Chapter 14 – The Call
After school, Alice gave me her phone and I called Volterra. "Ciao, questo è Gianna. Come posso aiutare?" (Hello, this is Gianna. How may I help you?) I exhaled, "Gianna, questo è Isabella. Ho bisogno di parlare con mio padre. E' molto importante." (Gianna, this is Isabella. I need to speak with my father. It is very important.) Gianna gushed, "Naturalmente, Isabella. Ricevo lui subito. Prego attesa." (Of course, Isabella. I will get him right away. Please hold.) While I waited I controlled my breathing. Edward stayed with me. He held me from behind and pressed his face into my hair. We were in the living room. All the Cullens waited with me. Gianna was finally back on the phone, "Isabella, here is your father." I heard the phone pass hands and heard the voice I dreaded. "Isabella?" Aro's voice was anxious. "Hello, Father." I rolled my eyes at the word. Edward chuckled. "Isabella, where are you? Are you hurt?" I exhaled, "I'm alright. I told you I always would be." I avoided his first question. "Isabella, where are you?" I looked up to Carlisle; he nodded and Edward squeezed me, "In America." I played coy. "Where? Demetri is looking for you." "I figured you would send him. But he can't find me, can he?" I heard him exhale, "No. He could not get a reading on your mind. Where in America are you?" I squeezed my eyes close, "Washington." Carlisle nodded again. "I found…." I couldn't say it. "Found what?" I couldn't tell him where I was. I was too concerned about the Cullens.
Carlisle held his hand out for the phone. I shook my head, "Father, please, call Demetri back. Trust, I am fine. Please, do not look for me." "Isabella, tell me where you are? You are my daughter." My eyes prickled and my head dropped. I wanted nothing more than to hang up the phone. Alice came to stand in front of me and Edward kissed my hair. This strengthened me, "Father, I am your daughter. I am in Washington. I am with Carlisle and his family. I wish to remain here. You can send Demetri for me, but I will not return with him. He will have to kill me. I am not returning to Volterra. I am happy here." I could only imagine the look on his face after hearing these words. I heard him exhale in a huff, "Isabella, you belong in Volterra." "Not anymore. I promise, I will come back to see you, but you will not make me stay." "Isa….." My father was cut off. Another voice came over the phone, "Isabella?" My eyes widened, "Mother?" My resolved shattered. "Isabella, dear? What is going on? Why did you leave? I thought we discussed this? You said you would stay. Have you any idea how much you've hurt me and your father." My breath felt like it was stuck in my throat, "Mother, I didn't leave to hurt you. I left because I needed to." I wanted to cry. I hated hurting my mother. I was so mad at Aro, he was mad at me but my mother was caught in the middle. "Isabella, please. Come back with Demetri. I need to see you." I almost gave in, but I looked at Alice and felt Edward. "Mother, I can't do that. I was not happy there. I am happy with Carlisle and his family. Trust me; I've been happier than I have been in my entire life. Please Mother, I will come to see you, but I will not stay there."
I heard her voice break, "Dear, please. You are my only child. I love you. Please." I exhaled, "I love you too, Mother. But I have to live my own life. In Volterra, I'm sorry to say, you and Father prevented that. I refuse to go back to being locked away." This is unbearable. I wanted nothing more than to hug my mother. "Isabella," It was Aro again, "I want to speak with Carlisle." I looked up to Carlisle, his hand was still stretched out to me. I gave him the phone and turned to press my face into Edward's chest. I wanted to cry. I couldn't bare my mother. She was too innocent in all of this. Edward squeezed me into his chest, "It's alright, sweetheart. You did your part. Now let us handle it." That did not help me feel better. For the first time since I left, I wanted my mother. Edward held me while Carlisle spoke to Aro. "Aro, she came of her own accord. She told us why she left. I was not going to force her to do something she did not want to do." He was silent. "I understand. If that is what you want. You know the clearing where my family and I enjoy our recreation. We will meet you there. Alright, see you then." I heard him sigh and place the phone on the table. I forced myself to look, "What did he say?" A smile came across Carlisle's face, "Because of our history, he is not too upset. He said at least you were in good hands. Alice's vision is going to come true. They are coming."
I wanted to pass out. I wanted to just jump in the river and drown. I wanted to die. I never craved death so much. Jasper sensed my mood and he calmed me. I smiled at him in gratitude. I was on the couch with Esme. My head was leaned on her shoulder and Edward held my hand. "Bella, dear, it will be fine. You are not going anywhere." Esme tried to soothe me. She was not my mother, but she was a very close second. She walked me to my room. I saw her gesture to Edward to stay downstairs. Once in my room, I broke. I began my tearless sob and Esme hugged me. "Shhh, honey. This will be fine." "Rosalie was right. If anything happens to any of you, it will be my fault. I want to die." She sighed, "The only thing that will happen to us is we'll be gaining a new member to the family. Your father is not taking away my new daughter." I sobbed again. "Esme, before when I was on the phone, I wanted my mother. But now, I am with my new mother. You are my family. Carlisle is like my father, Emmett and Jasper are my brothers. Alice and Rosalie are my sisters. However, Rosalie is more like the sister I wouldn't get along with." We laughed at that. "And Edward?" she asked. I looked at her, "The love of my existence. I can't be without him. If anything happens to him, I will never forgive myself. How could I? How could any of you?" She brushed my hair back behind my shoulder, "Bella, please. Do not worry yourself. You are not going. We are just as strong as their family. Stronger still because we are bonded by love. One thing we have in common is that both families love you." I shook my head, "My mother loves me." "I don't believe that. Aro loves you too. Don't stay mad at him. Say what you have to say to him and that will be it." Esme hugged me again.
After I was relaxed enough, she left. I laid on my couch and closed my eyes. I wished I could sleep; I wanted to dream and forget. Someone came into my room. I looked up and saw it was Alice. She didn't speak. I raised an eyebrow at her. She smiled and handed me my art book. She smiled and left. I looked after her; how did she know? I began to sketch a picture of Edward and me from the ball in Volterra. Me in my gold dress and Edward in his black tuxedo. I was focused on the details of my dress when someone else came into my room. I looked up and saw it was Edward. He didn't speak either. He came and sat on the couch with me, having me lean back on his chest and I continued to draw. He began to hum an unfamiliar song to me. I didn't question it; I just enjoyed our time together.
When I was done, Edward took my art book and placed it on the floor. He turned me around and had me lean my head against his chest. I felt him playing with my hair and heard him breathing. We laid on the couch until the sun began to rise. It was time to go to school. That didn't matter to me. "Do you want to go to school today?" I sighed, "Not really. But we should go. Scaring Lauren usually makes me feel better." He smiled and kissed me. This kiss made me feel better. Esme was right. We would get through this and I would remain with Edward. In this life or the next, no matter what, I would stay with Edward.
The week went by in a blur. Soon it was Thursday. The weather reported a large thunderstorm for the area. Emmett and Jasper were making their plans for a baseball game. I looked to them and wondered how they could still want to do that. Jasper sighed and looked at me, "Bella, you need to relax. We're still planning the game as a way to calm you down before they come. We want to show Aro you happy and living. If you go to him this way, he'll see that he was right and you didn't belong here." I took that in, "Fair enough." I jumped into making the plans with them. Alice saw that they would arrive about 4pm on Friday. So, we would skip school from before lunch and head for the clearing. Also, it was agreed upon that all of us take Emmett's jeep. Making the plans for some family fun before we were all condemned was a good idea. Besides, I wanted to hit a baseball off of Emmett. While at school on Friday, I was becoming more anxious. While in algebra, Jasper kept me calm during the entire hour.
When it was time for lunch, all six of us went to Emmett's jeep. Emmett drove to the clearing. Edward and I were in the passenger seat; me in his lap, while the others were in the backseat. When we arrived to the edge of the road, we ran to the clearing. Emmett and Jasper made it a race, betting against me again. I sprinted ahead of them, flying ahead of them. "I win. Pay up," I giggled. They grumbled as they handed me their money. "Are you ever going to get bored taking their money?" Edward whispered in my ear. "No, not really." I laughed. Esme and Carlisle were already in the field. They had the clothes we would need to play in. I went into the forest with Alice and changed. Alice explained how they played. Esme usually refereed, but this time she wouldn't. She wanted to keep the teams even. It was Esme, Carlisle, Edward and I against Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper and Alice. We played for hours. Our team was down by two points. Alice gasped, "They're coming," she whispered. It was my turn to bat. I nodded, "Ok. Now, try and get me out." I taunted Alice to throw the ball. She smiled and threw it. Behind her, I saw them. My father, my mother, aunt Athenodora, my uncles and the few members of the Guard.
