Here is the next chapter, sorry for the long wait! From this point forward the story was going to go in a diferent direction but I decided to delay that for a bit because there is some imprtant part of the plot coming up on the next chapters and I wanted to be able to focus on just one thing at a time, its better this way, for you guys to read and me to write.
Lets see what happens on this chapter...
As usual I dont own Twlight!
Chapter 22
Anniversary Proposal
Edwards POV
I've been thinking about what Alice said to me before she left for New York; I made my decision after I talked to Charlie back in forks when he had his accident. I didn't like lying to Bella but I couldn't tell her what we were talking about. Since neither Jasper or Alice could help me plan the proposal I asked Carlisle for help, I told him what I wanted and he made it happen, I had a reservation for a new restaurant that Bella had been dying to go to for a while but it has been impossible until I told Carlisle, and he pulled a few strings and made it happen. I had the flowers ordered and the ring has been polished, mom still didn't know that I had it; I didn't want to ruin the surprise by telling her, I knew it was wrong but mom was still a little sore from when Bella and I went to Forks. My suit has been tailored by one of Alice's colleagues, she told me to go straight to her if I needed some help with my clothes while she was gone.
It was the date of our anniversary, as it was tradition Bella and I talked at midnight and then went to bed, I was picking her up at eight, tonight I wasn't only going to propose to her but I was also telling her that I was going to get my transplant done. Carlisle and I have talked about it and he says that there is no reason for me not to get it besides fear, he told me I qualify. He did some tests and told me the type of transplant I needed, it was a full cornea transplant. The shards of glass that mutilated my corneas when I had the accident damaged all my cornea layers.
This procedure wasn't painful, I was going home the same day, but the recovery would take from a few months up to a year, I needed to be careful with what I did after the surgery and also I was going to still be blind for a while until it was time to remove the bandages and see if my vision returned. I wasn't scared, I trusted Carlisle he had done this many times before with people younger than me and he has been successful. I wanted to tell Bella so bad, she loved me as I am right now but I want to do this for me, for us I want to see her face, I think it's time for me to search for the light and stop being in the dark.
I arranged for a limousine to pick us up, ever since Carlisle started living with us we didn't need James so much so we retired him, he started a family back when we started college, his first baby was born that February, then he had another child a few years ago and we wanted him to spend time with his wife Victoria and his children Valerie and Laurent. We are still in touch with him but he doesn't work for us anymore, he had been working for us since his mid-twenties, he was grateful for the trust and the job he had with us but we knew he wanted to be with his family more.
I was very nervous for what I wanted to do tonight, I got this feeling that it was time for us to take that next step, I was ready, and I just hoped Bella was…
"Edward son, where are you going so dressed up?" mom asked when she saw me.
"I'm going on a date with Bella, it's our anniversary today." I replied.
"Oh right, I had forgotten. How long has it been?" She said.
"Four years mom" I clarified.
"Okay then, have fun." She dismissed me.
"Bye mom, Carlisle" I said he followed me outside.
"I'm nervous" I admitted to him.
"It's only natural Edward; I was very nervous when I asked your mother to marry me too." He told me.
"Bella is a fine girl, you will do alright son." He encouraged me.
"Okay then, I better gets going I don't want to lose our reservation." I acknowledged.
I told the driver Bella's address and we were on our way to pick her up, I just hoped that this night didn't backfire on me…
Bella's POV
I was getting ready for tonight's date with Edward, he told me to dress fancy, and I guess we were going to a fancy place for dinner. I admit that I wasn't feeling well, I think I was going to get a cold or something because I had a light fever this morning when I woke up but I controlled it, but I think its back again. I know I should cancel but I don't want to, I know that Edward had done a lot to make tonight special I didn't want it to go to waste.
I dressed and asked mom to help me with my hair and makeup, the AC on my room was high since even though I had a cold shower I felt hot and was sweating a bit.
"All done Bella, you look fantastic." Mom said.
"Thanks mom" I said.
"My baby girl is so grown up!" she added.
I blushed, "oh, mom please!" I whined.
"Okay, okay. I'll let the sentimental talk for some other time…." She said kissing my cheek and handing me my clutch. Right that moment the doorbell rang and my heart started beating faster, I didn't know why I felt jitters as if tonight was different from the others, something was going to happen I could feel it, I just hoped it wasn't anything bad.
Edward's POV
"Oh Edward wait until Bella sees you, so handsome!" She greeted me.
"Thanks" I replied.
"Bella is ready, wait here I'll go get her and my camera you both look amazing!" she said rushing.
I heard heels on the stairs and I was hit with the soft scent of Bella's perfume I knew she was in the room, I smiled.
"Good evening Bella, happy anniversary." I greeted her.
"Happy anniversary Edward, she said lightly kissing my lips, after that she ran a finger through my lips, removing the stain of her lipstick I suppose.
"Stay just like that and smile" Renée said all of the sudden.
"Mother! You scared me." Bella said.
"Sorry" she giggled.
She took a few pictures from us; this was actually a good idea.
"These are for you" I said handing Bella the flowers, "oh Edward they are beautiful!" she cried.
"I'm glad you like them." I said truthfully.
"Okay kids, Bella give me the flowers; I'll get them some water you go now." She rushed us out of the door.
"Bye mom" Bella said.
"Bye Renée" I smiled.
"A limousine Edward?" Bella gasped.
"Yes, the best to take my girl out." I said.
"You didn't have to do this" she told me.
"I know but I wanted to, my pleasure remember?" I told her.
"So where are we going?" Bella asked as we left her house. I just smiled and didn't answer.
Soon enough we were at the restaurant, and bellas gasp had me grinning like an idiot.
"Bella Italia? Really Edward? Oh goodness this is amazing! How did you do it?" she asked all of this at once.
"Okay I take that you like the surprise" I stated.
"I love it; you know I've wanted to come here for a while." She said.
We were greeted by the hostess, "hello, and welcome to La Bella Italia. Reservations for two?" she asked.
"Yes" I replied.
"Name please" she kindly asked.
"Masen" I answered.
"Oh, yes right here it is private area number three." She said.
"This way follow me, I will take you to your table." She added.
"Private dining area? Edward what's going on?" Bella whispered.
"Nothing love, you wanted to come here right?" I said.
"Yes but I didn't know you were going to go through all this trouble" she hissed.
"Bella, love please relax, it was nothing okay." I placated her, I knew she didn't like ostentatious but I wanted tonight to be perfect.
We were taken to the room and seated.
"Do you like it?" I asked Bella, I had asked the flower shop to deliver a few flower arrangements and the restaurant to ambiance the room a bit with some music I brought and dim lights. "Oh Edward, its lovely." Bella said.
Our waiter came in and filled us a glass of water and brought in complimented breadsticks with garlic, we ordered our drinks and for appetizer we ordered a shared capresse salad.
Bella and I were of age but none of us were drinkers, but for today I had ordered just one bottle of wine to go with our entrees. We stared a conversation while we ate our salads and enjoyed the best iced tea I've had in my life.
"I was babysitting Emma the other day while rose took Ethan and Emilia to the dentist and she was so good. She didn't give me any trouble at all, I enjoyed playing with her, and I rewarded her with making cookies I can still hear her scream of joy." Bella laughed.
"You like them" she said.
"I love those kids, it's the teacher in me, I love children, and I've bonded with them since I've been their tutor. They are going to start school next year; I'm going to miss that part." She told me truthfully. Rosalie and Emmett were hitting a rough economic path, their businesses where not giving them the profits they used to, so they couldn't sent their kids to preschool so Bella offered herself to tutor them for half of the price that the tuition at the school they were going was going to be, everything they know from school Bella has taught it to them.
Our food was brought in Bella had ordered mushroom ravioli while I had a steak and pasta dish, the food was amazing. As the night progressed I felt that Bella was a little off. I reached for her hand, it was hot, and I mean it wasn't her normal temperature. Maybe it was just me, I don't know.
"The night has been great Edward, thank you for doing all of this." Bella said to me.
"Anything for you Bella" I said with a smile taking her hand.
"Bella" I started.
"Yes baby" she said smiling.
"I'm going to go under the surgery" I bluntly said.
I was met with silence.
"For real?" I nodded to her.
"Yes Bella, Carlisle and I have been talking and I've decided to do it. There is nothing stopping me but fear, Carlisle said that my body is more than ready." I said.
"Is it going to hurt?" Bella asked concerned.
"No he told me that if I wanted I could get a full body anesthesia, not just my eyes" I explained.
"That's a great option. So what kind of transplant is it?"
"I'm going to need a full cornea transplant, because when I had the accident all of the layers of my cornea were damaged. I will undergo some more tests for size, eye pressure and all of that." I explained to Bella.
"I'm so happy for you Edward!" she said kissing me.
"Yeah I've been giving this a lot of thought, I want to do it for me, and I want to do it for us. I want to be able to look into your eyes my love."
We finished or meal and then ordered dessert, we didn't say anything for a while desserts were great.
I was ready to ask her, I couldn't wait any longer; I needed to say it already.
"Bella we have been together for a while, we have matured and experienced so many things with one another, and I want to keep living these things with you and whatever the future may bring. I love you with all my heart Bella, I never in a million years thought that I would fall in love but I'm glad that it was with you, you are it for me Bella I don't want to be with anyone else, nobody would ever compare to you." I declared.
"Oh Edward, I love you too, so so much, I don't want to be without you, nothing in my life would be the same now. I want to be with you too for as long as you have me." Bella said kissing my lips, she tasted of chocolate since we had just finished eating dessert and she had a piece of chocolate cake.
This was it, the moment of truth, I was going to spill the beans, and I was going to ask her to be my wife.
"Bella, would you ma…" I didn't finish my sentence because I heard Bella say something that I quite didn't understand, the scrape of her chair and then a thud.
"Love, are you okay?" I asked alarmed, Bella didn't reply.
I got out of my chair and kneeled on the floor looking for her; I felt her hand and took it. "Bella baby what's going on, answer me please." I said, I then cried for help, until two servers heard me and brought a cloth with some alcohol, they rubbed it under Bella's nose and I felt her move.
"What happened?" she groaned.
"You fainted" I replied relived, well at least for now.
"Miss, Can we get you anything, maybe some water?" one of the helping servers asked.
"Yeah water sounds great actually, I feel a little hot." Bella replied.
"Can you get the check while you're at it? Ask our server please. Thanks" I said.
"Sure, water and the check coming right up." He said and left.
"Are you okay Bella?" I asked.
"To tell you the truth Edward no, I wasn't feeling well but I didn't want to cancel tonight, everything was amazing until now." She admitted.
"Oh baby, you should have told me, we could just have rescheduled." I said a little hurt.
"No, no is okay. Tonight was the best" Bella kissed my cheek.
The server came with the water and the check, I gave enough to pay the bill and leave a hefty tip to all of them servers who had helped Bella. They took all the flowers to the limo outside as Bella was leaning on me for support. I helped her into the limo and told the driver that we were going to Bella's house. I called Carlisle and put Bella on the phone, she told him how she had been feeling; he said that he was meeting us at her house. We got there as quickly as possible, I paid the driver for the rest of his services plus a little tip and he left, Carlisle was inside talking with Bella's mom when we got in.
"Bella sweetie, are you okay?" Renée asked her.
"I think I have a fever and I fainted." Bella explained.
"Okay, let's get you out of these clothes so that Carlisle can examine you properly, or you prefer to go to the hospital?" Renée suggested.
"No, no just Carlisle." Bella agreed.
"Okay then, guys wait here." She told us.
"So tell me, how did it go? Did you ask her?" Carlisle asked a little excitement on his voice.
"No when I was going to ask she fainted, she didn't even give me a chance to say the words." I stated.
"Oh I'm so sorry Edward." He said.
"Is okay, I guess today wasn't the day." I said dejectedly.
"Hey, don't get discouraged okay, the moment will come, just be patient." He reassured me.
"Carlisle, you can come up now." Renee called from the top of the stairs, I followed him but didn't go into Bella's room, I knew that there was a chair in the hallway as part of the décor of the house so I sat on it and waited for Carlisle to tell me what was going on with her.
He was in her room for a few minutes, I started bouncing my leg in desperation, I was a little upset that I didn't get to say what I had to say, I was trying to calm myself I didn't want to get mad it wasn't Bella's fault that she may be sick sometimes your body controls you.
Renee then opened the door and told me to come into the room. I went in and as usual I was hit with Bella's smell and her perfume.
"So what's going on?" I asked.
"Nothing too serious, she just has a mild fever episode, this is common so it can be treated with regular fever medicine, I just gave her some by vein so it could act faster." He told me.
"That's good" I said.
"Bella please take liquids and rest until you feel better, check your temperature every thirty minutes and take more medicine if you need it. Here is the prescription for a fast acting liquid mix. Goodnight, Edward lets go." He said.
"No, Edward please stay" Bella said.
"I'm not sure that's going to be possible love" I said.
"Oh okay" I heard the disappointment in her voice and I cracked, I was making her miserable with my attitude over something that's out of her control.
"Edward, don't worry about your mother, I'll handle that." Carlisle said.
"Okay then, I'll stay" I said putting down my walking cane and sitting at the edge of Bella's bed.
"Goodbye Edward, get well Bella, don't hesitate to call if you need anything." Carlisle said pointedly.
"Of course" Bella said.
"I'll walk you out, Bella I'll bring you another tea; do you want anything Edward?" Renée asked.
"Yes, a very cold glass of water please" I said.
"I'll be right back" she said, I heard her and Carlisle leave and the soft click of the door closing.
Silence fell over the room; I felt a little tension coming off me and also awkwardness. Since Bella didn't say anything I decided to get comfortable and took off my shoes, socks and removed my suit jacket and tie, I laid them at the sofa that was on the wall in front of Bella's bed, I knew this room like the back of my hand even though two years ago Bella changed the décor of her room and bought a new bedroom set, she gave the one she had to my cousin Irina since she loved it and said that would look amazing on her bedroom.
I went to lie beside her, Bella got close to me but not close enough; I took her hand and kissed it.
"Are you feeling better?" I asked sincerely.
"Yes a little, the medicine is working." She replied.
Bella laid her head on my forehead and sighed.
"Thanks for tonight Edward, it was amazing. I'm sorry that we had to cut it short after all the effort you put into it." Bella apologized, I sighed. I was being stupid, "I know Bella but is okay, it's not your fault baby, right now what's important is that you get better." I said sincerely.
Renee returned with Bella's tea and my water, she checked Bella's temperature as I took small sips letting the water finally cool my mood down, I was being a pain I didn't know if Bella noticed but I was hoping that she didn't.
"How is the temperature?" I asked.
"Almost back to normal, I think that you should sweat out with the tea and then take another shower Bella, you can't take more medicine until a little after midnight ill set an alarm for you okay sweetie?" Renée said in her concerned motherly nature.
"Okay mom" Bella replied.
"oh Edward you must be uncomfortable on those clothes, let me get you something more comfortable, I think there's some clothes on the guest room for you, I'll be right back." Renee said hastily. She came back a few minutes later and gave me some of my clothes, I indeed had some things over at Bella's house it wasn't a lot but it would suffice for tonight.
I went and got ready for bed in Bella's bathroom when I went out I heard ruffling and drawers closing, Bella was out of bed.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Looking for something to wear, the tea made effect and I need to shower the sweat off, I don't want you catching this." Bella said
"Carlisle said it's not contagious but okay" I replied.
"I'll be back soon" she said closing the bathroom door.
I got my things neatly organized and then got settled on Bella's bed, she had removed the comforter and was using the thinner sheet, and I went to her closet and looked for another sheet for myself. I got settled in bed after that.
"I see you got settled" Bella stated as she came out of the bathroom.
She came to lie beside me.
"I love you Edward" she said kissing my lips softly, all of what I was feeling melted away and I realized that this was us, simple, private, just Bella and me and that we didn't need anything else. Yes dinner had been amazing but this moment right here is what defines us, it's what we are used to, I was going to risk it all and ask her, I had the ring on my pocket, I didn't want to risk that she saw it so I was planning on sleeping with it there.
"I didn't think you were going to do the surgery Edward, you surprised me with that." Bella stated. You haven't "seen" anything yet…
"It's time for me to start taking some risks in life Bella." I stated
"I completely agree Edward, and I'll be with you every step of the way. I will support you all the time." Bella said in reassurance.
"Bella, these past years with you have been the best of my life. I don't want to be without you Bella; I want to see what life brings us from this day forward. Bella I want us to take the next step on our relationship…" I started I felt Bella stiffen beside me.
"What you mean?" she asked.
I sat on my side, assuming the same position that she was in; I faced the direction of her voice and smell. I took her hands in mine, "Bella you mean everything to me, I never thought that I would find someone like you baby, that I would fall in love so hard, I thank God for placing you 8in my path and I thank you my love for being the light of my dark for being my guide, my companion, my best friend. I want to spend the rest of my life loving you Isabella Swan, I can't imagine being without you, I want us to see the world together, to chase your dreams and mine together side by side, but to do that I need you to be finally mine. Bella, I will love you now and forever, would you do me the extraordinary honor of being my wife…" I said I head Bella inhale and gasp.
Her hands started shaking.
"You're proposing…to me, you want to marry me?" she whispered.
"Yes Bella I do, would you marry me?" I said again.
There was a moment of silence; I was trying not to think of what was going through her head at this moment.
Her hands stopped shaking, they broke away from my grasp I felt them on my face.
"Why wouldn't I Edward? Yes ill marry you!" she exclaimed throwing herself at me and nearly throwing me off the bed.
I took the ring out of my pocket and present it to Bella, she gasped even deeper as she saw it for the first time.
"Oh Edward, it's beautiful" she said amazed.
"May I?" I asked she took the ring out of the box and gave it to me; I took her hand and placed her on her ring finger. I then kissed her knuckles, "I love you" I whispered.
"I love you too Edward, more than anything in the world. I never thought ill love someone so much as I love you. The fact that you love me without being able to see me is amazing, you love who I truly am as I love you Edward although you are extremely gorgeous." She said
"I can't wait to finally see your face my love, I want you to be the first thing I see when I can finally see again Bella. I want to see the face of the woman that captured me with the pureness of her heart, her out of this world kissing, and amazing baking skills. The girl who showed me life through her eyes, to feel and take risks to not have fear and achieve anything I want." I smiled at her.
"Thank you for showing me the blind side of love Edward, to see with my other senses and experience life in a total different way. For giving me everything you can and more, for always taking care of me like only you can and most important for loving me." Bella told me
"You're my one and only" I said to her, "oh Edward" Bella said taking my face in her hands and kissing me. And that's how we spent the rest of the night, kissing, making out and caressing each other.
Our new lives started this moment forward, Bella and I had made a commitment, I couldn't wait to tell everyone, although Carlisle, Renée, and Charlie knew about it, I needed Carlisle's help so I had to tell him and I had asked Bella's parents for her hand separately as soon as I made the decision to ask her to be my wife. Alice and jasper were going to be thrilled, soon enough Bella and I would be united forever as husband and wife and I couldn't wait until I could see her walk down the aisle escorted by Charlie and to be finally able to see her beautiful face, the face of the girl of my live, my Bella.
For outfits and more go to the blog. Thanks for reading, let me know what you think is going to happen next (Besides them getting married of course) I want to hear your theories...