"Where are we going?" came Emmett's voice from the back of the carriage.
"You'll see," Carlisle replied, glancing down at Esme. "It's a beautiful restaurant, I'm sure you'll love it."
"I'm sure I will," said Esme shyly, looking down.
"When did you guys plan all this?" Rose asked, caressing the surrey's side. "This couldn't have been a spur of the moment thing."
"No, it wasn't," Edward said, deftly maneuvering the horses around a corner. "I've been planning this since I met Alice's model." He smiled down at me as I looked up at him in astonishment. Carlisle broke in.
"Bella, you're the woman Edward told me so much about?"
"Edward told you about me?"
"He didn't use names, but I…I don't know what I thought, seeing you here, Bella- please don't take offense-"
"No worries, Carlisle."
"As I was saying, I just thought that Alice finally introduced you two," he said sheepishly. "I am certain you make a gorgeous model, sweetheart."
"Thanks, Carlisle," I said, blushing. "I think your son just makes it better."
"Your son!" came the startled gasp from Esme's lips. Carlisle quickly turned and grasped her hands gently. "I thought…"
"I am," he said quietly. "I have been a widower for a long time. Since my oldest two were fifteen…nine years."
"Oh, Carlisle…" Esme's face was sorrowful. "I…I'm so sorry…If you don't mind my asking…"
"How did she die?" The whole carriage was silent. "Breast cancer. Due to the therapy she was undertaking, the radiation caused a stroke. She died peacefully, asleep in my arms. One of her favorite quotes was Winston Churchill's. 'If you're going through Hell, keep going.' I miss her every day." I looked back and saw tears, my own and Esme's.
"M-my son," she whispered, gripping Carlisle's hand tighter. "He died when he was t-twelve…He died of lung cancer…He always told me 'Never, never, never give up'…Winston Churchill…" Carlisle pulled his hanker-chief out of his breast pocket and handed it to her before wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
"I think," he said slowly. "I think that we have a lot to talk about, Esme." She nodded, and the rest of the ride was filled with happier chatter.
We pulled up to a small cottage on the side of the road, perilously close to the edge of the cliff to our left. A man emerged and bowed to Edward and I before climbing into the box and driving the carriage away once we were all out. Carlisle then took the lead and entered the cottage, holding the door open for Esme. The rest of us followed,
The interior was decorated in earth tones, a large, many armed candelabra stood behind the woman at the desk in the center of the room, a door on each side of it. "Who set up this reservation?" she asked, pulling a fountain pen from it's inkwell and looking up in expectation.
"I did," Edward said, stepping forward. "The last name is Cullen."
"And who is the holder of the VIP card?" she asked, neatly jotting down Edward's answer.
"It is I," Carlisle replied this time, presenting a black card with a silver circle on it. The woman took it carefully and examined it before handing it back and flipping a switch on her desk.
"Please take the door on your right and enjoy your dinner," she said with a brilliant smile. We proceeded as directed, all of us confused except Edward and Carlisle, who walked with a purpose and strong steps. We came to another door, next to which stood a tall woman with wide hips and a pretty face. She smiled a dazzling smile and opened the door. We entered a large posh elevator, complete with plush carpet, mirrored sides, and a chandelier. I descended quickly and smoothly.
When the doors opened, two young people greeted us, one holding menus while the other had a tray holding champagne flutes. I realized in a moment that the one with the menus was female and the other male- after I noticed the girl's skirt and heels. She escorted us farther into the room as the boy offered us each a glass. Pushing aside a curtain that was set into the far wall, she smiled and ushered us in. I could not hold in my gasp of wonder. It was a glass pod, the ocean water surrounding us on all sides. The water was lit up from outside, a soft, warm glow emanating from the waves.
Edward led me to a chair and seated me before placing himself on my right. The pretty girl placed a menu before each of us before speaking. Her tone was sweet. "Welcome to Voulturi, does anyone have a drink order before I leave you to peruse your menus?" There were orders for whiskey; Jasper, James, and Victoria, red wine; Carlisle, Esme, white wine; Edward, Rosalie, gin and tonic; Alice. Emmett and I must have astounded our friends and his family, Rakia for him and Lappish Hag's Love Potion for me. The waitress smiled at my order. "We don't get very many orders for that, though it's one of my favorites. My name's Jane, and I'll be taking your order while my brother Alec fetches drinks."
An hour later we were all warm and happy, chatting about things both non-important and otherwise, debating, story telling, and laughing. The three brothers who owned the place came out to join us for a while, and we found that they were all fans of Alice's work, they even had one of her paintings hanging in the common dining room! Of course, then we got onto the topic of her next series and Edward and I were dragged into it.
"Such a wonderful contrast," Aro murmured, eyes flicking between the two of us.
"I can see why Miss Cullen chose you," Marcus added. Caius remained politely silent, nodding slightly when Aro mentioned my figure. Of course I blushed. I didn't think my figure was that great. I mean…it was nice and all, reasonably well proportioned and averagely endowed, I guess…
"Don't think like that, Bella," Edward whispered in my ear, laying his hand on my thigh under the table. I shivered. Alice saw and smirked. Why me?
"So, Bella, did you have fun tonight?" Alice asked me as she unbuttoned my dress. I glared at her smirking face in the mirror.
"Yes, Alice, I had fun."
"Good…did you like the triplets?" Rosalie asked from her perch on the marble counter.
"I thought they were socially awkward," Vicky cut in. I smiled at her. That's how I felt as well. They all seemed to be in their own little world all the time.
"I thought they were interesting," Esme said, to my shock. She laughed at my expression. "You were too caught up in Edward to listen to much of their conversation, but it seems that they are quite the lovers of art…and show extreme talent in critiquing the works."
"They're coming to the gala," Alice burst out, clapping her hands. "They told me they were friends with some higher ups along the art line and said they'd present a few suggestions! How cool is that Bella?" I smiled with her. Alice really deserved this if it was getting to be as big as it sounded. She deserved only the best. I slid out of the dress and pulled on a t-shirt and my jeans. Alice followed my lead and changed into a designer sweat suit. Alice, Rose, and I walked the other two to their cars and watched them drive off. The three of us were going to spend some quality time together…
In The Kitchen
"Rosalie! Stop her!"
"Alice, put that down!"
"Bella, I'm going to kill you!"
This was us 'making cookies'. Well, failing at making cookies. It sort of turned into a giant fight with the baking ingredients. At the moment, things were silent as we each hid. I had a cookie sheet as a shield, with a big wooden spoon in the other hand. I knew that Alice had the electric mixer- kind of like a cross between a shotgun and a machine…just shooting chunks of batter instead of bullets. But Rose had the eggs. All six dozen of them…and that worried me. She also had an apron, something neither Alice nor I had had the sense to put on.
I was stealthily sneaking around one side of the island when I saw a Rose across the kitchen staring at a looming shadow on the wall. I caught her eye and we nodded. Ambush time, baby. We heard a quick "psst!" and looked up. Alice was on top of the refrigerator next to the kitchen door, where the shadow was coming from. The boys weren't supposed to come home tonight…they were supposed to be spending the night at Jasper's. I felt my heart begin to race. There was someone here who shouldn't be.