FYH Chapter 22

FYH Chapter 22

More Christmas

BPOV:
To say that I was shocked when I returned to the hotel after shopping and found Edward packing our bags, wanting to go home for the Christmas would be the understatement of the century. But, here we are in Phoenix. I don't know what shocked me more at arriving in Arizona, the intense heat on Christmas Day or the size of the house that Edward grew up in.
After shocking the hell out of everyone with our surprise arrival, I decided to follow Esme and Alice to the kitchen while Edward hung out with the guys in the sitting room. There was talk about finding a game on TV and that was definitely my cue to find something else to do. I offered to help Esme finish the brunch but she refused. Instead, she poured me a large glass of wine and started entertaining me with stories of Edward, Emmett, and Alice growing up. Note to self, never let Alice near my kitchen if she ever comes to visit.
I wasn't with the girls very long before Edward came to find me. He took me upstairs to his room so that we could clean up and I have to say that his room shocked me. Nothing in there represented the man that I have come to know and love. There were medical journals and old college textbooks, mostly medical and most likely had belonged to his father, but nothing that was personal or told me anything of who Edward was. There were only two posters on the wall; one of the table of elements and the other was a diagram of the human body. The whole room was just cold and impersonal.
"I really didn't spend much time in here. It was really just a place to sleep."
"So where did you spend your time?"
"I spent most of my free time at the library. It was the only place that I could really go to be alone and not have to delve into too much detail about where I was and what I had been doing."
It was then that an errant thought hit me and I realized that we had never really talked about our personal tastes in decorating and that we know had a house that we were going to need to furnish. Now was not the time to get into such a heavy topic, not when he made a big step by coming home. I decided that we could forego a talk interior decorating and instead talk about something more pertinent to when happening at the moment.
"How are you doing?"
"Honestly? I am a bit overwhelmed. No, I am a lot overwhelmed, but in a good way. I didn't really realize just how much I was missing all of them."
"Yeah, that will sneak up on you."
"How are you doing?" he asked me now.
"For me it's neither here nor there, you know. I miss my parents but there is nothing that I can do about it."
"Maybe sometime soon, we could fly to Washington, and visit their graves and put flowers out for them."
"I'd really like to do that. Thank you."
"I love you, Bella. I would do anything to ensure your happiness."
"I love you too, Edward."
"You know your parents are the reason that I decided to do this. The more I thought about how quickly and suddenly your parents were taken from you the more that I wanted to see mine again."
Esme was just putting the final touches on the meal as we made it downstairs after our showers. I was intent on staying in the background and observing my new family more than anything but they obviously had different plans and kept engaging me in conversations by asking me about my past and the town where I grew up.
We got into lengthy discussions about the pros and cons about living in a small town. I was really happy that we had chosen such a small place to live. Edward told his parents that he was excited to try small town life after living in such large cities all his life. I could understand their concern; I really could, because this was a huge lifestyle change. I had seriously considered moving to a large city like St. Louis, but I really could not see myself living like that. I would have, though, if Edward had really desired to. I would have given it a fair shot for him.
When they presented us with our wedding gift of the scrapbooks, I could not help but sob as I hugged my mother in law. Edward and I spent the better part of the afternoon going through the books with his family surrounding us while we told them more of the details of our trip. We especially concentrated on Reno and our wedding. I could see the looks of sadness in their eyes that they had not been invited to our wedding.
"Hey Edward, Jasper told me that you are headed to New York next. So how long are you going to be there?" Alice suddenly asked.
"Uh, we'll be there at least through New Years. We have friends meeting us there."
"Oh."
"Why do you ask?"
"Well, Jasper and I are going to be there for New Years, it was our gift to each other for Christmas, we've always wanted to do the whole Times Square thing and all, and I just thought that maybe…"
"We should definitely get together while we can. We're, uh, leaving the country after New York."
"Where are you going?" Esme asked genuinely intrigued.
"We're going everywhere, Mom." Edward laughed. "But we are starting with Portugal."
"We've actually been trying to plan out this portion of the trip. I don't want to end up lost or something in the middle of Europe." I shuddered.
"But, honey, I promised you that I would save you from any vampires if we should end up in Transylvania." Edward joked as he leaned over and bit my neck.
"Yeah, but who is going to save me from you." I replied giggling and playfully swatting him away. Edward just laughed. I excused myself to the bathroom.
When I came out, I found Edward waiting outside the room. He pushed my hair back and checked to see if he'd left a mark before pinning me against the wall and telling me that he loved me by kissing me deeply and passionately. After he pulled away he told me that he would be back in the sitting room in a minute and then he continued down the hall to the stairs that led up to his bedroom.
When I turned to return to the sitting room, I saw Carlisle there with an amused look on his face and I immediately blushed.
"I've never seen my son so happy. I cannot remember the last time I saw him smile or laugh as he has today. I was looking at old pictures not long after he left and I never realized how sad he was. And I have to own my part of the blame in that. You make him happy. No. You make him very happy, complete. Thank you, Bella. I think that you saved our family from certain destruction that we did not see coming when you came into our lives. I am honored to call you my daughter." Then he hugged me, kissed the top of my head, and said, "Welcome to our family, dear."
EPOV:
I came back downstairs from my room and found my dad and Bella in the hall talking. Dad turned and walked away before I could approach them. When I reached Bella I realized that she was on the verge of tears. I was immediately concerned with Dad could have possibly said to upset her. I thought that everything had been going well. So I asked her what was wrong and she just smiled up at me and told me that it just felt damn good to have a family again, she reached up and kissed me, and we left it at that.
We spent the remainder of the afternoon and evening playing games and watching old Christmas movies. We were having so much fun that none of us wanted the night to end. My brothers and sisters were extremely reluctant to leave but by 2AM Bella and I needed to get some sleep as we got very little in our attempt to get to Phoenix. So we hugged everyone good night and retired to my room.
As soon as we got into bed Bella seemed to become very anxious. "Edward, did, uh, you and Tanya ever, um, fool around, in this bed?" That was not a question that you want your wife to ask you when you are exhausted and it is completely possible that the answer is going to upset her.
"Yes." I sighed.
"Oh. I see." Then she was quiet. I looked down at her face to see how upset but it looked more as if she was contemplating something.
"I'm sorry. I totally forgot all about it. We can move to the guest room if you want, if it would make you more comfortable. Please tell me what are you thinking?"
"I was thinking that it is time for you to make some new memories, hopefully some memories that you will actually remember." She replied as she turned to face me with a devilish grin on her face.
"Isabella Cullen, do you know that I remember every second of every touch of every time that I have that I have ever made love to you. Like, the first night we met, when I showed up to your room and kissed you I could still faintly taste the amoretto from the drink you had had at the bar. I remember the way the you felt in between the satin of the satin sheets in San Diego, the feel of your legs wrapped around me and my hands on your ass the first time we took a shower together, and how intoxicating your shampoo was when you leaned you head on my shoulder. I remember the way it felt the first time you were on top and how mesmerized I was with your breasts and how I just could not keep my hands off them. With that being said, we made quite a few new memories in my childhood bed for the next two hours. They were memories that neither one of us would ever forget.
Luckily we had thought to put our pajamas on before going to sleep because just as soon as I had fallen asleep someone came knocking at the door. My father poked his head cautiously in the door and asked if it was ok to enter. When I told him that it was, he came over and sat on bed beside me.
"I'm sorry to wake you but I got called into the hospital and I wanted to be able to say goodbye." He whispered now noticing that Bella was still sound asleep. "I love you, Edward, I know that I haven't always showed you that I did, but I do."
"I know, Dad, I love you too."
"She's a wonderful young lady, take good care of her Edward."
"I will. You and Mom will have to come visit us when we get settled in, in Maine."
"We will. I have to go. I know it will be hard once you hit Europe, but keep in touch as best you can. Both of you."
"We will Dad." Then he hugged me and left for the hospital. A few hours later both Bella and I groaned as the alarm went off and we needed to get up. I fully intended to get in a couple of naps during our flights.
I was pleasantly surprised to find Emmett, Rose, Alice, and Jasper waiting when we finally made it downstairs for breakfast. Sitting at the table eating was so surreal. It was as if everything had changed but was still the same. I sat back as everyone helped themselves to the food that was served family style and chatted about their day ahead and what was on their agendas. Rose was just mainly glad that her morning sickness was starting to subside and loading up her plate as even Emmett stared at her in awe. Alice and Rose were going shopping in hopes of finding things for the baby and the nursery. Emmett and Jasper were going to the driving range to relax. I asked Mom what she had planned for the day and she said that she was hoping that we would allow her to take us to the airport and wait with us for our flight, but only if it was alright with us, if not, she'd go shopping with Alice and Rose.
It was roughly an hour later as Bella, Mom, and I were in her car headed for the airport when I noticed that Bella had been especially quiet ever since breakfast.
"What wrong, Bella?"
"I just can't shake the feeling I've forgotten something."
"Don't worry about it. It can't be too important if you can't remember. Besides if Mom finds anything, she and Dad can ship it to us, we'll be in New York long enough."
"You're right."
After checking in and handing over our luggage, we got some coffee, sat down, and waited to board the plane. A short forty-five minutes later, our flight was called to board the plane. I promised mom that I'd call soon.
Mom grabbed me into a bone-crushing hug before I could walk away, "I love you, Edward, please never forget that."
"I love you too mom," and then she released me and moved onto Bella hugging her and telling her that she loved her too. She reminded me that we had a therapy session that week and then my wife and I turned to board the plane and I left my family behind once again. This time was different though. This time there was hope and a sincere promise and intent to return.
Our flight arrived in New York only an hour before Angela and Ben's was due in so we waited for them at the airport. There was another round of hugs and professions of love at the airport when Angela and Ben finally arrived at the baggage pickup.
We grabbed a cab and made our way to our hotel. It was upon entering our room that Bella suddenly remembered what it was that she had forgotten. The answer was staring right at her from the dresser in our room where her birth control pills were laying. I had forgotten to put them in her bag when I packed it. Oh, God, please don't let my wife kill me.
A/N:
A couple of things, first, we are pretending that airport security isn't as impossibly tight as it currently is in our post 9/11 world. Second, don't forget to don't the Tsunami Relief compilation. It is going to be great. The link is on my profile. I am still editing the outtake and am currently at 4100 words. Unfortunately, this will be the last update until mid May. We are running up to finals and I need to concentrate on them right now. So, Happy Easter (for those that celebrate) and enjoy!