All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer; I just like to play with her characters.

No copyright infringement is intended.

HUGE thanks to my betas darcysmom and twimom817 as well as my pre-reader EdwardsMyObsession1971. Without these ladies this story wouldn't be suitable for reading.

When You Least Expect It

Chapter Eighteen

Sitting Down

Somehow I managed to make my way home from Edward's. I didn't have to worry about Kaden because dad had picked him up from school and then took him to the park afterward. When they were done playing, dad would bring Kaden home and in theory, I'd have dinner ready for the both of them.

I was thankful for the silent peace my little condo offered. After locking the door behind me, I quickly went to my room and changed into a pair of sweats and my favorite oversized hoodie. I checked my phone to make sure that I hadn't missed a call from my dad and saw Edward's text.

Come back so we can talk? – E

I sighed and plopped down onto my couch with my phone in my hand, pondering what I wanted to say back to him. My declaration that I didn't want to pursue anything more than friendship with him seemed to catch him off guard and he wasn't taking it well – at all. I could tell him my true feelings – that I did want to pursue more with him when he returned from Australia and one of two things could happen; Edward could realize that he wanted more in a girlfriend than a person he'd hired to make all his meals – someone that he could be proud to stand next to and he'd leave me just like Mike did. Or he could be the best thing that ever happened to me and Kaden. The pessimist in me wanted to believe the first thing. There was no way that I could ever hold his attention for very long.

So I decided to play it safe.

What is there to talk about, Edward? – B

I wanted to reinforce that I'd made my decision but his reply was almost instant.

There is so much for us to talk about, Bella. Please … I need to understand why you had such a quick change of heart, please? – E

I closed my eyes and I could picture him with his piercing green eyes, and pouty red lips and I hated telling him no, but it was the only way I could protect myself.

I'm sorry, Edward. – B

He texted me a few more times, but I ignored them all. I feared that he would show up and demand that I talk to him and if I saw him in person instead of in my memories, I knew I wouldn't be able to tell him no again. In fact, I'd probably have to refrain from jumping in to his arms and hugging the crap out of him.

I missed him, and I had no idea how in the world I was supposed to do my job the next morning.

Mercifully, I received a call from Jasper a few minutes after my alarm went off.

"Morning, Bella."

"Hey, Jazz. You're calling awfully early."

"Yeah … umm about that. I don't know what happened with you and Edward last night, but it wasn't good."

"No, it wasn't," I agreed.

"I'm calling to let you know that you don't need to worry about coming in to work today. Edward's decided to take Carlie out tonight, and I'll pick up breakfast for them in the morning."

"But, my contract …." I argued.

"Don't worry about your contract, Bella. Edward has made it clear that the contract is void, however, the NDA remains in effect."

I sighed heavily.

"How is he?" I whispered.

"How do you think he is?"

"Jasper, please. I … I didn't mean to hurt him."

"I know that, Bella. It hurt him just the same whether you meant to or not."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me, Bella. But, answer me one thing - was it worth it?"

"Jazz …."

"I have to go," Jasper interrupted. "Talk to you later, Bella. Oh … Ali wants you to call her. She's been trying to call, but she said it's been going straight to voicemail."

Nothing more was said between us. Jasper ended the call, and I sat in my bed reeling from the thought that I'd been effectively dismissed from my job. Dismissed from Edward's life just like I'd been dismissed from Mike's life. Suddenly, the walls felt like they were closing in on me and I sank down in my bed desperate to find some shelter from my life crashing down around me.

I cried. I cried until I had no tears left and my throat felt dry and raw.

I roused from my bed to find my son standing next to me.

"Mama … why you sad?"

I shook my head in a vain attempt to clear it.

"I'm not sad, Little Bear."

"But you cwyin' …."

What a smart little boy, but how in the world could I possibly explain to a three year old what was going on?

"Mama … where Ewward? I miss him."

I was a little taken aback by Kaden's question. He'd never asked about Edward before.

"Little Bear, what made you think about Mister Edward?"

"You were sayin' his name … when you was cwyin'. Do you miss him too?"

"Yes," I choked. "I do miss him, Little Bear. I miss him lots."

Kaden crawled up on the bed and into my lap.

"I miss him too, Mama."

For the rest of the day, I couldn't get thoughts of Edward out of my head. I wondered if his sister had arrived and if they were enjoying each other's company. I even went as far as to wonder where they might have been going for dinner that evening.

I was standing in the kitchen, staring out the window lost in my own thoughts when once again my son broke me from my reverie.

"Mama! Auntie Alice is on da phone!"

Kaden handed me my iPhone and I looked to see that a call from Alice was indeed connected.

"Hello?"

"Hey, girlie. How are you?"

"I'm a mess, apparently," I laughed humorlessly.

"You're not the only one," Alice grumbled. "Tell me what happened, Bella."

I spent the next several minutes explaining what happened with Edward. Alice listened patiently as I told her what had occurred between Edward and myself since he'd left for Australia.

"Bella … you care for him. Why in heaven's name would you push him away? Can't you see how good Edward could be for you and Kaden?"

"How good will he be when he decides that we're not enough for him, Alice?"

"Is that what this is about?"

"Yes, but …."

"Bella … why don't you give Edward the benefit of the doubt and let him decide what is enough for him? He's not, Mike. Edward is so far from Mike – Edward would never leave like that."

"No, he'd find another way."

"Bella … since when did you become the pessimist?"

"After Mike left, and I realized that I'd be a single mother and an unwanted wife."

"You are not unwanted, Bella. Edward wants you, but you have to give him a chance."

"Ali … are you forgetting that I'm technically still married to Mike? I feel like I've created a mess … Edward knows that I'm still married and he knows that I intend on seeking a divorce but in the meantime …."

"In the meantime you're still married. I get it, Bella. You respect the sanctity of marriage too much to cross that line even if Mike has."

"Exactly."

When I told Edward over the phone that I'd be willing to pursue something with him, I made it quite clear that I meant getting to know each other and spending time together. We agreed to talk about the specifics when he got home but it was my intention to let him know that I was uncomfortable with anything physical until I was completely free of Mike.

"Wait … Mike has?" I asked.

Alice got really quiet.

"Alice! What do you know that you're not telling me?"

"Jazz has a friend who is a private investigator. He was working on a case up in Seattle a couple weeks ago and I asked him since he was going to be in the area if he'd check out Mike for me. I gave him Mike's work address and he followed him."

"Alice! I can't believe you did that! Why did you do that?"

"I wanted to know, Bella. I wanted to know what was so much better than you to cause him to leave - to leave Kaden. I feel like this whole mess you're in is my fault, Bella. I shouldn't have gone over to his table that night in the diner."

"Oh, Ali … it's not your fault. Please don't think that. Mike and I were good together for a time. He was all I wanted and he made me happy. Besides, he gave me Kaden – that's something I'll never regret."

Alice and I talked for a few more minutes and she agreed to wait and tell me what she'd found out about Mike in person. We made plans to go to the spa later that week and use the gift certificates that Edward had given me for Christmas.

Before we hung up, I asked Alice something that was weighing heavily on my mind.

"Ali … Jasper's not really mad at me is he?"

Alice laughed.

"No, he's not mad at you. He loves you, Bella. He wants you to be happy. It's just that … well, work is a little hellish for him right now because of Edward. He's not dealing with this very well. Are you sure that you can't talk to him? That's all he wants, Bella."

"I know. I'm so afraid to talk to him … I'm afraid my emotions will overrule my head and that's not going to get me anywhere."

Sunday night, I avoided the Academy Awards show on TV. I couldn't bear to see Edward and how handsome I'm sure he was wearing his tailored Gucci suit with his unruly hair sticking out everywhere. Instead, Kaden and I sat on the couch watching Cars 2.

Monday morning, after I'd dropped Kaden off at school, I stopped by a lawyer's office that Alice had recommended. She was apparently one of Alice's clients and Alice said she'd take care of me. Victoria Biers specialized in family law – mainly divorce and child custody cases. Exactly what I needed.

"So it's been how long since you've moved to California?" Victoria asked.

"I moved here last August. So … just over six months."

"Good. And you haven't had any contact whatsoever from your husband?"

"No, nothing."

"When was the last time you saw him?" Victoria asked as she sat back in her chair – her notepad in hand.

"April first of last year."

"What happened?"

"He came home that weekend to visit. He only came home a couple weekends a month because the commute was too much. We spent a great weekend together – or at least I thought we did. He said he'd be home Easter weekend and he climbed in his car and drove away. That was the last time I saw or heard from him."

"Did you try and contact him?"

"Yes, I did. I tried calling his cell, his work line and emailing him, but I never got a response."

"How do you know that nothing happened to him or that he's still working?"

"Well, we still have a joint checking account. His paychecks are deposited directly into that account and he gets paid every two weeks. He hasn't missed a paycheck yet."

"So you have access to those funds?"

"Yes. I have another account that is linked to that joint checking account only Mike doesn't have access to it. I withdraw what I need to live on and leave the rest to him."

Victoria nodded and continued to scribble wildly in her notebook.

"Has he attempted to contact your son at all?"

"No."

"I also see here that he discontinued your health insurance for you and your son?"

"Yes, ma'am … that's correct."

I could have sworn that she mumbled 'fucker' under her breath and it made me smile.

"Alice referred you, is that correct?"

I nodded.

"Your little boy is her Godson?"

"Yes," I smiled.

"Alice said something about him being sick not too long ago. He's got a heart problem now?"

"Yes, he was in the hospital for several days around Thanksgiving. He's developed a heart murmur – the doctor seems to think it was caused by the erratic fever he had. I took him to a pediatric cardiologist and he seems to think it'll be something he'll grow out of."

"Regardless … you were left without insurance and Mr. Newton failed to inquire as to his son's health. That's negligence."

I nodded.

"Well, Bella … if you want my opinion – this is what I suggest; file for divorce on the grounds that he abandoned you. It's been eleven months and he's had no contact. We can file for the largest amount of Alimony that the State will allow. In the case of your son – we won't bother filing for child support. That's why we're asking for the most alimony we can get. I would assume that you don't want Mr. Newton to seek custody?"

"No. As wrong as it may seem, Mike hasn't tried to contact Kaden and it would kill me if I let Mike talk to him and he made promises that he doesn't intend to follow through on. I don't want Kaden to go through that. Heartache and disappointment is something I'd like to protect him from if at all possible."

"I agree. So you want to seek full custody?"

"Yes."

Victoria and I talked through a few more of the specifics and I agreed to her retainer fee – signing my name on the dotted line.

"Mr. Newton has thirty days to contest this once we file it with the court. Give my office a couple days to have all the paperwork drawn up and you can come sign it before we take it over to the court house."

I fidgeted nervously with the hem of my shirt. I only hoped that Mike wouldn't contest it – if he paid any attention to it at all.

I arranged for my dad to take care of Kaden that Thursday. Alice and I had appointments at the spa and I was looking forward to a nice massage.

"So …" I began as Alice and I settled into our lounge chairs with mud masks on our faces. "I signed the divorce papers this morning. Victoria was going to take them over to the court house and file them this afternoon."

"Good for you, Bella! I'm so proud of you. How are you feeling now that you've done that?" Alice asked, peeling up a piece of cucumber to look at me.

"Okay I guess," I shrugged.

"Oh, Bella. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Ali. It's the end of a chapter – not the end of the book."

Over finger sandwiches and a cucumber pear martini for me, I told Alice all about my visit with Victoria and what I agreed to.

"I can't believe you didn't ask for child support! Are you crazy?" Alice shrieked.

"Alice," I sighed. "If I were to ask for child support that would mean that I have to agree to let Mike have unrestricted visitation. I'm not willing to do that. The way Victoria wrote it is that if Mike wants visitation it will be negotiated through me and it will have to be supervised."

Alice's eyes nearly bugged out of her head.

"Do you really think Mike will go for that?" She asked.

"He won't have a choice unless he contests it. At this point, I'm not sure what he'll do. I never expected him to leave but he did and here I am, so what do I know?"

"Do you want to know what I know?"

"What's that?" I asked.

"Promise not to get upset?"

"Just spit it out, Ali."

"Mike's got a girlfriend. A VERY pregnant girlfriend. Her name is Jessica and she used to work with him. Jazz's friend said they looked very happy together. He followed them to some children's store and they were picking out furniture together. He said they were very affectionate toward each other."

That thought made my blood boil. Mike was never affectionate in public. He never did more than hold my hand. Even more … I was pissed at the thought that he was giving attention to a child that wasn't even in his life yet and it seemed that the child that did exist in his life didn't matter anymore. Kaden and I had been tossed out like yesterday's trash.

I refused to let the hurt wash over me, and I did my best to enjoy the rest of our day. My body felt like Jell-O after my ninety minute massage. I'd never felt more relaxed in my life. I could have been an Eskimo and they could have sold me ice for all I cared.

Alice looked beautifully radiant when she was finished. They offered her a special pregnancy massage and she said it was absolutely heavenly. She was only a few months along, but I completely understood the achiness of the first trimester.

The following week, I received a call from Victoria saying that Mike had been served his papers. Now all we were waiting for was his response.

I spent my days doing anything I could to keep from thinking about Mike and Edward. My thoughts did stray to Edward more often than not, and I wondered how he was doing. I missed our emails and brief phone conversations immensely.

I ended up taking the job I had arranged in case things went badly with Edward – which they did. It wasn't the same as working for Edward. The couple I was working for were highly pretentious and had a strict menu they wanted me to follow. Most of it was French cuisine – something I had training in but I preferred a different style of cooking. They also insisted that I be at their home until their meal was over in case they didn't care for a dish. Bitchy snobs – but they paid my bills.

"Jasper and Edward came home last week," Alice mentioned flippantly as I waited with her in the doctor's office.

"Oh?"

"Yeah." Alice smiled. "Have you heard from Victoria?"

"Not since she called to tell me that Mike was served the papers."

"How long ago was that?"

"About three weeks ago."

"What is he waiting for?" Alice asked angrily.

"I don't know, Ali. I can't tell you what's going on in that head of his. It amazes me how you think you can know a person and then they do something that is so highly uncharacteristic of them."

That afternoon, as Alice and I strolled along Melrose, my phone rang.

"Bella?"

"Hi, Victoria. I hope you're calling me with some news?"

"We heard back from your soon-to-be ex-husband."

"Oh? Is it good or bad?"

"Are you sitting down?" Victoria asked.

"Should I be?"

"It might be a good idea."

A/N: Sorry for the cliffie but I think we can all breath a great sigh of relief knowing that Bella has filed for divorce yeah?

Y'all are really the most amazing readers and I thank you so much for your reviews. They mean the world to me!

I don't usually include rec's in my A/N's as you may have noticed – mostly because I always forget or because I seem to be reading the same stuff that everyone else is reading so there's no real point. However, in perusing my favorites list and trying to sort through what I've read and what I haven't, I came across this little gem. It's a WIP but it's incredibly well written. I'm thinking that it lacks in reviews because readers have flounced prematurely. I know that sounds ominous but stick with it – I promise you won't be disappointed. However, if you are sensitive to graphic descriptions for abuse this won't be the read for you, but if you don't mind it and you're like me – you'll be intrigued and will be left sitting on the edge of your seat.

Life in the Balance by Mizzdee – is about a Bella who is imprisoned for murdering her boyfriend. When a handsome lawyer comes in to get her side of the story because he believes she is innocent – he may not want to hear what she's got to say.

If you get a chance to check it out, let me know … I'd love to know what you think and what your theories are because I know I've got my own! =D