Edward wasn't petulant. Moody or sulking. What he was, was truly ecstatic and over the moon, although he didn't show it.
His mind was working so fast, but at the same time, he could only think about Bella and how she made him feel. He didn't care about where they were, what Bella was now worth or any other little detail. He thought about her. The small smile, her perfect lips, her giggles, but her concern for everyone, her love of her daughter. It was all about her.
Then a painful thought hit him.
Later that day, Edward pulled Jasper to one side and raised his fears.
"Edward, it won't make the slightest difference, I swear to you. I haven't been privy to all of the details of the will, but I can assure you that you don't need to worry. When you adopt Eloise, which I know you will, nothing will change. What she has been left will still be hers. A change on her birth certificate won't matter," Jasper replied, smiling at a more relaxed Edward.
"And how do you think I can help Bella with all of this? Her brain is working overtime and I'm worried that it's stressing her out. She's not used to over thinking," as Edward spoke, he started to pace. This was so over the top, he thought.
"I've spoken to Bella, and I think I've got her going down the right path. She knows what she has to do, and I think you know, as well as everyone else, that's she's a lot stronger than what she looks. This is a life-changing thing, but she can do good with this. She just needed the direction," Jasper was smiling. Just the thought of Bella doing good with this money made Jasper happy. His brother would be spinning in his grave if he knew, but who cared?
Three weeks and several tearful moments later, Edward and Bella had just left the airport in Port Angeles. Their mood was sombre at leaving England, but they were trying to be positive for each other.
Carlisle had managed to get Edward another week off, so with the new start in their life, together as a couple, they decided to use that week well. They would be spending their time at the Cullen house but would be looking for their own family home.
Bella was now desperate to look around Forks and see what she had missed out on for all these years. She wanted to catch up with very old friends and show Eloise her new home. Edward was content to follow along.
Peter Whitlock's will had been read, in their absence, and the only person to be there, other than the lawyers for the estate, was Jasper. He'd emailed over a copy to Bella and Edward had spent the rest of the day trying to talk her out of a constant panic attack.
Neither of them had thought that so many zeros existed and who needed so many houses in so many countries? Bella was near hysterics at the thought of being in control of so much. She told that to Jasper, too, who almost laughed.
"Bella, remember, one step at a time,"
Now a little time had passed, Bella was somewhat calm. She was relaxed, now that she knew there were no stipulations in the will. She was free to do whatever she wanted with the money, as long as she had Eloise in her interests, which was laughable. Of course, she would. Eloise would always come first.
"So, you want to start looking for a house first? I get why you also want to look at schools, but if you're set on her not going to a private school, the list will be as small as their waiting lists," Edward joked as they got into a rental car.
They were sad to leave England but so happy to be going home. Edward had worried about Charlie and him not seeing Bella and Eloise. Would Bella want to go and stay with him? Bella quickly put his fears to rest. She wanted to be with Edward, and her father could visit any time he wanted to.
"I'd like a nice house for us, not too big. We don't need a mansion, and I'm more concerned about an area for Eloise to play in. I want her to have a happy childhood with two loving parents. The rest will be a bonus," Bella replied, smiling as she looked out of the car window. Her life was still upside down, but she could see the light at the end of the tunnel.