Chapter 19
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Bella's grounding didn't even last 2 months, ending just before school went on holiday break. Bella was good. Too good. She got to see Edward nearly every day because of school, the weekends were harder, she missed Edward those 2 days because she wasn't allowed to have any friends including Edward over on weekends to chill or ever watch TV together.. So Bella took her weekends as the 2 days she could really focus on school homework and projects. She didn't get much work done around Edward. She could have homework, a book, or Math equation, but her concentration was on Edward. Alice hated Bella couldn't go shopping with her, or get her nails done. Bella wasn't missing that. Bella was on punishment for all fun activities. She couldn't even go to the park for a walk just so Edward couldn't coordinate his park walks at the same time. She was practically in jail, going to school, and staying home. She even didn't fight when Charlie took her phone and held restrictions on her laptop use. She just read books and listened to a short playlist of songs Edward created for her daily to show how much he loved and missed her that day. She was just too good, never complained and it completely annoyed Charlie.
If Charlie said go home to Edward, he went home even if it was just 5 minutes after seeing Bella. Since Edward was only allowed over during the time Charlie was home for dinner and homework, he welcomed any time, even brief ones. They ate dinner together like a normal family does nearly every night if not with Charlie, Bella loved having family dinner with Edward's parents when Charlie was stuck at work. Alice and Emmett were hilarious, making things fun and carefree. Jasper was quiet, only got excited about history class. Rosalie was Ice Queen bitch from day one. It started from the first family dinner at the Cullen's house. She barely spoke to Bella or Edward. But her sour mood never brought down the family dinner. Edward acted like he didn't care, so Bella followed his way.
When you're down and out
When you're on the street
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you
I'll take your part, oh, when darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Bella walked into the house holding hands with Edward to find his family standing there. They must have stood up when they arrived after Charlie dropped Bella off for dinner before heading back to the station. Bella jumped back into Edward when they found the family standing there waiting for her. "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Simon and Garfunkel was softly playing. Edward steadied Bella with his hand on her shoulder.
"Jesus! Bunch of creeps much," Edward said after walking into the room to find his family waiting for them. "Bella, you remember my family. My Dad, my Mom. Dr Carlisle and Esme Cullen."
"Hello."
"And you know my brothers and sisters, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper and of course you know my annoying baby sister Alice. Sorry, they are acting so weird." Edward pointed out everyone. Bella chuckled. Mozart classical music started playing next as Carlisle changed the station. Bella recognized the song "Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor"by Mozart.
"Hi," Bella said with a wave. A collective of "hellos" and "hi's" rang all around.
Edward helped remove Bella's tan trench coat with pink satin trim, revealing a baby pink strapless dress with stone embellishments over the top and matching nude flats. It wasn't Bella's normal color or choice of outfit, but Alice insisted because Edward brought it for her to wear for their first dinner date with the family. Alice of course picked out the dress, wanting to test colors on Bella. Edward joked Alice would use Bella as her own personal barbie doll. Bella loved some of the outfits, but she was still never going to wear high heels.
"Mom, Dad...uh, this Bella…" Carlisle and Esme smiled, Esme stepping forward first to hug Bella. It has been a little over a week since Edward fell out the window and she first got to meet Bella. Esme was beautiful in a lavender sheath dress and purple pumps. Alice was in a royal blue wide strap dress and black pumps, and Rosalie in a black high-low hem dress and black pumps. Both Emmett and Jasper in their best dress shirt, pants and dress shoes. Emmett even threw on a nice vest over his shirt. Dr. Carlisle was in a suit, minus the tie, looking as handsome as ever. Bella looked around their living room. There were some candles lit, along with a different array of wild flowers.
"How are you dear? Are you hungry?" Esme asked, rubbing Bella's back to soothe her nerves.
"Oh yes. Edward told me to be sure I came hungry."
"Great!"
"Hi Bella!" Alice was the first one to hop forward and hug Bella after Carlisle. Bella could never be prepared for an Alice hug. She may be smaller, pixie even, but that pixie can knock anyone back and off their feet with her hugs. "I knew that dress would look pretty on you! Maybe a little darker shade, and some higher heels..."
Rosalie went to make herself a drink, not wanting to pretend to like this family dinner. She wished she took up drinking, but alcohol ruined her perfectly healthy skin.
(Don't you feel like Rosalie would be that girl who invents a calorie free beer or sugar free wine so she wouldn't gain weight drinking)
"I am not wearing stilettos Alice. Ever."
"You will Bella, one day I will get you in heels." Jasper chuckled.
"Let the girl be," Jasper said. "Hello again Bella."
"Hi." Jasper gave Bella a small hug, before Emmett picked up Bella and swung her around in his hug. Bella gasped.
"Emmett, stop! Put my girlfriend down before you hurt her!" Edward yelled.
"She's like Alice, tiny, but fun sized," Emmett said. Edward shook his head. Bella chuckled, a little blush on her cheeks once she was back on solid ground. "I can't fucking believe our lil Eddie has a fucking girlfriend!"
"Fuck off," Edward said.
"Language you two!" Esme yelled. "I will not have that foul language in my house, now Emmett set the table."
"Aww man! Edward said fuck too."
"Emmett! Go now," Esme exclaimed. "Excuse my primitive sons and their crude language." Bella smiled. "Come, come," Esme said, directing Bella over to the drink station. "Let me make you a drink, ice tea or soda pop like you kids say."
"Uh soda is fine," Bella said.
"Ok. Dinner will be ready shortly."
"I hope you didn't go through any trouble."
"Of course not dear! Since I heard you don't eat meat, and I heard how much you loved my spaghetti. So I made baked spaghetti along with a mushroom ravioli dish and I just added a roasted garden salad. And for dessert, angel food cake."
"Oh wow, that sounds like a lot of food, Mrs. Cullen. But the house smells amazing and smells so good too."
"Oh dear, please, call me Esme. Mrs. Cullen is my mother in-law and well, she's mean."
"Ok." Bella looked around. "Everyone is here."
"This is a first for us as well."
Edward stood next to his father in line to get a drink after Jasper pulled Alice away to leave Bella alone to breath a moment. Alice was so exuberant. Even from afar, Bella could see how Jasper's calm demeanor and quiet voice balanced out with over-the-top Alice and her off the wall antics. Rosalie and Emmett are the same. Emmett is loud, boisterous, always cracks jokes, and taking any chance there is to embarrass Edward especially. Rosalie was quiet, observant. Almost cerebral. Eyes always taking in every touch, every look between Bella and Edward with almost a glare at the ease Edward was around Bella.
"Did you guys have to stand there like that? Totally looking like freaks, scaring Bella." Carlisle gave a sly smile.
"Edward, don't you see how excited we are for you? You have a girlfriend. A first. And it's a girl. A girl actually puts up with you. You!"
"Very funny Dad."
"Cherish her Edward. I can already tell she's one of a kind."
"I know."
It was in December when Charlie found out how serious Edward was about baseball and basketball. Edward and Emmett were leading Forks to an undefeated basketball season so far. The team was national ranked like the girl's volleyball team. Bella was happy to see her boys were getting along while watching basketball and football games together. Edward was a big sports fan, and adored the Indianapolis Colt football team because of Peyton Manning, though secretly rooting for the Chicago Bears. Charlie was surprised Edward's only arrest was the reckless driving case after stealing a car at 13 while in Arizona. If he didn't crash his coach's car and it was someone else's car, the punishment might have been more than 8 weeks community service. Dr. Cullen had connections to ease his son's sentencing. But Charlie could clearly see Edward was smart. Nothing else on his record. His school grades were remarkable, straight A's like all the Cullen kids, well, except for Emmett. Edward studied hard. He wasn't one of those jocks that bullied people to do the work for him. He enjoyed studying and homework just as much as playing basketball or baseball. And he was damn good at it. Bella and Edward worked harmoniously together with their homework. Where Bella was weak, Edward strengthened her and where Edward was weak in English creativity, Bella supported him and gave good ideas for writings.
Though Charlie would be happy to find out Bella and Edward's sex life was practically non-existence over the last few months. They would go weeks before having sex again. Edward and Bella were never left alone by Charlie or Edward's parents. Edward was constantly being kept busy by his parents and Bella was rarely let out of Charlie's sight, even taking her to La Push on the weekends for fishing to keep her from Edward at the beginning. Charlie even tried to suggest Bella look at one of the Quileute boys like Billy Black's youngest kid, Jacob Black, who was 2 years younger than Bella at 14. Bella did like hanging out with Jacob, Embry, and Quil, they were like Emmett, Jasper and Edward, as boys will be boys with their wrestling and gaming. But none caught Bella's eyes, not as long as she was blinded by her love of Edward.
Going to La Push was fine, Bella liked hanging out with Jacob, Embry, Quil and Seth. Edward would join them, only Seth was welcoming to Edward, where Jacob, Embry, and Quil hated Edward. Edward and Seth were together were was only 12 compared to 16 year old Edward, but they bonded over the craziest shit, like music and some game Bella couldn't understand, called D&D. Leah, the only other girl around Bella's age was a standoff like Rosalie against Bella and Edward. But Jacob promised Leah was like that to any outsider. Bella hated fishing, so she just read a book or did homework and let the men fish as she sat on the docks. Edward's parents even paid Alice and Emmett to watch and interrupt any potential sex times in case they weren't there to watch Edward and Bella.
Alice though was a little more lenient than Emmett, who cracked jokes about their lack of sex. When Alice noticed Edward's bad mood was about to break or Bella's longing for closeness, she could cave and give the couple an hour. 1 hour! To themselves. But Edward never complained. He was happy with the uncertainty of their sex life. It made each time they got to spend together even more special, and the hottest sex than the time before. They got to cherish each other. Savor each kiss, savor each naked caress. Things were still going well between Edward and Bella despite Charlie's attempt to break them apart.