Chapter Nine

Bella's face crumbled as a sob escaped her. Edward drew her to an old, sagging couch along the wall and with Edward's arm wrapped around her, she found her voice. "Mama?"

"Oh, baby! I'm so glad to hear your voice. What a wonderful Christmas present. How are you? Are you happy? You're twenty-seven. Are you married? Charlie would never tell me anything about you. I've missed you."

Overwhelmed, Bella looked at Edward. "Ask her, baby," he said, "It's time."

Bella took several breaths and holding Edward's gaze she spoke into the phone. "Why did you leave, Mama?"

Silence at the other end had Bella holding her breath.

"I—Bella, I messed up so badly. I wasn't happy back then. I felt trapped in that small-town life. I always wanted you. You have to know that, but I never wanted that life. Shopping in Seattle, I met Cameron Tanner. He made me laugh and feel pretty. I could forget my dowdy old life when I was with him. He introduced me to drugs, and I thought it was all very glamorous and romantic. I thought I was in love with him and when he asked me to move to Phoenix with him, I was planning on taking you with me." A sob echoed over the line before she continued with a bitter tone to her story. "Charlie found the drugs in my car and used it against me to leave you with him. I'm sorry, baby. I'm so sorry. I knew as soon as I left you that what I had with Cam wasn't love, but I was hooked and couldn't face Charlie in my shame."

Bella's sobs had Edward take the phone from Bella's shaking hand. "Ma'am, this is Edward Cullen, Bella's boyfriend. She's going to take a moment to gather herself."

A nose blowing had him pull his ear away from the phone, but he smiled when Bella laughed through her tears. She reached for the tissue box on the desk and wiped her face and nose.

Edward handed the phone to her with a kiss on her forehead. She took a cleansing breath before putting the phone to her ear and leaned closer to him allowing him to hear both sides.

"Mama, I missed you … or maybe the idea of you. I don't really know you as a person."

"Do—do you want to know me?" desperation crept into her mother's voice as she continued." I—I'm better now. I've been clean and sober for six years now. I met Phil Dwyer, pitcher for the Tampa Tarpons." She laughed. "He's just a crazy health freak. He loves me. We've been married for three years and live in Tampa." Her voice faded. "I really am much better."

Bella smiled through her tears. "I'm happy for you, Mama." She sniffed. "Yes, I want to know you. I'm happy too."

"A boyfriend?" her mom teased.

Bella grinned at Edward. "Yeah, I've loved him most of my life."

Edward kissed her forehead.

"I'm so glad, baby. Everyone should have that kind of love in their life."

The two women sighed, and then laughed in tandem. "Merry Christmas, Mama. I'm going to let you go, but I'd like to call you later tonight when we can talk more."

"Oh, I'd like that, Bella-boo. I love you."

Bella's lips spread into a soft, sentimental smile. "I-I love you too … Mama Boo."

She ended the call and dropped the phone in her lap. Silence filled the room as she stared at the white wall across from her. "I never thought I'd hear from her again," she whispered.

Edward kissed her forehead. "It's great to know she's doing so well," he offered.

"Yeah, I don't know how to feel. On the one hand, it's a dream come true to hear my mama's voice again. On the other, she's a stranger. I don't know how much I want her in my life."

"Talking with her on the phone will help bridge the gap, I think. Take it at your own pace," Edward said as he drew her snug against himself.

They sat in quiet thought as Edward's hand soothed up and down her arm.

In time, her whisper shattered their silence. "Charlie was right to separate me from her. You know he never bad mouthed her. He just made it clear she wouldn't be back."

Edward sat forward and rested their joined hands on his knee. "I'm grateful he stopped you from being dragged into that life." He lifted her hand to his lips and murmured against her knuckles, "I understand why he overreacted that night with me."

She rested her cheek on his shoulder. "I'm sorry for that."

Edward turned to look at her forcing her to sit up. "I love you. You know that, right?"

She smiled softly and rested her hand on his cheek, "Yes, you've always loved me."

He leaned into her touch. "Always—and I'd never hurt you, Bella."

She pressed her lips to his. "I know now you never have, and I know you never will."

With a sigh, he pulled her back with him and wrapped her snug in his arms. She draped her legs over his lap and turned to rest her cheek on his chest.

"We're going to be fine," he murmured against her hair.

She slipped two fingers between his shirt's buttons to find a patch of smooth skin. "We're going to be legendary," she said and smiled as his laughter rumbled under her cheek.

Bella and Edward found Sue washing dishes and talking up a storm as Charlie quietly dried the dishes she handed him. Bella walked behind her dad and wrapped her arms around his torso and rested her head against his broad back. He stilled and patted her hands on his stomach. When he turned and hugged her, she whispered into his flannel shirt. "Thank you for protecting me—and thank you for letting her try again." Charlie cleared his throat and pulled back. She looked into her father's shimmering eyes. "And thank you for accepting Edward. I'm … happy."

He nodded and closed his eyes resting his cheek on the top of her head. "Pastor Banner showed me how it was time to make things right," he said as he swayed with her.

Edward stepped around them and took up the dish towel Charlie had abandoned and received the plate Sue handed him as she nudged her shoulder against his arm.

Gathered around the little tree in the corner of the living room, the small group quietly shared their presents while enjoying coffee and Bella's chocolate pie. The time was quiet, blanketed with a contentment found in having the past laid to rest.

"Dog treats—really, Dad?" Bella said as she stripped away the silver paper.

Charlie frowned in mock dismay. "Those dogs don't need the dollar store snacks."

Edward and Sue laughed as Bella clicked her tongue. "You'd have those dogs eating Kobe steaks if you had your way."

Charlie sniffed. "Maybe they should just come live with Grandpa."

"I don't think so. You'd spoil them so much you'd have to get a second job."

Sue leaned between them to hand Edward his present effectively stopping their banter.

Edward sat the box on his knees noting the tag declaring it from Charlie and Sue with a note in feminine script added at the bottom—Grateful at Christmas and Hopeful in the New Year. Merry Christmas. He looked up. "Thank you, Sue—Charlie."

Charlie shifted in his seat, and Sue patted his thigh and said, "Open it," as she winked at Bella.

Edward pulled back the paper and opened the present. He glanced at Bella who smiled.

With a happy voice, Sue added, "Bella helped me find it. She said you wore one like that in high school."

Edward grinned as he pulled a denim jacket from the box, "Yeah Bella liked my blue jean jacket."

Charlie sat forward. "That ratty old jacket was his?"

Bella shot him a vindictive grin. "Yeah, he left it with me. It's all I had of him."

Edward glanced at a flushed Bella. "You kept it?"

Charlie answered for her. "She wore that ratty old jacket for years. I had no idea …"

"I still have it," Bella said with a small, defiant lift of her chin.

Edward looked at the regret washing over the older man's face and stood to model it for the women in the hope of distracting them away from Charlie's pain. "Are you going to let me wear this one, you pretty, little thief?" Edward asked.

The women laughed, and Bella ran her hand down his sleeve. "I suppose, for now."

Sue bustled out of the kitchen with Tupperware containers of leftovers as the young couple bundled up for the cold night. Charlie stood with his hands in his pockets and watched as Edward helped Bella with her coat before gathering up all of the bags to take out to the car.

Sue handed the food to Bella and gave her a hug. "Merry Christmas, sweet girl."

As she turned to Edward, Bella hugged her father tightly. Edward thought she looked like the little girl he grew up with as she snuggled into her father's arms. He smiled tenderly and turned his attention to Sue. "Thank you for having me, Sue."

She hugged him with enthusiasm. "You're welcome here anytime, Edward and we'll see you New Year's Eve, if not sooner."

Bella pulled away from her father to rejoin Edward by the door. "What's New Year's Eve?"

Sue smiled brightly, "Edward's Aunt called to let us know you were coming today and invited Charlie and me to their party. It's semi-formal," she squealed.

A groan came from Charlie's direction, and Bella and Sue laughed at his misery as Sue open the door for them.

All the way down the driveway, Bella waved at Charlie standing under the porch light with his arm around Sue.

As they pulled out onto the street, Edward reached for her hand and asked, "Why'd you stop wearing the jacket if you kept it?"

Bella sighed as she slid her fingers between his and brought their hands to rest on her knee. "I don't want to bring up bad memories tonight, but I finally figured, for whatever reason, you weren't coming back. My memories became so precious and private I couldn't share even the jacket with the outside world." She shrugged and covered their hands with her other hand, warming them.

"I kept the spirit ribbon that you put in my locker, the one with your kiss print on it." He squeezed her hand, " I carried it in my pocket until it was frayed. I still have it." He said as they pulled in front of her house and he turned off the engine.

They sat, lost in their thoughts until the night's chill began to seep into the truck's cab.

"Come on, let's get you inside," Edward said.

"Can you come in for a bit?" She asked shyly.

He leaned over to press his lips to hers. "I'd love to—for a bit." Opening his door, he said, "I want to see if the guys like Charlie's fancy snacks."

Bella smacked his arm, and he laughed as he made his way around to open her door. When she stood, he wrapped his arm around her slender waist and pulled her to him. "I love you, baby. This has been the best Christmas of my life."

Bella ran her hands up his arms, "Even with my drunk daddy?"

He grinned. "I'm human enough to have enjoyed watching him squirm like a bug on a hot griddle this morning." He tucked a windblown strand of her hair behind her ear and continued, "But, no, I'm just damn thankful to have a second chance with you."

A shiver ran through her, and he blocked the wind with his body as he escorted her to the front porch. The dogs' loud ruckus sent Mischief flying under the couch, and as Edward rubbed old Bo's ears, he felt for the first time since his parents died the feeling of home soak into the marrow of his bones. He looked at the little brunette who was laughing at Jangles curiosity over the presents and swallowed thickly.

Bella had always been his home.