My continued appreciation for the review and alerts. It really makes me smile to get them! Butterflybetty...as always, THANKS!
I can't believe we have to wait a for Breaking Dawn Part One to come out November 2011 and Part Two in November 2012. I know they need to space the movies out more, but still. It's going to be a long wait.
Please read, review and especially, ENJOY!
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. I just use its characters to tell my story.
Coming Home
Chapter Fourteen
EMPOV
We just got through with Rose's latest doctor's appointment. We only have a couple of weeks or so to go now. Her doctor told us that everything was looking good, although, her blood pressure still remains borderline high, but not nearly as bad as right after … 'the incident'.
'The incident'…that is the only thing that I call the…crash. I couldn't say her name. I never thought saying my baby sister's name, especially out loud, would ever cause me so much pain, let alone the cause from which she was taken away from us. 'The incident' was the safest thing I could refer to that everyone could understand what and why I was referring to it that way.
Rose and I made small talk on our way home. I am going to drop her off at home, then go over to my parents' house. I hadn't seen them in a while….ever since…..the service. According to Jasper, he hasn't seen or heard much from the either. They both seem to be turning into hermits. Of course, Dad took a leave of absence from work since…'the incident.' I know we all have to deal with everything that is going on in our own way, but I need to be sure that they are okay.
"Come on, Rose. Let's get you inside the house before it starts raining."
"Oh, Emmett. Come on. Please let me go with you to see everyone. I can't stand being at home anymore. I am about to go even more insane than I might have already been."
"Well, you won't get any arguments from me, Sweetie, on your partial insanity admission," I smile, "but even though everything checked out okay, Dr. Meadows still wants you to stay off your feet and get plenty of rest. We can't take a chance of anything happening to Peanut, can we?"
"Don't you guilt me into staying home, Emmett! I know why am doing all of this! Do you think I can honestly can forget? I'm constantly being kicked and elbowed in my ribs, bladder and any other organ the baby can get to day and especially night, I can't tie my shoes let alone see my feet, I have to pee like every 30 minutes and 10 times during the night, I can't get out bed or off the couch without someone pulling me up, do you really think I don't know WHY I'M DOING THIS? YOU GET THE EASY WAY OUT! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH? HUH? NOTHING! ABSOLUTELY FUCKING NOTHING! YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PERIOD OR ANYTHING…AND WHAT IS THAT ABOUT? HOW DO YOU GET AWAY WITH THAT? HOW IS THIS IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM FAIR? HUH? HUH?"
Wooooooooow! Open mouth, insert foot. Major mood swing. I better fix this and fix this NOW!
"Babe, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to have it sound like that. I know you are uncomfortable, and you know if it were possible, I would go through it for you. As for everything else, I can't tell you why things are the way they are, but we can only make the best out of the situation. " We enter the house and motion for her to sit on the couch. "Why don't you put your feet up and I'll get you a bowl of ice cream and put on of your favorite movies, okay? Which movie do you want watch? Do you want that vampire movie with those werewolves in it or …."
She slowly walks over to me and puts her arms around me. "You are a good man, Emmett Dale Swan, and I love you."
I smile back and kiss her. "I love you, too, Rosie."
She goes sits with her feet up on the couch, as I put the vampire movie in and get her the ice cream. Ice cream works every time! I bring her the bowl of ice cream and kiss her goodbye. I remind her I have my cell phone on me and head out.
As I back out of the driveway, I decide to go visit Jasper first. Jasper and I have been sure to keep in even more contact than we had already, but I hadn't actually seen him in a couple of days.
When I get there, I knock on the door. Alice quickly opens the door.
"Hey, Em." She says in a really low voice. Her hair is a mess and she looks tired.
"Well, a wonderful day to you, too, Pixie." I say sarcastically. "What's up with you?" I ask as I walk in the door.
"Sorry, Em. I'm not feeling too well today. Jas is in the kitchen." She says as she lays down on the couch.
"Okay….thanks." I reply as I head into the kitchen were I find Jasper opening up a small box of popcorn.
"Hey, Bro, what's up?" I ask.
"Hey, Em! What are you doing here? I'm about to sit down, watch the game, pop some popcorn and have a beer. You interested?"
"Well, you know me, I'm always up for popcorn and beer, but I'm not going to be staying too long. I'm just about to go over to Mom and Dad's soon. I haven't seen or heard from them in a bit but I thought I would stop by first and see what you were up to."
"That's probably not a bad idea to go over there. Alice said that when she spoke with Mom a couple of days ago, she sounded kind of weird. I was planning on heading over there myself tomorrow." He says as he places the bag of popcorn in the microwave.
"Yeah, I haven't seen either of them since…" I hesitate for a moment but Jas catches on and nods his head.
"Yeah, me either. Esme says Mom hasn't been over to there house for a couple of weeks now, and I know that things are hard for everyone….right now, but something seems off. I ran into Billy at the grocery store the other day and he says he can't get Dad out of the house, to even go fishing."
"I have a feeling something more is going on and…"
All of the sudden, we hear someone running in the house and a door slamming.
Jas and I ran into the living room and see that Alice is gone and then, after a moment, toilet flushes.
Jas turns to me and says, "She hasn't felt too good the last day or so. I think it's the stomach flu or something."
"Well, man, on that note, I'm outta here. I can't bring that stuff home to Rose or I'll be in sooooo much trouble no amount of ice cream is going to get me out of the dog house."
Just then Alice walks out of the bathroom.
"How you holding up, baby?" Jas asks.
"Not too good. I smelled that popcorn popping and I didn't think I'd make it to the bathroom fast enough. Ugh." She quickly covers her mouth and runs back into the bathroom.
"Well, with that happy thought, I'm outta here." I said walking quickly out the front door.
Jas walks me out and says, "Hey, man, call me and let me know what you find out after you leave from over there, okay? I'm starting to get a little worried."
"I gotcha. I'll talk to you later."
"See ya, Em."
"Hey, tell Pixie I hope she feels better."
"Will do."
I get into my truck and decide to call over to Mom and Dad's before I head over there. I pull out my cell and dial their number. No answer. Hmmmm. Well, I'll head over anyway. They could be outside working on the yard or something. After driving a couple of miles, I pull up to their house. Both cars are there and it doesn't look like the yard has been worked on.
I climb out of the truck and as I make it to the side walk I hear yelling. Is that coming from my parent's house? I walk slowly up to the house and the yelling gets louder and louder. I'm a little surprised. I haven't heard my parents argue like this in forever. I make it to the porch and stop. I start hearing what is being said.
"I can't do this any more, Charlie! I just can't! I've tried everything. I've tried to be the best wife and mother possible, but …."
"Renee, you can't do this….especially now. We have to be there for our family. We have to give them the strength to get through everything that is going on. We are a family! We need each other. I need you, the kids and Edward need you, our grand kids need you!"
"I will be there for them, but with what happened to her, its shown me that we only live once and with that we shouldn't live with regrets or just settle for things. I need to do this."
"Please, Re. I'm begging you don't leave. Please!"
Don't leave? What does he mean, don't leave? Where is she going?
"I have to Charlie. I'm sorry. I just have to get out of here. I have to get some clarity. If I don't, things could get worse possibly to the point where they aren't fixable. "
After just a couple of seconds the door, opens up. I see my Mom standing there looking like a deer caught in a set of headlights. She has a suitcase in her hand.
"Uhhhh….hi, Mom. I just wanted to….uh….stop by and….ummm…see how things are going. Jas and I haven't heard much from either of you and…..so….I just thought…"
"Yes, well, hi, Em. I'm just heading out so….uh….." She stops talking and looks back at Charlie.
"Go ahead and come on in, Son."
My Mom steps back from the door so I can walk inside. You can cut the tension with a knife. We are all silent for a moment when Mom says, "Yes, well….I must be on my way."
"Mom…..where are you going?"
"Em, I need to get away. I just can't take things as they are any more and I have to get out of here."
"You're coming back, though. Back home?"
"Well, soon enough. I'm going to go down to my cousin's home in Florida for a few days. Hopefully, I'll get a clearer perspective on things and, well, we'll see."
"Well, please be careful and don't be gone too long. You'll have to be here for the birth of your newest grandchild." I say as I go over and give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
I look over at Dad and his face is blank. He looks as though he's in shock.
Mom steps back and looks at Dad. "I'll call when I land." and she walks out the door.
Dad and I both just stare at the door as she closes it. I can't believe it. My Mom just left. My Mom just left my Dad. How could this happen? How could Jas and I not know that things were this bad? Over the last few years, I had sensed a little bit of tension, now and then, from them but I could never guess that things had gotten so bad that it had led up to this.
I look over to my father and ask, "She's going to come back, right, Dad?"
"I don't know, Son. I hope so, but I just don't know."