Chapter 2

~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~

Chapter 2

"So tell me again how this works," Edward spoke to the angel beside him.

They had weathered the storm and were now circling around O'Hare airport waiting for their turn to land. Seth informed Edward they would be in the air for at least another thirty minutes and he had already learned not to question what the big man said.

"What's so hard to figure out, Eddie?" Seth chuckled at him as he crossed his large leg over the other and regarded Edward with a grin. "I am always right, you are always wrong, and it would be in your best interest to do everything I say."

Edward scoffed at that statement and then settled back in his seat. "That is not what I meant and you know it. How do I go about this fixing things business? I'm just supposed to show up out of the blue and approach people whom years ago I did something wrong to?"

"Oh, Eddie, my boy, if only it were that easy!" Seth bellowed, and Edward scowled at him.

Being laughed at was certainly not something Edward Cullen was accustomed to, and he didn't enjoy it, not in the least.

"Well then, because apparently we've got time, why don't you just tell me what the plan is so I can get started," he grouched.

Seth regarded Edward for a moment and knew that he was about to burst Edward's self-deluded little bubble. If he thought a simple 'I'm sorry,' was going to work, he was very sadly mistaken. Seth chuckled softly to himself, poor Edward. He sure was in for a rather rude awakening.

"Edward Anthony, just off the top of my head, you have to work on repairing your relationship with your employees, your colleagues, your friends, the few you have managed to hang on to, your brother, your parents and most importantly, your wife," Seth ticked off, and smiled when the look of utter disgust crossed young Edward's face.

"You're telling me I have to do all that, plus others?" Edward cried pitifully. He shook his head and looked out the window. "No way," he stated unequivocally. "I won't do it. No way, no how. You said I had the option of free will, didn't you?" he challenged as he whipped his head around to stare at the man. "Well, I am exercising my right to say no," Edward said crossly.

"Then I guess I should best be on my way," Seth said with a sigh. "I had such high hopes for you, too, Edward Anthony Cullen. Give my regards to your lovely wife," Seth said as he gave Edward one last look.

God damn it! Edward thought fiercely to himself. He didn't want to have to make a fool out of himself to all those people by apologizing. Who's to say he did anything wrong in the first place? he stubbornly asked himself. But no matter how vehemently he tried to argue against it, he knew deep down that he owed apologies, more than apologies actually, to all those Seth had named.

And those were just the tip of the iceberg!

"Wait," Edward said resignedly. "Damn it, just wait!" he said again as he hung his head and rested it in his hands. "I'll do it. Whoever I need to make amends with, I will. It's time," he went on. "I know it is, but I'll need help."

"Edward, my boy, it's not like I'm sending you into the lion's den all alone. It's my job to help you, so no worries my young friend. While you might feel like you've gone a round or two with Muhammad Ali, great man by the way, it will be worth it in the end." Seth laughed heartily and filled his seat once more.

"Shit," Edward muttered to himself and hunched down in his seat like a petulant little child as he thought about the agonizing process he was about to undertake. Going over a quick mental list, he discerned there would be some amends that would be easier and quicker to make than others. He couldn't decide whether to approach those first and get them out of the way, or save them for last and start on the hard ones first.

Cursing his inability to continue blindly living the way he had been, Edward faced Seth once more. "So, any suggestions on where to start first?"

"Ah, well, the lovely Isabella Marie," Seth said giddily.

At the mention of his wife's name, Edward was once again filled with a sense of warmth and longing that took him by surprise. He was really, unexpectedly, looking forward to going home to see her.

"Why Isabella first?" Edward questioned as another glass of the miraculous amber liquid appeared on the tray in front of him.

Seth gazed at Edward, his icy blue eyes intense and said seriously, "She is the key to it all, Edward Anthony. Isabella is essential to your path to redemption. Without her, your efforts to correct your past deeds mean nothing. She is, without a doubt, the greatest gift you have ever been given, but she is also the one who you've wronged the most."

His words had a ring of truth to them that Edward found hard to dispute as they prickled uncomfortably at his conscience. Years of living in denial behind his carefully constructed walls, however, were not easy to shake. Edward knew he was a less than ideal husband, but that didn't stop him from wanting to deny both his feelings of guilt, and Seth's seemingly altruistic motives. Hell, no one in their right mind ever wanted to admit that they'd been wrong, and Edward Cullen was certainly no different. For years it had been easier to try to convince himself that Isabella was just another pretty face, even if deep down he knew there was much more to her than that. He was quite the master at keeping up the cool, aloof façade.

"Why is she so important? She's nothing out of the ordinary. A beautiful woman to be sure, but there's not much else there," Edward said dismissively with a wave of his hand and swig of his drink while all the while he cursed his subconscious for yelling at him for such a bold-faced lie.

Seth scoffed at him and shook his head. "Deluded fool. That is what you are, Eddie. Tell me, what exactly do you know about your bride of five years?"

Edward took another drink of the delicious scotch and enjoyed the warmth that spread through his body. "She's not much. Isabella, like I said, is a very beautiful woman. Anyone could tell you that. She's a good wife and when I need someone on my arm at a function or an event, she's the perfect decorative accessory. She's good in bed when I need to have sex. She seems to enjoy it, too, which I'm not fool enough to discount. She takes care of the house and takes care of herself. She is an excellent editor and seems to have a real knack for finding diamonds in the rough, which from a business sense, is most appreciated. All in all, she fulfills all of her duties more than satisfactorily, so I don't have any complaints."

Lies, all of it. Edward knew full well the amazing woman his wife was. The fact that he was an idiot and terrified of his own feelings for her notwithstanding, Isabella was truly the best person he'd ever met in his life. Knowing that, and still acting like the cold bastard he usually was with her, was almost criminal.

"Ah, I see," Seth said in a voice that had an undercurrent Edward couldn't describe. "Tell me, what do you think she does with her days when she is not editing her 'diamonds in the rough' for you and your company?"

Edward gave the question passing consideration before he answered. "I imagine she shops, has lunches with her girlfriends, reads her novels. I know she works out every day, and I also know she goes to Mass frequently. Other than that, not much. Like I said, there isn't much substance to her."

While it was true he didn't know what she did with her time when they weren't together or she wasn't at work, shopping and having long lunches did not seem like his wife. Why he was trying to lie to an angel, who he was positive could see right through his bullshit, he had no idea.

Self-preservation? Blind hope? Foolish wishes? Any of those would do, but still Edward stubbornly refused to admit anything.

"So she fits what you need her to be?" Seth asked pointedly and Edward nodded his head in the affirmative.

"Edward, Edward," Seth sighed. "How someone that possesses the extreme intelligence that God granted you and still be so clueless or purposefully obtuse is totally beyond even my advanced comprehension."

"What in the hell are you talking about?" Edward demanded, affronted at the implied insult.

Seth shook his head at his young charge again and leaned in close to him. While it was true that no one could see or hear him except for Edward, he needed to convey what he was about to say with the utmost certainty. "Edward Anthony Cullen, in all of my years, and they are too numerous to count, I have never, ever encountered anyone as oblivious as you. You know nothing about Isabella Marie, nothing."

"What do you I mean I don't know anything about her? I've been married to the woman for five years, of course I know her," Edward stated, ignoring the pangs in his subconscious that tried to tell him that maybe he didn't, not really.

Edward knew he didn't know all there was to know about her, though. He held back just enough from her to protect himself and to keep himself from getting too close to her.

"You don't, and the fact that you don't..." Seth said with a glare that caused Edward to shrink away from the large man. "...makes you, and pardon my language, an asshole. And not just an asshole, but quite possibly the world's biggest asshole in the history of assholes," the angel stated with feeling.

"What it comes down to is this, Eddie; you don't know Isabella at all and because you don't, you don't have any idea how incredibly lucky you really are," Seth said decisively.

"I'm not an asshole," Edward grumbled querulously.

Seth snorted in response to his outburst but didn't say anything else for he could tell his assignment was deep in thought as he tried to find the hole in Seth's argument. Knowing he wouldn't be able to, Seth sat back in his seat, though the motion was completely unnecessary.

Being an angel had its advantages, and not having to be confined to set spaces was certainly near the top of the list, but he sat anyway.

Edward Cullen was certainly going to test him and his incredible abilities, Seth was sure. The man had years upon years of walls built up around himself and he hoped Isabella Marie had the fortitude to break through every last one of them. Seth knew, fully, the incredible woman Isabella Marie Swan Cullen was, having helped direct her toward Edward in the first place, but even at that, Seth couldn't help but be anxious that she would fail in her attempts.

Seth glanced at Edward again and smiled to himself as he watched the space between Edward's eyebrows dip due to the deep frown on his face. Yep, Seth thought happily, he was indeed trying to dispute Seth's observations but so far he hadn't been able to discount them at all.

Yes, Edward Anthony Cullen was going to be one tough nut to crack but Seth was going to do his damnedest to ensure that Edward was able to, when the time came, leave this world happy and most importantly at peace. He deserved no less after the heartache and pain he'd had to endure, most of which was still buried in the fortress where his heart also resided.

Isabella Swan Cullen certainly had her work cut out for her.

Edward shifted in his seat uncomfortably, alternating between wanting to hurry home to see his wife and dreading seeing her at the same time. Was he that big of a blind asshole that he truly had no idea who Isabella really was? he thought to himself over and over. Was he that wrapped up in his own life and his own pursuits that he didn't even bother to pay attention to the comings and goings of his own wife? Edward groaned and then shifted again as he realized the answers to both of those fucking questions was a resounding yes.

"Son of a bitch," Edward hissed lowly and hung his head when Seth laughed at him. A full, belly-rumbling laugh.

"Damn angel," Edward muttered to himself.

"It's not a pleasant thought is it, Eddie?" Seth asked rhetorically.

"So tell me about her. Tell me what I've missed by being, as you so eloquently put it, the world's biggest asshole," Edward demanded as he looked out the window and wondered how much longer until they would be cleared for landing.

Edward didn't want to admit it, but he believed, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the plane would have crashed if Seth hadn't been there to intervene. It was a chilling thought and he thought, again, how utterly ridiculous it was that it took a near-death experience to make him face some unwelcome facts.

"We only have about fifteen more minutes until the pilot will get the all clear to land," Seth answered the silent question and Edward focused his much practiced glare at Seth.

"I thought you said you couldn't read my mind," Edward said accusingly.

Seth waved his hand dismissively and said, "We can't, but I am very good at reading people and your body language is screaming your dichotomous position. You want to go home and see your lovely bride but at the same time you are terrified of facing her knowing what you know now."

Edward refused to answer, which in turn spoke more clearly than words ever could, though Seth decided to let that observation pass without comment. He decided to instead talk a bit about his most favorite human, Isabella Marie.

"Isabella is perhaps, one of the most brilliant people you will ever meet, man or woman," Seth began quietly. "She is also one of the kindest, most gentle ones as well. She has a wicked sense of humor and she could beat just about anyone you know, including you, at soccer as well as golf," he went on and raised his eyebrow at the snort of disbelief Edward let forth.

"Are you sure you have the right Isabella? I'll give you the kind and gentle, but as for the rest, that is not my wife," Edward said to the angel.

Edward remembered during their time before they became engaged, Isabella speaking of her soccer playing days. He also recalled the look of longing she had on her face when she would recall a game or spending time with her father at the soccer fields playing and practicing. Christ, he really could be a self-absorbed ass couldn't he? he thought derisively to himself.

"I most certainly have the correct Isabella, Edward Anthony. All of what I have told you is true, and you would know it yourself if you wouldn't have been so focused on conquering her and instead got to know her and let's not even discuss your fear of intimacy," Seth calmly replied and grinned in satisfaction when Edward had the grace to look sufficiently chagrined.

"And as for your absurd statements about Isabella spending her time going to lunch and shopping, well I should knee you in the groin for making such a callous remark," Seth said disgustedly.

"You can do that?" Edward fearfully asked, truly afraid of the pain such a gesture would bring about. The fact that he deserved it didn't really help, either.

"I could," Seth said succinctly. "But I won't, at least not this time. Let's get something straight, boy, before I fill you in on the incredibleness that is your wife. I may be an otherworldly being who has been sent to help you find your redemption, but that does not mean that I won't kick your ass if it comes right down to it," the large man growled to Edward. "I am quite sure I don't fit into the mold of what you believe my kind to typically be, which I am quite positive is why I was the one chosen for this task. You are an ass and a selfish bastard, Edward Anthony Cullen, and I won't hesitate to tell you as often as I see fit. Do you understand where I'm coming from?" Seth questioned with a quirk of his eyebrow.

What the hell had he gotten himself into? Edward wondered. Jesus, he did not relish the thought of having a continued presence reminding him of what an asshole he'd been. He briefly considered whether or not this whole endeavor was worth all this unpleasantness in the end.

"It's worth it, Edward," Seth said as he watched his companion.

Rather than try to decipher again how the being knew what he was thinking, Edward responded back honestly, "Yes, I imagine that it is."

"Now with the brief time we have left before I have to help the pilot land this monstrosity let me tell you more about the fair Isabella. She is, as you know, the best editor you have in your employ. She is amazingly in tune with what readers will respond to and she is an extremely talented writer in her own right. You know perfectly well Isabella has never been one to just casually shop for clothes, which you can most assuredly be able to tell from your bank account. The both of you have more than plenty of money that she could easily live the life of leisure you assume she does, if she chose to do, which we both know she does not. When she is not working either at home or at the office, you can usually find her in one of two places. Isabella volunteers as a tutor at an elementary school in Evanston for underprivileged children where she is the most beloved of all the volunteers. She bakes cookies for the children and reads to them and helps the older ones with their homework. If she is not at the school then you can find her outside in her garden. Isabella spends time with her mother and grandmother and even occasionally your mother and sister-in-law. Between her work, volunteer work, and her gardening, there isn't much free time left for her to have lunches or shop as you so idiotically said. She is a self-sufficient woman, Edward, and one that has been neglected by you for far too long."

Edward shook his head as he tried to process all of that information. There was no way, no way in hell he had misjudged her so horribly…was there?

Apparently he had because everything in him screamed that Seth was telling him nothing but the absolute truth, besides angels can't lie. Seth had told him so. Which meant that yes, he was indeed, the biggest asshole in the history of the world. Not to mention that whole neglectful, scared thing he had going on as well.

"Oh, and one more tidbit to leave you with before I must concentrate on getting us safely to the ground," Seth said as he shrewdly regarded Edward. "Isabella Marie loves you with her entire being. You are the center of her universe and though you have spent the past five years with your head so far up your ass you needed an angel to help you see the light so to speak, she loves you even more today than she did the day she gave herself to you."

With that, Seth closed his eyes to concentrate on helping the dangerously inexperienced pilot land the large aircraft. If humans knew how hard angels had to work on a daily basis to protect them from things like this, it would be a miracle if anyone flew ever again.

Though the lightning and thunder had stopped, the winds were still howling and it was apparent to Edward that the pilot had not one fucking clue as to what he was doing. Because of that, he kept quiet and let Seth work his…magic or whatever the hell it was, so that he could go home to his wife. Edward glanced around the first class cabin and noticed that, without fail, everyone had begun to worry about making it to the ground safely and as the plane pitched forward once again, he heard a collective gasp from the passengers. Finally he heard the sound of the landing gear being lowered and then shortly after, felt the ground meet the wheels in a grinding, cringing way.

All of the passengers, Edward included, let out a united sigh of relief as the pilot traveled down the runway, hitting every damn bump he possibly could.

"Can't you do something about that idiot?" Edward demanded as he was slammed harshly against the back of his seat for the umpteenth time.

Seth shrugged his shoulders and said, "Not my job once we land. We're lucky we made it to the ground as it is."

Edward gaped at the big man, wanting to ask what the hell good it did to have a guardian angel…being…person if he couldn't do something about the fool in the cockpit, but he grudgingly admitted that landing safely was imminently more important.

Once the plane came to a stop on the tarmac all the passengers, including Edward, stood up to hurriedly gather their things and get off the infernal plane.

"Edward, you might want to wait just a moment," Seth advised causing Edward to stop just in time for the plane to pitch forward one last time, causing numerous passengers to trip and fall, as well as spilling luggage from overhead compartments.

Edward caught the flight attendant's eyes and smirked as she rolled her eyes.

"Much better, Edward. You don't have to act like a hunter all the time stalking his prey. You can be infinitely charming when you want to be, but you don't have to use it to get something in return you know. Might be something for you to consider in the future," Seth said with a wink.

Edward was convinced that that particular topic would be discussed again in more depth very soon.

"Damn angel," Edward grumbled…again.

It seemed like that was a phrase that would become a staple in his vocabulary.

When Edward glanced down by his feet, his carry-on was there, waiting for him.

"Neat trick," Edward harrumphed as he watched the remaining first class passengers push and prod their way off the damnable aircraft.

"I have my uses every now and then," the angel said.

Edward had no comment for him but instead rolled his eyes. It amazed him how seamlessly he had accepted the presence of Seth as he exited the aircraft. Accepting things at face value was not something that was a normal occurrence for him. Usually he was quick to look for ulterior motives and hidden agendas. The fact that he didn't do that with this particular situation was telling.

"Well, that was quite the adventure," Edward commented to the young flight attendant as he passed her on his way to exit the plane.

She smiled at him, graciously and endearingly, and replied back, "Thankfully we all made it to the ground safely. I hope we see you again soon, Mr. Cullen. Thank you for flying with us."

"There may be hope for you yet," Seth commented as they made their way through the airport and out the front door where Edward's car and driver were blessedly waiting to take him home.

Edward really needed to stop by the office and do some work, but that longing feeling he'd had on the plane remained. He was very anxious to see Isabella. Edward was usually ready to get home, even though Isabella would never know or believe that, after a business trip. He knew he didn't behave as he should with her, but like her unexplained feelings toward him, he had the same in regard to her. Just being in the same vicinity as her had a way of calming him, of making him feel less alone than he normally felt. He didn't understand it, but he was very well aware of how he felt when he was home with her.

"What am I supposed to say to her?" Edward fearfully asked Seth once they were on the way home.

Seth arranged his large frame in the comfortable backseat of the sleek, black Cadillac Escalade that had arrived to pick up Edward and took a moment before he answered him. "As much as I hate to say this," Seth hesitantly began, "I'm not at all sure what to tell you."

Poor Edward gaped at the being, opening and closing his mouth numerous times which in turn made him look quite like a fish. A very annoyed, bordering on furious fish, but a fish nonetheless.

Seth had to try extremely hard to keep a serene façade, but inside the angel was laughing at the poor man. It was really quite humorous to see the normally calm, cool, and collected Edward Cullen reduced to a state of incoherency just thinking about going home to his adorable, diminutive wife.

"What the hell do you mean you're not sure?" Edward shrieked and Seth fought to keep from smiling again.

"Edward Anthony, just calm down right now! Damn, boy, you act like you've never talked to a woman before," Seth admonished, which caused Edward to turn a shade of red that the angel wasn't sure even had a name.

Edward ran a hand through the mess of bronze hair on his head and then pinched the bridge of his nose tightly between his thumb and index finger in a show of frustration that he had used since he could remember.

"Well, if what you say is the truth and my salvation depends on Isabella, how the hell do I talk to her now? Especially after all you've told me about how much of an ass I've been to her for all these years. The woman must positively despise me," Edward muttered softly as we watched the Chicago landscape pass by in a blur.

Edward swiped at the tears that threatened to fall from his eyes and then cursed himself for the show of weakness. At the age of thirty-five he could count the number of times he'd shed a tear on one hand and he'd still have fingers left when he was done. Self-preservation instincts often made one hardened and cold, not to mention afraid of opening up for fear of being hurt. Edward was no different in that regard, and he'd spent close to twenty years perfecting it.

Edward Cullen didn't cry, ever, but the tears he felt a moment ago returned again as he thought about his wife. Damn, he'd been such a blind bastard for the past five years, seeing only what he chose to see. While he was busy trying to bury himself in work and entertain himself with meaningless business endeavors, Isabella remained hopeful and loyal, at least according to the being beside him.

Though believing she hadn't truly been would make Edward feel marginally better, he knew Seth was correct. Not just because angels couldn't lie, but because he knew deep in his heart and soul that it was the truth. However blind, ignorant, and stubborn Edward had been for the past five years, he knew fundamentally that Isabella Marie was inherently…good.

"She should kick my arrogant, self-deluded ass," Edward sighed and threw his head back against the headrest.

"Indubitably." Seth snickered as he fiddled with the radio until he found a station that was playing a serene song that filled the car with its calming measures.

Edward let himself drift off with the notes, hoping that somehow, someway, he would be able to right the wrongs he'd perpetrated against her.

~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~

During Edward's rather interesting flight home, Isabella Cullen prepared a feast fit for a king, or at the very least, a weary Fortune 500 CEO.

Deciding to make a traditional Italian meal, Isabella moved around her gourmet kitchen with a grace and efficiency even the most well-renowned chefs would admire. She began with a traditional antipasto with meats, cheeses and olives, accompanied with fresh bruschetta and crusty bread. Once that was plated and wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in the refrigerator, Isabella moved onto the main course which would be Portobello stuffed ravioli with a smoky, creamy Alfredo and sun-dried tomato sauce. She tossed a salad together with homemade dressing and chose a bottle of red wine from the wine cellar. Knowing her husband, even though the meals they ate together were few and far between, Isabella decided on mint chocolate chip ice cream for dessert. It was Edward's favorite, and after such an exhausting day of meetings and travel followed by the heavy meal, ice cream was the perfect end to his day.

Once the food was in the oven to warm and the rest in the fridge to stay cool, Isabella went upstairs to shower and change her clothes. As she stood under the shower and washed her mahogany hair with her coconut-lime scented shampoo she tried to remember the last meal she and Edward shared together, and with a pang of regret that was abnormally acute, she realized she couldn't even remember.

Isabella cooked every night for him, but it was usually left in the oven to stay warm for him to eat when he got home from the office. Because they slept in separate bedrooms and had for years now, she had usually retired to her room by the time he made it home. If she wasn't in her room already, Edward would sprint past her in the sitting room, up the stairs to his own room for the night, skipping dinner completely. Oh, they had the occasional meal together and spoke of their days as a normal couple would. There were evenings when they even went out, maybe to dinner or to the theater. Those were the times that Isabella was privy to the Edward Cullen that most never saw.

Sighing, Isabella finished her bathing routine, complete with conditioner for her shoulder length hair and shaving until she was smooth all over. She tried not to let herself get her hopes up for Edward's return in a few hours, but she couldn't help it. The trip had been so unexpected. She didn't have time to really even tell him goodbye and coupled with the storm she knew he had flown through, Isabella was feeling particularly anxious to see him.

Not that the sight of him wasn't always welcome, because Lord knew that the man was drop dead gorgeous, but right now all she really wanted to do was make sure he was all right. She dressed with Edward in mind when she put on a pair of silky navy blue lace panties and matching bra. She also put on a pair of soft gray Capri yoga pants and slipped a black tank top over her head. She used the blow dryer to style her hair until it fell across her shoulders in soft, smooth waves. After applying a minimal amount of makeup, which consisted only of a bit of mascara and lip gloss, she sprayed her favorite perfume on her small wrists and her graceful neck and slipped a pair of sandals on her delicate feet and made her way back downstairs. She checked the food again, poured a glass of wine, and then walked to the living room to turn on the stereo. The sounds of John Legend's soulful voice filled the room until she flipped the switch that would play the music outside on the deck.

Isabella picked up the manuscript she was currently editing and took it and her wine outside to sit on the comfortable chaise. The evening had just begun to cool and a soft breeze flitted across her skin; a remnant of the earlier storm. She lit a few candles for ambiance and settled in the chaise to work until her husband returned home.

Edward arrived at the house in Evanston shortly after Isabella fell asleep in the fading afternoon sun and as he approached his front door he realized he was blessedly alone. Thankfully Seth took his leave to let Edward and Isabella have their reunion in private. Not that Edward didn't believe that the annoyingly persistent and smug angel wasn't lurking somewhere keeping tabs on his every move.

With his hand on the doorknob Edward once again felt the shattering feeling as he remembered the events of the past few hours. Did he really spend an hour and half airplane flight talking to an angel? Did he really agree to change his life after he almost died in a plane crash that said angel saved him from? Was he really going to die sometime soon? Did he really not know his wife at all? Was he really the world's biggest asshole? As Edward set his bag down by the stairs and then smelled the delicious aroma that wafted from the kitchen he grudgingly admitted the answer to all of the preceding questions was a categorical yes.

But, Edward told himself, he would wait to explore all those questions and more until after he saw his wife. Where the hell was she? he muttered to himself as he poured himself a glass of the wine Isabella had left on the island. Reluctantly he admitted that she had no way of knowing when he would arrive because he had callously disregarded the need to call her and let her know. He walked to the refrigerator and opened the door letting out a small moan of appreciation when he spied the platter of antipasto Isabella had so skillfully prepared. He peeked in the oven and his mouth watered at the sight of his favorite dish bubbling inside.

Edward was, by this time, almost mad with his need to see his bride and it was the music playing that filtered in through the French doors that tipped him off to her whereabouts. Immediately he heard the words of the annoying angel person as he informed him of her love of gardening. As he stepped out onto the deck his eyes opened in surprise and his heart literally stopped beating from sheer delight and surprise.

The first thing Edward noticed was the massive explosion of color in his backyard. Flowers and bushes of every size and color lovingly flourished along beds, up trellises and in pots. The aroma was heavenly and Edward was in awe of the sight before him. How in the hell had he missed all of this? he wondered again for the umpteenth time.

The second thing that Edward noticed was by far the most enchanting. There his wife lay, sleeping peacefully in the chaise while the wind kissed her skin with its soft breeze. Isabella Marie was the most exquisite and magnificent creature he had ever laid eyes on and his heart filled with so many different things he couldn't name them all if he tried. Need, want, shame, guilt, but most of all love.

Deep, wondrous, everlasting love.

Edward looked at her again and this time paid attention to what she was wearing. She looked so beautiful and he could tell from the way her hair was arranged and her lips shone in the fading sunlight that she had dressed for him, hoping that this time things might be different between them. At twenty-nine she didn't look any different today than she did the day she first walked into his life. In all matter-of-fact, she was even lovelier now having spent years exercising and taking care of her body.

He'd been such a damn fool.

But there was time for recriminations later. Now he wanted to make love to his wife.

As if she could tell he was there, Isabella opened her eyes and stared at her husband.

"Hello, love. It's so nice to see you," Edward whispered as he ran his fingers down the side of her cheek and bent down to kiss her.

~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~