I don't own Twilight or its characters. Stephenie Meyer does.
April and Gabby, thank you for pre-reading, and Fran, thank you for editing. Any mistakes left are my own.
Ch. 10
I handled the crystal bell with extreme care as I wrapped it in tissue paper then slipped it into a bubble wrap pouch before placing it into a section of the box for Christmas ornaments. I tugged on the cloth gloves we were all wearing to assure no fingerprints got on the crystal.
A week had passed since New Years, and we were taking down the decorations from both the tree and house. Esme preferred it to be a task we handled rather than the maids. Junior rocked in his swing, peacefully watching us.
"This part is always so depressing," Rosalie muttered.
"I know, dear, but the longer we wait, the more of a mess the tree will make," Esme commented, hidden from view on the other side of the tree.
"We could get an artificial one," Alice suggested.
"We have always had a real tree, Alice," Esme said.
"Yes, but we'll be saving more than one tree's life by not killing it just to decorate," she reasoned. "They make some really good ones now that you can't even tell are fake."
"It won't smell like one though." Rosalie frowned.
"So then we get those pine air fresheners." Alice shrugged, walking towards a box to lay down strands of garland.
"Like those tacky trees, they sell for cars?" Rosalie questioned, wrinkling her nose.
"No, not those. They look like little rods, and they would blend in with the branches," Alice explained.
"I'll give it some thought. It would be nice not to find pine needles months later, no matter how much we vacuum," Esme said. "What does your family do for a tree, Bella?"
"When my mom was alive, we had a small artificial one since her apartment usually discouraged real ones. When I spent Christmas with my dad, he would get a real one," I answered.
"It must have been hard for you going back and forth," Esme commented.
"It could've been worse. After they split, they got along better and hardly argued."
"I'm happy to hear that." She looked towards the door as the men came through.
"Oh, good, two of the men I was looking for. Boys, the tree is almost ready to be taken outside. Please, don't leave it in the middle of the yard like last year. It becomes such an eyesore." She looked towards Edward and Emmett.
"Sorry, dear, it will have to wait until after our meeting. But they'll take care of it after dinner before they leave." Carlisle kissed her cheek.
"Isabella, I have the information for your online courses at Boston College. Mary Alice, yours are here, too." He handed us both packets of information.
I barely got a chance to look at them before Alice threw them on the couch in disgust.
"Online? What happened to taking classes at the college?" she asked incredulously.
"This will be better suited for Isabella's schedule, and I promised to do the same for you as for her. If you changed your mind you don't have to take the classes," he told her sternly.
"Look on the bright side, Alice, now Jared doesn't have to sit in with you while you take your class." Emmett grinned.
She shot him a glare that wiped the smile off his face. She sat on the sofa in a huff and crossed her arms in front of her. The men walked out of the room; Edward stopped at the doorway to glance at Alice then at the bar with a worried look. Once they were gone, Esme turned to Alice.
"I know you're upset, but your father is doing what he feels is best," she said softly.
"Best? I feel as if I'm a bird trapped in a cage," Alice complained.
"Dear, you know why we have to be extra cautious." Esme sat and wrapped her arm around Alice's shoulders.
"I know…I know, it could've easily been me. But even if Junior wasn't taken and the kidnapper had been found, Da would still be this way. I don't want to be just a housewife," Alice stated.
Esme frowned. "My life isn't all that bad. I happen to love being a wife and mother."
Alice sighed. "I wasn't trying to offend you, Ma. You're doing what you love, why can't I? We all know I'm never going to be able to be a mother. All I will be doing is sitting at home waiting for my husband to come home... if I ever marry."
Esme hugged her tighter and placed a kiss on her forehead. "It will happen for you—I know it will. Jasper seems to have taken a fancy to you."
Alice was about to say something in response when a woman entered the room as if she belonged. Her cleavage was nearly spilling out of her tight pink dress that clashed with her unnatural tan. Her red hair was a wild, untamed mass of curls.
"Hello…Hello…Hello…I'm back. Did you miss me?" She beamed.
"Like the plague," Rose muttered beside me, causing me to snort.
"I came bearing gifts. Alice, I'm sure you'll enjoy this. I had to special order it, you can't get it in the states." She placed a bottle on the table in front of Alice.
"And, Esme, my mother said never show up to dinner empty-handed. I brought something to add to the table." She handed Esme a casserole dish.
"Mashed potatoes, how thoughtful," Esme said with forced politeness. "Edward didn't tell me you were joining us for dinner, Victoria."
"It's a surprise. Is he home?" She looked around the room as if she expected him to suddenly pop up out of nowhere.
"I'm afraid he's in a meeting with his father at the moment," Esme told her.
"Pity. Oh, Look. At. Him. He has grown so much in only three weeks. Rose, he's looking more and more like his daddy every day. Aren't you, handsome, you're so cute, I could just eat you up. Come here." Victoria went to grab Junior out of his swing.
His face crumbled, and he started to scream bloody murder. Rose quickly handed off the ornament she was holding and rescued her baby.
Victoria pouted. "Aww. Is it the itty baby's nappy time?"
I flinched and shook my head. I couldn't stand to hear people talk to babies like that. How in the world could this woman be with Edward?
"No. He's been clingy lately. He'll only let a few of us hold him since we got him back," Rosalie explained.
"That's right, my mother told me. The poor baby. Who would dare take him? I'm glad he was found safely. I would have come back to help, but there were no flights."
"Yes, we were very lucky Bella found him and rescued him in time." Rosalie flashed me a smile.
"Who is Bella?" Victoria's gray eyes landed on me and narrowed as she sized me up.
Rosalie gestured to me. "Victoria, meet Bella Swan, she's our new nanny. Bella, this is Victoria Volturi."
"Edward's fiancée." Victoria giggled, limply holding out her hand.
"He hasn't proposed to you." Alice rolled her eyes.
"Not yet, but it's only a matter of time," she said smugly.
"I see you've changed your hair," Esme stated, in a way that didn't seem like a compliment.
"Do you like it?" She flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Everyone tells me I look like a live version of Jessica Rabbit."
"More like Merida," Alice muttered under her breath, but Victoria heard her.
"Someone is irritable today. Have a drink, Alice, you need it." Victoria sneered.
"I don't drink." Alice swallowed hard, looking at the bottle intently.
"Since when? You're like a fish." Victoria cackled.
"That is quite enough, Victoria," Esme said sternly.
"I'll take them to the kitchen, so they are ready for dinner," I offered.
I walked over to the table to get the bottle. My hand froze just before I grabbed it as the seemingly familiar label jarred my memory. I picked it up gently and then took the casserole dish from Esme who was giving me a curious look.
"Thank you, dear. Is everything okay?" she asked.
"Everything is fine," I lied.
I walked slowly down to the kitchen, contemplating what to do. It was the same label I'd seen in the refrigerator at the cabin, and Victoria was gone about the right timeframe. However, if she was Edward's girlfriend, why would she kidnap Junior? Then I remembered his reaction to her. I'd never seen him react to anyone like that. Hell, he even let Jake hold him without complaint.
I left the dish with Kate and headed for the servant stairs. She didn't question me as I kept the bottle with me. I turned down the hallway for my bedroom and almost ran straight into Edward coming out of his room.
"Where are you off to in a hurry with ... a champagne bottle?" He arched an eyebrow, looking at the bottle in my hand.
"I have to make a phone call. Your girlfriend is looking for you." I told him.
"My girlfriend?" He appeared to be confused.
"Victoria." How many girlfriends did he have?
"She isn't my girlfriend…it's complicated," he stated, grimacing.
"Oh…well she's downstairs." I took a backward step towards my room.
"Hold on. What aren't you telling me? You're acting highly suspicious." He took a step towards me.
"I…" I wasn't sure if I should share my suspicions with him since I could be completely wrong. "I was going to call Agent Call," I admitted.
His eyes widened then narrowed. "Why?"
"I think it's better I only talk to him," I insisted.
"Miss Swan, if this has to do with the investigation then I have a right to know," he demanded.
"It's just that I could be completely wrong, and I don't want to make false accusations without more proof," I explained.
"I see…" He pondered. "I'm still very interested in your theory."
I sighed and showed him the label of the bottle. "It's the same as the one in the cabin the night I found Junior. And Victoria brought it and mentioned it has to be special ordered. She also happened to be gone the same time as the kidnapping."
"She's also blonde," Edward muttered.
"Actually, she recently dyed her hair red," I told him.
He pursed his lips. "I can understand why you're suspicious. I've been in close contact with the agents. I'll take them the bottle." He held out his hand for it.
I hesitated, and his hand dropped to the side, looking annoyed with me.
"Why don't you trust me?"
"She is your girlfriend," I told him.
"I already told you she wasn't. Emmett Junior is my nephew—family always comes first. If you won't give me the bottle, then come with me to my father's office." He gestured down the hall.
When we arrived, he knocked on the door, one of the only rooms I didn't see during Rosalie's tour. He opened it without waiting for an answer, and with one hand on my back he ushered me into the room and shut the door. His father stopped talking and I noticed there were several others there, including Agents Call and Lahote to my surprise.
"Son, what's going on?" he asked, looking at me with a blank look.
"Miss Swan thinks she may have stumbled upon a break in the case. Miss Swan?" He gestured to a chair Jasper had vacated.
I took the seat nervously and then explained everything once more to them. Carlisle leaned back in his seat and exchanged looks with Peter a few times. He rubbed his chin and looked unhappy.
"Thank you, Isabella. If you leave the bottle with the agents they can get it fingerprinted." Carlisle nodded to me.
"Why are you wearing gloves?" Agent Lahote asked suspiciously.
"I was helping Esme with her crystal ornaments. She handed these out so we wouldn't get fingerprints on them," I explained.
"Did you see anyone else touch the bottle?" Agent Call asked, slipping on a pair of leather gloves.
"No, I didn't. She was holding it by the neck." He nodded and took it from the bottom carefully. "Thank you, Miss Swan, we will send it out right away for testing."
"Please, tell my wife we'll be down shortly for dinner." Carlisle gave me a tense smile.
"Yes, sir." I got up from my seat.
Edward was leaning against the door, and he opened it for me. I heard the lock click as soon as I exited.
A/N: So you've met Victoria and some questions have been answered. An Edward's POV is next. I did get a chuckle that a few mentioned that Alice seemed trapped in a gilded cage. This chapter had already been written with her comment about the same thing.
Thank you for sharing all your thoughts and love with me.