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Chapter Sixteen

Meeting Again

EPOV

I heard Andrew Newton's thoughts just as I was about to enter my own classroom. As it had always been in Forks, I could not let Bella out of my site or the vultures would appear. I had been spotted by the teacher as I was about to walk in but I couldn't have cared less at that moment. I did an about face that would have left the room spinning if anyone had tried to keep their eyes on my movements. I went through the hallways at just slightly faster than my fastest human pace. I could hear Andrew's thoughts change as I approached. His nervousness and fear grew stronger. My Bella, she still hadn't learned that even when these human boys appeared to be nice, their thoughts were almost always less than pure.

I could see the relief in Bella's face when I appeared beside her. Newton changed his approach and subject quickly. His average intelligence had him convinced that I wouldn't understand or wouldn't see what his intentions were. Only if he had known. Listening to his thoughts were like listening to Jacob's early on in mine and Bella's relationship. I wanted to reach out and crush his head with one slight tap from fingertips but I knew that was impossible. I let him know indirectly by asking Bella if everything was okay. Her smile of course let me know she had things under control, which I had no doubt that she did, but I wasn't going to let this descendant of my frustrations many years ago the pleasure of thinking he had pulled one over on Edward Cullen.

As our conversation begin to end, Andrew's thoughts were reaching in any direction to try to keep Bella standing there. I wasn't about to leave her side and he could sense it, but he was still hopeful. No matter how much she showed no interest and even turned away his proposition of a date, Andrew proved once again the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, he was more like Mike than I had imagined. His thoughts then roamed to an elderly lady that was vaguely familiar. Her face was older, wrinkled, hair was a gray-silver color. I couldn't place the person, but I knew it was someone I had met at some point some time ago. Then before he formed his words, I heard his memory of the day his grandfather saw Bella and I. His grandfather had argued the entire journey home with Andrew that Edward and I were the people he knew from long ago and that something was going on that he couldn't explain. Andrew had laughed and had tried to gently tell his grandfather that he was confused and that what he was saying wasn't possible. The two people he had just saw were teenagers. Mike Newton told his grandson to not speak to him in such a way and that something supernatural was going on. Andrew, of course, was chalking up Mike's feelings and beliefs toward his medical condition. This angered Mike Newton even more with his grandson. He demanded his grandson's phone and then he dialed. I could hear the one side of the phone conversation that Andrew was hearing. Mike Newton had called Angela, the one girl who had been a true friend to Bella. Angela and Mike were still friends. From the one side of the conversation I could hear, Angela had also thought Mike crazy and had told him that Bella did marry Edward and that this Bella he had saw today was probably a descendent. Mike tried to argue that it was the same Bella and the same Edward and that neither of us had aged. Angela must have dismissed herself because that was the end of Mike's memory.

As Andrew recollected his drive with his grandfather and our short conversation and interaction with his grandfather, I could see where he was about to take this conversation. I wanted to get Bella out of there as fast as I could. I tried to lead her away but I could feel it coming. Andrew was grasping at straws and then he did it. I did not want Bella to know that Angela still existed here. I hadn't known until I heard Andrew's thoughts, but I knew that my wife had already held a lot of guilt because she had not stayed in touch with her one true friend. Knowing that she was still alive, I knew Bella would want to see her, and that to me, was an idea that I did not relish. I liked Angela just fine, she had one of the nicest minds to listen to, but I didn't want Bella to expose herself and the rest of us in this matter. What if Angela and Mike talked it over and begun to believe what they were seeing?

Bella and I stood in the hallway after Andrew dropped the news that Angela was still alive. There was no other Angela's in our class that had been friends with us and Mike Newton. It had to be the one and the same. And once I had heard Andrew's thoughts and saw the vision of this Angela, I knew it was her. I would not deny this was the same Angela to Bella, but I hated having to confront the situation at hand. I led Bella outside after Andrew walked away. I had already ditched my class to find Bella and the bell had already rang. An absence from a class wasn't much different than having a tardy to the same class. Bella didn't speak until we sat down in the car. "Bella, love," I began. "I saw her in his visions. It is Angela Weber."

Bella looked at me, her expression was grim. "Edward, I wasn't a very good friend to her in the end," she started. "I would like to see her, not as Bella Swan of course, but Bella Swan's granddaughter."

I thought for a few moments, trying to think of a way around this. I knew that wasn't going to happen. If I didn't agree to go with Bella, then she would find a way to go alone and I couldn't have that. I would need to be there, listen to thoughts, know what Angela's real reaction would be. Knowing Angela, she would greet us warmly and would not speak her true thoughts. I had always known Angela to have the purest thoughts, the kindest mind, but could have all these years changed Angela from the person that I knew she was and the person that my wife loved her for being? We would have to see. "Love, we don't know where she is, I couldn't get that information from Newton's thoughts. But if you must, I will have Jasper use his contacts to locate her. We will have to do some investigating as we don't know if Angela got married, what her new name would be. But if that is what you want, I will work on it. And I will accompany you, I will need to be there."

Bella agreed and that afternoon, I spoke with Jasper about locating the once Angela Weber. I knew that with Jasper's contacts, it would be more than likely that he would find her. And I was right. Within two days, Jasper had came back to me with all the information Bella and I would need to find Angela. Angela was no longer Angela Weber, but Angela Weber-Crowley, she had married Tyler. I had a hard time swallowing that pill. Angela had married the boy who's inability to navigate his van on ice, had almost caused me to expose my family as to what we are. His negligence had almost killed Bella and there had been no way around my saving her. I couldn't have let anything happen to the creature that became my reason for existing.

It had taken a few days for Bella to be ready to go see Angela. During that time, I discussed with Carlisle what we were planning to do and how to proceed. And now, here we sat, in front of the home where she resided less than a quarter of a mile from what had once been the Swan home. My love sat in the seat next to me, stiff and not moving. Her eyes showing the excitement of seeing an old human friend from her past but signs of weariness and hesitation. "Love, if you don't think you are up for it," I started, with hope that perhaps she had changed her mind.

Bella's eyes shifted and her body relaxed. She looked to me and nodded, "No, Edward," she spoke. "I'm ready. I can handle it. I want to know how her life turned out. That she has had a great life, a life she deserves. I got all that I could want and more from you and our children, and I hope she got the same."

I reached across the seat and gave my wife's hand a reassuring squeeze. I opened the car door and walked to the other side to help my wife from the car. Bella had finally obliged me after about fifty years and allowed me to be the gentleman my mother had raised me to. I brought my hand around her waist and placed it on the small of her back as we took the steps to the door of Angela's home. I rang the doorbell and we waited. It had been several seconds and the door open. "Can I help you?" asked a middle-aged woman. She looked suspiciously between Bella and I.

Two teenagers. What can they want? Whatever they are selling, we aren't buying. I almost chuckled at her thoughts. We weren't selling anything, and the vampire venom we could offer wouldn't be something she wanted. "Hello, Ma'am," I greeted her. "My name is Edward Cullen, and this is my sister, Isabella. We would like to speak with Angela Weber-Crowley if possible, ma'am."

At least he is polite, and quite handsome, too. I smiled as the lady had her thoughts. "I'm Emily Crowley, Angela's daughter. What business do you have with my mother?" These two look vaguely familiar to me. I wonder why.

Before I could answer, Bella spoke, "Ms. Crowley, Angela was a friend of my grandmother's. Uh, I'm adopted, and I am looking to learn as much as I can about my family history." Bella broke off for a moment and looked to me for some reassurance to proceed. I nodded, knowing Angela's daughter was waiting for some answers. "My mother was young when she passed away, so there's not much to find out about her. And my grandmother left my siblings and I the Swan home just down the road. I would like to learn more about my grandmother if your mom is up to it."

Angela's daughter eyed us once again suspiciously. "And how do you know that my mother knew your grandmother?" Ah, yes, Bella Swan. I remember now. This young lady looks very much like the Isabella in her photo albums.

"Well, a schoolmate of ours, Andrew Newton, his grandfather told us," I generically added. "We spoke with him, Mr. Mike Newton, briefly a week or so ago, and he told us that your mother was a friend to Bella's grandmother."

They seem like good enough kids. Very well spoken. They must have a nice education. No harm? "Well, my mother is sitting in the living room, and I am about to step out," she affirmed. "If she starts to tire, I ask that you please leave her be. She's in great shape for her age, almost ninety. But she tires quickly."

"Oh, of course," Bella exclaimed. I could see that she was getting more antsy by the minute. Bella was never one with patience. I could easily recollect all the times she had grew impatient about my protecting our virtues. "We wouldn't be a bother, I give you my word. Our word."

"Of course, dear," Angela's daughter answered. "Just go straight through, make a right. I'm going to go speak to her first then I will be out of your way." Bella and I stood in the foyer while Angela's daughter darted off to speak to her mother. Mother, there are two kids here wanting to speak to you about an old friend of your's from school. One of them looks very much like your friend, different, but quite like her. Are you okay with that? I heard Angela's muffled yes and her daughter reappeared moments later in front of us. "She will speak to you. Enjoy your talk but remember, if she starts tiring, please leave."

We watched as Angela's daughter exited the house. Seeing her outside showed her age more. She was probably ten years younger than Nessie, but if you had put the two of them side by side, you would believe that Renesmee was her granddaughter, not her peer. Bella and I walked into the living room and the elderly Angela turned toward us. "Oh my, I see what Mike meant now," she spoke.