Chapter Fifteen
Prom. Proposals.
Grace Cullen

"I feel ridiculous." Bella muttered, pouting in the mirror.

"Well you look beautiful." I laughed at her as I finished pinning some of her curls back away from her face.

"Grace, I'm a klutz! I'm going to make a complete fool of myself, especially with this boot on." She worried, kicking her cast against the vanity for good measure.

"Bella, you know as well as I do that if you didn't want to go to the Prom tonight you would've told your father. Your dad wouldn't make you go, in fact I'm sure he wouldn't have agreed to come over here and let me get you ready if he thought you were being coerced into going." I teased her. "I think you want to go, you're just caught up on the nonsense about you being plain compared to Edward."

"I am plain." She retorted soundly and I shot her a sharp look in the mirror.

"You're beautiful, Bella. It's wrong to compare yourself so harshly to vampires all the time." I sighed. "Trust me, Edward is just happy to give you a human experience. The Prom makes everyone anxious. You'll be no exception."

"Edward's not nervous. Alice and Rosalie are-"

"Vampires who have gone to Prom for decades." I laughed. "Prom makes humans anxious. I didn't think I had to clarify." I giggled at her. "Just try to loosen up and have a little fun. You're too much like your dad sometimes."

"True." She laughed. "Thanks for helping me, Grace." She offered me a soft smile in the mirrors reflection. "This is way better than letting Alice have full control."

"Of course. Anytime." I promised her. "I know moms are normally supposed to do this kind of thing but-"

"I think we both know my mom wouldn't really be much of a help." Bella chuckled half-heartedly. "That's why it means so much to me that you're so active. Thank you, Grace. Really."

"Can I come in?" Charlie suddenly knocked at the door, ruining my chance to say something.

"Yes, it's unlocked." I called back and he opened the door.

"Wow, Bells." Charlie's eyes lit up. "Look at you." He choked up a little bit as I helped her stand.

"Dad." Bella frowned slightly at him, still a little uncomfortable with displays of emotion. "It's just Prom."

"It's just Prom, huh?" I teased her and she laughed at her words. "I think I did pretty well for my first Prom dress up." I laughed as I wrapped my arms around Charlie's waist.

"First? What about Rosalie and Alice?" Charlie asked me.

"Oh, they always help each other and usher Esme and I out." I giggled. "I usually end up tying a couple ties and ushering them out the door."

"So are you chaperoning tonight, Grace?" Bella asked.

"Not this year." I shook my head. "Esme, Carlisle, and I are going to set up tonight's after party at the Stanley house while your dad is on patrol."

"No underage drinking on my watch." Charlie laughed, spinning his handcuffs around one of his fingers.

"Alright, lets get downstairs before your dad makes anymore lame jokes." I laughed with Bella before helping her downstairs quickly.

"Oh Bella! Look at you!" Alice cheered and the girls quickly descended on her as Charlie caught up to me.

"Was my joke really that lame?" He whispered comically to me and I suppressed the urge to laugh.

"No, dear." I shook my head.

"Aunt Grace! I didn't realize you were so good at makeup!" Rosalie praised me.

"My gift is illusions and makeup seems like a pretty close physical substitute." I shrugged. "Honestly, I didn't know either."

"Alright everyone, time to get going." Carlisle came into the room with the boys in tow.

Emmett of course acted as confident as ever while Jasper looked highly uncomfortable to be getting dragged to yet another social event. Edward was still struggling with his tie, per usual.

"Oh just come here." I laughed at him, adjusting his collar and tying his tie in seconds. "So stubborn. A hundred years old and you still can't tie your own tie."

"Thanks mom." He pecked my cheek before spotting Bella nearby. "Wow." He marveled at her and my heart swelled at seeing my sweet son so happy.

"Remember to be careful of her boot." Charlie stepped in, quickly shifting into scary cop dad mode.

"Yes sir." Edward nodded politely before going to Bella's side.

"Calm down papa bear." I teased him. "It's Prom. Nothing too scary."

"I know." He smirked sadly at me. "I can't help it."

"It's okay." I assured him. "Think of it this way, if it was anyone else but my kid taking her you wouldn't really have a way to control their actions. Since it's Edward, I have full mom privilege and can punish him if something goes wrong. Which it won't because he's my son and afraid of scary cop Charlie Swan." I offered him some peace of mind.

"Alright Cullen, I'm starting to see it your way." He nodded and I laughed before kissing his cheek.

Esme finished with her pictures then and ushered the kids out to their cars.

"It's finally quiet." Carlisle chuckled, joining Charlie and I at the base of the stairs.

"It always gets so hectic when they have Prom." I laughed with him.

"Graduation is worse." Carlisle grimaced.

"We only have two this year with Emmett and Rosalie. Next year we have Alice, Jasper, Edward, and Bella." I teased him.

"Oh, splendid sister, thank you for reminding me." He chuckled.

"Why is graduation so much worse?" Charlie asked.

"They may all be elderly in their years but they very much stay at the age they were changed at mentally. Their brain chemistry still wasn't fully settled when they were changed and so things like Proms and graduations and weddings really excite them." Carlisle explained. "So then Grace, Esme, and I get to hear nonstop about what shoes go with what dress and what car needs detailing and-"

"I think he gets it, Carlisle." I laughed, stopping him from nervously pulling at his jacket. "I think we'd much rather them still get excited about things than think it's a boring task." I reminded him.

"True." He agreed. "When it becomes boring than our existences get tedious."

"Yeah, I can see that." Charlie nodded. "I know you've gone back and forth from nursing to teaching." He told me. "But Carlisle I don't understand how you could stick to medicine for so long and not get bored of it."

"If you could go on being an officer, perhaps even a Chief, in perfect physical and mental health for an indefinite amount of time, would you?" Carlisle countered him.

"I see your point." Charlie nodded.

"It's a calling." Carlisle shrugged.

"What do you three think you're doing?" Esme snapped as she entered the room, arms full of supplies. "We're supposed to be headed over to help the Stanley's set up for the after party." She chided us as she handed Carlisle and I some of her supplies. "And you," she turned on Charlie "you should be headed to the station, shouldn't you?"

"Yes ma'am." Charlie nodded, acting afraid, before kissing my head and rushing out of the front door.

"Coward." I laughed at him.

"I can be quite terrifying." Esme nodded, the picture of sweetness and elegance. "Alright you two let's get going." She ushered us out to the garage.

After packing up all of the decorations, food, and drinks Esme had prepared into Carlisle's car I squished into the backseat while Carlisle and Esme rode up front.

When we arrived at the Stanley home, I climbed out as gracefully as I could while being buried by all of Esme's decorations. Carlisle actually stopped to help me out after opening Esme's car door.

"Esme!" I heard Ashley, Jessica Stanley's mother, cry out as Carlisle helped me get steady in my high heels. "Look at all this! You didn't have to put together so much!"

"Oh, it's nothing really." Esme shook her head. My poor sister isn't as used to being social as the rest of us. "I just wanted to make sure there was enough."

"More than enough." I teased her playfully. "Hi Mrs. Stanley, how are you?" I asked politely.

"Excited! Thank you, Miss. Cullen." She smiled widely. "Do you know who ended up asking Jessica to the Prom tonight?"

"No, I don't think I heard. Who?" I asked, helping Carlisle with some of the decorations.

I was more than used to her and her daughters gossiping natures after two years of teaching Jessica. I knew every time I had a parent teacher conference, PTO discussion, or a board meeting to go to I could expect some nagging questions out of Ashley Stanley.

"Mike Newton! Isn't that great!" She cheered, swooping forward to help Esme carry food items inside.

"Great!" I agreed as we all followed her into the house. I was just happy she wasn't asking me any questions about my dating life like she normally does.

"It's the Cullens everyone!" Ashley called out as we entered the door and a chorus of cheers rang out as she showed us through the large entryway and into the larger kitchen.

Carlisle threw a worried look over his shoulder at me and I suppressed the urge to laugh uncontrollably. He was terrified of a bunch of PTO moms.

"Miss Cullen!" Angela Weber's mother, Mary I remembered, smiled at me as Carlisle and I set down the decorations in our arms on the table Ashley had pointed us to.

"Mrs. Weber, it's so good to see you." I smiled back at her.

"Angela just loved your class this year. I hope you're still going to be teaching the AP senior class next year?" She asked.

"Oh, I don't see why I wouldn't be." I nodded. "I really enjoy the discussions I get out of the the AP courses."

"That's great!" She smiled. "I was so worried you weren't going to be there next year and Angela is hoping to keep her 4.0 for university."

"Why wouldn't I be teaching next year?" I asked.

"Rumor has it you're dating Charlie Swan!" Ashley laughed loudly, causing the room to tune in on our conversation. "There's also some gossip that you're pregnant and not going to teach next year so you can stay home with the baby."

"Grace!" Carlisle spoke my name sharply and my head snapped to look at him in surprise. "Can I speak with you for a moment? Outside, please?" He asked madly and I quickly followed him out of the room and out to the car.

"Carlisle what on earth-"

"Relax, I was only faking." He laughed. "I just wanted to get us out of there. I couldn't take it anymore."

"Thanks." I laughed in relief. "Honestly, the things people come up with." I shook my head.

"I feel kinda bad leaving Esme to tell people that you aren't pregnant." He laughed. "You're not, are you?" He teased me and I punched his shoulder. "Ouch, okay, I get it." He chuckled.

"They're coming out, look like you're yelling at me, quick." I told him, seeing the door start to open.

"Honestly Grace I don't know what you were thinking I mean come on he's thirty six that's much too old for you and think about your kids!" He yelled out and I made my laughing look like crying as Esme darted to the car and jumped into the back seat.

"I hate you both." She muttered, buckling her seatbelt. "That was the worse situation I've ever been in."

"I'm sorry dear but my sister is a lunatic!" Carlisle was still fake yelling at me.

"Hey watch it." I snapped at him. "They're not in the doorway anymore. We're clear."

"Oh thank god. I hate fighting with you." He sighed dramatically as he pulled out of the driveway and I turned in my seat so I could roll my eyes at Esme and make her laugh.

"Sorry to leave you like that sis." I apologized. "If it makes you feel better I thought Carlisle was really mad at me for a minute there."

"I did too." Esme giggled with me. "I basically told the room you weren't pregnant and that your relationship with Charlie was none of their business before excusing myself to go break up your fight." She laughed.

"Congratulations Esme, you just got inducted into the PTO Mom drama." I winked at her and she lost it laughing.

Red and blue lights flared up behind us and Carlisle cursed under his breath before pulling over.

"Cops aren't usually out of town this far." He frowned as the officer approached the car.

"Charlie." I groaned as he leant his face down to the window, eyes hidden by aviators and face shaded by his hat. "Seriously?" I laughed at him.

"Another officer came in to cover my spot. I was headed back to the Cullen house when I saw this car drift around that curve back there." He frowned at Carlisle.

"You know, if it makes you feel better Charlie I know these roads like the back of my hand. I could drive it blindfolded." Carlisle offered.

"It doesn't." He shook his head and we all laughed at him. Carlisle and Esme have learned to pick up on his dry humor. "You're lucky your sister's so good to me Dr. Cullen or you'd be getting a nasty ticket. I'll see you all in a minuet." He chuckled before patting the top of the car twice and walking back to his cruiser.

"I'm so glad you've found him, Grace." Esme clutched my hand in hers tightly.

"Yeah, I think I'll keep him around for awhile." I smiled back at her. "I'm glad you all get along so well." I told them as we pulled up the driveway behind Charlie's cruiser.

"I think we would love anyone you were mated to, but he seems special." Esme nodded as we pulled up to the house and parked. "I'm happy for you sis." She smiled beautifully at me.

"Thanks sis." I smiled back at her as we climbed out of the car and I took my opportunity to hug her tightly.

"Coming in." Carlisle chuckled as he wrapped his arms around the both of us tightly. "I love my girls." He smiled at us as we broke away.

"Come on, jokester." Esme giggled, taking his hand and pulling him to the house.

Charlie had pulled ahead of us on the highway, per usual in police procedures, and had sped up the drive ahead of us. He wasn't waiting by his cruiser, so I assumed he had gone in ahead of us...which wasn't like him at all.

"Grace? Are you coming?" Carlisle called for me, he and Esme standing on the porch by the door waiting for me.

"Oh! Yes, sorry, just got a little lost in thought there." I giggled, quickly joining them at the door.

"I hate to ask such a big favor of you," Carlisle sighed, placing his hand on the handle of the door. "but I need you to not overthink this decision too much." He chuckled.

"What are you talking about?" I asked him, confused as he opened the door for me.

I froze the instant I stepped foot in the house.

Charlie was there, on one knee, looking devilishly handsome in his sheriffs uniform as he held out a ring box illuminated by the soft pretty lighting of the entryway.

I couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't speak. This couldn't be what I thought it was, but then how again could I be wrong?

"Grace," Charlie spoke my name with nothing but adoration. "Marry me?"