I realized that my mother hadn't changed at all and even if she had changed I would have said that she was a hell of a lot worse. She drank at least five beers a day, maybe more. I could never quite keep count. She was always drunk and the house was littered with beer bottles. I was the one who cleaned, cooked and paid the bills or at least tried too. Mama didn't even have two pennies to rub together.

I became my mom's caregiver. I took care of her even though she was supposed to take care of me. That was her job as a parent. And she failed.

She never thanked me either. Taking care of her, the house, paying the bills with the money I earned working at a small Italian restaurant. I also went to school and had to deal with all of the stress of growing up and acting like an adult even though I was barely eighteen.

My brother Ezra called almost everyday and tried to convince me to leave. And only recently, did I finally listen.

Now here I sit in my mom's car- she won't have a need for it when she is buzzed 24/7- on my way to the airport. I took my suitcase and carry-on through security and climbed onto the plane.

It took four hours to get to Seattle. Than I had to get on a smaller plane for an hour ride to Port Angeles. When I landed, I searched through the crowd and spotted a tall man with curly brown hair, chocolate brown eyes and he was wearing a sheriff uniform. I grinned widely when I saw him.

"Uncle Charlie!"

I ran up and hugged him. He smelled like pine and rain. I pulled away and saw a tear run down his face. He wiped the tear away and sniffed. He avoided my eyes and stared at the ground.

"Sorry Thia, you look alike like Bells" Uncle Charlie said with a sad note in his deep, slightly husky voice.

I bit my bottom lip and hugged him back. "It's okay Uncle Charlie"

I looped my arm through his and we headed out into the pouring rain. We put my suitcase and carry-on in the truck on the cruiser before climbing into the front.

"I hope you don't mind driving around in the cruiser. Bella hated that" Uncle Charlie told me, as he turned the key in the ignition.

I shook my head. Of course, Bella would hate driving around in the cruiser. She hated having attention drawn to herself. If she had the choice, she would never have come to Forks or go to Florida with her mom Renee. She would have found a way to keep herself educated. Home-schooling maybe.

"Are you kidding?" I grinned. "I love this. Mom never drove me anywhere because- well you know?"

He gave me a sad smile and took my hand, his other still on the steering wheel. "I'm glad you decided to come live with me, Thia"

"Me too"

I smiled and looked out the window at all of the green. It was like an alien planet. I missed the sun and Phoenix but I knew I would come to love Forks just as much.