"There're more of the small ones … but the bigger ones may have more impact …" Edward sighed, weighing the two packages in his hands. "I don't know. What do you think, Bella?"
"I think I spent almost three hours on the road to choose a car seat for our daughter. Not help you pick out balloons," Bella grumbled, rubbing her swollen seven-month belly.
"We did, but I need to get Jas back for his stunt with the scrubs!" Edward whined. As the newest attending at the Forks Memorial Hospital, it took a lot for Edward to be taken as seriously as his more established colleagues. Even more so when one of his best friends swapped his classic navy blue scrubs for SpongeBob. "I can't let him and Emmett win."
"Like any of you are winning." Being the younger sister of one participant and the now wife of another meant that Bella had been present since the beginning. She had even been the accidental victim once when a fake snake meant for Emmett had gotten her instead. Her father had chewed out Emmett and his friends, telling them to end their stupidity. And it worked for about a month until Emmett left a whoopie cushion on Jasper's chair on the first day of school. Not like that month did much; all that was gained from the experience was her lifelong fear of snakes. "Edward Anthony Cullen, I promised your sister that we would have the registry ready before she sent out the invitations. The last thing we need to pick out is a car seat. You're the doctor—get your ass away from those balloons and tell me which one looks best."
"Fine, just one second …" He didn't even look up from the packages until shooting her a triumphant smile. "You know what? I'll get both sizes. I'll need tons to fill the cab of his truck anyway." He grabbed a handful of packages for each style balloon and tossed them into his basket. "Okay, car seat time."
"Finally." Bella rolled her eyes and turned on her heel toward the baby section. Most of the time, she adored Edward: her childhood crush, high school sweetheart, and husband of a year. But when he got into this longtime war? No, thank you!
"Jazzy! Have you seen the Matrix box I left in the bathroom?" Alice called out, decked in one of her capes. One of the perks of owning her own salon was that she always had high-quality products on hand for her own hair journey. Now that the silver tones she'd had most recently had faded, she was looking forward to something more vibrant and had picked out a fun fuschia for the spring. However, that perfect dye was nowhere to be found.
"Matrix box? You mean that little pink box?" Jasper asked, joining his fiancée in the bathroom. "I thought you grabbed that for me."
"Why would I grab you fuschia hair dye?"
"I told you about my idea in the car." He grinned. "I bought a bottle of the same shampoo Emmett uses, and I put the dye in there. It'll turn his hair pink!"
Alice let out a loud sound of annoyance. The fucking prank war! It had been bad enough when she and her best friend had been watching their big brothers wage war as long as she could remember, but it only got worse when ten-year-old Jasper Whitlock moved to town and turned the pair into a trio. "I don't even listen when you talk about your stupid pranks! I wanted to do my own hair!"
"You just got a ton of dye." He shrugged.
"For the salon!" she yelled with emphasis. "It's not like I can just walk into Cheney Pharmacy and get a new bottle. I'll either need to ship a new order to the salon or drive out to fucking Sequim!"
"I can drive out in the morning." Jasper shrugged. "But I'm about to head into the station." In exchange for access to Edward's locker, Jasper, a firefighter and certified EMT with the Forks Fire Department, had to cover for Tyler Crowley, a paramedic at the hospital.
"Of course, you are," Alice grumbled. It was just like Jasper not to think about the consequences of his actions when planning his next attack. "I can borrow a bottle from the shop for now, but I better have one in my hand tomorrow afternoon. And you better hope I don't sell out of what I have before then."
"It's Forks! How many women want fuschia hair?" Jasper laughed, leaving the small space.
"You're lucky it's not Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Otherwise, you'd be a dead man."
"Papa Bear to Hot Rod. Is the coast clear? Over!"
"Emmett, this is ridiculous!" Rosalie growled into her walkie-talkie. "Why do we need code names?"
When her husband had asked his mother to watch their three-year-old son Henry, Rosalie had foolishly thought he had planned a fun day date for the two of them. Not that he would ask her to be the lookout while he filled her cousin's home office with Post-It notes.
"Because they're fun, Hot Rod!" Emmett insisted. "And you need to say 'over' when you're done. Over."
"If you don't get your ass out here, your sex life is over!"
"I'm almost done; I swear. Just one monitor and the keyboard left. They'll be home soon. Over."
Not for the first time that morning did Rosalie regret telling Emmett about Edward and Bella's registry trip out of town. "Do you know what a waste of paper you're causing?" As principal of the high school, the waste of any office supplies was a travesty.
"Relax! They're made from recycled paper. Over!"
"Not the point." She sighed, feeling exasperated, and threw her radio onto the passenger seat. Closing her eyes, she started chanting almost meditatively, "I love my husband, the idiot." She was so focused on her calming exercise that she wasn't aware of anyone approaching her car until she heard a light rap on the window. She jumped at the sound and looked around nervously but relaxed as soon as she saw the friendly face through the window. "Uncle Carlisle! What are you doing here?"
"Esme and I were just passing by after lunch with your parents," he explained with a wry smile. "Although, I could ask you the same question. Is there a reason you're sitting outside my son's house while he and Bella are in Silverdale?"
Rosalie rolled her eyes. "I got tricked into being a lookout for Emmett."
Carlisle nodded in understanding; no further explanation was needed. "Ah, yes, the Twenty Plus Year War." He sighed. He often regretted letting Edward buy that copy of The Mischief Maker's Guide to Pranking at that book fair back in first grade. "Well, I hope it's nothing that will disturb Bella. We don't need another rubber snake incident while she's so far along in her pregnancy."
"I'll keep her safe, Uncle C," Rosalie promised.
Carlisle gave her a warm smile and nod before going back to his wife waiting in the car.
She leaned her head back but was quickly notified of a text on her phone from Alice.
You ladies free to meet up at Sue's?
Yes! A girls' afternoon would be a great way to keep Bella away from Emmett's havoc.
Yes, please!
Bella's reply came through only seconds after Rose.
Ugh, yes! I need to get away from Prankward! We're passing PA now. I'll be there in an hour.
Since she was already parked outside, Rose made herself useful.
I'll meet you at your place, Bells! Get you away from him quicker
At least, she had an excuse for being out here now.
"Thank God, you're here!" Alice sighed as her best friends entered the small cafe. "I need to get away before I make myself a widow!"
"I know what you mean." Bella nodded, sliding onto one of the chairs. "We finally got the registry done. No thanks to your brother."
"I thought you were going fuschia," Rose commented as she took her own seat.
"That was the plan. Now, it's your hubby who'll be getting my Matrix dye," Alice grumbled.
"Speaking of which, avoid Jas's truck," Bella warned.
"And Edward's office," Rose added. "I thought Em was taking me to lunch."
"What did he do? He knows that's my office, too," Bella moaned. Being a remote graphic designer, Bella used that office more often than her husband.
"He swears he stuck to Edward's side," Rose promised.
"Ladies," Sue's daughter, Leah, greeted them with a knowing smirk. "Rough day?"
"Prank war," Bella grumbled.
"Right, that's still happening." She chuckled. "So, what'll it be? The usual or the strong stuff."
"The strongest—cheesecakes and lattes," Rose answered for the group.
"Make mine hot chocolate," Bella added.
Leah nodded and went off to cut three larger-than-standard slices for the girls. If anyone deserved it, it was those three for dealing with their knuckleheads. Leah had seen her share of boys being idiots in her time, but thankfully, her Sam had grown out of it when he was elected to the tribal council.
"I thought having a baby would be enough to get Edward to cut this BS out," Bella groaned.
"It didn't work with Emmett." Rose shrugged. "If anything, having Henry makes him want to pass on his wisdom."
"I bet Jazzy would be the same if we ever have a boy," Alice groused with an eye roll. "At least, Edward's not planning to make your girl into a prank princess."
"You never know," Rose mused. "Who would suspect the cute little girl?"
"You're right. Edward's gonna ruin my little angel." Bella moaned, rubbing her belly. Suddenly, the little doll with copper ringlets she imagined became a perfect accomplice for her daddy. At least, in Bella's imagination.
"You know what those guys need?" Leah interjected as she placed the slices of cake and drinks down on the table. "A taste of their own medicine."
"They already prank each other enough," Rosalie replied with a shake of her head. "What difference will it make?"
"They get each other one-to-one," Leah explained with an evil smirk. "But they've never been gotten all at once publicly by the three of you." Seeing the confused looks on their faces, she pointed at a poster hanging on a nearby wall.
Twenty-Fifth Annual Forks Community Awards
Silver Anniversary
"I think we need to call Mom." Alice laughed darkly.
Dear Dr. Cullen/Lieutenant Whitlock/Deputy Swan,
We are thrilled to announce that you have been nominated for the prestigious Local Hero Award at the 25th Annual Forks Community Awards, recognizing outstanding individuals in our community who have demonstrated exceptional levels of service, dedication, and commitment to the City of Forks.
Your nomination is a testament to your contributions to Forks as a member of the Forks Memorial Hospital Emergency Department/a leader among the Forks Fire Department/a legacy within our Forks Police Force.
As a part of the nomination, we ask that you film a short video (3 to 5 minutes) that will be presented at the ceremony. In honor of our Silver Anniversary, the committee is asking that all videos follow the same theme celebrating the City of Forks' time on the Silver Screen. We ask that you recreate a scene from the cinematic hit Twilight to show your own love and dedication to the community of Forks.
Video guidelines are as follows:
Dress appropriately for the scene, including any necessary costumes or props.
Perform the scene in a public space, such as a park or town square, to engage with the community.
Ensure the video is entertaining and demonstrates your dedication to the role.
Submit the video to the awards committee at least three days before the ceremony.
Following the submission of your video, you will be invited for a brief interview with the awards committee to discuss your contributions and your vision of continuing to serve our community.
Additionally, we ask that you keep this nomination confidential to maintain the integrity and excitement of the awards process. You may share the exciting news with members of your household but kindly refrain from discussing it more broadly until the ceremony.
Please contact us if you have questions and/or need further assistance. We are excited to see your creative submissions and wish you the best of luck at the 25th Annual Forks Community Awards.
Sincerely,
Esme Cullen
Chairperson, Forks Community Awards Committee
"You've gotta be kidding me!" Edward groaned, throwing the letter down on the couch.
"What's up, babe?" Bella asked innocently, taking a seat beside him.
"Someone nominated me for a Forks Community award." He shoved the letter toward Bella. Not that she needed to read it. As soon as Esme gave the girls her blessing, Bella crafted the letter for each of the guys.
"And you're upset about that?" She took a sip of her tea, hiding her smirk.
"I don't really like being nominated for just doing my job, but it's this stupid nomination video. They want me to recreate a scene from that dumbass vampire movie!"
It took everything in her not to laugh. The idea of the Twilight scene was all Alice. She thought body glitter would be the perfect topping to their embarrassment. "What's so bad about that? It sounds like fun. You'd make a sexy vampire."
"I work hard to make sure I'm respected by my colleagues just to do something stupid like this?" He scoffed. Oh, the irony! He was a willing participant in a childish prank war, but this was too much for him. "Fuck it, I'm not doing it."
"Edward, your mom is the committee chair," Bella pointed out. "It'll hurt her feelings if her own son rejects the idea. You don't want to do that to her, do you? I know how sad I'd be if Libby treated my ideas like that." She shot him a sad look while stroking her bump. "And think how proud Libby will be to have a local hero for a father."
"Ugh, fine!" Edward groaned. "For you, Mom, and Libby."
"Thank you, sweetie!" Bella pulled her husband in for a hug, grinning behind him. Step one was complete.
"Reenact a scene from Twilight, huh?" Jasper mused as he read through the letter Alice had placed among his bills. "Not exactly what my folks pictured when they moved us up north."
"I think it's a great idea!" Alice bubbled as she stirred. "Those movies did a lot for our town. And it's a great way to show everyone how important you are to the community."
"I don't know, Ali. What do I need to do? Run around town like a sparkling vampire?"
"None of the vampires ran around the town sparkling. That would give them away." Alice rolled her eyes. "As for location, that depends what scene you want to do."
When Alice had suggested the idea to the girls, she had come up with scene suggestions for each of the guys as well. The hardest part was convincing Rosalie and Bella to act as scene partners during filming but promised to edit her best friends out.
"I don't even know where to begin …" Jasper faltered.
"Don't worry, sweetie." Alice smiled at him sweetly. "I've watched those movies hundreds of times. I'm more than happy to help."
"This is gonna be epic!" Emmett laughed, putting down his letter. "You got any body glitter I can borrow?"
"I have some old highlighter you can use," Rosalie offered. "You're really excited about this, aren't you?"
"Are you kidding?" Emmett grinned. "I get to pretend to be a vampire! But not a wussy one like that British dude. I'm gonna be the big guy."
"It's a good fit," Rose agreed with a nod. Geez, getting Emmett on board was easier than she thought. "So, which scene do you want to do?"
"Hmmm …" He looked thoughtful, running through the different ideas in his mind. "I can't do the fight scenes alone. Maybe the baseball scene? That one's pretty cool."
"And there's a perfect field to record it," she offered. "Just don't break anything."
"I won't," he brushed off. "Hey, you think Henry's old enough to be a part of it?"
"I look stupid," Edward groaned, running his hand through his hair. "I fucking sparkle!"
"That's the whole point of this scene," Bella explained.
"I feel like I'm sullying our meadow by doing this," he mumbled.
"It's just another memory out here." Bella sighed, exasperated. "The sooner we get this filmed, the better." She set up her phone on the tripod, making sure the screen was facing them for framing.
"Where did you get that anyway?"
"Alice let me borrow it," she explained as she adjusted the settings.
Edward's eyes widened. "You didn't tell her what we're doing, did you?"
"No, I just said we were doing some maternity photos," she lied smoothly. "Now come on! Stand menacing behind me."
"Ugh, let's get this over with," Edward groaned, moving into position as Bella hit record.
"I get the glitter, but was the blond wig necessary?" Jasper asked, adjusting the itchy hairpiece.
"They're very descriptive about him being a blond," Alice insisted. "Now, let's see that military training in action!"
"I don't think this is what the Reserves had in mind," he mumbled but dutifully followed his fianceé. "Now, where do you want me to stand?"
"You'll be right there." She pointed to the middle of the clearing among the trees. "I can add some wolves in the background while you give your speech. You got it?"
"Hold on." He put up his left hand and pulled the short one-page script out of his pocket. "And you expect me to fight you?"
"Play fight," Alice corrected. "But it's more like me jumping on your back. Ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be." He sighed.
"Three, two, one, ACTION!"
"Damn, those baseball pants make your ass look fantastic!" Emmett grinned as he gave his wife a slap on her rear. "That alone will get me the win."
"I don't think the Local Hero is based on your wife's ass," Rose snickered. She was thrilled with how her end of the deal was working out. After Bella's story about Edward's whining and Alice's about Jasper's hesitancy, Rose was basically getting a walk in the park. Sure, she needed to be a bit more active than her friends, but she had played softball throughout college. A simple slide was nothing. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather film at the baseball diamond?"
"Rosie, come on," Emmett scoffed. "We can't let the humans see us play baseball."
"You're really getting into this role." Rose laughed with an eye roll. "But if I see you hunting a deer with your bare hands, I may need to take further action."
"Trust me; you're the only deer I want to hunt with my bare hands," Emmett growled, grabbing his wife around the waist.
"Okay, stop!" Rose giggled. "We're wasting daylight!"
"Fine, fine." He grinned and jogged out to the middle of the field. After a few warm-ups, he called out, "Okay, let's do this thing!"
"Local hero video, take one!"
"So, Community Awards this weekend," Emmett said, taking a sip of his coffee. "What are you two thinking?"
"Same as every year." Edward shrugged nonchalantly. The more he could convince his best friends not to attend and see his embarrassment, the better.
"Been the same for twenty-five years," Jasper added. He knew Edward and Emmett would eventually hear about his video, but if he could avoid them seeing it, he'd be happy.
"Could be fun," Emmett suggested. "Dad's been asked to present this year. I heard Bruce is bringing the big cart." What good would it be to be presented with Local Hero if his friends weren't around for him to gloat? "And your mom always arranges a good spread."
"I can get leftovers," he mumbled. "But I know Bella's looking forward to it. Seeing your dad present, I mean," he added in a rush.
"Yeah, Ali said the girls were coming to the salon to get their hair done," Jasper added. "I guess we'll see you there."
"I'll save you a seat at my table!" Emmett grinned. He wanted them close by when he won.
Esme Cullen must have magical powers. Only she could take the brown and beige banquet room of the Elks' lodge and create a wonderland of rustic elegance. The tables were adorned with burlap table runners and mason jar centerpieces filled with wildflowers, with fairy lights hanging from the ceiling. Even after a quarter-century, the residents of Forks were still in awe of what she could do.
"Aren't those the lights from our wedding?" Bella asked, pointing at the ceiling.
"You know Mom." Edward grinned. "Waste not, want not. If she can stretch her decor budget, she will."
"Well, she outdid herself." Bella nodded, impressed. If she didn't already have Esme's blessing, she would almost feel bad about what was to come. "Let's hit the buffet. Your daughter wants some of Harry's tri-tip."
"Hey, it's Belly Bump Bella!" Emmett greeted, poking his little sister in the stomach.
"And it's Exhausting Emmett," she deadpanned, poking him back. "If you think I'm letting you cut in line, you're wrong."
"But it's tri-tip," he whined.
"And I'm pregnant. Back of the line." She gestured with her thumb, giving her brother a no-nonsense look.
Emmett grumbled but moved to the back. He leaned into Rosalie's ear and whispered, "When I'm named Local Hero, maybe she'll show me some damn respect."
"I'm sure you'll get all the respect you deserve," Rose cooed condescendingly. As she and Bella caught each other's eyes, they shared a wink and used all their willpower to avoid laughing.
Once they all had their plates, they joined a table already occupied by Alice and Jasper, as well as the Swans and Cullens. "I was wondering when you'd get here," Alice greeted with a twinkle in her eye.
"You know how parking is here tonight," Edward offered. "Mom, everything looks amazing."
"Thank you, dear." Esme smiled, trying to hide her amusement. Normally, Esme liked this evening to go off perfectly, but when the girls contacted her with their plan, who was she to say no? It wouldn't be as embarrassing as the fourteenth year of the awards when Emmett switched Edward's suit with a pirate costume, and Edward placed an ad in the program with Jasper's photo, stating he was the guy to call for a good time. "Now, hurry up and eat. We'll be starting soon, and you don't want to be caught stuffing your mouth in the spotlight."
The table of ten continued to chat throughout dinner with the Whitlocks and Hales making sure to stop by. While Lilian and Royce Hale adored their son-in-law, they knew his antics had gotten on their daughter's nerves and were looking forward to seeing what she had put together. Besides, they'd had to deal with a prank or two, thanks to Edward. On the other hand, Peter and Charlotte Whitlock had spent enough of their son's youth apologizing for pranks that went beyond their target and promised Alice that they would have a good viewing spot for the occasion.
Once dinner plates were cleared away and all that remained on the tables were hot beverages and assorted dessert platters, the lights around the room dimmed, and Mayor Marcus Aro took his spot at the podium on stage. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my esteemed honor to welcome you all to the twenty-fifth annual City of Forks Community Awards! Tonight, we come together to celebrate the individuals who make Forks a vibrant, caring, and all-over wonderful place to live! First and foremost, I would like to extend an extra warm welcome to all our nominees and their families. Without your hard work, we would have nothing to celebrate year after year. I would also like to thank your tireless Awards Committee, led by their fearless leader Esme Cullen, for putting together such a beautiful night for us all. Let's give them all a round of applause!" A round of loud yet polite clapping rang around the room in appreciation before Mayor Marcus continued. "Now, without further ado, let's get the festivities started! To present Volunteer of the Year is my friend and colleague, Councilwoman Carmen Santiago."
As the awards wore on, there was a sense of confusion hanging over the Cullen-Swan table, located front and center.
"Where are the other videos?" Emmett wondered to himself.
"Didn't anyone else record anything?" Jasper thought silently.
"What the fuck is going on?" Edward seethed internally.
Meanwhile, the excitement of their partners continued to bubble as they got closer and closer to their big moment, almost jumping out of their skin as Irina Smirnova from the senior center presented Tanya Denali with Senior Citizen of the Year for her knitting events, making blankets for all the newborn babies at Forks Hospital. Watching her father rise from his seat, Bella thought she would explode as Mayor Marcus took his place back at the microphone. "And now, to present one of our highest honors, please welcome Chief Charlie Swan to present the Local Hero award."
"Thank you, Mayor," Charlie replied gruffly. "It's an honor to present the Local Hero award to someone who has worked tirelessly to make Forks a safer place to live. However, before we hand out the award, we have a special presentation." As the screen came down from the ceiling, there was a glint in Charlie's eye while his mustache twitched. Charlie Swan had been looking for a way to end this war ever since Jasper's snake gag scared his little girl for life. "Waylon, roll it."
The lights around the room went completely dark as a video started to play on the screen. The presentation began with Eyes on Fire playing as images of Olympic National Park swept across the screen. As the famous 'ha' sounds of the intro came to an end, the music transitioned to Supermassive Black Hole while the image faded into Emmett in the middle of the clearing, wearing his high school baseball uniform and hyping himself up. Thanks to Alice's clever editing and a well-purchased blonde wig, it was nearly impossible to tell that she was the woman sliding into the makeshift home plate.
"Come on, babe! It's just a game!" Emmett announced loudly before turning to the camera. "But teamwork is key, just like keeping our community safe! Remember, everything we do is to keep the people of Forks safe!"
There was an air of amused confusion floating around the room as the three pranksters sat in shock, staring at the screen, unsure of what was happening. While the music changed to With You In My Head, the image moved to the forest to show Jasper pacing back and forth. "Newborns are stronger than us, but they are not as skilled," he started, pushing out the Texan accent that had faded over his years of living in the North. "Just like in an emergency, skills and preparation are key." He turned and faced the camera directly, much like Emmett had. "Always be ready to act quickly and decisively, just like during a fire."
"Nice wig, dude." Emmett snickered in a whisper.
"Nice pants," Jasper retorted. "I'm pretty sure everyone saw your moose knuckle."
"What the hell?" Edward snarled, praying his footage got lost. "Did you idiots get nominated too?"
Both his friends nodded as their partners hid their snickering, and Edward's hopes were dashed. There on screen was the meadow, although Alice had taken some creative liberty with the song and underscored it with Never Think. Bella let out a sigh of relief, impressed by her friend's skill. Between only seeing a peek of her brown hair and the voice adjustments Alice had done, it was barely noticeable that Bella was even in the video.
"How old are you?"
"Thirty."
"How long did it take to become a doctor?"
"A while."
The little chuckle from Carlisle didn't go unnoticed by the table as he shot a wink at his daughter-in-law.
"I know what you are."
"Say it."
"Doctor."
Bella wiggled in her seat and shared smiles and thumbs-up with her friends as Edward delved into his monologue.
"This is the skin of a healer! I'm the town's newest ER doctor! As if you can out-cure me! As if you can fight off common infections!"
Edward groaned into his arms as he watched himself make a sparkly ass of himself on the screen in front of the entire town, knowing what asinine moment was left.
"I'm designed to heal. So, when you think about what it takes to be a doctor, remember this: it's not just a job. It's a calling. A responsibility. A privilege."
As the screen faded to black, the only words that appeared on the screen were 'Gotcha!'
"What the fuck, Emmett?" Edward growled as the audience laughed and applauded around them.
"I didn't do anything!" Emmett insisted. "You saw I was in that video, too!"
"Yeah, but you love that kind of bullshit!"
"I think someone's protesting too much," Jasper added with an accusatory glare at Edward. "Your mom organizes this shindig."
"Because I really want to sparkle on screen," Edward scoffed.
"How do we know you weren't the mastermind, Tex?" Emmett questioned. "Everyone knows your girl's obsessed with those vampire movies."
Before Jasper could defend himself, Chief Swan took the microphone once again. "Well, thank you, gentlemen, for that enlightening presentation," Charlie chuckled as he took an envelope out of his pocket. "You've given us all lots to think about when it comes to heroes. Before I introduce this year's recipient, I think it's important to remember that heroes come in all shapes and sizes. This year's winner was instrumental in the rescue of Alistair Wilson."
The crowd peeked over at Kate and Garrett Wilson, who looked up at the stage adoringly while their six-year-old son, Alistair, happily munched on his brownie. It was hard to believe that only four months ago, the young boy had fallen down a ditch at the Calawah River Park, not to be found for twelve hours.
Edward, Emmett, and Jasper all looked at each other; they had all been a part of that rescue. Emmett had led the K-9 search, Jasper's team had rappelled into the ditch to recover the boy, and Edward had been the attending physician. Despite the embarrassing video, could one of them really win this?
"And the award goes to the one who found little Alistair, Officer Jake of the Forks Police Department!" Charlie announced.
The three men sat in their chairs slack-jawed as Deputy Marks walked on stage, leading Officer Jake from the K-9 unit up on stage, happily wagging his tail as Charlie added a pin to his collar.
"We lost to a dog?" Emmett asked in shock.
"A heroic dog," Jasper added, nodding dumbly as he stared at the russet brown German Shepherd.
"We filmed those stupid videos for nothing." Edward moaned while the town cheered for Officer Jake. "If none of you set us up, who did?"
"Thank you, Chief Swan," Mayor Marcus chortled as he took his place back at the microphone. "Before we end this evening, we have one final award. To present this award, please welcome Alice Cullen, Isabella Cullen, and Rosalie Swan."
The men eyed each other suspiciously as their better halves took the stage. The Local Hero was always the last award given out. What were they playing at?
"Tonight, we'd like to honor someone whose dedication goes unnoticed year after year," Rosalie started.
"To a woman who works tirelessly behind the scenes as our townspeople are celebrated every year," Bella added with a smile to her mother-in-law.
"A woman who, without her support, tonight wouldn't have been possible," Alice concluded. "Every year, she puts her heart and soul into making tonight run without a hitch."
"Even if it meant letting us usurp a few minutes to teach our husbands a lesson." Rosalie snickered, throwing a wink toward their table.
"You guys did that?" the men asked in unison, shocked.
"You bet we did." Bella laughed. "And we couldn't have done it without the Heart of the Community Award winner, Esme Cullen!"
Esme stood in surprise, clutching her heart. She had no idea that the girls had planned this for her and was overcome with emotion as she made her way to the stage. "Oh, girls!" she said emotionally as she hugged the three women on stage. "Thank you."
"You deserve it, Mom," Alice declared as she handed her the plaque and rose bouquet they had arranged.
"Oh my goodness, this is such a surprise! I am truly overwhelmed and deeply honored to receive this award." Esme sighed as she stood at the microphone. "I've always believed in the power of community coming together to celebrate our achievements and to support one another. It has been a privilege and an honor to contribute in whatever way possible to this town my family calls home. I am constantly inspired by each and every one of you. Thank you for this recognition. I'm deeply touched and will cherish this moment forever."
The room applauded before Mayor Marcus made his way back to the stage to congratulate all the winners and make his closing remarks.
"So, you three think you got us good, huh?" Jasper snickered, shaking his head at the women.
"Yep." Alice smirked, popping the "p".
"It was time for a taste of your own medicine," Rosalie declared.
"Maybe this will teach you three to stop your pranks," Bella added with a warning look at the men.
"Au contraire, ma sœur." Emmett grinned evilly.
Edward looked at his wife with mischief in his eyes. "This means war."