What is she doing? I thought, she had already taken half an hour in the shower and was now taking an hour to get dressed, if she didn't hurry, we'd leave without her, I shifted Mary in my arms, "Mummy" she said, I looked down at her, "why do we have to go?" I smiled, she was so cute, with her white dress and a red ribbon tied in her hair, her locket hung around her neck, I sat her on the lounge and clipped her sandals up, "I don't want to go" she said and looked down at the floor, I lifted her chin up to face me, "don't you want to go and meet Grandpa?" I asked, "We're going to see Granpa" she said, "GranDpa" I said emphasizing the D.
Finally Luce came out of the shower; she was dressed in a light pink skirt and a aqua blue shirt, she went to find shoes, I put Mary down on the floor, "aunty Luce" she said as she followed Luce into her room, I walked into my room, I could hear Mary asking a question, but I couldn't actually hear what was said, she was so mature for a three year old. I did a quick look through my carry bag, wallet, address book/ phonebook and passports for Mary and I, Romeo and Juliet for me to read, my I-pod and a mobile phone, as well as a jacket. I checked Mary's carry on bag, her favourite book, jacket, a soft toy, it was a toy wolf with soft plush fur, Mary had insisted on having it when she was a baby, she even named it howl. I put a tag that had Mary's name and my phone number as well as Charlie's address on it in her bag.
I turned and had a look at myself in the mirror, I was wearing jeans and a light blue blouse, around my neck was a locket I'd bought, it has a picture of Mary in one side and a photo of Charlie, Billy and Jake bunched up together outside Charlie's place in the other side. I ran a brush through my hair and put that and a make-up compact in my bag as well.
Chapter two- flight and landing
We waited in line to board the plane while our passports and tickets were checked, we moved forward, we were going in next, I shifted the passports and tickets into my right hand, the woman at the entry way checked ours and we walked into the plane, just behind us was Luce, The flight attendant checked our tickets, C22-23, we walked down the aisle and sat in our seats, Mary had the window, before long Luce sat next to me, "are you excited Mary?" she asked, Mary nodded.
As the plane took off I realized there was no turning back, I was going to do this, and Mary would too, I would go back to Forks, Charlie would be waiting for us when we got off the plane there was no doubt in my mind about that, I started to feel nervous, this would be my first time back in forks for over four years, I would have to face Charlie, that was going to be hard, I'd told him a couple of days ago, where I was, that I was alive, that I was a teacher, that Luce was my best friend, that I had a daughter named Mary, and I hoped he'd kept it a secret- that I was coming back.
I was going back for Charlie, he'd been worried about me, I'd left no note, given no announcement, I had had to leave, it was the only thing I could possibly have done, I mean, there aren't many places where someone can hide from vampires, I looked over at Mary, she was asleep, Luce looked at me and smiled, "you nervous?" she asked, gave a small nod, "God I'm nervous and I don't even know these people" she said and cracked me a smile, "are you sure I'm not imposing?" she asked, "of curse not Luce, you're my best friend and I need you here for moral support" I said, that was true, it was going to be hard seeing Charlie and coming back to Forks, but it would be harder running into Jake or even one of his pack members, he was partially the reason for keeping my arrival a secret.
I didn't think I'd be able to see Jake without bursting into tears, he was Mary's Father, I'd left Forks before I even knew I was with child, I'd called Jake, e-mailed him, sent him letters, but he didn't return them, he didn't even contact me, I didn't think he could have been so cruel, I'd left him phone messages, but he continued to brake my heart. I wasn't going to brake down in front of him or any member of his pack, it would be hard, but with the right type of support, I could do it.
I looked over at Luce, she was awake, "why don't you try and get some sleep Bella" she said, I smiled and closed my eyes, I woke up when we had an hour to landing, I spent it reading Romeo and Juliet, when the plane was landing I woke up Mary.
When we got off the plane, Charlie was waiting for us, "Bella?" he said as he looked at me, "hi Dad' I said, he pulled me into a tight hug, I turned to Luce and took Mary from her arms, she was wide awake, "dad this is Mary, my daughter" I said, Charlie had already been told about Mary, but he didn't know who the father was, only I knew that, and off course whoever Jake told, "Mary, this is Grandpa" I said, I put Mary in his arms, Mary smiled at him, she hugged him, and he hugged her back, "she looks like you Bells" he said, I smiled, in truth, I thought she looked more like Jake, she had his brown tanned skin, only in a few shades lighter, she was a little tall for her age too.
I introduced Luce, "thank you for looking after Bella" he said, then he drove us home, I knew there would be more to this conversation, Luce and Mary were both in the back seats, "Bella, why'd you leave?" asked Charlie, "if you had to leave, you could've at least left me a note, or rung, you've been gone for over four years Bells, for all I knew you could have been dead, everyone has missed you, we've been worried sick, and then I get a phone call from you, your alive, great, you've been living in California, Alaska, and even Nebraska, and you have a child, Bells" there was a long silent pause "you've changed so much" he said finally.
I looked out the window, I would have returned sooner, but I was afraid, and not just for myself, for Mary, Luce and even Charlie, I didn't want anything to happen to them if the vampires were still on my case, if they were in town, and then there was the Jake problem, but I could deal with it this time. "I'm sorry Dad" I said, he looked at me, I'm sure he could see all the guilt on my face, "its okay, I'm just glad your home" he said.
As we pulled into the driveway, I turned around to face Luce, out of the corner of my eye I saw Mary was asleep, I made a mental note, "well, this is it Luce" I said, she gave me a reassuring smile.
Chapter three- un invited
I sat in my old room, my bed had clean sheets and the shelves had been left the exact same way they were before I took off, Charlie had set up a bed for Luce, she was laying on it now, her was splayed out underneath her, she had Howl curled up in her hand, Luce was in the spare room that Charlie had also set up, he was being so good to me, even after all I had put him through.
I checked the clock, five- thirty, I opened the fridge door, Charlie had stacked up on groceries for me, I decided to make