AN: I meant to make this note at the beginning of the story, but since I am new to writing for fanfiction, I am still trying to figure stuff out. First of all, this is my first attempt at a story here, and I have no beta. Forgive the errors, please. I'll also try to update often, but make no guarantees. I know how frustrating it is to wait for updates so I'll try to make it as painless as possible.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Now, back to the story.
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Thanksgiving morning arrived quietly with the sun making a surprise appearance. Alice sat outside to greet the delicate pink light, drinking in the warmth. Unable to sleep well, she had been awake for hours. She sat on the same deck chair her twin brother, Edward, had inhabited often when he was young. Wrapping her husband's rain coat around her knees she sipped her strong cup of Italian caffeine. This would not have been unusual for the family celebration since it was normal for Alice to buzz around the kitchen for hours preparing a mouth-watering meal. But, the revelation of this amazing fact festered in her mind and imagination at incredible pace, growing tentacles of possibilities that now overtook her whole brain. With the second cappuccino finished, she sat back and catalogued yesterday's events, examining each detail.
Bella Swan has a son, a tall handsome teenage son. He was probably around fifteen, but looked like he was very mature for his age. His resemblance to Bella was strong, but whoever his father was, his genes blended nicely. The strongest trait was those eyes. The deep green eyes were the key. Strange pieces of the encounter were Charlie's discomfort disclosing his grandson and Jake's concern for making his mom upset when he told her about their introduction. What's up with that? It was too weird for Alice. Too painful.
Alice remembered the strong bond she had with Bella as a teenager, the countless hours Bella spent in the Cullen home with her or her brother. They were like the three musketeers; they were so close. Bella was very much her sister, and should have become her sister-in-law, but going away to different schools had become this cruel challenge at friendship. They all spent a ridiculous amount on airfare, on phone calls trying to keep the bonds intact. It was like building an elaborate sand castle in a flood plain – a lot of effort easily swept away once the rain started. It killed all of them. By the time they were into their last year of college, Alice and Bella were still friends but not nearly as close, exchanging greeting cards, birthday letters and had brief visits. It was nearly impossible to keep that special bond that everyday contact brought.
In a last ditch effort to keep them as close as when they were in high school, Alice spent her spring break with Bella in Florida. That was not the visit she hoped for. Bella's break was a week later then Alice's, and Alice spent little time with Bella since Bella was working part-time as a tutor in addition to carrying 18 credits that semester. Aside from meals, Alice spent a lot of time alone, occasionally studying with Bella or sightseeing. Alice could see Bella was under intense pressure with her work load and didn't push her to open up. They did catch up on their lives, but it wasn't the same. She was happy to know her relationship with Edward was fairly better than theirs. Edward and Bella had the same break so he flew into Florida and they spent some much needed quality time together.
As a few wispy clouds clung to the sky, Alice's thoughts drifted back to yesterday. What happened that brought this reality into place? Edward and Bella were supposed to be together; they belonged together. She never met any two people more meant for one another, with the exception of her parents or her and her husband. It was never in the Cullen nature to 'settle' when it came to love, and clearly her twin had done that. Edward chose Tanya. His decision never felt right to her; it seemed like blasphemy in the face of true love. What the hell happened between Edward and Bella? That question left a bitter taste in her mouth. Or, maybe that was the strong coffee.
The door to the back porch opened up and she was joined by Jasper. In all the years she knew Jasper, she was still so overwhelmed by her love for him. His honey blonde hair was a little shorter than when she met him, but it still had that slight wave and the longer strands fell fashionable into his eyes. Jasper was still the tall, athletic man thanks to his love of hiking and his marathon 'hobby,' always trying to stay in shape for any races close by. She felt the same thrill move through her as she did when they were teenagers. They were magic together.
His clear intense blue eyes were focused on her, and they crinkled into a concerned smile as he found hers. Alice's lack of restful sleep did not go unnoticed. After she filled him in on her surprise meeting yesterday, Jasper was concerned for his family. His perceptive nature allowed him to 'taste' the emotional climate of those around him, and hearing about Jake Swan was making everyone a little distracted and edgy. The usual family gathering was already somewhat painful, thanks to Edward and Tanya's dysfunctional relationship but they were generally able to have a good time regardless. He hoped it the news wouldn't make things worse this year.
"Beautiful morning." Alice stood up and Jasper gathered her in his arms. They sat back down together in the chair, Alice in his lap.
"Yes, it is" Alice replied.
"It was a rough night for you, love. You tossed and turned so much I thought you were dancing in your sleep." Jasper smirked as he nuzzled his face into his wife's hair.
"Yeah, it was. I just couldn't get Jake and Bella out of my mind. They danced around my head all night. Maybe I was trying to join them in the dance." Alice half giggled at the thought.
"Well, that would explain a lot. But, I don't think that was exactly the case." Jasper kissed the top of her forehead as she curled further into him.
"I know. It is bugging me so much, like important details are missing." Alice paused, thinking of her friend. "Why would she keep this from me? We were best friends, Jasper. Even though we weren't close toward the end, I don't get it. She could have sent me a baby announcement, a letter, made a call, anything to let me know. Just overhearing Jake talk about Bella finding out we met hurt my feelings. It was like a hard slap. She intentionally kept this from me, her friend. I mean, I sent her a wedding invitation, baby announcements, pictures, and it was like I sent to a stranger."
Alice slouched further into her husband, her anchor, for comfort and it made her feel like a child. "I know she probably didn't want to run the risk of seeing Edward again after they broke up. I get that. But she still could have told me what was going on in her life. I am not Edward. I did not break her heart. I was always her friend."
"I know darlin. I know. Maybe you could try to see it from her point of view. Bella was always one to try to spare anyone any pain if she could. Maybe she thought it would hurt someone she loved to keep us involved. It might not be about us or even Edward specifically. Maybe it was about trying to give her new relationship a chance. I don't know; I'm guessing here but you know Bella never had a malicious bone in her body. She must have had a good reason." Jasper rubbed Alice's back in soothing circles, trying to help her resolve her hurt.
Alice let the slow rise and fall of her husband's breathing sink into her. He always knew how to get her to take a different perspective when something bothered her. He made some sense, but it didn't quite erase the small voice inside her that told her something wasn't right.
"Yeah, she must have had her reasons, but she should've known I would have kept anything she didn't want Edward to know to myself. I would always support her decisions, always be there if she needed me. I can't stand the fact that she didn't seem to need me in all these years. I definitely could have used her in my life for girl support when life got confusing or messy. Since she's a mother, we could have definitely had mommy time, being there for each other when parenthood seemed so crazy hard." Silence again.
"Jasper, I just feel so hurt. Hurt because she disappeared from my life, hurt because she kept her life a secret from me. I am just a little heart sick she didn't trust me enough to let me in at all."
Jasper let her talk, wiped away the tears escaping her glistening eyes. He closed his own eyes and held her tight, trying to absorb any pain she had to help her bear the load. They sat there for a long while, not keeping track of time. The sun began to brighten the forest, as they heard the rest of the family moving around inside the enormous house.
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Esme and Carlisle were sharing their own quiet morning, moving around their bedroom in their morning routines. They had their own discussion regarding Jake Swan last night in bed. Esme echoed Alice's questions, felt some of the same shock and hurt for the secret Bella kept. As a mother, she saw things a little differently.
Her instincts told her what happened between Bella and Edward. She had always had suspicions about their break-up, and Edward's hasty engagement. Bella's child seemed to have some part in this. Did Bella fall in love with someone else and become pregnant before breaking up with Edward? That just didn't seem right, but the math seemed to work out. They broke up the summer Edward started medical school. She could have gotten pregnant around that time. Even though the scenario seemed to make sense, it still didn't seem like something Bella would ever do. She would never betray Edward. Unless…
Unless Edward had betrayed her first. Maybe it really wasn't a betrayal but her moving on. That thought came to her like an electric shock. Edward must have broken her heart first, somehow betrayed her love. It would explain how Bella seemed to disappear from their lives, like she never existed. Any letters they sent her were stamped "return to sender," she had changes her phone numbers and her parents basically pretended they knew nothing and took messages she never returned. It was a very frustrating and painful time. Edward was devastated, and had tried to reach out to her more than a few times. He never explained the circumstances for their break, but had been so crushed by Bella's disappearance. He thought he might at least get to make amends at Alice's wedding, but the invitation was sent back.
Esme chewed her lip as she blankly surveyed her shoe collection.
"Dear, what are you thinking about?" asked Carlisle.
"I think I might know why we never heard from Bella again after the break-up. And I think our son may have more to do with her secret than we thought possible."
"What do you mean? How does this involve Edward further than her disappearing from our lives?" Carlisle was intrigued, concerned with the grimace on his beautiful wife's face.
"Do you remember how shocked we were when Edward suddenly got engaged to Tanya? We all suspected Tanya somehow was involved in Edward and Bella's break up. What if something happened between Edward and Tanya that caused the break-up, something that would have forced Edward's hand?"
"Like what? Are you saying Edward might have cheated on Bella??" Carlisle became agitated at the thought.
"I'm not saying anything exactly. I am just trying to understand the reason behind the secrets. What would drive a woman like Bella to run away from our son, possibly end up pregnant soon after the relationship was over. She obviously felt their relationship was beyond redemption if she was able to start a life so quickly with someone else. Literally, she created a life almost the moment he broke her heart. Why would she do that, Carlisle? This is Bella we're talking about. We knew this girl long before she was in love with Edward. This is not the logic Bella would take unless she was terribly hurt."
Carlisle sat back on their large bed and thought it out. He always knew there had to be more to the story behind Edward and Tanya's marriage. They just didn't seem to fit together. Maybe they were happy in the beginning but it only truly lasted a few months before Edward started to withdraw. He was half himself with Bella gone.
"Carlisle, I love our son with all my heart and soul, and I would trade my life for his in a heartbeat if he were ever hurt. But, I think he did something so terrible to that girl that she ran away, as far away as possible." She paused for a moment, taking a breath as her thoughts came together like pieces of a puzzle. "And, call me crazy but I think she didn't run away with just a broken heart. I think Bella ran away with our grandchild."
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Jake woke up with a start. He was in the middle of an intense dream about vampires stalking him. There was something about werewolves and an epic fight in the forest. In a strange twist, he thought he was watching the battle from some bleachers like it was a sports event, with the whole Cullen family cheering on the vampires. Totally weird.
Then Jake remembered he was watching some old horror movie with his Quileute cousins last night after dinner while the adults fell into conversation about some of the tribal councils recent decisions. His cousin Quil Jr. started talking about the old tribal legends after the movie was over, trying to scare the smaller kids, telling them if they didn't listen to the elders the 'cold ones' would come and drain them dry. His little cousins ran screaming from the room, as Quil Jr's mom, Claire, scolded her son for terrorizing them. Quil Jr. smiled an evil smirk as he walked into the living room, denying any possibility he would ever terrorize anyone. His mom didn't buy it for a moment, and her husband Quil Sr. spent the rest of the evening supervising his son's punishment: washing all the dinner dishes. It was hysterical.
Jake pushed his hair out of his eyes, as he rolled over in bed. He was sleeping in the room that once belonged to his mom when she was his age. The bed was becoming too small for his long frame; his feet would hang over the edge if he stretched all the way out. He gazed over toward the wall opposite the bed. Some of her books were still on the book shelf: her Charlotte Bronte collection and a few reference books. Her old desk still held an ancient computer that was obsolete when she was using it in high school. Jake couldn't imagine how she got any use from that thing. That was so like his mom though; she could make things work no matter how badly in shape things were. She was resourceful, never taking what she had for granted.
Jake missed his mom. Bella was working hard on a new project in rural Arizona, trying to set up a clinic working with homeless shelters. She already treated people at most of the shelters in central Phoenix, but she was trying to set up services in some of the outlying areas which had no immediate access to medical care.
The room was unusually bright when he noticed the blue sky through the window. Jake moved into a sitting position, smiling at the thought of a sunny day during his visit. He hopped out of bed and headed for the bathroom. Once showered and dressed in warmer clothes, he headed downstairs, following the smell of eggs.
Charlie was just turning off the stove top when Jake moved into the small kitchen. He made some pancakes and sausage to go with the eggs.
"Smells good, grandpa. And here mom said I'd have to be prepared to fend for myself."
Charlie laughed. "Well, I can't say that isn't far from the truth unless you like to eat a lot of fish fry. I'm a wiz at cooking anything that I can convince to nibble on my fishing lures."
"I'm game for some seafood anytime you are. Tonight I do plan on roasting a small turkey and pulling together a few sides if you don't mind, grandpa."
"Wow. You can do that kid?" Charlie said with surprise.
"Sure. Can't be much harder than roasting a chicken and dad taught me that skill years ago. I'll make something more familiar than the French sides he liked though. You're probably a purist when it comes to Thanksgiving, with stuffing and potatoes."
"Sounds good, kid. I'll go along with whatever you fix. Except snails. No snails, please."
Jake laughed loudly. "Sure sure, grandpa. I promise no snails"
As he finished two helpings of eggs and pancakes, Jake cleared his dishes and washed them in the sink. Charlie sat at the table, drinking his coffee and watched his grandson.
"Speaking of France, how is your dad doing these days? Did you get a chance to talk to him?" Charlie swirled the last of his coffee in his mug.
"No, I didn't get a chance to call dad. I think he might have flown to Germany for work. He said something about it a couple weeks ago. I'll try his cell later. It's late there now."
"You haven't called your mom yet either." It was a statement, not a question.
Jake stopped washing his utensils for a moment. His back was turned to his grandfather, and he didn't know what to say yet. He quickly rinsed the dishes and turned back to meet his eyes.
Charlie had a stoic look on his face.
"No, I haven't talked to her either." The space between them was filled with thoughts so cloudy, it was like a fog. "I'm not sure what to say yet. All I know is she is going to freak out that we ran into Alice Cullen."
Charlie's face changed into a frown. He hated the way his daughter's life had turned out. Yes, she was doing good work and happy with the profession she was in, but she never got over the pain of losing Edward Cullen. That heartache changed her entirely. She went from such a soft hearted girl full of wonder, to a more distant, practical woman. She became fiercely protective of her life and her son's life. She fought for what she believed in, but had somehow retreated emotionally into herself, building a fortress around her soul. She made herself untouchable to everyone, but her son. She did have compassion for the refugees, the homeless and migrant workers she cared for. She made them feel safe and worthwhile when most of society turned a blind eye to them. Bella had a heart of gold, but the core of her was missing a crucial part she lost so many years ago. Thank goodness for Jake; he was her one person who truly touched her spirit, made her as whole as possible.
"Well, maybe she needs the reminder that this world is a lot smaller than she thinks."
"Somehow, grandpa, I don't think she wants any reminders about how small the world is. What's so wrong with meeting Alice or her daughter anyway? It's not like Alice is a dangerous person. I like her. She reminds me of a pixie." Jake smiled is crooked smirk.
"Alice is a doll. I always loved Alice, and so did your mom. I just think this has more to do with your mom's past than you or Alice."
"What happened, grandpa? Mom is so evasive when it comes to her friends in college."
Charlie finished his coffee and poured himself another cup before he began speaking again.
"Well, I don't think I can tell you the whole story since it's really not my place, and I don't really know all the details to begin with. I will tell you what I can though."
Jake sat down at the kitchen table opposite his grandfather and waited patiently.
"Your mom and the Cullens go way back, back to childhood. Bella was friends with the Cullen kids long before high school. Alice became her best friend in fourth grade when they moved to Forks. They were inseparable." Charlie smiled at the memory. "Alice has two brothers, Emmett and Edward. Edward is her twin. They treated Bella like a younger sister, taking her into the family without a backward glance. She was so close to all of them, including their parents, Carlisle and Esme. I thought I lost my only child to Dr. Cullen's family. But since it was just me and Bella here, it made sense for her to have a bigger support system. They became her family too. I was alright with that. The Cullens are good people." Charlie put his mug down on the table, slowly twisting it in a circle.
"So what happened? If they were so close then, why aren't they now? It doesn't make sense."
"Well, kid. Life gets more complicated when you get older. Your mom grew up with the Cullens, like an adopted daughter. As they got older, she and Edward started dating. I think it was their sophomore year when they fell in love. I thought it was just puppy love, you know; a phase. I was so wrong. They stayed together all through high school, true to each other like they were made for one another."
"I still don't understand. Did they break up?"
Charlie shifted himself uncomfortably in his seat. He was dangerously close to the truth he swore he wouldn't share with Jake until Bella has agreed to it. Jake stared intently at his grandfather, willing him to tell the rest of the story.
"Uh, yes. They dated for a while into college but they were going to school in different states so it was hard. I guess it got too hard so they broke up. Edward got married to some girl he met in school, and your mom met your dad."
"Okay. That still doesn't explain why mom doesn't exactly want me to know anything about her past or the Cullens. She makes it seem like it's a state secret. So she broke up with an old boyfriend, who cares? It's not earth-shattering news. Why keep the whole thing under wraps? Why make a big deal about the Cullens like they're part of the mafia?"
Charlie had to laugh at the last remark. It was too funny imagining the Cullens involved in some shady underground world. So farfetched.
"I think maybe your mom's heartbreak was too much for her to deal with. I think it still hurts her to think about it, so she closed that part of her life off. The Cullens aren't bad; just seeing them or being in contact with them brings up some deep pain she hasn't resolved yet."
Jake moved his eyes to the window, examining the strands of clouds in the blue sky. It made more sense now. Some parts were still not clear, but he could understand his mom protecting herself.
"So this Edward Cullen is responsible for hurting the woman I know as my mother? He broke her so bad that she can't even be honest with me, her son?" Jake's voice got louder as the words spilled from his mouth. He was angry.
Charlie was startled at this sudden change in mood. He tried to speak in a soothing voice.
"Now, Jake. It's not anyone's fault. I'm sure Edward was hurt too. I wouldn't blame anyone for things not working out. Like I said, life gets more complicated when you get older. There are no bad guys here. Sometimes love just isn't enough no matter how much you try. That is something I personally know a little about." Jake thought of his divorced grandparents, and took some deep breaths. Charlie was right. Life is complicated, and it can get messy sometimes.
One thought rang clear in his mind. Jake was going to meet this Edward Cullen and find out for himself what kind of man he really is. It felt right. It felt like this is where his life was heading. He needed to follow through with this if he was ever going to help his mom mend her heart.
"Alright, grandpa. I'll try to keep an open mind." Jake in no way was letting Edward Cullen off the hook so easily. He hurt his mom. That was enough to make Jake see red, enough to want to punch the guy in the face. It may not help, but it made Jake feel irrationally satisfied. That thought brought another smirk to his handsome face.
"Good boy. Now, let's talk about getting you a proper jacket. Looks like we need to take a trip to Newton's."
