"And as long as I can feel you holding on
I won't fall
Even if you said I was wrong
I'm not perfect
But I keep trying
'Cause that's what I said I would do from the start
I'm not alive if I'm lonely
So please don't leave
Was it something I said or just my personality"
- Perfect, by: Hedley
Hourglass
Chapter: 14
-Bella POV-
Explaining the kielbasa fiasco to Emmett proves to be difficult. Mainly, because I can't get a good breath between my obnoxious giggles. Every time he lifts a forkful of meat to his mouth, I find myself simultaneously cringing and giggling at the same time.
It doesn't bode well for me.
When I can finally spit out Rose's and my previous conversation, Emmett, who has just finished devouring his meaty treat, looks both bashful and horrified at the same time.
I can't help but laugh at the grimace on his face every time I slip a piece of meat into my mouth. For the first time since all of this pain and anguish started, I feel my chest lighten a bit, and hope starts to trickle into my heart.
Maybe, just maybe, everything will be okay.
. . . . . . .
While making his rounds, Dr. Cullen comes in to check on Rose. I inform him that she said she was hungry when she was awake earlier. He makes sure that all of her fluids are okay, then tells us that a nurse will be in shortly to clean Rose up. He also mentions that they'll send some soup up for her.
That reminds me that it's been just over twenty-four hours since the last time I was able to properly shower and brush my teeth, and I cringe as I recall how many times I've thrown up since then.
When the nurse arrives to take care of Rose, I give Rose a quick kiss on her forehead. I tell her that I'll be back in a couple of hours to see her, and that I need to run home quick to freshen up. She understands and focuses her attention back on the nurse who is providing her care.
I feel okay leaving her side now, knowing the nurse will be in there with her and that Royce is in jail. However, I do still feel guilty that I can go home and take a shower, and she has to stay here. So I promise myself that as soon as I'm cleaned up and have all of my stuff done, that I'll return to her side.
Emmett follows me out and offers to give me a ride home. When I direct him to the house that my Dad and I currently occupy, we're both pleasantly surprised to find out that we live on the same street.
The similarities, however, end there. My house is plain, with white cracking paint and chipped gray shutters. Whereas Emmett lives on a newer, nicer, more secluded part of our street.
About ten years ago, Forks' town committee decided to work with a local development company and extend our road a couple of blocks and round it out into a cul-de-sac. All of the houses in the extended portion are, of course, much larger and nicer than the ones closer to ours.
I can't complain, though. I've never lived anywhere else, and this is the place I call home. A lot of people frown on an adult living in their parents' home, but I couldn't imagine being any place else. Home is my safe haven, away from the politics of school, work, and all of the other bullshit that infiltrates my life.
I hop out of Emmett's truck and run through the drizzle that is permeating the air to my front door. I grab the hide-a-key from the old rusted-out mail dispenser and let myself inside. I make sure to lock the door behind me.
My dad is still at the station, so I run upstairs and quickly find a fresh pair of clothes before I jump into a nice, warm, relaxing shower. I replay the previous night as I wash my hair for the second time, and my hands still as a chilling thought passes through my mind.
Royce could very well be released.
It's not that I don't have faith in the system; I'm the Chief of Police's daughter for crying out loud. I believe in the system. But…it doesn't always work out the way you think…or hope it will. Sometimes facts get misconstrued or go unnoticed all together, and sometimes the guilty are freed.
Even though we're taught that the law is the "end all, be all" of our society, criminals are everywhere, and sometimes they're allowed to roam free.
What will happen if Royce is released?
Will he go after Rosalie? To finish what he's started?
Will he come after me, too? What about Charlie? Will he hurt him to spite me, or possibly as revenge for apprehending him?
The dread and fear sits in my stomach like a pile of lead as my shaking hands grip the shower knob and shut the water off. My hair and body are rinsed, and I step out into the chilly air of the bathroom. After hastily drying and dressing myself, I look outside and notice that my truck hasn't been returned yet.
Dad was supposed to have one of the officers bring it back, but I guess they haven't gotten around to it yet. After brushing through and quickly braiding my thick and heavy hair, I grab my phone, purse, and house key and head toward the front door. After I slide my feet into a pair of comfortable shoes and throw on a heavy coat, I lock and close the door behind me as I make my way over to Emmett's house. I hate to ask him for another favor, but I have no other way to get to my truck, let alone the police station, and I really couldn't walk that far in this weather.
When I approach the house he pointed out to me earlier, I see his blue Tundra, a silver Volvo, and a black Mercedes in the driveway. I'm hesitant to go to the door, not wanting to interrupt his company, but I'm really out of options. I press the button for the doorbell once, and I step back as I wait for him to answer the door.
I'm startled when I look up to see a beautiful, copper-haired woman smiling back at me.
"How can I help you, dear?" She smiles warmly at me.
"Uhm, I'm looking for Emmett? I thought that was his truck back there." I hook my thumb behind myself, and use it to point in the direction of the truck.
"You're in the right place, but I'm afraid he just went up to bed. Is there anything I can help you with, sweetie?" Her voice is warm and affectionate, and she truly seems like she would genuinely help me. But I don't feel right asking complete strangers for favors. I was already uncomfortable enough asking Emmett to cart me around. I was most definitely not going to ask this nice woman to.
I'd just have to see if Charlie or one of his deputies could pick me up.
"No. No that's okay. Thank you though. I appreciate it." I turn to leave when she softly reaches out and places her hand on my coat covered forearm.
"You sure you're alright?" she asks, concern flooding her vibrant green eyes.
I nod my head and smile at her. I'm not really sure what to say.
"Did you walk here? I don't see a car," she presses as I turn to go.
"Yeah. I live just up the street," I reply.
"Are you Bella?" she asks brightly, and takes a step toward my retreating form.
"Yes?" I say, but it sounds more like a question.
"I'm Esme, Emmett's aunt. It's so nice to meet you," she says as she reaches out and wraps me in a warm hug.
I'm caught off guard, but I wrap my arms around her and try to soak up a little of her warmth.
Typically, I wouldn't hug a random stranger, but this woman has been nicer to me in the two minutes that I've known her than some people have my entire life.
"It's nice to meet you, too, Esme," I say softly as emotion clogs my throat.
"Mom, what's going on, who is at the door?" I hear the voice before I actually see the person, and suddenly Edward steps out from behind the semi-open door.
"Come on, dear, let's get you inside. It's freezing out here," Esme says soothingly as she rubs her hands up and down my arms, trying to stop my body from trembling.
"I'm okay, I can walk back," I start to say, but I'm interrupted.
"I can drive you anywhere you need to go, Bella." Edward offers.
"I really don't want to impose," I reply, hating the idea of everyone taking care of me.
"It's no imposition. Come inside quick and get warmed up, and Edward will take you wherever you need to go," Esme soothes and ushers me inside.
"Thank you," I murmur softly as we enter the house and walk through the living area toward the kitchen.
The kitchen, dining area, and living room are all open to each other with partial walls defining them. The open concept gives a light and airy feel to the room; letting a maximum amount of natural light to shine in through the windows to add to the warm feeling. Too bad it's rarely sunny in Forks; the maximum amount of sunlight here is quite minimal compared to what they're probably used to.
I slowly take a seat at the counter as Esme fixes a pot of coffee, and I nervously play with my hands.
"If you're in a hurry we can go now." Edward offers worriedly.
I immediately feel bad for being so rude, and I quickly sit up straight and shake my head.
"No. No, sorry, I'm not in a big rush. I just don't want to impose on anyone," I explain.
"You're not imposing, sweet girl. I was hoping I'd get a chance to meet you. Emmett and Edward told me a little about you," Esme says as she retrieves the fat free creamer from the cabinet and pulls out the sugar shaker from a small cupboard above the stove.
After Esme places my mug full of steaming coffee in front of me, I pour in a little of the caramel creamer and stir my beverage. A few moments pass, and we blow on our drinks as we sip them gratefully.
"So, Emmett tells me you're from Chicago?" I ask to no one in particular.
"Yes, we are. I absolutely loathed living in the city. Carlisle and I traveled a lot, both together and separately before we got married. We always promised each other that we'd find a new place to set up our roots and really settle down. I guess it took us long enough to do it, but we're excited to start new. I can't wait to retire here." Esme's voice is bright and cheery, but I can sense a sadness in her eyes that wasn't there before.
"Well, if small town is what you're looking for, you've definitely come to the right place." I sip on my drink and offer her a small smile.
"Edward tells me your father is the Chief of Police. From what I've heard around town, your father is highly respected and very honorable; you must be very proud of him." Esme smiles.
I take another sip of my coffee before I respond. "Very. I've always been really close with my dad. He's taught me everything I know."
"Yeah, including how to throw a mean right hook," Edward interjects.
I raise my eyebrows in his direction and chance a glance back to Esme.
"I apologize for being forward, Bella, but…that man…and I'll use that term loosely right now. That man deserved everything you gave him, and more, if what my boys say is true. He deserved to get his ass kicked. Your friend is in my thoughts and prayers. I admire what you've done for her, and what you're continuing to do by protecting and helping her." Esme's voice is earnest, and her eyes are a little misty.
I swallow the emotional lump that's gathered in my throat and rapidly blink the fresh coat of tears that are flooding my eyes. "Thank you, Esme," I say softly.
In a flash, she's made her way around the counter to wrap me in her warm embrace.
"You're so welcome, dear. If you ever need anything—and I do mean anything—don't hesitate to ask one of us. We're all here for you, Bella. I firmly believe that for some reason, unknown to us, God meant for all of us to meet. There's a reason for everything, even the most horrible of situations."
My voice fails me, and I just nod my head at her as my lip trembles and warm tears leak from my eyes. I try to bat them away, but it's useless. Using my hand to fan my face, I quickly calm myself back down, and we return to sipping our coffee in silence.
Edward finishes off his cup and excuses himself to finish getting ready.
When I finish the rest of my drink, I stand and rinse my mug before placing it in the dishwasher, just as I saw Esme and Edward do seconds before me.
"I could've gotten that, you didn't have to," Esme scolds gently.
I ignore her admonishment and wrap my arms around her softly.
"Thank you, Esme. You and your family are extremely kind and rare people. Forks is lucky to have you," I say warmly.
I step away from her when Edward walks back into the room, and I shrug back into my jacket as he and I silently make our way to the door.
When I step outside, I'm immediately hit with a blast of cool, crisp air. The warm residual feeling from being inside the Cullen home slowly dissipates as I follow him to the silver Volvo parked at the end of the driveway.
We both climb inside of the car, and Edward immediately blasts the heat. I scowl as I look at the register that is currently blasting me with frigid air.
"Something wrong, Bella?" Edward asks.
"You do know that it only blows cold air until the engine is heated up, right?" The cold makes my voice sound harsher than I intend, and I'm immediately apologizing for snapping at him.
"I'm sorry! I'm just really cold, and my friend, Jake, and I have this argument a lot. I didn't mean to bite your head off. I guess I'm just really tired."
He reaches over to close my vents and revs the engine a bit to speed up the process of producing more heat for the inside of the car.
"I didn't know that, sorry." His voice is light and almost sounds amused.
A few silent moments later, Edward asks where I want to go and then pulls out of the drive to head toward the police station. I decide it's best to stop there before searching for my truck, just in case my dad has had a deputy drive it down there.
When we arrive at the station, my truck is not in the lot, so I decide to head inside and check in with my dad before I go pick it up.
When I enter his office, I hear him screaming into his phone about speculation and facts before he slams it onto the receiver so hard it falls off the desk.
"Bad time?" I ask nervously as he scrubs his hands over his face, looking very distraught.
"They're making me release him," he speaks into his hands.
"I'm sorry—what?" I ask as my mind shuts down, and the whole world seems to stall around me.
"Royce. If I don't get some proof that he is the person that hurt Rosalie, they're going to demand his release. Hell, they're already demanding it. The most I can hold him is forty-eight hours, then I have to let him go."
"But…" Words fail me for a second, and I stumble into his desk before catching myself.
"She's awake though! Rosalie is awake. She can testify that he did this to her, that's all the proof we need, isn't it?" I ask frantically.
"Maybe. If she'll testify. He's been hurting her for a long time, and she's never come forward before. I don't know how willing she's going to be to give him up."
"She has to. I mean, for her safety there's no way she can't not testify, right?"
He only shrugs sadly at me.
"I'll talk to her. I'll make her understand," I vow.
A/N: Sorry for the delay. Thank you all for sticking this out - unfortunately, sometimes you gotta have the filler to get to the good ole fashioned angst. Trust me though, more is coming. :\ lol
I'd like to give a shout-out to Minerva77, lady, your kind words fill me up and make me smile. Thank you so much for reccing my fics and honestly, for believing in me.
And for all of you who have been reccing this - and my other fics - thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart. The influx of reviews has been cray-cray, and I haven't been able to answer all of them, but know that I read each and every one, and I love them!
I puffy heart you all!
xxoo,
Missy
P.S. I'm curious to know who's POV's you're favoring. Bella's or Rosalie's. Let me know! :)) Tootles kittens.