Hello Readers,
I've been a huge Twilight fan since forever ago and I have absorbed numerous twilight fan fic as well. This is my first story and I'm really excited because I finally gathered the courage to post it. I'm not going to ask for reviews just do it if you want to and I hope you enjoy this first chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, it's character, or anything regarding Twilight.
Thanks!
Chapter 1
Grants and Nerves
There was a wet sensation on her cheek and neck that jolted her from a comfortable sleep. When she stretched her arm to remove the slobbering animal from her bed, her furry friend pounced back and almost knocked over her nightstand.
She turned and glanced at the alarm clock, 6:15 am. There was still an hour before the buzzer would actually go off. She turned again, her attention caught by her four-legged friend. He was sitting waiting for her next move. Knowing resistance was futile she got up heading towards the kitchen, making sure Emmett was following her. The dog watched while his owner served him breakfast, wagging his tail patiently before digging in.
Her dog fed, and having started the coffee pot, she made her way to the shower. Growing up with environmentally friendly parents, her showers never ran longer than 15 minutes. "Gotta do our part," her mother always said.
She had a routine for everything, and the her time in the bathroom was no exception. Soak in the water for a minute, wash her hair, wash it again, clean her body, soak in the water and get out. She'd brush her teeth, put in her leave-in conditioner, comb her hair, dry her body, put on lotion, dress, eat, and start her day.
Her house lay on top of a small mound, her business lay just at the bottom of it, about half a mile from her home. She made her way down the dirt path with Emmett right behind her. Despite her best efforts she couldn't make the knot in her stomach disappear. Today would be one of those days where her routine would be skewed.
Her stress level would be high and the earlier than normal wake up call already put her a little on edge. She stopped at the end of the dirt path and tried to summon the courage to make it through the day. This wasn't for or about her. This is was about them. So she walked on.
There were 5 additional buildings on her property; one that housed the dogs, one where the cats stayed, the third one (and largest) for the occasional exotic or non-domesticated animals. Currently, it housed 3 chickens and a wounded rabbit she had stumbled across on one of her walks with the dogs. The fourth was a more like a shack where anything the animals needed was kept. Everything was kept there, their bowls, food, toys, leashes, cleaning supplies, and anything else the animals might need. They also kept supplies they sold to customers there. The last was an office where, Lauren, the receptionist/assistant worked.
She made her way to the shack, grabbing the dogs bowls and food hauling them to the first building. She went to the side of the building, hosed down the bowls, getting rid of any dust that may have gathered overnight. She placed them on the ground letting them dry before pouring the food in.
She walked back to the first building and opened the door noticing that only half of the dogs were awake and the other half began to stir with her presence. She had forgotten that Emmett had woken up early. She let them out, and seventeen tails made their way towards their bowls. Emmett trailed behind them waiting for his friends to finish before playtime began.
Back inside the canines home, she pushed back the curtains and opened the four windows letting in fresh air. She grabbed the dogs beds took each one outside to dust off before placing them back inside. Her arms were a little tired by the time she was done. The dogs were already roaming around so she washed off their bowls and took them back to the shack. She dragged their large water bowl filling it halfway, knowing it would last the dogs until noon. She grabbed the broom from the shack and swept the canines home before setting out the dog beds again.
The cats were all asleep so it was easy for her to place their bowls near the door of their home. She headed to the back of the feline home cleaning the litter box and throwing the trash away. Again, like she had done with the dogs, she pulled back the curtain and opened the windows letting in fresh air. She left the door open, like she had done with the dogs, but she knew it would be a while before she would see one out in the open.
As she was making her way to the last of the animals when she saw the tell-tale red Honda Civic pull up to the gate. There was no actual parking lot but in front of the office there was an open area where visitors and staff parked. Before Rosalie was fully outside of the car Emmett jumped on her and the beautiful blond happily accepted his wet kisses.
"Good morning!" Rosalie greeted the dog. Emmett in reply kept slobbering over her face.
"Good morning Bella," Rosalie yelled from a distance. Emmett finally settled down and returned to the rest of the canines.
"Good morning," Bella replied in a soft voice.
Rosalie made her way to the shack to gather the pain pills for the rabbit and the broom, noting that Bella was already carrying the chicken and rabbit feed. As Bella fed the animals, Rosalie swept around her opening the windows and giving the rabbit its medication. She returned to the shack grabbing the water container and water for the third building.
Rosalie had learned long ago that her boss was a woman of few words. Bella was sweet-nature d and kind to everyone, but rarely made the effort to strike up conversation. For the most part Bella worked in silence. Directing when necessary, but by now the staff knew what to do.
As the two women made their way towards the office. They saw Lauren and Taylor pulling in. Rosalie made herself comfortable on one of the chairs in the backroom. They waited for the remaining staff members to join them. Lauren and Taylor walked in the office, grabbing cups of coffee from the kitchen and settling down exchanging pleasantries and small talk. After a few minutes Angela walked in followed by Eric.
"The Port Angeles shelter is sending over 15 canines and 12 felines today. They should be here by 10 and the open adoption starts at 11. Taylor, Rosalie, please take care of the dogs. Eric, the cats please. Lauren and Angela set up, Jessica will help you later. She should be here by 10 as well. Jessica, and I will be doing rounds when the people come. Rosalie and Lauren please help the people and Jessica, Angela, and Eric answer any questions please. We should take the dogs for a walk right now so they aren't as excited and riled up later. Taylor, Rosalie do that first at least half an hour. I picked up the fresh laundered towels yesterday and they should be in the shack for their baths. " Bella stumbled and mumbled her words. Her voice soft and small, avoiding eye contact.
"Okay, Lauren?" Bella turned to her assistant.
"We got 60 confirmations, but of course some people don't show up so I'm thinking about 35-45. Plus we have road signs and posters all over the neighboring towns so there's a chance we can get 10 more from that. And lastly, the local news station should be here when we open and we could get an adoption or two from there," Lauren replied looking down at a paper in front of her.
"Rosalie, can you speak to the news?" Bella asked timidly.
"Do we know the ages of the animals we're getting from the shelters?" Eric asked.
"Lauren?" Bella directed the question at her assistant again.
"Half of the felines are kittens, but I wouldn't be able to tell you about the canines. It's almost Christmas and adoptions rise during the holidays. I'm sure they'll bring over puppies as well."
"Good, do you mind if I get choose a baby for my niece she's turning 7 and wants a puppy for Christmas?" The young man asked Bella, hoping he hadn't overstepped his boundaries.
"Sure. It will be safe with you."
The rest of the staff nodded their understanding. Adopting an animal was easy, no background checks were required, and while most people that were willing to pay to adopt an animal seemed kind, one never knew. Bella sometimes worried about the homes she was sending her animals to, especially if she had formed an attachment. She always prayed for the best.
"Questions?"
With no objections from her staff she thanked them all for coming in to work on a Saturday and let them go on with their day.
Eric followed Bella to the second building where most of the cats were awake and stretching. Their bowls had been emptied so she cleaned up the mess, Eric picked up Shadow, a young cat who had been dropped off by a man who'd almost run him over and carried him to the shower room on the right side of the feline home. She could hear the water running and the cat crying making his displeasure known. Bella picked up Kathy, an orange tabby named after Kathy Griffith. She struggled to cut the cats nails and handed her to Eric for her bath. In return, he handed over Shadow to Bella so that she could cut his nails.
Bella left Eric to finish the last cat when the Port Angeles animal shelter van arrived, early. She greeted the men who came to drop off the animals and called over Eric and to help bring them in to the right home.
"Have they been bathed and fed?" Bella asked.
"Bathed not that I'm aware of but they have been fed, here's there information. Do you need anything else?" The first man said.
"No, thank you."
Bella and the rest of the staff spent the next hour cleaning the dogs, and cats, leaving the young babies alone. Setting up the small enclosures so all the animals were on display. By the time the perspective parents arrived the staff was exhausted.
Rosalie spoke with the news reporter. Families arrived and began to look around. Bella tried her best to not bump into people. She'd let her staff handle them, while she cared for those who couldn't speak. As it was, adoption days were her most stressful days of the year. She talked more today than she did the rest of the year combined.
For the next four hours, Bella entertained the animals and fed them treats keeping them calm. Relaxing them, or at least trying to, creating a nice atmosphere for them instead of the hectic mess it actually was. By the time all the families left most of the animals had left with them.
"That's the last of them," Lauren said as a blue sedan drove away.
"Good, I'm starving," Taylor grunted, patting his stomach.
"Let's clean up so we can all eat," Rosalie added.
They split up the work. The animals that weren't adopted were returned to their homes. Food was laid out for them again to keep them entertained. The enclosures were put away, the help table was taken down, and the paperwork was filed. Bella was picking up whatever trash was left behind and picked up what the animals left behind as well.
It was almost five when everything was done. The animals were allowed to roam the premises again and Bella was happy that most had found a home.
The entire staff reconvened in the kitchen area inside the office enjoying the pizza that Bella had bought them for a job well done. She looked over the paperwork and the receipts Lauren had handed her. After everyone had finished she looked towards Lauren so that they may get the tally of the adoptions.
"We've managed to get 42 animals adopted today. So give yourselves a round of applause for that," Lauren began. She let the applause die down before starting again. "That being said we still are taking care of 3 chickens, a rabbit, 5 dogs, and 7 cats. All the babies were adopted and Eric will be taking care of that sweet little girl he's holding." Eric lifted the puppy in his arms a little.
"Bella wants to let the rabbit free. It was free before when she found it and it should return to its home in the woods. Does anyone have any objection?" There were none so she continued. "Good." Lauren finished and sat down next to Bella.
"Lauren call the shelters tomorrow," she stated. They needed to fill the now vacant spots.
She waited until everyone had to make a quick call.
"Hello Michael," she stated.
"Hello Isabella," The voice in the phone answered. " I still have you scheduled at 8, so please stop by then and bring the documents from tonight."
"I will," she stated.
"I'll see you soon." Michael replied.
"Okay." She ended the call wanting to get off the phone.
Bella played with the dogs for half an hour until Ben and James showed up for the night shifts. She bid them a good night and made her way home with Emmett.
She fed him his last bowl of the day and left him to shower before meeting Michael. It felt nice to wash the stress off her body. She almost considered staying home but knew she had to drop off the paperwork.
Bella dressed quickly knowing she was short on time. She ran to her red pick up and made the ten minute drive to her accountants office. Not surprisingly, he was already there. She knocked on the door softly, opening it when his voice gave her the confirmation.
"Welcome, Isabella. Please take a seat."
"Thank you."
"So another successful adoption," Michael prompted.
"Yes, the documents," Bella said, handing over the paperwork.
"Perfect. I'll deposit the money into your account tomorrow. The grant and donation money should be in by the end of January."
"Okay."
"I'll email Lauren. By the way I was going to email Lauren tomorrow, but I might as well tell you now. I've heard back from the Cullen Enterprise. They're willing to make $150,000 donation."
"Really!" Bella asked, not able to contain her enthusiasm.
"The head of their charity foundation contacted me. They have a few stipulations, Cullen Enterprise takes a different approach when it comes to charities," he stated.
"Yes?" she asked. Hoping it wouldn't be something extravagant.
"The head of HR at Cullen Enterprise wants to meet with you and take a tour of the grounds."
She was stumped. It wasn't abnormal for a donor to ask questions about the animal rescue she lead, but never had a donor sent someone to Forks to actually see the grounds, much less the head of anything.
"Okay."
"Great, I'll set it up and let Lauren know."
"Sure."
"I think we've covered everything. Just have Lauren email me the list of animals you've had at your rescue shelter this past year so I can include it in your taxes."
"I will."
Bella left the office feeling a little anxious. The donation from Cullen Enterprise would be incredibly beneficial. She knew that most people considered her odd, mousy even. Bella didn't tend to leave a memorable impression and it scared her to think that she may be the reason the rescue shelter lost a potential grant.