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After a family photo in front of the tree, Christmas Eve dinner was a rousing success. Everyone enjoyed the meal that I had catered up to my penthouse suite. We sang Christmas songs, drank egg nog, had a white-elephant gift exchange and bonded as a strangely disjointed family. It was a total Norman Rockwell moment, complete with two ex-escorts, a cop, a retired cop, a US attorney, a couple of gay men, a reformed nun and Rose.

She wasn’t the reformed nun. Uncle Peter’s date, Sophia, she joined a convent when she was eighteen but decided to leave at twenty-two because of the whole celibacy thing. I wasn’t surprised. She was gorgeous with long black hair and violet eyes. Too pretty to be a nun, if you ask me. But, that was a long time ago and she was obviously smitten with my uncle.

After Christmas Eve, everyone went to their hotel rooms. There was a little too much nog in everyone’s systems, except for Edward, Jasper and me. I didn’t want anyone to drive. Edward and I were on the couch, curled up underneath a warm blanket, staring at the gorgeous Christmas tree. “Today was a lot of fun,” he said, idly playing with my hair. “I think the best thing was when Carlisle had to imitate having a baby for that movie in charades.”

“Oh, Knocked Up,” I giggled. “I thought he was going to pop a vein with all of the pushing and grunting he was doing.”

“And it didn’t help that he farted, stinking up the whole place,” Edward laughed. “But, it was a memorable moment and probably the best time I’ve had on Christmas since my dad passed.”

“I feel the same way, except it since my mom died,” I sighed, kissing Edward’s palm. “It’s nice to feel like I belong to a family again. The holidays were always so dark and depressing for me. Dad always worked and the only other person I hung out with was Rose. She usually was fucking some random guy to get her holiday cheer.”

“Esme would occasionally have a Christmas party,” Edward murmured. “It was probably the most normal I’d ever seen her. She loved the holidays, but most of us usually had to work because with the holidays came holiday parties. Last Christmas, I was on the arm of an older woman, a socialite at some charity banquet. The Christmas before, I was in Esme’s torture chamber, making sure that Esme got her holiday cheer while all I wanted to do was shove a lump of coal up her ass.”

“Ouch,” I snorted. 

Edward's Present to Carlisle spelling out 'Cullen'

Edward's Present to Elizabeth

Edward's Present to Rose

Edward's present to Uncle Peter

Edward's Present to Bella, to match her birthday necklace

Soft slippers from Edward to Bella

Inscription for Edward's cuffs from Bella
Keeper of my Soul

&

Holder of my Heart

Edward's cuffs

Edward's new journal from Bella

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It was close to nine by the time Carlisle and I finished wrapping our presents. We both were pretty awful. After going through a full roll of wrapping paper, all of it crap, Carlisle drove to a nearby Walgreens and cleaned them out of gift bags and tissue paper.

That was significantly easier, thank you very much.

Placing our bags underneath the tree, Bella, Rose, Carmen, and my mom were all at Bella’s dining room table, laughing and gabbing away. “I think that security is going to be called,” Carlisle deadpanned. “Your cackling can be heard in the lobby.”

“Stop it,” Bella giggled, holding her side. “I think your cursing the wrapping paper could be heard throughout the hotel. How long did you wait before you crumbled?”

“I know where you live, Isabella Marie,” Carlisle warned. “Are we ready for tomorrow?”

“Almost,” Rose replied. “There’s one more thing that I need to get and I’m picking it up tomorrow morning. Bella ordered a delicious feast.”

“But, I’m making my famous spice cookies and homemade egg nog,” Mom smiled. “I wanted to do more, but Bella said that we needed to enjoy Christmas and not work during Christmas.”

“It’s true. The past few months have sucked. Not gonna lie,” Bella said, sweeping her mess of curls into a ponytail. “I want us to bond as a family, because that’s what we are. A family. No cooking, no stressing, just talking, having fun and exchanging gifts.”

“But, part of the Christmas experience is the cooking and the stressing,” Mom laughed.

“You can do that next year, Elizabeth,” Bella replied, hugging her. “This year, let me spoil you all. Okay?”

Mom kissed Bella’s cheek and got up stiffly. Rose helped her to her feet and guided to where Carlisle and I were standing. Mom looked up at me, wary and unsure. I pushed my anger behind me and I hugged her. “I’m looking forward to your cookies, Mom. They were my favorite.”

“I’m making them just for you, my swe …” she said, cutting abruptly. “My Edward.” She hugged me as tightly as she could, which wasn’t very tight. I kissed her forehead, feeling her shudder against me. “I love you, baby. So much.”

“Love you too, Mom,” I replied. Rose took her hand and they left with Carlisle and Carmen. Bella was bustling around, cleaning up the snacks on the dining room table, along with the mess surrounding it. “It looks like a Christmas ornament exploded in here!”

“We had a little too much fun with the wrapping paper,” Bella giggled. “Your mom told us some stories of you when you were a kid.”

“Not the chimney story,” I groaned, grabbing the garbage can. 

Buying Love Teaser

It was close to nine by the time Carlisle and I finished wrapping our presents. We both were pretty awful. After going through a full roll of wrapping paper, all of it crap, Carlisle drove to a nearby Walgreens and cleaned them out of gift bags and tissue paper.

That was significantly easier, thank you very much.

Placing our bags underneath the tree, Bella, Rose, Carmen, and my mom were all at Bella’s dining room table, laughing and gabbing away. “I think that security is going to be called,” Carlisle deadpanned. “Your cackling can be heard in the lobby.”

“Stop it,” Bella giggled, holding her side. “I think your cursing the wrapping paper could be heard throughout the hotel. How long did you wait before you crumbled?”

“I know where you live, Isabella Marie,” Carlisle warned. “Are we ready for tomorrow?”

“Almost,” Rose replied. “There’s one more thing that I need to get and I’m picking it up tomorrow morning. Bella ordered a delicious feast.”

“But, I’m making my famous spice cookies and homemade egg nog,” Mom smiled. “I wanted to do more, but Bella said that we needed to enjoy Christmas and not work during Christmas.”

“It’s true. The past few months have sucked. Not gonna lie,” Bella said, sweeping her mess of curls into a ponytail. “I want us to bond as a family, because that’s what we are. A family. No cooking, no stressing, just talking, having fun and exchanging gifts.”

“But, part of the Christmas experience is the cooking and the stressing,” Mom laughed.

“You can do that next year, Elizabeth,” Bella replied, hugging her. “This year, let me spoil you all. Okay?”

Mom kissed Bella’s cheek and got up stiffly. Rose helped her to her feet and guided to where Carlisle and I were standing. Mom looked up at me, wary and unsure. I pushed my anger behind me and I hugged her. “I’m looking forward to your cookies, Mom. They were my favorite.”

Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Maple Glaze

Eggnog

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“Kid, I love you and all, but my old legs are fucking killing me,” Carlisle said, rubbing my back. “You may be young and spry, but I’ve got a fake hip that needs to move.”

I pulled back, sitting on my ass and wiping my eyes. “I’m sorry. I’ll go …” I got up and Carlisle dragged me by the arm to the couch in his suite.

“You put your ass on that couch and talk to me about why you’re so upset,” Carlisle said, sitting down next to me. “I mean, I could figure it out that it has to do with Jared, but there’s more.”

“You’re right,” I snorted humorlessly. “I went to my mom first and I just couldn’t get past her abandoning me. I know that I’m working on that, but I’m still struggling. I still have a ton of resentment toward her. Carmen asked me how grieved for my father and I said that I didn’t.”

“Why didn’t you?” Carlisle asked.

“Because I had to take over where my dad left off,” I said, sitting forward and thrusting my hands into my hair. “Mom was useless and we had to make sure that …”

“You became the man of the house,” Carlisle murmured. I nodded, looking at him and trying not to cry again. You’re such a pussy, Edward. It’s no wonder why Charlie hates you. “Your wounds, both physical and emotional, are still so raw right now. It’s going to take a lot of time before you can truly forgive your mom, grieve for your dad, heal from your ordeal and move past all of this. If that’s even possible. There is no magical cure-all for that, Edward. I just know that your mom is probably beating herself up over what she did.”

“She is treating me like I’m still her little boy. Her sweet boy. I’m not that anymore. I’m not sweet,” I spat.

“Bella would disagree. She loved that Christmas picnic you planned for you two,” Carlisle said, his lips curving into a crooked smirk. “That was definitely very sweet.”

“I’m sweet to her because I adore her,” I shrugged. “But, I can’t be the same to my mom. Not after knowing that it was her coping mechanism to shut down and abandon me. I love her, yes, but I can’t go back to the way things were before my dad died. When he died, so did I, when I had to become the person who made decisions for both of us.” I took off my glasses, pinching my nose. “On top of all these feelings with my mom, I’m struggling with the death of Jared and the contents of that envelope.”

“What was it?” Carlisle asked. “Emmett was pretty secretive about the details. I knew that it was a revised will, but that was it …”

“He left me everything, Carlisle,” I breathed. “His house, his car, money in two bank accounts and a life insurance policy. It was all transferred to my name and signed by Marcus Volturi and another witness. He also left me instructions for his death, what he wanted to be done.”

“And what’s that?” Carlisle questioned, his face open and his eyes filled with concern.

 “He wanted to be cremated with a memorial,” I said. “I just don’t think that’s enough!”

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I was chilled to the bone, thanks to my hasty exit to get to Edward after he ran out of the conference room in the Seattle courthouse. Despite taking a long, scalding hot shower, I could not stop shivering. I was wearing leggings, loose pajama pants, a long-sleeved t-shirt, hoodie and covered in a blanket. Edward was in the bathroom and I could hear him crying inside of the shower. The loss of Jared had hit him to the core.

“Here, Bells,” Rose said, handing me a large cup of tea. “Hold it for a few minutes. Maybe it’ll help warm your hands.”

“Thanks,” I replied, taking the tea and wrapping my fingers around the mug. I inhaled it, smiling at the spicy orange flavor she’d chosen. “Rose, I want you to do some digging about Jared. Find out if he has family.”

“Already on it,” Rose smirked. “Carlisle actually beat me to it, using Emmett and his contacts at the Seattle PD. The preliminary findings indicate that Jared was alone in the world. His wife left him when their son died. She disappeared, it seemed. My guess is that she went back to her maiden name and flew across country.”

“What about that family he worked for? The Volturis?” I asked. “Do we know why Jared stopped working for them?”

“Hold on,” Rose said, flipping through her notebook. “Ah, got it. Aro Volturi had to go to Italy to care for his dying father, Caius and his mother, Maria, who suffered a stroke. He’s been in Italy ever since late 2015. Marcus gave Jared the option to stay, but since Marcus preferred to drive himself, Jared left the company and began working for Esme shortly after.”

“Find out as much as you can, Rose. But, I want to help out and pay for the funeral, if no one claims the body,” I sighed, taking a sip of the orange spice tea.

“I’ll make the necessary arrangements,” Rose said. She kissed my cheek and got up. “I’ll leave you with Edward. I don’t want to intrude on whatever is going to happen. If you need anything, I’m just a call away. And take your medicine. I really don’t want you back in the hospital, Isabella Marie.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I said. She kissed my forehead and left me in the living room, looking at the beautifully decorated Christmas tree. I got up from my cocoon of blankets, taking the time to admire the elegant decorations, ornaments and details that Edward chose for our first holiday together. I reached for a crystal ornament of two angels, twined together with their foreheads touching. Half of the angel was a clear, faceted crystal and the other was smooth, but frosted.

“You are the one with the sparkle,” Edward said, his voice somber and gruff. “You always had this glow about you, pulling me in and giving me hope.”

“And the other?” I asked, turning to look at him.

“It’s me, but I’m no angel. My life was dim and lifeless before I met you,” he murmured.

Buying Love Teaser

I was chilled to the bone, thanks to my hasty exit to get to Edward after he ran out of the conference room in the Seattle courthouse. Despite taking a long, scalding hot shower, I could not stop shivering. I was wearing leggings, loose pajama pants, a long-sleeved t-shirt, hoodie and covered in a blanket. Edward was in the bathroom and I could hear him crying inside of the shower. The loss of Jared had hit him to the core.

“Here, Bells,” Rose said, handing me a large cup of tea. “Hold it for a few minutes. Maybe it’ll help warm your hands.”

“Thanks,” I replied, taking the tea and wrapping my fingers around the mug. I inhaled it, smiling at the spicy orange flavor she’d chosen. “Rose, I want you to do some digging about Jared. Find out if he has family.”

“Already on it,” Rose smirked. “Carlisle actually beat me to it, using Emmett and his contacts at the Seattle PD. The preliminary findings indicate that Jared was alone in the world. His wife left him when their son died. She disappeared, it seemed. My guess is that she went back to her maiden name and flew across country.”

“What about that family he worked for? The Volturis?” I asked. “Do we know why Jared stopped working for them?”

“Hold on,” Rose said, flipping through her notebook. “Ah, got it. Aro Volturi had to go to Italy to care for his dying father, Caius and his mother, Maria, who suffered a stroke. He’s been in Italy ever since late 2015. Marcus gave Jared the option to stay, but since Marcus preferred to drive himself, Jared left the company and began working for Esme shortly after.”

“Find out as much as you can, Rose. But, I want to help out and pay for the funeral, if no one claims the body,” I sighed, taking a sip of the orange spice tea.

“I’ll make the necessary arrangements,” Rose said. She kissed my cheek and got up. “I’ll leave you with Edward. I don’t want to intrude on whatever is going to happen. If you need anything, I’m just a call away. And take your medicine. I really don’t want you back in the hospital, Isabella Marie.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I said. She kissed my forehead and left me in the living room, looking at the beautifully decorated Christmas tree. I got up from my cocoon of blankets, taking the time to admire the elegant decorations, ornaments and details that Edward chose for our first holiday together. I reached for a crystal ornament of two angels, twined together with their foreheads touching. Half of the angel was a clear, faceted crystal and the other was smooth, but frosted.

“You are the one with the sparkle,” Edward said, his voice somber and gruff. “You always had this glow about you, pulling me in and giving me hope.”

“And the other?” I asked, turning to look at him.

“It’s me, but I’m no angel. My life was dim and lifeless before I met you,” he murmured. “I don’t know. I saw it on a website and fell in love with it. It was very expensive, but Rose ordered it for me for our tree. I need to pay her back.”

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With the help of my mom, Uncle Peter and some very helpful employees of Swan Towers, Jessica being the most enthusiastic, I had managed to set up a winter wonderland in Bella’s foyer and suite. Rose had mentioned that Bella hadn’t had a proper Christmas since her mother died. Charlie was always too busy with work and Riley, her ex-husband, didn’t believe in any of this. Christmas was one of the few pleasant memories I had and I wanted to recreate that. Granted, Christmas was a few days away, I needed to set up her home for the holidays. I had yet to get her a Christmas present, but I wanted to do this.

In addition to the decorations, I also made some food for us. It wasn’t gourmet, but healthy and filled with protein, which we both needed. Plus, I called down to room service for a dessert tray, filled with tasty morsels of their best desserts. That was in the fridge.

When Bella came back out of her … our bedroom, she looked so innocent and sweet. Her sleek hair had been pulled back into a messy ponytail and her alabaster skin was scrubbed free of the makeup she wore. Her gait was still uneven and her legs still didn’t cooperate at times, but she was getting stronger. Giggling, she sat down and proclaimed that this was the best date ever.

“I beg to differ, Bella. It’s not much,” I blushed.

“Seriously, you don’t know what it’s like. If you’re single, you have to go through all of this bullshit to get a man. Tight skirts, skin-baring tops, makeup and coy flirtation. Being able to enjoy a date at home, in pajamas? That’s fucking awesome,” she smiled. She plucked an olive from the antipasto tray. 

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It was a few days before Christmas. Liam Mackenzie was trying to wrap up the grand jury testimony before the holidays. With all of the witnesses, it was tough. I was scheduled to go this afternoon. I was dressed in a black business suit and a crisp, subtle blouse. I would have killed to wear my black, patent-leather Jimmy Choo platform pumps with this outfit. However, I was still stuck in flats. Edward found them for me on Zappos. They were cute, black with some sort of sparkle, but not my nut-busters.

“Bella, are you almost ready?” asked Uncle Peter.

“Yeah,” I said, smoothing out my hair and picking up my purse. I grabbed my black, polished cane for support. I knew I’d be walking a lot today and I wanted to make sure that I was not going to end up back in the rehab facility. Moving slowly, I walked to the living room. Edward was sitting on the couch, scrolling through his cell phone. He wore a sleek black suit with a light blue shirt and a black and blue paisley tie. His hair was recently cut, since he testified the day previous for the grand jury. When I stumbled over one of the area rugs, Edward hopped up and steadied me with a strong arm and warm grin. “This is really frustrating. I want to walk normally. This suit does not go well with flats!”

“Bella, the jury is not looking at your shoes,” Edward quipped, tucking a hair behind my ear. “They want to hear what you have say about Bitchme.”

“Is the grand jury almost done?” I asked.

“You’re going today. Alice, Jasper and Jared are going tomorrow. However, once we get home, I’ve got a surprise for you,” Edward smirked. “Uncle Peter helped me.”

“Should I be afraid?” I giggled.

“Trembling in your flats,” he snorted. “Come on. Traffic sucks and I don’t want to be late.”

Edward helped me into my red winter coat with matching Burberry scarf. He put on an overcoat, looking some sort of Mafia don. He was so sexy and lithe. Plus, he’d come such a long way in the few weeks that I’ve been home. Granted, almost daily appointments with Dr. Benson and his therapist, Michele, helped him tremendously.

There were still things that Edward freaked out about. He didn’t like to be touched by anyone but me. He also couldn’t wear a belt since it reminded him too much of the whips and chains that he was beaten with. Uncle Peter got him suspenders so his pants for his suits wouldn’t fall down. Edward still harbored a great deal of anger and resentment toward his mother. She was a victim in this, almost as much as he was, but she gave up when he was fourteen, when he needed her the most. Edward did have some huge anger issues. For the most part, he was easy-going, but if something made him pissed, he would stomp around like a bull and things would get broken. Michele is working with him on that, having him use various calming techniques.

Finally, there was the guilt and pain associated with anything sexual. Edward’s introduction to sex was violent and cruel. He knew how to pleasure a woman, but now, the mere thought of doing anything other than kissing, hugging or cuddling, made his stomach churn. Dr. Benson said that was a normal response for someone who underwent such long-term sexual abuse and rape. When the time was right, both Edward and I would go to couple’s therapy. I would do anything for him to ensure that he was happy, healthy and most importantly, safe. 

Edward, looking like a Mafia don

Bella's suit, but in black

Bella's winter coat

Seattle Courthouse

Edward's Christmas Decoration Surprise