Chapter 2 Twist of Fate
BELLA.
My heart pounded furiously as I weaved through the morning rush on the busy Seattle sidewalk, attempting not to spill my strong black coffee. Lately, it was my life support, keeping the symptoms of sleep deprivation and high-strung nerves somewhat at bay. Now, it was assisting me in successfully reaching the Clark & Alderson building. I had managed to get no sleep the night before, between to worrying about the significant lack of word count stored on my computer hard drive and the excitement of the salvation plans I had formulated in my head. And now I had the extra pressure of being summoned to a meeting with the head publishing honchos themselves.
At the thought of this, my heart rate accelerated and I forced myself to think of things to come rather than my present situation.
Once again, it seemed that Grandma Marie had stepped into my life offering whatever advice and wisdom she could. When she was alive she had been a mother figure, and in her passing she still gave me the little nudges I needed to steer myself in the right direction. Call me crazy for thinking a dead woman could actively play a part in my life from above, but I knew she was looking down on me from wherever she was.
Until the age of thirteen, Granny Marie had stood as a considerable influence in my life. My most clear memories of her were the times when we had sat in her kitchen as she taught me numerous old world skills my scatterbrained mother Renee didn't have the time for. I still remembered her recipe for Double Chocolate Fudge Cookies by heart and to never put a red shirt in with the whites when doing laundry (something Renee hadn't known until my white blouse had turned a horrible shade of baby pink the morning of second grade school pictures). Marie's otherworldly Victorian home had never ceased to amaze me, sparking my limitless imagination at numerous times throughout my life.
Renee had decided to move away from the small town of Forks to Phoenix when I was six, stating she could feel the green walls closing in on her. Even at six years old, I realized subconsciously that following Renee on her newest adventure would only suffocate her and so chose to stay with my father Charlie, close to my Grandmother.
Her sudden death when I was thirteen had stunned me. I was so used to her presence in my life and I had felt so alone.
The legal matters surrounding her passing held little importance to my young, shattered heart. All I cared about was the fact that one of my best friends was gone and wouldn't be returning. It was my first true experience of death. Which is why I was stunned as I was ushered into a scary looking lawyers office soon after her funeral. My thirteen-year-old self was intimidated as three pairs of eyes followed me as I sat beside Charlie in the room.
"Miss Swan. How are you today?" Said a business-like man from behind his impossibly large mahogany desk. I mentally shouted at him, asking him how the hell he thought I felt, but kept this to myself. He continued, not noticing anything untoward, despite the fact I was fuming inside. "My name is Alec. We have some very important things to discuss, young lady."
I nodded at him, not knowing what was happening.
"Ah, here we are," Alec stated, finding the right document. He began to read aloud, "It is my wish that my granddaughter, Miss Isabella Swan, shall inherit my Forks property and all possessions within, excluding those discussed in paragraph 4 c) above which shall be given to their listed recipients."
Alec skimmed over the paragraph, continuing. "Should Miss Swan be under legal age at the event of my death, the property shall be maintained and held by Mr. Charles Swan of Forks until his daughter reaches the legal age of twenty-one."
At this point, everyone in the room turned to face me. Charlie cleared his throat, turning to me.
"Bella, it seems you are…uh, quite unexpectedly…the owner of Grandma Marie's house."
It was Grandma Marie's will I had uncovered the day before. I hadn't been to the house since moving away for college, choosing to leave the responsibility of maintenance and decisions to Charlie in my absence. Charlie in fact still had the master keys to the property, despite the fact I had become the l official legal owner of the house four years prior. It was here I planned to regain my inspiration – if all went to plan.
My thoughts were suddenly dragged back into the present as I realized I had arrived at the Clark & Alderson building. I had obviously been standing outside for quite a while, judging by the strange look the doorman was giving me as he continued to hold open the heavy doors expectantly. I gave him a small smile as I shuffled past him, embarrassed, as I entered the lobby of the large building and walked to the front desk to grab a visitor's pass.
Angela had called me at seven a.m. that morning with the news Marcus wanted to see me first thing to discuss what he had labeled 'The Meltdown'.
"I'm sorry, Bella!" Apologized Angela as I forced myself to sit up in bed. "I know I said I was going to keep him off your case for a little longer but he used that look of his and it all came blurting out." I felt a pang of sympathy for Angela, knowing the look all too well. "Just one meeting and I promise you'll be free for the foreseeable future. We just have to make him think it's all under control."
"Except for the fact its not all under control," I replied dryly.
Angela snorted. "It's under control. Now get your ass out of bed and down here."
For a moment, Angela's assuredness that I wasn't going to drown in my own frustration made me a little calmer. Just for a moment.
Beeping my way through the turnstiles, I started to make my way to the elevators, nearly reaching my destination before nearly running into the very last person I wanted to see.
Mike fucking Newton.
I look of comprehension spread across his face as he started to approach me from across the foyer. Part of me wanted to wave a copy of my novel at him before using it to slap him across the face. That would show him and his sorry ass just what I was capable of. Sadly, however, I didn't have a copy on hand and taking the cowards way out was proving to be the much easier option.
Quickly surveying my surroundings, I formulated a number of escape plans. Commando rolling towards the nearest potted palm and somehow camouflaging myself in the foliage initially seemed like a brilliant idea, until I remembered I had the agility of a sloth and the coordination of a giraffe. Suddenly, as if the gods had taken some pity on me, the elevator doors opened with a bing, laying my escape route before me. With as much coordination as I could manage in my heels, I ran over to the doors, weaving between the exiting individuals before safely depositing myself in the lift.
The doors closed and I sighed in relief, causing a few wary office workers to glance at me. Hitting the button for the sixteenth floor, I tried to regain some sort of composure, willing my flaming cheeks to subside as the tiny metal contraption inched closer to my dreaded destination. After what seemed like an hour, the doors binged open and I stepped out onto the Clark & Alderson floor, not stopping to speak to the receptionist as I made my way through the maze to Angela's office.
"Are you okay?" She asked me when I arrived.
"I'm fine," I muttered.
Angela briefly raised her eyebrows at me before shuffling a few papers. "Now, I was thinking it would be best if I came with you to this meeting. I know how intimidating it can –"
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I cried, hugging her.
"Can't. Breathe. Bella," choked Angela. I quickly let go of her, the apology evident in my guilty expression.
"Shit!" She suddenly exclaimed, looking at the time on her computer screen. "We're late."
Angela scurried through the maze with me in tow. In mere seconds we had arrived Marcus' office, much to my dismay.
"Bella, Angela," he quickly greeted us before gesturing towards two heavy leather chairs facing his desk. "Take a seat."
I went to speak but was cut off before I could make a sound, undoubtedly leaving me looking like a stunned goldfish.
"We need to make this quick, Miss. Swan. I have meetings to attend, places to be," he began. "I understand you are having what we like to call Writer's Block, a little meltdown perhaps. In any other circumstance, I would be demanding you snap out of it immediately, but luckily for you, the schedule has been pushed back a bit. My associates and myself came to the conclusion that it would be a better decision to move the publication and distribution to the summer. We had originally thought a Christmas release would take advantage of the gift-buying boom but looking at the publishing schedule, we have a number of best sellers-to-be releasing at that time. So, summer it is!" Marcus tented his fingers excitedly, like a boy in a toyshop. I had the suspicion he was more excited about the money I was going to make Clark & Alderson, rather than the words that would be on the page.
"Picture young and middle aged women, lounging in the sun, eating up your book in one sitting. Just marvelous!" He continued a little dazedly. I briefly wondered if he remembered Angela and I were in the room. However, he quickly turned his attention back on me. "That gives you an extra six or seven months, Miss. Swan. You should be glad you got away with your head, so use it wisely."
Despite his sinister statement, I was doing cartwheels inside. I could hardly contain my excitement and relief at the prospect of an extra half a year to work on my novel. I sighed in relief as Marcus dismissed us and I followed Angela back to her cubicle. I collapsed in her chair in relief, giggling to myself.
Telling Angela I would keep in touch, I said a quick goodbye and excited the stifling building, making a mental list in my head. I had so much to do before I could consider finally relaxing. I had to ring Charlie for one.
I fished my phone from my purse as I rushed to the bus stop, dialing Charlie's number at the Forks Police Station.
"Chief Swan," he answered gruffly.
"Hi Dad, It's Bella," I said.
"Bells?" He replied. I could tell he was surprised to hear from me, especially so early in the morning. "Nothing is wrong, is it? I knew I should have bought you that baseball bat for Christmas last year…"
"No, Dad," I sighed. "Nothing is wrong. Stop worrying. In fact, I have good news. You still have the keys to Grandma Marie's house, don't you?"
"Of course I do. Why?"
"I'm coming to Forks," I smiled to myself as I stepped onto the bus, feeling like a house had just been lifted off my shoulders.
A vacation at Granny Marie's home was going to be the perfect place to regain my inspiration. It had so many memories - surely one of them would begin turning the cogs in my head.
Little did I know exactly what I would unearth while I was there.
EDWARD.
I forced myself to take a few deep breaths, steading my sobs as my mother led me over to the sofa and sat me down.
"Edward," Dad said in his calm doctors' voice, kneeling in front of me. "Son, what is the matter?"
My parents' faces were etched with worry as they looked at me, Mom rubbing small soothing circles on my back.
"Too much," I mumbled. "It's all too much."
Images of the previous night flashed behind my eyes, by body immediately tensing up. I felt Esme stand and begin shuffling around in the kitchen, low muttered words filling the silence.
"Apartment fire…early Saturday morning…emergency ward…chaos," I heard as I picked up a few key words from what my father was saying in the next room, followed by a gasp.
My parents' quiet conversation only intensified the flashes in my head, forcing me to relive scenes from the night as I stared at my hands.
"Move, move, move!" yelled Pete the station chief as the alarm sounded throughout the firehouse. After three years of being part of the Seattle Fire Department, responding to emergencies was second nature. Leaping from my bunk, I quickly raced to the garage, pulling on my overalls as I went. Grabbing my helmet and breathing equipment from the wall, I jumped into the truck as it peeled out of the station, taking in the stats that Eric was calling out to the team.
"WE HAVE BEEN CALLED AS BACKUP TO A HIGH EMERGENCY FIRE IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX. THE DISTRICT 8 TEAM IS ALREADY AT THE SCENE." Yelled Eric over the siren as he sat at the front of the truck.
I steeled myself for what was to come as we raced to the scene, but in this instance, it seemed no amount of preparation could help me. As we rounded the corner, the apartment complex came into view, flames licking out its windows. A crowd had gathered on the front path, assisting those who had managed to escape. An elderly woman was being hoisted from a third story window. Before the truck had come to a complete stop, I jumped out the door, sprinting towards the front entrance to the building as I put on my helmet and oxygen tank, an axe in hand.
"Shit, Masen!" yelled Demetri through the radio in my helmet. "Don't you dare make me come in their after you to save your ass as well."
Once I was inside the building, everything slowed as I let myself go to my search and rescue training. The sound of my lungs drawing in and exhaling air was familiar, calming my nerves. By instinct, I began searching rooms, kicking open doors as the black smoke pooled around me, obstructing my vision.
"Right behind you, Masen." I heard in my helmet, feeling Eric right behind me.
After searching two apartments, we found an elderly man.
Before I could act, I heard a scream in the distance, my body reacting before my brain registered its meaning.
"You stay here and help this man!" I said to Eric, before rushing out of the room.
"Masen! What the hell are you doing? Wait, dammit! We can't get separated." Eric yelled at me.
"I have to do my job, Eric."
Following the source of the sound, I found myself in a small apartment at the rear of the building.
"Fire Department!" I yelled through the thick smoke, straining to hear the voice again.
"Help!" The female voice was weaker this time, the smoke obstructing her lungs.
Rushing into the bedroom, I found a small figure huddled by the window, gasping for air. Her hand was on her belly – she was pregnant.
"I'm going to get you out of here," I said calmly to the nearly unconscious woman, trying to get her to stay awake. "What is your name?"
"Tanya," she coughed, as I hoisted her up into my arms.
"Everything's going to be okay, Tanya," I told her, rushing out of the room, only to be met by a scorching timber beam falling from the roof. I was going to have to run, before the structure fell apart around me.
Sprinting towards the front of the building, I attempted to shield her from the heat, knowing that without a fire suit the pain would be excruciating.
"Medic!" I yelled once I was outside on the path. "I need a medic here!"
Tanya was unconscious as I placed her on the ground, immediately beginning CPR. Desperation overtook me as I breathed into her mouth, starting chest compressions frantically.
"Come on, Tanya. Come. On. Dammit. You can't die. You CANNOT die. Stay. Stay alive for your baby." I begged her..
I felt strong arms dragging me away from her as I struggled to stay by her side.
"Let me do my job, Masen!" yelled Tyler the medic.
"Edward, time out." Barked Pete as he restrained me. Wiggling out of his grasp, I stood watching Tyler attempt to revive Tanya.
With the structure too damaged to continue searching inside the building, I sat on the grass feeling helpless. Smoke billowed from the complex as jets of water hit the flames. I faintly heard sirens arrive at the scene, watching as Tanya was wheeled towards the ambulance, her body limp and lifeless.
As the scene cleared, Tyler walked over to me. I glanced at him expectantly, only to me met with a sympathetic headshake.
"I'm sorry, man," he said. "She was DOA. I don't know about the baby."
It was over.
I gave him a short nod before struggling over to the fire truck, hoisting myself in for the ride back to the station.
I was startled from my memories as my mother pressed a hot cup of tea into my hands. The sudden urge to run away from this insanity immersed me. To think I hadn't been able to save a mother to be and her baby, who hadn't even seen the world, made me feel sick to my stomach. She wasn't the first person I had lost, but for some reason she felt like the most crucial.
"Edward, you cannot beat yourself up about this," said Mom softly, getting an idea of what had happened. "But Dad and I have come up with an idea, and we think you should seriously consider it."
As I turned the warm mug in my hands, I heard them tell me to take some leave from work - that Pete would be understanding and that I needed to protect myself mentally and emotionally so that I could do my job properly. I nodded weakly at their suggestion, wanting to go somewhere, anywhere, that didn't remind me of the fire.
I wanted to run.
A/N: So, what did you think? What part did you like the most?
I enjoyed writing the snippet of Bella's backstory the most - there will be many more to come in future chapters!
Thank you so much for reading!
Until next time,
Melie.