Sorry for the late update. My job has been killing me lately. I'm trying to stay afloat. Just be patient with me.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Jasper walked me all the way up to my apartment, carrying my bags for me. This had become a daily routine for us now. He would pick me up at my apartment, sometimes, if I was running behind, he'd have a cup of coffee, and in the afternoons, he would walk me back up.

He'd been doing this for so long that I had actually grown quite fond of Jasper. He no longer irritated me; in fact I'd even say we had become friends.

"I'll wait here for you," Jasper said as he walked into my apartment with me. He placed my bag to the side and thumped down on the couch.

"I told you I wasn't going." I said. "I just got off a twelve-hour shift. I'm taking a bath and going to bed."

"Hey, the Cullens planned this dinner around your schedule. You knew it was coming. I had a feeling you'd try to pull this crap. Now come on. Shower and get dressed. Esme and Carlisle are expecting you to help."

I groaned. "This is so stupid. Edward has told me multiple times that he does not want a party. We shouldn't be planning this."

"Naw, he says that, but he's going to be so grateful. Maybe a little embarrassed but very grateful."

"I don't know why I need to be there."

"Because Esme really, really likes you and wants you to be there." He said. "C'mon, do it for sweet Esme. You know how much you love Esme."

I sighed heavily but turned and walked into the bathroom. Jasper was right. I really did love Esme. She reminded me so much of the mother I dreamed of when I was a little girl, before my own mother and I had become very close, and I understood her need to constantly move.

Esme was doting, kind, and very loving. She had come over to my apartment several times since the attack and each time she did, she made sure she brought groceries and a hot meal. And although I had begged her not to, she would do light housework around my apartment. I was very appreciative of her help because now, with working, I didn't feel so drained now that I didn't have to worry about grocery shopping or cleaning.

I got ready quickly and met Jasper back out in the living room. He was flipping through channels on the television when I walked in.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yep," I said as I looked down at my jeans and t-shirt. "Is this okay? I don't really know how I should dress for a family dinner."

"Oh you look fine," He said. "You're lucky this wasn't a theme night. We're thinking about dressing up at teddy bears next time."

I sighed. "Let's just go."

Mr. and Mrs. Cullen lived outside of the large city of New York. I got a little nervous when Jasper drove outside the city limits, but they weren't more than forty-five minutes away.

We pulled up to a large, ornate, black-iron gate with a guard stand beside it. I squinted out of the window to try and spot other houses, but there weren't any to see. I thought this was a gated community, but I could be wrong.

"Try not to pass out when you see their home." Jasper said as he showed his I.D. to the guard.

"Where even is a house? It's nothing but land." I said as I looked around at the dark grounds.

"Yeah, this is all theirs. I think they have about… Oh, I don't know, like, nine thousand acres or something like that. If you look them up on Google, they have the biggest property in New York state."

"Nine thousand acres? Jesus Christ what do they need all this land for! What do they do with all this land?"

"They have the main house, obviously, where they live. Then there's a guest house. Then there is a workhouse for their ground employees who want to live on the property and do their jobs. Plus, I think Mrs. Cullen is hoping that Edward and Alice build their houses on their land. She's mentioned something about buying an additional five-hundred acres for the two of them. Oh, I forgot, there is a small, complete gym behind the main house a couple acres away and she has the most beautiful garden."

I shook my head. "That is so much extravagance. Like way too much."

"Eh, it's all about image you know. Mr. and Mrs. Cullen throw around fifty parties and charity events every year and they like to impress their associates."

"Now I know why Esme is so damn skinny. I bet she goes on a walk everyday around the property to stay trim."

Jasper laughed. "Oh no. Esme has her own luxury golf cart to get around. Carlisle bought her a new one for Christmas this past year. It's baby blue, with various large diamonds decorating it, and it's freaking huge. It resembles a mini car, so Esme doesn't get wet or cold. And it has A/C for the summer. Carlisle went all out for her."

"Jeez," I shook my head, "How much money do these people have?"

"You ever heard the saying too much money? That's what they have. Too much money." He said as he parked. "See, you and I are the same. We're both broke as hell. When I look at all these amenities they have, like two swimming pools, one outdoor one indoor, plus a giant hot spring… I think, damn, how much money do these people like to waste in a year? They're always adding something."

"So you're not a rich boy? That's shocking."

"Oh no," He chuckled. "I'm broke as hell. Or I used to be. I started working for the Cullens like two years ago and they've really helped get my shit together and start pulling in good money. But I'm nowhere near, and I mean, nowhere near, as close to having even a portion of what they have."

"Oh so Alice is the money maker in the relationship?"

He laughed. "Hell yeah. She's my sugar-momma. Baby girl has extremely expensive tastes that I just cannot afford. But she's so sweet about it. She knows that when I buy her something, I've spent about six months saving up for it. So she's always a good sport. That's why we only go out to dinner once a month because I just can't afford to go out as much as she can. That's why I've gotten really good at cooking. Our dates consist of me cooking for her and us watching a movie."

I stared at him for a moment. "Does it worry you that she might get bored and want somebody who can buy her expensive things?"

"I'd be lying if I said no. It does worry me sometimes, but I love Alice and she loves me. That's all I can hope for." He said. "Plus, anytime Alice wants something, and I mean anything, whether it's a vacation island or a new wardrobe, her daddy bankrolls that. Alice is daddy's little girl. She pouts and he buys her an entire jewelry store."

"You're kidding."

"I am not," He said. "Carlisle bought Alice an entire jewelry store for Christmas. Now, she's not the owner, but because she's Carlisle's daughter, she gets the first pick of everything. They're always sending her free, customized stuff. You know, for her birthday, they made a custom diamond-made chandelier? It was fucking insane. Alice didn't like it. She sent it back her with her criticisms and they remade it for her."

I shook my head. "That's fucking crazy."

"Yeah it is, but it does help me buy her jewelry. Of course, I didn't tell them who I was the couple times I bought her jewelry, but Carlisle did. So now, they let me pick out whatever I want to give her. But I don't do that. If it is overly expensive and I can't pay it all at one time, then they let me make payments."

"It's cool that you're not threatened by the amount of money Alice has. A lot of guys are insecure about that."

"If I let that ruin our relationship then I'd miss out on a really great woman," He said. "That's why I'm asking her to marry me in two months."

"I thought you two were already engaged." I asked in confusion.

"No," He chuckled before pulling out a light pink box and revealing a large diamond ring inside. "Don't say anything. I'm still making payments on this bad boy. Cost a shit ton, but she deserves it. I'm planning a huge proposal. I still have to ask her mom and dad, and Edward. But they Cullens have a Halloween party every year and that's when Alice and I met. I'm going to dress up the same and ask her to marry me. I know she'll be in somewhat of the same costume."

"What did you two dress up as?"

"I threw on an elaborate suit as a joke and called myself prince charming. Alice always wears a princess dress. When we met, she was Snow White." He said, grinning like a madman.

I smiled widely. "That's awesome Jasper. I hope she says yes."

He looked over, giving me a look. "Oh thanks so much."

"What? I do sincerely hope she says yes. You never know, anything can happen."

"Jeez, thanks for making me nervous," He said, placing his hand over his stomach. "You think there's a chance she'd say no?"

My eyes widened as I realized I just probably ruined his plans. "No! It is so clear she loves you so much. Every time you two are together, I get sick because of how much she loves you. She talks about you constantly and how much she loves you."

He let out a soft sigh. "Thanks so much."

I shut up because I felt like a huge jackass for making him feel self-conscious about his plans. Damn why'd I have to be such a bitch sometimes?

When we got closer to the house, my jaw dropped.

It was enormous. Probably the biggest house I had ever seen. Of course it was gorgeous, but it was just so massive. It looked like an old mansion from a storybook, vines creeping on the white stone with beautiful blooming flowers growing from them. There was a large fountain in front of the house in the center of a neatly kept garden. I slowly shook my head as I looked it over.

"I told you." Jasper chuckled. "It's enormous."

I immediately spotted Esme outside, standing off to the side and smoking a cigarette. Jasper must have spotted her too because he cursed under his breath.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Carlisle's mother must be here," Jasper said as he shook his head. "The only time Esme smokes is when she's here. Carlisle made that section of the porch just for Esme, so she can smoke in private."

My stomach started twisting slightly painfully. "Oh great. See, this is why I didn't want to come."

"Esme will be glad you came. So just think of Esme."

I sighed as I got out of the car. Esme quickly looked over and flicked her cigarette. I could see her squinting before smiling widely when she realized it was us who had just pulled up.

She came off the porch, smiling widely. "Bella I'm so glad you came."

She walked over and pulled me into a hug. "It's nice to see you Esme. Thanks for inviting me."

"Of course. We can't plan Edward's coming home party without you. He will want you there."

I smiled and patted her shoulder. "You're house is so beautiful."

"Thank you," She said, smiling widely. "It's been in Carlisle's family for…well, since they came to America in the 1800's. We've added several additions to it. When dinner is over with, I'll drive you around the property and show you everything."

I chuckled as I followed her into the house. "Sounds great."

The inside of the house was just as luxurious as the outside, which wasn't surprising. It was large, and decorated so beautifully and carefully, I felt as though I were walking into a museum of fine homes.

"Wow," I said as I looked around. "It's gorgeous."

She chuckled. "Thank you. I decorated it myself. It was a hell of a task, but at least someone likes it."

"Who wouldn't love this? It's so beautiful Esme."

"Thank you." She smiled as she placed her hand on my back. "Everyone is in the sitting room."

I probably didn't need her to tell me where everyone was because I could hear the loud talking and laughter coming from a room down the hall.

When we walked in, Emmett was standing up, addressing everyone in the room. He was the source of the loud talking and laughter.

Carlisle was sitting in an armchair, watching Emmett while laughing and holding some sort of alcoholic drink. Alice and Rosalie were sitting on the couch together. As soon as Jasper walked in, Alice jumped to her feet and ran over to kiss him.

Emmett's attention turned to me. "Bella, you're a nurse!"

My cheeks reddened at the sudden attention from everyone. "Uh, yeah."

"Alright, so you can tell the gender of a baby before it's born right? Just by looking at the mother?"

My eyebrows turned downwards. "I mean, no—,"

"No, there's an old wife's tale that says if a woman's belly is hanging lower, she's having a girl, am I right?"

"I mean, that's an old wife's tale, but those aren't reliable."

"No no no!" Emmett said as everyone started to tumble over with laughter. "Bella, c'mon, help me out."

"Ignore him Bella," Rosalie laughed. "He insulted me earlier and now he's trying to talk his way out of it."

"Oh," I chuckled awkwardly.

"Please have a seat anywhere Bella. Make yourself comfortable," Carlisle smiled as he reached forward and grabbed a cracker from the plate.

"Thanks," I said as I sat down in the open seat on the long couch. Esme walked across the room and sat on Carlisle's lap. She leaned her head back against his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her.

"When's dinner going to be ready?" Jasper asked Esme as he and Alice sat down.

"It'll be ready soon. Carlisle's mother is taking over now," Esme smiled softly. "I overcooked the noodles."

"I'm sure they were fine." Carlisle said before placing a kiss on the back of her head.

I felt very awkward as they started talking about various things. This was the first time I had ever been to their house. It was so huge and fancy. No one was dressed up, but I certainly felt out of place in my jeans and t-shirt.

"So Bella, how is Edward doing?" Carlisle asked. "Did you see him today?"

"Oh yeah. He's in the infirmary more than he's in his cell," I chuckled. "He always finds an excuse to come in."

"Probably to see you." Emmett chuckled.

"Emmett," Carlisle warned.

"No, it's okay. Edward says it himself all the time that that's why he comes into the infirmary."

Emmett chuckled again and gave Carlisle a look. As those two exchange a few more words, an older woman with light blond hair walked into the room. She was wearing an elegant dress that wasn't over the top but was just enough to make me feel self-conscious. She was a very beautiful older woman, obviously, she had taken great care of herself.

"Alright, now that I've saved dinner," She announced as she walked in. "It's ready. I hope you all didn't fill up on the store-bought platter."

"Thank you mother," Carlisle said as he placed another kiss on the back of Esme's head before standing. "Mamma, this is Bella Swan, that girl Edward has talked about. Bella, this is my mother, Renata."

"Nice to meet you," I said as I extended my hand.

She gave me a quick look-over before taking my hand in hers. "Nice to meet you. You can call me Mrs. Cullen."

"Sounds good." I said coldly to match her tone.

"Hmm." She hummed in a very judgmental way. "Well, I certainly hope you didn't bring your appetite. I did what I could to save the dinner, but Esme is a disaster in the kitchen." She laughed as if she were teasing Esme, but it was very clearly a shot at her.

"Esme makes amazing food so I'm not worried." I said as I brushed passed her to catch up to Esme and Carlisle who had walked ahead. "Alright Esme, warn me before we walked into your dining room, can it seat a hundred people?"

Esme laughed. "No, no. We don't have a dining room like that. We have a party room that can seat over three hundred people, but we'll be eating in the family dining room."

I smiled as we walked into the dining room. It was large, yet somehow very cozy. There were family portraits all over the walls and I couldn't help but stare at them. Esme noticed my staring and smiled.

"Bella, remind me to show you my favorite picture of Edward when he was a baby." Esme said. "He was the cutest baby! So sweet, and he had the fattest little cheeks."

"I bet acorn was rather adorable." I said.

Esme snorted and whispered with a smile. "Bella don't make me regret telling you that."

"Oh I call him it all the time now," I said waving my hand dismissively. "Not in front of the other inmates though, or else he'd wind up as somebody's bitch."

There were several chuckles and a loud gasp at my words. Esme was staring at me with wide eyes before she looked over at Mrs. Cullen.

"Young lady," Mrs. Cullen said. "You do not know this, so you get this one pass, but this is a Catholic home. In a Catholic home, young men act accordingly as do young women."

I pulled my chair out and said very casually. "Oh yeah? How should I act? I was raised a godless heathen."

Emmett choked on his drink and Rosalie brought her cloth napkin to her mouth to conceal her giggles. Alice was biting her lip as hard as she could while Jasper slowly shook his head at me, silently telling me to stop pushing the old woman.

Mrs. Cullen looked as though she were trying her hardest to maintain her composure. I saw her throat move as she swallowed whatever bile she wanted to yell at me. This was not my first time dealing with judgmental older women. Older nurses were huge bitches.

"For starters, we don't cuss, especially at the dinner table. It's quite rude," She said. "Secondly, you have respect for my son's home. He's invited you in as his guest, and the least you could do is use your manners. So please, from now on, do not cuss. I don't want to have to ask you again."

"Will you not be so nice next time?" I asked as I noisily unfolded my napkin and placed it on my lap.

"I won't be." She said before inhaling deeply. "Carlisle, please lead us in prayer so we can try and enjoy the rest of the night."

Everyone followed her lead when she bowed her head. Jasper, whose head was bowed but eyes were opened as he looked at me, mouthed for me to chill out. I shrugged in response which caused him to shake his head but grin in anticipation.

"What did you make for dinner, aunty?" Emmett asked as he reached forward and uncovered the beautiful dish.

"I made homemade spaghetti and meatballs," Esme said as she reached forward and began making a plate. "I did my best with the noodles."

"Don't beat yourself up Esme," Mrs. Cullen said as she watched Esme very closely as she made a plate. "Noodles are hard for novice cooks. It takes years of dedication and practice. If you practice a little more, then perhaps you'll get be—, that's too much sauce. Carlisle doesn't like that much sauce."

When Esme paused, Carlisle said. "It's fine Esme. You know I love your spaghetti sauce. I would drink it if I could."

Mrs. Cullen sighed lightly. "Carlisle you need to watch your sugar intake, you know your father died of diabetes. Esme puts a cup and a half of sugar in her sauce."

"Carlisle you could choose how much sauce you wanted if you made your own plate." I said as I watched the interaction, unable to stay silent.

Mrs. Cullen gave me a death glare, but Carlisle looked over and smiled at me before chuckling.

"I don't mind Bella," Esme smiled at me before grabbing another plate. "I'll even make your plate for you."

"A good woman always fixes her husband's plate first," Mrs. Cullen said.

"I wouldn't know. My parents were never married."

"I knew I smelled a bastard," Emmett teased, causing Rosalie to smack him.

"Forgive him," Rosalie said, shaking her head. "He is ridiculous."

"Hey, this is a catholic home. You better not cuss again," I said, somewhat sarcastically as I pointed at Emmett. "And I carry the title proudly. I am a product of a one-nightstand."

"That's what's up," Emmett laughed before grinning cheekily at Rosalie. "Your dad did it the right way. Hit it and quit—,"

Mrs. Cullen's hands slammed down on the table, causing everyone to shut up.

"That's enough Emmett," She snapped. "I don't want to hear that filthy talk. You were raised better than that."

It was apparent that she was implying that I was not raised better than that. And she was right. My parents raised me to speak my mind and be honest. As well as stick up for others because it was clear that Mrs. Cullen was a huge bully, and everyone was afraid of her.

Esme laid my plate down in front of me. "Can I get you anything else Bella?"

"No thank you Esme, it all looks so delicious." I smiled at her.

She smiled back and patted my knee under the table, since she was sitting beside me. Everyone broke off into their own conversation. When everyone was distracted, Esme leaned over to whisper in my ear.

"Bella, I appreciate you sticking up for me and for yourself, but don't waste your time. You'll never change her."

I leaned over to whisper back, "Hey, I'm going to call out a bitch when I see one."

Esme snorted on the food she was chewing and covered her mouth with her napkin. She smiled at me before shaking her head and chuckling.

As I swirled some spaghetti onto my fork, I noticed from my peripheral vision that Mrs. Cullen was glaring at me.