10)Visitors
I run with Bella through the woods. You heard me right I run.
Bella knows to certain extent about the secret. She knows about the speed, skin, strength, heightened senses and of course the never aging or eating thing. Actually the only reason she isn't aware of the fact that she lives with monsters is that at the age of four or so Emmett got her obsessed with super heroes and that's how she has always thought about us.
So that is why I could just run with her to our cottage without her freaking out.
In no more than two minutes I skid to a stop at the front door and let her jump of my back. She is so used to the running by now that stepping of my back was like stepping out of a car to her. She has never been bothered by it, since this was the way I transported her from the cottage to the house and back since the cottage was finished. Which was only two weeks after Bella moved in with us.
So by the time that she was able to stay awake during the run and care about the speed, she was too used to it. Anny other human might, under the same circumstances, start to consider this normal. But my Bella is a smart girl and she knows very well it's not normal. I'll tell you all about this later, but for now let's proceed the events of tonight shall we?
I take a second to decide in which language I want her to tell me about her day today. It's sort of an evening ritual for us. It helps her to practice her French and Spanish.
"Y cariño. ¿Que tal te fue hoy?" I finally ask in Spanish, while getting inside and helping Bella prepare for tonight's diner. "Gran papá!" she exclaims. This is followed with a long story about the new recipes she had tried out and wants to make tonight. About how she helped Esmé to plan the redecoration of the living room. She's a little bit ashamed when she admits that aunt Rose has yet to manage awakening any interest for cars in her. I reassure her that it's alright if she isn't interested in it. She would impress any car fan with her knowledge on the subject regardless. Finally we settle on the makeover Alice gave her.
"Ver lo que ha hecho tía Alice con mi pelo." She said turning around to give me a good look on Alice's latest masterpiece. Alice had made a small braid on either side of her head and woven it into her hair so they would stay in place. The two beads joined each other at the back of her head. The main braid had a new strand added to it to keep it in place. You'll wonder what has taken Alice so long to do this. Well it where the delicate crystal beads in her braids that hadn't allowed her to rush it. It looks beautiful, as if there are stars in her hair. Beautiful but not very practical.
"Looks good, but I don't think the beads should be included on your first school day… maybe on your first dance though." I say in English, making it clear to her that the exercise is over.
I frown lightly when I think about some hormonal teenage boy holding my daughter at a dance. He better not take advantage of her or he was dead.
I smile brightly at Bella when she looks at me. She does that to me. No matter what mood I'm in, one look at Bella and I'm smiling like a fool.
"You know I don't dance dad." She tells me blushing. Bella does dance, with me.
"Nonsense we danced yesterday. Don't you remember?" I ask.
"Yeah! But with you my feet don't touch the ground. When they do, I fall or step on someone's toes." She points out. I do tend to lift her on my feet when we dance that's true. But I'm sure that if she ever overcomes her insecurities she'll be the best dancer the world has ever seen. I let the discussion go however. My Bella is way too stubborn to argue with about these kind of things. That is when I hear the Blacks approaching.
"Let's prepare the table, I think your friends will be here soon." I tell her exited. Bella nods and reaches for the plates in the cupboard and hands them over to me. She knows I won't join for dinner, because of my special diet. She cooked for me once, and I liked it… again I'll tell you about that later.
I sigh sadly when I realize how big my little girl has become.
She'll go to high school at the end of the summer and from that moment on, I'll have no choice but to admit that Bella is too old to be my daughter.
A ring pulls me back to reality. Dinner is ready. Bella runs over to the oven to retrieve the potatoes and checks on the stew.
"Everything is ready!" She declares proudly. I walk over to her and take the pan from the fire while turning it off. We set everything on the table, overlook our work and give each other a high five.
And as on cue, that is when Jacob knocks on the door.
"It's open!" Bella calls out.
"Hello Bell! Mr Cullen," Jacob says while coming in. That's weird, Bella's dad usually gets rid of that stupid make up as soon as he can. Why is he still wearing it?
The Black children are aware of my true nature, but Jacob nor his sisters ever call me a cold one when Bella is around. They know Bella gets mad whenever anyone ever begins to suggest something bad about me, my siblings or my parents. That and I've been some sort of an uncle for them as long as I have been a father for my Bella. The girls realized what was going on before Bella learned to talk and I had them making me a pinky promise to never tell Bella about 'the cold ones'. Jake followed their lead.
But his thoughts do bring the otherwise annoying make-up to my attention. Why haven't I taken it off? The answer comes to me when I study the image of me and Bella in Jacobs head. In this image I look old enough to be Bella's actual father. I liked that image more than the one that would make me look like her brother or something.
I look up to look at Billy. The poor man has lost his soul mate years ago. Even my father couldn't save her after the accident. Billy's only reason to continue to exist are his children and the fact that he trusts them to my care when he needs to work late or has to meet with his pack means a lot to me.
"How are you doing Billy?" I ask. I'm well aware that today exactly 10 years ago he last saw his wife alive. This is always a hard day to him.
"I'm alright Edward thank you." He gives me a small smile and turns to his children.
"Girls take care. Jacob watch your sisters." He tells them. Normally the girls would've protested, but they are as well aware of the date. Jacob squares his shoulders and nods to his father.
Jacob is a good kid. He has good manners and has a lot of respect for his father. He was also very close to Bella. Billy and I often joked about their friendship and to be honest we embarrassed him in front of her a lot. And Bella always stood up for him. It was so cute.
But he better not lay a hand on her. I inhaled deeply. This happens a lot lately. I get possessive and my thoughts take a dark turn. Again the not aging thing. Partly. There are more reasons some are clear to me, like my father instinct and Bella's fragility that awakens the protective side in me. But there is something more and I don't know what.
"I won't be home until after midnight. So I'll pick you up in the morning. If that is alright with you?" He looks at me and I nod my head. Ever since he saw me kissing a wound on her knee better without attacking her he believed that I could be save around humans.
Yeah that's another new thing in my life. My self-control is almost as good as Carlisle's.
"Go ahead Billy. You don't want to be late." I say. He nods and leaves.
"Come on kids don't led the food get cold. I'll join you kids for a movie later but I need to finish some work." I smile and kiss Bella's forehead. I inhale her sent and appreciate how well it mixes with the scent of her strawberry shampoo.
"Be a good hostess for your friends young lady." I whisper in her ear.
She looks up, her eyes lighting up with those sparks that warms my heart.
"I will dad." I squeeze her shoulder gently and leave the room. Time to finish my daughters 14th birthday present.
Hello sweethearts! I hope you enjoyed this chapter cause I know I did. Leave me some love and daddyward will come to babysit you!
