Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. All recognizable characters belong to SM.
Happily Ever After is Worth Fighting For:
A Bella and Edward Story Part 21
On Bella's birthday, she and Charlie had a quiet dinner at home just as they were accustomed to. Afterwards, Esme showed up with a garment bag to help Bella dress for the evening.
A few weeks ago, when Edward had approached Esme about his plans for the evening, she decided to have her dressmaker create another custom gown for Bella. This one was a lovely cream coloured creation made of antique lace. It had a boat neckline, which was reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's, with a floor length A-line skirt.
Once again, Bella wore her hair in an elegant chignon. This time instead of pearls, Esme let her borrow her diamond stud earrings.
She looked like an angel when Esme had finished with her.
Once Bella was ready, the two women went downstairs where Charlie was waiting patiently for them. When Bella saw her father, she did a double take, not believing her eyes.
Charlie laughed, amused at her reaction.
Bella blushed in embarrassment but felt that her shock was justified. She had only ever seen her father wearing his Police Chief's uniform or his jeans paired with casual tops yet there he stood wearing a charcoal coloured suit.
He looked incredibly handsome so she told him so. Then it was Charlie's turn to blush. Esme teased the pair about their matching blushes before she insisted that they get moving or else they would be late.
Filled with excitement, the three drove over to the Cullen residence.
Edward was a nervous wreck as he paced back and forth on the wraparound porch, waiting to hear Esme's car pull into the driveway. He had a special evening planned for his Bella and he was praying that it would turn out alright.
Rather than having a birthday party with presents, Edward had suggested that the family put on a concert in honor of Bella's birthday.
The idea had been met with enthusiasm by all.
Alice was especially excited when Edward asked for her assistance in picking out all of their formal attire for the evening and in helping to decorate for the concert.
Since none of the others were as accomplished a musician as Edward, they all worked independently to come up with the perfect poem to read. The plan was for Edward to play a different composition between each of their readings.
Bella had been thrilled when she heard that each member of the family would be performing.
Wanting to have a real concert atmosphere, the family had invited guests from the tribe to attend. Jacob, Sam, Emily, Robert and Ruth were already here, as were, Sue, Seth, Leah and Quil. They were all gathered in the living room which Alice had decorated earlier.
Alice had done a wonderful job in rearranging the living room to give it the proper atmosphere. She had moved the sofas, love seats and armchairs so that they formed a semicircle around Edward's piano.
She then place crystal bowls, filled with water and surrounded by rose petals, around the room. In each of the bowls were floating candles which provided very soft lighting to the whole room.
Edward had asked for a romantic atmosphere and Alice had certainly delivered.
Esme's car finally pulled in front of the house and Edward escorted the guest of honor into the living room.
When all of the guests were seated around the piano, Edward began to play his first composition of the evening. It was a piece that was inspired by the family's first meeting with Bella. With each note the song told the story of a beautiful, strong woman that was willing to fight for what she believed in. Once the song was finished, Jasper stood and addressed the group.
"I have selected a poem by Walt Whitman called O Captain! My Captain!" Jasper said before clearing his voice and beginning.
"O CAPTAIN! my Captain! our fearful trip is done; O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells; My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;
The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won;
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.
Rise up-for you the flag is flung-for you the bugle trills;
For you bouquets and ribbon'd wreaths-for you the shores a-crowding;
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head;
It is some dream that on the deck,
You've fallen cold and dead.
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;
The ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;
From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;
Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!
But I, with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead."
Once Jasper had finished his piece, he received a round of applause. He bowed and then took a seat.
Edward's next composition was about overcoming the bloodlust he felt for Bella's blood. It was a heart wrenching piece that moved Bella to tears as the music told of the struggle her love had to face. At the end of the piece, Carlisle stood to take his turn.
"I have selected a poem called Footprints in the Sand by Mary Stevenson." Carlisle said and began his recitation,
"One night I had a dream -
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord, and
Across the sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand;
One belonged to me, and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of my life flashed before us,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that many times along the path of my life,
There was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in my life
This really bothered me, and I questioned the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
You would walk with me all the way;
But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life,
There is only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why in times when I
needed you the most, you should leave me.
The Lord replied, "My precious, precious
child. I love you, and I would never,
never leave you during your times of
trial and suffering.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you."
After the applause died down, Carlisle took his seat. Edward's next composition was about the fight with the nomads. Even though Edward wasn't explaining each piece of music he played, in the hopes of not giving away too much to Charlie, Bella knew what each piece was about. Edward just had a gift for telling a story with music. Once the song ended, Rosalie stood.
"The poem that I have selected is called Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou" Rosalie said. She took a moment and then began,
"Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. I walk into a room Men themselves have wondered Phenomenally. Now you understand
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me."
Rosalie beamed when everyone applauded and then took her seat. Edward's next song was about the meeting at the treaty line. As the music played, Bella remembered how Carlisle had shared the stories of his family in order to allow the tribe to see them as people. It was a very moving piece that also told of the tensions when Ruth and her baby were in danger, the joy when they were saved and the victory when the new treaty was signed.
Emmett was very excited to do his reading so he stood before the song was finished and kept gesturing to Edward to hurry up. His antics were met with amusement from the assembled group. Once Edward had finished playing, Emmett gave him an exasperated sigh and then turned to address his audience.
"For my reading, I have chosen one of the most impressive pieces of literature ever written." Emmett said with a very serious expression. Everyone shared surprised looks with their neighbor before giving Emmett their full attention.
"It is called Bear In There by Shel Silverstein" he said before he began to recite,
"There's a Polar Bear
In our Frigidaire-
He likes it 'cause it's cold in there.
With his seat in the meat
And his face in the fish
And his big hairy paws
In the buttery dish,
He's nibbling the noodles,
He's munching the rice,
He's slurping the soda,
He's licking the ice.
And he lets out a roar
If you open the door.
And it gives me a scare
To know he's in there-
That Polary Bear
In our Fridgitydaire."
The group had all been smiling hugely at Emmett's selection. He had been so serious while he performed his piece and looked so proud of himself when he had finished that they all suppressed their laughter and gave him a standing ovation. Emmett, bless him, bowed repeatedly and didn't show any sign of sitting down so Rosalie had to drag him to his seat.
Edward's next piece was about friendship and working together in LaPush. It was an upbeat piece that left everyone smiling. Esme stood and addressed the group next.
"The poem that I have chosen is by Robert Frost. It is called The Road Not Taken." Esme said and then began to recite,"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
Esme smiled graciously at the applause her reading received and took her seat. Edward's next composition was a lullaby that he had composed for Bella. It was clear to everyone in the room that the song was about how his life had changed when she had entered it and how much he cherished her. Edward caught Bella's eye when he played the last note and they exchanged a loving look before Alice stood for the last reading of the evening.
"I have selected a poem called Touched by An Angel by Maya Angelou." Alice said and then recited,
"We, unaccustomed to courage Love arrives We are weaned from our timidity
exiles from delight
live coiled in shells of loneliness
until love leaves its high holy temple
and comes into our sight
to liberate us into life.
and in its train come ecstasies
old memories of pleasure
ancient histories of pain.
Yet if we are bold,
love strikes away the chains of fear
from our souls.
In the flush of love's light
we dare be brave
And suddenly we see
that love costs all we are
and will ever be.
Yet it is only love
which sets us free."
Alice curtseyed while everyone applauded and then took her seat. Edward turned to Bella and asked if the birthday girl had any requests for the last song of the evening.
Smiling, Bella rose and walked over to Edward's side. She leaned over and whispered in his ear her request for Nat King Cole's - I Love You (For Sentimental Reasons). Edward smiled at her and patted the seat next to him on the bench. Bella took her seat and he started to play. To everyone's surprise and delight, Bella started to sing to Edward,
"I love you for sentimental reasons I love you and you alone were meant for me I think of you every morning I love you for sentimental reasons instrumental interlude I love you for sentimental reasons
I hope you do believe me
I'll give you my heart
Please give your loving heart to me
And say we'll never part
Dream of you every night
Darling, I'm never lonely
Whenever you are in sight
I hope you do believe me
I've given you my heart
I hope you do believe me
I've given you my heart"
There wasn't a dry eye in the room when the song ended. The room erupted in applause but neither Edward nor Bella heard it.
They were in their own bubble.
Edward leaned over and kissed Bella before asking her to take a walk with him. She agreed and took his hand as he led her out to the backyard.
When they got outside, Edward took Bella over to the tree line that surrounded the property. She was surprised to see that a path had been cleared.
Edward explained that he wanted to show her something but it would require him carrying her if she was agreeable. Bella nodded and Edward scooped her up in his arms and took off running. A few minutes later he came to a stop and put her down.
Bella looked around and saw that she was standing in Edward's meadow. It was just as it had been described in the books. The only difference is that Edward had strung fairy lights in the trees so it was well lit. She spun around just admiring the beauty of it before turning to Edward. When she did, tears welled up in her eyes because Edward was down on one knee.
"Isabella Marie Swan, I love you and vow to love for the rest of eternity. Will you marry me?
Author's Note: If you are enjoying this tale, please let me know by leaving a review.