Chapter 3
Iris
The funeral was held the week after Sarah died, the week prior to her funeral seemed to drag on forever. Jacob was still recovering from the accident, so Bella couldn't attend - they were doubling her shifts.
Instead of Bella dressing Renesmee for the sad occasion, Edward dressed up his daughter in one of her black dresses. It had a single white silk ribbon that was tied in a neat bow at her back. She had black tights and little black Mary Jane's - It made Edward frown at the sight of his daughter in all black. He dressed himself in a pair of charcoal slacks, a light grey dress shirt, a black tie, and a black sports coat. Soon they were all neat and ready - and reluctantly, Edward took his daughter to the Lake View Cemetery.
"Daddy?" Renesmee asked, looking up from a Disney Princess coloring book she was coloring in - she was currently coloring in Ariel, the mermaid.
"What is it, sweetie?" Edward turned the corner and glanced at his daughter through his rear view mirror.
"Where are we going?" She asked in a sigh as she continued to color.
Edward sighed heavily. "Do you remember three weeks ago - when we went to visit Mommy's friend, Sarah?" Edward inquired,
Renesmee looked up from her scribbles and stared at the back of her fathers head, "You mean when I got to meet Jake?"
Edward nodded, swallowing hard. "Something like that."
"So…where are we going?" She asked again, he could tell she was getting antsy.
"Remember when Mommy came home crying about a week ago?"
"Edward, I just want to go home." Bella mumbled as she leaned against him. It had been a long day for her and Edward, and she wanted to go home and open up a bottle of Jack to wallow in her misery.
"Alright love, just give me a moment please." Edward signed one last thing for Sarah's paperwork, and took his wife by the waist.
After they had changed out of their bloody scrubs, and into some clean clothes, they headed home to their daughter. He knew what Renesmee would do - she would want a hug and a kiss from Bella. Edward watched as he trailed behind his wife into their home, he watched Renesmee jump out of his mothers arms.
"Mommy!" Renesmee ran from where she was sitting with Esme, he knew what was coming next.
She tried giving her mother a hug, but Bella walked past her daughter - not even giving her a hello. Edward frowned as he watched his wife disappear into the secret liquor closet she and Edward kept. He saw her close the door of the secret compartment and walk into the kitchen with a bottle of vodka. She went straight to the fridge and grabbed the carton of Orange Juice.
"Mommy?" Renesmee whispered, confused why her mother had come home in such a state.
Bella ignored Renesmee again, and headed into the bedroom she shared with Edward - to drown away her sorrow.
Edward closed his eyes and sighed, they was nothing he could do to stop her - Bella was to damn stubborn.
"Yeah…" Renesmee trailed off, obviously remember the same memory he just had thought about.
"Well - she was sad that day because there was a really big car accident, and Sarah and Jacob were in the accident." Edward said slowly,
"Are they okay?"
"Well…not exactly." Edward took in a sigh. "Sarah died. That's why Mommy was so sad."
"What about Jake?" Renesmee questioned again, she had forgotten all about her coloring book now.
"Jacob will be okay in a couple weeks." Edward said with a plastered smile, hoping little Renesmee would not see past it.
"So…are we going to visit Jake in the hospital?" She asked, she sat up in her seat more and leaned towards her father - as if this would give her a much better question.
"No. We are going to Sarah's funeral." Edward said blankly,
"Oh." Renesmee nodded, and looked out the window - she knew her father did not want to speak further about this.
xXx
When Edward and Renesmee arrived at the Funeral - there were already over a hundred people - mostly Sarah's family — standing outside, waiting for the service to begin.
"Billy," Edward spotted him right off the bat. He placed Renesmee on his hip and walked over to the grieving husband. "How are you doing?" He asked, worry coated every inch of his voice.
Billy didn't so much as cast a glance at Edward. He just stared at the ground, like it would somehow bring Sarah back.
"Billy?" Edward shifted the weight of his daughter to his other hip.
No answer.
Edward sighed, and went over to where a couple of open seats were.
"What was wrong with Jake's, Dad - daddy?" Renesmee asked as she tugged on her fathers tie.
"He's very sad, dear." Edward said as she sat Renesmee in the seat next to him. She squirmed around for a few seconds before leaning onto her father.
"When will he be happy, daddy?" She inquired as she focused her doe chocolate brown eyes on Billy.
"I'm not sure, love - hopefully soon." Edward said with a sigh as he kissed the top of his little girls head.
The service began shortly after, the Pastor began talking about how Sarah was so young, and about the tragic accident - caused by a drunk driver. He talked about Sarah's life, and how she would be sorely missed by her family and friends. Some of her family members — sisters, and an older brother — came up and talked about some of their favorite memories they shared.
An hour or so later, the service concluded. There was a small social hour, before everyone left. Edward let Renesmee play with some other children, while he talked to some of her family members and some of her friends.
"So, were you her doctor, then?" Ashley, Sarah's youngest sister at the age of 18, asked.
Edward nodded. "I'm so sorry. We tried everything we could."
"Thanks." Ashley nodded. "I'll be fine…I like to think of it as God's way it's saying it's time for her to come back home, ya know?" She questioned out loud, not really being direct.
Edward nodded again, and smiled politely. Bella and himself weren't very religious, but it was all the same.
An hour later, everyone started leaving. Edward picked up his very messy four year old, and headed for their car.
"How in the world did you get so messy?" He asked his daughter with a light chuckle.
She giggled. "Cause Jackson pushed me in the ground, and so I pushed him back, and we were wrestling."
Edward smiled. "How is it that you can look like such an angel, but be such a tough little girl?" He put her in the car seat and buckled her up.
"Excuse me," A police officer came up by Edward. "Are you Edward Cullen?"
"Yes…" Edward said nervously. "Why?"
"I was told to give this to you." He handed Edward a manila envelope, and walked back to his squad car.
"What is it, Daddy?" Renesmee tried peeking at the contents of the folder, as her father opened it up.
THE STATE OF WASHINGTON. It read across the front.
YOU ARE HEARBY CALLED IN FOR COURT FOR KING COUNTY. IN RE: WILLIAM BLACK, AKA JOHN DOE.
PETITION FOR MEDICAL MALPRACTICE (WRONGFUL DEATH) ON (LATE) SARAH BLACK, AKA JANE DOE.
Edward's heart stopped beating. He stopped breathing. He was being sued? For medical malpractice on Sarah? Never would he do such a thing, especially on a friend. He and Dr. Hunt had tried everything to keep her from dying. She should have been pronounced brain dead on arrival, and she wasn't. He tried everything. Everything! Why was he being sued when they couldn't prevent the inevitable?
"Daddy…?" Renesmee asked her father, noticing that he wasn't moving.
"We're going to the hospital." Edward said. "I need to see Mommy."
xXx
"He what?" Bella asked, standing up - sending the chair against the wall. She slammed her hands on the desk in anger.
Edward had chosen to have this conversation in a conference room in the Pediatric Ward, so the conversation could be more private. Renesmee wasn't permitted to be part of the conversation, so she was in the waiting area with her aunt, Dr. Hale, while her parents were discussing the legal situation they were now in.
"He can't do this. How the hell can a lawyer, who knows exactly what happened to Sarah, tell Billy he can sue us for not being able to do anything to save her?" Bella yelled in anger, she was nearly fuming.
"I don't know." Edward said with a tired sigh. "But he can't win. We can do this. This won't get passed the hearing."
Bella pressed herself against her husband. "I hope you're right." She whispered as she lowered her head onto his shoulder.
It was silent for a few moments, none of them saying anything. After five minutes, however, Bella started talking again.
"How was it? The funeral, I mean." She stayed pressed against Edward, but looked up at his face.
"It was okay. No one was upset at me that she died, no one blamed me. They were really upset, but you know how it is."
"And Billy…?" Bella trailed off, searching for any answers in his deep green eyes.
"Didn't say a word to me, or anyone else. He didn't make any indication, verbally or physically, that he was suing us."
Bella nodded. She felt the hot sting of tears behind her eyes.
"Are you okay, love?"
Bella shook her head. She heaved a sob. "It's just so hard."
"I know, sweetheart." Edward held her closer, and stroked her hair soothingly. "I know."
After a few minutes, Bella took in a shaky breath, and looked up at Edward.
"We can do this." She said confidently.
"Yes we can." He reassured.
"Can I come in?" Alice knocked on the slightly open door.
Bella took a deep breath. "Of course, Ali."
Alice came in, and closed the door. "Ness is with Annalise."
Bella nodded and laid her head on Edwards shoulder again.
"Are you guys okay?" She sat down in one of the chairs around the table, motioning for Bella and Edward join her.
"Yes." Bella said as she took a seat. "No... I don't know." She cradled her head in her hands. "Sarah died…we're being sued…I just don't know anymore."
"What's up with Billy?" Alice asked her brother.
"I don't know either." Edward shook his head. "One moment, we were the best of friends, and now, Sarah's dead and we are being sued because we couldn't prevent her from becoming brain dead."
Alice nodded. "Well, if you need any help, anything at all. Jasper and I are willing to help at any time. And you know Mom and Dad will help."
Edward nodded. Alice was right — he could always ask their parents. Esme was a retired lawyer, who quit her practice after Edward and Alice's youngest brother, Emmett was born — when Edward and Alice were three. Carlisle, their father was always helpful. And Alice and Jasper were always there to help, as well as Emmett. They could get through this.
"Do you think she's willing to represent us?" Bella asked, looking at Edward and Alice. "If this were to actually make it to the hearing?"
"Esme?" Alice asked.
"Yeah." Bella nodded. "Wasn't she a defense attorney?"
Edward nodded. "She was, but she quit her practice when Emmett was born, twenty-five years ago."
"But we could ask her." Alice put in. "Just because she quit her practice doesn't mean that she can't represent you."
Bella nodded. "I'll call her when my shift is over."
"I doubt that we'll even need her, Bells, I mean…" Edward trailed off,
"I'm going to call her." Bella glared at Edward, making her statement finale.
"Okay, love." He backed off a little. "Fine."
Alice's pager went off, "Shit, my patient is coding." Alice gave an apologetic look to Edward and Bella, before racing out of the room and into her patients.
"Can you take Renesmee home?" Bella asked her husband as she played with his fingers in her lap. He smiled and nodded before giving his wife a kiss. He left Bella in the Ward to take Renesmee home, they've all had a long day.
Bella let out a sigh. Her day had been long, and it was going to be another four hours before she could go home.
Her pager went off. One of the nurses was paging her about Jacob, Again. He wasn't necessarily an emergency, but no one, not even the nurses had heart enough to tell a five year old that his mother had died, and he had been asking for her for days. She sighed again, and decided that today was the day he was going to find out where his mother really was.
xXx
Bella stood at the open door of his room. She rapped her knuckles on the door.
"Can I come in?" She smiled.
"No!" Jacob giggled. He had made a great recovery, considering the ordeal he had gone through a week previously.
After Jacob's surgery, the doctors had transported him to Peds ICU, and from there he did well. There weren't any signs of brain damage, although once daily he had a therapist come in, and work on his speech and motor skills, which were just little side affects he received from the contusion.
"Well, I guess I can't give you a sucker…" Bella pretended to walk away from his room.
"But, I want one!" Jacob called. "You can come in, if I can have a ss…sss…s - s - uk..er - r"
"I'm going to have Dr. Stark work on that with you tomorrow." Bella said, walking into the room.
"Can I have it now?" Jacob asked. '
"After I check up on your stitches and change your dressing." Bella said, moving the blanket and the hospital gown, so she could take a look at his abdomen.
"Looking good." Bella smiled. "Your stitches are healing nicely. You can have them out in two weeks." She quickly changed the dressing, and addressed the dressing on his head.
"Where's my Mommy?" Jacob asked, after he had gotten his sucker.
Bella took in a breath, and let out a sigh. "Well, Jake…" She trailed off, she most certainly did not want to do this to him.
She felt tears hot on the back of her eyes, but pressed on. "Your mommy isn't here."
"Where is she?"
"She…" Bella closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths, and continued.
"Jacob, your mom didn't survive the crash."
Jacob looked confused. "What does that mean?"
Bella couldn't take it. She went out of the room, closing the door behind her. She burst into tears.
"Dr. Cullen?" One of Bella's favorite Pediatric ER nurses, Katie Schramm, walked up to Bella.
"Are you okay?" She asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.
Bella shook her head. "No...I don't know."
"What do you mean?"
"Jacob Black — the kid in here," Bella made a motion with her head, indicating the door behind her, "his mother is…was, my best friend. She didn't survive the accident, and he still doesn't know."
"You haven't told him yet?"
"I can't tell him." Bella took in a breath. "I tried to tell him, just now. It's already hard enough to tell a parent that their child died. I can't tell my best friend's son that his mother is dead."
"Do you want me to explain it to him?" Katie asked sympathetically.
Bella nodded. "Thanks, Katie."
Katie nodded, and Bella moved out of the way, so she could get into Jacob's room. Bella kept the door open, and stood outside the window.
"Jacob, your doctor asked me to tell you something, and I need you to stay very calm when I tell you this, okay?"
"Okay." Jacob said softly, his eyes were wide and alert.
Bella imagined Katie taking Jacob's hand as she told him.
"Jacob, your mom isn't going to come."
"Why?"
Katie took in a breath. "She didn't survive the crash, Jacob. Your mom is dead."
Bella covered her mouth, as she choked out a sob. She closed her eyes tight, and tried to block out the screaming coming from the room.
"No she isn't!" Jacob screamed. "Mommy isn't dead! She just is busy at work and she can't see me! She isn't dead!"
Bella could hear the heart monitor going erratic, as Jacob's heart raced.
Shit. Bella pulled on her best poker face, and raced into the room.
"We need to get him sedated, stat!" Bella said, pressing down on his shoulders to stop the thrashing.
"Katie, go get enough Lorazepam that will knock him out. He's too agitated."
Katie ran out to get the 800 ml of the Lorazepam Bella needed.
"I know, Jacob, I know." Bella soothed him, as he tried to push back her weight.
"I want my Mommy!" He screamed, tears spilling out.
"I want her too, baby." Bella said.
"Got it," Katie came in the room carrying the fluid bag full of Lorazepam. She started it through his IV, and soon Jacob drifted into sleep.
"He'll be up in a few hours." Katie said. Bella nodded.
"I'm sorry about Sarah, Dr. Cullen."
"Bella," Bella said, not taking her eyes off of Jacob. "Call me Bella."
"Bella," Katie nodded. "I'm sorry."
Bella just shook her head. Katie left the room.
"I do, too, Jacob. I want Sarah back, too." She whispered, before leaving the room.
