39
I'm trying to figure out what just happened when Bella calmly walks through the door. She steps around the broken glass and sets the cooler and bags of food on the coffee table before turning to me with a pinched face.
"I'm so sorry, Edward."
"What's going on?"
If a vampire could cry, Bella would be bawling.
"What happened, Bella?"
"They wanted a tour of V.C. Alec came down to explain the ins and outs. I didn't even think she'd be there. It caught both of them off guard, but Alice—"
"Gianna?"
She nods.
"Fuck me."
"She was horrible, Edward. She demanded to know what they were doing there with me. She said things."
"What am I about to walk into?" I plead.
Bella gives a dry sob. "She recognized me, and when Angela told her I was working for you, she started spouting off about how you threw her out because she wanted to be a vampire. She didn't even acknowledge that she was seeing her daughters for the first time in so long." Bella refuses to look at me.
"What else did she say?"
...
"Bella?"
"She said that it was convenient that you threw her out and hired me. That you must enjoy it."
"It?"
"Fucking me. Because why else would you keep me around?"
"What the fuck?"
"Alice defended me. She told Gianna that I was more of a mother to her than she ever was. That pissed her off. Alec had her removed and had her banned."
This is my worst fear coming true. Gianna's officially been denied Eternal Life. She's going to show up, or worse. She's going to try and take my girls away from me out of spite.
I fall onto the couch and cradle my head in my hands.
"I'll never let her near them again, Edward. I know people."
I look up, and she gives me a weak smile. "I'm only kidding. Kind of. Go up and talk to them. Alice is a wreck."
She's cleaning up the glass from the picture frame when I gather my bearings, slowly making my way upstairs.
I can hear Alice crying and press my forehead against her door. I don't know how to handle this. I knock.
"Yeah?" Angela calls.
"Can I come in?" I ask.
Please let me in. Please.
"Um. Can you ask Bella to come up here instead?"
I'm surprised Alice is the one asking.