Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer's owns all things Twilight, also Beatles own All you need is love
Things that belong to me- my orange tabby kitten (Emmett- no joke), my daughter and my dvd's of top chef
AN: Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing it honestly makes my day
Chapter 3
Bella's POV
bzzz...bzzz...bzzz
I put the chart down that I was working on and answered my phone when I saw the area code was from home.
"Hello"
"Hello is this Isabella Swan?"
The voice was tired sounding, almost as if the owner who pass out at any moment.
"Yes, may I ask who's speaking?"
"Isabella my name is Dr. Marcus. I work in the ER at Forks General Hospital."
A million thoughts ran through my head all surrounding the three most important men in my life, my father and my brothers.
"I'm sorry to have to tell you this over the phone, but you are listed as the emergency contact. Your father was brought into the ER thirty minutes ago. He suffered from a cerebral aneurysm that hemorrhaged. I'm sorry Ms. Swan but your father didn't survive."
I heard the words but didn't really process them. I thanked the doctor and told the charge nurse I was leaving due to a family emergency. I got in my car and drove to my apartment, took a suitcase out and threw some clothes in and was back in the car in under forty-five minutes.
I'm not really sure how long it took me to get to Forks, but I pulled into the parking lot and made my way in. I recognized the receptionist as Lauren Mallory from high school.
"Um, excuse me I was wondering where I could find Dr. Marcus."
Lauren looked up at me and stated she would have him paged, but that it would be a while. She said I needed to wait in the chairs kiddie-corner to her desk.
If it was any other day I would have voiced my disgust in her behavior. I just couldn't my father was dead and I knew I couldn't breakdown yet. I could do that later.
"Bella?"
I looked up at the sound of the kind voice approaching.
"Dr. Cullen."
He directed me into a small room that had lower lights and had me sit on a small love seat.
"I'm sorry Bella. I want to apologize for Dr. Marcus telling you like that. It's not our policy and he's an intern. I wanted to tell you myself."
I looked up at him trying to either respond or form a question; something.
"What happened Dr. Cullen?"
He sighed and began to explain the events of the afternoon. He told me that my dad died instantly, but that the EMT's and the ER staff attempted to revive him. When they realized what happened he told me there was nothing they could do. I simply nodded.
Eventually I left the hospital and went to the school. Dr. Cullen stated they tried to keep Charlie's death quiet, so I would be able to tell my brothers.
Much like the drive to Forks I didn't remember the short drive from the hospital to the school.
I made my way into the school and the main office where Mrs. Cope was sitting behind her desk; some things never change it seems. She saw me approaching and perked up.
"Oh my, Bella Swan, what are you doing here?"
I took a deep breath and asked if I could speak with the principle. She nodded and picked up her phone and told him I was wanting to speak with him.
"You can go on in honey."
I thanked her and made my first trip to the principle's office in my life.
"Isabella, what can I do for you?"
I noticed that Mr. McCarty was still in his position and he had an extremely perplexed look on his face. I shut the door behind me and took the seat he had pointed to.
"Um, I'm not really sure how I'm supposed to say this, but here it goes. My father passed away this afternoon and I need to pull my brother's out of school for a few days starting immediately. I was also wondering if I could use your office to tell them so that they don't hear it from the rest of the students."
Well I guess saying it in one big breath was the way I decided to go.
"Of course you can. Shelly could you please give this note to Mr. Cullen and Ms. Stanley and have Emmett and Jasper brought in here."
Mrs. Cope looked at the note and then met my eyes, she quickly turned and gathered my brothers.
Telling them had been difficult. Jasper stared straight ahead and eventually left the room. Emmett cried asking me why. I held him telling him I didn't know. Once I was able to calm him down we left to find Jasper and head home.
After I left Emmett and Jasper in the kitchen with food I knew I needed to let something out. I knew I needed to feel, and being Charlie's daughter I knew I needed to not do it in front of those two boys.
I didn't have a room here any more, I haven't in six years. I made the right turn at the top of the stairs and made my way into his room.
I kept my eyes closed and leaned against the door and let go. My tears were a mix of sadness, grief, confusion, anger and hopelessness.
I gave myself that night and the next few days I planned and followed through with the arrangements. I met with the lawyers and the funeral home. I fielded the many towns people who wanted to pay their respect to Charlie.
I was the support, I had become the pillar and I knew I needed to stay strong.
I watched as my brothers just went through the motions. Jasper reverted into himself more and more. Emmett was just lost. He didn't know where he needed to be, let alone wanted to be.
The day of the funeral I pulled on the nondescript black dress I had bought in Port Angeles the day before, followed by the black nylons and the black heels. I pulled my hair into a simple low pony tail. I took only one look in the mirror and knew I looked as well as I was going to get.
I left Charlie's room and knocked on Jasper's door first. He mumbled to come in and when I pushed the door opened my heart broke for my brother.
He was sitting on his bed dressed in the only suit he owned, thankfully it was black. He had a blue button up shirt on and the jacket was laying on the bed next to him. He was holding a bright yellow tie and glaring at it.
I turned around and headed back into my dad's room. I pulled out two ties, one was black with small diagonal navy stripes. The next I grabbed was green with fat black strips.
I returned to Jasper's room and pulled the collar up on his shirt and proceeded to fit the black tie. When I was done I kissed his forehead and grabbed the other tie and made my way to Emmett's room.
I repeated the same process and eventually we made it out to my car and drove to the church where the funeral was being held.
We took our places at the front and pretended to listen to the minister talk about life and death. The three of us laughed at the appropriate places when others would speak about Charlie, but I doubt any of us actually heard the words let alone saw the humor in them.
Quickly, much too quickly in my mind the minister indicated that it was time for me to speak. With a small squeeze from both of my brothers I stood and approached the front of the church and stood behind the pulpit as I had been instructed to.
"Charles Swan was an amazing man. He excelled in his career with the police force and has been a staple of strength for this community. Charlie, as most of you know him was also a quiet man, and whenever he did speak you listened because you were sure it was bound to be profound. Well at least that's the image we like to pretend, usually he would tell you some dirty joke he had heard from either his deputies or from his friends on the reservation.
"The Charlie that I knew, the one that raised myself and my brothers was a loving man and was not quiet at home. Spending a lot of time laughing with his children or shouting at the TV when the umpire didn't call a strike . He loved, and he loved big. He has supported us in any adventure that life through at us. He talked me down when I was a freshman and I was convinced that I couldn't change my major from English to nursing. He told me if I was a bum on the street waxing some god awful poetry he would love me and be proud or if I wanted to be a nurse and care for children or the elderly he would feel the same.
"Charlie held our family together when we were at our weakest. He made sure that my brothers knew how to throw a football, but made sure they also knew how to dance and treat a woman properly. Being the only female in the house I was on the receiving end of some sore toes and botched lessons in chivalry. Charlie was insistent though, he wanted them to be good men and he wanted me to be sure that when I saw a good man I knew it.
"Charlie was a good man, a great father and just an amazing person. He was taken too soon and he will be missed beyond belief. As Charlie said to me many times 'all you need is love Bells, and I have it in spades. It would be wrong to ask for anything more.' So while Charlie will be missed, please carry his memory with you by simply loving."
Once I was seated back with my brothers Emmett handed me a Kleenex and I wiped the tears I didn't know had started to fall. Holding his hand I leaned my head against Jasper's shoulder and we listened as the minister finished the service.
The deputies gathered as well as some of Charlie's friends, and began to carry the flag covered casket out of the church. The music accompanying the procession was Charlie's favorite and he would sing it at the top of his lungs to wake us up in the morning or when we were complaining about something. It was fitting that the Beatles would wake us up in the morning, so they should be the ones to put him to sleep one final time.
Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love.
There's nothing you can do that can't be done.
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung.
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game
It's easy.
There's nothing you can make that can't be made.
No one you can save that can't be saved.
Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you
in time - It's easy.
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love.
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
There's nothing you can know that isn't known.
Nothing you can see that isn't shown.
Nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be.
It's easy.
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
All you need is love (all together now)
All you need is love (everybody)
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
The reception after the funeral was long, and I can tell you I just went through it blindly. I would speak the appropriate words and thank the appropriate people, but I wouldn't be able to reiterate anything that was said to me or anything I said in return. I had too much on my mind.
I knew what I needed to do and I knew that I wanted to do it, but I had yet to fully comprehend those feelings. I was barely twenty-four years old I wasn't ready to be a parent, but in truth I was the closest thing to a mother that Jasper and Emmett have ever had.
No one knew where Renee was and I knew from going through the paperwork earlier this week that her rights to the boys were terminated so gaining custody shouldn't be a problem. I just hope they are okay with it. I also needed to decide if we would stay here or move to Seattle. Watching them maneuver around the people today and their friends I knew I had my answer. I wouldn't uproot them when their world had already been flipped.
That night I told them a little bit of what the future held and as I fell asleep that night I prayed for Charlie to give my strength to survive a return home, two teenage boys and every thing else that came with my new responsibilities.