Chapter 10

Bella meets the family (and Vivi) for the first time!

Jasper and Vivi pulled up to school after having dropped Sophia off.

It had been a few days since the park and the whole town now knew that 1. Vivi and Jasper were dating and 2. That Vivi had a daughter.

"Darlin', there's somethin' I've been meaning to ask you", Jasper said.

Vivi playfully rolled her eyes. "Oh don't tell me you're nervous about asking me to prom".

Jasper smiled at how easily she could read him. "Did you wanna go?"

"No. Not really".

"What? Why not?"

Vivi was silent. She didn't really have a good enough reason for not wanting to go.

"You know Esme or Paul would babysit Sophia", Jasper said, "Not to mention Alice will be furious if you don't go".

"Just...let me think about it, okay?" she asked him.

"That's all I'm asking for darlin'", he said as they got out of the car.

Bella and Edward got out of Edward's Volvo.

"Oh shit. So Bella knows now", Vivi said. Jasper sighed and said, "Things just got a lot more complicated".

A few days later, Jasper was picking Sophia and Vivi up for lunch at the Cullen house.

"But you don't eat", Vivi said as Jasper buckled Sophia in.

In the past two weeks, Jasper had fallen into the 'father' role quite nicely. "No, but Edward is bringing Bella over. Carlisle thought she might feel more comfortable if you were there as well".

"Oh..."

"And there's somethin' I wanna talk to you about after lunch". Jasper felt her anxiety spike. "It's nothing bad, I promise", he told her.

They pulled up to the house and Jasper carried Sophia inside. They went into the kitchen and found Esme and Carlisle cooking.

"It's smells delicious", Vivi told Esme.

"Thank you Genevieve".

"Do you mind if I steal him for a few minutes?" Alice asked.

"Oh no, go right ahead", Vivi said.

Jasper kissed her temple before leaving with Alice.

"Do you need help with anything, Esme?" Vivi asked.

"Oh no, dear".

Emmett picked Sophia up and set her on the counter next to him, where he was chopping vegetables.

"Is she even Italian?" Rosalie asked.

"Well her name is Bella", Emmett said.

"That doesn't mean anything Emmett", Vivi said, "Sophia is Greek and my family is from Salem". Emmett stuck his tongue out at her and Vivi returned the gesture.

Esme smiled, seeing the two getting along like brother and sister.

"I'm sure she'll love it, no matter what", Carlisle said.

"And she's not the only one eating, Rose", Vivi reminded her.

"Get a whiff of that. Here comes the human", Rosalie said.

"Do I smell good?" Vivi asked Emmett.

"Eh", he said and Vivi was tempted to hit him if it wasn't for the large knife he had in his hand.

Esme stepped away from the counter to greet Edward and Bella. "Bella, we're making Italiano for you", Esme told her.

"Bella, this is Esme. My mother for all intents and purposes", Edward introduced.

Esme and Bella exchanged a few words of Italian.

"You've given us an excuse to use the kitchen", Carlisle said.

"Yeah, the only other time it gets used is...ow!" Emmett yelped. Vivi had used her powers to shock him.

"I hope you're hungry", Esme said, ignoring the two.

"Yeah, absolutely", Bella lied.

"She already ate", Edward said bluntly.

The glass bowl Rosalie was holding shattered, startling Sophia. Emmett placed a hand on her waist to keep her from falling off the counter.

"Perfect", Rosalie said. Emmett sighed and walked over to his wife, setting Sophia down on the floor.

"Yeah, it's just because I know that you guys don't eat..." Bella stuttered.

"Of course. It's very considerate of you", Esme said as Carlisle came to stand behind her.

Vivi walked over to her daughter, who hid behind her legs.

"Just ignore Rosalie. I do", Edward told Bella.

"Let's just keep pretending like this isn't dangerous for all of us", Rosalie argued.

"I would never tell anybody anything", Bella said.

"She knows that", Carlisle said, looking at Rosalie.

"Yeah, well, the problem is, you two have gone public now, so..." Emmett said.

Vivi nervously played her daughter's hair. Was this how everyone felt about her? Was she endangering the Cullen's by dating Jasper? Is that why Rosalie didn't like her at first?

Edward wanted to comfort her, but couldn't at the present moment.

"Emmett", Esme said softly.

"No. She should know. The entire family will be implicated if this ends badly", Rosalie said.

"Badly, as in...I become the meal", Bella said, realizing.

Everyone, against their better judgement, couldn't help but laugh. "

Hi, Bella. I'm Alice", Alice said, prancing into the kitchen with Jasper.

Jasper came to stand over by Vivi, pressing kiss to her forehead as Sophia clung to his pant legs. Jasper picked her up, holding her to his chest as Alice hugged Bella.

"Oh, you do smell good", Alice said.

"Alice..." Edward warned.

"It's okay. Bella and I are gonna be great friends", Alice said.

Everyone's eyes fell on Jasper last.

"Sorry, Jasper's our newest vegetarian", Carlisle said, "It's a little difficult for him, but since meeting Genevieve, he's made great improvements".

"It's a pleasure to meet you", he said.

"Oh, and the little girl he's holding is Genevieve's daughter, Sophia", Carlisle said, "Genevieve goes to school with you".

"Daughter?" Bella asked with wide eyes. She thought that was just a rumor.

"It's um...kind of a long story", Vivi said.

"Um...I'm gonna take you on a tour of the rest of the house", Edward said, "And Genevieve?"

Vivi looked at him.

"You're family. Remember that", Edward told her, before leaving with Bella.

"What was that about?" Emmett asked.

"Nothing".

"I'm hungry, mama", Sophia said.

"Well then, let's get some food in that tummy", she said.

As Esme was getting food for Sophia, Jasper asked Vivi if she was okay.

"I am now", she told him.