So this has now got another chapter, becasue chapter four got so HUGE we had to split it down a bit. I am working on the other piece right now so I can get it off to be gone over.
Chapter 4
BPOV
The flight home was so different than the flight to Los Angeles. Going to California, Lucy and I were both excited about our trip. On the way home, Lucy hugged me so tight as she cried quietly. It was clear from the first day we spent with Edward she has grown attached and bonded to him. It is as if he has always been in our lives. Then there was Emmett and Alice, I feel we had started what will be a great friendship. By our first full day together, I was no longer feeling like I was spending time with my idol and favorite singer. The feeling of spending time with my best friend, a man which I happen to hold real life deep feelings for quickly replaced my awe of his stardom. Of course I still admire him, but it's now so much more than the pedestal where I kept him. Now I feel like his soul has a grasping hold on my own.
Leaving him, this afternoon was so hard. It brought back some grief that I've pushed way down, since I lost my parents. Walking off the plane, holding my sad, sweet, girl we head for the baggage claim.
I shuffle Lucy to my other side trying to get a good grip on her as I make my way over to get our suitcases. I struggle for a short time to keep Lucy safe in my arm and get the case off of the conveyor belt.
"Let me get that for you dear," an older female voice says.
Before I can protest she has heaved my suitcase up and dumped it on an empty luggage cart.
"Thank you," I say sheepishly over the fact I just allowed a woman, clearly in her seventies to lift my suitcase for me.
I push the cart as the wheels wobble. I'm not sure if the cart is crappy, or if it's because I'm trying to push it with one hand which is also holding other things. Lucy, who is still hugging me, and has refused to let me go and she's not giving me an inch.
"Bella, Lucy," a woman calls out.
Jumping in shock, I turn seeing Rosalie Hale standing there.
Frowning and giving her a 'what the hell' look, because she has a big yellow smiling face sticker on her forehead.
"What's with the sticker?" I blurt out, nodding with my brow raised.
She raises her brow and puts a hand on her hip. "Hey, don't blame me, talk to Edward. He said I was to pick you two up and I better have a smile on my face. Well we both know I don't smile often, so I was sure I'd have a smile on my face this way."
I just look at her as I think over what she just said and then shake my head chuckling.
"Is Eddie here?" Lucy asks as she moves her head from my neck.
"No, baby, I'm sorry, but his sister Rosalie is," I tell her.
Lucy looks at Rosalie and gives her a small smile. "Hi, Rosalie, Eddie's my best friend and then Emmett, I miss them, can you tell them to come home, please?"
I watch as emotions flash across Rosalie's face. "It'll be okay, kid," she says coming forward and kissing her head.
Lucy opens her arms, reaching for Rosalie. Instantly Rosalie takes her from me and I'm shocked at how easily my daughter seems to love everyone in this family.
"Come on, let's get you two home," she says motioning her head toward the exit.
Once we are in the car, I send off a quick text thanking Edward for sending Rosalie to pick us up.
Rosalie helps me by carrying Lucy into my apartment and sits down still holding her. "Why don't you put your stuff away, and I'll call and order some dinner?"
Being in a bit of shock, I find myself doing as she directed. When things are all put away, and I walk back into the living room. She just stares at me while Lucy's sitting at the table coloring. The next thing I know she is up and moving toward me.
"Oh, honey," she says as she pulls me into her arms. The second her arms wrap around me, a small sob falls from my lips.
"It's all going to be okay, don't stress."
I roll my eyes at her. "Maybe," I say and she frowns at me.
"Tell me why it wouldn't?"
"My parents had the love to last forever, but me not so much. The two guys that have been in my life were ... um ..."
Rosalie narrows her eyes at me and then flicks them to look at Lucy. "How about we'll talk about this more, once the little one is in bed? Now what should we do?" she asks.
It's like she will not let me out of talking to her, but somehow I don't really mind.
"Rose, will you read me a story?" Lucy asks as she moves to Rosalie holding out a book.
"Lucy, her name is Rosalie," I remind my daughter.
"You both can call me Rose, only people I don't know call me Rosalie or Ms. Hale and of course I'll read to you," Rose says as she picks up Lucy and carries her to the couch.
Rose reads three books before dinner is delivered. When I go to pay, the delivery guy tells me it was already covered and walks away. Shaking my head, I move to the table where I already set out some dishes for us to eat off of. Gathering around the little table after loading up the plates, we start eating.
"So, did you have fun in California?"
"Yes," Lucy says excitingly before I can swallow to say anything.
"I'm glad you had a good time," Rose says eating a bite of her food.
"It was really a blast," Lucy says animatingly. "Rose, do you think Emmy will come and have a tea party with me? I have a crown that he can wear."
Rose bites her lip as she tries to contain what I can tell is her desire to burst out laughing, she clears her throat and takes a sip of her water. "I'm sure he would be happy to have a tea party with you sweetie."
Lucy fist pumps, which she picked up from Emmett and cheers out a cute "Yes!"
After we've been eating in comfortable silence a few minutes, I decide to see if rose knows anything about the contest and how it was done. "Rose, I still can't believe everything the studio gave us. And to top it all off, I don't even remember entering the contest," I confess. "I'm especially shocked about the amount of money they gave each of us to spend while we were there."
Rose again clears her throat, but doesn't look at me and I get suspicious.
"Rose?" I say raising my eyebrow.
Rose bites her lip and then sighs glancing at Lucy. "I think a certain little one on my left entered it with a little help from an adult," she says tilting her head towards Lucy.
Glance at Lucy and back to Rose, repeating the motion a few times, I'm still dumbfounded over this information.
"Lucy, did you enter a contest from the radio?"
Lucy just looks up at me. "Yes, I heard them say they was looking for Edward Cullen's biggest fan. Since I know that you are bigger than me, it had to be you. Mrs. Cope helped write what I wanted for me. I telled them all about you and me. I even put in a picture for them to see. I drawed a picture of what I thought we would look like at the concert. The concert was better, but I drawed a pretty picture too, Momma. Mrs. Cope had a big smile when we walked to the mail box and put it in there for the post man to get."
I swallow feel overwhelmingly proud of my girl but still confused as to how her entry won. I'm sure hundreds or even thousands of others entered the contest. I remember hearing about it, but I have horrible luck, so I didn't even try.
I look up at Rose who seems more interested in her plate than what Lucy just said. I keep staring at her, and finally she looks up at me.
"What? I thought the note and picture was cute and sweet. I just knew the kid had to have the perfect sweet, girl next door, kind of mom. You know the type that is so sweet you're afraid she'll melt in the rain. Besides, I was right and I knew it the second you walked into the studio."
I feel my face get warm, and close my eyes.
"Well, thank you, for choosing us."
Rose just shrugs. "Garrett wanted some blonde, blue eyed, W-H-vowel-R-vowel, to win, but I made it clear there was no F-word way. I mean really, some of those trashy people sent in pictures of themselves in the ... full monty. What kind of a crazy B-word sends in that kind of stuff to a radio station? One of the full monty crazy B-word entries even sent it in signed from Tanya – soon to be – Mrs. Tanya Cullen?"
My gasping in shock, makes Rose raise her brow at me.
"Sorry, it's just we met a woman at the concert called Tanya. She was doing that strange eye winking stuff at Emmett, when we were waiting for Edward to come on stage."
Rose looks at me and I clear my throat trying to avoid her eyes.
Rose clears her throat and I glance up. "Well I'm going to kill him for not telling me, but first I'm getting her."
"How?" I ask.
"I still have her letter and address," Rose says with a sweet as honey voice.
Shaking my head I chuckle, all while praying to the heavens I never get on her pissed off bad side.
We move the topic on to something else, by the end of dinner we're all giggling like the best of friends.
I smile as Rose picks up Lucy and takes her to bed for me, while I start a load of dirty laundry from the trip. After laundry and cleaning up the dinner mess, I head for Lucy's room. Kissing Lucy's head and saying a quiet goodnight to my already sleeping girl, I head back to the living room with Rose.
"Okay spill the story," she says as she pulls me to the couch and hands me a glass of wine.
"My first boyfriend, was with me," I say with a nod of my head so she knows I mean—with me-with me—"because of a bet."
"What do mean?" Rose asks with a hint of anger in her voice.
"I was sort of a geek and my parents where a lot older than the other parents who had kids in our school. My dad was the recently retired chief of police. Conner bet Mike a hundred that he couldn't bed me. I was seventeen, and as I said a nerd. Mike was one of the school jocks, everyone loved him. I stupidly fell for everything he said to me. As soon as he did the deed he dumped me.
"Then when I was eighteen, my mom died, and my dad died soon after. I was feeling down and that's when Jacob, Lucy's father, came into my life. He swept me off my feet. By the time he was leaving for Iraq, I was in love with him. I hated that I didn't get to see him often, but he was in training," I stop and chuckle. "In the year we dated, I saw him four months at the beginning. We were together for a week, when reached our six months. Around the time we had been dating for nine months, he was again around for almost a week. Shortly after that, I found out I was pregnant. When I was six weeks along I tried to get a hold of him and sent a letter only to have it returned. I knew he was due back soon so I didn't think to inquire why my letter was returned.
"I was almost three months along when I was watching the news about a guy that got killed in an armed robbery. To say I was shocked when I saw Jacob's face on the screen is putting it mildly. I felt my heart break, hearing he was dead." I stop talking as Rose strokes my arm and I give her a smile.
"I turned up at his funeral, and I was sitting there thinking of how I was going to tell his family I was pregnant since they never met me. Then this woman and three girls walk in and sits in the chairs in front of me. In less than two minutes, I found out she was his wife. The children, three girls, were his daughters. I couldn't say or do anything ... I was a homewrecker.
"I tried to get up and leave, but she saw me and asked who I was. I made up some lie and I told her my brother, who was away, was an old friend of his and asked me to come. She said, "Are you, Rachel, Sam's sister?" I just nodded and turned and left. I never told her the truth or Lucy for that matter. I can't tell either of them. I don't want my child to feel like she's a product of a torrid affair. I couldn't hurt his wife any more than I already did, I mean how do you tell someone that the love of their life cheated on them?"
Rose sighs and hugs me to her. "There's no right answer to that, honey. As for my brother I know him," she sighs and seems to debate something. "He called me. He talked to me for an hour after you left Los Angeles. Emmett had already told me about you, but when Edward went on and on for the full hour about how he was sure you were his one, his beauty, I knew my brother was falling in love. Don't get me wrong, he'll fuck up, make no mistakes about it. He'll forget some important dates, be late, leave his dirty socks on the floor, but let's face the fact, he is a man, and that's just how they're wired. But he will try to always be there for you and Lucy. Don't be afraid, let him fall, and let yourself fall."
I nod as she hugs me, patting and rubbing my back.
"And just one fact I'd like to straighten out, just so you know. Bella, you're not a homewrecker. Yes he was married, but you weren't. He certainly couldn't have been happy, and he was the one cheating on his wife and on you as well by not telling you the truth. So this whole shame thing is all on him and no one else." She gives me one of Edward's eyebrow raises, making me smile while nodding at her.
"You're the first person I've told about Jacob, no one else knows," I say feeling a little embarrassed, about my past.
Rose kisses my forehead. "Don't worry you've got us now," she says softly. It's almost as if she can tell I've been alone for such a long time now.
The rest of the night Rose and I chat about everything. She told me loads of stories about Edward growing up and as an adult in the business. It was an eye opener and I was able to see he had been hurt too. So many women had dated and talked to him just to further their own career and standings in the business. I knew by the time she left to go home, that Edward and I needed to talk. He needed to know my past and I needed to trust him enough to share it all with him.
~*SWL*~
Sitting back and fiddling with my sleeve, I listen as Lucy and Edward talk.
"I drawed a picture for you in class today," Lucy tells Edward as she holds it up. "It's you and me, and momma," she says pointing out each of us.
"That's really pretty, Lulu, but what are we on?" he asks.
I chuckle as Lucy rolls her eyes and give him an exasperated sigh. "It's our T-rex, his name is Bret, and he friendly, and doesn't eat good people."
"Oh well, I'm happy about that," Edward says while letting out a little of his laughter.
"Eddie," Lucy says in a quieter voice moving toward the laptop screen.
"Yeah, sweet pie?"
"I love you," she says shyly. "Your my BBF, I even made you a bracelet."
I feel my heart swell as Edward looks happy. The love he has for my daughter is so clear in his eyes and I find myself almost gasping for breath.
"I love you too, and as for the bracelet it's the best, and can't wait to put on. Will you teach me how to make them? I would love to make one for you too, Lulu," Edward says to a now grinning Lucy.
"They're conversation is so cute, it's almost sickening," Rose mutters from behind me.
I giggle, nodding my head. I feel her place her hand on my shoulder, giving me her support. She knows I'm about to give Edward the full nitty gritty of my past and it has me on edge.
"Okay, munchkin, come on it's bath time and your momma's turn to talk to Eddie," Rose says with his name in a falsely sweet voice and I see Edward cringe.
I've learned that he hates to be called Eddie by everyone, except for Lucy and I apparently.
"'Kay, Rose, bye Eddie, love you," Lucy say as Edward blows her a kiss.
Watching Rose walk out with Lucy before turning back to Edward and giving him a smile.
"Tell me, love," Edward says right away, and I chuckle because he can read me so clearly.
I sit for an hour telling him everything that happened between Mike and I then Jacob and I. Just like when I told Rose, his eyes flash with anger.
"I'm so sorry, love, and I am tempted to pay Mike a visit and teach him right from wrong—"
"It was a long time ago, and he was a teenager," I explain cutting him off.
"I know, love, but it doesn't make it right." He lets out a sigh, before telling me of his own failed relationships.
"Thank you, Edward, we need to be honest with each other, even brutally honest," I tell him.
"I agree, love, if this is going to last we need to be, and also we need to trust each other. I do trust you fully, and I know it will be harder for you as you will be misled by the media about my life."
I shake my head at him. "No, my television is only for playing Lucy's movies. We normally listen to the radio, but won't believe anything unless you tell me. Beside, Rose doesn't look like the type of person that lies for someone who's cheating, brother or no brother."
Edward laughs, giving me a nod. "She's not." He just looks at me before grinning silly as his eyes light up. "Tell Rose I need to speak to her for a second."
"Okay," I say and frown as I stand up to go and get her.
"Bella, you come back with her too, please?" I give him a nod and move to get Rose.
"Edward, wants to speak to you," I say softly seeing that Lucy is sleeping.
Rose kisses her head and moves off the bed. "I've got a feeling I know what he wants," she says walking with me.
"Hi, sis," Edward says and Rose rolls her eyes.
"I was already planning on moving them into the empty house, but I'm guessing you want her in yours instead?"
I frown looking between them both as Edward chuckles. "Yes, get Dad to help."
Rose rolls her eyes but still nods at him.
"Mom is looking for an assistant. I saw her resume, I think she will do well, do you want me to ..." Rose clicks her tongue and tilts her head toward me.
"Really, Bella, you can draw?"
I frown but nod. "Yes, well a little. I was going to go to college for Art, but between my parents and Lucy I never got round to it."
"She's being modest, like usual, this place looks amazing," Rose says making me blush.
"Excellent, do that too."
Holding up my hand, I'm feeling overwhelmed and needing to catch up with their conversation.
"Wait, isn't your mother a designer?" I say almost choking on the last word, as her design company comes to mind. Masen design is well known and very popular around the well to do, both on the east and west coasts.
Edward and Rose both chuckle. "Yes, and she's moving in to a clothing line too, hence why she needs a new assistant. Seeing the clothes you made for Lucy plus this place, you're perfect for the job," Rose says in her no nonsense voice.
I just look at them both in shock. My legs must have given way, because the next thing I know I'm on the couch taking deep breaths.
"Rose!" I hear Edward yell and I turn looking at him
"Come on, love, this'll be good for you and Lucy. You would've been moving in with me at some point, so why not while I'm away. And why not point you in the direction of what must be your dream job?"
"Moving in with you?" I echo and my voice sounds funny.
"Yes, move in with me. I love you, I love Lucy, and I have a house, nearby. Rose and Emmett live next door, and my parents live across the road with Alice and Jasper beside them. There is an empty house if you would like your own place for now—"
I shake my head cutting him off. "I couldn't afford it," I say.
Edward gives me a look and raises his brow. "My family owns them all outright. IF you choose to pay, I would only take what you're paying now."
"But—"
"Bella, you can't take money with you when you're dead," he says interrupting me. "The house will still be there for other people—hopefully our children to use—when we're older. Besides why should one stay empty when someone is in need? You get more from giving than receiving."
I wipe a tear that falls and nod at him. "This just feels unreal. I would like to pay my way, but I'll meet with your mom. However, I want to get the job on my own merits, so no telling her who I am."
Edward and Rose both laugh and I look at them.
"You do know she was friends with Renee, she'll know who you are and give you a job simply for that fact. But don't fret, she will only give you high up work if she truly believes in you and I know she will, because I believe in you." Edward winks at me and then turns his head. "I need to go, and get on the road, I'll speak to you soon, love." He kisses his fingers and places them on the screen.
I return the gesture making him wink at me again.
"Rose, take care of my heart, I'm leaving it in your hands."
~*SWL*~
"How was your interview, love?" Edward asks as I drink my coffee.
"It went well, I start on Monday," I tell him still feeling out of my depth.
"That's good, how was your boss, well ex-boss about you leaving?"
I shrug a little. "He was okay, I think. He just told me good luck, and since I had most of my earned vacation time left to take, he let me go from today with pay."
"Did you go and see the house?"
I smile nodding at him. "Yes, it's beautiful."
Edward gives me a hmm and just watches me for a few minutes. "So, are you moving into the spare one or into mine?"
I know right away, the way he says mine it's where he wants me. I look at him still feeling unsure. If I were single then I wouldn't even think about it, but I'm not, and I am a mom, and need to put Lucy first.
"Love, I have three spare bed rooms, that's enough for you to have your own room, as well as Lucy. Don't think I'm dragging you off to the chapel ... well not yet anyhow. I will not push you, we can take it slow or go as fast as you want, but I would like you with me. To have you and Lucy there when I wake up, and there when I go to sleep at night would be everything to me."
I let out a long breath, but nod. When I look at him and I see he is smiling, I know it is for the best.
"Lucy, likes your place a lot," I tell him as I picture her face from earlier.
We went today to see the house. Like Edward said the only other homes in the area belong to his parents, Alice, and Jasper and of course Emmett and Rose. There is one large shared yard, gathering area and a huge pool.
"Think she wants your room, something about the view," I chuckle.
"Then it's hers," he says.
I feel my face drop as I look at him. "I ... that's ..." I stutter but I'm unable to find my words.
"Love, it's a room, and where I know I may need to wait a little while before we are sharing, I want to be with you. I don't care if we're together in a large room, a cupboard, or a box, I will be happy. If she likes the view then she can have the room. Besides if you noticed the room she wants isn't even the master bedroom. I just never felt like using it until I had the person I wanted to share it with forever."
I tilt my head at him, making him chuckle and wink at me.
"Just go with it, Bella," Rose says as she leans over my shoulder.
"I'm moving in too, Ed, until you guys are back," she carries on talking to Edward. "Dad and mom have called Paul, he is coming Friday and we all should be settled by Friday night."
"Thanks, sis," he says as Rose wraps her arms around my shoulders.
"No problem, I like this one," she says giving me a squeeze.
"You two are crazy," I say and they both just shrug.
"Okay, I'm heading to sleep, because I have to take Miss Lucy shopping tomorrow."
"Good luck, with that," I say knowing Lucy loves shopping, even though I hate it.
"Take my card, Rose."
"I was already planning on it," she says and then smirks.
"Don't be too late coming to bed, Bella," she kisses my cheek and sticks her tongue out at Edward.
"Oh, what am I missing? Is my wife with your sexy girlfriend, Edward?" Emmett says appearing out of nowhere.
For the umpteenth time my heart races, hearing Emmett say I'm Edward's girlfriend. It makes my heart flutter, and I know how much I want this. I want, no I need Edward to say it too. I watch Emmett and Edward banter and I close my eyes knowing I've falling in love with him, the real him.
"You okay, love?" Edward says and I open my eyes and I'm shocked to see he's looking at me with the same love in his eyes that I noticed in Jasper's eyes as he looked at Alice and Emmett's as he talked about Rose. More importantly to me, it's the same love my dad had for my mom.
"Yes," I say, "yeah, I think I am."
Edward grins happily at me giving me another wink.
"Are your other houses as nice as the one here?"
"I only have that one house."
I look at him a little confused, I was more than sure he would have places all over the world.
"That's my home, when I'm away I live in hotels, it's easier that way. Seattle is my home, it has been for years. That's where I went to college, my family's there, and now you and Lucy are there. Why would I need another home, when all I have is in Seattle?"
I feel myself blush and he just places his elbows on his knees looking at me.
We talk well into the morning before I start to yawn. He pouts a little, but I know he needs rest too.
"Get to bed, love, and I'll call you tomorrow."
I get washed and changed for bed, before sliding in next to Rose. It's been almost ten days since I arrived home from Los Angeles, but my life has changed a lot. I don't think I've ever been as happy as I have been these last few days. The only thing that's putting a damper on things is the fact the media seems to be hell bent on finding out who Lucy is.
Edward taking her on his stage and singing with her has captured the hearts of America—well around the world really. Now the media seems to be in a race to find out more about her. Thankfully so far no one seems to know that the Lucy is my Lucy. I am scared that she will be targeted and hurt, and that's the only thing I can't allow or live through happening.
A/N: So Lucy was the one, a few of you guessed that and of course Rose had her hand in the pot too. It was not said in black and white but if you remember, Emmett mentioned Rose liking her, well there you go. More thing to come yet in the next chapter, hope to have it done and to you very soon. Thanks for reading and please review and let us know what you think of the story so far.
