After Forever (a Twilight Saga fanfiction: 10 years after Breaking Dawn)

29 ∘ Moving Day (BPOV)

October 3rd 2016

“Renèe, where do you want this?” Edward asked my mom as I walked past them out the door.

I smiled to myself, beyond happy at how effortlessly they got along already.

“Hey,” Edward said, coming up behind me. He took an end of her couch, and gestured for me to take the other. He could easily get it himself, but we had to put on a show for my mother.

Emmett had just left, claiming him and Rose had date night. Renèe adored him.

He was easily lovable. After Alice, he was the first one I fell in love with when I joined this family.

Alice and Jasper painted most of the walls yesterday while Edward and I spent the day with my mom.

Hearing her voice, her laugh... being with her again... I feel like I’ve reached the peak of happiness. I finally had a full family again. It’s bigger than I ever thought it could be.

“Goodness, you guys!” Renèe gasped as we walked back in with the couch over our shoulders. “I could have helped with that. Here, set it down.”

I chuckled. “It’s nothing, Mom.”

“Are you nuts? You’re a skinny little thing. You’ll get a hernia.”

“Is this good?” I rolled my eyes, and nudged the sofa closer to the fireplace.

“It’s perfect.” She sighed. “Thank you for doing this with me, honey.”

“Of course. We’re happy to help.” I rested my hand on her arm for a second. She barely flinched at my temperature, and even though she tried to hide it, I pulled away immediately. “It’s getting late. You should get some rest. What time should I come back tomorrow?”

“Maybe noon?”

I nodded, taking Edward’s hand. “I’ll bring Renesmee. I love you.”

Her face lit up. “I love you, Bella. Goodnight, Edward.”

“Sleep well, Renèe.” He smiled at her.

I let go of his hand once we shut the front door behind us, jogging off to the car. He was already in the passenger seat when I opened the driver’s side. With no neighbors for half a mile, we were free to be ourselves here—when my mother’s back was turned.

Peeling onto the main road, I reached to click on the stereo. Edward and I hummed along to his CD.

“How many more decisions does Jacob need to help us with on the house?” I asked, thrumming my fingers to the slow beat on the steering wheel.

“Just a few. Mainly decorations.”

“I doubt he’d care about that. Renesmee probably would, and we know what she likes.”

“That’s true,” he allowed, nodding.

I turned into our driveway, skidding to a stop in front of the garage. Edward scoffed as we stepped out.

“Something funny?” I asked.

“I’ll never get tired of saying ‘I told you so.’”

“Well, I’m already tired of hearing it. You made your point. I like fast cars now. It’s not a big deal.”

”I beg to differ.” He wrapped his arms around my waist, then pulled me up into his arms.

I took the opportunity to flip myself over his shoulder, momentarily catching him off guard. I kissed his cheek as I linked my limbs around his torso. “Gotcha.” I giggled.

“You little minx.”

He was about to reach around his arm to grab me, but I wrestled him down and we landed roughly on the ground. I landed on top of him, pinning his arms down. His white shirt was blackened with dirt.

“Too slow,” I chortled.

“Oh, really?” He raises his eyebrows, and I braced myself for impact.

We wrestled playfully for a few minutes before we ended up losing our breath from laughter. As we calmed down, a new wave of emotion rushed over me.

My lips crashed onto his, and his fingers tangled in my hair.

I forgot we weren’t in the privacy of our home when someone with a deep voice cleared his throat. Edward groaned with annoyance as I unlocked my mouth from his, looking up to see Jacob.

I wasn’t embarrassed until I saw my daughter standing next to him. In one swift motion, I unwrapped myself from Edward, dragged him up with me, then straightened my clothing.

Edward sighed. “Can we help you?”

“Just making sure you knew where you were.” Jake shrugged. “You have a whole house, ya know.”

Nessie giggled, heading up the steps to the main house. Jacob quickly followed her.

They sat on the couch and Edward held my hand as I leaned against the wall.

“How’s Renèe?” Renesmee wondered, picking up the T.V. remote and passing it to Jake. Her voice stumbled over the name—I didn’t think she knew what to call her yet.

Renesmee hadn’t grown up with my mom, and she already had a grandmother on Charlie’s side: Sue.

“She’s good.” I smiled.

Edward nodded. “The house is almost done. This is her first time spending the night there.”

“I’m going back tomorrow afternoon, Ness, if you wanna come with me?” I asked her.

“Okay.”

She was now focusing on the movie Jacob picked, so I went to the kitchen to make them dinner.

After opening the fridge, Edward slid his fingers down my arm, stopping to wrap his hand around mine. He pulled me backwards, and his lips landed on my neck.

I chuckled. “What are you doing?”

“We were interrupted earlier.”

“I’m a little busy,” I sighed, but couldn’t help myself from leaning into him. “And our daughter is in the next room.”

“She’s distracted,” he countered.

“As am I. I’m supposed to be feeding her.”

“She prefers blood, anyway.”

“Jacob doesn’t.”

“He’s a grown man, he can feed himself.”

I shut the refrigerator door, and turned to face him. He shoved me against the wall—though not hard enough for me to crack the plaster. I ran my hands under his shirt, undoing a few buttons in the process.

Before I knew what was happening, he carried me out the door and toward our cottage.