Growing More

Chapter 10: Unfortunate

Carlisle's POV:

Knock, knock, knock.

I looked up from my book I was reading in my study, and took off my reading glasses. I stood and walked out of my home office, and walked to the front door.

"I've got it," I called as I opened up the door. There stood a man in a police uniform.

"May I help you?" I asked politely as Esme walked in from the kitchen to my side.

"Does Alice, Emmett, and Isabella Swan live here?" The officer asked, taking a piece of folded up paper out of his pocket and unfolding it.

"Yes, why?" Esme said, pushing me to the side gently and stepping up to face the officer.

"Well... their father, Charlie Swan, was driving drunk last night and has been arrested for DUI. He doesn't have a will that says who his children will live with if ever needed, so you two have no permission to keep them here. I'm afraid it has become necessary to take them to an adoption center."

"But... but their father will be out soon, so why would you put them up for adoption?" Esme asked, disbelief coloring her features.

The officer slowly shook his head. "He was arrested and taken to the hospital. DUI, like I said, and he was in critical condition. He passed away early this morning."

Esme gasped, and I bent my head in despair. How were we going to tell them?

"Well, we'd be more than willing to take them in," Esme insisted.

"I'm afraid I cannot let you do that. We've already begun adding them into the system, and then people can begin signing to take them in."

"Well, how long does it take for them to be added to the system?" I asked.

"A week. But we will be here tomorrow morning to pick them up."

"Don't they get any say?" Esme asked annoyed.

"Of course not, they're just kids." The officer said with a dark laugh.

Esme blanched. "They are 12-13 year olds. They are not just 'kids'."

"Please control your attitude, miss," the officer scowled.

"So, we don't have a choice? They're going to the adoption center no matter what?"

"Yep," he said, popping the 'p'. "A woman will be here tomorrow morning to pick them up. 10:00 am." The officer turned and left.

Esme turned and looked at me with torn, saddened eyes.

"What are we going to do?" she asked me, her voice slightly louder than a whisper.

"I don't know..." I said, giving her a comforting embrace.

"We don't have a choice, do we?" I heard a voice from behind me. Esme and I turned, and there stood all of the kids at the bottom of the stairwell.

Bella's POV:

Tears welled in my eyes, my nose stinging as Edward and I packed my stuff. Edward was oddly quiet, and I wondered what he was thinking about. I was too busy fighting the sobs that threatened to explode out of me, though, so I kept my mouth shut.

Edward handed me the last handful of clothes and I looked at him for the first time. His face was somber, and his eyes were expressionless.

"I'm gonna miss you, Bell," he murmured, stepping forward to hug me. The sobs erupted then, and the tears rolled down my cheeks soaking his shirt.

We stood like that for a while, before Alice and Emmett walked into the room.

"We're all finished packing... we're here to help you," Emmett said, since Alice was just standing there with tears rolling down her face.

"No thanks," I croaked, wiping my eyes and pulling away from Edward. "I'm just about done."

"Okay." Emmett said, grabbing Alice by the elbow and towing her out the door with her.

"This isn't fair," I growled, slamming the top of my suitcase closed and zipping it furiously.

"Mom and dad will get you back soon, don't worry," Edward said, but it seemed he was trying to convince himself more than me.

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I fell asleep uneasily that night, after talking to Edward for hours. He had fallen asleep in the middle of my explanation of the bonus question on our math test last week - of course, I didn't blame him - and I was unfortunately left to my own devices to keep my mind off the morning.

It didn't work, though, because it ended up filling my dreams. What if they decided they didn't want us back and I never saw Edward again?

I woke up and looked at the clock. 9:46.

"Edward!" I cried, and he fell off the bottom of the window his head was laying off and tumbled off the bed.

"Ow!" he grumbled, "what?"

"It's 9:46!" I screeched. He stood up immediately and jumped through the window onto my bed.

"Crap!" he sighed, and grabbed my hand. He pulled me out of the room and we ran downstairs, both of us holding one of my suitcases.

When we got downstairs, everyone was sitting on the couch, watching the news unseeingly.

Alice sat with her head in her hands, her many bags surrounding her on the floor, Jasper's arm around her shoulders. Emmett was hugging a crying Rosalie.

Edward sat on the floor, and I say on his lap... Friends do that, right? Edward looked at me for a moment, unsure, but then wrapped his arms around me.

The next 14 minutes passed extraordinarily quickly, and the knock on the door made everyone flinch. I fell off Edward's lap.

Esme walked over to the door mechanically - her eyes made her seem like she was sleepwalking; they were empty.

"Are they ready?" A young woman with falsely blonde hair and a thin body asked when Esme answered the door.

"Yes," she said. I flinched at her voice. I'd never heard it ring with so much hollowness before.

Emmett let go of Rosalie and picked up his green duffel bag, walking over to the door first. He gave Carlisle a slow wave on the way, and a hug to Esme.

Jasper helped Alice up next, giving her a swift kiss on the cheek. She hugged him, Carlisle, and Esme before joining Emmett at the doorframe.

They all turned to look at me lastly, and I stood shakily. Edward walked me to the door, then leaned in to whisper in my ear.

"I'm gonna miss you, Bell. Don't forget me. I love you."

I leaned and whispered in his ear back. "Not a chance. I love you, too."

And then, we turned and got in the taxi.

March 4th. 12 days before Edward's 13th birthday. I'm gonna have to remember that.