I left Bella at her house. I had told her that she needed to spend an evening with Charlie. Which was true. She needed to spend time with him, he wouldn't live forever. Besides, this gave me time to work on her birthday present.
We had talked a little about her birthday before she left for Phoenix. She had asked me not to spend a dime. I wouldn't. Not a dime. I would give Alice the money to buy Bella a car. So, technically, I wouldn't be spending anything, Alice would, it would just be my money. But, aside from the fact that I was getting her a car for her birthday, I was also writing her a song.
This is why I needed her away from the house. I couldn't have her hearing it until her birthday. Not a thought of the car or the song entered my mind when she was around.
Of course, it wasn't like she needed a birthday party now. She was permanently frozen in time as a seventeen-year-old girl. But, it would just be fun to celebrate it anyway. Bella had no clue. We did not think about it at all when she was around. And if anyone did…well, I wasn't sure what I would do to them, but they wouldn't spoil my surprise.
I worked on the song diligently for two hours. I wrote down my progress as I worked. Usually, I would play it all the way through a few times until I memorized it. But I couldn't do that, I didn't have time. So, instead, I wrote it down. I wasn't sure when I would be done. It would be done either when I said it was, or it would be done the day I finished it on Bella's birthday. Whichever came first.
I worked until seven-forty-five, finished copying down my work, then drove over to get Bella.
I checked my watch as I rang her doorbell, exactly eight o'clock. Perfect.
Hang on! Bella called.
"We're paying a game of Go Fish" she said as she opened the door.
I'm winning, and I'm not even listening to his thoughts!
I see.
"You'll have to wait until we finish though."
"That's fine."
I sat and watched them finish, Bella won and she never once cheated.
She bade Charlie goodbye and we left.
How did you spend your day?
Thinking of you.
Bella smiled.
And how did you spend yours?
Fixing Charlie dinner, cleaning, playing card games.
Sounds like fun.
I actually had a pretty good time.
That's cool.
By this time, we had arrived at the house.
I led her in and to the piano.
I listened as her fingers flowed over the keys.
Then, she began to play something I had never heard before. It was beautiful.
What is that?
I'm not sure, I just made it up.
It's beautiful.
For some reason, my thoughts began to drift to the song that I wrote for her. Not her lullaby, her birthday one.
Before I could banish those thoughts, Bella asked, "What was that?"
"What was what?"
"The song you were just thinking of? I've never heard it before. It's really beautiful."
"It's just something that I've been working on…" Don't think birthday you idiot.
My birthday?
Dang. You thought about it you idiot.
Wait, you're going to celebrate my birthday anyway, even though I will never physically turn eighteen!
Look, we haven't celebrated birthdays in so long! Please just this one!
You said that before I was turned into a vampire. Fine, I'll humor you, but just this one. And what I said before still goes, you will not spend a dime on me! You hear!
Not a dime.
Good.
She returned to playing the piano.
Oh and one more thing, you're not an idiot.
I would have to be more careful.
Definitely more careful.
A/N: There was chapter 4! Hope you enjoyed it!