The Whispering Woods

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Esme snorted delicately, shaking her head. "Don't be ridiculous, Son." She wouldn't meet the eyes of her niece, not ready for her to see the shame she had.

Edward glared at her; it was hardly a laughing matter. "What do you all expect us to think?" He waved his hands toward everyone. "We're all glowing! All of you are blue, like me, but Bella looks like a fucking elf from Rivendell."

"He makes Lord of the Rings references," Bella whispered to herself. She held a hand over her chest. "So hot."

Edward glared and pointed at her. "This is so not the time, Bella." His eyes softened, unable to curb the urge to grin. "We'll get back to that later." He returned his attention to the supposed adults in their lives. "The point I'm trying to make is that since we have no clue or answers, what are we supposed to think? This isn't fucking normal."

"Edward, such language is not necessary." Esme cocked an eyebrow when both Charlie and Bella snickered. "What?"

Bella shrugged. "I remember you cursing a whole lot when you burned your finger during one of our baking sessions."

"She'd make that boyfriend Carlisle blush like crazy while we watched a game," Charlie was quick to add, shrugging when Esme sent him a withering look.

"Oh really?" Edward crossed his arms over his chest.

Esme ignored them and exchanged a look with Garrett and Charlie. "Why don't we head somewhere and we'll do our best to answer your questions? The woods are not only known for whispering."

Edward realized she meant the woods could listen, too. Not creepy at all.

Bella stepped forward as Edward watched her. "Answer one question before we leave?" She regarded her aunt; the wary look on her aunt's face didn't stop her. "Do you know everything we need to know or just some of the answers?" By the time she said the last word, her shoulders fell, as if she knew the answer.

Esme sighed in relief; afraid her niece would ask her why she and Carlisle left. Would Bella understand she had to get Elizabeth out of Forks before the woods screamed at her, too? How Edward's mother, pregnant with her unborn child, begged her to leave Forks behind?

"We should head to my house," Garrett offered, sensing Esme's discomfort. "Maybe show them the suit first."

Esme's gaze snapped toward him, thankful for the change of topic. "You still have it?"

Garrett scratched his cheek, shrugging. "It didn't feel right to get rid of it. Kate doesn't even know it's in the shed."

"Aunt Kate doesn't know any of this?" Bella nearly growled when her uncle winced.

"Some, but not all of it."

Bella turned, walking into the forest to get her car. "Edward, follow me. The sooner we go, the better. It's obvious they know more than I do."

The others watched her go through thick grasses and into the woods, each of them shivering as she disappeared at the treeline.

"She's safe in there, right?" Edward rubbed his chest, uncertainty hurt. He didn't wait for an answer, getting in his car and following Bella the second she drove out of the woods and skidded onto the road.

She didn't look back.

Charlie, Garrett, and Esme shared glances, but Charlie was who spoke first. "How much are we telling them?"

Garrett sighed. "You mean the little thatwe know? All of it."

Esme rubbed her arms, a chill overtaking her. "They're not going to believe us, but you're right, they need to know everything we know."

Charlie sighed, nodding in agreement. "The memories are fading for Garrett and me, but how bad is it for you?"

Esme offered them a tentative smile. "I remember my childhood, Renee's and Elizabeth's quite clear. I may not have gifts like NeeNee and Lizzy, but I do remember our lives together. It's the stories my father told us that I've forgotten."

"We can't lose them, so it's better that they know and maybe they can help find more answers," Garrett stated, walking to his tow truck. "Better hurry. I'm afraid if we leave them too long, they'd get ideas."

Charlie's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

Garrett grinned. "Edward has some moves and I need to bleach my eyes."

Esme palmed her forehead. "Oh dear. You found them…"

Garrett held up his arms. "I'm not the type to see a kiss and tell." His grimace said everything though.

Charlie stomped to his cruiser, cursing all red-blooded males, while Esme wondered if her niece was on birth control. She wasn't sure Charlie would recommend putting her on some after having the dreaded sex talk. She hoped Charlie and Bella had the discussion. Just one more reminder of how she failed as Bella.

Esme headed to her car, making an internal note to buy a box of condoms for Edward. She'd just slip them into his nightstand without a word.

There was some hope in all this; Bella didn't glare at her, and their upcoming discussion could help lead to mending their relationship.

AN: October is starting out awesome *sarcasm font*. My alternator in my van is dead, so any chance of having a decent birthday next Friday is out of the question. We had a date night planned, was even going to the fair tomorrow, but the funds we saved for my gift and those fun activities are going to a new alternator. Which now that I think about it, it is fine with me. I need my van, how else can I get to my sanctuary, also known as Starbucks to write? lol

Thanks to MC for your help with the chapter, I messed around with the chapter a lot, in fact it wasn't this long. Anyway, all the mistakes are mine. Thank you! I'm getting nervous, I'm running out of pre-written chapters. The plan is to focus on this fic most of the week to remedy that, hopefully at the cafe. See you on Thursday!