Bring Him Home Chapter 31

The discussion was cut short when the rest of my guests arrived, Judy and Esme first closely followed by Edward, Emmett and Carlisle. Luckily everyone knew at least two other people in the room so it wasn't an awkward affair where I had to introduce everyone and try and at least get the conversation started as well as pay hostess, chef, waitress and coat check.

Carlisle sought me out in the kitchen and stood at my side as I started to get the serving bowls out of the warmer.

"Bella before everything gets underway can I have a minute please? I don't seem to have had a chance to talk to you since the hospital and I know I haven't even said thank you for everything you've done for my family."

Before I could say anything he swept me into his arms and held me in the first proper cuddle I'd had in years. I really couldn't remember the last time my Dad had held me and that made me sad.

"Thank you Bella, for giving me back my son, my family, part of my heart and my peace of mind" I heard him sniff and I knew if I looked up both of us would be crying here amongst the saucepans.

"Carlisle your son did the hard work, I just helped him along a little, but thank you for your kind words, I'm just glad I could help you all" I said returning the hug, he looked in just as much need as I was.

"Hey hey hey old man, stop hogging the chef, some of us need feeding today you know" I let go and turned to Emmett who was standing in the doorway, he had obviously overheard our conversation as he was smiling and nodding.

"Bella what you did was incredible, we won't ever forget that, but for now I'm wasting away and the smells coming from in here are amazing woman so can we eat?"

After several years of Rosalie and her sarcasm I was able to deal with Emmett, so after throwing my serving cloth at him and telling him to go and make sure everyone was seated, I turned back to Carlisle.

"I will do whatever I can to help him or you, so please remember that, just ask if you need anything"

Carlisle smiled and very tenderly leaned forward and placed a kiss on my forehead, "I promise I will ask if I need anything" he said as he turned and went back to the table.

It only took a couple of minutes to get everything onto people's plates, I asked Carlisle to carve and for a second I watched as the three men all made eye contact.

"It's been a long time since I've carved a turkey at a full dinner table, but I'd be honoured and here's hoping it won't be so many years before I do it again" he said as he discreetly wiped his eyes.

After that we settled into a really long lunch, conversation flowed, wine was drunk and everyone got on really well. I watched as new friendship s were formed, Edward and Jasper were chatting away as were Carlisle and Esme. Even though there was an age gap between those two I could already see the little sparks coming off both of them. I loved the idea of the two of them together and made a mental note to make sure she was at the next case conference we did for Cullen Inc.

Edward and Jasper on the other hand were a surprise, but I realised that I had no idea of the ‘old' Edward, the college guy, the man before whatever had happened, happened. I hoped this was maybe the start of him getting back to some normalcy.

Rosalie was sat on Emmett's lap which didn't surprise me, they were having to catch up after spending quite a bit of time apart. Emmett was now back at the gym and it had surprised me that Rosalie hadn't just moved on and found another bed mate, she had been surprisingly quiet lately and I realised she hadn't actually mentioned anything about her nightly activities and exploits for a while. Maybe just maybe Emmett was going to be the one to curtail her a little.

Alice and Judy were talking shop; I could hear them discuss the latest campaign Alice was fronting. It was being put together for a local charity that wanted to bring in more volunteers and awareness and was close to Judy's heart, she actually spent a lot of her spare time helping them and she had drafted Esme in as well.

I sat back and looked around the table at all these people, all of them with family and friends, lovers or partners and once again it struck me just how lonely you can be even in amongst a large group of people. I couldn't help but glance over to Edward and wonder if this was how he felt when he was alone and on the streets.

I shook my head and gave myself a mental slap, how could I compare how I lived to what he had just been through. With that I stood away from the table and started to clear the plates, I brought in the deserts and Rosalie took charge of serving them while I filled the dishwasher and started the coffee.

I was in a world of my own as I rinsed the dishes and stacked them in the machine, so I was startled when someone put down a pile of serving dishes on the counter next to me.

"I'm sorry Bella I didn't mean to startle you, I thought you'd heard me" Edward said as he reached to comfort me but stopped himself before actually making bodily contact.

"It's ok I was miles away" I said smiling at him, he looked so well these days, all traces of the person I'd shouted at in the rain that day were gone.

"Can I do anything to help?" he asked.

"No I'm fine but you may want to get back in there before all the dessert goes, I made them especially for you and your sweet tooth" I told him.

"Yes and if I eat them I'm just going to have to listen to Emmett go on and on about my calorific intake against my burn rate in the gym" he half smiled.

"I don't think you will have to worry about that today"  I pointed out to the table behind him to show him that Rosalie was feeding Emmett great big spoons full of my fresh cream trifle.

"Do you have any ice cream?" he asked "I seem to be craving it all the time at the moment"

"Of course help yourself, there is some in the freezer"

"Bella there are five different flavours in here" he said as he looked around the freezer door at me.

"Of course there is, a different flavour dependent on my mood"

He looked at me as though I were mad but shrugged his shoulders and bought out the plain vanilla and the peanut butter and salted caramel swirl.

"So a convert I see, I knew you would love it" I teased him.

"So what mood do you have to be in to eat Peanut Butter ice cream" he asked as I passed him a spoon

" I eat that when I'm happy" I told him honestly as I watched him put a spoonful in his mouth.

His eyes closed as he savoured the flavour and stayed closed until I saw him swallow the ice cream down. The action had a surprising reaction for me, it made me go warm and things tingled that I didn't really realise could.

As his eyes opened he filled the spoon again but this time passed it to me, my lips closed around the ice cream and I pulled back never once taking my eyes of him.

"Happiness yes I can see that" he said as he stood watching me.

The spell was finally broken by Emmett saying something to Rosalie and the whole table breaking out in laughter.

"Bella, will you have dinner with me one night this week please?"

I was only half listening I was trying to hear to what Emmett was saying but my focus returned to him instantly as I made sure just what he had said, "Dinner are you sure?"

He looked at me as though he had misread the situation and started to pull away.

Put this right Swan now, I said as groped for the right words to say

"I ‘d loved to have dinner with you Edward"

That was obviously what he wanted to hear as his face lit up and his smile widened before he pushed another spoonful of ice cream into his mouth.

"Is tomorrow too soon?" he asked as soon as he had savoured the latest mouthful.

"No tomorrow's fine, do you want to meet at the restaurant or..." I left the decision to him, he'd been jumpy enough when we went for lunch.

"I'll come and pick you up here, say 7.30pm "he looked at me for approval so I nodded.

"Where are we going, an ice cream parlour?" I asked him with a big smile on my face.

"Don't tempt me, I really can't get enough of it at the moment.  No I have my car back on the road so I thought we might take a drive somewhere and eat out, is that ok?"

"That's a great idea Edward and I'm already looking forward to it".

I couldn't help myself, I knew I was pushing things but I leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek, it was just a quick peck, almost innocent, but his reaction was confusing, he pulled back instantly, so much so that he physically stepped back away from me.

I was hurt and it must have shown on my face because Edward reacted with in seconds.

"Sorry I'm a little bit out of practice with social situations, Erm perhaps we should get back to the others, they'll be wondering where we are".

With that he turned and walked back to the table with my ice cream. I stood for a moment and tried to work out what had just happened but I knew until he was ready to tell me there was nothing I could do. I got the coffee cups together along with sugar and cream and shouted for someone to come and get the tray for me.

Carlisle appeared almost instantly with an empty trifle dish and cheesecake plate.

"I hope you weren't hoping for dessert Bella, this lot cleared it before I realised no one had saved you anything."

"it's okay Carlisle don't worry" I said as I grabbed the coffee pot to follow him in.

"Bella forgive me if I'm speaking out of turn but I just wanted to say, please give Edward the time and space he needs. He has had a very rough six years and that is not counting the incidents that actually set all this mess off, he needs to get back into the swing of his life and try and sort out his future path"

I reacted almost without thinking

"Carlisle are you asking me not to go to dinner with him tomorrow because if you are I'm not sure that I can do that. Edward needs his friends around him and I want to be his friend so I will spend time with him if he wants me to"

The smile on Carlisle's face grew as he looked at me, "So he has asked you already has he? Good well that's better than I expected, I actually meant to say don't give up on him, but it seems I made a mess of that, in future I will keep my nose out".

With that he put the crockery down on the side, turned and walked back to the table.

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 Judy drop me a message and let me know please , I've looked but just can't see them. Thanks xx