Chapter 59: A New World in the Palm of His Hand
After walking and talking for miles, Edward noticed the subtle transformation in their surroundings. They had ventured into a much nicer section of Florence, where the streets were cleaner and the houses and buildings stood taller and more refined. The difference in atmosphere was striking—the faint hum of wealth lingered in the air, even though the streets were still mostly deserted in the quiet hours of the night.
Eventually, they came upon a corner shop that stood out against the backdrop of sleeping buildings, its lights casting a soft glow through large windows. Bella gave a wag of her finger, signaling that this was their destination.
Edward opened the door for her, hearing the soft chime of a bell above as they stepped inside. The sound stirred a memory of his last day of freedom so long ago, walking into Mindy's diner back in Chicago. He hadn't thought about her or that day in years. He knew he had to return there one day—to that spot where his life had seemingly ended and where Mindy's sadly had so he could pay his respects.
Pushing the thoughts aside, he turned his attention back to the present and followed Bella further inside. The shop had a cozy, unassuming charm. It wasn't too different from the coffee shops he remembered from his time—at least in structure. The wooden tables and chairs, the scent of ground beans in the air, the soft chatter of a few late-night patrons—it felt familiar, comforting even. But then his gaze wandered up to the menu board, and that sense of familiarity quickly vanished.
The sheer variety of options astounded him. There were countless types of coffee listed, each with names more unusual than the last. Cappuccinos, lattes, espressos, macchiatos—how could there be so many kinds of something as simple as coffee? Coffee was coffee, wasn't it? He almost wished he were human again, just so he could taste one of these strange concoctions... almost.
He stood beside Bella, watching her as she effortlessly ordered two drinks in flawless Italian. Her voice was smooth, the language flowing from her lips like music. He couldn't help but admire her ease, the way she carried herself as if she belonged in every place she visited. She ordered two cappuccinos—whatever they were. Could something as simple as coffee really have changed so much?
But his whimsical thoughts of tasting them evaporated when he saw the waitress place the two drinks on the counter. He hoped the cappuccinos were just for show. The last thing he wanted was to actually drink it. No matter how much the world had changed, he was still a vampire, and the idea of forcing down a human beverage wasn't appealing.
His attention shifted as Bella slipped a bill into a small glass jar labeled "tips." Tipping was a familiar concept, but the jar itself seemed strange. Why leave money in a jar rather than handing it directly to the waitress?
Bella handed him one of the cups, and as Edward held it in his hands, his curiosity sparked again—not about the coffee, but about the cup itself. It was made from some flexible white material he'd never seen before. Light, almost flimsy, yet somehow sturdy. He turned it round and round in his hands, marveling at how the world had progressed in the most unexpected ways, down to something as simple as a coffee cup.
Bella nodded toward a small table tucked into the corner, and they made their way over, sitting down away from the few other patrons. Edward breathed a silent sigh of relief when Bella didn't make any move to actually drink the coffee. He followed her lead, carefully placing the cup on the table in front of him, untouched.
Soon, Bella was explaining how a cellphone worked. She leaned in, her lips quirking up as she watched Edward frown in concentration, studying the phone in his hand as if it were some kind of alien technology. After she showed him what to press, he gasped when the screen lit up. His eyes widened, completely transfixed by the glowing device in his palm.
"This is... incredible," Edward murmured, his fingers hovering uncertainly over the surface. He tentatively tapped a corner, and the screen shifted, revealing something new. His brow furrowed even deeper. "It changes... when I touch it?"
Bella grinned, finding the sight of Edward trying to figure out an iPhone both endearing and amusing. Watching him wrestle with the concept of a touchscreen was like watching someone open a portal to the future. It made her realize how far things had come even in her own lifetime. She remembered getting her first phone at age 15, twenty years ago—a clunky flip phone. She grinned, recalling how excited she'd been since she was the last of her friends to get one. That phone was practically ancient compared to what Edward was holding now. Thinking back, her younger self would've been just as floored as Edward was now.
"Yeah, it's all on the screen. You just tap, swipe—kind of like flipping pages in a book," Bella explained, watching as a mixture of amazement and confusion crossed his face while he swiped experimentally. "Hey," she said after a beat, leaning forward, "can I see it for a second? I want to show you something cool."
Edward handed her the phone, his fingers brushing hers as she took it. Bella's smile grew as she tapped a few icons, her movements quick and fluid. The camera app opened up, and she shifted in her seat, leaning in close to Edward until their faces were just inches apart. He turned toward her, surprise flickering in his eyes at their sudden closeness.
"Say cheese," she said, her voice light and playful.
Edward blinked, clearly not understanding. "What?"
Bella's soft laughter filled the air, her shoulder gently nudging his. "Smile, Edward," she giggled, "it's our first selfie."
Edward didn't have a clue what a selfie was, but the way Bella's laughter bubbled up, so genuine and unrestrained, had him grinning back at her, caught up in the moment.
Bella quickly pressed the screen, capturing the moment. In an instant, the image appeared on the screen, and Bella pulled the phone back, holding it up to show Edward. "Look," she said, her voice tinged with excitement, "that's us."
Edward stared, realization dawning on him. His eyes widened again. "Wait... it's a camera, too? But where's the film? How was it developed so fast?" His mind raced to catch up. "That's... amazing."
Bella handed the phone back to him, and he took it, turning it over in his hands with wonder. His gaze flicked to the small, barely noticeable circle in the corner of the phone's back. That must be the lens. He flipped it back around and examined the image on the screen. It was of them, side by side. Bella was smiling wide, looking directly at the lens, while his smile was broad but more focused on her, having had no idea what was happening.
Edward shook his head in disbelief. "It's hard to wrap my head around it... to think something this small can do all of that," he stared at the phone in awe. Glancing back at the screen, his gaze lingered on Bella's bright smile. The carefree, playful expression on her face stirred something in him again—less about the technology and more about a feeling he couldn't quite place yet. But for now, he kept his focus on the phone, marveling at how much the world had changed. "It's like holding the future in the palm of my hand."
Bella chuckled softly, finding it difficult to break her gaze from Edward's smile. It was so genuine, so innocent. "I guess it kind of is," she said, tilting her head, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Let me show you some of its other features. You're going to love what else it can do."
Bella was enjoying walking Edward through the wonders of the phone, watching his fascinated expressions as she showed him app after app. But as she did, she realized she had forgotten to do something important—something she really should have done earlier that afternoon. She glanced at Edward, smiling as she watched him tapping the screen in concentration, completely absorbed in playing Angry Birds. When she had opened the games folder on the phone, she knew Edward was in for an awakening.
Clearing her throat, Bella caught his attention, and Edward immediately looked up, the game forgotten. "Edward, I need to make some calls. Some of my friends and family knew I was meeting with the Volturi, and they're probably very worried by now. I want to let them know I'm alright."
Edward nodded without hesitation. "Of course, Bella. Please, go ahead, make your calls." He handed her the phone, eager to see her use it for an actual call.
As Bella began tapping numbers on the screen, Edward couldn't help but stare at the small, glowing device in her hand, still utterly amazed by what he'd been learning. The fact that she could call someone across the world, from Italy to the United States, as if it were nothing, completely baffled him. Just a few years before he'd been captured, the first transatlantic phone call had been made, and it had been such a monumental achievement that news of it had traveled globally. He had read about it with great interest at the time. It had taken hours of planning and specialized equipment—and now here was Bella, casually pressing a few buttons as though it were the simplest thing in the world.
The very idea of instant communication across the globe had been the stuff of science fiction in his time. He couldn't wrap his mind around how far technology had come, yet Bella handled it like it was second nature—because, of course, to her it was. He watched as she raised the phone to her ear, their eyes met, and her lips curved into a smile as she waited for the call to connect. The soft ringing tone echoed through the phone, and Edward marveled at the ease of it all.
Bella decided it was best to call Peter and Char first. The phone rang twice before an irritated-sounding Peter answered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "What d'ya want? The missus just went off to do some nude sunbathin'. You got three seconds to top that."
Shaking her head, Bella let out an exaggerated huff. "Well, hi to you too, Peter," she replied, her tone thick with mock indignation. "It's so nice to know you two weren't the least bit worried about little ole me and were quite happy to get your freak on." She glanced over at Edward, whose eyes had widened at the tenor of Peter's greeting. She gave him a playful smile and a thumbs up to let him know it was just Peter being Peter.
Peter's tone shifted immediately once he realized it was her. "Bella! It's good to hear from you. So, what happened? Did the Volturi show up like we thought?" His words came out in a rush, a mix of concern and relief all at once. It seemed his naked time with Char had been momentarily forgotten.
"Oh, they came alright." Bella's voice dripped with derision. "Give Char a yell, I want her to hear this too." She wanted to share the news with both of them.
"Hey, Bella. I'm here. Came as soon as I heard Peter say your name," Char's voice chimed in from the background, excitement and relief clear in her tone.
"Hey, Char. Alright, here we go. So Peter, that information you gave me. It helped a lot. Later that night, just like you thought, Demetri showed up. He had the whole crew with him—the muscle, the wonder twins, and a whole bunch of nameless red shirts. They were surprisingly pleasant, all things considered, as they dragged me off to Italy."
Bella paused, savoring the tension she could practically feel from the other end. She let the silence hang in the air for a few seconds, enjoying making them wait.
Back in Texas, Char huffed in exasperation. "Come on, Bella. Spill! What happened?" Though she knew Bella was fine—she wouldn't be calling or making jokes if she wasn't—her worry hadn't completely faded. She glanced at Peter, but instead of sharing her concern, his gaze was fixed firmly on her tits. Men... She'd been halfway through undressing when Peter's phone rang.
Rolling her eyes, Char zipped upstairs, quickly throwing on a T-shirt. In a flash, she was back downstairs, settling on the couch next to Peter before Bella could get another word out. Peter's disappointed frown at her now-clothed body didn't escape her notice, but she ignored it, leaning in closer to the phone.
Bella figured it was time to put Peter and Char out of their misery and tell them what had happened. "Well, I met with the Volturi," she began, her voice taking on a darker edge. "Somehow, they were even worse than you described. I mean, you warned me, but they took it to a whole new level. And to top it all off, Aro hit me with a real curveball right from the start. He knew who I was the second I walked into the throne room. Turns out, he'd captured a friend of mine several years ago, but thankfully, he hadn't killed him."
Bella paused, her expression hardening as she thought about what happened next. "I tried to be civil. I really did, hoping we could settle my 'transgressions' diplomatically. But after 3,000 years of absolute control, Aro didn't seem to know how to play nice."
Her voice tightened as she recalled the moment it all went south. "Aro started threatening everyone I care about, including both of you. He even mentioned you by name, Peter. He said if I didn't join his guard, he'd kill everyone I'd ever known. Family, friends—no one was off-limits."
Bella let the weight of those words hang in the air for a moment. "So, after that, there wasn't much of a choice left for me," she continued, her voice turning icy. "Aro wasn't going to back down, and neither was I. So yeah... I roasted those fuckers. Every last one of them."
She let out a dry laugh, glancing at Edward and giving him a sly smile. She hoped he wasn't the type to get offended by salty language—because after knowing Peter for over a decade, that ship had long since sailed.
"Holy shit, Bella," Peter's voice came through, quieter than before, the weight of what she'd just revealed hitting him hard as the ramifications quickly began to settle in. He'd known Bella could pull it off—he had no doubts about her strength—but hearing it confirmed, knowing the Volturi were truly gone... it made the world feel different, like the ground had shifted beneath him. Without the Volturi sitting high on their thrones, no longer terrorizing the vampire world, everything had changed. But Bella cut through his shock, and he focused in on her voice.
"I know word will start to spread soon enough now that the castle's empty," Bella said, her tone more thoughtful. "But I was hoping you could help it along, Peter. You know so many vampires—your reach is broader than most. I think it'd be best if the vampire world knew as quickly as possible." She paused for a beat, considering the impact. "And until some new group steps in to take over, the larger covens should probably keep things under control in their own areas, maintaining peace and the secret. I know I'm not exactly the best one to say this, but vampires should still stay in the shadows. We're not ready for some huge coming-out party, regardless of my actions." Bella hoped that whoever took over would be better leaders than Aro and the Volturi.
"Sure thing, Bella. I'll start makin' the calls," Peter replied, already running through a mental list of names. "But I'm not sure how many will believe me, though. The Volturi bein' gone—it's the kind of news that sounds too big to be true. It's somethin' most vampires are gonna need to see for themselves before they really believe it."
Peter fell silent for a moment, the gravity of it all lingering. But there was one thing he just had to know; curiosity burned in his voice when he finally spoke again. "But before I start on that, I gotta know—what did that prick Aro do when he realized his time was up?"
Bella's lips curled into a smile, her gaze flicking to Edward, who was listening intently, his curiosity matching Peter's. "Oh, you were right about him," she said with a smirk. "He was a coward, through and through. While I was taking out the guard, he actually hid behind his throne like a child. And then, when it was just him left, he started begging for mercy, crying like a baby right before he went up in flames."
"God damn, I would've paid anything to see that," Peter said, his voice laced with satisfaction. "Never met the bastard myself, but from everything I've heard over the years, I'd say every vampire alive would've pitched in to watch that show. Aro and the Volturi finally gettin' what they deserved..." He hugged Char tightly, feeling lighter—like a weight he hadn't even realized was there had suddenly been lifted.
"I get it," Bella replied, her voice quieter now. "The only one I regret taking out was Marcus, to be honest. But he... he asked me to end it. He wanted out. It had been over for him a long time ago." A flicker of sadness crossed her face as she remembered the last Volturi leader—so disconnected from the world, from life itself, that his death had felt more like a mercy than anything else.
Peter didn't press the matter, allowing her brief moment of reflection to pass. Bella shifted the conversation. "Anyway, I just wanted to let you both know I'm alright. I've got a few more calls to make, plus I'll probably be sticking around Europe for a bit." She paused, smiling at Edward before continuing. "After I rescued my friend from the dungeon, I found someone else Aro had locked up and thrown away the key. I'm helping him readjust to the world. We'll catch up more later—I just wanted to get the Volturi news out there."
Peter's tone lightened, a teasing edge slipping into his voice. "Understood. We're just glad you're safe. You have fun now with your... mystery man." Bella could hear Char giggling in the background, and before either of them could say something she didn't want Edward overhearing, she quickly ended the call.
Looking up at Edward, she smiled warmly. "Those were the first vampires I met. They taught me everything I needed to know about vampirism, and they're my best friends." Her smile lingered, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "Charlotte was still human back in 1929, but Peter... he's older than you. Ever heard of Peter Whitlock?" Bella's eyes studied Edward's face, watching for any sign of recognition.
"No, Carlisle and I didn't have much contact with other vampires," Edward admitted, a distant look in his eyes as he recalled his past. "When I was out on my own, I only ever crossed paths with a few, and even then, it was brief—just in passing." He paused, considering the small circle of vampires he knew. "Actually... I've been thinking. At some point, I'd like to try and find Carlisle, let him know I'm alive. By now, he probably thinks I've been dead for decades... likely ever since I first went missing."
Bella nodded thoughtfully. "Of course. I was actually thinking we could head to France soon. My mom lives there with her husband, and he can help us with new IDs. We need all kinds of documentation these days to move between countries and do anything official in the human world. Mine are still back in California, and you'll need a whole set made up. We can also ask Jean Paul—my mom's husband—about Carlisle. Maybe he knows him or where he lives."
Edward looked at Bella, confusion flickering across his features. "That sounds good, but... why would your mother's husband know anything about Carlisle?"
Bella couldn't help but smile, realizing she'd left out an important part of her story. "Oh, right. I guess I skipped over that part," she said with a small laugh. "A few years ago, my mom and I went on vacation in France, and she met a vampire named Jean Paul. They fell in love, and long story short, my mom went through the change. So yeah, she's a vampire now too. Jean Paul's been around for over a thousand years, so he knows a lot of vampires. He might even know where Carlisle is—or at least point us in the right direction."
Edward looked at Bella with surprise in his eyes. "You're lucky to have your mother still in your life. My parents died just before I was changed. I would've died too if it weren't for Carlisle."
Bella's heart softened at his words, sensing the weight behind them. She wanted to know more about Edward's past, but there were two more calls that she needed to make first.
"I'd really like to hear more about your past." Bella's tone grew thoughtful as she continued, "but I still need to make a couple of quick calls. My mom and dad are probably worried sick, and I should let them know I'm okay." She added with a smile, "My human father actually knows what I am too, though I didn't tell him. That's a whole different story—and quite the tale to tell. But after I talk to them, maybe you and I could share more of our stories?"
Edward's smile was genuine. "I'd like that."
He sat back, watching Bella as she prepared to make her calls, his curiosity piqued. He listened closely as she called her mother first, her expression softening even more as the call connected. Bella's voice was light and relaxed, the conversation flowing easily as she reassured her mom that everything was fine. He could hear her mother's relief through the phone, her nervousness fading the more they talked. There was a true warmth between them, and Edward couldn't help but feel happy for Bella—that she still had that connection with her family.
Next, Bella called her father, and Edward listened in again. Her tone shifted, becoming a little more playful as she spoke to him, but there was still the undercurrent of love and care in her voice. He could hear the relief in her father's responses, and it struck Edward how different Bella's life was from his. She lived in both worlds—vampire and human—and seemed to navigate between them with ease. It was a kind of balance he had never experienced himself, but it gave him hope for the future.
Next chapter wraps up Edward's first day of freedom, and from there, the story will start moving forward again. Bella and Edward will be heading out on a new journey, and at the same time, you'll see them growing closer and closer. As always, I appreciate your comments and thoughts. Are you enjoying seeing Bella and Edward finally together?