Chapter 25

Disclaimer: We still own nothing except two people who just want to be happy together. Step off already you meddling parents...

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Songs:

"I've Got You Babe" Sonny and Cher

"Umbrella" Mandy Moore

BPOV

As the door closed to the hotel, I sat back down on the bed in shock. I couldn't believe that my mom, who always supported me through thick and thin, had just cut me off.

I wasn't sure how long I sat staring at the door when Edward returned with our dinner. He noticed the expression on my face, put the food on the table across from me and took me in his arms.

"Baby, are you okay? What happened?" He asked me with concern flowing through his tone.

"Well, Mom said that if I wouldn't stop seeing you that she was going to cut me off financially. I gave her the credit cards that she gave me to pay for my bills and she walked out the door."

"I can't believe that she would do that to you, Bella."

"I really can't either. With the finality of her words it was almost like she was totally through with me too."

"You're her daughter, B. She would never cut you out of her life completely," he said trying to reassure me.

"You didn't see her face as she walked out the door," I burrowed into his chest and he rubbed calming circles on my back.

"I'm so sorry, Baby," Edward said as he kissed my head. "I can help you out if you need it."

"Edward, I can't take your money. It's not right."

"If it makes you feel better, you can call it a loan and pay me back when you get the money," he said.

"I really appreciate the offer. Honestly, I do, but this is something that I need to do on my own."

"The offer stands if you change your mind," Edward told me. I gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

"Thank you. I'm starving. Let's eat."

Esme POV

"Esme, you have to see that Edward and Bella do not need to be together," Carlisle told me as we walked into our house. I was tired of hearing the same thing over and over. It was like he was a broken record that kept playing the same thing over and over and I was fed up.

"Carlisle, enough," I told him. "If Bella and Edward want to date each other, who are we to stand in their way. They are adults. They are going to school together. Both of them actually looked happy together."

"Happy," my husband snorted. "No way the two of them can find happiness together. They will end up destroying each other. You mark my words, Esme."

He went into his office and shut the door as I rounded the corner and entered the kitchen. I saw Alice and Jasper sitting at the island. Alice looked shocked and I had a feeling from Jasper's expression that he knew what was going on.

"Mom," Alice asked me. "Is it true? Edward and Bella are together again?" I nodded.

"Yes, we saw them together today at Emily Young's funeral."

"How did this happen, Mom? Are they okay?"

"I'm not quite sure on all the details, but I guess they both ended up attending the University of Oklahoma and they ran into each other."

"Wow," Alice said in a soft and stunned voice. She looked over at Jasper. "You knew, didn't you?"

"Yes," Jasper said. "I found out yesterday afternoon. Edward had asked me to pick him and a a friend up in Seattle because his friend's roommate died. I was shocked that Bella was that friend when I saw them."

"Why didn't you tell me, Jaz?"

"Ally, I'm sorry. It wasn't mine to tell you," Jasper told her. He reached his hand out to touch her cheek and she flinched away from him and she held her hand out. "Alice, I..."

"Jasper, I don't want to hear it right now." She headed to the stairs.

"Alice," Jasper said in a raised tone. I walked over to him and put my hand on his arm.

"Jasper, just give her some time. Everything will be okay," I told him.

"I hope so Mrs. Cullen," he told me. "I'm going to head out now. Is everything really okay with Edward and Bella?"

"Jasper, I think they are fine, but everyone else... Well, let's just say there are a lot of people unhappy that they are together again."

"Are you one of them?" Jasper asked.

"They are both adults, Jasper. If my son is happy, I'm happy for him," I told him.

"Just the political answer, Mrs. C.," he said as he left the house.

I was surprised that Carlisle hadn't been out and trying to push the "keep Edward and Bella apart agenda" on me. I had never heard him leave his office and I heard his voice before I opened the door.

"I will get her to sign off on the changes to the trust no problem. How long will it take you to get them drawn up?" Carlisle asked the person on the phone. "As soon as Esme signs these papers we can stop the trust payments that are being sent to him as his allowance. Thanks. You've been very helpful Mr. Jenks."

I threw open the door and stormed into the room. "Carlisle Cullen, what in the hell do you think you are doing?"

"Esme, I got off the phone with Charlie. Renée cut Bella off totally. We need to do the same thing to Edward if they won't stop seeing each other. This is the only solution to help make them see sense. There is no way that they could be responsible enough to take care of themselves. The fact that they are together again has more than shown that they are incapable of making good life choices. This is the perfect solution. The papers will be here for you to sign tomorrow for us to have Edward's allowance revoked."

"How dare you make that decision without me!" I shouted at him. "That trust is from my mother. I'm the trustee that talks to the lawyer not you. Talking about not making good choices you are not making one right now. I will not sign those papers. This thing with Edward and Bella is between Edward and Bella, not us. Open your damn eyes and look at the big picture here, Carlisle. They are two adults in a relationship together."

"They are not adults and they do not need to be together. We messed up the first time they were together. Let's put a stop to this now before anyone gets hurt," Carlisle said.

"I am not going to stop anything other than you meddling where you don't belong. I will be calling Mr. Jenks back and telling him that we do not need those papers drawn up." I reached on the desk for the phone and Carlisle slammed his hand on top of mine as I tried to pick it up. He grabbed my wrist and forced me around so I was facing him.

"You will not be calling the lawyers. We have got to put an end to this now," Carlisle said fiercely.

I jerked my hand out of his hold and I slapped him across the face. "Don't you ever put your hands on me like that, Carlisle Cullen! How dare you talk to me this way and treat me like this? I am your wife, your partner. Right now you are not listening to a word that I have to say and I am fed up to here." I motioned my hand at my eyebrows.

"Esme.." He said as he walked towards me and I started to step back away from him. I held up my hand to him to stop him.

"Carlisle, I want you out of the house tonight. I will not put up with someone who won't respect me in my own house," I told him.

"You have got to be joking me, Esme?" Carlisle asked.

"No, I am not kidding you. I want you out tonight."

"I'm not going anywhere. This is my home, Esme."

"I am your home and right now the level of disrespect that you are showing me is so far out of line I can't look at you without being sick. I'm going out for a while and you had best not be here when I get back. . Do you understand me? If you are, I will be calling Mr. Jenks to put some things in action against you."

I grabbed my purse and my keys and headed out the door with absolutely no clue to where I was headed.

As soon as I reached the town limits of Forks, I pulled over and grabbed my cell phone out of my purse and dialed.

"Hello," Edward answered.

"Hi, Edward. I just wanted to call and tell you that I'm sorry about what happened earlier today. It was totally uncalled for. Even though your dad and Bella's parents don't agree with what you are doing, they most certainly didn't pick the right time and place. Can you please tell Bella that I'm so sorry about that and sorry about her friend?"

"Sure, Mom. I can do that. Thank you."

"I also wanted to say how proud I am of you for how you behaved today. The old Edward would have punched Charlie for even thinking about hitting him. It showed how much you have matured and that you have learned to cope with your feelings and emotions in a much healthier way," I told him.

"Wow, I appreciate that, Mom."

"Alice overheard your father and I when we got home earlier. She knows you're in town and I really think she would like to see you. She may also want to see Bella." I heard Edward him clear his throat and heard him whisper something. "What was that, Edward?"

"I was talking to Bella. I'd be glad to come by and see you and Alice tomorrow, but I am not in the mood for another confrontation with Dad."

"That's not going to be a problem. Son. I caught him trying to pull a stunt today and that's the last straw. I asked him to get out."

"You did what, Mom?" I could hear the shock in Edward's voice.

"I'm hoping when I get back home that he's left like I asked him too. I'm not going to stand by and watch him hurt you on purpose just because he is unhappy with who you choose to spend your life with," I told him.

"Wow, I can't say that I'm surprised that he tried to do something. When Jasper found out and called to tell me about how Dad and Charlie planned out the fake story about the restraining orders, I was hurt by his actions but could see him doing it without blinking an eye."

"Are you and Bella happy together, Edward?"

"I have never been happier in my entire life, Mom. She is the most amazing person in the world and I am truly honored and blessed that she has chosen me to be her partner. Every second that I spend with her, I thank God for giving me a second chance at a life that I had so taken for granted." I was so moved by Edward's words that I began to cry. "Mom, are you okay?"

I sniffled into the receiver. "Yes, Edward, I'm fine. I am just so incredibly proud to be your mother. So how about you meet us at the house for breakfast in the morning?"

"I would love to but I don't have a car here, Mom."

"I can pick you and Bella up about 8:30?"

"Um, Bella really isn't up for that yet, Mom, but that works perfectly for me."

"If she changes her mind, she is more than welcome to come too," I assured him.

"Thanks again, Mom, for everything."

"You're welcome, Edward. I love you."

"Love you too, Mom."

BPOV

When Edward recounted his conversation with Esme, I was happy to hear that she wasn't mad at Edward or at me. She almost seemed happy that we were together. I appreciated her offer that included me for breakfast this morning but it just wasn't the right time for me to have the much needed conversation with Alice.

After his phone call last night, Edward and I saw and cuddled on the bed watching old movies on AMC. We both laughed so hard at the Cary Grant movie Operation Petticoat that we were in tears with the pink submarine giving us some of the biggest laughs we had shared in a while. We went to bed early cuddled in each other's arms. The alarm startled us both awake at 8:15 leaving him little time to get ready for Esme picking him up.

Edward had left with Esme to go visit Alice, leaving me to work on my own to work on a budget. All of this semester's school expenses were taken care of and with my full scholarship for tuition and fees I would only have to find money for next semester to cover books, which would not be cheap. I knew that I could ask Jake to help me with expenses on the house utilities and groceries since he and Billy did have money. I just hadn't needed Jake's help with money before since my mom had volunteered to pay for all of that stuff.

I made enough working for the university newspaper and yearbook to pay for my phone bill as well as a small chunk of the household expenses. I was close enough that I could walk to school, because there was no way that I would have the money to pay for a new car let alone the insurance and gas that I would need with it.

The knock on the door surprised me because I wasn't expecting anyone. My heartbeat accelerated because I was scared it might be Alice. Once she had her mind set on something, there was no stopping her, just like Emily.

My heart began to slow as I looked through the peephole and saw it was Jake standing there.

"Hey, Jake. It's so good to see you," I told him as he engulfed me in a one armed hug.

"It's good to see you too, Bells," he said as we went and sat down at the table.

"I was just thinking about you. How are you?" I asked.

"I'm doing as well as can be expected, I guess. Taking it a moment at a time. I keep asking myself when the pain will lessen because it feels like I have been ripped into a million pieces. I feel like I'm barely holding myself together." I reached over and gripped his big hand in both of mine.

"I'm sorry, Jake. I wish there was something that I could do to help you, to help make this better for all of us."

"Everyone says it takes time. I can't tell you how many times I have picked up my phone to call or text Emily to see what she is doing and to tell her that I love her. This is all just so unfair."

"Life has definitely not been fair to you, Jacob. I hope that God reveals his purpose to you soon."

"Sure, sure," he told me. I noticed that he had a bag with him that he was trying to obscure from my sight.

"What is it that you've got there, Jake?" I asked as I pointed to the bag.

"Oh, well, I went to Emily's parents after I dropped you and Edward off yesterday. While they were off talking to different people I had to get away for a while. When I was in the garage, I noticed that all of Emily's things from Norman were there."

"The house definitely wasn't the same without her things there," I admitted to him.

"I thought the same thing as I watched the last box being loaded onto the truck. It just didn't feel right to me anymore." He wiped at his eyes and pulled the bag to his lap. "Anyway, I know that they just threw everything haphazardly when they were packing, but something caught my eyes from one of the boxes and it seemed to call out to me." He reached his hand into the bag and pulled out. My favorite throw pillow from Emily's bed. It was the one that I always cuddled with when she and I had our girl talks. It was an over-sized pillow with forest green, mauve and blue plaid and matching fringe that hung from the edges. I reached out tentatively and ran my hands through the dangling fringe.

I felt the moisture start to gather in my eyes as he handed the pillow to me. "It's for you, Bella. I know that Emily would want you to have that. She always said that was your pillow any time I tried to use it for anything." He tried to laugh, but his eyes were misting up too.

I grabbed the pillow and cuddled it to my chest. It still smelled like Emily. God, how I missed her, I told myself.

"Thank you, Jake. Thank you so much for this." I motioned to the pillows and my hands knocked the papers off that I had been working out the budget on. Jake reached down and picked them up from the floor.

"What's this, Bella?" Jake asked as he handed the papers back to me. I put the pillow aside as I grabbed the papers and sighed.

"Renée came by to visit me yesterday. She said if I didn't stop seeing Edward that she would stop paying my expenses. I will not be told how to live my life. I love Edward. I want to be with him and I can't imagine," I stopped myself before I finished the rest of the sentence because Jake actually was having to face the rest of his life without the other part of his heart and soul.

"I can't believe she would do this to you, B. It is clear to anyone with eyes that you and Edward both love each other very much. They should keep their noses out of your business. What you and Edward do isn't anyone's concern but your own."

"That's what I tried to tell her, but her and Charlie are just being beyond stubborn about this. They think that he is going to hurt me again, but he isn't. He would never hurt me," I said.

"I know he wouldn't, Bella. Even my dad realized that yesterday."

"I'm so sorry about that yesterday, Jake. That shouldn't have happened there."

"What your parents and Edward's parents did wasn't your fault. How is that eye slugger?"

"Oh, I'm just peachy keen jelly bean," I told Jake as he smiled back at me.

He pointed to the papers on the desk. "So, what is your plan now that Renée isn't going to help you pay the bills?"

"Well, I can pay for almost everything with the salary from the newspaper and yearbook, but it's not enough. I hate to ask, Jake, but can you help pay part of the household expenses and for half of the groceries. With your help, I can make it by, barely, I think, but I can do it."

I found it odd when he looked away from me.

"I can always get a loan or something, Jake, if you think that Billy can't help us out."

"That's not it, Bella." Jake rubbed his hand across his face. "God, I am an animal for doing this to you today after all the other shit you have had to deal with in the last 24 hours."

"What is it? You can tell me anything, Jake."

"Bella, I have been doing a lot of thinking since I have been back here. After I watched all of Emily's belongings pull away from the house, I realized that everything has changed. I can't go back there. I just can't. There are too many memories there that I can't face."

"I understand. We could always get a small apartment somewhere instead that would be just ours," I told Jake.

"No, that's not what I meant, Bella. I'm going back in a few days to pack all my things. I'm not going to be staying in Norman and going to school at OU anymore. I'm moving back here to Washington for good."

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