FINALLY!
I can't tell you how bad things have been in real life...not that this is any excuse for me not updating in so lng. But, if it makes any difference...I'm WAY behind in my fanfic reading as well. And I mean chapters behind LOL I hope to have at least one more chapter up this week. It will probably be a short one, but I'll try to squeeze in writing between cleaning, wrapping, baking and cooking. And, I'm on vacation this week...but I have to go in tomorrow because I stupidly offered to do something...and seriously, in hindsight, I should have never done that. But that's another story for another day. Right now, I'm just thrilled that I got this up :D
So, let's handle business first:
Twilight, its characters and its situations do not belong to me. They are the property of the very lucky Stephenie Meyer who owns Edward...but not in the same way most of us want to own him ;)
Please read and enjoy~
Chapter 31: We're A Happy Family
"Dad, don't forget Alice is coming for dinner tonight so we can give each other our Christmas gifts before she leaves in the morning," Bella stood at the counter in the kitchen, filling two large mugs with hot steaming coffee. It was the day before Christmas Eve, the last day of school until after the new year. The last day she would get to spend with her best friend, who would be leaving on a jet plane the next day headed to Chicago, and, of course, to Edward.
Charlie padded into the kitchen silently, wearing only a pair of thick red socks on his feet. "I remember, Bells," he said as he softly placed something on the table. She heard the paper bag rattling.
"What do you have there," she inquired as she turned and brought the mugs to the table.
"Well, I was wondering if maybe you'd have some time before Alice got here to do a little bit of wrapping for me," he asked sheepishly.
"What am I wrapping," she peered into the tattered shopping bag that sat on the table.
"It's just a couple of gifts I picked up for the Cullen's," he looked down at his feet.
"Aw, Dad, that's so sweet," she smiled at him warmly. "I already picked up stuff for us to give them, but this is just so cool. What did you get them?"
Charlie reached into the bag and pulled out a small square box. "This is for Alice. I don't know if she'll like it, but I saw it while I was shopping for you, and it made me think of her."
Bella took the box from her father's hand and opened it. Inside sat a sparkling set of slim silver bangles stacked up one on top of the other. Bangles that just happened to match the earrings that Bella had gotten for her friend. She began to laugh.
"Oh God," Charlie looked crestfallen. "She has these already, doesn't she?"
"No," Bella giggled. "But she's going to have the matching earrings, because that's what I got her."
"You're kidding," Charlie's mustache twitched up at the tips as he smiled broadly.
"Nope," she shook her head. "So she damn well better like them."
"If she's got any taste other than what's in her mouth, she will," Charlie laughed. "By the way, should we order a couple of pizzas for tonight so you don't have to cook?"
"That'd be cool," Bella smiled as she reached into the bag and pulled out another small box. She opened it up. "Guitar picks?"
"Look at them closely," his smile grew so much that the corners of his eyes crinkled up.
She sifted through the box of shiny, multicolored celluloid. "These all have Jasper's name on them," she exclaimed in surprise.
"Found this place online that does custom guitar picks," Charlie was proud of himself. "I know he played for Alice all the time before the accident, so once his shoulder is all healed, he'll have these to use."
"Damn, Swan, you sure do know how to surprise me," she stared at him in disbelief. "What do you have up that plaid flannel sleeve of yours for me?"
"Ah, but we promised we wouldn't tell, remember," he lowered himself into his chair, leaning his elbows on the table as he did, unable to hid his grin.
"Have I mentioned how badly you suck," she deadpanned.
"That's why I'm the Dad," he snorted as he picked up his mug, inhaling the warm aroma as he did. "Mmmm," he took a sip. "You make a good cup of joe, kid.
She smiled at him and reached into the bag again. "Yeah, and if there's one thing cops, know, it's their joe." Charlie snorted as she pulled her hand out of the bag. This time she came up with a slim box much like the box that held her gift to Carlisle and Esme. Charlie had picked up a beautiful picture frame for them, encrusted with amber jewels.
"It matches the colors in their dining room," he smiled.
"I got them a picture frame too," she laughed. "But the one I got them is for a baby boy's picture."
"That's good," he nodded. "I figured they'd have a load of new pictures to frame, you know?"
"Yeah," she agreed. She was so much like her father, and she hadn't even realized it until now.
She reached into the bag, pulling out the final item, staring at it wide eyed.
"Um…Dad?"
Charlie sipped his coffee, without looking up. "It's special to us, ok?"
Bella held the dvd in her hand and waved it at him. "So, it's your movie, is it?"
Her father smirked. "I figured he could use a good laugh or two, Bells."
She stared at the copy of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. "Yeah, I'm glad you want to cheer up the giant braying ass who broke your daughter's heart."
"Now, Bells," Charlie still didn't look up at her, instead continuing to sip his coffee. "What did you get him?"
Bella was taken aback. How did he know? How could he possibly know?
"I…I…what do you mean what did I get him?"
"I think the question is perfectly clear, kiddo," he set his mug down and leaned back in his chair, watching as his daughter stood uncomfortably in front of him.
"I…I…why would I get him anything? What makes you think I got him anything," she demanded, suddenly self conscious.
"Because you love him."
"But…I…," she looked away, and sighed, knowing she was beaten. She lowered he eyes. "I got him this little silver frame and I put a picture of him with Alec in it." Her voice was small.
"You have a picture of the baby?" Charlie couldn't mask his surprise.
She nodded solemnly. "Alice sent it to me."
"Can I see?"
"Sure," she sighed again. "I have another—"Dammit! He always did this to her, got her to say things she didn't mean to say.
"I'd like to see what he looks like," Charlie smiled to himself. While he was glad it was someone else's daughter Edward had knocked up, he had to admit the was curious to see what kind of babies the bronze haired wonder would make.
Edward sat on the bench outside the kitchen door, puffing on his third cigarette of the hour. In the days since the party, his world had once more been turned on its side. His mother was speaking to him, but only when absolutely necessary and she barely looked at him, even when necessary. While he knew he'd disappointed her before, he couldn't think of a time when she'd ever turned away from him. Not like this. This time, it was different.
"Edward," the top half of the kitchen's split Dutch door swung open as the butler stuck his head out into the frozen December weather.
"Yes, sir?"
"You can mop the kitchen now." And the top half of the door clicked shut.
Since that night, since he'd lost the trust of his mother, he'd been punished. He'd had chores to do, chores that normally fell to Jenks. This had been his mother's decision, her 'for now' punishment, as she called it. His real punishment awaited his father's arrival in Chicago. Until then, there would be no more "Master Edward". No more hugs and kisses from Mom. No more Jenks chauffeuring him around. And no more Jenks. He was to call him "Mr. Jenks" and Tanya was "Mrs. Jenks". His mother didn't even allow him to be responsible for Alec anymore. If you can't be responsible for yourself, Edward, how am I to trust you with that beautiful child?
He let out a humorless snort and took a final drag from his cigarette, snuffing it out in the little sand bucket Jenks had put next to the bench for him, before heading inside to finish his chores. If this were prison, he would be on the janitorial staff, he surmised. The washing of the floors, as well as the bathrooms, was now all his.
He couldn't lie, not even to himself. Everything that he was getting had been well deserved, well earned. He'd proven he couldn't be trusted. He'd entered a dark labyrinth on Thanksgiving day, and he'd become horribly lost within it, sinking deeper and deeper into despair, unable to keep his head above it any longer.
He pulled his lanky form from the bench with a groan and went back into the warm kitchen, shedding his jacket and gloves and hanging them on a hook by the door. The mop and bucket awaited him.
"Be sure to get the mop along the baseboards," Jenks commanded.
"Yes, sir," he mumbled as he sloshed the mop into the water and began the task.
"Don't forget the hallway," Jenks called from where he stood preparing a chicken for the evening's dinner.
"Yes, sir."
His father would be arriving the following day, and with him would come Alice. Alice, his lifeline. He couldn't wait to see her, to hear from her any news at all that she would share about Bella. It didn't matter to him what sentence his father determined to be an adequate penance for his actions at the party. All that mattered was Bella.
He'd been a fool.
He had the best thing ever, and he shot it all to hell. All because he was too immature to handle the challenges that life tossed in his path. What made him think that his life would be any different from anyone else's? For that matter, why should it be different? What made him think he was so damn special?
What would his life have been like if Carlisle and Esme had decided that since they couldn't have the baby of their own that they desperately wanted, they would just live their lives without children? No, his parents had stared down the roadblock that life chucked in front of them, and his parents had won.
And their reward for their bravery was a son who couldn't be trusted. A son who caused them endless grief and aggravation. A son who seemed to be determined as all hell to destroy everything they had built as a family.
He lowered his head as he swept the wet mop along the glossy bricks. He had always loved this floor as a child.
"Press on the mop, Edward. You're not going to get the dirt off by just waving the mop around over it like it's Harry Potter's wand," Jenks voice broke him from his thoughts.
"Yes, sir."
"You can use the small vacuum on the smaller staircase," Jenks motioned toward the small service staircase that led directly into the kitchen from the upstairs rooms.
"Yes, sir."
"And your mother doesn't like the way the boxwood swags are laying on the mantle in the living room," the old man's voice was detached. "She would like to celebrate Christmas morning in there, and she wants the décor to be just so, so she would like for you to take them down and fix them properly."
"Yes, sir."
He knew he would end up with a backache from vacuuming the staircase. It was narrow and steep. And fiddling with the Christmas decorations would only exasperate the pain further. But, it was a pain that he knew he deserved. A pain that he looked forward to. Edward had always retreated when things became difficult. When Rose accused him and his mother of having an inappropriate relationship, he'd closed himself off from her, and from the rest of the family. When the chips were down, he'd shut out Bella. When responsibilities became too much…he'd fallen back on bad habits. This time…this time things would be different. He would take his medicine. Face the music like a man, and prove his mettle. He would show everyone what kind of a man Edward Cullen could be.
Five uneaten crusts littered the plate in front of Alice Cullen. She sat back in her chair, licking her greasy fingers with a contented look on her face.
"Jesus, Alice. Had I known what a pig you were, I would have ordered a few extra pies."
"Oh hush, Bella," Alice tossed a glare in her direction. "I didn't eat the whole slice. I left the crusts."
Charlie snorted and Alice's glare changed direction.
"Seriously, Alice, how do you stay so slim," Charlie rested his elbows on the table, clasping his hands together in front of his chin, staring at the tiny girl with wonder. "You don't go and…you know…" he gestured a finger into his mouth.
"Ew Charlie! That's gross," Alice's nose crinkled at the suggestion.
"Well, you have to admit, Alice…you do eat like…like…"
"A pig," Charlie finished for his daughter.
Alice stretched and a hearty burp escaped her lips. "Oh," her eyes bugged out as she slapped a tiny hand over her mouth. "I'm so sorry! Please excuse me!"
"You're excused," Charlie grinned at her.
"You're both just jealous that I have a fast metabolism," she sniffed as she picked up her dish and headed toward the sink with it. "Where is your disposal switch?"
"Our disposal is right there, Alice," Bella pointed toward the tall yellow kitchen trash can that sat in the corner.
"You don't have a disposal?"
Charlie chuckled. "Alice, take a look around. This isn't exactly a modern kitchen."
"Oh," she skipped over to the trash can. "There's nothing wrong with this kitchen, Charlie," she slid her crusts into the white plastic bag that lined the can.
"Everything's wrong with this kitchen, Alice."
"Well," she slipped her dinner plate into the sink and flounced back to the table, sitting back down. "I like it fine," she sipped the remains of her cola. "Can we go open our gifts now?"
Charlie looked at Bella. "I guess…we're all done eating, right?"
Bella nodded. "I'm stuffed…are you done, Alice? I mean, you burped, so you might be hungry again. There are a few slices left."
Alice crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not a pig," she sniffed.
"I never said you were," Bella pushed her chair out from the table and stood. "He did," she pointed her finger at her father.
"Hey," Charlie held his hands out in front of himself defensively. "I only repeated what you said," he was having trouble hiding his smirk.
"Never mind," Alice slid her chair back and stood up. "I want to go open our presents now."
They settled into the living room, the massive tree glowing in all of it's fuchsia and lime green glory.
Alice flopped down on the floor, sitting cross legged in front of the tree. "I love how this tree came," she cooed. "I really like that we used feathers instead of garlands. And the black crystals just totally make it all pop," she said admiringly.
"It's a beauty," Charlie eased into his favorite chair, letting out a contented sigh as he did.
"I like it too," Bella smiled, reaching for a small stack of gifts wrapped in the same colors that festooned the tree.
Alice clapped her hands. "Yay! Presents!"
"You are so easy," Bella giggled as she flopped down next to her friend. "Ok, these two are for you."
"Weeee!" Alice grabbed the two small boxes from Bella and tilted her head to the side, shaking the boxes one at a time. "Ooo! This one jingles!"
"Surprise! We got you loose change," Charlie hooted from his perch.
"Very funny, Charlie," Alice scowled at him as she put the two boxes to the side and stood up. "I just remembered that I left something in the car."
"Huh?" Bella looked confused. "What are these two boxes then?"
"Those are for you. Charlie's is in the car," she called from the front door.
"Mine's in the car," Charlie looked at his daughter, eyebrow raised.
"I have no idea, Dad," she shrugged. "You know Alice."
A moment later, Alice returned carrying what looked to be an extremely long tube of wrapping paper.
"Merry Christmas from the Cullen's," she smiled as she handed it to Charlie.
"Oh my," Charlie held the item delicately.
"What the hell is that," Bella craned her neck from her spot on the floor to see
"Open it," Alice stood in front of Charlie, bouncing up and down.
"Well, ok," Charlie took a deep breath and gently ripped the silver and red paper, stopping dead in his tracks as he revealed the item beneath.
"Alice…"
"Oh my God! Dad!"
Charlie stood holding a brand new fishing rod. He smiled broadly. "Thank you, Alice."
"You're welcome. Here," she pushed one of the two boxes that sat next to Bella toward him. "This goes with it."
"Hey, I thought that was mine," Bella pouted.
"So I lied," Alice shrugged. "Sue me."
"Alice, the rod was more than enough."
"And this goes with it," she smiled.
Charlie rolled his eyes and unwrapped the box.
"Oh, Alice…I can't. This is just too much," he held a new reel in his hand.
"It's from the whole family, Charlie. Not just me," she looked at him with her big dark eyes.
"But still, sweetie, this is just…."
"It's just right."
"Alice, I know how much this reel costs, and it's too much."
"It's just right. Besides, after all that you've done for my family, it's really not nearly enough."
"Thank you, Alice," he stood up and hugged the tiny girl tightly. "And thank your parents, please."
"I will," she dropped down on the carpet next to Bella, pushing the remaining box toward her. "Merry Christmas, Bella."
"Thanks, Alice," Bella took the box from her friend.
The two girls tore into their gifts with gusto. Alice got her first box opened before Bella had even gotten her wrapping paper halfway off, and screamed loudly.
"Oh my God! These are the earrings I liked when we were in Port Angeles," she screamed right in Bella's ear.
"Yep," Bella held her hand over her offended ear as she laughed at Alice's excitement.
"Thank you," Alice wrapped her slender arms around Bella's shoulders and pulled her into a tight hug.
"You're welcome," Bella laughed as she rubbed her still ringing ear.
"Then what's this? Is this really spare change," she looked at Charlie with a puzzled look on her face.
"Open it and find out," the tips of his dark moustache curled up as he smiled.
Alice tore into the second package with the glee of a five year old.
"Oh oh oh oh oh," she exclaimed. "The bracelets that match the earrings!" She slipped the glistening bangles onto her small wrist and bolted to her feet, throwing herself at an unsuspecting Charlie. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
"You're welcome," Charlie laughed, hugging her back.
"This is my favorite Christmas ever," she gushed, turning to look at Bella, who still sat with her half unwrapped gift in her lap.
"Well? Aren't you going to open it already?"
"Oh…yeah. Sorry, I got lost in your excitement," she snickered as she pulled the rest of the paper from the box. "Ooo…it's from Goff's," she joked as she pulled the top off the box.
"Unless we go into Seattle, it's really the only place to shop around here," Alice had returned to her spot on the floor next to her friend.
Bella pulled the delicate tissue paper away and gasped. "Oh, Alice…it's…it's….beautiful!"
She pulled a black cable knit sweater from the box, it's cowl neck falling softly as she did. "It's…beautiful!"
Bella stood up, holding the sweater up against herself.
"What do you think, Dad?"
"It's beautiful, Bells."
"It's so soft. It's like, angora or something," she rubbed the sleeve against her cheek.
"It's cashmere," Alice grinned.
"Cashmere? Alice, that's too expensive!"
"Oh, hush! You're my best friend! If I don't buy cashmere for you, who am I going to buy it for?"
Bella dropped to her knees and threw her arms around Alice, hugging her in the glow of the tree. "Thank you, Alice. You're my best friend too."
Edward sat in his comfortable blue chair. He was supposed to be reading Macbeth. Instead, he watched the hands on his clock move ever so slowly.
Their flight should have landed over an hour ago, but with Chicago weather being what it was, delays were a way of life.
He fidgeted and tried to concentrate on his book. He was as caught up in his studies as he could possibly be, but he knew it was still better if he gave his mother a wide birth. God only knew what was in store for him once his father arrived. He knew he had disappointed them both, and broke one of the cardinal rules of the house. He would no doubt get exactly what he deserved.
Leaning his head back, he closed his eyes, trying to calm his nerves with thoughts of Bella. Bella, who haunted his every waking moment and most of his sleeping ones as well.
Noise from downstairs woke him with a start, noticing that it was now dark outside and there was a pain in his neck from having fallen asleep in the wrong position in his chair.
Slowly, he made his way downstairs, where a reunion of Cullen's was taking place. He stood at the top of the grand staircase and looked down, watching his mother hug and kiss Alice and Jasper as she spoke animatedly to her children. He felt a pang of remorse. She barely looked at him these days. He was pretty certain there were no hugs from his mother in his future.
Alice happened to glance up and caught sight of him.
"Edward," she exclaimed with excitement. Obviously, word of his latest foray into trouble hadn't reached her yet.
Smiling in spite of himself, he made his way down the stairs to the entrance foyer. Alice slammed into him as soon as he reached the bottom, wrapping her arms around him tightly.
"Edward," she yelled into his ear excitedly. "I missed you so much!"
"I missed you too, Alice," he hugged her back, not looking at his parents as he did.
"I have so much to tell you," she stepped back from him and bounced up and down, hands clasped over her heart.
"Same here," he forced himself to smile at her.
"So when do I meet him?"
Edward finally looked at his mother, caution in his eyes. Since the party, she'd taken over everything having to do with Alec. What else could he do?
"Tomorrow. He's coming in the afternoon for his Christmas," Esme smiled as she took her husbands coat from him and handed it to the butler.
"Oh my gosh I can't wait," Alice clasped her hands together as her eyes glinted with excitement. "I have so many awesome things for him!"
"I bet you do," Esme laughed.
"She's been driving Dad and I crazy with all the shopping," Jasper laughed as Edward helped him off with his coat.
"Shoulder's still sore?"
"Yeah, but at least that weird sling's gone finally."
"Well, that's something then."
Jasper looked at Edward, brows knit together. "Yeah, it's something."
Edward turned away quickly, taking Jasper's coat and hanging it in the coat closet in the hallway.
"Edward," Esme called.
"Yeah, Mom?"
"Take everyone's bags up to their rooms, please," her tone was cool.
Alice looked from her brother to her mother, confusion on her face.
"Sure," he leaned down to pick up Alice and Jasper's bags.
"And Edward," his father's voice made him look up. It was the first time he had been addressed by him. "Meet your mother and I in your grandfather's study in twenty minutes," Carlisle's voice had a cool detachment to it.
"Yes, sir," Edward looked at his feet. His parents were wasting no time doling out his real punishment.
Carlisle wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulders and they walked toward the kitchen together.
"Edward, what the hell is going on," Jasper followed Edward and his bag up the stairs with Alice trailing behind, watching her parents disappear.
"Nothing."
"Edward," Alice ran quickly up the steps until she reached the top of the landing and stood in front of him as he reached the top step. "Don't lie to us. What is going on?"
He sighed as he led the way to her bedroom. "I fucked up again." He brought her suitcase into the room and put it on the bed, sitting down next to it. "What else is new?"
Alice's face fell in disappointment. "You didn't…she's not…oh…Edward."
"No, I didn't knock Victoria up again," he closed his eyes, shaking his head.
"Then what is it," Jasper put his hand on Alice's shoulder. "Edward, talk to us."
"I went to a party with Victoria. I didn't want to go, but Mom thought it'd be good for me to get out. So I went."
"You got drunk?"
"You could say that."
"Oh, Edward," Alice moved to the bed and sat down next to her brother, taking his hand.
"You remember that kid I used to hang out with? Marcus Green?"
"The kid with the white hair?"
"It's blonde," he snorted.
"Yeah, I remember him. He was kind of a smart ass. Why?"
"Well, the party turned out to be at his house."
"How random."
"Yeah."
"Wait…who's this kid," Jasper interjected.
"He's just someone Edward used to be friends with when we lived here. I never really liked him. There was just something creepy about him and his white hair," Alice shuddered. "Made me think of that white haired Harry Potter kid."
"Malfoy?"
"Yeah, him," Alice shuddered. "He always creeped me out."
Edward ignored her. "Anyway, he's still friends with Benjamin and Peter. Remember them?"
"Yeah. I always had a crush on Benji," Alice giggled.
"Benji," Jasper shook his head.
"He was cute."
"He's got Justin Bieber hair now."
"Oh God no."
"Oh God yes. And he's kind of plump."
Jasper let out a hoot.
"Stop it Jazz! It's not funny," she sniffed. "Let Edward continue his story."
Jasper sat down on the other side of Edward.
"Well, we kind of…celebrated our reunion."
"Oh, Edward…you know how Mom and Dad feel about that sort of thing."
"I know, Alice. It wasn't a conscious decision," he shook his head. "I mean, it just sort of happened."
"Was it bad?"
"I passed out."
"Shit," Jasper looked surprised. "You never passed out back in Seattle."
"Wait…what?" Alice looked at her them both. "What do you mean back in Seattle?"
Edward looked down at the floor, feeling the color rising in his cheeks. "Back when I was on the ball team, we sort of used to party a little."
"So you were what? Drinking and doing what? Smoking pot?"
Edward nodded.
"Oh, Edward," her voice was filled with disappointment. "How could you do that to Mom?"
"It wasn't like I did it a lot," he protested. "It was just a couple of tokes, that's all."
"Still. That was a couple too many," she crossed her arms over her chest. "And you," she glared at Jasper. "You knew?"
"I was friends with some of the same guys, babe."
"Oh, I'll deal with you later," she waved a hand dismissively at him. "Go on, Edward. Tell us the rest of it."
Edward relayed the rest of his story somberly.
"Seriously, Edward, Jenks is all kinds of awesome. The last thing he should have to worry about doing is carrying your stoned, passed out ass home."
"I won't argue with that, Alice," he sighed. "What I did was wrong. I know that, and I'm willing to take my punishment like a man."
"What do you think will happen," Jasper's face wore a look of concern.
"I don't know," he shook his head. "Right now, I can't go out without Mom or Jenks. And I have a lot of chores to do here. I do a lot of mopping and scrubbing."
"Is that going to carry over when you get home?"
Edward shrugged. "I have no idea. I'm guessing I'll be grounded for a while. I mean, it's not like I have any sort of social life anyway, and what little I had, well, I destroyed that a while ago, didn't I?"
"Yeah," Alice nodded. "And you destroyed her right along with it."
"Alice," Jasper shook his head. "This isn't the time for that."
"Sorry."
"It's ok," Edward took his sister's hand. "I deserve it. I've fucked up. Not just for me, but I've fucked up for Bella and for Alec."
"You're the only one with the power to make it all right, Edward," Alice's voice was soft as she looked lovingly at her brother. "I have faith in you, you know, even if you don't."
"Thanks, Alice," he kissed her cheek. "I'm going to do everything I can to make it up to all of them," he stood up, turning toward the door. "And I'm going to start right now with making it up to Mom and Dad."
Bella lounged on the sofa, immersed in A Christmas Story, playing continuously on TBS for twenty four hours.
"Hey Bells," Charlie clomped down the stairs and stepped into the living room.
"What's up, Dad," she didn't turn from the television, giggling as Flick's tongue stuck to the flag pole on a dare.
"This what you're doing tonight?"
"Yep. All the gifts are wrapped and my prep work for dinner tomorrow is all done. This is on for twenty four hours and I intend to watch every minute of it."
He sat down on the sofa next to her. "SO, what's the menu for tomorrow?"
"I have some appetizers…with meat," she glanced at him. "Because it's Christmas and all."
Charlie laughed. "Just what I asked Santa for."
"Yeah, the jolly old elf himself told me you wanted meat for Christmas," she snickered at the tv. "Hee! Scut Farkus and his yellow eyes!"
"So…what kind of meat did you get," Charlie could feel the saliva pooling in his mouth as he anticipated the prospect of once again eating meat in his own home.
"I dunno. It's these little frozen puffed pastry things that we had at Jess's party. I helped Mrs. Stanley bake them all night. Alice loved them," she smiled at her father. "Hey, why are you all dressed up?"
"For Midnight Mass."
She stared at her father. "I didn't know we were Catholic."
"Well," Charlie ran his hand through his hair as he leaned back on the sofa next to Bella. "We Christened you, but we never really, well…we didn't really practice our religion."
"So when'd you get so…religious?"
"Past few years, I've been going to church whenever I could."
"That's pretty cool, Dad," she smiled and took his hand. "I wish I'd known that."
"Do…do you want to come with me?"
"I…I don't know."
"It may make you feel better," he squeezed her hand. "And I think you'll like Father Caius."
Her eyes grew big. "You think?"
Charlie nodded at his daughter. "Yeah. He's pretty good. Makes me feel better every time. There's…there's hope in that place at Christmas."
Her brows knit together. "I could use a little hope…and maybe some prayers."
"This is the season for miracles, Bells," he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.
"I could use a miracle," she sighed. "Just a small one."
"I know I don't have to tell you how very disappointed your mother and I are in you, Edward."
"No, sir, you don't."
He sat in the stiff leather chair opposite his grandfather's giant mahogany desk, which Carlisle sat behind, hands folded calmly in front of him. His mother sat in the chair next to him.
"And I have no doubt your grandfather would be even more disappointed in you than we are. He lost his son and daughter in law~your parents~to drug abuse," he sighed heavily. "To think that his beloved grandson was following their poor example is simply unconscionable."
"I'm not following their example, Dad. It was just one time."
"And that's an excuse for what you have done? Edward, you are making a mess of your life. Sure, it's just once this time. But what is it the next time? Is it that you needed to unwind? Or it was a party? Or everyone else was doing it? There's always some way of justifying it, and then what, Edward? What is it then?"
Edward looked at his mother, who sat next to him quietly crying. She gripped a crumpled, soggy tissue in her fist. She'd obviously been crying for a while. His heart broke.
"I'm not my mother or father," he whispered, head bowed. He looked up at his father. "And I'm sorry, Dad. I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused. I promise I'll try harder. For you and Mom…and for Alec."
"For your own sake, and for the sake of that precious child, I hope you are sincere in that promise, Edward," Carlisle's voice cracked, and he cleared his throat before speaking again. "Now, your mother and I have discussed this and we've decided that you are to be grounded for the rest of the school year."
Edward sat with his jaw set, taking his punishment like the man he wanted to be.
"You will not use the car unless it's to go to school or to work. There will be no parties, Edward," he sighed, shaking his head. "Because we can't trust you."
"Yes, sir," he lowered his eyes, drawing a deep breath in through his nose. He could feel his legs and hands tremble. The very last thing he ever wanted was to do anything that would make his parents lose their trust in him. And he had done just that.
So there you have it...Bella doing what I intend to be doing Friday night =D
I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Like I said, I hope to get another short chapter up this week. I thank everyone who has been reading my little story and invite you to press the review button and let me know what you think!
And if you liked what you read, tell a friend :)
Once again, thanks to everyone who's reading and I promise to try harder to update more frequently =D