A/N:-
So the lyric in the last chapter was
This feeling's tearing me up from Shake It by Metro Station
Again thank you for all the lovely reviews.
Another hidden lyric.
It's longer than the ones in previous chapters so hopefully someone will find it this time.
Hint the artist has been linked to one of the actors in Twilight.
Hmm maybe I said too much
So I get the feeling (kinda like Alice) that you want to see more EPOV. Yes I'm aware it has been lacking – so I hope you enjoy a long awaited chapter full of EPOV.
R&R :)
Chapter 7 – The Meeting
EPOV
"Mom," I called as I walked towards the kitchen figuring that she would most likely be in there since she loves to cook. But instead of finding my mom there I found Bella there minus the dick head.
"Bella, hi," I said. Even though I had seen her only a matter of hours ago I still couldn't get over how beautiful she was now. It's not that she wasn't beautiful before, but now she was just wow. She literally took my breath away.
The one thing that caught my attention aside from the lack of the shit head, was the lack of ring on her left hand. My insides did a little dance and I mentally kicked myself because I was feeling extremely giddy like a little girl on Christmas day after getting a new Barbie doll or some shit like that.
She turned her head to look at me. "Edward, I didn't expect to see you here," she said quietly and the look on her face told me she was ready to rip someone's head off, tear them to pieces and burn them. I really hope that someone wasn't me.
"Yeah I came round to see mom. Is she here?" I asked still standing awkwardly at the entrance to the kitchen.
"Esme and Alice took Sophie to the zoo and much to my dismay shopping. I swear they're going to spoil her to death. Alice has already turned our daughter into a shopping addict already." Bella said and I absolutely loved how she said our daughter. I really liked the sound of that. "Anyways they won't be back for a few hours."
She furrowed her eyebrows at me and eventually sighed, "Would you please just sit down. This is your house and you look like you don't belong here."
I entered the kitchen and took a seat on one of the stools by the island in the centre of the kitchen. An awkward silence set in and I eventually broke it because it became too much to stand.
"So, we have a daughter," I said, still reeling from the revelation a matter of hours later.
"Yeah about that, I'm really sorry about….," she paused for a moment before carrying on, "how it came out. I was going to ease you into it especially since I know Alice told you I'd had a miscarriage."
"Yeah Alice was pretty pissed at me. She still hasn't more than one word requests to me since that day and she hasn't spoken to me at all since we graduated," I said interrupting her, and the look on her face was so clearly filled with guilt. "Hey hey, Bella don't internally beat yourself up over it. Even if we haven't seen each other in years I can still tell, and it was my fault. I shouldn't have been an asshole and should've trusted you." I told her.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly even though it was written all over her face. "I shouldn't have kept you from Sophie."
"It's in the past, and I was fucked up at the time. And as much as I hate to admit it I probably still wouldn't have believed you," I said knowing I was speaking the truth. I was such a self obsessed and conceited asshole back then and shewould've continually played on my insecurities.
"Stop blaming yourself it was as more my fault than yours and you know it. Now can I please carry on with my story otherwise I'll probably chicken out and I don't want that. I need to tell you everything and then you will see just how much of a bitch I was keeping her from you." she rushed out.
"Bella I could never think of you like that," I said, resisting the urge to cup her face. There would (hopefully) be a time for that in the future but right now we weren't in any position for any sort of intimate touches no matter how innocent.
"Anyway when I found out that the doctors hadn't noticed the fact that I had been carrying twins, I was still quite pissed off at you over the whole cheating whore and Jacob being the father comments. You have to know though that I do regret not telling you about Sophie sooner," Bella said her eyes brimming with tears. I couldn't detect an ounce of falsehood in her voice and I knew in that moment that no matter how much I felt like I should be pissed off with her, I couldn't, because she has always been my one true love, and I couldn't stay mad at her.
"Whenever Rose and Em came over to L.A. they would try to tell me about how much better you were doing but I refused to hear more than 'Little B, Eddie stopped the drugs,' but me being me justified keeping you from her by telling myself you could be keeping it secret and fucking whores at every chance you got. And then when you started trying to contact me I started feeling so guilty but it really hit home when you sent me that message." She told me and I knew she was talking about 5 years ago.
It was when I had gotten so frustrated that she refused to accept my friend requests. Yes I know it's a little childish getting irritated because someone won't accept a friend request but I really wanted to apologize to Bella for everything and she wasn't even going to give me the time of day.
"Anyways I had been dating Riley for a couple of weeks but we had been friends a longer than that. I trusted his opinion and I wanted to talk to him first before telling you about Sophie," Bella said and she looked down at her hand avoiding all eye contact with me.
"Wait Bella are you telling me I could've known my daughter 5 years ago?" I asked feeling slightly pissed. What the fuck?
"Yes I was going to tell you. My mind was set and I wasn't going to change my mind. Even though Ali said to do what I thought was best, I knew she wanted me to tell you. Rose and Em wanted me to tell you as well and they were a hell of a lot more vocal about it.
So Riley and I went to dinner and I told him about my plans to finally tell you. I was going to fly over to Seattle for a couple of weeks and meet you,"
"So, what the fuck happened, Bella? What changed your mind and made you think I shouldn't meet my fucking daughter?" I demanded, but I had a feeling about who was behind it but I wanted to hear it from her.
Bella looked slightly shocked at my outburst but there was a look in her eyes that showed that she expected it.
"Edward please let me finish," she spoke softly. "Before I carry on you have to understand that Ri and I were very close and I had no reason not to trust what he told me and I guess part of me might have wanted to believe it and it did sound plausible given the way you used to be."
"Wanted to believe what Bella? What the fuck did that fuckwit tell you?" I was livid.
"He told me that because he was concerned about Sophie and he could tell I was thinking about telling you about her that he thought that it would be for the best that I knew what you were like and know whether or not you had changed and in a fit state to know our daughter. He told me over dinner that he'd had a PI look into you and that you were still taking drugs, had been arrested on several occasions for public intoxication and every night you were out clubbing," she told me. That was such bullshit.
Yes I had gone out to clubs at least once or twice a week, but never in my life had I been arrested for public intoxication except for that one time during freshman year of college when I was going through a rough patch in my attempt to stop taking drugs.
"Bella, that fucktard bent the truth. I was arrested freshman year but somehow it stayed off my record. So no one could ever get access to that information. But none of that other stuff is true and Bella he lied to you. Please believe me when I say that," I begged her. The last thing that I wanted her to think was that I was still a drug addict and out partying every night.
"I do Edward, now. But he was so convincing and whenever I brought it up again he just added more and more to that list making me doubt myself. And then more recently he's been going on and on about how he's more of a father to Sophie than you could ever be and talking about adoption; something that I wouldn't consent to," she said and I had begun to notice whenever she spoke about that fuckwit her voice had so much venom and my insides were doing a happy dance AGAIN.
"He wanted to adopt MY daughter," I said slowly, spiting each word out. I had to know I'd heard correctly.
"Yes and every time I said no. He'd get really pissed off, go off for a few hours even the whole night to cool off and then come back all apologetic saying he'll wait until I'm ready. And then we'd have the same argument a few months later," Bella told me and I really hoped he had never harmed her in any way because judging by the way that he grabbed her at the diner earlier he clearly had a nasty streak. I think that was clear to pretty much everyone who saw the altercation. It had taken everything in me not to smack the bastard.
I knew I had to ask her but how could I phrase it so that I didn't come off sounding like a royal dick head especially if he didn't. And it wasn't exactly my place as her ex to ask about her current (I hoped ex fiancé by the lack of ring) boyfriend. But maybe I could ask Rose to ask her.
"Anyway Edward he resented me partially for not allowing him to adopt her but he accepted it but persisted way too much. He's always treat Sophie like a daughter but I never ever wanted him to be more than mommy's friend, since I know firsthand how easily marriages and relationships can fall apart, the last thing I want is for Sophie to have an emotional attachment to him," Bella said and I could definitely see where she was coming from. "I guess part of me knew that it wasn't destined to last forever. Evidence being…" she lifted her left hand and wiggled it laughing slightly.
"Well I know this isn't my place to say but you are too good for an asshole like that," I stated with a genuine smile on my face. Probably the first genuine smile I had made in the last 10 years.
"You're right, it isn't your place but that doesn't mean you're not right," she smiled. "So Es and Alice are going to be back with Sophie in a couple of hours, would you like to meet her?" she asked and I felt my heart swell. She wanted me to meet our daughter. Tonight. I would have thought that Bella would've wanted to wait a couple of days before telling Sophie, that she would feel it too soon to tell her but she wanted to introduce us tonight.
"Bella…I..I..I would love to meet her," I said, fighting the urge to pick her up off the stool she was perched on and swing her around, then set her down and kiss her.
"Of course you need to understand that it's just meeting her. I think it would be for the best to ease her into having you around, let her get to know you instead of just thrusting the fact that you're her father on her," she rushed out and she hid her face as if afraid of what my reaction would be.
My initial reaction was of course disappointment and maybe a bit of anger towards her but that dissipated in seconds and was replaced with sheer understanding.
"That's fine Bella just seeing her and talking to her will be enough as long as there is no doubt that when the time is right we tell her that I am her father," I said looking for reassurance in her eyes.
"You have my word Edward, I promise," she said and I saw nothing but 100% conviction in her eyes and heard it in her voice. "But you and I need to be able to work past our history together, so that it doesn't impact the present; so that it doesn't affect Sophie."
"Bella, I remember how we felt sitting by the water." I told her recalling one of our first dates which ended at La Push beach just watching the sunset. It was a perfect day, long before everything got fucked up. "And every time I look at you it's like the first time. I'm not saying that it's going to be easy but I think we should try to get along for Sophie's sake. Start out as friends and see how it goes from there." I told Bella knowing there was nothing more I wanted than to envelop her in my arms and kiss her senseless; but I couldn't do that, not until we had come to trust and get to know each other again; and then there was the fact that she may not even want to be in a relationship with me, not that I would blame her.
Hell I couldn't do it because of my own underlying issues with the fact that she kept my daughter from me, and even though I was willing to forgive her because she had wanted to tell me but that fucking asshole Riley had fed her a bunch of lies about me. The fucker didn't even know me. The only problem with trying to get back together with Bella this soon was that if we did become a couple we both had shit that we could throw at each other that needed to be left alone in the past.
"I remember too Edward, everything was so much simpler then," she spoke softly. "Well if you don't count the paparazzi trying to interfere and take pictures at pretty much every turn," she laughed.
"Yeah they were a pain in the ass, thank goodness I don't have to deal with them anymore," I said seriously.
"What do you mean?" she asked sounding kind of shocked at what I just said.
"Well let me ask you a question. When was the last time you ever saw me in the news?" I asked searching her face.
"Honestly a few days ago," she said with a smirk on her face. "You were on one of those where are they now programmes but as soon as it came on I turned it off. But before then I never really paid any attention."
"Well I pretty much quit the music industry completely. At first it was tough but with time I faded into nothingness. The press found something new to talk about a while after Carlisle released a statement stating I would not be returning to music like originally stated," I told her, but what I didn't tell her was that she was a huge part of my decision. I wanted for her to be able to live her life without constant reminders of me around her nearly every day; although now I knew she did have a reminder of me – our daughter. But I also couldn't return because I lost my passion for it, after I lost her (and that was entirely my fault).
"Wow," she spoke seemingly lost for words.
We sat there in relative silence, just getting used to being around each other again.
The front door opened and I heard my mom call out, "Bella we're back, and boy does your daughter know how to shop."
I glanced at Bella knowing her intense dislike for shopping, and she mouthed "Alice."
Of course my sister would want to teach her niece the fine art of shopping as she had liked to call it back when we were on speaking terms.
"You ready to meet Sophie?" she asked, as she stood from her seat.
"As ready as I'll ever be," I said suddenly feeling nervous.
We walked into the living room and saw Alice, and mom placing all the bags from their shopping trip on the couch.
Alice glanced up at me and I fully expected a hateful glare from her so I was incredibly shocked when she smiled at me.
A young girl suddenly skipped through the open door, with so much energy, "Mom, mom," she laughed. "Come see what auntie Ali and Esme bought me."
She came to halt in front of Bella and I. "Mom who's this?" she asked, her beautiful chocolate brown eyes wide with wonder.
I took those few brief moments to study her. She was all Bella from what I could tell. The eyes, the smile, the heart shaped face; her hair was a similar shade of brown to Bella's with a reddish tint (which she had to have got from me). However she had such energy which she had to have got from Alice's influence, and by the looks of it she had got the Cullen nose, and she definitely didn't appear to have inherited Bella's clumsiness thankfully. But all in all she was definitely Bella's daughter.
"Baby, this is Edward, Auntie Ali's brother," she told her, crouching down to her height.
"So does that make him my uncle mom," she asked, and Bella looked at me. Would I be okay with Sophie calling me uncle for now? I really just wanted to say "Sophie I'm your dad" but I had to respect Bella's wishes. I nodded my head slightly at Bella and she smiled sadly telling me with her eyes she was sorry it had to be this way for now.
"Sophie," Bella said, and I could see she was finding it difficult to 'lie' to Sophie.
As if Sophie had some kind of sixth sense like Alice always used to prattle on about having especially when we were that age, she turned to me and studied me much in the same way I had done her. "Are you my dad?" she asked. "You're the pretty boy from my mom's pictures that she keeps hidden away in a box under the floorboard in the guest bedroom," she stated in much the same way Alice would've done.
I was literally stunned into silence.
Alice's phone chimed and she looked at the message. She walked over to Bella and showed it to her, and Bella's face changed to one of anger.
"Hello, 9 year old here wanting some answers," my daughter half yelled demanding our attention. "Are you my dad?"
I looked at Bella because I didn't want to do this without her consent. She nodded at me; she knew as well as I that we couldn't lie to her when she asked such a direct question.
"Sophie," I said quietly, beckoning her to come over to me. "I am your father..." before I could get another word out she kicked me in the shin and ran from the room.
"Sophie Alice Swan you get back here right now and apologize," Bella yelled but her attempt was fruitless.
She wasn't coming back. My own daughter hated me. And I knew it was because I wasn't around when she growing up.
"Edward," I heard my sister say as she wrapped her arms around me. "She just needs time to wrap her head around the idea of finally having a dad."
"Ali, I wasn't around. What if she can never forgive that?" I said, unaware that I had tears in my eyes until she pulled away from me and wiped my eyes.
"She will, I know she will; and you know better than to bet against me," Alice said, her hands on her hips.
"Ali, I'm sorry for not being a better brother and being a shit head," I said.
"And I'm sorry for shutting you out Eddie," she cried throwing herself into my arms again, hugging me tightly
Well now I only really needed to win around one girl, my baby girl. Bella and I were fine now, and so were Ali and I. But my daughter and I were another story.
The front door slammed again and I saw the face of that asshole.
"Sophie, pack your bags darling, I'm taking you home," he called up the stairs as if already knowing she was up there.
Sophie came bounding down the stairs, with a rucksack on her back, "Riley, you mean it?" she asked innocently with those doe eyes of hers that were so much like Bella's.
"Nooo," Bella cried, "Go back to the bedroom, and don't come out until I say."
"But I wanna go with Ri," she said stomping her foot.
"And I said NO," Bella nearly yelled. "Ali take her upstairs please she doesn't need to be here for this."
Alice walked up the stair case meeting Sophie half way and took her hand, guiding her back up to the guest bedroom.
When it was certain that Sophie was out of the way I turned to him and said, "What the fuck are you doing here?"
"I'm here for my fiancé and my daughter!" he said with conviction, looking at Bella as if challenging her.
A/N:-
So wow that was a lot of EPOV. Over 3000 words.
Are you happy?
So…
A&E are okay now
B&E have talked
Sophie knows he's her dad but hasn't taken it well at all – but did you really just expect her to welcome it with open arms.
So let me know what you think.
And if you found the hidden lyric – let me know the artist, song, and the lyric
xoxo
