Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Thanks to the lovely TwiDi for cleaning up my mess :) Check out her story You Don't Know Anything *hint it's in my favs ;)* !
Chapter 3
Six Years Later…
"Mommy, Mommy, it's snowing!" Bella groaned under the covers trying to come back to the present. The night before, she had been haunted by memories of the past; of Edward.
"Emma, it snows in Forks a lot." Bella told her five year old daughter as she cuddled down into the blankets with her.
"Mommy, are we going back home soon?" Emma asked into her Mom's shoulder.
"Baby, you know that we are here to help Nana out. And Mommy has a new job starting soon." Gently Bella rubbed the bronze hair nestled into her shoulder.
"What about my friends and Aunt Maggie?" Emma insisted.
"Sweetie, you know you'll make new friends and Aunt Maggie will come see you soon." Bella smiled when she thought of her best friend since childhood. The friend who had lived with them for the first two years, through the toughest times and never complained. Together they had raised young Emma Rose Swan. Maggie had held her through the darkest months of her life.
"Mommy!" Emma jerked her Mom back from her thoughts, "Uncle Felix said he's gonna come see us too!" Bella's now excited child bounced up and started doing a happy dance on the bed where milliseconds before she had been laying sad because she missed her old friends.
"Yes, baby, he's coming here next weekend from Port Angeles." Bella tickled the child who giggled loudly, "Which means, young lady…" Bella said to her daughter in a mockingly stern voice, "That, you, must behave and no telling stories that you heard Uncle Felix tell when around Nana."
"Yes, Mama, no telling dirty stories I wasn't supposed to hear." Emma giggled and ran out of the room chanting, "No dirty stories."
Bella stood up and walked to the closet pulling out a forest green pull over sweater and a pair of dark washed jeans. Padding to the bathroom down the hall, she pulled a towel down from the linen closet before going to shower.
It was weird showering in this bathroom for the first time in six years. Tears began to pool in her eyes as she remembered her Dad putting the shower in the old bathroom when she was eight.
That was the year the Swan family had moved out of their rented apartment into the old Victorian style home that was in need of repairs. Charlie had completely renovated all the plumbing and most of the other rooms in the house on his own. Well, he did at times have the help of a few small helping hands. Rose had been five and Bella eight. They spent all their time that summer helping their Dad. Maggie, Skip and Edward had spent a good portion of that summer helping as well.
Bella rarely allowed herself to think about Edward anymore. It was something that still hurt like an open wound. The biological father of her daughter, who was now one of the top selling country singers in the world, Edward had a string of hit songs and girlfriends. His most notable was Alice Brandon. They had lived together on and off for the past six years. It still hurt Bella to say either name. It also had been hard to explain to friends and her now ex-boyfriend why they couldn't play music by either artist around her. When James, her ex, had found out Emma's paternity, he had been less than happy with Bella for not telling Edward anything about Emma. He had tried to get her to contact Edward to let him know. James had even told her that if it had been his child, he'd want to know. He, also, pointed out the amount of child support she could get from Edward.
James was another mistake she didn't want to think about at the moment. It took years before she would date and when she did it was an utter disaster. Though she knew why she picked James to date. The light blond hair and brown eyes were nothing like her bronze-haired green-eyed lover.
James was a stable accountant in his mid thirties; and believed in planning everything before he did it. He wasn't a dreamer. He was always punctual. He was attractive, but not drop-dead gorgeous. Most of all, he was so different. He wasn't a threat to her fragile system that even now was still reeling from the ultimate betrayal Edward had bestowed upon her.
Maggie and Felix both tried to warn her that something was off about James. Bella should have listened.
Maggie and Felix… not two names that you'd put together very often anymore. Four years ago, after finishing college, they also finished with one another. They'd realized that while they loved each other, they were not in love with each other. Felix had moved home to work with his Dad in Port Angeles and met a lovely girl named Heidi. They married less than a year later and now had a six month old son.
Maggie on the other hand, took over Bella's dream and went to law school. She was now in her last year. Unlike Felix, Maggie dated around instead of settling down. Bella knew that Felix's quick marriage to Heidi had rubbed Maggie the wrong way.
As for Bella, she majored in Early Childhood Education and had been subbing and working part time on her masters until she could find a full time job. That's why she was here now. The school where her Mom worked, helped her get a temp license in Washington State; and she was taking over Renee's class, since Renee was out with a broken leg.
"Bella, leave some hot water for the rest of us." Rose yelled through the door.
"Shut up, kid. I'm working on loosing these old lady bones of mine." Bella chuckled and got out of the shower. Quickly, she dressed and opened the door, her thick hair wrapped up in a towel.
"Old, my ass, sis! You're still under twenty-five." Rose grinned and hugged Bella, "Oh, Bella, I'm so glad you are home. These past six years, not seeing you, not knowing my niece… they've been hard for me and even harder on Mom." A sad smile crossed Rose's face. Bella could tell Rose was thinking about their Mom's injury.
"It's just a broken leg, Rose. I'm here now to take over her class. You can just go about your day," Bella gave her sister a wicked grin, "What is it you do again?"
"I'm Carlisle Cullen's paralegal." Rose waited to see her sister's reaction to this piece of news.
"You're working for Carlisle?!" Bella yelled, "What happened to that receptionist job in Port Angeles?"
"I left it last year to cut down on my commute every day. I just didn't tell you." Rose backed away from her angry older sister.
"Rosalie Lillian Swan! What in God's name possessed you to work for him of all people?" Bella demanded. Suddenly her face paled and knees buckled. Quietly, she slipped down the wall on to the floor, "Oh no, you didn't tell him about Emma?"
"No, I told him the same story everyone else heard. After you caught Edward with Alice Brandon, you went on a man hunt for revenge and got yourself in the family way." Rose helped her sister back up.
"Thank you for that at least." In desperation, Maggie and Bella had concocted the story about Bella's man hunt. Very few people knew the truth.
Walking into the kitchen, the warmth radiating from the oven, backing a pumpkin pie for the annual fall festival, invaded her nose. She looked at her mother in her chair, crutches leaning against the kitchen island. For the first time in years, Bella felt him, "Mom, are you baking or is Rose?"
"Darling child, she is, of course. We want the ribbon. We do not want to give the judges food poisoning." Renee laughed as her oldest child walked over and gave her a hug.
"Mommy, Mommy!" Emma came running from the living room and wrapped her arms around Bella's legs, looking shyly at her grandmother, "Nana says we are going to a big party tonight." The little kid smiled with one missing front tooth and looked up at her mother.
"Yes, baby, we are." She picked up the little girl hugging her. Walking over, she picked up the now ringing phone, "Swan residence?"
"Come home, Bella." James spoke into the phone on the other end, "We'll fix it." His voice was barely understandable. It sounded like he was already drinking.
"No. And please, leave us alone." She sighed and put Emma on the floor, "We can't do this anymore. I don't love you and I don't belong in Jacksonville. You obviously never loved me either, or you would have respected my wishes when I said I needed time. Instead, you threw me into a wall." She told her ex boyfriend.
"You'll pay for letting me down, bitch. You never did get over that singing pretty boy. But why does he have your heart, when I have been the one who has his daughter's affections. Kind of ironic, isn't it? He has every woman in the world he wants, except his own daughter." A bitter laugh followed, then a click.
Bella sighed again and hung up the phone. James was all talk and no substance. Emma never even liked him. Sometimes Bella wondered why the relationship lasted as long as it did.
"Emma, go ask Aunt Rose to put your snow boots on, we have to go clothes shopping. It's almost November and when it gets cold here, girl, it's so cold that your toes can freeze if not properly attired." Bella's daughter ran off to find her aunt, "Mom, don't let James talk to her, ok?" At her mother's nod, she ran and hugged her. Then went to find her child.
"Bella." Rose came out of her niece's bedroom with a child dressed up under layers of clothing, "Your child, I believe, is wearing every piece of clothing that she owns." Rose grinned.
"Oh, Emma, let's get some of these things off you, baby, you are going to roast." Bella tried to hold back her laughter.
"Don't wanna freeze." Emma mumbled threw all her layers of clothes.
"You won't. Come on, Mommy will dress you nice and warm. Then we'll go shopping." Bella grabbed her daughter's hand and walked her back into the room.
"Mommy, can we play in the snow later?" Emma pleaded.
"Yes, sweetheart. It's the first snow of the season; everyone wants to play in it." Bella smiled, "We used to have snowball wars and make angels and snowmen. Tonight at the festival, we'll have hot cider and hot coco. You'll be happy here, hun. I always loved it here."
"If you loved it, Mommy, why leave?" the child asked the one question she couldn't know the answer to.
"To have you." Bella said simply.
*******
Bella and Emma walked into Apple Dumpling Corner, a kids clothing store that was new to Forks. From what Bella could tell, it had adorable clothing and some cute toys thrown in to boot.
"Mommy, can I get that blue sweater over there?" Emma asked heading for the sweater in question.
"If there is one that fits you..." Bella told her.
As the pair shopped, Bella felt several people glance and some stare. They all wanted to say something, she was sure, but what… she didn't know. Looking at Emma, she knew there was no hiding her paternity. She was all Edward. The secret was out of the bag now; and it was too late to run and hide. Especially, when she hit the register to check out and almost passed out. Elizabeth Cullen was running the register, Carlisle Cullen's daughter the little rich girl, was a cashier?
"Isabella Swan?" The shocked upper class tones asked, looking at her and not noticing the small child.
"Hi Elizabeth," Bella said calmly, hoping Lizzie wasn't going to create a scene.
"When did you get into town?" She asked flipping the closed sign up on the door.
"Last night, Mom got hurt and I'm taking over her class. How are your parents?"
"Fine, you should go and see them. They'd love to see you. What the hell, Bella, they'd kill to see you. You were like a daughter to them; and they think because their son screwed up royally, that you hate them too." Elizabeth blurted out in a rush.
"I don't hate them. I don't even hate Edward," cringe, "anymore. My daughter," Bella pointed to Emma, who was playing with a stuffed bear on display for Halloween, "Loving her gave me a new look on life." Lizzie did a double take and then looked up at Bella. Her face was filled with questions.
"Are the rumors true that she's not Edward's?" You could tell that she didn't believe the rumors.
"She's mine, Lizzie." Bella said in all honesty. Edward had just donated the sperm.
"She looks so much like him." Elizabeth sighed thinking out loud, "Though she does look a lot like you." The phone rang and Lizzie answered it, "Hello, Apple… Oh, hey, what's up?" she paused, "Talking to Bella Swan at the moment." Another long pause and a weird look crossed her face, "Ok, if that is what you want. Bye, love you too." She then looked up at Bella, "Sorry. That was my brother ah…. Jasper." She stumbled over the words.
"Lizzie, I really need to go, if you don't mind ringing this up, I'm meeting Rose at Toni's for lunch in like ten minutes." Bella said, looking at her watch, "And my sister gets mean when people are late."
"Sure, no problem." She smiled, "So, how do you like my little store by the way?"
"Yours?" Bella asked back shocked.
"Yep, all mine." She laughed ringing up and told Bella the total.
"I love it. It's way better than some of the places in the city." Bella told her honestly, signing the credit card receipt.
"Bella, thanks and let her keep the bear. She should have been my niece; and since I will always wish my brother hadn't screwed up and cost me that, let me give her this one gift." Lizzie hugged Bella tight.
"Emma Rose Swan." Bella whispered into the other girl's ear.
"Emma Rose, such a pretty name for my niece." She whispered, "Are you coming to the festival tonight?"
"Wouldn't miss it. I'm wondering what it's going to look like after all these years." Bella told the other girl.
"It's about the same. New couples and old couples, all hiding in the craptastic tunnel of love to make out some. Old man Newton running his mouth and drinking a bit too much." Elizabeth laughed, "Last year, Daddy threatened to ban him; and Mom just laughed like you wouldn't believe. Dad still believes that because his family was one of the founders of this town, that he runs it." They shared a laugh at that and said goodbye. And Bella and Emma left the store.
Bella loaded up all her purchases into her Voyager, locking it back up, before taking Emma's hand to walk down the block to Toni's. Bella's heart skipped a beat as she walked through the door. The corner booth, where she and Edward always sat at together, was roped off by one of those red velvet ropes. It was immortalized with framed photos of Edward hanging above it; and permanently reserved sign for Edward.
"Bella, over here." Rose called getting her attention. She was sitting on the other side of the diner. As Bella walked towards her sister, she heard the gasps and felt the glares.
"Hey, Auntie Rosie." Emma called to her aunt climbing into the booth with her.
"Hey, sweet cheeks. Did you get some nice new clothing?" Rose asked her but looked at Bella giving her an encouraging smile as she listened to Emma ramble on about the store.
"And the bear too." She finished before going back to self-entertaining. She was great at keeping herself busy in her own little world.
"Bella, after six years they're shocked to see you. And the new folks are looking for the first time at half of the local legend. Don't take it to heart." Rose grinned over her sister's shoulder at the approaching woman, "Hey, Nadine, what's up?"
"The usual, son skipping school, husband skipping out on me and the same damned job that keeps me on my feet." The thirty-something waitress complained in a rhyme.
"Hey, Bella girl, you finally came home?" she paused at the Bella's nod, "Can't say I blamed you for leaving. I always swore I was going to, then I got knocked up." The waitress realized what she said and blushed.
"Nadine, some of us left because we got knocked up." Bella smiled knowing Nadine meant no harm. She just had little-to-no filter.
"Yeah. And you grew up into one hot Momma. Jeesh, I wish I looked better with age." She giggled and took the girls' orders.
As they ate, Bella and Rose caught up on their lives and talked about the future as Emma played with her Barbie and the stuffed bear at the table. People came and some left the diner during the hour the sisters sat, laughed and cried then laughed again. The whole time they avoided the topic of Edward Cullen and Emma's paternity. Though, Rose had a lot of questions for her sister about what had actually happened that day. And why it took Bella a little over six years to come home, she held her tongue for the moment.
As they got ready to leave, Rose looked up as a strange man, with the bluest eyes she'd ever seen, walked through the door.
"Rose?" Bella looked at her sister who was staring a hole through the handsome man in the door way.
"Huh, oh sorry, I zoned out for a moment." She grinned sheepishly at Bella, "He's just plain hot." And they both giggled.
Both girls watched as he walked up to Nadine and talked to her. Then suddenly, both the man and Nadine looked at Bella pointedly, "Oh, crap! Rose, get Emma out of here. He might be a reporter." Bella told her sister as they quickly re-bundled the child.
"Isabella Swan, I'm Emmett McCarty. Edward Cullen's personal manager." He held out a hand towards Bella who automatically took it out of habit, "We are putting together a montage piece about where Edward comes from; and who his friends were... The nice waitress informs me you were the high school sweetheart; and we'd love to have you in the piece." The blue-eyed man spoke like it was a foregone conclusion that Bella would agree.
"I'm sorry, Mr. McCarty, but I must refuse. If you don't know why, I suggest asking Edward." Bella grabbed her daughter's hand and walked out the door.
"Mr. McCarty," Rose drew his attention to herself, "You are lucky that my sister declined. Or you would have her on tape saying Edward Cullen can go to hell. Edward Cullen is a no good lying cheater, who lost the best thing in his life when he lost Bella." Rose bit out.
"Bella? Isabella Swan is Bella! As in… 'Bella's Heart', Bella?" The man looked stunned, "By God, woman, do you realize that once that single is released, your sister will be national news!" Emmett ran out the door putting his cell phone to his ear and screaming something about stall and no go.
Rose sagged against the table and sighed. She had to warn Bella, but she was going to wait till after the festival. Bella deserved some fun and Emma did as well. Knowing Bella, with this news, she'll move away again and change her name. Damn you, Edward Cullen.
Emmett McCarty sat in the back of the limo. Edward Cullen sat next to him wearing dark jeans and an open neck dark blue silk shirt that was un-tucked with the top three buttons undone. He looked like the sexy bad boy his public believed him to be.
"Well?" Edward demanded his manager and his best friend.
"Bait set, hooked and reeling it in." Emmett replied, "Now, tell me more about the sexy blond sister." Emmett couldn't seem to get the vivacious curvy, utterly gorgeous blond out of his head.
"She's a kid, Em. And one who eats guys like you for lunch without a second thought to the caloric intake." Slipping his sunglasses back into place, Edward signaled the driver to go.
Leaning back, Edward Cullen smiled to himself. Who says you can't go home again? It was time to set a few things straight, get his revenge and get what was rightfully his. If the crazy drunk guy who stormed into his radio interview in Miami was right, then his sweet Bella was actually a manipulative bitch, who kept his daughter from him for years. For that, she will pay.