oOo
o
"Don't be jealous, Edward," she says softly.
"I'm not," he protests.
She smiles.
"Relax a bit. She'll love you even more."
"I can't… I can't."
o
Edward woke with a start.
"Good morning," Bella smiled, placing a steaming mug of coffee on his bedside table.
Edward rubbed his eyes.
"You know, we just need to turn it around: First, we take Berlin, then we take Manhattan!"
Her smile got larger. She was quite proud of her silly reworking of Leonard Cohen.
Still sleepy, Edward pulled her close by the strings of her sweatpants until she was straddling his thighs.
"You're so chirpy in the mornings," he yawned.
"I'm just looking forward to spending the day with your family," she said, bending lower so she could rest her face against his chest.
Immediately, his arms came around her. He closed his eyes for another moment, enjoying her warmth and closeness. He buried his nose in her hair. She smelled like roses, like girl.
"I can see how it is," he murmured good-naturedly. "Now that you have them, I'm uninteresting. And they have you… which makes me even more superfluous…"
"Nonsense," she replied softly. She kissed the underside of his chin. "Your family loves you, they adore you."
Edward wanted to say that there had been times when he had been a worry and a burden for his loved ones, but he didn't. He was trying to be better now, and he was feeling a thousand times better already. With Bella by his side, anything seemed possible.
"And I adore you," he said instead, and kissed the top of her head. Her hair was so soft and silky.
.
Though still cool, it was one of the first sunny days of the year and Hyde Park was bustling with families, tourists, joggers and cyclists. The Cullens were complete since even Vera was spending the weekend at home. She was walking with Emmett, both of them laughing happily. Vera had been fifteen when her mum remarried, and she considered Emmett rather a play buddy and partner in crime than a stepdad. And Emmett had never tried to fit that part, anyway. Vera had a good relationship with her father, Royce.
The pale sounds of spring birds were dancing through the chill air. Bella's hand in his, Edward was more cheerful than he'd expected. Maybe it was the lovely weather, or his girlfriend's warm fingers curling around his, or just simply the prospect of his mum's homemade scones for tea. He felt clear-headed and content, and each time he looked at Bella, he had to smile.
She had traded in her Michelin man piece for a grey woollen coat that accentuated her slender figure. The sun gave her hair a chestnut shine, and her cheeks were rosy from the still-chilly air.
He tugged on her hand, pulling her closer until she was by his side, fitting right under his arm. They walked silently, only stopping when a small dog crossed their way, jumping and barking excitedly. He looked like a little pirate, a black spot around his right eye.
"Well, hello, who are you?"
Bella let him sniff her hand.
"I'm so sorry, miss!" A boy of maybe ten arrived, breathless, at their side. "C'mere, Rhett," he called.
"That's a cute name," Bella remarked, scratching behind Rhett's ears.
"We named him after some mov – Oh, my mum's calling. Bye, miss."
He took off.
Bella's dark eyes were shining as she looked up at Edward.
"He was cute," she said.
"Rhett, or the boy?"
She shrugged and smiled.
"Both," she said.
And Edward found himself jealous of a little boy and his pirate-eyed dog.
oOo
Thank you for reading. As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!
Your
harperpitt