[BamaFan121s]

"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen! Explain!"

"Oh, Bella, be reasonable," Alice chimed in. I ignored my favorite sister and began impatiently tapping my foot waiting on a response from Edward.

"Bella, you are my wife now and part of this family. Therefore, you are entitled to the same benefits as everyone else." I narrowed my eyes in suspicion as he began his obviously rehearsed explanation. "Your card is the same as mine, the same as Alice’s, the same as Esme’s and Jasper’s and Rosalie’s and Emmett’s…and even the same as Jacob’s." He grinned, waiting on the response he knew I would deliver.

"Jacob!?" I turned to the living room, but Jacob was nowhere in sight—a very wise move on his part.

"Yes, Jacob." He chuckled lightly. "Bella, we were gone for a few months. Jacob was bound to be spending a lot of time with Renesmee, as you are well aware. Does it honestly strike you as that surprising that Carlisle insisted he have access to funds to better provide for her in our absence?"

"It’s funny—I would have thought that might be something you’d mention to me." I was furious, but he was right on that accord…and he knew it. Between Renesmee and helping Billy at home, there was no way Jacob had time for a job. This I couldn’t deny. And in typical Cullen fashion, Carlisle and Edward would have insisted on helping out in that area. Even so, I was stubborn. I had eventually conceded and let him pay for the majority of my first term at Dartmouth. As much as I hated to admit it, after borrowing against my account to fund motorcycle renovations, the full contents of my savings had barely covered the required textbooks alone. But this was going too far.

He strolled forward and put his arm around me. I flinched, still irritated, but made no effort to move his arm. "Bella…" He began in his most persuasive, velvet voice, "You don’t want to offend Carlisle and Esme do you? This is customary of becoming part of our family. We can’t all hold permanent jobs like Carlisle, for obvious reasons…and you know that money is not an issue. If you make a big deal out of this, you will hurt their feelings, and mine…"

"And mine!" Alice added, innocently, pushing her lower lip out in a playful pout. I shot her the most evil glare I could muster, but I knew I was losing ground. Then I made a huge mistake. I turned to meet Edward’s eyes with the intent of letting him know just how strongly opposed to the idea I was and the guilt of their words, but his burning, ocher gaze, and Alice’s incredibly pitiful face caused my argument to crumble. And on top of that, they were right.

He smiled his angelic smile as I fought for concentration. "Did I ever tell you how adorable you are when you’re irritated?" Then, I lost the battle.

"Fine!" I conceded. "But don’t expect me to use it!" I turned grumpily and put the card back in my wallet, behind the business card of Mr. J Jelks. At least there I wouldn’t have to actually see it.

"OK," he said innocently, a victorious smile on his face.

"See, Edward, I told you that she’d react better this way," Alice gloated. Before I could respond, she breezed by and up the stairs, muttering something to herself about flight arrangements and weather.

"Now, can I ask you a question?" Edward continued.

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. "I’m waiting."

"Why are you looking for your contacts?"

This seemed like a silly question. He was fully aware of why I wore my contacts around Charlie. Why would he ask me that? "Didn’t you just hear Alice say that Charlie was stopping by?"

He brought my hand up and turned it over, slowly tracing the lines of my palm with his fingers. "Yes, but why do you need your contacts?"

I turned his question over in my head for a full two seconds before I gasped in realization of what he was asking. I ran at full speed to the bathroom and peered into the mirror. The eyes that stared back at me were deep amber, but most importantly, they showed no remaining traces of crimson. Edward walked in behind me as I stared in the mirror and encircled my waist with his arms, leaning down to kiss my neck. I turned to him beaming. "My eyes!"

Edward smiled adoringly and leaned down to murmur seductively in my ear, immediately causing a yearning fire to ignite in the pit of my stomach, "I would love nothing more than to help you commemorate this huge milestone, Mrs. Cullen, but…"

"Mmmm," I purred back, wrapping my arms around his waist and burying my face in his chest. I inhaled his honey-sun scent deeply, allowing it to fill every possible cell of my being. "No…no buts…"

"But…." he continued, chuckling lightly, "Charlie is pulling up in front of the house. And I have no interest in rushing the celebration." He reached back and unwound my arms from his waist, bringing my hands together in front of me.

"Ugh," I surrendered, throwing my hands in the air in surrender, "but we will continue this later." With that, I turned from the bathroom and walked out to greet my father.