Two updates?! Within a WEEK?!
Um, so basically...I'm a little sad right now.
This is the penultimate chapter of Pinky Promises,
and I'm already having withdrawals from these characters
and their little world. I'm getting emotional just thinking
about having to say 'goodbye' to them! God knows how I'll
feel next time, when it's the actual last chapter...
Anway, depressing thoughts over.
Huuuuuge thank yous to the wonderful
SunflowerFran and annaharding
for all their amazing hard work tidying this up for me.
Pinky Promises wouldn't be the story you know and love
without them.
That said, I did tinker a little bit after
they sent their copies back, so any mistakes are
all mine :)
Thank you to all of you for your lovely reviews! A lot of
you guessed Bella would go after Edward. Of course, I couldn't
let him go off alone and leave her behind! Time will tell
whether it was the kick up the butt our oblivious young
lady needed to push her in the right direction... ;)
~ oOo ~
Pay it Forward will be featuring three fics in different
categories on their new blog each month. Number one will
be our rookie…a new, first-time writer showcasing their
first fic on our blog. Number two will be our encore…a new fic
from a seasoned author giving us a sneak peek. Number three
will be our classic…one from the vault, a time-tested oldie.
If you are a rookie and need help, contact Fran on the PIF
Page, or myself. And if you have an encore, contact her to get
your new fic showcased. And anyone interested in writing a
summary on one of their favs, please feel free to send it in.
~ oOo ~
Summary: When two little girls were allowed to walk
home from school one bright spring day nobody could've
predicted the events that followed. The way two families
were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man.
Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen
away from their homes at eight years old fight to take
back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU
Pinky Promises
Chapter Thirty-Six
"Nonna Connie!"
"Marley, no—"
"It's okay," Edward murmured, reaching for Bella. She looked up at him, seeing the tiny smile curling his lips. "She could probably use a hug from little sweet, right about now."
Bella nodded and sighed, returning her gaze to Contessa. Having sprinted down the hall to throw her arms around Contessa, Marley was now sitting in her lap as the older woman held her face and told Marley how pretty she had gotten.
"Edward says I'm the prettiest princess ever," Marley told her sweetly.
Contessa laughed; the sound was soft but tired.
Bella could see, even from ten feet or so away, that Contessa appeared drawn and pale. She had dark circles under her eyes and stood on shaky legs; the summer dress she wore did nothing to brighten her appearance. Bella struggled to reconcile this woman with the vibrant, cheerful lady she'd spent time with just a few, short months ago.
"Nonna, mi sei mancata cosi tanto."
While Bella had been busy cataloguing the changes in Contessa's appearance, Edward and Bodhi had joined Marley and Contessa further down the corridor.
The older woman held the back of Marley's head with one hand, looping her other arm around Edward's waist as he leaned down to kiss the top of her head and admitted that he'd missed her, too. Edward held her close, not wanting to let her go until Bodhi let out a squeal and whined to garner Contessa's attention.
"Oh, ragazzo dolce, such a sweet boy," she breathed, taking him from Edward and peppering loud kisses over his chubby cheeks. Bodhi chuckled delightedly and offered her a slow smile when she finally halted her attack. "You just get more and more handsome every time I see you, young man."
"Ess, ess, bah!" Bodhi babbled, leaning into her chest. "Ahhh."
Bella teared up at the sight of Bodhi giving Contessa a hug. It was his favorite thing at the moment – giving hugs. He loved making the, 'ahh' sound, too. As she watched Contessa's eyes fill with tears, her smile wide and genuine, Bella couldn't help but adore her son's affectionate nature, even at the tender age of only ten months.
~ oOo ~
Later, Bella carried Bodhi down to the cafeteria, Marley beside her holding Esme's hand, to leave Carlisle and Edward to spend some time with Enrico. He was only occasionally lucid enough to open his eyes, but both men had remained at his bedside since their arrival at the hospital.
"Mamma, can we get an ice cream?" Marley asked, swinging hers and Esme's joined hands.
"If you can remember what 'ice cream' is in Italian, I'll treat you to one," Esme murmured quietly, shooting a wink in Bella's direction.
Marley scrunched up her face, thinking hard for a few moments. As Bella gestured for her to press the 'down' arrow for the elevator, Marley's face lit up. "Gelato! It's 'gelato,' Zia Mimi!"
"Bene, ragazza intelligente!" Esme laughed at the confused look on Marley's face as they stepped into the elevator and began their descent to the lower floor. "I said, 'good, clever girl.'"
"I am clever! Mamma says I'm even cleverer than she is." Marley turned to peer up at her mother. "Right, Mamma?"
Bella smiled, reaching down with the hand not holding Bodhi, to tuck a loose curl behind Marley's ear. "You're incredibly clever, baby girl. So, so much smarter than me."
Marley beamed with pride all the way to the cafeteria where she politely requested, 'vorrei un gelato medio, per favore,' – 'I'd like a medium-size ice cream, please.' Esme coached her during the short walk from the elevator to the cafeteria, and positively glowed as Marley managed to repeat her newly-learned phrase perfectly.
"You've got the knack for language, Marley," Esme told the little girl when they sat down.
Bella sat Bodhi in a borrowed highchair and dug through the diaper bag, fishing out one of his favorite yogurts to distract him from trying to twist around to grab at his sister's ice cream. She couldn't help but laugh when he opened his mouth wide and whined for more of the yogurt if she took too long.
"Og, og!" He bleated, his cheeks smeared with strawberry fromage frais, his puppy-dog eyes pleading and irresistible.
"Okay, okay, little man. It's coming."
"Baby Bodhi is getting good at talking now, Mamma. D'you think he's gonna say my name soon?"
"Definitely, baby girl. He can already almost say it. Bodhi, can you say, 'Marley?' 'Marley.'"
Bodhi swallowed his mouthful and craned his neck to look round at Marley, grinning toothily when he spotted her. "Mawi!"
"That's right, baby Bodhi! I'm Marley." Marley quickly crunched the last of her cone, hopping down from her chair to join Bodhi. She rested her elbows on the highchair tray and leaned in to give her baby brother an Eskimo kiss; his adorable belly chuckles drew a few stares and smiles from the other occupants of the cafeteria and proved too cute for Bella to resist videoing the interaction.
"I'm your big sister, and I'm gonna teach you loads of cool stuff. I'll teach you about drawing, and eating ice creams real quick without getting brain freeze, and how to get Pawpaw to do what you want." Marley's gaze darted toward Bella – seeing that her mother was amused, not mad, she grinned and continued talking to Bodhi. "He's real easy to persuade. You just gotta blink at him, basically. Mamma says it's called 'patting your lashes.'"
"Batting your lashes, baby girl," Bella giggled, fishing a wet wipe from the diaper bag at her feet to clean Bodhi's face. "Don't tell Pawpaw, but I think he'd do pretty much anything you ask him to even without batting your lashes."
This news pleased Marley immensely. She flashed Bella a wide, toothy grin before turning back to Bodhi. "See, baby Bodhi? Pawpaw is easy, 'cause he loves us a whole lot. Mamma, can I feed Bodhi his fruit?"
"Sure, baby girl. Make sure you break the really big bits up a little."
"Okay, Mamma. Here we are, baby Beesy bear. No, silly! You gotta chew!"
"Oh…" Esme's shocked gasp drew Bella's attention away from her babies; she registered the phone in Esme's hand and the distraught pull of her brows; the downward curve of her lips as a shaky hand rose to her mouth.
"Marley, baby, please can you run and grab me some tissues from the table just there?" Bella murmured quietly, already sensing the cause of Esme's distress; she didn't want Marley to hear the words Esme would undoubtedly utter when Bella asked what was wrong.
"Sure, Mamma."
As soon as Marley darted away, Bella still able to see her in the corner of her eye, she shifted in her seat and reached out to hold Esme's forearm. "Esme…"
The older woman's eyes lifted slowly to meet Bella's gaze. They were heavy with sorrow as she exhaled shakily. "He's gone. Enrico just slipped away."
~ oOo ~
Bella felt the heavy, leaden weight of sadness settling itself in the pit of her stomach as she made her way down the hall toward Enrico's room. Bodhi was fast asleep in his stroller – Bella had fetched it from the car when he began to droop in her arms, and became too heavy to carry any longer – and Marley walked solemnly beside Esme once again. The skip in her step, which had been present on the way to the cafeteria just a short while ago was now noticeably absent.
Telling Marley that Enrico had gone with the angels was heartbreaking, but Bella hadn't wanted her to go charging up to Edward and Carlisle without knowing. She hadn't said a lot about it as yet, instead falling quiet as her little mind attempted to wrap itself around this new scenario. Bella hated that her young daughter had to deal with a loss, especially of someone so dear, but there was no way around it. Marley was far too perceptive, and loved Enrico far too much to just let his prolonged absence go unmentioned.
Carlisle and Edward were slumped in chairs outside Enrico's room when Bella, Esme, Marley, and Bodhi reached them.
Carlisle stood as Esme rushed toward him, his tall frame bending around her much-smaller body. Bella felt her stomach twist as she watched the way they melted together, Esme holding her husband up despite their vast difference in size and stature. It was both heartbreaking and uplifting to see their bond and the strength they found in one another.
"Mamma…" Marley whispered tearfully, tucking herself into Bella as she clutched at her waist and buried her face in her mother's side.
"It's okay, baby girl. It's okay." Bella scooped her daughter into her arms and held her tight, tears pouring over her cheeks as she watched Edward raise his head and blink away the moisture clinging to his long lashes.
"Cazzo."
She saw, more than heard, the Italian curse fall from his lips. He raked a hand through his already-messy bronze hair, his beloved cap noticeably absent, then stood and passed his aunt and uncle to loop his arms around Bella and Marley. He was almost holding them too tight, but neither Bella nor Marley complained, simply reaching around to hold him just as firmly. They shook with the force of his shaky exhale, his lips trembling when he leaned back just a little to meet Bella's worried gaze.
"Thank you. For being here," he whispered.
As the soft sounds of Carlisle crying and Esme soothing him found their way to Bella's ears, her daughter twisting to tuck her face into Edward's neck as she wrapped his hair between her tiny fingers, Bella inhaled a deep breath and forced herself to blink away her tears.
Just like Carlisle needed Esme's strength, Edward needed Bella's; she was determined to give it to him.
"Edward…there's nowhere else I'd rather be than with you and the babies."
Edward's dimmed, sad green eyes flitted around her face, trying to read her; they finally settled on her blue-green gaze. They beseeched him to believe her, to relax and trust in her.
So, he did. He let the stress and sadness leak from his body, letting himself lean on her both physically and mentally as she tightened her grip around his body and let him bury his face against her shoulder. His salty, warm tears reminded her that this wasn't just a cuddle or a quick embrace between friends.
It was the sharing of strength and sorrow.
The sadness at the end of a marriage, a relationship, and a life.
And it was the beginning of a new era for her, and for Edward. For their budding bond and the way in which they saw one another.
No longer was Edward a solitary pillar of strength having to support them both.
Bella could support him, too. And she would.
She did.
~ oOo ~
In the two weeks that followed, Edward's house once again became a hive of activity. A base, of sorts. Within two days of Enrico's passing, Charlie, Archie, Carl-Roman, and Chase joined Edward, Bella, Marley, Bodhi, Carlisle, and Esme at the house. They were followed by Peter, Rosalie, the twins, and Emmett a few days later, then Jasper, Alice, Clarke, and Dave at the end of the first week.
Contessa moved into the house, too, unable to bear returning to the villa in which she'd lived with Enrico for the past fifty years, alone.
This meant that Edward's large house felt rather cramped, with hastily erected blanket forts providing spaces for the children to sleep while the adults split the bedrooms.
Much to Edward and Carlisle's annoyance, Antonio didn't show up until the day before his father's funeral; at this point, his brother and son had already taken care of everything, and neither of them were happy to see him or his belligerent wife.
"What do you mean, 'it's all done?' Should we not have been consulted?" Amy had haughtily complained when Edward had informed her that everything had been organized ahead of Enrico's funeral the following day.
He'd scowled; the expression wouldn't have looked out of place on Carl-Roman's seven-year-old face. "If either of you had bothered to show up sooner, you would have been consulted."
And that was all he'd said on the subject. In fact, that was all he'd said to either of his parents. He'd marched away from his horrified mother and hadn't spoken to her, or his father, since, instead choosing to spend his time with Contessa or Bella and the children.
~ oOo ~
The night before Enrico's funeral, Bella struggled to sleep.
She sat upright in bed against the headboard, Marley snoring in the bed to her right; Bodhi sprawled out in the travel cot to her left. Soft moonlight filtered into the room through the gap in the drapes, the thin material billowing inward every time the gentle breeze snuck through the window left slightly ajar. Bella could just make out the silhouette of the simple black dress she would wear tomorrow hanging on the front of the wardrobe; Marley's matching dress was there too, along with Bodhi's impossibly tiny, black suit.
The thought of her babies being at the funeral weighed heavily on Bella's mind, but she knew there was no way she'd be able to leave them alone; everyone they knew would be at the funeral. Bodhi was too young to understand what was going on, but Marley knew. Marley had seen the tears, heard the conversations about flowers, the burial, and what Contessa would do afterward. Edward was trying to insist that she fly back to England with him, but she'd been understandably reticent to make any decisions thus far.
Bella's thoughts moved to Antonio and Amy. She couldn't understand how two, seemingly uncaring, selfish people could create such a giving, loving son like Edward. But it quickly occurred to her that they hadn't, not really. Sure, they'd created him in the biological sense, but Carlisle and Esme had raised him for the most part and provided the nurturing, stable upbringing that had molded him into the man he was today.
They'd given him the stability his own parents hadn't been able, or willing, to provide.
"Bu' I don't wanna eat my broc'li, Mamma…"
Bella stifled her laughter into her shoulder, turning to listen to Marley's sleep-talk for a few moments.
"Edward won't make me…Pawpaw loves sandwiches."
Eventually, Marley rolled over onto her other side, and her sleep-talking ceased. Bella's full bladder made itself known, so she clambered out of bed without waking her daughter and tiptoed from the room to head toward the nearest bathroom. With business taken care of, she decided to quickly nip to the kitchen for a glass of water.
As Bella reached the doorway, she paused, noticing that the door leading outside to the rose garden had been left ajar. An unexpected feeling of longing and nostalgia barged into her like a truck; Bella couldn't resist heading out for a few moments.
Just as they had been back in March when she'd last visited, the roses were in glorious full bloom, this time joined by a variety of other flowers in various colors, sizes, and shapes; as she walked slowly through the line of arches, the intoxicating scent of the mingling flowers proved surprisingly gentle. It was still warm enough outside for Bella to be comfortable in her jersey pajama shorts and teal tank top. The stone path was soft and only slightly cool under her bare feet, and the gentle breeze played with the loose tendrils of her hair as the trickle of the fountain ahead called her forward. Kneeling, Bella trailed her fingertips over the surface of the water and released a long sigh.
"Penny for your thoughts?"
"OhmyGod!" Bella yelped, falling back on her butt in fright.
Edward stepped out of the shadows, a contrite, apologetic tilt to his downward curved lips and tightly knit brows. "Cazzo, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."
Bella's heart rate slowed to a more normal rhythm, and she accepted the hands he held out to help pull her back to her feet. "I'm okay, don't worry. I just didn't expect anyone else to be up, is all." She cocked her head, reaching up to stroke the troubled knot between his dark eyebrows. "Couldn't sleep?"
"No. Not tonight," Edward mumbled, looking down at his flip-flop clad feet.
Only then did Bella notice that he was still in the clothes he'd worn all day – a pair of cream, chino shorts and a pale blue polo shirt. The colors accentuated his golden tan, and the fit of his top exaggerated the musculature of his arms and chest. Bella felt her skin flush as she forced her eyes to leave his biceps, filling the short sleeves of his polo, and met his gaze.
Busted.
He was looking straight at her; he almost appeared amused.
"It's been a while since we were here, huh?"
Edward nodded slowly, looking around as though searching for the past; as though he'd be able to see the months between this and their last visit hiding within the blooms. "A lot has changed."
Bella couldn't help but agree. A lot had changed.
Bella, I love you.
Warmth spread through her veins as she remembered their last visit to Italy; as she remembered the declarations that had been made, the bonds that had been strengthened.
I love you. Bella, I love you. I love you.
Since their last evening here in the rose garden, Edward had admitted that he'd fallen for her, admitted that he loved her. He'd shown her that he loved her every day since. And, slowly but surely, she'd begun to see that he wasn't the only one falling.
With every smile, every hug or laugh or wink, she knew.
Every time she watched him tickle Bodhi until he was breathless or crouch and let Bodhi stagger around hanging onto his fingers to practice walking, she knew.
And as he cuddled his little sweet, taught her to play the piano, to be confident and to speak Italian, Bella knew.
Bella knew she was falling for Edward – fast. She was all-too-aware that her feelings of friendship were evolving, or had evolved already and were just now becoming more apparent. She'd realized a while ago that there was no going back; no denying how right it felt to think of Edward as something more than her friend.
He'd featured as a starring role in more than one of her dreams in recent weeks.
Often, she woke flustered and red-faced, wondering if her dream would come true.
Wondering if Marley and Bodhi would one day call Edward 'Daddy.'
Wondering if Bodhi would always be the baby of the family; if he'd ever wear a t-shirt that said 'Big Brother.'
Or if Charlie would tease his newest grandchild for having red hair like he teased Edward.
These were dreams she didn't share with anyone; they seemed too private, too intimate. However, at this moment, with Edward tugging her into a dancing hold to lead her around the fountain in loose, slow circles, Bella couldn't help but ache with want for those dreams to come to fruition, even though the thought of admitting her innermost thoughts and desires frightened her.
Even now, with Edward gazing down at her with soft wonder coloring his emerald eyes, she couldn't admit it. She couldn't just say the three words he'd given her those weeks ago on the patio beside the pool. Bella wasn't brave enough, even though Edward had been.
Frustration at herself nipped at Bella's heels as she bit down on her tongue, staring at the pocket on the front of Edward's Polo shirt. It rested exactly where his heart beat away inside his chest, and Bella felt the surprising, unstoppable rush of impulsiveness just seconds before she let herself lean forward slightly to kiss it; she felt the hard thump-thump of his heart against her lips before she pulled back.
Silence descended over the duo as they continued to move around the fountain in perfect synchronization; Bella's body was hyper-aware of Edward's.
Her hip tingled beneath his palm. Her fingers suddenly felt like live wires entangled with his. As they turned, their stomachs brushed, heat settling in her belly. Bella lifted her gaze to Edward's, peering up at him from beneath her lashes; he was staring back at her, emotions Bella couldn't begin to identify or name swimming in the depths of his jade eyes. Her heart raced, and she was abruptly certain that Edward must be able to hear it thundering away. How could he not? It was flying, thumping hard enough against her rib cage that it must have been impossible for him to miss.
The whoosh of a breath escaping her lungs was almost painful as Bella shivered, feeling Edward's hand leave her lip to ghost up her side. He paused at her ribs to tickle lightly, a smirk dancing on his lips, before continuing up until he was cradling her face. His hands were warm, with slightly calloused fingertips from years of woodworking, and made her feel like the most precious piece of glass.
Ironic, considering that his inability to handle her with kid gloves had been the thing that relaxed her most when she first escaped Garrett's tyranny.
"Bella, I…" Edward trailed off, shaking his head.
They came to a stop, their joined hands lowering, but Edward didn't move his hand from her face; if she was honest, Bella didn't really want him to, anyway.
The air around them seemed to crackle and swell, the breeze dropping completely as the fountain quieted to a low, unimportant trickle. Bella sucked in a breath and tried to decipher the intense look on Edward's face.
Eventually, after a minute that felt more like a lifetime, Edward sighed and smiled self-consciously. "Can I…" He coughed, clearing his throat, and tried again. "Can I say it?"
It took a few moments for Bella to realize what he meant by 'it.' When it clicked, Bella froze – just for a second. Then, relaxing, she nodded bashfully and readied herself to hear it. To hear the three words that lingered on the back of her tongue but weren't yet brave enough to take the leap to freedom.
His answering smile was beautiful in its exuberance and joy. His eyes were lit from within, framed by endlessly long lashes as his dimples popped to bookend his crooked grin. Bella reached up to run her fingers through his riotous, bronze mess of hair, lightly scratching his scalp. Edward hummed a pleased sound, letting his eyes slip closed for a moment before they reopened and he inhaled deeply, running the pad of his thumb over her lower lip as he whispered, "I love you."
~ oOo ~
Edward startled as a warm, soft hand slid against his, small fingers pressing their way into the balled-up fists his hands had become. He forced his hands to relax before peering down at the woman at his side.
"Are you okay?" Bella whispered, squeezing their joined hands.
He managed a weak smile, leaning down to press his forehead to hers, just for a second. "I'm okay."
Enrico's funeral had gone as well as expected. There had been plenty of tears, readings, and emotional eulogies. Contessa had read a poem – the same poem they'd read during their wedding ceremony some fifty years ago. At the end of the service, each member of the immediate family had set a solitary red tulip atop his coffin; his favorite color paired with his favorite flower. Edward had lifted Marley so she could reach, and had cried as she placed the flower atop the picture she'd drawn of herself with Bodhi and Enrico, setting them gingerly on the coffin.
Then the entire congregation had filtered out into the sunshine for the burial.
The priest's blessing was in Italian. He spoke in a monotone voice and had a wrinkled face, aged by time and now clouded with grief; he missed his friend, with whom he'd grown up.
"Do you think he knows we're all here?" Edward asked softly, closing his eyes against Bella's forehead.
"Yes," she said, after a short contemplation. "I think he knows. And I think he's grateful, and he can see that we all love him."
Edward opened his eyes. They were just an inch or two away from Bella's. Her solemn gaze filled him with hope. If she believed that Enrico could see this, could see his loved ones gathered to say 'goodbye,' after all she'd been through and endured, Edward could believe it, too. Pulling back, Edward watched Bella as her gaze moved to the priest.
She looked heartbreakingly beautiful in a plain, black, knee-length sheath dress with cap sleeves. Her hair had been pulled back into a neat ponytail, and she wore a simple pair of low-heeled, black court shoes; Marley looked almost identical, except she wore her curls loose and tumbling over her shoulders. Edward fidgeted and bit his tongue.
At that moment, he almost couldn't contain his love for Bella. It threatened to pour from him in torrents as he fought tears and cursed himself for not being able to resist her. It had only been made harder since last night; since he'd seen her love for him reflected back at her from within her stunning azure eyes. At first, Edward had thought himself to be seeing only what he wanted to see. But as they'd danced late into the night, or early into the morning depending on your point of view, he'd come to a sudden realization.
There was no disguising what she felt. No denying that he could see her emotions clear as day, painted across her face and overflowing from her gaze. She may not be ready to admit it yet, but Edward was certain he could wait, now that he knew she felt the same.
Now that he'd seen it.
"Edward, can I come up?"
Edward scooped Marley into his arms without pause, holding her as close as possible and rocking their bodies side-to-side as she wrapped herself around him like a spider monkey clinging to its mother; he didn't pull his hand from Bella's, though. He simply used his free arm to cradle Marley, pressing a lingering kiss to the sweet little girl's forehead when he pulled back with a small, sad frown.
"Everyone's sad, Edward."
"I know, little sweet. But you know what? One day, everyone will be happy again, because even though Nonno Enrico is up with the angels now, he can still see us and hear us. We can talk to him, and he'll listen."
Marley contemplated this new information for a few seconds, then smiled hesitantly. "So, I can talk to Nonno Rico whenever I want? And he can hear me?"
"He sure can, little sweet."
"So I can still tell him 'bout my dreams and stuff? And when I teach baby Bodhi how to do things?"
"Yep. And you know…I think Nonno Enrico would really like to hear all that stuff if you want to tell him."
With a decisive nod, Marley sighed and relaxed against Edward's chest, leaning her head against his shoulder. "'Kay. I'll talk to him lots then, so he doesn't get lonely."
Edward exhaled shakily and pressed his lips together to stifle a cry, blinking away an onslaught of tears. Seeing what was about to happen, Bella stepped closer and tucked herself into his side, holding him up as he crumbled, turning to cry silently into her hair.
"I've got you," she whispered, holding him tighter. "I've got you."
Those were the words she said, but she was thinking "I love you" on a loop.
~ oOo ~
The wake carried on long into the evening. By the time the guests not staying at Edward's house had left, everyone was exhausted and more than ready to fall into their beds. Carl-Roman and Chase were carried off with Archie to his room, quickly followed by Esme, Carlisle, and Peter, the twins, and Charlie. Jasper, Alice, and their boys headed out to the tent they'd brought to create more room inside the house, and Rosalie finally yawned enough times while helping Bella clear away the platters that Bella shooed her toward her room.
"Are you sure?" Rosalie asked doubtfully, glancing toward Emmett hovering in the doorway playing on his phone.
"Of course. Head off to bed, and we'll see you in the morning. Thank you for all your help." Bella gave Rosalie a firm hug, kissed her cheek, and nudged her gently in the direction of the door – and Emmett.
It hadn't come as a surprise to Bella at all when Marley had tattled on Rosalie and Emmett, gleefully telling her mother that she'd seen Emmett sneaking into Rosalie's room a few nights previous; Bella was just waiting for the right time to pounce on Rosalie for details. Memories of Rosalie doing the same thing to her when they were last in Italy were fresh in Bella's mind, and she intended to get payback for her pseudo sister's nosiness.
"Night guys, I'm gonna turn in, too," Emmett called, following Rosalie out of the room and down the hall like an incredibly unsubtle puppy.
Edward chuckled when the pair disappeared from sight, stacking the last of the paper plates and tossing them into black bags. "Those two couldn't be more obvious if they tried."
Bella snorted, nodding. "You're right there. I bet they think they're being so sneaky."
"Who's sneaky, Mamma?"
Bella twisted to face her daughter, smiling when she saw the way Marley battled to keep her eyelids open. "Nobody, baby girl. All right, I think it's bedtime for you, huh?"
"No, Mamma. I'm not even—yawn—sleepy yet."
"I think baby Bodhi is, though. And I'm very tired. Edward, are you tired?"
"Molto stanco!" He crossed the room to kneel beside Marley, whispering, "that means 'very tired,' by the way. C'mon, let's go get our jammies on and get to bed."
Despite her assurances to the contrary, Marley was tired enough that she didn't argue with Edward when he lifted her into his arms and carried her out of the room, Bella close behind once she'd scooped Bodhi from his DockATot. She made it to the bedroom just as Edward and Marley decided Marley would wear the 101 Dalmatians pajamas.
"Again, baby girl? Don't you want to wear any of your other ones?"
"No, Mamma. I like these ones. They've got Dalmatians on 'em!"
Bella laughed quietly, mindful of the sleeping baby in her arms. "All right, all right. The Dalmatian ones, it is."
"Mamma, can we get a Dalmatian? A real one? Ooh, we can get a cute little puppy with lots of spots and a waggly tail!"
"Maybe one day when you're older, baby girl," Bella hedged, settling Bodhi into his travel cot after quickly changing his diaper without waking him. Tucked back into his sleep shorts and t-shirt, Bodhi barely stirred as he was nestled into bed for the night. "We don't have anywhere near enough time or room for a dog right now."
Edward distracted Marley with talk of all the swimming he'd promised while Bella darted into the bathroom to brush her teeth and hair and change into a comfy set of pajama shorts and a tank top. She laid the dress neatly on the counter beside the sink, knowing she needed to get it dry-cleaned before giving it back to Esme; Bodhi had spilled milk on it shortly after they returned from the crematorium.
When she emerged back into the bedroom a few minutes later, intending to drag Marley into the bathroom to brush her teeth, Bella hesitated and leaned against the doorframe to take in the adorable sight before her.
Marley and Edward were fast asleep on the bed, Marley's arm tossed over his stomach, her right leg curled around his, and her head pillowed on his chest. Bella rounded the bed with whisper-soft footsteps, unable to stop herself from sighing girlishly. Marley's hair was a wild mess across his bare chest, her hand resting right over his heart.
The exact spot Bella had impulsively kissed the night before when she'd been able to tell that his heart was hurting. It seemed she wasn't the only one with that sixth sense.
As her gaze traveled up past Marley's peaceful face to Edward's, she was saddened to see the troubled kink in his brows and the purse of his lips. She reached out to flick the switch, still able to see enough that she didn't trip on anything as she moved toward the bed. Thankfully, it was warm enough that the covers weren't necessary, because even with the best will in the world Bella wouldn't have been able to tug them from beneath Edward's dead-weight. She curled herself into the space beside Edward, content just being able to feel the heat from his body without actually invading his personal space by touching him.
With the sadness of the day leaching from her body, soft light illuminating Edward's increasingly peaceful features and the line of drool hanging from Marley's mouth onto Edward's chest, Bella felt the cotton-soft embrace of sleep welcoming her into its folds. She snuggled into the soft sheets and nestled her head into the pillow, happy in the knowledge that her three, favorite people were safe in the room nearby.
~ oOo ~
Hot. I'm so hot…
Bella woke uncomfortably hot and feeling as though she was being held down. A shot of panic raced through her veins as she contemplated the terrifying notion that the past year had all been a dream.
But no…it couldn't have been.
Even as her heart thumped away in her chest, the panic ebbing, Bella realized she could hear Bodhi's cooing and Marley's giggles. She could hear the quiet swish of the drapes on the tiles, and feel the balmy breeze sweeping in through the windows.
A deep inhale meant to calm Bella's speeding pulse only served to make her heart skip a beat.
Warm…woodsy…manly?
Bella's eyes flashed open, and she immediately realized what the woodsy, manly scent was.
Or, who it was.
In their sleep, Edward and Bella had gravitated toward one another. At some point in the night, Edward had rolled onto his stomach, thrown his arm and leg over Bella, and nestled his face into the juncture between her neck and shoulder. Soft puffs of breath fanned over her neck and collarbone every few seconds, gooseflesh rising over skin the warm air touched. His hair was an absolute mess and tickled her jaw each time he moved even only incrementally, and the warmth of his body spread the length of hers was the source of the heat that had woken her; the side he wasn't pressed against was noticeably cooler, thanks to the air sneaking into the room.
"Mamma, Edward's talking," Marley giggled.
Much to Bella's relief, her daughter didn't seem to notice the fire engine-red flush that had overtaken her face when she realized Marley was doubtlessly going to tell everyone about this; that she'd woken up to Edward and Bella entwined in bed.
"What? He's sleeping, baby girl."
Marley's eyes were aglow with mischief, her lips curled up into a wide grin. "He's talking in his sleep! Shhh, listen!"
Bella and Marley waited in silence for a few seconds; they both failed miserably at stifling their giggles, when, true to Marley's word, Edward began mumbling about cheese and salami roll-ups and dancing pelicans.
"Wha…" Edward lifted his head, blinking blearily at Bella until his eyes came into focus and he realized where he was and who he was laying on. "Cazzo, sorry! Was I squashing you? I didn't mean to fall asleep, I swear!"
Bella laughed lightly, reaching up to scratch his scalp with her fingertips. His panicked expression evaporated immediately, replaced by pure euphoria as he hummed and leaned his head back into her hand. "It's fine, Edward. I think we must've moved around in our sleep."
"You could've kicked me out, you know?"
The image of Edward and Marley curled together flitted through Bella's mind. "No. You were exhausted, and it was no problem."
Marley bounced on her knees before throwing herself on Edward's back, straddling him and playing the drums on his shoulder blades. "Edward, you talked in your sleep!"
"I did, huh? What was I talking about, little sweet?"
Bella grinned, hearing the hint of nervous curiosity in his tone.
"Ummm…lots of stuff! Salami and cheese…Oh! And pela…ummm, no…peli…Mamma, what was it? The dancing thing?"
"Pelicans, baby girl."
Marley nodded. "Yeah, that's it. Pelicans. You were dreaming about pelicans, and they were dancing! What's a pelican, Edward?"
"I'll show you, hold on." Bella reached over to the nightstand and searched for pictures of pelicans while Edward rolled over onto his back, settling Marley on his stomach once he'd made himself comfortable. "Here you go. This is it."
"Oh. It's got a really big nose!" Marley squealed with delight – apparently, all the excitement was too much for Bodhi to miss out on; he made a loud sound of annoyance and pulled himself up to stand, clutching the side of the travel cot as he called for his mother.
"Mamma! Mamma, Mamma, Mamma."
Bella leaned over, lifting Bodhi from the cot by carefully pulling on his outstretched arms. Edward was ashamed at his inability to look away from her short-clad butt as she stretched, and he quickly attempted to distract himself by explaining the few facts that he knew about pelicans.
As she settled Bodhi on the bed between her body and Edward's, she watched him laugh with delight as he tumbled over Edward as he flung him in the air and blew raspberries over his face. While Marley giggled and joined in, Bella couldn't help but try to catalogue these moments, this precious time; imprinting it all in her mind. She never wanted to forget the smiles on their faces or the sound of their laughter. It was the picture-perfect image of a family morning in bed that Bella had often wondered if she'd ever get.
As a child, she and Archie had lived for these mornings when they'd crawl into their parents' bed and watch cartoons until lunchtime. Then Penelope would make pancakes, and they'd eat upstairs, no-one caring that they were getting syrup on the bedcovers or that they were still in their pajamas at midday.
Bella hadn't ever thought her babies would get to experience that for themselves, yet here they were.
As Edward shot her a wink before telling Marley to 'get her,' Bella joined in the tickle and raspberry war, deliriously happy and more content than she'd ever been.
So maybe Marley and Bodhi wouldn't ever have the exact lazy mornings in bed with their parents that Bella had pictured for them.
But she didn't care, because this…
This was so much more than she could ever have imagined.