Edward held the door open as I walked in and pulled him behind me by the hand.
It was the day after the trial and we were both feeling much more at ease. I was still in a little bit of a state of shock. I practically tackled Edward after he told me that James was found guilty. He laughed when I told him my mind had me convinced that James was set free. After shedding all the necessary tears of joy, Edward wiped my eyes and we headed downstairs to cook dinner as a family. When we told Alexis our plans about getting out of town, we couldn't get her to stop squealing. To say she was excited was an understatement. The screams only got worse when we told her that Jacob, Alice and Jasper were going to be there, too.
When we arrived at A New Moon Rising to pick her up before driving to Forks to celebrate my birthday, it didn't take long for the kids to start yelling 'Miss Bella, Miss Bella.'
I hadn't been back at work since the incident. Leah thought it'd be best if I stayed home until my ribs were completely healed-or as she told me, ‘You ain't coming back until you get laid. Believe me; I've seen how you act when you go through a dry spell. Plus, I don't want any of the kids to tempt you to pick them up.' I scoffed at her accusation at the time, but in reality she was right.
I smiled as the kids gathered around the front gate waiting for me to come inside. I unhooked the latch and let myself in as Edward signed out Alexis.
"Hi everyone." I waved and the kids latched themselves on my legs. "Hey, Leah."
I knelt down to give each one of them a hug. They asked where I had been and what I did to my arm, while others commented that my cast matched Alexis' and then proceeded to tell me what they've been up to. Alexis shoved her way through the group to be right next to me, swinging her arm over my shoulder as if she was telling the kids that I belonged to her. She's been hanging around her dad way too much.
Our stay wasn't nearly as long as I would have liked it to be, but we had to get on the road to Forks. We wanted to leave earlier, get to Forks around four or so, however, Edward had to stay late at work, so we wouldn't be arriving until after nine. We said our goodbyes to everyone then set off to go further northwest than we already were.
"By the way, Lexi is no longer allowed to hang around Alice," Edward mentioned, breaking the silence in the car.
I giggled and asked him 'why?'
"Because she packed three suitcases full of clothes and accessories for three days. Three days! And it's not funny, my baby girl is becoming a little diva, she's only four, Bella."
"Edward, be happy that she has an appreciation for fashion and someone to teach her. If it weren't for Alice, Lex would be walking around in sweat pants and t-shirts that are too big for her because that is what I'd be teaching her."
"You don't walk around like that," Edward commented.
"I know, that's because I want to look good for you." I winked.
"Did you see how many boys lined up to say goodbye to her? And then two of them kissed her on the cheek. That is two too many."
I laughed again as I grabbed a hold of his free hand.
"Would you be acting this way if you had a little boy her age who had a line of girls following him around?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.
"Hell no, I'd be high fiving my little man for being such a big shot." He smiled smugly.
I smacked him in the arm and rolled my eyes as I released my grip on his hand, but he just grabbed it back. He laced our fingers together bringing them to his lips for a light kiss.
"Our little man is going to be such a stud, but he'll only have eyes for his mommy," he mumbled against my skin.
"Our little man?" I questioned, trying to keep the smile off my face. "What makes you think I'm going to have any kids with you?"
Edward turned his head and cocked a brow.
"Don't you want to make babies with me?" he feigned being hurt as he placed our hands on his chest.
"Before we make any babies, there better be a ring on my left hand. Until then, like Beyonce says...all the single ladies, all the single ladies," I sang.
Edward threw his head back letting out a boisterous laugh and I smiled even more seeing him so happy. It'd been too long since we were able to joke around like this. He released my hand and moved his to the back of my neck, tangling his fingers in the hairs at the nape and massaging the skin. He did his best to stare into my eyes as he drove.
"That, my love, can be arranged. Hmm...that gives me an idea," he pondered.
"What?" I eyed him suspiciously. My heart was pumping faster than before; waiting to hear what Edward was going to say.
"We are on our way to see your father." He smirked.
"Edward Anthony Cullen, don't you dare," I yelled.
"What?! You just said," he said, a little surprised.
"I know what I just said, but don't you dare bombard Charlie with engagement questions."
"Bella, there are a lot of questions that I want to ask Charlie and I'm sure he wants to ask me," he said, serious. "I will let him know I have every intention to make you my wife someday. I just hope that you don't make me wait forever."
"You know by now that I want a future with you. I'm just worried that this impromptu trip to Forks and you talking about marriage with Charlie will make him automatically assume that I'm pregnant. I'm not sure he can handle that; the first time I told him about us and that you had a daughter, I gave him heart palpitations," I explained, worried.
He chuckled softly and I watched his Adam's apple bob. I've missed licking that Adam's apple. I sighed.
"What?" he asked, running his knuckles along my cheek bone.
"I miss being intimate with you and this baby-marriage talk is not helping."
"Soon, my love...I'll be making love to you all night and all day, you won't be able to walk. I'm going to devour this sexy body of yours and make you scream my name so loud that the neighbors will hear," he replied in a husky voice.
I shivered at the thought then I turned to the back seat to make sure Alexis didn't hear anything. Seeing that she was engrossed in her movie, I turned my attention back to Edward.
"I'm not sure I can wait much longer, Edward," I whined.
With that our conversation seized for the time being. The only noise in the car was light snoring from Alexis mixed in with the music from Edward's iPod while I read my latest guilty pleasure; a vampire book entitled 'Dark Lover.' Thank you, Rosalie.
"What are you smiling about?" he asked, kissing the top of my head.
"My dad," I pointed, "greeting us...wearing his uniform."
"Why does that make you happy?" he looked at me curiously.
"He's been off work for about four hours now and normally he changes right when he gets home. He's trying to intimidate you," I giggled as he strutted down the steps trying to act like a hardass.
"Hey, Bells," he greeted with a small smile.
I patted Edward's hand making him drop it and he moved to get Alexis out of the car. I stood in front of my father, waiting to see what he would do knowing he wasn't the most affectionate man. His next move surprised me. He opened his arms up and threw them around my upper body, squeezing me tight. I blew out a short breath and winced as his hold on me tightened even more.
"Dad," I croaked. "Too...tight."
"Oh, sorry, Bells." He smiled crookedly, loosening his grip. "I'm just happy to see you. You had me so worried."
I looked at him and offered a sympathetic smile when I saw the moisture pool in his bottom lids. The last time I saw Charlie cry was when he dropped me off at college my freshman year.
"I'm okay, Dad, I promise. My ribs are still a little bruised and I have this cast that I get off next week, but otherwise I'm good. And I have this man," I started turning my attention to Edward, "to thank for that. Dad, this is my boyfriend, Edward. Edward, this is my dad, Charlie."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Chief Swan," Edward said, shifting Alexis in his arms slightly to shake his hand.
"Likewise. Thank you for taking care of my little girl." Charlie smiled.
"Anytime, sir. And this sleeping child in my arms right now is my daughter, Alexis."
"Well, why don't we get inside. It's a bit chilly out here, don't you think?" Charlie commented, leading the way up the porch. "Are you guys hungry? Sue made some lasagna the other night and I have plenty of leftovers."
"That would be great, Dad. Thanks." I smiled, pulling my coat off. "Do you mind heating some up for Edward and me while we get Alexis ready for bed?"
"Sure thing. I figured you two would be sleeping upstairs, so I made up the sofa down here."
I turned the corner and there was a brown leather sofa bed, ready for someone to fall asleep on.
"Made up the sofa? Dad, that's a whole new one with a bed. When did you get that?" I asked, surprised that Charlie had made changes to the house.
The house had really not been changed much since the day my parents bought it after they got married. Renee had painted the kitchen cabinets a God awful yellow color a year after I was born in hopes of brightening up the drab room. Charlie never did paint it back to the original white when she moved out. I'd offered to do the work for him, but he always declined with a shake of his head. The furniture was the same collection that they had inherited from Grandma Marie after she died. My father was never one to make big purchases, but Billy was able to convince him to upgrade his TV to a flat screen earlier this year with the digital switch. So, to see new furniture in this house threw me for a loop.
"Last month, Sue convinced me that the furniture needed to match the electronics. She was right, I needed to get with the twenty-first century," he chuckled, walking into the kitchen.
Edward laid Alexis down and started pulling off her shoes. I told him that I'd get her ready while he went to get the bags. He returned a few minutes later struggling with our things in his arms. I stood up and grabbed one of Alexis', then he headed up the stairs, but not before giving me a chaste kiss on the lips. I quickly dressed her in her pajamas and tucked her in, placing a soft kiss on her forehead and heading into the kitchen where the smell of marinara was making my stomach growl.
But not even the smell of delicious food could distract me from the sight before me. I stopped in the doorway of the kitchen, my hand instinctively moving to my throat. The yellow cabinets that I had just mentioned were gone; in their place were dark oak color drawers and doors. The countertop was also different; it was a brownish granite color that went nicely with the newer appliances. I wanted to ask him about it but I bit my tongue, saving it for another day. I should be happy that my father is finally moving on, but it all just made me feel a bit nostalgic.
A plate being shoved in my face pulled me out of my reverie.
"How was the drive, Bells?" Charlie asked, taking a seat at the same kitchen table with mix matched chairs that we've always had.
Well, at least that's the same, I thought, taking a seat next to him.
"It wasn't bad. We hit a little bit of traffic on our way out of the city, but once we got to the highway, it was pretty much smooth sailing. If we have time, we may stop in Port Angeles on our way back on Sunday," I explained, taking a bite. "Mm, this is really good."
"Yeah, Sue is a great cook. I think I've gained about fifteen pounds since she's come into my life," he joked.
"You look fantastic, Dad. Younger even. Sue is good for you."
"I agree and I believe I could say the same thing about that man you brought tonight, but that is just my initial judgment, things could change by Sunday." He smirked.
"Haha, very funny. Still only drinking Vitamin R?" I asked with a questioning brow.
"Of course, some things have to stay the same," he commented, taking a sip.
Edward joined us a few minutes later and we chatted as we finished our dinner. Charlie was curious to hear about Edward's family and why he became a doctor. He excused himself once he finished, telling us good night, and Edward and I went upstairs not too long later.
I was quite surprised to see that Charlie redecorated my bedroom as well. Gone was the twin size bed, the desk where I used to do my homework, the plastic file cabinet that also acted as my nightstand and the bookcase that held my collection and keepsakes, in their place was a full size bed and a re-finished dresser. The room had more space, it didn't feel so cluttered. On the plus side, Charlie kept the rocking chair. Edward and I dressed for bed and I fell asleep quite quickly thanks to the meds.
The fresh smell of cinnamon rolls wafting through the air caused me to stir. I turned onto my back and stretched my arms, feeling a slight twinge in my side. I looked to me left and noticed that I was alone. I slowly sat up and placed my feet on the cold wood floor. I was tempted to curl back up under the covers until Edward came to find me, but the rumbling in my tummy and the sweet smell was calling to me. I stood up and walked over to a pile of clothes on the floor, pulling on Edward's shirt and taking in the smell of him as I did. I grabbed a pair of pajama bottoms out of my suitcase and slipped them on along with a pair of slipper socks.
Feeling a little bit warmer, I made my way down the stairs. I rounded the banister and stopped in my tracks- Edward was cooking...with Charlie? Charlie doesn't cook, he doesn't know how to.
"Good morning, love," Edward greeted, noticing me out of the corner of his eye.
"Morning, Bells," Charlie added.
"Hi, guys. Check out my two favorite men cooking for me," I commented, kissing Charlie on the cheek then cozying up to Edward and rubbing his back.
He leaned down to kiss the top of my head then he went back to icing the rolls. Charlie stood in front of the stove, flipping sausage and eggs. I raised my brows to Edward, who just shrugged at my unspoken question. I took a seat at the table bringing one leg up to rest on the chair and watched as the two men prepared our breakfast. Alexis joined us a few minutes later and we were served a delectable meal. We properly introduced Alexis to Charlie and she warmed up to him quite quickly. During breakfast, I found myself suppressing moans over the amazing taste of the cinnamon rolls, they were heavenly...Edward's version of a foodgasm. Evil son of a bitch. I narrowed my eyes at him and he shook his head wearing his sexy smirk.
"So, what are you kids going to be doing today?" Charlie asked.
"I'm going to take Edward and Lex around town, show them the high school and stuff. It shouldn't take too long," I teased.
"You should stop by the station, I told some of the guys that you were coming to visit and they got all excited."
"I'll add it to my list. Dad, I was hoping tonight that maybe you and Sue could watch Alexis while Edward and I go out with the gang?"
"Yeah, sure. No prob, Bells."
Once we finished, we took turns showering and got dressed for the day, prepared to go out in the cold rain. I met a freshly dressed Edward and Alexis downstairs, quickly putting on our coats then heading out, parting ways with Charlie who was heading up to the Rez.
Our next stop on our tour of Forks was the Outfitters store where I worked for a year. Edward couldn't believe that I had worked there, to which I slapped him and reminded him of our horseback riding adventure. We moved on to Main Street where there was a lame bookstore, the hardware/grocery store, the bank, and a coffee shop where we decided to make a stop to warm our bodies and get out of the rain for a little bit.
The last stop on the Forks tour was the police station. Charlie wasn't kidding when he said some of the guys were happy to see me, as I received a hug from each one of them. The guys all teased me about bringing Edward to meet Charlie, which only caused me to blush and bury my face in his chest. They did give us a good laugh, though, when they told us about Charlie's nerves and his ideas to intimidate Edward.
Yeah, there were no secrets when it came to these guys.
We were going to head back to Charlie's, but Edward wanted to take a little hike through the woods while the rain had ceased. It was my chance to show this man just how outdoorsy I was.
"I don't want to toot my own horn, but toot, toot. On the weekends, when it wasn't raining, Jacob and I used to go hiking through these woods when we were younger. We found this little beautiful clearing that was filled with wildflowers surrounded by trees. It was the most breathtaking sight in the spring and summer whenever the sun would shine through the canopy of leaves. And then when Alice joined our group, we showed her our secret place."
"Can we find it, Bella?" Alexis asked.
"I'm not sure we can without the map, sweetie, but we can try."
"How did you manage to walk around all these roots and rough terrain without hurting yourself?" Edward questioned.
"Well, it was no easy feat. Quite a few times, I found myself leaving these woods with a twisted ankle, cuts on my hands and legs, but it was never anything serious."
"I see." He nodded, hiding a smile.
At one point, Alexis picked up a stick nearly twice her size to help her navigate. I didn't know how long we were walking until I saw a familiar tree. Before we left for college, Alice, Jacob and I carved our names in the tree we would always pass right before we entered the meadow.
"It's right through here," I mentioned, moving a few branches out of the way.
Edward held them back so Alexis and I could enter without getting smacked in the face.
"It's magical, daddy," she commented, twirling around in a circle.
Like her, I too turned around in a circle taking in one of my few favorite places about Forks. It was just as I remembered it; flowers all around, though the majority of them were nearly dead as fall had set in, huge trees shielding us from the outside world with beams of light hitting the ground through the little holes between them and the smell of musk filling your nostrils.
"It's amazing, Bella. You guys came here all the time?" he asked, circling his arms around my waist from behind. I leaned into his chest, closing my eyes as I conjured up the memories.
"Growing up, I was a big fan of 'The Secret Garden' so when Jacob and I found this place, I felt like I was the little girl. This place was our own version of a secret garden except without the massive wall keeping people out, an emo uncle and a whiny, sick cousin around. I talked Jacob into putting in that swing over there when we were ten." I pointed to a wooden board with a rope in the middle hanging from a branch. "I remember wishing animals would come join us, maybe a deer, some bunnies and squirrels. I used to come out here and just daydream."
"I wish I knew you when you were little," he whispered.
"I'm not so sure you would've talked to me. I was the shy, dorky girl growing up. From what I have gathered, you were always Mr. Popular, playing sports and all the girls fawning over you," I responded, turning around in his arms to face him.
"That may be true, but Bella, I'm pretty sure...no...I know that even back then there was so much more to you than just the shy, dorky girl you claim to have been. I'm sure you were just as beautiful then as you are now."
"No," I shook my head. "I'm pretty sure I was the ugly duckling until about the time I turned sixteen. That's when I finally grew into my gangly body, my hair calmed down instead of being a constant frizz ball, and I got the braces off."
"And, let me guess, you had to beat the boys off with a stick?" he asked with a crooked smile.
"Nope, they still saw me as the geeky girl. Don't forget, I grew up with those kids in Phoenix. I will admit that things changed when I moved back here though, and then when I moved to Seattle, the last year or so especially," I whispered, inching my face closer and closer with each word until my lips were barely touching his.
"You push me, daddy?" Alexis asked, pulling us out of our quiet conversation.
I began to pull back, but Edward's arms tightened around my upper body, squeezing me to him. He dipped his head, molding his lips to mine. The kiss was brief, but still powerful enough to make my heart flutter.
We pulled apart and walked over to her, swinging our joined hands between us back and forth. Edward tested the swing out with his weight before letting Alexis sit down. I felt a sense of pride for Jacob knowing the swing was still sturdy. She straddled the rope and Edward started pushing her. I stood back to take pictures of the two of them together with my phone.
Is it wrong for me to wish that this was our place instead of Alice's, Jacob's and mine's?
Alexis asked me to join her on the seat so I sat her on my lap as Edward pushed. We giggled and screamed as we went higher into the air.
"I go pick fowers for Arlie," she stated.
"Erm, I'm not sure there are any for you to pick. They look kind of dead," I said, looking around.
"I find some."
"Alright, sweetie." I smiled, helping her down.
I moved to stand, but Edward tsked at me then proceeded to push me.
"I'm really glad we came here, Bella. Thank you," he said honestly.
"Why?" I asked, enjoying the breeze blowing across my face.
"We really needed to get away from Seattle. Away from the drama that we just had to endure. I think it's great that you have this place where you can escape to whenever you want."
"You know, I never thought of Forks as an escape destination. Most of the time, I find it was kind of a burden to come here. But seeing it through your eyes and Lexi's, I have a different perception of this simple town. At the end of the day, it really does have appealing qualities hidden in the corners."
"Yes, it does, love."
"Come swing with me," I asked, batting my eyes at him.
He grabbed my waist to stop the swing, and then I stood up so he could step on and attempt to balance it. I sucked my bottom lip in between my teeth as I watched him shake and wobble a bit. Once he felt it was steady enough, he held a hand out for me to get on. I gripped the rope with one hand while placing the other one in his and climbed onto the wooden plank. We swayed a bit and I thought I might fall off, but the hand that was holding mine let go and wound itself around my waist, attaching to my side. He held me close as we balanced our weights; we then had a good laugh. I stared up into his loving eyes as we moved all around. His head dipped and his mouth pressed against mine. Our lips parted and the taste of black coffee hit my tongue as he breathed out. I wanted more and as if he could read my mind, the tip of his tongue touched mine for a brief moment, teasing me then moved back. I fought the urge to move my hands to feel more of him, but I was too scared to let go of the rope."Just let go, I'll catch you if you fall," he mumbled into my mouth.
I sighed, completely in love with this man, always knowing what I needed and when. I released my death hold grip to slide my hands up his chest to his face where I held him to me, wishing I could feel the scruff that had been present for the last couple of weeks, but was now gone. My fingers caressed his smooth skin as our faces moved to opposite angles to get better access. I had never felt a kiss like this, one where you were high because of the tingling feelings from the kiss itself. The heat from being pressed so tightly against his body and the racing heartbeats from not only the kiss but the thrill at the possibility of falling off the swing at any moment as we continued to sway in the cool afternoon air. I knew in this moment that I'd never be able to look at this swing the same way again. On top of all those feelings, there was also this slight burning sensation along my collarbone and neck that gradually got worse and worse as we continued to lock lips.
A little giggle and a click sound pulled us out of our moment. I leaned my forehead against Edward's shoulder to catch my breath as he turned to look at his daughter and his chuckle caused me to look up. Alexis was holding a bouquet of wildflowers in her left hand and my cellphone in the other.
"I guess that's our cue to go." I smiled.
I stepped off the swing and walked up to Alexis to check out the photo to find it was actually quite good. My head was tilted back slightly, my eyes closed, my right hand was on his cheek while my left was around his neck holding onto his back. Edward was leaning over me with his eyes closed as well, our bodies pressed tightly together you couldn't see any space between us. The rope looked like it was coming out between our heads.
"You hurt, Bella?" Alexis asked, pointing to my neck.
"Huh?"
I tried to see what she was pointing at, but it was out of my line of sight. Edward whipped me around and you could immediately read the worry and guilt on his face.
"What is it?" I questioned.
"It seems you have some rope burns right here on your collar bone." He lightly touched it with his finger, cooling the burning feeling that I was trying to ignore. "And one here on your neck." He paused briefly, leaning down to my ear and lowering his voice to a whisper. "They kind of look like hickies but I'm sure they don't feel like it."
"No, definitely not."
"We'll put some cream on it when we get back to Charlie's."
It didn't take nearly as long to find our way out of the woods as it did to get in. When we got back, I made us a light dinner; tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. We had stayed out at the meadow a lot longer than I thought, but time always did seem to slip away whenever I was there. Edward waited until I was finish to go into doctor mode, which I appreciated. The cream smelled kind of funny, but it took the sting away immediately. Now I just had to convince my friends that it wasn't what they would think it was. Charlie and Sue came home not too long later. I made the proper introductions before heading upstairs to shower.
When I came back downstairs, I found everyone except Edward watching 'The Wizard of Oz'
"Well, don't you look nice, Bells," Charlie complimented.
"Thanks."
"Where is the gang going tonight?" Sue asked.
"I believe were going to Mill Creek. Alice is in the mood for karaoke so, yeah. I figured we could go there, have a few drinks, share some appetizers and have fun," I explained taking a seat next to Alexis who was engrossed in the movie.
"Are you meeting them there or here?"
"You just want to see Alice, don't you, Dad?" I teased.
"Well, it has been some time since I've seen her." He blushed, making Sue laugh.
"Then you're in luck, they are all meeting us here so we can take Jake's SUV."
"When did Jake get a SUV? What happened to the truck?"
"He still has the truck. The SUV is actually Leah's car, they just never drive it down here," I explained.
"Oh, I see."
I stood up when I heard the incessant knock at the door, but sat back down when I saw Edward coming down the stairs. "I'll get it, love."
My eyes met with Sue's and she just winked at me which made me smile all giddy.
"Charlie!" Alice screamed unnecessarily.
"Hey, Alice, I didn't know you were coming here," Charlie lied, getting up to give her a hug. Both Sue and I snorted at the same time.
Charlie had always been very fond of Alice. From the moment he met her, he thought of her and took care of her as a second daughter, which was good since Alice's parents tended to be out of town more often than not. Jasper and Charlie had met before, but he hadn't met Sue. So when they were introduced for the first time, as always, Jasper turned on that southern charm. A few minutes later, there was another knock on the door and Jacob didn't bother to wait for anyone to open it; he let himself in with Leah following. With that many people in a small house like ours, things started to get a bit loud.
"Can't hear!" Alexis yelled, giving her angry stare to each one of us.
"Alexis, now that isn't nice," Edward scolded.
"Sorree, Daddy, bu I can't hear movie. I like tis part."
"I don't care, now you apologize for being rude." He pointed.
"Mommy?" she pouted.
"Lex, I know everyone got a little too loud just now, but it isn't nice to yell like that. You should ask them to be quiet please. Do you want to try that again?" I told her as she gave me the puppy dog eyes.
"Sorree. Please be kiet?" she asked, looking at me last to see if she did it right.
"Much better. Alright, your dad and I are going to go out. Are you going to be good for Charlie and Sue?"
"Uh-huh, I like dem. I give Arlie an Sue fowers and I get kisses from dem. An dey put movie on for me. Love you," she said, placing a wet kiss on my mouth.
"Love you, too, sweetie."
I kissed the top of her head once more before standing up to head to the door. Edward said his goodbyes to Alexis, whispering to her softly for a few minutes. I couldn't hear what he was saying to her, but I did see her nod a few times. She gave him a kiss and a hug as we waved goodbye to Charlie and Sue, who yelled out 'Have fun, but make sure you're safe' as we closed the door behind us.
Mill Creek was only about five minutes from Charlie's, but then again everything in this town was about five to ten minutes apart. It took no more than fifteen minutes to drive from one end of town to the other and that was only if you got stuck at the one stop light and there were pedestrians. During that little time period, I had to reign in both Leah's and Alice's excitement over my non-hickies. It actually made me sad that they weren't real; it just proved even more that cob webs were actually beginning to form again.
The parking lot at the bar and grill wasn't too packed, but it was still early; only about nine-thirty. We walked in and found a booth in the corner, spotting a few people who recognized Alice, Jacob and myself waving and smiling toward us.
"Okay, because it's Bella's birthday weekend, we are going all out...greasy food out the wazoo and shots all around," Alice raised her voice over the music. "Then we are each going to take a turn up on that stage singing. You can go by yourself or with a partner, it's up to you, but you must go at least once.
Our waitress came and took our orders. Alice was getting us started on the right foot...ordering SoCo and Lime shots and two pitchers of beer. To soak up that alcohol, we ordered nachos, cheese sticks, potato skins and buffalo wings. As soon as the six shots with six limes were passed around the table, Alice held her glass up in the air for a toast.
"To my best friend Bella as she spends her last couple of days as twenty-five. May you look back on this year and smile at all the memories, piss on all the bad ones and open your heart to what the future has to hold. And I must say, I don't think twenty-five was a bad year for you." She winked as she clinked her glass with mine.
We all took back the shot and sucked on our limes, both Alice and I made faces from the tartness and the guys took it like men.
"Leah, you didn't take yours, why not?" I noticed.
"Uh, I wanted to wait to tell you guys so not to spoil your weekend, Bells, but Jake and I have some good news," she said, fidgeting.
"Guys," Jacob started, taking Leah's hand in his. "We're going to have a baby."
Both Alice and I squealed, and I stood up to scoop Leah into a hug. Alice stepped over both Jasper and Jacob to join us, nearly knocking their beers over.
"How far along are you?" she asked.
"I just hit sixteen weeks," she smiled, placing her hand over her stomach. "We wanted to tell you guys sooner, but with everything that was going on with you, Bells, we just didn't want to add to your worries."
"Thank you, you're right. If I had known, I'd have probably fought to come back to work sooner. Have you had any morning sickness at all?"
"No, not really, I've been quite lucky so far."
"Both of your parents must be over the moon," Alice mentioned.
"They are, Billy especially."
"This is so exciting, Leah. I get to plan a baby shower now," Alice squealed.
I left the two of them to chat about an upcoming party and took a seat next to Jacob. We gave each other the tightest hug we could give considering our positions.
"I'm so happy for you, Jakey," I whispered as the tears prickled in my eyes.
"Hey, hey no crying Bella-Bell." He grinned, pulling my head back to wipe the tear that had fallen.
"I'm just so amazed and proud; you've come a long way, Jacob Black."
"Oh, gosh, I feel like were back at my wedding now," he teased.
"Haha," I replied, sarcastically. "No, seriously, I'm beyond happy for you guys."
"Good and you know all that I want is to see you just as happy. I believe that man staring at you across the table can do that. You've let him in, you've let him love you, now let him make all your dreams come true," he said, softly in my ear.
"That is why you're my oldest and dearest friend, Jacob. You know me too well." I kissed his cheek and scooted out so Leah could sit back down.
I sat back down next to Edward just as our food arrived, his arm wrapping around my shoulder and pulling me in tighter to his side, kissing the top of my head.
"You getting all sentimental over there?" he whispered.
"Yeah, a little. I'm just so happy for those two."
"Me too, love."
An hour later, the appetizers were all gone and another round was in the works. We were all feeling pretty good thanks to two more rounds of shots that Jasper and Jacob ordered and the beer, and the karaoke had started. The current guy was doing an awful job at 'I Wanna be Sedated' by The Ramones. Alice and Jasper were next in line and they were keeping their song choice a secret.
"Alright, everyone give this guy a round of an applause," the owner yelled. Only a handful of people clapped while others booed. "Next up we have hometown girl, Alice and her boyfriend, Jasper, give it up everyone."
They were already waiting near the stage, grabbing the microphones and taking their spots with their backs to the crowd. I made myself comfortable-my back partially against Edward's chest, his left arm slung around my shoulder, my left fingers interlaced with his and my right hand laying on his thigh.
Jasper started it off turning around to face the spotlight.
Can anybody find me somebody to love?
Then Alice did a little pirouette to face the crowd as the piano began to play.
Each morning I get up I die a little
Can barely stand on my feet
Jasper jumped in right as she finished her part as if they had practiced this song before.
Take a look in the mirror and cry
Lord what you're doing to me
She rounded him like he was her prey, her finger grazing his shoulders.
I have spent all my years in believing you
But I just can't get no relief, Lord!
Then they came together...
Somebody, somebody
Can anybody find me somebody to love?
Jasper sang to the crowd, getting the drunken women to scream for him.
I work hard every day of my life
I work till I ache my bones
At the end I take home my hard earned pay all on my own - '
Alice slinked down Jaspers body and sang on bended knee, her eyes looking up towards the ceiling.
I get down on my knees
And I start to pray
Till the tears run down from my eyes
Lord - somebody - somebody
Can anybody find me - somebody to love?
Jasper helped her up and she held onto his hand, singing with all the right emotions for the song.
Everyday - I try and I try and I try -
But everybody wants to put me down
They say I'm goin' crazy
They say I got a lot of water in my brain
Got no common sense
I got nobody left to believe
Yeah - yeah yeah yeah
They put the mics down and did this choreographed dance for the brief intermission. Jasper picked up his, but Alice left hers on the ground as they shared.
Oh Lord
Somebody - somebody
Can anybody find me somebody to love?
Got no feel, I got no rhythm
I just keep losing my beat
I'm ok, I'm alright
Ain't gonna face no defeat
I just gotta get out of this prison cell
Someday I'm gonna be free, Lord!
The crowd joined in on the song chanting "Find me somebody to love" over and over again as Jasper and Alice added their own little words to the song. I looked up at Edward; we both had smiles plastered on our faces as we sang along. Had I heard this song a year ago, I'd be feeling the pain of the lyrics, but not anymore.
I had found my somebody.
Find me somebody to love
Can anybody find me somebody to love?
Alice finished the song strong on a high note as Jasper balanced it out coming in lower. Everyone in the restaurant stood up to give them a standing ovation including the four of us at the table; Jacob and Edward both whistled for them. I was in awe of their performance and felt bad for the people that had to go up after them.
"Did you guys plan that or something?" Edward asked, high-fiving Jasper.
"Yeah right, we aren't weird like that," Alice snorted. "We just sing that song a lot in the car so were in tune to what works best. Alright, who is going next?"
We heard 'Pretty Woman,' 'I Got You Babe,' 'I Will Survive,' 'Mustang Sally,' and 'Like A Virgin,' before it was one of our turns to go up there which just happened to be mine thanks to Alice. My heart was racing as my name was announced. I wasn't as nervous mainly due to the alcohol, but I wasn't sure what song I'd be singing. I foolishly allowed Alice to choose for me; however she did say she'd sing back up if I needed it. So, with a quick good luck kiss from Edward and a smack on the ass, I made my way up to the stage as everyone else cheered. My cheeks were already burning from the alcohol and I didn't think they could get any redder, but sure enough, the moment I climbed those steps and looked out at the crowd my face had hit red alert.
Pull it together, Bella. You can do this. You need to breathe, you have to breathe. Find your happy place.
I took a deep breath and found Edward through the blinding spotlight and smoke filled air. He was talking to someone at the table, but I couldn't tell who since his eyes were directed towards me.
With another deep breath, I nodded my head to the dj and the song started to play. The keyboard jogged my memory of slumber parties with Alice and singing into a mirror with a hairbrush. I closed my eyes lifting the mic to my mouth and sang.
I hear the ticking of the clock
I'm lying here the room's pitch dark
I wonder where you are tonight
No answer on the telephone
And the night goes by so very slow
Oh I hope that it won't end though
Alone...
As the drums kicked in, I opened my eyes and stared into Edward's, my leg pumping to the beat.
Till now I always got by on my own
I never really cared until I met you
And now it chills me to the bone
How do I get you alone
How do I get you alone
Feeling a little more comfortable and the high energy the crowd was pumping out, I began moving around the stage and getting into the song.
You don't know how long I have wanted
To touch your lips and hold you tight
You don't know how long I have waited
And I was going to tell you tonight
But the secret is still my own
And my love for you is still unknown
Alone...
"I'll take care of you, baby! You'll never be alone with me!" some drunk guy yelled out.
I rolled my eyes and walked over to the other side of the stage.
Aahhh... aahhh...
Each time the chorus came on, no matter what I was looking at before, I would turn to look and sing to Edward. I needed to see the pride, adoration, joy and love in his sparkling green eyes.
Till now I always got by on my own
I never really cared until I met you
And now it chills me to the bone
How do I get you alone
How do I get you alone
Alone... alone...
I hear the ticking of the clock
I'm lying here the room's pitch dark
The keyboard faded out and like Alice and Jasper, the crowd started hooting and hollering. Some of the guys offered to buy me a drink, another asked for my phone number, but I ignored them all as I saw my man stand up and walk towards me. I jumped off the stage making my way to him and he engulfed me in his arms once I was standing in front of him. I nuzzled my face in his neck feeling giddy until he pulled my head back slightly and kissed me, letting all the men in that bar know that I was his, only his. I smiled against his lips knowing exactly what he was doing. I wrapped my legs around his waist so he could carry me back to our seats.
A few songs later it was Edward's turn; he sang 'I Can't Help Falling in Love,' Leah asked Alice and I to join her for 'Mercy' by Duffy, Jacob got up and sang 'Livin' on a Prayer' with Jasper and Edward, and the owner let us close out the night with Journey's 'Don't Stop Believing.' It felt great to let loose and not have any worries. We even got Jacob drunk enough to tell his 2gether story; it caused Jasper to spit out his beer, spraying all of us and making us all curl over laughing some more.
Leah drove us all home seeing as she was sober. Poor girl had to listen to us screaming at the top our lungs to the radio. We dropped Alice and Jasper off first since they were the closest. It was quite funny watching little Alice help Jasper who was nearly a foot taller than her inside the home. Edward and I said our goodbyes, closing the door softly as we made our way inside. I had to lean against him so I wouldn't fall, but I wasn't about to complain about being closer to him. We carefully and quietly as possible went upstairs, stumbling on my part, to get ready for bed.
"I've missed seeing you this happy. We should do more nights like this in Seattle, we could invite Rose and Emmett," Edward suggested as we lay in bed cuddled together.
"I'd lurve that. I'm glad...I brught you down here," I slurred, my finger tracing his face. "It's elped..it's elped me realize a few things."
"And what is that?" he coaxed, caressing the side of my arm.
"Mm, what is what?" I mumbled
"What have you realized?" he chuckled.
"Oh, that I want..I want...I want to spend the rest of me life with you," I muttered giving into the sleep.
I thought I heard Edward say 'Don't worry, love, I'll make sure that you do' or something like that before I was completely out, but I couldn't be certain.
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