CHAPTER ELEVEN

I knew, despite my optimistic mood last night, that there were going to be teething problems in the morning. Mainly Rosalie, and maybe Edward too, I didn't know. All of them, apart from Rosalie, trickled into the family room as the morning went on – I was up an hour earlier than the rest of them – and we all sat around the coffee table. Carlisle was the first to speak – he was the family's natural leader.

"First off, Bella, I would like the opportunity to thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming here and consenting to join this family. The past years can't have been easy for you, I know.

Secondly, I would like to apologise for the way we left you that September. It was the wrong thing to do, and we should have put up more resistance than we did. It was not our decision, but it was our decision to go along with what Edward wanted, and I am so very sorry that it left you in the state it did for a year. Alice has told us of how you were, are, and that is a horror that I regret, a horror I have seen on your face and-" we both tensed "– Edward's." How could they all be so wrong? Edward was fine. He was travelling the world, carefree. He certainly wasn't thinking of me.

"Alice has also told us of your impressions of Edward's feelings and how set in stone they are, and we have all agreed not to comment further, aside from saying now that you are very wrong." Impossible. "Keeping your version of events, what would you like to do now that you are a Cullen? You are welcome to do whatever you wish, we will back you up in any way we can."

I felt my heart swell as I looked upon all of these astonishing faces. Could I have asked for a better life?

Well, yes, but the other scenario wasn't realistic, I berated myself.

You didn't think this was possible or realistic at one point, I thought to myself, unbidden. Where had that come from?

But Carlisle was still waiting for an answer. And I did have one, actually, one I had been thinking about for all those months.

"I… was looking at the English course at Cornell, and there's a course there that offers a joint MFA and Ph.D., and I think I could do it. It's a fair amount of work, but that's good. And Alice saw that my marks are plenty good enough for me to et in there. But it's prestigious, I need good marks in everything and three letters of recommendation and some massive fees, I'm sure… And they only accept about twelve students each year, and only two in that particular course… But I've done all the things I can for acceptance, an application, creative writing samples, poetry, critical. But I would only be willing to do it if you were willing for me to do it."

"That sounds fantastic, Bella. I know I could pull some strings with some of the professors over there to get you in, although I doubt you'll need it. Some of those books in your library are too advanced for some of your professors, I would estimate." I couldn't help but be flattered by that comment. "Thankyou, Carlisle, it's lovely of you to say."

He smiled. "It's the truth. How long would that course take to complete and how much does it cost?"

"Five years for humans, but I could scale it down to one, and I don't exactly know how much but it's expensive-"

"Money is no object, I can assure you, Bella. What's your estimate?"

"About 50,000 dollars per year." I looked at the floor, I couldn't help myself.

"Not a problem. I'll get everything together today, and although you need three letters of application, I think I could write one, Jasper, as a student there, could write the other…?" Jasper nodded at our enquiring glances. "Excellent. And maybe we could forge another, so they're not all from the Cullen family."

"Sounds good. Thankyou, so much."

"It's our pleasure, Bella.

Next topic. I have to ask, how do you intend treating this situation?"

"How do you mean?"

"Are we to be your family – do you want to completely abandon your human life? We could draw up some forged documents and adopt you formally if that would be what you wished. If you wanted something a little less permanent, though, we are more than happy to be a place to stay while you get your head around things. Or we could find a middle ground."

I found his use of the phrase 'a little less permanent' interesting, I reflected. As if the fact that I was a vampire wasn't permanent.

"I would like to have the first option, please, Carlisle – I want to fully be a member of your family. It was always a dream of mine."

He looked very happy to hear that. "Are you sure?"

I gave a twisted smile. "I think so. Know so. I've certainly had enough time to think about it."

He chuckled. "I suppose so! I know you're legally an adult, but I personally think it would be nice to formally have you a part of the family before anything else. Your birthday's in a month, so we'll peg you at turning eighteen then, and adopt you in the meantime. Sound like a plan?" I nodded my agreement. "I'll get all of that started today, then, and all of the Cornell stuff too. We'll have you settled quickly, I promise."

"Thankyou so much, Carlisle," I said, giving him a hug. "All of this means more to me than I can say."

"Not a problem. It's still us thanking you.

And one more topic; Rosalie. She's none too pleased about your presence here, but she's in love herself; she understands. She probably won't be pleasant, but she's promised to be polite. She'll explain more directly to you, herself, I suppose."

Thoroughly mystified, but accepting, I nodded. "Great. Thanks."

"Not a problem – that's everything, I guess. I'll go and organise those documents, they'll be ready in a week. Jasper, are you okay with writing the letter? And then maybe going and seeing J to get some death certificates?"

Oh, God. My parents' death certificates. I knew that was necessary, but it didn't make me feel too good about myself.

"Of course, Carlisle, I'll do that."

"Thankyou."

"Who's J?" I interjected.

"He's one of the best at document forgery in the country. We go to him every time we move, or need to do this type of thing. You can come with me to meet him if you want to."

"Sounds good."

"Excellent!" Alice said. "Well, we have a plan for the next year!"

We certainly did. I felt a nice feeling of security at the thought.

"Brilliant, isn't it?" Esme was happy, and so was everyone else, except Rosalie. And I would have a talk with her somewhere, and maybe we could become a little closer as sisters. She continued; "Do you want a tour of the house now? I'd love to give you one." I nodded.

Alice, ball of energy that she was, started planning my day. "And once we're done, you can go with Jasper to J, then maybe you could perfect your application to Cornell, but we'll have to wait while J finishes those documents to do that and the adoption ones, so you can say you're adopted on the application. We'll rent a movie or something tonight, if there's nothing else happening."

And my first day as a Cullen was planned, just like that.