Chapter 11 – SPOV
We looked at the lady in shock. She was wearing a Prada suit (I knew because I'd worn that exact one myself down the catwalk) and she looked imposing. She saw our startled expressions and smiled:
"Hey, just because I live in a caravan doesn't mean I can't have a good job."
Both Bella and I flushed red. She laughed this off, so I spoke up softly:
"And a Prada suit?"
"You know your clothes don't you! What shoes am I wearing then?" she asked in a joking manner.
"Vivienne Westwood," I replied and now it was her turn to be shocked, "My Mother's a designer and runs a fashion magazine, and I model; so have worn that suit, but only seen the pumps in a magazine."
"Well that explains it," and she turned to Bella, "So you're Renée's daughter. My you look like her, but I can definitely see him in there too."
"Was my father really that bad a man?" Bella whispered shyly.
"No, I suppose not to some people, but then again I am prejudiced: he took my best friend away. But come and sit down: I'll tell you the story whilst I make a start on dinner."
"Can I hear Mama?" Jasmine asked.
"Of course baby, however, you'll have to get your brother when the food's ready okay?"
She nodded and sat down next to me again.
"I know my mother has told you all she knows, so I won't repeat that, but I do happen to know some more. She told me all about Charlie when she first met him, though I never got told his name, and she told me how they were planning to run away together. I begged her not to go but she didn't listen. She never did when she had her mind fixed on something like that. She never thought of the consequences of her actions, so when she left I had the dreadful feeling something bad would happen. Then, when I received a call from an unrecognised number things got worse. I never told anyone about this, but she called me sobbing: telling me she was coming home this second, and then he grabbed the phone off her and the line went dead. So, imagine my surprise when a week later she turned up. I wasn't there to see it all; I was scared he would recognise me from when we were children, but also my voice from the phone," she paused and took the pasta from a bag, pouring it into the now boiling water, "Then she left again, as if she'd never been there. Next I heard she rang, telling me to come straight to the hospital or she'd murder me when I next saw her. I thought she was injured, but the lady at the front desk told me she was in the maternity ward. So I went up there and found her alone in a room. She looked so happy to see me: Charlie had gone drinking with his friends from college, so she had no-one's hand to squeeze as she went through labour. Just before the final push, a nurse came in and took me outside to say that Charlie was in the hospital having alcohol pumped out of his system. I promised I would tell her at an appropriate time, and went back in the room to find a beautiful baby lying in her arms. She told me she'd name her when he saw her, but her middle name would be Marie like mine. After my Auntie met her they left again and obviously we've ended up here."
"What, so you never heard again from her," Bella asked.
"Well, if you'd asked me that a week ago then the answer would have been yes, but last week she rang me, told me she loved me and that I would always be her sister and best friend, then told me how she couldn't bear the fact that she'd left you. I haven't traced the call, but I could if you wanted me to," she told Bella.
"Maybe," she replied, looking carefully at her cuticles.
"Well, anyway, Jaz can you go and call your brother to come and eat: I take it you girls are staying," Sarah said.
"If you want us to," I replied, looking anxiously at Bella to make sure she was okay with the dinner.
"Of course; you're practically family, and Bella definitely is," she smiled before turning to the small boy who had appeared, "Bradley darling, can you wash your hands before we sit down for dinner?"
He huffed and walked off, whilst Jasmine went about setting the table.
"Do you want any help?" Bella and I asked at the same moment, and then turned to smile at each other.
"No, you're guests, but would you mind terribly getting my mother to the table. She can't see much and goodness knows where she'd end up," she sighed.
"I'm not deaf yet Sarah Marie so you watch out. I may be blind, but I can still think clearly too," Florence retorted.
"Of course you are Granny," Jasmine said sweetly.
"Suck up," her brother muttered coming up to the table and sitting down.
"Uh Bradley, we won't have you saying that about your sister please," Sarah reprimanded softly.
We sat down to a beautiful meal of pasta in the most delicious creamy sauce. I felt beyond embarrassed when I had to excuse myself and threw it all back up in a ditch. That was the biggest let down of pregnancy, the throwing up of all you'd just eaten. I returned to the table and Bella smiled at me sympathetically.
"Are you all right Savannah dear?" Sarah asked.
"Of course she is: she's glowing with pregnancy; even I can see that," Florence scoffed.
"Oh, congratulations then," she grinned and passed the pan to me, "I know you're starving: I did this twice, and you eat, throw it up and then eat some more."
I accepted gratefully and put some more on my plate. It was getting late and Bella and I ought to be leaving, so we said our goodbyes and promised we'd visit soon. Bella took down and gave phone numbers whilst I smiled on: happy that my best friend had finally found some family.
The next morning, I woke up early, wondering what was on today's agenda. I looked over at Bella who was sleeping peacefully; a small smile playing on her lips. She rolled over and stretched as she turned to face me: laughing when she saw me.
"The sun's reflecting off your hair and for a second there I thought you were an angel," she laughed and I shook my head at her in disbelief.
"And I'm the one who's meant to come out with all that nonsense, then blame it on pregnancy hormones," I laughed as well.
"Don't forget to take all four hundred of those pills," she warned and I made a show of taking all of them one by one to prove I was taking them.
"Ah, I should have recorded that and sent it to Rose," she giggled.
"So, what are we doing today?" I asked curiously.
Her face became clouded and troubled as I waited for her reply:
"Well, I know this sounds stupid, but I was thinking that maybe we could visit Charlie's side of town. So his friends from college and maybe, um, maybe his dad?"
"That sounds good if that's what you want to do," I said, though I was slightly sceptical.
My phone pinged at that moment and I turned to read the message. It was from Sarah. Unbeknown to Bella I had given Sarah my number and asked her if she could track the call and then tell me (and only me) where it was from, in case Bella changed her mind.
"Who is it?"
"Oh, just Mum asking if I've taken all those tablets."
"Great minds think alike," she laughed and we started to get ready for the day.
I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror. I was eleven weeks along: nearly at the end of the first trimester, and according to my mother I should finish the morning sickness then, the baby would start to show and be fully formed, and I would need another scan. The first one was an emergency one just to make sure I was pregnant, and the picture didn't really show much detail; hopefully this one would give me more of an insight into what my baby would look like.
"Are you nearly ready yet?" Bella called in the door.
"Yes," I replied, slipping a dress on and coming out of the bathroom to find my boots and a coat.
We set off into the town and parked in a free car park, mentally noting where it was before going off in search of the Police Station. We found it directly opposite the big supermarket, and followed closely by Bella I entered and walked up to the main desk.
"Hello, how can we help?" A grumpy looking receptionist asked.
"We're looking for the address of the former Police Chief Mr Swan if you could give it to us," Bella said to the lady.
"Who are you? Do I look like someone who hands out peoples' addresses like that? Well I'm not, so unless you have a good reason please leave me be," she grumbled.
"Well, I'm his granddaughter Isabella Swan," Bella replied.
"And I'm the Queen. Now be on your way," she said and pointed rudely at the door.
"Thank-you for your time," I said as we left.
"Well she was a cheery bunny," I joked, but Bella didn't seem to find it funny.
A black haired man appeared round the corner and started walking towards us.
"Bella, I hate to say but there's a really scary man coming towards us and I don't dare to think what he wants," I whispered.
"Hey, wait," he called as we started walking away, "I heard what you were asking for in the Station, and I knew Charlie so can give you his father's address."
Bella spun around, whacking me with her elbow as she did so.
"Really?" she asked with a light in her eyes.
"Rule number one," I murmured, "Never talk to strangers."
She shot me a look and turned back to the man.
"Yes, my name is Richard Thomas and I was at college with Charlie. We were friends, but I suppose when he left I never heard much from him, apart from what the boys said about when his child was being born and he ended up in hospital from excess alcohol. I wasn't there that time," he told us.
"So you knew him? Did you ever meet me?"
"Once," he said and pondered the thought for a minute, "You were about one, and my wife and I were in holiday in the Lake District when I saw your father and mother sat by one of the lakes. He recognised me and started shouting at me, telling me to go away. You were in your mother's lap and started crying as soon as he started shouting: he then turned all his anger on you."
"What a loving father I had," Bella said sarcastically, "But do you have the address?"
"Yes, right. You see that big house up on the top of the hill there? Well that's his house," he told us and we thanked him before leaving.
"I'm not going to make it up that hill Isabella," I warned, so she ran back to get the car whilst I waited outside the sweet shop.
I could see all the sweets and children inside, and felt an urge to go in, so I did and once I got in I knew exactly what I'd wanted. Magic Stars. I hadn't had them since I was little, but I needed them now, so badly that I had to buy two packets just to make sure I had enough.
When Bella came back she saw me munching on chocolate and rolled her eyes as I got into the car.
"Rose was right about cravings starting wasn't she! And you're meant to be a model."
"Models should be all shapes and sizes, so shut-up and drive," I told her.
"Isn't that a song," she asked and started singing it; stopping as we came to the top of the hill.
"Well here goes nothing," she said and parked the car on the curb, locking it behind us with my precious chocolate inside.
She knocked on the heavy brass knocker, and it echoed through the house. I thought that maybe the fact that we lived in a huge house was an advantage at this point, as it made Mr Swan's house look less imposing.
An elderly man, who looked much as I'd always imagined Scrooge from a Christmas Carol opened the door and glared at us.
"What do you want: I don't give to charity," he barked then saw our car, "But I suppose you don't need charity, so what do you want? Hurry up I haven't got all day."
"We want to know about your son," Bella whispered fearfully.
He laughed a cold laugh:
"Well, what's there to know? He ran away with a gypsy; that's all there is to it, so if you don't mind I was enjoying my solitude."
"Wait," Bella spoke up, "He may have run away with a gypsy, but they also had a baby who they left alone in the world."
"That was probably best for the poor child: growing up with no idea of the abomination it was."
"But what if you were to meet this grandchild of yours? What would you do then?" Bella pressed.
"Curse them to the deepest darkest pits of hell for being an abomination to all mankind, and for being born out of wedlock. Don't say they were married, because no matter what a piece of paper says: the Lord would never allow a marriage between them to be legal in his eyes," he growled.
"Thank-you for your time sir," I said, pulling Bella's hand with me, but she fought free.
"Say what you like, but I want you to know that I am that child, so it's lovely to meet you...Grandpa," and with that she turned on her heel as he turned a dangerous shade of purple.
"You abomination, how dare you walk this land as though it were yours. Father strike down this devil spawn with lightening and make her suffer a most painful death," he boomed.
"And for the record," she shouted back, "My name's Isabella and it means 'devoted to God'."
"Cast you off and may you die a hundred painful deaths you sinning witch," he yelled as I climbed into the driver's seat and drove down the road.
Bella sat there shell shocked and I was quite worried, but she turned to me and looked me straight in the eye before saying:
"You shouldn't be driving in this state."
I took a deep breath:
"Look, you've just been cursed by your own flesh and blood and are not in a fit state to drive. I am pregnant. Carrying a baby. I am not disabled in any way, okay?"
She burst into forced laughter and I realised that had been her motive all along. I did love Bella sometimes, but I knew what her Grandfather had said had upset her more than she was letting on. I would keep an eye on her for the next few days. As we pulled into the hotel I saw out of the corner of my eye a very familiar car and long blonde hair. But it couldn't be them? Could it?
Thank-you for reading, and I know the pregnancy time has skipped on a bit, but otherwise this whole thing would drag out a bit so as there were no real time markers before I hope it's acceptable. Thank-you again, XxX