CourtShip
By Esme Incognito
Inspired by Stephenie Meyers' Twilight series. No infringement intended.
Posted 2/20/14
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
Sorry to keep you waiting. Marie hasn't been speaking to me.
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CHAPTER 7-Day 4: Cabo/Parasailing – Make Headway
Marie
Thank goodness we'd arrived home. I felt like any more of that conversation with Mom would make me die from embarrassment.
I huffed in aggravation as the handle pulled far too easily and I banged my shoulder painfully against the unyielding metal and glass. I was desperate to get out, but the locked door refused to grant me escape from Mom's humiliating turn of conversation until she'd casually, slowly shifted the car into park, releasing the automatic locks with a "thunk." I jumped out as soon as humanly possible, snatched my box from the back seat, and rushed into the house, meeting my dad in the doorway.
"Hi Princess. How's it going?" His voice was dull, tired, down, like we all felt, but he offered comfort nonetheless.
I brushed past him with a slight shake of my head, barely meeting his eye. I didn't mean to be rude, it was just all too much—the entire day had been awash with emotion. I was reeling from the loss itself, of course. I'd never experienced the death of anyone close to me before and this had been so sudden, so shocking. That had caused a heavy ache that gnawed at the emptiness I felt inside even before I'd set foot in their house. The house had been a minefield of memories itself, the most random and unexpected items causing tears to surface, anguish to reach out and grab ahold of me. Add to that the physical labor of lugging all those boxes of books, the incredible high of reading their love story and the regretful low of realizing what a fool I'd been to take my grandparents' affection for granted until now, when it was too late. With all that keeping me on the edge of tears all day long, Mom's embarrassing advice about love and sex brought me to my breaking point.
Dad stepped aside, eyes widened, and let me pass with my burdens—the physical one as well as the weight I carried inside—and I rushed up the stairs.
As I rounded the landing, I paused, ashamed. After dealing with lawyers and realtors and insurance agents all day, trying to sort through the masses of paperwork and bureaucracy, he didn't deserve to be treated that way.
"Daddy, I…" I turned and looked back to apologize, but his attention had turned. Mom had melted into his arms, the strength and fortitude she'd shown all day (well, almost) leaving her as soon as she could rely on his to carry them both. I watched, looking more closely than I had in the past, truly seeing as he held her close, rocking back and forth, petting her hair, murmuring in her ear. When she lifted her head and looked into his eyes, hers heavy with pain, his overflowing with tenderness, I could see it, actually see it! That was love.
The feelings of inadequacy, inexperience, and self-pity that had manifested in my tired, downtrodden brain when Mom spoke of physical love; the feelings of hopelessness and loneliness that had crept in when I read my grandparents' tale of romance, suddenly all went away.
With a wistful smile, I turned and tiptoed up the stairs, collapsing on top of my bed after grabbing the journals from my box of Grandma and Grandpa's things. Despite my exhaustion—physical and emotional—I was eager to continue with their love story.
I read…
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Her Scrapbook
What a wonderful start to a wonderful day! First thing this morning as we were getting ready to meet the rest of our parasailing group, we heard a knock on the door. Angela answered and sang "Bella, it's for you!" She pulled the door open wide, and there was Edward standing there. He had come to escort me up to breakfast. (sigh).
When we got there, he stayed at the table to watch our stuff while the girls and I went through the buffet, delaying his own breakfast until we'd returned.
My friends were giggling about how thoughtful he is when Mike and his buddies showed up. What a contrast. They were loud and boisterous—kind of obnoxious, actually. Tyler even grabbed Edward's stuff off the bench next to me and moved it to one of the chairs so he could take the more comfortable banquette seat for himself—jerk! Then, all during breakfast and on the tender over to Cabo, he kept interrupting and trying to pull me into the most random side conversations that were completely unrelated to anything the group was talking about it. I think Edward could tell that I was uncomfortable. I'd told him about Tyler trying to dance with me a little too closely the other night.
Edward was so sweet. He kept trying to put himself between Tyler and me, he offered his hand to help me up into the boat, he put his hand on my back as we walked, and he carried my beach bag—my pink and white striped, Victoria's Secret beach bag! When we caught a brief moment alone, he invited me to have dinner with him tonight, saying that we should have a more official first date. Yay!
We got to the parasailing boat and Edward asked how my sunburn was feeling. He was worried about the parasailing harness bothering it, but his "cure" had worked wonders. I felt fine. Just as he was digging some sunscreen out of his bag, offering to put it on my back, Tyler appeared out of nowhere and asked me to put some lotion on him. Really? This dude needs to chill.
I grabbed my spray-on sunscreen and gave his back a quick spritz—no way was I going to touch him. He scowled at Edward who was rubbing lotion on my shoulders and gave me a sarcastic thanks before scuttling off to his buddies. I don't know what his problem was, and I was enjoying the feeling of Edward's hands on my back too much to worry about Tyler.
The parasailing itself was fantastic, exhilarating. I felt like I was flying, wind in my face, high above the water with gorgeous views in every direction as the speedboat tugged me, tethered like a kite to its tail end. Wow! It was amazing, and it ended way too soon.
When everyone else had gone, it was Edward's turn, but he offered it to me. He'd paid for it, but insisted that I go up again, since I'd enjoyed it so much. Jessica joked that this was the college age version of going under the bleachers to look up a girl's skirt—ha! Edward seemed kind of uncomfortable when I tried to refuse. I think he might be afraid of heights or something, so I took his turn. It was so much fun!
Angela said she got a really good picture of me, but I haven't seen it. Our phones don't work on the ship, so she used her regular camera and I haven't looked yet.
Parasailing was awesome! I'm so glad we did it!
The boat dropped us off at a gorgeous beach that's a ways away from the downtown where we were yesterday. We all went to an outdoor restaurant that's right on the beach for lunch. It had a fun party atmosphere with loud music and plentiful beer and margaritas. But I really just wanted to get to know Edward better and it was hard to talk there, so after we finished eating, I told the girls I'd meet them back on the ship and Edward and I went walking on the beach.
It was warm and beautiful and the conversation was great. It usually takes a while for me to feel comfortable with people, but not with Edward. He's so easy to talk to!
The only downside to a lovely afternoon was the constant interruption by vendors selling things on the beach. I have to admit, though, that I'm getting better at negotiating. I bought a necklace that I love and talked the guy down to just over half of what he originally asked for it.
He tried to sell me the matching ring and bracelet, too, but I didn't want to spend all my cash, even though I kind of wanted the ring. We have a whole day in Puerto Vallarta tomorrow, and I'm sure there will be opportunities for shopping there.
Edward bought a brightly colored striped blanket and laid it on the sand so we could sit and watch the waves together.
We talked about our families and our plans after school. He's just starting med school in the fall, so he's still got awhile. When I saw his Dartmouth duffle bag this morning, I resigned myself to the fact that this cruise would probably be it for this… fling or whatever it is we're doing. But then he told me that he's starting at Stanford in the fall and that he just moved out here to start an internship at San Francisco General.
! ! !
That. Changes. Everything. He lives right across the bay from me—an hour away—and his job is halfway in between! I had to really struggle to control my reaction to that news. I wanted to start jumping up and down, screaming. My mind was spinning with excitement, but I played it cool, not wanting to come across as a silly fangirl. I just smiled and offered to show him around the Bay Area sometime, (setting the stage to see him after the cruise, I hope!)
We had a really nice dinner. Early this morning, before we left for parasailing Edward had made reservations at the fancy restaurant on the top deck of the ship. I didn't even know it was there. The large, formal dining room where I've had dinner every other night is very nice, but this was a lot more private… intimate… I felt like it was just the two of us.
Edward is really incredible. He's intelligent and accomplished in so many things, yet he's humble and grateful for all the opportunities he's had. He's kind, and generous, and friendly, yet reserved. He's confident, but not arrogant; and he's patient, helpful without being condescending. He puts you at ease, makes you feel good about yourself, about being with him. He's got a wicked, wry wit, but doesn't tell jokes at others' expense. He loves his crazy-big family, loves kids—he wants to be a pediatrician—but he also appreciates quiet, contemplation, solitude. He doesn't find it necessary to fill in every silence with meaningless drivel.
Each thing he says, matters. And to each thing I said, he listened, somehow—whether through attention to body language or facial expression or maybe mind reading—somehow picking up on the things that were not said but were often deeply felt. I've known the guy for 24 hours, yet he knows things about me that no one else does. I've never felt a connection like this with anyone. Not my parents, not my closest friends… only Edward Cullen.
And he's so freaking gorgeous on top of it all! (fanning self)
Anyway, dinner was fantastic. We continued our "first official date" with (very cliché) a movie. Every night on the cruise they line up all the deck chairs in rows facing a giant screen that hangs from the balcony overlooking the main pool. They make popcorn and provide blankets while they play classic movies. Last night they had a Bond marathon. I don't know if there was a theme tonight, but we ended up seeing Top Gun.
I saw Jen there, the lady we met at breakfast the first day. She said that this movie was from back when Tom Cruise was cool, and all the girls loved him. She told me a story about her friends all trying to sneak in to see Risky Business in 8th grade. He was kinda cute, I guess. Too bad he turned into such a weirdo.
Not that I watched much of the movie. I couldn't stop thinking about Edward. He was sitting right next to me with our lounge chairs pushed close together, sharing a blanket. I was so tempted to put my head on his shoulder, my hand on his thigh under that blanket. High up on his thigh. Maybe the inside of his thigh. But, I kept my hands outside and held our bag of popcorn instead.
Still, I couldn't focus on the movie much at all. I felt kind of tingly and fluttery and short of breath just being near him, and my thoughts kept wandering to things I'd learned about him, things I wanted to learn about him. I wondered if he felt the same way. I kept glancing at him during the movie, staring at his hands, his lips, his profile, his hair blowing in the slight breeze. He caught me couple of times, making me look away and blush. Busted!
We finished our popcorn, and when Edward leaned away to set the bag down next to his chair, the blanket got all messed up. He fixed it over the two of us, scooting closer so that our shoulders touched and he grasped my hand in his—underneath the blanket this time.
I gave him a sideways glance, smiled, and leaned into him, too. I didn't quite lay my head down on his shoulder, but I did rest my cheek against it. His polo shirt was really soft. Must have been expensive. Every once in awhile during the movie, his thumb caressed the top of mine.
During the love scene he squeezed my hand and squirmed a little bit. His breaths deepened. My heart was racing, too. It was kind of uncomfortable—for both of us, probably—so I said something to break through the tension in the air between us as we watched the couple on the screen making love. I asked him if he knew that the actress is a lesbian in real life.
It worked. Edward laughed and said that she was a better actress than he'd thought. Ha ha—good comeback! So, Edward's one of those people who always thinks of the right thing to say at the right moment. I usually think of a perfect response hours later while I'm lying in bed!
After the movie, we strolled around one of the upper decks, looking at the ocean. It was so beautiful with the moon reflecting off the water. But it was a little windy. When Edward noticed that I had goose bumps, he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. I trembled a little at his touch and he must have thought I was really cold, because he stopped walking, leaned against the railing, rubbed my upper arms until the goose bumps went away, and then pulled me into a hug.
He asked me if that was ok, which I thought was oddly old-fashioned but kind of sweet. The words "of course" had barely left my lips, when he bent his face down close to mine and gazed into my eyes. I thought he was going to kiss me, but he didn't. I wanted him to kiss me, but he DIDN'T!
A gust of wind blew my hair into my face, and he combed it back along my temples with his fingers, leaving his hands there, gently holding my face. Then he leaned his face in close again. The tip of his tongue poked out and he moistened his lips. His eyes darted to my mouth and when they returned to my gaze, they were filled with longing. He took a quavering breath just as I tilted my chin up and puckered my lips against his. He returned the kiss-slow and ever-so-soft. My fingers curled, squeezing the sides of his waist as he gave me a second kiss, this one quicker and firmer, and then rested his forehead against mine.
After a couple of deep breaths, we looked at each other and smiled. Edward pressed his lips together, his eyes gleaming with joy. I bit my bottom lip and giggled. Then he shifted his body lower against the railing behind him. He's really tall, 9 inches taller than I am, so I stretched my arms up around his neck, making it easier to reach up and kiss him. One of us moaned. The other gasped as we dove into each other, our lips meeting frantically, almost violently. Kissing, over and over again, hard, fast, wet.
I released my jaw, opening up and inviting his warm tongue into my mouth. He obliged with a groan and raised a hand to the back of my head as the other tightened around my waist. I pressed my body against his and gripped the back of his shirt as our lips kneaded against each other, tongues danced, never parting for more than a quick moment to catch a breath.
I was a bit preoccupied and didn't notice anyone had approached us until Edward suddenly stiffened and pulled away. He buried his face in my shoulder, catching his breath and shaking his head "no." He stood up tall and nudged me behind him with a hand on my hip before yelling at his cousin Emmett, telling him to go away. The boy left with his friends, taunting Edward as they did, and Edward turned and apologized to me. He was furious and frustrated. I kissed him, told him it was ok, and asked him to walk me back to my room.
We shared another kiss, this one soft and sweet, at my door. As soon as it shut, I jumped up and down, danced around the room, and spun in circles. I looked in the mirror, fingers against my lips that still tingled with Edward's kisses.
And then I grabbed my journal and climbed into bed.
I know I'm writing a lot. How could I ever sleep? I'm so excited. And I don't want to forget a single minute of today: my first day—my first KISS—with Edward Cullen! I hope there will be many, many more.
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Marie:
I rolled to my back with a grin. Oh, what I wouldn't give for such a romantic first kiss!
I imagined the two young lovers holding each other close, exchanging one quick kiss after another and smiling each time their lips parted for more than a moment.
The image in my mind of the young Bella and Edward in the photographs kept switching back and forth with a vision of the Bella and Edward I'd always known—Grandma and Grandpa—still kissing, but with much, much older faces and bodies, frumpier clothes, more relaxed smiles...
I'd seen them kissing so many times and had always been embarrassed, disgusted, or even horrified to the point of trying to sneak away and pretend I didn't know them, depending on the audience for their ardor.
My mind's eye changed its picture to the young couple and I began to accept how very special their connection was, at any age—maybe even more so after they'd spent decades together.
With a wistful sigh for a love I'd never be able to witness again, I set the book aside, retrieved my pajamas from the dresser drawer, and made my way to the bathroom.
I looked at myself with a critical eye in the mirror as I brushed my teeth, turning my head and pulling my face into different angles and positions. I realized how much I looked like Bella had at my age, kind of astounded at my resemblance to the girl in the old photos.
I looked up after spitting out the toothpaste and puckered my lips into a kiss, trying to imagine what it would be like to have a handsome man to receive it. I opened my eyes and grimaced at my reflection.
Yeah, right. Like that's ever going to happen.
Yanking my hair up into a sloppy pony tail, I turned, chagrined, and left those hopeful thoughts behind.
I grabbed my laptop off the desk and climbed into bed, sitting up against the headboard. I reached for the book on my nightstand, blushing at the memory of what I'd seen in another nightstand that day.
Shaking off that thought, I flipped through the pages, stopping to look at photos of their first day together—floating in a parachute high above a motorboat full of their friends, holding salt-rimmed margarita glasses aloft in a toast, posing with a giant iguana on their shoulders… I looked a little closer at one shot of the two of them on a beautiful white sand beach. Could that be… ?
A/N
I hope you liked their first date. Would love to hear your first date stories. Please leave a review & tell me all about the good, the bad, and the ugly!
Truly, it helps motivate me when you leave a little feedback—even just a word or two. After seeing this sit at the number 57—not even 10 reviews per chapter—for over a month, I was all set to just tell you guys that was it, I was done. WTFamIdoing, a loyal reviewer from The Fantasy Basket, gave me #58 and a little spark that got Marie talking to me for this chapter. Thanks!
