I made it through the day in some kind of a surreal blur. English, Trig and Spanish all passed in a haze without me following any of it and at lunch, I sat my friends. Angela and Jessica had expressed how surprised they were to see me and I had to explain to them Edward and I had broken up. I told them the cover story that Carlisle had told me. I explained how Carlisle and Esme were splitting up and the children were going with her.
Everyone expressed their dismay and said they were sorry for me losing Edward. I shrugged them off and told them that it was ok, I thought things would have ended soon anyway.
Honestly, I was just looking forward to the end of the day. I knew Charlie would be busy with work till at least 7 which gave me a few hours to go over to the Cullen's, or just Carlisle's now I guessed, house and spend time with him. I was excited about getting to know him more. Most of the time I had been over there before he had either been working or in his study. I suspected now that that might have been due to his feelings for me which I also suspected he was hiding from Edward.
As we were walking towards History Angela squeezed my hand and said how sorry she was that Edward was gone.
"Lets you and I do something, just a girlie thing like a movie or dinner, " I turned toward her excitedly, not letting go of her hand and looking her in the eye.
Edward had been so protective over summer and the spring before that I had never felt that I was able to spend any real time with my human friends, and I loved Angela. I knew how much I would enjoy just hanging out with her.
"Ok," she smiled shyly, "yeah I'd like that."
I made a mental note to make plans with her, I was excited about seeing my friends.
It felt strange like I had a new lease of life. I knew I should be upset that I had broken up with a man that I loved, and I was in away. I was mourning what had been but I was also grateful. I felt renewed. I was able to see friends again, and I was excited to see what would come with Carlisle.
It was with this excitement in the pit of my stomach that as soon as the school day was over I practically bounced in my truck and drove in the ever familiar direction the Cullen house.
No sooner had I cut the engine than the glorious blonde angel appeared at my door, yanking open the rusty metal with ease and offering me his hand to climb down.
"Hi," I smiled breathlessly. He did that to me, making me breathless. I wasn't sure there would ever be a time that I saw him and my heart didn't quicken.
"Hello…." He said gently pressing his lips to my forehead.
As we walked into the beautiful bright mansion I asked, "so what's the plan doctor?"
"Well, I thought we could get to know one another." I nodded in agreement. Yes, that certainly sounded like an idea. It dawned on me I only knew what Edward had told me which now seemed to be more of a story than someone's actual life.
We settled on a large sofa in the lounge. It was strange being here without all the others. I was used to hearing Edward play his piano, Emmett's booming laugh and Alice well.. just being Alice twinkling and glittering around.
I was sorry to see them go, although I knew I could not blame myself. Edward had chosen to ask them to leave, they had simply complied.
"I know, I feel strange without them all here as well," Carlisle said as if he were the mind reader.
"It just seems so big without them all. Do you miss them?" I asked.
"Of course, but we will be together again. Sometimes this happens for a few years at least. Alice, of course, will have seen what has happened between us and although she hasn't said anything I would think she will check-in, in a few months. Esme will be back to visit. You know she thinks of you like a daughter and well Emmett and Rosalie… that could take a year or two, depends how far they travel," Carlisle smiled recalling each of his family members. Well, each but one.
"And Edward?" I felt sad. I didn't want Edward to feel hurt or guilty, I loved him far too much for that, as a friend if not a lover.
Carlisle sighed, "Edward is a solitary being. I believe he was planning to spend some time alone although I think he will first go to Alaska and see our cousins there, after that, I do not know. I hope he knows he always has a home with me."
I took Carlisle's hand and squeezed it in my own, "I know he does."
Talking about the family made me feel better. I could not just carry on whatever I had with Carlisle and not think of them. They were my family too and I did not want to think they were driven from there homes because of me. I knew Carlisle was right though, I knew I was right, they all had to know that they had a home with Carlisle whenever they should want it.
We sat in silence for a while and I knew that we were both contemplating the loss of our family. I broke it after a few minutes asking, "so, Carlisle what did you do before Forks? I want to know everything," and I did. I wanted to know everything there was to know about Carlisle Cullen.
"Well you know I was born in London in the sixteen hundreds after I was changed I wandered for a long time. Hunting in England at first. It was a very different place then," a wistful look overcame him and I could tell he was no longer with me but in the England of his youth.
"There were great forests in England at that time, and bears as well. They roamed the country for only a few more years but they were there in small numbers. I was lost for a long time and it took many years for me to realise that I was never changing moving forward. I knew I had outgrown England, it was changing and I could not. So I packed up and swam to France. The countryside was even more pleasant and bountiful there. I roamed all over Europe, wandering learning and rarely coming across my kind.
"I felt very alone in the world and as far as I knew I was never going to die so instead of letting the depression take me I threw myself into studying. First in Paris and then moving to Italy. There were great medical schools in Italy in those days, in Padua and Bologna. It was there the Volturi discovered me, one the guard stumbled across me and took me back to meet Aro, Caius and Marcus. I was happy there for a time.
"I knew I couldn't stay there indefinitely, they had values that were just too different than mine so, after a few decades, I left. I wandered again. This time I found myself in the New World, America, I travelled and helped people the best I could. Until I met Elizabeth Mason. She guessed what I was or at least she guessed there was something different about me and she asked me to do for Edward what no one else could. I acted based on the sheer desperation of a mother, loneliness and tiredness. I was tired of being alone. It had been over 200 years and I thought he would be a companion to me. I never realised he would be a son as well." He looked up as if just remembering that I was there. I wasn't sure what expression my face, maybe one of shock and awe. I was processing what I had heard and my heart hurt for this beautiful man and his years on loneliness. I wanted to hold him and tell him that whilst he had me he would never be lonely. I felt tears threatening to spill in my heartache but his face did not look sad. He smiled, he looked happy.erhere
He pulled me against his chest so my head was resting against and my legs were curled up with his lengthways along the large sofa.
"Oh dear Bella, don't cry beautiful girl. I am happy. I have my family, I know they are loved and happy and I have you and that is more than I could ever ask for," he murmured against my hair before pressing his face into it.
"Not everyone is loved and happy," I whispered feeling an immense amount of guilt for sitting here feeling so happy and loved with Carlisle when no one knew where Edward was or if he was ok.
"No," Carlisle replied thoughtfully, "I don't think he is happy but he will be one day and as for loved well it may not be the love of a mate but his loved by his entire family. Who knows, maybe being away for some time will give him a chance to figure things out and get a little perspective."
I just nodded, not sure the guilt would ever really leave but being content enough in Carlisle's arms that I would try and put it out of my head.
He held me there for a long time asking questions about my childhood, my mother, where I had lived and where I would like to go. He asked if I could go anywhere in the world where would I go, I replied somewhere hot. That got a laugh out of him. He asked me everything about my favourite colour and song to what was my dream job. It seemed no detail of small, insignificant life was too little for Carlisle to care about.
We laid all afternoon on that sofa discussing our lives and hopes and dreams. On occasion, he would gently run his fingers through my hair, or as we were talking would pick up my slight hand his own and intertwine out fingers twisting them so he could see our joined hands at every angle.
He asked later on if I wanted anything to eat and I politely declined on this occasion knowing that I would still have to cook for Charlie later so I might as well wait and eat with him. I knew then as he asked that I hadn't realised it was getting later, almost 7 and Charlie would be home soon.
"I have to go, get back from Charlie," I sighed not wanting this perfect afternoon to end.
He nodded understandingly and disentangled our bodies standing up before me and then offering a hand to help me up. As I did stand up he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me into him so out chests were flush and our lips almost touching.
"Isabella," he breathed as his eyes raked over my face. He softly bent down and pressed his lips to mine. I moved my mouth against him, the soft tender kisses didn't seem to be enough for me. I always needed more of him. I opened my mouth slightly deepening the kiss and just as he had before, he let me softly trace my tongue over his lips before I felt his ice-cold tongue touch mine and press against my soft human mouth. We stayed like this our mouths moving in sync for only a few moments before he pulled away smiling.
"I'm glad this time we can do it properly, not lying to anyone or in any confusion. Just us two figuring this whole thing out," he smiled down to me.
I nodded in agreement happy with where we were.
He followed me out to my truck and pressed another small kiss to my lips as he stood next to the cab door once I'd climbed in. I shut the door and started the engine. As I drove down the narrow winding path I could see him in my rearview mirror watching me and smiling the entire time.
A/N: So the end of chapter 3, let me know what you think.