The Gift

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyers owns all Twilight and the Characters

Chapter 14 Doesn't Want To Cause A Scene

BPOV

"Mommy, mommy, wake up," Carly said jumping up and down on my bed. "Wake up it's Christmas morning."

"Okay," I said grabbing her and pulling her underneath the blankets with me. "Do you think Santa came?"

"Yes," she said giggling as I tickled her. "Can we go see?"

"Of course," I said as she jumped off my bed and running into the hallway. I myself made it out of my bed. The bed that I had just gotten into not three hours ago. I walked into the hallway stopping in front of the steps.

"Can I go down now please," she said beaming with joy.

"Yes," I said moving out of the way. She made it past me and bounced down the stairs herself. As soon as she hit the bottom step that's when I started down.

"He came," she said squealing with delight as I walked into the living room. "Look mommy."

"I see," I told her as I sat down on the couch. I believe that Santa did pretty good this year, if I say so myself. I sat there as she looked at everything that Santa brought. There were books, dolls, games, and of course art supplies. I decided to let her open her presents under the tree. We would normally open them after dinner, but since we were going the Cullen's I let her open them. It was funny to watch her open her gifts. Of course if the boxes had clothes in them she would toss them to side and move on to the next one.

"Merry Christmas," Charlie said coming into the house.

"Merry Christmas Pawpaw," Carly said getting up from the floor and running over to him.

"Did Santa come," he said hugging her.

"Yep," she said grinning as he put her down. She ran back over to her presents and started playing with her new doll.

"What time are you heading over to the Cullen's," he asked looking over at me.

"Merry Christmas to you too dad," I said sarcastically. "I guess we'll head over there once we get ready."

"That sounds like a plan," he said walking over a taking a seat beside Carly. "Go on upstairs and get ready. I'm going to sit here and play with this lovely girl."

"Okay," I said getting up from the couch and headed up the stairs.

Once out of the shower I was digging in a drawer to find a shirt to wear when I came across a box. Opening it I realized that it was time for Carly to have it. I finished getting ready, grabbed the box, and headed back downstairs. Walking in the living room I found Carly asleep in a pile of wrapping paper, and Charlie sitting on the couch reading the paper.

"How long," I asked pointing to her as I sat down on the couch.

"Let's see," he said folding his paper up and looking at his watch. "She's been out about twenty minutes."

"I'll give her a few more minutes," I told him.

"Are you worried about going over there," he said turning towards me.

"No," I said taking a deep breath. "I'm not going to let the rest of his family go without seeing her. They deserve to have a chance to spend time with her now that they all know."

"That you are right," he said smiling.

"Did Sue tell you that she offered to put a hit out on him," I said with a giggle.

"She didn't," he said shocked. "I know that when I told her about him knowing she offered then. I told her not to mention anything, but she loves you and Carly so much."

"I know she does," I told him. "I had to admit I was shocked, but I told her not to do it."

"What are you going to do when you see him," he asked.

"I," I started to say as I thought about that. What was I going to exactly? Would I slap the shit out of him. Would I just stand there, smile and be polite. Would I just ignore him. "To tell you the truth dad I don't know."

"You'll do what's best for Carly, he said getting up. "I had better go on back to La Push."

"Okay," I said getting up and walking with him to the door. "Merry Christmas dad."

"Merry Christmas Bells," he said hugging me.

I watched him get into the cruiser and head out of the driveway. Walking back into the living room I decided to pack the car and pick up some of the trash. I left Carly sleeping as I picked up the trash around. Who knew that she could make such a mess with wrapping paper? After I picked up the trash I packed her an overnight bag so that she could stay with Alice. I loaded her bag and their gifts into the car and started to wake her up.

"Come on Carly," I said picking her up.

"Mommy," she said yawning. "I'm sleep."

"I know," I told her as I cradled her in my arms. "Don't you want to go and see Alice."

"Yes," she said and her eyes opened wide.

"Well," I said as she straightened herself in my arms. "Then we have to get you changed."

"Okay," she said wiggling into the floor.

I dressed her as fast as I could but it wasn't fast enough for her. When I was finished fixing her hair she went to the middle of the floor and started twirling around in circles. As I watched her I noticed that there was something missing. I grabbed the box off the mantle and sat back down on the couch.

"Carly," I said loud enough for her to stop.

"Yes," she said trying not to move so that the dizziness would wear off.

"I have one more gift," I said when she was in front of me.

"What is it," she said grinning and bouncing up and down.

"This," I said opening the box to reveal a golden locket.

"It's so pretty," she said in amazement.

"This is a special locket," I said taking it out of the box and put it on her. "Your real father gave it to me the Christmas before you were born."

"Thank you," she said hugging me. When she let me go she ran to the hallway to look in the mirror to see how it looked on her.

"Ready," I said coming up behind her with jacket in hand.

"Yep," she said as she put it on.

The ride over was full of laughs as she couldn't wait to see everyone. I had to agree it was great seeing everyone again. She was especially happy to be seeing Emmett. I could understand why she liked him, because most of the time he acted like a child as well. Pulling into the driveway I noticed that his Volvo was parked beside Emmett's jeep. I wondered how this day was going to go now, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I got her out and handed her, her bag as I got the bag with the gifts. I let her ring the doorbell since my arms were full. As I stood there I prayed that he wouldn't be the one answering the door.

"Merry Christmas," Emmett said opening the door and I took a sigh of relief.

"Merry Christmas Emmie," Carly said hugging his leg.

"Come on in," he said as we walked into the hallway.

"Here is everyone's gift," I said handing him the gifts. Then I knelt down in front of Carly. "I'll see you first thing tomorrow. Please be a good girl for Alice, Emmett and everyone else."

"Bells," Emmett said in a puzzled expression. "Aren't you staying as well."

"No," I answered him. "I don't need things to get any weirder than they already are."

"Don't do this," he said sitting the gifts down. "This is supposed to be about the whole family coming together to celebrate."

"Your family is here," I told him. "Carly has filled in the missing piece. It will be best if I leave anyway. There doesn't need to be any sort of a scene caused to ruin the day."

"Mom and everyone is going to be disappointed," he said pulling me into a hug. "What are you going to do the rest of the day."

"They will get over it," I said answering his first question. "I'll curl up on the couch with a good book."

"You will be missed," he said as he picked up the gifts again.

"I love you Carly," I told her kissing the top of her head.

"Love you too," she said and with that she skipped down the hall, towards the kitchen.

"Have a very Merry Christmas," I told Emmett as I hugged him goodbye. "Tell everyone else Merry Christmas."

"Bells," he said as I was opening the door. "Thank you for everything and letting Carly spend today with us."

"I wouldn't have any other way," I said as I walked out the door.

I had to admit that I was taking the chicken's way out, but for the moment it was the right thing to do. I didn't want to cause a scene with Edward especially since it is Christmas day. Carly deserved to have an excellent Christmas with her whole family and that included the Cullen's. I pulled out of there driveway and started back to my house to spend the rest of the day alone.

EPOV

I woke up the next morning with a huge smile on my face. Today was Christmas day and I had a reason to celebrate this year. It would be my first Christmas with 'my' family. I raced out of the bed and took a quick shower before dressing. I ran down the stairs to find dad in the living room putting together one of Carly's gifts.

"Morning," I said getting his attention.

"Hey," he said startled. "How are you today?"

"Pretty good," I said with a smile. "Thank you so much for the wake up call yesterday."

"You needed it," he said reaching for the directions.

"Could I help," I asked as I watched him try to put the bike together.

"I may be a doctor," he said getting up and handing me the wrench. "Your mother was always better at putting these items together."

"Thanks," I said as he walked out.

I started off where dad left off and put the bike together in record time. I placed it beside the tree and stood back a second. The tree hadn't looked this full since we were all kids. There were all kinds of toys, and gifts under the tree to surprise my little girl. I was still in amazement that she was mine. I turned around to see Alice smiling as she looked at me.

"How does it feel," she asked.

"Like there's no greater feel of happiness," I said when she came up beside of me. "Is that how you feel?"

"Yes," she answered me placing her hand on her pregnant belly. "This time next year there will be a house full of kids."

"What," I said looking over at her.

"You'll find out at dinner," she told me with a smirk. "I haven't seen this many gifts since we were teenagers."

"I know," I told her. "Now it really feels like Christmas again."

"I agree with you on that," she said as we both laughed. "What time are they coming over?"

"I don't know," I answered her honestly. I still haven't talked to her over my actions the other night. In fact I still don't know what I'm going to say to her.

"Want to go and steal cookies for old times sake," she said changing the subject with an devilish grin.

"Who's on lookout," I replied to her.

"You are," she said as we walked to the kitchen. "You're the oldest so that makes you the lookout."

When we walked into the kitchen we saw mom over at the stove working. Looking around on the counter I spotted the plate of cookies sitting there. I pointed her in the direction of the cookies and myself went over to mom. I placed my arm around her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Merry Christmas," I said kissing her cheek.

"Merry Christmas," she said before smirking at me. "Alice Brandon Cullen Hale drop the cookies right now."

"Mom," Alice said in a whining tone placing the cookies back on the plate.

"Just because the two of you are older," mom said turning away from the stove to look over at Alice. "Doesn't mean that my third eye stops working."

"It was worth a try," I said trying not to laugh.

Alice grabbed a cookie off the plate, smirk at the two of us, and left the kitchen. I myself stayed in the kitchen and helped mom. As she went back to the stove to continue cooking, I went over to the counter and rolled out more cookie dough. We worked in a silent kitchen before I heard Christmas music come on. I turned around to see dad walking over to mom. The two of them could be so cheesy at times, but I know that it was the little things that made mom happy. I stood with my back against the counter as I watched them dance in the middle of the kitchen.

"I'll get it," I heard Emmett yell when the doorbell rang. When we heard that a huge smile came across my face. I knew in my heart who it was. It was my family coming over to spend the day with me.

"Promise me," mom said when her and dad finished spinning around the kitchen. "That you won't cause a scene today of all days."

"I won't,' I honestly told her wiping my hands off on the towel.

"Good," she said turning the heat on the stove down on low heat.

"Grammy," Carly said coming into the kitchen going straight to mom.

"How is my wonderful girl today," mom said picking her up.

"Great," she said hugging mom tight. "Do you want to help Edward make cookies?"

"Please," she said smiling really big. Mom put her down and grabbed the stepstool.

"I'll do that," I told her taking the step stool and placing it beside of me. "There you go sweet girl."

"Thank you," she said climbing up beside me. I handed her a cookie cutter and we started to cut out all kinds of different shapes. I couldn't help but look over at her and smile. She was in the process of cutting cookies when she started to bite her lower lip like Bella.

"Did Santa come see you," I asked putting my cookie cutter down. I knew that I made her a promise about making Bella happy, but I didn't know what else she wanted.

"Yep," she said turning around to face me smiling. I couldn't help but laugh at her one word answers today. Before I could ask her anything else Emmett came into the kitchen. There was something wrong he was smiling and was wearing a puzzled look on his face instead.

"Emmett," mom said worried. "What's wrong?"

"Um," was all he could say rubbing his face.

"Where's Bella," I asked when I hadn't see her come in.

"Mommy said I'll see her tomorrow," Carly said speaking up and still cutting cookies out.

"What," mom and I both said at the same time looking over at Carly.

"Carly's right," he said sitting down in the chair. "She didn't want there to be a scene or any weird feelings. She wasn't be selfish about this either. She wanted Carly and the rest of us to have a wonderful day, and wouldn't have it any other way. I could tell that she didn't want this to go like this. She did want me to tell everyone Merry Christmas."

"It's still going to be a wonderful day," mom said speaking up looking over at me. "I'm just sorry that she feels like this."

"She did bring us all gifts," Emmett said breaking the mood to have us all laughing.

"Speaking of gifts," mom said taking her apron off. "Let's go find everyone else, and see if Santa made a stop here."

"Okay," Carly said jumping off the stool and taking mom's hand.

When they left the kitchen I put the cookies on a sheet pan, and left them on the counter so that mom could put them in the oven. I just couldn't believe that Bella would do this. I mean its Christmas and it's a time for families to be together.

"Don't be mad at Bella," Emmett said speaking up. "You have to understand where is coming from. She still thinks that you are mad at her over Carly."

"I'm not," I said thinking about he said. He was right, we hadn't had time to talk since that night I stormed out.

We both walked out of the kitchen and into the hallway with everyone else. We were all waiting on dad so he could be the first one in the living room. The Cullen family tradition is that the head of the family would be the first one to see if Santa came. As I stood there I watched the rest of my family with their spouses, and my mom holding my daughter. There was one thing missing and I knew that I was to blame to why she wasn't here.

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