Twilight…not mine (sigh).

Chapter 176

EPOV

If it weren't for Emmett, I wouldn't have known that Bella moved into her new condo. He was pissed at her for leaving me hanging. Irina, supposedly, was not happy with her decision either, to leave me without any sort of information. She was running from her pain and I was a part of that pain.

Like she was a part of mine.

I abided by her wishes and left her alone. The wall around my heart was back up and I was having my own regression issues. But, I pushed that to back of my brain and focused on the cases on my desk along with the class I decided to take in litigation. I needed some sort of distraction to fill the hole in my heart. Plus, I had to get back into the swing of being a student.

And feeling empty and alone.

However, I was at the doctor's office, currently. I was sparring with Jasper the other day and I took a particularly hard hit on my arm that was broken when I was a kid. The arm that Doc said would possibly need surgery if I broke it again. It was hurting like a son of a bitch and I figured I should get it checked out.

It had been three weeks since Bella had left. Three weeks since I had heard from her. Yes, part of it was me because I was a douche, but the other part was her. My heart lurched. Shake it off, Cullen.

"Edward Cullen?" called the nurse blandly. I got up and followed her to the back. She x-rayed my arm and led me to an examination room. She asked me a few questions and turned to leave. Ten minutes later a female petite doctor walked in.

"Mr. Cullen?" she asked.

"Hi," I said gruffly, still uncomfortable around people I didn't know.

"I'm Dr. DiBuona," she said, holding out her hand. I shook it and gave her a brief smile. "According to Nurse Mallory, you're having some issues with your wrist and arm?"

"Yeah. I broke it when I was a kid and it never healed properly. I am a federal agent and I was working out with a co-worker when I took a harsh hit to the arm. It's been bugging me ever since."

Dr. DiBuona nodded and put the x-ray up on the light box. "I can see where the previous break happened and there is, unfortunately, a new break. But it's not clean. We're going to have to pin it." She took out her phone and tapped a few items on the screen. "I have a cancellation at the surgicenter tomorrow morning. We can get this fixed relatively quickly."

"Let's do that," I said. I made arrangements and I was having surgery tomorrow morning. My mom would drive me to and from the surgicenter. Dr. DiBuona gave me a removable cast to wear until my surgery tomorrow and I left the doctor's office.

I didn't sleep well. Part of it was that I missed Bella, feeling her curled up against me. The other part was nerves about my impending surgery. I'd never had surgery before. The closest thing I had to surgery was getting my wisdom teeth removed just prior to getting my braces put on as a kid. I wasn't put under, just given the laughing gas. Everything was fucking hysterical. The ceiling tiles, a laugh riot. My shoe laces, a hoot. My mom's pattern on her dress…You get the idea.

Early the next morning, my mom came over and we went to the surgicenter near Harborview Hospital. I was checked in and back in the surgical bay within an hour of arriving. Dr. DiBuona told me that everything would be okay before I went under. I counted backwards from a hundred, not even reaching ninety-seven.

When I came to, my mom was next to me, reading a book. She was holding my good hand, gently rubbing her thumb along my knuckles. "Mom?" I croaked.

"Welcome, back, sweetie," she said as she put down her novel.

"What time is it?" I asked, my throat feeling thick and my voice extra deep.

"A little after eleven. Your body reacted to the anesthetic and it took them a while to get you up," she replied, her face showing her worry. "They want to keep you overnight."

"No. I want to go home," I grumbled, sitting up but feeling very woozy. The room tilted and I didn't like it. Esme gently pushed me back on the bed, thrusting a straw into my mouth. I felt a little better but was still out of it. Another hour passed and Dr. DiBuona checked on me, releasing me to my mother's care. She drove me back and settled me into my bed.

"You need to rest and let me baby you. I'm staying tonight, okay?" she said sternly. I nodded. She left and I fell asleep against my pillows. I woke up a little bit later. My mother was shaking my shoulder. "Edward, wake up. Your phone has been ringing off the hook."

"What does the caller ID say?" I asked, rubbing my eyes with my good hand.

"Charlie," Esme said. I took the phone from her and checked my messages. They were all from Charlie's number. I dialed my voicemail, listening to a frantic Emmett.

"Edward, I know you're not really talking to Bella right now, but she's in a bad way. Really bad. I found her on the ground in her condo, catatonic. I don't know what to do. I called Irina but she thinks that you're the only one to reach her. I need your help, man. If you get this, call me as soon as possible!"

I shot up, stumbling out of bed. Clumsily, I went to the bathroom to pee and brush my teeth. I grabbed a hat from my closet and dialed Emmett.

"Thank God, you called!" Emmett breathed. "Where were you?"

"I was having surgery," I said, brushing past my mom. "I broke my arm and needed to have pins put into it. Where are you?"

"Should you be driving?" Emmett asked.

"I'm fine," I said. "Where?"

"Bella's condo in Escala," he answered. He rattled off a bunch of numbers, along with Bella's landline. My drugged brain took a while process them, but I managed to retain the information. I picked up my car keys, ready to go out the door.

"Where are you going?" Esme shrieked.

"Bella…she's…" I rambled.

"Edward, you just had surgery. Bella, while a sweet girl, pretty much hung you out to dry. You need to focus on you. Let her family handle it," Esme said sternly, trying to reach for my keys.

"That's the problem, Mom. Her family is gone. Charlie is in jail. Her mom is dead and her cousin is at a loss what to do. I thought you liked her," I growled.

"I do, Edward, but I'm worried about you," Esme sighed. She swiped my keys. "You're not driving. You can go, but I'll take you. Comprende?" I nodded and we left my condo.

A/N: Mama Esme is coming out. She cares for Bella but her main priority is her son. It's been radio silence for three weeks and then we have a frantic phone call from Emmett. Edward drops everything. Things will change after this. I promise. Plus, we're going to move forward in time, too. Leave me some!