Author's Note:
Hello! So here it is the latest instalment, without further stalling thanks for sticking with me.
Character XXIII – Home
Alice POV
"Jasper?" closing the front door and kicking off my heels, my call was answered not by my husband but by my two year old son. He toddled into the front room, in his pyjamas he flashed me a grin as he came over to me, followed by Jasper with a matching grin.
"Mama" dropping my bag, I knelt down and held out my arms to my baby boy. Zachary ran into my arms, wrapping his arms around my neck as I stood up, lifting him up as Jasper walked out.
"Hey Zach" kissing his forehead, he hugged me and laid his head on my shoulder. Apart from my dark hair and devilishly cute grin, he was the image of his father, said father of my child walked over with a smile.
"Good day?" he asked, kissing me and putting a hand on Zach's head, the smile now directed at him.
"Along one, sorry I'm late. Cara's ex-girlfriend dug up some..." I glanced at my son. "Home videos that could cause some embarrassment, especially considering her new career move, sorry I'm late honey"
"It's fine, dinner's waiting for you in the oven"
"Thanks...isn't it a bit late for you to be up?" my son looked up and gave me that adorable grin of his. "How about we tuck you in and I read you a story" he nodded emphatically and shifting him over to my hip, we walked into his bedroom to get him into bed.
Soon after Zachary was born, we decided that I would return to work whilst he could work from home, using the spare room as a home office. When I gave birth Emmett had been back in New York temporarily and happened to just miss Rosalie every time he came to visit.
On one of the walls in Jasper's office we had postcards from Emmett, alongside a large map spanning most of Asia, Europe and Africa. A year into his soul searching he met a group of charity workers and now he did volunteer work, he had been in India for the past five months and he was due a visit soon for Zachary's third birthday.
Rosalie was doing well or seemed to be doing well, she had been living with Royce for the past two and a half years and she had also been seeing a therapist.
Once Zachary was asleep, I slipped away and Jasper had my diner waiting for me with a glass of wine. Sitting down after giving him a proper kiss, I tucked into the plate of lasagne giving him a sound of approval as I bit into it.
"Babe, maybe I should give the wine a miss" he gave me a look and with a smile, I put down my fork.
"Why?"
"Because, I might be pregnant" I replied and he stared at me, blinking a few times.
"You're pregnant?" he nearly whispered, a smile growing on his face.
"I might be"
"Really?" I nodded.
"I've been having all of the symptoms and so Rose took me get a test and it was positive, but sometimes they're wrong right?"
"Right" he said in agreement but he still smiled widely. "But it could be right too"
"It could be, but I'm going to make an appointment and we'll see if it's right"
"Okay, we might be having another baby" he couldn't stop smiling and neither could I.
"We might be"
~X~X~X~
"Hello?" Jasper answered the landline, whilst I got Zack into his jacket, we were planning to take advantage of my weekend off and go visit Jasper's parents in Philadelphia. "Hi Emmett, hold on a sec she's right here" he handed me the phone and I stood up, letting Jasper zip up Zach's jacket.
"Hey Emmett, how is Delhi?"
"Good, actually I'm coming back. I fly back in a week"
"You are?" I thought you were going to be in India for a few more weeks?" Jasper quirked an eyebrow, as he tugged on Zach's hat and he made sure that his shoe laces were tied.
"My plans changed"
"How come?" he paused a moment and I thought I heard him sniff lightly.
"It's a long story, I wanted to ask if you could help me find a place. Somewhere in Jersey, I have a few requirements but if you find a place I'll send you the money I have no budget"
"Okay vague, nothing else to tell me Em?"
"It's easier to tell you when I see you, I'll be landing back in the us on Saturday so I'll need it sorted by then if that's possible?"
"Send me the details and I'll sort it out"
"Sure, thanks Alice. Say hi to Jasper and Zach for me...and I guess I'll see you soon"
"Yeah, see you" hanging up I looked at my husband and son, Zach buzzing with excited and ready to go as his father gave me a curious look.
"Is Emmett okay?"
"He's coming back, in a week" his eyebrows shot up.
"What happened?"
"He wouldn't...or couldn't say but he said he'd explain when he gets here, all he said was that he needed a new place" Zach came over to impatiently tug at my hand, eager to get going to see his grandparents who always spoilt him.
"Cryptic, we'll find out soon wont we?"
"We will, I just hope he's okay"
"Mama, let's go" Zach whined and chuckling at him, I took his hand and let him lead me to the door, grabbing my coat as I did.
Rosalie POV
"Rosalie, how are you?" asked Jane as I took a seat in her office.
"I'm okay"
"Just okay?" crossing my legs, I nodded and sighed as she leaned forwards.
"Yes"
"How is Royce? Is co-habitation working out for the two of you?" briefly glancing down and scratching my nose, I made a sound of agreement.
"It's going well. It is. He is neat and he cooks, which is always a plus, he is considerable and he is...nice, he is very nice"
"Nice? That sound's lacklustre"
"For the first time, I am in a stable healthy relationship. We are honest and I don't hate him half of the time, he is uncomplicated and good for me" Jane nodded slowly and tapped her notepad with the end of her pen, as she formulated a response.
"Are you happy?"
"I'm settled"
"Okay" she paused and crossed her legs, taking a sip of water before continuing. "Last week you told me that Royce has been hinting at marriage, is that something you feel you're ready for?" averting my eyes, I brushed my hair off of my forehead as I pondered that for a moment, before shaking my head.
"No, I'm not. I don't think I will be either, considering my track record"
"Some caution isn't bad, anything else?" she probed gently.
"There was a time when I thought I would only ever get married once and that would be it for me, and yet here I am discussing a possible third marriage. I loved Emmett...he was my first love and I don't think I can ever forget that. I think a part of me will always love him and how can I marry Royce knowing that?"
"This is progress Rosalie, acknowledging what your issues are and the way you start to move past it is by admitting it. We've come very far and you should be proud of that"
"That's your way of saying figure it yourself right?" Jane gave me that professional smile, as my therapist she gave very little away about herself and apart from she had told me of her own life, I had learned little to nothing about her in the past few years, yet I had been able to decipher some of her expressions. "I'll take that as a yes then"
"Many couple stay together for years and never marry, or marry after having children there are many kinds of relationships so maybe you should think about what will work out for you. The point I'm trying to make is don't define what your relationship should be by other people's relationships"
"Thanks Jane"
"Anytime"
"See you next time" with a smile and a handshake, I left the office and headed home, taking advantage of my Friday off by cosying up on the couch with a hot chocolate and one of my favourite Audrey Hepburn movies.
I chatted to Alice over the phone and she had booked an appointment with her doctor and Jasper was going to go with her to see if she really was pregnant. As much as I loved Alice, at the same time I felt a little stab of jealousy, she had a beautiful life and I wanted that.
It hadn't been anything I'd given much thought to before, however when I had been getting cramps and nausea I had thought I was pregnant at first. I had ever thought about until then and in my mind I saw our baby, a girl with Emmett's curly hair and big smile or a boy with his laugh and eyes.
Then I was told that I wasn't pregnant I was going through something called premature menopause, effectively shattering the future I had only became to dream about. Maybe it was the best, after all the only semi-stable parent I had killed herself because of my father, how could I raise any children with them as role models?
Royce was home at six and we cooked dinner together, chatting amiably as we worked; nattering about work, our friends, a movie we wanted to see, his next trip to California.
"They only need me at King Headquarters' for a couple of days, so I was thinking I could extend it for a week, if you wanted to come with me?
"To California?"
"Yes" he wanted a romantic vacation, probably so I could meet his parents and subsequently pop the question.
"I don't think I can, next week Robert has a string of interviews and events back in London ahead of his fight at the end of the month. You know I have to be at the restaurant so we aren't short staffed"
"The restaurant again?"
"Royce, you know what it's like"
"I have managers, I'm not at my restaurants at all hours and didn't you hire a manager recently?"
"John started two days ago, you can't possibly expect to let me leave him in charge for a week while I swan off to California!"
"That is his damned job Rose!" getting up, I took our plates to the sink all but throwing them in as I turned away from him.
"I can't go, I'll go another time maybe when I get more than a weeks' notice" my last comment was perhaps a bit more biting than it needed to be.
"Another time, if I had a penny for anytime you said that..." he shook his head as I looked back at him. "If you don't want to go, you don't need to makeup excuses" he got up and put away the wine, slamming the fridge door angrily.
"I have to work"
"I know that, but our schedules are always conflicting so is it alright if I want to be able to actually spend time with my girlfriend, without having to arrange it beforehand. I have enough of this at work, with all the meetings I don't want that here at home" biting back a typically bitchy response, I breathed out slowly and I turned around to face him properly.
"I know...I'm sorry, I want to see you too but this isn't an excuse, I do have to work" he sighed and dropped his shoulders, closing the distance between us I tried to end the argument, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek. He didn't move away immediately, so I know that his anger was waning, putting a hand on his shoulder and moving closer he looked at me and I gave him an apologetic smile. "When are you next going to California?"
"In two and half months"
"If you get me an exact date, I will make sure I'm covered for at least two weeks and I'm all yours...okay?"
"Two whole weeks?" his expression softened and I nodded with a smile.
"Yes, two whole weeks...I promise" he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me in closer ad a small smile appeared on his face. Any argument was now forgotten as he kissed me, my arms tightening around him as we deepened the kiss. "Maybe while we are there you could introduce me to your family?"
"I'd love that and they would too"
"I'm glad"
Alice POV
Zach held onto my hand as we waited at the arrivals gate, searching the faces leaving for my brother. Jasper was the one to spot him, his six feet posing an advantage over my smaller frame, my brother came into sight a few moment later. One of his hands was on the handle of a luggage trolley and the other hand was clutched by that of a girl who couldn't be older than seven.
"Jas..."
"I see" he replied as equally shocked as I was.
When he spotted us, he beamed widely and with a glance down at the girl who looked tiny in comparison to him, he said something that made her look up at us. She clung onto Emmett, curiously looking at us then around the airport as if drinking it all in with her eyes, looking very overwhelmed by it all.
The girl looked Asian and considering where Emmett had come from that made sense, but not much else did, her black hair was very long and she had big brown eyes. She was dressed in a plain white t-shirt and dark jeans, she fidgeted as they walked tugging on the bottom of her shirt and touching her face now and then.
When thy reached us, we were still stunned and I didn't know what to say, luckily my husband had no such issue. He greeted Emmett with a hug and easy smile, turning that smile towards the girl who gripped Emmett's hand tightly and half hiding behind the big guy.
"Hello, I'm Jasper" he said in that low, unassuming voice he used when talking to his patents, he crouched down so he didn't tower over her in an effort to make himself seem more approachable. "What's your name?" she cast a look at Emmett, who smiled and nodded at her.
"Maya" she said shyly.
"That is a beautiful name, this is my son Zachary and my wife Alice" my son had the good sense to smile and wave at her and I belated smiled at her too.
~X~X~X~
At the new house in Jersey that I had found for him and Maya, the girl was tentatively playing with Zach as the three of us sat nearby.
"Thanks for warning me, jackass" I whispered at my brother, Jasper watching as Zach made Maya laugh.
"I wanted to surprise you"
"Consider that a success" replied Jasper as I smacked my brother's arm, my husband gave me a glance before continuing. "So when did you adopt her?"
"A week ago"
"And her birth parents?" I asked, giving the children a look.
"Her father was a doctor in Delhi, I met him when working with the charity and I also met his daughter...Maya" with a glimmer of sadness he looked to the girl and leaned forwards. "Her mother passed away after giving birth, so she's an only child and her father was hit by a car, four weeks ago" with a silent gasp, I covered my mouth.
"That poor girl" my brother nodded looking forlorn and I felt bad for him as well, he had obviously lost someone as well.
"He was a good man, unfortunately apart from a set of elderly grandparents too inform to care for her, she has no other living relatives. Technically, we're on a sort of probationary period, regular social worker visits and in the next six months, there'll be a review to see if she can stay and if I can officially and legally adopt her or of it would be better for her to go back to India"
"What would happen to her if she went back?" asked Jasper. "Considering she has no other family, who would look after her?"
"She would go into care whilst they find foster or adoptive parents in India" Jasper gave a nod of understanding, having had experience with kid going into the car system.
"Are you sure you are up to this?"
"Jasper!" I admonished, but my husband just looked at Emmett sternly.
"This girl has no family and she is clearly attached to you, this is a massive responsibility as we know well enough" he glanced over at the kids again, before continuing. "You can't change your mind once you've legally adopted her and this girl needs a safe home"
"I know that, I understand. I have thought about it a lot, I knew before Prakash, her father, passed away that she had no other family and I waited to hear from the grandparents before I offered to become her guardian. She's an amazing girl and I will not back out, I will do everything I can for her, to give her a home"
"Good" Jasper replied looked relived as he leaned back and placed a hand on mine. "We will be right here for you and Maya, anything we can do to help both of you we will do" I smiled at him and flipped my hand to hold his.
"Thank you, that means a lot"
~X~X~X~
A few days later I went to the restaurant in between lunch and dinner setup, while Rosalie was having a coffee break at the bar. She spotted me in the mirror behind the bar, she got up as I walked in putting down her mug to turn around and smile at me.
"Hi Alice, please don't tell me we had lunch plans that I forgot about?" shaking my head, I gave her a quick hug when I reached her.
"No, we didn't have any plan but I'd thought I'd pop in on my lunch break to see you"
"Have a seat, I have some time before the setup for dinner starts, do you want a coffee? How is Jasper and Zach?"
"I'm fine so are my boys, we're all good. Rob's left today for London, right?" I was no longer Robert's PR manager, as I had gone from full time to part time when I had Zachary, so someone else had taken over as I stepped back and worked on more of a consulting basis.
"He should land in London tomorrow morning, long flight"
"How is Felix doing?"
"Settling in well enough, he's getting acquainted with the paperwork at the moment, so no complaints so far" she glanced behind the bar then back at me. "You sure you don't want a drink?"
"What you got?" she got up against and went behind the bar, looking at the bottles on the shelves.
"I could...make you a cocktail?" she turned her head then with a smile she glanced at my belly, even though I wasn't showing yet. "A virgin cocktail...of course?"
"Go on then"
"What kind?"
"Surprise me" she got to work, picking up random bottles and pouring a bit of each into a shaker with ice in. Shaking the cocktail shaker and then pouring it into a tall glass and topping it up with lemonade, she popped a wedge of lemon on the side of the glass as well as a straw.
"Voila! No wait, it is missing something" turning around she dug around and produced a small pink umbrella and added it with a flourish. "There you go" she smiled as I tasted it and gave a sound of approval.
"Nice" I said appreciatively as she re-joined me on the other side of the bar.
"I am a woman of many talents"
"Obviously, none of those talents are modesty" she grinned but didn't answer, taking a sip of her coffee as I had more of my drink.
"So what did you come to tell me? I already know your pregnant so what other news is there to tell?" of course she could tell, when could I ever hide anything from her? Well, no point in beating around the bush anymore.
"Emmett is back early, he's back in New York, well Jersey but he is back" taking a long sip of my drink, I let her process this, she took it in and nodded slowly. Rosalie stopped smiling and her expression turned serious, but she stayed calm and I was relieved that she didn't look either sad or angry.
"When did he get back?"
"Three days ago" she nodded again. "There's more Rose" tilting her head and furrowing her eyebrows in confusion and took that as assign for me to elaborate. "He is in the process of adopting a girl, whose father recently passed away. So he's staying in Jersey as he has gotten a job offer here, but he asked me to talk to you and ake you would be okay with this. If not then he could move back to Seattle with her, if you can't have him nearby"
"Emmett" she said his name slowly, carefully. "He's adopting?" I nodded.
"Her name is Maya, she s a very sweet Indian girl whose father was a friend of Emmett's" she nodded slowly again.
"He doesn't have to go anywhere"
"You're okay?"
"He'll need his family, back in Seattle he'll be too far from you and Jasper and he'll need you if he's planning to raise this girl by himself. Don't worry about me" she smiled but there was a touch of melancholy to it.
"I'll tell him that"
"How is he?"
"Honestly?" she nodded, her expression quite serious. "He was doing well when he was travelling, he enjoyed it and he met Maya's father. She is sweet and very clever, her father very a close friend of Emmett's by the sound of it and they both lost someone but he seems to be coping well" it was true since he had been back he was quieter and was always watching out for Maya, but I have to say I missed the humorous side of my brother.
"I know he'll make a good father"
"Emmett, the guy who is a kid himself" she smiled the first real smile, chuckling a little at my statement.
"That's why he'd be good at it"
"He is very good with her"
"That's...good"
~X~X~X~
Most of my time off was now spent with my ever growing family, either Emmett and Maya were at ours or the three of us were at their Jersey house. One of the stipulations for a house had been a garden and we had gotten lucky there; it had grass, a small trampoline, all fenced in securely behind the nice two storey house.
It was a nice day and we were sat on the deck as Zack and Maya played a version of hopscotch with a skipping rope and chanting, both children taking turns. I smiled at my son who had taken to Maya immediately, he followed her around everywhere and always talked about her. Although her English was a little shaky, she seemed fond of him too whenever we got to their house she waste little time in greeting him with a hug and her name for him 'chota bhai' which Emmett told us meant little brother.
Emmett was working with her to improve her English, but he also wanted her to remain bilingual so he improved his Hindi and tried to encourage her to speak both. As a by-product Zachary too learned a bit of Hindi, now and then spouting off the odd word even when neither Maya nor Emmett was present.
After I spoke to Rosalie I didn't bring up my brother and she never asked about him or Maya.
Whether she had truly moved on with Royce was questionable, yet they seemed to be doing well and Rosalie was in a good place. The true test would be when they met again, an event looming closer as Zachary was going to turn three soon and as his godmother Rosalie would of course be there.
"So we'll be around at ten to set up before everyone arrives" Emmett was kind enough to host the party, as he had a garden and enough space it only made sense to have it there.
"Sure, this one has been excited all week. It's all she talks about" he looked over at Maya as she urged Zach on as they played, a tender smile on his face as she looked up and waved at hi with a smile. Aside from the odd tantrum and growing pains as they adjusted to each other, they were coping and thriving together, he already loved her and she seemed equally fond of him.
"There will be a few other kids for her to meet, how is she doing at school?" asked jasper, to be which Emmett scowled at.
"She hates it, I had to walk her in again yesterday" he shook his head, looking at us irately. "Some boys have been teasing her"
"What did you do?"
"I told the damn teacher"
"And?" Jasper pressed and Emmett pursed his lips for a moment.
"The woman just said 'boys will be boys' then I said that is true, but either sort it out or give me the names and numbers of the parents and let me deal with it"
"And...?" it was my turn to prompt him.
"She talked to the boy's parents and they have been reprimanded but she is still not fond of school"
"What did the boys say?"
"They mocked her accent"
"Is she okay?" he nodded, relaxing slightly.
"She is but she is trying to speak less Hindi" he crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "Because of those stupid boys, she is ashamed and I don't want that, her father wouldn't...he wouldn't that"
"I'm sure it will be fine Emmett" I placed a hand on his shoulder and trying to give him a reassuring smile. "She is still adjusting to living in a new country, it'll be okay"
"I'm worried about her, I'm worried that I'm not enough and that she might be better off with someone who knows what they are doing" I leaned in closer and smiled at him.
"Emmett, no one ever knows what they're doing" he snorted in disbelief at Jasper. "It's true, Alice made me read all these baby books when she was expecting Zack. And yet none of it could prepare me for the reality of actually holding him for the first time, changing his nappies and comforting him when he hurt himself. We can only do our best and give them what they need, I've seen how you are with Maya and we can see that you are doing everything you can for her"
"Thank you guys"
"Anytime, you are going to be a great father, just like you are a wonderful uncle and brother and we love you both very much" he smiled back at me, thankfully any apprehension gone from his expression.
"I love you too Alice" leaning over he hugged me, hugging him back tightly we looked over at the kids when we leaned back, both of them laughing happily as they played.
Rosalie POV
"Rose are you ready yet?" Royce called out as I put in my earrings.
"Almost, give five more minutes"
"You said that ten minutes ago" he replied, appearing at the door and crossing his arms over his chest, shooting me a half disapproving look.
"I lied then" flashing him a smile, I turned away from the dresser and looked for my shoes, finding them half under the bed.
"We're going to be late" I perched on the end of the bed and slipped on my heels.
"I'm never late" he rolled his eyes and half turned away.
"Five minutes?" I nodded at him. "I'll call the car around, you'll be ready by then?"
"I will" he walked away with a nod, pulling out his phone and dialling as he did so. When the was in front of the building, I was grabbing my jacket, whilst Royce got the apartment keys and lazily pointed out my handbag was on top of my laptop, when I looked for it frantically. "Dining table chair, at the end" and Zack's birthday gift.
"Ready to go?"
"Ready" leaving the apartment, we headed to the address Alice had given us and arrived at lease twenty minutes before most of the other guests, judging by the lack of cars in the driveway of the house. "Early, see?" he smiled and placed a hand on my lower back, looking uncomfortable as we approached the front door of Emmett's house.
"Hello Rose, Royce" greeted Jasper as he answered the front door for us, shaking Royce's hand and giving me a one armed hug when he let us in.
"Hey Jasper, where's the birthday boy?"
"Zack and Alice are in the front room, the last I saw he was fussing over him so you may want to go and intervene before she slaps a bow tie or something on him" I groaned and with a smile at Royce, I went to go find my best friend and godson.
And I found someone else along the way.
"Rosalie"
"Emmett" we spoke at the same time, he chuckled and it came off sounding more nervous than anything else, that was made more plausible by the way he kept looking around or maybe he was looking for his adoptive daughter?
"How are you?" I asked.
"I'm good, how are you?"
"I'm good too, you look very tan" I observed and he smiled again, the tan suited him and he looked healthy and happy. I noted the small changes since I last saw him, he had new laughter lines around his eyes and mouth additionally his hair had been cut, short enough that the curls I had loved were gone.
"You should have seen me the first week after I got to Australia, I was so badly sunburnt"
"I bet you fell asleep in the sun" he looked sheepish and I chuckled as the thought, I knew him well enough to know he would do that. "You did didn't you? Oh my god that's hilarious!"
"That's right laugh at my pain"
"Self-inflicted pain" flicking my hair out of my face, I realized something. He was standing right in front of me talking to me casually and it didn't hurt, I was still in one piece and I wasn't angry at him either. "It's nice to see you Emmett"
"You too Rose" then a little girl barrelled into his leg, patting his leg to get his attention as if she didn't already have it.
"Emmett" she said in a low voice as he looked down at her affectionately with a grin.
"Hey sweeties, having fun?" she nodded and he bent down, so he was eye level putting an arm around her as he glanced back at me. "Maya, I would like you to meet a friend of mine"
"Friend?" she replied looking a bit confused.
"Dost" he clarified and Maya nodded in understanding, turning her head to look up at me. "Maya, this is Rosalie"
"Namaste" I said in greeting, hoping I wasn't butchering her language too much. My rusty Hindi got a mixed response, Emmett looked a bit taken aback, but Maya gave me a look that was a mixture of curiosity and glee.
"Namaste" she replied with a smile and returning it, I tried to recall the few phrases I had learnt from a friend at one of the restaurants I had first worked in.
"Aap kaisey hain?"
"Main theek hoon, shukrika" she replied shyly.
"Since when do you speak Hindi?" asked Emmett, eyeing me suspiciously.
"I don't know that much, I picked up a few phrases from the head chef of Nanglo's"
"I remember him" he directed the next comment at the little girl, cling to him but still looking at me. "Did you wish Zach happy birthday?"
"Yes"
"Shall we go give him his present?" she nodded and took his hand as he straightened up and turned back towards me again.
"Did you just get here?"
"Yeah, I was just looking for Alice and Zach"
"I think I know where they are" Maya looked excited, she tugged on Emmett's hand and urging us on.
"Jaldi karo, calo" chuckling at her eagerness, we walked forwards and soon found who we were looking for. She was fidgeting with a bow tie she had put on him, it was too late to save him, he looked increasingly agitated but when he saw Maya he grinned widely and looked relived when his mother stopped her fussing.
"Hey guys!" she looked from her brother to me and back at her brother again.
"We come bearing gifts" Emmett said, Maya took the gift bag from him and bounced over to present it to Zach.
"Janmadina mubāraka!" she proclaimed as she handed it over, both kids smiling at each other before she gave him a hug.
"Aww, she's so adorable Emmett" he nodded and smiled proudly as Zach hugged Maya back.
"They've gotten really close"
"Alice told me, it is really great what you are doing Emmett" he looked at me and the smile faded a fraction, before he quickly glanced away again.
"Thanks" the kids soon ran outside to the garden, where a few of the other kids had gathered as a children's entertainer was setup and was making balloon animals. Soon we were joined by Jasper and Royce a few moments later and one of them greeted Emmett almost coldly, the smile on his face doing little to mask that.
"Hello Royce" he nodded and smiled at Alice, putting a hand on my back as he looked away from Emmett.
"Hello Alice..." he glanced at Emmett. "Emmett...good to see you, again" he smiled amiably in response, taking the hand Royce held out to shake they locked gazes for a moment. Both men were seemingly well behaved, only the slightest bit of tension remaining as Royce made a point to stand close to me, keeping a hand on me most of the time.
Apart from the slight tension between the two men, the day went by without any mishaps or tantrums in the case of the children, it was a nice day and a relief to know that I had moved on.
Emmett POV
For the entirety of Zach's party, I kept one eye on Maya and the other on Rosalie, she hadn't changed much at all. She was as stunning as ever and she was aware of it, the electric blue dress she wore hugged her curves, flaunting the body she barely worked to maintain. Her hair was longer and instead of her natural waves it was straight, her bangs grown out to the sides making her look very much like the restaurateur she was.
There was another difference in her, one that wasn't physical, she smiled more often. It was a smile that had lost the forced quality I had seen the last time I saw her, that beautiful smile broke my heart.
Because I wasn't the one who made her smile.
Much as I could dwell on the past it didn't solve anything or change anything so I tried to focus on my family, namely the little girl than needed me.
The first social worker visit went well and my new job had started without any issues, at least not ones immediately apparent to me. The new job allowed me to have flexible work hours and as long as I had internet access and my laptop I could pretty much work from anywhere. I really only had to go into the office a few times a week to hand in papers and to attend meetings.
My new life was off to a good start, Maya was doing well both at school and at home and that was what was important for us.
Even having decided that when I had brought Maya into our new home, it still hurt to see my ex-wife and her new boyfriend together.
Coming home it was dark, which was odd as Rosalie should already be home by now.
"Rose? You home" from the kitchen I heard shuffling and through the half open door, I saw a soft glow. "Rose?" the door opened and my wife walked out, grinning at me as she held out a cake with a few candles on it.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..." hanging my jacket, I smiled back at her when she stopped in front of me. "Make a wish" she breathed out and I grinned, what else could I ask for when I had everything I wanted?
Maybe someone to else to share it with?
I blew out the candles and then leaned back to flick the lights on, moving closer so I could kiss Rose over the cake.
"Welcome home" she said against my lips.
"Good to be back" she was wearing a robe and I half wondered what was underneath it, catching my glace at where the robe fell open at the top she smirked devilishly and stepped back. She put the cake down on the table, motioning for me to come and cut it, trying the frosting I moaned my approval, I loved her food.
"Like it? The strawberries are fresh, got them this morning" it made me love her that little bit more she knew it was my favourite but she hated it.
"It's delicious, you want some?" she wrinkled her nose in distaste, in a totally endearing way.
"I'll pass, but don't have too much or you'll get fat"
"You'd love me anyway, even if I got fat and lost all of my hair"
"What if I got fat and wrinkly with saggy boobs? Would you stills tick around then?" she raised an eyebrow, smirking at me. Sitting in one of the dining table chairs, I grabbed her by the waist and pulling her into my lap, kissing her cheek softly and then her lips as I moved my hands down to her hips.
"I'd stay even if you grew a moustache and got warts on your nose" she wrinkled her nose again but then she laughed and put her arms around me, leaning in and brushing her lips against mine.
"You'll see it'll happen"
"I'm not going anywhere"
"Neither am I"
"Good, happy birthday baby" sliding a hand up her back as she kissed me again, I kissed her back long and slow not wanting to let her go.
"One day we'll be sitting on a porch somewhere, surrounded by our kids and grandkids"
"One day...I like the sound of that" she smiled and with her wavy hair slightly rumpled, a flush on her checks and neck as she looked at me, she was always beautiful to me. Even with no makeup on and half-dressed she was the most stunning woman and I couldn't have been luckier to have her in my life. "What are you think about?"
"How much I love you"
"I...love you too" I knew how difficult it was for her to say the words and it made it all the more meaningful, standing up and picking her up with me she let out a squeak of surprise.
"How about we get started on those kids?" she laughed again and put a hand on my cheek almost tenderly.
"Lets"
Rosalie POV
This was it.
I knew he kept the ring in a shoe box in the closet, but it wasn't there anymore which meant he had either sold it or had it with him. He must be planning to ask while we were in California, we were flying out today and I was due to meet him at the airport later today.
Choosing to concentrate on packing for now, I hauled out my barely used suitcase and started flinging clothes and shoes at it. Unfortunately, my mind was restless and I worried over how he would ask and how I would respond
Did I want to get married again?
Did I want to marry Royce?
What if it all went wrong?
What if he wouldn't wait for an answer?
I needed to talk to someone, someone who could be objective and who knew me. I could see Jane, but I needed a friend and I knew that Alice would probably be bit biased in favour of Royce.
Jasper. He would be objective, zipping up the suitcase and taking it to the door, I checked the time. I had an hour and a half before I needed to be at the airport, Jasper would be at home which luckily was only twenty minutes away. Digging out my cell phone and punching in his number, I was glad when he picked up only a couple of rings later.
"Hello Rosalie, how are you?" the TV in the background and the chatter of kids that told me Jasper was not alone.
"Hi Jas, honestly not great. Is it okay if I come around and talk to you?"
"Of course you can, but don't you have a flight to catch later today?" I grabbed my purse and keys, all but running out of my apartment, half feeling like I was forgetting something, but I was too unfocused to dwell on it for long.
Hailing a cab, I ignored the look he gave me and with a scowl at him that made him turned around, I gave him the address and told him he'd get a tip if he made it in less than twenty minutes. When we stopped, I handed him a bunch of notes that was easily double the far, jumping out of the cab and hurrying to the door.
"Hi Rose" Jasper let me in, closing the door behind me as Zachary walked up to, stopping and giving me a curious look before glancing at his father then back at me.
"Hey sweetie, how are you?" he still looked confused.
"Aunt Rose, are you going to sleep?"
"What? No"
"Then why are you in your jammies?" looking at Jasper, he had a hand to his mouth and was trying not to laugh, he pointed at the mirror by the door and I saw that he was right. I had completely forgotten that I was in pink sleep shorts, a grey tank top with my fluffiest polka dot robe with my slipper and to top it all off my hair was unbrushed and sticking up on one side, additionally there was the remnants of my mascara smudged below my eyes.
"That makes sense now" then it got even better, Emmett made an appearance with Maya, he seemed to be heading to the kitchen when they both spotted me in all my glory.
"Rose" he said. "Trying to make a statement?" he joked and I laughed myself a tad on the hysterical side.
"Oh my god I'm a mess"
"Emmett can you watch Zach for a few minutes?" he nodded and motioned for Zach to come with them.
"Come on buddy, let's leave your dad and aunt Rose to talk" he plodded over to his uncle and the three of them went into the kitchen, the door closing after them. Jasper turned to look at me with that reassuring smile of his and I shook my head before returning his smile.
"What did you want to talk about Rose?" where to start?
"I think Royce is going to propose while we're in California" he nodded slowly and stepped back, in the direction of his office down the hallway. I followed his cue and we went into his office, he opened the door and stepped back for me to go in first, we sat by the chairs near the window. He pulled his chair closer and I made myself comfortable, tugging my legs underneath me and leaning with one elbow propped upon one of the arms of the chair.
"So, you don't want to marry Royce?"
"I don't know and he doesn't want to hear that"
"If you don't want to marry him then that is your choice, you shouldn't say what he wants to hear if it will make you unhappy" glancing out of the window and crossing my arms, I let out a deep sigh.
"I don't want to hurt him, we are good the way we are and this time I don't think he'll shrug off another no"
"Rose, what if you say 'yes' and marry him before you are ready? You wouldn't be being truthful to him or yourself...if you have doubts tell him and if he wants to end your relationship then maybe it's for the best?"
"Yeah, and I'm left on my own" shifting closer he leaned forwards in his chair.
"Sometimes it's better to be by yourself...and as if we would ever let you be truly alone" he smiled and I knew he wasn't lying. "Rose, you are doing really well and whether you marry Royce tomorrow or in another three years or never, you will never be alone because you will always have your friends around you. Don't forget that" getting out of my chair, I gave my friend a hug.
"Thank you"
"Anytime Rose" he hugged me back. "Now maybe you should get ready for your flight?" with a half delirious chuckle I nodded and we walked out of his home office.
"I don't know what I'd do without you and Alice"
"You don't have to find out, we'll always be here and don't you forget that. When he asks tell him the truth"
"And if I don't know?"
"Tell him the truth"
"The truth, the truth" I mocked his serious tone and chuckled at myself as did Jasper. "You're just a hoot and a half aren't you sugar?"
"You've been talking to my mom recently haven't you?" I nodded and he groaned.
"Charlene says hi" I hugged him again before peeking into the living room and seeing the kids playing under the watchful eye of Emmett.
"Hi Aunt Rose" both kids looked up at me.
"Hey Zach, I'm going now so do I get a hug before I go?" he came over and I bent down so he could wrap his chubby little arm around my neck. When he let me go I faced Emmett's little girl with a smile the return after a moment's hesitation. "Jalda hi milate haim"
"Jaisa ki apa dekha" she replied.
"See you Emmett"
"Have a good trip" I nodded and straighten up, smiling at him before Jasper walked with me to the door.
"Travel safe and come see us when you get back"
"I'll have to or Alice won't let me hear the end of it" with a chuckle from Jasper he nodded in agreement and I left, heading back to my apartment.
~X~X~X~
After getting off the plane, I was glad to be back on solid ground and grateful we didn't have to wait long, before we had our luggage and we were in a car heading away from the airport.
"Are you okay?" he asked the landscape passing by the window as we made our way to his parents' house, he had his own house but he was going to introduce me to his parents and they had plenty of spare rooms. The house had been in the King family for many generations before they move from Europe.
Apparently they had been part of the royal family in Sweden and King was just a shortened more manageable version of their surname, there was a certain irony in that. The King's no longer held any titles but they had held onto their wealth and so Royce as an only child stood to inherit the vast King empire when his father either passed away or stepped down.
"I will be once I've showered and changed"
"My parents aren't home until tomorrow, so we can relax for now" making a sound of agreement, I laid my head on his shoulder.
"Mmm, sounds good"
When the car pulled up outside the house, I was half asleep and barely noticed the grandeur of the King family home, but as I was led inside the interior of the mansion could fail to amaze. As I was being shown to our room, we passed by a gallery of sorts, portraits of Royce's ancestors staring down at us as I shuffled along, feeling very inferior in my sweat pants and loose tank top.
"Here we are" he said pushing open a door to reveal our room, it was no less grand than the rest of the house, but this feel more homely. A massive four poster bed caught my attention for the time being, kicking of my shoes I all but jumped on the bed.
"Ahh, this is nice" the bed was soft and springy and I was so sleepy, I felt the cover tucked around me and lips on my forehead, before I drifted off to sleep.
When I woke up, the clock on the bedside table told I'd only been asleep for a couple of hours, stretching and yawning I felt well rested. Slipping out of bed, I saw my suitcase had been brought up, grabbing my wash bag and a change of clothes I went to the en suite bathroom.
The bathroom was huge, twice the size of the one in our New York apartment and I ran a bath, throwing in some bath salts that smelt like lavender. I noticed that they were the type I normally used and the other toiletries were the brands I preferred, with a smile I got in the tub. The heat was wonderful and submerging my whole body, I sighed and when I lifted my head out of the water I heard the bedroom door open and Royce call out my name.
"Rose?"
"In here" I called out and he nudged the door open to peer in.
"Had a nice nap"
"The best"
"You find everything okay?" he asked as he came in, closing the door behind him and glancing over to the counter with the various bottles, then back at me with a smile.
"Yes, but this thing has way too many buttons for a bath tub. Other than that I'm all good...care to join me?" he looked tempted but shook his head.
"As tempting as that offer is, Kaisey just faxed me a stack of documents that need my approval" pouting in frustration he leaned down and kissed me.
"We just got here" I said although fully understanding as I had been the one telling him I had to work most of the time.
"Well if I get it out of the way now, I can spend more time with you for the rest of the time we're here"
"You can't put it off for half an hour?"
"What did you have in mind?" smiling at him as he perched on the edge of the tub, I sat up and grabbed the front of his shirt so I could give him a deep, slow kiss. Sliding my lips against his, I dragged my hand up to cup his neck tilting my head as I parted my lips slowly, he got the gist and kissed me back.
"This quite a big tub" I hinted kissing him again to make sure he really understood what I was saying.
"Work can wait for a while" grinning against his lips, I helped him get rid of shirt as I kissed along his jaw and neck.
"I thought so"
~X~X~X~
After getting out of the tub and drying each other off it over an hour before Royce, reluctantly went back to work after informing me we'd have dinner brought up to the room. I dressed and dried my hair, stretching out on a window seat with a book as Royce put on a smooth jazz CD.
The next day we lounged around until the evening when Royce's parents were due back, I was going to meet them at dinner, which I was told was a formal affair. I had settled on a demure olive coloured dress and only straightened my hair, not wanting to look too 'done'. I kept my jewellery minimal and opted for plain black heels, getting the seal of approval from Royce as he put on a velvet dinner jacket.
Mr and Mrs King stood up as we walked in, the pair of them dressed impeccably, not a hair out of place which reminded me not to slouch. I could clearly see where Royce had gotten his looks from, the pale blond hair and blue eye came from his mother Marse and his features was his father Royce senior.
"Mother...father, this is Rosalie Hale" Marse King stepped forwards to shake my hand with a polite smile.
"So wonderful to meet you at last Rosalie" the smile was turned onto her son as she released my hand. "Three years and I only meet her now?" he scratched the back of his neck and mumbled something to the floor.
"Don't mutter Royce, we raised you better than that" she scolded, turning back to me with a quick smile that was only a little frightening. "I don't blame you dear, my son clearly doesn't remember how to show respect to his parents" Royce senior placed a hand on his wife's shoulder with a gentle smile and a shake of his head to placate her.
"Rosalie it is my pleasure to make your acquaintance"
"Thank you for welcoming me into your home Mr King" he nodded and gave me a polite smile that was identical to his son's.
"The pleasure is ours dear" pitched in Marse, before she gestured for us to sit at the dining room table, one large enough to seat at least twenty, the four of us sitting together at one end.
Dinner was brought out a moment later and went by without any major mishaps, Royce King Senior was courteous and made small talk, asking about my business and New York in general, leaving the more in depth questions to his wife.
"Do you enjoy living in New York?"
"Do you enjoy running your own restaurant?"
"I'm told that you work with a famous boxer, what is he like to work with?"
Her interrogatives were disguised by smiles and careful wording, but I wasn't fooled, she was digging for dirt on me. Now and then Royce would touch my hand or give me a reassuring smile to relax me as I replied to the questions thrown at me.
Eventually, I was allowed to leave and retreat to the bedroom, I sighed heavily as he closed the door behind us, toeing off my shoes and taking off my dress.
"Well that went well" he said happily as he shrugged off his jacket and I took off my jewellery, looking at him in the mirror.
"It went better than I thought it would" I admitted.
"I think they like you"
"They do?" he nodded as he unbuttoned his shirt.
"My mom only talks that much when she likes someone and my dad's only that quiet when he likes someone" I raised an eyebrow at him, before tossing him his pyjama bottoms and giggling.
His parents reminded me of Alice and Jasper, polar opposites one all chatty excitement and the other calm silence.
"Can I ask you a question about your parents?"
"Go ahead" we changed into our nightclothes and I sat on the bed, joined by Royce a moment later.
"How did they meet?"
"Their parents were friends and so when they were deemed old enough it was agreed they'd get married, combine the wealth and influence of both families and so on"
"So, sort of like an arranged marriage?"
"I guess so, I don't think either of them considered doing anything else, it's was what was expected of them both"
"Oh" he draped an arm over me and kissed my cheek. "So what's the plan for tomorrow?"
"I was thinking we could do the whole tourist thing, later on in the week we have my mom's charity event that I told you about"
"Yeah"
"It's on Friday, here at the house so we have that to look forward to" I heard the note of sarcasm.
"I'm sure it'll be fine, who will I get to meet?"
"The rest of the King clan, my grandparents from my mother's side, plus a few aunts, uncles and a couple of cousins, most of the rest of the guests attending will be benefactors, charity members and some friends of my parents with deep pockets"
"Sounds interesting"
~X~X~X~
The next day we made our way to Venice Beach and walked around as I took it all in, we found a cute beachfront café to have lunch at. We went to see Lake Tahoe, Redwood National and other tourist spots, taking our time to take in everything.
It was fun, but I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, for him to drop down to one knee and propose. One time when we were having lunch, I came back from the restrooms and when I sat down, he got down on one knee and my heart started to race.
"Royce what are you doing?"
"I dropped my phone" he looked under the table and spotted it, picking it up and smiling at me. "Found it" he said before returning to his seat
"Okay"
"Are you alright Rose?" I smiled back at him and nodded before taking a sip of water.
I'm good"
Then there was the moment we were walking in the woods, he held my hand as we walked until he let go and dropped down onto one knee.
"Royce?"
"My laces came undone" he said by way of explanation and I tried to keep myself from pushing him over and storming off.
It came up to the day of the charity event, nearly a week later and other than the near proposals he had given no hints or questions about proposals.
Getting dressed in a floor length deep blue dress, with long sleeves and backless, the look on Royce's face told me that I looked good. Pinning my hair up to the side, I slipped on my heels as Royce got his jacket, we headed downstairs to the ballroom.
"You have a ballroom?"
This house has been here since the 1600's and Royce King the first liked to entertain" he said as I took his arm , using my other hand to lift up the front of my dress and stop me tripping up on it and falling down the stairs.
"I can see that" I agreed as I got to see the ballroom, with its high ceilings and a grand chandelier that was anything but modest.
"Rosalie!" greeted Marse King when she saw us, her husband by her side who smiled and gave us a nod in greeting. "You look stunning, Rosalie"
"Thank you Mrs King, you look beautiful as well" she flushed in a rather more proud than modest way, but it was true, in a nude coloured fitted dress she was very striking.
"Oh thank you, drinks are being served and almost everything is in place"
"Your grandparents just arrived" interjected Royce senior, aimed at his son. "And they are very eager to meet Rosalie" he added, raising his eyebrows.
"I wonder who told them" my boyfriend replied, turning his head to look at his mother, who promptly averted her gaze.
"Well they won't like to be kept waiting" he sighed and nodded, squeezing my hand a bit.
"Ready?" I nodded and Royce senior pointed out where they were they stood, and we smiled at his parents before walking over to his grandparents. Both dressed as impeccably as expected, his grandfather was the first to see us approach.
Marse King was the image of her mother but with her father's pale blond hair, the whole family were all very good looking, even in their eighties Montgomery and Celia Dandridge were a handsome couple.
I had been briefed earlier on who was who, at my insistence, just so I didn't commit any faux paus when I met everyone for the first time.
"Royce darling, how lovely to see you and to finally make the acquaintance of your lady friend" Celia Dandridge smiled as he hugged her grandson and lightly kissed his cheek, before his grandfather shook his hand and clapped his other hand to his shoulder.
"Nice to meet you Mrs Dandridge" she shook my hand with a friendly smile, turning her gaze towards Royce. "I like her"
"Rosalie Hale, we've heard a lot about you. Although I must admit, I think most of us thought our Royce was making you up" Montgomery laughed at his own comment, Celia rolling her eyes at him as Royce shot me an apologetic look.
"I assure Mr Dandridge, I am very real"
"I see you are my dear, it's a great pleasure to meet you...at last" he turned towards his grandson. "Three years and we only meet her now? What is wrong with you, boy?" he boomed only half angry, a laugh following when Royce looked embarrassed and I saw who Marse really took after.
"I must admit that is mostly my fault, Royce must have told you I own a restaurant, so I'm often very busy at work"
"He did tell us and I read the reviews, you seem to be doing well for yourself?" I looked at Montgomery and nodded.
"We are, if you're ever in my part of New York I'll save a table for you, you can try it for yourself" they both smiled at me.
"We may take you up on that offer"
"I'm glad to hear that" a sever went by with drinks, everyone accepted a glass of champagne or wine but I opted for a soft drink, which earned a few glances from Royce's grandparents.
"I don't drink often"
"Any particular reason?" asked Celia with interest, softened by a smile and I shook my head.
"I have a very low tolerance for alcohol" I opted for a simple lie and thankfully Royce didn't give anything away, taking a sip of his drink and smiling at me.
"So I hear you are living in sin" announced Montgomery, the accusatory statement aimed at Royce, who looked incredibly uncomfortable.
"Yes Royce, when will you make Rosalie a member of our family officially?" neither of us knew how to respond.
"After all, who else will continue the King name?" I could feel the blood from my face drain and I looked down, Royce took my hand and gave me a smile.
We were saved from answering when one of the charity board members took to the stage and began to speak, all heads turned and the spotlight was off of us, for now.
"Sorry about them" He whispered in my ear. "My family are all a little bit crazy"
"Everyone's family is a little crazy to people outside of it" he nodded in agreement and I squeezed his hand lightly. "They clearly love you, you're lucky to have them"
"I'm being horrible moaning about my family aren't I?" his forehead creased in concern as he looked at me and I shook my head with a smile.
"You're not, I'm fine but thanks for worrying about me" he gave me a soft kiss, before the microphone was handed down to Marse King for her speech.
"Here we go" he uttered as Marse smiled widely at everyone before beginning.
"Hello and welcome everyone, I would to begin by thanking all of you for attending this evening and being a part of this noble cause. One that couldn't be more proud of..." she went on to name the highest ranking benefactors of the charity and then the board members, before outlining what the charity aimed to do with the funds raised.
"I do love my mother, but she really loves the sound of her own voice" with a smile, I put down my glass and tried not to laugh as Marse King continued.
"I assume that means that this speech might take a while?"
"Yes, then the chairman of the charity has his own speech to give as well" he turned to look at me with a grin, kissing my cheek and keeping his lips there to talk into my ear, unheard by his grandparents. "Would you like a tour of the gardens?"
"I would" I glanced over at the other guests. "Won't someone notice if we leave?"
"Not while the speeches are being made" he inclined his head in the direction of a set of doors near where we stood, out of the way where the severs had been coming from. He was right no one glanced at us as we moved closer and slipped through the door, although on the other side some of the waiters glanced up only momentarily before returning to their work.
There were two doors ahead of us the one to the left led off the kitchen as was made clear by the hatch along the wall next to it and Royce led me through the other one. We ended up in a hall way relatively unassuming in I compared to the rest of the house, there were various other doors and I glanced over at Royce curiously.
"Old servants' quarters" he pointed to a door to our left. "There's a staircase that leads to the sleeping dorms and the other one" he pointed to the one opposite us. "That leads to the dining room and the rest of the house, and that is our escape" he led me though the door on the far right, one with a frosted window, when he pushed open the door a saw a wedge of blue and green until I walked though and saw the garden.
I had seen it in passing when I had been shown the library, through one of the high windows I had seen the sky and the trees, but at the time the room itself had caught my attention. Currently we were on the patio, an area with two stone staircases curving down to a vast pond and a fountain. A sandstone pathway led from the fountain forwards and then branched off in opposite directions; the left went to pool house and the right to the sculptured swimming pool.
The pool was a more modern addition to the gardens as was clear by the hot tub at one end, although it had all been done to make the whole pool area appear as if it had grown from the rocks like a natural spring. We lay down on one of the sun loungers with one of his arms under my head and my heels kicked off, in a spot partially obscured from the house by a few trees.
"This is beautiful" our current view of the gardens was stunning and the sun had just started to set, casting everything in an orange glow.
"It doesn't compare at all to the woman sitting next to me" I turned my head towards him and smiled.
"You're so cheesy" he smiled back and simply leaned in for a soft slow kiss, when he moved back he slid a hand around my waist to pull me in closer and we watched as the sky changed colours while the sun set.
"Rosalie?"
"Yes?" I replied draping an arm over him as I looked up at him.
"I love you" he said in a low voice and kissing his cheek, I held him a little tighter.
"I love you too" I meant it, I did.
We had spent three years together and I loved him. The way he always held the door open for me, no matter what his manners were always faultless, how he would smile when he got home and kiss my cheek; even if I wasn't looking my best. Even though we didn't see each other as other as we liked we worked well, we'd cook together and we'd be so in sync.
I wanted this to work out so badly, but I didn't want to marry him.
I don't if I ever wanted to get married again, but right now I knew that wasn't right for me and I remembered what Jasper said. I should tell him the truth, if he can't wait for me then maybe it is better to be alone.
...you will never be alone because you will always have your friends around you.
He moved away and reached inside his jacket pocket, pulling out the ring and keeping an arm around me as he presented it to me.
"Rosalie, I have wanted to find the right moment to ask you all week but every time I seemed to chicken out. But I love you so much and I can't imagine not spending the rest of my life with you, so Rosalie Hale will you marry me?"
I was silent and he looked at me, the words were at the tip of my tongue but he was looking at me, I could tell it had dawned on him and I didn't want to break his heart.
"Royce" I started and the words didn't come out. "Royce, I..." he looked dejected and I knew he understood.
"Of course, I see"
"Royce, I want to be with you" I blurted out and that wasn't the right answer.
"But you don't want to marry me?"
"I want to be truthful"
"Then tell me the truth, do you want to marry me?"
"No" it pained me to say it but by the looks of it, going by his expression is was no easier to hear, he disentangled himself and sat up to turn away from me. "Maybe one day?"
"One day?" he let out a humourless laugh and put the ring away, running a hand through his hair and then shaking his head. "In another three years? Ten? When do you think you may be ready to be with you"
"I am with you!"
"Be truthful with me do you see yourself marrying me...ever?" I sat up and he gave me doleful sideways glance, I blinked as tears stung my eyes.
"I don't think I ever want to get married again" he nodded slowly and got to his feet, pacing and making an effort not to look at me.
"Well then we want different things don't we?"
"Royce, please I-"
"I get it, I do. I understand it perfectly Rosalie" he stopped pacing but still he looked away from me. "When all's said and done, all roads lead to the same end...you never would have been with me, I got in the way didn't I?"
"I don't understand"
"You and Emmett, you'll always get back together. I probably should have realised that sooner, I saw the way you two looked at each other" I shook my head and swallowed around the lump in my throat.
"That's over, you know that"
"I know that you've forgiven him, I can tell that he still loves you so I hope you'll be very happy together" he couldn't keep the bitterness out of his voice and I reached out, but he flinched back.
"It's over, I wanted to be truthful with you that doesn't mean I want this to be the end"
"We want different things Rose" he shoved his hands in his pockets and turned to face me. "How much longer could we go on before finding that out? I love you, I do but it will hurt too much knowing that you don't want he same thing I thought you wanted"
"I'm sorry, I couldn't give you the right answer"
"I'm sorry that I want more" he sighed and slumped his shoulders. "This is over Rose, I would wait if you would want the same thing, if you just weren't ready now, I would wait"
"It wouldn't be right for me to let you think that though would it?"
"It wouldn't" he echoed in agreement and we both fell silent for a long moment.
That was the end so now what do I do?
Author's Note:
So...?
Any thoughts for this extra-long chapter, to hopefully somewhat make up for my absence? Are we pro-Emmett or pro-Royce, I'd love to hear who you ship and want to end up together I may have a few tricks up my sleeve yet.
The next chapter will be the last and after that I may do an epilogue, so the end draws near!
Thanks for reading!