Thanks Sherry and Paige!

"God, what a mess, on the ladder of success

Where take one step and miss the whole first rung

Dreams unfulfilled, graduate unskilled

It beats pickin' cotton and waitin' to be forgotten.

We are the sons of no one, bastards of young."

-The Replacements

EPOV:

"Babe, I have to get my pies started," Bella giggles, as she tries to push my head away from her tits.

I've been nervous these past two weeks, but now that it's the night before, I'm completely fucking distressed. I'm going to be meeting my girl's dad for the very first time. I've been planning out what I'm going to say to him in my head for the past week and I still haven't gotten it right. So, I focus my energy on what I'm best at, which happens to be making love to my fuck-hot fiancée. She's been complaining about needing to cook for the past hour, but I've managed to keep her beneath me despite her protests.

"Just a little bit longer," I tell her, before biting down on her nipple.

She moans and allows me to suck on her tit for a little bit longer, but it's not nearly as long as I want to. As soon as my cock is hard and ready for round four, she pulls away and laughs at me. Not the reaction most men look for when they have a raging boner. I pout at her and she rolls her eyes. I'd feel foolish because I probably look foolish with puppy dog eyes and a fucking hard on, however, Bella opens her legs again and grants me my wish. As soon as I'm thrusting inside of her, I'm too happy to give a fuck how I looked moments before.

Fifteen minutes later, I'm exhausted and Bella is up and ready to bake.

"I think I'll start with a pumpkin pie first," she says to herself as she walks toward the closet to grab something to wear.

I watch her pert ass as she walks around the room. "You can always just wear your apron. I wouldn't be opposed to that idea at all," I say with a smirk.

She smiles at me over her shoulder before slipping one of my t-shirts over her head. "I'd make such a mess, Edward."

"I could lick it off," I suggest, winking at her.

She gives me a playful slap before heading toward the door. "You should get some sleep. Charlie will be awake soon and he'll be wanting his daddy."

I glance at the clock and see it's just past two in the morning. Charlie usually wakes around five, and that's if he sleeps through the night. Bella's right, like usual, so I submit and lay down to go to sleep. An hour later I'm woken up by Bella carrying a crying baby toward me. Half asleep, I manage to rub my eyes before Bella places my son on my stomach.

"He couldn't sleep," she says apologetically.

I nod my head and wrap my arms loosely around him. "I got him, babe. Go back to your baking."

Bella smiles and kisses both Charlie and me on the forehead before heading back to the kitchen. Charlie's cries slow down as soon as he's comfortable on my stomach.

"Come on, Charlie. Let's go to bed. We've got a big day tomorrow."

His eyes are bright as if he knows what I'm saying. He gives me a watery smile before placing his thumb in his mouth. He's such a good baby. I don't know what the fuck I did to deserve a baby like him. As soon as I feel his breathing go steady, I relax and try to get to sleep myself. I'm going to be meeting my girl's dad in a few short hours and I don't want to fuck it up. I hold Charlie in my arms, and bask in the comfort he provides before falling asleep.

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I was too nervous to get much sleep. After tossing and turning and finally giving up, I decide to get Charlie and myself ready for the day. He's wide awake and I wish I could say the same. I quickly run a bath for us—because I'm too fucking exhausted to bathe him and get myself ready, this is much more manageable—I add some of that bubble shit Bella likes, before getting him out of his onesie and hopping in with him safely in my arms.

He splashes the water around him and laughs as he plays with all of the bubbles. Although I'm half asleep, I smile as I watch him. He's so fucking energetic and it's pretty damn funny to watch. He twists and turns in my arms until he finally giggles and places his head on my chest. I'm glad he's giving me a break today, washing him is usually a nightmare for me. I love to watch him have fun of course, but it's impossible to get him clean when he's a ball of energy.

"Da da! Da da!" He exclaims as I begin to wash his hair.

Because he's so fucking calm today, I play with his hair and give him a Mohawk before he pushes my hand away, smiles and says, "No!"

I roll my eyes at his new word and smile. "Yes. Can you say yes, Charlie? Yes," I say, over-enunciating the word for him.

"No," he giggles at me, before his interest returns to the bubbles.

I finish cleaning him up, before I quickly wash myself. I want to look good for Bella's dad. I want him to think I'm a good match for his daughter. I wash my hair, and even fucking condition it, before I finally feel as if I'm clean enough. As soon as I'm finished, I have to fucking laugh, because I can't remember the last time I was this nervous. He's just a man, I don't know what my deal is. Fuck, he's not just a man, he's the man that fathered the girl who means more to me than anything. You can't think this way, Cullen. You'll lock yourself in your room and never leave. I sigh, leaning back and relaxing in the lukewarm water while watching Charlie continue to play. This day is going to be awkward as fuck. I can't believe I let Bella talk me into this. My Thanksgiving is going to consist of a 'small' get-together with my dad, my mom, Bella's dad, Alice and Jasper and their daughter, Cyndy. I wish it could just be Bella, Charlie, and me. That would make things a helluva lot easier.

"You ready to get out, buddy?" I ask, turning Charlie around to face me.

"No!"

"Of course," I snort. "It's time to get out, buddy. We've got to get ready and help mommy."

"Da da," he says with a huge smile, before giving my hand a little kiss.

I kiss his forehead before pulling the plug and getting out of the tub. Charlie's shivering now that we're out of the water, so I wrap him in a towel before making my way to his room to get him dressed. I hear a gasp, and turn to see Bella. Her face is covered with flour, but I can still see the deep blush that heats her cheeks. It's only then that I realize I'm naked and dripping wet.

"What's up, babe?" I casually ask, trying hard not to smirk.

Bella's eyes trail up my body until her gaze finally reaches my eyes. Her blush deepens and she smiles and says, "Can you run to the store for me? I know it's going to be packed, but I ran out of vegetable shortening and eggs."

"That's fine, babe. I'll go," I say with a shrug.

Standing in line at the grocery would be a hell of a lot better than sitting around here, letting my nerves get the best of me. It's also nice to know I'm making my girl happy. Her face lights up and she skips toward me, kissing me full on the mouth before backing away to give Charlie a little kiss as well.

"You're a lifesaver," she says with a smile. "No rush…but you might want to head out now. The lines will be pretty long because of last minute shoppers and I've got to finish my pecan pie."

I roll my eyes and throw her a smile. "Let me get my pants on first. I'm sure I'd give someone a heart attack if I left the apartment like this."

I throw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before getting Charlie dressed in the outfit I laid out for him the night before. It's a nice blue polo and a pair of jeans. I wanted him to look nice, but didn't want to dress him too nice because I knew he would be a mess by the end of the day. As soon as we're all ready, I grab my keys, kiss my girl, and head to the store.

The traffic is fucked. I know it's the day where everyone is traveling, but Jesus, I thought they would've gotten to where they were going by now. I try not to get too frustrated, because I know I've got a long day ahead of me. When I finally reach Safeway, the parking lot is as packed as the fucking highway was. I take a deep breath and imagine how nice a cigarette would be at a time like this. Fuck, I can taste the tobacco on my tongue right now. I hit my head against the steering wheel in frustration before finally getting out of the car. I'm happy to see Charlie is happy and care-free when I get him from the backseat. I wish I could be as content, but life experience has made me jaded. At least I'm not as jaded as I once was. Before Charlie and Bella, I didn't give a single fuck about anything and found everything pointless and trivial. Now, everything is better and I know I'm a changed man.

This thought lifts my spirits as I trudge toward the grocery store with Charlie in tow. I'll get through today and regardless of whether Bella's dad likes me or not, I know everything will be fine. My life is finally moving in a good direction and nothing will change that. I practically ran right into a frantic shopper as soon as I walked through the automatic doors. He looks just as fucking flustered as I feel. I pull out the list I jotted down and try to decipher my shit handwriting as I make my way through the store. The baking aisle is wrecked, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised. There's a few older women surrounding the flour and sugar, making it difficult for me to get around them with a baby in one hand and a basket in the other. Shouldn't they be more prepared for this? When I finally do get around their carts, I practically run into a woman who looks way too happy to see me. I stare at her boob job that looks like it could poke a fucking eye out, then to her unintentionally expressionless face, before giving her a tight smile and moving past her.

"That's such a cute baby," she comments, with a giant smile. "How old is he?"

Sometimes I genuinely wonder if some women are actually interested in babies when they bring them up as a way to talk to the dad. I used to tell myself, perhaps they actually do find Charlie cute. It wouldn't be that hard to imagine. He is the cutest baby I've ever seen, but of course my opinion is rather biased. However, I find it hard to believe they are very interested in Charlie, when their eyes are glued to me and not my baby. I just don't get this behavior at all. Doesn't a baby indicate I'm committed to someone? I know single dads exist and I know I'm not wearing a wedding ring or anything like that, but I feel like I give off the 'I'm taken' vibe. If that's even a thing.

"Thanks," I finally reply. "He'll be one next month."

"That's so cute," she coos. "So, are you doing some last minute shopping?" She asks in a conversational tone.

What the fuck does it look like I'm doing?

"Yep. Just picking up a few things. My fiancée is at home baking," I say dismissively before I begin to continue down the aisle.

"I could help you find what you need," she says, not letting our conversation come to an end like I hoped it would.

I feel bad for her. Maybe she really can't take a hint. I guess she's hot in that MILF sort of way, but I'm not buying what she's selling. If it was a few years ago, I would've been more than happy to take her up on her sleazy offer, but now that I've got Bella, everyone else is shit in comparison to her.

"I'm fine, thanks. Nice meeting you," I awkwardly say before moving down the aisle.

"Brenda," she calls out.

I look over my shoulder and give her an uncomfortable smile before walking away. Why does this happen all the time? I'm happy the rest of the women in the aisle are old enough to be my grandmother and are too busy actually shopping to pay attention to me. I find the contents of my grocery list in peace. Or at least as peaceful as one can in the obnoxiously crowded store. I manage to grab the last carton of eggs the store has left before I bolt toward the checkout. As I turn a corner on the way to the self-checkouts, I run into another shopper and drop my basket, hearing it crash to the floor.

"Fuck!" I groan in exasperation as I see the state of the only carton of fucking eggs I managed to find.

"Sorry, man."

I recognize the voice, and look up to see Paul standing in front of me with an apologetic look on his face. Charlie cries, probably because he senses my annoyance, and suddenly I feel terrible. I shouldn't cuss in front of him. I don't want him to be sounding like me by the time he's able to form full sentences. I rub his back and kiss his temple, and he instantly calms down.

"Sorry, Edward. I guess I didn't see you."

"It's fine," I say, as I bend down to pick up the contents of my basket. Luckily, everything else is fine. Hopefully Bella won't be too pissed about this.

"You cooking?" He asks, with a surprised look on his face.

I chuckle and say, "Um, no. You know I can't cook worth a shit. Bella's at home baking right now. She just ran out of a few things."

"You having your family over for Thanksgiving?"

"And Bella's family as well," I say with a nervous laugh. "We're having it at her apartment. She's been preparing for today all week."

"That's awesome man. So, you're meeting her parents then?"

"Well, just her dad. Her mom died when she was little," I explain.

"That's terrible," he says with a frown. "Are you nervous about meeting her dad?"

I laugh. "Is it that obvious?"

"Well," he shrugs with a small smile. "I wasn't going to say anything, but you seem kind of off-kilter."

"Yeah, I'm pretty fucking nervous," I admit.

Charlie makes a few noises and looks me dead in the eye and looks as if he were trying to form a word. If he says 'fuck' I'm going to shit myself.

Luckily, he says, "Da da," and giggles before going back to looking curiously around the store.

"It'll be fine," Paul assures me. "I'm having dinner with my folks and then we'll probably watch TV or something like that."

"That sounds fun. I'd kill for a low-key night like that."

"It'll be alright," he says with a shrug. "We've got to get together soon."

"I know, man. It's been a second. I've just been so sidetracked with everything going on."

Fuck, I've been so sidetracked, I've barely talked to Paul. I've sent him a text here and there, but he hasn't the slightest clue about any of the shit that has gone down recently. I know I need to be a better friend to him. I haven't had that many good friends in my life, so I don't have any experience when it comes to people actually caring about me. Paul has been a great friend for so long. Sure, he was more of my brother's friend growing up, but the three of us had been really close before I moved away. Once I moved away, my circle of friends were always too high to really care about what was going on. I know I have to reach out to him. Besides Charlie and my dad, he feels like the only piece of Seth I have left. I need to hold on to that.

"Let's get together soon," I promise. "I'll text you about it tomorrow. Plus, you have Charlie's birthday to come to."

"Yeah, I've got his gift picked out and everything," He smiles, but it falters as he looks over my shoulder in confusion, asking, "Who's that chick?"

I look behind me and try not to roll my eyes. Turning back around, I say, "Some woman named Brenda. She was hitting on me earlier when I was trying to get some vegetable shortening." I notice Paul smiles in her direction and I add, "You should go for her man. I bet she'd be interested."

Paul smiles and shakes his head, "No, man. I shouldn't be dating. I'm trying to focus on myself right now and fix a lot of stuff in my own life."

"That's great, man. I was doing that before Bella came into my life, but once I met her, I knew she was too important to ignore. I had to work on myself while I was falling in love with her."

Paul smiles at me. Probably because I'm grinning like an idiot.

"Well, maybe one day I'll be as lucky as you."

I smile at him, hoping that one day he'll find a girl as great as mine. We part ways after making plans for later this week. I pay for my groceries and get the fuck out as soon as I can. Who knew a grocery store on a holiday would be so chaotic? Traffic is a nightmare and it takes me an extra half hour to get home. When I do arrive, I'm so fucking thrilled I grab my groceries and Charlie and practically run upstairs so I can see my girl. Is it sad that I miss her after only a few hours?

"Babe, I'm back!" I call out as soon as I walk through the door of her apartment.

Since she's living with me now, her whole living room has been transformed into a dining room for our dinner tonight. Bella comes out of the kitchen, now wearing a cotton dress with her makeup done and her hair up in a towel, and gives me an apologetic smile. I only have a second to feel confused before I realize why she's looking at me this way.

A stern looking man with a mustache that looks like it came right out of a seventies porno walks out of the kitchen and appraises Charlie and me. I feel my stomach drop and I'm fucking speechless. Jesus, he even carries himself like a fucking cop when he's off duty. He just has that vibe about him that says, 'I'll take you down if you mess with my daughter'.

"Edward," Bella says, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had descended on the room the second her dad walked into it. "This is my Dad, Charlie. Charlie, this is my fiancé, Edward, and his son Charlie."

I give him a small, unsure smile, and he says absolutely nothing.

Great.

A/N: I hope you're liking these longer chapters! I definitely like posting the teasers in my Facebook group and giving you something longer to read! How do you think this dinner will go with Charlie?

Once again, having two characters named Charlie is really just a fuck-up on my part.

Song- "Bastards of Young" by The Replacements.