MOVING FORWARD AGAIN
Disclaimer: The Cullen's, the Swans, and most of the characters mentioned in the story that are known from Stephanie Meyer's beloved Twilight Saga, are all hers and hers alone. I neither have nor wish to pass them off as mine. I do appreciate the fact that she did bring them to life and allows us to play with them in our imaginations. The only thing I will claim is the current storyline.
Both children had the next few days to get used to the changes before starting school. Bella had all of the necessary records to be able to go tomorrow to get them registered and then to check out the surrounding area. They were on a working ranch and she needed to get with the foreman and meet all of the hands as well. A lot of things to do to keep her mind off of the judge's declaration which led to she couldn't no longer stay at Loving Meadows. The pain of loss was too intense and she was determined to make a fresh start for all of them. James had been getting to insistent on them getting married and she wasn't ready for that step. In fact, wasn't even sure that she would ever be again.
She had learnt that she can't out run the memories, but, she hasn't allowed herself a moment to let them have free reign either. The knowledge that she would have to was understood, however, she needed to get certain things done in hopes that when she does take the time, the pain will be more manageable. At least, that is her hope.
CHAPTER 4: THANKS FOR TELLING ME SHIT, DAD.
Edward's mind was working as if stuck in a loop, all the information his family had given him was refusing to be processed as a whole. Each bit had to work its way into his brain. So, many questions that were trying to give answers that made sense, but, failing. He knew that he needed to put all the time he's been gone into some sort of perspective from her point of view, but, damn it was hard. Surely she knew in her heart of hearts that he was still alive and trying his hardest to get back to her and the kids.
Casting his mind back to the beginning of his coming downstairs from his old room with Emmett and Jasper still trying to get details from him, he had been called into the living room by his dad. There his sisters in laws were seated alongside his mother with his father standing braced against the mantle of the fireplace and the tension existing in the room was so thick that a hacksaw might not have been able to cut through it.
"Come on in, Edward, and take seat. I just got off the phone with Bella's lawyer. Shortly, I will fill you in on that conversation, but, your mother, Bella's cousin and your sister in law, Alice and I feel that we need to bring you up to date on all that has happened during the time you were MIA." Carlisle began speaking as soon as he had seen Edward appear in the doorway.
Edward walked over to be seated beside his mother while his two brothers took a seat next to their wives. Damn, he had really missed a lot during his absence. But, as all got situated they turned an expectant eye towards Carlisle waiting for him to begin.
"Let me begin by saying that we all thank God about having you home finally safe and sound. It is indeed a miracle that we all have prayed for constantly and we are truly blessed and thankful to see you here signaling that all of our prayers have been answered.
"Now, with that said I am going to go back to the time we found out your plane had gone down and reportedly there had been no survivors. The officials had gone to Loving Meadows to inform Bella and Alice happened to be staying with her at the time. After they had informed Bella and Alice Bella called us.
"Your mother answered the phone and then her scream was enough to turn my hair white in place." he said while trying to bring a bit of levity into the room. Then he continued, "After telling me that we needed to get over to Bella and the reason, we got dressed, I called your brothers and we all over to her in the smallest amount of time. I do believe every one of us broke every speeding law that existed on the books. Good thing no one tried to stop us as I don't think it would have been the best idea at the time.
"When we got there the officials were still there and went over all they knew with us and answered what questions they could with what information they had available at the time. It was listed as a search and rescue, but, from the primary survey of things it appeared as if there were no survivors.
"But, time passed and no traces of anyone could be found. Well, I'll take that back. All traces found were debris and bodies, but, not all were accounted for. Nearly, fifteen people were still missing which included you. During all this time we, none of us along with Bella, gave up hope.
"When the case was finally closed and the search called off, we hired the best detectives to look and retrace all of your movements. Looking for anything that might give us a clue as to what happened or where you might be. Nothing turned up. As agency after agency was hired with having the same results as the first. Bella continued trying to find you.
"The children would question where you were and Bella would tell them that you had to make a side trip was how she put it before coming home. And, again after a while she had to tell them that you were missing.
"She took over the running of Cullen Elite and still tried to handle her galleries, but, it was wearing her thin. She started losing weight and looking ghostly herself. Finally, she hired a manager to deal with running the photo and art galleries while she dealt with the running of your brokerage firm. And, did a damn good job of it.
"As time moved on she hoped against the odds, we all did, but, it was hard. Men begin to approach her and started trying to encourage her to date again by telling her that you were gone for good and it was time to move on.
"We all understood that she needed companionship that we weren't able to supply. Someone outside of the family that could help her to relax and have some fun again which she was denying herself since all she did was work and take care of Marc and Marie. Nothing in between.
"It was at Alice and Jasper's wedding that she was approached with the first offer of a date which she turned down. Before the night was over she had received five more offers and it was the last one that your mother and I overheard. Turning to her we encouraged her to accept, if only to give her a bit of a change that would involve new surroundings and people other than just family. to say she wasn't happy about that would be an understatement as she felt like she was betraying you, but, Alice explained that if it was just a dinner and movie date, or concert, a bit of clubbing with others, and nothing else then there was no betrayal in it. So, she agreed.
"Everything continued until the seven year mark of your disappearance. Bella beginning seeing one man only, but, she still held him at arm's length. But, something changed a few weeks ago. None of us know what, but, Bella filed a petition to the courts to have you declared legally dead.
"We tried talking her out of it, but, it seemed that some legal issues with the company and other areas of business begin to arise that we only recently found out had her hands tied in decision making. The only way around it was if you were declared deceased and all of your property being declared released from any legal bindings so she would have sole ownership of it all.
"Upon hearing what she was doing we tried talking with her as I mentioned, even, filed our own petition against such an action. However, we were unaware of the holds that she had had to fight for the last eight years. That came to light just in the last week or so.
"Of course, she won the case and her attorney removed her from our reach as soon as the judge had left the courtroom. From that time onwards, she has been unavailable to any of us, including Alice. Now, her parents aren't saying anything one way or the other to anyone of us.
"This brings us up to date to what I told you when you first arrived and asked about her. I did call her attorney while you were upstairs with your brothers and the information I got has shocked me as it will the rest of you." Carlisle paused at this point, very hesitant about continuing, but, knew that he needed to. How Edward or Alice was going to take the news had him worried. Becoming lost in his thoughts he paid no attention to the passing of the minutes until a throat was cleared causing him to jerk back to the present moment.
"Dad, just tell us what you found out and let me go to my wife and children." Edward pleads with his father.
"Edward, that is what has me upset; how you and Alice are going to take this next bit of news."
"Carlisle, just tells us and we will deal with all of it together." Esme tells him.
"Alec James, her attorney, informed me that Bella has arranged with the Bank to oversee the day to day operations of Cullen Elite and its staff and they are to meet with her once a month at a place of her choosing to update her as to the staying of the company. With that done, she closed the house here and has moved; no one knows where, but, she got the kids' school records, medical and everything else she was going to need before leaving and left four days ago. If her attorney knows where he isn't saying, but, he sworn that he wasn't informed of the where, only that she was leaving. Her reasoning was that it was time to begin moving forwards again for both her sake and the children's."
"How - How - Dad, ho—" Edward was having a hard time speaking. It was as if all of his hopes and dreams shattered in those moments that the words were uttered by his father's lips.
"She can't. She just can't." yells Alice from the shock of what she had just been told. Edward wasn't showing much reaction to all of the news which just demonstrated how much of a shock he had received, but, Alice was reacting in a more vocal manner, but, still in just as much shock as Edward was.
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The first day and night in a new home were the hardest, especially with two excited children. Thank heaven Charlotte came with them to help while she worked to get familiar with the workings of the ranch and deal with all of the business from both of hers and Edward's businesses back in Chicago.
Bella felt that she had made the right decisions to leave everything behind and begin fresh in new surroundings. Some place where no one knew them or what had happened.
She knew that she was going to have to call her mom and dad before too long to let them know she and the kids were okay, but, she didn't even stop to think of how the Cullen's might react or be reacting to the news of her being gone.
There was no way she could deal with all of the heartache she knew that her actions had caused them, but, she wasn't even sure that any of them would understand why she had chosen to take these steps. It was that in her heart she knew that this was a road she needed to travel to find happiness for her, Marc and Marie. She had no idea what was going to be at the end of the road, but, instinct told her that it would lead to happiness after she allowed herself to overcome the past. That was going to be a damn rocky road to travel.
A/N: Slowly the questions are starting to be asked and answered, but, there are still a great many more left unspoken. What will be Edward's next steps? What will be Bella's?
Hope you enjoy this as much as you all have my other stories and will take the time to let me know. Looking forward to reading and answering your comments and reviews.
This story will update about every 7 to 10 days.
