Chapter 28
The morning of Thanksgiving I wake up unusually late – probably due to our nightly exploits – and alone. I bide my time stretching and rubbing the grit out of my eyes before I take a piss and don boxers and a t-shirt in what feels a now supercilious attempt at modesty.
I find Bella and Jazz in the kitchen, one cooking, the other making a nuisance of himself. Unable to hide a grin I cross my arms over my chest and lean against a storage cabinet, just watching them for a minute or two as they bicker. From what I can glean from Bella's huffed and angry comments she's trying to prepare a casserole, but Jazz keeps stealing the ingredients, and neither shouting at him nor threatening him with kitchen utensils seems to help. The whole scene looks straight out of some slapstick comedy but is so essentially them that it's less cheesy but highly amusing. My badly suppressed laughter finally gives me away and they both turn in weirdly synchronized motions to look at me.
Walking over to them I enfold Bella in a quick embrace, kissing her in greeting. She molds herself against my body for a moment, but then pushes away to resume cooking. Looking up I meet Jazz's gaze, unsure of why he's giving me a slightly weird look.
"Do you want a good morning kiss, too?"
He snorts, then laughs, shaking his head.
"No offense, but I think I'll decline. Whatever this is between us, I don't really see us holding hands or playing kissy face."
I accept that with a nod, agreeing with him. Bella mutters something about childish morons under her breath, but when I turn to her she's pointedly ignoring me, so I go grab a cup of coffee instead of her. Jazz meanwhile resumes his previous occupation, causing Bella to squawk dismayed in return.
"Stop it! If you keep this up I won't have enough to finish the casserole or the cranberry relish!"
She tries to push him away from the kitchen island with her elbow, but when that doesn't work, she turns to me.
"Don't just stand around there, help me! Or do you want to explain to your mother why we have to show up empty handed?"
I grin at her as I shake my hand, but prefer to sip my coffee instead of intervening.
"Edward!"
Bella is glaring at me now, trying to hold the cranberries out of his reach, but Jazz still manages to snag some. She's attempting to twist around to punch him, or at least push him away, but he keeps her from it by stepping closer to her, pretty much holding her wedged between himself and the counter with his body. Not realizing just what kind of effect her incessant squirming has on him she keeps trying to get away, at least until he grabs her hips and attacks her neck, his eager kissing causing her to both cry out and moan at the same time. As he has been counting on, his actions make her stop fighting him, and with a triumphant laugh he grabs another handful of cranberries, before he makes a quick retreat to my side.
Accepting half of his bounty with a laugh I grin at Bella, who needs a few more seconds to clear her head. Then she narrows her eyes and keeps glaring at both of us before she resumes chopping vegetables with a vengeance.
"Just so you know, you're not doing yourselves any favors by ganging up on me," she huffs, then turns her back on us to get a saucepan. Turning to Jazz I raise my brows in a silent question, and his enthusiastic grin is answer enough. Leaving my half empty cup of coffee on the far side of the kitchen I pad over the Bella, then hug her from behind while I gently nuzzle her neck. She relaxes into me instantly, then utters a low chuckle.
"Don't think you can pacify me that easily with gentle kisses, I'm not that gullible or forgiving."
"That wasn't even my intent," I growl into her ear before I grab her firmly and haul her over to the fridge, the next best hard surface I can press her against, her whole front flush with the aluminum front. She nearly headbutts me when she tries to rear away, but keeping her in place by leaning into her I use that as an excuse to pull her head farther back and to the side to expose her neck. Keeping my palm over her mouth to muffle any of the obscenities she seems to want to hurl in my face I bite down on the sensitive skin just below her ear, making her buck against me.
"You really think you can order me around?" I playfully sneer, then bite her again, hard enough to draw a pained gasp from her. Wedging my free hand between her lower stomach and the pane I spin us both around so that now she's facing the room while my back is pressed against the fridge, and she tries to fight me again, but only for a second.
Then Jazz steps up to her and extends both of his arms so that his palms are pressed against the fridge next to my head, effectively locking Bella in between us. He briefly grins at me before he stares into Bella's face, dark intensity heavy in his eyes.
"Yeah, keep squirming like that, you're getting my cock all hard that way."
Bella grows still for a moment, then seems to give up, relaxing against me.
She stops trying to pry my hand off her face and instead lets her arms drop to her sides almost docilely. Chuckling softly I push my hips into her ass, feeling my cock react to the stimulation, which in turn also draws a low moan from Jazz as the motion propagates well through Bella's body.
"You're such a little tease," I pick up from him, never stopping sliding my cock against her. "I think we need to teach you a lesson."
Bella squeals into my hand when Jazz unceremoniously yanks down her pants and underwear in one go, then shoves up her shirt and bra, leaving most of her body exposed. As I have to shift my grip around her middle anyway to let him do that I switch hands, leaving her just enough time to cry out before my other palm is cutting off the sound for the most part again. Her will to fight renewed Bella keeps pushing at us, but to no avail.
She also doesn't stop when I stroke my free hand down her stomach, then cup her p-ssy, in one motion both rubbing against her * and Jazz's cock.
I keep doing that for a while, relishing making them both moan. Jazz in the meanwhile is busy playing with Bella's tits, only causing her to squirm even more.
With my dick all hard against her ass I soon can't keep this up anymore, and Bella doesn't even pick up cursing us again when I let go of her face.
Letting go of her altogether I pull my own pants down, then push her far enough away from me so that I can move. Grabbing her thighs just above the knee from behind I heave her off the floor, forcing her legs apart in the same motion that makes her sag back against my shoulder. The scream that leaves her lips is most satisfying.
Bella thankfully has the sense to stop moving after her bare heel hits Jazz in the arm, and I sag back against the fridge, letting the hard surface help me support her like that. Jazz, ever helpful, steps in and helps me steady her, sliding her legs around until I have them hooked over my arms.
"What now?" he turns to me, grinning mischievously.
"Now you grab the lube from the coffee table, slick up my cock, and then you help me get it into her squirming little ass. I don't think I have to tell you what to do with your own after that."
He chuckles as he's already letting go of Bella to fetch the bottle still left out from the evening before. Bella turns her head so that her face is pressed against my throat, and I have to laugh again when I feel her teeth scraping over my skin.
She's not too heavy but I'm still glad when Jazz returns, having somehow lost his own clothes on the way. Squirting a liberal amount of lube into his right hand he steps closer to us again, and he smirks a little at my moan when his fingers close around my cock.
He's quick and efficient as he strokes me a few times, then adds still more lube and keeps going, while his eyes keep flitting between Bella's face and my own. I just love the sensation, both from the anticipation and the fact that he clearly knows more about how to pump a cock than suck it, but I can't really protest when he lets go of me in the end to add yet more lube to Bella's anus.
When he's satisfied with the prep work he grabs my cock again, and after a little squeezing guides it to where it belongs. I feel Bella tense a little when I enter her, but she pushes herself down fast enough to show us both that I'm not the only eager one here.
As time is somewhat of the essence with my strength not lasting forever Jazz doesn't dawdle, and a few moments later I feel his cock slide into her p-ssy. I groan both from that and the lessening of strain when he slips his arms in next to mine to take some of her weight off me, the shift caused by that feeling even more delicious.
Neither of us needs a signal as we both start thrusting into her.
Coordinating our movements takes a little longer than usual but finally we find the right rhythm, me going in just as he withdraws, which works best for us as it keeps her body mostly level. Bella's urgent pants and huffs speak about the same language, and once she seems certain that we're done re-arranging her between us, she reaches out with her arms and pulls both mine and Jazz's head closer to hers.
Eagerly latching on to her neck I tighten my grip on her even more, then slowly withdraw first one hand, then the other, to instead hold her firmly around her waist with my crossed arms over her stomach. As much as that might limit how much I can move, supporting her is more important now, and the strain of the position makes her tighter than usually anyway. Plus, Jazz is doing a good enough job f*cking her hard enough for the both of us, the sensation of his cock rubbing against my own making me forget the pain that is starting in my arms, back and legs.
Bella screams every time he slams into her, her shouts soon rising in pitch and growing hoarse with need, spurring us both on more. Soon it all gets too much for Jazz and he comes with a loud cry, briefly sagging against Bella and forcing me to stop. She hasn't regained her senses enough to utter a coherent word yet when he withdraws his cock and pushes his fingers into her instead, using his shoulder against her torso to keep her steady.
"Holy! F*cking! Shit! Please let me! Argh!" Bella cries out, each of her words accentuating Jazz's motions, and I'm a step away from climaxing myself when I bark a simple "Yes!" at her.
Coming together has seldom been such a rush.
Even after I put her back onto her own now shaky feet, Bella remains wedged between Jazz and me, happy to kiss every available mouth hungrily seeking hers, and I love coming down together like that, it's nearly as good as f*cking her has been before.
That is, until the phone starts ringing, cutting right through our collective post-orgasmic haze.
It's not my cell so I'm instantly relieved that I'm not getting dragged to work right away, but there are not that many people who still call our landline. I'm also very indisposed of the idea of getting the call now, as are the others, not even Bella tries to squirm her way out of our now loose grasp.
Whoever is calling is insistent, and after the tenth ring, our answering machine picks up. I can't say I'm not a little bit weirded out by hearing my mother's voice just then.
"Bella, Edward, since you're not picking up the phone I presume you're either still sleeping, or otherwise occupied upstairs." She pauses then pointedly, but resumes in the same neutral tone. "I'm calling to inform you that I expect you to invite Jasper to the dinner today, if you've somehow forgotten to do so already." That stressed now. "I know that the three of you have been going through some rough patches, but he's still your friend, and I'm obliging you to ask him. Rose and Emmett will be joining us, and Alice will be coming, too, so if he doesn't want to because of that, I understand, but I would still love to have him with us. I know his family lives several states away and I don't want him to spend today somewhere alone. And Edward? Don't steal all the cranberries, you know how much everyone loves Bella's relish."
She hangs up then and the answering machine shuts off with a beep, just as Jazz starts to laugh. Bella joins in a moment later, as do I, after a shouted "That wasn't me!" in the general direction of the living room.
Our sweaty sandwich disassembles then as we move away from each other to shower and dress again, although Bella only joins us after finishing her cooking alone first. I don't feel like it's necessary to extend the invitation to Jazz as he has heard it himself, but he doesn't comment on it until a few hours later when Bella disappears upstairs to get dressed for dinner.
"Do you think it's a good idea if I come with you?"
I'm so tempted to tell him that it's always a good idea if he comes with me, but now's not the time for jokes like that, and it's obvious how uncomfortable he is already. Purging my brain of lewd comments I shrug, trying to be honest.
"You have to decide yourself. She's there, and there's no way you're going to avoid her, but I'm sure that my mom will do her best not to let conversations die. If nothing else, she'll tell her stupid anecdotes of when I was a child, and you always laughed at them in the past."
"Yeah, you smearing cranberry sauce all over the new beige carpet when you were five is just too good not to laugh at it. Besides, she'll probably be occupied cooing over the kid anyway." He doesn't sound too convincing then, and when he looks up at me, there's a different kind of uncertainty on his face. "But what I also meant was showing up with you and Bella at the same time. The three of us together, and not gloating or fighting. It kind of does send a message, and no one can accuse either of us of being very subtle and able to hide anything."
"Do we have anything to hide?"
I wish I didn't feel a pang of hurt inside as I say that but at least my voice is steady and as inconspicuous as it gets, and Jazz doesn't seem to pick up on it. Instead he's scratching his head, looking a little uncomfortable.
"Maybe we just don't have anything to advertise?"
Of course he's right, but that doesn't change things.
"I think everyone except my parents knows that you're crashing on our couch, so it won't be that much of a surprise if we show up together. And you heard my mom, she'll probably tell everyone that she ordered Bella and me to drag you along, so I think we should be safe."
He's still not looking convinced, but then Bella calls for us to get dressed, which concludes out brief discussion. I'm still lost in thoughts when I'm done shrugging into my clothes, but Bella's unnatural behavior finally draws my attention. She's still only in her black bra and panties, rifling through her stuff, haphazardly pulling things off a hanger and shoving them back after a moment's study. Just when I want to ask what's going on she pulls out a sleeveless black dress and turns to me, her brows furrowed.
"Would this make me look like a slut?"
Again I have to swallow the impulse to say the first thing that comes to my mind – which in this case is a tie between me informing her that I'd love to bend her over and f*ck her when she's wearing only that dress and stay-ups, and telling her that I don't mind as long as she's my slut – and immediately shake my head.
"No, of course not, it's very elegant and classy. But you'd be hopelessly overdressed."
I pointedly look down at my own gray shirt and dark blue jeans.
"I know!" she sighs, then goes back to finding something else. Jazz joins us a few minutes later, cautiously sticking his head into the bedroom to see why we're taking so long. He still doesn't know, and I wonder if he's disappointed not to have again walked in on us getting it on.
"Outfit troubles," I inform him, and he looks as puzzled as I feel.
"What's the fuss? It's just Thanksgiving dinner, I don't remember anyone ever dressing up for that."
I shrug, neglecting to mention that last year Bella wore a similar dress to the one that she just showed me, only in pale blue, and I would have loved to f*ck her right on the dinner table in it. Sadly she had still been with Mike then, and the only thing blue I had come in contact with had been my balls.
Turning to us both now Bella holds up a sweater and cardigan combo that causes Jazz to snort derisively.
"How old are you, eighty?"
She sighs heavily, then keeps on searching. Jazz eyes me askance but I can only shrug, not knowing myself what this is all about. I also don't really remember anything of her wardrobe that isn't linked to my mental note of
"needs to be f*cked in", so I'm keeping my tongue about suggestions.
Bella eventually gives up and just slips on some dark jeans and a purple blouse, although from the way that outfit accentuates her ass and tits my sentiments haven't really changed.
Bundled into a few more layers against the cold we finally make it to the car and into the light afternoon traffic. Jazz is banished to the backseat to watch the casserole, while Bella keeps the cranberry relish on her lap, as if to fend anyone off who might try to snag a taste. They both seem lost in their own thoughts so I busy myself with humming along to the songs on the radio in an attempt to ignore my own risinganxiety.
I'm somewhat tempted to suggest we just keep on driving and avoid the whole possibility for disaster, when at the last traffic light before we reach my parents' house a familiar vehicle comes to a stop in the lane next to us.
Emmett grins at me from the driver's side, an unfamiliar place for him since Rose never gave up driving until she had the little bundle of joy currently sleeping in her mother's arms next to him. At her husband's antics Rose looks up, too, pursing her lips at what I guess is a frown on my face.
The light switches to green and Emmett, for once behaving as childish as Rose so often claims that he is, hits the gas to slip into my lane before us.
That way we arrive just after them, conveniently spilling all of us together onto the well-tended front steps.
There's the usual greeting, hugging and back slapping, before Rose and Bella both snark at us guys to get the heavy stuff from the cars instead of gossiping. When I pass by her Rose gives me a pointed look as if to silently ask what is going on, but I ignore her, deciding to play dumb instead.
Before I can reach the door it already opens, revealing my smiling mother.
Never minding that we're all carrying goods and babies, respectively, she kisses Bella and Rose, then hugs me warmly before she does the same with Jazz and Emmett without even hesitating for a second. Herding us before her she directs us to the kitchen, and after that I have the pleasure of barely receiving a nod from my father. His disapproval is still palpable and he doesn't even try to hide it – and all that before he could even have found out what new, or not so knew, things I've been up to.
As accepting as my mother is, he has always felt like any of my actions reflect back on him badly, and being one of the youngest doctors in the history of our state doesn't do a thing to counteract the oh so obvious flaws adhering to me. His words, not mine, and for once I'm surprised how little I'm caring about his disapproving stare.
As always, since the fateful night my parents got to know a lot more than they ever wanted to about their son's private life this summer, Bella takes it upon herself to run interference, first hugging Carlisle, then plastering herself to my side so that there's nothing I can do except snake one arm around her waist and let her show everyone just how comfortable she is with me. Whether that's a conscious action or not I still don't know, and neither do I care. Only that today I feel a bit of an ass as that leaves Jazz standing on his own with happy couples all around him – the effect only getting ten times worse when suddenly Alice steps out of the dining room, holding hands with an unfamiliar guy.
Bella goes still as a statue at my side, and I allow myself a weary if silent sigh. She and Alice have never been the best of friends, and I can only guess what the things Jazz told us yesterday must have done to that fragile bond of female friendship. I myself don't blame Alice, and the addition of someone to this dinner who probably doesn't know about what went on between all of us this year actually makes me glad. It also makes me feel like a wuss, but not having this end in a disaster would make for a better day.
There's a moment of awkward silence when every one of the newcomers is taxing Alice and her arm candy, and as this is still my home, even if I haven't lived here for years, I feel obliged to act a little more civil than I would otherwise do. Extending my hand towards him I offer him a smile.
"Hi, Edward, and this is Bella and Jazz."
I can't tell if Alice notices just how fluently I include Jazz, but she doesn't show it, only smiles back at me after we have completed the brief handshake. He's a bit older than us, maybe in his early thirties, and not what I would expect her to go for ever. He's handsome, but more in an academic geek kind of way than the obvious good looks she usually goes for, also dressed the part in conservative dress slacks and jacket, but thankfully no tie.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Nate," he introduces himself, his voice a little small with what I gather must be the usual apprehension of meeting his girlfriend's friends, including parents. His behavior towards Jazz is rather civil, surprising me a bit, and his face positively lights up when he turns to Bella. "We've met already, right? Yesterday, in the book store?"
And suddenly Bella's strange behavior makes a whole lot more sense.
She's still tense as hell as she clears her throat, then responds with her voice oddly strained.
"Yeah, right, yesterday. Did you find that book you were looking for, on, what was it, the propagation of European Medieval societal hierarchy into the American colonies?"
I follow their exchange with a near sick kind of glee on the inside, while I hope that my pleasant smile on the outside doesn't look like a shark ready to go for his helpless prey. I seem to be doing a good job except for the long look my mother bestows on me when Bella cuts their conversation short, and with a tense, "I need to talk to you," pulls me back towards the kitchen.
We're barely out of earshot of the others when she stops and turns to me, torn between apologetic cringing and half-hostile defiance.
"So you met Alice's new boyfriend yesterday, huh?" I ask succinctly as I lean closer to her, using my height to appear just a tad more intimidating than is probably called for. In turn Bella straightens and crosses her arms over her chest, the line of her jaw clearly defined as she gnashes her teeth.
"Yes, in fact I met Alice and Nate yesterday, just after my meeting with my editor, when I was already running late for my late lunch with Jazz. Bite me!"
We stare into each other's eyes for a few moments, but she's the first to look away, her cheeks coloring with a deep blush of discomfort. She starts fidgeting then, and when she makes as if to turn away from me I don't move, forcing her to either squeeze herself by me or stay where she is.
She stays, but when she looks at me again a certain amount of exasperation has replaced part of the defiance.
"Obviously I know about him, no big deal. But maybe now you can better understand why Jazz's rambled confession made me want to tear his head off, then drag you both into bed with me? She's so obviously over him, has discarded him like a dishrag, and I couldn't just ignore that all of a sudden there was no reason left why we shouldn't re-start what we had, if we wanted that. And before you ask, I didn't tell either of you asshats because I knew you'd just get your heads shoved even further up your asses if you knew. Don't even try to deny it!"
I let her stew for a while before I straighten, giving her a little more space.
"I'm not. But if I recall, you've had ample opportunity to tell me afterwards."
She huffs, but then sighs.
"Yes, I had, and I'm sorry I neglected to do so, but I was kind of hoping that she wouldn't bring him here. I know, I can get quite delusional when I get f*cked thoroughly enough."
I reward that with a grin – not a nice one, but it is obvious that it had the desired effect on her, the way she holds her breath for a moment – then lean in with the intent of kissing her with a silent promise of providing her with more reason for further delusions later, but before I can finish the move I hear my mother clear her throat from the direction of the door.
"I swear to you, Edward, if this is about you throwing a hissy fit because of Alice's new boyfriend, I will spank you over my knee, whether you're too old for that or might like it too much for my own comfort nonwithstanding."
That gets me moving away from Bella immediately, who answers my rueful smile with one of her own. Trying to look properly chastised I turn to my mother then, who is still gazing at us levelly.
"Why should I? He looks like a decent enough guy."
My mother's elegant brows rise, and her snort isn't exactly ladylike.
"Don't give me that crap. I hope it's not too much to ask of my grown-up son that he behaves like an adult?"
"Of course not," I grumble, then I feel like hitting myself for sounding like a petulant child. "Look, this isn't about Nate or Alice, and in fact we were just about to rejoin the merry band that's ready to descend on the dining room any moment now."
"If you say so," she replies, the turns around, switching effortlessly from stern mother to best hostess there is. "Oh, and as you're already in the kitchen, could you please bring four bottles of beer with you? Emmett and Nate already said they want one, and Jazz really looks like he could use one, too."
"And the forth one?"
"Why, for Bella of course! At least I figure she will drink some as since she broke up with Mike she stopped pretending she doesn't love to chuck down a Heineken as much as you guys? I know you won't touch any, seeing as you're designated driver and due for work in the evening."
With that she leaves us to ourselves, and when I glance at Bella, she grins and stretches up onto her tip-toes to place a quick kiss on my chin.
"That would be really nice of you."
And just like that I'm left alone in the kitchen, with nothing else to do other than to fetch the booze or look even more stupid. I hurry to rejoin the others, not wanting to seem like I'm moping around when I'm really not.
Of course my mother's assessment has been correct – while I'm surprised that I really don't feel any resentment towards Nate, Jazz has a much harder time coping with meeting his successor so soon. He accepts his beer with a grateful smile when I hand him the bottle. Being the last to reach the table I'm forced to take the last remaining place, between Bella and Jazz. I'm pretty sure that my mother had intended for me to sit between her and Bella but sneaky as she is, my beloved has stealthily switched our seats, leaving me smack in the middle of everything. The other long side of the table is divided between Rose and Emmett on the one end closest to Jazz, and Alice and Nate on the other, with my father having the honors of occupying the head of the table.
At first conversation is a little awkward, but Emmett and Jazz soon enough start discussing the latest NHll results while Bella and Nate resume their talk about that book she mentioned earlier. It turns out Nate is a history professor at Columbia, and he seems only too happy to regale our merry group with some anecdotes from his studies when my mother prompts him to – better than the cranberries on the carpet tale anyway.
Slowly everyone is easing up, and once we dig into the food, things are as close to civil as can be expected. Rose keeps eyeing us speculatively but holds her tongue, and thankfully no one else drops any weird comments, either. When the conversation turns to the Revolutionary War, Jazz finally chimes in. I'm surprised how relaxed he seems, and allow myself to let my own guard down a little. Everyone is enjoying the food, and to mixed amounts the company also; in fact the only one glaring at anyone is my father in my general direction from time to time, and I can certainly live with that.
Things progress like that to coffee and pumpkin pie, when Alice suddenly speaks up, looking all ecstatic and ready to bounce in her chair as she grabs Nate's hand on her left, and Rose's on her right.
"We forgot to say what we're all thankful for! Come on, everybody, we need to do this or it's not a proper Thanksgiving!"
I have to bite down on my tongue to keep from groaning, but of course no one protests – keeping Alice from her perceived traditions is like stealing a small child's cotton candy. A bit grudgingly everyone clasps hands around the table then, only Emmett and Rose modifying the gesture where he's holding the baby with one arm, and Rose her little daughter's hand instead of her husband's.
"Let's start with our happy, young parents, I'm sure yours will be easy to guess!"
Rose still looks less than ecstatic, but then again she seems tired and strung out since she got here.
"Okay, how about this. I'm thankful for my husband remembering that he pledged he would be on diaper duty whenever he's home, even at 4am in the morning. And I'm thankful for my wonderful darling daughter letting me sleep for up to three hours in one go before she loudly demands me to demonstrate again why we're mammals. Anything else? Oh, right, I'm thankful for endless reruns of TV shows at night because otherwise I'd never get to catch up on them all in just under a month!"
Everyone except Alice and my father seems to find her answer hilarious, the same as with Emmett's when he keeps it short with a loud, "I'm thankful for not having to smell gherkins on Rose's breath 24/7 anymore!" Then they kiss, probably with a little too much tongue than most people would find appropriate, but I don't think either of them really cares.
Once Rose and Emmett are behaving like proper parents again silence falls for a moment as Jazz seems more than a little reluctant to pick up, but after a moment he opens his mouth nevertheless.
"I'm thankful for everyone I know being healthy, and that despite the abysmal economic situation right now having found somewhat of a semi-secure freelance job for the next months."
Bella gives a whoop at his words that Rose echoes with loud clapping, once again making me wonder why I'm always the last to hear of such things. Jazz nods his thanks to Rose, then grins at Bella, and with his eyes flickering to me for a second he adds, "And I'm thankful for my friends, above all else."
Before anyone can read too much into that, I pick right up from him.
"I'm thankful for Bella loving me and bearing with me even when I behave like a stubborn idiot, and she has to guide me with her oh so gentle words to see reason again."
The lovely woman in question snorts at that, then gives me a light kiss before she murmurs a low, "Smartass!" into my ear. I snort, then go on.
"And because it's so true, I'm also happy for having the best friends in the world."
Bella echoes my words, although she adds that she's ecstatic about the first book she did a collaboration on hitting the shelves soon, before she, too, adds the friends remark. When my mother doesn't offer her own thanksgiving comment right away Bella leans close to me and chuckles softly, then adds, for my ears only,
"And every time I wriggle my ass around on this abysmally uncomfortable chair I get reminded of how much fun it was to have your cock in my ass while Jazz was f*cking my p-ssy this morning, and oh boy, I'm so very thankful for that, too."
I try hard to disguise my laugh with a snort but still catch a look from my mother that tells me plainly that while she has no way of knowing what exactly Bella just said that drew that reaction from me, she can take an accurate guess at the nature of our whispering. Yet there's only amused happiness on her face when she does it, before she turns to the table at large and offers her own thankfulness – that includes for a cask of 1996
Chateau lléoville Barton Saint-Julien Bordeaux that she brought with her from last summer's visit to France.
Carlisle offers a rather dry line about things going well in the hospital, and Nate, trying to be gallant but without appearing as if he is insincerely polite offers thanks to the cooks of the dinner, and of course Esme's invitation.
Then it's Alice's turn at last. At first she clears her throat, then proceeds by making gooey eyes at Nate that make me pray inwardly that Bella will never turn to such saccharine moves, but from the way she keeps frowning I feel assured that unless she wants to tease me in the future I'm on the safe side.
"I'm thankful for so many things, like my newest clothing line being the hit in France and Italy, and of course everyone around me being healthy, but most of all I'm thankful, no, scratch that, amazingly grateful for having met Nate, because he's everything I've ever looked for in a man, and more than I could have asked for!"
Way to sucker-punch someone without even talking to them, and the somewhat awkward silence that follows her words shows that I'm not the only one feeling like that. Trying to rescue the situation, my mom then asks a seemingly harmless question.
"So, Nate, how did you and Alice meet?"
It's funny how everyone suddenly perks up, while trying to seem inconspicuous about it. The fact that Alice tenses a little is not lost on me, but considering the way she usually acquires her conquests, I expect that to be because the tale probably involves alcohol, which, considering their painful breakup, wouldn't be a surprise to me.
Only that what Nate relates, with an easy smile and not a care in the world of what his words cause, exceeds my expectations by far.
"Actually, we met in Paris. Cheesy, right?" he offers, then smiles at Alice as he takes her hand in his. "I was there for a guest lecture at the Sorbonne, and Alice for a fashion show, I think. Then we ran into each other again in New York, had dinner together, and when it happened a third time here in Seattle, it started feeling a little too much like it was meant to be. And, well, the rest is history!"
The silence meeting his words is palpable, and when Bella finally asks the question we're probably all burning to know the answer to, her voice is oddly hollow.
"How long ago was that? That you met in Seattle, I mean. I guess New York was in September?"
The week of her birthday party, if I remember correctly.
Nate obviously realizes that the mood on the table has suddenly changed, but the question is innocent enough, so he answers promptly.
"About four weeks ago, why do you ask?"
If things have been awkward before, now they are painful, and I'm not the only one who spares a quick glance in Jasper's direction. He's about the only one not avidly following Nate's words, the way he keeps looking at the half empty beer glass in his hand with his face absolutely devoid of emotion. I don't know how to react, stunned as I am by the implications, and feeling Bella go oddly still at my other side doesn't help my indecision.
My mother tries to jump into the gap then, offering a slightly strained, "Well, that does sound like fate," but her words do nothing to dissolve the tension.
But they seem to tear Jazz out of his stupor, for he drains his glass with a long gulp, then stands up, the sound of the chair scraping across the floor grating up my spine.
"If you will excuse me for a moment," he offers in a near soundless voice, then he is out of the room. Still torn with indecision I'm looking after him when Bella jumps to her feet, running after him as she calls his name, sympathy so heavy in her tone that it's impossible for anyone not to make the connection.
Nobody says anything for at least twenty seconds, when, probably picking up on the general mood in the room, the baby starts to cry. Rose laughs mirthlessly as she gathers her daughter in her arms and grabs a napkin, then gets up to feed the baby in the other room.
"Mona, you already have impeccable timing, why do I get the feeling you'll make sure that your mommy and daddy won't be able to get you a sister or brother unless we hand you over to someone else for a few hours each week?"
She's barely around the table when Alice gets up to follow her. Through the whole exchange she has been obviously uncomfortable, but while she seems all too ready to seize the opportunity to flee, she doesn't really look apologetic.
"Edward, will you help me clear the table?" my mother asks me, and I'm not sure if she does it to keep me occupied, or because she wants to squeeze the details out of me in the kitchen. Either way I nod, happy not to belong to the unhappy few left sitting at the table.
True enough, the moment I'm done putting the last dishes into the washer I find her looking at me, concern making her face appear years older than her birth certificate states.
"I might not know all the details, but I simply remember that Bella told me about their breakup two weeks ago?"
I just reply with a mute nod.
"And I presume she didn't sit on that information for a month already?"
"Nope."
She sighs then and rubs her eyes, before she turns a stern look at me.
"If you expect me to kick her out or something now, you're sorely mistaken
-"
"Mom, stop it!" I exclaim, probably loud enough that the people across the street can hear me still. Taking a deep breath I tune my voice lower as I go on. "I'd never ask you to do something like that, and you know that. Can't hold it against you if you'd want me to, though, so you'd have an excuse.
But seriously, I don't really give a f*ck about it."
I don't know who's more surprised about my outburst, me or her, and after opening and closing her mouth twice without making a sound she whips around and walks out. Scrunching my eyes shut I lean against the kitchen island until I hear the back door open and close, admitting Bella and Jazz back in. Bella just looks at me for a moment before she walks on into the dining room, leaving Jazz teetering between following her and coming over to me. I'm not surprised when he walks into the kitchen, and after a long, haunted look lets me hug him in silence.
The moment only lasts for a few seconds, as I step away from him quickly when a very distinct scent hits my nostrils.
"Jesus, have you been smoking pot?"
I only need to look at his blood-shot eyes, but he still nods in confirmation.
"On my parents' back porch?"
"Yeah, on their back porch, while Bella was giving me a blowjob no less."
I don't know whether to stare or laugh.
"She did that?"
"Actually, no, she only offered it in jest, but I think from the way sympathy was pouring out of her she would have done it if she had thought it would help any."
His laugh is real enough, thanks to the wonders of marijuana, but cuts off suddenly when his eyes fix on something behind me. Turning my head I find no other than Nate hovering just inside the doorframe, looking something between nervous and apologetic. For a moment I feel like he has caught us doing something indecent but we weren't touching at that point, and there's no guile in his eyes, either.
"I'm terribly sorry if what I said caused you distress, this was never my intention, and I hope you accept my apology?"
I want to groan inside at his words – also because he doesn't even seem to know who he's apologizing to, Jazz or me – but before I can say something, Jazz replies with more maturity than I would have guessed him able to.
"It's not your fault, man, and no reason to apologize. Can't really be a great moment for you when you find yourself poking an anthill like that without even knowing that it's been there all along."
Nate has the grace not to answer, and after a moment Jazz nods, then walks by him to rejoin the others. I wait for him to say something else but when he doesn't, I shrug.
"If you haven't figured it out already, he's Alice's ex. And if you were wondering, they didn't break up four weeks ago."
With that I leave him there alone in the kitchen, wondering if this will be the last I've seen of him, or not. The mood inside the dining room hasn't changed much, Rose and Alice are still missing, and not quite surprising my mother has managed to procure a glass of Scotch for herself that she's sipping daintily. Sagging back onto my seat between Bella and Jazz I'm surprised to see Nate return so soon, but before the awkwardness can get any worse by itself, the girls enter the room. I'm not sure if that's an improvement.
Alice meets my gaze levelly as she takes her place again, but she doesn't seem apologetic in the least. I don't know why exactly that rubs me the wrong way – and it's not like there's a shortage of reasons, really – but I'm actually surprised that she doesn't even seem to feel any remorse at what she has caused. It seems that me looking at her is a silent challenge for her, because when no one else says anything, she takes a dainty sip from her by now cold coffee, looking from me to Bella, and lastly to Jazz.
"Okay, I get it, so there's a slight time discrepancy here that everyone is oh so scandalized about now, but can we see this topic as acknowledged and move on, please? This is getting a little tedious."
Bella on my right goes very still, assuming the kind of calm I've seen one too many times in my life. As long as she's raving mad and screams, Bella is a force to be reckoned with, but whatever is bothering her is easily resolved. But this calm is the exact same way she was acting when I got to stammer out my fleeting apologies last summer that ended with me proposing to her. And if I'm not completely mistaken, whatever she's readying herself to tell Alice is not something that should be uttered in present company, if ever.
I try to be stealthy as I slide a hand up her leg in a pacifying gesture, but of course she tenses up even more before she turns her head and glares at me, a clear warning to back down and let her handle this. I can see the frustration in her gaze, and that's mostly what keeps me from just leaning back and letting things unfold. Holding her gaze I do my best to tell her with my eyes to let it go. If she wants to, she can have my ass later at home, but I really don't want her involved in this cluster f*ck.
It seems as if today is my lucky day as Bella finally exhales loudly and looks away, tension slowly leaving her posture as she mentally backs down. I'm just about to do the same, hoping to somehow get out of here before anything else can happen that might bring this powder keg to explode, but then Alice gives a small yet derisive laugh.
"And if he tells you to bark, you won't even ask how loud, right? It's sad to see women give up their independence like that, but your stunt with Mike should probably have been a dead giveaway that you're prone to that."
My head whips around and for a few seconds I can only stare at Alice, dumbfounded. I half expect Bella to get in her face, but instead of letting her emotions rule, she only leans back further in her chair and regards the woman sitting across from her calmly.
"If he gave me a good reason for it, why not? There are worse things he could ask me to do, but I wonder, do any of them hold up to cheating?
Somehow I don't think so."
So much for keeping things civil, but I still admire Bella's calm, although towards the end some of her anger is leaking into her voice. Alice straightens at the jibe, then huffs as she spares a glance in my direction.
"At least I'm in good company, wouldn't you say? Then again, judging from your previous behavior all should be forgotten and forgiven in a week or two and we can go back to being besties. But oh, I'm not so sure I'd even want that, seeing as you're once again f*cking my ex!"
Bella doesn't even blink, and keeping her cool clearly doesn't sit well with Alice. I know that I should hold my tongue, particularly as Bella seems to be doing fine on her own, but I just can't – too often she has been fighting my battles, and with this still being my home and Alice attacking the people I care about, I just can't sit there and let everything wash over me.
"Just when did you turn into such a hypocrite?"
Alice's head now snaps around so that she's glaring at me full on, but that doesn't faze me.
"Come on, Edward, shouldn't you of all people be careful to use that word?"
Slowly but surely, she's getting on my nerves.
"You mean because according to the drama you helped drag out last summer I'm a cheater, too? First of all, that's between me and Bella, and last I checked we've resolved that issue a long time ago. And second, wouldn't you say that there's a huge difference between a kiss and going behind someone else's back for weeks before dumping them and making them feel like it was all their fault?"
"Oh, like it should have come as such a surprise for anyone! What Jazz and I had for the last months was barely more than living in the same house, that's a very long stretch from anything that could resemble a relationship! You can't make me responsible for him being such a blind fool!"
I can only guess what Nate must be thinking of all this while he's following our info dump screaming match with a look on his face as if he had swallowed a live toad, but then again the only one seemingly amused by this is Rose. At least my mother hasn't gotten herself a refill yet, and I don't even bother to check how my father is reacting – the displeasure of having to witness how his son is once again openly admitting his frivolous lifestyle is coming off him in waves.
Jazz doesn't say anything to Alice's claim but I can see how much the words hurt him, and the implication that I'm no better than her when she doesn't seem to give a shit about the damage she's causing is what finally makes me snap. Coming to my feet I lean across the table, using every inch of my height to be physically imposing, as I try to stare Alice down.
"You know what, I'm done with hearing your excuses! Go on living in your dream world where you are perfect and everyone else is out to either get you or make your life miserable! But have you ever asked yourself why you can't keep anyone close to you for an extended amount of time? Or am I wrong that the longest you've ever had a relationship with anyone besides Jazz was numbered in weeks? That none of your friends from high school or college or your previous job even send you a birthday message on facebook? Have you ever considered that maybe, just maybe, it's not everyone else but you who's so f*cked up that people don't want to deal with you any more?"
I hear my mother gasp from somewhere to my right but do my best to ignore her, instead turn away from the stone-faced mask Alice's features have turned into to Nate, offering him a wry grin and a snort.
"Good luck, buddy, trust me when I tell you that you'll be the next in a long, long line who knows better than to want to be anywhere near her. Unless it's your thing to hang out with a delusional, manipulative, frigid bitch who gets off on making everyone around her feel like shit."
I don't even get to gloat at her as the moment I fall silent my mother utters a truly scandalized, "Edward!" while my father gets up, nearly toppling over the chair behind him.
"I will not have this in my house! You will take your accusations back and apologize to Alice, or -"
"Or what?" I sneer, turning to face him now. "You'll kick me out? You'll disown me? Be my guest, I really don't want to be part of a family that backs liars and cheaters who are doing everything possible to ruin everyone else's life!"
The hate and disgust I see in his face is making my physically ill, but before I can say more, Bella is in front of me, pushing me bodily back from the table and keeping herself like a shield between me and pretty much everyone else. The look she sends me is pleading but her voice is still calm, almost neutral when she touches my arm.
"Come, let's go home."
No, "This is enough!" or, "Why do you even bother!", just those four simple words, but they sum up everything that needs to be said. I don't even say good-bye to anyone, just step around her and angle towards the front door, with her at my heels after she thanks my mother for the food – though pointedly not the company – and wishes everyone Happy Thanksgiving. I can't say if Jazz does the same or not, but I've barely shrugged into my jacket when they both join me at the front porch.
My anger is draining from me uncharacteristically fast, leaving me feeling hollow inside as I pivot the streets back to our condo. Neither of them speaks a single word on the whole way there but Bella keeps her hand on my thigh, a silent token of support that I appreciate more than I can say.
Once home Bella forgoes her usual offer of making coffee, and the three of us sink down on the sofa, misery personified with Bella in the middle of me and Jazz curled around her. My very soul seems to hurt when I realize that he's crying against her shoulder, but there's nothing I feel I can say or do to help, so I leave her to comfort him while I just stare at the ceiling.
"That went well," Bella finally breaks the silence after Jazz has gone quiet for a while, her tone dry yet full of desolation. At my grunt she turns her head and looks at me, then offers me a small smile. "No one called me a slut for once. You have to admit, that is some sort of improvement."
I really don't know what to respond, but I'm not happy when the door bells rings, effectively keeping me from finding a good come-back. I'm not yet done trying to ignore it when it goes off again, followed by a quick knock on the door.
"Shall I get that?" Bella offers, but I shake my head, extracting myself from her grudgingly.
I can feel both her and Jasper's gaze between my shoulder blades as I trudge over to the door, absentmindedly running my hand through my hair that is a hopeless case now that Bella has been running her fingers through it for a long while.
I'm not even that surprised when I open the door and find myself confronted with a slight figure, bearing a stack of microwave boxes in her arms.
"Edward, can we talk?"