Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but I'm grateful to Stephenie Meyer for her dream/vision. Please don't steal my original work.
I just wanted to give a little shout-out to my friend, Jan, in Toronto. She'll know why. Never let it be said a person can't weave a current event into a fan fiction set in the old West!
"Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life." ~ Proverbs 31:10-12
Bella POV
As Edward and I made our way hand-in-hand to the large table downstairs in the International Hotel dining room where our families were already gathered for breakfast, our stomachs rumbled in unison. We'd had some cheese, crackers and grapes for a snack the evening before and were now famished. Edward pulled me closer and I blushed. He was so patient and sweet. There would never be another husband better suited to me – ever!
Alice patted the vacant chair next to her and said excitedly, "Miss Bella, sit here!" Edward dutifully pulled out the chair and I sat in it. He sat in the chair on the other side of me. "Oops," Alice corrected, "I guess you're not 'Miss Bella' anymore." And then she giggled.
I smiled as I pulled her into a hug and asked, "What would you like to call me?"
Her brow furrowed in concentration for a moment. She glanced over at my Papa who was talking with Dr. Cullen about something and said shyly, "I heard your Papa call you 'Bells.' Since you're part of our family now, can I call you that? Edward calls me 'Ali.' You can call me that if you want."
"I think that would be just perfect, Ali," I said in response and squeezed her hand. She then presented me with a picture she had drawn the evening before of our wedding. I was amazed at how accurate she was in the lifelike details in this close-up drawing of Edward and me. This must have taken her a very long time. "Oh Ali," I gusted out, "this is absolutely beautiful! Thank you! Before we leave today, I will buy a frame at the store to hang this in at our new home."
I gave her another close hug and then shared her drawing with Edward. He, too, was amazed by his sister's talent. Eventually, the picture was shown to everyone at the table. Alice received well-deserved praise from all. I was glad to see I wasn't the only one who could blush in this newly-blended family!
Once our meals arrived, conversation turned to the events of the day. Papa and Mom were leaving on the nine thirty stagecoach for Reno to catch a train back to Chicago. The Cullen's and Gran would help us pack our wagon so we could move.
Edward was discussing something with Papa and Dr. Cullen when I developed a huge lump in my throat. This could potentially be the last time I saw my parents! I knew I could still write to them whenever I wanted, but seeing them with any regularity was out of the question. My loving husband noticed my lack of appetite and asked me quietly, "Are you well, love?"
I nodded and told him briefly of my concerns. He hugged my shoulders with one arm. He nuzzled his mouth next to my ear and said, "Once our ranch starts doing well and we have the money, if you'd like a train ticket to see your parents, we can arrange that. It will kill me to be away from you for more than a day, but if that is what makes you happy, I'm more than willing to provide it."
And right then, I knew. I knew I didn't ever want to be away from him, even if it was to see my parents. My loyalties were now to my husband and not to my parents any longer. I smiled at Edward encouragingly and said, "No, my husband, I want to live out my days with you, even on those days when you're incorrigible."
I watched as his tongue quickly darted out to clear a small amount of strawberry jam that was caught at the corner of his mouth. I was mesmerized and didn't want to miss a single day of being with him.
All too soon, breakfast was over. Edward turned in the hotel room key to the front desk, along with Papa and Mom and Gran doing the same. Papa and Mom's trunks were loaded onto the stagecoach. It was time to say goodbye.
Papa shook Dr. Cullen's hand and thanked him for saving his little girl's leg. He also shook Edward's hand and thanked him for saving me from what could've been a disastrous situation. Mom stood stoically beside him.
Then they came to me. "Bells," Papa said, "we'll miss you. You have a good husband who will take care of you. And Gran will be here for you."
"I know, Papa," I said. "Thank you for everything. Thank you for coming to see me, for seeing the part of the country where I'll be living, and for meeting Edward. I do love him with all my heart. I love you, Papa." Then I impulsively gave him a hug which he surprisingly returned.
Mom was next. "I'll write, Mom. Take care of Papa for me. Have a safe journey back to Chicago." She managed a small smile and I hugged her as well.
They were installed into the red stagecoach and waved as the horses began prancing in anticipation of being set in motion. The driver slapped the reins and they were off, thundering down the street. Now that the moment had come, I couldn't muster up any tears. My home was no longer with my parents. My home was firmly in northern Nevada. I had saddled up my heart good and tight to Mr. Edward Cullen and I was never letting go.
The boardwalk became a flurry of activity as Dr. Cullen went to get our wagon from their barn. Edward gave me a hug and a gentle kiss on the lips. He asked if I wanted to go with him to Rachel's to pick up my trunks. I agreed enthusiastically. Esme, Gran and Alice went into the store to begin the shopping expedition.
Rachel was flying out of the boarding house as she saw us approaching. She came and hugged us both with tears in her eyes. "Oh, Bella and Edward! I can't believe you're moving away so soon!"
Edward said gently, "That was always the plan."
"I know," she wailed. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it!"
She escorted us into the boarding house. My trunks were already in the sitting room, waiting for us. Eli had also given us a cutting from our favorite lilac bush which we would plant as soon as we got to our new home.
Rachel also gave me a muslin towel wrapped around several of her wonderful biscuits. She hugged me again and said, "I took the liberty of opening one of your trunks and slipped the recipe inside for you, dear. I know you've become a wonderful cook and baker and you'll make them just the same as I do."
I didn't know about that, but I did know I'd miss Rachel and her friendly talkative way. Eli showed up just then. I impulsively gave him a hug before he and Edward hauled my heavy trunks outside to the wagon Dr. Cullen just drove up.
"Yep," Eli teased, "these trunks are just as heavy as before – maybe heavier. I thought you were just going to flirt with the girl, Edward, not give her piles of bricks when you were courting her."
"You know me," Edward teased back and waggled his eyebrows in my direction. My heart fluttered in my chest. I thought to myself, home is definitely right here with you, my darling husband.
After Edward and I hugged Rachel again and Edward had shook Eli's hand, we were off to the general store to join the others. I couldn't believe the pile they had already amassed!
While I was recovering, Edward received a letter from Garrett informing him of items left behind by the former residents of our new home, so we didn't need to buy an entire household full of furniture. We did, however, need to buy a new bed for ourselves and one for Gran.
A great deal of foodstuffs, seeds for a garden Gran and I would plant, a frame for Alice's drawing, bolts of fabric to make clothing, the beds, and many other things were purchased. Once it was all loaded onto the wagon along with our worldly goods and wedding gifts and tarps were tied over it, I felt sorry for Bear and Butterscotch who would be pulling this tremendous weight. The items would be stacked up above our heads in the wagon once we'd be sitting on the seat.
Now the real goodbyes came.
Ali clung to me, crying. "You will write me, won't you, Bells?"
"Of course, Ali. We'll just be down the road a bit – a couple of hours away. Besides, I'll need you to send me more pictures. The house needs to be decorated," I told her.
I hugged Esme fiercely. "Thank you for raising such a fine son," I said.
"Anything you need," she told me as she hugged me back, "you just let us know." I promised I would.
I shyly hugged Dr. Cullen and thanked him for healing my leg. "I only did the assisting. You and I both know the Great Physician did the real healing. You're like my daughter now, Bella. I'm glad Edward chose you," he said as he hugged me back.
Edward gave his own hugs and kisses to his wonderful and caring family as did Gran. Then he assisted Gran and me onto the front seat of the wagon and we were on our way. Edward loaned me one of his handkerchiefs as my tears flowed. I knew I'd miss the Cullen family tremendously.
I didn't remember the steep decline we had to contend with – I'd slept through this part on my journey to Virginia City. Gran and I kept our conversation low or didn't converse at all so Edward could concentrate on keeping the horses steady and not overturning the top-heavy wagon. That was definitely a task that required all his concentration. I prayed for Edward and that we'd make it safely.
Once we reached the bottom of the great hill, Edward was less tense and let out a sigh of relief. We stopped near a creek to let the horses rest and have some water before we continued on. Edward assured me the road from where our new home was to Carson City was flat with only a small hill that was much easier traversed than this beast. I was relieved.
As the horses were being refreshed and we were walking around, working out our tense muscles, Gran said, "You know, Edward, since we're family now, I can't be calling you by your whole name the rest of my days. That seems so stuffy and uptight."
I had to hide my smile behind my hand. Edward had never been one for nicknames. His own family never had called him by a nickname. I was certain now we were married, I could call him various terms of endearment, but not a nickname.
Edward looked over at Gran, rubbed his chin, and said, "Hmm…what did you have in mind?"
"You'd likely cringe every time I called you 'Eddie.' How about 'Dee'?" she proposed.
His mouth turned up into that devastating crooked smile and said, "Yes, I believe that would be fine." Then I saw the tips of his ears turn pink. He secretly loved it when Gran fawned over him.
Once we were back on the road, Gran chose then to tell me about Riley Biers, the man I'd gone on chaperoned walks with in Chicago. "Oh yes," she said, "After you left, he began dating this trollop of a girl. They had to marry very quickly and move in with her parents. She was in the family way in no time, if you get my meaning. It was quite the scandal!" Gran ended her statement with one of her classic snorts.
"Bella," Edward piped up with a sidelong look at me, "I'm wounded you had someone back in Chicago."
Before I could answer, Gran answered for me, "Oh pish posh, Dee. That boy was someone her parents wanted her to marry – not someone Bella wanted. And she wants you, my dear boy!" I blushed profusely as Edward sported a winning smile.
Thankfully, conversation turned to more benign topics. We were very cozy driving down the road with the three of us tucked in the wagon seat, me in the middle. I liked feeling Edward so near me, with his leg jiggling against mine.
Finally Edward turned the wagon into a small clearing in front of a grand two-story painted white house with a wrap-around porch all the way around the bottom floor. A chimney stood at one side of the grand structure. There was a small painted white cottage in the same style as the house with a small porch two hundred yards away. Still further away was a painted red barn. The property was surrounded by stately trees, one that had a rope swing hanging from it. Peeking around the house, I could see a carpet of green grass underneath the trees in the back of the property.
"Well," Edward said, "we're home!"
"This is home?" I asked, incredulous.
Edward immediately looked crestfallen. "You don't like it?"
"Like it?" I responded with a smile. "I absolutely love it!" I threw my arms around his neck enthusiastically and kissed him on the lips.
He kissed me again, and then jumped out of the wagon to help me out. "It's a good thing since we already bought it, love," he said with a smile. "Let's go look at the inside." He helped Gran out of the wagon and we all went inside.
There were indeed the five sleeping rooms I'd heard about long ago. Four were upstairs. The fifth and largest sleeping room was downstairs, along with a generous sitting room dominated by a beautiful rock fireplace, kitchen and dining room. "Oh, Edward!" I exclaimed, "I can't wait to unpack everything and get it in its proper place!"
He grabbed my hand and kissed the back of it, then said, "Let's go inspect Gran's cottage first. Then we'll let Garrett and Kate know we've arrived."
We did just that. Gran's cottage was an exact replica of the larger house, even though it was only one story and smaller. I could see we had some work ahead of us with dusting and sweeping before we could logistically unpack anything and put it away.
Edward unhooked Bear and Butterscotch from the wagon and led them to the barn for fresh water and hay. They were no doubt grateful for the rest from their labors.
We walked to the Cooper's ranch which was next door to ours. They were excited I'd finally married Edward and greeted me with hugs. They were just as warm in welcoming Gran to the family.
Since it was nearing lunchtime, they invited us to join them for their meal. Gran and I helped Kate in the kitchen to put the food on the table.
Once lunch was over, a baby's cries could be heard from a nearby room. Kate went to get the squirming bundle and introduced us to their daughter, Tanya. After Tanya was fed, Gran held her until she drifted right to sleep again. Come to think of it, babies always did feel very comfortable around her!
As we were walking back home, Gran said to both Edward and me, "It would do my heart good to have more babies around here."
"Gran!" I burst out, blushing yet again. Edward just smiled at me and closed his hand around mine.
When we arrived at the house, we cleaned Gran's cottage first and then moved onto the larger house. Later, when Gran and I were satisfied the dust had been eradicated and it was fit for human occupancy, we began unloading the wagon.
Once everything had been set to rights, it finally looked like a home. The quilt from the quilt circle was on our bed, the picture Alice drew was hung above the fireplace, dishes were safely stored in the cupboards and drawers, books were placed in the built-in bookshelves on either side of the fireplace, rugs were strategically placed on the floors. We rearranged the furniture left behind by the Black family to our liking. They had left some rocking chairs out on the porch. The lilac bush had been planted near the porch where I would be able to see it from the kitchen window when it grew larger. Gran's house was finished as well.
Edward went out to take care of the animals for the evening as Gran and I relaxed on the porch for a bit before starting dinner. Washoe Valley truly was beautiful. From our porch, you could see Washoe Lake in the distance.
During dinner, conversation was not that plentiful, although we did enjoy Rachel's biscuits. We were all tired from the long day we'd had. We'd all agreed to turn in early as we were assured by Garrett and Kate work on a ranch comes early in the morning.
As I drifted off to sleep in the arms of my handsome husband, I could think of no fuller or richer life than the one I was experiencing right now.
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