26

"Butterbean," Renee said again, stretching her arm toward Bella.

"You . . . you know me?" Bella whimpered, lifting her hand, but pulling it back before Renee could take hold of her hand.

"Of course, I do." Renee laughed, a carefree laugh that Bella hadn't heard in too long. She took a couple steps toward Bella, once again stretching her arm toward her. "Why are you crying, sweetheart?"

"I don't know," she whispered and slowly, placed her hand in her mothers. Renee closed the small gap between them, bringing her other hand up and wiping away Bella's tears. "Momma."

"My sweet, Butterbean," she murmured. "I dreamed about you."

"You did?" Bella gasped.

Renee started to smile, but then pulled away from Bella, stumbling back a few steps. "Who are you? Why are you here? Charlie! Where's Charlie?"

"I'm here, honey," Charlie called out, drawing her attention back to where he was standing, leaning against the table. "I'm right here."

Renee hurried back to him, letting him wrap his arm around her. "I thought I lost you."

"No, honey, I'm here," Charlie whispered, his eyes shifting to Bella before frowning and saying, "I'm always right here."

Bella turned and hurried out of the room. She fell against the wall, sliding to the floor as tears saturated her face. She didn't understand what had happened. For a moment — a brief moment — her mother had known her. But how? Why? Why didn't it last longer?

"Baby, are you okay?" Edward asked, kneeling next to her, placing his hand on the wall next to her.

"She knew me," Bella sobbed. "Did you hear her? She fucking knew me!"

"I know," Edward whispered, moving his other hand to her cheek, wiping away her tears. "Come on, let's go to Charlie's room."

Bella nodded and allowed Edward to help her to her feet. He kept his arm wrapped around her as they walked down the hallway and into Charlie's room. She settled on the side of his bed. She didn't understand what had just happened. Her mother knew her. Like a lifetime hadn't passed. But why? Just why? And why couldn't she stay?

"You're scaring me." Edward sat next to her, reaching over and taking her hand in his. "Talk to me."

"I don't . . ." Bella shook her head before shifting her eyes to him. "I feel like God is playing a trick on me. Giving me fleeting moments with her, just to pull her away from me again. Why? I just don't understand why?"

"I don't know why," he murmured, bringing her hand to his lips. "I wish I did."

"Me too," she whispered, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Thank you."

"For what?

Bella smiled and looked at him. "For being here. I love you."

"I love you too."

And leaning down, he pressed his lips against hers. But before he could deepen the kiss, the door to Charlie's room opened and they turned as Esme rolled Charlie back into the room. Edward sprang off the bed like he had just gotten caught with his hand up her shirt. She would have laughed, but her heart was aching too much.

"Butterbean, are you okay?" Charlie asked, reaching out for her.

"Not really," she admitted. "Is . . . is . . . is she . . . did she . . ." Bella shook her head. "What's going on, Daddy?"

"I don't know, Butterbean," he said, softly. "I've been going down there some, just need to be around her," he added, his cheeks turning red. "Today, she was different. She was. . ."

"Wait," Esme interrupted. "Are you talking about Mom?"

Bella bit her lip as she looked from Charlie to her sister and nodded. "She knew me this morning. Knew . . . knew my name."

"She did?" Esme asked with a gasp.

Bella smiled. "It was only for a second."

"Oh, my God," Esme cried out and took off out of the room.

Bella found herself following her to the recreation room, where Renee was still seated at the same table, a puzzle spread out in front of her. Esme looked back at Bella before she sat in the chair across from their mother, who tilted her head to the side.

"Hi," Esme whispered.

"Hello," Renee said. "Do I know you, dear?"

"Yes. I mean, no. You used to."

"I did?"

Esme nodded and stretched her hand out toward Renee, who looked down at it before taking hold of it. "My name is Esme."

"Oh, I've always loved that name," Renee said, quietly. "Don't tell Charlie, but if we have a daughter, I want to name her Esme." Renee frowned. "Where is Charlie? He's supposed to meet me here."

Renee released Esme's hand and turned in her seat, her eyes meeting Bella's once more. "I know you."

"You do?" Bella asked.

Renee smiled and stood up. "Yes. You're . . .. You're . . . I can't remember your name, but I know your eyes. You're . . ."

"Bella," she whispered. "Isabella, actually, but I go by Bella."

"Bella," Renee murmured. "Charlie has an aunt named Isabella. His favorite aunt, actually."

"Oh," Bella whimpered, her lips trembling.

"Why are you crying?" Renee asked, hurrying over and placing her hands on Bella's shoulders. The move was so sudden, so surprising that Bella flinched. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"You didn't," she lied, watching as Esme stood and wrapped her arms around herself, tears filling her eyes.

"Oh, okay," Renee laughed, bringing one of her hands up to Bella's face. "Butterbean."

Bella started to smile, but then Renee's eyes changed, and her hand moved from her cheek to her jaw. "What are you doing here, whore? Did you come to fuck him?"

"No!" Bella screamed, trying to free herself, but Renee grabbed her arm before she could move.

"He's mine! Charlie's mine!" Renee raged, her nails digging into her skin. "I'll kill you if you ever come near him again."

"Leave her alone," Esme snarled, grabbing their mother by the shoulder and pulling her away from Bella, who slumped against the doorway of the room. Esme slammed Renee onto the floor, holding her down as she looked over at Bella. "Are you okay?"

Shaking her head, Bella couldn't find the words at the moment. She felt like she was trapped in a nightmare. One minute her mother was, well, her mother again, and the next, she was being accused of being a whore. It was times like this when she wished her mother had died in the fall. Watching her like this was unfair.

"Butterbean."

Bella looked behind her as Charlie, pushed by Edward, came up to her. His eyes shifted from her to Esme and Renee.

"Oh, my God, Esme, get off her!" Charlie groused, throwing himself out of the wheelchair and crawling over to Renee. She calmed down the minute he had his arms around her. "It's okay, honey, I've got you."

"Where were you?" Renee cried, clinging to him.

Bella brought her hand up to her mouth, stifling the sob that trickled to the tip of her tongue. Edward was immediately at her side, wrapping his arm around her and holding her against him. She had known her again. For just a moment, her mother had known her. She was sure of it.

"I'm here," he murmured. "Always here." He shifted his eyes to Bella. "Did she hurt you?"

Even though Bella shook her head, Esme said, "Yes."

"I'm fine," she argued, giving her sister a look that clearly said drop it. But of course, Esme refused and scrambled to her feet and said, "You are not fine."

"Butterbean," Renee whimpered, leaning away from Charlie. "Oh, Butterbean, what did I do?"

Bella opened her mouth but couldn't get the words out. Instead, she turned and buried her face in Edward's chest, needing the comfort that only his arms offered. She was on an emotional rollercoaster from Hell.

"Charlie, what's wrong with me?" Renee cried and when Bella looked back at her, she saw her mother clinging onto him.

"I don't know, honey," he murmured, kissing the top of her head. "But we're going to find out." He looked at Esme. "Where's Carlisle?"

"He, um, he had an appointment," she said, cryptically. "He'll be here soon."

Charlie nodded. "Can you get Kate?"

"Um, yeah, sure."

Esme shared a look with Bella before she scrambled out of the room, coming back a moment later with Kate and two orderlies. There was an outcry of "what happened" and 'let's get them up' as Bella and Edward stayed next to the door. Kate took over Renee while the two orderlies helped Charlie back into his chair. She could see the embarrassment in his face. Like Bella, asking for help wasn't something Charlie had ever done easily.

"Take him back his room," Kate said as she and Renee stood up.

"I'm not going anywhere, Katie," he argued. "I need to speak to Carlisle."

"I will send him to your room as soon as he gets in, but for now, we need to get you back to your room and I need to calm her down."

"I am not leaving my wife," Charlie groused, reaching for Renee. She grabbed his hand and practically fell into his lap, sobbing softly.

"Okay, Charlie," Kate said, putting her hands up. "She can come with you, all right?"

Quick to agree, he held Renee's hand while one of the orderlies wheeled him back to his room, the other hurrying off in the other direction. Kate waited until they were out of the room before she spoke again, asking if Bella had been hurt.

Bella shook her head. "What's going on with her? She knew me."

Sighing, Kate placed her hands on her hips. "Your dad has been spending a lot of time in here with her, and it would appear that his visits may be triggering her memories, but only for a short amount time."

"Is it permanent?" Esme asked, wrapping her arms around herself.

Kate shook her head and said, "I don't know."

Without much else to say, Kate left them alone. Esme pulled her phone out and began texting someone, Carlisle Bella was sure. Unable to handle just standing there, she shared a look with Edward before turning and walking over to the elevator, pressing the down arrow.

"Where are you going, Butterbean?" Esme asked, following them.

"I . . ." Bella shook her head. "I don't know. I just can't handle this right now."

"I'll take care of her," Edward said, placing his hand on the middle of her back.

Esme nodded. "I'll text you when Carlisle gets here, okay?"

"Yeah, all right." Edward paused. "Is he . . . is he okay? You said he had an appointment."

Pressing her lips together for a moment, she said, "He's been struggling with cutting, ever since we were in Chicago."

"Oh."

"He hasn't done it," she added, quickly. "Just fighting the urge, so he's been talking to his therapist more." Esme reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder. "He's trying, Edward. We all are."

"Yeah, I know."

Bella slipped her hand in with his as the elevator doors opened and they stepped inside, leaving Esme watching them. Her heart was heavy with grief and anticipation. Everything was changing, and she didn't know if that was a good thing, or bad.

—WH—

Bella couldn't leave the hospital. So, instead, she and Edward settled in the hospital cafeteria. Even though they had already eaten, they grabbed some food and juice and settled at a table in the back. Was it just an hour ago that she had gotten the news that her cancer was still gone? Felt like a lifetime ago. So much had changed in such a short amount of time.

"We should have stayed in Seattle," she murmured, picking up her spoon and stirring her oatmeal.

Edward laughed. "No shit."

"Things are going to change, aren't they?"

"I think they already have."

"I know, but . . ." Bella shifted so she was facing him. "She knew me, Edward. It was brief, but she fucking knew me. What does that mean?"

"I don't know," he said, bringing his hand up to her face, his fingers tracing along her jaw where Renee had grabbed her. "Does it hurt?"

"Not really."

Before they could say anything else, Emmett rushed into the cafeteria, his eyes searching the room until he found her. He bypassed the food line and hurried over to them, yanking the chair next to her out and plopping down.

"What the hell is going on?" he demanded. "Esme said Mom recognized you?"

Bella bit the inside of her lip before she nodded. "A couple times."

"But . . ." Emmett fell back in his chair. "How?"

"We don't know."

"They were waiting for Carlisle to get there," Edward added, picking up his orange juice and taking a sip before grimacing. "That tastes like ass."

Bella laughed. "Should have warned you."

"Gee, thanks," he quipped.

Bella smiled and looked back at Emmett. "How'd you know we were in here?"

"Esme said you needed a break, and I knew you weren't going to leave the hospital like that," he explained, shrugging his shoulders. "She said Mom hurt you."

Bella tensed. "It was nothing."

"What she'd do?"

"Nothing," she said again.

"She grabbed her face," Edward told him, ignoring Bella when she glared at him. "Called her a bunch of names."

"Shit," Emmett swore.

"She just got scared," Bella argued. "Dad came in and she calmed down."

Nodding, he dragged a hand through his hair. "I'm going to head up. Are you coming?"

Bella shook her head. "Not yet."

Emmett leaned over as he stood and kissed the top of her head. "Love you, Butterbean."

"Love you, too."

—WH—

It was nearly an hour before Bella made the brave decision to go back upstairs. She wanted nothing more than to see her mother again, but the mother who knew her name. Her nerves were on high alert and her heart felt like it would beat out of her chest as they wasted time in hospital, exploring the gift shop when the walls of the cafeteria became too much. But eventually, she had to put her big girl panties on and face the reality that her mother would most likely not recognize her again. Even if it did tear apart her soul.

When the elevator doors opened on the fifth floor, Carlisle was standing outside of Charlie's room with Kate and Phil, the three of them in deep conversation. At the sound of the elevator opening, they looked over at her and smiled. Carlisle poked his head into Charlie's room, calling for Esme and Emmett. Though, Bella wasn't sure what to expect as they closed the distance between them and her.

Once they joined them in the hallway, he took a deep breath. "We're running some tests on Renee," he explained. "We're not expecting to find anything. It's just a precaution."

"So, what do you think is happening?" Esme asked, reaching for his hand.

Carlisle wrapped his fingers around hers and said, "To be honest, I don't know. There's never been a logical reason why your . . . why Renee never came back to you after the fall. Maybe, I don't know, maybe she was lost until she found Charlie again. Maybe she just . . ."

"Needed the love of her life," Phil said, his voice thick with emotion.

"Phil," Bella whimpered.

"It's okay, Sweetheart," he murmured. "How it's supposed to be for them. For . . . for me."

He gave them a weak smile before leaving them alone. Bella's heart broke for him. For the love he was giving up a second time. Phil truly was better than all of them.