The ride to Quil's house left Bella out of breath with laughter as he pressed for details about her and Jacob.
"You gotta tell me if you two are hooking up, Bells."
"No, I don't." She snickered. "And there's not much to tell. We didn't have sex or anything and were just friends."
Trying to seem protective, Quil turned toward her, his muscles flexing for added benefit. "Oh, come on. I call bullshit. I'm your cousin. What if I gotta like defend your honor or some shit?"
Bella snorted. "There's nothing to defend, Quil. Nothing has changed, really."
"I know you at least made out with him," Quil pressed. "You both looked a bit puffy this morning. Lips are kinda bruised too, there, Bells."
"Oh, shut up ." She chuckled as he grinned triumphantly.
As Bella turned onto the long gravel drive, he drummed his fingers on the passenger window ledge. "I bet ten bucks you two will be porkin' by the end of summer."
Bella cackled and yelled, "Porkin'? Really? How eloquent of you."
"All part of my charm, really."
He opened the door and leaped out before she could turn off the truck. Bella shook her head as he ran behind the house toward the woods and wondered if he was looking for Embry. With all her heart, she hoped Embry would at least acknowledge Quil when they next met.
Bella spent much longer visiting her great-granduncle than she had expected. He insisted she have a cup of tea with him, and the odd herbal blend soon left her feeling relaxed and talkative.
Old Quil asked her many questions about her boys, though his replies to her observations were vague. He didn't seem to have much opinion on the boys' rapid growth spurts, lingering fevers, or Embry's sudden separation from their circle. Instead, he patted her hand affectionately, telling her not to worry so much and that "all things would work out in the end."
It wasn't much comfort to her worried mind, but Bella assumed he likely knew as little about the situation as she did. It wasn't as if the Octogenarian spent much time with any of Sam's gang aside from Embry in the past.
As she finished her cup and returned it to the saucer, he carefully gripped the handle and peered into the mug. He frowned and shot her a worried glance before glaring back into the brown mess.
Bella grinned, fully prepared to humor him while waiting for him to reveal the message in her leaves. She didn't necessarily believe in divination but wouldn't scoff at his beliefs either. After all… the tribe's legends spoke of Cold Ones that were very real when, by all accounts, they shouldn't even exist. Then again, it should also imply that shapeshifters existed. They had no sign of their supposed existence (to her knowledge) besides the treaty with the Cullens.
She couldn't help but wonder if Old Quil had known what the Cullens were or was ever aware that she'd dated Edward. What little Bella knew of the tribal legends were told to her as a child by her Great-Granduncle himself. Most were retold to her as bedtime stories when she refused to nap for Aunt Molly. Bella had not heard them retold in their entirety since she was ten - the same year Jacob's mother died.
By then, Bella had fully experienced the harshness of reality, the deaths of multiple loved ones, and as her mother's regular caretaker - all the grief life had to offer. Adult responsibilities already plagued her, such as debt, poverty, sacrifice, loss, and the beauty of simplicity, while simultaneously hoping they wouldn't starve when Renee forgot to put aside money for groceries because her latest patchwork purse, tarot set, or lunch with her friends was too tempting to pass by. Bella could forge her mother's signature to pay the power bill by the time she was nine. By ten, her favorite book was Jane Eyre, and Bella was simply 'too old' for bedtime fairytales.
"Our little bird is going to fly the nest soon," Old Quil muttered, sounding disappointed as he lifted the cup to swirl its shallow contents.
Bella teased, "I am eighteen, Uncle. Shouldn't that be expected?"
"This is… different ." He studied the contents closer, and his hand shook somewhat as he slowly lowered the cup again.
Skeptical, she leaned back in her chair, smirking. "What do you mean by different?"
"You seem to be running from something… or toward something. But it seems… temporary. A major change is coming," Old Quil said, shaking his head. He chuckled to himself and leaned over to squeeze her hand. "Who knows, my Little Bird? Your old Uncle isn't quite as bright upstairs as he once was."
Refusing to consider the relevance of what he'd just prophesied, Bella laughed, squeezing his hand back gently as she stood. "Well. I suppose they're right. I do need to run. I've been here much longer than expected. But…"
She exaggerated a gasp, pretending to shiver where she stood. "I will be back to visit! The leaves must be right! Oooooh. "
Old Quil cackled, holding his belly as it shook. "Smartass. You are every bit your father, child."
"And very proud of it," Bella said, beaming. She leaned down to kiss his cheek, and his eyes shone with emotion as she pulled away. "I'll be back soon, Old Bird. I promise. Love you."
"Love you too, child," he said as she headed for the door. She turned to wave a last goodbye before pulling the front door shut behind her.
Bella stopped at the grocery store to buy everything she needed for dinner. It was easier to make the same meal for her and Charlie that she planned for the Clearwater's house. Chicken Enchiladas with rice, beans, and fresh guacamole was a favorite dish of her father's, one of many dishes Bella learned from scratch from a Hispanic neighbor Renee 'befriended' in Arizona. Jorge babysat her regularly after her Grandma Marie passed away and would spend their hours together teaching her to cook. He was the only man in Renee's life besides Charlie that Bella missed.
Bella was nine the first time Charlie humored her by letting her cook a full dinner, entirely expecting it to be a Renee-style disaster. He even kept the first aid kit on the table - just in case. Instead, Charlie was blown away by her capabilities. He begged her to make it or something equally satisfying during every visit afterward.
When Bella chose to move to Forks, she wondered if her cooking was his ulterior motive for agreeing so quickly. He could only eat so much fish fry and sub-par steak from the diner. His willingness to let her do as she pleased quickly squashed that suspicion. Charlie fended for himself much of the time. Bella only cooked when she wanted to. It just so happened that she liked it after years of feeding herself and Renee.
Looking at her grocery cart, she wondered if she might be going overboard. There was a lot of prep work, and she wasn't sure how much she would need precisely. Bella decided to simply take anything extra to Jacob and Billy. The ingredients for three small blackberry cobblers followed. Before Bella knew it, the last of her final check from Newton's was fed into the register.
As she snagged the receipt and moved to stuff it into one of the grocery bags, the remaining balance on her debit card made her pause.
What the fuck? It had been months since she'd paid attention, having kept a mental tally of how much should be there instead. Living with Renee had trained Bella to keep track of every last penny in her head because Renee could never remember to pay the bills.
Bella's last few grocery bags missed the cart and dropped carelessly to the floor as she held up the slip, wide-eyed at the number. There's no way… what in the world? The bank wouldn't have made such an incredible mistake, right?
The account should have less than five dollars after her purchases but now held a balance of over thirty thousand dollars. Bella's legs trembled as she scrambled to pick up her grocery bags and rushed toward the parking lot. She needed to call the bank immediately. Neither Charlie nor Phil made that kind of money, but it hadn't appeared out of thin air.
Bella froze again as she set the bags in the bed of her truck and groaned. It couldn't possibly have come from one of the Cullens, right? I mean, they abandoned me. They wouldn't send me this kind of money.
And what would be the reason for it if they did? Bella had repeatedly insisted that she didn't want their money or gifts. Was Alice still keeping tabs on her? Was Edward still trying to get his way after all this time, providing the college tuition he knew she desperately needed? Didn't he know that it probably wasn't enough for her degree but would severely hinder her ability to get financial aid as well?
Bella fumed as she climbed into the cab of her truck and called the bank. She sat in disbelief as Mrs. Mallory informed her the money had been deposited in monthly increments of five thousand dollars by a prepaid visa card, disposable and untraceable outside of the ATM where it was used. The money in her account, for all intents and purposes, was hers to do with as she pleased. The money started coming the same month the Cullens fled.
Obviously, it was coming from Edward - and Bella didn't want it! How dare he! What kind of pompous prick thinks he can up and leave his girlfriend, never to return, and try to fill that void with a monthly income? Did men from the Edwardian era still provide their mistresses with severance pay? Is five thousand dollars a month what he truly believes I'm worth?
The thought of being the topic of gossip over her mysterious funding filled her with dread as Mrs. Mallory rattled on. "Do you have any idea who it could be from, Bella? Incredibly, you hadn't noticed it until now, but there's so much you could do with that savings. Maybe you could replace your truck with something more economically affordable? I suppose you'll be going to a local college. Lauren and Jessica haven't mentioned if you have any plans…"
Interrupting Mrs. Mallory, Bella asked, "Could you keep this conversation between us? I'd rather not have others know about this. I don't intend to keep it and have no clue where it could have come from. I assume that when the person who supplied it realizes their savings is not there, they'll try to locate where it went." She tried to sound as conspiratorial as possible, hoping the old wench's ego would force her to stay quiet.
"O-of course," Mrs. Mallory stuttered. "I assure you, Miss Swan, we here at Fork's Regional are very discreet. I am legally forbidden to discuss your finances with anyone but you. I'm so flattered that you have confided in me, however."
Sure you are. "Yes, Mrs. Mallory. I expect my relationship with Forks Regional will last a long time."
"Oh, please, Bella. Call me Georgia! You're such a dear person."
Bella seriously thought she might vomit over Georgia Mallory's sickeningly sweet attempt to be endearing. "Thank you, Georgia. I appreciate your discretion. I must go now, but I hope you have the day you deserve. Goodbye." She hung up before anything else could be said, wondering if the bleach-blonde town gossip and 'cool mom' would recognize the sarcasm. Lauren certainly never did.
It took Bella a few minutes to collect her thoughts after hanging up the phone.
Thirty thousand dollars? The more she thought about the money and where it likely came from, the less she wanted it. Of course, any sum like that could be helpful somehow…
For just a brief moment, she contemplated giving in to her anger, cashing out the money, tying it to a brick, and sending it through the Cullen Mansion's front picture window.
Bella scoffed at herself. Come on now, bitch. That would be insane. Some looters would just find it and take it anyway. And the loss wouldn't change her financial records when she applied for college.
Ugh! It had to come from the Cullens. Bella didn't know anyone else. Why would they send me money? Don't they understand how painful the memory of them is? As if he never existed, my ass. When she told Edward she wanted him to fuck her, this was not what she meant.
Thinking about Edward made her feel crazy after all he'd done to erase his presence in her life. Now he - or the Cullens collectively - sent her money? Was it some twisted way of ensuring she would remain silent about their numerous secrets?
Was this hush money?! Carlisle was worth billions. It wasn't as if they needed it. Alice spent more than thirty thousand on some of her designer gowns.
At that moment, Bella missed Embry's calm, rational presence more than ever. He would have known exactly how to handle such an unbelievable situation. Quil and Jacob would tell her to blow it on whatever she wanted - that it was the least she deserved after Edward had thoroughly disrupted her life and mental health.
With nothing helpful coming to mind, Bella decided to shelve the issue for now. She started her truck and finally steered toward home, hoping she had enough time to accomplish everything she needed to do before dark. Her headlights were absolute shit. They were the reason Charlie never wanted her to drive in storms.
Well, there was one thing her newfound wealth could fix for her. New headlights for her truck were now possible, and she intended to ask Jacob to replace them.
Bella spent the next few hours cooking and doing the homework she neglected the night before. Once everything was out of the oven, she rushed upstairs to shower. Bella combed her wild, wet hair, quickly applied light makeup, and cleaned up after herself. Wrapped in a towel, she darted across the hallway to her bedroom.
Upon opening the door, movement caught her eye, and Bella clutched at her towel as she shrieked in surprise.
"Hey, Bitch." Leah laughed as Bella stumbled into the doorframe and sucked in a deep breath.
"Oh my God, Lee, you just about scared me half to death." Bella's heart raced as she blushed from embarrassment. She couldn't explain the relief she felt that it was Leah sitting at the head of her bed, looking as at home in her bedroom as she did at Jacob's house. She told herself that the racing of her pulse and flushed face came from being startled and forced a smile at her friend. "W-what are you doing here? I was just getting ready to go see you."
Bella subconsciously glanced town at her towel-shrouded form and tucked her bottom lip between her teeth.
"You were, huh?" Leah's eyes brightened despite the red rings and dark circles around them. She had clearly been crying, sniffling as though emphasizing the fact. "I had to take Mom back to the hospital. She drove home to shower, eat, and drive back. She was too tired. She works tonight and promised she would nap at the hospital before work. So, I drove her…"
Leah's bottom lip trembled as her brow furrowed in anguish. "I couldn't take it, Bells. I can't stand seeing my dad like that… fucking comatose, all hooked up to those loud machines…"
As a loud sob ripped through Leah, Bella rushed to her side. Still clutching her towel with one hand, she wrapped her other arm around the older girl and hugged her tight. Leah's arms wound around Bella's waist as she buried her forehead against Bella's shoulder and cried.
Once sure it was firmly tucked around her, Bella released her tight grip on her towel to stroke Leah's long, sleek hair. Bella wondered at the warmth radiating from Leah's light brown skin. Her lips trembled in sympathy as Leah's sobs shook them both, and her tears dripped down Bella's chest.
"I'm so sorry," Bella whispered before impulsively kissing Leah's temple as she tried to comfort her. The small and affectionate act made Leah tense before another sob crashed through her. Her arms tightened around Bella's petite frame as though she was afraid to let go.
Unsure how long they remained that way, Bella ignored all else as she held her friend. When the front door slammed downstairs, they finally pulled apart. Bella's hands joined Leah's in wiping Leah's tears away.
"Sorry," Leah muttered in embarrassment.
"Hey," Bella soothed. "You don't have to be sorry. It's okay to let yourself feel, sweetie. You can cry on my shoulder any time, okay?" She gently caught and squeezed Leah's hands before standing and walking toward her closet.
"Thanks, Bells," Leah whispered. As Bella began rifling through her closet, Leah stood. "I should let you get dressed. I'll go downstairs and say hello to Charlie. I need to talk to him anyway."
"Okay." Bella watched her friend rush from the room and shook her head.
For Leah, heavy emotions were always difficult to process from what Bella could remember of her as a child. She would never have expected Leah to trust her so… openly. As usual, the dark beauty had left Bella half-bewildered in her wake.
Now that she was alone to dress, Bella recalled how Leah's warm arms felt draped across her skin. While it was incredibly similar to Jacob and Quil's feverish touch, Leah's firm yet supple figure felt very different. It wasn't as if Bella had never hugged or comforted friends before. Something about Leah Clearwater sparked intense feelings of empathy, comfort, and a fascination she couldn't explain. It was as if, for the first time, Bella felt she had a female friend who wouldn't stab her in the back or ghost her like so many others had done. Somehow, it filled her with hope.