Chapter Nineteen

Bella

I felt embarrassed that I didn't have any gifts for the family, even the jewelry box I had bought for Esme was back at my place, but no one cared.

"Bella, as you can probably see, all the gifts that are given here are silly things. We don't really bother. When you've lived as long as we have you find it hard to think of things you want. Please don't worry. You've given us the best gift of all, yourself."

I was grateful for Carlisle's word's and they were true. No one seemed interested in presents. Emmett was busy playing a shoot 'em up game on his computer in the den while Rose and Esme, having shooed me out of the kitchen, were busy with Christmas dinner preparations leaving Jasper and me alone in the lounge.

It was so relaxing just sitting watching the inflatable figures move in the breeze through the window with Jasper's arm around me. How different this was to the nightmare that was Christmas Day with Patrick and his family.

"I hope you're not bored?"

I shook my head, "I've never been happier. Tell me it's always like this. I mean the family is so different from what I remember."

"You mean we're acting more like real people now? That was down to Edward I'm afraid. We were all under strict instructions not to do anything to upset or frighten you. If I remember correctly there were not supposed to be more than a couple of us in the room with you at the same time. He thought you might find it more intimidating. We even had to get a special dispensation to gather together for your birthday.

He was especially nervous about my proximity to you. I wonder what he would think if he could see us now."

I punched him playfully on the arm, I remembered how much it hurt to really try hitting a vampire, and laughed, "You did not."

"We did. Ask Esme if you don't believe me."

I groaned, "Actually it sounds like the kind of thing Edward might do. He was always trying to protect me from dangers only he could see."

"Yes, Edward did start at shadows but in his defense you do seem to be a little accident-prone."

"True, but I didn't like being dictated to."

"I'll bear that in mind."

He kissed the top of my head and I knew he was smiling at me.

Esme came to the door, "Bella, lunch is ready."

"OK. I'm coming."

The smells coming from the kitchen were wonderful and made my mouth water but when I headed for the door Esme shook her head.

"Dining room, now."

She opened the dining-room door with a flourish and I gasped. The table was beautifully laid and everyone was seated waiting for me.

"Ah, you don't have to go to all this trouble."

Emmett grinned with an evil twinkle in his eye, "Why not? I love watching you eat and we get to pull crackers."

"Crackers?"

Emmett picked up a slim tube covered in gold paper and crimped at both ends.

"Yeah, I got them when we were in London. You pull them and they go bang."

"Oh, right."

Rose burst out laughing at my mystified look.

"What Emmett means is that inside you find a paper hat, a joke and a gift."

"I think a joke is pushing it a bit Rose. Only Emmett finds them funny."

Emmett jumped to his own defense, arguing quietly with Carlisle as I sat next to Jasper and stared at the mountains of food on offer.

Carlisle carved the huge ham and pretty soon the platters were being passed around. I thought that they were taking this whole make Bella feel at home to the extreme until I saw Carlisle take a bite of ham, chew and swallow it.

"I thought you didn't eat human food."

"We don't as a rule but Esme has warned that anyone who doesn't join you for Christmas dinner will be in her bad books for the next decade and we all know how bad that can be so here goes."

Emmett took a huge mouthful of mashed potatoes and nodded, "Not bad."

I waited for him to spit it out but he carried on as if there was nothing strange about a vampire eating dinner.

I found myself eating a lot more than I would normally have done because we were chatting and laughing at the terrible cracker jokes and Emmett's story of their trip around Europe.

Although I wanted to help clear up, Carlisle insisted I rest after dinner so Jasper and I went upstairs.

"I hope they don't think we're.."

Jasper laughed, "Bella, they wouldn't need to think. They could hear everything and you heard Carlisle. I have orders to ensure you rest so behave."

We lay down on the bed and within minutes of snuggling into his arms, I was asleep.

Jasper

I heard a car enter the driveway and pull up outside the house. If this was Bella's mom back for round two she might find herself confronted by more than a mildly irritated Esme this time. Extricating myself carefully so as not to wake Bella I went to the window and peered out.

"Oh no!"

There was a darkly tinted Mercedes parked up and two figures walking to the front door, Edward and his wife Sasha. That was all we needed, the irritating know it all and the trouble maker. Bella was not going to be happy but I could hardly kick them out and I knew that Carlisle and Esme wouldn't, even though they didn't particularly like Sasha.

I watched as Carlisle went to greet them.

"Edward, why didn't you warn us that you were coming?"

"We wanted to surprise you. We flew back late yesterday."

His wife was looking in horror at the inflatables bobbing around in the breeze and seeing her expression Edward laughed.

"I see Emmett is back, I told you that my brother was crazy about Christmas, darling."

He turned back to Carlisle, "Sasha was eager to see how we celebrated Christmas so I thought I'd show her. I didn't expect Rose and Emmett to be back yet but I'm glad they are. Now she can see how things can make or break a Christmas holiday."

Carlisle ushered them inside and I wondered how long it would be before Edward heard that Bella was here?

At that moment Bella stirred and sat up, "Have I been asleep long? I thought I heard a car drive up."

I grinned, "You did. It would appear we have guests although I'm not too sure how you are going to take this. Edward and his wife have just turned up."

Bella groaned and got up, "Edward? Oh well, I had to meet him again sometime so why not now? I'll just tidy up and we can go downstairs."

I watched her limp into the bathroom and wondered what Edward would say when he heard the news. I thought he had made the wrong decision walking away from Bella as he had, but that was my good fortune. I was sure his expression would be priceless when he saw the ring on Bella's finger.

They were all in the lounge and from the conversation it appeared everyone was keeping Bella's presence here a secret. I suspected they were all as eager as me to pull this rabbit out of the hat.

As we walked in, Edward swung around in shock, "Bella? What are you doing here?"

Esme beamed, "Bella is spending Christmas with us, Edward."

Edward frowned, "Oh, I see."

"I don't think you do, Edward. Bella is becoming part of the family."

I lifted her left hand to show the engagement ring and his eyes opened wide in shock,

"You? Bella is engaged to you?"

Sasha grinned, she was obviously enjoying this, "Bella? Is this your human ex-girlfriend, Edward? How wonderful. I've been dying to see her."

She held out a hand smiling brightly, "Hello Bella, I'm Edward's wife, Sasha. He told me that you were accident-prone but I didn't think he meant it quite so literally. What on earth happened to you?"

To my amusement Bella rose to the occasion, "Hello Sasha, Edward. Yes, I had a run-in with a truck and the truck won. It's nice to meet you too."

Sasha frowned as if not sure whether Bella was joking and glanced at her husband who was now shaking Bella's hand.

"Edward. I bet you didn't expect to see me again. Congratulations. I take it Sasha doesn't have any unsuitable friends."

"Suitable?" Sasha frowned.

Edward grinned awkwardly, "Bella means her unfortunate entanglement with some guardians that I objected to."

The smile was back, "Oh yes, Edward told me you had a thing about shapeshifters. Almost as dangerous as trucks I would have thought."

"Or boyfriends who abandon you. At the time I didn't realize what a lucky escape I'd had."

The atmosphere in the house was darkening with every word and Esme jumped in to salvage the festive spirit.

"Let's all sit down. Have you finished the renovations on your home in Italy?"

Bella sat beside me watching Sasha who was eyeing her just as intently while Edward spoke to fill the awkward silence.

He went on about the changes they had made to their new home, a villa with a long history. It sounded like the soul of the place had been ripped out and replaced with lots of glass and stainless steel.

Bella leaned against me and twisted her ring around her finger which Edward found intensely annoying for some reason and when Esme took Sasha out to her office in the grounds to offer some renovation tips Edward turned to us.

"What the hell is going on here? Bella, I know you are good at making mistakes but Jasper? I thought you'd be married to wolf-boy, barefoot and pregnant by now."

Esme bridled and Carlisle was ready to step in but Bella beat us to it.

She laughed, "You haven't changed a bit. Still think you know better than anyone else, Edward. I think I had a very narrow escape and guess what? I nearly did it again. Another controlling boyfriend who thought he was God's gift to women. I feel sorry for poor Sasha. Does she know what she's let herself in for?"

Emmett laughed quietly to himself while Rose sniggered from behind her magazine causing Edward to scowl even more.

She then turned to me, "It's stuffy in here. I'd like to get some air, Jasper. Let's take a walk."

We passed a still chuckling Emmett as we went out and he whispered: "Go, Bella."

Once out in the driveway, Bella let out a breath, "I'll have to apologize to Esme and Carlisle. I just couldn't let them act like I was the afternoon entertainment."

"I don't think an apology will be necessary. Did you see the glint in Carlisle's eye? It was all he could do to stop from laughing out loud. I don't think anyone has spoken to Edward like that before. Well done you."

I hugged her, proud of my girl. Edward certainly hadn't seen that coming!

My only concern was the influence that Sasha's presence might bring. I still thought she was the one responsible for the earlier bad blood between Esme and Carlisle and I didn't want her upsetting Bella or causing a rift between us.

"Have you felt the change in atmosphere since Sasha arrived?"

I stared at Bella, she had felt it?

"Not really. She was upset at finding you here and ready to stir things up but that's all I got."

Bella made a little noise in her throat, "I could feel it. Like a darkening of the light. I think she could be a bad influence on anyone without even trying."

"So I was right, she does have a gift. Unfortunately, there are some humans who have a negative influence on people around them and then bring it with them into their vampire lives."

"Well, she better stop now."

"Do you think she might?"

"She already did. I could see it, like a shadow filling the space between us and then as I sensed it suddenly it was gone."

That got me thinking. If Bella could sense Sasha's gift and stop it just as she had stopped Edward from reading her mind then her gift must be powerful indeed. It was something we could talk about later. For now, I was just enjoying a walk with Bella on my arm.

We were seated on the bench overlooking the gardens when Edward joined us.

"I should congratulate you I suppose."

His less than gracious demeanor told me that Carlisle or Esme had sent him out here with a flea in his ear. Although I doubted it would change his attitude much.

"Thanks. I guess it was something of a shock to you. Seeing Bella again that is."

"Yes, it was. I take it this was the outcome you planned for when you decided to play guardian angel. No wonder Alice left. What a stab in the back for your best friend Bella. And poor Jake."

Bella squeezed my hand to stop me from getting up and punching Edward.

"Are you going to be a moron forever? I would have thought even you would understand that it's bad manners to be rude to a guest. What exactly is it that's eating you, Edward?"

His jaw dropped, he hadn't expected Bella to bite back.

"It seems you've changed. Bella. You would never have spoken to anyone like that back in Forks."

She nodded, "True, but then I didn't realize what you were really like. I would have said backstabbing was more your forte, Edward. I'm not a naive young girl that you can dazzle any longer. I grew up but it seems you still haven't."

Edward scowled and I knew he could read my mind. I was team Bella all the way and she had nailed Edward good and proper.

I rose pulling Bella with me.

"Come on, let's leave Edward to lick his wounds. Emmett wants to try out his new game and it will be almost as amusing as watching you tear a strip off my brother."

We left Edward seething and walked slowly back inside. This Christmas was turning out to be spectacular in every way.