Author's Note:
Hello all! Thank you for continuing to read and review! I love hearing what you all think!
We are back with Bella here, the day after the funeral. Let's see what happens.
I still don't own it.
Chapter 25
BPOV
The room was bathed in soft gray light when I woke up. It took me a minute to remember where I was, but the events of the day before came flooding back when I looked around and realized I was in my old room in my parents' house. I flopped onto my back and stared at the ceiling, wishing things could have been different. I had known all along things would get ugly when Alice found out about Edward and me, but I'd imagined it further down the road when it was acceptable for us to be together. I couldn't believe I had been so stupid. I should have sent him away the minute he entered Carlisle's study or left the room myself. We could have waited to have a few quiet minutes together. Even though we hadn't really done anything, I should have kept my guard up and not taken any chances. Alice finding out the way she had was pretty much the worst-case scenario. The only way it could have been worse is if we had been in a more intimate position.
I knew there wasn't any point dwelling on it, though. What happened, happened and I couldn't go back and change it. I contemplated trying to go back to sleep, but I heard Charlie's boots tromping down the stairs, so I knew it was shortly before six in the morning and he was about to head to the station. I decided a quiet cup of coffee with my dad was exactly what I needed this morning, so I climbed out of bed and quickly stepped into the bathroom to take care of business. I walked into the kitchen just as Sue was topping off Charlie's coffee.
"Good morning, sweetheart," she said as she pulled out another mug and set it on the table for me.
"Morning," I said and took the seat next to my dad, smiling at Sue in thanks as she filled my mug before taking her own seat. Charlie put his arm around my shoulders and kissed me on the temple. I leaned over and laid my head on his shoulder, neither of us saying a word. He may be a man of few words, but his quiet support was a balm to my troubled soul.
A short time later, Charlie left for the station, while Sue and I remained sitting in the quiet kitchen.
"How are you feeling this morning?" she asked.
"I don't know. I guess I'm still a little in shock that everything blew up the way it did."
"That's understandable. Are you going to talk to Edward?"
"I don't think there's really anything to say at this point. I know he'll try to talk me out of ending things, but I've already caused so much harm, I just don't see how it's possible to move forward now," I said dejectedly.
"Bella," Sue said softly, but sharp enough to get my attention, "This is not all on you. You were not the only one in that relationship, and you certainly didn't ask for Alice to act the way she has. You need to stop taking all the blame on yourself, especially when most of it belongs to Alice."
I shrugged, knowing she was correct, but I still felt responsible. If it were just between Alice, Edward, and me, I could deal with her anger and present a united front with Edward. But when she dragged Maggie into it and threatened to turn her life upside down, I couldn't fight that. The last thing I wanted was to walk away from Edward or Maggie, and I hated letting Alice win, but I had to protect the people I loved.
"What are you going to do now?" Sue asked.
"I don't know yet. I'm not ready to go back to Seattle, and I can work remotely, so I may stay for a few days at least," I said.
"Well, you know you're welcome for as long as you like, but don't make any rash decisions," Sue said. "Now, how about some breakfast? Your dad had a muffin, but I was going to make some eggs and toast. How does that sound?"
"Sounds good," I said, getting to my feet. "I'll help."
Sue and I cooked breakfast and ate in comfortable silence. I appreciated that she didn't push and just let me think things over in my own time. I'd brought my work stuff with me, but I'd already planned a couple of days off after the funeral, so I didn't have anything pressing for the day. To pass the time without wallowing in my feelings, I helped Sue with housework. We had just settled down in the living room for a break when the doorbell rang. Sue got up to answer the door and I grabbed the book I'd brought with me and started for the stairs. I assumed it was a friend paying a visit to Sue and I wasn't in the mood to make small talk. I stopped on the second step, though, when I heard the voice at the door.
"Hi, Mrs. Swan, how are you?" Edward said.
"I'm fine, dear. Please call me Sue and come on in," Sue responded.
I spun around and stepped back into the living room. My resolve nearly crumbled at the sight of him and all I wanted was to throw myself in his arms, but I held back.
"Bella," he breathed when he saw me, then strode across the room and pulled me into his arms.
I couldn't help but hug him back, but I knew I had to be strong and stick to my guns. I wouldn't let him risk his entire family for me.
"What are you doing here, Edward?" I asked as I pulled back.
"What do you think I'm doing here? I came to find you, of course. I would have been here last night, but it would have been late when I arrived, and it was safer to get some sleep before driving this far," he explained. "Why did you take off, Bella?"
I noticed Sue slip out of the room to give us privacy, so I pulled Edward to the couch and sank down into it. "I left because I won't let Alice hurt you or Maggie. I'm sorry, Edward. I hope you know that this is the last thing I want, but I have to walk away to protect you. To protect your whole family."
"Bella, baby, everything is fine. Alice can't hurt me or Maggie-," he started, but I cut him off.
"You know she'll make good on her threats, Edward!" I cried. "I've never seen her so cold and calculating, and I won't be the cause of the huge rift she will create in your family."
"Bella, please. Listen to me." I started to protest, but Edward put a finger to my lips, so I settled back and nodded for him to continue. "You are not the cause of any rift in my family. Any damage done is solely Alice's fault, and nobody blames you for anything. After you left yesterday, Alice actually did make good on her threats," he said. I closed my eyes as tears slid down my cheeks in disbelief that she'd done it. She'd gotten her way and still done it! Before I could think of anything to say, Edward continued. "I went out to tell Carmen and Eleazar goodbye and Alice followed me. She told them about us, but here's the thing, baby. They knew everything. Well, not about me and you, but they knew about Tanya's affairs and that she was leaving me the night of the accident. We all had a long talk, and we are fine. They even gave us their blessing, Bella."
"What?" I croaked. I couldn't believe they'd known about Tanya's actions.
"It's true. Bella, they loved their daughter, but they were not blind to her faults. They even told Alice she was misguided, and that Tanya didn't deserve her loyalty. And they're fine with us. They want us and Maggie to be happy."
"But what about your parents? I know Rose and Emmett are okay with us, but-,"
"My parents are fine. They love you and they support us, too. In fact, after the Denalis left and Alice still refused to apologize or admit she'd been unfair to us, Mom kicked her out."
"What?!" I sputtered. Esme was always so loving and welcoming. I couldn't believe she'd kicked her own daughter out of her house.
"I'm serious. She told her to leave and come back when she was ready to act like an adult and talk things out," Edward said. I just sat in disbelief until Edward pulled me onto his lap. I couldn't resist him any longer, so I let him and laid my head on his shoulder.
"So, it's all out in the open now, and nobody hates me?"
"Nobody could ever hate you, baby," he said as he rubbed my back soothingly. "I'm so sorry that things have been so complicated. I wish we could have just been open from the beginning and have a normal relationship, but now we can. So…in the interest of normal, I'd like to start over and do things right. Bella, will you go on a date with me?"
I looked up at him smiling my favorite crooked smile, and I realized I didn't want normal. And I didn't want to start over, so I told him no. I nearly laughed at the panic on his face, thinking I was rejecting him. I hadn't meant to upset him, but he'd obviously misunderstood me.
"Edward, I don't want to start over," I said. "I want to move forward. We didn't really do things out of order, it was just a secret. For the most part, anyway. Starting over won't change anything. The people who matter all know about us now, and we have their support, so I just want to put all the bullshit behind us and move forward."
Edward smiled then kissed me gently. "That sounds perfect to me."
We talked for a few more minutes before Sue came back downstairs and joined us and we all visited until Charlie came home for lunch. Edward stayed and I was pleased to see him getting along so well with my parents. I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders, and I realized I hadn't even known before how much the situation had weighed on me. Of course, I'd been happy and there had been a few people I could talk to and not have to hide from, but it had still been a taxing situation. I knew there would be more drama on the Alice front, but Edward and I could truly face it together now.
Edward hung around for a little while after lunch, but he needed to get back to Maggie, so he left in the middle of the afternoon. I was planning to stay the night and head back to Seattle the next day and would be having dinner with Edward and Maggie that evening. Sue and I got dinner ready a little while after Edward left and we ate after Charlie got home from the station. After dinner, Sue left to take some food she'd prepared for a friend who'd recently had surgery, so I was sitting in the living room with Charlie, who was fidgeting in his recliner. I had to work to contain my giggle at his obvious discomfort. He clearly wanted to say something, but didn't know how to broach the subject, so I decided to put him out of his misery.
"Alright, out with it. What do you want to say?" I asked as I leveled my gaze at him.
"How do you know I want to say anything?" he asked.
"I know your tells, old man," I laughed. "Now, out with it. I assume it has something to do with Edward?"
"Smartass," he grumbled.
"I get it from my dad," I grinned. Charlie just shook his head, but I saw his mustache twitch, a clear sign he was trying not to laugh.
"Okay, fine. I just want to make sure you're happy, Bells. There's been a lot of drama for you and Edward and how your relationship started wasn't exactly conventional…" he trailed off.
"Are you ashamed of me? For starting things the way we did?" I asked. He'd been supportive when I'd told him about my relationship back at Thanksgiving, but now I wondered.
"No! Of course not, Bells. I just worry, that's all. You've never been one for drama and it seems like you've had a lot of it lately. It's just so different than when you were married, not that Jake turned out to be good for you, but…well, you know what I mean."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. And you're right. Drama is not my thing. I think things with Jake were easy because we'd been friends for so long and I never really loved him. Not like I love Edward. But really, our relationship is pretty simple and easy. The drama has been from outside sources, it's not Edward. And no," I said, holding up my hand when he would have interrupted me, "I'm not delusional. The drama isn't completely over, and since we're talking about Alice, it may never be. But aside from her, all the people who matter know about us and support us. So, I can assure you that I am happy, Dad. Even with all the crazy we've dealt with so far, I'm happier with Edward than I've ever been before."
"Alright, then. That's what matters. You want a beer?" he said. I laughed lightly, knowing that was his way of ending the emotional conversation.
"Sure, I'll grab us one," I said, getting to my feet. I stopped beside Charlie's chair and laid a hand on his shoulder. "I love you, Dad."
"Love you, too, baby girl," he said gruffly and patted my hand, then turned back to the news as I walked into the kitchen.
The next morning, I got up early and drove back to Seattle. I worked a little when I got home, then got ready to go to Edward's that evening. We'd talked on the phone the night before and had decided that there was really no reason to keep the fact we were together a secret from Maggie anymore. We'd both had enough of the secrets and even though everything had come to light sooner than we'd planned, neither of us saw any reason to keep it from her. Maggie had asked Edward why weren't together anyway, so we didn't think she'd have any issue with it. Even knowing that she would likely be happy, I was still a little nervous about telling her. I loved Maggie and we got along great. She'd often told me that I was her 'other' best friend, the original being her friend Emma. But being her dad's girlfriend would change our dynamic, I was afraid.
By the time I got to Edward's, I'd second guessed our decision a hundred times. I'd even gone so far as to text Edward and ask if he was sure he was ready to tell her, that maybe we needed to wait. He'd just assured me it would be fine and would see me later. And now, later was here and I was standing on his porch, hoping that Maggie didn't surprise us and hate the idea of me being Daddy's girlfriend. Before I could ring the bell or let myself in, the door swung open to reveal a grinning Edward. He pulled me inside and into his arms, covering my lips with his own. I kissed him back, but then realized Maggie could walk in at any moment, so I pushed him away.
"Edward, we've been caught kissing twice. Maybe we could actually tell Maggie like we planned instead of her walking in on us?" I laughed.
"Relax, Mags fell in the mud on the playground so she's taking an early bath tonight. She won't be sneaking up on us."
"Oh, well in that case," I grinned and pulled him back down for another kiss.
After a moment, he pulled back and smiled. "Just think, after we talk to Mags at dinner, we can do that any time we want."
"I can't wait. Although, it'll take some getting used to," I said.
"True, but get used to it you will, because I have no intention of not kissing you as often as I can."
Before I could respond, Maggie called out from upstairs. "Daddy! I'm ready to get out of the bath!"
"Coming!" he called, then released me and turned toward the stairs.
"Is Bella here yet?" Maggie yelled again.
"Yes, she's here," Edward said as he started up the stairs. I laughed when Maggie immediately demanded I get her out of the bath instead of Edward.
"I guess I'll go finish up dinner," he said as I started up the stairs.
I got Maggie out of the bath and dried off, then into her room to pick out pajamas. Once she was dressed, we headed back downstairs where Edward had dinner nearly ready. Maggie and I set the table and we all sat down a few minutes later. Once we had our plates fixed, Edward shot me a look letting me know it was time. My nerves attacked full force, but there was no turning back since Edward had already started to speak.
"Maggie," he said, and she looked up from her plate. "Do you remember how you asked me a while ago if Bella was my girlfriend?" Maggie nodded, so he continued. "Well, how would you feel if I said she is my girlfriend now?"
"Really?" she asked excitedly, but then her brow furrowed in confusion. "But I thought she couldn't be because you're married to my mom."
I looked immediately at Edward and nearly laughed at the expression on his face. He'd been afraid she would remember that part about the talk they'd had weeks ago. "Well, I was, but since your mom went to heaven, that means we aren't married anymore."
"Oh, okay," Maggie said with a shrug and went back to her dinner. I breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't seem overly excited, but I was glad it didn't seem to upset her. I shared a look with Edward who just shrugged as if to say he'd expected a little more, too. We all ate quietly for a few minutes, then Maggie broke the silence.
"Daddy?" she said softly, staring down at her plate with a thoughtful look.
"What, baby?" he asked.
"Well, if Bella's your girlfriend, does that mean you'll get married and she can be my mom?" she asked quietly, looking up at Edward, then shooting me a look.
I held my breath as I awaited Edward's answer. He looked up and met my eyes across the table, then spoke to Maggie, never taking his eyes off me. "Well, Maggie, I certainly hope so. Someday," he said, quirking an eyebrow at me.
"Someday," I agreed, then glanced over at Maggie who was grinning. And just like that, my nerves went away.
We finished dinner, then cleaned up the kitchen while Maggie watched tv for a little while before her bedtime. The evening really was no different than it had always been when the three of us had been together, only now Edward and I didn't have to hide our affections. It was wonderful to be able to cuddle up to him on the couch while Maggie played. I helped get her settled into bed at her insistence, then Edward and I went back downstairs for a little while. We'd agreed that I still wouldn't sleep over when Maggie was home, but it was still nice to not have to hide anything. While we were curled up on the couch, talking quietly, Edward's phone rang.
"Hey, Mom," he answered, then listened as she launched into her reason for calling. He hummed in agreement a couple of times as she spoke. I wasn't paying much attention to him as he spoke, but he caught my attention after a couple of minutes.
"Um, well, I don't know. Let me ask her," he was saying. I looked up at him in question as he pulled the phone away and spoke quietly to me. "Mom wants us to come over to dinner tomorrow night."
I immediately cringed, nowhere near ready for another round with Alice. Plus, I still felt responsible for things blowing up in their family.
"I'm not sure that's a good idea yet," I said softly, giving Edward a pleading look.
He lifted the phone back to his ear and said to his mother, "Listen, Mom, I'll have to let you know later. Uh huh, yeah…Okay."
He pulled the phone away again and held it out to me. "She wants to talk to you," he said as I shook my head frantically. I narrowed my eyes at him when he just grinned and shrugged as he shoved the phone into my hand.
With no other choice, I raised the phone to my ear. "Hello, Esme," I said.
"Bella, dear, I heard what you said, and I want to assure you that Alice is not even invited. You are family, in more ways than one now, and Carlisle and I would really like for you to join us for dinner."
I knew arguing was pointless, so I reluctantly agreed and handed the phone back to Edward. He hung up a minute later and shortly after that I headed home with the promise of seeing him the next evening when he picked me up on the way to his parents' house.
Friday, I went back to work and filled Angela in on everything that had happened over the last few days. She was shocked at the things Alice had said, but happy for Edward and me that we didn't have to hide our relationship anymore.
By the time Edward picked me up that evening, my nerves were out of control. I believed Esme when she said I was welcome, but I still couldn't quite let go of my guilt over the whole situation. When we arrived, Maggie ran ahead of us into the house. Edward stopped me outside the front door and gave me a reassuring kiss, then led me in. The first face I saw was Rosalie, who smiled and pulled me into a hug.
"I can tell you're freaking out, Bells. Just chill. Everything is fine," she murmured softy in my ear. I just nodded.
Edward pulled me into the family room, where I was greeted by Carlisle, Esme, and Emmett. Everything seemed normal, the same as it had always been with this family, but it didn't completely put me at ease. We made small talk until dinner was ready, and by that time, I could no longer ignore the elephant in the room. I decided to just face it head on once we were settled at the dining table. The kids were eating pizza in the playroom as none of them cared for the meal Esme had prepared, and I was grateful that I could speak freely.
"I don't want to put a damper on the evening," I began, looking at Carlisle and Esme, "but I just want to say that I'm sorry for causing so much drama. We never meant for our relationship to come out like that and the last thing I ever wanted was to come between your family in any way."
"Bella, please do not take this all on yourself," Carlisle said. "It is not your fault that Alice behaved the way she did. Esme and I want you and Edward to know that you have our full support. It's obvious how much you care for each other and how good you are for him and for Maggie. Of course, we are sad that Alice and Jasper are not here, but we will not stand by and allow her to continue to treat anybody in this family the way she has, including you, Bella. Alice made her choices and now she can deal with the consequences."
I nodded and thanked them for their support, and after that was out of the way, we finished dinner with pleasant conversation. Emmett entertained us as usual and for the rest of the evening, I felt just as much at ease with this family as I had since I was in the third grade. The unresolved situation with Alice was a bit of a black cloud, but we all seemed determined to get back to some kind of normal. By the time Edward and I loaded a sleeping Maggie into his truck later that night, I felt like our relationship was cemented and I was looking forward to that someday we'd promised Maggie the night before.
Author's Note:
They are moving forward! I'm sure you're all aware that we haven't seen the last of Malice, but we'll get there. And may I just say how much I love Charlie?! Gah! I know I wrote him, but he's so sweet. I totally have a crush on him. Lol! Hope you all enjoyed! Sorry it took me a bit to get this one posted. Next chapter up in a few days!
Let me know what you think!