Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D
Only because I love yo' faces :D my work internet is being a bitch so I'm sort of stealing off of someones phone that also serves as a hotspot while they sit in my establishment
Enjoy
Chapter Twenty Nine
I hate hospitals.
Everything about them irks me to no end.
Their parking lots are always dirty and littered with trash, their waiting rooms are always too packed and the smell of ammonia makes me think they are trying to hide the odor of something else. Urine, blood or death... I don't think I want to know the answer to that.
County General is a nice hospital in this area, but the staff sucks. It takes me almost thirty minutes once I arrive to get a hold of Genevieve so that she can take me to my father.
Edward's by my side.
My tears have stopped.
The short Hispanic woman leads the way to an ICU unit and I find Sue sitting outside of the room. The second she sees me, she stands up, Her makeup is melted on her face and it's evident she's been crying. For a second I think she's coming to inform me of what happened or maybe lower the walls of hatred she's built up in this hour. Instead she walks right past me and asks a passing nurse where the cafeteria is.
Genevieve stops in front of the door and informs me that Charlie had a massive heart attack. They were able to revive him on the scene and perform a triple bypass, but there were complications and he's barely stable. When Genevieve asked who he wanted her to call once he came around, he wasn't able to answer, so she went with his first of kin.
"You go spend time with your papa," she nudges me. "I think he is waiting on you to get here."
I hesitate in front of the door.
"Can you wait out here?" I ask quietly.
"I'll be right here, darlin'." Edward kisses my forehead before he opens the door and pushes me inside.
I take a second to assess the situation. The man I used to adore growing up is now a pale, lethargic person laying against the white hospital bed. He's got an oxygen mask on his face and he's hooked up to a mess of scary looking machines.
"Bella." His breath is wheezy. He reaches a pale hand towards me. "Bella."
I make my way over to him and take his cold hand in mine. "Hi daddy."
"Bella." His watery eyes meet mine, they are filled with sadness.
"How you feeling?" I sit on the edge of his bed.
"Not too good." His voice is barely a whisper. "I'm so sorry."
"Shh." I push the gray hair out of his face. "You don't need to apologize. Save your strength."
"No, I do. I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you growing up. And even when you are grown up." His hand brushes against my engagement ring. "You're getting married."
A tear falls down his cheek. I catch it with my finger.
The machines next to his bed are beeping, but I ignore them and focus on what he's saying.
"Yeah, we're getting married in three weeks." I rest my free hand on my stomach. "We just found out we're pregnant. I'm having twins."
His eyes are wide. "Swan genes." He coughs and winces in pain. "I'm proud of you, Bella. I might not have shown it, but I've always been proud of you, baby. And Emmett as well."
"Dad, why are you talking like this?" I ask, clutching his clammy hand in mine.
I know why. Part of me is angry that he's waiting until now to seek retribution, but who am I to deny him this?
"I'm not stupid, my Bell." He reaches up and brushes a tear off my cheek. "I just want you to know that I love you. And that I'm sorry."
"I love you, too," I hiccup.
I don't understand why I'm so sad. I wonder if I should call Emmett, if he'd want to know what's going on.
"You're gonna be a good momma. Just like Renee." His voice grows tired all of a sudden.
As if on cue the door opens and a doctor steps in. He informs me that visiting hours are over for the night and that I can come back tomorrow. When I move to get up, Charlie clutches my hand tightly in his, refusing to let me go.
"I love you, baby Bell," he coughs painfully. "Please remember that. Please."
"I will." I kiss his cheek and exit the room.
Edward's waiting for me with a worried expression. I'm numb as he leads me to the truck. He's already called Emmett and cancelled our drive to visit them. We check into a hotel right down the road from the hospital because we were planning on spending the night at my brother's house.
Edward practically forces me to eat the fast food he's picked up for us. He doesn't even attempt to get me to shower. Instead he pulls my clothes off and helps me dress for bed. I manage to fall asleep in his arms and cling to him. When I wake up two hours later to my phone ringing, my hands are curled in his shirt and are achy from the tension. I manage to answer the phone before it goes to voicemail.
It's Genevieve.
My dad's gone.
The phone falls from my hand and I let out a heart wrenching sob that wakes up Edward.
"Oh darlin', I'm so sorry." He cradles me in his lap and rocks me back in forth. "I'm so sorry."
I'm confused.
I don't understand why this hurts so much.
When I finally manage to calm down, I call my brother. He's upset. It's evident in his voice. We cry together on the phone and he insists that we come to his house anyway.
We don't bother changing. We check out of the hotel and drive to my brother's house in silence. Edward has my hand in his, playing with my ring as we drive down the quiet roads.
Emmett's sitting on his porch, nursing a glass of amber colored liquid when we pull up. I'm out of the car and halfway across the yard when he finally looks up. He catches me in his arms as I cry his name. I punch his muscled chest and scream.
"Why now, Em? Why did he wait until he's about to die to ask for forgiveness? Why did he guilt me into forgiving him?" Rose steps out of the house and closes the door quietly. "Why did this happen?"
My arms grow tired eventually and Emmett keeps his hold on me. I'm reduced to sniffles in my big brother's arms.
"He just wanted to be at peace, Bells. You let him be at peace."
"But I lied," I whisper, exhaustion winning out the battle going on inside of me. "I lied."
"And he probably knew that." Emmett smoothes my hair. "He just wanted to see you one last time."
Edward takes me from Emmett and carries me into the house. He lays me on the guest bed and tries to get undressed, but I don't let him move. My hands curl into his T-shirt as he shimmies out of his jeans.
Rose brings a glass of water and some ibuprofen. "Here sweets," she whispers. "Take this."
I'm not sure if she hears my lethargic whisper that I can't take ibuprofen. She mumbles something to Edward and he tells her that we'll explain in the morning. She shuts the door softly and I find peace.
Okay I love you bye *waves*
Till next time lovelies
l
l
V
