Chapter fourteen

I may not know where I'm going now
This broken road is trying to tear me down
But deep inside I've found a secret place, that I never knew where I feel safe, when the world is untrue

Bella's POV

Ahh!

"Grayson, how many times do I have to tell you? Don't carry your brother around by his ankles." I scolded Grayson as I walked into the living room. Grayson was standing in the middle of the living room holding Rylan upside down by his ankles. Rylan was screaming his little lungs out while Grayson laughed and kept saying "give me all your money."

"Were leaving in fifteen minutes so hurry up and get ready." Grayson put Rylan back on his feet. As soon as he was on the ground he ran over to me and hugged me around the waist as tight as his little arms could.

"Thank you mommy." He said and ran up stairs. Grayson walked over to me and punched me lightly in the arm then went up stairs laughing.

Boys.

"Okay, so remember the rules." I said to the boys as I parked the car in the restaurants parking lot.

"Don't fight with each other, be polite, and Grayson, please don't fight with Kensley." Grayson let out a loud laugh then got out of the car. I helped Rylan out of the back seat and we followed after Grayson.

"Hey mom?" Grayson called from behind me. He ended up chasing Rylan around the nearly empty parking lot which ended up putting them behind me and leaving me to walk by myself.. I looked back at him.

"You forgot to ask but I thought I'd tell you anyway, you look great." I laughed and playfully pushed him. Not that he'd move far anyway.

"You look beautiful, as always." Edward said as he took my coat for me and pulled my chair out for me to sit down. Grayson must have heard Edward because he winked at me and let out a quiet laugh. I thanked Edward and he went to sit at his seat across from me.

Grayson say beside me and Kensley sat beside Edward. Rylan and Teagen both sat at either end of the table.

"Hi, my name is Paul and I will be your server for the night."

Edward looked at me and cracked a smile.

"Can I get you something to drink to start?" He asked.

We all ordered our drinks and as soon as Paul was out of sight Edward and I cracked up laughing. The kids looked at us like we were crazy.

"So much better than Tanya." I managed to spit out.

"Ew." Kensley said from across the table. She held up a piece of her macaroni with a fuzz ball on it. Grayson took the piece of macaroni from her and slowly put it in his mouth, chewed, then swallowed.

"Ew!" Kensley said again and pushed him away from her. I rolled my eyes at them.

"Mom, you just said I couldn't fight with her." Grayson said with a smirk. I had to admit, he got me there.

Always so silly.

"So Kensley, how is school going?" As much as I liked Kensely, I felt like I didn't know much about her. I hardly ever get to talk to her.

"It's pretty good, there's a new kid." She said. I was surprised. It's not often people move her to small town Forks.

"What's her name?" I asked. She blushed.

"It's a guy. His name is Sam." That explains her blush. Edward looked furious.

"Kensley, you didn't say anything about having a boyfriend." She blushed harder and shh'd Edward.

"Dad! He's not my boyfriend." She said and dropped her head, clearly embarrassed. Edward looked skeptical but dropped the subject.

Excuse me." Grayson said suddenly and got up from the table and left the restaurant. I was worried about him.

What happened?

Is he okay?

Edward must have noticed my distress because he grabbed my hand under the table and started to rub soothing circles on the back of it with his thumb,

I was just about to get up and go find Grayson when he walked back in the restaurant. He had a book in his hand. It wasn't just any book.

It was his father's book.

Kensley snorted as Grayson sat back down at the table.

"Grayson, who are you trying to kid? You don't read. I doubt you even know how." He let out a fake laugh, something he picked up from his father when he would get nervous. He looked down at the book and ran his hand over the front of it.

"Grayson, why do you have that here?" I asked him, confused. I don't' even remember seeing him leave the house with it.

He didn't say anything to me, or even look up to acknowledge that I had just asked him a question.

After a few more seconds of looking at the front of his book he opened it, cleared his throat, and to my surprise, started reading.

Dear Grayson,

Today you took your first steps! I'm so proud of you. I was afraid you would never walk. You'd rather sit and watch Dora all day. Yes, I said Dora. Ha. Anyway, it's also October 25, you are eleven months old. It's been the best eleven months of my life. Sometimes I really wish your mother was here to see how much you've grown. I love you more and more every day, that's all that matters. Remember that as you get older, keep the people you love close to you. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me little man.

Love, daddy.

I covered my mouth with my hand as the tears ran silently down my checks. He closed the book but kept his head down.

Everyone was quiet.

"Grayson." I managed to squeak out. I didn't know what to say. I was shocked. He sighed and looked up at me, then Edward. He had tears in his eyes.

"I've been reading this book my dad wrote for me a lot lately and I've realized some things." He stopped and took a deep breath, then continued. "My dad keeps say's how he wants the best for me, and for me to be happy, and that I'm the best thing that's ever happened to him." He looked over to me. "Mom, I know you still love dad and will always miss him, I see it in your eyes when you're alone, but I want you to know that you need to move on. For yourself, for me, for Rylan. Dad would want us to be happy." A tear rolled down his cheek. He looked at Edward. "Edward, my dad says he wants the best for me, which would mean the best for Rylan and my mom too. That would include you and the girls in our lives, well maybe not Kensley." He said with a smile and lightly elbowed her. She laid her head on his shoulder while everyone laughed a little. "But honestly, other than my dad, you're the closest male figure I have to a father in my life and I really hope you stick around." Edward was in awe. He got up and walked over to Grayson and hugged him tightly. I watched a tear stroll down his face.

"My dad said to keep the people I love close to me, and that's what I'm going to do." He said and smiled at me.

I'm so proud of him.

The moment was amazing. Everyone seemed so happy. Although it's all new, these people are my family in many ways. I don't know what I would do if anything ever happened to one of them.

I love them.

There we go! Remember reviews get you teasers and I think I'm going to skip ahead a few days so I can get into some good stuff. So excited! Next chapter I think is going to be about this Sam guy Kensley has met, hmm? Review and get a taste of what I'm talking about! Thank you everyone!