What I own: A beautiful half Himalayan/half Siamese cat named Josie Jane (okay, she owns me) , every copy of Everyday with Rachel Ray from the last 12 months, a purple stuffed Heffalump and a box of Carr's Entertainment collection crackers.
What I do not: Twilight. Despite a strong physical resemblance I am not Stephanie Meyer, I am not making any money off of this and no copyright infringement is intended.
Okay so this is totally different than anything I have ever written…. A little pink sequin plot bunny hopped into my head and wouldn't leave. I promise things are probably not going to stay how they seem. Any of my regular readers know me and KNOW that I would rather make out with a glass bottle than write cannon. Lots of love to my pre-readers Manda CullenMccartyWhitlock and MagicalHeather603 . Thanks for your input babes! All the love in the world to my amazing wifey Sky Chaser. She is the cheese on my crackers, the chocolate in my brownies and the apples in my pie. I also wrote this entire chapter in a WC with her. Go and read her fic, Remember Me Tomorrow. Right Now. I will wait for you to come back. This has NOT been Beta'd so any and all mistakes are mine and mine alone. Reviews blow my skirt up and are rewarded with sneak peeks and pole dances.
The gray early morning light of dawn filtered through the blind of the guest house and slowly pulling me out of my fitful slumber. I felt around on the nightstand for the alarm clock, knocking over several items in the process, and finally picked up the damn thing. 6:00AM. I dropped the clock with a thud and collapsed back into the fluffy pillows, longing for a few more hours of peace and quiet before I needed to face the harsh light of day as well as the face of my cheating husband. I closed my eyes again and tried to slip back into slumber but it was futile. After almost twenty minutes I waved the white flag and gave up, tossing the blankets aside and kicking my bare legs over the side of the bed and stretching, my vertebra making a series of contented pops as they cracked back into place. With a loud sigh I grabbed my dress and padded into the bathroom to make myself remotely presentable for the day. I quickly ran my fingers through my tangled dark curls before I brushed my teeth and shimmied back into my gown. Quickly I gathered my belongings and quietly left the guest house, pulling the door shut behind me with a definitive click.
The grass under my bare feel was cool and wet with dew and I could smell that clean, early summer morning scent. For just a moment I was fine again and all thoughts of Edward had fled from my mind. Sadly, that did not last long as I opened the French doors to the kitchen. Irina and Mrs. Cope, the daytime maid and cook respectively, stopped cold in their tracks when they saw me, a glass bowl full of what looked like whipped eggs slipped from Mrs. Copes hands and hit the floor with a glorious crash that echoed through the otherwise silent room.
"I'm, so sorry ma'am you just surprised us" the older woman's voice was concerned and I shook my head.
"No need to worry Mrs. Cope" I said with a small smile, eying the mess on the floor, "It was an accident"
Mrs. Cope bowed her grey head in thanks. "Would you like some breakfast Ma'am?"
The mere thought of food made my stomach lurch and I shook my head. "No thank you, I am fine for now." I gave a small wave and forced a smile as I hurried out of the kitchen, leaving the two women to go about their duties.
I headed up the private stair case to Edward and my's suite and very carefully opened the door, my breath held, hoping not to find Edward. I listened intently for the tell tale signs of his breathing and was met with only glorious silence. Entering the large, dark paneled room I headed straight to my walk in closet and quickly retrieved my luggage, quickly changing into a light summer dress and sandals. I hurriedly packed all that I could, my mind in a haze. In the next hour I had filled all 7 of my suitcases as well as an antique trunk. I was carefully packing my jewelry into its train case when I heard Edward's distinctive, heavy footfalls outside the door. I took a deep breath and steeled my spine, snapping shut the locks on the case and setting it by the bed with the rest of my belongings as he entered the room.
"There you are Isabella dear, I was worried when you left so abruptly last night" A snarky smile played on his full lips, transforming his beautiful face into one that I detested. I stood silently as his eyes roamed over my suitcases and his smile immediately turned to a frown."What the fuck is this Isabella" His tone was harsh and demanding.
I swallowed thickly before I began, looking directly into Edwards dark green eyes. "This, Edward, is my luggage. It is packed with my belongings and will be coming with me when I leave in," I made a show of looking at my watch,"thirty minutes or so."
"Like hell you are!" Edwards voice grew louder, and then dropped to a steely, cold calm." You have nowhere to go darling, you have nothing that you know how to do besides be pretty and you have no money. Where the fuck do you think you are going to go. Aside from all of that, you are my fucking wife."
Anger flared within me and I opened my mouth before I could think. "Fuck you Edward! I can go wherever the fuck I want! I have an honors degree in English which, I know it's a surprise; I didn't earn because I am pretty. And as for money, well, I have plenty from my mother and, if it comes down to it" I smiled sweetly and twisted the nearly 8 carat diamond Edwardian engagement ring that sat on my left hand, "well I am sure I can come up with something."
Edwards eyes widened as he kept his gaze glued to my finger. The ring was a family heirloom and I could only imagine Elizabeth's wrath if it was to leave.
"Goddamnit Isabella that shit isn't funny" His voice was harsh and he narrowed his eyes. A small shiver ran down my spine and I fought to keep it from showing and perched on the edge of the bed even as my temper flared.
"I am not fucking Joking Edward" I fought to keep my tone even and calm." Why the hell would I? I want out of this marriage but there are things we need to discuss first" I watched Edward intently as I spoke, taking in his clenched fists and stormy green eyes. Hopping delicately off the bed I brushed past him into the hallway, "I am having some breakfast, if you would like to join me we can discuss this in a civilized manner." With that I turned and headed down the stairs to the dining room, my steps even and my face a mask of serenity when inside I was falling apart.
Edward joined me fifteen minutes later, just as Irina set an antique Wedgewood tea set in front of me as well as a cream scone and bowls of macerated strawberries and clotted cream. My husband sat across from me and sight of the delicate teacup in his large surgeon's hands was oddly comical. I fixed my breakfast, layering the cream and berries on the delicious, warm pastry and took a small bite, closing my eyes in pleasure before taking a small sip of my tea. After I had swallowed I finally acknowledged my husband.
"I'm leaving, there is no fucking way that I would stay after last night, but we have some things to work out" My voice was calm and even despite the fact that , under the table, my foot was shaking like a leaf in a windstorm.
"Isabella don't you think you are being a bit rash about this?" Edwards clear voice echoed around the large room, "I mean it was not that big of a deal. You knew there were other women." His tone was beyond matter of fact and I once again felt anger welling in my stomach.
"Not a big deal? Jesus fucking Christ Edward! You were fucking some blonde resident in OUR HOME and asked me to join you! In what fucking world is that not a big deal?" My fingers clasped and twisted at the white linen napkin in my lap and I swallowed hard.
My husband shrugged nonchalantly. "It happens Isabella. As wonderful as you are, darling" the last word was dripping in sarcasm, "there are just some needs that you can't satisfy so I find other ways to satiate them" His calm, relaxed explanation only served to make me angrier.
"Other ways? How many have there been Edward?" My voice was rising slowly as I processed the information that he had just shared.
Once again, Edward shrugged. "Five, maybe six. I am not quite sure." The casualness with which he answered made me want to scream. Instead, I grabbed my plate, empty but for a few crumbs and some specks of cream and hurled it at him, his eyes going wide as he duck out of the way, the china shattering spectacularly against the wood panels behind him. I took a calming breath and a small sip of tea, willing myself to calm down as Edward swore at me. Closing my eyes I rested my head in my hands for a moment and cleared my thoughts, before returning my gaze to the red faced man sitting across from me.
"Enough" I raised my hand to signal an end to his tirade and he froze mid curse. "Now listen to me" My voice was low and deceptively sweet. "I am leaving this fucking house, and I will be doing so within the next hour. In accordance with our prenup, I am taking everything that was mine before we got married, all gifts that you gave me and my vehicle" At this statement Edwards mouth opened and closed as though he was doing an impersonation of a dying fish, "let me finish." The words were not a request but, rather, a command. "I'll be filing divorce paperwork on my way out of town. Get Jenks to look at it if you want but you know I am fair. Give me your word that you won't contest it and I will return my engagement ring and half of the family jewelry that you gave me." I finally paused and met Edwards gaze, finding nothing there, it was like he was blank. "Is that- will you sign the papers Edward, please? I just want to move on" My voice was soft and delicate and held the slightest trace of a waver as I watched my husband, the only man I had ever been with and the one whom I thought I loved, ponder my offer.
We sat in silence for what seemed like hours but what was more like minutes. The quiet punctuated only by the soft clinking of silver against china as I stirred my tea and the steady drumming on Edwards long fingers on the hard mahogany table.
"Fine, Isabella, you have my word" His usual musical tone was flat and lifeless, "I will sign the papers when I get them, no contest, on one condition" I cocked an eyebrow at his statement and waved my hand, motioning for him to continue. "Leave the engagement ring AND the wedding band in addition to whatever other jewelry you are seeing fit to allow me to keep in my fucking family." His voice rose as he spoke and I fought a shudder at the blatant anger. I nodded and rose from the table, exiting the room with my head high and walked back up the stairs to our suite.
With some assistance from Irina and Mrs. Cope I was able to move all of my belongings down to my black Mercedes in no time at all. After the last case had been loaded, I hugged both of the women and thanked them for their help. I took another deep breath and went back into the house, searching for Edward. As it turned out I did not have to look very hard. My husband was sitting in his darkened study sipping what looked like whiskey from a rocks glass, a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label 1805 half empty at his elbow. I stood in the doorway for a moment, watching him before his voice cut through my thoughts.
"Are you just going to stand there? " His tone was gruff, his voice harsh.
I sighed in response and entered the dark paneled room: leather bound books lined two full walls, a mahogany desk sat in front of a third and two dark leather couches and matching chairs sat in front of the fireplace. I silently approached him and slipped the rings off of my finger, looking at the briefly as they twinkled in the dim light. Setting them, as well as the wooden case containing half of the jewelry that I had promised to leave, down on the table next to the bottle of whiskey I placed a soft kiss to my husband's forehead and gently stroked his cheek.
"Goodbye Edward" the words were barely more than a whisper and as soon as they had passed my lips I turned and walked out of the room, pulling the door behind me. I had made it barely three steps when a loud crash sounded from the study. My first instinct was to turn and see if he was okay but I was fairly certain he had just thrown the whiskey bottle. As I continued along the hallway and down the stairs, several more crashes sounded through the quiet mansion. Tears pricked at my eyes as I stepped out the door and pulled it closed behind me, tugging tightly to make sure it was closed, before I dropped my keys on the mat and headed for my car.
Sliding into the front seat, the leather cool on my bare legs, I turned the key in the ignition and the car came to life, the motor purring and the cold blast from the air conditioning hitting my face. I turned on the radio and was greeted by Van Morrison's gravely, comforting voice pouring from the sound system. As Van sang about floating into the mystic, my tears began to fall freely and I began my drive into the unknown, not having any idea where I was going or what I was going to do but being absolutely positive that whatever I was going to find would be better than all that I was leaving behind.
Pups fic rec corner: Come, sit on my lap my little pervlings, it's fic rec time. First I have one of my fave Jella fics ever, My Life Extended by LyricalKris. I laughed, I cried, I snotsobbed… it is just hauntingly beautiful. Next up? One of the steamiest fics I know. Let your Fingers Do The Talking by BusyMommy. Dirty texts, white chocolate raspberry cheesecake and amazing sex? Fuck. Yes. Lastly the heartbreaking Goodnight, Sweet Girl by Spirare. It's just- I mean-. I cannot! It's just beautiful. Now lovelies, go, read and review. And don't forget to tell them Pups sent you!