2,262Summary: In the early 1950s, Bella moves to Chicago with her socialite mother in search for a better situation. Bella, who has reached the final stages of her teenage years, finds it hard to live in the shadow of her husband hunting mother who is feeling increasingly threatened as her beautiful daughter grows up. On their first night in the new city, Bella meets a mysterious and older man who starts a fire in her heart that she can't seem to ignore. As Bella lusts after Edward, so does her mother who sees dollar signs instead of a man. Will Bella flourish in the city at her young age, or will she drown into the sea of people the city holds?
Disclaimer: All character's belong to Stephenie Meyer, so no copy right is intended. I was just having a bit of fun :).
Warning: Bella is rather young in this story (seventeen years old) and Edward is in his late thirties, so if that is something that could possibly bother you, I would suggest not reading, although I would really like you too! There will be eventually lemons between the two characters, and I will defiantly warn you when it is about to get M-rated. I'm 22 writing this and have always dated older men (not old enough to be my dad, but still older) so it doesn't bother me as much I suppose.
Also, I've have been writing on fanfiction for about a month so please review! :) Enjoy…
My mother was beautiful. Her face surpassed the tests of time and her smile was magnetic, causing her to look much younger than her forty-two years. After my father died, her smile wavered. I was too young to fully grasp her devastation, but not too young to understand the gravity of the situation. He was buried and my mother was lost.
I had always been the awkward, gangly sort of thing that was a constant presence in my mother's shadows. After my father died, we left the farm behind in my mother's efforts at giving me a better life. But truly, I believe she merely wanted a better life for herself.
In the city I was under the constant watch of a nanny's eye as my mother became more cultured, spending time with countless men and countless bottles of liquor. She believed me to be naïve, too young to pick up on her erratic behavior, but I did. How could I not, considering the way she flaunted her life choices in front of my face. She remarried before I hit puberty to a man who was wealthy and distant. When I first laid eyes on him I was astounded by her choice of husband, for he was so different from my father, so different than any man I pictured her with.
Mother's husband was greying and strict. Wealthy enough to win any woman's heart while at the same time lacking a heart himself. Mother did her best to please him, but their marriage ended in a messy divorce two measly years later. Although I thought the situation horrid, mother considered it to be a great success. She now received large checks in the mail every month to support her lifestyle after the divorce. I did not understand my mother, but I loved her all the same.
On my seventeenth birthday, mother had afforded to move to a grand house in the city. Outside the hustle and bustle of the skyscraper buildings, loud automobiles, and a melting pot of faces laid our new estate. It was white and grand and I scarcely knew how mother afforded the living. When we first pulled into the gravel driveway leading to the estate, I laughed aloud thinking my mother must truly be joking. For it was much too big for two women own their own, with three tall stories and a marble finish that proved to be out of our price range.
"Mother, is this where we are to live," I questioned, mouth agape in shock.
"Bella, close your mouth, you look like a trout," she reprimanded, although her tone was teasing and pleasant, "Of course this is our new house. Would I show you the house of a stranger?"
"But mother, how are we to afford this," I asked, pulling my sunglasses down my nose to give the estate a better look.
"Your mother has her ways Bella. Now get out, I would love to give you a tour," mother exclaimed, pushing her driver's door open and stepping out onto the graveled entrance.
Mother was happy that day, ecstatic even. I could remember the look on her attractive features even now, as she stepped into the shaded entry way with her red pumps, Dior pencil skirt, and tailored sweater that emphasized her small waist drawn in by a set of slimming knickers. She looked flawless and incandescently happy. I couldn't help but find her happiness contagious, and soon I was smiling too.
Stepping out of mother's automobile in my sneakers, and the sweater and full skirt mother insisted on me wearing, I followed closely behind as she made her way to our new home. The gardens had been tended to and the home was surrounded by rhododendron and azalea, which created a pleasant smell I could never forget. The height of the home was daunting compared to our living situations in the past. My father would scorn such a house, being much too grand for his simple tastes, my mother on the hand enjoyed flaunting her new money for all that cared to see.
The tall azure doors opened to an astonishing marble entryway, which was as ivory as the home's exterior. There was a large staircase that stood before me, domineering over the home's entry way in all of its glory. Mother, showed me around the bottom floor, which consisted of dark oak hardwood floors and furniture that illustrated mother's perfect taste.
"Shall I take you upstairs and show you your bedroom now Bella," mother questioned as we neared the large staircase.
"I would like that very much," I replied, impressed by the elegance of the home mother had chosen.
Ascending the staircase after her mother, I was met by the sight of a beautiful loft with a drawing table holding a variety of mediums. "Is this for me," I gasped, walking toward the table to run my fingers over the various pencils and paints.
"I saw you eyeing in a catalog recently," mother said, her voice showing that she felt quite proud of herself for choosing such a remarkable and thoughtful gift.
"I love it mother," I exclaimed, running into her open arms.
Even in my older teenage years I appreciated the comfort of my mother's embrace. Grasping my face in her hands she said, "You are turning out to be quite the beautiful young lady."
I blushed at her words, knowing that I was indeed a good improvement from my early years of wobbly knees and gangly arms. I had grown into a pleasing and curvaceous figure, looking like a younger version of my mother. But, perhaps, less put together than she.
Mother showed me to my room, which she had worked with a decorator to find the perfect décor for the large space. I was impressed by the large oak bookshelves that stood high against my walls, hoping to fill them with books as soon as possible.
"How would you like to go into town tonight," mother suggested, "There is a wonderful Italian place in the city I think you will love."
"That sounds fine mother," I smiled as I sat down on my bed to test the mattress.
"Wonderful," mother gushed, "I shall let you borrow one of my dresses. I know you are bustier than me, but I believe we can make it work Bella. For I can't allow my daughter to go out with me dressed so plain," mother teased as she rose from the bed.
"I would appreciate that mother," I replied, knowing that she was merely trying to be nice and not insult my "sweater girl" style.
"It is settled then," she smiled, "I shall let you borrow my red dress, but you can wear your sweater darling, I don't want the men around here to get the wrong idea," she winked before leaving.
I knew that was not why she wanted me covered up. Truly, she did not enjoy being outshined by her young daughter. I had recently begun to notice how cold she could treat me when I had received a man's notice. She had grown so used to being the only desirable one, now I fear she felt old next to me, for she would cut me down on occasion. At first I would retreat to my room and cry, now I merely shook it off, fearing that her callous actions were a product of jealously.
My mother being a husband hunter and an incurable romantic, I wondered if I was a nuisance on my mother's life. In times where we were alone, everything was perfect between us, but the moment we stepped out into the city and society life she transformed into a different person. Father would scarcely recognize her now and perhaps it is good that he is not here to see her.
Gazing around my room, I awaited my mother with her options for my wardrobe change. Since we were new to this city's society, I knew she would want to impress the best she could, even if that meant parading around to fancy high-end restaurants with her teenage daughter to earn attention.
"What do you think about this selection Bella," mother said as she rushed back into my room with a red dress with a hobble skirt.
"I love it," I remarked honestly, reaching to feel the soft chiffon in my hand.
"I think it shall fit you nicely," she remarked, "plus it has a low bust to accommodate for your endowments," she teased.
"It will do well mother, thank you," I said, taking the dress away from her to hold it up to my figure, "What shall you wear mother?"
"Oh nothing too fancy," she commented. I had to suppress rolling my eyes at her, knowing full well she would but on her nicest dress to venture into the city for the first time.
She left me to change, which I quickly did, feeling perfectly well ridding my body of the tulle skirt my mother bought. Sliding into my mother's chiffon dress, I could defiantly appreciate what it did to my figure, that and the waist knickers my mother bought me. Covering up my bust by pulling on my black sweater, I looked in a mirror in my bathroom to access my appearance.
Although it was my birthday, I neither looked nor felt older. My hair was in a high pony, which I released to avoid another headache, letting my brunette hair cascade along my back. My eyes were large and brown, being the focus of my pale heart-shaped face. I felt rather pretty, not like the plain little girl I used to feel like next to my socialite mother. In that moment, my mother came back into my room looking as beautiful as ever. She pulled out all the stops in her lovely gold evening dress that had a large designer price tag to illustrate her wealth.
"You look beautiful mother," I smiled, taking in her flashy appearance.
"So do you my little Bella," she said, placing a kiss on my cheek, "I called a taxi and they shall be here any minute. Are you ready to go?"
I nodded and followed her out of my room and down the stairs. As we awaited the taxi, mother put her signature Chanel lip color on her lips, before much to my surprise, she handed it to me.
"Since you're practically a woman now, I think you can wear a darker colored lipstick," she commented as she handed me her crimson shade of Chanel.
"Thanks mother," I said as I turned to the hallway mirror to add color to my pale pink lips.
"My daughter is gorgeous," mother complimented as she slide the lipstick back into her clutch.
"Why can't we take your car tonight," I asked as the taxi honked its horn.
"Well Bella you obviously haven't seen the city traffic," mother laughed as she led me outside, "I heard it is horrid."
I had never seen the city in person, I had only seen pictures of it in Look magazine. Our ride into the city consisted of me gazing out of the window at the hustle and bustle of the busy city. The streets were littered with automobiles and the sidewalks were crowed with people, men in suits, women in full skirts with shopping bags at their sides. I stared up at the flashing lights of various signs looking like stars against the colorful night sky. It was not like any city I have seen before and I couldn't tear my eyes away from its beauty. This city felt like a fresh start, like the beginning to a new life.
The taxi stopped outside of Colosimo's, which my mother said was very popular despite its harsh time over the past decade. Not being quite sure what she meant, I trusted her and followed her into the restaurant, which was packed to its maximum capacity.
"Reservation for Swan," mother said in a sultry voice to the restaurant's house, a young man whom she batted her eye lashes at.
"Mrs. Swan," the host smiled at my mother, "right this way."
He ushered us to a small both in the restaurants corner, gazing down at my mother's cleavage with she generously displayed for him. "Your waiter shall be right with you," he said, smiling at us both.
"He seemed nice," my mother smiled as she looked at the wine menu.
I rolled my eyes at her and gazed around the crowded room. It consisted of many men and women on dates, engaging over passionate conversations over expensive bottles of wine. That was when I noticed him, the one man who sat alone at a central table with a cigarette between his lips.
Once I gazed upon his devastatingly handsome face, I could not look away. He sat at his table with a bottle of wine and a meal he had not touched. His expression was dark and mysterious, making him look like danger from yards away. He had a strong jaw that had attractive stubble and piercing emerald eyes that gazed around the room in boredom. His cigarette hung between his attractive lips, which looked soft even at my distance from him. He looked much older than me, perhaps in his late thirties, or early forties, for his penny colored hair that was at disarray was slightly greying.
I felt shameless as I continued to watch him. Fascinated by the man I did not know. Then, out of nowhere, he locked his attractive eyes with mine as if he knew I was watching him. My cheeks heated as he looked at me with an unreadable expression. Realizing I was still staring, I ducked my head down and looked away. My stomach filled with butterflies as this mysterious man plagued my thoughts.
A/N: I love the 1950s and I love this city, so I was inspired to do a story about it! I've been on this site for a little over a month and have only been writing for a few months longer than that, so this is the first time I am attempting to do something in first person. I really hope you enjoy… and in case you have not guess, this mysterious man is Edward :). Hope you enjoy! Please review, I love hearing what you guys have to say!