My apologies and thanks to Beachcomberlc for the tedious and terrifying research she's had to do for this story. I fear I may have harmed her irreparably. IpsitaC77 is the best pre-reader/banner maker, that is all.
Chapter 11
Three days later, Bella was completely cleared to leave. Rosalie had packed everything Bella had asked for, mostly her pictures and mementos. The more time she spent with Rose, the more comfortable she was about asking questions. Together, they had read through the envelope Mr. Cullen had left behind. Each piece of paper had Bella's signature on it. Bella could only guess it was either a perfect forgery or the paperwork she had signed at Dr. Uley's office. Within the paperwork was Bella's permission for the removal of a kidney, leaving whichever one the surgeon decreed to be the better for Bella. The other organ was directed to Alice Cullen as a private donation. It laid out Bella's pretend stipulations: her fear of needles and medical procedures, asking that she be unconscious for all of it including the examination and pre-op. On paper, it said she agreed to all of it.
The papers also included a special visa and customs document allowing Bella to live on the private island in the waters off Turks and Caicos for a period of four months without having to apply for a visa. A customs agent would inspect the belongings they brought to the island for illegal or illicit goods, but otherwise, they were cleared. A thick sheaf of medical insurance papers was included, this time awaiting Bella's signature.
Bella kicked Rose out of her apartment and fumed for a few hours. She hated being manipulated. Mr. Cullen had done a thorough job of making it look like she agreed to everything, including a document stating she volunteered for the donation and a notarized affidavit claiming the recovery period spent on the private island was in no way a payment for her kidney. A copy of a cheque from her bank for her entire savings of four thousand, three hundred eighteen dollars was made out to cash and endorsed by Carmen Huilen, the island's manager. A layoff letter with a small severance settlement was also included in the package. The money offered was just over the amount that had been taken from her bank account. A lease termination, a credit card cancellation form, a mail forwarding form; everything was signed with her name on it. She was being erased.
There was no job, no apartment and not much money left for her when she returned from recovery. Maybe the plan was for her to live out her life in exile.
Infuriated, Bella struggled to get dressed without pulling her stitches. It took half an hour to find her purse, only to see the contents rearranged and most of her cards missing. The fuckers even took her library card, leaving only her driver's license, OHIP and birth certificate. She knew Rose had her passport, but everything else was gone. There were a couple of twenties in her wallet and a handful of change. Bella packed a very small bag of warm clothes and toiletries and headed for the door. It wouldn't open. There was a keypad to the side and she punched in every combination of numbers she could think of, but it still wouldn't open. A warm male voice spoke to her through the machine.
"I know you're frustrated, Bella, but you can't get out. You're not allowed to leave yet. You still need medical attention. Rose is on her way to help you. Please, just calm down."
Bella pounded her hand on the keypad, calling the voice every foul name she could think of. Exhausted, she crumpled to the floor, letting her tears take over.
Rose waited on the other side of the door for Bella to cry herself out. A breakdown was necessary; Bella needed the release to come to terms with what had happened to her. She needed to let go of some emotion to heal. As horrible as it was to listen to, Rose let her be until her screaming sobs lessened.
Rose knocked before she entered Bella's apartment, giving Bella a chance to decide for herself if she wanted company. She entered when Bella gave permission. Sitting on the couch and keeping quiet was Rose's main plan. So much control had been taken from Bella in the last few days and it was time to give some of it back.
Bella chose to putter around the kitchen when she got up off the floor. She wanted to cook something to take her mind off everything, but there were no ingredients. All of her possessions, her cookware and utensils were there, but nothing to cook. All the food she'd had was gone. She settled on banging pots and pans in the cupboards and slamming drawers until that became boring. Flopping on the couch, she covered her eyes with an arm across her face.
"I want cookies. No, scratch that. I want cookie dough. Chocolate chip cookie dough."
"Just wait a moment." Rose tapped out a message on her phone and slid it back in her pocket.
"Do you need anything for pain?"
"No thank you."
Rose got up to answer the door moments before the knock. Emmett passed her a tray and waved at Bella. She gave him a weak smile back.
Plunking the tray down, the six small bowls on it rattled together.
"Raw dough can make you sick, especially in your weakened state, but in my opinion this is the next best thing. I wasn't allowed to cook in my dorm room, but I could mix stuff."
On the tray were two bowls of butter, two of golden brown sugar and two of chocolate chips.
"Mash the sugar into the butter and then add the chips. It's even better with a touch of vanilla, but there isn't any." Rose picked up two of the bowls and a tablespoon and started stirring. Bella followed suit. Taking a small spoonful and savouring it in her mouth, she beamed at Rose and thanked her.
"So, Bella," Rosalie waited quite a while before speaking, letting Bella enjoy her treat in peace. "Do you like shopping?"
"Shopping? Like, for clothes? I hate it."
"Good, me too. There are several bags and a clothing rack in my apartment. All summer clothes. I thought we could go through them together before we finish packing. Just blitz through and then relax for the evening."
Reluctantly agreeing, Bella went with Rose to her room. She left the walker behind at her place, but found herself feeling stronger the more she moved around.
The apartment was a mirror image of Bella's in layout, but there was a world of difference between the two homes. Whoever built Rose's place didn't bother with drywall or paint, the walls were covered in cheap wood panelling. The kitchen was roughed in with plywood. Rose didn't need the comforts of a real apartment, just enough private space to clear her mind. She didn't give a shit what the rooms looked like as long as she had some privacy. IKEA furniture decorated the space. There was a clothing rack in the middle of the room. At one end were summer dresses, at the other, bathing suits. The bags, six of them, held shorts and tops.
"Where did all this come from?"
"Mrs. Cullen. She wanted to do this as a thank-you. The rehabbing on the island struck her as a wonderful idea, so she wanted you to have something to wear while you're there. She's donating whatever we don't choose to charity as well. I think she suspects there's something going on here, but she's too happy right now to give it attention. Dr. Cullen believes the medical consent forms and Alice, well, Alice is healthy now. Her surgery is much easier to recover from and she'll be going home in a few days. They're good people. They wouldn't have wanted to do things this way, but they're choosing to believe the best. Do you know what I mean?"
"I understand, Rose. I really do."
Bella chose a few items, just enough to augment her own wardrobe. She didn't want to hurt Mrs. Cullen's feelings by refusing. The only things she tried on were the swimsuits. Standing in Rose's bathroom, she saw her scar for the first time. It felt much bigger than it was, Bella expected it to be red and angry-looking, but the skin was smooth, with a fine dark pink line about fifteen centimetres long in a wide curve. Both of the bathing suits she chose covered the scar, but Bella would never have worn a bikini anyway. She ran her finger along the side of it. It didn't hurt to touch, but it did feel tender. Bella sighed and got dressed as quickly as she could. She didn't want to look at her marred skin. Seeing her scar just made the whole thing more real somehow. Bella could better fool herself without looking at the truth on her skin.
AN: OHIP stands for Ontario Health Insurance Plan, some people call it the health card. They have different names across the country. It's what gets us our lovely free (paid through taxes) socialized medical care. Which leads me to reminding you that this story takes place in Canada, not the US, so Bella will not be going to the FBI to get back at Edward. And I highly doubt CSIS (Canadian Security and Intelligence Service) would care to pursue the case.
I'm starting to think I might need to leave this as my standard disclaimer - This story is purely fiction. I ask you to remember that when it comes to any inconsistencies with real life, legalities, medical procedures, historical or geographical inaccuracies. To be blunt, I've made a lot of shit up, just go with it.
I forgot to include a rec last week so I have a couple for you. HoneymoonEdward wrote a very sweet fic called Harvey Girl. And LyricalKris's Call Me Home and Foolish Hearts.
I am woefully behind in reading and responding to reviews due to travel. I will try my best but I might not be able to thank you for your reviews over the last couple of chapter. Just know that each one makes me smile and want to write a better story for you.
Thank you for reading.