Hey everyone, I know it's been far longer than it should have been and I apologize. I had a lot going on including a great visit from Hope4more. We had a great time and I am so glad she was here, although now that she is gone, I miss her! Thank goodness for unlimited texting. Both of our phone companies probably would never offer such a deal if they had known about us beforehand. LOL
I have a lot to say but I will save it for the bottom cause I know you all want to get to the chapter. So don't forget to check out the note at the bottom.
As always Hope4more, without you helping me to control our shared brain, none of this would be half of what it is. Thanks BB!
Eclipse was awesome if you have seen it, you know what I am talking about. Best one of them all so far!
Of course, Stephenie owns it all.
BPOV
Later that morning I woke up when I felt Edward shift his position on the couch and I heard Zach start to whimper. Having only fed him once throughout the night, I was more than happy to do so now. My boobs felt like they could burst from being so full. As soon as I lifted him from Edward's chest, Edward woke up and smiled brightly at me. I kissed his lips and told him good morning before settling back on the couch next to him to feed the baby.
I realized a little too late that Edward had picked up the camera and snapped a few pictures of me and Zachary.
Knowing that I must look like a mess, especially after being on the couch the past couple of hours, I asked him, "Why are you taking my picture now?"
Flashing me that smile of his that almost always got him anything he wanted, he smirked and said, "I just couldn't help it. You'll see when I show it to you. The way you were looking at him… it was just so perfect, I guess is how to explain it. You could just see all the love you felt for him in your facial expression as you watched him. It was really a beautiful moment, Bella."
I smiled recalling the flood of warm emotions I had felt when I discovered the two of them asleep here this morning. He scooted over next to me and pulled me so that he could hold me close to him as I fed Zach. Kissing my temple he asked, "What's that smile for?"
"I was just thinking about your reason for taking that picture of me just now. It must have been like how I felt when I discovered my two favorite men asleep here earlier this morning and I snapped your picture too."
He leaned forward and placed a sweet kiss on my lips as I looked up at him smiling once again. He pulled back and looked as though he was about to say something. However, before Edward could get a word out, my mom entered the room followed by his mother.
Bidding us both good morning, Esme said, "Well we all must be having those moments, because I took one of all three of you on the couch. I figured it would be a moment you would want to remember. Besides it was just too cute to pass up." She chuckled as she took a sip from her mug of coffee.
We all laughed with her and once I was finished feeding Zach, I gave him back to Edward so that I could shower and get dressed for the day.
Time seemed to be flying by since I had come home from the hospital. Over the next several days we had begun to settle into a little bit of a routine. Zachary wasn't one of those babies that you could count on like an alarm clock, but he would eat within a general time frame. Edward was thrilled to help out with his feedings and we were very lucky that since we had offered him the bottle so soon, he didn't have much of an issue with it. Although we did have a few instances where he would simply refuse to take it and I would go ahead and nurse him. We found that it was most helpful for him to feed the baby while I cooked dinner and he would also get up with Zach once in the night allowing me to get some extra sleep. Sometimes offering to feed him randomly just because he wanted to, and I was very grateful for his help.
It was astounding to see how quickly Zach was already changing. I had thought that the changes I had seen in little Katelyn were amazing until I watched my own son change so much in such a short time. At ten days old he was looking more and more like Edward in my opinion and to say that he had us both wrapped around his little finger, would be a bit of an understatement. He was the light of our lives.
On the Saturday before Thanksgiving, my mom and Esme had gone shopping, Edward, Emmett, Carlisle and Jasper were at Emmett and Rose's house watching some sporting event, and Alice, Rose and all of their kids were here with me. Alice and I had both noticed that Rose seemed a little pale, but Rose brushed it off to the recent long bout she had with some nasty stomach bug.
The three of us were sitting in the living room watching Lilly and Max play while Katelyn and Zachary were napping. Alice and I were sharing our new experiences as moms with Rose when we were interrupted by Alice's cellphone chirping from where it was stashed in the back pocket of her jeans. Rose and I began chatting about Christmas gifts for Lilly. Our attention was drawn to Alice when we heard her gasp and we immediately knew something was wrong by the look on her face. We watched as it went from happy to extremely worried.
I placed my hand on her shoulder and was about to ask her what was going on, but before I could get the words out, I heard our garage door open and Alice jumped up making a bee line for the hall door that led to the garage. Next thing I saw was Jazz walking through the door with the rest of the men following behind him. Alice immediately wrapped her arms tightly around her husband and he returned the gesture as they appeared to be comforting each other.
Edward made his way over to me and pulled me in for a hug while giving me a quick peck on the lips. Seeing the look of concern on his face, I asked him, "What's going on, why are you guys back so soon?"
"You trying to get rid of me?" he teased, but I could still see worry buried deep in his eyes.
"No, of course not," I said as I gripped his hand that was now holding mine slightly tighter. "But we were chatting and then Alice got what appeared to be an upsetting phone call and next thing we knew you guys were here."
Jazz was next whispering something to Rose and as the two of them pulled apart from the hug they had been engaged in, Jasper cleared his throat and said," Why don't we all go in the other room and sit down while I'll fill you in on what's going on."
We moved from the crammed spot we were all standing at in the hallway and made our way to the living room. Alice had excused herself to go upstairs to get Katelyn, where she was sleeping in Zach's room and Jasper began to tell us what was going on.
"Um, I just got a call from my mother telling me that she was at the hospital with my dad, and that they are pretty sure he has suffered a heart attack. It's quite a shock considering it was so sudden and unexpected. We thought that he was in perfect health. We will know more after they have completed all of the tests they need to do."
While Jasper continued to fill us in on the details surrounding what had happened, Rose stood by her cousin and comforted him while he spoke about his dad and her uncle.
"I know that we were supposed to spend the holiday here with all of you, but in light of what has happened, Alice and I are going to fly to Seattle this evening and be with my mom. Rose's parents are going along with us since of course; her mom is my father's sister."
Esme then spoke up saying, "Rose, honey this is your uncle, if you want to go as well we all understand."
Edward and I immediately confirmed what Esme had said. Rose nodded and thanked us all for being so understanding and supportive and said that she would talk to her mom.
Sunday afternoon we got a call from Emmett saying that he and Rose were going to fly out to Seattle the next morning. They had heard from Rose's mom late last night and she informed them that Jasper's dad was in much worse shape than anyone had anticipated.
The next few days seemed to drag by. Either Rose or Emmett would call daily to let us all know how things were going with Jasper's father. The prognosis was not good. He was not improving despite all the efforts by the doctors. Carlisle had contacted two of the most renowned heart specialists in the country and called in a favor asking them to oversee Mr. Whitlock's care. Jasper's family was very appreciative for Carlisle's help and understood that Carlisle was a bit too close to the situation for him to treat Mr. Whitlock himself. Carlisle remained in close contact with the doctors and did his best to assure everyone that Mr. Whitlock was receiving the best care he could.
I was upstairs sitting in the rocking chair that is in the nursery while feeding Zach and was thinking about all that I needed to do today. Tomorrow was Thanksgiving and with it coming so soon after Zachary's birth, I was very grateful to have my mom and Esme here to help prepare it all. For the most part I was feeling nearly like my old self, but I still got worn out faster than I had before. Once Zach was through eating I burped him and changed his diaper, gave him a bath and then dressing him in the Arizona Cardinals sleeper that my dad had sent with my mom for him.
Nothing warmed my heart faster than the little smile my son gave me as I talked to him while getting him dressed.
"What do you say little guy, wanna go see what those two grandmas of yours are up to? Daddy and Grandpa Carlisle will be back soon with Grandpa Charlie who is so excited to see you." Zach proceeded to squirm around a bit as I talked to him while he was still lying on the changing table. I picked him up and gave him a big kiss on his chubby little cheek. A year ago the prospect of being a mother may have been a scary idea to me, but now, I was so thrilled with my new roll.
As I carried Zachary downstairs I thought about how this year was so different for me, compared to how I was used to spending Thanksgiving. It was even more different than last year when I had taken Edward home with me to meet my parents. There were the obvious things, such as the fact that Edward and I were married, living in our beautiful home, and we now had a son that we loved and cherished more than we ever imagined possible. But the not so obvious was that this was the first time I would be hosting a holiday family gathering in my and Edward's home. Actually the first time I was hosting a holiday dinner, period.
Thinking about Em and Rose along with Alice and Jasper not being here reminded me that I also wouldn't be seeing Brook this Thanksgiving. I was sad that I wouldn't get to see her like I normally would. The both of us had always flocked home to Arizona for the holidays. I at least knew that I would see her for a few days before Christmas in Arizona since we were going to have an early Christmas there with my parents before going on to Forks to spend the holidays with Carlisle and Esme.
I had just talked to her a few days ago and she was excited that she and Cam had finally moved into their own house and that they were no longer living with her parents. I completely understood how she felt. It was nice having them here with us now, but I couldn't imagine living with them for an extended period of time. Much like they had been doing since the end of July.
Entering the kitchen I found my mom and Esme sitting around the island discussing what we were having for our Thanksgiving Day dinner and what we wanted to prepare ahead of time today to make things easier tomorrow. They were also making a list of any last minute things we might need from the grocery store. Esme instantly held out her hands silently begging for me to hand over Zach to her.
I happily did so and then made my way to the fridge to pour myself a glass of iced tea.
"Do you have any preference as to what you think we should fix today?" My mom asked as I sat next to her on an empty stool.
"I think we should do the pies and the ham today," I replied as I mixed in the artificial sweetener I had just added to my tea.
"That sounds like a good idea, given everything else can be easily cooked once the turkey is in the oven in the morning." Esme added.
"Mom, don't you usually make your stuffing a day ahead of time?"
"Yes I do." She answered.
"Does it dry out?" Esme asked my mom.
"Well it did the first year I tried to do it that way." She started to chuckle as she recounted the story, "It was many years ago, not long after I had married Charlie. Bella was about two or three I think and I was having the family dinner at our house for the first time. Bella's grandma Marie had suggested I prepare the stuffing early to save time the next day. She was trying to be as helpful as she could knowing I was a nervous wreck. Unfortunately, I forgot the key thing she had told me to do to prevent that from happening."
"What was it you forgot?" Esme asked, I had already heard this story several times, so I just listened as my mother told it.
"She had told me to make sure that I drizzle some of the turkey juices over the top of the dressing before placing it in the oven to heat. That, not only would it keep the stuffing moist, but it would also add extra flavoring to it," my mom continued to laugh and then said, "you can bet that was the last time I ever forgot that tip."
We made a list of a few things we needed and then the two of them left to run out and get them. The two women had come to be good friends over the short time they had known each other and it really made me feel as though I had two mothers.
Edward and our fathers returned not long before our mothers got back from the grocery store. It didn't take long to see that my dad was quite smitten with his grandson.
I was up early with Zachary on Thanksgiving Day morning and decided to stay up and get an early start on cooking dinner. I took him downstairs with me and placed him on the huge island counter top in his bouncy seat and talked to him as I got things going. Cooking must not have been much of an interest to him as he was back to sleep after about an hour of listening to me. I giggled to myself at my thinking that he had even really understood what I was doing.
Over the course of the day as us three women cooked and shooed the men out of the kitchen when they snuck in to try and steal bites of the food that was already prepared. It was heartwarming to see each of the men at one time or another had Zach in his arms while they watched football. What was funny is that each of them for the most part held him tucked in one arm as if he was the football. Esme told me that Carlisle had done the same thing with both Edward and Emmett when they were babies and promised to show me pictures when I was in Forks at Christmas.
Once the food was ready and we all sat down at the table to eat we took time to say a prayer for Jasper's father and to say what we were all thankful for. I had so much more this year than I ever imagined I would.
Dinner turned out to be quite mild compared to the adventure that took place at least years meal. Knowing what our missing family members were going through, left a somber mood at the table. However, I was thankful that dinner had been quiet for a much different reason. I was quite relived to not have a repeat of my mother urging Edward and I to test his sperms ability to hit a home run. The only excitement came when I had to stop eating and go upstairs to nurse the baby when he woke up right in the middle of dinner.
That night when we talked to Alice, she informed us that there was still no change in Jasper's dad's condition and they were starting to become worried about if he would pull through. She told us that Emmett and Rose would be flying home on Sunday since Lilly had school on Monday, but she wasn't sure when she and Jasper would be back.
The Day after Thanksgiving otherwise known as Black Friday was my first outing without Zachary. I had hardly been out of the house since having him and as much I hated to leave him I was looking forward to getting out and going places. Not that shopping would have been my first choice for a perfect excursion, but both sets of parents would be leaving on Sunday and it was nice to spend the day out with both our moms.
Six hours later we returned home and I was exhausted. The men carried all our purchases into the house and it appeared I arrived just in time to feed the baby. Edward followed me upstairs to our room to be near me when I fed him. After he was fed and changed he went back to sleep and I saw it as the perfect opportunity to take a nap myself.
I decided to take a quick shower first as I felt slightly gross from sweating in the packed mall and department stores while shopping earlier. As I washed my body I was shocked when I felt a rush of cool air and turned around to find a naked Edward joining me in the shower.
"What are you doing?" I asked him with intrigue.
"I'm showering with my wife. What does it look like?" he replied as he reached for the bottle of shampoo and after squirting some in his hand he began to wash my hair for me.
When he was through and my hair had been completely rinsed of all the shampoo, he started kissing on my shoulder and stopped to whisper in my ear, "Its feels like forever since I have seen you naked. You look amazing baby."
"Thank you, but I don't feel that way yet." I said knowing that I still had a puffy stomach and was looking forward to being able to work out and attempt to get my body as close as I could to my pre-pregnancy state.
"Bella, you just had a baby less than three weeks ago. So you aren't exactly as you were before. I think you look amazing and I like the new curves that you now have. And not only do I like them, they remind me of the gift you have given us. Our son," he said as he held me tightly and kissed the top of my head.
"Ok, if you say so," the tone in my voice clearly giving off the fact that I was having a hard time completely believing what he was saying.
"I do." He reassured me.
We had always had such an active sex life, that I knew that the six weeks we had to wait for the doctor to clear me for that type of activity again were going to be hell on us both. I was certain it was an issue for Edward since just a few nights ago; I had woken up to the sound of him moaning in his sleep as he was also grinding against the bed.
"You know you sneaking in here with me, isn't making us having to wait any easier for either one of us." I retorted.
He took a deep breath and I felt his forehead come to rest on my shoulder. "I know and for a minute I forgot that we couldn't make love yet and I ended up here with you. I'll get out now."
I heard the frustration and disappointment in his voice. It was completely unintentional and I knew that he was well aware that I couldn't do anything yet and that he would never put me in a position to even think about doing it. I also knew that he would never make me feel guilty for not being able to make love. I turned and grabbed his hand to stop him just as he was about to open the shower door. He looked at me with his brows furrowed in confusion over why I was stopping him from leaving the shower.
"Hey," I said as I moved closer to him, "I know I can't do anything, but that doesn't mean I can't help you out a little in the meantime." I moved my hand from his and as he turned to face me I placed my hand on his chest and slowly started to slide it down his chest.
He closed his eyes and I heard a faint moan escape his lips and right before my hand reached the point of no return. My hand had just brushed past his navel when he grabbed it and brought it to his lips and kissing my palm before he said, "It would be very easy to give in and let you pleasure me until the time when we could make love again. But it would also be very selfish of me and I can't do that to you Bella. I love you too much and as awesome as it would feel, I want to wait until we can make love and pleasure each other again. It's been three weeks; we're half way through the waiting period. It won't be much longer."
I searched his eyes with mine and I saw nothing but complete love and sincerity in them. "Are you sure, I really don't mind?" I asked giving him one last chance. "I'm positive." He then kissed me chastely on the lips and got out of the shower. I waited a few minutes for him to be out of the bathroom and then got out myself. By waiting I reduced any further temptation by either one of us.
Once I dried off and slipped into some comfy sweat pants and a warm shirt, I crawled up on the bed and took the nap I was wanting to before my shower. A few minutes later I felt the bed shift and Edward's strong arms around me and heard his whispered words of love as I drifted to sleep.
When I later woke form my nap, I was on our bed alone and as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes I looked in the direction of the baby cradle and saw that Zach was not there. Knowing that Edward must have taken him downstairs to let me sleep, I stumbled into the bathroom to splash some cold water in my face to help wake me up.
About half way down the stairs I smelt the yummy aroma of what were probably leftovers from yesterday's feast. I felt instantly like I was starving and hurried to the kitchen.
As I passed through the living room on my way, I saw my dad holding Zach as he and Carlisle watched football. Making my way to the chair where Charlie and Zach were, I leaned over and kissed my son on his warm fuzzy head and asked my dad, "Where's everyone else?"
"Oh, they're in the kitchen, I think Edward was just about to come up and check on you."
I nodded and after giving my son another kiss I finally made my way into the kitchen. Upon entering the room I saw Edward fixing a tray with two plates of food on it and both our mom's cleaning up the kitchen. Esme was clearing dishes from the island and my mom was putting way the Tupperware containers that held the remaining food.
I walked up behind Edward and slinking my arms around his waist I pressed (laid) my head against his back and inhaled his warm musky sent. I then asked, "Whatcha doing?" He turned around and wrapped me in his arms and gave me a quick peck on the lips before saying, "I was just about to bring dinner up to you."
"So I see. But why two plates?" I inquired.
My mom then spoke up saying, "Did you have a nice nap sweetheart? Edward just came down right before you. We have already eaten, so he was going to bring dinner for the both of you upstairs to your room."
"Oh, ok. Well I am starving. Since we're both here you want to just sit here and eat with me?" I asked as I waved my hand in the direction of the island directly behind us.
"Sure baby. Sit down and I'll bring our plates over. You want something to drink?" He asked as he turned and placed our food laden plates on the granite surface.
"Um sure, water is fine."
He sat down next to me and after eating a few bites I asked, "So if you just came down right before me, has Zachary been fed yet?"
Edward nodded and said, "Yeah mom fed him."
Grabbing a dishtowel to dry her hands, Esme turned around and replied with a smile, "When I came up to see if the two of you were awake and wanted some dinner, the little guy started to fuss just as I entered the room. So I picked him up and brought him down here with us to let you rest a while longer. You both obviously needed it. I hope it's ok."
I reached out and placed my hand over hers where it was currently resting on the counter top. "Of course it's ok. I just feel my breasts getting full again and didn't want to pump if he was going to be ready to eat." She nodded in understanding and after giving my hand a quick squeeze, went back to loading the dishwasher.
Once Edward and I were through eating, we joined the others in the living and spent the evening relaxing with our son and parents, while watching the hockey game.
Saturday was spent in much the same way. We just wanted to spend time with our parents here on their last day. That evening we all went out for dinner and had a great time. Well it was great when our waitress wasn't fawning over my husband and son. I came to the conclusion that some people just don't care about making a public spectacle of themselves.
Sunday came with Rose and Emmett returning home just a few hours before both of my and Edward's parents were due to leave. Rose informed us all that after a second open heart surgery, Jasper's father had shown some minor improvements. She said that his condition was still critical and very delicate, but they at least had a small amount of hope.
Over the next couple of weeks Edward, Zachary and I settled into more of a regular routine without the help of our parents. Alice and Jasper had come home, but they were still quite concerned about his dad's health. Mr. Whitlock's eventual release from the hospital came with the stipulation that they had to hire a home health aide to help with his care. Jasper's mom had some heath issues of her own. While they were not as serious as her husband's now were, she couldn't take care of the household duties and Mr. Whitlock as well. If it weren't for the fact that the aide was there, I don't think they would be home now. Alice had told us that Jasper checked in with his mom every day and I couldn't blame him, as I would surely do the same.
Edward spent more time looking for a new career path since it was getting closer and closer to the end of the year. He was hoping to have something lined up early next year, but the options he did come across just didn't feel right for one reason or another. With money not being an issue, he promised himself and me that he would not settle and would make sure that whatever job he took, he would be sure he could be happy with it.
The Friday before Christmas we flew to Arizona to spend a few days with my parents and Brook before heading to Forks for Christmas and New Year's. Unlike last year my parents weren't able to come to Forks for the holiday. My dad had been off last year so he had to work this year, which was why we were coming here first.
Packing for the three of us had been a little frustrating. We were leaving the cold winter climate of St. Louis, then heading into the warm weather that Arizona still had this time of year and then back to the cold of Forks. So it meant extra everything for all of us. When you combined that with all the baby gear we now had to take with us, instead of packing for two weeks, it felt almost as if we were packing to move or something. I think we must have had at least twice as much stuff to haul with us than Edward and I did when we went on the cruise or our honeymoon and that's saying a lot considering Alice had packed for me for our honeymoon.
As we landed and made our way through the airport terminal at Sky Harbor in Phoenix, I remembered last year and the drive to my parent's house in the mustang that Edward fell in love with. There would be no mustang this year but it didn't really matter. My focus was on seeing Cam, Brook and the boys. I couldn't wait to see how big Chase and Damon had gotten. They were seven months old now and according to Brook, even though they weren't crawling on all fours like you would picture them doing, they did this army crawl thing and found a way to get into just about everything they could reach. I couldn't help laughing when she had told me, but stopped quickly when she pointed out that my day to deal with that sort of thing wasn't too far away.
It was near eight at night by the time we had gotten all of our stuff from baggage claim and obtained our rental car. I snorted and laughed at Edward when we were told by the rental car agent that our choices were a Chevy Tahoe or a minivan. He jumped on the Tahoe like it was the car of his dreams.
The drive from the airport to my parent's house was short, but we were still exhausted by the time we got there. I had called my mom when we left the airport and I swear she must have been standing at the front window watching for us, considering the minute we pulled into the drive way her and my dad were on their way out of the house to greet us.
My mom was instantly gushing over Zachary and you would have thought it had been three years and not three weeks since she had last seen him. My dad helped Edward carry in all our stuff and Edward then set the pack-n-play up for Zachary to sleep in while we were here. After feeding my very hungry son, we sat in the living room and caught up on what has happened in the past few weeks.
The next morning after breakfast, I called Brook to get directions to her house and the three of us then left to go visit her.
Cam and Brook's new home was in Glendale, which was about thirty minutes from where both her and my parents lived in Paradise valley. I think Brook's exact words to me were something like, "It's close enough that my parents can see the boys whenever they want, but we get a bit of a buffer zone in there too." The main reason they chose the location though, was due to the fact that Glendale is where the hockey team's stadium was. Well that and Brook fell in love with the house. I was eager to see it; having a feeling the pictures she sent in an email didn't do it justice.
When we pulled up in front of her home, I was awe struck. It was gorgeous. It was a Tuscan style ranch home with stucco exterior. The front was adorned with a huge covered entryway and was flanked on both sides by palm trees. The living room was warm and inviting and I loved her hardwood floors and vaulted ceilings. It had a split level master suite with a cozy fireplace and the yard was magnificent. It was something out of a resort magazine, with a gazebo, Jacuzzi pool, built in BBQ pit and a large expanse area of grass.
Once we were through with the tour of the house and Cam arrived home from his early morning practice with the team, we sat down in the living room and the first thing Brook did was hold her hands out and demand, "Ok, hand him over," as she wiggled her fingers in her request for Edward to hand Zachary over to her.
She looked down at him and then to Edward and myself and then said to Zach with a smile, "Well aren't you a chip off the ole block. You look just like your daddy."
"That's what I keep saying and Edward says he just doesn't see it except for the hair." I retorted
"Well the hair for sure is a dead giveaway that he is your son Edward, but I think he has your nose and other facial features too."
Chase and Damon were taking a mid-morning nap, but she assured me that they would be awake soon. When they did I couldn't believe how much they had grown. They both had heads full of blond hair, but with Cam and Brook both being blonds, I expected that the boys would be too. It was also really kind of funny that Chase favored Cam and Damon favored Brook. I hoped that all of my and Edward's kids looked like him.
We spent the day, hanging out, playing with kids and when all of the boys were sleeping in the late afternoon, we even went for a swim in their pool. It felt strange to be swimming in the middle of December, but we thoroughly enjoyed it.
Later we had dinner with them and exchanged Christmas gifts. We would be seeing each other before I left for Forks, but with Cam's parents flying in for the holidays; we weren't sure how much time we'd have. So therefore, it made sense for us to spend this one day we both had available together. We had a great time just being with them and playing with each other's babies.
Edward and I both really liked the little hockey jersey with Cullen and the number one on the back that Brook and Cam gave Zachary. We chose to give both the boys their first baseball glove. When I asked Brook if she thought it would offend Cam, she said no, that if we were giving them a hockey stick that might be different. I remembered us both laughing about it that day on the phone.
We chatted away about everything going on in our lives and it wasn't long before it was late. We left with the promise that we would make sure to see each other again before we left for Forks. I really hated that we lived so far apart.
Sunday and Monday, I was forced or tortured was really more like it, to go shopping with my mother. At least on Monday, Brook, her mom, and the twins joined us. Having Brook to make snide comments back and forth with made it more bearable and certainly more fun. The guys on the other hand, seemed to have a grand ole time playing golf.
Monday evening, my parents watched Zachary while Edward and I went with Brook to Cam's hockey game. It was really nice. Edward and I hadn't been out anywhere at all by ourselves since the little guy had been born, in fact the only time I had been away from him was the shopping I did on black Friday. As much as I missed him, I let myself admit that it felt good to be out without him. The night passed quickly with the Coyotes beating the San Jose Sharks, three to one.
The next day, Tuesday, we celebrated Christmas with my parents. Despite my telling them not to overdo it, they got Zach what seemed like a truck load of stuff. Everything from clothes, cars, trucks, and even a mini Arizona state police car that was almost just like my dad's. My parents gave us a certificate good for a weekend of babysitting anytime we wanted and when we felt like we were ready. I knew that I enjoyed the night out last night, but I was by no means ready to even think about leaving my son for an entire weekend.
My mom had always wanted to go to New York, so Edward and I gave them open ended tickets along with a hotel gift card to be used when my dad could take some time off. The rest of the evening was spent talking about embarrassing moments I had endured at Christmas while growing up. Edward was quite entertained by all my mishaps.
Thirsty I was trying to quietly make my way down the stairs without waking my parents up. I had just finished feeding Zachary and putting him back to sleep. I scurried into the kitchen and opened the fridge to grab a bottle of water. Twisting the cap off the bottle, I turned and gazed out the back door when I was started by a hand on my shoulder.
"Shh, it's just me, don't scream Isabella," my father whispered with a slight chuckle in his voice.
"Well geez daddy, don't go sneaking up on me in the dark." I chided.
"You must have been a million miles away, cause I said your name twice to get your attention. What's got you so deep in thought? That grandson of mine giving you a hard night?"
"No. He woke up to eat, but is fast asleep again." pausing to take another drink, "I was just thinking about everything."
"You're gonna have to be a bit more clear than that, if you want me to talk about it with you Bella. You used to be evasive like this when you were little; tip toeing around what was bugging you. Do you remember what I used to say to you?" he asked, standing next to me.
"Yes, you would say, I'm not a mind reader Isabella, if you don't tell me what's wrong I can't fix it." My heart warmed at the reminder of my younger years, back when my dad could fix everything.
Moving a couple of steps closer to me, he draped his arm around my shoulder and said, "So tell me."
I leaned into my father's embrace, remembering how comforting it had been when I was younger. I then took another swig of my water and said, "Nothing's wrong. In fact I've never been more happy in all my life. I was just reflecting on it all. So much in my life has changed in the past year and a half and I am so happy and thrilled to be a wife and mother. I'm just thinking about how something that I never thought I would want to have, has been the one thing that has made me so amazingly happy. Now I can't even imagine my life without it, or should I say them. Is that crazy?"
"No sweetheart, it's not crazy at all. It was just a matter of you finding the right person and your mother and I are certain that you have. Edward is a good man. It is very easy to see how happy he makes you. How happy you make each other."
"Yes we are very happy daddy. Will it always be this way? Will things always be so easy between Edward and me?" I asked him.
With a chuckle that cause his chest to shake slightly he replied, "No. I'm sure it won't. I know that as much as your mother and I tried to keep our arguments and disagreements hidden from you, that you were well aware of a few of them. Arguments are a normal part of things. You won't always agree on everything, but what I'm sure of is that the two of you will find a way to work through whatever obstacles are thrown in your path. You picked a good one. I know it's been a long time since I have said this to you, probably not since you graduated from college, but I hope you know that I am proud of you Isabella. You have achieved every goal and dream that your mother and I ever had for you. Not many parents get to say that about their kids."
He hugged me tightly and after kissing the top of my head, just as he had done when I was a little girl; he said that he needed to be heading in to work. He had the early shift today and we wouldn't get to see him before we left. Edward and I had said goodbye to him right before going to bed last night, but I was grateful to have gotten these few minutes alone with him.
He squeezed me tighter one last time and then he said, "I love you kiddo."
"I love you too, daddy."
As I made my way up the stairs I heard the front door close, signaling he had left for work. Later in the morning, Edward and I were gathering the last of our stuff to pack up for our flight to Forks. After a very long emotional goodbye with my mother, we climbed into the Tahoe and drove off to the airport. Heading down the street, I thought to myself, one family celebration down, and one to go. I then smiled to myself knowing just how truly blessed we were with all that had been given to us.
First I want to again apologize for this chapter taking so long to be posted. A big part of the reason it took so long is that I have been pondering where to take the story and if there was anything left for E&B to work through in it. When I started this story, exactly one year ago today, it was Edward's journey to figure out where he wanted his career to go and how to get what he felt was missing in his personal life. As I chipped away at this chapter, I realized that Edward had already accomplished those things and therefore, that was most likely the reason I was having such a hard time writing this one. He has told his story and I feel as though all that is left is to give them their happy ever after. If I were to continue the story I feel like I would have to create angst and drama to keep it from becoming boring and feeling like it was being carried on too long.
So with all that being said, this will be the last regular chapter of The Game That Changed It All. The next chapter will be the epilogue and I hope to fulfill any questions about how their lives turn out. Thanks again for reading you guys are all amazing! The epilogue will be up as soon as possible.
EA