The Call

By: Sincerely Scarlet Rose

Chapter 3

Song: Winter Song, Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson

"This is my winter song, December never felt so long, because you're not where you belong, inside my arms."

Winter 1915

I walked quickly to Mrs. Mason's house clutching my books. I shivered inside of my heavy coat. Snow was kicked up my skirt and hit my thighs causing me to tremble as I drew my skirt up and ran the street to get there sooner.

I walked inside and was soaked I stripped off my shoes but the bottom of my skirt was dripping. She walked towards me holding out a dry dress in her hands, "I knew that you'd need this…"

I looked at it, it was a beautiful Navy color, and gave me cleavage I'd been discovering I had these last few months more than ever. "You grow more beautiful everyday," Mrs. Mason shook her head as she hung up my skirts next to the fire. It'd been three months since Edward had gone and the Chicago winter had just hit in full force. I could tell it would be worse than last years, and that had been harsh.

"Thank you so much for this Mrs. Mason." I said smoothing down the beautiful garment, there was no doubt she had made it.

"You're welcome dear…Oh Edward would be dazzled by you right now…" She shook her head sadly. She had a few wrinkles that hadn't been there before in her young face, always worrying over her young son as I was, "Please, we're taking pictures, Edward is already hounding me for them, and you know how he is…"

I walked into the family room, Edward's house was even more elegant than ours, he's father was the owner of a local bank which meant he wasn't suffering as much as some in result of the war, yet his parents did as much as they could and more, especially after Edward had left.

I stood in front of the camera with Mrs. Mason as Mr. Mason took three different photo's expertly.

"How lucky am I to be in the room with the two most beautiful women in Chicago," He smiled and I walked taking the complicated mess of a camera from him and motioning him forward. "Go stand…"

I took two of them, and then against my will Mrs. Mason forced me to take one of just myself.

It was of just my face, and she said in no particular words that Edward had been asking it from her for a while. I blushed for a very long time when I had heard that.

"I think we should make cookies, those poor children that are out there on this cold night…" I agreed with her. I helped her five nights a week prepare food for the local shelters. Tonight would be a harsh night for those that would be in them.

"Let us pray," Mr. Mason said shaking his head at the thought of anyone being out in this cold of weather.

I finished eating with them when suddenly a knock at the door sounded, I answered it politely and saw a smaller boy shaking with a piece of cloth around him that couldn't even be called a coat. "Oh my, Come in here…" I gasped going and grabbing my old dress, it was very old anyways, and ripping the top half off of it, it was a thick wool dress, very warm. I wrapped it around the small child as Mr. and Mrs. Mason walked into the room.

"Bella you didn't have to destroy your dress, I could have given the boy something!" Mrs. Mason cried, I handed the boy a cup of tea that I had been drinking from and he gulped at it hungrily. He couldn't be more than seven.

"Is Isabella Swan here?" He asked quietly after warming up a bit from the drink.

"Yes?" I asked and he looked towards me then with a very sad look in his eyes.

"You're needed at the hospital right away Ms Swan, as soon as you are able you are to be there…" he said looking afraid as if I was going to hit him or something of the like.

"Who is at the hospital?" I asked already pulling on my coat, Mr. Mason was doing the same.

"A Mrs. Renee Swan, miss. That's all I know. Dr. McCarty has sent me."

"Oh my dear," Mrs. Mason gasped, "Hurry out Edward this could be an emergency. You young one, take off your shoes and go rest by the fire."

She pushed her husband quickly towards the door and he grabbed my arm towing me quickly towards the carriage that he always somehow had ready to go, his driver already seeming to be ready for him.

He lifted me inside not waiting for me to attempt to climb in and we rushed as quickly as we could in a foot of snow towards the local hospital.

We entered and Mr. Mason walked quickly and confidently towards the front desk. Though I didn't see my mother much, I loved her dearly. After all, she was in fact my mother! "Is there a Renee Swan here please?" Mr. Mason asked.

The nurse looked up at the name and she stood quickly, "You've finally arrived. Quickly, are you the husband? The daughter?" She asked already leading us deeper into the hospital.

"No, I'm Edward Mason, and this is Renee's daughter Isabella," He said concern growing in his voice, my feet were slipping as I tried to keep up and Mr. Mason took a firm hold of my arm to keep me on my feet, "What is the wrong?"

"Oh, you didn't know? Well I assumed that Mrs. Swan would have…" She stopped then as if she were saying to much, "Mrs. Swan has been coming for many months receiving treatment for her sickness. We've seen cases over and over again of this kind, but there is no cure, it has gotten exceptionally worse."

"What sickness? Several months?" I blurted. She wasn't with Mr. McCarty after all? He was a doctor, I never had thought she would be seeing him for a…sickness instead of…well…you know.

"Yes, she has been in Dr. McCarty's care for four months." She pulled a curtain aside and I stepped inside to see my mother's pale skinny form. How had I missed this? How could I not have realized?

"Bella?" She whispered her eyes opening but she didn't seem to see anything.

"What's wrong with her?" I asked after trying to speak to her.

"She's gone deaf and blind with a fever that keeps rising, she has been calling your name for several hours…" She said quietly, "I'll get Dr. McCarty." She rushed out before I could interrogate her more.

"Mother…Yes I'm here," I kneeled down taking her hand and she jerked towards me looking, trying to figure out where I was. She reached out and touched my face. "Bella," She sighed and then started talking frantically, "Bella I'm sorry I haven't been around…I'm sure I know what you've been thinking about Dr. McCarty and I, but I can say that it wasn't like that at all…" I shook my head while she was touching my face so she knew what I was saying, "It doesn't matter, I know you, and I know you and I have been so distant after your father passed…" She started crying then and clutched me towards her, "Just know that I love you Bella, I'm sorry, but I'm sure you'll be alright, I know I don't have much time left….I know it…and you need to know it too…I do love you though, you are the most perfect, beautiful, amazing creature I could ever have had a chance to have met, and it makes me proud to call you my daughter…" She had barely finished talking when her body bucked in the strangest way. I knew what it was a second later, she was having a seizure. "Help! Somebody help her!" I screamed and nurses and doctors alike flew into the room Mr. Mason grabbed me.

"No! Let me go! She needs me!" I screamed thrashing against him. He didn't let me go though and I watched as they ripped my mother's gown open and cut into her chest. I screamed as I started sobbing and a few of them yelled, "Get her out of here!"

Mr. Mason struggled having to practically harm me to get me out of the room. "Bella…she's…gone…" The doctor whispered and I stared at him for several seconds. I couldn't get it through my head. First my father and then my mother. I stood up and walked towards the door. There was nothing holding me here now. "Bella! Come back here! It's cold out there!" He said. I was miles away from my house but I didn't care, I started running. I was crying now, sobbing. My mother, the woman who had given me life, nursed me, cared for me…gone.

I started running and I was shocked when Mr. Mason started chasing after me. I was faster than him, but I couldn't move then. I sunk to my knees crying. Shaking. Where was Edward when I needed him? I didn't have anyone anymore. No one. Not Edward. Not Father. Not Mother. No one.

"Bella…Come on…" And he lifted me off the ground carrying me back towards the carriage. If I closed my eyes and imagined hard enough, I could almost convince myself it was Edward carrying me.

Chapter four will be here soon! Thank you for reading, and reviews are appreciated. Enjoy your day!

Sincerely,

Scarlet Rose