Under My Nose
Edward Cullen sets a deadline of six months to find his true love before he turns thirty. Leaving his successful restaurant to drive a mule-drawn carriage in the French Quarter of New Orleans, he searches for the meaning of true love, because he has yet to understand it. Will he know when he finds her or will she be right under his nose? Can bubbly, buxom Bella tantalize his taste buds with beignets and an abundant
booty?
A/N: Thank you to the readers who review every chapter. There are a handful of you. I appreciate the love, and I find your input very helpful. When we get into further chapters, I will send you another surprise. Again, thank you for your constant support in bringing those review numbers up.
And thank you to the readers who follow and favorite that I am unable to send a thank you PM.
Okay, this is unBeta'd. Seriously, it's all Mardi Gras' fault.
Chapter 35:
EPOV: February
In my opinion, Charlie's decision to choose Renee over Sally was and is his undoing. There's no need to hate the poor bastard being that he has lived in fucking hell ever since. My concern is for Bella; her reactions, her feelings and her well-being.
I wrap my arms snuggly around her waist and draw her closer to me as we stand on the edge of the neutral ground facing the street. A high school, marching band passes blaring horns and pounding drums.
I lean down to her ear. "You doing okay?"
She smiles up at me squeezing my arms. "Yeah, I was done with Renee when I left New York. This just confirms I made the right choice. As for my dad … well ... he's lived with her for almost thirty years. That's a long sentence." She looks over at Sally and my mom who have their heads together in deep conversation.
"I feel terrible for her." She sighs.
"Bella, I don't think there is anything to feel terrible about. Sally finally got to speak her peace and the truth came out. Karma played Sally in and Renee out." I wink.
She scrunches her nose. "Wow, looks and brains? I really lucked out."
"Damn fucking right," I mumble.
She smiles at me and I kiss her as a float rolls through. We get hit with a huge bag of beads, looking up at the float and seeing Emmett with his mask flipped up, shouting, "Lovebugs, get a room!" He laughs boldly and excites the crowd raising his arms and dancing wildly.
Everyone around us laughs and continues their pleas for beads.
Emmett shoots me a 'thumbs up' and Bella a 'thumb' challenge. He throws Alice a doll and smiles broadly. He grabs his crotch and waves at Jasper. Then, he looks at Mom and his smile fades with an apology of 'I'm sorry, Mommy'. I swear he's afraid of her.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
People scatter everywhere as the last float heads down Canal Street. The streets, neutral ground and sidewalks have broken beads, Endymion footballs, cracked plastic cups, food, paper and basic trash littered everywhere. Beads hang throughout the trees and over fences. We follow Sally and Richard toward the house. Alice and Jasper tag along while Mom and Dad take Charlie to the North Shore to get the last knot of the awkwardness out of him.
Dad will give him a tour of his golf range while Mom will change Charlie's eating habits, and we will go up for dinner at eight tomorrow night.
And I think to myself, "No one else will be home … I'll be alone … with Bella.." I smile.
"What are you smiling about?" Bella asks as we walk up to the porch.
I slowly admit, "I'm thinking about later …
when we go home …
alone …
with no parents down the hall."
She moans a drawn out, "ooooo".
Jasper jogs past us. "I'm starving."
Alice shrugs and follows him into the house.
Bella grabs my hand and leads me to the dining room. I like to watch her ass sway from side to side. Yeah, alone. Fuck.
Sally and Richard bring out trays of cold cuts, cheeses, vegetable and fruit platters, different loaves of bread and rolls. There are jars of pickles, canisters of cole slaw, macaroni salad and potato salad, a large ring of shrimp with cocktail sauce and a platter of raw oysters in the half-shells over crushed ice.
The microwave dings off and Sally brings out a medium-size bowl of melted butter with individual smaller bowls for dipping. Richard carries a huge tray of crab legs, clams and mussels. I stare as my belly growls for it's supper.
Jasper looks at me, nervously taps his foot and nods. "I claim the oysters, man."
Alice frowns and gives me a questionable look. I shrug at her. "The hell I know."
Sally says to dig in. With amazement, I watch Jazz eat oyster after oyster shoveling them in. His crustational prowess amazes us all; slurp, suck, swallow. No one touches the oysters.
Bella takes a crab leg, cracks it open, tears it into pieces and adds mayonnaise making a po-boy sandwich and dressing it with lettuce, tomatoes and pickles I watch while lapping my lips. I should know better. Bella puts the sandwich on a plate and hands it to me, then starts on another.
When Jasper finishes his oyster rampage, he excuses himself to the bathroom.
Bella leans over the table to quietly ask Alice, "What is going on? Jasper is quite the oyster consumer."
Alice calmly wipes her shrimp-laden lips with her crumpled napkin. "I went to Marie Laveau's grave yesterday."
I glare at her. "You did what?"
"I asked her for help, Edward, and brought her all kinds of seeds so she could help plant a seed in me."
"Alice?" I snap.
"Well, I didn't see any harm in it. Look at him." She points in the direction of the bathroom. "He has been attentive, affectionate and very frisky. I think it worked. He's really maniacal." She giggles. "I love it."
I mumble, "You gave lil Jazz a vacation, now he's ready to go back to work."
"No, it's not just that. Marie answered me," she insists.
Bella questions, "How can Marie Laveau help?"
Alice explains, "You know that she was a High Priestess of VooDoo. Well, many people believe if you go to her grave and leave an offering, she will work her magic."
I'm about to respond, but Bella whispers in my ear. "Let her believe, Edward, it's relaxing her." Bella nods her head at Alice. "I think it's great."
I drop it.
Jasper walks back into the room. "What's great?"
Bella giggles. "That you ate all the oysters."
He sits back down next to Alice. "They were good." He winks at Alice and wiggles his eyebrows.
Alice smiles broadly.
Sally grabs my hand. "I'm looking forward to having dinner at your parents', Edward. Richard and I are going up early. Esme and I are going to cook together."
Bella looks with shock. "You're going to cook?"
Richard interjects, "Well, speaking of magic, Sally is quite the magician in the kitchen. I think you get your knack from her."
"You never once cooked when I was a child," she pouts.
"I did," she protests.
"Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are not cooking." Bella points out.
"But add Marshmallow Fluff, butter the bread and fry in a pan?" she winks.
Richard adds, "I think you will be quite surprised, Bella, both ladies have quite a menu planned for dinner."
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
After Sally refuses us for clean up, Jasper and Alice drop us off at the apartment. We slowly walk the stairs, hand in hand, rubbing my thumb across Bella's knuckles.
I open the door, flip on the light and lead Bella into the living room.
"How about a hot bath?" I suggest.
She smirks at me. "Ahha."
I inform nonchalantly. "It's relaxing."
She chews her inner cheek and I gently pull bending down kissing her lips.
She squints at me. "What are you up to?"
I stand back holding her shoulders. "Slow, very slow."
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
I have a computer system that consistently keeps the water in the tub at a warm, eighty degrees. The fireplace's flames dimly lights the room with only our silhouetted figures. The jets quietly bubble slowly and the overhead stereo softly plays classical, piano pieces.
Bella's back lays on my chest as I lean against the angled tub. I gently remove the hair tie from her ponytail and run my fingers down through her soft hair to her arms.
"That feels good," she barely whispers.
I lightly run my fingers from her wrists to her elbows and feel her skin raise.
"Oooo, goose bumps," she murmurs.
"I'm getting a rise out of you," I kid.
Turning around, Bella takes a quick glance at me. "And apparently ... I'm doing the same to you."
Oh, fuck slow. I grab her squeezing her close to me, positioning her over my lap.
"I see we are switching plans," Bella mumbles between our kisses.
"Oh Baby, you fucking know it." I latch onto a breast.
She giggles. "I feel 'it'."
"'It', I'm an 'it'?" I complain mumbling on her skin.
She swoons and leans over me. "Oh, the best kind of … 'it'."
"But still an "it"? I make a puppy dog face, and she sinks down over my 'it' and I hiss.
I raise the jets, the bubbles expand in large waves as we meet the foaming action and slapping waters that overflow the sides of the tub.
Bella sings in a low, breathy, bass voice, "Swing low, sweet chariot,
Comin' for to carry me home; Swing low, sweet chariot, Comin' for to carry me home."
We explode and my woman screams, "Sweet Jesus, the band of angels just took us home!" We burst out laughing.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Sally arranges a limo for the trip to the North Shore. She wants all of us to celebrate and not worry about driving. We learn that once a week she takes this limo and driver to the Seventh Ward and drives underprivileged kids around the city, feeds them a good lunch, gives them a few dollars and psyches them up on education and God.
Bella sits next to me with a look of pride on her face and asks the driver for more stories about her mother.
By the time we get to my parent's house, we are ready for dinner.
Bella wouldn't allow me or Jasper to get into the box of black and white cookies and poppy seed bars.
We enter through the front door and to the left is the dining room which the table is set with the fine china and glassware.
Mom and Sally both greet us with serving plates and soup urn in their hands. Mom instructs us to sit, as Charlie, Dad and Emmett walk around the corner.
Charlie tentatively approaches Bella and she lunges forward to hug him. I can hear Charlie whisper his apologies. I guess all is right with them.
So Sunday dinner turns out to be a Friday night, Jewish special, according to my girl.
We start out with a liver pâté on a bed of lettuce served with challah or crackers. It is sweet to the palate with a chunky texture. Bella cooes, "Oy, chopped liver!" Jasper continues his plight of the human vacuum and proceeds to finish off all the liver. He snaps at me about needing protein.Mom dips her ladle into the urn and serves up Jewish chicken soup with either a Matzoh ball (knadle), or wontons (kreplach).
The dough of the kreplach is light and melts in my mouth as does the knadle. It's the best chicken soup I have ever eaten.
Sally anxiously looks at everyone. "Sooo?"
I smile at her. "You want to work for me?"
She exhales a large breath. "Thank you, Edward."
Emmett lifts his head from his bowl. "The hell he knows, because he cooks. Sally, if you didn't have Richard I'd ask you to marry me."
She giggles. "Oh Emmett, you couldn't handle me."
Richard vigorously nods his head and laughs. "She can wear you out."
Emmett pokes him. "I'm sure she would."
Charlie stares at the silverware.
We make it through the beef brisket and vegetables. I start to feel my expanding waistline but do try tthe noodle kugel. Bella promises to make this for me.
The cookies are on a plate and Dad, Charlie and Richard steal a few and head for dad's man cave in the garage. Emmett pours more wine and we discuss wedding plans. Well, Mom, Sally and Alice talk about their ideas.
Bella and I allow them to talk, throwing their suggestions at us. We insist on small and nothing fancy. A simple ceremony that needs to be outside for Julia.
The time passes and we need to get home. The restaurant opens back up tomorrow.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Bella and I are so full and tired we fall into bed and don't realize the alarm rings the next morning. Both groggy, we fumble through a shower, dress and head down to the restaurant.
Mama Jean greets us with a cheerful 'hello', two cups of coffee and a client in the office.
"Who the fuck is here this early?" I moan to Mama Jean.
"She said she spoke with Jasper about a private party. She's very insistent, Edward." Mama Jean complains.
"Okay, okay, I'll go handle this." I kiss Bella on the cheek and head for the office.
As I open the door, I see a leggy blonde sitting in one of the chairs. I clear my throat and approach her with my hand out. "Edward Cullen."
She looks up with a smile. "Mr. Cullen." She nods. "I'm looking for a good pastry chef for a party I am having next week."
I sit behind my desk. "Yes, I recall Jasper mentioning you calling. Your name again?"
In the corner of my eye, I see Bella walk past the door and I shout out. "Bella, you want to come on in."
The woman sits up straight in the chair crossing her legs as Bella enters the room.
I watch in horror as Bella lunges for this woman. "God, I'd know those shoes anywhere!"
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
And fade to black….. We just know who that woman was... right?
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
A/N: Thank you to my Beta, Sunflower Fran. I appreciate her time, her proper grammar and quick pen. Another great find by PAD!
To Robseve and Postapocalypticdepository (PAD), my pre-readers that give their unselfish time and creative input. Both of these ladies are inspirations and true friends.
Now, let me rec Postapocalypticdepository stories, since she so graciously rec'd mine.
Never Judge by the Cover: 9056924
Boys Will Be: 8868006
Rude Awakenings: 8876785
It's a New Dawn, It's a New Year: 8862243 (complete)
And a shout out rec to: BURN 8999279 by compass54
And to: Midnight-Confessions 9182601 by ohgeefantasy
Careless Hearts 9881551 by ohgeefantasy
And to: Edward Cullen FBI Special Agent and Psychic by 9626040 Dinia Steel
Also, found this story: Finally in Phoenix 9987411 by laughablelamb
AND: A Crack in the Door 8874295 by jane-with-a-y
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
And thank you to all the readers, whether you review or not. I enjoy every comment and suggestion. Yes, NOLA (New Orleans, LA) is an exciting place to live. And to combine the old world with the new is a challenge, but the humor is quite a serious business. My objective is for all of you to smile, after each chapter.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Recipes:
Ashkenazic Cuisine:Chicken Soup with Matzoh Balls (Knadles) and Jewish Won Tons (Kreplach)
The Soup:
1 (3 lb) whole chicken
4 carrots, sliced
4 stalks celery, sliced
1 parsnip, cut up
water to cover
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
Put the chicken, carrots, celery and parsnip in a large soup pot and cover with cold water. Heat and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken meat falls off of the bones. (skim off foam every so often).
Take everything out of the pot. Strain the broth. Pick the meat off of the bones and chop the carrots, celery and onion. Season the broth with salt, pepper and chicken bouillon to taste, if desired. Return the chicken, carrots, celery and onion to the pot, stir together, and serve.
The Knadles
1 ¼ cups matzoh meal
2 ½ cups kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
5 large eggs, 3 separated
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup minced onion
1 tablespoon vegetable oil for forming the matzoh balls
In a large bowl, combine matzoh meal, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk 2 whole eggs and with 3 yolks, ¼ cup vegetable oil, and onion. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric beater until stiff peaks form. Stir vegetable oil mixture into the dry ingredients, then stir in one-third of the beaten egg whites, folding carefully. Add the rest of the whites, carefully. Cover with plastic wrap for 20 minutes, until firm.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix the one tablespoon of oil with one tablespoon of water.
Scoop a tablespoon-size mound of matzoh mixture, form into a ball and place on the parchment paper. Using the oil and water mixture to keep your hands moist, roll a ball of batter into a ball, handle with great care.
Add matzoh balls to soup on medium heat, cook until they reach the surface and are plump and fully cooked.
The Kreplach:
Filling:
2 tablespoon corn oil
¾ cup chopped onion
½ pound hamburger
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped fine
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Heat corn oil in a skillet; sauté onions until nicely browned, remove with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Add meat to the pan and sauté on high heat, stirring frequently until all meat is browned. Put the onions back in, and sauté with meat, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Let cool. In a bowl, thoroughly mix meat-onion mixture with all remaining ingredients.
Wrappers:
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs beaten
3 tablespoon cold water
1 egg beaten for binding kreplach
1 tablespoon salt
Sift flour and 1 teaspoon salt into a large bowl, and create a well in the center. Pour eggs into the well, and, wetting your hands, knead into a dough. Add water, and continue
kneading until dough is smooth. Roll dough into a ball, place it in a bowl, cover the bowl with a damp cloth, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
On a well-floured board, roll dough as close as possible to paper-thinness with a floured rolling pin. Cut into 2-inch squares. Have bowl with beaten egg, a teaspoon, and filling at hand. Place a flatware teaspoon of filling in the center of the square and fold diagonally to create a triangle. Seal sides with egg mixture. Bring a pot of water to a vigorous boil, add 1 tablespoon salt, drop in the kreplach, and cook for 20 minutes. When done, place in soup.
Chopped Liver
1 ½ lb. chicken livers
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 large onion, finely chopped
5 hard boiled eggs, peeled and diced
salt and pepper to taste
Heat skillet to medium, add oil, then onions. When onions look clear and glazed, add chicken livers and cook until done. Add salt and pepper.
Set aside to cool.
In a food processor, combine drained livers and onions, and mayonnaise. Blend until liver is smooth. Add hard boiled eggs and process a little bit, so you can still have small chunks of egg whites.
Chill, then serve with crackers, toast or on a bed of lettuce.
Beef Brisket and Vegetables
1 large (turkey size) oven cooking bag
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3-4 lbs flat-cut beef brisket
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
kosher salt and ground pepper to taste
3 pounds baby red potatoes, peeled
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut in pieces
8 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and halved
1 head garlic, separated and peeled
½ large sweet onion, sliced thin
1 package dry onion soup mix
1 package mushroom gravy mix
1 cup tomato juice
1 cup water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place flour in cooking bag and shake bag so that the flour reaches all parts of the inside. Place bag in a large roasting pan and spread the flour evenly over the bottom with your fingers.
Using the onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper, season both sides of the brisket. Place brisket, fat-side up, in the cooking bag on top of the flour.
Spread potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, and whole garlic cloves evenly around the outside of the brisket inside the bag. You may wish to lightly spray the tops of the vegetables with cooking spray so they do not discolor. Spread the thin-sliced onions on top of the brisket.
In a mixing bowl, combine onion soup mix, gravy mix, tomato juice, and water until combined. Pour on top of brisket and vegetables. Seal the bag with the plastic tie provided. Cut 4 (1-inch) slits in the top of the bag for ventilation.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing brisket. Slice brisket against the grain into thin slices. Serve with vegetables and natural gravy from the bag.
Noodle Kugel
1 lb wide egg noodles, cooked, drained and still hot
4 ounces (1 stick) cold butter
1 (16-ounce) container cottage cheese
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup raisins
¾ cup sugar
4 large eggs, separated
½ cup milk
In a large bowl, combine still-hot noodles with cold butter, mixing until butter is completely melted. Add cottage cheese, sour cream, beaten egg yolks, milk, cinnamon, raisins and sugar, mixing well. Beat egg whites until you have peaks and gently fold into noodle mixture.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 13-by-9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with vegetable spray. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour. Serve warm or cold.
Black and White Cookies
1 cup all-purpose
1 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
grated zest of ½ lemon
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
⅔ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
For Icing:
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
4 teaspoons light corn syrup
½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and cake flours, baking powder, and salt. In another small bowl, mix together the milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and lemon zest.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a bowl by hand), beat together the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until completely smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in half of the flour mixture, followed by the milk mixture, then stir in the remaining flour mixture and beat until the batter is smooth.
Drop 2 Tbs. batter in mounds spaced 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, rotating the baking sheets midway through baking, until the cookies feel just set in the centers, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheets.
The icings:In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups confectioners' sugar with 2 tsp. of the corn syrup, the lemon juice, the vanilla, and 3 Tbs. water until smooth.
Transfer half of the mixture to a small bowl and whisk in the cocoa and remaining 2 tsp. corn syrup to make the "black" icing. Add up to 2 teaspoons more water, if necessary, to make the icing spreadable; it should not be too thin, so begin by adding 1 teaspoon and add another teaspoon only if needed. Whisk the remaining 2 Tbs. confectioners' sugar into the white icing. The two icings should have the same consistency: thick, but spreadable. (If the white icing is too thin, add a bit more confectioners' sugar.)
With a small icing spatula or a butter knife, spread white icing over one half of the flat (bottom) side of each cookie. Spread black icing over the other half. Let the icing set for a few minutes before serving.
Poppy Seed Bars
For Filling:
1 ½ cups poppy seeds
½ cup blanched almonds, sliced and toasted
1 tablespoon lemon zest, finely grated
1 cup sugar
¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅔ cup milk
4 teaspoons lemon juice
¼ cup unsalted butter
For Base and Topping:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioner's sugar; more for dusting
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup blanched, sliced and roasted almonds
1 cup unsalted butter; more for the pan
1 large egg
Make the filling:Combine the poppy seeds, almonds and the lemon zest in a food processor and pulse until fine. Transfer the mixture to saucepan and add the remaining ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture boils and thickens to a syrup, ten minutes, Remove from the heat and let cool.
Make the base and topping:Place in the center of the oven at 350 degrees F oven.
Butter a 9x13 pan.
In a food processor, add flour, confectioner's sugar, baking powder, and almonds. Pulse to blend, as you drop pieces of butter into the flour mixture. As machines runs, add the egg through the feed tube, until it becomes a ball.
Assemble and Bake:
Pat half the dough into greased pan. Pour the cooled filling over the base. Crumble the remaining dough over the filling, creating a topping. Bake until topping is browned, 50-60 minutes. Cool and cut into bars. Dust with confectioners sugar.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
And please, review … it makes me happy.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Next up: BPOV