In a way the miscarriage brought me closer to Julia who was six years older, but sadly drove a wedge between me and Bella. I put the wedge there, and was in disarray on how to say sorry. So I threw myself into work. I loved the design for Leighton's room; I had them make it soundproof from any noise outside of the room.
Blasting the stereo I started to make my drawings come to life. I had a show scheduled in L.A in late September that I was preparing for. We were going to launch a group of smaller stores in little towns.
Monica was flying in models for me to interview.
CPOV-
I stood in the entryway of the Cullen home. Esme said she wasn't sure where Bella was bust that she would find her and send her down.
I watched as she walked down the stairs with unbelievable grace. The long dress she wore flowed gently with each step. Her hair was pulled half back by clips on each side. This was my little girl.
"Hi dad," she said hugging me.
"Hey, Bells."
I followed her to the living room that was oddly empty.
"What's going on?" she asked concerned.
"I wish I knew. A big part of me wishes I could understand. It's like she want to close a door on a big event. I can understand not wanting to dwell on it."
It was hard, watching her disconnected. I knew she was scared of this pregnancy, with good reason. And maybe a small unhopeful part thought she might fill relief, not that she wouldn't grieve the loss. I did, but I knew it was different.
"Just give her a little space dad, the best advice I can give you as a mom and a wife is to let her come to you." Her eyes looked a little wild as she looked at me.
"What?"
"Esme?" I watched as she materialized.
"Did you need something?"
"Maybe you could tell Charlie part of your story, or better yet Sophie. If she will listen."
"What part?"
"Before you were changed."
I never saw her look so sad, the memory, whatever it was, was making her so sad. It was paining me.
"I lost my baby." She said quietly as she sat down next to Charlie.
"I'm sorry."
"It was a long time ago, and I have the kids in my life now too. It's what drove me to take my life. He was what I was hoping for and the loss was severe, I felt like my world was over. If I had hung on and waited, I probably would have had another child, found some shimmer of happiness, but in the end. He was still gone."
SPOV-
I raced around the house trying to find the drawing I had done with a high paying client earlier that morning. She needed a dress by Thursday.
The pound at the door shot my heart into a race. I sprinted for the door only to have it swing open. It slammed against the wall.
"Matt." I panicked, where was Charlie. I glanced at the clock. He was supposed to be home more than an hour ago.
The closer he came the stronger the smell was. He was completely wasted. His arm came up and I felt his elbow collide with my collar bone. I collapsed. As soon as I hit the floor his foot collided with my body, repeatedly. I was screaming.
In the background I could hear Leighton scream. I had left her door open.
He grabbed a handful of my hair and slammed my face into the tile flooring.
It was quiet and I sat whimpering for a second when I hear a sick thud.
"Sophie!" the voice was all wrong. I had expected a Cullen, or even Charlie…
"Jake, call Charlie's cell please." I pulled myself into a sitting position, "And get her a bottle and shut the door."
I rested my four head on my knees. I jumped at the groan coming from Matthews slightly limp body. I looked up to see Jake hit him with a frying pan.
"Wow that really works."
"He's not answering, I called 911. They're on their way."
"Can you get my phone?" I whispered. My chest hurt. It felt like there was a vice grip around my upper chest.
"Yeah, where is it?"
"The last door on the right, it's on the table near the window."
He disappeared and came back. I took it from him.
In four seconds I could hear his voice and the sirens.
"Soph? What's going on?"
"Matthew showed up drunk, needless to say I'm on my way to the hospital, and he's out cold on the floor."
CPOV-
"You're not driving are you?"
"Charlie, I can't even stand. Jake was the one who got him off of me. He got a few hits in first."
"How many?"
"I got an elbow to my collar bone, and I lost count of how many times he kicked me in the stomach. I'm sure I have a broken nose and probably ribs."
"My, God." I could hear his voice falter, "Baby, I'll meet you at the hospital."
I looked at Bella, my world was crashing again. But this time I felt more responsible, more unprepared to fix what was happening.
"Dad?"
I looked up at her, "Sophie's dad just beat the shit out of her."
Bella gasped.
"I'll talk to you later tonight, and let you know. I'm meeting her at the hospital."
This was the one time I was grateful for being a cop, I flipped the lights on and speeded towards town. I pulled up to the hospital. I left the car with the keys in the ignition and ran inside.
I saw Carlisle down the hall. I ran up to the desk.
"I'm looking for my wife, Sophie Swan."
"Their bringing her in now."
"Trauma two, on call doctors to trauma two."
Carlisle passed and gave me a sympathetic shoulder squeeze. I groaned.
The pacing seemed to last forever. I watched the doctors and nurses leave one by one. Then Carlisle emerged.
"She'll be okay. She's sedated, but you can go in." I started to walk to the door, as he stopped me.
"She looks bad."
They had cleaned her up the best they could, she had a black eye and her nose was taped. I pulled the blanket back and gasped.
Her whole torso was wrapped. The sobbing started then.
I had stopped her father twice from attacking her, and only God knew why he was after her. Her parents were like closed books, rich and pompous, cruel and unkind.
She groaned.
"Baby?"
"Charlie?"
She looked at me and started to cry.
"Hey. It's okay."
"N…no its not, he will always come back."
"I won't let him; I'll have a security system installed."
She just nodded as I held her face was lying against my chest.
"I'm sorry, Charlie."
"What for?"
"Not talking to you, for going against what I promised," she started to cry again.
"It's okay."
"I just felt so guilty. I was so scared to be pregnant again. I wasn't ready, but the further along I got the more and more I wanted it. "
"I know."
"I left Leighton with Jake."
That drew a boisterous laugh from me. Poor Jake, at least him being around a baby wasn't all too new.
"Maybe I should go rescue him?"
