Chapter 22—So much for being a Banks.
Bella's POV
I quickly put on my coat and grabbed my purse on the table. We then walked outside; Charlie started to walk towards my car.
"Leave it," I said.
"Why?' Charlie asked.
"Because, since they won't help us. Then I don't need their car," I said. I pulled the keys out of my purse and pulled the keys to the car off my ring and put the keys into the ignition.
"Bella I don't have money for the bus fare or to even make a phone call for anybody to get us," Charlie said.
"Neither do I. I guess we walk," I said.
It was a long cold walk back to Eden Hall. It was over six miles between my parents' house and Eden Hall. Since it was 25 degrees outside with a wind speed of 7 miles per hour, it felt like 13 degrees above 0. It had last snowed on Tuesday; we were trying to walk in the street as much as we could. When we crossed the bridge that was on Excelsior Blvd, that crossed over MN Highway 100, Charlie said; "I would give you my coat if I wasn't so cold."
"I know Charlie, it's okay," I said.
"I think that there is a McDonalds up ahead, do you think that you can make it there. We will stop and warm up for a little bit," Charlie said.
"Yeah," I said.
"We were at that McDonalds for an hour before we were finally warmed up to go on. It was twelve before we finally showed up at the dorms. We were an hour late for curfew, when Charlie said,
"What do we do, I can't sneak back into the guys dorms, Mr. Roberts will hear me."
"Come on, if we are quiet Ms. Swartz wont," I said.
Charlie and I quickly and quietly made our way to my dorm room when we heard.
"Where the hell have you been?" Connie said.
"Don't get me started Connie," I said.
"We had to walk from Edina, here Connie I have a present for you," Charlie said as he put his hand on Connie's arm.
"JESUS CHARLIE YOUR HANDS ARE LIKE ICE," Connie yelled.
"Can I stay here, I can't sneak back into the boys dorms now, Mr. Roberts will hear me and then well I would be on restriction, Please Connie, Please Julie," Charlie said.
"Whatever I just want to go back to sleep," Julie said and then she rolled over.
"Fine," Connie said.
Charlie and I snuggled up together in bed and then I started to have a dream.
"I don't believe it Charlie, you are twice her age," I said.
"I know and I am sorry," Charlie said.
"Sorry? That is all you have to say is I'm Sorry? You have children, you have grandchildren," I said.
"I know," Charlie said as he hung his head that was going gray.
"She is twenty-two you are fifty-five. You are two and ½ times her age," I said.
"I love you Bella," Charlie said.
"What is it just because I can't get pregnant anymore, you're just going to bang the next woman in line?" I asked.
"No, I am sorry. Is there any way we could go to counseling and work this out; she doesn't mean a thing to me. I was hoping that you would adopt the baby after she has it, Since she doesn't want anything to do with the kid," Charlie said.
"Yeah so did I and then that nurse put Caroline in my arms," I said. I had gotten pregnant out of wedlock while Charlie and I were on a break and Charlie adopted my oldest child, when she was five.
"Please Bella I am sorry. I made a mistake, she doesn't mean a thing to me," Charlie begged.
"She doesn't mean a thing to me. Charlie, she is carrying your next child," I said with tears rolling down my face.
"I know, I am sorry. Please, I want to work all of this out. I love you Bella," Charlie said.
"I WANT A DIVORCE," I said.
I woke up in a cold sweat. "Hey, you okay," Charlie asked me.
I looked at him, yes he was my 17-year-old boyfriend, Charlie. With perfect skin, clear brown eyes, and a swiping brown of hair over his forehead.
"Yeah, yeah I am fine. It was just a bad dream that is all," I said.
"Oh, are you sure," Charlie asked.
"Yeah, I am fine, Goodnight, Charlie I love you," I said.
"I love you Angel," Charlie said.
January 31st, 2000
By Monday, I had gotten a message from Dad, asking Charlie and me to meet him at home after school. There was something he needed to discuss with us. I got the message during study hall that was before lunch.
"Hey Bella, where's your car, I didn't notice it in the parking lot," Gunnar said as he sat down to lunch.
"I don't know probably on its way back to the dealership," I said.
"What happened, Saturday?" Adam asked.
"Dad kicked Charlie out for being poor," I said.
"What?" Gunnar said.
"Yep, it's true. Angel, why were you called to the office?" Charlie said as he sat down.
"Yeah um. Dad wants us to come over after school. He said that he has something to discuss with us," I said.
Charlie rolled his eyes before he said, "Oh great."
"I know," I said.
When the last bell dismissing us for the day rang at 3:50, I gathered up my stuff and walked down to Charlie's jeep. I was stunned to see Adam waiting with Charlie.
"Adam what are you doing here?" I asked.
"I got the same thing that you did, Phillip wanting to meet with me after school at the house. I figured that instead of me and Gunnar taking my car, we would bum a ride with Charlie. If that is okay with you princess," Adam said.
"Yeah that's fine," I said.
"Great, we are just waiting for Gunnar," Charlie said.
"Gunnar is coming too?" I asked.
"Yes for my support, I asked him to come along," Adam said.
"I'm here, you ready?" Gunnar said.
"Yes," Adam said and then he kissed him.
"Alright let's get out of here,' Charlie said as he opened the driver's door of the Jeep Cherokee to let Adam and Gunner in the backseat. Then he led me to the passenger door, 'I am going to protect you, I promise."
"Ok," I said.
We had pulled up into the U-shaped driveway that was my parents driveway, my car was still sitting in the driveway where I had parked it on Saturday. Ollie had pulled in behind my car and We followed him up the driveway.
"You too?" Adam and I said as Ollie got out of the vehicle, helped Annie out of the car and up to the front porch.
"Yeah, Do you have any idea what this is about?" Ollie asked.
"Not a clue," Adam and Gunnar said together.
"Man, this house is huge, it's bigger than Mamma's and Pabbi's back home," Gunnar said.
"Yeah this is where Bella and I grew up," Adam said.
"Come on let's go, I want to get this over with," I said.
Charlie rang the doorbell and mom and dad's housekeeper, Bertie who was a short, fat woman all of 5'2 answered the door with red hair, green eyes, and an English accent.
"Bertie?" Ollie and Adam said surprised.
"Oh, my word, my boys. You've gotten so big and so handsome," Bertie said as she reached out to touch both Ollie and Adam's checks.
"Thank you," Adam and Ollie said together.
"Oh Bella, always the bell of the ball. Come in, come in. Mr. and Mrs. Banks are expecting you," Bertie said.
Ollie escorted Annie into the house and then Charlie escorted me. Finally, Adam and Gunnar came into the house.
"Oh Mr. and Mrs. Banks were planning to have this little pow wow at the breakfast table, but I don't think that will work with all of the extra people we have. Let's see we have 2, 4, 6 and Mr. and Mrs. Banks makes eight. Please tell me, who these two lovely people are?" Bertie asked.
"Bertie this is my fiancée, Annie," Ollie said.
"Fiancée?" I asked, startled.
"Yeah, we've decided to get married," Ollie said, and then ran a hand through his hair.
"But you haven't known each other for 6 months," I said.
"Yeah well when you know you know," Ollie said.
"When are you getting married?" Bertie asked.
"Well, we haven't picked a date, yet. But we were thinking like maybe the end of summer 2001," Ollie said.
"Yeah," Annie said.
"Oh, a nice long engagement," Bertie said.
"Yeah well Annie will be done with school by then and I will be a senior at the U by that point," Ollie said.
"Charlie it is wonderful to see you again," Bertie said. Bertie was there cooking dinner for us Saturday night.
"Oh, course Bertie, it's nice to see you," Charlie said.
"And who is this strapping young man," Bertie said looking at Gunnar.
"Oh, Bertie, may I introduce Gunnar Stahl, my boyfriend," I said.
"Oh boyfriend,' Bertie said sadly, 'Well good for you."
"Thanks," Adam said.
"Here let me take your coat, Annie;" Ollie said. Charlie followed suit with mine and Adam took Gunnar's coat. And they put them into the coat closet.
"If you would follow me to the living room," Bertie said.
"Nice to know that their tastes haven't changed," Ollie said.
"I know," Adam said.
"Well make yourself comfortable and I will tell Mr. and Mrs. Banks about your arrival, is there anything that I can get for you to drink?" Bertie asked.
"Coffee for me," Ollie said.
"Me too," Annie said.
"Of course, cream and sugar?" Bertie asked.
"Yes," Ollie and Annie said.
"Water, please," Adam said.
"Me too," Gunnar said.
"We will take water as well, we have practice later," I said.
"Do you have Mountain Dew?" Charlie asked.
"Coke ok?" Bertie asked.
"Yeah, I suppose," Charlie said.
"Of course, I will be right back," Bertie said.
"God how I hate the feeling of living in a museum," Adam said.
So, What do you think? Please take 5 minutes and leave a review! Thanks in advance!