Chapter 23

Song:

"Let You Down," NF

I'm sorry for the delay in posting this week. My kiddo's graduation party is this coming weekend, and with getting everything ready for that, things just got away from me. Thanks for being patient and understanding! Xo

***Fiddling was had. Words were added. All mistakes are mine.***

"You're sure you're okay carrying her?" Bella's nose deep in the backpack as she rummages through it.

"I told you I'm good." I look down at the baby strapped to my chest, her dark eyes open for once as she takes in the bright sights of the bustling airport. "You're cool with Daddy carrying you today, aren't you, princess?"

I brush my lips across Zoe's forehead before looking over at Bella. The way she's staring at me, I'm not sure if she wants to smack me or kiss me. "What?"

Chuckling, she shakes her head. "Nothing." She reaches inside the pocket of the backpack and pulls out her wallet. "I'm going to go get a bottle of water for the flight." Leaning over, she puckers her lips, and I happily oblige. "Don't go anywhere."

Watching her walk away, I involuntarily lick my lips, the barbel in my tongue gliding across my teeth. She's lost almost all the weight she gained during her pregnancy, and what's left has only added to her curves. Her jeans are painted on, and the sway of her hips has me leaning over the side of my chair, watching her until she reaches one of the many vending machines.

Memories of what's happened between us the last few nights flash through my mind, and suddenly we can't get to Seattle fast enough.

"It's gonna be a long flight, baby girl," I mumble as I adjust myself in my chair.

Always vigilant when it comes to Bella, I keep my eyes on her until she's swallowed up by a passing crowd of people coming or going to their gates. A jolt of anxiety shoots through me when she disappears from my sight. I know it's irrational. I know she's less than fifty feet away and perfectly safe here in the airport, but I can't help but feel uneasy that I can't see her. I absent-mindedly pat Zoe's round, little bottom, literally on the edge of my seat as I watch for my wife, until I see her step through the crowd and walk back to us.

"We should be boarding soon, right?" Bella asks as she sits beside me and tucks her water and wallet inside the backpack, completely oblivious to the momentary freak out I just had.

"I think so."

Her gaze falls to the baby and she bites her lower lip. "Should we change her before we board? Should I try to feed her?"

"Hey. What's wrong?" I reach for her hand and bring it to my lips. "You're all anxious all of a sudden."

"I already told you I've never flown before, so this is all a little overwhelming."

"It'll be fine. If you want to change her before we board, we can, but I don't think she needs it yet. And remember what the book said about trying to nurse her during takeoff to help with her ears popping?"

"Yeah, I remember. I just—"

"It'll be fine."

When the call comes for families with small children to board, we gather up all our crap and stand in line. After gate checking Zoe's car seat and stroller combo, we trudge down the aisle and find our seats. I slide the baby out of the wrap carrier and hand her over to Bella before stashing our bags in the overhead compartment.

"Should I wait to feed her? Maybe I should—"

Gently, I nudge her chin up and press my lips to hers. The tension she's been carrying since we got to the airport seems to slowly deflate, all her breath leaving her body in one long exhale. I pull away and look into her eyes, brushing her hair back. "Relax. If you're wound up, she's going to sense it."

"I know."

"We'll be touching down in Seattle in less than three hours. We'll be at my aunt and uncle's before dinner."

"I know. I'm just really nervous."

"About what? Talk to me."

"About ... everything." She settles back into her seat, cradling Zoe a little closer. "I'm nervous about being back in Washington, for one."

I nod. "We'll be, like, four hours from Forks. And no one but my family knows you'll be there. You have nothing to worry about."

"Logically, I understand. But I can't help it."

I reach for her hand and squeeze it. "Believe me, I understand."

"I'm also nervous about being around your parents. Your aunt and uncle are great, but I'm not so sure your parents are going to like me much. I don't think I made a very good impression on them in the few minutes we were on that video call at Thanksgiving."

"You're worried they aren't going to like you?" I can't help but chuckle. "I'm pretty sure it's me they're going to be focused on. Besides," I say, running my thumb over her cheek, "I have no doubt you'll win them over. You and Zoe are easy to fall in love with."

The flight is quick, but not without its challenges. Even with nursing during takeoff, Zoe is fussy. Being the one on the aisle seat, I offer to walk her up and down the narrow path in an effort to soothe her. It works, but only once she's wrapped up in the carrier. She seems to need the constant motion.

Nearly three hours later, we're standing outside the terminal waiting for my uncle to pick us up. It's raining, the late afternoon sun dipping low in the sky, and it's fucking cold. Zoe's strapped to my chest and I'm wearing a jacket, but I'm still freezing my ass off.

Bella turns from watching the cars dart to and from the curb and looks at me. "Did he say what time he'd be here?"

I breathe into my hands to warm them before I rearrange the blanket over Zoe's head. "He texted back when I let him know we had our bags. He should be pulling up any second."

I bounce from foot to foot, and Bella fucking laughs at me. I scowl in her direction. "What?"

"How can you be cold?"

"How can you not be cold?" I snap back. "It's thirty degrees!"

She takes a step closer and wraps her arms around me. "Because this is the weather I grew up in. I'm used to it. But you're a Chicago boy." Her grin widens. "I thought you were tougher than this."

I pull her closer, tugging my oversized jacket around all three of us. "I was a Chicago boy. Big difference. I'm a California boy now, baby, through and through. This cold weather is for the fucking birds."

She reaches up on her tiptoes and kisses me. And just as we start to get into it, right there on the sidewalk of the passenger pickup, my uncle pulls up to the curb, obnoxiously honking his horn.

"You ready for this?" she whispers as she pulls away.

"As ready as I'm gonna be."

The drive from SeaTac to Mercer Island isn't very long, maybe thirty minutes with traffic, but I'm stuck in the front with my uncle, so time drags on. It doesn't help that he's extra talkative.

"Jasper and Emmett would have come to pick you two up, but they met up with some friends at the last minute. They should be back later this evening." He glances my way before turning back to the road. "And they thought it might be a good idea to give you and your parents a little more privacy."

My exhale is heavy, and my shoulders feel even heavier. I've ignored what's coming for too long, and reality is staring me in the face; I'm going to have to deal with them sooner than I want to ... sooner than I'm ready to. "How are they?"

"Your mother is in good spirits." He chuckles. "She's been bouncing around all day, happy as can be. She even made a pan of your favorite brownies this morning."

The corner of my mouth turns up, remembering her homemade brownies, warm from the oven after school. Then what he isn't saying dawns on me, and my smile falls. "What about Dad?"

Carlisle sighs. "He's been insufferable since they arrived."

"So, he's been the asshole he usually is?"

"He's my wife's brother, but some days ..." He signals and changes lanes, looking my way once he's where he needs to be. "I'm fairly certain he's gone through half a bottle of my good Scotch in the last three days."

"Lovely." I look over my shoulder at a dozing Bella. I turn back to my uncle. "Why the fuck did I agree to this? He's going to rip me apart. Rip Bella apart." I shake my head and stare out the window as anxiety starts to creep in. "I'm not sure this was a good idea."

"Well, if it's any consolation, I tried to talk your aunt and your mother out of their harebrained idea. I have a sinking feeling it won't go the way they're both hoping. And as I said, he's my wife's brother, but he and I have never seen eye to eye on a lot of things. We've got different priorities. Family is the most important thing to me, but for him, it's his name and reputation." He pulls up to a familiar gate and punches in the code. While we wait for it to open, he looks my way. "I have no doubt the next few days will be difficult, but I think it's important for him to see the life you've made for yourself—without him. You're a man with a family now, a family you're providing for and obviously proud of. And to me, that's what matters most."

The narrow lane leading to the house cuts through a stand of trees, landscape lights dotting our path. Tied to each one is a red and white ribbon, just like every Christmas I visited here as a child. The nostalgia alone brings a smile to my face.

Finally, the house I haven't seen in so many years comes into view. Three stories, sharp angles, and walls of glass make up the Cullen house. On this side, the driveway circles a fountain and leads to a four-car garage to the left. But I know on the side that faces Lake Washington, the floors of the house resemble a stack of presents, each level a little smaller than the one below. A covered flagstone patio runs the full length of that side of the house, and a fire pit and hot tub offer lake view seating. It's an architect's wet dream.

"Your parents went out this afternoon and they're not back yet," Carlisle says as he shifts into park. "I suggested they give you and Bella some time to settle in before they came back."

I nod. "That's probably for the best. I'm not sure I'm ready to face them yet. Thanks."

"And Esme asked me to bring you two in through the front door instead of the garage. She wanted you to have the 'full effect.'" He rolls his eyes before opening his door. "I'll grab your bags if you want to help Bella inside."

"Thanks." I turn in my seat. "Babe, we're here."

"Hmm?" She shifts, stretching as she wakes up, her eyes unfocused as they open a moment before meeting mine.

"Hey, sleepy head."

"Hey. Sorry I fell asleep."

"It's okay. You ready to face the circus?"

Bella works on unbuckling Zoe's car seat while I get the monster stroller out of the back. When she steps out of the car, she looks up, her eyes as big as saucers.

"Oh, shit," she whispers as she looks up at my aunt and uncle's house. Her eyes snap to mine, and her voice is low. "You said they had money, but you didn't say they were rich."

I take Zoe's seat from her and wrap an arm around her shoulders as we trail farther and farther behind Carlisle. "They're still the same people."

"I know, but ..."

"What?"

"The presents we brought are going to look so pathetic."

I stop us and turn her to face me. "Don't do that. They'll love them because they're from us."

Before I can offer her any more assurances, Aunt Esme walks out of the house. "It's so good to see the three of you!" She goes straight for Bella, wrapping her in a hug. "I'm so happy you're here."

I'm next to be attacked by my aunt, her hug a little longer and a little tighter than the one she gave Bella. "I kept thinking you'd change your mind," she whispers before pulling back and cupping my cheeks. "I'm so glad you didn't."

"Well, it remains to be seen if we're staying. If he says one thing about—"

"I know. Believe me, I know." She releases my cheeks and reaches for my hands. "I've had several talks with my brother, and he knows where he stands with me. I won't allow him to ruin Christmas because he can't pull his head out of his ass."

She steps away and ushers us inside, Bella trailing Esme and me bringing up the rear, Zoe's car seat clutched in my hand.

Some of it has changed in the years since I last visited. There's new furniture in some of the rooms. Obviously, it's decorated for the holiday, but Esme's eye for design is evident everywhere you look. The interior, in its sleek lines and simplicity, mirrors the outside.

Finally, we're led to a third-floor bedroom. "I saved the second master suite for the two of you. I thought you could use the extra space. It's a little more private at this end of the house, too," she says with a wink.

She opens the door, and it's like we've stepped into a five-star resort. Piled with pillows, a king-sized bed takes up half the room, and a bassinet sits in the corner. There's a television mounted above a dresser, and armchairs flank the windows that overlook the lake.

"Oh my god, Esme. This is beautiful." Bella walks over to the wall of windows. She spins around to face us. "Thank you so much."

"You're more than welcome, sweet girl." She turns to me. "Take as long as you need. Dinner is in the oven, but it will keep for a while. If Ed and Liz show up before you get downstairs, I'll text you." She kisses my cheek. "I'm so glad you're here with us."

When we're finally left alone, I walk up behind Bella as she peers out the windows.

"I can't believe this is their life." She looks over her shoulder at me. "Am I being presumptuous to assume your life was like this in Chicago?"

I shrug. "A little bit."

She looks back out over the inky darkness, the lights on the horizon painting streaks in the water. "And you gave it all up," she says softly.

I wrap my arms around her and kiss her shoulder. "And I'd do it all over again if it meant I got you in the end."

While Zoe nurses, I unpack our bags. Our toiletry bag goes in the bathroom, and the presents we've brought are piled on the dresser, but our clothes stay folded away in our bags. When Bella asks why, my reply is simple.

"Because if this all goes to shit, I want to be able to get the hell out of here as quickly as possible."

I'd much rather hide away up here with my wife, maybe give the extra large tub in the ensuite a try, but inevitably, I have to face the music. Once the baby gets a fresh diaper and a warmer sleeper, we walk hand in hand down the stairs, Zoe held in one arm like a talisman. I almost feel like a shit, using my daughter as a shield, but without my girls next to me, I'm not sure I could face what's ahead.

Not ten minutes after we reach the family room, my parents return from wherever the hell they've been. Mom's face when she sees us lights up brighter than the Christmas tree, but my father's expression never changes. He's silent and stone-faced, his eyes locked on the baby cradled against me.

"Edward!" The smile on my mother's face only brightens as she walks toward me, my father choosing to stay on the periphery. Mom cradles my face in her hands like Esme did, her familiar blue eyes searching mine. "You're really here."

"I'm here."

Her gaze falls to the tiny bundle against my chest. "Oh, Edward, she's beautiful," she whispers. Her shining eyes meet mine. "Can I hold her? Please?"

I swallow past the lump forming in my throat. "Yeah." Bella's hand comes to rest on my back as I pass Zoe off to my mother. "Careful of her head," I whisper.

Mom giggles, and it's a sound I haven't heard in so many years. "Yes, I remember." Her gaze never leaves the baby. "Oh my goodness. She's just perfect. I can't believe my baby has a baby." She looks up, her eyes swimming with unshed tears. "You're a daddy." With one blink, twin tracks stream down her cheeks. "And a husband." Finally, she turns to Bella. "I'm sorry, I'm just a little overwhelmed."

"It's okay. The whole day has been a little overwhelming for me, too."

Mom blows out a breath, wiping at her eyes and smiling. "Tell me about your flight. Was the airport crazy this close to Christmas?"

Esme wraps an arm around my mother. "How about we move this to the dining room, Liz?"

I reach for Zoe, but Mom insists on holding her. "I'm fine. It won't be the first time I've eaten with a baby in my arms."

With my hand at the small of Bella's back, I lead her into the dining room while she gives a condensed version of our travels.

"It was busy. But I've never flown before today, so I don't know what it's usually like," she says softly. Her eyes flit to my father—who has yet to say a word—before turning to me, a soft smile on her lips. "Zoe had a rough time, so I'm glad I had Edward with me. He was able to walk the aisle with her almost the whole flight."

I pull out Bella's chair for her, and she pauses for just a second before whispering, "Thank you."

I kiss her cheek and take my place beside her. As we all sit around the table, Esme brings out a pan of lasagna.

"Oh, that smells amazing, Esme," Bella says.

"Thank you." My aunt smiles as she reaches for Bella's plate, sliding a chunk of the cheesy pasta onto it. "Here's hoping it tastes as good as it smells." She serves up everyone's food, reminding them to load up on the salad and garlic bread already on the table. "Oh, and the wine!" She looks at Carlisle. "I left the bottle in the kitchen."

My uncle stands and tosses his napkin on the table. "On it."

Mom looks up from her inspection of the baby. "So, tell us about life in California. It has to be a whole new world out there compared to Chicago."

Swallowing my first bite, I lick my lips and rest my fork on my plate. "It's a lot warmer, especially this time of year."

"You must not miss the snowy winters then?" she asks.

I shake my head and grin. "Not for a second."

Bella giggles as Carlisle walks back into the room, bottle in hand. "Who would like a glass?" he asks.

As he starts pouring, I turn to my wife and my grin widens. "What was that giggle for?"

She turns to my mother. "You should have seen him when we were standing in the passenger pickup lane, waiting for Carlisle. You would have thought it was ten degrees the way he was hopping around, trying to warm up."

"Hey, it's fucking cold here. It was seventy degrees at home when we left."

She kisses my cheek and stifles another giggle. "So delicate."

Mom's expression softens as she watches our exchange. "What about you, Bella? Where did you grow up?"

Her jovial mood evaporates before my eyes, but she puts on a good front, her smile still in place. "A few hours west of here, actually."

"Oh, really? There's not much west of Seattle other than forest and mountains. Lots of small towns. Moving to Los Angeles had to be a major change for you."

"It was." Her polite smile never wavers, but I can see her walls going up. "But it was a good change."

"Bella, would you like a glass?" Carlisle asks, holding up the nearly empty bottle.

"No, thank you. I'll stick to water."

For the first time since we sat down, my father speaks, and just as I expected, his words are meant to cut. "Careful, Carlisle. Serving alcohol to anyone underage could get you into serious trouble."

I throw myself back into my chair and narrow my eyes while everyone else—save Bella—chimes in, berating him for being the dick he is. "I was wondering what would get you to open your fucking mouth," I say over everyone's chatter.

The intimidating stare I imagine he uses on witnesses on the stand is aimed at me. "It's a valid point, Edward. Your uncle could be thrown into jail for serving alcohol to a teenager."

I lean forward and rest my arms on the table, lacing my fingers together so I don't give into the urge to take a swing at him. "First of all, she's not a fucking teenager. Second of all, who the hell is going to call the cops? It's a glass of wine for Christ's sake. It's not like we're doing shots and she's getting behind the wheel of a car tonight. You're just being a prick for the sake of being a prick."

He turns his focus to Bella. "And what is it you do? You're apparently the mother of our granddaughter, but we know next to nothing about you. Are you in school?"

She clears her throat, and I can see a tremor run through her. I reach under the table for her hand, squeezing it and offering what little support I can. "No," she says, her voice shaking. "I actually work at the studio with Edward now."

"Is that how you met?" Mom asks, her tone kind, more than likely in an effort to defuse the situation.

Bella's words seem stuck in her throat, so I answer for us, my eyes never leaving her beautiful face. "No, we met while she was working in the complex we lived in." I push a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "And I was a goner the first time I saw her."

Bella looks over at me then, her smile a little more genuine. "Who knew taking that job would change my life?"

Mom's happy sigh breaks me out of my Bella trance. "I still can't believe my baby boy is a married man. You're both still babies." She turns to Bella. "What does your family think about you marrying so young?"

Her posture instantly changes, her body tensing and her spine straightening. "Um, it was just my father and me, and he ... we're not in touch any longer."

My father instantly perks up, like a shark sensing blood in the water. "So, you're a runaway?"

My hackles shoot up and I lean in. "What the actual—"

Bella pulls me back and sits forward, aiming her words directly at my father. "I'm not a runaway, Mr. Masen. I'm twenty years old and left home as an adult. The circumstances under which I left are mine and none of your business."

Absolute and utter pride swells in my chest as I watch her stand up for herself. I snake my arm around her waist and pull her closer, pressing my lips to her temple. "I'm so fucking proud of you, beautiful," I murmur against her skin.

Temporarily chastised, my father goes back to eating, but the mood in the room has shifted. My mother just looks fucking sad, but Esme's laser eyes are on her brother while she stabs at her salad, anger rolling off her in waves. Carlisle once again offers Bella a glass of wine—obviously not deterred by his brother-in-law—but she declines.

"No, thank you," she says softly. "I don't want to disrupt Zoe's sleep patterns. This trip will be enough to throw off her routine."

"How is she doing at night?" Mom asks. "I remember the early weeks with Edward, and to this day it feels like I hardly slept."

Bella smiles. "We had a rough few weeks at the beginning, but it's gotten a lot better. We're able to sleep for a few hours at a time now."

"Have you picked out a daycare yet? Or will you have a private sitter?"

"No, I've been back to work for almost two weeks now, and she goes with us."

"So soon? But I thought she was only six weeks."

Bella shrugs. "My job isn't very physically demanding, and I had a pretty easy delivery. It was an easy decision to go back a little early."

"Needed a paycheck is more like it," Dad says under his breath, but I hear him loud and clear.

Mom graciously ignores the bastard and returns her attention to Bella. "That has to be hard, juggling work and an infant."

"Not really." Bella looks over at me and smiles. "Over the Moon is like a family. They welcomed me with open arms, and they've done the same with Zoe. They all help out when we need them to." She turns back to my mother. "I have a carrier I wear while I work, so she's with me most of the day. But if there's something I can't do while holding her, and Edward or someone else can't hold her, there's a little nook where she has a bed. It's a pretty great setup."

"How is that going?" Mom asks, turning to me. "The tattooing? Are you doing okay for yourself?"

"He's living in a house with six other roommates, Liz. He's living the dream," my father says sarcastically.

I lick my teeth, making an effort to keep my temper in check. "I'm doing fine." Bella reaches for my hand. "We're doing fine."

"And yet you could have been close to having a law degree by now, but instead, you chose to give up an easy life and an honorable profession to disfigure people for a living."

"Ed," Esme says from her end of the table, her eyes narrowed. "I'll remind you both of my sons are in the same profession. And they do quite well for themselves, so your bullshit opinion is unwelcome here."

"Oh, come on, Es, be honest with yourself. You know you wanted your boys to do something useful with their lives. You can't tell me you didn't wish they weren't covered in ink. I mean, Jasper has a damn ketchup bottle permanently etched on his leg!"

Slowly, she places her wine glass on the table and leans forward, her gaze never leaving her brother. "My children are amazingly talented, and so is my nephew. But more importantly, they're all doing what they love. They're all happy. If you can't see that, then you're as blind as you are stubborn."

Like a relentless bull, he turns back to me. "How can you be happy when you're struggling? Don't think I don't know the complex you were living in was a seedy motel."

"What, you've been keeping tabs on me or something?"

"You were a step up from being homeless for years because you were too proud to come home and admit you were wrong."

"But I wasn't wrong! You just can't accept that I don't want the kind of life you have. You can't believe that I'd rather earn every goddamn dollar I make than bow to your expectations!" I point my finger in his direction. "And I'd do it all again. I'd turn my back on that life again in a heartbeat, because it means I'd have my girls in my life, and they're worth more than all the degrees and money in the world."

"You embarrassed me," he growls. "Every partner in the firm knows you've thrown away your future on a whim. Do you have any idea how that feels? To lose the respect of all your peers?"

"I don't. Because I don't work with assholes."

He turns his withering gaze back to Bella. "And you. One step off the bus and you latch on to the closest sucker, getting yourself knocked up? I guess that's small-town mentality, isn't it?"

I stand so fast my chair knocks over behind me. "Leave her the fuck alone!"

"No, I don't think I will. There are only a handful of jobs a woman can do in a place like that. And outside of managing it, which I'm certain she wasn't doing, that leaves cleaning up after nasty motel guests. You knocked up the maid? Really, Edward? Do you not see that she saw you as a meal ticket out of there?"

My chest is heaving, and my heart is pounding as anger and frustration build inside me. "Leave her out of this, you son of a bitch."

Before I can utter another syllable, Esme slams her hand on the table, the sound echoing around the room. Zoe's cries follow in the next breath. "Out!" she shouts. "Pack your things and get the hell out of my house!"

Dad reels back like he's been slapped. "You're going to kick your own brother out two days before Christmas?"

"You bet your ass I'm kicking you out."

"I was invited!"

"And so were they," she says, pointing at us. "They were invited in good faith that you'd be on your best behavior." She turns to my mother. "Liz, you're welcome to stay, but I won't allow Ed to ruin the few days I have with my family."

Mom nods, her gaze back on Zoe. "I understand, Esme. Thank you." She looks up at my father with tears in her eyes. "You promised me, Ed. You promised me you'd try, but it's more than clear you have no intention of doing that. You seem hellbent on standing your ground."

"I thought we were presenting a united front. How is he ever going to—"

"Stop! Just ... stop. I'm so sick of you telling me what I should do or how I should treat my son so he'll do what you think he should. He's obviously happy. How can you want to take that away from him?"

"Liz, he—"

She shakes her head. "No. I've kept quiet too long. I'll live with that regret for the rest of my life. I'm not giving up another second of being in his life so you can continue to punish him for not being the perfect son you wanted him to be. And I won't give up knowing my granddaughter or my daughter-in-law over it."

He looks around the room, speechless for once in his miserable life, his eyes landing on my aunt. "You're seriously throwing me out?"

Esme folds her hands in her lap and stares at my father, finality ringing in her words. "You're no longer welcome here."

A/N: KJ said she thinks Esme's ALMOST redeemed herself. Anyone else feeling like she has? And Ed's a piece of work, huh? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this one.

***Life in the Sunshine house is kind of on a rollercoaster at the moment—nothing bad, just incredibly busy—so updates might be a little off-schedule in the coming weeks. I'll try to plan ahead and let you know in my A/Ns, but sometimes, like this week, it'll sneak up on me.

The very best way to know what's up is to check my Facebook group, Sunshine Fics or follow me on Twitter. I'll also be sharing some bonus pics of the Cullen's house in my FB group later today. It's … stunning.

For those of you headed to Austin for TFMU next week, have so much fun … and maybe have a drink for me. ;) Unfortunately, my situation has changed since last year, and I'll be unable to attend.

"See" you next week!

Be kind.
Stay safe.
Stay well.

Lots of love,
~Sunshine