It makes me sad that Summer Fling is coming to an end. I have been on a journey, writing about these two over the course of a year, okay a little over a year. I have promised a Happy Ever After ending for these two and the Epi promises to do just that.
I owe so much to Bettygale for pushing me, supporting me when I wanted to give up or walk away from SF, for chatting with me at all hours of the night, and being one of my biggest supporters and a loyal friend.
To sunray16, for picking up as a second beta, for making the slightest changes and making the biggest differences, for her IM's and email's of encouragements, and for always being there for me whenever I tweet or IM her.
To elektrikmistress, for loving my creativity, for working through her lunch breaks to get me my chapters within the week, and for a shoulder to lean on when RL slaps me in the face.
I couldn't have done it without you lovely ladies. THANK YOU!
BPOV
Graduation was only a few days away. It seemed like the last five months had flown by in the blink of an eye. Edward and I talked every day, making plans and finalizing details about our future. God, just the sound of that made every cell in my body tingle. Even though I was a little afraid of the unknown and the fact that I hadn't been out of Washington before scared the living crap out of me, I was growing exceedingly excited.
The day before graduation, Edward flew out to be with me on my big day. I insisted that it wasn't a big deal and that he should focus on his studies, but he was adamant about coming. Who was I kidding, I wanted him there.
Graduation day was frantic and chaotic as the professors ushered us into our proper places. The service took way to long, but after two hours of sitting on my ass, it was time to toss the cheesy cap into the air and make a mad dash to the nearest restaurant to celebrate.
"Congratulations, Bells. I'm so proud of you," Dad said with tears in his eyes. Seriously, the man never cries, ever.
"Thanks dad."
"My little baby is growing up so fast… just yesterday you were in diapers."
"Dad, so not the time for the 'just yesterday' memories… "
"Oh, come on, I love the baby stories," Edward teased, wrapping his arms around my waist.
"You like anything that embarrasses me."
"True… plus you're so cute when you blush," he whispered in my ear. I simply shook my head, knowing how much I loved that he could do that to me.
"Come on, let's go celebrate," Sue said, giving me a wink as she ushered my dad through the crowd of people exiting the auditorium. Sue is an old family friend, who has a daughter my age and a son just about to graduation from high school. I had seen her coming around a bit more within the last six months, but every time I asked Dad about her, he would just shrug his shoulders and brush it off as if it nothing was going on. He wasn't fooling me; I knew he stole glances when he thought I wasn't paying attentions.
It wasn't until after Christmas that he grew some balls and finally asked her out. It was a complete role reversal as I sat on the opposite side of the couch and listened to him confess his feeling for her like a nervous teenager. It was completely adorable. He smiled from ear to ear as continued to talk. It was as if my dad hadn't smiled in over eight years. Who knew 'Mr. Ladies Man' was actually in love. Just knowing he was happy, made me beyond thrilled for the both of them.
So, as I watched him place an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer and kissing the side of her head, I couldn't contain my own smile at how his movements mimicked Edward's. Seeing them together made leaving a little more tolerable, I knew he wouldn't be alone; he had Sue.
Dinner was an exact replica of my high school graduation. The embarrassing stories came out full force - no thanks to Edward's persistent prodding. I blushed as usual, which earned another round of laughs at my expense. Just when I thought we were done, my father brought out a small wrapped box with a bow that looked like a five year old tied it. I quirked my eyebrow, knowing that I asked for no gifts. He brushed me off and firmly insisted that I just open it. I lifted the small lid that revealed Grandma's antique necklace.
"Dad," I gasped, holding up the delicate silver chain. The filigree work was the main part that I loved about Grandma's necklace. It was simple, yet looked exquisite. I took the pendant in my hand and brought it closer for a better look. I remembered seeing her wearing it for my high school graduation. It was surreal that she had passed away only two years ago. I missed her so much.
"Grandma wanted me to give you that when you graduated College. She would have been so proud of you, Bells." My dad smiled warmly at the trinket in my hand.
"I love it. Thank you." Thank you, Grandma.
"There's more," he stated, handing me a card sized envelope. I took it from him and opened it. As I read the heartfelt message that brought a tear to my eye, I couldn't help but notice a check flipped upside down. With a tentative hand, I reached for the paper and turned it over. I gasped, once again, when I saw the amount and shot a glance at my father.
"I want you to use it for your move and anything else you need while starting your new job and your new life." His eyes flashed over to Edward, then back to me.
I quickly leaned over and gave my father a hug and kiss on the cheek, thanking him for the money and the necklace and pretty much everything else he had done for me. When I repositioned myself back in my seat, I noticed another small package, sitting in front of me. It was a Tiffany's box. I swallowed hard, knowing it was from Edward.
After our talk over Christmas, I assumed it was just another piece of jewelry and not a ring. I slowly opened up the box and was hit with a sparkling array of diamonds and sapphires.
"Edward!" I took a sharp intake of breath, staring at the beautiful bracelet.
"I thought it would go great with your earrings," he said nonchalantly as if it were everyday he gave me diamonds and sapphires. He plucked it from its box and lifted my left arm, resting it on the table. With quick determination, he fastened the shiny bauble in place and then proceeded to twist and turn my wrist as the stones created a beautiful twinkling effect.
"Bella, it's exquisite. Edward, you have such great taste," Sue cooed from across the table. "What a beautiful bracelet."
"It's too much," I whispered only to Edward.
"You're going to have to get used to it, my love," he countered with a smirk. I grumbled, remembering the discussion about my truck four months ago.
Just shortly after Christmas, my father asked me what my plans where once I graduated. When I informed him about my plans for moving east to live with Edward and to work at one of the many prestigious newspapers, one of many topics came up – my truck, my baby. I loved that truck the moment my father handed me the keys. Sure, it was old and had seen better days (okay, a lot of days), but it got me from point A to point B without much complaint. When I told him that I would be taking it with me, I was instantly interrupted as my father pulled out his father badge and proceeded to lecture me on how unsafe it was to drive my truck three thousand miles to New Hampshire. Of course, I put up a great defense, but every turn I made, my father was there to counter each one of my logical reasons. In the end, the idea of me breaking down on the interstate in some God forsaken town overruled anything I could think of.
Later on that same night, I talked with Edward about the issue of needing a vehicle when I move there since my father deemed my truck 'un-road worthy'. Edward suggested that, at first, we could share his car until I got situated with a job. And then, with a little too much excitement, he offered to go car shopping with me. He called out names like BMW, Lexus, and Audi. Whatever happened to the good old brands; Ford, Chevy, Dodge, and Toyota? Did he think I would be able to afford an Audi on a journalist's paycheck? I would be lucky to afford a used car at best.
"Well kids, we're going to turn in," my father's voice pulled me from my ever wandering mind. "Bella, I'm so proud of you sweetheart." He slid his chair back and slowly stood, stretching his arms out and welcoming me in a warm embrace. After what felt like forever, he released me. He then stretched out his hand to Edward. "Edward, always a pleasure to see you, son," he said, firmly shaking Edward's hand.
Sue came up to me, giving me a hug as well, congratulating me once again. She then went to Edward, and to my surprise, she hugged him too. We eventually went our separate ways after talking more in the parking lot. Dad was staying in at a nearby hotel with Sue and then leaving in the morning for the three hour drive back home, while we headed back to my apartment.
Before I knew it, we were back in the damn airport, saying yet another round of goodbyes. I really fucking hated saying goodbye to him, but I had to remember that in less than a month, I wouldn't have to do that anymore.
The following weekend was Alice's presentation of her clothing line she designed for her senior year project. For the last four months, I had seen fabric samples, rough designs, and even modeled once or twice for her. I could barely follow the difference between a pleat and a bubblegum hem. I was a jeans and t-shirt girl who never really got into fashion until I met Alice, and even then, I still rebelled against most of her choices. So no matter if she was wrapping someone in a paper bag or top of the line silk, I knew she would do fantastic no matter what she created. I was living proof of that.
As a great surprise, Jasper flew out just to be with her on her big night, even though he had just been here for her graduation. I was instantly amazed at how his presence alone calmed her; her entire demeanor changed the moment he stepped through the door. I was suddenly grateful for Jasper's appearance and sadly wished Edward was right behind him, but alas, he wasn't. I quickly focused all my attention on Alice in preparation for her collection.
At the show, Jasper and I stood in the back and watched as the blur of bodies ran around in a frenzy. An array of fabric was tossed, cut, and sewn in a matter of minutes. Apparently there were three other students showcasing their collections as well, and the overwhelming demand for perfection was intense. I've watched American's Next Top Model and seen the chaos of the fashion show at the end of each season, but to see one in person was ten times the drama. I never imagined it was this hectic behind the scenes. Now, I knew.
The runway fashion show was nothing short of amazing. Out of all the designs, Alice's was by far the best. (And I am not saying that just because she is my best friend) In all reality, her's were the best; clean lines and a fresh look with polished accessories – Alice was always about accessories. So it wasn't much of a surprise when she had a top designer come up to her and offer his card, inquiring about her line. By the end of the night, she had three other offers from three different companies.
About an hour into the after party, I called it a night, feeling the effects of the long day start to wear on me. I hugged Alice and Jasper goodbye and climbed into a cab and went home.
The next morning I woke up to the smell of coffee brewing in the kitchen. I smiled, wanting my coffee fix for the day. I shuffled my feet across the living room floor to the tiled kitchen where the heavenly goodness of coffee and French vanilla were infused together. I grabbed my mug and proceeded to make my first morning cup. Alice joined me shortly after.
"So, how did you sleep?" she asked.
"Great, I barely heard you two come in last night. When did you get in?"
"Oh, about two in the morning," she said, turning to face me.
We stood there in silence as we both raised our cups to our mouths. Alice repeated this motion several more times, never taking her eyes off of me. And then my eyes caught sight of something new.
"Alice, what is that?" my eyes were glued to her hand. "Ohmygod, did he ask…..?" I stumbled, trying to find the right words.
"Yes!" she exclaimed in the loudest, yet softest voice ever, for her.
"Congratulations!" I immediately flung my coffee cup down and gave her a huge hug. From the moment she met Jasper, she knew she wanted to marry him. I couldn't be more thrilled for her right now. I pulled back, wanting to take another look at the ring. It was stunning; a round cut diamond with baguettes on either side with delicate filigree that screamed Alice. It was a perfect ring for her petite, little hands. "You're getting married," I said with a great deal of excitement.
"I am," she squealed.
And, like a couple of boisterous teenagers, we proceeded to jump up and down with excitement, trying our best to be as quiet as possible, knowing Jasper was in the other room, asleep.
"Oh, and you know those designers from last night?" I nodded. "Well, Jasper and I talked it over last night and…" she paused dramatically and then continued, "I'm going to take the offer for the company just outside of New York."
"Really? Oh honey, that's great!" I pulled her back into a hug. "I'm so happy. I hated the idea of leaving you here. With Rose gone and now me, I hated the thought of you being alone," I whispered in her ear.
"Well, now you don't have to be. And besides, Jasper was planning on moving here after graduation, but now he doesn't have too. It makes everyone happy. Do you realize the amount of shopping I can do in New York?" Leave it to Alice to find happiness with shopping in any state.
The following week, Alice flew out to New York to talk with a Macy's rep about adding her collection to the fall line and creating a new spring line for the following year. It was a dream of hers to be a fashion designer, and now with a clothing line at Macy's, she was on her way. She was to start right away, so the moment she got back, she started to pack. I packed up my things as well, though there really wasn't much to bring besides my clothes and a select number of books I refused to part with. Just as I was about to tote my few boxes to the UPS store to ship them, Alice stated that the movers were coming by in a few days and that she insisted on adding my boxes with hers. I simply thanked her, knowing she was saving me a couple hundred dollars by doing this for me.
My final week in Washington was spent with my Dad. I cooked him dinner every night and made his breakfast each morning. It felt natural and familiar to do so, plus it put a smile on both of our faces as we sat in comfortable silence. It was these moments that I would always remember. It was how we were.
Sue came over a few times and had dinner with us. I have to admit that it felt a little different to have another female in the house, but on the other hand, it felt pretty good considering I hadn't had a mother figure in my life for eight years. From the interaction alone that I had witnessed, she made him happy, keep him well fed, and lord only knew the house took a woman's touch to keep it up. Believe me, I did it for years. But the single fact that he wasn't going to be alone and that he had moved on with his life, made me beyond happy.
The final moments before stepping on the plane, I faced my father in tears as I said my final goodbye. I made a promise to come back soon and visit, but was unsure if and when I would be able to do so. As I stepped on the plane, I felt a twinge of pain in my chest as a piece of me was being left behind. I knew what my future entailed now. It just had a different location. My new home. Edward.
EPOV
As I sat on the edge of my bed, thinking over the last five months, I was amazed that it was already June and I would be walking across that stage and getting my diploma within a few hours.
Since being home, a lot had happened. Emmett shared the good news that he was going to be a father. Our father took it seemingly well. At first he was shocked, taking several minutes of Emmett reaffirming to him that it was, in fact, true. When it truly dawned on him that he was going to be a Grandfather, he became elated.
Of course, Dad insisted on helping in any way possible, which naturally prompted a talk about responsibility and accountability, for not only himself, but for the life of the child and his or her mother. He was talking mostly to Emmett, but I could see that he was also talking to me as well. To hear our father give advice – something that I had personally missed over the years – was enough to bring a tear to my eye. It was overwhelming to see the warmth and love he had as he talked about us as babies, to know he loved us and held us each night after he came home, even after a twenty-four hour shift at the hospital. We listened to him talk about when we were children, things I never knew he did while we weren't paying attention. He even opened up and told us about times with mom, the four of us together.
I had seen my brother cry several times in my lifetime, but to see him tear up at some of the memories, about ripped my heart out. For a big lug, he had such a tender heart.
The conversation then turned to our living situation, which prompted Emmett to ask me if it was alright if Rose could move in with us until they could go house hunting. I agreed without batting an eye. After all, he consented when I asked him about Bella moving in with us after graduation. Once everyone was in agreement, all Emmett had to do was wait to see if Rose was going to make the move, which we were confident that she would.
I went back to school and signed the necessary paperwork, picking Dartmouth Medical for my residency. It felt amazing to finally have that decision made, knowing I was following through with my childhood dream. I even specified that I wanted to concentrate on childcare and pediatrics.
Before I knew it, January had come and gone. In February, Bella had originally planned to come out for the weekend, but at the last minute, she had to cancel her plans to finish a group project due the following Tuesday. I immediately called the Bear Mountain Lodge Bed and Breakfast to cancel our reservation. I had planned a two night romantic stay in one of their suites for a Valentine's Day surprise.
March was a crazy month, at least the first half was. I had three grueling days of finals, ending on a Wednesday, no less. It took all I had to focus on the task at hand and not think about my trip to Seattle. I was scheduled to fly out the moment I finished finals and arrive in Seattle late Wednesday night. It was Bella's Spring Break, and I had already missed half of it. But it still gave us four glorious days to be with one another.
Alice was flying out to be with Jasper, leaving us the apartment to ourselves for the rest of the week. And those four days were spent in every square inch of that apartment. And let me just say, it was fucking amazing.
Of course, after working up an insatiable appetite, Bella insisted on cooking for me. For every meal, I was instructed to sit on the bar stool, only to watch as she minced, diced, chopped, and stirred in the kitchen. I could barely control myself. Seeing her in her element only turned me on more. I don't know if it was the mental picture of her in nothing but an apron or the image of eating whatever she made off her naked body. But every time she came over to me, letting me taste what she was making and kissing my lips afterwards, I couldn't help myself. I would capture her in my arms, refusing to let her go until she kissed me again and again.
The days were blurring together, and before I knew it, our time was up. I was reluctant to leave, but knew the countdown until graduations was already ticking away. I was heading into my last semester, as was Bella, and all I wanted was for the next three months to fly by just as the first two had. Well, at least until I started my residency.
April was a big month. Rose finally caved and decided to make the move East to be with Emmett. I had never seen him so giddy in my entire life. It was as if he won a lifetime subscription to Playboy.
As box after box arrived, carrying some of Roses possessions – the rest were being stored in a Pod until further notice. I looked over at Emmett wondering where the hell we were going to put it all. With a smile on his face, he proceeded to fill the guest bedroom, leaving out a few boxes that she instructed not to be stored away. By the time we were done, there was barely enough room to close the door. He reassured me that it was temporary and as soon as Rose landed, they were going to start looking for a house. Even though, I knew he had been looking for the last two months and had a stack of possible choices in mind.
Rose flew in the following week, looking positively glowing and already sporting a baby bump. She was about five months along and yet still looked amazing; not a hair out of place and still wearing heels. My feet hurt just looking at them.
Bella called the following week, informing me that she had an interview with the New Hampshire Gazette in two weeks. She had made arrangements to fly out Thursday after class, arriving sometime after midnight.
Once her plane landed and we retrieved her bag, I got us home in record time and in bed for the night. We were out in a matter of minutes, wrapped up in each other's arms. When I awoke the next morning, we were in the exact same position. I smiled at the way her bottom lip stuck out slightly as she slept. I kissed the top of her head and scooted out of the bed. I hopped in the shower and proceeded to start my day. Bella's interview didn't start until sometime after twelve, and Rose was nice enough to offer to take Bella to her interview, claiming sarcastically that she had nothing better to do.
Later on that evening, when I pulled up into the driveway from a full day of classes and clinicals, I was greeted by an over-zealous Bella. She was waiting for me by the door and pounced on me the moment I entered.
"I got it! I got the job!" she yelled exuberantly.
"You did?" I asked, loving the excitement coming off of her in waves. A man could get used to this type of welcome.
"The New Hampshire Gazette wants me to start the moment I move up here. Can you believe it?" She leaped into my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist.
"Actually, yes I can," I answered, kissing her back.
"Ugh, give it a rest," Rose groaned. I peeked over Bella's shoulder to see a smirk on her face. She liked to put on a hard-ass front, but that woman was all cat and no claws - at least to her friends.
The rest of the weekend, Bella balanced between being with me and being with Rose. Of course, almost all Saturday was spent shopping for the baby – seeing as Bella was the only female Rose knew at the moment. Apparently Emmett wasn't as much of a devoted shopper as Bella. I shut my mouth, wanting to literally rip Bella away from Rose, telling her that she was visiting me and not her, but found it wasn't worth saying that to a pregnant woman, much less Rosalie.
Saturday night, I whisked Bella away to my room, wanting her all to myself. Maybe I was spoiled at the amount of alone time we had the last two visits, but dag-nab-it our time was running out.
I set up a tiny picnic on the bed with an assortment of food and wine chilling on the end table. I lit about twenty candles, illuminating the room.
"You did this for me?" Bella asked, shocked by my romantic gesture. I nodded, because there wasn't anything else to say about the matter. My father had said, 'the little things are what count, so any small and meaningful gesture will put a smile on the face of the one you love.' Great words by a great man, no wonder my mom was always happy.
I led her over to the bed and ushered her into the spot I had planned. I then turned on some music and took my place on the opposite side of her. We ate, talked, and drank for the next hour or so. I asked her to dance several times, and without a comment, she simply smiled and took my hand as I led her to the open space. We danced for a while, just loving being in each other's arms. I kissed her several times – light pecks on the lips, not wanting to rush the evening.
"Edward, honey, are you ready?" Bella's voice brought me out of my thoughts. "You're going to be late for your own graduation." I looked down at my watch and realized that I was running thirty minutes behind.
"Shit!" I padded my pockets, realizing I didn't have my wallet, keys, my cap and gown, nothing. I looked over at Bella who had everything in her hands and a smile on her face.
"Looking for these?" she said calmly.
"What would I do without you?" I started collecting my things and swiftly kissing her for knowing exactly what I needed.
"You would lose your mind, that's what. Now let's go!" she ushered me out the door, my cap and gown in her hands.
We arrived just in time. Bella helped me get ready, and made sure my tassel faced the right direction. "Only you could make this look good," she said, smoothing out the gown. With a final kiss, she spun me around and smacked my ass, wishing me good luck.
God, I love that woman.
The entire ceremony took a total of three hours. With guest speaker after guest speaker, I was bored to tears. The only thing that kept me sane was the text messages from Bella. At first, they started out as sweet innocent comments like – 'I love you, I can see you, and the one that made me almost laugh out loud there's a guy two rows up, picking his nose… gross.' But then her text messages got hotter, saying 'I want you, I need you now!, or Meet me in the closet in the hall.' No doubt my fault as well as I replied to each and every one, wanting the same thing. I had to be the first graduate walking across the stage with a full blown hard-on. Thank God these gowns were loose fitting.
As I sat back down in my seat, I looked down at the diploma in my hand. I had come so far and accomplished so much over the last four years. It made me think of those around me, even those who were no longer here. My brother, who couldn't be here due to a prior engagement, was always there for me, who lifted me up when I was down, and who always stood by be me in any situation. My father, who I admired and idolized my entire life, who supported my every decision was no doubt beaming from the stands. My mother, who encouraged me to follow my dreams, who pushed me to work for what I wanted, and who believed I could do anything. The pain of losing Jessica helped push me, drive me to work harder, to focus on my school work, so that maybe one day I could save someone like her, or my mother.
I was so distracted by my thoughts I barely felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw it was a text message from Bella. I opened it up to a simple text.
I'm proud of you 3.
How was it she always knew what to say at the correct moment? I glanced up into the stands, where I assumed she would be and smiled. I wrote back, telling her I loved her and closed my phone.
Once the ceremony was over and I tossed my hat into the air, thankful school was officially over. I quickly stood and was herded like cattle into the main lobby where everyone was waiting. I designated a spot to meet Bella and my father, knowing it would be nearly impossible to find each other in the sea of madness and chaos. As I pushed through the crowds, I saw Bella standing next to my father, literally bouncing in place once our eyes met. She hurtled herself towards me, leaping into my arms.
"I'm so proud of you, Doctor Cullen," Bella stated, kissing me swiftly.
"Mmm, I like the sound of that," I retorted, earning a giggle in response. I knew I wouldn't technically earn the label Doctor until after my residency, but I wouldn't do anything to take away from her excitement, or mine for that matter.
"Congratulations, Son," my father stated proudly, opening his arms. I embraced my father.
"Thank you for everything you have done for me over the years, last year especially," I said with a shaky breath. "You mean the world to me."
"I know, and, you're welcome," he whispered in my ear. I hugged him tighter, knowing I wanted to say more.
"I miss Mom. I wish she was here," I choked out.
"She is." I felt the tears flow down my cheeks at his words. "She would be proud of you, Edward."
I nodded my head, because it was the only think I could do without crying like a baby in the middle of a crowded room. I felt Bella's hand at the small of my back. I squeezed my father, letting him know I was ready to let go. I sniffled, trying unsuccessfully to hide the fact that I was crying. I turned to Bella who immediately wiped the remaining tears and kissed my lips. I pulled her up in my arms, thanking her as well for being in my life. She was my turning point, my rock. She brought me back to life, showing me there was a reason for living again. I would spend the rest of my life making sure she knew that.
The epilog is next. Thank you all for reading. I hope you enjoyed every moment between these two, I know I have. :D Thank you for all of your reviews and loves keep them coming.