Rosalie gave herself a once over and fixed her suit jacket, smoothed out her pants and double checked the flowers in her hand before knocking on Bella's door. She was nervous and excited about this date. Excited because she was spending time with her mate and nervous because she was about to meet Bella's father. Never having had a love interest before she had never had to meet someone's parents.
"Here goes nothing." She said to herself as she knocked.
Rosalie found herself subconsciously standing up straighter as the door swung open and she stood face to face with a suspicious looking Chief Swan.
"Um, Hi, I, uh, I'm here to pick up Bella?" Rosalie stammered out in a question.
"Hmmm. Well then come on in she'll be down in a second. It'll give us a minute to chat." Charlie replied gruffly as he led Rosalie into the kitchen.
"Of course Chief Swan, Sir. I mean of course sir." Rosalie wanted to smack herself upside the head. She was being an idiot. How was she supposed to impress Bella's father when she couldn't even get a proper sentence out.
Charlie chuckled."Have a seat. So you are here to take out my daughter? What are your plans?"
"Dinner and a movie. That's all." At Charlie's raised eyebrow Rosalie continued" At a nice restaurant of course. Which I will be paying for." She added the last part because she knew Charlie was wary of people being after Bella's money.
"Good. I want her back by 11pm not a minute later and I know you aren't a man but I don't want you to think for one second there would not be consequences if you in any way endanger Bella. I don't care how. Physically, mental, emotionally, or existentially it doesn't matter. I will find a way to make your life miserable if you hurt her." Charlie promised in a classic protective father manner.
"Sir, hurting Bella is the last thing I would ever do. I care deeply for her and all I want for her is to be happy." Rosalie promised.
Charlie seemed to believe her but before he could reply they heard Bella coming down the stairs.
"Wow Bells you look amazing!" Charlie exclaimed.
Rosalie was speechless as she watched Bella reach the bottom of the stairs. She was dressed in a gorgeous violet colored dress that matched her eye and complimented her other beautifully. Her hair was braided off to the side and she wore shoes that matched her dress perfectly. Rosalie snapped out of her stupor when they made eye contact.
"Oh these are for you." She handed Bella the flowers she brought. "They are White Tiger Lillies. I had them special ordered for you."
Bella took the flowers giving Rosalie a shy smile "Thank you they are beautiful."
"Not as beautiful as you." Rosalie blurted out.
Charlie cleared his throat. "Well why don't I take these and put them in water so you kids can get on your way. Remember 11pm no later."
"Thanks dad. I promise I won't be late." Bella assured him as they left the house.
Bella looked at the car Rosalie brought in surprise. "This is a nice car. Is it yours?"
"It's a 1932 Studebaker president. It's actually a convertible but I thought we could leave the top on for tonight." Rosalie explained.
Bella nodded in agreement. " You really are playing the part of half gentleman tonight."Bella said reaching over to fix Rosalie's suit collar as she drove.
"I know it's silly but I never got to go on a date when I was human and as you know I never wanted to as a vampire but I always dreamed about it."
"What was your dream date?" Bella asked.
"Well I would dress up in a nice suit." Rosalie motioned to herself. She had decided to wear a suit straight out of her human years. It had dark blue pants, matching vest and jacket. She had forgone the tie and left the top few bottoms of her white blouse open to add a touch of femininity. " I would pick her up in my fancy car and take her to dinner and maybe take her to see the newest talkie playing at the movie theatre."
"Was this your dream car?"
"Yes it was. My father had one. I had always hoped he would teach me to drive it but he would have never allowed that even if he had accepted me. In his eyes women weren't meant to drive. It was a privilege only men could have as women were to delicate to handle such a complicated machine."
"Your dad sounds like a piece of work." Bella said.
" He was and he wasn't. He had a lot of views many others had at that time about a woman's place in the world. It was his constant craving to have more in life that maybe didn't set him apart but made him the man he was. It didn't matter what he or my family had he always wanted more. More money, a better job, higher placement on the social ladder and better children."
"What were your brothers like?"
"I didn't really know them very well as I was much older when they were born. My mother doted on them fulfilling their ever wish. Her and my father would fight about how they behaved and the boys lack of respect. I think my father was extra hard on them because of the way I turned out. He had thought I would be his ticket to make a better place for my family through a marriage but when it didn't turn out that way he became somewhat bitter. When my brothers came along he focused that bitterness on making sure he didn't have another disappointing child. I felt almost bad for them having me as a sister."
"Rosalie you have to let go of thinking you were a disappointment." Bella said as she grabbed Rosalie hand giving it a squeeze. "You weren't the disappointment. Your parents were. They let you down. Not the other way around. They should have cherished you as parents are supposed to. Them acting the way they did wasn't because you were flawed. They were. They didn't make the effort to see how wonderful their daughter was. That's their loss not yours. Maybe you weren't meant for a family life with them. Maybe fate wanted you to be a family with the Cullens. I wish you didn't have to go through all the trauma to get were you are now but maybe just maybe you were meant for something greater than anything your human life could have ever offered you."
Rosalie felt her eyes getting glassy with venom tears that she could never shed. "I never used to believe that but since I met you I think that you may be right. That you are that something greater. You and me together that's where this path was meant to take me and if that's true then every second I spent without you was worth the wait because you make me better. Not just my life but me personally and I would go through everything all over again just to feel the way you make me feel for even just one second."
Bella wiped at the tears streaming down her face. "I wish you weren't driving right now because I really want to kiss you."
Rosalie laughed cutting some of the heaviness in the air. "Who do you take me for? No half gentleman would have the audacity to try and sneak a kiss in his automobile."
Bella smiled. "Of course how silly of me acting like a lady with loose morals trying to corrupt a proper half gentleman."
"That's right." Rosalie said adding a firm nod in agreement. " Besides your father already threatened me so there will be no corrupting of anyone's morals tonight."
"I heard him. I think it was kind of sweet of him to do. He means well and it can't be easy for him to suddenly not only have a daughter but one that's already dating."
"I like him. He's good to you and that's all that matters to me. Have you heard anything from your mother?"
"No, still clear on that front. Charlie hasn't said if she has contacted him,not that I expect him to, but I wouldn't put it past her to try." Bella said in frustration.
"We'll deal with it when it comes up." Rosalie promised.
"We?" Bella asked.
"Well I meant you will deal with it. I could of course help but it's not like it's our problem together. If you wanted it to be it could. I know we aren't an official we yet but if you wanted we could be a we. I would like us to be a we. Are we a we?"
Bella laughed. " I would definitely like us to be a we."
Rosalie felt the all to familiar feeling of being thankful she couldn't blush that she felt around Bella. "Good then we are official now right ? You'll be my girlfriend?"
"Well for the lack of a better word yes I'll be your girlfriend."
"What do you mean? What would be a better word?" Rosalie asked curiously.
"I don't know. Girlfriend is perfect though. I like the idea of you being my girlfriend." Bella said trying to change the subject. She was almost bursting with the need to tell Rosalie about the imprint but she wanted it to be the right moment and them riding in a car with Rosalie driving was not the right moment.
Rosalie let it go as she pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. "Here we are. Let me get your door."