Chapter 28: The Little Car that Could

Emmett

Wednesday, December 27th, 2023

Forks, Washington

It's a good thing my parents are morning people.

We try our best to keep Noelle on schedule even when we're on vacation, so that means she's up and downstairs already by seven in the morning. We always take turns waking up with her, rotating days between Rose and I so we each get the chance to sleep in a little and wake up feeling somewhat like a human.

Another great thing about visiting my parents is that they're always already awake. They have always been early risers, even when Jasper and I were kids, so I don't feel guilty when Noelle and I chatter amongst ourselves in the kitchen, knowing that everyone in the house besides Rose is already awake.

"What do you want to eat today?" I murmur to myself as Noelle babbles to herself as she balances comfortably on my hip. She already has her morning cup of milk in her sippy cup, so I open the refrigerator, browsing the stacks of leftovers from the holidays. I wonder if it's too early to dive into some of the leftover lasagna from one night this week.

Or some leftover pie.

What's better than leftover dessert for breakfast?

We're all living in that weird week between Christmas and New Year's when no one knows what day it is or the last time anyone wore anything but pajamas or sweats. We've all been soaking in this time, the quiet time when the world slows down from the busyness of December, and when I look out the kitchen window, the dim sky of gray and muted yellow stops me in my tracks.

"Tates?" Noelle asks me when the refrigerator door closes behind me. "Me have tates?"

I give Noelle a soft squeeze as I pull the curtain back on the window. The snow has neatly covered the backyard, untouched by everything other than the birds my father feeds in the mornings. There is a handful of bird seed tossed sporadically over the snow on the back deck, and I watch as a few of them nibble on breakfast of their own.

"Pancakes, baby," I laugh quietly, my heart squeezing tightly in my chest as I marvel, yet again, at the way she says things. "Yes, you can have pancakes. Did you see the birds? They're having breakfast, too."

"Birds?" Noelle asks, her little voice full of wonder, and I lift her from my hip and onto my shoulders so she can have a better look. "Birds have tates?"

"No, Bapa gives them their seeds," I tell her, pressing my cheek to hers as she points to the birds outside.

"Noelle have seeds?"

"Not today," I chuckle, setting her down on the counter so she can watch the birds while I gather the ingredients to make her pancakes. One hand hovers over her while she watches the birds while I cook, the two of us making conversation about these damn birds for the next twenty minutes. At this rate, I'm going to have to become a bird watcher far earlier in my life than I had planned.

And…I'm okay with that.

These are experiences Noelle never gets in our apartment. We have a balcony off the kitchen with enough room for a small table and two chairs, so she does have the chance to enjoy those views. It's beautiful, don't get me wrong, but it's also not accompanied with sunlight straining through the trees and a quiet that is almost loud.

It's peaceful, even when my parents join us a few minutes later as I'm putting Noelle's pancake on a plate and walking us over to the table in the kitchen. Putting the plate down on the table, I help Noelle slide into her highchair as my parents prepare their coffees, gladly accepting the steaming cup my mother slides over to me once we're all ready to sit down.

"You're sure?"

"We're sure," I confirm, taking a tentative sip and reveling in the warmth it sends through my body. "Forks it is."

"Now that you've narrowed it down, I can gather some definitive stuff for you and Rose," Mom replies, and I can hear the excitement in her voice. "Obviously we're thrilled you want to move back home but make sure you're doing it because you want to."

"Don't move home just because you see how much we want you here," Dad chimes in, even though he isn't looking at me. He's playing with Noelle like he usually is, admitting long ago that both of his granddaughters have him wrapped around their little fingers. He is beyond happy to be there, and it makes me so happy to be able to see this relationship flourish.

"This is where we want to be," I tell them, no doubt in my mind anymore. Rose had mentioned to everyone on Christmas morning on Sycamore Lane of what she envisions for herself here in Forks, immersing herself in helping mothers find their voices, and there is no stopping Rose when she is on a mission.

"Then we can start looking whenever you're ready," Mom says over her cup, reaching over the table to give me a gentle pat of the hand.

"How soon were you able to close with Jasper?"

"Why?" She eyes me suspiciously.

"No reason," I say, even though I'm fucking dying for my New York pepperoni pizza. "Has anyone heard from Edward?"

"I've heard from Bella," Rose answers sleepily as she meanders into the kitchen, walking straight to Noelle to get her morning lovies. "They're swinging by around noon before they leave for their first honeymoon."

"First?" Dad asks.

"Stopping by, huh?" I question before turning to face my mom again. "Do you have any houses we can close on by noon?"

Mom rolls her eyes and doesn't move from her seat like I need her to. "Emmett, I don't even want to know what you're up to."

"Don't even ask," Rose laughs, making her way to the coffee pot. She has a robe thrown over her Christmas pajamas, her blonde hair tossed haphazardly into a pile on her head as the rare sun streams through the kitchen window over the sink. Bathed in light, both from the sun and from the goodness that is her, I know I'll follow this woman anywhere she wants to move.

"Don't eat too much," Mom says, breaking my train of thought. "Jasper and Alice are bringing lunch."

That doesn't stop me from enjoying myself. I'm on vacation, damnit, and if I want to eat my way through it, then I will.

We all have a lazy morning, watching Christmas movies while Noelle plays with her presents. We share pictures of Edward and Bella's wedding, recounting our favorite moments of the day from beginning to end. Mom sends us some houses to browse, and we set up some appointments to see them before we head back to Seattle in a few days.

I'm munching on some leftovers when Alice and Jasper arrive, and I follow the rest of my family outside to greet them. It feels good knowing that Alice and Jasper now feel the love they've always been surrounded in. I could sense things were off, and we're hopeful for a fresh start. Now that we're aware of how Alice has been feeling, we know how to help.

Sometimes asking for help is the hardest part, but being able to find a safe space for someone we love is no trouble at all.

We're almost to the front door when we hear the tiniest chirp of what could be a car honking. It almost sounds like the horn from that red and yellow Fisher Price car that Jasper and I used to fight over when we were little.

And when I look up as the sound gets closer, I realize the little toy car I see from my memories isn't that far off from the actual car I see sitting in my driveway.

"Is this real life?" Jasper asks from the porch, pausing as Evie rests against his forearm in her seat.

We watch as Edward unfolds himself from the sorry excuse of a front seat, barely noticing Bella is also stuffed into this little toy car with him.

"Don't say a fucking word," Edward growls as he shuts the driver's side door.

"Couldn't if I wanted to," I manage to get out, slowly walking around the car to take it all in.

I'm finished in five steps. "How's the tide, Skipper?"

Edward stands beside me, crossing his arms over his chest with a loud groan as we stare at the little car that could. It's the exact opposite of his rental car last year. In fact, I'm pretty sure this little matchbox car can fit inside the front seat of The Boat.

"What kind of pizza again?" He asks.

"Pepperoni, my man." I slap his back as we head inside.

We really did want Edward to win the bet, but picturing him like a pretzel in this little toy car seemed like the way to go :P