Love in Cold Blood

Chapter 15: The Ides of March

I sighed as I drove down the long, dark, winding driveway towards their house. I had put on the dress, black and frilly, without a second thought and had been since questioning my actions. “What am I thinking?” My common sense side asked me. “Going to a household a vampires you only really met less then a month ago late at night without any idea what is going to happen. You didn’t even tell you’re parents you were going there. They didn’t even see you were wearing a dress. What were you thinking?!” I knew the answer before I even asked the question. “I was thinking about seeing Jasper.”
As a drove to the end of the driveway I stepped out. I grabbed the small clutch I had taken from my mother’s closet, (when would you ever use a bag this small?) Opened it and checked the time on my cell. 7:58, right on time. When I had reached the porch, I saw there were no lights. “Stupid!” My overly cautious side said “Anyone could have mailed that! There was no return address, it could have been anyone!” I quickly shoved that thought out of my mind and slowly opened the door.

“SURPRISE!” Shouted the whole Cullen family as the lights were switched on. I was stunned. The inside of the house had been draped in dark fabric, red that turned almost black when folded, on one wall. The glass side had been given lace curtains so large they must have been custom made. The light furniture had been swapped with mahogany and rosewood. Crystal vases held dozens of red roses and a table held a large white cake with black lace-like designs. It looked like an ancient European castle. It was dead perfect.
“So Freddy!” said Alice, bouncing up to me. Jasper was already by my side. “How do you like it? I tried to as accurate as possible, Carlisle helped me with that. First hand experience and all. Is this like the best Birthday Party EVER!”
I turned to Alice. “Birthday party?” It all clicked into place. “I never told you my birth date.” She looked shocked.
“Today isn’t your birthday?” She whimpered.
“Oh, it is.” I assured her “I just never told you…” I turned to Edward. “You?!” He smiled, mirroring Alice.
“Yes, I had Edward pick your head; you should have just told us your Birthday was March 15.”
“The Ides of March.” I mumbled
“Do you not like parties?” Questioned Jasper
“I do, I just never thought my birthday was important, just another day.”
“Presents?”
“I’ve never been comfortable in accepting gifts or having anyone spends money on me, especially anyone who’d not related to me.”
“Well, I guess you’re going to be really uncomfortable!” snickered Alice. I followed her gaze. Behind the cake were several silver wrapped boxes. I almost groaned.
“Cake is first of course!” said Esme striding up to give me a hug. Carlisle rested his hand on my shoulder and towed me toward the cake and sat me down at the table.
I glanced at a large stack of crystal plates. I counted 1,2,3… “Esme?”
“Yes dear?” she answered
“Why do you have nine plates? Only Bella and I will eat the cake.”
“It looks nice.”
“For Bella it would be a safety hazard!” I laughed then, seeming to remember something, Edward in swift strides picked up seven plates and seven of the matching nine crystal goblets and walked out of the room. Bella grabbed her arm.
“She must have hurt herself…” I thought
“Would you like some cake?” asked Esme, breaking the silence.
After dishing out two pieces, one for me and one for Bella, Alice watched anxiously as we ate. It was really good cake. Red velvet, smooth and sweet. When both Bella and I had finished eating and drinking the punch, Alice whisked away the plates and set the gifts before me.
“This quick?” I asked. She shoved a gift into my hands. I sighed and read the tag.
“From: the entire Cullen Family”
I ripped the paper and took out a small box. When I opened it, I found rectangle pieces of stiff paper. I read the print. Hamburg, Venice, England…. The list went on.
“Plane tickets?” I asked
“Yes!” quickly responded Alice. “We’re going on a family vacation to Europe and you and Bella are invited!”
I was shocked. Plane tickets in the market today were expensive. Especially tickets for all around Europe.
“Wow,” I exclaimed “I’ve never been to Europe. Thank you guys so much! This is wonderful.”
“Next one!” sang Alice. I picked up the box. It was small, no bigger than a wallet. I heard a piece of plastic or cardboard slide inside. I unfolded the paper and opened the lid. Inside laid a small rectangle of plastic with the words “green dot card” and “VISA” written on the front.
“A credit card?” I asked befuddled
“Not exactly.” Stepped in Rosalie who was standing to my right. “More like a gift card. We knew you wouldn’t let us spend a lot of money on you in Europe and, Alice was to go on a cross-country shopping trip so, we got you this. Now you can pick out your own stuff.”
I was about to ask a question when Alice answered it.
“We won’t tell you how much is on it so; you can’t feel bad until you’re already shopping!” She said this as if she had come up with an incredible plan to find a chink in my armor.
“Last one.” Said Alice almost glumly. She seemed as if she wanted to have gotten me more presents.
This one was a bigger box, the size of one of those gift boxes you get at Macy’s.
When I tore the paper I got even more confused. The lettering was in some foreign language I didn’t understand. Jasper laughed at the confused look I had on my face.
“Stop staring at it as if you’re solving a Soduko!” exclaimed an exasperated Alice.
“A Soduko? Really Alice…” I mumbled as I opened the lid. Inside laid a beautiful jacket. (I had always been one for jackets.) It was a wonderful black trench coat that would reach my knees with a double breast and eight buttons. It looked amazingly close to a jacket I had seen online but, was too expensive for me to afford. It wasn’t even a major designer which this was clearly was.
“It’s beautiful.” I muttered, stroking the high collar.
“I knew you’d like it!” Squealed Alice. “Edward saw that in your head to, I just had him sketch it and I found a jacket similar.”
“All this is really too much.” I said lying back in my seat. “Thank you all so much but really. All this after the present my parents gave me yesterday… really.” I shook my head.
“You play?” Edward blurted out.
“Um … yeah.” I mumbled. ‘Oh yeah.’ I thought ‘the mind reading thing.’
“Play what?” questioned Alice annoyed. She didn’t like being out of the loop. “What did your parents get you?” She stomped her foot. Well, if you could call that a ‘stomp’. It was so delicate it was more of a ‘tap’.
I explained “A piano, well technically it was my grandmother’s but she has arthritis in her hands so she can no longer play. I’ve always had a keyboard but never a piano. It’s a baby grand.”
“I never saw your key board.” She looked almost disturbed she had missed something.
“I have it in the extra room that shoots off the den. It looks like the last owners had it added on. The piano is there now.”
“Then I guess you must play for us” Smiled Alice as she eyed Edward’s piano.
“I’m really not that good.” I tried to explain to Alice.
“How long have you played?” asked Edward
“Less time then you I’m sure.” He cracked a smile. “I’ve been playing since I was five or six so, about twelve years.”
“Well that’s good enough for me.” Confirmed Alice. “We should get ready then!” said she, daintily clapping her hands.
“For what?” Both Bella and I said in unison. Edward chuckled. Bella looked up at him. He looked away.
“For the dancing of course! Why else would we have cleared the space and set the music system here or, asked you to dress up!”
“Edward…” started Bella. Apparently she hated to dance, having no balance does that.
“Sorry love, but Alice really wanted it and if I told you, you wouldn’t have come.”
With that Rosalie moved over to Bella, grabbed her by the wrist and proceeded to drag her up the stairs. Alice held my hand and, we followed them.