As always, none of this is mine. This belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I just like to dabble in the playground she created.
We had Bella's birthday and the family meeting in the previous chapter. You all saw this coming, to be honest. The Cullen Consortium will be going in a different direction. Emmett is going to take over in Chicago, while Edward and Bella will be moving across the country.
We've got one or two more chapters, plus an epilogue. I had every intention of putting Maas's sentencing in the previous chapter, but it'll be in this chapter. We're also going to have some Mobward (but not Mobward … who is he now?) and Dolce reconnection. Again, I'd had every intention to have some citrusy goodness in this chapter, but it didn't seem right. Now … we will get onto it!
Chapter Twenty-Five
Bella
I was curled around a pillow. I was watching A.J. and Carmella play with Charlie. He was giggling, running around his cousins. The children were loving spending time with each other and I relished in having time with Esme, Maria, and Nina. Three women who loved their children unconditionally.
They were showing me that I was loved. Which I needed to be reminded of constantly thanks to my incubator. Maria fawned over me. Nina told me that my mother was a heinous bitch and deserved what she got. Esme just gave me her silent support with her gentle, kind, loving nature.
My head was spinning from the meeting I'd just left. We were cutting ties with the Consortium. We were stopping the illegal activities and going completely legitimate.
I should be happy.
I am happy.
Am I?
Yes, I'm happy.
I'm happy that we were ending this chapter in our lives. We were moving across the country. I was a little upset at the move, but this city held too many bad memories. There were many great memories, but the bad memories were prevalent in my mind, in my recent memory.
Maria came over to the couch, handing me a cup of tea. "It's an herbal blend. It's soothing and calming. You look like you need it," she said.
"Thanks, Maria," I smiled, wrapping my hands around the cup. "How are you? How's New York?"
"I'm doing much better. Anthony completely dotes on me and for the first time in my adult life, I feel safe," she breathed, curling up next to me. "I'm building relationships with the people in the condo and I'm working part-time in a bookstore around the corner from Nina's office. You'd like it. You should come to my bookstore. Three Lives Bookstore in Greenwich Village."
"The next time I'm in New York, I'll definitely make a stop. I love bookstores," I said, sipping from the cup.
"Bella, I know that you're struggling with happened to you," Maria said. "You're skittish and fearful. I understand. I understand that more than you probably realize. You saw who I was married to."
"Your husband was a douche," I snorted. "He deserved what he got."
"Agreed," she retorted. "I only wish I was the one to pull the trigger. I wanted to be the one to end him. I suffered for years under his …" Maria took my hand and stared into my eyes. "What your mother did was abhorrent. Some people are not meant to be parents, mothers."
"I used to say that my mother was my incubator," I deadpanned.
"Good description," Maria smirked. "Bella, what I wanted to say to you was that if I can move past years, nearly half of my life, of abuse, so can you. Your husband, my nephew, is one of the best men I've ever met. Despite of his vocation, Edward is one of the kindest, gentlest and loving men I'd ever known. He'll be your biggest advocate and …"
"I know and we're taking steps to move on with our lives," I whispered. I took another sip of the tea.
"It's why I moved to New York City," Maria said. "A new place, fresh faces, a better life. My life is filled with laughter, friendship, family, and love. My son and his wife are amazing, being patient with my physical, emotional and mental recoveries. I'm watching my grandbabies grow up. I still see a therapist and probably will continue to do so for some time." She threaded her fingers with mine. "Your recovery will be ongoing. If you ever want to talk, I'm here for you. Bella, I know that you go the short end of the stick when it came to your mother. I know that I'm not your mother, but I want you to think you can rely on me like a mother. Edward adores you. Esme … she loves you and you are the glue that is holding this family together."
I closed my eyes, a few tears falling down my cheeks. Maria took the cup away and hugged me. I leaned against her, crying quietly. She ran her fingers through my hair, allowing me to fall apart. "I'm sorry for crying. I'm a mess."
"You may not have loved your mother, but you are grieving her loss," Maria said, squeezing me tightly. "And you're allowed to be a mess."
"Mama," Charlie babbled, walking to me. I pulled away from Maria, picking up my son as best I could do with a healing arm. He patted my cheeks and frowned. "Love you, Mama."
"I love you, too, little one," I said, kissing his soft curls. He snuggled in my arms and idly played with my new wedding band.
"Charlie is the best medicine," Maria grinned, taking his chubby hand. "Just holding him makes you …"
"Yeah," I breathed. "Baby snuggles are the best medicine."
"I don't know if you've ever heard this phrase, but it's 'always darkest before dawn.' You're in the darkness but the dawn is quickly approaching," Maria murmured. "Every moment is getting lighter and you're going to get past this. You're strong, and amazing, and resilient. I know I'm not your mother, but I'm available to talk. Any time, any place."
"Thank you, Maria," I said, giving her a grateful smile.
"Now, watching four children, two of which who were infants, has worn me out. I'm going to take a nap," she said, kissing my cheeks. She left, saying good bye to Esme and Nina before leaving the condo.
I sat in the living room, gently stroking Charlie's back. With each pass of my hands on Charlie's back, I relaxed further and by the time Charlie was asleep, I was calm. Edward came in an hour later, with Anthony and Carlisle. My husband saw me with our son, smiling tenderly. "Hey," I whispered over Charlie's curls. "How was the rest of your meeting?"
"It was good. I have a letter for you from Jacob," Edward said, sitting down and putting my feet into his lap. "It was tough to cut ties with them, but it was necessary. With what happened, we were betrayed in a way …"
"Edward," I sighed. "We are moving on. No more discussion. We promised each other. It was my one birthday wish."
"Right, after today, no more," he breathed. "We could talk about more exciting things like where we should move and looking at business locations for the west coast expansion of the Cullen Invest Firm and Real Estate."
"You're renaming the company?" I asked.
"It's a work in progress," Edward chuckled, waving his hand dismissively. "Have you heard from Jimmy?"
"He got my message and we're having Sue and Uncle Jimmy over for dinner this weekend. Though, I suspect he knows something is up," I shrugged, shifting on the couch. Charlie was getting too hot and heavy. Edward easily picked up our son and cradled him to his chest. "What about the rest of the … you know?"
"Emmett, Jasper and I are meeting with the smaller leaders in the Consortium over the next month or so," Edward said. "By Christmas at the earliest and after the new year by the latest, everything should be done. I'll have to make some business trips, but it's what we need to do in order to take the next steps in our lives, dolce."
I smiled at him, curling to his side. "For now, I'd just be happy to cuddle with my hot hubby and sleepy son."
"Your wish is my command, Bella," he whispered, holding me to his chest. I brushed my lips with his, safe and content in the arms of my personal hero.
xx MOTM:FFF xx
Edward
Bella was in the kitchen, making dinner for Sue, Jimmy, Leah, Seth and Claire. Leah was out on a day pass, spending time with her family, but would return to her residential facility after we ate dinner. My wife was working tirelessly, trying to make a delicious meal to soften the blow that we were moving to Seattle.
Yes, we'd decided on a location.
We both loved the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. I also had a college buddy, Alistair, who lived on Mercer Island. He worked at an investment firm, but was looking to leave. He was not happy with his boss and was eager to help me open up the expansion of the Consortium.
I put the kibosh on changing the name of my company. Too many hassles, so we were still going to be the Cullen Consortium. However, the focus of the Seattle office would be investment, for the time being. Alistair and I hired a real estate mogul, we'd consider that option, but for now we'd be an investment firm.
"Edward, can you please help with the garlic bread?" Bella asked as she walked back down from putting Charlie down for his afternoon nap.
"Are you sure? Bella, I can't cook," I snorted.
"Trust me, I know," she deadpanned, pushing two loaves of bread and a bowl with some sort of yellow liquid. I wrinkled my nose. "Oh, stop, Edward. It's garlic butter. Brush it on the inside of the bread. I've already cut it how I wanted. I just need you to soak it with garlicy, buttery goodness. I'm still not a hundred percent. Making this lasagna is kicking my arm's ass."
"Are you okay? Do you need a pain pill?" I asked.
"No. I want to drink tonight," she said, arching a brow as she arranged the lasagna noodles before adding more ricotta cheese. "Butter the bread, Edward. If you do that well, maybe I'll butter your bread."
"What does that even mean?" I laughed, pulling apart the loaves of bread and spreading them onto a lined cookie sheet.
Bella blushed and bit her lip. "I miss my husband," she shrugged. "Sorry about the epic fail on the flirtations. I'll just shut up." Her gaze was focused on making the lasagna and I saw tears well up in her eyes.
Walking to stand behind my wife, I pushed the lasagna away and gently turned her around. Bella's gaze was on my shirt and her arms hung limply by her sides. I slid my fingers down her arms, moving them to my chest before I cupped her chin. Her eyes stayed down and I saw tears streaming down her cheeks. I brushed her curls back, wiping her tears away. Her deep brown eyes blinked up to me and I was floored by her beauty, even in her sadness and uncertainty. "Talk to me, cara."
"I don't know …" she said. "I need to feel. Something other than disgust, fear and anger. I want to forget what happened to me, to us."
"Bella," I whispered. "Disgust? You're the farthest thing …"
"I'm better, but there are moments where I feel so disgusting. How can you look at me? Knowing what …" she muttered.
"Knowing that you survived and are healing from a tremendous ordeal. Bella, you are overcoming so much. You are not as jumpy as before. You're not angry at me, or at Charlie, any more," I whispered. "And I could never be disgusted with you. You are everything to me."
"Even though I'm broken?" she asked.
"We're both broken, dolce," I said, crushing her tiny body to my chest. She gripped my shirt and trembled in my arms. "But, together, we're stronger. We're also making strides to glue together the shattered part of our hearts and minds."
"It's just …" she trailed off, her fingers gliding over my shirt and making my body respond. Now is not the time, asshole … do not get hard. "You haven't tried to, you know, since …"
I pulled back and stared into her eyes. "Touch you? Bella, you were healing from major surgery and getting over a traumatic experience. You were taken by your psycho incubator and her deranged boy-toy." I wiped her tears away. "I was being respectful of you and your recovery. Do you think I don't want you?"
"I am tainted," she shrugged. "Ricardo touched me where I only wanted you to touch me."
"No, you're not," I argued. "Bella, tonight, I will erase what that animal did to you. You're in charge. You are beautiful, loving, kind and not tainted, not even in the slightest. I love you. I will only love you." I cupped her face, staring into her impossibly sad eyes. "Do you trust me?"
"Yes," she murmured. "You're the only one I trust, Edward. I only feel safe with you." She waved her hands and shook her head. "I'm just an emotional mess, to be honest. I miss you. I miss us. I want to feel you, just you."
"Tonight, Bella. You and me … it's always just us. I love you," I said, kissing her tenderly. "You tell me what you want. I mean it. You're in charge."
She nodded and snuggled against my chest. "I'm in charge," she breathed. "So, finish doing the garlic bread so I can put the lasagna into the oven." She still had some lingering sadness in her eyes, but she was coming out of it. "Thank you, Edward. I love you, too." I kissed her again, sliding my tongue between her lips and making her moan. She gently pushed me away. I pouted, which made Bella giggle. "None of that, baby. The garlic bread won't butter itself."
"Right, garlic bread," I grumbled stepping back and adjusting my cock. Bella gave me a smirk as I sat down to work on buttering the garlic bread while Bella finished making the lasagna.
Once the meal was prepared, we got ready for our guests. Bella wore a pair of leggings and a deep blue tunic. Her hair was curled, artfully tousled. I slid behind her as she made some final touches to appetizer trays. I moved her curls over her shoulder, kissing her neck. "You look beautiful, dolce," I purred.
"So do you. You match with your mini-me," she said. "Do you know how hard it is to find matching clothes with you, Edward? But, I found the perfect mini-replica of your button-down. Thank goodness for Tommy Hilfiger Kids."
"You bought something off the rack? Perish the thought," I laughed. "Where is our little holy terror?"
"Still waking up. I wanted to make sure that the appetizers were good to go before I got him dressed," Bella said. "Oh, and make sure that the white wine is chilled. And the red wine …?"
"I've got the booze, cara," I said, turning her and capturing her face with my hands. "Deep breaths, love."
"My uncle is going to hate me," she whispered, grasping my arms.
"Unlikely," I argued. "Bella, look at me. He won't hate you. Hell, he may want to move with us."
"Ugh, not with us," Bella snorted. "I've lived with Uncle Jimmy. Never. Again. I swear …"
"You know what I mean," I sighed. "There's a lot of sadness for him and perhaps he'd want a fresh start, too?" I kissed her tenderly. "Don't discount Uncle Jimmy. He may surprise you." Bella nodded, sliding her arms around my waist. "Now, go wake up our cranky son. I'll take care of everything else."
She kissed me and darted out of the kitchen to Charlie's bedroom. I handled the appetizers and drinks. The phone rang and I answered it. The gatehouse informed me that Jimmy was here, with Seth driving behind them. I granted them entrance and poured myself a glass of wine, along with another one for Bella. When she walked out, carrying Charlie, Jimmy, Sue and Leah walked into the house.
"Oooh, my grandson," Sue sang, wiggling her fingers. "Come here, wee man!"
"Gamma!" he said sleepily, reaching for her.
Bella laughed, handing over Charlie to Sue. She turned to her uncle, hugging him tightly and kissing his cheeks. Seth and Claire came in shortly afterward. More hugs and kisses were passed around, along with glasses of wine, scotch and juice, for Leah.
"Hey, Boss," Seth said.
"Seth," I argued.
"Old habits, Edward," he shrugged. "How are you doing?"
"Good. How's the new job?" I asked.
"I do like it. Private security is really challenging, but I'm enjoying what I'm doing. Being contracted with the city and protecting big wigs? It's really awesome," Seth snickered. "The pay check is not the same." I arched a brow. "Claire and I are keeping the money you'd given us for a trust fund for our children."
"Are you and Claire pregnant?"
"No, not yet," Seth answered. "But, once we're married, we're going to start trying. We're just planning ahead."
"When are you getting married? With everything that happened, weren't you supposed to get married soon?" I asked.
"Next spring, in May," Seth replied. "Originally, we were going to get married upon Jimmy's and Mom's return from their honeymoon. Unfortunately, with Bella abduction and everything so up in the air, we decided to postpone. Besides, the colors we'd chosen are more spring appropriate. Whatever that means …"
"You know that the wedding is not for you. It's for your wife," I whispered.
"I heard that," Bella and Sue responded.
"It's the truth," Jimmy snorted, taking the scotch I'd poured for him. "It was the happiest day of my life when I married Sue, but the wedding was all for her. I love you, baby, but that's the only wedding we're having."
"Then, this morning is the last sex we're having," Sue retorted, making silly faces at Charlie. "Ever."
"Are you planning on having another wedding?" Jimmy asked.
"Anniversaries, James. I would like to celebrate our anniversaries. Vow renewals. They're romantic," Sue said. "Just like that thing you do with your …"
"Ugh, overshare," Seth whined, plugging his ears. "Mom … I do not need to know about you having sex."
"Do you think you were conceived through Immaculate Conception?" Sue deadpanned, arching a brow at her son. "Or, the stork dropped you off?"
"I know you've had sex, Mom, but I don't need to hear about it," Seth pouted. "Leah and I are proof that you've had sex."
"Agreed," Bella shuddered. "At least, you didn't hear it." She shot Jimmy a glower, who shrugged as he sipped his scotch. "I lived with my uncle and yeah … I'm scarred. It's a miracle that I'm so well-rounded."
"I wouldn't go that far," I teased. Bella smacked my arm. "So violent, cara."
"Would you like appetizers?" Bella asked. "No more discussion about sex. It's not appropriate for dinner conversation."
With our drinks and appetizers, we settled into the living room while we the lasagna cooked for an hour. Jimmy and Sue prattled on about Leah's recovery, the restaurant and the plans for Seth and Claire's wedding. I could tell that Jimmy was watching us. He knew something was up.
Crap.
Settling at the dining room table, I put the lasagna on the hot pad in the center of the table. Bella's arm still wasn't strong enough. She carried the bread and the salad.
"This looks delicious," Sue said.
"It's a family recipe," Bella murmured. "I got it from Esme. It's been in Edward's family for generations. She tried to show it to him, but my husband cannot cook."
"Sad, but true," I chuckled. "I tried to cook while Bella was recovering and I almost had to call the fire department."
"Thankfully, he controlled the issue and we only had to scour the cabinets around the stove for a couple of weeks," Bella snickered. "It smelled like bacon in here for a month. No matter how many candles we lit or how many windows we'd opened. I appreciated his effort, but Edward is not allowed to cook. He can help. He's a great a sous-chef, cutting, prepping and cleaning. Cooking, not so much."
"I helped with the garlic bread," I said. "I put the garlic on the bread. Kind of …"
"He did," Bella nodded, passing the basket with the bread to Jimmy. Jimmy stared at her with his brows furrowed. He was obviously trying to figure out why we'd invited them over for dinner. "What, Uncle Jimmy?"
"What are you two hiding?" he asked bluntly.
Bella and I shared a look, trying not to panic. Both of our faces were impassive, but our eyes were wide.
"Jimmy, they'll tell us when they want to tell us. Eat your lasagna," Sue chided. "This is the first time you've actually been home for dinner in a week. I want to enjoy it. Drama later." Jimmy opened his mouth, but Sue gave him a scowl. He picked up the fork and cut into his piece of lasagna.
Dinner was a bit stilted, but by the time the dishes were cleared, things had relaxed. Sue helped Bella with making coffee while Seth and I lit the fire pit on the deck overlooking the lake. Leah and Claire were playing with Charlie in the living room before I was going to put him asleep. Leah was tentative around Charlie for some pretty obvious reasons, but he adored her.
"Jimmy, we're going to take Leah back to the residential facility," Seth said, looking at his watch.
"We can do it," Jimmy argued, getting up from his seat.
"Spend some time with Bella and Edward, Jimmy," Claire smiled, looping Leah's arm through hers. "We're going to pick up some frozen custard before we head back. You ready, sweetie?"
Leah nodded, hugging Bella tightly. Leah turned and she looked at me. She never felt comfortable around me. I didn't take it personally. However, when she wrapped her arms around my waist and squeezed me tightly, I was pleasantly surprised. I gently ran my fingers down her back and returned her embrace. Leah pulled back, walking to Claire and they left.
"My baby's coming back," Sue whispered. She looked at Jimmy and he smiled tenderly at his wife. "I was so afraid that she'd be that angry, terrified girl …"
"We made the right decision, Susie-Q," Jimmy murmured, kissing her forehead. "I know it hurt you to put her in that place, but she needed more help than we were able to give her."
"Do you want to drink some coffee on the patio? The night is clear and the moon is casting a beautiful reflection on the lake," Bella said.
We got our cups of coffee and a tray of cookies and sweets, carrying them out to the patio. Bella and I shared the chaise lounge while Sue and Jimmy settled at the table. With the sun down, it was chilly and Sue was wrapped in a fluffy blanket while I held Bella to my chest.
"Let me guess … drama time?" Jimmy asked, sipping his coffee.
"Only if you want it to be, Uncle Jimmy," Bella said. He stared at her and his eyes misted. A tear fell down his cheek. He hastily wiped it away. He knew what we were planning. He knew and it broke his heart. Bella was trembling in my arms, but she was determined. "With all that happened …"
"I get it, Bells," he said. "Too much bullshit. With Renee and you …" He shot me a scowl.
"Don't," Bella snapped. "It was my choice. My decision. I love Edward, regardless of his job. But, it was my mother's actions that pushed us to make this decision." She looked at me, threading our fingers together. "It's too much and we're walking away."
"And you're leaving," Jimmy sighed.
"Yes," I answered. "We're moving to Seattle. The illegal aspect of the Consortium is being dismantled. The legit part of our business is going to be expanded. I have a college friend that I'm going to partner with to open up the west coast office of the Consortium. We're going to focus our attention investments and venture capitalism."
"With what money?" Jimmy asked.
"You'd be surprised how much money I have in the bank that is not linked to our organization," I said. "Those magazine covers in my office? Those aren't for show. I'm one of the richest men in America."
"I really liked the picture you took for Esquire, baby," Bella smirked. "You looked all handsome, but broody. Do you still have that suit?"
"Yes, I do," I chuckled.
"Stop flirting. More explaining," Jimmy said, snapping his fingers. "You're leaving me?"
"Uncle Jimmy, I can't … with what happened with me, I can't handle staying here. Everywhere I turn, I see flashbacks of what happened to me," Bella explained. "Edward and I, we need a fresh start, a new chapter. Besides, it's not like we're leaving the entire country."
"Just flying across it," Jimmy grumbled.
"I get it," Sue said. Jimmy looked at her like he'd been slapped. "Jimmy, listen to me. When I lost my husband, I wanted nothing more than to leave. I did leave. I took Leah and flew to Florida to stay with my sister. We lived there for some time while I got my head on straight. Everything I saw was a cruel memory of what I'd lost when my husband died."
"But, you came back," Jimmy said.
"Five years later," Sue explained, taking Jimmy's hand. "After I'd sold the home I shared with Harry and after both of my children were old enough to understand why I'd left. Seth was in college and Leah … she rolled with the punches. Harry wasn't really involved in Leah's life. So, when he died, it didn't really impact her. It impacted me. I had to leave. I had to get the hell out of the nightmare I was living in. When your brother died, what did you do?"
"I don't understand the question, Sue," Jimmy argued.
"Answer the damn question," Sue snapped.
"I moved," he answered. "But, it wasn't because the grief that I felt when Charlie died. It was because I needed a bigger place to share with my niece, the young woman I was taking care of after her father died. I couldn't move into his condo because …"
"Because?" Bella asked.
"It was his. His home, his condo …," Jimmy murmured, his eyes closing and shaking his head. "Fuck."
"You get it now?" Sue asked.
"I get it now," Jimmy sighed. "I'm sorry, Bells. I understand why you're leaving, but I hate that you're doing it." He stood up and my wife hopped up, hugging him tightly. Sue and I shared a look, getting up and giving them a few moments on the patio by themselves.
Sue topped off her coffee. "I think that this move is the best thing for you, Edward. I respect you for integrity, but I hated what you did. It was the reason why Harry was taken from me, but you righted that wrong. You made them pay."
"I didn't. My father did. He was the one who took out the assholes who killed Harry. But, I'm sorry for your loss, Sue. Harry was an amazing man," I frowned.
"No, he wasn't. He was a gambler and a drunk, but I loved him. Together, we had two children. He didn't know how to handle Leah, but he was there for Seth," Sue shrugged. "I loved my husband, but Jimmy is the love of my life. What I feel for him is so much more than what I felt for Harry. And, Jimmy adores Leah. For the first time in her life, she knows a father's love and I'm grateful for that." She smiled at me, squeezing my fingers. "And who knows, we may be following you out to Seattle?"
"I know that Bella would be happy to have family close by," I grinned. "Thank you for helping with Jimmy. I thought he was going to have an aneurysm."
"While Jimmy adores Leah, he would die for Bella," Sue said wistfully. "The love between those two is something special." She sat down at the kitchen counter, idly tracing the veining in the quartz countertops. "Jimmy was much younger than Charlie and from what Jimmy told me, he idolized his brother. With that, he completed doted on Bella."
"I'm surprised that Jimmy doesn't have children of his own," I murmured.
"He can't. He explained it to me, but long story short, he's not able to have children," Sue sighed. "I'm still able to get pregnant, though twenty-five year between babies would be a shocker. Jimmy just isn't able to … he's got a low sperm count."
"Cancer?" I asked. Alistair, my friend from college, had testicular cancer, but had some of his swimmers saved before he had the masses removed in case he wanted to have kids. He got married and divorced, never using the sperm sample he'd saved. His ex-wife was a shrew and he'd rather go through another bout of testicular cancer than deal with her.
"No, just genetics, I suppose," Sue shrugged. "We went to a specialist when I thought I was pregnant, but in reality, it was the beginning of the change for me. We had everything tested, but Jimmy's sperm count was too low to adequately father children." She sipped her coffee. "Regardless, Jimmy loves Bella like a father and when we found out that she'd been taken, I never saw anyone so upset. He wanted to murder Renee with his bare hands."
"We all felt that way," I deadpanned.
"No, that woman was a viper. She cut down Bella in every way possible and this was the worst thing that could have ever happened. Jimmy abhorred her and hated what she did to Charlie after they got divorced. Then, she just wouldn't stop with Bella, culminating in her own demise. Jimmy's meeting with a therapist, but I've found journals that Jimmy has filled up with ways to reanimate Renee and kill her, over and over again," Sue snorted humorlessly. "There are moments when I want to do the same. What mother would do that to their own child?"
"Renee was fucked in the head, Sue," I grumbled. "She was self-centered, arrogant and cruel. Karma got her in the end."
"Good," Sue sneered. "What happened to the body?"
"From what I was told, they did an autopsy down in Podunk and ruled it a murder-suicide. Her remains were cremated and disposed of by the state police," I answered.
"Bella didn't want a funeral?" Sue asked.
"Her words, and I quote, 'She's already burning in Hell. Having her cremated seems like the right decision. You deal with it, Edward. I'm not going to think about her anymore,'" I said. "So, I did and she's gone from this world. Do you blame her?"
Sue made a face, but shook her head. "Nope. I get it. I guess I'd want to be able to tell her 'fuck you' once more before closing that book," Sue smirked.
"That book is closed and on the shelf. We're starting fresh," I said, clinking my mug with hers.
xx MOTM:FFF xx
Bella
After Sue and Edward went inside, Jimmy and I talked about everything. He told me about he was terrified that he'd lost me when I was taken. His heart was shattered even though he was supposed to be at his happiest, being a newlywed. I talked to him about my recovery and our decision to move to Seattle. We weren't going to sell our home in Chicago, but we needed to be away from constant reminders of the difficult times we'd endured.
The fire in the fire pit had died down and there were only glowing embers. I was curled up on the chaise, holding my cup of coffee. Uncle Jimmy left with Sue, understanding of our decision and made promises to help make our move go smoothly.
Edward came out, holding a couple of glasses of wine and the baby monitor clipped to his belt loop. "Are you going to sit out here and freeze?"
"It's quiet, and the flames are relaxing," I said. "Come cuddle with me, Edward."
He picked up the blanket that Sue was using. He handed me my glass of wine, and added more fire wood to the fire pit, He straddled the chaise and sitting behind me. I pulled up the blanket over our bodies, curling up against his muscular chest and reveling in his warmth. It really had gotten much colder. He picked up my hand, kissing my wrist. "I learned a lot from Sue while you were talking with Jimmy."
"She's good for him," I whispered, idly tracing his veins on his hand.
"She is, but it's his love for you that … you're his world," Edward breathed. "I can understand his trepidation of us moving across the damned country."
"But, he gets it," I said. "He totally gets it. He lived it, selling Charlie's condo and putting that money into a protected account for me. Hell, that money paid my first semester of graduate school. Northwestern is not cheap."
"Would you go back?" Edward asked.
"To Northwestern? Edward, baby, we're moving to Seattle," I chuckled.
"Not to Northwestern, but to graduate school. Finish your master's degree and get your doctorate?" he asked.
"I don't know, to be perfectly honest," I shrugged. "For now, I want to focus on moving past the drama and rebuilding our intimacy, our relationship."
"We're fine," Edward said.
"Are we? Edward, I know you're afraid to touch me," I sighed.
"I'm touching you now," he argued, tightening his hold on me.
"You know what I mean," I muttered. "Edward, I know that I went through a few weeks where I felt dirty, unworthy, lost, ruined … I know that what happened to me was not my fault. It was my mother's, Ricardo's. I was a victim. No … not a victim … a survivor. I want to have those touches erased. By you. I want to try, baby."
"You've been calling me 'baby' a lot lately," Edward said, his lips pressed to my temple.
"You're not the other thing anymore," I shrugged. I couldn't say the other word. Not anymore.
"I'm not what?" he pressed. "Bella, you have to be able to say it, cara. I'll erase those touches, but you have to say … that I'm no longer Mobward. Not anymore." He tightened his hold on me. I could feel his body tremble. "You should hate me, Bella. It was because of me that you were put in that position in the first place. I will forever apologize for what happened to you. I hate me."
I turned and looked at him. "It wasn't your fault. It was my psychotic mother's fault," I breathed. I put my hands on his face, forcing him to look at me. "I love you. I will always love you. I couldn't hate you, even if I tried. Believe me, I tried. Especially after you threw me that indecent proposal four years ago. Despite of what you told me; I was drawn to you. Maybe, you need to talk to my therapist? She's worked wonders with me."
"Bella," Edward sighed. "She has worked wonders, but there are still things that you're struggling with."
I stared into his evergreen eyes, seeing the trepidation, fear, uncertainty, but most importantly, love. "You're no longer my Mobward. You're my Edward and you'll always be my Edward. The one thing that is constant is that I adore you. Even when I hated you, I adored you. You're the only one who I feel safe with, Edward." I moved so I was straddling his hips and pressed against his body. "Remind me who I belong to, baby. I need to feel you and only you."
"Cara," he moaned, staring into my eyes.
"Please?" I whispered, my lips barely touching his. "Make love to me?"
He cupped my face, caressing my cheeks and sliding his hands down my body. My fingers tangled into his hair as he pulled me even closer against his muscular body. "I've missed you, cara. And I belong to you, forever and always, Bella. Show me?"
I nodded, kissing him deeply as he picked me up from the chaise lounge and carrying me to our bedroom.
A/N: One more real chapter and then an epilogue. I wanted to put the citrus in here, but I wanted to make it a bit more meaningful. So, we've got a cliffhanger … but a good one.
Next chapter will be a continuation of the citrus and then, wrapping up some loose ends before they make their way across the country to open up the West Coast Division of the Cullen Consortium.
Pictures from this chapter are on my blog. You can access that from a link in my profile. I'm also on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. I'm on twitter, too: tufano79. Leave me some loving! Thank you for reading and I'll see you in a couple of weeks!