Lost Loves of Meadow Lane

Chapter 25

Isabella January 10, 1911, midnight hour

James and Victoria were out to dinner leaving her and Riley home. The moon had kept her secrets and so had the hiding place where she had placed

It was dark and cold outside but it was time for Isabella to escape. Everything and everyone that she loved were gone, and it was only a matter of time before James came to her wanting an heir. She had given enough and was not giving any more. She stumbled in through the kitchen before reaching the cabinet where she had hidden letters over time from James and Victoria. The kitchen was the last place they would have looked. she was sure. She had only packed a small bag that was easy to carry, taking nothing of value from the house. She would give them no excuses to search her out, but this was the last night she would live in this house, as James' wife or Victoria's target.

Elizabeth Masen had left to be with Edward, and though that is what she wanted to do herself, she knew that was the first place they would look. If only Victoria hadn't been with her that day when she heard the news, no one would have known. Dr. Cullen and his wife had also left and moved somewhere down the coast. She was glad she didn't know where they had gone. Knowing where her daughter was could have been dangerous. But everyone had agreed to take their secret to the grave. To protect her daughter, she would do just that. It was a shame that Edward would never know, but she couldn't think about that now.

She froze as the floor creaked behind her.

"Riley, what are you doing awake at this hour? You should be asleep," Isabella said gasping, a hand laying across her heart.

"I know you're leaving. Please, take me with you, please," the young man begged. With everything they had been through, there was no way she could leave him behind now that he had confronted her. Together, they made quick work of gathering a few more clothes but just enough to carry easily and disappear into the night.

2011

"You could have left a better message on my phone, Jasper," The brunette woman said after he had answered the door. The racket she had caused by pounding on it had set him in a bad mood.

"Sorry, Rosalie. I wasn't exactly thinking when I made the call." Jasper moved aside and let her and the kids enter as he pulled a shirt over his head. "I didn't think you would drive here either. Why didn't you call me?"

"I did, you idiot, but you didn't answer. And you still haven't set up a voicemail account, so, here we are," she said as she directed her oldest son to sit on the bed while she headed to the bathroom with the youngest still perched on her hip.

Jasper stood in the doorway watching as Rosalie changed her daughter's diaper. He looked back when he felt the pocket of his jeans being tugged.

"Uncle Jazz, I'm hungry," the little boy said. Jasper ran his hand through the child's dark hair.

"He looks more and more like his Dad every day," Jasper commented before lifting the boy up into his arms for a hug and trudging back into the main room. He searched the container sitting on his dresser for the box of cookies he knew was there. Rosalie would probably threaten him with bodily harm, but the kid said he was hungry.

"He does," Rosalie said in a flatly. Jasper understood her tone and didn't comment. He wasn't ready for more of her tears. Maybe she's gotten past that, he thought. No, he reminded himself. He hadn't gotten past it, how could she?

"Here you go, Trev," Jasper said as he handed out an iced oatmeal cookie before setting the young man on the edge of his bed.

"Really, Jasper. He hasn't had his lunch yet," Rosalie said, reappearing after cleaning her daughter up. "We've been too busy trying to find you," she said letting out an exasperated sigh,"and now that we have, and Sierra is all clean, will you finished getting dressed so we can go back to that diner and get some real food before he refuses to eat."

"Three minutes, and I like the haircut and color," he called, reaching for his socks and shoes. Once he was dressed more appropriately, he met Rosalie outside, taking the passengers seat of her station wagon.

"Thanks, I'm trying to move forward. Sorry about the house," Rosalie said as she concentrated on pulling out of the parking lot. "I didn't realize you had sold it."

"Long story, but how did you know?" he asked looking at her with a confused expression.

"That's the first place I went looking for you," Rosalie commented.

"Oh, no. . . please," Jasper groaned. "Tell me you didn't go to the house."

"They seem like a very nice couple. A little intense, but nice. But it's a shame because Emmett is just my type."

Jasper closed his eyes and flopped his head back against the seat, feeling like the air had just been kicked from his chest. He wanted to yell at her and ask her why but he already knew the answer. She didn't know where else to look for him. It wasn't like he'd stayed in touch since moving back to Gulfport.

"Rose, he's a cop and that's not his wife. She's his sister, Alice. Oh, lord," he explained as he knocked his head again the seat.

"They're not? He's not? She is?" Rose questioned as she pulled into the parking lot across from Ren's Diner.

"I'm screwed. I give up. No, no, and yes. . ." Jasper replied while he angled his body and stood from the parked car. Intuitively he moved to the back door to collect Trev while Rose unbuckled Sierra. Their conversation didn't continue until the children were settled and everyone was seated in the restaurant. Jasper knew this really isn't the place for the conversation they were about to have but maybe it was better this way; at least she couldn't make a scene.

"So, I may need you to help explain about my conviction, Rosalie," Jasper said getting straight to the point of why he had called her.

"Now? Why?" she asked nervously as she looked at her children. She didn't know if she had the strength to make everything right, now that she had her children. It was one thing when she was faced with watching Jasper go to jail, originally, for something he didn't do, but now, after two years?

As if he could read the woman's mind, he continued, "Don't worry, Rose. If the law gets involved, I'll admit that I asked you to help me out so that. . ." Jasper thought of what he really wanted and then continued. "I could. . . never mind, Rose. She'll probably never want to talk to me again, anyway. How's work at the bank?" Jasper asked, changing the subject.

"You like her, don't you? Duh, stupid question. Of course, you like her. And that explains a lot," Rose said looking at the ceiling. Of course, Jasper liked her.

"Explains what?" Suspicion filled Jasper's tone and he waited for Rose to look him in the eye and explain.

"Why she was so upset, when I showed up looking for you? And I might be mistaken, but she might have gotten the impression we're together," Rosalie said. Upon Jasper's look of interest, she continued to explain the reception she was given by the couple she had assumed were together.

"No, no, no. . ." Jasper continued saying.

"Mamma, Uncle Jazz, being weird," Trev said watching his uncle knock his head against the table repeatedly.

"No, Trevor, he's not. I think Uncle Jasper is in love."

"Ew. Like, k-i-s-n-g," Trevor said with disgust, causing his mother to laugh and Jasper to lift his head and view the young boy with a smile.

"Yes, Trev, like k-i-s-s-i-n-g," Rosalie corrected. When Jasper's eyes flashed to his friend, there was a gleam there he hadn't seen since before his brother-in-arms died.

And so, I took a few minutes to run and hide from the world so I could update.

Well, now! Bella's leaving and Alice has come face to face with Rosalie . . . mwahhhhhhhhhh! She has definitely been out of the loop on Jasper's life but it isn't taking long to get caught up, is it?

Eww, Alice and Emmett? Sierra and Trevor, what do you think? I think these kids can be a handful!

Read, review, and relate out journey here to your friends! I am definately looking forward to your thoughts.