3 Weeks Later
Bella's POV
I heard the front door open and shut and immediately…
"Bella?"
"Kitchen," I replied smiling.
"Hey, you," Edward replied dropping his doctor bag.
I put down the knife I was using to chop vegetables and held my arms out and Edward came over wrapping me into a hug.
He had shadows under his eyes.
"I missed you," I said. He'd been on call and at the hospital for just about two days.
"Me too," he sighed releasing me and sat on a stool while I resumed my cutting of the vegetables. "What's all of this?" He gestured to the food.
"Our turn." I shrugged.
"Mmm. I forgot." He mumbled putting his elbows on the counter.
After the first dinner we had with everyone, we decided to have a weekly dinner. Surprisingly, we all fit together at the dinner table.
We rotated between Edward and I, Rosalie and Emmett, and Alice and Jasper. It was nice to be able to examine Alice's home and not the other way around.
She wasn't all that bad anymore.
At least she tried not to be. I knew she still held a grudge for the wedding thing. But, I was showing her the pictures today.
Angela wasn't home the last time I wanted to get the photos and I kept forgetting.
I picked them up earlier today.
Alice promised she wouldn't look at the flash drive.
She was able to halt Esme's wedding plans, enabling Edward and I a little bit longer to reveal our secret to his parents… mine, too.
Though, it was likely Charlie would be relived.
"Why isn't the food in the oven?" Emmett asked coming into the kitchen and patting Edward a bit too hard on the back.
"It doesn't take that long," I said as he reached his hand into the salad bowl and grabbed a handful of olives.
"Emmett, seriously manners would be kind," Rosalie said coming into the kitchen and inhaling a breath. "It smells delicious."
"Thanks," I replied. "I'll throw it in the oven now. Is that okay with you, Emmett?"
He rolled his eyes at me and I took that as a yes.
"Don't you want to change?" Rosalie asked Edward. "You smell like hospital."
"I brought wine!" Alice yelled coming into the kitchen.
"And I brought Alice," Jasper replied coming into the kitchen.
"What were you saying about the hospital?" Alice asked after a beat.
"Edward. He smells like it," Rosalie cringed.
"Leave him alone," I said. "He's been there for days…"
Emmett leaped out of his stool and went to the opposite side of the kitchen, leaned against the refrigerator.
"What the hell?" Jasper asked. Edward was leaning his face into his hands shaking his head.
"Hospital germs," Alice replied taking Emmett's seat. "Dad made him paranoid."
"I don't want an incurable disease," Emmett said. "Hell, I don't want to catch a curable disease."
"I'm not carrying any germs on me except my own," Edward said.
"Just go shower for Emmett," Rosalie said.
Edward laughed, "Is this so I change my clothes?"
"Yep," she replied honestly.
Edward got up lazily and headed toward our bathroom.
He was no longer worried about leaving me alone with his family.
They were my family now, too. They loved me.
Jasper fiddled around in the drawers behind me looking for a corkscrew.
***
"So," Edward said at the table, looking more refreshed. "Guess whose getting married?"
"Who?" Everyone asked at once and he rolled his eyes.
"Stanley and Newton."
"No way!" I yelled and everyone looked at us dubiously because they referred to those two as "Cat Lady" and "Mr. Cat Lady".
"Cat lady," Edward said and everyone laughed and shouted out different things about our crazy neighbor.
"Now Bella can't cuddle up to Mr. Cat Lady!" Emmett laughed.
Jasper chocked on his drink for a moment from laughing too much.
And that's was just how things are at our dinners.
We interrupt each other and laugh at the wrong parts of the stories… none of us ever shut up.
And that's how I liked it.
We were festive.
***
"Shit. Emmett just finish eating already," Jasper said exasperatedly.
Alice was shooting looks of death to Emmett from her side of the table.
Today was the day for her to look at the wedding photos. But, we were going to look at them together and we were waiting for Emmett to just eat his damn food and not go for another helping.
I was actually enjoying it.
Emmett began cutting his food into one-fifths, pieces that were way smaller than needed.
"I hate you," Alice said.
"I don't want to choke," Emmett said smiling knowingly.
"That's just mean," Jasper said as Emmett took his drink and got up to get another. Jasper was desperately trying to make Alice not freak out.
Over fifteen minutes later, Emmett had one piece of food on his plate. Alice looked at it begging him to just eat.
Edward didn't hide his laughter at his two siblings, Rosalie was tracing the top of her wine glass bored, and Jasper looked on annoyed.
After the last bite of his food gone Alice exclaimed, "Finished!" And Alice threw her hands in the air.
Emmett shook his head no and continued chewing the food that was non-existent.
"Emmett," I said calling him to my attention. He looked at me a little annoyed, I was after-all taking him away from annoying Alice, but then when I spoke he beamed. "Ready for dessert?"
Alice groaned.
Emmett clapped his hands together gleefully.
"No way," Rosalie said standing up. "Come on, everyone. To the living room."
Alice was the first one to jump out of her seat and sprint to get a seat on my couch front and center.
Jasper laughed as he followed Alice.
"Could I bring some dessert into the living room?" Emmett asked.
Before I could answer Rosalie grabbed his hand and dragged him into the living room.
"Ready?" Edward asked me.
"I'm actually more nervous than I was on our wedding day."
"Get your booties in here!" Alice called. "Now!"
"I'm not arguing with her again." I smiled as I skipped into the living room. Edward went to the kitchen to get a piece of pie before coming back and sitting next to Emmett, who looked like he was going to punch Edward.
I had my laptop set up to the television and asked, "Ready?"
"Yes!" Alice screamed and then looked around seemingly embarrassed, "I mean, yeah."
"Can we get it over with?" Emmett asked eying the pie on Edward's plate.
"Shut it," Alice said to Emmett.
"We're ready," Jasper said looking at me trying to convey to just start already.
The first photo appeared of the hotel we were staying at. The tropical surroundings and the pure beauty of the place.
Alice studied it for a long time and I flipped to the next photo and the screen showed Edward and Ben chilling out before the wedding with drinks in hand.
"That's the man you left the pictures with?" Alice asked doubtfully. "You're lucky he didn't…"
I flipped the picture and the photograph was of Edward and I at the gazebo getting married with the sun setting in the background.
It wasn't a very original photo, but it was beautiful.
"Wow," Alice muttered.
I flipped through the rest of the wedding photos and Alice gave me a hug when it was over.
"Holy crap!" Edward exclaimed. "Emmett, you're such a pig!"
"I was just hungry." Emmett shrugged looking at Edward's empty plate where his pie used to sit.
***
A/N: Check out my new story "Forget My Name". It's different, but I like it. Give it a shot?
But, review this chapter first so I know where you all stand.
I love all of you, I do. I do.