EPOV

If we lived in a perfect world, Bella would be on the first flight back to Jacksonville as soon as the words were out of her mouth. She could be back home less than twenty-four hours after she left, and I would never have to listen to my daughter cry for her mommy again.

Unfortunately, we don't live in a perfect world, and things rarely play out the way we want them to. As soon as Bella tells me she wants to come back home, I'm practically skipping down the hall to my office so I can book her a flight while she packs a bag.

"Edward, stop," she says before I can enter my card number for a flight that's scheduled to leave in two hours. "You're getting ahead of yourself."

"What do you mean? You just said—"

"I want to come back to you and Marley, but things aren't that simple."

Before I can tell her that it could be that simple, that with a few more clicks, she could be headed back to us, but Bella cuts me off.

"We need to talk about this and plan things out before we jump the gun. I have things, a lot of things, I need to pack and move across the country. I can't get that done in a matter of days."

I sit back up and grab my credit card again. "So come home and we can plan a trip for me to go back with you to help pack."

"No."

"Why?" I whine like a petulant child.

"Because the next time I leave Seattle, it will be a one-way trip, and I will never step foot in Washington again. There are things I want to do before I cut ties with this place."

I try my best to convince her to at least let me fly out and help her, but Bella won't budge.

She tells me that I would just get in her way as she consolidates her whole life. There are things she needs to do in order to leave her past behind and start her future free of any ghosts.

I'm pretty sure Bella means she plans on confronting her so-called best friend as well as her sperm donor.

I'm not worried about Kate. If Bella's assumptions are correct and it turns out that Kate helped hide the fact that the baby survived, I hope she gets what's coming to her. Bella isn't a violent person, but I feel like a slap in the face would be an appropriate send off. Charlie, on the other hand, worries me. We already know how cruel the man is. I'm afraid of the ramifications of her visit with him.

Bella doesn't outright say she's planning to see either of them and tells me I need to stay with Marley.

We agree that the move should be kept a secret until we can work out a timeframe.

Falling asleep is easy knowing that Bella will be back home soon.

~MM~

Two weeks. Fourteen days. If everything goes according to plan Bella should have everything in order, and she can come home. The days pass by fast and others slow.

Now that we have a schedule planned out, we're waiting until Bella gets through the hard parts of cutting ties with Washington so she can have something to look forward to. Something to give her strength.

I was right. Bella has planned to drive to Forks before the shipping company comes to pick up her car. Not only does she plan on getting answers, Bella also wants to visit the cemetery and request that the headstone Charlie had placed be removed and destroyed. She wants to take flowers to her mother's grave one last time before confronting the man who caused everyone's heartache and the woman who possibly helped him.

Before all of this can go down, her main focus is packing and getting rid of things she isn't bringing.

Marley is having a tough time coping with Bella being gone. I had to keep her home from school for a couple days because her stuffy nose mutated into a head cold. She's reverted back to a clingy, needy child rather than the independent little girl she is. We've had tantrums and fits that eventually dissolve into endless tears, and in those moments, I want to tell her, but everyone assures me that it will only make things worse due to Marley's lack of patience. She's happiest in the morning when I wake her up for school with Bella on the phone and again when she gets out because they can talk longer. For bedtime, we break out the iPad so we can FaceTime with Bella, and she reads Marley a bedtime story. We're planning on trying to have a cyber movie night this weekend.

Once Marley is asleep, Bella and I chat about a lot of things. She asks me about my childhood and what it was like growing up with Rose as my best friend. We talk about her friend she met in a grief support group and how, thanks to her, Bella found a career she loves. I tell her how much I miss her and that I can't wait until she's here where she belongs, and she tells me that she's looking forward to cuddling on the couch between me and Marley. She wants Disney movies and trips to the mall and falling asleep in my arms. Because when Bella moves in, she's going to be moving into my bedroom, and we're going to give Marley what she wants but was too afraid to ask for. A real family experience.

My family, for the most part, is very supportive and excited for us, and that means everything to me.

Mom and Dad can't wait. We're currently having all of the stuff Bella doesn't trust the shipping company with mailed to their house. Their garage is currently serving as storage because Marley would definitely notice a bunch of boxes sitting around the house.

Mom has offered to help redecorate because, according to her, my house could use a feminine touch. Dad's been busy printing and coming up with ideas since Bella invited him to join her on her blog once a week and has even named their pet project Carl's Corner. They had so much fun and a lot of success with the ice cream it was a no brainer. They're excited to work together.

Considering Bella's shitty upbringing after her mother passed, I'm more than happy to share my amazing family with her. It's not just me and Marley she'll be gaining. She's also getting my parents and our extended family.

Emmett is beside himself with excitement to finally have a worthy opponent not only on game nights but also cook offs. Bella's already packed and shipped her kitchen because mine is great but it's missing a lot of must have appliances.

Rose was a cocky nightmare for the first couple of days because she was right all along, but she finally let up. She's happy to finally have another woman to hang out with and wants to take Bella to all of the local flea markets to shop for antiques once we get settled.

I wasn't planning on even telling Jasper. He hasn't contacted anyone since he secretly moved to Raleigh, and that was fine with me. So the other day when he called Mom while she was signing for another of Bella's packages, all the excitement got to her head. When he asked her how things were going, she told him everything.

She warned me that he knew, so I'm not surprised when he calls to check in. He tries to beat around the bush, and I'm not going to bring it up, so instead, I focus on Marley.

I tell him about her end of the school year celebration and how excited she is for her graduation ceremony. I don't bother offering him an invitation. Marley was only given six tickets anyway. I'm glad she's at school because I don't know how this conversation is going to go.

"Her adult teeth are coming in nicely, but she swears a couple on the bottom are loose."

"Yeah? I bet the tooth fairy is going to love that. How's everyone else doing? Mom said Rose and Em are looking into surrogacy."

"They just started interviewing possible surrogates. They're taking their time to make sure everything is perfect."

I don't tell him that they're using one of his old colleagues as a legal aid, but I can tell he's fishing.

Three. Two. One.

"Mom also mentioned Bella went back to Seattle."

"Yup."

He's starting to get annoyed and asking me how Marley is handling the separation.

"She's sad of course, but they talk all the time."

My brother snaps. "How long have you been sleeping with her?"

"That's none of your damn business, Jasper."

He scoffs. "I told you she was going to do something like this. I'm not even surprised at how easy it was for her to sink her claws into you."

I rub at the spot between my eyebrows and sigh. "You know what, Jasper? I'm done letting you try to make everyone as miserable as you are because you're unhappy. Bella and I are doing what we know is best for our family, and if you keep acting like this, you'll never be a part of it."

"What? You're choosing some chick you've known for less than six months over your own brother just because she gave birth to Marley?"

Ready to end this blasted conversation, I square my shoulders. "Let me remind you that you and Maria or whoever the hell she was, got engaged weeks after you met. You've done this to yourself, Jazz. I hope you find happiness. Until then, don't contact me again."

I hang up and automatically block his number. I need to focus on my family and not someone so against what is right for us. I want to call Bella, but I know what I just went through is nothing compared to what she'll be doing today. She still has eight days in Seattle, but she decided to just bite the bullet and get it done and over with.

I've asked Mom to pick Marley up from school and take her back to their house so I can be here for Bella when she leaves Forks for the last time.

I'm building a pair of matching nightstands to replace the one I had in the bedroom when Bella calls.

The conversation is one sided. She's sobbing hard, and I'm talking softly about how much Marley and I care for her. How she has a whole family waiting for her in Jacksonville.

"She knew, Edward," she eventually gets out. "They didn't think I was going to make it, so they got rid of her. And then when I woke up, they kept up the charade. Who does that? She watched me suffer for years."

"I'm sorry, cookie."

"I didn't go see him. I couldn't. I can't."

"I understand."

"No. You don't. If I ever see Charlie Swan again, I will murder him with my bare hands." She gets choked up again, and I start talking about the first things we're going to do when she gets here.

"Eight more days, Bella. We just have to make it eight more days."

"I don't think I can." She sobs. "I want to come home now but—"

More crying.

"Then come home, baby."

She starts listing the things she still has to do, but I'm only half-listening as I work. At one point, she's a blubbering mess.

"And my apartment needs to be cleaned … and my car." She wails.

"Bella. Deep breath."

"I could probably sell it real quick. It's a nice car."

"Bella."

She finally takes that deep breath. "Yes?"

"A private shipping company will be meeting you in the morning to pick up your car and all the things you want to bring with you. A cleaning service will get in touch with your super and work out a time where they can go in and clean. You just have to worry about getting transportation to the airport for a seven o'clock flight. With a layover in Dallas-Fort Worth."

"Edward." She breathes. "Really?"

"I know you're upset, but you need to cancel the movers and figure out a way to get the rest of your stuff shipped here. Then all you have to do is get on a plane and come back to us."

We might not live in a perfect world but I know when I have both Marley and Bella in front of me, my world will be pretty damn close to perfect.