Disclaimer: As my name is not Stephanie Meyer, I do not own Twilight or any of the related stories. No matter how much I wish I did. J
Chapter 9- Bella Point of View
I woke up this morning quite a bit groggy. As I rolled to my side to look at my alarm clock, I groaned from the throbbing in my hand. I glanced down to the see the large bandage on my palm, and was immediately flooded by the memories of last night. The bar, James, Emmett… Edward.
Edward had taken care of me. My hand was proof of that and I pulled my knee to my chest, lifting the leg of my pajama bottoms to inspect my knee. The small scratches were further proof of last night's encounter. They were sore, but I'd live.
Looking back to the clock, I saw that it was only 7:30 AM. 'Why am I up so early after a night of working?' I asked myself. Maybe it was because I didn't have to finish my shift. I honestly couldn't remember what time it had been when we left the bar.
I laid in bed for a little while, trying to will myself back to sleep. But there were too many thoughts whirling around my head for me to doze off again. So with much reluctance I forced myself from underneath my warm and cozy comforter. After taking a quick bio break and brushing my teeth, I trudged into the kitchen. I began making my way to the refrigerator to get a Coke, my morning dose of caffeine. But a tiny movement from the living room caught my attention and I froze.
Turning toward the living room, my heart sped at the sight. There on my couch, was Edward. One arm was hanging off the side of the couch, the other thrown above his head on the pillow that I recognized as being from my bed. His hair was even more disheveled than I had ever seen before, his lips slightly parted in his deep sleep. I suppressed a laugh as I noticed his feet dangling well past the end of the couch. He was just too tall for it. There's no way it could have been comfortable.
The rest of the night came back to me then. Edward had driven me in my truck back to my apartment. Alice followed in his Volvo with the others and waited in the parking lot as Edward walked me to my door. The good night kiss was a bit more reserved than the one after our date, probably because of the audience we had within eyesight. But Edward made the most of it, cupping my face with hand as he held me tightly. It was sweet and I could feel my heart swelling with genuine happiness.
Before we parted, he traced his thumb down my jaw line to my chin and placed one more peck on my lips. His smile faded somewhat as he pulled away and I could feel my happiness slipping, too. He said goodnight and I watched as he turned to go. Unconsciously, I grabbed his arm to prevent him for leaving.
"Wait," I said. I hated myself for being so selfish, but I just didn't want him to leave. So I put on my best girly pout and did something I usually didn't do. I lied.
"I don't really want to be alone," I whispered, looking down at where I held onto his arm. So technically it wasn't a lie. But it was still wrong of me to use tonight's incident to my advantage.
Edward looked at me expectantly. I guess the gentleman in him didn't want to assume what I wanted. He was waiting on me to ask.
"Stay," I whispered softly without looking up. With one hand, Edward lifted my chin so I would meet his eyes. He smiled at me reassuringly and used his other hand to lift my fingertips to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on top of them. Without another word, he went back down the stairs to tell the waiting car to leave without him.
Of course, nothing had happened. We were both exhausted and I remember gathering a pillow, sheet and a blanket to make Edward's makeshift bed on the living room couch. My apartment was only one bedroom and the bathroom was inside my bedroom. While Edward took his turn inside the bathroom, I quickly changed into my pajamas. I lay down on my bed, on top of the sheets, and waited for him to come out. That was the last thing I remembered. Since I woke up this morning covered warmly under my comforter, I could only assume Edward had tucked me in.
He had been so sweet, taking care of me at the bar. Most guys would have jumped right into the fight. I mean, don't get me wrong, I was grateful that Emmett stepped in when he did. I was secretly ecstatic when he landed a few punches to James' smug face before the fight was broken up. But Edward stayed by my side. He was only concerned for me, making sure that I was safe and well, instead of joining in on the hormone fest. Then he had taken care of me at home. He dropped everything he was doing to stay with me. He'd do anything for me, whether I asked or not.
I wanted to do something to make it up to him and eyeing my kitchen, I smiled. Luckily, I had just gone grocery shopping, so I had everything I needed to make Edward breakfast. I tried to be as quiet as possible as I pulled a few pots and pans from my cabinets.
About 20 minutes later, the bacon was on a plate and I was scraping the scrambled eggs onto another one. I was putting the pot back on the stove when I stubbed my toe, causing my grip on the pan to slip. I didn't drop it, but burned my arm in the process.
"Ow!" I yelled and dropped the pan on the stovetop with a loud clang, forgetting my sleeping companion just a few feet away.
"Bella?" he said sleepily, stirring from the couch. I watched the back of his head as he took a moment to absorb his surroundings. He turned toward me and, upon seeing me holding my arm, was by my side quicker than I thought possible. I was distracted by taking in his appearance. His bronze hair was still messy and he was wearing the same jeans from last night. The only difference was that he had removed his dress shirt and wore only a plain white t-shirt.
Edward gently took my forearm in his hands and tilted it so he could appraise the bright red welt that had already begun to form. He let go only long enough to grab a dishcloth that was beside the sink and place a handful of ice from the freezer in it. Before I could pretest he already had it pressed against my arm and was leading me to sit at my small kitchenette.
"Better?" he asked while he knelt in front of me and finally looked away from the burn to my face. As with last night at the bar, when I looked into his deep green eyes, all the pain faded away.
"Much," I said and smiled, hoping to ease his tension. But that wasn't to be, as Edward looked back to my forearm. His eyes traveled to my upper arm and then quickly glanced to the same area of my other arm. I followed his gaze to see bright purplish bruises in the form of four distinct digits formed there. Damn! James had left me a little souvenir of our encounter last night. I didn't need to look at the opposite arm to know I had a matching set.
Honestly, they didn't bother me that much. I guess I was just used to seeing markings like these on my body. I was the klutziest person I knew, after all. But perhaps to an average person, or a person so far beyond average like Edward, bumps and bruises like mine weren't very commonplace.
"I guess you're going to have to stick around," I said, cocking my eyebrow dramatically to make sure I brought his attention back to my face and away from my battered arms. It worked and I seemed to peak his curiosity.
"Oh really?" he asked. "And why's that?"
"Because you're going to save me a ton in doctor's bills," I said teasingly.
"Who says I'm not going to charge you?" he asked, turning the tables on me. Even though I was pretty comfortable with Edward now, I still wasn't very good at this whole flirting thing. It just wasn't natural for me to try and be sexy and seductive. So I just asked the first thing that came to mind.
"And what will you charge me, Dr. Cullen?" I whispered. He leaned in so close that our lips were almost touching, his warm breath rushing over the goose bumps that had just appeared.
"Whatever you think is fair," he whispered back, but moved no further. This time he was giving me control, letting me decide how far this would go. He probably thought it was the proper thing to do. If only he knew exactly how he made me feel. Just how improper I wanted to be with him. Internally I smirked as my lips crashed against his in a not-so-proper fashion.
The time for tentativeness was gone. I'd already tested the waters before, and it only left me hungry for more. Where other kisses had been soft and sweet, this one was rough and passionate, filled with unspoken desires. After a few seconds, Edward dropped the dishtowel full of ice in order to wrap his arms around my waist. But the scattering of ice cubes across my kitchen floor caught his attention as he broke the kiss.
"I'm sorry," he breathed heavily as he eyed my burn mark. But I was having none of this.
"It doesn't matter," I reassured him and tried something that seemed to catch his attention before. Lifting my arms, I wove my fingers through his hair quickly and pulled him to me with a firm grip. Sitting in the chair, I parted my knees slightly so he could press his body against mine. Since Edward was still kneeling on the floor, his chest was even with mine, our faces on the same level. It made bringing the kiss' level of intensity back to what it had just been that much easier.
All too soon I was groaning with frustration as Edward pulled away again, this time because his cell phone was ringing. He chuckled when I tried to pull him back to me, encouraging him to ignore the phone. But he was just too sensible for his own good.
"Hi Alice," he said when he pressed the phone to his ear. I loved Alice to death, but damnit if she didn't have the worst timing. It was like she knew just what we were doing and the exact time it would annoy me most to interrupt.
"No, we haven't forgotten," he said. "No, I'll come home and change first." He paused another moment as Alice spoke to him on the other end of the line. He looked at me for a moment and then answered her latest question.
"Nooo, I don't think Bella will need you to come over and help her get ready." I smiled and mouthed "thank you" to which Edward nodded.
"Ok, I'll tell her," he continued. "Talk to you later." Edward closed the phone and returned it to his pocket.
Looking at me he explained, "Alice reminded me to tell you that Sunday dinner with our family tends to be a bit dressier than the normal family. Carlisle is somewhat old fashioned about that. And Esme and Alice… well they just like any excuse to dress up."
"I'm glad you told me," I said, mentally going over what I had in my closest that would qualify as "dressy."
"So what were you making before the burning hot pan attacked your arm," Edward asked with my favorite crooked smile. I sighed as I realized that the mood from our heated kiss had been fully extinguished, but quickly remembered I had been making Edward breakfast for a reason. Together we picked up the scattered ice cubes and placed them in the sink before heading to the kitchen table.
"I made biscuits and bacon," I started. "But the scrambled eggs pan was what gave me problems."
"At least you managed not to drop the eggs on the floor," Edward offered. Leave it to him to always find the bright side in anything I did. The thought made me smile.
"Well, the food's probably cold by now, so let me reheat it," I said as I grabbed the first plate and put it in the microwave. A few minutes later, Edward and I were both seated at the kitchenette helping ourselves to my semi-homemade breakfast.
"I hope you know how to make healthy food too," Edward said before he swallowed another bite of bacon. "Because if I keep eating like this I'm not going to be able to fit through the door of the Volvo."
"Trust me," I said. "My cooking expertise is extremely limited. I just know the breakfast basics because they were Charlie's… I mean my dad's favorites." Normally, I would have grimaced at my slip of bringing my dad into the conversation. But I forced myself to stay neutral. I didn't want to ruin my nice morning with Edward.
After breakfast, he helped me clean up before heading home. He explained he needed to shower and change, but would be back at 5:00 to pick me up for dinner with his family. I knew it was necessary, but I still felt like something was off when he wasn't there. I wasn't quite as… happy.
We were getting to the point that we were extremely comfortable together, at least I was comfortable with him, much more so than I would have expected after only a few weeks. And while I took this as a positive sign, I was so nervous about tonight I thought I might be sick. I was meeting his parents for crying out loud!
I guess this would have been a worrisome situation anyway. But I was doubly anxious because I felt out of practice. It had been over three years since I'd had either of my parents. I no longer had to deal with Renee calling to ask about school or boys, or Charlie knocking softly on my door to see how my truck had been running. I swallowed back the lump that was forming in my throat.
What I wouldn't give to have that back. I hoped Edward realized how lucky he was, on so many fronts. Luckily, I had the distinct feeling that he did realize this. He always spoke if his parents, Esme and Carlisle, with the highest regard. I found it funny that we each called our parents by their first name instead of Mom and Dad. I guess adopted or biological made no difference in how people our age treated their parents.
By 4:00, I was sitting anxiously in my apartment's living room, twiddling my thumbs and bouncing my knees impatiently. I decided to pass the time thinking about mine and Edward's kisses, from the close of our first date all the way up to the breakfast kiss this morning. Technically, I'd been kissed before. But kissing Edward was like experiencing something entirely new, as if I'd never really done it before.
My mind ran through the details. The way he held me confidently in his arms. The way his breath flowed over my face, intoxicating me. The unexpected shock I felt as our lips gently met, painfully slow. And finally, the way the gentleness faded as the electricity built until we were forced to part, both of us struggling to catch our breath. The euphoric feeling running through me was enhanced by the realization that I affected him as almost as much as he affected me.
I was promptly brought back from my daydreams as someone knocked on my apartment door. As I ran to it, I glanced at the clock to see if was already 5:00. I flung the door open wide to find Edward waiting. And what a sight it was. He was dressed more formally than I'd ever seen him before: crisply pressed gray trousers with a matching black belt and dress shoes, a baby blue button down with soft pin stripes set nicely against his fair skin. Of course, Edward could accessorize with bits of casualness, his sleeves rolled up just below his elbows and his hair skillfully tousled the way I liked it. He grinned as I appraised him.
I was thankful Edward, or Alice for that matter, had warned me that their family dinners were a tad more formal than might be expected. I was wearing a brown corduroy skirt, matching flats and tan tights. On top I wore a white, flowing blouse that featured a ruffle lace collar. I didn't have time to really work with my hair since I'd been catching up on chores around the apartment since Edward left earlier in the day. So I just pulled it up into a neat ponytail, slicking back the stray hairs with some hairspray.
"Hello, love," Edward said as he also looked me up and down. My heart literally skipped a beat and my cheeks flushed. 'He's never called me that before,' I thought. Hopefully it wouldn't be the last time.
"Hi," I finally said when I realized he was waiting for a response.
"Ready to go?" he asked without coming in.
"Yeah," I answered and snatched my purse from the entry table. I was so caught up with seeing Edward and responding to my newfound nickname, that I was halfway to the car before I realized I didn't grab my jacket. Somehow I managed to cross my arms across my chest and suppress the cold shivers before getting into Edward's Volvo.
Luckily, he turned up the heat full force once we were on our way. I loved how he pulled my hand on top of the gear shift and laid his on top, entwining our fingers. He acted like it was the most natural thing and continued on with idle conversation, while my body recognized with excitement every twitch of his fingers, every flex of his hand. I never could fully concentrate when Edward touched me, no matter how innocent. And with the exception of this morning's kiss, his touches thus far had been very innocent.
We finally arrived at his house and for the first time I could think about something other than the gorgeous man next to me. My anxiety came back to the forefront as I remembered why I was here. It did not help me feel any better when I turned to get out of the car and saw the large house before me.
It was white on the outside, an odd combination of traditional and modern, and at least two stories tall. Most of the side of the house that I could see was made up of glass windows that continued to wrap around the back side of the structure. Landscaping befitting the most posh debutante's home showcased various plant life, blooming vibrant colors despite the cold temperatures. Large trees flanked either side of the house and there was no telling how old they really were.
"Bella?" Edward's voice called me back to the present. He was holding the car door open, waiting for me to get out. It wasn't until that moment that I realized I had frozen mid-step getting out of the car. "Did you change your mind?"
"No," I said quickly, though not with much confidence, and raised myself from the Volvo. The cold air hit me and I longed for my warm coat. I once again wrapped my arms around myself, but it wasn't enough to keep me from shivering. Edward noticed, always the observant one.
"Come here," he commanded softly after closing the car door behind me. He wrapped his right arm around my shoulders while his left hand rubbed up and down my arm, trying to create enough friction to warm me up. If only he knew the effect his touch had on me. Already my pulse had quickened, the brisk fall air all but forgotten.
"Better?" he asked me just as he did this morning. I simply nodded. He continued to lead me up the stairs and through the front door of the house. I was pleasantly surprised when he didn't unwrap me from his arms as he announced our arrival.
"Carlisle, Esme. Anybody home?" he asked loudly.
"Oh, I see how it is," Alice teasingly said with a smile as she came bouncing down the stairs. "You inquire about the parental units, but not your incredibly adorable and loving sister."
"Well, if I had one of those, I'd inquire about her," Edward joked back and ruffled her hair as she skipped past him and directly to me. She quickly pulled me from Edward's arms and, as was becoming habit, I found myself again engulfed in one of Alice's exuberant hugs.
"It's so good to see you, Bella," she said, exaggerating my name so Edward would know she was now officially ignoring him. "Come on, I'll give you the official tour." With that, she took my hand and pulled me toward the stairs. But Edward wasn't ready to let go just yet.
"Uh-uh," he said as he grabbed my other hand and held me firmly in place. I felt like a rag doll tugged between two fighting children. Especially when Alice began to pout and pull harder.
"But Edward, you've already had her all day," she whined, obviously forgetting that she was supposed to be ignoring him.
"Not true," he responded. "I came home first thing this morning and only just picked her up." Then he leaned closer to whisper in my ear, low enough so only I could hear, "Besides, I could never have enough of you." He chuckled as I blushed and once again shivered. Maybe he did know the effect he had on me, after all.
Alice may not have heard the statement, but apparently she got the gist of it and rolled her eyes. "Fine," she conceded, but not entirely. "You can spend a few more minutes with her while you introduce her to Carlisle and Esme. They're waiting for you both in the kitchen. But I get to give her the tour after. Without you."
I giggled at their negotiation before Edward pulled me into the kitchen, Alice following close behind. As we entered, the delicious aroma hit me and my stomach growled. Edward looked down at me with a wink before turning his attention back to his parents, who were busy with food preparations.
"Look who decided to join us," Alice called from behind us, causing both adults to look up.
"Edward!" the woman cried and dropped the knife she was cutting onions with onto the chopping board. She was quite lovely, very young looking. If I hadn't already known Edward and Alice were adopted, I'd wonder exactly how young she had been when she first had them. She was much shorter than Edward but taller than Alice, more my height.
"I haven't seen you all day, dear," she said and walked to Edward to give him a hug, I noticed how graceful she was. Her tailored black trousers and gold silk blouse were very ladylike. But her most outstanding feature was her hair. It hung in long soft waves down her back, a unique caramel brown color. If I hadn't already met Emmett's girlfriend, Rosalie, I would have thought it to be the most beautiful hair I'd ever seen.
"And you must be Bella," she turned to me and said after greeting her son. She walked over and gave me the same hug, full of welcome and love. Once again, I battled a lump forming in my throat as I experienced the feeling that only a mother could give you. It had been some time since I had felt that. I hugged her back, hoping she could feel my sincerity.
"Edward's told us so much about you," she pulled back and said with a smile. "I'm Esme. Welcome to our home."
"Thank you so much for inviting me," I said. As she finally let go and walked back to the cutting board, I could see Edward greeting his father.
"Carlisle, this is Bella," Edward introduced us. I held out my hand and he shook it.
"It's very nice to meet you, Bella," he said, his voice very soft but in a wise sort of way. He was tall, a bit more so than Edward. His hair was blond and starting to gray somewhat. He wore light colored khakis and a gray sweater over a white button down shirt. He certainly looked the part of an intelligent doctor. I just still couldn't get over how young each of them was.
"Likewise," I said. I was contemplating what to say next. I never was very good at making small talk. Fortunately, Alice didn't give me the chance.
"Ok, my turn," she said, taking advantage of the fact that Edward had let go of my hand so I could greet his parents. Before he could object, Alice had whisked me out of the kitchen. I could hear Esme and Carlisle laughing behind us, either from Alice's excitement or what I was sure would be an angry look on Edward's face.
"So how about we start from the top down?" she asked as we passed a beautiful baby grand piano, though she never waited for my response to her question. I wanted to inquire about who played the piano but didn't get the chance. We practically flew up the stairs and I was surprised that I didn't trip considering she was going so fast. I thought we would head toward a room once we were at the top of the landing, but instead she hung a left and continued up yet another flight of stairs. The house wasn't two stories, but three.
She let go of my hand at the top of the third floor to open a door. I took the opportunity to catch my breath. It wasn't like I hit a stair climber everyday, after all. But Alice looked like she wasn't affected at all. I got the feeling she could have climbed those stairs ten times over without breaking a sweat.
The first room we passed was a game room, complete with a pool table and pinball machine. I hadn't played a pinball machine since I was a little kid and I would have been happy to stop for a minute to test it out. But before I could say anything, Alice had already closed the door and was heading to the next room.
"This is a guest room," she said and opened the door only long enough for me to glance inside before shutting it again. "And that's the guest bath." She waved a hand toward the door across the hall but didn't stop to let me look in. It didn't pass my attention that she said it was "a" guest room, indicating that there were more guest rooms in the house. Exactly how big was this place?
"And this…," she said and paused for added drama, making sure she had my attention. "This is Edward's room." Now that definitely got my attention. I watched intently as she opened the door, much more slowly than the others. Or maybe that was because I was so much more interested in this one.
As the room finally came into view, the first thing I noticed was the long wall of shelves, each filled with cd's and old records. There wasn't room for another addition to the shelves and, as I took in the rest of the room, I noticed more cd's placed anywhere they could go: stacked on the floor, bedside tables, the window ledge. 'I guess I know what Edward's hobby is,' I mused.
For once Alice was quiet while I walked further into the room. I passed the modern looking black, leather couch covered in books and stray pieces of paper. Behind it, floor to ceiling windows replaced the stereotypical wall, overlooking a fantastic garden area complete with a pond and small, trickling waterfall.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Edward's bed. It was simple with a black wooden frame and matching white comforter and pillows. But my attention was devoted to the cd player centered in the middle of the wall of music. It was already turned on and I couldn't stop myself from hitting play.
Soft classical music filled the room. The quality of the speakers was excellent and, if I closed my eyes, I felt like I was listening to live music. I wasn't certain, but I thought the piece was called Clair de Lune. I couldn't remember who the composer was. Renee had once wanted to "broaden her horizons" by listening to more classical music. I had liked it. Not so much for Renee after a few weeks.
"You know, I could call this an invasion of privacy," Edward's voice called from the door and I jumped, which of course caused me to blush.
"I'm sorry," I started, but Edward held up his hand and began to walk forward. He only got one foot in the room before Alice cut him off by placing her tiny body in front of his.
"Oh, no!" she said firmly and crossed her arms across her chest. "I'm not finished with the tour."
"Well, excuse me," he responded with mock sincerity and a fake British accent. "But the Lady Esme has sent me to fetch you both. Dinner is served in the dining hall."
Alice narrowed her eyes at him. "Fine," she huffed. "But I get to finish the tour after dinner… before you lock Bella away." With that she brushed past him, leaving the two of us alone. The soothing music once again filled my ears, reminding me of my previous thoughts.
"Clair de Lune?" I asked, running my fingers across the top of a line of clear cd cases.
"You know Debussy?" he asked, walking toward me.
"Not really," I admitted. "Just this piece. But it's one of my favorites from what I do know."
"Mine too," he said, his voice low. He stopped behind me, just out of sight, and my breath caught as he wrapped his arms around my stomach and laid his chin on my shoulder. I could feel his warm breath on my neck, causing me to shiver. I cringed internally. Between the blasted shivering and blushing, it was a wonder I could function at all.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, willing my racing heart to slow to a normal rate. It wouldn't make a very good impression if I were to faint in his arms, after all. A few moments later, the calming music took effect and I relaxed further into his arms. This time it was his turn to take a deep breath.
"We should probably head downstairs," he said with reluctance before placing a gentle kiss on my neck and letting go of my waist. Immediately I missed his embrace, but he quickly grasped my hand tightly in his before leading me back downstairs.
Esme was placing the last dish on the table as we entered. Everything looked, and smelled, delicious. It was an Italian feast: tossed salad, chicken parmigian, creamed spinach and garlic bread.
"I hope you like Italian," Esme said and gestured for me to take a seat. "We took inspiration from your name."
"I love Italian, thank you," I said. The rest of the family took their seats as well and everyone helped themselves to the food. No one spoke, except to ask for dishes or seasonings to be passed. But it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. Instead, it was very natural, the way a family should be.
"So Edward," Carlisle said when everyone's plates were full. "How have your classes been going? We haven't had much time to catch up since I've returned."
"They're going well," Edward answered. "Right now I'm preparing for mid-terms."
"And how about you Bella?" Esme asked. "Edward mentioned that you are also enrolled at the University of Washington."
"Yes, I'm majoring in psychology," I answered.
"Isn't that the same area of study that Jasper has his degree in, Alice?" Carlisle asked.
"Yep," Alice answered as she took a larger than needed bite of garlic bread. I was shocked to look at her plate to see she had already cleared half of her food. She sure could put away some grub for such a tiny person. I'd barely taken three bites.
"And you work in the bar where Alice celebrated her birthday?" Esme asked, turning her attention back to me.
"Yes, I'm the supervising bar tender there," I explained.
"Oh wonderful," Esme replied with exuberance. "We're in need of a good bar tender for our Christmas party this year…"
"I'd be happy to serve your guests if you're in need of someone," I cut her off. I know it was rude to interrupt, but I was eager to make a good impression. Besides, I could always use the extra money around the holidays. Or anytime for that matter.
"Oh dear, no," Esme said with a look of shock on her face. "Of course I didn't mean you. We'll expect you to attend the party… as our guest. I was just hoping you could provide a good recommendation." I blushed when I realized how I had misinterpreted her.
"Oh, I'm sorry," I said, but smiled as I thought of the perfect person for the job. "Actually, there is another bar tender that would be great. Her name is Angela. She's extremely talented and I know she could use the extra money."
"Wonderful!" Esme said and clapped her hands. "I would greatly appreciate it if you could send me her contact information when you have the chance."
We kept discussing general topics like school and work until Esme brought out dessert. I was stuffed, but couldn't turn down homemade tiramisu that practically melted in my mouth. Everyone laughed as I wiped away a smudge of cream that had found its way to the corner of Edward's mouth. If we hadn't had an audience, I would have licked it off my finger.
As promised, Alice rushed me off to see the rest of the house before Edward had a chance to thwart her. She showed me the rest of the bedrooms, all of the downstairs that I hadn't already seen, and finally the garage with her beloved canary yellow Porsche. Yes, she actually had a Porsche.
But my favorite part had been when I was finally allowed to reunite with Edward, though I think Esme's scolding of Alice monopolizing my time had more to do with it than Alice actually sharing me of her own accord. While I certainly enjoyed being back in Edward's presence, the best part had been walking through his family's garden's in the backyard. My view from his room upstairs hadn't done them justice.
I was shocked to learn that Esme did most of her own landscaping. She spent countless hours there, tending to each and every plant. It was her own form of therapy. I don't know much about gardening and flowers, so Edward pointed out as many plant types as he could, their varying fragrances enveloping me all the while. My favorite area was the rose garden.
Walking through the winding pathways by only the light of the moon, I felt like I was lost in a storybook. Somewhere where mythical creatures were real and everyone could have their fairytale ending. And with Edward by my side, I never wanted to leave.
18
