Wow, guys, y'all have been fantastic! And many of y'all are shocked Edward isn't going with her to Europe. Well, he DOES have work to do. But, we will get to all of that in the next two chapters.
So, ironically, my brother and his family are flying out today to go to Italy for a cruise. I didn't even know, when I was writing this story, that they were going on this cruise, much less that they were going to ROME. A lot of the sites that I put in these chapters of Italy, I told them to go visit. I requested lots and lots of pictures from them! I'm so jelly right now that they're getting to go to one of my bucket list places. I want to do a tour of Italian food one day. Stanley Tucci got my interst peaked with his show 'Searching for Italy'. Loved that.
Anywho, on with the chapter!
Chapter 11 - Afar
BPOV
Walking through the Palace of Versailles, I'm floored at the opulence and grandeur everywhere around me. I literally fear speaking because I feel like it would be disrespectful to the palace and the environment.
Being in the Hall of Mirrors is incredible. There's light everywhere, reflecting off of every surface possible, dancing off of every single chandelier. The paintings on the ceiling are remarkable, too. To know someone took thousands of hours to paint all of this, blows my mind.
It's truly stunning to witness, and in a way, pay respect to. This place is history, pure and simple.
That's what I based my trip around; seeing as many historic places as possible.
I've already been to the Louvre, and fell absolutely in love with it. Seeing the great Masters of Art's works in one place was nothing short of astonishing.
I also went to Notre Dame Cathedral and toured around the outside, since the inside was still closed for repairs after the fire. The stained glass windows alone are breath-taking to see.
I've only got one more day here before I take off for Italy. Granted I don't want to leave, but Italy is also calling my name. I will definitely want to come back here one day. Maybe bring Edward.
Thinking of him makes me smile and I take out my phone. I get to where I've got a good shot from the reflection of a mirror, to me, to the view of the ponds just outside and take a picture, sending it to him.
Miss you more than you know. Love you.
Taking some more shots around the hall, I continue on and keep feeling inadequate in comparison to this place.
Growing up watching how we spent our money will make a person feel that way when coming face to face with this kind of excess…
Feeling my phone vibrate, I check and see that it's Edward texting me back.
Wow! That's incredible! Beautiful palace, beautiful water features, and a beautiful woman. I'm so jealous of Versailles all of a sudden *wink*
I laugh at his silliness, having missed this in my life, too. Having someone I can just goof around with like this. Granted, I have Rose, Jasper and Emmett back in L.A., but I don't think they'd be the type to appreciate the history of a place like this.
Edward definitely does. It's something we've always shared.
Nothing to be jealous of, silly. But I would love to share this kind of experience with you, one day. We'll have to come back here, together.
I tour around the palace some more, seeing the king's room, Marie Antoinette's room, the coronation room. So much gold everywhere.
Marie Antoinette's room was one of my favorites, though. It was just absolutely gorgeous.
As I was leaving the palace to head back to my hotel, I feel my phone vibrate again with a message from Edward.
I'm gonna hold you to that, beautiful. I love you and I miss you.
Sighing, I look out the window at the gorgeous surroundings as the driver maneuvers through the streets.
/-/
Sitting in my hotel room in Paris, I've grown fond of the view of the Eifel Tower from my window. It's glorious at night with all of the lights.
My phone starts ringing from the table and I grab for it, hoping it's Edward.
Sadly it's Rose.
"Hi Ro." I say a little petulantly.
"Well hello to you too, sunshine. I can tell you really miss me." She laughs into the phone.
"Sorry, I'm just really missing Edward, right now." I tell her, honestly.
"Ah, hunky song guy, huh? Yeah, I'd miss that, too." She teases.
"Yeah, well, since we got back together, I hate being without him. I feel like I'm missing something in my soul." I tell her, looking back out to the Eifel Tower.
It really is the city of lights.
"You really are in love with this guy, aren't you?" She asks, and I can tell she's not saying it to be a bitch. She just wants me to be happy.
"Yeah, I am. We got things straightened out while I was home and found out he never stopped loving me. Even after the shit I said to him before I left." I pause, trying to figure out if I should tell her or not that I'm not gonna be an L.A. resident much longer.
"You're holding something back, I can tell. What is it?" She says, because, God knows you can't get anything past that woman.
"Uhhh… I'm… probably gonna need a real estate agent pretty soon…" I trail off.
"What? Why would y- Oh…" I hear the recognition hit her. "So, you're gonna move back to South Carolina?" She asks, and I can hear the sadness creep into her voice.
I sigh, rubbing my hand over my face. "Yeah. That's what I'm thinking about. Rose, I just… being in L.A. hasn't been exactly helpful to any sort of recovery for me. The two weeks I was home really made me see how much I need to be away from there and around my family. I love you guys so much, but I need to be somewhere that I can let my walls down. This trip has been a huge starting point for me. But I think the best thing is to be home, in Charleston. I'll still come back for any jobs you may have for me, but I need to be home."
"I get that. I do. That's mostly why I encouraged you to take this trip. So you could let your walls down somewhere, ease some of your anxiety. I'm just going to miss my girl, you know?" I can hear the emotion in her voice.
I feel the tears behind my eyes start to prick up and threaten to escape. "I know. I've just gotta think about my sanity. Edward made a point last week when we were talking that it could start affecting my health, and I don't want it to get that far, if it hasn't already."
"That is a very good point. And I'm happy for you. You need this, honey. You deserve to be happy after all you've been through. I'll see what kind of real estate agent I can find. Are you sure you want to sell your house, though? What about when you come back out to L.A. for whatever jobs you have?" She asks and I hear her typing on her computer.
"I may rent a small apartment or something, depending on if I may need something longer than a week or two at a time. I'll figure that out later." I tell her, pausing again. "Rose, can I ask you something?"
"Of course you can, honey."
"Do you think, given my history with Edward, that it would be too soon for me to move in with him?" I ask, somewhat nervously.
I've been mulling it over all week and I can't seem to pull the trigger on a yes or no.
"Do you want to move in with him?"
I think for a second, but the answer is pretty simple. "I do. But, I feel like we need to get reacquainted with each other, again. Learn things about each other that we've gone through, things we've grown from. We've been on the phone all week since I left and just talked and talked. But it's been six years, Rose. We've both changed since I left. I know I'm not the same person I was." I tell her, still feeling like I'd be rushing into moving in with him, and we may end up hating each other once we got to know each other again.
"Bells, since I've known you, you've still been the same person, at heart. Yes, things happened that changed your outlook on things, changed your reactions. But you're still the same person, deep down. Things happen to us. We grow from them, we learn from them. And hopefully we become better from them. Deep down, does Edward seem like he's the same person he used to be?" Rose asked, and I can tell she's taken on her motherly role here.
She's got a point. Deep down, in our foundations, we're still the same. We've just had to adapt. It's all in the growing process.
"You always know how to give me perspective, Rose. I hope you know I love you like crazy."
She laughs through the phone and tells me, "I love you, too, sweetie. I'll always be here for you, ya know?"
"Of course I do. You're my best friend, Ro. I'm gonna have to make regular trips out to L.A. to see you guys, once I move." That's my only drawback to moving home; I'm gonna miss my friends.
"You bet your little country ass, you are." She laughs again. "So, the Disney project? Are we telling them yes?"
"Yeah. I love the story they've got. But this sounds like I'm gonna be one of the lead characters?" I'd noticed there were only a couple of characters that have singing parts, and if that's why they wanted me, then I'm front and center on this project.
"Yep, you'd be the main character. I didn't realize it when they were first talking about it, but once they sent the script, that was what they were wanting. This will be huge for you, Bells." She says, and we finish our call, promising to talk again in a couple days.
Waking up in the morning, I realize I fell asleep on the sofa, just watching the Eifel Tower all night long while I was working on a song.
It's truly an amazing site, so who wouldn't spend as much time looking at it as they could?
Today's my last full day here in Paris, and I'm planning to stuff my face with all the good French food before I jet off to Italy, where I'll be gorging myself on pasta.
Oh, I'm gonna weigh a ton when I go back home to the states.
But it's so worth it to experience the deliciousness of the countries that are home to the basis of all the food we normally eat.
I will say, real French chocolate mousse is absolutely magnificent. It's become one of my favorites.
I'm walking down the street looking for the restaurant the guy at the front desk suggested, when I feel my phone ringing.
Looking down at it, I smile seeing it's Edward.
"Hey handsome."
"Hey gorgeous." I can hear his smile in his voice. "How's Paris treating you?"
"Oh my God, Edward. This place is incredible. There's so much history, architecture, and food here. It kinda reminds me of home, if that makes sense. I guess this place just has several hundred more years on Charleston."
His laughter rings through the phone. "I can imagine. I wish I was there with you. But we'll go back again, one day. There's always anniversaries, honeymoon, 'just because' vacations, that we could go. It's definitely a bucket list place for me to visit."
I gasp a little when he says 'honeymoon', but I guess I just haven't thought that far ahead. I know I want to be with him, that's a given. But I guess I just haven't let it seep into my mind that we could get married someday.
Holy shit…
"Bells? You still there?" I break out of my shock when I hear him call my name.
"Yeah, sorry. I'm trying to find this street where the front desk guy said they had the best boeuf bourguignon in the entire city. I'm getting in my last tastes of France before I leave tomorrow." I deflect, hoping he doesn't see through it that I was shocked.
"Oooohhh that does sound delicious. I've tried to make that before, and it was good, but I've never had the real deal to compare it to. So, I may cook that sometime and get you to give me pointers when you come home on where I need to go with it." He tells me, and I know he likes to get feedback on things to see what he needs to make something better. Something he's always done when he'd started learning how to cook.
"You got it." I smiled as I made my way down the street, and finally seeing the sign I was looking for.
We talk for a few more minutes before I make my way into the restaurant, and tell him I'll call him later tonight.
/-/
Crossing my eyes at the indescribable tastes in my mouth, I savor every bit of the cacio e pepe that I've ordered in Rome.
I don't think I've ever had anything like this in my life, but it's absolutely delicious. And I'm gonna find a way to make it at home, because I need this in my life.
I've been in Rome for two days now, and I'm seriously thinking of skipping Charleston and moving here.
I thought Paris was amazing… But Italy is extraordinary.
This place is seriously like going back in time.
The Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica were… breathtaking, to say the least. I thought Versailles was awe-inspiring, but wow. It felt very moving to just be there, learning more of the vast history.
I'm planning to visit more around the city, seeing some of the churches and fountains. I'm also planning to go, probably the day after tomorrow, to the Colosseum.
I feel my phone ringing and grab it, seeing it's Edward, and smiling as I answer.
"Hey you! How are you doing?" I greet him.
"Hey yourself. Where are you off to today?" I can hear the smile in his voice.
Smiling myself, I sit back, enjoying the atmosphere and the glass of wine I had with my pasta.
"Right now, I'm enjoying some pasta and wine in downtown Rome. Then I'm heading to the Pantheon and a couple other churches, probably some of the fountains around the city. What about you? Anything fun today?" I ask him, wishing again that he was here with me to enjoy this.
"Oh you know, Alice is fussing about something with her fabrics, and mom is trying to get dad to take a vacation. You know, the usual." He jokes, and even though I've been away from home for years, I can totally see that being the case.
It's Sunday, so they're usually having dinner as a family.
We keep talking for a while before I leave to walk the few blocks to the Pantheon.
Walking up to the front of the temple turned church, I see the unmistakable dome on the top with the dozen or so columns out front.
It's gorgeous.
"Wow…" I whisper as I'm still on the phone with Edward. "This is quite impressive…"
"It is, isn't it?" I hear over the phone, but also off to my right…
A/N: Hehehehehehehehe I'll let y'all have your moment...
All better now?
I'm craving cacio e pepe right now, myself, so that may be what's for dinner tonight... I told my brother he better let me know how it actually is in Italy, so that I can make mine how it should be. Lord knows not many people can get it like the actual Romans do.
Leave me some love!