The morning was better…we didn't talk about Rosalie anymore but when I looked into Emmett's eyes I saw the dark oceans of pain that he was drowning in. It was a raging battle that the most skilled seaman Captain would surely lose his best ship to. It wasn't something that would go away, but the least I could do was numb the suffering.
Emmett would be Emmett.
He would go after her.
With all my heart I wished she didn't run away. I wished she would have made this easier on Emmett and stayed because this prolonged suffering was tearing Emmett's insides apart.
For Emmett to travel by airplane he needed to have medical clearance that Carlisle said he refused to give for at least another 2 months.
2 months…
Rosalie would be married by then.
The torture Emmett must have been going through was unimaginable to me, but Emmett never let his hurt seep through his playful smile. I only saw the pain when I looked deep into his eyes.
I believe, only during the darkest, quietest, sleepless nights did Emmett allow be engorged in his emotions and feel the waves pain that were tearing his soul apart with no remorse.
I felt like a doctor watching a patient die on the inside and being unable to do anything but keep them comfortable.
So we all kept Emmett comfortable.
After a week of glorious hospital pranks, being reprimanded daily, and sneaking in Oreo Ice Cream cakes to the hospital, Emmett was finally discharged.
He could open both eyes, and was able to survive on strong prescription pain killers. His head Band-Aids were removed and x-rays showed his ribs to be healing up nicely. He was still stuck in his half body caste but that wouldn't last forever.
Soon Emmett would be out and about. Running and hiking, punching and kicking, and doing all other god forsaken dangerous activities…including going after Rosalie.
I wheeled Emmett out of the room and into the hallway as Carlisle explained to all of us what Emmett required. Regular diaper changes, nightly ointment application on wounds, regular massages, sponge baths and he needed to physically be turned over a few times a night so no part of his body cramps up. Then he handed Edward a list of Emmett's dietary needs and then a big bag filled with all the Medication Emmett needed for the month.
Carlisle gave us his personal number to call just in case of emergency and told us that in a week he would be returning to The Center. He also questioned Emmett a dozen times on how he was feeling before he allowed us to leave with our soldier wounded in the battle of love.
Everyone walked and I pushed Emmett's wheelchair out into the parking lot. It was fairy warm outside – maybe not warm enough for the micro-mini skirt Alice was sporting but warm enough to not need a sweater.
"The weathers lovely. Perfect for a nice stroll later." I said smiling.
"Bella, I'm 25 not 85. I don't take strolls." Emmett complained.
"Shhhh. You're strolling after dinner." I said between my teeth. Emmett needed strolls. He needed fresh air and as much sunlight as the desolate Forks forecast provided.
"Crazzzzzzy Bella." Alice sang at me as she skipped ahead towards our little bus.
Emmett gave me a fake whimper and I rolled my eyes.
Jasper had gone out and rented one of those miniature buses for handicapped people. It was short and small and dirty white. Alice mentioned about getting a car wash for it when we were in the hospital. I now understood why, it looked as though it just came out of a mud flood.
"I'm going to be riding a short bus?" Emmett asked watching Alice hand gesture towards it like the model from wheel of fortune.
"We're all riding the short bus." Jasper reassured Emmett.
"Joy." Edward replied sarcastically. "Why didn't we just get a blimp and fly Emmett back."
I shot Edward a look and he did an Alien come-in-peace sign and I tried to stiffen a giggle.
I loved Edward too much to be anything but totally head over heels for him.
Alice began jumping up and down like a seven year old in a candy store as Jasper approached the vechihal.
"Open it! Open it! Open it!" She squealed.
I couldn't help but laugh at her. I loved how we were all adults but somehow still stuck at 17. Hopelessly in love and happy. We had our adult problems with taxes and bills but we were still carefree in a way. Still surprised by the little quirks of life.
And seeing a little short Alice bounce up and down and then trip over her own feet was just hysterical.
Jasper of course ran to her aid in seconds while trying to stop his snorting laughter.
I was happy that at least we would continue to have ridiculous memories like these…it made me feel young and awake. It's like I'd been asleep for most of my life.
Jasper opened up the short bus and led Alice on. He went to the controls in the driver's side and began to press some buttons and a door opened in the back.
"I'm going to get the lift thing going. I think." Jasper stated with uncertainty.
The front door closed.
"Wait. Wrong button." I heard his muffled voice through the door.
The windshield wipers started going.
The front door opened.
The back door closed.
"Jasper, need help?" Edward offered.
"No, I got it."
The back door opened again and then a little plate of metal extended from within.
"Strap Emmett to that when it lowers."
We followed Jasper's instructions and began to strap Emmett on.
"Nice Ass." Emmett commented as I bent over.
"Don't you wish you could slap it?" Edward said straightening up and giving my ass a playful spank.
"Hey!" I squeaked.
"Tease." Emmett grumbled.
When we finally clicked and secured Emmett to the plate of metal Edward called for Jasper to get Emmett into the bus.
No answer.
"Jasper?" Edward called.
Nothing.
Edward walked to the front of the bus and said, "Jasper stop dry humping Alice and get Em in the bus." I watched Edward shake his head and walk back. "They were getting down and dirty." He explained.
After a few minutes of doors closing and opening, some strange noises, and an unexplainable vibration – Edward went to the front of the bus and kicked Jasper off the driver's seat and tried to figure it out himself.
The base where Emmett was secured rose an inch and then stopped. Then the back door opened and closed again. Then Emmett rose half a foot and then back down.
Emmett threatened to head-butt Edward in the balls if he didn't stop pressing the wrong buttons for the miniatures elevator. I saw Alice sigh and out of apparent bored she got up from her seat and started to twirl around in the aisle between the seats.
Jasper began to shout something or other about Alice needing to wear full ass covering underwear and grabbed her to him when his vigilant shouts proved pointless.
I started to giggle like mad. Suddenly everything became funny.
It was like I was back in senior year of high school, hanging out with Jessica, Lauren, and Alice when we all tried pot for the first time. I was laughing pot head.
Laughing.
Laughing.
Laughing.
Edward stopped pressing buttons in the driver's seat and I saw him turn his head and look at me.
I couldn't stop laughing.
I just couldn't.
Life is beautiful.
So so so beautiful.
And when I met Edward's eyes, sudden warmth filled me that for a moment I understood Emmett's desire to chase after Rosalie forever.
It was as if the sky's clouds cleared and a ray of sunlight emerged bringing spot light onto me.
And then I stopped laughing…as I realized I'd chase Edward till the ends of time around the world a hundred times if I had to…another realization struck me so violently that I almost puked my cheap coffee up.
Edward had chased me.
Edward had gone after me.
I once rejected Edward and then I hadn't realized I was in love with Edward for so long…I was blind to the love I had for him.
But I took the chance after Edward opened up my eyes with the letter.
Emmett needed to open up Rosalie's eyes somehow.
He would.
He would open her eyes.
"Baby cakes are you okies?" Alice asked popping her head out the window and then she disappeared – apparently too short to be able to stay there long.
"Uh, yea. Yeah. I just realized something."
"Oh?" Jasper asked as he looked at me from behind Alice who he was probably holding up.
We were still in lunch period in high school. Still in middle school sex ed class. Still in elementary school at show and tell.
Still learning…still experiencing…still loving.
We never grew up.
Do people ever really grow up?
I thought I lost every piece of my adolescence after my father's death…but I was wrong. I just hid it. In a dark corner where Edward had found it and brought it out into the open.
We were all just kids in love.
In love with each other.
And in love with life.
Edward eventually managed to press the right button and the tray finally lifted up correctly and got Emmett inside the little bus safe and sound.
I went around to the front of the bus and got on, giving Edward a loving look. I loved him. I loved him more than words would ever be able to tell.
Then I turned around and looked at Emmett who finally got onto the bus through the cooperation of the evil contraption. Emmett was like the brother I never had. I felt so protective of him. I had to keep him safe and alive, if not for his own sake, but for mine. Emmett was something wonderful and amazing, and I couldn't let something that spectacular get hurt. So I would protect him as long as I could, and when I couldn't protect him I'd be there for him to fall apart…because he would be there when I'd fall apart.
"We should paint the bus yellow." Jasper said unhooking Emmett's Wheelchair and bringing me from my own thoughts.
"But then it will be the retarded bus." Alice answered dumbly.
"That's what he meant Alice." Edward laughed as the joke went way over her head.
"Oh my god! Meanie! I haven't had decent coffee in four days! What do you want from me? The quadratic equation!?" Alice said pouting as she bent over to help Jasper and Edward and I got a nice view of her goodies.
"Alice, no panties?" I asked cocking my head to the side.
"Ekkk!" She squeaked and jumped up and quickly sat on the nearest seat. "They're in Jasper's ass pocket." She explained like a little kid who just got caught stealing candy in the movie theater.
"Alice!" Jasper growled.
"So what? You can talk about our sex life and I can't? Jasper and I like to have sex in public too." Alice said as-a-matter-of-factly.
"Can I drive?" Edward asked as Emmett was safely put into the proper place on the bus and belted in tight.
"Have you ever driven a bus before?" I asked.
"Sure." Edward replied.
"I don't see why not." Jasper said shrugging as he took a seat next to Alice.
"Sure is not a response. Sure is not yes or no. Have you ever driven a bus before?" I asked again.
"Sure." Edward replied looking over his shoulder at me, giving me a lazy smirk.
"Edward!"
"Bella sit your ass down!" Alice demanded.
It wasn't as though she could see my ass…I had jeans on, thank you very much.
"Trust me." Edward said and to that I could never say no to.
Or sure…what kind of response is sure!?
Hmph.
I sat down in the nearest seat to Edward and put my seat belt on while flashing him a dirty look to which he responded to by blowing me an over emphasized kiss.
"I wish I could stick my ass out the window." Emmett said sighing. "I swear I am going to do every dumbass thing I have ever wanted to do in my life after I get these casts off."
"Like what?" Jasper asked.
"After I get Rose, everything." Emmett said in that dreamy far-away voice.
I wished Rosalie didn't take my advice to leave the country. It felt like such a childish thing to do.
We hit a speed bump really hard and everyone bounced up.
"EDWARD!" We all screamed unanimously.
"Well, Bella has never been on a roller-coaster. I was just preparing her." Edward replied chuckling.
"Preparing me?" I questioned.
"Alice has never been on one either." Jasper chimed in.
"And she will never go on one!" Alice screeched at Jasper.
"I want to go on a Roller-coaster!" Emmett whined.
"We'll push you down a hill!" I shot back.
I did not want to ever go on a roller-coaster. They were terrifying and just plan pointless.
"Bellllllllla….you're not giving me anything to look forward to." Emmett cried.
I grinded my teeth together, grateful that Edward came to my rescue with a change of subject; "Emmett's place first to pick up some essentials?" He asked and Emmett yelled a big "Yeap!" with a pop in the p.
Edward had been just fantastic. He had agreed to give Emmett sponge baths and change him and do everything and anything to help him get better. Edward could not have been a better boyfriend or a better friend….hell a better person at that.
Edward never complained and never back-lashed on anything that Emmett needed – of course there was plenty of teasing and stupid exchanges between the two but everything remained friendly.
Then Jasper began to sing "The Wheels on the Bus go Round and Round", and we all screamed in horror.
Eventually Alice shut him up by stuffing her tongue down his throat... and a few less terrifying moments later we arrived in front of Emmett's house.
I glanced at Jasper and Alice who were getting it on. They were so into their kissing that Jasper began to tug at Alice's flimsy excuse of a shirt.
"Don't get up now." I said sarcastically as I walked past them. "I'll hook Emmett up to the contraption."
"Don't kill him." Edward shouted back as I unclipped Emmett's wheelchair and rolled him to the retractable piece.
"Bella." He lifted his head up and looked at me and with all utter seriousness said, "never let go!" and then he snorted and laughed at my surprised expression.
Stupid Titanic quote.
"Dork." I rolled my eyes as I squatted down to secure him.
"Ready!" I shouted taking a step back and going to the front of the bus while Edward pressed the release button.
We didn't want to disturb the lovebirds who were sucking face for the gold medal, so Edward and I left the bus and went around to the back to help get Emmett out of the god forsaken contraption.
Finally, when we managed to unlock his wheelchair, Emmett muttered Rosalie's name…and it broke my heart again.
She was a ghost that would haunt him forever.
Then he said her name again, louder and I looked up at him and his gaze was narrowed to the doorstep. I turned my head and in front of his house there stood Rosalie in an oversized royal red USC shirt and basketball shorts that probably belonged to Emmett. Her bloodshot eyes held such emotion that it over flowed into her face and she looked foreign to me. She wasn't the Rosalie I saw in the hospital.
Her left cheek was still slightly swollen and was tainted with a black and blue that she didn't bother to cover with makeup. Although one of the most striking differences about the new Rosalie that stood before us was the short hair. She had chopped up the majority of her hair and it barely reached her chin.
She stood there, at the steps of his house, clothed but naked. Her body trembled as though the wind was pushing her to and fro. Unable to leave her alone.
"Rosalie…" He repeated again. His voice was filled with disbelief and love.
If he had working arms I could imagine him reaching out to try to touch her, to make sure she was real.
"Prevet." {Hey} Her eyes were looking at him for the first time…really looking at him. Seeing him.
"Ya podumalab shto tgi v Italiyou poyehala." Emmett said staring back at her shocked. {I thought you had left for Italy}
"I'm sorry." She said walking down the steps barefoot. I saw the goosebumps attack her whole body as the wind blew at her now shortened hair making her seem even more vulnerable. "Ya..Ya boyalaca." {I…I was scared} She said as she stood a foot away from him and all I smelled was sweet peaches and no signs of cigarette smoke.
I felt Edward grab me and pull me away from Emmett and Rosalie to give them their space but I wouldn't move more than a few feet away. I wanted to witness their reunion first hand.
I was wrong.
There Rosalie stood, with raggedy clothes on, jumping from Ukrainian to English; barely letting me understand what was being said. But I did understand the main thing, she didn't leave to Italy.
She stayed.
Or maybe she left to Italy and came back.
What difference did it make? She was waiting for Emmett. She picked Emmett.
That's all that mattered.
"Oh my god." I heard Alice's voice above me. I looked up and saw her tiny head peeping out of the window looking at Rosalie and Emmett.
And we watched them and listened to a conversation we barely understood. Thankfully love doesn't speak with words, but with feeling. If you were to take a picture of them in that moment, words would be pointless anyway.
"Sho stalosa s tvom lichkom?" {What happened to your face?} Emmett asked gently. I could see the annoyance in his face that he couldn't move his legs or arms.
Rosalie brought her hand up to her face and her fingertips grazed the bruise I gave her. "Ya polochila…ummm." {I got….ummmm.} She looked at me, "a rude awakening" and smiled as she looked back at Emmett.
"Lapochka…moya krasivaya rosochka…" {Baby…my beautiful rose.} Emmett spoke to her with a cracking voice.
Rosalie got down on her knees in front of Emmett and placed her hands gently on his casted lap.
"Ya doomaya sho ya vas kohayou…" {I think that I am in love with you} She spoke and the words sounded so familiar to me. "This time…I'm ready." She said in English.
"But, what about the marriage?" Emmett asked, and I could see a stabbing pain that fact brought to her face but immediately it disappeared.
"There is none unless you're proposing." She smirked at him with such cockiness that it might have been able to rival Edward's classical smirk.
"What about your family?" Emmett asked in disbelief. The past week he was preparing for a battle for the rest of his life to win Rosalie over. And there she was in front of him, waving the white flag.
"They will probably disown me. No more trust fund or bank account. No more bottomless wallets and no more art collections and no more country hopping trips." She didn't sound sad at all. "I get something much better. Ya tebe ma-you." {I have you}
"A broken man." Emmett chuckled letting his dimples show.
"That will heal, because I'll take care of you." Rosalie promised.
"And then I'll take care of you." Emmett promised back. "Obetsayou." {I promise you.}
"I'd like that…a lot." Rosalie smiled as she leaned up towards him and gave him a kiss on the lips.
Edward leaned into my ear and whispered; "You were wrong."
"Yeap." I agreed unable to remove the huge smile from my face.
I'm wrong.
"You're not wearing a bra." Emmett grinned when their kiss ended.
"EMMETT!" Alice and I screamed and both of them looked over to us.
"At least you could have said that part in Ukrainian!" I said rolling my eyes at him.
Rosalie gave him another kiss and whispered something in his ear which caused a tiny blush to appear on Emmett's overly zealous face.
"Odno secondoe mishka." {One second my teddy bear} Rosalie said to Emmett as she got up and walked towards the peeping toms.
"Hey." I smiled at her, already forgiving her for everything that transpired in the hospital.
"Hey." She smiled back and then nodded hello to Edward and even Alice. Jasper was probably under Alice since there was no way she would be tall enough to get up to the window on her own without some major acrobatic skills…like a split on the top of the row of seats.
"Listen…Uh, I mean." Rosalie said running her hands through her short hair.
"Want to be friends?" I asked like a third grader.
"You accept me?" Rosalie asked with astonishment dripping from her voice. "I've never been a friend to anyone." She said honestly.
"So, will you be my friend anyway? I'm willing to take the chance."
"Yeah…I'd like that." She smiled.
"And friends with me and Jaspy-pooh too!" Alice squealed sticking her hand out the window and waving.
"And me too, although you might find me the saner of the bunch." Edward said raising an eyebrow at Alice's antics.
"Is he good in bed?" Rosalie asked me bluntly.
"Extraordinary." I replied quickly and then blushed.
She shrugged and smirked and I was too embarrassed to look at Edward and his reaction.
"Maybe everyone can come in. Some football game is on that the guys might enjoy and the girls can do…ummm…girl things…whatever that is." She invited us.
A squeal more painful on the ears had never been heard until that moment. Alice ran out of the bus screaming down and jumped up on top of Rosalie and wrapped her legs around her.
Rosalie looked stunned and Emmett only laughed.
"I LOVE YOU!!!! Bella never wants to do girl things!!! I had to tie her up last time!" Alice cried into Rosalie's shirt.
Alice always had a problem with coming off too friendly. At 27, she looked and acted like a 12 year old.
"Oh really?" Edward asked coyly.
Before I could answer Jasper tumbled out of the bus with his hair in more disarray than Edwards…and that's saying something.
"What the hell were you two up to?" I stared at Jasper as he walked towards us.
Alice jumped off Rosalie and smiled. "That's something we talk during girl's night! We need nail polish, tea, chocolate, and facial masks! I have Gossip Girls in my bag!" She said pointing to the blue chunky bag she carried on her shoulder. It looked as though it weighed half of Alice.
Rosalie stared at me – utterly confused and I could only shrug. It's not like Alice was normal….
Welcome to insanity of the cougar.
"Come on!" Alice said grabbing both our hands. "Jaspy and Eddie get Emmy inside!"
Alice was always out there…and I always had a feeling she was waiting for me to acknowledge that gene in me that screamed to be girlie but apparently I came with defective D.N.A. I could tell Rosalie was going to be Alice's new adoration as she tugged us towards the front of the house.
I swear I heard Jasper utter, "Oh dear god" under his breath. Alice stopped us at the front door and whispered, "Look at them, they're ours." I looked at the boys that had stolen our hearts. Edward was standing behind Emmett's wheelchair getting ready to push him around the back where there were no steps while Jasper stood with his forehead against the little bus. I wish I had a camera to take a picture.
"We should have taken them to Alice's room." Emmett said staring back at us.
"Why?" Edward asked.
"The cameras…"
"They are not going to have a threesome." Jasper said running his hands through his hair.
"That's what you think." Rosalie replied tugging us inside.
We broke into a feverish giggle as the boys thoughts were ambushed with naughty fantasies.
~*~*~*~
We walked into the kitchen and Rosalie put a kettle full of water on the stove, while the boys came in through the back door.
"Wow. The house is beautiful." I said looking around, admiring the homey feeling that Edward's house lacked.
There were over stuffed coaches in the living room and blue drapes in the kitchen. There were matching dishware on the counter and multi colored coasters on the kitchen table. Everything was wooden and stone, and all the walls had hanging frames of art that I could not even begin to interpret. There was even a fireplace in the living room and another one in the kitchen.
"I like it a lot too." Alice said sniffing the centerpiece of multi-colored spring flowers.
"Ladies, anything we could help you with?" Jasper asked popping his head through the door.
"No we're good Jaspy-pooh!" Alice said rushing towards him to give him a peck on the lips.
"Then do you think we could get some Salsa and Chips?" Jasper asked and Rosalie nodded rummaging through the rosemary wooden cupboards above her. She got out the desired items and Alice skipped over to grab them and delivered them to Jasper's hands.
"Thank you."
"Kiss me." She demanded and he kissed her softly on the lips.
I turned to look at Rosalie who stood behind the kitchen counter looking slightly uncomfortable.
"You okay?" I asked.
"Yea, just…this is all really new to me."
"What's new?" Alice asked turning around and turning her attention back to us after Jasper left.
"This life."
"I think it's a good life." Alice said looking around. "I mean I'd spice it up a bit. It looks like my grandparents would live here."
I sighed. Leave it to Alice…
"Um." Rosalie's eyes traveled from Alice back to me. "Bella, I'm really sorry."
"Huh?" I asked being caught off guard.
"Everything I said in the hospital."
"Don't be sorry. Jeez, Rosalie relax!" Alice said taking a seat at the counter. "Bella isn't one to hold grudges for long."
"Yea, Alice is right. Besides in the hospital you just told the truth and so did I, and look how nicely things worked out." I said smiling. "And like Mark Twain said, 'make a speech when you're angry, and you'll make the best speech you'll regret', or something like that."
"Wow, Bella must like you. She just quoted Mark Twain for you." Alice said giggling. "That's like foreplay in her book."
"Heh", was the only response Rosalie gave.
We heard the T.V turn on in the living room and the volume went to full. The boys were watching a commercial for some sort of 5-energy drink.
"What are you worried about?" Alice asked trying to interpret Rosalie's emotions through her face.
I leaned over the counter and examined the dishes and silverware put out. Everything really did look like old people would live here. But I could see Emmett and Rosalie in the kitchen, kissing each other while Rosalie should have been making lunch. I could also see Emmett frisking her by the dishwasher and bending her over the counter…and my over imaginative mind got the best of me.
I silently cursed Miller for providing me with permanent visuals, and drew my attention back to the conversation at hand.
"I'm just…nevermind." Rosalie said looking back at the kettle as it began to hum a soft whistle. She sighed and then finally explained her fears, "I'm just worried I won't be able to take care of Emmett."
"We're all here to help." I said smiling. "But you're the only one that could heal him emotionally. We'll help you out physically anyway we can."
"Except I'm not doing any diaper change." Alice said.
Ditto…
Silence.
"Rose, why did you come back?" Alice asked as the kettle began to whistled loudly, begging to be turned off.
Rosalie turned the knob and cut the gas.
"I never left." Rosalie flashed me a smirk as she turned around with the kettle in hand.
"Why didn't you?" I asked.
"Because," she turned her whole body to face me, "you made me think of my life with Rosario…really think about it. And as lavishing and wonderful as it would have been it made me feel empty. I actually made it as far as to the airport before I thought of what I was really giving up. I could live with Emmett in a billion dollar mansion or a cruddy shack…it would be the same to me just because he was there."
"Oh my god that's so romantic." Alice said as her eyes sparkled. She was always a sap for romantic stories.
"Do your parents know?" I asked as Alice looked at me curiously.
"I'm sending them a letter." Rosalie replied as she poured hot water into 3 cups with Linton tea bags.
"Why not call them?"
"My family is Italian. We have a habit of interrupting everyone. I'd never make my words clear."
"Can I read it?" Alice asked trying to understand what we were talking about.
"Sure, it's upstairs though."
"Let's go!" She said getting up from her seat.
"Take your teas." Rosalie said placing the kettle back on the stove. "I'll grab some cookies."
We walked through the living room where the guys were watching a football game on the big screen. We saw Jasper feeding Emmett potato chips and Edward lounging about with his legs crossed on the wooden coffee table.
"Hey boys, we're going to go upstairs to have naked pillow fights on the bed!" Alice squeaked as she ran up.
I knew if I attempted to run up the stairs I would have definitely broken the mug Rose gave me along with my collarbone and maybe a leg or two.
"What!?!" Emmett screamed. "Carry me up! Carry me up!"
"We're just teasing." I said giggling as I measured every step I took up the steps.
"Or are we?" Rosalie replied slyly.
"Don't trip." Edward advised me. I wasn't sure if he meant on the pillow fight or stairs.
"Take pictures." Jasper said nonchalantly.
"Rose! I have a new birthday wish!" Emmett screamed as we made it to the second floor.
"Shou?" She asked in Ukrainian. I figured it meant what.
I was going to be bilingual in no time.
"Threesome!"
Rosalie rolled her eyes as she led us to their room.
"How did you two meet?" Alice asked as she twirled around their room.
"It's a long story. But we met in Ukraine." Rosalie replied as she watched us admire their bedroom.
The bedroom had a king sized bed covered in a royal blue bed spread with a thread count I would not have been able to comprehend. There were dozens of throw pillows scattered around the head of the bed and four bedposts and a handcuff hung on the left one for decoration. The most profound feature of the room was that all of the walls, including the ceiling had mirrors. The floor was such a shiny white marble that I could see my reflection.
"Wow. Sex room much." I commented.
Rosalie grinned as she went over to her nightstand and took out a piece of ivory paper and handed it to Alice. "Want to go somewhere more comfortable?" She asked.
"Yeah…I'm starting to imagine freaky sex between you and Emmett." I replied.
"And it's making her wet beyond belief." Alice finished for me.
"Alice!"
Alice shrugged me off as Rosalie lead us back into the hallway and towards the study.
"Emmett made this house everything I wanted it to be. He's really amazing." Rosalie said as she let us in.
The room was an artist's dream.
The wall on the right was a bookshelf, filled with various leather bond books. The wall directly in front of us was a window looking out into a lake and past the lake a beautiful green forest. The room was rectangular with the window wall being the longest; it gave the room a very spacious feel to it.
"Wow." I whispered at the view. It was stunning.
In front of the window was a tripod holding up canvas paper and a little stool for the artist. On the other wall was a dark wooden desk filled various paint tubes and papers scattered all over.
In the middle of the room were 6 plush chairs arranged in a circle around a small oval wooden coffee table.
"Sit." Rosalie instructed and we placed our teas on the table and took a cookie each.
"I really like the room." I said in approval as I nibbled on my chocolate chip cookie.
"Me too. It's my favorite." Rosalie smiled proudly.
Alice cleared her throat and placed the letter in front of her. "Bonjurno." Alice looked back at Rosalie. "You know I don't speak a speck of Italian except Voulez vous coucher avec mo ice soir."
"That's French." I said recalling it from a song Alice was once in love with years ago.
"Oh. I always did think that it sounded pompous." Alice nodded to herself.
"I'll translate." Rosalie said leaning over towards Alice to see her note better; "Hello. Father, mother, I hope you are both in good health. Umm. Please find it in your hearts to forgive what I have done. I cannot be married to Sir Rosario. I have found love. A love that…eh…ummm…A love that is so passionate that it can fuel the fire of the sun for eternity. Sorry it's hard to translate. Ummm. I plan to one day marry this man because he has done everything for me. I have known him for 6 years. I love him. I do not want to return to Italy and I will not return unless I will be welcomed back and my choices will have been accepted by my beloved parents. Sincerely, Rosalie."
"So your parents are against the two of you?" Alice asked being completely unaware of most aspects of the relationship between Emmett and Rosalie.
"Yes, I was to marry someone else." Rosalie replied sipping from her mug.
"Awwww! That's so tragic and mean! Tell me about how you first met. Please, please, please."
And so Rosalie told her version of their first encounter. Alice fell so madly in love with Rosalie that she begged her to be one of her bride's maids.
Rosalie was hesitant about it.
"Come on pretty please!" Alice begged.
"Alice, I would love for nothing more to say yes…but are you sure? I mean…you warmed up to me awfully fast, I've done so many terrible things."
"Bella's been grrrr at you for those terrible things and you made amends. You're here for good, right?"
"Right." Rosalie nodded.
"And besides, my relationship with you is nowhere near as fast as Edward's and Bella's."
"I resent that."
Alice stuck her tongue out at me. "Things are just meant to be. We're all in relationships with each other."
"Relationships?"
"Well yea. Bella and I are your girl friends now and Jasper and Edward are your male friends. We're here for each other."
"Just please promise me you're here for Emmett. Please don't leave him." I begged.
"I promise." Rosalie nodded. "I want to be here for Emmett."
"Good!" Alice chirped. "Everything okay now?"
"This is really all so overwhelming." Rosalie said looking so vulnerable. It was so hard to register this Rosalie being the same Rosalie I had known.
She had perfected the bitchy persona so well.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"The changes." Rosalie explained. "I mean, everything's just filled upside down."
"Oh…well…Yea they have, haven't they." I realized how different my life was. I didn't have a definition for normal anymore. Nothing was the same. My Same Shit Different Day membership had been terminated. "My life has changed drastically since Edward came into the picture."
"Yeap, and now look at her! She can smile and laugh at my jokes and doesn't look like she has a perpetual cloud looming overhead trying to drown her."
"I wasn't that bad."
Alice gave me that look…the look that asking who was I trying to kid?
She was right. I was always cold and distant and lost in the pages of my books. Now I was warm and friendly to almost everyone. I felt alive and I love to laugh. I enjoyed being immature…well maybe not as much as Emmett and Alice…but in my own special way.
Love had changed me.
Not too drastically of course. I would go back to work the following week and I would read and teach…but I would also have fun, laugh, and love. Adventure wouldn't be just for the pages of the books…it would be for my journal too.
"We want to be your friend." I reassured Rosalie. I really did.
I wanted her to be a part of my new memories.
"Well…yes. I'm…I'm honored that you think so highly of me as to call me your friend." Rosalie said, with sincerity in her voice. "Besides Emmett, my nana was the only person I spoke to freely."
Learning more and more about Rosalie, I realized how much of her life and actions were due to her upbringing and not just her bitchiness. I could relate to her when she spoke about her feelings and the way she described her relationship with Emmett was with the most heartwarming words I had ever heard. I dare not even try to repeat what she said for doing her emotions injustice.
Alice got Rosalie to agree to be one of her Brides Maids for a wedding that she was planning way too soon…next month. But Alice claimed to have everything set up in her head and it wouldn't take much time to put it into action.
I made a mental note to prepare myself for countless hours of useless wedding trivia and crazy late night visits of her being unable to decide what type of fork to use.
"How did you guys meet?" Rosalie asked us as our conversation progressed.
Alice took it upon herself to answer, "I met Bella in elementary school and we've been inseparable since. We've always gotten along, even though she killed my cat."
"Oh my god." I muttered.
"But besides her death streak with all things living, she's a great friend." Alice complimented.
"And she," I said indicating Alice with my thumb, "is out of her mind."
"Whatever."
"What about you and Jasper?" Rosalie asked.
"Me and Jasper met in…OH!!! You haven't smelled it yet!"
"I'm sure she has...I bet the whole damn town has smelled it without knowing it by now. It's permanently embedded with our oxygen."
"Shut up Bella." Alice said cheerfully.
Alice reached inside her purse and brought out the duplicate of the original engagement present.
"That's beautiful." Rosalie commented before Alice sprayed it in her direction.
"The original is remarkable. Diamond and platinum…absolutely breathtaking. Jasper made a ton of copies for me to go spraying as much around as my heart desires."
"Which means suffocating the entire population of Forks."
"Stuff it Bells." Alice replied spraying the perfume in my face.
I began to fake exaggerated coughs but Alice continued to talk to Rosalie, ignoring my false state of pain.
"Jasper and I met through Bella actually."
"How old is he? He seems awfully young."
"He just turned 21 recently. I'm a cougar. I can't help it."
"Age is just a number." I said snatching the perfume bottle from Alice.
"Hey! Give that back!"
"Not until the days over. You can kill Jasper's sense of smell on your own time. I personally prefer to be able to smell."
"Hmph." Alice pouted.
"Are relationships hard?" Rosalie whispered softly.
Alice glanced at me, unsure if we should answer or not.
"Well of course they are. They're always going to be hard. Edward and I just started so we're on the happy and carefree train but I'm sure a stop is coming up, we just have to make sure not to get off." I said.
"Eventually you find obstacles that you have to hurdle through." Alice continued. "I mean first half year with Jasper was just perfect 1960's courtship. Then we had our first argument over money. He hated when I paid, but come on, he was 18 and without a job. So to solve the problem, he got a summer internship and opened a joint account with me. That became our money which we both had cards to. It worked for us. Most of the money goes into that account and neither of us has kept track of who contributed more or not. It's our money."
"But you know you've put in more right? I mean you own your own company." Rosalie tried to reason.
"Not necessarily. Actually, Jasper created a…ummm…techno-something-something-emissions-something-something-engine for N.A.S.A and patented it. He got 2 million dollars for it and bought the house we're currently living in. He tried so hard to hide it…he really sucks with surprises." Alice mused.
"Wow." Rosalie said being impressed.
"I think, well for Jasper and I, we can't keep tabs on things. Also another big fight we always have stems from our personalities. I could lock Jasper up in the basement with a drill thingie and a computer and some wood and he'd be happy for a week. But when Jasper becomes engulfed in his work, it pisses me off…it's selfish of me. I know, but still. I want him to spend time with me, not his computer stuff."
"What do you do about stuff like that?" Rosalie asked.
"Simple. Every Saturday is our time. Only me and him. And another rule we have is, unless it's a business trip or something, always come home by 7 P.M."
"You develop little rules and traditions along the way." I said reassuringly. I was looking forward for when Edward and I would have our own special traditions.
"You should be excited." Alice chirped. "It's a wonderful thing to belong to someone. Just believe in your relationship."
"Emmett taught me that." Rosalie said.
"What?" I asked misunderstanding.
"Emmett taught me to believe in our relationship." Rosalie clarified.
"Awwww." Alice smiled sweetly. "These boys are really something."
I twirled Alice's engagement present in my hands.
They really are something special.
"Jasper taught me how to trust." Alice said sorrowfully as she watched me play with her beloved gift. "I didn't realize how untrusting I was until last week. I'm changing that."
"Edward…Edward taught me to love." I said.
A/N: Not the end...NOT THE END! NOOOOOT THE END!!!!
Thank you for reading! I just realized when FF was down that 90 percent of my self esteem stems from reviews. With that guilt trip in mind, review please! Thank you :)
