Edward

My mother leaves me be after dinner. She knows I process things better when I'm on my own, so I do just that. Sitting in the guest room that was once chilehood bedroom, I take a deep, steadying breath.

It's late now, and both Renée and Bella will be home by now. I don't know about Renée, but I'm guessing Bella is probably wondering about my whereabouts, judging by this nagging feeling tugging at my stomach. I feel bad leaving her in the dark. But I need a little distance to let my feelings out. Hell, to figure these feelings out. Because when I'm with Bella, life feels a little too good. And I need to focus on the here and now, and how to get out of it. There's more time for our future, later. Hopefully. I just need to get it right.

I cradle my face into my palms, realizing how much time I've wasted. The time I could've spent with my family, my sister, my nephew…and it makes me feel like utter shit. Maybe, if I hadn't let Renée get to me, I'd have my own kids by now, maybe I'd have a wife who actually cares about me, have a cute home close to my mom and sister…but instead, I wasted it on Renée.

Thank god I'm seeing things clearly now. I guess it can only get better from here on.

Once I shower, fatigue overpowers me, drowning me. My lids grow heavy, and a shudder runs through me as my wet hair dampens the pillowcase underneath my head. Before I can dwell on the feeling, my mind goes blank, my eyes close and I'm drifting off to sleep.

My dream morphs into something else entirely, the ground underneath my feet shaking, the sand between my toes hot, blowing up my bare legs, cutting like glass. The earth starts quaking, and intense buzzing sounds like construction work, rocking me to my core. Then it goes dark and I'm gasping for air, heavy breaths falling from my mouth as I'm abruptly woken up.

The shaking turns out to be nothing more than the vibrations of my phone, the device bumping against the bedside table lamp. The screen lights up with Bella's name, and I answer it without question.

"Bella," I breathe, my voice rough, laced with sleep.

"Daddy…" She's sobbing, and I get worried and sit up in the bed, my head against the iron-wrought headboard, fingers running through my knotted hair. Guilt envelops me like an old friend. "Daddy," she repeats.

"Baby, what's wrong?" I turn on the lamp, the room coated in a warm, orange hue. I spot the vintage alarm clock. It's two in the morning. She's worried about you, you moron.

"Where are you? Please…" Bella sounds desperate, no life to her voice. And it alarms me.

How could I leave her the way I have? How the fuck did I turn into an asshole, as if she means nothing to me. It's quite the opposite, too. She means everything to me. Bella is the one good thing that happened to me lately. Maybe, ever. I meant to text her before bed, but I guess I was so tired I fell asleep without being able to do that. Without being able to do the right thing. Again.

"God," I mumble. "I'm so fucking sorry…"

"Where are you?" she asks again. I know she's crying, I can hear it in her voice.

"I'm at my mother's house."

Bella releases a breath as if she's relieved.

"Fucking hell, why didn't you let me know? I've been worried sick, don't you understand?"

I'm tugging at my hair. She's got every right to be mad at me. But I don't want her to be. I want to be the one thing she doesn't have to be angry about. I want to be her good thing. Her safe haven.

"I screwed up, I know…" I sigh. "I meant to text you but I passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow." I bite my lip, trying to think of something that could make it up to her. But then I remember, she's crying.

"Baby, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" My thoughts waft to her mother and what she's possibly done now.

"I—," she starts, her voice breaking. "She kicked me out."

"What?" I throw my legs over the side of the bed, ready to bolt the fuck out of here.

"She started shit, and I exploded…basically cast her out of my life entirely. But," she sighs again, composing herself. "I didn't really think ahead, I never do…so I'm lost, Edward. I don't have anywhere to go."

"Where are you, sweetheart?"

"Grocery store parking lot…in my car."

"My god, Bella…that's fucking dangerous, what are you doing there?"

"You were gone…" I left her to her own devices. I abandoned my girl.

It's all she has to say. If guilt didn't consume me already, it does now.

"Fucking hell, I'm such a jerk."

"You're not. I know you needed some space when you left the company tonight. But…I just…" She takes another deep breath. And it hurts me that I've hurt her. "I can't stay away. I can't leave you alone, I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, baby. I shouldn't have gone radio silent on you. You don't deserve that."

"Maybe I do."

"You really don't, trust me. This is all on me. I've been talking to my mom all night, and I just lost track of time."

I imagine her there, in her little car, dark, on a deserted parking lot. My blood boils as I think about the scum of the earth possibly looming around the corner, noticing a pretty girl in an old car.

"You can't stay there, Bella. Come here."

"What? No, I can't do that…"

"Of course you can, I'm just telling to to come." I'm more stern now, and even though I'm not angry at her, she really should have thought of a backup plan before she left the house.

"What'll you tell your mother, Edward?" Her voice drops, as if she's really feeling like the guilty party here. "That you're bringing your mistress, who by the way, is your wife's daughter over to her house?"

"Baby, we'll tell her the truth. I told her about most of the stuff your mother pulled…she hates her even more than she did in the beginning, and I promise you my mom isn't a judgemental person.

"She'll hate me," Bella huffs.

"She'll fucking love the shit out of you, trust me."

There's a beat of silence, and I can almost see Bella making up her mind, those beautiful eyes of hers big as she exhales.

"Okay."

"I'll drop you a pin, okay? I'll wait for you out front. Be safe, baby. You're all that matters to me." The weight of my emotions overpowers me, and I can't believe I've said this over the phone.

"You're all that matters to me, too, Daddy." I don't need any other words from her.

I can hear the engine of her car starting up, and I let out a relieved breath.

"I'll stay on the phone until you get here. Put me on speaker, and leave your phone on the passenger's seat."

"Yes, Daddy."

Her words warm my heart. And I stumble through my room, tugging on my pants, my phone crushed between my ear and shoulder.

My baby's coming home to me. Now I just have to tell my mother I'm in love with my future ex-wife's daughter.