CH13: UPCOMING

Edward’s POV

I kissed my daughter’s forehead, smelling her sweet apple scent, and caught Alice’s glance.
     (Everything’s all set, Edward. Tonight's going to be FUN!) she said in her head, her tone full of excitement. It was her idea after all to take Bella on a half honeymoon. The other half would be family time. I liked the idea of Nessie going out and exploring the world. Carlisle and I, as well as my other siblings, knew all too well that soon we’d have to do some exploring of the world ourselves if we don’t want to attract attention. We’ve been in Forks for a good amount of time now. I pushed these thoughts elsewhere for the meantime because I finally found what I’d been looking for.
     I was upstairs now, Katy Perry’s Hot N’ Cold still audible from below, when I followed Bella’s intoxicating scent. I found her in Renesmee’s room, lying on her stomach with her legs crossing and uncrossing again and again while reading Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn. She very well knew that I was watching her but she didn’t acknowledge my presence and I was fine with that. I was infatuated with my wife and always will. By this day, I still couldn’t fathom the fact that she was mine. Before I met her, I was incomplete. No, I was as lifeless and miserable as the bottom of the ocean filled with complete and utter darkness and nothingness. It was when I met Bella when I realized she was the reason for my existence. She was the light that brought me up from the deepest depths of my unrequited depression. Now she was mine forever.
     I heard her book shut and then hands were snaking my waist. I looked down and stared into amber eyes, wishing they were milk chocolate again. I kissed her with such urgency, which could’ve harmed her if she were still human. She reacted enthused and started pulling us in the direction of the bed.
     I stopped her knowing that Nessie would never forgive is if we made love on her very own bed. It was technically mine to begin with but I don’t sleep.
     “Love, it’s not our room,” I breathed, lightly amused.
     “Oh yeah, I guess I got too carried away,” she replied half sheepishly. Her hand clasped my neck and the kisses started again. Her shield dropped, as it usually did when we kissed so that she can communicate with me conveniently, and said: (Let’s go to the cottage.)
     I couldn’t refuse, even if I had plans for us for the evening. All the adults were to have a night out, just by ourselves, and again it was all Alice’s planning. She thought dancing would be the perfect setting to tell her about the surprise honeymoon at Isle Esme for the week leading to Valentine’s Day. While we were out, the children would stay home, under the watchful eyes of Paul, Denise, and Jacob.
     It was an impulse decision to use Renesmee’s balcony as an exit. We leapt, hand in hand, and landed smoothly on the ground, feeling the pressure of our fall on the balls of our feet. Dashing through the forest, we were at our cottage in no time. We slipped into our bedroom like ghosts and our night began routinely. There was simply not an ample amount of time in the day to quench our lust for one another.
     3 hours past and we were still gracefully entangled together when there was a sharp knock on the window. It was Alice. I got up in a flash, threw some clothes on and opened the window. Bella frowned and covered up. Alice took one jump and the next thing I knew she hit me on the back of my head. She narrowed her eyes at me and from the sound of her thoughts she was absolutely furious. As always, I couldn’t help but be amused with her angry nonsense.
(EDWARD! I was supposed to be dressing Bella an hour ago! Don’t you want her to be positively gorgeous?!) she screamed in her head as I led her to the living room so that Bella can change.
     “My wife is already magnificently beautiful, little sis,” I remarked.
     “That may be true, but you and I both know she needs my expertise when it comes to fashion.”
     “Well you know how oblivious we get when we’re together.”
     “Geez, Edward. You two are even more crazy in love than Rosalie and Emmett sometimes.” I smirked in response while Bella returned to my side.
     “So what’s up, Alice?” she asked nonchalantly.
     “Just come with me and let’s get you dressed!”
     “Dressed? Dressed for what?” Bella asked, her eyes going back and forth between Alice and I.
     “We’re going out for some ballroom dancing! All of us!” Alice exclaimed eagerly. Bella’s gaze shifted to me. She wore a mask of a skeptic.
     “You’ll see what I’m up to later,” I responded cunningly. “But for now, I’m going to hunt with Carlisle and the guys. We’ll see you ladies in about an hour.”
Before I left, I kissed both my wife and sister on the forehead. I ran deeper into the open forest and it wasn’t long until I heard Carlisle and my brothers following my lead to our prey.

It was pretty late in the night and we were still dancing. I vaguely saw Emmett and Rosalie twirling around us. I could still hear the disturbing thoughts of the men who stopped dancing with their partners to gawk at my wife, my sisters and my mother. As long as Bella and I were together, I could completely forget anything and everything. Every now and then, I would have to secretly chastise myself for displaying my fervent affection towards Bella. She was just so hauntingly perfect. Seeing her in this deep blue sequined backless long gown was drugging me. I was so intoxicated by her that I nearly forgot my reason for this night. With my hands secured around her waist, I started leading her to the balcony. For a second time, I caught Alice’s glance, as well as Carlisle’s, and they smiled in encouragement. They were all in on this surprise.
     We were up in the 23rd floor of the Westin Hotel so once we were outside, you could get a little more than a glimpse of all Seattle’s nightlife, especially with our 20/20 vampire vision. We were holding hands now, as we were approaching the ornately patterned banister. This night was cloudless, which was out of the norm for any state belonging to the Pacific Northwest. Bella was admiring her view of the night sky and stars while I was enjoying mine; having her in front of me was always a sight to see.
     Her back was facing me and I secured my arms around her. She nestled into me and we both stayed quiet. All that could be heard was the wind gently blowing and the music playing from inside. I kissed the top of her head and then she turned around. She was smiling at me. She took my hands and placed them on each side of her face.
     “Edward, I love you so much. Every single second, minute, and hour spent with you is always better than the last. Being here, a part of your world, is the only place I want to be for the rest of my life. You and Renesmee, along with our family, has been the best thing that ever happened to me. I don’t know where I’d be without you. I don’t know why I despise surprises so much. When they’re from you, I don’t mind at all because it’s always a guarantee that it’ll be pleasant. So tell me, Edward Cullen, what do you have up your sleeve this time?”
     I chuckled at her; she knew me so well. I didn’t delay it any further. I took out the envelope that I had been hiding for a couple of days now. She stared at it, probably guessing what could be inside, and then opened it. Inside held remnants of pictures of Isle Esme. I wanted to see if she remembered, since the last time we were there she was still human. She examined them one by one, very carefully, as if the answer to the puzzle was etched into the picture in extremely small letters. She got to the end of the pictures and then she held up 3 airplane tickets to Rio de Janiero. She stared back at me for quite a while and then her face lit up.
     “We’re going to Isle Esme?” she asked eccentrically. I nodded and she attacked me with her hugs and kisses.
     “When?! And why now? There’s nothing special coming up, I don’t think.”
     I smirked and said, “It’s Valentine’s Day, love. We’re going to leave in 3 days. Renesmee and the others knew about it. It’ll be one week in paradise, just me, you and Nessie.”
     “I can’t wait. My memories of the island are blurry. I can’t believe it’s been 5 years since we’ve been there. Oh, we have to take Ness around the island. You know, go swimming and sight seeing. She loves being in the water and the animals actually seem to be okay with her presence,” she said, clearly excited about the trip.
     “Come on, let’s go back inside. Alice and the rest want to know your reaction,” I prompted, getting excited as well.
     “Mmmkay,” she replied. But before we went back, I brought her close to me and placed my lips on hers. I intended for it to be short and sweet but she deepened our kiss. As always, I had to be the one to stop it. Thankfully, my good control almost never faltered. She pouted in dismay and I give her one small peck. She smiled and dropped her shield. (I’ll get more out of you in the next couple of days.) I laughed knowing all too well that she was stating a fact and we reentered the dance floor to our waiting family.