January 22nd 2010...
"Marcus, Anthony, come down now! Dad's here!" I yelled from the kitchen, hoping that the boys would hear me over the noise of their new remote controlled cars that I bought them a few days ago. They were so attached to the cars that they slept with them.
I looked back at Jacob.
"They'll be here soon."
"Okay." He said, looking everywhere but me. The floor must have been mighty interesting...
Ever since Jacob and I got divorced, things have been a little weird between us. We were both trying to be as nice as possible to each other in front of the boys, but, truth be told, it was really hard.
"So, I got the divorce papers today. I'll fill them out and then give them to you." While he was talking to me, he started rearranging various little things on the kitchen table. I really wished that he would stop doing that.
"Okay."
"I really am sorry for the way things turned out for us." Yeah. I'm sure he was. We sat in silence for about a minute. This was becoming uncomfortable.
"Marcus, Anthony! Down, Now!" I hoped that the boys would come down and save me from having to be in the same room as Jake.
The boys ran down the stairs into Jake's waiting arms.
"Hey, how are my two favourite boys?" He asked, kissing each of them on the forehead.
"We were playing with our new trucks that momma got us!" Marcus explained happily.
"Is mom spoiling you two again?" He looked up at me. I just rolled my eyes. They deserved to be spoiled when their dad was never home.
"Yes!"
"Where are your bags?" I asked them. They always either chose to ignore or always forgot to do what I asked them to do. But then again, I doubt that two four year olds remembered anything.
"Upstairs!" They answered in unison.
"I'll go get them." Jake offered.
"Sure."
When he was gone, I turned to the boys.
"You two better be good for dad alright?" Not that I really cared. But I wanted to be the mature one.
"Okay." They answered in unison.
"Where are you going mommy?" Marcus asked me. He was so damn adorable, that it was going to be hard for me to leave for a few weeks.
"I'm going to stay with grandpa for a while, okay?"
"You are?" I turned around and saw Jake standing there.
"Yeah. I need to get out of here for a while. And I haven't seen dad in a while."
"Okay. Say hi to Charlie."
"Not too sure that he'll be happy to hear from you, but I'll pass it on."
I turned back to the boys and leaned down and kissed them goodbye.
"So I'll see you soon?" Jake asked. Like he honestly cared where I was or what I was doing.
"Yeah."
"When will you be back?" He chooses this time to be caring and attentive. He could do this when we were together and happy.
"I'll be sure to call you when I get back. You can go now."
He simply scoffed and went to help the boys into the car.
I walked back into the house. I thought that having the entire house to myself would be a good thing, but I was just bored and it just seemed really large and empty without the boys. I decided that I would leave for Forks now, or in the morning. I called Charlie to tell him the good news.
"That's great! When do you land? I'll come and pick you up." He sounded do happy. I was glad I was going to see him.
"I haven't even bought the tickets yet. I'll call you later to tell you when I get in."
"Are the boys coming?"
"Um, no." I had a feeling he would ask.
"So who's looking after them?"
"I left them with Jake."
"Bella..."
"Dad, don't worry."
"Are you sure you want to leave them with him?"
"Well, he is their father."
I heard him sigh down the phone. "Okay. Well I have to go. I'll see you soon. Love you Bells."
"Love you too dad."
After hanging up, I made myself some food and logged on to my computer to book a flight back home. I was really glad I had the opportunity visit my dad again, and I really needed this break.
Once everything was settled, I began to pack. I started packing with the mentality that I would only the necessities. Two hours later, there were three bags waiting by the door. So much for only packing the necessities. I was just about to crawl into bed, when the phone started ringing. I picked it up and the caller ID informed me that it was Jake calling. I immediately started to panic, picturing all of the bad things that could possibly happen to the boys.
"Hello? Is everything okay? Are the boys hurt? Are they okay?" I asked, all in one breath.
"Hi momma!" I sighed in relief. It was just Anthony.
"Hi sweetie. Are you having fun with dad?"
"YES! He let us eat chocolate cookies!" Cookies? AT TEN AT NIGHT?
"Did he now? Do you mind putting him on the phone darling?" I tried to remain calm. It's not his fault. He doesn't know any better.
"Okay." He pulled away from the receiver and yelled out to Jake.
"Hello?"
"Why are you feeding the boys chocolate cookies at ten at night? Not only is it past their bedtime, they also get really bad stomach aches if they eat chocolate this late at night! You should know this!"
"Jeez Bella, calm down. I let them eat cookies because it's something their mother never lets them eat and I thought that they deserved a treat."
"What, so now I'm a horrible mother because I deprive my children of chocolate cookies?"
"I NEVER SAID THAT!"
I took a deep breath in to try to calm myself down. This is one of the reasons we are getting divorced. We were constantly yelling at each other.
"Don't worry about it. But I would at least appreciate it if you would stop feeding the boys chocolate after three in the afternoon."
"FINE!" And then he just abruptly hung up the phone. I would never again leave the boys in his care after our divorce was finalised.
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I woke early the next day to board the plane on time, which happened to be six in the morning. I woke at two to finalise everything, grab my passport and make sure that the house was left in its pristine condition before I left. God forbid anyone break into the house and find it in a state of disarray. When everything was perfect, I gathered my things and headed to the airport.
A short while later, I finally landed in Forks. The weather was just as I remembered it. Horrible, cold and dreary. Everything was green and brown, but instead of it driving me crazy as it always had, it was oddly reassuring.
As promised, my dad was there waiting for me at the arrival terminal. It was cute how he was so concerned about me.
I walked up to him and ran into his arms. God did I miss him.
"Hey Bells. How are you? How was the flight?"
"Good, good. I'm fine. The flight was horrible, but what can you do?"
"Good to have you home Bells. I've missed you."
We continued talking while he picked up my luggage and walked me to his car. It was, as I guessed it would be, his police cruiser.
I fell asleep on the way home, considering it was early in the morning and I didn't sleep at all on the plane.
"Bells, we're home." Dad said, gently shaking me awake.
He obviously realised just how jet lagged I truly was as he took all my bags upstairs and into my old room. It looked exactly the same as it did when I was still in high school. As soon as I set foot into the room, I threw myself on the bed and fell asleep within the next five minutes.
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When I woke up the next day, I wondered into the kitchen and found it empty. I walked around the small but cosy house and realised that Charlie wasn't home. I went back into the kitchen and found a note attached to the fridge. "Gone Fishing." I smiled. Nothing had changed at all.
I opened the cupboard hoping to find some sort of cereal. The cupboards were empty. I opened the fridge in hopes of finding eggs, bacon and orange juice. I couldn't find any of those items. I repeat: nothing had changed.
I felt bad knowing that Charlie survived on take out and decided to go to the grocery store to buy some supplies so that I could at least make him food while I was here.
I reached for the coffee pot, which was (thankfully) full, and poured myself a cup. I then walked back up to my room to shower, change and go groceries shopping. I walked outside into the freezing cold and walked to the car Charlie demanded I let him hire for me. I was glad that I had the option of an actual car over his police cruiser.
Just like everything in Forks, the grocery store was five minutes away from the house and I was surprised that I remembered where it was. It was just as I remembered it. It seemed that nothing in the small town of Forks had changed since I moved to New York.
Walking down the aisle, I picked up everything I needed to make lasagne. As I was checking the ingredients off my list, I wasn't looking where I was going and bumped my trolley into someone else's.
"Sorry about that." That voice. Why did it sound so familiar to me? I looked up and it was none other than Edward Cullen. And he still looked as gorgeous as he did ten years ago.
"Edward?"
"Um, have we met before?" He asked, looking at me like I was some crazy random. Which, considering he didn't remember me, was what was most likely thought I was.
"Yeah. Um, I went to one of your parties during your senior year?" Stupid! Like he'd remember me from that lousy titbit of information.
"Um..."
"I was your sister's friend?" Great! If he remembered me, I now made it sound like I was Alice's only friend.
"Oh! Yeah. Now I remember. Bella Swan, how are you?" He broke out in a smile. God he was beautiful.
I was doing a dance in my head over the fact that he remembered me. Yay!"Good, good. And how are you?"
"Great! And I can I just say that you still look as gorgeous as you did ten years ago."
"Thanks." I was hoping that I wasn't blushing. That would be embarrassing.
"It's been years. I'm sure that we have a lot to catch up on. Did you want to go out for a coffee? Hang out for a while?"
I looked at my watch, calculating if I had enough time to get a coffee and have enough time to cook dinner for Charlie. It looks like I did. "Sure. Um, let me just finish my shopping and take it home. Do you know any good cafes around here? Or if there are any actual cafes in Forks?"
He laughed. So I was funny in Forks. "Sure. Would it be too weird if I followed you back to your place and then led the way to the cafe? Since it's been a while, I wouldn't want you to get lost, and you do have all that shopping."
I shook my head. "No. Not too weird."
We walked to the checkout together and being the gentleman that I remembered he was, let me go first. Once all the groceries were payed for, he helped me carry the items to my car.
"You didn't have to do all that."
"It seemed like the gentlemanly thing to do."
"Well then thank you."
He ran back to get his groceries and then followed me home. As I was driving, my mind started thinking up possible outfits, other than the ratty sweats I was currently wearing) for our coffee date. I decided to go casual, which meant jeans, a pair of boots (to keep my feet and legs warm in this horrible Forks weather) and a warm sweater. I know that I was probably making a bigger deal of this than I should, but I really did like Edward. And who knows, with my divorce becoming final the next few weeks, anything could happen...
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"So you moved to New York huh?" He looked surprised.
"Yeah. I just really wanted to get out of Forks after graduation."
"How does it feel living there?" He asked, taking a sip of his coffee, which was really good by the way, for coffee in Forks. I was still addicted to Starbucks.
"It's crazy! Crazier still, I have two little twin boys!" Know why did I have to say that?
"Wow! I can only image how beautiful they look. Just like their mother." He hadn't changed at all. He was still the guy who could charm the pants off women. Which was where I was hoping that this was going...
"Well, I'm sure that they have a little bit of their father in them too." I really hated to bring up Jake, but the kids did have his colouring.
He leaned in closer to me and I swear that his face was even more beautiful up close.
"So then tell me Bella, why did you leave your perfect life in New York to come back to Forks?"
"I'm just here to visit my father. I haven't seen him since I got married."
"And you were wondering around Forks alone?"
"Not alone now, am I?" I knew that I was most likely flirting with him, but there was nothing wrong with that right? I mean, I was getting divorced.
"No. You're just lucky that I'm here to protect you from all the evil lurking around Forks." I smiled. He was flirting back. "So tell me. Who was the lucky guy that managed to steal your heart?"
That was when my smile disappeared.
"Um, Jacob Black." I muttered, hoping that he didn't hear me.
"Jacob Black? Why does that name sound so familiar?"
"Um, because he was the guy that made me cry because he was making out with some random girl at your party."
He quirked an eyebrow. "So you married him?"
"Well..." I trailed off.
"And after I beat him up for it?"
"YOU BEAT HIM UP!"
"Jeez, say that again Bella. The table down there couldn't hear you."
"Why would you do that?"
He held his hands up on defence. "Because he hurt you. And I didn't exactly beat him up. In my defence, he hit me first."
"Tell me exactly what happened."
He sighed. "Well, once I came back from dropping you off, I walked up to him and found him making out with another girl and pulled him off her. I told him that he just lost the best thing that ever happened to him and to never talk to you again, or I would hurt him. He told me to mind my own business and went back to making out with the same girl. I pulled him off her, because I wasn't finished talking to him, and he punched me in the face. So, of course, being a teenage boy, I hit him back. It took both Emmett and Jasper to pull us apart and I kicked him out of my house."
"Well, two weeks after the party we made up. I really thought that he had changed. I guess, ten years later, he was still the same guy. I should have known."
"And you're still married to him?"
"No. We're getting a divorce. It didn't work out."
"I'm sorry to hear that." He reached over and put his hand on mine. It was on oddly comforting gesture.
"It's okay."
"So, on a lighter note, what are you doing tonight?"
"I was going to unpack and make Charlie dinner. Why?" God, I sounded boring.
"When was the last time you went mini golfing?"
I laughed. And was he really asking me out on a date? "It's been a while."
"Good. Be ready by 8.30. I'm taking you out."
"Are you sure? I mean, don't you have a girlfriend or wife?" I was secretly hoping that he would say no.
"Um, I had a girlfriend, but um, things didn't work..."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it. Anyway, back to minigolf..."
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I was standing in the kitchen putting the final touches to the lasagne Charlie and I were going to eat for dinner when there was a knock at the door. I knew it wasn't Charlie, (he had keys, obviously) but was secretly hoping that it was Edward. But it was only 6.30 and I still had two hours left until we were supposed to go mini golfing.
I walked up the door and looked through the peephole. What I saw (or to be more succinct, who I saw) shocked me. He followed me back to Forks?
I opened the door.
"What are you doing here Jake?" I was really tempted to shut the door in his face.
"I wanted to come down and talk to you."
"And you couldn't wait until I got back to New York?"
"It's important."
"What is it? Is it the boys? And where are they?" I looked behind him, hoping the boys would jump out of the car any second.
"Relax Bella. The boys are with a babysitter."
"WHY WOULD YOU LEAVE THEM WITH A BABYSITTER?" I smacked his arm.
"Because I needed to talk to you."
"Well, I don't want to talk to you. So go back to New York and look after our boys. And after we get divorced, I am never leaving them with you ever again!"
I slammed the door in his face. I was just hoping that Charlie would get home soon and make Jake go back.
Fifteen minutes later, I looked out the window and saw that Jake was still there, sitting on the hood of his car. Lucky for me, my dad just got home. And by the looks of it, he was pretty much telling him to go home. I guess that Jake must have mentioned that the kids were being looked after by a babysitter as Charlie was really angry with him. I couldn't hear what Charlie was saying to him, but I guess he managed to get his message across, as Jake got back in the car and started driving away. Good.
"Hey Bells."
"Hey dad. How was work?"
"Screw work. What was Jake doing here?"
"He said that he needed to talk to me about something important."
"Which was?"
"I shut the door in his face once I found out the boys were with a babysitter and that they were okay."
"I smell food." I smiled at my dad's attempt to change the subject.
"Yup. Lasagne I remembered that it was once of your favourite dishes."
"Thanks Bells." He walked up to me, kissed me on the cheek and went upstairs to clean up before dinner.
I sat down at the table and began to eat. Just as I was finishing off my food, Charlie came downstairs.
"Wow. You eat fast. You in a rush?" He sat down and began shovelling food into his mouth. Good to know that his manners haven't changed.
"I was just hungry. And I'm not in a rush. I just have someone coming to pick me up soon."
"And who might that be?"
"Edward Cullen." He stopped mid chew and stared at me.
"Edward Cullen? Isn't he a little old for you?" He waved his fork in front of my face. I rolled my eyes at his stupid question.
"He's only two years older than me dad."
"That's still too old for you."
"Dad! Jake was two years older than me."
"And see how well that turned out. I really care for you and don't want to see you get hurt. Anyway, where are you two going?"
"We're going to play a round of mini golf."
"Mini golf? Aren't you two a little old for mini golf?" He scoffed.
"Well, I mentioned that I haven't done it in a while and he was nice enough to offer to take me. And no, you're never too old to play minigolf."
"And when did you have the chance to talk to him?"
"We met at the grocery store and he invited me out for coffee. And an interrogation isn't really necessary. I'm old enough to be able to go mini golfing if I want." I then realised that I sounded like a little child.
"I know you're old enough. It's just...are you sure that you want to start dating again after what happened with Jake?"
"It's not a date dad! We're just hanging out. And it's not like I'm going to marry the guy!"
"Okay, okay!"
There was a knock at the door.
"That's him. Did you want me to invite him in?"
"No. I trust him. You two just have fun. And be safe!" He called out when I opened the door. When I opened the door, there he was looking really good.
"Hi Edward." He pulled me in for a hug.
"Hey Bella. Ready to go"
"Sure." I took my coat off the coat rack (yes, my dad still had one)."Bye dad!"
"Bye Bells!" Dad yelled out a 'bye' back.
We walked to Edward's car and, as usual, he opened the door for me.
"Thanks."
He walked over to his side and started the engine.
"Ready for some mini golf?"
"Yeah. By the way, I may not have play for years, but I can still beat you." For Alice's thirteenth birthday we went mini golfing, and she started crying because I beat her, and because it was her birthday, she was supposed to be the best. I ended up switching our score cards just to shut her up. And also to be a good friend.
"Is that so?"
"Yup." I answered smugly.
"Then why don't we place a wager on this game of mini golf?"
"Okay. That should make things more interesting."
"The loser has to take the winner out to dinner at their choice of restaurant after the game and also has to pay for it."
"Okay then. Hope you like Italian Edward.."
