HLAG Chapter 20

"Bella," I say greeting her at the station door. "Come on," I carry on leading her to the patrol car.

"Don't we have to do the paperwork?" she asks me sounding a little confused.

"We can do it over something to eat, I am starving." Bella snorts and I look at her as I open the car door.

"I was at your home and saw you eating enough food to feed an army, before you left for work."

I shrug. "That was..." I stop and look at my watch. "Two hours ago, I'm hungry again." I close the door and walk around getting in my side.

"Did you drop Jenny off at Paula's house?" I ask.

"No, I just left her at yours." I turn quickly and look at her with narrowed eyes

"Can you ever stop with the sarcasm?"

"If you don't like sarcastic answers then don't ask stupid questions. Yes, Jenny has been dropped off with Paula at the swimming pool. Before you ask, Emmett and Rose were there and I will be meeting them again after we are done. I will then take them to your place and make dinner so all your sweet little bum needs to do is to feed them, and then I'll be back to do some girl stuff before they go to bed."

I bob my head chuckling gently. "Thank you for helping," I tell her truly meaning it. Bella has been a godsent these past few days since Jennifer's room has been done, we have been spending a lot of time together. I have slowly grown to rely on Bella not only as someone that I can trust with Jennifer, but someone I am seeing as a friend.

"Oh, I am done with my locker, and the meeting is on Monday at four, if you could meet me there?"

I bob my head letting her know I will be there. Bella spent some time talking me through what she wanted to do, and I for one think it's a great idea, but I know she has a tough crowd to get in her corner.

"I'll be there," I say keeping my eyes on the road.

"Have you spoken to your mom?" Bella asks making me turn to her.

"Thought you didn't want to talk about moms?" I remind her hoping that she will move on.

"I don't, but Alice told me she's been crying, just..." Bella stops and takes a deep breath. "My... mom, there's nothing there to save, I don't remember her ever being a mom or having that loving feeling from her. You on the other hand have, it would be a shame to allow a small argument to ruin that." I feel a little angry that she seems to be on my mom's side. Out of every one, she should be the one not wanting me to forgive or talk to my mom. This just makes me angrier over how my mom treats her and on top of that my mother had also convinced me that Bella was a bad person.

"She hit you and then there's Jennifer," I say not adding on my own hurt feelings.

"I should have shut up," Bella mutters. "Pull over so I can talk to you." I frown, but do what she asks. "I didn't get a long with your mom in the beginning because she was trying to be my mom," Bella tells me, but keeps looking out the front window of the car. "Renee was never that good of a mom, she hurt me a lot, and to have someone force themselves on me made my walls move up and out. I didn't-don't want it, Jenny doesn't want it, but your mom, she means well, yes, but she's like a pit bull with a bone and doesn't back off. A relationship has to be built on Jennifer's terms not your moms. Esme seems to think if we don't let her do it her way, it's personal as if we're attacking her. She gets defensive and goes on the attack, but I don't think she sees it that way."

I hum and swallow. "What did Renee do to you?" I know this is something she didn't want me to ask, but it's something I want to know.

"A lot, I'm not ready... I haven't even told Alice," I slide my hand in to her's and lock our fingers together.

"I'm here if you need anything Bella... I am here." Bella nods and clears her throat.

"Anyway, my dad has been asking about you, maybe if I am spending time with Jenny, you could sit with him?" I bob my head, but stop as she turns looking at me. The sadness and hurt in her face catches me off guard. Without thinking I lean over kissing the top of her head.

"No problem," I squeak out. "He seemed really nice the last time I was there, and you did stop our chat."

Bella rolls her eyes at me. "He'll more than likely pick your head about police work, fishing and being a dad to a girl."

I smile as I start up my car. "My three favorite topics." To my surprise, Bella chuckles and it sounds so heartfelt that I can't help but feel something.

~HLAG~

I walk in my home, and groan as the smell of something delicious hits me. "What are you three making?" I ask walking into the kitchen.

"We are decorating cookies!" Paula tells me and I grin looking down at the cookies.

"These look great girls!" I say stealing one.

"And what are you cooking?" I ask as my hand goes to Bella's back and I look over her shoulder to see what looks like beef stew.

"Oh that looks so good!" I groan as I try to hold off the want to just take the pot and start eating it.

"It's almost ready," Bella tells me chucking a little. "Clean the drool off your face." She throws a dish towel over her shoulder at me.

"Be nice! Not my fault, your food's so good," I whisper into her ear.

"Are you having dinner with us?" I ask as she carries on.

"No, here try this." She holds up the spoon blowing softly on the food before putting it to my mouth.

"Oh god, this is so good," I say humming as I chew.

"You know you can stay," I say once I have swallowed.

"I know, but I'm having dinner with my dad," she tells me as she starts to mash up the potatoes.

"Can you get me five large plates and two small ones?" I nod and frown as I pull them out.

"This is for Sue, Dad and myself, that's why there's so much." I pout my lips out at her.

"Real men don't pout," Bella sings out. "And don't worry there's enough that you should get seconds tonight and maybe you will be able to take some for lunch tomorrow."

I hold back a fist punch but Bella sniggers looking at me.

I just shrug not ashamed that I enjoy her food. "I would tell you to open your own café if your weren't so good at painting."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"As intended."

Bella gives Paula and Jennifer their meals. "Girls, I'll be back soon and I can paint your nails and do your hair." They both nod and she moves picking up three plates.

"I'm going to walk Bella over, be good," I say taking two of the plates of food from her.

"Thanks for making dinner, and give me a text and I'll come and talk to your dad while you do the girly stuff."

"Oh, you're not going to join us? I was looking forward to making you look pretty."

"You can't improve on perfection, darling." I smirk and she just smiles nodding in agreement I'm sure.

"Whatever helps you feel better."

"Don't hate me because I am pretty."

Bella widens her eyes nodding at me. "Take this pretty one," she says handing me over the other plate. I stand watching her climb over the fence.

"Maybe we should think of taking this down," I say as she holds out her hand for the plates. "Who would save you if you fell. Plus, it won't be long before Jenny's following you and doing that." Bella looks at me as if she's in shock.

"What?" I ask, seeing a long piece of her hair has moved to cover some of her face. My hand moves to it pushing it back behind her ear.

"Nothing, but maybe you should give this a bit longer." I look at Bella waiting for her to carry on. "I would hate for you to take it down and then have something happen and you get disappointed in me." Her words are soft and so heartfelt that I am taken a little back.

"This is our new start. I am on your side," I say in hopes that she believes me.

"That's now, but..." As Bella looks away from me I realize that she may feel ashamed about the shop lifting.

"We've moved on from that." Something flashes in her eyes that has me wanting to take back my words.

"Yes," the word is said by her and I know there's no feeling behind it.

"I better get back," I say feeling confused by this. I know Bella is a good person, so something feels very off with her shop lifting. The person I have gotten to know would never do such a thing and that is something I am certain of.

I hand her the plates and start to walk back to the house. When I get there, Paula and Jennifer have finished their dinner and are giggling away.

I sit at the table eating, feeling both the girls looking at me.

"What?" They giggle shaking their heads.

As soon as I'm done I clean up putting the extra dinner in the fridge and pull out a game that the three off us can play together.

We are just getting in to the second round when my cell beeps. I pick it seeing that Bella is on her way back.

"Bella's on her way back, I am going to visit with Charlie, so be good." I warn both of them as I head out.

"Hey," I say meeting her at the fence.

"Hello," she chuckles seeming a little happier.

"He's in his room?" I ask her.

After I climb the fence, I look behind me to see she's already half way down my garden.

I walk in to Bella's house and walk right to Charlie's room. Knocking softly as I walk in.

"Hi," I say moving to sit in the chair next to him.

"Edward," he says signing. "Thought we should get to know each other if our girls are going be friends." He chuckles gently at the end.

"Seems like a great idea."

"She's a good girl, regardless of what the yahoos say," Charlie says forcefully even his signing is done harshly.

"I'm beginning to see that."

"She has stolen, but not any more. When she did, it was because she didn't know what else to do. Renee took our money and there was no food, she thought stealing a TV and selling it to go shopping was a good idea. I did punish her and tell her it was wrong, but a part of me was more upset at Renee for making her feel as if she had no choice."

I swallow but nod in understanding. "If Bella does something she shouldn't there is a reason. If she steals, then she needed to buy food not because she wanted something she doesn't need." Again I just nod.

"Can I ask what Renee has done to her? I feel like she has done more to Bella than just taking money."

Charlie looks away from me and his eyes drop. "I was raised that you never raise your hand to a woman, no matter what." I bob my head because that's how I was raised as well.

"Renee was always a verbal woman more so when she couldn't get her own way. I would never have married her if it wasn't for Bella. It wasn't too long till Renee started throwing things at me when she didn't get her way, but it wasn't till Bella was four when she started hitting me." I feel my eyes widen. I gulp, but don't say anything in response.

"I know, I'm not just a guy, I was a cop, the Chief of police where we lived." I rub my face, I can only imagine how awkward that must have been for him. "I am not going to say that I was fine with her hitting me, I was just glad she wasn't touching Bella." Charlie stops talking and chuckles. "I can remember speaking to women who stayed with their man because of the kids, but I never knew how the other party could use that feeling against their victim. It wasn't till Bella was eight that Renee started to abuse her. Like with me, at first it was just comments. When I saw how it was affecting Bella, I got us out of there."

I let out a soft breath happy that he didn't stick around. "But I sort of failed by not divorcing Renee." Charlie takes a deep breath.

"Didn't think I needed it. I was just glad she left Bella and I alone. All I needed to do was give her money and I thought it was enough." I feel my heart drop at how sad Charlie looks. "She took my baby away from me, and no matter how hard I yelled, or begged, even taking her to court wasn't getting me anywhere. Sure, they were reported near the end of Renee and my relationship that people called the police, but me being the guy it was seen that I was the abuser not the abused. I ended up cashing in some money that I had put away for when I retired and even cashed in Bella's college money just so Renee would hand Bella back to me. Then the stroke hit... and at first Renee moved in with us, only reason I agreed was to be able to keep Bella with me. But when Bella walked in on Renee beating me that third night, she packed us up and moved us here. But due to my stroke and being unable to communicate, my money was going into Renee's and my joint account. You have no idea how ashamed I am that Bella was the one that was left to deal with it. Sue doesn't leave the house often, and when she does, it's only to the back garden."

I let out a breath and take Charlie's hand giving it a squeeze. "Is it sorted now, the bank account?"

"Yes, Bella dealt with it. It took almost two years, but it has been dealt with." I feel a little bit more relieved at hearing that.

"If you need help call me, anytime, and I have Bella's back. I will be there for her, I swear I will." I feel a little odd that I really mean what I am telling him, not because he needs it, but because Bella means something to me and I'm beginning to think she means more than what I think she does or should.

"I do need something," Charlie says softly. "I have not been able to give her a Christmas since she was twelve. I want her to have a good one this year. I know she says she's not going to college because I still need her, but I am still hoping I can kick her out," he chuckles. "I love her, she's my baby, but she deserves to go have some sort of normalcy."

"I can do that, do you need to get out of here? I'm off Monday so I can be here most of the day?"

"That sounds like a plan."

Charlie and I fall into easy conversation about the town, being a cop, fishing, but Jennifer and Bella is our main topic and I find myself being more and more interested about this-his- Bella.