***So let me know what you guys think! Do you think that Bella got some sound advice?***
***How will Rosalie react to this arrangement? What sort of rules will Jake and Bella set within the thirty days arrangement?**
****Thank you to you guys for your awesome support! Promise I will update my other stories soon!**
Chapter 10: Broken Sunsets:
Bella wiped away the tears as she watched Mason drive away from the Bed and Breakfast. She knew it had hurt him like hell to leave her behind. He was pretty adamant about how she was being a fool if she stayed behind. He kept insisting this was just another trap set by Jake to lure her back into his life. She knew some of the points he made were valid but she could not find the words to explain to him that she owed Jake this. Mason would never understand her decision nor should he. When he begged her to leave with him that was the breaking point that nearly made her fall to her knees and weep in front of him. She knew he was scared that she might change her mind about ending this marriage but in her heart she already knew how this scenario would end.
Still, she was going to give it a shot. She was going to stay under the same roof as Jake for thirty days. If, no when, he finally saw that they were no longer in love the way he remembered he would release her from this marriage. Then they could both perhaps salvage their friendship and move forward with their lives. If she was lucky.
Folding her clothes neatly into the suit case she decided she would ask her mother to drive her over to Jake's. She needed to talk to her before everyone else in town learned about this new arrangement between Jake and her. She knew this would have a big affect on her parents more than anyone else. She just hoped they did not put too much stock into believing that this would have some sort of fairytale ending.
Opening the door to her room she saw her mother approaching the room with a frown on her face as she walked toward her with two cups of coffee.
"I see that one of our guests have signed out. What is going on?" Renee asked curiously as she walked past Bella into the room.
Bella closed the door behind her letting out a long heavy sigh as she reached out to take the cup of coffee. She needed the warmth of the glass in her hand. Ever since Mason kissed her good-bye she had felt extremely cold on the inside. She knew that this decision probably cost her a chance with Mason. Not that she had any plans to marry him like he had hoped for but she wasn't sure if she might change her mind in a few months or years down the road. So for now, she was pretty much single but married. It was rather strange to think of herself as a married woman.
She could still recall the way most girls could not wait to find their soul mates and settle down with a houseful of kids. Why wasn't she one of those girls? Why could she not be as normal as someone like Alice. Sure Alice once had that same wanderlust she had but now looking at her she seemed just as content being married and expecting twins. Was it possible that as you got older your views of what you come to expect in your life change? This whole growing up thing was not as easy as her parents had made it look.
"Spill it." Renee pushed.
"Jake asked me to stay with him for thirty days. When that thirty days is over if I am still not in love with Jake then he will agree to a easy quick divorce from me." Bella answered as she sipped on her drink, walking to the window where she stared out at the beautiful view. She could not help but ache for Mason already. He was no doubt in so much pain. All alone. Why did she hurt the men who seem to love her more than she deserved she wondered?
"Let me get this straight, you are going to live with him for thirty days and then he will gladly divorce you." Renee snicker softly as she flashed Bella a frustrated smile.
Bella stood silently nodding her head in answer.
"So how did you break it to Mason?" Renee asked softly.
"I explained that once the thirty days was over I would return home. If he was willing to work on our relationship at that time then we could discuss the idea of me moving in with him. He was not happy." Bella answered as tears misted her eyes.
"Well, duh! Damn Bella you just ask him to let you live with your husband for thirty days and IF it doesn't work out then you will shack up with him instead. Not much of a consolation price." Renee sighed as she looked sadly at her daughter.
"It's all I could offer him." Bella cried out as she sat the glass down on the table running her hands through her messy hair with both eyes full of tears.
"What about Jake? What are you willing to do to prove that you do not love him?" Renee feared her daughter was walking into a shit load of trouble. She found it interesting how Bella could be so damn book smart but lack common sense. Renee knew she was much brighter than this. Surely she saw that she was going to only hurt Jake more in the long run if she decided to reject him again. Was she stupid or just a glutton for punishment?
Then Renee turn her thoughts to Jake. What the hell was wrong with him? Was he willing to give up his relationship with Rosalie to try again with Bella for a lousy thirty days? If these two were not madly in love after knowing each other for over eighteen years how in the world did he think he would persuade her heart to love him in just a mere thirty days? This was a suicide mission for Jake. Not only would he end up divorced but Rosalie would dump his ass. He would be once again alone. Why would he risk that? Did he not see that Bella cared for him but she was just not the right woman for him?
She would be more than pleased to see Jake and Bella happy for a change. But she knew better than most people how these two could be so volatile when they butted heads. They were both so damn stubborn. The problem she saw between these two was the fact that they were both so much alike. They knew each other too well. They knew each others weaknesses and strengths. They both fought for control of the relationship. They both wanted to wear the pants but quickly learn that there was not enough room for them to both fit in those pants. This had bad potential she thought sadly to herself.
"What do you mean?" Bella frown at her mother who seem lost in thought as she stared at the floor.
"I mean how are you going to prove to Jake that your not the right girl for him? Living under the same roof is going to be more difficult than you think. Plus there is the factor that you two have changed so much that you will have to rediscover one another. Are you willing to try Bella? Or do you have it in your head to make sure this marriage does not work out? I think you are wasting a lot of energy trying to destroy something when you never went into with the right head." Renee paused as she watched the display of emotions cross her daughter's face.
Renee knew she had pissed her off and honestly she did not care. She was tired of watching her daughter act so selfish and rebellious. It was not the way they had raised her. Bella use to be such a sweet girl. So compassionate, so tender, always standing up for the underdog. Since she broke Jake's heart she had been more like the person who kicked you when you were down. She did not want Bella to stay that way. If she was going to stay for thirty days with Jake she better get her head on right and put her heart into it or else she would no longer look at her daughter the same ever again.
"Bella, if you are doing this just to clear your conscience and to prove to us that ending this marriage is the right thing to do then please, I beg you, please put your heart in it first. Learn who Jake is. Discover the man he has grown up to be. Allow your heart to open up. Close all negative thoughts from your heart and your head. Forget the past. Pretend you two never met. If not then well, you just lost a good man for nothing. Make that two good men." Renee strolled out of the room leaving Bella to think about what she had said while she went downstairs to check on the times for the new arrivals. She knew that Bella would need some alone time to consider everything. Bella might act dimwitted at times but she was a smart girl. Hopefully she would find the wisdom to listen to her mother for a change she thought to herself.
Jake's head was reeling with all the possibilities of the next thirty days that lied ahead of him. Leah had called him the moment that Mason had droved away with out Bella. He was in complete shock. He was sure she would run again.
He debated on driving straight over to the Inn to pick up Bella then he stopped himself. He would wait for her to call him. He could not chase after her. He knew how much Bella hated that. It made her feel stalked as she once put it. He was going to make her come to him this time. He was going to win her but he was going to make her believe she was winning him instead. Good old fashion reverse psychology.
He stopped by the bank to drop off a deposit when he ran across Jessica. She was one of the last people he wanted to deal with today. He was trying to stay in a good mood and the way she often flirted with him so openly in front of everyone often made him want to choke her. He would never understand what he did or said to make her think that for even once moment he was ever interested in her.
She use to torture Bella about the idea of her winning Jake from Bella. He would always insist to Bella that Jessica was not his type. Hell, she had slept with several of his friends and from what he learned he knew she was kinky enough in the bedroom but one hell of a nag in a relationship. She might be smart, wealthy, and even a bit classy but behind close doors Jessica was a bitchy slut.
"Hey Jake. I heard Bella was leaving today." Jessica announced as she stood next to him in line.
"No, just her friend." Jake replied as he handed the teller his deposit.
"Friend? I would say he was much more close to her than a friend. He could not keep his eyes off of her." Jessica snorted as she licked her lips.
"Well, he is gone now." Jake shrugged his shoulders as he turn his attention to the teller who seem to give him a look that said she hated Jessica too.
"For how long? I heard she wants to get a divorce so she can marry him. I mean, damn, he is hot as sin." Jessica fanned herself.
"I don't know about that." Jake tried to keep his temper in check.
"Well, you better watch yourself. She doesn't know how to appreciate a good thing like some of us." Jessica replied bitterly.
"I will keep that in mind but don't forget Jessica that Bella is still my wife so please refrain from talking poorly about her when your in my presence." Jake snarled as he took his receipt and storm out of the bank.
"Whatever." Jessica laughed rudely as she watched him leave.
Jake jump into his pickup and let out several long breathes until he felt his temper cooling off. He knew that Jessica was just jealous of Bella. Always had been. Nothing had changed in that arena.
Driving back to work he turn the radio up listening to the song playing and told himself that this was going to work out in his favor. If it did not then at least he knew in his heart that this time around it was not about him personally failing at being a good husband and lover but more about not being the right man for Bella.
Bella wanted to lay on the bed and cry herself to sleep but knew that it would be a useless and stupid thing to do. Knowing that her mother was not pleased with her made her reconsider asking her for a ride. So she pick up the phone and started to dial Jake's number and stop herself. She did not want him to see her just yet. She wanted some more time to consider what her mother had said. So instead she called Alice.
When Alice learned what she had done she was torn between being excited and furious at her but in the end agreed to drive her over to Jake's house. Alice showed up twenty minutes later with a light bounce in her step. Bella put her bags in the back of the SUV. She waved at her mother who had stepped out of the Inn to watch Bella leave. She understood her mother was only trying to give her a healthy dose of reality before she did something that might end up hurting herself and Jake worse than she already did once before.
"So Jake is going to be in hog heaven when he sees you." Alice cried out as she shook her head in amazement.
"I guess so." Bella shrug her shoulders with a weak smile stuck on her face.
"Oh Bella. My dearest Bella. On one hand I am pleased to see you doing the adult thing. I mean, when you came to me that day so upset, so broken, I thought you had made the right choice leaving Forks and leaving Jake. Now, years later, understanding love a lot more I think that this is the way it should have been. I mean, sure you two have tons to work out but at least you two once had a foundation to your relationship. You guys were very close before the whole ….well…pregnancy." Alice gulped hard as the last part slipped between her lips. She knew how much Bella hated to discuss the miscarriage. Being pregnant now she understood her pain more on a personal level. Four years ago she had no clue what Bella was truly enduring when she sat around the dorm room for days and weeks like a zombie.
Now she wish she could show Bella how great marriage could be if you were with the right person at the right point in your life. She felt that Bella had grown up a lot and had finally lived a little. She could not see what was possibly holding her back from wanting to spend her days and nights with a guy like Jacob Black. He was a great person. He had a great personality. He was full of charm, wit, and talent. He was handsome, compassionate and from what she could remember from Bella's stories one hell of a lover. What was there not to love about the man?
"But on the other hand?" Bella asked curiously.
"On the other hand I ache for Mason. He is a good guy too. I know he loved you dearly. Even Jasper said it was easy to see that Mason thought the sun set on you. I had to explain to him about your past with Jake and how he too had that same look in regards to you." Alice replied.
"So what does Jasper think about all of this?" Bella threw her hands up in the air with a disgusted sigh.
"He thinks you need to finish what you started before you can ever move forward. You can't run away from your problems. They will follow you into any relationship you might have." Alice answered honestly.
"Great." Bella chuckled bitterly. It was not the first time she had a shrink tell her something similar to that.
"I hope you are going into this with all of your heart. Don't do this just to make a point Bella." Alice warned her.
"I am going to try but damn it I think it might end up badly for the both of us no matter what I do. This was his idea you know. Not mine. Everyone seems to paint me as this villain. I just want to live my life. If Jake is the right guy then great but honestly I can't see how four years apart is going to make me view the very idea of marriage itself any differently. Jake wants the wife, the kids, and the picket fence around the yard painting. I want…well…hell..I don't know what I want." Bella finally admitted the truth to herself and to Alice out loud.
"Exactly. So stop fighting against yourself and Jake. Just be his friend. Get to know him. I think you might be surprised to learn who Jake Black is now. Also, remember that people around here can be narrow minded. They were hurt by your actions although you made decisions based on your own needs." Alice warned her.
"Okay. Thanks." Bella smiled warmly at her friend. Then turning back to the view ahead of her she found herself feeling nervous as they drove up the narrow driveway to the house that at one time had reflected a prison to her. She was immediately at awe of all the changes.
"Is this the same house?" Bella gasped.
"Yeah, Jake is very handy." Alice giggled.
"Damn." Bella was amazed. The porch alone was breathtaking. She knew that this house use to be a small shack in comparison to the house that set before her. She saw the swing with a few flower boxes set strategically on the porch. She looked around and saw the familiar red barn off to the side. It looked the same. She wasn't sure why but she was relieved to see that this had not been updated. She had spent many hours in that old barn playing around with Jake when they were younger. She found herself wondering if Jake still worked on old heaps of junk as he use to call the old cars he would rescue from the junk yards.
"Yep, I can't wait to see what he has done inside." Alice confessed as she parked the vehicle.
"Me too." Bella admitted as she open the door, stepping out sucking in a long breathe of air. Everything even smelled the same. She could smell the pine and the wild flowers. Closing the door she followed Alice up to the porch.
"How are we going to get inside?" Alice asked as she stared at Bella with alarm. Neither of them had considered that before they drove all the way out here.
Bella put her hands on her hips as she glanced around the porch. She knew that as kids that Jake had a spare key hidden somewhere close to the house in case there was ever emergency in regards to Billy. She pulled up the mat that had the word BLACK across it and was pleased to see a key sat there.
"You can tell we are not in the city." Bella laughed as she picked up the shiny key then unlocked the door.
"Thank God." Alice agreed as they walked into the house.
Bella was sadden to see that he had not updated the old furniture that had been in this house for as long as she could remember. It was a reminder of the bachelor days he had been living while she was away. The house was tidy enough but it was also a bit musty. Bella pulled open the curtains and began to open up the windows through out the living room and kitchen. When she found herself in front of the door where she knew Jake's room was she froze. Was she ready to step inside the room where Jake had brought no doubt tons of girls to spend the night with him?
Don't be stupid Bella, he had every right to do that. You were not exactly sleeping alone every night. Plus, for the next thirty days you know that no other woman will step inside of this house with out your permission. Chill. Remember there is no blame to be place. This is about now, not before.
Bella opened the door and once again was hit with a melancholy feeling as she looked at the old bed that she had slept on when she lived here. It looked as if he had the same damn blue comforter as well. She felt an incredible urge to burn it. Why would he keep the same old furniture and bedding? If she had lived here with out Jake she would have changed everything so it would not be a constant reminder of him. Then it hit her. Maybe it was what he needed. Maybe he needed to feel like she was still here somehow and it was his coping mechanism. This broke her heart.
Alice approached her as she stood in the door frame, leaning against it with her hands covering her face.
"What is wrong? Is it that bad?" Alice looked anxious as she pushed Bella aside to take a peek at what had caused Bella to be so badly shaken up.
"He definitely needs to update in here too." Alice stated.
"He definitely does." Bella agreed as she wiped away a single tear that had manage to escape her eye.
"What's wrong?" Alice asked with a curious smile on her face.
"It's the same. I mean everything in here. Why? If he is doing well enough to build onto the house, to update everything why keep the same old tattered furniture?" Bella explained her confusion.
"Maybe he was not ready to let all of it go. Maybe he was not ready to let you go." Alice answered as she saw the way Bella looked sadly around the house.
"I am so scared Alice." Bella confided as she felt her chest tightening up. Her head was starting to pound.
"Why?" Alice ask as she reached out holding Bella's hands in hers with a comforting squeeze.
"I don't want to hurt him. I want him to be happy. I want him to be free of me." Bella realized the honesty of her own words as she heard them out loud.
"What if being free of you is not going to make him happy Bella. What if you could make him happy? Would you be willing to give it a try?" Alice answered with a wistful smile.
"Maybe." Bella answered as she walked outside to get her bags leaving Alice alone in the house.
"So I hear she is staying." Billy commented across the kitchen table at Charlie.
"Yep. Renee says she is going to give it a shot. Your son bribed her with a thirty day clause." Charlie chuckled sadly.
"A thirty day clause?" Billy frowned.
"Yep. It seems that if in thirty days Bella still feels the same about a divorce Jake is willing to give her it. I have to say it was clever and pretty damn stupid at the same time." Charlie stated as he handed Billy the sports section of the paper.
"Yeah, that's my son for you. Stupidly clever." Billy agreed as he chuckled.
Both fathers sat there quietly wagering that both of their kids were about to discover either a love bigger than they had ever known or a heartache that would last them both a lifetime.