A/N: Hello friendly readers! I'm back and I hope you're still with me. I know, going from almost daily updates to waiting a few days probably isn't easy, but I am only one person! *Ghost writer? Anyone? LOL JK*

This is not beta'd, all mistakes are mine!

Emmett was working his butt off in the kitchen preparing a great meal of spaghetti with home made meat balls and meat sauce, garlic bread and a tossed salad. I could smell it through the house and my stomach was growling by the time we were seated in the dining room.

"Dad, I have math homework and I need help." Jacob said over salad.

"Hm, well, why don't we work on that after dinner." Edward smiled and Jacob agreed. It was nice seeing Edward doing more with his kids, even if it was just math homework, not to mention I was thrilled he hadn't asked me since I considered letters to be something that shouldn't leave an English class. And don't get me started on square roots or fractions. I barely passed simply because my teacher had to sit down and walk me through each chapter. And, I hear math just gets harder as the years go on.

Balance a check book? Sure. Solve x = - b + / - the square root of b squared - 4 ac all over 2a and I'm screwed. Pack it in ladies and gentleman, I'm out of here! And yes, that really is a mathematical equation. It's called a quadratic equation. Don't believe me? Google it.

Anyway, my point is, I can't help anyone with math past the fifth grade, and even then it's sketchy.

"Bella, I'm talking to you. . ." My mother said and I snapped my head up and looked at her.

"Sorry, what?" I asked.

"Where were you? I've been talking to you for the last two minutes!" Renee huffed.

"Thinking about quadratic equations." I replied and frowned. "I hate math."

"Uh huh, anyway, I was getting my hair done the other day and that yenta, Tiffany, was telling me she had a dream about me. Me, of all people. I asked her what she dreamed about and she said that I'd be falling into some money. So I get this weird call from your Grandmother's home and they want us all to come visit. Something about turning her, or something, I don't know. You know my pay as you go phone gets bad reception. . ."

"MA! The only reason they'd want us all to go upstate to see her right away is because she took a turn for the worse, not that they were turning her! Oy! Dad, did you know about this?" I exclaimed.

"Eh, I had heard something from your mother while she was on the phone, but the lady is resilient, she'll be fine." He waved me off.

"Dad. . .she's 94! Sometimes resilient doesn't cut it anymore. We better go see her right away." I said, looking to Edward to make sure I could get the time off. He wasn't much of a family man. When his grandmother died his brother told him over the phone, Edward grunted and asked about the estate, smiled and said 'Bless her soul' and hung up. I mean, it wasn't that he didn't care necessarily, but his family was never close.

"I can have Emmett drive you if you'd like." Edward offered.

"Nah, that's sweet of you but none of you people know how to feed yourselves. I may be gone for more than twenty four hours, you'd all be starved to death by then." I shook my head.

"I beg your pardon, Bella!" Edward gasped.

"OK, what's the number for pizza?"

"I don't know."

"How about the name so you can call Information?"

"Not a clue."

"Emmett is not going!" I laughed. "I don't want to come home to a house full of hungry animals. I'll rent a car and the three of us will head out there in the morning."

"At least let me rent you a car, I want to make sure it's a reliable one." Edward insisted.

"Fine, but that's it."

"Well, it is a long trip, darling, we could use some snacks." Renee piped in.

"Ma, Emmett is not cooking a four course meal for our drive tomorrow. We can stop at a gas station and fill up on snacks there, oy! Anything to get ahead." I shook my head.

"What do you mean? We ain't no freeloaders!" My mother, oh so eloquent.

"Ma, you don't bat an eye when Edward offers the limo, and then you get antsy when I say 'rent a car' until Edward offers to do that for me, and then you have the audacity to expect Emmett to pack you a cooler of food for the drive. Oh no, not gonna happen. Have some dignity, will ya?" I argued.

"I just want you to look good, baby! Your Aunt Nancy and Uncle Roger will be talking the whole time we're there about their daughter that married up. You know, the one with the horses because she had always wanted a pony as a kid? I want to brag about you, too!" My mother said, disgusting me. "By the way, Edward, would you have a problem with me telling her you two are married?"

"MA!" I shouted as my face heated up. Edward cleared his throat.

"Why would you want to lie to your family about your daughter? Aren't you proud of her the way she is?" His hackles raised.

"Of course I'm proud of her. . ." Renee swooned and then snapped at me. "How much bread are you going to eat? I don't want a fat daughter. Single, yes, but fat you are not."

"Oh my god!" I whined and covered my face.

"Mom isn't fat, Renee!" Tanya snapped and all eyes were on her. Even my mother dropped her fork. Tanya's face went red and she looked at me, completely shocked.

"What did you just call my daughter?" Renee, of course, was the first to speak, ruining this precious moment in time. Tanya must have looked from my shocked face to Renee who was probably looking at her funny and back again before she threw her chair back and ran out of the room.

"Ma, Dad, I'll be by to get you in the morning by ten. Be ready or I go without you." I pointed and stood.

"I'd rather you not go so far alone, I can go with you if you like." Edward spoke up, his eyes still a bit wide from Tanya's outburst.

"We'll talk later. I'm going to see Tanya." I said.

"Are you mad that she called you mom?" Alice blurted.

"Of course not, honey! I'm beyond words right now, but I'm nowhere near mad." I said, tears welling in my eyes.

"So, can we call you that?"

My parents disappeared from my line of vision. All I saw were Alice, Jake and Edward. The look on his face was passive, stoic, but not angry.

"I think. . . " I began.

"Yeah, Mom, what do you think?" Jake grinned that cheeky grin of his and I melted.

"You can call me whatever makes you comfortable." I swallowed hard. I had to reiterate something, though. "But I'll never take Charlotte, your mother's place. Fair?"

"Yeah." They both said and hugged me. I'd have a long hard cry about this later, but right now I had to find Tanya. Edward could have my time later, whether to reprimand me or whatever.

Running up to Tanya's room I knocked quietly on the door. "Baby, it's me."

"Come in." When I walked in she was sitting on her bed, tears staining her beautiful face and I didn't even hesitate, I sat next to her and pulled her to me, hugging her and rocking her. I knew it wasn't time to talk, not for me anyway. I'd sit here and hold her until she either wanted me to go or she wanted to talk.

I'm not sure how much time passed, but she finally came around.

"You're not even married to my dad, I can't believe I said that!"

"I can't believe you said it, either, but I'm flattered beyond belief." I smiled. She looked up at me then.

"I feel like I betrayed my mom."

"Oh, honey. . . Your mother is always going to be your mother, no matter what. I'd be honored to be called mom by you kids, but I also would never, ever attempt to take her place." I replied.

"So, you don't think Dad's mad?"

"Well, not at you. But, your brother and sister asked if they could call me mom, too, and I didn't really give him a chance to speak. It just kind of came out that it was OK. So, he may be a little mad at me, but never at you for something like this." I rubbed her back.

"We talked about it a lot last night when we were at your parent's house. We couldn't sleep after the scary movie and the subject just kind of came up. And then again today when we were upstairs waiting on dinner. It's just. . . After Mom died, especially for Alice and me, we just didn't have that connection anymore. Dad's great but he just doesn't get it, you know? And then you came along and you were so honest and so caring. It just feels right to call you that. Nanny isn't right, because that would mean you're not family. Bella would be more like a friend and you're still more than that. Mom just feels right." Tanya blushed.

My chin was quivering, I could feel it. I don't think I have ever been as happy or as conflicted before in my life.

"I'll tell you what I told your siblings, you can call me whatever makes you comfortable." I smiled.

"Thanks." She smiled. I hugged her tight and kissed the top of her head.

"I better go make sure my parents haven't ruined the house. I'll see you later, sweetie." I smiled.

"OK, love you."

"I love you, too." I said.

I left her room and was greeted by Edward who still looked pensive, and I hoped he wasn't angry with me. "We need to talk." He whispered.

"OK, let's just get my parents out of here so the kids can get settled." I said and went to head down stairs.

"They're gone, I saw them out fifteen minutes ago."

"How long was I in there?"

Edward shrugged and looked away and then back at me. "Come to my office please, Bella." And he turned and walked away.

With a sinking feeling I followed him, praying beyond anything that he wasn't firing me because if he was I wasn't sure I'd survive it.

A/N: OK! ! ! What do you think of THAT? I left you with a little nail biter there! I swear I won't leave you hanging too long as I'm caught up on things for the moment.

Let me know what you think by reviewing, it always makes me squee!