It was the middle of July, and the heat was at its peak for the summer. Stepping outside was like stepping in the pits of hell in the South. Not that inside was any better, our air conditioner unit wasn't worth a damn. I wiped the sweat off of my forehead while I started making my way to my car.

I had a lot to do today, so I would have to deal with the heat. Edward worked in it all day, so I felt guilty for complaining. It didn't matter how I felt anyway, today I needed to find a job.

"Boys!" I yelled "Hurry up!"

I watched my kids as they ran out of the front door. My youngest came out first, holding one of his action figures. At five years old, Mason was the spitting image of his father. Lanky, wild hair going in all directions and sparkling green eyes. Looking at him, you wouldn't even know that I carried him for nine months.

My oldest came out next.

"Mommy, are we still getting Ice-Cream?" he asked. Mikey thankfully looked just like me. He's a petite kid, the same size as Mason even though he is a year older. His chocolate brown hair was getting long,I watched him shake it out of his eyes, signaling that it was time for a haircut. He's obviously not finished growing at six years old, but I hoped he would continue to look like me as he grew older. I didn't need a reminder of his father.

"Yes baby, if you two are good today, we'll swing by McDonalds and grab some Ice-Cream, deal?" I asked

"Deal!" He said, climbing into the car.

"Need any help buckling up Mase?" I asked before I got into the driver's seat.

"No Mommy, I'm a big kid." He exclaimed while struggling with his seat belt.

"Big kids need help sometimes too honey" I grinned "Mikey help your brother"

Mason rolled his eyes, but reached over to help his brother get buckled into his booster seat.

I peeled out of the lot, waving at other members of our Mobile Home Community.

Mobile Home Community. Who am I kidding? This is a trailer park.

I looked in the rear view mirror at the boys. I needed them on their best behavior today. It's not easy going job hunting with two kids. I couldn't wait any longer though, with Mason finally starting kindergarten, I needed a job to help with the steadily growing bills. The boys were getting older and eating more, and we were so far behind on our car payment that I was constantly on the lookout for the repossession truck.

Childcare would've eaten up any income I could get, so I stayed home with the boys while Edward broke his back doing as much overtime as possible.

While the kids occupied themselves, I enjoyed the country roads. I needed to go to town to put in any applications. I saw an Ad that the local Gas Station was hiring, and I wanted to see if I could get my job back.

I worked there several years ago, when Mikey was just a few months old. I quit shortly after becoming pregnant with Mason.

I actually met Edward in that same gas station. I always smiled at the memory of meeting him.

Riding through town, I saw the familiar shops and buildings that I grew up with. I've lived in Forktown all of my life and not a damn thing has changed.

Pulling up to the Gas Station, I saw my old friend Jacob's car. Last I heard, Jacob was the manager. Hopefully he'll be able to pull some strings to get me that job.

I turned around to look at my boys. They were arguing over one of the action figures.

"Babies, I need you to-" I started before I was cut off by Mikey

"We're not babies"

"I'm sorry, Grown Men who don't pay any bills" I saw Mikey crack a smile at my joke "I need you both to be on your very best behavior, no touching, no fighting, and afterwards, we can go grab some Ice-Cream okay?"

"You got it mommy" Mason said, giving me a toothy smile.

Walking into the BP with a kid holding each hand, I saw a young girl at the register. We were probably around the same age actually, but she was more youthful somehow. Her hair was stylish and short and she had a permanent smile etched on her face.

"Hey! Welcome to BP! I'm Alice, let me know if you need anything"

"Actually, is Jacob around?" I asked her "Pick out one Candy bar to share" I said looking at the boys. I watched them run down the aisle.

"Jakey! Someone is asking for you!" She yelled towards the back. I heard some shuffling and out walked my former friend.

"Alice if you call me Jakey one more time, I'll— Oh my gosh, Bella is that you girl?" Jacob still had his same lopsided grin and baby face that I remembered. Once upon a time he was my very best friend.

While we agreed to just be friends, Jacob was my first everything. My first kiss, my first date, we lost our virginities to each other. It was never anything serious though, just two kids fooling around. Jacob was dating our old classmate Leah now, and last I heard they were madly in love. I was happy for him.

"It's me! Sorry I've been a stranger, life has been so crazy with the kids. How have you been? How's Billy?"

"Great! Dad's good! He's gonna be so glad to hear from you! Charlie still kicking?" He asked

"Charlie's doing alright for himself"

"I see Edward still being a pussy about putting a ring on that finger" He said looking down at my hands

"Now Jake-"

"Sorry, Bells. You know I couldn't help myself"

"I didn't come here to talk about Edward" I said sharply, then I realized that's probably not the best way to ask for a job. "I came to see if you guys were still hiring cashiers."

Jacob looked surprised for a moment, and then his face lit up.

"Depends on who is applying." Jake said with his eyebrows raised

"I need something to do while the boys are in school" I shrugged my shoulders, trying not to let the desperation show on my face.

"When can you start?"

————

I texted Edward the good news sitting in the McDonalds play area after buying the kids an Buy one get one free Ice-Cream. I was grateful for the coupon, they're starting to outgrow the one ice-cream and two cups trick.

I got a job. How's work? - Bella

I took a sip of my water while I waited for him to reply.

Where? Works good, can't wait to come home to you. - Edward

Over at the Gas Station, my old stomping grounds. I can start when the boys go back to school in a few weeks. - Bella

Jacob still working there? - Edward

"Here we fucking go" I mumbled

Yes, he's the one that hired me - Bella

We'll talk about it when I get home - Edward

My shoulders sank, I should've known he would have an issue with me working with Jacob again.

"Mommy, mommy, mommy!" Mason ran up to me "Watch me go down the slide?"

Mason grabbed my hand and walked me over to the playpen.

"I can go faster than you!" Mikey yelled going down the huge slide.

"No you can't!" Mason replied.

"Y'all be careful"

With them being so close in age, people often confused them for fraternal twins or cousins. For the first few years of their lives, they would fight constantly. They've finally gotten to an age where they actually enjoy playing together, there was still some competitiveness there, but it was better than breaking up their tumbling.

"Is Daddy going to be home tonight" Mikey asked, taking a break to sip his water.

"Daddy's home every night kiddo"

"No, is he going to be home while we're awake?"

"I'm not too sure baby" Mikey looked down as soon as the words came out of my mouth.

"But hey, if you fall asleep before Daddy gets home, how about I have him wake you up to watch wrestling tonight?" I whispered to him, as if it were some secret from his brother. Realistically I knew they both would wake up when Edward got home. But I knew that would make Mikey smile.

"Okay mommy" he whispered back.

"Now one more trip down the slide for each of you, and we're going home" I smacked his bottom lightly and watched him grab his brother for one last hoorah down the slide.

I'll be forever grateful that Edward loves Mikey as if he's his own. Edward is the only father he's known, and he doesn't know that Edwsrd is not his biological father.

Mikey's father, James, has been out of the picture since I told him I was pregnant at 17 years old. He didn't want to stick around, he already had two kids with a girl named Victoria in the next town over. He was older and I really thought I loved the guy. Charlie was there for me every step of the way, and I couldn't be more grateful as my mom had dipped out when I was just a toddler.

I was a heartbroken, lonely 18 year old with a newborn Mikey when I met Edward. I thought I loved James, but I didn't know what true love really was until I met Edward. I had resigned myself to believing that Mikey would be the only boy in my life.

Edward came into my world and turned it upside down. After a few months of dating, I found out I was pregnant with Mason.

Now that was the surprise of the century.

My Dad was a little less supportive this time around, as I had now turned into a trailer trash statistic. A Teenager with two baby daddies.

Edward had already stepped up to be an amazing father to Mikey, but when I told him I was pregnant again, he turned into a real family man. I watched my boyfriend, a high school dropout, get his GED because he needed a good paying job to support his family. I was there when he worked overtime every week to pay for our trailer. He pulled countless hours at his construction site to buy our family car.

My pregnancy with Mason was so different from my pregnancy with Mikey. Edward treated me as if I were a princess. Like our family was the only thing in the world that mattered.

——-

The boys, still hyped up on sugar, were singing along to the country radio on our way home.

I had to figure out what we were having for dinner tonight. We still had some ground beef leftover to make a pot of spaghetti. Spaghetti could be stretched for a few days, even though the boys would start getting sick of it. It would stretch long enough for us to budget groceries for next week. Money was tight right now, and even the boy's 1.50 ice-cream today was a luxury.

I pulled into the lot, Sue and Harry were sitting on their front steps. I waved at the older couple. They've both been an amazing help with the boys when Edward and I have needed them. They've lived in their double-wide since I was a small child, they're both long-time friends of my Dad.

Driving further in, the air got hazy as my car kicked up dirt. I unloaded the boys out of the car, looking at the time.I shot Edward a quick message.

When will you be home? - Bella

Around 7 -Edward

Perfect, I had just enough time to get dinner started and the boys washed up.

I turned on some music and wrangled the boys to get into the tub. They smelled like their long day. I started singing along, setting up my kitchen to start dinner for my boys.

I just turned off the stove when I heard the door rattle and turned to see Edward come in.

His eyes were tired, he's been at work since 5am today. He carried a dirty lunch box in one hand and a six pack in the other. I narrowed my eyes at the six pack of beer.

"Relax baby, it's the weekend" he said, placing his belongings on the counter and snaking his arms around me. He gently kissed my lips, knowing I could never resist.

"I know" I replied "Sit down, get off your feet, Dinners about ready"

He squeezed my ass when he finally let me go, giving me another kiss on my forehead.

"DADDY!" I heard the kids yell, running out of their shared room.

"There goes my strong boys, come over here and tell Daddy about your day" Edward walked over to the recliner and kicked his boots off, placing each kid on each of his knees. The boys started talking his ear off, as I filled each plate with dinner, placing it on our folding table in the middle of the kitchen.

Dinner was uneventful, the kids made a mess with the spaghetti as they tried to tell their father about their day, they didn't see him enough anymore so they were enjoying every second they could get with him.

After their bellies were filled, their day caught up to them. Edward and I were soon carrying two sleeping children to their room. I watched Edward as he kissed both of them on their foreheads before turning off their light.

"So you just couldn't wait to start working with Jacob again I see" Edward said as we retreated back to the living room.

"It's a job Edward, I need it"

"There's tons of places hiding Baby, you didn't need to go begging Jacob for a job as if I can't provide for you"

"So that's what this is about? I'm doing this for us, we need to catch up"

"I'm sure Jacob wants to catch up too"

"Edward, please. He's giving me great hours and I can work with the boys' school schedule. Besides, town gossip says that Jacob and Leah are thinking about getting married soon. It's not like that between us, it has never been"

Edward cracked open one of his beers and took a long sip.

"If he crosses any lines, I want you to apply somewhere else okay?"

I went over to sit in his lap, much like the kids did earlier. I ran my fingers through his hair, bringing my hands to his face.

"Do you not trust me" I asked

"I trust you with my life babygirl, I don't trust him." He softly replied, running his hands down my back.

It's no secret that Jacob and Edward didn't get along. Jacob thought Edward took advantage of my vulnerability, he thought our seven year age difference was too much when we first met. He also believed that Edward turned me into a housewife, or trailer girlfriend. After having Mikey, I still had plans to go to community college. After I had Mason, I knew there wasn't a chance in hell that I could afford to go to college with two young kids. Even with my scholarships. So I put my dreams on the back burner.

Jacob was very vocal about disliking Edward. Edward in turn, hated Jacob because he's….Jacob. He didn't like that I was still a close friend to a man I had slept with, even if it was only once. I placed distance between Jacob and I over the past few years, but it would never change our past.

"It's only you Edward" I whispered "it'll always be you"

I straddled him, kissing him long and hard. I felt him harden underneath me, knowing we would soon take this to our bedroom.

He held my hips down, grinding himself into me.

"Say that again baby"

"It's only you. I'll only ever love you"

I meant those words, no matter what happens, It'll always be Edward. My family is everything.

"I love you baby girl" he moaned, planting kisses along my neck.

"This job will take some stress off of you too, I want you home more, the boys miss their daddy"

"What about you? Do you miss me too?" He was still thrusting his hips into me. "It's been so long baby, show me how much you miss me"

I did.

————

I will try my hardest to update this story and Teachers Pet weekly! Let me know what you think! This idea came to me as I was road tripping through South Carolina! Still finding a solid direction I'd like to take it in.