Place and Time

A/N: With a four-month wait since Indelible, I wondered if anyone would show up for the first chapter of this story. But there you all were, bags packed and smiling, ready for the next adventure! :) You have no idea how much I love hearing from you all. XO

Chapter 2: Some Motherly Advice

During dinner, Dad asked if I'd talked to Mom today since I didn't call last evening. Feeling another pang of guilt at leaving her out of the loop, I told him I'd call after dinner. So now, with dinner and dishes behind us, I head upstairs to get my phone.

Like the rest of the house, my old bedroom still looks much the same as it did when I was in high school. Same green walls and white curtains. Same bed and purple bedspread. Same dresser, desk, and matching bookshelf, but all mostly empty now. My laptop rests where the ancient PC once stood, but there's still some old artwork and photos tacked up around the room beneath the strand of twinkle lights.

Grabbing my phone from the dresser, I sit on the bed and call Mom. Her cell rings a handful of times before her cheery voice greets me.

"Hi, baby! How's it going?"

"Great. How are you, Mom? How's the new house?"

"I'm fine and oh my gosh, I just love this house! I picked out furniture for the Florida room today. Isn't that a kick—living in Florida and having a Florida room? I mean, what other state has its own room in a house? Who would even want an Alaska room?"

I laugh. She thinks of the weirdest things. "Not me, that's for sure. It sounds awfully cold."

"Right?!" she laughs. She has a great laugh. It's such a warm sound.

"So, tell me what kind of furniture you chose." She's going to tell me anyway, so we might as well get to it. She's excited about her decorating, and it's good to hear her voice.

I get the pros and cons of rattan, seagrass, and bamboo. By the time we get to decisions on color schemes, hibiscus versus birds of paradise, and parrots versus flamingos, I'm completely lost. She assures me she'll text me photos when the furniture is delivered, and I just tell her it all sounds perfect.

"So, what's new, baby? Oh! Did you get the envelope I sent?"

"Yeah, I just got it today, actually."

"Today? But I mailed it on Wednesday. Or was it Thursday? No, it was definitely Wednesday. I can't believe it took a full week to…"

"Yeah, no, Mom. It got to Phoenix a few days ago." Ugh. Here we go… She's not going to like this. "I'd already left when it got to Samantha's, but she forwarded it to me, and it got to Dad's today. I made it here yesterday, and I'm sorry I didn't call you last night, but I figured it was too late, your time."

"You're already at Charlie's?! But I thought you were still in Phoenix! Why didn't you tell me you were leaving? You drove all that way, and I had no idea?!"

"Mom, I'm fine. The drive was fine and the hotels were fine. I checked in with Dad so he knew where I was each day. Now it's over, everything worked out, and you didn't have to worry."

She sighs. "I guess... Still, I wish I'd known, Bella." I do feel bad, but just like that, we move on. "So, what was in the envelope? Anything important?"

"Yeah, kind of. It was a wedding invitation. From Rosalie Hale."

"Oh, my goodness! Oh, dear… Rose isn't marrying that Roscoe boy, is she?"

"Royce. And no, it's someone else."

"Well, thank goodness for that. So who is she marrying? What's his name?"

"I don't remember, and I left the invitation downstairs, but I think his name started with an E…"

"Was it Eric? Ethan? Evan?"

"No, none of those. I just remember thinking it sounded kind of old-fashioned."

"Well, how about Ernest? Eugene? Elmer? Oh, Bella, promise me you'll never marry an Elmer! I would hear Elmer Fudd's voice in my head every time you mentioned him. Don't do that to me. Or to yourself. How could you ever have wild, passionate sex with an Elmer?!"

I'm laughing at her crazy, but she makes a valid point.

"I won't, Mom. I promise. And I don't think Rose is marrying or having sex with an Elmer either. I'll double-check the invitation and text you his name later. I don't want you to stay up all night, worrying about Rose trying to get her freak on with Elmer Fudd."

She laughs. "Thank you. So tell me about this wedding. Where is it, and are you going? Or is it one of those unreasonable destination things no one in their right mind can afford?"

"No, it's here in Seattle, next Saturday. But I don't think I can go. I missed the cut-off for RSVPs and…"

"You can still go to the wedding. The RSVPs are just to get a head count for seating and food at the reception, but anyone can attend a wedding."

"I know, but… Rose and I haven't talked in so long, and she didn't know I would be here in Washington. My guess is the invitation was more of an announcement, and I think it would be awkward if I just…showed up."

"Oh, sweetheart… Rose is your oldest friend. What if sending the invitation was her way of trying to reach out to you? Maybe she was hoping you'd make the next move, and maybe she feels awkward too."

I pick at a thread on my comforter. "I don't know. Dad suggested telling her I've moved back when I send my regrets, so I'll do that much."

"Good. And be sure to let her know the invitation was held up in the mail with us moving. You might also want to include your phone number, just in case. Maybe she'll get in touch, and you'll be able to patch things up. And if you don't hear from her, at least you tried, right?"

"Yeah, you're right. I'll do that tonight and get it in the mail tomorrow."

"Good. Keep me posted."

"I will."

"Anything else you want to talk about?"

"No, I guess that's probably it."

"Okay. I love you, Bella."

"Love you too, Mom. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, baby."

Sliding off the bed, I pocket my phone and head over to my old desk for some paper to write a note to Rose. My paper selection leaves a lot to be desired. There's a SpongeBob SquarePants tablet, the last few pages of an ancient spiral notebook, or several faded sheets of construction paper. With a sigh, I close the drawer and head back downstairs.

I find Dad parked in his recliner, tuned into an old episode of CSI Somewhere.

"Dad, do you have any nice paper I could use? Like…stationery?"

He looks up at me like I'm sporting an extra head, so I amend my request. "Or just something kind of…plain? I want to write a note to Rose."

"There's a notepad in the drawer by the phone. Pens, too."

"That'll work. Thanks."

With pen, notepad, and wedding invitation paraphernalia in hand, I take a seat at the kitchen table, composing my thoughts before composing my note. There's a lot I want to say, but since I don't know Rose's position, I keep it fairly short.

It takes me several rewrites before I'm satisfied.

Dear Rose,

I'm sorry it has taken so long to return my response card, but I honestly just got the invitation today. Mom and Phil were in the process of moving to Florida, and I was staying with a friend before moving back to Washington. Like I said, the invitation finally caught up to me today at Dad's house.

Anyway, congratulations to you and your husband-to-be. I wish you both every happiness together, and I will be thinking of you on your very special day.

Bella

P.S. I'm still at the same number if you want to give me a call sometime: 360)323-4782.

After a final reread, I find the little response card, fill in my name on the blank, and place a checkmark next to will not attend. Thinking about what Mom said earlier, I wonder if Rose was hopeful I might attend. Maybe that's why the response card was included. Or maybe that's just standard procedure.

Folding my note, I slide it and the response card into the provided envelope. It's pre-addressed to Rose—at the same Bellevue address as the invitation's envelope. Which isn't Rose's parents' address in Seattle. Which means it must be where she lives now.

"Hey, Dad? Where's Bellevue?"

"Just east of Seattle. Other side of Lake Washington."

"How far from Seattle?"

"Maybe ten miles?"

Rose would be close to me in Seattle. Unless she's moving after the wedding.

Who even knows where her fiancé is from? Which reminds me…

Taking a look back at the invitation, I pick up my phone and send Mom a quick text:

It's Emmett. Emmett William McCarty.

A/N: As always, I would love to hear from you. :)