Bella and Edward never visited Renee. Warnings: contains child abuse, renee bashing

Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one. ~Jane Howard

I lay on the thick, plush carpet on the floor of Edward's bedroom, carefully flicking through the pages of some glossy magazine that Alice had thrust into my hands with a quick peck on my cheek, before she danced away down the stairs, obviously seeing my protests before I could open my mouth to voice them.

The pages were covered in fancy dresses that looked more expensive than any house I'd ever lived in, and bouquets of flowers that could have been photographed at a celebrity wedding. All in all, there was nothing in the magazine that looked as though it belonged at mine and Edward's wedding. Why did Alice put me through the pain of looking at all of this when she knew that all I cared about was Edward?

Edward – he would have laughed and made a game out of it. We would have stopped on random pages and planned the most ridiculous wedding to ever exist, much to Alice's chagrin, and then we would have abandoned the evil book of glossy pages in favour of doing literally anything else.

With a small pang of sorrow I glanced around the empty room and took in the silent house, most of the family had gone out hunting, only Esme and Jasper had stayed behind – Esme so that she could tie up some deals with her interior decorating company, and Jasper because he had hunted just yesterday, preparing for my being there. Edward had promised that he would be as quick as possible, but despite missing him, I wasn't too bothered by his absence.

After all, I was about to do something that filled my stomach with dread and caused butterflies to swoop menacingly within me. Was Jasper picking up on that? Was he wondering why I was filled with so much emotional turmoil while laying on the comfortable carpet in his brother's room?

None of them could really understand my anxiety over calling my Mom, after all, they only knew what I had told them about her. They knew the scatter-brained, carefree woman that fled to a sunny city and raised her daughter single-handedly. Maybe that was why I couldn't bear to see the disappointment in Edward's eyes when I made up yet another excuse not to call my mother. He thought that I wanted to hide the news of our wedding, and that was partially true – I wanted to hide it from my Mom.

Which was why I had actually looked through Alice's wedding magazine, it was the perfect reason to 'forget' to call my Mom.

Except… I could already imagine the tiny pout that would greet me as soon as Alice arrived home and realised I hadn't done what I was meant to, as well as the brief flash of rejection on Edward's face before he could smooth it over with a smile.

The thing was, Alice had already admitted that she didn't know how my Mom would react, which made sense because my mother was so impulsive, but I knew her. I knew that she wouldn't take the news well, she was overly critical and despised teen marriage. Mainly because she claimed that it had ruined her life.

But my Mom was a difficult woman, and she tried her best to put up a good show for others, but she could never maintain it, eventually she slipped. Besides, she wasn't always as subtle as she thought she was – her demeaning words often left a red hue on my cheeks as she thought she was getting away with her snide comments when really she was just humiliating me in front of others.

I couldn't make people realise that though, Phil and Charlie hadn't been with her long enough to see the ugly side that lay underneath, they had no idea of the pain she could cause – they had never felt the sting of her palm on their cheek as they dared to grow a backbone. They didn't realise how inferior she could make someone feel.

With a sigh I clambered to my feet, stumbling slightly from the abrupt change in position, and left the room, searching for the company of the other residents in the house, as though they would be able to take away the looming pain of my mother's words that was sure to hit hard.

"Hey, Sweetie," Esme greeted me with a gentle smile, making me selfishly wish that she was my mother rather than Renee, "are you hungry?"

She glanced that the fridge, no doubt mentally running through a list of recipes that she could make with what was in the house.

"No," I said quietly, not telling her that the butterflies in my stomach would prevent me from keeping anything down, "thank you though."

Why did my Mom need to come to the wedding? She would only criticize everything and everyone, especially me. She would thrive at the opportunity to embarrass me in front of my new, found family. But then… wouldn't her reaction be so much worse if she were forced to hear the news from someone else?

"You look like you have a lot on your mind," Esme said gently, closing the lid of her laptop that she had been tapping away at while perched on a stool at the kitchen island, "do you want to talk about it?"

"I-" I paused, and shrugged a little, "I don't know."

"Come," Esme said, patting the stool beside her, "sit with me?"

I did as she requested, "aren't I disturbing your work?"

"Quite the contrary, even vampires need a little break every now and then," Esme said with a smile, "besides, you know I always have time for you."

I did know that, and it almost made the pain of my own Mom's lack of interest so much worse. Maybe I could find another vampire to make mortal enemies with and then they could also create a new-born army that would take me out, meaning I wouldn't have to tell my Mom anything.

"Bella?" My eyes snapped up to meet Esme's, I could see concern lingering there.

"I'm sorry," I said genuinely, "I was just thinking about my Mom."

"Ah," Esme said, "are you still worrying about how to tell her about the engagement?"

"Kinda." I said, not admitting that I was also slightly concerned about what she may say once she had a glass of wine in her hand and an opinion on her tongue.

"You could use my phone," Esme offered, holding out a sleek black phone, an offering, "there's no pressure, but if you wanted to do it and have us here, then that's alright."

"I can't," I whispered, the words sounded pained, even to me, "she won't understand."

Esme gave me a sad smile; it was beautiful on her eternally young face. She gently brushed a strand of hair out my face and tucked it behind one of my ears, a motion that my own mother had never done, guiltily I felt the resent for my Mom strengthen a little more.

I jumped dramatically as a voice spoke from just behind me, "there's more to it than that, isn't there? It's almost like you're afraid."

Jasper. Of course. Confusion tainted his words as he tried to decipher the meaning of my words and the emotions that I was feeling, to figure me out.

"Renee can be very… opinionated about certain things." I said slowly, not mentioning that those certain things involved me, my life, and everything I said or did.

"She's your mother, she'll understand, I'm sure she loves you more than anything else in the world." Esme said gently.

Oh Esme, she was so wonderful and held her children on a higher pedestal than anything in her life. To her, being a mother was everything, she lived to care for others and I had seen the look of joy on her face when one of her kids pulled her into a hug and told her they loved her. She wouldn't be able to comprehend that my Mom wasn't the same.

My mother was exceptionally good at making me sound like a petulant teenager whenever I said anything vaguely critical of her, and that was the nicest way she dealt with criticism.

"Maybe it won't be as bad as you think," Jasper suggested calmly, "maybe you've spent so long thinking about it that you've built it up to be so much worse than it's going to be."

I embraced the calming waves that he was sending my way, they soothed the butterflies in my tummy and gave me hope that maybe he was right, maybe I was just overthinking.

I took the phone that was still being held out on the palm of Esme's hand, it was cold, like her. At least this way, if she did react negatively, I would have my family around me.

They would hear everything though, and that meant that if she reacted badly then they would hear every bad thing she said about me and them. Would they believe her? Would they believe that I was the screw up that she so often described me as? Would they walk away from me? No, surely not, they had never indicated that I had failed any of their tests – well, except for Rosalie, but at least I knew where I stood with her.

"Alright." I said finally.

I could see by Esme's relieved smile that I was doing the right thing in her eyes, she just didn't know about the consequences I would have to face.

With a sigh I dialled the house number that was ingrained in my memory and hoped that my Mom wouldn't pick up. Maybe she wasn't home? She had an active life now that she was free from burden, maybe the call would be left to go to the answer machine. It turned out to be a vain hope as I had to try not to wince away from the phone as a shrill voice answered. As it was, I couldn't help the small twinge of discomfort that I'm sure was picked up on by everyone.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mom, it's me." I said softly. Maybe she wouldn't want to speak to me and would just hang up.

"Isabella?"

"Yeah." I said quietly, as though there was anyone else who called her 'Mom'.

"It's been a while."

"I'm sorry Mom, I didn't mean to leave it so long." I lied and Esme patted my shoulder comfortingly - something I didn't deserve.

"Is that so? Well, there must have been a reason why you would call me. Since apparently you don't care about me enough to check in regularly." My Mom hissed and I felt a wave of guilt, that was immediately counteracted with calm thanks to Jasper.

"I really didn't mean to leave it so long, I'm truly sorry Mom."

"Meaningless apologies," she said bitterly, "you always were good at those, weren't you?"

"I-"

"Never mind." She said, cutting me off. "Why did you suddenly decide to call?"

"Well," I faltered and felt Jasper sending waves of confidence towards me, something I grasped onto with every fibre of my being and told myself to just go for it. "I'm getting married; to Edward."

There was a long silence that made me wonder whether she had hung up. A small part of me hoped that was the case, at least then she wasn't just letting her anger build to the point where she would lash out viciously.

"I've never been so disappointed in you, Isabella." She said coldly and I froze as I recognised her tone of voice.

It was the one that had me hiding under my bed for five hours as a ten-year-old until she went to bed and it was safe to crawl out and make myself a meal. It was the voice that made goose bumps rise on my arms and nausea to churn in my stomach.

"What?" Big mistake.

"Isabella," the warning was clear. I had messed up and no matter how long it was until I saw her, she would remember this moment, "repeat that."

"I, uh, said that me and Edward are getting married." I repeated quietly, surprised that she could even hear me.

"Is this a prank?" She asked coldly. "You know how I feel about childish tricks."

"No, Mom, I'm being serious." I said and Esme reached out and took my free hand with her own, I held it as though my life depended on it.

"Was he drunk when he proposed?" My Mom asked. "You know that doesn't count right?"

Esme's hand tightened around mine to the point where it was almost painful before she realised what she was doing and slackened her hold.

"Edward doesn't drink, Mom." The confidence that Jasper had been supplying was waning, maybe my mother also had a gift?

"Don't you remember when he came to his senses and dumped you?" She asked. "That'll probably happen again you know, he's a young boy with his life ahead of him, why would he want to… oh! Did you get pregnant? Is that it?"

Panic swirled in me.

"What? Mom, no!" I said quickly. "I'm not- I- no, there's nothing like that going on!"

"I know how it is to be young and want more of a commitment from a man," she said, ignoring me, "maybe you take after me more than I thought. Did you poke a few holes in some condoms? Trust me, it'll be the biggest mistake of your life, you'll regret it until you die."

I saw one of Jasper's fists clench from the corner of my eye and I knew I needed to bring the conversation to an end.

"Edward loves me," of that I was certain, "and I'm not pregnant, we're getting married for love, this is a joint decision."

"I doubt it, you need to wake up and realise that there's nothing about you holding him there. I can see why you're tempted – he's a rich, pretty boy, but what's in it for him?"

I couldn't stop my mouth from falling open as I watched Jasper's hand create a hole in the edge of the kitchen counter. Did he believe her? Did he think I was only with Edward for the money? No, that was impossible, he could feel my feelings. He knew that I was in love with Edward.

"I can promise you, Mom, this has nothing to do with money," I said vehemently. "Nothing at all."

"Then why would he marry you?"

I couldn't figure out what hurt more: the cruel tinge in her voice or the slight hint of genuine confusion. It was like she genuinely could not understand why someone like Edward would want to be with someone like me, and truth be told I couldn't understand it either.

Before I could say anything, the phone was gently pried from my hand.

I looked up to see who had taken it only to be filled with shock: Esme's eyes were narrowed and pitch black, with no hint of the comforting ochre that often swirled with warmth and love. Her teeth were bared slightly, something that Edward had once told me was a sign of hostility in vampires, she was mad. I had never seen Esme look so terrifying and I was ashamed that I felt a thrill of genuine fear as I met those black eyes.

I let her take the phone.

"Hello Renee, this is Esme, Bella's future mother-in-law." Esme murmured, her polite tone completely contradicting her facial expression.

Esme gave me a strained smile and kissed my cheek so fleetingly that I only felt a gentle brush of coldness before she whirled out the room leaving me alone with Jasper. He must have been becoming overwhelmed with my turbulent emotions as he was sending me the strongest calming vibes he could.

Unfortunately, he hadn't remembered to take into account the fact that I was still a human, and I felt my body slump forward against the kitchen counter, and before the darkness could take over completely I felt solid, icy arms catch me around my waist as I slipped from the stool and fell sideways.

The darkness gradually began to fade away leaving me with a faint headache and I could feel a cool hand on my forehead which was soothing the pain.

"She's fine Edward, Jasper only put her to sleep." Carlisle's calm voice said from by my side before he noticed that I was waking up. "Look, she's coming around. Can you open your eyes for us please, Bella?"

I shifted slightly and did as he asked, blinking a few times against the light before opening my eyes fully. Six pairs of golden eyes were peering into mine and then there was Rosalie, regarding me with an unfathomable expression from nearby.

I realised I was lying on the sitting room sofa and sat up quickly, the sudden movement caused everything to spin alarmingly for a few moments.

"Are you alright, Darling?" Esme asked, handing me a glass of water. I knew she was talking about my Mom's call and not the after-effects of Jasper's little gift and so I nodded, taking a sip of the cool water which helped to ground me.

"Are you ok, Esme?" I asked worriedly. "She wasn't too terrible to you, was she?"

"Don't you worry about me, Bella. I had a long discussion with your mother, and she's decided to come for a visit." Esme sighed and I wondered what exactly my mother had said to her. I really hoped that it wasn't too offensive. The sweet, motherly vampire didn't deserve to face my mother's evil tongue.

Edward growled violently and pulled me closer to him. I wondered what was going through Esme's mind to cause such a reaction.

"Oh no." I moaned burying my head in his shoulder.

"What's wrong, is something hurting?" Carlisle asked in doctor mode, automatically looking for something he could treat.

"Please tell me she isn't coming." I pleaded.

"Why don't you want to see your mother?" Carlisle asked in concern.

AN

I decided to rewrite this because thanks to lockdown and smeyer releasing midnight sun, i've been sucked back into the fandom... whoops.

I hope you enjoyed and found this to be an improvement, if you read the old version!

Please be polite in the comments!