Hello, guys!
As you probably all already thought, there is the counter event today.
I wish you a lot of fun with the girls in New York.
Greetings Sandra
Chapter 144
New York
Leah
New York. The city that never sleeps! I have never been to this city. It was just terrific. This many people. The colorful lights. Oversized billboards. The tall buildings. The hustle and bustle. The background noises. The smells. Simply ... madness! Our hotel room alone knocked my socks off.
The Plaza Hotel! I had seen it on television countless times. It was the setting for various films. To see it in real life, to walk through the foyer, was ... Wow ... On top of that we had a suite, too!
The spacious rooms were subtly decorated in beige and lilac. However, the color was the only discreet thing. There was a hallway, in our suite - ! - from which several rooms led off. A large dining room, a living room where there was even a black grand piano, a kitchen, even a small fitness room.
While Mom complained about the cost, I walked curiously with Becky through a door on the right. We were astonished - we had been doing that since we entered this building and probably wouldn't stop for a while.
A small, dignified hallway with its own closet and then a bedroom.
There was living room furniture facing us. A narrow table, a sofa, a chaise lounge or whatever they were called, an armchair. Various dressers on the walls. And in the back was a freaking huge bed that looked like it was made for royalty. A canopy was draped over it. On the ceiling was a chandelier made of glass - maybe it was crystal.
Becky and I looked at each other. We chuckled, took a running start, sprinted across the long room for a moment, and threw ourselves onto the mound of pillows that had been carefully erected over the bedspread.
We would only be here one night, insofar we had quickly 'made ourselves at home' and plunged into the Christmassy city that never sleeps!
Shopping was the reason we were here. So we went shopping. Since we only had one day, we limited ourselves to the Theater District. Broadway, Times Square, 5th Avenue.
Mom hooked arms with me as we walked along the edge of Central Park to get to Columbus Circle. From there we wanted to continue across Broadway. In the park there had been prepared an ice-skating rink. Many couples in love were to be seen, who either slithered together on the ice or watched amused their children by it.
Mom became quiet and looked very dreamy.
"And you only fell once?" I asked teasingly, remembering her tales of Thanksgiving.
She nodded, smiling sentimentally, and told how she had skated with Dad on the ice in Portland.
I could very well imagine how Dad, despite his supernatural reactions, had still managed to drop Mom once.
We strolled rather leisurely, so that the pregnant women did not get tired. Here a souvenir store, there a small trendy store, there a cute boutique. I was still busy with the sensory overload - the urban canyons, a Santa Claus or street food cart on every corner, the many people - but Rose and Alice quickly had so many bags in their hands that it looked silly.
Full on cliché!
Becky had pulled me into a shoe store.
Mom was with Sonya a few aisles over, looking for shoes she could slip into without help.
Sonya had reminded her that later she would not be able to see her feet or touch them easily, the more pronounced the baby bump became. Mom's face had looked hilarious when she realized that.
Emma happily jumped around between us with new booties she had found with Esmé's help.
In pink, of course. They lit up and flashed when she stepped on one foot.
I chuckled.
I had also once had ones like that. Also in pink. Becky's had been yellow at the time.
And now Becky and I were sitting there.
Desperate! We had the same problem.
We both looked at the couples who were already on the shortlist.
So in front of me were comfortable boots that looked like old painted burlap bags had been patchworked together, with a button hanging here or a zipper there. A pair of sneakers. With heels. Granted, this wasn't a new invention, but the color combos and styles these had were extremely awesome. Two pairs of brown boots. After all, it was winter. The one pair had slightly higher heels, but the others were lined from the inside. Furthermore pink Chucks, only as high heels processed. And next to them were two pairs of pumps from 'Dolly Do', which with their cheerful patterns and colors and bows and braids and floral prints and ... almost invited me to take them with me.
I hid my face in my hands and sighed frustrated.
I mentally made a rough estimate of my account balance.
One pair! No more! How could I possibly decide?
When I opened my eyes to take another closer look at my problem, the shoes were gone. Even the ones that had been in front of Becky were no longer there.
We looked around us, searching for the beautiful shoes and found them at the checkout.
All of them!
"Rose!" I snapped at her. "We can't afford that!"
"Sure you can!" she squeaked, pulling at my jacket pocket and suddenly had a black credit card in her hand.
I snapped at it, but she was faster and put it on the counter, chuckling.
"Edward doesn't want you to renounce anything if you like it!" she commanded us with a stern face.
Rose was beautiful, but also equally intimidating. She pursed her lips, raising her index finger sternly, and her golden eyes were frozen and narrowed to small slits.
I felt an icy chill run down my spine as Becky swallowed hard beside me.
Yes, Rosie belonged undeniably to the most dangerous predators of this world.
Before my speech worked again - which happened only after Rosie smiled contentedly - the saleswoman held out our large bags to us. Ashamed, we took them and silently followed the others through the freezing cold streets of New York.
It felt pretty warm to me after Rosie's cold performance in the store.
"Dad got his will with this!" I whispered to Becky.
She nodded.
"That won't happen again!" we vowed.
It was really uncomfortable for us to pay for such a bunch of shoes, which we didn't need vitally, with his card. He was my dad, but not because of his bank balance! Though I had been totally happy when he said we should use them. But - I mean - there I was thinking maybe ONE complete festive outfit for Christmas and at most ONE pair of shoes. Not a whole bag full! I was not a chick who defined herself by her clothes. Which needed new ones every week. Who of us was now more uncomfortable, it was hard to say.
But our decision did not last very long.
When I went to buy a book a few stores later, the credit card from my personal account was gone.
Alice grinned diabolically in front of the shop window and held them up demonstratively. She also had Becky's in her fingers.
"I guess we'll have to take better care of our valuables," Becky said resignedly.
Becky at least still had some money in her wallet that her father had given her to go to New York. As an early Christmas present. I didn't. So I had to pay again with the black card. However, I found it very funny how the vendors treated me with downright hypocritical devotion as soon as I pulled out this card. It happened to me a few times in Saco or Portland.
Sonya and Mom - both armed so far with little things and only one bag - needed a short breather.
We sat in Starbucks, drank hot cocoa, and the two of them examined at length the selection of pastries on offer.
I took a 'Caramel Shortbread'.
If my personal caramel toffee was not there!
The place was pretty full.
Therefore, I stood outside in Times Square with Becky while we waited for the rest of the people to come out of the washroom and put their extensive jackets back on.
When our company finally emerged from Starbucks, I walked purposefully towards the Sephora store.
Becky, however, drew me to Hard Rock Café.
So we stood there for a moment arguing about directions.
Until Emma loudly announced she had spotted the M&Ms store about which Sonya had told her.
It took us a while to get there, though. The vampires ran their credit cards hot on the way there. So slowly it was no longer just silly, but really unbelievable how many bags and packs Rosie and Alice were carrying.
Around noon we took a slightly longer break.
I was starving!
Our vampiric companions took advantage of the downtime to bring our previous purchases to the hotel.
"Mom, are you okay?" I asked as we waited for our order.
She had once sucked in the air deeply and released it only through her pursed lips.
"Does anything hurt you?" asked Sonya attentively as well.
"No. It just pinched," but Mom immediately smiled again.
I eyed her a little suspiciously, but she looked really relaxed. Not as if she were playing anything down.
Afterwards, we took the Subway.
"One cannot come to New York without having ridden it once!", Esmé had said, however, we only rode two stops.
To Grand Central Station.
We arrived just in time to see the awesome Laser Light Show.
I recorded it with my cell phone so I could show it at home.
From there, we strolled down 5th Avenue.
We looked at the huge Christmas tree in front of the Rockefeller Center and the oversized lighted Christmas decorations in front of Radio City Music Hall.
That was madness!
But always at a nice leisurely pace. It did not bother us.
It was wonderful to walk just among us through this grandiose city. Without any boys grumbling about how long it would take. Having to discuss with them to what extent a new purchase differed from what already existing in the closet. What was one were looking for in the first place. Or having to collect them again in the electronics department!
Becky found a Christmas gift for her parents.
This also gave us an idea of what we could bring Edward. We were able to put it into action and I borrowed the money from Becky for my share.
We did not want to pay for his gift with his money!
"You don't have to stay here. You can also go a little further," Mom told us as we entered a baby store.
"No way, Mom. We're here together, so we'll stay together!" I determined. That's how I saw it!
So I strolled with Becky through the big store and was partly really amazed.
God, what cute things there were. I had very tiny socks in my hand and a sighed "Ooohh ...!" escaped us. No matter what we found, our reaction remained the same. It was all so tiny.
Emma had chosen hair clips on which there was a colorful unicorn.
I chuckled and immediately thought of the part of Marcus' body that I preferred to nibble on.
But I also found a Christmas gift for my new little sibling, if they would be with us at Christmas.
A cap with a pretty appropriate saying:
Don't touch!
I have siblings and I'm not afraid to deploy them!
We sat down in a café in the afternoon.
Mom looked exhausted, but she smiled and said emphatically that nothing hurt her.
It was probably just all a bit much.
To keep Emma from getting too suspicious, Rose and Alice accompanied us to the toilet.
"Bella?" I heard as we were about to head back to the table.
A female voice unknown to me.
"Oh ... shit!" cursed Rose, pushing us back a bit behind a wall.
"Bella Swan? ... Oh my God. We haven't seen each other in ages! How are you?" the voice continued to ask.
Somehow the tone alone was unappealing.
"What is it?" asked Becky, who of course didn't explicitly understand anything through the general chatter of people.
"Lauren Mallory!" said Alice.
I was surprised how grumpy Alice could look.
I asked who it was and learned that she had gone to high school with Mom. And with Dad. And with Rose and Alice. The head bitch of the school.
Honestly, she looked like that too.
"She was also after Edward and quite miffed that he was interested in Bella! She started some spiteful rumors together with Jessica Stanley to annoy them both," Rose still riled afterwards.
Mom was apparently not sooo pleased to meet her here either.
Nevertheless, she politely introduced her company.
Sonya and Emma. And Esmé. A very good girlfriend.
In further chit-chat, Lauren blasély told them she was only here for a few days to do her Christmas shopping. She actually lived in Paris and Los Angeles. She would be a model, so the Jet Set life was part of it. Since then she hadn't seen or spoken to anyone from Forks. The primitive nest!
God, how primitive it was, she went into great detail about it.
Not only I doubted she was model, but also Rose next to me.
Lauren eyed Moms and Sonya's highly visible bellies critically, with downright disgust.
"Are you pregnant?" she asked contemptuously, and furthermore explained that she would not let her life be determined by children. They were just ballast, cost money, and would only spoil her figure.
Okay, she didn't say that so literally, but it was clear what she meant.
"I heard you only left Forks because you were pregnant then too!"
"Yes. Both. My twins are about to turn eighteen and now I'm pregnant again," Mom said calmly, but I saw her start to grind her teeth.
Also Sonya seemed increasingly irreconcilable.
"Twins, too!" Lauren wrinkled her nose repulsively.
What was that goat's problem with twins, please?
"I take it you're not a family person?" asked Sonya intently.
"Let's just say I'm not willing to sacrifice my freedom and career just to bring a couple of whinging brats into this world," Lauren clarified her opinion, patting Emma awkwardly on the head.
We chuckled as now Emma furiously narrowed her eyes and stuck her tongue out at Lauren.
Did I have a way to get one over on this chick unnoticed? ... Why was I actually hiding?
With a nod, I signified to Becky that we could go back to the table after all.
"Thereby there is nothing more beautiful than looking into your baby's eyes and finding nothing but love and trust in them! No matter how many times they cried during the night," Sonya said and Emma commented this with a loving hug.
"Hey, Mom, have you ordered yet?" I asked good-humoredly.
"No, not yet ..." She pointed in Lauren's direction, so Becky and I turned to face the lady. "... Lauren's an old acquaintance from my school. Leah, my daughter. Becky, my daughter-in-law-to-be," Mom introduced.
Politely I shook her hand.
Quite by accident, I probably pressed a little too hard.
Oops ... How could that happen?
"Imagine, Leah, Lauren is a professional model!" Mom relayed to me.
"Really? I always thought they had to be a certain size," I said lightly, looking down at this little something that was no more than 5'6" before sitting down.
"And doesn't the industry now focus more on naturalness?" Becky also asked.
Lauren had certainly been a very pretty girl once, but the plastic surgeries were written all over her face! There was hardly anything moving anymore.
Lauren snorted.
Her underlying anger was hard to miss.
"So you're on a family trip then," Lauren commented, arrogantly running her hand through her silver-blonde hair, something she seemed very proud of.
Then I guess she didn't want to comment on Becky's question!
"Yes, one could put it that way. We women wanted to treat ourselves to a day between us. You know. A little shopping, Christmas gifts, and stuff," Mom clarified.
"New York is getting more and more affordable. Pretty much everyone can afford it now!" Lauren observed disdainfully.
"Come on. Give it to the snipe, Bella!" Alice cheered Mom on.
Of course, she didn't hear them, but Mom didn't seem to have anything else on her mind.
Mom pulled out her hands and Lauren took note in amazement of the sparkling rings on Mom's hands with which she stroked over her belly.
But quite honestly, Mom had no talent for subliminal malice.
"Speaking of which," I began, leaning toward Mom. This chick was so fixated on wealth and looks, I had come up with something. "You promised me I could pick something out over at Tiffany's. Can you give me Daddy's credit card?" I asked, batting my eyes.
A devilish grin flitted across Mom's face.
"Of course, sweetheart!" Mom stroked me over the head and rummaged in her shoulder bag.
"Daddy? Didn't you say the children's father died?" Lauren asked in between.
"Yes, but my fiancé and my children are so close that the small matter of not being related by blood is not important. And Becky may 'only' be with my son, but she's family too, as if she were one of our children," Mom explained, and Becky and I nodded in agreement.
It was most definitely just an oversight that the Black Card spent a sufficient moment lying openly visible on the table for Lauren to see.
I listened with satisfaction as Lauren's heartbeat quickened and she struggled to keep her breathing even.
I gave Mom an extended kiss on the cheek.
"And Becky. You choose something, too, of course!" Mom added.
"Yes. Thanks, Mom!" said Becky emphatically, kissing Mom as well.
Actually, Becky didn't call my mom that, but it just fit so nicely.
"Can I have some, too?" asked Emma right away.
Probably without knowing what Tiffany stood for.
"Certainly, cherub!" Mom immediately confirmed. "But you were thirsty. Don't you want a drink first?" asked Mom, before we would have had to leave to make our charade seem believable.
A waiter came, we ordered, and Lauren meanwhile was busy with getting very small.
"Well, Bella. I've got to get going. It was nice to have seen you again!" Lauren hummed and hawed.
"Yeah, I thought so," Mom said good-humoredly.
We shook her hand again in turn.
"I'll tell my fiancé your regards !" said Mom, when it was her turn to shake.
"But I don't even know him!"
"Sure you do. Or did I forget to mention that? ... I'm engaged to Edward," Mom reflected.
"Edward?" asked Lauren, seeming to think hard.
That lasted a moment. The way she looked, there was only one Edward she could have known.
Her eyes widened in surprise and her jaw dropped as Mom probably confirmed her suspicions.
"Yes. Edward Cullen ... He was in school with us in Forks and then had to move to Los Angeles for his father's job. Now he's Dr. Edward Cullen. We met again by chance a while back, we're engaged, and we're pregnant!" grinned Mom with satisfaction.
Lauren swallowed, nodded, and very soon dejectedly moved away.
"That was great, Bella!" came Alice back to our table.
"But don't you think that was pretty risky? What if she tells anyone about this meeting?" said Esmé worriedly.
"Why didn't she recognize you anyway?" I asked her.
"Maybe I looked familiar to her, but twenty years have passed since then. Besides, I was just the mother, not seen very often. Carlisle would probably recognize her through the hospital rather than me, but I don't think that's likely either."
I nodded.
Right off the bat, I wouldn't know if I recognized the doctor from Forks who had treated me a few years ago. It wasn't twenty years ago, but I was only eight or nine.
"I couldn't resist telling her that Edward and I are back together!" said Mom, clenching her hands into fists. Combative. "She said herself that she's not in contact with anyone from Forks anymore, and when we were there after summer break, Jessica also told me she hadn't heard from Lauren in years!"
Alice and Rosie shared some embarrassing performances by Lauren from high school until we left after coffee, cocoa, and cake.
Rose and Alice blocked our way to H&M, 'Forever 21' and similar stores in our actual price range. Instead, they pulled Becky and me specifically to Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino ... and Victoria's Secret.
I had never been in there before.
Neither had Becky.
Now we stood in the middle of high-quality tasteful provocative elegant lingerie in all possible and impossible colors and shapes. And my only thought was how Marcus would take it all off me. While I was trying some things on, my further hope was that Dad wouldn't look too closely at the credit card statement. And would definitely not call me on it!
Mom, however, became visibly more exhausted and we had a taxi drive us the rest of the way to the hotel.
The last few yards Rose had even carried her in the hallway.
Becky, Sonya, and Esmé played with Emma to distract her a bit.
It wasn't hard for them. She had a new game where one had to have little plastic hats flicked into a cardboard box.
"Maybe they is thirstier after all that running today," Mom commented, and Rose nodded.
They decided to give her the blood transfusion already.
"Ouch!" hissed Mom, offended, as Rose jabbed the needle into her arm.
Rose looked really inconsolable and apologized ruefully. She did not have too much practice.
I joined Mom on the sofa and additionally pulled a blanket over us as Mom shivered a little.
"I'm sorry to thwart you like this," she muttered.
"Oh nonsense, Mom. The day was great, and a little rest does me good!" I lied. The day was really nice, among us girls, but a wolf only rarely needed to rest. But I was no yardstick. Sonya also looked as if the rest did her good and even Becky seemed a little exhausted.
"I am fond of you, Little one!" said Mom, looking at me and giving me a kiss on the forehead.
"I you too, Mom!" I gave her a little squeeze.
By the time the blood bag was empty, I fell asleep with Mom.
Esmé woke us up with the news that dinner was served.
Mom was still moving a little cautiously, but the slight stagger was obviously just from sleeping. By the time we got to the dining room, she was back to full strength and looking good all around.
And she was hungry!
She felt so good, in fact, that she got into a first-class telephonic quarrel with Dad. She pushed him away, stomped her foot angrily, and threw the phone on the floor.
For a moment she just stood there. With her hands on her belly and her eyes closed, she mumbled something to herself.
Then - all of a sudden - she shifted her hands jerkily on my little sibling. For a very little moment, it looked as if she was in pain, before a gentle smile settled on her lips.
Probably the little daredevil had once again made his or her presence known. Or their opinion on the quarrel of our parents.
"Call him, Mom!" I demanded, picking up the phone from the floor and holding it out to her. "Dad doesn't see how you are, does he? Of course he's worried!"
She nodded, smiling peacefully, but her cell phone wouldn't come on.
I heard how Sonya was just about to say goodbye to David and pointed at her.
Mom understood me and stopped Sonya from hanging up.
"What's going on with you guys?" asked Marcus through my own cell phone.
"Mom just freaked out a little!", I explained and sat back down to my plate of caramel cream.
"But she's okay?" the dark voice asked.
"Well, sure. If it were any other way, we'd be on our way to the airport!" I made clear. "So! We were at the place where you were about to tell me you had something for me!" I reminded him.
"Mmm ... mmm ... But I won't tell you what!"
"All right. Then I won't tell you where I went shopping today either!" I returned snottily.
"I don't even want to know!" he commented charmingly and completely without being curious.
Damn!
I noticed the general mood of departure and that no one was on the phone except Becky and me.
"It looks like we have to go," I sighed disappointedly. "I love you, my caramel!" so I sadly said goodbye.
"Have fun at the theater, little Wildcat. I love you!" he replied lovingly.
Another sigh as I hung up.
Just one night! I reminded myself.
With two cars from the hotel we were driven to Madison Square Garden.
Maybe we were a little underdressed, but we didn't really care. After all, we weren't wearing rags.
We even had our own little lounge while waiting to get in and during the two breaks, and Mom also allowed Becky and I to drink sparkling wine.
Emma was also allowed to kiss the cup.
She squinted her eyes and shook her whole body cutely.
The revue itself was great. Just the right mix between sad and funny.
The music of the different decades was played. So Elvis or Michael Jackson were on stage. Also the typical dances at the times. Charleston, Swing, Rock'n'roll, Breakdance. And of course the important historical events. World wars, fall of the Berlin Wall, moon landing, color television. All packed into a rather minor little story about a family.
We were also picked up again by the hotel cars.
Emma was already asleep. She had simply fallen asleep during the third act. But it had been a bit much for the Little one today.
I carefully carried her through the corridors of the hotel and laid her down in her oversized bed.
Sonya was pretty tired too, so I got Emma ready for bed and changed her.
I liked the little whirlwind. That made me wish preferably for a sister instead of a brother.
"Thank you, Leah. I'm sure you'll make a great big sister!" said Sonya as I tucked Emma in and placed the teddy in her arms.
"I was happy to do it ... and I hope so!" I replied, leaving her alone.
On the way to my room I wished Mom a good night, who was discussing with Esmé when we had to leave for the airport and when they should wake us up.
Becky was already in bed, too, but she was holding her cell phone, chuckling.
I asked what was so funny, whereupon she showed me a picture.
I had to laugh so hard.
Emmett had apparently lost another bet and had attached Emma's Queen Elsa costume from Halloween to his shirt with clothespins. And her little crown was sitting on his head.
We still lay awake a bit and chatted, both wearing the T-shirts of our men, but we quickly fell asleep. All the running around today had left its mark on this wolf, too.
Emma jumped around squeakily between us on the bed until we were awake. As a sign of our sincere gratitude ... we tickled her.
Breakfast had been ordered for Sonya and Mom so they wouldn't board the plane with a completely empty stomach.
While Sonya was then as bright as a button, Mom seemed to be a bit weaker again this morning. She smiled encouragingly and emphatically cheerful, but I still had the impression that it was not quite as true as she wanted to make us believe. But no one could do or change anything now, since we were on our way home anyway.
The flight lasted only a good hour and still all the people and predators fell asleep.
Then we were already in the car.
Alice, Emma, Becky, and I drove ahead.
As soon as Alice stopped into David's driveway, Becky and I hurried out of the car and rushed toward the front door, which Dad opened - just before we reached it. We both jumped into his arms.
"My princesses are home again!" Dad said in a whisper, hugging us as tightly as we hugged him.
As beautiful and exciting as New York had been, as much as I had been looking forward to home.
We also hugged David in greeting and asked where our boys were, as we could hear plenty of good cheer coming from upstairs.
"Still asleep. I woke them up earlier, but they went back to sleep," Dad chuckled.
"It was a late night yesterday," David also chuckled as Emma immediately came running.
She preferred greeting her daddy first and then Edward.
"Where are the others?" Dad asked intently.
"Coming any moment, too. We were just a little faster," Alice replied.
"You should prepare Mom's breakfast!" I said. 'Her bloody one!' I clarified in my mind, whereupon Dad began to look shaken. So I remembered that morning to show him that it really wasn't bad. That Mom just seemed a little weak and was a little pale. And that maybe the only reason she hadn't said anything yet was because we were on our way home.
Dad nodded gravely and ran over to us.
And Becky and I went upstairs to David's guest room.
In the process, we came across the other three vampires who were taking care of David's sons.
The first thing we did was pick up our cell phones.
This had to be recorded for posterity!
Marcus and Jake were cuddled together in bed. Jake on his back and Marcus leaning against him with his head on Jake's torso. On their hands they held each other apparently. It was not so easy to see, because their sweaters still hung on their forearms. Jake had also thrown a leg over Marcus, which the latter held gently.
Suddenly Emmett was standing by us, grinning as he saw the two of them like that. He stepped closer to the bed, winked at us conspiratorially and mischievously, and shouted at the two of them.
"JAKE! MARCUS! WAKE UP! FIRE! ... GET OUT OF HERE! ... IT BURNS!"
Jake immediately stood upright next to the bed, rumbled excitedly against Emmett, spun around himself frantically, and plopped down on the floor. At the same time, I heard something metallic clang, and it looked as if he was somehow dragging Marcus along with him. So they were lying on top of each other on the carpet, Marcus' legs still halfway on the bed and looked cutely confused.
It didn't seem to burn. Em looked far too satisfied for that and laughed far too loudly.
Therefore, the two let their heads fall again in frustration. Jake on the floor and Marcus on Jake.
"Apparently we are superfluous!" I stated, as they lay there so intimate and familiar.
Immediately the eyes opened again, and their heads flew in our direction.
During the hectic and rather clumsy getting up, words like 'No', 'Leah', 'Stay', 'Becky' or 'Ouch' could be heard. No idea who was saying what until they finally had us in their arms.
On the way to breakfast, which of course was already prepared, they enlightened us about the pretty arm ornament because of which Jake and Marcus were inseparable.
But we waited with the meal until Mom and Dad came out of the study after the blood had run through.
"Aren't you going to give up?" Jake asked Emmett in the meantime, holding up his wrist with the handcuffs.
"No way! I'm not admitting defeat yet! I should have also insisted that you put your jackets back on!", Em made clear.
Offended. He knew he was going to lose the bet.
And I thought it was pretty funny. If either of them wanted to take something or get up, the other would inevitably join in. But it was also annoying.
I was sharing a grape with Marcus when Jake reached for the pancakes and nearly pulled Marcus off his chair with them.
"The Advent calendar gifts are part of breakfast, too!", Emmett then determined, when the table had already been cleared and the two were standing in front of him invitingly.
Annoyed, they sat down again and dutifully opened their little bags.
Today we had homemade Christmas cookies for everyone.
Emmett then finally had mercy and released the handcuffs.
The freed men first said goodbye to the bathroom. Separated from each other.
I stealthily tried to grab the handcuffs, but Becky seemed to have the same idea.
I could still see Dad rolling his eyes as I considered alternatives to this.
Guiltily, I chewed on my lower lip and lowered my gaze to the floor.
After breakfast we disappeared.
I had just quickly packed a few things into a bag before running through the snow-powdered forest with Marcus on my back.
Jake was also already on the way, but unfortunately somewhere before me! Therefore, I could save the way to Edward's house confidently ...
Still, I grinned after a moment's consideration.
Then we would not have a Jacuzzi, but the attic! ... Shit! Jake heard my reasoning and spontaneously changed his mind. Sometimes this telepathic ability was really annoying!
We went to take a shower, we both had not yet today.
Unfortunately, I could not get my hands to concentrate on washing. The caramel body in front of me was far too inviting for that.
Wash! I reminded myself and did it.
But not me. And I took my time with it, every shred of skin extensively with soap. Every bit!
And he did the same to me.
I quivered and the heat spread through me. Until Marcus finally lifted me on his hips and pressed me against the wall of the shower.
It was wild, it was way too short, and it was good.
Afterwards, we lay in bed smooching and waiting for someone to dry us off. We were too busy for that.
"I have to confess, I haven't really had time to miss you ..." Marcus started to say, but I interrupted him with a half-shouted "What?!"
What a ... nerve. Although, I hadn't really missed him between the changing rooms.
"... but I'm very glad you're back! I think I won't let you go all day," he promised, chuckling and kissing me.
"Okay," was all I said, and I was perfectly fine with that.
A few minutes passed when I noticed goose bumps on Marcus' arm.
"Are you cold?" I inquired and also automatically looked right at the radiator.
Switched off.
"You're hot enough for both of us!" he stated.
"Do you actually know how to light a fireplace?"
"Go, fireplace, go!" he almost shouted, raising a fist rhythmically in the air.
I had to laugh so hard at first that tears came, and my cheeks hurt.
"Sure, I can!" he said after I calmed down.
He gave me a kiss on the tip of my nose and stood up. He put on a pair of boxer shorts and before he could reach for more clothes, I interfered with his plan.
"Who said anything about dressing?"
"You allow me to take the blanket then? My internal heating is not as generous as yours!" he asked played snotty.
"I allow, I am generous today."
While he was going downstairs, I looked in the bag I had brought with me.
I left the T-shirt for Marcus from the Hard Rock Café, but spread it out on the bed so he wouldn't miss it later if he came up here alone to get dressed.
Clothes were sometimes simply overrated. Except for a few exceptions. Exceptions with a of Victoria's Secret logo.
That's exactly the kind of thing I pulled out of my pocket.
A touch of nothing. But in pink!
Over it I pulled my local bathrobe. The last thing I took out was the book I had gotten for Marcus.
Marcus was in the kitchen, so I made us a cozy lounging spot in front of the fireplace ready. I pushed the armchairs and the table with the chess set back a bit, stole Marcus' blanket, got more blankets and pillows from the living room, and turned on some music.
Until it was as cozy as the glass attic.
Marcus came with a tray. A bottle of juice, two glasses, two cups of latte, a bag of gummy bears, and a box of cookies.
While guzzling coffee, the two of us talked about yesterday's day.
"I brought you something," I said after a while, pulling the book out from under a pillow.
Marcus was not a bookworm, and it was a pretty thick book, yet I knew I would be pretty right about this one. I was to be proven right.
"Wow ... Leah, that's amazing!" he said excitedly.
A book in which all the known sports of this world were described. The fascination that was in Marcus' black eyes as he flipped through the pages somehow moved me.
I sat down with him, and he looked over my shoulder. Soon I was as fascinated as he was.
Yo-Yo was as much a recognized sport as extreme ironing or walking.
"Dwarf-tossing!" laughed Marcus as he flipped open the page and fell backwards laughing.
I took the book from his hand, read it again.
No mistake. Dwarf-tossing!
"Don't let Lisa hear you say that!" I grinned. She complained constantly about her height of just five feet tall and was affectionately called a dwarf by many. Or Shorty. Was also very popular.
"The book is great, Leah. Thanks!" he sat back up and gave me a kiss. "But I have something for you too!"
"You did mention that," I reminded him, and I was curious. I liked gifts.
He went into the living room where his jacket was and held something hidden behind his back. He sat down behind me and held out a bar of chocolate.
'Love is ... sharing your favorite chocolate!'
was written on the paper packaging.
Very skeptically, I raised an eyebrow.
Well, caramel chocolate had actually been my favorite variety for almost two months, but who had thought up that saying? He should have been arrested! Share his favorite chocolate! Bah!
"Unwrap it."
I did it - doubtfully.
But I began to grin increasingly the more I saw of the fragments.
Except for one of them, all were marked with my name.
"No one says you have to share them fairly!" purred Marcus against my ear.
I laughed in his arms.
"Under those conditions, I'll share anything with you!" I promised, and broke off a piece directly, but we shared it very fairly.
But the bar was already too warm. Chocolate tasted best to me when it came out of the refrigerator.
So I took them there for temporary safekeeping.
"I have something for you to unwrap, too," I purred when I got back to the fireplace room.
He looked at me curiously and questioningly.
I opened the carefully knotted bathrobe. As I slowly let it fall to the floor, I could watch the black diamonds in Marcus' eyes begin to sparkle.
And I was unwrapped. Slowly, sensually and savoring every moment.
Thank you for reading!
