Crash Into Me: Chapter 35
"How is she?" Charlie anxiously jumped to his feet at Jasper's exit from Bella's room.
"Sleeping finally I wanted to apologize for my being rude earlier. I just really needed to see her. I had to make sure that she was okay. I promised Edward that I would take care of her and I feel like I've done a lousy job so far."
"Who are you again?" Bella's father questioned still so unsure of all the new players in his daughter's life.
"Sorry, the name is Jasper Whitlock. I'm Edward's friend. I just met Bella a few weeks ago."
"You told Edward that you would take of Bella – why?" Confusion for Charlie Swan reigned supreme.
"I was there when that Biers kid hit him. He was completely hysterical about Bella. He was going on and on that she wasn't safe and that he had to go to her. I finally had no choice but to tell him that I would be sure to keep her safe and that Biers couldn't hurt her anymore. I told Edward that he would have to go through me to get to her." Well that remark certainly explained the scene he and Howard had came upon earlier. "I hate to admit that I didn't do that great of a job. I wanted to get her to the hospital this morning but she wouldn't have it."
"I think you are doing a fine job, son," Charlie returned placing his hand on Jasper's shoulder. "How about telling me about Edward Masen and my daughter? I admit that I have been a little out of the loop these days."
"I don't really know that much," Jasper admitted. "It would be better for you to talk to Carlisle."
"I would like to do that then. Let's go find him."
Charlie Swan and Jasper entered the surgical waiting room. Charlie was totally taken aback by the number of people waiting there for news on Edward and Bella. It wasn't until that very second did he understand how many lives his daughter had touched with her own. He spied Maria and Rosalie tucked away in the far corner of the room.
"How is she?" Maria asked immediately.
"Sleeping, but the doctor is still having difficulty controlling her blood pressure. It's still so high. She woke up for a few minutes and was sick to death with worry about this Edward person…"
"Why would she care about what happens to him?" Rosalie demanded, "None of this would be happening if he had just stayed the hell out of her life! Everything would have been fine if she had just stayed with Riley!" Riley was unwilling to believe all that Carlisle had alluded to with regards to Riley Biers.
"Dr. Lathem sedated her again," Charlie continued his explanation without eve acknowledging Rosalie's words. "He feels that keeping her sedated for the time being is his best alternative. He was going on about some combination of drugs that he is going to try to stabilize her condition. I really honestly didn't catch it all," Charlie sighed heavily.
"I'm sure as soon as there is some new on Edward's condition she will relax," Maria touched his arm.
"I'm not so sure about that," he was wringing his hands again certain in the fact that if the news regarding Edward wasn't good it would more than likely send Bella into a tailspin that by all rights could kill her. "I let Edward's friend Jasper into see her. He seemed to think she was doing better. He said she was relatively calm while he was in with her. I am sure it mainly was due to the sedative finally taking effect but I'm scared that if don't get some news, I should say good news, about this Edward soon – well I don't think she can take much more."
As if on cue Edward's doctor entered the room still dressed in his surgical greens. He walked directly towards Carlisle stepping over the people scattered about the floor. It took only a minute for the entire room to form a crowd around the pair. "Easy guys – give the poor man some breathing room would you?" Carlisle said using his arms to push the crowd back, "I'm sorry. We all are just anxious for some news. How did everything go?" Carlisle held his breath waiting for the man before him to speak.
"All in all things went well. There was more swelling than we first thought, but we have gotten it under control. The next seventy-two hours will be critical. We were also successful at relieving the pressure at the base of his brain. There shouldn't be any spinal damage. In general it all went according to the plan. He's in recovery now. He should be there most of the night and into the morning."
"Is he awake?" Jasper asked desperately wanting to know.
"No,"
"Why?" Alice's voice broke the doctor's words.
"He's still under the anesthesia due to the surgery. That should wear off in a few hours. We will know more then. Mr. Cullen," he directed his words to Carlisle, "you can check with the nurses in the surgical ICU throughout the night. I have instructed them to give you progress reports on Edward's condition. May I make a suggestion?" Carlisle nodded. "Take these people home. You all look like you could use the rest."
Carlisle knew that rest wasn't' something that would come easy to any of those in the room, yet he agreed to send everyone home after what had been the longest day of his life thus far. He couldn't shake the feeling that they hadn't been told everything concerning Edward. With that thought in mind he quickened his gait to catch up with the doctor. "Excuse me," he tapped the man on the shoulder, "now that we are no longer surrounded by the masses – could you please tell me if you really believe if Edward will regain consciousness?"
"To be quite frank with you Mr. Cullen, I just don't know. We intend on doing an additional CT scan and possibly an MRI sometime tomorrow to gauge just how much damage was done to the brain if any. I would say that it's really up to Mr. Masen whether he wakes up or not. I'm sorry that's really the best I have to offer."
Edward's doctor knew the man in front of him had hoped for a better scenario but he knew from past experience that even under the best medical conditions the patience's will usually won out.
"Thank you." As he walked back to the group gathered in the waiting area, he did his best to hide the knowledge he had just acquired. Right now he wanted them all to hold on to good thoughts. He didn't want to tell them that there was still a chance that Edward might not wake up. "Come on everyone; let's head back to Hampton House. It looks like it could be a long night."
"Carlisle wait," Jasper said, "Bella's father would like to talk to you. He has questions about Edward and Bella. I really don't know everything. I thought you might be the best person for him to talk to."
"Sure," he said softly. "I think that it would be good for you and Alice to join us. Mr. Swan deserves to hear the whole story." Carlisle turned to Victoria and asked her to please take everyone back to the center saying he would be there as soon as possible.
For the third time that day Carlisle found himself sitting at the same table in the hospital cafeteria. Alice placed a tray full of steaming coffee in the center of it and took a seat beside Carlisle. The players at the table were silent each person digesting all that had transpired in the last twenty-four or more hours.
Alice was the first person to speak. "Mr. Swan, we have never been formally introduced," she started, "I am Alice Brandon, a friend of Bella's from Hampton House." She reached across the table to shake his hand.
"Nice to meet you," he returned.
"Jasper said you were wondering about Edward and Bella," Carlisle launched into the real reason that they were all sitting at the small table.
"Yes," Charlie stated plainly, "My daughter and I haven't been seeing eye to eye for some time now and I hate to admit it but all of you sitting around me know more about her life than I do," he choked on his words. "I would really just like some insight into her world. She certainly doesn't trust me at the moment and I would give anything to change that."
"I'm not sure if Bella told you or not but I knew your wife. Renee and I worked together at the rehab center. She was an exceptional person. What happened to her was a true tragedy."
"Thank you."
"I can understand your concern about your daughter's having anything to do with that kind of life. I know that if I had to face what you have there would be no why that I could do what I do for a living day in and day out. But you know there is no denying that Bella is so much like Renee. Not only is she the perfect image of your wife she has the knack for all of this just like Renee did. She brought Edward out of his shell in a way that I hadn't been able to. Bella impressed the hell out of me. Impressed me so much that I asked her to stay and assist me with Edward's case. I know the idea of all of this stresses you but your daughter has found her true calling. Renee must be so proud of her."
"And I'm sure a bit disappointed in me," Charlie countered under his breath.
Carlisle continued with the tale of events as to how Bella had ended up at Hampton House and started spending so much more time there. Alice interjected the night's events at the diner and her first encounter with Riley Biers. She went on to tell them all that she found out that night of Riley's abuse against Bella.
Charlie rubbed his hands over his face reliving all the times he had pushed Bella and Riley together thinking they were a match made in heaven. He slipped deeper and deeper into the abyss of his own thoughts with all he had been told. The idea of Riley choking Bella hard enough that she had worn bruises on her neck for over a week made him sick to his stomach. Charlie was as pale as the stark white walls that surrounded him.
Carlisle picked up with how Edward and Bella came to be a couple. He told Charlie everything about Edward, even those things that should have been held in confidence. For this to work Carlisle couldn't hold anything back. For Charlie Swan to understand it was necessary for the brutal truth to be brought front and center.
Jasper piped in with things from Edward's childhood hoping to contrast the negative that Bella's father had heard. Edward's childhood had been picture perfect until his parents had died but being placed with his Uncle Caius and the abuse Edward suffered at his hands had been too much as far as Jasper was concerned. He talked about his first meeting with Bella and what a great change he immediately saw in his childhood friend. Carlisle, Jasper and Alice made a valid effort at making sense out of what caused it all to fall apart. Carlisle took the brunt of the blame.
Charlie sat in silence listening to how hard Bella fought to keep Edward in her life. "I don't understand something. How did she end up with Riley then?" he questioned.
Alice added more information to the story. She clarified that Bella truly believed that Riley had changed for whatever reason. They had worked so closely during the production of WEST SIDE STORY but Alice felt that Bella was just taken in by everything that was going on around her.
"I'm sorry but I am still confused," Charlie repeated.
"Mr. Swan –,"
"Please call me Charlie," he corrected Carlisle.
"Charlie, Bella and I discussed Riley. Apparently the young man pulled the wool over her eyes fairly well. She thought for sure that he was coming around to the idea that they were no longer a couple. Even though he had hurt her in the past she was sure that that part of it was finally over. I wish now I would have expressed my concerns at that time. Maybe some of this could have been stopped."
"Anyhow," Alice went on, "My boyfriend and I went to see the final night of the play. Some information regarding Edward was brought to my attention and I told Bella about it. It seems the idea of her going to the cast party with Riley had a deep effect on him. I told her that he definitely still had feelings for her even if he was too stubborn to admit them. She was guardedly excited by that. I was hoping that she would drop the idea of going to the party with Riley and go find Edward. Of course we all know that's not what happened."
"Bella told me that it had been a mistake to go with Riley to the party when all she could do was think about Edward. She was completely shocked when Edward showed up at the party and to say that Riley was less than pleased with his presence was an understatement. Bella was a bit fuzzy on exactly how she ended up in Riley's car on some deserted road but that's when he finally clued her in on his true plan for her. His intention was to collect what was due him since she had ruined his reputation by dating Edward. When she tried to get away from him well he beat her."
"Edward showed up at my house last night wanting my help to find her," Jasper added. Charlie Swan was dizzy at the rate with which the story had been told to him. He was having difficulty keeping all the facts straight in his mind. "We looked everywhere – hell he even called your house but nothing. He was completely freaking out! All he kept going on about was what he knew Biers was capable of. Finally he just told me to go to Hampton House. I don't know how he knew she would be there but sure enough there she was. She was in pretty bad shape. It was obvious to both of us what Riley tried to do to her. Luckily Carlisle and I found out later that that hadn't happened."
Charlie breathed a silent sigh of relief.
"Sir, please know that I did my best to get her to the hospital right then and there. I knew that she was in bad shape but she wouldn't hear of it. Finally I didn't have much choice but to relent and Edward had me take her home. I wish now that I would have forced him to come too. I have known him for a long time and I knew what he was capable of doing -," Jasper stopped short no longer knowing what to say.
Finally after listening to everything Maria spoke up. "Please everyone," she stressed. "Can with stop with this continual blaming ourselves? It's getting us nowhere. The would've, could've and should'ves aren't going to change the reality of what happened. Right now the most important this here is Bella and Edward. It's obvious that with time Bella will be fine. Her wounds will heal however we are less sure about Edward. I think first and foremost is we have to tell Bella what's going on. She had every right to know. It's glaringly apparent to me, at least, that's why her blood pressure is sky rocketing. She's stressed beyond all comprehension with worry for Edward…."
"What if telling her sends her over the edge?" Charlie questioned his housekeeper's wisdom.
"Not telling her is setting things up to be far worse. She's a smart girl. Look she had us all fooled for how many months. She's going to know that we are keeping something from her. Bella needs to know so that she can deal with whatever is to come."
"I think you might be right," Carlisle concurred. "It's also occurred to me that Bella may be the one who can help Edward the most." All eyes questioned his remark. "I spoke with the doctor about Edward after he had left the room. He told me that they have done all they can medically, now it's up to Edward. I don't believe that he can pull through this without her." Jasper shook his head in total agreement.
"She's going to be out for most of the night," Charlie said, "Don't you think that this can wait until morning?"
"Of course," Carlisle offered.
"I hope you are right about all of this," he said looking at Maria and Carlisle. "I'd like it if someone would stay with Bella throughout the night," Charlie said. "Jasper, would you mind? I know it's a great deal to ask of you but as much as I would like to be the one to do it….," his voice faded.
"Sure no problem. It's exactly what I told Edward I would do," Jasper answered without a moment's hesitation.
"I think if she did wake up in the middle of the night you would be the one she would want to see anyhow." There was sadness in his voice for Charlie knew that he had a long way to go in gaining his daughter back.