All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer; I just like to play with her characters.
No copyright infringement is intended.
HUGE thanks to my betas darcysmom and twimom817 and my pre-readers EdwardsMyObsession1971. They make my work so much better. ChristagBanners - THANK YOU for the GORGEOUS banner you created for this piece.
This piece was originally written for Fandom for Oklahoma - thank you for so patiently waiting for it.
When You Least Expect It
Outtake - Mike's Story
When you love someone, their happiness is paramount in your existence. There are two sides to every story and this is mine ….
"Yo, Mike! That pretty little girl over there is checking you out."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, and her body is bangin'!"
The girl was beautiful; wide, chocolate doe eyes, silky brown hair that tumbled over her shoulders, a warm genuine smile that made your heart stop – and her body … that in itself was a work of art. Petite and slender with curvy hips and decent sized tits. Once she caught my eye, I couldn't take it off of her.
"Dude, that broad is coming over here."
"What?" I asked, shaking my head.
The girl who was sitting next to the beautiful brunette was indeed walking our way. She smiled widely as she approached.
"Hi, I'm Alice, and that's my friend, Bella. Would you like to come meet her, or are you just going to stare at her all night?"
"Uhh, I wasn't …."
"Uh huh, sure you weren't." The girl giggled. "Come on, it wouldn't hurt to walk over there and say hi would it?"
I allowed her to pull me out of my seat toward the booth in the corner. Bella was quiet and shy compared to her rambunctious and outgoing friend, whose name I'd learned was Alice.
"Bella … this is …" Alice began.
"Mike," I muttered, holding out my hand to shake hers.
"Cool! Mike, this is Bella … a.k.a. the girl you were eye fucking not two minutes ago. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to use the ladies room."
Alice spun on her heel and walked away leaving Bella and me in an awkward silence. I tried to fill it by making small talk with her and I learned that they had spent the evening out dancing at a club. Bella was soft spoken but intelligent, and she told me that she had gone to culinary school in Manhattan and cooking was her passion. She enjoyed literature and music.
"I just finished my bachelors and I'm working as an intern at a restaurant in Manhattan."
"That's amazing. Being a chef must be a very demanding job."
"It is, but I enjoy it.
We chatted for another hour before her friend managed her way back and Bella couldn't hold back her yawns any longer. We said goodbye and exchanged numbers. I asked her if I could take her out sometime. She smiled and whispered that she would love that.
One date with Bella turned into another, and I couldn't get enough of her. She was sweet and funny, and I was completely enamored with her. The only thing I didn't like about her was her roommate, Jasper. From the moment I met him, I knew I didn't like him, and that was okay because he didn't like me either. I didn't like the way he looked at Bella even though both of them swore that nothing was going on between them.
"Mike, he's my roommate and my best friend. We tried the dating thing once and it didn't work out."
"Did you sleep with him?" I asked.
"No! God, Mike … you know me better than that."
Oh, did I ever. We dated for a good three months before I got Bella to sleep with me. She wasn't a virgin but she was definitely reserved where sex was concerned. Bella was the kind of girl who liked to be covered up. After sex, she'd jump out of bed to put her clothes back on. Why she felt the need to hide her gorgeous body, I never knew. Maybe it was because she liked to snuggle after sex and I didn't. I always felt smothered by women who liked to snuggle, so I'd roll over and face the other way. It wasn't because I didn't adore her – I did, and there were several instances I hated myself for not being able to give her what she needed.
I was selfish enough to want her anyway.
I went home with Bella at Christmas - she wanted me to meet her dad. Bella was a daddy's girl, and her father, Chief Swan was an intimidating man. He watched me like a hawk, but I tried my hardest to earn his respect. When I asked him for his permission to ask Bella to marry me, I worried he'd tell me no. He hesitated before finally telling me yes.
"But you better take good care of her. She's a good girl and deserves the world. You hurt her and I'll have to hunt you down."
"Yes, Sir."
My proposal wasn't exactly what I wanted it to be, but we were both so busy. I proposed on Valentine's Day, Bella had come home from work late and I tried to make her a romantic dinner. The food was a disaster but Bella ate it anyway.
"Mike, thank you. It was very sweet and it's the thought that counts."
We stood side by side in the kitchen washing dishes and cleaning up.
"Bella …," I said, turning her to face me. "Will you marry me?"
Her beautiful smile lit up our messy kitchen.
"Yes!" Bella squealed, jumping into my arms.
Neither one of us wanted a big wedding, and it worked out because a couple of weeks after we got engaged, I was offered a job with Boeing in Seattle as an IT Consultant. The pay was double what I was making in New York and a great job opportunity. I thought Bella would fight me on moving, but she didn't. Her internship ended the previous January and she wasn't tied down. Because of the move, Bella and I decided to get married in Seattle. It was closer to my mom, and she could help Bella with the wedding plans.
We stayed with my mom for a couple of months while we looked for a place of our own. We ended up buying a great two-story house in Tacoma about five miles away from my mom's place. Between wedding plans and getting ready to close on the new house, Bella and I were busy.
The wedding and reception were both held at the Edgewater Hotel in Seattle. The ceremony and reception site overlooked the Puget Sound. Bella fell in love with it the moment she saw it. She managed to find the dress of her dreams at a sale in New York before we left and all she had left to take care of were the flowers and invitations.
After the wedding, we went on a short honeymoon to Vancouver, Canada. Bella wanted to go to Hawaii, but I didn't want to go far from home, and I didn't really care for the beach anyway.
We moved into our house after we returned from our honeymoon, and it wasn't long after we got settled that Bella got a job as an executive chef in a small bistro in downtown Tacoma.
Life was good; Bella and I were happy and settled in our new home. We had made quite a few friends and enjoyed going to dinner parties and wine tastings. Mostly it was with my co-workers and their wives, but Bella fell in with the wives quickly, and I was glad because I knew she hated being so far from Alice and Jasper, but she endured it for me.
Charlie came up and spent our first Christmas in our new house with us. Bella was so happy to have him visit. She was also excited when I told her I wanted to start trying for a baby. It was the best Christmas gift I could have given her.
"Really?" She asked as her face lit up.
"Yeah," I grinned back at her.
A few months went by and we still hadn't gotten pregnant, so Bella's OB/GYN suggested we go to a fertility specialist. Bella agreed, and we made an appointment. Sometimes after an appointment, Bella would come home in tears, because she was in so much pain. Other times she'd be sick. I had to wonder if it was worth it putting her through all the tests and having her take different types of medications. Bella promised she'd draw the line at having to give herself injections. She couldn't take the needles. The doctor said she ovulated irregularly and there was no pattern to when she'd actually ovulate. He put her on Clomid for a few months, each month adjusting the dose. When that didn't work, he put Bella on Femara – a drug used as hormone therapy in post-menopausal women who have breast cancer. The first time around, Bella took it once a day for seven days – when that didn't work; he upped the dose to three times a day for seven days. The weeks following were like a rollercoaster. Bella was so worried about not getting pregnant that she missed the signs that she was.
I had to go out of town for a conference and Bella had told me her period was late. She wanted to wait until she was at least ten days late to take the test. I was miserable when I got home – I had come down with a cold while I was away, and I got home late at night. All I wanted to do was sleep. I crawled into the bed in the guest room so I didn't get Bella sick and she came in around six in the morning.
"Mike! I'm pregnant! You're going to be a daddy!" She yelled down the hall.
I'll never forget how excited she was that morning.
She called her doctor who sent her for a blood test to confirm the pregnancy.
Bella's pregnancy was great – she didn't have any morning sickness or weird cravings. There were a couple thing that bothered her and she had to avoid – hazelnut coffee and raw fish.
I couldn't have been happier the day we found out we were having a boy. We argued back and forth about names before we decided on Kaden Andrew.
The day he was born changed my life forever. Bella had undergone a C-Section because Kaden was in distress, but the moment they put him in my arms, my world suddenly snapped together. Sitting there watching Bella nurse our son was a sight to behold. They were so angelic and perfect. Bella was so good with him, and Kaden was a wonderful baby. He started sleeping through the night by the time he was four months old, giving Bella and me a reprieve.
Bella quit her job to stay home with our son, and with that decision came the start of a shit storm. Kaden was six months old when Charlie had his heart attack and we rushed down to Los Angeles to be with him. Bella and Kaden stayed in L.A. for six weeks after Charlie came home from the hospital. She said she needed to be there for him in case he needed anything. I hated leaving them behind, but I couldn't talk Bella into going home with me. When she finally came home, she seemed glad to be there, but her thoughts were pre-occupied with her dad and she was busy taking care of Kaden. Bella had asked me months before to take a more active role in our household. She asked me to mow the lawn and pay the bills, but that wasn't stuff I was interested in. Mowing the lawn was too taxing and I hated writing checks. Bella was so much better that that sort of stuff.
I think Charlie knew that there were some issues between Bella and me because he side-eyed me when he came for Thanksgiving and Christmas that year. Despite his health issues, he was a good grandfather – he didn't want to miss any of Kaden's firsts.
"What's wrong?" Bella asked me one night.
"You never pay any attention to me anymore!" I complained.
"I don't have time to pay attention to myself let alone you!"
"It's always Kaden this, and Kaden that. Why? Why Bella?"
"Because he's our son! That's why, Mike. You wanted him as much as I did, so why have you changed your tune now that he's here?"
Bella sat nursing our son – more interested in her task at hand than the conversation we were having.
"I didn't change my mind. He's my son and I love him. I love you, Bella. I just want us back."
"It'll come with time, honey. We're just settling into a new routine that's all."
I wish that was all. We bickered like that for months. Bella only confirmed that I couldn't be what she needed. I became depressed and withdrawn, and even my professional life was suffering. I lost my job at Boeing, and after that everything was a struggle. Bella did a great job keeping us afloat using our savings, but it wouldn't last forever.
I managed to get an interview with the Seattle Public Schools who were trying to roll out a new computer system district wide. I got the job, but it was long hours and kept me away from home until late at night. I'd get a few hours sleep before getting up and starting all over again.
I met Jessica about three weeks after I stated at SPS. She was all blonde hair, big boobs, and more than eager to sleep with me – no strings attached. I didn't have to be good for her because she didn't expect me to be. Jessica gave me a much needed escape from the stress of my marriage, so I began to stay with her at her apartment in the city, and I'd go home to see Bella and Kaden on the weekends. I used the excuse that the school district had offered to pay for a small apartment since I worked such long hours and cited that it was healthier for me not to drive when I was so tired.
After I started sleeping with Jessica, I stopped having sex with Bella. Not that Bella cared much anyway. She was so exhausted at the end of the day that she fell into bed.
Jessica knew all about Bella, but she knew nothing of Kaden. She wasn't aware he existed and I wanted to keep it that way.
"Just let her go, Mikey … stay here with me." Jessica begged.
"I don't know …."
"You said yourself that she doesn't love you anymore. She can't give you what you need like I can."
"I hate the thought of hurting her."
"You're not hurting her if she doesn't love you."
Too bad she didn't know about my son ….
There was a bit of truth to what Jessica was saying – I needed to let Bella go. I was too much of a coward to face her and tell her in person. So, I ignored her phone calls at work, and I sent everything that came to my cell phone to voicemail. I never went home again. I made sure the mortgage was paid until I got an email from Bella saying that she was moving out and taking our son with her.
I had my first breakdown that day. Jessica helped me check into a medical facility, and I took a leave of absence from work. I struggled through Kaden's and Bella's birthdays as well as Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Jessica found out in September that she was expecting, but I could barely keep myself afloat with the tailspin that I was in. Unconsciously, I'd drive by our house, but Bella and Kaden were long gone. The bank had taken the house back and there was an eviction notice on the door. The lawn was overgrown, and it looked like it had never been home at all.
Six months after the email came from Bella, I sat at my desk at work, trying to concentrate on some spreadsheets I needed to give to my boss. My co-worker, Dave, peeked in my office door and said that there was a package waiting for me and it required my signature. I didn't recognize the sender, so I ripped it open only to find divorce papers from Bella. She had claimed abandonment and was seeking full custody of our son. In the privacy of my office, I fell to my knees and cried.
It took me a long three weeks to finally realize that I had to do the right thing and let Bella go. I had to let her move on with her life, and in making that decision, I had to let go of my son as well. Personally, I was a mess. The doctor had diagnosed me as bipolar-schizophrenic – just like my mother. I'd be on medication for the rest of my life. I didn't want to subject Kaden to that, so I made the hardest decision I'd ever make. I signed away my rights to him. I knew that Bella would take care of him and give him the best life she could. My hope was that she'd find a man who loved her and who would love my son as his own and that they'd build a happy and loving life together.
I felt relieved a couple weeks later when I received notice that our divorce was final. The paperwork stated that I was to have no contact with Kaden until his eighteenth birthday unless he initiated the contact.
Several months later, I got a phone call from my mom. She wasn't the best at keeping in touch unless she wanted something.
"Michael James … why didn't you tell me it was you who left Bella? Why did you let me believe it was Bella who left you and took that baby away?"
"Mom … I really don't want to talk about it. But yes, I was the one who left. Bella took Kaden because she didn't need to be all alone with a toddler."
"So you just walked away from them? No note, no nothing? I raised you better than that! How could you do that to your wife and child?"
"No, Mom, you didn't raise me better than that. By the time I was old enough to care about women you weren't prominent in my life because you had better things to do - like drinking and bouncing from man to man. You didn't give a shit about me until I found Bella, and then you felt like you needed to be the perfect mother-in-law, or at least your version of it."
"I may not have been the perfect mother, Michael, but I never abandoned you. You had a roof over your head, clothes on your back, and food in your belly. There are kids in this world that don't even have that. You apparently left home one morning and never went back. You could have granted Bella the divorce and at the very least gotten visitation rights with Kaden. Why did you sign away your rights to him?"
"Because it was the right thing to do, Mom. I'm as unstable as you are. I can't give Kaden and Bella what they need or what they deserve."
"How do you know that? Did Bella tell you that?"
"No, Mom. I just know, okay?"
"Is it true that I have another grandchild?"
"No."
"No? Bella said that Jessica was pregnant or had had a baby when I spoke to her."
"You talked to Bella and she knew about Jessica? How?"
"Yes, I spoke to Bella and yes, she knew about Jessica. I didn't ask her how she knew, but she knew."
"Wait a minute … Mom, how did you know about Jessica?"
"Seriously, Michael? She's not the brightest crayon in the box. She found my number in your personnel file and called me before Christmas, asking some very personal questions. I knew there was more to her phone call than she alluded to. Now back to this baby that she was pregnant with …."
"The baby wasn't mine, Mom. She made me believe it was, but it wasn't. That was obvious as soon as she gave birth – the baby had copper skin, dark hair and dark eyes."
It was true. After Jessica had the baby and I realized it wasn't mine, she told me that she'd been with a guy named Embry and he was Native American. She was leaving me to go live with him so they could raise their baby on the reservation. Once again, I was left with nothing. I knew from the beginning that Jessica wasn't looking for anything permanent – maybe it was that she didn't want anything permanent with me.
"I gotta go, Mom. I have stuff to do. I'll talk to you later."
I knew she wanted to continue the conversation, but I was more than done. I hung up quickly and picked up a bottle of scotch from my coffee table.
A few weeks later, my mom called again to let me know that she had heard from Bella's lawyer. Bella had decided not to let her have visitation with Kaden until he was eighteen or unless he decided to contact her on his own. I felt grateful for Bella's decision – it was a smart one.
Thirteen years later ….
"Babe … you got a letter in the mail today. It's postmarked Los Angeles. Did your mother move again?"
Diane was my beautiful wife of five years. We met in rehab, where were both fighting an addiction to alcohol. Both of us were trying to stay numb because of what we lost. I lost my wife and son, and she lost her husband in Afghanistan. I came clean with Diane. I told her everything – how I walked away and how I gave up my son. She never judged me – not once. She also accepted the fact that I'd never father another child. In a moment of sobriety, I made the decision to have a vasectomy. The outpatient surgery was performed about a year before I checked into rehab.
My mom was angry with me for the longest time over my decision to give up Kaden. Thirteen years later and she's still coming to terms with my decision. Apparently though, Bella is good to my mother and she keeps her updated on how Kaden is doing. Bella sends her pictures a few times a year, so she can see how he's growing.
Mom told me that Bella remarried about a year and a half after our divorce was final. Her husband is some hot shot actor in Hollywood, and Bella owns a small café in the little town they live in. Kaden was adopted by Bella's husband on their wedding day. I don't know if they had any children of their own, but I'm sure that Kaden was happy and healthy because that's all Bella ever wanted for him. She was such an amazing mom. I'm sure she's spent the last thirteen years doting on and helping Kaden.
"Mike?"
I shook my head taking the letter from her.
"Thanks."
"Babe … did you hear me? I asked if your mom moved again."
"Oh … no, I don't think she did. She was happy in Arizona the last I heard."
I opened the letter and it wasn't at all what I was expecting. Inside was a neatly written letter.
Dear Mr. Newton,
I'm not quite sure how to begin this letter. I always thought I'd have so much to say to you when I finally got the opportunity, and now I am at a loss for words. I suppose I should start at the beginning. My name is Kaden Andrew Cullen, and I am technically your biological son. I am seventeen years old and I will be eighteen in August.
While I don't understand your reasons for signing away your rights to me, I am so thankful you did. I want you to know that my mom never said a bad thing about you. She was honest with me, and as I grew up and asked more questions, she let me form my own opinions. With that said, I still can't bring myself to feel any ill will toward you, because your decision allowed my Dad, Edward, to adopt me. Together, me, Mom and Edward … we have the most incredible family. I have two younger sisters and a little brother. We live in Los Angeles now and I'm happy here.
You may have left us, but we weren't alone for long. Dad came into our lives when we needed him the most and he's amazing. Mom is pretty amazing in her own right – she owns her own restaurant now and somehow, she still finds time to take care of Dad, me, my sisters, and my brother. Between Dad, Papa Charlie, Papa Carlisle, Uncle Jazz, and Uncle Emmett, I've never wanted for anything – until now.
Mom always told me that when I was old enough, it would be up to me if I wanted to contact you. I had a long talk with Dad about it because I didn't want him to think that he wasn't enough for me and that I needed to go searching for you to see if you were. He understood completely because that's the kind of person he is. So here I am, writing this letter to you. I don't expect you to want to walk into my life again in any capacity – I'm not sure I want that either, but I would like to extend an invitation to you to come to my high school graduation. I'd like to meet you – just once, to say thank you in person for the blessings you've unknowingly given me.
Sincerely,
Kaden A. Cullen
Kaden wanted me to come to his high school graduation. My heart panged with guilt at knowing that another man had stepped up and raised my son as his own and apparently he'd done a phenomenal job. Kaden spoke highly of his dad – he was proud of him – exactly how every kid should feel about their dad. I felt grateful that Kaden had that. He deserved it, and from what it sounded like, Bella had a pretty great life too, with a husband and four kids. A part of me wanted to go only to see if Bella was truly happy, but I knew that if I went, it had to be for my son – only for my son.
After reading the letter again, I took a deep breath and handed it over to Diane. I knew she was curious about what was inside the envelope.
"I think you should go." She said softly. "You need to see with your own eyes that you didn't break them, Mike. From the sound of this letter, they not only survived – they flourished."
Diane always seemed to know what I was thinking and she knew exactly what I needed to hear.
I sat down later that afternoon and wrote a response to Kaden's letter.
Dear Kaden,
I am incredibly touched by your letter. Frankly, I'm surprised that you don't hate me for giving you up. At the time, and even now – I'm sure it was the best decision I could have made. Could I have gone about it differently? Absolutely, but what's done is in the past, and no matter how much I want to, I can't change it.
I'm happy to hear that your mom found someone who could love her the way she deserves and that he loves you enough to adopt you and make you truly his. You deserve that. I'm so sorry that I couldn't be the person to give it to you.
The truth is, Kaden, that I've been messed up for a long time. I don't know if your mom told you, hell, I don't even know if she knows herself, but I'm a diagnosed bipolar schizophrenic. I had my first episode when you were about six months old. You and your mom were in Los Angeles taking care of Charlie. I wasn't close to him, but he was the first real father figure I had, and when he had that heart attack, I realized how precious life was – we could have lost him that day, and the mere thought made me crazy. I spent three days in the hospital and a couple of weeks in counseling while you and your mom were gone. After that, things were hard for me. I didn't want to tell your mom that I couldn't handle the stress of everything in my life. I hung on for as long as I could. In the end, I was convinced that I wasn't enough for you and your mom. After reading your letter, I know that you are both far better off without me.
I'm happy to hear that you've both done so well in your lives and I'm sure the one responsible for that is your mom. She's always been an incredible woman – you are so lucky to have her for a mom.
Thank you for extending me an invitation to your graduation. It means a lot to me that you reached out and offered a proverbial olive branch – especially when you didn't have to. If nothing else, I'd like to come and witness for myself the man you've become. You let me know when and where, and I'll be there.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Newton
Kaden's commencement announcement came in the mail a couple of weeks later. Addressed in Bella's beautiful script, enclosed in the parchment envelope was an elegant invitation and in bold letters was Kaden's name and underneath it read 'Valedictorian'. That part of him was all Bella, and I couldn't help the tears of pride and regret that slipped down my face.
A few weeks later, Diane and I joined my mom on the campus of an elite private school. It was a beautiful evening for a graduation ceremony, and I was nervous about seeing my ex-wife and my son for the first time in fifteen years. We found a few seats in the back and I looked up from my program to find a bronze haired boy and two mahogany haired girls trailing down the aisle with a tall blond boy. Not far behind them trailed a man with the same bronze hair as the little boy and a woman with hair the same color as the girls. As the boy turned to speak to the couple behind him, I knew without a doubt it was Kaden. He turned to speak to his parents – to Bella. I watched as she took her seat – she was every bit as beautiful as the day I married her. Edward Cullen was a lucky man.
"Michael … that's Kaden!" My mom squealed excitedly. "Oh honey, he's so handsome."
Kaden looked over as if to see what the squealing was about and I waved. He nodded and leaned over again to speak to Bella. Edward wrapped his arm around her and kissed her temple softly. Kaden started to walk toward us, but was stopped half way. I barely recognized Jasper, an old friend of Bella's from college. I know Kaden mentioned something about Uncle Jazz in his letter, but I hadn't given it any more thought. Jasper was accompanied by Alice and behind them were a tall, statuesque blonde and a large, muscular man. Kaden hugged them all and looked back when the big guy pointed toward the back of the room. I couldn't hear what Kaden was saying to them, but he continued his way on to me.
"Umm, hi. Thanks for coming. I need to show my grandparents their seats – I'll be right back."
I nodded and turned to see who he was greeting next. I recognized Charlie immediately. He looked the same – only older. It appeared that the years had been good to him, and I was happy to see that he was around to enjoy his grandchildren. On his arm was an attractive older woman. She had russet colored skin and dark hair peppered with gray. She smiled brightly at Kaden and hugged him tightly. Finally, he greeted a couple who I could only imagine were Edward's parents. They were a handsome couple, and from the expression on their faces, I could tell they were proud of Kaden. They hugged him and kissed him, the woman squeezing him to her before letting him go to wipe away tears.
Kaden's life was filled with people who loved him and supported him when I didn't. He was happy and thriving in the world that Bella and Edward had created for him. I regretted that I couldn't take credit for any of it, but I'd be proud of Kaden none the less.
"Sorry, I haven't seen them in a while." Kaden apologized breathlessly.
"It's okay, Kaden. You seem like you're doing well."
"I am." He nodded.
"Good. And you're happy?"
"Yeah, I am."
"Good. What are you planning on doing after graduation?"
"I'm leaving for soccer camp in a couple weeks and I'll be leaving for college at the end of the summer. I'm moving to New York, I start pre-med at Columbia in August."
"Pre-med, huh?"
"Yeah, Papa Carlisle's a doctor … well, he's retired a few months ago, but yeah … he got me into it."
"A soccer player huh?"
"Yeah, I figured if med school doesn't work out, I can always play soccer. Hey, I gotta go, but I'll see you after the ceremony?"
"I'm not going anywhere, Kaden."
Kaden's Valedictorian speech was remarkable. It was articulate and sincere. I closed my eyes for a moment and saw a brief flash of the life I imagined him to have - sitting at a desk working on his homework and Bella sitting with him, patiently helping and answering his questions.
The ceremony moved quickly, and before I knew it, there were a sea of mortar boards sailing through the air. I stood with my mom and Diane and walked to the back of the room. I looked down at my phone to silence the alarm I knew would go off, and when I looked up, I was face to face with Bella.
"Thank you for coming, Mike." She said softly. "It means a lot to him."
"Thank you for allowing us to come, Bella," Diane piped in. "I'm Diane, by the way."
"Nice to meet you." Bella smiled weakly. "We're taking Kaden to his favorite restaurant to celebrate. You're more than welcome to come if you'd like."
"We don't want to intrude, Bella. It's entirely up to Kaden whether he wants us there or not."
Bella nodded and turned toward my mother, thanking her for coming and for everything she'd sent to Kaden over the years. As Bella began to walk away, I reached out and stopped her.
"Bella …"
Edward wrapped his arm around her waist protectively and pulled her into his side. I could see the love and adoration he had for her – it was clearly written on his face. I knew in that moment, there wasn't anything that he wouldn't do for her.
"Thank you. I can't begin to apologize for the choices I've made, but I can thank you for the ones that you have. Kaden is amazing and that is all your doing. Today is about you as much as it is about him. Congratulations."
"Thank you, Mike. Thank you for him."
Edward and Bella turned and walked away. Four simple words from Bella, thanking me for the gift of her son was more than I ever expected – more than I deserved.
I turned my head to see Kaden walking toward us with a pretty girl on his arm. She was a slender brunette and she reminded me a little of Bella the first time I laid eyes on her. She looked up at him and kissed his cheek and told him she'd see him later.
"Is that your girlfriend?"
"Yeah." Kaden blushed.
He looked so much like him mom – pink flushing his cheeks and biting down on his lip.
"Anyway … thanks again for coming. It means a lot that you came all the way from Washington for my graduation."
"You're welcome, sweetie, we wouldn't have missed it for the world!" My mom squealed.
"No problem, Kaden. I'm glad we could come." I said, shaking his hand.
"I meant what I said in that letter. I want to thank you for the decision you made. It made a huge difference in my life – in mom's life."
"Edward seems like a good guy."
"He is, he's the best." Kaden smiled.
We stood in an awkward silence for a few moments until the big, muscular guy stuck his head in the door.
"Kade … you coming, buddy? J's wasting away out here."
"I'll be there in a minute, Em."
"Sorry about that," Kaden said turning back to us. "That's Uncle Emmett … he likes to eat. A lot. Anyway, I just wanted to say that I forgive you. I know I don't have to, but I do. I wanted you to come tonight so you could see that everything turned out for the best. Nana Esme says everything happens for a reason. I know my mom probably asked you to come to dinner with us, but I think I just want to be with my family tonight. Maybe tomorrow we can have lunch?"
"I'd like that. Kaden … I want so badly to tell you that I love you and I'm proud of you – because I do and I am, but I feel like I need to earn that right and I'm not sure that will ever happen."
"We'll see," Kaden smiled before turning and walking away.
The following day, I met Kaden at Bella's café for lunch. I was formally introduced to Melissa, his girlfriend, who happened to wait tables there. For nearly three hours, we sat and talked. I told him about me and what I'd been through since he and his mom left Tacoma. I wasn't proud of a lot of the things I'd done, but I'd been forgiven for the thing I was most ashamed of.
We parted that afternoon on good terms, but I knew that would be the last time I ever saw Kaden Cullen. Seeing the life that Bella had built, some with Edward's help and some on her own was more than I could bear. I'd given up something so good and so pure. Granted, it was good I let them go, but it hurt all the same. What should have been my successes too, were theirs and theirs alone. For days after my return to Washington, Diane tried her damnedest to get me out of the funk I was in. It had been years since I'd last had an episode and I thought I could handle seeing Bella and Kaden, but in truth – I couldn't.
So one afternoon, while Diane was at work, I walked into the kitchen and found the full bottle of scotch I kept in the cabinet as a reminder that alcoholism couldn't beat me. I took the bottle into my office and popped open my prescription of Oleptro, emptied the bottle into my mouth and washed them down with the scotch. I laid down on the futon across from my desk and closed my eyes.
A/N: Thoughts? Kaden's POV is up next! =D