Penname: Edwina Cullen

Original or Derivative (fanfiction): AU/Derivative

Rating/Warning(s)/Note(s): T

Disclaimer: All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

Prompt: (Idea Completion) Your best friend unexpectedly shows up at your home.

A Familiar Stranger

How was I supposed to explain this?

This was a totally unexpected situation. I had never thought I would find myself in this awkward position, panting at the mere photo of a man. Besides, it was completely absurd – absolutely preposterous and out of this world. I knew that no matter how much I tried to explain, nobody would believe it possible. And, that was supposing I found the words to clarify my 'unreal' experience, at all.

Picking up the photograph from the kitchen isle, I rounded the bend of the short partition and slowly walked over to my best friend. My hands shook slightly as I looked down at the picture a second time. If there were any doubts before, they were instantly cancelled by the glowing gold in his eyes. I knew with certainty then, that I had no way of explaining my sudden desperation.

Oddly, it almost felt good to look at his handsome face again. The same brilliant smile so easily lured a woman, ignorant of the truth about him, into his unassuming lair. His eyes still shone with knowledge from the many years he had lived in both universes, confident and promising wonders untold. Exactly as the night I met him, I shuddered again from his sheer beauty.

I swallowed hard, eager to clear the haze and push back the bittersweet memories. There had been a time, not very long ago, when I had been just as awed as the impatient woman across from me. Sitting by the faux mantle, my best friend waited in impatient silence. Her eyes questioned in their intent scrutiny what had brought about the sudden change in my demeanor.

"This is not a pregnant people's thing, is it?" she asked, pointing to my distended belly. "I mean… Lord, you're acting strange!"she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

Of course I was acting strangely. There were very few times in my life when I was flabbergasted.

"Sorry Bella," I whispered, barely audible or making particular sense, even to myself. "It's just this man."

"Yes?" she prompted, when I had not spoken after several seconds. She sighed and turned to look out the window, either to avoid my eyes or hide her desperation. "What, this man what?!" she finally yelled and rose from her seat.

"He…" I began.

"No Megan, you!" she interrupted suddenly. A humorless chuckle gurgled in her throat, and when she turned to look me over, I quickly recoiled from the hatred in her eyes. They burned with the fires of hell, glowing with jealousy. "You just don't want me to be as happy as you. That's what this is all about."

"That is not true," I quickly defended, tearing my gaze from hers a moment before realizing my actions could be misconstrued as either guilty or insincere. I was guilty, but not for the ridiculous reason she accused me of. Had I told her the truth from the beginning, she would have know my husband of nine years had not gone on a business trip as I had let on. Bob had left. My life was just not as dandy as she thought.

Perhaps, though, my life had begun to normalize. At least, I thought I had a firm grip on my situation before Bella unexpectedly came bursting through my door with her "good news."

"Did you win the lottery?" I had asked with a wide grin as she practically hopped into the kitchen. Stuffing an éclair into her mouth, she began to explain the cause of her excitement.

"I'm telling you, Megan, they are all really very cute."

"They, who are they?" I asked, slightly perplexed. I had heard Bella's excitement about meeting the right man so many times in the past. Never had she ever shown an interest in keeping multiple partners.

"C'mon, little duckie, listen carefully," she finally swallowed. "I said, I met a man and his brothers. And they are all really handsome," she repeated dreamily, placing a stack of photos before me.

I had smiled and sighed in mock disbelief, momentarily sad for her and the way life had turned out. She merely grinned and nodded.

"So, which of these would be the real deal, again?" I asked.

Her shoulders shook as she laughed at my obvious confusion or inattention. There were several reasons I was distracted, but I could always blame my pregnancy for my inadequacies.

"Pay attention, darling, the dark one with the golden eyes would be it," she urged, unperturbed by my raised brow. Pushing a particular picture towards me, she said, "Look, there he is."

It was in that moment that I froze. There was no mistaking who was in the picture – who I continued to stare at in horror. I sighed, noting how the same man brought a fresh rise to my woes again. Sometimes, he even tormented my dreams, as though he'd never give me rest for my mistakes.

So, when I tremulously whispered to my best friend, "No, not him," I had not expected a protest, or that she would walk away from me. Least of all, that she would accuse me of interfering with her happiness.

"That is not true," I repeated, "You know I love you very much"

"You have a weird way of showing it," she shot back.

I ignored her comment, needing to let her know that she was better off staying away from him. "He's just not good for you, believe me," I murmured.

"Why is he not good for me?" Bella insisted.

Again, I had no answer.

"You're scaring the crap out of me, Megan," she continued softly.

"I… I just think… I know… it's just… I don't mean to scare you, Bella."

"Please explain, then," Bella begged. She reached out to hold my hand, and lifted a pleading gaze to mine. "I just want to know what has you so worked up. Anxiety is not good for growing babies," she smiled.

I smiled back and run my free hand over my protruding stomach. I felt a small nudge and patted the spot as if to calm the squirming children in me. Suddenly, I panicked again. What if they could hear me, or read my unclean thoughts?

"Shh," Bella encouraged, guiding me towards the large couch just behind. I firmly refused to sit, adamantly choosing to stay standing and alert for any more unexpected surprises.

Turning to look her straight in the eye, hoping to beg her understanding, I whispered again, "I can't, Bella. I just can't tell you what you want me to."

Several tense minutes passed. My best friend waited, but I stubbornly refused to succumb to reason.

Finally, Bella whispered, "That's a shame, Megan. You just lost a friend because you can't trust even her. Friends don't keep secrets from each other – especially not so-called best friends."

In one graceful move, she swiveled and collected her purse, walking away without even a "good bye." I sank into the furniture behind and sighed. My regrets multiplied as I watched Bella storm out of my house, leaving the door shaking in its hinges many minutes later.

It was not the first time we had fought, but for the first time I wondered if she would be back.

But how was I to explain to her that the man she had so eagerly fallen in love with was not quite as human as she thought? Or that he was the real father of the children growing inside me, and not Bob?

As usual, my editor makes it all better. Thank you, findthewill, for your patience and support.