Chapter 4 – Early Gift
I woke up feeling a bit sad on Christmas Eve. I know I told her to enjoy herself, but I did miss my mom on Christmas Eve. I looked out the glass wall to the tall spruces that surrounded the house. Edward saw that I was upset. He was silent as I brushed my teeth and hair. "Well, why don't you and I watch the movies that you would watch with your mother?" I smiled at him, "That would be nice." He had the majority of them already.
In the early afternoon, Renee called. She was upset that we weren't together too, but she was having a good time on her trip. "Bella, you have to see this place. It's so beautiful. The beaches are just lovely." I told her about my shopping and decorating the tree. "Mom, the tree looks like the ones you would see in department stores. You should see what Alice did to our house." Renee asked about my gifts from her and Charlie. My mom and I talked for a while longer.
After hanging up, I found Alice and Jasper playing chess. They sat on the floor by the glass wall. Edward offered to play me, "No way. You beat me every time." Jasper offered to play me and that would have been worse. After being beaten by Jasper, Emmett came inside, "Bella, I need your help." I looked at him, "My help?" I was still a little upset with him on what he said yesterday.
Alice looked away and Edward was rigid, "No way, Emmett!" Emmett snorted, "You can't keep her away from me." Edward stood up as Emmett offered me his hand. "Edward, stop. It's fine." Edward looked at me with such concern. Emmett twisted my arm and spun me. His arm rested on my shoulders as we went out to the garage. Rosalie was underneath the hood of Carlisle's Mercedes. She didn't look up when Emmett and I walked pass her to his jeep.
He leaned against his hood and looked at me. I folded my arms, "What did you need?" Emmett chewed on his lip for a moment, "Nothing really. I just wanted to talk to you without Edward around." I made a face, "Emmett, he can still hear us." Emmett shrugged, undisturbed by this fact, "I just wanted to ask you something."
Rosalie sighed as she took up an oily screwdriver, "Emmett, I don't think now is the time. You know it'll make Edward angry." She went back to her work. Emmett sighed, "Rose, I just want to know." Emmett looked at me, "Bella, do you still want to be one of us?" I froze. Rosalie was right. It explains Edward's behavior in the house.
"Emmett," I looked away, "I don't want to talk about this." Rosalie closed the hood loudly, "Drop it, Em." "Well?" I looked at him, "Emmett, honestly, I promised myself that I wouldn't talk about this while I was here. I know Edward doesn't want to talk about it and I don't want to because it upsets him." Emmett nodded, "But you still want it, right?" Rosalie scowled, "Ok, That's enough!" She pinched Emmett's ear, "Ow, Rose!" She tugged at his arm and towed him inside, "She said she wasn't talking about it. Now drop it!"
They disappeared, leaving me alone. I leaned against Emmett's monstrous truck, rubbing my head. I really didn't want to discuss the topic of me becoming a vampire. From inside, a crash resonated. I went for the door, but it flew open before I reached it. Edward was there, holding my coat, "Let's go." He helped me into the Volvo and sped out of the garage. He drove down the road, away from town, heading south.
He drove for a long time, before speaking. I knew he was mad with Emmett and he needed to get out of the house before he said or did something he would have regretted. After an hour, we were reaching the Portland city limits. He stopped the car before we reached the city. I dared to look at him and his eyes were closed. He was very angry. My fingers grazed along his cheek until he looked at me. His cool lips pressed into my palm, "I'm sorry. Emmett doesn't know when to stop." I smiled weakly, "Its fine. Like you said, it's his nature."
He pressed his lips to my forehead, "But still, he shouldn't have pushed. I saw you were getting upset." Edward had me leaning on his shoulder. "I admit I was. I really didn't want to talk about it. This was our first Christmas together and I wanted it to be perfect. So I wasn't going to discuss that particular topic while I was at your house." He tilted my head back and pressed his cool lips to mine. His fingers trailed along my shoulder, undoing the buttons of my coat.
His hand trailed around my waist, pulling me closer. He kissed down my neck, "I'm sorry he made you upset." I smiled, "He's forgiven. I'm sorry he made you upset." As quickly as he started the kiss, he ended it. Edward started the car and drove back north. "By the way, I don't know if she'll accept it from me, but please thank Rosalie for me." It was strange seeing her take up for me.
Edward half smiled, "I will." My smile came while thinking about Rosalie, "I was a bit surprised that she ended the conversation." Edward sighed, "I'm not," he muttered. The road grew darker as Edward wove through the holiday traffic. Pulling into the garage, Esme was waiting in the garage. The headlights shined on her still form as the car, "Bella, Emmett wanted me to apologize for him. He said Edward wouldn't let him near you." She looked at Edward, "Which I hope isn't the case." Edward looked at me, "No, I wouldn't do that." Edward was hardly reprimanded, but when he was, it was almost funny.
It was just after four in the afternoon. Edward and I went into the living room, where Emmett and Jasper were playing a video game. Emmett swore loudly as Jasper beat him. Jasper looked back, "Had a nice drive?" Emmett looked back at us. This was the first time that he actually looked timid. Edward and Emmett looked at each other. Emmett nodded and looked at me, "I really am sorry, Bella."
I've really never seen Emmett like this. "Its fine, Emmett." I looked out the back window and I couldn't look away. I blinked, taking in the sight I was seeing. Edward looked at me, "What is it?" There were small bits of white swirling to the ground. Everything outside had a thin coat of white. "It's snowing," I lamented. My voice was quiet, watching the swirling bits. Emmett snorted, "You've never seen snow?" "Lived in California, then Arizona," I reminded him. "What do you think?"
The day quickly passed into the night. After my shower, Edward and I were talking in his room, when there was a knock on the door. "Come in, Jasper." Jasper opened the door, "It's almost time, Edward. Do you want to go?" Edward shook his head, "Not this year. I have other plans." I looked at Jasper, "What are you talking about?"
Jasper smirked, "Our midnight football game. We do it every year." I looked at Edward, "You should go. I'll just be sleeping anyway." He should participate in his family tradition. He shook his head, "No," and his voice was adamant. Edward turned to Jasper and his lips were moving quickly. I looked away, pretending that I didn't notice. Jasper nodded, "Good night, Bella." "Good night, Jasper."
I looked at Edward and he was looking out the glass wall. It was still snowing. "Edward," he wrapped his arms around me and his thumb brushed my cheek. He was doing this to distract me. I tried to get out of his hold, but he wasn't letting me. "If you want, we could go to the game. I have no problem watching." He shook his head again, "It's too cold. Besides, I wanted some time alone with you." Time alone with Edward was always fine with me.
The room was dark and quiet as the night went on. The others had left for their game. Something hit the glass wall and I jumped. Wet snow dripped down the exterior of the glass. I shook my head, "Emmett needs to grow up." Another snowball hit the glass. Edward moved to get up, but I held his collar, "Not tonight. Get him tomorrow." Edward looked down at me, "Perhaps you're right." His golden eyes turned back to the glass, "Maybe another swim would help him."
He began to hum my lullaby, while still holding me. His cool breath blew into my hair. He wore a thick shirt, so I wouldn't be cold against his skin. Everything was so quiet in the house, it was almost eerie. This house was never quiet, but then again, I've never been here this late.
Soon, I couldn't keep my eyes open. I drifted to sleep, listening to Edward's breathing and his humming. In my dream, we were still in his bedroom, but snow fell all around us. Snowflakes clung to my eyelashes as I looked up to the sky. The bed was in the middle of his meadow. My dream Edward didn't do him justice. The only thing that was perfect was his eyes.
I don't know how long I was asleep, still cradled in Edward's arms. "Bella," I groaned. "Bella, wake up." I could barely open my eyes, "Hmm?" Edward tightened his hold on me, "Bella?" The bed didn't squeak as he moved us. I shivered as cold air blew against me, so I clutched myself closer to him. It was comforting, but it didn't help with the cold. Something heavy and thick was over me, making me warmer. "Bella," his voice sounded different.
Blinking, I looked up. "Edward," I cleared my throat, "what is it?" He was smiling, "I want to show you something." "Now?" I asked. I saw he covered me in a thick quilt. He saw me scrutinizing the quilt, "Here," he put me down and helped me into my coat. My legs were a bit weak and I stumbled a bit. He steadied me. "What's going on? I thought you didn't want to go to play football with the others." He smiled and the light reflected off his perfect teeth, "I don't. I just want to show you something."
I looked around and realized we were in the kitchen, "When did we get down here?" My mind was still half-asleep. Edward laughed as he pulled on my boots. My hand rested on the counter to keep myself from falling. "Edward, what's going on?" He opened the kitchen door and covered my eyes. I was back up in his arms and it was colder as he walked us outside. Cold air was chilling as I inhaled it. My teeth chattered quietly feeling the cold air.
"Do you trust me?" he asked. His lips were right by my air. "You know I do." I was waking up from the cold, curious as to what was going on. Edward lowered me, letting my feet touch the ground. There was a slight crunch as I stood. Edward moved his hand and I gasped.
Everything was covering in a thick, billowy layers of white. The snow was still falling, covering everything. It was the middle of the night, but everything was brighter because of the snow. I turned and saw the trees. There weren't green anymore. Everything was white and still. A light breeze blew, taking with it a layer of snow. The drifting snow in the air looked like small diamonds. "This is so beautiful," I said, looking around myself.
The house stood out in the snow, but somehow, looked as though it was part of the snow. Edward chuckled, "I thought you might like it. You've never seen anything like this." I shook my head, "Never." I walked around him, taking in everything. I never liked the cold, but I always admired things that were beautiful. And it was so beautiful out here. The feel of the crunching snow was similar to walking on gravel. It wasn't that stable, but good enough to walk on.
Edward stopped me and held my shoulders, "Bella, there's something I want you to do." I look up at him. Snowflakes fell on my eyelashes, making me smile; it was just like my dream. I blinked them away. Edward was smiling, "I want you to accept an early Christmas present." He took a small black box out of his pocket. The box was covered in black satin. He held it in one hand and opened the top with the other. Inside the box, nestled on a black cushion was a golden oval ring. There were many small diamonds, settled into a golden web from the band. "Edward, wha….?"
He took my hand and placed the box in my palm, "Bella, I love you more than anything. More than my own life. I know how you feel about marriage and I promise we won't say anything until after graduation, but I cannot wait." A tear fell down my cheek as he got down on one knee, "Ms. Swan, will you marry me?" I couldn't speak above a whisper. "Me?" I squeaked. He looked up me and smiled. His glorious eyes staring at me, "Yes." He stood, holding my waist, "Do you love me?" I nodded, "Of course I do." "Do you want to be with me? Forever?" I nodded, "That's all I want."
His fingers caressed my cheek, "If you marry me, I'll change you. We will spend eternity together." More tears fell down my cheek, "You will?" my voice was shaking. He nodded. "Yes." My teeth chattered quietly as I nodded. "Yes," I whispered. A breathtaking smile came across his face, "You will?" I nodded, with more confidence and more tears fell, "Yes, I'll marry you." He hugged me, kissing my cheek, my forehead, the tip of my nose and finally, my lips. He took the ring and placed it on my third finger.