Hi! So, everyone seemed to love the last chapter. I can't
imagine why, *gigglesnort* These two! Amazing how our
shy, awkward Bella can become so demanding under the
right circumstances, isn't it? LOL
Thanks to Fran for being there, even after four years!
I don't own these characters, but it sure would be nice!
-LWTC-
Chapter 23
Esme stood and watched from doorway to the kitchen, smiling, with tears in her eyes as her son took the woman he loved into his arms. She saw Bella melt into his embrace, and gasped softly as he placed his hands on her face. She turned and dragged her nosy partners away from the door to give the two young lovers some privacy.
"Mom," Rose hissed.
"No."
"But, Mo-om," Alice whined.
"I said no," Esme whispered vehemently, keeping hold of the two women by their arms.
"But they're kissing."
"Yes, Alice," Esme glared, "and I intend to give them the same privacy I gave to you and Jasper when I drug his father away from the window the night of your first kiss."
"Fine," Rose and Alice huffed at the same time.
The three women turned back to the project at hand, and completed their baking quietly, each glancing furtively toward the door from time to time.
-LWTC-
An hour after Bella had walked in, Alice could stand it no longer. She walked out of the kitchen to find out why the couple had not come in to see them. What she found made her want to squeal like a little girl. Edward had dragged one of the loveseats to a more private location at the back of the small dining area where it was partly obscured by two Ficus plants.
Edward was on the end, slouched, and relaxed. Bella, who was seated beside him, had turned at some point so that she was facing the back of the chair, and had drawn her legs onto the cushion while leaning into Edward's chest. Apparently comfortable, Bella had fallen asleep against him, and Edward—unable to keep from touching her—had removed her hair tie, and was running his fingers through the length of her hair, and scratching softly at her scalp.
He looked up when he saw Alice enter, and placed his finger against his lips, warning her not to wake his sleeping beauty. He pointed up at the clock on the wall behind him, and mouthed to her that she should tell him when it was eleven. Alice grinned and nodded in understanding before waving to Esme and Rose that they should come see.
Rose took out her phone and snapped several pictures, to which Edward was oblivious. He simply couldn't take his eyes off his Princess.
When Alice came out of the kitchen, giving him a sharp look and pointing at the clock, Edward wanted to whine. In his opinion the three hours that he sat holding Bella were the most precious of his life thus far …. He hated to wake her, but he knew that the lunch rush was upon them, and while he had help that day, he knew it would not be sufficient without him working the sandwich and dessert counters.
He leaned down, and kissed Bella's forehead, whispering soft words to her. She wriggled, and moaned softly, as she clung harder to him, and tried to burrow more deeply into his chest.
"Princess," Edward said louder, "you need to wake up, honey."
"No," Bella half grunted, half whined. "Don't wanna."
Edward chuckled at her, "Well, what you want and what you can have are not always equivalent."
"If I get up," Bella yawned, and stretched as she opened her eyes to look at her beloved. "Alice is going to come over and take me away to play Cinderella and the Fairy Godmother."
"Not until after the lunch rush is through."
"Yeah, well, guess what," Rose, who had wandered over to them, said in a sardonic voice. "Alice might have to stay here, but I don't, and your 'Princess' needs to get up, and come with me. Hair first, Missy, and that's me."
Bella sat up slowly, knowing there was no getting out of this. Not only was Edward eager to take her to the Gala, Dr. Newton, who had been informed of her return, had left a message on her phone that since she was back in the country, and in the state, she was expected to attend. No excuses, he had said.
Edward grinned at her adorably pink, creased face, and then laughed when he saw the small wet spot on his shirt, where she had apparently drooled. Bella followed his line of sight, and blushed when she realized what he was laughing at.
"I'm so embarrassed." Bella covered her face and giggled.
"It's okay, beautiful." Edward grinned at her. "I like that you marked me. I have aprons that will cover it up." He waved her embarrassment off, and beamed a smile at her, his eyes shining with love.
"Ugh, I think I'm gonna be sick." Rose stuck her finger into her mouth, pretending to gag, and made Edward and Bella both giggle with her antics. "Mom, are you about ready to go? I don't think I can handle much more of this mushy love-fest."
"Whatever, daughter of mine," Esme raised an eyebrow, "that's why I had to drag you and Alice away from the door, kicking and screaming in order to give these two some privacy earlier."
"Shut up," Rose blushed, and smiled in spite of herself. She wanted to play the tough girl who was grossed-out at her brother's tender affection for Bella, but anyone who knew her already knew she was thrilled for the two lovebirds.
-LWTC-
Edward's day had gone by in a flash. The lunch rush lasted until nearly two o'clock in the afternoon. The sun was out that day and at this time of the year, sunshine was at a premium, so it brought people out of their homes by the droves.
When his evening relief walked in, he heaved a sigh of relief. "Hey, Vernon, I am sorry to dump it onto you like this, man, but my girl is home, and I have to go!"
Edward tossed his apron haphazardly atop the laundry bin, grabbed his coat, and fled the store. His employees, who all knew Bella, were thrilled to see him go.
-LWTC-
Rose had spent an hour and a half on Bella's hair, twisting it down the sides and into an intricate pattern in the back. It appeared as braided and woven ropes arranged neatly at the base of her head. In the front, were a few small, wispy locks that were left loose, and softly curled to look like they had unintentionally escaped their confines. The effect was lovely, it made Bella's neck appear longer, and framed her face perfectly.
Rose had just completed her masterpiece, and sprayed it for the third time when Alice appeared. "Perfect timing, Ali, she's all ready for you."
Alice then spent another hour on Bella's make-up, while Rose fussed over her nails. Bella, as a health care professional, kept her nails trimmed, much to Rose's dismay. Alice pointed out that Bella was blessed with long, slender nail beds, and that once her cuticles were trimmed, and they were painted, they would appear to be long. This appeased Rose, and she sat about painting Bella's nails a soft, shell-pink color, and even put a gem on the ring fingernail of each hand.
When Alice had completed her task, Bella looked into the mirror and gasped. Her eyes were base shadowed with a shimmery white color, then shaded with dark gray, giving them a smoky-sultry look. Alice had curled Bella's lashes, and lined her eyes in blackest-black, liquid liner, with a pointed lift at the outer edges that tapered toward the inner corners, giving her eyes a wider, even more doe-like appearance. Her whole face, neck and shoulders, even down her arms had been coated in a shimmery powder that softened the lighting around her, and made her appear to glow.
Esme walked into the bathroom beaming as she looked at the lovely woman in front of her. She had been tearing up all day, as thoughts of what was transpiring would overtake her. Once again, she found herself dabbing at her eyes as she saw Bella, all ready, but for her dress. She dried her eyes quickly, and began to unzip the gown. She opened it from the back, and helped Bella to step into it, while Alice and Rose steadied her, and helped to adjust and shuffle her 'assets' into position.
Once the dress had been zippered into place, Esme pulled a small, satin pouch from her purse, and placed it into Bella's hands. "Edward asked me to lend these to you," she explained.
Bella gasped when she saw the whole effect. The sapphire-blue satin of the gown made her porcelain skin appear translucent. It had ruched, capped sleeves, and a beautiful, plunging, sweetheart neckline. The bodice was gathered, fitted, and slimming, with a burst of rhinestones that appeared to scatter like a starburst emanating from the left side of her waist. It was floor length, and sophisticated, and was the loveliest article of clothing that she had ever worn. At seventeen-hundred and fifty dollars, it was also the most expensive article of clothing she had ever worn.
She had kicked herself for making the purchase at the time, feeling pressured by Alice … now; she couldn't bring herself to feel guilty about having spent the money. As she opened the satin pouch that Esme had handed her, she gasped, and began to fan her face, fighting the tears back that threatened to spill.
"I told you we should have given them to her before she was made up," Rose said in a snarky tone.
"Yes, but she would have fought us earlier," Alice smiled knowingly. "Waiting until now made her realize how lovely she is, and she actually feels worthy of wearing it."
Bella giggled at her friends as they stuck their tongues out at each other. She had to acquiesce to Alice's assessment; she would have argued earlier, but now she knew that she needed a fine piece of jewelry to wear with the beautiful gown, and fabulous make up. She felt like a movie star.
Esme took the bag from her, and began to fasten the Swarovski® Crystal necklace at her throat. Alice had shown them to her one day that summer. They were shimmering, pale-pink crystals that were arranged in a lovely, intricate pattern, and lay perfectly against the base of her throat, across her collarbone; and a pair of earrings to match. They had belonged to Carlisle's grandmother, Elliana Cullen, who was a Duchess of … somewhere or other, Bella could not remember. All she knew was that the crystals were beautiful, and worth even more than her gown.
Alice produced a long pair of black, satin gloves, and insisted that Bella wear them, but Bella refused; opting instead to pull her Aunt Sue's wedding gloves from the back of her dresser drawer. Sue had kept them for Bella, demanding she wear them someday when she had the occasion to do so. They were a soft, antique, pearl white satin, with matching, satin covered buttons sewn into the gathered seam. Even Alice had to admit that they were a better match to her finery.
Bella had joked earlier in the day about being Cinderella. At this moment, that joke felt more like a reality than she could have imagined—only instead of one Fairy Godmother, she had been graced with three.
-LWTC-
Edward couldn't take his eyes off Bella, all the way to the Amway Grand. He felt badly that no one had thought ahead to get a hotel room there for Bella to get dressed. The two-hour ride there had stretched closer to three because of the late day change in weather, which left the roads covered with slush. The limo company had tried to back out on them at the last minute, due to the poor conditions, but Edward managed to bribe the driver with an extra-large tip if he would make the trek.
Bella was feeling edgy the closer they got to their destination.
She did feel like Cinderella, on her way to the ball with her Prince Charming. She knew her nervousness stemmed from the fact that she still had to stand up in front of a room filled with approximately six hundred people, to accept an award she did not feel she had earned. While she had let go of the overwhelming grief and guilt that had consumed her for the better part of the week following her patient's death, she was struggling with the idea of being named Doctor of the Year.
Edward squeezed her hand, and dipped his chin, grinning at her mischievously. "You do know I am not going to let you disappear from my sight tonight, right? Not even at midnight," he beamed as she drew her brows, and cocked her head in confusion. "I know you feel like Cinderella, but I can promise you, there will be no turning into pumpkins, or searching for maidens to match lost slippers."
Bella smiled, as her tension was broken for a moment. She leaned against Edward's side and kissed his lips softly. Edward battled the urge to pull her more closely to him, and devour her with kisses. He wouldn't ruin her hair and make-up like that. He contented himself with the idea that they were alone, and could talk.
"I want you to remember three, very important things while you are accepting your award."
"Yes," Bella asked, looking at him warily.
"First, you have earned this award. People are living longer, healthy lives because of the techniques that you have perfected, and taught to others."
Bella nodded softly, looking at her lap.
"Secondly," Edward put his finger under her chin, and tilted her head to look at him, "you are by far, the loveliest lady in attendance-"
"But-, "Bella interrupted.
"No buts!" Edward's voice was firm. "I don't have to see the other women there. No one could outshine the Princess I have on my arm tonight. Not ever," he kissed the tip of her nose.
"And," Bella asked softly, "thirdly?"
"Thirdly," Edward drew in a deep breath, and blew it out slowly, trying to gather the nerve to say the words. "I want you to know, and remember, that you are … loved … beyond measure."
Bella stilled, blinking rapidly. She took a moment to process what he was saying, not quite believing her ears. Edward mistook her confused expression, and clarified what she had already, correctly interpreted.
"I love you, Bella."
Bella nodded, and opened her clutch in search of the tissues that Alice had packed for her, and tore fruitlessly at the unopened package, struggling because of her gloves. Edward tenderly took the package from her hands, opened it, retrieving a tissue, and then began to dab gently at her eyes.
As the silence drew out between them, Edward became nervous. Have I jumped the gun? Did I mess it all up, he wondered, not realizing that he had vocalized the last of his self-doubt.
"No! God, no," Bella cried suddenly. "I'm sorry I froze. I just … I wasn't expecting you to say that yet."
"I think I've loved you since the first time you smiled at me, Princess. I'm sorry it's taken me this long to say it."
"Oh, Edward," Bella smiled brightly, her eyes sparkling with tears, "I've been in love with you since the moment you laughed at me; when my stomach growled."
Just then, the car came to a stop, and the door opened to the red, carpeted walk.
-LWTC-
Heads turned to look at the handsome couple entering the Imperial Ballroom, after being announced.
Murmurs went around the room as people realized who had arrived. So many there had only heard rumors about the young surgeon. Most struggled to believe that she could be so accomplished at such a young age, and many more had believed the lies of the few jealous doctors whom she had outshined, who claimed she was a homely, and backward woman.
Bella was brave that night as she accepted her award, managing to say a few words of thanks into the mic, which surprised all of the doctors in attendance. She was a veritable walking encyclopedia of medical and surgical knowledge, confident when discussing her craft; but Dr. Isabella Swan rarely said two unnecessary words to anyone in the medical community.
There were those in attendance who considered her snobbish, and proud. Some thought her socially stunted, and incapable of normal interaction. Still others assumed she was a hack, who fronted for one of her former professors. Of all the six hundred people in attendance, there were only about seventy-five or eighty who actually worked with her, and knew the truth of her genius, and only one man who mattered.
It was to him she directed her speech, and offered her thanks.
When Edward led her to the dance floor that evening, Bella followed him, trusting that he would keep his word. He did that and so much more … not only did he not allow her to fall, he helped to keep her steps in time to the music, and made her look graceful. His knowledge of ballroom dancing helped him to guide her across the floor with ease.
Edward was proud to lead her, to know her; honored to be the man she looked at with eyes full of love. He made his plans that night while Bella was whisked away to talk to the Board of Directors, and the other 'mucky-mucks' in the room. He watched her from their assigned seats, and smiled at her as he texted his mother and sisters.
Yes, by the end of the evening, Edward had his Christmas plans laid out.
The women of his family had their hands full; two weeks seemed a very short time to plan such an undertaking …
But Edward was sure they were up to the task.
-LWTC-
So, some of you may have been disappointed with the lack of
detail given about the gala. If so, I am sorry but I felt like they
were moving forward enough without all the details of their
schmancy evening. If you are interested, you can find pictures
of Bella's gown, hair, and the Amway Grand Imperial Ballroom
in Fran's FB group, Twilight Fanfiction Pays it Forward.
*huggles*