Chapter Twenty Six

Bella

Christmas Eve and Ellie was finally here with me, excited that we were back together once more and having an adventure. The idea of spending Christmas on an island filled with people all happy to play with her, it was like a magical adventure.

We were up at dawn but breakfast was already prepared for us and the girls had a full day planned.

"If that's OK with you, Bella."

I smiled and nodded, they were as excited as Ellie and who was I to prevent them from enjoying such an unusual pleasure.

Seeing Rose and Charlotte with Ellie only served to remind me how lucky I was. Neither woman would ever be a mother or have another chance to be so close to a human child. I didn't know Charlotte's story but Edward had told me that Rosalie hated her life as a vampire mainly because it meant she would never have a family of her own.

It was a terrible shame because she was so good with Ellie. In fact, I couldn't help smiling when I thought of the Ice Queen I had met in Forks. This Rosalie was so different and I finally understood why Emmett loved her so much. There was so much warmth and love inside her, just bursting for an outlet.

I was a little disappointed that Jasper hadn't returned yet, I half expected to see him sitting there in the kitchen when Ellie and I appeared. She had insisted on sleeping with me the night before. I think she was concerned that I would be gone when she woke up the way she clung to me. As a result, she was up early with me.

She and Charlotte hung the cookies she had decorated on the tree, a proud looking Ellie pointing out to me the ones she had decorated, the others I found out had been Jasper's handiwork. It appeared he was quite artistic which surprised me, but then I realized just how little I really knew about him. Suddenly I was desperate to speak to him, to get to know him but it seemed a forlorn hope. He and Alice may have split up, but that didn't mean he would be interested in a woman with a child in tow. A man such as he could have any woman he wanted and I was a very poor choice indeed.

After that, Rosalie took Ellie to find some ivy and holly to make a center for the table. Emmett had found a collection of logs and helped her choose one to use, cutting it to size and drilling a hole in it to take the red glitter candle Rose had bought along with a can of artificial snow and a robin. I could imagine the carnage that would occur giving Ellie a can of snow, some glue and glitter but I held my peace deciding they would love it. The messier the better.

"Bella, I know you don't have much with you and Rose and Alice did a little last minute shopping. They didn't want to embarrass you by making a big thing of it but there are some clothes on the bed in your room. Why don't you relax for a while and try them on? You know Ellie is safe enough and you look like you haven't slept for months."

"I haven't. Not since Doug took Ellie from me and last night I was afraid to close my eyes in case this was all nothing more than a wonderful dream."

Charlotte put a hand on my shoulder tentatively and I put mine over it to show her it was fine.

"Thank you. I think I will go up for a little snooze, but you must promise to wake me when Ellie gets back or…"

She grinned.

"Don't worry. As soon as the Major gets back you'll be the first to know."

I blushed, was it so obvious that I was interested in him?

Upstairs I found my bed covered in bags and groaned a little last minute shopping? This looked like a spree!

I opened the first one apprehensively remembering that Alice's idea of clothing was most certainly not mine but I needn't have worried. Rose must have kept her on a short leash. There were jeans, pants in red and green and tops, lots of tops, plus some slippers and shoes. I was most certainly being spoiled, but I couldn't help trying some of the things on and decided to take a quick shower and dress in some new things.

The noise of the running water prevented me from hearing if the seaplane landed so I hurried then dressed and shot to the window to make sure it hadn't landed without my knowledge but the ocean still was empty. Slightly deflated I slipped into a pair of jeans and a red jumper that was just baggy enough to feel really comfortable. I brushed my hair and pulled it back into a ponytail then feeling very decadent I sprayed some of the perfume, that had also miraculously appeared in my room, over my wrists and neck. It made me feel good, like a woman again, that and my light heart.

There were the sounds of running feet up the stairs and Ellie appeared red-faced and smiling broadly.

"Come see what we collected mommy. Oh, you look like a Princess mommy, really pretty."

With a grin I followed her downstairs to find the kitchen had been turned into a craft workshop, I just hoped Darius wouldn't be upset if he saw the mess. There were sprigs of holly, Ivy strands, moss, and various pots of glue and glitter spread out across the countertop while Emmett stood by with a log which appeared more like a fully grown tree!

"Isn't that a bit big?"

"Oh, this isn't for the table. This is the Yule log."

Ellie was almost jumping up and down she was so excited.

"Emmett says we can put things on the log to make it burn different colors, mommy. Will you help?"

"Of course. Just tell me what to do."

Emmett, a fount of knowledge, drilled several holes in the log and Ellie and I carefully poured in different powders as he explained each one.

"There's Borax for a vivid green, Copper Sulphate which will give a blue flame and
table salt for bright yellow flames."

He supervised Ellie and I as we stuck the plugs he had removed from the log back to close up the holes and then we took it through to the great room where the hearth had been prepared for it. The log took up the whole space lying atop some twigs and scattered coals there purely to start it burning.

"Can we light it now, Em?"

He shook his head, "You have to wait until everything else is done and we're all together. You still have the table decoration to make, remember?"

I really can't remember the last time I enjoyed myself so much. We all ended up sticky and covered in snow and glitter. This was, of course, Peter's fault for deciding the time was right to start a snow and glitter fight with Em and of course, everyone else became involved. In fact, Rosalie laughed so much she couldn't speak for a while.

Ellie and I both learned something too. Charlotte added some rosemary to the table decoration telling us it was supposed to protect us from bad things and Mistletoe to bring good luck.

"It was also used as a sign of love and friendship in Norse mythology and that's where the custom of kissing under Mistletoe comes from."

Ellie wrinkled her nose at that, she was a little young to find kissing very exciting, but she was curious.

"What's Norse mythology?"

"The Vikings had lots of stories about Gods and magical creatures and they said that kissing under the mistletoe brings good luck and shows you are friends with those around you."

Peter certainly wasn't going to be left out.

"Hey Ellie. I heard different."

Ellie turned to him as if knowing this was going to be good.

"Really?"

"Yep. The name mistletoe comes from two Anglo Saxon words, that's old English not like we speak now. 'Mistel' (which means dung) and 'tan' (which means) twig or stick! So you could translate Mistletoe as 'poo on a stick'!"

While Charlotte chased him out of the room Elle dissolved into a fit of giggles that had her on the floor rolling around while Emmett and I just stood staring at each other before we both burst out laughing too, trust Peter!

Emmett said he would be looking that up later.

" I don't trust anything that comes out of his mouth unless I see it in black and white and not always then."

When later he told Ellie that the first Christmas trees were burned as part of the Christmas celebrations Charlotte put a stop to it.

"Peter, You are not setting fire to the tree not are you hanging it upside down from the ceiling."

"I'm only telling Ellie about the history of Christmas."

"Well, if you don't stop then Santa will not be bringing you any presents."

Ellie giggled at the face Peter pulled.

"You'll be on Santa's naughty list, Peter."

"Huh, let him try. I'll steal his list and use it for…"

"PETER! You complete that sentence and I swear I will brain you."

Peter turned to Charlotte attempting to look innocent and actually making a pretty good job of it.

"I was going to say use it to make a paper airplane. What's wrong with that?"

Ellie crashed out quite early for her but she had been busy all day but still insisted on a story.

"Tell me the one about the grumpy man who saw the ghosts mommy, please."

She had watched Scrooge on the cartoon channel earlier with Emmett and Peter.

So, I told her a shortened version and she was still asleep before I finished so I leaned over and kissed her forehead, "Sweet dreams my darling." and then went down to join the others who were busy telling Christmas tales. Or at least Em and Peter were busy trying to outdo each other and the girls were listening indulgently.

I sat quietly listening to them and wishing this was my family, that these were my friends. Christmas was a time for family and friends to get together but I'd never had such a Christmas myself as I grew up. I was too young to remember those before my parents parted and after that, I was either with one or the other and dad wasn't one for parties, he liked a quiet life although he did try to make the effort with decorations and presents. Mum's take on Christmas depended on her latest set of friends. I remembered one year we didn't celebrate at all, there were no presents or tree. We spent the time on the beach in Miami as if that was supposed to make up for a seven year old not getting a visit from Santa!

Ellie had positively glowed all day and I knew whatever happened she would always remember this Christmas.

"You OK, Bella? You're very quiet. I apologize for the monsters taking over the evening. Maybe they could go for a swim."

"Hey, Santa will be here soon. You be nice Char or he won't bring you anything. Anyhow the water's cold, I might get a cramp and drown, then you'd be sorry."

"Try it, I'll take the chance."

Peter's face fell when the rest of us burst out laughing but he knew it was all a joke. I wondered how he and Charlotte had become friends with the Cullens and Jasper. I wondered about Darius too, but I didn't like to ask.

"Anyway, I can tell you why Bella here is so quiet. She's pining for the Major."

Charlotte dug him in the ribs sending him tumbling over from his squatting position while Rose and Emmett threw dagger like looks at him. I just grinned.

"Ok, leave him be, I give in. I was wondering where Jasper and Darius had gotten to."

"Don't worry darlin' they'll be here in time to open their presents. You just be a little patient."

I pulled a face but felt a little sick inside. I knew the others had done all this for Ellie and I spending a fortune in doing so and I hadn't even got a present for them. I didn't have any money either but that didn't seem a very good excuse. Well, there was no time now and I had no way off the island. I would just have to apologize in the morning knowing they were aware of my situation.

Excusing myself as I began to yawn I went up to bed to find Ellie had left her own and snuck into mine and I joined her, happy to have her with me once more and glad that living with Doug and Sharon hadn't turned her into a little brat. As I closed my eyes I thought about Jasper and hoped Peter was right, that he would be here by morning. Somehow his absence would spoil Christmas for me although in that event I would try not to show it.