18
Bella woke the next morning before the sun started to rise. She reached onto the other side of the bed, her hand feeling nothing but the cold sheet. Groaning, she threw the blanket off and scrambled out of bed. Esme had worked overnight again and according to the clock wouldn't be home for at least another hour, if not two.
Home, she thought. It wasn't her home. It was Esme's home with her husband. Bella didn't doubt her marriage to Carlisle was about as real as her relationship with Edward, but a part of her wondered if there would ever be a day when they could walk down the street together without it being a big deal. After all, Esme was ten years older than her, a doctor, and Bella . . . Well, Bella would be lucky if she didn't end up working at Newton's Sporting Goods.
Sighing, Bella used the restroom before wandering downstairs and into the kitchen, pausing when she found Carlisle sitting at the table. He had a magazine open, but he wasn't looking down at it. Instead, he was staring out the window. Though Bella wasn't attracted to men, she couldn't deny that Carlisle was beautiful. He had a carefreeness about him that she envied, an aura of confidence she wished she had.
Bella cleared her throat, startling him. "Sorry."
"It's okay. Just wasn't expecting anyone to be up this early," Carlisle admitted with a sheepish smile. "Why are you up this early?"
She shrugged. "Couldn't go back to sleep. Thought I'd make some coffee, or I don't know." She settled into the chair across from him. "Have you talked to Edward?"
He smiled, his cheeks turning red. "He is still in bed. He came back last night."
"He did?"
Carlisle nodded. "Said he can't stay in his house just waiting for his dad to finish his mom off. I don't know how to help him. I just . . . I see how much it hurts him, Bella, the way his mom takes the abuse. Every time it breaks him a little more. That's why I told Peter about his father. I just . . . I don't want to lose Edward because his mom doesn't love herself enough to free herself."
"Why do you love him?"
"Excuse me?" he asked, his eyes widening.
"Why do you love Edward? Why him? He's a student, and I don't mean it the way that sounds, I really don't. He told me some about how you two got together, but . . . I guess I'd like to hear it from you."
Carlisle inhaled a deep breath before he stood and poured her a cup of coffee, placing it on the table before settling back in his chair. "I don't know how I can't love him. He's just . . . he's so pure and innocent. He loves so fiercely. Look how he is with you."
"What do you mean?"
"He loves you, Bella. As a friend," he added before she could argue. "Just as a friend, but you are so important to him."
"He's important to me, too," she confessed.
"I've never seen her look at someone like she does you."
Bella bit her lip to keep from smiling. "Yeah?"
Carlisle nodded. "Esme is my best friend, Bella. It hasn't been easy for her, you know? She's . . . Well, she's not like me. I embraced my sexuality when we went to school. Explored more than I probably should have, but Esme hid hers, always afraid of letting herself get close to the wrong woman. It's not like her to put herself out there like this. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Bella tilted her head to the side. "You think I'm going to hurt her?"
"Not on purpose."
"I suppose that's fair. I mean, you don't know me." She shifted in her seat. "Like you, I've always known that I was gay. It's just something I knew, but I've never met someone who made me want her like she does. Never, Carlisle."
"She's lucky to have you, Bella."
"Thank you. Edward's lucky to have you, too."
"I like to think so," he snickered just before the door to the kitchen swung open and Edward walked in wearing only his Homer Simpson pajama pants, which hung dangerously low on his hips. Bella noticed the way Carlisle's eyes slid down his body, focusing on the slight bulge in his pants.
"Eww," she groused as she picked up her coffee and walked out of the room, the sound of their laughter echoing behind her as she headed upstairs to get ready for school.
—S&S—
When Bella walked out of the bathroom, she was surprised to find Esme sitting on the side of the bed. She'd kicked her shoes off but hadn't taken off her scrubs yet. She looked tired — beautiful and sexy, but tired.
"Hey, love, how long have you been home?"
"A few minutes."
"Why didn't you join me in the shower?" Bella asked, slipping the towel from around her. Esme's eyes automatically drifted down her body, her tongue wetting her bottom lip when she stopped on her pussy. Smiling, Bella cleared her throat, causing her to snap her eyes upward. "See something you want?"
Esme nodded, but said, "The hospital director was waiting for me when I went in last night."
"Why?" Bella turned and dug a pair of panties, a bra, jeans, and her favorite T-shirt out of her bag. She quickly dressed before she placed her hands on Esme's shoulders, nudging her backward. "Sorry, I need to be close to you."
"You don't hear me complaining, sweetheart." Esme slid her hands around Bella, one resting in the middle of her back while the other on her ass. "He asked why I told security your father wasn't allowed inside the hospital."
Bella felt her entire body tense. "What'd you tell him?"
"I didn't say anything," she confessed. "Before I could, I got called away to an emergency. Managed to avoid him for the rest of my shift, but I won't be able to every night."
Bella nodded. "So, what should we tell him?"
"I could tell him that I am madly, passionately in love with the man's daughter, and he's not accepting of it."
"You aren't ready to come out, though."
"No, I'm not," she admitted. "But I don't want to hide you away, Bella. You're not my dirty little secret."
"Hey, I know I'm not." Bella placed her hands on Esme's cheeks, tilting her head backward. "I won't ask you to put yourself out there until you are one hundred percent sure you are ready. We have our entire lives ahead of us, love. Just gotta get through until graduation. Then we can leave here and spend forever together."
"I hope so." Esme nudged her backward as she stood, their pressing their bodies flush against one another. "I won't let anyone take you away from me. Not your father, and not Alec Stanley, either."
"Alec Stanley? Jessica's father?"
Esme nodded. "Didn't think it was a huge coincidence that he was asking about your father. I'm sure that little STD infected bitch ran to her daddy about how unfair it is that Edward chose you over her."
Bella rolled her eyes. "Even if Edward and I weren't 'dating' he wouldn't have picked her."
"We know that, but she's clearly delusional."
"No shit." Bella pressed her lips against her lovers. "I'd better get going. I'll call you at lunch."
"I love you."
She smiled. "I love you more. Sleep. I don't plan on letting you get any tonight, lover."
Esme moaned as she fell back onto the bed. Bella grabbed her backpack off the floor before hurrying out of the room, downstairs, and out to Edward's car. She leaned against the side while waiting for him. He came out a few minutes later, pulling his T-shirt over his head. His lips were swollen, his hair a mess, and she could only imagine what he'd been doing just moments before. When they climbed into his car, he looked at her and smirked before starting the car and driving them to school. Just like the day before, everyone stopped and stared at them.
It was going to be another long, fucking day, she thought.
—S&S—
By the time Bella and Edward walked out of the building at the end of the day, the day had not only been long, but more than a few times, Bella had to bite her tongue to keep from telling Jessica Stanley to shut up, to stop glaring at her, to maybe keep her mouth off Mike Newton's dick for five minutes. But she didn't, because all it would do add even more unwanted attention, and there were getting plenty of unwanted attention.
Of course, it didn't help that on the front page of the local newspaper was an article about how Forks' esteem sheriff had been arrested on several charges, including assault on his only child. It was times like this that Bella hated small town life.
"Was Carlisle mad?" she asked Edward once they were inside his car. "About you missing practice, I mean?"
"Of course not. He said I'll have to run laps tomorrow, because he can't show favoritism, but he understands that you need me with you."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry, Swan." Edward grabbed her hand. "You're important to me."
"Are you falling in love with me, Masen?" Bella teased. "I told you I don't like dick."
"Eww," Edward laughed as he released her hand. "I said important, not love."
"You're important to me, too." Bella put on her seatbelt. "How are we going to make it to the end of the year, Edward? How?"
"I . . ." He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I just . . . I don't know."
"Why'd you come back last night?"
Edward looked at her. "I wasn't planning on it, but when I got home, my dad had gotten called into a meeting at the factory with HR. Probably losing his job again."
"Again?"
"Not the first time, won't be the last."
Bella frowned.
"Don't feel bad for him, Bella. He brings it on himself. He's an alcoholic, who takes his anger on my mom. She lets him, because he's beat it into her that she deserves it. That everything is her fault. Including having a faggot son."
"He doesn't know, though, that you're gay, does he?"
"I don't know. I don't think so, but I didn't think my Mom knew, either."
"What happened last night?"
"It wasn't anything different. I was pissed that Carlisle had told Peter about my dad. Like that's my business, you know?"
Bella nodded. "He was only trying to help, though."
"No, I know, but . . . it was embarrassing to sit there while his ex-boyfriend tries to fix my life. I don't know, Swan, I just . . . I got home and my mom was in the kitchen, cleaning whatever mess my dad made. When she looked at me, I saw the bruises and black eyes and I knew I couldn't stay inside that house as long as he's there. I can't . . . No, I won't sit back and as he continues to beat her. Until he kills her. She won't save herself, Bella, and I can't do it for her."
"Aren't we lucky? Our fathers are pieces of shit, your mother won't protect herself, and mine? Well, she stopped wanting me a long time ago."
"We have each other, and Carlisle and Esme, don't we?"
Bella tried to smile. "We do, but for how long?"
"You think we'd lose them?"
The fear in his words hit Bella hard. "I hope not, but I never thought my father would put his hands on me either, but he did."
Edward parked in front of the district attorney's office. Peter was standing outside with Garrett and Sam Uley, none of whom were speaking. Of course, it could have been the fact that Peter was wearing an expensive black, Italian suit that cost more than Sam made in a month, and Sam was in the standard police uniform. Garrett, however, unlike the day before, was wearing a pair of black slacks that fit tighter than most men wore and a white button up that fit him perfectly.
Sharing a look, Bella and Edward climbed out of the car, meeting in front. Their eyes met as their hands wrapped around each other's. Once again, they would pretend to be a loving, normal, straight couple.
"You okay, Bella?" Sam asked, lifting an eyebrow as his eyes shifted from her to Edward.
"As good as I can be, I guess." She bit the inside of her lip before asking, "Is . . . is he okay?"
Sam and Peter shared a look before he said, "He, um, he's agitated. Keeps asking about you."
"He does?" she asked.
He nodded. "Keeps talking about how you need a good boy, a wholesome boy, to take care of you."
"Because Jacob Black is so fucking wholesome. Boy has put his dick in more girls than I count," Bella quipped.
"Is this Jacob Black person going to be a problem?" Peter asked, his eyes shifting from Bella to Edward, roaming down his body for longer than acceptable before looking back at Bella. "An ex?"
"What part of me being a lesbian makes you think I enjoy dick, Pete?"
"It's Peter, not Pete, and I wasn't sure how long you've been out, Bella," he jived. "Sorry."
Bella hummed as she looked away, noticing Lauren Mallory's mother walking out of the hair salon a few buildings down. The tall, leggy blond stopped, a smirk pulling onto the corners of her lips before she dug her cell phone out of her small, yellow handbag, and started typing furiously. Telling her daughter how they were standing outside of the D.A.'s office, she assumed. Bella shifted her eyes away, the urge to scream at the bitch to have some compassion bubbled to her tongue, but she knew it wouldn't do any good.
"We should take this inside, gentlemen," Garrett said, drawing everyone's attention to him. He made eye contact with Bella and winked before adding, "Before the vultures descend."
One by one, they entered the office of the district attorney, Peter and Garrett first, then Bella, Edward, and finally Sam. Seated behind a large wooden desk was a woman with long, curly blond hair, wide blue eyes, and a beautiful smile. Her name was Kate Robins, and she had graduated from Forks High School when Bella and Edward were freshmen. She was the first girl Bella had ever seriously had a crush on, one who had starred in many of her fantasies when she was lying in bed in the middle of the night.
Never brave enough to act on her feelings, Bella watched her from afar. Then on graduation night, Bella was hanging out down at First Beach, by herself because she didn't have any real friends, when Kate showed up. It was the first time Bella had ever been alone with her, the first time she'd said more than five words to her, but they spent hours talking about everything and nothing. Just as the sun had started to rise, Kate surprised her by leaning over and kissing her.
And before Bella could respond, Kate was gone. She never saw her again.
Kate smiled, shifting her attention around the room, stopping on Bella last. Her lips curled into a smile before she stood, smoothing out the black and white dress she wore.
"Mr. Sinclair is waiting for you inside his office," she told them, her eyes staying on Bella for just a moment before she looked at the others. "May I get you some coffee? Tea? Water?"
"No, I think we're fine," Peter stated, speaking for all of them.
"Very well. Down the hall, last door on the left," Kate replied, looking at Bella once again before she sat back down behind her desk.
Peter, Garrett, and Sam started out before Edward and Bella. Before they walked into the office, Bella looked back down the hallway. Kate was leaning against the wall, still smiling. She lifted her hand in the air and waved before spinning around and sitting back behind her desk.
"You okay?" Edward whispered just loud enough for her to hear.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm good."
Though he gave her a look that clearly said he didn't believe her, the two followed Peter, Garrett, and Sam into the office of Marcus Sinclair. A man in his early fifties, he was tall, with dark hair that was starting to turn white around the edges. He had dark eyes, and like Peter wore a black, expensive suit. He stood, walked directly past Peter, Garrett, and Sam and held his hand out to Bella.
"Miss Swan, I am so sorry to have to meet you this way."
"Thanks."
"Please have a seat," he said, waving toward a long, black leather sofa behind them. While Peter sat in one of the chairs in front of Marcus's desk, Garrett stayed next to the door. Sam, Bella, and Edward settled on the sofa while Marcus sat in the chair next to Peter. After introductions were made, Marcus simply said, "Tell me what happened."
Though Bella wasn't sure she wanted to talk about her father, his behavior, she did. In her heart she knew there was something wrong with him. While her father may not have been perfect, the man who wrapped his hands around her throat and then locked her inside her bedroom wasn't the father she'd grown up with. So, she told Marcus as much.
Though, the more she told him, the more ludicrous it sounded. Maybe she was blinded by the hope that something was wrong with him because it was easier to accept than her father just hated who she really was. Maybe Charlie Swan just couldn't handle knowing that his only child, his daughter, was gay.
"Well," Marcus said with a heavy sigh as he leaned back and crossed his leg. "I won't deny that the Charlie Swan I've worked with for the last fifteen years, or so, is not the same man that I visited with yesterday."
"How so?" Bella asked.
"I met Charlie not long after I moved to Forks, when I became the D.A. Forks doesn't have a lot of major crime, so most of the cases we worked on together were fairly light in nature. B and E's, drugs, things like that. He's always been known to be kind, firm but kind. But I would be lying if I didn't admit that he's changed over the last few months."
"Changed how?" Peter asked.
"Most combative during traffic stops, aggressive toward suspects." Marcus uncrossed his legs and leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees before he shifted his eyes to Bella. "Are you sure you want to press charges against your father, Bella?"
"Of course she does," Sam argued.
But Marcus put his hand up and then looked at Bella. "Do you?"
Bella looked at Edward before answering. "No. No, I don't want to. But — but I am going to, because even if there is something wrong with him, he doesn't get to tell me who to date. He doesn't get to wrap his hands around my throat or lock me inside my bedroom. My father doesn't own me, Mr. Sinclair. So, yes, I am pressing charges against him."
Marcus nodded, stood, and walked around his desk. "The judge is holding your father on a five-hundred-thousand-dollar bond, which means he would have to come up with fifty thousand to make bail. He has granted the order of protection, so he can't come near you, Mr. Masen or his parents. If he makes bail, of course. Next week, they will transport him to Seattle Press, where he will go through numerous tests — both physical and psychological."
"And what happens after that?"
"Well, depending on what the tests say, we will decide how to proceed. We're kind of at a stand-still at the moment, I'm afraid."
"So basically, just wait and see if my father can weasel his way out of trouble." Bella stood quickly, causing Edward to scramble to his feet. "I don't know if I should hope that there's something wrong with him, or not. Either way, I've already lost my father."
Slipping her hand in with Edward's, the two walked out of Marcus's office, down the hallway, past Kate who smiled at her, and out to his car. While they made the drive back out to Carlisle and Esme's house, she wondered if it would be better to just skip town all together.