Chapter 14
Messing With the Horns
The past week has flown by. I have been busy sending off paintings to every corner of the globe because people want to give them as gifts for the holidays. Embry has come over every day, or night you could call it. He helped Amy and I decorate the house for Christmas. The two of them garnished the tree while I made the cookie dough for Grandma's Christmas Sugar Cookies. The house smells like the holidays: cinnamon, pine, sugar, and wrapping paper.
Bella has been spending time with Jake, fixing the bikes. Well, he's repairing them; she's watching and providing company. It's taking them a lot of effort, time, and money because there are three bikes. I offered some money to help but Bella thought it would be good revenge to use her college money. I agreed and told her to go for it. I also went over to help a little on Monday while Amy spent time with Charlie watching sports. I know a little about engines on bikes, cars, and other moving contraptions, so I was able to be of some use.
I have already bought the Cullens Christmas gifts. I do not want to give them their presents at the mall because that feels to impersonal to have them open their gifts in a crowded mall. We'll have to figure something out. Maybe they could come over on Christmas? That'd be fun. But we'll have to see how today goes and how everyone handles it.
I dressed Amy in one of the outfits, suitable for the cold, that Alice gave her on her birthday. I dressed myself in comfortable, cute, and warm clothing. Bella came over early, already dressed, to eat breakfast with us before we left for Seattle.
"So, what does Charlie think you're doing today?" I asked.
"Christmas shopping with you and Amy. It's still the truth, just not the whole truth. What about Embry?" Bella retorted.
"He is busy today, and I simply told him I'd be shopping. You know how the Quilettes feel about the Cullens." I also didn't want him to freak out and turn into a werewolf. Because that would obviously be bad. He's patrolling all of today. When he comes home tonight he'll smell them on me, so I'll have to tell him then. But why have him worry all day? He might have not even let us go, thinking it wasn't safe. The only one who knew we were seeing the Cullens was Emily. I told her while we were cooking the other day. She actually likes the Cullens, especially after Carlisle fixed her up when she was "mauled by a bear" and kept that secret between the Cullens and the pack. Sam hates the Cullens because they are technically the reason he is a wolf. And the reason Emily was hurt at all. But I think that he and Emily would not have ended up together if he was not a wolf. Really he should just be thankful the Cullens don't like to snack on humans, because that makes his job easier. If they became friends or at least allies, they would have a lot of advantages because neither species really knows all that much about the other.
I pulled my thoughts back to the present. I grabbed my cell phone, keys, and wallet. Normally, I would have my purse with all that and snacks for Amy, and Band-Aids, and who knows what else, but I hate taking a purse to the mall during the holidays because it could easily be stolen and it takes up too much space when trying to weave between the crowds at malls. Amy, Bella, and I piled into my car. The ride to the mall was filled with excitement and anticipation, and a slight amount of nervousness. Questions raced through my mind; one following the other. What would the Cullens say? Were we supposed to be excited because it was the holidays and we were seeing family for the first time in months, even though one of the most important people would be absent? Would it be awkward spending time with the Cullens, except Edward? Would Bella break down after seeing the Cullens and not Edward? These questions are probably running through her head too.
"Nervous?"
"Yeah." She replied and let out a huge breath she had to be holding for the longest time. "How did you know?"
"Because I am too."
"Why would you be nervous?"
"Plenty of reasons. I'm worried about how this is going to affect all of us. Especially you." I might as well be honest.
"I'll miss him so much that seeing them will make me want to see him sooner than possible."
"Maybe if he finds out that you're spending time anyway with vampires," and werewolves, "that he'll come back sooner."
"We'll see." We pulled into the parking lot and I found the perfect parking spot. Just near the entrance. That was lucky and rare during the holidays.
"Talk about lucky." I exclaimed.
"You could say that again." Amy replied.
"Where are we meeting the Cullens?" Bella asked. She didn't flinch at saying their name that time. Maybe this is a step in the right direction.
"Near the fountain. Then we're going to this restraint Emmett picked out." I answered.
"Should we be afraid?" Bella questioned Emmett's food choice.
"Probably." I added and we all started laughing as we walked through the entrance. My eyes fell upon the gorgeous but worn looking family sitting on the edge of the fountain. They looked like they hadn't slept in days. Well, of course they don't sleep at all, but they looked like humans that hadn't slept in days. Even Alice had a little wear and tear. They sat about fifty feet away from us.
"Mom! Dad!" Amy yelled as she ran to Rose and Em.
The Cullens slowly stood up as the three of us ran towards them. Their expressions immediately brightened. Amy reached them first. She was picked up into a hug by Rose and Em. Bella hugged Alive and Jasper first while I hugged Carlisle and Esme. We each alternated until everyone had received their greeting.
"I missed you guys so much." Bella started. "I can't believe you left without saying goodbye! Talk about the worst birthday present ever." She scolded the vampires.
"Brother's orders. He wanted a clean break and all that. And I hated that I couldn't say goodbye." Alice responded.
"And now you choose to listen to him?"
"At the time he proposed a very good argument. Now it seems pretty pathetic how we accepted it." Alice retorted.
"Besides, what happened was more along the lines of a severed artery than a broken bone. A severed artery left bleeding." I added.
"But you've stitched it up nicely." Esme commented.
"The process isn't done yet. We still have a few loose ends to tie up. But thank you." I looked around us and noticed all of the overflowing shopping bags. "Have you been here since six o'clock this morning or something?"
"Just Alice and I, we couldn't sleep." Rose responded, holding Amy in her arms. We all started laughing at our little inside joke.
"Wow." I gapped at all of the bags brimming with purchases.
"What's for lunch?" Amy asked.
"I don't know, ask Dad." I replied.
"Barbecue." Emmett smiled a too mischievous grin.
"I'm too young to be basted!" Bella humored.
We all laughed. I pondered Dad's odd excitement as we walked to the restaurant. I had the strangest inkling that this restraint would be involving something… dangerous. How could a restaurant be dangerous? I realized it once we walked into the waiting area of the southwestern themed eatery. Left the hostess was a mechanical bull placed in the center of a bunch of padding surrounded by a wooden posted corral. I was excited. I turned around to find Dad gazing in awe at the bull.
"This is going to be awesome!" I exclaimed and started jumping up and dad with Em.
"Your table's right this way." The hostess said talking to Alice. Our party of nine was lead to an enormous booth facing the mechanical bull from a safe distance. A guy physically no older than twenty-one, but mentally younger than fifteen, straddled the bull and the machine started up. This was going to be funny even while we weren't riding the bull. We all sat down and started looking at the menus until the hostess left. Then the Cullens politely put down their menus. I needed to talk to the Cullens without Bella and Amy.
"Amy, why don't you go look at the stupid college students fall of the bull?" I offered.
"Sure," she bounded up out of her seat. She knew I would order her Mac and Cheese with a side salad.
"I'll go with her." Bella stood up responsibly and followed.
I grabbed a handful of peanuts from the bowl in the center of the table and started to take off one of the shells. This was a restaurant where you could discard the shells on the floor. It was actually pretty cool. But once they were out of hearing range Alice exclaimed, "Why do you smell like wet dog?"
"Because I've been dating a werewolf."
They all gasped as I ate another peanut. "They're still around?" Emmett asked.
"Obviously. From what Sam Uley has told me, as soon as a vampire comes into town all of the men of a certain age start changing."
"But we left," Esme added.
"But some of them already started changing, and once it starts it doesn't stop. And the more vampires in town the more werewolves that change."
"I'm confused. What werewolves?" Alice and Jasper both looked mystified.
"You weren't there the first time. The wolves we told you about down at La Push. Apparently they're back." Rosalie added. "Why have you been hanging around with werewolves? They're dangerous."
"Because I met one through Bella's friend, Jacob Black. The friend and I hit it off. We started spending time together. Thanksgiving when everyone came over he started changing. Fever, mercurial mood, the whole deal. Sam came and picked him up and I knew. I promised not to tell anyone and Sam would keep me updated on Embry's condition. I complied. You are the only ones I've told since because you have great sense of smell. Anyways, Embry imprinted on me after he changed. We're soul mates, by their terms. So we spend time together, and don't think I don't know what I've gotten myself into. I see Emily once a week to cook. I've seen most of the damage, and I'm willing to take the risk to spend time with the person I love. After all, I do it with you guys." I paused to eat another peanut. "No offense, but you are just as dangerous. That's why Edward left. But Bella, Amy and I are willing to take the risk to spend our lives with the people we love. In a relationship, you put your heart on the line, we just happen to be adding to that. And think about it, we may be in more danger to some extent, but in others we are more protected. Like the night Bella was nearly rapped." I ate another. "I'm not stupid. I watch the news. I pay attention to my family. I saw that man on the news awhile ago. Edward and the rest of you saved her life multiple times. With the near death car accident, with the Port Angeles incident, with James, and with her birthday."
"But some of those were our fault. Mine in particular." Jasper added solemnly.
"Did you not read my e-mail? She doesn't blame you, and neither do I, or Amy. And the accident with James was not your fault either. What if Bella was hiking with Michael, Jessica, Angela, and Ben? James could have attacked her then and they all would have been hurt or killed. Granted, Jessica isn't the hiking type, but it is possible. So no matter how I see it, you all benefit her, Amy, and I. So get over being dangerous, and have some fun. Even though you may be immortal, you aren't completely indestructible, and life is too short to ignore the greatness of everyday experiences, as simple as each other's company." I popped another peanut in my mouth and left them to ponder that.
The waitress came up and I told her, mine, Amy's, and Bella's drink and food orders. The Cullens just said they weren't hungry. Amy ran back up to the table with an eager face.
"Are any of you going to ride Shelia?" Amy asked us.
"I am going to ride the bull, did you name her Shelia?" I asked. Amy nodded. "Come on, Dad. I'm going to teach you how to ride a bull. You too, Bella."
"I can't watch." Esme covered her eyes.
"They'll be alright. For the most part," Alice added. We walked over to the command center of the guy operating the bull and the music. The Cullens and Amy crowded around the corral closest to our table.
"Three rides," I told the man and paid him. "What's the time to beat?" He looked at me and laughed, thinking I wouldn't be able to do it. "I'm not kidding." I stared him down.
"Eleven is this year's record. All time record is twenty. Good luck." He chuckled. "Go on over to the guy next to the entrance and hand him these ticket stubs. Which one of you is going for the record?" He started to eye Emmett, thinking now that I was asking the record for Emmett's benefit.
"Me. Got a problem with that?"
"Not at all." He handed me the tickets. Emmett went first. He climbed on the bull and stayed on for eight second before he was flung off. Bella looked towards me, eyes full of panic.
"Calm down. It's just for fun. Nothing is going to happen. And besides we have a doctor in the building." She laughed. "It's okay to fall of just don't hurt yourself trying to stay on when you're already falling. Make sense?" She nodded and headed towards the bull. She swung a leg over. Once the bull started she managed to stay on for nine seconds. She winked to me and smiled. The wink meant she saw him, the smile meant she was having fun. She joined Emmett and the rest of the clan on the sidelines. I handed the guy my stub. I nodded to the guy in the booth.
He came over the intercoms, interrupting the song. "We have a wild one here, trying to beat the record. She looks like fresh meat to me but we'll just see how tough she is." I laughed inwardly at the joke he unknowingly made. I walked by the college boys wearing cowboy hats.
"Where y'all from?"
"Texas!" They exclaimed drunkenly.
"We'll this California Cowgirl, currently residing in Washington, is going to show you wusses how to really ride a bull." The crowd all oooed the boys and I stole one of their cowboy hats and put it on my own headed and headed towards the mechanical beast.
"Am I going to get that back?" The guy exclaimed.
"Sure, but you weren't really manly enough to wear it in the first place." I swung my leg over the bull and straddled her. I got a good grip with one hand and left the other back in the air to help me balance. I leaned over and whispered, "Shelia, you're about to be seriously whipped." I know that it's a machine. But I was in the moment and it fit.
"Start the clock." I nodded towards the man in the command center. I felt the bull come to life beneath me. It rocked back and forth and rotated in a circle. At first I could pick out people but then Shelia started going faster and I couldn't make out the faces. I blocked out the sound of the audience counting and just left myself ride with the mechanical bull. I knew after awhile I should probably get off because I wouldn't want to burn those boys too bad, because they already needed some ice, I don't want them burned so bad they need medical attention. I let myself glide of the bull after who knows how long. When I looked up at the clock on the wall it was stopped at thirty-two seconds. Not my best, but not bad. The crowd cheered me on as I walked over to the boys to give them back their hat.
"Don't be so cocky next time." I told the boys and headed toward the exit of the corral. I sure had worked up an appetite. But just before I reached the Cullens the man in the booth finally came out of whatever trance he was in and announce that I had won a prize that would be delivered to my table.
The Cullens all congratulated me as we sat down to the meal. The manager came over to the table to take my picture. I told him to include the entire family. She complied. Part of the prize was a trophy, my picture on the wall, and three million, ninety thousand dollars. Apparently, half of the money that the people paid went to the jackpot, until someone broke the all time record. The last all time record was set fifteen years ago. I just sat their slack jawed when I heard that number. That was a ton of money. Amy would be set for life. She could go to any college she wanted to. My kids and her kids could go to any college they wanted to. This was still running through my head, when Alice snapped me out of it by snapping in front of my face.
"You still in there?" Alice asked.
"Yeah, I'm here. That's just a lot of money. I still can't wrap my head around it."
"Does this mean we can have a great Christmas, and you won't have to paint on Christmas day for my presents?" Amy asked sweetly.
"Honey, I wasn't going to have to do that anyway with the paintings being sold so rapidly this time of year. This means I can paint for fun now, and that you can go to whatever college you want to. But I was already saving up so that would be possible anyway."
"As were we." Rosalie added.
"You don't really have to save up do you?" I asked knowing they probably had enough money to buy this entire mall five times over.
"Not really, but we were still putting some away to be untouched, just for the three of you in case you needed it." Emmett added.
"You guys really are too nice to be vampires." We all started laughing at that. The humans finished lunch and then I collected my check and trophy. The first thing that happened after we left the restaurant was that Carlisle and Esme accompanied me to the nearest bank to deposit the check, while Alice, Bella, Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie took Amy around the mall asking her what she wanted for Christmas.
The day continued on merrily between all of us. Shopping, laughing, and sharing stories. At the end of it, I told the Cullens they should come over on Christmas day but that we would be keeping it a secret from Amy. I told them I'd e-mail them the details tonight. Bella and Amy fell asleep in the back of the car with bags piled everywhere in the trunk and front seat and all around their feet. I pulled up to the house and realized, I smelled like vampires and my boyfriend hunted vampires. I was in for a long night.