Disclaimer: I don't own anything Twilight related…
Chapter 20: Moving into the House of Cards…
There is something decadent about lying naked during the workday with a hot guy. We were lying in the room, with the sun beating down on our backs. Edward was drawing circles on my back. I started to giggle a little.
"What's so funny," he asked amused, raising himself on an elbow so he could look down at me.
"I was just thinking it's good thing it was the middle of the day or else the downstairs neighbors would hitting the roof given how loud we were a few minutes go," I snorted.
Edward busted out laughing, I guess the memory just occurred to him as well. When we came back from our honeymoon, it had been a Thursday in the middle of the day. I had been a little drunk on the champagne we had on the flight home and Edward and I got carried away. Several times. That was the afternoon we found out our neighbors below us were retired and that our floor plans were identical. Our living room was on top of theirs and we had interrupted their viewing of the Price is Right. They moved to Florida about a year before the twins were born. One nice thing about the about townhouse was that I had a corner lot and our bedroom didn't share any walls.
"Hmm – well I can't speak for the neighbors but our dads are going to be back soon and you need new panties," Edward replied laughing, referring to the ripped panties on the floor.
"Great – now I'm going to have the use ones I packed for tomorrow," I said, not really meaning it. But Edward was right – last thing we needed was for my dad to catch us in the inflagrante delicto. I got up and threw my clothes really quickly through I had a feeling both Carlisle and Charlie would take one look at us and have a good idea what we had been up too. Quickly I grabbed the Lysol wipes and started wiping down everything.
Edward started laughing harder which I could understand – he was a guy. His father wasn't going to stroke out at the thought his son having sex. Charlie had the long held cherished belief that both his girls got pregnant through Immaculate Conception.
"Laugh it up Cullen," I teased him, "My dad had access to an industrial waste yard."
Edward stopped abruptly and grabbed his boxers, "What else needs to be wiped down?"
Both our fathers came back a few minutes later. I pointedly ignored the smirk Carlisle had and the blush my dad had. "We got pizza and beer kids," Charlie announced.
"Cool – we have paper plates," Edward replied, "And your Pepsi Bella."
"Thanks guys," I told them, "Are Mom and Esme coming back?"
"Yes," Carlisle replied, "They're coming back with the twins from the zoo."
"Good," I replied, not wanting to explain my termination more then once.
Renee and Esme came in a couple of minutes later with the babies and I explained what happened at work today.
"You know what Bella – this is the best thing that could have happened to you," my mom said finally, "She was so toxic."
"Yes and I can put you touch some headhunters," Carlisle offered.
Esme agreed and offered the services of her friend who was a professional career coach. Personally I wasn't sure how helpful a career coach would be since there was a good chance my career was going to end thanks to Jessica but I figured what the hell. I would take everything I could get.
"You know Bella," Charlie said finally when the chatter started to die down and we were alone, "I think you should fight this."
"Dad – are you crazy I don't want to work with her anymore," I replied, wondering if he had one beer to many.
"I don't mean for you to fight the termination. You should file a complaint with the university. They put you in a situation with a known fruitcake," Charlie said, trying a swig of his Pepsi.
"It's a small world Dad, people talk," I reminded him. After all Charlie was the first to say don't make waves if you can help it.
"Yeah – but I'm more worried she'll do more damage to you if you don't say something," Charlie pointed out, "Bella – you're going to lose your job but you have years invested in that hospital that I hate to see you lose."
I took a deep breath because he was right, not only was I losing my job but I was going to lose my seniority as well. "I'll think about it," I told him.
"Good – that's all I ask," my dad said, "Ok – I'm going to take your mom home traffic gets to be too bad. We'll see you tomorrow kids."
"Bye Charlie and thank you," Edward said putting his hand for my dad to shake. I could tell he might more then just the free packing he had given us.
"Anytime – night kids," my dad said grabbing my mom and the twins. My mom was going to bring to Staten Island tomorrow.
Carlisle and Esme said goodbye as well and we were on our own.
"Can you believe it – we're all alone," Edward said pulling me close to him.
"I know the possibilities for board games are endless," I teased kissing him, as his hands move down my backside.
Edward and I ended up camping on the floor that night and ordering Chinese after a couple rounds where Edward didn't have to worry about my dad's industrial waste yard. The alarm went off at 6:00 and we got to work. The plan was to have everything out of the apartment by 11:30 Jake, Jasper, and Charlie could take the U-Haul to Staten Island. Garrett and Carlisle were going to follow with Edward after he turned the keys over to Michael. Mike and his fiancée were planning to start their move in at noon.
Jasper and Jake came at 7:00 AM with the U-Haul I reserved and Edward was waiting for them with coffee and donuts. Edward, while he wasn't crazy about Jake, was trying hard to get along with him better. Jake had actually pulled me aside to ask when the Pod people were returning the real Edward. Vanessa smacked him in the back of the head.
Carlisle, Charlie, and Garrett follow and soon it was a mass of activity unloading the apartment into the U-Haul. It was surreal watching the whole thing and I couldn't help the nostalgia going through me. After all this had been my first real home with Edward. We had rented this place when we got engaged; he had carried me over the threshold when we first got married. We had brought the twins home here from the hospital. It was harder then I thought to let go of this place.
Edward caught me looking at the window and walked over. "Harder then you thought huh," he asked quietly putting his arms around me.
"Yeah – I'm going to the miss the all night China Place," I told him, leaning into him a little.
"Hey – bro – we need your puny muscles here," Garrett called out breaking our moment.
"I'm coming you douche bag," Edward called back, kissing my forehead, "Later baby."
"I'm counting it," I told him quietly, and shook off the reverie. We had a lot to do. As the guys were emptying the house, I was going through with the apartment with the cleaning supplies. Last night I gone on a bit of cleaning binge but I wanted to get the cabinets done. My goal was leave the apartment at 10:30 in my car since I had all of our clothes and linens packed in the car.
Alice and my mom had volunteered to do some grocery shopping for me so that we have the basics like milk, bread and toilet paper. Esme was heading to Staten Island to help them out since they had three babies between. Tanya was planning to head down there too. Why she was planning to go? I had no idea since when we announced were moved to Staten Island she thought we were joking. In fact the visual of a laughing hyena came to mind when I remembered her reaction to the news.
Time flew and for once we were actually on schedule. "Okay guys I'm going to head out – do you need me for anything," I asked, handing out bottles of water.
"No Bells – we'll see you soon," Jake said taking the bottle from me and wiping his head.
"Yeah baby – we're good – see at you home," Edward pulling me to him, one eye on Jake. I giggled thinking about our new home and got into my car. Once I left our parking garage, I took one more look at the place that had been my home for so many years and focused on the future.
I have a theory about positives and negative balancing each other out. Sure Edward and I were on the same page finally but I had lost my job so we had that uncertainty to deal with me. I now knew about every detail about Edward's love life before me and frankly I didn't know how I was going to deal with my sister-in-law in the future since we had common knowledge of my husband's penis.
So as I drove to Staten Island I was surprised how everything was going like clock work. Esme had the suggestion of using Peapod the night before there were already groceries waiting for the three of them when she, my mom and Alice arrived with the kids. They had already set up the kitchen when I arrived and Alice helped get everything out of my car.
She got to work on my closets right away while I put away our linens. The guys were there by 12:00 and Edward and his dad were there by 1:30. Everything was out and arranged by 3:30. By this time Tanya had arrived with her sons. Her boys loved it, running the area, asking their parents if they could move Staten Island and get a backyard with a swing set. My dad had snuck here over the week to it install it for the kids. Poor Tanya, I thought she would keel over on that one.
"Thanks everyone helping us this together," Edward said his arm around me possessively, "Bella and I wanted to think everyone and invite you to dinner if you don't mind pizza and beer."
"You got me at beer," Garrett shouted, much to his wife's annoyance. You could tell she wanted to get the hell out of here and back to Manhattan.
"I'm game," Jake said, Nessie on his lap, "Thanks Edward."
"Cool – we'll order, babe do you have your phone," I asked, our landline wouldn't be working until Monday.
"No shit – I just had it," Edward said frowning, patting his flannel pocket.
"I got mine Bells," Jasper said passing his blackberry to me.
"Thanks Jazz," I told him. Edward walked off, presumably to find his phone. What happened next proved my theory about good balancing bad.
AN: Yes I'm ending here. Any ideas what's happening in the next chapter? I love theories. Going to try and have the next part posted on Monday. Have a great weekend everyone and stay warm! It's a balmy 13 degrees in my part of the world.
Thanks everyone taking the time to read/review/follow/favorite this story!