Assumptions Chapter 24

The Ex-factor

EPOV:

A phone call from my ex-wife was the last thing that I needed or wanted to wake up to this morning. Or any morning. Waking up and making love to Bella again before I had to go to work, that is what I had intended to happen. But we don't always get what we want in life.

"Tanya, let me call you back in about an hour when I'm home and awake." And I have some clothes on, I added in my mind.

"What do you mean you're not at home? Where are you?"

"Not that it's your business, but I spent the night at my girlfriend's house."

"Oh yes, that's right, you're dating Charlie's daughter. You told me that." She sounded flustered now herself. "Ok. Call my cell because I have to go to work." I ended the call and looked down to see Bella watching me. I leaned down and kissed her.

"What do you think that she wants?" Bella asked.

"I have no idea, but I don't want to deal with her until I've at least had a cup of coffee." She nodded and kissed me again.

"Well, let me go make you that cup of coffee while you find all of your clothes." She laughed as she cheated and grabbed a robe out of her closet and headed downstairs.

By the time I finally made it home I had just enough time to grab a quick shower and get into some clean clothes before I had to head downstairs to open the store. I grabbed my cell phone and started downstairs. I was pleasantly surprised to see a text from Bella, "I think we should stay at your place on work nights to save you time." I smiled at that thought. I sent back a reply to her immediately, "Be here at 5 with an overnight bag and I'll cook you dinner."

I walked into the shop and unlocked the door. I decided that I had put off the call to Tanya long enough.

"It's about time you called me back." No hello. No "how are you or how's your family". I really wasn't in the mood to deal with Tanya and her selfishness today.

"So if Abby is fine, what was so important that you had to call me at the crack of dawn?"

"I've got good news. I made detective!" She sounded excited but she had to be fucking kidding me. That is what she woke me up about?

"Congratulations. But I don't see what was so urgent about that that you had to wake me up about it."

"Well, it does create a big problem for me. I'm going to have to be available 24/7, and Demetri moved out a month ago so I can't leave her with him if I'm called out in the middle of the night. Not that he'd have been willing to keep her during the day either. Anyway, I promised my captain that I'd have something figured out about what to do with Abby by this weekend. That is what I needed to talk to you about. I just can't do this anymore. I can't be a mom and have my career. It's just too hard. I was thinking that Abby could live with you. You have an easy job and your Mom and Rose don't work, so they don't have anything better to do with their days than watch Abby for you. You could keep her and I could have my career and maybe get Demetri to come back to me."

My head was spinning with everything that she'd blurted out. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Was she really willing to send our daughter away for the sake of her career and relationship? I really didn't give a shit about her personal life anymore. How had I never seen how self-centered she was? It wasn't until she decided to move to New York, knowing that she was taking my daughter with her, but I really got how self-absorbed she was when she had me bring Abby home right after she was born. She literally spent the first six months of her life with me, not her mother. I could hardly believe that it was so easy for her to be apart from Abby. Rose had issues leaving Bree, even with Emmett, for the first year of her life. But the most important thing to me at the moment was that she was giving me my daughter. "This weekend, Tanya? It's already Thursday!" Leave it to Tanya to not think of anyone but herself. "I'll book a flight out to New York. I'll call you back to tell you when I'll be there. You just start packing anything you want to send with her. I can't stay in New York long. I just got back from Phoenix and I can't ask Mom and Rose to watch the shop too much more than they have lately."

"What were you doing in Phoenix?"

"That's my business Tanya. I don't answer to you. I'll text you my flight info. Have her ready to go." And I hung up on her.

I called my Mom and Rose and we decided that we should have a family dinner to plan for Abby's homecoming. Then I tried to call Bella but it went straight to voicemail, so I left a message about the change of plans for dinner but told her that I still wanted her to stay with me tonight.

I started to search for flights but got interrupted by customers and never got a chance to get back to it. Before I knew it, it was almost five and I hadn't even had time for lunch. I was concerned about how I was going to be able to be a single dad and take care of a baby with the shop.

I went ahead and locked up the shop exactly at five and took off for Mom and Dad's. Rose and Emmett's cars were in the drive but Bella's wasn't so I was surprised to find her in the kitchen with Mom, helping her to prepare dinner. I walked in and kissed both of them on the cheek. "Anything I can do to help?"

"No, we're done. Go get everyone from the den and we'll take the food to the table."

We started our discussion about Abby coming home as soon as we were seated at the table. One of the biggest concerns was what I was going to do with her while I was working. It was days like today that proved that I couldn't care for a baby AND take care of my customers at the same time. I was going to have to find someone to watch her during the day.

"I'd be thrilled to keep her for you Edward, but we'd have to find alternate arrangements when I have to leave to go on my book tour."

"I could keep her during those days."

"And I could take her when Mom has her charity meetings and such. We're all here for you, Edward" Rose piped in. "But I have to ask. Do you really think it's appropriate or fair to keep working six days a week? I know that Bella volunteered to watch Abby for you but she's your girlfriend, not your nanny, and she has a job and a life too. I mean besides the book tour, eventually she'll need to sit down and write her next book. You need to find a way to hire a part-time employee so you are not working all the time." Rose was right. I couldn't rely on Bella to watch Abby six days a week every week. I looked over at Bella and the look on her face said that she hadn't thought about that either.

"Well, we can figure that out later," Dad cut in, "First things first. We need to get Abby home. When is your flight to New York?"

"Shit. I started looking for one and got busy with customers. I never got back to it." Dad got up and walked out of the room. Mom grabbed the pitcher of lemonade off the table and started to refill everyone's glasses. She was just sitting back down when Dad returned with his laptop. He pulled up some websites to search flights and we started to look for the best one.

"Edward, I want to go with you, if you want me too, that is. I need to meet with my editor anyway. This will give me that opportunity, and I really don't want you to have to go alone."

I turned to Bella, "I'd love for you to come with me." By the end of the night and a lot of discussions and a few phone calls, Bella and I had our flights booked. We would leave tomorrow morning to catch our flights that would leave in the early afternoon. I was going along with her for her meeting with her editor for breakfast in the morning and then we would go straight to Tanya's together to pick up Abby and her stuff. Tanya and I agreed that we'd call our lawyers on Monday and get the custody arrangement legally changed, but I couldn't stick around New York and wait to deal with that shit. We would fly back home on Sunday and I just prayed that we would make it back in time for Angela's shower.

"Just as long as you're back on Tuesday to vote for me," Emmett demanded as he prepared to leave for work. I'd almost forgotten about the special election. I would be here to vote for my brother and support him even if Bella and I had to drive back. Hopefully, it wouldn't come to that.

BPOV:

I couldn't believe it when Edward called and told me that Tanya was so quick to give up her infant daughter in favor of her career. I was happy for Edward, though. He hated being apart from Abby. I had already decided that I was going to volunteer to watch her while he was working before I even walked out of the house to go to Esme's for dinner. Rose had called me and asked if I wanted to ride with her since Emmett was going to drive himself and then go straight into work. But as I sat at Esme's table while we discussed Edward's work schedule, I realized that I really hadn't thought through what a huge commitment I was volunteering for. I didn't mind. I would do just about anything for Edward.

We left shortly after Emmett did to head back to Edward's. "Why don't you take my car in the morning when you head home to pack?" He suggested, "That way I can stay here and do my own packing since we have to leave so early in the morning."

"Are you ok with keeping the store closed tomorrow?"

"I don't have much of a choice. I hate to admit it, but Rose is right and I need to hire someone to help out at the store. I can't do it on my own anymore. I think it was coming to this even without Abby in the equation."

"Can you afford it?"

"I don't know. I'll look at everything when we get back. Tonight I just want to spend making love to you."

"Now that is a plan that I can get behind." I laughed as I moved to straddle his lap.

He slowly undressed me before undressing himself and we made love on the couch before moving to his bed and making love there; two more times before we finally fell asleep in each other's arms. In between, while we rested and caught our breath, we talked about what Abby being here would mean to us. Life would be different, that was for sure. Like Rose and Emmett, we'd have to find a sitter before we could go out on a date by ourselves, so I figured those were going to be few and far between now. We would find a balance, of that I was absolutely sure.

Before we knew it, it was time to get up and get packing to go. Despite the fact that we were in Forks, Edward insisted on walking me out to his car since it was still dark out. I told him that he was being ridiculous but he wouldn't budge. I promised that I would be back in an hour and drove off home.

I pulled into my driveway to find Rose sitting on my porch waiting for me, "I came to promise that I'd check on Princess for you and we'd feed her while you were gone." Shit. I totally forgot about my cat last night when I decided to run off to New York. It wasn't like a cat couldn't be left alone for a few days, but I was thankful that Rose was willing to look after her. "I'll also grab your mail for you."

"Here, let me give you my key," I said moving to take the key off my ring.

"Oh. I still have the spare that Charlie gave me for emergency purposes." I looked up at her, "I'm so sorry. I totally spaced off that I even had it. I should have given it back to you."

"That's ok. Keep it, for emergencies and pet sitting. I may volunteer you in the future, as well."

Rose nodded. "Do you need some company while you pack?"

"I'd love some company. Come on." I wasn't packing more than a duffle bag and a cosmetic bag since we were only going to be gone for a couple of days. Rose sat down on the bed while I started pulling clothes out of the closet and throwing them down next to her.

"I'll fold and pack. You go take a shower." I smiled and ran off to the bathroom.

When I got back to Edward's he was already outside putting his bags in Esme's trunk. I parked in the spot Edward always parked his car in. He was already running up to me by the time that I got the car turned off and was stepping out.

"I missed you," he said leaning down and kissing me.

"I've only been gone for forty five minutes. I'm back early, thanks to Rose," I said with a laugh.

He grabbed my two bags out of the back of the car and we walked back to where Esme and Carlisle were parked and waiting for us. As soon as we got our bags in the car we hit the road. It was already just after seven and we had a long drive to Seattle ahead of us. We ran through McDonald's to grab some food and coffee that we could eat on the way.

Edward was nervous and quiet during the four hour drive to Seattle, but he kept my hand gripped tightly in his the whole time. Esme pulled up to the terminal drop off and she and Carlisle got out with us. While Carlisle and Edward got our bags out of the trunk Esme grabbed me into a tight hug, thanking me for going with Edward. Then she moved to Edward to hug him goodbye, and Carlisle pulled me into a hug. He pulled back from me and smiled, put my duffle bag on my shoulder and said, "Go bring my granddaughter home to us." Edward and I waved as we turned and walked into the airport.

A/N:

Happy Saturday! It's been a busy week of music engagements but I managed to the next chapter written. There were a few moments when I was doubtful. Ok. Thank you to Sweetpea123 for being an awesome beta and friend. I have to apologize to several of you that reviewed. Some of you got a teaser that said it was for chapter 25, well, I screwed up. It was the teaser for this chapter as you know now that you've read the chapter. It was my mistake and I apologize. Reviews will get a teaser. I think that is all this time. I am off to see Oz while my Son sees 21 & over, we have to support the twilight actors. Even the ones that just played the humans. Thank you for reading and see you in two weeks!