And I Thought I Loved You Then, inspired by the lyrics of the song, is the same. Damn romantic. It's short, sweet, and complete. Ooh, that rhymed. I could write songs too! kyla713 weaves an amazingly sweet story of true and real love that doesn't always sail smoothly, but always finds calm seas.
Edward is seemingly hopeless with women, dedicated to school and very inexperienced with women (I'm a sucker for a nearly-Virginward). Bella is more experienced... thrice experienced!... but she is drawn to Edward just as he is drawn to her, and makes the first move. They begin a whirlwind romance, and when Edward is accepted to Harvard, Bella makes the move to Cambridge with him.
"Edward, it's not that big of a deal. I was planning on going for my Master's anyway after this, and worst-case scenario, I take a semester off. I have more than one option here, baby," Bella said one night as we lounged on the couch together, her body nestled between my legs as she lay back against my chest. "But being that far away from you is not one of them."
"I don't want to be away from you, either, Bella. But I can't expect you to give everything up for me. That's just not realistic," I replied with my face resting against her hair.
"It's not like Washington is the only place I can get my Master's. I can even do it online, if I really need to. I'm not giving anything up," she argued, tilting her head up to look at me.
"Your father and step-mother?"
"My mother in Phoenix," she countered my logic with a quirked eyebrow. "I'm a big girl. I don't need Mom or Dad around to take care of me, but I do need you. I'm not giving you up."
"I don't want to be away from you, either, Bella. But I can't expect you to give everything up for me. That's just not realistic," I replied with my face resting against her hair.
"It's not like Washington is the only place I can get my Master's. I can even do it online, if I really need to. I'm not giving anything up," she argued, tilting her head up to look at me.
"Your father and step-mother?"
"My mother in Phoenix," she countered my logic with a quirked eyebrow. "I'm a big girl. I don't need Mom or Dad around to take care of me, but I do need you. I'm not giving you up."
As the story progresses, so does their relationship, and it's lovely to read. There's not a lot of angst, but I think we all need to acknowledge that most love stories don't usually carry a lot of ridiculous, heavy angst. There are fights, there are conflicts, but in true love, always a happy ending.
Bella was going to be my wife. We were going to have our beautiful life, I looked forward to watching her grow round with each of our three kids, and maybe we'd even get a dog. And in that moment, once again, I didn't think it was possible to love her more than I did right then.
But I could be wrong. Wouldn't be the first time.
But I could be wrong. Wouldn't be the first time.
And now I have to go play Then on repeat and pine away for the man who will love me more and more... A girl can hope, right? Bella's one lucky girl, she always seems to find her man. ;-)
