Chapter 10: Saying Goodbye
So, these past 5 months have been Hell! First of all, my friends and boyfriend freaked out when I told them I was moving to Forks in June after school was out. The first question out of all of their mouths was "Why?" So, I had to explain about mom and Phillip moving to Florida for his job and about what my two options were, either move to Florida or move to Forks. None of them understood why I picked Forks over Florida but I did.
"Bella, why did you pick Forks over Florida?" They all asked me.
"Because, my dad is there and so are my friends and Dr. Cullen, whom I have a patient/doctor relationship with already." I said with a sigh for the millionth time. I was getting aggravated at them and tired of repeating myself.
"But if you go to Florida there will be all of those hot guys on the beach. Talk about having some major eye candy." Mary and Tammy said.
"You forget there is a beach there on the rez and plenty of Quileute eye candy as well." I rebutted and they frowned in defeat. Score: me: 1 them: 0
"But we will never see you again and at least if you move to Florida we could talk our parents into taking vacation there. There isn't anything in Forks that anyone gives a crap about seeing or doing." They said.
"First of all, we can talk on the phone and by webcam all the time. It's not like I'm moving across the world with no cell or internet service. Secondly, there is plenty to see and do in and around Forks but if you are to shallow to come and experience real nature then you shouldn't come." I said rolling my eyes.
"But what about your stuff? You can't take it all on the plane and you have way too much stuff. Are you just going to leave it behind?" They came at me again. Mary and Tammy were starting to get on my nerves.
"I've already made arrangements with my dad. I'm going to start packing up my stuff and sending it to him via UPS. He is just going to stack the boxes in my room until I get there." I answered yet another one of their questions. Score: me: 3 (I won the other argument about vacation) them: 0
"But what about…"They started to come at me again with another one.
"STOP IT!" I yelled. "No more but this or but that, this is the way it's going to be. I'm moving back to Forks, so just deal with it or don't it really doesn't matter to me if this is the way it is going to be for the next 5 months." I said extremely upset now but they stopped asking thankfully. Then the one question I had been avoiding and hoping would not be asked was...
"What about us, Bella?" Cole asked softly.
God, I didn't want to answer this question now as upset as I am...Crap! Thankfully, I had already given some thought to what I was going to say.
"Well, long distance relationships don't work." I started. "So, I guess it's either we break up now or at the end of May. The decision is up to you, Cole." I finished not looking him in the eyes. It seemed like a lifetime before he answered.
He lifted my chin so he could look me in the eyes and said, "Well, I guess you're right. They usually don't work out and I think we both have a lot of growing up to do before we even try to make it work. If we are meant to be, then we will find each other again. If not, then we will have touched each other's hearts and made the other one a better person." He finished by giving me a gentle kiss on the lips. I sighed with relief. At least he didn't go into a tailspin like Mary and Tammy had.
"As for now, I would really like to remain your boyfriend until you leave. If that's alright?" He said looking me in the eyes.
"That's fine with me. Together til the end." I answered. At least all of that was settled.
I talked to my dad at least once a week. He would call to let me know that the boxes had arrived, or to let me know that Dr. Cullen had agreed to take me on as a patient (good because I really liked him and there was something about him that drew me to him, weird). He also called to let me know that he had gotten me registered for school and repainted my room in my three favorite colors, purple, pink and black. I finally had to tell him to calm down or he was going to have a heart attack and then I would have to go to Florida and I would never forgive him for that. He is so excited that I'm coming to live with him and ironically so am I. I feel a pull to Forks but I don't know why. I keep having this dream that I'm there in the forest and there is this bright, shimmering light in front of me. Then a hand reaches out and the most beautiful voice I've ever heard calls my name and then I wake up. What the hell is that about? It must be all the stress.
My mom has been moping around since the day I made my decision. It started to get worse when I started packing the first set of boxes to send to my dad.
"Bella," she started one day in April, "You don't have to take everything you own. We can move some of it to Florida to put in your room there for when you come and visit." She looked at me with hope in her eyes.
"Mom, I can bring stuff with me when I come to visit. I really want all of my stuff with me at dads." I said turning around to see the crushed look on her face. Damn it, I did it again.
"Well, if that's what you want honey." She said as she started to leave my room.
"Mom, you know what?" I began with a sigh and she turned back towards me.
"I really don't need all of this with me. I will pick out some things for you to take to Florida to put in my room, Okay?" I hope that makes her feel better and it did.
"Honey that would be awesome. Anything you want to leave behind is fine and we will have it all set up for you when you visit." She hugged me all happy now and left my room. Damn, it's hard to please everybody. I'll be glad when I'm in Forks.
On May 30th I received a phone call from my dad.
"Hello." I answered the phone.
"Hiya Bells, its dad." He said.
"Whats up? Is something wrong?" I asked him.
"No, I just wanted to let you know that I'm arriving tomorrow morning." He tells me.
"I'm confused, you're coming here?" I asked.
"Yep, I thought you might need some support and I don't want you flying alone." He told me.
"Awe dad, that's sweet and I could use all the support I can get. It will also make the flight much better with you there. Thanks. What time will you be here?" I asked excited that he is coming.
"My flight gets in at 9:30 a.m., so I should be at the house by 10:00. I also think it would be best if we stayed at a hotel by the airport tomorrow night since our flight is at 6:30 a.m. and your house is 30 minutes away." He tells me.
"I completely agree with you, dad. Have a safe flight and I will see you in the morning." I tell him.
"Sounds good Bells. I love ya." He tells me bye.
"Love you too, dad" I tell him bye as well.
The next day, I wake up early. I'm just so excited I couldn't sleep. So, I take a shower, eat breakfast in the kitchen for the last time (there's going to be a lot of eating in this kitchen for the last time today), then I go to my room to finish packing my suitcases. Mom didn't really like the idea of last night being my last night here but she understood the logic of staying in a hotel close to the airport.
At 10:00 a.m. the doorbell rang and I ran from my room to get it. When I opened the door, there stood my dad with a huge smile on his face.
"Hiya Dad!" I said hugging him.
"Good morning Bells, how are you today?" He said hugging me back.
"I'm better now that you are here. Come on in. Mom's been cooking up a storm since yesterday. Are you hungry?" I was telling him as he came in.
"No, I already had breakfast but thanks anyway." He tells me as we go in the living room.
"Hello Charlie. How are you?" My mom says as she comes out of the kitchen.
"Hi Renee, I'm good. How about you?" My dad replied.
"I've been better." She sniffed. She had already been crying this morning. It was gonna be a long and emotional day.
We all sat in the living room and made small talk. Dad asked where was Phillip and I told him that he had some last minute things to take care of at the school. He just nodded and we continued talking.
At noon, the doorbell rang and I jumped up to get it. It was Cole, Mary, and Tammy coming to have lunch with me and to tell me goodbye.
"Hi guys!" I said letting them in.
"Hey Bella, how are you today?" They said together at the same time and we laughed as they came in.
As they entered the living room, they said hello to my mom and dad. Mom got up and went into the kitchen to get lunch ready to serve, lasagna (yummy). When it was ready we all went into the dining room and ate. This is the last time I will ever be with my friends from Phoenix.
"Lunch was awesome, Mrs. Renee." My friends and Cole said as we went back into the living room.
"Yeah mom, that was great. Thank you so much for making it." I told her giving her a hug.
"Renee, you haven't lost your touch in the kitchen. I'd forgotten what a good cook you were." My dad says to her.
"Well, thank all of you for the kind compliments. It was my pleasure." She replied blushing a little bit.
My friends, Cole and I played video games, took pictures, laughed, cried, talked, and sang for a long time. When it got to be about 4 p.m. they had to leave. This was going to be hard.
"We'll miss you, Bells. Don't forget to call, write, or Skype." Mary and Tammy said crying and hugging me.
"I won't forget and I'm going to miss y'all too." I said hugging them back and crying too.
"Bella?" Cole said from behind me and I turned to look at him.
"I love you and you will always have a special place in my heart. Call me when you get settled, if you want to. We will always be friends." He said hugging me goodbye.
"I love you too. And you will always have a place in mine as well. I'll call you soon, I promise." I said hugging him back.
He stepped back, took my face in between his hands, kissed me and said "Until we meet again if it's meant to be." Then he turned and they left. I stood there crying like a baby. My dad came over and pulled me to the couch where he just sat hugging me while I got it all out. My mom was on the other side patting my knee crying as well.
Phillip got home about 6 p.m. and we all sat down to have dinner together. Mom made my favorite, mushroom ravioli, garlic bread, and chocolate cake. It was great and we all told her as much and she blushed again. We all sat around and chatted for awhile. When it got to be about 8:30 p.m. my dad looked at me and said we needed to get ready to go. Mom and I went to my room to get my suitcases and to do one more glance around just to make sure I didn't forget anything.
"Do you have everything, sweetheart?" She asked me trying not to cry.
"Yep, and if I forget anything it's not like you can't send it to me." I answered trying not to cry either. I was going to miss her.
"Bella, I just want you to know that I'm so proud of you. You've been through a lot and have overcome all that you have been through." She tells me pulling me into a hug and begins to cry.
"I'm going to miss you mom." I tell her hugging back tightly and crying as well.
We took the suitcases back to the living room and my dad took them and started putting them in the car as I said goodbye one more time.
"Bye Phillip." I said giving him a hug. "You take care of my mom for me, Ok?"
"Bye Bella, and I promise I will take good care of her." He said hugging me back.
I turned around to hug my mom one more time and she was crying like a baby now.
"Oh mom, it's going to be fine." I said running to her and throwing my arms around her. We just stood there hugging and crying.
Finally she said, "Bye Sweetie, you have lots of fun with your dad and your friends. Call me or email me all the time."
"I promise mom, I will. I love you and I'm going to miss you." I said releasing her and stepping back.
"I love you too and I'm going to miss you." She hugged and kissed me one more time.
"You take care of our little girl, Charlie." She said to my dad walking me to the car.
"I will, Renee. I promise." My dad replied.
I got in the car and we drove away. As we drove away, I watched my mom and my home disappear. That would be the last time I ever saw the house I grew up in. Part of me was sad but the other part of me was excited to be going home to a place that I felt safe and comfortable.
We were quiet for about 15 minutes and then my dad asked "You okay, Bells?"
"Yeah dad, I'm fine. It is hard to leave but I'm ready for the next part of my life to begin and I'm excited." I looked at him and smiled.
We made it to the hotel by 9 p.m. and we only took in what we needed for the night. We took showers, ordered room service, and watched Dracula on TV (he knows how much I love vampires), then we went to bed.
The alarm went off at 5 a.m. and I jumped up out of the bed and started getting ready.
"A little eager to leave are we?" My dad chuckled.
"Yep, so let's get a move on. We don't want to miss the flight." I smiled at him.
He laughed and we grabbed our stuff and left. We got to the airport, got checked in, and were boarded at exactly 6:30 a.m. As we took off I watched Phoenix disappear. I felt sadness and excitement at the same time. I was going home where I belong!