Bella

When Lauren picks me up from the airport it's still early, and she offers to take me out for brunch before heading back to my condo. I agree mostly because it'll be the first time I walk into that place knowing I'll be alone there. Getting closure with Garrett was one thing; facing it head on is another.

"Rose and Alice wanted to be here, but they stayed up all night cleaning your place," Lauren tells me as we take our seats in a back booth in our favorite diner. Our waitress, Cora, wastes no time bringing us two cups of coffee and a small silver pitcher of half and half.

"Cleaning? I said 'no keggers' while I was gone." We laugh as we scan the menu even though we both have it memorized.

"They were making sure there wasn't a trace of Garrett left. Rose might have mentioned that she bought you new sheets and towels." For just a split second, Lauren's face is marred by a look of sympathy before she replaces it with a mask of indifference. "You know how she is."

"I do." Setting the menu down, I study my sister because I know her too, and something isn't right. "What's wrong with you? Something's up."

Her eyes go wide. "Nothing's up." She scrunches her nose like Samantha from Bewitched. It's her tell.

Pointing at her across the table, I laugh. "Aha! You witch! Something is up. What is it? Tell me; you have to. We're sisters."

She rolls her eyes. "Jesus, you're annoying. Mom and Dad should have never adopted you."

"I'm the spitting image of grandma Marie. You were obviously kidnapped during the Satanic panic with that white blonde hair that NOBODY else has." I stare her down until we both start giggling.

It's the same argument we've always had since we were younger, although now, there's less fire behind it.

"I want to tell you something, but I don't want you to feel some kind of way about it," she begins, and I nod for her to go on. "Mike and I have been talking a lot about marriage lately obviously."

"Are you trying to tell me that you think he's going to propose now or have you guys decided that marriage is the answer for you after all this time? Based on how well things went for me?" I snort, but Lauren doesn't laugh.

"Not exactly." Cora chooses that moment to come by, but we order our usual, and she's gone within thirty seconds.

"So, what is it exactly?" I look at my sister, pushing my doctored coffee out of the way.

"He's not going to propose because I did. And we went and got married down at the courthouse. Nobody was there before you freak out," she explains quickly.

I take a minute to fully understand what she said. "Do Mom and Dad know?"

"I wanted to tell you first." She looks a little sheepish, and I don't know if it's because I've been giving her grief for years about not wanting to get married or because she got married when I didn't.

"Are you happy?" She nods. "Then that's all I care about." I reach across the table for her hands, and she grasps mine.

"Thank you. Mike is really happy you're finally his sister." I laugh.

"He's so good for you. And I love him like a brother; I always have." Cora brings our food around, and we dig in. For a few minutes, we're quiet, and I think how much joy Mike has brought into my sister's life, into my entire family's life.

"You gonna tell me or do I have to wait to hear about it with the girls?" Lauren asks me as we switch plates halfway through the meal.

"Tell you what?" I'm confused.

"Tell me how your trip was?" Now she looks confused.

"Oh! It was actually pretty amazing. I mean, you know most everything already." I shrug, trying to be casual and not think about the amazing kiss Edward and I shared just hours ago.

Lauren just stares at me. "And Edward? Where did you leave that?"

I open my mouth to speak, but I don't tell her. Not because I feel ashamed; actually, the opposite. I feel excited and emboldened by that kiss. No, I don't tell my sister because I have no idea what may happen. While the kiss is definitely something to report, I'd rather have something here, back home, to tell her about.

"We're going to see each other when we're all back and settled," I finally say. "I can't wait for you to meet Jess. I think you'll really get along."

"So, that's all you have to say? Deflecting off Edward and focusing on us hanging out with Jessica?" Lauren looks annoyed.

"What do you want me to say? I literally just got dumped. I don't want to pretend that I can just think about another man or being in a new relationship." I set down my fork, staring at my sister.

"So, you're saying nothing happened?" Lauren eyes me.

I sigh, rolling my eyes. "He kissed me. I don't know what that means, but I know I liked it. I felt … safe, whole somehow."

Lauren smiles gently. "What now?"

"We're going to see each other when he gets back; I mean, we all are." I jolt. "I was supposed to text him when I got in!" I fumble for my bag, searching for my phone.

"Bella."

Ignoring my sister, I keep searching. "I feel so bad. I don't want him to think I'm blowing him off."

"Bell." Lauren is pleading with me to pay attention, but all I can think about is getting in touch with Edward.

"I've been back for almost two hours!"

"Bella!" I look up at my sister's impatient tone and see her pointing to my phone on the tabletop.

I lunge for it ,and she laughs. "Sure, he doesn't mean anything."

"Shut up." I quickly fire off a text to Edward, apologizing for my tardiness.

When he doesn't get back to me right away, I try not to let my disappointment show. I'm sure he's busy with his family. I set my phone back down and smile at my sister.

"Should we go?" I ask, trying to maintain whatever cheeriness I can. Lauren nods and offers to go pay while I gather up my stuff.

Just as she walks away, my phone rings, and Edward's name flashes on the screen.

"Hello?"

"Bella, hi."