Chapter Seventeen

Bella

I threw my things into a bag and left a note for Aiysha telling her I was out of town for a couple of weeks then drove out of the city towards Houston. As I drove I felt something pulling me on, somehow I knew I was headed in the right direction, towards Jasper and I looked at the bracelet on my wrist. I hadn't removed it since I took the photographs of the charms for Aiysha. I just hoped Jasper could tell me what was going on and maybe even help me. He was the only one I could trust at all. I wouldn't call on the Cullens even if I knew where they were, too many bad memories. Memories I would love to forget but the ember of retribution still glowed deep within me.

As I drove I suddenly remembered I was overdue to ring Renee and she would only go crazy if I didn't speak to her. She never rang me these days but if I didn't ring her at least once a month she would pull the guilt trip on me,

"Don't you think of me any more? Ever since you went to Forks with your father you've been very distant. I really thought better of you Isabella. It hurts that my own daughter can forget her mother for weeks on end, it really does."

I could have stopped ringing altogether but some warped sense of duty kept me doing it.

Bella

When I pulled in next to get a drink, I couldn't stomach food although the pain had lessened a little, I steeled myself to give her a quick ring, or at least that was the plan. It never worked with her though, quick calls were alien to my mother.

"Bella? Where have you been? You were supposed to ring me last week and you know how I worry if I don't hear from you. How's college? Any interesting guys?"

"College is fine mum and no there isn't a guy in the picture."

"I don't know why Bella. You're pretty enough and you can talk intelligently. You really need to get over Edward and look around. You can't tell me there aren't any cool guys in college."

"I wouldn't try mum but I'm not interested. I just want to get my degree and then find a career that interests me. How's Phil?"

That was good for a five minute blow by blow account of his last game so I drank my soda as she went on. When she finally finished she asked a question I hadn't expected.

"Are you coming back to see us soon? It's been a long time and I want to see you. I miss you honey. Oh yes, have you spoken to Charlie?"

I answered without thinking,

"Yes a few days ago, he's OK"

"Oh so you found time to ring your father but not me".

"He rang me mum"

I should have stopped myself!

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, why should there be something wrong?"

"Charlie rang you?"

Yes he does every so often"

"Oh, I thought he'd forgotten he had a daughter after he threw you out. You should have stood up for yourself more"

Like you did I thought but didn't say.

"Mum please. It was a long time ago, forgotten"

"Well it shouldn't be. I haven't forgotten that my ex husband more or less accused me of being a loose woman. Not that your father could wait to sling the mud at me. He never stops to think that you were living with him when you had your embarrassing encounter."

Typical, I'm accused of being a slut and my mother is worried about what Charlie was saying about her. Nothing had changed!

"I'd like to forget about it now please."

"Oh really, well you might be happy to forgive the fact your father thought you were sleeping with half of the school but I'm not, especially when he thinks it was my fault. Anyway enough about that, what are you doing over the weekend? Any parties? There must be hundreds of guys to choose from there. We had great parties when I was at college."

"When did you go to college?"

"Well I started but I dropped out, I missed the parties though."

"Well next time I'll get you an invitation."

She laughed at that,

"My little old lady Isabella. You really should let yourself go a little, enjoy life while you're young. Like you used to do, it's just a shame you got into trouble in Forks, it's so small-minded. Now if you'd been sleeping around in Jacksonville no one would have blinked an eye".

"I'll remember that mum, thanks. Look I really have to go. I'm meeting a friend for lunch".

Her ears pricked up at that,

"A guy?"

"No, Aiysha remember I told you about her".

"Yes you did, Bella is there something you should be telling me?"

"Like what?"

"Well there's nothing wrong with preferring your own sex, not these days at least."

"I'm pleased to hear it but no, Aiysha is just a friend, coffee, swap notes, go to the movies friend, not a lover."

"Oh well never mind. One day you'll meet Mr or Miss Right, take care Bella and oh yes Phil sends his love."

"Thanks, say hi from me."

A two minute phone call had stretched out to ten but it was over for another few weeks. Sometimes I wondered where my mother got her crazy ideas from. Sometimes she acted as if my "incident" in Forks were fine with her and at other times I was only one step below Mata Hari. I'd given up letting it worry me after all this time or at least that's what I told myself.

I pulled back onto the highway and continued my drive wondering what Jasper would say when he saw me, if he was still there. After all it had been over two years since he handed me the present, I could hardly expect him to be waiting for me, if he was even still at this ranch. I could be making a very embarrassing mistake but deep inside something told me I would be welcome no matter how long it had taken me to break the puzzle. Would Alice be there too? If she was what did it mean? Had I read things totally wrongly or was he looking for a second girl, a threesome? If so he would find himself way out of luck. Perhaps he just wanted to tell me about what was happening to me and knew it would take this long for me to realize something strange was happening to my body. In short I hadn't the faintest idea what I was driving into but I really didn't care. I needed answers and he was the only one with them.