Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Behind Steel Bars

By Midnight Dreamer

Chapter 20: Alice down the Rabbit hole

Going home to her parents house for the first time in years, Alice was unsure of herself. She wasn’t sure what or how much her parents knew. But her mother had asked her to come to dinner so it can’t be all that bad could it?

She arrived at her parents house fifteen minutes early. She noticed her father’s car was not yet in the drive so she assumed he hadn’t arrived home from work yet. She cautiously made her way up to the front door; just before she could knock, her mother opened the door.

“Well, what are you waiting for? It’s not like something is gonna jump out and bite you!” Esme said, stepping aside so Alice could enter the house.

“Sorry, I just wasn’t sure if anyone was home yet.”

“Your father will be home shortly; he had a small emergency at the hospital.”

“Okay.”

The two women made their way into the living room to talk while waiting for Carlisle to return home.

“So, how have you been?” Esme asked.

“Good, I guess.”

“You guess? Either you’re good or your not…”

“Well then, I’m not!”

“What’s wrong, dear?”

“Did Dad not tell you?”

“Tell me what, honey?”

“Jasper and I got a divorce so we are no longer together. I’m living with a friend of mine. And Jasper gave all my stuff away!” Alice responded, starting to cry.

“Oh dear! No, he didn’t tell me all of that. He told me you were with a friend in the hospital but he didn’t go into details about anything. I just told him to ask you to come to dinner – and now here you are.”

“Mom, it is horrible! He threw me out and then got rid of my stuff! I have nothing! No money! No clothes! No home! How could he do that to me? He was supposed to love me forever! That is what we said in our vows… for better or for worse!” Alice began to cry harder now.

Esme was trying her hardest to stay as neutral as she could right now. She didn’t want to give anything away till after dinner. This way Carlisle could be there with her when she confronted Alice about her betrayal to Jasper.

“I’m so sorry to hear that, Alice. We love Jasper too. Are you sure there is no way to work things out? Perhaps it was just a misunderstanding?”

“I don’t think so, Mom. He changed his phone number, filed for divorce and got rid of all my things – all not even three days after he returned home from overseas!”

“Well, there has to be a reason Alice. Did you ask him why?”

“He said he didn’t love me no more and that we had drifted apart while he was gone.”

Esme knew Alice was lying. She had seen how Jasper was with her own two eyes. Oh, how she wanted to call her daughter out on her lies…

Just as she was about to say something, Carlisle came home.

“Honey, I’m home! Who’s car is that in the drive?”

He came around the corner into the living room and saw Alice sitting there with Esme. Esme saw the flash of emotion roll over Carlisle’s eyes before he slipped back on the mask of indifference.

“Hello, Alice – it’s good to see you again.”

“Hi, Daddy!”

“So, how have you been?”

“Not so good. I was just telling mom about Jasper and I.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, I was telling her what happened between us, and why we can’t work it out.”

“There was more then just him throwing you out?”

“Yes Daddy, he said he didn’t love me no more and that we had drifted apart while he was gone.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

Esme stood then.

“I’ll be right back – I have to go check on the roast.”

Carlisle looked at his wife as she walked past him. He could almost see the steam flowing from her ears.

“Alice, will you excuse me for a minute? I would like to change out of my work clothes.”

“Sure thing, Daddy.”

Carlisle made his way upstairs to his bedroom all the while trying to get his thoughts in order. How could he honestly feel good about himself listening to his daughters lies after spending a wonderful day at a picnic with the Whitlocks? He couldn’t! He knew this and so he decided that after dinner they would confront Alice on her lies. After changing his clothes, he made his way back down stairs to the living room.

“Dinner is ready everyone!” Esme called from the dining room.

The three settled in and started with some light topic conversation.

“So Alice, how is work?” Carlisle asked.

“It’s okay. The boutique is allowing me to display and sell some of my designs in the store.”

“Well, that’s nice to hear. And you’re still depositing your earnings into the account we set up at the bank?”

“Of course.”

“I believe we should unlock the account so you have money to live off of.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Well, you need money to buy food, clothes, pay rent…”

“I’m staying with a friend of mine. As for clothes, I have some outfits I made and we eat out most nights.”

“Alice, you can’t live off your friend forever.” Esme reprimanded.

“Well, Edward is more then just a friend.”

“Really now?”

“We have become closer since the whole Jasper thing. And he was there for me when no one else was… I think I’m falling for him.” Alice told her parents, not showing a single ounce of remorse for the terrible things she did to Jasper.

Once dinner was over they once again retired to the sitting room. Esme and Carlisle sat on the love seat together while Alice sat down on the lounge chair closest to the fireplace. Esme was finally tired of all the lies. She looked at Carlisle and he saw the resolve in her eyes, he nodded to her, letting her know that he was okay with her decision.

“Alice dear, could you start at the beginning and tell us what happened between you and Jasper?”

“I guess that would be okay.”

“It would help us understand more and that way we would know what we could do to help you.”

“Well, he came home almost a month ago, on a Friday. I was sitting in the living room with our mutual friend, Edward. I didn’t even know he was coming home but if I did, I would have picked him up from the airport. As it was his brother Peter was with him and they immediately went to the kitchen to grab some beers out of the fridge. You could already tell they had been out at a bar somewhere drinking…” Alice said, spreading the lies on thickly.

“You’re saying that Jasper and Peter were both drunk?” Carlisle asked, knowing that Peter was working all that weekend.

“Yes, Daddy – you could smell the alcohol all over both of them. So anyway, Jasper came in the living room and saw Edward sitting there. He asked what he was doing in his house with his wife when he wasn’t home and Edward said that he was just there checking on me to make sure I was doin’ okay.”

Esme rolled her eyes. She saw the video and knew this was all bullshit. Carlisle wore his mask well, not letting any emotion show on his face.

“Jasper got pissed off and told him to get out and I told Jasper to stop, that Edward was there as my friend. He turned to me then and told me to go with him then and that if I loved Edward so much that I could go fuck him. He then turned and headed toward the kitchen so I went after him to ask what had gotten into him. He was standing at the counter when I came into the kitchen. That was when he told me that we had drifted apart and that he didn’t love me anymore, that I was to get the hell out of his house and take my two-bit lover with me. I reached for him and he spun around knocking me to the ground. I know he didn’t mean to but Edward had come into the kitchen just as I fell and thought Jasper had pushed me down. The two fought and it only ended when Edward fell into the kitchen counter top, hitting his head and knocking him out. Peter dialed 911 and they took Edward to the hospital; I rode with him to make sure he was okay and the cops took Jasper to the station. I heard he was there for the weekend and he filed for divorce right after he was released on Monday. His lawyer told me he gave everything away to Good Will, canceled my cards and changed his phone number. I haven’t heard from him since. Edward’s lawyers sent him a notice that he was pressing charges against him but I don’t know what had come from all of that. Jasper’s lawyer was the only one that showed up to the court hearing.”

“Alice, how would you know if Jasper showed up or not?” Carlisle asked.

“I was there with Edward as support, and they also called me as a witness…”

“So, you testified against Jasper?” Esme said, shocked that her daughter would do such a thing.

“I didn’t testify against anyone! I just told them what I saw and then I went back to my seat.”

“Alice – do you remember how your mother has dinner dates with Abigail Whitlock, right?”

“Yes Daddy, every weekend for as long as I can remember… They were friends long before Jasper and I even got together.”

“Well, she was at one of those dinners and ran into Jasper on the Ranch.” Carlisle said, waiting for her reaction.

Alice paled considerably. He knew that she now realized that they knew the truth.

“Whatever he said, Daddy, is a lie.” Alice was suddenly on the defensive.

“So, you’re saying that you never slept with Edward Masen before your divorce?”

“I didn’t say I had ever slept with him – he is just a friend.”

“Alice Diane Cullen – don’t you lie to us anymore! We know that whole story you just told us was a lie – well, except for Jasper telling you to get the hell out of his house, and Peter being there. We also know that the reason your divorced is because Jasper caught you in bed with that man! Plus, Jasper and Peter were not drunk when they confronted you.” Esme was pissed and it was showing – her sentences were short and blunt, as if she were attempting to stifle her growing anger.

“Mom, I am not lying! They are – I told you the truth!” Alice was yelling back at Esme.

“You will not speak to your mother that way, young lady!” Carlisle said.

“I don’t have to take this – I’m leaving!” Alice said, starting to stand and head for the doorway.

“SIT DOWN, YOUNG LADY!” Carlisle yelled at her.

A stunned Alice immediately sat down. Her father had never before raised his voice or yelled at her for any reason.

“Sorry, Daddy.”

“Don’t you Daddy me, young lady! What you have been doing is unacceptable! You have lied to your mother and me – cheated on and used poor Jasper… I don’t know what happened to my little girl, but the person sitting in my living room right now is no child of mine!”

“Daddy?” Alice asked on the verge of tears.

“No Alice! You don’t get the right to call me Daddy. My daughter was raised to respect others – not to cheat and deceive those she claims she loves!”

“Alice, your father is correct… we thought we taught you better than that!” Esme said.

“But Mom..”

“No, Alice – I’m with your father on this. He may not have seen the video footage but I have, and what I saw was appalling! For two years you found comfort in the arms of a man who was not your husband – a wonderful husband who was fighting to keep himself alive in a war zone, so that we can have the freedoms we have today. Do you know what he told me?”

“No, Mom…” Alice whispered.

“That thoughts of you were what kept him alive over there – the thoughts that he was coming home to you! You ripped that away from him! You destroyed that wonderful man! And then you tried to make him out to be the villain when it was you all along!”

“I’m sorry…”

“It’s to late for sorry, Alice.” Esme finished, turning away from her daughter.

“Your mother is right, Alice – sorry is not going to fix anything. Here – I went to the bank and reopened your old account for you. All the information you need is in this envelope. I wish you well Alice, but for now, your mother and I would like you to leave. Maybe some day we can forgive you but right now… I just can’t bear to even look at you.” Carlisle said, handing her an envelope.

“I’m so sorry – I really never meant for any of this to happen… I hope one day you both can forgive me and we can get past this… Goodbye.” Alice said, leaving the house.

Esme broke down into Carlisle’s arms. It took almost an hour before she calmed enough to talk.

“Did we do the right thing, Carlisle?”

“We did what was best for her. She needs to learn a couple hard lessons – one, that she can’t have everything her way and two, that our actions always have consequences.”

“I know, but she looked so broken.”

“She did it to herself, Esme.”

“I hope she will be okay.”

“Only time will tell…”

The two parents headed upstairs to retire for the night. Thinking over everything that happen in the short amount of time that Alice was there, they hoped they did the right thing.