CHAPTER THREE

DEVELOPMENTS

It was December now, almost Christmas time. I was on my way to daycare to pick Bianca up. When I got there I smiled at Leah, "Hey Leah."

After seeing her everyday, Leah and I had become friends. We'd have chats about school, work, Bianca, and her boyfriend Sam. She said that she thought he was going to propose. And I was very excited for her.

Leah smiled, "Finally, you're here. Bianca's been getting restless."

I furrowed my eyebrows, "Why... She's always been here the same amount of time, four hours."

Leah looked confused, "You mom dropped her off at eight this morning. She's been here all day."

"Wait.. what? No that's impossible. My dad went to work right around the same time I left. He took the car. My mom said that she was going to walk Bianca to day care."

Leah looked uncomfortable, "She definitely came in a car. But it wasn't hers and it wasn't yours. I assumed you guys finally got a third one since your parents always have trouble sharing their one Toyota."

I shook my head, "We haven't. She must have gotten a ride from someone... at work or a neighbor maybe."

Tara walked into the room then with Bianca on her hip. Bianca lit up when she saw me, "HETA!" She wiggled out of Tara's grasped and I took her into my arms. I signed Bianca out of daycare and looked at Leah, "Can you tell me if this happens again?"

Leah nodded sadly, "Of course."

I half-smiled, "I'll see you Monday."

I didn't feel like going home and it was Friday so I asked Bianca if she wanted to go to the beach. She practically screamed before I finished the sentence so I started in the direction of La Push. I breathed out after shutting off the radio. "Bianca... how did mommy take you to daycare today? Did she walk with you?"

Bianca made a 'nuh uh' sound, "Mommy and a man drove me."

"A man?"

Bianca made a 'mm hmm' noise.

"Do you know the man? Had you ever met him before?"

Bianca made another 'mm hmm' noise, "David come over to talk to mommy."

"Has this happened a lot? Does he come over a lot?"

Bianca shook her head as I saw in the mirror, "Only..." she struggled to hold up three fingers.

I sighed loudly. What did my mother think she was doing?

"What do mommy and David do?"

"They talk. Then they go away for a little while. Then mommy and David take me to daycare."

By this time we had arrived to the beach. I parked the car and dialed my phone to call Embry.

"Hello?"

I breathed out, "Hey... Bianca and I are at the beach now if you wanna come hang out..."

I could tell by the sound of his voice that he was excited to hear that, "Hell yeah. We'll be over in no time. See you..."

"Bye." I hung up.

Lo and behold, Embry and Jacob were here at the beach in about ten minuted. Bianca, this time, had dragged me out to the water. I slid off my shoes and rolled up my pants and stood at the edge of the waves, chatting happily with my baby sister.

Embry came over and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. I smiled awkwardly and greeted him and Jacob.

We hung out for a while until it started to get dark. Bianca was getting sleepy. Embry had her in his arms. He kissed her little head with brotherly affection and then put her into my car. I gave him and Jacob a kiss on the cheek before getting in and driving off.

Bianca slowly fell asleep in the back of my car. When I got home, the Toyota was in the driveway. First, I put Bianca to bed before I walked into the dining room to see Dad sitting at the table with a pitiful TV dinner in front of him.

"Dad I could have made you something..." I started but Dad held his hands up and smiled.

"It's alright, Heather. I can handle a microwave dinner once in a while."

I got out some left over pizza and put it in the microwave, "How was work?"

Dad took a bite of his... meat and said, "Hectic. But it's alright. I actually have to go out of town for a couple weeks though. Will you be alright?"

I stared at the pizza turning, "I'll be fine. Where are you going?"

Dad swallow and took a drink of his Corona, "Just some little town in Oregon. They don't have many experienced surgeons so my boss requested that I go train some of the surgical interns they have down there."

I nodded to myself, "Sounds nice."

Dad grunted in agreement. "Your mother doesn't start work for another hour. Do you know where she is?"

I shrugged, feeling a bit of hurt pooling in my stomach, "Maybe she walked. Since the car wasn't here."

Dad sighed, "I got home around five, Heather."

"Well... Mom's job at the station in San Fran was pretty unpredictable. Maybe she got called in on an emergency."

Dad nodded, but I could tell he didn't believe me, "Maybe it's time we get another car. Would you mind terribly if I asked you to go down and pick one out? You're pretty good at stuff like that."

I took the pizza out of the microwave and said, "No problem. I'll go down this weekend."

"I'll give you my credit card," Dad said.

I nodded. And then it was quiet as we both ate our dinner.

The next day was Saturday. I asked Bianca if she wanted to help me pick out a car. She said yes of course and when I passed my parents bedroom I saw dad packing like three suitcases. I grinned wryly in the doorway, "I'm sure they'll let you do laundry, dad."

Dad startled and sighed with a smile, "Never can be too prepared."

I shrugged, allowing that, "We're heading out. I'm taking my friends, Jacob and Embry with. Jacob knows car better than I do if we definitely get one today I'll need someone to drive it back. When are you leaving again?"

"Tomorrow morning. I'm sure I'll be back by Christmas. Could you give me a ride to the airport though? Your mother is doing paperwork all weekend and we shouldn't bother her."

She couldn't do paperwork at home? But I smiled anyway, "Of course."

Dad came over and kissed my forehead, "thanks, sweetie." He then smiled at Bianca and kissed her head, "Hows my little girl?"

Bianca giggled happily, "Good, daddy."

Dad smiled lovingly, I could tell that all this was really hard on him, but he was trying and making it work and that's all I wanted.

We said goodbye and headed out to my car. On the way I drove down to La Push and picked Jacob and Embry up from Jacob's house. Embry chatted with Bianca in the back and Jacob was informing me about things to look for in a car.

We drove all the way to Port Angeles to the car dealership. We must have spent hours walking up and down the rows, looking at every car. Jacob grilled the salesman about every tiny detail and I paid more attention to the cost.

Eventually we found a nice ford truck. Since only dad would drive it, maybe with Bianca, he didn't need much space and the trunk was good for when he'd go hunting or fishing. Dad befriended the police chief through mom and apparently they were both fishing fanatics.

I hustled the guy down some digits in the price and signed off on the revised contract. Since my car was my baby, I made Jacob drive the truck. Embry and Bianca rode with me.

When we all got home, there was mom talking to someone in a blue car. The person was just driving off when we pulled up.

I got out of the car and asked Embry to get Bianca so I could talk to my mom. "Hey, mom."

Mom smiled at me, "Hey honey. How was your day?"

I crossed my arms, "Fine. Just got a truck for dad. How was the paperwork?"

Mom gave a little laugh, "Not quite as fun as car shopping. I'll have to go back early tomorrow to get it all done for my report."

I nodded slowly, "Right... Who was that just now? Someone from work?"

Mom stuttered somewhat, "No.. no. Just a friend. They're a parent of one of Bianca's friends at daycare. The little girl is named Jennifer. Such a sweet girl. I get some rides to work when your dad has the Toyota."

"Well that won't be a problem now with the new truck. You'll have the Toyota all to yourself."

Mom nodded, "Imagine that." She started walking into the house, "Would your friends like to stay for lunch?"

Embry and Jacob were just walking up so I asked them, "Would you guys like to stay for lunch?"

As if on cue, Jacob and Embry's stomachs started growling. Bianca gave a little giggle and I laughed, "That'll be a yes."

I took Bianca and led Embry and Jacob inside. Mom was making sandwiches in the kitchen so I led the boys to the living room so they could watch the game. I sat down between Jacob and Embry with Bianca on my lap. "Bianca?"

She looked at me.

"Maybe you would like to have some of your friends over for a play date? Do you think Jennifer would like to?"

Bianca looked at me confused, "Who's Jennifer?"

"Don't you have a little friend at daycare names Jennifer?"

Bianca shook her head, "I know Steve and Georgia and Lucy."

"So there's no one in your class named Jennifer?"

Bianca shook her head and made a 'nuh uh' noise. I peered into the kitchen, seeing my mother's back as she sliced cheese for the sandwiches, and I sighed through my nose before turning back to the TV.

There it is! ooh, there's drama in the Vincent household. Can anyone guess what's going on?

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