Perfect Snapshots: Episode Twenty-eight: Impromptu

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Episode Twenty-eight: Impromptu

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I crashed so hard the Saturday after my fight training wrapped up. My brain was half-melted, my stomach wrecked, my muscles aching, and my knees probably aged ten years from all the drops that I had to do. It was well past three in the afternoon when I woke up the first time. I had a couple of messages waiting for me. 

One was from my sisters with my nieces, all waving hello and blowing me kisses in a video. I loved it. The next was a picture from Jasper, his hair wet from surfing. I could see the beach and the waves behind him. It said, “wish you were here, darling.” 

Smirking to myself, I replied, “me too.” 

The last was a message from Tyler. “Hey, boss! Long-time, no see! We’re having an impromptu get together tonight. Figured you might need some home-cooked food and company. Let me know if you’re interested.”

I only had to think about it for a moment. “Yeah, I’d love to. Should I bring anything?”

“Nah, just yourself. It’s going to be around seven at my place.”

“See you then.”

I considered getting up and doing things, but I was too exhausted to even think. I set my alarm on my phone and just went back to sleep. 

When I woke up again, It was dark outside. I looked at my phone, and it was just past six in the evening. I cursed loudly, looking at the alarm that I thought I had set. It was for the AM and not the PM. It was an hour after I wanted to get up. 

“Fuck!” I complained. I hated being late. 

Quickly, I threw myself in the shower before getting dressed. I wanted to at least pick up some beer for the get-together. The nearest store had a good bakery as well, so I picked up a case and two different desserts. One was vegan for Lauren, and the other was regular chocolate for the rest of us. 

As I was standing in line, I realized that I hadn’t spoken to Bella yet. She had sent me a message late in the afternoon saying that she had missed talking to me. It made my heart swell with happiness. She couldn’t know how much I missed her. 

“I am counting down the seconds until I can see you again.”

“I want to hear your voice,” she answered just as I was climbing into the car. I dialed her number so that I could talk to her on the drive there. 

“Hi,” she spoke in a sexy little breath, her southern accent evident even in the short word. 

“Hello, gorgeous.”

“So, how many seconds?” Bella puckishly asked, a little giggle in her soft voice. 

I hummed for a moment. “I'm not sure, I'd have to look on my phone. It's on a countdown clock. I got an app,” I replied honestly. I looked at it way too often, especially as time marched closer. 

“I half expected you to spit out a random number.”

“You really think I'm joking? I assure you I’m not. So, what have you been up to today, my love?” I wanted to know everything that I missed. 

She hummed for a minute before answering. “Gym. Practice. Shopping on Fifth Avenue. Had lunch in Times Square. Watched a tourist get in a fight with a person in a Hello Kitty costume. You know, your average day in New York. Oh, I got your birthday gift. It was a productive day, at least.”

“Hello Kitty? Really?” I laughed at the very image of it. I didn’t doubt that it was the truth. New York seemed to be a strange place. “I don't want to know. Anyway, you don't have to get me anything. You're my present.”

Bella actually scoffed. “Oh, okay. Well, I'll just return this big bag of Victoria's Secret sitting beside me. Such a shame.”

I was such a dumbass. I walked right into that. 

“Let's not be too hasty now. I'm talking out of my ass. Give me presents!” 

She laughed very lightly. “Oh, no. Too late.” My girl was having fun screwing with me. She was a little wicked. I nodded to myself at a stoplight, looking up towards the sky.

“No. Okay. It's fine. You look best in nothing at all, so that's fine,” I repeated the word with a pout.

“Are you sure about that?” I could hear the challenge in her voluptuous voice. “I've got something that might make you question that. I was going to take pictures for you while wearing it, but I guess I won't now. Since, you know, no presents.”

“Damn, you are so mean.”

“Aw, am I?”

I wanted those photos so fucking badly. My cock twitched in agreement. 

“I should not get hard at the mere suggestion of dirty pictures of you. Not even that dirty. Just modeling underwear,” I half complained to myself and my growing erection that was practically laughing at me. 

She hummed again. The sound was drawn out and flirtatious. “I've got to give you something fun to think about when I'm not there.”

Bella was so smooth and in control, and I felt like a babbling twat. 

“Oh, you've given me plenty to think about. You know what frustrates me the most? You're too cool for that. I don't think I could get the same reaction out of you. I'm a horny idiot, and you're just... unmoved.”

“Please,” she actually laughed. “I literally jumped you because I couldn't take it anymore. Or have you forgotten that already?”

Oh, she had, hadn’t she? I smiled slightly to myself. “I might need some reminding. Perhaps jump me again next time you see me, yeah?”

“I mean... obviously, I was planning on doing that already in my Victoria not-at-all Secrets, but you said no presents,” she spoke in the driest, funniest voice. I liked our playfulness. 

“Give. ME. Some fucking gifts, woman,” I reiterated jokingly as if I was angry, hissing the words through my teeth. Bella giggled sweetly. 

 “Ask nicely.”

I wanted to ask nicely, alright, but I pulled up to Tyler’s house. There were several cars already there, but I was only like five minutes late somehow. 

“Dammit. I want to be the pervert that I am and give you the proper begging you deserve, but I have to leave my car in a second and go in public. So, I'm going to say pretty please very quickly. Yes, I will beg. I know you were joking about pictures, but I will get on my knees. On my knees, Isabella. Just to see you in whatever you have in that damn pink bag,” I concluded as smoothly as I could manage despite wanting to whine like a child. 

“Okay. If you beg extra hard on your knees, I might let you take the pictures,” she answered seductively. “Extra, extra hard.”

Now I was extra, extra hard. 

“Okay. Fuck. Dammit. That... Please. Yes. My darling,” I whimpered pathetically. Another one of Tyler’s friends pulled in beside me and was fetching things from the boot of their car. I realized that it was Andy, his brother. “I have to go. I'm going to Tyler's for dinner.”

“Tell him and Lauren hello for me. And Seth, whenever you see him next,” Bella replied quietly, I could feel her sorrow, and it matched my own. I ached for her. 

“I will. I'll talk to you tomorrow, darling,” I swore. I would probably talk to her again that night if it wasn’t too late when I was done with dinner. Though, I didn’t want her to stay up for me. I knew that she had practice in the morning. 

“Have fun.” 

“I will,” I answered, biting my lip. “Goodnight, love.”

“Goodnight.”

I sighed as I leaned my head back against the seat. My phone buzzed, and it was another picture of Jasper. Smiling to myself, I decided to talk to him later as I got out of the car. Just as I was pulling the dessert from the backseat, my mobile began to ring. I was from a number that I didn’t know. 

“Hello?”

“Hello, my name is Amber, and I’m calling on behalf of Mr. Howard at the Disney offices,” the young woman started at the end of the line. “I’m trying to reach Mr. Cullen.”

“Oh, yes! How may I help you?”

“Mr. Howard won’t be able to attend your meeting this week. He would like to reschedule it for next month. He apologizes for the inconvenience, a personal family emergency has come up.”

My mind instantly began to whirl with possibilities. That meeting was something that I couldn’t skip out on. Otherwise, I would have come to New York the night before, right after training finished. I had some shooting planned for the next couple of days, but it was nothing that I couldn’t put off to another day. There was a possibility that I could be in New York by the following evening.

“Not a problem at all!” I indicated far too excitedly. “That- that works out, actually. I can leave a bit earlier and do some traveling that I had planned. I can fly out sooner.”

“Fantastic. I’ll talk to your manager to arrange a better time. I tried to contact her first, but it went straight to voicemail. Mr. Howard said that it was important and wanted me to get a hold of you as soon as possible. Will you need to rearrange your use of the personal jets?”

I paused, confused by her words. “Excuse me?”

“Disney’s has airplanes for their top creators to use. It’s part of your contract. You said that you were traveling. Will you need help rearranging your travel plans?”

“Oh… I didn’t know that you could do that.” I was stunned. For a moment, I tried to remember that lovely little detail, but I couldn’t. “And how could I arrange that?”

“I can do that for you, sir. If you like. I do it for Mr. Howard all the time. Hopefully, this will make up for any trouble canceling might have caused,” she responded pleasantly. 

“Hh-how fast could you arrange that?” I asked in a very high-pitched excited stutter. I cleared my throat. “I’d like to be able to leave as soon as possible.”  

There was only a brief pause. “I’d have to make some calls. Can I call you back at this number?” Amber helpfully inquired. 

“Sure!” I beamed. “Yeah. That’s- yeah! Thanks!” I could barely speak. 

“Oh, you’re welcome! I’ll call you back.” When she hung up. I was a little too shocked to move for a second, a smile growing on my face. 

When I finally got to the front door, Tyler and Andy were waiting for me. They were looking at me curiously. 

“So, hey!” I grinned widely. I gave Andy the beer and Tyler the desserts. “How would you like to have a few extra days off for Thanksgiving?”

“I’m always for less work. What’s up?” He pondered as he looked at the two cakes. 

“Disney canceled on me.” I followed him inside, practically dancing in place. “And apparently they have a jet that I can use. Mr. Howard’s secretary is going to arrange something for me. She’s going to call me back with details. Lauren!” I barked way too cheerfully as I came into the kitchen. 

“Eddie! You’re in a good mood!” She replied as she hugged me. She was a little thing like Bella and had to bend her head back to look at me as she patted my stomach gently. 

I nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I am. I’m giving your old man a few extra days off and blowing this Popsicle stand early.” Gently, I squeezed her shoulder. “I brought you a vegan coconut cake thing that looks pretty alright.”

“Thank you!” She patted my stomach again before going back to the stove. “So, when are you leaving?”

“I-” My phone began to ring again. It was the same number as before. I quickly brought it to my ear. “Hello?”

“Hi, Mr. Cullen! It’s Amber again. I wanted to let you know that the soonest possible time is ten tonight. Is that okay?”

“Are you fucking serious!?” I shouted too loudly. I turned away from the crowd in the kitchen, which was all quietly staring at me. “Yeah! Um, wow! Yes! That’s perfect. Ten is great.”

“Oh, good. The hanger is at LAX. I will text you your gate directions and flight information. Is that alright? Would you like me to email it to you as well?”

“Yes, both would be perfect.” I was virtually vibrating. “Thank you so much for your help, Amber.”

“You’re very welcome, sir. Enjoy your trip, and have a Happy Thanksgiving!”

“To you as well!” I insisted before I hung up. Then I looked between Tyler and Lauren. “I am so sorry, but I’ve got to bounce early. Um, please enjoy the beer and desserts. Everything smells delicious, I’m sorry that I’m missing it.” 

“Oh, shut up and go see Bella,” Lauren laughed before she came over and gave me a little kiss on the cheek after jouncing up on her toes. “You are so cute right now! Have fun! Have a good birthday and a happy holiday.”

“Thank you so much. You too!”

“Hey! Wait! We’ve got a birthday gift for you,” Tyler exclaimed before I could leave, running off to his bedroom real quick. “You can take it with you.”

He brought me a small bag. I peeked inside and laughed at what I saw. It was a whole host of cannabis oil pens. They were all different strains. There were probably ten of them. 

“Dude! Wow! It’s so many.”

“Your joints haven’t been doing it for you lately, so I thought that maybe you could step it a bit. It might help you sleep if anything else. It’s a variety, so you can see what you like best.”

“That’s,” I chuckled, “so thoughtful. Thanks. This is great. I’ll take it with me. I haven’t tried anything like these yet.”

My friend threw his hand up as if to warn me. “Go slow,” he advised. 

“Right,” I nodded, heading for the door. “So, I’ll see you in December. Wait, shit… Can you cancel the shoots for me?”

He nodded, giving me a thumbs up. “I got it. I’ll call Seth too and let him know. He’s at his parent’s tonight.”

“Great! Thanks! Okay… Um, Have a nice vacation!” I called as I hurried to my car. 

Tyler was smirking as he waved to me. Lauren was standing behind him in the doorway, smiling. “You too, boss!”

I drove like a madman back to my house. Thankfully, I already had my bags packed because I was an anxious asshole who over-planned everything. I threw them into the foyer to wait for my Uber. My phone dinged with the details not long after. She also sent me the information for when I wanted to set up to use the planes again. In less than two hours, I was heading towards the airport. 

There was a finely dressed host waiting for me, almost looking bored. I was literally giddy. 

“Mr. Cullen, we’ll take your bags. Your jet is just this way if you will follow me,” he explained as we stood in front of the large hanger. The door was already open with a couple of personal planes, buffed to a shine, just waiting to be used. 

We were in the air precisely at ten and heading towards New York City. When we were an hour into the flight, I called Jasper. 

“Hello, lovey!” I exclaimed like a fool. It was too loud, too bright. 

“Oh, what stupid thing are you about to do?” He jokingly asked. My best friend knew me too well. 

“So, guess where I am?”

He scoffed at how I answered him. I could almost see him shaking his head as he smirked to himself. “Not a fucking clue, darling. Want to give me a hint?”

“I’m around thirty thousand feet in the air right now,” I began before taking a sip of fine bourbon that was brought to me in a crystal glass with perfectly clear ice cubes by one of the very young and pretty flight attendants. 

“Are you seriously flying to New York?”

“Yup! My schedule opened up, and I was able to leave earlier. The best part, though, I am on one of Disney’s personal jets, flying for free, because I am one of their top creators.” I buffed my nails on my jacket like an idiot. No one was even there to see me. I was literally showing off for myself. “I’m going to surprise Bella.”

There was a slight pause. “Are you sure that’s a good idea, Tony?”

“Uh, flying first class on Mickey? Yeah,” I snorted. 

“No, idiot. Surprising Bella. Doesn’t she have a lot going on?”

“I-” I stopped and realized that I hadn’t once thought if it was going to be a good idea just to show up early. It didn’t matter how much I got to see Bella, though. I just wanted to be in the same state as her again. And I knew without a doubt that she missed me as well. I thought about what my therapist said. She was a spontaneous person. Perhaps she would like a surprise? “Yeah. It is. It’s only a couple of days early. I just… I need to see her again. I need to kiss her. I think- I think she’s going to be happy about this.”

“Yeah, I think that you’re right. Why wouldn’t she be?” He stated encouragingly. “That’s exciting, though! I’m surprised that you could do it that quickly.”

“Me too,” I agreed with a laugh. “I had all my shit packed and ready to go. It was too big of a chance to pass up. Especially for free. It just fell into my lap.” I took a long sip of my drink, enjoying the tingling burn down the back of my throat. 

“Yeah, that is too good. I don’t blame you. So, you’re going to have your first proper American Thanksgiving with your American girl in the Big Apple. It sounds like a thrilling way to celebrate being a quarter of a century old.”

“It sounds… Perfect. Just perfect. Everything is going to be perfect,” I repeated it like a prayer. I finished my bourbon quickly, raising my glass to show that I wanted another to the waiting attendant. She took it with a smile. “Thanks,” I mumbled when she handed it back to me. 

“It will be. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you nervous like that. I shouldn’t have said anything,” he apologized quickly then sighed. “Damn, sometimes I don’t think.”

“No! No, you’re fine. Don’t worry, darling,” I answered lightly. “I should have thought of that, to be honest. You’re more considerate than I am. But I don’t think that I would have done anything any differently.”

“No, probably not,” he chuckled. “She’ll be overjoyed to see you, Tony. I know that I would be. Alright, I need to go. I’ve got a date tonight.”

“Oh, nice! Anyone that I know?”

“Nah, it’s just going to be a shag anyway.” I clicked my tongue. “Oh, don’t judge me! Some of us aren’t gift-wrapped women and have them shipped to our front door!”

I laughed. “I’m not judging you. I’m worried about you. I just want you to be happy.”

“I am,” he assured me. That was a lie, and we both knew it. I leaned my head back, closing my eyes. I wanted to call him out on it, but it wasn’t the right time for it. “I’ll talk to you later. Let me know how it goes.” 

“Yeah. Of course. I’ll send you a million pics and videos probably.”

“Good. I look forward to it. Kiss your girl hello for me. Bye, darling,” he said quickly before hanging up on me. I looked at the blank screen. It was just before midnight, and the flight would be another four hours, at least. 

Downing the next glass, I passed it to the waiting girl. “I’d like to get some sleep.”

“There is a bed in the back. Or you can recline your seat, and we can dim the lights,” she answered. 

“Uh, I’ll go lay down in the bedroom,” I decided slowly. The surrealism of the situation was starting to hit me. It was not something that I would have imagined myself doing a year before. 

In a bed that was nicer than my own, I laid on top of the covers with my shoes kicked off. Somehow, even though I slept most of the day, I fell asleep within minutes. 

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This episode goes with Episode twenty-five of Imperfect Pictures! 

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