My boyfriend. Such a simplistic term to apply to one such as Edward. A more apt term might be soul mate, or maybe keeper of my heart.
You sure have gotten sappy since falling in love Bella.
I sighed and looked at the pink roses sent by my boyfriend. My boyfriend who couldn’t be here for Valentine’s Day because he was filming. As a matter of fact, he was going to be filming every day for the next five straight.
I read the card again.
**
Beautiful-
These come to you, along with all the love I hold in my heart.
Know that I’ll be thinking of you every minute of every day until we’re together again. Happy Valentine’s Day sweetheart, I guess we’ll have to make our own celebration when I see you next.
All my love forever,
Edward
**
I’d spoken to him this morning before I went to Mass. I disguised the sadness in my voice. I missed him terribly, but I didn’t want him to feel guilty because he had to work.
He’d be tied up shooting all day, but promised to call me before bed.
I was pulled out of my thoughts by my phone ringing.
“Hello.”
“Hey Bells. What say you get dressed up and meet me by five o’clock at Bella Italia?”
I smiled. “Dad are you asking me out to dinner?”
“What’s wrong with me wanting to take my best girl out?”
“How did you get last minute reservations on Valentine’s Day?” I asked, curious.
“I called in a favor, now hang up the phone and get ready.” He ordered.
I couldn’t refuse Charlie anything. “Okay Dad, and thanks. I’ll see you at five.”
I checked the time, it was after one o‘clock. That gave me about an hour to get ready and start driving if I wanted to reach Port Angeles by five. Rose popped over just as I was pulling dresses out of my closet.
“Definitely the red one Bells.” She smiled. “I hear Charlie’s taking you out. Who knew the old man was such a softy?”
“He can be surprisingly sweet sometimes.” I smiled back.
“When are you and Emmett going out?”
“Not until about six. Let’s get you ready to go.” Rose said as she took charge.
---------------------------V&V---------------------------
During the drive to Port Angeles, I had a lot of time to think. Over the last week, my nerves had not settled down. On the contrary, the closer it got to tomorrow’s arraignment, the worse I felt. I had barely been able to eat at all this week, and I knew that I’d lost weight.
It’s probably a good thing I wouldn’t see Edward today.
Emmett and Rose had forced me to eat dinner every night with them, but they weren’t quite aware that those dinners had been my only meal each day. I was pretty sure that this dinner with Charlie was part of the plan to ‘keep Bella fed’.
I arrived at the restaurant a little early, and was greeted by a smiling Charlie. He escorted me inside, and within a few minutes, we were seated.
We ordered drinks, and Charlie blushed pink when he handed me a heart-shaped box of chocolates.
“Thanks Dad.” I smiled.
“You’re supposed to get candy today. I didn’t want you to miss out.” He answered gruffly.
Charlie then looked at me with a serious expression “Bells, you’ve lost weight.”
My very observant Father.
I opened my mouth to make an excuse, but just then, Charlie’s cell phone rang.
“Hello. Yeah we’re here. Oh really?” Charlie looked surprised, then he chuckled. “Well doesn’t that just figure? I’ll see what I can do. Thanks, bye.”
He turned to me after he’d hung up. “Just Mark at the station asking me a question.”
After that phone call Charlie started acting weird. I wondered if he regretted asking me out because he kept eyeing the door as if he was going to get up and bolt at any moment.
I guess he’s entitled to exhibit goofy behavior once in a while. He is Emmett’s father after all.
When the waitress came to take our order he told her he wasn’t ready and sent her away.
What the Hell?
I was just about to demand that he explain himself when, once again he glanced toward the door, but this time his face broke into a big grin.
I followed his gaze to the restaurant entrance, and what I saw there took my breath away. Standing just inside the door, dressed in a designer suit, and holding a bouquet of red roses, was the center of my world. The look of adoration on his face as he looked over at me overwhelmed my senses.
Edward.
Before I could stop myself I was out of my chair, across the room, and throwing myself into his arms. He kissed me passionately, not caring that all the eyes in the restaurant were on us. That is until we heard the clearing of a throat.
Crap my Dad’s still here.
I pulled Edward to the table. “How are you here?” I demanded, bewildered.
He laughed. “After I hung up with you this morning, I got a call informing me that filming was cancelled for the next two days because of the weather. All my scenes this week take place outdoors you see. I’ve never been so damn glad to see rain in southern California.” He said with a dazzling smile.
“Alice arrived at my house before I’d even finished the call, and threw a bag together. She forced me into this suit and drove me to the airport.”
“When I arrived at your apartment, Rose informed me that you’d just left. I kept throwing money at the cab driver to drive faster on the way here.”
“Wait a minute.” I turned to my father “Was that Edward you were talking to on the phone a while ago.”
Dad looked sheepish. “Yeah, I had to stall for time until he got here.”
I laughed. “Gosh Dad, I thought you were losing it.”
My Dad smiled. “On that note, I’m going to head out. I just remembered a football game on TV that I don’t want to miss.“
“Dad, I thought football season was over?“ I was on to him.
“Well, er, Bear Grylls, I don’t want to miss Bear Grylls.“ He grinned as he kissed me goodbye and shook hands with Edward.
I sighed as I turned back to Edward. He studied me for a moment, and his smile vanished. “Bella, what have you been doing?” He sounded upset as he grabbed my hand.
Oh, the weight loss.
“Look at you. You haven’t been eating. I suspected as much, but hoped I was wrong.” His voice turned desperate, pleading. “Bella, you can’t do this to yourself.”
“I don’t know what to say Edward.” I whispered.
He let out a breath and seemed to calm. “Bella, you have to promise me that you’ll eat. Please. I wouldn’t survive if anything happened to you.” The expression on his face broke my heart.
I had been so unfair. I didn’t need to be a source for his worry. I needed to fix this.
“I’m so sorry Edward. I promise I’ll do better. I love you so much, I don’t want you to worry about me.”
He seemed to relax, but continued to eye me warily. We ordered our food, and I made a conscious effort to eat every bite. As we waited for dessert, he pulled a small box from his jacket pocket.
“I didn’t think I’d be able to give this to you on Valentine’s Day. But it seems that fate had other plans.” He said with a smile.
He handed the box to me. “Happy Valentine’s darling.”
The box was from Tiffany’s, of course. I opened it and inside I found a dazzling diamond necklace. It was exquisite, I could only imagine how much he’d spent.
“Edward, it’s lovely.“ I smiled at him. “Would you help me put it on?“
Edward clasped my gift around my neck. I touched it as I spoke. “You know you didn’t need to get me anything. You are enough.“ I said as I held his hand. “But thank you.“
----------V&V-----------
“Isabella, you can stay seated, I’ll do all the talking.” Wendy was the picture of professionalism. Today she was wearing a deep red suit with matching Manolo Blahniks.
“What exactly is going to happen.” I was a bundle of nerves. I was so thankful that Edward was able to be with me.
“The court needs to determine that you have legal representation, and the Judge will set a court date. It should only take a few minutes.”
“Is he going to be here?”
“Yes, unfortunately the ranger has to be here.” She whispered.
“He will not come near you Bella.” Edward said forcefully, his eyes were blazing.
I looked around, the room was filling up with attorneys and their clients. I saw a few police officers enter, and then the person I dreaded most, Ranger Kershner. I watched him as he looked around the room until his eyes fell on me. I squeezed Edward’s hand.
The ranger and Edward beheld each other at the same moment. I saw Edward’s eyes narrow as a look of pure hatred came over his features. He immediately put his arm around my shoulders, and pulled me close to him. The ranger’s eyes widened at Edward’s movement, and his mouth dropped open before he had the chance to compose his expression.
And you thought I was just Edward’s ‘hookup’. Rat bastard.
A few minutes later, the prosecutor entered. Geri Chance was the polar opposite of Wendy in every way.
Ms. Chance was a large woman with a bad perm. The outfit she’d chosen for today would have been appropriate in a 1970’s disco, but not for a court of law.
Hopefully a very dark disco where the eyes of the innocent could be shielded from having to witness Ms. Chance’s rolls of fat rippling under the polyester.
I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing out loud at this cartoon character posing as a federal prosecutor. Edward smirked at me and I realized his thoughts mirrored my own.
Just as Wendy had promised, the proceedings were over in mere minutes, with a trial date set for March 11. Edward and I made a quick exit, making sure to glare at the asshole ranger on our way out.
My nervous feelings were quickly giving way to anger. I had been so intimidated by that piece of garbage, but after seeing him again today I realized that he wasn’t Jeff, no where close. My mind had built him up in such a way that I had myself tied in knots worrying about seeing him again.
I had to face the fact that Jeff would always be the boogeyman that haunted my dreams, a creature of pure evil that had shattered my young life. But, Ranger Kershner was just some loser that got off on using his power to hurt people.
New Bella had been in hibernation for a while, but now she was waking up with a vengeance.
As we exited the building on the way to my car, Edward looked at me with a questioning stare “What are you thinking Bella?”
I stopped before we reached my car, and turned to face him. Everything that was on my mind proceeded to spew forth from my mouth.
“I’m thinking that I’m tired of being upset about this. I’m thinking that I’ve let that piece of shit ranger ruin too many days of my life already, and I’m not going to allow him to ruin any more. I refuse to let him have that kind of power over me.”
“I’m thinking that a fat bitch in clown makeup is not going to get away with having me punished for something I didn’t do.”
“I have allowed those assholes to mess with our happiness long enough Edward. I‘m through letting evil people hurt me, because when they do that, they‘re also hurting you, and they‘re hurting my family, and that‘s unacceptable.”
“I’m going to fight. I’m going to do whatever I can to stop those two. Their sick little game ends with me.”
“We need help though, we need the expertise of someone well-versed in all the elements of revenge. We need someone who can devise and execute a plan that will be lay waste to their pathetic lives, and leave them powerless. We need Rose.”
Edward stood there in stunned silence, and then his mouth turned up into a wicked smirk. “Glad to hear it baby, let’s go.” He said as he took my hand and led me to the car.
----------V&V----------
By the time we reached WIRI, I had calmed somewhat, but it only took thinking about the Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee of evil to rile me back up.
We walked into Rose’s office without knocking. She was on the phone. Apparently New Bella was lacking in manners.
“Okay, sounds good.” Rose smiled while talking on her phone. “Everything is coming together beautifully. Talk to you later, okay bye Wendy.” She hung up the phone.
Wendy? Rose is talking to my lawyer?
Rose regarded me for a moment before she spoke. “Well, well, well, I’m thinking that Bella finally got rid of her Little Mermaid underwear and put on her ‘big girl’ panties.”
How the hell does she know about my Little Mermaid undies? I thought I’d successfully hidden those.
Rose continued. “I’ve been working on something, with Wendy’s assistance, that will rock Geri Chance’s world.” She chuckled. “But not in a good way.”
“Kyle Browning is putting together the civil case against Ranger Dickhead. He’s planning to serve notice to him during your court case, make a little show of it.” She chuckled again.
“So, all you have to do Bella is sit back and enjoy the ride.”
But it’s still a matter of my word against his.
Rose caught my expression. “The judge will believe you Bella. Now, you two go home and enjoy the rest of your afternoon.”
And so we did. Edward took me out to lunch, and then we just lazed around my apartment, well lazed, kissed and snuggled, until, once again we made the trek to the airport.
Emmett drove us in the hummer, and as we passed the paparazzi camped out on the sidewalk, he made sure to wave and blow them air kisses. I saw them cringe.
I can’t believe those two dudes stuck around, especially after Emmett’s stealth gas attack. They must be dedicated, or desperate for money.
We said our emotional goodbyes, but I didn’t fall apart. I knew we’d be together again soon. Until then, New Bella would survive.
----------V&V----------
“Bellaboo, would it bother you to see me in my underwear?” Emmett asked on the way back to the apartment.
“Emmett you are so random. What the hell are you going on about?”
“I’ve gotten a bunch of endorsement offers, one of them is to make me the ‘face and body‘, for a line of designer underwear.” He said as he laughed. “I’m considering it.”
“So….would it bother you to see me in my underwear?” He asked again.
“Let me rephrase. You walk into Times Square, you look up, and see a thirty foot billboard of my glorious bod clothed in only my skivvies.”
“Or maybe you’re sitting at a little outdoor café, having lunch with friends.”
I can’t imagine what friends he’s referring to.
“A city bus drives by and on the side is a photo of me sprawled out in nothing but my tidy whities, although they probably wouldn’t be white. Would it embarrass you?” He pressed.
“Well, considering that you embarrass me already on a daily basis, and also considering that you have embarrassed me at least once while in nothing but your underwear, I guess I’d have to say it’s okay. If you want to do the ad, do the ad. It won’t bother me.”
“Damn. I can’t believe you remember the He-Man Masters of the Universe incident. You were pretty young.”
“It’s hard to forget something like that.” I sighed.
“I had a more impressive package than He-Man though.”
“Emmett stop talking.”
“Even more impressive now.”
“Emmett!”
“Just sayin.”
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