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Chapter 16: Helping Out
Bella's POV
I covered my ears to soften her yells. I should have been ready for this reaction. She was always on the exuberant side. She jumped up, ran to me, and tackled me in a hug. I fell to the ground, my hip taking the brunt of the fall. I would probably bruise, but I was okay with that. I laughed as I hugged her back. I heard a few chairs scrap and saw Edward, Jasper, and Emmett rush towards us.
"So I take it you like it?" I asked through laughter.
"Like it? Like it? Bella!" she was yelling the whole time. "I love it. It's perfect. How did you manage? Who do you know? Bella. I…I…Wow!"
"Let me up Alice." Jasper grabbed her around the waist and pulled her up. Edward reached forward and helped me off the ground.
"Are you okay?" he asked quietly.
"I'm fine. She just gets excited sometimes."
"What did you get to make her that excited?" Emmett asked. Everyone returned to their seats.
"She got me the best present ever," Alice said as she bounced in Jasper's lap. He couldn't stop her. "I'll be helping design and make a gown with Valentino for a mystery client to wear at the Golden Globes." Everyone looked at me in disbelief.
"How did you manage that?" Angela asked.
"My dad's girlfriend Sue has a cousin that has a friend that has a roommate that works for him. I stole some of Alice's designs, sorry about that, sent them over, and did a lot of begging and a lot of bribing. He loved her designs so really I didn't do much."
"You did a lot," Alice yelled and she attacked me again. Instead of tackling me, she just hugged me and started bouncing up and down. Everyone laughed at her but was excited for her.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you." She pulled Rosalie into the hug as well. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." She ran to Jasper and pulled him into a hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." She continued the routine with everyone at the table. After many thanks and hugs, we cleaned up from dinner before leaving to play laser tag.
Rosalie and I rode with Edward and Emmett while Ben and Angela rode with Alice and Jasper. On the way there, we talked more about Rosalie's garage and Emmett's research. Rosalie was still being a bit standoffish but slowly warming up. Alice had rented out the laser tag arena so that no one else would be stuck in our game. The arena was twenty minutes away. When we arrived, everyone got their equipment to play.
"I'm going to sit out," I said to everyone in general. "I don't want to chance having a relapse." Edward walked over and pulled me into a hug.
"Thank you," he said then gave me a quick kiss.
"I'm going to sit out with her," Angela said. "I haven't been feeling well the past couple of days."
"Are you sure?" Ben asked her.
"I am. Besides, I think it'll be more fun watching from the balcony."
There was a balcony overlooking the playing field. We would be able to see them at all times, unless they were in a bunker. The whole arena was padded so players didn't wear shoes and could dive without hurting themselves. It would be fun to watch. Angela and I made our way upstairs while the rest prepared for the game.
Within a few minutes, their names appeared on the scoreboard. Edward, Ben, and Alice were on the red team and Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie made up the blue team. They would play as a team until only one team was left, then it was every man for himself. We settled into our seats and watched as each team huddled together. We couldn't hear what they were saying, but it was clear that Emmett and Alice were giving their respective teams a pep talk. Edward and Ben looked at each other apprehensively before looking back at Alice and reluctantly nodding. We both giggled. This was going to be fun to watch.
I looked over at the other team. Emmett looked very serious. Jasper was listening and helping strategize. His fascination with war was going to be very helpful for this game. Rosalie was watching Emmett with amusement and rolling her eyes at some of the things he was saying. I knew she would be a little standoffish, but I could also see her hard exterior cracking. Angela and I made bets on which team and then person would win. Her vote was red team and Ben. I probably should have done the 'girlfriend thing' to do and said Edward, but I know my friends. My vote was blue team and Jasper. He was a fierce strategist.
The buzzer sounded and everyone scattered. We watched as the red team spread apart to work individually. The blue team stuck close to each other thinking there would be safety in numbers. Alice was the first person out. She was too bouncy and giggly to be stealthy. She joined us to watch the remainder of the game. Jasper was lithe and quick. He took out Ben without ever being detected. Ben joined us still bewildered at Jasper's skills. I watched in complete shock as Edward snuck up on Jasper and took him out. He joined us on the balcony, none too happy.
Edward was left for the red team and Emmett and Rosalie for the blue team. Maybe I should have put my money on Edward. Emmett and Rosalie were sneaking up on Edward and he had no idea. We all watched tensely. All of a sudden, for no reason that we knew, Rosalie shot Emmett. He turned around and looked at her incredulously. They got into a heated discussion. We couldn't hear any of it, but Edward could. He came around the corner and shot Rosalie as she argued with Emmett. We all laughed as we watched the argument that ensued.
Rosalie demanded a rematch. Two more games were played. Jasper won the first, and Alice won the last one. I personally thought it was an agreement that she would be allowed to win the last one. It was her birthday after all. We all drove down the street to a local coffee shop to have hot chocolate before we called it a night. Conversation flowed freely and was kept light; that is, unless the laser tag game was discussed. The conversation soon turned to Spring Break in two weeks.
"We haven't made plans," Ben said, answering for him and Angela. "We were thinking about going somewhere far off, somewhere warm."
"I think that's a great idea," Alice said. "I want a break from the cold."
"How about we all try to do something together?" I asked from my place, leaning against Edward.
"Yeah! Let's go somewhere fun." Alice started bouncing again. I swear that girl never calms down.
"Let's go to Disneyworld," Emmett said excitedly. "I haven't been there in years. Remember Eddie? Esme and Carlisle took us there twelve, thirteen years ago. Florida's got some great beaches, too. We could spend a day or two at the water and a few days at the different parks. What do you say?"
"I can negotiate the time off," Alice said excitedly.
"It's my vacation weeks, so I'm in," Jasper said.
"Mansfield Prep's Spring Break is the same week as UW and U of Seattle, Bella, so we only have to worry about school," Angela said. "Ben?"
"I can try to negotiate the time," he answered. Emmett was nodding fervently and chimed in with a 'Me too.'
"Part of that week is my vacation," Edward said. "I can try to negotiate the other time."
"Then let's all try to get our time negotiated by Thursday. That gives us six days. We'll have a few days to get plane tickets, hotel reservations, and tickets to the park settled. Does that work?" Emmett asked, bouncing in his seat like Alice. I bit my lip in nervousness. I didn't have something that extravagant in mind when I suggested we all vacation together. I was thinking of some simpler, something cheaper. I'm a teacher with some serious medical bills. I barely had enough money to pay all my bills, much less take an extravagant trip.
"Are you okay?" Edward leaned in close to my ear to ask. I put on a smile, praying it looked genuine and nodded. I would figure something out hopefully. "Are you sure?"
"I'm great," I said and kissed his cheek.
Conversation came to an end soon afterwards and we all headed home. Angela, Ben, Jasper, and Alice left for Jasper's apartment. Ben and Angela's car was there. Emmett, Edward, Rosalie, and I loaded back into Emmett's Jeep. Jasper had picked Rose and I before the party started so Emmett was driving us home. The ride was silent, but not uncomfortably so. I watched as Rosalie kept eyeing Emmett. He caught her a few times in the rearview mirror and smirked. It always caused her to scowl, and I would have to try to stifle my laughter.
It only took about fifteen minutes to get back to the apartment. Edward opened my door and helped me out of the Jeep. Emmett did the same for Rosalie. He walked her towards the apartment, and I hung back by the Jeep with Edward. She was still acting a bit standoffish, but I could see that Emmett wasn't going to allow that. He was working at breaking down her barriers, and I, for one, was looking forward to that moment. They looked good together, and Emmett was the kind of man that could appreciate her, make her laugh, and deserve her. I was pulled out of my musings when Edward pulled me to him. I wrapped my arms around him, enjoying the feeling.
"I think tonight was a success," he said.
"I'm gonna have to agree with you," I said with a smile. "Alice enjoyed the cake and presents, the game was fun to watch, and Emmett and Rose hit it off. Mission accomplished." He chuckled.
"Are you sure you're okay? You got quiet when we were discussing Disneyworld. Do you not want to go?"
"I would love to go. I've never been to Disneyworld."
"Never?" He pulled me back and looked at me in shock. I giggled.
"Never. I've always wanted to go."
"Then why the long face? Did you already have plans?"
"No. I just…well." I knew that even though he came from money, he would never hold it against me. All of my friends, in fact, came from money. I seemed to be the only one struggling.
"What is it, beautiful? You can tell me." He held my face in his hand, his eyes imploring me to continue.
"I'm just worried about the cost." I looked away, not wanting to see pity in his eyes. "I'm living on a teacher's salary and have quite a few medical bills. I'm scraping by right now. I don't know if I can find the money for the trip."
"Let me take care of everything." I looked at him sharply. His eyes were shining brightly, and I could see the happiness written on his face. "I'll get your plane ticket, hotel, and park passes. That way you only have to worry about souvenirs, food, and that sort of stuff." He trailed off when I started shaking my head.
"No. I'm not taking your money. I'm not going to be some charity case."
"You're not a charity case. You're my girlfriend. I want to take care of you. This is one way that I can. I'd buy you the world if I could, Bella. Let me do this small thing for you."
"This is not a small thing, Edward. That's a lot of money. The plane ticket alone will be at least $400. The hotel won't be cheap either, and park passes are expensive. It's Spring Break. Prices are going to be sky high just because of the time."
"Then let me help. I have money. You can focus on paying off the medical bills. I'll take care of the trip."
"No. I'll figure something out. I won't leech off you."
"It's not leeching if I'm the one offering." I saw Emmett walking back towards the Jeep, a huge grin on his face.
"I better get inside. Emmett's ready to leave. I'll see you on Monday when I come by the station to cook dinner." He sighed and kissed me softly.
"Please think about my offer. I'll see you Monday." He kissed me again before I walked to my apartment. What just happened? I shook my head before entering the apartment. I needed to have a clear head. I wanted to talk to Rosalie about Emmett.
I pulled my truck to a stop next to Edward's Volvo and had to laugh at the contrast. I leaned over to grab the groceries from the passenger seat but was pulled back by two strong arms. I smiled as Edward spun me around and pulled me to him for a kiss. I melted into his embrace, enjoying the feeling of contentment.
"Hello beautiful," he said once he pulled back. The endearment was commonplace in his greetings.
"Hi," I answered, the apprehension evident in my voice.
"You okay?" He looked at me curiously, gently holding my cheek in his hand.
"I'm fine." He looked at me skeptically. "Just nervous."
"There's nothing to be nervous about. You're an amazing cook and everyone's going to love you. I promise." I let out a long breath then squared my shoulders and gave one nod. "Ready?" I smiled and nodded again.
He retrieved the grocery bags from the truck, locking it behind me. I followed closely behind him holding onto his shirt. We walked inside and through a few hallways. He opened the door to a large kitchen and put the bags on the counter. It was rather large and very well organized. We unloaded the groceries and I took the cold ingredients to the refrigerator. I shut the door glancing over the pictures on the door. All were picture of couples. When I saw one of Ben and Angela, I realized they must all be the guys at the station. I was about to turn around when one caught my eye.
Right next to the picture of Ben and Angela was one of Edward and me. I didn't know we had any pictures together. I examined the picture closer and determined it was taken just last night at Alice's party.
*****
Alice had finally calmed down from opening her presents. She and Jasper left to put them up while everyone else took turns washing up from dinner before leaving for laser tag. There were still a few minutes left before all chaos erupted. Edward took hold of Bella's hand and gently tugged her to follow. She did so without protest. He walked down the hall and away from the chatter and excitement.
He opened the door to the patio and stepped outside, Bella right behind him. He leaned his back against the railing and pulled her to stand between his legs. She stumbled and placed her forearms on his chest to steady herself. He chuckled and smiled at her adorable clumsiness. She always managed to seem even more endearing each day. He wrapped his arms around her, cradling her close to his body. He breathed in deeply, enjoying the smell of strawberries and freesias that was undoubtedly Bella.
She lightly gripped his shirt and laid her cheek on his chest, her ear placed directly over his heart. She felt so protected and warm. She listened to the soft, rhythmic 'thud-thud, thud-thud.' It was strong and stead, just as he was. She closed her eyes and focused on the beautiful sound. She sighed and felt a contented smile tug at her lips. The moment felt so right and so perfect. She felt him place a soft kiss on the top of her head. She tilted her head up to place a soft, sweet kiss on his neck. They remained in that position until Alice ushered them out of their little bubble.
*****
I looked at the picture for a long time. My face looked so serene and relaxed with my ear resting over his heart. I remembered the moment perfectly. It was one of the few times in years that I had felt content with myself, and I could see it on my face. Angela and mine's conversation from the coffee shop came to mind. "Edward's the kind of guy that is looking for someone to have a connection with, not someone just to hook up with. I really think you can trust him." Edward's hold on me looked so protecting and loving. How could I question his intentions? They were written plain as day in that picture.
"Are you okay? You've been standing there for a few minutes?" I heard him ask. He placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. I smiled up at him and turned back to the picture. He followed my gaze and from the corner of my eye, I could see his crooked smile. "Alice e-mailed me a few pictures from last night. This one was my second favorite. We put our girls' pictures on there for purely selfish, vain reasons. I wanted to show off the beauty I was lucky enough gave me a chance. I also want them to know you're mine and off the market. However, don't be surprised when some of them try to steal you away. They seem to think it's funny. Be prepared."
"No worries," I said, turned around, and kissed him. "I don't want to be stolen. I like what I have." His smile was breathtaking. He leaned in for a lingering kiss. I pulled back before it deepened too much. "I have a dinner to cook. Stop distracting me."
He held his hands in front of him in surrender and backed away. I had decided to make spaghetti with Italian meatballs. The spaghetti sauce and meatballs were both recipes I had come up with a few years prior. I really hoped it was well received. I allowed Edward to help me gather all the utensils I would need since I didn't know where things were stored in the kitchen. I got the pots of water on the stove and the spaghetti sauce started before putting the meatball ingredients together. Edward left to go get some paperwork that he could do at the counter while I cooked. I heard the door open a few minutes later.
"Do you think this will be enough?" I asked as I shaped the meatballs and heated the olive oil to sear them. "How many people should I be expecting to feed again?"
"I'm not sure how many people are at this station. I just stopped by to pick up some paperwork," a voice answered that I recognized, and it wasn't Edward. I turned around to see the officer that had taken my statement at the accident where Edward and I met.
"Hello, Officer…" I couldn't remember his name. I just remembered that he was overly friendly and far too forward.
"Officer Mike Newton." He smiled at me, making me feel very uncomfortable.
"Officer Newton."
"Please. Call me Mike. So how have you been? I haven't heard from you."
"I've been well thank you."
"So, why haven't I heard from you?" He stood and walked to me. I backed against the counter, trying to keep some distance, but he kept walking towards me. "I was hoping you would call. Now I've found you, though, so we can get right to it. I want to take you to dinner. How is Friday for you?" I looked away, silently begging Edward to hurry back.
"I'm flattered, Officer. Really I am." I made sure to emphasize his title to make sure he say the metaphorical distance I was putting between us. "I'm not available though."
"Oh. Well then how about Saturday, or would next week work better for you? Please, I said call me Mike."
"No. I mean I'm-"
"Sorry about that, beautiful," Edward said as he opened the door. "The Chief needed to talk to me. It-" He stopped when he saw Officer Newton. I breathed a sigh of relief. He walked over and pulled me to his side. "Hello, Mike. I see you've met Bella. My girlfriend." Mike's face fell.
"I didn't realize you two were together." He stepped back a few steps.
"I lucked out and she gave me a chance." He smiled sweetly at me. I smiled back, kissed his cheek, and resumed cooking. "So Mike. Are you staying for dinner?"
"No. I just came by to pick up some paperwork. Thanks for the offer though. I should get going. Bella, it was good to see you again. Give me a call when you kick this guy to the curb." I ignored him and listened as he left.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I answered. I hoped he couldn't see the tremor in my hand. "Thank you for the rescue."
"Any time." He sat down at the counter and started working on paperwork. We both worked in silence for the next fifteen minutes. I heard the door open and Emmett's booming voice as he talked with someone else.
"Bellaboo," Emmett said, picking me up in his customary bone-crushing hug. He sat me back down and walked to the stove. "It already smells great." He turned back to the two guys he walked in with. "She's a great cook. You're going to love it."
"She's already cooked for you?" one asked. "I thought she was your brother's girlfriend."
"She is, but I've enjoyed the fruits of his labor." I had to laugh at how he put it. "She's cooked for us a few times."
"Bella," one of them said and stepped forward. "I'm William." I shook his extended hand. "I appreciate you cooking for us."
"You're welcome," I answered with a smile. "I enjoy cooking so it's really no trouble."
"Beautiful, smart, sweet, and can cook," the other said. "Are you sure Edward's really what you want? I'm sure I would be a better pick."
"Ignore Nathan," Edward said from his paperwork. "He's just jealous. He can't keep a girl for too long. They go running."
"That was only the last time, and it wasn't my fault. She's the one who couldn't handle commitment."
"You proposed on the third date."
"I was drunk." Everyone, including myself, started laughing. I loved watching the banter between the guys.
"Cullen," I heard from the door. Edward and Emmett both answered. "You've got visitors." I turned around as an older couple walked in with two children trailing them. Once the children stepped around them I recognized them immediately.
"Miss Swan," Mr. Davis said in surprise.
"Mr. and Mrs. Davis," I said as I stepped forward. "It's a pleasure to see you again. Hello Jason. Hello Tina."
"Hi Miss Swan," Jason answered. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm cooking for the station. What are you doing here?"
"Remember the story you helped me with? Edward and Emmet Cullen are the ones that helped Tina and me." I don't know why I thought he would keep the names the same. It was fiction of course. I turned to Edward and couldn't help the smile that broke out on my face. If they didn't know how much of an impact they had made they soon would.
"Well, then don't let me keep you." I stepped back to the stove to give him room.
"Hi Teddy," I heard Tina say. She was bouncing in her spot, reminding me of Alice. Emmett squatted to be at her level.
"Hi Tina," Emmett said. "How have you been?"
"I've been good. There are people building a new house. Mommy and Daddy take us to see it every week. I can run through walls. It's so cool." We all laughed at her energy and explanation of the building process.
"I bet that's fun." She just nodded her little head.
"Tina," her father said. "Why don't you show him what you brought?" She held the teddy bear she was clutching out to Emmett. He took it from her hands then she handed him a card.
"What's this?" Emmett asked.
"It's a thank you card. I made it myself. The teddy bear is for you. Cause you're a teddy bear." We all chuckled.
"Thank you, Tina. That's very nice of you."
"Bubba has something too." Everyone looked at Jason. You could tell he was nervous. He looked at me cautiously. I smiled and nodded. He had nothing to worry about; his work was great, far beyond most people his age.
"I wrote something and wanted to give it to you," he spoke, looking at Edward and Emmett. "The fire's been on my mind lately. I couldn't get it out of my head, so I wrote it down. I thought if I couldn't get it on paper, out of my head, it'd go away. Miss Swan caught me writing in class when I was supposed to be participating in discussion." He looked over at his parents sheepishly. "She's been helping me since the fire, so I told her what I was writing. She offered to help me. We've been working on it for a while now. It's as done as I can get it. I wanted to give you a copy so you'd know how much what you did meant to me, to us." He handed them both a copy. "Could you wait until we left before you read it? I'm nervous about it."
"Sure Jason, and thank you," Edward said. "I'm just glad we could help. How would you and your family like to stay for dinner?" He looked over to me and I nodded. I'm sure we'd have enough. I thought I had compensated when shopping anyway. "I can give you a tour before dinner. Would you like that?" He turned toward Mr. and Mrs. Davis. "Would you like to stay? Do you have the time?"
"Sure, we have time," Mr. Davis answered. Emmett picked Tina up and carried her out of the kitchen. Edward stood and walked over to me.
"I'll be back soon," he said and kissed my forehead before he left, Jason following him. Mr. and Mrs. Davis stayed behind.
"Please have a seat," I motioned towards the chairs. They both took a seat. We were the only three in the kitchen. "How are you Mr. and Mrs. Davis?"
"Please," he said. "Call us Janice and William. We're doing okay? The new house is coming along quickly. Tina and Jason are both healed physically. Tina doesn't seem to be effected by it mentally like Jason. It really messed with him; not being able to get to Tina. He's still clingy."
"I'm worried about him," Janice said quietly. "He's been having nightmares, and I think he had a panic attack the other day when he couldn't find Tina."
"May I make a suggestion?" I walked over to stand across from them. I hoped I wouldn't offend them. They both nodded. "I have a friend whom is a psychologist that deals in traumatic events. I think it would be beneficial for Jason to speak to him. He's been making some progress from what I've seen, but hearing you say this makes me think he's got a ways to go."
"A psychologist? I don't know if that's what he needs. I think time will heal." I looked at her sympathetically, understanding her reluctance. It took me years to be okay with the idea.
"Janice. William. I really think you should take this into consideration. Time does heal some people, and for others, it's a detriment. It took me years to come to terms with the idea of seeing a psychologist. I can only wonder what it would have been like had I lowered my guard earlier and tried.
"My friend, Jasper Whitlock, is also my psychologist. He's a great man and great at his job. I understand how hard this can be for you, but think about how it's effecting Jason. It's not healthy to be having nightmares and panic attacks. I should know; I've lived with them for years. I would like to give you his number. You both can meet with him and discuss the situation. Then you can both decide, after talking with him, if this is truly something that will benefit Jason."
"Sweetheart," William looked at his wife lovingly and pulled her hand into his. "Maybe she's right. We've tried everything we could to help him through this. Maybe we should bring someone else in. It's his job, this Mr. Whitlock. It couldn't hurt." She looked at her husband for a long moment before letting out a breath and nodding. "Thank you Miss…Bella. We really appreciate this." I smiled and wrote the number on a slip of paper.
"I know how hard this can be. Jasper is good at what he does. I don't know where I'd be without him." I smiled then turned back to the meal. We continued to chat while I finished dinner. Edward, Emmett, Jason, and Tina returned fifteen minutes later. They were all laughing, and I had to join them when I saw Tina sitting on Emmett's shoulders.
"Mommy! Daddy!" Tina said excitedly. "I got to sit in the big fire truck and slide down the pole. It was so cool!"
"Edward," I said softly so I wouldn't distract the stories being told. "Dinner's ready. How do I let everyone know?"
"I'll go tell them," he answered. "It's going to be a madhouse when they come in. Find a safe spot out of the way and brace yourself." I giggled at his warning. It can't be that bad. He smiled when I laughed before leaving the kitchen.
It wasn't two minutes before men started filing into the kitchen, and Edward was not joking. It was a madhouse indeed. There were so many of them. The kitchen was chaotic as they dished up their food, retrieved food, and talked with the Davis's. Apparently, not many people visited the station to say thank you. Also, Tina seemed to have everyone enraptured. Most had met her while she was on the tour. It took a while, but everyone got food and sat to eat. Tina and Jason were eating at a big table, listening to stories of the station. I waited until everyone was served before getting some food myself. I sat down with Janice and William to keep them entertained.
"Jason speaks very highly of you, Bella," Janice said between bites. I ducked my head to hide the blush I felt creeping into my cheeks. "Please don't be embarrassed. You should be proud. Jason was never a fan of school. It always seemed to bore him. We learned last year it's because it's not challenging enough. We've been trying to figure out what to do. Do you move him ahead a year? Do you find a more challenging school? Those kinds of questions.
"This year, though, he seemed to enjoy it a bit more. The material you're having him read is so far out of his comfort zone. He's finding new genres and styles that he enjoys. You've been pushing him from the beginning to give you more. You've challenged him. He talks about your class every day.
"After the fire, you seemed to be able to help him more than we could. He told us how you helped him talk with the counselor and get the other teachers informed. You didn't coddle or baby him by expecting less. Your work was a distraction for him, an escape.
"Then he started writing about the fire. At first, I wasn't sure how I felt about it. I thought dredging up those memories was sure to be a bad thing. Then, you offered to help him. You encouraged it, encouraged him. He's been happier since then, if even just a fraction."
"I appreciate it, but I really haven't done much," I answered, wanting them to see that. "Your son has more talent than I've seen in a long time, and not just for someone his age; he's got a lot of potential. I think, if he's interested that is, that he should really look into creative writing. He's got a passion that shows on the paper. Not many people can portray that.
"He's been a joy to have in class. I've spoken about him to Edward, though I never used his name. We do a lot of literary criticism in class, analyzing our readings. He's got a great critical eye. He would make a talented and wonderful editor or author. I would suggest talking to him about it. See if there are any creative writing classes being offered at the college or community center. I think it might be something he enjoys." I saw Edward from the corner of my eye. He was looking at me with a breathtaking smile. I quirked an eyebrow at him after everyone returned to their meal. He leaned in to whisper in my ear.
"You're amazing," he said. "You know that?" I just rolled my eyes. He kissed my temple then returned to his meal.
The Davis's stayed for about an hour more. Jason slowly warmed up and became more open and animated with the guys. Tina stuck with Emmett keeping him busy and entertained. Edward, Willam (Edward's co-worker), and Nathan helped me clean up. I got many hugs and kisses on the cheek for dinner as the guys cleared out, and of course, I blushed every time. Edward was enjoying it way too much. He made sure to point out that he had said everyone would love me.
The tones sounded as we were putting up dishes. Edward looked at me apologetically. I just shook my head and smiled. He would never have to apologize for his job. He kissed me quickly and asked when he'd see me again. I reminded him I was meeting up with the Jasper after school the next day so it would be a couple days. He said goodbye to the Davis's and hurried to the ambulance. I took Tina to the catwalk so she could watch the engine, ladder truck, and ambulance pull out. It was all very exciting to her.
The Davis's insisted on helping me finish putting things up before they left. I placed all the leftovers in the refrigerator. The next shift could eat on them. I asked Jason to help me carry in the cakes from my truck. I had made a red velvet cake, a chocolate mousse cake, and a sugar-free chocolate cake the day before. I had them hid in my truck as a surprise. I'm sure everyone would appreciate it when they returned. I left them on the table with a note before walking the Davis's out and heading towards home myself.
AN: So, you finally see the results from the Spring Break destination poll. Disneyworld!!! Thank you to PirateTink for the suggestion. Hopefully I can do it justice. Last chapter I forgot to thank Yankee13. She helped me with the medical stuff in the flashback. She's going to be my go to person when I have questions that can't be answered by google. :) My Beta's back!!!! So this chapter was edited. I hope Alice's present lived up to the wait. I'm sorry the laser tag scene was short. I've never played before so I didn't want to try to describe something I've never done. I hope you enjoyed Bella's big dinner at the station, and I hope Jason and Tina's reappearance was good. I've kinda grown attached to them.
Again, I've been nominated at The Indie Twific Awards for Best Alternate Universe Human. Whomever took the time to nominate me, I really appreciate it. Please visit the site at theindietwificawards(dot)com and vote for your favorite stories. I would love the support if you feel it's deserved.
Warning: Next chapter is going to be tough. It's another therapy session, and Bella will talk about the rape. It's from Jasper's POV. I couldn't bring myself to delve into her mind during this time. I have been working on the chapter for over a week now. I write for an hour then have to stop because I'm so drained and exhausted mentally. So, don't read it before work or some kind of happy event. It's heavy.