Rent-A-Life

REVIEW ANSWERS:

From: Guest

:Who doesn't eat for three days? Is she anorectic?

ANSWER: Bella was busy taking care of her father and Jake, she was running on coffee, snacking here and there as well as adrenaline and emotions. It was only three days. No Bella is not anorexic; she is just a busy single mom trying to juggle a father with cancer and an adolescent son.

From: jane (Guest)

jane:For me it doesn't matter who Jake's fatehr is. The point is he and Bella
are forever connected. When you have a child together there is the unbreakable
bond between the parents. You can divorce, break up, move to another country
but you will never forget the mother of your child or the father of your
child. The souls of parents are forever joined because they created the new
life. Even if later they start to hate each other it doesn't matter. There is
no way of erasing their relationship. The child is the reminder. He is a piece
of mother and father, their creation. Piece of Bella will forever belong to
the father of her child, and piece of him will forever belong to her. Edward
will never be her One and Only. He will share her with that unnamed man,
Jake's father

ANSWER: Jake's father will make an appearance later in the story. For those of you who are guessing and simply can't wait any longer you can write a review and ask questions I'll be sure to answer them. But I would suggest waiting and reading the story. I know how it is reading a story and you just HAVE TO KNOW, so if you don't mind it ruining some of the story I'll answer your questions now.

Now that that is out of the way on to the chapter and hopefully a bonus.

Chapter 7

After Edward left that night Bella went up to her room with every intention of going to sleep. As she laid there in bed her mind kept wandering to his hands on her and the things his fingers could do. Bella wondered if all of the rumors in high school were true or if they were simply premonitions of things to come after he completed medical school. Who would have thought that you could give someone an orgasm from simply rubbing their feet? Bella's insides were aching for more and she debated climbing the chair in her closet to retrieve her new BOB (Battery Operated Boyfriend) from her closet shelf. Unfortunately her exhaustion won out and she drifted off to sleep replaying her foot massage over and over again.

The next week went by in a blue of working, school registration and doctors appointments. Bella was emotionally and physically exhausted. Edward had texted her to remind her of a barbeque that his parents were going to have at the end of the summer. Bella told him that she would be there but that their date schedule for the weekend prior had to be postponed. Bella and Jake were flying back to San Francisco to visit with friends and Bella had some loose ends to tie up with work. It was now Friday evening and Edward had stopped by to drop off an autographed high school newspaper for Jake. He had Emmett sign it and write a brief message to Jake. Edward signed it as well and wrote a brief shout out to his # 1 bud. Jake was excited and wanted to get it framed for his room. Bella found it adorable and asked where her autographed picture was. Edward blushed and promised to get her one of her own.

"Are you staying for dinner?" Bella asked him as he tossed the football back to Jake who was across the front lawn.

"Of course, I'll never turn down your home cooking," Edward beamed at her and winked his all-American wink.

"Alright then you guys have ten minutes and make sure he washes his hands," Bella pointed to Jake who had just tossed the ball into a puddle and picked it up.

"Sure thing," Edward replied turning to catch the ball.

After the table was set Charlie helped Bella make plates of Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, carrots and green beans. Edward took a seat in his normal spot after washing his hands. His head lifted to the air sniffing and turning left to right.

"It's cherry, now eat your dinner or you won't get any." Bella informed him of the pie flavor for the night as she noticed his interest in the aroma coming from the kitchen. Bella was well aware of Edward's pie fixation. She had also noticed that he gained a few pounds over the last few months. It was hard to believe that she had been back in contact with him for almost three months now. They had come so far from their first awkward moments.

"Edward, we're bringing our dog back with us, you're going to love him, he plays football and he can snore louder than pop," Jake talked through a mouth full of meatloaf.

"Jacob Marshall do not talk with your mouth full of food," Bella scolded. Jake's cheeks turned pink much like Bella's did when she was embarrassed.

"Sorry," He ducked his head and looked down at his plate pushing the mashed potatoes around.

"I hope to meet him some time, I've always wanted a dog but my brother and sister are allergic."

"Are you allergic too?" Jake inquired.

"No, just them, they got it from their mom's side," Edward took a bite of his food and moaned into the fork. It was delicious. He was falling in love with Bella's cooking each time he took a bite of something new she prepared.

"Esme isn't their mother?" Bella asked. Charlie looked towards Edward giving him a confident nod for him to continue. Charlie knew the tale of how Carlisle and Esme had met.

"No, She is my mother but their step mother, Their mother passed away about an hour after giving birth to Emmett, My mom was one of her friends and I guess the rest is history," Jake nodded in understanding.

"But she loves Emmett and Alice right?" Jake asked setting his fork down and giving Edward his full attention.

"Oh, yes absolutely, she was the one who took care of them after their mother passed away. My dad was a mess and I think Charlie can tell you better than I about what he went through. I'm just glad that my mom was there for him, because then I wouldn't be here."

"Yeah, you're right, so Emmett's your half brother?" Jake asked. "If I have a brother or sister they'll be a half right?"

"Yup pretty much, but family is family, it doesn't matter half or step we all love each other the same."

"I'm going to let you play with my dog; you can come to the park with us if you want. I can share him but mom won't let you take him overnight, she cuddles with him. She said that she doesn't need a man as long as she has him to keep her feet warm at night." Jake laughed at his mom and continued his dinner.

"Jacob stop gossiping and telling all of my secrets," Bella laughed and swatted her son's arm.

"Edward if you want secrets I've got better ones that Jake, you should come by this weekend while their away I have photo albums full of embarrassing stuff of both of them," Charlie tilts his beer in Edward's direction and gives him a nod. Bella just tosses her arms up in the air in defeat. She is surrounded by men out to embarrass her. There is no escaping it.

After dinner Charlie went to take a nap, Bella cleaned up the kitchen and started to prepare a casserole for her dad to heat up for the weekend. Jake asked Edward to help him with his laptop.

"Hey look, there you are, can we be Skype friends, I can call you from San Francisco this weekend and you can see Billy," Jake was excited about showing Edward his room and his dog. Jake had gotten used to Edward being around and he liked him. He felt comfortable talking to him like a friend. He being Emmett's brother was just icing on the cake.

"Here let me log into my account so I can ad you to my contacts and I can chat while I'm at work so I don't miss your call. What are you guys going to do this weekend?" Edward asked as his fingers flew across the keys on the laptop.

"Mom has to talk with the real estate guy who wants to buy her bakery and I'm going to a birthday party at my friend's house and I get to help mom set up at a festival to sell the mini pies and cupcakes. It's so fun, I get tips. I'm saving up to buy mom something for her birthday next month." Edward always enjoyed his conversations with Jake, they were very informative.

"When is her birthday exactly?" Edward asked.

"September 13th, mine is June 12th," Jake offered information like an encyclopedia.

"So you guys moved here right after your birthday?"

"Yup, I got a huge birthday party at the paintball place and we had a going away cookout it was awesome. I hope mom's friend remembered to give Billy his flea and heart medicine," Jake's mind wonders as he talks to Edward and then yells to his mom. "Mom, did Ms. Betsy give Billy his flea and heart stuff this month?"

"Yes Jake we called her Wednesday, remember?" Bella replies from the doorway.

"Well there ya go buddy we're all set up. Just click here and I'll pop up or you can leave me a message." Edward ruffled Jake's hair as he got up to use the restroom. When he came back Jake was Skyping with one of his friends back home and they were in an in-depth debate about college football.

"Would you like some coffee?" Bella asked him from the kitchen doorway. Edward followed her into the kitchen monitoring the sway of her hips as she walked. His mind traveled back to high school as he remembered watching those same hips that were much smaller and had less curves. He would always walk Bella to her next class after Biology. Edward would walk a few steps behind her so he could appreciate her snug jeans and how they hugged her tiny waist. Child bearing had caused Bella's body to change in many different ways. Edward remembered her blowing up over those eight months and finding another reason to dislike the baby growing inside of her and its father. But now looking at her curvy figure Edward saw an hourglass figure with a plump rear begging to be squeezed. Bella was still short and petite but she definitely had 'cushion for the pushing' as Emmett had put it when he described a woman with a fine ass.

"You okay?" Bella asked handing him his coffee.

"Huh, oh right yeah I'm fine," Edward shook his head a little to clear his mind.

"What were you thinking about just now?"

"Honestly, I was admiring how nicely you've grown up," Edward dips his head and feels his cheeks flush. He glances up through his lashes and sees Bella's cheeks turn the shade of pink that drives him wild.

"Thank you, you have filled in rather nicely as well, though I am quite worried about your pie intake as of lately."

"Quite worried huh? I wouldn't worry yourself over that; I'm getting my bike from parents tomorrow, so I can bike to get pie. It'll balance out now." Bella laughs at him and takes his hand gently in hers. She leads him outside to the screened in porch where there is a gliding loveseat. They both take a seat and sip their coffee staring out into the night.

Bella pulls her legs up and tucks them under her body. She leans her shoulder and head into Edward. Edward switches his coffee to his right hand and lifts his left to allow her room to snuggle.

"Tell me about your family, what you mentioned at dinner." Bella requests taking a sip from her cup.

"Well there's not that much to it really. My mother and Elizabeth, that's my dad's first wife, they were best friends. Mom had lost a baby early in her marriage and it tore them apart resulting in a divorce. Dad and Elizabeth lost a child after Alice was born. They bonded over that. When Elizabeth became pregnant with Emmett my mom was there for her every step of the way. Dad was working and providing for his family. My mom invested a lot into Elizabeth's pregnancy; she couldn't bear to see another tiny life lost. When Emmett was born my mom was in the hospital room and she was the first to hold him while the doctor's tried to save Elizabeth. Dad was sort of like a ghost or so I'm told. He shut down then. "Edward takes a drink of his coffee and looks out into the night breathing in the cool air. He tightens his arm around Bella and kisses the top of her head.

Bella brings her arm around his middle and hugs him tightly. "You don't have to go on if it's too difficult." Bella offers.

"No, it's alright, just trying to remember exactly what they told me. Mom moved into the house to care for Alice and Emmett while my dad kind of checked out so to speak. Your dad was a big help. Dad got to drinking a lot and Charlie drove him home more than once. Your mom came to help Esme to give her a break every once in a while. One night my dad took Esme out to dinner while your mom watched my brother and sister. They were celebrating my dad's 60 days sober. He was convinced that he was an alcoholic and went a little nuts with the AA meetings and stuff. One thing led to another and here I am. They got married a few months after I was born and somewhere along the way they fell in love."

"Do you think that they would have ended up together if you weren't born?" Bella asks.

"I hope so, I know that my father loves my mother, I see it in his eyes. I see the way she looks at him and I know that they love each other. I met mom's ex-husband a few years back he came to my dad for help with some medical condition. I'm not sure what it was but my mother and he talked and they found closure. He blamed my mother for losing the baby so long into the pregnancy. I think that's why she is so protective of me and puts a lot of her happiness into my happiness. Sometimes I feel like I'm disappointing her. You know? Like no matter what I do it won't be enough to make up for the child she lost and the joy he or she could have brought her. Does that make any sense?" Edward looked to Bella for a response but she was crying lightly and whipping her tears away swiftly.

"Oh god I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry," Edward set his coffee down and brought Bella into his arms. "Shh it's alright, don't cry shh."

"I'm so sorry, I just I know she loves you and you make her happy you shouldn't feel that way. All a mother wants for her son is for him to be happy. If you want to be a bachelor your whole life just tell her that's what you want and that's what makes you happy. I promise she won't be disappointed in you. She will love you no matter what." Bella's brings her hands up to cup Edward's face. She wipes away a tear that leaks from his eye.

"I want to find love and someone to share my life with. I want someone to kiss and hold at night. I want to keep someone's feet warm." Edwards's stares into Bella's tear soaked eyes and closes his realizing the confession he just said. He wants all of those things with her. He is caught off guard by soft, warm and salty lips gently pressing into his. Bella begins to pepper soft kisses on Edward's lips. She brings her body closer to his and he wraps his arms around her pulling her tightly against his body.

Bella brings her hands up to run her fingers through his hair. Their kisses grow firmer as she tugs gently on his hair to tilt his head. As his lips reach the right angle Bella slides her tongue between his lips and licks his plump bottom lip seeking entrance to his mouth. Edward opens his mouth sliding his tongue against hers. Their tongues swirl around one another and trace little circles on their lips. Belle feels her chest heaving and her breathing becoming ragged. Her stomach is flip flopping around and she can feel an ache start to form in the center of her body. Bella pulls away slightly and rests her forehead against Edward's. As they sit there still entwined in each other's arms with their foreheads pressed together their eyes open. Bella's eyes are laced with lust and longing for him. Edward's eyes are full of questions and searching for answers. Edward brings his hand up to wipe Bella's lips gently and then his own.

Bella bites her lip and settles her head back on Edward's shoulder where his arm has resumed its hold around her. As they sit there for a few minutes neither of them talking they enjoy the night air cooling down their bodies. Bella's hand is tracing small circles on the material on Edward's jeans where there is a little tear in the fabric on his knee.

"Will you tell me about Jake's dad?" Edward asks out of the blue.

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything, whatever you are comfortable sharing."

"Um well I lived with my mom in Phoenix and she and Phil traveled a lot and I was home alone. I joined this peer tutoring thing at school to help with my college applications and I was paired up with a senior which I thought was weird seeing as how I was sophomore. But we got along ok he was kind of a big guy there were a lot of rumors about him getting in trouble and stuff like that. He was very sweet to me. He was kind of scary at first he wouldn't talk that much and I was shy so we kind of just sat there staring at each other." Bella nuzzled her head under Edward's chin and moved her arm around his waist. "Are you sure you want to hear about everything?"

"I'm a big boy, I can handle it, I want to know everything about you and Jake," Edward tucked a piece of stray hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead.

"Well school let out early because of the heat and the air conditioning was broken. He offered to drive me home because mom and Phil were out of town. I accepted and invited him in for a soda. We watched a movie and I helped him with his homework. It was the first time we said more than four words to each other. I cooked chicken parmesan and he had seconds and thirds. I stared at him a long time trying to figure out if all of the rumors were true or not. So that's what we did, he would drive me home after school and I would make dinner, we would do homework or listen to music or watch a movie and then he would go home. I didn't understand where the rumors came from because he was always at my house. His grades got better and he actually made honor role. One Monday he missed school and I got worried. I didn't know where he lived so I asked around. I caught the bus to his neighborhood and I asked around and found his house. I was standing on the corner about to cross when a group of guys came up to me and started bothering me." Edward's arm tightened around Bella and his breath caught in his throat.

"No it's nothing like that stop, I'm ok nothing happened, Rob showed up and he took be back to his house. It was a small house that reeked of alcohol. He was really mad that I had tracked him down and once things calmed down we sat outside on his back steps I saw his face. It was swollen and black and blue. His father had beaten him up for something or other and he didn't want to come to school looking like that and for me to see him. While we were there his father came home and said awful things to him. He was large scary man. I could smell the whisky from across the room. He started shouting at me and calling me all sorts of names. I tried to stand strong I wanted to stand up to him for Rob's sake but I couldn't. I was afraid. Rob ran at his father and knocked him down. He grabbed my hand and we ran and ran until we got to his friends house. His car was there and we drove to my house. I told him to never go back and that he could stay here with me. We had a guest room and I couldn't let him go back to that. I just couldn't. Mom and Phil came home and found him there. My mom asked all sorts of embarrassing questions and I almost died right there. Phil didn't care he just wanted him to pay rent or contribute. Mom and Phil were only home for one month before they left again. Rob and I just sort of happened. One day I looked over and he was staring at me. I had never kissed a boy and I didn't know what to do. I could tell that something changed and I looked into his eyes one day and I just knew that I wanted more. It started out innocent with kisses here and there and holding hands. He got a job and I saw less of him. My mom and Phil paid the bills online and put money in an account for me to buy necessities and stuff. He told me he loved me and that he wanted to marry me. I told him that I loved him too but we were too young and that I wanted to go to culinary school. He said he would follow me anywhere and that we would make it work no matter what. I gave myself to him on our one year anniversary. We only did it twice after that and the third time the condom broke. We decided I should get on the pill so we stopped until I could get a doctor's appointment. It was too late. I was six weeks along when Rob got arrested. He was hanging out with a guy from work and he had some drugs on him in Rob's car. He had hid some under the seat and both of them got arrested. I didn't have the money to get him out. I called my dad. He came to Phoenix right away; I didn't tell him exactly what was wrong just that I needed him. I was crying and I didn't know what to do. We had only known we were pregnant for two days before he got arrested." Bella was crying now and Edward felt her physically shaking in his arms. He soothed her and brushed away her tears.

"Shh, Bella it's alright you don't have to keep going. You don't have to tell me."

"I want to, I want you to know, I wasn't some teenage slut sleeping around I was in love and we had a plan. I didn't mean for everything to get so messed up. Every time I look at Jake I know he's missing out on having a father and it's all my fault," Bella sobbed into Edward's arms.

"While he was in lock up there was a fight in the cafeteria and Rob was caught in the middle of it. I don't know exactly what happened but he killed two guys. He was found guilty and sentenced to two life sentences to ser consecutively. So far he has 35 more years left to spend in jail. He's in federal prison in San Francisco. We never got married. My dad packed me up and took back here to Forks. My mom didn't fight after she found out I was pregnant and I was devastated. We wrote letters back and forth for a while until it was too much to take. I was scared and alone and having a baby. My dad was my savior and I would have been on the streets if it weren't for him. I just wish that Jake got to know his dad. Rob doesn't want Jake to know about him, he's ashamed. I send him pictures twice a year and a letter updating him on Jake's life and his interests. Rob send back vague letters just asking questions. I went to visit him before we moved here. I went alone, I wouldn't bring Jake, he doesn't know that much. Rob is a different person; he's hard and cold now. He has had to do things in there that I don't want to know about and I know he's ashamed of but it's his life now and I understand he has to do what he needs to do to survive in there. I see him in Jake sometimes when he gets to laughing. He laughs like Rob and he's getting tall and broad like him. I don't regret having Jake. My father offered me an abortion if I wanted one but I couldn't do it. I almost considered it after I moved here."

"Bella would you have given him up for adoption?" Edward asked.

"No, I don't think I would have been able to do that. You actually talked me out of an abortion. We were dissecting the pig, well you were, and the table next to us had one and theirs had a sack inside. Mr. Banner told us it was a fetus. That got us talking about dead baby pigs and dissecting them then the abortion thing came up and you said 'I can't understand how someone would stop life when there are thousand out there struggling to create it or save it'. That night I went home and cried and knew that I could never end my pregnancy. I had life growing inside of me and I just couldn't do it. Dad understood and he said he was proud of me. He had stopped being mad at me by then. We had a rough couple of months." Bella sat up and wiped her eyes dry.

"That's it I guess. Did you want to know anything else?" Bella asked giving him a shy smile feeling very exposed.

"If he hadn't been arrested would you still be together?"

"I would like to think we would have lived happily ever after but that's not what happened. I would want Jake to know his father but that's not possible."

"I feel like a complete shit right now."

"What why?" Bella asked shocked that he would say something like that.

"In high school I hated him Jake's dad and I didn't too much care for the baby growing in your belly either. I was quite mad at you also. I met you and I had our entire life planned out. I would court you and we would fall in love go off to college together get married start a family and live happily ever after and then your stomach started to grow. I hated your stomach so much. I was so young and stupid. All I thought about was myself and how things affected me. I never once thought of what you must have been going through. God the way I treated you after I found out you must have hated me. I'm so sorry. I should have been a better friend to you. I should have helped you. We should have been together then. I shouldn't have let your pregnancy affect our future."

"Edward you were 17, in high school. Those were natural feelings to have. It wasn't your responsibility to take care of me and my baby. You didn't treat me bad at all. You carried my books for me and you held the door. You took me to the nurse and I remember you giving me a ride home when I was standing in the rain trying to figure out why the truck wouldn't start. Edward you were the best friend I had when I first got here."

"I don't remember any of that. I remember just cutting myself off from you. I might have given you a ride home but anyone would have done that, it was the decent thing to do."

"No Edward, not anyone did it, you did. I remember it because it was the moment I decided that you were the type of man I was going to find to be my baby's father. The type of man I wanted to spend my life with. I was rubbing my stomach and you kept glancing at it and you asked me what was wrong. I told you that I wanted ice cream and grape soda. You stopped by the convenient store and came back with a grape soda and a chocolate soft serve ice cream. Edward you were my idol back then."

"Okay, I may remember the soda part but not the ice-cream. I don't remember that part."

"That's because you're getting old and senile."

"So who is your idol now?"

"What? Oh um my dad and Jake," Bella smiled at Edward and he returned her smile.

"How long are you going to be gone?" Edward asked stroking Bella's knuckles.

"Four days and three nights, Why?"

"I'm going to miss you, Will you promise to call when you land?"

"Yes, I'll call. Will you promise me a bonus when I get back?"

"I'll give you one before you leave if you want," Edward wagged his eyebrows at Bella suggestively. He wiggled his fingers in her line of sight and watched her cheeks flare pink.

***REVIEWS ARE ALMOST AS GOOD AS A BONUS FROM EDWARD ***