Summary/Disclaimer: None of this is owned by me. (HA! I wish…). Stephenie Meyer created the world of Twilight. I just like to visit and make them do pervy things, like have sex and swear. Normally, I'm not one to beg for reviews, but I'd like some more loving with this story…I'm not feeling it. Wah…Please?
I told you there would be angst. Sorry about that…Now, I know that I'm an evil cliffie h00r. I've changed this...I've removed the first one. Read the new update. I do not, in any way, want to belittle what happened to Bella or Edward. Also, this is drastically different from what I originally planned. But, there will be a happy ending. I promise you. It'll just take time. Mmmmkay?
Slight cliffhanger. You can probably figure out where we're going next chapter. Anyhow, we've got a lot of growth in this chapter and they're moving forward, making plans and getting married. WOO HOO!
Chapter Twenty-One: Home is Where the Heart is
BPOV
"It's real," I whispered. "We're getting married, Edward."
"We are, dolcezza," he grinned, kissing my bare shoulder. I stood up and reached for his hands. "What?"
"Dance with me," I beamed. He laughed, finding a song on his phone. The sounds of Bryan Adam's 'Everything I Do (I Do it For You)' came from the tiny speakers of his cell phone. Tenderly, he enfolded me in his arms, swaying to the husky voice of the singer. His lips were attached to my forehead and I snuggled closer to his body. "This is a dream."
"The best dream," he whispered, leaning his cheek on my head. "It's so close, I can almost touch it. On October 4th, you're going to be my wife, Bella. I'm going to be your husband. Forever, we'll be bound together." He looked down at me and his golden eyes twinkling with such joy. "I'm never letting you go."
"Good, because I'm not letting you go either," I giggled, kissing his soft, pink lips. "I'm a firm believer in 'til death do us part. No divorce."
"Excellent," he smiled against my mouth. Pulling back, he stared at me. "It's not going to be easy, being in the spotlight but if we can overcome our attacks and still prevail, we can do anything, dolcezza." He took my face in his hands. "But we need to do something first."
"What's that?" I asked.
"I want to meet your mom," he replied, his voice almost inaudible.
EPOV
"My mom?" Bella squeaked. "You realize that we have to travel to bumfuck Washington, right?"
"Yeah, dolcezza," I snickered, kissing her worry away. "Bella, your mom obviously meant a lot to you and I want to meet her, even if I'm talking to a headstone."
"We're also going to be within spitting distance of my father," Bella replied, her brows furrowing. "The man who blamed me for being put on administrative leave because I was supposedly arrested with drugs in my possession. The man who never once came to visit me after being…" She gulped, putting her head on my shoulder. "I'm afraid to see him, Edward."
"I don't blame you and if I see him, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind," I snarled. "Regardless, I'll be next to you every step of the way."
Bella bit her lip, tracing the pattern on my tie. "When do you want to go?"
"Let's get settled into our new place and then fly up to Seattle, spend some time in the Emerald City, perhaps take a short trip to Vancouver and then go to Spoons, Sporks or Knives or wherever you lived before moving to Los Angeles," I suggested.
"It's Forks," she giggled, wrapping her arms around my neck. "And that sounds kind of awesome. It will be nice to get away from all of this drama and have some fun. Reconnect, if you know what I mean?" Bella looked up at me through her lashes and the most delicious blushed splashed over her cheeks.
"We'll do whatever you want," I reassured. "And if it's me you want to do, then sign me up."
"Horny much, Edward?" she snickered.
"Yeah, the hand ain't cutting it," I replied, wrinkling my nose. "I miss you, dolcezza. Like I said, I don't need to make love to you to be happy, but…"
"I know, Edward. I want it, too. Seeing you dressed up like this?" she ran her hands over my lapels, licking her lips seductively. "My panties are drenched."
Fuck. "You're driving me insane, dolcezza," I whimpered.
"Sorry," she said, but her smile indicated she was anything but sorry.
"Minx," I growled/moaned before kissing her pretty, pouty lips sweetly. Her fingers found my hair and she deepened the kiss, tracing my lips with her tongue. Opening my mouth, her tongue slid between my lips and we hungrily lost each other in the hottest kiss we'd shared since her attack. The nagging need to breathe broke our mouths apart. I rested my forehead against hers, panting heavily. "I love you, Bella."
"I love you, too, Edward," she whispered back, playing with my hair at the nape of my neck.
"Are you ready to go, dolcezza?" I asked.
"Yeah. My feet are killing me. I'd forgotten how awful stiletto heels are," she grumbled, holding up her sexy leg, displaying her sexy peep-toe shoes. "Wearing sneakers, slippers, going barefoot and your clothing has spoiled me and all I want to do is find one of your hoodies and wrap myself up in it."
"Do you own any of your own pajamas?" I quipped. "What is it with my clothes?"
"I do, but yours are far more comfortable because they smell like you," she said, tilting her head to the side. "That Edwardy smell…clean, fresh, with a touch of sandalwood and musk. It's fucking sexy."
I sniffed my suit coat. "If you say so," I shrugged. "Come on, I've got one more surprise for you tonight, my sweet girl."
"As if renting out an entire restaurant and choosing a day to get married isn't enough?" she giggled, picking up her clutch from the table.
"The restaurant was Alice's doing…an apology," I reminded her. "This next stop is all me."
"Where are we going?" she asked as we walked out the back of the restaurant, avoiding the cockroaches, erm, the paparazzi, outside of Little Door.
"You'll see," I smiled. "It's a surprise."
Bella gave me a scowl, but I kissed it away as I helped her into the limo. Speaking with Jared, I asked him to drive us to the house in the Palisades, giving him the codes to enter the gated community without my assistance. Getting into the car, Bella snuggled against me and our fingers intertwined. We didn't speak. It was just nice sit and cuddle with my girl. Bella's eyes were closed and she idly traced on my palm. With each innocent caress, there was a force of energy that went directly to my cock; making it grow eagerly. Seeing her this relaxed and holding her in my arms, it caused the beast within to awaken.
Not tonight, ass clown.
I tried to imagine anything to quell my burgeoning arousal. Uncle Carlisle in a dress; Emmett eating a whole cow; Jasper playing the guitar naked. The combination of those three finally caused my erection to subside until Bella moaned quietly. That moan was one of those breathy, I'm-about-to-explode-with-pleasure moans she used to do when we made love.
"You okay, Edward?" Bella asked. "You're awfully squirmy."
I cleared my throat. "I'm fine, baby. Just, the hand thing and those moans you're making, yeah…" I blushed.
She turned and looked down at the crotch of my suit. Pressed against the zipper was my very prominent erection. "Oh," she cooed. "Do you want me to stop?"
"I've missed touching you like this; holding you in my arms, but if you keep doing what you're doing, I may just bust," I chuckled anxiously.
"Edward, I may not be ready to make love to you," she began, "but, I am ready to try other things. I'll stop doing that if you don't feel comfortable. You know? I am ready to explore, though. I've missed you."
"Yeah, but I don't want our explorations to happen in the back of limo," I said, kissing her adorable nose.
"I tend to agree," she said. "But, we're not driving back to your aunt and uncle's place?"
"Nope," I smirked. "I wanted to spend some quality time with you, minus my family. Just you and me. So, I worked with Aunt Esme, Emmett and Tanya to make this surprise happen, dolcezza."
She arched a brow as the limo parked in the circle drive of our new home. I had pulled some major strings to get the bedroom set we liked delivered and set up for tonight. Along with that, I had a slew of candles lit in the master bedroom and the bathroom. Bella probably wouldn't want to bathe together, but the idea of her relaxing in our home made me giddy. Hopefully, she'd let me join her, but I'd respect her wishes if she didn't.
"We're at the house," Bella said as she looked out the window.
"Yeah," I blushed as I got out of the car, helping her out as well. "We're not officially moved in yet, but I wanted to…um, be with you in here. Especially tonight, dolcezza. We just set a date for our wedding and I don't want to necessarily deal with Aunt Esme, Alice and Tanya with their incessant chatter about wedding stuff. I want to enjoy that with you. Just us. So, yeah…surprise!"
"Edward, this is unbelievably sweet but our bedroom is empty," she responded, arching a brow. "I remember what the carpet felt like when we had our naked fun time when we closed on this place. It's soft but I really don't want to sleep on the floor."
"No, it's not. You'll see, Bella," I sang. The limo pulled away and I led my fiancée toward the front door. Scooping her up into my arms, I carried her across the threshold.
"Dork, you're supposed to do that after we're married," she giggled.
"So? I'll probably do it again when the movers come with all of our stuff and again after we're married," I quipped, putting her onto the marble floor in the foyer. The house was completely painted and our living room was finished. I had paid extra money to get the furniture I had trashed the night I proposed to Bella delivered as soon as the room was painted. They also hauled away the pile of springs and fabric that I left after my mental breakdown. Bella stopped in the living room, running her fingers over the light grey sofa and smiling at the purple wall. "Do you like it?"
"It's amazing. I can't wait until all of our knick knacks are in the shelves, Edward. And a grand piano in the window," she smiled at me.
"Hmmm, now you're talking, baby," I said as I pulled her gently into my arms. She giggled as her arms wrapped around my waist. I took her face in my hands before I kissed her sweetly, gently and tenderly. Yes, I had missed this. I missed touching her and kissing her when I wanted. I didn't want her to be afraid. My dolcezza deserves to be happy and in love and free of all fear and anguish. It was now my life's goal to ensure that. No more fear, no more sadness…only happiness, love and joy in my girl's life. "Come on, Bella. Your surprise is upstairs."
She gave me a look as I locked the door. Twining my fingers with hers, we walked up the stairs to the master bedroom. Bella had since slipped off her shoes, carrying them in her hands. Her tiny feet were padding along the soft carpet. Her toes were a bright pink, making her feet look so sexy. I was never one for a foot fetish, but hers were so cute and sexy and I just wanted to suck on them.
Among other things, too.
Dude, you're losing it. Yes, you've gone how long without sex? Now you're fantasizing about her toes? Stop. Just stop.
"Edward, why are you gawking at my feet?" Bella asked.
"No reason," I said as I gathered her in my arms. "Just enjoying the pedicure you got, love." I kissed her forehead before leading her into the bedroom. The scent of vanilla, lavender and sandalwood assaulted my nostrils and I grinned giddily, standing behind my beautiful fiancée. "Surprise!"
"It's finished," she breathed, holding her hands up to her mouth. "Oh my God, it's perfect." She wandered into the room, running her fingers along the cherry wood of the furniture. She gazed at the soft grey that adorned the walls, along with several photos of us from various premiers and family gatherings that hung in black and white in antiqued white frames. The bed was like a cloud with a satin royal blue duvet cover. The candlelight washed everything in a warm, romantic glow and it was truly perfect. "It's what I envisioned when I picked this bedroom set. Edward…" Bella turned to me, tears flowing down her cheeks.
"Hey, no crying, dolcezza," I crooned, walking over to her.
"Happy tears, baby," she smiled, standing on her tiptoes to kiss me chastely. "I'm assuming you had help?"
"Yeah. My aunt, Emmett and Tanya were here setting up the candles while we were out for dinner. The furniture arrived earlier while you were getting beautified and I worked with Emmett to hang the pictures, decorations and make the bed," I explained.
"Emmett? Making the bed?" Bella giggled. "That man is a slob! I don't think that he's ever made a bed in his life prior to today!"
"He wanted to make sure that everything was perfect for his 'Bellaboo,'" I snickered. "Come, there's more." I took her hand, leading her into our bathroom. Every flat surface was covered in candles. Settled in between the two sinks on the counter was a large floral arrangement of blue and white hydrangeas. "If you want to take a bath and relax, there's brand new fluffy towels, bath salts, bubbles and a Jacuzzi tub waiting for you."
She bit her lip, turning to face me. "This is amazing, Edward. I don't know…I can't even express how much I love everything you've done for me tonight and since we were attacked. I'm so blessed to have you in my life, baby," she murmured, her hands moving up to caress my cheeks. "I love you, so much and I can't wait to be your wife."
"I can't wait to be your husband, Mrs. Masen," I smirked.
"Bella Masen," she cooed dreamily. "Hmmm, that sounds soooooo much better than Bella Swan." Her fingers slipped underneath my suit coat and slid it off my shoulders. "Now, back to the bath…it's missing one thing."
I gulped, looking down at her. "What?"
"You," she said, loosening my tie and making quick work of my buttons. "I want to begin exploring each other again. I think the warmth and safety of the tub is a perfect place to start. Don't you?"
My shirt hung open. I took her face in my hands, staring into her endless chocolate depths. "Dolcezza, you are in charge. Okay? We do what you want, baby," I murmured, massaging her soft skin.
"Can you make the water?" she asked before she kissed me sweetly. "All bubbly and warm?"
"Just the way you like it," I snickered, walking away from her. I shirked my dress shirt. Bella grabbed one of the belt loops of my pants. I stopped and looked over my shoulder. "Bella?"
"Don't move," she whispered as her tiny hands began touching my shoulders. Her touch was soft and extremely tentative. She'd never touched the scars on my back, normally falling into a hell of a panic attack before crashing in emotional exhaustion. Her fingertips trailed down my spine and reached the stab wound just above my belt. With a shuddering breath, she placed her palm on it, followed by her lips. "Brave." Her fingers moved up to the wound just above now removed kidney. She put her hand over the wound and then kissed it. "Loving." Her hand moved a short distance to the surgery scar, palming it and then kissing it. "Perfect." Keeping her hand on my skin, she moved so she was in front of me, pressing her hand to the scar on my torso and lavishing it with kisses. "Mine."
"Yours. Unequivocally," I choked out.
"As I'm yours," she murmured, a single tear falling from her eye.
"I love you," we both sighed as I enfolded her into my arms. Her head was pressed just above my frantically beating heart.
I kissed her bare shoulder before releasing her to make the water. I filled up the tub, putting in the perfect amount of bath salts and hot-tub safe bubbles before turning on the jets of the Jacuzzi. I could hear Bella removing her dress, but I, for the most part, ignored her. I didn't want her to think that she was on display for me. No matter what, my Bella was perfect in my eyes. Her 'scars' were in her mind and only held a few on her body. The most prominent scar was on her wrist, where they had put pins to stabilize her broken bones. Bella tended to wear a bracelet or a chunky watch to hide it. I also know that she was still struggling with gaining weight. Her control issues came out clearly when she ate. She was still very thin, but not skeletal like she was before.
"How do you want to this, dolcezza?" I asked, turning around. She was standing, wearing my shirt. Her skin was flushed and her eyes were trained on the floor. "Hey, I can step out and let you enjoy this relaxing bath…"
"No, I want you," she said, looking up at me. "But, can you keep your boxers on?"
"Sure, Bella," I said as I kissed her forehead. I stepped away from the tub and made sure we had towels before removing my pants, shoes and socks. Leaving on my boxer briefs, I walked back to the tub and sat at the edge. She was in, covered in the suds. Bella was curled up in a tiny ball with her fists clenched. My shirt was on the floor along with her dress and panties. She was obviously still uncomfortable with this. I didn't want to cause my fiancé any more anxiety. "I can go and entertain myself, baby."
"No, get in," she said, her cheeks turning red. She looked up at me. Her chocolate eyes pleading with me. Giving her a reassuring smile, I turned, slipping my feet into the tub and easing into the fragrant, bubbly water. "Sit behind me," Bella said, pointing to the edge of the tub that was shaped like a chaise. I settled behind her, wrapping my arms around her tiny waist. She was very stiff.
"Bella, relax, love," I said. I moved my hands from her body, hoping she'd lean against my chest.
"I'm sorry," she muttered, curling back up in a ball. Her cheek was pressed to her knees and she was trying to relax, but her apprehension was rolling off her in waves.
"Don't apologize, baby," I soothed as I ran my fingers through her curled hair. "I know you're struggling."
"I want to relax. I know you would never hurt me. You're safe and loving and warm and… In my mind, I want to melt against your chest and enjoy you, but I keep thinking that…they'll finish what they started," she said, looking back at me. "I don't want to lose my choice, Edward. I only want to be yours."
"Bella, I vow to you on my life that they will never touch you again," I said solemnly. "Yes, I'm your fiancé and will soon be your husband, but my first job will be to protect you. I will always protect you, dolcezza. I can't lose you. I love you so much. Being without you, terrifies me."
She turned around and threw her arms around my neck. The water sloshed onto the floor as she clung to me tightly. Her tears fell onto my skin. I held her in my arms, rocking her gently as she cried against my shoulder. She repeated that she was sorry over and over again, but I told her that apologies weren't needed. Pulling back, she stared into my eyes. There was a newfound confidence there. "Touch me, Edward," she commanded.
I reached up, cupping her cheek. She sighed, leaning into my hand but she shook her head. "Touch me as a lover. I want to feel your hands on me," she said, her voice barely audible. Her eyes stayed on me as I moved my hand down her neck to trace her collarbone. She sat back on her ass, draping her legs over mine. We were inches apart with Bella's body nearly hugging mine. Her chest was heaving and seeing her dusty rose nipples just over the water made my cock spring to life, nearly poking through the hole in my boxer briefs. Licking my lips, I moved my hands to cup her pert breasts, palming them gently. She whimpered, pressing her hands to mine.
"Too much?" I asked.
"No," she said, her eyes twinkling with unshed tears. "I want to remember your touch. Only your touch."
"I'll do anything you want, dolcezza," I said as I removed one hand from her chest to wipe away her tears.
"Just this for now," she said, collapsing against me. She kept one hand on my hand as it cupped her breast as she snuggled against me. Tenderly, I caressed her pebbled nipple as I held her tightly. We sat in the tub until the bubbles went away and the water had turned tepid. She had idly traced her fingers along my collarbone as she relaxed. By the time the water had turned cold, she was fairly comfortable with me holding her without any clothes and actually let me pick her up out of the tub, wrapping her in a fluffy white towel. "We don't have any clothes to sleep in."
"We do," I said as I wrapped another towel around my waist, shimmying out of my wet boxer briefs. "Aunt Esme packed us a bag and it's in the closet. Sit tight. I'll go get it." I kissed her nose before darting out of the bathroom and into our walk-in closet. There was a small overnight bag tucked just inside. I picked out a pair of fresh boxer briefs, tugging them on before carrying the entire bag into the bathroom. Bella had wrapped herself in my shirt again, looking sexy and so god damned perfect. Her curled hair was twisted up into a messy bun with a hair tie that she had in her purse that was laying on the counter. "That is a vision."
"I figured you'd like this," she giggled, cocking her hips. "All I need is panties and I'm set." She dug into the bag, plucking out a pair of white lacy boy shorts. She tugged them on. Turning to me, she appraised me carefully. "Can you sleep like that, baby?"
I looked down and nodded. I honestly hated sleeping in anything more than a pair of boxers. Naked was the most comfortable for me, but obviously that wasn't going to fly. Not yet.
Soon, I hope.
Blowing out the candles, Bella and I cuddled underneath the silky duvet cover. Her legs twined with mine and she curled up against my chest. I held her to my body, lightly scratching up and down her back. "I love you, Edward," she mumbled sleepily. "Thank you for…everything."
"I'll do anything for you, Bella," I murmured, kissing her forehead. "I love you. With my entire soul, I love you." I waited for her to respond, but glancing down at her, she was dead to the world. For the first time since her attack, Bella didn't have a look of agony as she slept. On her sweet lips, there was the most angelic smile. Hugging her to my body, I quickly followed her into the Land of Nod, thrilled that my girl was healing.
xx STARLET xx
The next few weeks were a blur, honestly. Bella and I were slowly trickling into our new home. It was nearly furnished and we were just waiting for a handful of things to be delivered before we officially moved in. I was in charge of the deliveries from the furniture stores while Bella, Tanya and Angela tackled organizing the kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms and making it look homey. Aunt Esme wanted to help but she was in London filming a romantic comedy with George Clooney. Uncle Carlisle was working on finishing up the Midnight Dawn movie for the film studio and was pulling long hours in his hole. Then, he was starting working with his production team for his sci-fi romantic thing.
Alice and Bella had made a truce, but I could tell that Bella was still hesitant and leery to trust Alice. My cousin picked up on it and despite her joy about our engagement, kept her opinions and her distance. Alice wanted to be more involved in the house and planning the wedding, but Bella was extremely apprehensive around my cousin. It would probably be a long time before they were as close as they were prior to the photo incident or Bella's attack.
Emmett and I planned the trip to Seattle, Butter Knives, erm, Forks, and Vancouver. We were flying into Seattle on Wednesday, spending a two days there before renting a car and taking the ferry up to Vancouver for a relaxing weekend. On the way back from Vancouver, we'd stop in Bella's home town for a day, staying in nearby Port Angeles to avoid any conflict with her father. After a day in Forks, we were driving back to Seattle for our return flight home to Los Angeles.
Bella had an appointment with a dress maker the day after our trip to design her wedding gown. Plus, it was the only time that my aunt, who had unofficially adopted Bella, could be in Los Angeles before she flew to Morocco to finish filming the romantic comedy. Bella wanted her here for the dress decision, along with her bridesmaids, Tanya and Angela. My groomsmen were Emmett and Jasper. Alice was a little miffed at not be asked, but after the stunt she pulled with the phone and the picture, she quickly stopped her pouting. I did ask Alice to do a reading at the ceremony to put her at ease.
We decided to work with a wedding planner to get our nuptials ready. Tanya's cousin, Irina, came highly recommended and was willing to work with our timeframe and unlimited budget. In regards to a Hollywood wedding, our ceremony and reception were going to be fairly small. We didn't want to draw a big crowd and possibly ruin it with James, Jacob and Victoria crashing our wedding. It was going to be my family, a handful of the cast and crew of Midnight Dawn, Aro Volturi and his wife among a few that were invited.
Now, I said small, but not inexpensive. Our location for our ceremony and reception was quite hefty and Irina was throwing out tons of ideas that were quite pricy. Extremely elegant and gorgeous elements, but expensively lavish. I'm not complaining, but who knew that floralscapes could be anywhere from $100 to $10,100 per table? Our floral décor was leaning towards the $10,100. We were paying for our wedding ourselves, using the money from the sale of Bella's condo and the profit from my parent's home sale.
Bella decided that while we were in Forks, she was going to talk to her dad and invite him to the wedding. She wasn't holding her breath that he would come because they had been estranged for nearly eight years now, but she wanted to give him the chance to walk her down the aisle. If things go as I anticipated, which is that Charlie is going to be a douchebag, Bella already had Aro lined up to walk her down the aisle. He had been her adoptive father ever since he took her under his wing during Metropolis. But, Bella desperately wanted her father to be involved in our wedding. He was the only father she had and her only connection to her mother.
I was working in the basement, setting up the new high-definition television in my 'man-cave.' Emmett's voice bellowed down the stairs. "EDDO!" he shouted.
"Edward, jackass," I snickered, poking my head from behind the mess of wires and craziness.
"Sweet television, man," Emmett smirked. "But, why aren't you having it professionally installed? You are a multi-million dollar movie star."
"Because, Emmett, I can do this stuff. I used to work for Best Buy when I was in high school and moonlighted when I was in college. Despite the fact that I have a shit-ton of money in my bank account doesn't mean that I'm going to spend it unnecessarily," I said as I threaded the speaker wire through the wall and to the mounted speaker opposite of the television. I was nearly done. I just needed to connect the wires to the cable box and we'd be ready to go. Hopping off the ladder, I did just that and turned on the television. Glorious surround sound filled the basement and Emmett plopped onto the leather sofa, his eyes glazed over magically.
"Oooh…can you do this for me?" he breathed, staring at my sweet set up.
"No, Emmett. Bella and I have our official move tomorrow and then two days after that, we're going up to Washington State," I snorted. "I'm a smidge busy."
He rolled his eyes and leaned back, propping his feet up on the table. "Well, if you want to help out and give me a fuck-awesome man cave like this, I'll seriously love you forever."
"You want something to drink?" I asked, walking to the bar. He nodded and I got us both a bottle of water. Tossing it to him, I sat down next to him. Emmett was scowling at the Fiji water bottle. "What?"
"I was thinking more along the lines of beer?" Emmett chuckled.
"Sorry, your majesty. Your lowly servant has gone grocery shopping yet," I growled playfully. "We only have water and a few rogue pop cans. We're not getting food until after we get back from our trip."
"Speaking of which," Emmett grimaced. "I got a phone call from my Uncle Charlie. He apparently knows that you and Bella are coming up to Forks."
"What's he going to do? Shoot me?" I asked, arching a brow. "Shoot Bella? And how did he find out?"
"I don't know, Edward. Just prepare for the worst," Emmett sighed, running his hand through his cropped hair. "Now, Tanya and Bella have banned me from the kitchen. I'm supposed to help you. What can we do?"
"I need help hanging up a ton of paintings. Their locations are already figured out, but I just need help centering them and shit," I said. We started in the basement, hanging up the masculine paintings and photographs in my man cave. We also unpacked my box of trophies and accolades from when I was in high school and college, placing them in the entertainment center. We moved to the living room, hanging up paintings and arranging artwork. By the time we were done, I was pleased with how things looked but extremely exhausted. Not to mention, my arms were killing me. Bella and Tanya came down from the bedroom, giggling. "Nice of you to join us, ladies."
"Shut it. We were organizing the bathroom and making sure that the computer was set up properly," Bella said, sticking out her tongue at me.
"Don't you stick out your tongue at me unless you plan to use it," I quipped.
Bella blushed but she sauntered over to me, putting her hands on my chest. "Who says that I'm not?" she purred.
"Ugh, porn stars," Emmett grumbled.
"Emmett McCarty, you shut your mouth," Tanya hissed, smacking his arm. "It's not like you didn't enjoy in a morning blow job?"
"Tan!" Emmett hissed. "I…we…I don't want our sex lives...UGH! And if anyone sounds like a porn star, it's you, Little Miss Breathy. 'Yes, Emmett. Fuck my pussy!'"
""Yeah, too much information," Bella giggled, snuggling against me. "I don't need the mental image in my head, thank you very much. I'm already scarred for life. When I was eight, I saw Emmett's junk after one of his friends pulled down his swim trunks at Lake Crescent." She held up her fingers a few inches apart.
"The water was cold, Bella! Plus, I was ten!" Emmett bellowed. "I've grown up." He waggled his brows at Tanya. "Everywhere."
"Yes, you have, stud, but I'm certain that your cousin and her fiancé do not want to hear about your monstrous schlong," Tanya giggled. "Now, I know that tomorrow is a big day and you probably want to get back home to finish up doing any last minute packing."
"Most everything in the house is here. The only things we're waiting for are items that were put into storage. Edward's meeting the truck there and I'm going to be here. Do you two want to go out for dinner or something?" Bella asked.
"I'm dying for pizza," Emmett groaned, rubbing his belly. We grabbed our things, locking up the house and driving to a nearby pizza place. It was a two hour wait. Not wanting to deal with that, we drove to my aunt and uncle's place and ordered in, relaxing and enjoying each other's company.
Early the next morning, Bella and I separated. I was quite anxious of not being with her, but Uncle Carlisle dragged himself away from the final edits of Midnight Dawn, feeling my anxiety about leaving my girl. He offered to stay with Bella until I arrived with the truck with the items from storage from my apartment, my parent's memories and other various stuff. They were going to the grocery store beforehand to stock up on necessities.
Things went by smoothly and by early afternoon, the moving truck was pulling away and we were officially in our mansion by ocean. Uncle Carlisle gave us his congratulations and hugged us both before darting into his car, driving back to finish up the movie edits. Bella and I stared at our home. Yes, we had been working on finishing up this place for over a month, but it was finally here. We were now living together in the house we bought together. I looked over at my Bella and I noticed her face was covered with tears. "Dolcezza, don't cry," I said, taking her beautiful face into my hands.
"Happy tears," she whispered, wrapping her tiny fingers around my wrists. Her deep brown eyes stared up at me, gazing into my very soul. "For the first time in all of my life, I feel like I'm home. I've drifted most of my life, especially the past seven years or so. But now?" She collapsed against me, crying quietly. "I'm home. You're my home, Edward."
"I feel the same way, dolcezza," I whispered against her chocolate curls that brushed against my cheek. "When I lived with my aunt and uncle, I felt like a permanent guest. I knew that they loved me and that they wanted me there, but I was never truly comfortable. You know? When I lived on my own, it wasn't…hmmm, how do I say it? I was very, very lonely and I truly enjoyed spending time with you. It was the only time that I felt at ease was when I was with you. Not empty or lost…"
"I love you so much, Edward," she said, looking up at me and giving me a genuinely warm smile. "For the first time since Christmas, I feel at peace and so happy."
Unable to stop myself, I pressed my mouth to hers and kissed her lips, claiming them as mine. Her hands found my hair and I lifted her, holding her to my body. Bella's strong legs wrapped around my waist and we made out like a pair of horny teenagers on the driveway of our home. One of our neighbors honked, causing us to break apart. I gently placed Bella on her feet as she laughed hysterically against my shoulder as I waved at our new friend who gave us the much needed jolt of reality. Robert DeNiro waved at us with a cigar hanging out of us mouth, giving me a thumbs up before exiting the cul-du-sac. Welcome to the neighborhood! That caused me to blush a million different shades of red. My idol just caught me practically molesting my fiancée.
Scooping her up in my arms, I carried her into the house to continue our interrupted make-out session. Once inside, I was going to kiss Bella and she burst into another round of pealing laughter. She was holding her stomach as she laughed. I couldn't help but join her. It was quite humorous and we were both in hysterics for over ten minutes, laughing at what happened on our driveway.
"Was that Robert DeNiro?" Bella giggled.
"Yeah," I blushed, looking out the front window. "He gave me a thumbs up."
"Hmmm, he better," Bella purred, tugging on my hands. "I am a fine piece of ass."
"You're more than that, dolcezza," I responded, cupping her face. "You are smart." I kissed her forehead. "You are gorgeously sexy." I snaked my hands around her waist, pulling her against my body. She whimpered. "You're kind and loving." One of my hands lay on her chest, just above her beating heart. "You're selfless, with such a pure, amazing soul." My lips brushed hers, gently nipping at her plump lower lip. That earned me a delightful whimper. "You love me, giving me a sense of purpose and overwhelming joy and hope for our future, dolcezza." Gazing into her beautiful eyes, I smiled. "I can't wait to begin, Bella. I love you with every ounce of me. I can't wait until you're my wife."
"Soon, baby," she whispered, giving me a watery grin. "Now, I don't know about you but I'm tired, sore and I'd love to take a dip in that Jacuzzi tub."
"I think that can be arranged," I snickered, throwing her over my shoulder and carrying her up the stairs to our bedroom.
xx STARLET xx
Two days later, we flew to Seattle. We spent a couple of days exploring the beautiful city. We had a lot of fun at Alki Beach, eating a picnic lunch before going to the Space Needle on the first day. That night, we ate at Canlis in a private dining room, talking about our upcoming wedding. We had the date figured out and the color scheme decided. Much to my chagrin, the colors were purple and a deep fuchsia. I was hoping to avoid pink all together because of my hair, but Bella loved the color.
Hell, who was I kidding? The wedding was all about what the bride wanted. I was told by every single woman among my family friends that I needed to show up, in my tux, with the rings and say 'I do.' If it meant that I got to keep Bella forever, I'll wear a neon pink tuxedo and do a soft-shoe shuffle. I needed her. That goes without saying.
The next day, Bella and I wandered around Pike Place Market. I was surprised that we weren't stopped by more fans. Granted, Bella had me in a baseball cap and sunglasses. She had her hair pulled back under her own baseball cap and she dressed very casually. We were virtually unrecognizable. It was nice to walk around the city without paparazzi in our faces and blending in with the crowd. That night, we ate dinner in our suite at the Fairmount Seattle before going to the Seattle Philharmonic. They were doing a special performance of famous movie themes. We managed to get tickets in the nosebleed section, clear in the back of the concert hall, but we didn't care. We weren't there to see the symphony, but to hear the gorgeous music.
We checked out of the hotel by mid-morning, having a rental car delivered to the hotel. We had a two and half hour drive to Vancouver. On the way back, we'd be taking the ferry to Port Angeles. During the drive to Vancouver, Bella and I just listened to music from her iPod. She was reading one of the scripts she had committed to after the first of the year. It was the film that Aro was directing about Mary, Queen of Scots.
We went over the border to Canada, displaying our passports at border control and having our rental vehicle inspected before being welcomed into Canada. Eh? Forty-five minutes later, we were pulling up to the Four Seasons in Vancouver. I had rented the Prime Minister Suite for us. It was luxurious and opulent. Something we both needed after our move and the drama of the past six months.
"Okay, Mr. Masen, you've been secretive about this whole trip. Are you going to tell me what we're doing up here in Vancouver?" Bella asked as she hung up her clothes in the closet in the suite.
"Well, today I figured we would explore Stanley Park. It's huge and has a lot of cool stuff from Midnight Dawn. I think Uncle Carlisle used the park as some of the second unit shots. Then, I've rented out the Vancouver Art Gallery tonight for a private meal for you and me, along with a private tour. There's an exhibit on Matisse there," I said, smiling crookedly.
"I love Matisse," Bella gushed. "So colorful and vibrant." In the living room, we had a lithograph of 'The Gardens of Luxembourg.' It was one of the first things Bella bought when she got her first huge paycheck. "How did you manage to arrange for a private showing?"
"One of the head curators was a friend of my mom's. They went to college together and we'd been in contact since my parent's death. Genevieve was my mom's roommate and best friend, besides Aunt Esme. If I hadn't moved in with Uncle Carlisle and Aunt Esme, I would have been placed with Gen," I shrugged. "When I called her after we got engaged and made the decision to come up to see your mom, she suggested that we come up to Vancouver and she'd arrange for a private showing."
"We are inviting her to the wedding, right?" Bella asked, arching her brow.
"Yes, baby," I said, pulling her onto my lap. "She and her husband, Louie, are on the guest list."
"Okay, good," she grinned, kissing my nose. "What else are we doing?"
"Tomorrow, we're going to go the Capilano Suspension Bridge and then spend some time cooking in some of the Vancouver hot springs. Sunday is kind of a free day and we leave on Monday to drive back to Port Angeles," I finished, tucking her curls behind her ear. I pressed a soft kiss onto her neck. "We have until Wednesday to talk to your mom. Our flight leaves Wednesday night."
"Kay," she replied, wrapping her arms around my neck. "I'm assuming we should dress comfortably for the park, yeah?"
"Sneakers, definitely," I said. She nodded, hopping off my lap to slip on a pair of sneakers and to pull her hair back into a ponytail. I took off my jeans and put on a pair of shorts, but kept my long-sleeved t-shirt on. It was cooler up in Vancouver, but not cool enough to warrant wearing jeans. Tossing on my own baseball cap and sunglasses, I picked up the camera I had brought and we left the hotel room to go exploring in Stanley Park.
It was as beautiful and tranquil as the second unit portrayed. While we were there, we went into the Vancouver Aquarium and we just acted like goofy kids. I had never seen Bella have this much fun. A few fans found us and asked for photos, but nothing too overbearing.
Around four, we went back to the hotel to get ready for our private showing at the Art Gallery. I called and confirmed everything with Gen. All the arrangements were in place: from the limo picking us up to the meal in the Matisse exhibit to the picnic desert in the indoor sculpture garden. Gen arranged for us to have free reign over the gallery until midnight. Gen would be in her office if we needed anything.
Dressed in somewhat fancier clothes, we went down to the lobby to wait for the limo. I wore a black suit with a white shirt, but no tie. Bella was wearing a deep pink dress with some strappy black shoes. Her hair was curled, twisted on top of her head in a gorgeous ponytail. On her wrist, she wore the infinity bracelet I bought her and her engagement ring sparkled under the bright lights of the lobby. I wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed her neck gently. My mind was chanting that she was mine. All mine. I was the luckiest man in the planet to have this loving, beautiful creature in my arms. Bella giggled, giving me a look. "Behave, baby. I don't want to be arrested for public lewdness."
"Sorry, dolcezza. You just look so gorgeous and with your hair pulled up, it was begging to be kissed," I smiled, kissing the sensitive spot behind her ear, tasting her skin. My arm tightened around her waist as she whimpered and her knees buckled.
"You keep doing that and I'll be a puddle of Bella goo," she said breathily. "I want that tongue everywhere."
"Really?" I asked as I led her to the exit, keeping my lips hovering near her ear. The limo stopped in front of us and Bella slid inside with me following her. She looked at me and her eyes were hungry with lust and desire. She took my face into her hands, kissing me deeply. Our tongues battled for dominance. Bella was on her back on the black leather seats as we made out like horny teenagers.
Bella's hands reached my face and she stared into my eyes. "I mean it, Edward. I know that we've explored each other and I'm more comfortable with you. I want to try. Maybe not making love but more?"
"Like I said before, dolcezza, you're in charge," I whispered, cupping her cheek with my hand. She smiled at me timidly, nodding against my palm. Kissing her chastely, I sat us up and we cuddled until the limo pulled up to the Vancouver Art Gallery. Gen was waiting outside. She was a short woman with a chic bob and clear blue eyes. Getting out of the limo, I threaded my fingers with Bella's and we walked to my mom's best friend. "Gen!"
"Eddie Masen, you've grown up to be such a handsome man," she said, pulling me down into a bone-crushing hug. For someone so tiny, she was freakishly strong. "Look at you! You are a spitting image of your father, but with your mom's coloring." She held me at arm's length, smiling warmly.
"I even got Dad's hair," I grumbled, running my hand through my crazy locks. "Now, I want to introduce you to my fiancée, Isabella Swan."
"Nice to meet you, Gen," Bella said quietly, holding out her hand.
"You're marrying my best friend's son. Hug me, girl!" Gen waved her hand and pulled Bella into a warm embrace. My Bella giggled, returning her hug. "I also want to say that I loved you in the Snow White movie! I saw it with my husband, Louie, and you were so bad ass, with the perfect amount of innocence."
"Thank you," Bella blushed.
"Now, everything is set up. Dinner will be delivered in an hour and dessert is hand made by me," Gen beamed. She linked arms with me, guiding us into the gallery. With a kiss to my cheek, Gen danced away toward her office and let Bella and I explore the gallery. Gen called me to let me know that the food had been delivered to the Matisse exhibit. The food was delicious, ordered from a recommended Italian restaurant. Over the meal, we talked about our lives after the Midnight Dawn premier and how things were going to change. Bella was stressed out about being thrust back into the limelight, especially since her attack was inadvertently publicized with the connection with Jacob, James and now, Royce. Her fear was that when she walked the red carpet in October, everything was going to implode and all of her growth was for naught.
That was my fear, too. I was afraid that Jacob, James and Royce were going to be successful in breaking my girl. If she was attacked again, she wouldn't come back. I would be grieving for my wife. So, I made a vow to myself that nothing was going to hurt my girl.
Nothing!
If I had to kill Jacob, James and Royce to ensure her safety, I'd do it. Justifiable homicide.
Just sayin…
Despite my own fears, I put Bella at ease. Angela, along with Uncle Carlisle, had promised us that the security at each of the premiers was going to be insane. It wasn't just her that was in danger. I was also a target and so was Jasper and Emmett. That assuaged Bella slightly, but I could tell that she was on edge. Finishing our meals, I led her around the room and we relaxed as we looked at the colorful, vibrant paintings of Henri Matisse.
Dessert was a variety of homemade Italian pastries and goodies. Gen was quite the baker and I took a box of her cannolis, pizzelles, and ricotta lemon cookies back to the hotel with me. Bella couldn't eat in the sculpture garden because she thought that some of the sculptures were creepy, watching us. I promised her that the stone artwork wouldn't get her but she still wouldn't eat. Not wanting Bella to freak out or fall into a panic attack from the sculpture garden, we ended up leaving shortly before eleven after hugging and kissing Gen goodbye. I verified her address to send her wedding invite and we got back into the limo, driving to the hotel.
As much I wanted to have some sexy fun times with my girl, her mind was not into it because of her fears. We stripped out of our dress clothes and fell asleep in each other's arms. Bella was wearing my dress shirt from our evening out in the art gallery. She was grasping onto me like a limpet. Her nightmares came back with a vengeance but I did everything I could to calm her and tell her that I loved her. The next morning was a bit lazy due to our lack of sleep. Bella did have a craving for the desserts that Gen made and it was our unhealthy breakfast.
We left for the Capilano Suspension Bridge in the early afternoon. Bella was in a better mood than last night and was excited about going to the bridge. However, when we got there, she couldn't walk across it because it was very high and it was very windy, causing the bridge to sway. We did wander around, taking pictures before driving to a spa that housed several hot springs. We checked into the spa and were led to a private hot spring for VIP guests. In the small changing room, we put on our swimsuits and walked to the natural hot spring that was large enough to hold ten people but was reserved for me and Bella, for the next four hours.
Bella was leaning against my shoulder, playing with my fingers underneath the crystal clear water. "Thank you for arranging all of this, Edward," she whispered. "I'm sorry about last night with the sculpture garden. I don't know why I was freaking out."
"Some of the gargoyles were freaky looking," I snickered, kissing her forehead. "I'd rather you tell me than try and suffer in silence."
"It's completely irrational," she grumbled as she straddled my waist. "Thank you for protecting me from the inanimate objects. I love you." Her hands moved my chest to my hair and she stared at me. "You're amazing. You know that?"
"So are you, dolcezza," I replied, wrapping my arms around her skinny waist. "I love you so much."
She blushed and moved closer to me so that there was no room between us. Her eyes were darkening and she licked her lips. "Touch me, Edward," she murmured. "It's just us, baby."
"Bella," I argued. "I want to, but I don't want anyone to see us."
"Bathing suits stay on," she said in her breathy, sex voice. Her lips found my neck and she rolled her hips over my body. Feeling her warmth just above my cock caused it grow almost immediately. Horny fucker. "Hmmm, someone is ready for action."
"God, you have no idea, Bella," I moaned, my lips finding her ear. I nipped and suckled on it. "But, I want our first time to be on a bed…in our home…without prying eyes."
"We're not going to make love in a hot spring," she giggled, her tiny fingers tangling into my hair. "Just touch me." Unable to deny her anything, my hands reached up and cupped her breasts. My mouth descended on hers. She moaned loudly, arching her back further into my hands. My thumbs rubbed across her nipples that were begging for my fingers, my mouth. Fuck, I wanted her. A swell of warmth grew between us and she began rocking against my steel-hard cock.
"Dolcezza," I whimpered against lips.
"Your mouth," she murmured, untying her bikini top. Lifting it carefully, I suckled, nipped and kissed down her pale skin. Before I wrapped lips around her pebbled nipple, I looked up at her. She looked like a sea nymph; her hair curled and her gorgeous face flushed, begging me to touch her. "Please? Please, Edward…" Cupping her breasts, I tenderly kissed her nipples before taking her right one into my mouth. "YES!"
"Shhhh, dolcezza," I commanded. "I do not want anyone knowing what we're doing."
"Dry humping," she said breathily, rolling her body over me. She was working herself into a frenzy. Her arousal was quite apparent by the heat between her legs. She was using my cock to get herself off. Hell, I was ready to get myself off with the friction from her rocking. But is it really dry humping if we're in a hot spring? Her movements were growing more erratic. I had moved my mouth to her other breast, nibbling on her sensitive skin. "Hmmm…Edward, I'm so close. But, I want to feel you come, baby."
"I'm with you," I growled, kissing her mouth. My arms wrapped around her lithe body and I began moving with her. We hungrily pawed at each other, kissing feverishly. "I can't wait until there is nothing between us, Bella."
"Yes!" she moaned, swiveling her hips. "Soon, love." Her hands cupped my cheeks and she stared into my eyes. "When we get home?"
"Oh, dolcezza," I sighed, crushing her against my chest. Our movements were growing more feral. If someone had seen us, it would have appeared that we were having sex, but we weren't. Our bottoms were still on. "Bella, please, please come."
"Ungh…"she groaned, shattering in my arms. Her twitching and look of complete ecstasy caused me come apart, coming forcefully in my swim trunks. She collapsed against me, giggling quietly. "That was amazing."
Not having any functioning brain cells, I nodded as I kissed her flushed skin. The first orgasm I'd had that wasn't by my own hand was pretty fucking phenomenal. I'd miss this intimacy with Bella. I couldn't wait until I felt her naked skin against mine after we'd made love. I took Bella's face in my hand and I stared into her eyes. "I don't know about you, but I would like to get back to the hotel. Perhaps, hmmm, explore some more?"
Bella licked her lips, nodding eagerly.
xx STARLET xx
The rest of the weekend in Vancouver was spent in the hotel room, in various stages of undress. Bella and I never made love, but we did explore each other. It was all very slow and tentative, but it was a step toward our lost intimacy. Unfortunately, Bella, after I'd brought her to orgasm with my fingers, told me that she still wasn't ready to make love just yet. She had a moment where she thought she was having a flashback. In a dead tone, she told me what she remembered and she described what I saw when I found her. I held her in my arms and told her that I'd wait forever to make love to her again.
After that instance, I carried her to the bathroom. Gently and tenderly, I washed her as she clung to me. Once we were done, she still wanted to feel me and so in just a pair of panties, Bella lay on top of me. I just scratched my fingertips along her back as she tried to calm herself.
On Monday, we caught the ferry to Port Angeles and checked into the Olympic Lodge. We were under assumed names. Angela arranged us to be in the hotel under Abe Lincoln and Mary Todd. We prepaid for the room, checking into the few suites. Bella was quiet and spent most of Monday afternoon and night sitting on the couch, staring out the window. In her hand, she held a small Mass card that was dog eared. She also held Rapoo, her stuffed rabbit that I gave her two Christmases ago. After ordering dinner, I sat down next to her. She jumped at the feeling of me sitting next to her.
"Sorry," she muttered, holding the Mass card to her chest.
"Can I see that?" I asked, pointing the card. Bella handed it to me, looking at it like it was the most precious thing ever. "I'll take care of it, my love."
"I know," she smiled sadly.
I looked down at the card, staring at the beautiful artwork of a mother holding her daughter. In an elegant font at the bottom was the words 'In Memory…' Flipping over the card, I saw a picture of beautiful woman who looked so much like Bella, but with lighter hair and bright blue eyes. Renee Marie Higginbotham Swan, Loving Mother, Devoted Wife and Treasured Friend. Underneath the words was a brief biography of Renee, talking about how she was in love with her family, especially her young daughter, Isabella. "She was beautiful, Bella," I whispered, handing her back the card.
"I miss her, Edward," she said quietly. "I've never gone to the cemetery since she died. I was too young when she died and my dad was shattered at her death. When I was old enough, I never cared to go. She probably hates me."
"Doubtful, Bella," I said as I took my girl into my arms. "If anything, your mom and my mom are probably having coffee and squealing like teen fangirls that we're getting married. They're probably anxious for grandbabies." Bella giggled, crawling into my lap. "Based on what I read, your mom probably would give you the moon if she could."
"During my dark time," she whispered, referring to the time immediately after our attacks, when she was at the height of her OCD and depression, "I prayed that I could join her. I know I have so much to live for now, but when everything was awful and I was afraid of my own shadow, I just wanted her. I wanted my mommy. I still wish she was here. I love Esme, but she's…"
"I understand," I choked out, my emotions swirling at her admission of dying. "She's not your mom. When I first moved in with them, Esme mothered me, but I pushed away from her. She wasn't my mother. I didn't want someone to take her place. Aunt Esme hated it but let me grieve in my way. I only started opening up to her when I started working for her because I needed advice on handle my growing feelings toward her."
"How long were you in love with me?" Bella asked.
"Probably from the moment I first met you," I answered, tucking her under my chin. "But when I was your bodyguard, I had to maintain that professional distance. Aunt Esme talked to me about being a quiet protector without getting my heart in the way, but it was fruitless. You wheedled your way into my heart. You needed a friend, a confidante, someone on your side and I was determined for it to be me. But prior to that, I kept Aunt Esme at arm's distance. I love her, don't get me wrong, but she wasn't my mother. In some stupid way, I felt like I was cheating on my mom."
Bella nodded. "It's nice to have Esme to talk to and a mother-figure to share in the wedding preparations, but I wish my mom was with me."
"She will be there, but in here," I said I pressed my hand to her heart. "And here." I kissed her temple.
"How do you know what to say to make me feel better?" she quipped sadly.
"Three years of practice, dolcezza," I snickered, pressing my cheek to her soft hair. "When do you want to go to the cemetery?"
"I don't know," she shrugged, lacing her fingers with mine. "Tomorrow?"
"Sounds good to me," I said, kissing her temple again, letting my lips linger on her fragrant skin. "But, you need to eat, love. Your stomach sounds like it's about to eat itself."
"I'm afraid if I eat that I'll throw it up," she frowned.
"Well, it's a good thing that I bland food," I said, lifting the lid off our dinner. After a lot of encouragement, Bella did eat a fair amount of dinner. We spent the night, cuddled under the tacky comforter, watching some bad movies that were on the mediocre cable in the hotel. Early the next morning, Bella and I ate some breakfast and wandered around Port Angeles. Bella showed me where she bought her prom dress. She also showed me the restaurant her date had taken her, Bella Italia. He was hoping that he'd get some because of that cheesy act of taking her to a restaurant named after her. But, Bella refused to give it up to the geeky boy who went to prom with her.
We finished our nickel tour of Port Angeles, getting into the rental car and driving to Forks. Bella did the driving since this was her neck of the woods, both figuratively and literally. She expertly handled the curving, mountainous roads to her tiny home town. She pointed out her old high school, the diner that she frequented with her father, the tiny main drag. We stopped at a floral shop, picking up some white roses and calla lilies. Then, we pulled up into the cemetery. Ten minutes of searching, we found Bella's mom's plot. Bella parked the car, carrying the bouquet in her arms. Turning to face me, she gave me a sheepish look. "Can I get a few moments?" she whispered.
"Of course, dolcezza," I said, giving her a reassuring smile. She clutched the bouquet and unsteadily walked to her mother's grave. Falling to her knees, she put the flowers against the elegant headstone. It had her name along with the same saying on the Mass card. There was also the same photo, only much larger. I sat down on the hood of the car, playing on my new iPhone, checking emails and such while I waited for Bella. A few minutes later, Bella looked at me, blushing fiercely. She gave me a gesture to join her. Hopping off the hood of the car, I walked over to Renee Swan's grave and sat down next to my Bella.
"This is Edward, Mommy," she said, her voice sounding small and lost. "He's my best friend and well, soon, he's going to be my husband."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Swan," I said, smiling at the framed photo in the headstone.
"She would have insisted that you call her Renee," Bella said. "Mrs. Swan was Charlie's cranky mother."
"Not a fan of your grandma?" I asked.
"Not really. She watched me a few times when I was younger before she died from a sudden heart attack. She was just downright mean. Right, Mom?" Bella giggled. "Well, Edward wanted to meet you. I really wish that he could have really met you. You would have loved him, Mom. He's everything you would have wanted for me in a husband, friend and lover."
I blushed at that. "Bella," I chided.
"Hush," she smirked. "If she wants grandbabies, she's gonna know that we're having sex." My blush deepened. "Now, I'm going to give you and Edward some time to chat. I'll be back, Mommy." Bella kissed her fingertips and then pressed them to the headstone. Getting up gracefully, she walked to the rental car.
"It is truly a pleasure to meet you, Renee," I said quietly. "I know that you were taken away from at a very young age. I can attest that she's a beautiful and wonderful woman. She's lost, though. I don't know what Bella told you, but this year has been very rough for your baby girl. Just before Christmas, she was attacked by two men and I almost lost her. Those two men are still out there and I'm begging you to keep your eyes on Bella. She needs you; she needs to know that you are still there for her and that you love her.
"Another thing, I know that Bella said that we were getting married. I feel weird about marrying your daughter without asking for your blessing. You were obviously an important part of Bella's life and I'd appreciate some sort of sign that you approve of me," I murmured. "She's my world and I've never loved someone as much as I loved Bella. She is truly my best friend. I will spend my entire life ensuring that she's safe, happy, adored and protected. I can't wait until I can call her my wife, but I want to know that you're okay with that. Please?"
I sat back and waited, praying quietly to God and trying to keep my emotions from exploding to the surface. I couldn't stop the tears from falling onto my face. Sitting next to Bella's mother's grave made me miss my family. My heart shattered a little bit at the prospect of having a wedding without my mother sitting in the front row, crying as her baby boy was getting married; not having my dad trying to give me wedding night advice…Tears dropped from my face and onto my shorts.
The wind blew and I faintly heard the tinkling of a wind chime. I looked up and it almost appeared that Renee's picture was smiling a little wider. "Thank you," I said, wiping my face. "I promise you, Renee that I'll look out over your baby."
"Edward, can we get going?" Bella asked, her voice sounding a little panicked.
I got up and started walking toward her. She was shaking visibly as she tried to run to the driver's side. In the distance, I saw a Fork's police squad car driving toward us. Bella tripped and fell. I ran to her, helping my fiancée to her feet. "Let me drive, baby," I said, taking the keys from her hand.
"Why is he here?" she asked. "Can't he give me a moment's solace with my mother?" Her voice turned into a snarl as she glared at the approaching car. Helping her walk to the passenger side, I opened the door when the squad car pulled up in front of us. A tall man got out of the car, having the same build as Emmett. When he turned, I immediately recognized him as Charlie Swan. He had my girl's eyes and the same colored hair, smattered with grey. "I'm not ready to see him, Edward. I just want to go home. Can you take me home?" she hissed to me. "I thought I could ask him, but I can't…" Her body shivered and before I knew it, her eyes rolled back in her head. Bella collapsed against me, fainting dead away.
A/N: Sorry, Bella's a bit of a drama queen. She is an actress. *Snorts* Anyhow, I've got a lot of pictures to go with this. Some naughty…some not. The naughty photos are on my tumblr while the rest will be on my blog. Links for both of those are on my profile. Also, I have a post on my blog regarding Bella's wedding dress…which one should she wear? Vote in the comments section, please!
Anyhow, next chapter will pick up where we left off, in Forks. Then, we're going to fast forward to the wedding. Should Charlie redeem himself or continue to be an ass is my question for you? Leave me a review with your opinion because I'm honestly floundering with this answer. You know? Also, what do you think is happening with Jacob, James, Victoria and Royce?
Leave me some, kids! I need some reviews…I'm going through withdrawals because my update schedule is so erratic as of late. Hugs and Edward kisses!