Chapter Six
"Are they all right, should we see if they need our help?" Esme's concerned whisper echoes through the foyer.
"Es, I think if we just leave them to sort it out, you'll be very happy with the results," Carlisle whispers back.
Moondoggie drops his head to Sweets's shoulder as she begins to giggle.
"Mom, Pops, we'll be with you in a moment. We just have some mistletoe to try out," Moondoggie laughs as Sweets smacks him on the arm.
Carlisle's, "Come away, dear," leaves the foyer in silence.
As Moondoggie laughs into her hair, his breath running down her neck is a delicious torment for his Sweets.
Before he knows what's happening, she has his face up and her lips pressed to his as her hands run down his back, resting her fingertips just inside the waistlineof his jeans.
He groans into her as her tongue dips inside his mouth.
That tongue …
He pushes her back against the wall, claiming her mouth and capturing her tempting little tongue. He runs his hands up her sides from her waist, past her ribs, slowing just before detouring, wrapping himself around her and pulling his lips to her neck.
"God, Baby, we've gotta stop," he pants out. He feels her moving his collar to kiss his neck and feels a shiver run down him. "Stop Baby, please," he gasps and pulls back.
He feels her giggling quietly against his neck, sending another shiver rushing through him.
What his woman does to him.
He taps her hip as he pulls his body away.
"Behave," he whispers, resting his forehead on hers. He runs his hand softly down her hair as their breath and heart rates slowly calm.
"I love you," she sighs.
Moondoggie feels her words soak into his soul.
"I love you Baby," he says, pulling back to smile down on her.
~o0o~
They reenter the living room holding hands, one in victory as the other blushes.
Carlisle and Esme sit in the corner of the couch, whispering to each other with his arm around her shoulders and her hand resting on his thigh.
"Sorry about that Mom. We just needed to sort some things out," Edward says as he tows Bella to the love seat across from his parents.
As he throws his arm across the couch behind her, he glances at his Pops, who lifts his eyebrows. Edward smiles and nods slightly.
Pulling his wife closer, Carlisle whispers, "Good, good."
"Well, let's try this again," Esme playfully huffs. "I have some hors d'oeuvres in the warmer; may I bring them out now?" She smiles as she sits forward.
"Of course, um … may I help you?" Bella asks softly.
"Yes dear, I'd like that," Esme says as she stands.
The two men lean forward, mirror images, with their forearms resting on their knees, as they watch the two women walk out of the room.
"It went well?" Carlisle asks conspiratorially.
Edward leans back with his ankle across his knee.
"Yeah, she loves me, Pops," he breaks out in the biggest grin of his life.
"I'm so glad," Carlisle beams back.
Edward's arm drops off the back of the couch and he leans forward as his pops' countenance darkens.
"Edward, I need to say this quickly before the women come back. I am so sorry for how I failed you, how I hurt you back then," he holds his hand up," please Son, let me get this out and then we can talk more later."
Edward sits back.
"Son, I handled it all wrong. Lauren lied and the Mallorys covered up so much that the truth didn't come to light for a good six months after you left. I failed you in not believing you, not siding with you, not trusting you. I just want, no, I need you to know that I love you and I am so sorry for the damage I caused this family." With that, Carlisle sits back and rubs his hands over his face as he breathes out.
Edward takes a moment. "Thanks, Pops that means a lot to me. But I didn't do things right either. I didn't allow you to make things right. Allthese years, I've been dodging and I'm sorry. We lost a lot of time but asyou said earlier, 'we're here now,'" Edward smiles at Pops as the women come chattering through the kitchen door.
Looking away from his pops his heart skips a beat as Sweets approaches.
She loves him.
~o0o~
Moondoggie watches Sweets move about the house, interacting with his parents. It is a surreal feeling to be here in the home of all of his Christmas pasts, while his Spirit of Christmas future walks through the room.
Bella helps Esme in the kitchen, setting the table, lighting the candles, any job Esme gives her. He enjoys watching her from across the room. He loves that she fits so well with his Mom, who seems to be on cloud nine. Much like Dunny and Bob, his parents have found that his Sweets is easy to love.
She carries a sprig of mistletoe in her pocket pandering to his need to kiss her, often. He loves watching her eyes sparkle as she tilts her head up in anticipation. He realizes she's waited to be kissed as long as he wanted to kiss her.
Now she is a girl who needs to be kissed thoroughly and he's just the man for the job.
Her kisses
He couldn't get enough of her kisses and just the thought of that warm juicy mouth makes him want more.
White knuckled, sheet fisting more.
It was going to be a very long day.
~o0o~
Carlisle invites his son to watch the last Bears game he has recorded with him. He says he knows the score but he wanted to see the game anyway. Edward sits down with a beer and begins to prop his feet on the coffee table. Carlisle shoots a warning glance toward the kitchen and Edward laughs as he crosses his ankle over his knee instead.
Nothing has changed and yet everything has. This is his parents' home now, a place that holds his childhood memories. But now home for him is giggling over losing the ladle in the stock pot in his Mom's kitchen.
He smiles hearing her giggle. And the love of family swells within him.
He clears his throat.
"You and Mom doin' good, Pops?" Edward asks as he takes a sip.
"We are. Just had our thirty-second anniversary and we're doing very well. I've cut back hours at the hospital. I'm doing more consulting and lecturing. Your mom travels with me now when I lecture. We're enjoying the travel." Carlisle smiles warmly.
"We ate at Clough's Crossing when I lectured in Cincinnati last year," Carlisle drops casually with a hint of pride.
"Really," Edward laughs. "I did some work for them."
"I know. When I told the owner my name he asked me if I knew an Edward Cullen, said what a great guy you were." Carlisle smiles at his son warmly.
Edward shifts under his Pop's gaze.
"What did you have?"
Carlisle smiles at his son's diversion, "Your mom had the Pan Roasted Chicken but I had the Blackened Ribeye."
Edward laughs as his pops rolls his eyes in gastronomic bliss. "Fully loaded?"
"Onions and mushrooms, it was perfection. I dream of that steak," Carlisle sighs.
Edward laughs nodding knowingly.
"Sam showed me the work you did on the old bookcase," Carlisle continues. "It's such an incredible piece. It would have been such a loss if you hadn't restored it. I get it now. You're like a woodworking doctor." Carlisle laughs and Edward shakes his head but joins in.
"Dunny was an excellent teacher."
"Yes, and a good friend, but you already loved working with wood. It was there long before you stayed with Dunny. I'm just sorry I didn't see it sooner," Carlisle counters, glancing at the ornately framed mirror over the piano.
~o0o~
In the second quarter, Bella comes by pandering a kiss.
Edward pulls her onto his lap as she holds the mistletoe over her head. They both relish that they can do this freely and often. Once she drops her head to his shoulder Edward speaks up.
"Sweets, you remember wanting to meet Dunny's doctor friend?" he begins.
"Yes," she says as she sits up.
He holds out his hand toward his pops, "Ms. Swan I'd like you to meet Dr. Carlisle Cullen."
"You helped our Dunny?" she hops off Edward's lap.
"Um, yes, many years ago," Carlisle smiles.
Bella motions for him to stand. Carlisle shoots a glance at his son who just gives him a cheeky smile.
"I'm going to hug you now, K?" Bella warns as Esme comes out of the kitchen to watch the event.
Carlisle blushes as Bella wraps her arms around his neck. He wraps his arms around her patting her back.
"Thank you so much for investing in him. When you reached out to Dunny, you touched Bobby's life, Moondoggie's life and now, mine. You had a part in saving all of us. Thank you." Bella says with a squeeze then turns his head by his chin and kisses his salty cheek.
Esme joins them as Edward stands. She wraps her arm around her husband's waist as Moondoggie pulls Sweets back to his chest.
Carlisle pulls a handkerchief out of his back pocket while he sniffs. He wiped his eyes then hands it to his wife to dry her tears as well.
Moondoggie rocks Sweets quietly while everyone gains their composer.
Finally, Carlisle sits back down pulling Esme down beside him as Moondoggie pulls Sweets next to him.
"She wanted to meet the man that helped Dunny," Edward explains to Esme.
"That was so long ago. We had only been married a year and truthfully I didn't know if he should get so attached to those he helped, you know, professional distancing. I was afraid Carlisle would get hurt," Esme shares as she wraps both her arms around Carlisle's upper arm.
He brings her hand to his mouth then adds, "Dunny was at the end of himself. He was so ready but didn't know how to get help. I couldn't look the other way. More than anyone at the shelter, Dunny grabbed my heart and wouldn't let go." Carlisle shrugs, quiet with his memories.
The room falls into a peaceful silence as each person follows their thoughts and each couple holds onto each other.
Bella's soft voice breaks the silence of the room, "It's as if you paid it forward, Carlisle, without knowing. There would come a time when Moondoggie would need a friend out in the world and by reaching out to Dunny before Moondoggie was a twinkle in your eye you placed that friend out there for him."
They all smile at the thought.
"Kismet," Esme smiles.
Carlisle nods, "Fate."
"With maybe a touch of serendipity thrown in," Edward adds.
"To Dunny," Carlisle lifts his beer.
Edward leans forward and raises his, "To Dunny."
Both men drink to their friend. Carlisle passes his bottle to Esme, who takes a sip as Sweets, takes a beer-infused Moondoggie kiss instead.
"To Dunny," she whispers against his lips.
The women watch the game curled up with Carlisle and Moondoggie until the buzzer sounds in the kitchen.
With a final hug and peck the women disentangle themselves and head to the kitchen.
~o0o~
With the fourth quarter starting up, the front door hits the wall and a little squeal fills the foyer.
Edward jumps and Carlisle laughs as he stands to brace for impact.
The men walk toward the foyer as it fills with the sounds of bags rustling and voices talking over each other.
Edward stands in the archway to the living room watching the familial scene of his sister's family wishing his parents 'Merry Christmas' with hugs and love. Central to it all is a little jumping bean hopping through the sea of hugging adults chirping of Santa and presents and pancakes with antlers and strawberry noses.
He feels an outsider to this scene; the group so known to each other, familiar in everyday things. He rubs his chest trying to ease the pain.
A cool hand covers his, reminding him that he is not alone. He wraps his arm around Sweets drawing her to him and resting his cheek on her hair.
Better. She makes everything better.
He sighs and waits.
The jumping bean sees them first.
"Who are you?" she stills and blinks up at them.
Esme takes the lead as the room quiets, "This is your mommy's brother, Edward, your Uncle Edward."
She hugs the jumping bean as she beams proudly up at her son.
"Hi, Uncle Ehwud," the bean smiles as she wiggles out of Esme's hug. Her stare shifts to Bella.
"This is Bella, what's your name?" Edward asks.
"I'm Maddie," she bounces, frowning at them for their lack of knowledge.
"Your pretty Aunt Bewah," she throws over her shoulder, as her father begins wrangling her out of her outerwear.
"Oh, sweetie, that's not your aunt, she's just one of Uncle Edward's friends" Edward watches his sister break away from her hug with Carlisle.
"Merry Christmas, Alice" Edward moves into the room cautiously towing Sweets with him.
He wraps his arms around his sister as Sweets rubs his back.
"Edward, it's good you could make it home," Alice says giving him one more squeeze before stepping back and looking at Bella.
"Alice, this is my Sweets, Bella Swan. Sweets, this is Alice. And you must be Jasper," Edward says over Alice's shoulder.
"Yes," Jasper says wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulder, "Edward, Bella, it's nice to meet you. You've been missed." He smiles, leveling a look at Edward.
"I've missed being here. I missed a lot. I guess I owe you a welcome to the family," He smiles reaching out to shake his brother-in-law's hand.
"Belated," Alice interjects.
"Um … Yes,I guess I owe you a belated welcome. It's good to have you in the family." Edward amends.
Sweets takes his hand as he wraps his arm around her, feeling safe and tethered.
"Come on; let's not hash out the past in the foyer on Christmas day. We have better things to do," Carlisle calls out, putting on his best 'Fred Astaire' and swirling Esme over to the dining room archway as Esme laughs.
"Ooo, Ooo me next Grandpa, gimme kisses!" Maddie squeals pulling Carlisle's sweater.
He pulls her up between he and Esme and they fill the foyer with echoes of loud smacks and squeals.
Edward looks down at his Sweets glowing with joy in the moment, and is reminded of his Christmas present, for his love- this …Family, belonging, love. This is his Christmas present to her; why he braved facing his fears and failures. He had a family he could share with her.
He lifts her chin and gives her a sweet kiss.
Seeing the emotions swimming in his eyes, she turns in his arms and mouths "I love you" before accepting a lingering kiss from him.
"They're not under the missintoes," Maddie calls out as she makes her way over to the new people of the family.
Carlisle barks out a laugh, "You'll get used to it, Maddie dear, they're new to giving kisses so they have to practice a lot."
"Sorry Maddie, your Grandpa, and Grandma gave you such sweet smooches, we just couldn't wait our turn," Bella says softly, smiling at the sweet, little dark haired angel.
Maddie taps her cheek with her finger, granting Bella permission to give her a smooch. Bella cuts her eyes to Jasper and Alice before giving the little one a peck on the cheek.
"Merry Christmas, Maddie," Bella says softly.
"Aww, now come on Maddie, let's go see what's under the tree," Esme says.
Arm in arm, Carlisle and Esme lead the procession into the living room with Maddie pulling ahead to find the tree.
Sweets tugs on Moondoggie causing him to stop and look at her.
" … You doing okay, Moondoggie?" Sweets asks putting her hand on his cheek.
He shakes his head.
"I … I'm all over the place. It's so good to be home. I've enjoyed the time with Mom and Pops," he stops and smiles down at Sweets. "I love how you and Mom get along."
Sweets smiles warmly, "She's wonderful, I just love her, both of them."
Moondoggie nods, "But Alice brings a whole other element. I don't think she's going to let me off so easy," he frowns.
He watches a storm brewing behind her eyes.
As she sets her jaw, he cuts her off.
"Now Sweets, you let me take the blows. I want you to stay out of the line of fire. She'll take her pound of flesh and then all will be forgiven. Please."
She shakes her head.
"Sweets" he groans.
"I don't like conflict, Moondoggie, but I don't want you hurt."
He lifts her face and smiles lovingly, "It means so much to me that you're in my corner, Baby."
"Always," she whispers.
He can't resist her siren's call and dips down, capturing her lips, so sweet, so tender.
He wants more. He wants to throw her over his shoulder and make a run for the front door, to get back to that perfect bubble of just the two of them. But he tempers his passion and pulls back to look in her eyes as he runs his hand down her glossy hair.
"Let's go in and enjoy the day, maybe Santa brought you something. You've been a very good girl this year." He kisses her cheek, her nose, her other cheek, her chin and as she laughs, he captures her lips.
Moondoggie squeezes her waist softly and with a sigh steps back, taking her hand and towing her into the cheerful sounds of family.