Chapter Six

Emmett

I considered telling Rose what I'd discovered but she seemed very anti Jazz now and I didn't want her dropping any hints to Alice that I knew more than I possibly should, although she might already know but she did seem distracted these days as if she were working on something in particular. Maybe Bella's party, who knew? She bounced in the room as always but her face wasn't as bright as usual.

"Hello Emmett. Here"

She held out a big box for me to take.

"What's this?"

"Bella's birthday present, you hadn't forgot had you? It's a radio for her truck. You mentioned it ages ago."

"Oh right, yeah."

I didn't want to sound too excited about the birthday party.

"We have to make the effort for Edward, after all he still loves her, he's willing to give her the benefit of the doubt."

"What about you and the rest of us?"

"We should do the same I guess. After all I can't prove anything, not yet in any case. There's a necklace inside too, for Rose to wrap for Bella. I'm going shopping with Esme for a cake and party decorations now and I'll expect your help later with the twinkle lights.

She went out again and I stared after her, for a girl who thought her mate was two timing her she was being very forgiving to the other girl involved! I looked at the box and took out the necklace to examine it wondering if it might have letters dangling that spelled out the word SLUT or something. It was in fact very pretty with a series of coloured stones and I remembered her telling me about the symbolism in stones once. So maybe this was supposed to mean luck or friend or something like that or as I suspected something equally as damning. I put it back in and sealed the box thinking that Rose wasn't going to be happy handing any present to Bella that didn't involve bodily harm to the recipient!

Bella

It all came to a head on my birthday. As a special concession Charlie graciously allowed me to visit the Cullens for my party. I think Esme worked on him so I was told to dress up and be prepared for a small party by Alice. Just for once I wish Charlie had vetoed the idea but I think it was possibly mental torture, he knew I hated a fuss and a party would be agony for me.

"Have fun and make sure she's back in the house by eleven tonight Edward."

I looked at the clock as we left, 7pm, that meant four hours of pretending I was enjoying the fuss. If there were presents and a fuss I would die! Edward drove slowly holding my hand and telling me very solicitously not to be afraid but Jasper would be there.

"Oh so he's back then?"

"Yes, I did try to delay it but he insisted on coming back."

"Edward, its his home, you can't keep him away from the family, Alice especially. She's missing him."

"Really? Are you sure about that? I have my own suspicions. She could do so much better for herself. I was talking to Carlisle about it the other day."

"You sound like her father not her brother Edward, besides its nothing to do with you."

"Carlisle agreed with me eventually."

I'll bet he did I thought, you probably kept on until his mind was mush. I shouldn't feel this way I knew but somehow Edward wasn't Prince Charming any longer, he turned out to have feet of clay. He had turned from a wonderful caring boyfriend into a control freak and I blamed Carlisle and Esme for allowing it.

Well the birthday party was nothing more or less than a complete disaster almost as if it had been orchestrated. Why Alice had put out all those wine glasses and cake plates when I was the only one going to eat or drink I couldn't begin to understand but me plus breakables usually led to disaster and this was no exception. The first twenty minutes or so were OK, Emmett and I chatted watched by a less than friendly Rosalie while Edward played the new compilation he'd written especially for me on the piano. It wasn't really my type of music but I appreciated the effort he'd put in and tried to look suitably impressed. Then the atmosphere changed and looking round I saw Jasper enter the room. He looked over at me and smiled then went to greet Alice but again things seemed a little off, his peck on her cheek was a little too quick and her smile a little too bright. Then he came over to me and wished me Happy Birthday inquiring if I were completely recovered from my ordeal in Phoenix.

"Yes thanks to you Jasper. I'm glad you came tonight. I was beginning to think you hadn't been invited."

"I hadn't Bella but I thought I should wish you happy birthday."

I think he would have said more but Edward had got up from the piano and approached looking decidedly unhappy.

"So you decided to come after all."

"Yes. I just wished Bella happy birthday, I'm not staying Edward so don't worry. It seems I'm not as welcome as I used to be."

It wasn't until he walked out that I noticed the expressions in the room, Alice looked a little sad while Esme and Carlisle were visibly relieved. Rose was scowling but then she always was when I was around, nothing new there then. Edward looked plain angry and I didn't know why. The scar on my arm where Jasper had sucked James venom out was aching and I rubbed it absently. Needing a few human moments I excused myself and spent some time in the lavish bathroom thinking about the strange atmosphere in the house tonight.

When I came back downstairs I saw everyone had gone outside but when Alice saw me from the decking she hesitated a few seconds then called out,

"Bella there you are. Fancy sneaking around like that. Here she is"

Alice bounced over but her gaiety was so forced to was painful.

"Here Birthday girl, this is from me".

I took the slim package she held out and slid my finger under the tape to pull it open but in doing so I cut my finger. Pulling it free I looked at the few drops of blood that dripped onto the white carpet in horror, not because of the vampires in the room but because of the growing stain on the expensive thick piled carpet. I looked up when I heard several sharp intakes of breath and saw all eyes on me, dark and hungry looking.

I took a step back, intending to walk out through the patio doors onto the decking and fresh air but Edward grabbed me as Emmett took one half step forward and pushed me behind him hard. Straight into the table which broke dumping me on the floor in a heap of shattered glass and this time the smell of blood was significant enough to register with me too. As Edward turned to me I saw the vampire in him wrestling control and then suddenly I was outside in the cold night air, a cool hand on my cheek for just a second before it was withdrawn and I stood alone.

After that things were pretty mixed up, Carlisle came out to me and once the coast was clear he took me upstairs to his study and examined the deep cut in my arm, the one that was bleeding the most. A shallower cut on the other arm was scabbing over already, the cold air I guessed. He had almost finished putting in the few stitches he said the cut required when Edward tapped on the door and came in, his teeth gritted.

"When you're finished I'll take Bella home."

I resented being ignored and glared at him,

"That was not only stupid but a highly dangerous thing to do Bella. I hope you aren't badly hurt but tripping over your own feet and landing in a heap of glass isn't the smartest thing to do under the circumstances."

"Maybe if you hadn't pushed me so hard I could have kept my footing Edward."

He didn't reply to me but left the room and I waited for some backing from Carlisle who had seen the whole thing but he didn't speak.

"You saw how hard he pushed me Carlisle."

"It was an unfortunate incident Bella, lets forget about it. I'm glad you weren't badly hurt and managed to get outside in the fresh air."

"I didn't, someone took me outside."

He didn't comment on that just looked at me sharply as he finished strapping the dressing on my arm.

"There, that should be fine. The stitches can come out in a few days if you go to the clinic".

"Thank you Carlisle. I'm sorry I ruined the party."

"Yes well...Let me take you to the truck, Edward will drive you home."

Edward stood leaning against the hood staring out into the darkness as Carlisle helped me in and fastened the seat belt for me. Still silent Edward got in shutting the door a little too firmly and taking off a little too fast. He was angry but I didn't know why, what had I done? No one had been hurt except me. He didn't speak until he parked the truck outside Charlies and came round to open my door for me. His face was tense and his jaw rigid.

"Look, I'm sorry if I ruined things for you and Alice Edward but it was an accident and no harm was done."

"So you say, I'm not so sure Bella. I think the damage was done a long time ago."

I waited for him to continue but he just walked me to the front door where Charlie waited and took the small bundle of presents from him.

"You're early Bella, did you have fun?"

I nodded and went inside leaving Edward on the doorstep. I was tired, sore, and fed up of word games I didn't understand.

"Night Edward."

But as I turned I saw the doorstep was empty except for Charlie who stood looking out into the darkness.

"Have you and Edward had a row or something? He didn't look very happy."

"Something like that dad. I'm going up to bed, I'm tired"

I ran up the stairs cursing the throbbing in my injured arm, grabbed my old sweats and went to the bathroom passing Charlie on the landing with my gifts in his arms.

"I'll put these on the bed, what did you get by the way?"

"Oh, a necklace and a new radio for the truck,"

"That was generous."

I only knew about the radio because Emmett told me he'd already installed it, he knew I hated gifts and was worried I'd try taking it back. I hadn't notice it on the way home and wondered why Edward didn't mention it but then nothing had been normal about tonight. I undressed and showered making sure to keep my bandaged arm out of the water. Then I remembered the shallow cut on my other arm but twisting it to look I couldn't find it. The scab had washed off but I couldn't see any mark. The only blemish on that arm was the bite mark made by James. Had I imagined it? I stepped out of the shower and inspected my arms, both of them, in the mirror but aside from the thick dressing on the wound Carlisle had stitched and a few surface cuts on the palm of one hand there was no sign of any others! I pulled on my sweats and went back to my bedroom shouting a goodnight to Charlie who'd gone back downstairs and leaving my window open a little for Edward as usual. Unusual was the fact that he never came back.