Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.
Five Months Later
Susana and I had settled in small town in Louisiana. We had a little yellow house with a back yard, and I had a new job at a local bookstore. I started today, and I was nervous. I hadn't worked since highschool. After Jake and I got married, he insisted I didn't have to work, and then I got pregnant, and then I was content to stay home with Suze. Needless to say I'd been out of the workforce for quite awhile.
I tearfully dropped Suze off at her new daycare. At first she clung to my legs, but she almost immediately warmed up to her teacher, Ms. Rosalie. The leggy and gorgeous blonde bent down in front of Suze and stuck out her hand.
"Hi, Susana, I'm Ms. Rose. I know you're a little scared, but we're going to have so much fun today! Do you like baby dolls? I happen to have some really sweet babies, do you want to see?" Rosalie asked brightly.
Suze nodded shyly. Rose stood and held out her hand, and Susana reached up and took it. Rosalie smiled over her shoulder at me as she led her away.
"She'll be fine, Mrs. Black, don't worry!"
"Oh please, call me Bella," I urged her.
"Alright, Bella! We'll see you this afternoon. Say 'Bye, Mommy!'" she said to Suze.
Suze turned around quickly and gave me an absent minded wave before she returned her attention to the impressive collection of dolls in front of her.
Rose and I smiled at each other, and I let myself out quietly.
I was so nervous by the time I reached the bookstore my hands were shaking.
"Relax, Bella!" I told myself. "They're just people, it's just a bookstore. How hard could it be?"
When I found the job in the paper I thought it'd be a perfect fit. I loved to read. Now I wasn't so sure. Maybe I should do something a little less people oriented. Oh well, too late now.
I entered the bookstore, and the delicious aroma of coffee hit me. I looked around and noticed the entire back of the store was a little coffee shop. A beautiful dark wood counter/bar ran the length of the building and a few people were pulled up to the bar sipping their beverages in comfy leather chairs. A tiny woman with short, choppy and stylish black hair was wearing a fuchsia apron, grinning as she wiped down the counter. She leaned in conspiratorially to the old man in front of her, listening to something he was saying and then threw back her head in laughter. Just then she looked up and spotted me.
"Hello there! Can I help ya? Care for a cup of coffee?" she called out pleasantly.
"Um. . . I'm Bella. Bella Bla- Bella Swan. I work here?" I hadn't intended it to come out a question.
The pixie girl leaned forward and said something to the old man with a wink and then ducked under the counter and ran up to me. From a distance she didn't look it, but once in front of me I realized she had to be five feet tall, max.
I stuck out my hand, but she simply jumped up and hugged me tight.
"Oh Bella, you are just going to love working here! We're all really close, but I'm sure you could already tell that, you're not THAT new in town are you? Oh well anyway, I own the shop, but I'm not a tyrant or anything for sure. Have you ever worked in retail or food service?" She rattled off the questions rapid fire and I was having a hard time keeping up. And the entire time she spoke she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet.
I stood there stunned. She looked at me sideways a small smile on her pouty mouth.
"I'm Alice…by the way…" she said slowly.
"I-I--" I faltered not really knowing what to say.
A pretty olive skinned girl with dark hair and red rim glasses appeared beside me said laughingly "it takes a while to get used to Turbo Speed Alice!"
I smiled, relieved to know I wasn't the only one having trouble keeping up.
"Hey!" said Alice grudgingly. "Oh you know we love you Alice," she said laughing again, "I'm Angela, by the way, I work in this crazy house too."
"Bella Swan," I said smiling.
"Alright, alright," Alice grinned, "Bella let me show you the ropes!" She twirled away and I trailed after her.
The rest of the day went smoothly, Alice showed me how to work the various contraptions in the coffee shop, and Angela showed me how to work the computer system in the book store. I even helped a few customers!
Alice had just left for lunch, after I assured her for fifteen minutes straight I could handle being behind the counter for an hour alone. This was before I discovered the espresso machine was possessed. I'd managed to use it perfectly fine four times that day, but as I was taking a woman's order a horrified look came across her face.
"Miss? Oh, wow. Oh gosh, ma'am? I think something's wrong with that thing," she said gesturing behind me.
"Hmm?" I said turning to see what she was pointing at.
The machine was lurching side to side, and growling. Suddenly it spewed espresso everywhere and we both shrieked. The growling grew louder, and the lurching more intense. When a spray of coffee hit my fuchsia apron I threw up my hands in exasperation.
"That's it!" I hollered. I held my hands in front of me trying to deflect the spewing as I got closer to investigate.
"Be careful!" the woman warned, "it's probably very hot."
Good point, I grabbed some pot holders from under the counter, and turned to face the beast again.
"Stop it! Stop that right now!" I yelled at it in frustration. "It's my first day on the job, so help me… if you get me fired!" I hollered. I grabbed a whisk from the counter and whacked at it. Tentatively at first and then more vigorously.
"Stop it! Stop! Stop! Stop!" I yelled.
"Ma'am, it sure looks like you've got everything under control, but if I could be of some assistance. You might try unplugging it," a deep male voice said from behind me. With more than a hint of laughter.
Without turning around I gave the machine one more good whisk whack before I reached behind it and unplugged it. It gave an exhausted sigh, gurgled once, and died.
I whirled around, "Thanks."
And I found myself face to face with a very attractive blonde man. He was about 6'4" or so, lanky but muscular. He was leaning casually on the counter. His blue eyes were kind but cool.
"No problem at all. I mean, I'm sure you had it taken care of but--"
"Oh yea, I definitely had the situation under control," I agreed.
He smiled and held out his hand. "Jasper Hale, pleasure to meet you."I grinned back, taking his hand. "Bella Swan. It's my first day." "Ah," he said laughing.
"So what can I get you? Don't say espresso." I warned.