Recap
Let's start over. Ask me again... please Bella. She smiled the faintest of smiles.
Edward, do you think we could ever be like Alice and Jasper or Emmett and Rose? My dead heart soared.
Yes, my dear Bella, yes we could. Please forgive me my sweet Bella.
She laughed softly.
"Oh Edward, I could never be mad at you, I love you."
My laughter caught up with hers, "I love you too, Bella. I love you too."
Edward
Everything in these last few weeks seemed so surreal. Bella and I were picture perfect of everything that love stands for. We spent every waking hour (which consequently was every hour) with one another whether it was us engaged in a conversation or us just enjoying one another's silent company in our meadow.
And now... now was another one of those picture perfect moments.
I sat at my usual spot, my fingers lightly dancing across the smooth ivory surface, playing some flimsy notes of a song. Bella as usual was sitting next to me, her head perched atop my shoulder, her eyes closed and content smile spread across her lips.
I love you.
--I love you too, more even.
Not possible.
She chuckled softly, lifting her head off of my shoulder and fluttered her eyes open.
"Edward?" I looked at her, my fingers still tapping lightly on the piano.
"Yes, my love?" I responded through the soft notes.
"Are you ever going to teach me how to play?" She asked, nodding towards the my fingers on the keys; I softly ended the song and chuckled.
"Oh Bella, I would love to teach you, but remember last time I tried to teach you?" She looked at the soft surface of the glossy piano and sighed heavily - she must have remembered what a short patience she had the last time I attempted to teach her piano.
"Exactly my Bella," I kissed her cheek softly. "But there are many, many more things that you are talented at."
If she could blush now, she would be the deepest shade of crimson mixed with the look of pure embarrassment.
I just laughed, her embarrassed smile broke and her musical laughter caught wind with mine.
As of yet, we haven't done anything out of the respect of my values and hers, however we have tried other ways to find some sort of pleasure. I smiled at the mere thought.
"What are you smiling at?" Bella asked. I reached out my hand for her and she grabbed it softly. I replayed the images for her in my head.
--Oh!
She let go of my hand quickly.
"Something wrong Bella?" She shook her head slowly.
"Um, no. I just didn't know that you... thought about those things." I raised an eyebrow.
"You don't?"
"I... well, yes... but..." I cupped her face lightly.
I think about everything. You, us... our life, our future, our everything, including our pending intimacies. She seemed to sigh slightly out of relief I gently kissed her forehead in reassurance.
She still seemed a little hesitant to continue the subject so I quickly decided to change courses.
"So, excited for your first day of college tomorrow?" She turned around in her seat and gently leaned back against the piano.
"Yes and no. Nervous, I suppose is the correct word." I sighed, she's been nervous ever since that day Carlisle had bought up the word, college.
"Bella, we've been over this..." She put up her hands defensively.
"I know, I know... you'll be there as well as the others. I just don't know if I fully trust myself yet, I should eat people for a living Edward!" I hushed her.
"Well, for one Bella we don't eat people we drink them, besides we all trust you shouldn't that be enough?" She smiled softly.
"It helps." I shook my head in disbelief.
"Oh Bella, what am I going to do with you?" She just shrugged and kissed my lips softly. I sighed in contentment.
"I love you." I breathed into her lips.
"Oh, Eddie I love you too! Now let's go upstairs and have hot monkey sex!" Emmett said barging in mine and Bella's moment. I pulled back and attempted to show him how much I loved my brother with my middle finger.
"What? Can't take a joke Eddie?"
"Oh leave them alone Emmett, can't you see they were having a moment?" Rose said, wrapping her arms around her husband's waist. "Why don't we leave these two alone and go upstairs and have a moment of our own?" She purred softly into his ear.
"Argh! We can hear you, you know!"
"Good!" Emmett bellowed from upstairs; I just shook my head.
Siblings.
Alice bobbed in shortly after along with Jasper. My family took the time to head into town to pick up a few things at least that's what Alice and Rosalie had called it.
In reality they meant shopping. They had tried to talk Bella into going; however Bella wasn't falling for it and full out denied Alice and Rose a day of shopping, much to their dismay.
Alice had spotted us - she kissed Jasper on the cheek and made her way towards Bella and I.
"Hello Alice." I said politely.
Hello my dearest brother. Why haven't you told me?
I looked at her quizzically. She just rolled her eyes and continued.
You didn't think I wouldn't see it, did you? Oh Edward, she's going to be excited! When are you going to do it? Oh wait, tomorrow... the meadow? Oh, how exciting! I'll need to get a head start on...
"Alice!" I bellowed. "Please, not a word... to anyone." She waved me off with her petite hand.
"Its happy news Edward... but, I promise." I nodded in contentment; I knew Alice would never go back on her word. She danced lightly out of the room, humming a familiar tune.
"I'm going to kill her..." I mumbled under my breath. I was contemplating on what she had said, tomorrow. I sighed, everything would change - tomorrow.
Someone took me out of my thoughts by clearing their throat off in the near distance.
Bella.
She looked less than pleased, I would say annoyed - extremely annoyed.
"Not a word to anyone? What's going on Edward?"
Crap, crap, crap.
"Uh, nothing Love." She looked less than amused.
"Sure Edward, nothing."
Bella
I knew Edward better than that - that man was up to something and I needed to know what. First, I need to go directly to the source to find out - Alice. If he was up to anything, I'm sure Alice had a hand in it.
I turned to Edward, taking his hands within in my own.
"I trust you, you know that right?" He nodded sincerely, putting his hand to my cheek.
"And I as well trust you, Bella." He kissed me softly and I sighed.
Too good to be true.
--What do you mean? I quickly let go of his touch.
"I hate when I forget that we share a certain gift." I said softly, he just laughed.
"I know, some thoughts are meant to be private, aren't they?" I nodded in agreement.
"Well, I leave your last thought to yourself then, I suppose." He kissed the top of my forehead as he got up gracefully from the bench.
"Where are you going?" I asked curiously.
He looked a little confused for a moment as if he was pondering what to say next.
"Uh, I need to take care of a few last minute school issues before our first class tomorrow."
Liar.
"Okay, love. We'll catch up later then?" He leaned down and kissed my lips softly.
"If you'll have me."
"Don't be silly, I'll always have you." He seemed to smile at this.
"Good. Bye love, I love you." He said, his body already halfway out the door.
"Love you too!" I sighed about to empty my current seat as I saw my target bounce towards me.
"Alice!"
"So, I saw that you needed to talk to me...what about?" I raised my eyebrow.
"Shouldn't you know?" Alice shrugged.
"Humor me." I sighed; things with my family were never easy. I decided to save Alice all the begging and pleading, I knew that she knew what I wanted anyways.
"What's Edward up to?" Her eyes sparkled.
"Bella, have you tried to develop your powers at all?"
"My powers? Uh, off the topic Alice...I'm talking Edward here." She shakes her head.
"Who cares about my absent brother?" I pouted.
I do, damn it!
"Alice!! Seriously!"
"Seriously Bella, your powers are important here...I've had a vision that they have a potential to be something...more."
"More?" I asked curiously, her attempt to switch directions obviously working.
She nodded excitedly.
"Yes, now take my hands." She instructed, holding out her hands. Dejectedly, I grasp her hands in mine.
Nothing.
"Is something suppose to happen Alice? Because I'm getting a blank here."
"Bella, you must concentrate here. Think about Edward..." I sighed yet took Alice's advice.
Edward. My Edward. His gorgeous hair, his sincere eyes, his melodic laughter...
White. Flowers. Ring. Edward on one knee. Me dry sobbing.
Oh Dear Jesus.
I was bought back into the present moment, my face smeared with pure shock; Alice on the other hand was smeared with pure smugness.
"I knew it! Your power can be transformed into the power of the one you're touching! Jasper, I knew it! I was right!"
"Bella, is that true?" Jasper asked as he walked into the room.
I was panicking.
Edward... marriage.
"Bella?" I heard Jasper ask again. I couldn't answer. My breathing became labored and all I could hear was the musical bells of the Wedding March pounding through my ears.
"What's wrong with her, Alice?" I heard Esme ask faintly in the background.
"Um, I think she might have seen what Edward has been planning."
"What Edward has been planning?" I heard Esme ask.
Alice cleared her throat and murmured, "marriage..."
Esme responded with a soft, "Oh" and preceded to wrapped her petite yet strong arms around me.
"Bella... why don't you come with me?" I nodded numbly as I slowly stood up as Esme guided me to her room. She sat me down on her over-plush bed at looked up at me with motherly eyes.
"Are you okay dear?" I shrugged softly.
"I don't know, Esme." She reached up a stroked a piece of my dark hair.
"Oh Bella, Edward loves you and he wouldn't do anything to hurt you or to make you feel uncomfortable, you know that right?"
I nodded, "Yes, but marriage Esme? Marriage?"
She laughed a soft laughed at sat down next to me.
"Oh Bella, you say marriage as if it's a sin!" I huffed.
Because it is.
"Esme, I've seen what marriage has done to Charlie and Renee." She looked at me with disbelief.
"Bella, what happened between Renee and Charlie was unfortunate. However, you and Edward are not your parents. We two are meant to be together whether in this life or a different one. And marriage is just a celebration of that and your love for one another - it's nothing to be feared."
Damn it - she was right. Why was I so scared? Isn't it what I want? For Edward and I it was love; true, pure love. Hell, I should be ecstatic, excited...
"You did what?!" Edward's voice boomed throughout the house. I looked towards Esme; she looked back at me with sympathy.
"Edward's home." I said softly. Esme smiled and hugged me gently.
"Talk to him Bella, he needs you." I nodded and slowly made my way to where all the commotion was taking place.
"Don't even try to calm me Jasper! Seriously Alice of all the stupid things to do... you do this!"
I looked upon the scene in front of me - Edward stood in the middle of the room, looking absolutely livid. Jasper was standing in front of him and Alice stood behind Jasper looking a bit like a child who was being reprimanded.
"I...I'm sorry Edward, I just thought..."
"Well, you thought wrong! Now, Bella must be scar..."
"I'm fine Edward." I said, making my way towards him. His features soften as I approached them.
"Alice was well... just being Alice. She was just trying to help, no need to yell."
"But she comple..." I shushed him with a soft kiss on the cheek. He looked slightly defeated as he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I'm sorry for yelling Alice it was completely irrational of me." She nodded slightly, coming out of Jasper's barrier.
"Apology accepted." She walked over to us, putting her hand on my shoulder and walking upstairs with Jasper in tow. A wash of relief filled the room.
Thank you Jasper.
Edward looked at me, my arms wrapping around him lovingly.
"So, I guess the surprise is ruined?" He asked bitterly.
"No, I'm not sure when you're going to ask me."
"And that makes everything better?" He retorted.
I shrugged not knowing what to say.
"I do only get to ask you once Bella and now you know that I was going to ask you, so the big surprise is ruined."
"Oh Edward, you know I don't care about a wedding... it's the marriage, the vows we make, the love we make..." I think I may have heard him gulp a little. "Not about the flowers, or the ring, or the proposal... or any of that. I just want you..." He features took on a look of relief and joy.
"Oh Bella, what did I do to deserve you?" He asked, tipping my chin up towards his face.
"You died then became a vampire? That's trial enough for me." He laughed softly and embraced me in a hug.
So, are you going to ask me then? The big question?
--What and ruin the surprise? Never.
Brat.
--You love me.
I sighed. If only he knew how much.