"When did you start hating me, Mom?"

"Where'd you find that?" I ask, eyeing the PDF brochure she holds in her hand.

"Research."

"Holy shit, Shortcake, I'm going to start calling you 'Hermione'."

"Tabitha is bad enough, thank you. You're pobsessed with witches. And you aren't supposed to cuss around your kid, you know. That's not normal mom behavior."

"'Obsessed', Tab. And since when have I been normal?"

"That's true. But a uniform, Mom? I have to wear a uniform? There's no pink in this uniform."

"Only if you go to the Academy, Tab. I haven't decided yet."

"Do I get to help you decide?"

"No, kiddo. This is a mom decision." She gives the cutest little face-pinched look, and I find it hard to blame her. I'd have felt the same way if Dad had tried to make me go to Three Rivers. "You can choose what college you go to."

"Fine. Can I go with you, at least?"

"Not today. If I choose to send you there, I'll take you to look around tomorrow. Today, Mrs. Newton and I are going to go together. Don't you want to go see Grandma? She told me you were going to help her make peanut butter cookies." Baked goods: the secret weapon of grannies everywhere.

Shortcake's room kept me occupied last week so Jess and I had to postpone our school walk-through. I've made an appointment to meet the headmaster this morning. It's getting close to the beginning of the school year, much too close, and I need to make a decision. Three Rivers already has a few points in its favor. It would be great for Tab to start school with at least one familiar face around. River and Skye go to school on the reservation, so there won't be anyone she knows in the public school. Daniel would not only be at her school but in her class, as well. That's a big plus. The carpool issue would be solved with Jess down the street. I've checked on the class sizes and curriculum, and as a teacher, I'm pleased with what I've learned. The uniform that is so stressing out my kid is really much less an issue for me.

But the Academy isn't free. Tuition isn't crazy high, but with no job at the moment, that means the money will come straight out of the bank. That's a big commitment when we already have so much to do to the house. We have a nice nest egg, but it isn't endless.

"This is nicer than I remember," I tell Jess when we pull up in front of the school. I left Tab with Sue after extracting a promise from my daughter to keep an open mind.

"Yeah. You're seeing it through mom-eyes now," she reminds me. She's right.

"Hello, you must be Mrs. Biers." A well-dressed woman of a certain age walks purposefully toward me, hand outstretched. She looks so familiar. Could she really be?

"Mrs. Cope?"

"Oh my goodness! Isabella, is that you?"

"Yes, ma'am," I confirm as she breaks out into a delighted smile.

"Dear, my secretary only give me your last name. I had no idea I'd be seeing you today! Jessica, naughty girl for not telling me," she good-naturedly admonishes Jess when she catches sight of her giggling behind me. Stepping forward to give me light hug, she continues, "You cannot possibly have a child old enough to enroll today, now can you?"

"Yes, I do, and you know it," I giggle. I love this woman. She was the school secretary at Forks High when I was a student there. I did not expect to see her here. Jessica kept this secret well. She must have known I'd love it. We all loved Mrs. Cope. "How long have you been here?"

"This is my fifth year. I've loved every moment. Now, Isabella, your daughter?"

"Tabitha. She's entering second grade. She just turned seven in early June, a week before we moved actually."

"Oh, that is such a lovely age. I'd be willing to bet she's quite precocious. Am I right?"

"Yes, you are. But not annoyingly so. At least, I don't think she is."

"Of course not, dear. I was only thinking she must be very like you," Mrs. Cope assures me. "Is Tabitha not with you today? It is Tabitha and not Tabby, I assume."

"Tabitha, yes. And no, I wanted to get a feel for the school before I get what is probably going to be a very strong opinion from her."

"Smart mother, Isabella. Come this way, girls."

Mrs. Cope leads us past the offices and through the brightly painted halls, each side decorated with children's artwork, sports trophies, and academic achievement certificates. The classrooms on the first floor are clearly marked; it's a seemingly easy to navigate elementary school.

"This would of course, be where Tabitha would spend her days until she reaches the sixth grade. The preschool and elementary children occupy the ground floor," Mrs. Cope explains, pointing out various highlights as we go. "Upstairs are the middle and high school classes, as well as a few resource areas specific to those students and their needs. The teachers' lounge and copy room are up there, too. Down here, we have the cafeteria and auditorium, the administrative offices, and the art and music facilities for the younger children."

"It's almost like different schools," I observe.

"Almost," Jess agrees. "One administration, but each age group has its own identity."

Three Rivers has grown so much. I'm impressed. I'm starting to see my daughter here. We pass by the art room without slowing down, but I catch a glimpse.

"Mrs. Cope? The art room is pretty bare compared to the rest of the rooms. Has the teacher not been in yet?"

"I'm afraid we are still on the hunt for an art teacher. Miss Baker was with us for quite a few years, but she has recently become Mrs. Asher and is starting a family. Lovely girl, and we will miss her, but she is very happy awaiting the arrival of her little one." She says this with a genuine smile of happiness for her former staffer, but the hint of melancholy is there. Mrs. Cope never had children of her own. That's why she adopted the whole of Forks High for so many years.

"I hope you are able to find a replacement soon," I tell her. It won't be easy.

"You know, Mrs. Cope, Bella is a teacher," Jessica chimes in.

"Really? I knew you were studying for that. I'm happy to hear you made it your career."

"She's an elementary school teacher. Who can paint." Jess is looking very pleased with herself as the headmistress raises a speculative brow.

Two hours later, I leave Three Rivers Academy with a new job and an enrolled Shortcake.

"I didn't know you were thinking about teaching here," Jasper says, a bit confused, as he sits in my kitchen a few hours after I've gotten home. He came to drop off some moulding I need to get the walls ready to paint in my newly wallpaper-free dining room. Of course, I made him stay for dinner.

"I didn't know I was, either. At least, not until Mrs. Cope started talking about it," I explain, setting two cups of black coffee on the table and taking a seat across from him.

"Are you happy about it?"

Such a Jasper thing to say. everyone else had gushed about how happy they were for me. He gets that it might be harder than it looks.

"I am. It feels like it's time to admit this might be a bit more permanent than i thought at first."

He chuckles low as he looks around my work-very-much-in-progress house. "Yeah, I'd say it might be, at that." His eyes twinkle when he chuckles; a thing I would never tell him, but they do. "So! We should celebrate!"

"Okay, what do you have in mind?"

"Dinner, to start with."

"All right. Tab really likes that place on - "

"No, Bella. Not this time. I love Tabitha, but this time… just us. Me and you." He leans across the table on his forearms, looks me in the eyes. "Will you go on a date with me, Bella?"

In this moment the fears are awake, my memories are present, a bit of guilt shines, and I pause. But only for a second.

"Yes, Jasper. I'd love to."

A/N: Sorry it took forever. I'm losing the feel for this story. Will probably wrap up in a few chapters.