As always all normal disclaimers apply. All mistakes are our own, where we have a group of wonderful people reading it before it posts, in the end all choices in the way it posts belong to Nikky and me.
Chapter Three
I spend the next week going through the client list, and getting acquainted with the office. The veterinary assistant, Jacob Black, and Mrs. Cope our secretary, are nice, and I get along well with them. I really didn't speak with them at the wake, so it's nice to get to know them now.
By the end of the week, I know my two employees quite thoroughly. Jacob is twenty-eight, married, with two sets of triplets. Hard to believe, but him and his wife Leah, have six kids. He's still taking online college courses, keeping up with his learning in the field. My grandfather was helping him. Jacob's goal is to be a veterinarian. Right now, he works here and takes the classes he can online. Leah works at the local bar and grill during the day. Rose and Kate watch their kids and home school the older three. They seem like a very nice couple and completely in love with each other.
Mrs. Heidi Cope is in her late fifties and is married to the local reverend. She also works as the local Sunday school teacher. Both have done a great job of keeping our list of clients happy the past two weeks. They were able to get me up to date really fast with who is who in our client list.
I have been here two weeks now. Garrett and Emmett have shown me the ins and outs of the ranch. Between them and their wives, things have been running smoothly. Rose and Kate have been very kind to make my meals and have also helped to keep my new home clean on top of their normal jobs, which is teaching hours of riding lessons, running a small daycare and home schooling the school-aged kids.
I am a little nervous, since today will be my first day as the new veterinarian. I had only just completed my degree, when my grandfather passed away, so this is all brand new to me. I walk out of the house feeling ready for the day ahead of me. When I get to my truck, I look out seeing that Kate and Rose are at the bus stop collecting the kids that have come for the grand apple picking that happens here every year.
I give them a wave, while letting Newton in my truck. I drive into town to start my first day, as an actual licensed vet, in my new to me—but old—office.
"Molly," I say in the waiting room.
A woman who looks about my age stands up with her cat, smiling at me. "Hi, I'm Jessica Stanley, and this is Molly."
"Nice to meet you, Ms. Stanley, I'm Edward Cullen. Anthony was my grandfather and I'm taking over his practice."
Jessica shakes my hand with her free hand. I give her a nod toward my door. We walk in to the small examination room and she places Molly on the table.
"So what's going on with Molly today?" I ask, giving Molly a pat and scratch of her jaw.
"She's just in for her check-up and injections."
I nod and look Molly over and look at her chart. I have Jake bring in both the allergy and rabies shots for which Molly is due. He holds her as I administer the injections.
"Well, it looks as if Molly is set. If you notice her allergies kicking up, call the office and we'll see her right away."
"Thanks, Dr. Cullen," she giggles as she picks up Molly and heads out of the room.
The day seems to go by like this with people here just for their pet's annual check-up. I finish writing my notes and putting my written log in the bottom drawer. I push it shut, but it fails to close. I crouch down to have a better look. I see something, so I put my hand into the drawer to see what's in there. When I feel the item, I can tell it is some sort of leather bound book. I push and pull to free it from the place it's stuck, and with a yank I'm able to bring it out.
I sit back down on my chair looking at it. I open the first page and smile.
Anthony Matthew Masen
I run my fingers over his scripted, boldly handwritten name. I move to the next page and see this must have been my grandfather's journal. The date starts around this same time, last year. I close it and place it into my bag to read later.
I arrive home and see that Rose and Kate are standing with the kids, waiting for the bus to pick them back up. I move toward them, and as I get closer, I see Peter and his sister are also there. However, I notice that they seem almost cut off from the others.
"Evening, Kate, Rose," I say, and from the corner of my eye, I see the girl pull Peter a little behind her. "How did the apple picking go today?"
"It went well. The kids all loved it, and got nearly four baskets each," Kate says smiling, and she points to the baskets.
"That's good, I'm really looking forward to some of the pies," I say with a little chuckle.
"Well, you're in luck, since Kate here, bakes one of the best around. She always allows us to try her first attempts," Rose jokes.
I grin and rub my belly as I lick my lips and both Rose and Kate laugh.
"Peter, are you going to be coming to my party next week?" Mac, Rose's soon-to-be eleven-year-old son asks.
Peter looks at his sister, who is frowning as she shakes her head at him.
"No, sorry, Mac, but we have a family thing."
I look at Rose, when she lets out a small sigh.
"Can't he even come for a little bit, Isabella?" Mac asks pleadingly.
"I'm sorry, but no. I'm sure you'll have a good day anyway," the girl, I now know is called Isabella, pulls her brother away a little from Mac.
"Mom, can't you make her let him come, please? Just because she has no friends, doesn't mean Peter has to go without, too."
Rose looks from Mac to Isabella and Peter then back to Mac. "I will ask Mr. Swan," is all she says and Mac seems to be happy with that and goes to play.
I pull my eyebrows together, unsure of what happened. Isabella looks like she cares deeply for her brother, so why does she hover so much. "You really think she doesn't want him to have any friends, because she doesn't have any?" I ask not meaning to.
Rose and Kate look at each other and both shrug. "She's a little weird. One minute she's quiet and timid, but then there are times where she lashes out. It's like she is nuts. Their mom left about six years ago, leaving Mr. Swan as a single parent to bring up two kids alone. He home schools them, as well as runs a full-time business all alone.
"But she just keeps running away. She always takes her brother with her. I think she thinks life with her mom would be better. Mr. Swan tries to discipline Isabella and explain to her how upsetting it is for him. None of it seems to have any effect on her, or she's just like her mother and doesn't care about anyone but herself," Rose says like she's disappointed in Isabella.
"What's Mr. Swan like?" I ask trying to figure out why she would run away.
"He's all right, a little stressed at times, but with a wacky ex-wife and an unruly daughter, that may explain that," Rose says looking toward Isabella and Peter as she talks.
I look that way and see Isabella's hands are yet again in fists.
"Your grandfather didn't like Mr. Swan very much," Kate says.
I turn and look at Kate. "What?" I ask, looking between her and Rose.
"Your grandfather didn't like him. This last year we'd seen him talking to Isabella and Peter, a lot. He seemed to have formed a friendship with them."
I look back, frowning at Isabella and Peter. Why would my grandfather befriend them? Even better yet, why would Mr. Swan have such troubles with these kids? They don't seem to be bad?
"Yeah, and what does she do, run away when the town is grieving over his death," Rose adds sounding upset.
I hear beeping and turn seeing the bus pulling up. The kids all walk to the bus, only Peter trips over his loose laces. I catch him by his arm, but his knee hits the bus stair.
"Are you okay," I ask him as he whimpers. I move his pant leg up a little catching sight of a large bruise on it.
"I told you before, leave him alone," Isabella says, gripping my hand that's on Peter's leg.
"I just wanted to make sure he's not hurt," I say looking to her.
"Let him go," Isabella yells right in my face.
My eyes go from her to Peter, who's holding back tears. I drop my hand from Peter, but Isabella doesn't let go and I feel my hand shake, but I know that it's not me that's shaking, but her.
"Isabella, there's no need for that, he was only helping," Rose says a little harshly.
"I didn't know talking about someone, when that someone is within earshot—talking about them and their family like they're not even there—was helping someone. My mistake, I just thought you were a bunch of bitches that have no idea what you are talking about."
At that she lets me go and walks on the bus with her brother in front of her.
I stand with my mouth open looking at the bus, then to Kate and Rose.
"What just happened?" I ask and they both sigh.
"That's just Isabella at her finest," they say together, before walking back to the house along with their kids.
I stand there and look at the bus, feeling even more confused than I was before.
A/N: Well you learned a little more about Isabella and her little brother Peter. She sure is a tough one, isn't she? What do you think? Why do you suppose Bella doesn't want Peter to have friends?
