All characters except for Annabelle Causley and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.
This is an AU out of Stephenie Meyers' Twilight series. This story starts after Eclipse, two weeks before Edward and Bella's wedding.
AN: Sorry if it takes me a little longer to update. I've just recently moved and I am job hunting. Thanks for reading and reviewing!
Chapter Twelve
Bella sat behind the wheel of her truck, her eyes trained on the Cullen's home. The wedding was a week away and Bella knew she couldn't continue day after day with that fear in her concerning Edward and Annabelle. In the end, the decision she had made was the hardest yet the only one she could live with.
She trusted Edward, believed in his love for her. But she knew that as long as the feelings between Annabelle and Edward were not dealt with, there would always be that doubt and fear of whether she truly had all of Edward's heart.
Having been forced to face her own feelings for Jacob, she understood the need for closure and knew without a doubt that closure was what Annabelle and Edward needed…an opportunity to lay to rest what they had felt for each other.
Of course, if her plan didn't work, she could find herself alone and without Edward…Bella sighed as she opened her truck door, briefly wondering why Edward hadn't come out to meet her. Walking up the porch steps, she hesitated as she reached for the doorknob then lifted her fist to knock on the door.
"Bella, you don't have to knock," Alice stood there, a binder in one hand, holding the door open with the other. Bella dropped her hand by her side, smiling at Alice as she stepped aside to let her in, "I'm glad you're here. I have some minor details to run through you."
Bella suppressed a groan as Alice pulled her into the dining room, dropping the binder on the table, loose papers fluttering to the floor. Alice made short work of picking them up and putting them back in place.
"Alice, I would love to help you but I need to talk to Edward…where is he?" Bella looked over her shoulder, expecting Edward to appear yet there was no one there. Alice smiled at her, keeping her face clear of any thoughts that may be revealed through her facial expressions.
"He's with his friend. Really, Bella, it won't take long. I just thought I should let you know that there was a last minute RSVP…and, also, Edward was wondering if it was okay for Annabelle to join the wedding table," Alice grinned at Bella, lightly drumming her fingers against the oak dining table.
"If all goes as I hope, then yes, Annabelle can join the wedding table. Is that who Edward's with? And who RSVPed at the last minute?" Bella looked at Alice, noticing the slight dismay in her tawny eyes.
"Yes, Edward and Annabelle are hanging out. And, um, one of your…La Push friends…called to RSVP." Alice held her breath as she watched Bella's brown eyes widen in realization of whom Alice was referring to.
"Jacob's back," Bella whispered as she reached out to take a chair, sitting down hard as she felt that aching pain in her heart. She looked up at Alice, hoping she was kidding. Jacob couldn't be coming to her wedding…he just wouldn't come of his own accord…unless… "Did he tell you why he's coming? Is he bringing any guests?"
"He didn't say why he was coming…I am assuming it's because he's your best friend. As for bringing guests…there's three coming with him," Alice looked at the binder, flipping pages back and forth, a look of frustration on her face, " So that's four extra meals I have to arrange for at the last minute, not to mention having to rearrange sitting. You would think he'd be a little more considerate concerning the fact that it is not that easy to plan a wedding…especially not one as big as this one."
"Well I told you from the very beginning that I didn't want a big wedding so you have no one to blame but yourself," Bella stood up and walked out of the dining room and towards the staircase, rolling her eyes as Alice followed behind her, gracefully juggling the binder and loose papers as she navigated the stairs.
"Well, it's not my fault Forks is small enough for everyone to know everyone and yet big enough to shoot the idea of a small wedding out of the water," Alice muttered as she stayed close behind Bella. Bella stopped outside of Edward's door, turning to give Alice a sympathetic smile before reaching for the doorknob, "And they're not in Edward's room, they're in Annabelle's…right next door."
Edward was sitting on the floor, facing Annabelle as they played chess, both laughing like old friends. Bella felt that twinge of pain; the one she knew wouldn't leave her alone until the situation was resolved.
Edward looked up from the chess board, smiling at Bella as he beckoned her to join him. Bella sat down next to him, running her hands over the plush gold carpet. She turned to see Edward concentrating on the board, his hand blindly searching for hers. Taking it, she held it against her lap, wondering why Edward wasn't just reading Annabelle's mind as he did with Alice.
"How long have you been playing," Bella asked, staring at a smiling Annabelle. Annabelle's smile grew as Edward grumbled, "About an hour. This is absolutely frustrating."
"Why don't you just read her mind like you do with Alice," Bella leaned her head against his shoulder as she looked at the board. She enjoyed watching Edward play the game but she herself had no patience for it.
"Because I can't see Annabelle…therefore my mind thinks she doesn't exist so I can't read her mind," Edward reached to move his knight forward. Annabelle leaned in and moved her bishop, taking Edward's knight.
"Check," Annabelle laughed as Edward growled at her, running his free hand through his hair in apparent frustration.
"So…when she moves a piece, you don't see her but you see the piece moving," Bella looked at Annabelle, her eyebrows lowered in confusion.
"Yes…kind of like a ghost," Edward moved his rook several places forward, blocking the way to his king, "Or an annoying poltergeist…which I think fits since it is Annabelle."
Annabelle reached over the board and smacked Edward on the shoulder. Bella was glad she had held back otherwise Edward would have smashed right into her.
"Did you see her do that?" Bella was trying really hard to understand how Annabelle's disappearing trick worked.
"Yes," Edward laughed as Annabelle moved her rook, leaving her queen open to be taken by his bishop, "The way it works is that as long as she doesn't make any contact, or speaks, I can't see her. Well, vampires can't see her. She kind of blends in with her surroundings, making you think she's not there. Kind of like a chameleon…she was really good at doing that when she was a kid…which was why she never got in trouble."
"Check mate," Annabelle laughed as Edward looked up at her in surprise. Having taken her queen, he had left his king open for her to corner it with her rook. He had nowhere to go…what a shock, "And the only reason I didn't get in trouble was because I never had the need to confess what I did…unlike you."
"Let's not start that again," Edward grabbed the velvet bag to shove all the chess pieces into it as Annabelle placed the board into its box, "You are not allowed to tell stories about me."
"Why not," Annabelle stood up, placing the box on the mahogany desk she had bought and placed several feet away from the window-wall, "I agree with Alice, Bella should get to hear about some of the stuff you've done when you were human. She won't think you're perfect after that."
"That's the reason I am trying to get you to keep your mouth shut," Edward handed her the velvet bag as he stood up, pulling Bella up beside him, "I like having her think I'm perfect…makes me believe I may have some redemption after all."
Annabelle laughed as she walked towards the suede sofa, gently collapsing into it, looking at Bella and Edward…they did make a cute couple…in a mismatched way, that is. So unlike the time when she and Edward were together…everyone agreed they were two pieces of a whole…
Shaking her head, she watched as Edward turned to walk out of the room with Bella, a small frown on his face. She cursed herself as she recalled that Edward could read her mind whenever he could see her. She really needed to be more careful about what she thought of and remembered whenever she was visibly around him.
"Actually, Edward, I need to talk to both of you," Bella stayed where she was, pulling Edward back to her, her face slightly pale. Annabelle bit her lip, hoping this wouldn't turn into something nasty.
"Both of us," Edward looked from Bella to Annabelle, wondering what to do if this was the beginning of something bad…he hadn't been joking when he told Annabelle he would throw Bella over his shoulder and force her to marry him…he just didn't think there was a possibility it may come down to that.
"Yes," Bella let go of Edward's hand as she moved towards the sofa, gingerly sitting on the edge, her eyes on her hands. She picked at the cuticles of her nails, trying to figure out a way to best express her thoughts, "I understand that you two have a past together…and that you loved each other…and that, maybe, there may be something still between you –"
"Bella," Annabelle leaned forward and placed a small hand on Bella's arm, "Before you continue, I want you to know that I am not here to get in the way of you and Edward. I need you to understand that I am not here to take him away from you."
"I understand that," Bella smiled at her, her brown eyes expressing feelings deeper than what Annabelle had guessed, "But I also understand that you two never got to have closure when it came to your relationship…and your human life…especially you, Annabelle, since it was taken from you without your consent or as a last resort, like Edward. I have been thinking...a lot...about the possibility of feelings between you two and I realized that the only way to put those to rest could possibly be in finding closure."
"Bella," Edward crossed his arms, his lips thin with disagreement as he stared at her, "Since you've obviously given this a lot of thought, how do you suggest we go about finding this "closure" you are so sure we need?"
Bella looked up into Edward's face, sucking in a breath as she realized her idea may make him angry. Even if that were the case, she knew it may possibly be the only way, the best way, for this entire situation to be resolved.
