Chapter 17

I leave Jennifer on my bed and stomp back down the stairs. "Rose," I say softly as I glance at my kitchen knowing where my mom is. "What happened?"

Rose fidgets a little. "Just tell me from your point of view, Rose."

Rose takes a deep breath. "Bella was painting in Jenny's room, and Jenny wanted to help. Bella got her some old clothes, and they were having fun. I swear I was looking in on them every twenty so minutes, but they seem to be in their own little world. Esme arrived and asked where Jenny was, and I told her she was upstairs with Bella. Esme about lost it and told me right away Bella wasn't allowed here. I told her you knew she was painting a picture in Jenny's room and she walked away. Bella and Jenny at that point came down and they were smiling, and Bella asked me to call you saying that Jenny had spoken and they wanted to talk to you. Before I could, Esme started yelling, and things just got nuts." I rub my face and nod at her.

"I'm sorry. Can you stay for a bit I need to speak to Bella." Rose looks to the kitchen. "Don't worry, she's leaving." Rose gulps loudly, but nods in understanding.

I take a deep breath before walking in to the kitchen. All my anger melts as I see my mom standing there crying.

"I'm sorry. I know I let that get out of hand, but that girl just doesn't know when to stop."

"Mom, I need you to leave," I say quietly not looking at her.

"What? Edward, what are you talking about?"

"Mom, I love you, but the way you handled tonight was wrong. You had no right, no right to throw Bella out of my home," I tell her simply.

"But she lied about Jenny, she uses that girl to get to you," my mom pleads with me.

"No, she's not. Jenny told me that she did speak to Bella." My mom shakes her head the whole time I'm speaking.

"I asked her and she told me she didn't speak," she argues making me sigh as I rub my face.

"You scare her, Mom, I don't know why, but you do." My mom looks at me in shock.

"That's Bella, she's turned her against me like she's done with Alice." I shake my head at her.

"Think you're doing a good job alone. Just go, Mom, let me sort this all out," I plead with her.

"You're really throwing me, your mother, out?" There is a new anger to her voice. She even crosses her arms as her lips form a hard line.

"Mom, just go," I repeat. Her face softens and she gives me sad eyes. After a few minutes have passed, she picks up her jacket and bag from the chair.

"You are going to have to do a lot of making up for this, Edward. Mark my words, that girl will be the reason you lose Jenny." She turns, walking away and I let out a sigh.

I use the back garden to get to Bella's. I knock on the back door hoping she will answer.

I look in the kitchen window seeing no sign of life. I press down on the handle and the back door slowly opens.

"Bella!" I call out as I walk in. "Bella!" I call again walking further into the house. I get to the living room which is empty so I make my way to the hall. I tilt my head looking up the stair case. "BELLA!" I yell.

I hear a thumping noise that makes me jump a little and I move away from the stairs and head down the hall more. The thump sounds again when I am standing outside a door. I knock on it as I open it.

"Bell..." her name comes to an abrupt stop when my eyes land on a man who is lying on a hospital bed.

"Sorry," I say frowning. "I was looking for Bella," I carry on.

"Come-in-" I frown at the muttered words that come out of the man's mouth. He waves his left hand at me, beckoning me to come in.

"Hi," I say. "I'm Edward, I live over the fence."

"I know," he sighs weakly as he mutters some simpler words. "I'm Char-lie, Bella's dad."

I bob my head at him while taking in a large breath, this feels a little surreal.

"Sh-she's a good girl," he slurs. I am grateful he is speaking slow enough for me to understand him. His words are very muddled, but since one side of his face is droopy, it makes sense. I would assume he's had a stroke.

"Good girl, just angry," he says as his emotions fill his face. "My fault," he carries on as a tear falls from his eyes. "Can't be there to help her."

"Dad," I hear Bella calling. "Who are you talking ... Edward!" Bella says as she walks right into the room. "What are you doing in here?" she asks as she looks a mix of anger and sadness.

"I came to tell you I am sorry," I tell her as I scan her face. I wince seeing the large bruise that's covering her cheek.

"You need to put ice on that," I tell her as I move to her.

"It's fine, I am fine," she says walking away from me. "I need to help my dad with his exercises," she says as if she's dismissing me.

Charlie mutters something and I just look at him as Bella moves to him. "You're doing your exercises." He chuckles a little and bobs his head as he says something else.

"If he wants to talk then he can do it here," Bella says as she moves sitting on her dad's bed.

"Right arm first," she says. "I can't look at you so you need to either move to the other side of the bed or talk to my back."

I sigh, but move around the bed. My eyes land on Bella who is rubbing Charlie's arm. "I can't stay, Jennifer's upset, she ... " I stop talking and Bella's eyes drift to the corner as she starts to move Charlie's arm.

"I'm sorry. I should have just left when I saw your mom was there." I shake my head knowing well enough this is on my mom.

"No, I asked you to do something, my mom had no right. Jenny told me she did speak to you." I stop talking and start to pull at my hair.

Charlie mutters something and Bella glares at him. "You need to do this, Dad." Charlie shakes his head.

"Sue can do it, deal with Jennifer." I am grateful that he signs his words this time so I can make out what he is saying. Bella looks at him and I know she is trying to think of another excuse to say no.

"I will later, I don't want to deal with Esme again."

"I sent her home," I tell them quickly.

"Go with him, Bella." This time the voice doesn't come from Charlie, but the door. I turn to see Sue standing there.

"You better do your exercises, no slacking off," Bella says as she stands. "I'll be back soon." She leans over kissing his head. "Love you," she whispers, but I can still hear her voice.

"Let's go," she says looking at me. I follow Bella out of the room. She only stops when we get to the kitchen and she washes her hand.

"I can't stay to long. I have some shit to do," Bella says without looking at me.

"Okay," I say unsure why she's speaking so harshly to me.

Bella moves away from the sink and walks out of the house. Just when we get to my home, I pull her arm so I can look at her.

"I know you're upset and you have every right to be, but can we fix this before going in there?"

My eyes seem to dance between her eyes and the mark on her face. "You can't take him away from us. I am looking after him," Bella blurts out and I tilt my head at her.

"What? I am not going to have him taken away from you. This is about telling you I am sorry and that I need your help. Jenny is crying and begging me to get you back."

Bella just looks at me for a few second before bolting through my house. Following quickly to the living room, I see Jennifer is hugging Bella and it takes me back a little over seeing the caring side of Bella.

"I don't know why you look so surprised, she does amazing with her father," Rose says and I turn to look at her. "What, she does."

"How do you know?" I ask as I watch Bella whisper softly to Jennifer.

"I've been there a few times, even Emmett's been with me when I have fixed her car. Besides, Jasper drops by too. He keeps bragging about how good she is with her dad and what a big old softy she is. She is only like that with people she really cares about. Even Alice could have told you that."

"Then why does everyone else say she's the devil's spawn?" Rose chuckles a little.

"Because, it's easier to blame the new girl than their own kids. Look at what happened when Alice got drunk." My head snaps around to Rose.

"Bella took her to that party." Rose shakes her head at me.

"No, Alice went to a party after swearing to Bella she wouldn't. Hours later, she called Bella drunk, and that girl," she says pointing at Bella. "Ran four blocks to the party because her car wouldn't start. She couldn't get a hold of Jasper, or me. Jasper just happened to be driving, and took her the rest of the way. Bella distracted you so Alice could get in his car and not get into trouble. I had found the voice mail and woke Emmett up to get him to take me to your parents' home. We arrived just as Jasper was carrying Alice's drunken ass in."

"Why the hell didn't she say anything?" I ask harshly.

"Would you have listened? Jasper and I told your parents what happened, but they only heard what they wanted to, and keep it as it was all Bella's doing."

"Why didn't she call Emmett? Why didn't he tell me?" I ask and Rose shrugs.

"Emmett only met her a few times. It was that night Emmett started to see what Alice, Jasper and I had been saying. Hell, I think he was still unsure till he watched her these past weeks with Jenny. You can't see that," again she points at Jennifer and Bella. "And see someone who is so bad." I look at Bella as she runs her fingers through Jennifer's hair. I'm happy to see Jennifer looking much happier then when I first arrived home tonight.

"Edward, I think something happened, something bad, to Bella, that's why Jennifer clings to her. She sees that Bella can relate and understand her."

I feel the air leave my body hating the thought of something bad happening to Bella. "What?"

"I don't know. I don't think she's even told Alice, but whatever it is, is the reason for the sharp answers, why she has a wall around her ten feet tall."

I look back at Bella who seems so content with Jennifer. "I need to go, but I'll see you tomorrow," Rose says. I mumble out a good bye, but keep my eyes on Jennifer and Bella as I make my way to them.

"Hey," I say sitting on Jennifer's other side. "How are you feeling?" I ask her.

"Better," she signs. I feel a tug in my heart knowing she spoke. She was ready to speak and my mom's outburst made her draw back.

"What did you say?" I ask and Jennifer doesn't look at me.

"Love you," Bella says without looking at me.

"Oh yeah? That's amazing," I say happily, but feeling jealous all at the same time. The first time she said I love you, out loud, was toward Bella.

"Let me correct that, she said I love D-Edward." My eyes snap to Bella.

"Me?" I ask as Bella rolls her eyes at my stupid question.

"Yes you dope. I am not sure how you became a detective." I slap Bella in the arm playfully and smile down at Jennifer.

"I love you too." I let her make the move to wrap her little arms around me. "You have no idea how much I love you."

"Told you," Bella says nudging Jenny's arm.

"I don't understand why you are so scared of Esme, will you tell me?" I ask to Jenny trying to understand. I look at Jennifer and I watch as she looks to Bella as if she is asking permission to speak.

"I want to know what is going on!" I demanded.

"You tell him. I don't want him to be mad at me," Jennifer signs to Bella.

"You are the only one that can do this. He won't be mad at you and this is something you should have told him before," Bella tells her and Jenny's eyes fill with tears once again.

Bella and Jennifer both stay quiet longer than I like, and as soon as I go to demand some answers Jennifer lifts her hands to tell me what is going on.

"When Esme first yelled at Bella, I was scared. Then when she heard I talked, Esme turned to me. I just tried to get to Bella, but that made her mad. She grabbed my face making me look at her and that was when I lied. I'm sorry," Jenny signs as her tears come back again, but Bella's quick to comfort her.

The three of us sit and watch cartoons and eat pizza I had delivered. When Jennifer falls asleep, I carry her up to my bedroom.

As I walk back into the living room I see Bella getting her shoes on. I don't want her to leave yet knowing we have some talking to do.

"I know it's getting late, but I want to talk," I say to Bella.