Chapter Twenty: New Years with the Swans

Disclaimer: Twilight is both a book and a time period just after sunset, before dark. I own neither.

~ O ~

EPOV

My internal body clock had me awake at eight am, which was an alright time to be awake, I guess.

After blaring out random songs such as Funky Town, the Macarena and Justin Bieber, i was laying on my back on my bed.

Don't judge me. My iPod was on shuffle. I have over six thousand songs on it. Jacob put Bieber on there.

I own a music store, okay?

For the past ten minutes I had been flipping the present that my mother had given me, in my hands.

Her engagement ring.

When Esme had told me to look inside the packet of toilet paper, I didn't hesitate. Both of my parents usually gave me either a small, sentimental gift or even a dud one, ie: the toilet paper, on Christmas.

This was because they often deposited a considerably large amount of money into my bank account around Christmas time every year.

The shine emitted from the ring caught my gaze again.

The band of the ring was 18 carot white gold, which I thought suited Bella best. Half of the circumference of the ring had seven diamonds; around 1 carot's worth. It was simple, having no other accompanying stones like emeralds, rubies and sapphires. Bella liked it simple, not one to be wearing a heavy ring with an assortment of stones that resembled a rainbow. Besides, her charm bracelet made up for the lack of colour.

But don't tell her how much gold and diamond are in the ring. She would flip!

When I looked inside the toilet paper rolls, I could practically feel the curiosity vibes rolling off of her

Thank the Lord that she had only asked one question, and then let it rest. Bella's curiosity reminded me like that of a cat's.

You know? Curiosity killed the cat.

But don't tell her that I described her as a cat, especially after telling her Rose represented a lioness on her charm bracelet.

Christmas day has been absolutely indescribable. I had nagged my mother into giving me a copy – or several – of the photo she had taken. When I walked down the hallway of my parent's house two days ago, I had noticed that the photo had already claimed a space on the wall, encased in an intricately designed frame.

FLASHBACK

"Mother, why are Bella and I already on the wall?" I enquired to Esme.

Esme clicked down the hallway to where I was. "Don't be silly son, you and Bella are not on the wall, the picture of you and Bella is."

Very funny. I sighed loudly to show that I did not appreciate her sarcasm.

"You know what I mean."

Esme smirked the Cullen trademark smirk. "It's such a Kodak moment dear. I've already got one here in the hallway, another on the mantel piece in the lounge room and one on the bedside table in your old bedroom. I also have two copies for you, and two for Bella, already framed."

I became shy. "Thanks mum," I whispered.

"It makes me oh so happy to know that my only son has found love."

I blushed and faced the photo of Bella and I wrapped in an intimate position, sharing an intimate moment.

"What did you think about the toilet paper? Did I pick out a god one?"

I choked on air and Esme had to clap her hand on my back a few times. What is my mother implying? Oh God.

"Don't look shocked and scared boy. I am your mother."

"That's exactly why," I whined.

Esme giggled. "Would you like a cup of tea?" A change of topic! Excellent. Anything to deter this conversation from happening.

I politely declined, stating that I had to go and watch 'Friends' with Bella.

My mother's stance chanced and she immediately began hurrying me out the front door, pushing the four pictures in their frames into my arms. She told me to hurry up and not keep Bella waiting.

Gosh, pushy overbearing mothers can be annoying.

"Don't forget to floss," she yelled at me from the front door.

I nodded and put my hand up and waved in reply.

"Use protection," I heard her yell again as I turned the key in the ignition.

I shook my head and drove around the roundabout and fled down the driveway to escape my mother.

END FLASBACK

It was New Years Eve, and Bella and I were to spend the afternoon with her parents, welcoming in the new year with them.

I was keen, as well as nervous, to meet her parents. They had brought Bella up, and for that alone I owed them everything.

God, could I get any more corny?

Her mother, Renee was eccentric, as Bella described her. She told me that her mother reminded her of a character she had read in a play in Junior year of high school.

The character was a little man obsessed with time and kept clocks everywhere in his house that were all set at different times. The play was 'Under Milk Wood'.

So, like the character, her mother was eccentric. Not with clocks and time, but with hobbies. She had to try at least everything apparently, before her time was up.

Now onto Bella's father. Ah, the Police Chief. What can I say about Charlie Swan? He loved his wife, he loved his guns, he loved his daughter and he loved fishing. He was protective of all four.

That pretty much sums him up.

Finally four o'clock rolled around. I don't know how I had passed time.

Actually, I do.

Do I have to admit it?

I spent two hours dancing around to that song that was on Shrek. I forget the name of it but it came onto my iPod, which was connected to my surround sound. I did mention that I had over six thousand songs on it.

When I saw her face, now I'm a believer.

Not a trace, no doubt in my mind.

I'm in love, ooooh.

I'm a believer, I wouldn't leave her if I try.

The song does seem fitting. Sliding down my hallway in socks with an air guitar really did pass the time.

However Bella walked in the front door when I was in the middle of belting out the chorus.

She stood in the door way with her arms crossed. I must have looked extremely guilty as I stopped what I was doing immediately.

"Don't stop on my account," she giggled as she tried to contain herself.

I smirked at her as I stood in the middle of my hallway. "Nah, you made me lose my vibe," I teased.

"Alright then. Perhaps I should go," Bella said as she turned around and began to walk out my front door. Now who was doing the teasing?

"No," I stated simply as I attempted to jog up to where Bella was, sliding all over the wooden floor in my attempt.

I reached Bella and grabbed onto her, pulling her into my arms. She giggled and her charm bracelet jingled.

"I wouldn't leave even if you told me too. Who could pass up a sexy, hot guy dancing around in his socks with an air guitar?"

"A straight man."

Bella whacked my chest playfully.

"We should get going," she murmured. "Wouldn't want my mum and dad to think you've kidnapped me."

I chuckled. "Not such a bad idea."

"Nope, Charlie would come looking for you with his gun. He knows everything about you."

I gulped.

Bella smiled evilly and continued. "Even that incident when you were fifteen."

I gulped again. One school afternoon when I was fifteen, Jacob and I had decided that it would be funny to moon a group of girls as our bus drove past their school. It was funny, but we kinda got detention for a week. That bus driver dobbed us in. Cranky old bastard. He needed himself a cat.

"Edward..." Bella began, bringing me back from memory lane.

"Yes?"

"Now, whenever I bring a new friend over or a new boyfriend... which was unlikely by the way... Charlie would always make a habit to clean his gun on the chair near the front door just before I bring them into the house. But don't get too worried."

"Well that's reassuring, love."

"When I first brought Alice over he did it. But she wasn't intimidated. She whipped out her hand sanitiser and a face wipe from her handbag and offered to help him clean it. Funnily enough, he let her."

"So you're saying I should offer to help him clean his gun?"

Bella scoffed. "No, no. Then he'll make the connection and think that you've been asking about how to get onto his good side."

"But I am asking around about how to get onto your father's good side."

"That's irrelevant."

I opened my mouth but I had nothing to say in return.

"One more thing. Do not, under any circumstances, use that kettle. It is evil and will harm you. Just saying..."

I nodded. "Duly noted," I replied softly before I brought my lips to hers.

Bella turned her car off. We were in the driveway of her parent's house. It was a single storey house, plain and simple. The house was white with a verandah that wraps around the house. There were two chairs and a table on the front part of the verandah; most likely where her mother and father would sit and have coffee when the sun poured onto the seats.

That was my assumption anyway.

I quickly dashed out of the passenger seat and opened the driver's seat for Bella. Even though i didn't drive, I could still be the gentleman.

Bella flashed me a reassuring smile as we walked hand in hand to the front door.

Of course, Bella didn't knock and instead just reached for the door knob and opened the door. It creaked loudly. Well, I guess she didn't sneak out through the front door when she was younger.

The first thing I noticed upon ending the house is a middle-aged man with jet black hair slightly tinted with grey and a black moustache cleaning his gun.

Charlie.

It would be almost impossible to not spot when you enter the house.

Unless, of course, you were blind.

Bella skipped up to her father and hugged him tightly. The gun that was sitting in his lap did not go off. So does that mean that it isn't loaded?

"It's loaded boy," Charlie told me. Oh he could read my mind.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Chief Swan," I said as I reached forward and offered my hand. He grunted at me in reply.

"If you wish, I would like to offer myself as a shooting target for gun practice," I suggested. If Alice could clean his gun, I would go one step further and offer myself as a target.

Bella shook her head, turned around and banged it repeatedly against the now-closed front door.

What? I thought I needed to connect with her father?

Charlie's moustache twitched and then he burst out laughing. "My name's Charlie son," he laughed as he took my still stretched-out hand and shook it vigorously and hard.

Bella's smile had returned and she took my arm and led me into the lounge room. I could see that her parents had their remotes on a wall-hanger thing. Ah, bet Bella gave that to them.

"I gave the remote holder to them last Christmas," Bella whispered in my ear.

I chuckled.

"Who is that I hear?" I heard a voice from the kitchen. "Is that your spunk of a boyfriend? Gimme a looksie." An older version of Bella emerged into the doorway.

"Oh Bella, you pick them good. That's some brilliant eye candy there."

I was being described as candy? Eye candy? I was hoping to at least be described as 'Skittle Candy'.

Renee walked up to me and hugged me. After hesitating I returned the hug.

"Very good hugging skills," Renee noted as she stepped away from me. "And his smell is to die for."

"I know right," Bella confirmed her mother's words.

I just stood there, admiring pictures of Bella growing up, on the mantel piece.

I mean, what is one to do when your girlfriend and her mother are discussing your smell? What would you do?

Renee then turned to look at us both. "Now for an afternoon snack I have a cheese platter…" I heard Bella cheer quietly, "… and for dinner I decided to make homemade pizzas and garlic bread, with red wine."

Was her parents trying to get me drunk? Don't be paranoid Edward. Bella said the same thing to you about your parents on Christmas day.

But you can't trust parents these days.

Over six hours later, the clock chimed once, signalling that it was 11:30pm. Only half an hour until the beginning of 2011.

I was keen.

And welcoming in the new year with Bella was the highlight. I sound like some love-sick boy don't I?

Well that's because I am.

To say that the last six hours has been interesting would be an understatement.

The cheese board had decided to hate life and flip off the table as Bella was cutting a slice of antique creamy cheese. Thus, resulting in no more cheese, and I'm a cheese man.

Charlie had actually taken my suggestion seriously, which it was a serious suggestion by the way, and told me to go and stand outside underneath the big oak tree out the back while he aimed his gun at me.

To say that I had almost produced enough sweat to match my weight was an understatement too.

I had practically sweated me a freaking river!

He had gotten all the way to pulling the trigger, which did not go off. He had unloaded it.

After that he yelled out 'You've been punk'd' and then walked inside and grabbed a beer out of the fridge.

I, myself, downed a beer after that incident.

But, all in all, Renee and Charlie were interesting. Over dinner they recounted their glory days, back in the 70s.

Bella and I got a giggle out of it all. Yes, a giggle.

Five minutes to midnight Bella led me outside the back and sat down with me on the secluded picnic bench facing the flower bed.

"Today has been an adventure," Bella murmured as she rested her head on my shoulder. I wrapped my left arm around her shoulders and pulled her tighter towards me. I relished in her closeness.

I whispered. "A wonderful adventure."

We then heard Charlie and Renee begin the countdown.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two... one. HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

And with that my lips sought out Bella's for that cliqued midnight kiss.

~ O ~

AN: Sorry if there are any discrepancies in my chapters. I've been told there are, such as Chicago winter is quite cold and Edward would not have been wearing shorts. I live in Australia and should probably do my research for these sort of things, especially the geographic ones. Quite a few of you guessed it was a ring in the toilet paper. Sorry if the description of the ring was poor, I'm not very good with those sort of things. The next chapter is Jasper and Alice's wedding! My twitter account is xxtwilight7xx for those of you who wish to follow me. Review your favourite line or part. It's much appreciated.