Chapter Nine
The ride to the airport seemed to take longer than usual. As she drove, Bella thought repeatedly about the past almost three months of her life. She had lied to everyone, except for Carlisle, who was of course the source for the lying. She lied to Alice, who on several occasions caught her at her house alone with her father. They used the patient they had in common as an excuse. Alice never figured out or asked why she was never called to discuss the case. They also still used running as an excuse. It was cold and snow blanketed the ground, however the truth was while Carlisle did get Bella interested in his past time, but Bella hated it. She only did it to spend time with him. Alice also tried to set Bella up on several dates, which Bella always cancelled. Their relationship was beginning to be strained.
Alice wasn't the only Cullen that was being lied to. When Edward called her he would always ask if she was dating anyone yet. She always made some lame joke about how it wasn't easy to meet people in Forks. He never mentioned anything about Alice being upset so she figured she hadn't talked about that with Edward. He always just said to her that she would find someone when the time was right and she should take her time. She would change the subject and ask Edward about Jacob, who was one person she wasn't lying to since he was busy all the time and they didn't talk as often as they both would have liked.
Then there was not only her father, but her new friend Emmett. She often used Emmett as a scapegoat. She knew her father wouldn't question him at the office about details of his relationship with his only daughter. Her other saving grace was knowing that Charlie was too busy to notice anything different going on. His job teaching one class was taking up more time than he had first thought. Between working at the clinic, two nights at the hospital and then the class, he was never home.
Bella thought of herself of nothing but a user and a liar. Then his face entered her head as she parked and walked into the airport. She smiled. It was without a doubt she was in love with Carlisle and she had no reason to think he felt any different about her.
She felt her phone vibrate as she walked into the airport.
"I'm here. Where r u?"
She wrote back quickly. "I just walked through the door. You got in early. On my way."
Her message was met with a replay. "Meet me by the coffee shop on the second level before we get my stuff. I can't wait to see you. I kind of missed you."
She smiled as she hopped on to the escalator to the second floor. "I knew you would."
Before there was time to respond to the text, she found him. Waiting and drinking a coffee. She ran towards him and threw her arms around his neck. "I have missed you so much Jacob! How have you been?"
Hugging her back, her brother squeezed her hard. "I've missed you too. I'm all right now that school is over for the semester. Only two weeks until I am off to Europe for the semester. You think you miss me now, wait until then! You won't see me until May!" He teased.
Bella nodded. "I know, but you're young. You are going to have so much fun. I just hope you don't fall in love with Italy and decide to never come home."
Jacob finished his coffee. "I don't think that is a possibility. We'll see though." He said as he sent a text message to someone. "Sorry, just returning a message."
"You want to get out of here and get your stuff? You can see my office." Bella asked.
"Sure, wait one minute. I think I see someone I know," he said as he waved to someone in the distance. As the man walked through the crowd and was a little closer, she was in disbelief about who she saw now running towards her.
"How the hell did you manage this one Jacob?" She asked as she too ran towards the man who picked her up off of her feet. "Edward! I can't believe you are here! Why? Did someone die? Why are you coming back to the little hick town?" Bella asked as he put her down.
"I think you owe me money Jake," he said as both men laughed.
"Did you two have a bet or something?" Bella asked.
Jacob started to laugh. "Edward said that the first thing you would do was ask why he was visiting. I said you would just call him a jackass or something for not telling you he was visiting. I was wrong."
"You can pay me later squirt," teased as Jacob playfully punched him. All of her favorite people were now home for the holidays.
"You know the airline food was crappy do you mind if we stop for lunch since you were late and all?" Jacob asked once they stopped to pick up their luggage.
"I think that can be arranged. There is a little café on the way home. Does that sound good to you?" Bella asked her two passengers. Everyone had agreed.
They walked into the building. Bella grabbed a seat and waited for the boys to get back. Within a few minutes, Jacob joined her with the tray of their food. Edward followed behind him.
"So Dr. Cullen, what will you be doing here while you are visiting the sleepy town of Forks? How long will you be staying?" Bella asked as she bit into her turkey sandwich.
"Well," he began as he took a bit out of his roast beef sandwich. He wiped his mouth before answering her. "I'm here until the day after New Years. I will be just hanging around. My dad has been nagging me to go through some of my stuff at his house, so I'll do that. Of course I didn't tell him that I was coming home so I'm sure he'll be a little more than surprised when I walk through the door. I guess I am just full of surprises. I did talk to Victoria and promised that I would take Rose for a two days and much to her dismay, I promised to totally and completely spoil my little sister." He smiled. "I forgot about the most important part. I will be hanging out at the clinic to see you my friend in total action. I know you're over whelmed right? Just my presence has left you speechless."
Bella nodded and laughed. "I guess you could say speechless but not over whelmed. I'm just surprised that you came back to this how did you put it, oh yes, this 'forsaken land'. How long ago did you two plan this?"
"When did we plan this Jake? It was October right?" Edward asked as he waited for Jacob to nod before he continued. "Well, maybe this land isn't that bad after all. You know, I really do miss you living in Boston. Bella, you are my best friend. Things haven't been the same since you left. Plus I have no one to harass." He smiled as he took another bit.
"That was sweet Edward, really touching. Just think, like ninety six percent of that was heartfelt." Bella mocked. "I guess I kind of missed you too. Not the harassing part though. I have been fine without that." Before she could say another word, her phone vibrated. She had a text message.
"Where are you? Did you get lost on your way to the airport? I thought we were going to go for a run.-C"
This would seem to be an awkward moment. She wrote him back as Edward and Jacob talked about going to see the New England Patriots crush the Miami Dolphins the previous week at Gillette Stadium.
"I'm out for lunch with Jacob. He had a surprise when I picked him.-B"
It only took a moment before her phone vibrated again. "Lunch hu? Well are we still running today? Was it a good surprise?-C"
"The surprise is good. You'll see what it is later. You'll like it, believe me! If I told you what the surprise was you'd never believe me. I'm going to have to take a rain check for the run. You'll see why soon enough. –B"
"Isabella, you have me thinking now. What could be such a good surprise from your brother that I would like? It is a mystery.-C"
"Well, we are going to be leaving in a few minutes. We are about a half hour away. We'll stop at your house first to show you. See you soon" -B"
"I am not going to lie. Alice has gone to Seattle for the night and I'm alone. I wish you were coming by yourself, but I'll take you anyway I can. It'll be nice to see Jacob again. See you in a bit hun.-C." She smiled when she read the last message.
"Isabella Swan, are you holding out on us?" Edward asked as he sipped his coffee.
She shook her head. "What are you talking about?"
"Look at you. You are over there beaming with a smile that could very well reach all the way up to the sky. Why are you so happy? Who are texting?" Edward asked trying to read her phone over her shoulder like a child.
Before she could respond, Jacob got into the teasing action too. "Bella has a boyfriend. Bella has a boyfriend."
"Oh nice. My little brother has turned into Edward Cullen!" She laughed. She had to come up with an excuse and fast. "No, it wasn't a boyfriend. I told you I don't have a boyfriend. It was just a guy from work. Emmett." Poor Emmett, he was thrown under the bus yet again. "He said something that made me laugh. It's kind of an inside joke between the two of us."
"Well, I hope I get to meet this Emmett. I have to approve of him. I need to make sure he is good enough for you Isabella." Edward said as he got up to throw something away.
"Bella and Emmett sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g-" Bella stopped Jacob before he continued.
As Edward returned and sat at the table, Bella pointed her finger at him. "Dr. Cullen, this," she said now pointing to Jacob, "is all your fault. I left leaving him with the only adult he knew in the city and now he is like your mini-me. What do you have to say about that?"
Edward put his arm around Jacob and pretended to wipe a tear away from his face. "They grow up so fast. I'm so proud of him!"
Bella shook her head. "You two are too much. Have you talked to Jessica?"
"Bella, she's your friend, not mine."
"She had said in an email that she tried calling you."
Edward smiled. "She did try to call, but she wanted to go on a date. I think she likes me like you like Emmett."
"Edward, Emmett is just a friend."
"Right Bella, just a friend who makes you smile the biggest smile that I have ever seen on your face." Edward told her.
"Listen, there is something I should tell you." Bella started. Two of the most important people in her life were sitting right in front of her. She had to tell them now. This was her chance.
"You sound serious. What is it?" Edward asked. Both he and Jacob had their eyes glued to Bella. She felt her face getting red and her hands became clammy. She bit her bottom lip and was silent for a minute.
Jacob looked scared. He looked at Edward before talking to his sister. "Bella, you can tell us anything, you know that. Talk to us. You're kind of scaring me."
All the courage left her mind and body. She took a deep breath before she continued with one more little white lie. "I really like Emmett and he doesn't know it. I mean, I really, really like him. When you go to the office please don't make me look like a fool, promise? Both of you!"
Bella pulled into the long driveway to the Cullen house. She and Jacob followed Edward as he unlooked the door. All three of them could hear Carlisle in the kitchen.
"Alice please do me a favor when you are using the bathroom. Clean up after yourself. I don't care if you are all grown up and it is your bathroom. You need to clean up after yourself. When Helen came she was really upset about all of the clothes all over the floor and all of the girl stuff you left around the bathroom. She is not your personal housekeeper. You know she is her to only wash the floors and tidy up the rooms. Do you understand?" He asked as he walked into the foyer and was surprised. He first saw Bella and Jacob. Without notice, Edward walked from behind him. "Really? Are you home?" He asked walking in disbelief over to his son before hugging him.
"Yep, it's me. It's nice to be home." He said as he hugged his father with almost no emotion. He looked around the room. When he began to speak, he never really looked at Carlisle. "It's nice to be home, but I'm a little jet lagged. I'm going to take my stuff upstairs and take a nap." Edward said. "Can we have dinner when I wake up?"
"Of course we can son," Carlisle answered with a smile on his face.
"Let me help you with your stuff," Jacob offered. Edward thanked him as he grabbed a suitcase. He excused himself as Jacob followed him up the stairs. Edward thanked Bella for the ride home and then promised he'd call her later before disappearing up the stairs with Jacob.
Knowing they had only a few moments alone together, Carlisle stood next to Bella and slipped his arm around her waist. He rested his chin on her shoulder and smiled. "Surprise, really? Thanks for some kind of heads up."
"I didn't want to ruin the surprise. I was a little shell shocked when I found out. It has been planned since October. He's influenced my brother!" Bella laughed. She turned as she could face Carlisle. He pushed a stray hair away from her face and behind her ear.
"You like doing that, don't you?" She smiled at him.
"I do. I like seeing all of your beautiful face," Carlisle answered her with a kiss on the cheek.
"So, how are you feeling? It's been a long time since Edward came home. He hasn't been home in what, six years?"
He smiled. "That sounds about right. You know, I am over the moon about having my son home, but," he kissed her ear. "I do believe it is going to be a long week."
She quickly kissed his lips. "Two."
"Two?" He questioned.
She nodded her head and smiled. "Yes, he's home until the day after New Years."
He pulled her close. "We'll figure something out. We always do." He smiled before giving her one more sweet, tender kiss.
