Hey All! Sorry I haven't been around, I know I promised frequent updates, but I am currently living in Joplin Missouri for school and as you've probably heard, even people internationally as I've got friends in various countries hearing about this, my home had a EF-5 tornado rip through the heart of town. I was lucky because I just happened to be at the school that day and wasn't affected, a lot of my friends did lose homes and belongings though. So I promise that updates will start coming in again, maybe not as regularly as you might like, but I'm simply not in the mood to write. I did open my computer up and started writing, but it was my account of the day of the twister with names changed, so be watching for it. Other than that, I don't feel like ediiting or proofing or just about anything at the moment, I guess you can say I've lost my muse.
Things are getting better in JoMo, the hardest hit area's are, 16 days after, already rebuilding. I was surprised and over-joyed to see Walgreens' rubble and debris cleared away and the first wall already constructed, then going behind our Walmart, I noticed that they to were tearing down and getting ready to rebuild.
It's been hard to be here, expecially after I found out that my own hometown was hit by a twister 200 miles away, again, my family got out fine, but with all this going on, I am simply living and trying to find that normal that people say you should find once a disaster hits. It's going to be a long process, but I know that slowly my normal will come back and that writing/editing/proofing will be part of it, but at this time, there are other things to worry over.
I will, in my AN at the beginning of each chapter, comment on what I'm seeing here in JoMo, even if you don't want to read it, I won't mind if you want to just skip over it, it's just a way for me to vent and it's a way that my readers know that I'm not abandoning them, simply taking time for myself, to reflect on what is happening here.
On that note, this is a very long AN, but I have a promise for you: I will not abandon this story, I might not update and you may not see new stories pop up but it doesn't mean I'm not writing, I'm simply trying to get to my new normal and may not feel great about what I've wrote and I just won't post it.
Here's my PSA for the chapter: Go to a secure place if the siren's start going off! My mom was down here to help me move, my place wasn't hit either, this was an already planned move, and she asked me to drive her around town to see the damage and after looking at it, she realized how bad twisters could be and while we normally just go to a basement, this has thrown her for a loop and she says that she will now be evacuating to the city shelter. Just be careful if a tornado warning is issued for your area, I enjoy each and every person who reads my work and I would hate to hear that you were affected by a tornado the way I was.
On that note, I really will say goodbye for now, so please ENJOY!
"Happy birthday, dear Bella, happy birthday to you," my family and friends sang, Jane cooed from where she was sitting in her swing. Her teething seemed to be letting up slightly, so something was working, I wasn't sure if it was the meds I was giving her or what.
"Here, Bella, open this one first," Alice handed me a present. I opened it to reveal a certificate to Cullen Photography's.
"That's from us," Esme said, leaning into Carlisle. "You need some mommy, daughter pictures."
"Thank you, I'll get with you to plan a time." Carlisle and Esme smiled at me just as Esme, who'd brought a camera snapped a photo of me and then of Jane in her swing.
Alice handed me another and I opened the card first, it was addressed to mommy, with scribbles all over the envelope.
"She tried to sign it for you," Alice said. I opened the envelope to find more scribbles, it read To my mom on her birthday, I love you lot's, Jane.
"Jane has some pretty nice hand writing."
"Thanks," Alice slipped and blushed at her mistake, the whole room laughed. I was glad that my friends knew that Jane was my daughter, Esme had found out when she'd come to picked Edward up after a tutoring session, then one night, Esme had invited Charlie, Jane and I to the Cullen household fro dinner, where Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett had found out.
Edward got up and went to pick Jane up out of her swing. He set back down on the floor with her in his lap.
"Mama," Jane cooed, right at Edward, more laughs from the room, Emmett boomed.
"Well, Edward, didn't know you had a child," Emmett laughed.
"She's just imitating what she hears, it's just babbling. That means Em, don't speak pervert around my daughter," I laughed along with the rest of the room.
I opened Jane's gift and found a set of earrings. They where my birthstone and just small studs.
"Thank you Janie," I said to Jane, who smiled at me then let a fart rip. More rounds of laughter came from the room.
The next present was from Alice, Jasper and Edward, it was a necklace that matched the earrings. The next was from Emmett and Rosalie, it was a ring to match my other two presents, along with this was a few coupon's to babysit free of charge.
"I don't know if I trust Emmett with Jane," I said as heads nodded.
"I'll be with him at all time's," Rosalie spoke up. I knew that, and I would trust Emmett with Jane, I'd trust Emmett with my life.
My final present came from Charlie and it was a photo album. The first photo in there was one of me and Jane, the day she'd been born, Charlie was standing on one side of us watching his granddaughter. The second half to the present was a digital camera.
"To take pictures to fill your album with," Charlie said, then he set to work getting the cake ready and I smelt Jane, she needed a diaper change.
I took Jane from Edward and went to change her diaper. I felt somebody behind me.
"Happy Birthday," Edward's velvet voice said behind me. I finished putting Jane's diaper on and turned back around.
"Thanks, I can't believe I'm thirteen now with a five month old."
"You're doing an amazing job as a mom, you should be proud, I would never be able to do it," he said and leaned in to hug me. I stayed in the hug for just a few more seconds, Edward was slowly becoming my best friend, along with Alice. "I have one more present for you, close your eyes."
I did as told and I felt a slight pressure on my lips, Edward was giving me my first kiss.
"Wow," was all I could muster.
"I figured the jerk who fathered Jane never gave you a proper first kiss."
In that instant, I knew that Edward knew that Jane's father had raped me.
"I promise to tell you later, when we are older," I whispered then noticed Jane had fallen asleep on the changing table. I picked her up and put her in the crib and Edward and I rejoined the party, sitting back on the floor, just a bit closer this time.
"So, Alice, what do you think I should dress Jane up as?"
Alice, Jane, Charlie and I where at Walmart shopping for Jane's Halloween costume. I couldn't pick between a princess or a pumpkin.
"I don't know, they are both so adorable."
Alice and I, along with Edward and Jasper where taking Jane out trick or treating for her very first Halloween at six months, Emmett and Rosalie where accompanying us as our chaperon's while Charlie stayed at the Cullen's to hand out candy.
"Look at this," Alice said and pulled out the most adorable baby penguin costume.
"Let's get that," I said, putting the princess and pumpkin back in the costumes and we went to find Charlie, who refused to see what we got until it was on Jane.
The next night we went out to the Cullen's, where I got Jane ready, she looked so adorable. I picked her up and Alice and I went downstairs where everybody fawned over a smiling Jane. She loved attention and tonight she was getting it. The first trick or treaters came as we where going out, just before dark, we'd only be out an hour or so, I didn't want Jane getting sick.
"Let me hold her," Emmett the pirate said, grabbing for Jane in my arms, who was reaching for Emmett as well. I handed her over and got the bag ready for all the goodies we where about to get.
Rosalie was dressed up as a princess, Alice as a witch, Edward was a concert pianist, Jasper a vampire and I was a dead bride.
"Arr, maties," Emmett said to Jane, who smiled.
"Aro," Jane tried to mimic. Then she blew bubbles at Emmett. I wasn't sure who was eating this up more, my daughter or the pirate.
We came to our first house, Jane was passed to Edward and we went up to the door.
"Trick or treat," we said.
"Oh, how cute," the secretary from school opened the door. "Who is this little cutie?"
"This is Jane, my adopted niece," Alice said.
"She's so cute, Alice, tell your parents I said hi."
"Will do," Alice said as Mrs. Ronald put a hand full of goodies into our bags, a second handful went into Jane's. We'd be having one big sugar high tonight.
We where on the street when I remembered I'd brought my camera.
"I want pictures," I said, pulling out the camera, snapping one of Alice and Jane, followed by ones of Jasper and Edward then Rosalie and Emmett, then the camera was taken from me and the night past in bliss, I was out, enjoying the night with my friends, getting some candid shots of us and just having a blast.
I knocked on the Cullen's door on Thanksgiving day, they had invited Charlie, Jane and I over for Thanksgiving, but Charlie had been called into work, so I had to come with Jane alone.
"Bella, hey," Edward said as he pulled the door open and pulled me in, taking Jane and getting her out of her coat. "Looks like it's snowing."
"Yep, it is, Jane's loving it."
"Mama," Jane whined, we'd been up most of the night with a stomach ache so she only wanted me today. I reached for her, taking her back in my arms.
"She's fussy today, I'm hoping she'll head down for a nap."
"You look like you're ready for a nap as well, dinner won't be done for a few more hours, why don't you go try to nap a bit in Alice's room, I'll keep Jane occupied."
"Are you sure, it's been a big mommy day," I said as Emmett walked into the room Edward and I where in, Jane reached instantly for Emmett.
"Hey, kiddo," Emmett said, come over and grabbing her out of my arms, walking back to the living room with her.
"I think we've both been dissed."
"She just knows who the fun person is," Emmett said from den where I could hear a football game playing.
"I won't tell him how fussy she's been, wake me up if she get's to fussy for you or if she starts wanting me."
I walked away from Edward and stopped in the kitchen to see Esme.
"Hi, Bella," Esme said from the table where her and Rosalie where flipping through magazines.
"Hi," I said.
"Carlisle's running late, I guess there was a big wreck, same thing Charlie was called in for, I'm sure. Anyways, it's going to be awhile, so why don't you go lay down, I heard you say Jane's been fussy."
"That's where I was headed, thanks."
"Not a problem, I'll send Alice up when dinner's ready."
I walked up to Alice's room and opened the door, yawning. What awaited me stopped me dead in my tracks.
Alice was kissing Jasper, they pulled back as I entered the room, Jasper dashed out, I think I heard him say hi as he dashed out.
"How long?"
"A few weeks, don't kill me."
"I'm not, I'm happy for you two, it's about time. I'm going to take a nap."
"Okay, I think I'll join you for awhile."
Not much napping happened, other than about an hour's worth, I wanted to know about her and Jasper, so we talked. Finally I did drift off to sleep for awhile.
"Bella," a voice was saying to me, I came out of my slumber to find Edward's emerald green eyes right above mine. "Food's ready," Edward moved over and offered me a hand to help me up off the floor where I'd crashed.
"Jane?"
"Asleep in Emmett's arms."
"She's never going to be afraid of anything if she can fall asleep in Emmett's arms," I joked. Edward nodded and we went downstairs to enjoy turkey and other traditional Thanksgiving food.