Disclaimer: I don't own anything :(

My usual THANK YOU to the bestest and amazing-est Beta in the whole, wide world IZZZYY. Love you bb.

So you guys, this is not the Open-Mic Night chapter. This is more of a Bella chapter :) Enjoy!

Chapter 15

Twenty-five.

Bella looked around and couldn't help but feel nostalgic. I'm twenty-five today, and I'm surrounded by people who love me. She had a lot to be thankful for, she admitted to herself, smiling widely as she watched her Dad and Uncle Phil – seated at the next table – laughing with Emmett. Nessie, her spitfire cousin (she literally had the front part of her light-brown hair colored fire-engine red), was sitting with them and from time to time would join in the conversation. Nessie was more like her Uncle Phil, tall and athletic, but there was no disguising the fact that she got her Mom's blue eyes and over-all tan. God knows Bella and Alice got the trademark Dwyer paleness.

Her eyes moved to the other part of the room where Rose and Jessica were. They looked like they'd just come from the bathroom. Both were engaged in a heated discussion, with Jessica giggling (her typical reaction to Rose's temper) and Mommy-to-be crossing her arms in front of her chest, looking annoyed. Whatever it was they were arguing about, Bella was one hundred percent sure they'd resolve it before lunch ended. Theirs was the typical love-hate relationship, but no matter how much they argued and irritated each other, they would still be friends.

The Royce King incident had cemented that.

Royce was the douche Rose was dating at that time. The same douche-bag who lived next door to Jessica. One night, Douche King had Rose over his house for a "special dinner," his attempt to impress the Chef by cooking for her. Well, that wasn't the only thing he attempted. He also tried to bed Rose and when that didn't happen, he became forceful. Thanks to the thin walls, Jessica heard the commotion and, armed with her trusty baseball bat, she did her trademark voodoo on Royce's door (a.k.a picking the lock; Jess had a PhD in petty crime) and unceremoniously barged in, shrieking "You cannot take away her freedom!" then started hitting him.

Yep, Jess had watched Braveheart too many times.

When Royce was too beaten to move and after the police left, taking him with them, Rose and Jessica left his house together, went to Jessica's for coffee and discovered that they both knew Bella. The rest – as they say – was history.

Fate and life can be a heck of a pair, Bella thought with a fond smile. She looked for Alice and Edward, but both were missing.

"Riley asked about you the other day."

Bella mentally groaned. Not this again. She chose to remain quiet and give the food on her plate her undivided attention. She normally loved eating, but lately she'd really turned into a glutton. By lately she meant today. It's like she was compensating. For what, she had no idea.

"He also wanted me to give you this."

A small, black velvet box came to view, complete with a small red bow on top of it.

Bella cringed. "Mom, you shouldn't encourage Riley to do stuff like...like this. I don't want anything from him."

"That would be rude, Bella. Besides, the poor guy's in love with you. Why not give him a chance?" Renee urged, waving the box in front of her face.

Bella stared at her usually-sane mother in disbelief. "Excuse me?"

Renee grinned. "You heard me."

"I heard you, yes. But understand you? No!" Bella made a face. "Eww. Mom, he's like twelve! With more money than he can handle because he's a trust fund baby. There's also the fact that he's obnoxious and don't forget, we're almost related! So again, eww!"

"He's my godson so you're not related at all. And he's twenty-one, not twelve."

Bella shuddered. "Well, I don't feel that way about him. Not now, not ever. So please, Mom, just give that gift back to him. And don't push this issue. Please."

"Fine. I won't." A disappointed sigh followed Renee's remark.

"Thank you."

Vanessa, who was seated beside Bella and pretended not to be listening, leaned closer to her niece and winked. "What about Edward?"

"What about Edward?" Nonchalant Bella: on. "He's my best friend." My deflowerer. My hunky, can-multi-task-with-his-hands-tongue-and-fingers best buddy. The same buddy I gave a satisfying blowjob (judging from the amount of Edward juice I swallowed) this morning, in our kitchen. My best buddy who looked really good naked...

Marie tingled.

Ugh, Marie. Not now, please. Let us be slutty-horny later! I can't believe you're tingling while I'm between Mom and Aunt Van! Good God, girl, once you've tasted the forbidden fruit you've become insatiable.

For some reason, when the word insatiable came up, an image of Edward tonguing her came to mind. Naked Edward licking her. His appreciative tongue paying homage to her boobies, navel and Marie. Especially Marie. In, out, and around Marie. Lapping...tasting...sucking...

Cue the blushing.

The three remaining ravioli were eaten in a New York minute.

The sisters-in-law exchanged intrigued looks.

Uh, oh. Not good. "I'll just go get some more ravioli." Run, Bella, run!

The second Bella was out of earshot, Vanessa turned to Renee and did her own version of the clap-bounce-clap-bounce (that must be where Alice got it). It was even more epic because she did it while seated. "Did she just blush?"

Renee giggled like a schoolgirl. "She did! Oh my God! Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Van?"

"Yes, B1. I think B2 is thinking what you're thinking." Nessie confirmed, sitting beside her own mother, chuckling. "What's going on? Happy hour al−" The ringing of her phone interrupted the rest of her sentence. Nessie turned serious. "Excuse me."

Watching the retreating back of her youngest daughter, Vanessa shook her head. "I swear to God that girl has a boyfriend already. I can feel it."

"As long as she's happy, I'm all for it," Renee quipped then glanced at her own daughter whose standing at the buffet table, picking up raviolis. "Bella, on the other hand..."

"Well, I totally understand why Bella was all 'not now, not ever' when it comes to Riley St. George. And anyway, she doesn't need a boyfriend. She has Edward," Vanessa pointed out, nodding over someone at the opposite side of the room.

Both women saw Edward and Alice emerge from the hallway leading to the bathroom, walking arm in arm and deep in conversation, headed toward one of the unoccupied tables near the room's special exit door. They watched him hold a chair for Alice before he took his own seat, facing them. Whatever it was that Alice was talking about; Edward seemed to be absorbing it. The man was listening so intently he would look confused, then doubtful, then confused again.

"I wish my Alice had her own Edward," Vanessa said, accompanied by a wistful sigh.

"Well, Bella and Edward are not boyfriend and girlfriend." The tickled-pink Renee reminded her sister-in-law, trying to sound rational.

"True, but it's hard to put a label on something as complicated as those two."

"They call each other best buddies."

"Who have successfully lived together for three years."

"So best buddies and housemates. There, labelled."

Vanessa lifted a brow. "Phil was my best buddy. Still is, and, we've been living together for more than two decades and counting. His label? Husband. Our label? Married couple. Bella and Edward are far from being either of those labels, so hello complication."

Renee chuckled. "Good point. So, why do you think Bella blushed?"

"Maybe they both finally decided that they're meant to be together and started moving forward?" The Aunt cleared her throat. "Hopefully, they did." Then she raised both hands to show Renee her crossed fingers.

"I didn't know you're so into pairing Bella and Edward, Van."

Vanessa smiled. "Just like you, sis. The only difference between us was that you pretended to push another person on Bella while I just hang in the background, waiting."

Renee burst out laughing. "You got me. I like Edward. Always have."

They both turned to look at the mentioned man and exchanged knowing grins. "Who wouldn't, right?"

Renee nodded in agreement. "Right."

"What's right?" Bella asked, returning to her chair with a plateful of ravioli and munching on an asparagus wrapped in prosciutto.

"More who is right," Vanessa smoothly answered, standing up. "Your Mom's right – I really do need to go to the bathroom. Excuse me, ladies."

"Van, wait! I'm coming with you." Renee exclaimed, hurriedly standing up to follow her sister-in-law.

Bella watched the two older women with amusement and went back to eating. She scanned the room once again, looking for Edward and Alice, and finally saw them, five tables away. Her cousin was in her element, talking animatedly about something that was totally lost on Edward, judging from the varying expressions on his face, but one was more prevalent than the others.

He looked overwhelmed.

She chuckled to herself as she watched their interaction. Alice was being her usual I-use-my-hands-when-I-talk-while-speaking-200-words-per-minute-self, whereas Edward looked like he was watching "Lost." In Latin. As Bella continued to eat and observe the two, she saw Edward motion to one of the waiters – Embry – who quickly approached him. Embry gave a nod of acknowledgment and was off to the main dining room. He came back immediately and Bella saw him give Edward a blue, pocket-sized notebook and a pen.

Her bestie promptly started writing whatever it was that Alice had been gabbing about.

Edward was taking notes! It must have been a heck of a topic for him to resort to that. Now, I'm curious.

"I think I'll burst."

Bella transferred her gaze from the two people across the room to Nessie, who joined her wearing a Mona Lisa-ish smile on her pretty face.

"Don't. I'll miss you if you do."

Nessie snorted, but her blue eyes twinkled. "I have a secret."

Bella wiggled her brows. "Care to share?"

"Promise to keep it a secret?"

"I promise." She replied solemnly.

"I mean it Bel, no sharing info with anybody. Even Edward."

Bella waved an asparagus in Miss Paranoid's direction. "Yes. I'll keep it to myself until the day I die." And then took a hearty bite of her vegetables.

Nessie leaned closer and whispered. "I'm in love and I have a boyfriend. Shhh."

Bella choked on the asparagus.

A coughing/wheezing fit ensued, alarming everybody. Edward went from taking notes to standing behind Bella, all-too-ready to give her the Heimlich. "Bella? Bella!" He knelt beside her and shoved a glass of water to her. "Drink this! Come on."

Nessie gaped at him in awe. "Dude. You're super fast! You even beat Dad and Uncle Charlie who were only sitting one table away!"

Bella swallowed a couple of times and accepted the glass as everybody crowded around her. "I-I'm f-fine..." she assured everybody, after drinking. She took a deep, calming breath and touched her throat. "I forgot to chew for a moment there and just swallowed a piece of asparagus. It went down the wrong way, but I'm tough. I can swallow any long stuff, properly chewed or not. My throat can handle anything."

There was a teeny, tiny pause after that announcement and then Emmett guffawed, Jessica giggled and Rose was laughing so hard, she had to have assistance sitting down beside Nessie, who joined in the laughter.

Charlie and Phil looked uneasy.

Alice was biting her lip to keep from laughing out loud.

Edward suddenly found the need to retie his shoelaces.

Bella merely looked back at them. "What? That's true. You see, I don't easily choke. I don't even have a gag ref−"

"Okay! Bella's fine." Charlie interrupted his only daughter's explanation and cut his eyes at Emmett, Rose and Jessica, and then lifted a brow at Nessie, who clamped her lips together and looked instantly contrite. "Back to your tables, people."

The group dispersed until it was only Edward who remained kneeling on Bella's left side. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yep. Thanks for dashing over here even if the situation was not really a matter of life and death," Bella answered, smiling. "How in the world did you do that anyway? You were five tables away."

Nessie nodded. "What are you, Edward, a vampire? Or are you "The Flash" masquerading as this über hot man? Either way, that was really impressive. I didn't even see you run."

I'm just an awfully worried man pumped up by a huge amount of adrenaline. He could never forgive himself if something bad happened to Bella when he was just a few feet away. "I heard you wheezing and I acted on impulse. Besides, I was just a couple of tables away, so it's not like I was in another room or something."

"Yeah, but still, you managed to be the first one to approach us, considering Dad and Uncle Charlie were closer."

Edward was a bit red with embarrassment. A fact that Bella noticed and, acting on her own impulse, she placed her hands on the opposite sides of Edward's face, then leaned in and gave him an Eskimo kiss. "Well, I'm just thankful that you would run that fast to help me. You're wonderful, Edward Cullen."

That made him even redder.

When Bella dropped her hands, Edward reached out to squeeze both of hers before letting them go. They exchanged smiles.

Nessie looked from Bella to Edward with a raised brow. She was about to open her mouth and say something when Alice beat her to it.

"That's what you call an adrenaline rush, baby sister. A surge of pure, unadulterated adrenaline rush," Alice quipped, tapping Edward's shoulder. "Hey, Mister I-worry-too-much, we still have a lot to cover. Come on."

The tapping felt more like open-palm punching to Edward.

"What are you discussing, anyway?" Bella inquired curiously then turned to look at Edward who stood up abruptly and moved a few steps away from her. "I saw you writing God knows what and you never do that. You're not really the note-taking type."

Edward turned to Alice.

"It's for tonight. Some last-minute details that I wanted E. Cullen to remember, so I asked him to write them down."

"Another surprise?"

"My lips are sealed, cuz. Sorry." Alice didn't sound apologetic at all.

Bella chuckled. "Okay. Alright. Whatever."

"You'll know soon enough," Edward assured the brunette and bent to kiss the top of her head. "Back to my top-secret meeting; don't forget to chew."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Yes, Dad. Sheesh."

Edward winked at her and for the love of God that made Bella blush. Alice gave her a knowing smirk and walked back to their table with Edward in tow. Bella saw her cousin say something to Edward that made her bestie scratch the back of his head and shrug.

"I'm not really into fluff, but you and Edward? Oh my God, you're like a happily-ever-after waiting to happen," Nessie exclaimed, looking around them then moved her chair closer to Bella.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Bella gave her cousin a curious look as the younger woman was almost sitting on her lap. They were that close. And the whispering and mumbling?

"Well, you and Edward behaved like our respective parents. Except, you're just friends, not a couple. Thus, the HEA is just waiting to happen."

Bella's brows knitted. "Edward and I, we resembled old married couples?"

"Yeah. You seem awfully cozy for twenty-something buddies," Nessie said then smirked at her cousin. "For now, anyway."

Bella blinked at her. "Again, what's that supposed to mean?"

"Bel, it'd be a show of complete and utter stupidity if you and Edward didn't end up together. And since both of you show high levels of intelligence, it's just a matter of time before you succumb to the inevitable and embrace what's bound to happen. "

Silence.

And more blinking.

Nessie patted her cousin's back. "Dwell on it if you must, Bel."

Bella turned to fully face her. "There's nothing remotely romantic between Edward and I, Ness. We put the "p" in platonic, just so you know."

Really, Bella? Platonic? What about last night?

Shut up, Benedict Arnold. Shoo! Go away.

Marie tingled.

You too, Marie Swan! Behave!

"On the contrary, my darling, clueless cousin, the situation you're in together – and have been for the past three years – put the "p" in permanence."

Bella just gaped at her.

Nessie giggled. "Oh my God, you really need me to spell it out for you, don't you?"

"Spell what out?"

Nessie raised her right hand and started ticking her fingers one-by-one. "You live together, you co-own a business together, you're both unconsciously touchy-feely with each other as if you've been dating since you were in diapers, and you both wear this pathetically dopey expression on your face whenever you look at each other. And let's not forget, you unobtrusively watch each other in every possible opportunity." Then she wiggled her fingers with a grin. "There − the top 5 reasons why you guys put the "p" in permanence."

Bella gazed at the wiggly fingers, swallowed hard then look away.

Her eyes met Edward's.

He looked concerned.

She shrugged. Nonchalant Bella was still on.

He tilted his head. What's going on?

She gave him a forced smile. Nothing.

He gave her the one-brow lift. Try again. That's not the right answer.

She shook her head and looked away.

For the first time, in the history of their silent conversations, she looked away. Bella felt like crying. That had never happened before. What the heck is going on? With no clear answers on the horizon, she popped ravioli in her mouth and chewed.

And took a bite on the asparagus then chewed.

Don't forget to chew.

"Ness..."

"Yeah?"

Bella blinked back tears as she continued to chew. "I'm confused."

Nessie sighed and put an arm around her. "I'm sorry. I guess, it's human nature to want people to be as giddy as you when you're, you know, in love."

Bella turned to focus on Nessie and her cousin's personal revelations, a reprieve from her own inner turmoil. "Why keep it a secret?"

"I still want to bask in it. Alone."

"That sounds reasonable," Bella agreed. "Some info about him would be nice, though."

Nessie chuckled. "I call him N. He's cute, same age as I am. He totally gets me, like we can talk just by merely looking at each other. He makes me feel like a girl and I've embraced that, surprise, surprise. He's the only person who can make me blush just by looking at me. Also, my girly-parts tingle whenever he's around."

What she said sounds so familiar. Bella dropped the remaining asparagus she was holding. "A-and you think you're, erm, in love with him because of those things?"

"I know I'm in love with him, in spite of those things," Nessie corrected with a smile. "You know I'm notoriously single-minded, right? I have my entire college life planned out. I didn't include a boyfriend, 'cause honestly, nobody interested me. And I considered guys, love and feelings as complications. But then, N came along and suddenly, I'm interested enough to set aside my plans and go out. He makes me feel crazy; varying emotions that normally I'd scoff about. Suddenly, having these complications doesn't feel so bad after all."

Bella quietly reached for the dropped asparagus again.

"I'm planning to give him my V-card as his birthday present, next month."

Alarm bells started to ring in Bella's head. "Are you sure? That's a big deal, Ness."

"Really, really sure. This may sound archaic but I saved myself for someone who deserved me. And in my heart of hearts, it screams N. I didn't save it just to settle, Bel. I saved it because it's important to me and I want N to have it. He's my one and only choice."

Bella's heart started to race. Remnants of her past conversations with Edward and Marie entered her mind.

"The truth of the matter, Bella, is that however willing you are right now, the fact is you remained a virgin because you treasured it so much. You are not a one-night stand and never will be."

"Well, I trust Edward and I'm one hundred percent sure that he'll take good care of us. I chose well, Marie. I would never let a so-and-so penis enter and penetrate you."

She chose well. She didn't settle. She saved herself for someone worthy.

Did it mean that in my heart of hearts, it screamed...Edward? Really? Seriously? Edward?

Bella turned to look at Nessie in wonder. "You really know what you're talking about." Unlike me, who's ever confused.

Her cousin grinned. "Of course. I have a brain and a heart. Lucky for me, they co-exist harmoniously."

Yep. There goes my problem. Mine were at odds with each other. "How old are you again? You're way too mature to be eighteen."

"Nah. I had tons of time to wait for Mr. Right, so when he came, I just had to grab him. I'm seizing the moment."

Tons of time to wait for Mr. Right.

Like twenty-four-years tons of time? Bella swallowed audibly. "I'm happy for you, Ness. Really."

"I know." Nessie smiled at her. She smiled back. "Ugh, this may be too girly but what the hell." The next thing Bella knew, she was being engulfed in a warm hug.

Bella couldn't resist teasing. "Aww. A hug initiated by you. I love N already!"

"Shut up."

"I thought we'd had enough with the hugs already," Renee joked, sliding back to her seat.

Van eyed the two younger women in front of her as she sat down. "What was up with the whispering?"

"Bel and I were having our own little tête-à-tête, Mom. You should know something about that kind of conversation; you and Aunt Renee spent an awfully long time inside the bathroom doing just that," Ness replied, releasing Bella.

"Too clever for your own good, Renesmee Dwyer," Vanessa grumbled. "You have too much of your Grandma Esmeralda in you for my peace of mind. Come on; let's attack the dessert section of that buffet table."

Renee was still chuckling when Mother and Daughter left the table, bickering like children. "Hey, you got something in your mind? I'm not used to Quiet Bella."

"Just thinking."

"About what?"

Bella shrugged. "Some stuff clever Nessie brought up."

"What kind of stuff?"

"Just stuff."

Renee burst out laughing. "This is the most insightful conversation I ever had with you, Bella."

Bella glanced at her Mom and bit her lip. "Mom?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Hypothetically, if a person became someone...more for you, umm, erm, although you're not really sure that that person's more, you know..." and Bella trailed off, fortunately for Renee.

What? "Sweetie, you lost me at more."

"Okay, Mom, this is just a hypothetical situation. Please bear that in mind." Bella took a deep, calming breath before continuing. "Babe A and Babe B had been friends for years. They both loved each other but that was just, you know, platonic love. Then something happened and Babe A found herself having more than platonic thoughts for Babe B. Although to be honest, Babe A had yet to really acknowledge if she now sees Babe B as someone more than a friend. And if that was the case, if Babe A really developed a more-than-platonic feelings for Babe B, how in the world should she handle it?"

Renee prayed to God and to every deity within hearing that she would maintain a straight face while answering her daughter's "hypothetical" question (even if she was this close to imitating Vanessa's clap-bounce-clap thing). She cleared her throat and pretended to be casually cool about everything. "Well, Babe A must first make sure of her feelings for Babe B. She needs to decide if it's really love or just some fleeting emotion that came out as a direct reaction to what triggered the un-platonic thoughts."

She watched Bella's reaction closely. She saw her daughter gave a discreet glance at Edward's direction then wrinkled her nose. "And then?"

"And then, if she's really, truly and completely sure that she loves Babe B more than a friend, Babe A has to decide what she wants to do with that realization."

Bella hmm-ed but said nothing.

Renee saw Vanessa and Nessie approaching their table, carrying plates and laughing. She gave her sister-in-law a look and Vanessa motioned her daughter to join the next table instead. She gratefully mouthed "thank you" and went back to looking at her own daughter. Babe A was gazing at nothing in particular, she would mutter under her breath and then roll her eyes and its back to muttering again. This will take time, better get myself a dessert. Or two.

When she returned to their table, holding a plate with slices of chocolate cake and tiramisu on it, Bella was still at it: gazing-at-nothing/muttering/rolling her eyes. She took a peek at Edward's direction and caught him frowning at her daughter. Alice was talking his ears off and yet, his entire focus was at the woman five tables away.

The same woman presently contemplating the Saga of Babe A and Babe B.

Renee smiled and started humming as she gave the cake and tiramisu her attention. Babe A and Babe B better settle everything pronto. She couldn't wait to see her brown haired, green eyed or messy bronze-haired, brown-eyed grandbabies. And oh yes, twins run in their family.

Nana Renee.

She giddily chewed. I love the sound of that. I should give Nana Esme a call.

Special shout-out to the lovely ladies of Twilight FanFic Addicts over at Facebook specially Ms. Em :) Thank you for reading BHT and for posting links everytime I update. I'm actually a member. Just a lurking member. Too shy to do anything else :)

Hello to my crazy chuva friends: Mwabee, JeccaChu (hahaha...), K and Anne. To Mona who made me lol with her reviews. To the ever-supportive and understanding Trina. And a hug to each and everyone who reviewed, put BHT on alert and my fave thing: putting me on your fave author alert *giddy* Love you guys!

Next chapter is the promised Open-Mic Night.