Thank you all for the amazing feedback. I'm blown away by the amount of reviews!
As always, big 'thank you' to CoppertopJ for all the help. Mwah! All mistakes are still mine, because I can't help and change/add stuff in the chapter before posting it.
There will be an author note at the end to answer and explain a general concern of yours.
"What in the hell happened between you and Charlie?" Jake asked carefully.
"We had a long overdue talk. Shit hit the fan." Bella leaned against the kitchen counter, watching Jake staring at her confused. "Riley will be coming to Chicago for high school."
After another heated argument with Charlie, Bella had promised to take Riley away. Charlie had to endure Riley's presence for a couple more years.
"Whoa! Why the sudden change of heart?"
"Not now," she pleaded.
The kitchen door opened for Edward to join them. "How's the turkey? Someone says he's hungry."
Bella rolled her eyes. "Let me guess. Charlie sent you in here to blackmail me into bringing the food early. Tough luck. The bird's still cooking and I'm talking to Jake."
Edward hovered by the door, suddenly looking uncertain. For the past several days, they had done a superb job at playing the perfect couple, even behind the closed door of the guest bedroom. Bella suddenly realized she'd sounded too harsh.
"Just tell Charlie to catch up with Billy. I'll bring the food as soon as it's done," she said softly.
"I'll be in Riley's room with Seth."
"Okay." Bella watched Edward slip out the door, chewing on her lip. He still didn't want to talk to her about what had happened on the road, and she wasn't too eager to push him.
"Is Edward okay?" Jacob asked. "It's like a mad house here."
"Welcome to my life," Bella snorted, crouching by the oven to check if the turkey decided to roast. It had been in there for hours. "Anyway," she said, rising and leaning against the counter again. "I'm happy your dad likes Seth. You were so worried."
"Yeah, my confession to him all those years ago came with proof. He's known I'm the gay I am since I left for college, but he's never met any of my boyfriends."
"Because you didn't have boyfriends," she pointed out.
"Details. Your dad met Eric."
"Which I regret to this day."
"Are you going back for the New Year's party?" Jake asked, drinking from his whiskey glass.
"What party? Did we get another email from the club?"
"Why are you even subscribed to these events?"
"Yeah, I know. I should unsubscribe, when I have you." She poked her tongue out at him. "I haven't checked my other email in ages. Maybe I should. My usual email is filled with inquiries from Tia."
He chuckled. "Well, there should be a party on New Year's Eve at Black Velvet. Seth told me not to mention it to you…after what happened at the last party."
Bella winced, turning to check on the turkey, in an attempt not to show Jake how she wanted to forget that ever happened.
"Look, I know Aro's not the easiest guy, but his heart is in the right place usually. He's the head of Chicago's board of directors for our community. He's influential."
"No, Jake. Don't start." Bella snatched the mittens off the counter, pulling the pan out of the oven. "I'd rather see him putting his children in their place than banning Liam from the community. Which is difficult. He doesn't even live in the States. And he's got friends in scary places," she added, knowing that Liam associated with the Irish mob. Jake didn't know that.
Jacob went closer to her, touching her shoulder. "How is Edward taking all this in?"
"Better than me. He's gotten super close with Riley. They've spent the past few days locked in his room playing guitar."
"Cool. And you…how are you and Riley?"
Bella shrugged, turned to look up into Jake's dark eyes. "We're okay. We're working on becoming friends."
"That's good. I'm so happy you're trying and giving him a chance. He's a good kid."
"Don't start, please. I've heard it all from Charlie."
Jacob took the food to the table and moved to the living room, while Bella went upstairs to get the others. She stood in the doorway of her old room, watching how Edward was teaching Riley how to hold the guitar and play. She'd watched this scene for the past few days, and every time it warmed her heart.
Seth was leaning against the wall, next to the door. He shot her a smile, nodding to the duo on the bed.
Bella drummed her fingers against the doorframe. "Time to eat."
"Is the turkey ready?" Riley asked, placing his guitar carefully on the bed.
"Yes. At last," Bella answered, amused.
"Can we continue after we eat?" Riley pleaded with Edward.
"Tomorrow," Bella interjected before Edward could answer. "It will be late when we finish eating and our guests leave."
Riley pouted, but shuffled out of the room. Seth followed him.
"Are you upset I'm teaching Riley how to play the guitar?" Edward asked, confused.
"No. What sort of question is that?"
"I don't know…" He walked to her, reaching for her hand. "You've been…distant…since we arrived. Is it something I did, Mistress?" he whispered the last word, stepping even closer to her.
"Shit, Edward." Bella cupped his cheek. "Let's talk after dinner, okay? I'm not mad at you. I'm actually worried about you."
He grimaced. "Is this about what happened on the road?"
"Your reaction to my otherwise innocent words made me realize you're not over what happened to you."
"You've helped me immensely," he promised, stroking a hand over her arm. "I guess your words combined with the guilt I was already feeling for pushing myself and not obeying you, brought back the worst of my memories."
"We're going to talk about this, but now I want you to relax and enjoy this evening."
They walked hand in hand downstairs.
"Ah, the lovebirds have decided to join us," Charlie cheered.
Bella huffed, pulling Edward to the only two chairs left empty. "So, where's your lady friend?"
Charlie dropped the knife he'd picked, ready to carve the turkey. "Busy," he said tersely.
"Is there even a lady friend?" Bella insisted, intrigued that Charlie hadn't made an attempt to introduce her in the past few days.
"Sure is," Billy answered, laughing. "Charlie's just keeping her hidden."
"Is there something wrong with her?" Jacob joked.
"Good God, you lot!" Charlie exclaimed. "She's from the Makah tribe. We met last year when my boat broke down on their coast."
Bella noticed how Jacob and Seth were exchanging looks, but her focus was on her father. "Why did you never mention her?"
"Because there's bad blood between the Quileute tribe and the Makah tribe," Billy said gravely. "Is it that Uley woman; old Harry's woman? The one who refused to move away with her husband when he found a better job in the city?"
"She had her reasons. And this is the reason why I didn't tell you," Charlie grumbled. "I'm done talking about it."
"Was this woman's husband's name Clearwater, by any chance?" Seth asked in a meek voice.
Billy spun his wheelchair to stare in shock at Seth, then looked at his son. Jacob had a hand on Seth's back, a deep frown between his brows.
"Holy shit!" Bella gasped, realizing the implication. She knew the gist of Seth's story. His father had moved Seth and Leah around a lot until they settled in Chicago. During Seth's first year of high school, his father had died of a heart attack from overexerting himself, working too many hours to provide for his children. Leah was just graduating high school, so she'd become her little brother's caretaker.
Seth had been a toddler when they'd left their hometown, and his father had told his children that their mother didn't want them.
And now, Seth was less than an hour drive away from his hometown, and in front of Charlie who was apparently dating his mother.
"Are you shitting me?" Jacob groaned. "This is the most fucked-up situation. Your lady friend," he sneered, "is Seth's mother, who didn't give two shits about him or his sister."
Seth shook his head, turning to press his face into Jake's shoulder.
"Watch that mouth around my grandchild," Charlie snapped. "You're all so quick to judge. No one knew the situation, but everyone judged her."
"No, please," Seth whispered, when Jacob started arguing loudly.
"Do you want to leave?" Jake asked him softly.
"I need air."
Jacob got up, guiding Seth out of the house.
Bella glanced at Edward, who appeared to be in just as much shock as her. Billy was fuming silently. Charlie was gripping the knife too tightly, and Bella reached over to take it from him. Then she turned to Riley who was sitting on her other side, staring into his plate. She handed Edward the knife.
"Carve it and eat. You two, come with me," she said, shaking a finger between her dad and Billy. "Kitchen. Now." Bella cupped Edward's shoulder, leaning to whisper in his ear, "Please, make sure Riley is okay."
"Of course."
Bella shut the door of the kitchen firmly, leaning against it with her arms crossed against her chest. "What the hell was all that?"
"Don't worry about it, Bella. I was going to introduce you to Sue. I had no idea you cared about my love life," Charlie shrugged.
"What's her story? Is it true what Billy said?"
"I've known only Harry's side of the story for years, and I didn't recognize at first who she was when she helped me with my boat."
"Of course. She was nice to you. She's luring you into her web, and then she'll kick you to the curb like she did with Harry," Billy huffed.
"I'm not going to spill her secrets, because it's clear you're not even willing to listen!"
"I am," Bella interjected.
Charlie huffed, shaking his head as he looked out the window. "Is that really her boy? What a small world…"
"I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't demand for him and Jake to leave at once," Billy muttered.
Seth had appeared distraught and willing to meet his mom, not ready to flee. He'd always wanted to meet her. Bella trusted Jacob to calm him.
She returned to the table, leaving her dad to talk to Billy, hopefully without killing each other.
"Everything okay?" Riley checked.
"Yeah. Pops and Uncle Billy are talking it out. How's the turkey?" Bella asked.
"Yummy." He chewed on his bite slowly. "Miss Sue is really nice. She brings home cooked food when she visits Pops."
"You know her?" Bella gasped.
"Well, yeah. But no one asked my opinion."
Edward chuckled at Riley's witty reply. "I'm sure everything will end well."
"Yeah, I hope so. Though, Billy can be as stubborn as Jake."
"Please, eat and stop worrying," he said quietly.
By the time the others returned, it seemed like everything had calmed down. Charlie had probably had enough arguing, because he didn't comment on Edward's bare forearms – more accurately, on his tattoo. Charlie had never been a fan, and Bella had dreamed of getting one when she was a teenager, but her fear of needles had kept her from committing the ultimate sin in Charlie's eyes.
On the other hand, Riley was fascinated with the artwork on Edward's right arm. He didn't understand the meaning of the handcuffs. Actually, no one at the table, except Jake and Seth, understood it. Bella expected her dad to corner her at some point and demand an explanation on whether or not Edward was a convicted felon.
Once dinner was over, presents were exchanged. Bella was not surprised to find out Riley didn't believe in Santa.
"I must have mentioned it," Charlie said, scratching his chin. "Rile found out the truth when he was six, seven, I don't remember. I took him to the station where old Mark was dressed as Santa. When we got home, Rile asked me if Mark was one of Santa's elves. I saw no point in dragging out that lie, though, it would have been funny for Rile to call Mark an elf to his face."
"It's not too late," Jake encouraged him, laughing.
"Don't give him ideas," Bella protested, unsure if Riley was going to listen to Jake's jest.
"Don't worry, I won't. But that's my and Pops' inside joke when I visit the station."
Charlie chuckled. "It's not something I encourage," he said, looking at Bella.
"I sure hope so."
The Riley topic: I didn't once think to have him put up for adoption. It was the way I saw this story going. There will be justice for him, too.
As for the Bella being mean to Edward topic: she's still set in her ways, but she's trying to change. They've been together for less than 4 months.
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