To make up for the last chapter being shorter, here is a much longer one. I know you all are getting pretty anxious with the UST, but I wanted this to be realistic, and realistically, these two respect each other enough not to jeopardize their careers. But keep in mind, it's Thanksgiving week, so when they return to school after this chapter, our Edward and Bella only have three more weeks before Edward graduates...
Special thanks to the incredible ladies on The FicWhisperer Recommends for taking my newbie self under their wings and letting me join their fun. They have been so amazingly kind and supportive. To sfspeedy, thank you for enduring my back and fourth PM's just to make sure I got to be part of the group. To Nicffwhisperer, thank you for letting me be a part of your wonderful group. To everyone who has reviewed, recommended, shared, favorited, etc. this story, THANK YOU! On this (story world) Thanksgiving Day, I give thanks to you all. Happy reading!
I do not own Twilight.
Rose, Emmett, Alice, Jasper, Edward, and I sat around a big round table in AJ's. Rose and Emmett had gone to dinner with their parents after the game, so we'd agreed to meet later to celebrate. We'd let Alice and Jasper know the exciting news, and now here we were, late into the night, drinking, gushing over details, and shooting the shit. We were the only ones here, as the bar had closed an hour earlier.
"Emmett, I can't believe you didn't tell me what was up. Especially yesterday, when you were acting all weird," I said with a furrowed brow in mock anger. Emmett just shrugged, took a sip of beer, and leaned back in his chair looking proud of himself. I wasn't truly angry, but Emmett and I told each other a lot, so I was going to have some fun giving him hell about it.
"If you hadn't just proposed to my best friend, I swear to Lucifer a rabid dog would be feasting on your danglers right now," I glared.
"Whatever, Balla. It's a moo point. It's like a cow's opinion; it doesn't matter. It's moo," Emmett said.
I made a gesture with my hands, pointing at my eyes and then back at Emmett.
"Unagi. I'm always aware," I said sternly.
"Ohh, here come the meat sweats," Emmett replied, taking a large bite out of one of the hot wings on his plate.
"What...what are they doing?" Edward asked Rose.
"Randomly quoting 'Friends'," she said with a sigh, reaching to grab a fry from Emmett's plate.
"Hey! Joey doesn't share food!" Emmett bellowed, and he and I both fell into a fit of laughter.
"You two are ridiculous," Rose laughed.
"Okay, who wants to pop this opened?" Jasper asked, holding up the bottle of cheap champagne that Edward and I had picked up before coming over.
"Ohh, it's the pink kind. My favorite!" Alice gushed, hopping up to grab six clean glasses from behind the bar as Jasper untwisted the top.
"That's my wife," Jasper sighed with a grin.
"You married a real classy one," Edward laughed.
Alice walked back then, reaching between Edward and me to set the glasses on the table, popping Edward back in the head before she moved back to her seat.
"I don't have any champagne flutes, so I hope whiskey glasses are okay," Alice shrugged.
Jasper poured us each a few sips, and once we all had a glass, we lifted them up to toast.
"To friends!" Jasper called.
"To family!" Alice said next.
"To marriage!" Rose gushed.
"To hot wings!" Emmett laughed.
"To big ass diamond rings!" I cheered, as Rose waved her sparkling left hand in the air. Everyone went in to clink their glasses in toast when I felt a hand lightly squeeze my knee.
"To cold football games," Edward said low enough so that only I could hear. And even though we were warm now, I still felt a chill run down my spine.
The following Monday, Edward and I were in the classroom about 20 minutes early for school. We didn't have much to prepare, because we would only be here for two days this week before we had Thanksgiving break. Since we were starting a new novel, we planned to go over the first couple of chapters the students had been assigned to read over the weekend and discuss the book thus far.
"So, Miss Swan," Edward asked, sitting in his uncomfortable brown desk chair, swiveling back and fourth with his arms crossed in front of him. He looked marginally more at ease than he had just a few months ago. "What are your plans for the holiday?" he asked.
"Well, my old man is coming up with his lady friend for the day. Then, I suppose I will curl up on the couch and watch whatever movie is marathoning on ABC Family," I shrugged. "Lord, it sounds so pathetic when I say it out loud," I chuckled.
"Your dad isn't staying?" He asked.
"Naw, he and Sue are going to stop here to spend the day with me, but then they are heading on to Myrtle Beach for a long weekend. This is one time of year where he can afford to take more time off, and with Sue's schedule, it's rare that they get this much time off together," I shrugged. "She's a nurse," I answered, by way of explanation to the question I could see on Edward's face.
"What about Monica and Chandler?" Edward asked, and I let out a very unladylike snort of laughter.
"Her parents have a big dinner with all of their relatives. Em and his parents will go over there. They usually just spend the night there so that Rose and her mom can get up early to go Black Friday shopping," I shrugged, and Edward wrinkled his nose.
"Yeah, I don't know. They are pretty well off, but you know how some people just love a good bargain," I said. "I mean, personally, I don't get the appeal. I dig a good deal, and I work hard to be a baller on a budget, but Black Friday shoppers are cray," I said.
"Tell me about it. I went a few years ago with my dad and Riley so we could try to get my mom a washer and dryer she really wanted. We got in line around midnight, and by the time the store opened, everyone in line behind us crowded in and got ahead of us. My dad's a nice man, but I nearly thought he was going to end up behind bars that day," Edward laughed.
"Speaking of momma and poppa Cullen, what are your plans? Going home for the weekend?" I asked, though part of me was hoping that if he was, it wouldn't be the entire weekend.
"No, mom and dad will come up here. Riley and his wife live about 20 minutes up I-20, so it just makes more sense for my parents to come here to all the kids. We all go to AJ's to help Jasper and Alice prepare a huge Thanksgiving feast every year at the bar. They open it up to anyone who needs food but has nowhere to go. They set up games for kids and cook a ton of food. It's actually really fun. We will probably be there most of the night. You should come once your parents head out," Edward smiled.
"Wow, that's pretty awesome of them," I said, in awe of this family, but not incredibly surprised, considering what a kind soul Edward was.
"Yeah, Jasper's parents will stop by, too," Edward shrugged, and not for the first time, I was struck with the desire to know such a big family. Both of my parents had been only children, so I had no blood related aunts, uncles or cousins. My grandparents had all passed, too. My family was incredibly small.
"I might stop by after my dad and Sue leave," I said, and it earned me a big smile from Edward. The bell rang after that, and I watched Edward make the easy transition into confident teacher. Each week he seemed more sure of himself, and I swelled with pride every time I watched him step to the front of the class.
It was a bitter sweet feeling to know that after Thanksgiving, he'd only be in the classroom for two more weeks. He was going to teach full time in those two weeks, and there would be a constant parade of advisors and superiors in nearly each day to observe and evaluate him. He wouldn't be here for the last week of school because he was going to be spending three days taking his Praxis exams, and then he was graduating.
That both thrilled and depressed me. I was so used to having him by my side this year, and it amazed me how quickly I'd taken to sharing my position. I wasn't sure what his plan for the next semester was, but I knew that mine was going to be significantly less exciting.
The next day, once our afternoon English class got settled, Edward took over. I sat at my desk, evaluation form in hand, quietly taking attendance while he launched into his lesson for the day, the discussion of the fifth and sixth chapters of "Lord of the Flies."
I got to the last row of students and realized that one of my students was missing. Her locker wasn't far from my room, and I knew I'd seen her earlier. Her best friend was sitting in the seat in front of the empty desk, so as quietly as possible, I snuck over there and bent beside her desk.
"Kelly," I whispered quietly, squatting beside her desk. "Where's Alex?" I asked.
"I don't know, Miss Swan. We were sitting together at lunch, but when I got back from the canteen, she was gone. Jaime said she saw her walking into the bathroom and that she looked upset, but I didn't have time to go check before the bell rang," Kelly whisper-replied. She nervously pushed a fallen lock of light red hair behind her ear, her pale blue-grey eyes wide with concern.
"Okay, I'll go look for her. Just relax and try to focus on Mr. Cullen's lesson, okay?" I said, standing and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. When my students hurt, I hurt. But one thing I'd learned early on was to never let them see your vulnerability. They depended on the strength of their teachers, often more than they depended on anyone else.
I quietly walked from the classroom, meeting Edward's eye and giving him a slight nod towards the door and mouthing "be right back" to him. He nodded but continued talking, making his way to the smart board to go further into his lesson. He didn't seem in the slightest bit uncomfortable at being left without me in the room, and I had no qualms leaving him for a bit.
I walked the quiet halls quickly, knowing Alex could be in any number of bathrooms in this school. I checked the ones closest to my classroom first, then moved over to the ones in the math and science wing. She wasn't in there, so I backtracked through the halls to the bathrooms across from the library, but again the stalls were empty.
I felt a restless since of helplessness as I stood in the hallway. The school seemed so much more vast when the halls were void of students. The only sounds I could hear were the rising voices of teachers as I walked past classrooms, some louder if their doors were opened, others muffled by closed doors.
Finally, I remembered one other bathroom, on the other side of the school. I made a quick trek through the now empty lunchroom, remembering there was one larger bathroom across from the auditorium, beside the gymnasium.
Before I even entered the bathroom completely, I heard a quiet sob.
"Alex?" I called as I walked in, though not too loudly. "Alexander, it's Miss Swan. Are you in here, honey?" I asked again.
I heard an intake of breath in response and stopped when I got to the fourth stall, where I saw Alex's book bag lying beside her sneaker covered feet.
Alexander Youmans was one of the brightest, most promising students I'd had in a while. She'd been in a study hall of mine before, but this was my first year as her teacher. She excelled in all of her classes, and I knew next year she'd be in the AP class. She was also one of the top players on the volleyball team. There was even talk of her playing for a few area colleges, though because she was only a junior now, that was merely speculation. But I believed she could and would excel given that chance. She was also one of the kindest students I had. She was quiet but friendly, and she never went a day without saying hello to me in class. So to hear her now, in utter despair, was both frightening and heartbreaking.
"Alex, sweetie, I was worried when you weren't in class," I called, leaning to the door.
"I'm so-sorry, Miss Swan," she replied through more sobs. "I didn't want to get in trouble for missing your class, but I had to get—get away for a minute," she said.
"You aren't in any trouble, Alex. I really am just worried about you. I can wait out here for you, whenever you're ready," I said, knowing I wasn't going anywhere without her.
A few seconds later, the latch on the door clicked, and Alex pulled opened the stall door. She was sitting on the toilet, her elbows on her knees, her face in her hands. Her hair, filled with long, thin braids, was pulled back behind her, though a few braids fell around her face. I could see dark spots on her thighs where her blue nylon athletic pants had caught her tears.
I heard my legs pop as I bent to squat in front of her, gently placing my hand on her left knee.
"Alex, sweetie, what happened? You seemed okay this morning," I urged. "Talk to me, honey," I nudged, and she lifted her face to meet my gaze. Her deep brown eyes, rimmed red with sadness, stared back at me. Her usually smooth, brown cheeks were rough with tear tracks.
"It's—it's really stupid. And embarrassing," she mumbled.
"Alex," I said, leaning down on my knees to balance myself better, placing both of my hands around hers to cradle them. "If something causes you to feel emotion, whether good or bad, then it is never stupid," I gently chided, because no child should ever be made to feel lesser for the way he or she feels.
"Do you want to tell me about it? You don't have to," I assured. "But you know you can trust me if you need to," I finished.
Alex sat there, and I could see the contemplation on her face. I knew she needed to talk to someone, to get this hurt off of her chest, and I only hoped she knew that she could trust me.
"It's Victoria," she said, and I knew immediately who she meant. Victoria Proser was a senior on the volleyball team, and a notoriously mean girl. She may have been one of the few students in this school who fit into the stereotype Emmett had in his head of high schoolers. I'd never taught her, but her reputation proceeded itself. I was instantly on alert.
"Did she hurt you? When did it happen? At practice or a game? Or during school?"
"Well, it kind of started earlier, and then she took it really far at lunch," Alex said. "You—you can't say anything, Miss Swan. If she finds out I told, I'm going to be even more on her hit list," Alex said quickly, nervously pulling hair out of her face.
"Shh, it's okay, it's okay. I just need to know what happened. We will decide how to best handle it after that," I consoled, patting her hands and reassuring her that I wouldn't let anything else happen to her. "But you do need to tell me what she did. It concerns another student and it happened at school. It needs to come from you before it has time to perpetuate." Alex grimaced at that.
"There were so many other people around, Miss Swan. I can't imagine what's already being said," she shook her head side to side.
"Well, why don't you tell me the truth, okay?" I asked, and she looked back up at me before taking a large, steadying breath.
"She's always been kind of mean to me, but never really outright, you know? Like, it's usually just been mean looks, or bumping into me. But today, after weight lifting, I went back to the locker room to change and found this sticking out of my book bag," Alex said, handing me a crumpled piece of paper. I opened it to see that it read, in large writing, "Dyke."
"Oh," I breathed, and Alex put her head down again, her chin against her chest, as if she could will her body to fold in on itself and disappear.
"I don't know who else saw it," she mumbled. "But I know half of the lunchroom heard her at lunch," she continued. I was afraid to ask. I was already seeing red in anger at Victoria, and I knew I was going to have to control my emotions for whatever horror Alex was about to tell me next.
"What did she say?" I whispered, looking straight into Alex's eyes as she looked back at me.
"She walked up to me, while I was sitting alone. Kelly had gone to the canteen. She walked up and said, really loudly, that she'd seen me staring at her while she was changing clothes in the locker room and that she thought I was disgusting and needed to find a new girl to look at," Alex said, a fresh wave of silent tears pooling in her eyes, falling lightly down her cheeks.
"Alex, no," I whispered, feeling my own face heat with anger.
"So many people heard her, Miss Swan. As if her scrawny body had any appeal," she said, then clasped a hand over her mouth, though I only gave her a small smile in return.
I stood, bringing Alex with me to stand. I grabbed her hand in mine and reached for her book bag, pulling her out of the stall and standing her against the counter.
I set her bag beside her and then moved to grab a few brown paper towels, running them under cool water. I rung them out, folded them neatly, and then walked back over to her.
"Here, to clean your face," I said quietly, handing her the towels and then reaching for a few more to dry my own hands.
"She isn't going to get away with this, Alex. I do have to report this, but I assure you it will not be known to the student body that it came from you. You just said half the lunchroom heard her. Unfortunately, that means that it likely will make its way around school, in who knows what kind of distorted fashion," I said, and she shook her head.
"Hey," I said, placing my hands on her shoulders and bringing her attention back to me. "Just because she said it, doesn't make it true," I said. Alex grew quiet, and I stood there, giving her the time she needed. Finally, she spoke again.
"What if...what if it is true?" Alex asked, in barely more than a whisper.
"Well, then Victoria should consider herself blessed to have caught your attention," I smirked, reaching up to brush Alex's pretty hair behind her ear.
"Ugh, no, Miss Swan. Not that part. This part," she said, holding the paper out again.
"Alex, you listen to me. Who you love, who you find yourself in—well, that person is going to be incredibly lucky. It doesn't matter if that other person happens to be of the same gender as you or not. What matters is that the person makes you happy, fulfills you. Love doesn't know gender, or race, or religion. Love only knows itself—pure, honest, passionate," I said, willing her to believe me. It was an incredibly sad world that we lived in, a world so unkind to that which it doesn't understand. I ached for Alex, not because she was born to love a different way than many believe is acceptable, but because there were always going to be Victoria's in her life.
"So, it doesn't matter that this—this is who I am?" she asked, and it broke my heart all over again to see how unsure of herself she was.
"Alex, who you are? Who you are is an incredible athlete, a top student, and a gentle soul. You posses the kindest of hearts, and although that unfortunately makes it susceptible to breaking, it also shows me your strength. You are beautiful and funny. And," I hesitated before finishing, "you better not repeat this, but I have it on good authority that you are well loved among the faculty. I can't speak for all of your teachers, but consider yourself one of the favorites to Mr. Cullen and me," I said with a wink.
She chuckled, and I finally got to see the pretty smile she usually wore.
"Look, life gets tough, and bitches like Victoria are going to come and go. But what matters is that you remember that no matter how many people like her you have to deal with, you are stronger than that. It is pretty inevitable that people like her peak in high school and then get left in the dust. I can already see her being merely a speck on your life's map. You got me?" I said, bending my head a little to catch her eyes and get her to look up again.
"I got you, Miss Swan," she grinned.
"Come on. Let's get back to class. Some of the students are probably drowning in their own drool with Mr. Cullen teaching them," I laughed, and I got a good laugh out of Alex. We walked side by side back through the cafeteria, making our way through the quiet halls to the far end of the school where the classroom was.
"Miss Swan?" she asked, though she was speaking very quietly now. I stopped to look at her. "Promise me you won't, you know, say anything. I know the rumors are going to spread, but I don't really even know if I've confirmed it to myself. That I'm, you know, gay," she all but mouthed the word she said it so quietly.
"Only if you promise me one thing in return," I said with a smirk. When she looked at me in question, I leaned in and said quietly, "promise me you won't tell anyone that I totally called another student the B word back there," I chuckled.
"I promise, Miss Swan. Though, I have to admit, that will probably stand out as the highlight of my high school career," she laughed, and the lightness was returning to her eyes. I laughed with her and put my arm around her shoulders, grateful that I could be there for her through what she would inevitably remember as the day she accepted herself.
The rest of the day went by uneventfully, and now that students had left for break, Edward and I were sitting in the classroom talking. We didn't have much work to do, but before we left, he'd asked that I fill him in.
And I swear, if I wasn't already head over ass in deep like with this man, I would have been after his reaction.
"Are you kidding me? She said what? About Alex? Ugh, that little-" he started, pacing in front of my desk, gripping his perfectly gelled hair between his fingers. I jumped in to cut him off.
"Careful," I said. "We are still at the school. But trust me, I feel the same way. I didn't think it was possible to get that angry the day before a five day break from school," I shrugged. "But I think Alex is going to be okay. She's a strong girl," I reminded him.
"But still. She shouldn't have to have her life broadcast like that, especially through slanderous accusations. What kind of justice is that?" he asked.
"It's not," I said sadly, agreeing with him and longing, as I often did, for a way to make life easier for these kids.
"Damn it, high schoolers are real assholes," he said, and it was the angriest I think I'd ever seen him.
"Oh, I would definitely go with that when your advisor comes next week," I snorted, and he looked at me, breaking into a grin.
"You know what I mean," he shrugged.
"Yeah, I do. Now come on, let's head out. There is absolutely no reason for us to still be here right now. It's Thanksgiving break, and I am ready to put my fat pants on and run a train up on some turkey and dressing," I said, slinging my bag over my shoulder.
We walked to the front office to say our goodbyes to the few who were still left, and I noticed Vice Principal Newton in the hall in front of the office speaking with Victoria and a man who I assumed was her father.
I'd gone to talk with Mike during my planning period. He'd already heard a lot of the story in bits and pieces from other students, and had already compiled a list of 11 students who were willing to vouch for what they heard. I had to hand it to Mike—he was really good at his job. And even though he looked like a dork, he really had a good heart and a passion for this school and his students.
"Is that her?" Edward asked, pulling me from my thoughts.
"Yeah, and I assume that's her dad," I said. The guy beside her had a big balding spot on the top of his head with wisps of grey hair that trailed into a long, thin ponytail down his back. He was wearing dirty jeans and work boots with a short-sleeved grey t-shirt, and I noticed a few tattoos on his arms, faded with time. But it was his face, drawn in a stern scowl, that made him intimidating.
"What a creepy looking mother fucker," I whispered to Edward, then threw my hand over my mouth. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," I said hurriedly, only to see Edward shaking with silent laughter.
"Seriously, Edward, I never talk like that. I don't know what came over me," I said, my mortification masking my face as we walked to our cars.
"It's fine, Bella. Really," he said, still laughing.
We got to my car and I quietly hopped in, my head still hanging in shame at my crass words.
"I know I can be, you know, not lady like all the time. But I promise I don't make it a habit to talk that way, mainly for fear of slipping up in front of the kids," I said. Man, calling Victoria a bitch and then dropping an F bomb at Edward. I was clearly vying for Teacher of the Year at this point.
"Bella, relax. It's really okay," he said, reaching his hand into my now opened window, twirling my hair between his fingers as usual. It wasn't as cold as it had been over the weekend, and the sun was beating down brightly, causing the car to feel warm. I put the key in to crank it up and turned back to Edward.
"Well, have a good break, Miss Swan. I'm looking forward to seeing you at AJ's," he smiled.
"Me too, Edward," I said. "I will text you when my dad leaves and I get ready to head over there," I said, though I was sure we would speak before Thursday.
"Sounds good. Be safe driving home," he said, moving to turn, but then turning back and leaning farther into my car.
"Oh, and Bella?" he whispered, his face close to mine, his eyes pulling mine to his.
"Yes?" I asked.
"Hearing you say...that word...was actually kind of hot," he said, then winked and turned to walk to his car.
Holy butt, that was unexpected. What was I doing to my sweet, shy Edward? I sighed and drove home, shaking my head at the continued weirdness that was our relationship.
I woke up early Thanksgiving morning to shower and get ready for my dad and Sue to arrive. They were getting here at 11 so that we could finish cooking at eat at 12. I'd spent most of the day before baking. I'd made two pecan pies, one for us to have here, and one to take to AJ's. I'd also made a red velvet cake and an extra pan of my mom's stuffing recipe. She was born in Pennsylvania, and even though what I'd made wasn't technically the northern version because it hadn't actually been stuffed in a turkey to be cooked, it was close. And it was delicious. Sue was also bringing a pan of her southern dressing. She made homemade cornbread and biscuits for it, and it was seriously amazing. I could happily make a meal off of it today.
I was setting the table as Rose walked down the hall, dressed in a pretty black dress, her favorite heals, and decked out in her best jewelry. Her family had a more formal dinner, and since Emmett's parents were here and much of her family would be in town, they were using it as an excuse to celebrate the engagement, too.
"Hey, hot stuff," I called.
"Hey babe, you look cute," she said. I was wearing a long sleeved, sheer flowing navy button down shirt with leggings and flats. It was pretty generic but also made me feel feminine. It was appropriate for the weather, which had decided to warm up a bit as it often did around this time. South Carolina weather was incredibly unpredictable. Some years, Christmas could be spent wrapped tight in blankets around the fire. Other years, you'd need to crank up your attic fan and turn the air conditioner back on.
"Thanks," I smiled. "Charlie and Sue should be here soon. I know he wanted to see you before you left," I said, reaching into the cabinet for three plates and three bowls. I stacked them on the counter and moved to the drawer to pull out three sets of silverware.
I walked over the table to set it while Rose breezed through the kitchen, sneaking a bite of fudge off of the tray I'd made.
Just then, there was a nock on our door, and I excitedly ran over to open it.
"Daddy!" I called happily, wrapping my arms up around his neck.
"Hey, bumble bee," he whispered, placing a kiss on my head, and even through my hair I could feel the roughness of his goatee.
I hugged him tight before letting go and moving past him to get to Sue.
"Sue sue!" I said, wrapping my arms around her waist and inhaling her signature scent. She still wore the same Mary Kay perfume she'd been wearing for years, and it made me think of their home, of the life I lived with them in Augusta.
"Oh, Bella, honey!" Sue said, and I heard a sniffle. I sniffled back, unable to help myself.
We looked at each other, at the tears in our eyes, and laughed softly with each other.
"I'm so glad you guys are here," I said with a smile, suddenly wishing they were staying longer. My time with them always seemed somehow never enough.
"Hey, Mr. Mustache," I heard Rose call to my dad, and I had to laugh. "Wait, you grew more? Well, hell, Chuck, you look like the Colonel Sanders," she laughed, and I swear I'd have gotten a glare if I said that to him. But because it was Rose, he just laughed and pulled her in for a gentle hug.
"Rosalie, sweetie, let us see it!" Sue called, making her way to Rose and reaching for her hand. Rose lifted her left hand and showed us the heart of the freaking ocean she was wearing. It got more beautiful every time I saw it, and Sue, Rose and I all collectively squealed in reaction. Not one to be left out, Charlie let out a mock squeal behind us, too.
We all laughed before dad went back down the stairs to get the box of food they'd brought. Sue had cooked a turkey and cut it up to bring, as well as a sweet potato casserole. I'd made the green bean casserole and dessert, and I had macaroni and cheese cooking in the crockpot now.
When dad got back, he and Rose went to sit in the living room and catch up while Sue joined me in the kitchen to put the finishing touches on dinner. I was in the process of whisking up a rue for the gravy when I felt her step up beside me.
"So how are things with your student practitioner?" She asked, working on pealing the eggs I'd boiled for deviled eggs.
"Oh, good good. He's doing really well. I really think he's going to be a great teacher," I said, spouting off the generic, albeit true, statement I felt like I'd been giving to everyone who has asked about Edward.
"Oh, that's good. He is under the best instruction possible, so I'm sure he's good at his job," Sue said. I looked at her with a smile, and something in my look must have given me away.
"Bella, are you blushing? You never blush!" She loudly whispered.
"Oh, I'm just hot from working over the stove," I said. That part was true.
Just then, my dad walked in and dipped his finger into the boiled egg yolk, mustard, mayo mix that would fill the deviled eggs.
"Oh, go on, you. It's almost done," Sue scolded.
"I can't help it. You know deviled eggs are my favorite," dad said.
"Phew, I feel for you riding in the car with him this afternoon," I said, dramatically waving to hand in front of my face.
"Me? You should try sleeping beside this one. She will wake me up in the middle of the night just to let one rip, chuckle, and roll over," Charlie said, and Sue grabbed a dish towel to reach over and pop him one.
Rose was sitting at the bar laughing and nibbling on the olive tray.
"That ring really is stunning, Rosalie," Sue smiled, diverting the conversation away from her flatulence.
"Oh, thank you. He did such a good job picking it out. He apparently even went to that big fancy store in Augusta, across from the National," Rose said.
"I know. He called me when he came down a month or so ago. Played a round of golf and had some lunch, too," Charlie said, reaching to the olive tray in front of Rose and swiping a few.
"Wait, you knew?" I asked.
"I knew he was in town for an errand. He didn't say what for or why. Boy can keep a secret," Charlie said, moving his hand to run his fingers over his goatee before scratching his chin underneath it. It was going to take some getting used to that face fur.
The oven beeped then, and I reached in to pull out the green bean casserole, bumping the temperature as low as possible so that Sue could put in her casserole dishes to warm before we ate.
"Hey, Rosie, did you hear about the two blondes walking down the street?"
Rose sighed at the same time Sue and I groaned. Dad couldn't resist a joke, especially when he had an actual blonde here to listen.
"I didn't," she replied with a smirk.
"One of them said to the other, 'hey, look at that dog with only one eye.' The other one put her hand over her eye and said 'where?'"
Dad and Sue were preparing to leave around three, after we'd enjoyed our meal and they helped me to clean up.
"Sorry we can't stay longer, Bee. We want to get on to the beach for check in," my dad explained.
"It's fine, dad. We will see each other in a few weeks anyway," I shrugged. I was spending the week of Christmas with my mom and Phil, and would head to dad and Sue's for a couple of nights when I got back.
"Besides," I started as dad put his arm around me and pulled me into him. "You guys will be close to the outlet malls, and you know, they do have a Michael Kors outlet..." I joked. Sue just looked at me with a wink before giving me a hug.
"I love you guys. Be safe," I said.
"We love you, too, Bumble Bee," dad said, bending to pick up the box of Sue's now empty casserole dishes.
Before they left, dad turned to me one last time with a quick, "Hey, Bee, what do vampires call Thanksgiving?"
"I don't know, dad. What?"
"Fangs-giving!" He deadpanned in his best Dracula voice.
I pulled into AJ's an hour later with my own box full of food for the big feast. I was still miserably full myself, but I was excited about helping with the dinner with Edward and his family.
I opened my back door and made quick work of pulling my purse up high on my shoulder so that I could use both hands to carry the box. Once I had it out, I spent a few seconds trying to figure out how I'd shut the door. I was about to turn and use my back to close it when I heard someone beside me say, "here, let me help you with that."
I turned to see Riley, who I recognized from Edward's pictures. He was even taller than he looked in the pictures. His dark hair was cut short around his face. He looked comfortable in a long sleeved shirt and jeans, and even though I knew he and Edward weren't connected by blood, they reminded me a lot of each other.
"Oh, thank you!"
Riley reached to grab the box from me as we walked to the entrance.
"I'm Riley, by the way," he said as we approached the door. I scooted ahead and went to hold the door for him, since his hands were full.
"It's nice to meet you. I'm-"
"Bella!" I heard Alice call excitedly, waving to me from behind the bar before quickly going back to whatever she was doing.
"...Bella," I finished with a laugh.
Riley set the box on the bar and held out his hand to shake mine.
"Likewise. So you are the teacher Ed's been working with?" He asked.
"That's me," I smiled. "And you're 'Ed's' brother, right?"
"That's me," he repeated. "And that stunner over there is my wife, Emily," he said. I looked over to see a tall, thin woman with long brown hair smiling brightly as she put out turkey center pieces on each table. She was wearing a black and white striped maxi skirt with a simple long sleeved black t-shirt, which stretched slightly over the small swell of her belly. Upon hearing her name, Emily looked up and walked over.
"So you're Bella? Well it's so nice to meet you. You've really been great for Edward," she smiled, her hand drifting absentmindedly to her stomach.
"Oh," I grinned, and why the hell was I blushing again? This blushing business was totally Edward's thing.
"Well he has been wonderful to have in class. And he's become a cherished friend," I said, smiling brightly. Emily nodded as Riley towered beside her, putting his arm around her shoulders and reaching his other hand to her stomach to rub lightly.
"Hey, Bella," I heard, and I looked up to see Edward walking from the kitchen. "Sorry, I wanted to come out and help you but my mom had me elbow deep up a turkey," he laughed.
"No worries. What can I do to help?" I asked.
"Most of it is done. Come on, I let me take you to meet my parents," he said, and I felt the nerves in my stomach kick in.
I wasn't sure what Edward was telling his family about me, but I hoped it didn't make me sound like a predator going after their youngest son. I mean, our age difference didn't bother me, because Edward is mature beyond his years. But would his parents appreciate a woman four years older than their son? A woman who was meant only to be his mentor for a semester?
"Mom, dad, this is Bella Swan, my coordinating teacher and best friend," he beamed, and I looked up to meet two faces who had obviously played equal rolls on Edward's looks.
Edward's dad was tall like Edward and had his same nose and crooked smile. His salt and pepper hair was thick and combed over similarly to how Edward wore his. His face still had a youthfulness about it, though.
"Hello, Bella. I'm Carlisle," he said, reaching to shake my hand.
"It's nice to meet you, sir. You have a wonderful son," I stated, feeling Edward chuckle beside me.
"Bella, hello, lovely! Edward has told us much about you. We are so excited to meet you," Edward's mom said, catching me off guard with a light British accent. Her dark auburn hair was pulled tightly to the top of her head in a perfect bun. She had on a long flowing white skirt with a brown sweater, the picture of comfort and sophistication. She held a hand out to me, her long oval nails painted a light coral pink, each hand carrying bands of gold and jewels on at least three fingers.
When I met her eyes, it was like looking into Edward's.
She had three gold chains around her neck, two of them thick with no charm, and the longest one more delicate and holding a small starfish charm.
"It's nice to meet you, too, Mrs. Cullen," I said, reaching to shake her hand.
"Please, love, call me Esme," she replied, bypassing my hand to pull me in for a hug and kissing each of my cheeks.
"Hey, big C, you want to help me get these birds out of the oven?" Jasper asked, coming around the corner. "Hey, Bella," he said cheerily.
"Hey, Jasper," I called.
"Edward, would you and Bella mind helping me prepare the rest of these trays of brown rice to go in the oven?" Esme asked, to which we agreed.
I pulled off my peacoat and set it with my purse on an empty counter to the side, pushing my sleeves up to get started.
As we worked, Esme asked us both about the school year. Edward was more talkative than I'd ever seen him, though I was sure that was due to the familiarity and closeness of being around his family. In every situation we'd been in together, I realized, we'd been mostly surrounded by people I knew. Now, I was the new kid on the block. I wasn't even that shy, and still being the only outsider was a bit difficult for me. I couldn't imagine how much strength it had taken Edward in all of the new environments he'd been thrust into the last few months.
He stopped to look at me when he noticed me staring at him. I thought I saw Esme smirk but she turned before I could fully look, moving to open one of the large oven doors.
With ease, she lifted the tray into the oven, and Edward and I each grabbed our own trays to follow suit.
"Oh, Bella, by the way, I need some pointers. I drew Angela's name for Secret Santa, and I'm at a loss," Edward shrugged.
"Oh, she's pretty easy to buy for. She loves Whole Foods, so maybe a gift card from there if you don't want to go too personal. She also really loves Jeopardy, so you could never go wrong with a desk calendar. Um, don't go with any math or teacher related stuff. She gets that just about every year, and while I know she'd never say anything, I don't think she needs another math humor poster or t-shirt," I said.
"Okay, so non-personal, useful, and completely devoid of teaching, our only common denominator," Edward chuckled.
"I hate Secret Santa," I grumbled, thinking of who I picked.
"Why, who did you get?" Edward asked as he lead me back out to the area behind the bar.
"I can't tell you. It's a secret, hellooo," I dragged out, laughing at his frown. Then, a few seconds later, he perked up again and laughed.
"I know why you don't want to say," he said.
"And why's that?" I asked, helping him set finished dishes on the bar to spread it all out buffet style.
"Because it's me," he said triumphantly.
"It's not you," I laughed, shaking my head. "Besides, I don't need to buy you secret gifts. I've already got most of your gifts that I'm openly planning to give to you," I said, causing him to smile and blush.
"There's only one gift I want from you, Bella," he said, his smirk gone, his eyes serious.
"Oh? Well I hope I can afford it. Do tell, Mr. Cullen," I said.
"It doesn't cost money. Only a few more weeks of patience, love," he said with a wink, turning then to go back to the kitchen. I mean, could someone actually die from swooning? Like, does that happen? Cause holy Lord, I'm about dead.
A few hours later, the restaurant is packed and the line is still moving. People had already been waiting when the doors opened at five. Many people were there who looked like just needed a good meal. Some were alone, some with their families and small children. But all of them were smiling, happy to be eating the delicious food.
And oh, was there a ton of food. Alice and Jasper spared nothing for this day. Edward had told me that they buy all year to save up on supplies. They even buy meats and fill a deep freezer with them all year. And if I thought they were only having the standard Thanksgiving spread, I was mistaken.
Aside from several large turkeys, there was ham, chicken, roast, and even a pan of baby Cornish hens. There were casseroles and potatoes and potato casseroles. There were salads and grains and pastas, and an incredible spread of desserts. Along with the pie and cake I had made were several other confections straight from Jasper's culinary expertise. He'd made pumpkin rolls, cheese cakes, banana pudding, key lime pie, pumpkin pie, every imaginable fruit pie, and even had tubs of homemade ice cream. I was amazed at the work and effort they'd all put into this, doing something so incredible for the community.
I think my favorite part had been what they'd set up for patrons on the way out. There were baskets full of cat and dog food, both cans and dispensers of dry food with bags to fill up. There were even bones, too, and all were accompanied by a sign that said "Treat your furry companion to a Thanksgiving feast, too!" I had a feeling that had been Edward's handiwork.
Once everyone was seated and eating, the line dwindled and then Edward's family got up to fix themselves a plate. We'd pulled all of the bar stools around behind the bar so we could sit up there and still serve anyone who wanted seconds or to fix themselves a to go plate. I was still full from lunch, but I was never too full for dessert. I had a small plate with a piece of Jasper's cheesecake balancing in my lap.
"Bella, I can't thank you enough for making stuff and helping today," I heard Alice say as she walked up behind me and put her arm around my shoulders, hugging me to her. I reached up to grasp her arm with my hands, leaning in to return the awkward hug.
"Alice, thank you! This is a really incredible thing that you and your family do. I can't imagine how many people would have otherwise not gotten to celebrate," I said sincerely, because this was a lot more than Edward had let on. The time, resources, and energy that went into this had to be draining.
"Oh, this is my favorite part of the year. We do a lot to save and buy all year so the financial burden isn't as bad as you'd think. I'm just glad you were willing to spend your holiday with my crazy family," she laughed, gesturing to her parents who were sitting beside each other, stealing bites of food from each other's plates.
Jasper was upstairs playing pool with some of the kids, and Riley was fixing plates for himself and Emily, who was perched on another stool.
"Your family is amazing. There's nowhere else I'd rather be," I smiled, genuinely meaning it.
"Well, either way, we really do appreciate it. And I can't wait to dig into that red velvet cake you brought," she said with a smile.
"Oh, I'm sure it's not even half as good as your husband's," I laughed as she walked away to fix herself a plate, leaving me with a wave and a melodic little laugh.
I picked up my plate for another bite when I felt hands grasp my hips tightly, startling my hands to drop the bite of cheesecake I'd just picked up. It fell to my plate with a little plop, but all I could focus on was the hand that had released one side of my body and was now brushing my hair off my right shoulder, I felt the warmth of Edward's breath as he leaned in closer to my ear to whisper, "Trust me, Miss Swan. Yours is better."
I don't know if any of you are soap opera watchers, but my mom has always called Victor Newman from "Young and the Restless" Mr. Mustache. Also, when my dad grows out a goatee, he legit looks like the Colonel Sanders. My bro-in-law even has him programmed in his phone as "The Colonel."
I have read through and edited this, but I'm exhausted, it is incredibly hot today, and I have to get up to make a cheesecake for a friend's birthday at work tomorrow. I hope there are no mistakes, but I have no pre-reader or beta, so if there are, I do sincerely apologize. Feel free to leave a review and let me know what you think!
