Coming Home
Chapter 2
It was the beginning of August so I told Lilly that we had to go get her signed up for Kindergarten. She was so excited to go to school. I had her signed up for preschool when we were in Phoenix and she absolutely loved it. She got along great with a lot of the kids her own age and had a lot of fun.
When we got to Forks Elementary School I went into the office to get the paperwork done. They told me that I needed to supply them with her medical records on what shots she'd had and then they would assign a teacher to her. Once they had the records she could come back for a tour and meet here teacher. I told them I should be able to get in a couple of days and would drop off a copy.
After we were done at the elementary school, we headed over to Forks High School. I was a little nervous, hoping I didn't run into anyone I knew. I walked into the main office and saw that Mrs Cope was still working here. She looked up and saw me and said, "Bella Swan, how nice to see you again. I see you are going to be our new English Literature Teacher."
"Hi Mrs. Cope I am here to fill out my paperwork for starting next month."
She handed me everything that I would need and I went over to a table to fill them out. I told Lilly, "Baby I need you to be real quiet for Mommy so she can fill out these papers for her new job."
"OK Mommy but can I color in my coloring books?"
"Sure Honey let me get them out of my bag." I set them on the table and she started to color.
As I was finishing up the paperwork I heard a loud voice coming down the hall and I recognized that voice as Emmett Cullen. I was hoping he wasn't coming into the main office but luck was not on my side as he strolled in. He was questioning Mrs. Cope about the gym equipment that he ordered for the new school year. He turned around and noticed when he noticed me, his eyes widened and yelled, "Bella is that you?"
I turned to look at him and he ran over and gave me a great big hug and lifted me off the floor. I had missed him so much and all of a sudden I heard Lilly crying, asking me if I was ok. "Lilly baby it's okay. This is an old friend of mine. Lilly meet Emmett Cullen, Emmett this is my daughter Lilly."
At this point I had picked Lilly up and she was hiding her face in the crook of my neck. Emmett had a goofy expression on and made Lilly laugh. Emmett then said, "Hi Lilly it's a pleasure to meet you. I am sorry if I scared you but I haven't seen your mom in a long time and I really missed her"
Lilly giggled and said "Hi". Then she wanted to get down so she could go back to coloring.
I then started to explain to Emmett that I was starting at the school as a English Lit teacher next month and was filling out paperwork. A big smile came on Emmett's face and said, "That is awesome Bella. Jasper and I both work here and we will get to see you every day. I teach Physical ED and Jasper teaches History and we both coach the football team. I can't wait to tell everyone I saw you."
My face got pale and scared and then Emmett had a worried look on his face. "Emmett I am glad to be back with my dad and all my friends that I have missed so much but I'm just not ready to talk about my disappearance yet. Please tell everyone to give me some time and one day I will be able to explain. Okay?"
"No problem Bella we are just glad you are back and we have missed you too."
"I appreciate that Emmett and do tell everyone I am back and I want to see them I just have to get things settled. I am not sure if I will be staying with my Dad or trying to get my own place after working a bit. I do have to get going though because Sue Clearwater is coming over for dinner tonight to see me and meet Lilly. Apparently her and my dad have been dating. Here is my cell phone number that you can give to everyone." I gave him my cell number and we said out goodbyes. As I was walking back to my car I told myself that went better than I thought.
As Lilly and I headed to the grocery store I was thinking about seeing Sue again. It was good that my dad was seeing someone so he wasn't all alone and I had always liked Sue. Now she will be not just Sue Clearwater she will be my dad's girlfriend. It feels so weird. It's always been me and Charlie for so long; until I decided to leave him. As I was pulling into the parking lot my cell phone rang but I didn't recognize the number.
"Hello?"
"Bella Swan" someone yelled and I knew right away it was the little pixie-AKA Alice Cullen whom I heard is now Alice Whitlock.
"Hi Alice," I said as I heard her rambling off a mile a minute.
"Bella I can't believe you are actually here. When Emmett just called and told me you were back I thought he was playing one of his jokes on me and then I realized he wouldn't do that about you so I decided to call you to hear your voice for real. Why didn't you call us to tell us you were coming back. I can't believe Charlie didn't tell us."
"Yes Alice I am back here in Forks. I'm going to be working at the high school as an English Lit teacher and that's where Emmett saw me. I lost my contact information for everyone and I didn't even know all of you were back in Forks. I asked Charlie not to say anything to anyone because I just don't want a lot of attention now. I am trying to get my life together and I think it was fate that the only job offer I got was at Forks so I could be with my dad and my friends that I have missed so much."
"Oh Bella we all have missed you so much. We didn't understand what happened but figured when the time was right you would be in contact with us. We have to get together and catch up on everything. Emmett told me about not pressuring about what happened and I would never do that to you. I know when you are ready you'll tell us and we always will be here for you. Wait 'til my mom hears you are back she is going to flip. She'missed you too." Thinking about Esme brought tears to my eyes. She was the only mother figure I had growing up since my own mom didn't want me. How could she though? There is nothing exciting about me. That's probably why Edward never took to me.
"Alice I can't wait to see your mom also but I have to get going because I'm at the grocery store to pick something up for dinner tonight. Sue is coming over tonight for dinner. I'm a little nervous about seeing her now that she's dating my dad. It's a little weird but I am sure she will make me feel comfortable and I hope she is not mad at me about what I put my dad through when I left."
"Oh Bella, it'll be fine you will see. Sue is a great person and has been really good for your dad. Yes, when you left it was hard on all of us but she would never be mad at you. Call me as soon as you can and we will set something up to get together."
"Ok Alice I will see you later. Wait, Alice can I ask you a question? Have ALL the Cullens missed me as much as you have?"
"Yes Bella we ALL have missed you and if you are talking about Edward, he was a mess when you left like we all were, but don't concentrate on that now. All that's important is that you are back and we can see you all the time now. I am so jealous of Emmett and Jasper because they will see you more than I can." laughed Alice.
"Ok Alice I will call you and let you know when we can get together."
We said our goodbyes and Lilly and I headed into the grocery store. I got all the ingredients for lasagna which I knew Charlie loved.
When we got home I immediately took Lilly up to my room and put her down for a nap. She was so tired from all out trips today. I started dinner and as I was putting lasagna in the oven Charlie walked in the door.
" Hey Bells how was your day?" He asked.
"Very eventful dad, Lilly and I got up and went to Forks Elementary School to set her up for Kindergarten. I have to get her medical records from the shots she has had so she can be assigned a classroom. Then we went over to the High School and I filled out all my paperwork that I needed to do. I ran into Emmett Cullen while I was there."
The look on Charlie's face was worried but I quickly reassured him, "It turned out okay dad. Lilly got a little scared because Emmett saw me and came up and gave me a big hug. Then I told Lilly he was an old friend and she calmed down. I gave him my cell number and told him he could give it to everyone but I am not ready to discuss anything yet."
"Oh Bells, it'll be okay, they're just happy to see you home. Wait to see what happens when they call and take it one day at a time."
I giggled and told him, "Alice already called and wants to get everyone together at her parents' house. Dad, to be honest Edward Cullen intimidates me because I have always had a crush on him and I still have feelings for him. I don't think he ever felt that way about me." And why should he because he always had beautiful gorgeous girls around him, I thought to myself. Why would he want me anyway I am so plain and ordinary. "How am I going to deal with seeing him again?"
Charlie sighed and said, "Bells I always knew you had feelings for Edward. It was there every time you talked about him or he was in the room. Look, I don't know about Edward feelings but I do know he has never found that special person. Anyway he is your friend and he will be there for you like the rest will. When you get together with everyone just stick by Alice and see what happens, you just maybe surprised one day."
The doorbell rang and Charlie ran to the door like he was a teenager in love. I was cleaning up the kitchen a little and I heard Lilly yell for me. I ran upstairs to see her and she was waking up and I told her grandpa has someone he wants her to meet and that she was a very nice lady."
"Ok Mommy I will come down but I have to go potty first." I laughed. She is so cute sometimes.
Lilly and I came down the stairs and I saw Sue Clearwater with a big smile on her face. She ran to me and said," Oh Bella it is so good to see you and we have missed you so much."
I smiled and told her "Thanks Sue, it's good to be back home with my dad. Sue I would like to introduce you to my daughter Lilly. Lilly this is an old friend of mommy's and grandpa's Sue Clearwater," Sue got down on Lilly's level and said, "Hi Lilly, it is great to meet you."
Lilly smiled and said, "Nice to meet you too. At least you are not big and burly and give hugs that lift Mommy off the floor." We all laughed and I explained what Emmett did when he saw me at the high school.
Just then the timer went off for the lasagna and I took it out of the oven. "Dinner is ready" I announced. Everyone came and sat down to eat. We all made small talk while eating and I found out all that went on in Forks while I was gone. It was a nice dinner and evening and I liked Sue a lot for my dad. I know by me leaving and not calling gave him a lot of grief and worry. I did call once I got to Phoenix to tell him I was okay, but calls after that became scarce. I was just dealing with a lot and didn't want to answer a bunch of questions. I felt so bad and guilty in what I did to Charlie and my friends and I started to cry. Sue saw my tears and came over to me.
"Oh Bella, it will be ok. I know you had to deal with a lot and although I don't know the specifics I do know you have grown to be an independent, smart, mature woman. Everything will be fine now because you are back with your family and friends."
As I was trying to calm myself down I said," I know Sue but I have let everyone that loves me down because of a stupid mistake that I am ashamed of. The only good thing that has come out of my ordeal is Lilly."
Sue told me "I know honey but everyone loves you and we all will understand. We all do things at some point in our life that we regret but look at that beautiful girl of yours who is playing with her grandpa. She is having so much fun and that's all that is important."
We finally hugged again and went to join the others. My dad had put in "the little mermaid" in the DVD player and they were cuddling on the couch together. I told myself life can't get any better than this seeing my dad love Lilly so much and that he would do anything for her.