The tree already had lights on, and he grabbed the remote turning it on. “Merry Christmas, ladies.”
The tree started to twinkle.
Isabel sighed and rested against him. “It’s perfect.”
Sophie winked at him, and he rolled his eyes. She was going to seriously spoil his surprise. He wanted the day that he proposed to Isabel to mean something, to be a memory that she would never forget.
They cleared away the debris from the decorati
ons, and while Sophie vacuumed, Isabel got started on food. He didn’t think it was possible to have a family again. His old family was all gone, dead to him, or at least as good as dead to him. This was his home, his way of life, and he intended to make every second count.
Dinner was a fun affair. He loved watching the two sisters together, laughing, giggling, talking about their life growing up. Isabel looked well. She looked happy, and she looked healthy, which meant everything to him.
Later that night, after Sophie had gone to bed, and Isabel had made her way up, he closed up the house for the night.
Entering their room, he saw that Isabel wasn’t in bed yet. The en suite bathroom had a light shining out of it. He made his way toward the bathroom, and found Isabel naked, staring at her reflection.
“You okay?” he asked.
She nodded. “Yeah, I was just looking.” Her fingers were stroking down the length of one scar, or at least the lines of multiple scars. “There are times it feels like this is someone else’s body. What I did, it doesn’t seem right. It doesn’t seem true.”
Edward folded his arms, listening.
“I wish I didn’t do this. I wish I didn’t feel the need to rely on this. It’s not who I am now. Yet, I can still feel it, and it scares me.” She lifted her head to look at him. “I’m so happy. With you, with Sophie, with our life, even with Cape Falls, which I never thought for a second I would admit to.” She chuckled. “Life is one crazy train, really. Isn’t it?”
“It moves so fast. You’ve just got to learn to enjoy the ride.”
She nodded. “I haven’t enjoyed the ride. When I was younger, I hated life, I hated everything, and I was wrong to. You’ve shown me so much of myself, of what I’ve been capable of, and I love you so much, Edward.”
He moved into the bathroom and banded his arms around her waist. Staring at her body in the mirror, he looked at those scars, and they didn’t repulse him. They made him sad, but also, she was overcoming it.
“I’m so scared,” she said.
“Why?”
“Because even when I look at myself, and I see what I’ve done, I sometimes think about it. It’s all I can think about.”
“Then we take it one day at a time, like we always have been. I’m in no rush for this to be over between us, babe. I told you once before and I’ll tell you again. I’m in this for life.”
She held onto his arms and turned. “I love you, Edward, so much.”
“Then we keep on going, one day at a time, for each other, and for the life we’re making together.”
He pressed his lips against hers, taking the kiss he’d been craving all day long.
She whimpered. “Can we?” she asked.
“We can if you can come without making a sound. You’re very loud. I don’t know if anyone has ever told you.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not the only one that can be loud. We have to be careful though. Sophie has delicate ears.”
“We can be quiet.” He took her hand and led her back into their bedroom. “I can prove it to you.”
****
“Do you remember all of those other Christmases when we had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?” Sophie asked.
“Yeah, I remember.” Isabel tore up some parsley and added it to the brining liquid she had set up. There was some citrus fruit, lots of spices, salt, and sugar. Now she just needed to add her turkey.