On Saturday, the girls sans Alice went out for drinks. It was time to celebrate Rose's new found freedom. Well, almost there freedom. Just a little signature away.

"I can't believe it's over. It seems like yesterday when we followed him." Esme was still astonished at the promptness with which now a marriage could get finished in these days. She was so glad she and Carlisle were still in love and together.

"But, I can't believe he didn't try to get you back. I mean, you told me he was shocked but I expected a bit of a fight from him." Bella still remembered how Emmett was a man in love once upon a time. How come he didn't fight for someone so beautiful, lovely, and full of life like Rose?

"Oh, he tried. Last Thursday at night he came by, trying to get me to talk to him."

"Really?"

"He was so drunk. Of course, I didn't intend to open the door. He was screaming my name, urging me to listen to him."

"Damn. Did your neighbors complain? Called the cops?"

"No. It wasn't necessary. Once he got close to the door, my mother, God bless her, threw him a bucket full of ice cold water!"

"No way!"

"Awesome!"

Both friends were laughing, picturing a frozen, soggy, Emmett.

"He left with his tail between the legs. I mean, he called Victoria in the morning, trying to get us some counseling. Victoria was adamant he only had two options, to sign immediately or I would fight him the company. She was very clear of the many ways I could get him to lose everything."

"So he signed?"

"He will. He still asked for a meeting, with Victoria by my side of course. He said he believed I deserve some alimony as I helped him to keep the company running and after we settled it, he will sign. Victoria thinks it's the only excuse he could think of to get to talk to me. Not like I'm going to change my mind."

Esme got quiet for a bit. She was thinking that, later on, Rose may regret giving up the company so easily to Emmett. "Hun, are you sure it's okay to let him get away with the company now that is thriving? I mean, you are part of the success it has at the moment."

"Well, I don't think I want to deal with Emmett ever again."

Just as Esme thought, Rose's pride was the one making decisions. Sure, she had a right to feel angry. Who wouldn't? But in the long run, Emmett took advantage of her, and maybe one day she would regret letting him go just like that.

"Are you sure? What about his mother?" Bella added. She knew how much Rose hated her mother in law.

"Oh, that woman! You don't have an idea of how happy I am to get rid of her. No more 'Rose, I see Emmett is getting thin, do you cook enough for him?'" Rose faked the nasal voice of the harpy. "'Rose, you're letting yourself go. Those five pounds won't vanish by themselves.' She was truly irritating and the only times she was sort of nice were when she wanted something from me."

"Do you think she knows you're about to get divorced?" Bella wonder. If that woman was so awful when they were in 'good terms', how would she act now that Rose was breaking her bond to Emmett?

Rose downed the rest of her drink thinking about Bella's question. "I don't think so. But, honestly, I don't care. If she's coming for trouble, I'm ready to face her, I don't have to tolerate her for Emmett's sake anymore. If she's rude, I can show her how rude I am. Worst, if she comes by, my mother has a few words of her choice to say to her."

The waitress brought them another round of drinks and Esme proposed a toast.

"For moving on."

"For moving on and dropping lost/dead weights"

"Cheers!"

xxx

Two hours and a few drinks later, Esme started with the dirty jokes that had Bella and Rose almost peeing of laughter.

"Now, shh. Listen. A man and a woman started to have sex in the middle of a dark forest. After about 15 minutes of it, the man finally gets up and says, "Damn, I wish I had a flashlight!". The woman says, "Me too, you've been eating grass for the past ten minutes!"

The table erupted in laughter.

"Oh stop it! Now I have to go to the girl's room again." Bella said still cackling.

She was lucky there wasn't a line for the bathroom, but the way back to the table wasn't as comfortable as she wanted.

"I've been watching you, pretty lady. Can I buy you a drink? A Cosmo I think?" The man was tall and kind of handsome, but Bella was fast to flash her wedding ring.

"No thanks. I'm just here with friends."

"Yeah, my boys were watching too. They are already mingling with your friends."

Bella's snort shocked the man. For starters, they weren't the first guys to try.

"I don't think so," Bella said, rolling her eyes. Ridiculous males.

By now, Bella was back to the table and pushed her way to her chair from between the men who were trying to woo Rose and Esme.

"Now, this is a girls night, so if you excuse us," Bella said with finality and the guys finally left.

"You know, I think they must have a bet to see who can manage to break our icy hearts," Esme said smiling. "I mean, not even the rings scared them. What do they think we are?"

"But if you want to have a drink with one of them, Rose..."

"Meh. Not ready at all. I prefer to wait until he signs the divorce papers, and honestly, I'm not sure if even then. I think I need some time for myself."

A tall brunette woman got closer to their table. "Rose? Is that you?"

Rose gasped and cursed. It was Eileen, Emmett's sister. She wasn't ready to deal with his family.

"Yeah. Hi "

Certainly, there wasn't love lost between them and though Rose didn't hate her like she did her mother, Eileen was never nice to her or Emmett.

"So it's a girl's night, I see," she said and Rose nodded.

"Yep, just me and the girls."

"Hmm, so it's true then," Eileen said after looking to Bella and Esme. "You and Emmett are divorcing."

Rose gasped, waiting for the storm of insults that was about to come.

But she was met with silence and Eileen looking intently at her.

"I don't want to sound bitchy but... good for you. I think Emmett let Mom interfere too much, he always enables her meddling ways."

Now it wasn't just Rose with eyes like saucers. What the hell!

"I mean, he still doesn't find the courage to tell Mom, but he asked me to keep her far from you. And that was after I caught him talking to a lawyer. You know, for someone as big and scary as him, he's a pussy for not daring to talk to Mom. Better pick up your money and everything you own because as soon as she finds out she'll fight you for everything, even the house. Anyway, I just want to wish you luck with your life." With those last words, Eileen turned around and walked to wherever her friends were waiting for her.

"Did that just happened?" Rose wondered aloud.

"Yes. Was that Emmet's sister? Wasn't she a bitch to you?" Esme sipped from her drink.

"Yeah. Well, now I think she didn't hate me so much." Rose tapped her fingers on the table. "You know, she's right about one thing. Emmett may not fight me about money but she surely will. I need to get him to sign quickly. Because if he doesn't and she intervenes... I may get greedy."

xxx

The next day after the funeral, the Whitlocks enjoyed a cookout at Roscow's giant backyard. He left it specified in his will. He didn't want them to cry, but to enjoy each other company.

Jasper's mother handed each wife a post-it with a time slot for their use of the kitchen, as everybody was supposed to cooperate and each family must've to cook a dish. Alice got nine in the morning and dessert. Peter offered gladly his help, but Alice knew it was just to taste the batter and lick the spoons with the chocolaty goodness she baked. What could she say? Boys will be boys, always.

By noon, everybody was mingling and joking. Jasper spent the whole morning talking to his cousin Bert, reconnecting their old friendship. Meanwhile, Peter was frolicking around with a few boys. Someone brought a few of those water pistols and the kids were enjoying themselves.

"Alice, why don't you sit with me?" Vernon, Jasper's dad called her. He was a man of few words, sitting in the shadow of the veranda, watching the people around him.

"You have a great view." Alice tried to make conversation.

"Yeah."

Alice watched how Peter along other kids was running around in the neighbor's yard. She tried to stand to reprimand him but Vernon stopped her.

"It's not necessary. Jennifer won't mind as long they leave her cats alone."

Alice nodded and wished Peter was better behaved.

"They're kids." He whispered. "I remember when Jasper was his age, you don't know how many broken windows I had to repair. Or when he broke his leg after he fell from that tree." He pointed to an old sycamore.

Alice smiled wistfully. "I guess he was a lot to handle."

"Oh, he was the worst sort of rascal." Vernon smiled and turned to look at the people mingling.

Alice wasn't used to staying sitting in one place. She needed to move, to be doing something. So with a rag she found on her chair, she began to clean the veranda. Down, at the yard, the kids were squealing with joy. Someone must have told a good joke because you could hear the laughs and guffaws.

Jasper was still talking to Bert.

She cleaned the banister until she reached the edge, where a rag doll cat was watching her.

"He is Stewart. Jen's oldest cat. He was a great hunter until he fell from the roof while following a rat." Vernon shook his head. "Since then he is just like me, we love to watch people. Right, Stew?"

The cat meowed and turned his head to the crowd, where someone called Jasper.

The mention of his name made Alice look around for him. Sure enough, Jasper was still talking with Bert, beer in hand. Then, a toddler crying made Bert leave his beer with Jasper who happily drank it.

"How old is Bert?"

"Same age as Jasper. That baby was an 'oops' baby. His wife thought she was getting menopausal until the doctor told her it was a baby coming. She had to quit her job, it got too much to handle with four kids. It was a good thing her family lives near them."

Alice hummed in answer, she couldn't imagine being in that situation. A baby at her age! No, she barely had the stamina to tend to her two kids and work. But then something got her attention. That Janice woman was taking advantage of Jasper finally being alone. She didn't make an effort to be discreet and Cynthia noticed. Cynthia became Jasper's shadow since the funeral.

Janice walked, no, strutted her way to Jasper and she must have said something flirty again, because Jasper immediately changed his relaxed posture, ready to escape Janice's wandering hands.

Alice thought she must have something wrong with her because she didn't feel an ounce of jealousy. She trusted Jasper and it was clear as the day how she made him feel uncomfortable. But Cynthia on the other hand...

"Daaad!" Cyn walked with determination to Jasper, tired of running interference with that woman. Who did she think she was?

Alice tried to stand again, but Vernon winked at her. "Let Cynthia handle this. It will be fun."

"Uh?" Alice was surprised. "Isn't she the one who left Jasper for another boy who got a car? I don't think he has nice memories of her."

"Yeah, and let me tell you, my wife is dying to see this through." He pointed to a group of women seated near Jasper. "She never forgave Janice for breaking Jasper's heart."

Cynthia got between Jasper and Janice, seething in anger to the woman's blatant flirting over a married man.

"You know, I don't believe in karma, but sometimes it seems to work. Janice left the other boy too, thinking Harold Bernstein was a better catch. She married him and got pregnant in less than a year, and then Harold changed. She thought he would be easy to manipulate, but turned out the contrary. As soon as their daughter left for college they got divorced. And now Harold in prancing around with his daughter's ex-best friend."

Alice laughed and elbowed him. "Stop! You're such a gossip!"

"What? I knew the moment she saw in which kind of car you arrived, her eyes shone in interest. Now, a teenager will put her in her place. Worst, his own daughter, not you so she could argue you felt threatened. Trust me, this will be fun."

Because of the loud voices of the rest of the family, Alice couldn't hear what Cynthia was saying, but clearly, she was making a point of putting Janice on her place, as her gesture was like fire. Janice blushed, huffed and left in a hurry, while Jasper hugged Cynthia. And he offered her a sip of his beer.

"Let him, it's just a sip. I think he's trying to ease her up."

"He knows I don't want her near a beer. She's just getting back from her self-esteem issues." Alice huffed.

"But I think she was pretty upset, I didn't think of the two of you, she would be the one getting jealous."

Vernon words shocked Alice. Was there something more than confidence in her relationship, to cause her lack of jealousy? It seemed she had a lot to think on her way home.

Hi!

Sorry for being lost. RL had been a bit difficult for a while. The good news is that I have the next three chapters almost finished, so I'll try to post them through the next week.

I hope you had an excellent Thanksgiving and those who don't celebrate it, a great weekend.

See ya!