Hi everyone! I would like to dedicate this chapter to anyone who reviewed and said something about my writing or me as a writer, (I'll explain why after the chapter!)
XOXO, DEVINEROSE
I own nuffin 'cept my own plot line
"Bells, how do I look?" Charlie asked as I slid on my flip flops.
"Dad, you look great," I said with a chuckle, "But you really should stop fiddling with your shirt."
"I'm sorry, I'm just nervous." He admitted.
"For what? Dad, you'll be fine." I laughed before ushering him out of the door. He was still playing with the buttons on his shirt. He was wearing a nice button up with a pair of dark jeans, just as Alice had instructed when he called her to ask about what would be the appropriate attire for the evening. I myself was wearing a denim mini skirt and an over sized sweater, my hair pulled into two simple braids.
My heart was thumping in my chest at the prospect of seeing Edward. The past four days had been utter torture, Charlie had insisted on taking a father daughter fishing trip. I had always enjoyed hanging out with my father, however, being away from Edward for four days was agonizing.
Charlie drove while I instructed him on where to go without getting lost. Within twenty minutes we were pulling up the long driveway to the gigantic white house. Charlie had a similar reaction to mine, the first time I saw the Cullen house.
"This is a beautiful house." He said getting out of the car.
"Why thank you." We looked up to see Esme standing on the porch in front of the open door.
"Bella, darling so nice to see you again." Esme said giving me a hug before turning to Charlie.
"Hello, you must be Charlie." She said holding out a hand to him which he took gratefully.
"I'm Esme, Alice, Edward, and Emmett's mother."
"Pleasure to meet you."
"You too, please come in. Bella, Alice and the kids are out back, Charlie, would you like to follow me into the kitchen for a drink first?" Esme offered.
"I'd love that, thank you." Charlie said before following Esme into the kitchen. Instead of going after them, I went down the long corridor out to the back yard where the boys were playing pass on the grass while Alice and Rosalie were setting the table on the patio, and Carlisle was at the grill cooking for the evening.
"Hey guys." I said, causing Alice to rocket over to me and wrap her arms tightly around my middle, while Rosalie smiled at me from across the table.
"Bella, it's nice to see you again." Carlisle said with a wave I returned. Alice let me go, and all of a sudden I felt myself being thrown over a pair of massive shoulders.
"Emmett, put me down!" I wailed with laughter. Although my voice was mangled from my stomach being directly over his shoulder.
"Edward!" I cried to my savior who was laughing along with everyone else as he approached.
"Yes, Edward, come over and save the fair maiden." Emmett teased as he began to run around the yard with me, which wasn't a problem until he nearly took out Alice in her attempt to stop him.
"Em, put her down before I make you put her down." Rosalie called from the table. Emmett immediately placed me in Edward's awaiting arms.
"Hello Love." Edward said, setting me on my feet and kissing me on the forehead, "Long time no see."
"Edward, it's been four days." I said with a smile, though secretly I knew exactly how he felt.
"Four long ass days." Emmett said with a groan, "This boy has been moping around the house since the minute you and Charlie left, good God was it depressing." He finished clapping a hand on Edward's shoulder, Edward blushed a little and glared at Emmet for reveiling his weakness.
"Don't worry if you ask Charlie he'd say the same thing." I admitted, Edward smiled while Emmett just rolled his eyes.
"Where is good ol' Charlie anyway, I'm dying to meet him." Emmett said eagerly looking around.
"He was in the kitchen last I checked."
"Sweet. Adios!" Emmett said before crossing the yard and disappearing in to the house. I smiled and watched him go before looking at Edward.
"Hello." He said with a smile, I smiled back.
"Hello."
"Put your arms over my shoulders." He instructed, puzzled, I did as he said. As soon as my hands were cleared of his body, his arms wrapped around my waist and he pulled me into him, hugging me tightly.
"You cannot fathom how much I missed you these past few days." He whispered into my neck.
"I was going to say I missed you too, but now my words feel inadequate." I said with a smile, he laughed as well before pulling away.
"I missed you too is just fine." He said with a smile.
"Jasper Rose, your parents are here, it's time for dinner!" Esme called from the table where she placed a giant bowl of salad. Charles and Margaret Hale had already immersed themselves in the festivities. Charles was with Carlisle and Charlie by the grill and Margaret was carrying out a pitcher of lemonade with Esme. Edward carefully looped my arm through his and we made our way over to the table. I slid into the empty seat next to Alice while Edward took the spot on the other side of me. I politely greeted the Hales as they sat down with us.
As soon as everyone was seated the food began to make its way around the table, there were hot dogs and hamburgers, the classic Fourth of July food, along with corn on the cob, salad, mashed potatoes, and cole slaw. I took a hamburger and a helping of each side dish, Edward gracefully poured me a cup of lemonade before pouring some for himself.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome." He said and I passed him the mashed potatoes.
"So, Charlie what brings you and Bella out here for the summer?" Carlisle inquired.
"I have a friend back home who signed us up for an annual fishing competition and this years prize was a trip up here for the summer. I of course had no idea that he signed us up until the day of, yet somehow we managed to win. But Billy is in a wheelchair, which would have made it difficult for him to travel, although to be completely honest, I don't think he even wanted to come, he just wanted to win. Either way, he gave his ticket to Bella, and here we are." Charlie finished.
"We are certainly glad you came." Esme said, glancing purposely at Edward.
"Yes, and we need to go fishing again, the three of us. Carlisle, you have to see this man in action, it's no surprise he won." Charles complimented.
"I don't doubt it. One day well have to go. As a matter of fact I'm off a couple of days next week if that works for you two." Carlisle offered. Margaret turned to Esme.
"We should make an evening of their little trip don't you think? What do you say, the boys catch, we fry?" She suggested.
"Sounds lovely. Where were you thinking?" Esme asked margaret and then they went off into their own little world, discussing time and place.
"Well, it seems as though our plans have been made for us boys." Charles said with a laugh looking lovingly at his wife. The men also began to chat amongst themselves about certain fishing tactics, and the best places to go.
"So Bella," Rosalie said, I turned to her, "How are you fairing? What has it been, five, six days?" She inquired with a sly smile.
"Five days, twenty hours, and 11 minutes." Edward answered matter-of-factly, before questioning,
"Although I'm a little shaky on the minutes, did the bet start at the restaurant or at the club?" He asked the table.
"I guess that leaves one day, three hours, and forty-nine minutes my dear Bella." Emmett said winking at me, I groaned inwardly.
"We're going from the hand shake in the club, makes it more official." Emmett informed Edward who nodded his understanding.
"Alice hon, how are you holding up?" I asked squeezing her shoulder comfortingly. At the mention of it all her face fell,
"When I was ten nine Esme bought me my first pair of designer shoes, they were my favorite shoes, I loved them so much. Then one day I can home and written across the toes in permanent marker was 'Alice Sticks'. I literally nearly killed Emmett because it hurt so much, they were the first really nice pair of shoes I had ever owned," Alice said sadly.
"She really did try to kill me though, and probably would have done it had Esme not entered the room in time." Emmett agreed.
"Anyway, this bet hurts so much more than that. Emmett took all of my catalogues and he checks my internet history every night to make sure I'm not cheating." Alice whined, then slumped over so the side of her head was resting on my shoulder as she looked out at the table with a pout.
"Alice," Margaret said concernedly from across the table, "What's wrong?"
"Emmett was mean and I was stupid." She said.
"Alice you could never be stupid." Charles said reaching over and squeezing the back of Alice's neck comfortingly. He had purposefully omitted objecting to the statement about Emmett.
"Hey, I'm not mean!" Emmett said catching on, "She chose to take the bet, all I did was suggest it."
"Alice, didn't I tell you about making bets you couldn't handle?" Esme asked with a raised eyebrow and a smile.
"Well, yes, but-" Alice began,
"But nothing Missy, you're mother is right. Now what did you bet?" Carlisle asked, he was smiling as well.
"That I wouldn't shop for a month." Alice mumbled. Carlisle bit back a smile, not wanting to upset his daughter further, while Esme just laughed at her daughter's predicament.
"Oh Alice, come here baby." She said still laughing as she got out of her seat and walked over to her daughter, comforting the small girl with a hug.
"Let this be a lesson to you." Margaret said with a smile. Alice nodded and she and her mother broke apart, but not before her mother placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head.
"I'm sure you'll be fine. It'll be painful, but you'll be fine." Esme said comfortingly before returning to her seat.
"Yeah, Alice, and whenever it hurts to much to go on, think about the pain Bella's gone through, I mean hers was so much worse than yours." Emmett said with a laugh, causing all adult eyes to train on me while Edward and I glared at Emmett, who shrunk back sheepishly with a,
"Whoops."
"Bella?" Charlie asked with a raised brow. I looked to Edward, unsure of how to answer. I knew that the answer to this question would either not effect our time this evening, or it could make things very, very bad for all involved, namely Edward and I.
"Well, um, I-" I began shakily.
"The bet is quite simple, Bella isn't allowed to touch or kiss Edward. See nothing to bad." Emmett said trying to make up for his earlier mistake, and he clapped Charlie on the shoulder. Edward and I froze completely, awaiting Charlie's response. He took us both by surprise when he laughed.
"So that's what was going on the other night, and here I was thinking you two didn't like each other. Good luck with that Bella, and you too Alice." He said with a grin. I was momentarily stunned.
"Thank you Charlie." Alice said breaking me from my stupor.
"Thanks." I said and dinner resumed as usual.
"Emmett, Jasper, find any good ones for this year?" Carlisle asked.
"Did we ever!" Jasper answered.
"Care to tell us about them?"
"You'll have to wait and see, this is going to be the best year yet." Emmett told him refusing to comply.
By the time we were done with dinner the sun had long since set and the only light was coming from the house lights streaming through the glass walled building and the steady flicker of the candles placed on the table. Everyone chipped in to cleaning up the dinner mess so everything was spotless within half an hour.
"Alright kids," Esme said sitting back down at the clean table, "It's all you." Emmett, Jasper, and Edward ran off to the garage while Alice grabbed my hand and yanked me inside.
"Turn off all of the lights ok, I'll do first floor, Rose you can take second and Bella, you're the third." Alice instructed before she zoomed off in a different direction. Rosalie and I made our way up the stairs, parting at the second floor.
Once I got to the third floor I began turning off all the lights I could find. Luckily there weren't many, Edward's room, the bathroom, and the guest room, which I had never been in before. As soon as I finished I went back downstairs and began helping Alice with the lights she still had leftover. When we were nearly done Edward walked in,
"Alice, they're ready when you are." He told her, she grinned and she and Rosalie raced outside. I made to follow them, but Edward stopped me.
"And where do you think you're going?" He asked playfully.
"I thought-" I began, but he cut me off.
"Normally yes, but I want you all to myself tonight." He said sincerely and he placed a kiss right next to the corner of my lips. My heart thudded in my chest. One more day, just one more day I pleaded with myself as he led me up the stairs. Instead of entering his room, we went in the guest room. It was painted a light blue with a queen sized bed in the middle, a desk pressed against the far wall and a tall bureau. Edward led me over to a pair of full length curtains, dropping my arm to push them aside. Behind them were a pair of sliding glass doors, which he pushed open before turning back to me.
"Bella there is something I want to show you." He said and he led me out onto the balcony. It looked out over the darkened top of the forest, and beyond that to the beach, to which the moonlight gave an eerie glow. It was not the picturesque view of the sunset, or a snow covered mountain range, it was much darker than that, but within that darkness was where it got it's beauty.
"Edward, it's beautiful." I told him honestly.
"I'm glad you think that, but that's not what I want to show you." He said with a smile, and he gestured to a small ladder that was leaning against the wall. I stared at it.
"You wanted to show me how I'd die?" I asked staring at the ladder before me. He was about to object when a loud crack went off, causing me to jump with fright,
"Bella, come on or were going to miss it. Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you." Edward said sincerely. I nodded and nervously began to climb the ladder. It couldn't have been more than six feet tall, but knowing me and my clumsiness I would have managed to find some way to fall off and plummet to my death.
"I'm right behind you, I won't let you fall." Edward assured, as if he could read my mind. I finally made it to the top as another explosion went off. They were fireworks, going off in an array of blues, reds, greens, golds, and other colors of the rainbow. I climbed onto the roof, and found myself standing right under them, it was more than words could descride, I could hear the cheers of my family and friends cheering on whoever was lighting the fireworks. I felt Edward come up behind me, sneaking his arms under my own to wrap around my waist.
"Happy Fourth of July." He whispered in my ear before looking up to the fireworks going off above us. I turned my head so I could look up at him, the colorful bursts of lights sharpened his features making him even more beautiful as the wind swept through his hair, swirling it all around. At that moment I realized I loved him more than I did myself, he was my world and I was his, nothing could ever come between us.
"Edward." I whispered, he looked down at me, his eyes catching mine, we gazed at each other for a while and I saw in him exactly what I felt within myself.
And I kissed him as the fireworks boomed in the air.
The end.
JK, Jk, we still got a while to go. Just want to say THANK YOU, you guys are amazing, and your reviews really make my day, seriously I really enjoy knowing that I'm doing this the right way and that you guys actually like what I write, so thank you I really appreciate it!
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Next Update: February 23, 2009 (AHHHHH lord help me...CREW!-sry, im gunna stop with the outbursts seeing as they probs don't make sense to anyone but me, yeah....)