I am so so sorry for not updating in so long! I just got very sidetracked with going to my grandma's funeral thingy, end of the year activities, paddling with my canoe club, etc. Good news: it's summer break in a week and then I should have more time to write.

I'd like to apologize again, and I hope you guys will continued to read my story despite my lack of updates!

My friend gave me this joke a few days ago, and I just had to put in on here. Sorry if it offends anyone. I am not for or against Clinton (how can you if you don't know him personally?) so please don't think too much of it. I just thought it was funny.

Back when Bill Clinton and Hillary got married Bill told her, "There's one thing I want you to know. There's a box under my bed and I don't want you to look in it until I die."

Hillary agreed to this but, over the years, the curiosity got the better of her and she finally looked in it. She found three beer cans and 1.5 million dollars in cash.

When she asked Bill what the beer cans were for, he replied, "Well, those are for all the times I've cheated on you."

Hillary said, "Well, that's not bad after all these years and you being a politician and traveling and all."

She was about to leave, but then she said, "Hey, Bill, what about the 1.5 million dollars?"

Bill replied, "That's for all the times the box got full and I had to cash the cans in."

Anyway, on with the show…

Chapter 5

Sunshine

I was now standing in front of the full length mirror in Esme's closet. I had sat in the Jacuzzi, letting the warm, rose-scented water unthaw my frozen body and the heavy steam wrap around my skin for an immeasurable amount of time.

"That dress looks gorgeous on you!" Esme exclaimed as she stepped around the corner to look at me.

And it did. The pink dress's straps fit me perfectly on my small shoulders; the pink sash tied delicately around my waist, giving me an illusion of prominent curves. Beyond the sash, the flowing material fell in soft waves past my knees. Esme had offered me a pair of flats, pink with white lace, but I had refused.

"I'll probably be here until my clothes are dry, anyways," I had said.

Esme had nodded, picked up my dripping clothes, and had exited the room to give me freedom to change. She was back now, leaning against the frame of her closet. This was an Esme I had never seen before. In all the time I had known her, she had always seemed loving, older than her "children", slightly protective, and always alert. A mother. Now she seemed different standing among her many rack of clothes in her gorgeous closet. She seemed to be younger and to fit into her body; more like someone who could relate to me instead of the mother of my boyfriend. She seemed like a young woman who had just reached the outside world for the first time. Most of all, she seemed approachable in a way that all young people did. Maybe it was because they were naïve or inexperienced in the world. Whatever it was, Esme seemed to possess it.

She cocked her head slightly to the right in curiosity. I noticed I had been staring at her and I quickly shifted my eyes back to my reflection. What was it before that always made Esme unapproachable? Was it her immense beauty? Her age? Her knowledge? I discreetly watched her through the reflection of the mirror. She had a soft, loving smile playing across her face; her hair falling in soft golden-brown tendrils around it. She was wearing a light beige sweater and a pair of tan khakis and brown lace up shoes. She looked like a mother in every way but her actual body.

I turned now, done ogling at Esme's apparent beauty, and approached the door. She gave me a warm smile as I passed her which I returned. As I exited her bedroom, I came upon the hallway and then the stairs. I ran my hand along the fine wooden banister as I walked up the stairway. My bare feet created a muffled sound as they made contact with the cold, wood flooring.

I soon came to Edward's room, a soft music floating outside and down the hall. I pushed open the door that stood ajar.

Edward was sitting on his couch, back towards me as her stared out the window and into the rain. He turned his head at my coming approach; although he must have heard me before. His eyes scanned from the top of my fast-drying hair to my bare feet before he met my eyes; a bright smile shone across his face to welcome to me to his room.

"Come sit," he spoke. His voice had returned to its previous softness of the morning, despite our encounter with Cyprien and Troy.

I walked towards him and sank into his lap. He wrapped his arms around my waist automatically as if it had always been this way. When I was comfortable with my head rested gently against his shoulder, he began talking.

"Bella, I would like to apologize for being somewhat vacant this morning. I just had a lot on my mind. I am sorry, my love," he said with the utmost sincerity.

I turned in my seat on his lap until I was facing him. I placed my hand against his marble cheek and smiled.

"It's alright. You really didn't do anything," I replied, but he shook his head.

"Bella, you could have gotten sick out there in the rain-" he tried to say, but I had moved my hand from his cheek and placed two fingers across his lips.

"Edward," I spoke, "don't blame yourself for something that didn't happen."

I smiled up at him, and he smiled back. Slowly he leaned down and kissed me lightly on the forehead, as to not break me, and whispered in my ear.

"You know, you look extremely tempting in that dress. Why must you torture me with such beauty?" he whispered playfully and then kissed the hollow under my ear quickly.

I turned a horrid shade of pink and a smug, embarrassed smile shone across my face, but Edward merely laughed with his musical laugh and picked me up off his lap when he stood.

"Edward! Where are we going?! Put me down!" I shouted playfully at him while he approached his bedroom door.

"Well, if you want some answers then I want to go outside and sit in the sun," he said calmly, though he was amused by my reaction.

Sun? What sun? I thought. I followed my gaze out of the huge windows and saw the first rays of sun peeking through the clouds, the storm beginning to clear.

"Oh," I muttered as Edward sat me placed me on my feet again. He looked me in the eyes before speaking.

"Do you want answers?" he asked.

"Yes," I said as I nodded. He gave me one of his breathtaking smiles before speaking.

"Then let's go outside."

Once again, I am so sorry especially since this is a filler chapter.. I got really sidetracked. Anyways, I will try to have another chapter out soon. This up-coming week, I have finals and promotion and Marine World Trips, and then the week after (the first week of summer! Yahoo!!!!) I am in Washington D.C. so I will try to get something out. 'Till then, thanks for reading and please review!!!

-CJ

P.S. I will be at the Petaluma, California Book Signing in August! Who else is going?