I DREAM OF RAINBOWS
Disclaimer: The Cullen's, the Swans, and most of the characters mentioned in the story that are known from Stephanie Meyer's beloved Twilight Saga, are all hers and hers alone. I neither have nor wish to pass them off as mine. I do appreciate the fact that she did bring them to life and allows us to play with them in our imaginations. The only thing I will claim is the current storyline.
The awesome and talented dowlingnana searched out my errors and corrected them.
"Please, please, just think about what I've told you." And, with that said Edward got up and walked away without looking back.
Bella just sat there in stunned silence.
CHAPTER 72: EPILOGUE
FIVE YEARS LATER
"Mark, I told them no five years ago as well as every year since and I meant it. Cullen Productions will not get another chance to make a movie out of one of my books."
"But Bel-"
"Don't 'but Bella' me. I meant every damn word I said and I'm not changing now."
"Time seems like it has flown by. But can I ask you a serious question?"
"Sure, what?"
"Have you ever regretted that you didn't catch up with Edward in Rome after he had spoken with you and then walked off?"
"No. No, I don't regret it. I needed the time to process everything that had been said. After hearing all that he confessed and then taking the time to consider it all took time to get everything that I wanted and needed into perspective.
"Look at what I have now. I have a beautiful baby on the way and a loving husband. My marriage is strong and that wouldn't have happened without the struggle that was needed to get where I needed to be mentally and emotionally."
"Well, get ready since we have a meeting with representatives from the publishing company."
"I am ready so let's go and see what the hell they want to discuss or more likely try to force me to do this time. I'm quite sure they're fully aware of what the answer will be by the end of the meeting since I'm also sure as hell that this meeting is all due to Edward's instigation again."
XXXXXX
"Edward, don't you think that you're pushing your luck by having Bella's publisher force a meeting between all three of you? How many times does she have to tell you no before you give up on trying to get her to agree to let us make a movie out of one of her books?
"I know the second one that was published five years ago is the one that you have your sights set on but damn, bro, one of these days you're going to have to give up on trying to get her to agree." Jasper couldn't help reprimanding his brother.
Even Emmett had to contribute his two cents worth into the conversation by saying, "Ever since you returned from Rome five years ago you've been after Bella to agree to letting us make a movie of this book. Really, any book of hers that she would agree to, but she keeps telling you no. When are you going to let it go?"
"Never! It's not my fault that she is so damn stubborn and refuses to see the truth of everything that is right under her nose. The material that she writes is that damn good.
"True, my sights are still set on the book she wrote five years ago because it tells a story that needs to be told. But at this point if she would just agree to either of the other two, I would be one happy mother-" Edward paused momentarily then finished answering them and all his two brothers would do was shake their head and wonder if he had gone mental.
Next, he told them, "Let's go to this meeting and see if Isabella Swan has decided to be reasonable for a change."
XXXXXX
Bella walked in the door and was surprised to find hardly anyone present. Looking at the time she realized that she and Mark were a little early. So, they took a seat at the table to await the arrival of everyone else.
It wasn't long before the representatives from her publisher and then the Cullen Production team all made an appearance at the same time. Bella knew what was going to happen just as surely as she knew her name and she knew which project Edward was wanting to get his hands on. She was determined to stick by her guns with the same answer she had been giving for the past five years, "hell no; not happening ever."
She stood and looked at each person seated at the conference table before anyone had a chance to say a word. "I know why we're here and I'm going to save us all some time. My answer is the same as always "NO, HELL NO, NADA AND ZILCH. IT ISN'T EVER GOING TO HAPPEN. I MADE THAT DECISION FIVE YEARS AGO AND IT'S BEEN THE SAME ANSWER EACH TIME SINCE THEN".
"Ms. Swan, why won't you let Cullen Productions make a movie of one of your books? From what we understand the time they made a movie of your first book it was quite successful. Everyone made money from it, and it was a box office hit."
"Edward Cullen is very much aware of why I'm saying no and have been for the last several years. So, I would suggest we all stop wasting our time repeatedly concerning this subject. My decision isn't going to change until I decide to change it and that will only happen once I find a good reason to change it." With that said Bella turns and leaves the room without saying another word.
Mark looks at everyone, shrugging his shoulders, he rises and leaves following closely behind his client.
"Mr. Cullen, why do you keep putting us through this tantrum of hers each and every time? Why do you keep making the same request over and over and keep involving us in this? It's getting very tiring." And with that said by the head of the publishing group, they all get up and leave the Cullen brothers as the only ones remaining in the conference room.
"Edward, what are you going to do since she won't change her mind?" Emmett asks.
"I don't know. All I do know is that I have to keep trying. I want to make that book into a movie. I want to bring that particular problem her book reveals out into the light of day. It needs to be made; it's something I feel that I need to do." Edward told his brothers and then he gets up and leaves the room without waiting for them to follow.
Emmett and Jasper look at each other and shake their head and then they also leave.
XXXXXX
By the time she gets home she knows that it won't be long before her husband will arrive, and they will then discuss their day.
As Bella took the time to calm down and to relax from the pressure of the meeting. She wished that Cullen Productions would give up on trying to force her to let them make another movie of one of her books. Her life would be so much more peaceful. It was as she reached this point in her mind that her thoughts were beginning to drift back to that day in Rome; the day that Edward had approached her in the little outdoor café and had his say.
She knew that he probably expected her to come after him, but she didn't. She never saw him again. Of course, her father found her at one of her book signings and tried to talk to her about the whole situation, but she told him about how she had seen Edward, about what he had to say and then she told Charlie that she had to have time to think things through without any outside influence. After that discussion she never saw either of the two men again until she had returned home from her overseas tour.
She had returned to Seattle with no definite decision made about what she wanted to do where Edward was concerned. Each time she did give some thought to all that he had to say her trust issue would rear its ugly head. She would wonder about how sincere he really was and if all that he had said was the truth, or just a way of trying to work her to agree to what he wanted.
After all, according to Rosalie and Alice in the beginning, that was his reputation and method where women were concerned. Was he just trying to make her another notch on his bedpost instead of being the one that got away?
It wasn't until Bella decided to visit with Rosalie and Alice that she happened to run into the Cullen brothers once more. That was when Edward and Emmett started to badger her about making another movie out of her book and that continued on through the years with the same answer always remaining NO.
As Bella reached this point in her thoughts, she felt a hand rubbing her baby bump and then a soft kiss to her temple as a smooth velvety voice asked, "How's my love and my baby doing after today's meeting?"
"We're doing just fine, and the answer is still no to letting Cullen Productions do another movie from any of my books."
"Okay but let me ask you a question. Would you consider letting another production company make a movie out of your second book?"
"I might but who would be directing it? Did you have someone special in mind say like Emmett?" She asked with a sly smile.
"Perhaps."
"Then yes, I would consider that, but no promises."
"Bella, my love, you are one damn ass stubborn woman, but I couldn't imagine my life or future without you and our coming bundle of joy. I love you more than I can ever show you or tell you."
Bella looked at him, shook her head and told him, "I'm so glad that you came to me that day in Rome to let me know the truth of everything. You gave me everything that day, but it just took me a while to come to terms with all of it and to see just how truthful you were being.
"My darling Edward, I love you beyond words as well."
"Ditto, Mrs. Cullen."
AN: Well, we've come to the end of Edward's and Bella's journey, and they finally reached the dream of their rainbow.
Now, it's time to finish Wrong Decisions before posting any other stories.
Thanks for reading and commenting.