SM owns twilight. I own all of my mistakes, and Rufus of course!
Chapter twenty four.
It's the beginning of a new year and I was now fourteen weeks pregnant!
Although the weather hasn't really gotten much better as far as the freezing temperatures, at least the snow storms have abated.
Pete and Char left for Seattle, to fly back to their home down south in Texas. It was really wonderful having them around, and I loved their sense of humour, their wit and how they well they knew Jasper, and all his foibles, and quirks. I'm looking forward to seeing them sometime again.
When they were about to leave, I finally spilled the beans to Char, about how pregnant I was. No one had yet told them that I was expecting, which I was surprised by. Jasper was protective of me and the twins, even though they weren't his...or mine either. Jasper and I would always be related to them, no matter what.
To say Charlotte was shocked when I told her, would have been an underestimation. She stood there speechless for a few minutes, before demanding to be told the full story. When I told her all the details she shook her head and laughed.
"No wonder he can't work you out! He's so fascinated! You're as different from any other woman he's ever met, as can be! You are thoughtful, caring, determined, intellectual and a beautiful soul to boot! On top of that, you are pregnant with twins...for someone else! You have to promise me to keep in touch and let me know how it all goes." Char smiled.
"Of course."I hugged her.
"Have you told his family yet...has he?"
"Ah... I don't know if Esme and Carlisle have told them the happy news yet. I'm hoping to keep out of their firing line, when they finally find out! When Jasper found out he went a bit crazy, demanding answers and getting up on his high horse. After I tore a few shreds off him, Esme and Carlisle did the same. They also had a go at Rosalie for being rude to me in their house, now that was something incredible to see... an irate Carlisle, normally he's as placid as a lake." I chuckled.
"I don't know him well, but Jasper always refers to Carlisle as if he wishes he was his dad, instead of the cold, pompous, Colonel Caius Cullen." Charlotte said.
"Ha you should have heard what Carlisle said to Jasper; the day he declared his love for me ...he threatened to castrate Jasper personally if he didn't behave himself! The look on Jasper's face was absolutely priceless!"
The other amazing news, is my two best friends have gotten quite close and cosy lately. It all started out with Leah complaining of a sore back from sleeping on my couch.
Angela offered her a bed and since then, they have become kind of inseparable. Leah is still on leave here and has been helping out Angela in her vet clinic over the holidays. They even opened up a slot for Rufus, who is now a cat-eunuch...he doesn't seem to mind too much though, apparently he wasn't that attached to his balls after all. Once he had a half a day recovering, he was back to his same, crazy self, chasing Marcy around, admiring the hens, eating and sleeping for twenty hours a day.
Angela and Leah even operated on Rufus together. Although they were behaving like very good friends, I could see what was happening.
Leah and Angela were falling for each other. They eventually admitted to me how they felt.
Leah wanted to try and see if she could take their relationship further, but Angela was reticent, due to her conservative Christian background. Although Angela's not so religious anymore, her parents are. She worries that if they find out about her loving a woman, instead of a man... it might mean that they start denying her, and she may end up becoming estranged from them.
I hope they work it out, I feel they would be perfect for each other. They deserve some loving arms to come home to, at the end of the day, we all do.
Once the snow had stopped and the roads had cleared a few days after the big storm, Esme came calling. I fed her samples of my ice-cream and made her real espresso coffee from the Italian machine she had given me.
I was great to see her again, I had missed her terribly. She was happy to come and be pampered a little.
She was happy to let me know, that even though she had warned all of her family members, that Christmas definitely wouldn't be at her house next year, she had still steadfastly refused to give them any reasons as to why she didn't want to host them all next year.
Apparently, each of them had been trying to weasel the truth out of her, and she's had all sorts of ridiculous questions alluding to the state of her mental and physical health, some even assume she has something life-threatening, like cancer, or a brain tumour. Edward even asked if she was leaving Carlisle and joining a Himalayan Buddhist monastery.
I got a laugh out of that one! Esme and Carlisle have the happiest marriage I know. Why would their nephew even think such a ridiculous thing, doesn't he know them at all?
She said that she and Carlisle are holding off telling them about me and the twins, because of their ridiculous behaviour.
All fifteen of them, were a bit put out at the idea of hosting a big Christmas for everyone else, and started coming up with excuses as to why they shouldn't and couldn't be the hosts for next year's celebration.
She said that for the first time in years she actually saw them all for what they really were, a narcissistic bunch of self-important, freeloaders.
I congratulated her, saying she and Carlisle would get what they needed next year...a stress free Christmas, to relax and enjoy their new babies.
I sent her home with a batch of brownies, a pecan pie and some lemon sorbet, which she decided that she liked the best.
Esme, Jasper and I had spent a few hours going over the things we could achieve in the house, which wouldn't take long to create, not cost a fortune and not need any building approval.
Between us, we decided to change the layout of the rooms downstairs, of the kitchen/dining and living area, by removing many of the internal dividing walls and adding in a bank of large new windows to bring in the warmth of the sun...when it actually shone.
Providing the sunniest side of the house with more windows, would add much more space and light, even on the cloudiest of days. One of the windows would slide open, so that we could move outside onto a large outdoor deck, which we would build at a later time, when the weather warmed up.
Jasper suggested adding on a deck and was excited by the idea of outdoor cooking and eating. He just wanted to barbeque and hang out with a bunch of guys, watching flames and turning steaks, with a beer in his hand. I loved the idea of moving between the inside and outside so easily, even having meals outside in summer.
There would be a simple, long kitchen built all the way along one wall, a coloured glass, splash back, new stone bench tops, long open shelves, and wide, deep drawers to hold all the pots and pans. I really didn't want to include any tiles in the kitchen, as cleaning dirty grout always got me down. All the surfaces had to be easy to wipe down, and very hard wearing.
I insisted on including a wide, kitchen island bench, to eat at and clean up the dishes with a sink and dishwasher fitted in underneath! Yay! I decided to include a big, fancy gas stove and oven. And finally, something I had always wanted ...a pantry.
Esme and Jasper came up with a great design for a laundry, enclosed in a cupboard. The washing machine would sit on the floor, the wall-mounted dryer directly above it, right next to it, would be a small sink and a hanging space for those delicate items that would be damaged, if I put them in the drier.
We all liked different floor coverings, but I loved the light blond, floating wooden floor. It was pre-finished and easy to lay on top of the existing floor...and best of all warm under foot and a breeze to clean. It was also nicely affordable.
Esme said she had a few nice rugs she no longer wanted and insisted that I have them. I wondered what they would look like, I was positive they would be beautiful knowing Esme's taste.
Jasper insisted we should fit in a toilet and small sink under the stairs, and actually it was a great idea; saving guests from needing to go up and down the stairs all the time. Jasper also wanted to buy a big, double-door fridge. I liked the ones with a French door system, with a good sized freezer on the bottom, rather than the top.
As we finalized the plans for downstairs, I started being hopeful that all this work on the house, would create wonderful new place to live. And in the future, if I went to live back in California, it would make the house more desirable to rent, or sell if it was easier to live in.
Esme, being a genius/dynamo, had already sourced all of the items we needed to build the new kitchen. All we needed now was a break in the weather and to employ a bunch of hands and a skip bin, to remove all the rubble from the internal walls.
Esme said she knew a great electrician and plumber who could get all of the required work done quickly for the kitchen, laundry-cupboard and the under-stairs toilet.
She insisted that Jasper and I come and stay at her place, while it all got built, to avoid the noise, dust and cold. The water and power would be turned off for at least a week or so. I agreed with her that living in a freezing house in January, without the basics wouldn't be so wonderful.
So here I am! Living in the lap of luxury, at the Cullen's mansion.
Esme and Jasper organised Seth's crew to move and store all the furniture in the garage. I had boxed up all the small items in the kitchen. There were so many boxes of stuff; I had no idea when I emptied out the cupboards and drawers, just how much there was and even if I wanted to keep it all! All the items were stored safety in the garage, until the new kitchen was completed.
I was really excited! It would be a fantastic prospect to have a new oven and stove! The things I could cook! The fun I could have!
There would even be room for more than two to sit and eat! Yay!
I could entertain! The island bench was long and deep enough, to work on one side, and for at least four people to sit down and eat comfortably on the other.
While all the work is going on at home, I took the opportunity to get really stuck into Aro's on-line course work. I have an overall plan and if I keep it up and it all goes well, I'll be finished with it before the babies are due to pop into the world.
I'm more uncomfortable now and my tummy has expanded. The nausea is still there, but if I snack all the time I stave it off. So everywhere I go a bowl of fruit, nuts or crackers go with me.
Jasper and Esme have been wonderful and cheerful, even though they come home all dusty and tired from pulling out walls and putting in new strengthening beams in the ceiling, to hold the upstairs in place.
While the messiest of the work is going on, I'm not allowed back home. They are worried about the possibility of asbestos fibres and lead paint, which may have been used in parts of the house and that it may affect me and the babies.
They show me pictures of their daily progress, I'm in complete awe. I have a steaming, delicious soup and hot bread rolls ready for when they return at the end of the day. I usually try to make a roast or casserole to fill them all up too.
Carlisle is enjoying the food and my company, when he has time at home away from the hospital. Before his shifts, we often chat about all sorts of things and he asks about my progress. He makes me put my feet up and rest, but I end up putting my i Pad on my lap and continuing to work at the same time. Listening to music relaxes me, and when no one is listening, I like to sing along.
Rufus is here with me and is enjoying the warmth of the enormous house and all of the fun places in which he can perch on, to look out at the view, or to sleep.
I keep finding him in the most hilarious places stretched out, without a care in the world. On top of the highest bookshelf, in front of the central heating ducting, on the edge of one of the guest baths, one day I even found him asleep inside the clothes drier! I'm so glad it wasn't shut and going at the time.
Today is the seventh day of my stay here, and I'm looking forward to getting back home. I'm sure the Cullen's need to have a bit of privacy too. I'm sure it's wearing for them, having guests staying here with them all the time.
I keep up the cooking for them and today I've made a dish using salmon out of dad's freezer. Luckily we could keep the power on in the garage, so that the whole freezer of fish didn't spoil. Thank heavens for that! A big, heap of rotten fish doesn't sound so good. I still even have to hold my breath when I feed Rufus, his food smells so bad.
I place the whole, large salmon on a large baking tray, adding the dried fruit, finely chopped onions and spices which will sit inside it and around the scored flesh and finish wrapping it in foil. It will certainly be delicious!
Extra veggies have been placed around the fish and I'm pleased it will be a Moroccan style feast tonight. I've got a big tray of baklava already baked and set aside, to sit and absorb the lemon syrup I poured all over it, as it cools.
It smells divine, and I can't wait to taste it...but I must wait! It's not really ready yet...oh what the heck! I lift out a small triangle from the edge of the tray... and am about to shove it into my mouth... when I sense another person behind me.
"Well, well, well, who's this then?" a man's voice says.
I turn around slowly still holding my tiny, dripping piece of baklava...I catch sight of an odd shade of red hair and green eyes. This man has his hands on his hips and is smirking at me with a lopsided grin, super-white teeth and ruby lips that are a little bit too plump to be good found on the face of a man. He has a very feminine quality about him, and his eyebrows looked shaped.
"Why don't you introduce yourself first?" I mutter. Damn! I really wanted to eat this delicious piece of heaven I'm holding.
"No I insist, ladies first." He smirked at me, eyeing me up and down like a piece of meat.
"I'm a friend of Esme and Carlisle. I'm staying here until my house is in a liveable state. I didn't know they were expecting guests today."
I wasn't sure that I wanted to give this stranger my name. I didn't like the way he kept looking at me.
"Oh, they aren't! I just pop in here whenever I feel the need to hide out from the wrath of my father. So you have a name, my little kitchen goddess?"
I roll my eyes at his pathetic attempt to suck me into his vortex of seduction.
I'm guessing that he must be the other nephew, Edward Mason. The one who took all three of the Denali triplets camping, in the same tent, while poor Esme and Carlisle had to listen in all night long, to their sexcapades. Ughh!
Nice, really nice! Way to show a girl a good time... by having group sex with her and her sisters in a tent within earshot of your relatives! He must really be a classy gentleman... NOT!
"You must be Edward Mason, Esme's nephew right?"
"Uh, yes...I am, that's me... Edward." He looks a little surprised that I have worked out who he is so quickly. "You haven't given me your name yet, will you let me guess it then?"
I huff, shrug and turn back to my baklava. What the heck! I need to taste it anyway...I pop it in and the flavours and sticky sweetness hits my tongue first. Then I close my mouth and hear and feel the crunch of the filo pastry. My eyes are closed to ensure I get every bit of sensation in my mouth, registering into my brain. As I chew I start to taste the almonds and walnuts, sugar and spices.
I must have moaned and looked like I was tripping on some spectacular party drug...Edward crept up to my shoulder and I suddenly become aware of him way, way too close for comfort, I jump back in surprise.
"Hey can I try a little of that?"Edward licks his lips, in anticipation of getting something I really don't want to give him.
"No!" I say firmly.
I reach for a wooden spoon, in order to smack his hands if he tries to touch my baklava.
"Oh please? It smells and looks delicious... so do you by the way." He tries to get me to relent and gives me a smoking look, batting his very long, black lashes at me, and pursing his plump lips. Was he actually wearing a little mascara and lippy?
He reaches out to grab some baklava with his overly-long fingers and shiny, manicured nails.
I whip back and land a loud smack with the wooden spoon, hard right on top his fingers, just as he's about to touch my food.
Ha! Got you greedy boy! Hope you learn your lesson, not to touch what's not yours!
"Shit ouch! What the fuck! Who are you? Why did you do that for?" He shook his hand and looks at me like I've mortally wounded him.
I quirk my eyebrows at him. Want to try another go with my wooden spoon buster? I hold it up and wave it in his stupid face.
"Listen up and listen well! I warned you not to touch and I meant it! Now get out of the kitchen and leave me in peace! Go and annoy someone who cares!"
"I'm supposed to play at a recital tomorrow! My hand will be all bruised and swollen!" He whined, nursing his hand to his chest as if it was a precious jewel.
"Oh for heaven's sake! Stop being such a ridiculous, drama queen! Go put some ice on it, if it hurts that much." I waved him off with the wooden spoon.
"I'm going to see Carlisle to get an x-ray. It's probably broken!" With that, he flounced out the door and left me in peace.
I chuckled, what a stupid wanker! I looked down and decided to place the fish and veggies in the oven to cook. I was really looking forward to trying this dish later tonight.
I rang Jasper to let him know of Edward's appearance, and to see how the work was going at home.
"Hey babe, how's it going?"
"Great we're about to finish for the day. We got the new double glazed windows in today, the space looks incredible. I'm taking photos of it all for you, as soon as I finish this call."
"I'm looking forward to seeing what they look like. Hey Jas, I want to warn you and Esme, that Edward arrived just now, and uhh...caused himself... a little damage in the kitchen."
"What did he do? Did he try his stupid, dazzling charm on you?" Jasper suddenly sounded murderous.
"Yeah he did, but apparently I'm immune to him so that's a relief. I had to smack his hand with a wooden spoon though. He's taken himself off to the emergency ward, because he's convinced himself that he's broken something, the wimp!"
Jasper laughed and laughed, "That's absolutely hilarious! I'll have to tell Esme, she's gonna crack up when she hears about you smacking Edward with a wooden spoon!"
"Ok hon, I'll see you when you get here. I love you, bye!"
"Yeah, I adore you my wild, warrior woman! See you soon babe."
Did you like Ed getting a smack? I sure laughed about it as I wrote it, sometimes I really crack myself up!
I like the makeup and manicured hands on Edward too...I hope you all don't hate me for that. I'd love to hear what you think.