Ok, so I think I did better on this update than I did last time. A little quicker this time! Like I tell people...it's a creative process...the mind has to be in the right place...and I have to not be spending all my time watching American Pickers and Pawn Stars. *sigh* History Channel owns me.
Big thanks to everyone who is reading and reviewing my little story! Thank you for coming along on this ride with me! I hope it has been worth your while.
Business: Twilight, it's characters and it's situations do not belong to me. They are the property of the very lucky Stephenie Meyer. And I am totes jealous of her!
Ok, now on to the parties!
XxXxXxXxXx
Chapter 29: Bop Till You Drop
"Eddie," the blonde boy smiled broadly. "It's me. Marcus Green."
Edward choked, spitting the beer out.
"Marcus," Edward's eyes widened in surprised recognition.
"Yeah," the blonde boy nodded, his white teeth gleeming.
"No fucking way."
"What should I say?"
Marcus reached out and pulled Edward into a firm embrace, which Edward returned, smiles on both of their faces.
"What the hell? When did you move here," Edward pulled back, sweeping the hand holding the bottle of beer out in front of him.
"When my mom remarried about four years ago. When did you get back?"
"Three weeks ago," Edward looked down, shaking his head. "But I'm not really back. I'm just here for…family business."
"Cool. Your grandpa's house is still there. I drive past it sometimes."
"Yeah, it's still in the family. That's actually where we're staying."
"Are all of the…what was the name of that family that adopted you again," Marcus moved past Edward, pulling an icy beer from the bucket and opening it.
"The Cullen's. Doctor Carlisle Cullen and his wife Esme."
"Yeah, that was it. So how long you in town?"
"Probably only until after the holidays."
Marcus nodded. "We'll need to hang out while you're here. Benjamin and Peter are around here somewhere."
"You still hang out with them," Edward looked at Marcus in disbelief.
"Yeah," Marcus nodded. "Not everyone changes their names and moves away like you did, man," he added with a smile.
"As if I had a choice," Edward snorted before taking a long pull from the beer. He was feeling more relaxed and at home now that he'd found an old friend. It almost felt as though he'd never left, had never lost so many years of his friendship with Marcus.
"Yeah, that's true," Marcus nodded, agreeing. "Hey…how the hell did you end up here? Not that I mind, you know. I think it's pretty awesome, but still."
"Oh, well…uh…someone I knew from Seattle moved here. That's who I came with," Edward ran his hand through his hair nervously.
Marcus looked over at Felix, who was taking in the reunion with curiosity. "You're…ahhh….Fred, right?" Marcus pointed a finger in Felix's direction, squinting an eye at him as he tried to think of his name.
"Felix," he smirked. Just his sheer size alone should make a pipsqueak like Marcus Green remember his name, he thought. Felix, without a doubt, could easily snap the much slighter Marcus in two with just one hand.
"I didn't know you lived in Seattle," Marcus mused.
"You didn't know my name, you little shit. How could you know if I lived in Seattle or not," Felix emptied his bottle of Stella into his mouth.
Edward snickered and shook his head. "It's not Felix. I just met him here tonight."
"Oh," Marcus looked at Edward, mischievous look on his face as he eyed Edward's pea coat. "I didn't know you played for the other team, Eddie."
"You'll never change, will you Marcus," Edward shook his head, letting out a soft chuckle. "If you have to know, I came here with Vic-" he caught himself. "Tori. Felix here dates her friend Bree."
"Tori," Marcus squinted his eyes as he thought. "Tori?" He turned and looked at Felix. "Do we know a Tori?"
"Of course you do, you idiot. You invited her," Felix appeared to have little patience for Marcus.
"I am seriously at a loss. What does she look like?"
"I dunno. She's…shorter than me. Kinda pale. She's got jaw length straight red hair," Felix opened another beer and lifted the bottle to his lips.
Marcus closed his eyes. "Jaw length red hair…that doesn't sound familiar."
"That's her right there, with her boyfriend Demitri," Edward pointed toward a couple making out on one of the white sofas in the other room.
"Ooooh," Marcus nodded, light bulb finally going on inside his head. "Her. Yeah, I had no idea what her name was. We just decided to invite her tonight so she wouldn't crash like she always does," he looked at Edward, chuckling. "It's actually kind of pathetic, really. She and that friend of hers, that dark haired girl with those empty, vacant eyes, crash every party and then try to act like they were invited. Never bring their guys along when they do," he tossed a look at Felix as though apologizing. He hooked an arm around Edward's shoulders, drawing him away from the bar and Felix. "The only reason we even let them stay and don't toss 'em out on their asses," he whispered, conspiratorially, "is because they're so easy. And, let's face it, that red head's not a bad piece of ass, especially when you consider that there's really no effort involved in getting some of it. And I'm not just talking blow jobs or hand jobs either, which she's pretty proficient at…or so I'm told. That bitch will take it any way you want to give it."
Edward stared at Marcus, saying nothing but feeling his stomach churn.
"Hey, but I don't have to be telling you that, right, Eddie? I mean, you know her, so I'm sure you know her, eh?" He nudged Edward in the ribs with his elbow, giggling maniacally.
"I wouldn't know," he answered coolly as he took another sip of his beer, swallowing hard.
Marcus smiled, false and toothy. "Sure, if that's how you want to play it."
"Hi Marcus!" The chirping chorus interrupted the sudden tension between the two old friends.
Victoria and Bree stood, side by side, both looking up at Marcus with adoring eyes.
Marcus's blue eyes flashed quickly at Edward as a sultry smirk wrapped around his lips. "Ladies! I hope you're having a good time," he opened his arms wide and in a swift move, engulfed both girls into his embrace.
"We are," Victoria's arm was around Marcus's slim waist, her hand fisting into the loose fabric of his shirt. "Thank you so much for inviting us!"
"The pleasure is all mine, ladies," he looked up, winking at Edward as Felix reclined behind them against the kitchen counter, watching the show going on in front of him.
Edward rolled his eyes at his old friends insincerity. He couldn't believe Victoria and Bree were actually buying the line of crap he was hand feeding them. Then again, they weren't exactly the brightest bulbs in the chandelier. And it appeared they would do just about anything to be with the 'in' crowd, which Marcus appeared to be the king of, his slick demeanor making them feel welcome into that world, even though he knew otherwise.
"Marcus, I hope you don't mind, but I brought my friend Eddie. He was visiting from
out of town." Of course she had noticed that Edward had been talking to Marcus. She could probably sniff Marcus out at a hundred yards, even with her tongue down Demitri's throat.
"I'm actually quite thrilled that you brought Eddie, um…" his eyes flashed toward Edward, who rolled his eyes at him. "Babe," he finished, eyes on Edward's disapproving face. "Would you believe that Eddie and I are old friends from another life?"
Once more, Edward felt compelled to roll his eyes, only this time, he and Felix did it at the same time.
"Wow…like, from a past life," Bree teetered in her stiletto's, the beer buzz already turning into a full on drunk.
Marcus looked at Edward. "In a way…"
"Marcus and I attended The Latin School of Chicago together," Edward cut him off, tired of the games he was playing. "Back before the Cullen's adopted me."
Marcus let his arms drop from the two girls and moved toward Edward, Victoria reluctantly letting go of the handful of shirt she was still clutching. "As I recall, your buddy Eddie here was quite the little geek. Some things never change."
Edward smirked. "And you were quite the loser. Good to see you're still the same."
Victoria looked at Edward in astonishment. "Eddie, I don't think it's…"
"Isn't it time to go find your boyfriend," Marcus turned to her, but not before rolling his eyes at Edward. "And perhaps Felix would be more comfortable sitting down inside?"
"Come on, Bree," Felix grabbed two more beers and his girlfriends arm before tugging her back into the living room.
"Go on," Marcus looked at Victoria as she stood there. "Shoo," he dismissed her with a waving hand before she huffed and turned on her heel, calling out Demitri's name as she ran into the other room.
"God, I thought she'd never leave! She's annoying as fuck!"
"That she is," Edward mused as he emptied his bottle of Stella.
"Was she always this annoying?"
"No," he shook his head before reaching into the ice bucket in search of another bottle. "She's much worse now. As are you."
"How do you stand being friends with her?"
Edward shrugged. The last thing he had any intention of doing was letting someone like Marcus know the details of his entanglement with Victoria. "I don't have to see her very often," he let out a dark chuckle. "How do you stand being you? I mean, you actually have to live with yourself."
Marcus' mouth twisted into a droll smile. "Touche, my friend."
Edward raised his beer to Marcus in a salute. "Why do you go to the regular high school now?"
"Got kicked out of Latin, and a couple of other schools," Marcus tossed his now empty bottle into a bucket marked 'RECYCLE' and plucked another from the bucket of ice. "My step father decided that he wasn't going to waste any more of the money he worked so hard to fleece from his clients on my smart ass~which, by the way, is his pet name for me, Smart Ass~and shoved me into the general population. So that I could learn a lesson from those who were, and I quote, 'less fortunate' than myself and didn't have the educational opportunities that were available to someone like me," he ended with wide sweep of his arm and bowed.
Edward cracked up laughing. "Are you shittin' me?"
"Nah, my step father's got a pole the size of the Sears Tower shoved up his ass," he took a gulp of his beer. "How's your new father?"
Edward tipped his bottle to his mouth. "Not very new anymore."
"You know what I mean."
Edward smiled. "If I told you that I have the worlds best parents, would you believe me?"
Marcus studied Edward's face for a moment, before answering. "Yeah, I would," his tone was serious. "You're that big of a dick to say something like that and mean it."
"Well, it's the truth. I do. I have the best parents I could ever ask for. My father is compassionate and caring. He puts his family and his patients before himself. Always. My mother," he paused, sighing. "My mother saved me. I have no idea where I'd be without her. She's my lifeline."
"Lucky," he sounded like he meant it. "Are you all in Chicago now?"
"No," Edward shook his head, taking a drink from his bottle. "My father was here for a couple of weeks, but had to go back to Washington. My mom's here now, and everyone else is flying out as soon as school's out for the holidays."
"Lucky," Marcus repeated.
"Your parents aren't home, obviously," Edward gestured to the throng occupying nearly every inch of the vast living room and hallway.
"Nope. They never are. They're in Gstaad skiing."
"They went without you?"
"Always do," he emptied his beer in one quick succession of gulps and slammed the bottle down on the counter with a bang. "C'mon. Let's find Benjamin and Peter and have a little Latin reunion. They're gonna pee when they see you and that hair! And by all means, bring your cute little pea coat with you," he grabbed Edward by the lapel of the gray pea coat he was still wearing, dragging him into the crowd.
XxXxXxXxXx
Bella angrily pushed past Jessica and melted into the crowd, leaving both she and Jacob gaping at the door.
She stormed through the small, crowded living room until she found herself in the cramped kitchen, and folded her arms across her chest, a mighty scowl on her face.
"Hey, Bella, wait up," naturally Mike Newton followed her through the house and into the kitchen, where Mrs. Stanley was taking little pieces of frozen hors d'oeuvres out of a box on the counter and placing them onto cookie sheets.
"Is everything ok, kids," Mrs. Stanley quirked an eyebrow at Bella and Mike.
"Everything's fine, Mrs. Stanley," Bella sighed.
"Bella?" Jessica bounced into the room. "What just happened with that boy from the La Push reservation?"
"Nothing happened, Jess," Bella blew out a deep breath.
"What boy from La Push," Mike asked nosily.
"Jessica, I told you that you could invite thirty people. Thirty. Not the entire population of Forks and La Push," Mrs. Stanley scolded.
"Ma, I didn't invite anyone from La Push. He's Bella's date," Jessica defended herself.
"He's not my date," Bella protested.
"What happened to Cullen," Mike wore an expression of surprise.
"Nothing happened to Edward," Bella was beginning to lose her patience. "He's still in Chicago. Jacob is an old friend of mine, not that it's any of your business. Our father's are friends. I thought it would be nice for him to meet the rest of my friends. That's all. Nothing more than that. Not now, not ever."
"I'm sure it's not. Not after telling him to eff off," Jessica snorted, her hands on her red felt clad hips. "It's probably not even a friendship anymore."
"Jessica, what did I tell you about that sort of language," Mrs. Stanley slid toasted bits of the puffy bite size tidbits from a cookie sheet she pulled from the oven and onto a big serving tray.
"I didn't say anything, Ma. Bella did," Jessica stomped her foot like a four year old.
"Oh, thanks Jess. Sell me out why don't you?"
"So, you're not dating him?" Mike Newton seemed to have a one track mind. "The kid from La Push?"
"No, Mike. I'm not dating Jake. In fact, to the best of my knowledge, no one is dating him. So, since you seem to be so frigging interested in him, he's all yours."
Mrs. Stanley snorted out a snicker at the counter. "Go for it, Michael."
Mike Newton's round boyish face grew red with embarrassment as the three women tried not to giggle in front of him. Growing angry at his obvious embarrassment, he stormed out of the kitchen, pushing past Jacob Black, who'd finally made his way inside to look for Bella.
"Watch where you're going, asshole," Mike growled as he shoved Jake out of his way.
"Who's the giant tool?" Jacob jerked a thumb in the direction that Mike, along with his wounded ego, had taken off in.
"That is the one and only Mike Newton," Bella couldn't contain herself any longer and, after exchanging meaningful glances with Jessica, tossed her head back and let out her throaty laugh. "He wants to date you."
"What?" Jacob looked uncomfortable suddenly.
"Is this the boy from La Push," Mrs. Stanley looked up from her appetizer tray to examine Jacob. "Wow, you're a big one. What are they feeding you down on the res these days?"
"Miracle Grow," Jacob's face lit up with his smile.
"Ha," Mrs. Stanley let out a guffaw. "I like this one," she nodded. "Jess…I like this one," she quirked an eyebrow, causing her daughters face to grow as red as her skirt.
"Ma! Jeez!" Jessica turned on the heel of her little black velvet flats with red jingle bells attached and jingled out of the kitchen.
Jacob looked at Mrs. Stanley, who had gone back to her little puffed pastries while humming, with curiosity, almost forgetting the reason he was in the kitchen in the first place.
"Uh…yeah…Um…Bella…I…um…I'm sorry."
Bella crossed her arms over her chest once more, and forced her face into a stern grimace. Behind Jacob, who still stood in the kitchen doorway, she could see Alice and Jasper watching the exchange.
"You should be, Jacob. I mean, I'm nice enough to invite you to come with us, and you do nothing but insult my friends."
"I'm sorry. I mean, you know I don't like the Cullens."
"Oh, I do? How do I know this?"
"I told you…when we met in the Thriftway."
"You did? Then why don't I remember," she looked at him, surprised.
"Yeah, I did…well…not in so many words, I guess," Jacob looked down at the floor. The Stanley kitchen was dated, with burnt orange floor tiles and wallpaper and avocado green appliances.
"I believe you referred to my boyfriend as weird."
"Yeah…well…that's what I meant…"
"You don't like Edward because you think he's weird, so all Cullen's are bad?"
"Yeah…no…ah, Jeez, Bella," Jacob slapped a massive hand across his forehead. "You…you make me crazy, you know that?"
"I make you crazy," she took a step toward him, and he instinctively backed up, his sense of self preservation sharper than he thought. "I invite you to a party. You insult my friends, and I make you crazy?"
"That's not what I meant."
"I think it is."
"I…I mean…it's...," he stammered.
"It's what, Jake? What do you mean? Spit it out, you giant hair ball," she spat at him.
"I like you," he whispered, hanging his head.
"I like you too…or I did, until tonight," she snorted.
"No, Bells. I mean…I mean…I…I like you."
Mrs. Stanley had taken her attention away from the little savory treats on her tray and was now watching the exchange intently.
"You mean…you…you….like me. You don't like me. You like me?" Now it was Bella's turn to stammer.
"Yeah," he nodded his head. "And Cullen, well, he's kinda in the way of that, you know?"
Bella nodded, feeling her cheeks flaming red. "Well…yeah…I…I could see…yeah," she nodded again. "Yeah, I can see why you don't like him then," she looked away from him, playing with a measuring cup that was laying haphazardly on the counter next to her.
"It makes me crazy, thinking about you being with…with…him."
"Uh huh."
"I…I wanted to ask you out so badly…but…I was having that bit of trouble with…well…you know. And I knew Charlie would kick my ass if he found out I wanted to date you~sorry Ma'am," he looked at Mrs. Stanley with big black apologetic eyes. "And by the time I got my act together, well, you were with him. He had what I wanted. How could I like the guy, no matter how nice he might be," he smiled impishly, making his boyish face appear even younger than it usually did.
Bella let out a sigh. "Oh, Jake…my heart's belonged to Edward since the first day I met him. There was…it wouldn't…there's no…," she sighed again. "I love him, Jake," her voice was soft. "There's half a country between us right now, and that love? It's still as strong as it was before he left, if not stronger. There's nothing that can change that," she looked up at Jacob's disappointed face, meeting his eyes for the first time. "Ever."
Jacob looked back down at the orange linoleum, nodding silently.
"I'm sorry, Jake," she continued in a soothing tone. "I like you. I really do. But…but not like that."
He nodded again. "I understand," he whispered.
Mrs. Stanley held the tray of hors d'oeuvres out to Jacob. "Here, sweetie, have some."
Jacob looked up at her, a sad smile on his lips. "Thanks, Ma'am."
"You're welcome, doll," she brushed a strand of hair that had escaped the neat pony tail he wore at the nape of his neck off of his face as he popped a frank in a blanket into his mouth, chewing hungrily. "Why don't you take this tray inside and mingle with it, hmmm?"
He looked up at Bella, who smiled and nodded. "It'll be a good way to get to meet everyone, Jake."
He stood up straight, shaking the rejection off of himself, and took the large tray from Mrs. Stanley. "Ok," he sighed, resigned to his fate.
"And I think the first person you need to offer some to is standing right there."
Jacob followed Bella's pointed finger, which led straight to a smug looking Alice Cullen.
XxXxXxXxXx
Marcus closed the large wooden double doors behind them, clicking the lock as he did.
"Where are we," Edward tried not to let his nerves seep into his voice as he stood in the darkened room in another wing of the house, away from where the party raged. Really, while he'd been friends with the three of them years ago, if he was being honest with himself, he really didn't know them now. So much had happened, so much time had passed, that, as much as he wished things hadn't changed, they had. He knew that he himself wasn't the same boy he'd been when he left Latin and moved to Seattle. Hell, he wasn't the same guy he'd been in Seattle anymore. People change…and he had no idea why his old friends had herded him into a darkened room in a far wing of the massive house and locked the door behind them.
"It's my step dad's den," Marcus flipped on the lights, causing everyone to squint for a
brief moment from the brightness.
When his eyes adjusted to the intensity of the bright recessed lights, Edward looked around the room, letting out a low whistle. "Some den."
The den was immense. There were ceiling to floor windows running across the length of the room, which showcased the pool and gardens in the back of the house, lit up in all their winter glory, as the lights glinted off the gleaming white snow that blanketed everything. On one wall was a flat screen so large it looked like it belonged inside a movie theatre. Edward's mind drifted to Bella's house and how they would all sit and watch movies on Chief Swan's much smaller flat screen. Theatre style seats sat lined up in two rows in front of the television, giving it a much colder, less personal feeling than the worn out, cozy sofa at the Swans. He felt a pang of sadness as he remembered the night they all watched Bella's favorite Harry Potter movie.
An ornate pool table took center stage in the room. But the little reunited group stood huddled in front of a bar area. This was a bar area unlike any that Edward had ever seen before, including the bar in his grandfather's house. This one looked like it had been taken right out of an English pub, complete with small bar tables, hard wood floors and a dart board.
"This is the best room in the house, Eddie," Benjamin grinned as he rubbed his hands together. "You'll see."
Benjamin had mousy brown hair, cut in such a way that it made him look just like he was wearing a Justin Bieber wig. Edward couldn't understand why anyone would consciously want their hair to look like Justin Bieber's, but, then again, Benjamin was also short and stocky and looked like he'd lost a fight with the back end of a train, so he likely needed all the help he could get with the ladies.
"You've been missing out on some fun shit, Eddie," Peter flopped down in a plump, leather clad chair. Peter reminded Edward of a Jonas Brother for some reason. He wasn't sure which Jonas brother it was, but he was pretty sure it was a Jonas. Why his old friends were making him think of teen pop stars was beyond him, but they were, and another pang of sadness hit him when he thought of how amusing Bella would find the whole situation.
"I'm still in shock that you guys are all still hanging out together," Edward sat down in the chair opposite Peter.
"Yeah, we're still tight," Peter acknowledged as Marcus moved behind the bar, plunking crystal glasses down on the counter and dropping ice cubes into them. "Hey, you still bleed Cubbies Blue, Eddie?"
Edward shook his head. "Nah…well, not like I used to. I did like Piniella as manager, though. Wish he hadn't decided to retire."
"Yeah," Benjamin sighed. "I thought we had a shot to go all the way with Piniella. Shame."
"What's a shame is that I don't know if Eddie likes ice in his bourbon," Marcus interrupted from behind the bar.
"Um…sure," Edward looked at him as he leaned back in the comfortable chair. "So, you guys still go to Latin? Or are you in public school too?"
"Nah, we all got kicked out of Latin together," Benjamin joined them at the table, tossing his too long bangs out of his eyes as he sat.
Edward smiled. "What the hell did you guys do to get kicked out together?"
Marcus snickered. "You could say they caught us smoking in the boys room."
"And they kicked you out for that," Edward snorted. "What the fuck?"
"They weren't exactly cigarettes that we were smoking," Marcus poured amber liquid into each of the glasses.
"Weed?"
"Yep."
"Wow…I wouldn't have thought they'd expel you for something like that, what with all the rich, privileged bastards that go there," Edward mused as Marcus offered up the filled glasses to him on a tray. He took one and pursed his lips together, thinking. "Hey, you guys remember way back when some kid in like, ninth grade or something got caught?"
"Jared Wilkins," Peter nodded. "Yep."
"I don't remember him getting kicked out."
"He didn't," Benjamin grabbed a glass off the tray. "But he wasn't selling it either."
"Oh, shit. You guys weren't...," Edward's green eyes glowed.
"Fuck yeah. Why the hell not," Marcus flopped down in the chair next to Edward, completing the quartet. "I have easy, cheap access thanks to my new old man. Why shouldn't we make a few bucks off it?"
"Because that's not legal," Edward offered.
"Neither is this," Peter held up his glass of bourbon, smiling like a Cheshire cat.
"Nope, it's not, you fucking boyscout," Marcus raised his glass. "A toast! To the Four Musketeers! Together again!"
The four boys clinked their glasses together before drinking. The golden liquid was foul in his mouth and burned his throat going down, but Edward fought the urge to grimace in front of his friends.
"Now, to get this reunion off to a rockin' start," Marcus dipped his hand into the pocket of his shirt and pulled out a large joint. He lit it, and handed it to Edward. "You're the guest of honor. You get the first hit, Eddie."
Edward stared at the offering wide eyed for a moment, mentally scolding himself. It wasn't like he'd never smoked weed before. Truth be told, getting high was part of the weekend scene he and Victoria had been part of in Seattle. Everyone did it. All of his friends, particularly the guys he played ball with. That he hadn't done anything like this since moving to Forks was little more than a testament to his outcast status at Forks High. He had no friends to get stoned with. At all. And, since he was currently being perfectly honest with himself, didn't he deserve to cut loose for a little bit? Didn't he deserve to relax and enjoy himself? After the last few weeks, since his newly found paternal status had been discovered, he'd been on an emotional roller coaster. Not to mention that he'd had to deal with Victoria on a daily basis since coming to Chicago. Surely, if anyone deserved a cool buzz, it was Edward Cullen. He licked his lips and reached out, plucking the joint from Marcus' fingers. He lifted it to his lips, closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.
XxXxXxXxXx
"I hate eggnog," Alice groused as she hopped up onto the counter next to the sink where Bella was washing a cookie sheet.
"Then don't drink it. There's soda, isn't there?"
"Yeah, but everyone's drinking that stinkin' nog! I don't want to be the only one drinking Coke," she folded her arms over her chest, her satin dress crinkling under them.
"You're gonna wrinkle if you sit like that, Alice. Your skirt's hitching up," Bella took a dish towel and wiped the sheet. "Here you go, Mrs. Stanley," she handed the metal pan to the older woman.
"Oh, thank you so much Bella! It's such a treat to have someone who knows their way around a kitchen here. Jessica means well…but…"
"Yeah, I can see how that'd be an issue," Bella smiled. There was just something about Mrs. Stanley that she really liked, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She was sure that, given the opportunity to spend more time with her, she would eventually end up liking Mrs. Stanley more than she liked her daughter.
"Mrs. Stanley, did you make those little appetizers," Alice watched the older woman work.
Mrs. Stanley looked up at Alice as she dropped more frozen globs onto the cookie sheet Bella had just handed her. She laughed. "No, dear. I would likely be in the state mental hospital by now if I'd attempted to make a thousand little puff pastry treats."
"I bet you would have set some sort of Guinness world record or something if you had, huh?"
"I bet I would have set a record, but I doubt Guinness keeps track of those kinds of records, Alice," she smiled at Bella, who laughed.
"I think poor Mrs. Stanley won't want to see another frozen appetizer for a long time, Alice."
"I think I want to get a box of those and make them for dinner tomorrow," Alice smiled. "Especially those little hot dog ones. Oh, and the ones that have like, potato and spinach in them? Oh my God! I want! I want," Alice licked her lips and closed her eyes.
"Here you go, right out of the oven," Mrs. Stanley slid a sheet of steaming puffs onto another tray. Alice hopped off the counter and began to pluck her favorites off the tray, dropping them onto a paper plate.
Bella stood with her hands on her hips and laughed heartily. "That's the real reason Alice came in here, Mrs. Stanley. Not to talk to us, but to get first crack at the food!"
"And don't tell Jazz," she pointed a tiny finger at Bella as she returned to the counter to hungrily eat her pilfered puffs.
"I'll pass these around, Mrs. Stanley. Jake seems to have pooped out," Bella looked into the living room, watching as Jake sat on the sofa, talking animatedly with Lauren Mallory, who seemed to be very interested in the strange new boy from out of town.
"You do realize that this is supposed to be Jessica's job, don't you, Bella," Mrs. Stanley blew a lock of hair that had fallen over her face away.
"Yeah, but," Bella looked into the living room again, spotting Jessica in the corner, where she'd somehow wrangled Mike Newton. She used her body to block him in there, talking his ear off. "Jess should enjoy her party too, you know?"
"That's sweet, dear, but you are a guest, not the help. And your outfit is so pretty."
Bella looked down, the sequined bustier and leather skirt fitting her just so. In that moment, she missed Edward more than she had before. She knew how much he would have appreciated her effort tonight.
"He'll see you in it when he gets back," Alice mumbled through a mouth filled with potato and spinach puff. She turned and gave Bella a look, licking her greasy fingers as she did.
"Jesus, I had no idea what a pig you were, Alice," Bella huffed, annoyed that her friend had read her mind. "Does Jasper know this very unattractive side of you?"
Alice shrugged. "What can I say? I enjoy my food."
"Speaking of poor Jasper, where did you leave him," Bella picked up the tray that Mrs. Stanley had finished refilling.
"He's in the den with Tyler and Erik and some of the other boys. I think Ben's in there with Angela, too," she popped a tiny frank into her mouth and chewed heartily. "There's some sort of game on," she managed through the mouthful before opening her mouth up all the way, and showing Bella her half chewed food.
"Ew! Alice! Gross," Bella hefted the tray off the counter and ran into the other room with it, listening to Alice's cackling laugh as she went.
"She's such a pretty girl," Mrs. Stanley mused. "If only she'd wear a little less makeup."
"The makeup," Alice bit into another puff. "What about the hair? To say nothing of that lip ring," she chewed quickly. "I'll say this much, I simply won't allow that hair or lip ring at the wedding."
"What wedding?"
"When she and my brother get married," Alice shoved the rest of the puff into her mouth.
"Aren't you jumping a little fast there? Maybe putting the cart before the horse?" The oven timer dinged and Mrs. Stanley pulled another batch of hors d'oeuvres from the oven. Alice was at her side quickly, once again picking her favorites off the tray and dropping the hot tidbits into her plate. "You know, for someone so tiny, you sure can pack it in."
"Fast metabolism," Alice grinned and leaned against the counter next to where Mrs. Stanley worked. "And no, I'm not jumping into any conclusions or putting anything before any carts. Bella and Edward are going to get married. They are meant to be together for eternity. I just know it."
"Do you now?"
"Mm hmm," Alice bit into a frank in a blanket. "You know, some mustard would be great with these."
"There's some in the fridge," Mrs. Stanley gestured with her head toward the refrigerator and watched as the tiny girl almost danced across the kitchen and opened the door, searching for the mustard.
"You seem pretty sure of yourself where your brother and Bella are concerned."
"I am. I just…sometimes, I just know things, you know," she slammed the refrigerator door shut and went back to the counter where her plate sat with the mustard.
"Spoons are in the drawer," Mrs. Stanley offered.
Alice grabbed a spoon out of the draw and dropped a dollop of mustard onto her plate, licking the remaining mustard off the spoon. "Mmm…nice and spicy!"
"So, you say you know things. Is that like you're…psychic?" Mrs. Stanley grinned but didn't look up. She was enjoying the conversation and knew if she looked at the hungry little pixie, she would laugh.
"Yep, although Jazz sometimes says I'm more psycho than psychic," she giggled for a minute then grew serious again. "But, seriously, Mrs. Stanley. Bella and Edward love one another. And it's a love like what Jazz and I have. Maybe even more intense," she paused thinking for a moment. "My brother is addicted to her, like a heroin addict. And Bella? Edward is like air for her. Without him, she has trouble even breathing. I've seen it," she nodded before pushing more food into her mouth. "God, I'm so going to hate myself in the morning."
"You might hate yourself tonight if that tight little dress decides to give out on you," Mrs. Stanley laughed. "Oh, Alice, you are a delight. I think both your brother and Bella are very lucky to have you on their side. It's a shame I didn't have you around when I decided to marry Jessica's father. You could have talked me out of it."
"Why? If you'd never married Mr. Stanley, you wouldn't have Jess."
"I guess you've got a point there," Mrs. Stanley mused as she slid another sheet of little mouth watering delights into the oven. "But still…now I'm much older and alone…the bum."
"May his man bits shrivel up and fall off," Alice said solemnly.
"My sentiments exactly."
"So, is the divorce final?"
"Mm hmm. Last week. I think it's been hardest on Jessica. That's why I let her have this party, even though I wasn't in much of a festive mood this year."
"Mrs. Stanley," Alice's eyes glinted with delight. "When you're ready, you let me know."
"Ready for what, dear," she asked curiously.
"Ready to get your feet wet…in the dating pool. Because I have the perfect man for you. Hell, if he wasn't my best friends father, I'd probably want to date Charlie Swan myself!"
XxXxXxXxXx
*ducks*
I think anyone who's watched Twilight with the commentary on knows the origin of Edward's sentiment about his little pea coat *giggles* I have to admit...that's my favorite part.
And Lou Piniella...Sweet Lou. I'm a Yankee fan from waaaaayyyy back...so number 14 will always have a special place in my Yankee Pinstriped heart, regardless. And who doesn't love the Cubbies anyway? I'm sure Edward secretly still lives and dies with them...but he's just too darn stubborn to admit it *winks*
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