The Bear
Chapter 19: Stella!
Heidi sat in her apartment in the Castle Volturi and felt increasingly dissatisfied. She had been left behind in Voltura when the rest had left for the Sanctuary confrontation, a decision she was complaisant about at the time. Her duty, Aro had said, was to mind Volterra until she heard from them. Since then, however, she hadn't heard a thing and she thought she should have by now.
In frustration, she put down the magazine she had been thumbing through and got up to look out the window at the sunny square far below. There were dozens of people wandering about, enjoying the sunshine, window shopping, and dining at the various cafes and restaurants that dotted the shopping district. She could faintly hear conversations, laughter, and music as people did what people tended to do.
Those poor humans, she thought. Perhaps one day some of them would become a meal; however, they were safest right here in Voltura. She never "recruited" meals near where the Volturi lived in order to keep the coven's existence hidden. It was a game she had played for years. She had taken great delight in devising new schemes to lure the unsuspecting victims into Volturi clutches. The game had excited her once, but suddenly the thought of it bored her. She was puzzled by her sudden change in attitude. She had never felt this way before—at least since she had been transformed.
Sighing, she returned to her seat and picked up the remote control for the satellite TV. She rarely watched television as nothing on it had interested her in the past. Aro had a few people monitor the world news to listen out for suspicious events that could be outlawed vampiric activity. The Volturi would be quick to investigate these and deal with them when found. That had never concerned her.
She desultorily clicked through the channels until she paused on one where a man, dressed in jeans and a ratty t-shirt, was saying to a slender, dark-haired woman, "Jo, if shiplap and a barn door had a baby, they'd name it Joanna Gaines."
Heidi blinked. What could they be talking about? She watched further and became mesmerized. She observed the couple create a magic of their own—taking Fixer Uppers and turning them into amazing homes—if you liked shiplap and word art, that is. She continued watching show after show, first with the Gaineses and then the two cutie-pie Property Brothers who helped couples buy an old, dilapidated house and then transform it into a masterpiece. Then, there was the man and woman who competed to see if their customer would "Love It or List It." Her favorite show, however, was Divine Design. Candice Olsen's tastes seemed to be exactly her own. It was fascinating what a person could do with a fresh coat of paint and waterfall counter tops.
After a twenty-four-hour marathon of HGTV, Heidi started looking around at Castle Volturi with new eyes. Why, this place was an old dump! It had cold, stone walls, heavy drapes, stodgy paintings, worn wooden furniture, and lumpy, overstuffed chairs. And there was so much potential. Heidi started measuring, knocking on walls, and wondering if she could talk Aro and the others into a major remodel. Just think of what could be done! Maybe she could start in a small way, perhaps her own quarters?
Why not?
Carlisle looked at the sleeping woman and scratched his head. What were they going to do with Bree Tanner? She had fainted the minute Esme and Rosalie had got her inside the Cullen home and away from the mortal danger she had been in with the Volturi. Before leaving the house for the final confrontation with Aro and the rest, Carlisle had administered a sedative to Bree so that she could rest and recruit her strength. Plus, it gave them time to figure out what to do.
While Carlisle was outside trying to save Leah's life, the rest of his clan had returned to the house. Fresh blood was always difficult to cope with and it was best for them to remove themselves.
Once inside, Jasper said to Emmett, "How about you and I go to Seattle to see what the Volturi left behind at the airport? It's only been a few hours since they arrived, so perhaps we have time to fix any problems they created there."
Emmett nodded. "Good idea. You want to take the bikes?"
Nodding, Jasper said, "They'll be the quickest way to get to SeaTac."
Esme had put a hand on the sleeping Bree's forehead. Looking up at her foster sons, she said, "We'll certainly have to devise a cover story for Bree that she'll believe as well as others. Most likely, it will depend upon what you find there. Keep us informed."
Nodding, Jasper and Emmett prepared to leave, sneaking out the back while the Volturi fell to pieces at the hands of a small, but brilliant, Quileute woman. The two were able to push their Tomahawk motorcycles to the highway without drawing any attention except for a couple of Wolves, who had sniffed at them suspiciously but let them pass. Soon, they were blasting down the highway, intent on getting to SeaTac before too much more time had passed.
Edward hadn't said much since we had reunited. There hadn't been any time to talk, to be honest, what with the Volturi's destruction, Leah's sacrifice, and her startling letter. I looked at him as he guided our boat across the bay to Leah's island and wondered what he was thinking. I was afraid to ask him.
After we moored the boat at the floating dock, he reached for my hand to help me step out beside him. We stood there for a minute, holding hands and staring into each other's eyes. He still took my breath away but there was something ominous overshadowing us that added to the electricity that was always there. It was almost as though we were poised on the brink of something and anything we would say could push us over the edge, so we didn't utter a word.
Finally, I smiled and turned to lead him up the path to Leah's cottage. However, when we got to the meadow where I had remembered Leah's simple, faded red cabin had stood, we discovered something else entirely.
"What's this?" Edward asked. Evidently, the quaint cottage we found wasn't what he expected either.
"I don't know. When I was here last, it was a cabin just like any you'd find in La Push. This is different."
"It looks like something you'd see in the English countryside."
Edward was right. What stood in front of us was a grey-stoned, one and half storied, ivy covered, slate-roofed cottage—very different from Leah's digs. It was perfect for me, being a literature buff as I was. I had always dreamed of something like this to snuggle into.
"Wow!" was all I could say, of course.
We climbed the shallow porch steps and opened the front door. The inside was every bit as inviting as the outside with a fireplace and comfy chairs nearby, floor to ceiling bookshelves filled with enticing books, lamps casting a soft glow overall. I sighed. This was heaven for me.
Suddenly, there was a small hum and then we heard Leah's voice. "Welcome to what I hope becomes your home, Bella and Edward. I trust it suits you."
Edward looked even more startled as he turned to find the source of Leah's voice. It seemed to be coming from the speakers that were cleverly mounted throughout the house.
"Please be at ease. I made these recordings as well as the videos you'll find long before the possibility that you'd come here to stay ever crossed your minds. In fact, Bella on the day of this particular recording, you are still in school in Arizona and Edward is in high school for the eleventieth time in Forks—that must have been purgatory for you and your siblings Edward. Eternal High School Students. I can't think of anything worse.
"But anyway, I suppose I need to explain some things right away to you. What you perceive as this house is sentient. I've always called her Stella—I must have been reading too much Tennessee Williams or drinking too much beer at the time; I can't remember. But anyway, she adapts herself to the desires of her occupants, so I'm pretty sure what you've found here is nothing like what I have. If you have any needs, just say, "Stella, my bed is too hard" and suddenly you'll have a new Comforpedic mattress. She'll even play your favorite tunes.
"Edited this past spring to add— I've been listening to these old tapes in preparation for soon to be coming events and will add addenda as I see fit. Stella is very much like Alexa that the millennials have now, except she is more adaptable.
"Now, you two, you are newlyweds, and I'm sure you have had a big day, so my suggestion is to take the rest of today and get used to Stella. Then, the lessons will begin."
There was an audible click as Leah signed off. I looked at Edward and wasn't surprised to see him looking speculatively at me. I sat down on the sofa that was set in front of the fireplace and patted the cushion next to me. "I believe we have a lot to talk about."
He sat down and put his arm on the cushion behind me. "I suppose we do, but I sort of like the idea of having the honeymoon we haven't had, yet."
I could see we were on the same page as far as that was concerned and I cuddled into his arms. "So, how do you like this place?"
"It's nice, but I like who's here with me better." He leaned in to kiss me and the familiar fire took hold. We discovered that the sofa lent itself to make-out sessions pretty well.
When we came up for air, I discovered I was ravenously hungry.
"Oh, I hope some of Leah's SdL is here."
We got up and went hand in hand into the kitchen which was just off the living area. It was beautiful, of course. It had butcher-block counter tops and shiny, stainless steel. I opened the refrigerator and found several cannisters filled with delicious SdL.
"Did Leah make this or did Stella?" Edward wondered.
A pleasant, female voice said, "The SdL in the refrigerator was prepared by Leah Clearwater yesterday morning."
"Good. Leah thought of everything," I said as I reached for a canister and opened up a nearby cabinet for glasses.
Edward said, "Stella, do you have the recipe for Leah's version of SdL?"
"I do. Do you wish me to recite it now?"
"Not just now, thank you. Are the raw ingredients on site?"
"Yes. Some are in the pantry and some are growing in the greenhouse in the backyard."
Edward took his glass from me and said, "Leah was thorough, that's for sure."
We spent a good few hours going over the cottage—I salivated over the various volumes in the bookcase—some were rare first editions, and by some of my favorite authors. The bedroom was pretty and sumptuous, as was the bathroom. I noticed that the clothes I had originally worn when I met Leah, were neatly hung in the closet. It spooked me, in a way. Could I get used to this craziness? Leah called it Quileute power and I heard her refer to it as magic when she was impersonating Aro, but it certainly was a kind of psycho situation. I still didn't know what to think or how I was going to respond to it.
Edward and I decided to take a walk around the island. After a pleasant meander—the island really wasn't all that big, being more up and down than flat—we found a sheltered rock formation that looked out to sea. There was a convenient bench there, just big enough for two.
It was time to ask the questions I had been afraid to ask earlier. "What do you think of all this?"
"It's amazing and surprising, but I have already made my decision. Whatever you decide, I'll support you. If you want this, I'll be by your side. If you don't, then I'll still be with you. Either is fine with me."
"You won't feel tied down by having to live here with me? I'm not sure I'll be able to travel very far. I don't think that Leah could leave the Reservation's soil."
"It doesn't matter. Wherever you are, I will be."
"This is a lot to take on."
"It is, but I remember what you said to me when we were dating."
That seemed another lifetime ago, and I guess it was. "What did I say?"
"I was explaining to you what I did with my life, what my vocation was. Of course, at the time I couldn't tell you the whole truth—that I was searching for rogue vampires, introducing them to SdL and a new way of existing. But it gave my life a meaning it had never had since I'd been changed. You said to me at the time, that you envied me. It seems to me that this could be your answer."
Really? Was this the solution to my yearning to have a place and a purpose? Perhaps.
"I suppose we will have to listen to Leah's lessons in order to truly understand what we'd be getting in to. But how can you do your job if you're stuck here with me?"
"I can do a lot of my work remotely and others can do the leg work."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. There's something I can explore here, as well. How did Leah make flavored SdL? And are there more ways to prepare it so that we can eat as well as drink? SdL steak and eggs? SdL Chocolate Cake? SdL pumpkin pie? This is something that could keep me busy for years."
I laughed. Sitting down and eating a meal suddenly seemed like something I desperately craved and, for me, it hadn't been that long since I actually had been able to do that. I couldn't imagine the years it had been since Edward had enjoyed the sensation, never-the-less Carlisle.
I stood up and held out my hand to Edward. "Let's go back to the house and see what being the new Walalo is all about."
AN:
Please forgive the lateness of this chapter. My proofreader and I took a trip to New Orleans and had a marvelous time, but that put me behind. Then, I discovered that I must have some internal replumbing done (on me, not my house) and taking care of that has eaten into my time. Then, I must write a one-shot for the Australian Fire Relief. I was thinking of writing something to do with A Southern Gentleman, but I'm thinking that readers would probably be more interested in something to do with The Mail Order Bride series. Anyway, Ranchward and Ranchella are speaking to me and Civilwarward and Civilella are not, so the fund raisers may have to take what they can get.
I may have been accused of watching too much HGTV in my life, but I'll never admit to it. (I really love Candace Olsen. I love the Gaineses but I have to admit, I hate word art and barn doors. Shiplap is tolerable.)
Stella has transformed herself into the cottage from Breaking Dawn II that Esme designed and built for Edward, Bella and Renesmee from the movie. I added the floor to ceiling bookcases.
Thank you very much for reading. I enjoy reading your responses to my proof-reader. He is shocked there are so many of you.
