"Who's my sweet baby?" I cooed at the fat cat in my arms. Lux closed his eyes and purred louder as I rubbed his belly. "I missed you, Lux." I nuzzled into his chin for a moment before he got irritated and pushed me away. Laughing, I put him down and made my way to living room.

"Hey, Dad." Charlie was in his recliner, feet up, watching the Matrix.

"Hiya, Bells." He grinned, "How was Piper?"

"She was great," I sat on the couch and propped my feet on the old wooden coffee table. "She said she wants to come have lunch with you again soon."

My dad grinned and nodded his head, "That would be nice. She's a sweet kid."

"How are you feeling? Your pain meds still working?"

"Eh, I don't need those things, we Swans are made of tougher stock." He wiggled his leg at me in show.

"Yeh, but how's your back holding up?"

"It's fine, Bella, I promise. I'll let you know if I need anything."

"Speaking of, you have therapy tomorrow, what time? I can drive you over."

"Well, actually, Sue was going to drive me over, so long as you don't mind." Charlie eyed me as if to say, I want to go with the pretty lady.

"That's fine, Dad. Really, I'm glad you've made a new friend." Turning slowly to face him I tucked my feet up onto the couch, "Are you trying to send me home?"

"No. No way, Bella. Why would you think that?"

"Well, I mean, I came here to help you out, it doesn't much seem that you need my help now." I sent him a knowing grin.

"Bella, stay. I want to spend some time with you, believe it or not, I miss you when you're back home and it's been nice having you around the house again."

"You're sure I'm not cramping your style?" I teased.

"If you keep driving me to therapy, yes."

We both laughed and Lux mewed as he launched his fat belly into my dad's lap.

.~.~.~.

"Be back later, Dad. I have the key so I'll just lock up behind me."

"Be safe, Bella. If you need a ride home, please call a cab. Or Sam." Charlie's voice boomed from the other room.

"Will do, Chief." I laughed and closed the door behind me.

It had been two days since I'd left Edward's house and Lauren and I decided a girls night was much needed. Wine, giggles, secret telling and ice cream were all on the list for the evening. I didn't have many girlfriends in Arizona that knew me quite as well as Lauren, or Rose, did. So I was most definitely looking forward to spending some quality time with Lauren.

I parked my car in the lot attached to Lauren's apartment building and made my way up to the second floor.

"Bella!" Lauren flung the door open, squealed and grabbed my arm pulling me into her home.

An hour later the two of us were in a heap of laughter on her living room floor. One bottle of wine gone and a second started.

"Soooooo..." I raised an eyebrow, "Did you finally ask Embry for lunch?"

Lauren nodded emphatically, her blond ponytail flopping on top of her head.

"I did!"

"Annnnnnd?"

"And it was amazing, Bella." I watched as Lauren's eyes glazed over and her smile softened, "We drove over to Port Angeles and had pizza and beer, we went to that little bookstore that you and I used to live at."

"Awwww, see, you just had to ask, and it all worked out. I'm so happy for you."

"He's amazing, Bells. I swear, he's like..." Lauren pushed at her empty wine glass that was sitting on the coffee table, "He's just perfect."

My heart soared for my friend. Just seeing her stare off into space with a goofy grin lighting up her face, made me so happy for her. All too quickly her face morphed and her serious gaze met my own.

"What?" I laughed.

"We have not even discussed your time with Pie and Edward." I groaned quietly, "Come on now, Bells, I dished, you dish. You know I'm not going to squeal to anyone."

"I know. It's just that, I don't know what to say."

"Well, for starters, did the two of you have any quality alone time." She wiggled her eyebrows at me and pursed her lips until she looked like every other duck-face selfie on the internet.

"Lauren, oh my god, that face. Stop." I laughed again and nodded when she offered me another glass of wine from the newly opened second bottle.

"Okay, so," I watched as the fizzy wine filled my glass, "tell me everything, Bells. I mean, everything."

I sipped my drink and enjoyed the bubbles on my tongue.

"He's, I don't know, Lauren. I've always liked Edward."

"No shit, Sherlock. Tell me something I don't already know. Shit, something that all of Forks doesn't already know. Don't even look at me like that. You know that growing up everyone knew about your crush. You weren't very good at hiding it."

"Youch."

"Hey, I'm not saying it was a bad thing. Lord knows Edward was either blind as a bat or stupid for not acknowledging the damn elephant in the room. It was there, plain as day."

"That's just embarrassing. Can we please not talk about what a loser puppy I was?"

"You weren't a loser puppy, Bella!" Lauren patted my knee, "You were a teenager in love. There's nothing wrong with that."

"Well there certainly is when the person on the receiving end of said crush doesn't know you're alive."

"Okay, don't go that far, Bells. He knew you were alive. You guys hung out and were friendly."

"Yup, always the friend."

"But now?"

I shrugged.

"Don't. Don't do that, Bella."

"Wehadcrazysextheothernight." Quickly, I started drinking so that I couldn't answer any questions that Lauren might have.

If her eyes could have gotten any larger, they would have rolled out of her head.

"What!" She grabbed for my glass and pulled it away, "Oh no, no, no, you are going to spill now. You had sex with Edward Cullen?!"

I nodded.

"Have you seen him since?"

"No."

"What do you mean, no? I mean, was it just a one off thing?"

"I don't know? I mean, he asked me to have dinner with him, but other than a few texts, we haven't spoken or seen each other."

"He asked you to have dinner? Out? In public?"

"Yes."

"Shit. You just scored the invite of the century. Do you know how many women are going to lose their shit when they find out Edward asked you to have dinner? He doesn't do that. Ever. Never. Wow."

"Don't make such a huge deal of it. I'm sure it's just something he said."

"No way. Nope. No how. Edward wants you."

I opened my mouth to argue that I would be leaving soon and Lauren shushed me again.

"Just accept it for what it is and my god, go to dinner with the man!"

"I really want to."

"You really should!" Lauren sipped from her glass, "Bella, could you ever see yourself moving back to Forks?"

"What?" I laughed, "I have a job back home and a house, I mean, I have a life. My mom is there."

"Okay, so you can't get a job here, and a house here? Your dad is here."

I shrugged, "Never thought about it. I mean, why would I, Lauren? Just to have sex with Edward?"

"Sounds like a damn good reason to me. A real solid investment."

Laughing again I sighed, "Right, a real solid investment."

"And there's Pie. She's the sweetest thing ever." Lauren pointed out.

"That little girl definitely knows how to wrap the Swan's around her little finger. Charlie was over the moon for her."

"So if you came back, you'd have family, you'd have friends, you'd have a great community and you'd have Pie and Edward. I fail to see where you'd be downgrading. Rose and Emmett are much closer to you here as well and I know that would be a big plus. Yeh, your mom would be in Arizona still, but shit, you can go visit her any time you want, all summer if you want, especially if you get a teaching job here. And your mom would visit you here if you asked her. Think about it."

"Here's the thing, Lauren, I don't think Edward is in any sort of rush to be in a relationship and honestly, I don't think I could stand around and watch him fall for someone else. If that makes sense?"

Lauren nodded and smiled, "I totally understand, but Bella, you'll never know if you don't try. I know that it must seem almost stupid to just up and move away from a home, a job, your life as you know it, but I'll help you. I have some insiders at the schools here and I'm sure they would love to hire a local back into the system. As a matter of fact, there are two teachers set to retire, a second grade class and a sixth grade class, in the next year."

"Mrs. Pratter is going to retire? Damn. I had her as my teacher so many years ago. But she was teaching fourth grade then."

"Yup, that old biddy is ripe for retirement and I know for a fact they haven't got two replacement bodies yet because I think she wanted to retire a year ago already."

Teaching the sixth grade could be fun. I had enough in savings and if I could sell my house and make even a small profit off of it, I could get a little place here. I would miss my mom, but it would be nice to have Sam and Lauren and my dad back. And Edward.

My stomach twisted at the thought of seeing him all the time. Would anything even come of it? And why in the heck was I sitting around brooding over it.

"I'll consider it, Lauren, but it's not a definite yes."

The way Lauren reacted though you'd have thought I told her I was staying as of today.

An hour later I called Sam asking if he'd be willing to pick me up and drive me home. Of course he was there in ten minutes, no questions asked.

We stopped at the gas station and bought corn nuts and 32 ounce Dr. Pepper's and sat in his truck talking for a while.

It was nice to have friends to hang out with. I wasn't just sitting home grading papers, watching netflix or sitting at the small coffee shop alone. Don't get me wrong, I did have a few girlfriends that I would occasionally go out with, but it wasn't like Forks.

"What's going on in that head of yours, Swan?"

"What's not going on?"

Sam grinned, "You considering staying?"

"What is with everyone asking me to stay?"

"Probably because we love having you back and missed you."

"That's what truly blows me away, that everyone actually wants me to stay around."

"Why would that surprise you, Bella? You know we were all sad when you left for school and decided to stay in Arizona. We would love to have you back forever."

"Yeh, I'm quickly finding that out."

Sam watched me quietly, "Would you stay? If we asked?"

"Sam." I let out a held breath, "I don't know. I have a job and a house. It just seems like a lot."

"Well, you do what you want, it's your life, Bells, but just know, you have a whole family of people back here that would love for you to come home."

"Thanks, Sam."

"I won't push, but I want to at least acknowledge that there's an Edward here too."

I laughed at the mention of Edward, yet again.

"So I've been told."

.~.~.~.

The next morning I woke up to my phone buzzing all over the small wooden nightstand by my bed. Lux grunted as I rolled over, nearly crushing him under my legs as I reached for the phone.

"Sorry, baby." I leaned down and rubbed his fat belly, smiling when his loud purr filled the room.

I glanced quickly at the screen to see what all the commotion was about, seven texts from my mom. Panic bloomed in my chest as I read each message insisting that I call as soon as I get up.

"Mom? Are you okay?"

"Bella! Baby! I'm fine. I'm great."

"Then why all the panic inducing text messages? You damn near gave me a heart attack just now."

I could hear my mom's smile through the phone when she spoke again, "I'm sorry, baby. I was just excited to get a hold of you. I have some news!"

"Oh yeh? What's that?" I absent mindedly scratched at Lux's chin.

"Bruce asked me to marry him! I said yes!"

I blinked twice and nearly dropped my phone, "What?"

"I'm getting married, Bella! Isn't it great?"

"Wow. I'm just, wow. That's great, Mom, I'm so happy for you. And Bruce as well."

My mom was getting married? My mom was getting married.

"Bruce and I were thinking that a winter wedding right before Christmas would be lovely. I know it's all so quick, but when you know, you know."

"I guess so. I mean, yes."

"Are you okay, Bella? Does this bother you?"

"No! Not at all, it's just surprising. I'm just surprised, that's all."

"Okay, you know that you can tell me anything, right?"

"I know, Mom. I'm really happy for you. Truly. Please give Bruce a hug from me and tell him I said congratulations."

"We are already house hunting."

"What? A new house?"

"Well, you know, my place is so small and his is a bachelor pad, we figured we'd like to get something together."

"But you're staying in Flag, right?"

"Yes, of course we are, sweetie."

"Okay."

"Bella, if something is going on, you can tell me. You seem distant. You're thinking too much, I can tell."

I shrugged and sighed, "Everyone wants me to stay. In Forks."

"I figured that would happen. What does your father think?"

"He hasn't said anything. Just Sam and Lauren."

"And you are torn."

"Yes. I guess so."

"Bella, if you want to stay in Forks, you know I would support you. I would miss you, but I would come see you, and you could come see me any time."

"You're not making this easier."

"I'm not supposed to. This is your life. You have to make it what you want, baby."

"I know."

"Has Edward said anything?"

"No. I don't think he's interested in a real relationship. I mean, he has that little girl and he's so over protective, I don't think he'd allow himself to get close to anyone."

"Don't go making assumptions, Isabella, even a single dad has a heart and desires of his own. It may take him a while longer to figure that out than a single man would, but don't just assume you know."

"I know, Mom. It's just, weird. He asked me to dinner."

"That's wonderful! Go! Go to dinner with the man and have fun. And then call me and tell me all about it." She gushed on for a few more minutes about life and falling in love and soul mates and all that before we disconnected.

I walked slowly down the stairs and was greeted by Charlie leaning gently against the banister at the foot of the stairs.

"Mom's getting married."

My dad smiled and nodded, "Had to happen some day, right? She's happy?"

"Yeh, she's really happy."

"Then I'm happy for her."

"Me too."