Bella's Choice

Chapter Thirteen

Edward P.O.V...

I slam my office door closed, startling most of the employee's on the floor and drawing a concerned look from my older brother. I catch his gaze for a second before I drop the blinds, concealing myself from everyone. I drop back onto my uncomfortable sofa with a heavy sigh.

I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths, calming my stomach. I glance at my phone, half tempted to slam it into the nearest wall.

I groaned and rub my forehead, trying to clear my mind, settling my emotions as my phone rings. I pick it up and answer with a forcibly polite. "Hello, Mr. Cullen speaking."

"Good afternoon, Edward, it's Martin Andrews speaking," the attorney greets.

"Mr. Andrews, I've been expecting your phone call," I state. Sitting up, I let go of my nervous energy as my confident nature thankfully takes over.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Cullen. We've had some unexpected complications." He explains, clearing his throat.

"What do you mean, unexpected complications?" I scoff in disbelief. "How fucking complicated is this case? He raped a child, and got his disgusting, pedophile, ass thrown in jail." I could feel my skin getting hot as I nearly bark through the line.

"In the State of Washington, the age of consent for sex is sixteen years old. At this age, a person can consent to sex with any adult, regardless of the age difference between them." He explains calmly, with regret in his voice. "And being as she never filed a complaint against him within a year of the conception of her youngest, son Nolan, the statute of limitations is up."

"You've got to be kidding me?" I sneer, eyeing my bottle of scotch that's on my bookshelf.

"And Sir, he's not denying the children are his but he's claiming she initiated the physical relationship when she was over the age of fourteen. He is also claiming that he never once had sex with her without her consent."

"What the fuck?" I couldn't contain my laugh at the absurdity, I was hearing.

The lawyer pauses for a second. "Now, there's still the statutory rape charge for Mantle's conception, but he's willing to admit to it. He has stated he was wrong, that his actions were wrong and wrote a lengthy letter to the judge of his guilt and his willingness to accept responsibility for his actions."

"He was her stepfather, he abused her." I grimace. My anger burns through me as I think of the horrible awful things Bella has been through at the hands of Phil Dwyer. "Wouldn't that be an incestuous charge as well?"

"Technically, he was never married to her mother. We have no record that they ever lived together, thus he was never legally her stepfather. He claims he never was."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I mutter into the phone. I rub the back of my neck. "He had a relationship with her mother, and has a son with her."

"That may, or may not help our case. It depends on how Reggie's DNA results come back."

I pour myself a drink. "What are you saying, then?"

"I'm saying that Mr. Dywer has surrounded himself with a very good team of lawyers. We will, of course, push for the maximum punishments possible. Rape of a child in the third degree, for she was over the age of fourteen when she conceived Mantle. There's no tangible proof he ever assaulted her before then, other than she said, he said, which, as you know, will only be dismissed."

I rub my hand over my mouth as the cold pit in my stomach continues to grow.

"I'd like to forewarn you, if he pleads guilty with a deal, he'll most likely be offered a lesser charge. Most likely it'll be down to assault and battery." The lawyer clears his throat. "And if he's not convicted of any sexual crimes, after he serves his prison time, he can petition the court for supervised visitation with his children."

I gaze at my phone dumbly. "How is that even possible?"

"The law itself can be cruel. This is something I've seen a few times. If a father pleads guilty, he's sentenced to lengthy probation or short prison time, and is ordered to pay child support. Then the father pulls a familiar, and perfectly legal, maneuver: He demands visitation rights. Normally this is a play, so the father can offer to drop his demand if he no longer has to pay child support. But in some cases, they just want to see their children."

"He shouldn't have any fucking rights whatsoever." I breathe, feeling gutted. I rub at my mouth as I stare at the lovely picture of Bella that's framed on my desk. How the hell was I going to tell her any of this?

"I'm sorry," Martin apologizes. "Listen, we'll do everything we can. I'm going to talk wth another, bigger firm, and pretty much throw everything we can at this bastard. Edward, we've been friends for years and I wanted to warn you, in case things don't turn out the way we hoped they would."

"Yeah," I murmur, taking a long sip of the drink I had spent the last few minutes twirling in its glass.

"Now are you ready for some good news?" Martin asks.

"Please," I nod though he can't see me.

"I had Isabella's temporary guardianship papers pushed through the court. Everything went smoothly. Both Mrs. Brown and Mr. Dwyer were in agreement that Reggie Jackson Dwyer should remain in his sister's care, who he believes is his mother. Mrs. Brown signed away her parental rights. You'll be able to pick up the child up at five this evening."

I grin and set my glass down. "Thank you." I hung up and dial up Bella and press the phone against my ear.

Bella P.O.V...

"Hey," I say with a grin. "Shouldn't you be working?"

"I am," Edward assures me, but his voice is soft. "At least I appear to be."

I laugh softly, patting Nolan's back gently as he starts to drift off. "So, what's up?" I ask, knowing he had to have a reason for calling me in the middle of the afternoon.

"Your temporary guardianship was granted. Martin just got the approval a few moments ago. We can pick up Reggie this evening, after five."

"No?" I beam, my heart swelling with hope.

"Yes. Now we still have to go to court to make it all permanent, but until then, he'll be home where he belongs. I know these last few weeks have been rough."

I cradle Nolan to my chest. "Yeah, but he'll be home soon, and that's all that matters today," I say as I creep across the room to place my sleeping baby in his crib.

"It is," Edward agrees, his voice seems thick. "Can I drive you over to get him this evening, and take everyone out to dinner in celebration?"

"That'd be awesome," I agree, before pausing. "You know you don't have too."

"I know, but I want too. I love you, Isabella." My breaths catch in my throat, my eyes widen. "Now, I'll see you after four, love. Until later." He hangs up before I can speak. I gaze down at the phone before setting it on my dresser.

"Mommy?" Mantle pokes his head into my room.

"Yes?" I ask.

"Was that Ward?" He asks, climbing up on my bed with his tablet and stuffed dog.

I smile. "It was," I say as I start getting his next round of medication ready.

"Oh, man, I miss him. I need to talk to him," he tells me before opening his mouth. He and swallows the liquid pink antibiotics, which smell like bubble gum."I like that one the most," he says, leaning back against the pillow.

I kick off my shoes and crawl up on the bed next to him, after placing on his nebulizer mask. I decide to wait to tell him about Reggie coming home until after his nap. My eyes fall close a few minutes after Mantle's.

"I'll get it," Mantle runs as Edward knocks on the front door, Angela smiles and follows after him. I finish getting ready as Nolan chews on a block in his bouncer.

"Hey," I smile at Edward as he steps into my room with Mantle resting on his hip.

"Hey," he kisses my forehead and bends down to smile at Nolan whose entire face lights up into a large grin at the sight of him. He pulls his block away his mouth to yell excited gibberish at Edward as he thrusts his block towards Edward in an offering. "No thanks, Bud," he chuckles.

He gently tosses Mantle onto the bed and tickles his belly before lifting Nolan out of the jumper and bounces him in his arms like a pro. "I got to get my shoes," Mantle announces and rushes off to find his sneakers.

"He's super excited," I state. Part of me wants to reach forward and touch Edward's face, and kiss him.

"Can't blame him, so am I," Edward laughs. His eyes are warm and bright. "May I?" he asks, stepping into my personal space.

"Yes, kiss me," I request, leaning into his lips. The kiss is short and sweet.

He pulls back. "You know you never have to do anything you don't want to with me, you don't owe me anything," he murmurs, brushing the hair out of my face.

"I wanted to, not because I felt like I had too," I promise him. It was something we had started doing after I had confessed everything to him nearly a month ago.

He grins. "You ready?"

"Yep," I nod, lifting up a diaper bag. I watch as he places Nolan into his car seat as I buckle up, Mantle.

"You need a bigger vehicle," Edward announces, surprising me as I drive across town to pick up Reggie.

I snort and his hand squeezes mine gently. "I can't afford that."

"Hey, Siri, what's the safest family vehicles that seats six comfortably?" He asks his phone, it offers a few websites that he clicks on. I cast him a look at a red light. I knew something was bothering him but he flashes me a smile and shows me a picture of an SUV.

I roll my eyes and focus back on the road. "I can't afford it," I state again.

"It'll be a gift," he shrugs.

"You can't just go around buying people cars," I turn down the radio.

"Why not?" He asks. "Would you be more willing to accept a new vehicle if I purchased, Angela a car too?" He counters with a willing smirk.

"That's blackmail," I murmur. "But, maybe."

I park on the side of the street, and a few minutes pass before Reggie's social worker and his foster parents walk him out of the house. A smile spreads across my face as he bolts towards me and into my arms.

"Hey Super-Star," I murmur, breathing in his scent.

"Mom," he grins, continuing to hug me tightly.

"Thank you," I shake the Donaldson's hands. "Thank you for watching over him, and taking good care of him," I say. They hand over his bag to Edward who places it in the trunk.

"Be good for your Mom," Ellie ruffles Reggie's hair, handing him his baseball glove.

He nods seriously. "I will, Mrs. E, I promise." He gives Chris a high five. I open the back door and my heart nearly bursts with happiness as he climbs in and buckles himself in.

Edward shakes their hands after me, and we say a quick goodbye before leaving. "PlayDate Sea," He announces, pulling into the parking lot of the large indoor playground with a nice restaurant attached to it.

I follow after them, amazed by Edward who kicks off his shoes and joins the boys. He helps Nolan and Mantle play with the toddler activities, before racing Reggie down the slides and through the tunnels. I take pictures, of the boys playing together.

"Having a good time?" Edward asks quietly.

I put down my slice of pizza. "Yes," I say leaning across the table and kiss him.

"Ew," Reggie makes a face. I laugh and take my napkin and wipe the sauce off his cheek. Edward chuckles, unbothered by the interruption. "Can we play a little longer?" He asks.

I glance at Nolan who was stuffing his little bites of pizza into his mouth. Mantle nods eagerly, his smile hidden behind his Spiderman scrub mask, preventing him from airborne illnesses. "Please?"

"Sure," I agree, not ready to leave this happy bubble.

Author Note...

Thank you for Pre-Readering - TeamAllTwilight

Realistically 54% of rape victims never speak up and 97% of rapist will never spend a day in jail. This isn't an easy topic to approach but I'm writing this from my realistic point of view but no Phil won't be getting away with anything, no matter what this chapter might suggest. Trust me. ;)

Now go, go on, go REVIEW!