Personally I like the sparkly vamp thing, so this was fun: ‘…every now and then sparks of light would bounce off Edward's hand on the steering wheel, making me smile.’ Me too.

This line struck me really funny, Edward talking about teaching her to upchuck human food: "Although it won't be the most romantic thing we ever do together."

I was glad to see her find a way to stand her ground on taking a walk so he could dispose of his lunch. Oh yeah, his “that’s final” tone. I wonder how much that comes from the time he was born – men used to think they were entitled to that tone. Excellent use of their history: “Have you forgotten Port Angeles? I haven't." Hopefully she’ll have the sense to avoid the industrial district… ‘"Edward, I'm not asking your permission." My voice was quiet but firm. His eyes widened at me…’ Perfect. ‘It was a small thing, but he hadn't tricked or dazzled me into giving in to him. And I hadn't backed down… It felt good.’ Yes!

"You've actually been shopping without Alice?” Cute. Alice would probably be horrified at her purchase.

Terrific: ‘I'd been right - things weren't the same and never would be. But I was pretty sure things were going to be better. … Battling an army of crazed vampires was one thing, but these past two weeks had been the real test in our relationship. And we'd passed.’

Wow, how sweet and romantic that Edward dolled up the room! And Bella has the sense to smile and say thank you.

Charming that Bella’s high spirits translate into enjoying a little dancing … but what a sight when she turns around. Dripping wet, flame-eyed Edward. Whoa. [Hmm, makes me remember how much I enjoyed that wet Edward shot in the first movie.] Gah - your lovingly detailed description of how he looked and the pleasure she took in peeling off his shirt and drying his skin. ‘I knew his eyes were on me, I could practically feel the scorch marks, but I didn't dare to look at him.’ Thank goodness he chose to let her!

And he asks her to kiss him? That’s new! Great that when he does reach his limit, he’s able to breathe and calm down without having to push her away. Oh lord, pressed against his bare chest AND feeling his erection through his wet jeans, both for the first time? No wonder her heart exploded.

But she does the right thing: ‘It wasn't easy but I stayed as still as I could while his lips floated across mine and his hips pressed against me, letting me feel him. Despite his gentleness I could feel the tension in his body. I didn't want to make this more difficult for him.’ And then when he really has had all he could handle: ‘I began to stroke the back of his neck. He smiled. "Now you know," he whispered.’ Lovely.

Yeah, pajamas – definitely raising the ante from jeans. Hmm, are you sure he can’t keep a pair at Charlie’s? His list of contingency plans – he started out trying to sound light-hearted, but he really had been afraid.

‘I snuggled as close as I could. And for the first time, he didn't leave a space between us.’ Nice.

Oh my gosh, he wants to tell George!

So interesting to watch the interaction between Edward and George, and wonder what Edward is hearing. He seems to be adding to the conversation based on George’s thoughts.

Good for Bella, seeing that ‘Their story was just ... sad.’ Then ‘I felt my heart skip when Edward reached out slowly and very gently clasped his hand around his son's.’ Me, too.

Wow he’s so tense after they leave George’s room. Almost a shock to find out that this whole time he’s been thinking that any moment Bella may decide to walk away. And that more than once he seriously considered turning around and going home.

There’s just something right about them finding a secluded spot in a forest – even though it’s likely a hardwood forest and not conifers – for their important conversation. Lovely too that Bella has the patience to be quiet until he’s ready to talk, and then that they’re both needing physical affection to ground them.

I love how Edward is finally able to talk about all the things he’s felt over the last two weeks. Until now he’s been too worried about how Bella would react. It’s amazing how many different burdens he was carrying. Hmm, I never thought that he would worry how Rebecca and George would react to his different-ness, that they might reject him because of it. Makes sense.

“…for the first time since I found out about George, I was able to feel something else instead of shame and guilt. And you did that Bella." Smiling. ‘I didn't know how a person could have so much love in them. Yes I did - because I felt it too. For him.’ And sniffling.

Stunning: “Lucy didn't give me a son, you did." My heart stuttered. "You gave me the forgiveness, the love, the acceptance and the courage to do this today.”

‘I was perfectly calm and contented and realised I hadn't felt that way in a while. I snuggled deeper into him. He seemed so much calmer, now. His eyes were peaceful. He'd let go of the shame and guilt that had filled him.’ Sigh.

What a trip that Rebecca flirted with the idea of “vampire”, and that’s why Edward decided to eat lunch. And wow, what a surprise that George just plain talked to Edward in his thoughts. Sad that Rebecca’s brother had such a tough time – somehow I suspect he’ll be found, or at least looked for.

Enjoyed Bella’s answer to “will you tell me something”: ‘"Maybe, probably. I don't know, it depends if you dazzle me or not."

Fascinating chapter.

Oh, what a nasty dream! “Let me show you how it’s done” indeed. Ouch - Edward thinks she was saying “don’t touch me” to him. As if he’s not insecure enough already. A marvelous touch: ‘Alice had told me he'd spent the last two days alternating between calling the whole trip off and marvelling at how amazing I was. He is simply full of wonder, she'd said. And fear.’

I so enjoyed the dialog you wrote as he badgers her to tell him what she was dreaming about. So natural, so E&B. Oh my gosh she really goes for it: “I just ... you don't seem to ... respond to me like you did to her. What else is she to think from his past overly controlled behavior? ‘My blush was a body glove’ – good one. And I love that he was so agitated he actually had to get out of the car and pace for a minute. Such a difficult conversation for two fundamentally shy people, good for them.

‘Words, thoughts - all gone. I was jelly. The sincerity and the emotion in Edward's eyes was scorching.’ Yumm. Bless her for jumping in as soon as she see the shame in his expression. ‘He dropped his hands but I grabbed them quickly and held them, hard.’ This is wonderful: “…the physical reflex I had, when [Lucy] did what she did, doesn't even register against what I feel when you just smile at me, or hold my hand." I smiled that perpetually insecure Bella had to be sure: ‘"I am Everest, right?" I asked.’ They’ve needed to have this conversation for so long, even before Lucy!

And oh my gosh, he even manages to relax enough to come up with some humor: ‘[Bella:] "I suppose we should keep going." … Edward chuckled. "You might want to clarify exactly what you mean by that."’ What a brat, making that comment about “breaking new ground together” and chuckling when Bella’s heart ‘did an audible triple backflip with forward somersault’.

Lovely tour of Edward’s human environment. Good insight: “It took a couple of years for me to get my head around what had happened to me. Carlisle helped secure my inheritance, but it stood empty for a while until I sorted myself out."

Something so sexy and grown-up about sharing a hotel room together, even though he stays in her room most nights. Top Gear – of course.

Nice detail: "Look hesitant. It would seem odd if we walked up to [Rebecca] directly without knowing exactly who she was." ‘Vampire 101’ – snort. An interesting way of describing it: ‘his voice was smooth and polite as he slipped into character’. He’s had to slip into character a lot in his life. There’s something shivery about hearing him talk about human Edward Masen as a distant much-older relative. Why is it so moving that George has Edward’s hands and wild hair?

‘…it was almost like [Rebecca] was seeing through the facade.’ Ooh, didn’t expect that.

Funny when Edward asks about a meal and Bella ‘felt my jaw drop.’ Can’t wait to find out why he thought this was necessary. And of course the dazzled waitress is always amusing. Rebecca didn’t seem to take notice of that?

Excellent that George was a music teacher! Somehow I think he’s due not only for a room upgrade, but for permanent funding for his music school. Oh, so sad that George lost Marion and had the stroke so close together.

Oh crap, a photo of Edward and Lucy, taken the night of their engagement party! They both could have done without that. Not to mention that it lets clever Rebecca see that they “could be twins”. Aww, so sweet when Edward whispers “Everest” to help Bella settle down from the photo.

This is so frustrating: ‘Then his eyebrows shot up and he gave a quick laugh which he covered with a cough. I wondered whose thoughts he'd heard and what they'd been thinking.’ I'm glad I don't have to wait for publication of a new chapter to find out!

Fun interactions about the high school reunion site photos. Hmm, he played guitar in order to fit in. Good one: ‘"Are you any good?" He looked up at me and raised a single eyebrow.’

Interesting observation: “I think I've been so wrapped up in ... us ... that I didn't think to find out about you." Well, she can fix that now.

At Shea Stadium: “I nearly gave myself a migraine trying to block thousands of hysterical thoughts." Good thing Rob doesn’t have Edward’s talent.

OK, must be an Australian vs. American thing: for us cheesecloth is an extremely loosely woven cloth mostly used for straining foods. We wouldn’t wear it … so I’m guessing we’re talking about something like gauze or muslin?

Wow, that is pretty impressive that Charlie picked up on the tension between E&B since the Chicago trip. Nice that he wanted to make sure she’s OK.

Well halleluia, Bella finally begins to realize what she has put Edward through around Jacob. Gives her some perspective on the Lucy/George situation.

This is a wild thought: ‘Edward's blood didn't run through his own veins anymore, but it did run through George's.’ Good point: “And I don't want to spend eternity wondering if you're wondering [about George]."
“He has your blood in his veins, Edward. Of course he's a good man." Aww. At least things have gotten a little easier between them.

What a lovely scene, learning the history of the items in his bedroom. Interesting why he hesitated to do that: "Before, I thought perhaps telling you about these things would make the difference in our ages more obvious. I thought, maybe, you wouldn't want to be reminded of that." A dog named Renfield – excellent. I wonder if Bella’s ever read “Dracula”. The story about the “find the baseball” game was particularly fun.

Oh my gosh, Edward’s notes about the things he wanted to remember from his human life! So precious. And then "You're the only person I've ever shown this to." Hmm, not even Carlisle. “I wonder sometimes what [his parents] would think of me now, if they'd known what I'd become.” What a burden, I can’t imagine they could accept his new nature. I liked the detail that Bella was the one to notice that his mother chose cuff links that matched his eyes!

I think I actually gasped that he saved the bottle cap from their first time sitting together in the cafeteria. Sweet, sentimental vampire.

“…while you were sleeping…before you started talking about Snoopy wearing flowers in his ears." Snort.

Great idea, to have Bella come along to meet George.

‘I realised Edward's hands were trembling. He was scared. He needed support. He needed me.’ Good for her. Book Bella was too often clueless about what Edward needed. Lovely how even physically they are facing the contents of the diary together.

Snickered that Harriet Stanley – an ancestor of Jessica’s? – was after Edward.

It just occurred to me that the focus on a “good match” and wealthy family and big wedding reminds me of Rosalie’s human ambitions.

‘Apparently Mr Masen is insisting that Edward's wishes be considered just as fully as mine.’ Well how about that!

‘It will be different after the wedding, though, I'm sure. He will have to be interested then.’ Lord, where did she get this idea?

Poor Lucy just keeps putting more nails in her coffin with each diary entry, doesn’t she? ‘He said something about the world and experiencing ... what was it? Something I can't remember now. I wasn't really listening.’ Groan.

Oh, so she was actually trying to get pregnant. Charming (not) how she got the idea to force the wedding from a friend who used it herself. Amazing that he waited for her at the foot of the stairs so they could go back into the party together. A level of manners I can’t even imagine.

‘Was I actually trying to make my fiancé feel better about being with someone else? I must really love this man.’ Nice.

A lovely bit when Bella does allow him to hold her again. ‘Would I let him give me the comfort that so far I hadn't allowed?’ Most importantly, ‘He'd never held her like this… He really was mine.’

Interesting that Carlisle said Edward survived the flu, and that he was taking him away to recuperate. I guess he couldn’t say Edward died if he wasn’t prepared to produce a body.

Oh for heaven’s sake, Lucy even seduced her (new) fiance to disguise the conception date. What a schemer. I feel like I should have some empathy for the limited choices women had then but … no.

‘One by one [the Cullens] said hello politely, almost nervously. It was like the first day I'd come here.’ Well done. Surprising that Rosalie acknowledges Bella’s bravery in dealing with all this.

"But not now," he cut [Alice] off again. "Bella will let you know when she's made any decisions." Thank goodness, someone needed to rein her in sometimes.

I’m glad she finally musters some curiosity about all the mementos in his room. It drove me nuts that book Bella showed so little curiosity about his long life. Leave it to your Bella to Google him! Funny that someone was looking for ‘the gorgeous, mysterious Edward Cullen’ in connection with a class reunion. And then she’s busted scoping out the photos – wonderful!

Also good that she’s giving more thought to whether Edward might really want to know more about George.

‘I realised Edward's hands were trembling. He was scared. He needed support. He needed me.’ Good for her. Book Bella was too often clueless about what Edward needed. Lovely how even physically they are facing the contents of the diary together.

Snickered that Harriet Stanley – an ancestor of Jessica’s? – was after Edward.

It just occurred to me that the focus on a “good match” and wealthy family and big wedding reminds me of Rosalie’s human ambitions.

‘Apparently Mr Masen is insisting that Edward's wishes be considered just as fully as mine.’ Well how about that!

‘It will be different after the wedding, though, I'm sure. He will have to be interested then.’ Lord, where did she get this idea?

Poor Lucy just keeps putting more nails in her coffin with each diary entry, doesn’t she? ‘He said something about the world and experiencing ... what was it? Something I can't remember now. I wasn't really listening.’ Groan.

Oh, so she was actually trying to get pregnant. Charming (not) how she got the idea to force the wedding from a friend who used it herself. Amazing that he waited for her at the foot of the stairs so they could go back into the party together. A level of manners I can’t even imagine.

‘Was I actually trying to make my fiancé feel better about being with someone else? I must really love this man.’ Nice.

A lovely bit when Bella does allow him to hold her again. ‘Would I let him give me the comfort that so far I hadn't allowed?’ Most importantly, ‘He'd never held her like this… He really was mine.’

Interesting that Carlisle said Edward survived the flu, and that he was taking him away to recuperate. I guess he couldn’t say Edward died if he wasn’t prepared to produce a body.

Oh for heaven’s sake, Lucy even seduced her (new) fiance to disguise the conception date. What a schemer. I feel like I should have some empathy for the limited choices women had then but … no.

‘One by one [the Cullens] said hello politely, almost nervously. It was like the first day I'd come here.’ Well done. Surprising that Rosalie acknowledges Bella’s bravery in dealing with all this.

"But not now," he cut [Alice] off again. "Bella will let you know when she's made any decisions." Thank goodness, someone needed to rein her in sometimes.

I’m glad she finally musters some curiosity about all the mementos in his room. It drove me nuts that book Bella showed so little curiosity about his long life. Leave it to your Bella to Google him! Funny that someone was looking for ‘the gorgeous, mysterious Edward Cullen’ in connection with a class reunion. And then she’s busted scoping out the photos – wonderful!

Also good that she’s giving more thought to whether Edward might really want to know more about George.

I loved this story for it's uniqueness I have never read one like it so far. At first I had Bella's reaction about Lucy you lied to me about being a virgin, but after hearing what really HAPPENED I understood more I knew it so did not sound like Edward...I love how the chapter's were so long and so much detail and if you time jumped it flowed instead of like what in the world...

Wow, excellent imagining of what news like this would do to Bella. Including the parts where she knows she’s being irrational but can’t help it. Like ‘He'd been that close, that intimate, with her, but he would barely open his lips for me.’ She understands why … and if she thought about it, she’d realize there really wasn’t much intimacy with Lucy, either.

Terrific: ‘Space. I needed space. And I needed time. And then my breathing hitched again because I realised that the other thing I needed was comfort and my comfort always came from Edward. But not today. I felt as though I'd lost him, like he'd left me all over again.’

Ah, so now we see why he wanted to bring the truck today, and why they didn’t move far off the road. He was even thoughtful enough to choose somewhere they’d never been, to avoid contaminating better times with these awful hours.

What a heart-clenching moment, Bella sobbing her heart out, unable to walk away from Edward yet unable to let him near her.

“...obviously you can ... be... with someone, Edward. Just as long as it's not me!" Ouch! And then "Exactly. No Bella. That's all I hear.” She has a point. There’s something so … sharp-edged about her slapping his hands away.

I like that Edward had to have his own irrational tantrum, like Bella did. That gets her attention: ‘I'd never seen Edward lose control like this, so angry, and it was chilling.’

‘"I am yours, Bella." The emotion in his voice, in his eyes, made my breath catch.’ Shiver.

This was surprising: “I didn't want to go any further with the matter, until I'd spoken to you. This involves us both, Bella. At least, I hope it does." In the books, Edward always seemed to take charge of everything and only tell Bella after it was all over. This is an improvement.

Whew, such a relief when she decides she believes him, about everything. Yet this is fair: “I just feel cheated… Not by you, just by the circumstances, I guess."

Clever: “Things always seem worse on an empty stomach, you know."

Yeah, this makes it harder: ‘We'd been so caught up in our own little bubble for so long, believing that there had never been anyone else but each other. Now our bubble had burst.’ Welcome to most people’s world.

Hmm, I like the idea that Bella decides to immerse herself in the manners and mores of Edward’s time. Good girl. When she realizes how far out of line Lucy and Edward had been, ‘I wondered if his self-loathing had started before he was a vampire.’

Excellent, now they’re on the same side, working through the fallout together.

Such a good job imagining how Edward would respond: ‘Somehow he seemed even more unsure of himself than yesterday… I saw his hands reach for me, but then he stopped and shoved them in his pockets instead.’ I mean, it IS Edward, he’s going to beat himself up for a while.

Oh, good point that Rosalie would feel cheated that Edward got to have a human family when she didn’t.

Realistic touch that she doesn’t want to have this discussion on his bed. And her reaction to the engagement notice: ‘It was there in black and white. I thought I was going to be sick.’

Oh, so George is looking for information about any surviving family of Edward Masen. Interesting that he figured out the connection.

Oh, crap, Lucy’s diary! Yes, a little leather bound ‘grenade with the pin pulled’. Just as Bella did, he worries "What if it's not how I remember it?”

Whew, I’m glad I don’t have to wait for the next chapter to be published!

A wonderful and beautiful story. I enjoyed every minute of reading it!

Thanks and take care

Ah, lovely, immersing myself in another Windchymes story. You’re certainly one of the best at vividly capturing the sweetness and intensity of E&B.

A small but perfect moment: ‘the door opened and he was there. He was there.’ Sigh. Good job too conveying her “rising panic” when she knows something is off.

Hmm, I’m suspicious why he wants to take the truck today. But then at this point I’d be suspicious if he said the sky is blue.

"Come for a walk with me?" Seriously, Edward? You can never ever use that phrase again! At least he figures out right away what she’s reacting to.

"I said that if and when I married, it would be for love, and with someone of my own choosing." A romantic all the way back then!

Interesting, a human memory that faded to almost nothing because he spent no energy keeping it fresh.

"Did she wear this ring?" Ooh, good question. Good answer, luckily. Along with “I never asked her that question."

‘So, even in 1918 Edward was old fashioned.’ Excellent. And Lucy … what … wanted to be sure she had some kind of claim on him? She had to know his priority was enlisting.

"My heart and mind certainly weren't hers, but my human, teenage body betrayed me." As it would. Even if he barely had any idea what was happening.

‘We were both torturing ourselves - him in telling me this, me in trying to second-guess what was coming next.’ Well said. Her brain has to be spinning a mile a minute, imagining twenty sentences for every one he actually gets out.

"I was out of that room and down the stairs faster than any vampire.” I can just see it.

“…technically, still virgins.” Your name is CULLEN, not CLINTON.

OMG, his father got sick two days later – and in short order, nothing at all in his human life mattered.

‘I felt like I'd received a hard blow to my chest. As if my heart was actually, physically bruised.’ I bet.

You know, without sex ed it would have been hard for Bella to believe this could actually happen.

Holy cow! Now what? Maybe a blessing that Lucy’s gone (before Bella was born), but does Edward have living descendants?

This is really good! I love the story line and you have managed to write a story about Edward and Bella really well. The only thing is that Edward is. OOC this chapter. I will enjoy reading the rest'

Ya fooled me with the tent pegs!

Um so lemons on the way? And serious? No French kissing yet,

That was beautiful. I got tears. What a unique twist.

tHANK YOU FOR A GREAT RIDE!