The Only Exception
Chapter 4: Bella's POV
I've been with my mom for just over a week and I'm so ready to go back to Washington. Although it's not like I really have anywhere to go. I've been looking online for places to rent back home and found a couple promising options. I can't rent a house on the reservation unless I'm married to a member of the tribe and that's not happening so I look elsewhere. I found the perfect place in Port Angeles but that's a little too far. Leah would throw a fit if I wasn't near her. She can't leave the Rez or else I know she would have gotten an apartment with me. That would've been awesome but yet again there's something to fuck up my plans. Leah mentioned Jake going off on Embry but hasn't said another word about him which I'm thankful for. She's pissed I have yet to tell her where I am. I did tell her that she would be seeing me in less than a week.
"Bella, can you come here for a minute please?" My mom hollers from the kitchen.
I hop off her couch and make my way towards her. "Yeah mom?" I ask.
I find her and Phil sitting at the table with some papers in front of them. "Sit down honey, we want to talk to you about something," Phil says motioning to the chair across from them.
I feel a little nervous but do as I'm told. "So we were thinking, that if you really want to go back to Washington you can but if you wanted to, you could stay here with us," my mom begins.
"Thanks for the offer but I would really like to go back," I say simply.
"Well, I know I haven't been very active in your life. And I feel bad about it baby, I really do. So we've made a decision and I hope you'll like it. I know you've been looking for a place to stay out there. We want to pay your first year's rent-" she starts before I cut her off.
"Mom, Phil, no! Absolutely not!" I stand up quickly.
"On the condition, that you attend college. It can be on a campus or online. But I want you to continue your education Bella," she finishes smiling.
I tear up and run around the table to hug them! "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I squeal in excitement.
"Now, I've been in contact with Mr. Brantley. He owns a few 2 bedroom apartments not far from La Push actually. I've already wrote a check to him for a full year plus the deposit on one of his properties. You just have to pick which one you would like. Phil reminded me that you probably don't have furniture for a place so we've put quite a bit of money into your checking account to help out. We're hoping it's enough to stock you up on food for a couple of months as well," Mom tells me.
I can't help the tears that are falling down my face. "You don't know how much this means to me! I love you guys so much!" I say through my tears.
We talk over the details and once we finish I hop online and start to look for cute things to put in my place. I don't get too excited or attached to anything because I don't even know what my new place will look like. Next I decide to start looking for some online colleges. Going through the whole financial aid shit literally pisses me off. What a long ass process. But it will definitely be worth it in the end. I'm going to bust my ass in school, I have to show my appreciation everything they're doing for me. I close the laptop and get around for bed. Right before I fall asleep my phone goes off. It's a text from Paul. Sorry he fucked up. I WILL see you when you come home. And you ARE coming home, don't think you aren't.
I wondered how long it would be before I got a message from him. Leah told me Jake knew so I figured the rest of the pack knew too. I shake my head at my phone lazily but respond anyway. Soon. I say simply. That's all I need to say. We both know exactly what it is when I get home. For a brief moment, Embry pops into my head. I quickly dismiss him. Fuck him. He wasn't worried about me when he continued to sleep with Kelsey after we become official. I feel a twinge in my heart thinking about the two of them. I bury it quickly and force myself to go to sleep. Over the next few days, I stay close to my mom thankful for the distraction that is her. Charlie calls while I'm there wanting to know if Renee has heard from me. She tells him we have talked a few times but she didn't tell him that I'm with her. I'm confused as to why he hasn't tried to contact me directly. Renee calls him out on that fact and he admits he just doesn't know what to say.
Tomorrow I fly out and it's bittersweet. I'm glad to be going home so I can set up my apartment but I don't want to leave my mom or come across Embry and his little girlfriend. For my last night Renee and I go to the movies while Phil's at practice before meeting him for dinner. He takes us to some fancy restaurant that served literally nothing I'd eat so I settled for some triple chocolate cake dessert item. Not too much later, we leave the restaurant so that I can get home and pack. I end up having to switch suitcases with my mom to fit all of the shit I got since I arrived. My flight was early the next morning so I went to bed as soon as I finished packing. I fall asleep easily and stay sleeping through the entire night.
The next morning, I woke up a little later than I planned to so I had to rush to get around. We sped to the airport running late and thankfully I got to skip out on a tearful goodbye with Renee and Phil. I promised to call them as soon as I landed. I board the plane and take a nap during the flight. The plane lands as scheduled right on time and I rush to get my bags as I call a taxi to take me to get to the truck. I have to meet with Mr. Brantley at 2pm so he can take me to each of his properties. Once I've seen them all, the next thing I have to do is choose which one I'd like. I want to call Leah to see if she is able to meet me but I don't quite yet. Some choices need to be made on my own.
I pull up to the first address and know immediately this isn't the place for me. This property is a duplex and the next store neighbor has 2 kids. I see them walking in after talking to Mr. Brantley. He waves me over and I plaster a fake smile on my face. "Hello, I'm Bella," I stick my hand out for him to shake.
"Hello, Bella. Renee has told me so much about you! Wonderful woman she is. You're lucky to have her ass a mom," he gushes. "Well, let's take a look at this one shall we?" he says motioning to the brown house behind him.
I nod and follow him as he opens the door on the right. Immediately we have to walk upstairs to get to the apartment. We enter into a big open kitchen with older appliances. There is very little counter space. He goes to ask a question and has to yell over the kids downstairs. I wander about the rest of the place and sigh unhappily. The living room is small and the one bedroom is only slightly bigger. The apartment is just too small for me and I tell that to Mr. Brantley. He nods and tells me he has the just place.
We hop in our respective vehicles and I follow him towards La Push. We stop at a pale blue house with a decent porch that sits back a bit from the main road. There isn't another house in sight and I realize it's the last house before the La Push border. I get out and follow him up the five steps leading to the front door. "This one is more of a small family house. It's a two-story full house. A family vacated it a couple of weeks ago. I just finished painting and fixing things up," he tells me as he unlocks the door.
We walk into the house in a large room with two windows and to the left there is another room the same size with 3 windows. I walk straight from the door and make a slight left through a doorway into a large kitchen. The right wall is lined with cupboards and counters that make an L with the wall ahead of me holding the stove and has counters surrounding it. The sink is on the right side of the kitchen with a window above it and a dishwasher to the right of it. I look to the left and there's a refrigerator sandwiched between more counters and cabinets. I walk ahead and there's a step up, just past the kitchen is a laundry room with a small high window. Off of that is a decent sized bathroom that has a small window similar to above where the washer and dryer will sit. I come back out and remember to step down looking to my right there is a door that leads to the back covered patio and a nice yard. I walk out and take a look feeling instantly like I'd be spending a lot of time out here.
Going back inside I walk through the kitchen, back into what I'm going to make a dining room and into the living room. I picture the way I'd like to set it up along with color schemes. I finally walk away from it and wander upstairs into a big open space. There's a room at the top of the stairs. It's a decent size but I know automatically it's not the master, it does have a nice walk-in closet and one window. I walk back out into the open space and follow the hallway. On the left there is another room, smaller than the last with two windows. This would be like my office space most likely. Coming out of the room directly across is a wide closet. Just past that there is a massive room with an attached bathroom. There's a large bay window that has a seat built in on the left side of the room. A wide closet with doors in the right corner that spans from the wall to about 3 feet from the bathroom door. I walk into the bathroom and my jaw drops. To the left there is a long sink with a mirror to match the length. Just past that there's the toilet. Across from the toilet is a shower and next to that is a Jacuzzi style bathtub. Behind the bathroom door is a linen closet that will house the towels, wash clothes, and spare toilet paper.
That seals the deal for me. I run back downstairs and into the kitchen where Mr. Brantley stands with paperwork and a pen. "I knew by the way you looked at the kitchen you wanted this place. It's big for just you but I'm sure you won't be alone long. This is a perfect starter home too," he says smiling.
I read the lease and sign my name quickly. We talk for a little while longer before he hands me two keys. He tells me I'm free to move in whenever I'd like and I squeal in delight. I ask about the bills and he stated everything except cable is all included as my mom requested. I nod and call her as soon as he leaves. I gush over the house and thank her profusely before hanging up. I have to call Leah and see if she is available to shop with me. She answers on the second ring and tells me she doesn't have to patrol until 10 tonight so I've got her for a few hours. I tell her where the house is at and she informs me she'll be here in about 10 minutes. I'm glad all of the walls are a tan color, it makes planning each room so much easier. Running out to my truck I dig in my bag and grab a pen and some paper. I write out how I'd like to do each room and all of the things I'll need to be able to stay here tonight. Hopefully I can get everything delivered today on such short notice. If not, I'll buy a bunch of blankets and camp out.
Leah arrives shortly after but she has Jake's car. I look at her confused once she walks in and she explains we'll need both vehicles to stuff shit in. Jake and Jared will be helping with the moving Paul is on patrol and Sam's out with Emily today. I didn't ask about Embry and she didn't volunteer anything. We decide to hit the furniture stores first. I find a set I love but it's been discontinued. Instead I decide to go with a brown couch, matching love seat, a matching loveseat where both seats recline and a big comfy brown recliner for my office room. I'm sure they'll be nights in there where I don't want to sit at a desk doing homework. I scheduled delivery for tonight around 7. That will hopefully give us enough time to get the curtains set up and the rest of the shopping done.
After that I purchase a washer and dryer for the house from an appliance store. That will arrive shortly after the furniture comes. Next we go to the mattress store. For the spare room I choose a queen size bed with an end table and a long dresser. For my bedroom, I choose a California king with a dresser that will fit in my wide closet and two end tables with drawers for each side of my bed. The mattresses can be delivered tonight but the dressers won't make it until tomorrow which is fine. I set the delivery time for 8 tonight for the mattresses and noon tomorrow for the dressers. Right now, it's almost 5 and Leah decides we have enough time to go to Walmart to get the rest of the stuff I need for the house. First, we choose curtains for each room, cleaning supplies, bed sets, the desk and chair for my office, and TV's for the spare room, my room and living room. I almost forget to grab a stand for the living room tv but Leah reminds me at the last second. Next we get some movies, a gaming system, blu-ray player for each room, a stereo for my office, surround sound for the living room and then it's time to move to all of the bathroom stuff. My stomach growls so we head over to the kitchen supplies and then grocery shop. I don't even want to discuss the amount of money I have spent today but it's all worth it.
Finally, we head back to my house cutting it really close to 7 thankfully the delivery men pull up about 10 minutes after us. I instruct them on how I want the furniture placed in the living room and Leah helps one of them take my recliner upstairs to my office. I tip them and send them on their way. There's a knock at the door but Leah assures me it's Jake and Jared. They set up the stands and desk I bought as well as hang up the curtains and set up the living room electronics. Leah and I set up the kitchen. I wash all of the utensils and she puts away all the food. While the dishes are drying, the men come with the washer and dryer to get it all set up. I throw all of the towels and wash clothes I just bought into the washer and finish setting up the kitchen. Just as I put that load in the dryer, the mattress men come. The boys help them get the beds set up in the proper rooms and I call to order a pizza.
After the mattress movers leave, the pizza arrives so we all sit down to eat it. It's at this moment I realize I forgot to buy a dining room table. I add that to the list of things I need to get before going to fold the towels and divide them by bathroom. Leah works on the downstairs bathroom and I take the upstairs. Not too long after she has to go for patrol but promises to come by tomorrow to help me finish setting up. Jared leaves with her but Jake sticks around for a bit. We talk about how upset he was to find out I slept with all of his pack mates and I explain to him the situations for each. He understands a little better and by the look on his face I can tell something is still bothering him. I warn him that I do not want to hear about Embry and he doesn't mention him. He makes sure I'm alright and then leaves as well.
I walk out to the truck and bring in my suitcase before heading upstairs for the night. I pull out something to sleep in before taking my first shower in my own house. I climb into my giant comfy bed and fall right to sleep.
AN: Sorry for anyone who found this to be a boring one but this is a filler chapter. Don't worry I'm already working on Chapter 5 and it will more than make up for this one, I promise! Be ready for some Paul for sure! Maybe a little bit of Embry.