FYH Chapter 14

FYH Chapter 14

Southward we go

EPOV:
We woke the next morning still naked and slightly hung over. But it was time to move on to our next destination, New Orleans, sort of. We were going to head that way but stop and detour whenever we felt the urge. I think that we both would have preferred to visit during Mardi gras but its November right now and that is months away.
After we showered and dressed we met everyone else downstairs for some breakfast. It was Monday and they were all preparing to leave for school. They had daily lives and routines and a small part of me was yearning to have that again, but not quite yet. There were still so many places that we wanted to see before we settled down and got caught up in real life.
I knew that reality was bound to come for us soon enough. We couldn't run around the world forever and not become responsible adults. There were things that we wanted to do with our lives and things that we needed to take care of. One of those things for me was mending my relationship with my family. I couldn't keep running from them forever. I hadn't called any of them since that last phone call with my mother. I was still attempting to overcome a lot of hurt and anger induced by that conversation. I really even had much of a chance to talk to Bella about it since I told her what my mother had done.
We still had the hotel room for today and were planning to head out in the morning so I suggested we take a rest day. Just lie around the room and do absolutely nothing. Well, I wrote in my journal and hashed out some things about my mother and things that I wanted to say to her the next time that we talked. I was curious about what was going on back home. Bella commented that I was avoiding them again and I wasn't going to get anything solved or settled until I confronted them and dealt with it head on. I grumbled around the room for a bit but knew that she was right. I needed to call my mother again. I also needed to talk to my sister.
"Today is as good a day as any." That is what Bella said when I told her about needing to speak to my family again. I have to say, honestly, they have all been very patient and understanding since I ran off. It was not something that I expected at all. They weren't call all the time harassing me about coming home or about doing what I wanted to do instead of what they wanted me to do. They weren't calling at all. They all had my number but they were letting me initiate contact when I was ready and for that I was grateful and really I needed to start showing it more.
I decided to call my sister first. Alice held a lot of resentment toward me for causing her and Jasper to be separated for so many years. And she took it out on me every chance that she got. She may not have been near as bad as Tanya or her sisters were but Alice could be a completely spoiled brat when she wanted to be. Rose had told me that everyone understood why I left and were completely behind me and supporting my decision but I just didn't know how much to trust that. I admit that they have been really nice to Bella and all but I just don't know. I keep waiting for the other shoe to fall. Something is bound to burst the happy little bubble that we've created for ourselves.
On the other hand, bratty and spoiled as my sister may be, she did attempt to stand up for me with Mom once when she found out that Tanya was cheating on me. It didn't even come close to working as Mom refused to even hear her out. I told her it was ok and that I appreciated her trying but it was just something that I was going to have to live with.
But my life was different now. I was different now. I knew now that I didn't have to deal with it and exist. I could live and I could love and God there I go sounding like a girl again. But it was true. Bella had changed my life in so many ways and I am so grateful to whatever higher power brought us both to that hotel bar that Saturday night.
After a quiet lunch provided by room service we decided we were in the moo to go swimming in the hotel's indoor pool. There were a couple of families there and we got into a game of water volleyball using a beach ball with some of the kids. It was one of the most relaxing afternoons I had spent in a long time. I had never spent a whole lot of time around kids, but Bella had. She was a natural with children and I was finding that I enjoyed being around them.
For some reason I was reluctant to pack and move on this time though. Maybe it was all the fun we'd had or my maybe it was because of the friends that we had here, but I didn't want to leave and from the way that Bella was procrastinating packing as well I was sure that she was feeling the same way.
"I think St. Louis should be on our list of potential cities to settle in." she blurted out all of a sudden. And I could not agree with her more. So the list was officially started. After we got back from dinner Bella suggested that we curl up on the bed and watch a movie but there was something else that I needed to do first. Something that I had put off all day and needed to get done before I lost my nerve completely and put it off again. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and found my sister's name in my contact list and hit send.
BPOV:
I was sitting curled up to his side as I listened to him talk to his sister. It seemed to go well all things considered. He was laughing a lot, which was a good sign. I must have fallen asleep somewhere during the call because I woke a couple hours later needing to use the bathroom and Edward was sleeping behind me with his arms wrapped around me.
I managed to get out of his grip and make it to the bathroom. When I returned, I crawled back into bed and lay there watching him sleep. He looked so peaceful there tonight which is something that I don't always see from him. Even in his sleep he tends to dwell on things and brood. His brow is usually creased and I can see the worry and stress on his face. But tonight there was only calm. I moved over to lay my head on his chest and he immediately grabbed me into his arms and I fell back to sleep and when I awoke hours later we were still in the same exact position.
After a quick breakfast we loaded the car and left St. Louis. This was the first stop that I really did not want to leave. We had good friends here and that made the city so appealing. What was not appealing however was the size of the city, I was a small town girl and needed to consider that as we made that decision. Edward had always lived in a big city and I knew he'd be happy to continue living that way, but could I be happy in a city this size where you barely knew anyone. It was one of the many things that I needed to think about and of course discuss with my husband because wherever we ended up at we both had to be happy with the decision.
If we were planning to drive straight through to New Orleans the drive would have taken only about ten and a half hours. But we detoured out of our way to Arlington, Texas of all places just to see the Texas Rangers play the New York Yankees. The drive to Arlington ended up taking just as long as if we had gone straight to New Orleans. Edward was spouting off something about the World Series and play offs and since I was really interested I let it go in one ear and out the other paying just enough attention that I could nod along in all the right places.
After watching the Rangers go down to the Yankees Edward wanted to celebrate. I guess I married a Yankee's fan and didn't know it. So we ended up go to a bar near the stadium. We ran into quite a few people there that had just been watching the game and felt the need to celebrate New York's win. Edward looked exasperated when he had to explain to me (again!) that this win sent the Yankee's to the World Series for the second year in a row.
I was just glad that I hadn't had to sit out in the chilly St. Louis temperature's to watch that football game that the guys took Edward to. Maybe a big city like St. Louis wasn't such a good idea after all. It's not that I disliked sports but I didn't want to end up being dragged to games all the time either.
The next morning, I drove as we left Texas for Louisiana as Edward was a bit hung over from our trip to the bar last night. It was almost nine hours later when I pulled up to the valet parking at the Hotel Monteleone in the French Quarter. The suite that we had reserved was simply gorgeous and I was really getting spoiled by these fancy hotels that we kept staying at. It was really going to suck when we returned to the real world and had to start washing our own dishes and clothes again!
It was late and we were tired so we ordered room service again and turned in early. The next morning after breakfast at Le café in the hotel we went exploring The French Quarter. At one point we found a brochure advertising tours of the area it piqued our interest until Edward read something about real haunted houses and cemeteries being on the tour.
"Nope! No way! No how! I'm not putting you through that again. And beside its one thing when you know it's fake and shit but this stuff…" Yeah, neither of us really wanted to go there. So we shopped. We shopped a lot and listened to the street performers. There was so much to see and do that we were going to be here for a week.
And we took a lot of pictures to send back to his family. He was genuinely happy these days and I was happy for him. Although he had yet to call his mother like he'd wanted to but he would when he was ready. I had faith in my husband that it was just as he said. He was just gathering his thoughts and exactly what he wanted to say before he made the call.
A/N:
I know that its short but I am giving you the outtake this week too. Next week will be a continuation of New Orleans! Now onto writing a fight scene. You know where to find me between chapters. Have a safe and Happy Halloween! It's the last year I have to take my son trick or treating! YES! After twelve years I'm over it!