Chapter 26:
Bella POV:
That first week went by very quickly. We both had taken time off of work for our "honeymoon." We hadn't planned a trip like most newlyweds. We were going to stay home and unpack and get things put where we wanted them in the house. And we had planned on spending a lot of time in our new giant bed. Unfortunately, I spent time in bed, but not the way I had planned. I was on "partial bed-rest," which according to the instructions I had from the hospital, meant that I was to be "laying, reclining or sitting most of the time." I could move around a little at a time, but "no steps, no lifting, no quick movement, and no sexual activity." Yeah, the last one was the hardest.
So, while Jacob unpacked boxes, I would sit on the couch and tell him where I thought things should go. Or I reclined in bed against the pillows telling him in which drawer my underwear and socks should go. Poor Jake. He was doing all the work. I felt horribly guilty, but he got me back by making me write all of the thank you notes. I felt like my right hand would be cramped forever. And licking all of those envelopes – yuck!
We did take a break every now and then to sit on the new porch swing. I loved it! I thanked Jake over and over for getting it for me. We sat there in the evenings, his arm around my shoulders, and watched the lightning bugs come out. It was perfect.
We ate all our meals at our little table, which I loved. We watched TV, we talked, and we cuddled in the big bed. We made out, too, like we used to when we knew that Billy and Charlie were around. We were kissing on the couch one night, and Jacob actually got up and told me it was late, and he should probably get home. I burst out laughing then he realized what he had just said.
Sam graciously offered to take over Alpha duties for awhile so Jake could spend time with me. He was very relieved and grateful for that. But, after the first week, Jake started feeling guilty about it, so he called a pack meeting at our house. Jake felt like he had been ignoring the pack, and he needed to get back in touch with what was going on with them. We had been wrapped up in our own little world with the wedding, and . . . well, it had been awhile.
Seth came early and sat on the porch swing with me. I never had a little brother, so I kind of thought of Seth that way. We sat there and talked a little about the baby then I asked him what was going on with him.
"Well, I have been thinking about maybe going to college someday . . . and being a doctor. What do you think about that?" he asked me shyly.
"Seth! I think that is a great idea!" I said excitedly.
He smiled then said seriously. "I started thinking about it when Jake got hurt. I watched Dr. Cullen set his bones, and I thought that maybe the pack should have a doctor like that. Then, at the party, when Jake picked you up and started running, and there was all that blood . . . " he stopped for a second then went on, "I remember wishing there was something that I could have done."
I put my hand on his arm and looked at him. "Seth, I think you would make a great doctor. You have such a big heart, and I know that you would be really good at taking care of people. But, can you go to college? I mean, I know as a member of the pack, you can only go so far from the reservation."
"Yeah, I don't know, I guess I should find out about that, huh? Anyway, I have to finish school here first before I think that far ahead," he said with a smile. "You know, you're the first person I've actually talked to about this."
I smiled. "Really?" He nodded. "Thanks, Seth. That means a lot." I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
"Uh-oh! Does Jake know that you're trying to steal his woman?" Embry called out as he came up the walk.
I think Seth turned every shade of red. "Don't let him get to you, Seth. He's just jealous," I said with a grin.
Embry walked up on the porch, Quil behind him. He looked at me and said with a smile, "I am actually. Jake's got it pretty good." He walked behind the swing, bent down and kissed me on the cheek. Then he nodded at Quil, and they walked into the house. I looked over at Seth, stunned and he burst out laughing.
My mom spent some time visiting each day that week. I was actually glad to have her around. She helped put things away in the kitchen, and she helped with laundry. She washed our new sheets and towels before we used them. Our house came with a washing machine, but no dryer. We had a clothes line out back, so for now, we were drying outside. We hoped we could find a good used dryer before it got cold. She would hang the laundry to dry then bring it in so I could help fold.
I was doing just that towards the end of that first week and we were talking. She opened up to me that things were not going well with Phil. Apparently, they had not been good for a long while. "That's really why he didn't come here with me for the wedding, Bella. He brought up the subject of a divorce right before I left," Renee said.
"Mom! Why didn't you tell me before this? What happened?" I asked her.
"Oh Bella, I don't know. I didn't want to worry you," she started." I guess we didn't know each other very well when we got married, you know? He traveled so much with the team when we first got married. We never really took the time to spend together until we settled down in Jacksonville and he quit playing baseball to coach. Somewhere along the line, we realized that we didn't like being around each other as much as we thought we did when we were dating. He always wanted to hang out with his old baseball buddies. They would be out until 3 or 4 in the morning, drinking and doing . . . well, I didn't want to know what else. I just couldn't take it anymore. I told him that it would have to be them or me. I guess he chose them." Tears were falling fast now. "I just feel like such a fool, Bella."
I put my arm around her. "Mom, you're not the fool. He is." I let her cry it out, and kept handing her Kleenexes. Jacob came in from outside where he had been mowing the lawn to find us like this. He looked at me and raised his eyebrows as if to ask, "What's going on?" I mouthed to him, "Tell you later" and he nodded and walked into the kitchen. I heard him put ice in a glass and run the water.
Mom had heard Jacob come in, so she sat up and blew her nose. He walked into the living room, held up his glass of water then went back outside, letting the screen door slam behind him.
"Does Dad know any of this?" I asked her.
She smiled. "Yes. Unfortunately for him, he walked in on a phone call I had with Phil the other night. I hung up and poured the whole story out to him. He sat there across from me at the kitchen table and listened to every word without interrupting once. Then he reached out and put his hand on top of mine and said, 'Honey, I'm sorry. Phil's an ass.' "
I chuckled at that and said, "Yep, that's my dad."
"Your dad has been very sweet to me. He even told me I could stay as long as I needed to," she said. I could hear something in her voice. Something else she wasn't saying.
I looked at her. "Mom? Are you and Dad . . ." I couldn't finish the question.
She smiled a small smile through her tears. "What are you asking me Bella? Are you asking me if your dad and I are friends? Yes. Are we anything else? I don't know . . . yet."
"But could you be?" I asked her. They had been divorced for a very long time, but I knew that Charlie had never really gotten over her. Billy told me that Dad had tried to date a couple of women over the years, but he always said he was too busy with work. After a while, he didn't even try. I let myself get a little excited at the thought of my parents being together, but again, I would never want to see Charlie hurt like that again.
"I don't know, Bella. It's way too soon to tell. I haven't even divorced Phil yet," She sighed. "I'm leaving on Friday to go back to Jacksonville. I need to talk to Phil and work out the details of the divorce."
"Are you going to stay in Jacksonville or will you move back to Phoenix?" I asked her.
"I know I don't want to stay in Florida. And I don't really know anyone back in Phoenix anymore. I was actually thinking about . . . moving here. What would you think about that?" She looked at me and tried to read my expression.
I thought about that. Mom and Dad both here. It would be great, especially for the baby. To have all of its grandparents here in one place. "I would love it, Mom, especially with the baby coming. But you hated living here when you were married to Dad. You couldn't wait to get out of here. Could you really be happy living here? The sun doesn't shine here like it does in Arizona and Florida."
"Oh Bella. I was so young when I married your dad and had you. I wasn't nearly as mature as you are now. I always felt tied down here. Like I would never go anywhere or see anything. I felt like I was missing something. I took you and moved to Phoenix, and I think we were happy for awhile, weren't we?" I nodded and she went on, "But I felt so guilty shuttling you back and forth. I know that was hard on you. But now, I am much older . . . yuck, and I hope a little wiser . . . and I realized I wasn't missing anything. I've actually only now realized what I missed out on by moving away. I always felt bad for what I did to your father. I know that it tore him up pretty badly. I would like to think, if I did move here, that maybe your dad and I could find a way to at least be friends. We'll just have to wait and see how it goes." She smiled at me.
I smiled back. "I know it was hard on you, but I think the best thing I ever did was move here to Forks to live with Dad. It was very awkward at first, but now I can't imagine not being with him. I love him very much, and I know he loves me. We have a great relationship. But, Mom, I couldn't stand to see him hurt like that again. So be careful, OK?"
She smiled and put her hand on my knee. "Bella, it's good to see you so protective of your dad. He feels the same about you. We are going to take time to get to know each other again, that's all. OK? Now, let's get this laundry folded and put away, shall we?"
Later that evening, as we sat out on the porch swing, I shared with Jacob everything that Mom had told me. "Whoa. Your mom and dad might get back together? You know, Bella, they are staying all alone in that house together. Maybe I should have a talk with Charlie about 'funny business.'" We both burst out laughing.
Then I said, "Ooh, Jake, gross! I don't want to think about my parents doing that!" I smacked him on the arm.
"OK, how about thinking about you and me doing that?" he asked me as he put his arm around me.
"Mmm, I think about that way too much," I admitted.
He laughed. "God, me, too. When is that doctor's appointment?" he asked.
"Not until next Friday," I groaned.
He pulled me close and said, "One more week, babe. One more week. Then watch out."
Jacob POV:
Monday came around and I hated to leave Bella and go back to work. Embry had been working extra hours all week to keep up while I was gone. He even had Quil come in a couple of days to help him, but I needed to get back. We were trying hard to save up to buy a shop in town. We had really outgrown my dad's garage and we needed more space. We were close to making a deal with the guy, but we needed to finish all of the work we had lined up and collect the money to try and make the deal.
"Jake, I will be fine," Bella was saying. "I haven't had any pain or spotting at all this week. I have been eating, and I promise that I will NOT over do it. I won't lift anything, I won't go up or down any steps. I won't take a shower until tonight when you are home. Emily is coming over today with Lily, so I will be fine. Now GO," Bella said, practically pushing me out the door.
"OK, OK! How about one more kiss?" Ha! I knew she couldn't pass that up. I put my arms around her, bent down and kissed her. "Mmm, maybe one more." I kissed her again, this time slower and longer.
"Jake, you better go now, or not at all," she said with her lips on mine.
I pulled back and smiled at her. "OK, I'm out of here." I turned and went to the door, opened it, then turned back and said, "Be good!"
"GO!" she yelled at me with a smile.
So I did. I pulled up to the garage and Embry was already there working on a truck. I walked in with a bag of donuts and two coffees. Embry pulled his head out from under the hood and said, "I smell coffee."
"Hey, bro." I handed him his cup of coffee and set the donuts on the bench. "Where are you on this truck?" I asked as I took a bite out of a donut.
He took a sip of coffee and started digging around in the donut bag. "No chocolate frosted?"
"Sorry, dude, they were out."
"Shit," he said as he took out a glazed donut and bit into it. "Almost done with this one," he said with his mouth full. "I just put the new alternator in and was getting ready to start it up."
We stood there and talked about the work we had to do yet then he said, "Hey, old man Collins called this morning and wants to talk to us today. He's ready to make a deal on the shop, but he wants to talk terms. We are going to need a co-signer. There's no way around it. We're only 19."
I nodded my head and finished my donut. "OK. I'll call Charlie and ask him to meet us there." That day Charlie and I had lunch in the hospital, I was telling him about Embry and I saving to buy this auto repair shop. It was older, and small, but in pretty sound shape. And it was in a good location, too. Charlie had asked how Embry and I were going to buy it because we were only 19, and there was no bank that would lend two 19-year old boys that kind of money. So, he offered to co-sign for us. I couldn't believe it! I told him there was no way I would let him do that. We wanted to do it on our own. But it would take forever to save the money to buy it outright, even though Mr. Collins was making us a really good offer since he liked us so much. I had known him for a long time and he had taught me a lot about cars over the years. Whenever I was stuck on something, I always went to him and he would teach me how to fix it.
Charlie insisted, saying that I was his son, too, now and family helps family. That meant a lot. Plus he figured he might as well "through his weight around as the sheriff in this town. It ought to be good for something!" he had said.
"You sure he'll do it for us?" Embry asked.
"Yeah, he really wants to. I just feel bad we have to have him do it. I wish there was a way to do it on our own," I said as I took another drink of coffee.
"Well, there isn't. Sorry, dude! I'm going to start this baby up and hope it's fixed," he said as he headed back to the truck.
"OK. I'll step outside and call Charlie." I walked out of the garage and heard the truck start up on the first try.
Bella POV:
Emily came over for lunch and brought Lily. She was so cute and was crawling everywhere now. We ate our lunch in the living room, so Lily could play on the floor. Emily spread a bunch of her toys out, and she was busy playing.
"So, before long, Lily will have a playmate," Emily said excitedly.
I smiled. "Not until November. Seems like a long way away to me."
"It will go fast. Once the morning sickness is gone, you feel really good until the last few weeks when you just want someone to open you up and get that thing out of you." We shared a laugh over that. I remember Emily saying that during the last couple weeks before Lily was born.
"I haven't had much morning sickness. I guess I'm pretty lucky. I did in the beginning, and that's how I knew something was up. But I haven't had any at all for the last couple of weeks," I told her.
I looked down at Lily and smiled at her. She gave me a cute baby grin. She had two bottom teeth now and it looked so cute when she smiled.
"I'm a little worried at how I am going to handle everything. I mean, I need to keep working because we need the money, and I would like to keep going to school. I guess I will have to drop that for now," I told her.
"Oh Bella. You can still take classes, but now you have to be more creative. Like, take a class at night while Jacob is home to watch the baby, or maybe online classes. And I can help you out too. I would be glad to babysit for you while you work or go to school," she offered with a smile.
"Really?" I asked.
"Sure! I love being home with Lily. Sam and I keep talking about having another baby. Babysitting your baby would be good practice for me." Just then, she looked down and saw Lily scrambling toward the kitchen. "Lily! Come back here you little stinker!" Emily got up and chased Lily.
I picked up our dishes and walked into the kitchen. Emily was holding Lily and talking softly to her. I stood and watched for a second then Emily looked over at me and smiled. Very soon, that will be me. I will be a mom. Wow.
I smiled back and set the dishes down by the sink. "Emily, I hope that I can be a good mom, like you."
"Oh Bella." She came over and hugged me, squishing Lily between us. She pulled away and Lily grabbed my hair. "You will be, don't worry. And I will be here to help on those days when the baby has been crying for what seems like hours, it's 2 in the afternoon and you haven't had a shower yet, the house is a mess, and you think you just can't take it anymore. You will call me, and I will come over and help, and everything will be wonderful again."
I laughed and tried to get my hair out of Lily's hand. I had so much to look forward to . . . and I would love every minute knowing that I had the choice to do this. Again, I was so glad that I had changed my mind to stay human.