First of all, thank you so much for following this little story and leaving a review.
I'm really happy that you like Mike. I like him to. He is a good man. He isn't hiding secrets. I want this story to be complicated, because life, and love, is. People, and I guess by extension, vampires, make mistakes. Sometimes they hurt the people they love the most. Sometimes they can fix things, and sometimes they can't. I know where this story is going, but I still don't know all the twists and turns we'll take to get there. Thanks to those of you who are interested in coming along.
(The only eyes that saw this week's chapter are mine. Please forgive any mistakes).
The Cullen's had been in town for a week now. Bella once again felt her life was crumbling around her, but this time it had nothing to do with them. They were about to lose the business, and probably the house. Her not-quite-full-time hours at the library weren't going to be enough to keep them a float. Mike's parents had died uninsured, having cancelled their policies a few years before; one of the many cost saving measures they had quietly undertaken to keep both the store and Mike at university. They had big dreams for him; that he would finish his kinesiology degree and coach somewhere. An early spring hike had put an end to that.
Bella would close the store a few times a week to give Mike a break. They only had a few part time employees now so between the two of them they'd been picking up the slack. It was ten minutes till close and Bella was in the back tidying shelves when the bear bells rang to let her know she had visitors. The hairs on the back of her neck alerted her she should feel danger, but she had a feeling she knew there was nothing to be frightened of. Turning around she smiled at the two vampires that had entered her shop.
"Carlisle, Emmett, nice to see you. What can I help the two of you with? We've got a descent selection of freeze dried camp food, or maybe some jerky?" She smiled at her own lame joke, which Carlisle kindly returned.
"Actually Bella, I came to apologize," as Carlisle began talking Emmett wandered away. "I understand you took me up on the offer to come by the house last week and ran into Edward-"
"Carlisle, please don't apologize for Edward."
"I'm not. I just wanted to apologize for not being there. Esme and I were really looking forward to seeing you."
"Oh." Bella was surprised at that, but mostly she felt awkward at the mention of Edward and that strange day. She longed to talk about something else. That's when she notice the subtle change in the ageless man in front of her. "Carlisle! You've gray around the temples!" She reached her had towards him, but stopped herself. "And you've... Carlisle! You have a receding hair line!" She pulled her suspended hand back and covered her mouth with it. "How?"
Carlisle smiled as he whispered conspiratorially, "And Esme has wrinkles. Very subtle, around her eyes. Now she wears her smiles." Carlisle paused a moment to let that sink in. "It's all smoke and mirrors. And Alice." He winked.
Bella laughed. "Of course! I wondered how Alice had managed to get her short hair into such an elaborate," She waved her hand over her head as she searched, and failed, to find the appropriate word, settling at last on "style."
"Yes, she's had a lot fun with it. We were the only ones that were game. She convinced us we needed to start looking our age." Carlisle chuckled once more, this time at his lame joke.
"What about Edward? He looked so different...older. What did she do to him?"
"Edward? Nothing." Carlisle paused before adding, "he is different though." Carlisle's paused stretched into something that was becoming an uncomfortable silence as he debated saying more. He decided to keep to his original plan. "Anyway, I would like to invite you, more formally this time. Please come by for dinner tomorrow night."
"That's very kind of you Carlisle. You don't need to do that though. I'd just be putting you out."
"No, we would love to see you. Plus there is something we'd like to talk to you about." Carlisle noted Bella's confused expression an added, "Some purchases we would like to make from the store."
"Well in that case," Bella smiled an almost genuine smile, "I'd love to come by. But really, you do not need to make me dinner, that's just silly."
"Esme would have loved to make you something...it's been a while since she's had the opportunity to work in the kitchen. Perhaps another time for the food then. How does seven tomorrow sound?"
"It sounds lovely. I'll be there, it will be nice to talk to you and Esme again."
"Yes, we are looking forward to it." Emmett had wandered back to the front of the store and was standing near the door. Carlisle turned to leave, but hesitated and turned back around. "We're all looking forward to it. Everyone will be happy to see you tomorrow." And with that the bear bells rang out again, the only sound in the store.
Bella stood there a moment longer. What had just happened? A Cullen had respected her wishes and Emmett Cullen didn't say a freaking word. And why did she feel a slight pang of disappointment?
Bella wiped her sweating palms on her skirt as she willed her hammering heart to slow down, knowing they could all hear her fear. Aware that Jasper could tell them what she was feeling anyway. Bella didn't want them to think she was frightened of them. Her fears were rooted back in the shop, in their failure. Taking a deep breath Bella lifted her hand to knock on the door, her hand meeting air. Just behind where the wood door was a mere moment ago now stood a glowing Esme.
"Bella honey, come through to the dining room we are all waiting for you." As Bella entered the home Esme embraced her, kissing each cheek before she pulled her against her chest, holding her for a moment too long. Bella didn't mind it at all.
"It's so good to see you Esme. So good."
Esme held Bella from her at arm's length, appraising her as a mother would a missed daughter.
"What a beautiful woman you've become dear. Not that I am surprised, mind, but still I am so glad I get to see it."
Taking a risk Bella let her guard down for a moment. "Me too Esme. I know it didn't really take Alice's clairvoyance to see things weren't going to work with Edward and I, but it would have been nice to have seen you from time to time."
Esme looked down at Bella, a sad smile on her face. "It would have been. I always thought of you as a daughter-"
Bella laughed, breaking the moment. "I'm older than you now Esme. Where did you say we were meeting?"
Esme walked Bella to the dining room, giving her husband enough time to clean up the broken chair from Edward's latest tantrum. She wasn't surprised to see he was missing when they entered the room.
When Bella was seated Esme began to describe what they would require of Newton's. Once she mentioned her foundation Bella interrupted.
"The Pacific Northwest Trust?"
The 6 vampire's in the room all turned to Bella in surprise. She giggled, quite proud of herself for managing to startle them so thoroughly.
"Yes, well they were very persistent in putting me through college. Not fair finally getting Charlie involved though."
Carlisle had the grace to look sheepish. "Bella-"
"It's alright Carlisle, I'm over it. I'm not 18 and angry at the world anymore. Thank you. Sincerely, Thank you."
"You're welcome." Carlisle smiled, nodding slightly in Bella's direction. He didn't correct her mistaken belief that Carlisle had put her through school. It was the first he had heard the PNWT had a scholarship program. He assumed correctly that Edward was involved and remained silent on the issue. "Shall we get on to today's business then?"
Esme continued to explain they would like to purchase a large amount of camping equipment which they were going to donate to various organizations across the country along with bursaries to encourage at risk urban youth to experience the great outdoors.
When it came down to the money they were going to spend at the store it was Bella's turn to stare at them in amazement.
"You know." She said, defeated.
Alice smiled. "What's there to know?"
"Seriously Alice? Between your reading the future and your brothers mind reading... You can't just sweep in after ten years to rescue me!" Bella let out a frustrated sigh, trying to calm herself down. "Why don't you just go straight to the suppliers?"
"I can't see your future Bella." Alice said softly.
Esme interrupted, "Bella, we want the store to be our supplier because we strongly believe in supporting independent business. It was a no brainer to come back to Forks and support Newton's. They have been very good to us in the past."
Bella looked around the room. "Excuse me. I need a human moment."
Once in the bathroom Bella hit her palm against the wall and whispered every curse word she knew. Several times. She knew they would be able to hear her breakdown, each frustrated slap, every whispered curse, even the sound of her tears as they rolled off her cheek and splashed down to the marble below her feet. Fleeing to the bathroom simply protected her from having to see them hide their pity.
Bella didn't want to see the irony, that minutes after she had just told Carlisle she was a grown up, grateful for their gift, she was in their bathroom acting like a petulant child. She washed her face, cleaning up the best she could, then gave herself a mental peptalk. This wasn't about her pride. It was about helping Mike succeed. It was about letting their remaining 3 employees keep putting food on the table. This was about not losing their house. It was time to put on her big girl panties and face the Cullens.