OOO Chapter 13

Going Home Again

I woke up to the sound of someone calling my name, "Sweetie, I'm sorry to wake you but I need help." I was totally surprised to see Esme standing there holding Tanya. I sat up immediately, glad that I was decent, and reached out for my daughter. "I wanted to let you sleep in, but she wouldn't let me put her down and I need to get the turkey in the oven."

I just nodded and stood to follow her out of the room leaving Edward to sleep. "We should have warned you that she is doing this clingy thing right now where she wants to be held all the time."

"How long has that been going on?"

"About two weeks. The good news is that she doesn't care what you are doing while you hold her, she just wants to be held. So we are able to keep studying. The bad news is that she doesn't care what you are doing; she just wants you to hold her. So housework and cooking become impossible.

"Alice was like that for a time. They go through so many stages as they grow. Some will be good and some will be bad. And some will challenge your sanity. I didn't mean to invade your privacy there."

I sat in the kitchen with Esme and talked with her while she cooked. I really loved Esme, she was the best. We had been sitting there for about an hour when Carlisle and Sue came in. They had been calling into the hospital late last night and had been there all night with a patient and they looked so exhausted. I knew that my Dad would be arriving soon with Leah and Seth so I decided that it was probably best to get Tanya and I dressed.

It was going to be a low key affair compared to last year. IT was just Edward's family and mine today. Esme made sure that everyone was aware that today dress code was mandatory and it was extreme casual. She was tired of dressing up for holidays only to stay home and cook. I threw on some yoga pants and a t-shirt ducked back out of the room before we woke Edward. Esme told me about their late night talk over cocoa.

I got back downstairs just as Dad was arriving. He immediately grabbed Tanya from me and I headed to the kitchen to help Esme. Without Alice here this year to run things, the menu was going to be vastly different, simpler. Leah and I started putting together the stuffing while Esme worked on a cake for dessert. Esme had shooed Sue out of the kitchen and told her to sit and relax. She was so relaxed that she had dozed off next to Dad on the couch. The rest of the day flew by in a flurry of fun and food. When Dad left to go home, he took Tanya with him. It was going to be strange to not have her here to put to bed or wake me at the crack of dawn.

Edward and I managed to sleep until after noon and found ourselves alone in the house. Esme had left a note saying that Carlisle was at the hospital and she was shopping with Mrs. Webber in Port Angeles. She had asked me to come along yesterday but I declined. I was not that crazy about shopping and really didn't want to run into Angela. I was glad to have her out of our lives.

Deciding that we were hungry for something other than food, we ran back to his bedroom and enjoyed having not only having the house to ourselves. We stayed there until I had to get up and shower. Edward had a paper that he needed to work on and I was headed to Dad's to watch the game with him. I was looking forward to spending time with just him and Tanya. We haven't been able to do that in so long. Leah was spending the day hanging out with Seth and Sue was at the hospital with Carlisle.

I walked into the house and found Dad and Tanya on the floor and he was trying to get her to throw the ball to him. I don't think she understood what he wanted because she threw the ball on the floor. As soon as she saw me in the doorway she forgot all about the ball and ran for me. I picked her up and carried her and went to sit on the couch, "Don't you think she's a little young to learn to be a pitcher?"

"Never. I'm going to have to have a talk with that boyfriend of yours about working with her when you guys go home. The girl already has an amazing arm on her."

I rolled my eyes, "Grandpa is so silly!" I said tickling Tanya to get her to giggle before turning back to Dad, "So, did you order us pizza?"

"No. Sue made us grilled chicken Caesar salads."

"You're joking right?"

"No, I'm not. Pizza is bad for you. There's way too much sodium in it. You need to stick to a low sodium diet and so do I."

"What?"

"Now I don't want to get all upset and worry about me. I'm just fine."

"Then why are you watching your salt intake?"

"I went for my yearly physical for work last month and they said my blood pressure was a little higher than they like. Carlisle said it's called pre-hypertension."

"Are you on the same medicine that I am?"

"Nope. No medicine. Just watching what I eat and checking my blood pressure whenever I get to the drug store. It's been down lately."

"Really?"

"Really. Now, I'm starving. Let's get those salads. I think there's still some fruit salad left in the fridge."

Dad came back into the room with our salads, the fruit, and two apple juices. I decided not to push the issue. My father had always been honest with me and if he said there was nothing to worry about, then I wasn't going to worry. We sat back and watched the Seahawks play their game.

Dad and I spent the game with him asking me questions about my classes and how we were really doing on my own. Sue came home during the fourth quarter. She sat with us for a couple of minutes before she went upstairs to soak in the tub and relax.

When the game was over I got up to leave to go back to The Cullen's house and Dad helped me carry everything out to the car. Edward and I were driving Alice's car since she had obviously left it behind. I left with promises that we'd see each other tomorrow when he and Sue came over for dinner.

I walked into the house to find Edward sitting on the couch playing video games. He smiled when he saw us walk in, "There's my girls!"

I sat on the floor with Tanya near Edward, "Did you get your homework done?"

"Yep. I've been done for a while. I'm thinking about taking this back with us."

"How are we going to get an Xbox and all the games back to California on a plane along with everything else we dragged with us?"

"Um…I don't know. I didn't quite think about that."

"Are both of your parents home?"

"Dad is. He's upstairs taking a nap. I haven't heard from mom. So how was your afternoon with Charlie?"

We spent the next hour talking and relaxing while he play video games and I played with Tanya. It wasn't unlike some afternoons that we spent in California. There were slight difference but it felt like being home.

A/N:

Ok. I know that I am failing at updates. I'm sorry and I wish that I could say that it is going to get better now, but I can't. My son started high school last Wednesday, which means that I now have to get up at 5:30 to drive him all the way across town to his school only to drive all the back to my office. I went from have a five minute drive to work to have an one hour commute. Then I get to work all day. Oh, and good news! My son's orchestra rehearsals started yesterday and he made first violin. He's thrilled. I will try to update again as soon as I can. The next chapter will be back in France!