THE NIGHTINGALE JOURNALS
A/N: Happy Anniversary to Mr. Kimpy and me. 24 years together, 7/11/87.
Things I own: One Incan God of Fertility, complete with PARKA PEEN which Mr. Kimpy brought for me as a present from his Peruvian Andes trek. Upon presentation of said gift, squeeing was heard for miles. (The Incan Goddess of Fertility is hidden away so as not to mess with Kimpy's tubal ligation, TYVM).
Things I don't own: Anything Twilight. It all belongs to Stephenie Meyer.
Thanks to my story beta, Trinity/TFX, who makes sure my story is full of naughty sparkle. Thanks to my grammar beta, Lupin4Tonks, who constantly challenges me on the ins and outs of the English language. Ladyeire72 makes sure that none of you get bored into napping while reading TNJ.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE: A FAMILY AFFAIR
My alarm goes off at an annoyingly hideous time, but we have an early flight to catch, so it's a necessity this morning.
I pull Bella close to me, peppering her face with little kisses to wake her up gently.
"Mmm?" she says sleepily.
"Time to wake up, Princess."
"What the hell time is it?"
"Trust me, you don't want to know. Go hop in the shower, and I'll get some coffee brewing."
"Can't I just go back to sleep and dream that I'm getting ready?"
"Nope. The plane won't wait for us, baby."
She stretches her naked body and lets out a big yawn. "Damn. Well, it was worth a try."
I take a moment to ogle her beauty, her body that means everything to me. This is more than mere lust—I genuinely worship every single inch of this woman, body and soul.
She opens her eyes. "What, Cullen?"
"Nothing at all. Just admiring the view."
She flushes all the way down to her chest. "How can you even say stuff like that when you're so, you know, you? I mean, you just woke up, your hair looks like you had an all-night sex-a-thon, and you still look perfect. It's just not fair."
I merely roll my eyes at her. "You're so ridiculous it borders on obscene, Swan."
The emotion I felt last night, seeing her walk down the aisle, suddenly returns, and it's so intense I impulsively grab on to her, pulling her body in close to my own. My nose is buried in her neck, and all I can smell is Bella. All I can feel is Bella. If I died right now, this would go down as one of the happiest moments in my life.
I feel her small hands on my cheeks, and she pulls my face into hers. I'm met with a passionate kiss, and I have a sudden need to be inside her.
I glance over at the clock, and realize that I'm going to be cockblocked.
"I want nothing more than to sex you up slowly and properly, but we have to get going. The car is going to be here in 30 minutes."
"Car?"
"Yeah, I rented a town car to bring us to the airport."
"You didn't have to do that, you know. I already feel like such a mooch, getting a free trip England with the most fuckhot tour guide on the planet."
"Come on, Bella, I never get to do anything really special for you. Please don't make a big deal out of this. Please? Just let me do it my way, this one time? It means everything to me. You mean everything to me."
She gives me a look that is pure love, and I feel that surge of intense emotions return. I wonder if it will ever go away.
She heaves a big sigh and hauls her body out of bed. "All right, then. Let's get our asses in gear."
"I'll get your coffee in a mug to enjoy on our way."
"Sounds like a plan. Thanks, Cullen."
~xXx~
We're flying to London on Virgin Airlines. They have impeccable service, and arguably the most comfortable first class seats in the industry. It's nearly impossible to find a direct flight from Seattle to London, so it takes about fifteen hours to get there. When you're spending more than half of your day on an airplane, that kind of comfort is a necessity.
Each first class seat has its own row, so you aren't sitting sandwiched next to anyone else, and privacy screens on either side of you. There's a built-in ottoman that can be used to store things, to put up your feet, or to have your smoking hot girlfriend sit and share conversation with you. Clearly, the latter is the option I'm most looking forward to taking advantage of.
As we board the plane, Bella's eyes go wide—she looks like a kid in a candy store. She's never been overseas, so she's never flown first class, and this is all very new to her. I've been doing this since I was a baby, so for me, it's all kind of old hat. Still, seeing her thrill in discovering all the amenities makes the experience feel fresh to me.
I hear a squeal of delight when she discovers her upper class snooze pack. It's nothing more than a bag with some toiletries, eyeshades, and earplugs, but Bella is so excited it sounds like she just won the lottery.
"Edward, they give you a little bag of goodies for the trip! Can you believe this?"
I chuckle at her amusement. She makes everything in life so much more enjoyable. When she turns around and has her eyeshades on, however, my amusement turns into lust in about 1.2 seconds flat.
I pull her closely enough to me that I can whisper in her ear. "Swan, if you don't want to be molested in front of thirty first class passengers, I suggest you remove those eyeshades."
I hear a small moan escape from her mouth, and it's more than I can take. "I fucking want you right now."
"Ms. Swan? Would you care for some champagne?"
I'm incredibly annoyed that the Flight Attendant interrupted my plan of attack. Bella looks at me, as if asking for permission. I just smile at her and nod my head.
"Why don't you make that two glasses?" I suggest.
"Of course, Mr. Cullen."
"Oh, it's Doctor Cullen," Bella corrects. I know she did that on purpose when I see her smirk. I give her a look to convey I know what she's up to.
Minx.
"What?" She tries the innocent gaze, but it has no effect on me. I grasp her hand and place it where she can feel the consequences of her actions.
"Dr. Cullen, you have a problem."
Damn fucking straight I have a problem. And a fifteen-hour plane ride ahead of me.
"You're asking for it, Swan," I whisper.
"Oh yes. Yes, I am," she says, squeezing me. "Please."
I deftly remove her hand from my crotch as the Flight Attendant approaches with our champagne.
When we have the glasses in our hands, I propose a toast.
"To familial heritage and new beginnings."
Bella quirks her head to the side. "What the hell is that supposed to mean, Cullen?"
"Well, we're going to the ancestral home of Lord Richard Cullen, and you're starting all over again after your illness."
She shrugs her shoulders. "Well, who am I to refuse a good glass of champagne?"
"Exactly," I reply, kissing her cheek.
We haven't had anything to eat yet, so the champagne takes effect on Bella rather quickly. She starts to giggle, and I look at her, puzzled as to what is so funny.
"I just heard the cork pop on the champagne."
"That's funny, is it?" I tease.
"It made me think of your dad. His cork is always popping when I'm around."
"What?"
"I mean, he's always opening a bottle of champagne, it seems. I might need to start calling him Champagne Carlisle," she giggles.
"My parents always have a bottle of champagne in their refrigerator. They don't believe it should be a once-a-year or special-occasions-only drink."
"I totally agree with them. Champagne is incredible."
"True. However, if you're going to be talking about popping corks, there is only one cork you need to worry about, and I would prefer that you not mention my father in conjunction with popping corks anymore."
"Trust me, even though Dr. Cullen the senior is one hot daddy, yours is the only cork I want to pop. Ever."
"That's more like it. Good girl."
The Flight Attendant returns to give us one last refill of champagne, then asks us to take our seats for departure.
Bella takes her time to get acclimated to the first class seats. She can't believe we get to order our meals whenever we want to. She's having trouble deciding between the pork tenderloin or the wild mushroom lasagna. I volunteer to get one while she gets the other, and we'll split them so she can enjoy both options.
"I knew there must be some reason I fell in love with you," she coos to me.
"Funny. I always thought it was my penis that appealed the most to you."
In response to my statement, she starts the gigglesnorts once again.
"What has you giggling this time?"
She gets up from her seat and sits down on my ottoman.
"I have a great joke for you."
"Okay," I reply calmly. She continues to giggle, unable to get her words out. "I'm listening."
She snorts. "It's really bad."
I pause a moment, letting her catch her breath. Patiently, I tell her that I'm still listening.
"What's the useless bit of skin," she giggles, "that hangs off the end of a cock?"
"Well, you've never considered it to be useless before," I smirk. "In fact, I always thought it was a selling point in your eyes."
Bella is giggling so hard she can't speak. "Come on, it can't be that funny."
Her face is turning purple, and she's nodding her head up and down frantically. She takes a deep breath and seems to be ready to speak.
Giggle. "A…" she giggles some more. "MAN!"
"I'll show you useless, Swan," I growl at her.
She is being such an epic tease, I ponder taking a trip to the loo to relieve myself. My train of thought is broken by the Flight Attendant, who delivers our meals.
I check my watch to determine how soon we'll be arriving in London. I wonder if my cock will make it that long.
~xXx~
Bella returns once again to sit on my ottoman. She suggests watching a movie together. It's then that I notice her sitting position. She's wearing a skirt, which I'm convinced is a deliberate ploy to tease me. Her legs are parted, and she's leaning backwards, onto her arms. It makes her tits stick out prominently, and I can almost see her pussy. The shadow from her skirt is agonizing, just barely hiding her bits from my view.
She takes in a deep breath, which makes her tits pop out even further. The torture I'm facing right now is nothing short of pure misery. If we weren't surrounded by dozens of other people, she'd be straddling my lap.
"You know, we can't really make out very easily on this plane; the layout doesn't really allow for that. I think I might need to complain to Mr. Richard Branson about this."
"Well, there's plenty of room for you to sit on my lap. I'm sure the CEO of Virgin would approve of that kind of seat usage."
"There is, huh? That's what bad men always say when they want something from you."
I pull her onto my lap so she can feel exactly what it is that she does to me. "This bad man wants to do very bad things to you. We've already covered this, remember? You make me want to do that constantly."
"Mmm. So sad we can't do anything about your little problem," she teases.
"Little?" I lift an eyebrow at her.
"Pfft. Such an ego!"
I lean over to whisper in her ear. "You've never turned it away, Swan. Clearly, you have an addiction."
"You wish."
"Well, I can certainly start relieving my own stress. In fact, I think I'll just take a brief moment in the restroom right now, and everything will be more comfortable."
"You wouldn't!"
"Beat off in the bathroom to relieve myself? I most certainly would, you little tease." I rub my hard cock against her ass for emphasis.
"Don't even joke about that!"
"I'm not! I'm so fucking hard and you keep toying with me. Something's gotta give, here!"
"Oh, baby, I'm sorry." Her words would indicate sorrow, but her hips gyrating over my hard cock say something totally different.
"So she says after teasing me incessantly for the better part of this flight."
Turning her slightly so that she's facing forward, I scoot her bum down just a tad, so I can unbutton my fly and let my poor dick finally get some air. When she feels me, she lets out a very unguarded gasp, which forces me to remind her that she needs to be very quiet.
"Shh, Swan. Be quiet, and I'll give us both some relief. Put the blanket over your lap so that we're both covered up."
She does exactly as I say. Such a good girl.
My exposed cock is hard against her bare cheek; I made sure that she wore her thong today. Little did she know of my ulterior motives—I always planned to have her join the Mile High Club with me.
Moving her thong to the side, I can feel how wet her pussy is. My girl gets off on being naughty; I just love that about her.
Once again, I whisper into her ear. "You ready for my cock, baby?" She nods her head vigorously. "Remember to be quiet."
Grasping the base of my erection, I lift one of her bum cheeks enough so I can slide myself near her opening. My little minx does the rest of the work for me, wiggling her ass side to side until cock meets pussy and—BINGO!—we have liftoff.
Bella and I engage of some form of fucking, making love, or screwing like maniacs every day, sometimes several times a day. Even so, the feeling of sliding into her will never, ever get old to me. I love this woman to distraction, and when my cock is so far inside her that I can't possibly reach any further, it's the very best part of my life. I'm part of her, and she's part of me, and for those few exquisite moments, our worlds are truly one.
We've been teasing each other for hours, so I know it isn't going to take us long before we're ready to pop.
"Are you almost ready?" She nods once again.
I slide my hand from her hip over to her clit, very subtly, and start rubbing it between my thumb and forefinger. She suddenly stops moving and grabs my thighs. I'm so far gone that I can't even wait to feel her. I grasp her hips and my orgasm washes over me.
As we both relax and recover, Bella reaches into her pocket and procures a package of Kleenex.
Like she didn't know what we were going to be up to on the flight.
"I'm going to go clean up in the bathroom. I'll be back in a minute," she leans over and gives me a kiss.
As she walks away, I merely ogle her ass. I've become completely incapable of any non-sexual thoughts when it comes to Bella Swan. I have to propose to her, it's already a foregone conclusion.
When a woman owns her sexuality, when she has sexual confidence like Bella? There's nothing hotter. Smoking hot. Instant boner. And you know? It really doesn't matter if she's a curvy girl or an athletic trainer—sexual confidence is extremely alluring and persuasive. Bella has always conveyed that level of confidence in bed, and it makes her ten times sexier to me.
Sexual chemistry isn't something you can fake. It's bone deep, and it's raw. When you find the one person who literally turns you on—it's a precious treasure. I found that, and I'm never fucking letting Bella out of my sight. She's it for me. If the alternative ends up to be someone else, I don't want it at all.
I don't even want to think about her turning down my proposal. I'm nearly certain that she won't, but I can't be 100% positive. I know that marriage is something she's never desired, but I'm hoping she can see how it makes such logical sense for us to be together for the rest of our lives.
As Bella makes her way back to her seat, I get a nice view of her jiggling rack. She comes directly to me.
"Do you think they'd get mad if we snuggled up in your plane seat together? I'd like to take a nap."
"Well, as Billy Idol famously said, 'and since we let our first class passengers do pretty much whatever they want…' I'm sure it's just fine, baby."
I pull her into my lap and cover her with a blanket. She feels so right, sitting here with me.
"Just don't put on that eye mask, or you won't be getting any sleep," I warn her.
~xXx~
I'm surprised at the airport to find my mom and dad waiting for us as we exit the baggage claim area. I always take the car to Kent, and they hadn't made any other arrangements for us that I know of.
While I wait for our bags to appear, they both surround Bella, embracing her and welcoming her to England. My mother is practically glowing, she's so excited. I don't know if it's just that Bella is here with our family, or if it's all about the impending engagement, but it looks like she's floating on air. It makes me smile; she's such an amazing mom.
The drive to Kent takes about two hours, but there isn't a moment of silence the entire way. My mom peppers Bella with questions about the flight, and points out landmarks along the route.
When my mother finally stops to take a breath, my father gives Bella and me a bit of news from Seattle Children's.
"Yes, well, I had an interesting phone call yesterday," he tells us, enigmatically.
I quirk an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"It appears as though someone on the housekeeping staff discovered a call room being used for something other than sleeping."
My eyes dart instantly over to Bella, who turns ten shades of scarlet. I wonder if this is my dad's code language for Don't-you-dare-sex-it-up-in-a-call-room-again.
A small smirk blooms on my dad's face. "Apparently Dr. Hale was attracting some attention with her volume level. The housekeeper thought someone was being injured, and walked in on Dr. Hale and Dr. McCarty, and they most assuredly were not sleeping."
I think back to when Bella and I got caught. I know the housekeeper, Barb; she's been at the hospital for years, but she never breathed a word about finding us together. McCarty was the one who told everyone about our little incident.
It occurs to me that Barb is most likely responsible for word getting out this time. I don't think there is a single individual in the entire hospital who doesn't have it out for Rosalie Hale, except possibly Emmett McCarty.
Bella recovers, and lets out a huge chortle of amusement. "You know, I'm so glad she got her comeuppance. It's about time!"
"Are you going to do anything about it, Dad?"
His amused smirk has turned into a full smile. "I think the damage has already been done, don't you?"
My dad, as always, is completely right in that. Dr. Rosalie Hale was discovered in flagrante with another doctor, in the hospital, and it sounds like she was baying like a hound dog. I'm sure there is probably no greater embarrassment she could face than that.
Bella gives me a fist bump. "Dr. McCullough on probation and Dr. Hale a laughing stock in the grapevine? Oh, karma is lovely."
"Oh, Bella! Look!" My mom commands.
Leeds Castle, the home of my ancestors, has come into view.
Bella's face is completely mesmerized. "It's so beautiful!"
My dad tells her without a single inkling of pretense, "It's where the Cullen family is from."
"It's known as 'the loveliest castle in the world,' Bella. I can't wait for Edward to show it to you."
"I'm sure it's a wonderful museum. I'll enjoy seeing it."
The three of us share an awkward pause. Bella notices it at once.
"What?" she says, concerned.
How the fuck am I supposed to tell her that the castle belongs to my family?
Before I can say a word, my dad glides right in with the perfect response.
"Uh, Bellar, about that. You see, in England, we have a peerage—a class of nobility that goes back for centuries. You've probably heard of Dukes, Earls, Viscounts, and the like; Lords happen to be the lowest rung on the nobility ladder when it comes to peerage. Some Lordships are hereditary; others are not.
"At one time, the Tudors owned Leeds castle. Henry VIII is infamous for the number of bastards he sired, but he only publicly acknowledged one of them. The others were conveniently born to mistresses who happened to also be married women. One of these bastards was a member of the Cullen Clan, which dates back to the days of Lord Richard Cullen of Kent. The Cullen name change occurred through the female line of familial descent, which is how the castle eventually changed hands from the Tudors to the Cullens. It was restored and updated in the early 1900s. When my father died in 1974, my mother created the Leeds Castle Foundation to operate the castle. We still own the Gamekeeper's cottage, which is where we'll be staying."
"So, you're telling me that you're actually Lord Carlisle Cullen, M.D.?"
"I guess that officially I am, but I never use the title. It's meaningless to me, really."
"But it's hereditary, right?"
I know exactly where Bella is going, and I don't like it.
"Yes, Bella, it's hereditary, but it's nothing to worry about," I explain.
She turns to me, aghast. "Cullen, I just found out that your family owns a castle that was once owned by King Henry VIII, and I'm not supposed to be worried about it?"
"But it isn't like we're rubbing elbows with the Queen or anything. It's just that our family tree is a little more decorated than the average Joe."
Trust my mother to step in and provide exactly what is needed to reassure Bella.
"Bella, dear, look at me. I'm nothing more than a nurse who happened to marry an incredibly handsome devil of a doctor, and I come from a line of very simple people. I've lived all these years as Lady to my Lord Cullen, and I've survived with every bit of my humility intact. Trust me, it sounds more significant than it really is. What I have gotten is a beautiful family with whom I spend a month in England every summer. I'm just fine, and you will be, too."
She leans in and gives Bella a big, secure hug, and looks at me from over Bella's shoulder. I mouth the words, 'thank you' to her, and she just smiles at me. My mother is a force of nature, and I'm certainly not going to stand in her way.
~xXx~
We settle easily into the cottage, and it is my goal to give Bella a full tour of the grounds, the castle, and the part of my life that I've spent at Leeds. I know the best perspective is to see it on horseback, and that's exactly what we do. She hasn't ridden much, so I give her some basic lessons, and we take it slowly. I spend time showing her my favorite places, and recalling all the funny stories from my childhood.
"Was it ever lonely, being here as an only child? I mean, it's such a huge place."
"Not so much. I had a pretty vivid imagination, and my mom was always around. My dad was more active at the hospital then, of course, so he only came for a few weeks at a time. Mom and I would spend the entire summer here when I was young. It was busy, and there were always people around, working on the castle. I was just used to spending time with adults, I guess. My mom was determined for me to know and understand the importance of my heritage."
"I'm glad she did. It shows. You lit up the minute we got here."
"I love England. I love this place. Some of my best memories—" I hesitate. My best memories are with Bella. "Some of my best pre-Bella memories all take place here. I learned how to ride a horse properly, and they even taught me the art of falconry."
"Oh my god, your life is like out of a storybook! I'd love to see that. Raptors are so beautiful and elegant."
"The Gamekeeper still does falconry workshops. Would you like to learn about it while you're here?"
"God yes! Are you sure they have time?"
"They have time to do whatever we arrange. Bella, there's nothing I will ever deny you… I want you to love it here as much as I do."
"I'm sure I will, Edward. It's the most incredible place I've ever been. I'm still pinching myself that you're going to be a Lord someday."
I roll my eyes. "It means nothing, I already explained that to you. It's of historical significance, and nothing more."
"Well, no matter what happens to us, you'll always be of historical significance to me, Lord Edward Cullen," she giggles.
"What's going to happen to us?" I ask, curious. I can't imagine why she's said that.
"You never know…" she hesitates.
As I recall the arduous moments I spent by her bedside, not knowing if she would survive, I simply respond with, "True, you never know."
~xXx~
I've managed to get Bella into Leeds Castle proper today, unaccompanied by anyone on the castle's staff. I want to show off the portrait wing to her, so she can take in what it means to be a Cullen. It isn't a proposal one can take lightly, after all. I want her to be well aware of what I'm getting her into.
As we walk among the many portraits, and I explain who they all are, Bella notices that no one else is around. It's a weekend, and she knows this place should be full of people.
"Edward, where is everybody?"
"I, uh, wanted to show it to you privately."
"You closed the castle down? To give me a tour?"
"Yes?"
She just shakes her head. "Cullen, you're amazing. When does the bad stuff enter into all of this?"
"The bad stuff? There's bad stuff?"
"Well, there has to be, somewhere. I mean, the more I learn about you, the more fantastic you are. Are you sure you don't mean to be with someone else? I'm just so… boring. And plain."
I sigh, exasperated. "Bella, how many times do I have to tell you? I fell in love with you the very first time I saw you. I had to work incredibly hard to even get you to notice me. I had to beat down all your defenses about not dating a doctor. Then, you nearly died on me. I mean, what do I have to do to convince you that you're the only person I will ever want?"
"I just… I can't… I don't understand…" she says, words suddenly failing her.
"If there is one thing your ordeal with meningitis taught me, it's that nothing in life is guaranteed. I almost lost you, and the life I had been imagining for myself disappeared. I don't want to bargain anymore, or lock my dreams away until I'm ready to experience them, because I might never get the chance to enjoy them. I want to savor every minute I have with you, Bella, for the rest of my life. I want to see what our children will look like. I want to grow old with you, god willing. I don't want to regret a single minute, because I don't know which one will be my last."
I sink down on one knee, in front of her, and her eyes go wide. "Bella Swan, I kneel in front of you here, at Leeds Castle, my ancestral homeland. I call upon all of my ancestors to give me their guidance and support at this very important moment—the most important moment of my life. I'm asking you to take a leap of faith. I'm asking you to join me, as the newest member of the Cullen family. It's where you truly belong; by my side, forever."
Instead of the small, velvet box I'm sure she's expecting, I place a silver fortune cookie into her open palm, with a fortune peeking out from within. She looks at me, her face a question, and I nod at her to open it.
I watch her carefully smooth out the fortune, and I feel my heart pounding out of my chest. The fortune contains two very small words, but to me, they are actually two of the most important words in the English language. I hear her breath catch in her throat, making an embarrassing kind of choking noise, and I'm instantly alarmed and worried.
God, what if she says no?
I look down at the fortune sitting in her hand, and feel lightheaded as I read it, even though I'm the one who wrote the words:
Marry me?
It's taking her an interminable amount of time to reply to my question. I'm still on my knee, on the centuries-old stone floor in the castle my ancestors built, and it's really starting to get uncomfortable. Both the pain in my knee and her lengthened silence.
Without any warning, she grasps my face in her hands and delivers the most passionate kiss I've ever received. It's the sort of kiss that conveys everything, but still, what I really need right now are her words. Her acceptance. I can feel my lips being a bit hesitant, because I don't yet know the answer to my question. I think she might be trying to convey all the feelings that can never put into words, because they are so profound.
And still.
Still, I need my answer, and I'm dying a cruel death second by agonizing second of silence. Finally, she pulls her lips away from mine. Her voice and her hands are shaking, and I'm so fucking afraid of what her words are going to be.
"I love you so much, I need you so much, that I would even marry you if you were circumcised."
Oh holy jesus thank fucking god!
"Dr. Seuss once said, 'You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep, because reality is finally better than your dreams.' My reality is so much better than any dream could possibly be." She impulsively leaps up, wrapping her arms around my neck in a vise-like grip. "Yes, Edward. Yes. Yessss. Yessssssss. Yes."
Apparently, I've become drunk with love, because I'm still spewing nonsense when it comes time for me to use my own words, chanting thank you over and over again. I'm grinning like the Cheshire Cat, and literally beaming with happiness.
"Cullen, as if I need to be thanked for agreeing to marry the most perfect man in the world!"
Bella is giggling over my exuberant behavior. I grab her hand and drag her off to find my parents, who have been stealthily hiding during my proposal.
"Mom, Dad, BELLA SAID YES!"
I hear a pop! and before I know it, we're all standing together, champagne in our hands, looking at the portrait of Lord Richard Cullen of Kent.
In a moment of extreme filterfail, Bella blurts out, "Thank you, Lord Richard, for having big enough balls to sire these two incredibly beautiful Cullen men!"
As we hold our glasses high for a toast, I notice that both Bella and I are trembling from our intense emotions. I see her looking scared, so I lean over to give her a reassuring forehead kiss. I love giving her forehead kisses; it's like the crux of all I love about her, in one beautiful spot.
My father's gilded accent glides over his toast to us: "To Bellar and Edward. May your love and your lives both be long. May your union provide us with some much-desired grandchildren. And may you do the Cullen Clan proud. Welcome to the family, Bellar!"
She looks at me, shaking her head in incredulity. "How can I not melt right now?"
"Oh, that's simple; there is no other option. Go ahead and melt," I hold my arms out for her.
My mother has to rain on my parade, of course. "Dear, I know you gave her the fortune cookie, but aren't you forgetting something?"
I look at her, perplexed. She points to her ring finger.
"Oh, jesus. I can't believe I forgot!" I pull it out of my pocket and get back on one knee. "Bella, this ring has been passed through my family from Lord Richard Cullen of Kent. He designed it specifically for the woman he asked to be his Lady Cullen. I know it isn't the most beautiful ring, but it holds so much significance to my family. It would do me such an honor if you would agree to wear it."
It's a simple ring—the picture of the Cullen crest, surrounded by emeralds.
"Not only is it a family heirloom, Bellar, it's the ring I gave my Esme when we were engaged to be married."
"But, Esme, don't you need it? It's your ring?"
"There's actually nothing that would make me happier than to see it on your finger Bella, because I know that you're the only choice for my adored son. Please, wear it with pride, for me. For us. Carlisle has already given me a replacement."
She nods, and shakily holds her left hand out for me. I slide the ring onto her finger, and pull her in for a kiss.
Since the invention of the kiss, there have been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind.
Yeah, I like The Princess Bride. So sue me. I couldn't care less, because I'm going to marry Bella Swan.
END NOTE: We have one more chapter, then an epilogue left. I want to thank you all for your incredible reviews and support for my little story. I worship every word you give me. Trust.
The foreskin joke is thanks to reader Mrs. Kebab, who welcomed her own little parka boy into the world last week. Congrats, my dear!
Airplane sex is for Lupin4Tonks. She hadn't read it before. Plus, like Dr. GEM is going to be on a 15-hour plane trip with Bella and not have sex? Inconceivable!
Leeds Castle is located in Kent, England. While there was a real Lord Richard Cullen of Kent, I fictionalized that he lived in Leeds Castle; the Cullen family is actually from Sittingbourne, which is not far from where the castle is situated. It was the perfect destination for Edward and Bella. You can see the castle here: leeds-castle (dot) com (slash) land (dot) php. The Cullens were staying in the Keeper's House on the castle property.