xxx

Rose spent the next day lost in thought. By now, Emmett realized their problems were too deep and despite his best efforts to talk to her, he respected her request for space.

At lunch on Wednesday, Bella made the toughest question... ok, she was divorcing him so what does she wanted to do next?

It wasn't a question easy to answer as the answer depended on many decisions she needed to take. For starters, which way to go? The angry Rose in her wanted to leave Emmett with nothing, to take everything and she could do it. But at what cost? Months of court dates, facing him and his mother, who was already calling her asking for help; worst, what if she have to face the hoe? Was it worth it?

Then the other option, the easiest one, was to leave. To just ask him to sign the papers and move on. But, something inside of her yelled that it wasn't fair. Apart from her heart, hopes, and illusions, Rose invested a lot of time and money on her marriage. To just forget about it, she felt it was unfair. He cheated, he took her money and he gets to have everything. No, that wasn't the best option.

So now what?

Deep inside, Rose worst fear was to resort to moving into Bella's home, as she already offered. So why don't fight for the house? Emmett could keep his construction business, it wasn't something Rose wanted. But the house ... with that kitchen built just like Rose wanted, and her fantastic shower system...

No, she was going to keep the house.

Just to get her ideas straight, she called her mother. Twenty minutes of venting and she offered to come to stay for a few days. Rose's sister was already booking the flight. At least Rose had her family's support. It made her feel a lot better to know she wouldn't be facing Emmett alone.

Next, Rose called Victoria, who already had almost ready the divorce papers. Victoria asked Rose to come by next Monday to pick up the final draw of the divorce papers. In that moment Rose realized her marriage was really over and now it was like a great burden was lifted from her.

xxx

That night the weather went crazy. The worst storm in years happened, and the hail wasn't letting Esme get some very needed sleep. Carlisle, bless him, slept like the dead, and his soft snores weren't helping. Finally tired of moving around her side of the bed, Esme decided to get down to the kitchen for some tea.

Before going down the stairs, she passed over Bree's room where she heard someone snoring inside. At least they were getting sleep too.

Once she got to the stairs, she heard faint sobs coming from the kitchen, which surprised her. Maybe Bree was feeling emotional again...

Her motherly instinct got in gear and she ran to the kitchen only to find that the person crying in the solitude of the night wasn't Bree, it was Joham.

"Ahem." She cleared her throat to let him know someone arrived. Joham just lifted his face from the table and sighed.

"Sorry Esme. It wasn't my intention to wake you up."

"Oh, no. It was the rain. The hail is falling right into my window and the noise became a bit too much for me. Hmm, can I offer you a tea?"

Joham nodded and was fast to wipe his nose with a tissue.

"You know you can talk to me, you're part of the family." Esme worried of the motive that made her son in law cry. "Are you homesick?"

Joham shook his head. "Not really. It's just... I feel so overwhelmed."

Esme had her back to him, knowing he probably found difficult to share his feelings with her. He was always stoic and strong, whereas Bree was the one to burst out laughing or crying or screaming.

"Well, moving back here was a big change."

"It wasn't only the move. Don't take this wrong, I'm so happy we're pregnant; but we didn't plan for this to happen for a couple of years."

Esme knew it troubled Bree at the beginning. When she called to let her know she thought she was pregnant, Bree was so scared.

"It's normal. No one it's really prepared, but it always turns out a blessing in the end."

"Oh! I'm not complaining. I'm ecstatic for our baby. It's all the changes inherent to the pregnancy. I knew Bree wanted to come back to the States to have our baby here, even before we got pregnant. And I support her because let's face it, back in Germany, we didn't would have the same kind of support from my family that we have here. My parents are nice but no so affectionate."

Esme had a faint memory of Joham parents. Like he said they were nice people, just very dry and not touchy-feely like her.

"But as we planned for this to happen later, we didn't make the necessary provisions. I-I I feel like I'm mooching on you and it makes me feel awful. I'm a doctor for Christ sake! I should be able to support my wife and my baby!"

"Oh, Joham! You know it isn't a problem for us. I like to have you here."

"I know, and I don't want to seem ungrateful. But I was raised to take the responsibility for my actions, and I feel I'm acting like a teenager again. Depending on your husband to give good word of my work, despite not really knowing it, just because the transfer I wanted will take months to be authorized."

"He did it gladly. Joham, he trusted you with his daughter, if that doesn't say 'I know you're a good man' I don't know what would."

"And well, I should be happy he helped me to find a job so quickly, but the amount of money we are spending, it will take me months to finally get our own home. I don't want to rely on the sale of our home in Germany because it will take time, but if it happens..."

"You shouldn't worry. I'm glad to have you here. Even before you arrived, I prepared a nursery. You don't have an idea of how happy we are to have you both here."

Joham seemed to say something else but then he thought better about it.

"Look, how many bedrooms do you think this house have?"

"Erm, six?" Joham answered shyly.

"Exactly. This house is gigantic! We have enough room for ourselves and our kids and their kids, and let me tell you we bought it when Bree was in high school. Do you know why wanted something this big?"

"Hmm, no?"

"Because I want a home where my kids and their families can come to stay. I love to have my family around. I'm hoping for many grandkids, ad I want everybody to have their own space in or house. This is the Cullen family house, and now you are a Cullen, so you have room in our house for you."

The look of gratitude on Joham's face warmed Esme's heart. It seemed that a mother's work never ends but it felt so good to be capable of lifting his spirits.

xxx

"Sure Analise. I'll tell him as soon as he arrives."

Alice hung up and cried. It was Jasper's mother, who called to tell her Uncle Roscow got worst. They thought he wouldn't live to see the next morning.

"Mo-om! Cyn is hogging the bathroom again. She's been there for an hour and I want to... Mom, are you crying?" Peter stopped mid-rant. What was making his mother cry?

Alice tried to compose herself quickly. "It's nothing baby. Let me hurry Cyn."

But Peter wasn't that little kid you could distract anymore. "Mom?"

"Uncle Roscow got worst. How am I gonna tell Jasper?" And she burst into tears.

Peter hugged her fiercely. "Shh, shh. It's going to be fine Mom. Uncle Roscow had a wonderful life. Just focus on the good times, Mom. I promise I'll tell Dad."

xxx

On Friday, Bella walked to the building that held 'Volturi & Carson' corporative offices with a lilt on her step. She had a date with her husband! Well, more like in her efforts to get him to check his sight, he accepted as long as could take her later to dinner because he had a surprise for her. She didn't have an idea of what kind of surprise, but she was hoping for a few days on a beach. Edward was getting too pale and thin.

When she arrived at his office, she found everybody seated, reading a pile of papers with a scowl on their faces.

"Hmm, hi!"

Usually, she was greeted with more enthusiasm. Now all she got was a wave from Tanya.

"What's going on?" She asked when she got closer to Tanya.

"The IT guys were supposed to sort a list with the complaints from one of the plaintiffs. It seems we have a team of professional complainants that looove to sue when a product doesn't reach their standards." Tanya smiled sardonically. "Apparently, we have to sort their complaints from these piles of registers."

Bella lifted her eyes to Edward's office, he was coming out, carrying another pile and was arguing with someone over the phone. He barely had the chance to mouth 'I'm sorry' when he started another argument with the caller.

"Tan, do you have those registers on file?"

Tanya pointed to the papers.

"Hmm, no. You said the IT guys were going to help, do you have access to the database with the information?"

Tanya guided Bella to Edward's office, where not even five minutes later, Bella had the information sorted. She was surrounded by Leah, Michael, and Tanya, who were asking for any combination of data they thought they would need.

"Ok, I'm sending you the spreadsheets with the data you required. I guess this way will be easier to work with." Then Bella turned around. Leah and Michael were clapping because now they could go home. Tanya stood cursing those damn guys from IT that didn't have five minutes to sort the information. Jessica was glaring, but that was pretty normal. Jacob was almost drooling, and it bothered her. But what made her heart beat faster, was the look of pride in Edward's eyes.

"So, now that this is over, let's go we have a date." Bella