I am so sorry for the super long wait. I won't bore you with the details. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight and all characters. I only own Georgina.

Chapter 7

Office Visits and Family Dinners

Bella

I sat in my office, chewing my lip.

I think I made a huge mistake.

Fuck my life.

I jumped when my phone rang. "Hello?" I picked up my office phone. When there was no answer, I heard the shrill ring again. My cell phone. "Hello?"

"Bella?" Clay's voice came through the receiver. "Are you okay?"

"I'm just peachy." I lied.

"You're lying." He said. "What's wrong?"

"I did something really stupid."

"What is it? Are you okay? Is it Georgina?"

"No, Georgina's fine." I took a deep breath and sighed. "I may have... ."

"Say that again?"

"I said I invited Jasper to the carnival with us." I ran a hand over my face. "I'm sorry."

"Okay. Why?"

"I talked to Jasper the other day. He wanted to meet for dinner. It was the first time in years but he was insistent so I agreed." I paused, waiting for a response. When I didn't get one, I continued. "Apparently he wants to meet Georgina and I was afraid. I thought that maybe if I had a mediator with me, it wouldn't have been so bad. I said it before I actually thought everything through." I bit my lip. "You're not mad, are you?"

"No." He finally said. "I'm not mad. If this is something that needs to be done than I don't mind. Besides, I'd like the meet the jackass for myself."

I laughed. "I'm glad you're not mad but at least don't call him a jackass to his face."

"I won't make any promises."

"Thanks for understanding, Clay."

"It's no big deal."

"Dr. Evens, you're next patient is here."

"I have to go." He said. "I'll see you and Georgina tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

I hung up the phone and looked at the computer. It was already noon and I haven't even gotten through one manuscript. I wouldn't be surprised if Aro fired me. I haven't been doing much work lately.

Getting down to work, I managed to get through a couple of incredible manuscripts when Holly came inside, carrying lunch. "Sorry to interrupt, Bella, but I noticed you didn't take your lunch break so I got you a club sandwich."

"You're a goddess." I groaned in approval. "Thanks." She handed me my lunch and walked to the door.

"Oh, and Bella, there's a man here to see you." She winked. "Do you have time to see him?"

"Uh sure," I took a bite of my sandwich, pleased when it settled the rumbling in my stomach. I took a sip of the Fiji water Holly brought me.

A knock sounded on the door. "Come in."

I heard the door open and looked up as I munched on my lunch. I nearly choked on the chicken when I realized Peter Whitlock standing in my office. I coughed and drank my water. "Peter?"

"Are you alright?" he asked, coming closer to my desk.

"Fine," I wheezed. "Peter, what are you doing here?"

"I came to visit." He said. "I know it's been a while but Char and I missed you."

My heart tightened and I sighed. "I've missed you too."

Peter came over to the desk and sat down. "You look good, kid." He said. "I'm glad you're doing well for yourself."

I blushed and smiled. "What have you been up to all these years?"

"I have a daughter. She's three years old."

"A daughter? Congratulations, Bella." He beamed.

"Thank you." I grinned.

"I never realized you were married." He was looking at my ring finger with a frown.

"Oh, I'm not." I said. "It's... complicated."

"The father didn't take responsibility?" He asked, shaking his head. "It absolutely astounds me the way men have their way with women and then leave them in their time of need."

I nodded but couldn't help but wonder how Peter would feel if he knew Jasper knocked me up, and left when things got ruff.

"Is this why you haven't worked for three years? Because you were taking care of your daughter?"

"Yes. I couldn't bear to spend too much time away from her. Even now I worry about her."

Peter chuckled. "That, my dear, is something that will never go away, no matter how old your child gets."

"Do you ever wonder what happened to make Jasper such a jackass?" I paused and blushed. "No offence."

"None taken." He laughed. "Sometimes I even wonder where he got that atrocious behaviour. The thing is, Bella, you try to raise your child right but in the end, it truly depends on how they want to act."

"I suppose."

Peter looked at his watch. "I better be on my way." He stood to leave. "It was great seeing you, Bella. We need to get together one of these days. I know Charlotte would just love to see you."

"Of course," I promised, standing up to hug him. "I've missed you both so much."

He smiled and kissed my forehead. "I hope I see you again, real soon, Bella. And I can't wait to meet your daughter."

I tried to smile but it was unconvincing.

When Peter left, I fell into my chair, exhausted. "Those Whitlocks are just full of surprises."

OOO

"Mommy!" Georgina cried when I walked into daycare.

"Hi, baby." I crouched down to hug her. "Did you have fun today?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Ms. Mary let us do a puppet show!" she crowed. "And I got to be the pincess!"

I laughed, kissed her on the head and stood up. Georgina wrapped her arms around my neck and smiled, resting her head in the crook of my neck.

"Sleepy, baby?"

"Yes."

"Time to go home, then, huh?"

She nodded.

"See you on Monday, Mary." I said as I signed Georgina out.

"Bye Bella. Bye Georgina."

Jasper

I was nervous.

I sat in the car outside my parents' house, cringing at the very thought of going inside. I was going to tell my parents about Georgina but I was terrified of how they would react.

Finally, I saw the door open and my mother stuck her head outside. "Jasper, are you going to sit in there forever or will you come inside?"

I took a deep breath to calm my nerves and stepped out of the car. Mom had her hands on her hips, looking behind me as though she was expecting someone else.

"No Alice? Well, today is my lucky day."

She turned and walked inside before I could say anything. "Your father was just telling me how he saw Bella today."

My stomach lurched. Did they know? Did Bella tell Dad the truth about her—our—daughter?

No, I decided. Mom would have been far less hospitable if she knew.

"How is she?"

"She's doing quite well, actually." Dad said, handing me a glass of Jack's. "She looked lovely, too. There is this air to her that I haven't seen in her before."

I swallowed.

"What's the matter, Jasper? You've been acting very strange today."

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing. I've just got a lot on my mind."

"What happened to Alice? I thought she'd be out announcing your proposal by now." Dad said, bitterly.

"Actually Dad, Alice and I broke up."

"Hallelujah!" Mom shouted. "I never thought I'd see the day when that bitch was gone from your life."

Dad was watching her with amusement. "Char, baby, could you be any less obvious?"

"Where's the fun in that?" She demanded. "It's no secret how much I hated that mindless brat."

"Mom, Dad, there's something I need to tell you."

Both my parents looked at me, the laughing mode gone. "What have you done, Jasper?"

I took a deep breath before answering. "I have a child." I finally blurted out. I winced, waiting for the verbal bashing.

When it didn't come, I looked at my parents. They were staring at each other, suspicious looks on their face. "How do you know this child is even yours?" Dad asked. "It could just be a scandal; wanting to get their grubby hands on your money."

"It's not." I said confidently.

"Yes, but how do you know?" Mom demanded.

"I don't think Bella would lie about something like that."

There was silence; one that made my skin crawl. "Did you just say Bella?"

I nodded my head. Dad was looking pensive, his eyes hardening as the pieces came together in his mind. "You're the one that bailed on her when she told you she was pregnant?" His voice was hard.

"Yes."

Mom was looking between Dad and me. "Peter, what on earth are you talking about?"

"When I saw Bella this afternoon, she told me she had a daughter. She was out of work for three years taking care of her." He shook his head. "I should have known."

"Peter, will you please fill me in?" Mom begged.

"I think, and I'm sure Jasper will agree with me, that when Bella found out she was pregnant, Jasper got scared and dumped her. It would explain why she quit so suddenly, why no one heard anything from her after it. Jasper had spent the last three or four years, ignoring his daughter and the woman he so obviously loved."

"Dad—"

The sound of a palm slapping across my face stopped me from finishing. I looked up in astonishment. Mom was standing in front of me, her eyes filled with angry tears. "How could you do that to her? How could you waste three years of her life—let us waste three years thinking we were never going to have a grandchild? You knew all along that you had a child and never told us. How selfish can you be?"

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry is not going to bring back those wasted years." She hissed. "Our grandchild is not going to realize she has a whole other family thanks to your selfishness."

"Dad—" I begged.

He shook his head. "I'm with your mother on this, Jasper. We know absolutely nothing about our granddaughter. We don't even know her name." It broke my heart to see so much sadess on their faces. Mom was right. I was selfish.

"Georgina," I whispered. "Her name is Georgina."

"Get out." Mom growled. "Get out of my sight before I do something we both regret."

"Mom,"

"GET OUT!"

I got up and, leaving the picture Bella gave me by the door, I left the house without a single thought. Tears burned my eyes as I made my way to the car.

I screwed everything up. Mom was right. I missed three wonderful years I could have had with my daughter. I ignored my parents' opportunity to get to know her.

I deserved everything I got. No matter how much it hurt me.

Charlotte

"I can't believe he would do something like this." I cried. "I thought I raised him better than this."

"We can't control his decisions, Char." Peter murmured softly. "Jasper chose his own path and now he has to live with the consequences. Perhaps we can get to know her, without Jasper. I'm sure Bella will not begrudge us that."

I was angry with Bella, too. "How could she not tell us? How could she keep something like this a secret?"

"Bella did what she had to in order to protect herself and her daughter." Peter rationalized. "The media would have hounded her for months if they found out. She wouldn't have had a single moment of peace. I suspect the reason she didn't tell us is because Jasper told her to keep it quiet. I'm actually quite surprised she didn't move back to Washington when everything happened."

"That foolish boy," I growled.

"Charlotte, I agree Jasper was irresponsible but we have to admit, at the time, I doubt Jasper was ready for fatherhood."

"That's no excuse."

"I'm not saying it is. But the fact that he told us now makes me think he's finally taking responsibility over his daughter."

"I don't think it is wise for me to see Jasper until I've cooled down."

"I agree. I don't think stringing him up by the balls will do any good."

I laughed and kissed him. "I love you, Peter."

"As I love you. Always."

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