A/N: Welcome back. I hope you are all enjoying this story. :)
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. I wish I did, but I don't.
(Edward POV)
"Hey babe, do you have a waffle maker?" Bella asks me after a stretch. There's goose flesh covering her arms because she just got out of bed and wandered into the kitchen and let me tell ya, the kitchen is nowhere near as warm as our bed.
"Uh, yeah. Why?" I reply, puzzled. I walk over to the bottom cupboards and dig into the back where the ancient waffle maker is. It was my grandmother's who left it for me when I moved 'cause mom already had one that she loved. "I've never used it." I chuckle and wipe off the non-existent dust over the top of the white plastic. I hand it to Bella who sets it on the island.
"Well didn't you say chocolate chip waffles are Alice's favourite breakfast?" I nod to her question and she continues, "Well I figured, it being her first day back and all, that I'd make her some chocolate chip waffles."
"What about me?" I tease.
"You too."
"Good." I pat my stomach and move across the kitchen to the fridge. "I'm starved."
"You always are." Bella scoffs and starts getting everything out to make waffles. She peeks over at the clock hanging on the wall and sees there's still lots of time until we're both due to work and Alice school. Oh, the joys of life.
"Have you ever used it?" Bella snorts out a giggle and starts mixing together stuff in a bowl. I see her reach aside and grab a bag of chocolate chips, tear open the corner and dump a lot into the bowl. She goes back to mixing together everything and lets the griddle heat up.
"No. I usually buy Eggo's." I admit. "They're a life saver."
Bella chuckles. "Now I have some competition, eh? My waffles verse some pre-packaged store bought shit."
"Shit?" I scoff. "Yeah right. They're good."
"I prefer homemade anything."
"Well my homemade anything is burnt anything."
"Not anymore." She winks at me.
I smile. "Not anymore."
We both aimlessly do our own tasks. I get three glasses out so we all can have a glass of milk to go with our meals and Bella drizzles the sticky mix onto the hot griddle. Within ten minutes everything is ready, and breakfast is served.
"Yummy!" Alice exclaims dramatically after the first bite of her waffles. They're drenched in syrup and there's so much chocolate in each bite, I'm sure she'll be on a sugar rush for the rest of the day. That's fine though. I look over to her and pause my eating to just watch her. A smile is gleaming on her face as she shovels the food into her mouth. My eyes drift towards my Bella and I see her smiling softly, while using the side of her fork to rip off another piece of waffle. I resume eating with a content sigh.
This is great.
Last night however, Alice told me while being in Florida, she did struggle a bit.
"Where's Bella?" Alice asks through a yawn. I brush her hair back from her forehead with the palm on my hand. She has a rather large forehead, I note looking at it. Her short hair is still damp from her shower and there are bags under her eyes. She had a long past few days, but a fun past few days.
"Bell is already going to bed." I assure Alice. Bella's actually in our room shuffling some papers and sorting through some work for her classes she's teaching tomorrow. "Just like you should be." I'm perched on the edge of Alice's small, pink bed and there are five hundred pillows all over it. I wonder how she finds the space to sleep. She has a stuffed animal wrapped under her right arm and another yawn escapes her mouth. I lean forward to plant a kiss on her forehead. "I love you, sis."
"I love you Edward. And Bella. And my bear." Alice motions to her stuffed animal and I chuckle and pat his little stuffed head.
"I'm glad you're back." I tell her lightly.
"Me too."
I place my hands on either side of me and push myself off of the bed. I stand up and look over my shoulder at her before making my way towards her bedroom door. "Edward?" She calls hesitantly.
I stop and turn to her. "Yes?" I see that she's squeezing her stuffed animal rather tightly. "What's wrong?"
"In Florida I had a really bad dream." She whispers softly. I hardly hear her.
"About what? Did you tell Aunt Lucy?"
She shakes her head. "No, it was about mom. We were in this white place, it reminded me of Heaven and then she disappeared and I couldn't find her! Then you were there, but you kept saying you had to go, you had to go, you had to go!" Alice's voice cracks. "Then I saw Bella but someone took her away!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa." I rush over to her and pull her into a very tight hug, clutching her to my chest. I hide my face in her short hair and breathe in her warm scent. "It was just a dream Alice. I'm right here." She places her head on my shoulder and her shaking subsides. "I'm right here." I chant over and over again.
"I miss mommy. I miss her all the time." Alice's child, whimper comes through. Her room is completely dark even though it's only nine at night. Spring's just around the corner though, that's something to look forward too. Perhaps it will be lighter out then with daylight savings and all that.
"Me too." I admit. "Me too. But you know what." I pull back and hold Alice's chin in between my index finger and thumb.
"What?"
"She's in a better place."
Alice nods solemnly. "Maybe. She's with daddy."
"Yes she is." I nod. "I'm sure of it. And one day we'll see her again. She's watching over us right now." On instinct I look up above. "And she's also right here." I place both our hands over Alice's heart. Cliché I know, but really, it helps an eight year-old.
"Okay." She sniffles; I don't think actual tears fell though.
"You know... sometimes when I'm alone and it's night, I miss her a lot and I wish she was right here with me. So when no one's looking, I'll look up at the sky, or up above, and whisper something to her." I murmur softly and kiss Alice's cheek quickly.
"Does she hear?"
I nod.
"How do you know that?" Alice asks. I just pat my heart. Alice releases our somewhat hug and falls back onto her bed. "Kay. And Bella?"
My chest tightens, but I wait for Alice to continue. "She's part of our family?"
"Yeah. No one'll take her away. She's ours now." I chuckle but the reality hits me like a cinder block. I like it though. Welcome it.
"Okay." Alice nods to herself.
"I love you, Alice." I pat her shoulder. "Sweet dreams, you deserve 'em."
"Mhmm." She murmurs sleepily and rolls onto her side.
Alice gets up and puts her empty plate into the sink. "I got to get ready for school." She skips off.
I watch her walk off before turning to Bella. "Hi."
"Hi." She smiles and wipes the side of her mouth with a napkin. There's questions swarming across her milk chocolate eyes.
"What's up?" I ask with an eyebrow raise. "What's on your mind."
"Something stupid." She looks back to her plate.
"Tell me." I urge. I'll decide if it's stupid or not.
"Well..." She drops her fork and it clanks against her plate. She looks over at me. "Ugh!" She places her head in her hands and groans loudly. "It's just that, there's this question that's been nagging me since the night I went to the hospital with my dad and all... Tyler was talking to me on the phone, I told you that... But..."
"But... Angel, you're worrying me." I admit and lean forward to place my hand on her back.
"Tyler told me you've been to jail." She blurts out. "I just... want to know if that's true. I know better than to you know, trust him." She stammers on her words. "I just kind of am curious, I doubt it and all, but I really... I just had to be stupid and ask! Look at me! Ugh! You don't have to answer, I completely understand. I really and stupid, stupid-"
"I've never been to jail."
God damned Tyler Crowley starting shit yet again. I clench my teeth. "I've been close to and there have been many times my dad's threatened putting me in the slammer, but no, I haven't actually been in jail. Well I've been there visiting when my dad worked there..." Now it's my turn to stammer it seems. "Bella, love, I'd tell you anything major like that. Trust me, honesty it key for me. I wouldn't hide something like that to you. If I were a criminal, I'd tell ya." I hear her laugh and continue. "I tell you the best and worst of me. Sometimes I worry I shouldn't because I don't want you to run off, but somehow, I know I can tell you anything. So I do. It's refreshing."
"Oh Edward." She whimpers and pushes her chair back. She gets up and runs to my lap. I bring her close instantly -reflexively- and pat her back. "I'm so sorry for even asking."
"Don't be. I would've asked you too if I were told that."
"I haven't been to jail." She assures me. "My dad would kill me."
I chuckle. "Fair enough."
"I'm realistically thinking of placing a restraining order on Crowley." Bella growls against my shoulder. "I don't need his shit anymore." I sigh into her hair, placing kisses against her crown. "This Thursday, you know how we're going out?"
"Yeah."
"We're gonna be real, real couple-y." She replies with a kiss to my neck. "I want everyone to know you're mine. No more hiding. What happens, happens, I'm not going to lie anymore."
"Are you sure?" I question hesitantly.
"Yeah, you're what matters." Bella pulls back and places a hand on my cheek, directing my face towards hers. She stretches forward and plants a soft kiss onto my lips. I lean into her greedily.
"Ew." I hear Alice say and Bella and I pull back quickly. "Uh..."
"Alice." I mutter and rest my head on Bella's shoulder. "So not the time." Bella giggles.
"Yes, Alice?"
"Bella, can you try to braid my bangs? Or is my hair to short?" Alice asks hesitantly and innocently.
"I sure can try." Bella hops off my lap. "You got cleaning this up?"
"Sure thing." I salute. Alice and Bella stroll off down the hall and I hear them already chatting up a storm. Okay, let me correct myself, Alice is chatting up a storm and Bella is respectively listening to her.
I stay sitting at the table a while longer, just letting the happiness sink in. A year ago -more like two months ago- I was a bachelor kind of guy, living in a somewhat extravagent apartment with a spare room but never any company. I had video games and movies out constantly and the fridge was always stocked with beer. I had no job, no plans for a career, but I still had been to college. I never saw my mother and hell, if I had known she'd pass soon, I wouldn't have distanced myself so much for that's something I really regret now. I did laundry once a week then and pretended to be happy, living in the moment you could say. In reality, I was a loner, sad and drunk away anything that dared to bug me. I knew my dad hated me, I had a sister I hardly knew and my mom who I know was disappointed in me. I was disappointed in myself.
Now, two months later and in the present time, I'm no longer a bachelor kind of guy. I'm a family guy with a beautiful girlfriend who lives with me and keeps me smiling. I have an adorable little sister who I know is smarter than me and wise beyond her years. The apartment feels more like a home and all the rooms are used frequently. There are movies, but now most of them are kid movies and same for the video games. The fridge? There's some apple juice, water, milk, you know the average drinks a family has. I have a job, a job I like and it's thanks to my college education that I was smart enough to get. My mother is in heaven and even though I think of her often and regret that I wasted the last months of her being alive, she's proud of me as she watches from above. I can't change the story with my dad, we just never got along, but I'd like to believe he's proud of me though I highly doubt it. I've disappointed him far too much. There's laundry running often in this house, Alice goes through clothes like crazy, wearing more in a day then I in two. In reality, I'm a happy guy with a family and my life is finally on track. I'm getting better each day and I'm glad to have the people in my life that are there. I'm glad I have my girls, they're the ones that keep me sane. That keep me together.
And actually, now to think of it, they'll probably be shouting for me to get a move on any second so I should start cleaning up.
...
"It's such a beautiful day." I note and squeeze Bella's hand within my own. It is a beautiful day outside, the first of March and it's already nice enough to walk around outside with just a light sweater. I hope Mother Nature keeps up with this fantastic weather. Alice, Bella and I all decided to go for a walk through the park and down the street to the little café. Strange, I know, going to a café where you think 'Oh, something warm like a coffee or a cappuccino,' but no, they also have some delicious smoothies that just hit the spot. Last year, whenever I went for a walk –which was usually weekly- I'd stop by and grab one. Now I've got my gang of girls with me.
"It is." She agrees. By now we're halfway through the park. The trees still don't have their leaves on them and its still winter. The weather though, tends to differ and act like spring. No one complains though and no one should. Alice is wearing a light spring jacket that's unzipped. Her tight jeans hug her skinny legs, making them look even skinnier than they were in the first place. Underneath Alice's light blue jacket, she's wearing a white tank top that has ruffles near the top. Hey, don't ask me, it's her style and for an eight year-old it's pretty damn decent. She ditched the Hello Kitty sweaters long ago. Way back when mom was around…
"I think I want a mango smoothie." Alice continues to walk in front of Bella and I on the trail that winds throughout the park. Every now and then there would be a couple walking or someone jogging. A few dogs on leashes passed and each time Alice wanted to stop and pet it. She's a sucker for animals that one. Not that I blame her. For me, it was a very relaxing day. Work went by quicker than yesterday and I had lunch with Carter, who's a decent guy. He's kind of like myself. He has brown short hair with a crew cut style and he always wears jeans. He has a fiancée who's -at the moment- three months pregnant with their first child. He's settled down and living life, a lot like myself. As I said, he's a decent guy.
"That sounds pretty good." Bella replies to Alice's pondering and Alice stops mid step, making Bella and I come to a halt.
"Actually," Alice gets lost in her thoughts. "Strawberry banana!" Boy will she go crazy when we get there. Even though they're more known for their coffee and teas, the café has lots of flavours. I usually go for the mixed berry myself, but there's mango pineapple, strawberry banana, banana chocolate, and so on. I really hope Alice can make a decision before night falls or it'll be a long, long afternoon.
"Alice." I shake my head with a small chuckle. "Really? Just pick one once we're there. And yes, you're only getting one." Maybe that made things worse. I'm sure she'll want to try every flavour.
"Fine." She huffs and goes back to skipping along the trial. She's in her sneakers because I insisted her to wear them; she wanted to get out the flip-flops. I have to keep reminding her it's March and only the first too. I understand her optimism though, for I feel it too.
Beside me, Bella's wearing a long sleeved v-neck that's a navy blue. There's a white tank top underneath and it goes nicely against her creamy skin. I told her this morning that I love the way blue goes against her pale skin and she just blushed in response. For the walk, I rolled up the sleeves of my green button down shirt and kept on my jeans.
"The sun is really shining." Bella comments as she looks up through a group of trees. "It's beautiful. This day is nicer than the day we went horse back riding."
"It is and we'll have to do that again." I nudge her teasingly.
"Yeah, maybe you'll get over your fear of horses."
"Hey! I am not-" Bella gives me a pointed look as she looks
over to me. I hang my head. "Maybe just a little. They're beasts though, Bella!"
She laughs lightly. "Sure."
"Sure? I hear your sarcasm and I don't like it." I tease her. "Just because you love horses."
"I don't love them, but they aren't scary." Bella corrects with and smiles.
"Yeah, yeah. Tease all you want. I'll get you back one day." I promise her because I know I will. I mean, come on, we have forever.
A/N: I have a question. Would you rather have more suspense/drama in this story or romance/humour?
Leave a review! :)