Heaven in the Real World - Chapter 3 (November)

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but I'm grateful to Stephenie Meyer for her dream/vision. Please don't steal my original work.

Isaiah/Isabella POV

Time was growing closer to Thanksgiving. All I could think about was making a new dress for Christmas. I wasn't certain how I was going to make it happen without taking a horse to Auburn to another general store and buying enough fabric to make a dress. Edward would know something was up if I marched over to the general store and looked at the fabric selection like any other woman in town.

Drat this ruse I'd come up with! I'd mentally kicked myself repeatedly. Ma made me a new dress every Christmas or I had made one since she'd been gone.

Ever since the Harvest Festival, Jessica had been to the telegraph office to check for mail and to visit with me every day. She was incredibly irritating. I'd love to just whip off my hat and come twirling out of my living quarters in a skirt when she walked in. The look on her face would be worth any wrath I would face.

Today it was raining cats and dogs – that's what Pa would've said, had he been here. I'd put off a trip to the store so long Emmett and I were going without various foodstuffs we loved. I couldn't put it off any longer – rain or no rain.

In the middle of the street, I ran into one of the town's elderly residents. He wanted to know if he'd received any mail the past couple of days. I asked if he'd like to accompany me back to the office to check. He said he would not; he had a dry seat where he was seated on his wagon and would wait until I returned with his mail. I ran back to get it and then he wanted to visit a bit more. By the time he moved on, I was soaked. I pressed on toward the general store anyway. This shopping had to get done today.

I could feel my wet hair tucked up under my sodden cap. I silently prayed it wouldn't come out of its carefully placed pins until I could get back to the telegraph office.

Edward was busy with other customers. I could spend a little extra time perusing his fabric selection. I could see all the notions out of the corner of my eye. Amongst the bolts of calico fabrics, there were several that caught my eye - a beautiful scarlet, a brilliant sapphire blue, and an emerald green that reminded me very much of Edward's eyes. I was fondly touching them all, knowing I could get away with it for the moment.

Suddenly, I heard a noise behind me, like the floorboard creaking. My hands on the fabric bolts stilled immediately. Whoever was behind me had caught me, red-handed. I was almost afraid to turn around and see who it was.

I turned to face my accuser. My face burned with embarrassment when I saw it was Edward, blocking the only aisle of escape.

"Isaiah," he asked gently, "who are you – really?"

I wanted to burst into tears right then, but I couldn't give him the satisfaction. I went right up to him as he was blocking the aisle and said, "Edward, let me pass."

He grabbed my shoulders and said more firmly, "Isaiah, just tell me who you are."

My hands immediately went to his arms to pull him off me. I needed to get out of this store – now; staying longer would prove disastrous. My strength was nothing compared to his. His grip could've been formed from iron for all the good my efforts were providing. I could tell he was not out to hurt me; he would never do that. He just wanted to find out my story.

"Edward," I implored again, "please let me pass."

During my struggle, the worst possible thing happened. My saturated cap fell to the wood floor with a wet plopping sound. Now that my wet hair was no longer confined by the wet cap, it began falling in long loops down my back, still pinned in various places. I was certain I looked a fright.

And then my tears did begin to fall. I couldn't look at Edward. I couldn't look anywhere. Big, fat tears rolled down my cheeks and I sobbed.

I felt Edward's hands leave my shoulders at once and he was gone. Next I heard the tumbler of the lock in the store's front door turn. Then I felt Edward pressing a fine linen handkerchief into my hand. I pressed it to my eyes.

In the next moment, a move that startled me even further was Edward drawing me into his arms and letting my tears fall onto his shirt. If I didn't feel so rotten about deceiving him and the entire town, I might welcome his warm embrace.

Edward POV

As I stood holding this beautiful creature who – just moments ago I assumed was a man – I wondered how wrong I could be about life.

Perhaps that's why I'd been irritated with her all this time. She wasn't being who she truly was. She'd been living a lie. I wasn't certain of her reasoning for it, but I hoped to find out what it was.

Her tears were slowing now. I spied a nearby stool and moved it with my foot where we were standing. I sat her down on the stool and made sure she was safe before I let her go.

I looked into her eyes and said, "Now, should we start at the beginning? I'm Edward Cullen and you are…?"

She took a heaving breath and said, "Isabella Swan, but my friends and family call me Bella."

I figured if she volunteered the information, she expected me to use it. "So, Bella, tell me how you came to Gold Run, pretending to be a man?"

Her story came out then, how no one would hire a female telegraph operator. She created a new moniker so she would have a means to provide for her brother and herself. She didn't know she would actually be hired and then have to pose as a man every single day. She now had to stay away from church and other things she enjoyed because she couldn't remove her hat. She certainly couldn't join the town quilting circle. They would laugh uproariously at the very idea.

Then I thought about me and my reaction to Isaiah. I'd been her harshest critic. I'd made fun of her at every opportunity – buying various foodstuffs, canning fruits and vegetables, her outstanding baking expertise.

And now – now that I knew everything about her – all I wanted to do was hold her close to me and let all her hurts wash away like the pounding rain outside.

When I could see that her tears had stopped, I tipped her chin up with the pad of my index finger and gave her a small crooked grin. She looked at me, wary.

"Bella," I said as I then held out my hand to her, "come. Let's have a cup of tea. I've closed and locked the store for the time being. No one will be coming out in this storm." She looked down at my offered hand, slid silently off the stool, and placed her hand in mine.

I tried to ignore the feeling, but Bella's hand in mine felt like coming home after a long journey. As I guided her up the stairs at the back of the store, she kept a firm grip on my hand.

I was suddenly nervous. No woman had been in my living quarters since Angela. Would Bella find them acceptable? As we entered the living area and I watched her appraise my home above the store, Bella said, "Edward, it's beautiful!" I sighed in relief. The cozy fireplace in the living room was dark at the moment, but I could start a fire in a few moments if I sensed she was overly chilled.

I settled Bella into a cushioned rocking chair as I went to start the tea water. "Where did you get all these beautiful quilts, pillows, and chair pads?" she asked.

"A few were made by the women in town, but a lot were made by my wife," I responded. At her gasp, I continued, "I've been a widower for three years now. Angela passed away during childbirth. Doc Black did everything he could, but he wasn't able to save her or the baby."

"Oh Edward, I'm so very sorry," Bella said.

"Thank you for your sympathy. I feel God has helped me through my grief and I'm ready to move on in His timing." A thought occurred to me just then and I said, "What about…? I took you to Doc Black the day after you arrived. Does he know?"

Bella smiled a small smile and replied, "Yes. I swore him and Leah to secrecy right away." She waved her hand in the air and continued, "Doctor/patient confidentiality and all that."

I handed her a cup of freshly-brewed tea and took one for myself as well. She took a small sip and then proceeded to remove the hairpins that were still hanging loosely in her hair. I watched, almost mesmerized, as she finger-combed her long hair. I thought briefly of Angela who refused to ever wear her hair down. I wondered if Bella would ever purposely wear hers that way. I would wager a guess it was beautiful when it wasn't soaked with rain. I'd love to run my fingers through it.

Bella let out an unladylike snort. "You really are something else, Edward." I hadn't realized I'd spoken those last words aloud. The look on her face told me I'd done that very thing.

She took another sip from her cup and said with a sigh, "I suppose now I will have to leave town. Now that you know my secret, there's no way I can keep up the charade. More townspeople will find out. They will all hate me."

She began crying again. I sat my cup down and was beside her in an instant, offering her another handkerchief. She had my other one balled up in her hand. I used it to remove the remains of her self-applied beard of what appeared to be coffee grounds from her face.

Bella said through her tears, "Emmett won't be happy. He's in love with Rosalie." Then she looked out the window at the steady rain and continued in a small voice, "And I think I'm in love with you…and you despise me."

"No, Bella," I said gently, "I don't despise you. I think it was very brave of you to do what you did. Not many people would have the courage to do it." I did touch her hair then and run my fingers over the soft strands, as a comforting measure.

I hugged her to me in a one-armed hug and encouraged her to drink more tea. My mother always used to say it was very medicinal and would cure what ailed you.

"I don't want you to leave. We can figure out what to tell the rest of the town," I vowed.

We were quiet as we finished our tea. When we looked out the window again, it appeared the rain was letting up. Bella stated she needed to get back to the telegraph office.

As we looked outside from the store windows, the street was a virtual large puddle of mud. I looked down at the shoes Bella was wearing. There was no way she was going to get across the street and still be wearing those shoes. The mud would suck them under.

Even though she protested, I got out a thick pair of rain boots and placed them on my feet. Then I scooped her up in my arms and carried her across the street. This time I carried her, her arms were around my neck. Oh, if I'd only known she was a woman the first time I carried her to Doc Black's! And if I'd known the depths of my attraction for her! Every time I made a step, the mud made a sucking noise on my boots. By the time we made it to the telegraph office, we were laughing hysterically. It felt good to laugh with Bella in the rain, now that all our secrets were out.

As I was sliding into bed that night, a thought occurred to me. Had Bella said she loved me? I sat upright in bed and went over our entire conversation in my mind. She had, and I had been such a complete fool that I'd run almost roughshod over her feelings, insisting we'd find a way to tell the rest of the town.

I cared for Bella as well. In the short span of a few hours, admiration for what she'd done grew into love. I'd had several months to see her in action with the townspeople and see that she was honest, caring, hard-working – and, by God's grace, loved me. I'd have to find a way to show her I cared for and loved her as well.

The next morning, I was pleased to see the streets had mostly dried up from the deluge we'd had the day before. As I opened the store for the day, I mentally prepared myself for the rush of customers. This week Thanksgiving would be celebrated, a new holiday proclaimed by President Lincoln three years prior. It seemed the week after that celebration, my customers wanted to begin their Christmas shopping.

As I sat on a stool behind the counter of the store, a flurry of activity in the street caught my eye. I swung my head around to see several of the town fathers headed for the telegraph office. A sense of dread settled into the pit of my stomach and I went to get my winter coat hanging from a nearby peg.

Aro and Marcus were just coming in the door to begin their first checkers game of the day. I asked them to keep an eye on the store as my legs carried me down the steps and across the street as quickly as possible.

I made my way inside the telegraph office behind the town fathers just as I heard the mayor say, "Ma'am, we don't know what game you're playing, but our town did not hire a woman to be our telegraph operator, nor would we had we known. You are hereby relieved of your duties!"

I muscled past several of the men until I could see Bella. If I thought she'd look like a mouse cornered by a cat, I couldn't have been more wrong. She was getting ready to speak her case against all these men coming against her, not backing down in the slightest.

"Now, see here, Mr. Mayor," Bella said, "I'm perfectly capable of performing my duties and have been for these several months while you thought I was a man."

She was dressed in a blouse and a skirt. Her long hair was flowing freely down her back and it was shining beautifully in the light coming through the window. Focus, Cullen, I reminded myself. I moved until I was standing beside her.

"Cullen," the mayor addressed me, "what is your part in this?"

"I didn't know Miss Swan was a woman until yesterday either. But certainly we can come to an agreement where she can provide for her family until other arrangements can be made," I said.

The mayor considered that for a moment and then replied, "I've decided that Miss Swan can keep her position for one month while she trains someone else – a man. After that, she can no longer be employed as our telegraph operator. That is my final word."

As the town fathers made their way out of the building, I circled my arm around Bella's waist and smiled at her.

She gave me a worried look and asked, "Who will I find to do my job?"

"What about Emmett? Then he can stay here and be with Rosalie. You said he was in love with her," I said gently.

"Oh, that's wonderful news. Then he can take care of his spinster sister," Bella replied as she moved away from me and across the room.

Just then, Jessica came through the doorway. "Hello! I've just come to check for the mail. Is Isaiah around?" she asked. Could my luck get any worse?

Bella said, not missing a beat, "Jessica, haven't you heard? I'm Isaiah. I've been pretending to be a man this entire time so I could retain this position in your town. I know you've been sweet on me, but truly, I've held no such feelings for you. I do hope we can continue to be friends, however."

I've never actually seen the blood drain from a person's face before in horror, but it was actually quite entertaining to watch – especially on Jessica's face. Then she screamed, stamped her foot, and whirled back out the door.

Thankfully, Jessica's display broke the ice between Bella and me once again and we laughed uproariously.

I caught Bella by her waist again and said lowly, "I don't think you need to be concerned about being a spinster, Bella." I kissed her lightly on the cheek and made my way to the door.

She called after me, "Will you come for dinner on Thanksgiving?"

"It would be my pleasure," I responded.

Thursday evening, I sat in the Swan living quarters and enjoyed a wonderful feast. Over dinner, Bella asked Emmett if he would consider taking her position as the telegraph operator. He said he would as he wanted to marry Rosalie on Christmas Day and she wanted to move to town. Being exiled to a ranch was not to her liking.

After dinner, Emmett rode out to the Hale ranch to tell them the news. As soon as he left, I brought out my gift.

Bella looked at me warily and said, "I don't believe Thanksgiving is a gift-giving occasion."

"I'd like this one to be," I said as I offered her the brown paper-wrapped package tied with string.

As soon as the package was opened, tears filled her eyes. "Oh Edward!" she exclaimed.

"You don't like it? I thought it was one of your favorites," I replied, confused.

Running her hands lovingly over the sapphire blue fabric I'd freshly cut from the bolt at the store along with some lace and a spool of matching thread, she said, "It's absolutely perfect! How did you know I'd been looking for fabric for a Christmas dress?"

I took one of her hands in mine and said, "I've been a shopkeeper for a while now, Bella. I think you'd look stunning in blue. I'd like to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"The day it was raining, you said you loved me. Did you mean that?" I asked softly.

She focused on the fabric and answered, "Yes," almost blushing.

"I've come to admire and love you as well, Bella. Will you allow me to court you?"

She looked up then, surprised. "Yes," she said with a smile.

And we sealed our courtship with a kiss.

Author's Note: The first Thanksgiving celebrated on the same date by all states was in 1863 by presidential proclamation. The final Thursday in November had become the customary date of Thanksgiving in most U.S. states by the beginning of the 20th century. And so, in an effort by President Abraham Lincoln (influenced by the campaigning of author Sarah Josepha Hale) to foster a sense of American unity between the Northern and Southern states, proclaimed the date to be the final Thursday in November.