AN: Happy Holidays to all, and I hope you have a wonderful New Years. Here's wishing 2021 is a better year!

CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN

BELLA'S POV:

Flying with young kids was an adventure. How do parents do this? I had only been on an airplane once with Tony, but he was barely two then. We had flown down to visit with my mom Renee in Florida. Truthfully, I was a little peeved we had to go to her for a visit, considering its always harder traveling with children, but Renee herself was nothing but an oversized child. She was willing to be a part of Tony's life, and for that I was grateful, but like everything else, it had to be done on her terms. With Renee, you learn to pick your battles, and unfortunately, travel arrangements weren't high on that list. Regardless, Tony was young enough then that he slept for the majority of the trip, pleasing both me, and many of my fellow passengers. I guess I lucked out then, for now he was rambunctious, filled with energy, and feeding off of Sophia's too. We were sitting on the runway waiting for takeoff, and already Alice and I have been getting the stink eye from those around us. You'd think passengers would prefer noisy five-year olds to hysterical babies, but what do I know.

"Buckle up. Got to. Sit nice," I reminded Tony when I got a look from the passing flight attendant giving the safety spiel.

"I know Mommy. I'm just so excited. I loved Chicago when I saw'd it with Edward, but we only saw a little. I want to see more. More of the places from your stories. And I'm just so happy that you're coming too this time."

"I know. But plane. Has rules. Remember?" I pressed. My white board was packed overhead in my carry on, and I was trying very hard not to have to use it. My speech was getting stronger and stronger, and that would only continue to happen if I pushed myself.

Tony sat straight up in his seat, and said, "Yes I remember. You gotta sit nice. No running allowed. Be quiet so not to distract the pilot. Just like the hospital rules."

"And you did such a good job when you were in the hospital Tony. We were all very impressed with you and how well you can follow the rules," Alice added, giving me a wink.

"Yup. Big boys know how to follow the rules," Tony stated, puffing his chest out in pride.

"Big girls too," Sophia whined from across the aisle, where her and Alice were sitting.

"Girls too. And Sophia is a seasoned traveler here, so she knows all about planes and rules, so I think the four of us will be just fine," Alice said, trying to soothe the situation. She said it loud enough that the surrounding passengers could overhear as well. Maybe now they'd take a chill pill and mind their own businesss.

Would things be just fine? I hope so, my mind quipped back. I was a little worried about making this trip without telling anyone. Well, not anyone—Angela knew, as she has agreed to check on the house, and collect my mail for me. And Esme knew because we had to get permission about staying with them. I guess I was more worried about surprising Edward. I've never been one to like surprises so you could understand why it's in my nature to second guess everything. What if he isn't ready for us? What if we interrupt him and his life since he thought he had a couple extra days before we crash his style? What if he had plans? Would he be okay with us not staying directly with him? I was particularly worried about that last one since we hadn't settled it prior to this trip, and yet, here I sit, on a plane, flying east to a bunch of unknowns.

Alice reached across the aisle, and placed her hand on my arm. "Relax Bella. This is going to be a good thing. This trip is going to make a lot of people happy. Besides the two sitting next to us, my husband will greatly appreciate it, as well as my parents, who will love to have the two of you stay with them. And let's not forget the man of the hour. He's going to rival Tony in the excitement category, I promise."

"Some surprises. Aren't taken. Well," I tried to explain in my limited speech, but Alice got the gist of it.

"Some aren't, you are right. But this one, this one is going to be epic. I have it all figured out Bella. Nothing can go wrong."

"Bother at work? He's busy," I asked, wondering if maybe we should just get settled at Esme and Carlisle's first, and see Edward later.

"He will be more easily surprised while at work and having his brain on twenty other things. This is truly the best way. And I'm friendly with some of the nurses on the staff. They will help us get him down to the cafeteria. Regardless of how busy he is at work, he is just like any other worker who is entitled to breaks and meals. He has to eat sometime, so why not with his family?" Her reasoning was sound, but I was still nervous. It must have shown on my face, for she pressed on, "We're not kidnapping him for the day. We're taking up his lunch hour. Then we will leave and get you to Mom and Dad's to settle in, and you all can reconvene later when he gets off work. It's going to be fine, Bella. I promise, I won't steer you wrong here."

I told her "Okay," but my nerves were not settled. True, I was worried about bothering Edward at work, but I think the majority of my nerves were centered around seeing Edward again in person. How was I supposed to act around him now? These last few days, we had somehow gotten closer through our time texting each other. There was a sense of security or safety I found from hiding behind the phone. Whatever it was, it allowed us to talk and joke, and well, even flirt I guess you could say. We had taken a step in a direction that now was leaving me feeling unsettled. Would things be different now that we're in person? Would it be awkward? Would I clam up? Would we take a step backwards? I just didn't know, and as a planner, that's the worst situation to be in.

"Settle your mind down Bella. You're stressed as it is, your brain doesn't need anymore," Alice advised, though its easier to tell someone to turn off their brain than to actually do it. I gave her a nod to show her that I heard her, and settled back in my seat. Tony reached his hand out to take mine, alerting me that we were ready for take-off. I squeezed his hand to show him I was here and supported him. My brave little man wouldn't admit that he was scared. I truthfully wasn't a big fan of flying, and appreciated the support as well. In no time, we were cruising at altitude, and Tony asked if he could sit with Sophia and color. Him and Alice quickly traded spots. I really wasn't in the mood for bantering with Alice, so I put my headphones in, and closed my eyes, and just reflected on things.

Getting on the plane in a wheel chair was quite the ordeal. I can honestly say I have a lot of respect for those who are forever wheel-chair bound, and the many complications they face day in and day out. Flying brought forth its own challenges. The aisles on the plane were narrow, making movability tight. Then, it practically took a team to get me out of the chair into my seat and settled. Factor in all the bags that came with us, you'd think we were a party of ten instead of four. I felt like I ran a marathon today. And we get to do it all again on the other side when we land. Oh joy!

I was in a bit more pain than I'd like to admit, but the doctor had warned me the toll travel would take on my body. That also was making me second guess this reunion today—all I wanted to do was curl up in bed and recuperate. But Alice was right—this reunion would mean the world to Tony and Edward. I could always take the next couple of days to get back into shape. I'm sure Esme would keep Tony entertained, and allow me and my body the rest we need to recover from this trip.

I glanced over and watched Tony and Sophia play so nicely together. In a lot of ways, I saw Alice and myself in that friendship, and I was glad to see that the relationship was strong in this generation as well. To think Tony almost never had a chance to get to know his cousin makes my stomach clench in shame, but now wasn't the time to reflect on the past and my mistakes. We could only move forward from here, and Tony and Sophia will be thick as thieves for many years to come.

I must have zoned out enough to fall asleep, but I was brought back to the present when the pilot announced over the speakers for the flight attendants to prepare the cabin for descent. Alice switched back to her seat, and once Tony was situated next to me, held my hand. He was babbling on about how he was excited to go to the hospital and see his Daddy. When his volume started to get too loud, I squeezed his hand to get his attention, and simply reminded him, "We'll be. There soon. Hush."

Once we landed, we had to wait for the rest of the plane to disembark in order for us to not hold up any lines. The kids were antsy—Sophia glad to be closer to home, and Tony thrilled that it was almost time to see Edward. Finally, the porter brought out my wheelchair, and we were on the move. We found Esme by the baggage claim. Or well, Tony spotted her first, and his cry of "Grandma" brought quite a bit of attention to our group. I of course was blushing in embarrassment, but I didn't have the heart to scold the boy since the reunion was so delightful to watch.

"I'm so glad you guys are here. How was the flight? No problems?" She asked, while grasping Tony in a tight welcoming hug.

"The flight was fine mom—the kids easily entertained themselves. I think Bella is hurting, though she'd never admit it. Is everything set here?" Alice asked.

"Yes, I got the rooms ready today. We can drop the bags off there, and then head right to the hospital," Esme answered Alice, then turned to me. "How are you feeling sweetheart? Is there anything we can do for you?"

"Just sore. Too much. Moving," I explained. She looked concerned, so I quickly added, "Time for meds. Small dose. Won't make. Me sleepy."

"Are you sure? We can always take a short siesta at the house before heading to Edward? I'm sure the nurses will help keep him busy if you need the rest," Esme counter offered.

"Will be. Fine. Let's go," I said, not wanting to deviate from the plan.

"Alright, but if you change your mind, please let me know. My son would murder me if I didn't take proper care of you," she exaggerated, or at least I hoped she was. Edward might get pissy, but I think the surprise would outweigh his doctorly concerns.

Esme grabbed her grandchildren's hands, and lead them over to the cart that held our luggage. Together, the three of them pushed it towards Esme's car, leaving Alice to push my chair.

"So, I think that after we drop the bags off at Moms, we should be able to make it to the hospital by one. I asked around at the hospital, and the morning has been relatively busy so Edward hasn't taken his break yet. He should most definitely be okay to take an hour for lunch. I think what we should do is have him think its going to be a video call and Tony wants to eat with him over the phone, but instead, finds him in the cafeteria."

"Works for. Me," I said with a shrug. Again, not being big on surprises, I certainly wasn't privy to all the finer details necessary to pull one off. This certainly was Alice's element, and I left it in her capable hands.

"This is going to be so great. I can't wait to see his face," she squealed, as we got closer to the car.


Esme and Carlisle's house hadn't changed a bit, which made me automatically feel comfortable in a familiar place. I definitely made the right decision to stay here on familiar grounds. Some might question why the couple had such a big house, but they needed all the rooms for when the entire family stayed over. Thankfully, that surplus of rooms meant that both Tony and I had rooms together on the first floor, which eased my concerns. We were in a Jack-and-Jill type set-up, where our rooms were connected with a bathroom. I figured I would leave those doors open, so it would be more like an open suite, and Tony would see that I was easily accessible to him. After taking my next dose of medication, we quickly made our way back into the car, and heading off to our final destination.

The closer we got to the hospital, the more excited Tony got. Seeing his joy eased some of my nerves, and I couldn't help but smile at him. I was glad we were able to orchestrate this. I only hope that it works out in the end. Esme dropped us off, and a kind orderly helped me get situated in my wheelchair. We made our way to the cafeteria, and then I fired off a text to Edward.

Tony is adamant that he talks to you. Got a free second? Otherwise, I'll persuade him that you'll speak to him later. –Bella.

In barely any time, I got a response back:

Just charting so not too busy. Should have the next hour undisturbed, so definitely can take his call. Voice or Facetime? —Edward.

Pleased he wasn't too busy, I handed the phone to Tony, and started the Facetime call. I couldn't see Edward, but I could hear his responses.

"What's up Tony? Mom said that you needed to talk to me?" he asked my grinning boy.

"I was wondering if you were free for lunch," Tony asked, having practiced the plan with Alice on the car ride over.

"You want to eat together? Uh, sure, I think I can manage that. I have to go down to the cafeteria to buy my lunch first though, but I'll bring it back up to my office so we can talk and eat in private. How does that sound? Is your mom making you your lunch now?"

"No Mommy isn't making lunch. She's going to buy lunch," Tony replied, shooting me a quick glance, before giving Edward his full attention.

"Oh, you guys are out to lunch? That's exciting. Are you sure you want to eat with me then buddy? Sounds like you should be enjoying your trip out of the house," Edward questioned. He sounded confused as to why we weren't at home.

"No, I want to eat with you. I'll wait." Tony replied.

"Okay, I'm making my way downstairs now. What are you going to get at the restaurant? Where is Mom and Alice and them?" I heard Edward ask Tony, no doubt wondering why he was sitting at a table by himself.

"They're getting the food now. I asked for a hamburger like you had the other day. I want to try it 'cause you ate it." Alice was in line getting him and our food now.

"Maybe I'll get a hamburger too, and we can be twins," was exactly the correct response, and what Tony was hoping he would say.

Tony started bouncing in his chair, and looked to me, "I see him. I see him mom. Can I?" I followed his line of sight, and saw that Edward had just entered the cafeteria, and was heading off to the grill section to get himself his hamburger. Since I would have Tony in my line of sight, I gave him permission to go finish his surprise, reminding him not to run.

"Dad! Dad!" Tony yelled, and sped walked toward were Edward was situated. At hearing the voice in both his phone, and from behind him, Edward had a confused expression on his face, but that look morphed to wonder when he recognized that Tony was here in his very presence. Tony barely gave him time to put his arms out in front of him before flinging himself at Edward. Over Tony's shoulder, Edward looked up and made eye contact with me. From the look on his face, I would have to agree with Alice, this was totally worth it. Edward still had that dazed look on his face as Tony dragged him over to the table filling him in on our flight, and how it was hard to keep it a secret, but he wanted to surprise him.

"Did we Daddy?" Tony asked, when Edward still hadn't responded.

Shaking his head, Edward clarified, "Did you what buddy?"

"Surprise you? Mommy was worried 'cuz not all surprises are good surprises, but from your face I think we surprised you good."

"This was the very best surprise Tony. I am so glad to see you." Looking up at me, he added, "Both of you."

Of course, I blushed because what else am I good for? Edward smirked at my reaction, and looked like he was going to say something else, but he was distracted by Alice and her trays of food.

"Okay, I got two hamburgers, two orders of fries, a Caesar salad, a bag of salt and vinegar chips, and three ice teas, as well as the makings for a happy family. Are you pleased with your order, sir?" Alice quipped, but her smile showed she was just happy that she was able to deliver us to him.

"This is perfect. Thank you, Alice. For everything," Edward answered. He looked a little choked up.

Alice gave his shoulder a squeeze, before adding, "Well, if you guys are okay here, Sophia and I have our own surprise to play out. Bella, just text Mom when you guys are finishing up, and she'll come back for you two."

"Will do. Good luck," I offered, hoping her surprise goes off just as well.

"I don't need luck, but thanks anyways babe," she jested, before giving us all kisses on the cheek, and then making her exit.

It was quiet at first, the three of us just sitting around one table. But that didn't last long. Tony quickly started firing questions at Edward, asking him about his job, and his day. Occasionally, Edward had to remind him to eat since Tony was so focused on being around his father again, he forgot he had food in front of him. I really enjoyed just watching the two of them. I must not have been paying good enough attention, because I felt Edward tapping my arm. Looking up, I saw a troubled look upon his face.

"Are you alright?" he asked. I must have really been more out of it than I thought.

"Fine. Giving you. Time." I answered, though he didn't look convinced. With a sigh, I added, "Sore from plane. No worry."

"How sore?" he asked, obviously slipping into doctor mode.

"It's fine. Enjoy lunch. Will nap after."

He didn't seem pleased with that, but he listened, and enjoyed his lunch with his son. Some of his coworkers stopped by, and questioned Edward on his lunch dates. I was worried how Edward would handle this type of situation, but apparently that worry was for naught. He proudly introduced us as his family. Tony soaked up the extra attention. I saw I got more than a few curious glances after the news was revealed, but thankfully people had more tact than to ask more probing questions.

Unfortunately, our bubble was popped when Edward's pager started going off. He excused himself to call in, and find out what was needed of him.

"Does Daddy have to go?" Tony asked, his expression so solemn.

"He has. To work," was my explanation. Being a doctor, I'm sure this is an excuse I will have to use many times.

"But we just got here," he whined. I was worried we were seeing the warning signs of an epic tantrum.

"Here in. Chicago. So will see. Him every. Day" I tried to explain.

"So, no more Facetime? I can see him every day face to face?" Tony asked. Not knowing Edward's schedule, I didn't want to answer for him. But he must have heard the end of Tony's question, and interjected.

"Now that you're here, I'm going to see you every day. Depending on when I have to work, we may still have to do some Facetime calls, but not many. We pretty much can do dinner every night though, just like when I was staying at your house." After replying, Edward looked at me, suddenly unsure of if he had overstepped. I was just pleased to see how easily he took to this parenting thing.

"Will work. Out a plan. Will see all. The family," I verified, giving Edward a smile.

"I need to give a consult on a case, so I have got to go. You're staying at Mom and Dads?" He questioned. I couldn't read his expression to see if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

I simply replied, "Yes. Thought easier." I hesitated, then picked up my phone, then added, "Can talk. More later."

"Right. No whiteboard. Though I must say, you are doing exceptionally well without it. I'll stop by later after my shift is over, and we can talk more then?" He asked me.

"Sounds good."

Edward pulled Tony into a hug, and thanked him again for an awesome surprise. "I'll see you later at Grandma's. Be good for Mommy, okay?" he said.

"I will Daddy."

Edward gave him a quick kiss on his cheek, then turned to me. That darn smirk was back, and I wasn't sure what to make of it. But then he swooped in, and gave me a kiss on the cheek as well. Tony was squealing in delight, pleased that our goodbyes were similar.

"Thank you, Bella. I was really miserable with out you guys. You don't know what it means to me to have you here. Just, thank you."

"Glad it worked. Go doctor people." With one last smoldering look, Edward turned away, and headed back out of the cafeteria door, and to his work. I let out a long breathe, not realizing how intense things had gotten between us. I texted Esme, who already was on her way back after dropping Alice and Sophia off at Jasper's practice.

Since the weather was so nice, we waited outside for her to come pick us up. When she arrived, Tony spoke enough for the both of us, filling his Grandma in on how successful we were. Esme was just beaming, proud that we were able to pull it off. She reminded Tony that he gets to surprise another person today—Grandpa when he gets home from work! This news pleased Tony, and the two spent the remainder of the trip making plans for another reveal.

By the time we pulled up at the house, I was fading fast. Esme recognized this, and offered to do a baking project with Tony to keep him occupied while I napped for a while. I thanked her for her kindness. She helped me get from my chair into bed, and I was quickly brought over to dreamland.


When I woke up, I was confused at first. It was dark out, but I couldn't see a clock, so I wasn't sure what time it was. The house seemed quite silent, so I was figuring I had slept much later than I planned to. I reached to the end table for my cell phone. I had several unread messages. But first, I checked the time. It was just after nine, so I certainly slept through dinner. I hadn't meant to leave Tony alone in a strange place, but I'm sure Esme had him feeling just at home in my absence.

I pulled up my messages to see what I had missed; 4 messages in total.

The first was a picture message from Alice of Jasper's face when he saw them at their surprise visit. She simply captioned it as, He sends his thanks. Catch up with you tomorrow. —Alice

The next two came from Edward. An hour after we left him at the hospital, he sent:

You guys settle in okay? –Edward

When I hadn't responded 2 hours later, he tried again:

Bella? Are you alright? —Edward

My lack of response must have worried him, but the final message wasn't from him, but from Esme.

I didn't have the heart to wake you. Told Edward to leave you alone as well. Your body needs the sleep. Fed Tony. He'll tell you all about surprising Carlisle tomorrow. If you wake up and are hungry, shoot me a message. Any time Bella. I'm serious. Don't make me give you the mom-look—Esme

I snorted at that. While I didn't want to bother her, it still was relatively early, so I did send her a message:

Thank you for letting me sleep. Can you help me to the kitchen? —Bella

Barely a minute later, and she was at my door. "I knew the mom-look threat would force your hand," she joked, coming into the room.

"Only 'cuz. It's still early."

She waved my response off, "Whatever you say dear. We had pot roast for dinner. Tony ate all his vegetables like a good little boy. He was worried that you didn't eat dinner, but I explained to him that the trip made your body tired. He seemed to understand that a lot better than my son did."

"Missed. Messages from him."

"Yes, when he couldn't reach you, I got a call from him wondering what was going on. I explained you were sleeping, and that I intended to leave you that way. I told him that between Carlisle and myself, we could handle things. He did come for dinner though. I think he secretly wanted to come check up on you, but Tony kept him distracted."

"Worried. He's upset. We're staying. Here," I mentioned as we made our way to the kitchen.

"I wouldn't fret too much over it Bella. His condo is essentially a bachelor pad. You two would be far more comfortable here. And he understands that. We are barely 20 minutes away from him, so this situation is just an added bonus for me—Not only do I get you two in my clutches, I get to see more of him when he graces me with his presence daily."

I laughed at her reasoning. "Glad to help."

"Let's get some food in your stomach. How are you feeling dear? Need your next dose of medication?" she asked, as she flittered around the kitchen getting dinner reheated.

"Yes, how is our patient today?" I heard from behind me. Turning, I saw Carlisle had found us. It was funny seeing him so dressed down, but this was his home, and he was off the clock.

"Feel run down. But nap helped."

"That's understandable. You probably are going to feel this way tomorrow too. No new twinges or pain from all the jostling in and out of your chair?"

"Carlisle, please, she doesn't need a doctor right now," Esme groused.

"I can't help it, Mae—its ingrained in me."

"Just need. More rest," I explained, not wanting to be the cause of a fight between my pseudo parents.

"Which she will get after she gets some food into her. I didn't think she could take her medication on an empty stomach." Esme set a plate down in front of me, before returning her attention back to her husband.

"I see you have it handled then. Ladies, I just came to say goodnight. And to welcome you, Bella, to our home. This was certainly a wonderful surprise to come home to."

"Nice. To see. You too. Catch up. Tomorrow."

"Most definitely. Goodnight. See you upstairs, Mae."

With Esme and I alone in the kitchen, I tried to make light of the situation, "Must be. Hard. With so. Many doctors. In family."

"Sometimes I just want them to shut off that logical part of their brain, and let out the emotional side. I know he doesn't mean anything by it. They can't help themselves. Speaking of them though, you really should send Edward a message. I promised him I would ask you to do that once you woke up. I wouldn't put it past him to come back if he thought I had forgotten to really check up on you."

"Will do. Thank you. For watching Tony."

"It was no trouble at all Bella. I plan to kept him entertained tomorrow as well so you can have a slow day to recover."

"Can't sleep. All day," I warned, but Esme just shushed me, and told me to enjoy my meal. While I ate, she filled me in on the time she spent with Tony while I slept. She loved the way his mind worked, and regaled me with some of her favorite questions he asked. I'm glad they got the time to bond together. Esme helped me back to my room, and even assisted me with my nightly routine. Thankfully, I was able to do more and more myself, but I still had a few hang ups. Once I was dressed for bed, I was back under the sheets, and settled for the night.

"Sleep well, Bella. And if you need anything at all, just send me a message. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight Esme. Thanks."

Before I called it a night, I sent a message off to Edward to hopefully alleviate his worries.

Sorry! Nap went way longer than I anticipated. Heard you came for dinner. Sorry I missed you. —Bella

I barely put my phone down before it was dinging with a response.

Sorry I missed you as well. Counting down the minutes until I can see you again. Once wasn't enough—Edward

Ughhhh, why was he so good at this? I felt so out of my depth here. I wasn't sure how to respond to that declaration, but another message came in, distracting me.

Feeling better after your nap? Going to mess up sleep schedule, or still tired? —Edward

Definitely didn't mean to sleep that long, but I understand that its what my body needs. Still feeling pretty run-down. Your Dad said I'd probably feel this way tomorrow too. If I don't answer your messages, I'm most likely asleep, and not ignoring you. —Bella

Thank you for clarifying. I'm on again tomorrow, so I plan to come by again for dinner, if that's okay. –Edward

That's fine Edward. Being so close must seem like we're teasing you—almost within your grasp, but not quite. You can see him every day—I really meant that before. –Bella

Its not teasing. I understand why you would opt to stay there, then directly with me. My staying with you guys in Washington already began to blur so many lines. I don't want to do anything that will further confuse Tony. And you guys staying with my Mom really isn't a hardship. Just means more home-cooked meals for me, instead of take out. –Edward

Ohh. You're only in it for the food. I see where we rank. –Bella

He simply sent me the unamused face emoji, before responding with: I actually think this living arrangement will work to my advantage. Free babysitting service for when I take you out. –Edward

That made me pause. Not wanting to lead him on, I simply said:

That doesn't seem fair to your parents –Bella

I'm sure they wouldn't mind, especially if they knew they were helping me in my pursuit to woo you—Edward

Woo me? I must have taken too long to respond, because he messaged me again:

I know you said that an us wasn't the priority here—and I agree, Tony should and will come first. But, while we are in the same zip code with plenty of grown ups to help, I don't see why we couldn't take some time for ourselves. Maybe I've misread things, but I got the sense from our messages that you were more open to this line of thinking. But if I've overstepped, I apologize. –Edward

Not wanting him to overthink his interactions, I quickly responded:

You didn't overstep. Just surprised me. –Bella

If you're surprised, then I obviously didn't do a good enough job of declaring myself to you back in Washington. –Edward

I meant more surprised by how quickly this is happening. You have spelled out your intentions quite well. And I'm not saying I'm not receptive to them. My heart and my head are at war, and I worry that this is all moving just too fast. I figured we would have some time to get settled here in Chicago before you tried your pursuit. –Bella

I can understand how it may seem fast, but Bella, I feel like we lost five years already. I don't want to waste anymore time, so I don't see the point in waiting. But if you need me to slow my roll, I will. I won't push for dates, or toe the line at physical boundaries. But I don't think I can turn off my charm. So, I warn you now that the compliments and flirting will probably step up a notch. The wooing has begun. –Edward

I guess I can handle that. Thank you for being understanding. –Bella

It's all about the long-game baby. If I need to give you time for your head to catch up to your heart so that we can live happily ever after, then I can wait a few more weeks. …We are talking weeks, right? Not months? Or years?! –Edward

Weeks. Maybe even days. This all feels so familiar, and yet so new at the same time. I'll get there—Bella

I guess I can handle that. –Edward

I laughed at him using my words back at me. Knowing if I didn't put a stop to it now, we would talk all night, I sent him my final message:

Going to bed now. Talk more tomorrow. Xoxo –Bella

I put the phone down before I could be tempted with more conversation. The xoxo was my attempt at being bold. If Edward could put himself out there, then so could I. Settling back into my pillows, I couldn't help but think that all in all, today was a good day. I can only hope all our days in Chicago follow suit.