Postcards

Chapter 7

A/N: You're getting this a bit early because I'm fairly busy tomorrow, so please enjoy. Big thanks to all of you reading and reviewing. It totally makes my day! Also a huge thanks to my beta, Heather, for making sure those evil commas get put in the correct places.

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A little after six-thirty, Dr. Cullen arrived home with dinner which had Esme a bit put out. Apparently, she'd been in the middle of preparing dinner for all of us, and it was comical to listen to them argue. Not that it could really be called an argument, more like a small tiff, that ended when Carlisle, who also insisted I call him that, smooched the hell out of Esme. I loved the fact that they were still so much in love after twenty years of marriage.

"Ugh," Emmett muttered, and Alice swatted him on the back of the head and told him to grow up.

"Oh, like you don't smooch on your girl?" I asked him.

"Hell, yes! All the freaking time, but I'm not old," he commented which led to Esme telling him that she wasn't old.

"I think it's sweet that you're parents are still in love," I said quietly. I couldn't ever recall my parents acting like that. They hadn't been overly affectionate to each other when they were married.

A little after ten, I said goodnight and goodbye to the Cullens, and I told them that I'd see them in a few days. We'd all decided to get together the day after Christmas to exchange gifts, and then I was leaving on the 27th. I was surprised at how badly I didn't want to go back home, but I shook it off. I always felt that way after hanging out with my dad, but this time, it was way worse, and I could only attribute that to the fact that Edward and his family were now in the picture.

"I had a great day," I told Edward as he drove me back to my dad's house.

"Me, too, despite the waitress and Emmett's whining," he said with a grin.

"Yeah, I could have done without those, but like I said, I had a great day."

We were quite as we drove into Forks, and I didn't want the day to end as he pulled into my Dad's driveway.

"I'll see you in a few days," he told me as he walked me up the front porch and to the door.

"Sounds good," I said, and before I could stop myself, I stood on my tip toes and placed a kiss on his cheek.

I had no idea what had possessed me to do that, and I was embarrassed as could be, but the smile blooming on Edward's face had me thinking that perhaps he didn't mind.

"Sweet dreams, Bella," he said softly, running the tip of a finger across my cheek which was bright red.

I let out a sigh as I watched him walk away and was completely startled when the door behind me opened.

"You gonna stand there all night, or are you coming in?" Dad asked, startling me and causing me to jump.

"I'm coming in," I mumbled, my face still a bright red.

"I take it that you had a good time," Dad commented before I could make a run for it and hide in my room.

"Yep," I told him as I tried to sneak my way past him and toward the stairs.

"And the kiss?" he asked, and my head dropped to my chest as I let out a groan.

"Seriously, Dad? You were spying on me?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"I heard a car pull into the drive, and I opened the curtain to see who it was. I wasn't spying on you, so don't change the subject," he said, his voice taking on a slightly stern tone.