* There are a lot of creative liberties being taken here regarding mentions of the legal/foster care system. Take them with a grain of salt, this is fiction after all. All mistakes are mine.
CHAPTER THREE
Bella watched as Marie and her daughter walked inside the gas station. Vanessa or "Ness" as Marie had called her was a beautiful little girl with the cutest little cherub face and dimpled grin.
Bella briefly wondered if she had carried her and Paul's baby to term, if it would have looked like the little girl and she fought the twang of pain in her chest at the thought.
Vanessa had her eyes...ahem Marie's eyes...or I guess one could say "their eyes"; dark, deep, and full of wonder.
When Bella agreed to pump gas while Marie and Ness went inside the gas station, she was doing it more for her own benefit than Marie's.
She needed a moment alone.
Despite her seemingly cool demeanor and agreement to ride along with the pair until she made it to the bus station, Bella was still internally trying not to freak the fuck out.
She had a twin! A person whose face was identical to hers.
Bella and Marie were identical in every way that mattered sans their hair. While Marie's hair was a beautiful chocolate brown with hints of red that brushed her shoulder blades, hers was a crude mix of outgrown brown roots and stringy black dyed ends. Besides that minute difference, she was basically looking into a mirror.
They both shared the same slim frame (although Bella was slightly frailer), freckles across their nose, and even the bad habit of biting their bottom lip.
It was eerie.
Bella knew nothing of her own lineage sans the information the hospital gave her, but what were the chances that the two of them meet like this? Especially on the night she almost killed Paul and had finally decided to get away from the shithole that was Forks.
Perhaps it was fate?
Bella had a million and one questions running through her mind.
If Marie was indeed her twin, did she know who their mother was?
Their father?
And if so, why was she kept when Bella had been seemingly thrown to the streets to be abused and mistreated? What made Bella even more curious was whether Marie had known about her existence all along.
Marie had appeared to be taking this all in stride when Bella felt as if she were constantly on the verge of a panic attack. Maybe she could ask her these questions on the way to the bus station and perhaps gain a little bit of closure on the things that havocked her life.
Nevertheless, despite all the questions Bella desperately wanted answers to, her desire to be far away from this town was much stronger.
She tried to calm her shaky nerves, briefly glancing over at the small building for a glimpse of Marie and her daughter but she couldn't see anything through the frosted glass.
Turning back to the pump, Bella waited for the payment to show up. After a few minutes of waiting and nothing appearing on the screen, Bella contemplated going inside to see what was taking so long. Just as she had made her decision to go inside and check, a large lumber trunk pulled into the parking lot.
Bella thought nothing much of it at first, noticing a woman hop out first; scantily clad in nothing but a tube top and shorts so short they looked like underwear. The woman appeared to be under the influence of some substance and Bella watched as the woman adjusted her breasts crudely in the top before clumsily sauntering inside. Bella rolled her eyes at the woman's antics but nearly froze in her spot as she watched a man hop out next in grimy steel-toed boots.
Bella recognized those boots.
More so the person who wore them.
They belonged to Paul's creepy associate Waylon Forge. He was known to transport some of Paul's "goods" from town to town under the pretense of transporting lumber. Bella had never spoken to him directly (as Paul didn't like her talking to his men or any man for that matter), but she always got a creepy vibe from him.
Whenever Waylon came over for a 'run', he seemed to be undressing Bella with his eyes, making her skin crawl. She knew that he and Paul had a bit of a falling out several months ago over money and she definitely did not want to know what kind of leverage he could use her for.
Waylon glanced her way and Bella ducked hoping he wouldn't see her. If he did, she had no doubt he would drag her back to Forks kicking and screaming. From her perch, she could see him eying Marie's car; no doubt thinking of ways to scrap it for parts. She saw him take a step in her direction, and freaked, hopping inside on the driver's side.
That seemed to deter him momentarily, but now realizing it was a woman who owned the car seemed to make him even more intrigued. He began trying to get her attention.
"Nice car there. Way too nice for a part of town like this." Waylon greeted.
"Mind if I take a look at it? I'm into cars if you know what I mean." He continued creepily. Fortunately for her, he hadn't recognized her yet but Bella began to panic. She couldn't let him see her. Waylon would grab her and then she'd be used as some form of sick collateral for Paul.
As he took another step towards the car, Bella attempted to come up with a plan. Looking at the steering wheel, a solution became evident as she realized that Marie had left her keys in the ignition.
Was she really that naive?
Even if Bella didn't have any ill intention towards her, Marie should have been smarter than that.
This town was not that nice of a place to be so clueless.
Suddenly a plan came to mind.
Maybe she could just pull off as if she were leaving and come around the back when Waylon left.
It wasn't the smartest idea but self-preservation over reason began to kick in.
She'd just explain to Marie later why the car moved or why it was still low on gas. Hopefully, she'd understand how desperate Bella was to protect herself at that moment.
Turning the ignition on, Bella carefully pulled off, keeping her head down as Waylon tried to peer inside. Appearing to get onto the main road, Bella drove onto a backlot that was out of view of the gas station in the hopes that Waylon wouldn't linger too long and be gone when she returned.
Pulling off to the side near a large bush, Bella rested her head against the steering wheel and took in a deep breath to ease her nerves. She suddenly felt the night's events weigh heavily on her and wished for nothing more than a moment of peace and quiet. After a few moments of contemplation, Bella opened her eyes when she noticed movement.
Seeing taillights appear off in the distance, Bella hoped it signaled Waylon's departure. After making sure the coast was clear, she slowly got back onto the main road that led to the front of the station.
What Bella thought were the taillights of Waylon's truck leaving must have been someone else because the sight that greeted her was something out of a horror movie.
Waylon, that sick bastard, had Marie and Vanessa cornered against the front door of the gas station. Bella briefly wondered why they hadn't run inside to safety but those thoughts were gone as soon as she saw Waylon take a calculated step towards them; his hand reaching out for Vanessa.
Bella's breath caught in her throat as she watched Marie swing something towards him, causing Waylon to collapse at the knees.
Bella heard his shrill scream as they both tried to get around his hunched form, but Waylon recovered quickly, nearly causing them all to stumble to the ground.
Before she could realize what was happening, Bella had unconsciously pressed the gas and was heading towards them at an alarming speed.
Surging forward, Bella had to hit the brakes to avoid crashing into them, as she tried to blind Waylon with the headlights. It seemed to work as he stumbled backward, while Marie and Vanessa looked on in fright. Bella leaned over and opened the passenger door, trying to ignore Marie's frightened but irate expression as she screamed for her to hop in.
Marie hesitated for a second but practically threw Vanessa and herself into the front seat. Marie had barely closed the door when Waylon seemed to appear out of nowhere in front of the car.
Slamming his fist heavily against the hood, he came over to the passenger side and kicked the side mirror with his foot, causing it to shatter and fall. All three of them screamed as he tried to pull open the car door.
Bella put the car into reverse to avoid hitting him but he kept coming towards them. Hitting the gas so that they could escape quickly, Bella was suddenly shocked to see Waylon in front of them once more. The sickeningly loud thump Waylon's body made as she clipped him reverberated throughout the car.
His back hit the windshield creating a large crack that spread quickly as he tumbled to the ground. Still attempting to go forward, Bella felt one of the front tires run over his leg with another nauseating crunch.
She paid his screams of agony no mind as she hightailed it out of the parking lot and blindly onto the road. Vanessa was still crying on her mother's lap and she could feel Marie's glare and the rage practically erupting from her body, as she demanded her to pull over.
Bella's nerves were completely frazzled as she pleaded for Marie to just be patient. She could deal with her anger later. Bella just wanted to get as far away from this town as she could. This would ultimately prove fruitless as Marie pointed out since they were still low on gas and now had a broken windshield and mirror to add to their troubles.
They wouldn't make it very far.
Thinking of her very few options, Bella tried to figure out their next steps. They were still so close and yet so far from anything and she knew Marie would want answers and would want them soon.
They needed gas, a new windshield, a mirror, and maybe a new engine with the noises Marie's car was currently making.
Bella was still contemplating her options when it came to her. The one person who could possibly help her despite the late hour and someone who wasn't afraid of Paul and his men.
Granted he hated her…but she was desperate and in need.
She had to pay a trip to her old friend and foster brother Emmett McCarty.
….Replicant…..
Marie couldn't believe what had just transpired over the past hour. Ness had finally cried herself out and was snoring softly against her chest; oblivious to the turmoil that swirled in her stomach.
What kind of craziness had she gotten herself into?
Marie snuck a glance at Bella, who seemed to be focused on the road as she drove down a very secluded dirt trail at a dreadfully slow pace. She was just about to question where Bella was taking them when she noticed a small house…or rather shack in the distance.
Marie would have thought the place was abandoned if it weren't for the glow of lights inside or the several cars that lay around the building in various states of condition.
She looked to Bella for some type of explanation as to where they were but she shook her head as she parked the car. Bella let out a deep breath and got out; Marie trailing behind her as she put Vanessa on her hip. The little girl had woken up once more and was now grouchier than ever at being woken up for the second time tonight.
The three of them had barely made it a few steps when the front door of the shack swung open and one of the largest men Marie had ever seen filled the doorway.
The man easily towered over them by a foot and a half and appeared to be nothing but a big ball of muscle. Marie clutched Vanessa tighter as she noticed the numerous tattoos that covered his arms and neck. What was even scarier, was the large man's annoyed blue-eyed gaze that focused on Bella who stared back with an unfathomable expression. Marie briefly feared he would hurt Bella, but she shrugged it off as Bella continued forward with a wry smile.
"Look Em," Bella barely managed to utter out before the door was abruptly slammed in her face. Bella let out another haggard breath and quickly pounded on the door with her little fists until the door opened again.
"Emmett, please. You know I wouldn't be here unless it was something serious." Bella pleaded. The two of them stared at one another before the man she now knew as Emmett sighed and motioned for her to come inside. Bella muttered a silent prayer to whoever was up there and gestured for Marie and Vanessa to follow.
Marie hesitated at first but followed, stopping in the doorway to take in her surroundings. The house was essentially one large room with small dividers that separated off a small kitchen and bathroom. Marie figured the living room doubled as his bedroom as she noticed a small futon and blankets in the corner. She briefly wondered how such a large man could live here, but those thoughts went out the window when Emmett suddenly turned and realized that Bella wasn't alone. He looked from Bella, to Marie and Vanessa with a confused expression.
"What the fuck!" He bellowed, his eyes darting back and forth from Bella to Marie. Marie watched as Bella smacked his large arm.
"Little ears Emmett." She pointed to Vanessa who Marie had sat down on the small sofa. Marie shrugged it off as Emmett smiled sheepishly at the toddler; revealing two large dimples that made him appear younger and not so scary despite his tattoos and intimidating size.
"Sorry." He apologized with a wink, causing Ness to let out a giggle.
"You must admit this is a bit weird." Emmett griped. The two of them nodded their heads.
"Hungwy mama, hungwy." Ness' little voice interrupted.
"I'll get you something soon baby." Marie cooed, but Vanessa continued to rub her stomach. Marie watched as Emmett walked over to his small refrigerator and pulled out a small bag of grapes.
"It's not much but maybe it can tide her over a little." He shrugged embarrassedly but Marie was grateful for the sentiment. She went to reach for the grapes but stopped when Bella took them instead; walking over to the small sink in the kitchen to rinse them off.
Marie watched in awe as Bella grabbed a small knife and cut the grapes into halves and then quarters, placing the pieces into a little bowl. She walked back over and kneeled down in front of Vanessa who watched her intently. The little girl stared at Bella for a moment, brown eyes meeting brown, as she noticed the similarities between her mother and the woman who looked like her.
" Mama?" She questioned innocently, still looking back and forth. Bella smiled and brushed a finger down the small girl's cheek.
"No, not Mama. Can you say Bella?"
"Bwella" Vanessa repeated with a dimply grin. Bella let out a small chuckle as she watched the little girl eagerly stick her hand into the bowl.
"Close enough." Bella got up and turned to look at Marie and Emmett with a serious expression.
"We need to talk."
"That we do." Marie reinforced but looked worriedly at Ness who was munching happily on the pieces of grape.
"She'll be fine. Look," Marie watched as Emmett turned on the small TV and changed it to a station that was playing old cartoons. Ness let out a small squeal as she recognized the familiar cat and mouse rivals on the screen.
"Jewwry!" Marie smiled at her daughter and startled a bit as Bella rested a hand on her shoulder.
"I promise she's safe. Now come on. We really need to talk to Emmett. She pulled Marie towards the back of the room, revealing another door that led to a small patio that overlooked the backyard, which was nothing more than a fenced enclosure full of car parts. Emmett was waiting for them nearby with a guarded expression.
"I know you must be in some deep shit if you're showing your face here. Not to mention, I'm a bit freaked out by this twinning thing you got going on. Who knew you had a sister?" Emmett started.
"She's not my sister. I mean she probably is, since she has my face, but I can't talk about that right now. We need your help, her car is busted and we need to get out of here ASAP." Bella urged.
"Wait, you're supposed to explain to me what happened back there at the gas station." Marie pressed.
"Gas station? How about you explain to me why you're showing up on my doorstep this late at night? We haven't spoken in years!" Emmett accused loudly.
"Just wait one moment Emmett…." Bella tried to deflect.
"No, I won't wait. You're lucky I let you in my house after what Paul did." Emmett said quietly. A silent conversation seemed to pass between the two of them, leaving Marie confused.
"I said I was sorry Emmett. I should have known better." Bella shook her head. The silent conversation continued leaving Marie feeling annoyed at being out of the loop.
"Yeah, me too. Maybe if you realized this earlier, it could have saved me a few years in the pen." He deadpanned and she noticed a few tears well up in Bella's eyes.
"Pen? As in jail? What kind of man do you have us with? We need to get out here." Marie said anxiously, looking as if she wanted to flee in that moment. Bella grabbed her hand to stop her.
"Relax Marie. Emmett is good people. I wouldn't have brought us here if he were dangerous." Bella tried to reassure. Marie shook her off.
"Oh sure. I'm sure he's just as nice as that Waylon fellow who tried to grab me and my baby." Marie screeched.
"Waylon? What does he have to do with anything? Did that old bastard try anything? I'd kill him!" Emmett growled, his muscles flexing angrily as he cracked his knuckles.
"You might not have to. I'm pretty sure we did that when we hit him with the car." Marie huffed. Emmett looked at both of them in disbelief.
"What the hell did you guys do?" He questioned.
In a rush of jumbled sentences, Bella explained to both Emmett and Marie what had transpired, earning her a conflicted expression from Marie and one of suspicion from Emmett. The latter backed away from the pair and began shaking his head as he began to pace.
"Shit, what kind of mess did you bring here? I am two months from being off parole Bella; two months. I can't let you mess that up for me."
"And I won't. Please, Emmett, I need you to do me this one favor and I'll be out of your hair. Please." Bella pleaded through watery eyes as she rested a hand on his arm. He grabbed her tiny hand in his much larger ones and seemed to be fighting an inner battle within himself.
For the third time that night, Marie watched as a loaded but silent conversation passed between them both. After a few seconds, Emmett released her hands with a dejected sigh.
"Fine. I'll see what I can do. But you guys have to go as soon as I'm done. I don't need this kind of heat on me." He finished. Without another word, Emmett picked up an old flannel jacket and headed back out front.
Once the pair was alone, Bella and Marie leaned against the banister; looking out into the darkness for answers to questions they both wanted to ask the other. When Bella didn't make a move to say anything, Marie decided to take the initiative.
"So how do you know Emmett?" Marie questioned. She figured it was a safe place to start the conversation. Bella groaned and pulled her jacket closer to her thin frame as a chill took her body. Marie noted it was more from nerves than the actual weather.
"He's my foster brother," Bella replied simply. Marie waited patiently for her to elaborate.
"I was abandoned at birth and when no one came to claim or adopt me, I went into the foster care system." Bella began. Marie wanted to add that she too had been left at birth, but knew that this moment was more for Bella than herself.
"How was it? Shit, that's a stupid question. From that expression on your face, I can only imagine how rough it was." Marie apologized. Bella nodded her head.
"Don't get me wrong, the system has probably saved many kids, but I think that some children get the short end of the stick. I just happened to be one of the unfortunate ones. Most families want an infant and once you become a certain age, you become less likely to be placed with an adoptive family. It's the unfortunate reality that many abandoned kids fall into."
"My childhood wasn't horrible but once I hit puberty, it went downhill from there. I spent years simple existing; going from family to family; being nothing more than a body to occupy space so that my foster parents could get whatever government benefits and stipends they could."
Marie looked aghast. "That's abusing the system!" Bella rolled her eyes at her naivety but continued.
"Anyway, I was about twelve years old and I had just become a foster child for the Cope family. They were an older couple that didn't care what we did as long as we left them alone. The only time they showed even the slightest bit of concern was when a caseworker came to do their monthly welfare check. Otherwise, we were left to our own devices." Bella paused to make sure Marie was still following.
"They had six other foster kids with them; four boys and two girls."
"That must have been incredibly crowded." Marie added and Bella nodded her agreement.
"You have no idea. The fights alone for the bathroom were enough to drive a sane person crazy. Five of them were older than me and often use their age difference as a tool of control. Me being the newest addition, I was the target of their microaggressions. I was small, gangly, and timid; hardly in any shape to defend myself."
"Emmett was technically the youngest of the six; him being two years younger than I, but his immense size always made him appear older. He saw how withdrawn I had become and took it upon himself to include me in things my other siblings normally excluded me from." Bella paused looking wistful.
"That was very sweet of him to do that." Marie smiled.
"Emmett was…ahem is just that kind of person. I know it may not look like it now, but he has this open and warm personality that is rare to find these days. Always smiling and appreciative of everything. His background is similar to mine, having been abandoned at birth and it was something we bonded over as kids. He made living with my foster siblings and parents bearable despite how much I struggled."
"Emmett became my friend; my brother, and ultimately my protector."
"Protector?" Marie interrupted. What did she need to be protected from?
"I can see you're curious. One of my foster brothers James had this weird predatory fascination with me. He was sixteen at the time and was way too occupied by the interests of a pre-teenaged girl. He never tried anything directly, but that didn't stop him from making comments that were very inappropriate. I tried voicing my concerns to my foster parents about this but they just shrugged it off as nothing. James was one of the first kids they fostered and the quintessential 'golden boy' of the family. He could do no wrong in their eyes. "
"Luckily for me, Emmett saw through his bullshit and watched him like a hawk whenever we were alone. It also helped that James was scared shitless of him because of his size. Since James couldn't get to me without Emmett being around, he would go out of his way to get me in trouble. It wasn't anything too horrible, but more of an annoyance to deal with every day."
"Things were good for a few months until the Copes brought home another foster child, this time, another girl my age named Victoria. I was more than excited to have another girl in the house, but I cannot say that the feeling was mutual. Victoria quickly fell under James' spell and noticed his demented interest in me. This led to jealously and ultimately, a hatred of my existence".
"Being under the influence of James, she also went out of her way to get me in trouble. Things in the house would go missing, only to appear in my bed or along with my meager possessions. I normally caught it ahead of time to save myself any hassles; preventing the others and myself from getting in too much trouble. The Copes had the mentality that if one of us got in trouble then we all had to suffer the consequences. This resulted in us trying to remedy the situation before it ever had a chance to escalate out of control."
"That's not fair to you or the others." Marie was in disbelief. Bella didn't seem to hear her but continued in an emotionless tone.
"One day, I caught James and Victoria stealing some money from their bedroom and in their haste had left their room a mess. I tried to do the right thing and clean it up when Victoria disappeared, leaving me with James. He once again made some predatory remarks towards me but I didn't get a chance to have a rebuttal. Less than a few minutes later, the doorway filled up with my foster mother and father; a weepy Victoria right behind them. She put on an Oscar worthy performance, full of tears and lies towards the older couple, claiming that I had been acting out and threatening them all if they didn't do what I told them."
"How could they not believe you? It was essentially your word against theirs?" Bella shook her head at Marie.
"Victoria naturally covered for James who'd claimed to have caught me in the act. Add in the set up of cash and other stolen items under my mattress, I honestly had no defense. My foster siblings were of no use since they were scared shitless of James and Emmett tried to help me but it was futile. He was only one voice against many others that stayed silent."
"My foster parents didn't give me the opportunity to defend myself nor the chance to say my goodbyes to the only person who ever cared for me before they shipped me off to another family. That night would be the last time I saw Emmett and it wouldn't be until a few years later that I saw him again." Bella finished. She was shivering again.
Marie gave her a moment to collect herself while she checked in on Vanessa who had dozed off once again; her hand still in the grape bowl. She smiled wistfully and brushed a few strands from her baby's face; gently removing her hand from the bowl and covering her small form with a nearby blanket. After making sure Vanessa was still comfortable, she headed back outside where Bella was still frozen in place. Her eyes seemed to be focused on something in the darkness making Marie hesitant to continue her questioning.
"I know you have more questions, so you might as well ask while I still have the nerve," Bella added quietly.
"Emmett mentioned something about jail? What did that have to do with you and your ex?" Marie questioned, hoping she'd answer. The man she had described all those years ago was a stark contrast to the man who appeared to them tonight. Bella visibly began shaking once more and startled slightly when Marie moved closer so that they were standing shoulder to shoulder in the hopes that it brought some comfort. Marie wished she could take back her question, seeing how much it affected her, but Bella wasn't deterred and continued.
"As I said, it was several years until I saw him again. I had been on my own for a few years at that point and was living with my ex, Paul. Emmett had just turned eighteen and was officially out of the foster care system. Turning eighteen should be a blessing but to a foster kid, it's a curse. The system stops caring about you do since you're technically considered an adult and no longer prove useful to them financially." Bella shook her head distractedly.
"Sorry, I'm getting off track."
"It's fine," Marie reassured and gestured for her to continue.
"I was leaving my job one night, when I came across Emmett digging around in one of the dumpsters for food. He had been out on the streets for a few months by then and I could tell he was struggling to get on his feet. He was skinner than I had ever seen him and was bruised up pretty badly as if he had been in a fight. He didn't recognize me at first but when he did, I could see the relief in his eyes. It's a wonderful feeling to realize you're not as alone as you thought you were; especially when you're down on your luck."
"It was a no brainer to take him in and get him cleaned up, so I offered him a home with us until he got on his feet, to which he agreed. Paul was on board at first, but the more time Emmett hung around and seemed to thrive, the more jealous he became of our relationship. I tried to reassure him that there was nothing-romantic going on between the two of us but he didn't believe it."
"Well if I were to play devil's advocate, I can kind of see where he's coming from. No boyfriend would be that comfortable with another guy hanging out with his girlfriend all the time." Bella rolled her eyes.
"I'm telling you, it's not like that with Emmett and me. Our relationship is strictly platonic and Paul knew that. Emmett really wasn't a fan of his; mainly due to the way Paul treated me behind closed doors, and I think Paul knew that which is why he held a grudge against him. Nevertheless, Emmett remained cordial. I finally thought they put their differences aside when Paul offered to give Emmett a job."
"What kind of job?" Marie questioned. Bella paused and looked at the ground.
"Let's just say something of the 'recreational variety', if you even want to call it that," Bella replied vaguely but with a pointed glance towards Marie, she nodded her head in understanding.
Drugs.
Hard drugs.
"I was young and stupid, so when Paul offered to take Emmett in on his dealings, I was excited. To finally have my boyfriend and 'brother' getting along was a win-win situation for me. I should have known Paul had ulterior motives, but I was just too blind to see it at the time. Looking back on the entire situation, I should have told Emmett not to take the job. I knew what kind of things Paul got into but it was supposed to be a one-time thing; a chance for Emmett to make some quick cash."
"So what happened?"
"To make a long story short, Paul and his men set Emmett up. They were tipped off about some undercover feds and made Emmett do the 'run' to save their own asses. It was his first time. Emmett was at the wrong place at the wrong time and took the fall for something he was never meant to be involved in. They tried to throw every book at him. I mean I couldn't blame them since the evidence was right there with him! Emmett pleaded with me to be his alibi and tell them that it was Paul's dealings but I couldn't."
"I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. I was weak and afraid. I thought my only option was to protect the guy I was in love with. I couldn't save them both. It wasn't until later that I'd realized what Paul had done but the damage was done. I'd let down the one person who always looked out for me. It also didn't help that Forks court system is shitty and you could buy the judges favor at the drop of a dime."
"So what happened next?" Marie wondered.
"Nothing happened next. Emmett was sentenced and took a plea deal."
"How long did he serve?"
" Five years. Five years of his life that he'll never get back and it's my fault. I took him in. I introduced him to Paul. I should have told him not to take the job. I should have been brave and done the right thing." Bella gasped. Tears were now freely falling down her face.
" I tried checking on him a few times but it was hard under Paul's watchful gaze. Getting on Paul's bad side gets you blacklisted here since everyone here is practically scared of him. Finding out that Emmett was trying to rat him out did not make things any better. As a result, he was completely ostracized by most of the residents here. I know Emmett is pretty good with cars so I know he gets business here and there to get by, but that's no way to live. He's alone and living in this cardboard box because of me!" Bella wailed.
Marie looked over at the anguished look on Bella's face and grabbed her hand in what she hoped was a comforting gesture. She was trembling one more; obviously affected by what happened to Emmett but she had to know it wasn't her fault. Bella didn't force Emmett to take that job; he did that of his own volition. The circumstances were horrible and it was unfortunate Emmett had to go to prison, but they all had their roles to play and the blame did not solely fall on her.
Marie attempted to tell her as such but Bella seemed to be beyond reasoning at that point.
Marie stared at the woman who shared her likeness and felt tears come to her own eyes. They were more alike than she realized.
They both were broken.
Marie understood the guilt Bella felt, she dealt with it every day.
The things she has done, the people she has hurt; she was no better than the people she attempted to put away but Bella didn't know that.
As much as she wanted to share the burden of the secrets she knew, Marie knew that now was not the time and that Bella needed this emotional reprieve more than she did. After a few moments, Bella tears slowed and she wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
Marie sighed and closed her own eyes. Had it only been a few hours since they met? This night seemed to be on dragging on forever. Marie thought she was finished and went back to check on Vanessa when Bella squeezed her hand in thanks.
"I'm honestly grateful he's helping us right now, which just shows how much of a stand-up guy he is because I don't think I could ever be that forgiving. " Bella said shakily wiping a few remaining tears away. Shocking them both, Marie pulled her into a hug and Bella momentarily welcomed the small moment of comfort; feeling a moment of peace for the first time tonight.
They pulled apart as they heard a creak and the large form of Emmett filled the doorway.
Bella and Marie looked at him with a hopeful expression; yearning for some good news to this dreadful night.
I know, I know, what happens next?!
This chapter was getting too long and I had to end it somewhere.
Most of these early chapters will be full of background information to set up the events of later chapters. I promise Edward will be here very soon, just stay with me.
Thoughts? Leave it in a review!
Until the next chapter,
Xoxo Sylvia Cullen