So, the days leading up to tonight were filled with Alice's manic shopping sprees and her yelling at caterers. I felt bad for them. Seriously bad. She made grown men cry. Though that was over now and the party is in full swing.
I was primped to look "stunning" in the words of my sexy boyfriend who I'm drooling over, yes, he is in a suit and so fuck hot that I can't think. Shit give me a minute.
Damn, ok breathe Bella.
Whew ok I'm back.
Anyway. I was also shoved into this pretty emerald green dress, the same shade as Edward's eyes, the eyes that are staring at me right now. Damn panties, or scraps of lace are now ruined, why I bother with underwear anymore I haven't a clue. Probably trying to fit into societal norms. Oh, yea and they got me into two-inch heels. Which is cool because Edward is barely letting me go for fear I will fall and kill myself. So go heels!
Emmett and Rose are dancing, or having sex standing up in front of half of Forks. Aunt Esme is trying to ignore them while talking to Pastor Weber. Pastor Weber is trying to ignore them as well, focusing intently on the glass of eggnog in his hand.
Carlisle is circulating and being the perfect host. The dictator, umm I mean Alice is bossing around the hired staff for the evening and Jasper is standing in a corner looking at his eggnog like it holds the answers to all of life's questions. Clearly he went to the Pastor Weber school of avoidance.
"Bella baby what are you doing?" Edward laughed bringing me out of my mental inventory.
"A mental inventory of the room and trying to figure out why I wear undies anymore when they keep getting ruined." Oh, shit I said the last part out loud! He barks a laugh then leans in to whisper in my ear.
"You don't need to wear them on my account." He winks and I worry I'm going to need some Depends to keep from damaging the hardwood floors with all this liquid. "In fact, I say we go somewhere and take those wet things off you, it can't be comfy." Holy shit am I going to get some? Santa did you read my letter? I flutter my eyelashes and try to be sultry.
"My, my Mr. Cullen I have to say I agree with you, these naughty uncomfy panties need to come off. Would you like to help?" Yep Bella can flirt too!
Ok so I bought a book sue me.
"Ms. Swan it would be an honor, and I'll even use my tongue to help dry you up." FUCK! Flood warning. Thank you Santa!
"Let's go." I was over flirting. I grabbed his hand and we went to leave the room.
"Where are you going?" Alice demanded. "Circulate, I refuse for this to be known as the worst party ever!" She whisper yelled.
"Fine Alice." Edward huffed. Fuck you very much Alice.
We spent the next hour and a half circulating and talking to people from school. Alice finally got Jasper out of his corner and on to the dance floor.
While he was smiling and talking with her, I could tell something was wrong. It was like he was faking his smile.
"Edward, does something seem off with Jasper or is it just me?" I asked as we slow danced to Hard Candy Christmas by Dolly Parton.
"He seems like he'd rather be anywhere but here." Edward responded.
"I know."
"I'll talk to him." He smiled at me and walked me over to Emmett. "Don't let her fall." He ordered and walked over to cut in and pull Jasper to the side. Alice walked over to where I was standing with Em and Rose.
"What's going on?" She demanded.
"Edward needed to talk to Jazz." I told her.
"Why?" She asked looking at them strangely. I could hear Edward's voice in my head telling me to lie.
"Something about Christmas gifts." She grinned.
"I bet it's about my gift!" She squealed and did a tiny happy dance.
"Maybe." I lied.
The boys were soon back and Edward gave me that look that said he would tell me later. Jasper looked even more lost. I wonder what the hell is up.
I'd find out soon.
The rest of the evening went off without a hitch. Alice was ecstatic and Aunt Esme beamed her joy. We all went to bed shortly after helping to tidy up.
Edward crawled into bed with me to sleep. Unfortunately, it was just to sleep, well I did get a few hot kisses. And when he woke me up the next morning, I got a few more.
Soon we were downstairs with the family opening gifts.
Aunt Esme loved her family portrait of all us kids. We even got one for Charlie, who smiled and I swear he had a tear in his eye. I have to say Santa delivered. There were so many gifts it was hard to keep up with. I do know that Edward gave me a locket, with a picture of us on one side and a lock of his hair on the other.
"Hair?" I smiled.
"It's mine. See in ancient days when warriors would go into battle, they would take a lock of their love's hair with them. It was believed that the hair would always bring them back together. And this way even when we are apart, you'll have a piece of me with you." I jumped into his lap and kissed him. I vowed to return the gift of hair later. I just wanted to do it in a romantic way like he did.
Around three Rose showed up with Emmett's gift.
"Where's Jasper?" Alice asked looking behind Rose like Jazz was going to appear out of nowhere.
"He and Grandpa are playing some Civil War video game." Rose responded walking past Alice to shove her tongue down Em's throat. Yuck.
"Why didn't he come over?" She demanded.
"Alice calm down, I'm sure he'll be over later. If not, you'll see him in the morning when we go to fly out. His Grandparents' are only in town for a short while." Carlisle told his daughter.
"Hey guys I'm gonna head over to Rose's to see the Grands." Emmett yelled before leaving with his lady love.
"Do you think I should go over and meet his Grandparents?" Alice asked me.
"Sure." I smiled. "It'll show Jasper that you care about him by wanting to meet the people in his life." She gave me a big grin and a hug.
"Thanks Bella. Oh, and Bella, I'm sorry I've been such a spoiled bitch lately."
"It's fine Alice, we all have our moments." I could tell she meant it. Quickly she ran to the tree and grabbed Jasper's gifts, then to the kitchen where she loaded up a plate full of cookies and treats to take to the Whitlock's.
"Alice take this with you too. Grandpa Whitlock loves his whiskey." I walked out to her Porsche and handed her the bottle of Jack.
"Thanks Bella." She waved and was off. I did an internal happy dance and ran back in to find Edward. Alone at last.
"Hey baby." He said as I landed on his lap. Only to hear Carlisle and Charlie laugh. Shit forgot about the parentals.
"What's going on?" I asked trying to hide my embarrassment.
"Watching Christmas Vacation." He told me discreetly pinching my butt.
"Ahh, you know one day I'm leaving you for Clark Griswold." I joked.
"It's his mad light skills isn't it?" He fake pouted.
"No, it's the mad chain saw skills." I giggled.
"Please they both have nothing on me and my mad conductor skills." Charlie kidded interrupting us. We looked over and he and Carlisle were on the floor playing with the antique train set I got Charlie for Christmas.
"I know Pops you got mad train skills." I joked again.
"Hey after the movie you wanna hook up the Wii and challenge the old guys to some bowling?" Edward asked.
"I'm game."
"Please these old guys are going to put you kids in your place." Carlisle told his son. Charlie nodded.
"Bring it." He joked. Oh God I should have never let him watch that movie.
"It's already been brought." I shouldn't have let Edward watch it either. I rolled my eyes and leaned back into my sex God to watch the rest of the movie.
…..
An hour and half into Edward and I getting our asses handed to us by our fathers we all jumped when Emmett bellowed that he and the Pixie were home. I tossed him my controller so he could take my place and went to sit down next to Alice and Esme.
Alice was going on and on about the cute bracelet her Jazzy got her for Christmas and how cute and country his Grandparents were. Apparently being from Texas the Whitlocks were country to Alice.
"It was so cute that they had homemade Christmas chili for dinner." She gushed.
"They do it every year." Emmett said while trying to pick up a spare.
"Back home we used to have turkey or ham with all the trimmings. It just goes to show how different the traditions are in the US." She went on.
"Well I hope you saved room for lasagna." Esme said. It had been decided we would have that for dinner along with homemade garlic bread and a salad.
"I always have room." Em informed us.
"We know son." Carlisle joked.
"I could probably fit a little bit in. I didn't eat a lot of chili, it was way too hot for me." Alice said with a grimace.
"Yea Alice has no tolerance for hot food. I remember the one time we were in Cancun and she got some real Mexican enchiladas and she spent the rest of the day eating dry bread and drinking milk bitching about her tongue being on fire." Edward laughed.
"Oh God don't remind me." She laughed.
Soon were we all full of Aunt Esme's lasagna and her dessert of homemade spice cake with homemade cream cheese icing. It was awesome. After that we all gathered around to watch White Christmas before bed.
I said goodnight to Charlie and he wished me a safe journey for the trip to the Cullen cabin. I hugged him and reminded him I would call.
Soon I was tucked into my bed sound asleep on Edward's blissfully naked chest. Life was fucking good.
….
At least until the next morning.
We were loading up the two cars we were taking to the private air field in Port Angeles where the jet was waiting for us when the Hale family pulled up. Rose got out with her bags and hugged her Mom and Dad. Soon after Jasper got out without any bags.
"Where are your bags Jazzy?" Alice asked.
"I don't need them." He said curtly.
"Why?" I asked looking at him funny.
"I just came to wish you all a safe trip, I'm not able to go." He informed us.
"Report cards came in and Jasper is grounded." His Mom Caroline said in a rush. "I'm afraid he can't go." Rose rolled her eyes and I swear she whispered "pussy".
"Oh Jazzy!" Alice launched herself into his arms. "Please can't he come?" She begged his Mom.
"Sorry dear but rules are rules." Frank Whitlock said. I was curious because Jasper was a solid student who kept an above b average at school.
When he came over to hug me goodbye, I raised my eyebrow at him. "What class did you fail?" I whispered in his ear.
"Bella," He hesitated, "it's not important. We'll discuss it when you get back."
"Ok but we will discuss this Jazz." He agreed and went to say goodbye to Esme.
"What is this all about?" Edward asked wrapping his arms around me.
"I have no clue but I'm not buying it." I informed him.
"Me either. We are in most of his classes and I've never seen him get below an eighty-five on a test."
"He says he'll explain when we come back." I told him.
"He'd better, my sister might have been a little weird and bitchy lately but she loves his ass. And she deserves better than him lying to her." Edward growled under his breath.
"Oh, baby growl at me later." I joked with a wink and he smacked my butt as we loaded into Carlisle's Mercedes suv.
"Maine here we come!" Emmett bellowed.
"Here most of us come." I muttered under my breath.
"It will be ok." Edward assured me. I smiled slightly at him then turned back to my small pixie step-cousin/adopted sister. She was silently shaking trying to stop us from noticing her tears. I put my arm around the crying Alice and closed my eyes. Maine here we come. I just hope when we come back things will go back to normal.