December 30, 2009

It was finally spring, and had been four months since Edward proposed on that snowy night in Seattle. Four of the happiest months of my life had passed. So much had happened. Alice had gone into full wedding planning mode, crying that she simply didn’t have enough time to create the perfect wedding for us. Edward and I had both graduated from college, fulfilling a lifelong goal. Edward’s parents had given us a quick trip to Boston to find a place to live while Edward was in medical school and we had found the cutest townhouse. The best part of it was that it was near a high school that was desperately looking for an English teacher, so I had a job lined up for fall. Life was perfect. The only thing we had left to do was get married.

I kept telling Alice that I didn’t care if I was wearing a burlap bag for the wedding as long as Edward was waiting for me at the end of the aisle, but she would just glare. “This will be your only wedding, Bella, you want it done right!” I just rolled my eyes and told her it was to Edward, what could go wrong? But she was having fun, and I was happy to be able to be one of the clients she would put in her portfolio as a wedding planner. Of course, I would give her rave reviews!

We had a few days after graduation and before the wedding to relax. Edward and I walked hand in hand, barefoot in the grass of the park, enjoying the warmth of the sun. Over his arm he carried a blanket and I had a picnic basket. Even though Alice was handling all the details, I still felt the need for a break. Time with just Edward

He found a beautiful spot on the side, far enough away from the children playing to not have them run over us, but close enough to hear their laughter. “There’s just something musical about a child’s laughter, don’t you think?” Edward asked over his shoulder while laying out the blanket. I hummed my agreement and handed him the basket before plopping down beside him. “We’ve never talked about children,” he stated nonchalantly as he began to dig food from the hamper. “I guess we should, seeing as how we’re going to be married in a couple days.” He smiled over to me while handing me a plate.

“To be honest, I never really thought about it,” I frowned, knowing it was a natural progression, but I had been so focused on just making sure I knew enough about Edward that I still wanted to marry him that I didn’t think past that date.

“Do you not want children?” The concern in his voice was apparent. I looked up and could see worry etched in his face. He wanted children, I could tell. I smiled at him.

“I do, I was frowning because I was surprised it was something I hadn’t considered.” My brow furrowed again, did I want children? How many? When? Then panic hit me, I was getting married in a couple days and had completely forgotten about the need for birth control!

Edward and I had decided that since we were moving so fast with our relationship that we would focus on that, and not worry about the sex bit until after we were married. Some people worried that we might not be sexually compatible and thought we should make sure, but I just laughed at that. We loved each other, we actually communicated, so I had no doubts we could work that out. Only, now I had so completely dismissed the topic, not wanting to drive myself crazy with desire, that I had forgotten something very important.

He could see my panic and quickly put down his food and reached for me. “Bella! What is it?”

“I’m not on birth control,” I whispered fearfully.

“Why does that worry you, it’s not like we’re having sex yet.”

I stared at him, realizing that he hadn’t figured it out yet either. It didn’t take him long. “How long will it have been from when your period started until the wedding?” I could hear the concern in his voice and was relieved to think that he sounded like he wasn’t ready either.

“Nine days,” I answered him and saw him wince. Only a few day until I would possibly ovulate. “I guess we need to get some condoms and hope we aren’t part of the six percent.” He groaned when I said that.

“I’ll take care of it.” He looked at me apologetically. “And I’m planning on being a doctor! I can’t believe I didn’t think about this. I’m sorry, Bella.” He sighed. “I guess we really do need to talk about children, hmm?” he stated while looking over across the grass. A young family had also come on a picnic. They had three small children, the youngest barely toddling around. All of them were laughing as they played with a small beagle who was braying excitedly in the chaos of the children chasing him. “I want that someday,” he then looked back at me. “I don’t know how many I want, but I do know I want children.”

A smile split my face. I was thrilled that he was thinking exactly like I was. “That’s how I feel, Edward. I know I want them, but I don’t know how many, or when I want to start even.” I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. “I don’t think I want them right away, what with you in medical school and me starting work. But, I suppose if we are part of the six percent condoms don’t work for, I could live with it.”

Edward picked up my hand and kissed my palm. “I love you,” he whispered against my skin before returning my hand to me and indicating that I should eat. We had a fun afternoon, swinging on the swings, laughing at the antics of the children we saw, and even started listening in for their names to see if there were any we liked. “Just in case,” Edward laughed.

Even the ride home was fun. Whenever we were stopped at a light Edward would play the steering wheel and over to the dash like a piano to whatever song we were listening to. It was as if the location of the keys was locked in his head. It always cracked me up when he turned and began to play my arm or leg, and I had to bat him away when his fingers danced over my head.

When we got to Edward’s parent’s house every car was there. I groaned, I was hoping to take a nap or something, but if everyone was here then that wouldn’t be happening. Actually, I was hoping to have some make-out time with Edward on his bed. While the park had been fun it had forced us into very few chaste kisses and now I wanted to ravage his body. Within limits, of course.

Apparently Edward could tell what I was thinking because as soon as we were through the front door he pulled me into the coat closet off the entry. “I haven’t kissed you properly all day,” he groaned against my lips while pushing me up against the wall. My hands grasped hold of his belt loops to pull him closer, eliciting another moan from both of his as he explored my mouth with his tongue. While the kiss was deep, it was also sensual. His tongue caressed mine lovingly and I longed to feel it leave my mouth and travel other places. Two more days, two more days, I repeated to myself, forcing my hormones down.

I began to moan but cut the sound off quickly when I heard the tell-tale sound of Alice’s heels and the clomping of Emmett’s size fifteen feet. “I think it’s time to act, Emmett. You know their here somewhere, and if we don’t drag them off they might not make it to the wedding.” They stopped right in the entryway, not five feet from where we stared at each other in panic as well listened.

“Now, when you see Edward, grab him. I’ve already got his stuff packed and in the car. Take him to the boat and keep him there until after the wedding. Rose and I will hold Bella hostage in my room.”

“Alice,” Emmett whined, “don’t you think you’re being just a bit overdramatic? So what if they lose their virginity two nights before the wedding?” Emmett started chuckling, “To hear Tanya tell it, Ed lost his a number of years ago.”

“I happen to know Bella hasn’t and that it’s important to her! I will not let them screw this up this close to the date! Now, you go hunt the grounds, I’ll take the house. They’ve got to be here somewhere!” We listened as Emmett took off outside calling for Edward. Alice started up the stairs, calling for me. Edward and I just stood in the closet and stared at each other, trying not to laugh.

“You know we’ll make it, right?” he whispered lowly in my ear, causing me to shiver.

I nodded, “Yes, we will. I don’t want to be separated from you for that long though!” I hissed. “I’m fine with the tradition of the day of, but two days before is crazy!” I began to get flustered and worried. “What if they catch us?”

No sooner had I spoken those words than the door of the closet flew open.

A fear of capsize
Someone
has to drive the boat
Grab the steering wheel

Cutting through the grass
Like a beagle on a hunt
Ensconced
in the scent

Struggling for the words
Inundated by the prompt
Bleary eyed Witfit.

“Make me,” I breathed back, my voice sort of shaky and betraying the stutter of my heart.
Edward smirked, obviously thrilled with the challenge. “Oh, I can make you come, probably more than once.”
“Mm, there’s the Edward I know,” I said, groaning halfway through as he stopped what he was doing and disappeared underneath the comforter. His wet mouth found my secret spot and I squealed, giggling and squirming under his hands and face.
“Hold still,” he commanded, his voice muffled.
It tickled at first, because I was so sensitive but arousal won out and within seconds my eyes fluttered shut.
He licked one way, then the other, teasing me but also bringing me closer. I dug my fingers into his hair, feeling the quivers as my body hurtled toward an orgasm.
No sooner had he reached his goal he shot up and plunged into me, taking advantage of the fact I was wet and weak and completely his right then. I wrapped my arms and legs around him, kissing his neck.
I probably wouldn’t admit it to him, but he certainly knew what he was doing…
Afterwards, we lay curled on our sides and facing one another, under the covers, hidden from the world. I’d expected to maybe feel awkward because we’d so irrevocably changed the dynamic of our relationship, but I didn’t. Like Alice had said earlier, being physically intimate with Edward felt like a natural step.
Edward grinned, his hands still running over my stomach, poking my belly button playfully.
“Quit it,” I chuckled, pushing his hand away.
“You wanna do it again?” he asked, inching his way over.
“Whatever floats your boat,” I shrugged, letting him wiggle his way into my arms.
Several romps and a shower later, we went down to the kitchen to find something to eat. The Cullen’s ancient pet beagle, Aro, shuffled into the kitchen, pausing to sniff me before moving onto Edward. He watched pitifully as Edward made sandwiches for himself and me.
“Aw, give him some,” I said, scratching Aro behind his ears. Edward tossed him a cold cut, which he practically inhaled, before putting the meat back into the fridge.
“Do you want to go out?” I asked around a mouthful of tuna.
“Okay,” Edward shrugged, shoving a too-big chunk of food into his mouth.
“Guess we’re not doing anything later,” I snorted, polishing off my glass of juice.
“What do you mean?” he frowned.
“Tunabreath?”
“I have gum,” he assured me, winking.
The thing I loved most about this new development with Edward was the matter of fact nature of our conversations. He turned my insides to mush and made my stomach flip-flop with anticipation, but I also knew him the like the back of my own hand. This dichotomy of familiarity and nerves was going to take getting used to, but if he was down then so was I.
His cell phone rang. He peered at the glowing screen before answering. “’Sup, Emmett.”
He grinned at something Em said. “Naw, she’s here….in a while….no….okay, later.”
“What did he say?” I pressed, wanting to go to him and…I don’t know…cuddle? But I stayed still.
“Wanted to know if we were coming out,” he replied.
“Where are they?”
“Emmett’s parents are out of town, so they’re kickin’ it by the pool.”
“Ok,” I nodded. This would be the first time Edward and I went somewhere together-together; I wondered how we’d be received. Maybe no one would even notice.
In the car, Edward kept one hand on the steering wheel and the other on my knee. Now that we’d admit to each other how we felt, the bickering had been replaced by sly glances. I laughed quietly, shaking my head.
“What?” he asked, smiling also.
“It’s just… funny. This. It’s so…”
“Random.”
“Yeah,” I nodded, laying my hand over his.
“But you’re okay with it?” he asked, turning to me as we pulled up to a stoplight.
“I am if you are.”
The light turned green. “I am.”
There were a lot more cars parked in Emmett’s driveway than I’d expected. I shouldn’t have been surprised; in high school, news of a parent-less house travels fast. Instead of going in the front door, we crossed the lawn to the backyard, following the worn foot path though the grass.
I hesitated at Edward’s side, unsure of how to handle myself. Part of me wanted to stay beside him; the other felt it would be best to go find the girls. Alice decided for me, catching my eye from across the patio and motioning for me to come over.
Edward was looking at me when I glanced at him. “I’m gonna grab a beer from Em. Want anything?”
“I’ll have what you have.”
I passed Lauren Mallory and Jessica Stanley standing by the grill, red cups in their hands. Jessica shot me a sweet smile, but Lauren rolled her eyes, shaking her head.
“I frigging knew it,” she sighed.