This Won't heal( Third Book in; Edward Cullen's Older Sister)

Chapter 11: Bringing the Family Together

Disclaimer:
I do not own the Twilight Saga, or any of the Twilight Characters. I only own my characters and the timeline.
Thank you and love to all who follow this story!❤️

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Elaine's POV
We have a lot going on with our family right now. That much is clear, and this dinner has only magnified that fact.
Alice is going on about Bella and Edward's graduation party. Which is this Saturday after the ceremony. Finally, she switches topics.
"Okay, we need to talk about the elephant in the room."
We all look at each other, not following.
"I didn't know we acquired a pet elephant!" Emmett cracks a joke.
Rose rolls her eyes so hard, I'm afraid that she might hurt herself.
I can't help but chuckle.
Emmett smirks back at me and Alice stomps her foot, making us all give her our attention again.
I pick a little at my salad, as I see Bella take a bite.
My appetite hasn't been the best since I have left the hospital.
"We need to talk about if we're going to postpone the wedding because of Mom's memory loss, or if the show will go on as planned."
Alice says, authority ringing in her voice.
I hadn't thought about the wedding.
With the Vampire army, memory loss, and the disappearance of my daughter, it seems like the least of my concerns.
"Elaine?"
She asks, looking at me with expectant eyes. I want so badly to push it back, to give it my full attention, and to make it so I am at least mentally stable, but Alice looks so hopeful. I find myself nodding and saying,
" I think we should carry on as planned."
Carlisle raises an eyebrow at me, as Alice jumps from her chair and begins to clap. At least someone is satisfied.
"I am going to go get the main dish."
She uses Vampire speed to run to the kitchen, still squealing.
"You just made someone's day, ma'" I hear Jasper smirk.
I roll my eyes but smile a little and look up at him. He's got dark circles under his eyes. It must be hard for him to live with me. My mind has become a dark place, filled with overwhelming and confusing emotions.
Jasper and I have always been so close, I didn't think of how he was doing after the accident.
I've been so selfish.
" Are you sure you don't want to wait?"
He asks, grabbing my hand and squeezing it.
I nod, smiling down at our hands.
"Yeah. If we don't do it now, we never will. "

Edward's POV
I look over to Elaine and Carlisle. They look so in love again, like nothing had threatened to tear them apart just days ago.
I wish I could be that carefree in love. Bella is just so stubborn when it comes to hanging out with the wolf boy, and when she came home the other day with a sprained hand, I almost lost it. The boy tried to kiss her! I wince at the thought.
Elaine was the only one who could stop me from killing him.
"Think about what it would do to Bella."
She had said.
And she was right. God, I hated when she was right, and she was often, like all the time.
I look at Lane. She just looks so tired. So emotionally spent.
"Do you think I'll fall on stage?" Bella asks, as she puts another forkful of salad into her mouth.
Alice put too much dressing on the salad. I can't even eat and I still know that. It's drenched in it.
Bella chews carefully and swallows reluctantly.
There you have it folks, the Cullen's are just as human in family life as anyone else, maybe even more so.
I smirk at Bella who scowls at me.
"No, love. I don't think you'll fall. Just, maybe watch your feet."
I say carefully.
Bella nodded, blushing a little.
Emmett is talking with Jasper about the latest baseball game, Emmett had lost a bet and wanted to make a new one.
Rose was scowling at Bella from across the table, like she usually does.
Carlisle was talking to Elaine about his newest patient, while Lane lazily put salad in her mouth.
Finally, Alice comes out with the main dish for Lane and Bella.
She's tried to bake a casserole of some sort.
Elaine looks down at it, eyeing it for any familiar ingredients.
"It looks so...interesting, Alice."
Elaine says in a happy voice.
Bella nods in agreement.
Alice smiles, proud of her cooking, and cuts both the girls a good helping of casserole.
"It's something I learned from the Cooking Network ."
"Ahhh." Elaine nods.
Then, both girls lift their forks of casserole.
Bella has to try to swallow twice until she successfully gets it down.
Lane, however, decides against trying it, and sets her fork down on the plate again.
No one makes a remark about this. I'm just glad she's eating at all. This is the most I have seen her eat all week.
"How is it, Bells?" Alice asks.
Bella side glances at me, then smiles a little and nods at Alice.
"It's delicious!"
She says in the most convincing voice she can conjure up.
Finally, Elaine speaks up,
"Ali, why don't you go get the pictures of the wedding dresses you liked?"
Alice smiles widely at Elaine and stands up again, pushing her chair away from the table, and gracefully climbing up the stairs.
Elaine stands up quickly, grabs Bella and he plates, and swiftly pours both helpings into the trash. She is just sitting back down when Alice comes bopping back down the steps.
She excitedly sets the huge binder of wedding dress clippings on the table.
Elaine chuckles a little at her anxiousness.
Alice looks at the girls now empty plates.
"Wow! You guys ate so fast! You must have really liked it! Was it good??"
Both Bella and Elaine smile a little too widely, and nod.
Alice tilts her chin up, and smiles widely.
"Now, down to business, mermaid, ball gown, or a two piece?"
Elaine looks at all the clippings of the dresses. She looks for a couple moments, then smiles.
"I like this one."