I'm counting down the days, ladies and gents! I get to see and hug my son to hell and back. I haven't seen him since May. He's just coming up 23 and lives with my mum as he has a job that way. I miss him SO much!
We caught a cab outside the airport terminal. I put our bags in the trunk and, not surprisingly, Isabella scooted as far away from me as possible when I got in. She seemed to like the distance between us.
"You on holiday?" the cab driver asked us after I gave him the address.
Isabella just continued to stare out of the window, ignoring me and the driver.
"Nah, just coming back from our honeymoon." I smiled as I slipped back into my usual accent, neither American nor Irish, but a comfortable mix of the two. That was the joy of growing up in both countries.
Isabella flinched, but I couldn't do anything about it now. We were nearly there. Nearly safe.
"Somewhere nice?" he asked.
"Just a tour of the States," I answered taking Isabella's hand in mine.
She turned her head a little and just stared at me. I smiled at her adoringly, but she just glared at me in return. Soon, I would tell her everything soon.
The drive was nearly an hour-long, and I could see how tired Isabella was. I was tired, too. I'd been up for going on three days solid. My fingers had started drumming on my leg by the time we got to where we were going.
"This it?" the cabbie asked after a low whistle as we pulled up to the guardhouse. Two guards stood tall and resolute by the gates.
"Yes, mate, this is it," I replied and pulled out my wallet to pay.
The guards would be taking us from here. No unregistered cars would get to the house, not even a taxi.
"Wow, real fancy," he said with a low whistle, taking the money as the guard opened the trunk and started pulling out our bags. Isabella just stood by the side of the car, silent as ever.
Within minutes we were through the electric gates and up at the house. I didn't bother to knock, I just walked us both in.
"Honey, I'm home!" I cried out feeling Isabella tense next to me.
"Is that you? My baby?" My mom, Esme, laughed as she ran down the huge atrium to meet us. Her light red hair bounced and swayed with her body with each step she took.
Had it really been six months since I'd been home? It felt like years.
"In the flesh," I said with a small laugh as I scooped mom up in my arms and hugged her tightly. God, it felt good. She smelled so good.
"Oh, God, it's so good to see you," she gushed and hugged me back.
I looked over her shoulder at Isabella, who looked beyond puzzled. Soon, I mouthed.
"It's so good to finally meet you. I have so much to talk to you about, my sweet girl. We don't have time now, but when you're up to it, we'll have a proper chat," mom gushed at Isabella as she hugged the hell out of the girl's body.
Isabella froze, stiff as a board, which mom played off as nothing.
"You must be starving, child. Let me get you something to eat, and then you can rest. I bet my son has been feeding you cereal and soup, right? No matter how much I tried, he could never learn how to cook." mom laughed while pulling us into the large kitchen.
Isabella just walked along with us, concern and confusion clear in her eyes.
When I carefully wrapped my arm around her waist, she stiffened again, but not as much as before. This gave me a little more peace of mind.
"You're safe here," I whispered.
Mom knew everything, of course. She had been involved from the very beginning. When a person's daughter, in this case, my sister, suffers at the hands of an asshole on a power trip, the mothering instincts kick in. Esme Cullen was a woman who could be every bit as lethal as me if you crossed her. I'd seen it once or twice in my life, and it had scared me shitless at the time. She was ruthless.
Mom showed us to the table, where I pulled out Isabella's chair for her before I sat down myself. We watched as mom knocked up some food. She knew what I liked, and I hoped Isabella would be able to eat more with a proper meal set before her. Snacks and soup only went so far.
"Your dad will be back soon. He's just had to do some paperwork," mom said with a smirk toward me.
I knew exactly what my father was doing. He may have sworn to protect and preserve life, but he had taken on a more important role of late. He was protecting Isabella. He was using his position to save her. At that very moment, my father was making a large number of people suffer, all because they'd crossed the wrong family. My family.
"My dad's a doctor. He'll look you over when he gets home," I stated out of earshot from mom. Isabella gave no indication that she'd heard me, but I knew she had. All would be out in the open soon.
I promised her.
A text on my phone let me know the rest of the family was heading to the airport. Their job was done. They were all okay and on their way home to us. It was the best news I'd heard in days. While it would take them a few days to get here, and they had to be apart from each other, at least they were safe. For that I was grateful. They had just one more person to bring back with them, but that wouldn't be for some time.
We had to wait for the dust to settle first. I wondered how Isabella would react to it all. Would she be forgiving?
Just as mom was putting dinner on the table Marcus, my grandfather, and Carlisle, my dad, walked in. They were both very cautious in their movements and watched Isabella for any indication that she'd seen or heard them, but there was nothing. Always nothing. It pulled at my chest, knowing that we knew everything about this young girl, and she didn't know us, well, me.
She kept her head bowed toward the table. I wanted her to look up at the men. I wanted her to remember. I knew for a fact she would recognize my dad. There was no way she couldn't. She'd only met my grandfather once, many years ago, but maybe she would recognize him, too. I could only hope.
"Hello, Isabella," Dad whispered as he stood in the doorway.
Her head whipped up to his. Only a select few knew her name and I had been careful not to use it around her just yet. Her eyes narrowed as he held up a raspberry lollipop.
"You were the only one who ever liked this flavor, do you remember?" He chuckled slightly.
Her breathing became erratic, and she started to shake her head from side to side. I saw the signs immediately; she was having a panic attack. I was on instant alert, begging Dad to help. He rushed over to her side to try and calm her, but it wasn't working.
Dad swept her up and dropped her into my arms then hurried through the house to his office. I raced after them, worried about her severe reaction to him.
Once in there, he had me lay her down on the small medical bed. She had passed out, and I was buzzing on adrenaline, but not in a good way. In the first stages of my own panic attack, I could only watch the scene in front of me.
We'd come too far, risked too much, to lose her now.
Dad explained she was exhausted, and that her body needed rest. I eventually calmed down but stayed right by her side as he looked Isabella over. Once Dad was done with his assessment, I carried her again, this time to the new bedroom mom had set up for her.
It was similar to the room back at my rental place, and I hoped Isabella would like it. I made sure to leave the en-suite door open once I'd laid her down on the bed. I didn't want her to feel scared anymore; this was her home now. I left her sleeping in the room while I went to speak with my parents.
Mom was over the moon Isabella was finally here and safe, Dad was relieved Isabella was at least somewhat physically okay because he had seen her pictures. In those, she looked terrible, malnourished, and almost dead. Her mental state was another thing altogether. Both of them were relieved the others were okay, too, and mom couldn't wait until they were all back under her roof, safe and sound.
They were all so different, but all together, they were amazing. I wondered how Isabella would get on with the others.
I gave you a tiny hint there, did you catch it? Carlisle gave her a lollipop. So... was he her doctor when she was younger? Lol. See you tomorrow! xxx