Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.
Stand my ground. (lemon)
We were just polishing off the dessert that Esme had cooked when the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it!" Libby yelled, jumping up from her chair and skipping over to the hallway. I heard a faint murmur of conversation going on near the front door. As time went on I was staring to get a little nervous. I hoped there wasn't some pervert or kidnapper at the door. I was just rising to get up when I heard Libby's voice grow closer.
"Yes, mommy and daddy are home. I'll just get my mommy for you."
As I stepped into the hallway I immediately recognized the silhouette of the person standing in the doorway.
I froze.
"Libby, get back to the kitchen," I said, grabbing Libby by the collar of the pretty new dress that Alice had bought her and pulling her behind me.
"Daddy?" the all to familiar voice of my mom spoke...
"Renee..." I gasped. What the hell was she doing here?
"Bella," she said.
"What are you doing here?"
"Can't a mother come to visit her only daughter for the holidays?" she asked.
"You took your bloody time to do that!" I huffed. "It's not like you've made the effort in the last five years."
"Things can change," she bit back.
"How did you get my address anyway? I don't remember sending you a change of address card."
"I came to see my grandson but Emmett wasn't at home. I figured he would probably be with you," she shrugged.
"That doesn't explain anything," I replied.
"You're not so hard to find. I got the address from the telephone book," she sneered.
She looked around her, taking in the house. I could see she was a bit taken aback by the fact that I seemed to have managed pretty well since she had severed her ties with me.
"You seem the have done pretty well for yourself," she remarked.
It wasn't so much the remark in itself that ticked me off, but the incredulous tone in which she said it. It was like she couldn't believe that I could have managed so well on my own. There was also envy in her tone, like she resented the fact that I had been able to make a success out of my life without her help.
"Why are you here anyway if all you want to do is insult me?" I asked. I wanted her to go away and get out of my life. Fast.
"As I said, I came to see my grandson," she insisted, taking a set closer to the door.
"Charlie's in bed right now, so you can't see him," I replied. "And even if he wasn't, I doubt Emmett would let you anywhere near him. You're not exactly high up on his favorite person list."
"And who's to blame for that?" Renee growled.
"If you're implying that's me, then I don't think you have a very good memory," I said, hopelessly trying to remain calm by reminding myself that my five year old daughter didn't need to see me attacking her grandmother right in front of her. "You walked out on me, remember? You left ME when I was alone and hurting."
"But you were the one that went and got herself knocked up," Renee sneered. "YOU were the one who ruined everything your father and I worked for all our lives. YOU were the one that stirred up the row between my son and me."
"What?" I asked incredulously. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Are you implying that I set Emmett up against you? You did that yourself when you turned your back on me. Emmett loves me and when you love someone you stick by them, even when you don't approve of their actions."
Right at that moment a door behind me opened and Edward walked into the hallway. "Are you alright?" he asked, taking in the scene in front of him. It must have been quite a sight. My mom and I, standing opposite each other, both trembling with rage.
"I'm fine," I replied, but my voice probably betrayed that I was anything but fine at the moment.
Renee took a good look at Edward and I saw that she was adding things up in her head. The perfect creamy white skin, the emerald green eyes...Libby looked too much like him for anyone not to notice that Edward was her father.
"Are you the asshole that ruined my daughters life?" she asked.
"Get the hell away from me Renee," I hissed. I was done being patient with my mother. It was one thing that she was going to insult me but there was no way I'd let her do the same thing to my loved ones.
"No, Bella, it's fine," Edward said, walking over to us. "I'm perfectly able to defend myself." He wrapped his arm tightly around my waist. I think his actions was meant both to comfort me and restrain me. We both knew that – relieving as it might be – no good could come out of me attacking Renee right now.
"If you're asking if I'm Libby's father, then yes, I am. I wouldn't call Bella's life ruined though. Quite the opposite in fact." I found myself jealous of his calmness and ability to remain reasonable.
"Bella got herself knocked up by a guy she hardly knew, dropped out off college and parasitized her older brother. If you don't call that a total disaster then I'm curious to see what is..." Renee spat.
I could feel the tears spilling over my eyes at Renee's cruel words. I cursed myself inwardly. I had promised myself to remain strong, not to cry. I wanted to show my mom that I wasn't the weak naive little girl I was five years ago anymore.
As I fought back the tears I could feel Edward tense beside me.
"If you came here to insult my girlfriend then I suggest you better go because I won't stand by and watch you hurt her," he warned.
"And what are you going to do?" Renee asked sarcastically, "call the cops on me? I have as much right to be here as you do."
"No," he said, still managing to keep his voice calm even though I could hear his anger trough his voice. "I'll just take Bella back inside, to her real family, and close the door on you."
Renee crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared at him. "I'm not leaving until I've said my piece."
"Fine, but not now," I agreed. I knew my mother too well. If I wouldn't come to some kind of agreement with her tonight she would set up camp in front of my house and kick up a fuss until we - or the neighbors – called the cops. "I don't want you to ruin my day even further or upset my daughter any more than you've already done."
Renee tried to interrupt me but I held up my hand to silence her.
"I'm not going to budge on this. It's all or nothing. Meet me at Yorkie's diner tomorrow at noon and we'll talk." I wasn't exactly looking forward to the prospect of having to sit down and talk to my mothe, but I could see she was serious.
"Fine," Renee spat. "Where is this Yorkie's diner anyway?"
"It's just down the road," I said, pointing over to my left. "You can't miss it."
I tried to remain calm, but everything about my mother's behavior was setting me off. At this moment I really wanted to scream at her about the pain she had caused – and was still causing – but I knew that wouldn't get us anywhere. I just had to wait until tomorrow and hope I would keep my cool.
"Then I guess I'll see you tomorrow," Renee said, before turning and walking away.
I let my body fall limply against Edwards chest. The tension of having met my mother again had completely drained me. He enveloped me in his arms and just held me, resting his head on mine.
"It will be alright, Bella," he said after a while. "We'll go meet your mom tomorrow and talk and then we'll go back home and get on with our lives."
"I know," I sobbed. "It's just...Damn! I hate myself for letting her get to me like this!"
"It's okay, love," he soothed. "She's your mother, of course you care about what she thinks of you."
"It just hurts that even after all these years she still thinks I'm a total screw up. It makes me feel so...inadequate."
"Just remember the people that do love you and are proud of what you have achieved," he said, hugging me even closer. "I'm so proud of you. I can't even begin to describe it."
I snorted. "Yeah, because I sure made my mark on the world."
He took my face in his hands and forces me to look at him.
"Even though you had all the reasons in the world to just crawl into a corner and wallow – like I did – you went out and made something off yourself. You gave birth to and raised the most perfect little creature in the world and you managed to finish your education and get a top job in your field of profession. That is something to be proud of Bella."
I tried to look away from him but he wouldn't let me.
"You don't see yourself clearly, Bella," he said. "You are worth it."
I sighed. Laying my head against his chest, just relishing in his embrace. We stood there for a while, he holding me, whispering words of comfort in my ear while I breathed in his scent, trying to get a grip on myself again.
"Are you ready to go back in, love?" he whispered after a while. "I'm sure our family will be getting worried."
I nodded, unable to do much else. I was so tired all of a sudden. It was like the weight of the world pressed down on me.
He closed the front door, lifted me up and carried me bridal style into the living room. He gently placed me on the couch, resting my face on his lap. Almost as soon as he had put me down Emmett came into the living room.
"She was up to her old tricks again, wasn't she?" he asked, his voice trembling with anger.
"She was," Edward confirmed.
"How are you doing, squirt?" Emmett asked, kneeling beside me. His voice held so much tenderness it almost surprised me. It must have been the effects of fatherhood that made my huge bearlike brother go all soft and mushy.
"I'm fine, Emmett. Just a little drained," I sighed.
"She has that effect on people," he smirked, before turning serious again. "I'm sorry I didn't help you out there, sis. The others seemed to think you needed to deal with this by yourself."
I nodded. Having Emmett out there with me would only have added fuel to the fire.
"Thanks for giving me some space, Em." I said. "I have to deal with mom on my own. We've agreed to talk tomorrow and I think it will be good – in the end – to just have it out."
"I'm coming with you," he said. "I have a few things of my own I want to tell that woman."
"No, Emmett. Having you there with me isn't going to help things. I need to do this on my own," I sat up, looking both at Edward and Emmett. "I need to make her see that I'm not the same person I was five years ago, that I've grown and that she can't just exert her rights as a mother over me. I can't do that whilst hiding behind the two of you. I need to do this alone."
"But," Emmett and Edward said in unison.
I raised my hand to silence them.
"Please, just let me do this my way?" I pleaded.
They both sighed in defeat.
"Okay," Emmett said. "But I won't be held responsible for the consequences if she hurts you."
"Don't talk like that, Emmett," I sighed. "She's still your mother."
"I saw what she did to you, five years ago. How her words crushed you when all you needed was to be comforted and loved. How they still haunt you to this very day. She lost every right to call herself our mother that day."
"You don't mean that," I said calmly. "You love her, I know you do – as I do too – or you wouldn't have send her an invitation to your wedding."
Emmett looked away, mumbling something under his breath about how that was probably the biggest mistake he'd ever made in his life.
"You have to talk to her too, Emmett. Before the wedding. You have to give her a chance to clear the air. We owe her that much," I pleaded.
"We don't owe her anything," Emmett sulked, but I knew he would talk to Renee in the end.
"Let's get back to the kitchen," I said, trying to sound more cheerful than I was.
"Mommy!" Libby flung herself in my arms as soon as the three of us walked back into the kitchen.
Edward pulled me into his chair with him, seating me on his lap, with Libby sitting across from us.
"Who was that woman?" Libby asked tentatively.
"That was your grandmother," I said. "My mother."
"But..." Libby seemed puzzled, looking from Esme to the door.
"Esme is your grandmother too," Edward explained. "You have two grandmothers, my mother and Bella's mother."
She nodded, slowly understanding the ties that bound us all together. "Do I have two granddaddies as well?" she asked.
"You did," I replied, looking at Emmett. "But my dad died before you were born."
"That is sad," Libby said, her face falling. I knew she wasn't just sad about not being able to know her other grandfather, but also because she had seen the pained expression on my face when she had brought it up. She had always been very sensible to other people's feelings.
"It is," I sighed. "But don't feel bad about it, honey."
I pulled her onto my lap and kissed the top of her head, hoping Edward wouldn't mind carrying the three of us.
"Why was she yelling at you mommy?" Libby asked, craning her neck so she could look at me.
I sighed. "We had a fight...a long time ago. That's why you've never seen her before."
"So, she's still angry at you?" Libby asked.
I nodded. There was no need for Libby to know more than she did already.
"I don't like her," she stated, turning in my lap and wrapping her little arms around my neck. "She made you feel sad."
"You shouldn't say that sweetie," I sighed. "She's your grandmother. You shouldn't hate her."
I felt so torn apart at that moment. Sure, I hated my mother for what she had done to me and for what she was still doing to me. But still...she was my mother. The woman who raised me. Who comforted me after I had fallen down and let me sleep in her arms at night when I had a bad dream.
I spite of everything that had happened I had missed her during the past five years. When I had grown up we had been so close. Because my mother had never really grown up herself it had been as if we had been best friend. I could tell her everything.
Evey time something good or bad happened in my life my first instinct was to call my mom and talk to her about it. Not being able to do that for the last five years had made me realize how much I had missed it. How much I missed my mom.
I wished things could be much simpler. That I could just hate her.
I couldn't. I hated what she had done to me, but I could never hate her.
She was still my mom.
"Are you sure you're going to be alright squirt?" Emmett asked me as he put on his coat. He seemed so tense, as if he was standing on the edge of a big battle.
"I'm sure," I replied, trying to smile.
"If you need me, just call," he insisted. "Doesn't matter what time it is."
"I'll be fine, Em." I reassured him as he pulled me into a bone crushing hug.
"Same thing goes for me," Alice chirped, flinging herself on top of Emmett and me like some kind of rugby player.
"And what am I, chopped liver?" Rose smirked, holding a sleeping Charlie in her arms. "Come on, you dumb ass, let's just go home," she said, pulling Emmett out of the pile of body parts that now surrounded me.
While Edward brought Libby to bed Esme, Carlisle and I quickly cleaned up the mess in the kitchen. We decided to leave the dishes till tomorrow, just rinsing everything off for now.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Esme asked me after Carlisle had left. "I can only imagine how hard it must be for you to see her after everything that happened."
"I'm...okay," I said, "It's just the shock of finding her on my doorstep all of a sudden and knowing she still thinks badly of me..."
"It's okay to be upset, Bella," Esme said, gently taking my face in her hands. "You don't have to be strong all the time."
"I-I know," I sobbed, struggling to keep calm. "it's just that I know that if I break down today, I'm surely going to be breaking down tomorrow and I don't want that to happen. I'll just have to keep myself together until tomorrow afternoon."
Esme moved her hands to my shoulders, pulling me into a close hug. "Just know that I'm here whenever you want to talk, sweetheart. Even though we've just met and I'm not your mother – yet – I'd like to think of myself as just that."
"Thanks," I sighed into her shoulder. I wished Esme could have been my mom, though that would have made things with Edward a bit...weird.
I said goodnight to Carlisle and Esme and went upstairs. As I walked into the bedroom I could hear the shower running. I thought briefly about joining Edward in the shower but decided against it. I needed a few minutes to think about things.
I quickly stripped, put on a pair of pajama's and got on the bed, leaning against the throw pillows. I closed my eyes and tried to calm my nerves.
In spite of my exhaustion I knew I wasn't going to get any sleep tonight. The thoughts of my meeting with my mom and tomorrows appointment were still pressing heavily onto my shoulders. It would take a miracle for me to calm down enough to get some sleep.
"Edward?" I asked, as he walked out of the bathroom, his hair still wet and even more tousled that usual from his shower. He was only wearing a pair of pajama bottoms and the sight of his perfect chest, still glistening from his shower was exactly what the doctor ordered.
"Yes, love," he said, looking up at me.
"Can you just make me forget everything that happened today?"
"My pleasure," he chuckled, smiling my favorite smile.
He threw the towel he had been using to dry his hair to the side and practically jumped on the bed. The manner in which he crawled over to me had me thinking of a lion stalking it's prey and I shuddered with delight.
He hovered over me, his face flushed with desire and took my bottom lip in between his teeth, gently sucking on the skin. He kissed me briefly but passionately before moving his lips along my neck and the skin exposed above the edge of my top.
He started to open the buttons on my top with his teeth, his tongue licking and snapping at the skin he exposed. I groaned at the feeling.
"Like that, do you?" he asked, lapping at my belly button as his hands helped my arms out of the garment before he chucked it to the side.
"Edward," I groaned, my hips squirming involuntary.
"You didn't give me an answer," he chastised, lifting his head up from my stomach. "Now, what shall I do to punish you."
The look in his eyes made my mouth feel dry and wetness pool in between my legs. If he didn't take off my underwear any time soon it was going to get soaked.
"I-I don't k-know," I stammered, unable to compose a coherent sentence with him staring at me like that.
"Then I will just have to think of something myself," he chuckled.
He sat back on the bed, his right index finger resting on his lip, thinking about how to punish me. I just stared at him, my breathing still fast and labored, waiting for him to come up with something. The mischievous lights in his sparkling green eyes told me that whatever he was thinking of, it was going to be good. Very good.
"Now, Bella," he purred. "I want you to be a good girl and close your eyes."
"W-what?"
He leaned in and let his nose brush against my jaw before whispering. "Close your eyes, love."
I obeyed, wondering what he had in store for me.
I could feel him moving away from me, leaving the bed. He wasn't going to leave me here all hot and bothered, was he?
I could hear him moving about the room but I resisted the urge to sneak a peak at what he was doing. I wanted to be surprised. Suddenly the light that floated through my closed eyelids was gone. He must have switched off the lights.
The sagging of the mattress told me he had returned to the bed and before long I could faintly feel his breath caressing my skin. I struggles to keep my eyes closed. I wanted to see him, to let my eyes roam over his body, relishing in the fact that he was mine. All mine.
"Keep them closed, honey," he whispered in my ear and I nearly jumped at his sudden closeness.
Edward gently grabbed hold of my shoulders, leaning my body forward against his chest as his hands came around my body and tied something around my head. I could feel a piece of fabric – a scarf? - covering my eyes right before the world went completely black.
"Edward, what..." I said in shock.
He placed his finger over my lips, silencing me.
"Silence," his voice sounded strict and unyielding. "You don't speak unless you're spoken to. You don't move unless I tell you to move. Tonight I'm the master and you're the pupil and any violation of my rules will be severely punished."
I swallowed hard. Damn! Was he trying to kill me with his words?
I could feel his weight shifting on the mattress right before my pajama bottoms and panties where suddenly yanked away from my hips. I screamed in surprise and found myself once again hoping the soundproofing of our bedroom was as good as Edward claimed it was.
I could feel his eyes roaming over my body as I lay exposed to him. I squirmed, wanting nothing more than to feel his hands on me. I tried to feel around me to find out where he was sitting at the moment, but all I could feel was air and the sheets that covered the bed.
"I thought I told you not to move," he grunted. "Do I have to tie you up?" I could hear he wasn't entirely opposed to that idea.
I decided to flip the coin on him, making the most of my chance to speak. It might be the only chance I was going to get at making him feel even a little bit of what was going on inside me right now.
"I don't know," I mused. "I have been very bad..."
I could hear his breathing hitch somewhere over to my left – success! - before feeling his weight once again leave the bed.
Before I could even register the fact that he had gone he was back beside me, grabbing my wrist and roughly pulling them together and tying them with what appeared to be another silk scarf. I could feel the fabric of his pajama bottoms and his erection against my stomach as he straddled me, tying my hands to the head of the bed.
The thought of being tied up and blindfolded whilst Edward had his way with me was oddly arousing. I had never done anything like that before and had never really thought about it but – even though not being able to look at Edward when we were making love would be torture – I could feel this was going to be one of the most erotic experiences in my life.
I was startled again as I could feel Edwards hands on my chest, massaging my breast and tracing patterns on my stomach. I could feel his hands slowly starting to go lower and lower to place where I wanted them most but right before they reached that destination they suddenly moved back up.
I groaned in frustration, which made him retreat his hands all together.
"What did I say," he scolded. "No speaking unless you're spoken to!"
I wanted to say something, yell at him, anything that would make him relive the tension in my body.
"So you want me to touch your pussy?" he purred, placing gliding one finger over my collarbone.
I nodded, not daring to speak.
"You want me to slide my fingers into you while your body's squirming underneath me?" Dear lord. He was better at this than I expected. "Do you want me to lick you until you come all over my face, screaming my name?"
My heart was beating so hard I could almost feel it jumping in my chest. I nodded so violently I was almost afraid I was going to pull a muscle.
His finger moved lower, trough the valley between my breasts and down to my stomach, before he retracted it again. I could barely hold in a disappointed whimper before I felt his hot mouth on my right breast, his tongue tracing circles around my nipple while his other hand fondled my left.
"What do you want me to do, Bella," he hummed against my chest. "You have to tell me exactly what you want, or I won't know what to do."
"I want you to touch me," I whispered, trying to rub my legs together to create some kind of release. He wouldn't have any of that. His hands soon clamped over my legs, pulling them apart to restrict my movement.
"You have to be more precise that that," he chuckled.
"Do you want me to touch you here?" he asked, tickling the tender space behind my knee.
"No," I giggled. I had always been ticklish.
"Or here," he continued, moving his hand to my stomach, trailing his finger over my skin.
I shook my head. "No."
"Or..." he brushed his finger through my folds.
"YES!" I shrieked. Finally!
"Then say so," he chuckled, removing his finger again.
I groaned, my hands straining against the scarf that tied them to the bed.
"Edward! Please stop teasing me!" I pleaded.
He seemed more willing to grant my request now because I could feel his weight shifting on the bed once more before I felt his fingers rub against me again. I could almost cry with happiness as he pushed his fingers inside of me, his tongue flicking over my bundle of nerves.
"EDWARD!" I yelled, the pressure building inside of me.
"God, Bella. You're so fucking wet," he groaned, lapping at my juices as his fingers picked up more speed.
"Please, Edward," I groaned, trying to catch my breath.
"Please what?" he hummed, the vibrations of his voice sending shivers through my body.
"Like that," was the genius answer I managed to come up with as my body started to squirm with my oncoming release.
"You have no idea how good you taste," Edward groaned, adding another finger as he continued his ministrations. It send me flying over the edge, my toes curling into the bedsheets in an effort to keep some kind of hold on the earth beneath me.
As I recovered from my orgasm Edward kissed a trail of wet kisses from my center to my breasts, leaving a trail of fire in it's wake. As his mouth enveloped my nipple, sucking and flicking gently while his hand lavished attention on my other breast, I could feel his tip against my center. It reminded me of what I really wanted.
"Edward, please," I begged. I seemed to be doing a lot of that lately.
I could feel him smile against me, no doubt he's already guessed what I wanted to say. "What is it you want my angel," he crooned in response. "You know all you have to do is ask."
"Edward, please...fuck me. I want to feel you inside me."
He didn't even answer me before thrusting inside if me in one swift movement making me scream in delight.
"Damn, Bella. You feel so good," he panted, thrusting in and out of me so fast I could hear the slapping sounds of our skin making contact. "I want to fuck you so hard the only thing you'll be able to think of is my name. I want you to make you scream it so loudly everyone in the whole fucking street will know who you belong to. Can you do that for me?"
I nodded mutely, unable to do anything else. I mourned the loss of my hands. I wanted to grab hold of him, feel the muscles in his back clenching under my hands as he slammed into me.
As he shifted his angle, hitting new and wonderful spaces inside of me, I could feel myself sprinting towards the edge. Our moans and groans filled the air as we headed towards our mutual bliss. I could see the spots dancing in front of my eyes as we exploded together, my whole body trembling with the force of my climax.
He crashed onto my chest, his hands fumbling to free me from my restrains as we were both trying to catch our breath. As soon as my hands were free I wrapped them around his chest, caressing his back – glistening with the effects of our exertions – and pulling him closer against me.
"That was..." I started to say.
"Amazing." he finished, grinning from ear to ear.
"What brought all this on?" I chuckled.
Not that I was complaining,but he never been quite so...rough and commanding with me before.
"You were the one who told me to distract you..." he mused, kissing me.
"I guess I did," I giggled. "Remind me to do that more often."
He flipped us over, pulled the covers up around us and started humming in my ear. I don't know if it was that or the side-effects of the sex we had just had, but before I knew it I drifted into a deep sleep.
--
EPOV
--
I was still basking in the afterglow of the most amazing sex I ever had as I held my sleeping angel in my arms.
I didn't know what came over me after she begged me to take her mind of things earlier. I guess I just lost it. She had been so helpless and beaten earlier tonight, all her old insecurities resurfacing again after he disastrous meeting with her mom.
I knew she needed her sleep if she was going to confront that woman tomorrow. She needed to be in top form to show her what she was made of. I just wished I could come with her, only to support her and give her strength. I hated the idea of her walking into that diner alone but if she felt she had to do it that way then the least thing I could do was support her.
At least I had been able to take her mind of things.
It hadn't been the first time I had done this kind of thing, but all previous times paled in comparison, as everything paled in comparison to Bella. The thought of seeing her tied and blindfolded and squirming underneath me made me hard for her all over again and I had to take my mind in another direction to prevent myself from attacking her. If I woke her up now I would undo all my hard work of the evening.
The sight of Bella, shaking with anger and subdued pain as she faced her mother had brought forth emotions I didn't think I had in me. The rage I had felt as I walked into the foyer had been so intense I had to restrain myself by holding onto Bella's waist, pulling her against me so that I could pounce on Renee and rip her head from her shoulders.
The only thing that managed to keep me calm, even when she spoke to me, was the knowledge that Bella needed me. She seemed determined to be strong and I needed to be strong for her as well.
I knew that if it had been Emmett there in the hall with her, he would have flipped. It took the combined efforts of Rose, Jasper and Carlisle to keep him in the kitchen after Libby had come back in and explained what happened.
I must have dozed off somewhere during the night because the next thing I knew it was light again and the space in the bed next to me was empty.
I dressed and washed quickly before going downstairs.
Bella and Esme were in the kitchen, talking and laughing. It was a relieve for me to see Bella and my mom got on so well together. I knew Bella missed having a mother figure and I knew Esme would be all to glad to fill that void if Bella wanted her to. I hoped she would be able to help prepare my angel for her oncoming meeting.
I stood behind my love, wrapped my arms around her tiny waist, and pulled her against me as I kissed the space at the base of her neck. I knew she liked me doing that.
"Good morning," I whispered against her skin.
"It is now," she laughed.
I had to remind myself that my mother was in the room with us and that she might not appreciate such a blatant display of affection in front of her to be able to pull myself away.
"What do you want for breakfast?" Bella asked.
"Pancakes!" Libby yelled, running into the kitchen, before I could say anything. I swear the little girl was addicted to them.
"Hush! I was asking your father!" Bella laughingly scolded her, before turning around to face me.
"Well?" she asked, standing on tiptoe to whisper in my ear. "What do you want my angel, tell me...All you have to do is ask"
My breathing hitched in my throat as she used the exact same word on me as I had used on her last night. The rest of my family must have thought I was a complete idiot.
"P-pancakes...sounds...nice," I managed to stammer before retreating to a safer place.
Breakfast passed much sooner that I should have and before I knew it, it was time for Bella to leave.
"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you my love?" I asked her one last time as I helped her into her coat.
"I'm absolutely sure," she stated calmly. "I have to do this on my own."
"Call me if you need me," I said, checking her pockets to see if her cell phone was in them.
"I will," she smiled, before walking out the door. My heart breaking a little as I watched her retreating form.
Emmett and Rose arrived soon afterwards with little Charlie. Emmett seemed uncharacteristically calm. Calmer than I was.
I had been on edge ever since Bella left the house, my eyes glued to my cell phone, almost willing it to ring. I knew the fact that Bella didn't call me was probably a positive thing – it meant that everything was going well – but I wanted confirmation.
"Edward can we talk?" The whole room looked up in confusion. Emmett was never really one to talk, let alone instigate a proper conversation.
"Sure," I replied, still confused, as I followed him into the kitchen.
"Relax man," Emmett said as he closed the door behind us. "It's all going to be fine."
"How the hell do you know?" I yelled, getting a little frustrated with Emmett's sudden calmness. "Do you think you can see the future just like my sister?"
"I can't see the future," he chuckled, "But that doesn't mean I can't manipulate it."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean," I asked.
"Let's just say Renee left a note in my mailbox before she came over here, a note containing her contact information."
"You went over there last night?" He sure had my attention now.
"Yup," he stated, pulling a can of soda from the fridge and taking a sip of his drink. "I wanted to make sure Renee didn't pull another one of her little stunts on Bella today."
"What did you do?"
"I warned her that if she hurt Bella again I was going to break that little neck of hers and dump her in the Hudson," Emmett stated without a hint of humor in his eyes.
"She knows I'm serious," he continued. "hell, she even knows she's the bad guy in all of this, she's just too damn stubborn to admit it."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Renee knows damn well that she did a terrible thing five years ago but she's too damn stubborn and proud to admit it. I wanted to make sure she was...past all of that shit when she met Bella today," he explained. "I wanted to make sure that when Bella spoke to her she would have the good grace to shut up and listen."
"And do you think she'll do that?"
He nodded, taking another swig from his drink. "She's not a bad person, deep down inside. She missed Bella and she knows Bella missed her. I think that if she manages to keep an open mind throughout their talk everything will work out fine."
"So you think they'll just kiss and make up?" I said, arching an eyebrow. Renee's actions didn't deserve forgiveness.
"Come on, mate!" Emmett boomed. "It's Bella we're talking about! She'd forgive Jack the Ripper, even if he stood in front of her, swinging a knife above his head!"
The thought of Renee getting closer to Bella again filled me with dread. I knew it was Bella's nature to forgive, she could never hold a grudge, but I never would. The idea of having that woman in my house, of having to act polite to her revolted me.
"I know how you feel man," Emmett said, patting me on the back. "She disgusts me. But still, she's our mom." He shrugged, walking back into the living room.
I didn't feel like going back into the living room after my conversation with Emmett so I sat down in front of my piano and started playing some of my favorite classical pieces to clear my head as I waited for Bella to return.
The idea that at least Renee wouldn't inflict any more pain on my Bella gave me some comfort, but I couldn't help feeling afraid of the fact that she might get close enough to Bella again to inflict further damage in the future.
--
BPOV
--
'Think happy thoughts,' I thought to myself as I walked into Yorkie's diner. It wasn't that difficult. The memory of the events of last night was still fresh in my mind.
When I got down for breakfast earlier that morning I just had to look at Esme's grinning face to know that no amount of soundproofing had been able to muffle the noises we were making last night.
"I'm glad to see that apparently some skills run in the family," she mused as we both stood waiting for the coffee to run through the coffeemaker.
I had blushed fire engine red and tried to find something remarkable about the granite floor, meanwhile resolving to keep it down next time. Thank God Libby was a deep sleeper, she wouldn't have woken up if the house had come crashing down last night, but I had no intention to find out how deep she really slept.
"Oh...erm...sorry about that," I managed to stammer after a while.
"Don't worry. You looked like you needed it," she laughed.
I was pulled rudely out of my happy thoughts as I walked into the diner, immediately recognizing my mother sitting in a booth by the window.
"Let's just get this over with," I sighed, ordering a cup of coffee.
"Well, don't make any effort on my account," Renee said indignantly.
I closed my eyes, rubbing my temples in an effort to stop the upcoming headache.
"Mom, can you please...not do that?" I asked. "I want to talk to you, but you have to let me."
She took a sip of her drink, scrutinizing me over the edges of her mug.
"Okay," she sighed. "I can do that."
I nodded, not knowing where to start.
"So," she said, her voice sounding more reasonable than before. "You and the child's father got back together?"
"Yes," I said, the mention of our reunion still bringing a smile on our face. "It turned out that some horrible misunderstanding drove us apart all those years ago. We met by accident when Rose was in hospital giving birth."
"That doesn't make what you did alright, though," she stated, the hardness creeping back into her voice.
"Look," I replied. "I know I've made mistakes. I've been naive and acted hugely irresponsible. But I didn't commit some kind of capital offense and you aren't entirely without fault yourself either."
I could see that she was straining to keep her self control.
"I will always feel guilty for not being there for dad when he needed me, but it wasn't my fault. I didn't know!"
Renee just looked at me. "You didn't know..." she mused and I could almost see the wheels turning in her head. Had she never stopped to think about things from my perspective before?
"How was I to know? Emmett called me right before I got back to the motel and I got on a plane as soon as I spoke to him. Do you really think so badly of me that you think me capable of pursuing my own selfish pleasure while knowing my father is dying?"
"No." She shook her head. Well, at least that's one thing...
"I acted irresponsibly that night, and I have suffered for it, but if I were given the choice I would do the same thing again," I said, looking straight into Renee's eyes. "Libby is worth every amount of pain I've suffered over the years."
Renee smiled sourly. "I always knew you were going to be a great mom. I just wanted you to wait. Not to make the same mistakes that I had made."
"When I told you I was pregnant I knew I was going to disappoint you," I said, fighting the tears as the memory of that day drifted back into my thought. "I knew you would think I had made a big mistake. But I also hoped that you could understand. I needed your help, mom, and it hurt me so much when you pushed me away."
"I see that now," she said, taking my hand. I was surprised by the sudden kindness." I was too wrapped up in my own misery to notice the pain you were going through."
"Why did you never tell me Edward called you?" I asked, remembering what Edward had told me that first night we got together.
Renee squirmed uncomfortably in her seat.
"I was...hurt...angry, because of what had happened. Plus, I never knew for sure if he was the guy," she said, shame creeping into her voice.
"You have to imagine what it was like for me," she continued. "I was still in shock from loosing your father and then you dropped that bomb on me. I just...lost it."
She took a deep breath. "He called me right after I got back from Yale and I was just so...angry."
"Why did you never contact me?" I asked, straining to keep the tears away. "You didn't even have to call me or visit me, just a card or a letter would have been nice."
"I guess I was just...stubborn. At first I wanted to contact you, wanted to talk to you. Especially when I found out you had delivered a baby girl into this world. Of course I wanted to see my first grandchild. But I also thought you had to come to me. That you had to admit that I was right and you were wrong."
She sighed. "Then, as time went by I thought that you must hate me for what I did and I was afraid to call you. Afraid of how you would react. I had felt the brunt of Emmett's anger and I couldn't stand going through that a second time."
"What made you change your mind?" I asked.
"I met someone," she said, a smile creeping onto her face. "I met a man."
She shook her head. "It was silly. One of my friends took me to a baseball game at this little stadium where her husband worked and afterwards...when we were all hanging around in this bar a man came walking in."
She took another sip of her drink, her eyes lighting up as she continued. "When he walked in I just knew it. I knew I was supposed to be with him, in spite of what people would think."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"He's a bit younger than me," she replied, smiling mischievously. "A lot, actually."
I couldn't help but laugh at the thought of my mom the cradle snatcher.
"I'm glad to hear you find this all wildly amusing," Renee laughed.
The atmosphere had changed. For a moment the tension seemed to be lifted and we were just mother and daughter. It was as if nothing had happened. Of course I was still angry and hurt, but I also realized how much I had missed this.
"He's so...steady...together," she mused. "Anyways, he kept saying that if there was a remote possibility of the three of us working through all of this I owed it to you as your mother to come to New York and clear the air. Emmett's wedding invitation only served to speed up the process."
"If you wanted to clear the air then why did you act so...hateful last night?" I asked. She hadn't really acted like she craved my forgiveness then.
"I don't know," she said, hanging her head. "I was so nervous...and when I saw how angry you were when you recognized me something snapped and I couldn't think straight again."
"What made you change your mind back?" I snorted, knowing how capricious my mothers moods could be.
"I talked to Phil – my boyfriend – after I got back, and then Emmett came over..."
"EMMETT!" I yelled.
"Did you really think your brother would stand by and let me insult you?" Renee smirked. "I half expected him to kick the door in. I was amazed by the fact that he waited for me to open it for him."
"What did he say?" I asked. I was going to have a serious conversation with my brother when I got back home.
"It doesn't matter," she said, patting my hand. "All that matters is that he made me see the error of my ways."
We talked some more after that, skipping any subject that might stir things up again. When I looked at the clock and saw it was two already I sighed.
"I have to go, mom. Edward and Emmett are waiting for me back home and they will be worried sick."
"Yeah," Renee sighed. "Edward must be anxious to have you back."
I put my coat back on and payed the check.
"Look," she said, just before we parted ways again. "I know stuff has happened that will not be forgotten in a day, or even a year, but I would like to get the chance to be a part of your life again."
"I guess we can keep in touch," I said tentatively. This meeting might have gone better then expected, but I was a little hesitant to let Renee get close to me again.
"I would really like to meet little Libby. She seemed so cute when I met her the other day," Renee mused. "Though I would understand if you wanted to wait a while."
"I'll see..." I said, still a little unsettled by the quick turnaround from the 'evil bitch Renee' I'd met last night to the sweet scatterbrained mom I knew.
"And your boyfriend," she grinned.
I raised an eyebrow.
"You did well there, Bella. I can see why you waited all those years for him."
"Mom!" I knew what she was getting at and I wasn't exactly ready to share the intimate details of my love life with her.
"I can understand if he hates me though. I wasn't exactly on my best behavior yesterday," she said, sounding a little sad.
"We'll see," I said. "I can't promise anything."
We quickly said our goodbyes and before I knew it I was out in the crisp November air, walking back to my loved ones.
So, raise your hands if you would be willing ot put up with the bitch mother if that meant getting Edward to talk dirty to you. I know I would...
I hope you won't be disappointed about the fact that Bella is willing to forgive her mom for what she did - or at least: to let her into her life again. I don't know what I would have done if I had been me, but it seemed like the thing Bella would have done. Things are far from okay between the two of them, even after their talk and the question whether of not Renee can be trusted is yet to be answered.
I know I promised some of you a bit of Emmett's POV in this chapter (it would have been the conversation he had with Renee) and I wrote parts of it, but it just didn't seem right. Angry Emmett apparently equals more language than in one whole season of the Jerry Springer show and my momma raised me to be a lady (even though some bits of this chapter might contradict that). You still get the gist of it through Edwards POV though.