Chapter 19

"Well that's the last box," Edward says shutting the door with his foot. We had finally moved everything from the apartments and the hotel to the new house. Edward's things are here with mine and Natalie's and I couldn't be happier. I wasn't even overwhelmed like I thought I'd be. The last week had been so busy that I hadn't had time to think about anything else. We spent two days packing my apartment and retrieving the rest of Natalie's things from her apartment. Then we spent another day packing Edward's apartment. All that was left by Friday was to pack the trucks and move. Natalie spent the days we worked in our old building at Esme's house. She even spent the night. Therefore Edward and I spent the night in my old apartment making love.

It seemed the more we touched each other the more we wanted to touch each other. I couldn't keep my hands to myself and he seemed to have the same problem. It was heavenly to have nearly two whole days to explore each other even if we were busy packing and setting things up to be moved. It was fun to have the run of the apartment as well. We knew we wouldn't be back except to load the truck so we took full advantage. The kitchen counters, the bathroom counter, the shower, the living room floor, the front door, all saw action. I have never come so many times in my life let alone those forty hours. It probably would've taken us only a day to get the packing done had we not been so distracted. Neither of us cared. Edward had taken off work for the week so we took advantage.

Now we had a lot of unpacking to do but Natalie had already started on that for us. She was unloading boxes as they came in the house. She, Alice and Esme had set up a plan for getting us into the house without a lot of extra work. We packed the truck so that the back of the house was the first group of things brought in then worked our way toward the front of the house. It worked so well. Esme manned the front door and directed traffic while Alice, Natalie and Jamie told the guys where to put the furniture and the rest of us brought in the boxes. Natalie and Jamie unloaded the boxes in Natalie's room. They had her room completely set up before we got the truck unpacked. Alice took care of mine and Edward's room. At least that was the plan because I haven't had time to go look at it. Esme had the living room and dining rooms set up and mostly unpacked so all that was left was the kitchen, which I wanted to do myself. Rose and Emmett, her husband, had helped us with all the moving. Emmett is a hulk of a man and so funny. Natalie seemed a little nervous around him at first but Rose put her fears to rest with a little talk. Before we knew it he and Natalie were best buds. He carried her on his shoulders and she was ordering him around before we set off in different directions. Charlie, Jasper and some guys from the precinct were there to help us as well. It hadn't taken long to load the truck and most of Edward's stuff fit in the back of one of his fellow officer's trucks. He was selling some of his furniture and the rest was being put into the extra bedroom. We took a while to unload the truck but only because we were setting the furniture up as we went. Carlisle showed up about halfway into the unpacking and jumped right into action. Charlie went to get us pizza while we finished bringing in the kitchen and living room boxes.

The last box was full of dishes. We still had a house full of people but the rooms looked ready to live in. I couldn't have been happier. I looked around the room and saw that most of the guys were eating while the women were still sweeping and folding up empty boxes. "Okay, ladies. That's enough. Time to eat! Before these guys eat it all," I say loudly. Rose, Esme, Alice and I grab plates and an entire box of pizza to take to the living room. Natalie and Jamie are seated in the floor on a blanket having a little picnic. "Mom, the house looks pretty good. Don't you think?" she asks.

"Yes, baby. You four did a great job today. I'm very proud of you."

"Thank you. Did you see my room? Jamie and I have it done!" she says proudly.

"I just caught a glimpse but you can show me in just a bit."

Edward comes to sit by me in the living room. He sits on the arm of the chair I'm sitting in. "I can't believe how much is done already. Thank you so much Mom, Alice. Well thanks really to everyone."

They all just shake their heads and rebuff our thanks. We have a great group of friends and family.

We chat and eat before everyone asks what else can be done. Edward and I walk through the house and make sure there isn't any furniture we need to relocate before telling everyone that they are free to go. We thank them all individually as they head out. Charlie is the only one staying. I set about unpacking the kitchen while Edward goes to the guest room and Charlie plays with Natalie in the living room. I can see them from the kitchen so I catch myself stopping what I'm doing to watch them play. Before I know it I have unpacked the last box and am standing in a completed kitchen. Edward comes to help me break down the boxes and take them out to the garage.

"Bella, this is it. We are officially moved in," he says smiling.

I move to him and he wraps his arms around me. "Yep! We are officially living together."

He kisses the top of my head and I tilt my face up so he'll kiss me on the lips. Our little impromptu make out session is interrupted by a certain little blonde haired girl. "Mom, Dad! Are you going to stay out here all night kissing?"

Edwards rests his chin on my head and I can feel his smile as he looks to our daughter. "Well, I don't know. It's pretty nice out here."

"Um, no, it's not; this is the garage. The house is way better. Come inside, I want to show mom my room," she says with enough attitude that I can picture her hand on her hip even though I can't see her.

"We'll be right in honey," I say chuckling.

She says okay and goes back into the house. I squeeze my arms around Edward and sigh. He kisses my head again and lets me go. "She is getting bossy," he says with a laugh.

"She is. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not just yet," I say thinking out loud, "I mean on one hand she is comfortable with us now but I don't want that to turn into permanent attitude."

"Maybe you should talk to Angela about it," he offers.

We head inside and Natalie takes me by the hand to her room. She and Jamie have made her bed, put away all her clothes and toys and even placed the wall decorations on the floor by the wall she wants them hung on. I call Edward to come hang them for her. Her room is decorated in emoji's with a pink and yellow background. The walls were already a light pink so we didn't have to paint. She has new bedding and furniture. Nothing fancy but she picked it out on her own. She looked all over the furniture store until she found what she wanted. She looked at pink super-girly stuff and at more grown up solid wood stuff until she decided to get an iron and brass bed frame and a solid oak dresser. The dresser was long with nine drawers and had been painted black. The bed was full size, black with brass knobs on the posts and a scroll style detail on the headboard and footboard. She said that way she could grow into it. We took her to pick out her bedding which was much faster. She loved the emoji themed bedding and got lots of pillows shaped like different emoji's.

"This looks great Nat, you guys did a great job," Charlie said as he walked in the room.

"Grampa Charlie, you know a gnat is a bug, right?" she says chucking a pillow at him. He acts like it knocks him down and she breaks into a full belly laugh.

"That's quite an arm you have there," Charlie says holding his shoulder as if it were sore. She just laughs more. The sound of her laughter means so much more to me that she'll ever know. It is so carefree and easy. I wipe the tear that is threatening to fall from my eye and make eye contact with Edward who is watching my father and our daughter play as well. We both have the same look on our face. Amazement? Wonder? I don't know but this is exactly what we were brought together to do. This little girl was born to be our child. I can feel it in my bones and I know he feels the same way.

Charlie picks himself up from the floor and catches the look on our faces. He smiles and nods to me acknowledging the unspoken feelings in the room. Natalie, never one to miss a thing, notices too. "Mom, I think I am gonna like it here," she sings in tune with the song from Annie. I laugh but totally agree. I hug her.

We decide to take a walk through the neighborhood and take Natalie to play at the park. Since it is early evening we see a lot of our new neighbors outside. Some make a point to wave while others walk up and introduce themselves. Natalie met a few children and found out that they would be in the same school. There were a few girls and a boy who are in the same grade. Natalie was a little shy but she introduced herself and was very polite. When we got to the park it was full of kids. She headed for the swings and played by herself for a bit. Edward decided to get her up and moving by starting a game of tag with her. Before long she was giggling and they had about half the kids chasing Edward. He had a beautiful smile on his face while he dramatically fell to the ground when they "caught" him. He bowed out of the next round and the kids played on. Natalie found a couple of girls to team up with and they helped her chase down a tall boy with light brown hair. He seemed to blush when she came near him and she was more giggly when he talked to her. Edward noticed as well.

"Oh no, already?" he said when she started toeing at the dirt while he animatedly told her something that seemed quite important.

"Well, she is the new kid and she's pretty amazing, it was only a matter of time until someone other than us noticed," I said quoting something my dad had said to me when I was twelve. I had been very shy and didn't want too much attention but a certain boy at school had caught my eye and I was surprised when I found out he liked me too.

"Yeah, I guess you are correct. We are still a ways away from boyfriends and that crap though, right?"

"God, I hope so," I said seriously, "I mean she is only nine."

We played until just before dark and headed back home. Natalie took a shower and got ready for bed while Edward and Charlie got the guest room set up. I was in the master bedroom putting away clothes when Natalie poked her head in the door. "Mommy, I'm ready for bed," she said.

"Okay, come here for a minute," I say motioning for her to come sit on my lap. She quickly tip toes over and plops down on my crossed legs. I wrap her in my arms and kiss the top of her head. "I love you," I say.

"I love you too."

We sit in silence for a minute when she asks, "mommy, what was that look you were giving daddy in my room earlier? It was different from your lovey dovey looks you guys give each other all the time."

I chuckle. "Yeah, I figured you picked up on that. You are way too observant," I say, "I was just thinking about how perfectly things work out sometimes. Like that sometimes things were meant to be a certain way and we couldn't plan them even if we tried."

She turns her head and looks up at me. "You mean like how you, me, and daddy are meant to be a family?"

I smile, "Yes baby, just like that. 'How' we found each other really sucks and what had to happen but we were meant to find each other."

"I think you are right. I think you were the mommy that God wanted me to have," she says looking down at her hands, "Is that terrible of me?"

"No baby, I don't think it is. Your mommy loved you the only way she knew how but I think you are right. God had a different plan for us both," I say trying not to cry.

Edward appears and before he realizes the seriousness of the conversation he is interrupting he tackles us and starts kissing our faces. We both giggle and try to wiggle out of his tickling fingers. We hop up and run to her room where we hide behind her bed. He tracks us down and then pretends like he can't find us. Natalie covers her mouth to muffle the giggles she is barely containing. I fall more in love with Edward in that moment. When he finds us he scoops Natalie up and rocks her in his arms like a baby before dropping her on her bed. "It is bedtime my little munchkin," he announces.

She starts throwing all the emoji pillows to the floor and wiggles under her covers where I tuck her in tightly. We each kiss her on the cheek at the same time and she giggles. "I love you munchkin," Edward says. She responds with a very serious "I love you too, daddy." When he leaves the room she smiles and nods at me.

"God is a smart man," she says. I can't help but agree with her.