An: New Chapter

Chapter sixty-one: New Chapter

Bella, December, 2011…Christmas Day

I hung up the phone in shock and relief. Hope was laughing as Jasper made faces at her.

"What is it?" he asked without looking. He could sense my mood change.

"Renee is awake. That was Carlisle. She's awake."

Jasper threw up Hope and she giggled all the way down into the safety of his arms. "That's good, baby. It was what we wanted."

"It is." I was still in shock. I sat back down on the bed. Renee was awake and she wanted to see me.

Today was Christmas Day. Jasper's birthday.

"She wants to see me."

"It can be arranged," he said before blowing raspberries into our daughter's chubby tummy, making her loud giggles fill the air. "When?"

"Today."

Jasper stopped. "Do you want to?"

"I don't know."

I really didn't. Three months have passed and life has taken a new meaning. It was happier. Jasper was back on his feet. Physical Therapy had gone well. Our daughter was loved by her family. Today being Christmas was going to be great for her. She might not understand as yet, but this was a blessed day. The entire family was here and between her and Tanya's baby boy, Caleb, the gifts were going to be at an insane level. I have tried to talk her father out buying her something every time he left house and I have gotten it down to a gift a week. I was still working on a month. Jasper was spoiling her. I have tried to debate this, but Jasper wasn't listening. I couldn't blame him though. Hope was our little miracle. She brought joy to both of our lives. One giggle or smile from her completed our day.

"It's your choice, baby," Jasper said, his voice jarring me back to the present. "If you want to go and see her, we can drive up there."

"You want to up and drive to Houston for your birthday?" I couldn't let him miss Christmas and his birthday dinner for me and Renee.

"If it's what you wanted to do."

"Jasper…" I whined.

"Bella…" He teased with a grin, bouncing our girl in his arms. "If you need to, we'll do it."

"I don't want to ruin your birthday and Christmas." I wanted to rationalize why I shouldn't go today. It wasn't like I owed Renee anything. I had ensured she was cared for since the attack. Jasper has had the best physicians looking after her.

But now she was awake and wanted to see me. I honestly didn't know what to do. Should I go?

"Should I go?" I asked him.

Jasper got up and came over to the window. He placed a kiss on my forehead, pulling me into a one armed hug while Hope grabbed after my hair, trying to pull the ends into her mouth. I rubbed her tummy and she giggled. She was always so happy.

"I think you should, but you decide the time. If you don't want to go today, I'll understand. Renee is safe," Jasper reasoned. "If you don't ever want to see her, I'll understand and we'll make arrangements for her. If you want to go today, we'll get the truck ready and drive up. I go wherever you and Hope go. You two are the best Christmas presents a guy could ask for. If you want to go tomorrow, we'll arrange it. Just tell me what you want, Bella."

I looked up at the amazing man staring down at me. His impressible and piercing blue eyes shining with nothing but love and understanding as he waited for my answer. I smiled, giving him a brief kiss on his lips. "I'll go tomorrow."

Christmas dinner/Jasper's birthday festivities were as expected, exciting and filled with joy and laughter. Sue and I along Emily and the women of the family had outdone ourselves. Caleb and Hope were pampered as I predicted. I hardly got a chance to hold my little girl. Between Jasper, her appointed bodyguard and personal carrier, or my father, her other personal bodyguard and personal carrier, I only got to feed her and make her smile a few times before she was taken out my arms by her daddy to be burped and put down for a nap which wasn't long since he wouldn't actually put her in her crib. Jasper opted to let Hope sleep on his chest. Which happened a lot.

The women of the family swooned when they saw how great he was with her. Tanya and I were the only ones slightly annoyed because we hardly had any time with our babies once they were in their fathers' arms. She and Edward had the same issues as Jasper and me. Edward treasured his son immensely.

"Feeling lonely?" Tanya said, placing her head on my shoulder.

"Yeah," I said with a nod. "Edward hogging Caleb?"

"I think I only got to feed him and burp him this morning. He's been with his daddy ever since."

I looked out at the guys in the living room with our kids on their shoulders and smiled. "It's a beautiful sight though."

Tanya sighed and snapped a picture. "It really is."

"What is it?" A heavily pregnant Rose said as she waddled her way over to us. She and Emmett were expecting their first child anytime soon. Jasper wasn't pleased about Emmett knocking up his sister. Maria, Sue and me on his back had to get him off Emmett when he nearly choked the life out of him. Rose stood off to the side screaming at her brother to stop being an ass. We thought it was absurd. Rose and Emmett were married. Maria said it wouldn't stop Jasper. He was extremely protective of us.

Emmett and he have since made up; after my fiancé refused to talk to Emmett for a month. But Emmett needed us. He wanted to know what we went through personally with Hope and Jasper and I were a constant help for him. He hung on our every word.

Rose too. Tanya and I supported her the whole way. This hasn't been easy for her.

"Rose, take a seat," I ordered and she sat down on the nearest chair. "No more exercising. If Emmett saw you, he would freak."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Don't you know it? I can hardly go to the bathroom without him bugging me."

"That could be because you're on bed rest."

"I'm bored, Bella," she whined.

"I know."

"This is my first time away from that prison of a mattress in days. Emmett isn't even hounding me. It's a blessing," she said, making me laugh. "By the way, Carlisle said Renee is awake."

"Yeah, and she wanted to see me today, but I'm not ripping Jasper away from Christmas for her." I still felt animosity toward Renee. I doubt it would go away anytime soon. There was so much history there. It couldn't be wiped under the rug because she had woken up from a coma and wanted to see me. "I'll see her tomorrow."

"I doubt I'd even want to see her," Rose said. She didn't like my mother. She didn't consider her a mother after Renee's refusal to help me when I needed it.

"I can understand."

"Do you, Bella? She didn't help you. James could have killed you. You wouldn't be here, happy, in love with my brother and have a wonderful little girl if you didn't say enough and ran with Phil's help. Now, she's awake and demanding to see you? Please!"

"Don't upset yourself over her, Rose. I'll go tomorrow and see what she wants. If it's nothing close to even an apology, then I turn my back. I got her this far. She should be okay from here."

I refused to talk in depth about Renee for the rest of the day. And it turned out to be wonderful. By evening, we were all around the gigantic Christmas tree in the living room of the main house. Maria was looking on proudly at her family. Charlie and Sue were huddled in the corner, laughing and talking quietly after exchanging presents. Char and I exchanged a smile. Our parents were growing closer as the months went by. We were happy for them. Char and I had sat down talked about them getting closer and how we felt about it and it turned out, we were both happy with the progression of Charlie and Sue's close friendship and possibly more. I saw Charlie give Sue a small kiss on her lips, making her smile and duck her head.

Yeah, definitely more.

"That's good," Jasper whispered to me.

I leaned my head on his shoulder. "It really is. I'm happy for them."

"So when?" Jasper asked, and I knew what he was asking.

I knew the answer now.

"June."

"Are you sure?" He sounded surprised.

"Esme and I have been talking. It's time to move on."

"June it is," he said happily with a kiss on my lips, initiating the 'awws' from the other occupants of the room, making me blush.

I was getting married in June.

Coming to a decision on a date wasn't an easy one. I had some trouble after a couple of days at home. Even though I had promised myself not to second guess my reasons for moving forward, I found myself slipping.

It was Sam who got through to me. He nipped it in the bud. I visited him in the hospital religiously up until his release. Then I went to his and Emily's home. We talked and he encouraged me to be open with Jasper. Never hide. He encouraged me to ask Esme for help and I did. It was Sam who got me to where I was now. Strong, happy and ready to be Mrs. Whitlock, officially.

Rose and Tanya were overjoyed when I told them two days ago. We were ready to plan. It wouldn't take much in my book. I didn't want anything extravagant. I wanted family and friends. Maria said a few society people would show up, but it wouldn't be a big deal. She wouldn't allow it. Jasper couldn't care less. He couldn't wait to get the ring on my finger and hear the minister pronounce us man and wife. He was excited about everything.

When we got in bed on Christmas night after putting Hope down, Jasper was ready to talk.

"So what do you want?"

"Family and friends. No queen of some country. I can't handle any more attention than that."

"Okay, no royalty, got it." I smacked his arm. Jasper laughed and pulled me into his arms. "I'm so happy, baby. I can't wait to call you Mrs. Whitlock."

"I can't wait either."

The day after Christmas…

I held the doorknob in my hand. I should turn it and just walk in there and let her how this was going to go. I wasn't here for any sort of reunion. I was here to make sure she was okay and to show her how much of a better person I was. Yeah, I supposed I really wanted to rub it in her face. I was adamant about it on drive up here to Houston. Jasper wasn't against it, but he thought it wasn't needed. He felt Renee understood while she laid here in the hospital, in a coma, that she should be grateful for the life she was being given a second chance at.

My daughter made a sound and I looked back at her in her father's arms with a smile. Then with a sigh, I opened the door and walked in.

Renee was sitting up in bed, staring out the window. She looked as magnificent as she always did. Even without makeup and waking up from months of sleep, my mother was still radiant. At least so it seemed from her left side. As I drew closer, she turned to me with a deep sigh and a look of apprehension on her face. She was afraid of me.

"Hello, Bella," she said with a slight slur. There was a slur. I remembered the stroke she had suffered. I remembered everything Carlisle and Jasper have warned me to expect. My mother might never be the same.

"Hi."

"You look beautiful." She smiled.

I looked down at the navy blue dress I was in. It went well with the black boots Jasper had gotten me for Christmas. He claimed to love my legs in boots. I didn't even bother to ask the price. I knew they were designer and expensive.

"Thank you." I didn't know what else to say.

"You've-always been beautiful, but you're glowing."

"I had a baby three months ago…I don't know if that has anything to do with it."

"Maybe," she whispered.

I drew close enough, taking a seat in the chair beside her bed. She turned back to the window, staring out of it. We sat like this for a while. Just the beep of the monitors until she turned back to me and spoke again. "Are you married?"

"To Jasper?"

She nodded.

"In June."

"I wish you a happy life," she managed out.

"You have a slur." I wanted to kick myself for stating it but Renee laughed.

"Yeah, Carlisle said I suffered a stroke. I have a lot to do to regain even a portion of how I was." She took a deep breath and started to cry. I let her have her moment. I felt no need to comfort her. Maybe I was growing cold. Maybe I was growing to hate her. I don't know. Esme didn't believe so. She believed I had a right to resent Renee before I could learn to forgive her. It was a part of my growing to accept the new me.

"Bella, I have no right to call you. I have no right to want anything from you."

"You don't," I said curtly. "I have every right to refuse any request you have. You know I actually came here to gloat. Yesterday, I just wanted to make sure you were okay. But on the way here today, I wanted to gloat. I wanted to show you how different we were. When you needed help, I gave it. When I did, well, we know we know how that turned out."

Renee looked bashful. "It's okay to…gloat. I would understand. I deserve it. Everything that happened to me at James' hand, I deserve it. I needed to understand what you went through, and-"

I stopped her. "No, that wasn't the way I wanted you to understand, Renee. James was a monster. He hurt you. He could've killed you. You shouldn't have gone there. The moment you returned to California, you should have left. Gone to Europe or something. Stayed away from him."

"I know. It's fuzzy, but I remember my intent. I wanted to help you gain your freedom from him and his monstrous ways. I remember the cold feeling of the house."

Renee blood pressure monitor beeped loudly as she became agitated.

"Calm down," I ordered. "Don't upset yourself any further."

"But Bella, I need to say I'm sorry. I need to say it's okay to hate me. I hate me. I need to tell you I wish you a happy life with Jasper and your baby."

"Hope. Her name is Hope."

Renee smiled. "I wish I had been a better person. I would be able to see her. I would've been there." Her remorse was genuine. It brought tears to my eyes. I quickly wiped them away and got up. Renee thought I was leaving. "Oh. Well, goodbye, Bella," she said tearfully.

I opened the door and beckoned Jasper forward. I took Hope out of his arms and he entered the room behind me. I carried Hope over to Renee. Her eyes held surprise at my move as I lowered Hope close enough for her to touch her hand. Hope giggled and grabbed Renee's finger, gripping it, making Renee cry.

"She's so beautiful!" she exclaimed.

"And I wouldn't have had her if I hadn't run, Renee. Do you get it now?"

She nodded and continued to let Hope grip her finger as she cried.

"I don't know if there will be a time I can fully forgive you. I know it's not now. But I'm willing to let you remain in our lives. You will not pass judgment on Jasper once you're well enough. Remember, it was through his kindness and the generosity of his family, why we aren't lying in a grave somewhere. I love Jasper. I love the Whitlocks. And I will not allow anyone to speak ill of them in my presence. You could've saved me, Renee. You didn't. I saved myself, and in turn, I saved you. Never forget it." It was guilt and I was holding over her head, but I believed I was allowed. "Now, when you're ready to leave here, you can stay here in Houston. There will be a home for you. Jasper has arranged it. You're right. You have a long way to go. But I won't abandon you, Renee. I'm not like you."

I left my mother with my family and drove my fiancé and baby to our penthouse. We stayed in Houston for a few days before returning home to Henderson.

Bella, June 2012, Our Wedding Day…

The ceremony was as I pictured it would have been. Beautiful, simple and the hottest guy in the country waiting at the top of the aisle for me. Everything turned out perfect. There were no major glitches. It was minimal drama with even an appearance from Alice that didn't irritate me or send me into a rage. Esme was looked beautiful in her violet wrapped dress as she glowed in her eighth month of pregnancy. She and Carlisle's conception came as a welcomed surprise. They had actually given up trying and were looking into adoption. They still were. Carlisle and Esme had a lot of love to give.

My husband was off somewhere and I had just handed off my daughter to her grandma who had no problem proudly showing her off to everyone. Rose's baby girl, Eva, was on Sue's shoulder while my dad had just gotten my mother something to drink. Charlie and Sue had been a great help to Renee over the past months. I didn't even know my dad could find it in his heart to forgive my mother. He said he hadn't. He just couldn't stand to see her suffer. Recovery has been very hard on Renee. I have been there for her when I could. It was tough to watch her try to regain basic motor skills with much effort. James' assault had left her barely alive.

I blocked my mind as I made my way to the bathroom. I was congratulated as I passed guests. I nodded and smiled.

Maria, June 2012, Jasper and Bella's wedding day…

Where were my son and my new daughter? If he was anything like his daddy, I could guess. Bella went to the bathroom almost an hour ago.

Mrs. Paxton, the snobby bitch, approached me. "Why, Maria, this is such a lovely event. Your son is finally married." She faked the enthusiasm. She thought her daughter, Lela, would've been a better match for Jasper. Yes, because hell had frozen over and I was about to let her daughter into my family. That girl and her wayward ways and hardly shut legs weren't going anywhere near Jasper. Besides, Bella would claw her eyes out. That girl has grown a titanium backbone. No one messed with her family.

"Yes. I wonder where he could be?"

"Already drifting from his wife?" The bitch actually looked like she wanted to laugh.

I was about to crush her. "Oh no. I'm sure where he is, he's abducted Bella to join him in said location, and it will equal me becoming a grandma again in a couple months. Thank you for attending this fine event."

Hope giggled and cooed in my arms as I walked away. "Yes, sweetie, mommy and daddy are off being bad and that bad lady can suck it."

Bella, June 2012, Wedding Day…

"Jasper, seriously, we can't… Oh God!" I gripped his shoulders for dear life as he pushed inside of me. What was about this man that made me bend to his every will?

"You feel so good!" he said as he pushed in and out of me. "So tight!"

"I missed you so much!"

"Love you, baby!"

"Love you too!"

He sent down on the counter to continue his delicious onslaught. Jasper was taking my body to heights it didn't want to come down from. Just a little more. Just a little more. Did we have to go back out there? I wanted to stay here, in the bathroom he pulled me into, doing this over and over again. Peter was right. I would never be able to deny myself of Jasper. Why was Peter coming to mind? I blocked him out with a giggle.

"What's wrong?" Jasper asked.

"Don't stop!" I demanded. He lifted my legs higher and I felt him go deeper. "I thought of Peter."

Jasper stopped and cocked an eyebrow at me. "Not like that, are you crazy? We're wasting time."

Jasper smirked and I groaned in pleasure when he thrust deep inside me. "Oh god…he predicted this. I can't resist you."

"That's a good thing, darlin'. Now hold on to something."

We couldn't wipe the smile off our faces as we returned to the reception. Tanya, Maria, Edward and a thumbs up from Emmett, told us almost everyone knew what we were up to. I blushed but didn't care otherwise. I just hope life would always be this spontaneous.

Our honeymoon would be two weeks in Turks and Caicos at Jasper's, no, our vacation home on the island. Jasper has been whispering all the dirty things he had planned for me, causing me to blush through the rest of our reception.

Turks and Caicos was exactly as Jasper had promised. Sun, sand, sex and sleep. From the moment we arrived and were alone, we stumbled through the house, stripping each other as we went until we collapsed on the bed, fucking each other's brains out until we fell asleep.

We called home, slept, fucked, ate and then repeated ourselves the very next day.

It was two weeks of ecstasy.

Returning home was good. I was excited to see Hope. Jasper could hardly sit still. Our lives were falling right into place as if it was meant to always be so.

As time passed, I grew to love Jasper even more. I loved everything about him. His perfections and his imperfections. He was my source of strength, love and protection. We had our ups and downs, but we worked it out. My therapy with Esme still continued, though, not as frequent anymore. I liked to think I had a good handle on things now. Hope was growing into a lovely little girl. She continued to be the light in mine and Jasper's lives and our love for her only deepened each day.

Today was our fifth wedding anniversary and I was currently staring at the little stick that would determine my future, when Jasper knocked the door. "Are you okay in there, baby?"

Why did his voice have to drip sex? It was the reason why I was in the bathroom waiting on the plus or minus sign to appear on the little stick on the counter. "Yeah! I'm fine! Will be out in a minute!"

Oh shit. I couldn't believe it.

I opened the door to his smiling face as he leaned against the frame looking like the sexy rugged cowboy he was. "Everything good, darlin'?" He gave me the once over and I wanted to strip. No! That was what got me in trouble. I said no. He said it would be quick. I said okay and now…

"I'm fine."

"Is this about you and Emily going to New York for your first big catering event? Baby, you'll be great!" Jasper always had faith in me.

"I hope so," I said with a sigh. "But this isn't about that."

"What then?" He smiled.

I went back and got what and held it up for him to read. He looked at the stick and then at me. At the stick and then at me. "How? When?"

"I'm thinking Valentine's if you'll believe it. I'm thinking when you convinced me to try to do the…without the…"

He shook his head and held his hand up to stop my further explanation. "I got it, babe."

A mixture of emotions crossed Jasper's face in a matter of seconds before it settled on happiness. "Are we okay with this?"

"Baby, you're asking me? You just began your career in catering. Are you okay with this?"

"I am." I smiled.

"Are you sure?" Jasper was vibrating with happiness.

"I'm sure." I laughed at him.

He yelled and lifted me off my feet. "We're going to have a baby! We're having another baby! I love you, Bella!" He told me between kisses. "I love you so much!"

I kissed my husband with everything in me and then hugged him.

We were here. We were at happily ever after.