Repentance - Chapter 26

CHAPTER 26:

I went straight from home to work. It was a busy day. We would be working with the state prosecutor during the trial with James, but I did speak with one of the attorneys at work who was familiar with James’ father. He said he rarely looses. He always finds loopholes and that Edward and I likely have a big battle ahead of us.

It was discouraging news to say the least, but as long as Edward and our children were safe, I really didn’t care. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I wanted him behind bars for a very long time. I just wanted my family to be safe.

I barely remembered to call Edward on the way to class as I was consumed with making sure my mid-term paper was perfect. I called him as I walked across campus to the building. Our discussion ended just as I entered the classroom, and that’s when I nearly started screaming.

James was in his usual seat in the front row. He hadn’t been in class in nearly two months and now he’s just back like nothing happened? I looked from him to the professor, who didn’t seem to care, and back again. James definitely looked different. The attorney at work was right, this was going to be hard. James cut all his hair off and had a respectable shorter cut. He was dressed very nicely and looked like a typical college kid. Nobody would ever suspect him of what he did. I was frozen. I couldn’t move. I didn’t know whether I should run out the door I came in, or go to my seat.

When I finally determined that he couldn’t hurt me in front of all of our classmates, I took a seat in the back of the room, farthest from him.

I had to really try to pay attention in class and fortunately it let out a early since we really just had to turn in our mid-terms and then we were on Thanksgiving break.

I made sure I was the last one in the classroom and the door was closed. James left the room and didn’t even look in my direction. I rushed to the front of the room before the Professor left.

“Professor Arnold? Can I talk to you for just a second?”

The old man slowly looked my direction. “Sure, Bella. What can I help you with?”

“Well, I was just wondering...you know James hasn’t been in class for nearly two months, and now he can just come back and pick up where he left off?”

“Well, Ms. Swan, not that it is any of your business, but James had a family emergency that he told me about nearly two months ago. He’s been doing assignments via correspondence.”

I couldn’t believe what he was saying. “Are you serious? Do you even watch the news? He has had a warrant out for his arrest for the past two months. He’s only back because he got caught. He nearly raped me and he tried to kill my boyfriend!” I screamed at him.

The Professor looked at me like I was crazy. “I’m sorry to hear that Ms. Swan. It must be awfully troubling for you to be in the same class with him.”

I nodded my head.

“I’ll tell you what. I can’t very well kick him out of class. His father is a well respected alumni and one of the largest financial contributors. How about I allow you to complete the course via correspondence? We can meet twice a month in my office to go over any questions you might have and I’ll email you an audio of my lectures. Will that ease your nerves, Bella?”

I took a deep breath and exhaled it. How could this really be happening? “Yes, that will help me. Thank you.”

I turned around and left the room before I broke down into tears. I kept my eyes open and when I got to the exit of the building and saw that it was dark and rainy outside, a million emotions and memories flooded my mind. I had to call Edward.

“Hello?”

“Will you stay on the phone with me until I get to my car?” I said through my tears and uneasy breaths.

“Of course. Bella, what’s wrong? Why are you so upset?”

“He’s here,” I barely choked out. “James. He was in class tonight.”

“What?” Edward nearly screamed. “Are you kidding me? How was he not dropped? He hasn’t been there in two months!”

“I’ll explain later,”I said, concentrating on my footsteps and the faces around me.

“Did he bother you? Did he hurt you?”

“No. He didn’t do anything. He didn’t even wait for me to leave. He looks all cleaned up now.”

I could hear Edward crushing a soda, or beer, can in the palm of his hand and tossing it across the room. He was angry. “Damn it, Bella!” He yelled. I cannot deal with this shit! I cannot deal with being here and you being there. I can’t!”

I sighed and got safely into Edward’s car. I didn’t respond to his yelling. I started the car.

“Don’t go straight home. Drive around in circles, make sure nobody is following you. He can’t find out where we live.”

“Okay,” I choked out.

I stayed on the phone with Edward until I got back to our apartment and I assured him that after I spoke with Alice, I would call him back.

I had a nervous breakdown with Alice. I was so emotional lately. I was grateful Masen was already in bed and missed me being emotionally unstable.

Alice insisted on staying the night and then Jasper insisted on staying the night if Alice was staying the night.

I got them settled on the pull out sofa, checked on Masen, and called Edward again before going to bed. It seemed like he would rest easier knowing that Alice and Jasper were here. I knew I certainly would.

***

Wednesday evening finally arrived without incident and Masen and I were getting our things together to go see Edward. Masen was so excited to get to go see his Daddy. Masen’s favorite part of visiting Edward was drawing pictures on Edward’s cast. Masen always made sure to bring his markers.

As we headed out in a hurry, I nearly forgot the envelope, containing the sex of the baby, I had stuck on the fridge. I would’ve been so upset to have left it behind.

In just under three hours we were nearly to Portland, just outside of the secluded Cullen home. I didn’t particularly care for driving up the steep terrain to the house nestled on a few sprawling acres cleared out in the middle of the woods. Masen was sound asleep in the back seat. I was on the phone with Edward, talking about nothing specific, when it happened.

I was coming around a sharp curve in the road when I saw a blue car coming towards me. If I wasn’t so emotionally unstable, I would’ve sworn it was James driving the car. I even gasped when I saw him.

“Bella?” Edward asked, but I ignored him. It was like everything was happening in slow motion.

James was looking right at me and he was driving on my side of the road. I tried to steer to the left but he blocked me. I had no choice but to go right. I looked to my right quickly and saw the city hundreds of feet below the steep cliff we were on.

Edward was screaming at me and I couldn’t make words come out of my mouth. I was paralyzed in fear. I slammed on the brakes and prepared for the impact if James hit us, but I don’t think he did, instead, the car fish tailed and slid off the road to the right. As the car spun around and descended down the incline on the right side of the road, I saw James return to his lane of travel and never look back.

I screamed, fearing that the car would go all the way down the cliff and kill all of us. Just as I looked back at Masen, who was quiet, but with wide, terrified eyes, I felt the impact. It was hard and jolting. We weren’t moving anymore. We were still alive and I could see the road about 50 feet ahead of us. I looked through the back windshield. We hit a tree. Thank God. I took a deep a breath and Masen and I began crying at the same time.

I could hear Edward screaming through the phone, but I dropped it upon impact and couldn’t find it and was afraid to move because I wasn’t sure how stable we were.

“Edward! Stop yelling!” I finally screamed through my tears. “I can’t find the phone. I’m afraid to move. We had an accident. I think we’re on the side of a cliff. A tree stopped us.”

“Where are you?” he yelled.

“Maybe a mile from your house, at the big curve in the road. Someone ran me off the road. I swear it was James.”

“Are you okay? Is Masen okay?”

“I think we’re okay, just shaken up.”

Edward took a deep breath and exhaled it into the phone. “My parents and I are on our way. We’re calling the police. Don’t move until someone gets there and tells you it’s okay.”

“Okay,” I agreed. I stopped him before he hung up. “Edward? I love you.”

“I love you too, baby.”

Edward hung up the phone and I tried to get Masen to calm down without much luck. It seemed like hours, but it was likely only minutes before I heard sirens and rescue teams converged on the side of the cliff, trying to figure out a way to get us safely from the car.

I could see Edward and his family at the top of the cliff, near the road. Edward was doing better on his crutches.

I learned early on that I wasn’t going to have a problem getting out. The problem was getting Masen out.

They were afraid the car would move too much if I got out first and potentially send it falling down the cliff. I refused to get out first. I wanted Masen to go first. They didn’t know how to get him out. Someone would have to pry my door open and I would have to get out so they could get in the backseat. The passenger side door was smashed and partially against the tree. Masen could only get out through my door.

After what seemed like hours of debate, they finally decided they would try to get Masen through the busted back windshield, if they could coax him out of his car seat.

I tried to tell Masen how to undo his safety belt but his little fingers weren’t strong enough. Not to mention he was afraid to get out of his car seat.

That plan was scratched. The next plan was to secure the car in some way to prevent it from going down the cliff when we got out. The carefully pried the hood open and put a rope down through the hood and secured it tightly. Four firefighters held the other end of the rope. I wasn’t really sure that was going to work, but I was past ready to be out of that car. Not to mention I was starving and I really had to pee.

I struggled to reach back and undo Masen’s safety buckle. The car creaked a little bit, but didn’t seem like it moved. Once I had the safety buckle undone I had to convince Masen to climb into the front seat with me. He was scared and reluctant but when he heard Edward yelling words of encouragement from the top of the cliff, he obliged.

I felt a million times better once Masen had crawled safely into my lap. I held him tightly to me for a moment before people began yelling at us to get out of the car. The tree was the cracking sound I had heard. It was about to fall over and no longer play door stop to the car.

The firefighters pried the driver’s side door open and helped us out quickly. It was a steep and dangerous walk back to the top of the cliff. Masen went up with a firefighter and I was shortly behind him with the help of another firefighter.

I was crying by the time I made it to the top and saw Masen safe in Edward’s arms. Edward was leaning against a fire truck with his crutches near by and I practically fell into him.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly as he ran his hands through my hair and I buried my face in his chest.

I nodded my head. “I just want to go home.”

“You have to give a statement to the police about what happened, and then we can go.” He kissed the top of my head.

I gasped suddenly, realizing my purse, and my beloved envelope was still in the car. I turned around and headed back down the cliff. “Wait!” I screamed.

Edward was yelling after me and a firefighter stopped me from getting any further. “I have to get my purse.” I pleaded with him. I’ll be damned if I was going to wait any longer to find out the gender of our baby.

The firefighter wouldn’t let me go any farther, but one closer to the car was able to reach in through the window and get it and my phone. They secured the car and were going to move it back to the top of the cliff. There were homes along the mountain side below and they didn’t want it to do any further damage. I clung to my purse and went back to where the police officers were so I could give my statement. I gave them a description of the car and that I thought it was James driving.

~

Nearly an hour later we were in the safety of Mr. and Mrs. Cullen’s home.

Masen was asleep when we arrived and we put him down in the guest room next to the room Edward was staying in.

When we were finally alone, I broke down and clung to Edward. It felt so good to be in his arms again.

He rubbed my back and soothed me.

“I’m sorry about your car,” I cried.

Edward nearly laughed. “It doesn’t matter, Bella. You’re alive. That’s all I care about. Are you sure you feel okay? The baby is okay?”

I nodded my head. “I think so. I think I’m fine. I was just scared.” I collected myself a little bit. “Speaking of the baby; are you ready to find out?” I asked.

Edward smiled. “Yes, I’m ready.”

I grinned and found the now crumpled envelope in my purse. I slowly tore the seal open and handed it to Edward. “You read it.”

“Are you sure?” he asked.

I nodded. “Go ahead!”

Edward slipped the yellow post it note from the envelope and his face lit up. “It’s a girl!” he exclaimed.

“Really?” I asked, excited, as I grabbed the paper from his hand to make sure it said that.

“Oh my gosh! We’re having a little girl!”

Edward laughed and pulled me into his chest, kissing the top of my head. “I can’t wait to meet her. I can’t wait to spoil her. She’s going to be beautiful. She’s going to be just like you.”

I leaned up and kissed his jawline because it’s all I could reach. “I love you, Edward.”

Edward grinned from ear to ear. “I love you.” He put his hand over my baby bump, “...and her.”

I smiled and leaned up, kissing him briefly before I begged for a nap. He obliged, and held me as I slept.



***Author’s Note: Sorry this chapter was a little short, but there’s more coming soon! Again, thank all for the numerous wonderful reviews. And a special thanks to those of you who are recommending the story a lot! Especially on the Twilight Fanfic Addicts Facebook page! Speaking of which, I have a FanFic Facebook page now, as I have to keep it separate from my personal one, but feel free to add me! Just search my email address which is AllOrNothingKR at g mail. <3


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