This could not be happening. The two men approached the table and Emmett seemed like he had been electrocuted and remained still.
David began to introduce us. I was frozen still, I couldn't handle this. Does David know who he is? How do I escape?!!
Here I was in a London hospital cafeteria with the man I love who is soon to propose and my would have been brother.
Without intention my thoughts wandered back to Edward and they lingered back to the day he left me in the forest alone, telling me he didn't love me. The pain seared in my heart.
Why was he here? In a different continent, in a hospital of all places. After all these years, he was the last person I expected to see again. His face brought back old memories, happy ones but they were of a different time, one in which I was young and naïve, not heartbroken and mature.
Yet as I looked at Emmett I couldn't resist noticing how he had not changed at all. His amber eyes brought me back to a place that felt like centuries ago, he was still huge and muscular and he hadn't aged one bit. We just stared at each other and it felt like hours later when David cleared his throat that I realized that I hadn't responded.
"Sorry, I'm completely zoned out; it's been a long day." I couldn't bring myself to say anymore and excused myself to the bathroom.
David watched me with a worried expression as I left. But I couldn't concentrate on that now; I had to figure out what to do.
What the hell! It was just as I entered the bathrooms that the reality of the situation hit me. Emmett Cullen whom I hadn't seen in years was here and he had dredged up old memories of Edward the one whom I had thought I had finally gotten over and now with that one look I was back to square one.
I had just moved on and I had the feeling that I wouldn't get over this in a hurry. Why was he here? I thought he would be with Edward and Edward would certainly not be within a hundred miles of you Bella. Maybe he's not back for you, maybe it was an accident. If Edward was here he'll be gone soon anyway. Why would he stay he doesn't love you remember? Why else would he take all his family and my happiness away if he still loved you.
Come on Bella, get a grip it's your soon to be fiancé out there, the man who didn't let you down and you need to go out and keep your head held high. Edward probably has a girlfriend anyway so why should you hide and its just Emmett, go out and do this.
Maybe it's just your imagination, maybe he's not even here, it wouldn't be the first time.
I reentered the cafeteria, it wasn't just my imagination, he was really here.
I grabbed Gemma from the next table of nurses that she had wandered over to, I needed her support. I sat down at the table where the two men sat.
"Are you okay honey?" David had a worried expression on his face and I reassured him that I was just tired.
Suddenly Emmett stood up and grabbed me into an iron clad huge. I just froze and Gemma just sat looking shocked, as did David.
"Hey, Emmett." I muttered nervously.
"Bella what the hell happened? You're a doc now! I never would have guessed that you were into that kinda thing. Carlisle is going to flip. He's here too. And London? I thought you always hated the rain. This is rain-central. How long 've you been on this side of the world? I guessed that you'd graduated but didn't know where to. This is epic," My heart lurched. I'd missed Emmett he always put a smile on my face. I couldn't help wondering of he was here too. I couldn't let myself hope.
"Whoa Emmett, calm down. It's just me. It's so good to see you." My flawless façade still intact. "I see that you haven't changed a bit." And then I realised what I had just said. We both smirked at the private joke.
I continued. "Yeah, I graduated from Oxford a few years ago and the rain isn't so bad. I got used to it after Forks," I smiled as I remembered the place that I now called home, Forks. Then David inclined his head and asked
"I'm sorry but, you know my girlfriend?" Emmett sat down again.
"Hell yeah! We go way back, don't we 'lil sis," Then you could see the recognition cross Emmett's face about he had just told my boyfriend. This meant that I would have to tell David about Edward and I definitely wasn't looking forward to that conversation. So I changed the subject.
"Don't worry, it's a long story. I'll tell you about it later. Is Alice here too?" I turned to Emmett and hoped against hope that she would be. It had been six and a half years since they left. He suddenly looked afraid to answer, but I gave him the 'please tell me or I'll kill you face', he smirked and gave in.
"Well yeah she's here. She's doing another fashion design thing course here in London. Something about the European fashion and all that stuff but she loves it." My heart leapt. Maybe I could see Alice before they left again. I enquired about the rest of the family, except one and David and Gemma just sat on the sidelines. When he started to ask about the past six years for me and I wanted to avoid this at all costs. I looked at my watch and said that I had to attend to Chloe the seven year old with pneumonia and I stood.
"Well you look great Bells and I'm sure Carlisle will drop in to say hello. He won't believe it, you, here in London of all places"
"I wouldn't have thought you and a hospital would go well together either, Emmett."
"Stranger things have happened," He looked smug. I gave him a hug good bye and then just as I was leaving David asked
"Would you like to come to dinner with us tonight? My sister is cooking and I can't wait to meet your wife, Alice isn't it?" I gave Emmett the death glare and he smirked and said that he couldn't but would take a rain check but David persisted.
"How about drinks afterwards. I can tell that Bella would really like to meet this Alice and it will be fun. Come on I can bring you up to speed on the team" Emmett gave in and explained that Alice wasn't his wife but his sister. David told him where to go and what time.
"Sorry, team?"
"Yeah Emmett has volunteered to help out with the training, apparently he thinks that Gaelic is a better game than soccer as I believe,"
"Yeah soccer players tend to have more in common with ladies than sportsmen, where as in Gaelic they have a bit of strength, a great sport. Except that Jasper doesn't share my views and I rarely get to play. That and American football are real sports."
This was not good. David trained a small team of footballers in London, I went to most games but it was a rather dull and rough sport so I didn't take to it much. But Emmett helping out meant that he and David were becoming good friends and that was a little awkward considering Emmett was almost family and the fact that Edward could read minds.
David would no doubt tell him about the engagement and stuff like that, and this was a little uncomfortable. Then I thought, who cares what Edward thinks, he left me and told me to get on with my life and that was what I was doing wasn't it? I finally departed and made my way to the ward when suddenly Gemma grabbed me by the arm and dragged me aside.
"Hey, that guy when he said Cullen is that the Culle-"I cut in
"Yeah as in Edward's brother. Yeah that's him. This is a complete nightmare!! What do I do?" She sighed and looked into my eyes.
"First of all calm down, calm… Now how do you feel about this?"
"Well as you saw Emmet is like family and I really missed him and the family but if he is here I really don't know if I could take it. I mean yes its good to see Emmett but at what cost?"
"Emmett seems like a nice guy and you seem to get on well so don't shut him out. But as to deal with the ex; you and I my friend are going to sit down with some serious tequila and sort it out… You're on the verge of tears Bells come on, he's not worth it. I would actually like to meet him and see what all the fuss is about but if he's anything like Emmett he must be really good-looking. And if you see him remember that you were and still are too good for an arrogant jerk like him. Now you are going to have to get back to work and forget about it for a couple of hours, can you do that?" I nodded. I never let anything in the way of my work, I was too dedicated no matter what and I also needed the distraction.
"So have fun tonight and relax, if you need me I will only be a phone call away and I will come and rescue you so stop moping, don't worry I will pulverize him if he comes near you. On the other hand do you want David to know?"
"Not if I can help it but I don't think that I can avoid it now that he's buds with Emmett, I'll tell him before he finds out from someone else, namely Emmett."
"Good, but, I have to ask, do you still love him?" This brought me up short. I inhaled deeply ad sharply.
"Never mind you can tell me all when we sit down and talk," she reassured me.
"Gemm, with the wedding and everything I don't want to add stuff for you to worry about, I'm supposed to help you remember?"
"Bella wedding or no wedding this guy hurt my best friend and its time he knew about it,"
She linked my arm in hers and walked me to the ward. Not fifteen minutes later Emmett paid me a visit. I told Judy at the desk that I was on break and to page me if she needed me. We walked outside and sat on a bench.
"Bella I can't believe you're here and as a doc. for kids. I thought me as a doc was strange but this takes the prize. How has it been? I know that you wouldn't have gotten over us leaving that easy and Alice kept on having these really messed up visions of you almost zombie-like." He pulled me into another hug just as I began to sob.
"I know this isn't the best time but you need to need to know that Edward is here but he doesn't know that you are and it's not gonna take long before he does. So you need to be ready." I sobbed on and on and finally asked him the question that I had wanted to ask for hours.
"You're leaving again aren't you" He looked at me in disbelief.
"Of course not there's no way that we're leaving again, I'll tie him to a tree but we're definitely not leaving and Carlisle is dying to see you, not literally of course" I choked a laugh and he changed the subject.
"So David is a nice guy……. how long have you guys known each other?" I could tell that he felt a little awkward asking these questions so I saved him the bother.
"I have known him since the second year in Oxford and we started dating six months after that. We're living next door to each other and we get on great. His parents are in Limerick and they're also great and I haven't been home to Forks in two years" I took a breath. It was awkward enough so I just got it out there.
"So you and Edward-" I couldn't take this so I told him abruptly that I needed to get back to work and he assured me that he and Carlisle would keep the secret until they could ambush him at home.
I told him that he didn't have to do that because I knew that Edward wouldn't want to see me so he could do very well as he liked but I didn't say why. He said that Alice would come tonight and we could catch up.
"Emmett I really need to go but send Carlisle down at any time at all and tell him that I look forward to seeing him soon and don't worry about Edward let him do as he wants it's none of my business anymore. Anyway I'm not sure I could handle it."
"Does that mean-"
"I really have to go, I'll see you tonight." And I walked way like the coward that I was.