Edward and I have no trouble settling back into a routine. We work, we spend time together and apart, and we're even house shopping as the weeks tick by, drawing us closer to September and the impending arrival of all of our friends from California.
It's a Saturday, and Edward and I are babysitting Liam while Dee and Alec do some rearranging in their home in preparation for the new baby. We had originally thought she was only maybe eight or nine weeks, but her appointment had put her at almost 12. She's due in two weeks, but she feels like she could pop any day now.
We're tapped for Liam duty, and luckily, the kiddo has taken to us like fireworks on the Fourth of July. He and Edward are in the back yard, hunting for worms, while I make us lunch. I've been trying to figure out what to do when everyone gets here, and I'm coming up a little empty.
There's more than enough to do around here, but everything is pretty comparable to San Diego. From museums to amusement parks, historical attractions and zoos. I've got a few things planned, including doing nothing for Jasper since he'll be on leave. I've got sandwiches on plates just as Edward and Liam come in from their adventure.
Their shirts and shorts are streaked with dirt and grass stains, and I stifle a laugh as Liam looks up at me with a dusty smile. "Why don't you let Edward help you clean up, and we can eat, okay?"
He nods and wanders down the hall to the half-bath as Edward jogs after him. Liam is nonverbal. Dee had taken him in for an evaluation with his pediatrician during the deployment because she thought his speech was just delayed. Dee says he might just be taking his time to talk because the doctors he's seen don't think he hits on the spectrum.
I can hear them giggling as the water splashes in the sink before Liam comes running back down the hall. Once he's situated at the table with his lunch, Edward comes into the kitchen, pressing a quick kiss to my lips. "Thanks for making lunch."
"Thanks for keeping him occupied. It's stupid hot outside." I roll my eyes and shove a plate toward him. We both sit down with Liam, talking to him and keeping him involved. Dee and Alec told us the best thing to do was to act like Liam was talking. He communicates just fine; there are just no words.
After lunch, we clean up, and Edward gets Liam changed into some spare clothes we have stashed for him while I toss his clothes into the wash. I'm expecting to hear from Dee or Alec sometime soon, but as the hours pass, I start to worry. I've texted and called them both a few times, but when Liam goes down for a late nap, I confide in Edward my concerns.
"Maybe Dee went into labor." He shrugs, pulling me into a hug. "We'll wait to hear something, and if we don't, I'll drive over to check on their place. We'll go from there, okay?"
"Okay, but maybe you could drive over there now." I look up at Edward, and he smiles.
"All right. I'll be back." He heads out, and after I check on Liam, I try calling Alec one more time.
"Bella! Oh, my god, I'm so sorry!"
I let out a breath that I hadn't realized I was holding. "Tell me you're in the hospital because Dee went into labor or y'all have been doing the nasty one last time. But, Alec, I beg you, do not give me the details."
He laughs long and loud. "We're at the hospital, and I'm sorry. Everything happened so quickly. We knew Liam was safe with you guys, and my biggest concern was getting Dee here before the baby came."
"Is she okay? Is the baby all right?"
"She's great, and the baby is healthy too! Six pounds, eight ounces. She's gorgeous, Bella. We can't wait for you guys to meet her." I can hear an overhead page in the background and faint rustling. "Dee wants to talk to you, but she's tired. Hang on."
"Bella?"
"Hey, mama. How are you feeling?" I walk into the guest room where Liam is sleeping, fully intent on waking him up.
"I'm good. Just tired. She came so fast. I thought it was the Braxton-Hicks like a few weeks ago, and then my water broke." She sighs, and I can hear the fatigue in her voice. "How's Liam?"
"He's been napping for a bit, but I'm next to him. Do you want me to try to wake him?" I brush my free hand through his soft hair, but he barely stirs.
"No, don't wake him. Are you guys okay keeping him? I know you weren't prepared." She sounds worried, so I do my best to shut it down.
"We're fine. Edward went to check out your place because we hadn't heard from you. I'll text him to use the hide-a-key to grab some stuff for Liam. We'll be fine for a couple days. Let us know if we can come to the hospital or when you get home and settled."
"Thank you so much, Bella. Thank Edward for us too. We'll let the daycare know you'll be dropping him off Monday. We should be home by then, and Alec can pick him up."
"You got it. Get some rest, and I'll talk to you soon." I go to hang up and then go back to the call, hoping Dee is still there. "Dee? What's her name?"
She laughs. "Bree. We named her Bree."
On Monday afternoon as I'm wrapping up my workday, I get a call from Alec. He's asking me to pick up Liam and bring him home so I can meet Bree. I've picked him up previously, so I'm on the list of approved people. I ask if Edward can come, and Alec says he's already on his way.
The daycare has Liam's car seat, and it only takes me twenty minutes to collect him and get loaded up before we're on the road. I'm asking him about his new baby sister, and he's making his usually happy sounds as we make our way to his house.
When we pull up and I help him out, I watch as he runs up to the front door, and Alec opens it, swooping down to collect his son.
"Hey, girl. Thanks for picking him up." Alec gives me a side hug as I approach, and then leads me straight to the front bathroom to wash my hands before I can see Dee and meet baby Bree.
"We're on the patio when you're done." Alec winks and carries a giggling Liam out with him.
Walking through the house and out to the patio, my heart lurches up into my throat. There, sitting in a slightly worn patio chair, is my Edward in his working khakis, holding a baby Bree in his strong arms. She looks so sweet and tiny cuddled close to his chest with the pastel colors of her thin blanket and sleeping set contrasting against his uniform.
He looks up as I start to feel tears prick my eyes. "Bree, meet Auntie Bella."
Labor Day turns out to be so much fun that it doesn't feel like we ever left California. Seeing our friends and spending time with them fills a hole in our hearts that neither Edward nor I knew we had.
They've all been here for two weeks, and we've kept plenty busy. Today, we're having a barbecue, and Dee and Alec are bringing the kids over for a little bit so they can meet our friends.
I'm helping Alice and Emmett whip up some sides when I hear Dee's voice call out from the entryway.
"Hey, we're here!" They come filing in, Liam running into the kitchen followed by his mom, and then Alec with Bree in the baby carrier.
"Hey, guys." I stoop down to ruffle Liam's hair. "Hey, buddy, how are you?"
Dee stands behind her first born, smiling wide. "Liam, is there something you want to tell Auntie Bella?"
I drop to my knees so I'm eye to eye with the toddler. Everyone in the room is quiet, but I hear the back door open as Edward and Jasper come back inside. Liam's eyes dart to the side, but I tickle his stomach so he focuses back on me.
"Hi." His voice is so soft and gentle, and the smile he gives me after his first word to me is blinding. He does a little jump and leaps into my arms. I squeeze him tight, looking up at Dee and Alec.
Their eyes are shining as I smile. When Liam squirms in my arms, I pull away from him and laugh. "I knew you were just holding out on me. You'll never be quiet now, will you?"
He doesn't say anything, but the grin on his face tells me everything I need to know.
After a full day of playing in the sprinkler, eating too much food, laughing, and cuddling baby Bree, the Volta's finally pack it in, and it's just the six of us in the backyard.
"I'm so glad we're all together." Emmett is looking around at our group, and I smile. This is my family; the one I got to choose and the one that chose me. Alice and Jasper are huddled together on one chaise lounge while Rose has her feet propped up on one of Emmett's meaty thighs.
Edward is sitting on the grass between my knees as I run my hands through his hair. It was a great day, maybe even a perfect one. They all leave at the end of the week, and I already miss them.
"I heard on the radio that there's a fair." Alice's bell-like voice rings out in the gathering darkness, and Rose laughs.
"Is it a fair or a carnival? We have a county fair back home, Al." Rose scoffs, and I roll my eyes hard.
"The Del Mar fair is big, but it's not that big. It just has high attendance." Everyone shifts to look at me. "What? I worked the fair a couple summers in a row! I know things."
"I could totally go for a trip down fried-food alley, and then puke it all up on some rickety carnival rides." Emmett rubs his hands together, and I swear he looks like a cartoon villain.
"Ugh, gross. I want to see the craft exhibits." Alice is bouncing on the chaise, and Jasper is taking the brunt of it. "Do they have craft exhibits?"
Rose has whipped out her phone, no doubt looking it up. "Craft exhibits, rides, food, shows"—she looks over to me—"hog calling and tractor racing."
"Sign me up!" I laugh but notice that Edward, while smiling along, has gone almost completely silent. I lean down to whisper in his ear. "Are you okay?"
He jumps a little as if I had startled him. "Oh, yeah. I'm great. So, the fair? I'll buy the tickets." I watch him pull his own phone out and buy six tickets for the day after tomorrow. He figures some people might still take an extra day off for the holiday, so it might be less crowded after.
We say good night to our friends who are staying in Norfolk at a hotel and lock up before going to bed. Edward is still just as quiet as he was when we were outside.
"I'm stuffed." Tossing down my plastic fork, I slump in my seat, looking at Rose and Alice. We've been splitting a cinnamon roll that's easily the size of my head, and I can't eat another bite. "I think I've gained 50 pounds just from the food today."
Rose shovels another forkful into her mouth and chews a few times before she starts talking. "I paid 19 dollars for this; we're finishing it."
"Oh, my god, Rosalie. You're such a pig." Alice gripes as she dry heaves into a napkin.
The boys are … somewhere. I think they went to get us beers, but I really hope Edward comes back with water for me. It's hot and humid, and I'm getting crankier and crankier. I hear them before I see them. The three of them are laughing their asses off about something or another, and when they reach us, it takes almost a full minute for them to catch their breath.
"We stopped and went on one of the rides. You have to go on it. It was amazing." Emmett is acting like a five-year-old on his birthday who's had too much cake.
"I can't even think about going on a ride. I might puke just trying to walk." I definitely feel green around my gills. I don't usually end up like this, but if something looked like it might have tasted good, we tried it. I've never felt fuller in my entire life.
Edward sobers up quickly at my words. "You don't want to go on anything? I bought us a ton of tickets."
Groaning, I stand up. Maybe if I walk around a little bit, I won't feel so bloated. "Take me through the exhibition hall. I want to see all the vendors again. Then we can talk about rides."
Alice and Jasper opt out completely, saying goodbye and calling for an Uber to head back to their hotel. Rose and Emmett, who are obviously made of stronger stuff, immediately run off to the rides. I watch in awe as they dodge people and strollers, laughing the whole way.
Edward spares me a pitying glance. "Are you going to make it?"
"That depends; can you rent a stroller and push me around?"
He laughs, slinging an arm over my shoulders. "C'mon. I'll buy you some Ginsu knives or some shoe polish."
It takes almost two hours before I'm feeling somewhat normal again, and Edward convinces me to step foot into the ride area of the fair. Children are laughing, and I can hear screams and shouts from various attractions along with buzzers and music. Rose and Emmett are nowhere to be found, but I would venture a guess that they're at one of the sports booths, like the fast pitch baseball or the hoops, trying to win prizes.
I see the ride that the boys went on earlier start up just as Edward points it out to me, and I shoot him down instantly. Even if I'm feeling better, the way that thing is moving, I'm sure to throw up food from our barbeque two days ago.
"I want to go on something with you, babe." He's got a pouty look on his face, his hands shoved in his pockets.
"We can ride the Tunnel of Love." I bat my eyelashes at him, and he rolls his eyes.
"How about the Ferris wheel? It's slow; you can't possibly get sick on it." He starts to walk toward it but turns when he realizes I'm not with him.
"Edward." I'm getting whiny. "You know I hate Ferris wheels. Go without me. I'm going to get a bottle of water, and then we'll ride something, even if I feel sick. I promise." I flash a smile and start to move away toward a cart with refreshments when I hear his voice behind me.
"Bella, I really want you to ride with me. Please."
When I turn around, he's just standing there, staring at me.
"Babe, I really don't like them. You know that. Literally, the last time I was on one was when we … you know." We're standing about ten feet apart, and there are people everywhere. "I just don't want to ride it. It's fine. Go without me."
"I don't want to ride it without you." Edward's voice is starting to sound more strained.
"Then I guess you're not riding it." I throw my hands up in exasperation. "I don't get what the big deal is, Edward. It's just a Ferris wheel. Ride it without me or don't ride it at all."
One hand rips out of his pockets and smacks himself in the face in frustration. "Jesus fucking Christ, woman. I'm trying to propose to you on the goddamn Ferris wheel. Will you, or will you not trust me to take you up there, put a ring on your stubborn ass finger, and ask you to spend the rest of your life with me?" He pulls his other hand from his pocket, and wrapped inside his fingers is a small velvet box.
I'm stunned. Not stunned that he would speak to me like this because, to be fair, I might deserve a little of it, but stunned that not only has he managed to get a ring and keep it a secret from me, but he kept his word and is actually trying to propose to me on a Ferris wheel. "Oh."
"That's what you have to say? 'Oh'? Are you saying yes or not?" He smirks, and I can tell that whatever frustration he was feeling is starting to dissipate. We've talked about marriage a lot. We both know we want this.
"Yes, to the Ferris wheel, or yes, to marrying you?" I grin at him like a loon, and he laughs, closing the distance between us in a few long strides.
"You're impossible. I love you, and I'll continue to love you if you'll continue to be impossible. You made me a better man, a better friend, a better person and I—"
I cut him off with a searing kiss. "You did that yourself. I knew there was a better version of you somewhere, you just needed to find it. I love you, and I'll keep pushing you as long as you keep pushing me."
"So, yes?" He lifts up the ring box between us, and I stare down at the piece of jewelry.
Gasping, I let him slip it on my finger. "Oh, yeah. Yes." He pulls me in for a kiss, and I feel like I distinctly hear Emmett's and Rose's voice lifting in the crowd that has gathered around us, cheering. When we break apart, I look up at him again. "I love you. I'm never getting on another Ferris wheel as long as I live."