Epilogue
Three Years Later
Mischief sits on the top porch step and watches Edward 'hup' the two dogs onto his tractor. The noisy machine roars to life, but Mischief wraps his tail around his feet and narrows his eyes at the odious threat. Edward waves to the orange tabby before putting the tractor in gear and heading out. Jangles rides shotgun next to Edward while their new puppy, Jingle, has pride of place between his knees.
Edward rounds the house toward the orchard. And a bittersweet smile tugs at Edward's lips. Sweet ol'Bo laid down to warm his bones on an early summer morn and just never got up. Now, he rests in peace under his favorite apple tree, and Bella still cries when Jangles lays out under Bo's tree.
Edward angles the tractor around the pond, and Jingle squirms and yaps between Edward's legs. "You stay put. You're going to get us both in trouble if you go after the ducks and show up muddy and wet again."
The tractor slows as it passes the Uley homeplace, and Mr. Uley waves from his front porch.
"You comin' down to the nursery?" Edward calls.
Mr. Uley rocks forward and says, "Naw, Sam and Emily are bringing the kids by in a bit. Tell Bella I'm still on for Wednesday Market."
Edward pushes back his cap, "Sure, she'll swing by to pick you up. I know she enjoys your company. We'll see you tomorrow?"
Mr. Uley nods and waves him on, and Edward waves his cap before putting it square on his head again.
Over the past three years, the new arrangement seems to have given Mr. Uley a new lease on life. He had been housebound and reclusive, and now he rides along with Bella and the dogs on Wednesday Market days. He's great with the meet and greet and keeping the dogs in snacks and rubs while Bella works.
It has been a dream come true for Bella to have so much land for growing. Mr. Uley is a walking encyclopedia of his place, and he and Bella huddle and make plans every chance they get.
Sam helped Edward grade and level the walk between the homeplace and Bella's nursery and Market so Mr. Uley can come down to see 'what's doin."
The tractor follows that path to the new additions to the property. The large nursery has food growing year-round with the open-air market and a small parking area next to it.
Edward brings the tractor to a stop behind the market house and turns off the engine before letting go of Jingle's collar. After Jangle's graceful leap, the puppy bellyflops, and the dogs make a beeline for Charlie sitting at a café table under the covered market porch. He pulls snacks from his jacket pocket and laughs as Jingle falls over his feet to get around Jangles, who is not sharing snacks or affection.
Edward grins and waves as he removes his hat and walks in to find his wife. He finds Sue and Bella putting food in the fridge and filling bushel baskets with produce. Edward winks at Sue and sneaks up behind Bella, kissing her neck as his arms wrap around her waist. His arms stretch a little farther now that she is so far along, and he feels little Seth push against his hands from under Bella's apron. It won't be but a month before Seth is sleeping safely in the new nursery.
By renting two acres to neighbors for feed crops over the past three years, they could make a two-bedroom and second-bath add-on. Seth should make his appearance just as they're finishing the walls and flooring. After three years and two heartbreaking miscarriages, Edward can't wait to be a family with his Bella and little Seth.
Bella turns in his arms and kisses him. "You back from the shop? I missed you this morning."
He hugs Sue before sitting on a stool by the butcher block workstation. "Yeah, Emmett won't need me again until Thursday. I missed you too. Did you eat breakfast?"
She and Sue begin sorting the greens on the workstation. "Yes, I ate. Angela said they'd be by later to pick up their produce."
Now, Emmett and Angela's romance, or scandal (depending on who's telling the story), had set the town reeling. January third, Emmett came back from the lawyers with paperwork for Edward to sign selling his share of Ernie's shop to Edward before filing for divorce.
Emmett dated Angela openly through the divorce, and he made sure no one slandered Angela's good name. Emmett took her to crowded restaurants where they would linger over pie and coffee for hours. They hung out with Edward and Bella and Jasper and Alice, and every Sunday, he sat by her in church.
Rose got the house, and Emmett got his truck and tools. As soon as the ink dried on the divorce papers, Emmett bought the whole shop from Edward and married Angela.
Edward and Emmett work together when Emmett needs extra hands, but after Edward restored his Farmall, Jake Johnson wanted to buy it back. Edward would have none of that, but it gave him the idea of rebuilding one for Mr. Johnson. And after the Farm and Tractor Show and Auction over in Collier, he's had a steady business of projects to keep him out of trouble, and six months ago, he broke ground on his shop for restoring farm machinery.
The ladies finish sorting, and Edward follows them with the basket to the front of the shop, placing it where Bella points.
Bella wraps her arms around his waist, and he rests his arm around her shoulders and watches Sue bring two coffees and another muffin to share with Charlie as cars pull into the drive off SR278.
"It's going to be another busy Saturday," Edward says, "Are you up to a full day?"
Bella arches her back and runs a slender hand over her bump. "We'll be fine."
"You'll sit down and point if you get to aching. Who knows when you'll be able to boss Alice around again."
Bella laughs and waves as Alice and Jasper arrive. The girls work behind the counter while Jasper sits with Charlie and Edward at the table overlooking the grassy play area for the twins.
When Emmett and Angela come to pick up their order, Edward, Jasper, Emmett, and Charlie walk over to the shop.
Emmett runs his hand over the fender of a Massey Ferguson 50, "It's coming along."
Edward smiles, "Yeah, I'm waiting on parts from Steiner, but I think I can have it done for Jared by March."
Charlie asks, "Are you going to show it next year?"
Edward nods, "I made that a stipulation. Jared's excited to show it off." Edward opens the casing to show them the rebuilt engine. "It's going to be a great workhorse for years to come."
Charlie bends over the engine. "Look at that. Boy, you know your way around engines," he says.
Jasper nods and snorts when Emmett says, "I taught him everything he knows."
~o0o~
With a lull, the ladies sit out on the grass watching the girls play, and Angela comes and shares hugs all around.
"You in a hurry," Alice asks.
Angela kicks her shoes off and sits down next to Sue. "Naw, the guys just walked over to the shop. Who knows how long they're going to be spittin' and whittlin.'"
Bella passes her a bottle of water and says, "I was wondering how you were doing."
Angela smiles. "We're fine, really. Rose moved back after Royce walked, but she's staying out at her mom's, so we don't plan on seeing her much."
Alice brushes her bangs from her eyes and swats a gnat. "Hunny, plan or no plan, she can cause trouble if she wants."
Bella smooths Jangles ear, laying on her thigh. "I don't know. Really, what's she gonna do. You're married, happy. Anything she tries is just going to show her in an ugly light."
Sue nods and changes the subject. "Are y'all going to be here tomorrow?"
When the weather is good, Sunday dinners have become potlucks on the homeplace. The men set up tables and chairs under the oaks Saturday night, and the ladies fill the tables Sunday afternoon. They linger in the shade of the trees and throw horseshoes or bag toss, of which Carlisle is the reigning champion.
Angela smiles, "Of course, Esme is bringing her tomato pie. I've been craving that all week."
Alice leans forward, "Craved?"
The ladies watch Angela squirm and finally say, "We were going to wait to tell, but we're pregnant about eight weeks."
The men walk up on four squealing women and cock their heads in tandem, but Emmett steps forward. "You told them, didn't you?"
Angela sits up with grass in her hair and grins. "Blame it on Esme's pie."
~o0o~
For the rest of the day, Edward works alongside Bella with family, friends, and neighbors floating around them.
"Come on, baby. Let's get you home," Edward says as he helps Bella step up onto the tractor. The dogs run along, ranging to follow their fancy and beating the tractor into the yard.
Bella doesn't complain when Edward sets her up in the kitchen with her feet propped up.
She watches Edward moving around the kitchen, with hamburgers in the frying pan and French fries in the oven. Misfit jumps up on his kitchen chair by the stove as Bella rubs Jangle with her foot under the table, and Jingle chews on his rubber duck teether.
It's the homey scene she's always wanted, and her eyes water as she takes another sip of her tea.
Bella is nodding by the time Edward puts the food on the table. He wakes her up long enough to get her to eat before walking her upstairs to bed.
"Sleep, baby. It's been a long day on your feet," Edward says as he gives her a lingering kiss.
"Don't belong," she says as she pulls him back for another kiss.
He kisses her again and once more, and Jingle follows him down the stairs. Edward locks the doors and turns off the lights before heading to bed himself. Jangles is already on his pillow on Bella's side of the bed, and Edward sets the baby gate in place in the bedroom door as Jingle walks a nesting circle on his pillow on Edward's side. Edward rubs Jingle's ears before climbing in next to Bella. The puppy will curl up with Jangle in an hour or so, but he's trying to be good.
Bella snuggles next to Edward, and he smiles in the dark as Mischief settles at the foot of the bed. Knowing she'll get hot in about an hour, Edward pulls the blanket down to Bella's hips, leaving the sheet around her shoulders, which he kisses before he settles into his pillow.
His life is forever bound to Bella, and as he smooths his hand over Seth's little cocoon and closes his eyes, he knows their life is good.
A/N: This is where we leave our small-town couple. I've enjoyed living with them and learning their story. I appreciate your patience and all of your kind words. Look for my Autumn one-shot Pumpkin Chunkin' posting in a few days. Love y'all. -DB