Part III: "The Changes in the Cullen Family"
As they drove away, Bella commented, "It's so nice to see Jill again. I'm glad she's happy with Ted and Ben. He's such a cute kid."
Garrett hugged Bella close and asked, "Do you ever feel the loss of not being able to have a kid of your own?"
Bella thought for a moment before answering, "No, children aren't a priority for me right now. If we ever feel the need for a child, there's always adoption. But don't worry, I think it would take several centuries for me to even start to think about stuff like that. Right now, I'm more than happy with our time together and seeing our friends and family."
"I'm glad to hear that," Garrett said with a smile. "So, what do you want to do for the rest of the day?"
"Would you mind if we checked out my college campus?" Bella asked. "It would be nice to see if there have been any changes and maybe I could say hello to some of my old teachers."
"Sure, that sounds fine," Garrett replied. "Later tonight, let's find someone for me to eat as well. Seeing you eat this morning got me feeling a little parched."
"I can't believe you didn't join me," Bella said, smiling as she hugged Garrett. "I know how much you love munching on Bambi."
The next day, Bella and Garrett set out to visit the Cullens, who were in the midst of preparations for another move. They had been living in the Colorado house for over a decade, and it was long overdue for them to relocate again. Carlisle had left his job at the hospital a few years back and was taking some time off to be with Esme. For the past few months, they had been residing in Massachusetts, working on restoring their home in Sudbury so that it could be ready for the family to live in once again.
As Bella and Garrett approached the Cullen house, Bella reflected on how much the Cullens had changed since she first met them. The once-eternal teenagers had moved on from their previous ways. With Bella's help, she had convinced them that their old habits were no longer sustainable and that it was time to pursue more meaningful and productive lives. Everyone had embraced the change wholeheartedly, and to Bella's delight, it seemed that the Cullens had truly turned over a new leaf.
Esme had changed greatly from the doting housewife and mother that Bella once knew. She now dressed more casually and seemed to be enjoying life in a way that rejuvenated her. Carlisle, too, had embraced this new outlook on life, and they were both learning to act their age as a young married couple in their mid-twenties. They had made the bold decision to drop the pretense of adopting the rest of the family and simply live as friends in a large house in Massachusetts, which would be too big for just a young couple like them. Bella was impressed by their willingness to let go of old habits and live more realistically.
Carlisle had landed a research position at a medical clinic, and he had decided to use Esme's last name. He assured Bella that they regularly scrubbed the internet of any references to their past lives, but she remained skeptical that they could erase all traces of "Dr. Carlisle Cullen" from the past century. Nevertheless, Bella was glad to see that they were taking steps to modernize their ways.
Bella was thrilled to see that Edward had transformed from the sour, depressed vampire she had once dated. After spending time with Tanya and the Denali coven, Edward appeared to have turned over a new leaf. Bella suspected that he may have gotten involved with all of the Denali women during his stay, but she didn't want to embarrass him since she was the one who had encouraged him to change. By the time Edward had left Alaska and returned to the Cullens, he was like a new man. The last she had heard, he was dating a vampire named Kiyoko.
Alice had found her calling in fashion design, and her clothing line had taken off in a big way. Her intuition for what would be trendy in the future was uncanny if you could believe it, and she had a devoted following of customers who couldn't wait to see what she would come up with next. Jasper was happy to support Alice in her endeavors, and he was grateful that he didn't have to go back to high school again. Instead, he had been indulging his passion for writing, working on several history books and was considering trying his hand at fiction.
Rosalie had plans to start a custom design and repair shop for cars and motorcycles when they moved to Massachusetts. Bella was excited for Rosalie to follow her passions and start her own business. Meanwhile, Emmett had decided to go back to college to learn computer programming. He was looking forward to learning new skills and wanted in the future to create video games.
As Bella walked into the Cullen house, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness. This visit would likely be one of the last times she would be here for a very long time. This was her first home as a vampire, and she would always cherish the memories associated with this place. She had grown so much during her time living in Colorado with the Cullens; they had become her true family. She had honed her abilities, discovering new ones along the way. Most importantly, she had met and fallen in love with Garrett.
Bella hugged Garrett tightly, reminiscing about all the great times they had shared in this very living room. "I'm really going to miss this place," she said wistfully.
"I know, it's never easy leaving behind the people and places you love," Garrett replied, returning the embrace. "But with time, it gets easier. For you, it might be a bit more difficult since you're still so new to this life. But we'll be back, and we can always keep our house in Denver. We'll just have to be more careful when we visit to avoid being seen by anyone we knew without taking the proper precautions."
"That sounds good. Come on, let's go see who's here and say hello," Bella said, listening intently to determine who was in the house. She quickly identified that Alice and Jasper were upstairs and led Garrett up the stairs to Alice's design room. She knocked on the door, and Alice called out, "Come in, guys." As they entered the room, they were met with the sight of dresses strewn about, and Alice and Jasper were packing them into boxes.
Alice beamed as she hugged Bella and Garrett. "It's so good to see you both!" she exclaimed, gesturing at the chaos in the room. "Don't mind the mess, we're just packing for a business meeting in France. We're leaving later tonight."
Bella nodded in understanding. "Glad we could catch you before you left. These dresses are amazing, Alice. I love this blue one," she said, holding up the dress in question. "It looks so comfortable and stylish."
"Thank you!" Alice replied, grinning. "I'll make one to fit you when we get back. I'm going to be so busy this week though. After the meeting, we're going to some fashion shows in Paris. It's going to be a blast."
"I can see the joy on your face, Jasper," Garrett said, grinning at his friend who smiled and shrugged in response. Garrett knew Jasper wasn't exactly enthusiastic about fashion, and the idea of going to Paris for a fashion show probably didn't excite him much. But he also knew that Jasper would do anything for Alice, just as he would for Bella. "Don't worry, buddy," Garrett teased. "I'm sure you'll find something to enjoy in Paris, I hear there croissants are really tasty."
As they caught up on each other's lives, Bella and Garrett learned about the Cullen's upcoming move and what they had been up to in the last few months since they had last seen Alice and Jasper.
As Bella and Garrett descended the stairs to the living room, she saw Edward and a vampire she assumed was Kiyoko entering through the front door. Bella took a moment to observe Kiyoko, as she had never met an Asian vampire before. She appeared to be in her early 20's, with long black hair that cascaded down her back in soft waves. Kiyoko's eyes were a deep golden color, just like the rest of the Cullens, and Bella wondered if she had always followed the same diet or if she had transitioned to it when she met Edward. Bella thought that Kiyoko was extremely attractive, with delicate features and a slim build that made her look almost fragile. Edward looked good too, and he had a smile on his face as they walked up to greet Bella and Garrett at the base of the stairs.
Edward began, "Bella, Garrett, I would like you to meet Kiyoko." As Edward introduced his girlfriend, Kiyoko bowed in front of Bella and Garrett.
"It's very nice to meet you, Kiyoko," Bella said, nodding her head back. She was not fluent in Japanese customs enough to know what was appropriate. Bella continued, "Let's go sit in the living room for a bit so we can all get acquainted."
As they settled onto the sofas, Garrett spoke up. "So, Kiyoko, how did you and Edward meet?"
Kiyoko gave a bright smile and placed her hand on Edward's arm. "We met last year in Tokyo," she began. "I was passing through when I caught sight of him. His eyes caught my attention immediately; I had never met a non-red-eyed vampire before. We struck up a conversation, and here we are now." Kiyoko finished with another smile.
Bella loved the sound of Kiyoko's voice. It was soft, with a subtle accent that hinted at her Japanese heritage. She found herself captivated by the gentle lilt of Kiyoko's words as she spoke. "Had you been following a human diet, or were you a vegetarian as well before you met Edward?" Bella asked, intrigued by how other vampires in foreign cultures lived.
"When I was human, my family were fishermen in a small coastal village," Kiyoko said. "This was back in the mid-1800s. After I became a vampire and got myself under control, I decided to continue living on a sea life diet."
"Really?" Bella's eyes widened with excitement. "I've never tasted anything from the ocean before! How does it taste compared to land animals? What are some of your favorites? I can't wait to try this out," she said, already planning a jaunt to the ocean when they got to India.
"As Kiyoko shared her experiences with a sea-life diet as a vampire, the group settled into the cozy living room and continued to chat. They spent a pleasant day getting to know each other, sharing stories and laughter. Bella and Garrett were curious about Kiyoko's life in Japan and her unique diet, while Kiyoko was fascinated to hear about Bella and Garrett's travels around the world."
The following week passed quickly as Bella and Garrett enjoyed their downtime before embarking on their next adventure to India. For Bella, traveling was never a burden but a source of freedom and excitement as it allowed her to explore new places and cultures. The publisher had sent some enticing pictures of the places they were to visit, and Bella and Garrett couldn't wait to experience them firsthand.
The previous night, they had a great time with Jill and Ted, watching a fun movie and letting loose a little at a club. It felt like old times for Bella, and Jill was thrilled to spend a night out on the town, knowing that Benny was in good hands with a sitter.
I will post the conclusion Part IV on Friday. Something happens with Bella and "the preverbial shit will hit the fan"
