Hello, and hope you are still here. I don't want to waste time with rambling so here goes the new chapter and this is for jay7795 and iamafan10 for thinking of me which made me so happy, so here it is as I promised.
Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight saga.
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Chapter 29
"SURPRISE!"
Bella stared at the guests standing in front of the open door with wide eyes, "Happy Birthday Bella" she was suddenly engulfed in hugs making her to unfreeze and return the hugs from her friends and usher them inside.
"You thought we forgot, didn't you?" Leah smiled with mischief.
"I called all of you after giving you enough opportunity, but no one picked up. Only Dad and grandma wished me so you guys might have forgotten."
"We were going to surprise you so, what do you think, and before we forget, JAZZ…..?" Toria shouted and Jasper stumbled in to the house with huge wrapped boxes and few bags that looked like they contained some kind of clothing.
"Hiya Bella! Happy birth day" He tried to give her a hug but couldn't with his hands already full and Bella seeing is conundrum and took pity, "Thank you Jazz, follow me. Why don't you put those in here" she walked in to the kitchen and pointed to the table while Charlie who had been busy preparing dinner with his daughter turned at the sound of the voices.
Earlier Victoria had called and went on her plan of surprising Bella on her birthday and Charlie had gone with it. He had started dinner and while Bella asked him why he was making so much Charlie replied that he was going to freeze the extra portions so they will have food for rest of the week.
His daughter had been sulking more than usual today because, she hadn't received any wishes from her friends except for the family, so he was relieved when the bell went on just after six in the evening.
Charlie had been dreading to break of his news but he hoped that having guests will stop his sometime temperamental daughter to think before throwing a temper tantrum of epic proportion. After his wife passed away Charlie had thought a lot and as a single parent he knew that his profession was somewhat dangerous and unreliable. Being a cope always put his life in danger and after giving it some thought and discussing with his mother he had gone to collage part time and had earned a degree and then a post graduate degree on criminology. He was now happy with his position as a professor at the University of Washington and the Seattle police academy.
So it was a surprise when he had received an invitation to teach at Quantico as a guest adviser for the newest recruits of FBI and at first Charlie was over the moon, it was a rare opportunity and he was looking forward to the new experience except, the luck would have it his mother had to go out of country to be there for her only sister who lived in Italy with her two sons as her husband passed away some few months ago.
Charlie had been killing himself thinking of weather to decline the invitation as he didn't know how to leave his only daughter at home by herself. Being well versed on criminals, he didn't and won't leave Bella home alone for months; he would eat his own leg before letting his daughter stay with the Hales, because Charlie didn't trust their boy. He was aware that the twin brother of Victoria had been salivating after his daughter for some time and was not ready to put his chick in that house of the wolf.
Charlie was not sure Mrs Clearwater had the room to put one more kid in her house, what with her brood and her brother's three kids living with them.
So he was having a hard time coming with a solution when he was called to provide his expertise on a criminal case in front of the Jury. Charlie had given his input and was leaving the court room lost in his own dilemma when he had literally walked on his child hood best friend.
After that they had gone to lunch and caught up on their lives and his friend had supplied the answer to his problem, now the only thing left was how to get Bella to agree up on this. He kept on hoping that getting few presents with extra sugar added to it will mellow his daughter.
"Hi, Charlie I brought the cake" Toria followed her brother and greeted Charlie with a peck on his cheek.
"Thank God! I was worried that you all are going to be late and I would have to peel Bella off from the floor the way she has been moping and following me behind"
"Dad, you knew what they were up to and didn't tell me?" Bella turned to her father with a scowl that melted in to a shriek and she jumped in to hug him, "I forgive you and thank you so much" Charlie laughed at the squirming child of his, he hoped she will show the same enthusiasm when he uncover his other surprise.
"You are welcome baby girl. Alright everyone, dinner is ready help me and go arrange the table? Jasper please put that photo back where it had been before" Jasper turned like a kid that had put his hand on the cookie jar.
"You can't have that photo it is my mother's favorite and mine too" Jasper guiltily took the photo from his jacket pocket and put it back on the little cupboard with ornaments while the others snickered and Bella shook her head in exasperation.
I lost count how many times he tried to sneak that picture. I should hang it somewhere up he won't be able to reach it. Bella scowled while trying to find a suitable place for her baby picture with her munching on a red duck toy.
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A/N: I'm so sorry that I was late in posting this. As some of you knew I was really busy with school so I couldn't help it. I really loved reading all the reviews and I'm sorry I couldn't reply to them and I will from now on so see you guys with the next chapter tomorrow.
Aria.
