Here is the chapter I promised, because I won't be back for over a week. Take care- I'll miss hearing your kind words!

I know you want to punch Bella…imagine what it's like for me, having to write her sorry excuses and handling her POV!

…

BPOV

I lay awake at night, staring up at the ceiling. I kept picturing Edward and Avery, imagining what I would be doing if I were with them again. I would probably be up- either finishing up cleaning or studying or trying to get Avery to sleep. Instantly I felt guilty, knowing that Edward would have to stay up later than usual so that he could do those things. I rolled over and buried my face into my pillow, taking deep breaths. I had already messed up both their lives enough, I didn't really deserve to even think of them like that.

But I did. I wondered if Edward missed me at all, or if he hated me too much to even think of me like that. I wondered if Avery missed me, if she would even remember me after time passed. I wondered why I hadn't been strong enough to stay with them, because if I had tried harder, I know I could have done the right thing. But I didn't, so I'm here in my mother's house, crying myself to sleep every night.

…..

One Month Later:

School was the same, as always. Homework, classes, and friends all blurred together, making my days seem long and dull. I got an after school job at the bookstore near my mom's house, and found comfort in the familiar book titles and the interesting people I encountered there.

One customer in particular, though, struck my interest. She had come into the store on a Saturday around noon, and I instantly thought she looked familiar. She had caramel colored curls pinned back in a retro hairdo, wearing a short sleeved white dress that hit mid-knee, patterned with little embroidered cherries. But the thing that struck me the most was the color of her eyes; deep emerald green that seemed to sparkle from within. They were so beautiful, they looked just like-

I shook my head slightly and closed my eyes, willing myself not to think of Edward or Avery. I couldn't.

I regained my composure as the woman walked up to the register, a cookbook in her hands. "Hello." I said, forcing a bright smile. "Did you find everything you were looking for?" I asked politely, scanning the hardback book.

"Yes, thank you." The woman replied, reaching into her purse and retrieving her wallet. "Is that cookbook good? My son is coming to visit in the first time in…years, really…and I wanted to make something special." She explained.

Nodding, I looked at the front cover. "Actually, yeah, my boy-" I stopped myself, gritting my teeth as I almost referred to Edward as my boyfriend. He wasn't anything to me now, and that was something I had brought on myself. "My friend has this one. His favorite is the mushroom ravioli, it's really good. I recommend it." I said, swiping the book. "It's going to be twenty two dollars and sixteen cents. I said, and the woman handed me her credit card.

"Thank you, I'll have to look at that recipe."

I swiped her credit card and instinctively looked at the name. But my blood practically ran cold when I saw this woman's name. Esme A. Cullen. I looked at the name in horror, trying to get it through my mind that this was Edward's mother. The woman he hadn't seen for years, since he left home and started doing drugs.

Realizing what I looked like, with my eyes bugging out and my mouth hanging open. "Alright, thank you." I managed to say. "Have a nice day." I added, putting the book in a plastic bag along with the receipt and handing it to her over the counter. She took the bag, giving me a strange look, but then smiled.

"Thank you, you too." She said. Then she tucked her wallet back into her purse and bustled on out of the shop, the plastic bag swinging from the crook of her elbow. I leaned against the counter, trying to brace myself. I took deep breaths, remembering what she had said. Her son, whom she hadn't seen in years, was coming to visit. Edward was coming to Seattle? He was reuniting with his parents?

For the millionth time, I wished I was back in Forks with them, but I quickly shook that thought from my head. I had left them, and I couldn't just go back after doing that to them.

I couldn't, because really I knew that Edward must hate me for this, and that he'd never take me back.

…

EPOV

For a long time, I thought I'd never speak to my parents ever again. And then suddenly, I called my mom. I'm still not exactly sure why I did it. I had been sitting on the couch, holding Avery and trying to get her to fall asleep, and suddenly I had missed my own mother. It seemed so immature, missing my mother when I would be twenty one in a few short months, especially since I hadn't talked to her in years. But for some reason, I reached for the phone. I had held it in my hands, just staring at it, for a long time before I finally dialed the number that I somehow still had memorized.

She had cried when she realized who was calling. And she had cried more when I told her I was sober and had been for years. Then she cried even more when I told her that I had a daughter- that she and my dad had a grandchild. And then, she invited Avery and I to dinner the following week.

So here I was. Standing in front of the house I had so eagerly ran away from, holding my daughter in a baby carrier. For a brief moment, I let myself think of Bella. What she would have thought if she knew I was finally talking to my parents again, and taking Avery with me to see them. I think she'd be happy. For a while, she had tried to convince me to do just this, but I had always shot her down.

And now we were in the same city. I wasn't absolutely sure where her mother lived, I couldn't remember, but I knew it couldn't be too far from my parents. I remembered that much.

I had to gather my courage before I rang the doorbell. When I did, the door opened almost immediately and my mother stood there, wearing a dark purple dress and looking exactly how I remembered her. She was silent for a long moment, looking me up and down with her eyes full of tears. Then she cried yet again, and pulled me into her arms. It felt good. I had forgotten how good it felt to be hugged by your mother, no matter how old you were.

"I'm proud of you." She choked out, running her hands over my face and down my shoulders before hugging me again. "And I've missed you so much."

"Thank you." I managed to say, feeling a little choked up. This was all just way too emotional. "And I've missed you too."

She smiled at that, and then looked down at Avery, who was content in her carrier and chewing on the corner of her blanket. "This is…oh, Edward, she's beautiful." My mother exhaled, leaning down to get a closer look at Avery. "Can we go sit down? I'd like to hold her."

"Yeah." I said quickly. I shed my coat and hung it up, and then picked up Avery's carrier and followed my mother into the living room. "Here." I said quietly, placing Avery's carrier on the floor and unbuckling her. I swiftly lifted her onto my lap and took off her hat, mittens, and coat before kissing her on the cheek and then handing her over to my mom.

She gasped quietly as she looked at Avery. "She's so beautiful." My mom murmured, touching the curve of Avery's cheek. "And she has your eyes."

"Your eyes." I corrected her, and she smiled at me with more tears in her eyes.

"Where's her mother?" She asked softly, and I focused on Avery, trying not to think about Bella anymore. And I wasn't sure that my mother would really want to know the answer.

...

I'm sorry I had to cut it off here, I really am. But it's almost one in the morning, and Blakely would like my attention for some unknown reason. So you get a little cliffhanger before I return on the twelfth. Yes, the meeting with Esme will continue next chapter, and yes Carlisle will be there too.

Thanks to Wendy for pre-reading, even though she's gone and couldn't do this one. I appreciate it!

Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie