Eclectic by chatterbox33
Review by AnonymouslySufferingFromOCD
Rating: M
Genre: Family/Romance
Characters: Edward & Bella
Summary: In one day Bella's life changes tack; she learns thieves threaten to sink her life's work and Charlie is nearing the end of his voyage, but her friends are the wind in her sails as they set course for smoother sailing. M for language & future lemons. AH & OOC
I have been more or less stuck at home from work for the past couple of weeks and truthfully rather bored. In order to try and keep myself entertained, I have been searching for completed stories that I haven’t read and that will hold my interest. Trust me this isn’t an easy task considering the number of fics I’ve read, and finding one that won’t kill me on the angst side, you all know I am a huge wimp when it comes to the angst, made it all that much harder to do. That is how I stumbled upon this weeks Completed Fic of the Week. Eclectic was the breath of fresh air that I needed in my reading material.
Set in the Chicago area, Eclectic is a story about a very strong and outgoing Bella, who is dealing with some drama. Bella, after a stint in the Air Force, has started her own business, Eclectic, a design firm that caters to the average person, and sells designs from all around the world, ensuring that their designers and employees get paid a respectable livable wage, even in some of the most remote villages in the world.
Bella surrounds herself with friends and people she trusts with her life for the most part, and is shocked when it is brought to her attention that one of her employees has been embezzling funds, leaving her designers with way less money than promised to them. She finds this out on the same day that she finds out that her father, Charlie, who has been her biggest cheerleader her whole life, is battling a disease that no person should ever have to face.
"WHAT? Emmett, what are you talking about?"
"You claim you want people to earn a living wage, you claim it's your mission and yet, look at this!" He waved a stack of papers under my nose. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could prepare me for what he found. The invoices my company paid was significantly smaller than the amount I'd set, however the intended payment amount was still deducted from the account. Somewhere, somehow, someone was skimming the till!
"Emmett, where did you find this? This is not me, someone's stealing from Eclectic!"
He scoffed at me. "I'm serious Emmett, this amount," I pointed to the amount withdrawn, "that's what should've been paid! Why would I withdraw that amount but pay this? This isn't me, Emmett! You've got to help me get to the bottom of this!"
Emmett watched me intently, his expression softening but still clearly upset then responded, "You seriously had no idea this was happening?"
"Why would I steal from myself? Please, Emmett, help me with this. Clearly we have someone here who's up to no good."
Edward, a lawyer from New York City, has recently moved back home with his parents after his divorce in order for him and his kids to lead a less hectic life. While Bella has known Carlisle and Esme for a few years, she has only recently met Edward and she adores his children. Edward is there for Bella, while she struggles with the issues at work and Charlie. Bella is there for Edward as a mother figure for his kids and it doesn’t take them long to figure out how good they are for one another.
Just then Edward knocked at the back door, Emily and Bono bolted for the door with me following on their heels.
"Hi" he said as handed me a big bunch of beautiful sunflowers, then he gave me a little peck on the cheek again.
"Hi! Thanks so much! These are beautiful. How did you know these are my favorite?" I said.
"I didn't, they just looked pretty and reminded me of you," he said with a shy smile.
I ran off to put them in water then tossed the pasta in the boiling water on the stove.
"Dinner will be ready in about 10 minutes," I said. Edward do you want beer or wine? Or I think we have some pop around here somewhere."
"A beer would be great, thanks," he responded as he came up behind me in the kitchen and stole another smooch, this time on the back of my neck, sending chills down my spine. He had to end it there, Emily ran in and started to show her daddy the cookies she'd made and told all she did to help make dinner.
What I like most about this story is that even though Bella is successful and they both have money, it is real. Dealing with real life issues, a sick father, a single father, trouble at work, and a Bella and Edward who are Catholic and have Catholic values is a lot to take in. However, don’t worry there will be lemons that are completely worth the wait but for a little while there is just some really hot lemonade. Chatterbox33 has made sure that the things that they deal with are real problems and issues that many people face on a daily basis, I love FanFiction, I really do, but I especially love when the stories are more realistic. Let’s face it, we all want to think we could be the next Bella and Edward, and I think that this story gives us a glimpse at a real family, real friends and real life. While the story is long and progresses a little slowly in a few places, I thought it was a great plot and I was so thankful that it wasn’t something that I have read a million times. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Banner by JaimeArkin
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