Chapter 52

It was like a punch in a gut, when Bane saw her, Bella. Obviously, he'd known she'd be here, Bella was a bridesmaid after all, Ailani's best friend. He also had known she was pregnant, and he'd thought he was all geared up to see her, but he wasn't, nothing could've been able to prepare him for what he saw. She looked even more beautiful than he remembered and, in her condition, just as amazing he'd always thought she would: being pregnant made her glow. Her swollen body was sexy and alluring.

Her long wavy hair was swaying down on her back, she had one single flower, a pink frangipani tugged behind her ear the way she used to do. Her face was without any makeup, and she was wearing a long flowy dress that hugged her beautiful baby bump. And her husband was all over her, draped around her like a boa constrictor.

It all got too much, and Bane needed to get away. He was terrified how strongly he still felt for Bella. It was as if nothing had faded away, and if anything, he found her even more attractive than ever before. She was a full woman now growing new life inside her. Something she'd told him she probably never wanted to do. But it seemed it just wasn't with him. He turned to walk away but bumped into someone.

"Oof," he huffed.

"Hey, watch where you are going," said the voice belonging to a person he recognized but he didn't want to recognize him. And he tried to continue without looking at her. He needed to get out.

"Sorry, excuse me," Bane mumbled keeping his eyes on the ground and tried to walk pass the woman without saying anything else.

"Bane? Is that you?"

Shit, now he had to recognize her, "Hi Sarah, sorry I ran into you, but I have to go."

Bane looked at the blond woman. He'd always been a bit wary of her. Having a big mouth on her and a bit of a dirty mind Bane had never known exactly how to be around her. Nothing like his Bella had been. Or so he'd thought at the time.

"Hey, don't I deserve a hug, it's been long time, eh," she chortled and grabbed him into a hug like he was nothing but a ragdoll.

"So how are you doing?" Sarah asked.

"I'm okay. Hey Sarah, it's lovely to see you and I don't want to be rude but..." Bane started but then Sarah glanced behind him and saw Bella with her husband, and realization seemed to hit her.

"It's Bella, you saw Bella for the first time since Forks, didn't you? Damn."

Bane felt the humiliation over Sarah knowing about his lunatic trip to see Bella and he thought of denying what she'd said and making up some other excuse. But he had lost all his energy experiencing the shock seeing her, he didn't have any strength to pretend otherwise.

"Yeah," he nodded reluctantly.

"They are quite striking sight would you say, even the bride and groom are put in the shade by them," Sarah snorted. Well at least she wasn't walking on eggshells around him. Bane didn't know if he should cry or laugh. Sarah had always been the one to say things as they were. And it was just like she said: Bella and her husband were hands down the most beautiful couple in this wedding party.

Bane glance back at the said couple. Bella had turned her back to her husband and was leaning against his front side as they swayed slowly to the music. His arms were protectively wrapped over her swollen body. Her eyes were closed, lips curved into her beautiful smile. Her husband leaned down to kiss the corner of her mouth and her eyes popped open. Bane gasped, he'd never seen that look in them before, Bella had never looked at him with so much love and adoration. He found it unbearable to watch them any longer. He turned his face away and tried to walk past Sarah.

Seeing the look on his face Sarah's expression softened. "Look, Bane. I know you loved her and wanted to marry her and have children together, and all that," she said patting his shoulder. "I know that Bella didn't use to want those things and you must think she's a terrible person, a liar even." Bane wasn't sure what he thought about Bella right now other than feeling the loss when seeing her with another man. How pathetic he was, it's been almost two years since they broke up.

"But she's not," Sarah continued. "She didn't mean to hurt you. You cannot help who you fall in love with can you. If it helps, she didn't plan to get pregnant, it was a big shock to her when it happened and it has been very rough path for her."

"What you mean?" Bane's attention snapped back to Sarah.

"She got so sick with the morning sickness, she had to go to the hospital on a regular basis to get nutrition injected into her system, and it's been only couple of weeks that she had been able to eat and look like a person who is still alive instead of a living dead."

"That bad?" Bane was horrified to hear this.

"Yeah. I don't think she'll ever wants to get pregnant again. It was scary shit for us all. Paul, her husband, was losing his mind worrying over her."

As he should have, Bane thought bitterly. The jealousy he felt towards that other man was eating him up. He closed his eyes and took long breaths.

He should be happy for Bella. That man wrapped all over her was clearly deeply in love with her. He didn't need to worry that Bella wasn't appreciated, worshipped, and loved as she deserved. He just had to get over the fact that it wasn't by him.

"Talk to her Bane, she'd been asking after you. She wants to see you," Sarah said.

Bane sighed. Maybe he was being a bit over dramatic. But seeing her looking so beautiful and pregnant to another man had taken him off guard.

"You're right. I'll talk to her before I leave."

"Don't take too long though. Looking at them tells me they won't stay here any longer than necessary."

Bane turned to look at them but shut his eyes and turned back. They've been kissing, sort of a kiss that left very little to imagination to what was in their minds.

"It was nice to see you, Sarah."

"Ditto."

Bane walked away and decided to go for a walk to gather his thoughts before going to catch up with Bella. Maybe he could man up enough to meet her husband too and not trying to sneak up on her when he's not with her. Besides after seeing them together, he knew that the likelihood of her husband abandoning her even for a second was nothing to none.

And if he was honest to himself, he was also ashamed how he'd behaved towards Bella. Rushing to Forks had been one ass stupid thing to do but it'd gotten even worse after when he'd refused to talk to Bella when she had tried to call him, and he hadn't answered any of her messages and by the time he had been past the most raving jealousy and anger they had already stopped coming at all. He'd taken his sweet time to get over those feelings and he had never called her back. He'd been a damn fool.

And he decided to go to her now. He would regret it if he didn't go to talk to her. He turned and almost ran back to the wedding reception. And he could not believe his luck to find Bella without her husband standing by the palm tree and looking at the ocean. Sun was starting to set as few dark clouds were closing by making the scenery dramatic and amazingly beautiful.

"Hi Bella..." he said quietly not wanting to startle her.

"Oh, hello Bane," she said turning her face to him and smiling at him. His heart skipped a beat. Her eyes were shining with happiness and warmth, that were new to him. She was breathtakingly beautiful and he could just stare at her being unable to tear his eyes away from hers. Bella's cheeks flushed and she turned her eyes back to the setting sun.

"I was hoping to see you here," she said softly. "Ailani had told me you are José's first cousin and were invited to the wedding. How small is the world eh?"

"Yeah. Sorry I didn't come earlier... I... um..." Damn he felt like the utter ass he'd been. "...Bella I'm so sorry about how badly I've behaved. Coming to Forks without any notice and running off like I did and even more not talking to you and not replying to any of your messages. It was damn stupid of me."

"Yeah, it was," Bella said turning to look at him again. "I was mainly so worried about you. But your mum was so nice to let me know how you were, so at least I was able to stop worrying."

Bane's cheeks flushed with shame.

"I was so angry and jealous. I couldn't handle things and by the time I realized how badly I've behaved I was just too shamed to contact you anymore," Bane confessed.

"Well, let's not dwell in the past, let bygones be bygones, okay."

He nodded.

"How are you now? You're looking good." Bella asked.

Bane blushed. Shit he was acting like a teenage virgin.

"Oh, I'm doing good. I finished with my degree and I'm working with my dad. Just as I always planned I would."

"That's great. I had to stop with my studies when I fell pregnant. I was so sick I couldn't do anything."

"Yeah, Sarah told me about that. I Bumped into her earlier. That must have been scary."

"It was. But now that it's over and all is good with the little one," Bella said skimming her hands over her bump looking at it lovingly, "it is almost possible to forget, almost."

"I'm happy for you, you know that, right?" Bane said.

"It wasn't planned but I'm so happy now too," she said smiling.

They looked at each other for a while and then at the same time moved to hug each other. Bane suppressed the longing having her in his arms evoked in him and held her for a little longer.

"Thank you for catching up with me Bane."

He kissed the top of her head and let her go.

Then it started to rain lightly, the way it only does in Hawaii.

"Oh, liquid sunshine, I've been missing this," Bella sighed and lifted her face towards the sky. Light rain washed over her smiling face and Bane's heart lurched. At that moment he knew he would never fall out of love with Bella, she would always be his first love the woman he had wanted but wasn't able to have. But he had to continue his own life without her, not like he'd been living these past two years, but to move on and start living his life. Having her as a friend was better than not having her in his life at all. He realized that.

"Baby? Why are you staying here in the rain?" Bane heard deep male's voice coming behind them.

"Paul," Bella laughed turning around to look at her husband with that adoring and loving look on her face, "This is the liquid sunshine I told you about. Isn't it amazing?"

The man walked past him not even seeing he was there wrapping his arms around Bella.

"Oh yeah. Not as amazing as you are."

Bane moved to leave the couple. Bella might be looking for him after a while, but he wanted to let them to enjoy their moment together in privacy. It was a moment to be shared by the lovers only.

Maybe he would see them later.

AN:

So, the story continues. I'm sorry that it took few months to get back to this, but I had to get the other story brewing in my head out of my system. From now on I'll try to update two different stories at the same time, don't know if I manage it though. Feels a bit strange to write two separate Bella/Paul stories simultaneously.

I've been reading this story from the beginning (on chapter 25 now) and done some formatting. I changed the summary for one to describe better what this story is all about. I can see how my writing has improved a bit from the first chapters of this story, it was just about year ago I started writing this, at least I hope my writing is not as stiff as is first was. I'm also cleaning up the story by correcting funny wording and missing words. There has been quite a few of those.

But it's good to be back with these two. Is there anybody still with me? Would love to hear from you. :)