A/N All Twilight characters belong to Stephenie Meyers

Chapter Two

Rosalie

I sat at my desk, rapidly tapping my pencil against it. Thwack, thwack, thwack. I felt as if five thousand angry gnomes had set up residence inside my brain and were chattering away. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It didn't help. I opened my eyes and tried once more to focus on my work. The loud blast of the TV thwarted any attempt.

"Jessica, can you please turn it down?" I pleaded, looking over at the slumped form of my fourteen year old daughter. I almost couldn't distinguish her from the couch, so embedded in the cushions was she. I twitched as a bratty child turning sixteen cussed out her mother for not buying her a 2010 Range Rover. My lovely child, however, ignored my request and continued to watch the sixteen year old to be create pure and utter havoc. How these parents didn't simply eat their young, I'd never understand.

"Jessica! Turn it down now!" The gnomes in my brain had now invited all their friends and were proceeding to have one badass party, at my expense. The lump on the couch continued to ignore me. The pencil snapped in my hand. I threw the broken pieces onto the desk and stormed into the kitchen. The small space didn't help my mood at all. I paced the tiny box, digging my nails into my palms. I ran my fingers through my short blonde hair, desperately wishing for a cigarette. Inhaling deeply I prayed for the strength not to go into the other room and murder my offspring.

The pounding in my head had begun to subside when the phone shrilled. I yanked the phone from the cradle and did my best to sound sweet.

"Hello?"

"Hey Darling, how are you? Look, I'm not gonna make it home for dinner. Boss just dumped a whole shit load of work in my lap, and frankly I don't know when I'm gonna get out of here. So it's you and Jessie for dinner."

I shook my head, clenching my jaw until I feared my teeth would shatter. I should have known. Nothing would ever change. Why had I even expected him to be home? I wondered if the shit load of work had a name and a bust line.

"Emmett, you promised." Why was I even arguing? I knew it would do me no good. Pleading and begging had got me nothing in the last five years, so why did I think tonight would be any different?

Because he promised. Because he looked you in the eye and swore he would change.

I scowled at the tiny voice in my head, not even hearing Emmett's next excuse.

"Yeah, okay, fine. I'll see you when I see you."

I hung up the phone, staring at it. When had things turned to such shit? I had a sullen daughter, an absent husband and a whole lot of issues. Scrubbing my hands over my face I yanked open a drawer and pulled out a stack of take out menus.

"Jess, we're on our own again. Do you want Mexican or Chinese?" I called as I made my way into the living room. I stopped in the entrance way, my eyes on her.

She looked up at me, her blue eyes baleful. My heart ached at the slump of her shoulders, the disappointment on her face.

"Where's dad?"

"He just called. Boss man dumped another case on his desk. He'll be getting a hotel tonight." I moved into the room and sat beside her. My fingers itched to tuck her deep brown hair behind her ear. It'd been so long since she'd allowed me even that small motherly habit.

"But he'll be here tomorrow, right?" Her eyes seemed to bore into my soul. My heart clenched and my throat closed up.

"Probably not, sweetie."

"He promised! Tomorrow's the play! He promised me he'd be there! Front row, center. That's what he said!"

I swallowed a gasp as my heart broke. He could hurt me all he wanted, but I wished he would spare our daughter. I blinked back tears as I looked down at the menus in my hand.

"I know, baby. But his work is important-" I looked up as her slender form stood and strode from the room. I couldn't help jumping when her bedroom door slammed shut.

"Damn it." Rising I threw the menus onto my desk and dropped into the chair. I swiveled back in forth, silently cussing the man I'd chosen. I lifted an eyebrow when my computer dinged at me. Wiggling the mouse I scanned the monitor.

A smile stretched my lips as my eyes landed on the name. I doubled clicked it and eagerly began typing in the message box.

LadyGwenever: Hey there, good looking. J

Bellabeans23: Hello. How are you?

I quickly told her what an asshole my husband was and how my daughter had locked herself in her room. Before long I was laughing until my sides ached.

LadyGwenever: Damn, I love you girl. Always know how to make me smile. J

Bellabeans23: Same. I always find myself laughing with you.

I sat back in my chair, wondering at my luck at finding Bella. She was like my other half. She completed me in ways I didn't know I'd been missing. I chewed my lower lip, watching the small black line blinking, waiting for me to type my reply. I glanced at the framed picture of Emmett, Jessica and I sitting on my desk. We didn't laugh anymore. Hell, we were hardly a family anymore. Emmett was never home, and when he was, he was locked up in the office working. We hadn't even had sex in the past three months. I ignored the cold lining the pit of my stomach at that thought. No man could go that long without pleasure. And no woman could either, as I was rapidly finding out.

I blew out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding and followed instinct.

Fuck it, my fingers flew over the keyboard as if in rapt anticipation of a response.

LadyGwenever: Let's meet.