Disclaimer: I am not Stephenie Meyer and therefore I do not own Twilight or the wonderful characters I screw with.
Chapter 28 – The Storm (Edward)
His throat felt soar – in large part because of the giant tube that had been stuffed down it until about thirty minutes ago. The fact that the asshole had been in the room as a doctor had come in and removed it pissed him off to no end. What the fuck was he doing here, wherever here was, anyways?
He'd heard, even though he hadn't been quite up to speaking when the tube had been in, as Bella had suggested that maybe his father should come back at another time, but his father had crossed his arms and stated something to Bella about how he was already here so he might as well stay.
Bella hadn't looked happy about it, but she hadn't tried anymore than that to get him to leave. Edward knew that Bella was long accustomed to knowing when a battle was a losing one, especially when it came to anything involving his father.
When the doctor had started to pull the tube out, her face had turned green and she'd quickly run out of the hospital room, which had left him alone with his father once the doctor left.
"It looks like you really did it this time, boy."
Edward crossed his arms over his chest. It didn't work very well with the needles still in his arms and the pulse reader on his finger, and it probably just looked sad with the way he was lying in a hospital bed, but he didn't care. "What are you doing here?" His voice was hoarse from disuse, but he managed to get it out.
"You're 'medical power of attorney' decided to do the smart thing and call me. Do you have any idea of how bad this would have looked for my public image if it got out that you've been snorting cocaine. Luckily, I think I've been notified in time to prevent anything from getting out. We can get you scheduled to go to a place in Los Angeles which is officially registered as a spa to help you to kick this habit."
"I don't need to go to some stupid prissy rehab center. I'm fine."
"You are not fine. I raised you better than this."
Edward couldn't help himself, he laughed. "You didn't raise me at all. You screwed me. Both literally and figuratively."
"I did no such thing. I know you like to blame me for your own issues, but you're an adult now. You must know you're the one at fault. You've always had mental issues. You know that."
He'd been told those lines enough growing up that he was thrown back to his childhood. For a moment all he could think was that his father was right, he was the one to blame for everything. He'd grown up being told that everything that was done to him, his twin sister too, had all been his fault. He couldn't remember a time when his father hadn't blamed him for everything – especially his mother's death.
He'd never known his mother as she'd died on the operating table when Alice and Edward had been born. She'd bleed out while the doctors had been working to save his life as he'd been born with a collapsed lung. It was why he was to blame, because her death was his fault.
Then he remembered Bella, the first person that had ever fought for him – his sister too. She'd been adamant that what was being done to them was abuse, torture, molestation, and more. She'd convinced him to try and get help, and even though it had never gone anywhere... her words were proof that it wasn't his fault.
"Bull-fucking-shit!" he snarled.
His father stared at him with a look of such disappointment, as if he should see the error of his ways, that it made Edward flinch. He tried to remind himself that he'd been out from under his father's thumb for over six years now but it didn't do him very much good. His hands started to shake under his own duress.
Just then Bella walked back in the room.
"Mr. Cullen, I just spoke with one of the doctors out there and they say that Edward should get some rest."
"He's been sleeping for the last week."
"No, he's been in a coma, it's different. If you'd like to talk to a doctor about it, I'm sure I can get one to explain it to you."
His father narrowed his eyes at her but she just smiled blindingly at him.
Finally he gave an almost imperceptible shrug. "Fine, I'll come by to check on you later, son." He looked back at Edward for a moment before leaving the room as Bella held the door open for him.
The instant he was gone, Bella raced over to Edward's side.
