A/N- So I have finally been able to write up a new chapter as promised for this week. My finals went well and I am so happy I am done with classes for six weeks. That gives me plenty of free time to work on this story. I also wanted to say Thank You to everyone that has added me to their Author/Story Alert. I never expected such a response. And once again if there is anything you want to see in the story feel free to let me know. – JKG25
Chapter 9- Becoming Mr. and Mrs. Edward Anthony Masen Cullen- Again
Bella-POV
Once we left the hospital and my first ultrasound, Edward took me to a city called Port Angeles, he drove really fast and got there within a half hour. When I asked him where we were going he replied, "I am taking my beautiful wife for dinner and then we are going to a jewelry store so we can buy wedding rings". I was confused and then I looked down at my hand, my wedding rings were missing. He had given me his grandmother's ring when he asked me to marry him and it now was missing. "Oh My, where did my rings go?" I asked not expecting an answer. Edward being ever so sweet answered me anyway, "Love, I think when you came here to the future they may have gotten lost in the process. I can only guess it is something about when she said you would leave everyone and everything behind." Now that he mentioned that it made a lot of sense.
Within a few minutes we pulled in front of a restaurant called La Bella. I looked at it and he said, "Did you know Bella means beautiful in Italian?" I had no idea that it did because I didn't speak Italian. "No, I don't speak any other languages besides English. What languages do you speak?" I wasn't trying to sound rude but I wanted to know what he learned in the last 87 years. He replied, "I can speak fluently in Italian, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, Japanese, Thai, and a few others as well. Vampires have amazing memory and they never forget anything. Since we don't have to use parts of our brains regulate normal body functions our brains work differently. We can think of many things at once making learning new things easy. I myself have been through medical school twice." I looked at him amazed. I smiled as he got out of the car to open my door for me, offering me his hand to help me out. He offered me his arm and we walked into the restaurant.
Once we were seated and the waitress took my order as Edward no longer ate human food, we just stared at one another. He was the first to break the silence. "This must be really overwhelming for you, I know it is amazing to think of how far I have seen technology come but I have seen it, you just woke up and it was all around you." I nodded my head and said, "Yes, it is all very interesting but you will have to help me to acclimate myself you this new time and understand if my views on certain things are old fashioned." He smiled his crooked smile at me and I melted in my seat. "I would be happy to help you, you know times have changed and women can do anything men can do, and I was wondering if after we had the babies if you would want to go to college and further your education?" I was taken aback by this suggestion, "But who will take care of the babies, certainly you don't expect me to hire an au pair when I am perfectly capable of taking care of them myself" He smiled at me again taking my hand in his, "I wasn't telling you that you couldn't do that, I was simply making an offer. And it isn't just up to you to raise our children; I am able to do my share of the work. Everything today is split 50/50, so please don't think I am going to leave you with that responsibility alone."
After he made this statement my food came and it smelt delicious but it was steaming hot and I didn't want to burn myself. Edward watched me with a careful eye and continued saying, "In this modern world that you are now a part of both men and women share equal responsibilities in marriage, it is not uncommon for both husband and wife to work outside of the home. It isn't always about money but a feeling of sharing in the household expenses. We really don't have to worry about that as we have plenty of money." I looked at him and took my first bite of a mushroom ravioli and said, "How could we not have to worry about money we are only seventeen years old". He laughed and said, "You are still technically seventeen years old but I am 104 years old. I have had the opportunity to invest a lot of money over a long period of time. Money is never anything we have to worry about. When we get home later I will show you our bank account and you will see." I continued eating for a few minutes before I said, "You don't have to show me anything, you are my husband and in our time you would have never had to share our financial situation with me and I am not going to make you do it now." I finished my ravioli and my water. The waitress came over and asked if there was anything else we needed or wanted when Edward replied with a no she handed him the check, without even looking he placed a fifty dollar bill in the folder and handed it back to her saying it was all set. I pretended not to see but Edward was observant.
When we got to the car he opened the door for me and I got him. He rushed around to the driver's seat and started the car. Before we drove off, he turned to me and said, "Please don't worry over money, it is just something vampires accumulate over time. I know back in 1918 $50 was a lot of money but over time the cost of things and wages have gone up. It is just something that happens. I know you were worried in there but please don't be and Bella don't be afraid to tell me what you are thinking because I do not have that advantage with you" I couldn't help but laugh at the last part of his statement but I had to let him know I would be ok with everything. "Edward, I was just shocked at the amount of money, I guess I am just going to have to get used to it". He smiled back at me and started driving. He took me to an antique store and said, "I would have given you my mother's engagement ring but somehow before I could get back to my family's home after my change the place was burglarized and my mother rings and necklaces as well as my father's watches were all taken. Pictures of my family had all gone missing but I know where they went now but the jewelry is still missing." I looked at him curious as to why he was telling me this. He got the hint. "I am telling you this because I want you to have a wedding ring as well as engagement ring and I am going to have a wedding band as well, I know the new styles of engagement rings and bands will shock you so I figured maybe we could find something here". I stopped him right there, "Edward, I know what you are saying but we are in your time now and I want to fit in with the rest of the population. I don't need a one hundred year old ring to make me happy and I promise I will like anything you give to me. Because it is a symbol of your love and commitment to me and our children" He smiled at me and said he would let me make the choice.
We drove across the city to a small jewelry boutique. Edward said it might be a good compromise, Alice had told him that they designed their own rings to be a mixture of old and new. When we walked in a woman came up to Edward and said, "Mr. and Mrs. Cullen we have been expecting you, your sister Alice had called to let us know you would be coming in". Alice always seemed to be on top of things and I liked her. Edward explained what we were looking for and why we were looking and the sales woman brought us to a section of glass cases that held engagement rings. Immediately I saw one that was incredibly beautiful. I pointed to it and the woman had me try it on. The ring was platinum; the band looked as if two thin bands encrusted in diamonds had ben woven together intricately and as it came to the center both bands encircled a beautiful oval diamond. The diamond was so clear and it was beautiful. I was staring at it as Edward said, "Love, is this the one you like?" I looked at him and nodded and he told the saleswoman we would take it. We also searched for wedding bands as well. We both got rings that went along with my ring. Edward got me a thin band with diamonds surrounding the entire thing while he got himself a simple band with no engraving or specialties. He said that it was better this way and easier to replace if something were to happen to it. Edward told me to walk around the rest of the boutique while he paid for our purchases. My guess is he didn't want me to see the total and I didn't mind because I did as he told me to do.
After we left the boutique we started to drive towards Forks. It was already dark outside and it was starting to get cold. I shivered and Edward apologized as he turned the heat on. On the way home he held my hand and didn't let go. When we got there Edward helped me out of the car and I noticed that the house was dark. "Where is everyone?" I asked him. "They wanted to give us some privacy, they knew we had the sonogram today and Alice told them we went to dinner and I bought you a new engagement ring and wedding band as well as one for myself." I wasn't sure why that would require them all to leave but I wasn't complaining.
When we got inside the house I noticed someone, more than likely Alice and Esme had laid rose petals all in a path along the floor to a small room off the entrance. When I went into that room with Edward there were a million candles lit all around a baby grand piano. Edward was already sitting on the bench as I took in the room and he started to play. It was so beautiful. He told me "This song I wrote and was inspired by the love I saw between Carlisle and Esme all these years. I call I Esme's song." He continued to play and I felt a fluttering across my stomach. Automatically my hand flew to my stomach and Edward stopped playing. "What's wrong?" He asked me. "I think I just felt the babies kick" He smiled at me and kissed me gently on the lips. "I Love you Bella, I don't know what I did to deserve you but I am so happy" He turned to me and took out my rings from his pocket. He stood up and took my hands and guided me over to the windows that over looked the river.
As he held both my hands he said, "Bella, I love you more than anything and in our time you agreed to be my wife. We took vows before our family, friends and God. Even though for you it has only been a few months since those vows were taken for me it has been 87 years. I have waited for you without knowing it all this time and now that I finally have you I promise I will never let you go. I will be the best husband to you and father to our children. I am sorry I can't give you more children but if you will continue to have me as your husband I promise I will never let you down. I love you Bella. Please will you do me the honor of staying my wife and remaining with me?" I looked him in the eyes with tears coming down my cheeks. "Of course Edward, I would never give up being your wife. I love you just as much as you love me and I would never give you up. I know you will be a great father to our children" He hugged me and put my engagement ring on my finger.
He then proceeded to say, "Bella, I, Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, hereby vow to you with god as our witness, that I will love, honor, cherish, and protect you forever. As our vows said in 1918, I take you to be my wife and forsake all others. I promise I will love you for as long as we both shall live." He then placed my wedding band on my finger. I repeated the vows back to him, "Edward, I, Isabella Marie Swan Masen, hereby vow to you, with gog as our witness, that I will love, honor, cherish and support you forever. As our vows said in 1918, I take you as my husband and forsake all others. I promise I will love you for as long as we both shall live". I placed his ring on his finger and he kissed me so passionately. He held me for as tight as he could without hurting me. My arms were around his neck holding him to me. When we finally pulled apart trying to catch our breath he said, "Thank You for everything tonight Bella, it really means a lot to me" I smiled and said, "Anything for you love, anything for you".
