Do you know the movies where a bunch of things happen all at once, but in slow motion? Well this is how it felt to me as I walked down the hall toward the larger sitting room. Ridiculous, I know. Why have to living rooms?

It was my mother's idea to have two of those when she and my dad first got married. I guess now that I see how big I can see why.

My brain somehow managed to book it while I made my way towards the larger living room. Every is in there when Micah and I walk in.

"Bellsy!" I hear an enthusiastic voice call me.

As an automatic reaction I turn to see Muscles stand cozily next to Rose and just off to the side is Edward, listen to my little cousin Berty Bell, also known as Liberty Bell. She is five, and is the daughter of my Aunt Juni.

"Hey, Berty Bell, look at what my mom just set down over therrrre…" I chant, teasingly.

She was mid sentence, of course. Her head served so fast in the direction of the large, thick oak table that sat in the middle of the room, I thought she got whiplash.

'When did my mom have time to do this?' I wondered as I stared blankly at the table.

"Bella, dear, your sister, Rose was just telling us how you and her just met these two… guys… why didn't you tell us you started dating again?" Aunt Juni ask.

"Well, for a few reasons actually..one, because you all just got here. Two, because I didn't know they'd be here. Three, because I just walked into the room, and four, because I didn't realize I had to inform anyone but my parents of my decision to date again." I piped back, giving her a wide smile.

"Isabella," my mom says, chastising.

"Mother," I chant back.

"Squirt, knock it off." Pawpaw said, walking in.

"Man, I never get to have any fun." I grumbled, as I make my way over to the couch.

I, however, didn't count on Berty accidentally knocking into my causing me to lose my balance and fall back. I honestly thought I was going to end up breaking something else, so imagine my surprise when I landed on someone instead of the plush carpeting my mother put on the ground.

"Uh..are you alright?" A familiar voice asks me.

"Kill me now. " I grumble, as he pulls me up to my feet.

His warm chuckling laugh, makes the butterflies I feel in my stomach twitch. I can feel my entire family's eyes on us as I lead him to the large lounge where Emmett and Rose already sitting.

My mind seems to be elsewhere, however, and before I can stop it I trip again, and somehow end up on his lap. God, hey? Would you mind giving me a break please? No? Okay, thank you.

"Uh..Bells? Can you get off of your boyfriend's lap now?" My dad asks, laughter clear in voice.

"You're not funny, old man." I grumble, sliding off of Edward's lap onto the cushion next his.

"As amusing it is to watch little Bella, Charles. I know we weren't all called here to watch her interact with her love interest. What's going on Charles, and don't beat around the bush." Uncle Ben asks.

That's what I love about my dad's family, they go straight to the point.

"Children, why don't we go watch some cartoons in the game room?" Aunt Becky suggested, escorting all the little ones out of the room.

As soon as they were out of the room my dad let out a huge sigh.

"Well? What is it?" Uncle Ben asked him, anxiously.

"I'm having open heart surgery." He says.

"What wait?"

"How?"

"Oh dear!"

"What? No!"

"Oh my god, Daddy!"

"Oh shit!"

Everyone's reacted differently, yet my eyes stayed glued to him. My father, who looked nervous, yet subdued.

"How serious are we talking, dad?" Micah asked, calmly.

"There's a fifty percentile. From what the doctor said, I have two clogged arteries. He said the procedure should be fairly easy unless there are any complications. That is why I called you all here." He explained.

"Renée and the kids are going to need you there for moral support. That's all I ask of you." He says.

Everyone readily agrees to be there the day of the surgery.

"When?" I ask.

"Now.."

"No, dad. When did the doctor schedule for you to go in for surgery?" I ask, looking at him unblinkingly.

He sighs in defeat, "Tomorrow morning." He answers in defeat.

For a moment I thought my ears deceived me until I looked over at my mom, who was shaking violently as Daxton held her to his chest. Then, for the third time this afternoon my mind checked out, and this time I didn't fight it.

My mind has always had a way to protect itself. This was one of the many ways.

The worry I feel from the situation with my father, won't stop circling my mind. That isn't what wakes me up, though. What wakes me up is the nasty smell of patchouli mixed with something else.

I gasp, and gag, shooting into a sitting position.

"Easy, easy there." I hear someone say, rubbing my back in a soothing gesture.

"See, my epson and patchouli smelling salts always work." Aunt Juni says proudly.

"Only because they smell like sweaty asscrack and gym socks." I pipe in, still gagging.

"Here, sweetheart, drink this." My mom says, amused.

It's a glass of ice cold lemon water. I drank it greedily, relaxing as the awful stench at the back of my throat gets washed away. When I'm finished, I look up, realizing that my family is once again looking at me worried.

"I'm fine." I say, rolling my eyes.

"You better be, you brat." Aunt Juni says, smiling at me.

"Now that Bella is alright, would you two introduce us to your new beaus?" She asks, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

I sigh, over dramatically, "Family this is Edward Cullen, and the meathead over there is his older brother Emmett Cullen. " I say pointing to each one as I name them.

"Guys, this is The Higginbotham Clan and The Swan Platoon." I quip, causing all of them to laugh.

"That man over there is my uncle Benning Swan the woman next to him is his wife Jaqueline. The crazy woman dancing around the room is my Aunt Juniper Higginbotham. The two dudes over there are my uncle Rosco and uncle Diggy. Just to their left is my brother Micah and his wife Mary. The lovely woman over there is my momma, Renée. My father is the man next to her. The woman who left is my aunt Rebecca, that man over there is her husband Jack." I breathe.

"Oh, and these are my cousins Jasper, that over there is Logan and then there is Pepper, but call her Peppa." I say.

Peppa lets out a scoff and an eye roll. Was I that annoying as a teenager? She's about to get bitchslapped if she doesn't tone it down.

"Cool it, Peps." Logan says, elbowing her.

"Ooohkayy... last but not least, that is my brother Daxton and his girlfriend Janie. Oh, and you already know my sister Rosalie. I'll introduce the kiddos later." I sigh.

Everyone blinked shocked at me after my introduction.

"Well, now that that's out of the way…" Uncle Diggy says. "NéeNée, what's for dinner?" He asks, eagerly.

"Jackass." She mutters.

"Knock it off you two." Memaw chastises, giving them the evil eye.

"Aww..mom." they complain, making us chuckle.

"Well, as happy as I am to see you all… I'm heading home." I say, getting up and raising my arms in the air to stretch. "I'll see you tomorrow." I say, smiling and waving at them as I leave.

Micah both my brothers get up pulling their significant others with them. Rosalie and Emmett following them along with Edward.

"Where ya headed Micah?" I ask.

"Hotel…" he says.

"Fuck that, come on, you two are staying at my place." I say as I walk outside towards my baby.

There sitting in the driveway is my Nissan Xterra, in cotton candy blue.

"Follow me home?" I ask Micah, who nods in response as he gets into his gray Acura.

Rosalie silently gets into the back seat with Emmett, and Edward gets into the passenger's seat.

"Rose, do you have your duffel?" I ask as I pull out.

"Yup, we got our things with us." She replys.

"Awesome. Let's roll." I say as I turn the corner and drive towards home.