A/N: Hello and welcome to my new story. AU and slightly OOC. Jacob never phased. With the Cullen's having left Forks, the gene never got activated, and the pack ended with simply Sam, Paul and Jared in it. Bella and Jake fell in love the natural way, getting married and living the 'human' life.
X-X-X
"Mom, have you seen my blue jacket? I want to wear it today!"
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"Mom, can you help me with my math homework? I forgot to do it over the weekend."
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"Mommy, I wanted pancakes for breakfast!"
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"Bella, where is my wallet? I am getting late for work."
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"Mom."
"Mom."
"Mommy."
"Bella."
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Okay. One silly problem at a time, people.
"No, Haley. I haven't seen your blue jacket. You should have organized your cupboard over the weekend. Like I had told you to. No, Jeremy, sweetie, we had the entire weekend to complete one worksheet. We are getting late for school now. Yes, Isa. We can have pancakes for breakfast. But tomorrow. No, Jake. I haven't seen your wallet. Must be in your side-table." Like it always is.
"But mom!"
This was routine for me. The whining. The last minute chitter-chatter before I pushed these four annoying humans out of my personal space and got a few hours in of me-time.
Honestly, it wasn't even a few complete hours to boast about.
Isa, who was four, returned from preschool the earliest, Jeremy, my eight-year-old son, and Haley, my nine-year-old, following her home less than an hour later. Jake, too, came home in the afternoon, returning to his sanctuary- his garage- post a quick lunch. He was a firm believer in meal-time being family-time, never skipping any chance to spend time with his wife and children. The man could be adorable at times!
"Aha. Found it."
I smiled wide, pecking Jake softly on the lips, as he grabbed his belongings, and our children- who he would drop to their school- on his way to work, and rushed out of the door.
"See you in the afternoon. Have a good day!"
I shouted at their retreating forms, a sigh leaving my lips, as I stood in the doorway of my house, a million chores rushing through my mind. Lunch needed to be prepared, clothes needed to be washed, dried and ironed. The dining table needed to be cleared, the dishes needed to be washed. And the bed needed to be made. Of all the bedrooms. The sun would rise in the west the day the kids decided to tidy their respective bedroom before leaving for school!
But first, it was me-time.
I was going to sit on the couch and watch some TV. Or maybe read a book. Nah, just sitting idle too seemed attractive.
Maybe…I would…
Ring. Ring. Ring.
Great. There goes my me-time!
I rushed towards my ringing cell phone, accepting the phone call and putting it up to my ear.
"Hello."
"Bella, can you come in to the café today? We are short of staff. I know it is last minute and…"
"Emily, I will be there."
I wouldn't term Emily Uley as a friend. We were acquaintances at best. Her daughter, Macey, and Haley though, were the best of friends. And as it stood, Emily had babysat my kids when Charlie had been recovering from a dangerous spinal injury- having fallen in the bathroom early last year, resulting in me having to travel to Forks everyday to tend to him and the house. Sure, I had offered to pay her for her generous help, but she had refused. And as such, while it wasn't mandatory, helping her out in her time of need seemed like the decent thing to do.
And so, off I made my way to Forks.
Young and Fresh was the name of Emily's café, her having started it close to eleven years ago. I didn't know all the details, but it had been back when she had been Emily Young and had moved to Forks after having rebelled with her extremely close-minded parents who did not believe a woman could run a business successfully. She had proven them wrong; Young and Fresh being the heart of Forks. It was the place every teenager and young adult could be found once the high school or the community college ended for the day.
"Jake."
I placed a call to my loving husband, grabbing my keys as I walked towards my car parked in the driveway.
"Emily had called. She needs me at the café. Can you get Isa? I should be back by the time the other two get free from school."
"No problem. I will get her. Why don't we do one thing? Let's meet for lunch at the café? I will pick the kids from school and reach directly there."
"You sure you will be able to get that much time off work?"
It was a Monday after all!
"Bella." I could sense him rolling his eyes. "It is my garage. I am the boss. I admit I don't like to boast about the privileges, but once in a while is okay."
"Great then." I offered my agreement, ending the call, sitting in my car and driving towards the busiest establishment of our small town of Forks.
The next few hours were a blur. Emily, who was seriously short-staffed, needed my help in everything from waitressing to manning the reception desk, and even a bit in the kitchen. A few of her other friends too had chipped in to help, Kim Cameron and Rachel Lahote to name. Of course, I knew Rachel. She was my sister-in-law, and while the relationship between her and Jake was strained, had been so since the time she and Paul got together- Jake just didn't consider the Casanova Paul worthy of his sister and had fought with her to see the man for what he believed he was, I had maintained a cordial relationship with the couple. Sure, I didn't particularly like Paul, and they certainly weren't invited to my house for Christmas, a polite hello never hurt a being. Also, it was mighty awkward when Billy invited us over to his house, considering Rachel and Paul lived with and looked after him. Being cordial was simply the easy way out!
"Bella, thank you so much."
I shrugged Emily off, a small smile on my face. "No need to thank me, Emily. It was the least I could do after what you did for me last year…"
"Oh, shush, now," she waved me off, the rush hour having ended and somewhat silence having settled over the café. "Macey sure did have a great time with Haley there. In fact, she was so disappointed the day I informed her that I will no longer be looking after Haley post school hours, you no longer having to spend the entire day in Forks."
I let out a brief chuckle. "Haley feels the same. If she had to choose between Jake and I or Macey, I am scared she would let go of us."
Emily mirrored my giggle. "Anyhow, thanks again. I should get going. I need to be home before the kids pop in and start demanding for food!" Emily Uley was also the mother to the seven-year-old, Samantha.
"Well, I sure did find a solution to that problem. Jake is meeting me here for lunch, with the kids in tow."
"Oh, that's nice." Emily commented. "Say hi to Jake for me."
"Sure will." I offered her a nod, my attention diverted as right on cue, my little baby, Isa, ran into the café, her siblings following her in.
"Daddy's parking the car, mommy."
"And he let you out without him accompanying?"
We will surely be having words on this, daddy!
Isa shrugged, not finding anything wrong with the above picture.
"Anyhow, how was your day, sweetie?"
She began to tell me about her day, as I led them to the nearest booth, Jake joining us, as we settled into our peaceful existence of love and togetherness.
We weren't perfect. Far from it. But this was my family, and I wouldn't change it for the entire world.