It is almost too quiet in the car, on the lengthy drive to Cullen Manor.
Emmett has chosen to turn off his radio, and decided not to play any music on the dock either.
I try to keep calm, twisting the teardrop sapphire ring placed on my index finger as I stare out the window and into the dark streets.
The ring was given to me by Nonna Swantorini on my fifteenth birthday. She sent it over all the way from her home in Italy.
As we head out onto the highway and drove towards the upper-class town, my mind began to travel back to a happier time.
A time when I thought everything was perfect.
See, my brother, Emmett, was born in Italy. My family was happy living there, in fact. But when my Nonno suddenly made plans for us to come live in the U.S there was no arguing or changing his mind.
My Nonno can be a stubborn man when he needs to be. No arguing will change his mind, ever.
My parents, then known as Carlo and Renata Swantorini became Charles and Renee Swan.
By the time they finally settled here in the United States, my mother was heavily pregnant with me.
That is where everything started.
See, my father was away doing some business when my mother went into active labor, and since they had only settled down, she had no choice but to get help from the closest neighbors, that is how we met the Cullens.
Years later, when we lost our parents it led to us to having to move from Forks, Washington to New Haven, New York.
After that time ceased to mean anything to me.
Now, here we were driving back to where it all began, to New Haven.
I can feel my stomach clench in anxiety, as my hands begin to tremble nervously, as I took a few deep breaths in a failed attempt to keep calm.
My brother didn't miss my actions. He's always known when something is wrong with me. Even now, even though we were practically estranged, he knew.
I was glad to see that some things hadn't changed after all this time.
"Ascolta, sorellina, vuole solo parlarci. Se non ti piace quello che dice, ti tirerò fuori di lí da solo." He says, after pulling over in the long driveway, patting my hand. (Listen, little sister, he just wants to speak to us. If you don't like what he says, I'll get you out of there myself.)
Squashing the urge to roll my eyes at the promise, knowing that it was nearly impossible to do so, unless Senior allowed it to be so.
"Va bene, va bene. Tienilo lontano da me." I say, before we both get out of the car. (Alright, fine. Just keep him away from me.)
"Marmocchio infantile." He muttered, shaking his head at me. (Childish brat.)
"Bambino troppo cresciuto." I quipped back, ignoring the face he made at me. (Overgrown child)
We stuck our tongues out at one another before we slowly ascended the small staircase. When we do reach the front door, it slams open before either of us can reach for the door knocker, or ring the doorbell.
"Emmett, Isabetta. Ciao cara mia." Elizabeth Cullen neé Masen greets us, happily pulling me into a firm hug, before kissing my cheek. (Hello my dear)
Of course, she would welcome me back as if I was a lost child coming home after years of being lost. Like some sort of prodigal son.
"Ciao signora Cullen." I greet her, hugging her back. (Hello, Mrs. Cullen)
I hugged her gently before stepping away uncomfortably.
"Ciao mamma Cullen." Emmett greets dryly.
"Hello, Emmett Charles. You look exactly like you did six hours ago. Fine. Senior is waiting for you in his office, so go now." She said pushing him in the other direction she was pulling me.
He winces in response to her tone, before he turns to go down the hall and into the office without another look towards me.
"Ah.. So we're speaking in english now?" I asked dryly, as she pulled me towards the kitchen.
"Don't you sass me, you won't like the consequences, tesoro." She quips as we walk into the kitchen. (dear)
As we enter I notice what I have just walked into and suddenly find myself fighting the urge to walk back out of the kitchen.
Standing there are Esme, Carlisle's fianceé, and Sulpicia, Aro's wife. They both have aprons on, and are busily moving around the beautiful, grand kitchen as they prepare the dishes for dinner.
"Ladies, look who has finally arrived." Elizabeth says, smiling widely, as she helps me out of my coat and takes my things disappearing down one of the many labyrinths of hallways.
Esme turns around, smiling as she spots me standing by the door, anxiously.
"Bella! Hi, how've you been?" Esme greets before turning back to mix whatever is on the stove.
"I've been better, Es. How have you been?" I ask, smiling at her in return.
Esme Anne Platt, Carlisle's soon to be wife, and one of the few women I trust or make any effort to speak to.
We met in my first year at the university. She is two years older than me, and is one of the nicest people I know.
"Good, just you know, busy with work and planning the wedding. But I can't complain. What have you been up to?" She asked as she lifted the pot and went to the sink to throw out the water.
"Not much, just work, and a few side jobs here and there but it's all been calm lately." I replied as I moved to chop a few of the veggies.
We were making plans to go out for lunch when we heard a scoff coming from the otherside of the kitchen.
"Non vedo perché tutti voi portiate un estraneo nella famiglia." Sully replies. (I don't see why you are all bringing an outsider into the family.)
Ah, yes, Sulpicia Valentorin has been with Aro since he turned seventeen and she turned sixteen. All the family knows her as Sully. She is also know to be a bit of a loud mouth.
I've maintained a rather long distance with the family after I turned eighteen.
Funnily enough, she does not realize I speak Italian fluently. Or who I really am, for that matter.
It's funny how a bit of time away from someone, a change of wardrobe and a bit of makeup can make a person irreconcilable. Weird too.
Well, I guess I can have a bit of fun with this.
I mean, she seems to think I don't know Italian. Even though Elizabeth clearly spoke to me in Italian when I arrived.
"Fuori dagli schemi? Sai anche chi sono?" I ask, watching as the color drains from her overdone face. (Outsider? Do you even know who I am?)
'Take that!' I thought as I watched her begin to sputter as she turned to Elizabeth in question.
"Lizzabetta?" She asks, in a shocked confused tone. "Chi è lei?" She asks, looking wide-eyed towards Elizabeth, who is standing there staring back at her in shocked anger. (Who is she?)
I don't let her respond, instead I turn to stare at her before I speak again. This time in English.
"No, bitch. You want to say something about me? Say it to my face. If you have a problem with my being here then say it. Go on, I dare you." I sneer at her, watching as she flinches away from my stare.
I smiled wider as she sputtered more.
"Isabetta, Sulpicia that's enough." A firm voice says from the doorway.
I sigh, scowling at her before turning to look at Senior standing just a foot away from me. Just behind me stand three of his four sons watching wide-eyed, with their jaws on the floor.
Ah, so they were listening. I figured they would do so, sometime during the night. Hm, I guess they decided sooner rather than later.
I note that only three of the four brothers are present. The oldest, Aaron Blake Cullen Masen, also known as Aro, stands just behind his father to his left stands Carlisle Wyatt Cullen Masen the second oldest, also known as Car or Carl, just behind him stands Jasper Sage Cullen Masen, also known as Jazz.
Anth— I mean, Edward and my brother are still gone, and to be honest, that worries me.
"Cia, cosa c'è di sbagliato in te?" Aro asks her angrily. (Cia, what is wrong with you?)
"Darling, I— she started it." She stuttered, pouting and stomping her foot.
"Save it, Sul, we heard the whole thing." He snaps, shaking his head at her.
"But Aro, she—" She tried again.
"I said that is enough." Senior sharply said, cutting in.
"Ah...Dinner is ready. Why don't you boys go to watch some television or something and we'll call you when the food and table is set up?" Elizabeth says from where she stands, by the stove.
They all nod, only walking into the kitchen to grab a drink before they all disappear once more.
"Isabetta, grab those things for me and follow me towards the table please." She instructs, as she walks down the hall into the large dining room to set the food up.
Once all the food is set in the middle of the table, Esme quickly goes to get the men from the smoking room. While I follow Elizabeth into the other hall to get Nonna Masen and Nonno Masen.
"Liz, what type of wine?" Esme asks as we walk into the dining room with Nonna and Nonno following close behind us.
"No, Esme, you sit down. Aaron, you go. Get a bottle of Pinot gris, and Lambrusco di Sorbara." Senior says as he helps Nonna Masen sit down.
I slowly walked to the empty seat between Senior and Elizabeth, sitting down just as another group walked into the dinning room.
Standing there before us are two familiar, yet complete still foreign to me.
"Good evening." The small as a pixie greets.
I noticed that Jasper stands close to her protectively as he leads her to an empty seat.
"Mary Alison, how are you?" Elizabeth asks, politely as we all take turns serving ourselves.
As the greetings are exchanged I focus on the food that is spread before me.
There's a choice between a roasted rack of lamb, with hot steamed vegetables, and a baked potato or herb-crusted lemon chicken with buttery garlic green beans, and mashed potatoes and gravy. Then to complete either meal are buttery fresh-baked rolls.
"I am great, Liz. How are you?" The pixie asks, eyeing me.
I ignore the curious stares she and the leggy blonde are throwing at me, as I place a nice, big, juicy piece of chicken on my plate, quickly adding the green beans and mashed potatoes and gravy right after.
"Isabetta, che cosa sento di te che corri in Italia senza mio nipote?" Nonna suddenly asks, raising a thin, silver brow at me. (Isabella, what is this I hear about you running to Italy without my grandson?)
"Aw, mamma." Senior complained, shaking his head at her. (Aw, mom.)
I put a strained smile on my face as I felt everyone begin to look at me as I remained silent.
"Tranquillo, merito di saperlo." She chastised. (Quiet you, I deserve to know.)
"Mi mancano la mia Nana e Nani e vorrei andare a vederle prima che la mia Nani se ne vada." I say. (I miss my Nonna and Nani and wish to go see them before she is gone.)
Pixie and Blondie stare at me like I've spoken in pig Latin. Eyes wide and confused as they stare at our exchange.
With my nerves on an already high stress level, their stares seem to grate harder on me than usual.
"Guys, make your guests stop staring at me before I give them something to stare at." I say, as my hand wraps around my knife.
"Rilassati, tesoro." Elizabeth whispers, wrapping her hand over mine. (Relax, honey.)
"Principessa, nessuno può impedirti di andare a vedere la tua famiglia." Nonna says, smiling at me gently. (Princess, no one can stop you from going to see your family.)
"Mamma…" Senior says, gently. (Mom)
"No, Eduardo. She needs this, and if you stand in her way, I will make sure she doesn't marry mio nipote." She warns. (My grandson)
He throws up his hands in defeat, muttering something about a 'nosy, conniving old woman'.
"Ragazzo, abbi un po 'di rispetto per tua suocera." Nonno Masen snips at Senior. (Boy, have some respect for your mother-in-law.)
"So, it's settled. You shall go see your famiglia in Italy, and when come back you and mio nipote, shall marry." Nonno Masen says, in a thick Italian accent.
"I don't know about that…" I mutter, losing all appetite.
"Perché no?" They all gasp, except the two women on the other side of the table. (Why not?)
"I can't marry someone who isn't willing to be faithful to me as his wife. I won't play second to anyone, my parents raised me better than that." I reply honestly.
Though 'raised me better than that' might have been laying it on thick, because my parents didn't do shit.
The screeching of a chair across the wooden floor is heard from the other side of the room causing us all to turn.
We all watch as Anth—Edward disappears out of the room.
"I'll—I'll go talk to him." Senior says, excusing himself from the table, before he disappears after his youngest son.