Honeybee

Chapter Thirty-Eight~Changes

Chapter Thirty-Eight
Changes
Elizabeth Masen
June 3, 2006

"Hear that?" I asked Edythe, who glanced up at me from her spot at the piano. "Edward and Bella are here. She's bound to find out about the new motorcycle. Want to come with me to the garage?"

"I don't want to intrude." She shook her head.

"I was suggesting they might need a buffer." I laughed.

"Oh? Right." Edythe laughed too, following me through the house and out the backdoor...just as Edward raised the garage door, allowing Bella to immediately see Edwards latest purchase.

"What is that?" She gawked at the imposingly red Ducati motorcycle parked by her own motor bike.

"Nothing." Edward dismissed quickly.

"It doesn't look like nothing."

"It's something. It's a motorcycle." Edythe grinned teasingly at her brother.

"Thank you so much, dear sister. I was unaware." He frowned at her. "Hello to you both. Why are you here?"

"Oh, don't be cross." I frowned at him. "Edythe and I were simply curious to see what Bella thought of your purchase."

"Well." Edward grimaced, turning back to Bella in order to explain himself. "I didn't know if you were going to forgive Jacob, or he you,
and I wondered if you would still want to ride your bike anyway. It sounded like it was something that you enjoyed. I thought I could go with you, if you wished." He shrugged, trying to act casually about it.

"I wouldn't be able to keep up with you." Bella murmured, frowning unhappily towards the bike.

"I'd keep pace with you, Bella."

"That wouldn't be much fun for you."

"Of course it would, if we were together."

"Edward, if you thought I was going too fast or losing control of the bike or something, what would you do?"

Intervene, of course. That was the whole point, wasn't it? Bella's motorcycle driving was fun because it was risky, something that Edward doesn't allow for is risk. Of course it would upset her to be hovered over in yet another way.

Edward glanced at me then, seemingly hearing my thoughts, and he nodded discretely before addressing Bella again.

"This is something you do with Jacob. I see that now." He relented graciously.

"It's just that, well, I don't slow him down so much, you know. I could try, I guess..."

"Don't worry about it." Edward assured her quickly. "Edythe just recently learned to drive a car, perhaps she's interested in having another method of travel? One a little less conspicuous than drifting in Carlisle's Mercedes?" Edward grinned crookedly at his sister.

"Don't tempt me with a good time, brother dearest." Edythe grinned back, just as crookedly cute as her twin.

"I'll teach you later then." He promised her. "Now, if Bella and I could have some peace, she'll miss her plans if we don't get moving."

"Of course." I agreed. "It was nice to see you, as always, Bella. Come along Edythe, back to the piano with you." I ushered her inside, laughing at the irony of my words.

I used to have to wrangle Edward to the piano for his lessons as a boy, the idea of me playfully doing so with Edythe a century later was dreadfully funny to me.

"Back to the Irish lullaby?" Edythe asked, sitting at the grand piano eagerly.

"Actually, I'm curious, what did you learn to play as a human?" I asked her, taking a seat beside her.