Bella sat down, watching Rosalie carefully. She moved around the table gracefully, giving everyone except Edward some oatmeal that was flavored with brown sugar and honey.
"Good morning, mother," Alice greeted, as Rosalie put a lade in her bowl. Rosalie smiled.
"Good morning, dear." Rosalie said smiling.
"Good morning, Rose." I greeted as she laid a ladle in my bowl, she smiled also.
"Good morning, dear." She said in the same tone as she said it to Alice.
"Good morning, Mrs. Cullen." Jasper said, the only one who doesn't call her Rose or Rosalie.
"Good morning, Jasper, please, call me Rosalie or Rose." Rosalie said placing a large lade full in his bowl.
"None for me thanks." Edward said smiling, he looked happy without his mask on -he said he didn't need it since they were all in love with someone else and he was related to them- Rosalie hit him with the back of the ladle.
"I know that you bafoon." Rosalie said, he laughed and smiled up at his dear sister-in-law.
"Oh, don't be like that Rose, I was only jesting with you." Edward complained. Rosalie laughed and rolled her eyes.
"Where's Emmett?" Bella asked looking around the table. Rosalie looked up and smiled.
"He's still in bed, he's tired from the ball." Rosalie said smiling slightly.
"Too much brandy. "Alice giggled, and then there was throat cleared. There stood Emmett in his pajamas, bright eyed and not so bushy tailed.
"Good morning, family, Rose." Emmett said in a serious voice, he was trying to look upset, but it never worked well.
"Good morning Emmett." Rosalie said smiling at him, she placed a ladle of oatmeal and a muffin by his plate.
"Ahh, so that is what smells so grand." Emmett said, "I'm starving." Emmett complained as he held his stomach.
"You're always hungry, dear." Rosalie reminded him, he laughed and playfully shoved her.
"Ah, ah, ah. There will be none of that, not at the meal table." Rosalie said as she winked at him, making everyone want to gag at the table. They were married for so long, and they still looked young and still acted young. It made everyone question them.
"Someone want to say prayer?" Emmett asked raising his eye brows.
"I will." Jasper said raising his hand slightly.
"Good man, Jasper, good man. Go on ahead." Emmett said bowing his head.
"Dear lord, please bless this food that we are about to ingest and hopes that it gives us strength. Thank you for this wonderful day, and of course the blessing that has been given to us, that the Opera House is still open. Thank you lord, in Jesus's name, Amen." Jasper said, everyone repeated Amen and they began to eat silently.
Edward sat and watched people eat, with an empty place setting in front of him. He said nothing, because he didn't want to interrupt the eating habits of his fellow humans. Their minds went on about Rosalie looking wonderful on her birthday, and how even she forgot. Rosalie's mind was filled with Alice's wedding too much to notice her own birthday. Even Emmett knew.
Emmett was hung over, Alice had been right, too much brandy. He looked at his loving wife, and he smiled to himself, knowing he was lucky when he got her. He also heard that he was going out after breakfast, to buy Rosalie a beautiful necklace that has her name engraved in the back. It was heart locket it was silver- because that is what she looked best in- and it was very expensive.
"Are we all finished?" Rosalie asked as they looked up at her. Muffins were gone, oatmeal had no sight on their bowls, they were finished. Alice was nearly bouncing off in her seat in anticipation of wanting to give her, her present now.
"Rosalie dear, you forgot the cake." Emmett said smiling, she furrowed her eye brows. Bella and Alice rose from the table and smiled at each other, they went into the kitchen and came out holding a small cake, it was a fruit cake, safe for breakfast.
"This is one of many." Bella said to Rosalie. Everyone smiled, including Edward. They were all happy that Rosalie was so confused.
"What on earth do we need cake for?" Rosalie asked smiling. She loved homemade cake, even if it did have nuts in it. She wasn't partial to nuts, but she did like the fruit, so Alice and Bella just didn't put any in.
Everyone looked at each other and started in unison "Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Rosie. Happy birthday to youuuu." Everyone sang gaily and proudly.
"OH my gosh, you all!" Rosalie said smiling her eyes were full of tears. "No wonder all the smiles and pleasantries this morning. And Edward, you even joked with me!" Rosalie said accusing everyone.
"Happy birthday, mom." Alice said placing the cake in front of her. "Make a wish." Alice encouraged. Rosalie smiled and nodded her head. Edward knew he shouldn't listen, but he did anyway's.
'I wish I could accept becoming a Vampire.'
That was her wish, plain, simple, and hopeful to come true. Edward smiled and looked down at his hand, a small present for Rosalie stayed in his hand. There was a present for everyone that looked the same, but he wanted Rosalie to have the first one. Because she was the matriarch.
"Mine first." Edward asked, no one had any objections, so he walked up behind Rosalie and put the necklace around her neck.
"What is this?" Rosalie asked, Edward smiled.
"It's the Cullen Crest." Edward said in a very meaningful tone. "You'll all get one personalized, but I wanted you to have the first one."
"Oh, Edward, thank you." Rosalie hugged her cold, stiff, brother-in-law.
"You're more than welcome, Rose." Edward nodded.
"I want a ring!" Alice blurted out, everyone looked confused. "My crest.. I want it to be on a ring." She explained in a humble voice.
"Mine next." Bella said smiling, holding out a small box that was in pink paper with a bright blue bow.
"Oh, a silk ribbon, it's beautiful, I'm going to keep this." Rosalie said holding it carefully. Rosalie loved silk. Rosalie opened the box and brought out a perfume bottle with rose petals inside.
"Rose Water Perfume! It's all the way from Ireland! Bella, thank you!" Rosalie said hugging Bella tightly, Bella remembered that when the Cullen's had a lot of money they bought it regularly. But since they're now fairly high or middle class they don't buy it as much.
"You're welcome, Rose." Bella said, she knew it was Rosalie's favorite, and she remembered hugging Rosalie when her father died and Rosalie smelling of the wonderful perfume.
"Okay, mine next." Alice said, she was getting jealous of all the love being pointed to somebody but her.
"Thank you dear." Rosalie said as a large dress box was thrust in her face.
Rosalie definitely loved the finer things in life. Champagne, caviar, cigars, wine. She loved it all, she especially loved fashion, and so did Alice. They didn't spend much money on fashion, because of the way things were with their money.
Rosalie opened up the package to see a bright blue dress, silk, it had a bonnet and it had matching gloves. Her face lit up. The silk ribbon that Bella had put on her gift matched the material and it could be used in her blonde silken hair.
"Oh Alice, thank you. Thank you so much dear." Rosalie hugged her small daughter fiercely.
"You're more than welcome mom." Alice said smiling deeply, glad she had got her turn.
"My turn." Everyone heard Jasper speak. He got up and had a small envelope. He handed it to Rosalie. "It's not as personal as everyone else's, but I hope you'll like it just the same." Jasper said looking down; he looked guilty.
"Tickets to the fine arts studio. They've been sold out for months Jasper." Rosalie said looking at the tickets, they were printed on gold leaf paper, and had their names engraved in them.
"Yes, well I thought you'd enjoy it." Jasper said smiling.
"Thank you, so much Jasper." Rosalie hugged him tightly and smiled. "You really didn't have to, you know that." Rosalie said as she ended the hug, Jasper smiled and shrugged.
"I wanted to." Jasper said. Rosalie nodded and put her attention to her husband, who was next.
"My gift is not finished yet. But you'll get it at dinner. I promise." Emmett said smiling at his wife, she nodded her head and seemed very happy.
"Thank you all, this is wonderful." Rosalie said looking at her new things, her fingers caressing the crest, her other hand caressing the dress. Her nose smelling the sweet floral sent of the perfume.
"Eat the cake!" Alice said in an excited voice.
"No nuts?"
"No nuts. Just the ones you see staring at you eagerly." Alice promised, making Rosalie laugh and wrinkle her nose. Everyone was surprised on how nice, how carefree she was being. She was absolutely happy.
After the meal was over, everyone returned to their normal duties. Rosalie was beaming, looking more radiant than they had ever seen her. Emmett slipped out so that he could buy her present. He was still feeling the effects of his hangover, but at least he could look up at the sky without getting a migraine.
Emmett had been agonizing over what to get his wife for days now, something that could represent all the love he felt for her, all the adoration. But it didn't seem like anything was good enough. Slowly, he walked into a jewelry store, glancing around. It was one that he had never been in before but he doubted that what he wanted was here.
"May I help you?" the clerk at the counter asked. He looked at Emmett suspiciously, as if waiting for him to demand to have all the money in the cash register. Emmett smiled warmly to put the man at ease and looked around.
Most of it was basic – diamond necklaces and rings, rubies here or there, and occasional emerald. Sighing, he turned around. And froze.
There, in that glass case, sat the gift that he was going to get Rosalie. It was a dark blue sapphire with one diamond on either side. It hung on a thin, delicate silver chain that he imagined would set off her skin splendidly. Of course, it couldn't possibly epitomize how he felt, but it was as close as he was going to get.
After telling the clerk what he wanted, Emmett took out his wallet so that he could pay for the necklace.
"You filthy son of a bitch," hissed a voice behind Emmett.
"Excuse me?" Emmett turned to see a bedraggled man in front of him.
The man looked to be in about his mid sixties, salt-and-pepper colored hair with a scraggly beard. His skin was darkly tanned from overexposure to the sun, and wrinkles ran over his face like roads on a map. The man's clothes were dirty and torn, but looked as if they had been very expensive at one time. But it was his eyes that unnerved Emmett. They were bright green, one cloudy with blindness, and shone with intelligence and madness. Disgust, hate, and righteousness sat in those emerald eyes.
The man's lips curled into a sneer of distaste. "You live in the Opera House." His words made it sound like an accusation.
Confused but unfailingly polite, Emmett answered, "yes I do, sir. What is your name?"
The man ignored his question, instead taking a step closer. The sharp tang of body odor surrounded Emmett. The man probably hadn't showered in weeks.
"I'll be damned if I'll tell you my name," the man spat. "You'll use it sick that demon on me."
"Sir, I assure you I have no idea what you're talking about," Emmett said, stepping back, not out of fear but out of desire to escape the stench.
The clerk walked to the man. "I'm afraid you're going to have to leave," the clerk said, gently pushing the man towards the door.
"Don't you dare fucking touch me," the man growled. He grabbed the clerks arm and flung him backwards, causing the clerk to crash into a glass case. The clear shards scattered over the floor, blood coating them from the clerks open wound on his arm. Bright red splashed over the floorboards of the jewelry store, the clerk's startled cry filling the room.
The disheveled man smirked at the clerk who he had just injured, satisfied. When his green eyes met Emmett once again, they were calm with a serenity bordering on insanity.
"You are harboring a demon in that filthy whore House," he said. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing. You've been meddling with affairs of the supernatural. Calling up that demon with the mask." With each sentence, he took a step towards Emmett.
"Sir, calm down," Emmett said soothingly. "I know you're upset, but maybe we can talk about this without anymore people getting hurt." He knew the man was dangerous. He had just thrown a person across the room with no more regard than he would show a piece of abused paper. This man was dangerous and clearly unhinged.
The clerk struggled to stand up, to call for help, but the man kicked him in the sick. He reached inside his coat and pulled out something that flashed with the light from the window, something metal with a wooden handle. Emmett stomach knotted as he realized what it was.
"You move one more time and I will cut your throat," the man warned the clerk, holding the knife aloft.
Emmett moved forward, hoping to catch the man off guard as he talked to the clerk, but it was his fatal error.
Just as Emmett lunged for the knife, the man whirled and sank it into the soft flesh of Emmett's lower stomach. At first there was no blood, only the sharp, agonizing pain that exploded inside Emmett's body. He gasp, collapsing onto the crazed man, his legs no longer able to keep him up.
"Not so high and mighty now, are you?" the man said sharply, pushing the knife deeper.
Air seemed an unattainable thing in Emmett's throat. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think. Not with the pain, the agony flowering inside him like a blossom of arsenic, killing him slowly. And still there was no blood flowing. The knife stopped it, at least until the man decided to pull it out.
"Take the demon back!" the man screamed in Emmett's ear. "Make him go straight back to Hell where he belongs!"
Then, with a savage ripping jerk, the man pulled the knife out of Emmett's torso and sank it into his chest.
The pain flourished, the blood flowed. With the knife gone from his first wound, Emmett's organs screamed in the excruciating agony. Blood pumped, soaking and staining his shirt. A deep groan escaped his lips. He felt as if he was immobilized, unable to move because of some spell this grizzly man had put upon him. He fell to the ground on his back, his spine shrieked in misery, his bones and every part of him begging for release from the pain.
The knife hit bone and stopped, jarring the man. Anger exploded over his face and he growled in frustration. Emmett opened his eyes just in time to see the man straddling his waist, pulling his hand up with the knife, readying for another sickening stab into soft, human flesh.
Visions of Rosalie flashed through his mind – her beautiful smile, the way she cuddled their daughter when she scraped her knee, her bedraggled state at trying to satisfy a newborn baby. Every memory was precious to him. Every second with her was something glorious. Even the fights, even the arguments were something to cherish. For in this moment, he knew he would die. His daughter would be left fatherless and his wife would become a widow. All because of a crazed man who thought Edward was a demon.
Screaming sounded out in the streets and people rushed into the jewelry store, anxious to help the stranger.
But it was already too late.
The man brought his hand down, a bright grin spreading over his face. The knife tore into Emmett's body, slicing through the tender organs that were left unprotected in the area south of his ribcage. Agony. Anguish. It was all the same. Emmett couldn't see very well. Blood was everywhere – red was everywhere. He was losing vital amounts of blood and he would die soon if he wasn't cared for. For a hazy moment, Emmett thought how perfectly the crimson liquid went with the rubies, almost the same shade as the precious stones.
Then the man turned the knife while it was still inside Emmett's stomach, tearing and ripping flesh apart, delighting in the fresh blood that flowed from the ruptured body.
"Emmett!" sobbed a frantic woman. Blonde hair, terrified eyes. Rose. "Oh God, somebody do something! Please!" Gentle hands brushed Emmett's hair away from his eyes. "Can't you do anything, Edward? Jasper?"
Men in uniform grabbed the man that still leaned over Emmett, his hands bloody with evidence. Blackness crept onto Emmett's vision. His mouth wouldn't work. He tried to tell her how much he loved her, that this was all a bad dream. Surely in real life nothing would be as red as he was, would it? But the pain ravaged his body, and he was unable to do anything about it but endure.
And then his vision simply ceased to be. His heart continued to beat, trying to survive, but his consciousness abandoned him. Only Emmett's heart struggled on, the only sign that he was not a fresh corpse.
~ForbiddenWords & Ori~