Chapter 35 - Family Matters

After Edward collects his green duffle bags from baggage claim, the three of us go out to dinner. Since he and I have spoken on the phone almost daily, he spends most of the meal chatting with Esme. I'm perfectly content listen as I sit pressed into his side, our fingers entwined on top of his thigh.

I remain fairly well-behaved until we're waiting for the check, and then my self-control starts to wane. Casual movements of my hand become deliberate strokes along the inner seam of his pants. I draw teasing circles over the material, slowly creeping upward until the tips of my fingers find the hard bulge they've been seeking. With rapidly decreasing restraint, I slide my palm over his erection and give it a meaningful squeeze. Edward's breath hitches a little when I tug on him, but he otherwise manages to keep his composure in front of his mom.

Our goodbye to Esme is rather hasty, but her knowing smile shows that she isn't offended. I chuckle as Edward breaks into a jog toward my car, pulling me along by my hand. We're both eager to begin our alone time together and fully intend to spend the next several days sequestered in my apartment, emerging just in time to attend Anna's birthday party.

On the drive back to my apartment, however, I get a phone call from Dad.

"Hey, Bells, guess what? I'm taking time off work to visit this coming weekend. I just emailed you the flight information."

"What?" I'm so surprised that it takes a moment for me to connect the dots. "Um, it'd be great to see you, Dad, but it's not really a good time right now. Don't you remember me telling you about Edward coming back? In fact, I just picked him up from the airport."

"Huh, guess I forgot." He clears his throat. "It took me a while to juggle my work schedule to come, and anyway, I don't get in until Friday morning. You two will have most of the week to get, uh, reacquainted."

I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that last statement coming out of his mouth. "Well…just so you know, I'm busy Friday evening. Anna, one of the kids I watch after school, is having a birthday party."

Edward's hand is resting on my thigh, and he squeezes it to get my attention. "If you want, he can come with us," he says in a low voice. "You know Mom would love to meet him."

"Hold on, Dad." I put the car's speakerphone connection on mute. "It's Anna's birthday. She's not going to want a complete stranger there."

"She'll probably be too busy running around with her friends to even notice. It's up to you, of course, but I certainly wouldn't mind having some reinforcements around the first time he sees me," he says with a smile.

I grudgingly concede the point and relay the offer to Dad. I can hear in his voice that he's not excited about the idea of going to kids' party, but he does agree it will be good to meet the extended family of my very significant other.

By the time I've ended the call, Edward has already confirmed Alice's approval of his spontaneous invitation. We pull into my apartment complex's parking lot, and before I exit the car, I decide to give Esme a heads up about my dad's plans via text. I'm in the middle of typing my message when a tap on my window startles me so badly that I drop the phone. I gasp when I see who it is.

Mom.

She steps back with a happy smile when I scramble out of the car.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I demand, the words coming out more sharply than I intend. "Are you conspiring with Dad or something?"

"Charlie? Not at all. Hell, I don't remember the last time we talked. Why—what's going on?" She looks appropriately confused.

I shake my head. "Hold that thought. First of all, why are you here?"

"Well, I thought I'd surprise you with a visit. Plus, I'm dying to meet this man of yours! Didn't you say he'd be back by now? How about tomorrow morning we invite him over for—"

She stops abruptly when the passenger side door swings open and Edward steps out. He gives her a warm smile, and though I'm full of irritation over Mom's appearance, I feel a rush of love for my ever-polite boyfriend.

"You must be Edward!" Mom exclaims as she pulls him into a hug at the front of the car. "I've heard so much about you...and I can't wait to find out more."

I do my best to contain mounting ire as she chatters on for the next hour in my apartment. Edward graciously answers her numerous questions, even though he's fighting back yawns. Finally, I can't contain my impatience any longer.

"Mom, the guest room is all yours until Dad gets here, and then you two can figure it out between yourselves. Edward and I are going to bed now." Without further ado, I stand up and drag him out of the living room.

Edward takes a quick shower to wash off over a day's worth of travel and then joins me under the covers, wearing only his boxers. Immediately, my hand goes to his chest and begins exploring the curves of his muscles. They have become more defined and solid during his time in Afghanistan.

"Wow, look at you," I murmur, enjoying the feel of his bare skin.

"Mm…I can't." His fingers pull down a strap of my silk night slip. "I'm too busy looking at something else."

I moan when he brushes his thumb over a newly exposed nipple.

"Shh," he warns teasingly. "Your mom's in the next room, naughty girl."

"I don't care." My voice is breathy but petulant. "That's what she gets for showing up without letting me…oh God."

He has removed his hand from my breast and replaced it with his lips. I run my fingers through the short hairs on the back of his neck and hold his head to my chest. His tongue swirls over the sensitive nipple as he sucks it in his mouth.

My legs wrap around the back of his thighs and pull him on top of me. Within moments, his boxers and my slip are tossed away and his cock is sliding through my wet folds.

"Fuck, I need you," he pants, his lips moving against my ear. "I've waited too long to be inside you again, and now I'm going to fuck you so...damn…hard."

When he slams into me for the first time, I know right away that neither of us is going to last long. I'm tight around him, and he's so thick from arousal that I can feel him in every part of my body. He picks up a pounding, relentless pace, and already I can sense the edges of my orgasm beginning to take shape. Giving myself to the aching pressure, I claw at his back and buck wildly beneath him, desperate for more, hungry for the kind of release only he can give.

Edward understands my wordless pleas. He moves over me so that my mouth is in line with his collarbone. My back arches into the mattress as my body curls in on itself. Pulling out only partly, Edward drags the engorged head of his cock back and forth over the spot he knows will make me come.

"Yes…right there," I gasp needlessly. "More..."

He continues driving into me with determined precision. My fingers dig into his sweat-slickened skin, trying to brace myself against the force of his thrusts.

"So close…I'm...so close...oh fuck!"

Without warning, my body clenches and quakes from the surge of a powerful climax. Edward gasps when I tighten around him, his hips jerking erratically as his own release overwhelms him.

"Gonna…come…I'm, fuck…I'm coming…" he cries out.

Twisted up in one another, we shudder through the aftershocks and try to catch our breath.

"So much for being quiet," I comment with a laugh when we finally stumble out of bed to clean ourselves off.

Edward ducks his head sheepishly. "Yeah, well…you were right. If she's going to show up the night I get back, she shouldn't be surprised to hear sex sounds all night."

"All night, huh?" I raise an eyebrow in challenge. "Does that mean you're ready for round two?"

"Round two? Hmm…"

He reaches down to give his semi-erect cock a few thoughtful strokes. I'm wildly self-conscious but try not to squirm as his hungry gaze roams over my naked form and settles between my thighs.

He steps toward me and lets out a throaty, seductive chuckle. "I think that sounds like a great idea."

o-O-0-O-o

Instead of passing the week in a blissful state of undress, Edward and I find ourselves entertaining my mom. It's not too much of a chore—we visit the beach, a few museums, and historical sites—but I don't get nearly as much alone time with Edward as I'd like. While he does stay over at my apartment, his jet lag causes him to be exhausted during the day, which means he falls asleep early. I'm more of a night owl, and as a consequence, there's far less passionate sex happening than we'd planned. I never even get a chance to break out the whipped cream and chocolate syrup.

Dad flies into town Friday morning. Edward and I pick him up from the airport and then take him out to lunch. Mom opts to stay at my apartment, thus avoiding interaction with her ex-husband for as long as possible. I find this to be a wise choice on her part, and my opinion is later validated when I drive the four of us to Anna's birthday party. Dad makes a few attempts to talk, but Mom cuts him off each time, interjecting some trivia about Edward and me as if to prove she knows us better than he does.

When Edward makes formal introductions to his family before the party starts, I feel as if I'm trapped within a perfect storm of awkwardness. Alice's house is a nice, slightly above average middle-class house in a suburb, but my mom can't stop gushing about how much money their property and belongings must have cost, especially the in-ground pool. In contrast, Dad barely speaks, though his stilted, cool demeanor practically screams discomfort. When Mom chastises him for his social deficiencies in front of everyone and launches into a diatribe about his role in their failed marriage, I want to disappear into the ground. Or better yet, make my parents disappear.

Alice and Esme are perfectly welcoming, as I expected, but they have only enough time to exchange basic pleasantries before rushing back to their party preparation duties. Jasper and Emmett seem genuine in their greetings, but Rosalie acts as if speaking to me is some sort of punishment. Edward's pointed glares in her direction do nothing to ease the tension.

I'm vastly relieved when the young party guests begin to arrive. Although there's no reprieve from my parents' petty bickering, at least they're not the center of attention. I excuse myself and Edward to see if we can help with anything.

"Sorry about that," I sigh as we head toward the kitchen. "I should've known better than to think they could behave themselves."

He pulls me in for a hug. "You're not responsible for them, and besides, you know my family doesn't care. They're just happy you and I are here together."

When I scoff under my breath, Edward immediately picks up my meaning. He nudges me in the side with his elbow.

"Come on, you know Rose can't help herself," he says with a smile. "She's what happens when concentrated bitchiness takes on a human form."

I know I shouldn't let her disdain get to me, but it does. Logically, I realize that there are people in the world that won't like me, no matter what I do or don't do. I fully understand that my assessment of self-worth should in no way be based on the opinions of others.

But it's difficult fighting three decades of ingrained thought patterns. I'm hard-wired to crave the approval of others, and it literally makes me ill to my stomach when I'm faced with censure.

That's why, when I later notice Rosalie walking to her car, I follow after her. She hears the thud of my sandals on the driveway pavement and turns to face me.

"Oh, it's you," she says, sounding bored. "What do you want?"

I take a deep breath and try to ignore the racing beat of my heart.

"Listen, I'm sorry about everything that happened between your brother and me, but that's in the past," I tell her in the most confident voice I can muster. "We're moving forward and plan on a long future together. So, I'm curious: are you going to hold a grudge the entire time or what?"

She shrugs. "It's not a grudge. If Edward forgives you, that's his business, but it doesn't change how I feel. Simply put, I don't like you. It was shitty the way you dumped him, and I think he's stupid for taking you back. If your 'illness' or whatever is the reason you broke his heart, then you should do him a favor by staying the hell away so it doesn't happen again. He shouldn't be wasting his time trying to build a life with such an unstable person. He deserves more than that. Sorry to be blunt, but I just don't think you're good enough for him."

So many emotions are warring within me that, at first, I can only stare at her while desperately trying to hold back traitorous tears. The prickling heat in my eyes may be caused by anger, or shame, or frustration—I'm not able to tell, but I hate that they're visible. I don't want to seem weak. I want to yell at Rosalie, maybe even strike out at her. At the same time, however, everything's she said has come up in my own thoughts on more than one occasion.

Her dark blue eyes study the conflict on my features. She seems surprised when I square my shoulders and meet her stare with a steady gaze of my own.

"If you haven't figured this out yet, I love Edward, and the thing I want most is for him to be happy. I'm going to assume you feel the same way—that you care about him, too. Well, he and I are very happy together, and so long as that's true, I'm not going anywhere, no matter what you think.

"Yes, I've been diagnosed with depression and an eating disorder. But I'm aware of the challenges I face, and every day I work on overcoming them." I smirk at her. "That's more than I can say about you and your tendency to be an overbearing, judgmental bitch."

Rosalie's eyes widen as she attempts to sputter a response, but I roll right over her indignant squeaks.

"For Edward's sake, and the rest of your family's, I'd like for us to get along. At the very least, it'd be great if you could pull the stick out of your ass and be civil. Otherwise, you'll just be making things hard for everyone. Think about it."

Having no desire to spend any more time around her, I turn on my heel and march to the backyard, where Edward is listening to my mom prattle on about something while Jasper chats with Dad. I hesitate before entering the pool area and think about my relationship with my parents. I know that they love me in their own ways, but they've never given me the kind of support I need. And while it's bothered me, I've never considered talking to them about it or standing up for myself.

Confronting Rosalie felt good and was empowering. In my opinion, I'd been clear about my expectations and assertive in my delivery. I won't put myself out trying to appease her or feel guilty if she chooses to ignore my words. Maybe I should try the same approach with my parents.

It might be a good idea to leave out the name-calling and 'stick in the ass' parts, though.

Shortly after I rejoin my group, it's time to sing to the birthday girl, and cake is served. The party lasts another half hour, and then parents arrive to collect their children. Alice and Rosalie's kids stay in the pool while the rest of the family cleans up.

Rosalie is conspicuously absent when Edward, my parents, and I say our goodbyes. No one mentions her, however, and I am more than happy to banish her from my mind. It's my last night with Mom; she'll be leaving for the airport in the morning. Dad wisely decided to stay at a hotel, and Edward will sleep at his apartment for the first time since returning home. The alone time with Mom gives me the perfect opportunity to have a heart-to-heart.

She listens to me patiently as I explain why I would have preferred knowing ahead of time about her arrival. I say that I'd hoped to see her during my time in Maryland. She asks why I didn't tell her that before, and I admit that I didn't want to be disappointed if she didn't follow through. She acknowledges her unreliable nature and promises to try harder in the future, as long as I try to be more open with her.

All-in-all, our discussion is positive, and I am misty-eyed the next morning when she climbs into her rental car. Although her visit was sorely mistimed, I'm glad she came and was also able to meet Edward. Perhaps he and I will make a trip out to Colorado at some point.

I try to have a similar conversation with Dad before he leaves, but it doesn't go over quite as well. In fact, it could almost be classified as a disaster. I attempt to explain that I don't respond well to the pressure he's always placed on me and that I wish he could accept me for the person I am.

He does nod at my words, but the frown on his face tells me he's holding back from saying what he truly feels.

"What is it, Dad?" I ask, trying to rein in my own frustration. "This doesn't work unless you're honest."

He stares at me and then blows out a sigh. "I can be honest, but you're not going to like it."

"Just tell me."

"Well, truth is, I think you're screwing up your life. You've had the best schooling and the best opportunities, but instead of making something of yourself, instead of fulfilling your enormous potential, you took an insignificant position in a small company. And when you weren't even happy there, you simply gave up and used this eating thing as an excuse to avoid facing reality."

"You think my bulimia is an excuse?" I ask, incredulous.

"Life isn't easy, Bells. Work isn't always fun, and happiness isn't a right." He leans forward in his chair as the volume of his voice increases. "People these days, they don't take responsibility. They blame everything else, including all these mental issues like 'depression' and 'autism.' They ask for drugs instead of working hard to solve their problems. It just...disgusts me."

"I...I disgust you?"

"No, of course not. You're not...well, I mean...you just..."

"I disappoint you," I say quietly.

"Bells..."

"No, it's fine..." I shake my head and then take a deep breath to center myself before looking him straight in the eyes. "It's too bad that you're disappointed in me, but that's your problem. I'm not going to pretend like it doesn't hurt, because is does—a lot. It hurts that you think I would ever use serious mental conditions as reasons to shirk responsibility or make my life easier." I bark out a dry laugh. "Trust me, there's nothing easy about what I've been going through. I have professionally diagnosed disorders. I don't use them as excuses, but on the other hand, I'm no longer going to downplay the significant effects they have on me.

"And as for my life choices, well, that's pretty much it, isn't it? They're my choices. Not yours, not Mom's...hell, not even Edward's. Yes, I was extremely fortunate to have been born with potential for academic achievements, but I refuse to sacrifice my health, my sanity, or my desire to exist to satisfy the expectations of other people...even if one of those people is you."

Dad doesn't say anything in response. We stare at each other for several long moments, and then he looks away.

I realize now that he might not ever change his thinking. Like I told him, it pains my heart that he can't accept who I am and what I want out of life, but I'm going to try my hardest not to let his point of view influence mine. Our relationship may never be the same, but if it means I'm a happier person because of it, that's okay.

And even better, I think I'm going to be okay, too.

One more chapter and then an epilogue! Love you all so much!