hiraeth

Chapter 2

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trust issues

⚠️a disclaimer: I do not at all encourage smoking. It is damaging and is only a part of this book because eleanor has a bad habit of smoking. Do not think this means I am encouraging it because I am not. ⚠️

"Who do you think you are?" He hissed at me. We were standing in the hallway now. "You disappear for three years and show up like you care about her, and accuse me of hurting her." His jaw was tense as he glared at me with cold, piercing eyes. "You're charming and kind, but she does something wrong, and your little act is over, right?" I chuckled coldly.

"Alright, that's enough, the both of you." Cullen's voice was calm but firm as he spoke. His eyes were on Edward. "Everyone is stressed right now. This is an emotional situation, and Edward, I think it's best if you go find Esme." A silence filled the air mixing with the sharp tension that was growing between me and Edward.

Edward glared at me before turning and moving swiftly down the hall.
The doctor turned to me.
"I apologise for my son's words. He can be quite defensive..." But Dr. Cullen trailed off, turning his head towards where, guessing from the sign on the wall, the cafeteria was.
Figuring out what it was that caught his attention wasn't hard because there, at the end of the hallway, stood my parents. My mother's hair was still wild, her eyes wide as she stood, mouth gaping, and I was finding it hard to tell how she was going to react next, my chest feeling heavy.

My father moved from my mother's side, walking quicker the closer he got to me. Tears were welling up in his tired brown eyes as he wrapped his strong arms around me, letting out shaky breath as he pulled me into a warm hug.

"How've you been El?" He asked, poorly hiding the shaking of his voice.

"I'm okay, dad." My lip quivered as I spoke, my body tense as he hugged me tightly, seeming afraid to let me go. As if I might disappear.

I could see the doctor talking to my mother as she stared at me in shock. But, as if something in her switched, she was suddenly rushing towards us. "My baby!" She cried as she crashed into us. And for the first time in years, my parents held me. Just like they used to. And, as I closed my eyes, it felt like we were back there, in our house, a happy family together again. If only Bella could be awake to be with us.

My mother was crying into my shoulder as I tried my hardest to hold back tears. I had cried far too much already today. I didn't need to cry anymore than I already had.

My father pulled away first, clearing his throat to try and indicate to my mother that I was getting uncomfortable. She just shook her head as she held me. "Mom." I mumbled out. She still didn't let go. "Mom, you gotta let me go now... please."

It took a little while for my mom to finally let me go, and when she did, she bombarded me with questions. My dad, thankfully, managed to calm her down. Don't get me wrong, I knew my parents would have questions, but I couldn't deal with it. I wasn't here to talk about me, I was here to see Bella to make sure she was okay, and after the discussion between me and Edward, I wasn't confident she was.

_______

I was leaning against the wall beside my dad, who had now taken a seat in the chair that Edward had moved to the end of Bella's bed earlier. He insisted I sit down in it, and it took multiple refusals for him to finally sit down.