Thank you for sticking with me! In our last chapter, Bella spent Christmas Day alone in Edward's apartment while he was at work. Over lunch, she read breaking-news reports of a shooting where Edward patrolled. For the rest of the day, she heard nothing from him…until he called right before he left the scene. They had plans to depart for Washington State on Dec. 26, to visit Bella's family, and that's where we start this chapter.
My deepest gratitude goes again to my beta, writingbabe, and my prereader, RandomCran, for making some very insightful and wise suggestions for this chapter. Their edits have made it so, so much better.
I also owe thanks to my boss for his patient efforts to explain the game of craps to me. I doubt he'll ever see this, but I feel obligated to give him a shoutout.
Eleven is a prime number comprised of two single digits – two ones standing side by side, to be exact. If a player tosses the dice in a craps game and shoots an 11 for the come-out roll, he or she wins double the bet.
Eleven is either the last hour of the morning or the last hour of the evening. On the day that Bella and Edward flew to Washington, it was also known as the compromise hour. She wanted to leave at 10 a.m., and he wanted leave at noon for a 2:30 flight.
"There'll be traffic," she'd reminded him when they argued about it again on Christmas.
"You always assume traffic will be bad."
"Of course I do. I live here. And it's supposed to rain, which always makes it worse."
"Bella, that's four hours before our flight. What are we going to do at JFK Airport for four hours?" he'd demanded.
And the answer is…wait in line, Edward thought, sighing.
They'd arrived at JFK in plenty of time, only to get stuck in a bottleneck of passengers waiting to clear security. Edward thought that since it was a weekday, crowds wouldn't be a problem. He was so sure they'd left enough wiggle room; he tried to convince Bella to shower with him in the morning. She shooed him away, her mind on a million other things for once.
Coincidentally, rolling 11 in craps is also called making a pass.
"They have curbside check-in again so we don't have to wait forever to hand over our bags at the counter," he grumbled. "Why can't they be as efficient with Checkpoint Charlie here?"
Bella shifted her coat from one arm to the other while she searched through her backpack for her boarding pass and driver's license. "You of all people should respect the fact that they can't rush."
"They could hire more people. More capable people," he said, eying an overweight TSA officer who shuffled slowly from one end of the conveyer belt to the other to replenish the bins where passengers had to place their carry-on items.
"I could use another cup of coffee right about now," Bella murmured as they waited for the agent at the podium to call them. They showed their tickets and identification and were waved through.
Edward slipped off his shoes and dropped his keys and wallet into the bin. He added his shoes as well and grabbed another bin to load his backpack and jacket. Coffee did sound good, even though it would probably cost about five bucks. And taste like nuclear reactor waste. Fucking airports.
He didn't know why he was so sullen. While he wasn't crazy about folding himself into an airplane seat for a long time, having Bella at his side would keep it from being too painful. He had a book and music and other electronics to pass the time. And he could always sleep.
Edward's nostrils flared when he thought about this morning's lost opportunity for sex. He didn't know the next time they'd have any chance for it, considering they'd be under Bella's parents' roof. Just thinking of her mother and father made his stomach tighten. He let out a long exhale and admitted silently that that was it. Being on a plane for four hours was one thing. Being in her parents' house for 10 days was another.
What if they didn't get along? What if he didn't like them? What if they didn't like him? And how many of Bella's exes would they run into, anyway? The only former boyfriend they'd discussed was Peter, from her grad school days. Surely there were still other guys in Forks who wished she'd never left.
The thought made him growl.
Bella was at the far end of the security area, slipping on her shoes. She straightened up, a frown on her face. "What's the matter?"
Edward gathered the last of his belongings from the three bins where they'd been spread out. "Who, me? Nothing."
"You look like you're worried, and you're talking to yourself."
"I was not. I don't talk to myself."
"Maybe not out loud," she said, "but you were in your head."
"Didn't you want coffee?" Edward looked around for a Starbucks but realized belatedly that it was in the food court, which was located before the security gauntlet. There was no way he was going through that again, so they'd be forced to deal with some unreliable snack-stand brew that wouldn't improve his nerves.
The gate was full of people waiting for the flight that had to depart before their plane could even park. Edward avoided bringing this up and suggested they find a place to eat.
Bella just nodded, glancing at him with patient amusement. Edward avoided bringing that up, too.
They ate in silence while Edward looked over the reservation for their rental car. Bella's parents had wanted to pick them up at the airport, but Bella explained they'd need their own car and it was better if they just drove from the Sea-Tac airport to Forks. She didn't mention that her idea of "better" included giving Edward more time to adjust to this visit without being held captive in a car with her parents for the three and a half hours it would take to get to their house. That, she reasoned, was be a lot to throw at him at once.
"Did I tell you I got one last email from my parents yesterday?" Bella tore off a piece of her quesadilla and popped it into her mouth. It was greasy, and the chicken was of questionable heritage, but it would keep her full if the airline meal was predictably bad.
Edward looked up from his phone. "No. I guess they wanted to wish you Merry Christmas?"
"Yeah, but they also wanted to say again how much they're looking forward to meeting you."
Her boyfriend's attention was back on the screen. "That's good. Me, too."
"They're grateful you're willing to drive to Forks from the airport so they don't have to pick us up. I mean," she added quickly, "they didn't say that exactly, but they did say they'll make sure we're all comfortable when we get to the house."
Edward nodded. "Sure."
Bella crossed her arms in front of her, on the table. "My mom told me that my dad heard from an old friend from Clallam County who'd moved to New York about 20 years ago. He's a New York City cop now, just about to retire. Says he knows you."
Her boyfriend finally gave her his full attention. "Really? Who?"
"Marcus Diomede? Dad said he's a sergeant."
Edward's face cleared. "Oh, sure. We worked together when I started on the force. We were at the Morris Heights homes together," he said, referring to the housing project in the Bronx where he'd patrolled years ago. Then he scowled. "Wait, was your dad checking up on me?"
"Oh, stop." She reached across the table and grabbed his chin with a light pinch. "He called my dad because Charlie's a rep on the board that oversees pensions for cops in the state. Marcus needed some help with the paperwork from Clallam because he's been out of Washington for so long. When Dad heard where he'd moved, he told him about you. Coincidence, huh?"
"That's a huge long shot, one cop knowing another in New York City." He looked past Bella's shoulder, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Marcus was a good cop. Is a good cop, I guess. He taught me a lot."
"He said the same about you. He remembered you from all those years back. Said you were smart and compassionate, and a solid partner." She paused, watching Edward as she played with the cover of her drink straw. "Dad was very impressed."
Edward shrugged. "What else would Marcus do, say something bad about me?"
"If he wanted to, sure. He doesn't have anything to lose; and besides, he needed a favor from my father. He had to tell him the truth." She nudged Edward's foot under the table. "You don't have to worry. I think my dad likes you already."
He rolled his eyes upward and screwed up his face in a very New York expression of "Yeah, yeah," but once he looked her in the eye again, Bella saw a slight sparkle which had been missing the last few days.
"Remember when we first met, you told me about that 'policeman brotherhood thing'? You were right," she reminded him. "Guess what? It worked out in your favor."
"Well, now your dad and I have something else to talk about," Edward said, chuckling.
"Yeah, while you're freezing your ass off on the lake you can talk about how you both knew Marcus."
"On the lake?" Edward looked at her in disbelief.
"In the lake is more like it. You can bet he'll drag you out fly-fishing. You passed the first test by getting a good reference from another cop. But he won't let you off that easy." She smiled, feeling relieved that their usual teasing give-and-take had returned.
"I didn't bring fishing gear. I don't own any fishing gear." He had a sudden vision of holding a rod in the Lake in Central Park or the Gowanus Canal. It was like trying to fit himself into a scene from "The Nutcracker." He'd never fished in his life.
"Don't worry. Dad'll find what you need, including the pole." Bella looked past Edward and noticed that everyone was gathering near the gate, where their flight had just been posted. "C'mon, Officer Fishbait. We have a plane to catch."
Edward felt lighter as he stuffed his hoodie in his backpack. Bella's disclosure about Marcus was a good sign, even if he was slightly creeped out that Charlie Swan had found a friend from decades earlier on the force that just happened to have worked with Edward. It sounded, though, as if some solid groundwork had been done before he'd even shaken hands with the Chief. And that was worth something.
Hours later, they were nearing their destination when Bella nudged him, pulling him out of a light sleep. She had the window seat; the weather was clear, and she was pointing to something outside.
At first all he could see was white from the vast snowy landscape. After a few seconds he could finally make out an enormous mountain, its peak uneven and battered from ancient volcanic activity.
The beauty was breathtaking. Even from the air, its sheer presence dominated the vista.
"Mount Rainier," Bella whispered. Edward's eyes widened in awe.
"Baby, we have to see that from the ground."
"Definitely. It's stunning. There's lots you can do in the park, like sledding or even hiking. It's worth the trip." She gave him a significant, sidelong glance. "Plus it would give us a few days together alone."
Edward smiled slowly, absorbing her subtext. "Is it more than a day's trip from your parents?"
His fingers lightly traced a circuit across her palm; the suggestive, barely-there touch made her unable to respond for a moment.
"Too far to drive in one day. At least four hours there and back. There are lots of lodges in the area that are still open this time of year," she finally said.
"Let's do it."
"I'd really like that." She looked back out the window, where green pines cut through the thick whiteness that covered miles of the region. "We should try to make it to Olympic National Park, too. The mountains there are so beautiful. The Hoh Rain Forest is only about an hour away."
"I've read about that. I'd like to go there too," Edward said thoughtfully. The plane was edging away from the jagged Tatoosh Range of mountains and closing in on the industrial area around Tacoma. They'd be landing shortly.
Bella sighed. "I was thinking maybe 10 days in Forks would be too much, but now I wonder if it won't be long enough. There's a lot I'd love to show you, and I don't know when we'll be able to get back here."
Edward smiled at her casual reference to the future. Any time she did that, it was like a shot of whisky for his emotions. It had the same effect; it comforted him, but left a better taste in his mouth.
"I was hoping we could see some of Seattle. It's a great place-so many fun neighborhoods. And the food…and Pike Place Market…" Her voice trailed off, and Edward could guess where she went by the look on her face.
"That'd be great, but we came here so we could spend time with your family. That's what's most important. They miss you a lot." Edward knew what it was like to be an only child and bear the burden of all your parents' focus. "Washington's a big state. There's a good chance we won't see it all this time. It'll be there whenever we get back."
She smiled in relief. "You're right. I know my mom and dad will want to just monopolize us. They'll probably want to take us out for dinner a couple of times."
"That'll be good. Or maybe I can just cook up all the fish I'm going to catch with your dad." Now he thought of hip boots, and not the kind with heels. Please God, let him not want to go the first day we're there.
Interstate 5 out of the airport wasn't very bogged down with traffic; at least, not by New York standards. They stopped in Olympia, the state capital, to get something to eat and then left the I-5 for local roads until they finally arrived at Route 101, a major highway that wound through the Olympic Peninsula. The weather remained consistent with the cloud cover that had thickened as they approached the airport; it was lightly drizzling now, with no signs of letting up.
There could have been brilliant sunshine judging by Bella's expression. She took over driving the last 90 minutes of the trip from Olympia to Forks, and she'd come alive behind the wheel with a bright smile that couldn't be dimmed by the rain.
Any tiredness she'd shown from the trip had evaporated. Edward wondered if it was the infusion of fresh Pacific Northwest oxygen after a few years of breathing the heavily carbon-coated air of New York.
"You seem really glad to be back," he noted.
"I am," she said, her nose wrinkling with a look of surprise. "I didn't think I'd missed it this much, but I guess I did."
"It's beautiful here," he said, and that was the truth. The mist hung thick over the trees, obscuring their tops like a mystery. Even the rain was pretty, with petite drops that didn't seem very threatening.
And the green. Everything was so green. As far as greenery was concerned, Edward was used to the limits of a place like Central Park. He'd traveled to other places, of course, and seen many rural landscapes, but nothing that flaunted its wilderness like this. He considered the types of animals that could be hidden in those woods.
And he wondered how good the pizza could possibly be here.
Bella's previously dormant driving skills seemed to resurface now that she'd been back in Washington State for a few hours. She drove assuredly along the wet curving roads, safely but quickly.
"There are a lot of good brew pubs in Washington State now," she said, almost as if she'd been reading his mind. Beer was very close to pizza in his thoughts. "I think my dad said a new one opened in Forks. There's also one in Port Angeles." She glanced at him, almost worried, he thought, as if she wanted to reassure him that he wouldn't have to forage for the basics that were available around the clock in New York City.
Her right hand was resting on the edge of her seat, and he took it, kissing her knuckles. "How many of your ex-boyfriends are we going to run into while we're here?"
Bella burst out laughing. "Oh yeah, there are SO many." She shook her head. "I was a dork in high school. I didn't have any boyfriends."
"Their loss. They'd better not try to make up for lost time."
"Edward Cullen, you sound like you're jealous." She kept her gaze on the road, her smile broad from cheek to cheek.
"Damn straight," he admitted. "My badge doesn't do me any good here. I'll have to use the sheer force of my presence to drive them away."
Now she rolled her eyes. "You're ridiculous."
"Hey, I'm not leaving here without you."
She looked at him in shock for far longer than was safe for a driver. "You're kidding, right? Like I'd stay here or anywhere without you?"
"I'm just betting there were a lot of guys who were interested in you, even if you didn't know it at the time."
Bella snorted derisively. "The only guy I knew of was my friend Jacob. We've been friends since we were really little, and he had a crush on me when I was a sophomore and he was a freshman. But I never liked him that way," she added hastily.
"Tell me about him." He was curious about the men in her life: her father, other relatives; friends and boyfriends and those who wished they were her boyfriend. Some of it was natural curiosity about who they were and what they looked like, and how he compared to all that. Some of it was wondering how they could have let her go, especially the guys her age. Anyone who couldn't understand the duality of Bella's appeal – that she was both a very normal and a very exceptional woman, all at once – had to be a total idiot, in Edward's book.
"Jacob's a Quileute Indian. He and his dad Billy live on the reservation. Jacob's mom died when he was really young, and my parents kind of took Billy and Jacob in. I mean, they didn't live with us, but Renee and Charlie always made sure they had everything they needed: food, help with their house, even just friendship. Billy's in a wheelchair," she added.
"So Jacob and I spent a lot of time together, either on the rez or at my house, or fishing or at a park or whatever. He's a great guy, but I can't love him in any other way. I just always thought of him as a friend."
"Perpetually stuck in the friend zone." Sorry not sorry, Jacob.
"I guess so. He was hurt but we got past it. Last I heard, he was dating a girl from the reservation."
"Do you want to see him while we're here?"
She chewed on her lip. "I'd like to. I mean, we probably will. I'm sure my parents told everyone we were coming, which means Billy will probably come by, or Renee and Charlie will want to go there. Whether Jacob is around is another matter."
They approached a wood and steel bridge with a small sign for the Bogachiel River. More houses and a few shops lined the road. Bella stopped at the traffic light and turned to him.
"So, what do you think?"
He made a dismissive gesture with his hand. "Sure, if you want to. Jacob and his dad sound kind of cool, actually."
She laughed. "No, I mean about my hometown."
"What, are we here?"
The light turned green. "Yup. Welcome to beautiful downtown Forks, Washington."
Bella made a right after a few blocks and turned down a leafy street with houses of different ages and sizes. Near the end of the block, she pulled in front of a white two-story home with green shutters and black trim. A police cruiser was parked in the driveway, and it was that sight more than anything that reignited the nerves in Edward's stomach.
A curtain moved in one of the front windows, and before Bella had even turned the car off the front door opened and the screen door was flung back. A petite woman with shoulder-length strawberry blonde hair flew down the stairs, her hands outstretched to keep her balance – or to catch her daughter.
"Bella!" Renee called out. "Oh, sweetheart, you're here!"
His girlfriend opened the car door and ran out to meet her mother. "Mom! Hey!" Renee enveloped her daughter in a bear hug, then stood back to look at her daughter and wipe the tears from her own eyes, then hugged Bella again, then let go but clasped her daughter's hands in her own. Edward couldn't make out what they were saying, but he heard lots of cooing.
He stepped carefully out of the car and slowly pushed his hands inside his jeans pockets, waiting a respectful distance while mother and daughter had their reunion. The door opened again and a tall man with dark hair and an imposing mustache moved outside.
Charlie. The Chief. There he was.
At least he was grinning, smiling ear to ear while his wife and daughter hugged and chattered away. He caught sight of Edward and quickly descended the stairs.
"You know, that could take a while," he said, jerking his head back toward the women. He spoke almost in a drawl, if it was possible to have a drawl without an accent. "Don't want you to think we're not hospitable. I'm Charlie Swan," he said, engulfing Edward's hand in a firm shake. "I'm guessing you're Edward."
"Yes, sir," Edward said respectfully, directly meeting the older man's gaze. "I'm so pleased to meet you. Bella's told me so much about you."
"Same here." Charlie put his hands on his hips in a stance that Edward understood was more shyness than challenge. "Everything go all right with your flight?"
"Yes, sir. No problems at all. Just the way I like it."
"Me, too. There's a reason I'm on ground patrol instead of in the air." Edward was just about to ask what he meant by that when Bella called out, "Dad!"
"Hey, kiddo!" As her father hugged Bella, his eyes closed in a few seconds of grateful happiness. It had been a few years since Bella left home, and Edward tried to imagine how long he would last if he were separated from his mother and father. Not long at all, really. Seeing Bella with her parents reminded him of the strong connection he had with Carlisle and Esme. He knew his own mother and father would be almost exactly as her parents were: emotional and grateful. He'd wanted her to have this time with her parents; seeing she was happy calmed his nerves.
Edward popped the trunk and he and Charlie leaned in tandem to grab the suitcases – a universal guy move. Let Bella and her mother chat; he'd work with her father to get the luggage in the house.
Once they were inside, though, Edward didn't know where to bring them. The Swan home had three bedrooms, and he realized that he and Bella hadn't discussed the sleeping arrangements. If she knew what they were, she hadn't told him. For a brief, mutinous moment, he decided to drag Bella to the closest hotel if her parents wouldn't let them sleep together. But if he had a daughter, he wouldn't let her room with her boyfriend until she was 40, and he knew it.
He followed Bella and her parents upstairs, intentionally bringing up the rear. All of them somehow fit into a small extra bedroom with a dresser, a closet, a mirror, a television, a nightstand…and a futon.
"This is new," Bella commented.
Edward remained silent, his hands again in his jeans pockets.
"We bought this when you said you'd be visiting at Christmas," Renee said, gesturing to the futon, which was in an upright position. "I hope it's big enough for the both of you," she added, almost apologetically.
Edward let Bella take the lead on responding. "It'll be fine, Mom," she said reassuringly.
That was the right answer. Anything he said would have sounded suggestive or…just wrong.
"Well." Renee clasped her hands together. "We'll let you both get unpacked. Are you tired from your trip? Do you want to rest?" she asked solicitously.
"Ummm…I'm okay for now. I'll probably crash early tonight," Bella answered with a light laugh. She looked at Edward.
"No, I'm good. I'm awake enough to unpack." He smiled in Renee and Charlie's direction. Any discussion of sleeping with their daughter seemed premature considering he'd been in their house less than an hour.
"Okay." Renee nodded in an exaggerated gesture that could have come from awkwardness. "Well, I guess I'll put the lasagna in the oven. We can eat in an hour or so. Does that sound okay?"
"Sounds perfect, Mom. Do you need help with anything?"
"Not at all. You relax." Renee waved her hands at the two of them. "Come downstairs when you want."
Bella's parents departed silently, in marked contrast to the noisy greeting. They didn't shut the door but left it open a few inches. Edward waited until he heard their steps fade away on the stairs.
"So."
"So?" She walked to him with her arms extended until they wrapped around his waist. The comfort of her closeness filled him with quiet; he hadn't known he needed it right now until she sensed it and gave it to him.
"Your parents are nice."
"They are." She looked up at him, brushing the short fringe of hair on his forehead off to the side. "They like you."
"I hope so."
"You're remarkably short on words."
"I'm remarkably short on an educated opinion, too. I'm just being careful. So far, so good."
She nodded with her lips pressed together like she was considering his reply very seriously. "Yes. They'll warm up to you even more the longer we're here."
"I'm glad they already liked me enough to put us in the same room." He gestured significantly toward the futon with a tilt of his head.
Bella laughed, the lightest element in a room that had only dim grey daylight thanks to the cloud cover. "I forgot to, um, talk to her about that before we left. We discussed everything else, including what you like to eat for dinner, but not that. I'm glad she came to the right conclusion." She moved to the side of the futon and placed her hands on the top and the side to move it to the sleeping position. "Shall we?"
They set the back of it down on the floor, then rearranged the pillows and added the extra blanket that lay on the dresser. The room was substantially smaller with the full-sized bed open.
Bella flopped down on it and closed her eyes, spreading her arms out like she was making a snow angel. "This feels great."
"You want to go to sleep?"
"Not a good idea. We have to get used to the time change," she reminded him. "I'll last as long as I can and then crash tonight."
"Do we have anything planned for tomorrow?"
"Nothing early, and I intend to keep it that way." Bella held out her hand. "Let's go downstairs and see what we can do to help with dinner."
The aroma of spices and tomatoes greeted them as they walked to the kitchen. With a rumble, Edward's stomach reminded him that it had been awhile since he or Bella had a decent meal. Though he was nervous about dinner, he was looking forward to eating.
Bella offered their help to her mother, who was making garlic bread. He was grateful that Renee asked them to prepare the ingredients for the salad. Charlie was in the living room, reading the paper while the TV was on. She didn't seem to assume that Edward would prefer to join Charlie. Score one for Renee. Edward wasn't ready for solo time with Bella's father just yet.
The three of them made small talk about New York and Bella's work while they prepared dinner. Edward contributed little to the conversation; he chopped vegetables while taking in the homey but worn kitchen, with its old oak cabinets and aged linoleum floor. Most of the time he watched Bella, whose animation and happiness at returning to her parents' home both warmed and charmed him.
The table was set and the four of them sat down to eat. To Edward's surprise, they clasped hands while Charlie murmured a quick prayer of thanks. He'd just picked up his fork when Bella lifted her hand, and at first he wasn't sure what she expected of him. Was she asking for the cheese?
He hadn't known she was religious. Or maybe her parents were, and she was slipping back into the routine of the household where she'd grown up. He bowed his head and listened respectfully, trying to understand what Charlie was mumbling from somewhere beneath his mustache.
Bella felt Edward's uncertainty in the loose grip of his hand, and she gave him a quick smile of apology. It was hard to tip him off in advance to family habits that were too numerous and small to name. He'd have to roll with it like she did the first time she'd gone to his parents' house and landed in the middle of about 100 of their family and friends. She wondered if it was easier to meet your lover's family in a small group or a huge crowd. There were moments at that Cullen family barbeque when she appreciated how easily she could shrink into the crowd if she wanted to.
Renee served up the lasagna while Bella broke off some of the garlic bread and passed it around. Charlie asked about their Christmas, and she explained to her father that Edward had to work both Christmas Eve and the next day. Her father looked at Edward with renewed interest.
"What's it like working in the city on Christmas Day? Quiet? Busy?" Charlie sprinkled a cubic foot of grated cheese over his pasta.
"This year, it was just bad." Edward shifted in his seat, his fork raised over his plate. "We had a child abduction that got violent on the Upper East Side right when my shift started.
"Oh my God!" Renee looked at him with wide eyes. "What happened? Was the kid okay?"
"Oh yeah, he was fine. Thank God. The rest of the family wasn't so lucky."
He relayed the sorry story of the Christmas morning shooting and the father who would not give up until the police surrounded him and forcibly took the child away. The further he got into it, the more animated he became and the thicker his Brooklyn accent grew, ringing through the small dining room like an urban gong. It was undeniably out of place in a house where the rounded vowels of the Pacific Northwest and the musical voices of the Quileute Indians were the norm.
Bella bowed her head and twisted her hands in her lap. He sounded so much like the New Yorker he was, and while that had never been a problem on the East Coast, the contrast was so great here, she couldn't help but notice. She nearly flinched.
Ashamed, she brushed it aside and listened to what he said instead of how he said it. Charlie looked impressed. He gave all his attention to Edward, his index finger stroking his mustache. Bella smiled at how much she'd missed that gesture; she knew it meant Charlie was really listening. She stole a look at Renee, who also seemed wrapped up in Edward's story. Her expression didn't change until she felt Bella's gaze on her, and she gave her daughter a quick smile.
Her father was asking Edward about the weapons they used when they were on patrol. This was definitely not something Bella wanted to hear, so she raised her eyebrows at Renee and nodded her head toward the kitchen. Her mother nodded gratefully. This wasn't a conversation she was interested in, either.
Wordlessly, Bella picked up her plate and reached for Edward's, while Renee carried her dinner plate and a few empty bowls to the kitchen. Edward glanced up and interrupted his response to Charlie to ask if he could help.
Renee was already in the kitchen; she turned around far enough to give Bella a look of approval. Bella just smiled and shook her head at Edward. "Nah," she said, in her best imitation of a Brooklyn girl. "You and Dad are talking. Mom and I can clean up."
"Are you sure?"
"Definitely. You're a guest, and it's your first day here so you get a pass. You'll get a list of chores tomorrow," she teased.
She entered the kitchen where Renee was putting leftovers into containers.
"Edward is very nice, Bella," Renee said. She was forcing the remaining lasagna into a rectangle of Tupperware.
"He's great, Mom. He's an amazing man."
Her mother finally looked up at her. "How long have you been dating?
"Since the summer."
"It's sweet that he was willing to come home with you to meet us." Renee was now speaking into the refrigerator, where she was organizing everything on the shelves to make room for more food.
"He really wanted to. It's important to him to meet you both. I've met his family a few times."
Renee leaned against the counter by the sink. "What are they like?"
"They're great. They've been so kind to me. I've met some of his cousins, aunts, uncles too. They have a big family in the New York area."
"That's good. They'd better like you." Her mother looked mock-threatening, but smiled. "I guess it's different for him, visiting here. There's just me and Dad, unless you count the Blacks or the Clearwaters. Or the guys on the force," she added wryly.
"Edward's an only child, like me. He knows how that is."
"You have more in common than that." It was more of a question, coming from her mother.
"A lot." Bella frowned. Putting everything with Edward into words was always difficult. "We see almost everything the same. I talk, and he doesn't just listen, he knows. And he's good, Mom. So good." She gave a little laugh. "I don't know if you know how rare that is."
"Oh, I do." They were frozen in silence, with Renee staring at her daughter and Bella feeling the weight of that gaze. It wasn't particularly uncomfortable, but she knew there was significance to it that she couldn't decode.
"I'm very lucky," Bella finally said, shifting in her chair.
"So is he," her mother said, as firmly as if her mind had just snapped into gear. "Based on the way he looks at you, I'd say he knows that."
"He tells me all the time." Bella had a sudden urge to hug her mother, so she did. A peculiar look of sadness swept over Renee's face, but it was gone before her daughter could say anything. Instead, her mother smoothed Bella's hair back and hugged her back, hard.
The casual talk that floated in from the next room sounded like Edward and Charlie were winding things down. Charlie called out, "I think we have some Christmas presents to open."
With a final squeeze, Renee whispered, "I'm very happy for you, honey. Really." She poked her head into the dining room to ask if anyone wanted coffee, effectively ending the conversation for now.
The gifts were a big hit. Her mother loved the Christmas ornament from Edward and immediately tried to hang it on the tree in the corner of the living room. The tree was overfilled, and it took a few moments for Renee to find an open spot while Charlie watched in quiet amusement.
She found room near the top but had trouble reaching. Edward jumped up and held out his hand in silent offering. Renee smiled warmly and watched as he carefully hung the thin blown glass bulb near a miniature wooden manger.
Charlie, meanwhile, had torn into the wrapping on the book that Edward found for him. Edward wiped his hands on his jeans nervously and sat next to Bella on the couch again, waiting to see the Chief's reaction.
Charlie's eyebrows rose in surprise at first, but then his mustache twitched in a natural smile that curled up way into his cheeks. He immediately thumbed through the book, looking at the paintings in the first few pages before raising his gaze to meet Edward's.
"Bella tell you I like fishing?
"Yes, sir. I found the book in Manhattan. I thought the pictures were really well done, so I figured you might like it."
Charlie closed the book and looked at the cover again. " 'The Art of Fishing.' Hmmm." Edward held his breath for a few seconds. "Never thought there was much art involved, but you're right about the pictures. They're pretty sharp." He thumbed through the volume again before giving Edward a direct look. "We'll go fishing later this week, son?" Although it was phrased as a question, Edward knew it was anything but.
"I'd really like that, sir."
"Charlie."
"Excuse me?"
"Call me Charlie."
"Oh." Edward cleared his throat. "Thank you, Charlie. Yeah, I'd really like to go with you. But I don't have any fishing equipment or clothes…not much call for them in Brooklyn." He smiled, nervous and apologetic.
Charlie waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, don't worry about that. I can borrow some hip waders for you. You have a heavy jacket. I have plenty of fishing poles and flies."
Bella subtly kicked the edge of Edward's food. Told ya.
"I'd be honored, sir-Charlie."
"We'll have to leave real early in the morning. Hope that doesn't bother you."
"Not at all. I'm used to getting up very early for work."
Charlie nodded in approval. "Weather's supposed to be good on Friday- not as rainy as the rest of the week. That'll be the day to go. Give you time to get over jet lag, anyway."
"Speaking of which…" Bella yawned and stretched. "I'm almost ready for sleep. I think I'd like to go upstairs and read.
As a matter of course, Edward nearly stood up to say he'd join her. He was also tired and ready for bed, or even sleep. He suddenly wasn't sure he wanted to advertise the fact that he'd be sleeping with Bella, even if they'd tacitly given their approval by setting up the spare bedroom for them.
So instead, he sought out Renee. "Is there anything else I can do to help you clean up, Mrs. Swan?"
She was gathering a couple of empty plates and Charlie's beer bottle from the living room. "Nope," she said, patting his knee as she passed. "And call me Renee."
Edward offered to carry the dishes into the kitchen for her but she smiled and shooed him away. "Good night to both of you," she said, enjoying his blush.
"Okay. Thanks...Renee," he said. He backed out of the living room and then turned to take the stairs two at a time so he could join Bella in their room.
I haven't been to JFK Airport in years, so there may well be decent coffee sold near the gates. I took some liberties here.
Thank you for reading!
If you're on Twitter, please stop by to say hi. I'm SerendipitousMC.