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Chapter 10
Bella was dreaming. She knew that she was—just like she always did—but it didn't make it any less terrifying. She was running, but the ground was wet, so she kept falling down. But each time she'd fall, she'd pick herself back up. She could see lights flashing blue and red in the distance, reflecting off the rain-slick streets, but it seemed to take her forever to reach them.
Everything about the dream was familiar, partly because she'd had it a million times, but mostly because the setting was one she knew all too well—her hometown. She had practically memorized every bush and shrub, every street sign—even the mangled one that lay across the street, twisted and bent.
Finally, she reached the police car whose flashing lights she'd spent so long chasing. The officer's radio buzzed in the background. In life, she didn't remember much about him, but in her dream, she'd studied him closer. He was tall, with a protruding gut and a bristly moustache. As she approached him in her dream, just as in real life, he'd gently taken her shoulders and pushed her back, away from the scene; away from the two mangled hunks of metal barely recognizable as vehicles. She screamed at him and tried to wiggle around his firm grasp, but he was a seasoned professional, and she was only ten. In life, he'd held her tight, keeping her away from the carnage, but in her dream, she somehow floated above him, around him, through him.
Once she reached that part of the dream, she always became a non-entity, moving around the scene as she observed impartially from above. The other people who had no doubt been present in real life took no notice of her. Paramedics, firemen, even the other police officers who arrived. She heard them talking, but she couldn't make out their words. Not that she ever tried to. She was too focused on the vehicle closest to her. The big red pickup truck she'd known her whole life. It was enormous and every inch of it creaked. She'd loved to bounce up and down on the bench seat when she was little. Now it was a crumpled heap of steel, hissing and smoking as if in protest of what it had just been put through.
The part of her consciousness that knew she was dreaming was screaming at her to turn away, but she knew it was fruitless. The dream always played out the same, no matter how she tried to change it. Her dream self floated heedlessly toward the truck, around and under and through the firefighters with their giant steel clamps that she now knew were called the Jaws of Life. The irony of the name was never lost on her, even in her dream.
She watched, a mute scream on her lips, as they pulled him out of the truck. His arms and legs were bent at unnatural angles, and his head lolled to the side. She often wondered if he'd been dead even then, but she could never be sure. And the blood. There was so much blood. It covered him, turning the denim coveralls he always wore at the garage a sickening purple. It dripped onto the ground, and the firemen and paramedics tread in it as they hurried him to a waiting gurney.
Suddenly, predictably, she couldn't move, not even her dream self. She stood frozen, once again behind the policeman's protective hold, just as she had been so many years ago, desperately trying to see him. The policeman attempted to get her to turn away, but she wouldn't. She struggled as she began to scream.
"Daddy!" she yelled, jumping up and down as she struggled to get to him.
With a start, she awoke, shaking and covered in cold sweat. Her heart pounded as she stared at the ceiling. The room was dark—Alice's soft breathing the only sound. She worked to get her heart and her breathing back to a normal pace, pushing a lock of cold, wet hair off her forehead with shaky fingers. It'd been so long since she'd had that dream, and somehow that made it even more terrifying. Years ago, when she was having it regularly, it had seemed far less horrifying. It was almost as if her subconscious had buried those images, but now, after tonight they were all being dragged back up to the forefront of her mind.
Bella had an overwhelming urge to call her mother. She rolled over and glanced at her alarm clock which glowed faintly in the soft darkness of the room. It was the middle of the night. Her mother, and every other sane person for that matter, would be fast asleep. She sighed and bunched up her pillow in an effort to get more comfortable. After twenty minutes of tossing and turning, she decided it was no use. She wasn't going to get any more sleep. As quietly as possible, she got up, grabbed her backpack, and headed for her floor's common room. The room was deserted, so she found an overstuffed armchair in the corner and flipped on the small lamp on the table next to it. She yawned as she pulled her textbook and notes out.
Daylight found her in that same position, head buried in her notes. Her attention was diverted only when others on her floor began stirring and making their way to the showers. She yawned and stretched, feeling much better in the light of day, and smiled as she realized she hadn't thought about the dream in hours. When she was younger, and the dreams had plagued her almost constantly, studying had been the most effective way she'd found to relieve the anxiety.
"Where did you disappear to?" Alice asked as Bella ducked back into their room.
"I couldn't sleep, so I was studying. I didn't want to wake you."
Alice eyed her skeptically. "Uh huh," she muttered. Then she muttered several other things in a much quieter voice that Bella couldn't make out. But she was pretty sure she heard the word "Edward" in there somewhere. Bella rolled her eyes but didn't attempt to correct her.
Instead, she silently thanked her roommate for the reminder. She picked her phone up off her nightstand and dialed Edward's number. It had been two days since his visit, three since that awful night, and she'd only seen him at work. She'd thought a lot about things since that night. Sometimes she felt like she'd forgiven Edward too quickly. But for some reason, it really wasn't difficult for her to accept his apology and move on. There was something about him that was so good, and so desperate to be loved, that she couldn't help but take him in her arms and tell him everything was going to be all right.
She smiled at the sound of his voice. "Hi there," she said as she threw her closet doors open and searched for something to wear. "Did I wake you?"
He chuckled. "Nope. I've got class, remember?"
"Oh, are you still doing that whole school thing?" she teased playfully.
Edward laughed quietly. "Yeah, for now. Listen, what are you doing this afternoon?"
"I have class, and then I work tonight."
"Do you think you could squeeze in some time for me? Just come over for a little while between class and work?"
Bella bit her lip as she debated with herself in her head. "Yeah, I can probably come over for a bit."
"Great! See you then."
They hung up, and Bella headed to class. Her day passed quickly, and soon she found herself knocking on Edward's door, backpack slung over her shoulder.
"Hey there," he said, beaming at her as he pulled the door open. He planted a quick kiss on her cheek as she stepped through the door. "Are you hungry? I can fix you something."
Bella shrugged. "I could eat."
Edward laughed and led her into his small kitchen. "Sit down. I make a mean grilled cheese."
Bella laughed and nodded as she pulled out a chair for herself from Edward's kitchen table.
Edward wasn't lying. The grilled cheese sandwich he made her was hot and delicious, and Bella ate it with borderline embarrassing enthusiasm. Edward watched her, an amused smile on his face. "Do you ever eat when I'm not around?" he asked.
Bella stopped mid-chew and looked up at him. She mumbled something around the sandwich and the two laughed.
"So do you need to study or something while you're here?" Edward asked.
Bella swallowed and looked at him for a moment. "Yes, but I didn't want to be rude."
Edward shrugged. "It's not rude. I'm not here to keep you from what you need to do, Bella. I'm just happy to spend time with you."
He had no sooner said those words, when there was a knock on the door. Edward rose and crossed the kitchen and front room. While she waited for him to return, Bella began pulling textbooks out of her bag. From where she sat she couldn't see the front door. She could hear Edward's voice, but couldn't make out what he was saying. She wondered distractedly who was at the door, but before she could give it much more thought, the tone of Edward's voice changed. It became more urgent somehow, and when she looked up, Edward was striding quickly into the kitchen behind a woman whom Bella did not recognize.
"Oh, Edward. I didn't realize you had company," the woman said. Although she addressed Edward, her eyes never left Bella. Holding Bella in her gaze, the woman closed the distance between them and stuck her hand out. "I'm Esme Cullen. Edward's mother."
Bella's throat was suddenly too dry to speak. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She berated herself internally before managing to choke out, "I'm Bella."
Fortunately for everyone, Edward came to her rescue. "Mom, this is Bella," he mumbled, stepping between the two. "We work together at Lucky's."
Esme's eyebrows rose quickly. "Oh, how nice." Her tone was pleasant enough, but Bella sensed that her cheery attitude was a façade. Her stomach flipped uncomfortably, and she fiddled absentmindedly with her pen, not quite able to meet Mrs. Cullen's eyes for some reason.
Esme glanced back and forth between Edward and Bella for a moment longer and then pulled a chair out next to Bella and sat down. She folded her hands neatly in her lap and turned to Edward. "Should I assume that you're going to offer me something to drink, dear?"
Edward jumped slightly and then maneuvered around his mother and Bella. He returned a moment later with a tall glass of iced tea for Esme and the pitcher to refill Bella's glass. Esme accepted her tea with a smile, and Edward settled nervously into the one remaining chair.
"Mom, Bella's trying to study and we have to go to work soon. Did you need something or…" He faded off, and his mother gave him a patronizing look.
"Oh, Edward. Don't worry. I'm not going to stay too long. I just wanted to check up on you and see if you were liking your new place." As she spoke, her eyes travelled around the room, and again Bella sensed discontent beneath her polite and airy smile. "Can't a mother come and visit her son?" Esme chided as she sipped her tea delicately. Without giving Edward a chance to respond, she turned to Bella. "So, Bella. You're a student too?"
Bella nodded.
"What are you studying?" asked Esme.
"My major is Microbiology."
Esme raised one eyebrow and glanced at Edward. "Impressive. So how long have you been dating my son?"
Again, Bella opened her mouth but was unable to form a coherent sentence. She looked helplessly at Edward. He sighed and clenched his jaw. "Mom, lay off it," he grumbled.
Esme laughed, and the sound was high and clear. "Oh relax!" She took one last sip of her tea and stood, clutching her handbag as she tucked her chair back in. "All right, I'll go. But, Edward, I really came by to invite you to dinner this weekend. Saturday night."
Bella watched as Edward's eyes seemed to darken and his jaw stiffened again. "I don't think I can make it. I'm working."
Esme sighed. "Your father will be out of town on business, dear. I'm sure you can spare one night out of your busy life to come and see your brother and me."
Edward thought for a moment and then nodded. "Okay."
"Bella, dear, we'd love for you to come too, if you're free," Esme said, looking around Edward's shoulder and smiling sweetly at Bella.
"Okay, thank you," Bella said, managing to find her voice finally.
Edward walked his mother out and was back in a moment. He sat down heavily in the chair next to Bella that his mother had just vacated. "I'm sorry, Bella. I didn't know she'd just drop by like that." He shook his head and scrubbed one hand over his face. "Please don't feel like you have to come this weekend. I'm sure you're working anyway."
Bella shrugged. "I don't mind, really. I mean, unless you don't want me to go…"
Edward shook his head. "No, no. That's not it at all. I'd love for you to come. I just don't know why anyone would want to willingly subject themselves to an evening with my family." He smiled. "But if you really want to, I'd love for you to come. You can meet my little brother Emmett. He's pretty cool."
Bella's head was full of questions for him about the new insight his mother's visit had given her into his life, but she wasn't sure what to ask or what he'd be open to answering. She thought about Edward's mother, Esme. It was obvious from her appearance and demeanor that she was well-groomed and most likely wealthy. Everything about her, from her flawless and perfectly tailored clothing to her designer handbag, screamed money. She had the air of someone used to getting her way. As she watched Edward staring blankly at the table, Bella decided her questions could wait until later. She checked her watch and then began stuffing her books back into her bag.
"We better go if we don't want to be late," Bella said. Edward agreed, and a few minutes later, they were walking hand in hand to his car.
Saturday night came quicker than Bella could believe, and before she knew it, she found herself staring at her closet wondering what in the world she should wear to dinner with Edward's family. The fact that she'd met Edward's mother, and his father wouldn't be home, did little to alleviate Bella's nerves. To say that Bella found Esme Cullen intimidating would be a huge understatement. Despite her numerous reassurances to Edward, Bella found the prospect of spending an evening in her company less than appealing. But she somehow felt compelled at the same time. The thought of finding out more about Edward was immensely appealing, and she knew she'd gladly put up with a few uncomfortable hours if it meant getting another glimpse into who Edward was.
Luckily, Alice came to Bella's rescue, and the two of them put together a suitable outfit for Bella. They decided on a pair of Alice's skinny jeans, a white, loose-fitting tunic, and tall brown leather boots. Alice also helped Bella pile all of her long hair on top of her head in a carefully constructed messy bun.
Edward was waiting for Bella when she reached the lobby of her building. She smiled when she caught sight of him slouched in one of the shabby chairs, a long outdated magazine under his nose. He smiled when he saw her and tossed the magazine onto the pile on the table at his knee.
"You look amazing," he said, grinning as he planted a kiss lightly on her cheek. "Nervous?"
Bella shrugged. "A little. Okay, a lot."
Edward laughed. "Don't be. My mom seems scary at first, but she means well."
Bella nodded, and the two of them walked to Edward's car. He opened her door for her and kissed her again before she climbed in. By the time they pulled out of her parking lot, she was feeling much better. That was until they approached Edward's house. It seemed the further they drove, the larger the houses became. Bella's eyes grew wider and wider as she watched enormous mansions pass outside her window.
Edward seemed more nervous than she was as they drove. He kept glancing at her before he finally sighed. "Bella, I need to tell you something," he said. He sighed again and guided the car to the side of the road. He put the car in park and turned toward Bella.
Bella peeled her eyes away from the passing houses and turned to face Edward. "What is it?" she asked.
Edward took a deep breath and gripped the steering wheel as he stared nervously at Bella.
"Edward?" Bella asked again, furrowing her brow as she looked at him.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Leave me a review! :)