After the hearing Edward's earnest confession, Bella remained stunned on the floor of her room. She was now in the lion's den. Edward wanted her, and she wanted Edward. Only he didn't know it yet. She slowly, painstakingly picked herself up off the floor, and returned to the desk, where she forced herself to study business law, focusing on commercial transactions. He mind wandered to the feelings she had, and she pushed herself back into studying. Hours passed.
She heard a soft knock at the door. Could it be Edward? She approached, slowly, feeling self-conscious. She opened the door, and Alice bounced through the doorway. Rose followed.
"Oh my gosh, Bella. It is so good to see you again!" Alice exclaimed. "I was so worried I wouldn't ever see you again."
Rose laughed. Bella think she knew what was happening, that witnesses aren't kept around.
"No, it seems like Edward had a pet." Rose commented. Rose, daughter of a mafia-associated mechanic, was made for this family. Bella, daughter of a cop, was not. Rose was protective, rightly.
"Oh be nice, Rose." Alice hushed Rosalie. "What are you going to wear this afternoon?" Alice excitedly asked Bella.
Bella hadn't really thought about it. The trio walked over to the expansive walk-in closet. For the first time in her life, Bella could see all of her clothes out together, and it wasn't much. She browsed, and picked out her favorite pair of jeans and a sweater. Alice ignored her selection, pushing past Bella to get into the closet.
"No Coco Chanel? No Georgio Armani? Not even Calvin Klein!" Alice was scolding Bella. Alice broke into crisis mode, "I have nothing to work with." She dropped to her knees dramatically. Bella and Rose laughed together, and Bella felt some of Rose's cold exterior melt.
"This is no time to laugh. Bella, go sit in that chair. Rose, get the curling iron from my car. I have a miracle to work in this closet. Go, go!" Alice commanded. She was like Edward, commanding, so neither girl defied her orders.
Rose curled Bella's hair, and Alice settled on an ill-fitting dress Bella had. Alice performed alterations speedily, and when three o'clock came around, the glamorous trio emerged from the bedroom. Rose was a blond bombshell. Alice, the pixie, was edgy, and sweet Bella was the girl next door. They descended the grand stairs, and moved around the mansion, inside and out. Bella lost track of the number of people that stopped to greet Alice and Rose. As the sister of the mafia boss, and the wife of the under-boss, Alice and Rose deserved great respect, and they were given it freely.
The whole event appeared to be relaxed. The men were drinking and smoking. The women sat about watching the children play games. Bella settled into the comfort of being largely ignored. Though, she did catch wandering of eyes of some of the associates.
"Oh, there is Edward!" Alice exclaimed, and Bella and Edward locked eyes. He was ravishing. His causal suit, his copper hair. He looked all business. Bella was gorgeous. Edward excused himself from the group of men he was talking with, and came over to claim Bella. She rose from her chair when he approached, nervously fidgeting with her hair.
"Thank you, Alice, for taking care of Bella while I was occupied." Edward thanked his sister.
"I like her, so have her back to me in one-piece, would you?" Alice joked, and Edward took it well. He put his hand on the small of Bella's back, gliding her around. The moment they linked, all eyes were on them. She was the topic of interest. Edward introduced her around. She met the family. The cousins, the aunts, the uncles.
And then Edward took her to meet Carlisle and Esme in a quite corner of the formal sitting room. The retired don and his wife would meet the witness. "Padre, Madre, this is Isabella Swan. Bella, there are my parents." He used her full name, loving the sound of it on his lips.
"Call me, Carlisle, or Dad, whichever you like." Carlisle joked. Bella's face found a shade of red immediately.
"Oh don't pay him any attention, darling. I'm Esme." Esme extended a warm welcome. Of course, the story of 'the girl who saw too much' already made its way to Carlisle and Esme. Carlisle had warned against it. Witnesses should never happen. If they do, they are to be killed or threatened into silence, and reminded of their reasons to keep silent. Edward had neither killed nor threatened Bella. Instead, he opted for a third option, capture and release. Except, he was not keen on the idea of releasing her. When Edward had discussed this over with his dad, Carlisle was critical. But, there were sufficient checks on her freedom, so he was ultimantley satisfied with his son's decision, especially after seeing Bella. It was like she was made for him, a lamb for a lion.
"Do you like the estate?" Emse inquired.
"It is simply gorgeous." Bella said, coming out of her blush.
Carlisle was a man of great experience, and watching Edward with Bella, he remembered meeting Esme. Carlisle pulled Edward aside, leaving Bella and Esme to chat about details of the home.
"How long will you keep her for?" Carlisle asked. It was a cruel question to ask his son, and he knew it.
Edward remained calm. "Isabella is a guest, and her stay in temporary." Edward said.
"Temporary. Hmm, you think you can let her go?" Carlisle asked. Edward was silent.
"I'm not sure." Edward said, looking at Bella from afar.
"No, you can't." Carlisle commented, thinking of his experience with Esme. "But, living this life, you only have two options. You stay with her and hope she doesn't die in the crossfire. Or you make sure she won't talk, let her go, and watch the life she will build without you. Those are the only two ways this can go." Carlisle offered his experience and advice.
"I'm not going to force her, to be with me." Edward stated.
"Son, you don't have to. Just looking at her, she only has eyes for you. The question is, do you love her enough to let her go? To let her live a normal life?" Carlisle posed this question to his son.
Edward simply nodded, taking it all in. In matters of killing, his dad had already taught him everything he needed to know. But in this area, Edward appreciated his father's wisdom, and he knew what he had to do, and he hated it.