Purpose
A couple of weeks had passed since the accident. Charlie was home from the hospital and he was doing really well. The hard part for Charlie was that he wasn´t allowed to work, doctors orders. We were all still waiting on the results regarding the state of the car. We didn´t really suspect foul play, but we all wanted to be sure.
Nessie, Edward and I were planning on visiting Charlie today. I hadn´t really talked with him alone since the accident and I really wanted to get things straightened out. I had planned on going alone, but Nessie had begged and begged to come along and I finally caved.
"Can we please go soon," Nessie was real anxious to see her grandfather again. She was also beginning to worry about all the terrible things that could happen to Charlie. I really wish she wouldn´t have heard our conversation in the main house a few weeks back.
"Yes, dear," I smiled at my daughter. "Let´s go."
We arrived at Charlie´s a few moments later. He was really happy to see us again. Sue had other plans today and I was really looking forward to having him for ourselves today. Wanting so bad to give him my blessings to move on and be happy.
"Nessie!" Charlie beamed at the sight of his only granddaughter. She ran into his arms since he was still not one to jump around.
"It´s good to see you on your feet, grandpa," Nessie said with a smile on her face.
He gave her a warm hug and raised his head to meet our faces.
"Hi dad. You look really good," he actually looked a bit shaky standing on the porch.
"Hey there Bells," he said and opened his other arm to greet me.
I hurried to give him a big hug and then a big smile.
"It´s good to see you, Charlie," Edward said while he was moving towards us.
"Edward," Charlie nodded but made no move to greet my husband further. I wondered yet again if or when he would ever forgive Edward for leaving me 6 years ago. It had actually come to a point where it was childish and really ridiculous. Edward never showed any hard feelings and was always on his best behavior. Charlie´s resentment towards Edward sure didn´t help Edward forgiving himself. I shook my head at the thought of their stubborn minds when it came to linger in that part of the past.
Suddenly a thought came to my mind. Maybe I could fix this too. If I was able to pull this off then I could handle anything. Oh well, it was worth a shot at least. A small smile crossed my face; Edward off course noticed and sent me a questioning glare.
"Where´s Jacob?" Charlie was looking towards the Volvo, clearly expecting Jacob to join us.
"He´s not with us today," I answered. "We wanted to talk to you alone."
"Oh-oh," was all he managed to say. He actually looked a bit worried and that made me laugh out loud.
"Should we go inside?" I asked trying real hard not to continue the laugh.
Charlie turned around and went inside. Nessie was just behind him and Edward and I followed her.
When we made it to the living room we all sat down and Charlie looked like he was having a panic attack.
"So dad, we have come to talk to you about something. We would really appreciate it if you would just hear us out before you say anything. OK?" I hadn´t really planned how I was going to do this, but I had to break the ice.
"Which one of you is pregnant?" He looked at me and then at Nessie and shook his head. "I´ll kill Jacob right now…"
"WHAT? EAAUU!" Nessie looked disgusted. I was relieved and I could see that Edward was too. Maybe she wasn´t in such a hurry to love and then leave us as we feared.
"None of us is pregnant, dad," I said. I suddenly remembered the day we had gone to tell Charlie that we were getting married. So typical of Charlie to jump to this conclusion just because Jacob wasn´t here.
"You had me worried for a while there, Bells," he said. Panic shot to his face once again. "You´re not leaving are you?"
"No dad. If you could just listen and stop jumping to conclusions all the time. I think it would be much healthier for your recovery to take it slow and have steady heat beats," I said. His heart was racing and that worried me.
He took a deep breath and sighed. "Fine, I´ll listen."
"First of all I would like to say that I´m really sorry that we have been interfering with your happiness. From now on we will make sure that you know we love you and that we support you in every decision you take."
"Bells, what are you…"
"Dad, you promised you would listen. Please just wait." It still wasn´t easy to talk emotions with Charlie. None of us was comfortable with expressing how we felt. But this time I knew that I needed to say this.
"Sorry," he mouthed.
"We know that you have found happiness in your relationship with Sue. We also know that you have been holding back in regards of moving the relationship to the next level because of our situation. And all three of us agree that that is the most ridiculous thing we have ever heard of. Nothing would make either of us happier than if you didn´t have to live alone or be alone. And we would really appreciate it if you didn´t have to cook for yourself." I looked him in the eyes and flashed a smile. Humor was always a good way of making Charlie relax and maybe even understand.
"What I´m trying to say is that we want you to be happy and if that means marrying Sue, then what are you waiting for?" I waited for him to answer, but he just looked stunned. I could still hear his heart beating so he wasn´t suffering from a heart attack. He didn´t move for the longest time.
I looked at Edward. I felt a déjà vu coming. And sure enough, Edward opened his mouth and said, "Give him a minute, love. He´ll be all right."
"But I… I thought that…" Charlie couldn´t speak coherently.
"I know what you thought, dad. But you thought wrong. I want you to feel the same kind of happiness that I feel every second of the day." I then remembered my plan to patch things up with Charlie and Edward. I took a quick glance at Edward.
"You see dad, I know a little about absence and living the life you think other people wants you to have. I also know how it feels to be alone." This sure wasn´t going to be easy but I really just wanted him to understand. I just hoped Edward would forgive me for bringing this up. I took a deep breath.
"I know that you blame Edward for leaving me that time. That was Edwards choice and I don´t agree with him, but I understand his reasons. I have told you this before, but it doesn´t seem like you fully understand."
Charlie looked like he was seeing me in Sam´s arms heartbroken once again. I needed him to understand now. I was sure Edward was hearing everything in Charlie´s head and I didn´t want that memory to haunt him yet again.
"You see, Edward left me because he loved me. More than anything he wanted to keep me safe. If he had known of any other possible way to keep me safe he would have chosen that one. He would have given anything to feel that he was able to stay with me. You may not know all the details of my life, but I think that you know enough to figure out what is was Edward was trying to safe me from."
Charlie´s head snapped up. He was about to object. He didn´t want to go into anything further than the need to know. Neither did I.
"As you know, Edward came back. I don´t have anything to forget Edward for, but it seems that you do. I would like it very much if you would let go of the anger and forgive him. His only crime was really that he loved me too much for his own good." I really hoped he listened and got the point. I looked at Edward; he had stopped breathing the minute I had started the story of him leaving me. He was remembering through Charlie´s eyes. I could see the pained look on his face.
To lighten the mood I said, "And now he´s stuck with me for eternity." I smiled at my husband.
"I´d take that sentence any day," Edward smiled back at me. Obviously he was letting the memories go. That was a relief.
"What happened in the past is in the past," I said. "Why don´t we just leave it there and look forward. Dad, if you love Sue and want to be with her, then go ahead. We really just want you to be happy. Besides leading Sue on like you´ve done isn´t really fair. Acknowledge your feelings dad. Come clean. For your sake and for Sue´s. Keeping things as they are when you both want more is just as bad as leaving your love and heart behind."
Charlie definitely didn´t want to be compared to Edward and the choice he made 6 years ago. I just needed a strong point to get through to him. It worked. He flinched at the thought of him hurting Sue in that way.
"Well Bells, it seems that I have been going around this in a bad way. Sue has been really great to me."
"Your happiness means the world to us," I said.
Charlie was blushing. He wasn´t comfortable discussing his feelings like this. "Thank you," he managed to say. "That means a lot to me."
"We´re just happy that you have found your purpose in life, like I have found my purpose in my life with your daughter," Edward chipped in. Always the diplomat my Edward.
"My purpose you say," Charlie was clearly thinking out loud. "Well kids, you have certainly given me something to think about."
"Good," I said smiling. Mission accomplished.
We stayed at Charlie´s for a couple of hours. Nessie had so many things she wanted to share with Charlie. They could talk for hours, or Nessie could and Charlie would listen. When Charlie looked like he needed a nap we got up, gave hugs and kisses and went home.
I was really happy to have had this conversation with Charlie. I just hoped he would make things right. Edward and I sat together on the loveseat in the main house. We hadn´t said much since we left Charlie´s.
Edward looked down at me. It looked like he was proud. "I love you," he whispered in my ear. "You really gave Charlie something to think about today. I wish you could have heard what he was thinking. Well at least in the beginning." Pain struck his face for the second time that day.
"I´m sorry, Edward. It just kills me to see that he hasn´t forgiven you yet. Especially since there´s nothing to forgive."
"I will not argue with you, love. Even though I don´t agree with you. I will leave the past behind and serve my´sentence`with you for all eternity with a smile on my face." Edward flashed his crooked smile and gently let his fingers brush down my back. I shivered at his touch. Desire was instantly the only thing on my mind so I leaned in to kiss him.
"Get a room you two, but please try not to break anything this time," Emmet laughed his booming laugh.
When Emmet turned his head away from us, Edward threw a pillow at him. It hit him smack in the back of his head.
Edward kissed me again ignoring his brothers swearing. With a flick of a motion he dodged the pillow thrown our way.
"Cheater," Emmet shouted. He was annoyed at the fact that he never caught Edward off guard.
"Let´s go home, love," Edward said in a low voice. "This place is clearly crowded and we have something we need to discus."
I was confused. I looked into his eyes but saw nothing but concern. That couldn´t be good.
Edward rolled his eyes and turned his head. Alice was starring him right in the eyes.
"Mind your own business, Alice," Edward said.
"Very well, don´t say I didn´t warn you though," Alice answered. She looked at me worried.
I looked back at Edward. What was going on?
"What is it Edward?" I said really annoyed that they still had those silent conversations.
"Not here," he answered. "Be patient, love."
Patient. Right.
Sorry for the cheesy chapter. I promise that more drama and suspense is on it´s way.
Please review and thank you for reading :)