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Bella turns in a slow circle, even by human standards, trying to take in everything happening around her. Edward was committed to the pretense that the two of them were attending college, and leaving Forks was an imperative part of the ruse, so the two of them had flown to New York to see the sights. Chicago was next on the list, both because Bella had never seen the city and because Edward wanted to show her the place that he had grown up in, though his memories were hazy and the city had changed immensely in the intervening years.
“There’s so many lights.” Bella murmurs. Her face glimmers slightly, reflecting the brilliant LEDs, but it’s a cold January night and the two of them are covered enough that they won’t attract attention.
“None of them as beautiful as you.” Edward answers. Bella rolls her eyes, but leans up to press a kiss to his lips anyway.
“When was the last time you were here?” Bella asks as they continue their walk through Times Square, hands linked between them.
“It’s been… several years.” Edward laughs. “At least thirty, I think. It’s hard to be sure, time runs together so much.”
Bella nods her understanding. Even in the few months she’d been immortal she’d noticed it - days bleeding into nights bleeding back into days. With no routine to stick to, it was amazing that she even remembered what day of the week it was.
“What’s on the agenda tonight?” She asks. Edward pulls an envelope out of his jacket pocket.
“Have you ever seen The Phantom of the Opera?” He asks. Bella shakes her head.
“But I imagine that you have.”
“Yes, but it’s one of my favorites. I thought we could see it tonight, at the Majestic. It’s not far from here.”
“That sounds perfect.”
They make their way to the theater, clues from earlier in the evening clicking into place. Edward’s insistence that they dress up a bit, putting off the trip to Times Square until tonight. Some surprises, Bella decided, she could handle. Liked, even.
“What are you thinking about?” Edward asks, looking over at her.
“Sometimes surprises can be good. Not often,” Bella adds as soon as she sees the grin pulling at Edward’s lips. “But sometimes.”
“I’m glad you like this one, then.”
They enter the lobby of the theater together, hands still joined between them. An usher leads them to their seats with a promise that the show will be starting in a few minutes.
“You certainly know how to sweep a girl off her feet, Mr. Cullen.” Bella says as she sits down, coat draped over the seat next to her.
“I like to think I know you well enough that it’s not too difficult, Mrs. Cullen.” Bella just shrugs in response, but both of them know that he’s right. A night at the theater might be too much for a normal date night, but even Bella can’t find it in herself to complain about the extravagance.
“Newlyweds, huh?” The older woman sitting in front of them has turned around, smiling at the couple in the yellow light of the theater. “It warms my heart to see young people here, enjoying the arts.”
“Yes,” Edward answers smoothly. “We were married in August. This is her first trip to the city, I wanted to make it special.”
“And he’s done a spectacular job so far.” Bella adds, grinning back at the woman. “Yesterday we took a long walk through Central Park, it was amazing.”
“Good! He should treat you right. And if he doesn’t, leave him behind, darling. No man is worth that.” The woman’s tone is serious, but there’s laughter in her eyes. Bella laughs.
“You’re absolutely right.”
Any further conversation is cut off by the flash of the overhead lights.
“You two enjoy the show.”
“And you as well.” Edward answers as the woman turns back to face the stage.
Bella settles back into her seat, resting gently against Edward’s shoulder. The human facade came to her easily now, though she felt slightly out of practice. For the most part, the Cullens didn’t waste their energy on trying to fool Charlie anymore, and the other humans they interact with in Forks are in on the secret anyway. It was easy enough to slip back into the practice of fidgeting and blinking, especially when the humans around them would be too distracted to really notice if someone was sitting too still.
Edward takes Bella’s hand in his own as the curtain rises, revealing the crowd surrounding the auctioneer and the covered chandelier. He’s ready for a new understanding of a classic, one in which he no longer relates most strongly to the monster living under the opera house.