Really long chapter. For Edward and Emmett, we're going to revisit the last events just from their perspective. For Jasper and Carlisle, we're moving on time :)
Boys POV ;)
xxx
Emmett had a difficult week at the construction site. Well, if he was honest, it wasn't 'work' per se what made it difficult, but some of his employees and the situation at home.
He broke up things with Lauren. She was getting too clingy, wanting him to take her out and somehow make public their affair. She even wasn't baffled when Emmett was very clear he never planned on leaving Rosalie. Apparently, Lauren was happy to be his woman by the side. That's when alarm bells rang for Emmett. She was up to something, so he ended things before she had the chance to act on her plans, whatever they were. Since then, she was sulking, rude, and clearly making his life more difficult. If she kept that attitude he would find a way to dismiss her, whether to change her to another site or simply firing her.
Then, a few of his guys got in a fight in a bar over a girl, resulting in some broken arms and three guys missing from work.
To make things worst, Rosalie had been ignoring him. It was as she couldn't bear to be in his presence anymore!
He couldn't wait for the weekend, though it was a few days away.
When he got home, he took out the key from his pocket but luck was on his side, Rosalie was waiting for him!
"Rose!" Perhaps there was still hope for them, his mood changed drastically with that thought.
"Emmett..." She was fidgetting with her hands, something wasn't right. "You know how things were wrong for so long. Right? And well, I, I know about her."
"What? What are you talking about?" Emmett couldn't grasp what Rosalie was talking about.
"Lauren. I know about Lauren."
Emmett paled. For a second, the world stopped. How come she knew? It wasn't possible!
"Look, I know we were broken, but finding out about her made me realize there isn't a way to fix our marriage. So, here take these." She handed him a file. It felt like he was watching a movie like these things weren't happening to him.
"What's this?" He took it with shaking hands.
"Divorce papers. We're over."
His heart sank, it was impossible! Just a few weeks ago he was thinking to bring up the subject of the baby again. He thought they have a forever. This must be a joke, right?
"No, no. Please!" This was a nightmare.
"No Emmett. I think it's clear we need to go on our own way."
He felt something pushed to his legs, and when he looked down... those were his suitcases. She packaged his things!
"Here are your things, I want you out of the house."
He needed time, he needed to think of something. Rose couldn't leave him! She was his wife!
"Ok. But how will I contact you? What if I forgot something?"He was desperate by now. He needed something, a little thread to hang on.
"Call her lawyer, her card is inside the file. Bye!"
He barely noticed how the rest of the suitcases got to his feet and how Rose's mother slammed the door on his face. He just stood motionless, trying to get a grip on what just happened.
Rosalie knew about Lauren. How? Did the little bitch come to talk to Rose? No. It wasn't possible. He would know. But then how? And if this was about his indiscretion, he had to wait until she was calmer, then he would convince her to get therapy; she wanted to go before, right?
"Hey! Good evening McCarty!"
Mr. Nicholson from next door walking his dogs brought Emmett back from his musings. He had to find a place to stay for a while. His own mother's house was out of the question, she and Rose barely tolerated each other as it was if Mom knew Rose threw him out... No, it will definitely erase any hope he had to gain Rose back again.
So Emmett went to the only place where he could sit and think about the recent events: His trailer at the job site.
xxx
The little couch in his made-up office wasn't comfortable at all, but it had to do until he manages to get on Rose good graces again if it ever happened. Once he got inside the trailer, he lost it and started to cry. The feeling of regret was incommensurable, and being inside the trailer where his biggest mistake happened didn't help to lift his mood.
He had a bottle of gin that somebody left and he polished it by the time the night fall upon him.
The reading of the file didn't assuage his fears. It seemed Rose gave a lot of thought to the divorce because the divorce agreement was so detailed. What surprised Emmet more was that she wasn't so vindictive to leave him without the construction company. She just wanted the house. If he was honest, he wouldn't be so merciful to her if she was the one unfaithful.
His phone rang again. His mother had been calling him for hours but he wasn't in the right mood to deal with her. Last time he talked to her, she hinted about needing to spend a few days at his house because she fought with his sister. Emmett really didn't want to imagine what could happen if his mother just showed up into his house right now. He texted her that he was out of town and that he would call her soon. Yep. He needed a few days to come to grips with the divorce.
He drank the last drops of the bottle and sat back. His mind was clouded with images of the good days when he and Rosalie were happy. What happened to them to end like this? Was it just Lauren? Because couples recover from infidelity every day. Or it was something else? Well, it didn't matter. He was the stupidest man in the world, and for now, he will have to adjust to a new empty life.
xxxx
Edward was massaging his temple. He was suffering the mother of all headaches and he had only him to blame. If he hadn't forgot his new glasses...
It all started early in the morning. Tanya called him to let him know the plaintiff's lawyer was up very early and on his way to the factory. He barely had the chance to change and reach Tanya, only to find the plaintiff's lawyer trying to bribe the factory manager. They were losing and they knew it.
The visit went on without a hitch, and when he called Renata to explain everything he received the order to offer a modicum settlement to the only one affected, if he didn't agree, then he'll lose his chance and they would gladly wait for the judge's decision.
Once everything was settled, he and Tanya went back to the hotel, but Tan found a friend and decided to go with him for lunch. Better for him because his head was starting to ache. And he was hungry because he skipped breakfast.
After a wholesome meal, he planned how to bring his plan to have a ceremony to remember the first anniversary of the loss of their baby. It was time, and Bella seemed to be finally over it. It was time to give himself a chance to his closure. But he needed to mind his words, after all, he was still expecting to have a nice romantic vacation time.
He called Bella to let her know how the visit went and decided to get a nap. He was expecting the plaintiff or his lawyer to call with their answer.
He woke up after hearing some loud voices outside. He went to check and it was a group of teens horsing around. Edward gave a glance to his watch, it was late at night! He quickly checked his phone and his mail. No, there wasn't an answer from the other side. Damn! He was hoping to end this case today, well, maybe by tomorrow they'll realize they don't stand a chance to win.
His phone rang, but it was Bella's tone.
"Hi, baby! I was about to call you." Well, just after he drank a glass of water. Why sleeping so much always left him so thirsty? He heard someone trying to open his door and got angry thinking it was the other team's lawyer. He was an ass. "Wait a second."
He walked to his door, opened it fast, he had his most dangerous glare on ready to intimidate the bastard, only to be shocked to find a very drunk Tanya tumbling her way inside his room.
"Edward, what are you doing in my room?" Tanya almost fell.
Great! She was completely hammered!
"You're drunk." As he was lifting her by the arms, he felt a light shining outside. Like the bulbs of the hallway were blinking or like someone was taking a picture with a flash. "Wait, what is that light?"
He tried to move Tanya to the side, to see who was taking pictures of them, but Tanya was a dead weight and was fighting him.
"What light? Did I die?"
She pushed his arm, making him drop the phone. Whomever was taking those pictures ran through the hallway, but he got a glimpse of a tall buff man with dark hair. The lawyer was short and fat. Who could it be?
Tanya found herself laying on the thick carpet and began to snore.
"Great, just great." Edward slammed his door closed and tried to worm his phone from under Tanya's ass.
"Move, you lush!"
"Shh, I'm tired." She turned to the other side and Edward finally got his phone out. He felt bad for letting her on the floor, so he lifted her and carried her to his bed. Now, he had to sleep on the couch.
He called Bella who was sick worried .
"What happened?"
"Nothing, just drunk Tanya who got into the wrong room. She's passed out!"
Bella smiled and pictured Edward trying to deal with Tanya. Sometimes it was like she was fifteen again!
"Anyway, I'm going to get me something to eat and then I'm going to sleep. God knows what I should expect for tomorrow." Edward sighed. He was dreading to deal with the last day of the visit but one way or another the case would be over a week after this.
xxx
Friday morning started way better than Thursday. Beginning with a copious breakfast, courtesy of a very ashamed and hungover Tanya.
"And you think that grease haired lawyer tried to take incriminating pictures of us? I don't think it was him. It isn't like he can blackmail us, the decision isn't in our hands. No, I'm thinking it was one of those boys you saw horsing around." Tanya said before finishing her gigantic plate of pancakes.
"Who else would take a picture of your drunk ass?" Edward taunted her, which made Tanya choke with a piece of bacon she was eating.
Edward palmed her back and she finally recovered.
"Ass!" She took a sip from her juice. "I'm so going to tattle on you. Bella will have your hide."
Unbeknownst to them, the tall man took another picture of the moment, leaving the restaurant immediately.
"Now, we have to hurry. It's nine thirty, we have to get to the lobby. Just in case this guy arrives early again."
They rushed to pay the bill and moved to the lobby, happy to find they were the first ones.
"Well, let's hope they come early to take our deal. Either way, we're soon going to get rid of their asses." Tanya said while getting busy reading the tourist pamphlets stuck on a shelf. "Look, they have guided tours to the artsy part of town. You can buy Bella a nice gift for being so patient with you. Well, really I need to give her something, she was with me on the phone until I managed to get to your room. She's an angel."
Edward gave a glance around, only to stop his eyes on the revolving door. He could swear he saw Jacob going out of the hotel.
xxx
The wake for Uncle Roscow was programmed to be held at the park in front of the church. Almost every Whitlock in the USA came by!
Since Jasper and his family arrived, they were surrounded by his whole family every place they looked around. Uncle Roscow was the oldest of ten brothers. Each one of them had at least two kids so Jasper's close family was around seventy people prancing around trying to help.
When they arrived, his mother sadly announced that he, Alice and the kids will have to share his old bedroom as many family members came from out of town. And she wasn't lying. Jesus, when his family got this big?
He was glad to find that at least five of his nieces were around Cynthia's age, and Peter didn't have a problem finding kids around his age too. Alice was the one who wasn't so comfortable, she wasn't used to sharing a house with so many people. She was trying to help his mother with brunch but soon she found herself out of the kitchen with a broom.
"She told me to clean our bedroom." She just said a bit spooked off the chaos inside the kitchen. "Are you fine?"
"Yes, you don't have to sweep anything, you know? She's just nervous and her way of relaxing is getting busy so she hands everyone a chore. That's why she handled the calls, organized pretty much the whole funeral. I'm supposed to change the bulbs in the garage." Jasper lifted his arm with two cases of bulbs.
"Oh, well, then I'll go upstairs, I also want to see what mess Peter left of his clothes." Alice moved shaking her head.
Jasper smiled. She wasn't used to a big family reunion like this. In her family, they weren't this close. When they went to her grandfather's funeral, she barely acknowledged the rest of her family with a nod. Here, she got hugged by all his aunts, uncles, and cousins. A few of them thought she was one lost cousin.
He was so distracted by his thoughts, he didn't realize someone was waiting for him in the garage.
"Hi, Jasper. You didn't come to visit last time you were here." It was Janice, his high school sweetheart. She broke his heart when she left him for Thomas Davenport who just got an old car for his 17th birthday. At the time, he was so brokenhearted that when the time came, he chose the farthest university he could find to get away from her. Last he heard they broke up and she married her neighbor Harold. How time flies!
"Hi, Janice. How are you?" He got closer to greet her but he couldn't because his hands were carrying the light bulbs. She, on the other hand, wasn't afraid to walk closer and hugged him.
"Fine, fine. It's you who I'm worried about. I know how close you were to Roscow."
"Well, he lived a wonderful life. And he didn't suffer, so I guess I should be fine."
Janice never let go of him. Her hands caressed his wild blond curls.
"You look like you need a lot of hugs." Then she giggled. "I guess sometimes it's easy to forget that you're not that handsome seventeen-year-old boy who came to serenade me anymore."
Jasper sighed, was she trying to flirt with him?
"I heard a few things last time you came by." She mentioned while twirling one of Jasper's blond curls making it very difficult for him to push her away.
"Hmm, really?"
"Yep. They say you're having problems back home."
Jasper cursed his mother and her willingness to talk about him with her church friends. Probably everybody in town knew by now about Cyn and her crisis.
"Well, it would be a very boring life without bumps on the road, right?"
Janice started to trail her hand over his bicep, an overly friendly touch.
"Well, I heard this bump was... sort of... gigantic. I mean, I get it. Rich city girl may become boring, after all, the glitter and shine vanishes with time. You may need to have a walk around to your roots, you know? Maybe you need to confide, get closer to those who know you, really know you."
Oh shit. She was more than flirting. Was she propositioning? It was so long ago he dated that he lost the nuances of courting. The box of bulbs in his hands was feeling heavy suddenly.
"Look, Janice..."
Her hands were up to his neck, trying to pull his head closer to hers.
"Did I tell you that I just divorced Harold?"
He managed to disentangle from her arms, almost dropping the bulbs.
"No, Janice. You got it wrong. I'm sorry for you and Harold, but I'm happily married. Yes, we had a little problem but we face it and now we're almost over it. And just for the record, it was about my kids, not about the situation between my wife and me"
"That's wasn't what I heard," Janice said with certainty. Last time Jasper was back home, she was passing by the Whitlock's yard and heard Jasper talking with his father. Jasper wasn't fooling her.
"Daaad! Are you here?" The sweet voice of his daughter couldn't come at a better time.
"Cyyyyn! Over here!" He shrugged his shoulders, all Janice could do was try to fix her hair.
Cynthia walked enthusiastically into the garage. She was bored and when her mother started to clean the room and berating Peter for being a pig, she offered to help her father before her mother found a reason to scold her too.
"Hi, Daddy. What chore did Grandma assign for you? Mom told me Grandma is busy and before she comes to get me and puts me to clean her silverware with 'oh so charming and single cousin Jeffrey' I decided to come to help you."
Cynthia's tirade was welcomed with the bewildered eyes from Janice. Jasper, on the other hand, smiled at how much she looked like Alice right now. Recently, Cyn was blossoming into a confident girl. Especially is she was mimicking Jasper's mother when she tried to push timid Jeffrey to the now outgoing Cynthia.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't notice you. I'm Cynthia." She eagerly offered her hand to the flustered woman, and if she wasn't so inexperienced she would bet that something was happening before she got here.
Janice had no choice but to greet the exuberant teenager.
"Cyn, this is Janice and old friend of mine."
Janice felt the need to add 'ex-girlfriend' but what was the point? By now the mood was broken and she felt terribly awkward.
"So Dad." Cyn was eyeing the boxes of bulbs.
"Well, you'll help me to change the lights. Let me bring the ladder and you'll pass me the bulbs once I get up there."
"Did you know that aunt Lala's real name is Lavinia? Who names his kids 'Lavinia'?" Cynthia asked and she took the bulbs from her father, completely forgetting about Janice.
Janice left, shaking her head. Jasper's daughter was really something special and she had to be more careful if she wanted to have another chance to speak to him alone, though he wasn't as welcoming as she expected.
xxx
The priest's words didn't register on Jasper's ears. His mind was plagued with memories of his uncle. Good ones, especially from his childhood, and bad ones, like when they found he was sick. The soft touch of Alice's hand was the only thing keeping him from breaking down. How could he once doubt their bond? She understood, without words, what he needed at the moment.
Finally, the priest left the makeshift stand, and it was the turn for many family members to say a few words about Roscow Whitlock.
First, his Aunt Hilda stood to thank everybody for coming and she said a few words. "I'm one of the youngest sisters and I can tell you he was the best big brother a girl could ask while growing up. Sure, he always kept our suitors on their toes, making a few squirm in their socks." Her words made some people laugh. "But whenever I got in trouble, he was a great shoulder to cry on. He had an excellent ear and always made you smile pointing to the silver lining in any situation."
Of course, he did. Jasper recalled the time he let his mother know he was getting married. She was crying, devastated, not because she didn't like Alice but because he was moving far away. Uncle Roscow managed to calm his mother, and soon, got everybody hugging and crying tears of joy. Of course, the promise of grandkids lifted his mother spirits. As she moved with them for a month when Cynthia was born.
"Are you going to say something?" Alice whispered.
"I don't know. Maybe." Jasper didn't know if he could find the right words to express how much Roscow meant to him.
"Hmm, hi, I'm Jennifer. I was Roscow's neighbor." The old lady in red started to recall how Roscow introduced her to the best shops in town, which meant the corner shop at Main Street and the dinner across the street. He joked with everyone and always had a smile on. And always stole a cookie from her kitchen.
Jasper again got lost in his memories. Every summer since he could remember, the whole family traveled for a two-week vacation. There were lots of kids around his age to keep him occupied but the adults got tired real soon. Nobody has the patience to deal with them for long as uncle Roscow. He taught them to swim, to pitch a tent, to climb trees. He taught Jasper to play the guitar, as Roscow had a fine voice and loved to sing. But the best part was when at night, everybody was gathered around the dinner table. Adults were happy to mingle with a drink in hand, but for the kids, it was so boring. Uncle Roscow was fast to put on a record and then he played a game. He danced and twirled around the room and got all the kids in line following his movements. The songs were silly as his dance steps. Once he stole a bite from Granpa's plate before twirling around and all the kids followed, leaving Grandpa with no other choice but to get two more plates for the kids. There was one particular song that even the adults danced as it utterly ridiculous and yet extremely fun...
"Hi, I'm Albert. Most of you won't recognize me because I moved to Bogota after college, and well, it was difficult to come back to visit."
Jasper almost spat the water he was drinking. That was Bert? He really changed. He was almost bald and he got a beautiful tan. He was so muscled you could barely remember the scrawny blond kid he once was. Jasper best friend until he joined the army.
"Long time ago, at our woodworking class, they had us make a birdhouse from scratch. I was fucked, pardon my french! But uncle Roscow offered his assistance. Mind you, he wasn't skillful with tools either. So you can imagine the sort of birdhouse we made, it had two holes we declared doors and it resembled more a flying saucer than a birdhouse. So what did Roscow do? He painted in bright colors and named it 'the space birdhouse'. He added buttons, glitter, and a few strings of yarn and after I got an A, we placed it in his backyard. You wouldn't believe how many birds came to visit. Even a few squirrels tried to make it their home!" The crowd laughed. "He always knew how to make the best of any circumstance."
Now Jasper knew what to say. And he knew Bert would be glad to help.
"Hey boy, would you mind to lend me your guitar?" He asked to one of the church chorus guys. In two strides he was up with a shocked Bert.
"I'm Jasper and I find difficult to explain how much Roscow meant to me, I think I found something that will bring back memories of the best times we spent with him. Bert, I know you remember this one." He strummed a few chords on the guitar and then started...
Dou dou dou dou
I told the witchdoctor, I was in love with you
In that moment Bert burst out laughing apart of many of the Whitlocks, while Alice, Cynthia, and Peter didn't understand what Jasper was doing.
Dou dou dou dou
I told the witchdoctor, I was in love with you
Dou dou dou dou
And then the witchdoctor, he told me what to do
By now, not just Bert was singing along with Jasper, but a few cousins went up to stand with Bert and Jasper.
Ooh eeh ooh ahah, ting tang wallawallabingbang
Hands up and down, shoulders shimmying and two jumps. All the cousins were dancing.
Ooh eeh ooh ahah, tingtang wallawallabingbang
Ooh eeh ooh ahah, ting tang wallawallabingbang
Ooh eeh ooh ahah, tingtang wallawallabingbang
By the third time he repeated the chorus, Cynthia was up with him following the silly dance, while various attendees were singing and crying. Roscow made an anthem of the song, and somehow he made it full of hope of better times. What a better way to remember him than with his song.
xxx
Carlisle left his coworker office with a spring in his step. He knew he was healthy but to have the evidence to prove it was utterly satisfying. The only blip on his radar was when D. Jameson said 'You're in excellent shape... for someone your age'. Pshh! Carlisle wasn't an old man and he was about to prove it.
He asked Jameson suggestion of more physical activities as he was finding golf boring. Jameson agreed and suggested yoga, which only brought a roll of eyes from Carlisle, so then he suggested Tai-chi or swimming.
Carlisle was intrigued about Tai-chi. He remembered when a few years ago, he and Felix shared so many weekends watching male-friendly films such as 'Enter the ninja', 'Fist of fury', or 'Shogun assassin'. Damn! There was even one named 'The crippled masters'. And if that man without legs could bring the bad guy down, imagine what Carlisle with a little patience could do.
So he went back to his office and decided to do a little search. He found a film named 'The man of Tai-chi' with Keanu Reeves on it. Now his mind was full of Matrix moves and he was sporting a giant smile. This seemed so interesting.
Aro came by, asking how the appointment with Dr. Jameson went. Carlisle was fast to explain everything, and seeing that Aro was in search for a new sport activity after his injury, they decided to try this Tai-chi.
Aro called the sports facility located a few blocks down the road and found they indeed have Tai-chi classes.
At lunch time, they changed from their lab coats and walked to check the classes.
A very chirpy woman welcomed them and offered a brochure with the range of activities the facility provided.
"Hmm, we are interested in your Tai-chi classes."
The chirpy girl jumped on excitement. "We have two one-hour classes daily from Monday through Friday and one two-hour class on Saturday. As a matter of fact, right now we have one going on. Do you want to take a look?"
Carlisle and Aro nodded enthusiastically.
The facility was enormous and each area was full equipped. The girl guided them through the weight lifts, an area where many elliptical trainers were displayed, then they finally reached a room covered in mirrors.
They stood outside watching as a mature man was making some odd moves.
"Remember wax in, wax off" Aro whispered, still enthusiastic.
The girl made them take a few steps to the side, in order to show them how big the class was when the two men gasped. The room was full of very mature women!
'Nah-uh.' Carlisle thought. 'This is for old ladies!'
Aro just coughed lightly and in a very diplomatic way mentioned that perhaps their schedule wasn't so accommodating.
Carlisle recovered and asked about the swimming pool. The girl smiled and guided them to that side of the building.
"We have an Olympic size pool, that is usually divided in two. One side for the regular classes and the other for people who comes to train alone." She stopped and tell them in a serious voice "Well, there are a few time slots reserved for our professionals. They had the whole pool for training, so you can come any time except then." She continued walking explaining how if they chose to join a class, they'll have to pass an evaluation period then they can be sorted into a category or come once in a while for guidance.
The moment they arrived at the pool, chirpy girl told them it was one of the advanced classes along with the 'free-timers'.
Carlisle watched in awe as two young men glided through the water and felt inclined to join the swimming lessons. He looked at Aro who was busy watching a few young girls equally graceful in the water. Aro nodded too.
"I think we're more interested in swimming. Could you give the requirements to join the class?"
xxx
The next day, Carlisle and Aro came out from the dressers to the pool. That forgotten feeling of excitement and wonder, like the one they used to have on the first-day school, was back and it elated Carlisle.
The instructor was a tall man in his thirties.
"So you're the new members?"
Aro smiled. "Yep. We're ready to show you how ready we are."
The man smiled and told them where to leave their towels. They were the firsts to arrive, so they disrobed and took position on the left side of the pool.
While the man showed them how to stretch, a few people arrived getting ready for the class. While Aro was happy to stretch and have a nice view, Carlisle felt the need to prove he was still in his prime years. He spread his arms, trying to reach his toes each time with the opposite hand. When he did eight repetitions, then he arched his back. That's when he heard more than felt how he pulled a muscle. The instructor was fast to come to his aid, but his pride made him smile and claim it was nothing.
"Well, everybody ready? Let's start with one lap, any style. go!"
Carlisle stood in his lane. He jumped and swam with all his might. One arm after the other, water gliding, his legs kicking the water. Wow! It felt so good. Soon he reached the other edge and turned back. Jesus! He was so in shape!
Finally, his hand touched the edge of the pool. He made it! But when he turned around, everybody else got before him and were busy following the instructor orders. Even Aro got first!
His only relief was that one woman finished after him, but she took it with poise and grace.
"I'm a bit out of shape." She giggled.
"Well, it seems we all have to practice. Our fastest swimmers excelled in doggie paddle style, but our last swimmers had better moves." The instructor said, trying to make Carlisle smile. "Let's start with a few exercises. Now extend your arms and paddle. We need four series of ten. Go!"
Aro turned to look at Carlisle and winked. Carlisle sighed, well, at least the instructor admired his style. With a bit of practice, Carlisle was sure he would win. Let's see who called him 'Grandpa'!
xxx