Surprise! Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 20

MAY 2005

Big changes coming

"Who was that, handsome?" I asked Edward as he strolled back into the kitchen from taking his phone call into the bedroom where he could hear the other person because Charlie had the game going in our living room. It had been seven weeks since the catastrophe at Rose and Emmett's old house and things had been pretty hectic lately with the end of the school year coming, preparing for Edward's graduation that was happening tomorrow, and helping Emmett and Rose with the girls while they split their time between home, school, and the hospital.

Edward sat his phone on the bar as he climbed onto one of the barstools we had placed there. "That was my advisor with a job offer that's out of the ordinary considering my major of music education." He said as he smiled at me.

"Really? What about the teaching job at Providence Prep after graduation once they get through with the renovations and repairs?" I asked as I turned the chicken in the skillet.

He crinkled his nose and shook his head. "The uppity up's at Brown considered my student teaching to be complete under the circumstances and frankly I don't want to go back to that school if I don't have to. Plus, I don't really want to take on a teaching job unless we both plan to settle here permanently."

I nodded in understanding. "I can understand not wanting to go back into that school after what happened but teaching music is what you want to do, Edward."

"Let me ask you this, do you see us staying here after you get out of college?" He asked me as he propped his head on his folded arms.

I shrugged. "I don't know but it's not all about me, babe. Tell me about the job offer?" I asked him curiously guiding the conversation back on topic.

"To be a transcriber for the Rhode Island Orchestra, well one of three transcribers actually, it's only a two year job while one of their transcribers goes on maternity leave when her twins are born in five months. That would take us all the way up to your graduation." He said with a smile on his face.

I quirked an eyebrow because I had no idea what a transcriber was but he certainly did by the energy in his voice, I figured it had something to do with translating something from sound into written form. "The big question here is, are you are interested in the job?" I asked him as I leaned against the counter facing him.

He shrugged. "I never really thought about it until it was just offered to me. It would be perfect while you finish up your degrees and it will provide an income too which isn't necessary but would still be nice." He said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I do know that I don't want to just sit on my ass for the next two years while you finish up school."

"What about teaching?" I asked curiously because that's what his degree was; music education.

"We'll start our teaching careers together, after you graduate." He said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Simple."

I sighed as I walked over to the bar, bending down until we were eye to eye. "It seems like you are changing your dreams to accommodate me and I don't feel like that is fair to you." I told him softly.

He shook his head. "That's what a serious relationship is all about, baby. Compromise. We haven't decided on where we are going to settle at once you are out of school so this will be the perfect intermitten job. It will also give us some time to discuss our future plans. It's not all about you but it's not all about me either. This is about what is best for us as a couple."

"I love you." I told him as I kissed his lips gently.

He smiled against my lips. "Love you too, Isabella."

I smiled as we separated. "What did you tell your advisor?"

"That I had to talk to my girlfriend because above my own her opinion mattered the most to me in this entire world and I would get back to him within the hour."

"Sounds to me like you have a phone call to return then." I told him as I turned back to the dinner I was making for the five of us since Charlie, Carlisle, and Esme were here for his graduation ceremony tomorrow. Carlisle and Esme were at the hospital visiting with baby Jacqui while her parents spent some much needed time with their other two daughters. It has been a difficult several weeks for the small family because they wanted nothing more than to see their baby home.

Edward grabbed his phone heading for the bedroom to make his phone call that would secure his first post college job in the music field. "Hey Bells?" Charlie called from the living room, pausing the TV for a minute.

"Yeah, dad?" I asked as I concentrated on dinner.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" He asked as he walked into the kitchen.

After I pulled the chicken from the skillet I turned to face him. "Sure, Dad, what's up?"

"How do you feel about re-doing the house back in Forks?" He asked leaning against the countertop.

"What do you mean redoing the house?"

"Turning your room into a room for the girls would be the biggest change if you are okay with it."

I shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me, dad, it's your house. My only question is where would Edward and I sleep when we come to visit? You know we are planning on spending most of the summer there." I asked him curiously because the house was only three bedrooms with one being mine, one Rose's, and one Charlie's.

"I wasn't sure if you were going to stay the summer or not but I thought about turning the attic into a bedroom and private bathroom. Carlisle said it sounded like a great idea and he would help out plus he recruited Jasper, Alice, and Esme to help. That would become you guys' room and it won't hurt the resale value if I ever sale the place." He said with a small smile.

"Sell the house? Jasper and Alice are going to help? Another bathroom?" I asked him rapidly because those were sentences I never dreamed of hearing come out of my father's mouth about his house.

"Yes, Carlisle and I agree that it is time you kids all get this anger out of your systems so yes he and Alice are both going to be there. It's not often that I interfere in your personal life or friendships but you and Jasper and Rosie have been friends since you were eleven years old. Grow up, all of you." He said so quickly you would think someone had a gun held to his held forcing him to say the words.

"Okay, dad." I said for lack of a better response. "Why are you talking about possibly selling the house? And another bathroom? You couldn't do that when I asked when I was thirteen?"

"Well, considering how much you two girls loathed Forks growing up I don't anticipate you two settling back there after college so yes selling the house is a possibility in the future. One of these days I may retire and become a full time grandpa, need to be close by to do that." He said with a shrug of his shoulders. "As for the bathroom, you are a grown woman in a committed relationship, you two need your own bathroom."

My jaw dropped open at my dad's insinuation of me and Edward doing adult things in the bathroom because he always tried to pretend like we were virginal college students. And the extra bathroom?! Come on, do you have any idea how awkward it is being a teenage girl and having to share a bathroom with your father? Really awkward!

"Really? I didn't ever think you would retire from the force but being a grandfather does seem to suit you pretty good. As for the house, when are you wanting to have it finished by? You know Rose, Em, and the girls are planning to visit once Jacqui gets released from the hospital." I told him because even though Jacqui had rapidly been improving since being born in March, she was still not released from the hospital yet. The doctors and her parents were hopeful that she would be released by the first week of June because June 7th was her original due date. "Seems like Jasper's summer job at that construction company during high school may come in handy after all." I added as an afterthought.

He nodded in understanding. "Thanks for being the amazing woman I always dreamed you would be. I love you, Bells."

I blinked to keep the tears from falling because I just knew that would ruin the moment he was trying to have. "I love you too, dad. Thanks."

He huffed as he went back to the living room just as Edward walked back into the room with a smile on his face. "I got it."

"That's great, handsome. When do you start?"

"October first and I can do a lot of the work from home with the right equipment but the producer and director will provide that." Just as I was spooning the sauce over the chicken breasts Esme and Carlisle walked in through the front door with huge smiles on their faces. Edward had been really trying to give Carlisle a chance, despite their ages being closer together than he would like. He teased Jasper that his father in law may end up being his step father some day in the future which caused Jasper to scowl like nobody's business.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"It's going to be okay, Esme." I told the woman that had been more of a mother to me than my own flesh and blood as she sobbed at the sight of Edward in his graduation gown with his cap in his hands as he walked towards us in the already crowded auditorium. The ceremony hadn't even begun yet and Esme was already in tears. Despite the ugliness of the graduation gown, Edward was still sexy as ever, and by the grin on his face he knew the reaction he was having on me. Having our parents in our home for the past few days had been a bit too awkward for us to have sex like we were used to doing but that was okay because they were all going home in a few more days. Plus, it was just a great way to build up passion and anticipation for when we could be as loud and as raunchy as we wanted to be.

Edward just laughed, winked in my direction, and shook his head at his mother as he pulled her into the safe embrace of his arms. He rocked her gently side to side as he closed his eyes savoring his mother's scent. I found it cute that he was such a momma's boy and wasn't ashamed about it at all. "It's okay, Ma. This is what we always wanted." He whispered quietly into her hair as he shot me another wink over the top of her head. I could only hope that I would have a similar relationship with our children sometime in the future.

She nodded as she sniffled into his shirt. "I know, son, and it's been a long time coming. Your daddy would have been so very proud of you if he could be here with you today, both of them." She said as she pulled back palming his shirt where she had been crying into. "I'm just so happy for you."

He laughed as he picked her up twirling her around turning her sniffles into giggles quickly. "I know, Ma, I know." He said as he sat her feet back on the ground with a kiss to her cheek. "It's was dad's dream for me. To follow my passions as far as the world would allow me. He would be so happy that I have met the woman of my dreams and am graduating magna cum laude from Brown University."

The entire gang took up almost a whole row of bleachers as we all came to cheer on Edward as he was the first of us to walk across the stage to receive his college diplomas. Rose, Emmett, Abby, Lizzy, Jasper, Alice, Esme, Carlisle, Charlie, and myself were all there to watch the momentous occasion. Even though I had forgiven Jasper, he wasn't a big part of our day to day lives anymore and that was okay for the moment. I was glad that he found happiness in Alice but it still stung slightly that she was the woman he had cheated on me with.

"GO E GO!" Lizzy screamed louder than any of the rest of us as she stood on Emmett's knees cupping her hands over her mouth to make it that much louder. Rosalie just shook her head as she bounced Abby on her knees while waving her arms in the air as Edward walked across the stage.

I winked at Lizzy as I watched the love of my life walk across that stage with a huge smile on his face. When he grabbed his diploma he shook hands with the dean before turning to wink at me before kissing the charm on his necklace which immediately took me back to that day he showed me that specific necklace and explained to me what it meant. I ducked my head to hide the blush that instantly spread across my face which caused my dad and Rosalie to bust out laughing at my embarrassment.

"I would love to know why that necklace is making you blush like that, sissy." Rose whispered cheekily into my ear.

I just smiled and shook my head as I twisted my Claddagh ring round and round on my finger while Edward took his seat once again. "Nope, that's a secret that will remain between Edward and me."

"Spoil sport. Just think, Bells, it's going to be us walking across that stage in another two years." Rose said as she leaned into my shoulder a little bit.

I nodded. "I know, I can't wait. Charlie's renovating his house to better accommodate all of us by the way." I whispered quietly.

She looked at me with huge tear filled eyes. "Why?" She whispered softly as she glanced back over her shoulder at Charlie who was talking seriously with Jasper and Carlisle. "Why would he do that?"

"Because we are his daughters, silly. He's giving my room to the girls and turning the attic into mine and Edward's space." I said with a wiggle of my eyebrows. "With our own bathroom."

"He's adding another bathroom? Why couldn't he do that when we were in high school?"

I nodded. "Yeah, apparently it will help with resale value in the future."

"He's planning on selling our home? He can't do that! That's where our lives together started." She said as a few tears spilled over the rim of her eyes despite her constant batting at them. "That's home."

I shook my head. "It's just a house, Rosie, just a house. We don't need it to keep our memories but we can talk about all of that when the time comes. He wants to be close to his granddaughters so he can play the doting grandfather role." I told her quietly as I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. "I'm going to enjoy having my own private bathroom while I can."

"I know, right?"

That simple statement caused us both to bust out in giggles.

After the ceremony was over I escaped our families to go find Edward so I could spend a few minutes alone with him before going to dinner with everybody. "Hey hot stuff, got a few minutes to spare for little old me?" I asked as I walked up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist.

He groaned quickly pulling me in front of him. "Do I ever! I have a surprise for you. Let's go." He said with a quick kiss to my lips before tugging me through a doorway and down a deserted hallway. The silence was such a contrast to the noise of the auditorium we were in that it was a little scary.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked him as I ran along behind him laughing loudly.

He stopped suddenly pushing me against the wall and tugging my legs up around his hips before sinking his hands beneath my white jean skirt causing it to ride up my thighs dangerously close to exposing the yellow boy shorts I had on underneath. "I'm taking you some place where nobody will think to look for us for a few minutes. I need you. Now." He said slamming his lips against mine passionately as he rotated his obvious hardness against my center.

I groaned as I rubbed my suddenly aching center against his hardness that he was rotating against me. "Yes, please." I moaned huskily trying to find the friction I needed for my release that was just barely out of reach. "It's been too long." It had only been four days but it felt like an eternity.

He dropped my legs from around his waist as he reached for the door beside us. "This is the room I told you about. This is where I practiced for my solo senior showcase, it's completely private and the door locks." He said as he locked the door behind us before scooping me up to carry me across the room.

"Perfect." I told him as I coiled my arms around his neck, holding on for dear life.

I gasped when I felt something slick and cool touch my butt because my skirt had ridden up in our excitement. "Is this a..." I trailed off as he nodded.

"It is." He said before sealing his lips to mine as he stepped between my legs, placing my feet on the keys of the piano I was sitting on sending out a chaotic noise into the room. This had been a fantasy of mine ever since he took me to 'Middle of Nowhere' back at Christmas, which I had shared on Valentine's Day.

"Are we…?" I asked as I tugged him between my spread legs.

He nodded. "We are."

It was a quick and frenzied but perfect coupling between us to ring out the end of Edward's college days. I just hoped that we would be able to ring out the end of my college days in an equally satisfying way but maybe using one of Edward's hot librarian fantasies he had told me about.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"I like the idea of leaving the beams exposed and staining them a dark color." I said as Esme, Alice, and I faced off with the men in the partially completed attic a week after Edward's graduation. Jasper, Charlie, Carlisle, and Edward stood on one side in similar poses with their feet spread and arms crossed over their chests while us women stood a few feet in front of them with our feet apart and hands on our hips. We were arguing over design plans for the recently cleaned and gutted attic. Esme, Alice, and I had taken over the job of getting everything out of the attic while the guys laid new plywood floors down over the ceiling rafters of the second floor and got the plumbing roughed in for the bathtub, sink, and toilet.

Before beginning the renovations on the attic space Jasper, Alice, Edward, and I went down to La Push beach and talked things over. Jasper admitted that the way he handled things was very shitty. Not just the cheating on me part but also forcing Edward to keep quiet about his feelings towards me all these years. We were in a much better place when we left that than when we had arrived on it although Jasper had left with a black eye. I think we were all anxious about spending the summer together but also hopeful that this could be the turning point in our relationships. Jasper and Alice were staying at Carlisle and Esme's house back in Port Angeles while Edward and I were staying at Charlie's as was Rose, Em, and their girls when they got here in a few weeks.

Alice, like Esme, had a knack for making a space feel comfortable and cozy. The three of us had a plan to go shopping for everything from flooring to paint colors to furniture to bathroom tile while the guys did the hard labor. Once Esme and I explained to Alice what mine and Edward's style was and what we were aiming for she was all gung ho on helping to make it come together perfectly.

"We are going to have to cover the roof boards with insulation and drywall but that will still leave most of the beams exposed for you." Carlisle said as he measured the rafters. "Will that work?" He asked looking at me, Edward, and Charlie since it was Charlie's house and mine and Edward's room for the time being.

Edward and I shrugged and looked at Charlie because it was his house and mostly his budget even though Edward and I had offered to help with the costs. "I don't care, I probably won't ever come up here." He said as he went to put some more of the insulation up against the roof boards apparently tired of all the bickering and discussing instead of working.

"Are you sure you don't want this room, dad? While the rest of us take the second floor?" I asked walking over to him to help him for a few minutes.

He sighed and shook his head. "No, sweetheart, my knees won't take coming up and down those attic stairs multiple times a day plus I've been in that same bedroom for over forty years." He said as he pulled me into a hug. "This is all for you, Rosie, and the girls." He said as he kissed me on the side of the head.

I nodded as I kissed him on the cheek before walking back over to where Alice and Esme were poised over Alice's computer. "Will you two please take it easy on the shopping? Esme, you know how much I hate shopping of any kind." I pleaded with them as I watched Edward walk over to Charlie and begin whispering before they both looked at me, smiled, and descended the stairs down into the main part of the house.

"Why do you not like shopping, Bella?" Alice asked with a confused look on her face.

I shrugged. "Being raised by my father all my life could have something to do with it. We never went to any store beside the grocery store or dollar store unless it was urgent. I got my first taste of shopping when I went with Rose and her mom one time when I as about nine years old and I didn't like it at all." I explained as Esme wrapped her arm around my shoulders.

"You are perfect even though you don't like shopping." Esme whispered into my ear.

I nodded as we both looked at Alice who had tears in her eyes. "Where was your mother? Did she die when you was a baby too?"

I shook my head. "No, she just left when I was a few weeks old. Esme became the mother I never had when she and the guys came barreling into my life unexpectedly." I told her with a smile because I just realized in that moment that Alice and I had more in common that I had ever thought possible. We were raised by single fathers and without our mothers.

"Oh, I had no idea."

I raised my eyebrow in confusion because I had been sure that Jasper would have told her that much at least. "Jasper never told you about any of that?"

She shook her head. "Nope, said if you wanted me to know then you would tell me in your own time."

I sighed because that sounded like my best friend. "He's a great friend like that."

"Yeah, he is." Alice agreed.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

A little over a week after Edward and I had gotten to Forks I got a text message from Rose that made all of our day.

SHE'S COMING HOME TOMORROW IF SHE CAN PASS CAR SEAT TEST!

"EDWARD! DAD! ESME!" I hollered as I raced into the house with my cell phone clasped tightly in one hand and lunch in the other. I had run out to the diner to get us all something to eat for lunch while everybody else worked on the room remodels.

"What's wrong?" Edward asked concerned as he nearly tumbled down the stairs in his urgency to get to me.

I shook my head. "Nothing's wrong, things are actually pretty great. Jacqui gets to come home tomorrow if she can pass her car seat test in the morning."

Before I knew what was happening Edward had me swooped up in his arms twirling me around the living room while my dad and Esme hugged each other on the stairs. "That's amazing. When will they be able to come home?" Charlie asked once we had all settled down.

I shrugged and sent a text to Rose. "I don't know, I didn't ask any questions. I had just gotten the text right as I was walking into the house." I explained as I tapped out a quick message to Rose.

Papa Charlie wants to know when you guys are coming home?

Won't be for at least two weeks but possibly even longer.

Why?

Because she was a preemie and still needs the heart/breathing monitor for at least two weeks.

Oh ok. I will tell everybody. Congrats and good luck. We all miss you guys!

We miss you too!

Once my texting conversation was over I relayed it to rest of the room who all groaned and cheered at the same time. "Well that gives us a few more weeks to get their rooms straightened out." Esme said with a smile. "I can't wait!"

I groaned because I just knew that it meant more shopping was on the horizon and I had had my fill of anything associated with shopping in the past week. I couldn't wait until our room was ready for us to move in because we desperately needed some alone time away from all of the parentals and family. "Great." I deadpanned as Edward pulled me down into his lap as he sat in the corner of the couch.

"Still need to buy some more furniture in here." Charlie grumbled as he shot me a wink and a smile as I snuggled into Edward's chest.

Charlie and Esme meandered their way into the kitchen with our now remembered lunch in their hands. "Are you hungry, baby?" Edward asked against the top of my head.

I nodded but tightened my grip on him because I couldn't fathom moving at the moment. "In a few minutes. Please." I begged him quietly as I felt my breathing begin to match his as we settled into our moment alone.

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you too, handsome." I whispered before placing a gentle sweet kiss to his throat.

"Don't make me arrest you again, son." Charlie's voice said playfully from the doorway of the living room.

I didn't move but I felt Edward tense momentarily underneath my body. "For what? And you would really upset your daughter like that? Shame on you, Charlie." Edward said playfully causing me to giggle into his chest as my dad huffed and puffed in annoyance.

"You two stop canoodling on my couch and come eat your lunch." He said before we heard his footsteps retreating back towards the kitchen.

I pushed up off of Edward's chest. "Did my dad really just say canoodling?" I asked as I climbed from his lap which in turn caused him to groan as my butt left his prominent erection that had formed at our closeness.

"I believe so. Who knew that the chief knew what canoodling was?" He asked as he stood up adjusting himself as he did so.

I just shrugged my shoulders and headed for the kitchen, our parents, and our lunch. "Canoodling, dad?" I asked half way through my burger and fries.

He smiled and nodded as he sipped on his milkshake. "Yep, how you like that? You old dad can still hang with you youngsters."

Edward and I just busted out laughing because the word canoodling had went out some time in the late 90's or early 2000's. "There's really no need to try to hang with us youngsters as you put it. We like you just the way you are, dad." I told him trying to spare all of us from his ability 'to hang' with us. That would actually require him to embrace technology and I still didn't see that one happening any time soon.

So...what did you guys think?