"Mom … can we talk?" I asked cautiously.
"It's about Edward and your wedding, right?" She asked me and I could read it clearly in her face, that she was happy for me, but still didn't trust Edward and the whole situation. She probably knew that I wouldn't just marry him and then run away in a few months, like she did with Charlie. Her motherly instinct sensed that this would be forever.
"There is something I have to tell you…"
"I knew it. You're pregnant, right?" She asked hysterically.
"You don't have to marry him, and you don't even have to have the baby." She started to rant.
"Mom?"
"It isn't like twenty years ago, you know. Somehow we'll get the money and…" She continued, not listening to me.
"Mom!"
"I don't want you to marry him if it's just because of the baby…"
"MOM!" I shouted. She looked at me.
"Mom, calm down. Edward's the last man I would get pregnant from." I tried to explain.
"What do you mean? You don't want him, but he forces you? That's why you cried…. Bella, honey, I swear you don't have to…" She blurred out. Was that really what she thought of mine and Edward's relationship? Me being pregnant – or worse – not wanting him, but being forced?
"MOM!!! CALM THE FUCK DOWN!" I shouted at her. I hadn't wanted to yell at her, but somehow I couldn't hold it back. She looked at me, shocked, her jaw fell down and her eyes wide open. I had never been a person to get loud, but, if you thought about it, I hadn't ever been a person to marry at the age of eighteen.
"I am not pregnant and I love Edward more than my life. And this is exactly the point I want to talk to you about. You see … Edward and his family are not like most people … let me try to explain … they have certain abilities … how shall I put it? You will have noticed they are all very beautiful, right?" She nodded.
"What are you getting at, Bella? Do you want to tell me they are abnormal? I can't picture that…not these people, at least not Carlisle and Esme…" She asked, looking at me like I wasn't aware of what I was talking about.
"They aren't like everyone else, you see … they are vampires." I let every bit of caution drop, and hoped she would take it in better than I thought she would. She didn't believe me.
"Um… Bella… April fool's day is in two weeks…" She looked at me like I was insane.
"This isn't a joke, mom. It's true, they are all vampires." I didn't know what to do if she didn't believe me.
"You mean like … sleeping in coffins – vampires?" She asked, a slight frown crossing her face.
"They don't in coffins; they don't sleep at all…" Her froen deepened.
"Like … not being able to come out in daylight – vampires?" She asked in a mocking tone with a look out of the window.
"They can come out during daytime, but they sparkle in the sun like diamonds, that'S why they live in Forks." I said.
"Oh, right, so I guess you haven't seen this?" She looked like she was going to stand up, storm downstairs and ask every single one of them what they had done with her daughter. I could tell her – I had unconditionally fallen in love with Edward – he had bewitched me.
"Yes I have. A few times now…" I was close to absolute despair.
"Let me see … you mean like in … drinking blood – vampires." She whispered the last part, obviously slowly grasping the fact I was completely serious.
"Yes–" My mother let out an ear breaking, high pitched scream of terror at the thought and then burst into hysteria.
"No, don't tell me … it's ok, give me the number of the mental asylum … I'm hearing my own daughter speaking about vampires." I couldn't take it. I sunk to the floor and started crying. Tears ran down my cheek, but I tried not to sob, because I didn't want my mother to really notice me crying. Foolish - she was still my mother.
"Bella? Bella, honey, are you crying? I'm sorry…" She didn' know what to do.
"Mom … believe me, only this single time, I am completel serious. Edward and his family are vampires. So are the Denalis." I sighed and looked at her.
"But if that's true – wouldn't they be more than dangerous for you? If they are actually drinking blood, I mean." Now it was real concern.
"Partially yea, but they never drink human blood, only the blood of animals. They all have learned to supress their thirst for human blood, although Jasper still has his problems, and they aren't completely immune to it when they smell us." I explained slowly and in a low voice. She seemed even more concerned when I said "us".
"Then why are you with them? They could kill you, and you of all people won't manage to run away, no offense darling, but I am afraid of the thought of you being hurt by them…" She was a bit afraid, I could tell by the way she pulled up her shoulders to the sides of her neck, although she tried to not make me notice by placing her elbows on her knees at the same time.
"I won't be able to run away. They are faster than a sports car when they run, believe me, Edward's shown me. They are strong mum, unbelievably strong, strong enough to rip a tree out of the ground. And they see, hear and feel much much more than we humans do. If only one of them decided to hurt us at any moment, we wouldn't have the slightest bit of a chance." Now she seemed terrified, even more because I had whispered the whole part, since the last fact even still frightened me sometimes.
"Is that why you do this? Because you are afraid? Do they force you?" She whispered back.
"No, mom. I love Edward. They would never force me, they are really nice people… they have already saved my life. Mom … are you afraid?" I was carful of what to say.
"I am. Terrified actually. I don't believe you aren't." She looked at me like a bird with a broken wing that's hearing the cat approach.
"No, I'm not afraid. There's not a single vampire in the house that would hurt you on purpose." I grabbed her hand, but suddenly she pushed my pullover's arm back and saw the bandage, a bit bloody because of the accident with the flower bowl, and thicker around my wrist where Emmett had unintentionally hit me.
"And what's this?" She sounded panicked, maybe because there was a little blood on the bandage, but probably just because of the thought that they had hurt me.
"Mom, it's nothing. I fell into a flower-vase. Some shards ripped my arm. Nothing serious, and Carlisle's a doctor after all." I tried to calm her down.
"And the hand? What happened to your wrist?" Who else would have noticed that? Probably these were the things only mothers were able to see…
"Just an accident…" I mumbled, but the way I said it immediately brought her into the right direction.
"Just an accident? Don't tell me one of them 'accidentally' hurt you!?" Renee was close to getting furious. Hadn't I just told her they were harmless … well, as harmless as they could be, all things considered. I mean – they are vampires after all. I looked down.
"Emmett hit Edward and accidentally brushed across me… it's nothing, really." I mumbled, hpoing against hope she would calm down.
"If this was accidentally, then how would it look if one of them hurt you on purpose…?" Darn… somehow I had known that this question was to come. Answer? No idea.
"If a vampire hurt me on purpose I wouldn't be here anymore. Or I'd look as if I had fallen down two flights of stairs and through a window …" Darn, darn, darn. I shouldn'T have said that.
"That was them? And they still have the nerve to show up here? I could never believe that this had been the whole story… which one do I have to kill for that?" She was pissed beyond reason.
"It wasn't one of them. It was another vampire. One that hunted humans…and he wanted to kill me. I escaped from their protection to meet him, because I was under the impression he'd captured you. He tried to kill me … in the ballet studio around the corner of our house in Phoenix.…" My mom suddenly understood. The instant I had said 'because I was under the impression he'd captured you', she knew why I had told her all this. She knew that I did it for her, because I loved her and didn't want her to stay in the dark.
"Because of me? Bella… I'm sorry… I love you. But there's more right? A reason more you told me all this …
"Yes mom … you see … I love Edward, more than my life, literally… and I want to be together with him forever. Forever beautiful, forever strong, forever eighteen, forever w i t h h i m … mom … I want to be on of them." She was shocked. I looked down, but she placed her hand under my chin and made me face her.
"So that's why … and you have thought this through?" Her voice was full of motherly sorrow and agony.
"It's taken me forever to convince Edward to change me into one of them. I have talked this through with him and Carlisle many times … we have agreed to do it when we're up in Alaska. That's why you had to know, because otherwise I would have had to leave you behind … and I couldn't stand that. But promise me not to tell anybody, human or not, oudside of this house."
"And that is what makes you happy?" She was so concerned, and I understood this. I had always been her only child and she had always wanted me to have the life I wanted, but before I had met Edward, that had been so very different.
"More than happy, mom." I hugged her tightly.
"One more question … how does he … make you one of them?" I had been glad she hadn't asked. Why did she have to make things difficult? I couldn't lie to her.
"He bites me. They're poisonous and when he's bitten me the venom will spread through my body and transform it. It takes about three days and is completed as soon as the heart stops beating." I sighed. Better let out the pain.
"That means … you'll be technically … dead? Does it hurt?" She whispered, too afraid to say it oud aloud.
"Yes. I'll be dead. And yes, it does hurt. When he bites me, that will be painful, but the three days of the transformation will be terrible agony and pure hell." I said matter if factly, but my stomach turned at the thought. I would make it through, I had to tell myself. For me, for Edward, for forever. My mom however got a complete shock.
"Are you insane? I won't allow something like this. You're coming to Jacksonville with me. I don't let my daughter be killed by some guy who just wants to use her and drop her after a few years at the most. I absolutely won't allow that! Get your things, we're going." This as the reaction I had feared the whole time. This was my mother: Irrational, unfair and always the adult in the wrong situation.
"Mom, drop it. I don't want you to allow it. I'm eighteen. If you swear not to tell anyone you can go, but I am staying where I am, because where I am is where I belong. You can't force me, but if you try … remember what I've told you about them." I was pissed. Why did she have to ruin everything? She went pale as I threatened her with the Cullens…
"I … I … do you mean this, Bella?" She stuttered. I felt bad. I hadn't wanted this.
"No I don't, but what I mean is this: Either choose to accept it or choose to get gone." I didn't want to hurt her, but this was the only way I could make her accept my choice.
"I'm sorry Bella … of course I want you to be happy, but still … I'm worried, don't you understand this? I'm your mother after all … be happy, darling, but promise to stay in touch with me, wherever you'll be, as long as I'm still alive." She hugged me ad tears ran down four cheeks.
"Thank you mom. I love you. … Edward.…" I whispered. The door opened and within a second he was beside me. I stood up and he wrapped his arms around my waist, facing my mother while I buried my face in his chest.
"Thank you Mrs Dwyer… I owe you …" He said. She was still unsure of what to say and partly afraid of him now.
"Hardly … just care for my daughter and make her have a happy life … but please … don't hurt her, I couldn't bear seeing her hurt because I couldn't do anything against it …" She whispered.
"She'll be safe with me, I swear. I'll hold her in my arms forever and never let danger come near het…" He replied.
"Can I take you up on that arms around me forever thing?" I asked. Both of them laughed and Edward guided the two of us to the kitchen where Esme had prepared dinner for the two of us.
"Bella, Renee, please sit down. I was so free as to prepare some food for the two of you…" Esme greeted us with her usual warm smile.
"That wouldn't have been neccessary…" Renee mumbled, but I pulled her over to the table.
"Don't even bother to try…it's no use … sometimes I feel like their pet." I told her, she just looked at me incredolously, and Edward and Esme laughed, only to be joined by Alice who entered the room that very moment. I could have sworn I heard some other laughes from upstairs as well, but I couldn't be sure, after all I was no vampire … not yet.
"Hey Bella, guess what?" She asked.
"What's up, Alice?" I asked cautiously. Whenever she was so excited about anything it couldn't be good … at least not for me.
"I've talked to Rose … what would you and your mom think about some shopping tomorrow?" My mom shopping with two vampires? I couldn't picture that. I turned to look at her and she smiled at me encouragingly. She loved shopping. I sighed, and Alice took our expressions as a yes.
"So that's set then. After school we'll drive to Port Angeles." She mused, when Carlisle entered the room.
"Alice, calm down, let Renee some space." He flashed a warm smile at her.
"Than you, Carlisle, it's alright. I'd love to go shopping with your daughters and Bella. … But … would it be possible if I … um … could I talk to you later?" I could guess what her problem was.
"Of course. Bella will lead you to my office, won't you, Bella?" I nodded, but rolled my eyes, but Carlisle just winked at me. When my mom and I had finished our dinner - delicious although I didn't understand how they managed it without tasting it themselves – I led my mom to Carlisle's study, Edward silently following us. I didn't even bother to knock, because I was sure he'd heard us, and soon enough the door opened, revealing a smiling Carlisle.
"Come in, please. Edward, Bella, you two as well." He added as the two of us attempted to turn around. We all took seats in the study and Carlisle opened the conversation.
"So, Renee, what is it that you wanted to talk about?" She flashed a nervous look in my direction, and started.
"You see, Bella told me an incredible story, and … well … are you vampires? I know that sounds ridiculous, but …"
"Yes. Maybe it sounds ridiculous if you hear about it at first, but Bella told you absolute truth. Me and my family are exactly what you would call vampires." He said as a matter of fact. I heard my mother grasp for air. I looked at her and saw her eyes widen, the same reaction as after I told her. She was terrified beyond reason. I stood up and walked over to where she sat, taking her hand in mine.
"Mom, you are being ridiculous." I said.
"I ensure you that there is no reason of fear, neither than there is any risk in being with us. Look at your daugher. She's been with us for nearly one and a half years now and she's still in one piece." Carlisle told Renee, but as he stepped closer ahe jumped out of her chair and rushed towards the door. I couldn't help but stick out my foot to make her trip. She started to scream.
"Mom, it's ok. That was me, it's ok. MUM SHUT THE HELL UP! YOU'RE BEHAVING LIKE A CHILD!" I was pissed. What were Carlisle and Edward thinking? My own mother ran from them.
"Bella?" She looked at me.
"Renee Dwyer, you are behaving like hell. There is no reason to run away, besides, you wouldn't even manage that if you were a world record runner. Remember: This is the family of your daughter's fiance!" I shouted right into her face. She looked at me incredulously, and started to cry. My mother started to cry. I hadn't seen her cry in a long while, but now I let myself fall down right beside her, hugged her and let her sob into my shirt.
"I'm sorry honey. I'm so sorry, belive me, I try not to be afraid, but I can't. I know this sounds crazy, and I know I'm irrational believing this, but my instinct tells me it's true and tells me to get the hell out of here." I stroke her back with my hand and soothed her.
"It's allright mum. It's natural. I don't know why I didn't ever feel that way, but I know I should have felt exactly like you. I'm sorry for bringing you here. Would you rather sleep in a hotel?" I asked carefully.
"No! You can't expect me to run away from the people my daughter's going to marry! I will stay here, for you Bells, even if it kills me." She shuddered.
"Mom … it's ok … hey, it's much safer here than on the plane or maybe even safer than in a car on the highway… just don't freak out again, ok?"
"Ok … please let me sleep a bit. I'm exhausted. Emotionally." She whispered. I helped her up and as she went for the door she turned around to face Edward and his father.
"I'm sorry. What must you think of me? It's ridiculous." Renee said and went out of the room, closing the door behind her. I sighed relieved.
"She's such a …"
"Don't be too harsh with your mother. After all it's the deeling you should have as well when you're with us, but Edward's right … no sense of self-perservation whatsoever." Carlisle laughed wholeheartedly.
"Not you, too!" I pouted. I felt better with them than anywhere else, so why should my mother freak so completely?
"Bella, Alice and the rest of them made a plan while we were here…" Edward started, his tone made me get worried.
"A plan what exactly about?" I asked.
"About how to pay that filthy little pigdog of Mike back, but you have to play along…" He spat Mike's name out like mud, while I flinched at its mentioning.
"Ok, what's the plan?" I asked, happy, though, to get my revenge for what he did to me.
"We'll drive to Newton's Outfitters, where he's working at the moment. Our cars will be parked around the corner, where he can't see them. As soon as he's finished his shift you will be at the door, asking him to walk a few steps with you, think of a possible excuse, and guide him to the edge of the little forest, where we won't be seen. The rest of us will be waiting there, and then …" He explained. I loved the way he trailed off because that meant pain for Mike. Usually I was a non-violent person, but he undenieably deserved the worst.
"So, I guess … let's go kick his filthy butt…" I gulped, not wanting to see his face again.
"Bella, are you sure you are ok with that? We can do this alone if you have problems with it… I don't want to see you suffering from his hand…or face." He smiled my favourite crooked smile and at the same time looked so pained. I loved it when he cared for me, but I hated to see so much agony in his eyes. Did he doubt I would get over it? Did he wonder whether I was too hurt to be with him so soon…?
"Tell me what you are thinking…" I whispered. Carlisle discretely left the room, and Edward walked over to me and took my hands in his.
"I am thinking about how beautiful you are. And that I shouldn't be surprised that somebody wanted to abuse that beauty. And how glad I am that I came soon enough; I couldn't have looked at myself ever again if I really had let him … if I had come too late. But tell me: Did you honestly mean what you told Carmen?" He asked through smoldering eyes.
"What? What did I say?" I whispered to avoid my voice breaking.
"You told her you nearly lost your mind because you were so close to loosing … to loosing what you wanted …you wanted me to share with you?" He was obviously at a loss for words. Of course I meant this. How could he ever doubt something like that? I would give my life for him … actually I was about to give it to him.
"I always mean the things I say… what I wanted to say is: of course I meant this. I would nobody else want to … I wouldn't want anyone but you …" I couldn't find words, either.
"I love you…" He whispered and took my face in his hands to press hiscold lips to mine, crushing my body against his, his eyes speaking of love, gratefulness, love, love, lust … and did I mention love?
"I love you, too. Thank you." I whispered.
"Thank you for what?" He asked, bewildered.
"For everything. For rescuing me so many times. For planning to kick Mike's butt. For saving me from being squeezed by Tyler's car. For saving me from getting killed by James. For saving me from becoming insane when I thought I'd lost you forever. For saving me from the Volturi. For keeping me safe from Victoria. For catching me whenever I fall. For saving me from … from being raped by Mike. For trusting me. For being here for me. For loving me." I looked at him and I knew he was meant for me in the instant he started to answer.
"It was a pleasure for me … but I have to thank you as well. For accepting me as I am … what I am. For loving my family. For taking all the risks that are related to being with us. For saving me from killing myself. For bringing out the human in me. For marrying me. For loving me. For being here." He kissed me, and when he pulled back he started to softly sing a song I couldn't understand.
"What are you singing?" I asked.
"It's a german song, but I can translate it for you:
I have found a treasure
And it's named like you
So beautiful and precious
And not to buy with all the money in this world
You fall asleep beside me
I could look at you all night
Watch you sleep, hear you breathe
Until we wake up in the morning
Hou have managed once again
To steal my breath from me
When you are lying next to me
I can hardly believe it
That someone like me deserves
Something so precious
You are the best thing ever happened to me
It is so nice to have you love me
Forget the world when you are with me.
You are the best thing ever happened to me
It is so nice to have you love me
I tell you not enough, it is wonderful you are here!
Your love is like a drug to me
Like it is not from this earth
Even if your presence was poison
I would stay with you until I die
You leaving would crush the world
But I won't think of it
It is much too nice to be with you
Giving each other our love
Fill me with strength
Take all doubts from my eyes
Tell me 1,000 lies
I would believe them all
But one thing I'd still doubt
That I deserve someone like you
You are the best thing ever happened to me
It is so nice to have you love me
Forget the world when you are with me.
You are the best thing that ever happened to me
It is so nice to have you love me
I tell you not enough, it is wonderful you are here!
When my life's a roller coaster
You are quietness and shelter
Because everything you give
Is just so very good for me.
When I am restless
You are a never ending journey
And so I lay my little big world
Into your so safe hands
You are the best thing ever happened to me
It is so nice to have you love me
Forget the world when you are with me.
You are the best thing that ever happened to me
It is so nice to have you love me
I tell you not enough, it is wonderful you are here!
It's originally called "Das Beste", the best. I had to think about you when I heard it." He whispered.
"You are capable of speaking German?" I couldn't picture my angel anywhere far away.
"I learned it once, while I was in Europe. Actually, what would you think about spending our honeymoon there?" He suddenly asked.
"Where? Germany?" I asked, bewildered.
"No, Europe in general. Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy. Travelling around . . ." He mused. Obviosly he'd been to Europe several times.
"Aprospos travelling … Bella, I think we should get going, the others are getting impatient."
"Um … are Carmen, Eleazar and the girls going as well?" I wondered if the whole vampire force would come crashing down on Mike.
"No they are staying here in case your mother wakes up. Carmen's coming, though. She knows what he's done to you. They all love you, they are in some way part of our family." He kissed my cheek softly and led me downstairs. They were all waiting for us. We went out, Emmett lightly irritated, because someone had told him he wasn't allowed to kill Mike, when I noticed Jasper was missing. I decided not to ask why, but I assumpted it had something to do with the fact they actually wanted to hurt Mikey-boy. Carlisle, Esme, Edward and I took the S55, while Carmen, Rosalie, Emmett and Alice.
Twenty minutes later the cars were safly hidden in the woods. It had taken us unusually long because Rosalie decided to have Emmett cut some trees down that would otherwise have scratched along her car. Edward kissed my lips to encourage me, and when we saw Mike get his bag I walked slowly, casual looking, through the front door.
"Hey Mike." I said lightly, although inwardly I was shaking with anger and hurt.
"Hey Bella!" Mike said like nothing had ever happened between us. He could he? He would get back what he had done to me. But how should I get him out with me? I spoke slowly to prevent my voice from breaking.
"Look, Mike, I want to talk to you about … this morning. Um … can we get out of here?" I asked, looking at two hikers searching for something in the back of the shop.
"Sure. I'm happy you've seen my point." Did I say that? Very soon he would see my point … and my point hurt. Let me phrase it like that: If you want to get beaten down by seven vampires, just hurt their human family member.
"Can we go back there? I don't want everyone to see us." As we walked over to the forest a small smile formed on his lips. When we reached it I turned to him. Edward had agreed to only intervine as soon as I had given them a sign.
"What are you smirking at?" I asked, still trying to sound casual.
"Like you said, nobody will see us here…" He trailed off, but the meaning of his words was perfectly clear. He wanted to try it again. I wouldn't let him. Not a chance little boy. Before he could react I had already punched him on his nose with my fist. He started to bleed.
"I'm gonna pay you back, you filthy coward. Beg for forgiveness or you won't see the next morning." I spat.
"Oh, yeah. And you would kill me, rght?" He asked sarcastically, wiping the blood from his nose with his shirt.
"Not herself, but I would gladly do the job." Edward had appeared behind me, behind him Emmett and Alice, Carlisle, Esme, Carmen and Rose at either side of them. Even Esme looked terrifying, but I didn't fear them. I looked back at Mike. He did.