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Chapter 4

BPOV

The crowd watched as fire erupted through the tent flips and several fire eaters blew the flames to lead the group behind them. They also twirled and cartwheeled before the next group entered. It was the Circus Band in a carriage. They were dragged in by two horses and there was a girl, a foot on each horse standing tall and balanced. Then the animals came in. Horses, camels, tigers and lions in cages. Then a hippo appeared. The noise increased and my face beamed. It was such a beautiful creature. The juggles arrived while riding unicycles. That looked hard but Jacob seemed to be having the time of his life. Several other acts came out including The Cullens then out of nowhere drapes fell from the ceiling and aerialists appeared. I heard people call out "Wow" and "Look up there". The aerialist girls wrapped themselves in the drapes and hung upside down. That earned some applause.

As everyone paraded off in the opposite direction, clowns arrived on unicycles and tripped on stage. The kids all laughed. One clown gasped dramatically and got all four clowns in a military line. He wagged his finger like he was telling them off. The clowns pouted and dropped their heads. Then he ordered them to try getting on the unicycles again. As they kept tripping the kids laughed louder. Then they heard a huge tiger roar and one clown jumped into another's ones in fright as they saw a tiger in a cage enter the stage. The crowd grew more enthusiastic as one guy came out holding a whip. He looked quite young, blond hair and had a cheeky grin. One clown came over hesitantly to the cage before the tiger roared again making the clown run off with the others much to the childrens' delight. The tiger came out of the cage and I could feel how tense everyone was. One wrong move and things could go very bad. However when I saw the tamer place a chair in the middle of the stage and direct the tiger to leap up onto it I knew I could trust him. He understood the tiger. The tiger went through a series of tricks including standing on two legs on the top of the chair. How he did it I'm sure I would never know. Before long the tiger was back in his cage and wheeled off to claps from appreciative audience members.

Then our attention was directed to the roof with a loud whistle. There stood a young woman in a dolled up dress and makeup. She had a cute naivety about her as she waved enthusiastically to the crowd and had a big smile on her face. She was up on side of a ledge with a wire going across to another. On the other side, another girl was motioning for her to come across. The girl looked down and across, down and across before giving a dramatic afraid look, biting her nails. The crowd laughed before she took a step and placed one foot on the wire then another and slowly walked across the wire as the audience encouraged her. When she reached the other side everyone sighed in relief including myself. She was almost twenty feet in the air with no net. Then to make it even harder, the other girl was on a bicycle and wheeled across the stage. I held my breath the whole time but she made across of course and the two ladies bowed before they wrapped themselves around the wooden pole and slid all the way down to the ground, gave one final bow before running off.

Then she came out. The glorious hippo who yawned out loud in her large tub that was dragged by an elephant. Several circus workers helped out including Jacob who I saw was playing with the hippo and motioning something for it to do. Suddenly the hippo jumped and splashed water all around the tank and soaked Jacob to the bone. Even I laughed at that. Jacob splattered and shook his head much to the audiences' amusement. A camel came in and looked like it was trying to reason with the hippo who turn did the exact same thing to the camel whose head was leaning down over the tank. The camel whined and Jacob got soaked twice. I giggled at the sight as the camel took the attention then and did several tricks like hand stands and dangling his keeper in weird positions. Once the camel was gone, the hippo was centre stage again. The hippo kept bouncing around before the elephant decided to take action. The elephant soaked up a large portion of water and splashed the hippo and even nudged it a little like telling them off. They were lead away with more claps. They were a good comedy duo and even a soaked to the bone Jacob bowed and was rewarded with applause.

Suddenly the atmosphere changed. The fire blowers returned and now I got the chance to get a look at them. Two guys and one very attractive blonde woman. They went around the stage and blew flames high into the air as a great big cage arrived shaped like a globe. One lady was inside in a classic performance pose, arm in the air and one on her hip. Suddenly the roar of motorbikes were heard and two guys came in on their bikes. I tensed immediately. It was Alec and Riley. They were this time in performance mode as they acknowledged the crowd before they placed their helmets on. The cage door was opened by the girl fire blower and the bikers stepped inside. They then rode in circus around the cage and around the lady who looked so calm and serene. It was scary and unlike anything I had seen. It was a revelation. I knew the audience agreed when the boys stepped out of the cage with the girl and all three bowed to a standing crowd. Even I gave a mild clap despite my history with the boys.

Then the aerialists returned and our focus was once again on the ceiling. As they came down those drapes or tissues as I figured they called them the audience was in awe again. It was two girls with friendly smiles. They wrapped themselves in unusual positions and hung upside down or were wrapped together. One of them even created a cocoon to rest in. It was visually very impressive. They hung up there for a while before they slid down to the ground and bowed and ran off.

Then came the Cullens. I smiled as I saw them at work at least. The group climbed on top of each other, Emmett on the ground followed by Carlisle then Edward then Esme then Rosalie. They were so high up. I didn't know they held their balance but somehow they did. The audience roared with excitement. Then Esme and Rosalie did their tea cup routine and then they were lifted in the air by their respected partners. Edward acted as a support for the ladies but I could see that he didn't have much to do. I understood then what Aro meant. The group didn't feel complete. Soon I would be in there and maybe Edward would have more to do and the group could achieve more angles.

They even cartwheeled, backflipped and supported each other's weights in various other angles. It blew me away that I would be working with them. The audience loved them and I could see that it was a very popular act. I gave them a huge applause when they bowed to the crowd and ran off with a big wave.

The focus lifted to the air again as the trapeze artists arrived and the four of them bowed before they began. They swung, flipped and grouped together to achieve all these different moves. It was fantastic. I felt a little sorry for the one guy who was upside down the whole time and taking all their weights when he grabbed their arms. It must work out a lot for all that core strength. I'd have to ask him when I saw him around.

Then the whole company returned for one final bow and the audience stood. They applauded for a long time before the company ran off stage.

The audience began to leave and I realized that despite being abducted and sent here and almost assaulted by Riley that the show itself was spectacular and I was very keen to get on board. It may have been my only opportunity to be on stage till I'm in the clear and able to live my own life.

I went around the back to where the company was gathered and were celebrating. When I saw the Cullens I went over and hugged them.

"That was amazing! I cannot believe what I saw. It was other worldly to say the least" Esme smiled

"I'm glad Bella. Soon you can join us and enjoy the thrill." I nodded and hugged every one of them. Even Alice and Jasper despite them being only frontal entertainment. Then I stood in front of Edward who gave me a small smile before he hugged me. I closed my eyes and let my sense envelop me with all that he could offer. His scent, his warmth, his breath, his heartbeat. Everything. I felt strangely comforted and as soon as it began it was over. I opened my eyes and smiled at him. He ran a hand through his messy hair and nodded before turning to Emmett and sighed

"Ready for a wash? I know I am" The boys went off and I stood there just trying to understand what was happening. Esme looked at me weirdly before she looked at Edward's retreating form. Then she smiled and wrapped an arm around me

"Well Bella, now you know what is involved in our show. It's time to prepare you for your opening night at the end of the week."

We all arrived back in our carriage and got settled for the night. Emmett returned with bottles of wine and Carlisle gave everyone a glass. I smiled in appreciation to Emmett who filled my glass before everyone raised theirs.

"Here's to another successful night and to a successful new entry to our group. We officially welcome you the family and our group. Cheers." After a chorus of 'Cheers' everyone clinked glasses and I sipped my wine. I never drank alcohol. My mother was quite strict about it. Now, here I was happily drinking with a very friendly family and I found myself getting more bolder and asking for another.

As I sipped my second one my eyes shifted to Edward who sat on his mattress again and continued to read his book. It may have been the wine but I found myself brave enough to talk to him properly.

"You are a fan of Chopin?" I asked gently. Edward looked at me with a gentle smile and nodded

"I am." Suddenly there was silence again as Edward continued reading. I rolled my eyes in my mind and patted myself for a job well done at our very successful conversation. I decided to try again.

"Do you play music yourself?" Edward looked at me in shock for a moment before looking at his book again

"I do. I play piano and my family think I could have been a pianist if I wasn't in the circus. They say I'm brilliant. A musical genius Alice called me once. I think they were just being biased." I shrugged

"Well if we ever get a chance, I'd like to hear you play and tell you myself if I think they are biased." Edward nodded and looked at his book again. I finished my wine and set it down on the ground. I looked over and saw Emmett and Rosalie in the corner as they cuddled and talked quietly to each other. Alice and Jasper were playing a card game with Esme and Carlisle and were laughing. I filled with my fingernails unsure of what else to say. Maybe I should have a bath and go to sleep.

"Do you read?" Edward suddenly asked. I turned to him and smiled. My heart leaped. He wanted to talk to me.

"I do. I haven't the opportunity to since I was taken from my home obviously. However when I get the chance I'd like to read again. Books let me escape. I like that." Edward smiled, his eyes still on the pages

"Yes well, we all like to escape at some point. For you it's books, for me it's music. Everyone is different but I understand completely." I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the wall.

"One day I would like to have own house with my own library. Full of books from Shakespeare to Homer to Jane Austen to Mark Twain. Anything. I could sit in that room, the fireplace warming the room and a nice couch to lounge on and read. It would be my favorite room no doubt. I'd happily live in there and read for the rest of my life. In fact, if I were honest, I'd want to spend my last hours in that room, surrounded by all those books on the high selves and I would smile knowing I had read every single one of them and they were seeming to smile at me in gratitude for taking the time to have read them too." I opened my eyes and turned to Edward who was giving me a funny look. It looked warm and sad at the same time. He nodded to me looked down at his book again. He closed it and passed it to me. I looked at him confused

"Here. To get you started." He murmured gently. I shook my head and pushed it back

"No. No. It's your book. You finish it." He chuckled and pushed it toward me again

"I've read it heaps of times, Bella. It's the only book I own. I think it's only fair to let you have a go. Besides I know that you can achieve your dream of owning your own library some day. This is just a small stepping stone towards it. I insist you take it and read it. Don't ever lose hope on that dream of yours." I took the book from him and held it gently. It was quite torn with lots of ripped sections and corner flips from saved spots. It was a piece of Edward being handed to me. How could I refuse? It was bringing me one step closer to him.

"Thank you." I replied. He nodded and smiled to me again before he lay down, blew out his candle and settled down to sleep. I ran my hand over his book and clenched it to me. My very first book in this new life. I placed it next to me before I got up and took a bath. I took Edward's word and never gave up on my desire. I saw myself lying the couch, my head on Edward's lap as I read to him and he ran his hand through my hair. My body was on fire at that thought.

I came back into the room and saw Esme and Carlisle were still up. They were kissing. I quickly got into bed as they broke and turned to me

"Oh Bella. You're done. Excellent. We can all get some rest now." I blushed and snuggled into the covers more.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know that you-" Esme giggled

"Oh Bella. Do not be embarrassed." I mumbled a 'Goodnight' and closed my eyes. Despite my embarrassment at having caught the pair, I also knew that I wanted to them when I was older. Still in love and still weakened by my husband's kiss. But it seemed unusual that the very thought of living the rest of my days with my husband made me think of Edward. I opened my eyes and looked at Edward's back as he slept. If I shuffled my mattress a foot closer I would be right next to him and I would able to wrap my arms around him. He was so close and yet so far away. Why was I such a big chicken?

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