Chapter Five
Waking up the following morning, Bella found herself alone in her old bedroom at Charlie's house. Last night after Rosalie's drunken debacle, Bella had driven them both straight to the house, wishing on every star and to any spiritual being that would listen that Rosalie wouldn't toss her cookies in the rental car. Luckily for Bella, all Rosalie had done was snore like a drunken hussy that had been rode hard and put away wet.
As she lay in her bed, Bella thought of the previous night and how nice it was to be in such a laid back atmosphere with people that were easy going enough to hang out with. It had been so long since she'd found herself letting loose and having a good time. She giggled at the thought of Rosalie's drunken behavior the night before, wondering how in the hell she'd even managed to get the intoxicated blonde into the car to begin with.
Thoughts of Emmett Cullen raced through her mind. He was a nice enough guy, laid back and good looking but he wasn't actually her type. He seemed more like the big brother she never had. She'd watched his eyes as he caught a glimpse of Rosalie and, for a second, Bella wondered if there was a potential match within the two. Even though she wasn't the matchmaker type, it was something she'd definitely have to look into.
She briefly pondered over Emmett's bartender, Jake. His tight, muscular frame was a sight to see. He seemed sweet and at the same time there was something about him that Bella couldn't seem to put her finger on. She'd have a go of that one later.
Then her thoughts went to Emmett's brother. She remembered how adamant Emmett was about her meeting him. She wasn't sure what the big deal was all about but it seemed important enough to Emmett. She would rectify the situation soon.
The house seemed eerily quiet as Bella made her way down the stairs until the sound of loud clanking boomed from the kitchen. Bella made quick work of the stairs in search of the offending noise, pulling the ties of her robe snug around her waist.
As she rounded the corner, she found Charlie and Rosalie in the kitchen. Both of them were elbows deep in ingredients that had more than likely been pulled from the cabinets and the refrigerator. Rosalie was standing in front of the counter trying to peel potatoes with a butter knife while Charlie was examining a measuring cup like his life was currently depending on it. The scene was extremely laughable.
"Morning, Bells." Charlie hadn't bothered to look over at Bella as he continued to visually molest the measuring cup. "Sleep good?"
"Yeah, Bella, how did you sleep? You snore really, really loudly." Rosalie giggled at her assessment, as she continued to massacre the poor potato she was gripping. "Thought you were going to suck me in."
Sharing a bed with Rosalie wasn't Bella's idea of a good night either. The woman's knees and elbows made contact with certain parts of Bella's anatomy throughout the night. She was thankful knowing that her boobs and vagina were still intact.
"Yeah, well, I would've slept pretty stinkin' good if Jackie Chan over there hadn't tried to karate chop me all night," Bella said, eyeing Rosalie and slipping into one of the dining chairs. "What are the two of you doing in here anyway? If you aren't careful, you might burn the joint down."
Charlie sat the infuriating cup down on the countertop. "Well, while you were still sawing logs, your friend Emmett called. His family invited us over for a barbeque this afternoon and, well, I accepted for all of us."
Ever since the death of her mother, Bella hadn't seen much life in her father. Charlie hadn't, in the last several days, wanted to do much that involved the outside world or human contact for that matter. He had kept himself sheltered, behind the four walls of his home, away from anything that might warrant a tinge of sadness. So, to say that Bella was shocked at his willingness to be around people was an understatement.
"You did?" Bella asked.
"Yep," Charlie answered, going back to his work of the infamous measuring cup. "Thought it was time to break out of this dismal place and see some life for once. Your mother wouldn't want me staying home."
A smile played on Bella's face. Charlie was right. Renee wouldn't want him to stay cooped up in the house. She'd want him to be out and about just like they'd done so many times before.
"So, what time's this shindig?" Bella asked as she got up from her seat and moved toward the coffee pot.
Charlie eyed the clock that sat above the table. "Noon."
"And what is it the two of you are," she paused, looking at Charlie and Rosalie, "doing?"
With a butter knife in one hand and a potato in the other, Rosalie huffed. "We are trying to make a potato salad but this knife sucks. I just don't get it," she said, shaking her head.
Bella had decided to put them both out of their current misery and take over the task at hand. Sending Rosalie out of the kitchen to go get ready and telling Charlie to do the same, Bella took over, making quick work of the salad and even having enough time to whip up a chocolate pudding pie.
By eleven o' clock, Bella was showered and dressed. She had decided that casual dress would do just fine, wearing a white cotton t-shirt, a pair of low-rise jeans, and her black and white Chucks. She threw her hair in a ponytail, glazed her lips with her favorite strawberry lip gloss, and applied a smidge of mascara. Bella had never been the make-up wearing type so a little was good enough for her. Besides, who was she going to impress?
Rosalie, on the other hand, looked like she'd just stepped out of an issue of Cosmo with her blonde locks curled to perfection and her make-up flawless. It was almost sickening. Oh, to be that beautiful.
Charlie was dressed, well, like Charlie. Bella couldn't help but notice that it looked like he had groomed his mustache. She had often wondered if he had a special brush for his lip lizard. Over the years, people had made shushed comments about Charlie's 'Porn Stash'. Yeah, it most definitely is a sight to behold.
The drive to the Cullen's took about fifteen minutes tops. The house was on the west end of town, just off the highway. As they reached the driveway, Bella was amazed at the beauty of it all. The road that led to the house was lined with tall trees that, with no doubt, were older than creation. A brook sat nestled along the right side of the trees, adding to the splendor. Finally reaching the house, if you could call it a house, all sets of eyes were glued to the monstrous palace.
Charlie let out a low whistle as he hugged the steering wheel. "Jesus, this place is something else."
The house was enormous, white and ivory. It stood out brilliantly against the green of the trees and foliage. Bella had seen some grand homes during her career but nothing to this magnitude. Most of her clients lived in penthouses or brownstones. As she thought more on the subject, Bella couldn't remember ever seeing this house as a child.
As Charlie's old red Chevy slid up to the house and parked, Bella caught sight of Emmett barreling out the front double doors. His large frame thundering down the stone steps, exuding with childlike enthusiasm, caused Bella to smile.
"You made it," Emmett said, bounding up to the truck. "Wow," he said, pausing to take in the dilapidated Chevy, "this is some, um, machine."
Charlie smirked as Bella looked over at him. "Yeah, this is my Dad's baby," Bella said, elbowing Charlie.
"Yeah, well, she's given me some pretty good years," Charlie admitted, patting the dash lovingly.
After making the necessary introductions, Bella's train of thought whipped back to the day Charlie bought Big Red. The day he brought it home, she and her Squints were sitting in the front yard of her house, watching as Big Red putted up the street, taking residence in the driveway, jerking Charlie a few times before backfiring.
"What a bucket."
"Shh…don't let him hear you say that."
"Why not? He should know that he bought a bucket."
"What's crawled up your butt, Squints?"
"Nothing."
"Right. Try telling me that without lying."
"It's nothing, Peaches."
"If you say so."
"I'm failing math."
"How?"
"Like I said, I'm failing math. Simple."
"You need some help getting your grade up? You know I'm a wiz at it."
"Yeah, probably."
"Cool. We'll get you back up there."
"Thanks, Peaches."
"Anytime, Squints."
"The truck is still a bucket."
"I know."
Snapping back to the now, Bella watched as Emmett's attention was cast in Rosalie's direction as he opened the passenger side door and helped Rosalie out. The spark of interest was evident on both of their features. The day was sure to get interesting.
"How are you doing, Rosie?" Emmett asked, taking Rosalie's hand as she slid from the truck.
A noticeable blush swept across Rosalie's cheeks. "I'm doing well. Thank you."
"I hope you don't mind me calling you Rosie," Emmett said still holding on to Rosalie's hand. "You don't, do you?"
"No, no, I like it. I like it," Rosalie admitted, smiling at Emmett.
Bella shook her head and rolled her eyes as she got out of Big Red. Charlie walked over to Bella's side and the four of them made their way up the stone steps. Bella couldn't help but notice a few expensive cars sitting off to the right of the parking area. A black Mercedes was parked in front of the three car garage with the license plate reading '#1 Doc'. Bella wasn't sure who the car belonged to. Another was an extremely large sliver Hummer. Just by the sheer size of the vehicle she was sure that it must belong to Emmett. She highly doubted that he could fit comfortably in something smaller. Sitting next to the Hummer was a sleek, black Harley with silver flecks. The bike was beautiful but that wasn't what caught Bella's attention. Towards the back of the Harley, on the rear fender, were two small spray painted peaches. Right underneath the painted fruit was the word 'Peaches'. It was as if the word smacked Bella in the face. Her heart swelled even though she knew it was over something that clearly had nothing to do with her.
"You coming, B?" Emmett asked, smiling like a buffoon. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Bella closed her eyes, shaking the thought from her head. "You could say that."
As the four of them entered the Cullen home, Bella was even more stunned at the enormity and the grandeur. Bella walked slowly through the foyer, searching over the paintings that hung on the walls, noticing one by a very well known Van Gough. Sculptures covered end tables that seemed to derive from far away countries that Bella had yet to discover. The walls through the home were cream with the trimmings a mint green which made the home feel cozy and welcoming. The long hand spun silk window coverings were breathtaking, reaching the floor and tied back with silk bindings.
The furniture was so opulent Bella was certain that it wasn't meant to be sat in. She was sure that Emmett's parents forgot to cover it all with plastic just to preserve its beauty.
As Bella reveled in the magnificence of the Cullen home a voice came from the kitchen. "And who do we have here?"
A middle-aged man with blonde hair rounded the corner of the kitchen, wiping his hands on the front of the apron he donned which read 'Kiss The Cook'.
"Hey, Dad," Emmett replied, walking up to the man, gesturing with his hand, "this is Bella, her dad, Charlie, and her friend, Rosalie. This is my dad, Carlisle." Emmett motioned to the man.
A look of recognition flashed over Carlisle's face as he looked at Bella. It didn't escape her notice as Emmett's brows crinkled and he shook his head at his father.
Carlisle softly smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you all and welcome to our home. Charlie, care for a beer? I was just getting the meat marinated for the grill."
Charlie's ears perked up. "Thanks. That'd be great."
As both men retreated back to the kitchen Emmett, Rosalie, and Bella made their way to the backyard. Stepping on to the covered back patio, Bella was taken aback at the vast space. Trees were lined around the perimeter as if to keep prying eyes from sneaking a peek. A large pool sat in the middle of the yard with lounge chairs lining the sides with tiki torches softly lit. Off to the far right of the pool was a man made cove with a waterfall that cascaded over the front of it, blocking out any view that spectators might have. The rock design at the back of the pool was beautiful with small palm trees and exotic plants nestled between the rocks. At the left of the pool was a large Jacuzzi that was already warmed and bubbling. Bella was quickly sorry she hadn't brought a swim suit with her to enjoy the water. It wasn't often that Washington was graced with such warm weather.
"This place is amazing," Bella said, taking a seat at the patio table. "Did your mother decorate the house?"
Emmett smiled, leaning back in his seat. "Nah. She brought some hoity toity in from Italy."
"It's beautiful," Bella admitted, not knowing, even with all of her experience, if she could have done a better job.
"Thanks, B. I'm sure Mom would love to hear you say that. Especially coming from a well-know designer like yourself." Emmett tipped his beer towards Bella. "I checked into some of your work. You're good."
"Yeah, Bella is awesome at what she does. She's really, really good with colors," Rosalie offered.
At Rosalie's words, Bella silently went back in time as her memories flooded her once more.
"So, what are we doing?"
"Painting my bedroom."
"Your mom and dad are going to let us paint your room?"
"Sure. Why not?"
"Because, Peaches. We've never painted a bedroom before."
"Well, Squints. We're painting my bedroom."
"What color?"
"Cotton candy and cream."
"Cotton who? And what?"
"Cotton candy and cream. Um, Pink and white?"
"So, it's going to look like carnival food exploded in your bedroom?"
"Shut up, Squints, and take a brush. We've got some painting to do."
Bella smiled as the memory of she and her Squints splattered in pink paint flitted across her mind. She remembered as her mother walked into a pink catastrophe. The walls ended up with splashes and streaks of pink much to her mother's horror. Luckily for Squints, the pink paint washed out of his hair with a few scrubs.
"Where's the restroom, Emmett?" Bella asked, feeling the three beers she had already consumed hit her bladder like a freight train.
"Down the hall, from the foyer, and to the right."
After using the restroom, Bella made her way down the hallway and stopped dead in her tracks. Lining one of the walls was a cluster of framed photos. One of them screamed out to her, drawing her closer. Cased in a small frame was a picture of a bronzed haired little boy and a rosy cheeked young girl. Both were covered in mud from head to toe. The boy was holding a fishing pole in one hand with his other arm draped over the little girl's shoulder while she held onto a collection of fish in her right hand.
Bella clasped a free hand over her mouth and felt as tears pricked at her lids. She delicately ran her fingertips down the faded photo remembering that day very vividly.
"I caught more than you did, Squints."
"Did not."
"Did too."
"There's five fish, Peaches."
"Yeah? So?"
"Well, I caught three of them."
"No, Squints. I caught three and you caught two."
"No way!"
"Yes way!"
"Then you cheated!"
"Squints, how can I cheat at fishing? You can't. That's how."
"Whatever, Peaches."
"Don't be a sore fisherman, Squints."
"I'm not, Peaches."
"Good."
"You have mud in your ears."
"Thanks, Squints. Oh, you have some in your nose."
Bella squeezed her eyes shut, letting the tears dissolve down her cheeks when a burst of acknowledgment racked through her body. Grabbing the photo from the hook on the wall, Bella swiped at the tears and made her way down the hall. She needed answers.
As she round the corner, going back into the living room, she heard unfamiliar voices coming from the kitchen. It was a male and female voice that she hadn't heard before.
"There you are," Charlie sighed, raising a hand up to Bella's shoulder, slowly nudging her backwards. "I think we need to talk outside."
Bella crinkled her brows in confusion. She wondered momentarily if Charlie had gone mad. "What's wrong, Dad?"
"Um, nothing, Bells," Charlie said, glancing over his shoulder, a look of concern stretching across his face. "I just need to speak to you…out front. It's important."
Bella wasn't sure what had come over Charlie. But, whatever it was, it would have to wait. She needed to speak to Emmett and ask why his family had a photo of her and Squints on the wall.
"Can this wait, Dad? I really need to talk to Emmett."
Pushing past Charlie and giving him a reassuring smile, Bella made her way to the patio doors. Charlie had tried once again to gain Bella's attention to no avail. As soon as Bella stepped onto the patio deck her breath caught in her throat.
They both stood, staring at one another. No one spoke as five pairs of eyes took in the scene before them.
Still clutching the framed photo, a flood of emotions toppled Bella, slowly spilling down her spine, reaching her toes as a set of green eyes stared back at her and a messy head a bronzed hair poked out in every direction. Quickly, the entire world had disappeared. It was just she and him now looking at each other in wonderment, elation, and a tinge of heartbreak.
A whimper was heard off in the distance but Bella didn't bother looking to see where it had come from. She was transfixed on the man in front of her.
A crashing sound boomed from Bella's feet as the framed photo dropped from her clutches, shattering glass around her covered toes as she threw her hands up to her mouth. Tears slid down her cheeks as she took in the man in front of her. He was no longer the boy she remembered. He was grown. His face wasn't dirty and his clothes weren't full of mud. He was beautiful, more beautiful than she'd remembered all those years ago. But, even after all the lost years, her Squints was still visible.
"Peaches?" the man said. "Peaches, is that you?"
Bella sucked in a sharp intake of air as she heard the nickname her dear, sweet Squints had called her so many years earlier.
Bella continued to stand with her mouth agape as she raked her eyes over each and every one of the man's beautiful features, trying to find the young boy she left behind over a decade ago.
"Squints?" she said with a shaky breath. "Edward?"
"You, me best friends forever. Ever and ever, best friends forever," he said.
"Ditto." Bella's hand instinctively flew up to her mouth and, as the tears continued to flow down her cheeks, her body silently shook. "Oh my God…I…holy shit…I can't…" she stammered not able to form a coherent sentence.
Edward was before her in three strides. In one swift movement he grabbed her hips in his large hands, pulling her close to his chest, as he kissed her forehead, lifting her in his arms, sweeping her literally off her feet.
"I can't believe it's really you, Peaches," his voice shook and cracked. Sniffling back tears, he burrowed his nose into her hair.
Time seemed to stop as Edward held Bella, his Peaches, tightly in his arms. He had never thought in a million years that he'd ever see her again. But, there she was. And she was beautiful. A grown woman. Not the little girl he'd dreamt about for so many years. His best friend.
Over the years, Edward had wondered how Bella looked all grown up. He wondered how life had treated her, if she'd gotten married, if she'd had any children and most of all, if she'd thought about him the way he'd thought about her. He had done a web search of her name a few years earlier, but came up empty handed. He had searched for her in Arizona but nothing came of it. It was as if she'd dropped off the face of the earth. He had barely found out that Renee had passed away with his mother telling him that they buried her in Forks, but never mentioning that Bella was still in town. His parents had missed the funeral since they were on vacation in Italy.
When Bella left Forks about a decade earlier, it had left a sour taste in his mouth and an empty feeling in his chest. But here she was and, he was holding her. He was finally with his Peaches.
Edward reluctantly placed Bella on her feet, noticing her body shake with emotion. He placed his hands on her face and looked down into her chocolate brown eyes, the same caring eyes he remembered as a young boy. He stared at her, taking her in, realizing just how beautiful his Peaches had become. As kids, Bella was a tomboy, always wanting to get them both in some grungy situations. But, now she was anything but a tomboy. The realization hit Edward like a ton of bricks. Bella was a beautiful, grown woman and his body didn't relent at letting him know.
"It's really you," he said, cupping her cheeks. "You're really here." Tears silently slid down his cheeks.
Bella screwed her eyes shut listening to the sound of his silky voice. "Is this real?" she whispered.
"Open your eyes, Bella," Edward whispered to his Peaches. "Peaches, please, look at me."
As Bella's lashes fluttered open, Edward's breath caught in his throat. He melted, looking into her big, brown, soft eyes. It was as if he could swim lazily in their chocolate sweetness. His heart clenched at the sight of a tear slipping from one of them.
"This," Edward muttered in a shaky breath, looking between the two of them, "is very real. I am very real."
Instantly, Edward's stomach flipped and flopped as Bella's soft, small hands connected with the skin on his face. He closed his eyes, reveling in the simple touch of her fingertips, wishing like hell they didn't have an audience and giving a shit less that they did all at the same time.
Edward fixed his eyes shut as Bella traced his features with her fingertips, starting with his brows and ending with his jaw. He still couldn't believe that the beautiful woman in front of him was his Peaches and, at the same time, thanking the stars above that it was. Quickly, he was swept back in his memories.
"You cut your hair."
"Yeah. Mom said it was about time."
"I liked it better all shaggy the way it was."
"I could give a crap less about my hair, Peaches. It's just hair."
"I guess. But I still liked it."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why do girls care about that kind of stuff?"
"I dunno."
"Well, you just said that you liked it. You must care about those things."
"Not with everyone."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I don't really care about that with everyone, Squints."
"But you do with me?"
"Um, yeah. I guess."
"You're hard to read sometimes, Peaches."
"Yeah, I guess."
"So, you really liked my hair better the other way?"
"Yeah. You looked cute like that."
"Cute?"
"You know what I mean."
"Hmm."
At the time, Edward wasn't too sure what his Peaches had meant. He never looked at her as anything but a best friend. Growing up together, Edward always thought of Bella as a confidant, a person that he could run to with whatever issues he was having and know that she'd always be there for him. But now? Well, he was seeing her in a different light and, he liked it.
Edward had the impulsive urge to smash his lips against hers, as she slowly ran her fingertip across his bottom one, and show her just how much he'd missed her. Thinking against it, he swiftly wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her close.
"I've missed you so, so fucking much."
"I… …I…oh God …I've miss you too, Squints."
Well, there you have it. The moment you all have been waiting for. I hope I did this chapter justice with the build-up of the reunion.
Thank you to all of you that have rec'd, reviewed, and put this on your favorites and alerts lists. You all amaze me!
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year!
Until next time…
OzellaMarie