CourtShip

By Esme Incognito

Inspired by Stephenie Meyers' Twilight series. No infringement intended.

Posted 12/7/14


Story Summary

In cleaning out a house, sorting through a lifetime of memories and possessions, she happens upon the journals, his and her stories of how it all began: a 50th anniversary, a graduation trip, a cruise that set them on a new course. AH 20-something Bella & Edward. A little angst, but mostly fluffy, romantic fun.


A/N

Thanks to Maplestyle, mo kagen, Naerts, sh8svgrey, and Just4Me for your reviews of chapter 5. I'm glad to know at least 5 people like this story! Does anyone else? I'd love to hear from you.


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CHAPTER 6 – Put to Sea

we headed home for some well-needed rest. Tomorrow would be another long, hard day of packing away the evidence of the beautiful life they'd built together.

OK, I couldn't wait! Mom and I were both anxious to know what Grandpa had to say about the day they met, so I switched on the light on my phone and read the next chapter from his journal aloud in the car as Mom drove.

At first, she teased me about reading with a deeper voice than normal—it was HIS chapter, after all! But when we realized what he'd written, straight away in the first paragraph, we both sobered and took it more seriously. It was so very special and heartfelt… and prophetic, given 50 years' hindsight.

I read aloud…

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His Journal

Day 3: Cabo San Lucas

It's funny to look back at what I wrote just last night—the frustration I felt at Pops' assurance that I'd just "know" when the right girl came along—because I think I've found her. Could it have been only 24 hours ago that I felt so lonely and so hopeless, because right now I can't contain my smile. I feel as though my heart will pound out of my chest; like I can't get enough air in my lungs. I'm grateful and hopeful and happy and oh, so excited.

Today was great, but tonight… tonight I met Isabella Swan, and I don't think I'll ever be the same.

Today was fun. La Familia de Cullen descended upon Cabo San Lucas. We took a water taxi (2 actually) over to a beautiful beach.

Aunt Charlotte had thought ahead and reserved a room at one of the big waterfront resorts, so we could all hang out at their pools, use their beach cabanas, and so the littles could go up to the room for naps. It was also a good way to escape the swarms of vendors on the public part of the beach.

After doing some body surfing with Emmett, I got in the pool and played with the kids. Janie loved it when I picked her up and threw her into the water. She was squealing with delight, so a bunch of cousins started climbing up me, begging me to throw them in, too—over and over again. It was fun until one of them stomped a tiny foot right into my nuts. Ouch—time for a break in the grown up pool.

They had a bar you could swim right up to, so I ordered a beer and sat on a submerged stool for some alone-time.

That lasted about two minutes. Uncle Garrett swam up and started talking to me. It was great until he started pointing out girls that I should approach. Maybe it was just an excuse for him to check out some girls in bikinis without Aunt Kate yelling at him. For some reason, I didn't really find any of them that attractive. I think I just needed some down-time.

I love my family, but being around ALL of them for 3 days straight has been exhausting. I've gotten used to a little more privacy while I've been away at school.

It wasn't in the cards, though. We went back to the ship en masse, had dinner en masse, and went to a show in the theatre en masse.

And then I met Miss Bella Swan. (I smile every time I think her name.)

We were crawling along with the big crowd trying to leave the "Musical Extravaganza," when I saw her—my brown eyed beauty— five or six feet ahead in the crowd. It was mostly my own family between us so I was able to maneuver myself into position directly behind her. The crowd shuffled forward a few more steps as I tried to think of the right words to say to her.

Carlisle leaned in to quietly offer some words of advice. "Just say hi," he offered sagely, so I did. And that's when I made my first mistake.

It's a miracle that Bella talked to me at all. Bella… Beauty… what a perfect name. I'd been calling her my "brown eyed beauty" since I first saw her.

Anyway, with the horrible first impression I made, (and the second, and the third) I'm surprised she didn't run away from me, screaming.

First, I touched her and made her jump and spill her special drink. The sound she made was horrible—a yelp to rival the time I rolled over Jake's paw in my roller blades when I was 12. I thought I scared her. I thought maybe she'd been abused or the victim of a crime that made her wary of men or something.

God, did Mom teach me nothing? Never, ever touch a woman without her permission, she's always said. Stupid, Edward!

Then, when I found out that it was pain from a sunburn instead of fear that made her jump, I was relieved, happy. Glad to hurt her? What an ass!

And then for the rest of the night, I kept making these sexual innuendos and creepy suggestions. I didn't mean to, it's just like there was no filter between my head (either of them) and my mouth. She's so sexy, I couldn't… think.

Somehow she was able to see past my idiocy, my insensitivity, and my crudeness. She's got a great sense of humor and even played me. It's documented in writing:

"I at least owe you another one of these… screaming orgasms.

Here, can you hold this?

I think if I just push here and jiggle this a little… there, it slides right in.

Really, let me give you another… screaming orgasm.

Come on…

Actually, I think we could both use one… screaming orgasm.

What's your pleasure?" …a screaming orgasm.

God, could I put my foot into my mouth any further? Accidentally offering orgasms to a complete stranger who happens to be absolutely gorgeous? Nope, you can't get much sleazier than that.

I thought it appropriate to introduce myself, at the very least. And then I'd leave her, humiliated, tail between my legs, and attempt to avoid her for the rest of the cruise. But that's not what happened. Instead, her laughter and my supreme embarrassment seemed to break the ice.

She admitted that she'd been watching me almost as much as I'd been watching her. She knew my name. She'd made observations about my family. She seemed to know so much about me, and yet we'd just met.

Bella is incredible. Talking to her was easy, comfortable. Conversation flowed. We finished each other's sentences, laughed at each other's jokes before reaching the punch line. We had so much in common, and learned that we share similar values.

I even liked her friends, and could see how the three of them fit together. Jessica, the bold one, pushes her. Angela, the wise one, keeps her grounded. And Bella complements both of them perfectly in her own way.

We were getting along great, and then I had to go and suggest we sit in the hot tub. Cue 70s porno music. Jeez, Edward, you were doing so well! I honestly just wanted to suggest a way to help ease her sunburn, and when I explained that, she laughed and teased me about wanting to see her in a bikini.

How does she do that? She puts me at ease every time I screw up. She calms me when I start to feel nervous.

We talked for almost an hour in the hot tub. It was easy, comfortable. I felt like we'd known each other forever, and each turn in the conversation was just revealing a little more about this best friend I'd never met before.

And then she got hot. Heh—yeah, she's hot! But I mean she got physically hot from the hot tub. And then she was out of the water, sitting on the edge, dripping wet. Holy shit! Talk about revealing a little more. The bikini she wore this time was black, with little… frilly… something. I don't know, whatever! She was fricking glorious.

All coherent thought left my brain as I watched water droplets roll down over her… Oh, man, I'm in trouble! I fought hard to maintain control, to keep my eyes on her face instead of her chest, the curve of her waist, her long legs as she slowly kicked them back and forth in the steaming, frothy water.

I managed to pull it together and was rewarded with more engaging conversation. Her beauty and sexiness aside, I really like Bella. She's kind and thoughtful, quirky and funny, interesting and so very perceptive. She really "gets" me, knows exactly what I mean, and laughs when I'm trying to be funny.

I could have talked all night. Instead, I walked her to her room. Everything inside me screamed, "touch her, kiss her, rub that lotion on her back," but I was a gentleman. I want so much more than to touch her, to kiss her. And for that, I'm willing to wait.

Hopefully, not for too long.

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Marie

I covered my face with my hands during the last part about how he "wanted" her. I was so embarrassed and humiliated to read that (and the screaming Os—AGAIN) out loud with my mother!

She pulled my hands down and held them in one of hers. "Honey," she said, keeping her eyes on the road, "neither you nor I would be here if they hadn't found each other attractive, desired each other, and fallen in love. It's how the world works, what we're meant to do as human beings. Stories like this are what fill all the books and movies. But this particular story is a special gift for you, because it's their real live love story. It's what led to me. "

"Your dad and I have our own story that led to you. And someday, you'll have a love story, too. You'll meet someone who makes your heart flutter, who wakes up your body and mind in ways that are making you uncomfortable now, someone who grabs your attention and causes you to stumble over your words or over your feet, someone who makes you giddy and excited and clumsy and stupid for a little while because you're so overwhelmed and anxious at just the thought of him. Someday you'll fall in love, Honey."

Then, I guess she saw this as an opportunity to have "a talk." She started talking about how I need to be comfortable enough with myself to say it (the "o" word) and to try it, so that when the time comes, I'll be able to talk with a man about what pleases me. I just wanted to crawl into a hole and hide. To make things worse, she started talking about the importance of finding a man who gives before he takes and other such things. This was my MOTHER! Talking about SEX! I've whispered about those things with my roommate and a couple of super-close friends at school, but never with Mom, and never so open and matter-of-factly.

Thank goodness we'd arrived home. I felt like any more of that conversation would make me die from embarrassment.

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A/N

I'd love to hear your thoughts...

Thanks,
Jen

Cullen Family Cruisers – 2014:

Great Grandma Didi (Pops' mom)

Pops & Nanny (Afton & Renata)

Liam (48) & Siobhan – Emmett (13) & Rosalie (9)

Garrett (45) & Kate – Alec & Jane (6), Chelsea (8)

Esme (42) & Carlisle – Edward (23) & Alice (12)

Peter (36) & Charlotte – Stefan (7), Lucy (5), & Jasper (2)