Summer Explorations of the Olympic Mountains by Sanguineblood
Author's Note: This story is written in a colloquial, first person point of view, so you, as a reader can feel like Bella, and hear her thoughts. And I'm mostly metric Canadian.
Disclaimer: Everything and anything related to the Twilight saga belong to Stephenie Meyer. This is a work of fiction based on her writings. No harm is meant by it.
Chapter 1 Muffins
The sound of the front door shutting woke me up from my dreams of Edward and I. And eternity. Sigh. It must be about 5:30 am as I heard Charlie's car start up and the crunch of the tires as it moved down our gravel drive.
My room felt empty like something important was absent. I opened my eyes and noted that Edward was not here this morning. He's been gone some mornings so Charlie doesn't catch him in my room. I hugged myself wondering how I was so lucky to be with gorgeous, sweet, caring, gentle man. I don't deserve such a wonderful person. His chiseled features and tussled bronze hair made me want to smooth my fingers along them. How did I deserve such a brilliant, selfish, moody, compelling man. Even though he looks seventeen he's much older. More experienced.
I rolled out of bed and wandered to the bathroom with my eyes slightly open not willing to wake up. I rarely can get back to sleep once I've been woken up, even though I have no place to go since school is out for the summer. The shower felt good this morning and I was thankful that Charlie put in a hand-held shower nozzle since my cast is not suppose to get really wet.
My broken leg is taking the longest to heal. My ribs only ache now and again. My head seems fine most of the time. I've only added to the bruises that were beginning to fade from the incident in the dance studio. Only four more weeks. Pretty much the rest of the summer until this cast is off my leg. It itched so much.
Drying off was a challenge as I tried to prevent the cast on my leg from having water run down it. I taped a wrap of plastic around the top to my leg. Even so, the trickles of water tickled irritatingly. I walked back to my room with just a towel wrapped around me to thinking about the day. It was sunny so Edward might just want to stay in. I think I'd like to make a chocolate torte for dessert later but the thought of some homemade muffins for breakfast made my mouth water.
I've been home from the Phoenix hospital for nearly four weeks and Charlie has been doing most of the cooking; rather re-warming of food, some from friends, most from the local diner, all of which I'm pretty tired of eating. I enjoy cooking and now that I'm becoming mobile again, I'm looking forward to doing more. Shopping is going to be challenge since I'm not able to drive yet.
I got dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, skipping the socks for the moment; I'll toss on my clogs that are at the bottom of the staircase. My thoughts wandered to Edward. He's been with me as much as possible despite me being grounded. Mostly he's allowed over for a few hours in the evening according to Charlie. Alice has been helping me with all nearly everything else and I've been spending a lot of time at her house with the rest of the Cullens. We've all become such good friends, apart from Rosalie, and I feel like I finally fit in somewhere. Even with that very unusual Cullen family.
With all my injuries, I haven't been able to do very much, which works well for me since I'm not the kind of girl who has to go, see and do something all the time. I do feel that Edward's hanging out with me because of his guilt over my injuries; I mean who wants to be with a cripple.
I did manage to write my school's year end exams with Edward helping me study. Although that was probably just a reason for him to be with me while compiling with my curfew. You know, because he feels guilty about my injuries.
Since then we spend a lot of time hanging out on the couch, watching movies, playing cards and board games. I've been over to visit at the Cullen's house, under the pretense of visiting Alice, of course. All of six of us played the Apple to Apples card game yesterday, and it was more hilarious than the last time. My abdomen hurts the today from laughing so much. We'll be playing again tomorrow.
I opened to the moist and scrumptious muffin recipe in my cook book and then got the ingredients from the cupboard. Measuring, mixing and pouring took moments and now I could smell the muffins cooking while I waited reading my novel. I've been reading and rereading my favorites, you know, and then picked one out of Edward's family's collection: Alexandre Dumas pere's The Count of Monte Cristo. It is very good so far.
The timer on the oven went just as Edward open the back door startling me from my reading. His appearance never fails to steal my breath away. He had changed his clothes to a long sleeved crew neck gray tee shirt and a pair of jeans. The snug fit of the shirt emphasized the contours of his strong shoulders and flat belly. I stood up and held my arms out as he walked through the door. I'm always in need of a hug. Edward stoked my back while we cuddled together, his chin resting on my head.
"Hi."
"Good morning. How was the shower?" he said voice vibrating my hair.
"Just manageable," I said inhaling his intoxicating smell, eyes closed, "where did you go?"
"Alice needed me this morning," he replied, "And according to Alice, it will be cloudy and windy later."
Living in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains of Washington State meant lots of rains, so sunshiny periods are rare moments, literately.
"The muffins smell delicious, better that ones that they make at the Diner."
The timer beeped again so I let him go and hobbled over to open up the oven door and take the muffin tin out.
"You think so? They make their own at the Diner," I said glancing at Edward.
"You're asking me? with my acute sense of smell," Edward said with an incredulous look on his face.
"Well, I was thinking that I need to make some money this summer, maybe I can make muffins to sell at the coffee shack drive thru. What do you think?" I said.
"That could work. You are usually up early enough to make a dozen or so and then we can drive them down. Do you know who provides them with their muffins now?" Edward said.
"Good question, I don't think I've seen their muffins. Maybe we can check that out today? And take them a sample as I made extras," I said.
"Sure, although it's sunny at the moment," Edward said to remind me that he has be careful when its sunny due to his reflective skin.
"I can wait," I said and took a bit from the muffin, delicious, moist and hot.
I've spend a lot of time curled up, with my leg support on an ottoman, watching movies with Edward. It is my latest favorite pastime, yet as my body has started to heal, I've started cooking again…I enjoy it a lot. Even though Charlie is the only who enjoys it with me. And even then he'd rather eat the fish he caught.
"Okay, what are you doing today?" I said.
"I thought it would be interesting to go storm wave watching from Strawberry Point," Edward said, "It's should be cloudy and windy as the westerly moves down the Strait of Juan de Fuca."
"The wind is coming off the Pacific Ocean?" I said thinking about the term westerly.
"Yes, it will be great for the surfers and storm wave watching," Edward said with enthusiasm.
"Oh?" I said wondering what Edward could be excited about.
"Well, Emmett's challenged Jasper to dodging the rocks at the Giants Graveyard and this might just be the best opportunity with some great surf. How about we go see the Giants Graveyard too, the ocean waves are supposed to be spectacular," he said with hope.
"And you can watch the carnage from the guys challenge," I said with a laugh. "Isn't it bad to surf when the wind is blowing onshore? I read that somewhere."
"Yes," Edward replied, "only if you are not a vampire."
Strawberry Point and the Giant's Graveyard are about 25 kilometers south west of Forks and south of La Push. Although I've read about the surf carved rock formation of the coast I've not been there yet. The trail head is at the end of Oil City Road which is off Highway 101. It's is a popular place, a favorite among many weekenders, but with the drizzly day, it's a good spot to drive to. The hike, as I later found out, is fairly easy for everyone regardless of physical conditioning. This is good as I'm known to be clumsy even without a cast on my leg.
"How am I supposed to manage a twenty-five kilometer hike?" I said grinning as I gestured to my immobilized leg. I was looking forward to spending the day with him.
Edward's face echoed mine back and he said, "I'll carry you."
"umm, will Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett be with us too?" I said, as the butterflies in my stomach started moving.
"No, they've made other plans today, so we will see them later at the Graveyard."
"That's good," I said as I reached to my half bitten muffin. Edward reach out for me, pulling me in toward him. His arms tightened around me and his breath cooled my cheek.
"Wait I want to try something," he said as he moved his face closer gentle touching his lips to mine.
I shivered and tried to hold still to Edward's cautious movement. He brought his face slowly to mine as I quickly closed the space and touched my forehead to his cheek. I can't stop myself. He slid his face along mine with his fingers skimming my cheek. The jolt from his cool touch jumps my heart rate as well as the rest of me and we pulled apart laughing lightly.
The Giant's Graveyard and Graveyard Point is only about 8 kilometers from Third Beach, which, as I understand, is included in the Treaty area.