Happy Friday! Here is the conclusion of Christmas and Malice's visit.

Thank you to my betas, Brie and kitchmill!

Enjoy. xx

Chapter Eight

Confession #8: Some announcements are expected and others can come as a surprise, but never the less, they are welcomed with joy and pride.

"Your voice is so pretty, Auntie Bella," Lily said with in a tone filled with reverence.

"Yeah," chimed Daisy. "You're better than Belle from Beauty and the Beast."

"Thank you, girls. Though it's not a Christmas song, would you like to hear my favorite Disney song?" Bella asked and the girls nodded.

Though I knew she could play the music to the song, when she sang Ariel's song she lost herself in it and gave herself over to the child-like emotions the words created. So when she stood up from the piano, I knew what was to come.

"Look at this stuff, isn't it neat…"

"Ariel!" the girls shouted.

They watched her as she sold the entire feeling to them.

"More! Please more, Auntie Bella!"

Bella gave in and sang a few more of her favorite Disney songs before declaring it was time for dessert. The girls cheered and offered to help while I got up to assist as well.

Bella had found an adorable cupcake tree so she decide to make spice flavored cupcakes filled with green tinted cream cheese frosting to signify we were having a boy instead of the traditional blue that would have been used. She then covered them with white cream cheese icing and green and red sprinkles.

While the girls carried the paper plates and napkins and Bella carried the cupcakes, I brought out a tray filled with coffee, warm apple cider, and hot cocoa.

"Before you all bite into your cupcakes, Bella and I wanted to let you know that inside each one is a colored filling that will tell you if the next grandchild will be a boy or a girl. Because it's Christmas, if it's red we're having a girl, if you find green we're having a boy...so dig in!"

Everyone dove into their cupcakes with gusto except for Renee; she just broke hers in half and shouted, "It's a boy!"

While Bella rolled her eyes at her mother's antics, I laughed. I never wanted Renee to change because her spirit kept things light and interesting...really interesting.

Congratulations were handed out and then the question of names came up; we hadn't gotten that far yet, so the family was filled with suggestions.

"Emmett Jr. sounds perfect to me." Bella and Rose both snorted at Emmett's comment.

"Yeah, because we need to give the tabloids more ammo for their 'swapping' stories," Bella huffed.

"True...but I still think it would be awesome for you to name your boy after his favorite uncle."

"It's not happening, Em. Let it go."

The twins interrupted the adults when they heard me say that and began pestering my wife to sing the Frozen song. After faces and hands had been cleared of the leftover frosting, Bella fulfilled their desire. Coffee girl was going to be the best mom.

Mom and Renee began clearing the rest of the dinner dishes while Dad and Emmett were instructed by Rose to help put the leftovers away. Charlie had already followed Bella and the girls out of the room, and I knew it was not only to get away from my sister, but to spend more time with Bella as well.

"Take a walk with me, Alice." It wasn't a question.

After we had our coats on, I led Alice out the front door for some privacy. Even with the roses no longer blooming, our landscaping was still magnificent. I settled against the marble bridge wall and stared out at the lit water feature.

I didn't know if I was ready for this conversation, or if I was even going to get straight answers. Five years had passed in the blink of an eye, but my disappointment in Alice's behavior hadn't waned. I was still mad.

"If there was ever a time for you to be honest, Alice, it's now, because I won't ever give you another chance to fuck up my life." There was a hostility to my voice that was utterly foreign to me as a person except when acting in a film. "Why, Ali? Why'd you do it?"

I couldn't even look at her when she finally spoke.

"I...I don't know. Jealousy maybe?"

Fire flowed through my veins. I was angry, pissed even, over her excuse. "Jealous? Of what? I still lived with our parents, for fuck's sake! I didn't have a girlfriend and I had to hide out from the fucking paparazzi even before you sold me out. So tell me what exactly it was that you had to be jealous of?"

"You were and still are our parents' favorite. You could do no wrong. Em and I always had to live in the shadows of your life! Do you know how exhausting it is? To never be good enough?"

"What the hell are you talking about? Our parents love us equally."

She snorted before replying. "You would think so. Emmett and I were constantly compared to you, told we should be more like you. We were never good enough as is. They set you up on a pedestal so high that reaching the top was impossible."

I pulled at my hair. "Even if what you're saying is true, how is that my fault? Why punish me for our parents' mistakes?"

"I wanted them to see you weren't perfect." Alice shrugged like it was no big deal.

"I'm not perfect, Alice. I never will be." I didn't know what else to say; I just knew I would never trust her again. "Your problem is with our parents, not me, but I am telling you right now that if you ever try and pull something like you did in the past, I will write you out of my life for good."

"Bella would make you do something like that. We were always close before she came along," Alice sneered.

Her attitude pushed me over the edge. "Bella has nothing to do with this. You wouldn't even have been allowed in this house if it weren't for Bella and her ability to let things go! I wanted to kill you when you hurt her. I even told her to press charges against you, but she didn't for me. I can't stand the person you've become. You're such a bitter bitch—no wonder your husband divorced you."

It was then that I knew this would never work, that even adhering to the old adage, 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer,' would never work. Alice wasn't capable of learning to change. She was filled with too much hate, and I honestly believed she would try something again.

"I can't do this...I can't have you in my life anymore. You made your choice to hurt me before Bella even entered my life, but the fact that you cannot own up to your mistakes like an adult tells me that you haven't changed. You're just biding your time until you can strike again."

"Edward, no. I—"

I didn't let her finish. "You are no longer welcome in my life, in my family. I don't—"

"Edward, please," she pleaded, but it had no effect on me.

"I don't want you in my life anymore. Nothing you say or do will change my mind, but I will make you one more promise. I guarantee that if I ever find out you have done anything else that could cause strife in my family, I will end you. I swear it. The demise of your relationship with Jasper will seem like a cakewalk if I have to retaliate." I didn't buy her tears, so I carried on. "I want you to leave and never come back. I will not interfere with your relationship with our parents, but you are not to ask about me, my wife, or our child. You are dead to me."

It felt like a weight had been lifted and I could finally breathe again; it was just sad that it had to come to that.

"Goodbye, Alice."

I turned and walked back into the house after giving her the coat she'd worn and her purse. My parents were not happen with the outcome of our talk once I explained where Alice went, but I was okay with how everything turned out. I had to protect my family; I just hoped that when the dust eventually settled, they would understand that. It's the same with them wanting to give Alice the benefit of the doubt even if I couldn't.

~o~o~o~

The rest of the holiday season passed without much fanfare. We exchanged meaningful gifts rather than expensive ones, rang in the New Year quietly, and returned our house to it pre-festive order—though the house now felt emptier than it did before the decorations went up. January was flying by, and I couldn't wait for April.

On the morning of January 17th, just before six o'clock in the morning, we were dead asleep to the world when both of our phones began ringing simultaneously. In the dark we both reached for them and mumbled a greeting to the callers.

It took a few moments for me to realize who it was and what they were saying. "Edward, are you even listening? You've been nominated for Best Actor! We're going to the Oscars!"

"Oh my God! Holy shit! No fucking way! You're lying!" My eyes snapped to my wife's. Even in the darkness I could see the shock on her face.

I ignored the incessant chatter in my ear and waited for her to tell me what was going on with the person she was speaking to.

"I've—I'm...holy crap. I was just nominated for Best Original Song at the Oscars. Pinch me."

Her news was better than my own as far as I was concerned, so I hung up on Alec because I knew could call him back later and did as she asked.

"Ouch." She rubbed her arm where I'd pinched her. "Guess it isn't a dream after all."

I knew she meant that as a statement, but I couldn't help but laugh at her silliness before congratulating her. "I'm so proud of you, sweetheart. No one deserves the honor more."

I pulled her into my arms and kissed her, hard. Coffee girl's success was such a huge turn on. The urge to claim her was strong. She was mine and now our peers were honoring her for her talent.

I broke the kiss to remind her of something. "You know the Academy is going to want you to sing the song live, right?"

"I'll only do it if you sing with me." Her lips descended down my throat and I groaned when her teeth latched on to my shoulder.

"Fuck...I'll do anything you want if you just don't stop," I panted as her hand came into contact with my hardness, but she did stop, and I whimpered.

"Anything?" Her eyebrow arched with the question.

I nodded. "Anything."

"I want my favorite breakfast sandwich from Denny's when we're finished."

Coffee girl then pushed me down and took me straight into her mouth. All I could mutter was, "Okay."

I'd buy her fifty of those Moons Over My Hammy sandwiches if she kept up her pace. Her mouth was amazing. Warm. Wet. Tongue and teeth. Heaven and hell all rolled into one. She knew exactly how to get me off.

I moaned and I groaned. My fingers found purchase in her long chocolate locks as I watched her head bob up and down. When she tugged on my balls I was done, coming harder than I thought possible after all this time. Expletives flew through the air as I let go of her hair and fisted the sheets.

Coffee girl's hand then claimed the spot where her mouth had just been and she continued to stroke my slowly softening cock, gliding over the tip and sending shivers through my still tingling body.

The smirk on her face said, 'Damn, I'm good.' And she was.

Bella settled back into the nook of my side, her head resting on my shoulder and the bean's kicks pushing against my side. His nudges reminded me of the news I had too.

"I forgot to mention that you weren't the only one nominated for an Oscar...I'm up for Best Actor as well."

Bella sprang up with a speed I didn't know a pregnant woman could possess. "Really?" I nodded. "That's awesome, Eddie. You were amazing in the movie. You'll win. I just know it."

"Thanks, love." I gave her one last kiss before I hopped into the shower so I could go get her breakfast.

That year was already shaping up to be one of the best of our lives, and it really was only beginning.

Whelp, a tiger can't change its stripes, and Malice has claws for sure but Eddie handled it as he saw fit. Hope you all enjoyed the way it ended. Leave me your thoughts if you want and I'll see you next week. xx Dee