Chapter Twenty-Three: Not A Chance
I stumbled a few steps before sinking to the floor and falling to pieces. I was shattered and empty again.
"No," I moaned. "Edward, why?" I curled up into a ball as the hole seared me and continued to sob.
I felt Carlisle kneel beside me and touch my bare shoulder. "Bella, honey, calm down. It will be alright."
I turned to look at him through tear-filled eyes. "How will it be alright? My husband just left me!" My voice cracked as I wailed at him. I couldn't believe Edward actually left me. He had promised never to leave me again and he just broke that promise.
"Please calm down, Bella dear. Edward will be back. Just let him calm down for a little while. Come on." He picked me up and put me on the bed. I was still only in my underwear so he helped me put my dress back on. Carlisle left for a second and came back with a wet washcloth. I refused to let him comfort me or wipe my tears from my face.
"No! Leave it. Just go away so I can sulk." I shouted at him as I wrenched out from under his hands. I rolled into the center of the bed and curled in on myself again.
"Not a chance, Bella. Jasper, come here please." Carlisle used a volume for the last part just slightly louder than the one he used with me.
"No! Just leave me alone." I shouted again. I knew why he was calling Jasper in and I didn't want that. I didn't want him to change my emotions so I would be in a better mood. I wanted to be this way when Edward came back so he could see how torn up I was without him. It was irrational and stupid but I wanted to stay where I was. He hurt me more by leaving than anything anyone could ever do to me.
A second after I spoke, I heard Jasper's voice. "No chance of that, Bella. I'm not going to let you be miserable. None of us want to see that and we will not allow it."
"Bella, if it will make you feel better, I'd be willing to kick his ass for you. Just say the word." Emmett said eagerly from behind me.
I turned toward the sound of their voices. They were all there except for the one who should be at my side. "Whose ass? Edward's or Jasper's?" They all laughed lightly.
"Anything you want, Bella. Anything to cheer you up." Emmett replied as he laughed.
"I'll think about it." I whispered. It wouldn't hurt Edward if I let Emmett beat him up a bit. Emmett would be thinking about why he was beating Edward and that would hurt. I didn't know if I wanted to hurt Edward or not. I thought about what happened in Volterra and decided not.
"Can we do anything for you, dearest Bella?" Esme asked.
"I could actually use a hug more than anything right now." I told them and Emmett immediately scooped me into his arms. He held me to his chest as five other pairs of arms wrapped around me. Alice had me around the waist with her cheek on my arm. Rosalie was in the same position on my other side. Esme's arms were around my shoulders from behind. Carlisle was behind me too with his arms in between Esme's and Emmett's. Jasper was tall enough to lean oven Alice and press his cheek to the top of my head as his arms wrapped around my waist, too. It was nice to be in this circle of family. They held me so I couldn't move and it helped to hold me together. I rested against them, happy that they were here.