A/N:Thanks to SSHG316, Charmie77 and acireamos for beta'ing TLC. I am indebted to them each for their various gifts that makes TLC look like it's written by a professional. I love my betas!
Story Recommendations: "Purest Of Pain" by stolenxsanity, "Every October" by MissAlex and Larin20, and "Crime Scene Denials and Forensic Angels" by BQOTFU.
Each of these are very different, and are all works in progress. If you like angst, and hurt/comfort fics, you'll love Purest of Pain and stolenxsanity is a brilliant writer. Every October is an AU fic that explores a Prophecy that Edward is given about Bella when she is born. He visits her every October until she grows to be of an age when the prophecy can be fulfilled. I've also read Rebel Without A Cause, which is an equally exceptional AH story by Miss Alex with the Twi characters as Old Hollywood actors. Miss Alex's writing is beautiful. Now if CSI is your thing, you'll love Crime Scene Denials and Forensic Angels. BQOTFU is a tremendous writer and I can't wait to see how CSD&FA unfolds.
Please give these authors some love and let them know that I sent you there in your reviews. Thanks!
Trust, Loyalty, Commitment
YOU AND ME
byLifehouse
what day is it
and in what month
this clock never seemed so alive
I can't keep up
and I can't back down
I've been losing so much time
cause it's you and me and all of the people
with nothing to do
nothing to lose
and it's you and me and all of the people
and I don't know why
I can't keep my eyes off of you
all of the things that I want to say
just aren't coming out right
I'm tripping inwards
you got my head spinning
I don't know where to go from here
there's something about you now
I can't quite figure out
everything she does is beautiful
everything she does is right
you and me and all of the people
with nothing to do
nothing to lose
and it's you and me and all of the people
and I don't know why
I can't keep my eyes off of you
"The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good."
-- Proverbs:15:3 NIV
Chapter 14 - You And Me
The rest of Friday was spent preparing for the concert in earnest. Bella was happy for the distraction. Breaking the news to James had been gut-wrenching. She couldn't help but feel guilty that despite all her good intentions of not hurting him, he had been severely stung by her decision. Every time she closed her eyes she saw the anger and hurt on his face. She wanted to be excited about moving forward with Edward, but she couldn't bring herself to be as jubilant as she might have been had she not been forced to hurt someone else in order to secure her happiness. She had been so worried the night before about James and his frame of mind, she'd called Jasper and asked him to keep an eye on him over the next few days to make sure he wasn't in danger of relapsing. Not that she flattered herself that he might relapse over her, he had other stressors in his life that could send him over the edge: a new home, adjusting to life in a new city, a new and very demanding job. Bella prayed that James would be fine, because she didn't think she could take it if her decision adversely affected his life in any way, besides a brief period of heartache.
After the children were dismissed, all the volunteers stayed to finish the decorating. Alice's vision had come to life, and it was extraordinary. The common room was transformed into an auditorium that rivaled the look of a pre-twenty first century, miniature Carnegie Hall. The walls and windows were covered in navy velveteen draperies. The risers were also skirted in navy velveteen, and of course the rented chairs were a navy print. The cinderblock walls were decorated with lighted battery-powered sconces between each of the windows. This lighting was perfect when the lights in the main room were off. The piano was set on a raised platform which served as a makeshift stage and was skirted as well in blue velveteen. Alice had even found two glass chandelier replicas, and the male volunteers had mounted them both in the ceiling. There were fresh floral arrangements placed strategically throughout the room, which gave it a very intimate ambiance.
Bella couldn't help it. She looked at Alice and grinned, "Alice, this is beyond anything I could have imagined. This is going to be a great event, thanks to your amazing vision."
Alice smiled widely in return. "Thanks, boss. You knew I would make it special for you."
"So what are you wearing to this soiree?" Bella inquired.
"Don't you worry about me. The more important question is what are you wearing? You know you've got to look fabulous, Bella. You are the Mistress of Ceremonies, and you'll be introducing Edward."
"Um, when did I get assigned that job?"
"When you became Director of the Center is when. So, answer me. What are you wearing?"
Bella shrugged. "I've got a couple of dresses to choose from."
"These are not old bridesmaid dresses are they?"
"Maybe," Bella said noncommittally.
"That just won't do," Alice said, tutting in disgust.
"Why? They are perfectly good dresses," Bella protested.
"In my opinion, perfectly good won't cut it for this event. You will be the center of attention when you're on that stage—you need to be stunning."
Bella wondered if she should be offended. "What does that mean, Alice? I think I look good in everything I wear."
"Trust me, you want to look good tomorrow night. Edward is going to be in a tuxedo, for goodness sake."
"But this isn't some date we're going to be on."
"Exactly. The Center patrons and some city officials will be here. You've got to look your best."
As much as Bella hated to do so, she had to agree with Alice. She did need to look her best for the event. If for nothing else, she wanted to look fabulous on the night she would be telling Edward of her decision. This would necessitate a quick shopping spree on Saturday morning after she picked up Angela and Ben.
"Alice, listen carefully. I am going to pick up Angela and Ben at the airport at 9:30 in the morning. I will meet you at the Governor's Square Mall at 10:30. We will have one hour to find a dress and all the accessories. Am I clear?"
Alice squealed. "Yes! Oh, Bella, you won't be sorry. I'm a great speed-shopper, really. We'll be done in under an hour, because you know we have the Scavenger Hunt at 2:00."
Bella rolled her eyes and followed an ecstatic Alice into her office to find and set the last of the decorations in place.
~888~
Bella set her alarm for 7:30 Saturday morning so she could get up and do some extra grooming in preparation for her day. She decided to do a facial, a manicure, and a pedicure in addition to the usual shower and shaving of legs. After her home spa session, she headed out to the airport to retrieve her sister and her boyfriend. Angela and Ben were excited to see her, and they told her all about their trip while driving to Ben's apartment. Once Ben was out of the car, Angela began with her barrage of questions.
"So Bella, do we have a decision, yet?"
"Um, yeah," Bella said quickly. "It's Edward, but I haven't told him yet. I'm going to do it tonight at the concert. I told James last night. I felt like I needed to tell him first."
"I knew a week ago it would be Edward," Angela said, grinning. "How did the revelation go with James?"
"He was shocked, upset, hurt…" Bella replayed their conversation from the day before to Angela.
"Is he coming to the concert?" Angela asked.
"Who?" Bella asked absentmindedly as her fingers drummed against the steering wheel.
"Earth to Bella." Angela snapped her fingers as if to draw her out of a stupor. "James, that's who."
"No, he asked for time to lick his wounds before we have any more social interaction."
"Good idea. You don't want that kind of tension tonight. Edward has to be there, that's a given, but I don't know if you would want a newly dumped James there at the same time."
"Yeah, talk about awkward," Bella said, cringing at the thought.
"So, what are you doing this morning?" Angela asked.
"Going on a one hour shopping spree with Alice. I gotta get a gown for the concert tonight." Bella shook her head in resignation.
"Can I tag along? I know, I should have jet lag or something, but I'm extremely wired right now."
"Sure, sis," Bella said. "The more the merrier."
They found the perfect parking space at the mall, near the upstairs entrance closest to the food court. Bella had to have a latte if she was going to have to put up with Alice and her clothing antics, so they ran through the food court first. After polishing off her latte, she and Ange met Alice at the main entrance to Macy's.
They sped like a whirlwind through Macy's, visiting the ladies formal wear department first. After a couple of hits and misses, Bella was uncharacteristically drawn to a BCBG Max Azria gown. It was a green, sleeveless gown with an empire waist that accentuated her décolletage. The draped fabric in the back made it look like something a goddess might wear. She turned in front of the dressing room mirror, smiling as she saw her reflection, more than pleased with her appearance. Now to pass the Alice and Angela test. When she came out to show the girls, she got two very enthusiastic thumbs up. She smiled to herself as she paid for the dress; she had become particularly fond of the color green, of late. The next stop was accessories. At Banana Republic, Bella found a very nice set of drop earrings with a matching floral statement necklace and ring in a lighter green. She was sure she already had shoes and a clutch that would complete the accessorizing of her gown.
Bella dropped Angela off at her place and spent an hour in the afternoon driving three teenaged girls around in her car for Alice and Jasper's Scavenger hunt. When she got back to her apartment, she set her alarm and passed out soundly in her bed, where she had the most restful, dreamless sleep she'd had in a long time.
~888~
EPOV
When Edward entered the Center, he was amazed by the transformation of the common area that greeted him. It actually looked like a recital hall. Alice had done a magnificent job of making her creative vision come to life. The Center was bathed in navy and coordinated down to the very last detail. Volunteers were busy setting up tables in the back of the room with punch and hors-d'oeuvres to serve their guests after the concert. He was dressed and, for all intents and purposes, ready to go, but he wouldn't really be ready to set foot on that stage to play until he saw Bella. He greeted the volunteers from across the room and made his way behind the makeshift stage to Bella's office door. He heard her before he could see her, laughing with someone in the room. He knocked on the half-closed door.
"Come in," Bella's voice rang out. As he entered the office, he saw Alice and Bella standing behind the desk with their backs to him. Alice looked to be putting the finishing touches on Bella's hair, pinning loose tendrils into an elegant chignon. They both turned their heads to see who had entered.
Edward saw Alice first, but his eyes didn't linger on his cousin. His eyes latched onto Bella, and his heart rate began doing double-time. He saw her beautiful smile first as she turned her head and saw it was him entering the room. Then his eyes traveled down the length of the back of her beautiful form. She was wearing a green sleeveless gown that accentuated her sexy toned arms. The material hung down in back almost to her waist, exposing the light caramel skin of her back. And although not form-fitting, the dress softly flowed over her delicious curves in an extremely flattering way. He groaned inwardly and began humming "Taps" in his head as he came to a stop in front of the desk.
"Ladies," he said in greeting.
"Hey cuz," Alice chirped.
"Edward," Bella said, smiling happily as she tried to turn around to face him. Alice, however, gripped her by the shoulders and wouldn't allow her to turn just yet.
Edward chuckled. "Alice, what form of torture are you subjecting Bella to now?"
"I'm making her beautiful for you and all our guests," she replied. Then turning back to Bella, she said, "Don't blame me if this hairpin draws blood. Didn't your mama teach you not to squirm when someone's pinning your hair up?" Alice secured the last pin. "There. You can ogle my cousin in his Tux now."
Bella turned to face him, and as she did so, he gasped audibly. If he thought the back of the dress with Bella in it was beautiful, he had not been ready for the front. She looked like a goddess straight from the clouds of Mt. Olympus. The green gown had a neckline that showed her form off to perfection. She was exquisite, and he couldn't take his eyes off her. Neither could she take her eyes off him.
"You look great," she said, sweeping her eyes over his form. Her dark lashes were fanned out and accentuated her already gorgeous, expressive eyes. Tendrils of her mahogany hair framed her beautiful, heart-shaped face.
"And you are gorgeous," he said, grinning wider than he probably had ever grinned in his life. Bella wowed him frequently, but tonight, she owned his excited ass.
"Are you nervous?" she asked, taking his left hand in hers. He immediately enclosed her hand in both of his.
"No," he answered honestly. "Now that I've seen you, I'm fine."
"Pssh," Alice said, as she regarded them from where she stood. "You two are pathetic."
"Alice," Bella scolded. "I have listened to your 'sweet nothings' and watched you and Jasper maul each other for more than a year. Shut it."
Alice made an elaborate show of pressing her lips closed and skulking sheepishly from the room, closing the door behind her.
Edward held both her hands and took another long look at her.
"You are so beautiful, I don't think I want to share you with anyone else tonight," he said. She smiled coyly and lowered her eyelashes.
"Thank you," she said softly. "But, if you don't share me, the Center patrons might not be as generous as we hope they'll be after this shindig."
"Oh yeah, that. I guess I'll have to wait until after this shindig to be selfish, then."
Edward gathered her into his arms and held her slender form against him. Her arms snaked around his waist, past the pretentious cummerbund he was wearing. He didn't trust himself with anything other than a hug and was sure she didn't want to muss her makeup. He'd have to settle for holding her for a while—definitely not a hardship. Far too soon, there was a staccato knocking on the door, and they stepped out of their embrace.
"Come in," Bella said, once they had collected themselves.
The door opened and in strolled Charlie and Renee Swan. "Alice said you were back here giving Mr. Debussy a pep talk," Charlie joked.
Bella cleared her throat and smiled. "Dad. Mom," she said, walking over to greet them. She hugged her dad, and as she was embracing her mother, Charlie Swan strode purposely over to Edward and extended his hand.
"You must be Officer Cullen," Charlie said, giving Edward a decidedly firm hand shake.
"Yes, sir. Edward, please," Edward replied, giving Charlie's hand a firm shake in return.
"I'm Charlie," he said, as Bella and Renee joined their little circle. "And this is my bride, Renee." Charlie beamed as he introduced his wife just as he might have years ago when they were first married. Edward smiled and extended his hand to Renee as she stepped toward him.
"Nice to finally meet you, Edward," Renee said, her hazel eyes dancing as though they held many secrets. "Bella has sung nothing but your praises since you've taken over as liaison."
"Which reminds me," Charlie said. "I owe you a huge debt of gratitude for taking such excellent care of Bella, the Center, and the community. They finally got somebody over here who takes this job seriously."
"No need to thank me for something that has been my extreme pleasure," Edward said graciously.
"Well, we were glad you were here when that little dust-up happened a few weeks ago. I hope the new male volunteers have been helpful in keeping things in order around here," Charlie said almost indignantly.
"They have, Dad," Bella assured him, blushing profusely. It was clear she was uncomfortable with her dad going on about an incident she probably wanted to forget. Edward remembered that had been the second time he'd had to apologize to her for his behavior. He really didn't want to remember that either. He was thankful when Renee smoothly changed the subject.
"Edward," Renee began, "how's your mother? I saw the news reports earlier this week and called Esme. She explained to us what happened."
"Mom is doing well," he said. "As a matter of fact, she'll be here tonight with Carlisle and Esme. She was growing tired of being housebound."
"This should be a welcome respite for her then. I'm sure she's going to enjoy hearing you play tonight," Renee said, smiling.
Charlie took his wife's hand. "We'll go on and take our seats, then." He maneuvered them towards the door. Bella grabbed a program off her desk and pressed it into her father's loose hand.
"You're up first, Reverend—Invocation."
Charlie scowled. "And I thought I wasn't working tonight."
Renee rolled her eyes heavenward. "As if he would allow anyone else to do this as long as he's here." Renee gave them a little wave and pulled a mildly protesting Charlie out the door.
Edward liked Bella's parents. They were a portrait of how he'd wished his parents had been. He smiled at the beautiful product that Charlie and Renee Swan had created and pushed thoughts of his dysfunctional family out of his mind.
She returned his smile. "Hope they didn't make you uncomfortable," she said apologetically.
"No, not at all," he said. "Your parents are great. Just like I imagined them."
"I think you'll find you have a lot in common with my dad," she said. "He was a police chief before he was called into ministry. He's also a little over-protective and gruff sometimes."
"I'm sure we're only that way because our women bring out those qualities in us," he said with a smirk.
"'Our women?'" Bella inquired, raising an eyebrow.
Edward hastened to correct himself. "Freudian slip," he said with a grin.
Bella came over and slipped her arm through his. "Come on, Monsieur Debussy, we've got some guests to greet."
~888~
BPOV
"Mesdames et Messieurs, soyez bienvenus à notre concert de piano classique premier présentant la musique de M. Claude Debussy exécuté par M. Edward Anthony Cullen," Bella began in flawless French.
She smiled and continued, "The Center has been transformed so authentically by our resident designer, Mrs. Alice Whitlock, and the volunteers of the City of Hope Afterschool Program, I couldn't help myself." She searched with her eyes and found Alice and Jasper in the second row, seated behind Carlisle, Esme, and Elizabeth. Alice looked like she was about to burst with pride.
"Let me begin again." Bella clasped her hands in front of herself like a proper lady. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our first ever classical piano concert, featuring the music of Mr. Claude Debussy, performed by Mr. Edward Anthony Cullen." Bella clapped, and the audience followed her lead, applauding enthusiastically as Edward stepped purposefully onto the stage and took a bow. He looked so handsome in his tuxedo. Mr. Gavalos had done such an excellent job that it looked more tailor made than fitted. The starkness of his pale skin and white shirt against the deep black of the tuxedo, topped off by his gorgeous bronze hair, was breathtaking to behold. He walked over to her and kissed her on both cheeks. She was only able to control her blush because he had warned her that he would do this.
"French men!" she exclaimed theatrically.
Some of the children from the Center giggled and tittered as they saw their Center Director being kissed by Officer Cullen. The adults in the audience laughed and clapped. Edward moved to the piano bench, but didn't sit. He looked on, smiling as Bella continued.
"This event is a result of the City of Hope being blessed with a very gifted pianist who came to us, not as a musician, but as the Tallahassee Police Department's liaison for the Center and this community. As many of you are aware, our program at City of Hope tutors the children of this community daily in reading, writing, and arithmetic. However, we also infuse classical music and literature into their curricula. Studies have shown that if you raise expectations, children will meet that challenge. I am proud to say that our children at City of Hope have seen tremendous gains in their FCAT scores and their grades in each of their respective grade levels. Most are performing above grade level now. This is an achievement we can all be proud of." The audience clapped and cheered.
Charlie and Carlisle stood and led the audience in a standing ovation. Bella heard a loud whistle from someone in the audience and was surprised to see it was Rosalie, who was in the third row behind Alice and Jasper. Emmett was looking at her smugly, as if to say, "That's my girl."
Bella waited for the applause to die down and then continued. "In honor of the children of City of Hope, we now present to you, 'An Evening With Mr. Debussy.'" Bella extended her arm toward Edward, turning the evening over to him. He bowed again, held her hand as she descended the steps at the end of the stage, and then took his seat at the piano bench.
Bella sat beside her mom and dad as Edward began his first piece. Renee squeezed Bella's hand and smiled. She returned her mother's smile and turned her attention back to listen. Edward began with Suite bergamasque, which included Prelude, Menuet, Clair de lune, and Passepied. These pieces were followed by Nocturne, Danse bohemienne, Reverie, and Mazurka. After he played Deux Arabesques No. 1: Andantino con moto and No. 2: Allegretto scherzando, there was a fifteen minute Intermission.
Alice and some of the volunteers served the guests punch, while a few of the children who had volunteered to usher for the evening were directing other guests to the facilities. Bella greeted Emmett and Rosalie and then waved to Angela and Ben about five rows back, sitting with a couple of her students from the Center. She saw her parents conversing with Carlisle, Esme, and Elizabeth, so she took her leave and joined Edward who was taking his break in her office until the second half of the program was to begin. He had removed his tuxedo jacket and was lounging on the leather bench against the wall. She closed and locked the door and moved toward him, unable to stay away for a moment longer. Drawn like a magnet to metal, she closed the distance between them, insinuating herself inside the V that his long legs made as he sat sprawled on the bench. She touched the left side of his face, cupping his beautiful clean-shaven jawline with her hand. He looked up into her eyes, his hands moving involuntarily to her waist as she stood before him.
"That was exquisite," she said softly. "And I have a confession to make." She placed her other hand on his other cheek and held his face in her hands as she looked down into his smoldering green eyes.
"Thank you. I'm glad you liked it," he drawled. "Confess away."
"I think Mr. Debussy kinda turns me on," she murmured. She fisted her hands in his hair and gently pulled his head to rest against her torso. His hands slid from her waist to caress the exposed skin on her back.
"And I know Mr. Debussy is turned on by this beautiful woman in the green goddess dress who speaks flawless French," he said, his breath tickling the exposed flesh near her cleavage. Bella's legs almost buckled when his warm, cinnamony breath made contact. He looked up into her eyes again, and she decided, makeup be damned. She leaned down, then captured his bottom lip between hers and gently sucked on it. That move must have been just a little too much for him, because he pulled her into his lap, not breaking contact with her mouth. When he had her securely resting across his lap, he parted his lips, and their tongues began a sweet, sensual dance.
Just as Bella began to feel herself melting into his arms, she heard her office doorknob being jiggled, and they both groaned simultaneously. Bella reluctantly hopped off his lap and tidied his mussed up hair. After smoothing her dress, she went to answer the door. Alice and Jasper were standing there, Alice tapping her foot impatiently and Jasper shaking his head and shrugging.
Bella glared at her, but stood aside and allowed them to come in. "Hi Jazz," she said, pointedly ignoring Alice. "Come on in."
Jasper walked over to Edward, who was now standing. They shook hands and did the little shoulder bump thing.
"Some others of us might have needed a little make-out break, too," Alice said, pouting. "Can we join?"
"Ew. And who says that's what we were doing in here?" Bella challenged.
"Your lip gloss is gone, and Edward's wearing some of it," she shot back.
Busted.
Bella grabbed a tissue off her desk and sauntered over to Edward. She gently wiped the lip gloss she'd smeared on him and then wiped her own mouth clean with the unused corner of the tissue. She held it out like a flag for Alice to see.
"Happy now, Mrs. Grinch-that-killed-the-groove?" Bella asked in mock annoyance.
Edward and Jasper laughed.
"I guess you'll know next time not to be blocking your girl's groove," Jasper teased. Alice grabbed his face, squeezed his cheeks, and kissed the pucker his lips made when she held him like that.
"Whose side are you on, baby?" she asked through clenched teeth.
"Always yours, babe," Jasper was quick to agree. He picked his tiny wife up bridal style, carried her to Bella's desk chair, and plopped down, jostling her playfully on his lap. Ignoring Edward and Bella's presence in the room, they devoured each other's mouths like hormonal teenagers.
Leave it to Alice to unwittingly spoil the moment that she wanted to tell Edward of her decision. Bella gawked at them, mouth agape, and then looked at Edward who, smirking, just shrugged his shoulders and reached for her. Alice and Jasper were instantly forgotten, and Bella moved willingly into his arms again.
"We've got only five more minutes before you have to be Mr. Debussy again," she warned.
"And I know what I want to do for three and half of those five minutes," he said as his mouth came down on hers again.
~888~
The second half of the concert resumed, and Edward began with three pieces from The Children's Corner Suite: I. Dr. Gradus and Parnassum, III. Serenade for the Doll, and VI. Golliwogg's Cake Walk. This was followed by Laboite a joujoux: I. Prelude: Le sommeil de la boite, and Tableau 3: Labergerie a vendre and Tableau 4: apres fortune faite - Epilogue.
With the final notes still lingering in the air, Edward stood and addressed the audience. "You have been a wonderful audience, and your reaction to my performance has been nothing less than extraordinary. Thank you for indulging me with your appreciation. You are now in for a real treat. The final three pieces shall be played by Mrs. Elizabeth Masen Cullen, a true concert pianist, who taught me everything I know."
Bella was so proud of him. This was definitely a surprise; he hadn't breathed a word of this to her, or to Alice either. Bella was sure of that when she looked back at Alice, who was weeping silently as Jasper gently rubbed her back.
The audience applauded as Edward descended the stage and walked over to his mother, who was seated on the very end of the front row stage left, next to Esme and Carlisle. Elizabeth took his arm, and he escorted her carefully up the steps and onto the stage. He helped her maneuver onto the piano bench, as her left lower leg and ankle was in a protective boot.
Edward addressed the audience once more. "As Mrs. Cullen plays the Valse Romantique, Ms. Swan and I shall demonstrate a proper waltz."
Bella gasped. No, he did not just put meon the spot like that.
"Go on, Lovely," her mom whispered anxiously.
But Bella was frozen in her seat. She nervously nibbled on her bottom lip as Edward made his way to where she was seated. He extended his hand to her.
"Mademoiselle Swan, may I have this dance?" he asked in his velvety voice.
Bella could not refuse. She knew that she was blushing every shade of red in the universe at that moment, because this was totally unscripted. Taking his extended hand, she stood and gravitated toward him, hoping her legs weren't shaking, because the rest of her was trembling uncontrollably.
He tucked her arm through his and leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Don't be nervous, Bella," he murmured. "Just follow my lead and you'll do great."
Bella felt like she was in a trance as Edward took her into his arms. He nodded once to his mother, and she began to play the Valse Romantique. When Edward moved, Bella followed him with a matching ease that was surreal. Edward was an excellent dancer, and she was able to follow him flawlessly. She'd studied dance for years, together with her gymnastics, had waltzed a time or two with her dad and watched "Dancing With The Stars," so she was able to emulate the posture easily enough. Edward held her firmly in his arms as he expertly twirled her around and executed a dip. The audience clapped and cheered. His face was so close to hers that she feared he might kiss her, but he righted her again and they continued the dance. As he led them effortlessly across the stage, she reveled in the warm grasp of his hand and the feel of the muscles in his shoulder as they rippled beneath her fingers. His form was perfect, and Bella felt like she knew what she was doing while moving with him. Valse Romantique was a beautiful piece of music, and by the time their waltz was done, Bella had fallen even more in love with it perhaps than she was with Claire de lune. When the piece ended, Edward held her hand as she curtsied, and then he took a final bow.
He leaned in to whisper to her again as they walked across the stage to exit. "Now, that wasn't so bad, was it?"
"You are a dead man," she warned through clenched teeth and a fake theatrical smile.
He chuckled softly and led her off the stage with her arm firmly tucked into his.
They descended the steps of the stage, the picture of a perfect couple, as the audience burst into applause. Edward escorted Bella back to her seat and took his mother's vacated seat. Elizabeth played the final two pieces: Toccata and Feux d'artifice (Fireworks). She gave a virtuoso performance of the two fast-paced pieces. The audience stood and erupted into a deafening applause as Elizabeth rose to her feet and took a bow. Edward went to aid his mother in her descent from the makeshift stage and back to her seat.
Bella and Charlie ascended the stage to close out the program.
"On behalf of the children of City of Hope, their parents, and the volunteers who work tirelessly to bring this program to the community, we would like to thank all the Center patrons, city officials, and friends for coming out to support our program. We'd also like to thank Officer Edward Cullen and Mrs. Elizabeth Masen Cullen for making such beautiful music for us tonight. Please stay and enjoy the hors-d'oeuvres and punch in the back of the room. Reverend Charlie Swan, the Executive Director of City of Hope will now bring the benediction." Bella stepped back and deferred to Charlie for the prayer. She bowed her head, thankful that the evening had been such a great success.
~888~
EPOV
Edward couldn't keep his eyes off Bella as she worked the room, greeting patrons who supported the Center and families of the children by name and charming them with her warm and friendly personality. He was sure he must have come off to some of the people who stopped to speak to him as an aloof, uptight musician, because he couldn't focus on what any of them were saying. He noticed some of the men looked at Bella's cleavage a little too long, or others whose eyes would travel over her form, and each time he had to talk himself out of making a scene at the function. Instead, he would rush to her side, smile, and make a comment or suggestion that would cue her or the other person to move on to greet someone else. Edward left her side only briefly to get punch and hors-d'oeuvres for his mother. When he returned, Bella was cornered by a man who was telling her how glad he was that his daughter was one of her students at the Center, but his eyes were glued to her chest.
Edward strode over to Bella and put his arm around her waist, giving the guy a look that had so much venom in it, he got the message in an instant, tore his eyes from Bella's décolletage, and slipped away.
"Thank you for coming to my rescue," Bella said sweetly. "I so wanted to tell him, 'Look buddy, my eyes are up here.'" She made gestures with her hands as she said the words, looking so adorable, Edward could hardly stand it. He understood the allure she was to other men, but tonight was ridiculous. He took her hand.
"Come on," he said, pulling her gently along with him. "Let me introduce you properly to my mother."
They walked the short distance to where his mother and Esme were seated in the front row, talking softly and drinking punch. They looked at him and Bella as they approached.
"There's my favorite nephew," Esme said, smiling. Edward leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Bella, I was just telling Elizabeth how you turned things around here at the Center in just one year."
Bella blushed, but smiled through it. "Thanks, Esme."
"Mom," Edward said. "I'd like to introduce you to Bella Swan. Bella, this is my mother."
Bella moved closer and extended her hand to his mother. "It's so nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Cullen. You played beautifully tonight. Thank you so much for contributing your expertise to a spectacular performance."
"The pleasure is all mine, Bella," Elizabeth said, accepting her hand and shaking it rather loosely. "It was nice to play for an audience again. I am really impressed with the work you do here. We should take a meeting together and discuss your five-year plan. Now that I'm no longer involved with COGS, I have energy and resources that need to be diverted to other worthy causes."
Edward shifted uncomfortably and ran his hand through his hair. Why did his mother have to ambush Bella so quickly with her philanthropic gesture? He had worked hard to not make their family's wealth so obvious.
"I'd be happy to," Bella said a bit apprehensively. "However, my father, the Executive Director, might be a better one to take that meeting. He and the Board take care of the business end of things and charitable giving."
"I can get us together with Renee and Charlie anytime, Elizabeth," Esme offered.
That is exactly why he loved his Aunt Esme so fucking much; she was so good at reading people and diffusing sticky situations. Edward thanked Esme with his eyes, and touching Bella's elbow, he planned to effect their get-away.
Elizabeth wasn't very easily dissuaded. "Then at the very least, Edward, we should have Bella out to the house for dinner sometime. I'm interested in hearing about the programmatic aspects of City of Hope and her vision."
Edward didn't appreciate his mother's sudden interest in his work and social life, and he just knew his mother had some ulterior motive for wanting to get together with Bella. He wanted to shield Bella from whatever it was his mother was trying to do. He did not trust that she was fully exorcised of the old COGS dogma that had been her life for eighteen years. Some of her beliefs would certainly be offensive to Bella.
"Mom," Edward said rather sharply. "We'll talk about this another time. Right now, Bella has other guests to greet." And with that, he whisked Bella away, who had opened her mouth to protest but then decided not to speak.
When they were a safe distance away, Bella pounced. "What was that all about, Edward?"
"Nothing," he said, trying to sweep it away.
"That," Bella said with emphasis, "was not nothing."
Damn! He'd wanted this to be a shining moment for Bella and the volunteers. Once again, he'd ruined it by allowing his unresolved issues with his mother and her overbearing need to manipulate and control his life to interfere with the triumph that this night should be for Bella. He reminded himself yet again that he had promised to tell her everything.
"Can we talk about this after the guests leave? I promise full disclosure," he said sincerely.
She studied him for a moment. "Okay," she finally agreed. "I'm going to hold you to it, mister."
All of a sudden Edward felt a heavy hand come down on his shoulder, and he and Bella both glanced at Emmett, who had a beefy hand on both their shoulders. Edward hoped Emmett wasn't bearing down on Bella as hard as he was on him; she'd be bruised for certain.
"Hey, you two," Emmett said jovially. "That was some mighty fancy playing, Edwina. Bella, you're the picture of hotness, as usual."
Bella giggled, and Edward glared at him. "And you're the same old ham-handed moron you've always been," he said.
Rosalie sidled up to Bella, rolling her eyes heavenward. "Hi guys," Rosalie said. "Don't mind Emmett, he's just happy to be able to demonstrate to people that he knows the folks in charge of this gala." She smiled sweetly at Em and turned back to Bella. "Nice dress."
"Thanks, Rosalie," Bella replied. "You always look fabulous. I take that as a very high compliment, coming from you."
Rosalie waved as if to say, "Aw, it's nothing."
"So, where's the after party?" Emmett asked, wiggling his eyebrows theatrically.
"I wasn't aware that there was one," Alice piped up, as she and Jasper came over to join them.
"You guys can come over to our house," Jasper offered. "We are always ready to party at a moment's notice."
"That's what I'm talking about," Emmett said happily. He turned to Rosalie. "We're in, right, babe?"
"Sure," Rosalie said as enthusiastically as she ever got.
"Are you guys coming?" Alice asked, looking at Bella and Edward.
Edward noticed that Bella seemed a bit apprehensive. He searched her eyes with his. "You want to go?"
"Yeah… but, can we… um go by a little later? I need to go home and change first," she said.
"Sure," he said. "I'll follow you so we can drop off your car."
He got the feeling that she had been on the spot and had said yes only to appease her friends. But she smiled up at him as they excused themselves from their friends, and together, they went to the door and began seeing people out.
~888~
BPOV
Bella made short work of changing out of her formal wear. She was hyper-aware that while she was in her bedroom changing, Edward was doing the same in her bathroom. He had become accustomed to carrying a bag with a change of clothes in his car lately, since he was still between his place and his mom's. She changed into a pair of skinny, low-riding jeans and a white Express halter that supported the girls sufficiently, making a bra unnecessary. She donned a pair of strappy Italian leather sandals with a modest heel on them, then released her hair from the restrictive chignon and brushed it out. When she heard Edward exit the bathroom, she entered it from the door in her room, brushed her teeth, dabbed a bit of Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue fragrance on her pulse points, and freshened up her lip gloss. After one last glance in the mirror and a deep, fortifying breath, she joined him in the living room.
He was browsing through a copy of Callaloo, a literary journal that she subscribed to that she'd left on the coffee table, but he put it down and stood up as she entered the room. He was wearing a pair of jeans as well, narrow, yet low-slung with a khaki-colored, striped cotton shirt.
"You know, we really don't have to go to Alice and Jasper's if you're not up to it," he said, his eyes taking her in and silently conveying his appreciation of her wardrobe change.
She smiled. "I really do want to go," she assured him. "I just wanted us to come back here for a little while and… talk."
"Okay," he said. He looked puzzled, but he didn't ask her a question right away.
Bella walked over to him. "Do you want to sit down for a few minutes?"
He ran his hand through his hair, glanced over his shoulder as if to see if the sofa were still there behind him, and then he looked back into her eyes again. "Okay." He waited for her to sit on the sofa before he sat down next to her. They were both sitting at right angles, their knees almost touching.
Bella looked up into his eyes. "I can't thank you and your mother enough for the excellent job you both did with the music tonight. It turned out better than I could ever have imagined," she said as she took his hand and laced her fingers through his.
"I'm happy it turned out so well," he said. "Bella, I promised to tell you why I reacted the way I did when my mother kept pressing to meet with you."
"Okay," she said. Bella took his hand that her fingers were wound through and brought it to her lips, kissing the top of it.
She saw him swallow as if there were a lump there. He cleared his throat and continued. "My mother believed everything they taught her at COGS, and some of her views can be quite off-putting. I just don't think its wise for you to be subjected to her right now. Uncle Carlisle and Aunt Esme have been taking her to church with them, and they've been trying to de-program her, so to speak. I couldn't allow her to hurt you in any way with her skewed doctrine."
Considering how well-received his Vietnamese girlfriend had been back when he was forced to be an acolyte of COGS, it wasn't surprising that he might be worried about how his mother might view her. Bella felt cherished to know that he would protect her at all costs, even from his mother.
"Thank you for warning me," she said. "However, you know that I can take care of myself, right?"
"A fact that you have demonstrated to me time and again, but the former chief priestess of COGS can be lethal. I just didn't want you to walk into a social situation with her expecting tea and crumpets, when she'd be serving up vitriol and venom," he said sheepishly. "That is my mother. It took her a long time to get that way, so I don't think she's changed overnight."
Bella kissed his hand again. He closed his eyes briefly and opened them when she began to speak. "I've got another confession to make," she said, smiling cryptically.
He looked at her as if he were trying to figure something out. "Okay," he said, smiling that sexy crooked smile of his. "I'm all ears."
She mentally gathered herself and began her confession. "When I first met you, I had the strongest reaction I've ever had to anyone of the opposite sex. It was wonderful, but it was also scary as hell." His eyebrow raised slightly when she said the word "hell." She smiled and continued. "Despite all the drama in the beginning, I have always been inexplicably drawn to you. However, I wasn't sure it was something that was sustainable, and so when James came back into my life, I totally believed I needed to give him a chance because he fit my ideal, what I've always believed was everything I've ever wanted in a man. But I realized something this week that took several days to sink in. I was terrified when I found out you were involved in the incident at COGS, and it was during that crisis that I began to feel like I didn't want to date anyone else but you. So, I told James yesterday that I was going to be with you to see where this takes us."
She watched his expression go from serious to elated in the span of thirty seconds. "Isabella Marie," he said, looking her square in the eyes and cupping her cheeks with his hands, "you have just made me the happiest man in Tallahassee."
He pulled her gently into his arms, one hand threading through her hair to the bare nape of her neck and the other pulling her torso flush to his. He held her so close she could feel his heart beating wildly in his chest. He then pulled back a few inches to look into her eyes again. "I will never make you regret your decision," he declared.
"I'm going to hold you to that, Edward Anthony," she teased. She then placed both her hands on the sides of his face and leaned in to kiss him. He was an eager participant, their tongues sliding and stroking in the fencing ritual that was becoming their signature kissing style. Bella was beginning to be able to control some of the passion when she concentrated and didn't throw herself into it like falling off of a cliff. She felt him break the kiss, but not completely. He gently sucked her top lip, then her bottom one, and then, finally releasing her mouth completely, he kissed a trail from her mouth to her jaw. He concentrated on the spot where her jaw and neckline met, sending chills through her. When his warm mouth touched the hollow in her neck and he gently sucked the sensitive flesh there, her hands wound their way into his hair. She wound her fingers through the wild strands as she reveled in all the sensations his mouth and tongue were making her feel. A moan escaped her lips that was so guttural and raw, he pulled back as if to check and see if she was all right.
Bella slowly focused, and when her eyes were opened fully, she could see that he was smiling.
"What?" she asked, slightly irritated. "Why did you stop?"
"Because you don't know how long I've wanted to make your eyes roll back like that," he said, his smile getting bigger. "It happens when you take the first drink of your latte in the mornings, and now when I kiss your neck, just so…." He took his hand and caressed the spot where he'd kissed her neck. She closed her eyes and rolled her head toward his hand, effectively trapping it. She kissed the inside of his forearm and raised her head again as she looked into his eyes.
"I guess it's safe to say that you and the latte know just how to stimulate me, Mr. Cullen."
His jaw dropped at her words. She smiled and assaulted his gaping mouth with hers.
~888~
A/N:
Callaloo - The premier journal of arts, letters, and cultures of the African Diaspora, publishes original works by, and studies of, black writers worldwide. The journal offers an engaging mixture of fiction, poetry, critical essays, interviews, drama, critical studies, and visual art.
The Impressionist movement in music was a movement in European classical music, mainly in France, that began in the late nineteenth century and continued into the middle of the twentieth century. Like its precursor in the visual arts, musical Impressionism focused on suggestion and atmosphere rather than strong emotion or the depiction of a story as in program music. Musical Impressionism occurred as a reaction to the excesses of the Romantic era. While this era was characterized by a dramatic use of the major and minor scale system, Impressionist music tends to make more use of dissonance and more uncommon scales such as the whole tone scale. Romantic composers also used long forms of music such as the symphony and concerto, while Impressionist composers favored short forms such as the nocturne, arabesque, and prelude. -- from Wickipedia
Concert Music - And Translations Where Available:
Suite bergamasque: Prelude, Menuet (Minuet), Clair de lune (Moonlight), andPassepied.
Nocturne (Night), Danse bohemienne (Gypsy Dance), Reverie (Daydream), andMazurka.
DeuxArabesques No. 1: Andantino con moto (Andantino idiot motor bike) and No. 2: Allegretto scherzando.
The Children's Corner Suite: I. Dr. Gradus and Parnassum, III. Serenade for the Doll, and VI. Golliwogg's Cake Walk.Laboite a joujoux (The Toy Box Has Toys): I. Prelude: Le sommeil de laboite (The Toy-box Asleep), Tableau 3: Labergerie a vendre (The Sheepfold for Sale), Tableau 4: apres fortune faite (The Fortune Made After)- Epilogue, Valse Romantique (Romantic Waltz), Toccata and Feux d'artifice (Fireworks).