Chapter nine
Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.
Voltaire
Once again Bella wondered what her father suddenly had against her.
"Shall I call for a taxi for you?" the nurse at the front desk asked Bella as she signed her papers.
"That won't be necessary," Bella smiled, "Someone is coming for me." Bella sat down in one of the red plastic chairs and waited for someone to come and pick her up. As soon as Dr. Loe had given her a time where she could leave, a nurse had called Carlisle and given the information to him.
And she waited.
And waited some more.
Bella's leg was tapping fast on the shining linoleum floor, her eyes keeping down to the white clock hanging on the pale green wall behind the front desk. The anger that had been building up inside her was about to burst out and hit the kid that kept banging his hands against the small table in front of her just when one big guy dressed in all black walked through the door. Before he saw her, Bella got up and walked past, letting him know that she knew he was there for her.
The drive how was fast and over quickly, much to Bella's delight and it didn't surprise her that everyone was waiting for her, ready to ambush her as soon as she walked through the door. She wanted nothing more than to get to her room, shower and change before letting her anger out on something.
"We need to talk, Bella," it wasn't Carlisle or Charlie who was in charge this time, but Esme and Bella found it hard to tell them all to fuck off when her eyes met Esme's kind and loving caramel ones.
"Okay," was all she said, sitting down in a chair far away from everyone but Esme wasn't having it and sat down on the armrest, wrapping her arm around her.
"We all want to apologize for the way we have treated you and we hope that you can accept it."
Bella looked around the room at everyone and she thought about accepting their apology as she met the eyes of Jasper, Emmett and Rose but as she looked at the others, she couldn't.
"I can't," she pushed herself out of the chair, almost knocking over Esme as she did but she didn't linger to see if she was okay.
As she entered her room, she saw a box standing on her bed and as she looked at the writing, she knew who it was from.
"Mom," Bella whispered with a smile, dropping her back as she sat on the bed, tearing off the tape and opening the box.
She had expected her mother to send her some of her old baby clothes, maybe a toy and the blanket she had been wrapped in when Renée had brought her home from the hospital. What was inside was not what she had expected.
The box was filled with some of the books she hadn't gotten with her the first time, the jewelry box Phil had helped her build for her mother but her mother had given back to her when Bella kept sneaking it into her room because she wanted it to. There were pictures she had taken of her mother and Phil, pictures of her and Phil laughing, throwing snowballs at each other when they had gone to Aspen one Christmas and a picture of her and Phil building a sandcastle just to crash it together as soon as it was done. Every single memory she had of Phil and her mom from when she was little was pushed into the box. Among them all was a letter, Renée's soft handwriting on the front of the envelop.
Taking a deep breath, Bella ripped it open and read the letter.
Bella,
I'm sending you the rest of your things; they are just taking up too much room at the moment and besides, Lily really want your room because yours bigger than hers and she wants a bunk bed so she can have more sleepovers.
Renée
There was no Dear or Love mom, nothing that indicated that Renée even cared about her, loved her like a mother usually did. Bella didn't know if she wanted to cry or scream out in fury, only that she had to work out some of the aggression that was slowly building up in her body.
Ripping her clothes off, she changed into her running gear and marched down to the gym. Dr. Loe had told her that she needed to take it easy for the next couple of weeks and then come and see her to make sure that everything was coming by perfectly before throwing herself back into the exercising she had put on herself before the small trip to the hospital. Bella didn't listen and stepped on to the treadmill, starting slowly but quickly pushing herself to the limit, holding a steady pace for three miles.
Sweat was pouring down her face, her legs only getting weaker and weaker as she ran, her whole body weighed down by the tiny human being inside her belly, but Bella didn't slow down; too much frustration was flowing through her body.
When her right leg buckled, three miles only steps ahead of her, Bella steadied herself against the sides of the treadmill and she didn't stop until she could see on the panel in front of her that her goal was reached.
Her body was like jelly, her legs felt as if they were about to fall apartment, but she hadn't felt that good in days. To Bella, running was therapy, as it always had been, an whenever she stepped onto a treadmill and found a distant road, her mind cleared and all she could see was what was in front of her, nothing more.
Up in her room, another surprise was waiting for her, but this time it wasn't something she could hide in the back of the closet and find some day when she had the guts to deal with it. This surprise was very much alive and tears were gathered in the crooks of her eyes as they met Bella's.
"I am so sorry, Bella," Esme said, giving her look full of pity. In her hands was the short note from Renée and Bella knew that Esme had read it.
"There's nothing to be sorry about; my mother have decided that I no longer have a place in her life and my dad don't want to know of me because I slept with someone and ended up pregnant, just like a normal human being," Bella said dryly.
"Charlie loves you, Bella, but I think it all took him by surprise, especially when you've only been in his life for three years; he wanted more time with you before you started your own life."
"You can think whatever you want, Esme, but unless this baby magically disappears and he suddenly forgets that Edward and I had sex, I don't think Charlie will ever be able to forgive me. Neither will the rest of your family, Esme."
"It's your family as well, Bella. Through thick and thin, we will have each other's backs because that's what family's does for each other. They might still be a little mad for the whole lying but I know they will come around; leave it to me." Esme rose from the bed, but lingered at the door, "Dinner will be at five."
After a well needed shower, Bella threw on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt before collapsing on the bed, still an hour and a half before dinner would be ready. Like the first time she slept in one of the beds in the house, it melted around Bella, the mattress like a cloud and the covers like feathers, fallen from heaven to keep her warm. The bed wrapped itself around her like a motherly embrace, protecting and caring. A tear ran down her cheek as she fell asleep.
~O~O~O
Bella woke up with a startle, very aware that it was past five and that she was late for the dinner. Dragging her tired boy out of the bed, she made her way down to the dining room but as she reached it, she slowed down to listen as Esme's voice carried through the door.
"-has to stop! You have all treated her like she's something under your shoe, and I'm not saying that I have treated her any better, but she is family and it is about high time that we all treated her like family. And before any of you even think about talking, hear this; Charlie, Bella is your daughter. She is beautiful, she is smart, she is strong, but most of all, she is alone right now and you are shutting her out because she did something that comes natural for humans; she had sex Charlie, time to get over it!" Bella almost wanted to laugh as she listened to Esme, but she held it back and listened. "And girls, you must have seen that she needed someone to talk you; I know you're not blind. And Edward, buckle up and be a man; it takes two to dance the tango and it defiantly takes two make a girl pregnant. If you think that she tricked you into getting her pregnant, take a look at her; does she look happy? If she wanted to force you into a marriage, can't see why. From the way you have been behaving the last months, I can't see why anyone would want to marry you." The silence that followed Esme's speech was deafening and Bella was about to let her pretense be known when someone cleared their throat.
"Esme is right; Bella is family and she's been treated like an outcast since the moment she set foot in this house the second time. I hope that everyone can see what they have done wrong and-"
"Oh hush Carlisle, you haven't been a saint you either. All we can hope for is that Bella is willing to accept our apologizes with time. Now, Bella, why don't you join us before dinner gets cold?" as Bella rounded the corner, stepping into view, she wanted to hide; never had she felt more vulnerable in her life.
"Please join us, kiddo," Charlie rose from his chair and pulled out the one next to him, sorrow, regret and hope in his eyes.
Tear sprang to Bella's eyes, her lower lip shivering as she turned away and walked out.
"Bella," Charlie reached out and took hold of her arm, the touch making Bella to turn around and cry, burying her face in her father's shoulder.
The dinner was suddenly forgotten and as soon Charlie let go of Bella, his voice gruff, four pairs of arms wrapped themselves around and four voices kept repeating that they were sorry. When she could finally breathe, Esme and Carlisle hugged her as well. All the sudden, Bella felt welcomed, loved and a part of the family, though Edward didn't speak with her. She kept looking back at him where he was sitting at the table, eating and staring at her, but it wasn't with hate or any other emotion she had experienced before; it was in wonder.
As they all gathered around the table again for dinner, Bella held back and didn't talk much, only when spoken to, as she took in the feeling of being a family again. But then her mind wandered over to the box sitting on her bed up in the bedroom and the note that had come with her things. As a black stormy cloud rolling in over the horizon, Bella's mood changed and unnoticed by the people around her, she sunk back in her chair and focused on the food on the plate in front of her.
"Bella, Edward, we would like to speak with you both before you go back to your rooms," Carlisle said as dinner was over and everyone rose from their seats. Bella who was helping Esme clear the table, placed the stack of plates back on the table and followed Carlisle and Charlie up their new office.
As they entered the office, no one said anything but Bella joined Edward on the couch that was placed against the wall opposite from Carlisle and Charlie's desks.
"Charlie and I have been talking about your situation several times during the last months and even though we have been trying to keep it hushed down, our investors have learned about the pregnancy and the Russians is thinking about pulling out unless the child is legal."
"Legal?" Bella questioned, not sure if she was following where Carlisle were going.
"The baby will not be accepted as a part of our family when it is born, and neither will you unless you are married before the due date," Charlie explained.
"So I will have to marry or I will no longer be a part of this family? Wow, five minutes and I'm out again," Bella muttered mostly to herself.
"Are a part of this family, even though we all have acted as asshole, but to the Russians, you will not be. They will not consider you as a Swan or a Cullen and if they ever have to come to our rescue, they will leave you and the baby behind, unless you are married; an illegitimate child is a sin to the Russians."
"And who am I so lucky to become married to?"
"Well, we have been talking about this for some time," Carlisle started, looking over at Charlie uncertainly.
"And we know that you might not like it, but we have decided that it might be better if the two of you got married before the baby will be born. That way, we will have no problems with the Russians and you will have protection from them if it's ever needed."
"I'm not marrying her!" Edward protested, shooting to his feet.
"Don't worry, I have no desire marrying you either," Bella mumbled as she did her best to get to her feet. On her feet, she didn't give them another glance as she walked out. She had hoped to storm out but being pregnant in the fifth months was starting to make it harder for Bella to move as swiftly as she used to.
With Alec locked away somewhere in the house, Bella walked out to the garden and sat down under a tree, the air grown cold form the change of month and season. She didn't care much of the cold though, the chillness to her skin helped her clear her head as her mind went over and over again the words she had hear, but not quite able to comprehend them.
"Can I join you?" Bella looked up to see Jasper looming over her, a kind smile on his lips.
"Sure," she said, scooting over so he could lean against the tree as well.
"I guess, they told you about the genius idea, right?"
"You knew about?"
"Yeah, I overheard them talking about it here the other day and they told me to keep quiet about it. Now, I'm going to say something that probably put your panties in a twist-"
"Too late," Bella murmured, squirming and making Jasper laugh.
"Anyway, I want you to know that I told them that just because that crazy Russian guy, Zarcofsky, doesn't approve of children outside of marriage, don't mean that they can force the two of you to get married. They understand it but they still did it, I know, but I think it will be the best for the both of you."
"Maybe, but it doesn't seem that anyone have considered the fact that Edward and I doesn't like each other much, or not at all," Bella pointed out, hoping that reason would be seen. She didn't know though, that it wasn't the people around her that needed to see reason.
"I have a feeling that no one will be able to make you and Edward do as you are told," Jasper laughed as he got to his feet. "But even though you and Edward hate each other so much, there's a sexual attraction between the two of you that you can't deny, otherwise, none of this would have happened."
Jaspers words made Bella's mind churn the rest of the night and as she lying in the bed later, she was unable to sleep.
She knew what she had to do but she couldn't find the courage to get out of bed and do it. The longer she stared up at the ceiling and the shadows the low moon was casting upon it, the more the ticking of her clock was teasing her and reminding her that she didn't have all the time in the world.
Throwing the covers away, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and took a deep breath before pushing herself up, her mind telling her that there was no turning back. Out in the hall she crossed it with determination and knocked twice on the door, waiting impatiently, knowing fully well that it was past midnight and most of the house was sleeping soundly in their beds.
As the door opened, she left no room for questions and jumped straight in.
"I think we should do it, get married, even though it's crazy and we will probably want to kill each other in the end anyway, but I can't bear the thought of something might happening to our kid because we were stupid enough to refuse."
"Okay, I will tell Carlisle and Charlie in the morning," Edward said, closing the door.
AN: Chapter ten is almost finished and I do hope that you all will enjoy my story. Now, I will not post the tenth chapter as soon as it is finished, but I will wait until I have at least five reviews or three more followers of my story. That will be all.
DevilsWriter
