A/N: Bella's thoughts on Thanksgiving, and probably the drive up to NH as well.

Chapter 7- Thoughts on Thanksgiving

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008. 12:00 PM, Eastern Standard Time

Yesterday, Edward had asked me if I wanted to come up to his parents house for Thanksgiving. I had naturally accepted, as it was a choice between that and eating sandwiches and studying in my dorm room. We had arraigned for transportation and food via e-mail, and he had called his mother to tell her I was coming. It seemed as though it would all work out perfectly, but I was worried.

I was going to be staying at their house for more than four days. Would his family like me? What would they think of the fact that I was in college, and had a daughter? Would they figure out that I was only eighteen, six years younger than the normal girl in her second year of grad school? Would they ask about my family? Would they like Abra? Would Abra behave herself? What should I bring?

So many questions. And yet, it was still almost two weeks before we drove up! How many more questions could I think of in thirteen days? I sat down at my desk and began to study, to take my mind off of Thanksgiving.

The bell in the clock tower tolled twelve thirty. I shut my laptop, picked it up, grabbed my books and set off to my next class. I would have to worry some other time. Right now, it was time for Epidemics and Pandemics- A Study of Infections Diseases in History.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday. November 24th, 2008, 10 PM, Eastern Standard Time.

I locked my dorm room door, and put the money Edward had paid me earlier in my pocket. We had rescheduled the tutoring session to today, because of tomorrow's trip. I zipped up my rain coat, it hadn't stopped pouring all day, and set out for the grocery store, taking the stairs because both elevators had stopped working,

Half an hour later, I was back, soaked to the bone, and holding two paper shopping bags. I set them on the floor of the room, and finished packing up everything for the next day. I set the suitcase I had packed for the two of us by the door, and went to bed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day, I woke up around seven, later than usual, and took Abra over to Angela's house to pick up her car seat. Angela answered the door.

"Bella, you're soaked! Come in!"

"Hi Angela."

"Hi Bella. When are you leaving?"

"Soon. I need Abra's car seat."

"Okay. One second. Have some breakfast." Angela motioned me into the kitchen, and gave me a piece of toast and a banana. She went off to find Abra's car seat, and I cut up the banana into little pieces for Abra.

A few minutes later Angela returned, with Abra's car seat in one hand, and her traveling blanket in the other. I smile. "Thanks Angela. You're a godsend."

"No problem. You get going, and don't come back until you've had some fun, okay?"

"I'll try."

"Bye Bella. Bye Abra."

"Bye Angela."

"Bye 'Gela." Abra gives a little wave.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fifteen minutes later, we were home in our dorm room, and soaked again. I put our stuff down, and moved around the room, packing up small things, toothbrushes, books, Abra's whale, and my ID card.

It was a few minutes after eight; we had agreed to meet at a quarter after eight, in the lobby of our dorm building. I picked up my suitcase and took Abra's hand, and together we walked down the hall. I looked longingly at the elevator, but walked past. Abra stopped, however. She turned and pointed. "Go on the levator!" She looked up at me. "Levator?"

"No Abra, the elevator isn't working."

"Levator broken?"

"Yes, the elevator is broken."

"No levator." She said sadly, and turned around. We began walking towards the stairs again.

"Abra, can you walk down the stairs by yourself? I need to carry the suitcase and your car seat."

"Yes, mommy."

She took the stairs slowly, and I carried the suitcase down. At the end of each flight, I would wait and a minute later, Abra would stand next to me and give a big smile.

We got down to the lobby a few minutes late, and Edward was already standing, with a suitcase sitting next to him. He grinned. "You know, the elevators are working now."

"You've got to be kidding. I just carried this suitcase and Abra's car seat down those three flights of stairs, and made Abra walk down, and I could have taken the elevator"

He shrugged. Abra ran up behind and hugged my leg, looking up at Edward until she recognized. She pointed. "Niss man! Hi Eddard!"

His face broke into a big smile, as he looked down at her. "You remembered my name!" He looked up at me. "Or were you practicing with her?"

I held my hands up. "No practice, I promise. She's been getting better and better at talking lately. She remembered all by herself."

He nodded. "Now I feel pathetic, because I've forgotten her name, and she's remembered mine. What's your name?" He said, looking to her.

She looked up at him. "'M Abra."

He nodded. "Abra, that's right, I remember now." Just then, a girl walked in. Edward turned when she called his name. "Alice! This is Bella, and this is Abra. Bella, Abra, this is my sister Alice."

She nodded to me, and then as an afterthought, nodded to Abra as well. Abra nodded back seriously, looking very adult.

I gave a little wave. "Hi. Bella."

She smiled. "Okay, follow me, we have to get going if we want to be there when we're expected."

Alice was short, shorter than me, and I thought I was short. To me she looked only about 5 feet tall. She had short, dark brown hair that spiked all around her face. She led us out to a small blue car parked on Mass Ave. It was obviously very fancy, and well cared-for, even though I knew nothing about cars.

Alice stopped, and pressed a button on the car key that opened the trunk. Edward picked up the suitcases and shuffled them around to fit all three in. Alice looked at me. "I hope you don't mind sitting in the back with Abra? Edward can't fit his legs back there very well."

I shook my head. "No, I don't mind at all."

She smiled. "Thank goodness. I couldn't have everyone arguing all the way there!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: So there's that chapter. This turned out longer than I expected as well. Next chapter will be the drive up to New Hampshire, and the chapter after that will be Thanksgiving dinner. I will probably switch to Edward's point of view for Chapter 8. Thanks to all of my readers, and to hhawkes, xxxxParvati-Patilxxxx, and Luinvinial for their reviews!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------