When we first arrived the six of us came up with a list of things that we wanted to do or see while we were in California. We have spent every single day together and enjoyed every one of them. We managed to work but we still found time to surf, picnic, and do as many fun things as we could off of our list.
The list was as varied as the people that made up the list. Alice had all the shopping spots on the list, Jasper wanted to hit a few of the historical sites, Rose wanted to see a few of the custom car dealerships, Edward wanted a few musical places that were so important to the state and I wanted to see some of the museums. So needless to say that on the days when we weren't working the Sub was on the move. For the most part we all enjoyed each and every place we visited. Between our camera phones and our real cameras there were probably a million pictures taken.
We had just come back from one such adventure and now lay in bed exhausted. The bedroom doors were left open and we yelled back and forth to each other from room to room. We were still high from our fun day and probably a little too much cotton candy on the way home. Edward held me in his arms and we snickered at Rose and Emmett as they fought over who had chosen the most 'kick ass day' so far. Emmett thought that his day today was way better than mine when we only saw 'a boring old museum or something like that'. Rose disagreed and after a few slaps she won the argument.
I slipped out of bed and made my way to the bathroom. I heard my phone ring and heard Edward's velvety voice as he answered it for me. I knew it was my dad by the ring tone. There are only so many people you could actually assign "Bad Boys" to, and really only one that I knew, the Chief of Forks Police, my dad. I didn't panic because it was still early enough that it was perfectly acceptable for Edward to answer my phone.
The conversation sounded tame and polite as I left the bathroom and reached for my phone. However, Edward's eyes looked slightly panicked so maybe Dad had actually said something to him. I was all set to give my dad a good tongue lashing when Edward pulled me into his lap and handed me the phone.
Charlie must have heard my huff of breath because before I could even say a single word he launched into the reason for his call. His words stunned me. "Bella, it's your mom. She's been hurt in a car accident. She's made it through surgery but she'll be laid up for a few weeks and needs you." Edward must have already known the purpose behind Charlie's call because when I sucked in a large breath he tightened his arms around me and kissed my cheek.
I felt the tears sting my eyes and my breath that I had previously sucked in left me in one large exhale. I was too afraid to ask what I needed to know; my mind just reeled around and ended right back in the same spot. I kept asking myself if Charlie had just said the words that I thought I heard him say. Did he just say, 'your mom's been hurt in a car accident'?
Edward took the phone from me and began to speak to Charlie again. The conversation was brief and then he hung up. "Come on, baby, let's get you ready to go to Florida. You're mom needs you." I stood in one spot and watched them all move into action. Rose packed my toiletries, Alice packed my clothes, Edward and Jasper got online and booked me a flight to Jacksonville. Phil was all set to pick me up at the airport, he told Edward so when Edward called to let him know my flight info. I guess Charlie told Edward to let Phil know the details because I certainly didn't think to let him know any of them. I stood in one spot while all this activity took place around me. I just kept thinking to myself, where the hell is Emmett? Why that was important, I have no idea but for some reason it was to me.
And just as soon as the activity began, everyone filed out of the room with a hug and a few encouraging words to me as they left. Soon, it was just Edward and me. He pulled my hand and directed me to the bed to sit down for a few minutes. I was in my pajamas and would need to change before I could leave for the airport. Edward helped me get dressed in what Alice and Rosalie laid out for me.
He pulled me into his arms and just held me. He slowly retold me all the info that Charlie relayed to him. Renee was out running errands and was hit head on by two teens that were drag racing another car. Her left leg was pinned under the mangled dash and needed a few rods and pins to stabilize it. She also broke her left arm and collar bone. Those were the worst of her injuries; the others were scrapes, bruises and a few minor cuts that required a few stitches. She was out of surgery for her leg and her arm was in a cast but she wouldn't be able to move around for a few weeks till her leg healed up.
Phil, her husband, was a minor league baseball player and he struggled to maintain his pitching position; he was surrounded by so many younger, stronger players that if he took the time off to be with Renee then he would likely lose his position on the team. That would mean their income would be gone, so he had no choice but to pack up and leave when the team headed out on their ten day road trip. I understood and couldn't blame him. He was too old to have to start all over again with a new team. So that left me to stay and take care of my mom while she healed. I would gladly do it, she was my mom after all, it just meant that I would lose my last month with Edward.
All at once I came back to reality and began to comprehend that I was about to leave Edward. The one thing I feared most, was our separation. It was funny because at some point in time over the summer I had let that fear go slightly. To the extent that it didn't rule every decision I made concerning us. Sure I thought about it but I had relaxed and just took us one day at a time. I enjoyed our time and would deal with later when later happened. Unfortunately, later was about to happen now.
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