Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, Stephanie Meyers does. I do own this plot and storyline. I own my own original characters and a sweet little Chromebook I just love.
All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
AN: **Tissue Warning** Grab the box of tissues, you're gonna need it for this chappie!
Chapter 14: Save Them All
Edward POV
Following Billy and Sarah to the pavilion, I notice eight XUVs lined up. I amble over to the front table and take a seat next to Jasper. His face is lit with a big smile as he turns to me, "Edward, these are the coolest kids. I love it here. Oh, and I have some ideas for improvements with the dock I want to discuss with Bella. You think she'll be offended?" he rambles excitedly.
"No, I think that she will appreciate that you want to make something better for the kids. Also, Sarah has a project lined up for you, too. So watch out! You may never get to leave here, Mr. I-don't-think-I'll-be-useful," I laugh at his shocked face and playfully shove his shoulder.
"Looks like I'm not the only one that's had a good experience here this weekend," he jabs back with a teasing smirk.
Thankfully, I am saved from commenting as Bella walks in and steps up to the table with a microphone in her hand and whispers something to my dad. He walks to the First Aid building, only to come back a few minutes later with Emily and about eight of those reusable grocery bags.
"Ok, everyone, I hope y'all had a wonderful time so far. I'm gonna call your last name so you can be escorted to your cabin. All of the cabins are made up of two bedrooms and a kitchenette. If ya dropped off any medication at the First Aid building when you arrived, it has been packed in a cooling bag and will be returned to you. The cabins are stocked, but if you need somethin', please call the number next to the phone and we'll do our very best in order to get it for ya," she finishes. She refers to a clipboard that was on the table and starts calling out names and directing them to the XUVs. Billy, Jacob, Seth, Tyler and Eric are each handed keys that have the cabin numbers on them.
"If the rest of y'all could hold tight for a few minutes, when the guys get back, we'll take the next group. Thanks for your patience," she tells the remaining families with a nod of her head.
"Sam, Emily, Garrett and Kate, I already have your regular rooms set up in the house. If the four of you wanna head over and get settled, we're planning to meet back here at four-thirty for dinner and then the evenin' festivities will follow shortly after," she tells them. "Jessica, if you wouldn't mind takin' Cassie up to the house, I'll be along shortly," she asks kissing Cassie on the temple.
"Sure, Bella. No problem," Jessica answers taking Cassie's hand and leading her to one of the remaining XUVs.
"Sarah, do you and Edward have everything ready, or do you need help?" she asks.
"All the sides are prepared. We just have to grill the chicken and fish which will take about forty-five minutes, depending on who we have to help cook," Sarah explains to her.
As the guys come back from transporting the first group to their cabins, Bella calls out the next five names and hands out keys, before turning back to finish our conversation.
"Well, there is no way I'm lettin' any of the boys help. They burn everything! So..." she hesitated before turning to the rest of my family asking, "Do any of y'all know how to grill?"
Before anyone can answer I speak up, "Emmett and Jasper can both grill. Actually, Jasper is as good as a cook as I am. He just doesn't tell anyone," I say as Jasper punches me playfully in the arm.
"Well, there you go, Sarah. Three strong guys to help ya," she states while they laugh at our pouting faces. I'm surprised Emmett doesn't say anything stupid. However, when I look over at him, I find him watching this little girl who is talking softly with a woman sitting at a table in the corner of the pavilion. The look on his face and his body language is solemn and heartbreaking. I have never seen him wear any expression similar before.
Bella notices where I am looking and asks, "What's up, Emmett? Why are ya looking at Heidi and Rachel like that?"
"I want her," he whispers without taking his eyes off the woman and little girl. The little girl looks tired and is pulling relentlessly at the braces on her legs.
"Excuse me? You want who?" Bella asks sharply, with venom slightly lining her voice, partially due to the unexpected response from my brother.
He finally looks up, repeating himself, "I want her, little Heidi," in the quietest, most serious voice I think I have ever heard come from Emmett.
"Ok, you need to explain what ya mean by that statement, because I don't think I understand what you're tryin' to say," she demands from him after taking a deep calming breath. I can see that she is trying not to let her frustration of misunderstanding him get the best of her.
Leah speaks on Emmett's behalf because he still seems unable to vocalize clearly what it is that he is thinking and feeling. Rose is looking at her husband as if he is crazy. Her eyes are wide and her head is shaking back and forth as she is trying to piece together what he is saying. "I think that what he is trying to say, is that he fell in love with her and wants to help her."
Leah rolls her eyes at Emmett as he just sits there nodding his head like a bobble head doll before continuing, "Rachel brought her over to our station this morning when they arrived 'cause her braces are cutting into her ankles. To be honest, she needs a new pair, Bella." Leah explains with a look of concern.
"As Emmett was wrapping her ankles, he overheard Rachel and me talkin'. Heidi's back at the county home and its permanent this time. Her aunt signed her rights away. She just can't provide the type of care that Heidi needs." Leah looks at Bella, both have tears in their eyes at the gravity of the little girl's situation. "Rachel said that because Heidi is starting to remember more of the car accident, and subsequently her parent's death, she is having a hard time coping. They are starting to think that she is showing signs of survivor's guilt."
Bella turns her head away, wiping a tear from her eye and tries to hide a sniffle before composing herself and bringing her attention back to Leah.
"So, what Emmett is tryin' to say, but failing miserably at, is that he doesn't like the fact that she has basically been given away. He wants to take care of her, provide for her, and to raise her as his own. I told him to talk to Rose and to you about it later because they need to know the reality of this whole situation," she finishes and turns her attention to Emmett. "Now, you big baby, can you speak or do I need to have Rose smack you to get your vocal chords workin'?"
"Sorry," he says, his features morphing into a more angry expression. "It's just that it pisses me off that someone could throw such a precious baby away. And then, on top of that, she is in constant pain because her AFOs are too tight for her little feet and as a result, they are causing more damage. I just want to, I don't know, provide for her or something. At the very least, I'm willing to pay to have her fitted for new AFOs."
My normally jovial brother is so overcome with frustration and love for someone that he just met, that he cannot articulate his emotions into words. It's easy for me to see that regardless of the outcome for my family here this weekend, Emmett's life has been drastically changed. Rose moves closer to her husband, wiping tears away from her face and his before engulfing his form in a tender hug.
Bella gets the remaining families on their way to their cabins before turning her attention back to us.
"What's her situation, if you don't mind me asking?" Rose probes gently, still in Emmett's embrace.
Bella and Leah share a look before Bella sits down next to Emmett and speaks. "Heidi, her older sister and their parents were on their way home from church last year when a deer ran in front of their car. Her father was driving and lost control of the car and they crossed into oncoming traffic from the other lane, hitting a loggin' rig trailer. Her father and sister died instantly, but her mother was in a coma for a few days before she passed. Both of Heidi's legs were crushed and she suffered some internal damage.
"If you're serious 'bout wantin' to help Heidi, you two need to sit down and seriously talk about this together. I don't think that I need to tell ya that this is a huge life-altering decision.
"I'd suggest that the both of you visit with her some more this evenin'. Sit with her at dinner, help her make s'mores and just get to know her. Rachel won't mind. Then, tomorrow, let me know how it goes and we can talk about what you would have to do with the system that she is currently in, ok?" Bella explains to Emmett, including Rose in the conversation.
"I want ya to remember something, all of y'all really, and I have to tell myself this daily. We can't save 'em all," Bella tells us all calmly. "All we can do is our best tryin'."
"I know how ya feel. I do," she starts taking a deep breath to calm herself. "It's one of the main reasons I started these camps. I was tired of Cassie being left out of things. We went to a day camp once and there was nothin' there she could do. Its heartbreakin' when your child wants to participate with the other kids but she's not allowed."
"So you didn't always have these camps here?" Alice inquires while wiping at her eyes and leaning into Jasper's side as he wraps his arm around her shoulders.
"Nope," Bella confirms shaking her head. "When my great-grandparents first inherited the land, they used it to primarily raise horses. My grandparents, Marcus and Marie started the breeding and training program. My grandmother came from a long line of dressage riders. That's how she met my grandfather, actually.
"What's a dressage rider?" I inquire a little embarrassed. "I guess I didn't realize there were different kinds of riding."
"Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport," she explains with a small smile. "It's where the horse and rider perform a series of predetermined movements from memory."
"Oh, like in the Olympics?" Jasper blurts out clearly satisfied that he knew what she was talking about.
"Yeah, they do have a dressage category in the Summer Olympics," she answers and then continues with her story. "When my parents took over, my mother started learning the ins and outs of the dressage world. She started training me herself as soon as I could ride alone. I started competing in dressage when I was four; winning my first blue ribbon at the age of five. Once I was in high school, I lost interest in competing. I just wanted to work with the horses, handle the initial training or what they call breaking a horse.
"My father and I started the equine therapy program for the developmentally and physically disabled when I graduated from college. I started the camps for special needs children when Cassie was four, so we've had the programs up and runnin' for only a few years now. This will be our third summer hosting them.
She pauses to take a drink of the bottle of water she's been mindlessly spinning in her hands.
"How do you fund the camps?" my mother asks with tears in her eyes.
"We hold a huge fundraiser every year for Cassie's Cause and Heart of Hope. We are very fortunate that we have a steady amount of donations that come in every year from those that truly value our programs. I think that it goes without saying that everyone that works on the ranch is pretty dedicated as well, so they donate their time.
"What's Cassie's Cause and Heart of Hope?" I ask, curious as to what she is referencing.
"Cassie's Cause is the first charity I started. Its purpose is to help fund camps so that no expense falls on the parents or foster programs. After seeing and hearing the problems parents were facing, trying to get help for their children during the first camp, made me so angry. It is outrageous, to me, that a child clearly disabled is denied SSI or health coverage. So, I started another charity that helps weed through all the legal bullshit these parents face. We have a list of attorneys that donate their time to help with the paperwork; ensuring that everything is legal.
She clearly loves these children as if they were her own and wants only what's best for them.
"That's just….wow," Rose states in awe. "I've seen parents go round and round, trying to get their child the help that they need. The red tape they have to cut through is ridiculous."
Bella shakes her head in frustration, affirming that what Rose said was not uncommon.
"Then, me and Billy started Heart of Hope. Sometimes it takes a while for either insurance or disability benefits to come through when a child needs medical care. So, we help to provide it immediately," Bella finishes shrugging her shoulders as if what she does is no big deal.
"I'm very proud of you sweetheart," my father tells her quietly. "You have taken a dismal situation for many families, and turned it into a thriving program. I am honored to get to participate in it."
Bella stands and hugs my father before turning to us all, "Let's head to the house. The grillers have to be back out here in an hour," she says leading the way to the remaining XUVs.
As we start walking toward the two remaining XUVs, Emmett breaks the tension. "So, Bella….." he starts smiling mischievously at her. "How fast do these things go?"
"I don't think I'm gonna like where this is goin'." she replies smirking, playing along with his banter. "They can do forty."
Emmett whispers something to Rose, Jasper and Alice and they all load into one of the XUVs and strap in before Emmett yells, "RACE YOU!"
I ride back to the house with Bella and my parents on the other XUV holding on for dear life, Emmett and Bella racing the whole way.