The Learning Curve: Chapter 112

Bella Swan's Bedroom

I made Edward hold my hand while I called Renee. It was silly, but he'd already signed on for all my silliness, so I didn't care. My mom was an emotional whirlwind on a good day. This would not be pretty.

"Bella!" my mom gushed as she answered. "Baby, it's been forever. You haven't been e-mailing me," she chastised. "But oh, honey, I have news. Phil's contract got extended, so we'll be in Florida for at least three more years. You could come to college down here! In-state tuition, and we'd be close again –"

"Actually, Mom, I've already decided where I'm going to school," I interrupted. Edward watched my cringing expression and squeezed my hand in reassurance.

"Please tell me you're not going to the University of Washington. Honey, you have got to get out of that state before it swallows you whole."

I closed my eyes and let out a breath. "No, Mom. Don't you remember me telling you that I got accepted to Dartmouth?"

"I think so…" Renee said slowly. "Where is Dartmouth, anyhow?"

"New Hampshire," I told her.

"New Hampshire?" I could practically hear her wrinkling her nose. "That sounds about as boring as Forks."

"It's really not," I said, trying not to get frustrated. So often it felt like my mom and I were from completely different worlds. "Hanover is amazing, and it's pretty close to Boston and New York – close enough for weekend trips, at least. And besides, Mom, it's an Ivy League school. You can't really turn that down."

"I suppose," Renee agreed with a sigh. "I just wish you were going to be closer."

"I know," I said, softening a little. I scooted closer to Edward, letting his presence ground me. "So, I have some other news."

"Oh?"

"I'm guessing you don't remember, but…um…my boyfriend, Edward, got into Dartmouth, too. And we're getting married."

There was a long moment of silence during which I clutched Edward's hand, waiting for the bomb to go off.

"You're WHAT?"

"I'm getting married, Mom. It's already decided. Edward proposed while we were in Hanover."

"Bella Marie Swan, what have I been telling you since you were old enough to talk? You finish college before you get married. You're only eighteen, for goodness' sake. You don't know how you're going to feel five or ten or twenty years from now."

"Neither do you," I pointed out. "Age isn't the issue. It's what I want, and I know it's right. It's not like I'm not going to college – I'm just going to be married at the same time."

"That's how it starts out, but soon enough, you'll come to a point where you want different things from life, and then what?"

"Then I guess we get divorced like you did," I shot back, my temper getting the best of me. "I'm not you, Mom. I know we're not going to be on the same page all the time and I'm willing to stick it out."

There was another moment of wounded silence. "Don't expect me to support this, Isabella. You're making a mistake."

I felt myself starting to cry. "Then don't come to the wedding."

I hung up before she could say anything else. Edward was there, waiting to take me into his arms.

"She'll come around," he whispered, stroking my hair as I cried. There was no way he could possibly know that, and I doubted he even believed it, but I took comfort in the sentiment all the same.

A/N: Hi. :) That's all.