Please forgive me... I know I should not have kept you waiting so long, I was extremely busy with my other commitments. I hope to upload the next chapter sooner.
THE REVELATION
Bella opened the front door and stepped inside. Carlisle just dropped her in front of the house, saying he had to visit the hospital. Now she was alone, Edward was still not home. Everything was still inside, except Bella's mind. The newly revealed information had overwhelmed her. She always blamed Sue for Charlie's death; somehow she always believed Sue to be the reason for all her unhappiness. Even when she had no idea what Sue did, she despised her. She hated her and a moment ago what she had learnt from Carlisle justified all her hatred. It justified all the accusations that Bella had put on her. Yet, the new emotion that was troubling her at that moment was neither rage not hatred for Sue, it was an anxiety. She kept on hearing Carlisle's word in her mind, like a song played on repeat mode.
"... Charlie had always known about Sue and Paul's relationship... Your father loved Sue as much as I love you, so he could not bear the thought of losing her but he could neither tolerate what was going on. He knew if he confronts Sue about it, she might leave. He did not want that... Yes, it is illogical, love is illogical but that was how your father had always been. In love he had always given more than he took... But he was tired with all these; he could not tolerate it any further. It was not apparent to a third person but things were getting real ugly between them ... Before his death, he was going through depression. He wanted it all to be over with... The day before his death he confronted Sue and Paul; they got into a fight... He had called me up and told me about it... He had always shared his secrets with me... Well, um... the next day we all heard that old Billy had shot him over some decade old strife. But you know what, I never believed it. It never seemed right. How could that old Billy shoot the chief of police? And why would he kill him? A decade old petty fight is not a good excuse... Well, we all know how Billy loved his brother Paul; he would do anything for him, including going to prison for some crime not committed by him. I doubt if Billy could kill Charlie... I don't know. May be Paul did, maybe not. May be Sue knew or maybe not. Sue may not have been an accomplice. May be Charlie wanted to die... These are my assumptions, assumptions made on the given evidences... Well, the evidence says Charlie was not defensive when attacked... O! Bella, I should have never brought it up. I am so sorry. I know how sensitive you are to all these... That is why I never spoke of it to you... I am so sorry Bella..." Carlisle continued to apologize again and again, saying how he should not have said anything.
At last Bella said in a whisper, "It is ok Carlisle... I needed to know this. You should have told me earlier..." When Carlisle tried to speak, she continued "Yes, I know and I understand. At least it is better to be late than never."
Carlisle was very worried when he dropped her home. He expected uncontrolled anger or immense hatred or cold silence on her part but such emotions were not as prominent as expected. There was something else on her face, that he could not pin point. She was silent but not numb. She was in pain as it was expected, but there was something else too.
Now - besides the usual negative emotions directed towards Sue - Bella was also feeling a deep sense of uneasiness settle over her. It was anxiousness or fear. She did not know what or why. And she could not understand why she didn't go ballistic after hearing everything. She should hunt down Paul and kill him and feed his rotting body to Sue. Instead this revelation only seemed like a prelude to her – a prelude to something worse.
She did not know when she fell asleep but she was only half-conscious when the realization hit her. Probably it was a dream. Dream or sudden epiphany, whatever it was, it explained why she felt what she felt. She sat up slowly.
Carlisle had said "It would probably kill me, just the way it killed Charlie..." and now Bella knew what had killed Charlie and though she did not want to accept it but her mind knew that she was no better than Sue. In fact she was worse than her... at least Phil was not Charlie's relative but Edward was Carlisle's own son. She wondered why Carlisle was speaking about death. Did he know something? And if not, then what would he do if he ever found out about it? The answer came readily, as if Carlisle whispered it in her ear "It would probably kill me, just the way it killed Charlie..."
Just let me know what you think will happen to Carlisle when the truth gets revealed.