It's Time
Chapter 8
Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong solely to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended
Alec's POV
Many things don't take me by surprise anymore, but when my grandson called me this morning asking for advice, you could have knocked me over with a feather.
When Eleazar had informed me that Edward had met his soulmate, I was a mixture of thrilled and apprehensive. Thrilled, that he had found the one who would make his life complete. Apprehensive, because I knew my son, Carlisle, hadn't prepared him for what to expect.
And then I met Bella. The others didn't see it yet, but underneath that sweet exterior of hers was the heart of a little firecracker. Given time to mature, her inner strength would bring balance to my often- headstrong grandson.
Her age, however, concerned me from the start. She was so young, and Edward was in the prime of his life. I understood more than anyone how difficult that situation could be.
I came across my Gianna when she was just ten-years-old. Thirteen years her senior, it was almost a decade later before we would marry.
Unlike Edward though, I was prepared when I met my mate, and I had learned from experience what could happen if you didn't respect the mating bond.
"Nonno?"
The familiar voice of my grandson reverberated through the line. "Edward, my boy! What a pleasant surprise! How's school?"
"Since I'm taking Accounting for Lawyers this semester, I can say it's not very exciting," he chuckled. "How are you and Nonna?"
"Doesn't sound too thrilling. Accounting was never my forte either. Your nonna and I are both doing well. She's out right now with your bisnonna. She'll be upset that she missed your call."
"I'm sorry that I missed her. Please send my love. You can also let her know if she has some of her homemade biscotti lying around, I would be more than happy to take it off her hands."
My mouth twitched in amusement. That boy was a fool for Gianna's baking. "Would you now? And here I thought she just sent you a package of it a week or two ago."
"Unfortunately, Emmett was visiting when it arrived. Those biscotti didn't even last a day!"
"Well, I'll see what I can do."
The tone of the conversation suddenly changed when Edward sighed into the phone and asked, "Did you happen to talk to Uncle Eli this morning?"
There was an uneasiness in his voice that had me concerned. Typically in control, Edward sounded unsure of himself.
"No, I didn't. Why, is something wrong?"
Instead of a response, there was a long, uncharacteristic silence. Obviously, something was on his mind.
"No, not at all. Shit, I mean shoot. I didn't mean to make you upset."
Shaking my head with a small laugh, I stated, "Son, you're almost twenty-four years old, it's okay to say a curse word or two in my presence. I won't be offended."
"I guess, but it still doesn't feel right, you know?"
Once again, Edward became quiet.
After a few moments, I became impatient. "So, all is good with Eli. What about you? Is everything going okay in your life?"
"Um, not exactly, That's why I'm calling. Uncle Eli says I need your advice."
"He did, did he?" Hmm. Well, this was certainly a first. My interest was piqued.
"It's about Isabella."
Finally! I had been hoping he would come to me about her.
"Did your uncle happen to tell you that I met your nonna when she was quite a bit younger than me? I can probably relate somewhat to how you are feeling."
"He told me. It's just... he doesn't understand my situation. What I feel for Isabella can't be the same as what he felt for Carmen. They were adults when they met. Isabella is a child! Right now, I just feel protective of her. I mean, I love her and all, but it's not as if I desire her sexually or anything. Hell, I can't really explain it. It doesn't even make sense to me."
"Your nonna was a ten-year-old girl when I discovered that she was my soulmate, so believe me when I tell you that I completely understand. Those other feelings will develop in time when she has matured and is ready. Right now, you probably just feel the need to keep her safe and happy."
"Yes! That's exactly how I feel. You get it! Now, if only Uncle Eli would cut me some slack."
"What in particular is Eleazar giving you grief about?" Something told me I wasn't going to like his answer.
"The better question would be - What isn't he giving me grief about?" Edward huffed. "According to him, I'm always screwing up."
"Can you give me some specific examples?"
"Well, he got pissed because I wouldn't let her attend some dumbass conference. I mean, it was out of state! And there was going to be God knows how many boys there. Did he seriously think I would be okay with that?"
Oh, Lord. It's worse than I initially thought.
"So you're telling me Eleazar and Carmen were going to send Bella all alone to an out of state event? That doesn't sound like them."
"No, they were going to travel to Florida with her, but they wouldn't have been with her at the conference center, and Mikey wouldn't have been able to monitor her there either."
"Mikey?"
"Newton. I sent Mike Newton to keep an eye on her for me. He watches her while she's at school."
For fuck's sake, he's having that poor girl followed.
"Edward. Don't you think that's a bit much? I know Eleazar and Carmen consider her their daughter as much as they do Alice. You can't tell me they aren't doing everything needed to keep Bella safe."
Edward paused, then replied. "Well, Dad said you can never be too careful. And I honestly feel better knowing he's keeping an extra eye on her."
"Again, I understand your urgency to protect her, but there's a huge difference between protecting and stalking," I cautioned gently. "Also, make sure you're giving that girl room to grow. Did you consider that the conference might have been important to Bella? You don't want her to mistake your concern for control."
"But Nonno, she's just a kid, and I'm only trying to do what's best for her. She'll thank me for it one day. Trust me."
Thank him? And how can he know what's best for her? He's just a kid himself.
After deciding to ask what else he had been up to, a tremble of unease passed through my body. I had a feeling this was only the tip of the iceberg.
"So, Eleazar is upset about Mike and the conference. Anything else?"
"Fuck, this is so humiliating. So this morning when Eli called, I had a girl with me. And he completely lost his shit."
Holy Hell. I bet my son was ready to castrate the boy. Right now, I felt like slicing off one of his nuts myself.
I had to take a moment to calm down. The last thing I wanted to do was make him regret calling me.
Taking a deep breath, I questioned, "and is this young lady your girlfriend?"
"Lauren? Fuck, no."
Well, at least he has become more comfortable cussing around me.
"If she's not your girlfriend, then who exactly is she?"
"Geez, Nonno. I can't believe you're making me say this shit out loud," forcing a nervous laugh, he explained, "she's you know... she's someone who takes care of my needs."
"Is she the only one… ahem... taking care of your needs?" Talk about awkward. I didn't particularly relish knowing all about my grandson's private exploits.
"Yes. It's not like I'm a manwhore or anything."
Thank God for small blessings.
"I didn't say you were. So, do you feel like this is a fair thing to do to Bella knowing that she will one day be your wife?"
Defensively, he argued, "it's not like we're in a relationship right now. Hell, she doesn't even know I exist. Dad encouraged me to continue seeing other girls. He said I would resent Isabella one day if I had to go that long without sex, I mean… female companionship."
Carlisle told him what? Resent Bella? How did I raise such an idiot?
Edward needed a wake-up call, so I decided to give him a taste of his own medicine. "I think I understand. So since you and Bella aren't in a relationship now and you can see other women, shouldn't it be okay for her to go on dates with boys her own age? I mean, you wouldn't want her to resent you one day. Would you?"
"What? You can't be serious! Go out on dates?" Edward bellowed. "No fucking way! Isabella is mine."
Sweet Lord, this kid's a mess.
"Okay, Son. I didn't mean to upset you. It's just you said you guys aren't in a relationship right now so I didn't think it would be a big deal."
His breathing was so hard, it sounded as if he was drowning. "Honestly, the thought of her out with someone other than me… it makes me feel like I have a damn elephant standing on my chest."
"Wow. That sounds terrible." I sympathized with mock concern. "Wonder how Bella is going to feel when she finds out about Lauren one day? I sure hope it's not anything as bad as what you're experiencing."
"Fuck, I-I think I'm going to be sick."
The next thing I heard was my grandson expelling the contents of his stomach.
Nothing could sound more disgusting, yet more wonderful at the same time.
Maybe, the boy's finally getting it.
About five minutes later, he returned to the line.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Sorry, you had to hear that," he mumbled. "And Nonno, I understand. I really do. No more girls. Just the thought… ugh."
Relief washed over me. "That's a wise decision, my boy."
"Seriously, I don't think I could even get it up if I wanted. Yeah, it's definitely broken." He paused, then added, "really though, can your dick break?"
"Son, can we please stop talking about your pecker now? It's really not on my top ten list of favorite topics."
"What about my balls? Are they still open for discussion?" Edward joked dryly.
"And… there goes any chance you had of getting some of your nonna's biscotti," I murmured mischievously.
After such a heavy conversation, it felt good to share a laugh and have a bit of normalcy before we hung up the phone.
As I was leaving the room, I walked over to my bookcase. On one of its shelves, a photograph of Bella was prominently displayed. Picking up the frame, I studied the face of the girl who Gianna and I had come to adore within hours of meeting. Closing my eyes, I silently prayed.
Don't break her heart. Please, Edward. Keep your promise.
Bella POV
December, One Year Later
By now, you would think I'd be used to disappointment. In my seventeen years of life, I've had more than my fair share.
But you know what? It never gets any easier to accept.
Just six days ago, I had received the most exciting news of my life; I had been accepted to Dartmouth College. Not only had I been accepted, but I had also received a full scholarship.
Pretty incredible, huh?
Encouraged by my counselor, Ms. Fuller, I had applied on a whim. Never dreaming I had the tiniest shot of getting in, I didn't tell a soul I was even trying.
So imagine my surprise when a large manila envelope from the college arrived in the mail last Monday.
Carmen had it waiting for me on the counter when I came home from school. As I opened it up with trembling hands, she stood quietly across the room and watched.
Dear Isabella,
Congratulations! On behalf of the faculty and staff of Dartmouth College, it is with great pleasure that I inform you of your admission to Dartmouth as a member of the Class of 2021. You were selected from a pool of extraordinarily accomplished applicants who applied under the Early Decision Plan.
In addition to your early acceptance, you have been chosen to receive an Excellence Scholarship. Each year, students who have distinguished themselves through outstanding academic achievement and personal excellence are chosen from the entering class to receive this honor.
The Excellence Scholars receive a full-tuition scholarship each year of their undergraduate study.
Please confirm your intent to enroll no later than January 21. Again, congratulations on your acceptance. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance to you between now and next September. I look forward to welcoming you in the fall.
Sincerely,
Ian Murphy
Dean of Admissions
And Financial Aid
After giving me enough time to read through the letter, she finally broke her silence.
"It's a big envelope, so I'm assuming it's good news?"
"Yes, actually it's better than good news," I whispered in astonishment. "I got accepted, and a full-ride!"
When I discovered another letter from Dartmouth in today's mail, I didn't think too much about it.
Probably a form that needed to be filled out.
Shoving it into my backpack, I headed to the coffeehouse where I studied on the weekends.
After ordering my favorite Honey Lavender Latte, I found an open table, sat and pulled out my copy of The Bell Jar.
About twenty minutes and half a chapter later, I remembered the letter. Already needing a break from Esther Greenwood's cynicism, I dog-eared the page and grabbed the envelope from inside my bag.
As I read through the letter, fat tears slammed against the paper causing the ink to smear.
Dear Isabella,
You recently received a letter stating you had been admitted to Dartmouth College and were a recipient of an Excellence Scholarship Award.
This letter was sent to you in error.
On behalf of the Office of Admissions, we deeply regret this mistake and any distress it may cause you. Please accept my apologies. I wish you the best in pursuing acceptance at another institution of higher learning.
Sincerely,
Ian Murphy
Dean of Admissions
And Financial Aid
It just didn't make sense! How could they make such a huge error?
Then I realized. There wasn't a mistake.
Yanking up the paper, I crumbled it in my fist.
"What a motherfucking, controlling ass!" I groaned.
A bit too loudly.
Two girls sitting in the booth next to mine turned at the sound of my outburst and warily glanced at me.
To be honest, I didn't even care. The fury I was feeling far eclipsed any inkling of embarrassment.
All my plans. All my dreams. Gone.
Burying my head in my arms, I surrendered to the pain and wept.
I didn't see anyone approach my table, so when I heard a gruff voice ask if I was okay, I sobbed, "please, just go away."
"I can't, Isabella. I'm worried."
Confused because I didn't recognize the owner of the voice, I lifted my tear-stained face. "You've got to be fucking kidding me!"
Standing two feet from my booth was none other than Mike Newton.
It was obvious that he would rather be anywhere other than where he stood. Everything about him looked uncomfortable. From his awkward stance to his sheepish expression. So why would he decide to speak to me now after four years of following from a distance?
"And just when I thought this day couldn't possibly get worse," I mumbled, rubbing my nose with the back of my hand. "What in the hell do you want?"
"I'm sorry to bother you. Really, I am. I was just worried about you. I've never seen you so upset before… "
"Sorry? Sorry to bother me?" I interrupted, breaking into a fit of hysterical laughter. "That's priceless! Didn't you think stalking me for the past four years might have been a tad bothersome?"
Wide-eyed, he pulled at his collar. Sliding down into the chair across from me, he fumbled in the pocket of his jacket searching for his cigarettes.
When he reached into his pocket, my heart nearly stopped. Then I saw the familiar red and white package. Marlboros. The same as Charlie smoked. "You can't smoke in here!" I admonished.
"Oh, yeah. Of, course." He stammered. "Sorry."
For the next thirty minutes, I chewed out Mike Newton's ass. I unleashed four years of pent up rage.
And he bore every single moment of it; sitting quietly while I ranted.
When I finished, a look of relief poured across his entire face. Not because I was done with my scolding, but more like he had received some sort of needed penance and had finally found peace.
Somehow, we ended up spending the next two hours talking. Mike Newton was an enigma. More gentle grandfather than tough mobster.
Noticing the time, I began putting my stuff away. "Well, I suppose I better get home. It's getting late."
Checking his watch, he responded, "It is, isn't it?"
We both stood.
Oh. I had almost forgotten.
Averting his eyes, he rubbed the back of his neck.
I shook my head at the ridiculousness of the situation. Then looking at him straight in the eyes, I asked, "So, are you coming or not?"
For the first time in four years, Mike Newton didn't follow me home.
He walked beside me.
AN:
Oh, Edward. One step forward, another step back! :(
*Bisnonna - Great-grandmother
This chapter was once again brought to you with the help of these lovely ladies.
SunFlower Fran, Gabby1017, and AllTheWayIntoTwilight
Thank you for correcting my numerous errors, pre-reading, and taking the time to bounce around ideas. I couldn't do it without you.
And to my readers - much love and gratitude. You have each made this a truly amazing experience.
Until next time, HE