Pieces of Me
Part 6
Growing up, I always loved fairy tales and princesses, loving the idea of a happily-ever-after. It was my secret guilty pleasure that I still indulged in the fantasy of it all, even as an adult. I think it was one of the reasons it was so easy for me to accept that Edward and I would get another chance in another lifetime, because I saw us in those stories; I saw our love in those fictional characters. This was our trial and tribulation, our happily ever after was coming, I just had to be patient. What's one lifetime compared to eternity?
I wouldn't deny, though, that I wanted it for this life, that I wanted him today and yesterday and everyday between now and forever. And there was a small part of me that hoped he was out slaying dragons and befriending dread pirates, that he would find his way back to me.
*~*PoM*~*
Summer faded into fall and fall into winter and life went on. Because that's what it does, even if there were days that you wish that it wouldn't. I was on track to graduate over the summer, and I'd already started sending off applications for Master programs. I even decided to try for the program at Northwestern, in an effort to stay closer to Edward. I didn't know if I would take it if I was accepted, but I wasn't ready to give up all hope yet.
On an insignificant Tuesday in January, I went to class, I came home, and I had tuna salad for lunch, completely unaware that our story was about to take a small, but oh-so-promising turn. There was no twist of intuitive questioning in my stomach, no nagging suspicions, nothing at all telling me that things were about to change.
When my phone rang at a perfectly normal 6:27 that evening, I didn't even question the significance of an unknown number.
"Hello?"
"Um...is this, Isabella, erg, Bella Swan?" a girl on the other end asked, she sounded young and not at all like anyone I knew.
"Yes. Who's this?" I asked with only mild intrigue.
"This is Alice...Alice Cullen. I know this is going to sound crazy, but I think you might be my aunt."
I dropped the phone, literally just sat there as it fell to the floor. Of all the people I expected to hear from, Alice was the very last. After a couple of seconds, I realized that she was calling for me and so I picked it back up.
"Sorry, Alice. This is...well, yeah, I'm not even sure what to say."
"I know, and I'm sorry to just call out of the blue, but I just worked up the nerve. I hope I'm not interrupting anything? You aren't busy, are you? Oh god, you are, right? This is totally a bad time; I'm so sorry!"
"Alice!" I laughed, interrupting her rambling. "It's fine, I'm not busy at all. Can I ask you...how you came to find out, I mean, why you think that I'm your aunt?" I knew without a doubt that this was her, but I didn't know if she actually knew anything or was just going off a hunch, hoping I would prove her correct.
"That's actually a very long story, and I only have a minute to talk. Could you - would you want to meet me sometime?"
The answer to that was tricky. I grew up with a cop for a dad and that doesn't come without at least some awareness of laws. There was no way I could legally take Alice anywhere. She was a minor, and I was positive that her parents would have my ass in jail so fast it would make my head spin.
"I...I'm not sure that's such a good idea. Not because I don't want to, please, believe me, I would love to meet you. I don't know how much you know about the relationship between the Cullens and my parents, but it's not at all a pleasant one. I could get into a lot of trouble."
"I know, and I swear I'm not trying to cause problems or get you in trouble. I just want to know about my mother," she said, sounding close to tears before she took a deep breath and continued, "Look, my aunt is going to drop me off at Woodfield Mall on Saturday with some friends. I'll be in the food court at around 11:30. I'm short with dark black hair..."
I cut her off with a whispered, "I know, I've seen your picture."
She didn't seem at all surprised, quietly laughing out, "Yeah, I figured as much."
We talked for a couple more minutes, and I told her I would try to be there, but the truth was, I knew I would be. I was finally going to meet Alice...Rosalie's daughter.
A/N: Thanks for reading! So, she gets to meet Alice. What did you guys think?
Thanks to the usual suspects, Kas90 for beta'ing, Sammielynnsmom for pre-reading and KrisScott for the prompt.
I own nothing. :) Until tomorrow ~Kimberly