A/N- I wonder if anyone picked up on a few more subtle hints about some things… well, you'll find out soon!
Chapter 25Bella's POVEverything was in order. Esme was holding her annual Christmas party tonight with, what seemed like, all of Washington invited. Esme, Alice, Rosalie, and I had been decorating all morning and Katie, Mason, Alex, Emily, and Olivia were cutting up some fruits, cheeses and meats while their fathers and Carlisle were talking over some beers in the other room after they proved useless with party preparations.
As Alice danced and skipped her way around the humungous tree, throwing bits of tinsel over her head at the tree like some sort of fairy, my phone went off. I glanced at the number on the front and smiled when Lucy flashed across the screen.
"Hey sweetheart! Are you driving right now?" I asked concernedly.
"No. Look, mom, two things. First, do you mind if Abby stays with us? Her mom is staying at her boyfriend's for Christmas and she doesn't want to stay on campus alone."
"Sure, sure! Of course she can!"
"Good, because we're already halfway there. The other thing is that we're driving through a storm and might be a bit late. Thought you should know." She had to hang up soon after to focus on driving, leaving me to worry.
Lucy's POVI sat at a small table with Abby at a rest stop munching a bit of lunch before heading back into the harsh wind again. People hurried by, bundled in many layers, looking haggard despite the prospect of the holidays so close. I glanced at my watch and stood. Abby followed suit and we hurried out again. We dove into the car where I turned the heat up full blast.
We got right back on the highway where visibility was moot. The snow whirled around the car and I had the windshield wipers working overtime to banish the compiling white mush compiling on my windshield. To distract us from the nerve wracking factors around us.
I just can't get
you out of my head
Boy your loving is all I think about
I just
can't get you out of my head
Boy it's more than I dare to think
about
Every night
Every day
Just to
be there in your arms
I shifted nervously in my seat. The lyrics of this made me think of Brian more than I liked to admit. Hastily, I changed the station.
I wanna lock you up in my closet
when no one's around Now you're in, and you can't get out You make me
so hot
I wanna put your hand in my pocket because
you're allowed
I wanna drive you into the corner and kiss you
without a sound
I wanna stay this way forever I'll say it
loud
Make me wanna drop
It's so ridiculous
I can barely
stop
I can hardly breathe
You make me wanna scream
You're so
fabulous
You're so good to me baby, baby
I bit my lip yet again. Brian's face and voice ran through my mind. I smacked the search button.
But I hate it... And I hate how much I
love you boy (yeah...) And you completely know the power that you have
You know
exactly how to touch
So that I don't want to fuss... and fight no
more
Said I despise that I adore you
I can't stand how much I need you (I need
you...)
And I hate how much I love you boy (oooh whoah...)
But
I just can't let you go
And I hate that I love you so
(oooh...)
The
only one that makes me laugh
I glanced at Abby who was watching me suspiciously. I grimaced as I hit the search button again. Why was this bothering me so much? I didn't like him much less love him! Finally, I settled on some classical music when I heard Claire De Lune, one of my parents' favorites. I settled back, still squinting, while Abby held a defiant posture next tome, angling her body towards me and crossing her arms. I glanced at her out of the corner of eye and felt my eyebrows knit with uncomfort. Finally I gave.
"What?" I cried. She raised her eyebrows, incredulous.
"What do you mean 'what'?" she asked rolling her eyes. I glared at her.
"You know that I mean why are you staring at me like I have something to tell you or something!"
"So there is something you're not telling me!" she said triumphantly.
"No!" I cried, exasperated. "I just said that's how you were looking at me. Not that it was justified." She shook her head.
"Whatever it is, you know I'm going to find out what it is." I couldn't argue that.
We pulled up to the lit up mansion like house and turned to Abby and grinned at the awed expression on her face. We Parked on the plush lawn with all the other cars and hurried inside, shivering against the brutal gales. We rang the doorbell and stumbled inside when it was flung open. I found myself being pulled into the arms of my mother and father. I squeezed them back and peeled off my coat.
I pulled Abby in front of me so she could shield me. She laughed and held out her hand to mom and dad.
"Mr. and Mrs. Cullen! It's so nice to finally meet you!" she said as she shook their hands warmly. I envied the way she could put herself so out there in a new environment. Then I noticed dad looking at her funny.
"Abby Denali? Are you by chance related to a Tanya Denali?" Abby looked surprised.
"She's my mom! Why? Do you know her?" now mom was looking at her funny too. Dad looked sheepish.
"Well, we kind of dated in high school." He said rubbing the back of his neck.
"They were very serious for quite some time. What's she up to these days?" mom asked, seeming genuinely interested. I was surprised she took that so coolly. If I was married and we started talking about his exes I wouldn't be asking how they were.
Dad seemed just as surprised as I was.
"Why do you ask of all people? I thought you two, kind of… er… hated each other to an extent." Mom laughed airily.
"That was in high school! It was petty." Abby and I were swept into the huge living room where it seemed thousands or people were being contained. The glass walls lining the room portrayed the wind sweeping around the house. I had a sweet reunion with Katie and Mason soon after. They were both filling out amazingly fast. I bereted Mason about his long hair moaning about his opposition to cutting it. I giggled with Katie about her new crush and which of her friends were going out with whom.
The night passed quickly. Everyone loved Abby; she had a way, like my father, of knowing what people wanted to hear- even from Gran who had shown up for the party. I answered the vague questions of 'how's college?' many times. I was extremely tempted to tell them that college had a bad cold and was cooped up on campus, and I was fine, thanks for asking. I resisted however.
People began leaving hours later and finally the last of the stragglers were bidding Esme and Carlisle goodbye. Dad and mom plopped down on either side of Abby and me, dad loosening his tie.
"So I've been meaning to ask," dad said after a moment, "how's your mom's new job going?" Abby raised her head a few inches to look around me to dad.
"How did you know she has a new job? I don't remember mentioning it…" dad's eyes bugged out slightly and seemed at a loss for words.
"Are- are you sure? I… could've sworn I heard you mention it."
"I… don't think so…" Abby said sinking back on the cushions. She glanced at me, confused. Minutely I shrugged, confusion glazing my face. How had he known that? I wasn't sure I had even been aware of it!
"Edward, how did you know that?" mom asked, leaning forward to look around Abby and me.
"How about we talk about it later?" I could tell she was about to argue, following her more stubborn senses, but seemed to think better of it. She sat back again.
Sensing the new tension in the air, Abby and I left after congratulating my grandparents on the success of the party.
As I drove the familiar winding path out of their property Abby and I sat in silence. I was thankful she'd at least forgotten to bug me about Matt. If I knew Abby though, she was going to remember and she was not going to let it drop. Ever. Just like I was sure mom wouldn't let his slip up be forgotten until she finds out what, if anything, happened. Ever.
Bella's POVI felt panicky. For the first time I felt as if something might be going on between Edward and another woman. I was always annoyed with the nurses that still came onto Edward at work, but I'd seen first hand that he had no interest and brushed them off like flies. Now, this seemed like something more. Mentally I assured myself that Edward wouldn't do something like that to me. I was probably blowing this out of proportion. He wouldn't have an affair! He wasn't that type of person.
Suddenly, I was seething. How could he do something like this to me? Even if he wasn't having an affair, he'd still kept something from me!
I watched as Lucy pulled Abby up and all but ran out. As soon as I heard the door close behind them I jumped up, exhaustion long forgotten. Edward seemed to cringe and recoil from the impending questions. I stood over him arms crossed and foot tapping. He watched me a moment, lips pursed slightly.
"Yes dear?" he asked slowly. I narrowed my eyes.
"What do you think?" I cried. "You suddenly know something about a woman neither of us supposedly have seen since high school! What am I supposed to do with that?"
"Look," Edward said standing up and putting his hands on my shoulders, placating. I shrugged off his hands angrily. "Nothing's going on! I just happened to run into her right after we got married. We had dinner as friends and we talked but I swear to you that nothing happened at all." I mulled that over a moment.
"That doesn't explain why you knew she has a new job."
"Well," he paused a moment, "that one dinner sort of became an annual thing."
"How long, how often, and when was the most recent meeting?" I asked flatly.
"Once a year, since we got married, and last week." I gaped at him.
"You've been keeping this from me for that long?" I asked bewildered. He nodded, rightfully ashamed. "And all this time we've heard Lucy talk about Abby, you never realized she's Tanya's daughter?"
"No, I haven't. Tanya mentioned she had a daughter in the same school as Lucy. I never asked if she knew her daughter because I didn't want her to ask how I knew the girl. I didn't want to lie to her." I gaped at him again.
"You didn't want lie to her? Edward, you've been in contact with Tanya for years without my knowledge. There had to be a lie in there somewhere! Why didn't you just tell me?" I wanted to stay in control of this conversation but in my last sentence against my will a hurt tone leaked into my voice. He stepped forward and pulled me close. I didn't have the energy to pull away.
"The only reason I didn't tell you is because I figured you'd worry yourself about it. I never meant to hurt you." I felt the fight go completely out of me.
"Promise?" I asked softly into his chest.
"Promise." He said pulling me tighter. I sighed and nodded.
"Good."