White Swan
Chapter 4
I was in the car, before anyone could get to me. I needed to clear my head, I shouldn't have come here I knew I shouldn't but I came anyway. What the hell was wrong with me it was like I was a glutton for punishment. I had the perfect man who wanted me and loved me and do anything for me but here I was thinking of another man a lesser man to Marc in many ways.
Edward had already proven that he didn't want me, he left me and told me that he never wanted to see me again but all my heart was telling me was that Edward was in New York and was living in that house that I just left and if I waited just a bit longer I could have seen him after eight years of no contact.
Marc,was the only thing keeping me from turning around and driving back to the Cullen residence, demanding to see Edward. Sweet and dependable Marc who I could trust with my life and to never break my heart. Marc was the man I loved not Edward. It had been too long to much had happened I had changed from that stupid little girl who fell to pieces just because her boyfriend had left her, the girl that fell in love with Edward was gone. Well I thought she had, but these strange impulses, the conflict in my feelings, maybe they were just left over feelings from that teenage girl that he had left girl who still yearned for him to girl who still loved him, but that girl wasn't me anymore and I learnt from my mistakes. I wouldn't let a silly high school crush ruin my life, I wouldn't let him ruin my life. Why dwell on fantasy when I had the real thing right in front of me.
Marc would save me from this insanity that I was feeling.I just needed to see him again to have him in my arms again to remind me who I truly loved. With that thought I found myself at St Andrews hospital, where Marc worked. I walked to the entrance and made my way to the reception.
"Your ears must have been burning Bella," Sandra greeted me behind the desk. "Marc hasn't stopped talking about you all morning. I believe he's in shock that you said yes."
"How long has everyone known?" I asked.
"Marc has been talking about asking you to marry him for weeks now,he nearly chickened out a few times didn't think he was good enough for have seen his face this morning,I have never seen him so happy." That made me smile, Marc was wrong I was the one that had got lucky not him,he deserved better than me.
"Is he free to see me?"
"He's in his office, go ahead. Don't wear him out too much Bella we still need him for work," Sandra called after me.
"I'll try my best but no promises," I said turning around and winking at her. While I made my way to Marc 's office calls of congratulations followed me. When I got to Marc's office I knocked lightly on the the door.
"Come in," Marc called. I walked in flashing him a smile. Marc stood up to greet me, kissing me lightly on the lips. "What a lovely surprise, I thought you were spending time with some old friends?"
"I was but I decided to cut girl day short. I missed you too much and decided to treat he best fiance in the world to lunch."
"I would love to but I'm swamped with work, can I take a rain check," Marc said. At that moment the door opened. The shock of the face I saw there kept me speechless for a few seconds. It was Carlisle, it shouldn't have been a surprise I knew the Cullen' s were in New York and Carlisle was a doctor but it still surprised me.
"Sorry to disturb you Dr Parker but there is a patient in A and E who I would like you to take a look at," Carlise spoke to Marc but he hadn't taken his eyes of me since he entered but said nothing.
"Dr Cullen I'd like you to meet my fiancee Bella Swan," Marc introduced us, it was weird being introduced to the man who I once thought was like a second Dad to me. Not wanting to explain to Marc at the moment how I knew his colleague, so I decided to play dumb.
"Nice to meet you Dr Cullen," I said politely shaking his hand.
"So your the famous Miss Swan Marc talks about you so much I feel like I already know you,"Carlisle said playing along perfectly. I decided to take my leave at that moment,seeing Carlisle today was too much Cullen for me for one day.
"I better be going, I'll see you tonight Marc," I mumbled dropping my eyes from Carlisle grabbing my bag headed for the door, making sure not to look at Carlisle again.
"Are you ok Bella?" Marc asked.
"Of course I am, just really busy," I lied and kissed Marc on the cheek.I quickly ran out the door not caring that my behaviour towards his colleague was strange and rather rude, I just really wanted to stupid there.
Emmett' s POV
"I know a strip club, half naked women dancing around you Is jus what you need bro," I suggested as a last ditch effort to keep senoi grouchy pants, formally known as Edward entertained. A feat not as easy as you'd think, as Edward was in a permanent bad mood for the last eight years. But he was still a man and what man didn't love a strip club,when ever I was in a bad mood, which luckily didn't happen often, naked women cheered me right up,well to be more specific a naked Rosalie cheered me up,but for some reason I don't think Edward would appreciate that.
"No!" Jasper was the first to refuse my offer down flat. he was supposed to be in my side.
"Definitely not," Edward confirmed what I already knew he'd say, he was such a tight ass not willing to have any fun and felt the need to ruin everyone else's fun.
"Kill joys," I muttured under my breath. So again we found ourselves on the out skirts of central park on the bench with a loss of what to do. I finally gave up and decided to buy a newspaper's see if there were any good films or God forbid I might even contemplate going to see a play,anything to keep Edward would the house a little longer as instructed by Alice.
After I paid the guy at the stall, I started to thumb through th newspaper until I found the locall events list. One article stood out for me though, young hot clothes designer Isabella Swan gets engaged. Usually clothes don't interest me but the name certainly made me pause, Isabella Swan it couldn't be out Bella could it,no Bella hated shopping and clothes, must be a weird coincidence how many people must be called Isabella Swan. I stopped and looked at the pictures and my suspicions were right a picture of Bella, who was older and more mature and elegant, but it was definitely her with her arms around some man who I guessed was her new fiance. I didn't like this man instantly nothing against him he was probably a lovely man but it was alien to see my little sister, yes she was still my little sister, with her arms around another man that certainly not my brother. At that momet I could kill him for that little innocent picture because at that moment I saw my brothers love and his whole life gone in a single photo. I needed to see Bella.
The most important thing was keeping this big news from my brother because I knew that this news would kill him. Never mind how many times he lectured that he just wanted Bella to have a Normal life away from anything remotely supernatural,but I for one didn't believe him and neither did the rest of the family, I don't think he believed it himself anymore but he had gone past the point of no return and there was no return in to Bella now an this picture just proved how over Edward. He would obviously fin out but I wanted to tell him myself and not by and stupid newspaper article, this kind of thing needed to be broken by family.
Walking back to Edward I cleared my mind of anything to do with Bella and concentrated on the one thing that Edward would not want to hear or see, Rosalie. I filled my mind with thoughts of Rosalso, a naked Rosalie, having sex with Rosalie. Ah Rosalie I couldn't wait to get home and try some of these memories for real, wait a second what was I supposed to be doing.
"Yes Emmett I get that you miss Rosalie but do you have to be so graphic," Edward complained. Mission accomplished.
"Actually I just remembered that I promised Rose that I'd pick up a dress for her but it's all the way down town so you two go home without me and I'll see there soon," I lied but I don't think Jasper believed me luckily Edward was to distracted to care.
"I thought we were having a guy day away from doing chores for the wife," Jasper argued, usually I'd tell him exactly what was going on but not with Edward so close.
"Well Edward obviously wants to go home and we can't force him to stay can we," I reasoned but Jasper quickly dragged me away from Edward out of hearing range.
"Tell me what's really going on and don't tell me some bull story about Rosalie's dress," Jasper demanded the moment we were alone.
"I'll tell you everything later but there is something I need to do and Edward can't know about it," I replied cryptically.
"Fine then do your thing but I want answers when you get home."
…
Finding White Swan designs shop was easier than I thought. I asked the first girl I could see with shopping bags and she told me exactly where to find the shop. Usually I'd ask Alice for the location of a clothes shop but I didn't want her involved not yet anyway, not before I talk to Bella.
White Swan designs was like any other clothes shop, loads of clothes scattered around the shop. I picked up a pink dress it was very elegant and definitely not the kind of dress I could imagine Bella ever wearing.
"I don't think that's really your colour," a girl giggled from behind the counter, flipping her red hair at me, yeah like that was sexy. But I decided to use her little crush on me to my advantage. I walked towards the desk and leaned against it.
"I guess not, what would you say is my colour," I said with my least scary smile. It worked, the girl broke intomore giggles, God some human women were so easy pay them a little bit of attention and they pudding in your hands. "I wonder if you could help me, I was looking for your boss Bella Swan?" The moment I uttered Bella' s name the girl suddenly turned defensive.
"Are you a reporter, because Miss Swan is not taking interviews today," the girl said with a sudden mood shift. I wondered how many reporters had come here looking for a story.
"No I'm just an old friend," I explained.
"Funny how many old friends come out of the wood work when Bella came famous."
"I promise I'm not like that, I haven't seen Bella in eight years and I was in the city and I thought I'd pop in and catch up with an old friend," I said knowing my charms were running out and needed to be straight with the girl.
"Fine," she said clearly not happy having to disturb her boss but I wasn't leaving here until I saw Bella. The girl disappeared into the back room.
"Bella someone is here to see you," I heard the girl say.
"I'm not speaking to any reporters, Sadie," that was definitely Bella who responded and I smiled at the sound of my little sister's voice, she sounded the same.
"He says he's not a reporter, just an old friend," Sadie responded.
"I've had enough reunions with old friends today, I don't know if I can deal with another." Who else had Bella seen today? Alice the answer was simple, Bella had been at the house today that's why we needed to get Edward out of the house to avoid the awkward meeting probably Bella's condition for coming to the house and you could hardly blame the girl for that. I didn't know the details of what happened between them eight years ago bit I imagine that it's left its mark on Bella even if she doesn't want to admit it. "Did they give you a name?"
"No, shall I get rid off him for you," Sadie said, yeah like I'd give up that easily. If Bella wouldn't see me, then I'd walk back there and talk to her myself. I knew why Bella was hesitating she thought that it might be Edward out here.
"No it's ok, I'll deal with it." I heard Bella's chair scraping across the floor.
"Could you also find out if he's single?" Sadie asked and I smiled, I still had it. I heard Bella laugh.
"I'll see what I can do for you." Never going to happen, no girl could compare to my Rosalie. At that moment Bella walked through the door and paused when she saw me waiting on the other side of the desk. Bella never said anything just stared at me.
"Is that how you greet your favourite brother Bella?" I said smiling. She raised an eyebrow at the word brother, yeah I deserved that.
"A brother that never calls or writes, careful 'brother' a girl could feel abandoned." I winced at Bella' s tone, at that moment I hated my brother for treating my sister like that and at that moment all sympathy I felt for my brother went out the window, he brought this upon himself. "Sorry you didn't deserve that."
"Yes I did," I mumbled.
"We both know it wasn't your idea to leave eight years ago. It doesn't matter ancient history, I've moved on," Bella said but I didn't buy it. "What are you doing here Emmett?"
"I thought I'd treat my baby sister to dinner," I said wanting to spend more time with Bella.
"Baby sister, I'm six years older than you," she reminded me, it was times like these that I thought that Bella forgot what we were.
"I'm actually eighty years older than you, I just use very good face cream," I said winking at her. Bella laughed.
"Where are you taking me to dinner then big brother, but I'm really not in the mood for wild bear." I rolled my eyes at Bella's joke.
"You humans don't know what your missing," I muttered.
xxx
We sat in a posh restaurant, I watched as Bella finished of her food, making faces at her as she ate.
"You know the way you are staring at me is very off putting, makes me feel like I'm in the zoo," Bella commented but carried on eating.
"I just don't understand how you can eat that shite," I said looking at the chicken with disgust. "It's so much more interesting and exciting when it's running around alive and putting up a fight."
"Unlike you Emmett, we humans have developed from the stone age," Bella pointed out. "If you don't stop complaining, I will order seconds and force you to eat it." I quickly shut up, watching someone eat human food was bad enough but actually eating the stuff was a lot worse.
"So tell me about Marc?" I asked. I avoided the Marc issue long enough, as much as I hated the guy I wanted to learn as much information about him as I can to see if Edward still had a chance of getting her back.
"Do you really want to know?" Bella asked very sceptical of my motives.
"Of course I do, how will I know if he's good enough for my baby sister if I know nothing about him?" I pointed out.
"Marc is very kind, smart and loving. I feel safe around him and unlike other people I know he loves me as much as I love him. I can depend on him to always be there." Was it just me or did that sound like a rehearsed line, like she was trying to convince herself as well as me, why she was marrying Marc, or was this just wishful thinking.
"He sounds wonderful," I said faking enthusiasm. I closed my eyes and put on a huge fake snore. I felt something hot hit my face, I opened my eyes to see Bella holding a spoon full of mashed potato in her hand, trying not to laugh.
"Stop he's not that bad," Bella said but was now giggling herself.
"I'm sure he's not, he sounds very normal." Normal was great for some girls but not for Bella, Bella needed more.
"Is there something wrong with that?" Bella said getting defensive on Marc's behalf.
"For other girls no Marc is the perfect man. But I know you better than that Bella and I know normal bores you. You dated vampire, you need someone beyond human to keep you interested," I said which I believed was true. What Edward and Bella share was something humans couldn't comprehend, never mind how much time went on with no contact the bond would still be there.
"So who is right for me, Edward?" she snorted at the thought that Edward was the one she belonged with. Eight years that idea wasn't that ridiculous, back then that was what the girl in front of me dreamed off. The question what happened eight years ago that made Bella lose faith in our and with Edward.
"Well that's never going to happen, Edward made that very clear. Edward moved on and so am." Wait a second what kind of crap has Edward told Bella. That's what he meant by a clean slate for Bella by lying to her.
"Bella what exactly did Edward say to you when we left eight years ago?" I know that we should be ignoring the Edward subject but by ignoring the big elephant in the room we would never get anything sorted. I think some signals were mixed up here and Bella was under a false impression that Edward didn't care for her and if he wanted Bella back someone needed to tell her the truth but everyone was walking on glass around Bella not wanting to bring up painful memories. But as everyone knows I'm not sensitive and I don't believe in holding back if something needs to be said I'll say it.
"It doesn't matter anymore Emmett I'm over it."
"It does matter Bella, what he said obviously hurt you and I need to know why, so I can beat the Crap out of him for hurting my little sister." Bella smiled at that but there was an edge to it and smile faded quickly. Bella seemed to be contemplating telling me the truth.
"All he said was the truth, he made it very clear that he no longer wanted anything to do with me and never wanted to see me again. In long run it was for the best, I would have spent years of my life swooning over someone who didn't love me. By doing that let me move in to someone who genuinely loved me." Well Edward did a grand job of ruining his own life and Bella's life. Bella did seem happy but how long would that last with someone who wasn't her soul mate.
"I'm going to kill him," I muttered mostly to myself. "Bella you need to know one thing what Edward said was a lie Edward never stopped loving you and he has never got over you and never will. He left because he thought that he was protecting you and that you needed to have a normal life."
"Nice try Emmett but I know the truth. If Edward really loved me he would have stayed and talked things through instead of abandoning me,if he loved me where the hell has he been if he loved me that much he wouldn't have been able to stay away." Bella really sounded upset,she had a point Edward's actions weren't the actions of a man in love.
"I'm sorry Emmett but I can't do this. It's been great catching up but I can't talk about that day again, I can't relive the pain again. It took a long time to get over it and I can't put myself through that again. You tell your brother that I want nothing to do with him, to stay from me, he's done enough damage already," Bella said her voice full of sadness not anger and she looked like she was about to cry. She got up abruptly putting on her jacket. I grabbed her wrist to stop her going.
"Don't go, we need to talk about this," I pleaded with her to no avail.
"No there really isn't." With that Bella walked out of the restaurant.