The Painter
Chapter 38: Epilogue
"Don't be afraid of death; be afraid of an unlived life. You don't have to live forever, you just have to live..." ~Natalie Babbitt
~O~
2 years later
"Tell me."
"What do you want to know?" She smiled, not looking at him.
"Are you mad?" His eyes shifted away from hers before he could see her brilliant smile.
"How can I be mad?" She giggled but the higher pitch of her voice caught her off guard and her eyes were widened when Edward looked back at her.
"You are mad. It was the only way, Bella." He reached for her and she allowed him to pull her into his chest. She glanced over his shoulder at the array of blank and painted canvas's that lined the room. Her eyes landed on one, though, with her body next to an old tree that she was seemingly within.
There was a Mona Lisa smile on her face; she could see it now, where before she never could.
A long time ago, Esme saw it and it had triggered a bit of happy hope within.
"Edward, I couldn't be mad that you saved me. There's no way I could- and if I was, I surely wouldn't stay that way!"
"But you're a vampire."
"So?" But Edward remained quiet. "There are worse things to be, Edward."
"You're right. Being a werewolf would be worse."
"Stop it." She chided, but laughed. "Everything is so brilliant." Bella sighed, looking around. She was itching to paint with her new, heightened sight and senses. She wondered about the mixing of paints into the brilliant colors she could now see. She did feel a little sorry that others wouldn't be able to get to see such colors, though. Her past paintings would lose their vibrancy, for sure, but future ones would gain it.
"The stress is gone." She sighed, thinking about her moments in the airport so long ago. It felt like forever that she was terrified of anything and everything, but all of that has dissipated in the past two years and completely when she became like Edward. There were no threats of free-radicals in the air she breathed and there wouldn't be anything to harm herself on or even trip over.
She was a vampire now and that was totally freeing from her human binds.
"That's good, right?" He asked, curious.
"It's very good. Now I can be free to do what I wish to do, without the fear I've always had.
"Go,"
"What?"
"I know you… you're looking at the dust like a foreign world itching to paint it. I've got everything taken care of here… go paint."
"But… I want to see-"
"Everything?" He grinned and she nodded.
"Later," he sighed, pulling his hair through his hair. "We have eternity. Relax and paint."
Some things didn't change, he thought, painting is still more important than eating.
"I just had the most amazing vision." She grinned wildly.
"Go paint it," he laughed. "Let me see your dreams, love."
…
(6 months later)
"Edward! Stop it!" Bella gasped, seeing the quick flash moving across her line of vision. He had been doing it all morning and she knew he was trying to keep something from her so she was playing along.
But now he was just being annoying.
"Thirty seconds and I am out of here!" She called out, watching the flashes rush back and forth.
"It's a surprise." He whispered as he wisped by.
"What? Did you invite the wolves? Are we going to a bonfire?"
Edward paused right in front of her and gave her a withering stare with lip curled, before rushing off.
She giggled, "I heard the bonfires turn colors because of the drift wood."
"The bonfire also turns colors from vampire parts," Edward huffed, his cologne lingering in his wake. "Ever think of that?"
Bella gasped, "They wouldn't!"
Edward chuckled and raised his eyebrows at her from across the room. "Are you going to stop about the dogs? I have your surprise ready."
"I don't know. You're making me dizzy," She said instead, dropping the topic. Bella sat moved past a mirror on the wall and saw her bright, crimson eyes. "The red eyes will go away, right?" Her throat burned as if on cue, her hand moved to clutch it but it never worked.
"Eventually," Edward said with boredom. He moved through the room and stood before her. He reached for her, pulling her close and kissed her temple.
She had been around her father, but only briefly and only with sunglasses on.
It had been an easy transition from being a human to a vampire, but not so much an easy human life before it.
Bella had told the Cullen's that she wanted to be a vampire like Edward, even though he was a hybrid, and not a full vampire, but when the undead date was set, fate had other ideas.
She had a pregnancy scare and that put their relationship in a whole new direction.
They didn't even know it was possible.
And once they knew it was, they took this much more carefully.
There was so much to discuss.
Edward, as a vampire had anxiety and a newfound hope of something… wonderful.
Together.
They married on a Tuesday under the canopy of trees in the forest. Snow fell gently around them creating a wonderful ambiance for them and their witnesses, their vows succinct but lovely, with the cooling weather.
Edward carried Bella over the threshold of his home, making it theirs and made love to her. She cried happy tears as she looked at him over her, and then the ring on her hand. It was a white sapphire gem set in gold with two blue sapphires on either side.
"She is blue," he said in a whisper in her ear. "When I first met you, you were blue. You're the ocean and all things within; the storm and the choppy sails, the calm and the tide. You're the sea foam that gives and takes; ebb and flow, the abyss of possibilities and a life in abundance."
She teared up, but then teased that he just wanted to ride her waves and explore her depths. They laughed and tickled and played.
But she was blue, too, because of the baby; he knew this because he was no longer green. He was also blue; in an indigo sea of turbulent emotions.
Bella was blue because she reflected the sky and its infinite possibilities to him and he wanted to give her all that she wanted and needed.
She wanted to give him the same, to her Edward was blue; comfort, depth, and stability.
"Let's not worry about what could be or what could have been…" he whispered one dark night as he wiped the tears away. "We can do what we wish. Where do you want to go? What have you always wanted to do?" Edward carefully pulled her hair from her face and turned her face toward his, waiting for her answer.
"Where haven't you been?" She countered, trying to smile.
"I haven't been to…" Edward frowned. "I haven't been to Antarctica."
Bella pushed him away, giggling lightly, "We are not going to Antarctica."
"Why not? I hear penguins taste like fish."
"Stop it!" She snickered as he moved over her, caging her underneath him.
The atmosphere changed instantly. "We can go where ever you would like." He whispered.
"I like it here… with you."
He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.
But she watched him, unwavering, and nodded her head to deepen her intent to stay in Forks.
It was then that he knew she wouldn't go and he shouldn't push.
"I just don't want you to miss out… on anything."
"You want to try?"
Edward shrugged.
She knew.
He did.
So did she.
"I'm not one of those people who like to go all over the place, Edward. I like just being here with you and my paints. I want to hear the whispers in the wind from the trees and the soft chirps from the birds and squirrels. I'd tell you if I changed my mind."
"Okay," Appeased, for now. Edward smiled and moved forward to kiss her but she pushed him back a little.
"Also, those free radicals are still out there wreaking havoc, even in Antarctica."
"Ah, those damn free radicals," He rolled his eyes with a smile. When she tried to talk, though, he bent forward shutting her mouth with his kiss.
Bella grinned. "What is it?"
He held out an envelope and she took it, smiling coyly.
"What is in the envelope, Edward?" Bella asked softly.
"Remember a long time ago, I said we should go to Antarctica?"
"You didn't!" Bella gasped; her eyes wide.
"Open it," He smirked, pleased with himself.
Bella carefully opened the letter as to not to destroy it. Her first few weeks as a vampire were a struggle, especially with her painting. She wasn't used to the strength and completely devastated her studio. Glass jars broken, brushes crumbled into sawdust, and canvas ripped.
She cried tears that would never fall and Edward picked up her pieces and made everything better, calmly moving about the room in vampire speed.
It wasn't until Skylar crawled into the room, bright green eyes and toothy grin that Bella remembered what truly mattered. Bella held onto one small red curl, smelling it before Sky wandered off.
Bella pulled out a small picture from the envelope, "Who is this?"
She looked at the picture, eyes wide. The woman was wearing period clothing with her hair curled and pulled up and piled on the top of her head. It was definitely not tickets to Antarctica.
"That, is your English ancestor, Mandy. I was bored and looked into your ancestry for the baby sake."
Bella grinned. "She looks like me."
"A lot like you, actually," He scoffed. "I can't help but think of you in 1920's clothing." He growled seductively.
"You feeling frisky, Edward? You want to see my ankle?" Bella twisted away and lifted up her jeans to show a bit of pale, shimmery flesh.
He laughed. "You do give good ankle," He winked and she shook her head.
A coo diverted Bella's attention, and she moved toward the small miracle baby. Picking her up, Bella moved toward a large canvas and threw it onto the floor. Sky started to squirm out of her arms as Bella poured paint onto the new canvas. Edward grabbed the baby and quickly took off her clothes, sans diaper and put Sky on top of the paint. Both watched in amusement as the baby smooshed the paint in her hands, tapping them on the canvas. Both Edward and Bella smiled.
"Is that my surprise, the picture of Mandy?" She asked, not looking away.
Edward poured some yellow paint down and Sky went right for it, making them laugh.
Sky was definitely yellow. She was the Sun, a ray of light out of the darkness to so many, especially Rose, but mostly because she loved the color.
"No," He grinned, "This is your surprise." He pulled another envelope out of his pocket. "We're going to go to England, specifically to Devon, where she once lived."
"What?"
"Yep, we're going to go to England, all of us, and we're staying in her house. I bought it."
"What?" Bella gasped, shaking her head.
"Is that all you can say? …What?"
"You didn't buy her house!"
"I did."
"You can't just go and do these things, Edward! We should talk about it."
"You would never go, Bella. You would never say, 'Yes, let's buy a house in England or wherever else other than Forks,' so I just did. Ask forgiveness, not permission." He winked but Bella was not amused.
"I don't want to leave our home, Edward." She was speaking softly, watching Sky drag paint over the canvas with her knees and legs. Little bits of toe prints were scattered randomly.
"Bella, as much as we both would like to stay here in Forks, we cannot stay here forever." He gestured at Sky and Bella understood instantly. There were so many things to consider, none of them could be helped other than leaving.
"When?"
Edward shrugged, "Whenever we want."
Bella wasn't amused and looked at him in annoyance.
"To visit, we'll go in about 3 months… rainy season, of course."
They had already spent too much time in Forks, she knew that, but she didn't expect to have to leave. It made sense, though.
"What about my parents?"
Sky moved to eat the paint but Edward had quickly scooped her up and took her to the sink.
"What about them? They are welcome to come and visit any time they choose."
"So this is happening," She took a deep, unnecessary breath after Edward had given her a series of photographs of the property and town. Normally her anxiety would have been off and running, her mind racing with what-if's... But her mind was clear and the anxiety subsided fast.
"Yes."
"The Cullen's?"
"Are coming, too," he grinned, "Like they'd stray far from Sky."
"Okay," She sighed, lips pinched to hold back the frown.
"Okay."
…
Skylar slept as the Cullen's caravan of cars pulled up to the first of many houses on the property. Mandy's house sat just outside of town, hidden within the trees as the rain tapped out a melody on the roof of the car.
Edward got out and grabbed the sleeping baby careful not to wake her, which made Bella smile.
The girl was such blessing to both of them, but also to the other Cullen's. Esme was especially ecstatic, having spent most of the time writing books to and a blog to bring more people into awareness. She liked inspiring change, especially within the school system.
"Welcome home," he whispered, moving Sky to one arm to wrap his other around his wife. Edward turned behind him and waved. He watched for a second to see the others leave since all was well.
Bella grinned, laying her head on his shoulder as soon as he turned forward again. "You didn't tell me Mandy's house was the exact replica of the one in Forks." She laughed, giving him a side-eye glare.
"Coincidence."
"No, way," she scoffed.
"Yes, way. Coincidently, Mandy's old house tumbled to the ground, only to be handcrafted into this… masterpiece."
"You're insufferable!" Bella giggled. "I love that about you."
Edward chuckled. "Some of it is actually from her house. The house was in ruins, Bella. The stone fireplace is hers, as is the wall there," He pointed to a stone wall that the fireplace rested on. "The rest is ours."
"Thank you," Bella whispered. "For making like the other one… it's like Forks but not. I love it just the same."
"You're welcome." Edward kissed her softly, "I'm going to lay her in her bed while you look around and find your studio again."
Edward grinned. He was proud of himself, especially when Bella's face lit up. He would never tire of it.
When he walked away, Bella turned and took a deep breath in as the rain softly fell. She was about to close the door, but stilled and saw the yellow sun peeking through the blue-grey clouds and the green trees.
Edward was green. He was the trees, the air, the promise of new life… he made it easier to breathe.
Skylar was yellow. She was the sun that brought in the light into every dark corner in their life.
Bella was Blue. From an abyss of the ocean or the sky above… she was the current.
She smiled, wanting to paint it all into a memory.
She would paint them happy here.
Live in the sunshine, swim in the ocean, drink the wild air. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
~O~
A/N: As quoted in Chapter 8:
"We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives." ― John F. Kennedy-
Thank you all for reading, your kind reviews, and your recommendations, alerting, and favorite-ing of this story.
I am eternally grateful.
When I started to write this story, it was to help others to understand more about children with sensory and anxiety gifts like my daughter (and in many ways me.) This was published first in 2013-14 and reposted in 2019-2020.. Since then the little girl I described has become an adult, anxiety and fears have all but disappeared (although she still loathes shower curtains) and she has evolved into an amazing woman that has a job and is in college.
It's hard to read the reviews about Renee because it's hard to know when you have to stop your avocation and protection of them and let them be their own advocate and protector. But she did ultimately did it and let her go. Such things like that I purposely left unresolved. I wanted to give a sense of a life together, full of surprises, trials, and new beginnings not just for Bella but for many in this story.
That they got through the trials because they keep choosing each other, even with all their faults (as long as it is loving and safe to do so.)
Anyway, thank you for choosing this story. If this story meant something to you, opened your eyes, or gave a new understanding- then I have done my job.
Infinite blessings,
Everleigh Allen