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Chapter 21: It's off to school we go.

EPOV

"She is starting pre-school." I grumbled. "Why does she need this much stuff?" When I went to school, everything was provided. Apparently now kids needed everything that could easily last them while a year in space.

Bella just shrugged as she helped Bree pick out the folders she wanted. I vetoed everything Beiber and Hannah Montana related, but Bree has better taste than I gave her credit for and she laughed and told me she would never be seen with that stuff.

The list of items Bree needed to start school, which I held in my hands, was incredibly long and irritating. And standing in the middle of Wal-Mart was not helping my mood. I swear this store is for redneck family reunions. If you need to stand around and talk in a group, than at least move into an isle that no one shops in. Like lawn ornaments, go have a conference in front of the lawn gnomes.

"Just take a deep breath." Bella said. "We are almost done. We have all her supplies. All she needs is a backpack."

As we stood in front of the large selection of backpacks Bree held two in her hands and couldn't decide between them. I was tempted to just buy them both, just to get the hell out of here.

Bree placed them both on the shelf and backed up. "I don't know which one I want. Cinderella or Tinkerbelle?"

"They are both cute, Bree." Bella said.

Suddenly a woman walked right in front of us and stopped to look at the shelf we were currently looking at.

"You have got to be kidding me." I groaned. "Of all the rudest…"

"Deep breaths." Bella whispered, which she has been telling me for most of the time that we have been here. After three hours of people pushing, kids whining, and rude ass people like the one in front of me now, I was at my wits end.

"Are you almost done browsing there?" I asked rudely.

"Excuse me?" The woman asked as she turned around to face me. Holy shit, not only was she butt ugly but her breath could take down a horse.

"I asked if you were almost done." I snapped.

"Rude." She mumbled.

"Rude?" I asked incredulously. "You want to talk about rude? We were standing here trying to shop until some fat bitch came along and stood directly in front of us and we had to stop doing what we were doing. Now, if you don't mind, move your tank ass along."

"Well, I have never…"

"Brushed your teeth?" I asked waving my hand in front of my face. "Yeah, I figured as much."

"Jesus, Edward." Bella said after the woman stomped off. "Do you need some Midol for your cramps and bloating?"

I sighed knowing I was being a temperamental dick. I was tired of shopping, I was nervous about Bree starting school; I had a song that I was working on that the deadline was nearing, and something heavy weighing on my mind. I knew Bree and Bella didn't deserve my attitude, or any of that taken out on them.

"I'm sorry." I said. I kneeled down next to Bree. "Alright, which book bag do you like?"

Bree tapped her finger against her little chin and said, "Well, I like them both, but I think I am going to get the Tinkerbelle one."

I stood up happy, in a slightly better mood…that was until Bree spoke again.

"Embry has a Peter Pan book bag. Now we will match." Bree smiled.

I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes. "That doesn't help." I mumbled. Embry, Embry, Embry…I hope Bree grows out of this little crush she has soon, I don't know how much more I can take.

After we checked out and got the car loaded, our shopping trip from hell was over. I thought about doing a little jig and staying a little prayer in the parking lot.

"How does dinner tonight sound?" I asked Bella as I drove through traffic. "Just you and me?"

"I don't know." She said. "Are you going to be pissy and mopey? Because I have to tell you, your mood lately has been a little annoying."

"I'm sorry about that." I said grabbing her hand. "I have a lot on my mind and I have not been handling it very well."

"Dinner sounds great." Bella smiled.

"What about me?" Bree asked from the back seat. "What am I? Chopped kidney?"

"I think you mean liver." I laughed.

"Liver?" Bree asked. "Uncle Em said chopped kidney."

I would have to question Embry about that.

~/~/~/~/~/~

I was standing in the living room waiting for Bella. I couldn't stop thinking about what Bree said earlier and I wanted to try someway to make Emmett say it without asking him outright. I was sure Bree just said it wrong, but knowing Emmett, anything was possible.

"So, Jasper, Rose, and Alice, if you need me for anything you have my number and you know what restaurant we will be at." I said. Everyone nodded and Emmett just furrowed his brow while he looked around the room.

"The fridge is stocked; you know where the movies are at. Anything you three need you where to look."

Emmett didn't say anything and I didn't know how else to make him say it. I figured I would just ask him about it when we got back. Bella came out dressed and ready to go. I scooped Bree up and gave her a kiss before telling her good-bye.

As I opened the door to leave I said, "Bye Alice, Bye Jazz, Bye Rose."

"What am I? Chopped kidney?" And bingo.

Everyone was looking at Emmett like he was crazy and I started laughing.

"Chopped liver." I said.

"What?"

"The expression is chopped liver, not chopped kidney." Jasper said.

"That doesn't even make any sense." Emmett said.

"And chopped kidney does?" I asked.

Emmett shrugged and mumbled something about everyone being know-it-alls.

~/~/~/~/~/~

"So what has been the cause of the male pms lately?" Bella asked after we placed our orders.

"A few things." I sighed. "I'm nervous about Bree going to school."

"Aww, that is so cute." Bella smiled, I raised an eyebrow at her as she made fun of me. "Bree will be fine though."

"I don't think she is ready." I said. "I think we should try home schooling. Thousands of people do it."

"First off, do you know anything about home schooling? And second, do you even have time to do that?"

"No and no." I said. "But it can't be that hard plus I don't think Bree actually wants to go."

Bella actually laughed at me. "School is all Bree has talked about. She is very excited."

"Fine, yes she's excited. I'm not."

"There is a silver lining to Bree going to school." Bella smiled mischievously. I raised an eyebrow in question. "Bree will make a lot of new friends and she won't be all about Embry anymore."

I sat back and smiled, "Well, that does change things."

The waiter came to our table and placed our food down. He lingered a little longer than necessary checking Bella out. I think I might have growled at him.

"So, what else has been on your mind?" Bella asked.

"I have a song I have been working on for awhile and the studio is getting impatient and they have set a deadline on it." I explained.

"I'm sure once you work out everything that's been weighing on your mind, your song will come together."

"I hope so." I said.

"So, what else?"

"Umm…I uh, I wanted to ask you umm…about." This was awkward for me and I didn't even know why. "About what you think about all the pressure everyone is giving us about getting married."

"Oh, I haven't really thought much about it." Bella shrugged.

"We have never really talked about this." I said. "I thought maybe we should. Are you anti marriage?"

"I'm not anti marriage. To be honest I thought you were though." Bella laughed.

"No, not at all." I said. "Is it something you want?"

"I don't know." Bella shrugged looking uncomfortable. "Marriage has never been a high priority for me. But…maybe."

I smiled at her. "I was thinking the same thing."

~/~/~/~/~/~

"I told all my friends about Bree." Embry said.

"What did you tell them about her?" I asked.

Today was Bree's first day of school. Bella knew how anxious I was about it, but she had a meeting with her editor so it left just me to take her to school. Bella was so nervous for me that she was going to reschedule her meeting. After I reassured her I would be fine she left. Would I be fine? No, probably not.

Jacob and Embry came over this morning to walk with us to the school.

"That my girlfriend was starting school." He said and gave me a look that said 'duh'.

"Did your friends make fun at you for having a girlfriend in pre-school?" I asked.

"No." Embry said loudly. "Yes." He mumbled. Jacob and I both chuckled.

Once Bree was done eating her breakfast we headed out to walk to school. The school bus would normally stop to pick her up but I wanted to take her the first day, and maybe everyday.

Once inside the school Embry wished Bree luck and gave her a hug before Jacob walked him to his class. It was cute, but annoying.

"And you must be Bree." The teacher said when we walked in the class room. She held out her hand and shook Bree's hand. "I'm Miss. Angela."

I became a little more nervous once I saw this Miss. Angela. She had more of the librarian look going on than Bella did. What made me worry was the fact that she didn't look old enough to even be a teacher.

"You must be Mr. Cullen." She said. "It is nice to meet you. I am so glad to have Bree in class with us this year. We have lots of fun things planned." Bree looked more excited, I looked more nervous.

"You're the teacher?" I asked. Maybe she was the assistant, or a volunteer.

"Yes, sir." She said.

"Are you old enough to be a teacher? You went to college?" I blurted.

"Yes, I did." She laughed. "I am actually twenty-nine. I guess I age well. I still get carded at bars."

Great she just went from being too young to being an alcoholic.

"Alright, well Bree hasn't been around to many people other than family so she might be a little shy." I said.

"I think she is going to do just fine." Miss. Angela said pointing over my shoulder. I turned around to see Bree playing with a group of little girls.

"Well, that's good." I said lamely. "So, do you need like a parent volunteer for the day or something?"

"That's very nice of you Mr. Cullen, but no thank you I think we will be just fine today."

"Are you sure? I don't have any plans for the day."

"For the first month or so I don't ask for parent volunteers so that the kids can get used to being away from their parents." She explained.

"Okay, yeah, I guess that makes sense." I said. "I will just tell Bree good-bye than."

I walked over to Bree and kneeled next to her. "I am going to leave now, Bree."

"Okay, daddy." She said without looking up from the toys her and the other girls were playing with.

"Are you going to be alright after I leave?"

"I will be fine." She answered, still not looking up.

"If you are nervous it is okay. We can just go home and we can try this out another day." I offered.

"I am fine, daddy." Bree laughed. "You can go."

"Alright, well can I have a hug good-bye?" I asked.

Bree turned and tried to give me a quick hug but I held her tight and she giggled as she tried to squirm away.

"It is time for circle time." The teacher said. "Mr. Cullen, we need Bree."

"Sorry." I said to the teacher. I gave Bree a quick kiss and then she hurried off to join her class.

I stood by the door and watched as Bree picked her spot in the circle. I noticed a couple of girls had latched on to Bree and were trying to sit closest to her.

"We will see you at three, Mr. Cullen." Miss. Angela said.

Pushy alcoholic teacher that probably didn't go to school, I thought to myself as I left the classroom and exited the school.

"Damn, Edward, I thought maybe you had left for home already." Jacob said as I walked down the stairs of the school. "You took forever."

"Bree was having a hard time with my leaving." I lied.

"Yeah, sure she did." Jake laughed.

"You can head home; I have some errands to run." I said.

Jake looked at me and smiled. He pointed over my shoulder and said, "I sat over there Embry's first week of school. See you at three."

So that was where I sat. All. Day. Long. I was stared at by female joggers like I was a predator. One cop stopped to ask what I was doing. After I explained that my daughter went to this school he guessed my daughter was an only child. After I confirmed that he was correct he laughed and told me this stage would pass quickly. Whatever that meant.

Geeze, can't a guy just sit outside of a school alone without being questioned about his motives?

Three o'clock seemed to take days to get here but as soon as it hit three on the dot I headed for Bree's classroom.

"I had a feeling you would be the first parent here." The teacher laughed.

"I guess I like my kid more than all the other parents." I said. "Are you ready to go?" I asked Bree.

"I have to go already?" Bree pouted.

"Yeah, but you will be back tomorrow." I answered.

"Alright." Bree said sadly and grabbed my hand. She didn't want to leave? What the hell?

"How about we go get some ice cream?" I asked.

She perked up at that and started walking a little faster after she waved good-bye to all of her friends.

"I want a mint chocolate chip ice cream cone with sprinkles, and could you please put a cherry on it?" Bree smiled up at the girl running the ice cream counter.

"You bet, princess." The girl smiled. Bree's dimple filled smile got her anything she wanted from anybody. When she got older I feared it was going to a deadly weapon.

I ordered the same as Bree, minus the sprinkles and cherry. After we got our order we sat at a table outside.

"How was school?" I asked.

"It was so much fun. I made a lot of new friends and I wrote my name and Miss. Angela said she was very impressed." Bree said excitedly.

"Well, you are a very smart girl." I said.

"That's what she told me. She also told me you would adjust."

"You need to adjust?" I asked. "It is a big new thing for you."

"No, daddy." Bree laughed. "She said you would adjust, that you would get used to me being away from you."

"Doubtful." I grumbled. "There was something I wanted to talk to you about."

Bree looked up from her ice cream waiting for me to go on.

"What do you think about me asking Bella to marry me?" I asked nervously.

Bree just giggled and rolled her eyes. "We have all been waiting for you to."

"So you think it's a good idea?" I asked.

"I love Bella and want her to officially be my mommy. So, yes ask her. Uncle Em said you need to man up. What does that mean?"

"It means Uncle Em is an idiot and don't listen to him anymore." I laughed. She tilted her head and raised her eyebrow in that give me the real answer way. I sighed, "It means I need to ask Bella to marry me."

"Well, than man up dad!" Bree squealed. "Grandma is going to be so excited!"

"Let's keep this a secret just between you and me for right now." I said. "Can you do that?"

"Yes." She answered as she finished her ice cream. "Can I help you ask her?"

"Of course." I smiled. "We are a package deal. I couldn't ask her without you. Do you want to help me pick a ring? You have better taste in jewelry than I do."

"Aunt Rose and Aunt Alice have trained me well." She laughed. "When can we get a ring?"

"How does right now sound to you?" I asked. I knew Bella had meetings all day so now was as good a time as any.

"Let's go!" Bree jumped up and grabbed my hand and we went in search of the perfect engagement ring.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I'm pretty sure you can all guess what's in the next chapter! To answer some of you, nope Edward's not anti marriage it just wasn't a step neither Edward nor Bella was in hurry for- not because they didn't want it but because they have been happy enough without it. But, I guess it's time to, as Bree put it, man up.

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