*Hi Everyone!
I need to thank ALL my reviewers once again...'EllaJ 18, cullengirl08, hmwhitlock, Devil nightmare, twilightfan1969, Raven Jadewolfe, Katie Lou Lou x, LucasTillGirl, TwilighterLexi, Miss. Ally Lautner and .masen...LOTS OF LOVE x
Thank you AGAIN to my birthday messages I had a good day yesterday and today but I missed my writing and so I have done this chapter for you...I am back at college on Monday so my update will be a little longer next time round (but not that much longer).
I do NOT own Twilight...I OWN AML. X*
*~Bella~*
I woke up extremely contently to the rise and fall of Edward's chest beneath my head...Last night had seemed so blurry perhaps because I was now feeling the soaring pain in my head from crying so much...I had never bore my soul to anyone before but I couldn't allow myself to regret what I had done or how I had made love to Edward for the second time in our relationship...I needed him and even though he needed me as well he had asked me whether I had wanted it...Always the gentleman with me was Edward even if things had been pear-shaped with the two of us since Alice left...I fluttered my eyes open fully and gazed at the carpet of my room...I thought about various things...I didn't want to wake Edward...His breathing soothed and calmed me...I knew also that I was naked now with him but I didn't care I just allowed the reality to soar in to my mind...I replayed last night over in my mind and my smile was instant.
The birdsong coming from outside the window also made this moment as perfect and as peaceful as ever...I gave Edward no signal that I was awake because I was not facing him I just kept my breathing normal under his beautiful toned stomach muscles and the softness of his skin. After a few moments Edward's hand ran through my hair from the roots to the tips...His fingers felt so good in my chocolate curls and my throbbing head I closed my eyes for a moment and allowed myself to just feel and concentrate on the touch of his skin on mine...I instantly wanted more of him at the contact either that or to just look up at his face but I didn't want to...I wanted this to registered in my head and I preferred if it would stay there for a good amount of time. There was no other noise in the house below my room or above it...When Alice was here I would always hear her skipping down the stairs and no doubt waking everyone up without even being in the same room with them.
"I know you're awake, Bella" Edward whispered...I said nothing even though he had interrupted my unusual good trail of thinking. "You're a bad actress" he added and I suppressed a giggle...Mashing both my upper and bottom lips down...I couldn't disagree with him I didn't even know what acting was...I could never quite grasp the fact that I had to learn it anyway in Years 7,8 and 9 but also the fact that you can be someone else...Why would you want to be anyone else other than yourself? How could you pull that off convincingly as well....It had always confused me.
"Okay well seeing as you are deciding not to speak then I think I should talk a little about me this time...-" Edward began...The alarm bells started ringing in my head as I lay on his chest unable to move...I hoped that he didn't think that he had to explain himself as well because I did...He should not feel obliged so say anything he didn't want to because of my obvious display last night about how I felt about him.
"Please look at me, Bella?" There was the plea...I still couldn't deny him anything....Even if things had been rocky I would always be there for him and do what he wanted me to do in any kind of situation..Not in a creepy-stalker way but just in the loving and joining hearts way. I lifted my head and twisted it around to face him...He smiled as his hand moved from my hair to my face. "There's my beautiful girl" he said and I melted instantly once again...Edward was incredibly handsome anyway but he was even more appealing in the morning as his hair would fanned out and not in the messy need-to-get a brush way either...His hair had more volume in the mornings...He should belong in a museum of fine art as I have said before...Only he should pose in the morning shot. "What are you thinking about?" he asked and I trailed my eyes from his chest to his neck and up to his face...Edward looked a little confused at my study but I found myself in complete awe of him...Why had I not noticed how good he looked before?
"I'm....Just...It doesn't matter" I chickened out...Damn it, Bella...Why?!
"Please tell me?" How come he always did that...Make me fall at his feet whenever he pleaded with me...Did he know he was doing it? Or was it completely unintentional on his part.
"I was just thinking about you" I answered quietly...Feeling a little insecure and embarrassed for a moment...I twisted my body around so that I could sit on my bottom...I pulled the duvet up over my bare chest and looked down into my lap....I hugged my arms around my knees keeping the duvet firmly around me.
"What have I said to you about hiding yourself, Bella" Edward said as I saw him move up from his lying position from the corner of my eye...He also sat down on his bottom but moved over to connect our bodies again...Our waists were now touching each other under the duvet but my arm constricted him from moving any closer. "Bella...I don't want you to do that" Edward whispered into my ear..I shook from the sensation but continued to look down...Trying to think of something else. My arms released themselves making them a little loser...With Edward it was like my body acted on its own accord...My brain was left to pick up where I was later on...Damn my boyfriend and his talented hands...Well actually talented ANYTHING I didn't think there was anything that Edward couldn't do...Perhaps I was wearing rose-tinted glasses with him once again but as long as I was back in arms nothing else seemed to care anymore. Edward's hands fell on the top of the sheet which lay across my chest as his cold fingers touched my luke-warm skin...I whimpered a little ...I uncrossed my arms and allowed Edward to pull of the sheet putting my hands down flat on the bed below me...Edward's hair grazed my face as one of his hands went across both of my bare breasts the other hand however went to my cheek...He pulled my face gently to the side and I did so...Following the gaze from my knees to his torso and up to his face...His ever so always stunning evergreen eyes twinkling their radiance drowning and passing on to my own.
"What were you thinking about me?" he whispered looking at my lips as he did so...I took a deep breath trying not to let my want and desire for him to shine through when I needed to be steady with my words. Edward was proving to make it very difficult as always.
"Just....Just....I was only thinking about handsome you are" I choked out swallowing the dry spell that inhabited my throat.
"How can you say that I am handsome when I have such a beautiful girlfriend sitting next to me" he replied and I shook my head.
"I don't agree with that" I answered...Edward pulled his head down his lips inches away from mine...His hand over my chest pushed a little harder as he moved...I closed my eyes as I felt his breath on my face.
"Lay down with me" he whispered soothingly....Before I could tilt my body back to the pillows he had already pushed down lightly on my chest but before my head sunk in the pillows he had put his arm out behind me...As I looked up at him from the pillows he still had his hand on my face...Now trailing every couture and feature leaving me to tingle under him.
"I should explain things, Bella" he said examining his finger and the path it made.
"You don't have to, Edward" I sighed out in answer...His finger rested on my lips.
"I need to...I do not feel obligated to do so, Bella it is my choice" He replied in a whisper and I nodded. "I don't remember my mother...I mean I remember her but only vaguely and only by appearance..She was beautiful and I imagine that everyone says that about their mother but...She was. Her name was Elizabeth...Elizabeth Marie Masen...Born and raised in Chicago...Mum was a woman of intelligence and knowledge excelling through her schooling and then going onto complete university..She studied Psychology and music. There in University...I forget what the name of the University was but there she met my father..However I never knew him as he left us both when I was only a baby..I...Like you was doomed to be an only child and I was okay with it..I was taught manners but there was always anger in me, I remember a friend of the family saying that I was capable of great anger and immaturity if I were pushed the right way and even now it looks like I am still paying for it. Mum died when I was six and I soon found out that I was an angry child...Bitterness being the only way that I could deal with things in my life...I hated the world and I hated every bad and unjustifiable thing it seemed to do to me."
"Edward-" I said but my lips held Edward's feather touch again.
"Please, Bella...You spoke for enough time last night...Let me have my point to prove, precious girl?" Edward replied his voice smooth and like velvet...I nodded and carried on my listening my eyes never leaving his.
"Carlisle and Esme...Esme had met my mother once or twice but I can't remember how...Anyway I was adopted here at the age of seven and so then I had to learn how to share my life with two other siblings as well as two parental figures...It wasn't easy and you may have heard Carlisle say that I was a musician once before...I am not a very good musician in fact I don't think you can say that by just playing piano to an average standard makes you a musician...I prefer to say that I play a musical instrument and that is it. The other reason I taught myself how to play piano was because of two reasons..My mother was a fan and so I hoped that if I too learnt how to play her spirit can live on in me some way..I was nothing like her you see she was too much how Esme is...Caring and forgiving..I have my dad's tyrant ways at least that's what my mum called him. I also learnt because it was a form of therapy for me...Like the way your diary is for you...You and I are alike, Bella in the way that we are thinkers and we think deeply about what other people may say silly and unnecessary things but I enjoyed the solitude..I could put my emotion into the keys and the final composition without anyone thinking any less of me..I used to compose music about people as well..Esme has her lullaby which I played as a present for her on my tenth birthday and she has still never lived it down...I wrote on for Alice and Emmett...I was working on my dad's when you arrived here and that's where I was when I wasn't at home to meet you the first time...I said to Esme that I was doing rehearsal when in fact I just needed to get away and write...Focus my concentration entirely on my music...I never had a band which I had also used as an excuse to get away...I was an escaper just like you are sometimes but I didn't escape things out of fear I escaped things because they played too much on my head..I do not like feeling overwhelmed. Then you came along. I cannot say as much about my past years as you can, Bella because I lost my mother and that part of my life went with her..I adapted to my new one and that is the one I have always known."
Edward stopped to lean his head on mine...He wound his hand that was on my face around one of mine in my lap...I grasped it tightly. There was a change in Edward in that moment and I could have a guess and say that he was about to become emotional but then Edward had always been unpredictable and I never loved him any less for it.
"Then...You, Isabella Swan...Then YOU. What can I say? I changed...I saw something in you and I am sure I have mentioned it to you before but you reminded me of my mother and it calmed me...That's probably why I was so unpredictable in my emotions with you...I had eagerly wanted to meet you because Carlisle had said so much about you and you had already had him wound around your finger...I mean that in the nicest way possible. I became confused...I knew I was changing inside when I would be in your presence and possibly for the first time in my life..I was scared...I didn't know what to do...You caught me at such a bad time on your first day in school and I am still ashamed at the way I treated you...When I realised that you were in actual fact my new sister..The girl I had been so anxious to meet it broke my heart to see that my behaviour had made you cry. I wanted so much to make things up to you because you were so different, Bella...Emmett and Alice didn't have the spirit and karma that surrounds you...Even now I am emotionally linked with you I cannot name it. Earthliness I guess is the word that is almost-right....Then what do I do? I go out and get drunk one night...You see with Jessica she had always been a passing fancy of mine but she always kept coming up in the strangest of places and whenever I would find myself getting over her she would be there again flashing me a smile that would turn me into a bucket of goo. I had always liked drink...I am not going to lie to you...But I liked it for all the wrong reasons..It was escapism of my true thoughts and my true identity..To stop myself from thinking it was wrong I branded it on the fact that i was growing up and it would be a transition that everyone went through to gain new light on themselves. Drink never did that for me....YOU did that for me...I am not wrong in saying that it was YOU who brought some meaning back into my life."
I sighed out slowly my breath trembling...Edward had such a way with words even when right now he was feeling vulnerable and exposed the way that I had done last night...I appreciated him in this moment more than I ever have done..I knew that he was doing this for me and it made me even happier that he was mine.
"Then I got even more confused...From the first moment we kissed, Bella...I mean the kiss that Alice had forced me to do...I couldn't stop thinking about it...It went around and around my head and I didn't know whether a brother should have felt that way about his sister...I never dreamed about Alice's lips and I have admitted to you that I have kissed her for a dare before. Jessica was a get-out clause once again and I never went out with her because I wanted to get laid which I know some people may have said about us...I went out with her because I needed to know...To have some finalisation on whether my once boyish crush feelings were still there and....They weren't. Jessica and I had fun for about two weeks and then my feelings for her changed and I only then saw her as a friend...From that moment on..I fell deeper and harder for you every day that passed. I felt your emotions as you felt them I would look at how beautiful you were when you wouldn't notice..Sometimes I would come in here at night and just watch you sleep and I wasn't being a stalker and I didn't possess and unhealthy obsession over you, Bella...You were just so fascinating to me. The one time I knew I had fallen in love with you was before you went to Sandgrove the second time around...You were in pain and despair and all I wanted to do was to help you."
"Edward...You saved my life...When you found me in my bathroom with the razor...All I needed was to hear you...Then when you asked me to put it down..I couldn't refuse you and then like I said before you became my purpose."
"I am honoured, Bella that you wanted to live because of me...Every thought I had for those two weeks belonged to you..Each and every one of them....You remember the time when I visited you and found Mike there?"
I nodded but kept my silence.
"After seeing him there...It made me realise that perhaps I was the one who was meant to be with you...I broke up with Jessica that night because it broke me to see that you had Mike...I refused to carry on my relationship with Jessica...If you can call it that because I no longer had any feelings for her and it wouldn't be fair. Then when you came back...Nothing was the same anymore because I had these feelings and I battled with them every day, Bella...It was much harder than I realised now looking back on it. I took the plunge at Christmas...I had told Alice how I felt about you and she had been pushing me to tell you in her own way – she was convinced that you had the same feelings about me but disclosed that I would never know unless I took the risk..So I did and you reciprocated them and I would never have believed someone so amazing as you would go for someone like me...Your mum turned up and deep down I hated the fact that you had to leave but I beagn to understand...Understanding your decision didn't make it any easier to live with however but I kept telling myself that you would come back and we would be together again...That was my hope. I went out for you...Not knowing that I was actually going to arrive on the day of your mum's funeral but I saw you on that bench, Bella and I needed you because I had missed you so much...I thanked whoever it was who had sent me there on that time because you had needed me too...It couldn't have been easy at your mum's funeral all by yourself, Bella and that is why I flew to England...I wanted to support you when your mum died and I wanted to help you sort things out. I just came a little late."
"I was never thankful for you as much as I was on that day, Edward of course I needed you." I added and he smiled my favourite crooked smile.
"I have never been so lucky in my life to have you as my own, Bella...I can continue to apologise for the way I have acted on countless occasions with you but you always forgave me and I never knew why up until last night. I don't think YOU realise the extent of feelings I have for you, either. Bella you are my world..Everything that is good and everything that is true and real...I never thought I would be capable of loving someone as I had always preferred the idea of lust.
I was proved wrong by you once again...These new feelings in me were my indication that I was finally growing up and even though I know I haven't shown it I would give you everything I own and more to just make you happy...That's all I want to do from now on, Bella is to just make you happy because you deserve love from as many people as you can but you also deserve happiness because I can think of no one more worthy of good life as you. Your experiences have made you strong and mature...More mature than I can even imagine to be. I love every part of who you are...Physical and mental...I owe you for so much of what you've done for me and I will spend as much time as possible to make you believe that I am deep down a good person. I need to work on my anger and get to the deeper root of the problem because I know it is still there...On a wild guess I would say it was because I never allowed myself to grieve over my mother...Crying to me was always a weakness it wasn't to me an emotion that came naturally and so I never cried over losing her...I cried for what I could have had in my life and not for her. Now...I don't ever want to go back...I would still love to be with my mother because she was a huge influence in my young life but if she hadn't of died I would never have come here...I would never have been blessed in finding you and eventually falling in love with you."
A tear escaped my eye as Edward brushed it away with his finger. "No more tears, sweetheart" he soothed.
"I am sorry...You just have so much meaning when you speak like that...It makes me want to believe you but there is always a part of me in the back of my head which doubts you." I replied.
"You should never doubt me, Bella...Or my feelings that still exist for you...If you never believe anything I say then I ask you to believe my emotions when I speak of them"
"Edward...I don't care that you were an angry child...I don't care that you were bitter because everyone is different and even though I didn't think much of my mother as a maternal role I do not think I would have been able to cope if she had died when I had been seven and I was then put up for adoption as a result."
"I know you don't care...Because you are so amazingly forgiving but it matters to me...I want to be that person you love with your whole heart...I want to be loved by you for my flaws and my sometimes unpredictability...I just want to please you, Bella"
I brought my hand entwined in his up to his face and stroked his lips. "You are...You are that person...You will always be that person to me. Don't you find it strange that if we weren't adopted by Carlisle and Esme then we would never have met?"
Edward took a deep breath but allowed me to continue to touch his face. "I would never leave you now that I have met you...Goodness knows where we would be if our other lives worked out."
"It's not worth thinking about is it?"
"Hell no" Edward answered with a smile "so there is my explination for what it's worth"
"Edward...Your words...Whenever you say anything no matter how small or how large ALWAYS mean something to me...I never believed on finding love or falling in love with someone but it did surprise me a little that you were the guy I was meant to be with...Some people say that first love is the best experience that you will ever have and right now...I couldn't agree more."
"I agree whole heartedly with that statement, too" Edward replied.
"Would you do me a favour?" I asked.
"Anything my Bella" he answered.
"Would you play for me some time...On your piano?"
"I imagined you were going to ask me that...I should then now tell you that I made a composition for you...I made it when you were in the hospital the second time"
"You did?" I choked out...Emotion coming over me again.
"Of course...I had to write something for the love of my life"
" Edward I love you so much" I said steadily this time as he smiled touching my cheek again.
"Always beating me to the punch aren't you?" he teased
"Sorry"
"It's okay...I will just have to prove how much I love you in return" he replied as he crashed his lips to mine...I ran both my hands into his hair and sunk deeper into the pillow as he moved his weight on top of me taking his arm out from behind me.
Edward I didn't have sex again..We just kissed but in a way it was so much more powerful in that moment.
I love my boyfriend...I love my boyfriend...I REALLY love my boyfriend.
I will never get tired of saying or thinking that!
*~Edward~*
Last night with Bella had been one of the hugest reality checks I have had to endure in my entire life...Bella had born everything she had thought and expressed it to me with such courage and such honesty that I had been a real fool not to notice that she was always the girl who I would belong to...Her words and the way she spoke about her love for me would forever be branded in my memory. I cried a lot of tears last night...Tears for her...Tears for me...Tears for Alice and sadness for ever letting Bella go out of my grasp the way I had done.
When I walked out of her room I stopped myself on my way to my own bathroom when I was hit with a memory about how I had been with Esme about Bella's diary...I instantly turned on my foot and went down the stairs...There had only been rare occasions when I had ever been downstairs in my pyjamas but seeing Esme was more important than my personal hygiene at this moment in time. I turned into the kitchen and found her washing up in the sink...Instead of disturbing her I crept up to her and wrapped my arms around her waist and lent my head on her shoulder...She stilled herself when she felt my grasp but then turned her head to lean on mine...Her hands were no longer working and as she leant her head on my own she left both her hands in the water probably not wanting to touch me in case I got wet.
"Mom..I came to say sorry" I whispered into her ear as I smelt her coconut shampoo...That same smell had always comforted me as a young child in her care and I was surprised to have the same feeling come back to me as I held her.
"I am sorry too" she whispered.
"No..I don't want you to be sorry mom...I don't ever want you to be sorry for the way I act sometimes and for the way I treated you last time we spoke...I know you are ashamed of me...I am ashamed at myself and I regret it so much" I insisted...Esme lifted her hands from the water then and dried them on the dishtowel next to her she turned her body around and her eyes fell on mine.
"Edward I don't want you to EVER think that I am ashamed of you...I could never be ashamed of you...I can be angry at you and I can want to hit you sometimes not out of spite or anger but because I want to make things known to you like the fact that you and Bella should belong together but I love you, Edward...You are my son and you mean the world to me...You all do" Mom's voice sparked up the tears in my eyes...So forgiving so much like Bella...Why was I surrounded by influential forgiving people and yet I could never find it in my heart to forgive someone straight away if they had done wrong except at the last minute when I was on the brink of losing them.
"Don't be so quick to forgive me, mom...You have always forgiven me for my wrong doings and yet I still haven't learnt to control them"
"Edward I forgive you because I CHOOSE too...I see so much in you that I never want to lose and by not talking to you I have lost a part of my self...A part of my heart that will always be yours."
"I love you so much, mom" I said a tear escaping my eye...She smiled and wiped it away placing her hand on my cheek.
"I love you too, Edward so much...I never want to lose you...I can't bear to lose another child" her tears came so quickly and fell down her cheeks at such a speed that I quickly wiped away her tears and leant my forehead on hers putting both my hands on each side of her face she smiled in relief lightly.
"Now before I turn into a complete emotional wreck I need you to go and see your father...I have to go out now and sort something...He will explain everything" she said pulling out of my hold and wiping her eyes on her sleeves.
"Okay" I said hesitantly with a bit of confusion...She smiled and kissed my cheek before walking out of the kitchen and the front door. Instead of staying in the kitchen I went down to dad's office...Opening the door and closing it behind me.
What was this all about?
*~Bella~*
I turned off the hairdryer running my hands through my hair to stop the waves from frizzing out when there was a soft knock on my bedroom door.
"Come in" I said frowning as to who it might have been...It can't have been Edward as he was in the shower right now..Wasn't he? The door opened and I did a double take when I saw Rose peer her head around it.
"Hi, Bella...Can I have a word?" she said gently.
"Sure" I said cheerfully but in all honesty I was a little worried...Rose and I hadn't been on the best terms these past weeks and I still felt a little threatened in her presence as I had now seen her angry...Now I kind of knew why Emmett was so in love with her...She had guts and even I liked that in another person seeing as I always believed I didn't possess any strength myself. Rose closed the door and sat down next to me on the bed...I discreetly pulled the top of my towel up further and tightened my arms around it so that it wouldn't fall down.
"I came to say sorry, Bella" Rose said looking up at me from the floor...I shook my head.
"No, Rosalie...Really there is no need to apologise...You had every right to your opinion about me and I understood why you were angry" I replied putting a hand up.
"I need to though, Bella...I am a little angry still but I could have handled it differently...My fists have always come in handy with previous boyfriends who have broken my heart in the past but I just saw red and I never came down to see you with the intention of hitting you, Bella"
"It's okay...I needed it, Rose...You and Edward were the only ones who seemed to have the right emotions...Carlisle, Esme and even Jasper forgave me"
"Jasper forgave you for the same reason Carlisle and Esme did...You have forgiven them and so it would have been only fair that they forgive you in return"
"Yeah well maybe I shouldn't have been forgiven so quickly"
"Don't say that, Bella...Everyone is different...I suppose with Edward and I it takes a little longer" I didn't have the heart to tell her that Edward had already forgiven me..I didn't want her to feel inadequate or to feel like she had acted wrongly because she hadn't.
"I have a feeling that's true" I replied.
"So...Can you forgive me again, Bella...You know Alice, you and me we were....We had something between the three of us and just because one of us is gone does not mean that the other two have broken apart completely". I smiled.
"Of course, Rose" I said reaching for my makeup bag next to me and putting it onto my lap..I opened the zip.
"May I?" Rose asked and I turned to face her.
"You want to put on my makeup?" I asked her a little hesitantly.
"Sure...I have always wanted to do it but Alice had always beaten me." She replied.
"Oh...Well sure you can..If that's okay?"
"It is" she said with a small smile as she held out her hand I picked up my bag and put it in her hand. "Now would you like to get dressed first or put makeup on first?"
"What do you think?" I said shrugging.
"Dressed...That towel must still be wet" she said and I nodded taking myself off of the bed and over to the wardrobe.
"Did you want to pick out my clothes as well?" I teased and she bit down on her lip.
"Sure..Why not?" she replied....Rose put the bag down and stood up to stand next to me. Without saying another word..Rose pulled out my black jeans and my green v-neck jumper...I didn't want to say that those were going to be the clothes I had already planned on wearing...I had matching underwear too in the same colour green.
I took the hangers as she handed them to me...She then proceeded to search my underwear drawer...Rose and Alice had known where everything in my room was kept before I had done...She then found the same matching underwear and I gestures for her to put them over the top of my hand which was holding the hangers of clothes...The other was still holding my towel up...I turned and walked into the bathroom nudging the door closed with one of my arms and changing quickly.
I stepped back out to find Rose searching through my eyeshadow palettes...I pulled the hair clip out of my hair as I had tied it up to wash my face and hooked the clip at the hem of my jumper...I sat down on the bed in front of Rose and she smiled at me once before getting to work on my face.
It had been about twenty minutes before Rosalie had tidied up my things and said goodbye to me because her and Emmett were going out...I thought then to see Emmett and thank him for everything but I would see him again later.
*~Carlisle~*
The minute Edward had stepped into my office...I got up from my chair and grabbed his hand and taken him back up the stairs again...I stormed through Bella's bedroom door to find her on the foot of her bed...She looked concerned at my abrupt entrance.
"Now...I am not leaving here until the two of you make up!" I demanded with a deep breath afterwards...I looked at Bella.
"Dad..What are you talking about?" she asked.
"Emmett said that the two of you were not on good terms and he asked me to have a word with each of you...However I decided to get you both in here and kill two birds with one stone instead..So...Talk...Both of you." I replied.
"Dad..We don't need to talk" I turned to Edward after his remark.
"Don't give me that attitude, Edward...If you want me to discuss things with each of you individually then I shall do so."
"No...It's not that" Edward said looking at Bella swiftly...I turned to look at her..Bella bit down on her lip.
"Dad..We have kind of already made up" Bella said shooting me a small smile...I cleared my throat..Well way to make a man feel embarrassed.
"Well thank you for telling me that" I replied.
"It happened last night..We were going to tell you all today" Bella replied and I brushed off my embarrassment at the soothing sound of her voice.
"That is very good...There is another thing now that you have reminded me...Esme and I wanted to wait and tell you when Emmett and Rosalie had gone." I explained.
"What is it, dad?" Edward said walking from behind me to join Bella on the bed...The two of them now looking up at me.
"We are throwing a surprise engagement party for them tonight" I finished.
"Tonight?!" Bella exclaimed.
"Whoa..When did they even get engaged?" Edward asked.
"Sorry you were in the hospital when it happened" I said
"You knew?" Edward looked over at Bella.
"I am sorry it kind of slipped..my mind" Bella replied awkwardly and Edward nodded in sudden understanding...Wow, Bella had worked wonders on my son.
"What about Jasper?" Bella asked.
"Jasper rang me earlier...Danny has one more day of observation just to be on the safe side so he will be coming home tomorrow instead...He is free for the night and so he would like to join the party with us" I explained.
"How did you arrange this?" Bella asked.
"Esme and her hidden party planners" I remarked and Bella and Edward both nodded...They both knew my wife by now so I didn't have to go into the ins or the outs.
"Are you sure that Jasper is okay with this?" Edward asked.
"I made sure that he was...I wasn't going to do it unless he was alright with it."
"That's good" Bella said with a smile.
"So we will need to be ready by eight...I am off to finalise the party with Esme...I need you two to lure Rose and Emmett away from the house and to the village hall."
"Us?" Bella and Edward both said in unison.
"If I tried to do it then it would look suspicious...Please? You will think of something" I pleaded. Bella and Edward looked at each other for a moment and then back at me.
"Okay" Bella answered and I walked over and kissed her on the head...I kissed my son on the head too.
"Thank you so much...I love you both" I said walking out of the door.
"Love you too" Bella and Edward said together.
I ran down the stairs, grabbed my coat climbed into my car and was already out of the driveway faster than the speed of light.
*~Emmett~*
(Later)
As Rose and I had not had the time to be alone much for the past couple of weeks...I had taken her out to lunch...I had a good time and Rose seemed happier today for some unknown reason but I was not going to push her for an explanation...We walked back in the house hand in hand and into the living room to find Bella and Edward sitting on the sofa together...They were talking?!
"Sorry to interrupt" I said putting a hand up as I let go of Rose's hand to close the door with my free hand...Bella stood up and left Edward sitting on the sofa.
"No Emmett you weren't interrupting anything...Well Edward and I have made up" she said...My heart soared in my chest as the biggest smile formed my mouth...I closed the distance and grabbed her hoisting her up in the air..I swung her around as she giggled at my outburst...Wow I was pleased for her..I knew that she belonged with Edward...Now maybe I could finally get my Bella-boo back to the way she was before.
"Emmett...Put me down I have a request" Bella choked out and I put her down and looked into her face as she smiled.
"As much as I admire your enthusiasm...Edward and I were wondering whether you and Rose would like to come with us on a double date tonight?" she said both her hands clasping mine tightly..I looked over at Edward who nodded once with the same smile on his face.
I turned to face Rose who looked a little confused. "What do you think, babe?" I asked her as her gaze fell on me.
"That's very nice of you...It has been a while since we have all been out together" she said with enthusiasm...Something has definitely changed in my fiancé's attitude and I LOVED it.
"Hell yeah!" I exclaimed looking back at Bella. She beamed.
"Great!" she said "now you and Edward may stay here whilst me and Rose find suitable attire" she said looking over at Rose.
I watched as Bella walked over to my fiancé and held out her hand...Rose took it and followed Bella up the stairs...As they left us from view I plonked down next to Edward and put my arm around his shoulder pulling him into a hug.
*~Bella~*
I searched Emmett's mess of a wardrobe as Rose stood behind me.
"Bella are you sure about this?" I turned to face her.
"Sure about what?"
"I mean I was a bitch to you and now you want to take me out?"
"Well it's like you said..It's been a while since we have all been out" I replied giving her an assuring look.
"What's the catch?"
"Should there be one?" I asked as she shook her head.
"No I just can't help but think that you are up to something"
"Rose...I am too honest and it has always been a problem of mine...If I was planning anything I would tell you" I lied in reassurance...Please believe me...I can't mess this up now!!
"In that case, thank you" Rose replied...Score!!
I picked out her gold dress which she had worn at Christmas and her gold heels from down the bottom of the wardrobe and handed them to her.
"Do I really need to be in a dress?" she asked studying the clothes.
"I am going to be in a dress" I answered and she nodded in understanding. "Now you get dressed and I will be in my room waiting for you" I said putting one of my hands on her shoulder as a final indicator of reassurance and walked away from her and into my room.
Since my makeup had already been done so well by Rose...I only had to wipe away the eyeshadow...I had already planned to wear my purple dress and so I would need to match my eye colour...I did that quickly and changed into the dress that had changed my relationship with Edward forever and took out the same heels from the bottom of my wardrobe once I had successfully managed to get the dress back on. I was buckling up the final shoe as Rose walked in wearing her dress. I finished the buckle and put my foot back down on the floor and looked at her.
"I have always liked that colour on you, Rose" I said as she smiled.
"Thank you" she replied.
"So do you have everything you need?" I asked and she nodded...I walked over to my chest and pulled out my silver locket. "Would you put this on for me?" I asked her and she walked over talking the chain in her hands and tying it up as I kept my hair up in my hands. I let it fall as she clasped it and turned to face her. "Do you have a coat? It's a little cold outside?"
"Yes, it's downstairs" she said and I nodded. "You ready?" Rose nodded again and held out her hand to me this time...I took it and walked out of my room turning my light off behind me..I hoped that she didn't notice I had a bag on me.
As we walked down the stairs together Emmet and Edward were waiting for us our coats in each of their hands...Their own coats already on. Edward and I had completed our tasks of getting Rose and Emmett dressed up in a formal fashion and I was glad.
I let go of Rose's hand allowing her to go first and walk towards Emmett...Emmett wrapped the coat around her as she put her arms in the sleeves they said nothing...I walked towards Edward and put my arms into my own coat.
"Beautiful" he whispered in my ear as I turned back round to face Rose and Emmett.
"Lets go" I said as I gestured for them to walk out of the door first...I shot Edward a relieved look as I took his hand and followed Emmett and Rose out of the door.
When we got to the hall and Edward had parked his car up...I lent Rose a hand getting out of the car she looked at the hall and back at me.
"Why are we here?" she asked me...I thought of a lie quickly but was beaten to the punch by Edward.
"I thought we could all have a drink first" he said flashing me a smile...I mouthed a thank you to him.
"Sweet!" Emmet exclaimed clasping Rose's hand...Edward took mine and Edward and I had reached the bottom of the steps leading up to the entrance when I heard a car pull up behind us...I looked around to recognise Jasper's car I faced Edward.
"You go in...I will be there in a minute" I said...He nodded kissing my cheek and releasing my hand...I walked over to Jasper who was smiling at me as he closed his car door.
"Hi Bell!" he greeted me cheerfully.
"Hi Jasper...Listen can I have a word with you?" I asked
"Of course" he replied. I gestured for him to follow me to the steps where I had just come from I leant an arm on the banister and turned to face him.
"Jasper..I need to know whether you are okay with all of this?"
"I appreciate your concern so much, Bella...Of course I am"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes...Danny was supposed to come home today but seeing as that has been changed I thought it only right that I should join in the congratulations...Seeing as it has been planned for a good couple of weeks now"
"Oh well I was only told today...I figured after Alice-"
"Bella...Alice always loved a party and even though I would have spent the night with Danny if I had no other plans...I have a night free and it might do me some good you know? I know Alice certainly would have liked to have had some part in the planning of this" Jasper's voice began to break on the last part of his answer and I immediately closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around his shoulders he leant into me holding me tightly in return.
"Alice would have been proud of you, Jasper" I whispered.
"Thank you, Bella...You really are the best" he answered releasing me...I stroked the tear away from his cheek with one of my fingers.
Before I could open my mouth...There was a large roar of the word 'congratulations' from inside the hall...I laughed.
"I guess we missed it" Jasper remarked and I shrugged.
"It's okay...I have already done my task for the day" I replied taking his hand in mine and leading him up the stairs and into the hall.
As Jasper and I stood in the crowded room, Edward came over wrapping one of his arms around my shoulders and upper chest and put his other hand on Jasper's shoulder. We stood there in silence looking at a beaming Emmett and a tearful Rose as they hugged Esme and Carlisle...One of the servers approached us then with a tray of champagne...Edward released me and took one off of the tray along with Jasper...I looked at the glass for a moment before taking one for myself. The server left us there and walked away.
Edward, Jasper and I all tapped our glasses together gently and all turned to face Rose and Emmett raising our glasses in front of us...Emmett and Rose both caught our gesture and were now both staring at all of us...Emmett mouthed a thank you to us and Rose smiled at Edward and Jasper...When her gaze fell on me she nodded with a small smile...I nodded back.
We were all happy for Emmett and Rosalie and even though we all wished that Alice were here to celebrate it with us....There was no doubt in our minds that she was looking on all of us as we enjoyed the celebrations...The way that she would have wanted it to be.
*The next update WILL be the LAST chapter...:(!
Writing AML has been such a thrill and I am so grateful for all the responses it has received and all the support you have given me...Thank you so much to everyone who favourited and reviewed this story as well as putting AML on their alerts and in their C2s.
Only two more chances to give me closing thoughts on this story...I love you all once again!
Thanks for reading!*
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