Chapter 9: News
"Wha- What?" I asked, astonished. Mrs. Masen had cancer? "How long has this been going on?"
"A few months, honey. She isn't doing too good. The chemo isn't helping anymore. The doctors say she is reaching the final stages." Renee sounded sad. I felt sad, too. Mrs. Masen was like a second mom to me. "She is staying at the hospital right now. They don't want her staying at home."
A few tears slipped down my cheek. "Make sure to tell me whatever is going on, okay? I have to know."
"Okay, sweetie. I love you."
"Love you too."
After I hung up, I headed to the car and rode home with Charlie. I sat silently, thinking the whole way home. Should I tell Edward? What would he do? I knew my Edward would leave right now to be with his mom, but I had no idea how this new Edward would react. Still, he was Edward. Even though he had a new last name, he still belonged to Mrs. Mason. He deserved to know.
At this point, Charlie and I got home. I went to the kitchen and he sat on a couch in the living room. I was finishing reheating dinner just as Charlie walked in the kitchen.
"Hey, Bells." He seemed to notice how down I was. "You okay?" Of course, he picked today to be perceptive.
"Mrs. Masen has cancer." I announced. "It doesn't look too good."
He came over to where I was standing and patted my shoulder. "I'm sorry." He said. "I know how close you are to her."
"It's okay." I said, setting his dinner on the table. "I'm going upstairs. I don't feel much like eating."
"See you later." He started eating and I trudged upstairs. I didn't feel like doing anything, so I got ready for bed. I started an English essay that wasn't due for a week just for something to do, and I finished just as it was dark enough to go to sleep. The day was finally over.
I woke up unusually late. I think I had been having nightmares. I threw on some clothes, put my hair in a ponytail, and ran downstairs. Throwing a granola bar in my pocket, I ran into the fog to get to my truck.
I got to school just in time. My first four hours as well as lunch passed without event. Actually, something might have happened, but I wouldn't have noticed, I was in such a daze. I just wanted to get to Biology so I could talk to Edward.
He got to the room before me, in fact he was already seated.
"Hello, Edward." I said, sliding into my seat. He nodded his head, but otherwise ignored me. "I need to talk to you," I insisted.
He turned to me, his expression vacant. "So talk." He didn't seem to care about anything I was going to say, so I might as well just tell him.
"Edward, you don't seem to want to talk to me. Would you talk to me if I told you that your mother- your real mother, the one in Phoenix- has cancer?" That was a little harsh, but he needed to know.
His bored expression turned to shock and hurt in a flash. Finally, a response! "Why are you telling me this? I can't do anything about it." He struggled to control his expression with little success.
"What are you talking about! Of course you can help her! You could go see her! Tell her you're alive! Anything! She is in the final stages of cancer, Edward! She is going to die thinking you are missing, and you don't give a damn! I know you could help her!" I was furious. Doesn't he care about the woman who raised him for seventeen years at all?!
I knew my words hit home even though his face expressed no emotion. "You don't know anything." His voice was perfectly controlled, but it barely concealed the shock and hurt. At that point Mr. Banner came in and called the class to order. We didn't talk for the whole class. Once the bell rang, he raced from the room like usual. As I was collecting my books, I saw a scrap of paper he left behind. Curious, I picked it up. It was a phone number.
Why would Edward have given me a phone number? Thinking about it didn't help me much in gym. My mind should have been focused on dodging the ball, but all I could think of was Edward. Again, driving home seemed to be the ideal time to think. I would call him, I decided. He owed me an explanation for a few things. His mysterious disappearance and reappearance, how he saved me, and why he can't go see his mother. That's a hefty list. He better answer me this time and save all the stupid, vague stuff for someone who didn't care about the answers.
I decided to call him before Charlie got home so he wouldn't overhear. I took a deep breath, then dialed the number. He picked up on the fourth ring. "Hello?" He said, obviously not knowing it was me.
"Edward, you owe me an explanation for a lot of things. I'm not letting you get away with vague, unresponsive responses anymore. I was your best friend, Edward. You are still my best friend, even though you have changed so much. Don't you remember our lives back in Phoenix? Explain where you went when you disappeared, how you came to be in Forks, how you saved me from the car, and why you won't do anything for your mom. Start talking. Now!"
I heard his breath catch. "Okay, Bella. I knew I would have to do this eventually. I don't know why I didn't leave when I had the chance. But I owe you an explanation, and I will give you more than that."
"Okay, so start talking!" I wanted him to get to the point.
"I will pick you up, okay? This is something we should do in person."
"But you will tell me?" I pressed.
"Yes." He sounded resolved. "I will tell you everything."
REVIEW!!!!!!
Special thanks to my awesome beta, TayBee!! Check out her story, Recognition. It's amazing!
