Disclaimer: The only thing that's mine is this individual storyline.
A/N: Thank you to everyone who has added "The Long Weekend" to their favorite story lists, story alerts, to everyone who has added me as a favorite author (! still shocked at that one) and author alerts. You all are too kind! I cannot express my appreciation enough. Truly, thank you all.
A/N part 2: Only two chapters left after this! My next story will be out soon after this one is finished.
Chapter 7
According to Alice, today would be the last day of our being snowed in, even though we still wouldn't have school tomorrow and Charlie wouldn't be back until tomorrow afternoon. Despite my initial misgivings about all the harm that would likely come to me, I would be disappointed to see this weekend come to an end. I had had fun, without even forcing myself to.
I was still laying on Edward's couch, even though I'd been awake for more than thirty minutes. I just couldn't bring myself to get up, and Edward certainly didn't seem to object. We simply continued Operation Snuggle, as Alice and I called it, right there in his room. Our position on the couch was much like it had been in the family room—I was infinitely comfortable. Edward tensed, his arms tightening around me slightly.
"What's the matter?" I asked, knowing he'd heard someone think something that was making him nervous.
"Nothing's quite wrong, but how do you feel about ice skating on the river?"
My stomach did a flip-flop. Oh boy, I thought, I'm going to finish the weekend black and blue. I gave myself a mental shake—assertive confidence, Bella, assertive confidence. "Sounds like fun, I'm willing to give it a shot."
"I never can predict what you're going to do, Bella."
"But that's why you stick with me, right? So that's why I always try to surprise you," I teased. "Not only do I keep you on your toes, but I intrigue you enough to stick around a little longer."
He chuckled and kissed the top of my head. "Of course that's what it is, my little enigma. I keep you around for the mental challenge."
"We'll have to honeymoon somewhere snowy," I said, changing the subject abruptly in one of my rare moments of not editing my thoughts before I spoke. Might as well continue with it, I thought. "I'm enjoying this snowed in thing quite a bit." I turned my head to wink at him. I could tell that this first instance of me initiating wedding talk was not lost on him.
His answering smile was indescribably bright. "I could do that."
We continued teasing, talking and planning for the rest of the morning. I knew we'd catch flak for it from his brothers later, but it was one o'clock before we emerged from Edward's room. Not that we had anything to be ashamed of—Edward was a gentleman after all, but they usually took every opportunity to give us a good ribbing.
***
The rest of the family was already outside on the river, so when Edward and I came outside, hand in hand, they waved in greeting and continued skating. I was reminded of when Edward dragged me to the prom—the couples were swirling about gracefully on the frozen river just as they did on the dance floor in the school gym. Even Carlisle and Esme were joining in the fun. I watched as Emmett tossed Rosalie into a perfect twisting aerial spin and Jasper and Alice skated together while holding hands. I looked at Edward questioningly.
"I won't let you fall," he assured me, answering the question in my eyes.
We found the skates the others had left for us and laced them tightly. I was just standing up when I saw Edward offer me a hand up. I took it, bracing my other gloved hand against the ground.
"Thanks, on both accounts," I replied as for once, I stood with grace.
Walking together in our skates, Edward and I made our way to the edge of the river. I carefully set one foot on the surface, testing my stability. When I didn't fall, I brought my other foot forward. Edward still stood in the snow behind me as if to catch me, ever prepared for me to fall. I surprised both of us by moving forward on the ice without issue. He joined me then, taking my left hand in his as we began skating slowly toward his family.
Ice skating was much easier than I anticipated, though I was by no means an expert skater. All I had to remember was to shift my weight to the leg that was moving forward and to keep my skates as level as possible. I took a couple of spills early on, but luckily never hit the ice as Edward's swift reflexes and strong arms caught me on my way down.
Next to us, I watched Carlisle and Esme skate together with the grace and style of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. They looked so young and in love gliding across the ice. Every now and then, Carlisle would bend his head down to whisper in Esme's ear, causing her to smile, or close her eyes and sigh in contentment.
As they skated past Edward and me, I smiled and leaned into his side. "They're always so happy, do you think we'll be as happy as them when we've been together as long as they have?"
Edward looked down at me, his eyes soft. "They are extremely happy; I wish you could hear what I hear sometimes. Esme and Carlisle are perfectly suited for one another, just like you and I. That's all it takes really—being so well suited for the other person and alike in values, morals and mind. So yes, I think we stand a good chance of being exceedingly happy for all of eternity."
I squeezed his hand before answering, "They're just so cute. The way they look at and talk to each other—that's how I picture the two of us being forever. And I agree—we're alike in all the important areas, but different enough in other ways to keep things interesting."
"What I wouldn't give to hear what you're thinking right now."
"How about I show you?" I asked mischievously, as I slid to a stop.
He raised one eyebrow and opened his mouth to speak, but I was quicker. I took his face between my hands and brought it down to mine. Keeping my eyes locked with his, I kissed him fervently, our lips moving together in perfect synchronization. I poured all the love I had for him into the kiss and his arms came around me, holding me with a gentle strength. His eyes began to smolder, telling me it was only a matter of time before he would break the kiss, so I pulled back to take a breath. It didn't stop me, however, from leaning forward to give him a few quick pecks before taking his hand again so we could continue skating.
He kept hold of my hand and shoulder and leaned his forehead against mine, breathing quickly. "Message received."
***
Emmett, Rosalie, Carlisle and Esme soon went inside, leaving the rest of us to our fun. Jasper and Alice were skillfully doing cat-and-mouse chase turns as the skated, laughing as they moved about in an elaborate dance. They caught hands as they passed one another and Jasper spun her in a tight, dizzyingly fast circle that would put any figure skater to shame.
Edward and I concentrated on each other, off in our own little world. I reveled in the way my small, gloved hand fit inside his, as if our physical selves were made for each other, too. He meanwhile, was smiling to himself as he guided us around on the frozen river. It was as if I didn't even need to think about where to put my feet or maintaining balance—I simply seemed to know where Edward's lead was going to take us. I loved that we were so in sync with one another to be able to do things like this. Edward extended our arms, our hands still linked, and spun me in a tight circle as Jasper and Alice had done, but thankfully, more slowly, before pulling me toward him and lifting me in his arms so that our eyes were on the same level.
"Ready to go inside, Bella?"
"Sure, sounds like a plan."
He set me down again, and after saying goodbye to Jasper and Alice, we skated back to the edge of the river and stepped off into the snow. We took off our skates, replacing them with our boots and began walking back to the house.
"I have an idea," Edward said as we walked.
"And what's that?"
"What do you say to continuing your plan from the other night and watching a movie?"
I turned my head toward him, looking up into his eyes. "I say, 'mush!'" I dropped his hand and began running for the house. Edward's laugh boomed behind me before he followed, quickly catching up. He could easily overtake me, but we raced at human speed all the way to the back door.
