Girl of Smoke and Glass

Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight, right? That means, I don´t. I won´t say it again.

I want to thank Breath-of-Twilight for being a marvelous friend and for betaing this. I´m a wee bit headstrong, so the mistakes are mine, she did try to make me see sense. Thank you Kelli, love.

Also, I want to thank JA Mash for the beautiful banner. I adore it, and you, Jess.

This is an Edward and Bella story, even if the first part is about Edward´s past. I actually had intended to write Bella´s past also, but decided against it. I swear they´ll be short. And they´ll set eyes on each other soon.

Girl of Smoke and Glass is my June Drabble War Entry. It´s been nominated for the Top Ten Completed Fics - June 2012. Vote?

And these are my fellow warroirs entries:

TrueEnglishRose: Sticks and Stones

Mona Rider: Middle Ground

Layne Fair: Transparent

amandac3: Carnal Knowledge

dunedin girl: Love Me ´till the End of (Human) Life

Lolo84: I Do But Not Today

Please, pay attention to the dates.

Girl of Smoke and Glass

September 5, 2002. Somewhere in Central America.

A Restaurant´s kitchen

"Hola, soy Edward Cullen," I say to the lady who is obviously in charge, almost exhausting my Spanish repertoire.

"Hola, Edward, soy María Eugenia, la dueña de Granada. Espero que estés listo para trabajar sin parar," she fires back.

"Er… what? I´m sorry, yo no entiendo."

"Ay, Dios mío!" she exclaims and turns to yell. "CARMEEEEEN! Carmen, ven acá, éste no habla nada de español. En qué cabeza cabe que va a trabajar aquí, espero que no nos atrase todo!"

Carmen turns out to be her daughter, her young, beautiful, voluptuous, sexy-as-fuck daughter.

Translation of the Spanish bits:

"Hello, I´m Edward Cullen."

"Hello, Edward, I´m Maria Eugenia, the owner of Granada. I hope you´re ready to work nonstop."

"I don´t understand."

"Oh, my god! Carmen, come here. This one doesn´t speak Spanish at all. Who was the genius that thought he could work here? I hope he can keep up."

September 15, 2002.

A Boat on a Lake

"So, why here?" Carmen asks, reclining on her elbows. I fight with my eyes so they don´t stray where they shouldn´t.

"Why not?" I shrug. "I´ve always loved the strong, exotic flavors of Latin-American cuisine, and I wanted to learn the real deal, you know? The everyday, homemade touch. I have family in Florida, and they have many friends from here. I like them. They are really open and welcoming."

"That´s random."

"A little, but… the food they serve at parties is awesome. I fell in love with tostones con queso in Miami… and well, there was also the money thing. My parents didn´t want me to do this, and coming here fitted my budget."

"I´m glad you´re not loaded, then," she says, beaming. "And it´s pronounced ´kehsaw´ not ´Kehsowe´." She giggles.

November 4, 2002.

His rented room

I am crazy about her. She is such a mass of contradictions: Loud and confident, everywhere but in bed where she is almost demure. Her body´s reactions betray her shyness, though. I know how much she wants me.

After making love, I think she is asleep, but she reaches and traces a line between my eyes.

"What are you thinking about?" she whispers.

"Alice is coming for Christmas" I tell her, smoothing her hair, which always gets crazy during sex.

"Oh! What should I get her? I´m so excited to meet her. Isn´t Emmett coming, too?"

I grin. "Nope, Emmett´s not coming. He just got engaged, remember? As for Alice, she is exited, too. I think she´s coming here just to meet you. I don´t think that little fiend misses me at all."

"Aw… estás celoso? Qué adorable!"

"Yes, of course, I´m jealous. Alice will steal all my time with you. And I really don´t want to share you, not even with my evil twin," I say, nipping her neck.

Translation:

"Aw… are you jealous? How adorable!"

December 29, 2002

Guest Room at Carmen´s House

Alice has always been my motivator. It is not that I´m not driven or anything, but she usually jumps head first into anything she wants, and I have to follow her. She's the most creative person I know, but she doesn´t have a pragmatic bone in her body.

"I´m staying," says Alice. "I´m staying and learning to prepare anything sweet they make here."

"What about James?"

Alice appears dejected for a second before returning to her bubbly self. "James? James who?"

I sigh. "Okay, Alice. Exactly how is this plan on yours going to work?"

February 28, 2003


Carmen´s House

We are having a huge party for Carmen´s birthday. She has a million friends, and I think every costumer of Granada is in attendance, as well.

I am so nervous that I am even second guessing my decision. Not because I don´t want to do it, but because it might be the wrong moment.

Now, I see that we are young, but everything has fallen into place in my life: I´m in love with the perfect woman, and I´m opening my own restaurant with my sister, who has been seduced by Panela. Only one thing is missing, though, and I´m anxious to make everything perfect.

.

.

.

She said yes.


April 10, 2004.


A Catholic Church.

"Yo, Edward Cullen, te pido a ti Carmen que seas mi esposa porque te amo y prometo serte fiel en lo próspero y en lo adverso, en la salud y en la enfermedad y amarte y respetarte todos los días de mi vida.

Yo, Carmen Rivera, te acepto a ti, Edward, como mi esposo porque te amo y también prometo serte fiel en lo próspero y en lo adverso en la salud y en la enfermedad y amarte y respetarte todos los días de mi vida.

(I, Edward Cullen, ask you, Carmen, to be my wife because I love you and I promise to be faithful for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, and to love you and to respect you every day of my life.


I, Carmen Rivera, take you, Edward, as my husband because I love you and I also promise to be faithful for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, and to love you and to respect you every day of my life.)


January 2, 2006.


Their Home

The sound of Carmen vomiting wakes me up. I look at the clock. 6:12 a.m. Time to get up, anyways; I have to get to the market early if I want any fresh, high quality produce.

"Still feeling sick?" I ask, stretching and trying to shake the heaviness of sleep.

Carmen whimpers. "I don´t think this is a hangover, Edward."

"Okay. Let´s go to the hospital, then. Do you think it was all the food from the holidays?"

"No…" she squeaks. "I think I´m pregnant."

…

"Edward?"

"Yes?" I croak, then clear my throat. "Um… are you sure?" I can feel the mixture of panic and exhilaration running through my veins.

"Well, no… hey, you are looking paler than me right now," she says, sitting on the bed next to me. "I know this wasn´t planned, but would it be so bad?"

I hug her. "No, baby, not bad. I actually think I´m happy… it was just unexpected. We have a lot of plans to change." I grin.



August 6, 2006. 1:34 a.m.

Their Home

"Edward! Edward, wake up!" Carmen´s voice sounds pained.

"What? Is it time? I thought she still needed a month in there," I say, pointing at her belly.

"I don´t know, but if this is a contraction, I really don´t think I´ll be giving birth, Edward. I want a C-section. They say it only gets worse."

I chuckle. "Of course you can give birth, baby. It just surprised you, that´s all."

That´s obviously the wrong answer.

"Do not tell me what I feel!" She gasps in pain. "Ay, Dios mío, noooo… it´s too soon, Edward." She´s starting to sound frightened.

Translation:


"Oh, My God, noooo…"



August 6, 2006. 7:02 am


The Hospital

The technician looks concerned and is too quiet. He usually chats about our baby´s heartbeat and movements.

When we ask him, he says we should wait for the doctor.

.

.

.

"We are going to need to perform a C-Section, Carmen. Your baby has no amniotic fluid and is suffering right now." He turns to me and says, "Edward, you need to sign some papers. There´ll be a nurse in to prep Carmen."

He leaves us to our panic.

"It´s going to be okay, Carmen. Please don´t cry."

"What if something happens to her, Edward?"

"Shh… don´t think like that. Think that we will be holding our little Sophia in no time."


August 6, 2006. 2:07 p.m


The Hospital.

The grim expression on the doctor´s face is confusing. The nurse walking beside him is holding Sophia, and she looks perfect to me.

"Mr. Cullen," he starts in a grave tone, "this is your daughter."

"Mr. Cullen?" I joke. "What happened to Edward?"

"Edward, I´m sorry. We did everything we could."

"What are you talking about? Sophia is fine, right?" I say, looking down at her beautiful, if a little swollen, face.

The doctor looks heartbroken. "Edward, Carmen had an acute peritonitis. The pain she felt was not a contraction, it was because of the infection. Her water broke but the amniotic fluid did not escape her body and it decomposed. I´m sorry, Edward. She´s gone."