AN:/ If you celebrate Christmas, then Merry Christmas to you, or maybe Happy Hanukkah or simply Happy Holidays to you!
-=[Isabelle Higginbotham, the present ]=-
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Grace living with Rosalie and Emmett…Well, that came out of left field.
How come Bella hadn't heard anything about this?
Jess Stanley had certainly tried to pique her interest with gossip about mutual acquaintances in general, and the Cullens in particular. However, Bella had a definite tendency to tune out whenever Jess got into one of her more talkative moods. She probably should have tried to pay attention… She realized now that both Jess and Sue had been asking a lot of open-ended questions, trying to gauge how much she knew and how much she wanted to know about what had happened in Forks over the last five years.
To be fare, Bella felt she should have known something was up with Em and Rosie and all their 101 children… Because damn, five kids in five years… It made sense that at least one of those kids were adopted… or, well, technically not adopted-adopted, but as close as one could get without having all the legal paperwork completed...
And, dang, she got it now. She got why the Cullen's would have loved to have her over for Sunday dinner so that they could voice their opinion on things and lay out their well-thought through arguments on the table. She got why they were all nervously awaiting what her next move would be now that she had actually made it back for a visit, the first one in five years.
And, also, she got why Emmett had taken an interest in 'coaching' Edward on how to act and what to say around her. Emmett wanted the whole truth to come out, but he wanted it to come out the right way… in order to further his and his wife's chances of adopting Grace.
This whole situation was a delicate and different one, Charlie being on his death bed certainly complicated things. Because her father was, from what Bella had gathered, still Gracie's legal guardian on paper.
Right now, Edward was telling her how Charlie had been supportive of the idea of Rosalie and Emmett eventually adopting Grace. This baffled her a bit. Because… well, for starters those two were only about a year, a year and a half older than what Bella herself was.
She knew from what Edward had told her that Emmett's oldest daughter, Millie, was not even a full a year younger than Grace. In other words, Rosalie must have been pregnant before even turning 20 and by the sounds of things, she'd ended up dropping out of college because of it.
Not for the first time, she wondered what had happened to Rosalie's conviction that there would be no children for her…. or at least, no children before thirty.
Then again, this was the very same Rosalie who'd had several pregnancy scares throughout her last year of high school, because of various birth control mishaps. So perhaps it had been written in the stars all along. Perhaps, Rosalie and Emmett had always been destined to marry young and produce a slew of cute but opinionated children. Their relationship had obviously survived high school (and beyond) just fine. Judging by the way Emmett talked about his family made it clear that they came first with him.
'That's what devotion looks like! '
The little traitorous thought popped out of nowhere. Devotion, a stable relationship and a wonderful, unwavering support system…. Her own seventeen-year-old self had had none of those things.
"Hey, where did you go?"
"What?"She looked up when Edward nudged her elbow.
"You seemed to go somewhere in that head of yours."
"Sorry, I was just… thinking," she admitted. Then, in an effort to fill the awkward silence that followed, she blurted. "So... my father had no objections? None what so ever? I mean, I'm pretty sure Charlie busted your brother for underage drinking a couple of times..."
She saw the corner of his mouth quirk upwards a bit. "The short answer is no one has voiced any objections. We're all in agreeance that living with Rosalie and Emmett is what's best for Grace. However, Charlie did say there would be no moving forward with an adoption, without running it past you first. He also said he didn't want anyone approaching you about any of this until he felt the time was right. Basically, he's asked them to wait a few more years."
"Well, duh…He knew I'd be upset with him when I fund out the truth about the child's whereabouts. Sounds like he was trying to keep a lid on all of this for as long as possible."
"I don't think that was his reasoning. Listen, Charlie more or less forbade us to have any contact with you until you either came to him and specifically asked about the baby, or until the day you have graduated college and completed your practicum hours for your certification. He didn't want ANY setbacks, keeping you from reaching your full potential and succeeding in your adult life."
"Setbacks," she snorted. "And he didn't think it would be a setback to find out you've been lied to by your own father...?"
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The darkness had crept up on them, and Edward lit the lamps in the room.
"You, uh... you want the bed or the couch?" he asked, shifting uneasily as he came to stand in front of her.
"Well... if those are my options, then I'll take the couch," she answered and averted her eyes, hiding the disappointment she shouldn't have felt
"Taking you to your hotel room is out of question, but I could drive you to Sue's, if that's what you prefer. I just didn't think you'd be up for seeing anyone-..."
"No. The couch is fine," Bella was quick to assure him. "You obviously don't want me in your bedroom, so… I'll have to respect that. I'll sleep on the couch. Just get me a blanket and a pillow and I'll take it from there."
"It's not that I don't want you in my bed Bella, because I do," he said with intensity, with utter certainty. "It's just that I believe we need sleep tonight more than anything else tonight."
"I can keep my hands to myself, if that's what you're worried about," she muttered.
'Your hands are not the issue,' Edward said softly. "Anyway… stay where you are, I'll go fetch you bedding. By the way, do you want a t-shirt to sleep in?"
"Sure," Bella agreed, watching him turn around to leave.
"Hey, Edward!" she called out just as he reached the door.
"Yeah?"
"Can I ask you something? Just for clarification, before we put this particular conversation to rest."
"Sure," he said, turning around, so that he was standing, leaning against the doorway. "Ask away…."
"Are you really as okay talking about all of this as you seem?"
"All of this? I don't talk about my… eh, let's call it breakdown, or my long road to recovery, with just anyone, if that's what you were referring to."
"Yeah. No, I get that….Sorry, I should have been more specific about what I was talking about. I meant, Grace. You talk about Grace like you're completely over the whole thing, like you have no personal ties or interests there… "
"I don't know what to say to that, Bella. Are you calling me cold? Distant?"
At his gruff voice she hurried to amend. "No, I didn't mean it in a negative way. You said you couldn't even stand being in the same vicinity as the baby five years ago – which I totally get, because I was – is - the same… Yet, you don't seem to have any trouble talking about it, talking about her, here with me, today." She paused to draw in a breath.
"I think what I'm trying to say is that you seem to have done a complete 180. Now, I heard what you said about therapy and I can see how you have grown as a person. Great for you! I'm just not there myself yet and I don't know if I'll ever get there…" She trailed off, wanting to give herself a facepalm for rambling. She felt that he point she was trying to make got lost in her own jumbled thoughts.
Thankfully, Edward seemed to get what she was saying.
"Listen, it's pretty simple… As far as I'm concerned I have five nieces, that's how I choose to think of her. The best thing I can do for her and for myself is to work on becoming a doting uncle for all five of those kids."
"Fair enough..." She wasn't sure she understood his reasoning, but she didn't argue. "And how is that going?"
"It's going… okay, I think. I mean, those kids knows uncle Eddie always brings antibacterial swipes when he comes over for a visit," he answered with a roll of his eyes, as if poking fun at himself. "My nieces are like little sponges for germs. They gave me the flu over Thanksgiving last year… Not cool. However, I still see them every other week or so. And not because I have to, but because I want to. It has taken years of therapy to get where I am today. Seriously, I don't change diapers, wipe snot from runny noses, or pus from sick eyes … but I can handle a tiny, sticky, hand grabbing for mine, or the occasional sloppy kiss on the cheek… "
"Aw, that's actually pretty awesome, Edward."
"It's work in progress, that's what it is. I hope they'll think of me as cool uncle Eddie one day, but I still got some way to go..."
"What about your parents…. how often do they see Grace? And how how do they feel about how things played out? This all must have crushed your mother. I mean, she pretty much lost another baby."
He frowned and his brows furrowed. "I don't think she sees it that way. Or maybe she guards her emotions around me," he said as he shifted his weight to stand up straight. "If you ask her, she'll tell you being a grandparent is the single most important and satisfying thing in her life. She seems sincere about it."
"Alright, I believe you. I'm sure your parents are incredibly involved grandparents."
"Yeah well, living in such a small town, means they get plenty of opportunities to see heir grandkids – they are constantly picking them up from school, taking them to the park, watching ballet recitals-..."
"Who does ballet? Surely not Grace, right?" Bella cut in.
"Josie, Millie... and Gracie."
"I hated ballet when I was a kid, but my mom forced me to do it for three years, thinking it would somehow magically improve my balance and coordination."
This revelation had Edward cracking a smile. "Who knew having two left feet is inheritable? I mean, Grace is, despite her name, defiantly not a graceful dancer."
"Yeah well, I refuse to take the full blame for that... It's not like your Pirouettes and Pique Turns are all that perfect either," Bella shot back, swatting at his shoulder.
"I meant Charlie, obviously," he smirked. "She gets it from Chief Pow Pow."
Pow pow? Bella absorbed this is in silence for a moment. "Is that what he calls himself around her? Chief Pow Pow?"
"No… It's just a silly nickname Emmett uses sometimes. I mean, Charlie's been pretty good about coming around Emmett's house to see Grace for her birthdays and other special occasions, even though it's obvious he's never been entirely comfortable around that child. He says she reminds him a little too much of you, Bella. In fact, I've heard him claim, countless of times, that she's like a carbon copy of what you looked like at that age, save for her hair color."
"Funny he should say that. It's not like he has a lot to go on for comparison. He was not around all that much when I was a kid," Bella muttered. "Never mind. That's not important," she added when he opened his mouth to respond.
"You're right," he agreed with her, scratching the back of his neck. "I know you're only here for a limited amount of time and I know you have a whole new life waiting for you to get back to… Please, know there is no drama. The kid has a good life, she is happy and loved... She doesn't remember anything other than the life she has now and her bonds with her family are strong ones."
'No drama right now maybe', Bella thought to herself, but she didn't say it aloud. Instead she said, "That's good to know… and thank you for your honesty."
"No problem." Edward pushed himself off the door frame."So… Bedtime?"
Bella couldn't hold back a yawn. "Bedtime," she agreed.
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Bella couldn't sleep.
No matter how badly she wanted to, she couldn't.
After tossing and turning for hours, she finally sat up and threw back her blanket. Maybe she could find a book or something to read... And stop by the kitchen for a glass of milk… and check if Edward was awake… Okay, she'd been itching to do that last one all night.
It turned out Edward was out cold… that lucky bastard!
There was no sounds coming from his room and no hint of light above or below the door, as she tiptoed past it and continued down the hallway.
However, upon reaching the kitchen, she noticed that the light over the sink was still on.
Strange….
Maybe Edward just forgot to shut it off? It wasn't like him, but oh well, maybe he, too, had a lot on his mind.
She found a drinking glass in one of the cupboards and brought it down while she fumbled for the door handle to the fridge.
She pulled, but it was heavier than she expected; she braced her feet and pulled again. And that's when she heard a throat clear behind her.
"Bella, are you sleepwalking?"
She jumped, startled, and dropped the glass on to the counter top, she tried to stop it from falling over the edge, but missed.
"Shit..." she muttered as it hit the floor and shattered into millions of pieces.
"Well, shit, indeed," Edward said. As she turned her head she found him standing behind him, in a green, fluffy bathrobe, a glass of his own in his hand. "You're barefoot and now there is glass everywhere."
"And who's fault is that? You scared me!"
"You walked right past me without even looking at me," he countered. "The light over the sink was lit, and the pot I just used to heat my milk is still sitting on the stove, but you didn't seem to notice a thing. I thought for sure you were sleep walking."
"I wasn't. I didn't see you. I just came here to get something to drink. I couldn't sleep." she muttered, rubbing her face with her hands in a dejected way.
"Don't move! There really is broken glass all over the floor."
Bella felt her shoulders slump in defeat, but she stayed where she was.
"I'll help you, but only if you promise not to laugh at my slippers," he said as he carefully stepped around the smashed glass. "I know they are ugly, but they were a gift from niece one and two… and they are comfy, so-…."
"Wow, they really are ugly," she snorted, looking down at his pink, piglet slippers. "Precious. I mean, precious."
"I told you, don't laugh, they are going to save your pretty little feet."
When he was beside her, he held his arms out, motioning for her to wrap her arms around his neck. She obeyed, albeit hesitantly.
Broken glass crunched under his slipper-protected feet as he lifted her off the ground and carried her out of the room.
They reached the hallway, but he didn't stop to set her back down again. Instead, he continued all the way to the door of his bedroom, where he paused, momentarily, dipping her lower to reach the door knob.
"Where are you taking me?" she asked, even though it was rather obvious.
"Where I should have taken you to begin with...to my bed," was the reply she got as he carried her over the threshold.
"Ow," Bella squeaked as he dropped her on the mattress. "I mean, good! Lying on a hard, lumpy couch is the opposite of what you need to do to relax your mind."
"Stay where you are! I'll be back in a sec, I'm just gonna go turn down the lights and double check that I didn't leave the stove or the dishwasher on."
"Don't you mean triple-check?" she asked innocently, while making herself comfortable on the bed. "And Edward, if I hear you start the vacuum cleaner, I'm out of here."
As she pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them, the much too big T-shirt she wore slid off her shoulder.
This had Edward stopping in his tracks, looking at her with an odd expression.
"What is it? What are you looking at? Is it another bruise?"
"No. It's you," he said quietly. "First of all, you're hot like hell, Swan…. Secondly, it's so weird to see you in my clothes again… I never thought I'd see the day."
"Maybe you should hurry up and get back to bed," she suggested.
"I'm on it!" He sprung into action again, heading out the door, setting off towards the kitchen.
"Do you know who else called me hot today?" she called out after him.
His head reappeared in the doorway—yes, only his head. "Who? My brother? I swear I'll kill him."
"No, not your brother. Austin Marks. You remember him? He was friends with Ben Cheney."
"No. I don't remember no Austin Marks." Edward was out of sight again, but Bella could hear him moving about quickly. "Where did you meet this guy and why was he giving you compliments?"
"Oh, I don't know… because I'm hot," she teased him. "But seriously, he's Bree Tanner's new case worker, the one I had a meeting with. He didn't actually call me hot, but he did try to ask me out… I think."
"You think?" There was a sarcastic edge to his voice. "You turned him down, I assume."
She heard a light switch click and a door being closed.
"I did. In the politest way possible," she confirmed. "Or as your friend Tanya would have said, a girl's gotta have options..."
That did it. He was back in the room in a flash.
"You did not just say that," he huffed, indignation vibrating in his voice.
"Sorry." She couldn't hold back a smile, but she covered it with a yawn.
"It's not funny, it's tragic. She's tragic… and I should have my head checked for wasting time on someone like her…." Edward moved around the bed. "I've already heard it from my family, I don't need to hear it from you too. I'm exhausted Bella, just crawl under the covers so we can get some rest."
The mattress dipped as he sat down, shifting a second later as he stretched out beside her.
"I'm sorry," she said again, more earnestly this time, patting his knee though the bedspread. "I'll make it up to you with a cuddle, alright?"
"I'm not letting you off that easily. Your punishment will be to scratch my back while you tell me every last detail of your day."
"I hate scratching backs," she pouted. "I'd rather give a massage."
"I remember," he said, his voice dipping low, "We'll get to that too, but first, tell me about this Austin character… "
"What do you want to know? He's tall, dark and handsome..:"
"I don't trust him. He sounds shady," Edward deadpanned.
"I don't think he is," Bella replied. "Shady, I mean. All jokes aside Edward, I'm think I could do with a second opinion on this whole thing… So if you really want to hear it and if you swear to keep this to yourself, I suppose I could tell you how my meeting went and what plans we made to help Bree."
"Alright, Swan. Yes, I do want to hear it, I'm all ears." He pulled her closer, letting her snuggle up against his chest. "I have to tell you though; this is so not what I imagined we'd end up doing when I carried you over the threshold to my bedroom."
"I know, me neither…."
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