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Chapter 64
Everything on One Card
Bella
David coped surprisingly well with the whole truth. Perhaps it was because he had already figured some things out and the final piece of information was only a drop in the bucket. Moreover, we would be able to save Sonya if there was no other option. David would put up with just about anything for that. He was very grateful to us for the truth, because it made him understand why Edward and I were not only together again, but engaged right away. He swore on the lives of his children - all four of them! - that he would tell no one. Earlier David wanted to condemn me for Edward. For letting him back into my life. But now it seemed like it had never been any different.
I leaned backwards against Edward on the sofa, and David didn't seem to mind a bit.
He was very interested in Edward's life, wanted to know about his family - the human and vampiric ones - teased him for continuously going back to school, whereas admired all that he had experienced.
I needed to deal with something and therefore went upstairs. I surfed purposefully through the Internet. Unfortunately, I realized that I had no chance of putting my plan into action on as short a notice as I wanted. Until Edward came into the room.
"I need your help!" I mumbled apologetically after snuggling up to him and kissing him profusely.
I had missed his touches and kisses today. It had been hard to be with him, but keep him at a distance because of David. Again and again I had been on the verge of just taking his hand, touching his face, kissing him. No matter what. The main thing was to feel Edward's presence on my skin. To do without him again even for one night almost hurt me physically.
But he agreed melancholily - without hesitation.
Quickly, I made a phone call before being tucked into bed by my personal angel.
I woke up in the middle of the night.
Edward had just gotten up and was getting dressed.
"Go back to sleep, dearest. It's still too early," he whispered, stroking over my head.
"It's too warm without you," I complained, knowing full well that it was my own fault he was leaving now. "And too lonely."
"I can stay with you," he murmured hopefully, and I thought I heard a smile in the darkness.
"A tempting offer," I mumbled.
"See you later, my heart," Edward whispered, giving me a gentle kiss on the lips and quietly disappearing.
Somehow, I managed to fall asleep again. Until my cell phone rang me awake again at 5:40 sharp.
Still half asleep, I fumbled for the phone, answered it, and balanced it on my cheek. Too tired to hold it.
"Mmm ... mmm ..." I mumbled.
"Good morning, my angel," the most enchanting voice there was woke me up.
After the phone call, I stood up, made coffee, got rolls, and woke up my kids with the service that has become so common here - even if I was the wrong person for it. In the process, I evaded any questions and went about my morning ritual.
David, Jake, and Leah asked where Edward was, but I just replied that he had something to settle and wouldn't be back until later.
I escaped further interrogations by driving to work early.
I talked to my very understanding boss about the fact that I had something urgent to do and would have to go home earlier today. He had no objections, after all, I often normally worked longer hours.
So, I left already around 1:30 p.m., drove to the supermarket and prepared everything at home.
Then I waited.
Impatient.
I picked up a book, but didn't grasp any content at all. I clicked through the TV channels, however nothing interested me. Until finally I just stood in front of the window and waited. Chewing on my lower lip.
Then finally the BMW drove into the driveway.
I ran outside and Sonya was already walking towards me. We fell into each other's arms. Isolated tears of joy escaped from our eyes.
"Oh man, Bella. How long has it been since I've been here?" she turned to the house after a moment.
I laughed.
On her last visit, the house had been a faded blue; today it shone in a cozy yellow.
"Four years!" I accused her.
After the initial joy of our reunion, I looked at the back seat and smiled.
Three children. All sleeping peacefully. Well, it wouldn't stay like that for long.
While Sonya was clearing all sorts of things from the children - stuffed animals, crumbs, empty drink bottles ... - I went to Edward and took him in my arms. Deeply I breathed in his sweetness. His cool fingertips on the back of my neck, together with his lips on my neck, again confused my heart.
That would never stop!
"Thank you!" I said honestly.
He kissed the last tear of joy away from me.
"Your radiant face alone has been more than worth every mile! Apart from that, I would fulfill your every wish, if it stood in my power," Edward whispered emotionally.
I was really grateful to him and just hadn't found another way to get Sonya and the kids here so quickly. Last evening before going to bed, I had searched all the airlines on the Internet, but nowhere was there a flight with four free seats.
Luces and Deacon quickly perked up on their own and greeted me excitedly. Sonya already went inside with the boys, they both had to go to the bathroom urgently.
I climbed into the car and tried to gently wake Emma up while undoing the various seat belts of the child's car seat. She was a little more persistent, but then woke up. Her eyes grew huge.
"Isa ... bella," she laughed at me and stretched her little arms out to me.
I was surprised that she knew who I was. After all, almost half a year had passed since the last time! Two or three times a year I flew with or without my children to visit them for a long weekend, as my work, children, other family visits, and commitments allowed. They, on the other hand, rarely all came here, simply because here it was a little too crowded for everyone together.
"Hello, sweetheart!" I said and gave her a kiss on the forehead, which she immediately wiped away, pulling a face.
Aha ...! So now as before, only David was allowed to do that. And Sonya, provided Emma was in a good mood.
"I thought no one was allowed to call you Isabella?" asked Edward accusingly, leaning over the seats - with a played evil gaze.
"Only if one is as sweet as she is, they may!", I corrected and also gave him a kiss.
Attentively, I crawled out of the car with Emma in my arms and carefully placed her on the ground. Holding on to my hand and still a bit sleepy, Emma plodded towards the house.
"Is Eddie coming too?" Emma asked on the way, turning skeptically to Edward.
"Of course, little angel," he said immediately.
I raised an eyebrow and looked at him.
He hated it when people spoiled the euphony of his name like that. And he had just accused me about my full name.
"She's allowed to!" he said cheekily, pulling some bags out of the trunk.
I had brought down some games, toys, and crayons to color with earlier. Leftover from Jake and Leah. The boys were already busy with them. I smiled sentimentally. It was never quiet in the house with kids.
"I'll take care of the three of them. Then you can talk in peace," Edward said immediately after Sonya had taken off the little jacket on Emma.
I took it from her and brought it to the coat rack.
My God, it was so cute. So small and lovely. And especially in pink.
I hung it right next to one of Jake's jackets.
That was a big difference! No, I definitely no longer had children.
"But you must be completely exhausted after that long drive," Sonya objected.
"Oh, come on, I'm still young. Who needs sleep or rest already?" he winked at her with a smile and was already sitting on the floor with the kids.
What a picture!
I got something to drink and cookies for the three of them before retreating to the dining room with Sonya. I pushed the large sliding doors with which I could separate the living room from the dining room together a good bit so that the kids wouldn't overhear everything. Armed with tea and cookies, we sat down at the table.
"He's pretty nice," Sonya grinned at me.
She leaned over to me - still grinning - to be able to look through the narrow crack in the door through which I was gazing at Edward.
"Mmm ... mmm ... he is," I replied with a smirk.
"And young."
"Mmm ... mmm ..."
"Polite."
"Mmm ... mmm ..."
"And good looking!" she continued to state, and by now had leaned so far over to me that I was toppling off my chair.
Laughing happily, she held out a hand for me to stand up again. She did not let go of my hand, but looked at the ring that sparkled at it.
"Well, then tell me," she summoned me.
I told the short version. I left out everything supernatural as well as the fact that I already knew Edward from before.
Sonya was happy for me, whereby she didn't really care how old Edward was. She had spent the past seven hours with him in the car and had the impression that he was quite mature for his age.
I nodded in agreement.
"But you didn't bring me all the way out here to chat with me about Edward ... You know why David just took off like that on Wednesday," she then stated, and looked at me invitingly.
"Of course, I could have just talked to you on the phone or skyped. But you're right. There's a reason I wanted you here ... And of course, David told me why he ran away."
"He doesn't want the child," Sonya murmured sadly.
"Basically, it does. But not if he could lose you in the process. He talked to a very good doctor yesterday who gave him some hope. I can understand in a way, of course, why you want to have this child so badly ... But have you already thought about what you'll do to David if you don't outlive this child? That you leave him alone? Alone with four children, one of whom killed you?" I asked cautiously and Sonya lowered her gaze gloomily. "But that's not what I want to speak to you about," I then quickly continued.
"What about then?"
"You asked him to stop coming here regularly," I tried to steer the conversation in the direction that was important to me.
She looked at me a little startled.
"Please don't get caught up in some stupid idea now! You yourself know exactly how much David loves you and could never cheat on you" I smiled indulgently.
She nodded. Hesitantly.
"There's a reason he took on customer service here, of all places ... I don't really know the easiest way to tell you ..."
I began to stammer.
Last evening, I had considered how I should tell her. I had quite specific words in mind, but they were all somehow gone.
Fear was in Sonya's eyes and she clawed at my hands. Her desperate gaze demanded answers and she prepared herself inwardly for the worst.
I looked to Edward for help.
Of course, he could not help me directly, but his loving smile gave me courage again myself.
"David has a secret ... Not only from you, but also from most others," I began to explain.
"But you know about that," she now accused me with a slightly biting undertone.
"Yes, I do. But Jake and Leah don't ... He's been carrying this secret around for many, many years already, and he's actually ashamed that he never told you ... But I think it's time to finally stop playing hide and seek," I said calmly and level-headedly, the calmness in my voice seemingly appearing to Sonya. Just as deliberately, I proceeded. "It started before you knew each other. In college. David and I had already been friends for some time ... That's when he got to know a girl. Vanessa."
"He told me about her once," Sonya meant.
I asked her to tell me what she could remember.
"Not much. They were together for some time. A few months it must have been ... As I recall, it was an abrupt end. But I don't remember why."
I nodded.
Oh yes, the end had been very sudden and had thrown David off track.
I took Sonya's hands in mine again and looked good-naturedly into her eyes.
"Vanessa was pregnant," I said meaningfully.
Sonya's gaze changed as her mind worked through the news.
From indifferent to sentimental. From sentimental to frightened. From frightened to angry.
"David dumped his pregnant girlfriend?" she then screeched loudly and jumped up from her chair, causing it to topple over.
I put my index finger over my mouth. For the sake of the children. She held on to the table and was really mad. I pulled Sonya onto the terrace so that the kids wouldn't notice anything after all.
"It was probably more the other way around!", I muttered softly.
She looked at me questioningly.
"Vanessa had directly suggested to abort the child. They were too young, both were still studying, their parents lived far away, his were quite old-fashioned, financially she saw a problem. She thought of many reasons not to have the child. In the evening David told me about it. Inwardly, he had already resigned himself to the fact that this child would have no chance of a life. Convincing him otherwise was not difficult. The next day we went together to Vanessa. We wanted to change her mind. Legally, it was ultimately her decision alone. However, we did not have to do much convincing. David assured her that they would manage, that he was already earning quite a bit, that he wouldn't leave her alone ... and the first word from Vanessa was 'maintenance'!"
"Oh!" said Sonya only in amazement, the informations apparently still sorting.
After a moment of silence, she calmly and collectedly asked how things had then progressed.
"I could tell you all this now, but wouldn't you rather hear it from David?" I asked instead.
She considered for a brief moment and then nodded.
"So David has another child. And since he always drives to you, I'm guessing it lives around here."
"Yes. At Vanessa's parents. He goes to a boarding school nearby," I said and quickly went back into the house to get something. "His name is Daniel and he's thirteen years old now," I said quietly, handing her a small photo album.
With shaky fingers, she flipped through the few pictures I had of Daniel.
"He looks like David," she said, touched at the sight of them. "Why didn't he ever tell me?"
"First, because he witnessed how his actual friends turned their backs on him after the child was with him. Young people who wanted to party while studying couldn't do anything with a baby. Only a few friends he has kept because of this, so at some point he told no one anymore," I explained what David had learned back then.
True friends show themselves only in situations where one needed true friends. That's why I had also hidden Jake and Leah from my fellow students. I had always kept in touch with Angela Weber, and she mentioned all the things Jessica Stanley said about me in Forks because I got pregnant so young. I should have known better and simply ignored her remarks, but the insults hit me. Besides Angela, only Ben and Eric had been in touch regularly - until today by the way - and even sent small gifts for the birth. And of course, the people from La Push.
"Later, he kept trying to tell you. Something always came up. But mostly he was just too cowardly and was afraid of what you would say about it. At some point he just didn't know how to say it."
I peeked at the clock as my kids emerged on the patio and fell into Sonya's arms. They both rolled their eyes in annoyance as Sonya questioningly noted that the twins had grown again.
They've been hearing that from pretty much everyone for the last two weeks.
I smiled maudlinly as I entered the living room.
Emma had fallen asleep on Edward's lap, whereby he had taken a blanket to protect the little one from his coldness. She held onto his hand with her tiny little fingers, seemingly unwilling to ever let him go. An awed and blissful smile was on his face.
"Suits him well," Sonya whispered to me, handing me her cell phone on which she had tapped a short video.
I looked at it.
Edward with Emma on a playground.
I nodded, moved.
At some point Sonya and I began to prepare dinner.
And then David came home.
Thanks for reading!
