A/N: This chapter contains discussion of sensitive subject matter.
Local Woman Dies After Fall from Lighthouse
The body of a local woman, Jane Volturi, 21, was found at the base of the lighthouse early yesterday morning after she was reported missing by her mother. She was declared dead at the scene.
The woman's fiancé, local fisherman Edward Cullen, was out at sea when the tragedy occurred. It is unknown at this time whether Miss Volturi's fall was accidental or intentional, but authorities are investigating and plan to release more details later today.
I flipped to the next one. An obituary.
Jane Volturi, 21
Jane Volturi passed away on Wednesday, May 11th at the age of 21.
Jane was born on February 3rd, 1985 to parents Caius and Renetta Volturi. She attended Hilltop High School, where she participated in Cheerleading and was a frequent member of the Honor Roll. After high school, Jane began work at her family's local hardware store and became engaged to high school sweetheart Edward Cullen. Jane loved her dog Zeus, dancing and spending time with her family and friends.
She is survived by her parents, Caius and Renetta Volturi. Fiancé Edward Cullen, Uncles Aro and Marcus Volturi, and many cousins and friends. She is predeceased by her grandparents and child.
Funeral services will be held this Saturday at Hilltop Cemetery at 11 am. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be sent to the Humane Society.
I steadied myself against my truck as the tears slipped from my eyes.
Volturi's Death Ruled a Suicide
Authorities have released more information regarding the recent death of Jane Volturi, the young woman found last week at the lighthouse.
After further investigation and several interviews with family and friends, they have determined that Volturi climbed to the top of the lighthouse and jumped to her death on the rocks below.
Sources say that Volturi had recently miscarried and was suffering intense depression in its wake. Funeral services were held last weekend at Hilltop Cemetery. Fiancé Edward Cullen could not be reached for comment.
I buried my head in my hands as I tried to process everything. Engagements. Babies. Death. It didn't make sense. It made perfect sense.
The next thing I knew my feet were carrying me back to the bar, up the stairs to Esme's apartment. I pounded my fists hard against her door, barely able to see through my tears. I didn't care about how she saw me anymore.
"Hold your horses," she sighed from behind the door. It cracked open slowly and she froze as she took in my expression. "Honey, what's happened? What's wrong?" She stepped outside and took my face in her hands. All I could do was cry. I couldn't speak. I couldn't breathe. I could barely hand her the newspaper clippings.
"Oh dear Lord," she breathed. "Come inside. Come on." She put her arm around me and pulled me inside.
She sat me down at their small dining room table and threw a tea kettle on the stove. We waited in silence until the scream of the steam pierced through the room. She poured two cups and sat down at the table with me.
"I knew you'd find out eventually, but I was hoping he'd finally be able to tell you," she said, handing me my tea. She looked at me expectantly. "Well I know you have questions, child."
"I…I just don't…." I shook my head. "I never imagined…" I couldn't form a coherent thought or sentence. I had so many questions. So many.
"Nobody did. Jane was the town sweetheart. Everyone knew or, knew her parents. And my Edward loved her." She smiled.
I thought it would hurt me to hear about Edward with someone else, but surprisingly it didn't. I just felt sad for him.
"When they found out about the baby, he immediately proposed. People eventually started talking, especially when she started to show. Man, she had the cutest baby bump." Esme laughed. "They adored that child. Edward couldn't wait to be a father. It scared the shit out of him, but once it became his reality, it was all he wanted."
"What happened?"
"The boys had just left port a few days before." She cleared her throat. "Jane's mother called me in a panic, said there had been some…bleeding. And that they were up at the hospital. Alice and I went up there. And we waited and waited for them to tell us something." She stared at the table, looking as sad and distraught as I'd ever seen her. "When they told us she'd lost the baby I…" She shook her head. "I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how to tell him." She put her hand up to her mouth and swallowed hard. "We radioed the boat, just telling them to get back to shore as soon as possible. I didn't want him traveling back here knowing what had happened."
I wiped at my eyes, knowing the pain that was about to come, knowing how much this hurt him.
"Jane was released from the hospital a few days later. She didn't speak one word. Not one," she said. "Her mother took her home that night and we planned on stopping by the next morning. Instead we got a call at six in the morning asking if Jane was with us." She sniffled. "They found her body out at the lighthouse, still in her nightgown."
"The lady in white," I whispered.
"Every place has got a lady in white, Bella. They took my son's tragedy and made it into a ghost story that haunts him everyday."
I felt sick just thinking of the way his entire life had been smashed into pieces. He'd lost his child and fiancée without even knowing. I could see his face, coming into port expecting to see her smiling at the dock waiting for him. I saw Esme telling him, saw how angry and hurt he was. And even though I was playing back these memories that didn't belong to me, I felt like his story was an integral part of my story now. His loss was my loss. Part of me wondered if he could ever be whole again.
A/N: Again, Bella and Edward will talk more about what happened to him.
I'm hoping to do some marathon writing and try, emphasis on the try, to get this story finished up in a few days. I'm participating in NaNoWriMo (which for those of you who asked, it's National Write a Novel Month) and starting November 1st I'll be challenging myself to write my first original novel during the month of November.
Thank you for all of your kind words about this story. It means so much!