Baby Cullens?!

20. Edward leaves

“I...” I begin before stopping. What was I going to say?

Bella waits for me to sort through my thoughts patiently, all the while the sense of indifference doesn’t leave her face.

               “I just thought I’d come and say hey. I haven’t talked to you in ages,” I murmur stupidly.

Bella smiles slightly, nods her head and sits back down. Now what?

               “So, umm, hey!” I continue.

               “Hi Edward,” she murmurs back distractedly. She has a book in her lap, and she’ s already paging through it. She can’t even bare to have a minute conversation with me!

               “Am I disturbing?” I ask uncertainly.

               “No, you’re not. Was there something else though?” she asks.

               “Oh, no...I just wanted to say hey...and I did...so yeah, I guess I should leave, huh?” I stammer, losing my train of thought.

Bella merely smiles and goes back to her book.

               “What are you reading?” I ask over my shoulder as I head back towards the door.

               “I’m just looking at a photo album I made when I was still human,” she answers, her tone dreamy.

               “Could I see?” I ask, my heart hammering at the mere thought that my picture might grace one of the pages.

               “Actually, I rather you didn’t. It’s kind of private,” she answers unexpectedly.

               “Oh yeah, sure. Sorry,” I mumble before making my retreat.

I stalk down the corridor and down the stairs, through the front door and towards the edge of trees in the distance. The moment I hit the beginning of the forest, I start running like I’ve never run before.

***

(Bella’s POV)

I flip through the pages, remembering my life, the one I lead more than a century ago. Most of the pictures from back when I was a human are faded and yellow, but they are still precious memories.

Photos of Charlie and Renee. It’s not like I need the photos to remember them though.

Photos of the Cullens, of my marriage, of my Edward...

Pictures of little Nessie and photos cataloguing her childhood and wedding to Jacob. Then come pictures of little Henry.

I haven’t taken a picture in ages though. The last time I took a photo was when the boys had been turned into little babies. Though, I don’t think I could bare adding those pictures to my album. At the time, I assumed when they grew up, everything would return to normal. But nothing has returned to normal.

I may have lost Edward forever.

As I’m contemplating the crushing lost, a soft knock sounds at my door a moment before the door opens a crack.

Nessie stands at the doorway, her face set in a mixture of confusion, remorse but mostly intense joy.

The moment she sees me sitting down on the sofa, she launches herself at me, holding onto me tightly.

               “Mum!” she shrieks, giggling with joy.

               “You remember?!” I ask astonished!

               “I do! I remember everything!” she whispers back, almost jumping up and down in excitement.

From the corner of my eyes I notice Henry leaning against the wall, watching the two of us evenly. His face is taut; he’s worried about something, his body tensed.

Nessie releases me before launching herself at her son, kissing him repeatedly. Henry, like the gentleman he is, tolerates all the fussing, but still seems deeply agitated.

               “What’s the matter, Henry?” I ask, after a heartbeat, not being able to figure out what could possibly be bugging him. The memories are back! Shouldn’t he be happy? He kept saying he disliked having to be the babysitter.

               “Everyone’s regained their memories,” he mumbles sombrely.

               “Isn’t that good though?” I ask, utterly confused.

               “Yes, it’s good,” he mumbles. Yet his eyes are trying to tell me something.

Everyone remembers...but that can’t be a bad thing.

Everyone remembers! That means Edward does too! I’ll have my Edward back!

But...wouldn’t Nessie have remembered the last? If she’s only just remembered...that would mean Edward already knew everything.

The coming into the room, the hushed conversation...Edward had already remembered. And I told him to leave!

Oh no!

Edward must have convinced himself that I had decided to carry on without him!

No!

No!

No!

Henry closes his eyes, yet nods his head in acknowledgement. He knows that I realised it too.

               “Where?” I barely choke out, worrying Nessie.

               “Running. Like mad,” he mumbles back.

Before he’s even finished speaking, I’m out the window, dashing through the forest, trying to pick up Edward’s scent.

No!

No! No!

Edward! I scream in my head, wishing for one of the few times in my life that he would be able to hear me.