Whooo!!! I updated!!! I just sat down and did it. Though it's now after 1 AM here and I have to be up at 7 AM for class....see how awesome I am?? Hope you like. BTW I love Claire's character. :) Remember...I own nothing!


Eric. Ethan. Emmett.

An hour has gone by and I'm still in shock. I keep staring at the ring on the bedside table. I, Isabella Swan, am married. I don't even feel old enough to be married.

Elliot. Errol. Egbert.

Oh please, God, not Egbert.

I've looked through everything to try to figure out what "E" could possibly stand for. Shouldn't I know? Shouldn't I remember my own husband's name? You'd think it would be ingrained in me.

When the door opens, I sort of freak out, expecting it to be him. I let out a sigh of relief when it was just my mom.

"Those traffic cops have no hearts. I was only at the vet for twenty minutes -"

"Mom! I have amnesia! I've lost my memory...I've lost a whole part of my life...I'm so scared."

"Oh, yes, the nurse mentioned that," she said as she briefly looked up at me. My mom's not the greatest at maintaining eye contact. It used to bug the hell out me when I was a kid but now I just accepted it.

She sat down and started pulling off her coat. "I know exactly how you feel...why everyday I feel like I remember less and less-"

"Mom, it's not exactly the same thing. It's not like I forgot where I put my keys, I've lost three years of my life. I don't know who I am in 2007. I don't look the same or dress the same...and I have these rings...Mom, am I really married?"

"Of course you are married!" She really appeared surprised that I didn't know. "Edward will be here any minute. I told you that earlier."

"Edward's my husband? Wow. I thought he was a dog."

"Edward...a dog?" You've really hit your head hard."

I kept repeating the name Edward in my head to see how it felt. My husband, Edward.

And it means nothing about me. The name Edward...it's just a name. I don't feel either way about it.

I love you, Edward. I will worship you with my body, Edward.

Shouldn't my body respond? Shouldn't I feel something, anything? Shouldn't the love cells be waking up? But I feel absolutely nothing.

"He had a very important meeting this morning. Other than that, though, he's been here with you night and day," my mom informed me.

"Right...so...what is he like?"

"He's...very nice."

"Is he..." and I stop. I couldn't ask if he was good looking. That would be shallow. And what if she avoids the question and says he's funny? Oh God...what if he's obese? What if I got to know his beautiful inner soul as we exchanged love notes over e-mail and now I have to pretend his looks don't matter?

We fall into silence and I can't help checking out my mom's choice of clothes. They are from the 70s. She doesn't understand that frills are just not in anymore. She still wears the same clothes she did when she met my hair. And the same hair do. And the same frosty lipstick. It's like she thinks she is still in her twenties.

I didn't let her know this. We weren't bit in the mother-daughter relationship thing. Once I had tried to confide in her when I broke up with my first boyfriend. Big mistake. She didn't even sympathize with me. Heck, she barely listened. She thought I was deliberately trying to hurt her by talking about relationships.

So I gave up and called Jessica.

"Did you manage to order those sofa covers for me, Bella?" My mom interrupted my thoughts. "You know...the ones off the Internet? You were going to do it last week."

Did she not hear anything I said? About the whole memory loss thing?

"Mom, I don't know. I don't remember anything from the last three years."

"Sorry darling, I'm being stupid."

"I don't know what I was doing last week...or last year...I don't even know who my own husband is...it's pretty scary."

"Of course...absolutely. The thing is I don't remember the name of the website so if you do happen to recall-"

"I'll let you know." I couldn't help but snap at her. "If I get my memory back the first thing I'll do is run to you and let you know."

"No need to raise your voice, Bella."

Okay. It's official. In 2007, my mom still drives me nuts. Surely I have grown out of being agitated by her by now. I start picking at my nails but immediately stop. Twenty-eight year old Bella does not shred her nails.

"So...what does he do?" I return to the subject of my husband. I still can't believe he exists.

"Who...Edward?"

"Yes, of course Edward!"

"He sales properties. He's very good at it."

I married a real-estate agent named Edward.

How?

Why?

"So...do we live in my apartment?"

"You're apartment! Heaves no! You sold that a long time ago. You live in a home now."

"Sold it? But I only just bought it!"

I loved my apartment. It had purple everywhere. I loved the color purple. And it had strings of lights hanging from the ceilings and it was just adorable. And around my vanity were fairy lights. Why would I ever want to sell it?

I look over at my rings on the table and then to my mom's hand. She still wears the ring Dad gave her. Even when things were bad...

Oh God...Dad..his funeral.

"Mom...I'm really sorry I missed Dad's funeral...did it go alright?"

"You didn't miss it dear. You were there." She says this as though I have lost my mind. Well, I guess I kind of did.

"Oh...right...I just don't remember it."

I can't remember my own wedding or my dad's funeral...I was a mess.

"Have you had lunch? I haven't had much of anything. I didn't have time. Just some toast. Now, I will find us something to eat. And I'll make sure you eat properly. I don't understand that no carbs diet you are on. A potato won't kill you!"

No carbs? Is that how I got to look like this? It must be. Wow.

"My appearance has changed a lot, hasn't it? My hair...my teeth..."

"I suppose so. It's been so gradual I barely notice."

"I won't be long," my mom says as she picks up her purse. "Claire should be here any minute now."

"Claire's here?" I got so excited by the prospect of seeing my little sister. I can just imaging her in her cute little sweaters and light up shoes.

"Yes, she's just downstairs buying chocolate. She's very fond of those mint Kit Kats."

They had mint Kit Kats? The world really had changed in 2007.

* * * * *

Claire's not my half-sister or my stepsister. That's what most people assume. No, she is 100% my flesh and blood. But, A) she's 13 years younger than I and B) my mom and dad split up before she was born.

Well, not really "split up" but I don't know how to define it. He wasn't home a lot but they never really got a divorce. And he would always come home for Christmas or some other holiday and that's how we got little Claire.

She's so adorable. She always wants to braid my hair and play with her Dance! Dance! game.

There's a faint knocking at the door and I look up. "Come in."

"Hi, Bella?"

An unfamiliar voice of a girl of about fifteen came through. She had low cut jeans and a shirt that showed off her stomach. Her belly button was pierced and her hair was to her shoulders, spiked out with blue streaks. She had so much mascara on it killed me. I have no idea who she is.

"You're face still looks fucked up."

"Oh," the girls eyes narrow as she studies me.

"Bella, it's me...you do know it's me don't you?"

"Right! Look, I"m sorry...I've had an accident and I don't remember anything much and I'm sure we've met-"

"Bella! It's me...Claire!"

* * * * *

I'm speechless. This can not be my baby sister. This can not be my Claire.

But it is. Claire has turned into a tall, sassy teenager. Practically an adult. As she saunters around the room I am mesmerized by the height of her. The confidence of her.

"Is there any food? I'm starving."

"Mom's getting me some lunch. You can share it if you like."

"Great! So you don't remember anything? That's cool."

"It's not cool. I remember right up to Dad's funeral and then it's gone and I basically just woke up last night for the first time."

"Far out. So you don't remember me visiting you before?"

"Nope. All I remember you is twelve. With a ponytail and braces. And lots of cute hair clips."

"Don't remind me. So...let me get this straight. The whole of the last three years is gone?"

"Yeah...I don't remember anything. Apparently I'm married...were you like a bridesmaid or something at the wedding?"

"Yeah...it was cool. Hey I don't want to bring this up when you are sick and all but-"

"What? Tell me?"

"It's just...you owe me $100. You borrowed it last week when you're check card wasn't working and you said you'll pay me back. I suppose you'll remember..."

"Oh...okay well just help yourself," I say pointing at my bag, "I don't know if there will be anything in there."

"There will be," she says as she quickly pockets the cash.

"Wait a minute...do you know about..."

"What?"

"No one's told you have they?"

"Told me what?"

"Wow. I know they were trying to break things to you slowly and all...but you'd think you should know rather than later..."

"Know what...what Claire? Tell me!"

She seems to debate with herself before telling me to wait where I was. Like I was going anywhere.

She walks out the door and comes back in holding an Asian baby about a year old.

"This is Lennon. He's your son."

I stare at them, frozen in my spot. I find out today that I'm married. Now I have a kid too?

"I guess you don't remember him either? You adopted him from Vietnam six months ago. It was quite a story. You had to smuggle him out in your bag. You almost got arrested."

I adopted a baby?

I'm not ready to be a mom. I don't know the first thing about kids.

"Say hello to your baby. He calls you Moo-mah by the way," she says as she brings the baby over to me.

"Hi Lennon," I say, very uncomfortable, "it's Moo-mah...come to Moo-mah."

I look up and see Claire about to burst out in laughter. Then she does.

"Sorry!"

"Claire, what's going on? Is this really my baby?"

"I saw him in the hallway before...I just couldn't resist. You're face was so funny...'Come to Moo-mah'."

I heard cries coming from outside the door. His parents.

"Put him back now!"

I don't have a kid. Thank fuck. But Claire..she used to be so sweet. What happened to her?

"I can't believe you just did that," I tell her when she comes back from returning the baby. "You could have given me a heart attack and if I died it would be all your fault."

"I'm sorry it's just that people can tell you all kinds of bullshit. You need to get with it and figure out something."

"So...what's my husband like? What does he look like?"

"Of course! You have no idea!"

"Mom said he was nice..."

"He's lovely. He's got a great sense of humor. They are operating on his hump next week."

"Ha. Nice try Claire."

"He would be hurt if he heard you say that. This is 2007, Bella, we don't judge based on looks anymore. And Edward is so sweet. It's not his fault he was born that way."

"Can he walk?"

"He walked for the first time at your wedding...it was amazing...he finally got out of his chair...the preacher was in shock..."

That's when I notice her about to laugh again.

"You little cow!"

"I'm sorry," she giggled, "but this is such a good game!"

"It's not a game! It's my life! I don't know my husband or how I met him."

"Okay. What happened was you were talking to this grizzled old hobo on the street. His name was Edward-"

"Claire!"

"Fine!" she said as she raised her hands in defeat. "If you really want to know..."

"Duh!"

"You met him on a TV show."

"Try again."

"It's true! I'm not bullshitting! You met him on the reality show Ambition. He was one of the judges and you were a contestant. You didn't get very far in the show but you met Edward and hit it off."

"I was on a reality show?'

"Yeah. It was really cool. All my friends watched and voted for you. You should have won."

"Why would I be on a show like that?"

"To be the boss? To get ahead? That's why you had your teeth and hair done. To look good on TV."

"But I'm not that ambitious..."

"Are you kidding me? You are the most ambitious person I know. As soon as your boss quit his job you went for it. All the head guys saw you on the tv and were really impressed by you and gave it to you. You are the youngest director they've ever had."

Then my mom walked in, "I've brought some lasagna! And guess what...Edward's here!"

"Here? In the hospital?"

"Yes. He's on his way up right now. I told him to give you a few moments to prepare yourself."

"Mom...I don't think I'm up for this yet. Maybe tomorrow...when I'm a bit more used to things?"

"Darling...you can't turn your husband away. He rushed from business to see you."

"But I don't want to..."

"Darling, he's your husband. You have nothing to worry about."

"He might trigger a memory. You might see him and go, 'Edward! My love! I remember!'" Claire chimed in.

"Shut up."

"Hello?" a knock and a muffled man's voice could be heard behind the door.

Oh my God he's already here.

"Hold on a minute Edward!" my mom called. "Tidy yourself up a bit. You look like you've gone through something rough."

"Mom, give her a break. She was dragged through a car. Remember?" Amy said, actually coming to my rescue for once today.

My mom tried to comb my hair but she was driving me nuts so I pushed her away.

"I'll open the door," Claire said.

"Wait just a second...Mom it's too soon. Can't you just tell him to come back tomorrow?"

"Don't be silly! He's your husband and you've just been in a car accident. He's been worried sick. We've kept him waiting long enough, poor guy."

"What if a hate him?"

"Stop it. He's very nice."

"Just don't mention his toupee...or his Nazi past...."

"Claire! Enough."

My mom opens the door and in walks the most drop-dead gorgeous man I have ever seen. And he's carrying roses.


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