A/N I don't own most of the characters, but the story is all mine
When I got home, I was running late so Bella was waiting for me on the front porch. By the time I put the car in park, she was already getting in.
"We're going to be late!" She was frowning.
"I'm sorry. I got caught up in a lot of paperwork at work. Don't worry, you won't be late." I grumbled guiltily. "I'll drop you at the door and park, what office are you going to?"
"I see Dr. O'Leary on the third floor." She said as she jumped out of the car and she quickly disappeared through the automatic doors.
I found a parking spot and made me way inside. Following the signs and Bella's directions, I made it up to the office about five minutes after her appointment was scheduled to start. As I walked in the door, I looked around the waiting room, and was surprised that Bella wasn't in there, she must already have been taken into a room. I sat down in one of the chairs and flipped through a magazine about pregnancy. There was not much to read for men int the waiting room...go figure.
I studied every picture, pamphlet and magazine cover and still no Bella. Several other women came in and disappeared into the inner office, but none had come back out. Were they having a party back there? Was there a mysterious black hole that they fell into when they went through that door? Bella had been back in there for at least 45 minutes when finally she reappeared. She was talking to an older women with a white lab coat, and graying red hair. I was too far away to hear what they were saying, but I could see that Bella looked upset. The doctor placed her hand on Bella's shoulder and said something else to her and they both turned and walked back in. The door automatically swinging shut and latching behind them.
Another ten minutes ticked slowly by and then finally Bella reappeared. This time she carried an armful of paperwork and literature.
She slowly walked over to me, then said in a very low voice. "I'm ready to go when you are." She glanced around the office then sighed. "I have a prescription to fill, can we stop at the pharmacy?"
"Is everything okay Bella?" I asked as I pulled her into my arms. "You look...upset." Her shoulders were tense and she held her body stiff and away from my hug.
She just shrugged and tried to smile, but I could see the sadness in her eyes. The smile never made it to her eyes. She looked into my eyes and finally sighed and dropped the pretense and melted into my arms and against me. Her tiny frame shaking as she buried her head into my chest, her arms wrapping around my waist and holding onto me tightly. I knew something was wrong, but I figured she would tell me when she was ready. Meanwhile I would hold her and be there for her.
Bella slowly pulled away from me and looked up at me. Her eyes looked wet, but no tears had fallen. "Thank you. I needed that." She whispered. Her tiny hand reached out to my hand and squeezed as she turned to walk out of the office. I followed her lead and remained silent for the time being. I liked the feeling of her hand in mine. Her skin so soft and the bones so delicate...fragile.
I led her back out to the parking lot and helped her in the car, before getting in and driving to the pharmacy across the street from the station.
We walked in and Bella walked up to the counter and handed over a pice of paper. We walked around the store, while we waited. I stayed by her side the whole time.
"Are you still mad at me, for getting home so late? I asked.
She shook her head no. Then looked up at me blushing. "I, uhm...I need to grab some stuff." And she pulled away from me. I went and sat in the waiting area, as she finished her shopping without me, then walked up to the pharmacy counter to pay for her purchases and prescription. She looked around, spotted me, and walked over.
"Okay. All set. Where to now?" She asked me.
"Well we are having dinner with my parents tonight, but my dad wanted us to come over early, but that is a couple of hours away. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. I cleaned out Jacob's locker at work and found some interesting things in there. One of which I can ask you about now." I reached in my front pocket and pulled out the key I had carried around for the last couple of days. "It looks like a banks safe deposit box key. Do you know anything about this?" I asked as I handed it to her.
Again she just shook her head no.
"Well, let's head over to the bank and see if they can answer any questions..." I suggested.
"Okay." Bella agreed.
I drove to the bank and we went inside. We stepped up to the available teller and I asked her about the key.
"Let me get a manager to help you with that." The teller said.
A heavy-set man came out to us and introduced himself. "Hello, I am Mr. Simpson. How can I help you?"
Bella stepped forward. "I'm Isabella Black. My husband, Jacob Black, recently passed away. As I was going through his personal effects, I came across this key. I was hoping you could help shed some light on this matter."
Damn! She sounded so in control. Mr. Simpson nodded and said. "Yes, that is one of ours. Let me check to verify that it was Mr. Black's box." He said and led us back to his office.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Black, this key didn't belong to your husband...er...late husband." Mr. Simpson said politely.
Bella turned to look at me, then turned back to the bank manager. "How about William Black?" She asked.
Mr Simpson shook his head. "No. I'm Sorry."
Bella's brow furrowed and she frowned. She brought her hand to her mouth and ran a finger over her lips while she thought. "How about Charles Swan?" She said hesitantly.
The managers face showed his surprise. "Why yes. This was owned by Chief Swan. How do you know him?" Mr. Simpson asked.
"I am his daughter. Will I be able to look in the box?" Bella asked.
What the hell! What was Jacob doing with a safety deposit key belonging to Bella's dad. How did it come into his possession, and why was he hiding it in his locker at work?
The bank manager was clicking on the computer and was talking. "Based on the notes here, only Chief Swan or his daughter Isabella Marie Swan can go into the box. I will need to see proof that you are his daughter." Mr. Simpson said.
Bella pulled her driver's license and social security card out and handed them over to the manager. "Will this do? I don't have anything with my maiden name on it."
Mr. Simpson nodded. "Actually this will work. Chief Swan had your social security number down to use as reference for when you got married."
Mr. Simpson stood and led us to the back room, where the safe deposit boxes were. He walked up to a wall with boxes and he slipped his key into a box and indicated that Bella should put her key in the other lock. She stepped forward and slid her key in. They turned the keys at the same time, releasing the locks and freeing the box from its drawer, and pulled it from the wall.
"If you follow me, you can sit in a private room to inspect the contents." Mr. Simpson said.
Bella nodded and held the box in her arms, tightly to her chest and we followed him to the private room. He let us in, then left, closing the door behind himself.
"Bella, do you want some privacy?" I asked her. I could see that she was a little shook up.
"Why did Jake have this key? How did he get it?" She asked me. "Obviously Charlie...I mean my dad, didn't want just anyone getting in here..." My thoughts exactly.
"I don't know. Open the box. Maybe the answers are in there." I said softly. I was curious too.
She slowly removed the lid and pulled everything out. There was a sd memory card, a usb flash drive and a manilla envelope with all kinds of papers shoved haphazardly inside.
I pulled my chair over, closer to Bella, so I could see what was in the folder. She reached out with a shaking hand and flipped it open. Inside was sheet upon sheet of notes, in Charlie's writing. It looked like a case file. There was a lot of information that didn't make sense, but the gist of it all, was they were investigative notes, pertaining to some dirty cops on the take, dealing drugs, and prostitution.
"Oh my God!" Bella whimpered. "This might tell us who killed Charlie." She slumped against me, cringing away from all the papers in front of her.
"Bella. We need to turn all of this over to the police department..." I started to say, but she was furiously shaking her head, and pulling from my arms.
"No! Someone in the Forks Police Department is dirty! My dad was investigating dirty cops. Someone in his own department may have killed him...murdered him. I can't trust anyone in the Forks Police Department, because I have no idea who he was investigating, and who could be involved. We can't just hand this over to someone there, it might just disappear, and then whoever did this, whoever is doing all of this stuff, will just get away with it. No! I won't let that happen. My dad deserves to have this case looked into...to have his murder solved...for his murderer to go to jail and serve for the crimes he committed." She was tapping her fingers on the table top and staring off into the distance.
"Well, I think we should make copies of everything in here, before we turn it over." I said. "That way we have the originals, and they won't just disappear. Like an insurance policy. Also, I think we should go the Washington State Police. They can start an investigation, without too much suspicion." I looked over at Bella and she was nodding. "We don't have time today though, so Monday we will come back with my laptop. We will make a copy of the sd card and flash drive. We can check with Mr. Simpson, to see if we can use a copier to make a set of Charlies notes too." I was thinking out loud.
"Yes. Yes, that's what we will do. Edward, I'm scared. I'm scared if someone finds out we have this information, that we will be killed next." A slow tear trickled down her cheek. I pulled her into my arms and held her, but had no words of comfort. I felt the same way. I had the same fears, and I just wanted to keep Bella safe.
"Bella, when we leave this room, you have to act like there was nothing important in the box. You need to stop crying." I bent and kissed the tears from her cheeks. "Smile. Pretend to be happy."
I couldn't help myself, and I placed my lips over hers. When she cried, her lips quivered...it was the most erotic thing I had ever seen. Like a siren, her lips called to my own. It wasn't a deep or passionate kiss...I just wanted to feel her lips under mine, see if I could feel the quiver with my own, and I could. I felt her sigh, and then pull her shoulders back, and stiffen her resolve. She got control of herself, her emotions, and her expression.
"Okay." She whispered, staring me in the eye. Her hand caressed my cheek, and I could see she was drawing strength from me.
"Remember, smile. Let's get out of here and over to my parents house." I whispered to her. I was rubbing her arms to get her to relax. "If we are being watched, we have to convince whoever, that nothing important was in here?" I hoped I was up to the task too!
Bella put everything back into the box and as we opened the door to leave the room, Mr. Simpson came back over to us.
"You folks all set?" He asked. We both smiled and nodded.
"Yes sir! Thank you so much!" Bella said happily and hugged the man. His expression made me chuckle.
He stepped back looking surprised, but then smiled back at her. How could he help himself from smiling, her grin was contagious, and the happiness rolling off of her right now, made me feel like nothing was wrong in our little world.
Bella turned her back on the lobby and winked at me, then smiled and started bouncing and clapping her hands. For a moment she reminded me of Alice. Anyone looking at her would think she had just won the lottery. I smiled at her indulgently. She could be so darn cute! I knew she was acting, but she was making it easier for me with her antics. She deserved an Oscar! She jumped up and hugged me with a little squeal, and I couldn't help but laugh softly at her. We left the bank, my arm tightly wrapped around her shoulders, and her bouncing around excitedly.
We got in the car and headed over to my parents house. Once in the privacy of my car, Bella dropped the pretense and stared off out the window. Her hands were twisting and worrying her seatbelt, as she sighed.
I reached over and took Bella's hand. "We will talk about the box later, let's not tell my parents about this, Okay?" I squeezed her hand gently. She turned to look at me and I saw out of the corner of my eye her head nod in agreement. "There was something else I found in Jacob's locker, that you need to know about, but that is why we are going to my parents early. My dad has some information for us about what I found..." I trailed off. I didn't want to be the one to tell her, that her husband may have been doing illegal drugs.
I pulled into the hidden driveway to my parents house. I could see Bella's curiosity as she started really looking around. The drive was a well maintained, single dirt track, twisting and turning through the woods. We were completely enclosed by trees. As we came around the final curve into the clearing where their home stood, I heard her gasp.
"Ohhhh...This is your parents home?" She looked at me with wide shocked eyes. "Did you grow up here?"
"Yes. To both." I smirked at her. I pulled up in front of the house and jumped out and ran around to Bella's side, and opened her door for her.
As we walked up the wide porch steps, the front door was flung open wide by my mother.
"You're early! Good! You must be Bella?" My mom walked out to greet us and walked right past me to hug Bella. I saw Bella's eyes open wide with surprise, but she returned the hug.
"What am I, chopped liver?" I muttered to myself. My mom just looked over at me and smirked. I took after my mom. She had the same crazy hair color and green eyes. She was tall for woman and still slim, and she didn't look a day over 40. She looked damn good for a woman in her mid-fifties. Her skin was still smooth and soft and unlined.
"Ahem!" I cleared my throat. "Mom, this is Isabella Black...who you are smothering. Bella, this is my mother...Esme Cullen." I was chuckling softly as the two women pulled apart and smiled at each other.
"I'm so happy to finally get to meet you, Bella. I have heard so much about you." My mother was beaming at her. Than glanced to me and she got a stern look on her face. "And you! You should have brought her to meet me sooner." She slapped my arm, hard, then put her arm through Bella's and dragged her inside, leaving me alone on the porch. Bella turned to look at me over her shoulder with an amused, if slightly confused expression, but let herself be pulled inside.
"Mother..." I started, but got another stern look from her. "Mom, we came early because dad had something he needed to talk to us about. I said, as I trailed in behind them.
"Well, Carlisle isn't home yet, so you can sit and spend some time with me." My mother said firmly, then walked into the kitchen.
"What a beautiful kitchen, it must be a dream to cook in here." Bella sighed, as she first looked around the room, then started walking the area, her fingers gliding over the countertops and caressing the stainless steel appliances. "I love to cook, and this is my absolute dream kitchen." She said on a happy sigh. "Can I help you with anything for dinner?" Hope in her voice.
My mother chuckled and shook her head. "No, sweetie, I'm sorry. Everything is ready to go."
Bella pouted prettily. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She was so amazing. I could feel my mother's eyes on me, but I just couldn't drag my eyes away from Bella's pouting lips. I wanted to kiss, suck and bite that lower lip so bad. I almost moaned out loud, but caught myself at the last moment. Thankfully my dad walked in through the garage door, and distracted me from my thoughts of Bella's lips and mouth.
"Good. You're both here. Let's go up to my office to discuss what I found." Dad said as he walked over to my mom and kissed her softly. "We won't be long Esme dear." Then he led the way upstairs to his home office. Bella's eyes were darting everywhere, trying to take in as much as possible as we followed my dad.
"When we are done talking, I will give you the grand tour." I said softly. She turned to me, beaming and nodded.
"Yes! Please!" Then to my father, "Dr. Cullen, you have a beautiful home."
"Please, call me Carlisle." He turned and winked at her. "Come in and have a seat." He indicated the sofa. Bella and I sank down together at the same time. She was practically on my lap...and that was just fine by me. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and held her close to my side. I saw my dad raise an eyebrow, but he kept his thoughts to himself.
"Bella, did Edward tell you what he found in Jacob's locker?" Dad started.
Bella looked at me and shrugged. "Uhm...Edward told me he found a safety deposit key and some other things, but the only thing we have discussed is the key so far." She said, looking at me than at my father. "Why? What else did you find?" Her voice had a hint of panic in it, as she turned to look at me again.
In a seemingly strange switch in topic my dad said, "Tell me about Jacob."
Bella looked at me again, confusion in her eyes, then looked back at my dad.
"What do you want to know?" I could feel the tremors start in her body. She must suspect something.
"Tell me about the Jacob you grew up with, compared to the Jacob you married." My dad prompted her gently.
I felt her little body shudder than her arms wrapped around her body. Yep. She was upset. I turned to her and hugged her into my body and leaned down to kiss her temple at the hair-line. Her body relaxed slightly as she leaned into me, but she kept her arms tightly wrapped around her body.
"Growing up, Jake was always happy and fun. Easy going. Nothing got him down. I called him my personal sun. No matter the weather, how cloudy or rainy it was...no matter how sad, down, depressed I was, he warmed me and made me feel better." Bella started. Her voice low and soft.
I kind of hated that she had such warm memories of him.
"He was my best friend, my big brother. He took care of me and watched out for me. He protected and defended me. He was my...everything." She whimpered, a single tear trickled down her cheek
I hated the bastard, and God forgive me...I was glad he was dead. Bella belonged with me, and if he was still here, I just knew she would have stuck by his side, no matter what.
"When I came back from college...when my dad died...he was different. He still wanted to protect me and take care of me, but he was darker. He was moody and secretive. I had never really seen him sad or mad before, but when I came back, his moods would swing from happy to sad, excited to really, really angry at the drop of a hat. It was frightening. I never knew where I stood anymore. I was afraid to talk, in case I set him off. I walked on eggshells around him." More tears welled in her eyes then slipped out, silently tracking down to her quivering chin.
God! What that mother fucker put her through! He didn't deserve her!
My dad nodded, then asked, "What about physically?"
Bella looked at him strangely then said, "Well, before, I never really looked at him that way. He was big and tall, muscular, but not bulky, I guess. He had long hair, that he always tied back at the nape of his neck. I knew lots of girls that wanted to be with him, but he never really gave them the time of day. I guess he was good-looking..." She trailed off, remembering a younger Jacob.
Little fucker, on the football team, girls panting after him. Why did he have to want Bella?
"When I came back, his muscles were bigger...more defined. He had shaved his head, and kept his hair really short. Almost like a military style haircut. He never had a problem with acne as a teen, but now, he seemed to have frequent breakouts. He would shower two to three times a day. He said his skin was oily and if he worked out he had to shower again. He seemed to brush his teeth a lot too. Almost obsessively...like six times a day." Now Bella looked frightened, as she glanced at me then my dad.
Arrogant, conceited ass hole!
"Why? What was going on with Jacob?" Her body was vibrating from her tremors.
My dad sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, then looked Bella directly in the eyes. "Jacob was injecting steroids."
I heard her gasp and her whole body flinched and jerked back, like he had slapped her. She was in denial. "NO!"
Dad just shook his head. "Bella, Edward found needles, syringes, alcohol swabs and a vial of an unmarked solution in Jacob's locker. I sent the vial off to be tested. It was steroids. All the things you described, the differences in physique...oily skin, bad breath, and mood swings...are all indicators of steroid abuse. I'm sorry, Bella. But at least this explains his behavior to you."
Like it was okay? Because he was doing steroids? That made everything okay? Shit! I looked at Bella and she looked like a wounded animal...trapped...nowhere to go...nowhere to hide.
"Yeah, Bella. Remember how you said your friend Jacob had died years ago. In a way you were right. When he started shooting up steroids, he became a different person." I said softly trailing my finger gently over her cheek, wiping a tear away. "At least, now you know." I kissed her temple again, holding her close. I hated Jacob Black! I hated what he did to Bella! I hated what he was still doing to her!
This raised a lot of questions in my mind though. Jake abusing drugs...Charlie investigating dirty cops on the take and dealing drugs...maybe steroids too?...and Jake having that key...the key that held all of the answers...keeping it hidden and in the process protecting the criminal element in Forks. Hiding the investigative notes and possible proof to put some drug dealers, and possibly Charlie's murderer, behind bars. This was looking dirtier and deeper than I had previously thought. What the hell was going on in Forks! I wasn't a cop. I didn't know how to search for these answers. I would have to put this in someone elses hands and trust them to solve the case. I just wanted to make sure Bella was safe. I would do anything to protect her.
The sound of a car pulling up in the driveway, and the closing of car doors, reached us in the silence of the room.
"Ahh...that sounds like your sister and her husband. I will give you some privacy to come to terms with this new information, Bella. Edward, may I have a private word with you?" And he stood up and walked out of the office.
Now what? We walked into the hall and he quietly closed the door. "What's going on with you two Edward? I thought you were going to wait? Give her space to mourn? What I saw in there, was not giving her space, you were all over her." He whispered urgently.
"Well, I was going to give her space...let her set the pace of our relationship. And I have!" I answered softly. "I'm not pushing her, at all. She didn't love Jacob Black anymore. She felt like he forced her to marry him. There was a lot of animosity between them when he died. She told me she mourned for him a couple of years ago when they married and she realized she had married a stranger. Her friend and boy she knew, no longer existed and she didn't like the man she had ended up with."
"Well, now that she knows about the steroid abuse, she might need space and time to mourn. Please don't push her for your own selfish desire and needs. Give her the space she needs to deal with all of this." He said, then clapped me on the shoulder. "I know you will do what's right...what's best. I'll see you downstairs in a little bit." And he jogged away.
I stood there for a while, leaning against the wall and trying to process everything I knew. It was a lot of information to take in, and I could just imagine how this was affecting Bella. It was so much more personal and closer to the heart and home for her then for me. But I realized, her pain was my pain as well. She had come to mean so much to me, and just thinking about her put a smile on my face.
Bella!
I went back in the office to find her still sitting on the sofa, staring off into space. It looked like she hadn't moved at all since I left her a couple of minutes ago. I slowly approached her, in her line of vision, but she didn't acknowledge me...lost in her thoughts. I sank down to my knees in front of her and grabbed her hands.
"Bella? Are you okay?" I asked her softly. Her eyes focused in on me, and she sighed deeply, her whole body collapsing into mine.
"Edward." Just a breath of air and then her lips found mine and she kissed me. Her hands ran over my cheeks into my hair and tugged me closer, deeper. I certainly had no problem with that and slanted my head and pressed in, licking her lips and waiting. Finally she opened for me and I plunged in, stabbing my tongue into her mouth. She softly moaned and sucked on my tongue, her body moving closer to mine. God! She could sure kiss! Just one simple, small act, and she had me hard and panting. Her kiss turned desperate, as she tightened her arms around me and crushed her lips to mine. She was shaking and whimpering, and I knew we had to end this...before it got more out of hand. I'm sure my dad would not appreciate me having sex on his sofa.
I moaned and pulled away. "Everyone is downstairs and waiting on us, and I promised you a tour of the house." I was placing soft kisses all over her face, nose, chin, eyes and ears. "Come on! Let's go."
I stood and offered her my hand. She place her hand in mine and I tugged her up and into my arms. We hugged...for several long minutes. I could feel my heart beating hard in my chest as I held her close to me. It amazed me how tiny she was and yet she fit so perfectly in my arms...and the feelings she created in me were anything but small...they were huge...uncontainable, wild and running rampant...exhilerating.
In silent, mutual agreement we both pulled back and I took Bella's hand and led her from the office. I gave her a quick tour of the upstairs, saving my childhood bedroom for last. As I opened the door for her and ushered her in I said, "Yeah...uhm...this was my room." My mom had left it as it had been, when I left for college over a decade ago. All the posters, awards, trophies and things that were so important to me when I was in high school still sat, in shrine-like perfection. I watched as Bella glanced around the room, then looked back at me.
"How many girls have you brought up to your bedroom, Edward?" She whispered shyly.
I cleared my throat. "Uhm...just Tanya...my ex, and you."
She looked up at me, then started prowling around the room. She stopped in front of the trophies and checked each one, then moved on to the awards. Her fingers lightly trailing over the proof of my childhood achievements. Then she walked back to me with a small smile on her face and wrapped her arms around me. We left my room, and went downstairs to finish the tour, after which we joined everyone in the kitchen.
"There you are! Dinner is ready. Go sit down in the dining room and I will bring everything out." My mom said. Alice and my mom brought the food out as Jasper, my dad, Bella and I went in and sat down at the perfectly set table.
"Hey Bella, How you doing?" Jasper asked.
"I'm okay...how about you?" She responded.
"I'm doing great! Thanks for asking." Jazz had a huge grin on his face. What was that all about. I looked around at my dad, then Bella. They both looked just as confused as I felt. We were interrupted by my mom and Alice coming in with the last of the food and sitting down at the table. A look passed between Ali and Jazz, and they smiled gently at each other.
The rest of the meal was my mom grilling Bella about her life and Bella answering her queries.
Dinner was soon over and I stood to help clear the table. My mom and I ended up alone in the kitchen and she looked over at me and said softly, "I like her!" When I looked at her with a smile she added, "You love her, don't you?"
I was going to deny her, but when I looked in my mother's eyes, I couldn't lie. "Yes! I do! But I think it's too soon to be professing my love to her. Like dad reminded me earlier, she needs to mourn. but I'm not going anywhere. I will be here for her, no matter what. I just hope that someday she can feel for me even a fraction of what I feel for her." I sighed and looked down at my feet. Could Bella ever love me? Trust me? Need me? God! I sure hoped so.
I felt my mom wrap her arms around me. "Rest assured, my darling boy...she feels the same as you."
I jerked my head up and looked at her, searching her eyes for the truth. She just nodded and smiled. I felt a rush of emotion surge through my body...almost like an adrenaline rush. Pure and powerful emotion ripped though me. I pulled my mom back in and hugged her hard.
"Here. Take these dessert plates and forks out and I will be right behind you with dessert. My mom said, pushing me back towards the dining room. I walked in the room and set the pile down at my mother's place setting, than sat back down next to Bella.
"Dessert! Who wants a piece?" My mom brought in her famous strawberry rhubarb pie. She efficiently cut the pie and then served it onto the plates and passed them down with a fork. Once everyone had a piece we dug in.
Alice looked around the table then said, "Jasper and I have an announcement!" She paused for everyone to stop eating and look at her. "We're pregnant!" She said and giggled. "I'm eight weeks and due October 3rd." She was bouncing in her seat and grinning from ear to ear.
Bella jumped up from her seat and ran around the table and gave Alice a big hug, squealing the whole time.
"Oh, I'm so happy for you!" Bella said, and she genuinely did look happy for Alice. When I first heard Ali say she was pregnant, I was afraid Bella would be sad or upset. But she seemed fine...more than fine actually.
"Congratulations Sis...Jazz!" I said. Happy for them both. Alice had tried for years to get pregnant, so this was a long-awaited and highly desired event. Both Alice and Jasper looked over-the-moon excited.
My mom and dad looked crazy happy too. This would be their first grandchild.
Everybody was talking at once, so I just sat back and watched everyone...not hearing what was being said, just the hum and buzz of many happy voices talking. I was watching Bella. She fit in so well with my family, like she has always been a part of them. And they all welcomed and treated her like one of us...loving and accepting her. Letting her in on, and including her in their lives.
I wanted her to always be a part of our lives. I had admitted to my mother that I loved her, and I did. With all of my heart, mind, body and soul.
I couldn't wait to tell her...how much I loved her, but I knew that I would have to wait...just a little bit longer. We needed to resolve some of the turbulence in our lives, before we could forge ahead and make our happily ever after.