Moving On
(How Bella Got Her Groove)
Chapter 6
Divisions
~o0o~
Chapter 6
Previously:
"Tequila straight up with a beer chaser." Bella mumbled. The waitress asked if Bella wanted any particular beer, but Bella just shook her head.
Conner stared at this mother opened-mouthed. Edward looked at her about the same way.
Then, Conner and Edward's eyes met and held each other.
Bella could see realization dawning on Conner's face.
Shit! Bella sighed. She fervently hoped the waitress would get back soon with her drink. She was probably going to need more than one before the night was over.
~o0o~
Conner stared at Edward through most of the meal, though occasionally he would look at his mother frowning. Bella knew her son was about to explode and she'd never been more uncomfortable in her entire life. Deep down she feared this would happen if Conner ever met Edward. Perhaps it was best to get it over with... before she got in too deeply with Edward. It was going to be painful enough as it was.
"So, Edward," Conner attempted to sound light, but only sounded extremely angry, or hurt. Bella couldn't tell which though she suspected both.
Conner began again. "So Edward. How do you know my mother?"
Edward was not surprised by his the tone of voice. He'd actually not given much thought about the age difference between he and Bella until he'd met Conner. That brought it home like being punched in the gut.
He stared at Bella for a few moments; she looked as if she'd like to crawl into a deep hole and pull it in after her. He wished he could hold her hand or put his arm protectively around her because the tension was palpable. His mouth was dry and he could feel the adrenalin coursing through his veins...fight or flight he thought. Slowly he answered, "Emmett and I have been friends most of our lives. I went with him one night to this club we go to and Bella was there with Rosalie. I asked her to dance, and, ehm, we became friends."
As he finished talking, Edward found he couldn't look Conner in the eye any longer.
Shame. That's what he was feeling. Why in hell should he feel shame? Bella was an adult. He was an adult. What they did together was their business.
Bella watched her son. His face and neck were getting redder and redder. The veins in his neck were starting to stand out too. She couldn't help it as she giggled. Yes, giggled like a naughty school girl. Conner glared at her.
"Mother! What do you have to say about this?" Conner scolded.
"About what son?" Seldom in his life had Bella called him son. Usually only when she was angry about something.
"Are you seeing Edward Mother?" Conner asked quietly.
"Yes I am, Conner," Bella sat up straighter and held her head high. "And so what if I am? Is that a problem?"
"He's my age. That's what about it. He's my age," Conner was almost yelling by the time he got the last "age" out of his mouth.
Rosalie was trying to hide as best as she could tucked into Emmett's armpit. Emmett was embarrassed too. The age difference between Bella and Edward hadn't phased him in the least, in fact, he hadn't even thought about it. He felt badly for Edward and wished he'd not told him about meeting Bella and Conner for dinner. He knew he was going to catch hell from Rosalie for telling Edward in the first place. How were they going to salvage the night?
The next thing everyone at the table knew, Bella was demanding to be let out of the booth. Edward stood up and looked down at Bella. She had huge tears in her eyes and she seemed to be begging him to understand.
"Conner? Are you coming with me or are you going to find your own way back to my house?" Bella asked in a flat tone that sounded almost like defeat to Edward. Bella pulled some cash out of her purse and put it on the table. Then to Rosalie she said, "If you need more for our part of the dinner and drinks, please let me know. I'll see you at school. Goodbye Emmett, Rose, Edward..." then she turned and walked elegantly to the exit.
Conner stood. He reached for Emmett's hand to shake, and then Rosalie's, but flatly refused to even look at Edward, and followed his mother from the restaurant.
Emmett, Rosalie and Edward watched the Swans leave the building. Rosalie had tears streaking down her cheeks. Emmett had his mouth open, and Edward... he looked as if he'd been punctured and all the air was escaping. He just seemed to fall into himself as he sat back down.
"Dude, I'm so sorry. I should have told you that Bella's son was coming. If I'd just kept my mouth shut, this wouldn't have happened," Emmett sounded really down. He knew this was his fault. He hadn't done as Rose had asked him to.
Edward sat there shaking his head. "No man, not to worry. It had to happen sometime. I'll call Bella tomorrow and see how it's going."
Rosalie finally found her voice, "Conner was a perfect ass. How could he embarrass his mother like that?"
"He was jealous Rosalie. He's been the center of Bella's world for a long time, and thought of sharing her with another man, and one just a couple years older than he is, was just too much for him. I don't know how I would have handled it if it'd been me," Edward sat there shaking his head. He was stunned. He was just realizing how deeply he already was in to Bella. She was just about perfect. Sure she was old enough to be his mother, but...he didn't care. They had fun together.
"I think I'm gonna bounce y'all. I'll talk to you later Emmett, Rosalie." With that Edward pulled some cash out of his pocket and tossed it on the table. "Emmett, if you need more tell me. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
~o0o~
On the drive home, neither Bella nor Conner said one single word. When they reached the house Bella parked her truck in the garage and they entered the house through the door leading into the utility room.
Bella opened a bottle of sweet red wine and poured herself a generous portion. She left the bottle sitting on the breakfast bar, and went to sit outside on the patio. The night was balmy and the sky so clear that the million pinpoints of star lights shone. Bella wasn't seeing the beautiful night sky however. She was bouncing back and forth from shame to anger. How dare Conner act the way he did. She was an adult. She was unmarried and free to spend her time with anyone she wished. Then she'd feel shame for being with a boy, a young man about the same age as her son. Did this make her a child molester? Then she'd start to rage inside again.
Conner found her sitting there staring off into space. She didn't look as if she'd even touched her wine. "Mom, I'm sorry," He began.
"You should be," Bella spit out. "I've never been so embarrassed. What right did you have to take that tone with Edward or me?"
"You don't think I wasn't embarrassed?" Conner returned. "Mom, he's my age! That makes you a Cougar!"
"A what?" Bella asked.
"A cougar. It's a slang term that refers to a woman who seeks sexual relationships with considerably younger men," Conner explained.
"Really? So now, that I'm finally not married I'm still not free? Is that what you're telling me?" Bella had tears in her voice and eyes.
"Look mom. It's hard enough to deal with you having sex, let alone with a younger man. If you get married to him am I supposed to call him dad?"
"Who the hell said anything about marriage?" Bella asked, surprised.
"That's the way you are. You have sex with a man and you have to marry him. I've watched that happen with your last two husbands. I won't watch that happen again," Conner stood over his mother with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Are you giving me an ultimatum?" Bella asked with her eyes narrowed. "Who do you think you are that you can dictate with who or whom I have sexual relations?"
Conner stood there for a moment before answering. "I'm your twenty four year old son, that's who I am. You are my mother and I love and adore you. I just can't handle you dating, let alone sleeping with a guy that's my age."
Bella just sat there staring off into space and didn't reply to what Conner had said. He waited a bit longer before saying, "Well then I guess this is goodbye until you come to your senses. When you get your head out of your ass, call me. Good bye mother. I'll see you sometime," He turned and went back into the house.
Bella could hear him opening dresser drawers and closet doors...packing. She didn't move. She sat there until she heard the front door close and his vehicle start up.
She put her head in her hands and sobbed.
~o0o~
