it back yet but I was ok with spending more alone time with Bella.
She really was different then any other girl I had ever hung out with but I was getting confused with all these little moments we kept having.
