Chapter Song: A Beautiful Mess by Jason Mraz
Bella did everything she could to make herself feel like a less terrible person. She volunteered at the homeless shelter as much as she could and did little things for Edward; like leaving candy on his bed and little love notes with the word sorry written multiple times on them. She actually sat down to explain everything to Esme and Carlisle without Edward in the room because she knew he'd defend her and wanted to receive whatever his parents threw at her. She needed it from someone, everyone had been way to understanding at this point.
It went about as well as she'd expected it to.
Esme had been very hurt and wouldn't talk to Bella for the rest of the day. She'd pulled Bella aside the next day and said, "I'll forgive you this time, but if you ever hurt my baby again, I won't."
Bella had nodded, not allowing herself to cry.
Carlisle had been more calm but sat Bella down after she'd confided in them. "Why would you doubt Edward?"
Bella shrugged lamely. "Because I'm an idiot."
"None of that," he reprimanded lightly. "What do you truly believe?"
Bella sighed, thinking quietly for a moment. "Because...I let fear and doubt control me. I've fought so hard against it all these years and when I needed to most, I didn't conquer them."
Carlisle nodded in a very doctorly way. "I see. But Edward has done nothing to make you believe he's anything less than honorable."
"Absolutely not," she answered immediately.
Carlisle nodded again. "Next time, step back and analyze the situation before you do something you'll regret for the rest of your life."
He left with that.
Bella sat on the couch for so long Edward had come checked on her.
She'd given him a fake smile before he led her back to his room.
Though his parents weren't shy about telling her how they felt, they didn't completely shun her—though Esme was still not as warm toward Bella as she used to be—like she thought they should. Like they all should. She beat herself inwardly up so much about what she'd done and how weak she'd been that Edward could obviously tell something was wrong.
He'd surprised her by bringing her to a water park for her eighteenth birthday. Alice, Jasper, Emmett and Rose had been there to met them. Alice with a new one piece for a present. Rose was more standoffish than usual at first but quickly fell into the easy, fun time the boys created.
Edward wouldn't allow Bella to sulk for even a second, either taking her on the lazy river, or the slide that allowed couples to go down together, or the wave pool. They ended at the hot tub as they sang happy birthday to Bella, calling her a cougar jokingly afterwards though Edward was only a few months younger. She laughed along with them, feeling happy for the first time in weeks.
When Edward pulled up in front of her house, they stayed in the car.
They looked at each other and smiled.
"Thank you," she said to him softly.
His smiled broadened. "I'm glad you had fun."
"I'm not just talking about the surprise, even though that was lovely."
He took her hand, kissing her palm before intwining her fingers with his.
"I wanted to say thank you for being so unbelievably understanding about everything."
