THE MISFORTUNES OF BEING A WOMAN
Disclaimer: The Cullens, the Swans, and most of the characters mentioned in the story that are known from Stephanie Meyer's beloved Twilight Saga, are all hers and hers alone. I neither have nor wish to pass them off as mine. I do appreciate the fact that she did bring them to life and allows us to play with them in our imaginations. The only thing I will claim is the current storyline.
"We need to change that. She is my daughter and will have the name of Cullen and all that goes with that. We need to find a place for us to live and to -" Bella sat stunned with all of the planning that he was off in his mind making and spewing them forth without pause as if she would just go along with them.
After a bit Edward realized that he was doing all of the talking and Bella hadn't contributed one word to the conversation. It had all been one sided. "What seems to be the problem? We can get a house, any house you want and you can decorate it any way you chose. I know my mother and sisters will enjoy helping if you want.
"In fact, the whole family is eager to make the acquaintance of this little lady. Our Lady Jasmine. Our little princess." And again he went off onto a tangent. Bella just listened without interfering in his plan making. She knew that her plans had been made already before their ever left Savannah and she wasn't about to change them now. But, the way Edward was carrying on there wasn't any way she was going to inform him of that fact.
Her mind was jerked back to the present by the silence. She realized that Edward had finished speaking and was wait on her to say something, but, she didn't know what. "Excuse me, but, I didn't catch the last of what you said."
"I asked when my family could meet Jasmine."
"Not tonight. All of us have had enough excitement for this day. Now, I am going to ask you to go so we can get some rest."
"Of course. I'll see you both in the morning bright and early. We can have breakfast together and then plan our day of what needs to be done. Also, we need to inform your family of my status in your lives."
"You do realize that my father and brothers are going to have a lot to say about that." she commented.
"Naturally, as I would if it was one of my sisters." He joked.
Looking down into his daughter's face one last time he realized she had fallen back to sleep. He handed her over to Bella after which he rose. Bella quietly took Jasmine back into the other room and put her down in the portable sleeper and returned to where Edward was waiting. She walked over to the door as a sign that he needed to leave and he followed.
"I will see you both in the morning. In the meantime rest and have a good night. My number is written down on some stationary over on the desk so you can reach me anytime." And with that he slowly bent down to brush his lips gently across her unresisting ones, straightened up and left closing the door quietly behind him.
Bella forgot all about the stranger name that had called her phone as she placed a call to her pilot.
CHAPTER 21:
Bella didn't get much sleep with all of the tossing and turning she did in bed. Her mind just wouldn't shut down for her to get any rest after all that Edward had to tell her. She kept trying to find a way that she would feel comfortable for her and Jasmine to stay in Chicago and be safe. But, the comfort level wouldn't come. She would be in a city that had little to offer her, which she had witnessed a criminal act of murder and those thugs were after her. and, she was being asked to put her and Jasmine's safety into the hands of people she only knew by reputation with the only two people of that group she has had limited interaction. Even, that gave her cause for concern. True not from Edward, although, she knew he had a soft, tender side to his nature since she had witnessed it twice now. Once on the night they came together and Jasmine was conceived and tonight when he spoke of his dreams, then held his daughter for the first time. Esme was a different story; she had lied to her and to Bella that didn't recommend much trust. The rest of the family she had never met.
No, with all the factors put together, she felt it would be better to continue as she had planned before leaving Savannah and then again after Edward started with his entire one sided planning. It gave her a peace of mind to continue as arranged, for some reason it felt right. Edward and his family would have to adjust to it and make the effect if they want to be any part of Jasmine's life; part of her future. Her baby had to be placed in a safe environment and Chicago definitely wasn't it.
The next topic that her mind jumped to was about how to tell her family about Edward being the father of her child. Somehow, that subject never seemed to have been mentioned. True her mother had told her about how they all had met in Savannah and the joining together of forces to try to find her and Jasmine. Even told her what all had been discussed and the reasoning that had been given for the Cullen's being so interested in locating Bella, but, nothing was said about Edward being the father. Of course, there really wasn't any reason to do so until the fact had been confirmed by her herself to his face. So, no could accuse them of lying in that area. But, Bella knew her father and brothers. There was going to be some shit from that country and she needed to be prepared to handle it before it got out of hand and a war between the two families blow up.
So, much to deal with and keep under control. No wonder her mind would shut down. It was with that thought in mind that Bella decided that it would be best to deal with all of this in a public place. That way the Swan men folk would have to behave themselves. She made up her mind then and there that all of this was going to be said with both families present. It wasn't going to be just her and Edward having breakfast. No. It was going to be the Swans and the Cullen's along with her and Jasmine. Yeah, and she would be the one conducting the conversation. After she had her say the rest of them could do as they pleased since she and Jasmine would excuse themselves to get ready to leave. She just hoped that by going out into the public wouldn't draw the attention of the people she was trying to avoid. But then she really didn't have much to worry about with being surrounded by her family.
Finally with a plan of action decided upon Bella was able to roll over and get some much needed sleep. The morning wasn't far off and she had to be up early to feed Jasmine and then make some quick phone calls. It was then that she remembered the strange number that had shown on her phone facing amongst the rest of missed calls from her family as she was avoiding them all yesterday after the shocker of her life.
XXXXXXXXXX
Over the last several hours since Paul, Embry and Quil had returned from Savannah Jacob wasn't making their lives very rewarding since they had failed to accomplish their mission. They were supposed to have found that bitch and her brat then bring them back to him. Instead they are back to square one having to locate her once more.
After the last few hours of intense interrogation Jacob was called away to take was described as an important phone call. And, as it turned out it was indeed an important call with much valuable information. It seems the whole Cullen bunch was seen back in town and to put icing on the cake so were the Swans from Washington State. These two families were seen together in Savannah and now they are all together again in Chicago.
Jacob knew that the Cullen's were after the same woman as he was, but, for a different reason. He knew that the son, Edward, was somehow involved with her, but, not quite sure as to the extent. He could be the child's father and if he was damn Jacob had both his cake and ice cream too with the woman and the child in his grasp.
His thoughts were putting things together which led to one of two conclusions. First, they had caught up to the woman and child, or, secondly, they had traced her back to here. Whichever one was factual made no difference since it all come down to the same thing; she and the child were close and on his turf. The three idiots that had gone to Savannah were not in any shape at the moment to be sent to find and get them, but, then why should he care. They fucked up, now they can suck it up and finish the job they had been given to do. He needed his other people taking care of the jobs they had been assigned. Not everyone needed to know his business.
Jacob did wonder if any of his contacts at the police department would be able to lead them to a location for her and the brat.
He was determined to find her since she was in the area before she pulled another disappearing act. Reaching for the phone he deals a number to start putting things in motion and while waiting calls for Sam to tell him the information and to let up on the three morons.
XXXXXXXXXXX
Edward was up early and anxious to get started. He had told his family about his talk with Bella last night and about Jasmine. The smile that spread across his face and reflected in his eyes during the telling was something that excited the family since it had been a good while since he had displayed such joy and happiness. It had been nearly a year.
Next they all knew that the biggest problem was on the horizon. That was going to occur when the Swans were informed about Edward being Jasmine's father. Everyone thinks they know how Charlie, Jasper and Emmett are going to react since Carlisle and Edward would be the same if Rosalie or Alice were in the same situation. But, the knowledge of this will do little to halt a possible feud between the two families if things and words get too far out of hand.
Both Renee and Esme have talked around the subject without coming out directly to confirm any actual knowledge of certain facts. However, Renee hinted at knowing and Esme hinted at confirming her knowing. But, neither woman ever came out in the open to admit what they knew or suspected. A fine line was walked between them.
It does create a certain amount of unexplainable tension amongst everyone, but, everyone likes to act like it has to do with Bella making choices they want her to make.
XXXXXXXXXX
As Bella got Jasmine changed and fed, she took the time to call Edward to inform him that she wanted all of his family present at breakfast and that she was going to have her family there as well. She had made certain decisions and wanted to inform everyone at the same time.
After that she called the strange number that had appeared on her phone yesterday. A man answered the phone and referred to her by name. "Hello, Isabella Dwyer aka Isa Higgins. This is Special Agent Marcus Volturi and my brothers and I have been trying to find you so we can protect you again Jacob Black and his bunch. We need for you to talk with us and then testify as to what you saw take place in that alley nearly a year ago. We can offer a safe place for you to stay. Please tell me where you are and we will come get you." He told her.
"I have no desire to be associate with you or anyone else connected with either side. All I am going to do is take care of myself and drop off the face of the earth. In fact, I don't even want to know how you got a hold of this number, but, understand me well, Mr. Volturi, that if you keep digging into my past without complete justification I will bring charges against you and your people without hesitating one damn little bit." Bella tells him with the deadliest of calm in her voice. Then she hangs up and smashes the phone.
From there she picks up the hotel phone to call down to her parent's suite. When her mother answers the phone Bella lets her know immediately that she needs to speak with her dad. With a slight pause and wait Charlie gets on the phone, "Hello, little girl, what's going on?"
"First, Dad, I am going to be having breakfast with the Cullen's and I need my family there at the same time. I have reached certain decisions and since all of you seem to be so cozy I plan to inform all of you at the same time what they are.
"Secondly, I saw a strange number on my phone yesterday and never got around to returning it until this morning. It turns out it is one of the three FBI agents that you and Mom were telling me about yesterday. They are wanting me to turn myself over to them to say what I saw in the alley and then to testify at the trial. Until then they plan to keep me in a safe house.
"They don't seem to know as yet that I am your daughter, or, the fact that I have a daughter. But, they did get a hold of my phone by digging through my records without just cause. I did tell the agent that if they continued with that I would file charges against them without any hesitation. I thought you needed to be aware of it in case you felt that you needed to take any steps for protection of the family."
"Thanks for letting me know and I will take care of it. You did right by what you told them and I would recommend that you let your attorney know of what is going on so he or she can be on top of things if it should come to that.
"Now, about breakfast, where are we all going to meet?"
"Here in the hotel in about an hour."
"See you then, baby."
"Okay, Dad, bye."
After getting off the phone with her dad Bella called down to reserved a table big enough to accommodate everyone; a total of ten people. After making the reservations she called the front desk to arrange for check out and payment in full to be made. At that point Bella informed the desk that she would be having breakfast with some other people before leaving so she needed to store her things with them until her cab came to pick her. Then Bella continued to get ready to meet everyone downstairs. She had made arrangements for the pilot to be ready for takeoff at noon and for a cab to be waiting with her things loaded for eleven fifteen.
Walking into the restaurant at eight thirty with Jasmine, Bella noticed that everyone was gathered and waiting for her. Conversation was comfortable and covered only general topics until everyone had finished and was relaxing with just a cup of coffee. It was at that point that Bella begin to deliver her decisions.
"Dad, Mom, Emmett, Jasper, I want your word that you will let the Jasmine's father alone. You are not to touch one hair on his head or I will be really pissed and we will have personal war. Do I make myself fully understood?" At which all five individuals nodded, but, said nothing. It seemed that everyone wanted to get all out in the open before offering any further comments.
"Edward is Jasmine's father and he wants to be involved in our daughter's life. And, I am delighted to hear that. But, some of the ideas that he has won't work for us. Our must put our safety first and that is why Jasmine and I will return to Seattle to a home that I have purchased there. I am familiar with the area and feel safer around people, my family that I know instead of the ones I don't.
"However, all of the necessary information will be given to Edward so he and his family can come to spend time with Jasmine as they chose to do.
"Now, I am going to leave all of you to continue with you meal and coffee while I take care of Jasmine." And, with that Bella left the table, was informed that her cab was waiting with her things loaded. She went out front, got into the cab and left to go catch her plane heading for her home in Seattle.
A/N: What kind of chaos did Bella leave behind at the breakfast table? Will Jacob and his group be able to locate Bella and Jasmine? What is everyone's reaction to Bella's decisions? Is the FBI going to listen to her warning and leave her alone?
Hope you are still enjoying the story. Please take the time to review and let me know your thoughts. I will definitely answer back.