Chapter Fifty Two
Bella
I didn't need a week or even a day to consider things but he needed to see that I'd really taken my time and thought about this so I was going to be lonely and miserable but I'd try to last out the week. I was so preoccupied that I didn't notice I had a caller until I brought out my key to unlock the door.
"Hey Bella, I thought you'd never come back. Where have you been?"
I sighed and pushed ineffectually at Emmett's bulk.
"Emmett, go away, please. I'm in a bad mood and I'm really tired".
"I'll take you to dinner Bella. You're always in a good mood when you've been fed".
He made me sound like a pet alligator!
Without giving me time to answer he took my hand and dragged me back down the stairs to his truck.
"Emmett I really don't want to do this"
"Yeah you do Bella and I need to talk to you, so get in"
He opened the truck door and being too tired to argue I got in and sat in stony silence as we drove to a MacDonald's where seeing the golden arches made me smile despite myself.
"Wow, you're really pushing the boat out for me, Emmett, I'm impressed"
He grinned and drove through to pick up our order, well mine anyway, then pulled up at one of the parking bays and I sat chewing my Big Mac and waiting for him to speak but the silence dragged on so eventually I decided to kick start the conversation or we'd be here all night!
"Bella, I dragged your tired body down to MacDonald's and splashed out on an extra special meal because...dot, dot, dot... you fill in the dots, Emmett."
He grinned sheepishly,
"I want your advice".
"Mine?"
I almost choked on some fries.
"On what topic exactly would you imagine you need my advice?"
"Well, I've been seeing Kerri"
"Em I know, I was there when you met her, you may have seen me around since too,".
He nodded,
"Yeah, but I want to ask her to, you know".
Either I was tired or he wasn't making any sense so I took a shot at guessing.
"You want to take her to bed?"
"No"
He was shocked,
"I know how to do that bit".
I was relieved to hear it,
"Oh good",
I couldn't cope with another male who didn't know whether he was coming or going!
"Well, Emmett let's just hurry along shall we? I'm falling asleep here"
I was hoping that would speed him along but he just grunted,
"OK Bell's, don't rush me, I'm thinking".
I groaned,
"Hey think on your own time, muscle man"
He grinned again and I suddenly remembered just how fond I had been of the big guy.
"I think I want to ask Kerri if she wants to get engaged".
I looked at him in amazement,
"You think?"
He grinned,
"Well, no, I mean I want to"
He sounded sure.
"Then do it. It's easy, you just say Kerri I'm crazy about you, and I know you worship me, so let's get hitched"
He scowled,
"I was hoping for some constructive help Bella".
"I'm sorry Emmett but it's not a good day to be asking me for relationship help."
He sat up straighter,
"Has he done something?"
I was puzzled,
"What? Who? Emmett, you still aren't making any sense".
He tried to clarify,
"Jasper. Has he done something to upset you?"
I laughed at that, I couldn't help it and he looked upset.
"Sorry, Emmett. No, he hasn't done anything".
"Good"
"Not good Em"
I was shaking my head and he looked confused,
"Why?"
I sighed,
"It's complicated".
"Shit, everything with Jazz is complicated, he's complicated. Can I tell you something about him, Bella?"
I thought what the hell? At least he was talking so I could just listen and not have to think but I did warn him.
"As long as you aren't going to tell me what a terrible monster he is. I've had enough of that".
He shook his head grinning again
"Nah, he's a pussy cat really".
I looked skeptical,
"A pussy cat? Jasper?"
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"Well, maybe that's understating it a bit".
"Yeah, just a bit".
He looked as if he wasn't sure what to say next.
"For God's sake spit it out Emmett, I can't seem to get a complete sentence out of you tonight".
He looked me straight in the eye,
"Just look after him Bella, don't you hurt my brother, too many people have done that. He's fragile and don't laugh at that because it's true."
I was speechless for a moment,
"Emmett, you amaze me"
He grinned,
"Yeah, that's me, Mr. Amazing. Thanks for the pep talk Bella. I'm going over to Kerri's now and propose".
I laughed,
"No problem Emmett. Glad to have been some help. Could you do me a favor first?"
"Sure thing Bella. What?"
"Could you drop me off at Jasper's place"
"Sure but I don't know where it is"
"Ah"
I smiled,
"But I do".
He grinned,
"You sly fox. OK, belt up cos Mr. Romance is behind the wheel and he's got a lady he doesn't want to keep waiting any longer".
I have never been so terrified, both of Emmett's aim and blast driving, or of facing Jasper.
When we pulled up outside Jasper's apartment building he offered to walk me up but I declined,
"I need to do this on my own and an extra few minutes to think wouldn't go amiss."
He nodded giving me a wink.
"Say no more, and best of luck"
I took the stairs up to the penthouse rather than the elevator although I wasn't sure why I was hanging back when I knew what I was doing was so right, just nerves I guess. By the time I got to the top flight I was beginning to wish I'd used the damn elevator, I was out of breath and my legs were aching so I sat at the bottom of the flight to rest for a few minutes. The last thing I needed was to turn up on Jasper's doorstep looking like I was having a panic attack.
Getting to my feet again I started up then halted, I could hear footsteps below me and wondered if it was him, who else would be using the stairs to climb this high? I waited but didn't hear anymore and wondered if I'd really heard anything at all but as I turned again and started up the last flight an arm curled around my neck, choking off my breath.
Jasper
It was dawn before I got back and stepping out of the elevator I was hoping Bella had rung and left a message for me but the light on my answer machine was off and my cell phone held no messages either so I decided to take a shower then work out what to do next. Should I go to the hospital to see her? Perhaps not, she'd asked me for a week and I should honor that. She told me she'd get in touch so I just had to wait.
It was another gray miserable day so unusual for this part of Florida so after my shower, I grabbed my jacket and went out. I'd walk around for a while, try to keep my mind occupied people watching but I wasn't fooling anyone, least of all myself and found I was headed for the hospital anyway. As I stopped myself going any further and turned to leave I saw a familiar truck pull up and a young girl hop out, giving the driver, Emmett, a rather lengthy and passionate kiss.
As he turned the car around he spotted me and waved, motioning for me to join him so with a sigh I opened the passenger door and immediately smelled Bella under the other girl's scent. The monster in me roared his disapproval and Emmett saw my frown.
"What's up bro?".
"You've seen Bella"
I knew I sounded challenging and he grinned,
"Yeah I needed some sisterly advice, did she tell you?"
I shook my head,
"I haven't seen her".
He looked at me in confusion,
"How come? I dropped her off at your place last night".
I frowned
"You saw her last night?"
He nodded,
"Yeah, I took her for a Big Mac so I could pick her brains. She helped me out so I helped her out. What did she say to you in the end?"
He looked interested to hear the answer but I was busy thinking...
"I haven't seen her since I dropped her off at her building yesterday".
Emmett's face went grim,
"Jazz, I dropped her at your building last night and watched her go in".
Then it dawned on me,
"Oh, right, well I went hunting last night so she must have realized and decided not to wait although I wish she had."
I really wanted to know what she was going to say to me.
"Yeah you're probably right, anyway I'm picking Kerri up from work this evening so I could drop Bella off at your place if you like".
I could hardly walk into the hospital and demand to know what she had been going to tell me although the wait was going to kill me. All I could do was thank Emmett and go home to wait.
Emmett
I got to the hospital early to make sure I didn't miss Bella, but when Kerri came out she was alone.
"Can you catch Bella before she goes? Only I promised Jasper I'd drop her off".
Kerri looked at me puzzled,
"She never turned up for work and the supervisor went nuts. I think maybe she's lost her job Em, sorry."
I wasn't bothered about her job, but I was worried that not only had Jasper not seen her, but she was missing from work.
"I'm worried Kerri, she seems to have vanished into thin air, do you mind if we call at her place before we go out?"
Kerri shrugged,
"Sure Em, if you want. Is she in trouble or something?"
I shrugged,
"No idea, but I don't like the fact she's not been at work".
Kerri thought for a minute,
"Yes, come to think about it, that's odd because she rang me and I told her we'd catch up at work because I'd just got in. She never said anything about not being there".
I drove as fast as I could to Bella's place and Kerri accompanied me to her apartment where I hammered on the door but got no response.
"Stay here Kerri. I want to try something".
She leaned against the door and smiled,
"I won't move Em".
I climbed out onto the fire escape and managed to pry open Bella's window although I already knew she wasn't there because I couldn't hear a heartbeat, however, I wanted to check she hadn't left any indication where she'd gone. There was nothing here to explain why she hadn't arrived at work or even to show that she'd been back since I picked her up, no coat, no pocket book, no keys, nothing and now I was seriously worried.
I climbed back out onto the fire escape and rejoined Kerri
"I think we need to go find Jasper".
On the way, I rang him and he was waiting outside when I pulled up looking as worried as Kerri and I felt.
