Chapter 2: Catching Up
Emmett pulled back after a minute. "It's great to see you again, you look great," he told her, holding onto her arms.
"So do you, got a bit of a tan," she commented, poking his chest.
He chuckled lightly, smiling at her. "Yea tends to happen when you're in the sun 24/7," he replied. Bella smiled a little as the rest of the party continued on. He gestured to the backyard before they left the rest of the party.
Bella sighed as she followed Emmett to the backyard and sat down on the swing that was there. "I haven't heard from you since our little run in, in Seattle," he commented.
"Yeah, I was busy," she replied.
He nodded his head slowly. "How are you?" he asked.
"I'm doing alright, you?" she answered.
"Well better now that I'm home," he replied.
"Yeah, I can see how that would be relieving," she commented.
"Yea just a bit," he answered smiling a little.
Bella sighed as she swung back and forth on the swing. "I'm surprised you came," he commented.
"Yeah…Alice found me in Phoenix about a year ago and she begged me to come back for the party," she answered.
"Same old Bella, reluctant to party," he quipped.
"So are you," she pointed out.
"Hey I also have a seven-year-old," he answered chuckling.
Laughing a little, she nodded her head slowly. "This is true," she agreed softly. She pushed her hair from her eyes before clearing her throat. Before Emmett could ask another question, the back door opened.
"Daddy you coming?" Lily called out.
"Yeah I'll be right there," he answered.
Bella stood up from the swing. "We should get back to the party," she commented.
"Yeah, it was nice seeing you again Bells," he answered.
"Yeah you too, welcome home," she told him.
She walked back inside without another word. Emmett rubbed the back of his neck before going inside.
Once he went back into the party, Lily attached herself to her father like a magnet. Emmett smiled as he stroked his daughter's hair as he looked around. Esme smiled as she hugged her oldest child. "I'm just so grateful you're home sweetheart," she told him. He hugged her back with a smile.
"I'm happy to be home ma," he answered.
He kissed his mother's forehead with a sigh. "Hey, can you watch Lily for a couple of hours?" he asked.
"Yes, of course, but don't you want to spend some time with her?" she asked, looking down at her granddaughter.
"Yeah, but there's one place I have to go," he replied.
Esme nodded, touching her son's cheek before she kissed it and held Lily's hand. Emmett rubbed the back of his neck, shaking his head slowly.
After the party finally dispersed, Emmett walked out to his parents' garage. "Emmett I hate it when you ride that thing," Esme told her son with a sigh.
"I'm a safe rider," he answered as he hit the button the garage, opening the door.
He walked over and straddled his black Harley-Davidson, reaching for the helmet that was on the shelf next to it. "You and Jasper both, even though Jasper's only my son through marriage I swear you two will give me a heart attack," Esme commented.
"No worries ma, I'll be back," he answered as he started the bike up.
A grin appeared on his face when his bike roared to life. "I'll be back later baby girl," he told Lily.
"Bye daddy," Lily answered.
Emmett drove off on his motorcycle, just enjoying his ride.
He stopped by the flower shop, getting off his bike and pulled off his helmet before heading inside. "Well little Angie Weber," he commented about the girl behind the counter. The girl looked up with a gasp.
"Emmett Cullen, when did you get back?" she asked as she walked out from behind the counter, hugging him.
"Early this afternoon," he replied.
Angela smiled as he set her back down. "Oh and just so you know, it's no longer Weber," she replied, holding up her left hand.
"Hey so finally married Cheney, congratulations," he commented.
"Yea thanks," she answered.
"When did that happen?" he asked.
"About a year ago," she replied as she moved behind the counter again.
Emmett smiled. "White roses and violets?" she asked.
"You know me too well Angie," he answered.
Angela smiled as she went to the fridge behind the counter, taking out a wrapped up bag of flowers. "Here you go," she said smiling.
"Thank you," Emmett answered, smiling a little as he looked at the flowers in his hands.
"How are you though Emmett? I mean besides being home from Iraq," she commented.
Emmett gave her a small smile. "I'm doing alright Ange," he answered.
"I saw Lily yesterday. She looks so much like Rosalie," she commented.
"That she does," he agreed smiling.
Angela smiled as he went to pay. "Hey, it's on us. Rosalie was a good friend of ours too," she reminded him. Emmett nodded with a sad smile.
"Thanks Angie," he told her.
She nodded before he left.
Pulling up to the cemetery, Emmett let out a sigh as he stared at the flowers in his hands before getting off the bike. Walking down the blacktop, he wasn't looking at any of the other gravesites he had walked by. He knew exactly where he was going. He knew the path by heart with all the times he walked the path.
Making his way through the rows, he finally found the one he was looking for. "Hey Rosie," he said softly. He kneeled down in front of the gravestone, taking out the dead flowers that were there before replacing them with the ones he brought. He sat back and stared at the headstone in front of him.
Rosalie Lillian Masen-Cullen Born May 19th, 1988-April 22nd, 2006 Beloved Wife, Mother, Daughter, Sister, and Friend
Sighing sadly, Emmett ran his hand over his face. "I'm exhausted, I know, if you were here you'd be yelling at me at how I'm not taking care of myself. I am though baby, but I didn't want to go to sleep tonight without seeing you," he explained. Letting out a shaky breath, he tilted his back for a second before looking back at the gravestone, tracing the little oval picture that was at the top of his Rosie. It was her senior picture. "I miss you baby," he whispered as he traced the engraving, "I miss you so much. Lily is getting so big. I can't believe how much she's grown."
Swallowing hard, Emmett let out a shaky breath as he sat in silence, staring at the grave that held his wife.
When he arrived home later that night, he saw Esme sitting in the living room with Lily. "Daddy!" the girl exclaimed as she jumped up to hug her father tight.
"Hey baby," he said softly, lifting Lily up from the floor.
He kissed the side of her head as he held her close. "Em you're exhausted, why don't you head upstairs?" Esme asked gently.
"Yeah, I think you're right," he answered.
"I'm your mother, I'm always right," she quipped lightly.
Chuckling softly, Emmett let out a sigh as Esme kissed his cheek softly and stroked Lily's hair. "Goodnight sweetheart," she said softly.
"Night ma," he answered as he walked upstairs.
Setting Lily into her bed, Emmett went into his room, pulling off his shirt and pants before climbing into bed. Lying on his back, he stared up at the ceiling for the longest time. Letting out a sigh, he closed his eyes and sleep claimed him in the matter of minutes.