Once more, Fran amazes me with her talent!


"What the hell were you thinking?"

"I can't explain it… I saw her with Mike and-" I just shrugged and took a long swallow of my coffee, relishing the heat and slight burn on my tongue.

"So, over some sort of pissing match with Mike fucking Newton, you sleep with Bella to mark your territory? How do you think she's gonna feel when she sees you, and you ignore her or treat her like crap the way you've been doing, pretending last night never happened?"

"You've been taking her side ever since she came back into town." Pointing an accusing finger at him.

"What side, Edward? Last I checked there weren't any and we were all adults, not five year olds drawing a line in the sand, declaring who owns what part of the sandbox."

"You always did give her the biggest piece of pie after dinner," I muttered, sitting back in the booth.

"My point is, I'm trying to be mature about this." Glaring at me over my interruption. "Christ, you were nineteen years old. Have you even sat down and had a real conversation with her? Have you both ever hashed out your issues, talked about why she left or where she's been? And what about JJ?"

"What about him?"

"Is he even her kid?"

"Course, he is. Why else would she have him if he wasn't hers?"

"The timing doesn't add up, haven't you thought about this?"

"What are you goin' on about now, Jasper?"

"She left five years ago. JJ is five."

"And your point is…?" I asked, waving a hand, motioning for him to get on with it.

"When would she have had the time to get pregnant and then carry a child for nine months? She would have had to have been pregnant when she left, and that isn't possible either."

"The kid sure as hell ain't mine, you've seen him with your own two eyes."

"Dear Lord, you are as dense as Alice's bread. Of course, he isn't your kid! He isn't-"

Before he could finish, my face was doused with cold water, stinging my eyes and making me gasp in shock and the loss of air.

"You dirty, rotten, disgusting-"

I knew that voice. Opening my eyes, I see Bella screaming at me, while simultaneously getting to my feet and stepping angrily toward her.

"Take it outside, you got everyone's eyes on you and JJ is in the back with Rose. He's bound to hear everything if you keep it up!" Jasper got in between us, pushing hard enough for me to take one step back.

"I have nothing else to say." Bella spit out, turning and marching toward the back of the restaurant.

"What's the matter, Bella? You can dish it out but can't eat it?"

"What are you talking about?" She spun around, crossing her arms.

"Leaving is easy but being left is a hell of a lot harder, ain't it?" I smiled cruelly at her. "Unlike you, I have you no pretenses, I broke no promises. It was nothing but a means to an end."

"Unlike you, I've never stopped caring!" She screamed, shocking not just me, but herself. Her eyes were wide as she slowly looked around the diner, taking in all the ones that were focused on us as if we were a sideshow act.

How could she ever think I would be able to move on with her back in town? Too many people were involved, too many people knew our story. There were too many broken pieces that couldn't be fixed, leaving no room for hope. What happened last night was nothing but a mistake on both our parts and this scene just proved it. We were angry and hurt, and I didn't see any forgiveness being given by either party. I just wish I knew what the hell it was I did to have to ask for it.

"Don't lie to yourself, you stopped caring the second you walked out the front door without looking back. You never tried to contact me or Daddy or anyone else to let us know you were okay or why you left… when you would be back. Congratulations Bella, you did a fantastic job showing all of us exactly how much you cared. Even if you hated me, what about Rose, who was supposedly your best friend, and Emmett? Jasper and Alice? Daddy, who took you in as his own, loved you like a daughter? Does anyone matter, are any hearts safe around you?"

Her eyes were glassy, looking around the room. Emmett was standing in the doorway of the diner, Alice beside Rose near the back who held a startled JJ, Jasper looking down at his feet.

"Come on, JJ." She choked out, walking to Rose who handed him over, unwilling to meet Bella's eyes.

Emmett held the door for her, giving a silent nod as she left, JJ looking back at me with confusion and a nervous wave. I was so ashamed for acting like that in front of him I couldn't even raise my arm to return it. Once they were out if sight, I noticed everyone was still staring at me.

"What are you looking at? I bellowed, shoving a table and chair out of my way, the condiments on top tumbling to the floor as I stormed out of the diner.


BPOV

"Did Mister spill his water on himself, was that why he was so wet? Were you mad at him for making a mess, was that why you were fighting?"

"No JJ, just grown up stuff. Edward made me mad, and I said some mean things. I'm sorry you had to see that."

"Shouldn't you tell Mister you're sorry? Then we can all be friends again."

I wanted to assure him that no matter what happened between Edward and me, he would always be friends with him, but that I couldn't be. I didn't know what was going on inside of Edward's head. There was a time I knew his every thought just by a look, but now, he was nothing but a stranger.

That realization reminded me of how Rose was unable to look at Emmett and me silently standing there instead of intruding like she usually did. Even Jasper, the ever sensible one, had nothing to say after Edward's rant. They've put on a good show, but today their faces and silence told me they weren't over it. Maybe Edward was right, perhaps coming here was nothing but a mistake. I could sell him my portion of the ranch and start over somewhere fresh; a place that had no memories haunting JJ or me.

A place where there was no Edward or Jacob.

I glanced in the rearview mirror and looked at JJ. He was so young, and already he had lost his father and been abandoned by his mother. I was all he had. He had to watch the man he loved more than anything change into someone he didn't know until eventually passing away and leaving him forever. Then his short life was uplifted when I moved him from the only home he had ever known to here. Did I really want to make him move again, now that he was comfortable, had some friends and a few adults he trusted besides me?

"I'll talk to Edward and let him know he should still be friends with you even if he's mad at me, okay?"

"He should be friends with you, too." He frowned out the window.


"You should call, Bella. It's been a year."

"I'm sure they've forgotten about me by now."

"I bet they're worried sick about you still. You've already waited too long."

"He probably hates me."

"Maybe, but you should at least give him the opportunity to forgive you or tell you to stay away, leaving without any sort of contact has been cruel. I've been trying to tell you this since you moved in."

He walked out of my bedroom, phone feeling hot in my hand. I sucked in a deep breath and dialed the cabin. It rang without being answered, as did his cell. My third attempt was the main house line.

"Hello?" Someone answered this time, but I wasn't sure what to make of it. "Hello?" Another drunken giggle called out a little louder.

"Yeah, um, sorry. Is Edward there?"

"He's a little occupied at the moment." She said in another string of squeals and giggles. "Can I take a message."

"Hang up the dang phone."

Edward.

"No, that's okay. Sorry to have bothered you.

"Bye." She laughed and hung up before I could say another word.

Whoever it was, she was with Edward. At this very moment, he had someone in his bed. Jake knocked on my door.

"Everything okay? Did you call?"

"He's moved on," I whispered still shell-shocked. "I'm alone."

"You have me and JJ, how can you say you're alone?" He asked gently, sitting beside me on the bed.

"It's not the same. We tried, we'll never be more than friends, and now I've lost Edward for good. I knew it was wrong to leave the way I did, but with each passing day, I grew more scared to go back. Now it's too late. I've never stopped loving him, I don't think I ever will."

"I know the feeling, kid."

Jacob sighed, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me to his side, allowing my tears to wet his shirt.

Six months later, Jacob started to forget things and had to keep a notebook with him because he was unable to remember everything. We had no idea it was the beginning of something so tragic.


JJ had been asleep for almost an hour, and I was on the porch swing with a glass of wine, reading a book and letting the peace surround me. The bugs buzzed and the crickets chirped, a breeze rustled the trees and the sky was clear and starry. I didn't hear the truck approaching or parking in the drive, I didn't hear the door shut or the boots crunching against rock till the swing jolted. I looked up and found Edward hovering above me, the swing's chain in a fist.

"What are you doing here?" I gasped, swinging my feet to the porch and sitting up.

"Jasper asked me to bring some toys JJ forgot at their house since you were on my way home and all."

He dropped a bag beside me and turned to leave.

"Wait," I called out before he could take a step. "Would you like a glass of wine?"

"Nah, I'm good."

"A glass of tea then? I just made a fresh jug of it this afternoon."

"You know I can't say no to your tea." He crinkled his brow and frowned, probably trying to figure out what I was about.

I poured him a glass and added the amount of sugar I knew he liked, checking on JJ before going back out to the porch. Edward was on one end of the swing, and I handed him the glass, sitting on the other end.

"Say what you have to say, Bella."

"I'm sorry about this morning. I shouldn't have caused a scene like I did and I shouldn't have thrown water on you or called you names." I rushed out, unable to look at him.

"Is Isabella Swan actually apologizing?" He snorted, taking a sip of his tea and tilting his head back to look at the sky above us.

"I tried calling you know."

"What?" He asked, once again looking at me with confusion.

"About a year after I left, I tried to call you."

"I moved out of the cabin by that time." He mumbled, looking down at his glass.

"I know. I tried here first, then your cell. Then the main house."

"I was never told you called."

"I don't know who answered."

"Bella, there were only two other options if it wasn't me."

"It was a girl. She was laughing when she answered the phone, and you told her to hang up."

His head snapped back and looked at me, his expression hard.

"I see."

"I didn't leave a message, I got the hint … it was quite clear."

"Huh." Was all he said, pushing with his feet to rock the swing slowly. "Since we're being honest and all, I did go after you. 'Bout the same time, too, a year or so after you left."

"You did?" I gasped.

"Yup. Found you, too."

"How? Why didn't you come to me?"

"Daddy knew all along where your car got towed to and where you registered it after that. I found the paperwork he had on you and followed the address to a garage. It was closed, but I convinced one of the workers who was still there to give me an address."

"What stopped you?" I asked when he paused.

"I saw you. I drove to the house, the lights were on, and I saw you and JJ's father together."

"Jacob."

"I didn't ask for his name." He snapped.

"What the hell was that about? What'd he ever do to you?"

"Sleeping with my girl isn't bad enough, but I gotta watch you raise his kid, too? I don't care what his name was, he got everything that was supposed to be mine."

"You don't know what you're talking about. Jacob and I-"

"I get it, Bella! The kid inside the house tells me everything I need to know."

"You need to be a little clearer because I don't know where JJ comes into play with our issues."

"How much clearer can it be? You come back to town after all this time with your kid in tow and honestly think I'm going to be okay with it?"

"Wait… you think JJ's my son?"

"Isn't he?" Looking at me with exasperation.

"Biologically, no. I'm his guardian, Edward. He is Jacob's son from a previous relationship. Didn't you even think about his age? He's the same age as-as …"

"Just say it, Bella!"

"JJ was a baby when I first met him." I ignored his demand. "His father, Jacob, owned the mechanic shop you went to. A tire blew out, the spare you put on, actually, and because of that, I didn't have a spare to replace it with. Jacob saw me waving him down and asked if I needed a ride. I started working in his shop, he offered me a room in his home, and we raised JJ side by side. "

"How? If being here was so hard after losing our son, how could you be around another baby? Why didn't you just come home?"

"The more days that passed, the more scared I was. I was afraid you would tell me to turn around and go right back where I came from. I was a coward. I left like a coward and stayed away because I was one. I don't expect your forgiveness, I never did. Jacob died, and I got a letter about Papa C leaving me the cabin. I thought a new start for JJ was a good idea, since he had grown so withdrawn after Jacob passed. He's flourished here, Edward. He's made friends with Rose's boys and adores you. If you want us to go, I understand. I'll sell you my portion of the ranch and move on-"

"Don't you dare take the easy way out another time!" He interrupted me, voice booming and pointing an accusing finger at me. "You did that to me, but you can't do that to JJ!"

"Edward, I-"

"Stop, just stop talking." He growled and rubbed at his face in frustration. "I've heard enough tonight, I can't process anything else. Just don't pick up and leave again, not for me, but for JJ's sake."

"I wasn't going to just leave again! I'm sitting here talkin' to you, aren't I?"

"Too bad you didn't do that before you took off five years ago!"

"How long are you going to be angry with me? How long will you throw that back at me?"

"Look, last night was a mistake. We shouldn't have let it get that far. Tell JJ he can ride his bike to the house tomorrow if he wants."

"Maybe we shouldn't have, but it's not a mistake to me," I told his back.

He stiffened for a brief pause before continuing his way down the porch.

Still swinging, I watched in silence as his taillights disappeared from sight.