AN: Sorry, guys. This is the epilogue and the last of these two. It's fitting that Edward should have the last word

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From Lemonade to Love Chapter 9

Summary

It seemed natural to take fresh, cold homemade lemonade to the construction site across the road. Little did she know where that simple action would lead.

Chapter 9

Epilogue

Edward

"I'll miss you, Ben. Make sure you call me and your Dad every week, and—"

I stood back to allow Bella and Ben to say their goodbyes, watching as Ben put his finger across her lips to stop the tirade of words from spilling out. He knew his mother well.

"It's okay, Mom, I'll be fine. I'll be living with Grandma Sue and Pops for at least the first year and they'll make sure I eat right, don't drink too much, and have clean clothes to wear. And I promise I'll call home every weekend to let you know I've survived. So, stop worrying about me."

"I can't, Ben." Bella sniffed and wiped her eyes. "It's my job to worry about my little boy out there in the world without me."

Ben hugged her and looked over her shoulder at me, rolling his eyes and grinning.

Emmett and Rose were first in line along with their twins Reagan and Emma, who were just a little bit older but were going to college in Charlotte. Then came the unexpected twins, Liam and Garrett, who were a surprise to everyone including Emmett and Rose, who hadn't really planned on having any more children.

Esme and Carlisle were next in line; they were as much Bens' grandparents as Charlie and Sue. Alice was hopping up and down on the spot, impatient for her turn. We all knew that Alice had held a torch for Ben and was distraught that he'd chosen to go away for college instead of staying close to home. She had every intention of following him to Seattle, and I really hoped that she and Ben could find a way to stay friends when the inevitable fallout happened. He tried hard not to give her any reason to believe that there was anything other than friendship between them, but she was determined to bring him around to her way of thinking.

"I'm really going to miss you, Ben. Who am I going to steal bacon from every day? Who's going to sit with me through thunderstorms and read to me?" his sister, Ashley, pouted as Ben folded his arms around her.

"It'll be fine, sis. I'll be back before you know it, and you can call me anytime there's a storm; I'll stay on the phone with you the whole time. And you know you steal Dad's bacon as often as you steal mine."

I watched as Ben hugged Ashley, allowing her to clutch at him and let her emotional side out. At eleven—and a half, as she always added—she had been born just after Ben's seventh birthday, and he'd adored her from day one. Without a doubt, she would miss him, so Bella and I would have to make sure to give her lots of attention to help her come to terms with Ben growing up. Bella would need my attention, too, because she would also miss him badly.

My mind drifted back to the week almost twelve years ago when Bella and I had declared our feelings to each other. Before that, I wasn't sure how she felt. Some days, I'd thought maybe she felt something for me, and then she'd pull away, leaving me wondering if I'd been mistaken. When I found out why she tried to keep her distance, I was horrified. She'd actually thought that Mom and I were partners and Alice was our child. I didn't remember doing anything that would have given her that idea, but then, as a family, we were demonstratively affectionate with each other. I shook my head and smiled at the thought that now amused me. Looking over at Bella, who was trying her best not to cry, I caught her eye. I licked my lips and she blushed—just one of the many things I loved about her.

We had intended to spend some time making sure that we were compatible as a family—me, her and Ben—before making any changes to our lives. Four weeks after that glorious week where we spent more time in bed than out of it, Bella had contracted what we thought was a stomach bug that hung around for a couple of weeks.

Eventually, I persuaded her to make an appointment at the doctor's when she became tired and pale, and her nausea and vomiting didn't go away. The result of the pregnancy test the doctor had insisted on her taking was a bit of a shock to Bella, who insisted that she was on the pill. It turned out that missing even one gave my swimmers the chance to make a baby.

She was shocked, as was I, the difference being that I accepted it right away. The next two weeks were excruciating. Bella withdrew and stopped answering either her door or the phone, and when I did catch up with her, she was distant and non-communicative. Eventually, of course, she came around to the idea when I sat outside her front door for two days straight, refusing to move until she talked to me. That was the turning point, and that night we talked for hours. I convinced her that I was in it for the long haul, and nothing she said or did would make me walk away. Not only did she come to terms with having my baby, but she had also agreed to move into my house.

Within six weeks, Bella had moved into my bedroom, Ben had taken up residence in what he had already claimed as his room, and we'd discussed what color to paint the guest room when we turned it into a nursery. Bella still owned her house, but it was rented out to vacationers throughout the summer.

It didn't take Ben long to call me "Dad"; he'd never had another one, so there was no competition. When I asked Bella to marry me, I had of course spoken to Charlie, her dad, asking for his blessing, but it was Ben whose permission I'd asked.

We'd had a small beach wedding after Ashley was born and had put off our honeymoon until she was four months old. Rose and Emmett had taken care of her for the two weeks we were away, and that was when Rose had forgotten her pill, resulting in the additional set of twins.

I felt a tug on the lower edge of my hoodie and looked down at the little girl holding my hand. Squatting down to her level, I spoke to her softly. "What is it, pumpkin?"

"When is it my turn, Daddy?" she asked quietly.

"Soon, Maddie." I smoothed back the riotous curls from her face. "Don't worry, sweetheart, he won't leave without saying 'bye' to you."

Maddie was very like Bella, quiet and sweet-natured, although she could be a little hellion when she wanted something. She had Bella's hair even though it was the same shade as mine, and it hung in long ringlets. She had my green eyes, but Bella's heart-shaped face.

Where Maddie was tiny and a little shy, Ashley had always been much taller and more outgoing, taking after my side of the family. Her hair behaved much the same as mine did, but was a rich dark brown, her eyes the same color as Bella's. Neither of them took after Ben. He never minded that they were so different from him, and was as protective as any older brother should be, adoring them both.

"Will he forget me, Daddy? I don't want him to forget about me."

"He would never do that, Maddie. He loves you very much." I lifted her into my arms, situating her on my hip while we watched everyone gather around Ben to wish him good luck. Her thumb headed straight for her mouth and her head rested on my shoulder.

Bella had stepped back from the melée around Ben, coming to stand at my side. Her arm slid around my waist as she tucked her hand into my back pocket, giving my ass a squeeze on the way. "I'm really going to miss him, Edward."

I lifted my arm and pulled her into my side, hugging her tightly. "I know, sweetheart, but he'll be back in a couple of months for Thanksgiving and then again at Christmas. Look forward to that time, my love. And you know I'm always here for you and you can lean on me. I love you."

Her hot breath wafted over my chest as she sighed. Maddie lifted her head and looked around me at her mother. "He won't forget us, Momma. Daddy said so."

Bella laughed. "Nothing like being told the truth by a 4-year-old." She reached out for Maddie's hand. "Thank you for reminding me, Maddie. We'll talk to Ben every week. There's no chance he'll forget us."

I kissed the top of Bella's head and increased the pressure of my arm around her. The first call for his flight came over the loudspeaker and the rest of the family moved back to give us some room and privacy. With Ashley tucked under one arm, he tugged Bella under the other and I put my arms around them all, Maddie squeezed between us.

"I'll miss you guys." Ben's voice cracked a little on the last word, telling me that he wasn't quite as blasé about going as he seemed. We stood silently for a few minutes until he pulled back and took Maddie from my arms. "Hey, Maddie. I'm going to miss my special little sister, but I'll speak to you every weekend and I'll be home in a few weeks. Okay?"

Maddie nodded, her thumb stuck securely in her mouth, something she always did when she was tired or emotional. All too soon, the loudspeaker announced the last call for his flight and he picked up his carry on bag.

"Please don't worry about me, Mom. Grandma Sue and Pops will make sure I'm okay. I've spent lots of time with them, so just think of this as an extended holiday." He pulled each of us back in for another hug and then turned, striding through the airport and through the doors into the departure lounge. He didn't look back, but waved his hand above his head to let us know that he was still mentally with us and then disappeared from sight.

We all stood there for a few minutes. "He looks so grown up," Bella sighed. "But he's still a little boy to me, and I'll miss having him and his loud friends in the house." We turned and made our way back to the car and headed toward home.

It was just as well that Bella didn't have to drive home—she wouldn't have been able to see through the tears that rolled down her cheeks for most of the journey home. While Ashley listened to music on her iPod and Maddie slept in her car seat, Bella sat quietly beside me wiping away the tears as they fell. By the time we reached home and she stepped out of the car, they'd stopped.

Ashley headed for her room right away. Before I collected a sleeping Maddie from her seat, I stepped around the car and folded Bella into my arms. "You okay, sweetheart?"

"I will be," was her answer. "After all, I'll always have you."

Nothing could be more truthful. Who would have thought that a sweet offer of lemonade all those years ago would grow into this beautiful love story? Bella was the love of my life and no matter what happened, I would always be by her side.

~ oOo ~