Belonging
by Momma2fan
Chapter 1
Seventeen years later...
“Forks police department, how may I direct your call?”
Bella hesitated, scared to follow through, but knowing this was the only place she could start.
“Hello? Is someone there?”
Shaking her head, “Yes, I’m sorry. I need to speak with the person in charge, please.”
“And who may I say is calling?” The voice requested.
“My name is Isabella and I have information about a missing child case from your area.”
“One moment.” Bella waited as the horrible elevator music came on, but she didn’t wait long.
A gruff voice sounded in her ear. “Chief Swan, here.”
“Um, yes, sir. My name is Isabella, well Bella, and my mother recently passed away.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, dear. How can I help you?”
Taking a deep breath, Bella started again. “I’m sorry, this is hard for me. Before she died, my mother told me that I...I wasn’t her daughter. She told me she had kidnapped me seventeen years ago...from your town.”
Seventeen years ago Charlie Swan had been a patrolman, just getting comfortable with his job and taking care of his ailing parents. He remembered getting called to the hospital about a missing baby and thinking it was just a mistake. When the child was never found, it became the biggest crime the small town of Forks had ever seen. To date, it remains unsolved.
“Who was your mother, sweetheart?”
“Her name was Renee Higgenbothom. At least that’s what she told me.”
The name didn’t ring any bells for Charlie, but that didn’t mean anything. This woman could have given this girl a fake name. After all, her entire life was a lie.
“Bella, where are you located?”
“Right now I live in Phoenix. If what my mo...what she told me is true, I thought about coming there.”
“I want you to wait on that,” Charlie told her, a plan already forming. “I’m going to come to you, if that’s alright? I’m also going to bring someone with me, as well as the case file and we will talk then. Is that okay with you?”
“Um, sure. Just so you know, I don’t drive. I never had a birth certificate, I now know why, but I was unable to get my license.”
“No problem. Give me your phone number and address. I’ll call you when I’m on my way.” Bella listed off the pertinent details and told him she would wait to hear back.
Once Charlie disconnected, he ran out of his office, got in his patrol car and sped to the reservation. He needed Billy’s advice before he opened this can of worms.
**B**
Bella was preparing for the arrival of the chief of police from Forks, as well as the apparent tribal chief from the local reservation near him. She’d pulled out all the boxes she’d found that Renee had kept while she was growing up. She’d even found the blanket she was wrapped in from the hospital of her birth. She was desperate for answers, to know who she really was and where she came from.
The knock on her door startled her. Smoothing down her clothes and hair, she moved to answer the knock. She took a deep breath before opening it to reveal the two men she hoped would set her on the correct path.
When the door opened, revealing the girl before them, both men gasped. She was the spitting image of her mother, her biological mother.
“Chief Swan?”
Charlie held out his hand to the young woman. “It’s nice to meet you, Isabella.”
“Just Bella,” she said as she took his outstretched hand.
“Well, Bella, this is my friend Billy Black. He’s the tribal chief on the LaPush Reservation, where, if we're right, your birth parents live.”
“Come in, please.” Once they were all inside, Bella bit her lip. “I’m sorry, I’m a little nervous. Can I get the two of you anything?”
“No, dear, thank you.” Billy smiled at the young woman.
“Bella, you said your...Renee, had written you a letter. May I see it?”
Bella reached over on the coffee table and picked up the envelope she had found under her mother’s pillow. Handing it to Charlie, “She didn’t name my parents, just the town she took me from.”
Charlie opened the letter and began reading:
My darling Isabella,
If you’re reading this, then I have lost my battle with cancer. I’m so sorry, dear girl, to be leaving you like this. I know my confession to you was a shock and I am so sorry. I was young and impulsive when I took you, but more than that I was lonely. I had no one in my life who loved me and no prospects of ever finding that love. I wanted something, someone, who would love me unconditionally. Snatching you was a spur of the moment thing and one that has haunted me for the last seventeen years.
All I can tell you, Bella, is that you were born in a town called Forks, Washington, in the month of September. I know nothing about who your parents are, but they must be of native descent, since you’ve always had a darker complexion. That is why I’ve made you bleach out your hair and stay out of the sun. I couldn’t take the chance of someone recognizing you.
Never doubt that I loved you, Bella. You’ve made me so happy all these years. Find your family, my darling, and be happy.
Your loving mother,
Renee
When he was done, Billy and Charlie looked at each other and knew, just by the few clues, that this was absolutely the missing daughter of their friends. Before they could move forward though, Charlie needed some physical proof to present to her parents. He had brought the case file, which contained a copy of the baby’s feet and handprints. He would need to do a comparison before any final conclusions were drawn. Luckily, the local police department had agreed to let him use their facility and their equipment. Several hours later, he and Billy had the proof they needed.
“Bella, how would you feel about coming back to Washington with us? Charlie and I know who your parents are. They’ve never stopped wondering about you.”
“I’m alone here, Mr. Black. While Renee was a decent mother, she was very selfish and childish. I’ve had to grow up very quickly. It would be nice to be taken care of for once.” Bella looked around the only home she had ever known. “I have to ask, Chief Swan, since I wasn’t her daughter and she had technically committed a crime, would her last will and testament even stand up in court? She left everything to me, this house, all of it.”
Charlie wasn’t prepared for such a young woman to ask such an intelligent question. “With her death, Renee’s crime of kidnapping died with her. It will stand in a court of law, because there is no one to contest it.”
“Okay. I would need to pack up my things, donate everything in the house and get it sold. I think that part can be done from Washington though.”
“We can pack up your things and ship them to my house in LaPush, Bella. We’ll ship them priority and they’ll be there when we arrive.”
“I’m sure when they meet me my...uh...my parents will want to see how I grew up. Renee took a lot of pictures and videos of me. I think she always knew something like this would happen.”
“I have to ask, Bella. What about school?”
“Um...I was always ahead in school and skipped a grade. I graduated last year as valedictorian. I had planned to enroll in college when all this happened.”
Both men were incredibly shocked and proud of her. Charlie clapped his hands on his thighs, “Well, how about we order some pizza and get you packed up?”
Bella nodded with a soft smile that reminded Billy so much of her mother. He was anxious to get her home and fill the void which had plagued her family for all these years.
Once they had packed all that Bella wanted to take with her and all the mementos for her real family, they settled around the table and ate some dinner.
“The guest room is ready and one of you could take Renee’s room. I’ve cleaned it up for you.”
“Thank you, Bella, you’re very kind.” Billy smiled and patted her hand. “We’ll take these boxes to the FedEx station in the morning and get you an appointment to sell the house, leaving a way to reach you in Washington.”
“I appreciate all your help. I’m so excited, yet nervous for the next steps. I would like to make one other stop before we leave though. I want to have the bleaching removed from my hair and my natural color brought back.”
Both men agreed and then the three of them turned in for the night. All three knew that the next few days were going to be busy and when they got back to Washington, emotional.
Seventeen years later...
“Forks police department, how may I direct your call?”
Bella hesitated, scared to follow through, but knowing this was the only place she could start.
“Hello? Is someone there?”
Shaking her head, “Yes, I’m sorry. I need to speak with the person in charge, please.”
“And who may I say is calling?” The voice requested.
“My name is Isabella and I have information about a missing child case from your area.”
“One moment.” Bella waited as the horrible elevator music came on, but she didn’t wait long.
A gruff voice sounded in her ear. “Chief Swan, here.”
“Um, yes, sir. My name is Isabella, well Bella, and my mother recently passed away.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, dear. How can I help you?”
Taking a deep breath, Bella started again. “I’m sorry, this is hard for me. Before she died, my mother told me that I...I wasn’t her daughter. She told me she had kidnapped me seventeen years ago...from your town.”
Seventeen years ago Charlie Swan had been a patrolman, just getting comfortable with his job and taking care of his ailing parents. He remembered getting called to the hospital about a missing baby and thinking it was just a mistake. When the child was never found, it became the biggest crime the small town of Forks had ever seen. To date, it remains unsolved.
“Who was your mother, sweetheart?”
“Her name was Renee Higgenbothom. At least that’s what she told me.”
The name didn’t ring any bells for Charlie, but that didn’t mean anything. This woman could have given this girl a fake name. After all, her entire life was a lie.
“Bella, where are you located?”
“Right now I live in Phoenix. If what my mo...what she told me is true, I thought about coming there.”
“I want you to wait on that,” Charlie told her, a plan already forming. “I’m going to come to you, if that’s alright? I’m also going to bring someone with me, as well as the case file and we will talk then. Is that okay with you?”
“Um, sure. Just so you know, I don’t drive. I never had a birth certificate, I now know why, but I was unable to get my license.”
“No problem. Give me your phone number and address. I’ll call you when I’m on my way.” Bella listed off the pertinent details and told him she would wait to hear back.
Once Charlie disconnected, he ran out of his office, got in his patrol car and sped to the reservation. He needed Billy’s advice before he opened this can of worms.
**B**
Bella was preparing for the arrival of the chief of police from Forks, as well as the apparent tribal chief from the local reservation near him. She’d pulled out all the boxes she’d found that Renee had kept while she was growing up. She’d even found the blanket she was wrapped in from the hospital of her birth. She was desperate for answers, to know who she really was and where she came from.
The knock on her door startled her. Smoothing down her clothes and hair, she moved to answer the knock. She took a deep breath before opening it to reveal the two men she hoped would set her on the correct path.
When the door opened, revealing the girl before them, both men gasped. She was the spitting image of her mother, her biological mother.
“Chief Swan?”
Charlie held out his hand to the young woman. “It’s nice to meet you, Isabella.”
“Just Bella,” she said as she took his outstretched hand.
“Well, Bella, this is my friend Billy Black. He’s the tribal chief on the LaPush Reservation, where, if we're right, your birth parents live.”
“Come in, please.” Once they were all inside, Bella bit her lip. “I’m sorry, I’m a little nervous. Can I get the two of you anything?”
“No, dear, thank you.” Billy smiled at the young woman.
“Bella, you said your...Renee, had written you a letter. May I see it?”
Bella reached over on the coffee table and picked up the envelope she had found under her mother’s pillow. Handing it to Charlie, “She didn’t name my parents, just the town she took me from.”
Charlie opened the letter and began reading:
My darling Isabella,
If you’re reading this, then I have lost my battle with cancer. I’m so sorry, dear girl, to be leaving you like this. I know my confession to you was a shock and I am so sorry. I was young and impulsive when I took you, but more than that I was lonely. I had no one in my life who loved me and no prospects of ever finding that love. I wanted something, someone, who would love me unconditionally. Snatching you was a spur of the moment thing and one that has haunted me for the last seventeen years.
All I can tell you, Bella, is that you were born in a town called Forks, Washington, in the month of September. I know nothing about who your parents are, but they must be of native descent, since you’ve always had a darker complexion. That is why I’ve made you bleach out your hair and stay out of the sun. I couldn’t take the chance of someone recognizing you.
Never doubt that I loved you, Bella. You’ve made me so happy all these years. Find your family, my darling, and be happy.
Your loving mother,
Renee
When he was done, Billy and Charlie looked at each other and knew, just by the few clues, that this was absolutely the missing daughter of their friends. Before they could move forward though, Charlie needed some physical proof to present to her parents. He had brought the case file, which contained a copy of the baby’s feet and handprints. He would need to do a comparison before any final conclusions were drawn. Luckily, the local police department had agreed to let him use their facility and their equipment. Several hours later, he and Billy had the proof they needed.
“Bella, how would you feel about coming back to Washington with us? Charlie and I know who your parents are. They’ve never stopped wondering about you.”
“I’m alone here, Mr. Black. While Renee was a decent mother, she was very selfish and childish. I’ve had to grow up very quickly. It would be nice to be taken care of for once.” Bella looked around the only home she had ever known. “I have to ask, Chief Swan, since I wasn’t her daughter and she had technically committed a crime, would her last will and testament even stand up in court? She left everything to me, this house, all of it.”
Charlie wasn’t prepared for such a young woman to ask such an intelligent question. “With her death, Renee’s crime of kidnapping died with her. It will stand in a court of law, because there is no one to contest it.”
“Okay. I would need to pack up my things, donate everything in the house and get it sold. I think that part can be done from Washington though.”
“We can pack up your things and ship them to my house in LaPush, Bella. We’ll ship them priority and they’ll be there when we arrive.”
“I’m sure when they meet me my...uh...my parents will want to see how I grew up. Renee took a lot of pictures and videos of me. I think she always knew something like this would happen.”
“I have to ask, Bella. What about school?”
“Um...I was always ahead in school and skipped a grade. I graduated last year as valedictorian. I had planned to enroll in college when all this happened.”
Both men were incredibly shocked and proud of her. Charlie clapped his hands on his thighs, “Well, how about we order some pizza and get you packed up?”
Bella nodded with a soft smile that reminded Billy so much of her mother. He was anxious to get her home and fill the void which had plagued her family for all these years.
Once they had packed all that Bella wanted to take with her and all the mementos for her real family, they settled around the table and ate some dinner.
“The guest room is ready and one of you could take Renee’s room. I’ve cleaned it up for you.”
“Thank you, Bella, you’re very kind.” Billy smiled and patted her hand. “We’ll take these boxes to the FedEx station in the morning and get you an appointment to sell the house, leaving a way to reach you in Washington.”
“I appreciate all your help. I’m so excited, yet nervous for the next steps. I would like to make one other stop before we leave though. I want to have the bleaching removed from my hair and my natural color brought back.”
Both men agreed and then the three of them turned in for the night. All three knew that the next few days were going to be busy and when they got back to Washington, emotional.