"I'm so happy you and Carlisle found each other in Forks," Alice said as she pulled a shirt off the rack in a little boutique and held it up against Bella's upper body. "Cute, right?"
"Yeah," Bella agreed, "He's, um.." she realized that Alice was talking about the shirt and cleared her throat. "The shirt's good."
"You haven't changed." Alice chuckled. "As much as I wish you loved to shop like I do, I'm glad you don't. It's what makes you.. you. And it's what makes me miss you."
"I'm here." Bella looked down and back up. "And I miss you, too, Alice. A lot. I miss you all so much."
"I haven't seen Carlisle this happy in awhile. He usually just stays at the hospital for as long as he can. I actually can't believe he took a little vacation."
"Well I'm glad he did." Bella nodded. "We had fun in Forks. And I'm so happy to see all of you. It's like this part of me that's been missing for so long. It feels.. good. Like, really good."
Alice pulled Bella in for a hug. "I hope you stay."
"I will.. for a while."
"They're doing the tree lighting in the center of town tonight," Alice explained. "We haven't done much as a family these days. People kind of come and go.." she made a face, "And, like I said, we never see Carlisle."
"He works a lot.."
"A lot is an understatement." Alice sighed, "Maybe the six of us can actually have a little fun and do something as a family."
A family. Bella was so caught in between multiple groups of people. She had her family in Forks.. and the Cullens truly were her family, too. They held so much emotional significance in her life. It was almost too much. Almost.
"I think we should go. Is Carlisle working?"
"Not unless he picks up overtime. He's been working since five this morning."
"Well, I'll text him maybe.." Bella suggested, "And ask."
"You should." Alice smiled smally and thumbed through a rack of clothes.
By the time they were out the door, Alice had spent nearly four-hundred dollars, mostly on Bella, and a little on herself. As the two of them drove back through the quaint little center of town past an oversized evergreen, Alice pointed to it.
"There it is," she gushed. "I really want to go. The local kids sing Christmas carols, there are vendors, people gather.. it's fun." She turned down the music, "Did Carlisle text you back?"
Bella glanced at the phone in her hands. Not yet."
"Hmm.." Alice turned the music back up and smirked.
"What?" Bella asked.
Alice shrugged. "Nothing." She cruised her VW Beetle back down the windy backroads that finally led to the incognito driveway that snaked back into the woods.
When she killed the engine Alice just stared for a second. "I love this house," she expressed aloud to no one in particular.
Bella laughed and glanced down when her phone buzzed in her hand as Alice rubbernecked to see who was calling.
"Carlisle said he's in."
"He's in?" Alice asked.
"For the tree lighting."
"Oh," Alice said simply and the more enthusiastically, "Oh!" She turned to Bella and reached for her hand before making it a point to tone it down. "That's great."
"Yeah.." Bella made a face but managed a little grin.
Alice stared at her for a minute, still grinning before refocusing on the bags in the back seat. "Let's get these clothes upstairs." She reached for a cute winter hat with a fluffy ball at the top that sat at the top of the bag. "You should wear this tonight."
"Yeah we'll see." Bella laughed and grabbed a few bags, trailing Alice to the house.
..
It was five-thirty and Alice eyed her watch. "Where is he?" She motioned to a clock on the wall, "The tree lighting is at six. There's no way we're going to make it. He's not answering my texts."
Bella subtly snuck in a quick text to Carlisle: Hey, Alice is worried. Are you going to make it?
Almost immediately a text came back from Carlisle: Pulling down the driveway.
Alice heard the nearly-silent buzz from Bella's phone and turned to face her. "Is that him?"
"He's pulling down the driveway," Bella explained.
"Burn," Emmett said to Alice as he secured a winter hat down over his ears. "Carlisle totally blew you off but answered Bella."
Jasper and Rosalie both chuckled and a few seconds later headlights rolled over the front of the house. Within seconds Carlisle burst in the door with his hands up, ready to apologize.
"It's fine," Alice assured him with a smile. "I know you're busy saving people all day."
Carlisle smiled back and looked around at all of them gathered in the living room. "Give me a minute. I'll be right down."
It was actually less than a minute when Carlisle came back down the stairs donning jeans a navy blue quarter-zip that suited him. He reached for his jacket on a hook by the door and pulled a navy blue hat on to match so his blond hair stuck out just a bit from the sides and back.
Bella looked at him for an extra long moment and then turned to see both Alice and Jasper smirking as they looked at her.
"Let's just hop in your Jeep, Em," Rosalie suggested. "Can we all fit?"
"I don't mind driving," Carlisle offered. He twirled his keys around his finger once.
"Great," Alice said. "I guess the four of us will go in the Jeep and you cam go with Bella?"
Bella nodded. "Sure." She looked at Carlisle. "If that's okay."
"Of course." Carlisle led her to his car as the others piled into Emmett's.
It was a short ride into town. After a short bout of silence Bella spoke. "I'm glad you could come. It's nice to be with.. everyone."
"I didn't know if I would have to stay at the hospital or not," Carlisle explained. "But it's been a long time since we've done anything like this.. or me at least."
"Well I'm glad you could come." Bella immediately glanced out the window as she said that.
"Mmm.." Carlisle half-smiled. He found a parking space beside the town green as Emmett parallel-parked across the street.
The high school choir was already belting out Christmas carols as you and Carlisle met up with the rest of them on the sidewalk beside the green. It felt warm to be together with everyone as Alice led the way through the little crowd toward the giant tree. She eyed her watch again. It was three minutes until the tree lighting was supposed to start.
"Felt like a long day today," Carlisle said to Bella as they settled in a spot beside the tree.
"Was work busy?" She cringed at her question. It was a hospital. Of course it was busy.
"We had patients all day," Carlisle explained. "Normally the hours pass so fast.."
The choir transitioned from The Little Drummer Boy to Silent Night and Bella glanced toward them and smiled before returning her gaze back to Carlisle.
"Did something happen?" Bella asked him. "At work?"
Carlisle shook his head. "Nothing out of the ordinary. This is just a nice break from it all."
"Yeah, I know you've been working a lot."
"I almost forgot what things like this felt like." He looked down and back up toward the tree before settling his eyes on Bella.
"Yeah, me too." She nodded and looked up at the tree as the crowd started a ten second countdown. She waited a few seconds before turning back toward Carlisle, who was still staring in her direction. He quickly cleared his throat, adjusted his hat and looked up at the tree.
He looks handsome in that hat, Bella thought to herself as Carlisle's blond locks snuck out the bottom of the fabric.
"Three, two, one!" The crowd chanted and just like that the tree was illuminated with pale yellow lighting. The residents of town all collectively clapped and cheered. Alice let out a whistle, and Emmett and Rosalie shared a kiss.
As the crowd settled down a bit, the choir could be heard again and people began to wander around to little booths with hot chocolate and other little Christmas nick-knacks that people could buy as stocking stuffers while helping one fundraiser or another.
Bella and Carlisle trailed the group as they strolled around the green past little booths filled with teenagers and grownups, alike.
"Would you like to buy some ornaments to support the Special Olympics?" A girl of about fourteen shouted from behind a plank of wood.
Alice was the first to jump on it. She whipped out a fifty dollar bill and made the girl's eyes widened as if she had never seen one before.
"I'll just take these two," Alice said, retrieving s pair of turtle doves. "Keep the change." She smiled and handed one of the birds to Jasper before peppering one of his cheeks with kisses.
Carlisle laughed. When the same girl asked him he pulled out a one-hundred dollar bill. "Why don't you pick your favorites and bring them home to your family members as gifts." He set the bill down on the table. "Merry Christmas." The look on the girl's face was even more awestruck. It made Bella laugh lightly.
She loved this. All of it. The night was cute; cozy. It was certainly uplifting. Bella needed this. She missed this. The epiphany hit her right then that she was not caught in the middle of her family on the reservation and the Cullens. She was a part of two amazing family units - and she needed to stop neglecting her immortal family.
The ache would always remain in heart for Edward. There was nothing that could make it go away. For that she was thankful because it emphasized the meaning and the depth of their relationship; their love for one another. On the same note, the past few weeks made her realize that it was okay to be happy. Bella knew she had to shed the guilt she used to get from smiling or enjoying the moment. In the past, the thought of being around the Cullens felt like one big ball of dread and pain. Now, it felt like a breath of fresh air. The piece of her life's puzzle was sliding back into place.
"It's snowing!" Alice gushed from up ahead. It prompted little cheers from a few children scattered about in the area.
"I miss Nessie being little like that," Bella said, motioning to a few young children triggered with smiles at the newly falling snow. "We didn't get to keep her that way for long."
Carlisle put a hand on her back. "It did feel like the blink of an eye."
"It was." Bella looked at him. "You doing okay?" She didn't know why she asked that, but when Carlisle smiled warmly at her she felt like it was okay.
"Yeah," he said. "I, uh.. I haven't done these types of things in awhile." Carlisle looked around at the festive atmosphere. "And I think I've been missing out." He gave a nod as if to confirm the thought with himself.
"Me, too," Bella told him.
"Maybe that should be our New Year's resolution." He tipped his mouth up in a half-smirk.
"To be happy," Bella agreed with a nod, "And not feel guilty about it."
Carlisle nodded back and they shared a little smile before walking on past the choir.