So . . . I admit, I did forget about Charlie and Sue's fur-baby in the previous chapters. I only hope Rusty (and you, lovely readers) can forgive me.
In Laws...
~(~)~
"So, Edward, what are your intentions with my daughter?"
"Ha. Ha. Very funny, Charlie."
The mustache twitches. "Don't call me Charlie, Isabella. And I was serious. I think I have a right to know."
"Of course you do, Chief."
"Don't encourage him, Edward." The voice isn't Bella's, but Sue's.
"Thank you!" Bella says, throwing her hands up in the air. The movement causes Rusty to look up from his food bowl and bark.
Sue laughs. "You're welcome. And good morning, boy."
Rusty wags his tail and goes back to his food. Charlie turns to smile at his wife. "Morning, babe."
"Good morning, Sue," Bella and Edward say in unison.
"Good morning, all." She stops behind Charlie and places her hands on his shoulders. "Any coffee left for an old woman?"
Charlie frowns and lifts his chin. "What old woman?"
"Ohh, good answer," she says, leaning down to kiss him.
Bella turns and takes a sudden interest in Edward's cup. "Is it still too hot?" she asks, lifting her own and blowing over the rim.
He gives her a confused look. "What?"
"Your coffee? Is it too hot? Do you want some ice, or milk?"
Charlie laughs. "Jeez, Bella. Calm down. Compared to what I walked in on this morning, that was nothing."
She wrinkles her nose. "It's not the same, you're the parent. It's offensive to see you engaging in any kind of PDA."
"But it's not offensive for a father to see his only daughter cavorting with—"
"Cavorting? Really?" Sue asks.
At this, Edward takes a sudden interest in Bella's cup. "What about you? Did you get enough cream and sugar?" he asks. Bella nods and apologizes for her parents with her eyes. Edward shrugs, his cheeks slightly pink.
"He's exaggerating, Sue," Bella says at last.
Sue hums. "I guessed that. He also exaggerated about you being his only daughter."
Charlie has the good sense to look chagrined. "Sorry, old habits die hard. Besides, I wouldn't want to see Leah cavorting with her boyfriend either."
"Husband."
Charlie shrugs. "Same difference."
Sue frowns and Edward raises his eyebrows, obviously amused by the exchange now that he and Bella aren't the focus of their banter.
"How are Leah and Sam?" Bella asks, in an attempt to keep the focus off of them. "Any news yet?"
"No, they're still trying. In fact," she says, moving toward the coffee maker, "I think we almost walked in on them 'trying' when we went to see them last week."
"What!" Charlie nearly drops his mug and, in a very male show of solidarity, Edward inhales his coffee.
Sue chuckles. "Mothers notice these things, dear. Fathers, on the other hand, are too busy worrying that they'll miss kick-off."
Laughing, Bella hands Edward a napkin. "Are you all right?"
"Um, yeah." He clears his throat. "Fine."
"You sure?"
He nods as Charlie says, "I'm fine too, thanks for asking."
"You okay, Dad?"
"Just dandy."
Edward chuckles and dabs at his chin. "My brother and his wife are trying to have a baby, too," he says. "Their second."
"Really?" Bella asks.
"Yeah. Emmett mentioned it yesterday."
"Is that why you had to cover for them?"
"Yep."
Bella giggles and Sue joins them at the table, coffee in hand. "I don't suppose you know if they have any trouble the first time? Leah and Sam have been at it for over a year now."
Edward's smile fades some, he shifts uncomfortably in his chair. "I don't know, I'm sorry. My niece, she's almost five now. She was born while I was... still recovering after my stroke."
"Oh."
Bella places her hand on Edward's leg. It's something of a sore subject for her as well, missing the birth of the child that—had things been different—would have been her niece, too. They've never really talked about it, but she knows it must bother him even more than it bothers her.
He covers her hand with his. "It's okay."
Bella nods.
Charlie clears his throat. "Well, I saw Alice out and about the other day. Looks to me like there's a little baby fever going around right now."
Edward smiles more genuinely and nods. "Yeah, I guess. But Alice always did want a lot of kids. Jasper, too. Rosalie, though . . . not so much."
Everyone laughs a little at that, but their laughter brings with it a flood of memories for Bella. Bachelorette parties—first Rosalie's, then Alice's—and alcohol-induced conversations about how many kids everyone wanted and when they wanted to have them. Six for Alice: as soon as possible. One or two for Rose: after her twenty-fifth birthday but before her thirtieth. Two to three for Bella: "just as soon as things settle down." But they never did settle down, which ended up being a blessing in disguise.
Bella can feel the weight of Edward's gaze, but when she looks around the table Sue and Charlie don't seem to have noticed her mental absence. Her father simply waves between the two of them and says,
"So I'm just gonna ask, because I didn't last night, what with the weather and all, but . . . I take it this is official?"
Edward inhales slowly, and looks to Bella. She smiles and raises their clasped hands onto the table.
"Yeah. Pretty much."
"Pretty much?"
Bella blushes. "Well, I mean . . . we haven't really worked out what's going to happen next, but I think it's safe to say we're together."
There's an expectant silence in the room. As if her admission is a handful of confetti that has been thrown into the air and they just have to wait to see how it will settle. Edward is the first to break the stillness, and Bella's fairly sure it's to sit a bit taller.
"We know we have a long way to go," he says softly, "so we'll probably start talking about the future soon, but there's no rush." His gaze shifts to Charlie. "I assure you I want to do this right, Chief. We both want to get it right."
Bella has to blink back tears, but smiles at him even as Sue clears her throat and folds her hands in front of her.
"I think we can all appreciate that, Edward, but . . ." She glances between them, her expression ripe with concern. "There's a lot of history here. Not all of it good."
"Sue," Charlie says, but Edward just nods.
"No, you're absolutely right. That's why we're not rushing. Or trying to go it alone." Taking a deep breath, he continues. "We both know I'm an addict and that I'll always be an addict. But I promise you, I have no desire to ever live that life again, or to hurt those I love in any way, shape or form. I'll do what it takes to stay clean. One day at a time. That's what I've been doing, and it's what we'll continue to do together."
Sue's expression remains cautious, but she nods. Charlie does the same and smiles. "Well, I have to admit I'd never hear you two laughing and carrying on the way you were this morning. But I'm glad I was wrong. I'm really glad you've gotten your life together, son. That you've kept it up this long says a lot about the man you've become and, hard as it is for me to trust anyone with my daughter, as long as you keep it on the straight and narrow . . . you two have my blessing."
Edward's head dips slightly and he squeezes Bella's hand tight. When he speaks his voice is gruff, making Bella cry. "Thank you, sir."
Sue picks a new napkin out of the holder in the center of the table and pushes it toward Bella. She offers a tender smile just as Charlie's radio crackles. He turns it up to listen to the call and sighs when Clallam County dispatch reports yet another car accident just outside Forks' city limits.
"I better get going," he says, swigging back the last of his coffee. He stands and takes the mug to the sink, then turns and walks behind Bella to clap a hand on Edward's shoulder. "I'll give you a call when the roads have been cleared, okay? You sit tight until then."
"Yes, sir."
Charlie nods. "Good man. I'm also going to call you later in the week so we can talk some more."
"Talk about what?" Bella asks, her voice suddenly alarmed.
Charlie raises his hands in supplication. "Guy stuff. Don't be nosey." He looks at Edward. "How about lunch this week or next?"
"Sure, Chief."
Charlie smiles. "Perfect. You know my number, right?"
Edward nods, like it's no big deal, and Bella just blinks at both of them.
Chuckling, her father kisses his new wife and then waves at them as he backs out of the room.
"Love you guys. Be good for Sue."