Chapter Fourteen – Offer
It was torture, not being able to tell Bella I had come home earlier. But the look on her face at the wedding was imbursement enough.
I remember very little of the French hospital I had been transported to. The pain I endured blinded me to all recollection. The times where I was certain that death would come in an excruciating way—those memories were engraved in my head enduringly. At the time, I took that torture as castigation for abandoning Bella. My recovery was slow, constantly interrupted by infection. I should have been dead.
I was finally discharged in the beginning of April. I stepped out into the beautiful, blue-sky, spring day with high spirits. I had barely survived that cruel September night, and the months that followed it. But since I had, there was only one thing I longed to do.
I was going to make it back to Bella Swan and make her my wife.
It was a week before Carlisle's wedding when I made it back to the states. The journey seemed to be endless, from boat to train. I hitched a ride from Minneapolis to Carlisle's estate. When I stood at the base of his path, it felt like I was home.
I had given no word to anyone of my arrival; I merely prayed that someone had gotten message to my mother and Bella that I was not just another casualty of war. When Carlisle and Esme laid eyes upon me, I could tell from their expressions that my prayers had been futile. Everyone believed I was dead. I only assumed that Bella fit into that classification.
There was nothing I wanted more than to walk, no, run to Bella's house. Pound on her door, sweep her up in my arms, and never let her down. But of course, fate intervened. The night I returned, I fell ill. With nausea, headache, and ever, a romantic reunion was simply unmanageable. Still, the idea of surprising her so completely tantalized me. I swore Carlisle, Esme, and my mother to secrecy—no one was to know of my homecoming until I was well enough to tell them myself. I waited in isolation until my health returned.
The day of the wedding was my opportunity to reveal myself. And it was well worth the wait.
Shortly after, I found work in a bank in Grand Rapids. Carlisle and Esme welcomed me into their home, despite their own growing family. I did not find the guest room of Carlisle's estate to be the foreign locale I had at the beginning of the summer of 1918. It was my home now, one of the few places I found comfortable.
Living in Minnesota did have its downside—I missed my mother just as much as she missed me. But we had spoken the night of Carlisle's wedding, and we came upon the agreement that being away from Bella was not in anyone's best interest. My mother stoically returned to Chicago alone, leaving me with her best wishes.
And the summer of 1919 was much more pleasant, now that I was in the highest regards of Miss Bella Swan.
My prospects were good. Not as favorable as Michael Newton, but I could provide a comfortable life for my family. I stood at the Swan household, intent on making that dream become a reality.
"Sheriff Swan?" I rapped on the front door, despite it being wide open. Wandering into the open door with an officer of the law behind it was unwise. Especially considering the favor I came to ask of him.
"Edward! Come in!" Sheriff Swan greeted me like an old friend. I hoped this amity proved in my favor. "I'm afraid Bella's off visiting a friend."
"I know." Alice had assisted me there—inviting Bella over for tea, distracting her and giving me this alone time with her father. "I'm actually here to speak with you."
I took a seat on the chair across from his. He gave me an affable smile, and waited patiently for me to begin the conversation.
"I love your daughter, Mr. Swan. More than my own life. And I am here today because I would like nothing more than to have your daughter's hand in marriage."
There was no ineptness or uneasiness in the words I spoke.
He sat there, his jaw slightly agape, but he did not look angry. Or surprised, for that matter. "Well, Edward. I'm not gonna lie." He said, clearing his throat. "I'm surprised you waited this long to ask."
I smiled, my prospects looking bright. "Is that a yes, Mr. Swan?"
He smiled back, and shook my hand. "Welcome to the family, son."
I waited in the backyard for what seemed like an eternity. Being apart from Bella, even if it was only for a few hours, wreaked havoc on my nerves. I had spent too long without seeing her beautiful face, and each minute squandered away felt improvident.
When their front door swung loudly open and shut, I knew she was home. My heart raced at the thought of her, as if I were seeing her again for the first time.
She probably greeted Charlie with a kiss on the cheek, and a hug. Their relationship had mended immensely since I had arrived, or at least that's what Bella tells me repeatedly. I doubt my presence has that ability to mend.
"You have a guest. They're waiting for you outside." Charlie's booming voice was slightly audible from back here. In the window, I saw her sweet face peer out in my direction. Her smile grew as she approached me.
When close enough, she leapt into my arms, and I spun her around happily. "Good morning." She said chirply once I had planted her feet back on solid ground.
"I missed you." I whispered in her ear as she seated herself on the swing.
"It's only been a day." She corrected, throwing her head back in a great peal of laughter.
"A day is a very long time, especially when I am apart from you." I insisted, my free hand lingering towards my occupied pocket. But I held back—the opportunity did not feel right yet. Instead, my hand gave her a slight push, and she swung out even further. "Did you have a pleasant visit?"
She nodded, and glanced over her shoulder at me. "Jasper and Alice send you their best."
I grinned as Bella slipped off her shoes. Her barefeet danced in the air as she swung like a pendulum in that tire swing. The pale blue dress she wore made her skin a delicious cream color. I was amazed how after all this time, she managed to take my breath away so easily.
"What were you up to while I was gone?" She asked, curious and mischevious all at the same time. I could not love this woman any more.
"Tomfoolery, as always." I called back, teasingly. It was not in my best interest to reveal my true intentions quite yet. I needed to hold my hand from her just a bit longer.
She laughed readily. "Yes. The sheriff is a wonderful partner when performing acts of havoc in this town."
"I figure having the law on your side could never hurt."
We laughed together, our voices in perfect droll harmony. Her perfectly shaped legs slowed the swaying to a soft motion, barely moving. Her hand sought mine, and once victorious, she stopped moving completely. "Honestly. What could you and Charlie have discussed in my absence?"
I swallowed hard, my free hand slowly reaching for my ring-bearing pocket. The time was now. "I love you, Bella."
She blushed a beautiful shade of crimson. "You said that once already today."
"I know. And I promise every day of forever, I am going to tell you those words, because you deserve them." I had rehearsed what I would say at this exact moment, and the practice was apparent.
"What do you mean, every day of forever?" She spoke slowly, though she was hardly dense. Perhaps it was nerves. Perhaps it was knowledge of what was coming.
Words were even easier now that I had started. "I thought I was dead, that day I was dying. My life was slipping away from me, and the only sadness I felt was that I would never see your beautiful face again." My hand brushed her soft cheek, lingering on her warmth. "And when I was fading, you kept me breathing. You are my strength, Bella."
She took in a deep breath, overwhelmed with this confession. I continued irregardless.
"You have given me more happiness than I deserve. And I swear that until my dying breath, I will fight to give you the same gratification that you have bestowed upon me. Because that is what you deserve."
"You offer me more than I deserve." She muttered under her breath, tears inundating in her chocolate brown eyes.
"Bella..." I spoke her name with so much reverence. The gentleman in me took over, and I found myself on bended knee. I rested in the dirt at Bella's feet, and pulled the diamond ring I had toiled diligently to afford. When the small black box opened, the sparkling diamond shone in the sun, reflecting on her cheek. Tears began to flow freely at this. "Isabella Swan, I promise that I will love you every day of forever. Will you marry me?"
Her response was soft but quick. "Yes."
That one word was enough to fill my heart with undying rapture. I could not jump to my feet quick enough. Once I was out of the dirt, I scooped Bella into my arms and kissed her ardently. Our lips attached as if they were the strongest magnets imaginable. The pull she held was too strong, and I was too weak to attempt to break it. The world spun around us in that moment of pure rapture.
Isabella Swan was going to be my wife.
And that sentence made me feel like the happiest man on the face of the earth.
Alrighty. I've got one more chapter left in this little ditty... Sorry it took me so long to update! Homecoming plus massive art project deadline equals NO spare time to proofread a chapter. :( Luckily, my ring is done and homecoming is over. Having free time is beautiful--I've missed it. :P Anyways, please review!