Chapter 11: Rae's Big Bash

The day is finally here. It's been coming for a while and yet it still feels like time has snuck up on me. The day has been busy, getting food ready and trying to tidy up everything in preparation. Of course Rae's been busy, too. She told me this morning she needed to start getting ready. It took her about six hours to do her hair and make-up. I love my daughter, but this is not her normal style. She's trying to impress jackass, I mean Jackson, and I'm incredibly happy her father and I will be ending that nightmare soon.

Looking out the window, I see the party is in full swing with teenagers everywhere. I can practically smell the hormones. I'm simply trying to keep up with the food for the masses. When I told Rae she could invite a few friends, I never thought there would be this many. Oh well, it's more my fault than anything. I should've set a limit.

"Rose, can you grab those mini pizzas? We're going to need them," I tell her, feeling worried. The kids are cleaning this place out. And as bountiful as my garden is this year, I'm still not sure I have enough food for everyone.

"Sure boss, I'm on it," she answers with a grin. Running to the oven, she grabs the tiny pizzas I made, laying them out on a platter.

I grab a fresh pitcher of lemonade and visit my parents who are seated on the patio.

"Hi Mom, Dad. Thanks for coming," I yell over the blaring music.

"Oh honey, we wouldn't miss this for the world!" my dad shouts back. He's trying to act as though he's not affected by the music.

"Sweetheart, you look lovely," Mom comments.

"Thank you." I smile, refilling their glasses, turning to see Edward's parents pulling in. After taking a quick look around and not seeing Edward anywhere in sight, I put on a brave face. It's not as if I haven't talked to Esme since the incident. I have. We just…there's an air of awkwardness there, and I personally am not ready to forget about it.

"Esme, Carlisle, nice to see you again."

"Nice to see you again, too," Carlisle says genuinely, bringing me in for a hug and light kiss on the cheek.

"You too, dear," Esme replies.

I nod, pausing for a moment while Carlisle grabs Rae's gift from the trunk.

"Thank you for making time to be here," I tell them.

"Not a problem at all, Bella. We wouldn't miss Rae's sweet sixteen for anything." Esme pats my arm.

I direct them to the patio, right next to my parents. They know each other and get along for the most part. So I know they can keep each other company while I keep an eye on Rae and her friends.

"What can I get you guys to drink?" I ask.

They both ask for some lemonade.

After I serve them, I end up parting to keep up my duties as a good host.

"Rose, what's the damage?" I enter the kitchen.

"The pizzas are gone, the chips and dip is empty, and this is what's left of the crackers and cheese." She shows me a barren platter.

"Wow. Okay, seconds of crackers and cheese and chips are over there, if you could put them around, and I'll stick these mini pizzas in the oven. They'll only take a few minutes."

"Sounds good!"

"Thank you again," I call after her.

But as I get back into the making the pizzas and load up a veggie platter for those wild animals to consume, I feel someone tapping me on the shoulder.

I whip around and see it's Edward.

Instantly, I smile, not able to keep it off my face. "Hi," I murmur.

"Hey there, Bella." His voice is sweet and in a deeper tone than normal.

And to be honest, I'm a little thrilled. My pretty pale blue sundress and fresh curled hair may have been done because I knew he was coming.

He takes a long look at me, making me feel…well, appreciated, I guess, and sexy all at the same time. I gladly open my arms and accept a hug from him, loving the peck on the cheek I get, especially when it lingers.

Thoughts brew in my mind. I've been dying to talk to him. I need to see if maybe we gave up too soon. I need to know whether or not I'm the only one who feels this way. I vow to myself to finally broach the subject with him later. It may be ten years that have passed, but as the saying goes, "better late than never."

I wrap my arms around him in an automatic fashion. The closeness I've been craving for the past two days is there, and I revel in it. As I lean into his embrace, though, and take a selfish second to enjoy his scent, I feel the presence of someone else.

We pull apart, and I see I'm right. There's a woman there, in her late twenties, no doubt. She's beautifully tan, has a pretty face, and a fantastic body. She's got perfectly colored blonde hair and every piece is in its place.

"Oh Edward, there you are—is this Bella?" she asks sweetly.

I gulp when I realize she's with him, and quickly I take a step back. I should've known. I should've fucking known. I mentally berate myself for thinking that my handsome ex-husband would be alone. He did say his dry spell had ended. I suddenly feel sick.

"Yes, Piper, this is Bella," Edward answers, acting...odd. I can't read the look on his face. It's probably because of me and my far too long, clingy-ass hug.

"Hi Piper, welcome," I say as warmly as I can fake.

They both smile. Her eyes blink, and for the first time I notice her stunning baby blue eyes. That's it. I can't even attempt to compete with that, and I'm not even going to try. I'm a dowdy teacher for Christ's sake. I put on a sundress because I thought it was sexy. A sundress! This girl looks like a supermodel compared to me, and she's so demure.

She's in a knee-length white skirt and a flowery, sleeveless button up top. She looks effortlessly dazzling.

"This is such a lovely home and look at this party. Woohoo! I wish I was turning sixteen again."

I try to smile wider. "Thank you so much," I tell her. "But if you two will excuse me, I have some hungry kids to feed."

She nods. "Oh yeah, no worries."

"I'm sure Edward will be more than happy to set you up with anything you need. He knows where everything is." With that said, I slip out the screen door and back into the party. I have my plate in hand and make myself busy at fixing up the now nearly bare food table.

I do anything I can to keep occupied and from thinking about Edward and Piper, or more specifically, Edward and Piper together.

Alice shows up a little later. She had some appointments she couldn't reschedule; being a therapist is busy work. But I'm glad she came like she promised.

I make my way over to her as soon as she throws the car in park.

"Bella?" she asks.

"Yeah."

"What are you doing? I know this place. I can manage to get into the backyard, you know?" She smiles, but I can tell she knows something's up.

"I know Ali, but I-I need to talk."

She looks me over. "What happened?"

"I'm fucked," I mutter. "Pardon my French, but there's no better way to put it."

She doesn't say anything, just grabs my arm and drags me inside. We hide away in my bedroom, where I proceed to plop down pathetically.

"Everyone was right," I sob.

"What?" Alice asks, looking confused.

"And I'm the selfish bitch who should be down there enjoying the fact my beautiful daughter has grown a whole 'nother year older. But instead, I'm up here wallowing in the fact she was right and Mommy is sad."

"Bella, you have to explain, sweetheart." Alice softly rubs my back.

I clear my throat and try to calm myself down. As I shakily collect my thoughts, I push the tears from my eyes. "I love him. It's as simple as that. I still love Edward," I admit out loud for the first time.

Alice nods knowingly.

"What? You knew?" I ask, feeling a tiny bit angry.

"Uh… Yeah. Bella, it was pretty easy to see."

"Then, what the hell…" I don't really know what to say to my friend.

"Rose and I have known for a while that the flame was still burning pretty bright. So we figured the dates would hopefully make you see what you were so blind to."

I do a double take, turning to look at her. "The…"

"Yeah, I know. We're horrible for subjecting you to that, but we love you."

I blink, trying to process everything, but still feel so crushed. Finally after a moment of silence and sitting there, I turn to her. "Okay, so now that we've got me figured out. What about him? Does he feel the same way? Because right now it doesn't feel like it, since he brought a date."

Alice finishes sending some kind of text, then purses her lips together, giving me a look. "A date?" Her eyes widen. "Okay, don't panic... We don't know anything about how Edward feels, other than what we've observed between the two of you."

I nod. "I know, but it still hurts, and all these emotions of the past weeks are floating around. So we have no idea if he's on the same page."

"Sorry, we were really thinking you two have both grown and changed so much, and thought you would just bang and this would all be water under the bridge."

"It's okay. I know you meant well." I look down and sigh. "We need to talk, that's all. Not tonight, but soon…obviously."

"There you go," Alice encourages with a smile firmly in place. "I think the best thing for you to do is to clean yourself up and go down there—be the best mom you can right now. After the party is over and your daughter is happy, go find Edward. See if he can meet for coffee or something. Maybe you can talk it out."

I give her a hug and thank her for her time. I don't know what I would do without the world's best meddling friends a girl could ask for. I push myself downstairs to rejoin the party. Rose has thankfully kept the food coming and the refreshments stocked.

Soon enough it's time for cake.

I bring out my gorgeous cake that I handmade and decorated. It's pink, cream, and zebra print. My daughter's sixteen; it's what she's about right now. And honestly, I had fun making it.

I set it down in front of her and place in the silver candles all over the top of it. This time, though, I manage to light them easily. And when I'm done, everyone starts in singing. It's sweet and very perfect.

My mom's recording it so I'll have it for later.

We finish the melody and my camera is ready and waiting to snap the picture of my baby blowing out her candles.

"Hey guys, if I could just say something before I blow out these candles," Rae says, taking a deep breath. "For the last ten birthdays, my wish has always been exactly the same."

I'm a little stunned by these words. What on earth could her wish be? I quickly think, hoping we've given her everything she's always wanted.

"And yet, this year, something weird happened. It's like someone finally heard my wish and it came true. Or part of it. At least I thought it did. It gave me hope." She takes a shuddering breath, wiping a tear from under eye. "So, this year, instead of hoping that something or someone off who-knows-where hears me to make my wish come true, I've decided that, I'm going to say my wish out loud."

She exhales heavily and collects herself, shooting a smile at her father and me. We both smile back. "Mom, Dad, all I've ever wished for is for us to be a family again," she says simply, blowing out the candles.

I'm so shocked I miss my opportunity to snap a picture of her blowing out her candles. The first time ever I've missed that momentous occasion.

I guess shocked isn't even the right word. I feel like my heart has dropped to my stomach. When I hesitantly peek at Edward, I see his lips forming a small frown.

I shake my head and somehow hold back my tears, trying to figure out what to say to my daughter.

At least everyone is clapping, and I don't have to deal with their eyes on us. I let out a breath of my own and feel the tightness in my chest. It hurts. All these emotions are trying to surface and they're so great that my body can't contain them all.

But as soon as the clapping ends, I kindly gloss over what my daughter has said and start serving cake. What more can I do? I don't even know how to begin to address the subject, let alone what to say.

Alice helps me, and I'm thankful when she delivers Edward's and Piper's pieces. It saves me from having to go anywhere near them. Though, I'm sure he's going to have to explain the little comment Rae made about thinking her wish was already coming true.

Oh, if I could be a fly on the wall for that conversation.

I sit off to the side as everyone eats, but even away from the people, I feel like they're all watching me. While sit here, I think about what my daughter said and what I'm going to do about that.

I guess I've never considered how Rae truly feels on the subject. Also, it's never crossed my mind in that context, because Edward and I have always tried our best to make happy memories for her. All I've ever wanted was to provide her with that warmth I felt during my childhood. I just didn't think she was wanting for more from her parents. I thought we had done pretty well by her.

Apparently, I was wrong. That leaves a hollow ache in my chest that I can't seem to dash away.

The party is winding down. Rae opens her gifts and thanks everyone profusely. I carefully write down what everyone gave her; the motherly thing to do, and besides that, it means I don't have to respond to anyone asking questions.

I do, however, swallow my embarrassment and manage to thank the guests for coming before sending them on their way.

I wait for my moment to ask Edward for a minute to talk.

But when I turn around to spot him in the crowd of people, I notice he's nowhere to be found. I sigh and figure he's gone home...with Piper.

I finish up my hosting duties and begin to clean up. Alice hangs back and helps me. But I can't find Rae. I don't let it worry me, though. I'm sure she doesn't really want to talk about earlier yet. I'll have to find a way to broach that subject with her later.

"So, you wanna talk about it?" Alice asks as we put away the last of the leftovers.

I let out a yawn and shake my head. "Not tonight. Maybe tomorrow? Will you be around?"

She nods.

I'm going to try to talk to Rae on my own. I'm her mom, and if there's one thing I should be good at, it's talking to my daughter. And the worst case scenario is that I just have to call up Alice and talk to her. She'll help me if I need it.

"And Edward?"

I shrug. "I guess I'm not the only one who could sense a difference."

She closes her hands around my shoulders. I suck it up, though; I need to be strong, not only for myself, for my daughter, too. Apparently, our friendly, happy behavior hasn't only led me on. I need to be pristinely aware of that in the future.

"Bella…if you need to talk, please remember, you can call me anytime."

"Thanks, Alice," I say through a breath and walk her out.

Later that night, Rae texts me saying she's at her soccer friend's house, and asks if she can stay over. I let her; I know she doesn't want to face me. We'll cross that bridge when we get there. But right now, a night alone with the bottle of wine in the fridge sounds good.

I settle in front of the TV with my wine and a movie. I don't even pay much attention to what's on the screen. I'm just sipping on my glass and thinking. My mind wanders to Edward and the past few weeks. And the more I think about it, the more it all drives me crazy.

There are so many valid reasons for my feelings. And when I look back on things, I can't see any instance where it's glaringly obvious that the attraction and flirtation has been merely one-sided. It makes me even more insane.

I sit there feeling my anger begin to build all over again.

He didn't even say goodbye to me before he left tonight. Although I was relieved I didn't have to play nice with Piper again.

I can admit it hurt to see him with her.

And another glass of wine slips down my throat.

I get to the point where I'm going from sobbing to raving mad with heartbreak and anger for dragging my daughter's feelings into the situation. And just when it's all becoming far too much for me, I decide to call it a night.

It's for the best. I put the empty bottle on the counter and clean up the snacks I've munched on throughout the night.

Turning off the TV, as I'm about to climb the stairs for bed, there's a loud knock on the door.

I take a deep breath and turn to look at the oven clock. I see it's well past midnight and begin to think something's wrong. My wine-soaked mind begins to race, and I hurry to the door. I peek out the side light, fearing the worst—a police officer coming to tell me something horrible has happened to my daughter. But I'm equally as shocked to see Edward standing there.

My fear dissipates slightly and my mind calms briefly as I open the door.

"Edward?" My voice is hoarse from the crying earlier, and I quickly wonder how awful I look.

"Oh good, you're awake," he says, looking distracted.

My eyes lower into slits. Now I'm annoyed. What the fuck could he want? He brings another woman to our daughter's birthday party, and now he acts like it's nothing.

"Yeah, thanks to you. What do you need?" I lie, but I'm upset, so I feel the need to make him feel bad.

His tired eyes meet mine, and I can see he looks as worn as I feel. His hand immediately goes to the back of his neck and he starts rubbing. This sheepishness isn't going to get him out of trouble with me, but I can't deny it's adorable. It's one of his moves. He's always done it. And it brings me back to the sixteen-year-old Edward I fell in love with all those years ago.

"I'm sorry for waking you, Bella." I know he's sincere by the softness of his voice.

"It's fine," I say, feeling guilty for telling him he woke me up. "What brings you back here at this hour?"

"Um, I was wondering if I could come in for a moment?" His eyes are glistening with his question.

I want to say, "Hell no!" but somehow I garner some self-control. "Unless your car is broken down, I don't see a reason for you to come inside, Edward. I'm tired, and I just want to go to bed."

He huffs out a breath and looks around, as if searching for anything that will help him. "I just... I think we should talk."

I purse my lips together and swallow, trying to make my voice sound normal. There's no need for him to know what he's done to me.

"Oh yeah, what about? Our daughter? Her wishes? Us? Or better yet, your date tonight?"

His green eyes meet mine. "Bella…come on," he pleads.

Finally, I let out a shaky breath and step aside. Having Edward in my home is like a cup of cold water to the face; it's incredibly sobering.

I blink my watery eyes a few times to take him in, to really let myself believe that he's in my home to talk about us.

I turn and head for the kitchen; he follows behind me silently. There's no way I can do this without something else to fixate my mind on, and making food or a pot of the much-needed coffee seems like a good idea.

I get to work making some coffee while Edward takes a seat at the table. The very one he was in the other night for Rae's birthday dinner. Bitterness seeps into my peripheral, and I try to tamp it down, but it's damn near useless with the wine flowing through me.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" I ask, with my back to him. When I hear my tone, I shake my head at myself. I'm ridiculous.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm down, and steady myself as I pour the water in the back of the coffee maker.

He clears his throat. "I think it would be good to talk about what Rae said this afternoon. I mean, she has a point."

"A point about what?" I ask immediately. Because if he felt anywhere near what I felt, then maybe he needs to have his goddamn head examined. I dump the loose coffee grounds into the filter and slam the top shut.

I hit the power button and whip around, only to find him standing inches from me.

I gasp; I can't help myself. I wasn't expecting him to be right there.

"Bella, I think she's right." His voice is deep and there's definitely a strong vulnerability in his eyes. "We need to talk about what's been happening between us, and where we can go from here."

I purse my lips. "Oh yeah? Well, if she's right, and you truly feel that way, then why did you bring Peter Piper?"

Ugh, my bitterness is too much. I sound like a jealous teenager, but I can't manage to stop myself. My emotions are taking over, and I'm on major defense mode.

Edward smirks for a brief moment, but then reins it in. And it's a good thing too, because he was about to get kicked out. And possibly ball tapped too.

"Piper is a client who showed up a day early for a meeting and didn't have anything to do. I told her repeatedly that I was busy, but she made it seem as though this deal hinged on me hanging out with her today. I brought her to my daughter's birthday party so she could see what kind of business man I am. How I put my family first."

I sigh. "Sorry, but there's no way that she's just a client by the way she looked at you."

"Jealous?"

I shrug. "It's neither here nor there. So why bother wasting words?"

He sighs heavily. "Okay, I won't lie. I've been very lonely lately. Actually, I've been lonely for a long time." His eyes meet mine. "Things I thought were happening, didn't, and I was hoping my time with Piper might...develop into something more. I can't be alone for the rest of my life, Bella. I need someone." He shakes his head. "But honestly, after spending time with her today, showing her around, I can confidently say that we are more suited as friends."

"Turned you down, did she?" I quip.

"No. There was nothing there, Bella. I'm not interested in her. Moot point." He gazes down at me.

"I thought you were out of the Sahara?" I question, remembering quite well that he'd mentioned his drought ended.

He licks his lips. "Sometimes memories feel as good as the real thing."

I shake my head, chuckling, but it's not in the least humorous. The words he's saying are killing me, and I need to know if this is real or not. His eyes would make me melt if I let him. They're strong and steaming with passion. I can see where his heart lies, but I can't say for sure if this is solely hormones, or if he's really entertaining the idea of more. "What're you thinking, Edward?" I wonder, searching his face for the answer.

He doesn't answer me. Instead, he closes the already small distance between us in a few strides and kisses me with vigor that I haven't felt since…well, since we were married. While my mind briefly flits to the few guys I dated after our divorce, his hands grabbing my hips and bringing them flush to his, draws me right back to the present.

I kiss him back with all the emotions I've kept bottled for years. I'm done being passive—this is exactly what I've wanted, and I can't help myself from loving every second his lips are on mine.

Our tongues meet and tangle together. It's so unbelievable how after ten years apart we still find our rhythm so easily. I moan, and his hold on me tightens.

"Bella," he breathes, grabbing my face in his hands. "God, Bella...tell me you want this, want me."

I nod, looking right up into his deep green eyes. He's so intense; it's almost too much for me to handle.

He runs his fingers down my back, before leaning in and kissing a trail down my neck. It sets me over the edge and I pull off his shirt, leaving it right there in the hall. Somehow we find our groove, as if it was never lost. We stumble upstairs as I pull his belt from his jeans and undo them. He picks me up and tosses me down on the bed.

"I never wanted to let you go," he declares, hovering over me.

I close my eyes and breathe out, "I know."

He strips me bare—piece by piece. It's slow, and his eyes take in every inch of me as he goes, running his lips over all the skin he exposes. "Still so beautiful," he whispers into my breasts.

I push him back gently, and watch as he pulls off his pants and boxers. Except, before he can lie back down over me, I explore him with my lips and my hands, which don't seem to want to stop their trek. I feel every muscle and plain of his body; it's older yet still incredible sexy.

When he finally covers my body with his and slides into me, I am overwhelmed by the intensity of my feelings. In that moment, I'm transported back a decade in time, and my heart nearly jumps out of my chest. My breath hitches, and I clutch onto him in a desperate need to keep him close, as I blink away the tears that trail down my cheeks.

Edward kisses them away as he thrusts, slow and steady, within me. We move together in the most beautiful rhythm, with no words shared, only soft caresses and whispered moans, until we're both sated and blissful.

Wrapping our arms around each other, we fall into a comfortable embrace, hearts beating wildly, eyes speaking volumes.

I'll see you guys soon, in the mean time, let me know what you think about their reunion. A huge thanks to MC! She's my savior!