Disclaimer: I don't own them...
Thanks to SunflowerFran3759 for making this pretty...
Isabella:
The diner we pulled up to was busy; really busy. The exterior is blue and white and there are windows lining the entire front of the building with an aluminum awning sitting just above them.
Edward opened my door and held a hand out for me. As I stood, he pulled me into a hug.
"Thank you for being so understanding back there. I know that had to be uncomfortable for you."
"Well," I said, as we walked toward the door. "It was ... awkward. I won't lie, but it would have been worse had I not known what was going on. Hearing that woman asking about the baby would have sent me into a panic attack," I laughed.
Edward's eyes were wide as he reached for the door. "You're right. I didn't even think of that." He shook his head.
"Edward! When did you get back into town?"
A woman called out from somewhere behind the counter. It took seconds for a little old woman with a very big voice to come over and wrap Edward in her arms.
"Maggie," he said warmly, with a big smile. "How are you?"
"Forget about me. Look at you; still as handsome as ever," she laughed and then looked over at me. "And who is this lovely woman?"
"Maggie, this is Isabelle. Isabelle, this is Maggie; owner of this fine establishment and longtime family friend."
"It's so nice to meet you," I said, holding my hand out.
She frowned at my hand, and pulled me into a hug. This woman was really strong considering how tiny she is.
"Come sit over here at the bar. I want to catch up with you, Edward."
He looked over at me and I smiled and nodded; excited that I might learn more about Edward from this spunky woman. I'm hoping she doesn't have a filter and spills lots of embarrassing details about him.
We sat at the end of the bar and several people came up to say hello to Edward. I watched him as he caught up with old friends and laughed at the stories they told.
The one thing I did notice, was that not one person asked him about Kate. I found this very interesting, considering they had been together for so long.
We ate old fashioned, greasy hamburgers and drank vanilla shakes. We laughed and played a game of twenty questions. His cheeks grew red when I asked about his first crush and his first kiss.
"Why are you blushing?" I laughed.
"It's so embarrassing!" He groaned, and sipped from a glass of water. "It was in the second grade. Her name was Valerie Danning," he laughed, and shook his head. "I liked her but didn't want anyone to know. One day she came up to me, kissed my lips and then punched me in the stomach. We had just eaten lunch, so I threw up all over her shoes; making her cry. My Grandma Lizzie had to come and pick me up from school, and I didn't return until two days later."
My lips were pressed together, and I was trying really hard not to laugh. I must look completely ridiculous.
"It's okay. You can laugh, everyone does," he chuckled, and shook his head.
I covered my face with my hands and giggled. "Poor Edward."
"Oh, did you tell her about that little Valerie Danning? It's the best story, isn't it? Neither one of them will ever live it down," Maggie said with a chuckle as she walked up to us with a piece of pie and a pot of coffee.
"Maggie, I can't possibly eat that!"
"Nonsense. Men have empty pits for stomachs. And you are too skinny! Did you become one of those crazy vegetarians in New York? Eating grass and hay and drinking fancy sparkling water?" she waved her fingers in the air and made a face.
"What?" He asked. And I laughed at the look on his face.
"Eat!" She said, handing him a fork and giving me a wink, pointing at the coffee.
He took a bite of the pie and then moaned. "Good?" I asked.
He nodded and then held out a piece for me. Just seeing him holding a fork, with a bite of pie for me, made me blush. It was something that couples did; a sweet gesture. I leaned in, watching his eyes as I closed my lips over the fork.
His eyes darkened a bit, and he smiled. "It's good, isn't it? Mom has been trying to get the recipe for years but Maggie won't budge."
I smiled and watched Maggie work the room. She wasn't serving anyone, just socializing. She knew everyone and laughed a lot. "I hope I am as happy as she is when I get to be her age."
Edward watched Maggie and nodded his head.
"This has been nice. Getting to know you, laughing..." he trailed off, and looked at his plate for a long moment. "It's been a long time since I've just ... been happy," he looked at me; mesmerizing green eyes filled with sincerity.
I smiled, and felt my cheeks get warm.
"You ready to go?" He asked.
"Well..." I started.
"What?" he asked, turning me so I faced him.
"I'm not ready for this to be over."
"Yeah?" he asked, smiling.
"Yeah."
"Okay. I know a place we can go."
We drove for a little bit and Edward pulled into an open spot on the street. He rolled up his sleeves a little, and removed his tie, and he looked ... delicious.
He smiled at me and held the door open to what looked like a very fancy and very private bar. Once we entered I could see that the walls were a dark, beautifully polished mahogany. The wall behind the bartender was filled with bottles from floor to ceiling. The bar was welcoming and friendly and I could hear live music playing.
"This is amazing," I turned back to look up at Edward.
"It's a great place. My dad came in here one night and was hooked. The owner and the staff are all really good people."
"Hey Ed! How ya doing?"
"Hey Gary, I'm good. You?"
"Fantastic. Macallan?" He asked, and Edward nodded. Then the bartender turned to me with a bright smile.
"Hello," he said, and kissed the back of my hand. "I am Gary, your bartender for the evening."
I laughed. "Nice to meet you, Gary. I am Bella."
"Bella. Beautiful; perfect name for a lovely woman."
"Stop flirting with my girl and get her a drink," Edward grumbled, but the smile on his face betrayed him.
Gary laughed and raised his hands in surrender. My stomach fluttered - his girl.
Gary looked at me and narrowed his eyes. "You look like a girl who likes a good Vodka. But not just any Vodka..." he shook a finger at me and turned away. He grabbed a highball and filled it with ice, pulled out a couple of bottles, and grabbed some cherries out from under the bar. He split the cherries and then mixed a few things together along with the cherries and ice into a shaker. He shook and smiled and did a little dance, and then poured it all into the glass.
It looked delicious.
Cherries floated in the glass, in between the ice cubes; the drink itself was crystal clear. He placed a cherry on top, and slid the glass over to me. "Enjoy," he tilted his head, and waited for me to take a sip.
I smiled, and looked at Edward. We clinked our glasses and I sipped.
"Delicious."
"Let me know if you two need anything," Gary said as he made his way over to another customer.
"Let's go sit over there," I took Edward's hand and followed him over to a small lounge area. There was a stage with a live band, a jazz trio.
They were amazing and it added this great ambiance to the place. Edward found a loveseat and took my drink as I sat down. Once I was comfortable, he handed me my drink and sat next to me.
"Is this okay?" he asked.
I angled my body toward him, my knee touching his. "It's perfect. Thank you for bringing me here."
He smiled, and took my free hand in his. We listened to the music for a few moments. I was mesmerized by the melody that came out of these three instruments; amazed that the three men on stage were able to create such an atmosphere with their sound.
Edward's fingers tightened around mine and I gave him my attention.
"So...how am I doing so far?" he asked, shyly.
"What do you mean?"
"Bella, I haven't been on a date since I was in high school. I am a nervous wreck here."
I smiled at this crazy, beautiful, and incredibly sweet man. I leaned in towards him, and placed a kiss on the side of his mouth.
"This has been the most wonderful date I've ever been on," I said quietly.
His eyes searched mine, and he gave me a small smile before leaning in and kissing me. It was soft and sweet and held promises of more to come.
When he pulled away, he tilted his head and gave me a breathtaking smile. "I am so glad I met you, Isabelle Swan-Whitlock."
He said my name with that heart-stopping Southern accent that makes my heart flutter.
We settled ourselves further into the couch, leaning into each other's space and chatted about anything and everything.
He loves the New York Yankees and has to hide it from his family; he swears me to secrecy. He and his sister are best friends, and he's excited to be working at his father's firm and hopes he will earn a space as a partner. His mother babies him when he's home and while he loves the attention, he's a little antsy to have some space. He's been looking for an apartment or house close to work and his parents' home so he won't hurt his mother's feelings by moving out; if he's close, he can still have dinner with them at least twice a week.
He has a different smile for everything he talks about. An indulgent smile for his mother, mischievous when he talks about his sister, nostalgic when he mentions his grandmother; and I want to see all of them, so much more.
"My grandfather keeps telling me that my grandmother has been worried about me." He frowns and looks at the empty glass in his hand. "Do you think that's possible; that my grandfather still talks to her?"
He looked at me with curious eyes. Not suspicious or judgmental, or as if he thinks he's crazy. And I can't help but think that I need to tell him. He's shared so much with me and I've shared nothing personal about myself.
I swallow and twirl the cherries and watered down ice in my glass. When I look at him, his eyes are concerned.
"Did I say something wrong?" he asks, taking my glass and placing them both on the side table.
I smile, and shake my head. "I think it is possible that he speaks to her."
His eyes are surprised and he tilts his head but doesn't speak, and I can't help but wonder if this will be our last date. My eyes tear up at the thought but I swallow them back.
"My grandmother, Marie, had dreams," I whisper. "About random things and people she'd never met. And very often those dreams came true."
He adjusted himself and took my hand in his. I traced patterns on the back of his hand. "She didn't deal with it well. She'd fallen in love with a man, and was completely enamored with him. They married, and had a daughter," I smiled and chanced a look at him, "my mother. About a year later, my grandmother had a dream of her husband with another woman; getting married, having more children..." I wiped away a tear. "She was heartbroken, devastated. He left when my mother turned five. My grandmother closed herself off to love, vowing never to give herself to another person if that was the result. She dedicated her life to my mother, charity work and her grandchildren. She never remarried, but toward the end of her life, she was spending a lot of time with Mr. Johnson, her next door neighbor. I hope they comforted one another, and I hope he helped soothe her soul."
I was quiet for a moment, not sure how to continue. That is a heavy story on a first date, isn't it? I was about to apologize when I felt Edward's fingers under my chin.
"Bella," his voice was soft. "Why are you telling me this?"
My eyes searched his, and I pleaded with everything in the universe that he wouldn't laugh in my face and walk away.
"I see things."
His eyes narrowed, and now he was studying me.
"What kinds of things?"
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"Things about people's lives. Things that could happen, will happen, or have happened in the past."
He didn't speak and he didn't let go of my hand.
The room that I had so easily forgotten came back into sight. There was soft music playing through speakers. The room had emptied out quite a bit. It must be late.
"How do you see things? In dreams?"
I tilted my head slightly. "Sometimes. But usually I have to touch a person to see anything."
His eyes grew wide and his hand flinched in mine. My stomach dropped and my heart slowed, and I pulled my hand away from him.
"We should probably go," I whispered, afraid to speak any louder. My throat felt tight and I could feel my eyes burning behind my closed lids.
I stood up and started walking toward the door, not sure if he was following but I couldn't face him at the moment.
"Have a lovely evening, Beautiful Bella," Gary the bartender called out as I passed.
I tried to smile and gave him a small wave, but his smile faltered when he noticed my expression. I moved quickly toward the door; I need the cool air to help calm me down.
How am I going to sit in a car next to him?
Should I call Emmett?
Or a cab?
I was starting to panic. I could feel my heart begin to beat quickly, I could hear it; swoosh swoosh.
I made it outside and turned to my right. I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going but I couldn't stop. And I couldn't get Edward's wide eyes and the feel of his flinching fingers out of my mind. It was as if the sensation was burned into my hand. The warmth I usually felt...
A hand grabbed my arm and I gasped, ready to scream. But green eyes were looking into my own and I didn't know what to do. The tears I had so successfully held back earlier were now falling down my face. I couldn't stop them, not anymore.
"Please, just..." I sobbed, not really knowing what I was asking for.
"Why did you run from me?" He asked, his arms wrapping around me. "Bella, why did you run?" He said again, in more of a whisper.
My breath was slowing down and I was crying silent tears, rather than ugly sobs. And I didn't know how to answer him.
I shook my head no.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. It was just..." he paused, and ran his hand up and down my back before cupping the back of my head and tilting my face toward his. "Hearing that you can see things by touching someone took me by surprise. I don't want you to know about me before I've had a chance to explain them myself. I don't want you to see something that will make you leave me before we've even begun."
My body felt heavy.
"I can't see you," my voice was rough from holding in my tears. I might as well get it all out of the way now. "Your grandfather pushes images of Elizabeth at me, but I can't see anything he doesn't want me to see. Rosalie is blurry; I can see her, just not clearly."
He stared at me for a long moment before closing his eyes. I watched his throat as he swallowed twice, his Adam's apple bobbing.
"I'm ready to go home, please." I felt...deflated, and utterly exhausted. I wish I hadn't gotten my hopes up. I wish I didn't already care for him so much. Then maybe this wouldn't hurt as much.
A fresh wave of tears covered my face. "Please, Edward," I pleaded with him.
He led me to the car, and held my hand as he helped me get inside. When the door closed, I angled my body toward the window and looked out.
I heard the driver door close softly and the start of the engine, but I blocked out everything else. I don't know how long we were in the car but when it slowed to a stop, I looked around, confused.
There were lights lining the driveway, and when Edward stopped the car, the moonlit night proudly outlined the Masen Estate.
"What are we doing here?"
Edward didn't answer. He got out of the car, walked around and opened my door and held his hand out for me. I stared at him for a long moment before taking his hand and exiting the car.
"My grandmother loved this house. She said all of her fondest memories happened here. And as far back as I can remember this place has been the glue that held our family together."
Edward was quiet as he opened the door and led us inside. He flipped a switch that turned on several small lamps, creating a golden glow in the room. The room had a different aura in the evening, in this dim lighting.
Glimpses of Mr. and Mrs. Masen's life are slowly paging through.
They are lounging together on a sofa, both wearing glasses. Mrs. Masen is holding a magazine and Mr. Masen has a rather large book and a notepad in his hands. Mrs. Masen's feet are tucked under his legs.
Small children are running around the living room. A blond girl in pigtails that are suspended in the air, as a boy with reddish brown hair reaches out to her.
Mr. Masen sitting at a table playing chess with an older Edward, both with mischievous smiles on their faces. Mrs. Masen standing just off to the side, watching them with a scowl on her face, and an empty bowl in her hands.
The images continued. A family filled with love lived inside these walls. I felt Edward squeeze my hand and I turned to look at him, hesitantly.
"What do you see here?"
I looked around the room and closed my eyes. After taking a deep breath, I said, "Love."
He smiled. "You can see my family?"
I nodded, not sure exactly what he was asking about.
"That's all I've ever wanted, Bella. A home; a house that was full of love and family and children; a relationship that would rival the love of my parents and grandparents; this house," he said, waving his hands around the room; "it holds all of those hopes, all of those dreams. This was a place where I always belonged."
I was completely frozen, but my heart was beating a million miles a minute.
"The fact that you are here and you have this gift is..." he trailed off, and ran his free hand through his hair. "My grandmother had this sixth sense. She just knew when something was going to happen. She would tell Rosalie and me to stay away from the creek one day, and to invest in Apple the next. My mother will often have an 'off' feeling or she will save a piece of paper because she knows it will be useful one day."
His voice was picking up speed and volume and my mind was racing with the words he'd just spoken. Both his mother and grandmother were gifted?
"And to think that on a random weekday, I found you just by walking into your office with my sister and grandfather in tow." He moves and stands right in front of me. "Bella, you are a complete surprise to me. The past couple of years have been a fog to me, but you..." he took my face in his hands. "You," he said softly, "have changed the gray into Technicolor; you've woken me up, and brought me back to life. I'm sorry for my reaction earlier - but it was a shock. It's almost unbelievable and I have a million questions … but I want you … I want you."
And without realizing I'd moved, my lips were on his.
I want you.
He is choosing me.
When we finally pulled apart, he was smiling. I bit my lip and felt the heat on my face.
Then slowly, all of the lamps in the room became very bright. I stepped away from Edward and put my hand on one of them.
I saw Elizabeth.
And she was smiling, too.
a/n: Hello! I hope you are all doing amazing. So sorry for the late update. I have excuses...but I won't bore you with them. RL has not been my friend lately. Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter. I appreciate it so very much.
I received an email this week that my story was submitted to The Lemonade Stand for the Fic of the Week Nomination. Thanks to Evilnat for submitting it! You are fabulous :). I don't know if voting is still open, but please stop by and take a look. There are some awesome stories in this weeks poll - well, there are always awesome stories...okay, I'm just going to shut up. Go look - you won't be disappointed. :)
I hope you guys like this one - it took off in a different direction, I even freaked myself out a bit, but it came around in the end. Yay! Please take the time to let me know what you think. Take care!