Chapter 39: Mothers Plans
The days went by since James's attack. Since then, James was in prison for his crimes. Ever since then, Emmett and Bella were trying to get their lives back on track. They had moved to another house in Seattle and everything slowly began to go back to normal.
Bella was sitting in the living room playing with her children when Emmett knocked on the door. "Hey babe," he said smiling.
"Hey," she answered, standing up.
Emmett held her hand, helping her up off the floor. "I want to take you somewhere before the game Friday," he told her.
"Where?" she asked.
"That's a surprise," he replied.
"Emmett please, no more surprises," she insisted.
"Please Gorgeous, come on," he insisted.
Sighing, she shook her head slowly. "Alright," she answered. Emmett kissed his wife's forehead.
After Esme picked up the twins, Emmett and Bella were on a flight, but Emmett made sure Bella had no idea where they were going. During the flight, Bella fell asleep, her head resting on her husband's shoulder. Emmett stroked her hair, kissing the top of her head while looking out her window.
When the plane landed, Emmett woke her up. "We're here Gorgeous," he whispered. Bella got up and looked around.
"Where are we?" she asked.
"You'll see," he replied.
Holding her hand, they got off the plane and went to baggage claim. Bella looked around and felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach; she saw the sign of where they were. "You okay?" he asked. Bella bit her lower lip.
"You brought me home," she whispered with tears in her eyes.
Emmett hugged her gently. "You brought me home," she repeated with tears falling down her face.
"I know how much you wanted to go back home," he murmured.
She nodded her head slowly, sniffling. "Come on," he whispered. He held her hand as they left the airport.
Emmett smiled as their rental pulled up to the front. "Here babe," he told her, tossing her the keys.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"You're driving," he replied.
Bella smiled as she climbed into the driver's side of the car. Emmett got into the car and she drove off. "Where do we go?" she asked.
"Anywhere you want to go babe," he answered.
She bit her lower lip. "There's one place I want to go," she murmured.
"Wherever," he assured her.
Nodding she drove off down the street.
After awhile, Bella pulled up to a cemetery. Biting her lower lip, they got out of the car. She held onto Emmett's hand as they walked up the steps. "I haven't been here since I was five," she murmured. Swallowing hard, she pushed her hair from her eyes.
"You going to be okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, I think so," she replied.
She let out a sigh when she went down a path. "I think…" she started. Suddenly she nodded her head, pulling him down on of the grave aisles. "She's here," she told him. They stopped in front of a gravestone.
Renee Sarah Higgenbotham
May 16th, 1967-October 6th, 1992
Loving daughter, mother, and friend
Rest in Peace
Bella bit her lower lip as she kneeled down by the gravestone, picking off the weeds and grass that had grown over the years. "Hi mom," she said quietly. Biting her lower lip, she looked at the very faded picture that was on the top of the headstone. "Been awhile since anyone's been here huh? Did gran…" she started when she saw her grandmother's headstone right next to Renee's. Biting her lower lip she let out a deep breath, her head lowered. Emmett was behind her, resting his hand on her shoulder. "I miss you mom," she said quietly.
Emmett kissed the back of his wife's neck, closing his eyes. He hated that she was in pain. He wished there was something to do to take the pain that James gave her when he murdered Renee. Bella sniffled, swallowing hard. "Guess what mom…I got married and you're a grandma. I had a baby boy his name is Liam, and a baby girl, her name is Alana Renee. I named her after you and my husband's mom. Mom, I brought him with me," she spoke to the grave. She let out a sad sigh when nothing but silence answered her. "I wish you were still here, I wish that accident hadn't happened," she whispered.
Bella swallowed hard, lowering her head. "I wish you could see Liam and Alana, they're getting so big, so fast," she whispered. Emmett moved his hand over her back, trying to sooth her. "I hate that James killed you, I hate that he made it so I was alone," she murmured. She wiped the tears from her face with a shaky sigh."I miss you so much," she whispered.
"I think she can hear you babe," Emmett whispered.
He kissed the back of her neck, hugging her close. Sniffling, Bella buried her face into his chest. Emmett hugged her tight, rocking her back and forth gently. "It's okay," he kept whispering into her ear.
That night in the hotel room, Emmett was asleep with his arms around Bella's waist. Bella was asleep with one arm tucked under her pillow and her other hand was resting over Emmett's hands.
Bella looked around to see that she was in some kind of white room. Everything was white, but around the wall was gold trimming. On the other side of the room she was in was a large door. "Hello?" she called, looking around. She let out a gasp when the door opened. "W-Who's there?" she asked, her heart speeding up.
"Don't be afraid," a familiar voice assured her.
Bella's heart stopped beating all together when she saw whom it was stepping through the door. "Mom…" she whispered. Renee smiled as she stood there wearing white tennis shoes, blue jeans, and a white t-shirt.
"Bella look at you," Renee whispered, hugging her daughter tight.
Bella held onto her mother with tears in her eyes. "I missed you so much mom," she answered, pulling back.
"Oh sweetie I missed you too," Renee answered, pushing the strand of hair from her daughter's eyes.
"You've missed so much because of James," Bella murmured.
Renee shook her head slowly. "I haven't missed anything sweetheart," she assured her.
"But…" Bella started.
"I've been there, always. I comforted you during your worse of times," Renee answered.
Bella swallowed hard. "I tried you as much as I could sweetheart. When I realized I couldn't do it myself, I had to find someone to do it for me," Renee explained.
Looking up at her mother, she gave her a quizzical look. "You think you meeting Emmett, the one person who protected you from everything, was just a coincidence?" the woman question curiously. Bella let out a gasp.
"You…" she started.
"I knew Emmett was perfect for you, well thanks to a friend she helped a little as well," Renee commented.
Bella swallowed hard. "You meeting Emmett was all I wanted, was for him to keep you safe. It was a bonus that you two fell in love, a bigger bonus with those two babies," Renee explained. The woman smiled softly. "I'm always there sweetheart, I have never left you," she added. Bella smiled, hugging her. "I love you so much," Renee whispered.
"I love you too," Bella answered.
Bella hugged her mother for the longest time before she pulled away. "I have to go now sweetie. Just remember, I'm always here," she assured her. Bella nodded her head slowly before watching her mother begin to fade and a white light appeared in the room.
Bella curled up next to Emmett more as a tear slid down her cheek, not realizing Emmett's arms were tightening around her.
Emmett found himself also in a white room. "Hello? Anyone here?" he called.
"You are still so anxious," a voice said behind him.
Turning around, he felt his heart pick up its pace when he saw the woman standing there. She had long brown hair, three inches past her shoulders, piercing blue eyes; she was wearing white high heels, a white skirt, and a pale pink blouse. "Mom…" Emmett said quietly. Walking over, he hugged her tight, lifting her up off the floor. Alana hugged her son back with a smile.
"My grown up son," Alana whispered, rubbing his back.
She kissed his cheek. "My how handsome you have grown," she commented, stroking his cheek.
"I missed you," Emmett told her.
"I've missed you," she answered.
Alana smiled as she looked at her grown child. "You're no longer that little boy who would curl up on my lap," she commented. Emmett laughed a little.
"Yea not really," he answered.
Alana smiled a little, sighing. "I'm so sorry mom," he told her.
"For what baby?" Alana asked.
"I wasn't quiet. If it weren't for me…" Emmett started.
"Don't you dare blame yourself Emmett," Alana insisted.
She stopped him from speaking another word. "Ian was an evil man, he will always be evil, nothing will stop him from being evil. What happened that night wasn't your fault, it was far from your fault," she added. Sighing she held onto her son's hands. "You're so happy now sweetheart, why let what happened to me get in the way?" she asked.
"I miss you that's why. I wish you were there when I met Bella, when I married her, when our children were born…" he started.
"Do you really think I wasn't there?" Alana asked raising an eyebrow.
Emmett gave her a quizzical look. "Son, Renee and I were the ones who made sure you two found each other. We wanted you two to heal each other, protect each other. The fact you two fell in love with each other and had those children was a bonus to us," she explained. She rested her hand on his cheek. "Sweetheart I wanted you to be happy and Bella makes you happy and she's healed that hole that Ian put," she added. She smiled softly. "You keep being happy son. I'm always here," she assured her. Alana hugged him tight. "I love you with all my heart," she added.
"I love you too mom," Emmett answered.
She kissed his cheek softly before letting him go. "I must go, but remember that I am here," she told him.
"I will," he answered.
Then a bright white light came in through the room.
Emmett woke up briefly, pulling Bella closer. He kissed her forehead gently, nuzzling her hair. "I love you," he whispered. Bella sighed, her hand resting on his chest.
"And I love you," she answered.
Smiling, he kissed her cheek before they fell back into their fitful sleep when a single breeze came in through their window and washed over them, making them both smile in their sleep.