Chapter 80 - Celebrate
Bella
We walked back into the house to the sound of laughter, as all our friends came in carrying dishes of food and gifts. We were celebrating Edward's thirtieth birthday, and like it or not, he was going to be celebrated. I had plans for a special gift later, but we would need to be alone for me to give it to him. I think I was looking forward to it more than he was.
"Geez, you guys don't listen, do you?" Edward groaned. He had specifically asked for no birthday gifts, yet here everyone stood, handing him boxes and gift bags. He just shook his head.
"You're loved, Mister. You'd better get used to it. Gifts just sometimes come with the territory," I grinned, as he wrapped his arms around me.
"I have the best gift right here," he whispered into my ear, as he nibbled my lobe, causing me to melt into him and moan.
"Hey, you two, save that for the honeymoon," Emmett teased, as he swept me out of Edward's arms for a big hug.
"Are you two all packed?" Rose asked, as she pried me out of Emmett's arms for a hug of her own. "Did you pack it?" she whispered, waggling her eyebrows.
"Yeah, I did. And I promise I'll use it all well," I giggled. The goodie box, the white lacey corset set, and the flavored lube were tucked into my suitcase, along with a few other treats I had picked up for our belated honeymoon to Fiji. Edward wasn't going to know what hit him.
"I wish I could still get mine on," Rose groaned, as Emmett came up behind her and rubbed her belly. "I'm only a little over three months along, and I'm already getting fat!" Esme giggled behind her. Carlisle just shook his head, as he ran his camcorder, capturing the older girls playing in the backyard with silly string, while Dorianne was busy blowing raspberries on Joy Noelle's belly.
"That's what you get for doing it on your wedding night without protection," Edward teased, and Rose stuck her tongue out at him. Served them right for eloping to Vegas without us, instead of waiting until next month to get married as planned.
"Well, look at it this way, Rose," Alice snickered, "You'll be able to enjoy the buffet at my reception all the more!" Rose reached out and mussed Alice's hair, as she tried to duck into Jasper's arms. "Speaking of receptions, Jasper and I have decided to move our wedding up to next month, and we're just going to have it at our house."
We all stopped and looked at them in shock. "You, Alice Brandon, are having a 'simple' wedding?" Rose whispered, her eyes going wide. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Alice said, but she blushed bright red, as she looked down while grinning. Jasper was grinning, too, so I knew something was up.
"Okay, you two, out with it. What's going on?" I demanded.
Alice looked sheepishly at Rose and then giggled. "Well, at least I'll still be able to sit on Santa's knee at Christmas without hurting him," Alice grinned, as she and Jasper both rubbed her stomach.
"You, too?" Rose squealed, as we both attacked Jasper and Alice with hugs and kisses. "How far along are you?"
"About twelve weeks," Alice said. "Looks like we're going to be fat together, Rose." Everyone looked at Edward and me, as if they were expecting something.
"What?" I asked, but I darned well knew what. "Oh no…"
"Come on, Bella, wouldn't it be great if all three of us were pregnant together?" Rose and Alice both grinned. Edward wrapped his arms around me and started kissing my neck. Carlisle snickered and turned the camera towards us.
"Yeah, come on, Bella," Edward whispered at the back of my neck, as he peppered warm, wet kisses there, blowing on them as he went.
"Stop it, Edward, or these guys will be filming the conception as well as the birth," I moaned again, as he continued to assault my neck in front of everyone. Good heavens, what this man could do to me!
My dad saved me by dragging Edward outside to start the grill. Mom hugged me and went to supervise. She was almost back to normal, but Edward and I were both glad they had agreed to move here with us and live in the apartment permanently. After everything we had all been through, the idea of them going back to their home so far away and only seeing them on holidays was something none of us were willing to endure ever again. Besides, I think my dad had missed the cats more than he would let on. He had spent a small fortune on treats and catnip, and they followed him around now more than they did me.
Despite all the bad things we had been through, so much good had come out of it. One of the biggest things was our increased faith. I'd had faith before that there was a God who listened and loved me, but what I had seen and experienced strengthened my resolve to be more thankful and seek Him out every day with even more purpose than ever before.
We realized how little time we really had here together, and how quickly that time could be cut short. We realized we didn't have to share bloodlines with the people we loved for them to be family. We realized that, even though our loved ones weren't here in the flesh, it didn't mean they weren't around keeping an eye on things. And most importantly, we learned that love knew no bounds, healed all wounds, overcame any obstacle, and just about every other clichéd saying imaginable. But in truth, love was the reason for being. It was why and how we were here, to give it and to receive it, and to magnify it in every way possible. It was bigger than hatred, stronger than evil, and with it, anything was possible.
