A/N: My thanks again to all who are reading, following, reviewing, and adding my story to your favs!
I just want to take a moment to touch on a few things from some reviews I got…
"This Bella sounds kinda naive don't you think? If she spent growing up homeless she should be world weary and too mature for her age in my opinion."
-Yes Bella is a bit naive, not completely though. Her mom sheltered her from a lot of things. She tried to keep her innocent/a kid for as long as possible (My mom did the same for me, she tried to keep the 'magic' of childhood alive for me even when things got really bad).
"how come an underage girl go around with out rousing any suspicious?"
- She's able to go around unnoticed because *sad fact* 90% of people don't pay attention/don't want to see what's right in front of them...including a homeless girl.
"This is getting little unbelievable, do you think a girl running from a killer have time to do all these things."
-Yes. She may be running from a killer but remember the last she knew he was in Arizona and she's in a little off-the-grid town (pop. less than 4000). She is nervous of him finding her of course, but at the same time she wants to be normal for once. She wants to hang out with friends and just be in love.
"I think you should make this little bit realistic."
-Personally, I think the story is realistic, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. :)
On with the show!
Twilight doesn't belong to me. Surviving does!
BPOV
"What are your plans for the day beautiful?" Edward asks as he throws himself on his bed.
I shrug and get off his couch, glancing at the clock as I do. "You're going to be late for school."
He pulls his blanket over his head. "Why do they make us go to school the day before Thanksgiving? It's only a half day. What are we going to accomplish?"
I pull his blanket off. "Don't you have a test in English today?"
He sits up and grabs my hand. "You know my schedule better than me." He gives my palm a kiss. "I love you"
I smile and lean down to kiss him, but before our lips meet he pulls me onto his bed. "Edward!" I scream as he pins me beneath him, his body hovering directly above mine. "You also have to pick up Emmett today; his car is still in the shop." I giggle.
"I can think of a million things I'd rather do than pick Emmett up and take a test." His lips ghost across my neck. "And all I would need is this bed and you." I squirm beneath him as his words sink in. His lips come up and capture mine, his tongue slides across my bottom lip ask for entrance.
"Edward you're going to be late!" Esme shouts up the stairs.
"I swear that woman has a sixth sense." Edward mumbles as he stands up, pulling me with him. I'm kind of glad for the distraction though. We haven't gone further than kissing and though I'm not opposed to doing more, now would not be the right time to start anything. I can't even think of a way to bring it up with Edward without becoming embarrassed.
"Walk me down?" he pouts and grabs his backpack.
"It's only a half day." I remind him.
"I know. I'm just ready for a long weekend with my girl. No school, no homework, no football practice…no distractions" He throws his arm around me and we head downstairs.
"Bella, I was just heading up to see if you wanted to run some errands with me." Esme says as we hit the first floor.
"I would love to." Edward hands me my coat and pulls his own on. "What do you need to do?"
"The fabric samples I've been waiting weeks for has finally arrived, so I need to make a quick trip to Port Angeles to grab it. My client is getting fussy." She explains as we head out the front door. "Have a good day Edward!" she gives him a quick kiss on the cheek and unlocks her car.
He opens her door and then walks me to the passenger side. "Be safe love." He says before he gives me a chaste kiss. He opens my door and then jogs over to his car. I wave as he pulls out ahead of us.
"What are the samples for?" I ask as we hit the highway.
"My new client lives in Seattle and she just bought her first condo. She wants it to be 'one-of-a-kind' and basically gave me creative control." She smiles. "But because she wants something no one else has, I had to order a bunch of samples from Europe and they took a lot longer than I thought they would. I'll have to work on her proposal all weekend. We have a meeting set up for Tuesday and I promised her a full showcase."
"You're a genius Esme! I'm sure she'll love whatever you come up with."
She reaches over and takes my hand, squeezing it lightly. "Thank you Bella. That's very sweet of you to say."
"It's the truth. I wish I was as talented as you. The way you can look at an empty space and see what it can be, it's amazing!" I squeeze her hand back.
"I can do it with people too Bella…I see you. I already know that you're going to do spectacular things."
A few hours later we pass the 'Welcome to Forks' sign as we make our way back into town. The trip to and from Port Angeles flew by. Esme and I talked the whole way there and back.
She told me all about her business and some of her clients, past and present. She has quite an impressive résumé. Not only does she design for rich and famous, but she also takes on little mom and pop places and does a bunch of charity work.
"I need to grab a few things from the grocery store and then maybe we can grab lunch at the diner. Sound like a plan?" she says as she pulls into a parking space.
"Sounds great." I hop out of the car and grab a cart for her.
"Thanks sweetheart. Now let's go fight the other last minute shoppers." She laughs as we make our way through the store.
After we grab the few items she needs we head to the checkout. "Oh crud…I forgot the cinnamon for the apple pie. Would you run and grab it for me?"
"Of course. I'll be right back." I jog down to the baking aisle and search the shelves for the cinnamon. As I reach for it I get a sudden feeling that someone is watching me. I whip around and my eyes scan the aisle, looking for anything out of the ordinary.
'Relax Bella. Esme is waiting for you in front. No one is looking at you. Relax.' I sprint back to the front, wanting to get back to Esme as fast as possible.
"Thank you Bella. As much as I don't want to admit it, these legs just don't move as quickly as they used to" she laughs but stops short when she sees my face. "Are you okay sweetheart? What's wrong?" She looks around.
I didn't mean to freak her out so I put a smile on my face. "Nothing. I was afraid I wouldn't get back before it was your turn."
"You sure?" she glances around again.
"Yes. So what are you going to get for lunch?" I ask trying to distract her as she pays for the groceries.
After we load the bags into the car we head down the road to the diner. "Why don't you grab my phone and call Edward? School should be out by now and he can join us for lunch."
I reach for her phone and dial Edward's number. He answers on the second ring. "Hey mom. What's up?"
"It's Bella. Your…" he cuts me off.
"Is everything okay?" I hear his car speed up.
"Everything is fine." I roll my eyes. He's such a worrywart. "Your mom would like to know if you want to join us for lunch."
He lets out a breath. "Yeah. At the diner?"
"Yes. We just pulled up." Esme shuts the car off and we step out.
"I'll be there in a few. Love you baby."
"Love you too." I hang up and hand Esme the phone. "He said he'll be here soon."
"Well let's head in and grab a table then."
"Esme how are you today?" The waiter greets us. "Table for two?"
"Three please Chuck. Edward will be in shortly." He takes us to an empty booth and hands us menus.
"What can I get you to drink?"
"I'll have an iced tea and bring Edward a Coke. Bella?" she looks over her menu at me.
"I'll have a Coke too." He nods and takes off to grab the drinks
"I great time today. Thanks for coming with me. It was nice having someone to talk to." Esme puts her menu down and smiles at me. "And thank you for making my son so happy. I love seeing his constant smile."
I blush and look down. "Two cokes and an iced tea. We ready to order?" Chuck asks as he put the drinks down.
"I'll have a burger and fries. Edward what would you like?" Esme asks as Edward slides into the booth next to me.
"I'll have the same." He pulls me to him and kisses my cheek.
"Make that three." I say handing the menu back.
"Coming right up. Oh Esme! I almost forgot ask. My wife wants to know if you would like to be a judge for the holiday lighting contest this year."
"I would love too! Have her give me a call with the details." She pulls out her card and hands it to him.
"Your mom is wonderful." I smile at Edward. "My mom would have loved her."
"I'm sure the feeling would've been mutual. Did you have a good day love?" I nod and snuggle close to him.
"You got here fast sweetheart. You didn't speed did you? How was your test?" Esme asks as her phone buzzes.
"Too easy. I finished in ten minutes so my teacher let me leave early. I went home but you guys were still out so I came back to town. I was heading to the library when you called."
"That's good." She looks at the message on the phone. "Oh damn. Did you happen to check the mail while you were home?" She looks up.
"Yes. There were a few letters and a box was near the front door. I put them on the kitchen counter for you."
She sighs. "Would you mind bringing my lunch home with you? I need to check on the package and see if the invoice has come in." she stands up grabbing her purse and jacket. "Sorry to run off but duty calls…literally." She says as her phone rings.
"See you at home kids." She waves and heads out the door, answering her phone as she goes. "Hello Esme Cullen speaking."
"Bella this came for you." Edward slides an envelope across the table. My eyes widen and I grab the letter off the table. "I'm just going to use the restroom. I'll be right back."
I tear the envelope open and unfold the letter.
Dear Bella,
Happy Thanksgiving! I'm so glad I finally have an address for you. Now I can send you letters back! I can't tell you how much your letters mean to me. I'm actually excited to check my mailbox again!
I hope you don't mind but I share your letters with my friends. They think you're my granddaughter. I don't correct them. Not much has happened with me since you left. No improvement with my son, but I've accepted it. Besides I have you now.
You must send me a photo of your Edward. He sounds like a wonderful young man. Tell him I said to keep his hands in check (ha ha!). I'm so happy you've found love. There is no greater feeling in the world than being in love. Just remember to keep your own identity. Make sure you have 'Bella time'. I'm sure the girls, Rose and Alice, will make sure you do though. They sound like a handful!
All of your friends sound great! I'm so happy everything is falling into place for you! Well I'm going to stop here. I've got to get this in the mail today so it will reach you by Thanksgiving.
Write soon!
Love,
Grandma Shirley
"Those are happy tears I hope." Edward says sliding back into the booth. I wipe the tears away and hand him the letter.
"I'm so happy she wrote, but I don't remember giving her the address." I say as he hands the letter back.
"You used my mom's stationary kit right?"
"Yes. She gave me a few sheets and envelopes."
"Our address is stamped on them." He shrugs as Chuck places our food down. How did I miss that?
"Where did your mom go?" Chuck asks looking at Esme's empty spot.
"She had to go. Work related. Can you box hers up?" He nods and picks her plate back up. "Oh and can you add another order on? I want to drop off lunch for my dad while we're in town."
"Sure thing Edward." He heads back to the kitchen.
We eat our lunch and talk about tomorrow. I can't remember the last Thanksgiving that wasn't spent at a soup kitchen. "So what do you guys typically do?"
"Ever since I was a kid we all get up and have a light breakfast while we watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. After it's over, mom throws the turkey on and people start to come over. She puts out appetizers while we watch It's A Wonderful Life. Afterwards the adults hang in the kitchen and start diner while the kids play tag football or video games."
"Who usually come over?" I ask finishing my burger.
"The gang and their parents always come and my grandparents." He waves at Chuck, signaling for the bill. "Don't worry baby. My grandparents are going to love you."
"How do you know I'm worried?" I ask. He grabs my hands and pulls my twisted napkin from them.
"I know you Bella." He laughs as Chuck sets the bill and his parent's lunches down. "I'm just going to go pay the check." He stands up and follows Chuck to the register.
I stand up and pull my coat on. I grab the bag and head towards the door, touching Edward's arm as I pass to let him know where I'm heading. He nods and turns back to finish the transaction.
I step outside and the cool breeze caresses my face. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. The smell of rain lingers in the air. The sound of a branch snapping causes my eyes pop open. The feeling of someone watching comes over me again.
Panicking, I turn to head back into the restaurant and collide with a solid form. "Steady there Bella."
I look up and breathe a sigh of relief. "Mr. Cope. I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention."
He laughs. "No problem Bella. How are you? My wife told me she ran into you at the Cullen's Halloween bash."
"Yes sir. I'm doing well. How are you and your wife?" I smile as I see Edward coming through the door.
"She as happy as can be at the moment. Our son has decided to grace us with his presence for Thanksgiving." He laughs. "She kicked me out because I kept getting in her way. She's been baking since last week and won't let me sample anything." He rolls his eyes.
"Edward my boy. Fantastic game last week. Have any scouts come out to see you and the guys yet?" he asks shaking Edward's hand.
"Yes sir. More scouts will be out when baseball season starts."
"Good. Good. Scholarship would be good, though lord knows your parents can foot your collage bill no problem." He laughs again.
Edward rubs the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Yes well we have to get going. Have to get my dad's food to him while it's still hot. Nice to see you again Mr. Cope. Give Mrs. Cope my best." He places his hand on my lower back and guides me towards the car.
"Will do. Tell your parents I said Happy Thanksgiving." He nods at Mr. Cope and opens my door. He hurries around the car and jumps in. We drive to the hospital hand in hand.
"Want to come in? Or would you rather stay in the car?" he asks as he parks.
"COME!" I nearly shout. He glances over with a questioning look. "I just...ah...I would love to see where your dad works."
He tilts his head to the side. "Are you okay?"
I bite my lip and nod. I don't want to make him worry but I'm still on edge. Freaked out by the feelings I keep getting today. Is this how my mom felt before she would make us up and move to a new spot?
He pulls my lip from between my teeth and leans over to kiss me. "I love you."
"Love you." I kiss him back. "Now come on. Your dad is probably hungry."
We head in and stop at the nurse's station. "Can you page Dr. Cullen please?" Edward asks the young woman sitting there. She looks up and puts on a flirty smile.
"Sure Edward." She winks and picks up the phone. My eyes narrow at her and I pull Edward to me. He looks down surprised and laughs.
"Edward! Bella! What brings you in?" Carlisle comes around the corner.
"We brought you lunch. Burger and fries from the diner." He hands him the bag.
"Did I ever tell you that you're my favorite child?" he laughs pulling a fry from the container.
Edward rolls his eyes. "Your flattery astounds me. It's always nice to know I'm number one… out of one." He laughs.
"Keep up those smart-ass comments and Bella will automatically become my favorite kid when you two marry." He pops another fry in his mouth.
"I can handle being second to her." He wraps his arms around me. I can feel my face heat up.
Carlisle looks down at his pager. "Well kids hate to eat and run but I have to get back to work. Tell your mom I'll be a little late tonight."
"Alright dad. See you tomorrow." We wave as he disappears around the corner again.
I turn to head towards the front doors but Edward pulls me back. He turns me around and plants a big kiss on my lips.
"Come on love, let's get home." He grabs my hand and pulls me along.
Once we're in the car I turn to him. "Not that I'm complaining or anything, but can I ask what that was?"
"Just wanted to let Nurse Nancy know that I'm yours and you're mine." He looks over and smiles. I roll my eyes at him, but inside I'm beaming.
'Yeah Nurse Nancy! Eyes and hands off my man!' I giggle at my childish thoughts.
"What's so funny baby?"
"Nothing." I smile at him. "So what's the plan for tonight?"
"I figured we could pop in a movie until I have to leave to get my grandparents from the airport." My smile drops and my nerves come back full force.
Grandparents...I hope they like me.