The Letter

Part Four


A quiet walk to Bella's house allowed Edward to meet a few neighbors, those that were working on their front yards or heading out for the day. In the five years he'd lived in his condo in Seattle, he had yet to meet a single neighbor in his building. What did that say about him? Or them for that matter.

Edward waited by Bella's Charger as she spoke with a concerned older woman about her mother. He looked at her car, envious since he would've considered purchasing one in his youth. His desire back then was horsepower and a deep rumbling engine. Now, he looked for sleek and expensive; a part of him still wanted a chance to get behind the wheel of Bella's car.

"If you look at me like the way you look at my car…" Bella shook her head, fanning herself. "Never mind, I need to behave." After checking with her mother and the cop protecting her, they were ready to leave.

"Go on, please." Edward grinned when Bella laughed. "Any chance you'll let me drive?"

Bella looked him up and down, then at her car. "Are you sure you can handle her?"

Edward headed to the driver's side door, holding it open for her. "I'm sure I can, but I'll let you consider it. I can always drive on the way back." He wondered for the hundredth time why she insisted on driving her car. His was considerably larger and would be able to accommodate everything they planned to buy; they could deliver the rest. "Can you please explain why we couldn't go in my car? Or why we're heading to Seattle instead of somewhere closer?"

Bella started the car, revving the engine and waggling her eyebrows. "The trunk is big enough for the decorations. Besides, it's rare when I get to take this baby out for a spin for such a long drive. We're going to Seattle to give us time to get to know each other."

"As if I didn't talk your ear off the other night and tell you all my secrets." Edward felt grateful for the lack of tension between them after learning that she knew his family. "What more do you want to know?" Talking about himself took some getting used to; most people would Google his name and find out the basics. Anything more personal in tabloids was speculation unless a quote came directly from him.

"You didn't tell me all your secrets." Bella shrugged, adjusting her mirrors. "Besides, I said we'd get to know each other. So, I guess it's your turn to ask questions."

"I spilled everything without you asking questions." Edward figured Bella simply held some magic in her incredible eyes. One look in those babies and you wanted to tell her everything. "I will, however, not pass up the opportunity to know more about you."

Bella stifled a laugh at the serious tone his voice had taken. "Well, I have no idea where to start. If you're curious about anything, ask away. We have a long drive ahead of us. Should be enough time for you to figure out if I'm worth it."

Too late, I'm already positive you are. Edward somehow managed to avoid blurting out the words. He would keep them contained until he wanted to let her know, if the chance ever came.

Bella's radiating smile when their eyes met made him do the same. She had him laughing more often, too. It had been rare for anything other than a frown to take form on his face for months.

"What was that?" Her questioning look broke the dazzle of her smile.

Had he said something aloud after all? Edward played dumb. "What was what?"

She cocked a slim eyebrow, seeing right through him. A moment passed before she let it go to focus on pulling out of her driveway. Then a crazy blonde woman came running out of the neighboring house toward Bella's, half-dressed and running with one boot on and the other in her hand.

Crazy lady waved the boot in the air. "Wait!"

Bella flipped off the mysterious woman, who threw her boot at the hood and screamed one last warning. "I'll get you for this, Bella!"

"Who was that?" Edward looked back and noticed that the woman's spouse appeared to talk her out of her climbing into an SUV to follow.

"My best friend, Tanya." She offered no other explanation.

Edward figured Bella's BFF usually needed none. He'd have to ask Will about her later. A memory of a conversation with Bella reminded him that her best friend had helped Will with his letter to Santa. The letter mentioned that Will's neighbor had helped him with it, too.

He started to laugh, having figured out why Bella ignored the woman. "Did you ask if she intentionally sent the letter to my office?"

"Yes, and she didn't. She said she had used the post office in Port A, and I checked earlier, they also have a program in place for Santa letters." She looked thoughtful for a moment then shrugged. "Maybe it was fate that its final destination was you."

Edward had never believed in fate. It felt wrong to consider the murder of his sister and niece as cosmic interference. It would mean that nothing could've changed the outcome. He knew differently; for years he had dreamed of every "what if" his mind conjured. Sometimes, he still did, especially if he talked about his sister and niece. The memories of that night were nightmares, and they would always haunt him.

"Are you thinking of her? Them?"

It made sense she knew about his late sister Kate, Alice never held anything back, and did her best so that no one forgot them. As if they ever could.

Edward decided to tell her what he'd been thinking of because her opinion mattered to him.

"I can understand what you mean. However, I believe fate only goes so far. It brought us together, but it's up to us to make something of it or not."

"Exactly, we decide. There was only so much that could've changed the outcome of that night. I hate feeling that some higher power led us to that damn corner and into that man."

"They could've gone to the play alone."

Her soft words triggered something in him—a nonstop visual assault of that night if he hadn't gone, a what if he had never considered. Even if it hadn't been a real memory, just thinking they could've faced that night alone seemed horrific.

"In all this time since that night, I never took myself out of the equation." He looked out the window, the world racing by, but unseen by his eyes. "It could've still happened, but then she could've gotten away with my niece, quieted my niece when her cries upset the assailant or none of those things. She also wouldn't have had a chance to say goodbye had I not been there."

Neither of them said anything for a while, both thinking that if fate brought them to that point in time, why fight it?

.

.

.


"I don't understand why you're buying a new mattress set." Bella walked into the giant furniture store. "Is it because the Copes' have been renting out the house for years?"

Edward nodded and shuddered a little. "I know a house rental is not the same as the corner motel that has served thousands of customers, but I have never been able to handle sleeping in a bed that anyone else has done other things on it."

Bella had to cover her mouth to stop from laughing, making Edward roll his eyes.

He leaned toward her, his lips hovering over her ear. "I'm not a prude, Bella. There are times and places for dirty words or innuendo."

She stepped back, holding her arms out, spinning in the middle of a showroom full of fancy mattresses.

Edward looked around. "All right, I'm a prude. However, it's because I don't like the idea of sharing that look you get in your eyes when you're feeling aroused." He tipped his head behind them. "Those two salesmen heading our way are trying to determine if we're here together, together."

She looked at them and frowned; one of them appeared to leer at her. "Well, honey," she said rather loudly. "I think we'll just have to test a few to see what suits our needs."

The disappointment on both men's faces forced her to hide her face against Edward's shoulder, her laughter well hidden. He wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her temple. "I agree, b-baby."

Bella looked up at him and winked.

Edward had never called a woman he dated a term of endearment. Ever. It would take some time to get used to if things worked out between them. Stop saying if, he chastised himself.

"I still think it isn't necessary to buy a new set, but let's have some fun." Bella straightened up and gave an older salesman a wave. The two younger ones leveled him with a look, but he paid them no attention and walked over to them.

Edward described what he needed, and Bella interjected that he needed something for his bad back. "He just had the stick removed from his ass, and he's still recovering."

Edward choked on his next breath, his eyes wide as saucers. Bella grinned the moment he started to laugh so hard he had to sit on a mattress to catch his breath.

The older gentleman by the name of Benjamin smiled indulgently at her. "You're a handful."

Bella held up two fingers. "Two handfuls, thank you very much. How much to deliver whatever we order?"

"It all depends on how much you spend."

"Just give me the biggest and best mattress you have here." Edward pulled out his wallet, but Bella shook her head, looking disgusted.

"Where is your sense of haggling? The art of negotiating! You can't just tell him that, how are we supposed to talk him down or at least get free delivery. What am I going to do with you? Let me guess, you pay sticker price on a new vehicle."

"Uh, yes?" Edward admitted and felt a bit idiotic. He used to be a master negotiator when he first started his business, hence the reason his office needed a new copier and various other big-ticket items; he had bought them all used or refurbished and at bargain prices.

Bella played her part and pretended to faint onto a mattress. She bounced right back up and wiggled her bottom against it and smiled. "This is quite nice." She leaned closer to the salesman and repeated his name a few times. "Let's see this monstrosity he's asking for, see if it's up to my standards."

Benjamin seemed smitten and held out his arm for her, giving Edward a few soft words as they passed him, "She automatically qualifies for a family discount, but let's see how she negotiates."

Of course, she'd get a discount. Edward followed them and even went through the motions of testing the fancy dark purple and black plush mattress.

"I'm so in love," Bella sighed and she sank deeper into the bed. "I can see why you'd want this baby."

Edward swallowed hard, watching Bella roll around the mattress twice. He had to clear his throat when she patted the bed beside her and then joined her. He had the same one in his bedroom and knew he could replace the guest bedroom's mattress for it if he chose not to keep the house.

There you go with the if again. Edward had a reason to be cautious about life in general after that horrible night, but for the last fifteen years? He had to jump in and tread water until he was sure about Bella and her quiet neighborhood. Maybe slowing down and taking time to have a life would be worth a chance of having his heart broken.

He looked over at Bella, her soft smile seemed concerned and worried she scared him off behind his usual walls. His hand slipped around hers, pulling it toward his mouth to press a kiss to her soft skin. "I'll take it," he said, knowing it would rile her up.

She didn't disappoint, yet they left the store hand in hand. "I don't know why I'm so happy about a mattress that's not mine."

Edward smirked and tugged her against his chest. "Maybe because we both know you're looking forward to christening it one day. Happy endings, remember?"

Bella had to swallow and reinforce her wobbling knees. "Is that up for negotiation?"

He skimmed the tips of his fingers along her cheek, tucking a curl of her hair behind her ear. "I'm stating a fact, baby." He kissed her cheek and opened the car door. One thing he'd learned long before meeting Bella was always to leave them wanting more.

The look on her beautiful face certainly indicated she wanted more.


AN: Thanks to kyla713 for her help with the chapter. I'd like to apologize for the delay on updating this fic; I hit a massive writer's block for it. It's going back into my rotation. Next, I'm hoping to update Perpetual Existence, the Incognito epilogue, and Crosshairs

*crosses fingers*