The class that Tuesday became a headache for Bella. No matter where she stood, Jacob's fan club found a way to upset her. Whether it was with not so quiet whispers badmouthing her, tiny pushes, cold glares that probably would have bothered her more if she wasn't so elated after her date with Edward and the wonderful weekend afterward.
Just the memories brought a smile to her face. They needed some time just to be themselves.
The bad news, at least for Edward, were he needed thicker glasses. But the good news was that the case was almost over. That brought such joy to Bella, who was worried her husband was getting sick. Edward told her that this visit to the company facilities was the last chance for their opponents to try to win the case because only one of the plaintiffs was really affected by the product.
So Edward promised Bella to take her to a cruise to the Bahamas in three weeks when the case would be finally over. Bella didn't find a problem asking for the whole week for vacation. What had her elated, was that they decided to talk about the one issue they've been avoiding for the last year, the loss of their baby. Bella felt like she was ready to try again, as she knew Edward was dying to become a father.
The class ended, and when the music stopped, perky blond's voice could be heard, saying 'clothes inappropriate for her age'.
Bella knew they were talking about her, and instead of getting angry, like any other twenty-seven year old would do to such inane comment in regards her age, she decided to become proactive.
Jacob Black as always came by to greet her, but this time, Bella didn't try to hide. No, sir. She walked over to him and cheerily greeted him.
"Hi, Jacob? How are you doing?"
Her cheerfulness elated Jacob who as always misconstrued her words as some weird kind secret code to say 'I want you'.
"Excellent now that I saw you, Bella." His bright smile could light the whole gym and it didn't go unnoticed to his fan club.
"Well, let me introduce you to a few of my classmates. This is..." Bella said while pointing to perky blond, who barely managed to spew her name and lift her hand so Jacob could shake it.
"Samantha."
"And this is..."
"Juliet."
"So now all of you are friends. See you."
Bella turned around and left all flabbergasted. It was a shame all her friends were so distracted today. As she left the gym, she heard the girls asking Jacob to accompany them fro drinks on Friday, which he declined as he had to go with Edward to that facility visit.
xxx
"So Bree, why don't you talk to Joham about how much you love the nursery?"
Esme didn't how to let Bree know about Joham's concerns. She had been distracted by the issue, because sometimes she felt like while Joham was trying to give Bree the world, Bree wasn't showing a bit of empathy to his efforts. Esme didn't raise a self-centered girl. Bree could be many things, but selfish she wasn't. So she was sure it was a problem of communication.
"I don't know Mom. I think sometimes it overwhelms him. Just like with Dad."
Esme gasped. "What?"
"Just like Dad. I think he's having a difficult time adjusting to becoming a grandparent."
"No. Oh, no. Maybe it's because you're his little girl, and he's adjusting to seeing you really like an adult." Esme knew Carlisle was ecstatic about Bree's pregnancy.
Bree just shook her head. She was aware of the little changes in her father's demeanor. After one doctor appointment, she visited Carmen to greet her, then she told her the hair-dye experience, and how he changed his clothes. And Bree noticed the expression he made whenever someone called him 'grandpa'... He was realizing he was getting old. How come her mother, who was always so observant, didn't notice it?
xxx
Early in the morning, the phone rang. Jasper was waiting for the call, he didn't sleep.
"Mom?" He answered, dreading the answer.
Alice's heart broke with the pain in Jasper's voice. He knew her mother would call as soon as Uncle Roscow passed.
"At least he didn't suffer." Jasper lifted his hand as if calling Alice to come closer. "Yes, I'll make the arrangements."
Alice curled up into her husband arms.
"Yes, Cynthia and Peter are coming. They're old enough." Alice intertwined her fingers with Jasper's to offer at least a bit of comfort. "Sure Mom. I'll call you when I have the itinerary."
He hung up, already tears in his eyes. "He never recovered consciousness. He just stopped breathing in his sleep." with that last word, Jasper crumbled and started to dry.
"Oh, hun!" Alice was fast to hold him in her arms. Tears in her eyes too.
After giving him the chance to cry for a few minutes, Alice managed to make him drink a cup of tea. Poor Jasper barely contained his sobs.
"Let me make the calls. When do you want to leave?"
"As soon as possible." He tried to stand, but Alice pulled him down again. "I want to tell the kids..."
"Shh. It can wait. They'll be up in an hour. Still, I have to let the school know they're going to skip a few days. And you have to call your boss."
Jasper sipped the tea. "He knows it was bound to happen. He already gave me some time off, and if anything arises, I can solve it online. It's not a problem."
Alice nodded. As much as she wanted to cuddle with Jasper, she felt better when her hands were occupied. So, she worked on a plan for her stores, managed to get the plane tickets, half of their bags packed, all before the kids woke up. She found out they were up when she heard Cynthia's cries.
Shaking her head, she decided to leave a message to her friends too. She would be missing Thursday class.
xxx
Rosalie left the lawyer's building along with her mother. They barely made it on time for their date, because her mother's flight was behind schedule.
"I like your lawyer. She seems so competent and it's like she really understands you."
Rose smiled at her mother's praise for Victoria. Rose had to admit she made it all sound so easy, but now it was when the crucial moment was about to happen. She had to give the documents to Emmet.
They got home and Rose settled her mother's baggage into the guest room where she was sleeping. Emmett left a message explaining he was coming home late, and her mother noticed the cold tone in his voice.
"Hmm, how long since he started to behave like this?"
Rose sighed. "You don't want to know. But maybe this give us time to..."
"Change of plans Rose. Let me spend the night, let's give him one more night at home. But tomorrow..."
xxx
Next morning, as soon as Emmett left the house, Rose with the help of her mother, packed every little thing Emmett owned. Clothes, little knick knacks, his college diploma, even a file with his birth certificate and passport. Everything Rose found, went to the suitcases.
"Are you going to let him take his football trophies?" Her mother asked, bringing an empty box.
"Yeah, why would I want them?"
Her mother shrugged her shoulders and proceeded to fill the box.
Four hours later, every bit of Emmett's presence in the house was packed.
"Now, we wait," Rose said. "I'm nervous. What am I gonna say? 'Here, I know about Lauren so I want you out of the house'." Then shook her head.
"You wait for him and when he opens the door, you tell him the truth. Your marriage is broken and then you give him the divorce papers. End of it. I'll push the suitcases so he will get the message."
But by the time Emmett arrived, Rose was a mess of nerves.
He was about to open the door, surprised when Rose opened it. She was waiting for him.
"Rose!" For a second, he felt relieved. But his smile faltered when he noticed Rose's Mom standing behind her.
"Emmett... you know how things were wrong for so long. Right? And well, I, I know about her."
"What? What are you talking about?"
"Lauren. I know about Lauren."
Emmett paled.
"Look, I know we were broken, but finding out about her made me realize there wasn't a way to fix our marriage. So, here take these." She handed him a folder.
"What's this?"
"Divorce papers. We're over."
Emmett gasped. "No, no. Please!" He tried to plead but Rose remained firm.
"No Emmett. I think it's clear we need to go on our own way." Her mother pushed the suitcases to the door while he was pleading. "Here are your things, I want you out of the house."
When Emmett noticed his things packed, that's when he realized Rose was serious. Begging would take him nowhere. He looked at Rose's face and only found determination. Not a single doubt.
"Ok. But how will I contact you? What if I forgot something?"
Rose's Mom pushed the suitcases out through the door and answered for her. "Call her lawyer, her card is inside the file. Bye!" And she closed the door right in his face.
xxx
"I'm glad you found a friend Tan. So he asked you for your resumé?" Bella was having trouble trying to understand what drunk Tanya was saying.
At the last minute, meaning Wednesday afternoon two hours before leaving, Jacob mentioned a family emergency and Tanya was forced to travel with Edward to the company's facility.
The first day of the visit went fine, according to Edward, but when they left Tanya found an old colleague from a previous job. Long story short, he asked her for coffee that turned into drinks and now Tanya was happy when the perspective of a new job in a new town was mentioned.
Bella was glad Edward was resting in his room, because if he knew Tanya was this drunk, he probably would get angry. All in all, Tanya got good news and she was terribly happy. Or at least, that's what Bella gathered from her slurred words.
"You know, maybe this is my chance to finally cut all ties to Marcus and leave it all behind. I want to start again. I want what you have." Tanya said. "Look, I'm in my room."
Bella giggled, seems like Tanya was about to pass out.
"Well, I won't hang up until I'm sure you're safe in your room, Tan."
"Oops, they card key don't work."
Bella heard some struggling and then sound of a door opening.
"I'll call you tomorrow Bella."
Tanya cut off the call, leaving Bella free to call Edward who answered on the first ring.
"Hi, baby. I was about to call you." He said. "Wait a second."
Bella heard movement and then a voice she didn't expect to hear in Edward's room.
"Oh, Edward! What are you doing in my room?"
"You're drunk! Wait what is that light?" Edward said.
Bella heard more struggling, the sound of something heavy falling, various voices arguing and then the call was cut off. What was happening over there?
Hi!
I know Rose's and Bella's part ended in a cliff, but guess what? Next chapter will be on the guys POV. We'll know what was thinking Emmett when she gave him the divorce papers and was happening on Edward's hotel room.
Let me know what you think.
See ya.