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Chapter 154

Distribution of Presents 2


Edward


"Do I have any other choice?" Bella shrugged her shoulders.

It took us some time to get back downstairs. Our lips had a lot to show each other. Arriving upstairs in the hallway, I was still passionately pressing Bella against the door when a noticeable clearing of the throat interrupted us.

Emmett. With a much too serious face for his standards.

"One likes to see that. The unmarried indulging their vicious greed while their common son starves! Don't even look, Ced. Don't follow the bad example of your objectionable parents," he rumbled indignantly, holding a hand in front of Ced's eyes.

Just for the record, if our son was indeed on the verge of starvation, it was currently not apparent to him. He literally giggled and tried to push Emmett's hand aside. He seemed to be quite pleased with how enamored - anything but objectionable! - he got to see his parents and enthusiastically stretched out his little arms towards us.

Bella took him and immediately got a baby bottle sent into her head. Hearing Bella's thoughts, even if it only worked occasionally through our son – on which I was truly envious of - was indescribable. I finally saw it perfectly clear! Bella loved and desired me almost as much as I her.

I gave my beloved a kiss on the forehead before she left for the small makeshift room. I wanted to prepare the bottles, but Esmé had preceded me. She had just come down the stairs.

"I finally found those uncaring parents!" announced Emmett accusingly.

I rolled my eyes as Emmett twisted the facts.

"He didn't find us! We came back on our own," I clarified.

"When are you going to grow up and stop acting like little kids and embarrassing each other?" she asked, sighing.

"Never!" I said, twirling my mother once through the air.

She laughed and for me today was the most beautiful day of my existence anyway.

"Thank you, Esmé," I took the two baby bottles from her hand and gave her a kiss on the cheek before hurriedly following Bella.

I smirked as Esmé now asked Emmett for the truth in maternal sternness - which Em had nothing to counter. He stammered.

When I reached the room, Bella was busy undressing our boy. His diaper had to be changed.

The vampires should not have missed that at all due to the smell. I was surprised with the naturalness with which Bella went to work. As if she had done nothing else all her life, while the twins were already a few days out of the pampers age.

"It's like riding a bicycle. You don't forget," Bella replied.

Speaking of bicycle.

David had unwrapped his wife's gift earlier. A bicycle. David owned one to ride regularly with his boys, but he had been toying with a new one for some time. He just hadn't known how to explain it to Sonya, especially since his old one would run perfectly after a general overhaul.

"Besides, I didn't just change my kids' diapers, I changed each of David's kids' diapers," Bella intimated to me.

The three of us sat down in the rocking chair while Ced greedily emptied the bottles.

Both again. And they both fell asleep on me. Bella earlier, Ced as soon as he couldn't squeeze a sip out of the pacifier.


Meanwhile, the Christmas company had spread out a bit.

Sonya retired for her usual nap. David watched the new Disney movie. With Emma, of course, so she might get some rest, too. In the process, he also fell asleep. Carlisle and Charlie took the boys for a little romp in the snow, as far as Charlie's age would allow. Esmé and Sue cleaned up the mess that had been made so far in the living room. Cookie took advantage of the child-free time to nap in his basket.

A giant basket for that bit of dog. Oh well. When he was big, he was going to be a Retriever, after all.

I pondered my good fortune, rocking the chair slightly as the twins came in.

The two had me to the complete luck still missing!

They realized that my other angels were asleep and were promptly quiet. They gave me a kiss on the cheek at the same time, as a thank you for the cars.

I smiled most delightedly.

"Thanks, Dad!" they also said at the same time.

I truly did not get tired of hearing that.

"I hope we've put the last of the bickering between you to rest with this!?" I questioned quite well. They would still find a reason to bicker with each other. They were also aware of that themselves and did not give an answer.

"Say, do you want us to take anything off your hands?" asked Leah smirking.

"No, I'm feeling very comfortable right now," I stated, but understood her question perfectly.

I was unable to move. Bella was sitting sideways on my lap with her head resting on my shoulder. Ced, in turn, lay on her lap, which I still held securely on her with my other arm. My twins sat down on the floor in front of us. All that was missing was Becky and Marcus, I sighed a little.

"So, how do you like the cars?" I then asked curiously, but quietly enough not to disturb Bella and Ced's sleep.

My kids were visibly excited about their new vehicles. They talked and talked until we heard a soft beeping from the security room next to the front door.

"Who else is coming?" asked Leah, confused, going through all the residents of this estate. And David's family. And her grandparents. Everyone there.

"Let's think about it," I teased without her noticing. Jake, however, was already chuckling. "All the radio controls for the gate are currently here on the property ... except for two, one of which is in Boston," I said vaguely.

Leah immediately jumped up.

Marcus had the last radio control.

"Well, that took a while!" joked Jake about his sister's slow uptake . It wouldn't happen to him if Becky could show up here at any moment. He was sure of that. He looked at his watch - 1:05 p.m. - and counted the hours until he could finally drive to her place to pick her up. In twenty-seven hours, they were scheduled to have coffee with her family. Way too long.

We chatted for a few more minutes until, through Leah's eyes, I saw Marcus pull up in the Audi.

Leah jumped toward him. By now Marcus knew this stormy greeting and no longer fell over with Leah. He held her - secure and glowing at the same time - tightly against his torso. He loved being greeted like this by Leah.

"I need to see Edward!" I heard Marcus say emphatically after truly enjoying the extended welcome kiss.

Moreover, Leah was getting too heavy for him, but he didn't say so. There was no reason why he should not be able to admit it, he was just a human man with limited reserves of strength and had already held Leah for a considerable number of minutes. But he knew very well that girls could react allergically to such statements.

So the two of them came back to us quickly.

"I leave you alone for one day!" he smiled when he saw the baby.

Leah had not yet found an opportunity to mention her little brother. Therefore, we first reported what or whom he had missed tonight. Leah put Ced in his arms after all the warnings had been given.

A little baby on his arm looked very good on him.

Then he told about the Christmas celebration with his mother.

The evening had been very wordy. His father had shown up. He had inquired about the house inventory, which he believed was his sole property. After all, he would have paid for it. At the behest of our lawyer, it had been temporarily stored by a moving company until the actual ownership situation was decided in the course of the divorce. He had apparently been little pleased by the answer. After he had tried understanding and benevolence with Evelyn Carter, he had moved on to threatening her, which Marcus then quite clearly forbade him to do. The three children had collectively chased him off before their mother could let her husband wrap her up.

I saw this in his thoughts, of course, and praised him for his behavior. He had stood up to his father without being intimidated by his upbringing, but also without getting physical.

Ced woke up and I chuckled.

He looked up very suspiciously at the face he didn't know. Even the little wrinkle between the eyes that Bella always got when she was angry or thinking hard appeared.

Leah immediately held out her finger to him and motioned Marcus to do the same.

Despite previous warning, Marcus was naturally startled when my son used his gift.

He showed his first memory of his parents. I suspected that he showed this to everyone first to make it clear to whom he belonged. Marcus then saw Leah's pictorial declaration that Marcus was her boyfriend, his eyes widening in wonder. After a few minutes, Marcus realized that he was hearing or seeing more than what Leah was consciously willing to show. Her thoughts. And Leah heard him. It was like me and Bella. Because just like with us, there was one thought that was omnipresent with them. Love. So Leah and Marcus looked deeply into each other's eyes as they grasped this thought from the other. Ced even drew the comparison to his parents, whom he had found so incredibly silly earlier. I was impressed by my son's quick comprehension, even though he obviously hadn't yet realized that kisses were an expression of affection and weren't meant to be funny or silly. He found it just fun. He would still learn to understand.

After Ced withdrew his gift from them, they breathed a soulful kiss to each other, sinking into it.

Jake rolled his eyes annoyed and rescued his little brother.

"Do you think you'll react differently when you hear Becky's thoughts tomorrow?" I asked him.

He immediately smiled in anticipation. And looked at the clock again.

Twenty-six hours to go.

Bella perked up again, she greeted Marcus happily hugging him and so we went back to the living room where everyone was slowly arriving back.

The pile of gifts was getting smaller, but was still far from being eliminated. Only the children had already completely unwrapped theirs and played with Cookie and his belongings or with their new toys. The rest of us rather enjoyed every attention together that came out there and the joy it gave.

Marcus was first greeted by everyone, provided with food and drinks by Esmé, and the children piled some gifts in front of him that they had already found in the masses.

At the same time he remembered that he had wanted to see me after he appeared.

I whispered a quiet "It can wait" to him, after Emma looked quite jittery at the pretty packages, of which I took a small unnoticed one.

He unpacked all sorts of things.

A yo-yo - which we had all received from Emmett, Becky would be unwrapping hers tomorrow - along with the notice that Em planned to hold the first family yo-yo championship after breakfast on the last Sunday of vacation.

From Jazz a not quite serious 'negative'-guide to dealing with his girlfriend. Jazz had specialized in advice books this year. So Bella had received a manual on how she could educate her husband.

I was already eager to see what they would try. But if Marcus would stick to everything that was said in his, I would need a new son-in-law. Because Marcus would not survive it. It contained such wisdom in the sense of: 'What does your girlfriend need gifts or attention? She has you! What more does she want?'

From Carlisle and Esmé, he got a year's membership to the go-kart track. So did Jake. A book about partner massage was given by Alice. Of course, including the absolutely necessary fragrance oils, blindfolds, feathers and whatever else was added as 'craft material'.

Marcus turned red as he curiously flipped through the pages.

Leah took it immediately to choose something nice for tonight. And to hide her own heated cheeks a little.

Actually, the gift was meant for Leah, but through this detour she had gotten a masseur in addition.

Since Emma had no more presents of her own, she now distributed the remaining ones and had Charlie or Sue whisper the names to her, which she could not yet read. She only recognized her own name right now.

So Bella then held my present in her hands.

She had actually forbidden me to give her anything. As usual. But I ignored that. Also as usual. So quite honestly, my angel could have assumed that!

She unwrapped it with increasing disapproval and snorted very softly, but clearly contemptuously, as a jewelry box came into view.

I chuckled at that.

In her mind, she was probably picturing the most expensive and precious jewelry that money could buy. However, I knew my angel well enough to know that such trinkets meant nothing to her. And yet it had become a piece of jewelry.

When she flipped open the lid, she was quiet, and I saw it glisten in the corners of Bella's eyes. Carefully she took out the bracelet and looked at it carefully.

Thin dark brown leather cords braided into four quite sturdy ropes, forming a wider strand at the ends. Around these ropes lay flat but wide rings of titanium. Five pieces that loosely encased the netting and quietly jingled against each other. The rings had been decorated by state-of-the-art laser technology. On one of them, for example, was a portrait of Bella. Today. In her perfect beauty. On the opposite side as a cute toddler. Between them was written in curved letters 'Bella' and on the other side 'September 13'. One ring for Bella, one for me, one each for the twins and one ring was still completely free. For well-known reasons, I had omitted the year numbers.

While Bella looked very closely at each of the rings with its illustrations - there was also an illustration of me as a toddler - I kissed away the tear that ran down her cheek.

Immediately she looked into my eyes, as if I had torn her out of a dream, which nevertheless did not stop with it.

"Your family!" I whispered and stroked over her cheek, over which another tear rolled.

"Thank you so much, Edward. It's so beautiful!" she murmured as she snuggled into my arms.

I put it on her and her eyes lit up enthusiastically as she gently ran her fingers over the bracelet.

Jake took the box, which nearly slipped off Bella's legs.

"But the packaging is quite large for such a single bracelet," he wondered.

Astonished, Bella took back the packaging.

He was quite right, which is why she fumbled out the intermediate bottom. There was the same bracelet once again.

"It's my family, too!", I declared, with a hint of feigned arrogance, as if Bella wanted to claim all persons just for herself.

Bella smiled adorably and put my bracelet on me.

"These are really nice," Leah surveyed our jewelry.

"I wasn't sure if you guys would wear something like that. Whether you would like them ...", I indicated and continued only in a whisper, so that Charlie and the children would not notice anything more: "... and whether they won't bother you or you'll tear them if you have to phase unexpectedly," I added.

The twins both wore no jewelry except the bracelet with the wolf of their father. This, however, sat so loosely around the wrists that it also encompassed the wolfish paws if necessary. Only when they went out did they put on jewelry, which in Jake's case was limited to his wristwatch, of course.

Jake also took a closer look at the bracelets.

"With snaps, maybe. Then we lose them in the process without tearing them," he reflected quietly.

"So, since I still need to have his engraving added to the blank ring for Ced, I'm ordering two more bracelets?" I asked my kids.

They nodded.

"Or rather four and two additional rings for each?" I looked at Marcus who was just marveling at Bella's wrist.

He looked at me cutely, but nodded.

Delayed.

Bella sat down with Alice and Rose, who also wanted to admire it, and Emma called out the next name - Charlie.

"Edward ... I ..." Marcus began to stammer slightly, searching for the right words.

Everyone was obviously focused on Charlie on the opposite side of the sofa, so he seized the moment.

It would have made him a little uncomfortable if he had to speak in front of everyone.

"I would like to say thank you. On behalf of my sisters ... Actually, Jules and Maggie want me to give you a kiss," he said, considering whether he could leave that out.

I smiled.

For Jules, we had picked out a similar scarf that she had seen when Becky took her to Leah's room to find something to wear when she tumbled down the stairs with Marcus. A turquoise one with pink patterns. Maggie had received a book as a gift from us. It was a special one for her because it was the first book that had been published on her advice as editor. Her own copy had been destroyed by a rainstorm when she had left it on the balcony.

"I hope they enjoyed the little things!" I said, but already saw the answer in his mind.

"From my ma, I'm to give thanks as well," he continued, but he didn't quite fit the words.

They seemed silly to him, given what we had added for them. I had bought an apartment in Biddeford, in the neighborhood of Marcus' aunt, and Esmé had furnished it. The gift for his mother was the front door key, along with a lawyer's document in which I assured her of unlimited and rent-free use for life. So that the family could reunite under one roof and not be spread out over two apartments because of the narrowness. The fact that his mother lived temporarily with his aunt and Jules, on the other hand, with Maggie had been a thorn in my side since the beginning of these circumstances.

"You are family, and we take care of our family," I stated honestly.

"But like this?" opined Marcus, piquing Leah's curiosity.

Marcus then explained the situation to Leah and Jake. Our children had no idea about it. But Bella did, whose idea it had been.

Let's just say I was very patient and resourceful until my idea crossed Bella's own lips. I had mentioned something along the lines of real estate being the best investment in the long term every now and then on a suitable occasion. Even better than having the money simply lying in the bank, where it was more likely to make a loss at the current interest rates. To put it in exaggerated terms - but after Jazz also mentioned something like that, Bella was already half convinced.

Not accepting this gift is something I would not allow.

That had become clear to Marcus after they had been in the apartment earlier. Three bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room of pleasant size, and a balcony. Everything, of course, very tastefully furnished and decorated by Esmé. The cupboards were filled and some personal things from their stored boxes were even already in the apartment. Even a small Christmas tree welcomed the family. His mother had not found words to express her gratitude. She was simply destitute, but even that we intended to change in the short term. And she could not accept this gift. In her opinion.

"You're certainly wondering about your room in the apartment," I asked with a smirk.

Well. The third bedroom was relatively sparsely furnished in direct comparison with the others.

Marcus nodded in a biased manner.

The fact that his room had been prepared rather pragmatically, almost entirely without a personal touch, made him suspect that everything we had said to him so far on the subject of family was not meant honestly. Everything I had said to him about it.

Bella came back to us, having in the meantime noticed what had just been thematized here.

"There is definitely a reason for this," I indicated, while Bella held out to him the small gift that I had taken and slipped to her unnoticed earlier.

Confused, he unwrapped it until he had a key ring in his hands.

Two keys and a radio control.

"You're with us most of the time. So it seemed appropriate that you get a key," Bella smiled at him.

Once the meaning was processed in his mind, Marcus stood up and hugged Bella.

"Thank you!" he murmured, touched, and hugged me too before enthusiastically pulling Leah into his arms.

I gave Emma a sign and pointed to a gift that she should now distribute.

I thought it was the right moment to do it.

Emma giggled cutely conspiratorially, picked it up and held it up between Leah and Marcus. Marcus took it from her and crouched down to her for a moment.

"Thank you, Emma!" he said, giving our smooch ball a little kiss on the cheek.

She giggled at this, but immediately became deadly serious.

"But this is for Leah!" she determined.

"I know that," he winked at her.

Emma nodded, but was not yet convinced that Marcus would not keep the package for himself after all.

I picked up the short one and tried to tell her that Marcus had ordered this for Leah from Santa Claus, whereupon she got curious and watched very closely what Leah was unwrapping.

A small jewelry box.

Leah held her breath as she flipped it open.

Two silver rings that were decorated with the black silhouettes of wolves in various positions, as if the surface had been milled away. A paw that took up the entire width of the ring on one side was brought to light by garish pink stones on Leah's copy.

"Wow ...!" my daughter marveled, delighted.

She was thrilled, I didn't even have to listen to her mentally for that.

Marcus took Leah's ring and one of her hands. They looked into each other's eyes as he gently slipped the ring over her ring finger. Leah did the same, except Marcus preferred the thumb. He didn't like having anything between his fingers. They kissed devotedly.

"Are they married now?" Emma then asked sometimes that everyone started laughing.

Well. The situation corresponded more or less to the explanations of her brothers. It was something like a celebration here, even though it was actually Christmas, rings were exchanged, and cake was on the table by now. Those were the defining characteristics of a wedding. According to her view.

"I wouldn't mind," Marcus muttered.

"Me neither!" nodded Leah in affirmation.

"Uh ...!" Jake cautiously raised an index finger.

"You may take your time with this just as Jake and Becky did!" interjected Bella, however, before Jake could make his objection known.

"Exactly!" he stated and stuck his tongue out at his sister. If he was too young to marry, surely Leah was too! The few minutes she was older!

We pursued ourselves again to the presents, which Emma continued to distribute diligently.

A large leather-bound book for Sue. With blank pages in which she could write down the secrets of the wolves. For Charlie, a new fishing tackle box. For Bella and me, sweatshirts from Rose that incorporated a baby carrier.

I immediately tried it out and lifted my son without his sleeping bag into the warm and fluffy seat, so that only his little head was sticking out the top. It seemed to visibly please him, to lie directly against my torso. He yawned and immediately fell asleep.

Also Bella dozed off again, even though she was leaning against the wrong vampire. Against Emmett, who avoided moving even a millimeter, so as not to possibly wake Bella. It demanded all his self-control.

David indulged in a sip of his whiskey, of which he offered some to Charlie as well.

From his new glasses. Similar to the rings on our bracelets, only engraved with pictures of his family. Sonya and I had been traveling together when we picked out the mountain bike for David and happened to come across this store with special laser engravings.

For Rose there was - attention, drum roll! - jewelry. With it Em never did anything wrong with his wife. From Alice, Rose got high heels. In the color of the car that Rose had passionately restored over the past months. In the meantime, she was done with it, but a new project was already on the horizon.

After Bella woke up again, Emmett unwrapped our present. A book of French poetry from the eighteenth century. He also immediately recited something from it. Along with the required explanation of why he had once studied this.

It had simply interested him, which hardly anyone wanted to believe him so easily. But I knew that it was actually so. He had seen such a book once with me and had somehow sunk in it mentally. Afterwards, he demanded that I promise not to tell anyone about it.

Carlisle got his great-uncle's medical book and at the same time truly had a heart attack-like seizure. He was as stirred up as I had ever seen my father. He pulled Bella up from the sofa - faster than my angel could see - and twirled her through the air.

Alice took out a travel voucher from her little packet. Trips to the 'Fashion Weeks' in Paris, Milan, and New York. With Jasper, who usually came up with pretty good excuses not to accompany her to such events.

What each of us got - it had been Bella's wonderful idea - was a little picture frame collage. Since I had acquired a camera for Halloween, so many beautiful pictures had been taken. Not only the couples present received a corresponding frame, but they had also been sent to Renée, Billy Black, Seth Clearwater, and Emily Uley as a Christmas gift. They contained other images, according to the people for whom a collage was intended.

I pursued parenting duties together with Jake, after having a baby bottle in my mind's eye, completely unprepared.

Ced hadn't made a sound, and that I couldn't hear his thoughts at any time was becoming more and more annoying to me. It was so unfamiliar to me.

Jake tried his hand at changing diapers, and he queued up even more timidly than I did.

I teased him a little bit for that, without letting on that I had already had the same thing behind me.

Jake also gave him the baby bottle.

This time Ced wanted only one of them. The bloody one.

Jake took his little brother in his arms as we re-entered the living room.

The mountain of gifts was slowly worked off. Only one larger carton was left under the tree, otherwise there were only a few small things. For example the new headphones for Carlisle or a cell phone case for Leah. And Marcus didn't have his present from us yet, because he would have gotten the keys even without a holiday.

From Marcus, Bella got something with which he had hit the bull's eye. A calendar for the kitchen, but with pictures of the twins, which he had made with his cell phone. Except for the blank calendar as such completely painted and pasted himself. My angel thanked accordingly rampant.

"Edward," was then whispered to Emma and excitedly announced by her after she pushed the last larger package forward a bit.

At first I was surprised, but quickly crystallized three voices of thought responsible for this gift. The twins and Marcus, apparently also Becky, but they steadfastly tried not to think about the content.

They did not succeed and I was now already inspired.

"Should I wait until tomorrow so Becky can be here?" I asked my kids quietly, but Jake shook his head.

Becky expected me to play something for her on it by tomorrow, though I wasn't sure I could fulfill that. But the kids pulled out their cell phones to record it for Becky.

I sat down on the floor and together with Emma carefully tore off the wrapping paper.

I wasn't sure how sensitive the contents really were.

Then the little angel cutely contorted her face. She could not do anything with the cardboard box that appeared.

But I could - and I acted convincingly surprised. It was a theremin. An electronic musical instrument, and the only one that was played without touch. Many times I had considered purchasing it and giving it a try, but it always remained a consideration since not many music stores carried it. I felt like an excited toddler as I sat on the carpet putting it together. Until it was finally set up.

I thanked my children profusely and pulled all three of them into my arms. I also thanked the three cell phone cameras.

"Well, let's hear it, Mr. Concertmaster!", Bella prompted me.

I bowed to my audience, took my position behind the instrument and was nervous.

The handling of the device was known to me. Theoretically. I had seen videos of it and read up on how it worked. Would there be a serious difference to the actual playing?

I brought my hands into position, held my breath, made a small movement ... and a shrill squealing sound rang out so loud that perhaps Becky had heard it in Boston.

Everyone in the room - including me - put their hands against their ears in fright, emitted a pained sound, and dropped their cell phones or whatever else they were holding. My youngest son additionally seemed to be screaming for his life.

Uh ... Oops ...?!

'Maybe we should have gotten the keyboard after all!' grumbled Jake in his mind, rubbing his ears.

That was not the only cursing I heard at the moment. Not by a long shot.

"Yeah, yell only if Daddy makes really nasty noises!" Bella spoke soothingly to our son and gave me a meaningful look.

I wasn't sure if she was more angry or amused, which she tried to hide from the baby. But all this scolding tugged at my pride.

So I resolutely took the step towards the theremin again, the one I had backed away from in fright, and brought my hands into position.

The left antenna controlled the volume. The hand above it, therefore, I would hardly have to lift at first. I tried it. Very very carefully, while everyone covered their ears as a precaution. I closed my eyes to concentrate completely on my hands and the sound ... A gentle tone sounded. I timidly moved my right hand or only individual fingers to understand the resulting tones.

That didn't sound so bad. For the first time. This definitely had potential!

Nevertheless, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed, putting their hands down again when I stepped back from the instrument and turned it off. Not that such a painful sound would come out again.

Since I recognized in my children the reason for this gift of all things - they also wanted to hear some of my music at home - I promised them to practice. I also thanked them again for the great instrument that had fascinated me for some time.

"You'll let me know beforehand though, so we can escape!" Bella teased me smirking.

I don't think I would do that. She wanted to be my wife, for better or for worse. Ergo, she had to go through it with me.

But I nodded deliberately and backed up my 'lie' with a soulful kiss.

"But I have something for you guys," I said to Leah and Marcus.

I went to the piano, the two of them followed me indecisively and Leah already suspected what was going to happen.

"Dad? Did you about ...?" she inquired.

"Of course. And if there hadn't been so much going on in the past few weeks, it would have been finished much earlier," I replied.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Marcus, confused.

"Dad has a song for us," Leah answered him excitedly.

Marcus looked at me.

In disbelief. With a little fleeting memory in his head. He was lying on a blanket in a park with Leah and he was convinced, after hearing the song for Jake and Becky, that I would never compose one for him and Leah. Because I didn't like him and wasn't ready to trust him with my princess. He was wrong. With both ... in the meantime.

So I began to play while Leah leaned against the instrument and was hugged backwards by Marcus. They listened intently and held hands.

The song began playfully and a little excited. Like the beginning of a new relationship between two people who didn't know each other before. Who were just getting to know each other. Then came a small dramatic phase, emblematic of the vampire attack that revealed all the mythical secrets. This was followed by a harmonious and cheerful melody. Just as the two were. In love, happy and still young, but still Marcus and Leah fit together like hardly anything else in this world. How could I have objected to this in the beginning? (Yiruma - Reminiscent - Piano)

Leah had tears in her eyes as she hugged me gratefully. I gently pushed her into Marcus' arms.

He was responsible for Leah's tears. I had other moved tears to dry. Those of my own angel. Bella had not heard this song in its entirety before and was as moved as our daughter. And our future son-in-law.

Leah wanted to take care of Ced this time, change his diapers and feed him, and Bella accompanied her.

The evolution had given the ladies of this world apparently corresponding expertise. Leah handled her brother quite confidently and not as timidly and cautiously as Jake or me.

While humans were now sitting over cake and various pastries in the late afternoon, some playing with the children and their new toys or with Cookie, the last gifts were distributed. A keychain for Jazz, to go with the car he had ordered but was not yet delivered. A cap for Ced that Leah had brought him from New York. For our four teenagers, Renée had knitted scarves, with their names on them, even though she didn't yet know two of them personally. Marcus was handed an envelope. He opened it and smiled delightedly.

Various drawings in postcard size of VW buses. Designed in a retro look. Very decorative.

He flipped through them.

"That's awesome!" said Leah enthusiastically about one picture.

On it, the bus was white on top and pink on the bottom.

It had really been foreseeable that this was exactly what appealed to her. Emma, by the way, agreed wholeheartedly.

"I like that one better," Jake interjected.

That bus was blue. It was just as predictable.

A cheerful round of discussion broke out, in which everyone participated. Esmé thought the flower power hippie model was quite pretty and that this time would be different, in this yet so serious time. Alice preferred the canary yellow one. Emmett the orange one. Carlisle rather liked the plain black.

Marcus' gaze kept slipping back to one particular image.

Two-tone. White on top, dark red on bottom. White rim tires. Roof rack, suitable for surfboards. VW logo, bumper and trim chrome plated.

Just as he sank briefly into this picture again, I took it from his hands and turned it in Rosalie's direction. She nodded clearly.

Marcus had watched this in confusion and now looked at me questioningly.

He thought the pictures were pretty decorations that would serve as inspiration for the planned restoration, when he would gradually get the money together for it.

"This is what it's going to look like!" I said as I shoved the card back into his motionless hands.

"But ...?" he began, but still wasn't sure what to say.

"Do you seriously think we're going to let you drive our princess around in a piece of junk?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We'll have to worry about you not getting there!" Bella also agreed.

It took him a moment to understand his Christmas present. That he and Rose would restore his bus down here in the workshop and that all the parts needed would be available. He had no particular technical understanding, but he was keen to do as much as possible himself. With Rosalie's expert support, that would not be a problem.

All the gifts were distributed. The mess of empty cartons, wrapping paper and the like was cleaned up by all of us. The few leftovers of the cake were exchanged for other food. The children and youth were out communally with Cookie.

Ced lay in the crib behind the couch after letting Bella and me hear each other's thoughts again until he fell asleep.

"Bella," David cleared his throat behind us as we were still looking at our little angel.

I bristled as we turned to face him.

He was afraid. His hands were sweating. His heart had an alarming pace.

He held a flat file folder in his hands.

"There's just one more little thing," he said in a shaky voice. In his mind he added: 'And just make sure that I survive this!'


Thanks for reading!