How much of this can I leave here and pretend I forgot to pack? I wonder, lifting a stringy item out of our drawer – I'm pretty sure it's underwear, I recognise the label from the thongs that used to peek out of the top of Lauren Mallory's jeans when she sat in the front row in classes, but this pair seems to be missing a crotch? I do appreciate Alice's efforts, as uncomfortably invasive as the idea of her shopping for these things was, I know her heart was in the right place and that she only wanted for Edward and I to enjoy our honeymoon as much as possible. I do ponder though, in what scenario she'd foreseen that I'd wear these.
"Have you finished packing yet, love?" I heard Edward call from the kitchen.
"Err… sorta?" I called back, "I may intentionally leave a few items though…"
He walked in and sat on the bed, amusement pulling at his lips as he took the silky material I was studying from my hands, "and leave it for Carlisle and Esme to find next time they visit their island you mean?"
"Fair point," I held my hand out, ready to stuff the piece under less offensive items in my suitcase, "we'll just take it home and burn it there."
He grinned his beautiful, cheeky grin and momentarily I was dazzled again, "Or maybe, just maybe, you might come around to wearing them…" My cheeks bloomed crimson, and my entire face got hot – not from lust but sheer embarrassment
He laughed as he stalked out the room, chucking the underwear on top of my bag, "are you ready for something to eat?" he asked, "I made paella."
It's endlessly frustrating that my husband has had nigh on 90 years of vampire dexterity and concentration master music, the arts, and sciences – but it really takes the biscuit, that in less than 2 years, he's also mastered cooking. He can't even taste the finished product, but whatever he makes it's always cooked from raw ingredients, and there's never too much or too little seasoning.
So, when I'm sat at the table, with Edward leaning forward, elbows on the surface, seeking approval as I take my first spoonful, I make sure I shoot him a glare.
"It's good, yes?" He beamed, and I nodded in defeat.
"Yes," I groan, "it's really good." I worked through two portions before succumbing to sleepiness. Edward swept my plate out from in front of me and washed it up whilst I attempted to blink the tiredness out of my eyes.
"Would you like a quick nap before we leave?" he whispered in my ear, suddenly behind me, "It's going to be a long journey home."
He's right of course, between the boat ride, airport transfers, and flights, the journey will take over 20 hours. I swivelled on my stool to look him in his concerned butterscotch eyes, "I'll have plenty of time to sleep on the plane, when do we have to leave the island?"
I spent my last hour on the island traipsing through the house. Acutely aware that the next people to frequent this island would likely be my parents-in-law, I checked under every bed and christened surface for discarded clothing. Edward found it hilarious, and assured me that he'd already picked up everything, but since both of us were usually pretty unobservant when it got down to the act of it, I'm not sure I trusted him.
We left Isle Esme as the sun began to set. Edward had booked the flights for late evening so that our journey through the city to Rio-Galeão International would be covered by twilight. I was sad to watch the island disappear from the horizon, not only did we consummate our marriage there, but we also grew as a couple.
Never in my life had I seen Edward so carefree and happy, for the first time there wasn't a knife hanging above our heads, and I imagine the quietness he got from not being surrounded from so many other people and their thoughts definitely helped.
I would never admit it to his face, but sex had also done wonders for the boy. Beneath his cold, hard exterior and old-fashioned propriety, he had a cheeky sense of humour, and boyish carelessness that was beyond refreshing to see from him.
It was only once we'd reached the airport that I realised that I'd lacked to buy any souvenirs for anyone back home. I wasn't usually a materialistic person, a lot of that was thanks to Charlie who hated knick-knacks (or "dust-collectors" as he usually referred to them), but in the singular hour-long phone call I'd had with Renee on the island, I'd sung the praises of beautiful Rio de Janeiro to try and dispel the fact Edward and I had barely left the bed.
To try and hold up the illusion we went out and did tourist things, I picked out a brightly coloured, handmade bookmark for my mom, and Christ the Redeemer bottle openers for my dad and Phil. "Do you think Alice would like a t-shirt?" I'd joked to Edward, gesturing to the bright yellow stack of "I HEART RIO" tourist shirts.
I actually ended up buying one myself, partially to irritate Alice (she'd packed a suitcase full of expensive designer items and yet here I choose to wear a R$15 canary yellow, synthetic fibre shirt from duty-free), but mostly because, secretly, this was the first proper out-of-country holiday I'd been on, and my small-town heart beamed with pride from it.
The flight back to the US took a very long ten hours. Somewhere over the Caribbean Sea we hit some mean turbulence which my stomach didn't take too well to. The stewardess offered me a Brazilian soda, supposedly the bubbles would help settle my stomach. Neither I, nor Edward, was prepared for the caffeine kick I got from drinking it. Once the sickness had passed I didn't stop talking his ear off for a solid hour.
Thankfully, the connecting flight from Houston to Seattle had a very short layover, because shortly after my caffeine high peaked, I crashed, and managed to stay comatose for the 4-hour flight to SeaTac airport.
"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty." His soft voice murmured next to my ear. I moaned and nuzzled into his neck, wanting to prolong my sleep. "I could carry you off the plane, but it might look a bit odd to bystanders."
"I'm odd anyway, we knew this, who cares what they think?" I mumbled. Edward chuckled.
"Alright then." He yielded, a laugh hidden in his angelic tone. I felt his hands sliding underneath my back and legs to cradle me, and abruptly woke up.
"Whoa! No you don't!" I slithered out of his arms and stood upright on my own. I straightened out my creased t-shirt and tried to smooth my hair to something resembling presentable; judging by the rumpled state I was in, I'd had a darn good nap.
Edward carried our bags off the plane, and for the sake of onlooking humans, loaded our suitcases onto a trolley to wheel through nothing-to-declare. It took no time at all to spot Emmett, who wielded a very large placard reading "CONGRATULATIONS ON LOSING YOUR VIRGINITY, EDWARD!"
The fury in Edward's eyes was unlike any I'd seen before, but he softened once he glanced me out the corner of his eye, laughing like a lunatic. As fast as was humanlike, Edward had zipped over to barrier behind which his brother waited and ripped the sign out of his hand. I don't know what he did with it, but by the time I'd walked over I couldn't see it anywhere.
"Bella!" I heard my name cried, as all 4 feet and 10 inches of my tiny sister-in-law vaulted the barrier and engulfed me in a hug. I hadn't realised how much I'd missed my new family, and I hugged her back with as much strength as I could muster.
"I forgive you for the t-shirt," she whispered in my ear before pulling away, picking at the material I wore, and smiling sweetly at me, "but don't expect to keep it."
"My turn!" Emmett's voice pierced through the moment, and I find myself extricated from Alice's hold, and lifted over the barrier for a solid bear hug.
"Be careful with my wife, please, it took a lot of effort to find her and not eat her." I heard Edward joke as he joined us.
Emmett put me down and whistled loudly, "wow, Bella, seems like you managed to pull that spoon out his ass whilst you were at it! I haven't heard him joke like that ever! Good job!"
"Don't be an ass, Emmett." Edward retorted.
Emmett nudged me gently with his elbow and whispered conspiratorially in my ear, "maybe there's more spoon left up there." I smiled up at my big brother, so much life and love in him, I'd missed his innuendos and happy-go-lucky attitude as well.
Under normal conditions, the drive from Seattle to Forks would've been a little under 4 hours, with the Cullens, it was under 3 – although with Emmett and Alice in the front seat, and their indefatigable ribbing of me and Edward, it felt more like 5. I have never blushed so vigorously for such an extended period of time before. It was all in good jest, but by only one hour in I could tell Edward was ready to open the door and run home, and I wouldn't have been opposed to jumping out with him.
We were received by the rest of the family on the porch of the Cullen home. I ran into Esme's open arms as Edward rounded the car to help Jasper with luggage.
"I'm sorry about the sign, Edward," I heard Jasper say, "I'd already taken one off him that he'd made yesterday, I didn't realise he had another."
"Oh, Bella darling!" Esme exclaimed, stepping back to view me at arms distance, "you look positively glowing! The sun looks beautiful on you!"
"Thank you, Esme." I blushed, it was true, I had picked up something of a tan on the island, but knowing Forks, it would take mere weeks for the colour to leach from my skin again. "And, of course, I almost forgot, thank you so much for letting us use your island! It was beautiful."
Esme smiled that warm, motherly smile, "of course, anything for my children". It was the first time I think I'd been referred to as one of Esme's own, and my heart swelled. I noticed Carlisle step forward to join us, we embraced in a shorter, less intimate hug.
"And thank you to you, as well, Carlisle."
He smiled, "all Esme's idea. I take it the honeymoon went well?"
I doubt the blush would ever leave my cheeks, "wonderfully." I admitted.
It was evening in Forks, and the sun was all but gone from the sky – not that you'd be able to tell thanks to the overcast weather – but a slight chill started to permeate the perfection of the reunion. Esme ushered me inside, where I was greeted by the delicious scents of lemongrass and cumin, and I knew immediately that, despite being the only person in this family to actually eat, I would never be as good at cooking as the family I married into.
A/N: I've submitted my dissertation y'all! I have only 3 pieces of coursework and exam standing between me and thousands of hours of freedom to write (and read) fanfiction! Once again, shoutout to my scarce reviewers, I appreciate you all!
