The song for this chapter is "Life in Technicolor" by Coldplay youtu*be/L11NWvstkw0
and in case you missed it, here is the pictease: goo*gl/17k2j

Squishy hugs to our betas: jakeward, karenec, LJ Summers, and AshesAshes. Your magic fairy dust is much appreciated.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter Thirty: Accomplishment

On Monday morning, my father and I met to go over the Walker case. At first, meetings like this had just been a way for him to oversee my cases. As time went on it became a habit for us and we always caught up over coffee or lunch; we'd discuss which strategies had been successful, and which hadn't. It often led to new approaches on future cases, and we'd both found it to be very helpful. With my father now mostly retired, I missed seeing him around the office and spending the extra time together. It made a meeting like this all the more important to me.

We wrapped it up in a couple of hours and Charlie excused himself. He had a meeting with Aro that morning and I had work I needed to do to get my upcoming cases in order. Charlie stopped by the door on his way out and turned back to face me.

"Before I forget, your mother and I would like to take you out to dinner tomorrow night for your birthday," he said. "Unless you have plans with Edward."

"No, we don't have plans," I said cautiously. A strained dinner with my parents wasn't exactly how I wanted to celebrate my thirtieth birthday. And now that I thought about it, I realized Edward and I hadn't talked about my birthday since I had mentioned it a few weeks ago. "Do you already have some place in mind?"

"Well I seem to remember someone likes the view from Neptune's."

I smiled at him; he'd remembered that it was one of my favorite places to enjoy the view on the bay. "That sounds great." I thanked him for coming and walked him to the door.

Charlie hesitated just before he left. "Hey, you should invite Edward to come with us," he suggested.

I looked at him skeptically. "Are you sure? You know Mom won't be happy."

Charlie raised his eyebrows at me, still standing in my office door. "Yes, well, you leave your mother to me. It's your birthday after all, and if Edward makes you happy and you want him to be there, then she can deal with it."

I really did love my father. He knew how strained my relationship was with my mother, and tried his best to shield me whenever possible; offering to include Edward in our night warmed my heart. "I'll see if he's free," I replied.

"Great. I look forward to it." Charlie left, shutting the door behind him so I could work uninterrupted for the rest of the morning.

I spent most of the day in my office, getting everything in order and laying out an outline for how I was going to prioritize my cases. I worked for hours, stopping only grab a quick lunch.

Vanessa and I both left at the same time and she grinned at me as she put on her coat. "So, I haven't forgotten what's coming up. Are you free for lunch tomorrow? We should celebrate your win in court, too."

"I'd like that. Thanks, Ness." I smiled at her, grateful that she had remembered. A part of me wanted to bury my head in the sand and forget about the fact that I was turning thirty, but another part of me was glad that my friends and family cared enough to want to celebrate with me.

~LTOYL~

"How was work today?" Edward asked. He called just as I finished eating dinner. I placed the dish in the dishwasher and moved to the living room to talk. "Good. I started working on my next case today. The Walker case was fairly complex, so I feel like I've hardly thought about anything else for weeks. It was nice to start fresh." I sighed and lay back on the couch. "How was yours?"

"Hmm, not bad. Slow progress on the Munch show, but we're getting there. I'll be glad once things are more concrete."

"I'm sure," I said sympathetically. "Do you have plans tomorrow night?"

"Well, that's one of the reasons I called," Edward said. "I know it's your birthday, and I was wondering if you would like to do something with me after work. Or, at least let me take you to lunch."

"Well, I'm having lunch with Vanessa tomorrow and my parents are taking me to dinner."

"Oh." He sounded disappointed. "I should have said something sooner, I guess."

"It's okay. I didn't expect you to," I added quickly.

He scoffed. "You might not have expected it, but I want to."

I laughed softly. "Is dinner what you had in mind?"

"I've been tossing around several different ideas actually. Do you have any plans for the upcoming weekend?" he inquired.

"No, none that I can think of. I'm actually going to take the weekend off and not bring home any work."

"Good. I was wondering if you'd spend it with me."

"The whole weekend?" I asked, surprised.

"Is that too much? I don't want you to get tired of me." He chuckled.

His comment was almost absurd; I couldn't imagine getting tired of Edward. "I'd like it," I said honestly. "I was just surprised."

"I'm glad. Even if I can't spend your actual birthday with you, we can do something to celebrate this weekend."

"Oh, well, actually . . . Charlie asked me to invite you to join us for dinner tomorrow night."

"Do you want me to come with you, or are you just doing it to humor him?"

"Believe me, I want you to come. I just wasn't sure if you wanted to. You know, because of Renee and all. Charlie promised he'd keep her in line, but . . . ." My voice trailed off.

'It's fine. I can handle your mother."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure, Bella." There was a trace of humor in his voice. "You're worth any amount of harassment from her."

Edward and I made plans for him to pick me up the following day and we said goodnight. The following day was a good one, with a light workload and a fun lunch with Vanessa to celebrate my birthday. She caught me up on things with her grandmother and though the situation hadn't improved any, I could visibly see Vanessa release some of her tension just being able to get it off her chest. Again, I offered to shelve things with the investigation on Alec but she declined. Knowing Vanessa as long as I had, I knew keeping busy with work was how she made it through stressful or emotional times. We shared that in common, actually. There was nothing she could do for her grandmother at this point and focusing her attention on work was how she coped. She preferred to have something else to keep her mind occupied rather than dwelling on her grandmother's failing health.

When Edward picked me up at my place after work, he was dressed in a gorgeous, textured grey suit, crisp white shirt, and burgundy tie. He entered my apartment and kissed my cheek softly before moving to my lips. "Happy birthday," he whispered against my mouth.

"Thank you." I wound my arms around his neck and we exchanged sweet, teasing kisses for a few moments before we pulled back.

"Are you ready to go to dinner?" he asked.

I groaned at the thought of having to spend the evening with my mother. Dinner with just my father and Edward sounded much nicer. "I suppose so," I muttered. I tilted my head up for on more kiss before I let go of him.

"Thank you for coming tonight," I said. He bent and picked up my overnight bag and opened the door for me

"I'm just sorry I didn't say something sooner. I've been thinking about your birthday since you mentioned it; I just hadn't decided what I wanted to do for you."

"You don't have to do anything," I pointed out, although I was flattered he was thinking of me.

"I want to. Although I don't know that I can top what you did for my birthday," he gave me a lopsided grin. "I did just contemplate tying you up and having my wicked way with you."

"Well, there's always tonight," I said with a smirk that caused him to laugh.

As we passed through the lobby, I waved at Jacob who was just getting off shift. "Happy Birthday, Miss Swan," he said, sounding cheerful.

"Thank you, Jacob," I said, pleased he'd remembered.

~LTOYL~

As we pulled up to the restaurant, I asked Edward again if he wanted to skip dinner. He just smirked softly and kissed me.

"I'll be okay. I appreciate that you are trying to look out for me, but I'll be fine." He put the SUV in park and turned off the engine. Once we were out of the car, he pulled me close and cupped my cheek in his hand. "I want to celebrate your birthday with you. Just ignore Renee tonight."

"We could just leave," I suggested. "I could call and tell them something came up…then we could go do something else."

Edward shook his head. "It'll be fine. You focus on enjoying your birthday. We can leave if it gets to be too much for you. But I promise, we can handle it."

"Okay," I whispered, reaching up to brush my lips against his. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

We made our way into the restaurant and the hostess showed us to our table. My parents were already there and seated when we arrived.

"Happy Birthday, Bella." Charlie beamed at me and stood to give me a tight hug.

"Thanks, Dad."

He and Edward shook hands, and Edward turned to my mother.

"It's good to see you again, Mrs. Swan."

Her face lit up and she beamed. I'd failed to remember that Renee now knew that Edward was a Cullen, and the son of Esme Platt. Those two names were too prominent in San Francisco society for her to ignore. They hadn't crossed paths since our dinner at The Spinnaker, so tonight would be interesting. Edward was suddenly now in her good graces, so instead of being cool and dismissive toward him, she was effusively friendly. She fawned over him with a sickening desperation.

"You, too, Edward. I was surprised when Charles said you would be joining us tonight."

"Bella invited me, and I couldn't think of a better way to spend the evening than celebrating her birthday." He smiled at her and helped me into my chair before taking a seat.

Once we'd all taken our seats, Renee spoke. "We really should have invited your whole family, Edward. Things have just been so busy, or I would have arranged a little dinner party to celebrate Isabella's birthday."

I discreetly rolled my eyes behind my menu. It was obvious to me that the lure of the Cullen and Platt connections were on her agenda. I hadn't so much as heard from my mother recently, let alone expected her to be planning a birthday celebration. My mother was far from subtle.

"That's not necessary, Mother. This is more than enough." I eyed her cautiously, hoping she'd take the hint.

The waiter came to take our drink orders and Edward gently squeezed my thigh when I ordered a double Drambuie on the rocks. My mother did not ignore my drink order; she scoffed at me and ordered a white wine spritzer and Edward got his usual Macallan. Charlie chuckled heartily and ordered a Drambuie, as well. "Bella's is such a chip off the old block. What man could ask for more than a daughter who has become a bright and successful lawyer, is going to be taking over his practice, and drinks like him?" He grinned. "And she's a beautiful young woman, too."

I blushed and looked at my father, slightly embarrassed by his praise. Edward leaned over and kissed my temple softly. "I keep telling you that you're an extraordinary woman, Bella. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who does."

Charlie gave us an approving nod, but I saw the irritation on my mother's face. Clearly, as much as she liked the social connection Edward provided, she still didn't like the attention being on anyone other than herself.

"So, Edward, tell us more about yourself," she said, reaching across the table for his hand.

"Ah, well, I grew up here in San Francisco and got my PhD in Art History at Berkley. I spent some time touring Europe and now I work at the Museum of Modern Art as a curator."

"How interesting," Renee said, honey and feigned fascination dripping from her words. "I'm sure you must love what you do."

Her eyes were set on Edward's and I looked over at Charlie who just shook his head.

Edward released his hand from Renee's grasp and moved it to take my own. "It's a very fulfilling career. I was just telling Bella the other day about some of the children's education programs we're working on. We're trying to get the community more involved, either through time or donations for various projects."

"I've offered to donate both," I added. "It sounds like a really wonderful opportunity to give back to the community and help out at a place I love so much."

"Keep me updated on that, Edward," Charlie said. "If you and Bella both think it's a worthwhile cause, let me know and I'll see what I can do to contribute."

"That would be wonderful, sir, thank you," Edward said.

"Please, call me Charlie," my father lightly chided.

Edward nodded at him. "Charlie. I'd be happy to have you involved in our program. I really think it's something the community needs."

The waiter brought our drinks and I took a healthy gulp of Drambuie. My mother's interrogation of Edward continued.

"I'd really love to hear more about your family, Edward," she prompted. I looked at Renee with irritation; she clearly wasn't going to drop her charade. Edward noticed and reached over to touch my knee again, and gently rubbed his thumb against my lower thigh. "Your father is the head of the Surgical Department at St. Mary's Medical Center, correct? And your sister, Alice, and mother are interior designers. I know how talented they are. Everyone talks about the incredible work Platt-Whitlock Designs does," Renee gushed.

"Yes, I was surprised when I found out they did Bella's apartment. It's a small world, I guess." He looked over, gave my thigh a little squeeze and then released it. "You seem to know a lot about my family already," Edward quipped.

Renee merely smiled in response to Edwards's jest. "I was the one who arranged for them to work on Bella's apartment. It turned out lovely." Renee looked at me and continued. "Now, Emily Platt was your grandmother, correct?"

Edward nodded. "Yes, I'm sure you heard she died a few years ago. She was such a wonderful woman. We were all deeply heart-broken."

"Yes, of course. She was involved in all of the major events in San Francisco."

"She was." Edward agreed. "I think she had more of a social life than I've ever had. She made it her life's work to make this city a vibrant, beautiful place to live. I can't count the number of charities she supported, and the work she did for under-privileged children. I suspect that's one of the reasons I'm so interested in the program at the museum. It's something she would have adored." He smiled wistfully.

"I wish she were still here to take part in it," Renee said.

Charlie nodded. "I miss my own mother a great deal. If I remember correctly, she spoke of your grandmother quite often as being a part of the various causes she was involved with. Unfortunately, Bella never really had a chance to get to know her grandmother."

"She died when I was six," I explained.

"You really would have loved her, Bella. Helen Swan was a very driven woman and she would have been so proud of your accomplishments," Renee interjected and then sniffled.

I knew that my grandmother had never been fond of my mother and the sentiment was returned. Though my father hardly ever spoke poorly of Renee, he had spoken of their strained relationship at various points. It made my stomach churn to hear Renee make such a comment when she really despised the woman according to Charlie's account. Clearly, she had no limits on what was over the line when it came to trying to make an impression on Edward.

I wondered what my mother had been like when she was young. She must have always had a shallow, selfish streak in her, but there had to have been a time that she was person my father fell in love with.

Thankfully, our appetizers arrived. Although Renee did her best to angle an invitation from Edward to meet his family, he politely found ways to deflect her. Charlie did his best to steer the conversation to other topics, including a funny story from his latest round of golf. It wasn't the birthday celebration I'd hoped for, but it wasn't a disaster either. There was good food, excellent wine, and the man sitting beside me was handsome, thoughtful, and somehow always managed to know when I needed his touch. Every time I found myself tensing at one of Renee's inane or tactless comments, I felt a reassuring brush on my hand or thigh, which immediately calmed me.

As we waited for the desserts to be brought out, Renee handed me an elegantly wrapped gift. "Happy Birthday, Isabella," she said. "I saw this and just knew you'd love it."

I gently removed the wrapping paper and opened the box to find a gaudy Hermes scarf. There was a strange horse head pattern with abstract twisting lines. It was done in turquoise, burgundy, yellow, and lavender with black and white accents. It wasn't even remotely my taste. A silk scarf in a tasteful pattern and simple colors would have been a lovely gift, but as it was, I knew I'd never wear it. Renee knew it, too.

I forced myself to smile at her and desperately tried to find something nice to say. "Thank you, Mother. I appreciate the gift, and the silk is lovely." The texture was the only thing I genuinely liked about the scarf.

"I knew you'd love it." She gleamed triumphantly and I could have sworn I saw her smirk.

Charlie handed me an oddly shaped package and I unwrapped it quickly, eager to see what he had given me and to get the attention off the scarf. Inside was a small plaque with my name on it, Isabella Swan, Esq., and underneath it said Partner. My eyes immediately snapped up to look at Charlie.

"Dad?" I asked, completely surprised.

His eyes twinkled in amusement. "We'll be making a few changes around the office, and I thought you might need a new one of those," he said indicating the plaque.

I gasped and clutched the nameplate to my chest. "Really?"

"Yes. You're more than ready, Bella. You did an incredible job with the Walker case, not to mention the rest of your work at the firm. Aro and I couldn't be more proud or impressed by the dedication and commitment you've shown. We'll do something a bit more formal at the office tomorrow, and there's lots of paperwork to sign, but I wanted to give you the news tonight. I knew it would mean a lot to you."

I nodded, unable to speak just yet. I swallowed back my tears and got up to hug him. "It does," I finally got out as I pulled back to look at him.

He hugged me one more time, enthusiastically and whispered, "I'm so proud of you, Bella."

The tears couldn't be contained then, and I felt them slide down my cheeks. "Thanks, Dad."

Sharing such a wonderful moment surrounded by those who mattered so much to me, having lunch with Vanessa, even Jacob's birthday wishes as we left earlier, all made me grateful for the people I had in my life. Even for Renee with all her antics. It was a reminder that I had many people who cared about me.

Edward and Renee both congratulated me. The hug from Renee was cool as always, but her lack of enthusiasm couldn't dampen my good mood. This was what I had been waiting on for years. To know that I had finally earned it was the most indescribable feeling to me. I couldn't help but think of the life choices and sacrifices I'd made in the last year because of my commitment to Swan and Volturi. Becoming partner was something I knew would come about eventually, but having it actually happen helped to soothe and reaffirm that I'd made the right choice.

Edward's hug and gentle, chaste kiss more than made up for Renee's attitude. He cupped my cheek in his hand and stared me in the eye. "I'm so glad I get to celebrate this with you."

"Thank you for being here," I whispered and he gently brushed my tears away with his thumb.

I took a moment to excuse myself to the restroom, needing to compose myself. To my dismay, Renee followed me. She spoke when we were in front of the mirror in the otherwise deserted ladies room. "Was it really necessary for such a public display, Isabella?"

"Excuse me?" I asked, dabbing at the smudged makeup under my eyes with a damp tissue.

"Crying and kissing Edward in that manner. It really isn't appropriate."

"I just got some of the best news of my life; I am sorry if my emotions weren't appropriate, but I couldn't really help it," I snapped, and then held my tongue. After Renee's display earlier, what I was really dying to say was on the verge of slipping out. This wasn't the time, or the place for such a conversation.

She sniffed. "While this is a lovely little friendship you've made with Edward, it's hardly appropriate for you to be flaunting your sexual urges towards him in public. Especially since Riley—"

I cut her off swiftly. "Since Riley is gone, Mother. He's in Washington, D.C. and he isn't coming back. Please, just . . . stop. Edward treats me very well. I enjoy spending time with him. Leave it at that and for God's sake, stop with your social-climbing agenda!"

She compressed her lips tightly but didn't argue. I looked at myself one more time in the mirror and turned to head toward the dining room. Edward was laughing at some joke Charlie was relaying, and I smiled thinking of how nicely they'd taken to each other. They both stood when I returned, followed shortly after by Renee. I took Edward's hand as we sat down and just a few moments later dessert arrived. Renee sat quietly for the rest of the night, keeping her mouth shut. Altogether, the night ended on a high note.

~LTOYL~

Once we arrived at Edward's loft, I headed into the bathroom to change out of my dress. I had no illusions about how we'd be spending the rest of the evening. Truthfully, I was eager to be in his arms.

When I came out of the bathroom, Edward was still fully dressed, and there was a package wrapped in antique-gold wrapping paper with an ornate copper-colored bow resting on the bed beside him. "What is this?" I asked.

He grinned at me. "Your birthday gift."

"You know you didn't have to get me anything," I said.

"Just open it, you'll love it."

"Awfully confident, aren't you?" I teased and sat down beside him, curling my legs up under me.

"I know you, Bella. Just trust me."

I carefully peeled the wrapping paper off and lifted the lid of the box inside. Underneath a layer of white tissue paper was a small round glass vase in the most extraordinary colors I had ever seen. It was a swirling mixture of blues, whites, and rusty coppers. I gasped and looked up at Edward.

"I do love this, it's so beautiful it's almost unreal," I said, slipping it out from the box. I held it in my hand and inspected it closely. It was just big enough to fit in my hand and very heavy for its size. I ran my fingertips along the smooth glass surface, in awe of the uniqueness of the piece.

"Where did you find this?"

"I know the artists. Dean Bensen and Demetra Theofanous produce glass works under the name of Avolie Glass. They do some incredible work on their own, but I'm partial to the projects they do together. I went to a gallery here in San Francisco that sells their work, hoping to find you a paperweight to replace the one that was, ah, broken after our first meeting." I giggled at the tactful way he had described my temper tantrum. "I found this vase instead and no matter how many other things I looked at, I kept coming back to it. It's part of their "Cosmos" series."

"It's truly extraordinary."

"It's a one-of-a-kind piece; there's a card with the information about it in the box and if you check the bottom, you'll see it's signed."

I turned the vase over to inspect the bottom, seeing an etched scribble I assumed was the signature. "It's too much, Edward," I said, looking him in the eyes. I knew something like this had to cost a fortune.

"No," he protested, scooting closer to me and taking my free hand. "Anything that causes the look I saw on your face when you opened the box is worth it. Besides, think of it as a gift to celebrate both your birthday and your recent accomplishments. You won a tough case and you made partner. That's huge."

"Thank you. You're right; I do love it. It's like having a little piece of the stars in my hand. It reminds me of the nebulae images in the show we saw at the planetarium. From the piece name, I assume that's intentional."

"Yes. Dean's had a fascination with nebulae for years and it took a long time for him to perfect the technique used to create the piece."

"I can imagine," I said. "Thank you, Edward. Really. It was the perfect gift."

"Better than the scarf from your mother?" he teased.

"Oh, so much better," I snickered. "That thing was horrid. I don't know what she was thinking."

"She doesn't seem to understand you much," he said.

"You have that right. I don't think she actually knows me at all." I shook my head in disgust. "Although, it could have been worse, she could have given me a gift certificate to the plastic surgeon."

Edward shuddered. "That's a horrible thought."

"I agree. I hope I never become that insecure."

"Me, too," Edward agreed.

I leaned forward and kissed Edward, wanting his lips against mine. He took the vase from my hand and gently set it on the bedside table. He pushed me down on to the bed and covered my body with his. Our mouths met hungrily, hands searching as I writhed under him. My need for him spiraled out of control as he pushed aside my robe and dropped his head to kiss my breast.

"I want to feel you, Edward," I pleaded.

He tore himself away from me and stood up. I sat up and slipped out of the robe, letting it fall beside me on the bed. His eyes never left mine as he undressed and discarded his clothes. His stare was heated and his bare chest heaved as I settled back on the bed and leaned against the pillows.

"I need to feel you," I whispered, trailing my fingers down my thigh. I parted them a little and felt his eyes follow my movement. "Right here."

He fell to his knees on the bed and moved over me in a quick, fluid movement. He kissed my stomach, his mouth wet and warm against my bare skin. "Are you ready for me?" he asked, his voice a low, rough rasp. "Or do you want my mouth on you first? Tasting, licking, sucking until you come. . . ."

He whispered the words against my skin, his mouth trailing lower and lower until he hovered between my thighs.

I arched my back, feeling so desperate for him. "I just need you."

I caught a glimpse of his eyes before he buried his face against my soft flesh. I let out a startled gasp that dissolved into a throaty moan as his tongue delved between my lips, delivering on everything he'd promised and more. I came with his tongue on my clit and two of his fingers inside of me.

I was still half-delirious when he finally pushed inside me. I reached up and twisted my hands in his hair, feeling the thick, soft strands slide through my fingers. He let out a deep groan and ground against me. He slid one hand down over my hip and bent my leg up over his shoulder. I dug my hands tighter into his hair and kissed him hard, pulling him down to me, ignoring the stretch in the back of my thigh, wanting him closer. His deep, even thrusts quickly brought me back to the edge of climax. His hands roamed over my body, his touch firm and sure, leaving a tingling awareness in its wake. My hands moved over his skin as well, frantic to feel every inch of him. We twisted together, grasping and moving, thrusting until we were both panting and desperate, my leg no longer over his shoulder but wrapped around his hip, anchoring him against me.

Edward groaned lowly, the sound edging me closer to orgasm. "I can't believe how good you feel wrapped around me."

I gasped his name, unable to even think coherently. He kissed me deeply, his tongue stroking mine, mimicking the way his cock moved.

"Oh, God, Edward," I gasped again.

"I want you to come, Bella. Come for me."

He breathed the words against my lips and shifted to push deeper. Coupled with the wet, hot press of his lips against mine and the low sounds of pleasure he made, I came with a cry that echoed through the otherwise-silent apartment.

I watched his jaw tighten and I rolled my hips against his as he threw back his head and called out my name in a hoarse voice that made me shiver at its throaty intensity. His lips met mine again, as he shuddered into me; the deep press of his cock making me clutch him closer. His body quivered with aftershocks and I heard the sounds of our heavy breathing and quiet gasps. He collapsed on top of me and I wrapped myself tighter around him.

"Christ, Bella, you feel so good."

I breathed deeply, clutching him to me tightly and he pressed his forehead against mine. "Edward," I whispered.

His hands slid under my head and cradled it, the soft brush of his lips turning into something deep and sweet. He rolled us onto our sides, our legs intertwined. He was still inside of me and his arm slid under my head, so my cheek was resting against his bicep. We lay there for a long time, staring into each other's eyes as his thumb slowly traced a path across my face.

"You're beautiful. So beautiful and soft here in my arms, in my bed."

"So are you," I whispered. "Thank you. For dinner tonight, for the gift, for everything you've done for me."

Instead of replying, he simply kissed me again and, the last thing I remembered before falling asleep, was Edward's face and the beautiful vase on the bedside table behind him.

~LTOYL~

The next day, I was bursting with happiness when I reached the office. Charlie called everyone in to one of the conference rooms for a breakfast meeting to announce my partnership. Everyone seemed genuinely thrilled for me except for Alec. He scowled at me and didn't even take a moment to congratulate me. He spent the time staring at Lauren's ass while he sipped his coffee. I couldn't help but notice that she kept her distance from him, and I finally felt like maybe, just maybe, everything in my life was finally coming together again.

That afternoon when I went to check something on my phone, I realized it was off. In fact, it had been off since I'd gone to dinner the night before. I'd been so wrapped up in Edward and the news of making partner that I hadn't even thought about it. I was a bit amused; usually, it was glued to my person.

I powered it up and after the messages, emails, and voicemails all synced, I began going through them one by one. There was even a missed call from Riley.

"Hey, babe, I was just calling to wish you a Happy Birthday." His voice was warm and soft and just the sound of it felt so familiar. "I can't believe this is the first birthday in thirteen years we haven't spent together. It doesn't feel right, and I miss you so much. I wish I was there to do something special for you."

He sighed. "I want so badly to hold you and kiss you right now, and it's killing me that you're all the way across the country. I love you so much, Bella. Happy Birthday, baby, I miss you."

I sighed heavily as emotion washed over me, and swallowed hard, feeling wistful at the sound of his voice and the words he'd spoken. It was sweet that he had called, and hearing how much he missed me made me feel the old ache, but it seemed different now. Somehow muted.

The automatic response to turn to Riley wasn't totally gone, but for the first time, I felt like I could choose not to. I knew that if I had any chance of moving forward in my life, I couldn't call him back. I had to do what was best for me right now and my relationship with Edward. Contacting Riley wouldn't help anything; it would only set me back again. It was a rather bitter realization to come to, and yet, there was something freeing in it, too.

I closed out of my phone and went on with my day, thoughts of Edward on my mind. Somehow, I knew he'd be proud of me right now.

Thanks for the reviews so far, you all have been great! Let us know what you think about dinner, Renee, and Bella finally making partner!

Avolie Glass is a real team of artists based out of San Francisco. Check out their work, it's really amazing: tinyurl*com/bts9v87. Here is the vase Edward bought Bella tinyurl*com/c3xcqmg. If someone ever bought me that vase for my birthday, I'd lose my mind with excitement. ~D

Important note: Due to time commitments at work right now, our posting schedule is going to have to deviate a bit. Instead of posting every Thursday, we're going to be posting bi-weekly now. Don't worry; we have every intention of finishing this story out in a timely manner. We've only got about twelve chapters left and I'm determined to finish. ~K

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