Thank you to our beta LZTZ, and prereader tanglingshadows, for all of their help and support.
Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but it owns us.
Chapter 21 - Visions of Love
Edward
Browsing through the magazine section at Barnes & Noble for bridal magazines was not something I'd ever thought I would do. Yet there I was, trying to figure out what the difference between Bride and Modern Bride was. Did the one missing the word modern suggest it was for an older bride?
Fuck. My simple task turned out to be way more complicated than I anticipated it to be.
I ran my hand through my hair, tugging on the ends out of frustration. I looked around, prepared to give in and just ask the first woman I saw which one I should buy. Ironically, there were only men surrounding me. I looked down at my watch and realized I spent more time than I'd planned pondering which magazine would be the appropriate choice for Bella. I grabbed four different magazines that had bride in the title, including the one that appealed the most to me, which stated they had exclusive information on the best honeymoon destinations. We could not overlook that part, right?
While walking up to the cash register, I threw a couple additional items into the mesh shopping bag to complete what I was putting together; a black sharpie, post-it-notes and a notebook.
In the past few days, I had come to the realization that I had no idea how Bella saw our wedding day. I was curious to see how things had changed since all the silly things we discussed in high school would never be something we would chose now; hell, I remembered when we said we'd eat Taco Bella at our reception. But realistically, having been the best man at her wedding to Jake, I knew how much time and effort she had put into it. Since her parents were footing the bill, I also remembered how she settled on a lot of things because she felt that she had to go along with what her mom had wanted.
I wouldn't let that happen when our day came. I wanted her to pick out every small detail that mattered to a woman, but more importantly, to Bella herself. I would make sure the day lived up to all her dreams and more, no matter the cost. That was why I had spent over forty-five minutes staring at bridal magazines.
I had yet to tell her about my trust fund and knew as we got closer to actually having a wedding, I would have to come clean about it in order for her to understand that money was no object for us. I hadn't learned about my inheritance that my grandmother set up for me until my twenty-fifth birthday. To say I was blown away when I received the news would have been an understatement.
While paying for my purchases, the lady ringing me up gave me multiple complements about how I must be an attentive groom as she scanned each item. I thanked her, slightly embarrassed, because I wasn't actually a groom… yet. Then I made my way to work while thinking out my next move.
I had known since May that I would formally ask Bella to marry me before too long. I had brought it up several times in ways that were funny, just to see what she had to say about the subject and to throw her off from what I really had planned. Every day in which we went our separates ways to our respective homes, or the times I had to refer to her as Mrs. Black, ate away at my heart. I needed to be connected to Bella in every possible way and making her my wife would do just that.
I thought back on the 4th of July, when I ended up telling my parents that I planned to propose to Bella soon. I thought my mom's sequels of excitement would cause her to have a heart attack. I had wanted to tell my parents when the time got closer to my proposal, but my dad walking in at the wrong moment made my plan impossible.
I stood in the study talking with one of my dad's colleagues.
"You're Carlisle Cullen's son, so you are practically familia in my eyes, Edward. Therefore, you're welcome a board El Comienzo any time." His thick Spanish accent rolled off his tongue as he spoke.
"Thank you so much Dr. Morales. I'm blown away by your generosity, sir, and would like to take you up on that offer." I reached out and took his card, then shook his hand. "I'll call you next week so we can discuss what I had in mind."
I was putting the card in my pocket when my dad walked into the room and came over to greet us.
"You're a lucky man to have such a beautiful woman by your side and I'm happy to help," Dr. Morales said while he patted me on my shoulder when saying his goodbyes.
After he left the room, my dad went on to explain how he and Dr. Morales had come to know one another while serving together on Seattle General's Board of Trustees. He asked if the conversation was about an employment opportunity and I stalled answering him, raising his curiosity as each silent second passed. I closed the door of his study and laid out my plan to him, giving away each and every detail. My dad seemed pleased and gushed over how proud of me he was. We parted ways shortly after that, not wanting anyone to notice our absence.
We made our way back outside to rejoin the Independence Day party. I watched my mom closely and couldn't help but notice how much she doted on Bella while introducing her to the other guests. Seeing how much my mom clearly loved Bella, and being thrilled that she was in our lives again, made me feel guilty that she was not in on my secret as well. Because of this, the first chance I had to get her alone, I took my mom inside and revealed to her what I had already told my dad.
I'm pretty sure I didn't even get the first sentence out before she was telling me how she knew it would happen all along, as she jumped up and down and squealed. Her excitement was infectious and she wanted me to pop the question that night. Although I was caught up in my mom's excitement, I came to my senses and vowed to do it the way I really wanted to. I had no doubts that Bella would appreciate and love what I planned for her.
The bag of wedding planning supplies sat under the seat of my SUV for over a week before I thought of the best way to give them to Bella. This "best way" came on the day when my class was canceled. I knew I needed to take the opportunity of a free weekday to handle some documents regarding my custody arrangement. Jessica would be leaving with Mike on another business trip before long and I wanted to get them to her before they left Chicago.
During the past several weeks, Jessica and I had spoken about making some changes in our custody agreement. Prior to my move to Seattle, I paid her child support. When we broke up, she had been a stay-at-home mom and needed the money to support herself and Makenna. I had no problem helping Jessica out in order to ensure my child was properly taken care of. When she married Mike, Jessica and I agreed that supporting her was no longer needed since she started working, but I continued providing for Makenna. With us living across the country, Jessica traveling, and Makenna living solely with me, we both felt it was time I had full custody. There would be documentation stating that Jessica had rights to visitations whenever it fit in with Makenna's school schedule or when traveling to Seattle to see her. While I did trust Jessica completely, I felt it was necessary to make it legal and not just a verbal agreement, like we had set up in the past.
Bella arranged a play date for MC with a friend from school that day. Makenna had been with Jessica for a couple weeks visiting her mom, leaving MC bored and begging to play with her friend; it left Bella free to join me at the court house. Before we left her house and drove downtown, I snuck out to my car and put together the gift bag with the items I bought from the book store and hid it in my SUV. I hoped to present it to her when we returned home.
While waiting for my number to be called, I noticed how close the Marriage License department was located to the area where we were sitting in.
I shifted in my seat and leaned forward to nuzzle Bella's neck causing her to giggle.
"Edward, don't even start that here." She pulled away and looked around.
"I'm bored… keep me entertained, Bizzy." I stated and leaned over the armrest of the chair even further until I reached her. I ran my nose against her cheek and made my way to her lips.
Bella giggled again and gave into my public display of affection. We didn't make it inappropriate but shared several slow kisses. Before pulling away, I connected my lips to hers one last time.
"Marry me, Bella." I stated, once again posing it as a statement and not a question.
Bella leaned away from me as far as possible. She had a smirk on her face and one eyebrow rose, questioning my sudden statement.
"You're out of luck again, babe. I have to pick up MC soon." She looked down at her watch then back up at me, "and would you look at that. It's close to eleven already."
I didn't respond to her, letting her believe she weaseled her way out again. She played perfectly into my hands without even realizing it though.
I let out a loud sigh to be dramatic but ended up putting on the smile that I always knew broke her down. I looked up at her through my lashes and met her eyes.
"Since you're shooting me down, for the third time I might add,why don't you at least agree to get a marriage license today? Ya know, just in case you wake up one day and want to be Mrs. Cullen. I would hate to make you wait for the processing time to make that happen."
Her eyes danced between mine and her mouth opened and closed several times before she was able to respond.
"You're being serious, huh? You want to get a marriage license…? As in you really want to get married?"
"You must be joking asking me that. Of course I'm serious! I would marry you this very minute if you agreed to it. Licenses are good for a few months, you never know when we may want to use it and if it expires, then we come back again when we're ready."
"Wow… I'm speechless. I thought you've been joking with me all this time with your random proposals."
I reached out and pulled her as close to me as I could with having an armrest in between us, then took both her hands into mine.
"Isabella, I may have been fooling around by asking such an important question at all the wrong times, and in ways that would never be worthy enough for you. But, I will assure you one day that will not be the case. Someday soon, let me add, I'll ask for your hand in marriage and I can guarantee you that there will be no doubt in your mind about my sincerity."
She had no response; she pushed herself forward and touched her lips to mine, while continuing to look into my eyes. Without the works spoken, she pulled away and nodded at me, and I knew exactly what she was saying. We wasted no time walking up to the counter to the grab the documents we needed for our license.
An hour later, we made our way home, hand in hand, and at every red light Bella would pull me into a kiss. I felt excited and anxious all at once, knowing my dreams were becoming my reality. Bella and I had a legal binding document in our hands that stated, according to the state of Washington, we were allowed to get married.
After we pulled into Bella's driveway, I quickly got out of the car because I needed to have her in my arms as soon as possible. I opened the passenger door and pulled her into a sensual kiss. Bella kept her arms tightly wrapped around my neck while my hands were rooted deep into her hair. I turned her body in the seat so I could stand between her legs, keeping my body as close to hers as possible. Every chance I got, I sucked her bottom lip into my mouth and nibbled on it, knowing how much she enjoyed it. Our tongues made slow swipes against one another, and small moans emerged from both of us.
I reluctantly pulled away and knew I was not about to take it any further because of our location and I had to go to work that afternoon. Bella seemed disappointed but understood, as we always made the best of our alone time late at night after our girls went to bed. I had no doubt we would continue our celebration soon.
I helped Bella out of the car, took her hand and walked to the back of my SUV. I popped the latch and pulled out the white gift bag I had hidden. I turned back around and held it out for her.
She took it from me without hesitation but was quick to ask, "What's this?"
"I got you a little something a couple weeks ago and today's the perfect day to give it to you. Let's go into the house and you can see what's in there, then I really need to get ready for work." I beamed at her but was slightly nervous about what she would say when she saw what I bought.
We made our way into the house and Bella walked over to the couch, sat down, and wasted no time digging straight into the bag. While she said nothing as she pulled the contents out, her smile grew as each item was revealed.
"You know, Edward, women buy bridal magazines after they have a ring on their finger… so they can plan their wedding." She lifted her hand up towards me and wiggled her fingers. "I don't see any bling -bling here, do you?" We both started to laugh, knowing she was teasing me.
"Don't you worry, baby, I'll make sure you have some bling. Until then, why don't you humor me and pretend like you're a kid at Christmas while you circle whatever your little heart desires."
I leaned in and gave her a chaste kiss then got up to go change into my scrubs. When I returned she had kicked off her shoes and had her feet tucked underneath her. Bella looked comfortable and relaxed while she was thumbing through the honeymoon travel magazine.
"I think you'll have to skip getting me big rock if you want to go to one of these resorts, Edward. Their prices are ridiculous! However, a week alone with you in Bora Bora in a grass hut, with a private swimming lagoon, and a butler serving us does sound pretty amazing," she mumbled.
Bella didn't look at me and kept flipping the pages. I may end up going to work later than I had intended, but I felt it was time to share with her the wealth that I inherited and how it would affect our future.
"Ummm… Bella, there's something I need to tell you about," I said stoically.
She put the magazine in her lap and looked over at me attentively.
"Is everything okay? It sounds serious." She said in a tentative tone, but I was proud of her reaction. Several months earlier she would have freaked out and thought I was leaving again. This time, though, I didn't see any doubt in her eyes about my intentions.
I gave her a small smile hoping it would show that what I had to say wasn't anything bad. I scooted closer and put my arm around her.
"I really should've brought this up sooner but never thought to. We're seriously talking about our future, and its time I told you something important." I paused and tried to figure out the best way to say I was a millionaire and we could go to Bora Bora if we wanted to. "My parents were not pleased with me when I turned twenty-five, since it wasn't long after I moved to Chicago. They flew in to see me, but not because they really wanted to. They were required to give me legal documents that I was not aware of prior to our meeting. I walked out of their hotel that day with paperwork needing my signature in order to take over a trust fund my Granny Platt had set up for me."
"Esme's mother left you money? I thought you boys were never close with her?" Bella interjected, knowing that our grandma never had much to do with Emmett or I.
"I guess my grandma figured her kids were wealthy enough, so she ended up passing all of her money to her grandchildren. I was surprised Emmett never told me when he got his inheritance at twenty-five, but I think my parents played a role in that. I'm sure with how much I partied while I was in college, they were afraid I would blow off school if I knew I had a million dollars coming to me in a couple years."
Bella turned her head and her eyes widened.
"One million?" She questioned, clearly stunned.
"Well, it started off as one million but when I took the account over; I was wise and invested some of the money. The only things I did purchase were a condo in Chicago and eventually I set up a college fund for Makenna. Besides those things, I've left the money untouched and have always put the money I earned from investing right back into it. At this point, I have well over a million dollars and I made a vow to myself to never touch the account unless it was for something important. Our future together, and anything else that pertains to our daughters, are the things that I can say, without any hesitation, are worthy enough to use that money on. So, if you want to go to Bora Bora, it will happen. I wasn't joking when I told you to circle everything you wanted, Bella. When we get married, I promise to you, it will be everything you could dream of and nothing less."
"I… I don't even know what to say. I could care less about how much money is in your bank account, Edward. You know that right?" I nodded. "And, you don't have to offer to use it on an extravagant wedding or even on anything for me."
Typical Bella; she never asked for anything for herself.
"Sweetheart, what's mine is yours already. I don't need a wedding to make that official. I didn't mean to suddenly drop this on you but before things get crazy with planning a wedding, which I have no problem funding, I just wanted you to know there's no reason to worry when picking things out. I would drain the entire account if that's what it took," I said softly as I looked down at my watch. "Let's talk about this later tonight though, okay? I don't want to be too late for work."
Bella nodded her head, but looked disappointed that I had to leave.
I told her I loved her and would see her and the girls later. After a lingering kiss goodbye, I stood up and walked towards the front door. I glanced back and Bella was nose deep in a magazine once again. Maybe she would accept what I offered easier than I expected?
I reached for the door handle and stopped at the sound of Bella's unexpected voice.
"Edward, come back here," she said in a sexy tone. "I… I need you… I can't wait until tonight for you to be inside me." Bella stood up and strutted over to me.
My heart pounded in my chest and my feet moved without thought, but I had a determination to provide Bella with anything and everything she needed. It seemed to be me she needed at that moment and who was I to deny her?
I reached her and playfully smacked her hands away from a button on her shirt. "That's my job, Isabella." She let out a soft moan and dropped her hands. They found their way to my cock and she slowly stroked me through the material of my blue scrubs.
Her fingernails scraped along my shaft causing me to groan. I looked down and could already see a small, wet circle from my pre-cum. Bella had always had that affect on me and clearly I was at her mercy.
I looked around the room, quickly forming a plan. I pulled her hand away then grabbed the bottom of her button up shirt roughly, as if it were a leash, and led her into the kitchen. Once there, she tried to pull my scrub shirt up my abdomen to remove it, but I had more urgent needs. Neither of us needed to be naked for what I had planned.
Walking us over to the kitchen table, I pulled my wallet out of my pocket, grabbed a condom as I noticed her removing her panties. I was glad she wore a skirt that morning, seeing it scrunched up around her waist would make my view when I took her even better. I pushed my scrubs down letting them fall to my ankles then sat down in a chair and pulled her down on my knees, facing me.
"Fuck. I want you to ride me, baby, and I don't wanna wait." She wiggled around, achingly slow, until I felt the tip of my cock gliding into her. I slid my arms around her waist and up over her shoulders. Once I had a firm grip, I pushed my hips up and thrusted hard inside of her. We moaned and began to roughly rock together.
Bella wrapped her arms around me tightly and, since she was higher up than I was, my face was smashed in-between her breasts.
Fucking heaven.
I bit down and tugged at her shirt, trying my damnedest to find a way to her nipples. I became frustrated then reached up to rip her buttons open and heard them hitting the floor around us. My need to possess and claim her was increasing. I moved my hands down and I released the clasp on her bra. Pushing it up and out of my way with my nose, I sucked her nipple into my mouth once it was within my reach and felt Bella stutter in her rhythm.
"Damn, Cullen, that feels… so fucking good, baby." She grinded her body harder against me, pushing me deeper inside her and I released her nipple from my mouth. I latched on to the skin on her other breast and sucked furiously, trying to leave a hickey.
Mine. Until I could claim her as my wife, I would make Bella mine by marking her.
Bella reached back around her body and grabbed my balls. "Jesus Christ, Bizzy. I love fucking you." I took a deep breath. "Lean back so I can see you."
She did as I asked and I watched her face tense with the new angle of our connection. Deeper. Bella started rolling her hips and I could feel every inch of my cock moving inside of her. Between the sensations I was feeling, and the noises she made, I was very close and knew I wouldn't last much longer. I closed my eyes and tried to make myself hold off longer.
"Shit," Bella groaned, and I opened my eyes.
I followed her movement and noticed she was touching herself. I about lost my load right then.
"Come on, Bella. I need you to move faster. Can't… hold off… much longer."
Her skin was glistening with sweat and I could feel it on me as well. Bella's fingers stilled their action and she took a quick breath while calling out my name in pleasure.
After a few more thrusts, I moaned Bella's name and felt myself releasing. She leaned forward and pulled me into the most passionate kiss I could ever imagine as the last of my orgasm subsided.
We stayed wrapped up in each other, calming our breathing, and running our fingers over one another's skin. I must say that the sight of watching Bella straddle my waist, with her white button up shirt hanging off her elbows, her bra loosely covering her boobs, and my mark on her was a sight I would remember for a lifetime. She had never been sexier to me than she was in that very moment.
The long days of July slightly shortened as we welcomed in August. The girls and Bella were gearing up for a new school year. I, on the other hand, had something else to be excited about and needed some help from the one person I had left in the dark on purpose.
In the doctor's lounge on my break, I placed the call I knew I couldn't put off any longer. Her song-like voice answered the phone after the first ring and I took a deep breath before I went straight into the reason for my call.
"Hey, Allie. I'm calling because I need your help with something important. Can you meet me for coffee?"
~~ E & B ~~
Bella
The summer was going by too fast; June turned into July and marched into August. It seemed like we had only just celebrated our end of the school year just yesterday. Makenna, MC and I spent our days together either at my place or Edward's so we could swim on occasion. Every day seemed like a new adventure with the girls. I cherished our time together because they kept me on my toes, but kept me laughing most of all.
The weekend before, MC spent her time with Billy. As usual, she was sad to leave Makenna behind, but he promised she could come the next time. After this declaration, MC hugged Makenna and I goodbye and went on her way with her grandpa.
Esme called and offered to keep Makenna for us and we jumped at the chance. It had been a while since we'd spent so much time together alone. After speaking with Edward, we decided to ride our motorcycle a few hours east and stay in a cabin.
We went on nature walks, went horseback riding and even rented a quad to go four-wheeling on the dirt paths. When we weren't outside enjoying the fresh air and slightly cooler temperatures, we stayed inside and cherished our privacy and each other.
Edward continued to work hard at school. He attended class most mornings and worked at the hospital until dinner time. Most nights we were able to eat as a family, but occasionally his seat stayed empty.
"Bella, did my dad say what time he'd get home tonight?" Makenna asked with a longing tone to her voice.
I looked into her eyes, so much like her father's, and answered her, "I'm sorry, sweetie, but he may be gone a few hours longer. Let's just hope he makes it home before bedtime, but if not, you know he'll stop in to check on you when he walks through the door, right?"
"Uh huh."
"Momma?"
I turned my attention to my daughter. "Yes?" I asked as a question.
"Does Edward check on me too?" I would like to say that MC was sad, but to me, it looked like she was jealous. It didn't happen often, but occasionally the girls would fight for his attention and we'd tried to stop this behavior before it could escalate.
"Of course he does. He's a worry wart and doesn't relax until he sees with his own two eyes that both of you are safe and tucked into bed."
MC looked over towards Makenna. "Do you want to go out back and play with me?"
"I'm too tired. We can watch a movie."
"No, let's go outside and play." MC demanded.
"Do you want me to read my new Amelia Bedelia book to you? My teacher said it's really funny." Makenna negotiated.
"Ugh… I want to go outside," MC growled with an unnecessary attitude in her voice and I knew it was time to step in.
"Well, guess what, Mary Claire Black? The way you're acting right now is not acceptable. You need to apologize to Makenna first, and then you're in charge of clearing the dishes from the table. After that, you need to take a quick shower because you've been outside almost all day long and you're pretty dirty. Then after that, we'll talk about how many sentences you need to write so that in the future, you will remember to use a nice voice with Makenna. So, you need to apologize to her, then clear the table, and finish up with a shower. Got it?"
MC sheepishly answered, "Yeah. I'm sorry for being bossy, Makenna." She followed up with a hug.
MC's birthday came and went. We tried to plan a nice party for her, but she had her mind set on a camping trip. It had taken us a month to find the time for a four day weekend, but thankfully we did.
I had most of the food in the freezer, ready to be placed in the coolers the next morning and the other supplies were in the SUV. The girls had their lists of clothes and shoes they needed to pack and were excitedly working together to get it organized.
As much as I was looking forward to going away, I couldn't say I wanted to sleep in a hot tent. I purchased a fan and hoped that it would cool things down at night. I'd never been able to sleep when I was uncomfortably hot. Thank goodness the quality of air mattresses had improved since that last time I had camped so at least we weren't sleeping on the hard ground. Edward and I would share a bed and each of the girls had their own.
"Girls, are you about finished in there?" I asked as I looked around my bedroom. I thought I had left one of the bridal magazines on my night stand, but it wasn't there. Over the past month, I had really enjoyed learning about the newest wedding trends. I found flowers, cakes, and some honeymoon ideas that I circled for future reference. Though Edward and I weren't engaged, we both knew it was coming. If I had my way, it would be sooner rather than later.
Maybe the girls were looking at the magazines again? I wouldn't be surprised.
Speaking of surprises, I used the post it notes and permanent marker Edward had given me and circled the dress of my dreams. To say that I wanted that dress would be an understatement. The first time I saw it, my breath got caught in my chest and I stared at it for minutes. At one point, I even looked up the designer on Google.
According to their website, the dress was very expensive but I chose to ignore my inner grumblings and kept it on the list.
Edward said he wanted me to have everything I wanted, I thought.
I was shocked when I learned that Edward was rich. I knew his parents had money, but always assumed it came from their jobs. I should have known this because they had lived in a humungous lakeside house that, up until a few years ago, had only been used as their summer house since we were teenagers. It didn't make a difference to me though. I would not feel awkward around them, nor change any of my expectations of receiving elaborate gifts. They were my friends, my family, and it didn't matter how large their accounts were because I loved them no matter what.
It had been almost two months since Edward and I applied for our marriage license and he hadn't asked me to marry him yet. Sure, he dropped hints often and playfully proposed on occasion just to hear my witty refusals, but I really hoped he would get serious and just ask. As it was, the license would expire soon and we'd have to renew it in the future.
I sighed and walked down the hallway to check on the girls' progress since neither of them responded to me.
"Ladies, are you all packed up yet?" Makenna nodded her head while MC shook hers.
"Do you need help packing, MC?" I inquired while walking into the bedroom.
MC looked around her room and then back to me. "Nope. I think I'm almost finished," she said proudly.
"All right, but if you change your mind, let me know." I walked into the kitchen and began to make our lunch.
Later on that evening, we crammed our remaining luggage into the back of the SUV. Edward made fun of me for buying so much camping gear, including an eight person tent when there were only four of us. I explained to him that we needed the extra room so we could separate ourselves from the girls at nighttime. The real reason I bought such a large tent was because, after going overboard buying too many camping supplies, we needed extra storage. I didn't fess up to Edward but he rolled his eyes at me knowingly. I just giggled and walked back into the house to grab the flashlights I'd forgotten to pack.
We went to bed late that night and woke up at what seemed to be only hours later. After a big breakfast and one last trip to the bathroom, everyone piled into the SUV and we drove off. Less than ten minutes later, we pulled back into the driveway while I ran into the house to grab the DVDs I left sitting on the kitchen counter where I just knew I wouldn't forget them. There was no way I wanted to drive for four hours and not bring iCarly with us.
After the first movie was over, the girls asked if we could stop for a bathroom break. Their next request was a snack about an hour later. Apparently, in my attempts to be practical, I packed all of our quick, non-messy snacks in the back, piled underneath all of our gear. We also secured both girls' bikes to the back and it would have been too much hassle to dig them out. Edward laughed as we pulled into a gas station to load up on snacks and drinks. He said we'd never make it and that I should just ask the attendant about us camping in the grassy area behind their building. Dr. Smartass. I brought the girls in with me while he decided to top off the gas tank. At that point, we were only about halfway to the campground and running behind in our schedule.
Everyone sighed in relief as we pulled into the Abby Creek Campgrounds in the early afternoon. As Edward walked into the office to check us in and get our campsite number, the girls and I walked over to the community area to check out the swimming pool. It was packed with people and the girls were begging to join them. I had to explain to them we had a lot of work to do by unpacking the car, pitching the tent and organizing our area. Even though they weren't happy with my answer, and the girls held hands as we walked back to the car.
It took us a couple of hours to set up, and about half of that time I spent ogling a sweaty Edward. His chest and back were covered with a t-shirt that clung to him. Our eyes met several times and we just smiled. After he decided to just take his shirt off, my work production was cut in half. Not only was he still sweating, but I was mesmerized as I watched it roll down his body.
The first thing we set up was the tent which was surprisingly easy. Once it was secured to the ground, we used a pump to inflate the air mattresses. Then it was the girls who had to unload the light blankets and pillows but they had a good time working together and got the job done quickly.
We had several campers in the campsites nearest to us, some in tents and people in RVs. We saw other children running around, riding bikes and another family hooked up a small water sprinkler to the water tap and their kids were having fun in their bathing suits. I told the girls they could ride their bikes as long as they always stayed where both of us could see them.
After eating dinner by the campfire, we all settled in for a bed. As we lay awake, we discussed our plans for the next day. It wasn't too much later that the girls fell asleep and we cuddled together, kissing and talked about our day until we also joined the girls in dreamland.
I felt the heat of the sun on my face and groaned. The fan had tipped backwards and fell over some time during the night and my body was overheated. I reached for my cell phone to check the time and noticed it was 6:25 a.m., so I decided to walk down to the showers and start my day.
As I was washing the shampoo out of my hair, I peeked my eyes opened and noticed I wasn't alone. There, in the shower with me, was a frog clinging to the wall. I wasn't scared of much because I knew it wouldn't harm me and was fascinated that it didn't seem scared of me either. I finished rinsing my body, said goodbye to my little friend, and turned the water off.
I heard Edward and the girls outside of the building. He gave them instructions to stay together and to find me first thing. They promised and called out my name as they entered the area. I had them take quick showers as well, reminding the girls why I made them wear flip flops while showering and then helped with brushing their hair when they were finished. As usual, they both insisted that Edward French braid their hair and he loved doing it, so I know he wouldn't refuse. Edward had mentioned before that he felt guilty leaving me and the girls alone for so long when he was at school and work. Before he could berate himself, I reminded him of why he did it and that no matter what, we missed him too, but loved him even more when he came home to us. We all knew his crazy schedule wouldn't last long so we'd get through it because we had no other choice.
We talked last night before we all fell asleep, we had decided to go swimming at the nearby lake the next day. Edward had picked up a campground guide when he checked us in and we'd read about the beach area on the nearside of the lake. Dressed in our swimwear and lathered with sunscreen, we decided to drive the short distance so we didn't have to drag our chairs, a cooler with drinks and snacks, and other necessities.
We let Makenna pick our spot on the sandy beach and she chose to be close to a family who had a campsite near us. The family had two boys who looked to be high school age and a daughter a little older than Makenna.
I sat on my lounge chair, grabbed the book from my bag, and settled in for a relaxing afternoon. Edward played every game imaginable with the girls. I loved watching them interact, laughing and splashing one another, teasing and chasing him. He'd pretend to fall down and they'd pounce on him, declaring themselves the winners. Occasionally, I would dig into the cooler and hand out drinks to whoever asked for one.
The family next to us was a lot of fun. I also learned they had a newborn son, Max, who was three months old. Although he slept a lot, when he was awake Max smiled and made adorable little noises. I talked with them periodically throughout the afternoon and enjoyed my conversations with Max's mom, Bianca. She was a few years older than me and was surprised to learn that she was pregnant again at thirty-five, but said she was very happy to welcome another son into their lives.
Looking at Max made some dormant desire erupt inside of me, and I looked up to find Edward. I sat there and imagined what it would be like to have a daughter with him, or a son for that matter. I'd always thought I would have more than one child, but life had different plans. Was it too late for me? For us? I didn't think so. It would be irresponsible of us to keep talking about making a permanent, lasting commitment to each other and not lay all our cards out on the table. We had briefly talked about it before, but we needed to truly be on the same page. It didn't help matters much when Bianca asked if I wouldn't mind feeding Max his bottle while she ran to the restroom. Her husband and older children were staying back, but were in the middle of a very intense volleyball game.
"Oh, he's so cute. Can I hold him, Momma?" MC asked as she sat down on the end of my chair.
"I'm not sure sweetie. We'd have to ask his momma first. Plus, you smell like dirty lake water." Her face fell from my answer. "Why don't you go wash your hands and we'll ask as soon as she returns, all right?" She nodded her head and ran off.
"Wow, don't you look great feeding a baby?" I looked up at Edward and was temporarily blinded by the sun. I was glad that I chose to sit underneath one of the umbrella's that surrounded the beach. I wouldn't want the baby to get sunburned either.
"You think so?" I teased. Kind of.
"Bella, who's baby are you feeding?" Makenna asked curiously.
I smiled over at her and looked back down at the little guy. "This is Max and he belongs to Bianca who just ran to the restroom."
"Can I hold him, Bella? Pretty please. I always wanted a little brother," she said innocently while my jaw dropped open.
"Me too. I want a little brother too," MC added excitedly. "Or a baby sister," she added, nodding her head.
I looked up at Edward who had a smile on his face as he looked between the girls. I wondered if he was smiling because of the girls' request, or if he was imaging it like I was. Apparently, I would need to ask him soon.
"Girls, I thought you had been asking for a puppy all summer long." I needed to deflect them and I hoped it worked.
Makenna and MC looked at each other and shared a silent conversation. MC turned to me and said, "Nope, we changed our mind. We want a brother. Or a sister."
So my small attempt to deflect them didn't work. Bummer.
"Hi everyone, I'm Bianca. What's your names?" I was saved by Max's mom returning from the restroom. MC, Makenna, and Edward introduced themselves. Bianca said it was fine if the girls wanted to hold the baby and reached into her bag for some antibacterial hand gel.
MC and Makenna both took several turns holding Max who eventually fell asleep while Makenna held him. I looked over to see her place a small kiss on top of his head before she gave him back to his mom to go swimming again.
Edward leaned down and kissed my head before joining the girls, whispering I love you in my ear. It was starting to get really hot and I decided to put my book away and join my family.
The water wasn't as warm as I wanted it to be, but splashing and playing took my mind off of how cold I was. Edward and I brushed up against each other many times and when the girls were distracted, we shared many kisses. While in the lake, I sat with my back to his chest, on his lap, while his arms stayed wrapped around my waist.
"Bella?" Edward kissed my neck.
"Yeah." He tightened his hold on me, pulling me impossibly closer to him.
He kissed the other side of my neck and asked, "Do you really want to have more babies?" He ghosted a kiss along my shoulders.
"Do you?" I deflected his question.
"I do." He responded quickly. "What I don't want to do is wait too long, sweetheart. I want everything with you. Everything."
He reached up and turned my chin, making me look at him. His eyes burned with an intensity I hadn't seen before. "Marriage, house, our girls, babies… lots of babies." His hands moved until they were flat against my stomach, slowly rubbing in a circle as if he was imaging his baby growing inside me.
He kissed my lips so softy, so reverently, that I almost couldn't feel it.
"Maybe even a dog too," he whispered against my lips.
I looked up into his eyes and said the only thing that really mattered at the moment, "I love you," I whispered and turned in his arms, facing him directly. "I truly love you, Edward. You make me so happy. You make me want it too."
He chuckled.
"Can we talk about it more when we get home? I don't want to rush you, but I feel like we've been given the best gift in the world and I'm a greedy man, Isabella. I want more. I want it all."
"Me too," I promised with a kiss.
The rest of our camping trip passed by without a glitch. We both sat the girls down and explained to them where we saw our relationship headed and that a baby or two were in our plans. It went without saying that Makenna and MC danced around excitedly and practically had our futures planned, baby names and all, before we made it home.
The month of August was coming to an end and I was a little sad for that. MC spent a week with Billy and called us every night to talk to Makenna and when they had their fill of each other, she would ask to speak to Edward and myself. I had started going into work to get things prepared for the new school year. It wasn't mandatory for me yet, but when I did go the girls stayed with Esme. They spent time on the lake boating, fishing, and playing outside. It made my heart happy seeing them doing the same things I did when I was younger. It was sufficient to say that this time with the girls left Esme in her own personal heaven. On the nights when Esme wanted the girls to spend the night, Edward and I spent the night practicing for our future.
A future that was within our reach and closer than I had even known.
A/N: Who wants to sit around a campfire and watch Edward pitch a tent with us? We're providing the entertainment, so you bring the snacks.
You know what Edward has been planning now, right? We've thoroughly enjoyed all the theories these past few weeks.
Welcome to the all the new readers who joined us this week and to those who rec'd, added E&B to various communities and pimped our story on twitter! We truly appreciate your support! 3
GUESS WHO'S GONNA HAVE A BABY GIRL LATER THIS YEAR? Our friend and pre-reader, tanglingshadows! Congratulations to you, C & E!
Thanks for reading. If you have the time, please review and we'll send you a teaser of the next chapter.