And here we go!
BPOV
I'm in the middle of a standoff, and I have no idea what the hell to do.
Jacob scoffs, incredulous that Tony would have the gall to interrupt our obviously welcomed interaction. Tony's clenching his jaw and fisting his hands, about ready to run forward and beat the living hell out of Jacob, and all I can do is watch.
"Tony, I'm fine." I lie, desperate to diffuse the situation before things escalate.
"I'm going to ask one more time, what the fuck are you doing here?" He ignores me, his glare never wavering from Jacob.
"Me? What the fuck are you doing here? You two know each other?" Jake laughs.
"Better than you know her," Tony smirks, and I want to smack him. Instigating is not going to put an end to this.
"Is that so? Yeah, sure, buddy. Like she'd give you the time of day."
"Jake, stop," I warn.
"What?"
"Tony and I… we're dating," I confess. The side of Tony's lip ticks up in a satisfied smirk. He needs to stop.
"Are you fucking kidding me, Bella! This guy?" Jake throws his arms wide like I've committed some major offense.
"It's not your business who I date, Jacob!"
"You're all fucking worried about what shit I'm into! What about him?"
"I- what?" I glance at Tony, whose glare is ice-cold.
"Jacob-" he hisses.
"You think I'm some low-life punk, but Aro Volturi's right-hand man is the guy you let stick his dick in you?"
I wince at his crass language while my brain tries to catch up. "Volturi?" I know the name, but I can't place it.
"Yeah, Volturi. As in the Volturi family? Chicago mob? Jesus, Bella, what rock do you live under? Tony Masen is one of the top guys in the organization!"
"What?" I stumble backward, my eyes darting to Tony, begging him to tell me this isn't true.
"Bella…" he pleads.
"Remember that night I was here with Quil?" Jake continues. "Who the fuck do you think beat the shit out of him? It was this guy right here!"
"Oh my God," I mutter. "The bar fight-"
"Bella, please, I can explain! It's not what you think!"
"Hey, did you tell her how you weaseled your way out of an arrest a few weeks ago? Fucker tossed his piece in a dumpster before the cops got to him. Got let out on a fucking technicality."
"Oh, God!"
I'm gasping for breath, desperate to make sense of what Jake's telling me. Tony isn't fighting it, and I'm having difficulty reconciling the man I've let into my heart with the character Jake is portraying.
"It's true," I whisper. "The bruised jaw and bloody knuckles. The concussion and late nights. Constantly having to run out when your phone rings. You're- you're a gangster!"
"No!" Tony's face has gone pale. "Bella, please."
"I can't!" I cry, fumbling with my key, trying to get it in the lock.
"Please, can I come in to talk to you?" Tony begs while Jacob laughs.
"Go away!" I scream. "Both of you leave before I call the police!" I snatch my phone from the ground threatening to make an emergency call even though I can barely see through the shattered screen.
Tony holds his hands up and backs away. His face pinches in pain while Jacob leans against the railing, arms crossed, smug.
My key finally slides into the lock, and I rush inside, twisting the deadbolt and sinking to the ground. Tears begin to fall as I feel my heart shatter into a million pieces.
"You fucking prick!" Tony roars before Jacob grunts, and I hear a body hitting the pavement.
"She deserves to know, you fucking jackass!"
"You don't know anything! Just fucking wait, Black. You have no idea what's coming for you."
"Shaking in my boots, Masen."
I'm torn between relief and distress as I hear Tony's footsteps on the stairs as he walks away. Jacob is soon to follow, and once they're both gone, I let my sobs break free.
How could I be so stupid? I knew Tony was bad news from the beginning, and I ignored the warning signs. Oh, God. Jessica was right! Tony's under investigation by the FBI. What if they think I'm involved in his crimes?
What are his crimes? He's violent but has he killed? I'm devastated at the thought.
I'm supposed to leave for Seattle in the morning, a trip I was mopeing over because I would miss Tony. Now I can't wait to escape Chicago.
"Pull it together, Bella," I say through choppy breaths. "You'll go to Forks, reset and the next time you see Tony Masen or Jacob Black, you run the opposite damn direction and call the cops."
Funny how the idea of treating Tony like Jacob makes my heart ache.
oOo
"Bels!" I throw myself into my father's arms as soon as I spot him in baggage claim. "It's been too long."
"I missed you so much!" My voice is muffled as I press my face into his shoulder.
"You got any bags?" He asks, releasing me.
"Just my carry-on."
"Great. You ready to go home?"
"You have no idea."
He asks me about life in Chicago and my job at the hospital while he leads me to the parking deck. As we get on the road, I share some funnier ER stories and tell him about my co-workers. This is the easy stuff to talk about.
"What about your personal life? You taking care of yourself?" he asks.
"The best I can. I don't have a lot of downtime."
"Only a few more months, though."
"Yeah. I'm getting close."
"Any chance you'll move back home? Maybe open a practice out here?"
"God, I don't know, Dad. Everything is up in the air right now."
"We'd love to have you back."
"We?"
"Well, me and Sue, we've been seeing each other."
"Yeah, you mentioned that. You look happy. She's good for you." His mustache twitches with a smile at my compliment.
"And Alice Cullen is back in town, did you know that?"
"Really? No, we've fallen out of touch. You know how it is. Adulting," I sigh.
"How would you feel about reconnecting?"
"What do you mean?"
"I've gotten close to Carlisle over the past couple of years. We're playing together on the Fork's men's softball team."
"On the what?" I laugh.
"Hey, us retired guys need something to do with our time!"
"Carlisle retired too?"
"Not technically, but he works half the shifts he used to. Still oversees a lot at the hospital."
"Okay, so you two are playing softball, got it."
"Anyway," he grumbles. "Esme invited us for Thanksgiving at their house this year. I think Alice and their older son are going to be there. The oldest is married with a kid now."
"Wow."
"Yeah, and their middle one… Edmund?"
"I think it's Edward."
"That's it. He's doing some top-secret military work in the middle east."
"Wow. That's impressive!"
"So, what do you say? Thanksgiving?"
"I say, what can I bring?" I grin.
The closer we get to Forks, the easier it is to put the mess I left in Chicago behind me. My stomach still drops each time the thought of Tony enters my mind, but I'm getting used to having a constant knot in my gut. When we arrive home, I find that my father hasn't changed my room one bit. I want to call Tony and tell him. I want to hear his voice and make him laugh.
He's no good, Bella.
I sigh. I know.
I spend the days up to Thanksgiving sleeping in and cooking for Charlie. Sue took over feeding him, but she's all about healthy meals and lean meats. Charlie begs me for fried chicken and lasagna. How can I deny him?
I run into a few friends from high school in the grocery store. One's pregnant with her third kid. Another is on her second marriage. I marvel at how different my life could have been if I had stayed in a small town after graduation. I want to say I'm happy with my choice, but I feel like there are things I'm missing out on.
By the time I'm watching Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, I'm only thinking about Tony every half hour or so. Well, not including the two hours I spent tossing and turning in the middle of the night. I found one of his t-shirts packed in my luggage and slept in it because I'm pathetic and I miss him.
After the parade, I sip on wine while I wait for the green bean casserole to bake and think over my last night in Chicago.
What if Jacob was wrong?
After all, I never let Tony explain. I bite my lip and consider running upstairs to grab my still-shattered cell phone to call him and get his side of the story.
I decide to sleep on it. Maybe not in his shirt this time.
We pick up Sue early in the afternoon and head to the Cullens. She's made a pie that makes the entire car smell like fall spices, and my mouth is watering. I'm going to be stuffed when this meal is over.
"Bella Swan!" A grown-up Alice calls my name when I step from the car, and I don't bother picking up my casserole dish from the back seat because I know I'm about to get crushed in a hug.
"Alice!" We rush forward, flinging our arms around each other. There's something about your high school best friend. No matter how many years you spend apart, a little piece of your heart will always be left for them.
"I want you to meet someone!" She giggles, pulling back. "Bella, this is Jasper. My fiancé!"
"You're getting married!" I squeal, my heart constricting as I push away thoughts of Tony.
"Yes! In May. Oh, you have to come! Do you think you can get away from the hospital for a long weekend?"
"Life of a resident, huh?" Carlisle asks, squeezing my shoulder in greeting.
"Don't you know it," I scoff. "Alice, tell me the date before I leave, and I will force them to give me the time off."
I'm soon engulfed in hugs by Esme and Emmett, the oldest Cullen sibling. I say hello to Rose, his wife, and meet their daughter, Charlotte. Rose is sporting an adorable baby bump, so I'm quick to congratulate them on baby Cullen number two.
"Oh, Bella. We've missed you," Esme says, passing me a glass of Chardonnay once we make it inside.
"It's good to be home."
"How is life in the big city?" She asks.
"Chaotic. It seems like the place is always moving. Not like here, where it's peaceful."
"I can't imagine work helps with that. I remember when Carlisle was doing his residency. We barely saw him!"
"I'm probably lucky I don't have kids yet. I can't imagine."
"Speaking of, any men in your life?"
"It's complicated," I say with a tight smile.
"Aren't they always." I wish my complications fell under the "always" category.
"You know I was talking about you on a date a few weeks ago," I say, changing the subject.
"Me?" Esme laughs.
"Yes. Do you remember those lamb chops you used to make? They were amazing. To this day, they are the only lamb chops I'll eat."
"Edward used to love them too," she sips her wine and gives a sad smile. "Maybe I can make them the next time you visit."
"Alright, mom. Stop hogging Bella! We have catching up to do!" Alice links her arm to mine, shooing her mother away. Esme laughs and tells us to enjoy the snacks she's laid out. My stomach is grumbling, and I'm more than happy to oblige.
I spend a good hour sitting with Alice on the couch, reminiscing about the shenanigans we got up to in our youth.
"Remember that time we re-arranged Edward's entire CD collection?"
"Didn't he keep them alphabetized?"
"Yes, and he had hundreds of them. He lost his shit on us!"
"I remember your mom trying to talk him off the ledge," I giggle. "You know, that was one of the last times I saw him. How's he doing?"
"Who knows." She shrugs. "We haven't seen him in over four years. He calls every six months or so. Mom hopes she'll hear from him today. I'm not holding my breath."
"I'm sorry."
"It is what it is. Okay, enough with the heavy. I want to tell you about my wedding color scheme. You're going to love it!"
Alice fills me in on all details Cullen-Whitlock matrimony until Esme announces that the Turkey is ready. I can't tell tulle from chiffon, and I'm on wedding terminology overload, so I dart into the dining room while Alice tracks down Jasper. I forgot how much the girl could talk.
Carlisle says a simple grace, and we dig in. I'm piling my plate high with yams and turkey when a phone in the kitchen rings, and the Cullens freeze.
"It's the house phone," Alice points out.
"Please excuse me," Esme stands, flustered. "I have to get that."
We excuse her politely as she runs from the room.
"It's Edward!" She yells out from around the corner.
"He called!" Carlisle grins and wipes his mouth before standing. "I apologize, everyone. Please keep eating. We only hear from him once or twice a year."
"Of course, go talk to your son." My dad waves him off as he dunks a piece of turkey in gravy.
The Cullens take turns leaving the table to speak with their long-lost son and brother. I giggle when I hear Emmett giving him a hard time about missing out on their mother's cooking, but when he returns with glassy eyes, I can't help but tear up a little myself.
"How's he doing?" My father asks after they've said their goodbyes, and the phone is back on the receiver.
"He says he's close to getting a promotion, and if that happens, he might be able to come home to visit in a couple of months." Esme's voice wavers with emotion and excitement. "I told him not to get his mother's hopes up in case it doesn't pan out. He was pretty positive it's going to happen, though."
"That's great," I tell her.
"Maybe he'll be able to meet both the kids when he comes." Emmett grins. It breaks my heart a little for Edward that he's never met his niece.
"Well, I guess we will see. Is anyone ready for pie? Coffee?" Esme asks.
I offer to help her serve dessert because I can't eat another bite, and I need to get up and move.
"That was insanely delicious," I tell her once we're in the kitchen.
"You did a marvelous job with the green beans, Bella. Do you still cook much?"
"Sometimes. I made a lasagna for someone recently. He seemed to like it." She nods in understanding but doesn't pry.
"Here, dear. Will you take the coffee out?" She hands me a few china cups.
I'm careful not to spill as I serve coffee around the table. Once everyone is set, I head back to collect cream and sugar. As I reach for the refrigerator door handle, I spot a picture in a magnetic frame that makes me pause.
It's all three Cullen siblings, arms around each other, smiling. Edward is in the middle in a graduation cap and gown, his eyes glowing behind his black-rimmed glasses. The familiarity of the young man in the picture strikes me.
"That's from Edward's college graduation. He was only twenty," Esme says.
"He graduated early?"
"Top of his class at Dartmouth. He always wanted to go into the military, but Carlilse and I were dead set on him finishing college. He's the kind of person to go full speed ahead when he wants something. Impatient- but smart, savvy. I guess it makes sense that the military wanted him. He's doing reconnaissance. Well, that's what he tells us anyway."
"When did you last see him? I ask, my brain toying with the beginning threads of realization.
"He was home about four summers ago. I have a picture of the three of them then too." She pulls a second frame from the side of the refrigerator, and my heart sinks.
Oh. God.
Standing next to Alice isn't Edward Cullen. It's the man that's haunted my dreams since I left Chicago. I take the picture from Esme and hold it next to twenty-year-old Edward, the one I remembered.
"He looks so different," I choke out.
"He got Lasik right before he went into the military, and he put on a lot of muscle mass. He grew up." She shrugs, taking the picture back. I want to grasp onto it, pull it away and run home to stare at it because it can't be true. Tony Masen can not be Edward Cullen.
"Bella, be a dear and go find out what type of pie everyone wants."
I nod blindly as I turn back toward the dining room.
It takes all my willpower not to run from Forks to Chicago.
A/N: So, Bella knows, or she thinks she does. What's going to happen when she confronts Edward? Will he fess up or play dumb?
First, we're going to find out how Thanksgiving went for him. Then we'll jump into the confrontation.
I'll see you guys soon! I hope you all have a wonderful day filled with cheer!
P.S.
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