Chapter 14 Bonus Scene

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Chapter 14 Bonus Scene

"Charlie, let Edward take Bella home and come inside," he heard his wife call him from the porch.

"Be safe going home now, son, and we'll see you Sunday," Charlie told Edward and then blew a kiss to his daughter.

He couldn't help but chuckle at the incredulous look his daughter gave him and he knew Edward was going to get the same treatment during the ride home. He stood in the front yard and watched his daughter and son-in-law drive away until he couldn't see the taillights from Edward's car any longer. What a night, he thought with a smile.

"Charlie?" Renée called lovingly and he turned around.

"Coming, fiore," he said.

He walked up the steps and smiled at his wife. She looked so happy and it was obvious she'd enjoyed the evening as much as he had, as much as they all had.

"It was some night, huh?" he asked as he reached for her hand when he stopped in front of her.

Renée sighed in contentment. "That, my husband, is an understatement. Have you ever seen her look so happy?"

Charlie once again felt his heart fill with satisfaction and peace as he thought about Bella. "No. I'd say that goes double for our son-in-law wouldn't you say?" he asked as he put an arm around her and led her to the porch swing in the corner.

He sat down and then pulled Renée close to him, kissing the side of her head as he pushed them back and forth. Renée laid her head on his shoulder and they sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, each replaying the events of the night.

Renée was still in shock, for there really wasn't another word she could use to describe it, at the way Edward had acted all night. Once he'd relaxed, he seemed to just soak up everything and really for the first time ever, seemed to be totally comfortable. Renée knew her family was boisterous and not shy about showing affection, and it was obvious that was something Edward was not used to. Why, she had no idea and it hurt her heart to think of what those reasons could be.

She had to admit over the years she'd worried, a great deal actually, about Bella. She knew she loved Edward and was committed to him, but there were times she questioned whether that level of dedication and faith were warranted, and even more than that, wondered if he felt the same in return. Seeing the two of them tonight dispelled most of her worry, but as a mother a part of her would always worry; it was what she did.

Charlie couldn't help but replay the words Edward had spoken to him earlier over and over again in his mind. There was a very small part of him that was distressed at the thought of his baby girl being hurt in any way, at her crying because of something Edward had done. Bella was his daughter and she always would be, no matter how old she was. Her happiness was paramount; no one but Renée's was more important to him.

"You should have heard what Edward told me tonight, fiore," he said after another few minutes.

"What?" Renée asked.

Charlie told his wife everything, what Edward had told him and what he'd said in response. He even told him what Edward had said right before they left, all the while thinking how astonishing it all was. He really hoped that the night was a turning point for all of them. He would love nothing more than to spend more time with Edward.

He had a full life: a job he loved, friends he enjoyed spending time with, and a family he loved with an intensity few could match. He'd always wished, though he never felt cheated, that he and Renée would have been able to have other children, but alas that was not meant to be. He'd hoped from the very first time Bella introduced him to Edward that they would have their own relationship, one that was outside of his being merely his daughter's husband. While that wish had gone unfulfilled for the past few years, he had a feeling that maybe he might get it moving forward.

He hoped anyway.

Renée listened to her husband, not really surprised at anything he'd told her. She'd always known, as mothers most often do, that things were not exactly as they seemed between her daughter and Edward, but like Charlie, she trusted Bella enough to know that if she needed her, she would come to her. Remembering how they both looked and acted during the evening, Renée believed wholeheartedly that Bella's love and faith in Edward hadn't been misplaced.

She knew Charlie loved her and knew that there were few women who had husbands as attentive and sweet and as affectionate as she did, but even Charlie had never looked at her the way Edward looked at Bella tonight.

"They're going to be just fine, honey," Renée told Charlie as she snuggled closer to him.

"I know," Charlie answered with conviction and then kissed the top of her head. He pushed his foot again and they swayed back and forth for a few more moments before he spoke again. "You know, before tonight, I'm kind of ashamed to say I never really gave much thought to the reason Edward was the way he was. Bella loves him and she seemed happy and that was good enough for me. I suppose I should have picked up on things, but I didn't. Something obviously happened to him at some point in time, probably before he was taken in by Carlisle and Esme. It had to have been bad, Née. That boy loves our daughter so much and for him to be scared to show her...I can't even imagine what he's been through."

Renée couldn't help but chuckle at the 'that boy' comment and she most definitely didn't miss the growl at the end of his statement. If Renée ever doubted, which she didn't, her husband's affection for their son-in-law that would have been all she needed to hear.

"He's lucky he has Bella," Renée said quietly.

"They're lucky they have each other, fiore. Just like we are," Charlie said, and then continued to rock them back and forth.

Far above them the two angels smiled at each other.

"Edward's come such a long way," Gideon praised Seth.

Seth felt a smile creep along his face. The damn human was liable to drive him crazy before all was said and done, but there was no doubting how far he'd come already.

"Damn human," Seth muttered but was said with so much love and faith that Gideon had to chuckle.

"He surprised me with Charlie," Seth admitted.

"Charlie Swan is a good man. Edward could pick no one better to lean on and learn from," Gideon told his friend.

Seth turned toward his mentor and nodded. "No doubt about that. In fact, he'd do well to learn from all of them. Isabella was taught by the best how to love and forgive."

Gideon chuckled when his prodigy's ice blue eyes twinkled at the mention of the lovely Isabella, but he knew that Seth loved Edward every bit as much as Isabella, perhaps even more only because Edward needed it more. Lucky for their kind, they were capable of immense amounts of love, so there was plenty to spread around.

As Edward would come to find out, he hoped at least, that went for humans as well.

"This is true, my friend," Gideon answered. "Edward is going to need all of them when the time comes to tell them everything. It's good for him to know how many people love him."

"It is. Isabella will always love him more than anyone, but he means a great deal to a great many people. It's time for him to realize he's always been worthy of their love, no matter what Liam and Maggie said and did," Seth said protectively.

"He's learning, my friend. He's almost ready," Gideon told him softly.

"I know," Seth said with a sigh.

"Have faith, Seth. You'll see," Gideon remarked, and there was something about that statement that caught Seth a bit off-guard, but he wasn't sure why.

"I hope so," Seth remarked and then left to prepare to return to his two favorite humans.

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