Learning to Love
Chapter 1
Here I was on my way back to Forks.
I didn't think I'd ever move back, but a cheating fiancé will do that to you.
Jasper, my ex fiancé cheated on me with someone who I thought was my best friend Alice, my roommate.
Jasper and I grew up together, he was my brother's best friend and we started dating when he was 16 and I was 14. My parents weren't against it, because we were all together all the time anyways. Edward and Emmett were my brothers, they were twins, although you couldn't tell. Emmett took after dad and Edward after mom. I was a happy mix of both, yet petite like my mom.
Edward and I took after my dad, both going into medicine, while Emmett went onto be a teacher. Edward was a cardiac surgeon and I was a Pediatrician, my dad was Chief of Staff at Forks hospital and was able to secure me a position. Edward has been married for two years to his high-school sweetheart Rose, she owned the local coffee shop/bakery and it had a little apartment over it, they'd renovated it for me, for which I was grateful.
"Sis! So glad to see you!" Emmett smiled as he picked me up and swung me around.
"Can't breathe Emmett." I squealed.
"Sorry. I just missed you so much! A year is too long to go without seeing you." He pouted.
"I know. I'm sorry. Looking back on it I should have seen the signs. I was so stupid." I growled.
"Hey! He had us all fooled. If he shows his face around here, he'll get an ass kicking for sure." Emmett smiled and I shook my head, knowing I wouldn't stop either of my brothers if they wanted to kick Jasper's ass. Hell, I wanted to set fire to Alice and her stupid dressy wardrobe.
"C'mon, everyone is waiting at the Lodge." Emmett grabbed my bag and led me to his Hummer.
When we arrived, everyone was there and it was enough to being me to tears when I saw my mom.
"Awww, its OK sweetie. His loss, not yours. You'll find someone who will treat you, like your father treats me." She smiled and kissed my head.
I wiped my tears and gave everyone a big hug. Rose was last and when I pulled away I looked at her and she smiled shaking her head yes.
"When were you two going to tell me I was going to be an aunt?" I asked with more tears in my eyes.
"We just found out last week for sure and wanted to tell you in person." She smiled and I hugged her again and wished her luck.
We sat and ate, they all asked questions about what had happened in New York, I told them the entire story, and so I wouldn't have to repeat it again.
"He better not show his face here again." Edward said.
"I can't believe Alice had the nerve to do that to you, you were like sisters." My mom spoke up.
"It's OK everyone, really. I was blinded, but I'll know better next time. I just want to throw myself into my work and my family." I smiled and I actually believed what I was saying.
We all stayed at my parents that night, my mom and Rose would take me to the apartment in the morning and then to the store for the finishing touches.
"So Bella, what did you do with the apartment you shared with Jasper." My dad asked.
"Well, since I owned it, I kicked him out, he was pissed. He thought him and Alice would move in there together. I rubbed it in even more by telling him he had 10 days to get out, because I'd already sold the place. He didn't realize I'd known about them for a couple of months. He'd been so wrapped up in Alice that he didn't even worry about me. I had no problem selling it and I sold my car and engagement ring as well." I smiled.
"Good for you! I hope you're going to get something good with that money." Rose smiled.
"Well, I'd like to use a good chunk of it to buy a SUV and save the rest. If you don't mind me staying at the apartment, I'd like to stay there for now and not worry about a house right now." I shrugged.
"Bella! The place is as good as yours! Please! And my employees will love having someone there to cook for first thing in the morning." She laughed.
"Oh really? And who works for you? Anyone I know?" I questioned.
"Yes, Leah and Paul. They got married and are a hoot together. She takes care of the front end and Paul the back. He might look tough, but he makes a mean scone." She smiled.
"Ooohhh… blueberry ones?" I asked.
"The best!" she giggled. "Our bean loves them too!" she beamed.
We all talked for a little while longer before heading to bed.
I was up at first light and headed into my old bathroom to shower and dress for the day.
"Morning baby." My dad smiled at me as I walked into the kitchen.
"Morning dad." I kissed his cheek as he read the paper.
"Anything interesting?" I asked.
"No. This is the Seattle Times anyway. The Forks Journal is all gossip." He smiled.
"So nothing has changed." I laughed.
"No. Oh, don't eat anything. Mom said we're all going to the diner for breakfast." He shrugged.
I nodded and put my bowl back in the cabinet.
"Bells, listen you don't start at the hospital for another week, but I'd like you to come in and meet everyone on Monday and I'll show you around." He said.
"OK, sounds good. Although I think I remember my way around that hospital." I laughed.
"What's so funny?" Edward came up and hugged me.
"Dad wants to show me around the hospital." I smiled.
"Oh yeah, because it's so big. Well, we did get a new wing last year, so that's new." He shrugged.
"I heard, the pediatric wing. I'm excited." I giggled.
"And it'll be all yours." Dad smiled.
"All mine? How? I thought Dr. Carmen was the lead doctor." I questioned.
"She is for now, but she's retiring once she gets you trained." Dad shrugged like it was no big deal. I ran over to him squealing and hugging him.
"I guess you just told her." My mom smiled and hugged me, dad nodding.
"Let's eat, please." Rose grumbled.
"OK, OK… Preggo." Emmett laughed.
"Mom, seriously I don't need you to buy all this stuff." I insisted.
"Hush Bella, you need these items for your home. I want to buy them, you're my baby." My mom cooed as Rose laughed.
"Hush it Rosie." I stuck my tongue out at her and she scowled playfully.
After a day of shopping with my mom and Rose, they took me back to the apartment and although it was small, it was so me.
"Bella, I hope you like the purple I picked out." Rose smiled.
"Oh my! This is beautiful! I love it! It's perfect." I hugged each of them.
"There's also a door that leads to a nice balcony. We put a bistro set out there and a small grill as well." Rose smiled.
"Thank you all so much! I love it. I just need my pictures and books and it will be home." I sighed.
"Well, we'll leave you to unpack. Your kitchen is stocked full and if you're craving sweets, the black key is for the shop, there's leftovers down there and anytime you want to cook anything big, the kitchen is yours to use." Rose hugged me tight.
"Thanks. I appreciate everything you've done for me. Really." I kissed them both.
"Don't forget, your brothers will be here first thing in the morning to take you car shopping." My mom said.
"I know. Emmett reminded me 50 times at least to be downstairs, ready to eat and go." I laughed.
"Oh yes, Emmett can't miss a feeding, Edward can't miss his coffee." Rose laughed too.
We hugged one more time before they left and I set up my place.
By the end of the day I was the proud owner of a Range Rover Evoque in a metallic blue with black interior.
Emmett made sure to get all the bells and whistles, while Edward made sure it had every safety option there was.
We had a great day and I missed spending time with my brothers, they were the greatest.
We ate dinner at a pizza place on the way home and at the last minute Edward declared I needed a proper coat for the rain and cold as well as an emergency kit and other supplies I deemed crazy, but he demanded I have.
We drove to the one trusty store in town to get all those items, Newton's Outfitters. They'd went national a few years back, mainly in the Midwest where these items are needed.
Walking in the bell jingled as always and a voice welcomed us somewhere from the back.
Edward grabbed a cart and started with an emergency kit for the apartment and my SUV. Next were proper shoes for the snow and rain as well as jackets.
Finally Edward deemed we were fully stocked. "Are you sure? I don't want to get stranded with only 5 warming blankets." I joked.
"You won't be laughing when you're stuck on the side of the road in a snow storm, Miss?" a handsome guy walked up and smiled at me with the most wonderfully blue eyes I'd ever seen.
"Miss Cullen." Emmett walked up and put his arm around me.
"Oh, when did you get hitched man? Congrats!" the handsome stranger smiled genuinely at Emmett.
"Not Mrs. Cullen, Mike! Miss… This is Bella." Emmett laughed, as did Edward.
"Oh! Wow, I haven't seen you since your brothers and I graduated. You're not a teenager anymore." He smiled.
"No. She isn't. But she is coming out of a difficult relationship." Edward replied.
"Oh, sorry to hear that." Mike said honestly.
"Yeah, you remember Whitlock, right?" Emmett snarled.
"Of course! He took us to the championship in baseball all four years." Mike smiled at the memory.
"Yeah well they were engaged and he fucked her best friend." Emmett fumed.
"Emmett! Damn it!" I snapped and walked out the door. I sat on the bench in front of the store trying to calm myself.
"Sis. I'm sorry. You know how I get sometimes. He pissed me off and I want to hurt him, for hurting you." Emmett hugged me tight.
"I know Em, but please let me tell my story when I'm ready." I sighed.
"Deal." He grabbed my hand and shook it.
"OK, you and Edward bring all the stuff over, since it's only a block away." I smiled to let him know all is well and he agreed, telling me they'd be there in a few minutes.
I awoke the next morning with a smile on my face and a spring in my step.
I was happy to be home, not realizing how much I'd actually missed it here. I didn't belong in New York, I was a small town girl and I loved it here.
"Good morning!" Rose smiled as I entered through the kitchen.
"Good morning to you too." I smiled.
"Paul, Leah this is Bella. She'll be living upstairs and visiting you quite frequently. She's also the new pediatrician in town." Rose beamed.
"Nice to meet you." Leah shook my hand and Paul nodded, seeing he was covered in flour that was a good thing.
"I'll try not to be a bother in the mornings or whenever. I'm not sure of my schedule yet, so I might be coming to bed as you're coming into work." I acknowledged.
"No worries. We enjoy the company and Rose told us you love blueberry scones, there's a fresh plate waiting for you with fresh coffee as well." Paul smiled and I thanked them both as Rose and I went to enjoy some quiet time.
"So I hear you have a suitor already." Rose smiled.
"What? What are you talking about?" I asked confused.
"Edward said that Mike Newton was quite taken with you last night." She wiggled her eyebrows.
"Ugh! Rose. I just got out of a relationship, I don't need another." I rolled my eyes.
"How many guys have you had sex with?" she asked out of the blue.
"What? What's that got to do with Mike?" I asked.
"Don't you want to know what sex is like with someone else?" she asked.
"I've never thought about it. What about you? Have you wanted to know?" I asked.
"I do know." She smiled.
"What?! You cheated on my brother?" I whisper-yelled, getting seriously pissed off.
"Chill out little sis. I lost my virginity in middle school. And yeah it wasn't great. It got a little better the more we did it, but when I had sex with Edward the first time, I knew there'd never be another. The way he made me c…"she was rambling now.
"Stop, stop, stop!" I covered my ears and she laughed.
"Sorry. He's just that good." She shrugged.
"Good, good. Nice. Keep it to yourself." I made a gagging noise.
As we sat there talking her first customer of the day walked in and it was Mike Newton, smiling a big smile, .Me.
AN:
I hope you enjoy this new story…
I don't usually write Mike and Bella stories, but this one just came to me…
Reviews=Love!