A/N: Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. I just borrow the characters. I promise to give them back. :)
Thanks to everyone who has read/reviewed my story. Your encouragements mean a lot!
So a lot of you are outraged that Bella kept Matthew a secret from the father. I just want to say, in her defense, that you all will get the answers you're looking for soon. She didn't try to keep him a secret. You'll find out how next chapter.
Now, a peek in the mind of Edward!
Chapter 3 – The Cullens
EPOV
As I drove to my parents' house for a late family dinner after my shift at the hospital, I thought about the day I had.
First, early this morning, my twin sister Alice called. I love my sister deeply but she has the tendency to call at the most inconvenient times. Mostly at five AM, like she did this morning.
RING RING
I groaned as I rolled over and grabbed my cell phone from my nightstand. I squinted against the bright screen and groaned again when I saw who was calling.
"Alice," I whined. "What the fucking hell could you want at – " I glanced at my alarm clock. "Six AM! Alice, I just got home. I had the night shift."
"Sorry, Edward! But I just had to tell you," Alice chirped. "She's home!"
I wracked my brain for any past conversations with her about one of her friends coming back to Forks. "Who – who's coming back to Forks?" I asked slowly.
Alice giggled. "You'll see!" She sang. "I had a dream. You'll be visited at work today by an old friend."
"Old friend?" I was thoroughly confused. I couldn't recall any friends who would be coming to Forks.
Ever since Alice was little, she's always had the uncanny ability to just know when something good or bad was going to happen. It was either a strong feeling or a dream. They were almost always true. Over the years, my family stopped questioning Alice and always looked to her for guidance.
She giggled again. "Just trust me, Ed! It's going to change your life for the better." I heard a rumble of a voice on Alice's end of the line. "I gotta go, big brother. I'll see you tonight at Mom and Dad's. Love you!"
I stared at the phone after she hung up, wondering what was in store for me today.
That was over fourteen hours ago.
When I got to the hospital around eight o'clock, I found out it was time for my turn in the rotation in the ER. As a surgical resident, all of us took turns in the different departments. It was a way for us to get hands-on experience of the different specialties so we can ultimately choose which one suits us the most.
The ER was my least favorite. I went into medical school thinking I was going to be a cardiac surgeon like my father. Once I was out of medical school and actually doing my internship and residency, I changed my mind. I've always loved kids. I think it's amazing that they can bring a smile to almost everyone's face. So, I changed my desired specialty to Pediatrics.
It was an unusually crazy day in the ER, several car accidents, accidental gunshot wound to the leg that just missed a major artery, and several other unprecedented injuries.
At around six-thirty Ben came in to relieve me, it was his turn to take the late night shift. Ben and I have been best friends since we met when I moved here our freshman year of high school. We lost touch when we went away for college but reconnected when we ended up at the same medical school, Johns Hopkins. We both finished our bachelors in pre-med at our respective undergrad schools in two years, two years ahead of the rest of our class.
On my way to the locker rooms to change back into my street clothes, I stopped at the cafeteria for a cup of coffee so I could stay awake to drive to my parents' house. I stepped into line behind a short woman with long chestnut hair that flowed down her back in gentle waves. Looks familiar . . .
When she stepped up to the machine and turned to grab a cup from the stack to the left of the machine, I gasped sharply.
Cherished memories flashed before my eyes making the hole in my heart that appeared when she left just a little bit bigger.
I knew that face. Bella. My Bella. The love of my life. I thought I would never see her again.
"Bella." I breathed. I couldn't contain myself. I had to talk to her.
She took an audible deep breath before spinning to face me. "Edward."
She looked even more beautiful than I remembered. She'd always been beautiful to me but the years away from Forks have done her well. She's still just as tiny, only a few inches taller than my five foot tall sister. Her long chestnut hair was down, not up in the ponytail she usually wore in high school. I'd always like her hair down. Her big light-brown doe eyes stared up at me while her pinky-red lips, the top one fuller than the bottom, were screwed up in a kind of smirk. She was dressed like I remembered she dressed, jeans and a t-shirt.
I quickly asked her if she was okay, remembering her clumsy nature. She laughed it off saying she was here with a friend, not for herself.
Who's this friend? I found myself asking. I hoped that she wasn't married or taken. My already shattered heart would break into a million pieces with no hop of repair.
I offered to buy her coffee and we sat at a small cafeteria table and made small talk. When I finally asked her the question I'd been dying to ask her since I saw her face a few minutes ago, she suddenly looked like she aged five years with the stress on her face.
She scrubbed her hand over her face as she sighed. "That is a long, complicated, and painful story." She replied. "I have a lot to tell you. Do you think we could get together tomorrow? Maybe somewhere more private? I promise I'll tell you everything then."
I walked her back to the ER and gave her my address and promising to meet tomorrow night at my house. Without thinking, I pulled her into my arms and breathed in her familiar scent. It felt so good to have her back in my arms and I was immediately transported back to my high school days, much happier days.
All the way out to my car and on the drive over to my parents, I wondered and worried what she had to tell me that needed privacy.
I parked my two-seater Mercedes in my parents' driveway and just sat, continuing to think about Bella. I must have been sitting longer than I thought because I heard a tapping on my window.
"Eddie, come on! You've been sitting out here for fifteen minutes. Mom is starting to think something's wrong with you. I told her there's always something wrong with you." I looked up to see my older brother Emmett staring down at me with a huge grin on his face.
I opened my door and got out, shooting my brother a glare. "I was thinking. You should try it sometime." I grabbed my phone and wallet from the center console and shut the door behind me before walking towards the front door. "And don't call me Eddie!" I called behind me.
I heard Emmett's loud guffaws behind me and I smirked. Emmett and I loved to tease each other, all in good fun.
When I stepped inside my childhood home, I was immediately bombarded my mother and sister.
"Edward!" They cried and pulled me into a group hug.
"Uh, hi, Mom, Alice." I patted their back until the released their death grip on me.
Mom took my face between my hands and looked me up and down. "You're way too skinny, Edward, and we don't see you here enough. I don't think you living in that big house all alone is such a good idea."
I blinked at her disbelievingly. "Mom, I'm twenty-six!" She frowned but didn't say anything. "And I was here a week ago." I continued. Mom continued to frown so I leaned and kissed her cheek. "Don't worry, Mom, I'm doing fine." I whispered to her.
After Alice gave me a knowing look, I kissed her cheek as well and made my way into the living room to where my dad, sister-in-law, and niece were watching TV.
"Hey, Dad," I greeted as I walked farther into the room.
Dad stood to hug me, even though I saw him a few hours ago at the hospital. Dad is the Chief of Medicine at Forks Regional Hospital, basically in charge of all the doctors in the hospital. When I decided I wanted go to medical school, Dad was my number one supporter.
"Edward," Dad released me and sat back down on the couch. "How is everything?" He asked with a smile.
"Fine," I answered with a shrug. "I'm in the ER this rotation. Not my favorite thing in the world."
Dad nodded. "I know, but it necessary."
I nodded in agreement and was about to speak again when I was interrupted.
"Uncle Eddie, you're blocking the TV!"
I looked over to see Rosalie and Lilly sitting on the opposite couch. Rose was smirking and Lilly was pouting. I smiled and ran over, scooping Lilly off the couch, making her giggle.
"Uncle Eddie!" She laughed.
I sat down on the couch next to Rose, placing Lilly in my lap. "How's it going, Lil?" I asked her.
"Good," She nodded emphatically. "Look what me and Mommy made!" She held out her wrist to show me a beaded bracelet. The plastic beads were all different colors, shapes, and sizes, probably exactly what a two year old would want.
"Wow, Lil! That's so pretty!" She laughed before climbing off my lap so she could continue watching TV with her grandfather. I turned to Rose. "Wow, Rose, you're bracelet making skills are off the chart!" I teased.
She rolled her eyes and shoved my shoulder but couldn't hide the smirk on her face.
Rose and Emmett met in their first week of college at the University of Washington. Their dorms were right down the hall from each other, so they shared a common room. One day, Emmett and his roommate were watching a football game on the TV in the common room when a tall, statuesque blonde sat down next to Emmett and commented on how terrible the quarterback was at running plays. Emmett fell in love instantaneously. He brought her home for Christmas a few months later. They got married after they graduated and had Lilly a year later.
Rose's down-to-earth attitude made an impression on Mom and Dad and she impressed Alice with her knowledge of designer clothes. She even hit it off with Bella who was normally shy around new acquaintances.
Bella. My heart ached every time I thought about her.
Mom called dinner and we all made our way into the dining room and took our seats around the feast Mom had made. Once everyone was seated, we begun serving and devouring the delicious meal.
I returned to my thoughts about Bella as I ate.
Bella and I started dating the summer before our junior year of high school. I'd been in love with her ever since I'd laid eyes on her two years before. When our senior year rolled around, when it was time to start applying to colleges, I sat her down and told her under no circumstances were we to go to different colleges. I told her I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her so what was the point of being separated at college. It was one of the only times I'd ever seen her cry.
When she left Forks so abruptly and without warning a few weeks before we were supposed to leave for Dartmouth together, my heart broke. That was one of the hardest days of my life.
I'd woken up that morning from a nightmare. Bella had said she didn't want me anymore and she disappeared right before my eyes. I said to myself that it was probably just nerves for what I had planned for today. I was still a little shaken when I drove over to Bella's house that afternoon for our weekly Sunday date. Today I was going to take her to our favorite clearing in the woods and show her just how much she means to me. When I pulled up in front of her house, there were no cars in the driveway, not even Charlie's cruiser. I walked up the front path to the door and paused. There was a note on the front door with my name on it. I pulled it off the door and read it quickly.
Edward,
I'm so sorry. This was not my choice, I promise you. Please know that I love you and I'll think about you every day. I'll never stop loving you, Edward, no matter how far away I am from you.
Your love,
Bella
I read it again, thinking I had misread it. It sounded like she was . . . gone. No, that couldn't be it.
I started banging on the door and yelling Bella's name. When nobody answered, I found the key Bella hid under a rock in the garden and opened the door.
Crack
The first crack in my heart appeared when the kitchen was completely empty.
Crack
The living room was bare.
Crack
I ran upstairs to find the bathroom and Charlie and Renee's room empty.
Shatter
My heart finally shattered when I hesitantly pushed open Bella's door and found it like the rest of the house, empty.
Tears fell down my cheeks as I ran out of the Swan's house and out into their backyard and into the forest behind their house. I ran and ran until I was stopped by a flowing river. I stood and stared down at it, trying to catch my breath.
I reached into the pocket of my jeans and pulled out the box I'd wanted to give Bella during our date today and pulled it open. The diamond embedded into the simple engagement ring glittered in the rays of sunlight that filtered in through the treetops. I pulled it from the satin and, without any thought, threw it into the river below.
I sunk to my knees on the river bed and cried until I had no more tears left to cry.
My Bella was gone and she wasn't coming back.
"Edward!"
I jumped when I heard my Mom calling my name. I had been so engrossed in my thoughts that I hadn't heard her call my name several times and hadn't touched my food. I looked around and saw that everyone's plates were empty. I sighed and stood up to reheat my food in the microwave.
When I returned, everyone was still as quiet as when I left. I sat back down, ignoring them and continuing to eat my dinner.
"Edward?" Mom asked hesitantly. "Are you alright?"
I sighed again and set my fork down. "I ran into someone at the hospital today and I'm still a little surprised, I guess."
"Who was it?" Emmett asked immediately.
"Bella." I answered simply.
Everyone around the table, except for Alice, gasped.
Mom was the first one to speak. "Why was she in the hospital? Is she hurt?"
And that was why I loved my Mom, always first concerned with her family's well being. And Bella was her family, Mom always made sure Bella knew that.
I shook my head. "She was there for a friend that needed stitches."
"Which friend?" Alice asked curiously.
I shrugged. "I didn't ask."
There was silence around the table. The only sound in the house was the TV in the living room playing Lilly's show and the sound of her voice signing along.
"Did you ask her why?"
I turned my head to see Rose looking at me with pleading eyes. When Bella left without saying goodbye to anyone, it hit Rose surprisingly hard. She and Bella had developed a sort of kinship between them. Bella would drive up to Seattle some Saturdays to visit Rose, Rose would drive down to Forks when she could, and sometimes the two would meet in the middle.
I nodded. "I did. She said that it's a long, complicated, and painful story and that she has a lot to tell me. We're meeting at my house tomorrow night to talk."
Silence.
"How do you feel about that?" Dad asked quietly.
I shook my head. "I don't know."
If one thing was for sure, I needed some answers from Bella.
A/N: Thanks SO much for reading! PLEASE leave me a review let me know what you think! Love it? Hate it? Just okay?
How did you all like the peek inside Edward's head? My heart breaks for him, I don't know about you guys!
Is anyone else as excited for the Olympics as I am? I think I'm putting all that excitement into this story because I'm really cranking out these chapters! I'm so excited for the swimming and gymnastics (USA favored to win GOLD!) What's everyone's favorite Olympic events and what team will you be cheering for? USA!
Next up: Edward finds out why she left and Bella reveals her secret! It's a doozy!
Thanks again!
- Nikki
