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ONE MINUTE

CHAPTER 3: MEMORIES

"I'll be. I guess." Rosalie nodded. She knew when not to push. "So, when do we start with the memory jolt?" The sooner the better. Especially if what Jasper said about her and Edward was right. Who doesn't want a love that can withstand anything?

"We can start as soon as you want." Bella thought about it. The sooner the better, right?

"Now?" She asked the patriarch.

"Sure. Do you want to do it on my study or out in the garden?"

Either way, she wasn't sure she was going to get much privacy. "The garden would be better."

Carlisle nodded and led the way. Bella was a bit nervous. Maybe Carlisle could answer some more questions. She followed the man but noticed that everyone left the house.

"Why is everyone leaving?" She pointed behind them.

Carlisle smiled warmly at her. "They wanted to give you privacy."

"Oh" She managed to say, not fully understanding what that meant.

"We can hear everything that goes on for a few miles." He explained. "They didn't want to invade your privacy. Unless you allow them to participate in this, they will leave us alone, whenever you decide to go down memory lane."

Bella processed the information. "Everything, everything?"

Carlisle laughed softly. "Yes, we all heard when you call Alice weird."

She was mortified. She covered her eyes with her face. "Oh my god!" She was going to apologize to Alice as soon as she saw her again. She was very nice to her, helping her with the shower and the clothes.

"Don't fret my child. Everyone agrees with you. Even Alice" Bella uncovered her eyes and saw Carlisle smiling amusedly at her.

"Thank you, Mr. Cullen"

"Carlisle, please, honey." He never lost his warm smile. His demeanor was calm and made her feel so calm and less nervous.

"Why are you helping me?" She turned on the spot, facing Carlisle completely. "I mean, I take it you're a good person, but you're going through such trouble to help me. I don't want to inconvenience anybody."

Carlisle took her hands in his. "I've known you for a short time, but you're a very sweet girl. You deserve all the help in the world. You not only make Edward happy, but you complete our family. And despite not knowing you fully, I care for you." Bella looked down, completely taken by his words. He lifted her head sliding his index finger on her chin. "Face up, my child. Take on the world."

"You're all so kind. I don't know how to thank you."

Carlisle dropped his hands. "You can thank us by being happy. If this is what you really want" he signaled the pictures in his hands. "And it makes you happy, it is the best thank you we can get." He felt silent for a few seconds, considering his own words. "If, on the other hand, at any point, you decide to drop it, and move on, as long as it is what you want, and makes you happy, we'll all support you."

"That I can do." She agreed smiling.

…

…

…

After a few exercises of concentration and relaxation, she was more at ease, and Carlisle noticed it. In the short time he knew her, she had become his daughter. Each of their children was unique, some had more strength than others. Bella had strength of her own, but at the same time, she needed to be taken care of.

"Alright, would you like to start by your family, or by your friends at school…?"

"I think with my family would be easier at first."

Carlisle sat on the bench Esme had insisted on buying at the antique store. Bella sat next to him. "This is your father." She saw the picture of a man, in his mid-forties, black hair with white streaks here and there, and a black mustache. He had a cute smile, and an annoyed look on his face. As if he was annoyed at having to pose for a picture. "His name is Charles Swan, although he goes by Charlie. He's the chief of police of this town. He is a good man. We have worked together on a few occasions. He is a little quiet but very good at his job. You are very similar to him in many ways" She smiled warmly. She guessed it was good to be alike to someone. In character or in looks. A warm feeling stretched on her chest.

He pulled out another picture. This time of a woman, same age of Charlie, light hair, blue eyes, bright smile. The man next to her, seemed a little older, he had a baseball ensemble. "Her name is Renne, I don't know her personally. And the man next to him is Phil, her second husband. From what you've told us, your mother is a free spirit, more outgoing than you. You share some traits with her, but you're shyer and quieter. You moved to Forks because you wanted to give her a chance to be with her new husband in every way. He was travelling a lot, and you didn't want your mom to stay home because of you."

She took both pictures on her hands. She observed them, and stared at them, trying to conjure some memory of them. Their voices, their laughter. She thought about what Carlisle had told her. She could imagine doing something like what she did for her mother. She might not remember much from her life, but some things were sort of instinctual. She snorted. Jasper was right. However, as hard as she looked, nothing came. It was heartbreaking. Is this how Edward felt? If what Jasper said was to be taken literally, and they were together, it must be very hard for him to be with her in the same room, with her not being able to remember him.

"Does he have something to do with baseball?" She asked pointing at Phil, perhaps if she asked for more details, something could come there.

"From what you shared with us, he's a minor league player." Bella nodded. But nothing came. Was it supposed to happen right away, or was it supposed to be some sort of 'practice makes perfect' Was she supposed to repeat this exercise with the same picture every day? Was this not working with her parents because Carlisle had limited contact with them?

"Why is it not working?" She asked frustrated. She wanted to cry. Why was she not crying tears? What was wrong with her? "What's wrong with me? Why am I not crying tears?"

Carlisle felt sad for her. "Bella, you're a vampire, you don't cry tears. It's an inconvenience of being a vampire." He shrugged apologetically. "And there is nothing wrong with you. You just woke up. There is a lot on your mind. I'm sure Jasper explained what a newborn is, and how their mind works." She nodded. He had done that. "You have all of that on your mind, plus us wanting you to remember everything. Perhaps we have asked a lot of you. I can tell you who each of these people are, and you can review them on your own. Would you like that?" She processed what he said. "Additionally, even though I know little to nothing about psychology, I think that it might not happen right away. It's not a magical solution to amnesia. It takes time. The brain is also a muscle, it takes time to exercise it."

"You think I'm expecting too much too soon?"

He smiled again. "In my personal opinion, yes. You're being too hard on yourself"

She considered what he said. She knew he was right, she was being too hard, expecting to remember everything as if it is a switch that you move up and down. She had to take it slowly. The best way she could think of at the moment was following his offering. If she knew who everyone was, she could do exactly what he had said. She could take her time analyzing the pictures. And that way she wouldn't be the cause of everyone leaving the house every time she wanted to hear the story behind something. She didn't feel comfortable with displacing people from their homes.

"Thank you, Carlisle. I do appreciate your help and your time." She made sure to make him know that. "But I would feel better doing it on my own." He nodded and grabbed her hands. He wanted to comfort her. But there were no more words to be spoken. He just squeezed them softly and kissed her forehead before retiring into the house.

…

…

…

"How did it go?" Esme asked, taking advantage of their alone time.

He sighed heavily, which worried her. "That bad?" she asked.

"No. It's not bad. I don't know anything about psychology. I may have studied the brain, but on a surgical point of view, I never dug into amnesia, and I'm lost. I don't know how to help her."

She sat on her side of the bed, perpendicular to his lying frame. "You're resourceful, and the smartest man I know. You'll find a way to help her get there." Her encouragement meant everything to him. He looked at her and smiled lovingly.

She was his everything, his support, his life, his forever everything. There was no one that believed in him the way she did. If he screwed something, she was there for him. She lifted him up.

"I guess" He shrugged.

"I know so." She winked.

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