Chapter Twenty Six

Bella

We were ready to leave the next morning when Jasper received a call from Darius. It seems Edward had found himself a good lawyer and was threatening to take me to court for abandoning him and hiding his child's existence from him. It seems he was accusing me of making an arrangement with my lover, Jasper, to steal my baby and hide its survival from him. The bastard!

"He'll never take it to court Bella, it would be far too dangerous for him. No, this is merely to scare you. He'll make a move really soon I'm sure. Maybe we should stay in the city for a couple more days."

I really wanted to go home but if Edward wanted a meeting we would have to travel back to Boston and that seemed a waste of time and effort.

"I guess so but it'll be hard on Megan. All her new toys are back home."

"Oh, I don't think she'll mind too much. She loves staying in a hotel and at least this one has a decent restaurant."

He was right and when Megan explained how yucky the menu was at the last hotel they stayed in I understood Jasper's cryptic remark.

"I promise we'll take you out for anything you want."

Megan grinned, "Can I have steak? I've never tried it and it always looks really nice. Then a huge chocolate ice cream. Please?"

I tousled her hair, "OK. We'll see."

From the other room floated Jasper's voice, "Don't push your luck, young lady."

We glanced at each other and giggled, both knowing she would get what she asked for, he was just being a typical dad to her.

Jasper arranged for Mary to look after Megan for a few hours so we could discuss what was likely to be Edward's attack and for him to fill me in on everything else Darius had told him earlier.

Mary took Megan out for a walk promising her an hour at a soft play area something she loved because it was a real treat. When things settled back down Megan would miss all this excitement and being spoiled but we all needed to get into a routine and begin to live as normally as possible sooner rather than later.

Once we were alone Jasper told me that Edward's lawyer dragged in from her festive vacation by the lure of a huge pay off had been in contact with Jenks.

"She says that her client would like to meet with you and try to come to some equitable settlement without taking the matter to court."

"I'll bet. What's he offering?"

"She didn't say. She would like Jenks to liaise with you and come up with a suitable time for such a meeting. She said he would like to bring someone with him as a witness and as such you might wish to do the same but he does ask that you not bring me."

"What?"

"I guess his argument is that I helped you to steal his daughter so he won't speak to me. It makes a warped kind of sense. Don't worry though, the 'friend' he plans on bringing with him, one of his lawyer's associates is not as we discussed, exactly as he appears. Also, you will have someone to accompany you."

"Who? I don't know anyone else that I trust."

"We're about to meet that person."

There was a knock on the door a few seconds later as if the person had been waiting outside for their cue and Jasper opened it inviting in the visitor.

It was a little like looking at a mirror image of Jasper himself. The young man who came in nodding a greeting was equally tall and lean but where Jasper was blond and the other was dark-haired. Both were incredibly handsome but carried that frisson of danger.

"Bella, this is Darius. The guy who's been helping us and Mary's employer."

I took his outstretched hand and shook it briefly.

"Thank you for everything. I understand you are planning to accompany me when I go to see Edward?"

"So long as you're comfortable with that. Your husband doesn't know me but I promise you if he tries anything he soon will."

"Don't forget he can read your mind."

Darius took off his wraparound sunglasses to reveal blood-red eyes and looked me straight in the eye.

"He can try, he won't be the first."

I let that lie, the only other person who could read minds was Aro Volturi as far as I was aware. Was Darius acquainted with the Volturi? I decided to ask Jasper later.

"Fine. I understand Edward is bringing someone too. A friend of yours?"

Darius replaced his glasses and laughed a short bark.

"Peter Whitlock? A friend? Let's just say we're acquainted and as long as he plays nicely, so will I."

We sat together and Darius pulled a sheaf of papers from his jacket handing them to Jasper.

"This is what you asked for, Major. A birth certificate for the munchkin in the name of Megan Isabella …. There's just the surname to add. Bella, you'll be on there as her mother of course. There's also a transcript of Edward's meeting with his lawyer and his call to Peter who he thinks is one of his lawyer's strong-arm associates. That's just in case you make an appearance. It seems he's nervous about you for some reason Major. Can't imagine why."

I took the birth certificate from Jasper and studied it thinking rapidly.

"This birth certificate, is it legal?"

Darius nodded,

"It will be once I file it. I just need to know the father's name unless you want to leave that blank. It would work as well that way and I understand you have proof the munchkin can't be Edward's child?"

I nodded and explained that I had recorded Edward's statements with regard to the baby I had borne on two separate occasions proving that Megan could not be his.

He beamed, "God I love it when I'm working with someone who has intelligence. Of course, we could just kill Eddie boy and be done with the whole fucking mess. Bear that in mind."

"I will and thank you but I'd hate to be responsible for the death of Megan's biological father even if he did abandon her to die."

"Then don't be. I'm happy to oblige and I know Peter would be only too pleased to help out. You can keep your hands clean, Bella."

I shook my head, "Let's try to get it done without killing anyone."

"Fine. You're the boss."

"I have an idea with regard to this certificate. Edward accused Jasper of procuring a child for me as a surrogate for the one I lost so why don't we use his own accusations against him? Put Jasper's name down as Megan's father and leave my name off. Don't add a mother's name at all, after all, it's not going to be used by anyone is it? And you can always change it later I assume?"

Darius pulled a face, "I like the way your mind works, Bella. The trouble is that without a mother's name I can't file it."

I thought some more, "Then put a false name down. We can say that Jasper is Megan's biological father and that her mother died during the birth, Edward would believe that."

Jasper looked concerned as he turned to me.

"Are you sure about this? Your name should be on it, you gave birth to Megan."

"Listen, if I thought there was any possibility that you would attempt to take her from me then I wouldn't have suggested it. Go ahead, Darius."

Darius shrugged then nodded his agreement, "It's your show. I'm just here to add my skills to the mix and I can always alter it, yes."

Jenks called while Darius was still here which was quite helpful because he had the message from Edward's lawyer and wanted to arrange the meeting.

After a few minutes chat, I called him back and arranged to meet Edward the next morning at 9 a.m in one of the conference rooms at a nearby hotel. It was fairly convenient for us but the other side of the city from the house Edward and I had shared. Let him make the effort.

Darius busied himself arranging the last-minute conference room booking then got up to leave.

"I'll let Peter know the details. He won't contact you just in case Edward is watching him. I don't suppose he will be suspicious, Peter was recommended by his lawyer but you can never be too sure."

"But Peter's your friend so how did the lawyer know him?"

Darius grinned mischievously, "I guess I might have intercepted her messages and rerouted them but she'll never know. Not until it's too late to matter. And all Edward knows is that a certain Mr Dawlish will be meeting him in the morning."

"What about Megan? Do you think he'll try anything? I mean like trying to snatch her?"

Darius shook his head, "Nope. He knows it would be suicide and he doesn't have the muscle to take on the Major. Besides, if he was going to try that he wouldn't have excluded the Major from the meeting. He'd want him out of the way for any kidnap attempt. As it is he knows the munchkin will be with him while you're talking about this arrangement Edward wants to make."

I felt better as Darius pointed out the glaringly obvious. I must be more upset by all of this than I thought or it would have already occurred to me. As it was I was grateful for such friends as Megan and I had right now.

Jasper and I decided not to dwell on the next day, instead, we would spend the rest of today with Megan relaxing and having fun.

"I thought a trip to the aquarium might be nice unless you have something else you'd like to do."

I thought Jasper's idea was a great one and so did Megan when she got back and heard.

"Wow! Can we go now? I've had my lunch and I've still got my boots and coat on. Mary, you can come too if you want."

Mary made her excuses and left my little dynamo with a smile and a wave of goodbye and we went off to the aquarium. I'd not visited one before so I wasn't sure quite what to expect but maybe seeing it through my little girl's eyes I found it out of this world. Megan's favorites were the African penguins and the seals and she was excited and thrilled when Jasper bought her a penguin to add to her collection of fluffy toys.

"Thank you, poppa. I'm going to call him Mumble, like the penguin in Happy Feet."

She saw my frown and explained that Happy Feet was a movie about dancing penguins and promised to let me watch it with her when we got home.

"Poppa bought me lots of films to watch when I couldn't go outside."

"Why couldn't you go out?"

I always imagined Jasper as an outdoor type but then I thought maybe when she was very little she couldn't control herself and he was afraid that she might give away her strangeness. It was the main reason that the Volturi had outlawed immortal children. It was one of Edward's arguments against the pregnancy although as I pointed out our baby was natural, not created by a bite.

She looked at Jasper who sighed and then explained.

"I didn't want to make it into a bigger drama than it was but when Megan was about a year old she got really sick and we were forced to stay inside for a couple of months but she got over it and now she's big and strong."

"Oh, OK."

I felt sick thinking that I may have truly lost my little girl and even more in Jasper's debt. I would ask for more details later when we were alone. For now, I took my daughter's hand and held it tight, afraid once more that she might suddenly disappear like a dream on waking.

By late afternoon Megan was flagging. She'd had a very exciting and busy day and we decided it was time to get her home but first we stopped in at the aquarium cafe so she could get a drink and a sandwich for dinner.

She ate quietly another sign of how tired she was and needed to use the restroom before we left so I took her while Jasper waited outside.

Once she was finished and had washed her hands and dried them under the blower, something she found fascinating we left the restroom which was

at the back of the cafe only to see that was someone was blocking the way at the end of the corridor.

Megan stopped dead.

"Mommy, I feel sick."

She pulled me back into the restroom and leaned against the door looking suddenly very scared.

"What's the matter Meg? Did you eat too quickly? It's OK, you take all the time you need."

She shook her head, her eyes full of tears.

"I want poppa. He's out there."

"Poppa? Yes, he's waiting for us outside but he can't come in here sweetie."

She shook her head again frowning now.

"No. Him, it's daddy. He's waiting out there and I'm scared."

I remembered the figure at the end of the corridor and understanding dawned. Megan had never seen her real father but she did sense things. Her gift had warned her that Edward was waiting outside for her. Somehow he had found us. My skin crawled as I realized he may have even followed us around the aquarium. Suddenly I felt sick myself and I could feel Meg trembling as I picked her up.

"It's OK, baby. You're safe in here."

I pulled out my phone relieved we were the only ones in the restroom and called Jasper explaining the situation a few words.

"I'll talk to him. Stay where you are."

We waited, Megan clinging to me in her fear.

"What does he want mommy? Has he come to take me away? I don't want to go with him."

"Don't worry, poppa's coming for you. We'll be going soon and no one is going to take you away from me, ever again."

She looked up at me, tears running down her face now.

"You won't take me away from papa will you, mommy?"

What could I say? I had no idea what the future held.

"Poppa loves you just like I do. Let's take a peek out and see if it's all clear now shall we?"

She shook her head and wriggled out of my arms shrinking as far away from the door as possible.

I opened it cautiously and peered out finding the corridor was no longer blocked and then my phone rang.

I hesitated hoping it was Jasper and not Edward calling to tell me he wasn't going to leave without seeing Megan.

With relief, I recognized Jasper's voice.

"I'll bring the car round to the rear of the cafe. The manager will open the fire door for you. I told her you were having problems with an abusive ex and she empathized. Edward insists he just wanted to see Megan but he agreed to leave rather than make a scene or have you call the cops. Even so, I thought it would be better if we didn't give him the opportunity to follow us back to the hotel. And just in case he knows where we're staying I called Darius and he's made us reservations at another under an alias and is taking our stuff over there."

I told him how scared Megan was and he asked to speak to her, reassuring her that he was coming and that Edward had left.

When the manager came in and beckoned us to follow I tried to thank her.

"Honey, I was married to a bastard like that myself. I'm only too happy to help and that brother of yours is a really nice guy caring for you two like he does. I had the cook and a couple of employees go out back and make sure it's all clear. Now, off you go and good luck."

We ran to the car and Jasper drove quickly out of the aquarium and into the city keeping an eye on the rearview mirror for a tail before relaxing and reassuring Megan who stretched forward in her harness to take his hand as he put it between the seats to pat her leg comfortingly.