Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or make any profit from it.
Thank you to all of my readers and to my wonderful BETA Miss. Ellen
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Change in Plans
BPOV
Christmas morning, Charlie and I had a quiet breakfast and exchanged gifts. It was simple, but that was the way we liked things; very different from the way things always were with my mother which, I think, was part of the reason I never really connected with Renee. As much as I loved my mom I was nothing like her, and neither was Charlie. It made me wonder how they ever got together in the first place.
"What time are you going to Billy's again, dad?" I asked from the kitchen, as I was attempting to scrape the stuck-on egg from the bottom of the pan, into the garbage.
"Around ten, you sure you don't want to come?"
I knew he already knew the answer to that question, but I thought maybe he felt obligated to at least try. I still hadn't spoken to Jake since he lost it and nearly transformed in front of me.
"No, I want to get to know Carlisle's family better while they are still in town."
It was a good enough excuse and not a total lie. I did want to learn more about my future vampire family. Plus, I truly did enjoy spending time with them, learning of the lives they've lived, hearing the stories they had to tell… incredible!
"Okay, but if you change your mind at any time, you can call me and I'll come get you, okay."
I laughed but nodded, "Sure dad."
He sighed before leaving the kitchen and heading upstairs. I knew he didn't like the fact that Jake and I weren't speaking. Until wolf-boy pulled his head out of his rear end and realized he and I were never going to happen, and excepted my relationship with Carlisle, I wasn't going to put myself in a position where I had deal with his crap.
Jake was my friend, but Carlisle was the love of my existence and nothing was going to change that!
Just moments after Charlie left, Carlisle arrived, and he'd brought the Pimp-mobile with him. I still hadn't figured out why he bought that monstrosity in the first place. Granted, it was a fun car to ride in, I liked the feel of being high up, which was part of the reason I'd liked my truck. The SUV, however, was also quite luxurious as well, something my rust covered Chevy most certainly was not.
He greeted me with a hug and a kiss, but then, he took a step back and he smirked at me. Carlisle wasn't normally a smirking type of guy, so I was instantly suspicious.
"What's that look for?" I asked, reaching for my cane which was leaning against the wall by the front door.
He just laughed and then reached into his front pocket and pulled out his keys. "You're driving," his smirk remained plastered on his handsome face as he pushed the keys into the palm of my hand.
Okay, this was not funny.
"Yeah right," Rolling my eyes, I tossed the keys back to him.
"I'm not joking, Isabella. You're driving," he said, once again pressing the keys back into my hand, this time, placing a soft kiss to my knuckles as he did. "You are more than capable at this point. Both Charlie and I think it's time you got back behind the wheel.
"Charlie?" I huffed, had he really brought my dad in on this.
"Yes, we were talking the other day and we agreed that you are ready to start driving again."
Shaking my head, I placed the keys on the small table by the front door. "No, I'm not driving." I wasn't ready for that, I just wasn't.
"Isabella," he sighed taking both of my hands in his. "You are ready for this. You need to take this step."
No I didn't. I couldn't.
"Not yet." I reached for the doorknob with every intention of marching, or rather, limping out the front door, over to the Tank, and climbing into the passenger side. Unfortunately my vampire boyfriend had other ideas and easily grabbed the handle before I could. However, he refused to turn it and open the freiggin door.
"Isabella." His voice was no longer kind or understanding, but stern; his expression resolute. "You are going to drive to my house, because of you don't we are going to walk."
I gasped, he couldn't be serious. "Carlisle… this is ridiculous." His home was over ten miles away!
"You can walk, climb stairs, not to mention participate in other strenuous activities." He smirked at that last one, and I was pretty sure I was blushing, because we both knew he wasn't referring to just my physical therapy. "You are more than ready for this."
I groaned and shook my head, though a part of me knew he was right. Alice had been nagging me to live up to my deal about going shoe shopping once I could walk well, I supposed Carlisle's request was really no different. Then again, a shoe didn't almost end my life.
"Think of it this way, as soon as you can prove to me that you are healed enough to drive my car, I might just be persuaded to participate in more… physically demanding activities with you," he smiled softly, raising his hand to brush his cool knuckles gently across my cheek.
Had he really just implied that if I drove, we could have sex?
"R-Really?"
His mouth pulled into a soft, sexy smile. Cupping my face, he brought his lips to mine kissing me. "You have no idea how badly I want to make love to you Isabella."
Oh I had an idea, alright.
Releasing my cane, I let it drop to the floor as I wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing him fervently. After eventually pulling away for air I asked him one simple question, "When?"
He chuckled, then picking my cane up from the floor he handed it to me. "That all depends…" he then handed me back his keys.
"Fine," I huffed, grabbing the keys. "I'll drive, but only to your house and you'd better live up to that promise, Dr. Cullen."
He laughed then gave me a quick kiss on the lips. "Believe me, I have every intention to."
XXX
CPOV
After helping Bella into the driver's seat, I made my way round to the passenger's side. I chuckled as she flipped her hair over her shoulder and let out a puff of air.
"You're lucky I love you as much as I do," she said as she placed the key into the ignition.
"Indeed I am."
She snorted before finally turning the key. For several moments she just sat there, her hands on the steering wheel just staring out the windshield at the street ahead. I knew this was hard for her. While she was okay with being a passenger, for some reason, the idea of driving again frightened her. I couldn't say that I understood her logic; she hadn't actually been in her car when the accident occurred, but no matter her fear or the reason for it, it was something she needed to overcome.
Eventually she took a long deep breath, reached for the gear shift, and moved it into drive.
"I'm doing this for you," she said softly, her brown eyes turned to my gold ones and I could see the worry in them.
"Do it for yourself, Isabella."
She smiled and then laughed, "I am, or at least I'm doing it for my reward."
She then moved her foot from the break to the gas and we slowly began to drive down the street.
I had been thinking about being intimate with my love a lot recently, and while the rational part of me knew I should wait a little longer, at least until she was officially done with her physical therapy, another part of me, the part that desperately longed to become one with my mate, was having difficulty holding back. We had gotten close so many times, but I always pulled back; and every time I did I was forced to see the disappointment in my love's eyes. That, coupled with my recent nightmares of losing the love of my life to Jacob Black, made me realize that I needed to mark her in the only way I could at the moment. I needed to make her mine.
"Carlisle, I just realized I forgot my phone."
I already knew that. She left it on the coffee table. I very purposely didn't mention it before we left. Jacob apparently had a plan to call and text her pretty much the entire day and into the night, assuming that at some point she would get annoyed and pick up the phone. He knew she wouldn't turn off the phone in case Charlie called. The annoying little shit.
Alice mentioned that she would leave her phone on the coffee table and that I would have reminded her. So, I simply didn't.
"Do you want to go back and get it?"
I knew she wouldn't.
Shaking her head she turned onto the gravel road off the main street that lead to my house. "No way, I lived up to my end of the deal and drove to your house—one trip only. I'm just worried it might freak Charlie out if he tried to call me and I didn't answer."
"Don't worry; you can use my phone to let him know you forget it. He can call me or the house phone if he needs to get a hold of you."
"Oh, okay, I guess that could work."
It would work and work well, Alice had assured me. Unfortunately my unwavering faith in the clairvoyant suddenly wavered when about half way up the road I caught notice of a familiar scent. A scent that was completely and utterly unexpected. "Esme?"
"What was that?"
I turned to Isabella, who eyes were looking to the left, watching for the driveway to come into view.
"I believe we have a surprise guest."
"Oh really, who?" she asked, finally turning off the gravel and towards the house.
"Esme."
She didn't say anything at first, but waited until she had pulled the SUV beside Alice's bright yellow Porsche. She sighed, as she put the car in park and turned off the engine. Finally she turned to me, her eyes dimmed. "Do I need to leave?"
I could understand why she would think that. She knew Esme was a human drinker so she most likely assumed she could be in danger around her. Part of me wanted to take her back home, make sure she was safe and away from any vampire apart from myself, but another part wanted me to introduce my mate to one of my best friends. In the end I decided to let her make that decision.
Just as I opened my mouth to tell her that my phone dinged. Pulling it from my pocket I glanced at the screen, it was a text from Alice.
It's okay, Carlisle, have her come in. I'm sorry I didn't know sooner but, she decided last minute to come for a visit. And so you know Irina left shortly after you went to get Bella, Laurent is back in Alaska… I'll tell you more later.
Well that was certainly interesting.
"Is everything okay?" I looked up to my Isabella looking deeply concerned.
"Oh yes, everything is fine". I smiled reassuringly, "Irina went back to Alaska, apparently Laurent returned."
"Oh, well that's good, right?"
Shrugging I placed my phone back in my pocket. "I'm not sure actually." Reaching over I squeezed her hand softly then bringing it to my lips. "Come, I want to introduce to one of my dearest friends."
"You're sure?"
"Absolutely, I want her to meet the love of my existence."
Isabella smiled and we both leaned in for a brief kiss.
Inside I heard Esme sigh deeply.
A/N: So there you go, Bella gets behind the wheel, though it took a bit more than a pretty please from Carlisle to convince her. Up next Bella meets Esme, we find out what's going on with Laurent and Carlisle has a surprise for Bella.
