Title: Living Life
Summary: When Edward fell for Bella he knew his life would change forever, watch as he navigates this life with just love and a plan.
Rating: M because we all love our OCD lovin'
Pairing: It's always going to be an E/B story
Disclaimer: No, I still don't own these characters. Although I wish I did.
Chapter 10 – Edward
In Laws
"Love, are you ready to go?" I called upstairs. For once we were running on the first schedule I had planned out. I had gotten into the habit of making contingency plans when I learnt that when Bella says 12:00 she really means anywhere from 12:30 to 13:30. Don't get me wrong though I loved that she wasn't as hung up on planning and scheduling as I was, but sometimes... I wished she could move a little faster. Not much but just a little bit.
But for once she was actually ahead of me. She came straight home from work today and start doing what she needed to, seeing as we were heading down to Forks for her father's rehearsal dinner tonight. To say I was shocked was an underestimation.
"Yep just let me grab my coat, do you have your suit?" she asked as she walked down the stairs. "And the charcoal dress pants for tonight?" she asked.
"Yes, I packed everything you told me to pack." I explained to her, knowing it would make this a lot easier. She had literally handed me a list of what she wanted me to bring. I had jumped her when I saw the list was typed and numbered with specific instructions. She knew what her attention to structure and detail did to me. Sometimes I think she did stuff like that just to get a reaction.
Her rash had healed a lot over the past couple of days allowing me to make a new discovery.
I despised condoms. The sooner her shot became effective again the better. I don't know how men use those things. I miss the skin to skin contact of it all. It was really pathetic how much I missed it but still I was a man. I was essentially driven by my carnal needs for sex. I wasn't going to deny it, I had for so long and it seemed like a crime to start again. Bella had laughed when I told her and told me I was just spoilt as we had never used them before.
"Okay. The back door is locked. I typed the directions for the kittens up for your Mom, they are on the counter, the car is packed..." Bella listed off.
"Wait you typed the directions?" I asked her and she nodded before leaning in and kissing me. "Are you trying to get me to jump you?" I asked her pulling her towards me.
"Always" She teased and I grabbed her and gently smacked her ass. She giggled before we got back to what we were doing when she distracted me with her sexy organisation skills.
"Did you shut the bathroom window?" I asked her.
"Bathroom window is shut. Stuff is unplugged... oh did you grab the camera charger and my lap top?" she asked.
"Yes they are in the car, plus the camera which I can't believe you almost forgot" I told her. She picked up her handbag and put it on her shoulder.
"Did you get the condoms?" she asked me and I frowned.
"Yes" I said with a pout.
"I knew you were going to hate them" She said with a laugh "I'm not a fan of them either" She explained.
"It just feels wrong." I whined liked a child. But so what, it did.
"I know but it's only for a couple more weeks and then we'll be in the clear and back to the just the shot okay?" she asked and I nodded. I knew we had to do it. Neither of us was ready for a baby just yet and Bella has told me before she wants to be married before she gets pregnant so I knew we needed to be careful when it came to this sort of thing.
It just sucked that this was the only way possible at the moment, and that neither of us were too happy with it.
It would all be over soon though, thankfully.
We locked the front door behind us and headed out to the car. She checked the back seat to make sure we had all the bags as we got in while I hung up her dress in the back seat to make sure it didn't get crinkled.
"So what time does dinner start at?" I asked her.
"Um... its starts at eight thirty so we have plenty of time to get there and hang out before we have to get ready" She explained. I opened her car door for her and she smiled before getting in.
As I sat in I saw she was messing around with my radio and I frowned. Not this crap again. Bella had some good music taste but other times it was just bad. Whenever she in my car she messed with the radio. It drove me crazy. I liked to listen to certain programmes in the morning and stuff like that pushed my buttons you know?
"Stop it" I told her "I have it set the way I want it."
"Sorry Dad." She teased making fun of the fact that I had oldie stations plugged in on my radio and that I wouldn't let her change them.
"Don't even go there, just because your music taste is awful." I said teasing her back.
I think music was the only thing Bella and I ever disagreed about. Some of our tastes were similar, other times they were polar opposites.
"No it's not; I'm not listening to your crappy old guy music the whole way there." She said.
"I'm two years older than you how does that qualify my music taste as 'old guy music'?" I asked her.
"Because you listen to music written hundreds of years before either of us was born!" She stated grabbing her IPod and plugging it into my car. "I just added my Disney music c.d.!" She exclaimed and I mimed trying to get out of my car. "Okay fine, but when we have kids you will have no choice in this matter." She told me and I nodded.
"I can live with that." I told her kissing her. I pulled out of the drive way as she started playing 'Wherever You Will Go' by The Calling.
She really couldn't sing.
But I adored watching her try.
She honestly did not give a damn and I think that was an amazing part of our relationship, we really could be idiots in front of each other and neither one of us batted an eyelid.
She managed to get me to join in on some other songs she had as well.
We talked as well some of the way.
"So it's all healed?" I asked referring to her rash and she nodded.
"My tattoo actually looks amazing. I love it." She said lower her pants to show me. I smiled seeing my name on her hip. Now if I only I could speed up time and get my ring on her finger... I would be ecstatic. I had slipped out to pick up the ring this morning, it was exactly what I had wanted to get. Simple white gold band with beautiful diamond in the centre. No fuss or anything around it. The diamond was circular with two smaller diamonds framing it. It was exactly what I had wanted.
I had it carefully tucked into my pocket so I could show Charlie tonight. I couldn't wait to see her wear it. I knew the exact day I was going to propose and where I was going to do it.
"What's the goofy smile about?" Bella asked me and I was snapped out of my thoughts.
"Huh?" I asked her.
"What were you thinking about?" she asked me.
"Nothing."
"Fine, don't tell me" She said and I laughed.
"I'm just happy"
"Good, I'm happy too." She said taking hold of my hand and squeezing it before placing a kiss to the back. I love stuff like that, it might sound corny but she did it so lovingly and tenderly, I just felt so loved and cared for. I pressed a really quick kiss to her cheek before focusing back on the road.
It was then I remembered something I had wanted to talk to her about.
"So I got a phone call from your father this morning?" I said and Bella turned her entire body to look at me.
"About?"
"Just some people who will be in attendance this evening and this weekend." I explained.
"Jacob's coming?" she asked me and I nodded. "What the hell?" she exclaimed.
"Bella he's your father's Godson and the son of his best friend."
"Doesn't change the fact that he's a rat's ass who if I had to choose who to come out of a death match between him and Emmett? I would pick your brother." She said and I laughed. "So why did Dad call you?"
"In his own words 'she won't castrate you she wants kids'" I explained and Bella sighed. "Plus I think he wanted to make sure there was nothing else you could blurt out about our sex life." I said referring to when she blurted out that I was the one to break her hymen last year in front of her father and several other people in an attempt to piss off Jacob.
"Okay I suppose I did over step a boundary there." She said and I nodded. "But Edward he was suggesting you were impotent how was I supposed to just sit back and let that happen?"
"You just ignore it."
"I didn't ignore when Rosalie said it in private I wasn't going to ignore it when he said it just to embarrass you in front of my father." She stated crossing her arms.
"I know Love and believe me your lack of verbal filter is one of the many reason I love you, it really is but all I'm saying is we're all adults, this is your Dad and Sue's weekend. If Jacob wants to act childish, let him. I'm sort of hoping he decides to crash drunkenly on your Dad's couch after the wedding and hears me making you scream my name after your father's left for his honeymoon." I told her and she looks over at me with a smirk on her face.
"That sounds like a plan." She said and I nodded. "So no beating up Jacob?"
"Nope" I told her.
"But if he pisses me off I get to be really loud and obnoxious nearly after the wedding?" she asked.
"Definitely" I said with a smirk.
Just as we finished the conversation we pulled up outside her Dad's house.
They weren't really having a rehearsal dinner but a rehearsal barbeque after they came back from practising the wedding at the local chapel. Angela's father was carrying out the ceremony; it was nice as it kept things very close knit in the ceremony. My parents were coming down for the actual wedding and reception tomorrow but had to head back early due to my Dad's work schedule.
Plus I would get to meet a lot of Bella's extended family. Apparently it was huge and that was why I never met them, it was a hard push to get them to one place at a time. I was nervous about that. That was a lot of handshakes and awkward conversations but I would get through it.
Bella like always ran into the house to find her father, leaving me to carry in the bags. Seth, Bella's future step brother, came out onto the porch.
"Hey Edward" He said taking the suit and dress bags out of my hand to relieve the load a bit. "She treatin' you like a pack mule?"
"Just an ordinary day in my life." I said with a chuckle. Seth and I were talking about the kittens as we went upstairs and put everything in Bella's old room. I made sure to hang up everything so it wouldn't crease before heading down to the kitchen where I found Bella already holding a baby and talking to a woman about her age.
"Bella are you stealing babies again?" Seth asked her and she shrugged.
"Can't help it this little one is so cute? Aren't you Gracie? Edward this is my cousin Mary-Anne and her daughter Gracie. Mary-Anne this is my boyfriend Edward." Bella said and I extended my hand.
"I normally would but I've got baby puke on my hands, nice meeting you though. Bella can you watch her while I wash my hands."
"Sure thing" She said playing with Gracie. I sat down beside Bella at the table.
"Where is your Dad?" I asked her.
"Setting up out back with some of my uncles. Do you want me to introduce you or...?" she began when Seth tapped my shoulder.
"Come on Cullen leave the women to gab, I'll look after him Bella." Seth said and I kissed Bella on the forehead. I knew Seth and Charlie so hopefully things wouldn't be too bad.
"Okay" Bella said leaning up to kiss me, as she did I felt her slip something in my pocket. I knew it was a bottle of hand sanitizer. "Love you."
"Love you too." I said kissing her forehead before following Seth out the back door.
I found her Dad hooking up lights into the tree, Sue telling him if it's straight.
"Honey I'm telling you its straight."
"Charlie I'm looking right at it." Sue said as Seth and I walked over. "Oh Edward, perfect man for the job. Tell him it's crooked." She said.
I smirked at her before jumping up on the table and straightening it myself.
"Oh you're right that looks better, when did you and Bella get here Son?" Charlie asked me.
"About ten minutes ago, I thought she was coming to find you but she found a baby." I explained and Charlie nodded.
"That girl" he said shaking his head with a smirk "I hope you know the minute you marry her she's gonna be baby crazy."
"I'm aware." I said with a chuckle jumping down. Truth was I couldn't wait.
"Mom get inside and talk with the women we got it sorted" Seth said pushing his mother inside and shutting the door behind her. "Jeesh" He said.
"Edward come on over here and meet my brothers'" Charlie said walking me over to where two men were standing looking at a table. "What are you two doing?" Charlie asked them.
"Looking busy so you're crazy fiancée wouldn't have us in trees hanging fairy lights. Can you say whipped Charles?" The older of the two men asked.
"Because we all haven't seen you with your wife?" the other guy asked.
"Edward these are my brothers Raymond" He said pointing to the first guy "And Daniel" He said pointing to the second "Guys this boy's gonna be my son in law one day." I nodded but really happy that was how he introduced me. I was really happy he was so accepting of my relationship with his daughter. It made things a lot easier for me.
"Lord help you" Raymond said "I love my niece but she's crazy."
"So you're the one she never shuts up about. I was here one weekend a couple of weeks back and it 'Edward this...' and 'Edward that...' I think I know more about you then your own mother does." Daniel added and I chuckled.
"I'd be the same about Bella when I'm with my family."
"You should see the house they just bought, huge." Charlie said.
"Dad do you want a beer?" I heard Bella yell out the back door.
"Sure" Charlie called back.
"What about you Babe?" Bella asked me.
"Yeah" I called back.
"Bella can I get one." Raymond asked.
"No, Aunt Carol said you're not allowed 'cause it gives you gas." She explained.
"Woman never lets me have any fun." Raymond muttered. Seth called for some help setting up the tables for the food and I knew I would only have a brief couple of minutes to show Charlie the ring.
"You got a minute?" I asked him and he nodded.
"Come out onto the front porch" He said and I nodded. We passed through the house grabbing our beers off Bella before telling her I wanted to show her Dad something in the car. She swallowed that as a good excuse and Charlie and I walked out front. Once the door was shut I pulled the ring out of my pocket. "You got it?"
"Picked it up this morning on my way to work." I told him handing him the box. He opened it and smiled.
"That's very pretty." He said and I nodded "You know how I feel about it all Edward, she's gonna love this."
"I hope so" I said and he nodded.
"So when are you going to do it?"
"After the holidays" I explained. "I think she's a bit suspecting at the moment and I want it to be a surprise." I explained as he handed me back the box and I put it in my pocket.
"So you're going to throw her off the scent a bit?" he asked and I nodded "Good idea, so some time in January?" he asked.
"The third week." I told him.
"Where you going to do it?"
"The less you know the better Charlie." I told him and he nodded. It had become common knowledge that Charlie was a blabber mouth at the best of times. He had a hard time keeping anything from Bella especially. She was really his soft spot.
"Keep me away from her when I got a couple of these bad boys in me." He said holding his beer bottle and I nodded.
We heard the door open behind us. I turned and saw it was Bella behind us.
"Hey, so is everything okay with the car?" she asked me curiously.
"Yeah I was just wondering if your Dad knew where to get better wiper fluid that stuff isn't cleaning much." I said.
"Just look at those streaks." Charlie added shaking his head to add to it. And then tutted. Some people go for overkill.
"Uh huh" Bella said. "Babe we need to start getting ready." She said and I nodded.
She grabbed my hand and pulled me inside. I looked back at Charlie who nodded.
That was the hardest part of my weekend over.
Now just two days of chit chat and awkward introductions.
Whoo!
Oh sarcasm how I have mastered thee.
Bella and I began getting ready first, knowing I would probably want to use the bathroom before everybody got in there.
She was teasing her hair up a bit while I was shaving my face. The mirror in the bathroom was small so I was standing behind her looking over her head.
"So what were you and my Dad really talking about?" she asked.
"I told you Love, wiper fluid." I explained and she turned back to look at me with an arched eyebrow.
"Seriously?" she asked and I nodded. "Whatever" She said.
"So what time are we going to the chapel?" I asked Bella.
"7:30ish to 8:00ish" She said "You try getting Swans on a time schedule."
"I have for the past year it doesn't work." I teased. I lifted her out of the way so I could wash my face before grabbing my hand towel and patting the skin.
"You love me for it though?" she asked and I nodded.
"Why else would I put up with you?" I teased and she pushed me.
When we were finished in the bathroom we walked across to her old bedroom and began getting dressed. I had on my charcoal grey pants and a white shirt. I have no idea how Charlie's insane idea to barbeque in November had worked but it was unseasonably warm around here, plus Charlie had set up massive marquees with heaters out in their giant back yard. I grabbed the matching jacket though. Bella was wearing a mint green dress that had a satin ribbon tied around the centre. She also had a grey knit cardigan to go over it.
"Babe can you zip me up?" she asked turning her back to me.
I pulled the zipper up her back before running my hands down over her hips.
"You look beautiful" I murmured against her ear.
"Thank you" She said turning to kiss me.
There was a knock on the door so we reluctantly pulled apart.
"Yeah?" Bella called.
Bella's future step sister Leah opened the door holding her two year old Emma on her hip.
"Bella, Mom wanted to know if you were ready to go? She was wondering if you and Edward could make sure the florist knew where all the flowers were supposed to go." Leah said bouncing Emma who was fussing.
"Yeah we're pretty much ready to go." Bella said.
"Great, also I'm going give you a list of stuff to hand to Pastor Weber." Leah said reaching into her pocket. "Just simple things like make sure the ramp is clear for Billy tomorrow, who is who in the ceremony etc, etc." She said and Bella nodded taking the list off Leah.
"Yeah we'll take care of it, do you want to get ready in here? Where is everybody staying by the way?" Bella asked.
"Here"
"What?" she asked.
"Yeah, did you two not know?" Leah asked. She looked behind her before walking in and pulling the door closed. "My Mom wanted to book them all into the hotel but your Dad's brother was all like 'family stays with family' so they're all camping out here."
"Oh my God." Bella said. "But they know in here is off limits right?" she asked.
I was beginning to panic.
I was not going to comfortable being this crowded, even it was a special circumstance.
"I heard something about an air mattress on the floor in here."
"Yeah I need some air." I said walking over to the window.
Too many people in such a small space wasn't going to work, things would get cluttered and messy and when that happens there is no order and when there's no order...
"Edward" I heard Bella call snapping me out of my inner rant. "Babe it's going to be okay." She said and I sighed.
"Why don't you two stay in my place?" Leah asked.
"Dad wants Edward and me to stay here tonight you know?" Bella said and Leah nodded.
"Hmmm, leave it with me I'll do some shuffling of people and things and oh I have an idea. You know your Dad's Cousin Ron?" Leah asked, Bella must of realised where she was going and nodded.
"Who's Ron?" I asked trying to distract myself.
"Dad's cousin, ridiculously obnoxious, thinks he's better than everyone else because he was the first one to go to college." Bella explained.
"Why don't we sick him on Jacob and Billy?" Leah asked.
"Ooohh that's the sort of evil thinking we're down with." Bella said. "Wait if Vanessa staying here tonight?" Bella asked.
"She arrived about ten minutes ago. I said nothing Bella." Leah said.
"Yeah okay. Listen we're going to head to the Chapel. Try and move some people around Leah." Bella said and Leah nodded before Bella dragged me out of the bedroom behind her.
We walked down the stairs hand in hand.
"So I'm not sleeping tonight?" I asked her.
"I'm sorry, I completely forgot how bad my Dad's family was, encroaching on personal space and stuff. Otherwise I would of got us into the hotel." She explained. As we reached the bottom of the stairs I saw a younger woman, very similar to Bella wearing a yellow dress holding a little girl on her hip. This family had kids everywhere didn't it?
"Who's that?" I whispered to Bella.
"That's Vanessa." Bella said looking down before walking straight past her cousin. I followed after her knowing why she wouldn't want to have to talk to her cousin. This was the one who Jacob had cheated on her with. Bella said she wasn't upset the way you would expect when she found out what had been going on but she was mortified and hurt that someone from her own family could do that to her.
"Bells?" a voice called behind us.
Bella ignored her and just kept walking.
I followed her out to the car and sat into the driver seat. She was quiet as she put on her seatbelt.
"You okay?" I asked her.
"Don't" She said shaking her head.
"What?" I asked.
"I'm supposed to be comforting you this weekend." She said.
"Bella I think you need it more than I do right now." I told her and she sighed.
"I haven't seen her since I found out she was pregnant." Bella explained and I nodded. "It just brought back all the anger I had at that time and seeing her with a baby? God" Bella said shaking her head. "You know I will always sort of hate you for not going to Angela and Ben's wedding." She said and I chuckled. "No I mean it."
"Why Love?" I asked her.
"Because I would have met you and it would have clicked and we'd be there now."
"Where?" I asked her.
"There, marriage, babies. I want all of it so much and I just feel like everyone I know is either married and pregnant or just happens to get a freaking baby without so much as a thought." She muttered.
"I keep telling you if you want a baby now we'll do it." I told her "I mean it Love. I want kids with you but you have to tell me what you want. I still don't know what I'm doing half the time when it comes to this." I explained. "So if you want kids now, we'll make a baby. If you want to wait a bit longer stop torturing yourself by thinking what could have happened. It will happen eventually Love." I told her and she nodded.
"You're right" She said "I'm just I'm so wrapped up in everything. The fact that I still think I can't tell you these things just shows I'm not ready yet doesn't it?" she asked.
"I can't answer that. Love everyone says you'll become a mother the minute you learn about the baby inside you and while I'll know that becoming a father won't hit me until I see the baby in my arms. You get to decide when you want this, it is your body and I will love you no matter what you decide."
"You should have some say in this Edward, it will be your child." She said.
"I've said my piece on us having children Bella; you know what I want and how I want it. You tell me when you're ready and we'll go."
"Just like that?" she asked and I nodded.
She was quiet after that so I decided to start driving. She gave me some directions to the Chapel but it was pretty easy to navigate, Forks followed the plan of almost all small towns in America so it was pretty easy to find things. When I stopped I went to get out when she stopped me by holding her hand in front of me.
"I think we need to wait." She said.
"Why is Angela's father not here?" I asked.
"No that's his car there" She said "I mean I think we should wait to have a baby. You were right when you told me I need to focus on my business first. We've done some work but not a lot. When we get back I want to start researching this properly, guidelines, market research, searching for premises. I need to focus on that because if I don't I'll find myself popping out baby number three but have no work done on my idea." She explained.
"Okay Love." I said kissing her temple. "I know you're scared right now. Things are started to move quicker and everything is happening all at once. Don't rush it though okay? And never be afraid to tell me what you're thinking because don't we all know I sit around trying to figure it out more often than not." I told her and she laughed. "I mean it."
"I love you" She said and I leaned in to kiss her.
"I love you too." I said "Now come on before Leah get's here and realises we haven't done anything on her list. Having been the list maker many times I know how it feels when someone doesn't follow through on their commitments."
So there you go, more details on the proposal, maybe you'll stop badgering me for information now... who am I kidding... I love hearing from all of you! I can't wait to see what you thought of this chapter.
Up next we have the rest of the wedding weekend! Another showdown between Bella and Jacob. Hope you all tune in for that!
Review please.
Love The Irish Cullen.