8)An unexpected twist
I take a deep breath. "It's for the better." I remind myself.
"She has a nice family two sisters and parents that will love her. She is so much better off with the Blacks even with Billy being a werewolf, this is safer."
Yes, from what I could hear from his thoughts I can tell he has transformed six months ago for the first time. It's alright, he has lots of control, he hasn't changed unwillingly for over five months.
It's safe enough.
I keep telling myself this over and over again until my mother finally joins me. She hasn't even fastened her seatbelt properly when I pull up and drive out of the parking lot.
I shouldn't feel so empty, it was only 10 hours ago since I first held Bella, I shouldn't have any connection with her. But I have seen children do their magic on a lot of tuff men. They seem to be designed to charm everyone and make strong ties in a matter of minutes if you let them. Apparently I gave Bella the chance to make a bound with me strong enough to make me miss her for a while. But it will get better. Soon I'll be living my life as if she has never been part of it.
Big lie I know. I will never forget her of course, and probably never stop wondering 'What if?'
"I told the Blacks I would meet with them at the boundary line at 5 o'clock to give them Bella's stuff." Esmé tells me interrupting my thoughts. I nod.
"I'll make a cd of the composition as soon as we're home." I say.
You alright? She thought. I nod again. She is not convinced and I can't blame her.
"It's just much faster than I had thought." I confess.
Esmé nods understanding. The rest of the ride we sit in complete silence. Part of me regrets my decision but most of me knows it's for the better like I told myself over 2000 times since I had entered the car.
When I pull up at home I find Alice waiting for us in the garage with a distressed expression. I read her mind afraid something bad happened. WHAT?
"How do you mean you can't see her anymore!?" I yell while getting out of the car.
"I don't understand either. The one moment I saw her with us and then everything disappeared, I looked for your and Esmé's future and they were also gone as where Carlisle's for a moment. Just when I thought I was going crazy and decided to go and find you guys your future appeared again, you where in your car and royally pissed off I may add." She cocks an eyebrow to me as to ask for an explanation. I think for a few moments and realize what must've caused the lapse in Alice's sight. Werewolves. Billy Black had been in the same room with me, Esmé, Bella and Carlisle.
It made sense because Alice had been able to see me as soon as I wasn't close to him anymore.
"Bella, isn't coming home tonight." I say softly. Alice frowns not licking where this is going.
"She left to the Quileute reservation with the Blacks. Billy Black has been a werewolf for six months now and he has himself under perfect control. That's all I want to say about it," I say as quick as I can so Alice has no chance to interrupt me. Alice can see she can't change my mind and that even if she could it wouldn't be possible for us to get Bella back.
What was done was done. I run inside to get behind my piano and see to my relief that the recording equipment is all set up ready to make the cd that will hopefully help Bella trough her nightmares.
"Let's start with this. I want to write a letter to the Blacks with some… advice." I actually want to say 'wishes' but I thought that would sound just a little pathetic.
Nobody not even Emmett dares to question my motives for the letter. The letter of course will come with a great deal of money that should make the Blacks able to give Bella the best tuition and care possible.
I sit myself behind my piano, look at Jasper to let him know I'm ready and start to play. It has been a decade since the last time I played any song on it but it still sounds perfect, Esmé must've kept an eye on it in hopes I would regain my interest in music soon. I feel a bit guilty, I know how much it pleases Esmé when I play. I promise myself to play at least once a week from now on. Even if it doesn't feel right.
The notes of Bella's lullaby flow through the house filling it with harmony and peace.
Is this how Bella's presence would've influenced our lives? I wonder.
It's beautiful, kind and peaceful Esmé muses to herself.
Everyone seems to be momentarily enchanted by the effect of the song. I close my eyes and allow myself to travel with the song, too places that could hold its beauty, but many fail –my meadow is the only one that comes near –and then the song ends. Only now I realize that as beautiful as the song is, it's also sad. Sad with the knowledge that also this song has to come to a final end.
I ban the morbid thoughts from my mind.
"I'm out for a hunt," I say and take off trough the door.
What in the world went wrong in my life? Where did I lose my mind? When did a tiny little human manage to make such a huge difference to a family of nearly indestructible, unchanging vampires? It just doesn't make any sense. I let out a frustrated growl and throw myself at a deer. When I have completely drained him I suddenly noticed that he had almost the same eyes as Bella's. I shiver.
I try to focus on tomorrow. Tomorrow I'll be at school again. Girls will be staring and whispering about my last rescue mission. And boys will be wishing they where me.
(It's true! Don't think I'm just being self-absorbed. I simply know what they're thinking. Don't judge me!)
I sigh. It'll be just another day listening to stuff I don't want to know. No matter how hard I try I can't completely block those voices out especially when their thoughts are about me. Why did I have to be cursed whit this gift?
I stop at that thought because something caught my eye. It's an old abandoned one story house. I walk in and find myself in a cozy living room. Well it certainly used to be. It has a fireplace and a few benches. I'd say I'm the first visitor in half a century or so, except for insects, mice and birds. I also find a bedroom for two and something that once was a small kitchen and a bathroom. Maybe I'll show this place to Esmé, she loves to take care of this kind of places. Maybe I could move in here for a while, that way I'll still be close to home (it's only a mile or two away from our current home) and yet alone in some way. I could easely block out the voices of my family but still hear them if they wanted me to.
I decide to go back home, I have to if I want to write that letter to the Blacks.
I run as fast as I can changing everything around me in a green blur.
"I'm home!" I call out and then grab an envelope, pen, stationery a half million dollars out of one of the cabinets and place myself at the kitchen table
'Dear family Black
First of all, I want to thank you all for taking care of Bella. I'm certain she'll become a beautiful and strong women under your watching eyes. I'm sure you already noticed the cash in the envelope and I must say it's the best way I could imagine to satisfy my own desires to somehow make sure she's at her happiest. See it as tuition money, alimentation, whatever you prefer. Just use it for her wellbeing. I can (try to) imagine bringing up a one year old twin is hard enough as it is without the added worries over a one month old baby girl. I sincerely hope you can get help from friends but extra help never hurts (or so I thought). If it bothers you I'd suggest you let my mother know the help is not needed (But I insist you keep the money I already gave you, for college you know) and then I won't bother you ever again. If not I'm happy to support Bella financial whenever needed.
Thanks again.
Sincerely Edward Cullen.
I look to the letter satisfied with what I wrote. I really hope they'll accept my offer. I write down my cell phone number with the words 'In case you need me' and seal the envelope.
(To the disappointed ladies, I have made the mistake leaving my number behind for anyone to see before and believe me: Never again!)
After dropping it on the bag with Bella's stuff I go to my room to fill the rest of my day with music.
I finnish an essay I had to do for English while listening to a cd of the Beatles, read a magazine or one the tunes of Elvis and lay back with Michael Jackson.
'Shara Black told me they'd be happy to accept your offer.' My mother informs me from downstairs.
"Thanks," I answer. It's a relief to me actually. I was afraid Billy Black wouldn't want to know about money from a cold one no matter how many it is. But his opinion about my kind apparently didn't prevent him from understanding that the offer I made is welcome. Shara Black could have had a hand in that of course.
I smile at that last thought. The saying is true: 'behind every great men stands a strong women'
Emmett can have a big mouth but Rosalie always manages to make him keep it shut, while Jasper and I have a little bit more difficulty with that.
I don't leave my room for the rest of the night. I don't really feel like socializing with my family tonight. I decide to tell Esmé about the house before leaving for school. Speaking of which I need to get ready unless I want to give Emmett an opportunity to tease me about how strange it is I'm too late while I'm the one who has nothing better to do all night… and right there I better stop. I really don't want to think about exactly what my brothers and sisters do during the night.
I open my wardrobe and pick a t-shirt, a jacket and a pair of jeans that looked nice to me and would keep Alice content.
I head downstairs and find Esmé reading a book. Now is as good as a moment as any I suppose.
"Eh, mom?" I ask. Esmé looks up and smiles brightly.
"I found a nice house not that far from here, but nobody has been there for over fifty years and it could use some love." I smile at her letting her know without words that I think she is the best person to give love when it's needed.
"I'd love a new project actually…" she says.
"But when I'm done, it'll be to no use. It'll be forgotten again." Here comes the hard part.
"Well, actually, yesterday I realized again how none of you ever have real privacy. And it's not easy for me either. No matter how hard I try every night I'm an eavesdropper, a peeping tom either I want it or not." There it was out.
"O sweetheart you know that it's not like that, we understand you can't help it. It's not your fault. You don't need to move away." I shake my head. I knew she'd react like that.
"Mom, I know you don't mind, but I do. I won't be far however. It's a 2 minutes run at top," I promise her. She wants to argue further but I look at her in a way that tells her that my decision is made and that I will go live in that house with or without her help.
"It'll be fine. I'll be here all the time just not during the nights," I tell her truthfully.
"Whoa! Eddie!" Emmetts booming voice crashes on us from upstairs. The next moment he's downstairs with Rosalie a few steps behind.
"A stag house?! That rocks! Finally a place to hang out with your friends without your big brother stealing all the attention!"
"Indoor voices Emmett," Esmé reminds him.
"That wasn't really what I had in mind but your right. It would be nice to have the boys over." I think to myself. After all, Carlisle had invited his colleagues over for dinner at more than one occasion.
"Alright Edward I'll help you out with the house. But know that you're always welcome here when you need us," Esmé says while giving me a hug.
"Edward! Why are you leaving?" Alice's voice rings trough the living room.
"As you probably already heard, I don't like to be a peeping tom all the time so I figured that I might as well change from room. Since all I can do after you all 'went to bed' is sitting at my room and trying very hard not to hear every single noise and thought from the other rooms."
That and I'm sick of being the sad, lonely, vampire of the family. But I'm not going to tell them that.
Alice doesn't believe me but I can't find it in me to care.
"Everybody ready? We're leaving," I say while heading to the garage.
I unlock my Volvo and shoot a glance to my Austin martin, tonight I'm going to make a little trip with her. It's been a long time since we were last out.
I open the doors of the garage with the remote and drive us over the highway to the wet and little town of Forks.
When I park my Volvo I'm well aware of the eyes on my car. After two years all eyes are still on us whenever we arrive. Suddenly one particular voice catches my attention and I smile a little.
"Rose?"
"Yes?" she asks uninterested.
"I think someone wants to speak with you. I thought it would be nice to warn you." I say quickly and then step out of the car smiling to the nervous boy that dares to ask Rosalie a question that might piss her of a little.
"You're not here for me are you?" I ask. Anton Chenney's eyes widen as I speak to him. I don't speak often to other students and when I do, I get a reaction like this.
"N-n-no, I-I" Anton stutters.
"Don't worry, they don't bite." I promise while heading for class when I'm one step past him I ad:
"Often" The boy shakes harder and I decide to really help him this time.
"Rose, he only does this to impress a girl he likes so please don't be angry at him."
I tell Rosalie in a voice too quiet for a human to hear.
'I'll do my best'
"Hello, Rosalie." The boy asks in a shaky voice, but without stutter this time.
'You can do this, just think about Britt and it'll be alright' he tells himself.
"Hello… Anton right?" she asks in a very nice voice actually.
"Yeah… I have to ask you something." He admits.
"Oh, what?"
"I was wondering… is… is your hair real or dyed?" He blurts suddenly.
"Real. Why?" she asks with just a hint of irritation in her voice. I must say I'm impressed. Normally she would surely be angry with him. Her hair was her pride, after Emmett of course.
"Britt wanted to know where you got the color cause she wants' it just like yours but I said hers is perfect. But she still wanted to know so I came to ask…" The poor boy doesn't know what to do.
But he really liked Brittany Martins if he dared to actually voice the doubt about the purity of our beauty to us.
Rosalie seems to agree with me.
"Tell Britt that I think her hair goes wonderful with her eyes. There's no color that'd be able to bring them out that way." And she honestly meant it. What happened to my world? A nice Rosalie? Since when did she care about human feelings? And then I saw it. She thought about Bella, she really cares about that little human and since she can't shower her with all the affection she could muster she figured she'd be nicer to other humans instead. They had been baby's once too. She realizes it'd be stupid to hate Bella –if they ever met again –later just because she's not a child anymore.
I'm happy with that, and sad at the same time. I really miss Bella.
At that moment I enter my first class.
"There he is. Just ask him." A girls voice says. I look up knowing it's about me.
Ah, Vanessa Eastwood and Gabriella Nightingale. The last one has a crush on me and the first one is a very nice and supportive friend. She doesn't tell her friend off about how I'm far out of her league like some of the other girls do (just out of jealousy), she is there for her and catches her whenever she comes across a disappointment.
I smile and nod towards the girls in a polite manner and sit myself behind my desk and pretend to reread my essay.
"Come on! What can happen?" Vanessa asks.
"He can say no." Gabriella says matter-of-factly.
"He'd never turn you down in a way that would hurt you. Haven't you noticed yet? He's a gentleman." Vanessa counters.
"Yes, but he'll still have to say no. He's not interested in me."
"He doesn't have to be interested in you, just in helping you out with math. You need it and he's good at it. Two birds one stone." Ah so that's what's going on.
"Eh… Edward?" I look up pretending to be surprised.
"Oh, hello Gabriella." I say pleasantly.
"I heard about yesterday. My friend Vanessa lives next to the Swans, her dad called you and your friends." I smile and nod, telling her to go on.
"She saw you run in and come back with Bella Swan. That's so brave of you." Her tone is thick with admiration. Gabriella likes me mostly because of the whole hero thing.
"It's my job, and there was a child in danger." I reply.
Brave, handsome, smart and modest! He's a dream!
"Well, what I actually wanted to ask is I need some help with calculus and I thought you could help me out…" She's about to change her mind but I think I can give her one lesson. She indeed really needs it.
"I see. Friday evening at the library? I think I can help you. The nice thing about math is once you see it you never get it wrong again." Gabriella is baffled that I simply agree.
"Okay! That's great. Thanks!" I think I should be clear about my feelings right away.
"I like to help people out Gabriella. I know we don't know each other but you should know that. You seem a nice girl, and a good friend." She catches how I press on the term friend and understands it.
"Yeah, sure." It stings but that won't last long, I'm sure of it.
"And?" I hear Vanessa ask.
"He is only interested in one study session. He made it pretty clear he has no interest in dating."
"Don't be sad. There are plenty fishes in the sea." I decide to let the girls alone at that point, it's none of my business.
After a long and boring hour of English I head for calculus.
When I pass the parking lot I notice a large group of girls standing together.
"Oh, how cute!" one exclaims. I search for the minds at the center.
Sarah Black? Whit Bella? I pick up my pace and work myself a way to the center and there is Bella looking very confused to all the unknown faces around her.
"Bella?" I ask disbelieving. At the sound of my voice she looks up and then she starts to make happy sounds and reach toward me.
"Oh, there you are!" Shara says relieved while handing Bella over to me, I take her without hesitation. Bella lets out a satisfied sigh and immediately falls asleep.
"Aw!" All girls around exclaim.
"So sweet!" a few add. I give Shara a confused look.
"She wouldn't sleep. The song only calmed her a little but not enough to get the rest she needs. She needs you." She says. I nod and look at Bella.
"So we can keep her?" Rosalie's voice asks from behind me.
I turn around to see the rest of my family.
"Yes, Bella will stay with us." I say. All of them smile broadly and start to cheer.
This is the beginning, of my new life.
So what do you think? Love it, like it, hate it? Let me know and I'll try to give you another chap soon.
