Edward arrested?
I didn’t even have enough sense to ask Alice why he‘d been arrested, before I told her I’d be there as soon as I could, and hung up.
I was haphazardly throwing items in my bag when I turned and saw Emmett standing in my bedroom doorway.
“Gah! Emmett you almost gave me a heart attack.” I said as I clutched my throat.
“Sorry Bells.” He looked serious. “I hear Andy’s got his head up his ass.”
“I guess that’s about right. Did you also hear he’d been arrested?”
Emmett’s eyebrows raised in surprise as he shook his head no. “Well, whatever he did to get arrested couldn’t have been as stupid as leaving you Bells.”
He continued “You know, obviously, that I’m no stranger to making stupid mistakes, and having to be straightened out.” Then he thought for a minute. “I think Bells that you’re going to have your hands full with that one, just like Rose does with me.” He smiled a devilish smile and winked, before leaving.
I thought about my brother’s words of wisdom. He was right. Edward was being stupid, and I refuse to curl up into a ball because he can’t deal with his shit.
How dare he leave me? How dare he not stay so we could face things together?
At that moment I decided that Alice would have to get in line behind me to kick Edward’s ass.
My fury had calmed somewhat when my phone rang again.
“Hello”
“Hello, Bella?” A female voice that sounded vaguely familiar asked. “Bella, I hope you don’t mind, I got your number from Jasper. This is Tanya Madison.”
I gasped in shock.
“Bella, please don’t hang up. I hope you’ll hear me out first.” She pleaded.
“I won’t hang up.” I answered, still in shock.
“Thank you. First I want to apologize for everything. I’m so sorry about what is being said about you and Edward. And now, Jasper has told me that Edward’s in trouble with the police. I am truly sorry Bella, this is all my fault.”
“I’m glad you’re sorry Tanya, but it doesn’t change anything.“ This was her fault.
“I’m going to fix this. I’m giving an interview tomorrow night. It’s with a national network, and I’m telling them everything. There will be no reason for anyone to hate you or Edward after that. I just wish I could take back everything that’s happened already.”
“I really have no excuse. I dragged my feet, just as I have for years. My lawyer and I talked with the studio, and they have promised to still support me as long as I don’t make them look bad. I don’t really know how I’m going to do that, but we’ll see. The only thing they have to hold over my head is a video tape. I wouldn’t be the first celebrity to have something like that in my past to deal with.”
“Tanya, I don’t know what to say.” And I didn’t.
“You don’t need to say anything. I just hope that some day you and Edward will find it in your hearts to forgive my selfishness. Felix hasn’t been happy with me for weeks now. I need to work on repairing my marriage before we meet our little one. I’ll actually be glad to get this behind us and not have to hide our relationship any more.”
“I can understand that.” I said.
Tanya chuckled. “Yes, I’m sure you can. Anyway, thanks for listening to me, and Bella, I hope you and Edward have a wonderful life together.”
Together?
“Thank you Tanya.” I wanted to scream at her for her selfishness, but I didn’t have it in me to yell at a pregnant woman. If she really does what she says, the public’s reaction may be punishment enough.
--V&V--
During my flight, I was seated next to an elderly woman. I really wasn’t in the mood to talk, but when she stuck her hand out for me to shake, introducing herself as Gloria, we fell into easy conversation. She knew who I was, of course.
Gloria was returning home to Los Angeles after visiting her sister in Seattle. She told me that she used to be an actress, but was now retired. That was unless the ‘right part’ were to come along. She smiled.
Maybe that’s why she looks so familiar. Maybe I’ve seen her in the movies.
It was unusual for me to feel comfortable talking to strangers, but with Gloria, I felt oddly at ease. As we sat there in first class drinking our wine, I opened up to her about my relationship with Edward. I also told her about the Tanya debacle. I didn’t care who knew the truth any more. She nodded sagely, as if she understood more than I was telling her.
“Well I guess I’m not surprised to find out that the studios haven’t changed since my day.”
I looked at her questioningly.
She continued to explain “When I was a young actress, I was expected to show up in public with ‘dates’ chosen by the studio. Even after I got married, which was kept secret, I continued doing the studio‘s bidding.” She smiled.
“This is not common knowledge, but I was a married woman expecting my first child when I posed for my most famous magazine photo. The same photo that American G.I.s carried with them all over the world.” She sighed wistfully “I wasn’t far along of course, and the photos then weren’t explicit by any means. I was wearing a blouse and skirt, showing off my famous legs.“ She winked at me. “But it still makes me chuckle when I think about all those soldiers who didn’t know they were ogling the photo of a married, pregnant woman.” We both laughed.
The time with Gloria passed so quickly that, before I knew it, we were landing at LAX.
“Bella, it’s been a pleasure getting to know you my dear.” Gloria said as we started to de-board “I hope we‘ll meet again.” She walked with me to baggage claim where Alice and Sidney were waiting for me. A little while later, I saw her leaving with who I assumed to be her son. She waved before she disappeared through the doors.
“Was that Gloria Powell you were walking with Bella?”
“I guess so, she said her name was Gloria.”
Gloria Powell. O my gosh, now I remember who she is. I was sitting next to a member of Hollywood royalty.
“I’m glad I didn’t realize who she was, I would have been too nervous to speak.” I smiled.
Alice chuckled at me.
Once we were in the privacy of the car, I started asking questions. “Alice, what happened?”
“Well, after that asshat, otherwise know as my brother, ran away from you, he must have bought out a liquor store before then proceeding to his house and getting blind drunk.” Alice shook her head in disgust.
“He drove back to the airport after drinking all night, and picked a fight with the first group of paparazzi he found. Granted, I think a couple of them were saying rude things about you, and that’s when Edward threw the first punch.”
My mouth fell open in shock.
“Relax Bella, he couldn’t land the punch because he was so drunk. He was arrested however for creating a disturbance, damaging some of the paps’ equipment, and resisting arrest. Oh, and probably public drunkenness, I‘m not sure.” She said as she worried her lip.
“When I phoned you, I was on my way to bail him out of jail.”
“As soon as we got him home we forced coffee in him, and then put him to bed. A couple hours later we discovered that he was up there drinking again. Jasper and I had to confiscate all the liquor we could find, and hide it from him.”
Just then we pulled up in front of a beautiful home. I couldn’t take the time to be impressed by Edward’s house though, I needed to make sure he was alright.
And then I was considering ripping him a new asshole.
I followed Alice inside. Jasper was there to greet us. “Hello darlin’.” He hugged Alice. “Hi Bella.” He smiled at me.
“Hey Jasper.”
“Well, how’s the drunk?” Alice asked, putting her hands on her hips.
Jasper blew out a breath as he raised his eyebrows. “I think we successfully got all the liquor away from him. He’s still pretty drunk though. I think we should try to get some more coffee into him.”
“Let me go see him.” Alice said, in an exasperated tone.
I followed her up a staircase and down a hall to a large door. My insecurities waited until that moment to resurface, “Alice, what if he doesn’t want to see me. He left remember?”
Alice smirked at me. “Well then Bella, I suggest you stay right here, but make sure that you listen. You may learn something.”
Alice pushed the door open and walked inside, leaving me standing on the threshold.
“Well? What do you have to say for yourself, you drunken fool?” she half-shouted at Edward.
Edward groaned from the tangled mess of a bed in the center of the room while attempting to sit up. “Alice, don’t yell at me.” he slurred.
“Someone needs to yell at you. How many times do I have to be proven right before you’ll listen to my advice every time Edward Cullen.” Alice was angrier than I’d ever seen her.
“You don’t understand Ali, I left her. She was the best thing in my life and I’ll never see her again.” He moaned.
“And just whose fault is that jackass? Edward, you have caused all your problems. I told you never to agree to that phony relationship with Tanya, but you are so hard-headed. And now, you find your soul mate and you what? Just walk out on her, claiming it’s for her own good? I should beat you to death right now and put you out of your misery! Ugh.” Alice shouted as she kicked the bed.
It was actually comical to watch this tiny person, arms flailing, and shouting at the top of her lungs.
Edward moaned and clutched his head.
“It’s okay Ali, just keep yelling, I’m pretty sure my head’s going to explode.” He murmured and then continued, “You just don’t understand.”
“Then why don’t you explain it to me Edward?” She asked in a softer voice.
“I knew it was just a matter of time until she couldn’t take any more. The media attention has been brutal. I knew she’d leave me. I couldn’t bear the thought of that…”
What the hell?
“And so you decided to break her heart out of fear that she would eventually break yours?” Alice asked incredulously.
Edward nodded while holding his head in his hands. “You don’t know Ali. You didn’t see her when those horrible lies were said about her. She broke down and it was my fault.”
“Then you added to it Edward.” She shook her head. “Don’t you understand anything? Bella lived through hell, it’s only natural that she would react to reminders of that. Did she go into shock?”
“No.” He answered. “It took a while, but she eventually calmed down. But then, that night, she had horrible nightmares.”
“What did you do about the nightmares?”
“She seemed to recover when I held her.” He admitted.
“So let me get this straight. Bella had a reminder of the most horrific day of her life. As a result, she had an emotional breakdown from which she recovered, and nightmares which you helped her deal with.”
He hesitated before nodding slowly.
“You really are an idiot. I fail to see how your leaving was supposed to benefit her Edward. It sounds like your presence was what helped her.”
Edward didn’t say anything, although he appeared deep in thought.
“It doesn’t matter Ali. I left her, she’ll never forgive me. And right now, I think I’m going to be sick.” Edward lurched from the bed toward his bathroom.
Alice stood there watching him disappear, then she turned to me. “He’s all yours, good luck with that.” She gestured toward the bathroom door. “I’ll bring up some coffee.”
I was left alone in Edward’s bedroom, waiting for him to emerge.
I took a seat in a chair and waited.
Alice popped in to drop off the coffee and left again. A few minutes later, Edward walked on shaky legs out of the bathroom.
He stopped dead when he saw me sitting there.
“Bella” he whispered. “Are you really here or am I dreaming?” He said as he stalked closer.
“Oh I’m here alright Edward. Whether you want me or not.” I said as I crossed my arms over my chest.
Edward slowly sat down on the floor and leaned against the foot of his bed, never taking his eyes off me.
“Bella, I’ll always want you. I’m not sure I thought everything through yesterday. I was just so worried about you, I may have been rash in my decision to leave.”
“Ya think? You know what Edward? You don’t get to talk right now, you only get to listen.” I said in a cold voice.
He got a stunned expression on his face, and grew silent.
I began “Edward, I can appreciate that you are worried about me. I understand that, I really do. My family makes a profession out of worrying about me. I don’t think you realize how much better I’ve been since I met you.”
“I’ve done things that I’ve never been able to do before, simply because you were with me. I felt normal for the first time in seven years.”
I took in a deep breath before I thought about what I would say next.
“Now, I want the truth from you, no matter how much it hurts me. Do you care for me Edward? Just yes or no please.”
Edward looked at me with sad eyes. “Yes.”
“Do you love me Edward?”
“Yes.” He answered.
“Do you want any kind of future with me?”
“Yes.” He nodded while answering.
“Well that’s good to know. I’ve spent over 24 hours trying to convince myself that the past weeks and months really meant nothing to you. Obviously I don’t believe that, because I’m here now.”
“Edward, you may say that you love me, you may even believe that, but it still wasn’t enough to stop you from leaving me. I don’t want a relationship with someone who could decide something like that without even consulting me about it first.”
“But..” He tried to speak.
I held up my hand to silence him. “No. Not now. I need to finish.”
“You discarded my thoughts and feelings on the matter, and treated me like a child. You decided that I ’couldn’t handle’ the pressure. Edward, did you pay attention when I told you about what happened to my mother? I was fifteen Edward, I’m not fifteen any more. I can handle a hell of a lot more than you give me credit for. Yeah, sometimes I‘m going to fall apart, I‘m only human. The important thing is that I recover. Every time I fall, I am somehow able to get back up. You have helped me with that. Since I met you, I haven‘t had to insulate myself from things the way I used to.”
“Sometimes things are going to happen that will upset me. Sometimes they will be very bad, like what happened at the studio yesterday. But you know what? If it means that we can be together, I’ll take it. I’ll take all the bad stuff and more Edward, because you’ll be there to help me through it.”
At those words, Edward started to move toward me. I held my hand up again to stop him.
“Now, you have some decisions to make. Understand this, I want to be with you more than anything I’ve ever wanted in my life. I love you more than anything. If we can’t be together, my life will be empty. I’ve lived that way before, and I guess I could do it again, but I don’t want to.”
“I also think that maybe we moved too quickly. We should take a step back and decide if this is what we both want, publicity and internet gossip be damned.”
“I know that I want you, no matter the consequences. You need to decide if you really want me.”
He tried to speak again. I stopped him.
“No Edward. You need to actually commit some time to thinking about this. You claimed you loved me before, but it was too easy for you to decide to leave me. I can’t go through that again.”
“I’m going to stay with Alice and Jasper. I’ll be there when you sober up and want to talk. If you don’t come, then I will accept your decision.”
I stood and walked over to him, giving him a kiss on his cheek. He wrapped his arms around me, but then released me when I started to pull away.
--V&V--
The next afternoon I was sitting with Alice and Jasper on their back patio enjoying the sunshine while I could. Edward was due to arrive at any moment.
“Bella, I still want you and Rose to do my little photo shoot. She’s agreed to come out next weekend.”
I groaned. “Alice, that kind of stuff is not for me. I’m sure you could find someone better suited for…”
“Nonsense Bella. I’m giving an interview, and I chose you, me and Rose for the photo layout, there’s no discussion!” She scolded.
I knew better than to argue with the pixie.
“Are you enjoying the weather Bella?”
I turned to find Edward standing in the doorway, freshly showered and shaven, looking a hundred times better than last night.
I smiled at him.
“Can we talk?” He asked me in a small voice.
“Sure.” I said as I stood to go into the house.
Just then Alice jumped to her feet, pulling Jasper’s arm to get him to stand too. “That’s okay Bella and Edward, you guys stay here. Come on Jasper, I need some help with that thing.”
Jasper looked bewildered. “What thing?”
“You know that thing that will give Bella and Edward some privacy.”
“Oh” Jasper smiled as realization dawned on him. “Bye y’all, see you in a bit.” He said before disappearing in the house with Alice.
Edward sat in the chair next to mine, facing me, rubbing his hands together, his elbows resting on his knees. “So, I’ve been thinking”
“That’s a good start.” I said it sarcastically, as I smiled at him.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been doing a lot of that lately.” he smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’ve made a decision.”
I internally braced myself just in case his decision was not what I wanted to hear. I nodded, urging him to continue.
“Bella” He reached for and grasped one of my hands. “I don’t want to live without you. Can you forgive me for being a fool. Can we forget Friday ever happened?”
“I don’t want to live without you either Edward. Yes, I forgive you. But, no, we can’t forget Friday ever happened.”
His shoulders slumped at that.
“If what happened Friday eventually makes our relationship stronger, then someday we may look back on it as a good thing.”
It will be a long damn time before that happens Bella.
“I decided that, like you said, I’m willing to put up with all the bad stuff if it means I can keep you. I don’t think I can make it without you Bella.”
He leaned closer.
I was so happy. I placed my hand on his cheek as I spoke. “Edward, I can’t live without you either. We are kind of pathetic.” I removed my hand and sat back in my chair. “I think it’s a good idea if we spend the time until you leave for England as a test period.”
Edward looked confused.
“A time where we can gauge whether or not we can handle the intrusiveness of the media, and still survive as a couple. We owe that to ourselves. We also don‘t need to spend every moment together, I think a little separation can be a good thing. Realistically because of your work schedule I can‘t always be with you, I need to learn to accept that.”
He looked into my eyes. “I can’t promise not to worry about you Bella.”
“Nor would I want you to. Just don’t overreact.” I answered.
“I understand, and I agree, but right now I really want to kiss you.” He grinned.
“So what’s stopping you Mr. Movie Star?” I smiled, the most genuine smile in three days.
Edward pulled me into his arms into what started as a slow kiss eventually turned heated, both of us breaking away to catch our breath.
“Well if that’s the make-up kiss, I’d love to know what the make-up sex would be like.” I blurted before I could stop myself, slapping my hand over my mouth immediately after.
Real classy Bella.
Edward guffawed at my new onset of verbal diarrhea, and then kissed me again.
“Well, I guess you two lovebirds kissed and made up.” Chirped Alice from the doorway. I turned to see her and Jasper grinning like kids on Christmas morning.
“Yes we did nosey.” Edward answered with a smile.
“Edward, did you realize that Tanya is making her statement tonight on national television?” I suddenly remembered.
His eyes grew wide with surprise. “No.”
“Edward, this will change everything. We won’t know until tomorrow what the fall-out will be for you, and for us. Will you be able to handle it?” I asked.
He took my hand again. “If you’re with me Bella, I can handle all of it.”
Sweet talking, sexy, stupid boy.
--V&V--
Tonight, from our studio in Burbank California, we welcome special guest Tanya Madison.
We were seated in Alice and Jasper’s media room, watching Tanya’s interview with keen interest.
Tanya, you and Edward Masen have been much in the news lately. I understand that you would like to share some information with our viewers, and make a statement about recently reported events.
Tanya answered:
Thank you Margo, yes, I wish to share some information that I should have made public a long time ago. If I had been honest, a lot of heartache could have been avoided.
There is no easy way to say what I need to say. I have been living a lie for several years now, and I need to set the record straight with all my fans around the world.
Tanya took a ragged breath.
I have never been in a relationship with Edward Masen.
I could only imagine the shocked responses in living rooms around the globe.
Edward and I have never been more than friends and co-workers. In the beginning, the studio encouraged the public façade of our ‘relationship’, but I took it upon myself to publicize and embellish our fake relationship simply to garner attention and positive feedback from the fans.
Edward, who refused to lie to his fans, has spent the last several years dodging questions about his personal life partially in an effort to protect me.
He is, without a doubt, one of the most gracious people I’ve ever known, a true gentleman.
I squeezed Edward’s hand at those words.
Aside from the lies, I have done other things of which I am not proud. Suffice it to say that I had become quite a party girl, and did things of which I am ashamed.
About three years ago I met the man who changed my life. Ironically, it was through Edward that I met him. Felix Morris was working as Edward’s bodyguard at the time. We began to date, and last year we were secretly married. About a month ago, we found out that we will be blessed with our first child in late September.
I know this will all come as a shock to my fans. Please believe me when I say that I am truly sorry for ever deceiving you. Your good opinion means the world to me, and I know I have damaged that probably beyond repair.
I need to address one more issue before I finish. The media’s treatment of Isabella Swan has been reprehensible. She is an innocent victim in all of this nonsense. She has never done anything deceitful or hurtful, and yet she has been savaged on television, in the tabloids, and on the internet. I cannot apologize to her or to Edward enough for my part in allowing that to happen. I am so happy that they have found each other, and wish them nothing but happiness.
As for myself, I don’t have any film projects planned before the birth of my little one, so my husband and I will be spending that time preparing for the addition to our family.
And that was it. The host of the show went on to ask for clarification about a couple of things Tanya had said, but nothing new was mentioned.
I had to admit I was surprised that she had been so honest. After her weeks, no years, of silence, I expected a shallow confession that would still let her save face. Instead, she had proven herself to be a much more decent person than I had ever dared hope for a month ago.
After I sent Edward home to his house, yes I was sticking to my guns about needing a little separation, I lay in bed with the knowledge that after this evening, there would be a dramatic shift in the way I was perceived by the rest of the world.
I only hoped that Tanya’s confession would be enough for the shift to be in a positive direction.
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