Yay this is the first double digit chapter for me ever! I love it. I know this is kind of short, but considering I'm supposed to be working to update Another Creature right now just go with it. I cant wait to get your guys feedback on this.
Edward took two more seconds before he was in full apologizing mode. I just stare at him, I don't know what else I'm supposed to do really. I don't think Edward even knows what he's apologizing for, he's just apologizing. Finally he stopped and looked at me.
"Edward, why are you apologizing?" I asked, if he wasn't aware of what he did wrong than all the apologies in the world wouldn't matter.
"I'm apologizing for being a controlling bastard." Edward said looking into my eyes. "I'm apologizing for trying to tell you who you can and can't be with, when and when not. I'm apologizing for…for….for all the wrong I've done. there is far too much to count."
I stroked his cheek, he was admitting to it. That was more than I could ever hope for.
"I love you Bella. I love you so much. I can't believe what a fool I've been, what awful mistakes I've made. Bella love, from now on I'll be different. I won't ever hurt you again." Edward promised before kissing me full on the lips. Than he started talking so fast in other languages.
"Ti amo. Avrei mai potuto vivere senza di te. Mi dispiace. Non potuto mai smettere di amare si!"
"Je t'aime. Je pourrais jamais vivre sans vous. Desole(e). Je pourrais jamais cesser d'aimer vous !"
"Te iubesc. Eu nu ar putea trăi fără tine. Îmi pare rău. Mi-ar putea opri niciodată iubesc!"
"Ich liebe dich. Ich konnte nie ohne Sie leben. Es tut mir leid. Ich konnte nie beenden Sie lieben!"
"Minä rakastan sinua. Asun voisi koskaan ilman sinua. Olen pahoillani. I voisi koskaan lopettaa rakastaa sinua!"
I didn't understand a word he was saying. But the way he looked at me I'm guessing it has something to do with he loves me and that he's sorry. I can't start talking in a bunch of wired languages but I can tell him the thing he seems to love to hear most, in any language.
"I love you Edward." I whispered to him before kissing him sweetly. Edward immediately relaxed and snuggled me. After awhile I sat up and started walking to the kitchen to prepare dinner for Charlie. I was feeling a little guilty for never spending time with him so I decided to go a little bit of all out for dinner and to talk with Charlie a bit.
I contemplated what I would make for him, I needed something that would take awhile to eat so I'd have plenty of bonding time giving breaks so I don't scare him too much, while I don't want to have leftovers for a week. I was also a bit worried about his health, he's eating too much steak.
A salad is a must, that could be the appetizer. Now what to make for the main course? Lasagna would be too heavy, soup too light. I've got it! Fish, Charlie fishes almost every weekend and we've got at least three years supply of fish in the freezer. I'm not sure which type of fish I'll make but I'll figure it out later. Okay that's half the meal, now all I need is two sides and a dessert. Mashed potatoes and some kind of a vegetable. Now dessert, I wonder if Charlie will have room after all that. I remember that Grandma Swan had a special kind of cake she used to make once a year for Charlie for his birthday. Renee had tried to make it once, for my seventh birthday, and had nearly burnt the house down.
"Something wrong, Love?" Edward asked me and I smiled and turned to him.
"No, I'm just trying to decide what to make for Charlie, I feel kind of bad for him. After all he's been through, he deserves a nice meal." Edward simply nodded to me, I think he knew exactly what I was talking about. Charlie lived with me while I was a zombie for all those months. It must have killed him to see his only child in such pain and knowing no matter what he tried he couldn't understand it much less help it.
I went through the kitchen making sure that I had everything we needed, I had just gone to the grocery store not long ago so I was stocked up. I found the old recipe box my grandmother used to have right were it's always been, on top of the fridge. I went through it till I finally found what I was looking for, the little card with the words 'upside down lemon marine cake.' I quickly looked at the ingredients list to make sure we had everything and put it down for reference later. I then walked around the room gathering the ingredients for everything. I decided on salmon for the dish since it was the one I honestly found easiest to skin and clean, from the way my dad talked he found catfish the easiest, seemed that it was something personal. I also decided on peas for the vegetable, since I know the only way Charlie will eat them is if he has mashed potatoes to mix them in.
"Your silent mind is such a mystery sweetheart, please do tell. What are you making for Charlie?" I giggled at Edward, he hated that I was a mental mute. He couldn't even wait a few minutes to see what I'm making.
"Well I'm making him a creaser salad for appetizer. Salmon with a side of mashed potatoes and peas. And my grandmother's recipe for upside down lemon marine cake."
"Do you need help?" Edward asked, I smiled at him and nodded. Though I love my dad and realize I need to spend some time with him the time away from Edward will not be pleasant.
We ended up with me making the salad while Edward cleaned the fish. It was the other way around but when Edward saw me with a knife he pretty much freaked out and insisted that we switch jobs. I had tried to tell him I was handling a knife for the salad but he insisted that at least he had seen me do that and knew I was safe. I had protested until he unleashed his eyes on me. Stupid dazzling vampire.
Once the salad was done I wrapped it in plastic and put it in the fridge to cool. Edward was done with cleaning the fish so I cut it and put the pieces in a pan steaming vegetable oil and Edward leaned back and watched me as I relaxed in the familiar task of cooking.
"Does this taste good?" Edward asked holding up the recipe card.
"No, forty year old paper/cardboard doesn't taste very appetizing to anyone." I smiled at Edward to let him know I was kidding before turning back to the salmon and giving it a tiny bit of lemon spurts.
"Very funny Bella," Edward said trying to look annoyed, I would of believed he was to if his eyes weren't shining with amusement. "Is it though?"
"I couldn't say, I've never had it before. If Charlie says it's right and than tastes good I'll tell you." He nodded and went behind me and wrapped his arm around my waist resting his head on my shoulder.
I pulled the salmon off the oven and put it in the oven and than put the mashed potatoes and peas on the oven to cook. I than turned to the recipe card and ingredients sitting on the table and took a deep breath and let it out. Together me and Edward tried to figure out my Gram's metric system. How much is a pinch? A splash? Obviously this was something learned, but we didn't do too bad, I hope anyway. It was simply flour, lemon extract, the juice from three lemons, sugar, and milk mixed with half it's amount of rain water. So that's were they got the marine from, so we didn't add too much of the liquid and we used regular water and I hoped it wouldn't be a noticeable difference. We put the batter into two circular cake pans and we had it were the cake would come out before the salmon, the thing didn't take that long to bake. Edward and I quickly made the topping while we waited, mixing honey, lemon juice and orange extract, thank goodness their was a sale on lemons in the grocery store.
"Thanks for your help Edward." I said breathlessly as I piled the dishes in the sink.
"It's not a problem My Love, any time. Though I wouldn't mind a reward."
"What type of reward?" I asked turning
"This." He said before kissing me full on the mouth. I put my hands into his hair and one of his arms went around my waist and the other behind me resting on the counter. We kissed for several long minutes till I had to pull away for oxygen and I heard him groan.
"I'm glad to give you that reward. But you do know you can get a kiss anytime right?"
"Really?" He asked like he had just discovered this.
"Yep. As many as you want, as often as you want." I promised.
"You shouldn't have said that." He whispered leaning down to kiss me again when the beeping of the cake timer let us know the cake was done. I laughed as we separated and planted a quick chaste kiss on Edward's lips.
Once the two cakes were pulled out I got the cake holder and put one of the layers on by flipping the pan over and spread half the honey lemon orange mixture on it before the next layer than putting the other half of the mixture on the top. I must say the cake looked appetizing, the cake itself was a golden color and the mixture was a yellowish orange color, it almost was the color of Edward's eyes after he hunted, almost. It smelled fantastic to, like nothing I've ever smelled before. It felt citrus yet warm, I put on the lid before I pulled out the salmon and got everything ready with Edward right their helping me. After everything is set up I turn to him.
"Thanks so much for helping me Edward." I smile as he nodes in asset. "I'm going to be talking to Charlie during dinner today, it's going to be a bit of bonding time so please don't listen." I whispered. I don't like asking this of Edward but I do anyway, if we get into how I was when Edward was away I don't want him hearing that.
"Sure love, I understand." He said somewhat stiffly. I start to try and make him feel better but he puts a finger over my lips to silence me. "Shh Love, I understand, really I do." He whispered before planting a sweet kiss on my lips. "Charlie will be here soon, I'll be waiting for you." He said before dissapering.
Two seconds later Charlie walked in the door.
"Hey dad!" I called.
Charlie walks into the room and looks around, realizing Edward isn't their. He looks at me worried but I just smile.
"Where's Edward?" He asked worriedly probably thinking that Edward might of left again and I'm insane and think he's standing next to me instead of a zombie this time.
"At his house, most likely having dinner, like were about to." I said and saw Charlie visibly relax. Whatever qualms he had against Edward he seemed to genuinely understand that Edward was key to my survival. This didn't infuriate me or scare me like it had when we first returned from Italy because now I know that I'm just as key to his survival.
We sat down and Charlie looked at the salad with a grimace.
"Okay Bella, I get it. Healthier eating, but no meat isn't that good for you." Charlie said and I laughed.
"This is just an appetizer Charlie." He relaxed for a second before tensing up. He knew that I never would make a full course meal unless it was a special event or I really wanted to talk to him.
"We made it through the salad and I had already put the leftovers away and brought the salmon, peas, and mashed potatoes out before Charlie broached the subject.
"What's up Bells?" Charlie asked bringing his plate to the table.
"We need to talk." I said before taking a sip of my water.
"Bought what?"
"Everything. Everything while Edward was…away." I said looking down at my plate trying to see images in the steam rising from the food.
"I don't like Edward, you know that. After everything he's done to you I wish I could do target practice on him. If it wasn't for the fact that you look alive again I cant say I wouldn't be doing just that." I sighed as Charlie said this, I knew he felt this way. And honestly he had every right to.
"I know that dad, Edward thought it was the best for me. He's changed, not for a day but forever. He's so different now, before he was…honestly really controlling. He's been stepping out of his comfort zone and been relinquishing that control."
"Control of what exactly?" Charlie asked mad, it took me a moment before I realized what Charlie was talking about. He thought I was saying Edward would make me do things I didn't want to do…sexual things.
"Hold on dad, me and you are talking about two completely different things. I mean like I didn't want to go to the prom but he pretty much tricked me into it. Not like you were much help." I said giving Charlie a glare and he blushed and looked sheepish remembering his help in getting his clumsy daughter-who had a broken leg mind you-to go to prom in one death trap heel for her unbroken leg. "He's stopped doing that, he's letting me actually have a say in what we do. It's like before he'd think he was bad for me, pretty much because Edward is by nature a self-loathing brooder. He's accepted that I love him just how he is, that's all." I explained. "But dad, I understand why you feel the way you do. Sometimes I think it'd be simpler if I would hate him for what he'd done to me but I just cant, because I love him dad.""I understand Bella. Well not really but I'll try not to glare at him as much. But no promises kay? Someone's got to fry his ass." Charlie said trying to lighten the mood and I laughed.
"It's not like I let him off scotch free though. It took awhile for me to trust him, I don't completely trust him yet."
"I always knew you were a smart responsible girl." Charlie said and then continued when I looked at him confused. "If your mom would of showed up on my doorstep months after she left with you I'd take her back first and ask questions later. I'm glad you made him work for it a bit." I smiled at him, Charlie and I smiled at each other before I got up and put the dishes in the sink. I heard Charlie start to get up before I called to him.
"Not yet, there's still dessert." I said and he sat back down before I got two plates, two forks and one of those cake serving knives. I lifted the cake lid cut two pieces out and we settled in for dessert.
Charlie looked at the cake peculiarly and I hoped I didn't make the wrong one. Then he hesitantly cut off a piece with his fork and pushed it into his mouth.
"Bella…did you make?" He stuttered out with a blank face.
"Yes, is that okay?" I asked worried. Would this bring up memories of his dead mother? Stupid Bella. Stupid, stupid, stupid!
"Of course it's okay." Charlie smiled happily at me. "I never thought I'd taste this ever again. How did you do it?"
"The recipe card, it was in the recipe box on top of the fridge."
"I know that, but it's written in pinches and dashes. How did you get it right? wasn't it your first try?""Yes." Charlie seemed amazed by that.
"It took my mom seven tries before she got it right. Thank you baby girl." Charlie smiled and I smiled back before we went back to eating the cake. Now that he'd told me I had it right I realized it did taste really good. Though their were a lot of lemons it didn't taste overly lemony. It was sweet and bright with a bit of tang. Afterwards we put the dishes in the sink and Charlie hugged me.
"Your growing up so fast." Charlie whispered and I hugged him tighter. Poor guy barley ever got to see me, once a year and this whole past year, I could see why it'd fly by for him.
"Their's more cake in their," I said pointing to the dish covering the cake. "And I can make more whenever you want some." I promised."Thanks kiddo, and let me do the dishes. You made one mean dinner." I smiled and headed up to bed.
After a shower, followed by shaving my legs and armpits and changing into a nightgown Alice had insisted on getting me. It was a deep navy blue and came to my knees and had loose sleeves. I brushed my hair and brushed my teeth before walking into my bedroom yawning. I looked around and I didn't see Edward I walked to put my bag of totalities away and noticed my ring wasn't on the dresser where I put it before I went into the shower.
I started to freak out, I knew logically their were plenty of explanations for this but everything gone and Edward nowhere to be found hit way to close to home. Before tears could feel my eyes I felt Edward's ice cold arms wrap around me and quickly turn to see him and hugged him tightly.
"What is it love?"
"You were gone, and the ring was gone and it reminded me of." I didn't finish my sentence Edward simply kissed me.
"I'm sorry, Esme wanted to see it so I quickly went to get it to show her. I'm so sorry sweetheart."
"S'okay." I mubbled before pulling him into the bed.
"Nice nightgown." Edward whispered.
"Thank Alice, it was a gift." I said looking at what he was wearing. Pajama pants in the exact same color as my nightgown. "Alice?" I asked and he just smirked.
"This time I'm getting her five porches." I laughed before cuddling him. I fell asleep that night dreaming of a wedding.
Okay so what Edward was saying when he was talking in diffrent langues is "I love you, I could never live without you, I'm sorry. I could never stop loving you!" in Italian, French, Romanian, German, and Finnish in order, I don't speak any of these langues I used Bing Translator. The cake Bella made that was her grandma's recipe doesn't exist, I made it up. I hope you all liked this. Please review.