This Is Who I Am

Chapter Twenty-Three

Edward's P.O.V

Bella stops the car on a very unfamiliar driveway. Ava claps happily from her car seat and chants she can't wait to see Uncle Jake... whoever he is. Bella takes off her seatbelt and gets out of the car. She helps Ava out of her car seat and sets her on her feet. Ava wastes no time in running toward the front door of the small home we find ourselves at and opens the door. I don't notice Bella rounding the car and opening my door until she's kneeling right beside me.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" She asks.

I nod, but I still feel uncertain. "Yeah, yeah. It's just... does your brother like me?"

Bella chuckles. "Yeah, it took him a while to get used to you but we managed. I think we can manage again."

I nod, again. "I can manage... I can."

Bella nods in response. "Okay. Then should we head inside?"

I take off my seatbelt, puffing out my cheeks and take her hand in mine. Bella leads me down the drive way until we reach the door, I stop. I hear chatter. I can hear Ava chatting happily, followed by a giggle. There's more voices, older voices that talk calmly and in sync. Bella gives me a encouraging squeeze before pulling me inside the house. It's surprisingly small but how big of a house would an old couple need? We cross the living room, a room full of pictures alike Bella's. I stop at a particular one. There's a picture of me and Bella. We're on a yard, I'm kneeling in front of her and kissing her pregnant belly. Bella looks down at me lovingly with one hand over her belly and the other in my hair.

That picture alone tugs something inside me.

"Welcome back, Edward."

I look up from the picture. In the entry way of the kitchen stands an older women, almost the exact replica as Bella except for the eyes. I remember seeing her the day Bella and I met off by the side of the road. She was a way older version of her, wrapped in a old cardigan and her chestnut hair pulled over her shoulder. She smiles at me kindly and her eyes begin to water. I watch her walk toward me and with her eyes, she asks permission for a hug. All I can manage is a nod. Bella steps aside and allows her mother to wrap her arms around me, pulling me in a tight hug. She lets a small sigh and pulls away, cupping my face between her hands.

"It's so good to have you back."

"It... um..." I clear my throat, trying to swallow back the knot in my throat. "It feels good to be back."

The woman smiles kindly and pulls back. Behind her,  grown man wheels in what I can assume is Bella's father with Ava on his lap. The man in the chair smiles kindly, almost like his wife and reaches out for my hand.

"Daddy, this is grandpa Charlie," Ava says and turns to her grandfather. "Pawpa, my daddy's chip doesn't work."

"I know that sweetie." The man kisses Ava's head and looks back at me. "It's very good to have you back, son. You have been greatly missed."

Before I can say anything, the man that rolled him in rolls his eyes and walks around his father. "Enough with this emotional crap. It's good to have you back, Edward." He shakes my hand roughly. "We've been through this before but I don't mind doing it again. I'll be watching you, little man, that's my sister-"

"Jacob." Bella chuckles and steps in. "We aren't dating anymore."

I frown at that. "We aren't?"

Ava laughs this time. "Silly Daddy, you and Mommy married."

"Oh." I forgot about that.

Bella's mother lays her hand on my shoulder. "You two must be hungry, should we head to the backyard?"