Life's A Beach – Chapter 7
A/N: Thanks as always for the great feedback and reviews. Seems like everyone feels pretty strongly that Edward should follow his dream, including Bella. Can he convince Carlisle, or will he give in to make his dad happy?
Everything Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer.
The car that picked Edward up from the airport pulled up to a strikingly beautiful house, one that made him smile despite all the turmoil in his head. Carefully, the driver maneuvered from the street to the driveway, avoiding the piles of recently plowed snow. The driveway was, of course, perfectly clear, as Edward knew it would be. He thanked the driver, grabbed his bags, and stood on the first step leading to the massive front porch. The house was big enough to be imposing, but his mother worked hard to make it comfortable and welcoming. The door flew open, and a woman with the same unique color hair nearly flew down the steps.
"Hey, mom." Edward dropped both bags and wrapped his arms around his mother. Just as it had been his whole life, her warm embrace made him feel safe and well loved.
"Edward, sweetheart. I'm so glad you're home." She stepped back and tugged on his hand. "Come inside, it's freezing out here." She held the door until he was safely inside and shut it behind him with a shiver.
"Cold doesn't bother me, mom. You know that."
"I know, and after so many years watching you skate it shouldn't bother me either, but it does." She meant to make him smile, but immediately realized her comment had the opposite effect. "What is it?"
"Dad" he said. "He doesn't even want to talk about it." Edward set his bags by the steps that led upstairs and followed his mother to the kitchen. "I did a lot of thinking while I was away."
She picked up a plate of cookies from the counter and put them on the kitchen table. "And what did you decide?" She patted his usual chair. "Sit, dear. Do you want me to make you some hot chocolate?"
"That would be great mom, thanks." Edward rested his elbows on the table and ran one hand through his hair. "I want it, mom. I've tried not to, for his sake, but I want it. If I walk away from this chance, I'll always wonder, always think about what could have been." His looked over his shoulder to the wall in the family room that held a whole gallery of pictures. Edward at age 3, balancing on wobbly skates. At age 7, holding his first medal. At age 15, at his first US Long Track Age Group Nationals. "Why can't he see that?"
Esme Cullen adored both her husband and her son, and hated to see them at odds. She was in the awful position of knowing what each one wanted, and fearing that one would end up happy, and the other would not. For whatever reason, her husband was digging in his heels on this one and fully expected her to take his side. Instead, see looked in Edward's eyes and saw that little 3 year old, eyes bright with joy as he slid across the ice on his own for the first time.
"He wants you to be happy and successful, and in his book, that means doing everything he can to launch you on a successful career." She smoothed her son's hair. "His intentions are good, he just…"
"It's one year, mom. Just one year." Edward stood and planted a kiss on her forehead. "I'm gonna unpack. What's the plan for dinner?"
"Your father is taking us out to his club. Be ready by 7?"
"No problem" said Edward. He knew the problem would come once he and his dad were in the same room. His phone chimed and he pulled it from his pocket. He couldn't help but smile. There was a picture of his beautiful Bella, in his favorite blue bikini. She'd probably kill him if she knew he'd made it his wallpaper as well as the picture that popped up when she called. He'd never been happier to get a text message.
Hope you made it home okay and that everything is good. The beach just isn't the same without you. – B.
He typed out a quick response.
Miss you so much already. – E.
Somebody else misses you too – B.
He laughed when she sent a picture of Aro, his coat dripping with ocean water, nose coated with sand, and a goofy dog grin on his face.
Give him a hug for me. Wish I was there to give you a hug myself.
"Now who is that?" Esme peered over her son's arm. "What a sweet puppy. Is he Jasper's?"
"He's mine, actually. But I left him with Jasper."
Surprised, she plucked the phone out of his hand. "He's beautiful Edward." She swiped her finger across the screen. "And who is this?"
Edward turned bright red when he realized she was looking at the bikini picture. He tried to grab the phone back but she was too quick for him. "Mom, please."
"Who is she Edward? I'm your mother. You need to tell me." The grin on her face told him she was teasing, despite the stern tone.
"Her name is Isabella. Bella. I met her in Hilton Head. And she's….she's special to me." He wasn't sure he could say anything more than that, not after just a few days. But the way his breath caught whenever he saw her, the way his heart felt when he thought about her, well, he knew he was falling hard and fast. But that didn't mean he was going to tell all that to his mother. And he certainly wasn't going to tell her the way he felt about that blue bikini.
Esme Cullen was nobody's fool, and she knew that no one had ever put a look like that on Edward's face before. She was more than just special. "Then you've only known her a few weeks."
Edward grabbed another cookie, just for something to distract him. "Actually, I've only known her for 4 days." Four of the best days of his life. "But Mom, it was….I don't even know if I can explain it. I just knew. Right away."
"And this girl, Bella. How does she feel?" Like any mother, Esme wanted her son's heart to be safe and protected.
"She feels the same." He remembered those last kisses at the airport. "She lives in New Jersey, so it's going to be a challenge, but I want to make this work. We want to make this work."
"Then you'll find a way." She reached over and ruffled his already messy hair. "That's what love does, Edward." He couldn't help but realize that she didn't say anything about the short time he'd known Bella.
Bella walked back into Jasper's Pub and took a seat at the bar between Rosalie and Alice.
"What can I getcha, girlfriend?" Emmett leaned over the bar and winked at her.
Rose smacked his arm. "Who you calling girlfriend?"
"Aww Rose, I'm just trying to cheer Miss Bella up" he said with a grin. "You know I only love you." He froze when he realized what he'd just said.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I believe we're having a moment over here" chortled Jasper at the look on his friend's face. "Emmett has gone and confessed his love for Miss Rosalie."
"But…I…I didn't…."
"Don't you dare take it back now, you big lug" said Rosalie, arms folded across her chest. "Or you won't be fixing anybody drinks for a long, long time."
Bella had to laugh at the fierce look on Rose's face and the terrified look on Emmett's. "Just a beer, please Emmett."
He pushed a frosty glass across the bar and leaned over to kiss Rosalie. "Guess you're stuck with me now, babe."
Alice clinked her glass to Bella's. "How are you? Where did you disappear to?"
"I'm ok. I just miss Edward" answered Bella. "I wanted to text him and make sure he got home okay." She took a long draw of her drink. "How can I miss him this much when I've only known him for less than a week?"
Alice cast a sideways look at Jasper and smiled. "Sometimes you just know. The heart wants what the heart wants, and all that."
"Let's just hope his heart and mine want the same thing" Bella said.
"I don't think that's gonna be a problem" Alice responded, grinning. "I know things, you know."
Bella looked at her phone, where a picture of a smiling Edward filled the screen. "Yeah, I know."
Edward escorted his mother into the restaurant and held her chair as she sat at the reserved table. "Where is he?"
"He'll be here, Edward." Esme looked at her watch. "We're a few minutes early."
Edward sat next to her and fidgeted in his seat. He picked up each piece of silverware, folded and unfolded his napkin, and checked his phone.
"Edward" said his mother, stilling his nervous hands. "He's your father. He loves you. You may not see eye to eye on this, but at the end of the day you'll find a way to resolve it."
"Hello Edward." A familiar voice got his attention. Carlisle Cullen leaned down to kiss his wife's cheek. He went to embrace Edward, thought better of it, and held out his hand for an awkward handshake. "It's good to see you, son."
"It's good to see you too, dad." Edward took in his father's carefully tailored suit, expensive watch, gold cufflinks. His father was the picture of poise and well-earned success. Edward couldn't help but picture him the way he used to love best – in sweats, a backward baseball cap on his head, cheering Edward on as he circled the ice. "Dad, can we talk about…."
His father interrupted him. "Edward, can we just have a pleasant welcome home dinner without arguing? We'll talk tomorrow."
"Promise?"
"Yes, of course."
"Okay" said Edward. He just wanted to get this conversation out of the way, but one more night wasn't going to make a difference. He picked up his menu and calculated how long it would be until they were done, and he could call Bella from the safety of his room. With two fingers, he rubbed his chest, trying to ease the ache in his heart. She would know what to say to make him feel alright.
Dinner was actually quite pleasant, to Edward's surprise. His mother took the lead in the conversation, asking him about Jasper, the pub, Emmett. His father chimed in from time to time, and they were all in a good mood by the time they returned home. After saying goodnight, Edward made his way upstairs. As soon as his door was shut, he dialed Bella's number.
"Hello, Edward?"
"Bella." He felt all the air leave his chest. Hearing her say his name took away all the pressure he'd been feeling. "I miss you."
"I miss you too" she said, and he thought he heard tears in her voice. "I don't understand how I can miss you so much after just a few days, but I feel like I've known you forever. I'm sorry if that sounds silly."
"It's not silly at all" he replied. "I feel the same way." He tried to lighten the mood. "How many people did Aro knock over today?"
She laughed as he hoped she would. "Only me, as usual. I took him for a walk on the beach and he managed to trip me. Twice."
He laughed, and all was good again. When they finally said their goodnights, she got serious again for a moment.
"Edward, when you talk to your dad tomorrow, just know that we are all behind you. Me, Alice, Rose, Jasper, and Emmett. Especially me."
"Thanks, sweetheart. Can I call you tomorrow?"
"I'll be disappointed if you don't. Goodnight, Edward."
"I'll talk to you tomorrow, Bella. Goodnight." He almost added an "I love you" to the end of the call, but this wasn't the way he wanted to tell her. He'd do it in person, and soon. No matter what direction he life was about to take, he felt at peace knowing she'd be in it.