I held him through a bout of crying. He told me of all the times his mum tried to stab, burn, kill and mutilate herself, of the many moments he dreads to go to school or to Seattle to the hospital or out on a date with me because he fears he will come home and find her dead or hurt, of the bloody inability of the great Dr. Cullen to calm her down when she's sick, help her or talk her out of her suicidal attempts.
"Can anyone talk her out of them at that moment?" I stroked his hair. "Can you, maybe?"
He took a deep breath, totally exhausted. "Not really. But when I'm near her she's less likely to get these ideas."
Move away for a second and your mum can die.
And I thought, no wonder. No wonder that you snap and do crazy things, because this amount of pressure just isn't bearable.
"Do you think your mum would ever agree to splitting away from your dad and your siblings? Is that what would make her feel better?"
He raised his head from my lap. "Yeah," he muttered, his voice hoarse. "That's one of the few things that might make her feel better. They aren't even her freaking children, did you know? They're his. I'm all she's got."
Cupping his face in my hands, I smiled at him and told him: "It's gonna be okay again, alright? It's just the rest of May and a bit of June, then no more Mr. Banner, no more Forks High School. We'll move to the UK, maybe we could live in that house in Hathersage if we can arrange it with the tenants and if you want. And if your mum wants. But you know, I'm sure she will like it there, it's quiet and there's a nice garden. There's no need for her to live in a separate house. She can live with us. I'll help you take care about her, okay? I'll get through that transplantation and help you with her. You won't have to do it by yourself anymore."
He pulled me into a hug. "Yeah, I'm sure she'll like it there," he murmured. "It's where she was born."
"She's English? From Hathersage, of all places?!"
"Yes and yes. And I was born there, too, for that matter."
He put some distance between us and we studied each other a moment, I in wonder and surprise, he seemed worn out.
"When I come back, how about we drop by there and see if those tenants will agree to moving out soon?"
"You mean that?" I widened my eyes at him and grinned.
"Abso-blooming-lutely. Let's go home, Bella," he whispered and I nodded, saddening.
"Let's."
And we hugged tight again.
His phone ringing ended the moment. He mumbled: "Sorry." with absent eyes and stormed off to argue with whoever it was calling him.
And I wondered, how much longer? How much longer till he, too, swallows some acid, washes down too many cold pills with alcohol, or crashes into some rock again?
I rubbed my face with my hands, not wanting to think about it, or about Mrs. Cullen, suffering who-knows-why, perhaps because of her porphyria, perhaps because of something totally else and unrelated. The strangest thing about it for me was she had Dr. Cullen as her husband and Vladimir, Stefan and Garrett as her relatives, always seeming to have miracles up their sleeves so far when it came to me, yet having none for her. Why? If they could cure me, why not her?
With a couple of deep breaths, I grabbed the phone. It was time to check on Angela, let her know I'm alright and find out what day and hour it is.
Curiouser and curiouser again. It was only Tuesday, 11 am.
Just let it flow, Bella. Be glad you are alive.
And at the same time, Jesus Christ, Tuesday already – Angela must be freaking out hard by now. I quickly checked for messages from her and true to her caring self, there were several. I quickly responded and curled up in the armchair, putting a pillow under my head and folding my feet under me. They were a bit of a dead weight. I hoped that will change soon.
She was okay, no sign of Hopkins anywhere. Good. At least Angie was fine.
Suddenly she called.
"Oh good, you're alive. I was really starting to be worried when you didn't text me back. What's wrong?"
"Nothing – nothing, I'm okay. I was just really sick, but now it's fine. How are you? I hope Edward's siblings aren't bullying you?"
"Nah, I'm having a great time, don't worry. As great a time as I can have facing Louboutin in person or shopping for prom dresses at Marchesa and flying around in private choppers, but it's definitely better than being butchered by some sicko, don't you think?"
Her wry tone made me chuckle.
"But well, I got a really cool dress there for free, so, I'm not complaining."
"Be sure to send me pics," I chuckled on, imagining and feeling with the mortification Angie must have felt surrounded by fashionistas, designers and dresses so expensive normal human like her or me just never dreamed of even seeing them in person. I checked the time on the fragile clock on the mantelpiece. "But hey, it's 2 am where you are, what are you doing still up?"
"Can't sleep."
"Why? Anything wrong?"
Mrs. Cullen's attempt at suicide?
"Just thinking. Too much, I guess."
"About what?"
There was a long pause.
"Angie?"
"Nevermind, girl. How's Edward treating you?"
"In kid gloves, so far. He offered me to start living with him and his family, can you believe?"
"After meeting them? Yeah. I totally can. He'll need somebody normal there."
Still so wry. I laughed. "C'mon, are they really so bad?"
"Bad?" she said slowly. "Not sure if that's the right word, really. But first tell me something. How's that uncle of Edward's treating you?"
I thought about it a second. "Nice. As far as I can tell yet."
"Yeah?"
"I mean, I met him just for a moment. He seems formal, not exactly the approachable type. But, I don't know, he's just..." I searched for the word. "Well-bred. Yeah, that's it. He's courteous. And calm, like nothing ruffles him."
"So, what do your guts tell you? A good guy, or not?"
"I don't know. It was really brief. In hindsight I'd say my guts like him, though he scared the Hell out of me at first," I chuckled and heard her chuckle in response.
"Why? Is he some kind of a Loch Ness monster, or what?"
"Na-ah. He's just some six feet five, if not more. And massive like a boxer or something. Imagine finding a giant like that in your bedroom in the middle of the night."
She laughed hard. But in a second she sobered up. "What exactly was he doing in your bedroom in the middle of the night?"
"Watching over me so I don't die. I guess they took turns on the vigil with Edward, should anything go wrong."
"I see." She sounded calmer and within a moment she was matter-of-factual. "So, is he rich like the Cullens?"
"Well, not sure, but judging by what I've seen of the chateau so far, I guess he's crazy rich. Why?"
"Still kind of mulling over it all in my head. That room you're in, is it designer from floor to ceiling?"
I looked around. "Not really. It's all antique. Looks like it might even have been like this since the 19th or 18th century. There are even gaslights instead of electric ones, imagine that."
I heard the smile in her voice. "Wow. Atmospheric."
I grinned. "You bet. Silk everywhere. And carved wood. And old paintings. Edward told me his uncle's family has owned this castle for several centuries."
"I'd like to see it," she said thoughtfully. "And that uncle, too. To see if he gives off a different vibe than Alice or Rose. You'll need someone in this family who's not a snob to back you up, Bella."
I had a bad feeling around my stomach. "How do you mean?"
"I don't think you'll fit in with them," she said, pensive, serious and somewhat tired. "If Edward means it and takes you home to introduce you. I think you won't feel good there."
"Why?"
"I don't know. They're just... so much about money. The two girls and Emmett especially. Seems to me that Jasper couldn't care less, but the rest... you're gonna have a tough time, Bella. It's a different mindset. They've got no idea. About what it's like to not to have money. I mean, they spend a lot on charity and Dr. Cullen's great and all that, but they have no idea what it's like to be hungry. Or afraid. Or having no one to turn to when you're in trouble. Though maybe the mother does, who knows."
Strangely, this seemed to me like the most personal piece of information Angela has yet shared with me. Her tone was calm, just thoughtful. There was no pain, no anger, no bitterness. But it sounded to me like she has an idea, such a good one it would have never occurred to me as possible in case of an American minister's and dentist's daughter.
"I think Edward knows, too. At least a bit," I muttered to gain some time to process this new realization. What did I actually know about Angela?
"Maybe," she agreed. "But that makes him one of two, perhaps, in a whole family. Ever thought about how Cinderella felt when she married the Prince, after years of torment, having nothing and being humiliated all the time? I think she just felt out of place. And she knew everybody but the Prince is judging her and waiting for her to mess up."
"Good point. So you think that's what it's gonna be like with them?"
"I wonder. Maybe. Maybe, Bella. Dr. Cullen will try, I think, and Alice will be excited to have someone new to drag to Louboutin, but they just think differently. Try to explain the concept of wearing two dollar shoes for years till they break to someone who wears a pair that costs some thousand dollars once and then throws it away."
There was mischief to her voice that made me laugh. "I bet her jaw dropped to the floor!"
"Yeah. But then she just asked me why I didn't buy a new pair at least after a month. I just gave up."
I laughed on. "Ouch."
"Well, what do you want," she said, even more mischievous. "Rotten capitalists. But hey, the dress is cool, so... I'm ready to put up with them a while longer." Her tone changed to a grave one. "He's told you about Mrs. Cullen's suicide attempt?"
I sobered up. "Yeah, he has." I grabbed another pillow and hugged it. "Who told you?"
"Alice. It happened when we were shopping."
"They called him only now. Do you think they just wanted to let him have his sleep, or..."
"Or hush it up? Not sure. But I wouldn't be surprised. Alice seemed dead with fear Edward would kill them all."
"Any idea how she's doing? Edward said she's stable."
"Alice assured me she is. So let's hope it's true. Though..."
She went silent and I shifted on the bed. "What?"
"What was it that Bree knew about Edward? What did she blackmail him with?"
"Wow. Angie, that's kinda a bomb to drop."
"I know."
I hesitated. It felt like I'd be betraying his confidence to tell her – but at the same time, somehow, since we were sleuthing together, I felt she should know. So I filled her in.
"Hmmm. I wonder if there's more to the story than he's telling you."
I blinked and frowned in concentration. "What do you mean?"
"I've met her. For just a second, before it happened, I really think they didn't intend for me to see her."
"Yeah? And? What are you getting at?"
Again she went silent. "You know... Bree and I went hiking once. She didn't feel like climbing up one hill, so she waited behind while I did. Some woman pounced at her from the bushes and tried to bite her. She looked totally psycho. I threw stones at her and she ran away. Bree was bleeding and I took her to the ER. We wanted to go to the Police for them to search for her and lock her up, but after Bree was treated by Dr. Cullen, she changed her mind and just said she wants to go home and forget about it. I never connected it with Mrs. Cullen, I don't think I've ever seen her before yesterday. But now it just makes sense. What Bree had in her hands was a proof it was Edward's mum who attacked her. Now that's a whole different level of a motive for murder, right?"
"Right," I got out of myself.
After a while she added: "You be very careful, girl. I'm not saying anymore it was Edward who did it. But something about this family stinks."
And it did indeed.

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AN: A quick chapter as quick thanks to my wonderful reviewers:-) You know who you are. Luv ya all. Also, big welcome to the new followers and to people who have favourited this fic.