Chapter 74 – Unwelcomed Audience
Bella
The next few weeks dragged on, as if time were trying to stand still just to torment me. My sessions with Father Lebuteur had been the only saving grace in the beginning. Nothing else happened, and all seemed quiet, at least for now. I couldn't help but feel, though, that this was the calm before the storm. Usually, my instincts were right, but just this one time, I prayed I was wrong.
All the children who had survived the bus crash were now out of the hospital, and work had settled back into the familiar pattern of cases and incidents. Fortunately, we hadn't had anything major in a while, for which I was grateful. I needed a break, both physically and mentally, from all the drama.
Dad's sick leave was up, so they needed to head back home. The idea of them leaving affected me more than I ever thought it would. I had come to depend on their calming presence, but mom also reminded me that Edward and I were still newlyweds and needed to start acting like it, which was hard to do when there was always someone else in the house. Both dad and mom were turning fifty-five and planning on early retirement later this year, and they promised they would visit more often. Maybe they would even look into selling their house and moving closer than the sixteen hours away they lived now, so they would be close when the grandkids started arriving. Dad swore he would try and get mom to start downsizing toward that goal. I wished him good luck with that.
Edward was putting the last of their luggage in their car, as mom and I stood in the living room in a hug I never wanted to end. Dad came in with Sebastian and Anastasia in his arms, nuzzling and kissing their tiny heads before setting them down to chase each other up the stairs.
"I think you're going to miss those two more than me," I fake pouted, as dad kissed my cheek and hugged me tightly. "Are you sure you don't want to take them with you?"
"I would, but when I came back, Felicity and Oliver would probably shred my pant legs," he laughed. "Besides, I feel like I'd be breaking apart a perfect set." We all laughed, as we looked up at four sets of shining eyes watching us from between the spindles of the upstairs landing.
As mom and I headed toward the entryway, dad went to hug Edward, pulling something from his jacket pocket and slipping it to Edward. We were too far from them to hear their whispered conversation or see what it was, but Edward and dad were suddenly quite serious. Edward shook his head, but dad leaned in and whispered something else to him. Edward then nodded and took whatever it was dad had given him and buried it under a messy pile of paperwork he had been doing on the coffee table. I made a mental note to myself to look under there later and see what that was all about.
After more tearful goodbyes, we waved as they drove away, Edward's arms wrapped around my waist from behind. We nodded to the officer in the car across the street, as we made our way back inside. They had continually rotated shifts of watching over us during their off time, and I was humbled by their dedication to Emmett, and us, as his friends. We had even become good friends ourselves with many of the officers. They were going to miss my mom bringing out coffee and plates of cookies and brownies to them.
"Well, Mr. Masen, it looks like we have the whole house to ourselves for the first time since our wedding. What do you think we should do to celebrate this momentous occasion on this fine Sunday evening?" I purred into Edward's ear.
"Well, Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest and worship, so why don't you rest, while I worship your body," Edward whispered to me, as I sat down on the sofa. He knelt in front of me and started unbuttoning my blouse, as my hands found their way into his hair.
We had made love several times, but with mom and dad in the house, we were always careful to keep our enthusiasm to a discrete level and restricted it to our bedroom. Now, I felt like a naughty teenager in danger of being caught making out on the sofa by my parents, which only added to the excitement I was feeling. I reached and grabbed the bottom of Edward's sweatshirt, pulling it over his head, and then I made quick work of the button and zipper of his jeans, while he did the same with mine. With all our clothes now in a pile on the sofa, we sat there just looking at each other, grinning like a couple of kids.
"Bella, if I ever doubted there was a God, you're proof He's real. Perfection like this could only come at the hands of a master creator," Edward sighed, as he rested his chin on my knee while he surveyed my body appreciatively. I leaned down and kissed his forehead, and he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him, bringing my lips to his.
We finally broke apart long enough to breathe, and I grinned mischievously at him, as I shoved the coffee table over and joined him on the floor. We were immediately a tangle of limbs and moans, as we thoroughly christened the living room.
Edward collapsed on top of me, both of us breathing hard and fast from our vigorous activities, when the sound of applause coming from behind us caused us to jerk up in shock. Standing there was Jane Lebuteur, mockingly clapping her hands. She was smirking at us from the kitchen doorway, as light reflected off the barrel of the gun she was now pointing directly at Edward's head.
