All characters are Stephenie Meyers. I don't own them I wish I did ;o)
Hope all had a great Halloween yesterday. I know we did. Although my son wanted nothing to do with his costume this year. He was supposed to be tigger again this year. Same as last year.
Here is the last little bit from the previous chapter.
She went quiet again. It was frustrating still not hearing her thoughts. I wanted to know them. I wanted to know what she was working on in that head of hers.
"What are you thinking Bella?"
"Right now?" She paused. "Right now I am thinking about the past and my possible future."
"Your future is not set in stone Bella."
"I know."
I wanted to scoop her up and not have to deal with any of this. No arrangements, no debates, no wolves to stop us from being together. I watched her walk back to the bed and curl up again. She finally laid her head on the pillow. Her face still read that she was thinking and I still had no idea what it was.
~munchkin1978
Why?
Chapter 11
I waited till she had fallen asleep again before attempting to clean myself up again. I moved at my in human speed and washed up only to come back to Bella in the same spot she had been in when I left. She hadn't moved an inch. I slipped back under her and let her sleep. She needed to rest. She had a huge day with her mother and I. Which I was sure her mother was not going to be pleasant. Her mother from what I could see was not happy I was in Bella's life, nor happy that I could look after half of Charlie's estate. She probably thought it belonged to her since she was the ex-wife and Charlie never remarried like she had. The only concern I had about the three of us together was Bella's emotional state. It was going to be tough on her.
When Bella woke again she was grinning from ear to ear.
"What is it love?" I asked.
"I had a good memory of my father."
"What was that?"
"The first time I told him I was going out with you."
"I'm sure that didn't go that well Bella. Your father was the police chief at the time."
"It went better than I expected, thank you very much."
"I guess so. He let you come out with me."
"Yes and he wouldn't have stopped me back then."
She went quiet and I knew she was thinking about after the game. I could tell because she was looking at her hand. The half moon scar facing up.
"I don't want to regret anything I did Edward. I don't regret it. I don't regret seeing James in the studio and trying to save my mother, who wasn't there. What I've done has made me the way I am. Yes it could be better and now it can be. I just wanted to know why."
"I know Bella. You had every right to ask why, and you did. My only regret that I have is leaving you behind that day. I should have turned around and stopped myself. I will forever be sorry for that. I hope one day you will forgive me. I know the past is the past but that is my one regret."
"Now that I know why Edward I forgive you. You had your reasons. I understand that."
"Thank you."
She climbed out of the bed and stood at the window watching the forest below.
"I had forgiven you the first time you attempted to tell me why." She said quietly as I stood behind her snaking my arms around her waist and shoulders.
"Really?"
"Yes."
She smiled and I felt her cheeks go red with heat. I loved sensing the blood rush to her cheeks. I smiled in return at the gesture she gave me without really realizing it.
"Come let's get you some breakfast. You have a big day. No doubt your mother will be going full tilt today." I had no doubt about that what so ever.
"I don't know how much I'll be able to handle but I will try."
"We will take breaks."
"I know."
Bella changed while I went down stairs to make some eggs for her breakfast. She came down in one of my shirts and her jeans. Alice took her back up stairs as soon as she saw her and made her change. When she came back down she was wearing a black peasant top with her jeans. Not that she didn't look amazing in one of my button down shirts, but she looked even more beautiful now.
"Ready?" I asked as she finished up her breakfast.
"Not really but now is as good as it is going to get I guess."
"You'll be fine Bella. Nothing will happen today. I've seen it." Alice said behind her.
"You can see me again?" Bella asked turning towards her.
"Just. I didn't before but now that you are back in this house I can."
Bella smiled at Alice and vice versa. I was glad they fell back into being friends. However Alice needed to keep her thoughts to herself this time. I didn't warn her this time. I thought she'd have enough time to think about her answers.
"I think we'd better go Edward. My mother is probably stamping her feet by now."
"Okay if you're ready."
We headed to the car and got in. I started it and pulled out immediately heading towards the bed and breakfast. Even before I pulled up to the bed and breakfast I could hear the thoughts.
'He's not good for her. He will influence her on her father's wishes. He should have stayed out of her life. She never would have been in Arizona if it wasn't for him in the first place. Where the hell are they? I knew I should have rented a car.'
I pulled in at a reasonable speed, stopping all thoughts running through Renee's head. She looked at both of us in the car and stamped her foot with a thud. She walked towards us and we got out of the car both Bella and I.
"Mom is it alright if we discuss things here? I don't really want to go to the house yet."
"Bella what is the matter?"
"I just don't want to do it yet."
"Okay, I guess it will be fine here."
Renee wasn't happy but she couldn't say no to her daughter's request. Bella was in charge. So that meant that Bella was going to be happy.
"Thanks mom."
"I'll see if they can let us use the patio."
Bella looked at me and I nodded okay. If it turned sunny I would have to excuse myself rather quickly so Renee would not find out.
We moved to the very large backyard with the covered patio. It blocked out all rain and sun for the constant rainy days. I was glad I could sit in the shady dark and not be noticed.
I pulled out the chair for Bella and then one for Renee. Renee chose to sit in another ignoring the gesture. Bella noticed but kept her mouth closed. She was holding in a comment that I was pretty sure was not very nice even for Bella standards.
"Okay Bella, Charlie left you with everything."
"I know mom."
"What do you want to do about the funeral?"
"I've never done this before mom."
"What about you Edward?" I was shocked she actually addressed me.
"I was very young when I was adopted. I don't remember my parents much at all."
"Well that leaves me." Renee was now taking charge. The final say had to go to Bella of course. "We need to order flowers, enough food for reception afterwards. We need to find out if Charlie will be buried with the police guard and flag."
"Mom they said that they would be. The lawyer told me that the other day."
"Okay. Is there anything else that you know?" she asked sharply.
"Mom don't make this difficult."
"I'm not. I'm taking charge since you won't."
"I've never done this before. I don't know what I'm doing mom."
Both mother and daughter were quiet for a moment. I stayed quiet for a moment longer before breaking the silence.
"Ladies this is not getting us anywhere. Let's get down what is for sure and things that need to be done." I offered as a suggestion.
Bella had taken a small note book out of her purse and opened her mini calendar. There were dates written all over them. I didn't want to pry so I stayed where I was. I didn't need her mother making more comments.
"Okay so things we need are: Flowers, a place for the reception, enough food for possibly 60 people or so? The suit he will be buried in and the casket."
"He wanted to be cremated Bella." She said interrupting her daughter.
"Dad told me before he died that we should bury him."
"He always told me that he wanted to be cremated."
I had to step in on this one. Charlie had told me he wanted to be buried and not cremated. He wanted to 'leave his mark on this earth' he had quoted to me. I had agreed. That was when he was originally signing his will.
"I have to interject here ladies." I paused for a second before continuing. "Charlie had spoken to me in private for one of his many appointments that he wanted to be buried. He wanted to leave his mark on the earth he had told me."
"Hmph." Renee pursed her lips and blew out the air being held in her cheeks.
"That is a great quote. Thank you Edward for remembering." Bella said looking at me.
I was quiet again, listening to Renee talk in her head. She was not happy she wasn't fully involved. I looked at Bella and she was watching her mother. I watched Bella open her mouth and start to talk.
"Mother stop it. This is dad's funeral we are planning. This is not a time to be petty. We should be grieving. I am grieving. Edward has stayed up with me the last two nights because I have cried myself to sleep. I told myself today I would not get upset. It would be very unproductive of me to be upset. If you don't want to help me plan then I will get Edwards sister and mother to help me." Bella rose from the table her note book and calendar in hand ready to leave in a moments notice. I rose from my chair and Renee spoke.
"I'm sorry. It's just that Charlie, your father used to talk and tell me how he wanted things."
"Things change mom." Bella was so very right in her statement. Things change. All of us changed.
"I guess I'll have to learn that."
"Learn it quickly."
Bella sat down so I sat as well. I watched as Bella continued to write as her mother spoke. Bella made a quick phone call to find out more information on the flowers. She had set an appointment for this afternoon for a casket viewing. Bella wanted to go alone with me but her mother insisted fore input. They both decided it was best to have the gathering at the house. That way all the memories each person shared would be evident. Bella had ordered four dozen roses and several arrangements. She was about to give the person on the phone her credit card number but I had replaced hers with mine. It surprised her and she didn't miss a beat. She hung up when a call came through.
"Yes this is she…. No he has passed…..Thank you….I will call Mr. Pollard. Thank you."
"Mr. Pollard?"
"School teacher in Colorado. Asking if I was returning."
"What did he say?"
"He gave me time off due to the circumstances."
"They are okay with doing that?"
"For now." She paused. "I will have to call them after to discuss my future there."
Bella continued writing in the calendar and the note book of things that needed to be done. She had become very organized since I had left. I watched her as she wrote; she was calm and very collected. She was determined not to cry, not to get upset.
"Okay is there anybody that needs to be notified of the funeral mom? In the family I mean."
"I think some of Charlie's distant cousins still live in Seattle. They will have to be notified."
"Anybody else?"
"Not that I can think of right now."
It was starting to dawn on Renee that Charlie was not going to be there any longer. Her mind went quiet and she closed her eyes trying to hold in her emotions. She opened them and watched Bella. Bella was finishing writing and watching me. Renee's mind saw how she was watching me. She saw how Bella still wanted to be with me. She saw the love in Bella's eyes and she couldn't do anything to stop it.
Well what did you think?
The funeral is starting to get under way with the planning. I think Renee is finally seeing that Bella loves Edward. There is still planning to go. So hopefully I can get a few more chapters up this week. Hubby is on nights now so I get the computer at night instead of during the day.
I got to watch Twilight on our flat screen (hehehe I took that line from the movie) tonight while I was typing this up. So no Ipod playing tonight.
Please read and review. Let me know what you think!
~munchkin1978~
