"God I've missed this" I tell mom as she and Bella are suntanning on the outdoor lounge chairs. I just came in from swimming in the ocean, unlike them I'm in a green bikini while their fully clothed.
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"See!" Mom exclaims waving to me as I dry myself off with the towel before joining them sitting down "your sister missed this! Aren't you going to miss this Bella? Don't you just feel the vitamin D soaking up in your pores"
"Yeah" Bella agrees "I'm going to miss this"
"You know" mom says "you should do what your sister is doing, take a gap year to figure out which colleges you'll want to go to. Like some in Florida, their a lot sunnier" Bella gives her a look as mom sips her tea, I'm on my back lying back "I'm just saying, if you go to the University of Alaska I'm never going to see you"
"They have a really great science program" She says
"You mean Edward program" Bella is upset that Edward isn't here, he promised to come but he didn't. So it's just me, Bella and mom.
"Did Charlie tell you" I ask keeping my eyes closed "that Edward has been asking Bella to marry him?"
"What?" Mom exclaims "what did you say?"
"No" she says
"Which I don't understand" I say "I mean Bella you keep saying how he and you are destined for one another yet when he asks you one of the biggest questions you'll ever be asked you say no"
"I don't see why I need to be married to him" she says "I'm not pregnant"
"But still" mom says "marriage is a big thing he's asking, do you understand the commitment it takes and how intense it is? Bella your different with him, he moves you move. It was similar to you and Johnny, Hela baby. But it seems unhealthy with you Bella, what happened. He didn't die, but you acted like he did in the most unhealthy way possible"
"Edward is my life!" Bella exclaims
"Then why aren't you saying yes?" I ask opening my eyes to look at her.
"Ugh!" She yells storming off like a child
Mom looks down at me "I'll talk to Bella later but for now...tell me about this Felix, since we're talking about guys. How old is he?"
"He's about thirty" he told me how when he died he was in I'd late twenties "he is six foot seven, he has dark hair with tan skin" with the ring he uses that a witch made him "since he spends his time in the sun and he's from Italy"
"Italy?" Mom asks smiling "and you met him here in Florida?"
Nodding my head "his dead wife lived here so he lived here, we went to the same grief group and one day we got together for coffee and hit it off—Charlie loves him. Let's him stay over like with Johnny"
"Wow" mom laughs "I never thought I'd live to see the day where Charlie Swan is fine with a man in his daughter's room staying with her"
"Yeah" nodding my head "Felix...he makes me feel alive again. We even are raising five kittens together"
"Kittens?" She asks "it's like your a little family" nodding my head as I smile "tell me more"
"Well you'll meet him after graduation" I tell her "since we're taking this five month road trip all over the country, well we will be here for a few days for my birthday. Your going to love him. He's so patient. Kind. Sweet. Funny. Protective"
"Sounds like the perfect man" she says
"The only problem is that Paul keeps getting between us" oh yes, he managed to get the restraining order off of him with the help of the elders. God I hate him "but hopefully after graduation it'll all change"
"Have you two had sex yet?"
I shake my head no "I'm not ready and Felix is fine with waiting, saying that when the time is right we will be intimate"
"Alright, enough with the heavy" mom gets up and bops my nose "I'll be right back" looking over, I see mom come back with a large purple gift box "congratulations"
"Mom" sitting up I take it from her "you know Bella hates gifts"
"I didn't spend any money" she says as I open it to see all the old trip sweaters.
"Are these all the old trip sweaters?" I ask
"Mhmm" nodding her head as we both smile "Bella's is the t shirts, I'm glad that we got two of each for you" right when we went road tripping everywhere we got t shirts but I also got sweaters. I kept all the old shirts that I got as extra large "I saved them all, made a good quilt. This one is my favorite" the one from Maine.
"The three headed lobster" I say nodding my head, tears prick my eyes "I love it mom" hugging her as I cry "sorry, just graduation and emotions"
"Of course" she hugs me back "I've missed you baby, I'm so happy to see you so happy and alive. I can't wait to meet Felix"
