"Oh my gawd! Edward Cullen is such a sketch!" Alice screamed, dropping her backpack on the floor. "So he walks up to me, stops five feet away, opens his mouth, and then just walks away. What the heck is his problem?!" Bella cringed in the other room; this was more than she could take. There was something she had to do, and she really didn't want to do it.
Bella looked around the kitchen. She had cleaned the entire house (again), Alice was at school, and she couldn't think of anything else to put off what she was about to do.
She drove slowly, trying to take as long as possible to get there. The driver behind her was irritated, so she pulled over to let him pass. Just to take more time, she stayed there for about five minutes, fiddling with the radio. Finally she sighed and drove off.
Too soon, Bella found what she was looking for. She pulled into the hospital parking lot. Her stomach did a few summersaults, and Bella almost turned around, but she walked up to the receptionist's desk and politely requested to speak to Dr. Cullen. As though right on cue, though, a set of doors opened and Carlisle, beautiful and young as ever, walked in. "Bella!" he cried happily. "I've been expecting you."
Bella followed Carlisle down a long white hallway that seemed to stretch on forever. She definitely smelled blood, and felt dizzy with just the thought of what was behind all the doors. Even though he had explained it to her, Bella still wondered how Carlisle could manage to work here. The desire to drink the blood- wouldn't it be overwhelming?
After what seemed like hours, Carlisle held a door open for Bella. This was obviously an office; the back wall behind the desk was a bookshelf covered completely with thick, old books. All of the other walls were covered with shelves that held medical supplies. Carlisle gestured to an empty chair, and Bella sat. She didn't feel nervous anymore; it was impossible to be anything but comfortable around Carlisle.
"Bella," he sighed. "We have a lot to talk about. So how have you been?"
"Never been near perfect, but I've managed," Bella replied. "I got married, but Justin didn't want to move to Mansfield, so me and my daughter, Alice, came here."
"Alice?" Carlisle raised an eyebrow skeptically, but then moved on. "So how about Charlie?"
"Um, well he died. He was shot on the scene of a crime- I know, shocking in Forks." Bella sighed, and tried not to relive the day when she received the phone call, but the day quickly flashed through her mind again.
"I'm very sorry to hear that," Carlisle told her sincerely. Bella smiled weakly. Then Carlisle continued asking about Renée and her new family, and then about Florida, and why she moved to Mansfield. Eventually, Carlisle brought up his family. "Wow. Bella, I can't believe- I'm sorry we left. If only you could've come. Edward, all of us, we were torn apart. For a decade, Edward went off on his own; he felt too ashamed to stay with us. Finally he returned, but he was never the same. Oh, Bella, if only…" Carlisle broke off and smiled at Bella.
"Carlisle," Bella began. "I'm forty-eight. Edward- he's seventeen. We… we can't." Bella felt like she was convincing herself more than Carlisle. Of course she hoped; she couldn't manage to control the feeling inside her that was growing, but she knew that the age difference was too much.
"Bella," Carlisle sighed. "Edward is almost one hundred thirty. I'm sure forty-eight doesn't bother him."
"Look, I should get going," Bella said. She wouldn't go any farther on the topic- it was already getting out of hand. The thought of her getting back together with Edward as almost laughable. Unfortunately, the laugh wouldn't come until the hurt would leave, which Bella didn't expect.
"Right, of course," agreed Carlisle. "I should get back to work, anyway. But feel free to stop by our house tonight. Please do, in fact. Around four? Bring Alice." And then he was gone.
Stop by their house? Bella didn't have the slightest idea where their house was! Although, when she thought about it, those first few days, when she started following the overgrown trail. That was where they lived.
Bella was nervous. Of course she was nervous. She repeatedly told herself that there was no need for her to be nervous, not at all. But then again, she hadn't seen the Cullens in almost twenty years. What would they expect? Alice (Cullen) knew, of course. And Edward, no doubt, would see it in her mind. Just thinking about that night made Bella hyperventilating before she got home. It was already three. The Cullens would expect her in an hour. An hour!
What would Alice (Swan) think? She hated the Cullens in every way. Going to their house would disgust her!
By the time Bella had pulled into her driveway, she'd decided not to go.
Bella went. But only because she knew it would've been rude to refuse the offer, especially after having agreed to it. Besides, she didn't even know their phone number to cancel, not that Alice (Cullen) wouldn't have figured it out. Of course she was lying to herself. If she was being honest, the real reason why Bella went was because she wanted to see Edward. And Alice, Emmet, Esme, and the rest of the Cullens. She was still worried about telling Alice (Swan), though.
"Alice, sweetie," Bella began when her daughter walked in the door. It was already 3:30, so she didn't have much time to argue. "Look, I went over to the hospital today to talk to Dr. Cullen. He's really very nice, I'm sure his children are, too."
"They're adopted," Alice reminded her, obviously annoyed. "Why would they share any freaking traits?" She pulled her straight blonde hair out of the ponytail and raised her eyebrows impatiently.
Bella continued, "Well, he actually invited you and I to his house this evening. Well, this afternoon, I guess. But he's expecting us there in a half an hour, so don't argue and go get ready."
Alice didn't listen to her mother. "WHAT?" she screamed angrily. "Mom! The Cullens?! DO YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO ME IF ANYONE FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS?" Bella scowled. She didn't know what to do now, except for dragging her daughter out to the car.
"Alice, you're going, and I don't want to hear another crap about it," Bella snapped. Alice fumed. Her face was changing shades- from her natural tan to reddish, to blue, to purple. She was breathing heavily, and looked about ready to blow her top off. Bella had to all but drag her to get her out to the car.
They arrived at the Cullens house right on time- Bella had had no trouble finding the overgrown trail that was just past the town's limits. The house was large- just like their one in Forks. It was surrounded by a beautiful meadow and, off in the distance, a dense forest.
The front door opened, and Carlisle welcomed Bella and Alice in joyfully. "It's so nice to see you both!" he cried. "Alice, lovely to meet you." His face had a warm, welcoming smile, and Bella was immediately at ease.
"Thank you for having us," she said. "We are both pleased to be here."
"Anytime," replied Carlisle. "And, of course, this is my wife Esme. And my children- Emmet, Rosalie, Jasper, and Edward. Alice won't be able to join us until later this evening. She's rather busy upstairs actually." He smiled, and Bella turned to the rest of his family.
"Bella, pleased to meet you," greeted Esme sweetly. Bella returned her smile.
"Hey, Bell- Um, Miss Swan." Emmet smiled and stuck out his hand. Bella said hi in return, but noticed that her daughter beside her stayed silent.
"Miss Swan," said Rosalie stiffly. Of course, thought Bella. Intruding on her life more. But Bella didn't let this show on her face, and put forth her best smile.
"And Jasper," said Bella, as she turned to face him. "Nice to meet you."
"You as well, Miss Swan," he replied with a polite nod. Bella wanted to laugh at his manners, which he had earned many decades ago, but couldn't, because of whom she would face next.
"Edward," she managed to choke out. Seeing his face again, there in front of her, the one she had almost forgotten. She shook his outreached hand, and felt an urge to wrap her arms around his cold, stone body and wind her fingers in his hair. Suddenly, she wished to be young again. To be seventeen, and for him to be sneaking through her window late at night, humming her lullaby until she fell asleep. Then, when she woke up, he would still be there for her. And he would be sitting in the rocking chair in the corner of her room.
"Miss Swan," he replied, looking deeply into Bella's eyes. "Pleasure to have you here." They stood there for a long moment, holding each other's hand, looking into one another's eyes. Until Edward laughed and let go, and then he smiled Bella's favorite crooked smile.
"Come sit!" suggested Carlisle, and then led them into a living room area. "Tell me, Bella, Alice, how are you two liking Mansfield?"
Alice opened her mouth to speak, but Bella interrupted. "It's wonderful. Just the type of place we would love to live." Alice sighed and nodded stiffly. Bella knew this was useless; of course Edward would be able to hear Alice's thoughts, and know that Alice hated it. But Bella didn't look to see his smug expression. She didn't want to look at him, because every time she did, she was reminded of what she almost had. What she almost was. Of course, she would never have had a daughter, but you can't miss what you never had. Now she couldn't leave Alice.
They talked long into the night. Alice (Swan), Edward, Emmet, Jasper, and Rosalie laughed about teachers, and Bella tried not to listen. To know that she once was in the same grade as Edward, once upon a time. She was his age! But every year passed too soon, and forty-nine was just around the corner.
"Where's Alice?" Alice (Swan) asked at one point. She looked excited, like she actually wanted to meet her.
"Oh, she's upstairs getting caught up on some things. She'll be down soon," Carlisle promised.
"Oh, okay," replied Alice (Swan), and leaned back towards Edward, Emmet, Jasper, and Rosalie.
"So Bella," Esme began. "Why did you move to Mansfield? You don't love the warm weather?"
Bella smiled. "Living in Forks, I grew accustomed to the rain. You know, it's just familiar. Small town is safer for someone like me anyway." Carlisle and Esme laughed cheerfully along with Bella. Of course they would remember all the times they would bump into each other at the hospital.
Suddenly, Carlisle and Esme glanced up at the top of the stairs in alarm. Bella looked, too, and swore she saw Alice (Cullen), but the next second Alice's (Cullen) arms were around Bella, and she was saying "Oh, Bella! I've missed you! It's good to see you again!"