A/N: Welcome back, thanks for reviewing.
Another smallish update. They produce quicker, ya know?
Don't know when Alice/Jasper/Emmett/Rosalie will be back in the story, but they will.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, just the plot.
(EPOV)
The beginning of December and it's already cold, I note as I stare out the window. Bella is still running around the house debating on what to have for dinner when Lucy comes over. I keep telling her it doesn't matter, food will do. You don't have to impress anyone, dear.
She tends to disagree.
Lucy is... different, to say the least.
Really though, she is. You'd have to agree with me, right? You move into your first actual house with your wife to finally just settle down and relax. To finally live your life and suddenly there's a knock on the door and a person you haven't seen in years or thought about in years is there. It kind of ruins the whole 'new beginning' concept. At least, Lucy only reminded me of some good memories and not the shitty stuff. She wasn't around when all the shit occurred.
I walked over to sit on the couch and rest my head back. I kicked my legs up on the coffee table and looked at the turned off television with the heated fireplace underneath. Yeah, as I said, beginning of December and it's cold. The fire place will be blazing for a while of that I'm sure.
I still hear the pitter-patter of Bella's light feet as she runs all around the house. She has more room to move then the old cabin we lived in. Which is good, especially when we want to start a family.
And to me, I want to start one soon.
Seriously though, new start, new house, new people pretty much is the perfect time to start a family right?
Right?
I don't want to mention it with Bella, or stress her. We just moved in and she might want time she might not even want to start with that yet. I just need patience. I should have loads of patience since I waited so long for everything I have now. It's just that now I have it, I want more. Because I'm selfish, I know.
The house is large though, a good-sized family house so I want family in it.
I just know, Bella would be the perfect mom and I try my best to be the greatest dad I could be.
With Bella by my side, I knew I could do anything.
"Bella," I called out when I hear more footsteps scatter across the kitchen floor.
"Yeah?" She called back.
"Come here, please." I begged and not long after she walks into the living room and over to me.
"Yeah?"
I patted my lap. "You need a break."
She reluctantly sits on my lap. I wrapped my arms around her and whispered into her ear, "Bella, everything's fine, I'm sure Lucy doesn't expect a five star meal, just calm down angel."
"Nachos sound good right about now." She murmured. I chuckled and pressed my nose against her hair, breathing in the scent of strawberries.
I kissed her cheek and she sighed, leaning into me more. My wife's wearing a thin, blue blouse with a light pair of jeans. Despite the running around, I'm sure she needs a sweater. I reach behind me and grab the blanket on the arm of the couch and pulled it around her. I kissed her forehead and tucked her up against my chest.
She sighed again and presses her face into the crook of my neck where I can feel her breathing.
I am finally at home.
...
"Edward, Edward." Bella shook me. I squeezed my eyes tighter together and groaned.
"What?" I asked in a sleepy tone.
"We fell asleep!" Bella exclaimed and tried to unwrap my arms from around her but I tighten my hold instead. "Edward,"
"Bella, it's fine." I'm regaining my voice and I slowly open my eyes. "What time is it?"
"Lucy will be here in under an hour!"
"Okay, so we have an hour." I closed my eyes and leaned back into the couch further.
"No, Edward. We need to get up!" Bella shook me again and I grumble unintelligent words.
"Bella, please." I begged. "I'm tired and warm and..." I trailed off.
"Edward, we have all night to be tired and warm, but we have to get through dinner first." Bella kissed my cheek and I smiled, still my eyes are closed. "Come on, get up hubs."
"Fine." I groaned and Bella managed to get herself out of my hold. I'm cold instantly at the loss and open my eyes. The sun is pretty bright, shinning in through the windows but it's still cold. The fire crackled and I looked at the flames that were still ablaze. I sighed and pulled the blanket off from around me and try to fold it. It's a sloppy fold but I still put it back over the arm of the couch.
I got up and walked into the kitchen where Bella is already back at work. "Do you need any help?"
"Will you stir that pot?" Bella asked and I nodded, walking over to the stove and grabbing the spoon to stir it with.
"Pasta?"
"Linguini."
"Yum." I smacked my lips together and turned the stove on a bit higher seeing that the pasta still isn't cooked. That's probably because Bella just put it in the pot. "So Linguini for dinner?"
"And chicken with a ceaser salad on the side." Bella finished my sentence.
"Oh." I mouthed set the spoon down. I walked over to the coffee maker. "Should I start some coffee?"
"That'd be nice. Don't need to fall asleep when she gets here." Bella joked and I chuckled, turning on the machine.
"Yeah, don't think she'd appreciate that." I added and walked over to the fridge to pull out some creamer. I rubbed my eyes, "I'm so tired."
"You're lazy." Bella said and I turned to face her.
"Pardon me?" I questioned.
"You heard me," My wife winked and walked past me to put the salad in the fridge to serve later.
"Excuse me." I wrapped my arms around her frail waist and pull her to me, resting my head on her shoulder. "You have to take that back."
"Edward, let go." She giggled.
"Nope, sorry, not until you take that back."
"I'm not taking it back."
"Than I guess you're stuck to me." I kissed her cheek. "Not that I mind. It might damper on your schedule though."
Bella placed her hands on top of mine and leaned against me. "Edward, you are not lazy."
I knew she'd give in.
I turned her to face me and leaned in for a kiss.
Bella stepped on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to mine briefly before pulling back and walked over to the cupboards to grab two coffee cups. "So, I've never heard of Lucy before."
"I honestly never thought about her." As rude as that may have sounded, it was the truth.
"She remembered you quite fondly." Bella said and started to pour coffee for both of us.
"My mom and her were really good friends." I explained. "I don't think she ever liked my dad though."
"Why not?" Bella asked.
I shrugged. "Not many people liked him, actually."
"But..." Bella grows confused.
"He had quite a temper, he always wanted Alice and I to do the best." I shook my head at the memories threatening to flood in.
"So you didn't like him?" Bella questioned and walked over to me with a cup of coffee in her hand for me. I grabbed the steaming cup and set it on the table behind me. Bella is still looking up at my quizzically.
"I never really talked to him, he was always in his study from what I remember and when he talked to me it was scolding like." I responded almost mechanically.
Bella placed her hand on the side of my face.
"I remember he hit my mom once." I leaned into her touch and remembered where I was, and that I was happy. I could so easily let the past drag me under but now I refused. Bella's faint gasp is what reminded me what I just told her.
"Really?" She entreated.
I nodded. I placed my hand over hers, holding it to my face. "They were arguing, my dad's boss was coming over for supper and they just started to argue, he wanted everything to be perfect and my mom was trying... and he just lost his top."
"And you were there?"
"I was listening to their argument on the stair case and Alice was upstairs getting ready, she wore a dress and put on make up even." I chuckled humourlessly.
"Did you do anything?" Bella asked and I felt her breathing across my face. My lips go into a firm, tight line.
"Yeah, of course." I stared down at her. "I hit him. As hard as I could."
"Edward." Bella's jaw dropped but my eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
"I wasn't going to let him just do that, he... can't. He was supposed to love her." My teeth were grinding against each other. "And never hit her."
Bella's other hand warps around my waist and she gently played with the end of my shirt. I moved my face to kiss the palm of her hand and murmured, "I'd never do that to you."
"I know." She breathed.
"I love you, so much." I whispered. I kissed the top of her head.
"I know, I love you too, hubs."
...
"What should I wear?" Bella asked me, looking at herself in the full body mirror in the bathroom. I walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You look beautiful." I murmured softly.
"I can't wear this." Bella gestured to herself.
"Why not? You look amazing." I smirked. "Do you expect me to change?"
"Just your shirt." She turned to face me. "It's still crinkled from our nap."
"Such a good nap it was." I said and tried to flatten my t-shirt.
"You should wear that blue button up shirt Alice got your for your birthday. I haven't seen you wear it once." Bella told me.
"I'm more of a t-shirt guy, that's why." I replied. "But I'll go put it on."
"Okay," Bella said and I walked off to our bedroom down the hall. I walked in and grabbed the drawer handle that held all my nice shirts. Yeah, there were about four shirts in the drawer but who cares? The blue one was on top so I grabbed it and tossed it on our bed. I grabbed the ends of my t-shirt and pulled it over my head, tossing it into the hamper in the corner. I walked over to the bed, grabbed the button down shirt and put it on.
I walked back to the bathroom with all the buttons still undone and walked up behind Bella who just took her shirt off. "I like this." I rubbed her bare stomach. Pale and soft. It was almost creamy.
As my fingertips grazed her stomach I couldn't help but long for a little nudger to be inside her.
She giggled. "That tickles actually."
She turned to face me and started to do up my buttons as I stared down at her. "I like this too." My fingertips traced the black lace bra and my tongue involuntarily came out to moisten my lips. I felt Bella's knuckles against my skin each time she did up a button and a shiver went through me each time.
"I love you," I whispered into her hair.
"Love you." Bella kissed my chest where the last button still had to be done up. "I still don't know what to wear."
"Nothing fancy," I murmured. "Its just dinner at home."
"Hmm," She leaned back and tapped her chin. "What if I wear that red blouse Alice got me."
"Why don't you just keep the blue one on then?" I asked. I mean a blouse is a blouse.
"Yeah, but I wore that all day and it too, is crinkled." Bella replied and walked out of the bathroom and over to the bedroom.
I shook my head, amused and walked over to the bathroom vanity where my cell phone was sitting on. I picked it up and noticed I had some missed text messages.
Feeling at home yet?
From Emmett, of course.
I rolled my eyes and replied.
Yeah, already having dinner with a neighbour.
After I pressed send it was exactly a minute before I got a reply.
Rose already wants to visit.
Just pick a date
I put my phone down and walked over to the bedroom wondering what Bella was up to now. Yeah, I'm always curious with her.
When I made it to the bedroom she had the blouse on and a light gloss on her lips. "You know that won't last long." I told her.
"What?" She asked, looking at me through the mirror above our dresser.
"That stuff on your lips." I'd say gloss but it might be called something else. I don't really keep up with make up.
She laughed quietly. "Well, I'll make sure it does."
Oh a challenge?
I walked over to her, and kissed her.
"Edward." She gasped pulling back.
"I told you." I leaned in and kissed her again.
"You're lucky you're a good kisser." She pressed her mouth to mine again. "Or else I'd refuse."
I chuckled and pulled back, looking at her, I could see there was still a bit of the gloss on her lips. I smiled. "Are you ready for dinner?"
"Ready as I'll ever be."
...
I chuckled and cut another piece of chicken off. I used my fork to put it in my mouth and I looked over at Bella beside me. She too, was smiling.
"We'd always go to Edward's soccer practices, I was sure he got embarrassed at how loud his mom would cheer." Lucy continued to babble. The past half hour was spent with stories of me as a kid. Stories, I didn't really remember. A few I did, but I never thought about my childhood and it seemed pretty good, until my parent's passed.
Bella squeezed my thigh under the table; she somehow knew how I was feeling. This was a little hard for me to hear, and I wasn't completely comfortable with it.
"Anyway, enough talk about that." Lucy smiled. "This is really good." She put another bite of pasta into her mouth.
"Well, I'm Italian, pasta is my forte." Bella joked and took a sip of her glass of water. I smiled down at her.
"How long have you lived in Plainview?" I asked Lucy. She pondered for a moment before answering five years.
"I love this neighbourhood." She admitted, "Everyone's just so nice."
"It seems like it." Bella agreed. "I may be new to this, but everyone's been to welcoming."
"Yeah, I was talking to Carmen, she was wanting this house to sell since the moment it was put on the market. Before, it was an empty lot. Carmen says she didn't like that for a neighbour."
"I could see why." I agreed. "Carmen's nice, so is Eleazer. I'm glad they're our neighbours."
"Me too, Carmen's really friendly and she's an expert pie maker." Bella laughed.
We talked more about the neighbourhood and the neighbours until we all were finished our dinner.
Right before Bella and I were going to stand and collect the empty plates, Lucy spoke up again.
"So, Bella, when are you due?" She asked easily.
I dropped the fork out of my hand and Bella made an audible gasp.
Well, that was uncalled for.
A/N: Remember when Edward said this about Lucy: "Yeah, my mom would always joke saying that she knew things that people didn't even know about themselves. She can just tell."
;) Make sense?
I really want to expand this story, it seems like it's ending to me! If you have any ideas or thoughts as to what should happen, please let me know. I'm willing to hear anything.
Please review.