~ Forks, Washington - September 04, 2004 ~
After Bella and I kissed for a while, we settled on the couch and cuddled. I knew there was still a lot to work out between the two of us, but we had time.
"Edward, I know I said I came to terms with the whole mating thing…and don't hate me for this…but I want to take things slow. And before you jump to any conclusions, this has nothing to do with me being uncertain, because I am certain. I just feel like we sort of jumped into the middle part of a relationship and I don't want to miss the beginning part. After all, it was you that said falling in love was the best part. I want to fall for awhile."
"I want to fall for awhile too," I told her as I softy kissed her forehead and held her close to me. "I grew up in a much different time, and even though I have to come to accept the modern view on dating and intimacy, I'm still quite old fashioned. During my human life I never experienced falling for someone, and in the subsequent eighty-six years, I haven't been interested in romance, until now. Bella you are, and will be, my first everything. I want to savor these experiences with you. I just want us to do what feels natural."
I paused before I continued with a topic I needed to cover with her. "Plus, there is another reason I need to go slower. In the park I showed you some of my strength, but I'm actually quite a bit stronger. When I'm with you, I need to be extra careful. If I lose focus, I could hurt you or worse. As much as I will need to learn how to please you, I will also need to learn to curb my strength during those moments."
Bella nodded. "Thank you for understanding," she answered back. Bella pulled away from my chest and looked at me. "So you never did anything with anyone. Not even kissing?"
"No, I haven't. So if I'm not good at something or I don't do it right, please let me know. You don't how much I want to please you."
"Edward, if the way you kiss is any indication, then I don't think you'll have anything to worry about." Bella blushed before looking away embarrassed. "I have kissed before, but it was never like kissing you. Not even in the same league. You are so much better than the two other boys I've kissed. But that is all I've really done. Last year Bobby McManus tried to get to second base with me, but I slapped him for it. He was a creep." She looked up at me. "So you may not have been my first kiss, but I wish you were. I'm happy you'll be my first for everything else."
"I can't say that I am glad that I missed being your first kiss, or that Bobby McManus tried to take liberties, but I am honored to be your first otherwise." I placed a chaste kiss on Bella's lips. Just knowing that we could share small intimacies like that, and that we would share even greater ones, filled me with joy.
"I can't believe you live here now," I said. "What do you still have to do to get settled in?"
"I'm mostly done. I have to get some school supplies and buy some more appropriate clothes for the Forks climate. Dad is actually out getting me a new cell phone right now. The only other thing I want is to get is a car, because I refuse to have Dad drive me around in the cruiser everyday. I'd been saving up money for one for a while, but Dad wants to help out. He said Billy Black has an old truck he might be willing to part with, so I'll have to see."
I now knew why Alice never wanted me to get rid of the SUV. I treated it well and Rosalie has it running it better than new. It was safe and reliable. In other words perfect for Bella. Plus, I'd be damned if I would allow Bella to drive a beat up truck, let alone one from the Black's. Jacob would probably feel he had some claim on her because of it. I decided that I would pull Charlie aside and make him offer to buy it dirt-cheap. I would rather give it to her, or better yet, buy her a new one, but I doubt either Bella or Charlie would accept that, at least right now.
"So what about all of your stuff from Phoenix?" I asked
"Some of it is here, at least the important stuff. One of the first things I did in Phoenix was figure out what I wanted to have with me up here, so I boxed it up and sent it up here via UPS. The boxes actually beat me up here by a day. I brought in my luggage most of my Forks friendly clothes, and the rest my Mom will send up over the next couple of weeks. Dad already had my room setup for when I visited him, so I didn't need to bring up any furniture. Hey, do you want to come up and see my room?" She asked excitedly.
"Sure, lead the way."
Bella grabbed my hand and led me up the stairs to her room.
"So here it is." Bella said as we entered. "Last year, Dad got me this bed and dresser. The desk is new. And those boxes are my books and other stuff I had sent up, but I'm missing a bookcase, which I'm to get next weekend. So what do you think? I mean it's not like your cottage, but at least the room looks like a grown-up lives here. My room back Phoenix still had a lot of things from when I was a kid."
Bella's room was nice. The natural wood of the furniture went well with the earthy greens and purples that colored the room. Framed black and white photographs of landscapes hung on the walls. A bit of whimsy was provided by a couple strands of decorative firefly lights that hung in swags from the ceiling. It was feminine, but not girly. It was Bella.
"I really like this." I looked at the framed pictures and noticed they were signed 'B. Swan'. "Bella, did you take these photographs?"
"I did. What do you think?" She asked shyly while she bit her lip.
"They are really amazing. The contrast and lighting are very dynamic…simply stunning. I guess these are these places you've visited?"
"They are. I took some with my Mom and some with Dad. Freshman year, Mom and I took a photography course at the local community college in Phoenix. She dropped out after the second week. I stayed in and then continued on to the advanced class. I loved it. Dad was so proud of my enthusiasm for it, he bought me a nice manual thirty-five millimeter camera. You really can't get the exposures in those photographs with an automatic. A manual is a way to go."
"You'll have to show these to Esme," I told her. "She loves black and white photography. Ansel Adams is one of her favorite artists. She has a few originals of his in her office."
"Really? I would love to see them!" Bella nearly squealed.
"Well, I know my family wants to meet you. I'm sure Esme would love to show them to you. What do you say, do you want to go meet my family?" I asked.
"Um…okay," Bella answered hesitantly. "They aren't mad at me or anything are they? Not only did I stand them up the last time, but then I left town."
I sat down on Bella's bed and patted the spot next to me. When Bella dropped down on to the bed, I took her hands into mine. "No, they're not mad at you. Everyone understands and empathizes with the burden I placed upon you when I shared our secret. To be honest they will be amazed and grateful, much like I am that you took the time you needed and that you arrived at your own decision. You have nothing to worry about. I promise."
Bella nodded her head and smiled. "Okay. I just want them to like me. If we're going to do this, I want to get changed before we head over."
"Then I'll wait downstairs for you." I told her. Off in the distance I heard Charlie's cruiser coming. "Plus, I think your father is coming. I wanted to speak to him anyway."
Bella just looked at me confused for a moment before a look of understanding came to her.
"Okay, I won't be long."
Shortly after I was downstairs, I could hear Charlie's thoughts. He was hoping that Bella was okay and that things worked out between the two of us. He knew that part of Bella's happiness with her move to Forks would be attributed to me, so he begrudging decided to accept her and I together.
From upstairs I heard Bella running the shower, she really didn't need to prepare like that for my family, but I could understand that she wanted to make a good impression. Plus, this would give me a chance to speak to Charlie.
I waited in the family room, trying very hard not to think about Bella's current state of undress. A few minutes later, Charlie entered the house, where he found me seated on the couch.
"Hello, Edward," he greeted. "Where's Bella?"
"She is upstairs changing." I replied. Charlie heard the shower running. He didn't like the idea of me being in the house alone with her while she was showering, but he was glad to see that I was respectful enough to wait downstairs. "If it is okay with you, I wanted to take Bella over to my house and introduce her to my family."
"I assume then that everything went okay?" He asked, secretly dreading the answer.
"Yes, it did. You have an amazing daughter, Charlie. She has had to deal with so much the past couple of weeks."
"I agree with you, she is amazing." Charlie answered. "Since Bella is busy, there is something I would like to speak to you about. I know I can't really threaten you like a father should be able to, but I want your word you will respect my daughter and treat her like she deserves. I understand you two are supposed to have some supernatural connection to one another, but I don't want Bella's time here to be all about being with you. I want her to have a chance to meet friends and experience high school. I only have her for two years, and I am looking forward to really being part of her life for the first time. I want to see her graduate. After that I would like her to go to college, but I suspect you two may have other plans. Just promise me you will never limit her opportunities. And promise me someday she will go to college."
Charlie expected that Bella would be joining me as a vampire after high school. It was the natural progression of us being mated. The fact that Charlie understood and hadn't forbidden me from seeing his daughter was a good sign. I just didn't know how Bella stood on the subject of becoming like me. At one time I would have dreaded her becoming a vampire, but now I would support anything that would give me the most time with Bella.
"You have my word. I will respect and cherish her. I too want her to have as many human experiences as she desires. Neither one of us wants to rush into anything. And just so you know, I have been to college many times. I promise that if Bella wants that experience she can have it."
Charlie wrestled with the concept of immortality. Despite going against his own humanity and his vague religious beliefs, he could appreciate the wealth of opportunities being eternal offered.
"You should probably also know that normal dating rules will apply." Charlie added. "When Bella is out with you she will be given a curfew and possibly other restrictions. I expect the two of you to respect and adhere to these rules. Also, any displays of affection should be tempered in my presence. I'm not oblivious to what teenagers do, but she is my daughter and I don't want to see you two making out. If that happens, I may just have to see how bulletproof you really are."
"I promise to obey your rules, however Bella is a willful woman, and I wouldn't ever try to curb that." I paused for a moment to check Charlie's thoughts. He accepted my promises, but he would be watching to make sure I treated his daughter well and that I followed his rules. "If I may, there is something I would like speak to you about."
"Sure, what's on your mind," Charlie answered.
"Bella mentioned that you were looking into getting a vehicle for her to purchase."
Charlie gave a gruff laugh. Charlie had been saving up money for the past year to get Bella a car, but Renee did not want her having her own vehicle in Phoenix. Not only was Bella in Forks now, but Charlie secretly liked the idea of doing something for her that Renee didn't want.
"We are," He replied. "But between you and I, Bella will not be buying it. I will. I just need to find something safe and reliable at a decent price."
I could see from his thoughts that he worried the money he had saved would not be enough. He didn't want a car payment on top of her insurance payment.
"Well, that is what I wanted to talk to you about. I was going to sell my SUV and get something else. Maybe we could work something out. My sister Rosalie has always done the maintenance on the car and I can assure you it runs better than new."
Charlie was impressed with Rose's mechanical skills. His cruiser has been running so well he was more than tempted to take her up on the offer to look at the police force's other vehicles. However, he knew that my SUV would fetch a price a few times more than what he could spend.
"Edward, I don't think I can afford something like that. I was thinking something older and less luxurious."
I leveraged the advantage of knowing how much he could spend and I offered it to him at five hundred dollars less. I would rather just give it to him, but Charlie did not accept handouts.
Despite his reluctance, Charlie worked it over in his mind. He knew Bella would be safe in my SUV. He knew I was giving him a low-ball price because of what Bella was to me. He also knew my vehicle was vastly superior to Billy Black's old Chevy truck that his friend has been trying to sell…for the past five years. With his decision made he answered.
"Edward, you know that price is too low. That vehicle has to be worth a hell of a lot more than that. However, I accept you offer. I assume you don't need to get your parent's permission on this?"
I laughed at Charlie's comment. "No. Their permission is not necessary." I heard Bella come down the steps. I was unsure how I wanted to explain this to Bella. Charlie was too. "Charlie, I'll transfer the title to you on Tuesday. We can work out the money details later."
He nodded and we shook on our deal right as Bella entered the room.
"Work out what money details?" She asked.
"I just bought Edward's SUV from him. It looks like you have yourself a car." Charlie said.
Bella looked between the two of us with a stunned look on her face. She glanced outside towards the SUV and then to Charlie and I. Her brow was wrinkled in thought. Charlie couldn't tell if she was mad or just taken back by this development. I was equally confused. Finally Bella sighed before she gave us both a genuine smile. She walked over to Charlie and gave him a big hug.
"Thank you, Dad," she said. "I love you." Charlie hugged her back. He loved being her hero.
Bella released her Dad and turned towards me. "And, you," she said in a mock chastising tone. "You better hand over those keys, because I'm driving us out to your house. There is no way I am letting you behind the wheel of my car…you drive too fast." She finished with a wink.
Author's Note:
No cliffy this time ;) Thank you to everyone that has reviewed!