A/N #1:
Drotuno: Hey, Jen... I think we killed our readers. LOL
JenRar: No, YOU killed our readers. Two hands, really? *thud*
Drotuno: Okay... Technically, SARGE did, but... Yeah, semantics. Damn...two hands... O.o Wait, what were we talking about? Oh, dead readers. It's surprising the level of pervs we have.
JenRar: Pfft, they're A) reading Twilight fanfics...and B) reading YOUR Twilight fanfic. It isn't THAT surprising. *grin*
Drotuno: huh... True. You know, I read this one the other day... Where he puts his... Ummm, never mind. Perhaps, we should let them see if Bella reacts the same twisted way that they did. LOL
JenRar: I'm not sure BELLA'S still alive...I tried poking at her, and she just sat there...blinking. I think I even saw drool. So...Deb... Deb? *waves hand in front of her face* Damn, there goes another one.
You all crack us up. Seriously. Thanks once again for all the love. It really is incredible. :)
Ok, this chapter has a slight warning for the topic of child abuse. Nothing graphic, but Bella has some news for Edward about Christopher, and it isn't pleasant. So if you're worried, please shoot us a PM and we'll be glad to answer any questions you have. Now, let's see if Bella's still alive after that last email. ;)
~oOo~
From: Bella Swan
To: EAMasen
Date Sent: Thurs, May 13, 2010 at 11:34 A.M.
Date Received: Thurs, May 13, 2010 at 11:34 P.M.
Subject: I've got a box...
Unfortunately, shipping myself would be just so gosh darn expensive! *laugh* So I think that'll have to wait until you're back stateside, when I can just buy a plane ticket or rent a car. Or...ya know...walk. Whatever damn thing it takes to get me to you!
I'm on my lunch break, so this is short, but I wanted to hopefully catch you before you went to sleep. :)
Sweet dreams, babe.
Bella
~oooOOOooo~
From: Bella Swan
To: EAMasen
Date: Thurs, May 13, 2010 at 5:18 P.M.
Date: Fri, May 14, 2010 at 5:18 A.M.
Subject: My poor heart is just breaking
Oh, Edward! I just got home and sat right down at the computer. Remember Christopher? I've been keeping an eye on him, taking him stuff for lunch more often than not. I hadn't seen any more bruises before today (although now, I don't doubt that they were there).
Today, I was outside on the playground with the kids at recess. A fifth grader was going in after his gym class and shoved him, making Christopher fall down and scrape himself up when his T-shirt rode up. Before he could hide it, I was able to see that he had bruises all over his back (some old, some obviously fresh). I had another teacher take over for me while I took him to the nurse to put antiseptic on his scraped hands, and while he was in there, I talked to the principal. She called the police and the social worker (who has been to the school way too many times to be good...), and they were there within the hour. Christopher wouldn't let me leave his side while he talked to them, claiming he felt safe with me there.
Turns out his father is a drinker and abuses not only Christopher, but his mother, as well. DCFS removed him from the home this afternoon, and police arrested the bastard, too. Luckily, they were able to place Christopher in a great foster home (I've dealt with these foster parents before, and they genuinely seem to care for the kids they take in) that is close, so he'll be able to continue going to school here.
It just about damn near broke my heart to see the bruises and hear the stories. All I need right now is a hug. Alice and Rose are bringing dinner, and I think I'm going to ask them to go to Forks with me this weekend. I need my daddy...to be around a father who is tough as nails but loves his child and would fight the devil if he had to do it to protect her...who would never think of raising his hand to her.
And yes...I plan to tell him all about you...about us...this weekend, if that's ok with you. :) I see him once every couple of months usually, although we talk once a week. I haven't said anything to him before now because it was still so new. But things are...really starting to feel real and so right, I can't – no, I don't want to put it off any more.
God, it's making me feel so much better just to talk to you, even if it is via email. Knowing you'll read this and be sending me hugs from Afghanistan is really comforting, babe.
Now...enough with the heavy stuff!
Mmm, I think a trade is a fantastic idea... Whatever you want to send would be loved and appreciated, I hope you know that. Although, thinking of sleeping in your shirt... Hell yes...
Oh damn! I don't know if Alice & Rose know about Jasper & Emmett getting in trouble for the streaking. LOL I wonder what they'd give me for not telling...
It sounds like we're on the same page in terms of turn-ons. Good to know. ;)
O.M.G! No... G.I. Joe, really? *snicker* So not a surprise. And I'd have bet everything I owned on the piano...although knowing you kept it after your parents died is so damn sweet. Makes me all swoony to think of you as a little boy, sitting beside your mom as she helps you learn.
Hmm, summer is definitely coming up quick. That's both a blessing and not... I love seeing the kids every day, but man, I am ready for a break. Keeping up with a classroom full of nine-year-olds five days a week is exhausting! We get out of school the 27th of May, although I have to go back on the 28th to clear out my room for the summer. The last couple of summers, I've taken some classes at U Dub. Nothing heavy, but some advanced writing courses and stuff like that. I do visit my dad for a couple of weeks, and the girls and I usually go on vacation, stopping in Florida to see my mom first and then on to wherever we're going for a week.
Question time... What was your favorite subject in school? Bet you can't guess what mine was... Of course it was English, although I also enjoyed the Culinary Arts and Commercial Baking classes I took in high school. I already knew I enjoyed cooking and baking, so that was just to help me learn what I hadn't figured out on my own.
I hope you know that I feel the same about the miles starting to get to me, Edward. I'm falling...and falling hard...and the need to feel your arms around me, your lips on mine, is becoming something that I feel like I'll go crazy for if I don't get it soon. I know we have a good while still before that can happen, though, so I'm trying to just remind myself that until then, I get your sweet, sexy words on email, your gorgeous face on Skype, and your panty-melting voice on Skype and the phone. We'll make it through the rest of your tour, and if I'm lucky, I'll get all of that in person in a few months.
Unf! *whine* Why must you tease me with the two hands remark? That's just torture, pure and simple, babe. That's all there is to it. Just for that... Of course I imagined it was your fingers inside me... I saw how long and strong they were on Skype. Thinking of them slipping through my slick heat, moving inside me had me flying too damn quick...
*sigh* I need to go. Rose just texted me to say they were on their way, and I want to take a quick shower and change clothes before they get here. I need to wash the stress of the day down the drain.
Be safe, babe.
Yours,
Bella
P.S. I'll have my phone and laptop with me this weekend, so if you email or call, it'll be like I haven't gone anywhere. xoxo
~oOo~
A/N #2: Ok, so first, yeah, Bella was DED, just like you guys. ;) And now she's going home to tell Charlie all about Edward. Should be fun. *grin*
Second, poor Christopher. :( Unfortunately, cases like this I'd imagine aren't too off the mark occasionally for teachers. One reader said when I brought up Christopher in an earlier chapter that I had Bella doing the right thing, not reporting her suspicions earlier. But a friend of mine said no, she'd have needed to report it immediately. I don't know if what I had her do is what a teacher would do in real life or not, so for the story's sake, just pretend it is. Regardless, if I had suspicions that a child was being abused, I personally wouldn't wait. Or at least, that's what I tell myself now, when I'm not faced with it. Still, it's a horrible situation.
By the way... Jordan (was DC_Mofo and is now InkAddict89 on Twitter) reviewed Coming Home on The Lemonade Stand. Be sure to check it out and then show him love on Twitter in thanks. You can see it and all the other reviews here: www. tehlemonadestand 2012/06/tls-fics-of-week-june-18-24-2012-fab. html (take out the spaces).
Ok, Bella really need the love right now, so please, show her some support by reviewing, and then head over to see Sarge's reaction. ;) – Jenny