a/n: This is an updated version of the chapter. I fixed the breaks and am working on the next chapter now, I'm literally ditching a party to write…I'm officially getting old.

Again, My name is Shai (Shay), not Stephenie…Twilight is not my creation because then Paul Lahote would be my boyfriend.

Chapter Three: Something's Can't Be Fixed

"I don't exactly know where to start, maybe you're swingers or open or whatever term people use now," she rambled "last night I was on a date with Dmitri and I saw Edward with this woman, I'm positive it was him."

"Tanya, her name is Tanya"

"Did you know?" she asked, sitting at her kitchen island staring at the flowers situated in a glass vase in the center, the colors of the peonies catching my attention too.

"For a while, yes. I know it's stupid to even still be in the situation knowing what I know, I just couldn't find the reason to walk away from it all. I gave up some of the most important things to be with him but not anymore trust me Jane, I'm working on it."

"Are you going to kill him?" She asked me completely serious.

"No, why would I kill him? Who would do that?" She gave me the most obvious look, maybe I should've specified when I said Jane was a widow – I meant a black widow, a widow by choice – Caius never saw it coming. She followed him out of town and watched as he entertained the other woman, the one who she always ending up losing out to. He never made it home, the official news story was he had faulty brakes and couldn't avoid the sharp turn that sent his car off a cliff.

"I'll do it - I'd just need something different than destroying his brakes, maybe..." she trailed off, obviously lost in thought. I can't believe all my friends are content with trying to kill him- first Mike now Jane.

"No need Janie, I'm just going to leave him, the sane thing to do that won't get me thrown in prison."

"I'm just saying. Some people get crazy when things don't go their way. Be careful, especially with that Tanya. Dmitri swore he'd seen her before and that she's into some serious shit."

"If all she wants is Edward, she can have him."

I'd finally started on dinner, Eli was chasing a ball he kept kicking away. Renesmee was upstairs finishing her homework. I called around to a few friends of Masen and he let them know he was safe but it didn't let him off the hook for leaving school all day.

It finally hit me that I didn't worry about being a single parent, I already practically was one. My salary paid the bills, for the sports fees, the music lessons and daycare. I juggled menial and time consuming tasks with an excitable toddler, football/basketball/baseball games, and recitals. I didn't have to worry about doing it alone because I had lived this for years now.

Putting the chicken in the oven to further brown, I left the potatoes to boil while I went to check on Renesmee. I situated Eli in his floor pin with majority of his toys and made my way upstairs, getting closer to the door I hear the soft sounds of a familiar song Claire de Lune.

**
The window was open letting in the crisp breeze of the pacific northwest, a full moon in the sky with a great view from Edward's third story bedroom window. We were talking about college plans - me going to Arizona State and him starting the Pre-law program at UCLA or staying in state to go to University of Washington. It wasn't much of a distance issue as it would've been if I'd gone to Columbia, before Edward my dream was New York City for a few years then I'd find a place to settle down.
Claire de Lune played softly in the background while we contemplated the choices we were given.

"It doesn't matter where we go to school, we'll figure it out - flying out on weekends, school breaks, we always figure it out because we're meant to be together" he was adamant that it would all work out. I took comfort in that laying my head in his lap.

"Arizona, I can do Arizona - I won't ask you to make me any promises Edward, I'll always want you and I won't leave you behind for New York. I'd never leave you."

"Only if you want to, I love you - that doesn't stop with distance. I always will."

Promises broken on both sides now.

Knocking on the bedroom door, I peek inside and she's laying on the floor, eyes shut but obviously awake.

"What are you doing silly?"

"Meditating and being consumed by the music. It's been a long day especially with that math homework."

"Ahh math, I'll leave you be but if you need help just ask. Dinner should be ready soon so don't forget to wash your hands."

With Ness in her own world and Eli thoroughly distracted, I made my way to the kitchen to finish off dinner. Twenty minutes later there was a complete meal of baked lemon pepper chicken, mashed potatoes and asparagus.

The back door opened, I didn't need to look up.

"Finally, I appreciate you letting everyone know you were safe but next time maybe start with your mother. You're walking a fine line to be grounded."

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't concentrate or sit there all day."

"Have you been taking the medication as directed?"

"Yes, I take it everyday. My behavior is fine it's the thoughts, my head is always racing and I can't sleep - I tried, after I went to see Ed-are those mashed potatoes?"

"Focus for one second, you're not sleeping?"

I noticed he was usually the first one out of bed, a little irritable, and high strung.

"No I tried, that's where I was I went to get a change of scenery. It didn't help, I just stared at the ceiling in Georgia's guest room, maybe it's just stress related deprivation?" he asked and I wish I had the answer, so I gave him the best answer I could...

"Maybe, but we'll monitor it. I'll schedule you another appointment if this doesn't stop soon. Now go wash your hands and face so you can have those potatoes you're drooling over."

He made his way up to the bathroom to get ready while I set the table, four settings, one of which was a novelty spongebob plate set.

Unexpectedly, I heard the front door open, keys drop into the key dish and the unmistakable sound of hard bottomed shoes on the wooden floors.

"You're here early."

"I just wanted to have dinner with my family and give you these." I look up and he's got a dozen roses in his arm - I could throw up right there.

"I think those belong to Tanya. I don't even like Roses."

"He told you didn't he?" the confusion must've been clear on my face "Masen, he told you. Bella, I didn't mean for him to see th-"

I cut him off.

"Didn't mean for him to see what? And why would he know? I've known for a while -"

Renesmee entering the room instantly stops the argument.

"Ooh pretty flowers, aren't they mom?"

I grabbed them from Edward and put them in the vase on the counter top.

"They're for you Nessie. Your father's apology for missing your recital last weekend" I said to her.

I started to set the fifth plate down the table as Masen walked into the scene, giving Edward the look I wish I could.

"Why are you here? Didn't I say I didn't want you around my mother ever again?" he was turning red and very upset. In an effort to neutralize the situation I instruct everyone to sit while I seat Eliot.

As soon as we start dinner, Masen decided it was the perfect time to argue with Edward.

"Masen, we'll have this talk after dinner, the three of us" Edward responds to another litany of insults being thrown his way.

Masen agreed to clear the table and load the dishwasher, Edward shockingly agrees to tidy the den where Eli had been playing an hour earlier. I gave Eli a short bath that put him to sleep. Looking down at him, the thought that comes to me is how grateful I am for him.

I was grateful for all my children, but Eliot, he was such an easy child to take care of - an angel was the only way to describe him. Masen was a happy accident but he was extremely colicky so I always had to hold him and sleep in the same room, Renesmee was another happy accident but that pregnancy was a nightmare that kept us both hospitalized for too long, doctor's constant tests and so much blood lost from the spontaneous home birth, she knew she was here by absolute miracle and kept her faith in divinity. I didn't always understand her but I could never fault her for her beliefs. Eliot was planned, we wanted him and conceiving was so hard, we tried and it seemed hopeless that we'd get pregnant again there was damage from carrying Renesmee. It finally happened and I didn't remember the pain, he cried for a minute at birth and then he lazily smiled at everyone as they poked at him to get his body profile. Over the three years - he rarely cried and as long as he was clean, he was smiling and happy. There weren't many late nights with him though on the rare occasion I didn't even mind.

I leave on his night light and shut the door behind me.

I feel eyes on my back and turn to find Renesmee peeking from her doorway.
"Can I talk with you and Masen too?"

I'm torn because she's close to tears, this involves all of us but the subject matter doesn't seem appropriate. So I compromise and I offer an alternative:

"Let us talk to Masen alone and we'll talk to you in the morning, I promise."

That stops the immediate worry in her eyes, the thought of tomorrow. I return her hug and send her back to bed.

"Okay Masen, you can start" I grab hold of his hand in encouragement.

"I just hate him."

Edward responds before I can tell Masen to continue, "I'm right here!"

"Yeah for once...fine. I hate you."

"I'm sorry you saw that this morning...I-"

I was already afraid to ask but the words poured out before I could even gather the thought, "What'd you see?"

"Isabella. Don't."

"No. We're having this discussion and I deserve to know everything. He can tell me or you can leave now and he'll tell me anyway." I kept my voice firm but low as to not wake the two upstairs.

"I won't be crass but my eyes were subjected to tongues meeting female genitalia."

"Wow," I wasn't exactly surprised "I'm actually glad you've refused to kiss me for over a year now."

"Well what'd you expect? She talks to me - she tells me things. You don't even try to speak to me about anything. The only opinion that matters is Bella's" he was screaming now.

I always tried to speak to him, his opinions always mattered so I call absolute bullshit on that excuse.

"Bullshit, you don't ever want to listen! If ever have anything to say lately you're so dismissive that it's not worth it anymore. I've been sparing your feelings for so long at my own expense - at everyone else's expense."

Masen felt the need to speak up, "she's right, you just abandoned us. I can't even talk to you if I need you. Nessie, as annoying as she can be just prays that she can make it better. She wants you around all the time and Eli, he's too young to get it but I do. For some reason, you can give yourself to us part time physically but not at all emotionally, we've all been trying and you don't seem to give a damn that this hurts all of us. That's why I told her to leave, you aren't even trying. Ugh, I have to lay down all this arguing is making my head spin."

He rushes up the stairs and I hear the door slam.

"I spent half the day trying to figure out where this went wrong Isabella."

"I don't even know what you want me to say."

I don't say anything, I followed in the direction Masen took off in and find myself getting ready for bed as well.

About 20 minutes later I feel the other side of the bed sink in accommodating the weight of Edward's body, my back stays turned to him.

"Tomorrow we have to talk to our daughter then I need you to leave...for good, we'll talk about custody and visitation after I talk to my lawyer" I whispered anticipating his response.

"Whatever you say Bella"

My phone lights up in notification of a new message

James: I feel like a teenager, I can't sleep thinking about you. Goodnight.

Me: Goodnight.

Renesmee's POV

I looked over at the clock near my bed and lay awake unable to even think of sleep.

3:23 a.m.

I got out of bed and wandered down the hall, I open the door to Masen's bedroom.

"Mase? Are you awake?"

He rolled over, "I'm always awake. What do you want?"

"I can't sleep."

"Ugh," he groans "fine get in the bed shrimp and keep your cold vampire feet to yourself."

I climbed onto the bottom of Masen's bed and cover myself with his extra throw blanket and he passes me his extra pillow. After five minutes I still can't get comfortable enough to sleep.

"Will you stay still down there?"

"Sorry."

"Don't worry about them kid, it'll all be over soon" he says quietly.

"That's what I'm afraid of. Why can't they just fix it?"

"Some things can't be fixed but don't worry, no matter what happens you've got a kickass older brother."