Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. I own Dodge and Burn.
Much love and thanks to Editor Azucena , Pre-readers BtwntheStacks and Lemonmartinis and Beta-MsKathy-all wonderful women.
Thank you for the heartfelt reviews for the last chapter. I was truly honored by your response whether you sided with Edward, with Bella, or with both of them. Writing this story has been joyful and emotional, but also painful for me. Your encouragement has made me feel like it's been worth the effort.
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Dodge and Burn / Chapter Eighteen / Own it Like a Champ
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After Edward leaves, Bella wanders from room to room searching for something indefinable. Strangely thirsty, she keeps drinking water but her thirst is never quenched. Every part of her feels hollow and parched.
The heartbreak's consuming her. She's stunned by how quickly her and Edward's brilliant green go-light changed to ugly red. Her mind whirls and spins with thoughts both irrational and sound. Pressing her palms to her forehead, she listens to her breaths and tries to slow down her thoughts.
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Before dawn breaks, she desperately hunts for the lingering scent of Edward, proof that he'd ever been there with her. A skittish animal on the prowl, she crawls into her bed where he slept last, and aches as she clutches the sheets. Later, she wanders into the living room and presses herself into the couch cushions, but with each crushing hold, his essence fades a bit more.
Hoping he's back in his loft apartment, she thinks about getting into her car to go to him. Would she discover him sleeping dreamlessly in his bed next to the big painting? It occurs to her that they never made love in that bed, and now they never will.
Bella imagines the future. When he finally brings another woman home to love, will Bella's tiny painting still be on his bedside table? Will her colorful flags still be draped across his room? She curls into herself and wails until she has no voice. Hours pass.
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She opens her eyes to brighter light and can't remember when she's felt this kind of pain, a shattering of sharp and jagged pieces. She curses the pill bottle lazily perched on the mantle, damns her legacy of rotting minds, and regrets her absolute resolve that forced a chasm to split between them.
There can be no bridge over this divide. In the dark hour he cannot be left, and she cannot stay.
She mourns that they never shared a bottle of wine on the patio at the Villa Eugenia. They had so many plans. She teased she was going to take a picture of him leaning sideways, mimicking the Tower of Pisa behind him. They had lingered together studying their villa on the website, marveling at everything from the home's secret garden to the old cast iron tub.
He pledged that right before she left to meet Leo, he'd bathe her in that tub then make love to her on the grand canopy bed. He wanted his scent all over her, and her lips swollen with his kisses. He wanted the man from her past to know she belonged to him now.
She loved him for that.
Going to Italy with him felt like a glorious dream. Now she knows it was, and dreams don't always come true.
The irony does not escape her that the one time she wishes she could forget everything, each memory with him is ultra-clear and high definition. There's no forgetting a single moment with Edward Cullen.
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At eight-thirty in the morning her phone rings, and she's startled out of her haze. Her heart drops when she sees it's Leah instead of Edward, but she picks up the phone and tries to focus.
"Hey Leah," she says softly.
"Are you okay, Bella? You sound like crap."
Bella knows she doesn't have it in her to explain anything yet, so she lies.
"No, …not so good today. My stomach's upset. I didn't sleep."
"Oh, that sucks—probably something you ate. So we better cancel our workout this morning. Do you have stuff to take?"
Bella remembers she has a shoot this afternoon and realizes it's the perfect chance to ask for help. Leah's girlfriend, Maria, has assisted her on shoots before and she's the rock Bella can lean on to get through the session.
"Yeah, but I've got a problem though. I have a shoot this afternoon I really can't cancel. Do you think there's any way Maria could come by and help?"
"I bet she can. She's been painting a mural in Venice, but I think she couldn't do it today because of some event going on. I'll ask her to give you a call as soon as she's out of the shower."
When they hang up Bella rests her cheek on the kitchen counter finding relief in the smooth, cool surface. She understands that life will go on, work must be done, bills must be paid, even if this moment, this day, this week will be agony to get through. She must get through it.
She thinks about starless nights, and the violent storm of the longing and regret that lies ahead.
She prays she'll be brave and strong.
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..~*~..
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Edward slides into the booth and pulls off his sunglasses to glance at the menu. Every movement exhausts him. Reminded of his lack of appetite, he pushes the menu away again.
Alice looks at him with a curious expression. "Where's Bella?" She asks.
Just the mention of her name fires up his fury again. He knows his level of anger towards Bella is irrational, but it feels better than the sinking sadness he wallowed in when Lauren left. He grits his teeth and tries to push the wave down as he decides how to respond to Alice.
Jasper nods. "I thought you said she was coming?"
"I did, but she's not." He picks up the menu again and pretends to study the selections.
"She's not?" Alice asks, her irritating intuitive sense firing up.
"Nope." Edward answers, lifting the menu higher.
Alice reaches over and pulls the menu down. "What's going on, Edward?"
He lets out a long sigh. "We broke up."
"What the fuck?" Jasper says too loudly. "No way."
"Yes, way," Edward says in a low voice. "Can we talk about something else now?"
Alice gives Jasper one of those shut up and let me handle this looks.
She smoothes her hands over the wooden tabletop and looks up at Edward with gentle eyes. "What happened?"
He shrugs unconvincingly. "We had a fight."
"You had a fight?"
"Yes," he says, studying the menu.
"What aren't you telling me?" Alice asks.
"How are the fish tacos?" Edward asks randomly, ignoring her probing.
"Come on, Edward," she says, frustrated.
"What?"
"This is crazy talk. Did you do something stupid?"
"Thanks, Alice. I appreciate your faith in me."
"You two have something special, Edward. I'm sure whatever you think is broken can be fixed. If you say you're sorry…she'll come back to you."
Edward shakes his head then lets it drop.
"No," he says softly.
"How do you know that for certain?" Alice asks.
"I broke up with her," he admits.
"What?" Jasper gasps before Alice elbows him.
"Why, Edward? Why'd you break up with her?"
He leans forward, pressing his fingers hard into his knees. "You know that thing people do? When someone says they're going to leave you, and so you break up with them first?" He leans back again. "Yeah, it was kind-of like that."
Alice looks upset. "What makes you think she's going to leave you? She's crazy about you. Anyone can see that."
"It's not something I imagined. She told me she was going to leave me. Believe me, she was very clear about it."
"Whoa, that sucks, man," Jasper commiserates.
Alice doesn't look convinced. "Are you sure? That just doesn't make sense to me. What reason did she give for why she'd leave you?"
Edward rubs his hands roughly over his face. "Look, I appreciate your guys' concern, but I really don't want to talk about this right now. Can we just talk about the event? It will help me to focus on something else for a few minutes. Okay?"
Alice opens up her folder and pulls out the list. "All right, but I'm here when you're ready to talk. Okay?" She gives him a look like she means business.
"Okay." Edward nods, realizing it's a good thing she's backing off. He's having enough trouble managing his anger without letting it out for his friends to see.
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..~*~..
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"You okay, Bella boo?" Maria asks sweetly, catching Bella gazing out the window.
Bella turns and smiles at her friend. It's the second day Maria has helped her, and she's hoping she can work on her shoots all week. She finds Maria's presence grounding and quietly supportive. It's the only thing that has gotten her through these painful portrait sessions of couples that are madly in love.
Bella steps away from the window. "I'm sorry I'm not myself, Maria. I've got some stuff going on that I need to make peace with."
"I figured something was up," Maria agrees. "You're normally so upbeat and focused when you shoot."
"Do you think the clients have noticed?" Bella asks, concerned.
"Nah, I just know you. Don't worry, you've come off very professional."
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..~*~..
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Three miles away, Edward is not at peace either.
His face is twisted with rage. The sweat trails down his neck and back as he works his body. He fights exhaustion and the ache of his muscles as he pushes on.
The punching bag at his gym becomes his victim. He pummels it, wondering why happiness has deserted him again. All he wanted was a partner, a good woman to walk through the good and bad parts of life with. He wanted someone who would stay by his side, not stray or gut him with dramatic intentions.
Is that really too fucking much to ask?
With each slam of the fist against the dense surface, there's a release, but then a kickback as new thoughts take shape. It's like trying to put out a fire when the devil is lighting one match after another. He finally gives up and heads to the shower.
He wonders if he will ever trust a woman again.
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..~*~..
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When the equipment is put away, Maria gathers up the film to drop off at the lab. She tries to convince Bella to join her and Leah for dinner and a movie.
"Come on, Bella. We're seeing The Kids are All Right. It's been a fantasy of mine to see Julianne Moore as a lesbian. Don't you want to be there with me when my dreams come true?" Maria teases.
"You have a thing for Julianne Moore?" Bella asks, surprised.
"Yeah, don't tell Leah but I've always had a thing for redheads with freckles. I could just eat her up."
"Yeah, you can bet I'm not telling Leah that. She's a little possessive you know."
"A little?" Maria laughs. "I found out from my ex-, Jessica, that Leah had post-returned the birthday card she sent me with 'fuck off' scrawled across the back."
Bella's eyes get wide. "Really?"
Maria laughs. "Yeah, really. Actually I thought that was really hot. Damn, I love that woman when she's possessive. It makes me wild."
"Well, as entertaining as you two are, I'm in for the night. But next time, …okay?"
"Sure, Bella," Maria says softly as she hugs her goodbye and heads out.
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Back in the house, Bella notices a new piece of mail on the floor by the front door. She picks up the unmarked manila envelope and slowly walks over to the couch to sit down. She can't help but fear whatever is inside.
"Oh, Edward," she says softly.
She's sure this is from him and it pains her to realize he may have been on her doorstep only moments ago, but didn't want to see her.
She holds the envelope on her lap and runs her hands over it. She wishes she could pull open the flap and find hope.
She wishes they could go back in time to a week ago and redo everything.
When she reaches inside, the only thing she pulls out is a bunch of computer print-outs. Everything is wrinkled from being hastily stuffed into the envelope. On top, she finds her plane ticket confirmation to Italy with the printed barcode. She searches through the rest of the pile but his ticket is missing. Next is a confirmation on the car rental to be picked up at the Florence airport. At the bottom are a series of sheets about the villa and local information that the agent included. The agent's name, email and phone number are circled in red on one of the pages.
She flips through the stack several times and then examines the envelope again to see if there was any kind of a note, but comes up empty handed. She closes her eyes and presses the papers to her chest. Logically she knew he wouldn't be coming to Italy, but there was a part of her that hadn't given up hope. The trip's in a week. He must've felt like decisions had to be made.
She sinks back into the couch and lets the tears fall.
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..~*~..
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Late that night Edward's phone rings. He looks at the clock and shakes his head. It could only be one person and he's not sure he can handle hearing her voice. He contemplates leaving the room so he doesn't listen if she leaves a message, but he's weighted to the chair with curiosity.
He closes his eyes nervously when his voice comes on, informing the caller to leave a message. Taking a deep, ragged breath, he waits for the beep.
"Edward, it's Bella." There's a pause. "Um, I got the Italy stuff."
He squeezes his eyes tight. She sounds broken, not the irreverent woman he fell in love with. Despite his anger, his heart constricts in his chest.
"I guess I knew you wouldn't want to go to Italy—I mean you made it pretty clear you don't want to see me anymore. I think I just hoped…"
She hoped? Does she even begin to understand what her unbending decision has done to him?
"I mean, I was so excited about going there with you and this is so hard. I'm just really, really sad."
She pauses and clears her throat. He realizes how uncomfortable she must feel. It's excruciating for him to even listen to.
"So, you must be out or you don't want to talk to me. Either way I hope you're doing okay. "
He shakes his head. No, I'm not doing okay, Bella. Not even close.
She painfully continues, her voice full of pain.
"I just want to ask a favor since I'm going to pay you back for all of this. Do you think there's any way you could cancel the villa? I'm sending you a check for the plane ticket tomorrow, but the villa is really expensive for just me. And honestly, I think I'd just be too sad to stay there since we picked it out and planned being there together. I'd rather just find a little room in the town to stay where I'm around other people. I think that would be better for me right now."
When she continues to talk her voice is uneven as if she's started to cry.
"Well, anyway. Could you let me know about that? I'd really appreciate it. If you don't want to talk to me, just leave a message on my cell phone. I'll turn the ringer off.
"Okay. Thanks, Edward. Take care of yourself."
He listens to her hang up and the whirl of the old-fashioned answering machine as it stores the message. For a moment, his anger fades and he aches all over for her.
He paces back and forth across his living room before stopping to pour himself a drink. He wonders why every hour feels twice as long since they parted. Worrying how he will ever feel right without her, he gets angry all over again. He picks up the phone.
She answers it after the second ring.
"Hey, Edward", she says softly.
"Hey," he responds, taken aback since she said she wouldn't pick up. If he'd known she was answering he would've been more prepared. He's suddenly without words.
She helps him along. "Don't be mad I picked up. It was instinctive. So did you get my message?"
"Yeah. I did." He sighs. "Listen, it's too late to cancel the villa. The cut-off for cancellations was two weeks ago. So just use it, and don't worry about it…the money part I mean."
"But I can't," she protests.
"I said I would pay for it, Isabella."
She bristles from how irritated he sounds.
"But that's the point. I don't want you to pay for it and I don't want to stay there without you."
He wishes she'd thought of that before she pushed him off a cliff. He's pent up and his response comes from an ugly place. He can't seem to help himself.
"Why? Are you going to stay with Leo now that I'm out of the picture?"
There's a long pause and he wonders if she's hung up, but she suddenly speaks up.
"How in the world can you ask me that? Is that what you want me to do?"
"I really don't care." He responds immediately, not considering how cruel the words are. Not acknowledging to himself how much he really does care.
"You don't care? Really?"
"No, I don't. Feel free to do whatever you want with Leonard. It's really none of my concern now."
"Wow." She gasps. "Just like that, huh?"
"What do you want me to say, Isabella?"
"I don't know, …but not that. You have one cold heart, Mr. Cullen."
"Don't call me that," he says darkly.
There's a long pause.
"Can I ask you a question?" She asks.
"What?" He responds with a clip.
"When Lauren cheated on you, were you this angry? Did you talk to her like this?"
"What's your point?"
"And when your mom and dad died, did you become this angry man?"
"This is different, and I can't imagine why you'd think they'd compare."
"Maybe I think that because I'm getting mad, too. I didn't cheat on you, Edward. With all respect to your dad, I didn't send you out for a concert then take pills to end my life. Yet you're treating me like I've done worse. …Like I'm some horrible person you can barely tolerate. Has it occurred to you that your rage is misplaced and I don't deserve the brunt of it?"
The volume of her voice had been building, but suddenly it drops again as she speaks quietly into the phone.
"You found something very personal of mine, a pill bottle that was something I did several years ago. It was created out of tremendous pain and loss, …my way of coping with the fear that was taking over my life."
"My point is that I didn't do this to you, Edward. We would have discussed it eventually, but we were both broadsided when you found that bottle."
"You can say that again," he responds, sounding irritated.
"You know what? I deserve better than this. I expected more from you. I've loved you with my whole heart and to hear that you don't care what I do now is more than I can take."
"I expected more from you too, Isabella."
"Yes, I get that. You know what, though? I don't think you've really listened to anything I've said."
She lets out a frustrated groan.
"Uhhh! Okay, then, Edward. I'm going to go and deal with my anger so I can let it go. I'm going to live my best life and I hope for your sake that you figure out how to live yours."
She hangs up quickly, not waiting for him to respond.
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He sits stunned for several minutes and replays the conversation in his head over and over. With their connection severed, a sickening feeling slowly starts to come over him. Somewhere inside it gnaws at him that there was some truth to what she said. Maybe his anger is displaced.
It also hits him that he has no idea how he's going to live his best life without her.
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..~*~..
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The towering stacks of CD's tumble around her as Bella frantically digs for what she's searching for. She's oblivious to the CD cases crashing to the floor, her focus laser sharp until she gathers some of the punk and hard rock titles of her youth that she was looking for. She pumps her free arm upwards in victory.
Her fingers shake as she fires up the stereo and lets the pounding music fill her home with fury. The bass is so loud the floor's vibrating. Bella stands with her fists clenched, letting the anger roll through her. The rage behind the music is just what she needs.
Bella cranks up the stereo and storms around the house yelling whatever words she remembers. When her throat starts to ache and her body gets weary, she marches into the kitchen and pours a tall glass of wine. Next she grabs a stack of paper and a black Sharpie marker. She parks herself at the kitchen table and angrily starts writing down her thoughts in bold black letters. The words tumble out of her in a fit of fury.
As the level of wine in her glass gets lower the sentiments get more hostile. Bella feels like a jilted middle school girl and her dramatic declarations feel strangely satisfying. Eventually, the rage settles enough that she decides to wrap things up.
She pours another glass of wine and decides to make a final affirmation, all in caps.
I AM WONDERFUL AND DESERVE TO BE TREATED WELL.
I ACCEPT NOTHING LESS THAN TRUE LOVE AND RESPECT.
I WILL NEVER GIVE UP LIVING MY BEST LIFE.
I WILL LIVE EVERY DAY WITH JOY IN MY HEART.
She snaps the cap back on the Sharpie, gathers up her papers and wine glass, and heads to the backyard.
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The night air is surprisingly brisk, but when she lights up the fire pit the warmth is soothing. She pulls her chair up close and gazes into the seductive dance of the flames. Taking another long sip of wine, she settles into the warm fuzziness moving through her veins.
This is good. This is what I need, she thinks. She feels proud that she's taking care of herself.
Starting at the bottom of the pile, one by one, Bella wads up the sheets of angry words and feeds them to the fire. Each toss is made with a ceremonious flourish. She smiles as she sees the words burn to ashes and then skitter their way around the fire. Some of the most delicate ashes float up into the night sky with the smoke.
When she wads up the last paper full of anger, she speaks out loud. "I release this anger. …I'm letting you go now, Edward." She gently drops the while ball of paper and watches it burn.
As she finishes up her wine, she stretches her legs out and sighs.
"I'm going to be okay. I'm tough. Tomorrow, I begin again," she whispers. Her eyes well up with tears, but she brushes them away with determination.
She takes the final paper, …her positive affirmation, her mantra, the words that will get her through, and she gently lays it uncrushed over the flames. She watches the paper curl and yellow as the edges sizzle with flames. She rests her hand over her chest and seals the words into heart before they disappear.
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The next morning, Bella's eyes pop open and she sits up with a start. She immediately wonders about Edward and starts to feel the now familiar anguish, but then pushes the thought of him out of her head. Her resolve fired up from last night's ritual, she jumps out of bed.
As she showers and pulls on her clothes, she wonders what to do today. It's the first free day she's had since her parting with Edward, …and she has no shoots, no appointments, …just nothing but time. She decides to make the most of it. She knows it's the first step in starting to heal.
She decides to go with the first random thought that crosses her mind.
Sunscreen applied, she has a bottle of water, and wallet stocked with cash as she barrels out the front door. Her neighbor, Lisa, is getting in her car to go to work when Bella waves to her.
"Hey, Bella, how are things?"
"I'm great," Bella says happily. "Hey, do you know if the buses on Vine continue down to Rossmore?"
"The buses?" Lisa asks, confused. "Is there something wrong with your car?"
"No, I thought I'd try something new this morning and I need to get up to the subway station on Hollywood Boulevard."
"Really?" Lisa asks, surprised. No one she knows would take the bus or L.A. subway unless under duress and clearly Bella is pleased about the prospect. "Look, I'm heading to the valley for a meeting. You want me to drop you off at the subway station?"
"Oh, that would be lovely! Thanks so much."
When they' are buckled up and heading north, Lisa turns to Bella. "So where are you taking the subway to?"
"I'm going to get off at Union Station. You see, I woke up with the most intense craving for a fresh churro and café de olla for breakfast and I thought what better place than Olvera Street! It's right across the street from Union Station, and there's a subway station there. I thought, why not take the bus too? What an adventure!"
Lisa looks at Bella with a startled glance. "You're taking the subway all the way to Olvera Street for a churro for breakfast?"
"Sure am! Do you want to join me?"
Lisa laughs. "No, I'm afraid I'll have to pass, but maybe next time." She shakes her head. "Really, Bella, you're such a kick!"
Bella smiles. "I suppose I am," she agrees.
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..~*~..
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Bella grins on the subway ride, marveling at the range of people. She wonders where each person is going and what they're thinking about. The whole experience is fascinating to her since, like most Angelenos, she usually drives everywhere.
Once on Olvera Street, she wanders among the vendors as they set up their stands full of knick knacks and Mexican treats. When she sees the colorful Mexican banners strung across the first of many booths, she thinks about Edward and feels a swell of sadness, but she soldiers on until she finds her favorite little bakery.
Her warm churro and café de olla in hand, Bella finds a bench to sit and have her breakfast. She takes a bite of her treat and closes her eyes, grinning at the heavenly explosion of flavor and texture in her mouth.
She swings her feet under the bench and watches people walk by. Sitting under the dappled light of the large oak tree, she's so happy to be surrounded by all the bright colors and to reminisce, recognizing how little Olvera Street has changed since her mother brought her here as a girl.
When her morning treat is finished, she brushes off her lap and gathers her belongings. As she licks the sugar dusting off her lips, she slowly wanders down the main aisle of vendors selling goods. The idea occurs to her that she should buy something special.
Noticing Bella's interest, one of the clothing vendors draws her into her booth and urges Bella to try on one of the white tops with the elaborate colorful embroidery that wraps around the shoulders. Bella runs her fingers over the thick needlework of birds, leaves and flowers, and stands in front of the small mirror the shopkeeper holds up, admiring the garment so filled with light and happiness. She smiles and nods at the hopeful woman and pulls out her wallet.
Her final act before she leaves Olvera Street is to stop at a souvenir vendor and choose some of the little animals figurines to purchase, because they happily remind her of past visits with her mom and Jacob. After paying, she tenderly slides the bag into her purse, and with a contented sigh starts along the path leading towards Union Station to catch the subway home.
As she approaches the impressive building, she looks at her watch and realizes it's still early morning.
Why not spend some time strolling through the train station?
She heads into the dramatic main hall of the station as travelers buzz around her. In the grand hall, she soaks in the Mission style Spanish design bathed in a soft amber light. She settles into a leather seat and sits, just allowing herself to experience all the sensations of this historic landmark place that has seen so many people pass through it.
Everyone seems to walk by with great intention. They must all have places to go and people to see, such a contrast to Bella who isn't even sure why she's sitting there. Something about their nervous energy starts to get to her, and she begins to question her motivations. Suddenly reality presses down on her, and she gets uncomfortable.
What's she doing anyway? Creating distractions for herself isn't going to heal her or make the pain go away. It's not going to change the fact that under all this anger-fueled bravado, she misses Edward desperately.
Her spirits start to sink, and as she chews her thumbnail, she attempts to calm down by taking deep breaths. After the third breath she remembers how her mother used to recite the serenity prayer to her when she got worked up as a young girl. She begins to chant a modified version of it in her head…
God grant me the serenity, to accept the things I cannot change…like Edward,…the courage to change the things I can, certainly telling Leo that Jacob is his son would be good for that one…and the wisdom, and what little common sense I have, to know the difference.
She might be a bit short on common sense today, but surely it was wise for her to get out of the house and do something fun. She feels calmer already.
Moments later, she's startled by the booming voice over the loudspeaker.
Five-Seventy-Eight Southbound to San Diego with stops in Long Beach, Irvine, San Clemente, and Oceanside will be boarding in fifteen minutes.
As each destination is called out it stirs up the wanderlust in Bella, the carefree feeling that there are so many wonderful places to explore. Yes, some as far as Italy, but some just in her backyard. It occurs to her that she should do more exploring. She hasn't gone to Laguna Beach to see Pageant of the Masters in years. …Why not? Why hasn't she visited Balboa Park in San Diego, or the fantastic zoo there? What's stopping her today from embarking on a bigger adventure?
Does she have the courage to do something this bold?
Bella suddenly jumps up and rushes down the aisle towards the ticket booths. She isn't even sure what has come over her, and she doesn't care. It may be the lingering sugar high, but it just sounds so exciting to get on a train without a plan.
She's flushed when she hurries up to the open window.
"I'd like a ticket for the train soon leaving for San Diego, please!"
The older Hispanic man with silver hair and a tired expression never takes his eyes off the screen. "One way or round trip?"
"Gee, I guess round trip. Yes, that makes sense. I'll have to come back now, won't I?"
The man pushes up his cap and studies her. When he realizes how excited she is, the edges of his lips curl up and his kind eyes twinkle.
"That's how it usually works. What time are you returning?" He edges a schedule in front of her and points to the line listing the times.
"Oh, I have no idea." She laughs and shakes her head. "I don't have a plan." Noticing a travel display next to her, she randomly grabs a few brochures.
He raises his eyebrows.
She imagines he's trying to size her up to see if she if she's teasing him. She looks down at his name tag.
"I'll tell you what, Jose. I think I'll just buy a one way and then figure the rest out later. Okay?"
He shrugs and chuckles. "It's your dime, mi amiga. It costs more to do it that way, but that's up to you."
"That's fine. Can I ask one other question? Can I get off at any stop, or is this an express train?"
"Well, where do you want to get off?" He asks patiently.
"I'm not sure yet. Isn't that wonderful? I'm going on an adventure, Jose!"
"An adventure?" He laughs then looks at his watch. "I can't remember when I've had someone other than a kid so excited to take the train. I like you, senora. Okay, Ms., what's your name anyway?"
"Bella," she says, grinning.
He grins back, as he takes her credit card. "Okay Ms. Bella, you go have yourself an adventure."
He hands her the credit card slip to sign and then her ticket. He pushes his glasses up his nose and then points with an encouraging smile. "Okay, head down that way to track eight. Hurry now."
She bounces on the balls of her feet as she zips up her purse. "Thank you!"
"You know something, Ms. Bella. If I were twenty years younger, I'd throw this cap down and come join you. Well, except my wife wouldn't like that much."
"Oh don't let twenty years stop you, Jose. Grab that wife of yours and take her on an adventure, too. You'll be glad you did!"
"Maybe I will!" He calls out to her with a wave as she starts rushing down the aisle.
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Bella plops down in her seat just as the final whistle blows. Her heart's pounding watching the scenery start to slowly shift. As they pull out of the gritty Los Angeles train yards towards the California coastline, she's electrified. She claps her hands together and gives herself an inner cheer.
Today is her day. She's going to own it like a champ. She has no idea where's she's going, or what's going to happen, but there's one thing she does know…it's going to be great.
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abbie
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