The Holidays
1935 was passing quickly, and the temperatures were lowering outside. Snow was in the forecast for the following week, so Edward, Emmett, Jack, and Zack were all busy winterizing the Masen home. The past week had been full of schoolwork, tests, scouts, and finding music teachers for the boys and Betty. The church organist/choirmaster had offered his services as a vocal instructor for Zack, happy to find another male voice for the youth choir. The school band director had given Bella the phone number for a local trumpet instructor for Jack. As for Betty, they still needed a piano teacher for her. So, in the meantime, Edward would teach her once a week, and help her practice when he could.
While the men and boys were outside climbing a ladder, and telling each other what to do, Bella was entertaining her three girls with a tea party in the front parlor. They were all wearing big hats, fluffy stoles, high heels, and dresses. Earlier that morning, Bella had allowed the girls into her closet, and they had a wonderful time. She even put makeup on their faces. Bella was surprised to see that even her little tomboy, Ella Rae was taking a part in the fun. The cook and maids giggled, watching the girls dressed up in their mother's clothes. The girls sat up straight, and spoke with fancy, grown up voices, drinking real tea from a nice set of china. The cook brought in a tray of cookies, and checked to see if they needed any more tea.
Edward stepped inside, to take a quick bathroom break, and came to a standstill when he spotted all his girls in the parlor. "Well, hello there, young ladies. I didn't realize that we were expecting guests, Bella. Won't you introduce me?" Betty, Annabelle, and Ella Rae all giggled, as Bella introduced them, using their full names. As each one was introduced, Edward leaned in to kiss the back of each daughter's hand, and said hello. They giggled even more, saying, "Daddy! You're so silly!" Edward's face split into a huge grin, and he chuckled along with them. "Just playing along, my girls." He then excused himself, and stepped down the hall, leaving the girls to continue their tea party.
When the girls had enough tea and cookies, Bella led them all back upstairs, to get her things back in order. Betty didn't want to take off her dress, but finally agreed, after watching her sisters undress first. When Bella's closet was back to normal again, she took her girls into the bathroom, so she could wash the makeup off their faces. Edward stepped in to help with the task, kissing and hugging his girls as he worked. The girls really loved the special attention they were getting from both parents. They would remember this day for many years.
Annabelle and Ella Rae were sleepy now, after all the excitement, so Edward and Bella handed them off to Nanny Gail. Then Edward took Betty downstairs to teach her another piano lesson. This left Bella with some time to herself, so she stepped outside, to watch her boys work on the house. Emmett was on the ground, holding the ladder steady, while Jack was at the top of the ladder, checking for damage on the windows, and making repairs when necessary. Zack was working on the first floor windows, as well as checking the vents that ran around the base of the house. He had found a few issues that he wanted to discuss with his dad, so occasionally he stood up to write notes in a little notebook he had in his pocket.
Bella walked over to Zack, and asked how things were going. He explained what everyone was doing, and asked where his dad had gone. She told him that it was time for Betty's piano lesson. He nodded, then said, "Well, I guess I'll just let him deal with the things on my list later." Bella replied, "I'm proud of you, son. You and Jack are both so helpful with things around the house." Zack grinned, and sheepishly accepted her hug, then pulled away to continue his work.
Stepping over to the ladder, Bella spoke to Emmett, then yelled up at Jack, "How's it going, son?" He replied that everything was looking good. He had made the necessary repairs, and had a few questions for his dad. But no major problems. Coming down the ladder, he asked Emmett to hold it steady for him. When all the boys were on ground level again, Bella told them all to come inside for sandwiches. They were happy to take a break, and followed her in. The cook had lunch ready, so all the boys sat down to eat. Leaving them there, Bella went to the parlor to watch Betty's piano lesson.
Edward was teaching her to play "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star". Betty's eyes lit up as she learned to play the simple tune. When she figured it out, Edward showed her how to do some finger exercises. Then, he taught her how to find all the Ds and Es on the piano. Then, the Bs and As. Next, he taught her how to play "Mary Had a Little Lamb". He then grabbed a piece of manuscript paper, and wrote out the notes for the songs, showing her where the notes could be found on the keyboard, and on the staff.
It was a lot for Betty to take in, but she was concentrating hard, with her lips scrunched up, and her eyebrows down. She was a smart girl, and really wanted to learn what her daddy was teaching. Edward saw that this was enough for her to deal with, so he stood up, and told her to practice these things until their next lesson. He then walked into the kitchen to join his sons for lunch. Bella then sat down at the piano beside Betty, and asked her to teach her what she had learned. Betty's eyes lit up, and she said, "Mama? You want to learn too?!" Bella nodded, and whispered, "Yes, but don't tell your daddy, okay? I want it to be a surprise."
Betty giggled, and hunched up her shoulders. She whispered back, "Okay Mama. First, you need to learn where middle C is." Bella then spent the next few minutes watching Betty practice, and trying to follow along as best as she could. When Betty finished practicing, she went upstairs to play with her dollhouse for a while. Bella stayed at the piano, pushing a few keys, and listening to the sounds. The piano notes sounded so simple and childish when she pushed them. But, Edward could make this same instrument sound like magic. It was so intriguing to her. Closing her eyes, she remembered hearing Edward play for the very first time, back in Forks. They were so young back then, with heads full of dreams.
Lost in her imagination, she didn't hear Edward come into the room. When his hands rested on her shoulders, she jumped in surprise. He leaned down to caress her arms, and kiss the side of her head, saying, "There's my lovely Isabella." Staying behind her, he reached out his hands, and played her lullaby. Bella smiled, leaned back into his warmth, reveling in the memories. "Thank you, Edward," she sighed.
Hearing the phone ring in the other room, Edward quickly went to answer it, before his boys. Snatching up the receiver, just as Jack got to the phone, he smirked at his son, and said, "Hello. Masen residence. Edward Masen speaking." Jack waited to see who it was, while Bella stepped into the room. "Carlisle!" said Edward, "Great to hear from you! How's life in Forks?" He listened, occasionally saying "yes" or "really" or "interesting".
After talking for quite a while, he then handed the phone to Bella, saying that Carlisle wanted to talk to her. By this time, Zack and Emmett had come into the room as well. It was now Bella's turn to say "yes", "really", and "interesting". The boys whispered to Edward, asking what Carlisle had to say, but Edward just held his finger to his lips, telling them to wait. When Bella finished talking, she handed the phone to Jack, and said, "You boys can talk to Papa Carlisle for just a few minutes. I'll go grab the girls."
Jack and Zack both spent some time talking to their Grandpa Cullen, then handed the phone back to Edward, so he could continue the conversation until the girls arrived. In just a minute, all three girls were jumping up and down, begging to talk on the telephone. By now, both Carlisle and Esme were talking at the other end, laughing at hearing the children's voices. When the girls had each had their turn with the telephone, Bella ended the call, finally hanging it up again. "Whew! That was a long call. I wonder how expensive it will be?" Edward shrugged, "No worries. They only call every few months. So, what do you think about their invitation?" Bella smiled, "I think it's wonderful! Let's tell the kids."
Gathering all the children in the front parlor, Edward said, "We have an announcement to make everyone. Listen up!" The kids all got quiet, and waited to hear what their dad would say.
"We're all going to Forks, Washington, to celebrate Thanksgiving with Papa Carlisle and Granny Esme!"
The kids all cheered. They couldn't wait to see their grandparents new house. Edward and Bella looked at each other, both lost in their thoughts of the Forks they remembered. They wondered what things would look like in this time. What would the Cullen home look like? Would they come across the Quilleutes? So many thoughts and memories were flooding their minds. The children were oblivious to them, jumping and dancing around the room. The holidays were coming soon.
Halloween
There were still several weeks until Thanksgiving, so Edward had plenty of time to plan how his family of seven would be traveling to Forks. Emmett would not be going with them, because he had already planned on spending this Thanksgiving with his family in Gatlinburg. Edward was considering whether he should take them by train or by plane, when Bella came into his office. She asked what options he had found, and he shared what he was considering. After they discussed it for a while, they decided to make it exciting for the kids by taking a flight. So, Edward focused on this option, and made some calls for dates and schedules.
The Masen children weren't even thinking about Thanksgiving right now. They were more interested in what costumes they would be wearing for Halloween this year. Jack and Zack were wanting to dress as vampires, much to Edward's regret. He had internally scoffed at the ridiculous way that vampires were represented on television and films, but kept his opinions to himself. If his boys only knew the truth... but, since they didn't, they were happily purchasing fake teeth for fangs, and greasy hair pomade to style their hair. Bella had agreed to sew long black capes for them to wear. They would use red lipstick to paint "blood" dripping on their chin.
Betty wanted to dress up as Shirley Temple, which would be an easy costume to put together. The housemaids promised to help her curl her hair, and she would wear a fluffy party dress, while carrying a large lollipop. Ella Rae wanted to be a cowboy, but Bella convinced her to be Annie Oakley instead. She would wear a leather dress, a Western hat, and carry a toy rifle. Annabelle was keeping things simple. She was going to be a witch. All she needed was a hat, a broom, and a black dress. The cook said that she knew how to mix up some green makeup for her face.
When Halloween night came, Edward and Bella cheered and laughed when they saw their children in costume. Everyone was gathered in the front parlor, ready to go trick or treating together. Jack, Zack, Edward, and Bella were each carrying a flashlight, and the girls were told to be sure to hold hands with a family member while they were out. Carrying pillowcases as treat bags, the children were ready to go.
There were lots of houses on the street where the Masens lived, and all the neighborhood children were out and about. It was such fun for the children to see each other's costumes, and play together. One of the houses had games set up out front for everyone to play. There was a fishing game, a beanbag toss, and a swing set. This was a great way to let the neighborhood kids work off some of their excitement. Of course, this house was the most popular spot on the street. When the skies began to darken, it became too hard for them to see the games, so everyone moved on to trick or treating instead.
At the end of the night, each of the Masen children had a pillowcase full of candy, popcorn balls, small toys, and fruit. Annabelle and Ella Rae were very sleepy, so Edward and Bella carried them, while the other three kids followed along. By the time they got back home, everyone was ready to collapse in bed. However, the cook had prepared a yummy beef stew, which smelled wonderful, so the family all went to the dining room instead. The twin girls stayed in their parents laps, and ate a few bites between yawns. When the meal was finished, they all slowly climbed upstairs to take off costumes and makeup, then fell into their beds.
It was such a fun night. They would definitely be remembering this for a long time. Bella and Edward were too tired to cuddle this night, so they just took off their clothes, letting them fall to the floor, then they both slid under the blankets and went to sleep. Soon the house was filled with the steady sounds of heavy breathing and snoring.
The next morning, the excitement began again, as all the kids poured out the contents from their pillowcases. Edward had already left earlier that morning, to work in the hospital. So, Bella was left to make sure her kids did not overindulge on sweets. It was not an easy task, especially with the two older boys. They were experts at sneaking bites when she wasn't looking, and stuffing their pockets to take candy with them to school.
Breakfast was not an option this morning, because everyone had bellies full of candy. So, Bella and the house staff helped the children get cleaned up and dressed, then out the door to the school bus. After the three older children had left, Bella dropped into the comfy sofa in the front parlor. Breathing out a huge sigh of relief, she closed her eyes for a quick nap. When she opened her eyes again, she was surprised to see the time on the cuckoo clock across the room. She had slept for three hours. Sitting up and stretching out her arms, she yawned loudly, then pulled up to stand, bending back to stretch her back as well.
"Mrs. Masen, your lunch is ready," said the cook. Bella followed her into the dining room, and sat down to enjoy her meal with her twin girls. Then, she rose again to go upstairs and get some things done before the children got back home from school. Later that afternoon, the house was filled with more excitement, as the kids all ran upstairs to eat more candy. Soon, there was mass confusion, as everyone complained that their candy was gone. Bella met them all in the hallway upstairs, and said, "Good afternoon, children. Don't worry. Your candy has not disappeared. It's in a safe place. But, you need to have room in your bellies to eat your dinner. So, get to work on your homework, show me that it's done, and after dinner, you can all have treats."
"Aww...Mom!" complained Jack. "I've been thinking about that candy all day!"
Bella smirked, "Jackson Charles Mason, I saw you sneaking candy into your pockets this morning. I think you will survive."
Pressing his lips together in defeat, Jack scuffled off to his room to do his homework. Zack didn't bother saying anything, because he knew it was pointless. Betty frowned, but went to do her homework as well. Ella Rae and Annabelle had spent the day at home, playing with Nanny Gail, so they were no problem tonight.
When Edward got home from the hospital, he was exhausted. He walked in the front door, took off his hat and coat, then settled on the sofa in the front parlor, where Bella had slept that morning. Pulling off his shoes, he stretched his long frame out along the length of the couch, and breathed out in relief. Bella heard his arrival, and came downstairs to greet him. Finding him resting on the sofa, she lifted up his feet, and sat down, then held his feet on her lap. Gently, she massaged each foot, paying careful attention to his arches, knowing that he would appreciate her efforts.
Edward moaned in pleasure, and yawned. "Oh...Bella...that feels so good," he sighed. "I'm glad you like it, sweetheart," she replied. Continuing to work out the tension from his feet, she then worked on his calf muscles and thighs. This caused Edward's moans to deepen in intensity, revealing that he was enjoying her efforts even more than before. He opened his eyes a tiny bit, and watched her face, while she kept up her sensual massage. "Baby, you'd better stop that, or our front parlor is going to become x-rated," he whispered. Giggling, Bella gently caressed his erection, then clasped his hand in affection. "Okay, honey. We'll save that for later."
Dinner was ready now, so she and Edward rose to go to the dining room. Calling upstairs for the children, they took their seats at the table. When the kids arrived, they each gave their mother a report on their homework progress. She and Edward said that they would go upstairs after dinner to check on their work, and then Bella would hand out treats from their Halloween stash. Everyone smiled, and enjoyed their dinner, then ran upstairs. Bella was liking this Halloween treat/incentive thing...a lot.
When all the kids had been rewarded, Edward told them to all come back downstairs to the parlor, so they could listen to the radio together. He then gave the kids the news about their planned flight to Forks. Everyone cheered. They could not wait to fly on an airplane together for the trip. The combination of this news and the candy they had just consumed, made the kids even more excited than before. They constantly talked and danced around the room, making it impossible for anyone to hear the radio program. Grinning and shaking his head in defeat, Edward turned off the radio, then joined in with their discussions. They all wanted to know what it would be like on the airplane.
It took a long time to answer everyone's questions. By then, it was dark outside, so it was time to get ready for bed. Since they had missed the chance to take a bath the night before, Jack and Zack each claimed the two bathtubs upstairs. Bella took Annabelle and Ella Rae into the tub in her and Edward's private bath. Betty would take her bath in the morning, so Edward went with her to spend some time together in her pink bedroom. Betty needed to do some reading for school, so he listened to her read, then he called out some words for her to practice her spelling as well. After kissing Betty goodnight, Edward went to his room, to find Bella in bed, waiting for him. Smiling, he settled in beside her, so they could finish what they had started in the parlor earlier.
Since Halloween was over, there were only a few weeks until Thanksgiving. Now, they would need to work on planning their long trip, then packing their clothes and other necessities. The Masen household would be filled with motion and activity for quite a while now. And they hadn't even thought about Christmas yet.
