.
Chapter 42
Stone Family ;)
Carlisle
Will you all be home in about an hour?
I would love to introduce you to someone!
I read on my cell phone.
A text from Edward in our family group chat. I smiled happily.
So, the time had come. Bella would return to our house. Hopefully they would bring the children with them. Esmé would certainly be delighted to get to know them.
"Ouch ...!" I suddenly heard my beloved next door from our bedroom. "Alice!" she continued to rebuke, when I was already standing in the doorway.
Alice was kneeling on the floor in front of Esmé and was pinning a dress on her now. With one hand she held her cell phone and apparently just read the incoming message, with the other she inattentively drilled a needle into my wife's leg. Not that it really hurt her, but with such an inattention when it came to Alice's newest creation, it just wasn't to be expected.
She smiled patiently at me when she spotted me.
Alice showed her the phone so she could also see Edward's message.
"It looks like I didn't go shopping yesterday for nothing," Esmé stated disguisedly matter-of-factly.
She would be pleased no matter who Edward thought to bring. The pleasant mood he had been in for a few days was more than enough reason for Esmé to welcome the person(s). And as Esmé has always been a very caring and forward-thinking hostess, she had bought some groceries yesterday. She wanted to be prepared ... for everything that could come. Even if possibly only the wolves would come here to announce their judgment.
Her composure, however, was merely a facade. She lamented her lost daughter, Samantha. She worried about our other children because they were associating with wolves at school. And above all - what distressed me most - she did not trust me because I divulged quite little of my own views regarding Samantha and Edward.
I had really unemotionally gone over Samantha's destruction, with which I had greatly disappointed my spouse. It wasn't like me. Even if I had doubts about Samantha's attitude for some time, however, she was a part of this family and I usually did everything for the family.
However, Edward had described to me in great detail the meeting between her and Bella. Not only their actions, but also their thought processes. After that, I saw this undoubtedly unfortunate circumstance with different eyes. I was now convinced that Samantha would not have been happy in this existence. She had always made an effort to adapt to our way of life and she had also not made a mistake this past year, but more important than her actions was her spirit. Not only had she clung to Edward in vain since the beginning of this life, she had for a long time been unable to find her way in this family. Judging from her thoughts she had during her brief conversation with Bella, she still saw herself as a foreign body.
To her credit, there was perhaps more to her accusations against us than I wanted to believe. But she had not sought a conversation with us. Samantha had not realized the extent of her actions that evening. Nor thought that I would protect an innocent more than her. And then that it was Bella, too. She had also not thought that she would have Edward as an enemy forever. She had thought only of herself, of her own liberation. She had perhaps even unconsciously sought her own death. If I had been in Edward's place, I had no doubt that even then Sam would no longer be with us.
But I could apparently still stop fooling my family today and explain my behavior to everyone. Esmé, above all, would understand my motives because of Edward and my actual thoughts of Samantha. Besides, she had not accused me directly until now. She knew that something was unknown to her, which could well explain my behavior. There was no other explanation for her.
It didn't take very long for Rose and Emmett to stand, soaking wet, with us. They had been swimming in our pool in the basement and hadn't thought it necessary to dry off before entering the living area of the house. Jasper also immediately appeared with us, from the library.
"Who is he bringing?" Emmett asked me directly.
"How should I know?" I lied.
Since Edward didn't write anything about Bella or even remotely anything about a woman, I assumed he would want to surprise them all and I would not destroy that for him.
So now I took up Esmé's consideration from yesterday.
"Maybe the wolves would like to get to know us before they make a final decision. Peace exists only as long as the treaty is not broken. Edward violated the agreement, which cancels the truce," I explained soberly.
I looked into rather frightened faces.
I had probably exaggerated a bit with the serious tone.
"However, I dare to doubt that two young wolves will go to a house full of vampires if they are not well-disposed towards us," I added a bit more calmly.
My family relaxed. A little.
"THEY'RE definitely not coming!" said Jasper firmly, however.
"That's right. They're camping!" Emmett stated with equal certainty.
"Until this evening!" complemented Rosalie.
"That was the plan!" interjected Alice.
Oh, what a pity. Edward had mentioned that but not until which time the two would be on the road. No reason not to mislead my children after all.
"Plans can change. Something might have come up. One of the kids might have gotten hurt or sick. Parents may have called them back because of something important. An unannounced family member coming to visit or an impending bereavement. One of the cars is urgently needed earlier ..." I began to list.
I had many examples. Humans were unpredictable, but Rose raised her arms defensively.
"Yeah yeah. Alright. We get it. It could be the wolves coming. That's clear," she interrupted me, annoyed.
"Maybe they'll bring their mommy!" grinned Jasper then.
"Or a hatchet!" Emmett speculated.
"And lots and lots of deodorant!" interjected Rose.
"Well! Really, Rosalie," Esmé reprimanded her. "Were you planning on mopping up after yourselves?" Esmé now asked Rose and Em, pointing disapprovingly at the puddle forming beneath them.
Fortunately, the whole house had parquet floors.
The two looked down at their bare feet, which in the meantime stood in a considerable puddle, looked at each other briefly, and promptly disappeared.
"Will you release me then? If we're going to have visitors, I'd like to change clothes first," she turned to Alice, who was just sitting there.
She only nodded.
"Alice ... Is everything all right with you?" Jasper asked, already before me, and knelt by her side.
"No. I have a migraine!" Alice fluted offended.
"Still no vision, hmmm ...?" I asked, which by now didn't worry me anymore. It had to be the children. I simply couldn't find any other argument.
"No!" she was still cursing and freeing my beloved from the many pins she had used to pin her model dress.
Jasper walked back into the library, chuckling, after giving Alice a long kiss that apparently nullified her migraine.
I watched as Alice released my wife. Little by little, she removed the needles and carefully set aside the different countless pieces of fabric.
In the process, her skin was inevitably exposed more and more and afterwards she stood there only in her lovely underwear ...
One hour - Edward had written. A lot of things could be done in an hour and we were already standing in our bedroom. How convenient. Who knew how long Esmé would be angry with me because of my knowledge of Bella ...?
"You have a guess who he's bringing!" noted Esmé as I kissed over her sensual back some time later and laid on top of her.
"Yes." I didn't want to evoke Esmé's suspicion of me any further ...
"But you're not letting me in on your assumptions!" she turned her head in my direction.
"No." ... but didn't want to spoil Edward's surprise either.
"Will I be happy about it?" asked Esmé still, though.
"I'm sure you will, if my hunch is correct," I gave her a conciliatory kiss on the back of her neck.
A soft beeping from the security room next to the front door announced the opening of the main gate.
If Edward didn't race - and that was to be expected if he had Bella with him - he would be here in five minutes at the most.
Quickly we got dressed again, after we had extensively kissed each other again.
It was truly rare being in bed during the day. Too often, at least one of our children was in the house. Through our vampiric senses, privacy was a privilege. Add to that an empath and a mind reader in the house and intimacy was gone. But the times when we tried to silently carry out our love life out of shame were long gone. Nevertheless, like my family, I was also very satisfied with the way we lived here together again, but still separated from each other.
Esmé. My wife. The good soul of the family.
She scurried all over the house, checking that everything was clean and tidy, giving instructions to the children to tidy up this or that, checking the drinks in the refrigerator that we turned on yesterday, plucking here and there at flowers or curtains until I stopped her with my arms.
"Esmé, dear. Please calm down ... Whoever is about to come through that door is interested in the people who live here and not in the house that you always lovingly keep in order," I tried to curb her excessive eagerness.
I had to admit to myself that I was a little envious of Edward. He had been allowed to help Bella with very mundane human duties, but Esmé, after all these decades, still forbade me to lift a hand to help her with the housekeeping.
I called my family together and moved Esmé in my arms into the living room.
If they all saw Bella the minute, she entered the house - and I assumed they would be all aflutter - Bella would possibly flee. Besides, I knew my son. His penchant for drama. He would delay Bella's revelation as long as possible. Even if she then stood in the middle of us, Edward would certainly not immediately let on that he had recaptured his soul mate.
But had he done that? Actually, I couldn't say with certainty myself. All signs pointed to it, according to what he had told me so far with his glowing eyes and an enthusiastic smile, but they could also just be good friends. After all, there was something between them that simply could not be denied. The age difference. Bella was a grown woman. She had undoubtedly experienced a lot in the past years. Perhaps she had simply outgrown her love for Edward. People changed over time.
The children speculated and discussed the wildest theories.
Lisa Seymore, with whom Edward apparently flirted quite openly at school, was a possibility. War with the wolves. More wolves who had come here from La Push. Some vampire he had met by chance while hunting and who was interested in our philosophy of life. Or a vampiress. The mother of our wolves, whereby Em again noted how ancient she must be with the almost grown children.
For a small moment, silence fell as the front door opened.
"Do you smell that?" Rosalie scrunched up her face.
I took a deep breath when I felt a slight breeze.
Bella! It was her! She was here! But no one seemed to have noticed except me, which was all too understandable. It had only been fleeting and the smell of the wolves was very penetrating. In addition, Bella's smell had also changed somewhat. Only when you knew it was her, would you recognize the aroma among the wolves.
I looked around the living room. Looked in every face of my family and considered how they would react. But none of them seemed to have even the slightest idea!
"Wolves!" replied Alice, endeavoring to maintain a more composed expression.
"How can Eddie stand it?" Emmett wondered.
"Maybe you become resistant over time," Jasper considered with a smile.
"After only three days?" doubted Rosalie.
"Four heartbeats!" remarked Esmé, which I had also heard before, but it made me consider.
Who was the fourth person? Bella, the twins and who else? Five I would be more able to understand. Both twins had a partner, as far as I knew from Edward.
An impressed murmur could be heard in the entrance area.
Everyone chuckled.
The luxury available to us here was also somewhat unusual for us. Thereby, we had not placed any particular value on it. The larger an estate was - and with eight vampires you needed enough space - the more upscale the furnishings were bound to be.
"They're nervous," Jasper stated frankly.
But then he seemed to collect himself.
I spoke to him, asking what he perceived.
"Lovesickness. Quite intense. But overlaid with nervousness and also fear at the moment," he said sympathetically, to which the others commented with a participatory 'Oh!'.
They were visibly sorry, though Jasper couldn't tell which of the visitors this concerned. He did not recognize who was hiding behind the feelings he was picking up.
"Will you wait here?" we heard Edward say.
Just as I had expected. He would hide Bella as long as he could to make the most pathos appearance possible.
"Don't worry. There's no reason for that," he then said in a very soothing voice.
"That doesn't sound like our death sentence has been handed down!" Emmett hissed as Edward started to move.
My son had changed. There were so many little things. His eyes shone. A soulful smile played around his mouth. Breathing evenly, without being bothered by the nasty smell. His hands on the shoulders of the children. Protective. Possessive. It was a sign. For the children, an assurance that nothing would happen to them. For his siblings, a warning that he would defend the both of them if it came down to it. And how lovingly he looked at the children. Jake and Leah. They, too, had changed since their visit to the hospital on Thursday. Insignificantly, but the accelerated aging process was quite recognizable for the likes of us, if one did not get to see the two every day. The facial features lost their childishness without completely losing their youth. It was strange. It fascinated me! And so now that was Becky! The girl with the fearless questions, as Edward had called her. Just as pretty as Leah. Undoubtedly.
They all four looked like they were the same age, but I had a very different impression of this picture. A proud father presented his beloved children.
"Esmé, may I introduce you to Leah and Jake Black. And of course Becky Young, Jake's girlfriend," Edward led the three to Esmé, dropping his hands in their backs.
He kept up his guard until he was certain that his siblings did not get any bright ideas.
"Good day. Welcome to our home. I am Esmé. I am very happy to get to know you. I've already heard that much about you," my beloved greeted the three of them and smiled really friendly.
It was not a polite mask. As sensitive as Esmé was, she had certainly noticed what these young people really meant to Edward. Perhaps now she also recognized Bella's essence in them.
Edward gave me a barely perceptible nod.
"Well, hopefully not all of it," Jake complained.
They laughed at each other in good humor.
"Nice to see you again," I extended my hand to them.
"See you again?" the others asked in unison.
They looked towards me shocked and downright horrified.
"I already know Jake and Leah," I explained. A mischievous smile I had not been able to suppress. "I'm very happy to get to know you, Becky," I now extended my hand to her in greeting.
"So, you're the doctor?" she asked.
Fearless questions, I reminded myself.
I chuckled in amusement at her very skeptical tone and the critically raised eyebrows.
This one was so delightful!
The greetings were managed, yet the initial fears seemed to fade only slowly through. Jasper seemed to notice this and began an innocuous conversation.
"How was your trip?" he asked cheerfully, sitting back on the sofa.
Jake's arms wrapped around Becky's waist before he answered.
"Very nice," he seemed to answer actually just to her and smiled at her over her shoulder in love.
I hesitated as Edward gave him a light tap to the back of his neck.
What was that about?
"Can't you think of something else?" Edward asked him quietly, but chuckling.
"Then just don't listen for once!" complained Jake, annoyed.
These wolves were truly fascinating.
Edward had said it so quietly that Becky had not understood him. She turned to Jake a little confused and then rolled her eyes while blushing a little herself. That seemed to happen often between the two of them.
But Jake and Leah had heard it and could lower their own voices as well. What could I probably find out from a few drops of blood? It would certainly be a too intrusive request at this first encounter.
Leah had laughed about the two of them at first, but then soon looked saddened. She was probably the one with the lovesickness.
Jasper now spoke directly to her.
He sensed her distress and asked only things with the others that were not related to her boyfriend.
The three of them visibly relaxed when they finally sat serenely on one of the sofas.
"You're very nice," Esmé whispered to me, whom I put an arm around her hips and pulled her close to me. "How do you know the both of them already? And why did Edward bring them here?" she asked suspiciously at once.
I didn't know what to say. Not yet. I didn't want to spoil the spectacle for Edward. Especially when it was really only a matter of moments yet. Not only Esmé was asking answers, our children were also starting to get pissed off.
"They are more than just wolves ... Look how he stands guard behind them, looking at them."
"Patience, my heart," I whispered, kissing my wife as I watched Edward leave the room just then.
Jake, Becky, and Leah looked at each other in amusement while our kids were getting more restless.
The time had come. Bella would stand among us again at any moment.
I put my arms tighter around Esmé.
I really wasn't sure how she would react to Bella. Could vampires go into shock? Until now, my answer would have been an unequivocal no. Our body was simply not capable of doing that. But very little that had anything to do with Bella could be defined in terms like 'normal' or 'usual'.
"That's something I'd consider carefully, Alice," Edward warned.
What had Alice been thinking now?
"She still wants to hate you. More than ever," Edward explained.
I found it unbelievable how much Alice defended Bella's place in our family and just shook my head. Alice growled and Rose narrowed her eyes disapprovingly. With her arms folded in front of her chest, Alice sat down on a sofa and grumbled to herself. Jasper's attempts at appeasement came to nothing.
"Agreed! ... If against all odds she doesn't despise you, she will put together for us the most romantic vacation possible on this planet, pay for it, not even bother us during it, and of course play babysitter for the twins!" I heard my son explain again.
Well, I'd love to see Bella's face on that.
"Oh Alice, that was an own goal!" Jake interjected, chuckling.
"He has a point," I agreed, unfortunately without thinking about it.
I had betrayed myself and found myself facing ten angry glittering eyes. Fortunately, that would change in a moment. They would no longer waste a thought on my insincerity of the last few days.
Involuntarily, I held my breath when I caught sight of Bella.
I had known it was Bella, yet I looked at her motionlessly for a moment.
She was still as pretty as she was that time, despite the years of life that were showing on her face. It even emphasized her naturalness. She radiated from the inside out. Just like Edward. They held each other's hands, but that didn't have to mean anything, I admonished myself. The way I was also holding Esmé, it could only be a small prop in case Bella buckled.
It was unnaturally quiet in the room and I turned to my family.
I put my arms around Esmé's body more tightly.
She looked shocked and had laid her hands over her mouth. If it were possible for us to shed tears, Esmé would. But everyone else was also frozen. They couldn't believe their eyes, didn't breathe, didn't move a millimeter, didn't make a sound, as if the smallest reaction would ruin this appearance.
"Well, if no one seems to have anything to say, we can go again!" I heard Bella's enchanting voice.
What a sound.
A sound that seemed to shake my family up a bit. Her eyes moved a little lower almost in sync, flew up again a little and remained rooted to her graceful face.
"Bella!" murmured Alice almost soundlessly.
That seemed to be the cue. All my kids hurtled towards Bella and I was really worried that Bella might not survive the onslaught.
Esmé
"Do you smell that?" Rosalie scrunched up her face.
Now I understood why my kids kept complaining about the stench.
"Four heartbeats!" I stated thoughtfully, and looked at my husband.
For a change, he didn't look any different from the rest of us.
The whole last days his behavior had amazed me. Edward had been to his place a few times during the night and had talked to him. Therefore, I really could not imagine that Carlisle should not know what was currently going on in Edward. But he said nothing about it. I respected that. To a certain extent, at least. He was very silent when it came to Edward's behavior and I still didn't know why he accepted so implicitly Samantha's destruction. This actually made me question my feelings for my husband. I had not married and sworn eternal love to a man who was willing to sacrifice a life to keep the rest of the family in harmony. Nor had I raised my children to simply tick off a deceased family member and return to business as usual.
But those thoughts didn't stay with me for long.
I knew Carlisle. I loved him and would spend the rest of my existence by his side. Still, I would not watch this questionable behavior wordlessly for much longer. Especially since I was afraid. I did not know these wolves, but the very ponderous negotiations with Ephraim Black were all the better in my memory for it. They showed absolutely no leniency with us. Every point was negotiated hard as nails. I could not imagine that there could be open-minded wolves. Even if they were apparently so young, that they first withdrew to their homeland to learn these supernatural abilities. Perhaps they had brought help from the Quileute reservation, so that they would not have to face us only two by two.
"Esmé, may I introduce you to Leah and Jake Black. And of course Becky Young, Jake's girlfriend," Edward led the children to me, to his mother, as it once should have been.
I was proud of my son. Whatever was happening to him right now, whoever gave him new life, he would never lose his cultivated politeness.
"You will certainly see to that," he smiled at me.
I greeted the children and could not help but get the impression that they looked familiar to me.
The twins at least. Lovely children. All three of them. And I asked myself what Edward really had to do with them. There was undoubtedly more to it than that they were simply our enemies and Edward wanted to escape his destruction. Not only from Edward's side, it seemed to be a deeper connection. Also, the children did not look at him as if he were simply a classmate, a confidant because of our shared secrets, or a vampire to whom they would have to be more hostile. A casual respect based on something unknown to me. No rivalry due to the hostility between our species. No fear that was triggered by a possibly imminent fight. Rather a kind of affection.
The fear for my family went out.
Edward would not bring these children in this way if there was a risk for an adverse judgment regarding the treaty.
That Carlisle already knew the children confused me. In retrospect, I actually found it conclusive. Carlisle led our family and if a possible opponent was aware of this, would turn to him first in case of disagreements or disputes. Edward had certainly told these children about him, which is why they might have sought him out.
But why hadn't he told me? There clearly had to be more to it than that. Something that also explained this familiarity between them. Something that still stood in our hallway! The wolves mother. I was sure of that. Whoever she was, I would welcome her with open arms. Edward looked so happy and really livened up. If this was really attributable to the person still waiting, she was a welcome guest for me here. Just like these adorable children.
"She still wants to hate you. More than ever," Edward said just now in the hallway.
No, Edward. Why would you tell the lady what Alice's opinion is? Aside from the fact that Alice will never forgive you for this, what is she supposed to think of us now!
"He has a point," my spouse smirked next to me after Jake dropped a rather odd comment.
I glared angrily at Carlisle.
So, he knew not only the children! What else had he hidden from us?
Then Edward came to us with the woman ...
I looked apologetically against the lady. But she was a mother, she herself knew the educational problems with her children. She would know that Alice's stubborn opinion would not apply to everyone right away.
A pretty and actually quite young woman entered. She smiled, which reassured me greatly.
My eyes burned as I recognized the face.
Bella! Our Bella! I couldn't believe it!
I put my hands over my mouth in disbelief.
My last emotion for a moment that lasted forever. I felt my husband's arms around me, keeping me from collapsing. But otherwise, I got lost in that face I had missed for so long.
My daughter. My human daughter. Here. In our house! I would never let her go again ...
Jasper
"Alice ... Is everything all right with you?", I asked my pixie and walked towards her.
She was still sitting on the floor where she had been fiddling on Esmé.
"No. I have a migraine!" Alice fluted offended.
I laughed and gave her a long kiss.
As mean and unfair as I found it all to be from Edward, Alice was still funny at the moment. She couldn't stand not solving a mystery, and Edward and Carlisle were currently giving us some puzzles. Carlisle's instruction not to address Edward about his strange behavior had been all well and good, but also equally useless. He was never there. And when I tried to glean something out of Carlisle, he shrouded himself in silence. He acted very stoic and thoughtful. However, I could see behind his facade.
Friday night, after Samantha had come up with this insane idea of going after a human being, he had been in disarray, as we all were. I felt, as in all of us, the grief for Samantha. The disappointment that Edward had done it himself without consultation. The fear of revenge by the wolves. The worries about Edward, that he was becoming obsessed by something that had no future and might make him come up with more stupid things to do yet. However, when we returned from hunting at the Canadian border last evening, he had been in high spirits. No trace of fear, worry, or sadness anymore. Only satisfaction and excited curiosity. As if he was expecting something.
Only Esmé continued to worry me now as before, tugging at my own mood.
She was still hung up on these emotions, but at the same time a nervousness was rising in her that I was not able to dissolve. She had to think a lot of nasty thoughts, but trying to talk to her about it had failed. She showed everyone a mask of equanimity and had dismissed me with the words that everything would resolve itself. If I didn't have a chance after the text message from him today, I would give Edward his own headache tomorrow at school at the latest. Since he wasn't here, he didn't see what he was doing to Esmé just now. That was certainly not his intention.
"Alice, my darling. You can walk up and down as jittery as you like, Edward won't be here sooner because of it," I teased her, while Alice dashed back and forth through our living room at lightning speed. "You're still making me nervous myself! You have to be patient!" I added.
"Patience is completely overrated!" my pixie cursed.
"So how far along are you with the new dress for Esmé?" I then asked, hoping to distract her a bit.
It worked and she pulled me into the guest room that Alice had turned into a fashion studio.
With our own house, which included a completely redundant guest room, Alice finally had enough space to pursue her favorite hobby. Fashion design.
I had great fun watching her do this. My little whirlwind was able to be so calm and concentrated as one would otherwise not think possible. And her designs were very successful. Extravagant, but not too flashy, as would be expected. In each closet of our family already hung a few selected creations of hers, which were of course tailored to us.
Then the hour was finally up and we gathered in the large living room by Carlisle and Esmé.
"Maybe you become resistant over time," I reflected with a smile, having caught the stench of the wolves and remembered the war. Many things became easier over time when you had no choice. Little and bad food, for example. The cold in the trenches. The decay of the war victims.
I breathed shallowly, so that I would notice less of the wolves' stench.
That was really disgusting. So, the twins were actually here. Had the time of the pronouncement of the judgment come? How would we react to it? Would Carlisle let us sort the two out before he had to sacrifice anyone, or even all of us?
It wasn't easy for me to come up with a strategy.
I knew Jake and Leah, but I didn't know any wolves. I had no idea what a fight would be like. Were they cumbersome because of their size? Or nimble and agile, almost like cats of prey? Did two wolves already pose a danger to us, even if they were young and inexperienced? I didn't know and basically expected the worst. Even if we actually liked the kids quite a bit, if they wanted to destroy us, that didn't matter.
Emmett was already standing there, muscles tensed. I stepped next to him to be able to react quickly if necessary.
Carlisle stood right next to the door.
That was a problem. He was a good fighter, even if he naturally disliked it, but the instinct to protect us might not alert him soon enough. And the meek Esmé was standing much too close to the door ...
"Four heartbeats!" remarked Esmé.
Four?
I had not yet paid attention to that and eavesdropped more closely for a moment.
Two wolves. Unfortunately, unmistakable. The heartbeat was stronger and a little faster than from the other two. This confused the warfare. They wouldn't bring Ben and Becky along, however, if they wanted to kill us! Or at least wanted to try.
"They're nervous," I noted, having concentrated on the feelings. The excitement before an uncertain fight. But there was something else yet ... "Lovesickness. Quite intense. But overlaid with nervousness and also fear at the moment," I added.
I even felt really sorry for whichever one of them it was. It felt really bad. But then why four heartbeats?
I quickly went through various possibilities, but came to no satisfactory conclusion. Only when Edward brought the children to us did the four hearts make sense.
Two wolves plus Becky. And since he hid someone else in the hallway yet, I concluded that it was the wolves' mother.
But why all this? If he brought the children here because they were the said wolves, then why was the mother here too? And Becky? If there was a fight, these two people were dead! That I assure ... Dead and buried ... We would not leave any witnesses! ... Maybe that's exactly why. So that we would destroy all who knew about us. But some detail seemed to escape me.
Edward had given me a very short, but still very disapproving gaze.
Together with a threatening, barely audible curse, "You are not to touch them!"
Um ... okay. No fight then, I guess.
Edward maintained his protective posture for some time yet, which I simply did not understand. Only after I gave him my word in my thoughts and took away the children's excitement, he relaxed a little. Then he finally went to get the fourth heartbeat out of the hallway, although by now I didn't really care who it was.
I mentally cursed Edward for revealing Alice's thoughts. She was pissed and on the verge of ripping Edward's head off. She ignored my attempts at conciliation.
And then I saw her.
My mouth dropped open in disbelief.
Bella!
Everything in me and about me stopped moving. I was afraid that I was hallucinating. I was looking for her feelings, which I had always very gladly perceived in the past.
Thoughtlessly I followed her mood. It was such pure emotions. Just like back then. It was Bella! My sister!
Only when my pixie said something, did my mind return. I literally jumped towards my clumsy little sister.
Everything made sense!
Rose
"Were you planning on mopping up after yourselves?" Esmé looked at us and pointed to the puddle below us.
Wasn't that totally beside the point now? After all, 'His Majesty' Edward Anthony Masen Cullen lowered himself to finally tell us something.
But Esmé's gaze became stern and unyielding.
I looked down at myself.
Okay, the puddle was getting bigger and bigger.
I quickly disappeared back downstairs with my bear.
I had frantically started to dry off, until I remembered that we had a whole hour. An hour to ponder, however, we probably would just came up with the wrong ideas.
Why brood, soon it would be over anyway! And if not, Edward would get to know me! I just didn't understand it all and was really just mad at him now. Hadn't the fiasco in Forks been enough? First, he dragged this stupid girl along, fell in love with her, only to leave her behind in the end. I had never liked Bella. I had never been able to comprehend this stupidity of renouncing being human. But I had to realize that it was perhaps not so stupid for her. She was in love. What didn't one do for love? Name tattoos, a flash wedding in Vegas, dropping out of school. Bella had been young. Sweet eighteen. She had not yet understood the life and what she would give up along with her humanity. Likewise, Edward had understood, only much too late, that he could not be without her.
That had changed my mind over time.
He was the curmudgeon of the family. For a long time. Until Carlisle and Jasper found a way to manage the pain for him. He did seem like he was participating in life again since then. It was clearly better than before, but it was just a wall he had carefully built around himself that could have collapsed any day. I felt so sorry for him during all those years and made me belatedly understand what he had really lost. And so did she. I often asked myself what had become of Bella. Whether she had found a husband and perhaps had children, as Edward had always wanted. I hoped it very much for her, because I couldn't hate her like before. Because if I put aside her hasty decision of wanting immortality, she had actually been quite nice. And now it was going to start all over again? He didn't tell anyone exactly what was going on, was constantly away, and let Emmett and me play chaperones for overgrown mutts. I should have asked for more than just his credit card for a shopping trip to New York.
"One hour, baby!" Emmett grinned at me.
With slow steps he came towards me, as I just threw my wet bikini over a drying rack.
"An hour!" I stated as well.
There was such a better way to pass an hour than thinking about our annoying brother.
Em greedily lifted me onto his hips and pushed me back urgently against the nearest wall.
It drove me crazy how he would sometimes come at me out of nowhere. Or I over him. Like animals ...
And then it was time.
We sat dutifully in the living room - after mopping up the water, of course - and waited for what was to come.
I again announced Lisa as a possibility. It was actually just a joke. It was clear that she would not come. She was camping - with the wolves. But Carlisle had some reasons ready, why the wolves - or even Lisa - could come.
Well. Wait and see.
I braced myself for anything, and grappled with the possibility that a human would actually show up here, whom we would abandon so miserably just like last time, if Edward remembered his motives like before.
The wolves did indeed come, but there was still a human standing in the hallway.
It was certainly their mother. Only a mother could bear this stench!
I cocked my head, considering.
It was she who turned his head! But then why the hell did he bring the children? Okay, all three were quite nice and even really pleasant guys. Funny, anything but boring and not stupid. Why did I actually like the three of them so much? They were my enemies! They could destroy me! Theoretically. And if Edward had a crush on their mother, nothing would change that either. Not even for him. They were already grown up, however, and almost out of the house. Far away from parents. Where was their father, anyway? Well, I wasn't really interested either. Edward should have left them at home if he was really only out to get the mommy. Children were a nuisance most of the time, however. Or did he think we would play the surrogate family for a bunch of smelly mutts, so that he had enough time alone with dear little mommy? ... Forget it! I'm not playing that game. And he didn't have the kind of money to pay me for that!
"So, you're the doctor?" asked Becky doubtfully.
The small one became more and more sympathetic to me with her kindness.
"Then just don't listen for once!" Jake hissed inhumanly softly at Edward, looking annoyed at him.
That's right! Don't take any crap from our little mimosa, Jake! I thought, satisfied.
"Oh Alice, that was an own goal!" interjected Jake, chuckling, after Edward had just made it clear to the wifey that Alice hated her.
"You don't bet against Alice!", I condescendingly curbed his amusement. He just shouldn't push it too far.
"Bet?" Jake then asked me.
Mentally, I gasped briefly.
What was the dog thinking? So slowly he became quite brazen ... I'm a vampire and could tear you to pieces in agony and you challenge me? Stupid idea!
"What are we betting on?" I asked challengingly.
"A joyride in your most expensive car!" he drew his eyes together in victory.
I mentally went through my cars for a moment. Just in case.
Lamborghini, Bentley ... Oh, hell. The kids were Edward's problem, not mine. I would just give him Edward's Maserati.
"Okay," I announced apathetically and sat down on the sofa with my bear. Just don't appear too curious. Whoever would come through the door, she should not imagine that she would be enthusiastically received here.
I played boredly with my hair and waited. When the human entered the room, I let my gaze slowly travel up her.
Broken sneakers. Great. Hopefully she didn't mess up the carpet with the dirt that was already encrusted on her. Dungarees. Dirty. With holes. What kind of slob had Edward landed himself? Maybe my bear was right, and it was not a woman, but a guy.
Quickly my gaze went to the human's face.
No!
I was not able to breathe or think.
Bella! It was actually her. As a beautiful grown woman!
Only Alice shook me up again and I ran towards her.
Fuck the past!
Emmett
"That doesn't sound like our death sentence has been passed!" I remarked quickly, just as Edward was telling the kids not to be afraid.
I chuckled.
If they were afraid, they certainly wouldn't want to mess with us.
My muscles relaxed.
Obviously, there would not be a heroic battle of the species. A pity, actually. I was curious what such an animal was capable of.
Jasper, however, remained focused next to me.
He was probably going through various strategies.
"Relax, dude!" I murmured to him but he seemed to ignore me.
I shrugged my shoulders and looked tensely at the door.
Jake, Leah, and Becky. So, the lovesickness belonged to Leah. Too bad for her. I got the impression that she was a good match for Ben. Although ... Leah was quite impulsive. In comparison, Ben appeared almost boring. He couldn't tame such a tomboy. Not permanently.
But the way Leah looked, she would definitely have another new boyfriend soon. She had turned the heads of the boys at school by the dozen. Especially since she also did not hide her figure very much. Tall and slender, with athletic muscles stretched over her entire lithe body. This one could certainly twist and bend in all directions.
What she probably in bed ... or in a fight ...! I would like to find out only too gladly. Only for practice purposes, of course!
"Can't you think of something else?" Edward grumbled, addressing Jake rather quietly.
Oh God. Our walking innocence - his adventure with Samantha didn't count for me - was uncomfortable with the thoughts. Rose and I had to listen to heaps of such comments after I was changed. Well, actually, we were still hearing them.
I laughed and held up my hand after he returned Eddie a fitting chant.
Jake slapped against my hand.
Ouch? The short one was great! And I would also like to see him fight!
We asked and they told us a bit about their trip.
Had to have been fun. Kite surfing especially. I had always wanted to do that. Usually, though, I was bothered by the sun that wanted to come along.
Meanwhile, I sat on the high back of the sofa, my feet casually on the seat.
I wanted to keep their stench a little in the distance, besides, a little breath of fresh air came through the patio door every now and then.
Rose came over to me as Eddie finally picked up the last heartbeat from the hallway.
I was bursting with curiosity and had already thought up a few sayings that I would beat Eddie around the ears.
She had to be really ancient! Even if she might be nice - which I simply didn't doubt because of Eddie's nature per se - he would still have to listen to my taunts. No one would suit him better than Bella. In that respect, I just had to agree with Alice. There was no way Eddie would crush on a woman who was vivacious and funky. Bella had been just right for him. Nice, clumsy, pretty, funny, but not a prude. She was the perfect mixture for him. There would definitely never be another one like her.
And then the woman entered.
I was startled. I had to be mistaken.
That was Bella! Just older than then. No! Can't be!
My eyes fixed on her. I looked a little deeper, saw intertwined hands and looked up again.
I tried to understand what I was seeing.
"Bella!" murmured Alice almost soundlessly.
So, I wasn't the only one who had this insane thought.
I jumped towards her and Eddie actually pushed her towards us.
'You'll pay for this!'
Alice
Will you all be home in about an hour?
I would love to introduce you to someone!
I read on my cell phone.
A message from Edward in our family chat. I was confused.
Usually, I already knew beforehand when my cell phone rang and also who was calling or what was in a message. But this hit me completely unprepared.
"Ouch ...!" Esmé winced beside me.
I looked.
Fortunately, I had only hit her and not the fabric.
It just didn't work that way. I wanted to know what was going on here! Right now!
I pressed the call button.
Nothing! Edward just ignored me!
I concentrated. With all my might! I clenched my eyes and jaws together, clenched my hands into fists, accidentally destroying my phone in the process.
Nothing.
I let myself roll onto my back, exhausted.
Why was I so blind?
"Alice ... Is everything all right with you?" asked Jasper, who was kneeling next to me and put his hands on my cheeks.
"No. I have a migraine!" I said offended.
Jazz giggled and held out a hand for me to hold onto and sit back upright.
Kisses helped against headaches! I wonder if someone had already thought of that?
I quickly freed Esmé and walked back over to Jazz.
I was on the verge of exploding.
"... What is Edward thinking? Does he imagine that we're just waiting for him to snap his fingers and we'll all be standing by? ... Who does he want to introduce us to? ... There is no one I want to get to know! ... He can nicely introduce this chick to the others, but not me! ... Or I'll scratch her eyes out! ... He can experience something! ...", I complained without interruption and walked back and forth in our living room in 'measured' step.
"Alice, my darling. You can walk up and down as jittery as you like, Edward won't be here sooner because of it," my love teased me, getting in my way, and since I was vampirically fast I ran him down as well. "You're still making me nervous myself! You have to be patient!" Jazz added further.
Later we sat in Carlisle's living room. There was a lot of discussion, while I just sat there offended and upset about Edward in general.
"Wolves!" I said curtly. Somehow that reassured me. I liked the two of them, but I still wondered why in my God's name the siblings looked so familiar. And this impression became more captivating with each encounter.
Another heartbeat stood in the hallway.
That calmed me down even more. It strengthened the possibility that he actually only wanted to save his skin and therefore wrapped the wolves and their mother around his finger. Because if he seriously wanted something from the woman - if she was the one standing in the hallway - he certainly wouldn't just leave her standing there in the hallway! So, Carlisle was probably right. The wolves actually wanted to announce their verdict. But that didn't worry me anymore. They did not appear as if they wanted a fight. Maybe they just wanted to get to know all of us. After all, they didn't know Esmé and Carlisle.
At least I thought so! What else had he hidden from us?
"How was your trip?" asked Jasper cheerfully, sitting back on the sofa.
Jake's arms wrapped around Becky's waist before he answered.
How sweet they both were. But I felt sorry for Leah. The grief was written all over her face, although she seemed to be endeavoring not to think about it. I would so like to take her comfortingly in my arms and make her sorrow disappear. But she was a human being. People forget quickly. Just as Bella had probably already long forgotten us.
"Ready?" then Edward whispered in the hallway.
I rolled my eyes in annoyance.
I had absolutely no need to get to know this funny bird. 'I will hate her! Forever!'
"That's something I'd consider carefully, Alice," he warned me.
'Forget it, Edward! My opinion stands firm and is incontrovertible.'
"She still wants to hate you. More than ever," he explained immediately.
My jaw dropped.
'Yes, are you completely insane! How dare you tell this ... snipe ... what I think of her?'
"Isn't it all the same what the lady thinks of you, if you don't want to like her anyway?" asked Carlisle of me, smugly smiling.
Uh ...
A little speechless, I sat back on the couch.
"That is not at issue here!" I found my words again as I finally sat cross-legged. "It doesn't stand with Edward to say things like that to her!", I added. 'Just wait until I get my hands on you. So much for favorite brother! You have been for the longest time! You will curse this day when you have betrayed me! And I will not change my standpoint! Get the hell back to Bella where you belong! And in the absolutely impossible event that I really am wrong - and I am NEVER wrong - I will send you on a vacation as an apology! A vacation that is just dripping with romance. I will put it together and pay for it! And I also play babysitter yet!' ... Maybe he notices through this that he has the wrong woman at his side, I thought quietly to myself yet.
"Oh Alice, that was an own goal!" Jake teased me - after Edward's response to my thoughts.
I wrinkled my nose.
Perhaps I was too hasty with my opinion. My opinion about Jake! One did not bet against me! And Carlisle agreed with him as well? Are you crazy? At least Rosalie defended my winning qualities in betting! Good sister!
Then they finally came.
I snorted disdainfully yet again. Only for the sake of form. To underline my mood.
With a condescending gaze, I turned my head toward the entrance. I really didn't want to get to know the chick, but I guess I had no choice. So, I concentrated on the important things first.
The duds. Geez ...! What kind of woman was that? A woman could not go out the door like that, let alone to visit strange people! In the get-up, she couldn't stay in this house for five minutes. Either she changed or I would throw her out! It hurt my eyes! It was like an insult to the female gender! Now to look her in the face to tell her that her style of dress was impossible ...
But ... I couldn't say anything more ... or think ... my eyes were burning.
"Well, if no one seems to have anything to say, we can go again!", I heard Bella's soulful voice.
It was her! Indeed! Bella! My Bella! She was here. And she was holding hands with Edward!
"Bella!", I murmured.
I could not get more past my lips and jumped up, never to let her go away again.
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