Love in a Bubble

Edward and Bella are in a car accident that renders Bella into a coma. Edward visits her every day, talking to her about anything and everything. While Bella sleeps, she plays out all of Edward's conversations as though they were dates; both falling in love in a bubble.

Beta'd by the lovely and talented Frannie Sunflower or Fran Walsh or My Beta Queen.

And as always, I own nothing Twilight.

Chapter Ten:

BPOV

After five hours of a zillion x-rays, and test after test after test, Dr. Rinnella finally gives me a clean bill of health. I am his walking miracle, and he plans to write an article or two based on my amazing recovery. Little does he realize that my wellness is the result of one man who loves me so very deeply that he forgoes anything for himself and thinks of my needs first.

He's my real-life miracle.

With his cast off and his last physical therapy session, Edward will be jubilant that we are free. Free to walk without a cane, free to dance without exertion, and free to love without exploding my brain and again breaking his leg. I plan on acting out every 'bubble' thought I've had over the past months; defiling every nook and cranny in his townhome, screaming loudly in the hot tub for two on his rooftop patio and exploring every Kamasutra position in the illustrated book Alice bought for us, expressly for this auspicious occasion. She says she will revel in our hot, sex sounds since she and Jasper live in the townhouse behind Edward's.

Today is my first day of actual freedom to venture out alone, and Edward didn't make it easy for me, begging me not to drive. Jasper knows how to turn Edward's head with sheer logic, and because of him, I'm on my own.

Edward, Jasper, and Alice busily oversee the final stages of the construction and design of both of our stores. The two spaces between us are still available, and Jasper thinks it's wise to combine both businesses.

"Body, mind, and soul. The music store on one side, the books on the other and in between, a cafe' with entertainment by the students, and poetry nights for the studious minded. It all makes sense," Jasper sells us in one meeting.

So, the new additions will have a huge gathering room with a stage and sound system in the back. Patrons can come in for lunch or dinner until eight pm and enjoy the show until midnight with available coffee, tea, soft drinks and snacks.

In the music store, Alice creates the music rooms in assigned colors of the rainbow with matching murals of colorful musical notes and clefs. Each room is soundproof, with music stands, chairs, a chalkboard and with its own, small sound system. This is quite elaborate for Forks, but we want to draw in surrounding areas for business. Again, Jasper foresees a successful pull since there is nothing like this for miles around.

My bookstore has a home environment to it with rows of shelves in a half-moon shape that drapes each wall with comfortable chairs and hanging Tiffany lamps, looking similar to a warm den.

As I pull into the parking lot, my sweet man walks out from the store to my car and his face is aglow with anticipation. "Well?"

I broadly smile; slowly look up with sad eyes and say, "I have one problem, Edward." I get out of the car and stand in front of him.

His face drops into concern, and he cups my jaw with his hands. "What? You are all right?"

I wrap my arms around his waist and then run my hands over his firm ass. "I just don't know." I smile deviously and whisper in his ear, "Where to take you, first." I giggle. "I've got a clean bill of health, Edward. We can bang one another, and my brains won't fall out."

We laugh, and he kisses me with great purpose.

Edward takes my hand. "Are you ready for the surprise?"

"Yeah, I can't wait to see for myself. All of you have described everything so vividly, but I can't wait to really see it all."

"Well, let's go. The faster you get your tour, the faster I can take you home."

We walk into the first building, and I stare, moving in a three hundred and sixty-degree angle taking in all the guitars hanging on the walls. There's a background of colorful graffiti surrounding every instrument with musical notes and clefs on a pathway of song. It's impressive.

"Wow, this is beautiful. Somehow, Alice made each guitar stand out," I gasp.

"Edward proudly responds, "Yeah, she did an amazing job. Look down at the floors."

My eyes jump open at the artistic notes in swirls around each piano on the hardwood floor. "Won't the paint wear as people walk on them?" I ask.

Edward smiles. "The floors are glazed with a clear acrylic sealer that is easily washed and leaves the floor untouched."

I sigh, "Wow."

He pinches my side. "Alice is full of surprises."

"She has some great ideas. Everything stands out and blends in."

He smirks. "Just wait."

We enter through a door that leads us into the cafe'. The low lights bring out a certain kind of intimacy, a warmth allowing music to enchant you. The first thing I see is the stage in the back. There's a full drum set with a large bass, snare, and two toms and a high-hat, Sizzler and two proud Zildjians. Two acoustic and three electric guitars are on stands, and two large amplifiers rest against the brick wall with a Roland keyboard on a stand.

I turn to the right, and there is the bar. The mirrored wall has shelves of whiskey, bourbon, rum, vodka, gin, tequila, brandy, and the like. "I didn't know we were serving liquor?"

"Another one of Alice's ideas and a big money maker. Your father helped with the liquor license."

My eyes widen. "He did?"

"He agreed with Alice. Until the music and bookstore attract people, 'the liquor will go quicker', a quote from your dad."

"If we serve beer, he'll be here."

"That's exactly what he said, "Edward surprisingly responds.

I look down. "Wow, I like the idea of continuing the floor into the cafe' or bar, now."

"This being a 'bar' sets our hours later, too."

I question, "How late is late?"

"Two am."

I nod. "I like that."

"You do?"

"Yes, I do. You've worked so hard."

"Okay, you need to close your eyes. I want to surprise you with your books," he pleads.

I kiss him lightly on the lips. "Look, I told you I trusted you guys completely to finish this for me."

"Bella, no one expected you to rush your recovery."

I giggle. "Hey, I'm a miracle."

"Okay, close those baby browns."

Edward takes my hand and guides me into the next room. "You can open them."

Once I look up, I see a roomful of people shouting, 'Surprise'!

There are helium balloons filling the ceiling and a banner that reads, 'Congratulations, Bella', and a table with food, drinks, and a huge cake.

Alice hugs me tightly, "Are you surprised?"

"More like overwhelmed. Alice, you did an amazing job," I praise her.

"Take a good look around. Well, after you hug your Dad. He looks anxious," she points out.

Charlie grabs me and slowly spins me. "Do you like everything?"

"Dad, it's a dream come true. I can't believe all of you kept the bar a secret."

"It made more sense. Besides, when I retire, maybe you'll give you old man a job."

I kid, "I don't know. Do you have any references?"

Sue vouches, "Sometimes, he's reliable."

I argue, "He's always late for dinner."

Sue laughs, "Unless it's a thick steak with gravy and mashed potatoes with butter and cream."

Jasper cuts in, "I'll hire the chief." Jasper juts out his thumb. "He likes me." Alice pets his head, humming, "Down boy."

Edward walks up behind me and places his hands on my shoulders giving them a little squeeze. "Well?"

"At least my bookstore is what you described. I love the trails of authors' names instead of the musical notes on the floor." I lean back on Edward. "Thank you."

He leans down and kisses my nose. "We open in a week."

Jasper coolly adds, "And one of our high school buddies is moving home. He's a professional football player."

"He became a free agent from the Giants, and expressed interest in the Seahawks, and they picked him up. Jazz and I kept in contact with Garrett. When he found out about coming home, he called us."

"I'm so glad you guys will reconnect with your childhood friend," I say.

Jasper jumps. "There's more to it, Bella. Tell her, Edward."

"Garrett is quite a character. He's bold, loud and everyone likes him. He's made friends with some very famous people."

Jasper he ecitedly says, "Hell, he's a very famous people!"

"To do us a Garrett favor, he invited some very known celebrities."

"You're kidding?" I challenge.

Edward shrugs. "No. Let's just say his favorite band is going to play for us." He smiles down at me and sings:

Come to me my sweetest friend

Can you feel my heart again

I'll take you back where you belong

And this will be our favorite song

Come to me with secrets bare

I'll love you more so don't be scared

And when we're old and near the end

We'll go home and start again.

I squeal.

So does Alice.

So does Jasper.

"They're going to stay the entire night and party until we close," Edward informs.

"You're kidding?"

He shakes his head.

I moan, "This is getting better."

Jasper gently pokes me. "There's more."

I ask, "There's more?"

Dad says, "There's a lot more."

"Garrett plans to tend bar with his wife, Kate." Edward rolls his hand in front of my face.

"Kate Denali Wilder, super … model?"

My mouth drops to my chest. "No!"

Jasper smiles. "Yes, and she's bringing friends to our soiree."

Jasper counts on his fingers, "If this goes as planned, we will have the Seattle crowd coming every night to the bar, and during the day, the book and music store."

"I can't tell you how many times Garrett wanted to hook us up with recording deals," Edward expresses.

"Why didn't you take him up on his offers?" I ask.

"We never felt ready, and it wasn't the way we wanted to go."

"Bella, we lived in New York and came home … to Forks," Jasper humbly hints.

"And I gladly followed," Alice whispers. "This is the kind of success, I think, we all want."

"Yeah, live a normal life, do what we like and be with our families."

The door opens and Esme, Carlisle, plus Emmett and Rosalie, pushing a carriage, walk into the store.

Rosalie apologizes, "I'm so sorry we were late, the baby was fussing."

"Don't worry about it. I'm so glad you're here," I say.

While Edward would meet up with Jasper and Alice to work on store business with Emmett's construction company, Rosalie and I would talk over the phone. While she would nurse, she would call and shoot the bull with me. It's amazing how much goes on in a small town. Yes, everyone knows everyone else's business. For a while now, I am the talk of Forks' Thriftway.

Apparently, I put a damper on the wedding plans of many single girls looking for a husband with Edward's return home.

Esme is not a gossip but does she have information on everyone, thanks to Carlisle's nurses. We can't call ourselves gossipers because we only share our juicy stories with one another.

The party winds down after four, and once the cleanup crew leaves, Edward takes me home.

Alice winks with a high five and warns me not to 'break' Edward.

~ooo~LIAB~ooo~

We're silent on the drive home.

Finally, Edward asks, "Are you all right?"

I smile. "I'll be better when we get home."

He laughs. "What if we're so hyped up I can't … you know."

I reassure him, "Oh my wonderful man, you will rise to the occasion quite a few times."

"Aren't you hopeful," he chuckles.

"Edward, every night you went to bed and woke up poking me in the back. I'd say you're more than ready."

With a piggyback ride and two steps at a time, we reach the bedroom in record timing.

Kissing deeply while we strip ourselves bare takes another minute.

Crawling on the bed, and lying prone, Edward slides a leg between mine in a half minute.

In Olympic medal time, I feel him stretch and fill me with a slow, delicious, burn … and the torch is lit.

By the time we reach our third orgasm, we both yawn. There's a loud bang on the wall and Alice yells, "I'm don't hear anything."

I whisper, "Let's piss her off and go to sleep."

~ooo~LIAB~ooo~

Days pass quickly, and it's opening night. Garrett arrives with Kate in a massive, stretch limo. When we see a limo in Forks, it's either a wedding or a funeral, but not tonight.

The Goo Goo Dolls will play acoustic sets, and they are ready backstage.

One after one, with media coverage, we watch sports and Hollywood celebrities enter the bar.

Jasper nudges Edward, "It's a good thing we have the square footage. We're SRO."

I ask, "What's SRO?"

"Standing room only," Alice explains.

I have to admit I tingle all over with goosebumps.

Dad and Sue, Esme, and Carlisle, and Emmett and Rosalie sit at a table up front, next to Jasper, Alice and us.

The house lights flicker as the band settles themselves in. Edward wraps an arm around my chair, and I lean into him. "This is so surreal. Pinch me."

He whispers into my ear brushing his lips over my skin, "I'll be doing that later."

I giggle and cross my legs.

The band plays their first set, and John Rzeznik announces, "Thanks. It's a great night."

Edward restlessly fidgets. So unlike him.

John continues, "We're here to celebrate this extraordinary place. My friend, Garrett Wilder, called me for a favor. Where the hell are you?"

Garrett shouts out from the bar, "Over here, man, with Kate!"

John laughs. "I see you're both preparing yourselves for retirement."

The crowd laughs.

He continues, "It seems like Garrett's longtime buddies are the owners." He takes a sip of a drink. "And I have a request. Where are Edward and Bella?"

Edward gives him a short wave.

"Well, this is for the two of you."

The intro plays and John sings the beginning of "Come to Me." By the time he sings,

"Today's the day I'll make you mine

So get me to the church on time

Take my hand in this empty room

You're my girl, and I'm your groom."

Edward scrapes his chair back and gets on one knee. He looks up holding a small black velvet box. "Make me your groom, Bella. Marry me."

The End.

~ooo~LIAB~ooo~

And we know what she said!

~ooo~LIAB~ooo~

Edward and Bella POV

On that fated day on the highway … two souls found one another … We were brought together through adversity to fight for our lives … for one another … And from that uphill climb … we now coast with ease … Still in our own Love in a Bubble.

A/N: I wrote this for a compilation: 'Words of Love for Meli'. It was my pleasure to give her some peace of mind as she faced some serious challenges. A simple love story of family, friends, and togetherness all tied up with a bow.

If you would like to read the other stories, here is the site:

: / u/7714837/ Words-of-Love-for-Meli

My prayers are with you, Meli. Fran had a great idea and I was privileged to be a small part of it. All my best and love!