Edward's birthday party was fast approaching. I felt as if he only invited me yesterday instead of five days ago and I still have a million and one things to do. The top things to do on my list were 1) find an awesome present 2) become utterly beautiful to impress his friends and family and 3) talk to Jacob Black. I paused outside of the Sun and bit my lip. I still had no ideas for Edward's gift; I severely doubted my anatomy would change at this stage in my life, so today was the day I would talk to Jacob.
I went straight to the top floor to check in with Rosalie first. I dropped my bag by my desk and tapped lightly on her door. She had a phone to her ear as always but she waved me inside. I walked quietly and perched on a chair in her office.
"Yes I realize that no one cares about turkeys. It is a cute fluff piece about a turkey living outside of an apartment building on 125 NE Ave. These pieces show people that there is more out there than blood and violence." She paused to listen. "Frank don't be childish. Suck it up and go knock on the door I bet Mrs. Engelmann would love to talk about Hank the turkey." She smiled and tried to stop a giggle. "No, this assignment is of great importance. I expect a full update by the end of the day." Another pause. "Bring some bird seed and yell out your intentions from the street before you step back onto her porch if she has a gun. Come on Frank, you're a professional deal with it." She hung up and chuckled to herself. I raised my eyebrows.
"So has Mrs. Engelmann trained this turkey for defensive purposes?"
"No," Rose laughed, "that's what her twelve gauge is for. God I hope she doesn't shoot him, my insurance rates with fly through the roof." We both chuckled thinking about Frank, the overweight sports writer. He wrote mainly about football and since there had not been any games yet and practices had been closed to the public for the last few days he was given another topic to write about. I could just picture his plump face turning puce as an old woman threatened him with a shotgun.
"I'm glad entertainment doesn't sleep so I won't have to write any turkey pieces."
"Just wait for Thanksgiving, then you will." I stuck my tongue out at her. "So are you excited?"
"About Edward's party? Definitely, but I'm quite scared to. I hope his parents don't hate me or something."
"Well I know what a hard ass Esme can be." Rose giggled again rolling her eyes. I smiled thinking about Edward's mother; she seemed to be the sweetest person on the earth. "But that's not what I was talking about."
"Oh, so why would I be excited then?"
"Channel five is doing a piece on you, duh! As the new reporter in these here parts."
"What are you talking about? I didn't know I was being interviewed. They never contacted me."
"Huh that's strange."
"How do you know they are going to interview me? Reporter grapevine?"
"No, Jessica Stanley was in here earlier asking questions about you." I froze.
"What did you tell her?" I stood and planted my hands on the corner of Rose's desk. My knees shook slightly.
"Um, I told her where you went to college, what kind of articles you write, um…" Her face scrunched as she thought.
"Anything about my personnel life?" My eyes bore into her blue ones.
"Yeah, she asked about your hobbies and family."
"What did you say?!"
"I told her the basics about hobbies and that your mother lived in Arizona with her husband and your step sister and your father lived here in Seattle.
"Anything else?" I felt myself relax a bit.
"She asked where in Seattle but I didn't know the address."
"Does she have Charlie's name?" My hands clenched into fists as I stood straight again.
"Yeah, I referred to him as Charlie and she knows your last name. Bella, what's going on?"
"When I was at Aro's party the other night Tanya introduced me to Jessica as her friend. I sincerely hope I'm wrong with my conclusion jumping, but I'm not sure how low Tanya would stoop to get back at me."
"You think Tanya is using Jessica's connections to get to you? How can an interview be a bad thing?"
"Gather information about me for a future attack? Disrespect my family?"
"How could this hurt them?"
"If they find Charlie I bet they will interview him as well, to see if he's proud of me or something. Of course they don't know Charlie can barely speak and he is very self conscious about it. It will break my heart to see Charlie fumbling through the process trying to answer their questions not to mention they will ask him awkward questions to begin with. He still doesn't know about Mikhail or Edward for that matter!" I ran out of the office, grabbed my bag, and dashed to the elevator. I needed to be at Greenfield Meadows now.
OOOOOOOOoo
I dodged people on the street trying to propel myself faster. The crossing light turned red so all the pedestrians in front of me stopped. I skidded to a halt behind them. It would take longer to run the next block over and cut across than wait for the light so I waited for it to change. I tapped my foot impatiently and occasionally I would jump trying to see over heads.
The crowd surged forward again so I tried to sneak through the cracks. Many people swore at my retreating back but I ran as soon as I was in front. I ignored them. I turned around the corner trying to jump over a homeless man when I landed poorly and bounced off of someone. My ankle rolled to the side and I felt myself topple to the ground. My knees struck the pavement painfully but I still tried to pull myself up. My ankle refused to hold my weight.
Anxiously I clawed at my bag searching for my cell phone. Tears burned my vision but I pressed the appropriate buttons. I called Alice first.
"Hey Bella, what's up? I'm rather busy right now," she said into the phone in a hushed voice.
"Where are you?" I sobbed into the phone.
"Honey are you ok? I'm in jury duty. They have us quarantined in these gross little rooms it's awful. What happened?"
"Tanya is going after me through gossip TV and I think they're going to harass Charlie."
"That bitch!" Alice spoke too loudly. I could hear a muffled voice on the other end. "Shit, Bells I'm sorry they're taking my phone."
"What?!"
"I hope…" and she was cut off. My heart beat rapidly in my chest. I fumbled through my numbers again. This time I called Edward.
"Hey beautiful what's up?" His voice calmed me slightly but my panic still built.
"I need you to do something for me."
"Anything. Are you ok? Are you crying? Where are you?" He sounded alert immediately ready for instructions.
"Don't worry about me. I need you to go to Greenfield Meadows and ask for Charles Swan. Jessica Stanley is doing a piece on me and I don't want her to find him. It would just be unbearable."
"Sure, I'll leave right now. Do you want me to get you too, are you at the office?"
"I'm twenty-five blocks away. I fell and I think I twisted my ankle. I'm going to call someone to take me to the hospital; I just need you to get Charlie away from there."
"Ok."
"Tell Charlie you're with me so he'll trust you. This is such an awful way for you to meet my father." I rubbed the back of my hand across my eyes. I felt calmer knowing Edward would take care of Charlie.
"Yeah." He sounded slightly uncomfortable.
"Don't be nervous, he doesn't talk much. I'll see you later. There's no time to waste you have to go right now."
"Ok I'm going."
"Alright, thank you Edward."
"You're welcome Bella. Call me with an update soon ok? I'll get Charlie and we'll find you."
"Fine."
"Bye."
"Goodbye." I clicked my phone shut and took a deep breath. A homeless man sat about three feet from me listening to my entire conversation. I took a deep breath and looked at the damage ignoring his prying eyes. Both of my knees were bleeding and bruised but fine and my ankle was turning purple and swelling more by the second. I winced as I pulled myself closer to a building to be farther out of the way.
I opened my phone once more. I wanted to call Amber to come and get me, but there was no way she could help me into a cab. I clenched my teeth and called my only other option. Today's plan was down the tube.
OOOOOOOoo
"Jeez Bella, you really know how to get in a mess." Jacob stood over me. The sun was behind him so I could not see his expression.
"Thanks; you know I really do it on purpose since I love attention so much." I replied dryly. He chuckled and crouched down.
"So how are we doing this?" I pursed my lips.
"Can you hail a cab, make sure no one steals it, then come back and help me inside?"
"No sweat." He grinned and straightened. A few people moved from his path as he walked to the curb. He stuck out his hand and a cab pulled up. He glanced at the man standing next to him who moved forward towards it. He cocked his brow and the man froze. Jacob turned back to me.
"I think I can put weight on my right leg so maybe if…" Jacob scooped his arms underneath me and lifted me straight off the ground not listening to my plan. I immediately blushed as I was crushed to his chest. I was correct in my earlier assumption that Amber would not have been capable of such a feat.
"You ok?" Jake asked and he set me in the back seat. I pulled myself inside with my arms and nodded before Jake climbed in the front.
"Where are you headed?" The cabbie asked eyeing Jacob. There was not enough leg room for his impressive legs so he almost looked like a clown in a miniature car.
"Harborview Medical Center please."
"Alright." The cabbie pulled out into traffic. Jake swiveled his chest so he could see me.
"So what happened again? I was confused by the whole story." I bit my lip trying to remember what I had told him. I was planning on talking to him about my relationship with Edward today, but I did not want to seem like I was using him. It would be awful to ask someone to take you to the hospital one minute and break their heart the next.
"Well basically this woman hates me and is trying to make me look bad on TV since she has a friend on the channel five news. So they were going to do a story on me, but I couldn't let them go near my dad Charlie. He had a stroke a while back and I don't think the pressure would be good for him trying to answer questions. So I was running to get him away so they couldn't interview him and I fell hence this." I gestured to my bloody legs. Jake nodded.
"So what about your dad? Shouldn't we go get him first?"
"No, Charlie's taken care of. I just need to get check out so I can field questions later today." Jake spun back and looked out the windshield.
It was not a long drive to the Medical Center so we arrived quickly. I refused to let Jacob carry me inside so he wrapped an arm around my waist supporting most of my weight as I hobbled inside. After I had checked in and given all of my insurance information I sat with Jake in the waiting room. The chairs were covered in an ugly green pattern but the emergency room was not outrageously crowded.
"You know you don't have to stay here with me. I'm an adult."
"True, but I want to make sure you're ok and help in any way possible." He smiled.
"You shouldn't be so nice to me Jacob. I don't deserve it." I replied glumly thinking about what I had to do.
"Bella you have never given me any reason to treat you any other way." I grimaced slightly as I shifted in my seat. Jacob assumed it was my ankle and not his comment causing me discomfort. "Is there anything I can do?" I shook my head 'no' so he sat back. We each chose a magazine and idly flipped through the pages not really reading.
"Isabella Swan?" A nurse emerged from the mysterious back hallway pushing a wheelchair.
"That's me." She smiled and came over. Jake made a move to stand.
"Are you a family member?" The nurse asked sweetly glancing at his left hand to look for a wedding ring.
"No, I'm a friend."
"Then I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait out here." Jake made a sour face and sat back down. I gave him a finger wave before I was pushed away. "I'm going to take you to get x-rays first alright? Just put this Johnny on with this as a coat to cover the back and the radiologist will be out very soon."
"Alright thank you." I changed into the gown and sat in my wheel chair waiting. A small woman came out a few minutes later and pushed me into the x-ray room.
"If you could just slide onto the table. That's it. Ok so I'm going to put your ankle in certain positions very gently and I need you to stay as still as possible alright?" She draped a lead apron over my body cavity to protect my internal organs.
"Alright." She shifted my leg so my foot pointed every which way. Every now and then she would step behind a cement wall and take a picture. "Alright, I'll have these developed. You can go wait in room 3 for the doctor." I nodded as another nurse appeared and pushed me to my destination.
I sat on a gurney and propped my foot on a pillow. It did not ache as much when it was up higher. I leaned back and inspected the ceiling. The tiles created strange swirling patterns. I tried to follow a single line but they all mixed together. Before I knew it someone cleared their throat in the doorway.
"Miss Swan?" His blonde head was bent over my chart when I looked at him. When he raised his face mine became a smile.
"Carlisle! It's good to see you again!" His face broke into a smile as well.
"Bella! It is good to see you as well; it's too bad these aren't better circumstances. You should have had Edward or Alice call me and let me know you were coming, this whole process would have moved much faster for you."
"It's all in who you know I guess."
"Very true."
"So what's the damage? Do I need an amputation?" I grinned at him. He chuckled halfheartedly at my try at humor. This sobered me up. Was something seriously wrong?
"No, no, nothing like that. You just have a severe sprain. I actually want you to get an MRI to check for torn tendons or ligaments, I'm sorry to bear such bad news."
"Do I have to use crutches?" I grimaced.
"I'm afraid so. Have you used them before?"
"Yes I have. I'm not very good at them, but usually I can get the hang of it."
"Is there an elevator in your apartment building?" My face fell.
"No, there isn't."
"Then I suggest you have a friend walk behind you, unless you want to butt scoot."
"Butt scoot?"
"Sit on the stairs and lift yourself with your arms. How many flights do you live up?"
"Three." I huffed thinking about lifting myself up so many stairs. Either way I would have to take breaks at every landing. If I slid then my butt will be ridiculously dirty by the time I reach my apartment, not to mention Edward's. But hopping up is quite hazardous without a friend to make sure you don't die a horrible death.
"Friend it is. I bet if you bat your eye lashes Edward will help you." Carlisle smiled. I inwardly grimaced again, that's right Carlisle doesn't know we're together yet…
"I'll find someone." I kept it vague.
"Well here is a prescription for pain medication; you are going to be quite tender for a while. And I'm afraid an air brace is needed. I want to keep the ankle stabilized so it will heal." He pulled a box from a storage closet and unwrapped a confusing tangle of straps, Velcro, and padding. He installed my foot without a problem after fitting me with a hospital sock. "Well I believe that should do it. Your MRI results will be sent here so I can alert you of any serious damage and I will be in touch with your primary care doctor. You be safe Bella, as nice as it is to see you, I don't like seeing you in this condition."
"I'll try not to fall again. It seems a bit difficult for me." I smiled. He gave me a quick hug before exiting. A nurse entered again carrying crutches.
"How tall are you dear?"
"5' 4"."
"Alright." She snapped the legs to the proper length and instructed me how to use them. "Step forward with your bad foot accompanied by the crutches, put your weight on your wrists as you swing and continue with your good foot. Do you understand?"
"Yeah, I think I got it." I took small wobbling leaps around the room before she released me into the hallway. I came around the corner and sat next to Jacob. "Hey thanks for waiting for me."
"Sure, sure." He grinned at me. "So what's the damage?"
"I have a severe sprain and I have to get an MRI." I scrunched my face in dissatisfaction. Jake chuckled again. Then the unthinkable happened. I heard my name not from anyone present, but from the TV in the corner. My hand clenched Jake's thigh as I watched Jessica be introduced in front of Charlie's apartment. "Turn it up." Jake stood and reached up to the controls and Jessica's voice filled the room.
"A recent addition to the Seattle Sun Times team, Isabella Swan, has taken Seattle by storm. This Forks Washington native seems to have her fingers in every pie possible. Her editor at the Sun describes her as fun and talented, but where does the fun stop? Just a few short months ago Isabella, or Bella as her friends and family refer to her, was seen out on the town having maybe just a little too much fun. This is when she met Russian boy toy Mikhail Strauss. Their relationship seemed short lived but that didn't keep Bella down. She moved onto bigger and better things. She is currently reported dating Edward Cullen, the hotty quarterback from the Seattle Seahawks everyone wants a piece of. I, Jessica Stanley, am here at Bella's father's apartment and we are going to ask his opinion of his daughter's wonton ways." She turned and knocked on the door in the tiny screen.
I snuck a peek at Jake and his fists were clenched at his sides. He looked furious. I silently screamed at the TV to please not let Charlie be home, but he was. His door slid open just a little bit to reveal his face and his thinning hair. He inspected Jessica and the camera crew suspiciously.
"Yes?" He kept a firm hold of the door to keep them from entering his home.
"Are you Charlie Swan, Isabella Swan's father and retired police chief of Forks Washington?" Jessica asked into the microphone before shoving it in his face.
"Yea."
"What do you think about Bella's actions?"
"Wha- -tions?" My heart clenched at the look on his face. He blushed from stumbling over his words but he seemed scared as if something had happened to me as well. I sat straighter in my chair and clenched my fists so I could feel the pain of my nails biting my skin. The feeling kept me anchored.
"Her affair with vodka millionaire Mikhail Strauss and her new one with Edward Cullen?" Charlie just looked puzzled.
"Cullen?"
"Yes, Edward Cullen. Where you not aware of your daughters actions then?" Just as Jessica pushed the microphone back into Charlie's face Edward appeared. Charlie smiled at him. He must recognize him from the football games he loves to watch. Edward stepped through the camera crew and in front of Charlie.
"Mr. Swan will not be answering any more questions."
"Oh Mr. Edward Cullen, so good to see you. Will you be answering questions then?" Jessica asked fluttering her lashes. Edward frowned at her.
"Depends on the question." He licked his lips and prepared himself.
"Are you or are you not in a relationship with Isabella Swan?"
"That is between Miss Swan and myself. It is not of public concern whether we are together or not."
"We have a right to know. Freedom of information."
"And I have the right not to speak, which I'm using right now." Edward gave her a harsh smile and slid into Charlie's apartment. Once he was in the door the door closed tight and the curtains were drawn.
"So here you have it, Edward and Bella are having a secret affair and Bella's father is being held captive. For Channel Five news, I'm Jessica Stanley, and I have my eye out for news." She winked at the camera before the screen cut back to the news room and someone else began to talk. I tentatively glanced at Jacob again and his hands were still clenched.
"Let's get you home." He stood and picked up my crutches from the floor. I stood precariously on one foot and hopped after him towards another cab ride. This was going to be bad.