WRONG DECISIONS
Disclaimer: The Cullen's, the Swans, and most of the characters mentioned in the story that are known from Stephanie Meyer's beloved Twilight Saga, are all hers and hers alone. I neither have nor wish to pass them off as mine. I do appreciate the fact that she brought them to life and allows us to play with them in our imaginations. The only thing I will claim is the current storyline.
The awesome and talented dowlingnana searched out my errors and corrected them.
As goodbyes were being said Edward did quietly tell Bella that he would be back because still had a lot to discuss and decide.
CHAPTER 27: TRUTHS REVEALED
On the trip back to Seattle the silence in the car hung heavily between Edward and Esme. He was upset because of the threat she had made to Bella where the twins were concerned. She was angry with her son for daring to support her ex-daughter-in-law. Both felt that they had been in the right and the other in the wrong with their behavior.
As the silence seemed to lengthen the harder it was becoming for Esme to hold her composure. Finally, an hour into the trip back to Seattle she exploded, "How dare you to go against me? You know that she is in the wrong in keeping those children away from us. She needed to be made aware of how seriously wrong her actions have been and are."
Esme paused to take a breath and before she could start up again Edward simply replied to all that his mother had spewed with, "Mother, as much as you love me the decisions that have been made and will be made where my children are concerned isn't anyone's affair but mine and Bella's. So, please butt out."
Esme opened and closed her mouth several times without seemingly being able to get one word spoken before folding her arms across her chest, turning to face the front while expelling a single huff. She was absolutely fuming from how her son was totally dismissing her and the rest of the family's concern for the children that they had had no knowledge of until the last few days.
"Mom, I know that you're upset with me now but I'm asking you to consider that what you and Dad have suggested would take and ruin everything for me.
"I have worked so damn hard the last few years to get most of our businesses moved into more legal avenues; more legal avenues so I would have a chance of getting my wife back.
"Now the stakes are even higher: I'm a father. Also, I'm beginning to understand Bella's concerns from before she divorced me where any possible children were concerned." He explains to his mother while driving them back to Seattle.
"Edward, her fears were unfounded. We raised you and nothing ever happened."
"Mom, I was sheltered during my childhood. It wasn't until I was old enough to attend a private school with guards that I was allowed to associate with others. Even then it was mostly with Emmett and Jasper. My girlfriends were even scrutinized with background checks done on their family before I could ask the girl on a date.
"Bella kept quiet about the twins to let them have a chance to have a normal childhood and life which was entirely different than what I had or what they would have had if we were still married. I understand what she wanted for our children now. To let them have an absolute normal life without the fear of something happening to them or me.
"All this time they had been safe until somehow someone recognized her and the resemblance between the twins and me. That fact wasn't her fault nor something that she could prevent.
"For that reason, I believe that all of you are jumping her case for something that couldn't have been foreseen. They were out getting things ready for the twins to start school." He concluded speaking all the while hoping that his mother would understand his stance on the matter.
Not another word was spoken between the two during the rest of the drive back to Seattle.
XXXXXX
Marcus took Victoria home and prepared himself to answer all questions that she might have. He was very much aware that she had been told about the general circumstances that surrounded her life, however, he didn't know just how much James had told her. Or, if he had told her any truths about the family, any half-truths and then it was possible that everything was nothing more than made up lies. It was time for the complete truth to be told.
Arriving home Victoria quickly excused herself and went upstairs to her room. She was, at that point, barely holding it together now that the threat to her and the children was over. She needed some time alone to be able to get herself under control.
Being very much aware of how foolish she had been by not paying more attention to everything that was happening in her family and for believing everything that James had been telling her so many things that were against her father. She should have known better and started questioning everything, but she didn't.
After a couple of hours and there had been no sign of Victoria coming out of her room Marcus decided to check on her. After knocking on the door several times, she finally answered and told him that she was okay but just needed a bit more time by herself. "Dad, I'm too ashamed and embarrassed to face you now. I should never have accepted all that James told me and not question him or discuss with you all that he was telling me. I believed him over you. Please give me time."
Marcus told her, "Tori, when you're ready to come down and ask your questions that I know you have I'll be in my office. I love you, sweetheart."
With that said he turned and headed back down to his office to wait for her to come to him. Little did he know that it wouldn't be until the next day before she approached him for answers.
Of course, to his surprise Victoria didn't start asking questions, she just told Marcus that she wanted him to tell her everything. "Dad, tell me about our family history in this so-called business and bring me completely up to date through all of the happenings of yesterday."
It wasn't until later in the day after telling his daughter everything that she had wanted to know that he saw that he had several missed calls and phone messages from his brothers, both frantic messages from Aro and Caius.
XXXXXX
Caius spend the rest of the night after Aro and his men had taken Irina considering what he should do. The only thing that kept coming to mind was to ask Marcus for help.
The next morning and all throughout the day he kept trying to get hold of Marcus, but the results were always the same, no answer.
It was with a heavy sigh that he had just about made up his mind that he was going to have to face Aro alone and try to save Irina if at all possible.
He thought he had a good idea of where Aro had taken her for questioning, and he hoped that his brother would at least hold off on any drastic action while questioning her. And, just as he had made up his mind to go to the location, he had in mind the phone rang; it was Marcus returning his calls.
"Caius, I saw that you've been trying to get a hold of me most of the day. If this is about helping you and Aro to get your hands on the Cullen kids, then my answer is still the same; hell, no and don't ask me again to help. I refuse to do it."
"Brother, the woman that I've been quietly seeing and have been hopeful to marry has been taken by Aro. I need your help to try to save her."
"How the hell did she get involved with Aro and what he wants? Never mind answering now, I'll be over shortly, and you can fill me in on the entire situation." And, with that Marcus hung up.
It wasn't long after Marcus had hung up that he called back and told Caius to come over to his house since he had a situation that he was having to deal with that involved Tori.
Without any further delay Caius was out the door, in his car and on his way to Marcus's home. He knew the sooner he could get Marcus to help the better chance that Irina would survive. At least that was his prayer.
When he arrived at Marcus's home, Caius didn't hesitate to begin rambling about his Irina as soon as he got inside the house. He was speaking so fast that his words were running together so that Marcus didn't understand a word that his brother was trying to tell him. The only thing he got out of the whole jumbled mess was the name Irina.
"Caius, stop and go a bit slower in what you're telling about this Irina. Who is she and what made Aro decide to take her?"
"Irina is a personal assistant and lifelong friend of Isabella Cullen-Swan. At first, when I started dating her, I didn't know who she worked for, but she intrigued me as there was a certain air about her. We had accidentally bumped into each other one day while I was out checking up on some business and she was doing some shopping.
"We got to talking and then went to Starbucks for refreshments and from that moment on we started seeing each other more and more. I didn't tell her anything about myself other than I was a businessman and she told me that she was a personal assistant to an author. Then after a while she revealed who she worked for and unfortunately my conversation to her was overheard by our brother and he demanded that I continued to see her to try to get more solid information about the kids since no one else had been able to tell him anything. But before I knew it, I fell in love with her.
"She's everything that I could want in a woman. Smart, sassy, intelligent, won't let me get by with nonsense, she's wonderful. You would like her.
"Then the other day Aro got impatient and demanded that I use my association with Irina to get the information that he wanted immediately as he was tired of waiting for someone to tell him something that he could use to get the kids. And when he saw that I wasn't comfortable with doing as he demanded, he decided to act on his own.
"He grabbed her as we were leaving the restaurant last night and I need help to try to save her. Even at that point she still didn't know about our family and what I did. I really need your help, Marcus, Aro is getting out of control."
Marcus had remained quiet and listened to what Caius was telling him. He was weighing out what his action should be. Should he tell Caius that he has been working with the Cullen's for the last few days and that they had saved the kids and that they had been returned to their mother?
For some reason he felt reluctant to share that information with his brother. He couldn't explain why he was feeling that way but if Caius had that information, he might try to use it to save this Irina woman.
Since this Irina was close to Mrs. Cullen, he knew that she was important and had some information, at least, information up to the time of the actual kidnapping that Aro might consider to be pertinent to achieve his cause. After that he knew her value was debatable.
"I'll help you for two reasons, first I don't believe that he should have threatened a woman, especially someone that meant something to you. The second reason is because I agree with you that Aro is getting out of control, and something really needs to be done about him." Marcus told Caius and then both brothers started discussing plans.
While their discussion was taking place neither man realized that Victoria had been close enough to overhear all the conversation. That is until she appeared in the doorway of her father's office and said, "I hope you two aren't going to leave me out of getting Uncle Aro under control. This shit about family secrets and going after children must be stopped now so count me in. After all I'm the heir to take over after the three of you are gone. I might as well start learning the business."
XXXXXX
It wasn't long after Edward and Esme left before Charlie started questioning Bella about what decisions were really going to take place. Bella just shook her head and told him that she truly wasn't sure at the moment.
"I know what I'd like to do but that is not feasible now after all that has happened and with the children meeting Edward and Esme today. And, I can say after the long talk that Edward and I had today that we are going to work on making the right decisions together for the benefit of the twins first and ourselves second."
Charlie stayed silent as he turned to watch the game that was on but one glance at him, for anyone that knew him well would know that all that had been said was being considered by him.
He still had questions, but he wanted an answer to the one question that he has hesitated to ask all these years, however, he felt that it needed to be asked now. "Bella, are you still in love with Edward?"
AN: Esme's upset with Edward for taking Bella's side against her and his family. Caius and Marcus are getting ready to go against their older brother, Aro, who happens to be the head of the family. Victoria has decided to start learning the family business after learning the complete truth. And Charlie asks Bella the one question that really needs an answer. What will be her answer?
Thanks for reading.
