Thank you so much for all the support for last chapter. To those of you worried about various plot holes, I think you'll find Charlie does a pretty good job of filling them . . . for now.
I can't thank SunflowerFran enough for all her beta help with this story to date. She's been unwell, and I'm notoriously impatient, so I told her not to worry about betaing this chapter, as I planned to post it a few days ago and get the rest of the story up fairly quickly. I've been struggling lately, and I'm more than ready to move on from this story to something a little less angsty. As is usually the way of it, life decided to remind me things can always be worse, (I had no idea long-term resistant scabies could make a person so sick), plus we lost the internet for a couple of days. Anyway, here it is. I hope it's not too badly done. Thank you to Nkubie, Sunshine1220, and Mechcat for prereading. I've made so many additions and changes to this chapter, that I'm not sure you guys will recognize it. As always, all mistakes are mine!
xx Elise
~GV~
Chapter 28
"Edward has a what?"
"A thirteen-year-old daughter," I said with a sigh. I must have been more tired than I realized to have just blurted it out like that. My dad was a tolerant guy, but there was no way this wasn't going to shock him.
"He only just found out about her on Monday," I continued in a conciliatory tone. "Her name is Katie, and she's one of my students. She's a really lovely girl," I added, though I wasn't sure why. She could have been a difficult, surly child, withdrawn, depressed-any number of perfectly understandable things considering her circumstances-and it wouldn't have changed her parentage. I guess I just wanted my dad to like as much as we did.
"Thirteen. So that would have made him, what? Fifteen when she was born? I might not have read his autobiography as many times as you have, Bella, but I think I'd remember if there was any mention of him carrying on with girls when he was just a kid himself."
Starting at the beginning, I explained the whole story. Of course, the investigator in my dad would want details. Charlie asked a few questions along the way but didn't interrupt. After I finished talking, he stayed silent for a long moment.
"Dad?" I eventually prompted. "You still there?"
He blew out a long breath. "Yeah, just processing. I can't say I saw that coming."
"Me neither," I admitted with a dry chuckle. "It's been a series of highs and lows, that's for sure."
I brought Charlie up to date with the rest of the week's events, including Edward's parents' arrival and the plans we had made with the PR team. He was understandably angry when I told him what they'd had to say about Mike and Tyler's suspected involvement in feeding the flames of my ongoing social media harassment. He made no bones about wanting them to be held accountable, but I wasn't sure how. It didn't sound like it was something that could be proven all that easily, and now that Katie was a part of the equation, my priorities had changed. Not that getting back at Mike had ever been my goal. I'd just wanted to be able to move forward with my life and put him and the humiliation he'd wreaked behind me. The contract I'd signed limited what I could say, though I had a feeling the PR guys would find a way to get around it.
Charlie was also upset to hear Edward wouldn't be pursuing charges against Tanya.
"I get that a court case isn't in his or his daughter's best interests," he conceded. "A trial would be brutal, and the odds of getting a conviction are never in the complainant's favor. Even with the age issue and his injuries, you'd be amazed what defense lawyers will pull to blame and shame the victim. Throw in a male victim and female assailant, and yeah, it wouldn't be pretty. But you do realize he might not have a choice?"
"What do you mean?" My heart started thudding heavily in my chest at the mere thought of Edward being put through a trial.
"Some hotshot DA could decide to make a case to try and boost his career. Then there's Tanya's husband. Didn't you mention he's a senator? Guys like him go to war when their positions are threatened, and I'm guessing his wife being outed as a child molester qualifies as a significant threat. It's a good thing Edward can afford protection."
"Yeah, it is," I murmured, feeling rattled. I'd thought our future direction was fairly certain.
"Hunt might sue for defamation, or he could just hang his wife out to dry, since I'm guessing it all went down before he was on the scene," Charlie continued before I could tell him about the mysterious USB. "It's not like they'll be able to refute that she's the girl's biological mother, and it's pretty hard to defend someone against a six-year age gap when one party wasn't even fifteen. She's guilty of statutory rape at the very least. With the injuries Edward sustained, it would be damned difficult to claim he was willing. Were there any witnesses that would collaborate his version of events? Anyone that knew he'd been injured before he was sexually assaulted?"
I blinked and stared at the phone for a moment. Trust my policeman father to see something obvious we'd all missed . . . several somethings.
"Yes, there is someone . . . Demetri. He's the one that cut Edward loose and called the ambulance. He and Edward have stayed friends, and he's always regretted he didn't try to intervene or go for help sooner."
"Good to hear, Bells. Tell Edward to ask him if he'll go on record. This isn't exactly Jasper's field, but I'm sure he could take a statement . . . or direct you to someone who can. Your PR team sounds like they know what they're doing when it comes to the Internet and that side of things, but I'd run everything past a good lawyer, one whose field is criminal law. Just in case."
"That's great advice, Dad. I'll pass it on to Edward." I sighed before continuing. "Everything's happened so fast, it's overwhelming. I think we're doing the right thing going public, as it was bound to come out sooner rather than later. It's just hard to think of everything, let alone predict how the other people who are involved will react. Tanya told Edward she'll cooperate, but I'm guessing that could change."
Charlie scoffed. "Yeah, I wouldn't count on it. Self-preservation is a pretty powerful instinct, especially for someone like her."
"You don't think she could be genuinely remorseful?" The thought had crossed my mind. Edward seemed to think she'd stay true to her word, and it felt strange to be the more cynical, less trusting member of our partnership.
"She wouldn't be the first college student to get caught up in a hazing gone wrong or feel pressured into doing something they wouldn't normally do, but that doesn't make it okay," Charlie said. "We're not talking about a couple of kids getting carried away without checking ages and discussing consent first. Edward was tied up, for God's sake. Gagged. Even if she didn't realize he was injured, she played a part in forcing alcohol and drugs on him when he clearly didn't want them. Regardless of his age, she had to know he wasn't a willing participant. Plenty of people would have called a halt or at least refused to participate. Hell, I can guarantee you wouldn't have taken advantage of someone if you'd been in her shoes, drunk or sober."
"No, no I wouldn't have," I murmured my agreement. I would have been desperate to help them.
"In my opinion, being drunk or high doesn't change a person's fundamental character," Charlie continued. "Sure, it loosens their inhibitions, but unless you're talking a complete psychotic break, people tend to stay true to who they are. I'm yet to meet a mean, violent drunk who is a genuinely good guy when sober. Not saying it can't happen, but it's not my experience."
I sighed, wondering what it meant for the future if Tanya couldn't be trusted.
"Having said all that, maybe she's done a lot of growing up," Charlie added. "Going through with the pregnancy had to be a wakeup call. All I'm saying is be careful, as leopards rarely change their spots . . . not all of them."
"We will, Dad, and thanks for the advice."
"No problem. Now, how about you tell me more about this young man of yours? It's hard to believe he's the father of a teenager."
"Are you okay with that?" I asked.
"Honestly? I have some concerns. It sounds to me like you've found yourself a good guy in Edward, but are you sure you're up for what's in store? Every couple brings some baggage to a new relationship, but you have to admit, this guy is toting more than a backpack's worth."
I smiled at the analogy. "You're not wrong, but I'm not exactly traveling light myself. I'm pretty sure the two of us could fill a U-Haul. On the bright side, we've got some good relationship and communication skills between us, and we're both open to the benefits of therapy. I'm not saying there won't be difficulties, but I'm hopeful we can make this work. I care about him, a lot, and he makes me feel good about myself."
"In that case, I'm happy for you, Bells. And I'm looking forward to meeting Edward. I still can't believe my little girl is dating an Olympic champion."
"Me neither." I chuckled then grew serious. "Do you think you'll be okay meeting Katie? She's a really great kid, but she's nervous about people knowing the truth about her real parents."
"Hey, you know me. I'd never hold that against her."
"Good, because she already has her heart set on Edward and I ending up together. Just don't freak out if she calls you Gramps."
There was a pause, followed by a chuckle. "I won't, but give me more than a day's warning when it's time for you to make me a grandfather, okay?"
I promised that wouldn't be a problem, and he promised he'd drive safe and be up by lunchtime the next day.
After my call, I went and found Edward. He'd just gotten off the phone with Seth who'd assured him he would take care of contacting Tanya and getting the potentially incriminating USB into the right hands. I could see it was a weight off his mind. I just hoped whatever was in the encrypted file was enough to keep James at bay, if not take him completely out of the picture. The last thing we needed was more controversy, but if the guy was as bad as I suspected he might be, it would be worth it to make sure he couldn't hurt anyone else. Plus, it would be nice to have some ammunition to use against him to hopefully prevent him from coming after us.
I filled Edward in on my conversation with my dad, including his insights and suggestions. Edward's eyes widened when I mentioned the various ways we could still end up in court. He agreed that it was probably a good idea to get some expert legal opinion before we went any further, as well as talking to Demetri about giving a statement that would back up Edward's version of events.
"It's never ending, isn't it?" I said, with an apologetic smile.
"It can feel that way, but one day, this will all be behind us."
Edward drew me into his arms, tucking my head beneath his chin. I rested my cheek against his chest, feeling myself relax as I breathed his scent deep into my lungs and listened to the deep, slow beats of his heart. After a few moments had passed, it dawned on me that they weren't coming often enough. Pulling away, I looked at him with concern.
"Your heart is beating really slowly."
He shrugged, a smirk curving his lips. "It's from all the training. My resting heart rate is only 40 beats per minute. The average is 70."
My mouth dropped open to form a silent, Wow!
Edward chuckled. "Michael Phelps' heart rate is 38 beats per minute. Some athletes have even lower rates than that. There's a cyclist whose famous for having a heart rate of only 28 beats per minute."
I shuddered. "Sheesh. That's one step up from being a vampire!"
This time Edward's laugh was full blown. "I never thought of it like that."
Realizing we'd been left alone for a while, I looked around. "Where is everyone?"
"Katie's having an art lesson with my mom, and Dad went up to check out the pool and rooftop garden. Katie said there's another pool on the ground for the rest of the complex, but the rooftop is exclusively for the top few floors. Most of the other residents are away or never use it. She seemed excited about the idea, and I have to admit, I like the idea of going for a swim with my girls. It's a beautiful day for it."
There was no hiding Edward's enthusiasm, but it worried me. "Do you think it's worth the risk of being spotted?"
He shook his head. "No, we'll only go up if our privacy is guaranteed. Seth and Dad are checking it out to see if it's okay. In the meantime, I think I'd better give my brother a call."
His smile was replaced by a grimace, and my heart ached for him having to go over everything again. I felt drained from telling my dad, and it wasn't my story. I'd learned not to take my client's painful experiences on board, well, I tried not to. But this was the man I'd fallen in love with, so I supposed it was understandable that his suffering felt like my own.
"Could you ask your parents to talk to Emmett? It would save you from having to recount it all."
Edward looked like he was considering the idea, but then he sighed. "No, I need to do it. Em's going to be pretty cut up. We've always been close, and he suspected something more had happened than what I told him. I can justify it any way I like, but I lied to him for years."
I winced, as I hadn't thought of it like that before, although Edward was far from alone in keeping past sexual abuse a secret. It was never an easy thing to talk about, not even to the people the victim trusted the most. Edward had had the added burden of wanting to keep it private from the public.
"Will he be angry?" I asked.
"With me?" I nodded, and Edward shrugged. "More hurt, I think. He's a cool guy, so I'm not overly worried, but I owe it to him to tell him myself."
"Do you want me with you?"
"That's okay. You've heard my sorry saga enough times."
I was about to tell Edward I didn't mind, but Carlisle came in at that moment with the news that the swimming pool was unoccupied and screened for privacy.
"Seth said unless there's a helicopter or drone hovering overhead, we shouldn't have any problems," he explained. "Since no one knows we're staying here, he can't see there being an issue."
Katie and Esme joined us, and we decided the four of us would go up to the pool with Edward promising to join us after making his call. I rose on my tiptoes and kissed him, not caring we had an audience.
"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" I offered one more time.
"No, you go have fun. I'll be there soon."
Edward lowered his head to kiss me in return before heading into the living room to make his call. I watched him go, hoping his brother wasn't too hard on him. Esme seemed to sense my concern, as she gave me a reassuring smile.
"It will be okay. Emmett might be hurt that Edward never confided in him, but I think he'll realize it was his right not to have to talk about it. God knows I wish he had, though I don't think I could have held back from going after Tanya. I'd like to think Edward's privacy could have been protected, but there was so much interest from the press at the time, and that was without them knowing there were college girls involved in the assault. If charges were laid against Tanya and the others, I think the full story would have leaked, and that would have been a very difficult thing for Edward to bear at such a young age." She heaved a deep sigh. "I can't believe I'm saying this, as it was terribly hard seeing those awful boys get away with what they did with just a slap on the wrist. Not to mention Aro getting away without being charged or fined for child endangerment, though he did lose his career as a coach. But protecting Edward, even if that meant keeping quiet, would have been our priority . . . just as protecting Katie is now his priority."
"You think Emmett will see it that way?" I asked, hoping for Edward's sake that his older brother would be understanding.
Esme's answering half smile reminded me a lot of Edward's smirk. "My guess is Emmett will be on the next plane out here to meet her . . . and to support his little brother."
I wasn't sure that was the best idea, as if the press discovered Edward's entire family had congregated in Seattle, they'd work themselves into a frenzy trying to figure out what was going on. On the other hand, I was impressed by how close and supportive they were.
After changing into the one-piece swimsuit I'd thought to pack, I took a quick look at myself in the full-length mirror in the dressing room. The suit wasn't overly revealing, which I was relieved about considering the company. Thankfully, it was a flattering style. Edward had made it very clear he liked the look of me naked, but this would be the first time he'd seen me in a swimsuit. Since swimming, and swimsuits, were such a big part of his life, I didn't want to disappoint him.
The rooftop pool was picturesque, with semi-tropical greenery growing in the lee of the privacy screens. It was also heated, a must for Seattle. While Seth kept watch, Esme and I inched our way in, as the water wasn't that warm. Scorning our approach, Katie and Carlisle dived in at the deep end then teased us for our timidity. Katie challenged Carlisle to a race, and I watched them swim laps with ease. There was no denying the Cullen athletic genes were at play in both grandfather and granddaughter. When Edward joined us, his gaze went straight to Katie. He looked both enchanted and a little melancholy as he watched his daughter laughing and leaping around in the water. It was a place where he'd spent a big part of his life, and I could only imagine he was thinking of all the opportunities they'd missed out on to enjoy it together.
"Hey, Edward!" Katie called when she spotted him standing to the side of the pool wearing a pair of navy and white swim shorts and with a towel slung over his shoulder. "Come and help me. Pops isn't playing fair!"
Edward laughed, the heaviness seeming to lift off him with her easy acceptance. I had to acknowledge Irina had done a great job raising Katie. With so much going for her: height, attractiveness, intelligence and even athletic ability, she could have easily ended up just another spoiled, entitled princess who thought the world revolved around her. Like Tanya had been. Instead, there was a sweetness about her I hoped she never lost.
"Just a minute," Edward called back, as he scanned the area. His eyes lit up when he spotted me lounging on a daybed nestled between a couple of potted palms. As he strode toward me, all long limbed, broad-shouldered, and abs-to-die-for, I was reminded of every high school and college fantasy I'd ever had. I may have whimpered.
"Hey," he murmured, bending over me and pressing a long, slow kiss to my lips.
"Hey, yourself," I answered when he finally drew back. If I wasn't already flushed from the sun, I would have been from both the searing kiss and having his hot-as-hell body near to mine. "How'd it go with your brother?"
"Not too bad. I'll tell you about it later. You up for a swim?"
I smiled and nodded. I wouldn't have missed it for the world, although I didn't recall my fantasies of Edward and me in a pool together including his parents and teenage daughter. It was still wonderful, as Edward took every opportunity to squeeze my fingers, or stroke my back or arm or even my backside. He only did that when no one was looking . . . mostly. Esme couldn't help smirking at us a time or two, but neither she nor Carlisle seemed offended by their son's persistent PDAs. Thankfully, Katie didn't mind either, though I sensed a smidgen of competitiveness coming through in her behavior. Whenever Edward lingered too long with me, she would launch a sneak attack, diving for his ankles or climbing onto his shoulders. I just laughed and enjoyed watching them roughhousing. Katie was surprisingly unselfconscious for her age, though I imagined that would change as she grew older.
After we'd all worn ourselves out in the pool, we decided we'd risked exposure enough for one day and headed back down to the apartment. Taking advantage of the multiple bathrooms to shower and change, we went our separate ways. Edward insisted the two of us conserve water by showering together. It took twice as long as if we'd showered alone, not that I complained. All those seemingly insignificant touches and innocent caresses had stoked a fire we were eager to quench.
It was our first time to have shower sex, something I'd wondered about but had never tried. With the height difference and the slippery surfaces, I wasn't sure how it would work without one or both of us ending up cold or with a concussion. Fortunately, the Denali's shower came with multiple jets and a built-in seat, so we were warm, safe, and ultimately satisfied. Very satisfied. The feel of the hot water flowing over us as our bodies moved together was an instant favorite.
"That was amazing," I whispered into Edward's ear as we came down from our shared high. Our bodies were still intimately joined, and remnants of pleasure pulsed through us.
He hummed his agreement, before pulling back to meet my gaze. "Think you'd be interested in trying out the Jacuzzi sometime?"
My eyes widened at the possibilities the deep tub, with its powerful jets, provided. "You wouldn't be worried about Katie or your folks hearing us?"
"I don't imagine it would be much louder than the shower. As long as you can keep from screaming when I make you come multiple times, they'll be none the wiser."
I didn't know whether to laugh or moan at his words. Although they did remind me his parents and Katie were waiting for us and probably all too aware what we'd been up to. Well, hopefully not Katie.
I told myself it was worth it, but that didn't stop my cheeks from blazing when Esme gave us a knowing look when we joined them at the breakfast table. While we'd been occupied, she'd prepared a fruit platter and some snacks. Whether it was from spending time in the sun, playing in the pool, or working up an appetite with Edward afterward, I was ravenous.
"Thanks so much for putting this together," I said to Esme as I filled my plate for the second time. "I'm not being a very good hostess, I'm afraid."
Esme smiled warmly. "Don't worry about it. You've been busy taking care of my son."
Edward choked, and I quickly passed him a glass of water.
"Mom," he said, his voice hoarse as he shot his daughter a worried look.
Katie smirked but didn't say anything, for which I was grateful.
Esme gave her son an overly innocent look. "I don't know what you're getting upset about. I just meant Bella has been supporting you during a truly wonderful," she smiled warmly at Katie, "but also trying time."
I couldn't help chuckling. Esme was great. I'd been worried she would be overbearing, and I did have the impression she'd have been a lot more focused on me if it wasn't for her new granddaughter capturing her attention. Thankfully, Katie didn't seem to mind being fussed over. Carlisle was equally friendly, and now he was over the initial shock of Edward's news, he seemed quite laid back. I was hoping he and Charlie would hit it off.
"How did it go with your brother?" I asked Edward, thinking he might appreciate a change of subject. From the way his shoulders slumped, I suspected the new topic might not be as welcome as I hoped.
"He was pretty upset."
Katie looked up, her eyes widening. "Because of me?"
"No, Sweetie." Edward reached across the table and caught hold of her hand. "He was just upset I never told him what happened at the time, as he's always been very protective of me. It's a big brother thing, I guess. He and Rose were excited to hear they have a niece and that Henry and Charlotte have an older cousin."
"You're sure?"
"I'm positive. They asked me to send photos, and they can't wait to meet you . . . and Bella," he added, glancing my way. "Emmett's organizing some time off work, so they can fly up here next week. They want to be here to support us when the interview goes to air. You have nothing to worry about, I promise. They love you already."
Katie wrinkled up her nose. "That's weird, but I kind of get it. Finding out you're related to someone creates a bond, I guess. But you still have to get to know people to like them, don't you think?"
She directed her question my way, and I told her I thought she had an excellent point. "It's a good thing you're so likable then isn't it?" I teased.
"Meh, I was talking about them."
We all laughed, and I was glad she felt comfortable enough to make a joke about meeting even more members of her new family.
~GV~
Another jam-packed chapter with Charlie sharing some interesting insights (and hopefully filling a few of those never-ending plot holes), some fun family time in the pool, a shower lemon (I don't think I've ever written one before!) a slightly embarrassing reunion with the family, and Katie feeling brave enough to do a little teasing. I've used Charlie's analogy a few times over the years, joking that my hubby and I came to the relationship with a removalists' vans worth of baggage each. 35 years later, we're still going strong, so it is possible to overcome poor examples and difficult beginnings.
Next chapter is actually part two of this one (it kept growing until it was over 8000 words long), and I hope to have it up in a couple of days...fingers crossed. I'm looking forward to sharing it with you guys, as it's quite a fluffy chapter with an uncharacteristically nervous Charlie meeting Edward, and the sharing of some great dad jokes. Thanks to everyone who shared their favorites with me. It was nice to have a chuckle while writing this story for a change.
See you soon!
xx Elise
