Chapter 21: Bubbles of Fun
Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight.
Murmuring into her hair, Jacob said, "Tell me something, Bells. Where did you buy that bra you were wearing tonight?"
"I don't remember. Alice would know. She took me with her to the shop that day. Why?"
"No reason . . . Okay . . . so I'm lying. Are you gonna shop with Alice anytime soon?"
"I take it you liked what you saw," she giggled.
"Uh . . . yeah! It's second, only to what you've got on now."
Bella lifted her head from Jacob's shoulder. "What are you talking about? I'm not wearing anything."
He winked at her and growled, "My point exactly."
Pulling herself up on an elbow, Bella remarked, "So, does this mean you're not tired yet?"
"Not on your life. If you think you're gonna wear me out, think again. I'm the heavyweight champion of luvin! But, hold that thought for a minute. I have to make a pit stop first."
Jacob rolled Bella onto her side and playfully smothered her with kisses before getting out of the bed. He marched into the bathroom and let out a whistle. "Whoa, they've done some remodeling in here since we last visited. You gotta see this, girl."
Bella slipped into Jacob's shirt that was haphazardly rumpled up on the floor. Padding into the bathroom behind him, she let out a pleasantly surprised gasp. "Wow, this is definitely the honeymoon suite."
Instead of the cramped shower stall, there was a large bathtub with set in water jets, and a new, open, walk-in shower. The overhead lighting was actually a row of heat lamps—definitely a great improvement.
Noticing a bottle on the shelf beside the tub, Jacob grabbed it and showed the label to Bella. "Oh, look—bubbles—you wanna take a bubble bath with me tomorrow? That's always been one of my fantasies—my Bella, in the bathtub with me, and surrounded by billions of bubbles."
Bella extended one shapely leg out seductively. "Well, I hate to burst your bubble, Black, but hurry up and empty your tank. Round three is coming up, you wouldn't want to forfeit, now would you?" She cocked one eyebrow, and sauntered back to the bedroom.
Seeing her in that oversized shirt—his shirt, to be exact jostled him back to reality. Just the thought of her encased in his clothes got his motor running again. It was just so intimate. Jacob hurried to finish his task, and trotted to the bed, sliding inside the covers beside his sweetheart. Round three was a double knockout! Afterwards,they were both out for the count 'til the sun peeped over the pine trees.
The next morning found the twosome lathering each other up, while frothy mountains of suds swirled around them. Jacob blew a handful of the white foam at Bella. She retaliated by scooping up a handful and placing it on the top of his dripping hair.
"This stuff makes great bubbles," Jacob commented. "Maybe we should buy a bottle or two. We can have bubbles of fun in our own little home."
Bella combed the snowy lather from his hair with her fingertips. "When will we have the time? We won't be able to squeeze in blowing bubbles, let alone sitting in them."
"Damn, you're such a pessimist. We'll have Saturdays free. We really should get some use out of the tub too."
"You're forgetting something, Jake. That tub won't fit the two of us in it."
"You can sit on my lap," he replied, wiggling his eyebrows.
She blew a strand of wet hair away from her mouth. "Oh yeah, that'll work, except that all of the water will be gone—sloshed over the sides."
A grin broke out all over his face. "Come to think of it, who needs water when you're naked sitting on my lap? Hell, the main mission will already be accomplished."
Bella smeared a layer of the suds over his smug expression. Jacob grabbed her face quickly and pressed his frothy lips to hers, leaving behind a mask of whipped soap all over, and depositing the residue in her mouth.
"Jacob Black," she sputtered, the foam spewing from her tongue. "Eww!"
Wiping away the lather from his eyes, he stuck out his tongue. "Here, give it back to me, then. You're always threatening to wash my mouth out with soap anyway. Now's your chance."
She managed to scrape the rest of the stuff off her tongue with a washcloth. "Tell me again why I married you."
Leaning forward, Jacob nuzzled her nose with his, and whispered, "'Cuz, I'm just bubbling over with fun. And girls just wanna have fun, right?"
The rest of the day was filled with long walks in the woods, eating in various restaurants, and cruising along the coast in that beautiful Spider. No one could ask for a better honeymoon.
That night, four very different people were reaping the results of their choices.
Edward decided to leave Forks. It was full of too many memories of his beloved Bella. If only he hadn't left in the first place, his non-beating heart wouldn't be in this sorrowful condition. There was no medicine in the world that could alleviate that constant ache. He would stay away, and not interfere in her life ever again. Perhaps he could start anew in Denali and find one of his own kind to share his life with, and maybe even his love. That thought gave him a glimmer of hope.
Then there was Chad Deveraux. Forks certainly made a new man out of him, literally. If Jacob hadn't come by that day, he would be sporting crimson eyes and drinking bloody Marys and Tom, Dick and Harrys all the rest of his eternal days. He gave up the booze, and the womanizing and became a better person. Bella Swan was the catalyst for that metamorphosis. Isabella—she would be his biggest regret—the one that got away. She would also be the standard for all the women in his life to measure up to.
Renee couldn't stop thinking about Charlie. Would he take her back if she divorced Phil? The divorce was coming; it was inevitable. Phil probably realized his mistake in marrying her just as she had. Why was this realization so late in coming? She still had feelings for Charlie. Denying it all these years was the stupidest thing she had ever done. What a wasted life. Renee and Charlie could have been happy all this time, if she hadn't been so selfish. Was excitement and adventure worth it?
She could see now, what a good man he was—what he always was—what he still is. Suddenly she was scared. Could they start over? Was it possible? She promised herself that she would settle down, become more responsible, and ultimately more selfless and loving. And she would love again, if Charlie would give her another chance.
Poor Charlie—he had trouble sleeping since Bella's wedding day. Why did Renee have to dredge up those long buried feelings deep inside of him. He never remarried; he never could. How can you marry someone when your heart is still inscribed with another's name. Now that Bella had been gone, he was lonelier than ever. With Renee's departure, that loneliness was only emphasized.
He should have run after her when he had the opportunity. He was almost certain, that Renee would have come back to him. He was aware that she felt those old longings too. Her drunken confession was her heart speaking to him, stripped of any guile.
Not that it would make any difference now, but why didn't he go to Phoenix and bring her home those many years ago? His damn pride held him back. And for what? All it brought him was years of pain and loneliness. Two of his greatest treasures were torn from him. Lost—all those precious moments of history were just that—history that he was not a part of. Well, maybe he could add a new chapter to that history, one that would make his once happy family happy once more. It wasn't too late, was it?
This was their last day. They had to leave by noon. So why waste time? The lovers spent the whole morning in bed, then begrudgingly packed up and left their idyllic respite behind. It was time to return to the real world—a world of work and study, and loving and patrolling. But they knew in their hearts that they could face it because they had each other.