Dad and I were waiting in Seattle airport for our luggage, when I saw my huge black duffle bag slowly approaching around the conveyor belt.
"Here let me get that for you," Dad chirped stepping towards the bag.
"It's fine, I've got it," I replied trying to lift it off the belt. I gave it a strained tug but it refused to budge.
"Sorry, oh sorry. Sorry," I apologised as I started to walk into people who were patiently waiting for their own luggage.
I heard Dad's laughter behind me. "Here", he said picking the bag up with ease.
"Oh, there's the rest of them." I turned to see three other large suitcases making their way around the belt. I decided to step back and let Dad do the heavy lifting.
Aunt Sue was waiting for us at the entrance of the airport and waved frantically as we appeared from the airport's arrival door. Dad rushed over to give her a big hug. It was the first time we had seen her since Dad's brother, Uncle Harry had died and since my own Mum had died.
"Liv, come over here girl," she called out to me with a huge smile across her face.
I gave her a big grin back and hopped over to her. She gave me a big squeeze. "It's so good to see you two. Gosh, it must have been what, two years since you were last here?"
"Three years, Aunt Sue." I corrected her
"Oh, that long? At least this time you are staying for good," she beamed wiping tears from her eyes. "Liv, Oh wow let me look at you."
She put a hand on each of my shoulders and looked me up and down. "Well haven't you blossomed, you're gorgeous. God, you look so much like your mother."
I gave a sad smile and looked down at my feet. There was a brief moment of silence as no one quite knew what to say.
"How you holding up Sue?" Dad asked, with a more concerned look on his face.
"Ohh, just fine. You know me." She said putting her arm around him.
"Come on you two, let's get going. How were the flights?" she said grabbing my hand and leading me towards the exit.
We left the airport and headed over to her car. I struggled once again to lift the heavy bags which contained our lives from England into the boot. Dad just rolled his eyes and laughed as he finally stepped in to lift the cases up.
Dad and Aunt Sue couldn't stop talking as we made our way to Forks.
It was just like being back here three years ago, when we used to visit for Christmas and in the Summer. Except this time, we were staying permanently.
I sighed as I stared out the window. I was looking forward to seeing Leah the most. I had been close to her in the past, but she never called or emailed anymore. Aunt Sue had told me her fiancé, Sam, had left her for her other cousin Emily and she just hadn't been the same since. I remember always being a little jealous at how much they loved each other. I couldn't imagine him with anyone else.
"Liv?" I head Aunt Sue say.
"Huh." I said as I awoke from my daydream.
"How have you been? You got any gossip for me? School?... Boys?" She asked inquisitively whilst looking at me through her mirror.
I chuckled, typical Aunt Sue, always wanting the gossip. "I couldn't possibly reveal my love life in front of Dad."
"Oh, come on," she teased. I heard my Dad starting to hum loudly.
"Sorry to disappoint Aunt Sue, but to be honest there's nothing really interesting to tell." Which was the truth.
"Hmmm. If you say so". She gave me slow wink and whispered, "you can just tell me later."
We had just turned left off a junction into a very bleak and familiar looking town when Aunt Sue bellowed, "Look we're nearly here. Oh, I can't wait for you two to officially meet Charlie. David, you both like beer, football and fishing, you're going to get along just fine."
"Well he can't be that bad if you have kept him around," Dad said firmly.
We were going to be staying with Aunt Sue and Charlie for a bit until we fixed up and decorated the house Dad had bought for us to move into. I had only seen photos and it look like it needed a lot of fixing up. Dad loves his projects though and it would keep him busy and his mind off everything that had happened in the last few years.
When we arrived, Dad took the bags out the car and I took the easy job of wheeling them into the house.
"Hey, can I give you a hand there?" a male voice said.
I looked up, "oh no thanks I can handle it. I'm Liv - you must be Charlie?"
"That's me. Pleased to meet ya'. Sue has been talking about you and your Pops no stop."
"That's our Aunt Sue," I smirked.
"Make yourself at home, you're in my daughter Bella's old room. First floor can't miss it. I'll just go and see if your Dad and Sue want a hand with the rest of the stuff," Charlie nodded, as he walked out of the front door.
I had remembered seeing Charlie with Billy and Uncle Harry one of Summer we had been over here. He was a straight to the point kind of guy, but seemed nice enough.
I stepped back outside and saw Dad, Sue and Charlie in the garage. It looked like they were examining fishing rods or something similar. I rolled my eyes. I think that was the only reason Dad wanted to come over here so he could go fishing with a buddy all year round.
As all the bags had been brought in the house I decided to go upstairs and unpack. I figured the smaller room with the purple bedding folded neatly on a chair, fairy lights and photos on the wall would probably be Bella's room.
I had just finished making the bed and putting some of my clothes away when I heard someone's heavy feet walking up the stairs. I didn't recognise the sound as Dad's and they were too heavy to be Aunt Sue's. As I turned around I barely recognised the figure in front of me. He was very tall, muscular and shirtless. Before I could say anything, he spoke in a deep voice. "Liv, what you so long."
Now I knew who it was. Embry. Wow had he changed. I mean I had always had a crush on Embry even when we were very young, but back then he was much shorter and a little bit scrawny. Now, he must have been at least 6ft5 with shoulders that barely fit through the door. It felt like we had been standing in silence, staring at one another for minutes, until I finally broke away shaking my head and put my hands on my hips.
"Wow Embry, look at you wandering around half naked. Dude, when did you start taking steroids? You know I hear they make your manhood shrink," I teased playfully.
Embry said nothing as the expression on his face changed. His smile had faded and he was frowning.
"Hey, Embry." I said waving my hand in front of his face, slightly concerned at his change in expression. What if he didn't like what he saw? He shook his head and looked at me again, planting a smile back on his face.
"Oh shut up you and give me a hug," he chuckled as he put his big arms around me. I put my hands around his waist, buried my head in his chest, and took in his smell which reminded me of the forest and most importantly home. At least something about him had not changed. I hadn't realised how much I had missed him these past few years until now.
"When did you get here, you didn't call? I just saw your Dad as I was… well as I was walking through," he said as we parted.
"I pretty much just got here now. Missed me that much have you?" I cooed, whilst I went over to sit on the bed.
He laughed as he leapt onto the bed next to me and lay down. "You wish 'O-Livia'. Nah I'm just glad your back. Don't go reading too much into that though."
I turned to look at his face and my eyes met his familiar big warm brown eyes. Despite turning from a boy into a man he still had those cute little dimples on either side of his mouth as he smiled.
"Well hopefully I'll be staying for a lot longer this time. Although, I'm not so sure. It looks just as miserable here as it does in England." I paused staring out the window.
"Well tomorrow evening I could take you out for some dinner to change your mind? I- I mean, well, only if you want to. Just as friends, you know." He stuttered as I watched his face turn a light shade of pink.
"Hmm. Well of course I'm a very busy person, but, I suppose I could fit you in for a couple of hours," I taunted, trying not to giggle as he started to look annoyed.
"Yeh, yeh, yeh. I guess you'll want to see some of your family first. Seth has been going on about you coming up for months."
Despite not having any siblings of my own, Seth was always like a little brother to me. His excitability and childlike nature would always cheer me up.
"How is everyone anyway, Seth, Leah, Sam, Jared, the 'La Push' crew?" I asked. "I haven't heard much from you over the past couple of years."
Embry shuffled on the bed looking a little uncomfortable. "Yea, sorry Liv. These past few years have been… well… challenging. Me, Jacob, Quill, Seth and Leah sort of chill together often at the Cullens' place. But we still see Sam and that around."
"Oh I see. You always all seemed pretty close whenever I spoke to you." I asked puzzlingly. "Also, the Cullens?"
"Yeh, you know Carlisle the doctor who works in Forks. Charlie's daughter, Bella, married Carlisle's son Edward and they have a kid Nessie. Jacob is pretty attached to Nessie so we often chill round there," he said.
I briefly remembered Carlisle Cullen as he had once treated me when I was younger when I came into hospital with a broken foot. I blame Leah for that, making me climb a tree when she knew I was scared of heights.
Before I could ask him anything else, Embry sat up and said, "Liv I just want to say in person, I'm sorry about your Mom. She was real special, we all loved her. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you." He placed his hand on my cheek and turned my face to look at him.
"Yea cancer sucks." I had meant to say it with conviction, but it came out as more of a croaked whisper.
"I'll always be here for you now," he said softly.
As I looked into his eyes I saw they were filled with sadness and genuine concern.
"Anyway, enough of this talk. She would be happy that we have moved to Forks," I said perkily.
There was a short silence between us and I felt Embry put his arms around me and pull me next to him on the bed. "Yes, and at least this time you won't be leaving me," he whispered as he pulled my head into his chest. I closed my eyes as I felt the warmth from his body radiate on to me. Although his skin started to feel uncomfortably hot, in that moment I felt the safest and happiest I had in years.
It was also in that moment that our silence was broken by an unnerving sound.
Aaaaaaa-oooooooohhhhhhhhhh.