Chapter 2

My husband was home when I pulled in the driveway. I did not park in the garage like usual. Instead I sat in my car listening to the rain. It was letting up a little and the sound of it was somewhat soothing. I replayed tonight's events in my head. I just couldn't believe it. There was movement from behind the blinds in my living room. I could see shadows. This meant my husband had his friends over. Great, I thought to myself. This was not a conversation I wanted to have with his friends over. Oh well, it was now or never.

I stepped out into the rain. As I walked to my door I saw the headlights of a parked car turn on. From my front door I looked at the car. I did not know this car but deep down I knew who was driving it. This must be the car that my "visitor" was using tonight. They must have followed me home. Probably to make sure I made it home okay. Still making sure I am safe. I thought to myself as my heart skipped a beat. It was either that or they wanted to see where I lived. I liked the first reason better. I glanced over my shoulder as I entered the house. All I saw was the tail lights going down the road.

"Hi Bella!" Eric and Trevor greeted me as I walked into the foyer.

"Hi guys. I thought you all were going out." I said to my husband's friends as I hung up my jacket on the coat rack and took off my shoes.

"Yeah well there's a game on and we thought we would just stay here." Eric told me.

"You don't mind do you? We told Mike he should ask you but you know how well he listens" Trevor added.

Eric and Trevor had attended high school with me. Both of them actually asked me to a dance my junior year. It's funny how things change. Back then I would have laughed if someone would have told me that 10 plus years down the road they would practically live at my house.

"It's okay guys. Where is Mike by the way? I need to talk to him." I asked them.

"In the kitchen" I heard my husband say.

Here we go. You can do this.

I walked through our living room, down a short hallway and past our half bath or powder room as some people called it. The hall opened up into our simple kitchen. The dining room was on the right of the kitchen and it lead back to the living room. You could walk circles on the 1st floor.

My husband was standing at the fridge taking out beers for him and his friends. He looked up at me.

"Why so late tonight?" He asked.

Oh please... like he really cares.

"I thought you were going out and not coming home again." I stated, trying to sway the conversation away from me.

"Plans changed. Some of our friends couldn't make it after all so here we are." He looked at me briefly then asked again. "Why so late?"

" lets just say I had a last minute appointment" I told him.

"One that lasted over 3 hours?" He was very skeptical.

"What? No. Well I covered James' shift tonight so I was working until close." I didn't call him about my schedule change since he had his own plans.

He made a face at James' name. I knew he didn't like him.

I remember someone else he didn't like back in the day.

I pushed the memory from my mind.

"Mike." I started.

My husband was Mike Newton. We went to high school together. Only for 2 years because I moved here when I was a junior. We did not date in high school. I knew he liked me back then. Well back then I thought he did but once we were older he told me how "in love" he had been with me in high school. So much has changed since then…

"What's up Bell?" He asked. I hated that nickname. I really didn't hate the name as much as the fact that he had a nickname for me.

Where do I start? I needed to keep my emotions under control. I did not need a break down like I had on the ride home.

"You wouldn't ever keep anything from me, would you?" I thought I would start off with questions instead of accusations.

"Of course not. We're married, and there are no secrets in Forks." He laughed.

What's so funny?

"Huh…" was all I could say.

"What does 'huh' mean? Are you okay? Did something happen today?" He seemed concerned but I was seeing him in a new light so I didn't believe his concern was real.

"Did you know that we were invited to a wedding?" I asked him, watching his reaction.

I saw the recognition cross his face but he tried damn hard to hide it.

"A wedding? Really?" He paused to act like he trying to figure out whose it would be. Then he said "I don't think any of our friends are engaged. Oh is it Angela and Ben? About time if you ask me." He tried to act excited.

"No. I already told you that Ben is planning on proposing this Christmas. Do you ever listen to me?" I was irritated.

"Oh. Well they are the only ones I can think of." and he started to walk out of the room with the beers.

I blocked his passage and lightly grabbed his upper arm to stop him.

"I didn't say it was one of our friends." I made quotes in the air when I said our. I followed that up with "Actually it's one of my friends."

"Bella honey all your friends are my friends. You know that." He tried to be sweet but I was buying it.

"Yeah sure" I said bitterly. Then I told him "Well my last appointment was really someone coming to find out why I was not attending this persons wedding".

He face dropped. He knew what I was talking about and whose wedding I meant.

"Who came to see you" he demanded.

"I don't recall receiving an invitation because I know that if I had I would be going. With or without you." I glared at him. My words were spilling out of my mouth. "It seems that I did receive the invite because they had my response card which was check not attending. Any ideas how that could have happened?" I could feel my anger about to explode and I was trying to stay calm since Trevor and Eric were in the other room.

"I did what I thought was best for you - my wife. You do not need to be around all those people again. It would hurt you too much." He tired to play off like he was protecting me.

When did he start caring? I hate all this 'my wife' business. He acts like he owns me sometimes.

"Are you kidding me? She is one of my best friends! What kind of person would I be if I did not go?" I yelled. The small chatter from the living room stopped. Apparently they heard my outburst. "You have no idea how I felt when I read the announcement in the paper! I was hurt and I thought that I wasn't invited for a reason. Now I realize it was because of you." I pointed an angry finger into his chest. He backed up slightly. "I can't imagine how Alice felt when she received my so called response."

"Bella! Calm down!" Mike demanded. "You are so dramatic sometimes. It's just a wedding dear. If you want to see her then make plans or something. Go to lunch. That's fine. But I do not want you at this wedding."

"Why not?" I knew why. He had good reason to not want me there, but I wanted to be there and I was pissed off that I did not know about this sooner. Especially since the wedding was only weeks away.

"I think we are going to head out for a while… uh while you guys talk" Eric said quietly from the hall.

"It's ok, this conversation is over. Let's watch that game" Mike told him.

Eric looked at me with sympathy in his eyes. I knew he did not want to be a part of this.

"Eric it is ok." I told him trying to compose myself. I was so mad I had tears in my eyes. I blinked them away. "Mike is right, this conversation is over. And Mike, I will be going to that wedding. Without you." I told him sternly.

"Bella" Mike warned.

I walked to the front door ignoring him. I put on my still wet jacket and shoes.

"Where are you going?" Mike asked.

"I don't know yet, I need to clear my head." I knew where I was going. I was going to see the one person I could talk to anything about; one of my best friends who was more than just a friend to me. He was more like a soul mate in a way. I was heading to his bar to clear my head.

"Bella, I really am sorry I did not tell you about the wedding but I had the best of intentions in mind." he didn't want me mad at him. "I hope Alice isn't too upset with me, but she has to understand where I am coming from."

Ha! He thinks I talked with Alice tonight!

I fought back a small smile. "I wouldn't know Mike. It wasn't Alice who came to see me." then I turned on my heel and headed out the door. I did catch the look of horror on his face when he realized who came to see me. There is only one other person that would come to confront me about this. Let him think about that while I was gone.

As I backed my car down the driveway I could hear my cell phone ringing. I knew it was Mike and I just ignored him as I drove to see Jacob.