Author's Note: Bella's back! Let's see the first people that she meets, and their interactions, eh? Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.
Chapter 42
I was finally back in New York. I'd forgotten that it snowed in the city during winter. The whiteness covered everything.
I'd lived in California for so long that I'd nearly forgotten what New York looked like. Either that, or I just hadn't let myself think about it. It was fascinating to look at the things that I'd loved about my home as the taxi driver drove me around Soho.
"Where to, miss?" the old driver asked. He'd totally recognized me when I'd gotten inside of his cab, but he'd promised not to tell anyone.
Charlie had bought a huge mansion for me four years ago under my name, in case of an emergency. I supposed this was the time to use it.
I instructed the driver on where to go, then settled back once more to see the Christmas decorations around the shops.
"Here we are," he said, pulling up in front of the mansion.
The mansion, too, was decorated with Christmas lights. I wondered who had decorated it. It reminded me of our family mansion. It seemed to be made out of stone, and the front yard was massive. The entrance to the garden could be seen from here, and I saw orange trees, and snow covering the grass. Beautiful.
"Do you mind waiting here for about ten minutes, sir?" I asked him. "I have to go somewhere after I drop off my luggage."
"Go ahead, go ahead," he answered, waving his hand. "I'll wait here."
I grinned. "Thank you."
I got out and pulled my two suitcases from the back of the cab. I dragged it inside the mansion. I chose a random room that was the most beautiful, and, without pausing to look at anything, set down my bags inside the big closet.
I changed into more warm and casual, comfortable clothes, and grabbed a random purse. I put my phone and wallet inside the bag as I ran downstairs again.
"Thank you for waiting, sir," I said gratefully.
"No problem," he said easily. "Where to?"
"Columbia University Medical Center," I answered.
My professor had told me go see her friend as soon as I'd arrived in New York. She wanted to see me and discuss necessary information with me before I started working after the holidays.
I was also thinking about visiting Jasper. He was a cardio-thoracic surgeon at the university's hospital as well.
"We're here," the driver announced.
I gave him the correct amount of money and a generous tip. "Thank you so much. Have a safe trip back."
He chuckled. "Bye, young lady. Good luck!"
I walked inside and found the place warm and cozy. Since I'd already been here eight years ago, I already knew where the Gynecology and Obstetrics Division was located.
There were three nurses behind the front counter, and two interns outside, discussing something about a recent surgery.
"Hello," I said pleasantly. "I'm here to see Dr. Jackson."
The nurses gaped at me in surprise, and the interns stopped talking and peered at me.
I felt self-conscious. Was I that recognizable?
"Um…" I mumbled. "I have an appointment with her."
"Oh, of course," one of the nurses said, recovering from her shock. "I believe she did say something about seeing a student of one of her friends from California… Is that you?"
I smiled briefly. "That's me."
"Well, well, long time no see, Bella."
I turned around in surprise. A familiar woman was smiling at me, her hands in her lab coat's pockets. My eyes widened.
"D-Dr. Jackson," I stuttered. "That was you?"
Gwen Jackson, my former gynecologist from eight years ago, was to be my boss. How ironic.
"I was surprised myself when Shelly told me her student was Isabella Swan," she said, winking. "Pleasantly surprised."
I laughed once. "Wow. What a small world."
"How have you been?" she asked. "You haven't been in contact with your family in, what, four years? And all of a sudden, you just drop in for Christmas?"
I bit my lip. "The professor is great, but she can be so blunt sometimes. She gave me a vacation without hearing my thoughts and told me to come work here for a while."
Dr. Jackson laughed. "That sounds like Shelly." She glanced around me to see the nurses and interns who were all gaping at our conversation. "Well, aren't you guys working?" They quickly closed their mouths and busied themselves.
I was suddenly nervous. Wasn't Carlisle here somewhere? I was sure that he would never leave Columbia.
She seemed to sense my anxiety. "Let's take this conversation to my office, shall we? No one will bother us there." She winked.
Smiling gratefully, I followed her to her familiar room. I looked around as I sat down slowly, reminding myself about this place. How many times have I sat here to hear the update about my baby?
"So, Isabella," Gwen Jackson mused. "You'll be working here from now on… Well, there are several policies that ought to be slightly different here than in UCLA. Let's go over those first."
And she went on for an hour, explaining everything that I should know about Columbia. I drank her every word. I was going to succeed and make a reputation for myself in this place too.
"Are we clear?" she asked when she'd finished.
"Crystal," I replied. I grinned. "Professor."
She chuckled. "Well then, you may start work whenever you want. Perhaps after the holidays?"
I nodded. "Perfect. Thank you so much."
We both got up and shook hands. And she watched as I left her office.
The next thing on my list was visiting my brother.
"Excuse me," I said to the nurses. "Where is the Cardiology Division?"
"The seventh floor," one of them replied. "It's just one floor away from here."
"Thank you," I said, smiling. I glanced at the two interns who were staring at me with bugged-out eyes. I looked away quickly. Uh-oh.
I walked away quickly, boarding the elevator and pressing the button for the seventh floor. When the doors reopened, I walked out and headed towards the front counter. There were three nurses and a resident doctor by the counter this time.
"Hello," I said cheerfully. Thinking that I was going to see my brother very soon made me joyful. "Is Dr. Swan here?"
They all exchanged confused looks. Then, one nurse spoke up. "There's no one here by the name of Dr. Swan. Perhaps you're in the wrong division?"
I frowned. "No. I'm pretty sure I'm in the correct place." Then, I remembered that Jasper had changed his surname to his real last name a few years ago.
I smiled, relieved that I'd remembered. "My mistake. Dr. Whitlock."
They blinked in recognition. "Yes, he's here."
"May I see him, please?"
They glanced at each other nervously. "Um, who should we say is looking for him?"
I wanted to surprise him. I smiled slyly. "Just call him out."
"Call him," the resident doctor ordered. He smiled at me. "I think I recognize her."
The nurses shrugged. One of them got on her phone. "Dr. Whitlock? Yes. Someone says she knows you and wants to see you."
I was humming tunelessly, looking around the division, when footsteps could be heard around the quiet floor. I looked up and saw Jasper, looking bemused.
"You called for me?" he asked. His eyes fell on me. He looked shocked. "Bella?"
Grinning, I held out my arms. When he just kept staring at me, I pouted. "What, no hug?"
He started laughing. And he reached over and hugged me tightly. "Bella, I missed you! How did you… What…"
I pulled away, smiling. "I'm back in New York for Christmas. Miss me?"
"Of course!"
"Why, Dr. Whitlock!" one of the nurses said, her hands on her hips. She looked indignant.
"What's the matter, Holly?" Jasper asked, surprised.
"You should know better than to be cheating on your wife!" Holly said. "After what happened to your sister, you should've known better!"
I blinked, then started laughing. Jasper laughed with me.
"I'm not cheating on Alice, Holly," he said. "That's ridiculous."
"Of course not," I laughed. "He loves her too much."
Holly and the nurses looked confused. "Then who is she?"
I smiled warmly. "I'm his sister, of course."
They all wore the same masks of shock. Holly looked horrified. "You mean…" she stuttered. "B-Bella Swan?"
"That's right," Jasper confirmed. "Apparently, she's back from California." He turned to look at me, his eyebrows raised.
"Wait, wait, wait," Holly said. She pointed at me. "So you're Bella Swan."
I nodded.
"And you're Jasper Whitlock," she said, pointing at Jasper. "How did that happen?"
"I changed my surname to my real last name so that I could carry on my family's lineage," Jasper answered. "I'm adopted, you know."
Holly blinked. "Oh…"
"So you're the one that got divorced?" another nurse asked bluntly. I stared at her. She didn't seem to be trying to making a sarcastic comment. She was genuinely curious.
I smiled as best as I could. "That's me. Twenty-five and already a divorcee."
The third one nudged the blunt nurse. She looked surprised. "What?"
Holly turned back to me. "I'm so sorry," she said sincerely. "I didn't mean to insult you intentionally or anything…" She looked embarrassed. "It's just…I've met Mrs. Whitlock, and just thinking that Dr. Whitlock would cheat on her… I mean, she has such a bright personality, and I was thinking about what it would do to her…" She babbled on, looking awkward with every word she said.
"It's okay," I said quickly. "We all make mistakes." I paused at the word.
Mistake. Edward had made a mistake too. It had broken us apart. We all make mistakes. How ironic.
Jasper chuckled. "Well, I'm glad you're back." He frowned, looking stern. "You haven't called in four years."
I grinned sheepishly. "I was…busy."
He raised his eyebrows. "Busy, eh?"
I averted my gaze, clearing my throat. "So, when does your shift end? I came because I wanted to catch up with you. And maybe we could go surprise Mom and Dad?"
Jasper's eyes had narrowed. He knew exactly what had been keeping me from calling the last four years. He'd caught on as soon as he saw my expression.
I cleared my throat again.
"In thirty minutes, actually," he finally answered. "Do you want to wait?"
I smiled briefly. "Sure."
Jasper nodded before turning back. I stared after him.
He was bound to confront me about my reasons. He would want to know why I was back in New York so suddenly, and why I had cut off all contact for four years. He had his intuitions, but he'd want confirmation.
"So, um," Holly said, poking me out of reverie. "How have you been the last eight years?"
I blinked. "What?"
"You haven't been on the news for a long time," she said. "We were all so curious. And Dr. Whitlock didn't know anything, so…"
It took me a second, but I realized that she was curious if I'd moved on from my past.
"Oh, uh, I've been fine," I said. It sounded like a question.
"And how's California?"
"California's great," I said brightly. "Highly recommend it. It never snows, unlike this place." I rolled my eyes.
"And your studies?"
I felt like I was playing Twenty Questions. "UCLA's great. It has a great medical program, and I majored in Gynecology."
She looked surprised. "So you're a gynecologist?"
I nodded. "I'm going to start working here in Columbia after the holidays. I guess you can say my professor sort of transferred me here."
"Wow," Holly said, looking amazed. "You achieved a lot."
I smiled weakly. "Thanks."
"Have you met Dr. Cullen yet?" the blunt nurse asked. "He's still working in the Gynecology and Obstetrics Division downstairs. Wouldn't it be awkward working with- Ow!" She winced. Holly had obviously stepped on her toe.
I felt awkward. "No, I haven't met him yet."
"I was just curious," the nurse said defensively when Holly glared at her. "Is that a crime?"
"It is," Holly informed her acidly. "It's rude."
I smiled slightly. I didn't like bringing up my past again, but the nurse really didn't know what kind of an atmosphere she was creating. She was amusing.
"You're being rude too, Holly," the intern pointed out. Holly looked embarrassed again. He turned to me. "You can go wait over there, if you'd like." He gestured to the chairs in front of the counter.
I smiled gratefully. I turned and sat down on the chair, taking out my phone. I began playing a game on it while I waited.
"Okay, I'm ready," Jasper said, finally emerging from the hallway again, this time dressed in his regular clothes. His familiar way of dressing hit me with a pang. Jeans and a collared shirt with a vest over it. I'd missed everything about my brother.
I smiled, putting away my phone. "Good. I was getting bored. I was just thinking if I should head back to California."
"Very funny," Jasper said sarcastically, though he was smiling. "I'll see you all later." He waved to his colleagues by the counter before throwing his arm around my shoulder. "Let's go." And he practically dragged me out.
I didn't mind. We had always been those siblings where we didn't mind hugging or touching.
"Nice ride," I said appreciatively when we stopped at his BMW. He merely laughed.
"Where's Alice?" I asked as he drove us down to the family mansion. "Do you live separately from Mom and Dad?"
"Yeah," Jasper answered. "We have a house near the Cullens." He glanced at me quickly to see my response, but I just stared ahead, expressionless.
"She must be busy, what with all those fans of her," I commented casually. "Does she have time for you?"
Jasper grinned. "She makes time for me all the time, Bella. I'm fine."
"But still," I pressed. "I know about being a doctor. I'm one myself. You hardly have time to take care of yourself. Do you eat?"
He laughed. "Alice doesn't starve me. Don't be such a worrywart, Bella. She's a good wife."
I smiled slightly, relieved. "Good."
The mention of the Cullens made me curious, despite all the bad history. After all, they were family friends.
"So," I prompted. "Enlighten me. How is everyone?"
"Fine," Jasper responded easily. "Swan Corporation is still thriving, so Charlie is busy, as usual. Renee still helps out as much as she can, but she's been doing some interior decorating these last few years."
My eyebrows raised, intrigued. "Interior decorating? You mean, with Esme?"
Jasper looked surprised by my casual mention of the Cullens. "Yeah, she's been helping Esme."
I nodded. "Anything else?"
Jasper was silent. Finally, he asked, "Do you want to know about the Cullens?"
"Sure."
He pursed his lips. "Really?"
I shrugged. "Why not?"
"I mean, won't you be bothered?" he asked, concerned. "There's bad history there, after all."
I rolled my eyes. "I told you four years ago that I was over that. It's the past, and I left it all behind. They're family friends, Jazz."
"Okay…" Jasper trailed off, looking out the window at the Christmas decorations. "Well, Carlisle is still working at the hospital. You'll probably bump into him from time to time."
"I'm sure I will," I agreed. "Especially since I'll be working at Columbia after the holidays."
Jasper looked surprised. "Seriously? You're transferring?"
"My professor thought it would be good for me," I said flatly. And I explained about why I was back in New York so suddenly.
"Well, I should thank her," Jasper mused. "She let me see my sister for the first time in eight years."
I rolled my eyes. "I wasn't going to come home, you know."
"Because of Edward?"
I flinched slightly. He had said it so suddenly and matter-of-factly, that I'd had no time to brace myself. Of course, he noticed.
"I thought you moved on?" he asked calmly. He didn't look angry, but looked politely curious.
"I did," I said stiffly.
"So then, why didn't you come to the wedding?" he asked. "If you'd truly moved on, then you wouldn't have minded coming back home to see your ex."
I didn't reply.
Silence filled the car. Finally, I sighed and said, "How's Emmett?"
Jasper began to laugh, surprising me. "More than fine. He's happier than he's ever been. He has a fiancée."
I looked at him, shocked. "What?"
"Her name is Rosalie Hale," he said. "She's a history professor over at Columbia as well. Maybe you'll see her sometime."
I smiled. "That's nice to hear. What's she like?"
"She's beautiful. She's a bit shallow at times, but she's nice enough. She's very good for Em."
I laughed wistfully. "Wow. I remember when Emmett was always complaining about being single. How'd he ever get a girl like that?"
He snorted. "Easy. Rose was one of his clients about a year and half ago." He grew serious. "How they met isn't a joke. She was a client for a reason."
I sensed that there was more to Rosalie than her outer surface. "A history?"
He nodded. "I won't tell you. It's not my place to tell you. Ask her, if you want to hear her story. I'm sure she'll tell you."
It was very interesting to hear that someone who had been like a second brother to me was going to get married soon. Perhaps I'd come at the right time. I would probably be able to see the wedding.
Hearing about the Cullens made me feel sad and bitter. They'd all moved on. Though Jasper hadn't mentioned him, I was sure that he had moved on as well. I felt pathetic to find out that I was the only one who hadn't really forgotten about my past. I had told everyone that I was going to move on. And I had failed to keep my own vow.
I turned my head to stare out the window. New York hadn't changed at all. The Cullens had moved on with their lives. He had moved on as well.
And I hadn't.
AN: What did you think? That was a pretty long chapter, I thought. Hell when I was editing. Heh.
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