This Is Who I Am

Chapter Twenty-Four

Edward's P.O.V

"Shut... the... fuck... up..."

I laugh at Emmett's facial expression. We've been at lunch for twenty minutes now, which is how much it took to catch him up in everything that happened since the last time I saw him. Not gonna lie, his reaction is priceless. He leans over the table, opening his mouth and then closing it, at a total loss of words. He shifts on his spot, he stands up and sits back down, he looks around. He is shocked, needless to say.

"Okay okay okay, let me see if I got this straight." He slams his fists on the table. "So the girl on the picture, the so called Ava Swan is not in any way connected to you or your past?" I nod. "So your mom pulled off some random chick's picture from Chicago named Ava Swan and told you she was your fiancé who left you." I nod again. "Only she wasn't your fiancé, just some random stranger?" Yup. "And Bella, who you met on the side of the road turns out to be your wife whom you known since high school?" Shocking, I know. "And Ava, this ghost that has been messing with your head was your daughter all along?" Yes. "And your dad is alive... are you-are you fucking kidding me?!"

"Lower your voice!" I throw my dirty napkin at him. Some people in the cafeteria turn to us at his outburst. I give them a smile and turn to him. "No, I'm not fucking kidding you. It's true."

Emmett slumps back against his chair and buffs out air through his cheeks. "Dude, this is like some bad soap opera shit. It-it honestly gives me a headache just thinking about it."

"Welcome to the last week of my life."

"Where is Bella right now?"

"It's her day off. I took her and Ava back to my apartment."

"And you haven't spoken to your mom or your sister?"

"Nope."

I've been lucky, though. Today marks day five since I found out the truth. Since then, I've done nothing but dodged their calls, ignored their messages and blocked their numbers. I know better, it's only a matter of time before my mother shows up to my apartment unannounced and Alice... I still don't know what to do about Alice. Bella keeps insisting as much as my father that she's did what she thought was best, that she's another victim of my mother, but they don't understand. If Alice did what was better, this would have never happened. She would have told me from day one that my mother was a liar, that I had a family beyond them and she didn't.

That day I came home to the unfamiliar sound of laughter and the smell of Bella's cooking. As I walk through the door, I saw Ava sitting on the floor of the living room with Bella's phone, talking happily. I watched her intently, listening to her babble until I recognized the voice of my father.

Ava looked at me when I walked through the door and her face lighten up. "Pawpaw, Daddy is here!" She got up from the floor and ran to me with the phone in hand. I took her in my arms instinctively as she thrusted the phone in my face. I saw Carlisle on the other end and from the background, I think he must be home. He smiled widely at me. "Daddy, this is your daddy."

I smile at Ava. "I know, I've met him before."

"You have?"

I nod. "He found me when I was looking for you."

"How are you, Edward?" Dad asks.

"Um... confused for the most part but I'm well." I walk Ava and I back to the couch, throwing a glance at Bella who walks out of the kitchen and sits beside us. "It's been a long couple of days."

"I would surprised if they weren't. I know it's a lot to take in and it can be very overwhelming. You guys need to take your time, settle in-"

"When are we going back home?" Ava asked.