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All my attempts to contact Rebecca were failing. She avoided me and Jeannie. I wanted to scream at her that this was her granddaughter. Why didn't she want to see her?

Renée did come visit and stayed with the Cullens. Phil had to stay and finish coaching for the summer, but Renée bought an airline ticket from Seattle to Jacksonville for me so Phil could see Jeannie.

Esme threw a elegant barbeque in honor of Renée coming to town and invited all my friends, and Rebecca. Guess who didn't come.

Renée spent the whole day holding Jeannie while chatting up with my friends. She was perfectly at home being the young, pretty grandma.

Inside, while Angela, Alice, Rose and I were relaxing with some lemonade, we planned Angela's next baby shower. I was a little uptight, thinking about what had happened the last time we had had a girls-only baby shower.

"Let's have Jake there, too, this time," I said, nervously.

"We'll keep him close by," Angela said.

"Have you heard anything from Rebecca?" Rosalie asked.

"No," I said. "I was going by the store, trying to see her, but she won't see me. I've written her notes, I don't know, she avoids us."

"It's pretty bad, Bella," Angela said. "Isaac was let go."

"What?" I cried. "Why?"

"The store's failing," she said. "Rebecca's so depressed, she's gone nuts. She'll make the stock boys do the same job over and over again until she's satisfied with it, and then they'll come in, and she's double ordered it again from the suppliers. Most of them have quit because their paychecks started bouncing. Isaac told me what's been going on."

"Is that why she's not seeing me?" I cried.

"Maybe she thinks you're trying to take over for her," Angela said. "And that's why she doesn't want to see you. Paranoia can do that."

"But, I just want to let her see her grandchild!" I cried. "I don't know anything about business! I have a hard enough time balancing my checkbook!"

"She's lost her son and her husband all at once, Bella," Angela said. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost Jake and Will at once."

There was a lot of stock in Angela's words. She had gotten her masters in psychology before she had gotten pregnant and come home to La Push to get married to Jacob. I knew that I had been a complete bitch to everyone when I lost Mike. And I was still a bit depressed, now. But, I already loved Jeannie so much, I knew that I'd lay down on railroad tracks if anything happened to her, too.

After we planned some games and a tropical beach baby theme for the baby shower, I went outside. Carlisle was standing over the grill, sweating over the hamburgers and veggie patties and my teacher friends had their kids running around with Emmett, playing with water guns, screaming. Renée was hold court with Jeannie in her lap and the rest of my friends from La Push High and Sue Weber were all listening to her tell a story about me as a kid. Charlie was sitting with Billy and a few of the men from the reservation and the Forks PD, drinking beers. Jasper was helping Esme with keeping the food covered until time to eat. I saw Jessica come in through the back entrance to the backyard with a Pampered Chef stonewear tray of brownies.

"Hi, Jess," I said.

"Hi, Bella!" she cried. "Sorry, I'm late!"

"Is Edward with you?" I asked.

"No, why?"

"I thought he was coming," I said.

"I don't know. I'll call him," she said. "Did you think we were exclusive or something?"

"No," I said.

"It's been six months, it's OK if you're ready to start dating, again," she said.

"No, not quite," I admitted.

"I think Edward would be perfect for you!" she cried.

"Didn't you go out with him?" I asked.

"A couple of times, yes," she said. "We don't have that much in common, though. I'm seeing somebody who lives in Port Angeles, now. Exclusively."

"Oh," I said.

"You've lost your baby weight. You come down to the hospital sometime and we'll find a cute dress or something that you can wear-"

"Jessica, I'm not going to come on to him," I said, blushing.

"It's OK if you do," she said. "I think he likes you."

"I've got a kid," I said. "I'm widowed. He's not going to go after a widow. And, I don't have a job, I'm one step away from food stamps. What doctor is going to go after a girl who doesn't have a career and practically is on welfare?"

"Prince Charming," Jessica said.

"Royalty, he is not," I said. "And I am not Cinderella."

"Let me put this down, this stonewear is heavy," she said.

"ROAR!" Jessica and I both jumped. About ten little kids came running from behind the shed.

"AHHH!" the kids screamed. Emmett came out from behind the shed, chasing them, his arms outstretched like Frankenstein, his legs stiff, unbending. I saw Rosalie roll her eyes and smile and turn back to her conversation. Emmett was so cute. He was going to make an incredibly cute goofy dad one day.

After Carlisle slowed down on the grill and everybody had something to eat, and all the kids dogpiled on Emmett, we lit the tiki torches to keep the mosquitoes away as the sun went down. It was pleasant.

"Are you having a good time?" I asked Renée.

"I'm having a blast!" Renée said. "Your friends are so fun! If I can just keep all their names straight!"

"Guess who's here," Jessica hissed in my ear. I forgot our earlier conversation for a moment, but I turned around to see Edward Cullen entering with a six pack of beer, talking to Carlisle.

"Better late than never."