The Gift

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyers owns all Twilight and the Characters

Chapter 2 Sugar Cookies

BPOV

I woke up the next morning early because Charlie was bringing a tree over. I tried to tell him that there was still plenty of time, but he wouldn't have any of it. So after I spent an hour and a half rearranging the furniture I started cooking breakfast.

"Bells," I heard Charlie say coming through the front door.

"In the kitchen dad," I yelled taking the eggs off the stove. I knew better than to call him Charlie to his face.

"How are you today," he asked taking a seat at the table.

"We're good," I responded knowing that I also included Carly in and handing him his plate.

"Paw paw," Carly said walking into the kitchen still in her pj's and her wild hair. She caught his attention before he could say anything else to me.

"There's my little princess," he said grabbing her up in a hug. "Are you going to help me with the tree?"

"Your funny Paw paw," she said laughing. "I'm too little to help you."

"Let your Paw paw eat so he can get the tree in and get to work," I said putting her plate on the table.

The rest of the morning went smooth as we both sat and watched Charlie wrestle with the tree. It felt like old times watching him try to put it up. The Christmas's that I spent with Mike were rather bland. He never allowed a real tree because of the mess the pine needles caused. After about thirty minutes Charlie finally won the battle with the tree.

"Do you need any decorations," he asked me before leaving.

"No dad," I said trying to remember where they were located.

"They should still be in the attic," he said basically answering my unvoiced question as I followed him outside.

"Thanks," I said hugging him. "Be careful!"

"Always am," he said as he walked to his cruiser.

When I walked back into the house I found Carly in her room playing so I headed into the kitchen to make a batch of sugar cookies. I had gotten lost in my own little world when I heard a knock at the door. Shutting the oven door, I grabbed the nearest towel and headed out of the kitchen towards the front door.

"Coming," I yelled wiping my hands off on the towel. I wasn't expecting anyone today, so I wondered who this could be. When I opened the door I was surprised to see who was at the door. "Alice!"

"Bella," she said hugging me. When she let me go I noticed someone else with her. She was tall, skinny, and had long blonde hair. She could have passed as a super model if you ask me. "This is Emmett's wife Rosalie. Rose this is our Bella. Where's Carly?"

"She's in her room playing," I said motioning them to come in. "It's nice to meet you Rosalie."

"Please call me Rose," she said. "It's nice to finally meet you. I feel like I already know you. Emmett and the rest of the Cullens have told me so much about you."

"Hopefully all good things," I said looking questionable at Alice. "Please come into the kithen, I'm making sugar cookies."

"Bella's famous sugar cookies," Alice said with joy. "I've missed having them and you around. Can Carly help us decorate them?"

"Slow down pixie," I said trying not to laugh. "Of course she can help that is her favorite part."

As we cut out all the different shapes and laid them out on the sheet to bake we caught up. I learned that Alice was happily married to Rose's brother Jasper. That her and Jasper would be having the first grandchild or so they all thought in five months. Rose met Emmett at Jasper and Alice's wedding and have been married for a little over a year. It felt really good to have my best friend back and catch up the majority of the afternoon. We avoided the subject of Edward because I think Alice could sense that I wasn't ready to talk about him yet. Hell! It's been over four years going on five that I've seen him, but still I was glad that she respected me in that aspect.

"Carly," I yelled from the kitchen as I got all the frosting out. I heard no answer and it was still quiet. "Carly!"

"Maybe she is asleep," Alice said speaking up.

"No she's not," I said with a smirk. "Watch this. Carly Esme Swan if you want to help decorate cookies come on."

"Esme," Rose said.

"Swan," Alice gasped.

"Yes," I said as she bounced into the kitchen. "I'll explain it later. You remember Alice and this is Rose."

"Hi," she said taking a set in between both of them.

"She is so precious Bella," Rose said. "She is almost a miniature you, but with hints of someone else that I know."

"Thanks," I said cutting her off. Surely she wouldn't have been able to pick out his features in her. She just met Carly less than a minute ago. For the next hour we sat at the table decorating all the cookies that we baked. Carly got along with Alice and Rose with ease and it made me happy.

"Bella," Alice said as we cleaned up the kitchen. Carly took Rose upstairs to show her, her room and all her toys. "Mom wants you and Carly to come over for dinner tonight."

"Really Alice," I said wiping the counters off. "I don't know about this."

"Mom really wants to see you," she said basically begging. "Plus you could bring a bunch of your cookies for dad and Emmett I know that they have missed you as well."

"Okay," I said giving into her begging. "We'll go. Let me go and get Carly ready."

"You don't have to," Alice said with a smirk. "Rose is getting her dressed as we speak."

"Alice, you sneaky little pixie" I said. "What if I would have said no?"

"I would have sent Carly in here to beg," she responded grabbing a dish to put the cookies in.

"You don't fight fair," I said laughing.

"I know Jasper tells me the same thing all the time," she said laughing with me. "You go and get ready to go. I'll box up some cookies to go."

I walked out of the kitchen and headed upstairs to change. Before walking into my room I stopped at Carly's door and listened for a minute.

"Rose," Carly said. "Are these people nicer than Mr. and Mrs. Newton?"

"Of course they are sweetie," Rose told her reassuring. "They are going to love you and your mommy."

I left and walked into my room with the secret that I have been hiding and eating at me from the inside trying to get out. Nobody could ever know the truth about the secret I was hiding. If I had it my way it would never get out at all.

EPOV

I talked dad into letting me work ,for him again at Santa's village this morning. He was happy to pass some of the tradition off onto to me. I was glad that he was proud of me again compared to when he wasn't proud of me at all. Alice and Rose both managed getting out of helping at Santa's village today. They said that they had plans to go and see someone who needed some help. Dad fell for it of course, he always does. Alice was his baby girl, Emmett was his oldest son, and I on the other hand was the middle child. It didn't completely bother me that they weren't coming. It just meant that I would be with the guys for the day and we always had fun together. Our shift went by rather quickly and we were home before we knew it.

"Smells good in here mom," I said walking into the kitchen. She was over by the stove watching the pasta boil.

"How was your day," she asked turning around to face me.

"It was okay I guess," I said noticing all the extra food that she was cooking. There were plates with vegetables, bowls of lettuce, a couple of loafs of bread, and a few other items sitting on the counter. "Mom I know that Emmett is a big boy and still growing. There is an awful lot of food here for seven people."

"Nine," she said correcting me. "Nine people are eating dinner tonight. Alice and Rose have been over at Bella's all day."

"So," I said acting like a smartass that's where the pixie and model went. "Where do you get two extra people?"

"Bella and Carly," she said turning her attention back to the pasta. "I just got off the phone with Alice. They will be here in an hour with Bella's famous sugar cookies."

"Mom," I responded trying to get her attention. "We haven't spoken since New Year's Eve when I broke her heart, and then a month later she marries that dumb-ass Mike Newton. I don't think that this will be a good idea."

"Not my problem," she said sternly. "Your farther and I have always loved Bella like she was our daughter after Renee left. It's not my fault you broke her heart and she ran to the first guy who paid any attention to her. Do you understand me young man."

"Yes mom," I said defeated. I'm almost twenty-five years old and she can still chew my ass out.

"I expect that you will be on your best behavior to her and Carly while they are here," she said while pointing her wooden spoon at me. "Do I make my self clear or do I have to get your father involved."

"Yes mom I will be on my best behavior while they are here," I said knowing that she was right. "I'm going to go and take a shower before dinner."

"Okay," she said going back to the stove.

As I walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs towards my room I couldn't help but feel a little bit giddy inside. I would be able to start making Carly's Christmas wish come true tonight. I know that it won't be easy but I have three weeks until Christmas to make it happen for her and especially for me.

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