Folktale

Epilogue

Bella's P.O.V

Edward and I spent the morning in the attic before Toby woke up. Since the move and the two hour difference between Chicago and Forks, his sleep schedule is something he's having a hard time getting used to, but thankfully now that he sleeps in, it gave us the early morning the next day to go through everything in the attic.

It was almost like a cleansing ritual for us. Going through our past lives, relishing on the memories not many people got to do.

"Aw, look at this!"

I show him the painting I found in the box he brought from Carlisle's estate. It's a painting of him as a little boy, probably around five or six, and he looks so much like Toby. Edward's modern day childhood is nonexistent, but to have something when he was a little boy brought me joy.

Edward takes the painting from me and smiles at it fondly. "I remember this," he said, running his fingers through the canvas. "I could hardly sit still for the artist. I drove my mother mad."

I take it from him. "And now it's mine."

"You're not seriously keeping that."

"I am. We have no pictures of your childhood and you were really adorable as a little boy." I put the painting safely by my side and smirk. "It'll have a nice spot next to the bed."

Edward chuckles and pulls out my picture I found in his box. "Then I'm keeping this."

"I still look like that!" I protest. "It's my exact face."

"Why yes it is, but there is something about that burgundy dress that drove me mad," he smirks.

I roll my eyes. "It looks like I have to invest into more burgundy outfits."

Edward shrugs. "I have no problem with that."

The next thing I pulled out was his family portrait. Edward sees this and scoots closer to me, his eyes locked on the painted image of his parents. I can't imagine how it must be for him. My parents at least had to opportunity to say their goodbyes and bury their daughter, but from what he told me, his parents lived with the idea that their son murdered a young girl and they never saw him again. There was never closure for them.

"Do you regret it?" I ask. "Not being able to have said goodbye to them?"

Edward shakes his head. "No, I don't. I've made my peace with it, Bella. I know that if I do ever see them again, it'll all be okay."

I take his hand in mine and give him a gentle squeeze.

"It will."

We spent the morning going through the attic, sorting everything we were going to donate to the antique shops and everything we were never going to open again. It was bitter sweet. There was that sense of reminiscing. Everything, from my childhood up to my teens, it was up there. But I didn't want to hold onto it. There is a reason why, if rebirth is real, people don't actually remember their past lives. I wanted us to move on without holding onto our past. No more.

My fingers trace over my locket that lays on my chest and I look at Edward, who is stacking the boxes we're going to take. No more.

"Hey, I think we should go for a hike today," I say.

"Hike where?" He asked.

I smile. "You'll see. Let's go before lunch, okay? I'm gonna go see if Toby is awake."

* * *

Trying to put shoes on a hyper little boy should be considered an Olympic sport. I often wonder where did Toby get all his energy from, I was never this hyper when I was younger and... well, Edward's childhood we'll keep a mystery.