Chapter Note: Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift ft. The Civil Wars
Bella cleaned the house thoroughly the next day to settle herself down. She scrubbed scum off the side of the stove, cleaned windows inside and outside, vacuumed every room with carpet, and swept the kitchen and bathroom after cleaning all the surfaces with all-purpose spray. She felt accomplished but not calm.
But thankfully, before she knew it, the hours had passed by to where she only had two more to wait.
After taking a shower she sat in front of her computer to catch up on her emails. Nothing special, mostly junk mail.
Less than twenty minutes left.
She texted Edward to come whenever he wanted.
He took a while to respond. He must of been napping, she guessed.
On my way.
Okay.
She heard Charlie pulling up after she locked her phone. She brushed her hair, taking her sweet time before walking downstairs.
"She did what?" Charlie asked irately.
Bella repeated herself for the fourth time, "She locked me in a closet."
Charlie paced around and around the living room as they watched him. She really wished she hadn't told him, seeing how angry and upset he was. Edward's hand taking hers relaxed her a little, but not nearly enough.
"Charlie," Edward said softly.
Charlie froze, looking at both of them with eyes that weren't all the way there. He shook his head then looked at Bella. "For how long?"
Bella paused, looking at Edward with his encouraging, strong eyes before looking back at her uncle. "Since I moved in with her."
Charlie closed his eyes before punching the wall, making all the pictures of their family and clock shake. Bella jumped but said nothing as Charlie shook his hand out with a grimace. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Bella shrugged as she pulled away from Edward to walk to Charlie. Edward's hand lingered on hers as long as he could, but he didn't try to stop her. She stopped inches away from her enraged uncle. She'd never seen him like this before. It was frightening to witness, but she knew that he wasn't mad at her. Well, maybe a little for not telling him, but more so at her Aunt Jane.
She did the only thing she could think to do. She opened her arms. Charlie looked at her before tears broke and he scooped her up like she was the most fragile thing. At the moment, she believed he was more delicate and raw than she. She had time to deal with the pain while it was extremely fresh to him.
She soothed him by rubbing his broad back and murmuring that everything was okay as he sobbed and sobbed while repeating, "I'm sorry," over and over to her.
She pushed herself up with her hands against his shoulders. "Don't blame yourself. You didn't know what was happening."
He sniffed as tear streams dried on his cheeks. "Yeah, but I should've gone seen you, taken you with me."
Bella smiled at him as she cupped his face and kissed each of his cheeks while he lowered her to the ground. "I love you very much. Your a good man, always remember that."
He nodded but he didn't seem convinced.
He looked around a minute without meeting anyone's eyes, before he moved to leave.
Bella turned around. "Where are you going?"
"Somewhere private."
"Why?" Bella asked, knowing it was none of her business, but his purposeful stance set her on edge.
