After Carlisle and Esme left it was almost six-thirty and I went upstairs to my old room and pulled my Macbook out of my travel bag and plugged it on. I had 27 new emails. I deleted the non important ones then got down to business replying to the other fourteen. I had my own column online and in print for the Chicago Tribune plus I was in charge of the style section. I had also been assisting greatly with the transition over to more online content.
It seemed that almost everyone was going into panic mode without me there! Once I answered everyone's panicked messages I logged onto Facebook. After a few moments my curiosity got the best of me. I typed Edward Cullen into the search bar. The first search result was defiantly him. I clicked on his name. He didn't have his page set to private, surprisingly. His profile picture was him and Landon sitting in his lap, probably taken at a family gathering. I clicked on the info link and all the standard information, but what caught my attention was the relationship status line. It read: "Married to Haven Grace Cullen." Either he hadn't been online in a while or he hadn't let go yet. After I sent him a friend request I clicked on her name and her profile picture was a wedding picture of her and Edward. His hair was shorter and he looked so much older now. Funny how a few rough years can age someone so rapidly. I scrolled down her wall. It was covered in posts from people I didn't know saying how much they missed her and how much Landon looked just like her and, well, they were right. I clicked on her profile picture which took me to the rest of her profile pictures. She had passed on her almost white blonde hair, crystal blue eyes, and porcelain skin onto her son. Landon got his mouth, nose, and the shape of his face from Edward. She was beautiful, if a little fragile looking. Taylor and Edward made a beautiful couple. My heart hurt for Edward when I thought about how hard of a time he must have raising Landon, especially when he looked just like Taylor.
After surfing the web for a couple of hours I was really for a few hours of sleep. I changed into my pajamas and got ready for bed. It was only 9:00, but I was tired. After I brushed my teeth and washed my face I didn't bother to tell Charlie goodnight. I was still mad at him for blowing up when the Cullens were here. I crawled into bed lying on my back. I was so tired, but also excited about dinner with Edward. Part of me was worried, though, what if he wasn't ready to date. Everyone heals at their own speed… I slowly entered into a deep sleep. Around 1:00a.m. a light rain started that turned into a pour soon after. It had grown accustomed to the sound of the wind whipping around my apartment building, but the rain pounding on the roof of the house was a sound that I had long forgotten. I lay there starring at the ceiling for a while and when I couldn't take it any longer I got up and grabbed my laptop off the desk and set it on my lap. I logged back into Facebook. I spent most of my free time on the computer mostly YouTube or social networking sites. Edward had accepted my friend request. After surfing around on my friends profiles to see what was new in their lives I was already bored so, I wondered downstairs and plopped myself down on the sofa and I turned on the TV. Pretty much the only thing on was infomercials and old comedies like The Cosby Show and The George Lopez Show. Dad hadn't upgraded to a smart TV. He was content with his standard flat screen. It didn't take long for my eyelids to start to slowly close and I drifted into a light sleep. When I woke up in the morning the sun had just began to peep through my bedroom windows. I sat up and looked around. I guess Charlie had carried me upstairs when he left for work. I grabbed my cell phone off my nightstand to check the time. It was only 8:45, but at this point I knew I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. I rolled out of bed and made my way downstairs and put on a pot of coffee and as I stood with the refrigerator door open to see if I could find something to eat the doorbell rang. I slowly walked to the entry way wondering who would be here this early without bothering to call.
"Oh, Bella! I'm so excited!" Squealed Alice jumping me as I opened the door.
"Oh, my gosh," I breathed as she squeezed.
"Edward told me about the two of you having dinner tonight. Do you think that ya'll will get back together? After all of this time. It's so romantic," Alice chattered as I closed the front door. The rain had stopped outside, but it was still overcast.
"We're just having dinner." I stated laughing half-heartily as Alice grabbed my hand.
"Really?" She asked batting her eyelashes. "Because Esme said he seemed kind of of excited when he dropped off Landon this morning before he went to work and believe me Edward hasn't been excited since well, let me think, since the Green Bay Packers won the Superbowl in 2011."
"He did always root for the underdog, but that was five years ago." I commented wrinkling my forehead. It was good to know that I wasn't the only one excited about tonight.
"Well, since Grace passed away he hasn't had a lot to be excited about." Explained Alice squeezing my hand. "Anyways we need to go to shopping to find you a killer outfit for tonight."
"But I'm sure I have something upstairs." I pointed up to my room. I had packed my favorites in preparation to look my best.
"Let's go see," she smiled dragging me upstairs and into my old room. She immediately went to work pulling out all of the clothes I packed and laying them on the bed. "This may take a little bit. Your fashion taste has sincerely improved since high school."
"Well, thank you very much." I smiled a little. "Well, I'm going to take a shower, if that is ok."
"It's your house." She replied not even looking up as I grabbed my bathrobe off the desk chair and made my way to the bathroom. After I took a quick shower and grabbed a cup of coffee for me and another for Alice, I went back upstairs to find what appeared to be a massive explosion of skirts, blouses, and jewelry all over my room, at least I think it is my room.
"Alice…" I trailed off as I stood in the doorway. "I brought coffee."
"How did you afford these?" She asked holding up my Christian Louboutin Larissa Plato Suede heels. "They cost almost $1200."
"I saved part of my paycheck for six months." I smiled handing her the cup of coffee. I had become quite the budgeter. I had also developed a taste for higher end shoes and make-up.
"Thanks. I've been dropping hints to Jasper that I want a pair for my birthday in a couple of weeks." She laughed lightly. "I have to say your wardrobe or at least what you brought is very impressive. And I'm envious of your make-up. I mean Anastasia Beverly Hills, MAC, and Marc Jacobs, wow!"
"Thanks. I've become quite the collector," I sighed sipping my coffee. "Well, did you find the perfect date outfit?"
"So, it is a date?" She smiled ear to ear, propping her hand on her hip.
"Maybe." I smiled coyly tucking my hair behind me ear. I didn't want to get my hopes up after all of these years. I had grown quite comfortable in my cat lady life.
"Yay! Ok… This is what I have it narrowed down to: strapless abstract print dress with Christian Louboutin purple glittered thick-heel pumps or the floral print chiffon dress with Alexandre Birman teal braided sandals. Which one do you like better?" She asked fingering the second dress.
"Are you sure that a dress isn't too dressy?" I asked studying the two dresses.
"I think Edward wanted it to be a surprise, but he's taking you to… La Fresas." She grinned turning to look at me.
"What's that?" I asked confused. I had never heard of the place.
"Oh, I forgot you haven't been here in years. It's this little Italian café style. It just went in last year. It's so pretty inside with huge paintings on the wall and ceiling. And it isn't cheap. Jasper took me there for the first time for our wedding anniversary a few weeks after it opened." She explained running her hands through her short hair. "Trust me, you want to wear a dress."
"I like the floral print dress better. I just picked it up before I left." I smiled taking the dress off the hanger and laying on the bed. I placed the shoes on the floor in front of it.
"I think you should put your hair in a bun. Your hair is short, but I think it's long enough for me to do." She suggested running her finger through the tips of my damp chocolate locks. "I just got this awesome liquid eyeliner that cost an arm and a leg, but it's amazing that will make your brown eyes pop!" Alice rattled a little about her design work and while I loved handbags my thought were on Edward and what it would be like after all of these years.
"Bella!" Alice snapped shaking me.
"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking." I smiled refocusing my attention.
"I'll come by about 6:00 and help you get ready. I'm having lunch with some investors in Port Angeles and I have still have a couple of sketches to finish," she explained gathering her purse and kissing me on the cheek.
"Ok." I simply replied walking her downstairs and out the front door. I was pretty sure that Alice was more excited about tonight than I was. For a couple hours I just laid around the house then around noon I made myself lunch and proof-read a couple of articles. All articles had to be approved by me and then I put them in the layout or okayed them to put online. This transition from print to online had been challenging for a lot of newspapers, but I was glad to be able to help companies during this time.
Edward's POV-
"My grandmother can pitch faster than you and she's 102!" Emmett yelled at a sophomore as he prepared to pitch another "fast ball". Poor boy really didn't have a chance at college ball at this rate.
"Really coach?" The kid called back while practicing his pitching during his 5th hour study hall period.
"No, Styles. She's dead! Now pitch!" Emmett roared trying to hold back a smile. "Jeez, sophomores get stupider every year."
"I think it's more stupid." I corrected picking up the bag of bats and carrying it to the dugout preparing for 6th hour softball practice. Because Forks High School only had one baseball field the girls practiced 6th hour and the boys 7th hour. I had been an Advance Placement World History teacher and an Advanced Placement Grammar/ Literature teacher for the past two years as well as the softball coach and assistant baseball coach. The softball team actually had a shot at a state title this year, if I had anything to say about it.
"What?" Asked Emmett stopping confused by my statement.
"I believe the correct grammatical term is more stupid." I explained pausing to turn back and look at him. I only liked to rub my education in Emmett's face. Not that he was uneducated. A bachelor's from UC Davis was no laughing matter.
"Ok,… whatever." He huffed walking past me. I knew that Emmett hated to be corrected, that's why I did. I also knew that either way was acceptable. "So, are you excited about tonight?"
"I guess so." I shrugged sitting down next to Emmett in the dugout.
"It's your second date since Grace." He continued looking over as me eyeing me carefully.
"I don't count that psycho that you set me up with last month." I snapped looking out on the field. All the lady wanted to talk about was her ex-boyfriend that she had just dumped then at the end of the night when I dropped her off she actually tried to kiss me! I almost had another panic attack. Over the past couple of years I had developed severe obsessive compulsive disorder, some mild claustrophobia, and some anxiety issues. Therapy a couple times a month had been helping slowly.
"Okay. Your first official date since Grace passed away. I mean it has been two years. Don't you think that," Emmett began as I stood up and walked off not wanting to hear the same thing I had been getting for years now about how Gracie would have wanted for me to be happy and all that.
Bella's POV -
After reading about the most creative wedding photography and the latest cocktails to hit the club scene it was 1:30 and I was bored. So I dragged out the mop and all the cleaning supplies and moped the tile in the kitchen and scrubbed every speck of dust from the downstairs. It was really clean, but I was feeling generous. That took a couple of hours and then I was bored again so I decided to trim my fingernails and toenails. I painted my toes a dark red color and waited for them to dry while watching a little TV. How did anyone watch daytime TV? As I picked up my nail polish mess my cell phone rang downstairs. I ran down the stairs taking them two at a time. I guess the past few years of working my way up the food chain at one of the most prestigious newspapers in the country had made me quick on my toes, but I had forgotten that a was still a major klutz. And with that I slipped off the landing of stairs in front of the the front door planting it face first on the tile floor.
"Son of a…" I screamed as blood ran down my face.
"Bella!" I heard as Charlie opened the front door on top of my hand.
"Oh my God!" I screamed yanking my hand from beneath the door which ripped three long gashes from my knuckles to wrist. "Shit!"
"Sorry!" He yelled closing the door as I sat up and put the hand that wasn't pouring blood to my nose. I tasted blood in my mouth as I felt my nose.
"Shit." I whispered again. Feeling the pain in both of my hand and nose.
"I'm taking you to the hospital," panicked Charlie helping me stand up.
"It's not that bad." I replied pulling my bleeding hand up to my face. It looked disgusting. "Okay, maybe I do." I chuckled a little. As silly as it seemed the only thing that I was worried about was what I was going to look like for my date with Edward.
Look for a new chapter coming soon!