Chapter Seventy Eight
Bella
Rose kept hold of my hand as she began to speak and I didn't want to upset her by pulling free but I found any contact other than Jasper's unnerving. At first her words were just a noise but then I found myself listening to her.
"Bella, it must be very difficult for you with all these strangers around. Its a good thing you have Jasper, his love is a constant in a turbulent life at the moment. I met your father Charlie, he's quite a man and he was desperate to find you."
"He was?"
"Of course, he hounded the police and us until we found something. He loves you very much."
"But I'm still here and the others are gone, Renee and Phil, they're both dead."
"I know but he's still got you Bella and he was so relieved when he heard we'd found you."
"He hasn't been to see me though."
"No, he does have a good reason though and it's not that he didn't want to come. He's been ….ill but he's OK now and I know he wants to see you. He just wants you to be happy to see him. We know you've had a lot to cope with and he's just giving you some space. The rest of the family are dying to meet you too, as soon as you feel up to it. Jasper never stopped talking about you when he visited. He's very much in love with you, you make him happy."
I looked over at Jasper who stood watching me as Peter and Kat went out with Skye. He had a strange expression on his face, relieved and concerned at the same time. Rose noticed and nodded as if answering an unheard question.
"Would you like to talk about what happened to you? I don't know what you went through but I had a terribly traumatic experience once and I know it makes you feel as if the world as you knew it has gone and there's a new and disturbing world in its place. You don't know who you can trust or if you'll ever feel safe again."
I looked at her in amazement, she really did understand what I was feeling.
"Does it ever get better? How did you get through it Rose?"
She smiled a little sadly,
"I'm not sure my story will be much help to you Bella but yes it does get better, especially when you have people who love you around and you do Bella."
I looked at Jasper again who stood as if unsure whether to approach or not. I knew he was waiting for a sign from me and for the first time since I came out of that cellar I put my hand out for his and when he joined me, when I felt his touch, I felt the tiniest bit better.
Rose seemed to understand and smiled,
"Bella, I will be here whenever you want to talk, I know sometimes its easier to speak to someone on the outside and though I don't intend to be in that position for long I am for now. Here."
She handed me a cell phone,
"My number is on speed dial. Anytime you want to talk, or if you just feel you can't cope, you ring. Anytime, day or night and I'll talk to you or I'll come over if you need me in person. OK?"
I looked at the phone,
"I can't take…"
She folded my fingers over it,
"Yes you can, you're almost my sister remember."
Before I could say anything else the others came back, Kat holding a large paper bag which she opened to show me a book about dinosaurs.
"Peter bought me this and a little rabbit for Skye, look."
I feigned interest and then found I actually was interested in what Kat was saying as she stumbled through the long dinosaur names and blushed,
"Peter and Charlotte are teaching me to read but I still get caught out by long words."
It hadn't occurred to me that Kat had no schooling, she had been like a little cave girl, locked in semi darkness and learning little as she grew. Jasper's friends had not only shown her kindness but they had taken her in almost as a child of their own and I could see how fond she and Peter were of each other. Rose took Skye from him and held her up so obviously pleased to have her back, there was so much love in this room, they were so close even though they weren't family and suddenly I wanted to belong, to be a part of this if I could only find a way out of my hellish memories.
When it came time for them to leave, even though I had only watched and listened to the conversations I was saddened. I wanted to beg them to stay, to take me with them but that meant going outside and I was terrified of leaving the apartment. Scared that there might be someone watching and waiting to grab me. Someone who would snatch me away, lock me up, but this time Jazz and his friends wouldn't find me and I would end my life miserably as a captive of some sick pervert.
Once they had gone Jasper closed the door and joined me on the couch looking at the phone that I still held.
"What did you think of Rose?"
"She's very kind and she loves Skye."
"Rose has always wanted a family so she's over the moon to give Skye a home."
"You talk as if Rose is old, how old is she?"
He hesitated,
"Older than she looks Bella, but it's not important right now. Getting you well is. Do you feel any better for their visit?"
I nodded finding that I really did although I was still wound up and close to tears which I hated.
"I'd like to see my dad."
"I know and I'm sure he'll be here soon but he was still in San Diego last I heard."
"Looking for the man who did this?"
"No, I told you we know exactly where he is. They were looking for Kat's real parents."
"Oh? I think she'd be better off with Peter, he seems to love her and I can see how fond of him she is. Do you think they will find them?"
"Truthfully? No I don't. They hadn't even found any trace of a child missing who would fit Kat."
I nodded content with the outcome of Kat's search, Skye's too, they'd both found a home which just left me.
"Bella, I'd love for you to meet the rest of the family. My foster parents are dying to meet you after all I told them."
"Even now? After all that's happened?"
"Especially now after all that's happened, I love you Bella and whatever happened hasn't changed that."
"It's changed me though, I'm not the same girl Jazz."
I couldn't stop the tears from falling but he wiped them away and kissed my cheek,
"It doesn't matter to me and the Bella I fell in love with is still in there, a little battered and bruised, but still in there."