A Winding Road
By pack*pixie

Disclaimer: I have no ownership, rights, or entitlement. No copyright infringement intended.

Chapter 2:

"B, you spend too much with them. You can't be the child's mother. What do you even know about kids anyway?"

"Well nothing," I replied honestly in a voice that didn't belong to me. Part of me knew that Alice was right, even if I vehemently wanted to deny it. The facts were simple. I had absolutely no experience with children. I couldn't even rely on a sibling relationship to guide me. Even with my lack of experience and expertise I didn't care. I was afraid it was too late; my heart was already sealed and committed to those two. The last few months had been the best of my life.

"You gave up Hearts of Aid. You no longer have to change the world."

"I'm not helping them out of charity," I spat.

"You should be dating, not out mothering a child that isn't yours or laundry or taking care of a man that isn't yours either." Her words were vicious but her tone was as fluid as ever and I knew Alice meant no malice toward me. Her garnet red lips curved into a slight grin, and I saw concern in her expression. "You're wasting your time with him."

"Not everyone has a soul-mate," I scoffed. Alice was completely and perpetually the sickeningly example of finding the person that was made just for you. Jasper Whitlock was uniformly created to be her mate. I couldn't think of two other people more perfectly suited for each other. They're coupling defied all universal logic, descended the measures of time, and even gravity shifted when they were near each other. It was vomit inducing to say the least.

"Bella, you mean to tell me that you never want to fall in love? I don't believe it," she said with thick skepticism. "I find it hard to believe you're content to settle being somebody's wife and mother without actually being their wife or mother." Her lips turned sour as her argument ended. I took in a deep breath, and focused on the thick canvas of mountains that lined the road.

"I'm happy with the situation. Besides whom would I date from Forks?" I wasn't sure where I was going with my argument. I knew without a doubt that I wasn't in search of finding someone and I immediately regretted asking her the question when I turned to see her eyes lit with inspiration.

"What about Edward?" Here we go again with the please date my allusive brother speech. I ignored her toothy grin and rolled my eyes. Alice had tried to force me into a relationship with her brother since the day I met her. But I was scorned, and I had no desire to relive the nightmares of love, relationships and especially marriage. I hardly doubted that Edward would even be interested in me or excited by the fact that his sister was trying to find his eternal mate. Her efforts to bring us together were always in vain. I had only met Edward one time, and he seemed about as exciting as a trade show on ink pens. He was a divorce attorney in Seattle and consistently wrapped up in his miserable career. As much as I hated the idea of going out with him, I'm sure he wouldn't exactly be thrilled to date a mid-twenties college drop out that lived with her father and made minimum wage. It was a disastrous plan in any universe.

"I don't know who is worse…you or Rachel."

"Ok, then," she began ignoring my growing frustration. "Mike. He's not exactly my favorite person, but he likes you." She was relentless and I often wished she had a mute button.

"He's my boss, isn't that unethical? And he has a girlfriend," I argued knowing that it would be fruitless.

"Perhaps it is unethical," she agreed. "But his girlfriend is only on part-time status. Aren't you a supporter of free love and equality and all that?" She pulled the car around the lot and stopped by the curb at the front entrance.

"Thanks for the ride," I offered trying to ignore her sentiment toward my former way of life.

"Call if you need a ride home," she said twisting her bottom lip between her teeth. "Although….Mike may offer and if he does, B, for the love of cheese please accept. He may not be marriage material, but he at least he has make out potential. Don't you get lonely?"

"Thanks again," I said sharply between gritted teeth.

"See you later," she sang.

Alice was a great friend to taxi me to and from work on the days Charlie couldn't. I never had a use for a car with my nomad lifestyle, and when James and I settled to live in Phoenix, anywhere I needed to go was just a bus ride away. Forks wasn't as industrious. Public transportation was non-existent in the winding roads carved among the canopy of green. And most places were outside the scope of walking distance. Nevertheless, I had never considered buying a car.

Once inside I removed my rain jacket and shook out the recent drops from my hair. Rain was always present here and another reason that a walking commute wasn't ideal. I went to the back to clock in and grab my apron. The store seemed empty for a Saturday in June. Mike hollered at me from his office, and I casually greeted him. He was overly friendly but I never interrupted his behavior any other way than sociable. Alice seemed to think he had other motives.

Mike acquired Forks' only recreational store after his parents retired and moved to Florida. He was a nice enough guy, same age as me, but I held an aversion to him for reasons I didn't understand.

I enjoyed working in the store meeting different people. The vast forests and the unending hiking trails of the surrounding area were an attraction, and the tourists were incessant in the summer. It was a simple life, but it was the one I wanted at present. I had, on the insistence of my father, picked up some nightly classes the last two semesters at the community college, but with no real goal in mind I wasn't any closer to a degree. I was just happy to exist in a world where I could keep James far from my memory and the pain he caused me buried within my soul. I had no reminders of him or his infidelities in Forks. It was that fact that made each morning worth waking up for.

Mike seemed preoccupied today and I was grateful not to have to engage in meaningless banter. Alice was certain it was flirting, and if she was right I wanted no part of it. But I thought he was just bored or lonely.

He had an unstable, albeit consistent relationship with Jessica Stanley. I'm not sure how long she had been ridiculously crazy over him, but I was certain her over exuberant infatuation with him was not returned. He seemed to be with her more out of convenience since she required little to no effort on his part. Typical commitment phobia. I would have felt sorry for her but her personality was void of any redeeming qualities. Perhaps they were a better match than appearances would lead one to believe.

"Hey, Mike, I'm gonna take a break if that's okay. I need to make a call," I asked about half-way through my shift.

"Sure," he called out from behind the hiking boot display where he was demonstrating the latest creation to a scantily clad blonde that looked as if she hadn't worn a pair of boots without a four inch heel her entire life. Was he the best that Alice could come up with?

I left a message for her to pick me up after my shift. I glimpsed back to see that Mike was still engaged and dialed the other number.

As the line rang, I recalled Alice's words.

"You're falling for him, and he's not available," she'd warned me over dinner on Wednesday night.

"I'm not falling for him. And he is available, should I want to fall for him….which I don't. Can't I be a good friend without any motive?" I never looked up from my chicken parmesan, too afraid that I would have to accept reality if I looked into her eyes. I so badly wanted to believe the lie I had just told her, but I knew I was falling in love with him. And just as certain as I was about that fact, I knew he did not reciprocate my feelings.

"Technically you're right. He's not in a relationship, but emotionally he's unavailable. B, I'm not trying to be a pessimist, but he doesn't give you a second look. You're nothing more than a babysitter and you're getting too invested." Her words cut me like a knife, but Alice relied only on the first days after I met him. I knew things were changing.

I was brought from my revelry by the sound of Jacob and Cooper's voice on the answering machine. "We didn't answer, but we will call you back," they said in unison on the recording.

I hung up the phone without leaving a message feeling dejected. It had been two days since I'd last spoken to them, and I was beginning to feel purposefully lost.

By the end of my shift I was uneasy. It was unlike him not to call or at least come by the store. Was she right? Was he avoiding me?

"Busy day," I said lightly entering Mike's office. He was occupied counting the days till, and I hung my apron on the hook, and clocked out.

"I can give you a ride home," Mike offered just as I started out the door. I was almost speechless. I had to think quickly. Maybe my intuitive friend was right. "Alice and I have plans. Sorry," I lied.

When Alice picked me up it was clear our earlier conversation was far from over. She was determined to see that I walk down an aisle with somebody.

"If you start discussing my love life I will have no choice but to jab your eyes out," I threatened.

She snickered. "Fine. I concede."

"That was way too easy."

"What? I'm giving you what you want?"

"That's exactly my point."

"Edward seems to be involved with someone. Looks like you missed that boat."

"I'm heartbroken," I snickered.

"Yes, now you are left to pine away after Jacob Black and a love that will never be."