Evening, all! How goes your Sunday?

24th December 1843

Isabella Cullen

It had been a full two weeks since we were wed, and it had been a very busy household indeed. We would have been home sooner, but we all thought that Edward needed a little more time to heal, especially with it being so wintry and cold outside.

Esme and Carlisle had asked if I would mind the farmhouse being packed up and our belongings taken to the great house and while I was fine with it, I was sad that I could not do it myself.

They assured me that the company they would use would be respectful of every belonging that we had.

I was content that they would. However, I wanted to pack away everything for myself, to have the chance to say goodbye to the only home I had ever known. I knew that I would still see it daily, because I had stressed that I would still like to work there with Carlisle's plans, but it would no longer be my home.

And that was when Edward told me his news.

The property had been gifted to me as a wedding present from Esme and Carlisle.

When we returned from our honeymoon, sometime in the New Year, after Edward had recovered, it would be a fully working business premises and not a home, not really. Not until many years down the line.

I wept openly when he told me that the gift would only be mine until Charles was old enough to take on the property for himself, so I was in fact, only the guardian of it for now. I did not know how I could ever explain to him how much I loved him, and of course, Esme and Carlisle.

He was pleased for both myself and Charles, and I was more than relieved that Charles would one day own our childhood home and he would have his own family there in the future.

When we were not talking about the business or life back home, we were taking small walks in the courtyard of our townhome or talking to Alice and Jasper.

While her father was in town, he was meeting with some new suppliers, that left us all the time to really talk, and I was able to get to know Jasper while Edward befriended Alice. It was not surprising how protective he had become toward his new sister, and we joked many times that he was the big brother she'd always wanted and never had.

On the days that Jasper, Carlisle, and Edward talked business, we ladies went into town, and I found myself discovering a new pastime.

Shopping for the children.

I'd always made sure that Charles had the best that I could give him, which mainly consisted of clothing and the occasional book that the local village school had lent me but being in town with a newfound wealth had my mind spinning out of control.

When Edward had approached me about money and what was now mine, I swore that I could have fainted.

I refused at first to be tied to so much from his bank, but after a time we settled in agreement.

If I were to shop for the children, I could spend whatever I liked as long as I deemed it proper for them, but in turn, I had to agree to his terms about myself.

If I were to go to town for myself and only myself, I had to spend everything that he gave me.
Ten — whole — pounds.

How on earth would I ever spend that amount at all, let alone in one day, was beyond my level of thought, and I was glad that I amused Edward with my spluttering, but I still had to agree.

Which I was loathed to do.

The farm as it stood, barely made £100-00 per annum, after the rent payments, and here was my new husband declaring that I should spend ten percent of that in a single day!

Alice and Jasper found it humorous, yet I did not, even though I had to agree. I had to promise.

The first day that I was given money to spend on myself was four days after we were wed. Edward's manager had come to pay a visit to him.

Benjamin was a kind man who welcomed me into his friendship readily. Before the work talk started, we spoke about his wife and new son. He was certainly a very proud husband and father and it led me to think about Edward and I having children. If I were honest, I could not wait for the day when I gave Edward the news that I was carrying his babe.

Once Edward was in his favorite chair in his study I left the men to it. Alice, Esme, and I travelled the small distance to the shops via the use of the carriage and the fun, of sorts, began.

It was certainly something to get used to, having staff fawn over you to an irritating level, but once I watched Esme and saw how she spoke kindly but firmly to them, I soon followed her way and felt much happier.

It was hard not to give my name except for Isabella when the staff asked, but we had promised Alexandrina that we would keep the news to ourselves about our marriage at least until Candlemas. Even the Vicar who had married us had been bound to keep his word and although everything was legal and binding between our union, no 'official' paperwork had been placed within the parish – only at the palace. It was not all kept quiet just because of my mourning, not at all, but with smallpox on the rise yet again, the Queen did not want a panic to break out that a member of the royal family had married on his 'deathbed', even though Edward had been far from that.

I did not understand at first how the public would panic over it since Edward was fine now and growing stronger by the day, but Carlisle explained that the public lived for the monarchy. So, if word got out, many questions and situations would have arisen that would take an age to clear up and for rumors to die down.

So, I agreed to the silence for a while for the public to see that Edward was healthy and fine.

I shopped anonymously, only giving my first name and not my last, which I was a little loathed to do. If I truly had my way, I would have screamed from the rooftops that Edward was mine and I was his.

Alice of course was happy to shop until the cows came home, picking up and buying several little trinkets, but I found it hard to do.

I was not used to spending money so frivolously and I was questioning everything I saw.

Yes, there were pretty pieces that I liked, but the nagging thought in the back of my mind was constantly asking if I needed it.

In the end panic took over by the time lunchtime came around, and I was buying items that I did not necessarily like or want.

It was only after lunchtime where we had eaten well and were wrapped up in new shawls that Esme finally laughed and told me that if I could not spend what I was given, then the best thing I could do was to buy bolts of fabric.

I could always make them into blankets for the children or clothes for myself if I were bored.

So that was it. I managed to buy fabric and lace along with some ribbons and wool and decided to knit and make blankets for the children at the school that I once helped at. I also wanted to knit some woolen clothes for Master Emmett and Rosalie's child. The babe would need some warm clothes when he or she arrived.

Of course, the thought of the school children had me asking another round of questions to Esme about my continued work there, and she was happy to explain that it would do myself good to continue, at least until the time came for me to bear my own children.

My own children.

I would be giving Edward more children, sons and daughters to carry on our family name.

The thought of that alone had me smiling for the rest of the day.

…

It was now Christmas Eve.

We'd traveled from town last night to my new home, a home with the Cullen's, my new family. I never thought that I would utter those words again. I had a family.

I was so on edge and excited to see Charles. I had not seen him for such a long time, and I think I may have started crying before I even saw the house.

We had said goodbye to Alice, Jasper, and her father at the village border and the rest of the way to the house Edward had gripped hold of my knee so that I would not bounce it.

I wanted to leap out of the carriage when we passed through the gates of our home and run to the house fearing that the carriage was not going at a fast enough pace for me, but Edward's hand on mine had a calming effect on me and I stayed seated.

When we came to a stop by the main doors, and I saw Charles stood there with Charlotte and Henry I gasped at how he had changed.

The only difference really, was how tall he seemed to be, but with his shoulders back and head held high, he did not look like my little brother anymore.

He was a growing man now.

"It looks as though Charlotte has been influencing him," Carlisle observed with a chuckle in front of me as the footman opened our door to the carriage. Edward and Carlisle stepped out to take mine and Esme's hands and that was it.

I ran to the front of the steps, sunk to my knees, and held out my arms for him.

Shockingly, but happily, the two other children ran to me as well as Charles, and I was afraid that my arms would not be long enough to engulf them all.

A fear I did not need to have.

What my arms could not wrap around, Edward's could, and we were crouched down, all five of us together, pouring out our love for each other, snow-covered ground be damned.

They're home and just in time for Christmas!