Bella Swan POV
3 months later
Years ago, when my parents were still alive and my father was mayor, there was a scandal that rocked our tiny coastal village. Now, I'm well aware that anything could be considered a "scandal" in a town this size; a teen pregnancy, a routine traffic stop, or even a simple misunderstanding between neighbors regarding whose tree was on whose property line.
In a small town everybody knows your business. There are no secrets; except where my family was concerned.
As far as everyone knew or believed, my family home was haunted. I could attest to that. But then there was the secret of my half-brother, Emmet. A secret that my parents thought they had kept under wraps. My father's affair had rocked my existence, but I had overcome and after meeting Emmet, I felt like I had a piece of my dad back.
Added to all of this was a blackmail scandal that drove an even bigger wedge in my parent's marriage and caused my dad to resign as mayor and lead a quiet life; retired at the young age of 35. I never learned anything about that. As I got older and found out about Emmet, I often wondered if the two were connected.
I was thinking about all of this as I was finishing my morning jog, just a month before Alice and Jasper's wedding. There were so many preparations left to complete. I still had so many unanswered questions about my family's past. And we still had yet to rid ourselves of our ghostly problems.
"A penny for your thoughts?" I heard a familiar female voice ask me. I turned from my perch on the front porch to see Esme Cullen standing before me, barefoot and with a cup of coffee in her hand. She was holding a bottle of water out to me with the other. I felt my brow furrow for a moment until I realized that I had run myself right to the Cullen's house. I took the water and cracked the top off to greedily drink the cool liquid.
"I was changing the sheets on our bed and saw you coming from out of the picture window." She explained. I sat down on the front steps and rolled my head on shoulders. Esme plopped down next to me and I took a glance at her. She was dressed casually in khaki shorts and white tank top. Even with no makeup on and the humidity playing with her hair, she still was beautiful to me.
"I didn't even realize I had come up here. I guess I just wasn't paying attention." I said with a shrug of my shoulders.
"Bella, you have rarely done anything without paying attention. What brings you over here?" she asked from behind her coffee mug.
She knew me too well; Esme always had. I sighed and lifted my sunglasses off my face and placed them atop my head.
If she didn't know, nobody would.
"Why was my father being blackmailed?"
Esme Cullen POV
It was time to bring out the Halloween decorations; kids would be coming for candy in just a few weeks. I was busy changing the sheets on the bed that Carlisle and I had shared almost 30 years now. Something caught my attention and I looked out the window saw a petite figure running up our drive. I smiled to myself as I moved downstairs to meet Bella.
I loved Bella like the daughter I had never had for as long as I'd known her family. When her parents passed away, I became a stand in mother. I always believed that Bella and I had a special relationship; she could talk to me like a mother or a friend, and I had come to enjoy the time we spent together.
I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a cup of coffee for me and a bottle of water out of the fridge for Bella. As I walked back to the front door to meet her on the front porch I could see that she was lost in thought. She hadn't even knocked; and I wondered if she even realized she had come here.
I stepped quietly out the front door and moved to stand a few feet away from her.
"A penny for your thoughts?" I asked from behind her. She pivoted in place and was surprised to see me there. I saw the confusion cloud her eyes for a moment before she took the bottle I was holding in my outstretched hand and drank almost half the bottle in one gulp.
"I was changing the sheets on our bed and saw you coming from out of the picture window." I explained. Bella sat down on the front steps and stretched her neck; I could literally feel the tension rolling off of her. I dropped down next to her. She looked over at me and I saw the faintest hint of a smile playing on her lips.
"I didn't even realize I had come up here. I guess I just wasn't paying attention." She said, moving her shoulders. I laughed to myself and shook my head.
"Bella, you have rarely done anything without paying attention. What brings you over here?" I asked as I took another sip of my coffee.
I knew being forward with Bella would work, she appreciated that. She sighed and removed her sunglasses.
She had the most serious look on her face, yet it was mixed with curiousness that I remembered seeing in her eyes when she was a child.
"Why was my father being blackmailed?" she asked.
I actually choked on my coffee; that was definitely the last thing I expected out of her mouth. I wiped at my chin and laughed a little while trying to regain my composure.
"Um, why don't we go inside and talk?" I said as I stood up and extended a hand to help Bella up.
"Maybe we should wait." She stuttered. I think she was hesitating because while she asked, she didn't really want to know the answer.
"Absolutely not Bella. Why don't you run upstairs and take a quick shower; I'm pretty sure I can find something for you to wear." I said as Bella grimaced slightly.
"Uh, yeah. I'm guess I'm a little gross." Bella laughed.
I wrapped my arm around her and led her inside. She headed upstairs and I heard the bathroom door open and the shower start.
I went to the kitchen and made a pitcher of lemonade. I was planning on taking lunch to the boys while they were over at the inn moving furniture back inside and starting on preparations for Jasper and Alice's wedding.
I heard Bella come down the stairs and walk into the kitchen. I poured two glasses of lemonade. I wasn't sure how to explain all of this to her. I had kept this a secret for 15 years. How was I supposed to come clean about it now?
She sat down quietly at the kitchen counter and I began pulling everything out for chicken salad sandwiches.
"Esme? Please just tell me." Bella all but pleaded with me. I stopped my chopping to look up at her.
"Bella, I'm worried that you're going to be hurt; maybe even disappointed. I don't want that for you." I said evenly.
"After everything I've ever been through, don't you feel like I deserve to know?" Bella retorted.
I sighed and moved to sit next to her. Instinctively I lifted my hand to her hair and began to play with the ends.
"About 6 years after Emmet was born, his mother brought him to the island looking for Charlie. As you remember from the stories we used to tell you, your dad had just won his second term as mayor. You would have been about four or five." I moved to go back to make sandwiches.
"Maria, unfortunately, wasn't very discreet in searching for your father. She asked for him everywhere and since you've met Emmet, you can see how much he looks like Charlie, people began to wonder. Of course, Charlie denied it all; even though your mother knew. Bella, there are some people in this town that didn't like your dad. They thought of him as some spoiled brat that was raised in a family of nuts." I took a deep breath; I hated thinking about how my best friends were perceived because of the family there were in.
"Bella, do you remember who became mayor after your father? You were very young, but…"
Bella cut me off, "Of course, James Laurent. He broke term limits and has been the mayor for years. What does all this mean? Was Laurent the one that blackmailed my dad?"
I let out a deep breath, "There wasn't any blackmail…technically. Laurent wanted your father out of office, so he made sure to find out what he could about this woman that was looking for Charlie and why they were connected. When presented with all the information and the knowledge that James would do anything to get your father out…Charlie resigned. Was it blackmail? Yes and no. Should we have told you a long time ago? Maybe. But as long as Emmet was secret, we couldn't risk telling you."
I looked up to gauge Bella's reaction. Her face was expressionless.
"So, what you're telling me is that all those times I overheard my parents talking about the scandal, it was more like the 'potential' for a scandal?" she asked quietly.
"Yes, I would think so, since no one knows why your father resigned."
"Then why does it seem like everyone in town resents my father, my family? Why does everyone stare at me?" she was almost crying at this point. I couldn't imagine what she was thinking.
"I think that they have been confused as to why he left office. The general consensus was that he was doing a great job and the town loved him." I reached out to touch her hand gently, "And, the reason they stare at you isn't because of animosity towards your family, but because you came back. I think everyone still mourns their deaths; I know I do. If they hated you and your family, do you think they would have been so supportive of the Inn?"
Bella was silent for several minutes as I finished the food before she finally spoke.
"Do you think it's crazy that I'm not upset? I mean I really understand that you were all trying to protect me from being hurt." Bella stated. She got up and started helping package all the food.
"That's all we wanted; to keep you kids protected. Edward only found out after your parents died. And that was mostly accident. I hope you aren't upset…we lied to you for so long."
"Esme, a lie is only a lie when it hurts someone." She paused, "Ok, it's always a lie and that's a horrible philosophy, but what I'm trying to say is that I would do anything in my power to protect the people that I loved. If that meant keeping a secret for over 20 years I would. Case closed."
I silently thanked God for her never ending resilience and continued packing up the food.
"Esme?" I looked at her, "Do you think it's weird that I want to go to Swan's Neck?"
"Oh Bella! It's so dangerous out there, even for experienced sailors. You haven't sailed in years! The last boat you were on was the ferry. I don't think that's a good idea at all." I said honestly. The last thing I wanted was another tragedy.
"I know, but I used to sail all the time. And I think it would help to go out there…and see where…I don't know why, but I feel like I need to go out there." She told me.
I wasn't sure what to say, so I remained quiet and we finished putting the food together.
"Bells, do you want to come over to the Inn with me?" I asked, feeling like she was drifting away in her own thoughts.
"Uh, no Esme. I'm sorry but I think I just want to go home and rest for a while." She responded.
I nodded and grabbed my purse and the food. I led Bella out of the house and drove her home. When I dropped her off, she walked around to the back porch. I assume to look out over the water. I turned my car around and headed to the inn. I needed to tell Edward to watch out for her…