AN: Can I just say thank you to everyone who's stuck around and tolerated my erratic posting schedule? You guys are the best. I am going to try to be more regular with the updates, most likely every two or three weeks. And once again, thanks to my beta, SwallowedxInxThexSea, for putting up with my stupid mistakes and fixing them.
Disclaimer: I still don't own anything related to Twilight. I never will.
Chapter 19 – Enter the Cougar
BPOV
"Aw, come on!" Emmett yelled at the TV.
I laughed as I leaned against Edward.
We had invited Emmett, Rose, Jasper, and Alice over to watch the latest Red Sox game. The girls, not completely interested in the game, decided it was a good day to give each other manicures and pedicures. They tried to rope me into it as well, but I reminded them that my mother had just dragged me to a salon a couple days before.
"Damn umpires can't see straight," Jasper grumbled.
Edward rolled his eyes, complaining about the umpire's bad call before he turned to me. He kissed the side of my head and looked at what I was doing.
I had his laptop out and was looking at colleges in the area. It was too late to apply for the fall semester, but there was more than enough time to get into the spring semester. It was slow going, considering how close to dying the computer was, but I was making some progress.
"How's it going?" he asked.
"Well, a few of them look promising," I said. "Nothing is what I was really picturing originally, though."
"Nothing ever is," he chuckled. "So, you're still sure about business?"
I nodded. "Even if I won't ever run a business personally, just knowing that I could help would be enough for me, I think. I hate feeling helpless and not able to do anything."
"Well, you know you're always welcome to help out in the shop," he said. "If you want to use your education to help us out, we'd be more than grateful. You shouldn't have to go on an endless hunt for jobs if you don't have to. If you would rather work somewhere else though, I wouldn't hold it against you."
He wanted me to work with them at the shop?
That surprised me. Even though I'd helped out that one day, Twilight was still his space. That shop had been his entire life for the past five years. By wanting to share that, he really was showing me that he wanted me in every aspect of his life.
"Really? But that's your space," I said, not wanting to say yes and have him regret his offer.
"Bella, even if you weren't the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with, you're a hard worker," he explained. "In the one day you were there, you learned what usually takes weeks to get the hang of."
"Well, you were helping me the entire-"
"Not really. I guided you if you hesitated, but you did most of it on your own," he insisted. "I just found it hard to leave your side that day," he added with an embarrassed chuckle.
"I'd love to work with you guys," I agreed finally.
He smiled brilliantly and slid his arm around my waist. "I'm glad to hear that, baby," he said quietly.
"What are you two lovebirds talking about?" Rose asked from the couch.
"The future," I answered nonchalantly.
"Is Eddie-boy finally growing some balls and thinking about proposing?" Emmett asked excitedly.
I blushed and refrained from responding. Edward launched into an explanation of what we were actually discussing, but I notice that he didn't deny Emmett's question.
Did that mean he wanted to ask me to marry him? Even thinking about it was staggering, but the more I mulled it over, it made total sense.
Edward had been committed to me long before I was ever truly invested in the relationship. He was there for me when I couldn't tell anyone else about the issues I was having. He taught me to defend myself. He changed for me and always supported me, no matter what.
Despite everything, was I really ready to be engaged again? Especially considering how horrendous the last one was?
My mind jumped past the engagement. Even if that transitional period was terrible, marrying Edward meant so much more. We could live together with no issues. He would be a doting, loving husband unlike James.
We could start a family, I mused.
I felt a smile creep across my face as I thought of watching Edward play with our kids one day. It was a breathtaking image that sent shockwaves of happiness through my body.
"She looks like she's been hypnotized or something," I heard through the haze.
"Nah, she's way too happy. She's grinnin' like a fool," said a second voice, louder this time.
"Do you think she's okay?" a quieter, sweeter voice broke through.
"She's just thinking. She's fine." This last voice broke through my thoughts. Edward knew me better than even my best friends.
I took a deep breath and tried to act like I hadn't been zoning out, but that failed.
"Oh look, she's alive!" Emmett boomed.
I blushed and tried to bury myself back in my research.
"That red face means someone was having one hell of a daydream," Rose commented. "Any juicy details you care to share? And by that, I mean, you damn well better share."
"I… well, I mean…. It's not that out of the ordinary," I stammered.
Edward chuckled and leaned down to whisper in my ear. "Now you've got me very intrigued. I suppose I'll get it out of you eventually."
"Aw, Bella, you can't leave us hanging," Alice pouted.
Edward laughed softly again. "Just leave her alone, guys," he said. "She's embarrassed enough."
"Well, fine," Alice said, pouting. "So, what are you guys up to this week?"
"I do believe I'm subjecting my wonderful boyfriend to a family dinner at the Swan house tomorrow night," I said.
"She keeps telling me to run while I can, but I think she's just overreacting," he commented.
"No, dude. Seriously. Run now," Jasper said.
"Jasper!" I yelled.
"Hey, I'm just warning him. Your grandmother is a fucking cougar," he told me, holding his hands up in surrender. Alice giggled, remembering the scene from our teen years.
"What the hell?" Emmett asked, confused.
"Yes, please explain," Rose said, intrigued.
"Okay, well," Alice started excitedly, "we were just getting back from swimming one day and Jasper had gotten a cut on the inside of his thigh somehow-"
"I believe that was your fault, dear," Jasper interrupted. "You failed to mention that your ring had broken and you'd gotten it caught on something before you decided to stick your hand down my pants. That thing was sharp!"
I groaned. I had figured that was what they were doing, but I didn't need the confirmation. Even years later, I didn't need to hear that they were being intimate when I was barely ten feet away from them.
"Anyway," Alice said, "he was cleaning it out in the bathroom when we got back, but he left the door unlocked. Bella's grandma sauntered in without knocking, and Jasper froze, his pants around his ankles. The woman, with no shame, just said, 'If only I were fifty years younger….' Then she winked and left him to finish up."
Jasper groaned. "I didn't even have a shirt on."
Alice giggled and leaned into her husband. "Not to mention he was still pretty wet."
Edward sat, stunned, as he processed that information. "Okay. Note to self, remain fully clothed and be sure to lock the bathroom door," he finally said.
I rolled my eyes. "Come on, guys, she's not that bad."
Alice cocked her eyebrow at me. "Tell us Bella, what did she do for your birthday when you hit puberty?"
"Okay, that doesn't count," I protested quickly, hoping she would drop it there.
"Oh, I think we need to hear this story," Edward laughed.
My best friend smiled sweetly at me. "Would you like to tell them, or should I?"
I glared at her before studiously focusing on my hands. "Well, she got her hands on some Playboys and the female equivalents and proceeded to go through to point out the choices I should and should not make in my own life. For instance, I should make sure that I get someone who can, and I quote, 'make you come with no more than a glace.' The woman was in her seventies when she said this."
Alice burst out laughing, trying to muffle the sounds in her husband's shirt, but he was laughing just as hard. I lifted my head slightly to peek at the scene before me. Emmett was sputtering. Rose somehow managed to look impressed and disgusted simultaneously. I wondered how Edward reacted to the information, but I didn't dare turn around to see.
He solved that problem for me.
"Well," he whispered in my ear, "we all know James never managed that for you. But what about now? Did you find a man who can do that to you?"
His voice was low and huskier than I'd ever heard it. His hands gently massaged my hips as he spoke and those combined sensations sent heat straight to my core. I tensed a little and my breathing sped up.
We hadn't talked about sex yet, but we hadn't exactly shied away from the idea. We always seemed to stop ourselves before it got to that point, but lately we both seemed to have a pull for more. I knew Edward wanted to wait until I was more comfortable with the idea, but he didn't know that I was inching toward being ready. With all the pushing of the limits we'd been doing lately, I was almost there. Things like this made me realize that we needed to talk soon.
"Hmm, well, you may not explode from one glance, but I know for a fact that my fingers can do the trick," he continued, inching his digits closer to the area I wanted them.
"What the hell is he saying to you?" Rose gasped. "You look like you're about to faint…"
"It's always the quiet ones," Alice pointed out. "They're going to turn out to be the kinkiest of all of us. Just you wait."
I huddled further into Edward's arms, trying to forget that our friends were in front of us. Edward chuckled behind me and his hands finally stilled against the top of my thighs. My hands were shaking as they rested over his keyboard. This couldn't get any more embarrassing.
"You know, they may already be at that point," Emmett mused. "I mean just look at them. Eddie's hand is basically in her crotch right now."
"You're right, Emmett," Jasper chimed in. "They do seem to be showing signs of exhibitionism. I mean, I wasn't the only one there when they made out in the Jasmine Dragon, after all."
"You guys, I believe my girlfriend would very much appreciate it if you stopped speculating about her sexual prowess," Edward said, kissing the side of my neck.
I turned to glare at him. "Sexual prowess?" I hissed. "Really?"
He kissed me, quick and hard, before smirking down at me. "A guy's got a right to brag about his sexy, beautiful girlfriend. Don't deny me this, baby."
"Well, I do believe they are stuck in the honeymoon stage and they're not even engaged," my best friend said with a laugh.
"I think it might actually be safe to say that they haven't rounded home yet," Rose countered, squinting between me and Edward. "Our boy is way too wired and still kind of nervous."
"True. Not to mention Bella would be all over him if they actually had done it before," Alice agreed.
"Seriously, guys. If you must know, I'm still a virgin. Stop your antics and watch the game," I spat before looking back at the computer screen. I felt Edward smirk, his face still resting against my shoulder. The others didn't say anything.
Eventually, after a staggering loss by the Red Sox, our friends left for their own places and gave Edward and me some much needed privacy.
"Well, that afternoon could have gone better," I grumbled as I put his laptop away.
"Come on, it wasn't that bad," he countered. "I learned a lot more about your family. Every family has their little quirks, so it's good to know ahead of time."
I cocked an eyebrow at him. "Right, because an eighty year old woman studying porn while married to a straight-laced soldier from the War is definitely just a quirk," I said.
He chuckled and kissed the side of my head. "I'm sure she's not that bad."
I had a feeling he would regret those words the next day.
We did not spend the night together as had become our habit most of the time. My grandparents were due early the next morning, so my parents expected me home. Edward planned on putting in part of a day's work at Twilight. He felt bad that he'd been leaving Rose and the boys shorthanded lately. He would join us around six for dinner.
Morning came around more quickly than I would have liked. Between worrying how my mother would react and wondering what in the world my grandmother would come up with to embarrass me, I had a lot of trouble sleeping.
After I woke up, I threw on a pair of nice black pants and a green blouse that reminded me of Edward's eyes. It was midway between what I preferred wearing and what my mother wanted me to wear. That was the closest I would get to giving into her wishes.
"Oh, Isabella, I was afraid you were never going to wake up," my mother said, instantly laying into me when I walked down the stairs.
Whenever her parents decided to visit, she felt the need to run our household like the Von Trapp family pre-Maria. I swear, if she had a whistle, I would have my own call to respond to. She was a maniac.
"You'd think it was her evil mother-in-law coming, rather than her own flesh and blood," Dad whispered as he walked by.
He smiled at me as I tried to stifle a giggle.
"Don't just stand there! Go make sure everything is in its place," she ordered, shooing me out of the room.
I walked around the house, checking everything, to appease my mother. Every last detail was absolutely perfect, as usual. Deciding to freak her out a little, I hid in my room to read a few pages of a book. Just as I was getting ready to go back downstairs, my dad knocked on my door.
"Your grandparents are going to be here soon," he said.
"Yeah, I know. Mom told me to look around to make sure everything was in its place. I decided to make her sweat it out before I reported back to her," I replied. "She should already know it's fine."
"You know, maybe she would be more likely to cut you some slack if you didn't go out of your way to antagonize her," he pointed out.
"But, Daddy, it's so much fun!" I whined, all the while smirking at my father.
Mother was pacing around the foyer when I finally descended the stairs again. Her outfit was immaculate, the house was spotless, and she was still on edge. It was weird to see her so ill at ease.
Thankfully it didn't take long for a knock to resonate through the foyer. I sighed with relief, but I saw my mother tense even further; I didn't even think it was possible.
"Oh my, Renee, the house looks exactly the same as the last time we visited," my grandmother proclaimed as she entered. "You do such a splendid job of keeping it clean."
"Why, thank you, Mum," she said cheerily. They engaged in a stuffy air kiss while my grandfather proceeded to acknowledge my father.
"Well, Charles, everything looks to be in perfect order," he said in his usual even tone.
My father nodded. "Much the same as it always is, Ronald. Everything has been good, despite the rest of the economy."
"Good, good. Ah, is that my precious granddaughter?" He spared me a rare smile and opened his arms to me.
I skipped to him and wrapped my arms around his torso. "Hey, Grampy."
"You never will be too old to call me that, will you?" he chuckled.
"Of course not," I answered with a smile.
"Ah, Isabella," my grandmother said, finally moving away from her daughter. "Let me see you, child." I stepped out of my grandfather's arms as she took my hands and held them out to my sides to inspect me. "You look thinner. But happier." She paused, tilting her head a little as she further inspected me. "You look like you've recently been ridden long and hard."
I blushed and lowered my face. "No, Gran. That hasn't happened."
My mother muttered something that sounded remarkably close to, "Not with that mongrel."
"Now, Eleanor, you know the girl is good for her upbringing," Gramps insisted. "There is no need to talk like that."
Ah, well, about that, Gramps…. You see, I've been experimenting sexually with my fuckhot boyfriend for a while now and he's basically done everything but ride me long and hard. She's not that far off the mark.
That wouldn't go over well.
"Now, Renee, you mentioned there would be a sixth person joining us for dinner this evening. Do we get any idea as to whom beforehand?" Gran asked later on as I sat with her and my mother in the parlor. My father and grandfather were both standing near the window discussing work.
"Ah, yes, I'd been wondering that myself, actually," Gramps added to the question.
"That would be Bella's boyfriend," Dad said when he noticed my mother's pained expression. She still didn't want to acknowledge Edward's existence, let alone invite him in for dinner.
"Boyfriend? I thought James was her fiancé now," Gramps commented. "Delightful chap."
I cleared my throat and toyed with the tab on my soda can. "Actually, Grampy, James and I are no longer together," I announced.
"Oh, dear. Why not?" Gran asked.
"He wasn't who I thought he was and I wasn't happy," I explained, much to my mother's dismay.
It was clear she still wished I hadn't gone through with the separation. She had wanted that marriage more than anything. I still didn't understand why she was so against my happiness, but I needed to live my own life. Being with Edward was good for me, and she needed to see that.
"Well, child, I just hope this new boy is good to you," Gran said. "If he's the one keeping you happy, then he must be a good man."
"No one is good enough for our girl," Gramps grumbled. Then he cleared his throat. "Is he joining us before dinner at all?"
"No, actually, he can't make it before then. He can't afford to be away from work for too long," I told them.
"He runs his own business a little ways downtown," Dad threw in. I needed to remember to thank him for backing me up.
"Well, at least he has an income. That's something." Gramps seemed satisfied for the time being, at least.
"Oh, posh. Ronald doesn't know the good questions to ask," Gran insisted. "Tell me, what does he look like? If he has an ugly mug, there's no use keeping him. It means he won't be any good at pleasing you. Don't look at me like that, Renee. I told you the same thing about Charles and here you are, still together."
My father was a good looking guy for his age, but I did not want to be having this conversation.
"Why don't we wait a few more hours and you can judge for yourself, Gran," I said.
We spent the rest of the afternoon discussing the lives of my grandparents' friends and all the screwed up crap that happens with old people. It was amazing how much of it revolved around sex and money.
After a while, my mother successfully managed to divert the conversation to a more appropriate topic. We talked about the remodeling my mother was thinking of having done to the house and all the things she'd seen other people do.
Finally, I got a text from Edward about fifteen minutes after I expected him to be home. I excused myself and ran up to my room to read it.
Out of work. What do I need to wear to this thing? Love you. –E
I decided that calling him would be easier than discussing clothing through texts. After ten minutes, he found a grey dress shirt in the back of his closet that he hadn't worn for ages that would go perfectly with his black dress pants. I ordered him to forgo a tie and leave the first few buttons open even if it looked a little less professional. After all, he was meeting my family, not going to a business meeting. Plus, I liked looking at his chest.
He promised he would only be another fifteen minutes or so and that he would see me soon.
I went back downstairs, both comforted by knowing he'd only be a few more minutes and scared that I would be throwing him to the wolves before he even knew how to defend himself.
"He should be here in a bit," I announced as I went back into the parlor.
"Oh good, dinner should be ready in a little while," my mother said. "The cook just informed me that it has about a half hour left to go."
I nodded and sat impatiently with my family until the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," I said eagerly, rushing to the door before anyone could stop me. "Hey," I said, relaxing as I saw Edward standing on the other side of the door.
"Hey, yourself," he said with a smirk. He leaned in and kissed me sweetly. "I missed you today."
"I missed you too. I've been stuck with them all day," I groaned. "I love them to death, but I can only take so much of Gran's gossip about Ellie-May and Doris cheating on their husbands with each other." I shuddered.
"Aw, baby," he said, flinching. "That sounds torturous. I'm glad to provide them with a distraction for you."
I smiled up at him and kissed him back. "Good. You'll be the perfect distraction for everyone. Come in."
I led him to the parlor after he hung up his coat in the foyer. Right outside the door, I stopped and turned to him.
"What's wrong, Bella?" he asked quietly.
I sighed. "Whatever happens, remember that I love you and I'm sorry." I kissed him again quickly before taking his hand and leading him into the room. I cleared my throat quietly and all four heads spun to look in our direction.
Dad, bless his heart, reacted first. "Edward, good to see you again," he said, coming to shake Edward's free hand.
"Charlie. It's good to see you too, sir," my boyfriend said with a small smile.
"Everyone, this is Edward Masen," I said, looking at the other faces in the room. "Edward, this is my mother, Renee Swan, and my grandparents, Ronald and Eleanor Cobb."
"Oh, goodness me, child," Gran gasped. "The boy is positively gorgeous. It's a sin that you haven't let him give you a good ride yet."
I groaned and I thought I heard Edward choking next to me. My father clapped him on the back gently and whispered, "That's not the worst of it yet. Just wait until she gets some wine in her."
Well, at least one of them approved. My mother and grandfather would be much harder to crack. Mother stayed seated where she was, for once choosing not to be a gracious hostess, which showed just how much she disapproved of him already.
Gramps walked over to us, looking Edward up and down as he went. I'd watched men appraise each other before, but I never understood what they were looking for. With women, it was much easier. By posture, outfit, and a single look in a woman's eye, their motivations are clear to any other woman in close range. It seemed more in depth with men, like one shift in weight could be the difference between acceptance for life or revulsion.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. Bella's told me so much about you," Edward finally said, trying to break the ice.
"She's been very quiet about the likes of you, however," Gramps countered. I glared at him and he pointedly ignored me.
He'd never done this with James or any of the other countless hopefuls. Edward was being targeted simply because he wasn't in the right group. I needed to prove to my family that he shouldn't be judged just for that. He was a good man.
"Grampy," I hissed. "Please."
Edward put his hand on the small of my back to try to calm me down as he faced the men in my family. "That's partly my fault, sir. I felt it wouldn't be right to be in a relationship when she was still engaged to James and she agreed," he explained.
"So this started before she broke things off, hmm?"
"Well, not exactly," Edward said.
"I've known Edward for over three years, Grampy, but I never cheated on James," I assured him. Unless you count that make out session at the Jasmine Dragon. Or that point when I just couldn't deal with everything anymore…. But they don't have to know about that.
"Right," Gramps said skeptically.
"Ah, it seems that it's time for dinner," my mother said. She looked more cheerful now that someone else shared her disapproval of Edward.
I held Edward back as my family passed into the other room. His expression was slightly confused.
"I'm sorry," I said. "They're not usually like this at all."
"Bella, it's fine. I don't care if they don't like me," he said. He pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead before continuing. "I know you love me and I love you. It would be better if they accepted us, but if not… they can go to hell."
I smiled up at him wearily. "I love you."
"I know, baby. I know."
We walked into the dining room hand in hand only to see that my family had left the final two seats open across from each other rather than side by side. I squeezed his hand once before I let go and sat on the far side of the table next to Gran. Hopefully not having to look my mother in the eye would help a little.
"Now, Edward, what do your parents do for a living?" Gramps asked as we tucked into our salads.
Edward cleared his throat before looking to my grandfather. "Well, actually, they died about five years ago."
"Oh, honey, I'm sorry," Gran commiserated. "How did it happen?"
"Drunk driver," he answered solemnly. "I was in the back of the car, but somehow I only sustained minor injuries."
Gramps looked appropriately shocked by the news, but he tried to cover it up. He cleared his throat and focused on his meal as he continued the interrogation. "Charles mentioned you run your own business in town. I knew most of the small businesses around the area before we moved. Would I recognize yours?"
"Um, no, sir, I doubt it," Edward replied. He was clearly trying to cover his laughter with the next course.
"He owns a tattoo parlor, Grampy," I said, saving my man the difficulty. "It's getting really popular. Enough that they need to expand."
"Bella," Edward whispered. "You don't need to…"
I smiled over at him. "It's a good thing, Edward."
"A tattoo parlor, hmm?" Gramps mused quietly. "Well, that used to be quite the lucrative business back in the day. Has it suffered much with the economy?"
Edward jumped on the opportunity to talk about the shop. He loved his job and wasn't ashamed of it, but he couldn't wrap his mind around the possibility of it being a popular establishment.
"He sure is something to look at," Gran whispered.
I looked over to see her smirking at me. "Yes, he is," I agreed. "And a gentleman to boot."
"Oh, good lord," my mother scoffed quietly across the table.
I turned to her, silently asking what her problem was. The men were still discussing business related things and hadn't realized the showdown happening down the table.
"He's a bum, Isabella," she hissed. "A dirty, rotten miscreant. He's only with you for the money and you're too horny to see clearly!"
My jaw dropped and I sputtered, trying to find an appropriate retort, but failing. Tears welled up in my eyes at the accusation. She didn't know him. She didn't understand our connection, his loyalty, my need to be close to him.
My gaze shifted to Edward, still oblivious to my mother's insult. He actually looked comfortable discussing his career with my father and grandfather. Even with the reservations he had about meeting them, he did it for me. It didn't matter what anyone else thought of him. He loved me and was willing to wait for me.
"You know what, Mother? I don't care what you think. You're wrong," I answered in a cold, menacingly calm voice. "He loves me. Not because of the money signs tattooed across my forehead. And if you can't see that, fine. I give up trying to prove it to you."
I pushed my chair back from the table with a small request to be excused. Gran smiled weakly at me and didn't fight when I left the room. As soon as I was out of the room, I practically sprinted to my bedroom.
The tears finally fell as I clutched a pillow to my chest. I sobbed as I realized that my mother would never be happy with any of the choices I made for myself. After all the years of trying to rationalize her point of view and compromise with her, I needed to accept that we would never have the kind of connection I longed for with her.
A soft knock on my bedroom door brought me back to reality. I looked up, not worrying about my appearance, figuring it was Edward.
"Well, that answers one question," Gramps sighed as he walked into the room. He sat next to me on the bed and wiped the tears off my cheeks. "What happened down there?"
The tears welled up again and I shook my head, unable to voice my nightmare come true.
"Your mother never was one for following her heart," he said. His big, callused hand rubbed soothing circles into my back as he let me continue venting my sorrow into the pillow. "She would have made a splendid politician if she'd been a boy, but she found her place in the traditional housewife. She had a clear view of exactly what her life would be like and what she wanted to happen for her daughter." He tilted my chin up so he could look in my eyes. "She never asked to have a caring, open-minded daughter who just wanted everyone to be happy."
"Grampy, I-"
"Shh, girlie," he soothed. "He's a wonderful young man, despite the tattoos." We both chuckled at that, though mine sounded closer to a hiccup. "It's clear that he loves you and would do anything to make you the happiest woman alive. I'd wager he's wearing a hole in that carpet downstairs right this second. I had to fight him to let me up here first."
"He worries about me," I explained unnecessarily.
Gramps nodded with a small smile. "That he does. But he's also making you happy and that's the most anyone can wish for you. I don't care about the choices he made after that wretched car accident. He's a good man now."
I tossed the pillow out of the way and threw my arms around his neck. "Thank you, Grampy," I whispered. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, girlie. Now, it seems like that good man of yours has grown impatient," he chuckled. I looked to see Edward standing nervously in the doorway. Gramps chuckled and quietly said, "You kids be safe now, you hear?"
I rolled my eyes at him, but managed a small smile. Edward relaxed at that, knowing that I would be okay eventually.
"Well, I've got another woman to talk to for a whole different reason, so if you kids will excuse me," Gramps said as he left the room. He clapped Edward on the shoulder as he passed.
Edward slowly crossed the room and kneeled in front of me. "Are you okay, love?"
I nodded and cupped his cheek with my hand. "I'll be fine. I just need to accept that I'll never have a good relationship with my mother," I said. I sighed and focused on my fingers running through his hair. "She called you a bum and said you were only with me for the money. I know it's not true, but the nerve…. She didn't even try to get to know you!"
"Bella, it doesn't matter," he said, caressing my face. "She doesn't understand, and she never will. But your father and your grandfather seem fine with it, and your grandmother looks like she wants to steal me for herself. There was bound to be one person who didn't approve, and I'm not surprised to learn that it's your mother."
A few more tears fell from my eyes and I dropped my gaze to the floor. "All I ever wanted to do was make my parents proud by living the life they wanted for me. Now, when I finally do something for myself, she wants to ruin it!"
Edward climbed onto the bed and wrapped his arms around me. "Baby, you need to do what you think is right," he said. "Don't worry about your mother. She may never understand what we have, and I've accepted that."
"I know," I said, leaning my head back on his shoulder. "It's just hard for me to wrap my head around. She's my mother. She's supposed to support me no matter what I choose."
He kissed my temple. "I know. But not everything works out that way."
I nodded and took a minute to get my breathing under control again. When I knew I wasn't about to start crying again, I looked up at the man who loved me and smiled. "Thank you, Edward."
"For what?" he asked, his eyes reflecting the calm I now felt.
"Being here for me. I know it sounds cliché and cheesy, but I don't think I could have made it this far without you," I told him. "I love you."
"I love you too, baby. Now, let's get back to your family before they think I'm doing evil things to you up here."
We walked back into the parlor together, Edward's arm nestled around my waist. Gramps saw me first and gave me a warm smile before nodding his approval to Edward. Dad looked me over and nodded when he was sure I was okay. Mother's back was to us, which was fortunate. I didn't think I could handle her judgmental glare. Gran, on the other hand, decided to voice her opinion.
"Judging by the look on that girl's face, you may have an adorable brunette, green-eyed little tyke running around this time next year," she said. "And that boy will be the best looking father around."
I groaned and buried my face in Edward's shoulder. "Kill me now. Just kill me."
He chuckled and kissed my forehead sweetly. "You can't get away that easily," he teased softly. "If I have to listen to them discuss my status as the best looking father in the area, so do you. And you would be the most beautiful mother if it were true."
"Well, thankfully, we don't have to worry about that just yet," I replied.
Gran was frowning when I finally looked up to meet her gaze. "Oh, don't tell me he isn't good in bed," she said.
"Mother!" Mom gasped.
"Renee, don't be such a prude."
"Oh my freakin' god, can we please stop speculating about my nonexistent sex life," I burst.
Everyone in the room froze for a second before they broke out in laughter. Even my mother was failing to contain her giggles. Edward was managing to hold it in, but I could feel his chest shaking with the effort.
"Did I just say that? In front of my family?" I gasped.
He finally let out a low chuckle. "Yes, love, you did. I do think your father and grandfather like me a little more now that they know I'm not ravaging their little girl though."
I sighed. "Great. Now Gran's going to be even worse than normal."
"Isabella, are you really telling me that you have a perfectly functioning, virile, willing man and you aren't taking advantage of that?" Gran asked, finally getting over her shock.
"Oh, good god," I muttered as Edward finally burst out laughing.
AN: You know, I think Gran may be my new favorite character. Let me know what you thought in a review! Like before, 10 reviews gets a teaser, 15 or more gets a better teaser.
Next chapter: More time with the family and the party with Alice.
Check my profile for updates! :)
-Kaylee