Chapter 7 ~ Curiously Clean

Bella Swan

“Emmett?”

My elbow was on the table, holding my head up as I dabbed at the food on my plate with a fork.  I was playing with my eggs really, rather than eating them.

I wasn’t very hungry.

He grunted at the sound of his name and I took that as a response, insinuating I should continue and then I asked him, finally, what I’d been dying to know since leaving Edward’s the night before.

“Who are the Volturis?”

He choked on his breakfast and Rose, who was standing by the stove, finishing up with her cooking, had spun her head around like she was possessed or something, raising a single eyebrow as she paid close attention, in anticipation to how Emmett would answer my question.

I sat up a little straighter.

“Did I say something wrong?” I asked as Emmett wiped his mouth, then downed his coffee before speaking to me.

Rose was still watching.

“Did you have a run in with one of them or something?”

I twisted my mouth a little, thinking.

“Sort of.”

It was the truth.

I just didn’t know if I should mention that the run in was at Edward’s house.

Emmett let out a heavy sigh.  “You really know how to attract ‘em, don’t you, Bella?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

My cell phone buzzed and the butterflies of nervousness returned to my stomach as I checked it, to see who was calling, but it wasn’t Jake, this time. 

It was worse.

And I needed to stop avoiding her, as well.

Sometime, soon.

“Maybe you should take that,” Rose urged and I thought about telling her to mind her own business, except that, she was right.

So I excused myself and pressed the answer button, hesitating before saying, “Hi, mom.”

I wasn’t exactly in the right frame of mind to talk to her, being that I was trying to pay attention to what Rose was now saying to Emmett in the kitchen, but I did my best.

“Bella, for the love of God, child, I’ve been worried sick.  And do you even know what you’ve been putting poor Jacob through, since you left here?”

I turned my back to the doorway and lowered my voice a little.

“Mom, I…”

“You, what, Bella?”

I took a moment.

“Jake and I have some things to…”

“Is that why you left? Are you and Jake having problems?”

“I…what? No…we just…I mean, it’s me, mom…I’m…confused, is all.”

Was there really any good way to tell my mother I was suddenly questioning whether or not I was ready for marriage?

Or at least…questioning whether I was ready to marry Jake.

“I want to know when you’re coming home, Bella, there’s no reason you two can’t work this out, back here in Chicago.”

I snorted.

Chicago was part of the problem.

I peeked into the kitchen over my shoulder and it looked like Emmett and Rose were arguing. 

Was it over the Volturis?  Edward, maybe?  Or me?

“I can’t tell you that,” I told her, blandly, as I leaned to watch them get up from the table and walk further out of my line of sight.

Dammit.

“Well, where are you?” she asked and without thinking, I told her, “I’m fine, mom, I’m with Emmett.”

Where were they going?

I stepped quietly into the kitchen and looked around, then saw them in the darkened dining room area, whisper yelling to each other.

“You’re…in…Napa?”

Crap.

“I’m with Emmett,” I re-iterated, hoping to stop her from worrying, too much.

“How are you planning on getting back here in time for your wedding, Bella?” she asked and although I felt the answer, growing inside of me, like a horrible, horrible weed, I didn’t quite know how to tell her.

Really, I knew before I’d left, I just hadn’t seen as clearly as I did, recently, so far away from it all.

And should I tell her, anyway?  Without having spoken to Jake about anything, yet?

“Don’t worry, mom,” I told her. “It’ll all work out.”

And it would, that much I knew, at least.

“Bella, you need to get yourself home, this instant.”

“Gotta go, mom, don’t worry, okay?”

As I ended the call, I tip toed over toward the entry way to the dining area where Emmett and Rose were and they were just finishing up their conversation.

“You cut your ties a long time ago, Emmett…I don’t want to go down this road, again.”

“Rose, listen, I just wanna make sure he’s…”

“I don’t care, Em…I don’t want anything to do with it and she’s only here till, what, the end of summer at the most?  Why is this such a big deal?”

“Because, Rose…he…”

And when I kicked over a vase while trying to get close enough to hear the rest of it, Emmett stopped abruptly and they both snapped their heads in my direction.

“Sorry, I just…what was that about cutting ties?”

“Bella,” Emmett started walking back into the kitchen and I followed him.  “Where exactly did you have this run in with a Volturi?”

Should I tell him?

Would it get Edward into deeper…whatever with Emmett, if I did?

Or should I just blow it off like it wasn’t that big a deal, like Rose had said?

“Over at the Cullen Vineyard,” I told him, not really thinking, just…following my gut, in the end.

“Goddammit.”

“Great,” Rose said and then threw her hands up.  “There’ll be no stopping him, now.”

“I’m sorry, Rose, I just...”

She breathed out.  “It’s okay, Bella, it’s not your fault that he’s loyal like a damn dog.”

Loyal to who?

“You wanna tell me what happened?  Who exactly you ran into, maybe, for starters?” Emmett asked, ignoring the dog comment and again, I wasn’t sure which way to go with the whole thing but just the mention of the name seemed to rile Emmett up and part of me wondered, if they had a common enemy, of sorts, would he and Edward find a way back to each other?

“His name was…” I thought about it, trying to remember what Edward had called him.  “Felix?”

Emmett’s whole body posture changed when I said the name and even Rose seemed…uncomfortable, at best.

“What’d he do?” was his next question and I asked, “You mean beside the fact that he looked at me like he wanted to eat me?”

It still gave me the willies, thinking about the look on that guy’s face as he gave me the once over.

“He’s such a jerk,” Rose said and Emmett continued with the questioning.  “What made him even notice you?”

I was almost offended by his question but I was too wrapped up in collecting information to say anything about it, so I just answered him, shaking my head, no. “It was more of a run in with Edward, I guess, really, I was just kind of an innocent by stander, for the most part.”

“What exactly happened?” he urged me on and I told him about how the two of them seemed to want to rip each other’s heads off, Felix in a more, I’ll smile the whole time, kind of way, Edward in a more aggressive, very angry kind of way.

“He wanted to buy the vineyard but Edward told him, no.”

“Thank God for small favors,” he mumbled.  “Carlisle would have a cow.”

“Among other things,” Rose added.

And when I asked why it was all so important, Emmett did a little bit of explaining himself.

“The Volturis are…well, they’re kind of like the kings of the mountain around here…they don’t necessarily own the most land, but they’re always winning the wine competitions we locals throw, buying up properties, as they become available…building their empire, so to speak.”

“Why does Edward hate him so much?”

I couldn’t seem to put a cease to my personal inquisition; it was just that...the more I knew this man, the more I just wanted to…know this man.

“Why do you care so much?” he retorted, making note of my impatience and without even thinking, I told him flatly and without hesitation, “He’s my friend.”

Emmett attempted staring me down some before finally deciding to tell me a little more.

“Edward’s never gotten along with any of the Volturis.”

Very little, to be exact.

Rose laughed, hard as she went back to the sink to wash some dishes. “That’s an understatement.”

“Why?”

It was a good question, I thought…multiple meanings and so many opportunities as to where it would take this conversation.

“Because he’s Edward,” Emmett told me and I wanted to scowl at his crypticness.

But I didn’t, I let it lie, because my eagerness to know and understand Edward Cullen was beginning to annoy Emmett, and confuse me.  And since I didn’t want to make him so annoyed with my inquisition that he never told me anything else again, I dropped it.

It was better to ease my curiosity on him a little at a time, so I just said, “Okay,” then turned to Rose.  “I’m going to go work on your parent’s web site a little and then maybe get some pictures today for it, do you want to join me?”

I felt like Nancy Drew, a little bit.  Unraveling a mystery, while evading the suspicions of my ne’re to well lackeys, so as to throw them off of my scent.

“Can’t,” she said and part of me was glad. “I have to get some work around here done, but I’ll meet up with you later?”

“Sounds good,” I said and then avoided eye contact with Emmett, all together, and headed into the make shift office, to tinker with my project.

Since I’d arrived in Napa, I’d slowly begun to notice that I’d been feeling pretty happy…

I was breathing easier and smiling more with each day that passed and although I couldn’t quite put a finger on exactly one thing that was causing this change for me, I knew at least in part, it was due to the fact that I was spending more time than I had in previous months, doing what I truly loved.

Working with the website for the Hales was only the beginning, I knew that.

Felt it.

If I could get a spectacular website up and running for the Hales, word of mouth would be all I really needed as far as building a clientele and then it would just be a matter of time.

I smiled at that thought…and all of the possibilities and continued with my tinkering.

Once I got the feel for the way I wanted the site to look, I knew what types of pictures I wanted and I headed out in the truck to go find some landscape.

And unexpectedly, I ended up at Edward Cullen’s vineyard again, as though I’d been drawn to the beauty of his home and the realness of the land there.

And just…him in general.

He’s going to think I’m seriously stalking him, I thought, sitting in the truck, staring at his front doorway, debating whether or not to just move on to another place but the more I sat there, the more I wanted to stay.

I turned my phone off of mute mode, in case anyone was desperately trying to find me, so I would hear it ringing while I was outside, then grabbed my camera and began snapping a few pictures of the vines around his home. 

Specifically, the area Edward had already been working on and as I took them, I couldn’t help but notice how matured they looked, already.

At least, mature, to someone who had no idea what she was looking at, other than the dazzling foliage that Edward Cullen had created.

Nothing like what I’d seen the first day I drove up Edward’s drive and presented him with my apologetic pie.

These looked more like someone had taken great care in making sure every weed had been torn away, every leaf was in place and that the dirt had been tilled, properly.

Like they were loved.

And I wondered how something he seemed to want to get rid of so badly could be so terrible when it was so…wonderfully romantic.

The fragrances from the grapes, the sun, warming my skin, combined with the light breeze.

It all had me quite entranced until…

“He’s not home.”

I nearly dropped my camera when I heard the voice from behind me and I spun to find Edward’s m…grounds keeper standing there, staring at me.

“I…” I had to catch my breath. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude, I just…it’s so charming, here.”

She eyed my camera and then looked back up to me and told me, again, “Well, Edward’s not home, so…”

She walked away, then.  Trusting, I supposed, that I would just leave but I stopped her.

“Do you know where he went?”

“Hospital,” was all she said and then I decided against asking if she knew when he’d been home, or, when he’d left, even.

Instead, I hopped back into the truck with one more proud glance at Edward’s handy work and headed for Sonoma.

Because I wasn’t showing quite enough stalker tendencies with him, yet.

Plus, he’d probably taken a cab over there and would need a ride home, anyway.

It was cheaper.

And he was probably lonely.

And I wasn’t exactly sure why I was trying to talk myself into it and by the time I was done arguing with myself about why I was arguing with myself, I was in the parking lot of the hospital over in Sonoma.

“Last chance to ditch this idea,” I said and then once I’d made up my mind, I covered my camera up with the old plaid jacket that was in the front seat of the truck and headed in.

As I was sneaking passed the receptionist again, I decided I really needed to find out if that was necessary and maybe even make it a point to let her see me with Edward so she at least recognized me and possibly wouldn’t question me the next time I visited.

Then I laughed at myself, as I entered the elevator…because that was assuming Edward didn’t file a restraining order against me after this.

I mean, I’d only thrown myself into his life, basically.

What normal, able bodied human being wouldn’t file a restraining order?

Oh, God.

I put my face into my hands as the doors opened…but I didn’t close the doors.

I didn’t take the elevator back down to the lobby and I most certainly wasn’t leaving.

I did step out into the hallway, cautiously, though, and walked silently passed the all of the doorways until I found Edward’s father’s room, again.

I noticed Edward, speaking to a doctor.

He didn’t see me and I felt the need, for some reason, to retreat around the corner a little, so he wouldn’t see me for a little while longer.

I don’t know why, I just felt like I was invading the moment, somehow, I suppose.

And I silently admonished myself again, because, helloooo, Edward Cullen’s personal, pie baking, showing up uninvited all the time, stalker here?  What’s a little bit of eavesdropping gonna hurt anyone?

When the doctor left, Edward seemed deep in thought about something.  He pulled a chair from the side of the room and set it next to his father’s bed and sat down into it, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his thighs.

He sat there, quietly for a few minutes, and then just when I was about to walk in and…I don’t know, pretend I was getting blood work done, or something, he began to speak.

At first, I thought he was talking to himself, but then I realized, he was saying something to his father.

Who was unconscious.

There were moments he seemed angry.

Others, he appeared more…saddened about something.

The pull I felt to go to him.

To just…make the pain that he seemed to be feeling go away, somehow, it was hard to ignore.

I didn’t know why I was being so silly, I mean, he clearly needed a shoulder to lean on.  Other than his sleeping father’s and I was there…willing and able to be…whatever he needed.

What was my problem, anyway?

And then, right as I made to go to him, my cell phone rang.

Loudly.

The loud ring made me jump and I fumbled to, not only get it out of my bag, but to get it to stop…making…that…noise.

So annoying!

I took a few steps down the hall, not even paying attention to who it had been…just needing the loud ringing to stop so it wouldn’t disturb anyone and I pressed the answer button.

Just as I realized, who it was.

I’d taken such great care, since I’d left, to avoid answering his calls and yet, made sure I texted him, letting him know I was alright and that we would talk.  I just wasn’t sure what it was I was going to say, or how I was going to say it.

How I would make him understand, that I loved him. 

I mean, how could I not, I’d known him since Elementary School, been his best friend since Middle School…his girl since High School.  He’d been there for me through thick and thin, ups and downs and he was my first sexual experience.

Yes, I most definitely loved Jacob Black.

I just didn’t…love him.

When that changed, I wasn’t sure.  Maybe I never had.

That thought left a hole in my heart and I couldn’t stand thinking that perhaps I had been fooling myself for so long.

I put the phone to my ear and he waited while my heart began to pump slightly faster.

Then finally, I took a deep breath, swallowed my nerves and spoke into the receiver as I paced a little further down the hallway I’d hidden in.

“Hey, Jake.”

“Napa, Bella?”

I narrowed my eyes at nothing in particular.

Thanks, mom.

I could only have imagined the disgusted look on my own face as I came to the end of my hallway, turned to start another lap.

And ran smack into Edward Cullen’s chest.

And then, I could only imagine the look of shock on my face as my eyes stared at his tee shirt covered pecks…

He really…works out.

Then, slowly, my eyes travelled up, taking note of his long neck, his angled jaw line and his slightly parted…

Lips.

When I met his eyes, neither of us spoke a word.

I didn’t know what to say.

And he…was…smirking at me.

“Hello, Pie Girl,” he said, and then the only reason I’d realized I was now holding the phone away from my ear as I gawked was because I could suddenly hear Jake, calling out from his end, “Bella, are you still there?”

I still couldn’t move, though.

I felt like a deer, caught in the headlights of an oncoming vehicle.

A very tall, lovely looking, funny and yet, deeply disturbed, vehicle.

Edward’s brow flinched a little, as though confused, and then he asked me, “Are you…talking with someone?”

Oh.

Right.

Jake…

Shit.

“Um,” was all that I could manage to get to come out of my mouth, for some reason.

What was I going to say to him?  I couldn’t have that conversation with Jake while Edward was standing there.

Staring at me.

It made me uncomfortable, his stare.

Oddly enough, though.  Not like Felix’s had.

This was different.

Something I’d never…

“Bella…”

“Jake,” I said, panicking then, for some unknown reason.  “I can’t really talk right now.”

Edward crossed his arms as if he was amused at the way I was acting and I scowled at him. “I’ll call you a little later, though…okay?  I promise.”

“I guess, is…are you okay, sweetie?”

Oh man…he called me sweetie.

He always did that when he was worried.

I hated it when he worried.

“No,” I smiled, feeling a slight lump in my throat as I said it.  “I’m fine, really, but we do need to…I mean, I need to talk to you.”

“Okay, hon…I’m in meetings until around eight tonight, call me after.”

“Okay,” I said and Edward’s eyes were still watching me, making me shift my position a little.

“I love you,” Jake told me and my cheeks reddened.

And I could no longer look into Edward Cullen’s eyes as I responded, with a whisper, to my…for now, anyway, fiancé.

“I love you, too.”

A/N:  With regards to “Clean” in wine lingo, it’s a positive trait that indicates a simple, direct flavor without serious flaws.