It came as no surprise when Chris asked for my permission to ask Bo to marry him. They had been living together for a year, both working hard at their careers. I visited every weekend, joined by Mike when his work schedule permitted.

I sat at the table with Chris, a beer before each of us, him twirling the bottle nervously while I took a long swallow. Bo was at Charlie's, cooking him dinner. He had caught a cold that turned into the flu, and she was trying to get him on the mend with chicken soup and a night of Scrabble with his favorite girl. He has someone cleaning for him now during the day and leaving dinner in the microwave for him on weeknights. Before that, he was eating crackers and canned smoked oysters on the weekends if I wasn't there to get him to eat something better. While I tried to keep myself busy with extra work hours, he stayed home quiet and alone. I knew I needed to do better; the both of us depended on it.

Of course, I granted my permission to Chris. Slowly walk up the stairs and into my bedroom to Bella's jewelry box and took out the small leather ring box that held her wedding set. I sat on the edge of the bed heavily without opening it. Breathing deeply through my nose and exhaling slowly. I hadn't looked at them since the day they were taken off, and even after all these years, it felt so difficult to do so now.

Even for Bo.

I closed my eyes and mustered up all the courage I could, walking back down the stairs to Chris, who was fidgeting on his feet waiting for me. I had left abruptly without saying a word, I was sure he was a nervous wreck and anxious to get to his father's to let him know his plan now that he has spoken with me. I silently held out my hand, the one gripping the delicate box in offering. He looked at it and then glanced at me with a meaningful expression.

He knew what it was without me having to say.

He gulped noisily; and I could see his adam's apple bobbing as he accepted my offering.

"I'm sure you have a ring picked out, and I don't want you to feel obligated to use her mother's rings, but I thought I would offer to you, just in case."

He opened the box and looked down at the rings, the diamonds blinking at me in remembrance.

The moment I saw them, and I knew they were exactly right. The way Bella's eyes lit up and flung her arms around me with a ring on her finger for the first time. I didn't expect him to propose to Bo with them, but I wanted to offer them, just the same.

"They are perfect. I think it would mean more to Bo than anything else I could pick out." His voice full of emotion. "Edward, I can't tell you how much this means to me. I know it has to be hard-"

"Just make her happy." I interrupted.

I turned, signaling that it was time he left. I wasn't trying to be rude, but I needed time to myself to process all that the night had brought; to brace myself for Bo's arrival in the morning with the ring on her hand.

I laid in bed that night restless, unable to sleep, staring up at the ceiling instead or at Bella's urn. I had yet to spread her ashes, and at this point, I don't think I ever will.

My phone blinked at me, showing the missed calls from my doctor. I listened to one message and left the rest unread. He urged me to call the office, but I wasn't ready to hear any news he had. No news was good news, so his persistent phone calls could only mean one thing. I knew I had to call him back soon, but I needed time. I wasn't ready to bring a dark cloud over Bo's head at time that would be the happiest of her life. I didn't want to mar it.

X

Bo had arrived the next morning glowing; tears streaming down her face and thanking me over and over for giving her Bella's ring. She repeatedly told me how much it meant to her and that she knew it couldn't have been easy for me. Since Bo never knew Bella, she was more of a curiosity to her than a parent. I never held back my memories of her mother, though there were times when I needed to take a break and gather myself. Bo knew when she was pushing my comfort level with her questions, and she would stop asking until the time was right to get more information.

I'm realizing now that I had never given myself time to truly heal my wounds. Instead, my focus was all on Bo.

Charlie was always there to fill in what I couldn't or wasn't able to. Between the two of us, we did our best to be sure she knew the mother she never got to know for herself, giving her a piece of Bella that couldn't be acquired on her own.

I held Bo tightly, whispering my congratulations and giving her my love and best wishes. We met with Mike and Charlie for a celebratory brunch and made it all about them, pushing the dark away as I watched her happy face glowing with love, surrounded by the now four men in her life. Mike truly took to her and gave her his heart. He loved her like his own, and I could never thank him enough for it.

Chris and Bo left soon after, horn honking and hands sticking out the window, waving goodbye. I stood there, long after the car was out of sight, till Charlie clapped my back and invited me to go fishing.

"I remember when you and Bella got engaged." He said, casting out his line. "I wasn't sure if you were right for her at first."

I chuckled, remembering the first time I had been introduced to Charlie.

Bella and I had been rounding third base in the front seat of my car, unable to say goodnight and let the evening end. I had never been so frightened as I was when Charlie glared at me as Bella fixed her ruffled clothing, saying goodnight with a deep blush.

"I better not catch you disrespect my daughter, Cullen." He had muttered at me before following Bella inside.

"Hey Charlie, promise me something?"

"What's that?"

"You'll always look out for her, won't you? Even if I'm not around I mean?"

"Where are you planning to go?" He chuckled. "You'll be here long after me."

"Just give me some peace of mind. Maybe I'm being melodramatic after today's events, but I need to hear it."

"I'll never leave that girl's side, for as long as I live." He stated firmly, tossing me a can of beer before casting once more.