It's Time
Chapter Seven
Disclaimer: All things belong solely to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended.
In the last chapter:
"You see Bella," Eleazar held my hand before continuing, "You are Edward's soulmate."
"W-What? But, you said you have to touch hands to know! We didn't even talk, so exactly when would we have held hands? It can't be true." I thought back to that day, trying to recall the details of what had happened.
"Sweetheart, you must have. It only takes the briefest of touches for him to know." Carmen explained.
My memory traveled back to the day at Orso's. Tripping. The wine. Sitting across from Edward. Charlie getting angry.
"I'm sorry. I just don't remember."
Eleazar gave my hand a short squeeze. "It's okay. You were young, and as you said, your time together was so short."
"So Edward could be mistaken, right?" I suggested. He had to be. This was insane.
"No, Edward is certain that you are meant to be together. And that, Bella, is why we were asked to keep you safe."
Standing from the sofa, I walked to the picture windows that overlooked a screen of oak trees. Tiny pinpoints of silver pierced the blackness of the sky.
"But w-why couldn't I have stayed with my father? He's a police officer. Wouldn't he have been better able to protect me?" I asked, ready to change the subject. Edward was something I couldn't deal with at the moment.
"Bella," Eleazar hesitated, "the reason you were sent to Miss Porter's was that your father was involved in some unscrupulous activities that put you at risk."
A snort escaped my lips. Unscrupulous? Hello, pot, meet kettle!
"How could he be involved in anything more underhanded than what your brother does?" I snapped. Sure, Charlie was far from perfect, but these people were cold-blooded murderers. What could he have possibly been mixed up in that would even begin to compare with their wrongdoings?
"I was never told the entire story, but I will tell you everything that I do know. I want to be completely upfront with you. No more secrets." Eleazar looked me straight in the eyes so I would not question his sincerity. "It seems that Charlie had a serious gambling problem. He owed some very dangerous men a great deal of money. And before you ask, I am not referring to men who work for my brother. Your father actually came to Carlisle for help. That is how they met."
What? Charlie gambled? Thinking back, I guess that would explain his excessive drinking and the nights he didn't even come home.
"Did your brother help Charlie, I mean my father? Is he okay? Why did he stop contacting me?"
"Those questions sweetheart, I cannot answer. Carlisle has shared nothing more with me other than you remaining with your father was no longer an option. I have tried to bring it up over the years, but my brother refuses to speak about it." He expelled a deep breath. "You see, he and I do not have the closest relationship. I am operating on what you would call a need-to-know basis."
"I don't understand. Why won't he tell you? Aren't you in the mafia, too?"
Carmen gave Eleazar a gentle smile. He leaned over and softly caressed her cheek before responding. "When Carlisle called us three years ago, we were living in Upper New York. About two years before that I had been gravely injured in a fire during, ahem," his face pinked in shame, "a business call. After my injury, I decided not to return to my previous role as the family attorney. My brother was not happy about this, and what little of a relationship we had, deteriorated into even less of one."
"But, if you are no longer a part of the family business then why did you agree to take care of me?"
"At first, I agreed for Edward's sake. Even though I am not close to my brother, I love both of my nephews very much. Then, when Carlisle sent me your photograph, I instantly recognized you."
"Recognized me?" My voice faint with disbelief.
"From my vision. The one I had when I realized Carmen was my soul mate."
Not this again. How did I end up not only entangled with the mafia but a disillusioned one at that?
Eleazar continued. "And once I saw the photo of your lovely face nothing could stop me from coming to Farmington. I couldn't wait to meet my second daughter." He gestured to the space next to him wanting me to sit.
Despite the visible note of pleading in his eye, I was not ready to forgive and forget. I still had questions that needed answering.
Like why was that creep, Mike Newton, tracking my every move around campus?
"And what about Mike Newton? Does he work for you? Why is he always following me around at school?"
He considered his thoughts. "No, Mike Newton does not work for me." "So did your brother send him?"
"Edward did. I didn't even know he was here until the day of our fishing trip." Eleazar wiped his palm across his face and sighed.
My body tensed at the mention of Edward's name. Suddenly, a memory of him dragging his long fingers through his unruly, copper hair evaded my mind.
Bella, stop thinking about him! Focus! I berated myself.
Returning to the topic at hand, I added, "But why did you hit him that day? You seemed so mad."
"Oh, believe me, I was beyond mad. I thought Edward didn't trust me enough to protect you. I was also angry at myself because I hadn't noticed Newton before that day. I felt like I had failed you."
"Doesn't Edward trust you?"
Groaning, he dropped his head in his hands. "Ugh. Bella, some explanations would probably be best to hear straight from Edward. Let's just say; he sent Mike as added protection. Mike Newton would never harm you, so there is no reason to fear him."
Pinching my lips together, I stomped my foot. It was a childish response, but I was becoming more frustrated by the moment. "I thought you promised to tell me the entire truth! I don't want to hear anything from him! I want to hear it from you!"
"Sweetheart, I don't think it's my place to speculate why Edward does what he does. I don't want to say anything that could jeopardize your relationship with him. He…"
"What relationship!" I spat. Frowning at him in exasperation, I flopped down into the armchair furthest from where he sat.
"Passerotta?" Carmen gazed at me, and I stared back. I had nearly forgotten that she was in the room. "It's almost three in the morning. Everyone is exhausted and not thinking clearly. It would probably be best at this point if we all turn in for the night. If you have any other questions, we can discuss them tomorrow."
Stifling a yawn, I opened my mouth to argue, but she was right. I was tired, and I also had much to consider before resuming our conversation. Slowly rising, I turned toward the staircase. As my foot reached the bottom step, Carmen appeared by my side.
"Bella, I realize we have no right to ask you this, but will you not say anything to Alice? She doesn't know about our family's involvement with the mafia. We want a chance to tell her ourselves and plan to speak with her tomorrow."
Poor Alice. She will be crushed. I thought to myself.
Simply nodding, I turned away not wanting Carmen to notice the tears that were threatening to spill out from my eyes.
-IT-
"Ouch!" Dropping the hairdryer, I rubbed the sore spot on my neck. The hot air of the dryer had caused my necklace to overheat.
Deciding to forego drying the rest of my hair, I pulled it back into a low ponytail. Next, I threw on a t-shirt and joggers. Comfort would be today's theme.
Looking at my alarm clock, I realized most of the day had already passed. It was one o'clock.
Not yet ready to face the Cullens, I sat on my bed and replayed the discussion that I had the night before with Carmen and Eleazar. Instead of finding some peace from having the answers that I had so long sought after, I found myself more at a loss.
And even though I tried my best not to think about him, my thoughts continued to stray to Edward Cullen. The image of his flawless face so clear as if I had seen him just days ago, instead of years.
After reflecting on the time I had shared with him, I still couldn't recall touching his hand. However, I honestly couldn't say I hadn't either.
As I lightly stroked the tips of each of my fingers, I considered the soulmate theory.
Could it be true? No. No way. Stuff like that only happened in stories. Not in real life.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the notice of one of the Douglas Riley books sitting on my desk. Then I spotted the infinity bracelet that I now knew was from Edward. Fury quickly filled my chest as my nails began digging into the soft down of my comforter.
Well, I knew one thing for sure. Edward had been calling the shots in my life. He was the one who didn't allow me to go to the writer's conference and the one who assigned me a personal stalker!
Soulmate or not, Edward Cullen was one fucking asshole!
Yanking the bracelet off my bedside table, I flung it across the room. There was no way in hell that I was spending forever with such a prick!
Around four p.m., I went downstairs. I could no longer ignore my growling stomach and had to find something to eat.
When I entered the kitchen, I discovered Carmen chopping vegetables.
After placing her knife down and wiping her hands, she turned toward me. "Hello, sweetheart. I was beginning to worry about you. Did you get any rest last night?"
My plan of giving her and Eleazar the silent treatment vanished as soon as I noted not only the look of despair in her eyes but also the dark circles that surrounded them.
Shrugging my shoulders, I mumbled, "A bit. You don't look like you got very much yourself."
She shrugged her shoulders, as well then added, "Grab a snack while I finish up here and then we can go out on the veranda."
As I pulled a box of pita crisps out of the cabinet, I realized I hadn't seen Alice or Eleazar. I asked her where they were.
"We had our talk with Alice earlier today," Carmen explained not quite meeting my eyes. "Afterward, Ali and Eli decided to drive down to the coast for a few hours. I think she needed some alone time with her father."
It was no secret that Alice was a huge daddy's girl. I worried how the news of her father's previous occupation would affect their relationship.
"Is Alice okay?" I sympathized as we began walking out of the room. The thought of Alice being hurt left me feeling even more unsettled.
"She is understandably upset, but she will bounce back and recover."
After settling on the porch, Carmen inquired, "What about you Bella? Are you okay?"
As always, Carmen put me immediately at ease. I found myself confiding in her about everything including my complicated feelings about Edward Cullen. I didn't hold anything back.
"H-he is such a possessive jerk!"
At that remark, Carmen chuckled out loud. She even agreed with my assessment before divulging, "Edward might be twenty-three years old, but he still has quite a bit of growing up to do."
Furrowing my brow, I considered what she had said. He was seven years older than me and in law school. "What do you mean? He's already an adult."
"Physically, sure. Emotionally? He's behaving like an immature, little boy." My mouth gaped open. Wow! Did she really say that about her own nephew?
Noticing my surprised reaction, Carmen explained, "Sweetheart, I love Edward, I really do, but never forget that I love you just as much." She paused, leaning over to kiss my forehead, "I want the best for you, and that includes a man who treats you with the respect that you deserve."
Closing my eyes, my body instantly relaxed, believing that Carmen wasn't going to push me into a relationship with Edward. I had someone on my side. "So you don't think Edward and I should be together?"
"Now? No, of course not. But I do believe you are destined to be together one day in the future." She smoothed a wrinkle in her shirt before continuing. "I know you're overwhelmed by what you've learned in the past two days, but you do not need to fret over Edward. He is still busy in school, and so are you. You probably won't even see him again until years from now, and everything will sort itself out by then." She squeezed my hand and stood. "Now, I'm going to go see about finishing up dinner before Eleazar and Alice get home."
As I watched her exit the room, I couldn't help but feel the little hope I previously had, left right along with her.
-IT-
Eleazar POV
In an attempt not to disturb my sleeping wife, I carefully peeled back the covers before climbing out of bed.
As I headed toward my office, I reflected on the conversation I had the night before with Isabella. My stomach churned remembering the raw hurt that flashed from her dark eyes. And today, I would share my sordid history with Alice, more than likely causing her tremendous pain as well.
During my time with my family's business, I engaged in some despicable acts. I have accepted no God could ever forgive me for what I have done. Hurting my daughters though is something that I will never be able to forgive of myself.
Then there was Edward. My clueless, misguided nephew.
How will he react when he finds out that Bella knows the truth? She certainly wasn't pleased to learn about her connection to him, and now I'm worried that I've inadvertently harmed their future relationship.
Shit! Should I have even told her?
Taking a deep breath, I remind myself that everything would be okay once they saw each other again.
It had to be.
Because like it or not, their fate was sealed three years ago with that simple touch. There was no escaping it. Just ask Marcus and Didyme.
Picking up the phone, I decided to get it over with and dialed Edward's number. It rang several times before he answered.
"Eleazar?" His voice yawned. "Fuck. It's six in the morning. Is everything all right?"
"Shit. Sorry. I didn't even think about the time."
"It's okay, man. What's up? Did Isabella like her bracelet?"
Her bracelet? Oh, he's talking about the infinity bracelet. Her birthday was yesterday. It seems so long ago now after everything else that's happened.
"Yes, she loved it; thought the diamonds were crystals." I laughed recalling her face when Alice told her otherwise. "Alice set her straight of course. Taught her all about Tiffany's."
Edward chuckled. "I bet. You have your hands full with that one."
Yeah, tell me about it. I thought, remembering the colorful language Alice had used at the party.
"So the reason I called …"
"What are you doing? Come back to bed."
Confused by the soft voice that interrupted me, I looked toward the door expecting to see Carmen. Then it hit me.
That little fucker had a girl with him!
A muscle clenched along my jaw as I heard Edward bellow, "Can't you see I'm on the phone here? Pack up your shit and leave."
After a few moments of shouting and then the sound of a slamming door, Edward's long exhale emitted through the receiver. "Sorry about that, but you know how it is. My mistake for having her stay the night."
Heat licked my face. My pulse throbbed at my temples. "Edward, I don't know how it is because I never fucked around on your Aunt Carmen! I can't believe you are doing this to Isabella!"
"Hey …"
Slamming my fist against my desk, I cut him off; not giving him a chance to finish. "You're going to ruin your entire relationship before it even begins. I told you what happened to my grandfather and grandmother. The same thing is going to happen to you and Bella if you don't stop this stupid shit!" Standing, I paced around my office. "I don't even understand how you can be with another woman. The thought of cheating on Carmen makes me physically ill. Are you sure Bella is your soulmate? Maybe you were wrong …"
"What the holy fuck, Eli!" Edward cursed. "Of course, she's my soulmate! How can you even say that?" He paused and groaned. "You don't understand what my feelings are for her. It was different for you and Carmen. You guys met when you were both adults. Bella was, hell; she's still a little girl! It's not like I'm some pervert who's sexually attracted to her! Am I supposed to remain a monk until she's an adult? I talked it over with dad, and he said …"
"And that right there is your damn problem. Your father is the absolute worst person to give any type of advice on this matter. I know your situation is different, but trust me when I tell you that one day, you'll regret screwing around on her. I've told you time and time again that you need to talk to Nonno Cullen. He met your Nonna when he was twenty-three, and she was ten. It was ten years before they were married. And you know what, Edward? He took care of his own needs while he waited. Give it a fucking try. God gave you that right hand of yours for more than one reason."
Edward remained quiet as he considered what I had said. Even though he behaved like a dumb fuck the majority of the time, I knew that deep down the kid had a good heart.
"I'll call Nonno today. Happy? Now, what were you originally calling about?"
Fuck. There was no way in hell that I was telling him that Bella knew the truth now. What if he decided they should go ahead and meet? That boy needed to get his shit together before I let him anywhere near my daughter. Not to mention his crazy-ass parents. The thought of my sweet girl around Carlisle and Esme made my skin crawl.
"I just wanted to let you know how Bella's party went."
"Well, I'm glad she had a good day." He hesitated before quietly adding, "and even though I act like an asshole sometimes, I do love that girl. I really do. I'll try to be better. I promise."
And there he was. The good man I knew Edward could be.
"I know son. I know." I muttered more to myself than him before ending our call with a renewed sense of hope.
AN:
Thanks as always to my beta SunFlower Fran, my pre-reader/sentence magician AllTheWayIntoTwilight, and my all-around hero Gabby1017.
And I want to send a massive shout of gratitude to all of my lovely readers. I have received so many kind words and pieces of helpful advice in the past few weeks. I am truly overwhelmed by your generosity and support.
For those who missed it, this story is a continuation of a contest one-shot entry. If you haven't read it, you may want to check it out. It might give you a bit more insight into the story.
This story will not end with the infamous letter scene. I have plans for these two.
And finally, happy birthday to Edward Cullen!
Until next time,
HE