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storyline: Brighter

prompt - no prompt; just... happy easter ;)

NOT BETA'D


"Soursop," Alice said, pointing at the prickly green fruit hanging from the branches of a tree in our yard. "It's sweet and so good. Delicious juice."

Rachel was trying to beat one down with a stick she'd found. I walked over and plucked it down for her, glancing back over my shoulder at Alice. "It's ripe, right?"

"Yeah." Nodding, she pointed at another tree, several feet farther. "Mango. But that won't give us anything till next summer."

My mouth watered. I'd only had mango a couple of times in my life; I couldn't imagine having access to it all the time. My heart fell. We might not even be here next summer. In fact, we'd certainly be gone unless something changed.

Only a couple days left until the end of October. You'd never know this by the weather, which was only marginally cooler, but the days ended earlier, stars speckling the evening sky by six.

Peter came out, toweling his hair. We'd gone hiking in the east end earlier, forging our own paths through the bush and dirt. Now that we had a car of our own, we were able to do things like this when the mood caught us. We'd bought a raga, Crucian slang for a rusty old car, a beater. It got us from point A to point B, and it hadn't cost much.

"I think I'm gonna head over to Emmett's, play some poker with the guys," Pete announced.

I nodded, giving Rachel back her stick. "Okay. You hungry?"

"I'll pick something up on the way," he said, giving me a little smile as he turned to go back inside.

Alice squinted thoughtfully at me. "You wanna hang tonight? Since he's going out?"

"Sure. I mean..." I returned to her, loving that I could walk barefoot outside without worry. "I don't mind that he's going..."

"I know..."

"It's cool. But if you want to chill, then I'm down."

"I do."

"Cool. Irina taught me how to make Lava Flows...they're like pina coladas, only –"

"I can't drink, Bella."

"Oh." I froze, a grin spreading across my face. "Is it...why? Are you pregnant?"

She lit up like the paper lanterns lining her back porch, covering her mouth.

"Oh, my God, Alice!" I ran to the porch and hugged her, careful not to manhandle her belly. "Are you serious? How far along?"

"We went to the doctor yesterday...she says I'm about seven weeks."

"Wow," I gasped, eyeing her flat, but soft, stomach. "Already."

"Already. So. We can make Lava Flows...but they've gotta be virgin."

"'kay. Do the girls know?" My voice dropped to a whisper.

"Not yet. We'll probably tell them this weekend. Make it special."

I nodded, suddenly overcome with joy for their little family. I wonder if Jasper had told Pete? I doubted it. They got along really well, but they weren't tight like me and Alice.

We spent the rest of the night goofing around, imagining up ridiculous baby names based on local neighborhoods – like Morning Star Whitlock.

I couldn't wait to tell Pete, but I fell asleep before he got home.


Slow morning at Coconuts.

The breakfast rush had come and gone in a flurry, and Laurie had ducked out to run couple of errands. I was on my own, polishing the windows to pass the time. I'd just put the cleaning supplies away when the ding of the doorbell summoned my attention.

Edward stood at the counter, a brown paper bag in his hand. He broke in to a smile when we saw me.

Heart fluttering like a bird in within its cage, I couldn't help but smile back. "Hi."

"Hi." He held the bag out to me.

I took it, peeking curiously inside. Brown, sugared balls were inside. I took one out, holding it gingerly as I sniffed at it.

"Tamarind balls," he said, before I could ask. "A lady sells them in Market Square."

I took a small bite, and then another, instantly addicted to the soury-sweet explosion. "Oh, that's yummy," I said, resisting the urge to just jam the whole thing in to my mouth. I handed him one, and he accepted, grinning at my reaction. "Thanks, Edward."

"I love these. We used to come to town every day after school and get these."

"You and Jasper?" I guessed.

He nodded, leaning both arms against the glass case.

"That's cool. I can imagine the two of you..." I shook my head with a small laugh, picturing a younger Edward and Jasper, running through Christiansted like scamps.

"Yeah. Anyway, I thought you might like to try them."

"I do. I mean, thanks for thinking of me..." I trailed off, looking down at the counter. "Have you eaten yet? Do you want anything?"

"Yes and yes," he said, cocking his head. He probably enjoyed my babbling.

"What do you want?" I asked, sliding the glass open on my side.

"Whatever you'll give me."

My eyes snapped back to him, but he was looking around the tarts, rolls and sweet breads. Clearing my throat, I said, "You can have whatever you want."

His eyes flashed back up. I gave him my version of his smirk, making him smile, like a naughty boy caught at his own game. "Then I'd like a piece of bread pudding."

I nodded and quickly bagged him a slice.

"Thanks, Bella."

"You're welcome."

He turned toward the door but didn't move. "Have you been to the rainforest yet?"

"Not really...we drove through it with Ty when we first got here, but..."

"I'm going with friends Saturday morning. Want to go?"

"Sure." I exhaled slowly, maintaining eye contact. "I'll talk to Pete. And Maybe Alice...?"

He nodded, sliding his phone from his pocket and glancing down at it. "I have to go, but I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Okay."

I spent the day with a sour-sweet tongue and lightness in my heart.


We slept in on Saturdays, always.

While Pete made coffee, I made pancakes from a mix, complaining about my gut.

"You're fine," laughed Pete.

"That's reassuring," I said, towel whipping him with a dish rag. "You just don't want to tell me I'm getting doughy around the middle."

"Nope, I'm just not giving in while you fish for compliments. You get like this every time you get your period."

"What, bloated or whiny?"

He barked out a loud, rowdy belly laugh. "Both."

"Aha! So I do look fat!"

Shaking his head, he gave an exaggerated sigh. "You're lucky I love you."

He'd said that before, but this time, it got my attention. "I am, aren't I..."

Yawning, he poked around, looking for clean mugs. "Coffee's ready."

"Are you in love with me?"

Silence met my question. I flipped the pancake in the pan and looked at him.

He was frowning at the coffee pot.

"Hey," I said gently, stretching so that I could tap him with the spatula. "Peter."

"I love you," he repeated with a shrug. After a moment he looked up at me, obviously off kilter.

"It's okay," I said, and I meant it.

I don't know why this revelation didn't devastate me, but...okay, yes I did. I knew. I knew because I felt the same way he did. He looked almost confused, though, swallowing as he put the coffee pot down. I'd had months to work through these bizarre conclusions, but maybe, for him, it was new.

I slid the last pancake onto a plate as he came up silently behind me. He reached around, shutting the burner off, and then scooted us away from the stove.

He moved my hair aside to kiss my neck, the way he knew I liked. I closed my eyes, enjoying it, but feeling out of sorts inside. I turned around to kiss him, searching for whatever it was we'd had before having this conversation. He kissed me back hungrily, like he'd been set adrift and needed something to anchor him to the right here and now.

"I'm sorry," he whispered suddenly.

"It's okay," I said again, reaching for his face. "I guess...I think I feel the same way."

"How long've you felt that way?"

"I don't know, Pete."

We stared at one another, all traces of humor from earlier, gone. "So what does that mean?"

"It doesn't have to mean anything," I said. It was bizarre. The only thing I was absolutely certain of was that I was absolutely uncertain of what this meant for us.

He shook his head, eyes searching my face. "If we're not in love, then what are we?"

"We're Pete. And Bella. I don't know what else."

Relaxing minutely, he thumbed my chin and kissed my mouth. "Okay."

"Okay."


Alice and Jasper had a Tahoe, a behemoth of an SUV that was perfect for days like this one.

Pete and I clamored in to it after Leah and Rachel, helping secure them in to their car seats. The rest of our morning had been quiet, but not uncomfortable. Lots of thoughtful glances and little touches. Adjusting, I thought. Recalibrating.

Jasper and Alice got up front, blasting the a/c and messing with the radio. I watched Jasper trace his index finger across Alice's, smiling tenderly at her. They were so in love, and so over the moon about the pregnancy, that sometimes it was hard to watch them. Not because it was barfy, but because it was so beautiful. I knew I'd have it one day.

I hoped, anyway.

We'd planned to meet the rest of the group at Creque Dam, an old, abandoned dam in the heart of the rainforest on the northwest side of the island. Depending on the time of year, Jas explained, the dam was either full or empty. We were entering the rainy season, so the dam would be full, and the waterfalls flowing.

Windows down, music up, we turned down Mahogany Road. Trees and bush grew wild and lush here, forming verdant canopies over the road. Cars were parked here and there on the side of the road where people had gotten out to hang out, smoke up, or bathe in the waterfalls. Jasper said there were some Rastas who'd actually made homes back in the bush, living completely off the land. I could see how. Being in here was like being in another time and place.

Jas pulled over when we reached Creque Dam. Edward and his friends were already there, and they greeted us as we tumbled out, helping with the kids. I wondered, randomly, where Tanya was, and if she knew where he was when he wasn't with her. Because that seemed to be pretty often. I wondered how serious she thought things were, if she was deluded, or if she knew in her heart but clung on anyway. I thought about what Irina had told me, about Edward not committing. Did he not commit at all, or just not to Tanya?

"Bella...can you hold Leah?" Alice asked abruptly, looking a little green. Jas had already taken Rachel and joined the others.

"Yeah. You okay?"

"Mm, yeah...I just need, ugh." She took a deep breath. "My ginger chews. They're in here somewhere..."

"Hold on, lemme look." I found the candies and gave them to her before grabbing Leah and walking over to the group.

Pete and I were introduced to the people we didn't know, two guys and a girl Edward and Jasper had gone to school with. We hung around for awhile, chatting, until Alice felt well enough to walk, and then we headed toward a couple of waterfalls that were hidden from the road.

Edward fell back to talk to me, offering to carry Leah over the uneven ground. "Glad you could make it," he said.

"Me too." I adjusted the strap on my bag. "I can't believe how beautiful it is."

"Yeah, I know. Untouched."

"Do you come out here a lot?" I asked.

"Not as much as I used to. I'm almost always working." He steered me away from a cluster of roots jutting from the ground. "But I come when I can."

The waterfalls came in to view, and Leah squirmed to be let down. She took off running, joining her father and sister as they took their t-shirts off. I glanced back to make sure Alice was okay, and she was, talking with one of the other girls.

"You going in?" Edward asked, pulling his shirt off over his head.

Eyes up, Bella. Eyes up.

"Definitely," I said. "Is it cold?"

"Probably." He dropped his shirt and turned toward the clear, shallow pool. Sunlight filtered down through the trees, dappling his skin.

Pete poked me. "You brought towels, right?"

"Yeah," I said, motioning toward our bag.

He gave my hand a squeeze. "You wanna go in?"

I nodded, stripping down to my bikini and following him to the water. It was chilly, colder than the ocean water, anyway. I made my way to where the water was falling and stood beneath it, savoring the warmth of the sun with the cool of the water.

A couple of feet away, Edward was splashing around with little Rachel and Leah, tickling them as they clung to him. He glanced up suddenly, his hair wet in his face, grinning.

Gorgeous.

That was the first night I dreamt about Edward Cullen.


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