Bella and Edward never visited Renee

Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one. ~Jane Howard

I lay on Edward's bedroom floor flipping through a book, the carpet was so thick and plush that I preferred it greatly over the leather couch. The house was silent as most of the Cullens had decided to go on a quick hunting trip, only Esme and Jasper had remained behind. Edward had promised that he would be as quick as possible but the truth was I didn't mind the peace. Edward knew that I was planning to call Renee and tell her about the upcoming wedding and he would ask me when I was planning to do it.

I couldn't bear to see that look he got in his eyes when I made up an excuse not to call, he blamed himself and thought it was because I didn't want to marry him. He just didn't understand that it was Renee, and I couldn't explain it to him.

So rather than dealing with all of that I decided to read 'To Kill a Mockingbird'.

Alice would no doubt try to corner me the moment she arrived home from their hunt. I could just imagine her perfect little pout, something that no one - not even Charlie - was immune to, as she held out the phone with Renee's number already keyed in. In fact almost all of them would try to reassure me that my Mom would take the information well and everything would end up being ok. I didn't believe it for a second, Alice had already admitted that she had no idea how Renee would react, which she chalked up to me not having made the decision to tell her anything yet, but I knew that it was most likely because Renee was too unpredictable for Alice to get a read on her.

Which meant that Alice's solution was for me to just decide to call her, but that wasn't an easy decision to make as the mere thought of calling Renee filled me with overwhelming nausea. I knew Renee, in a way that no one else did. I had lived with her for almost my entire life and she wasn't a good enough actress to keep up her facade for that long. Phil and Charlie didn't know the pain she could cause when she didn't agree with decisions: they hadn't felt the sting of her palm against their cheek like I had when I had dared fight back or had the audacity to defend myself, and they most certainly didn't understand how inferior she could make people feel.

To be honest, the idea of her not being at the wedding would be a relief. She wouldn't be able to embarrass me in front of my new family as she tried to make them view me in a similar light to her and she would criticise my every move. Then again, she was my mother and her reaction would be a lot worse if she found out I had gotten hitched from someone else.

I could imagine the look on her face when she saw me in my wedding dress, the sneer of disgust as I walked down the aisle to my fiance, not to mention the speech she would definitely want to make. She would probably have consumed a dangerous amount of wine and would stumble to her feet slurring her words and demanding a microphone.

With a sigh I rolled onto my back and let the book fall shut on the carpet beside me, a small pocket of air hitting my cheek as the pages fluttered. I stared at the smooth ceiling as though the answer to all of my problems would be scrawled across it in block capitals. Of course it wasn't, Esme would kill anyone who wrote on her walls or ceilings.

If only another newborn army could wipe me out before I would have to call my mother. I closed my eyes hoping the darkness and lack of distractions would help me come up with a plan that would actually work.

With a scowl of frustration I clambered to my feet - only stumbling momentarily - and left the room. I found Esme downstairs sitting at the kitchen counter with a crossword book. It was such a human image that it surprised me, at least it did until Esme's hand flew across the page at an incomprehensible pace and completed the puzzle in about as much time as it would have taken me to blink. That was more like the vampire matriarch I knew. Esme looked up and smiled when she saw me in the doorway, it made it seem like she hadn't noticed me come down the stairs which couldn't have been true. She would have heard when I so much as shuffled. All of the Cullens tried to make themselves appear more human to make me feel comfortable.

Esme's smile was warm and inviting and made my heart pang painfully, why couldn't Renee have been more like Esme?

"Are you hungry?" Esme asked me gently and she glanced at the fridge, no doubt flicking through recipes in her head and planning what she could make for me.

"No thanks, Esme." I didn't add that I felt like I was about to throw up.

I noticed the phone lying on the counter top and bit my lip as I looked at it contemplating my options and watching it carefully as though it was a weapon of mass destruction that was about to erupt in my face.

"You could phone her now, if you want?" Esme offered as she noticed where my gaze was directed.

"I can't," I whispered with a subtle head shake that she would have definitely seen, "she won't understand."

Esme smiled sadly at me and stroked my hair out of my face. Another motherly action that made me guiltily resent my own mother a little more.

I jumped slightly as I heard a someone close to my shoulder speak.

"There's more to it than that." Jasper spoke up, he did look a little apologetic for making me jump. "It's as though you're afraid of her."

Confusion tainted his words as though he were trying to figure me out.

"Renee can be very opinionated about certain things." Certain things being me and anything in my life.

Despite me having spoken quietly they had both heard me loud and clear.

"She's your mother, she'll understand, I'm sure she loves you more than anything else in the world." Esme said gently.

I couldn't bring myself to say anything, Esme had high expectations of how a mother should act and anything I would say about Renee would disappoint her. Besides, Renee had a great skill of making me sound like a petulant teenager whenever I said anything vaguely critical of her, and that was the nicest way she dealt with criticism.

"Don't be scared, Bella. I'm sure it won't be as bad as you think." Jasper said and as he did I could feel the subtle twinges of calm invading. I smiled slightly at him in thanks, maybe if I hadn't been so anxious about things I would have been more irritated at him for messing with my emotions.

I picked up the expensive looking phone deliberating, I knew I should phone her and if I did it at the Cullens when she did react badly at least I would have my family around me. But then it also meant they'd know what kind of a person Renee was. It was stupid and dumb, but I didn't want them to know. So what if my mother was a little eccentric and weird? It wasn't the end of the world, and so what if I couldn't live up to her standards and expectations? The Cullens had never indicated that I had failed any of their tests, well other than Rosalie but I would never pass her tests.

Would it be so bad if I just called? They'd learn that my mother was grumpy and mean but it wasn't like she was abusive or anything.

"Alright." I said finally.

I could see by Esme's relieved smile that I was doing the right thing in her eyes, she just didn't know about the consequences I would have to face.

With a sigh I dialled the house number for Renee and hoped that she wouldn't pick up. Maybe she wasn't home? It turned out to be a vain hope as I had to try not to wince away from the phone as a shrill voice answered. As it was I couldn't help the small twinge of discomfort that I'm sure was picked up on by everyone.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mom, it's me." I said softly. Maybe she wouldn't want to speak to me and would just hang up.

"Isabella. You have a nerve to leave it so long to call me." She scolded, I bit my lip as she spoke. As far as her greetings went, it could have been so much worse.

"I'm sorry Mom, I didn't mean to leave it so long." I lied and Esme patted my shoulder reassuringly, something I didn't deserve.

"Is that so? Well, there must have been a reason why you would call me. Since apparently you don't care about me and only want to talk to me when you have an issue." Renee hissed. "Out with it then, what's your problem now?"

"Well," I faltered and felt Jasper sending waves of confidence towards me, something I grasped onto with every fibre of my being and told myself to just go for it. "I'm getting married; to Edward."

There was a long silence that made me wonder whether she had hung up. A small part of me hoped that was the case, at least then she wasn't just letting her anger build to the point where she would lash out visciously.

"I've never been so disappointed in you, Isabella." She said coldly and I froze as I recognised her tone of voice. It was the one that had me hiding under my bed for five hours as a ten year old until she went to bed and it was safe to crawl out and make myself a meal.

"What?" Big mistake. Never question Renee when she's in a mood.

"Isabella," the warning was clear. I had messed up and no matter how long it was until I saw her, she would remember this moment. "You are making a huge mistake. Are you lying to me? Honestly, I can't imagine you getting married. Did he propose while drunk? That doesn't count you know."

I saw Esme's eyes narrow a tiny bit and he fist clench for a moment before relaxing, maybe she was trying to pretend she wasn't listening in.

""No, Mom I'm not lying, Edward doesn't drink and I'm really getting married." I said quietly, my words becoming less and less sure as I went on.

"Is this a delusion of yours? That boy left you young lady and to be honest I don't know why he bothered coming back. Are you blackmailing him? Did you poke a pin through some condoms and get yourself pregnant because that won't keep him there forever, trust me I should know. Biggest mistake I ever made." Renee's words cut deep and I saw one of Jasper's fists clench out the corner of my eye.

"He's back for good," I said more confidently than I felt, "and I haven't done anything to force him to stay here, this is his choice."

"I doubt it, you need to wake up and realise that there's nothing about you holding him there. Like I get why you're there - he is loaded, but what's in it for him?"

My mouth fell open as I watched Jasper's hand create a hole in the edge of the kitchen counter. Did he believe her? Did he think I was only with Edward for the money? No, that was impossible, he could feel my feelings. He knew that I was in love with Edward.

"I can promise you, Mom, this has nothing to do with money," I said vehemently. "Nothing at all."

"Then why would you get married? Is he mentally incompetent or something? Is this a pity thing? Why would he choose you of all people?"

I don't know what hurt more: the cruel tinge in her voice or the slight hint of genuine confusion. It was like she genuinely couldn't understand why someone like Edward would want to be with someone like me, and truth be told I couldn't understand it either.

Before I could say anything the phone was gently pried from my hand. I looked up to see who had taken it only to be filled with shock. Esme's eyes were narrowed and pitch black, her teeth were bared slightly, something that Edward had once told me was a sign of hostility in vampires. I had never seen Esme look so terrifying and I was ashamed that I felt a thrill of genuine fear.

"Hello Renee this is Esme, Bella's future mother-in-law." Esme murmured, her polite tone completely contradicting her facial expression.

Esme gave me a strained smile and kissed my cheek so fleetingly that I only felt a gentle brush of coldness before she whirled out the room leaving me alone with Jasper. He must have been becoming pretty overwhelmed as he was sending me the strongest calming vibes he could - without knocking me out.

Unfortunately, he miscalculated slightly and I felt my body slump forward against the kitchen counter, and before the darkness took over completely I felt solid, icy arms catch me around my waist as I slipped from the stool.

The darkness gradually began to fade away leaving me with a faint headache and I could feel a cool hand on my forehead which actually helped with the sore head.

"She's fine Edward, Jasper only put her to sleep." Carlisle's calm voice said from by my side before he noticed that I was waking up. "How are you feeling Bella?"

I shifted slightly and opened my eyes fully. Six pairs of golden eyes were peering into mine and then there was Rosalie, regarding me with an unfathomable expression from nearby.

I realised I was lying on the sitting room sofa and sat up, everything spun alarmingly for a few moments.

"Are you alright, Darling?" Esme asked, handing me a glass of water. I knew she was talking about Renee's call and not the after effects of Jasper's little gift and so I nodded, taking a sip of the cool water which helped to ground me.

"Are you ok, Esme? She wasn't too terrible to you was she?" I asked worriedly.

"Are you ok, Esme?" I asked worriedly. "She wasn't too terrible to you was she?"

"Don't you worry about me, Bella. I had a long discussion with your mother and she's decided to come for a visit." Esme sighed and I wondered what exactly my mother had said to her. I really hoped that it wasn't too offensive. The sweet, motherly vampire didn't deserve to face my mother's evil tongue.

Edward growled violently and pulled me closer to him. I wondered what was going through Esme's mind to cause such a reaction.

"Oh no." I moaned burying my head in his shoulder.

"What's wrong, is something hurting?" Carlisle asked in doctor mode, automatically assuming I was in pain.

"Please tell me she isn't coming." I pleaded.

"Why don't you want to see your mother?" Carlisle asked in concern.

AN

So did you like it?

I was itching for a bit of Renee bashing and conflict, and then this gives me the chance for some family bonding between Bella and the Cullens!

I don't own twilight or any of the characters in this FANfiction.