Chapter 27: The New Normal

Bella and Barry were sitting in her tiny living room with their feet kicked up. He cooked while she bathed the baby. He had a few specialty dishes that she was pretty fond of. Atticus was happy in the bouncy seat while they enjoyed veggie quesadillas with fresh salsa and sour cream.

They spent the past three days catching up. Having him there made other things easier. Those other things were that Jacob was still on the reservation. She told herself she wasn't allowed to miss him, but then what was that constant ache she felt not seeing him or barely hearing a word out of him? He would send a daily check-in text and that was it, but last night had been different. He asked for a picture of their son. She immediately sent one of him being adorable, but Jacob's next request made her heart skip a beat.

Send one of you and him together.

Her sound mind said, no, not a chance, but she only hesitated five minutes before sending him a selfie with Atticus. She was used to doing the pose for her mother about every five days or so. Renee was planning a visit soon and Bella was excited about seeing her again, but until then she begged for recent pictures. She stared at the phone waiting to see if he had a reply and when it finally came through, she was sure to go to sleep with certain things on her mind that would only torture her already troubled soul.

Thanks, I needed that.

She wondered what Kaleigh thought about his long absence, not that she cared, but she'd been scarce and they had only seen each other twice. Funny, how she was so curious about Bella's male companions. She did a similar inquiry on Barry like she did with Edward.

The first afternoon, Bella brought him back to the apartment, Kaleigh came to the door.

"Whose car?"

Barry stood up and came into view. "That'd be mine, Bella's best friend." He walked all the way to the door and offered his hand. "Barry Van Pelt and you must be Kaleigh."

"Wow, you sure do have a lot of friends suddenly. Too bad none of them will put you up."

Bella figured she might as well get it over with. "Barry and I were roommates in California, so he's going to be staying with me for a little while to help out with Atticus. I told him where to park."

"Oh really, well, you've got some nerve asking friends to freeload without permission. This is our house, our apartment. I thought I made myself clear before. Does Jake know about this?"

Barry couldn't wait to tell her the truth. "I should say so, since it was... " Bella smacked him hard in the gut, so that he couldn't finish the words. She had an inclination to protect Jacob no matter how many times she willed herself to stop.

Kaleigh didn't seem to catch on. She looked around them and eyed Atticus. "Poor kid, sad he has witness what his mother is at such a young age. I guess there's nothing we can do until Jacob gets fed up with the constant parade of men in and out of his son's life. It won't take much more to change his mind about putting in the call to the lawyer."

Bella was ready to let her have it, but this time, Barry stopped her. "Back off, Duchess. What's going on in B's personal life is none of your damn business. Cut the shit, she's a great mom and no lawyer or judge will ever be able to dispute that. The big guy wants her to stay, he brought her here and just because you're the landlady in a round about way, doesn't mean you can nose around in her private life."

"Bar, please. It's not worth it."

"See, she's too nice to tell you like it is, but I'm not. I'm honest, brutally honest when people need it most." Barry reached out and took a strand of Kaleigh's blonde hair. Bella knew he actually admired her hair, but he went in for the kill. "Oh, honey. Like this hot mess, I can fix those roots and split ends for you in a jiffy if you want to make an appointment." Kaleigh slapped his hand away so fast, Barry didn't know what hit him. "Easy there, I was only trying to help."

She took a step back, straightening out her clothes and smoothing her glossy hair back down. Her hair looked perfectly fine, Bar was being an ass because Kaleigh was such a harpy. "That'll never happen. I have the best stylist in Seattle. He's trained all over the world and worked with runway models before settling down in the area. I pay more for my hair care than your weekly salary, I'm sure. I don't care what you two do, but when Jake gets back, expect to hear from him."

"I count on it, babe, he and I are like this." Barry wound two of his fingers together. Bella wished she would have been able to snap a picture. The look on Kaleigh's face was priceless.

The door slammed shut. "You're so bad."

"But you love me for it."

Indeed she did. He was the best.

She slugged him in the arm hard when he admitted the rest. "God, her hair felt so good. I told you... it's like spun silk."

Barry threw a pillow at her. "Penny for your thoughts."

"Oh, nothing. I was just remembering you and Kaleigh. That might make a fun reality show, but I doubt I could watch her everyday."

Barry was pretty perceptive. He told her that wasn't the only thing she was thinking about whenever she'd get all quiet and withdrawn in the evenings. "You miss him."

She shrugged. Bella missed Jacob so much. She didn't realize how attached she'd become to his visits. He was always showing up to see Atticus, using the excuse he wanted to help with his bath or bedtime or just to play. She realized those times usually ended up with them talking and visiting as well. They had plenty of light-hearted conversations amid all their drama and those were the things she'd desperately been missing. How was she supposed to stick to her guns and give him that visitation schedule she'd formulated?

They were all due back sometime the following day, so Bella decided it was time to broach a subject that may or may not be of importance. "Um Bar, I need to tell you a little more about my boss."

"Collin, right?"

"Yeah, it's just, he's had a rough few months and the clinic's super important to him. He already said Atticus is welcome, but he never knew I'd also have a Manny. I need to run things by him. Maybe you and the baby should stay here tomorrow. I'll even come back on my lunch break to feed him, but I've got plenty of milk stored."

"Sure, we're up for anything. I can even bring him to you. He likes a car ride, maybe I'll take him for a walk in the park."

She reminded him he couldn't do that without telling her first, because she would have to make sure they had an escort. Barry wouldn't know that, he told her to stop being so over-protective a few times since he'd been back with them.

Bella had yet to spit out what she was trying to say. "So about Collin."

"Yeah. What about him? If he's an old friend and already allows you to bring your baby to work, I'm sure he won't have a problem with me. I'm a friendly guy. Everyone likes me."

"Well, before you meet him, I think you should know that he's Quileute like Jake and he's also pretty darn handsome."

"Good to know. I can handle handsome. Wait, how handsome, like your guy good looks?"

First of all, Jake was not her guy and in her opinion no one was as good looking as Jake, but she admitted, "Close, but there's something else." She waited, counted to ten and then blurted it out, "He's also gay."

Pieces of tortilla crumbled between Barry's fingers. "What? Why the big secret? Is he still closeted or something? I can't believe you work with a hot man that might be exactly my type and you're just now mentioning that important detail."

To her, it wasn't an important detail, but to him it was. Barry and Monica had both had some disappointments the past couple of years. Bella had witnessed them argue countless times. Monica swore all the hottest ones were gay and he said that wasn't so, the only hot guys he'd met recently were assholes and then they'd polish off a bottle of wine commiserating over hot, gay, ugly straight, assholes and jerks for the next two hours. She normally stayed out of it. She swore they were in a competition based on who could find the worst date from hell.

He was busy asking loads of questions about Collin. "Okay, stop. This is why I'm bringing it up. No, he's not closeted. His friends and family are very accepting. The truth is he got burned and he is working hard to get over it. Don't take this wrong, but sometimes you get a bit weird when you're trying to impress a guy. I would really appreciate if you just act natural. I'm sure he's not interested in a rebound thing. I don't want my workplace to get awkward."

"Okay, I get it. You think I'm going to wreck shit for you at work, that I'm too weird for your hot friend. No problem, I'll reign in the charm and be completely aloof with this Collin guy."

"Dammit, Barry. That's not what I meant and you know it. Just be yourself, Collin would be lucky to get involved with someone like you. I'm just pretty sure he's not looking to get involved, so I don't want you to get your hopes up. That's the only reason I brought this up in the first place."

Bella had witnessed Barry self-destruct many of his relationships and it often wasn't a flaw with the other guy. Barry had some strange hangups through no fault of his own. He had daddy issues galore and she knew why. His father never accepted him. He was a manly man: guns, sports, beer and women. The fact his only son, big burly state champion wrestler that had a string of beautiful girlfriends came out right before graduation was the last thing he ever expected. His father told him to leave as soon as school was out and to never come back, that he didn't have a son any longer.

Bella's heart broke in a million pieces the first time he told her the whole story. His mother didn't stick up for him either. She would never go against his father. He kept in touch with his two sisters and his granny who was still hanging on at 97. She was horrified at what her son had done and she often sent Barry a little money now and then, especially when he was moving around.

Barry's problems with his father would never be resolved. He died five years ago unexpectedly. His mother called to let him know and asked if he would come to the funeral. Barry had one question, "Did he ever speak of me again or ask for me?"

Her answer was 'no' so Barry told her there was her answer as well. It was obvious, the experience had done something to him, and she suspected it was the underlying reason Barry struggled with real honest to goodness relationships with men. It was so much easier to offer up relationship advice than it was to follow good guidance for herself.

Barry seemed to get over feeling insulted after a few minutes. Maybe, Collin and Barry might hit it off, but the two seemed different as night and day to her. Stranger things had happened. She made up her mind to stay out of it, since her mess with Jake was laughable. She counseled Barry not to be weird when she was increasingly strange around Jacob. He even offered to trim her hair. She'd been growing it back out unintentionally.

"You sure? I thought you said it was so much easier when Ace was born."

"I know, but I'm just going to let it be for now."

"For him."

"Nope, definitely, not him. I'm done making decisions based on Jacob's opinions," she insisted.

Barry gave her a hug and wiped the tears of betrayal from her cheeks. He didn't say anything else, but "I know, honey. I know."

Bella shut the tears down as fast as they came, but if she was totally honest with herself, she couldn't wait until tomorrow afternoon when he was back and things would be back to their kind of normal. It was hard to believe in a few short weeks, they had a such a good routine, but they did. She didn't realize, those thoughts were pretty damn naive. Nothing was actually normal any longer and the new day would prove so.

Bella changed her mind and told Barry to come to work with her, but when Atticus woke them both up at four and spent an hour and half being extremely cranky for some reason, he was happy to go back to bed when the baby finally went to sleep. Bella on the other hand never got to rest again. She went into work early to make sure things were ready for the boss's return. Edward sent a text he was on duty, and that Alice was near the apartment. He'd been sending lots of messages. She tried to be cordial but he was already on her last nerve. She was visibly disappointed each time her phone dinged and Edward's name appeared instead of Jake's.

She was still texting Mackenzie a little bit which was a nice change of pace. He asked almost everyday about that dinner date. Barry told her to do it, that Jacob needed the shakeup. She wasn't going to use another man to make him jealous, that was pathetic. If she took Mack up on his offer, it would be for herself. She was ready to test these ancient theories out some. What was it that would keep her from all other men? Would a bolt of lightning come down? She doubted it. Maybe it was all a bunch of hooey. Bella was determined to prove them all wrong.

She ended up beating everyone else to work. She switched on the lights and started the music. The clinic was in good shape, far more organized than the first day she arrived. Collin wouldn't even recognize his desk. She actually filed the files in a cabinet.

The buzzer went off. The massage therapist was good, but she had a knack for misplacing her keys. Bella let her in about every other day. She didn't think twice about opening up. A woman fell at her feet. She was wrapped in a weathered scrap of an old tent. It took her a few minutes to recognize the material. Her first thoughts were that she must be a victim of an attack. Edward appeared seconds later.

"Bella, back up. She's not safe."

The woman growled out in pain. A growl. Edward was telling her to get back, but the closer he came, the louder the sounds from the mysterious stranger became. Of course, she ignored him and stepped closer. Bella moved the matted dark hair out of the woman's eyes and pulled her face up slightly.

"Leah." Leah Clearwater was broken down, nude and threatening to phase right at her feet. "You're the one that needs to back away, Edward. You're upsetting her. Go. Fall back further into the woods."

"Nonsense, she's a wild animal. Let me take her out with me. You can't take her inside. I'm reading her mind. She hates you with a passion for doing this to her again."

"Get the fuck away from her. I mean it. I will take care of her. I'll call you if I need you."

Bella slammed the door in his face. The tremors were running through Leah like crazy. The other employees would be there any second. She had to get her calmed down.

"Leah, listen to me. I'm going to help you, but you have to let me. Can you walk?"

She managed a head nod. Bella could tell she'd already been phasing and had little control. Leah was fighting back. She didn't want to be the wolf right now. She wanted to be human so that's what Bella intended to help her be.

They had therapeutic bath in the back. Collin showed her how it worked the first day. Bella started to fill the tub, but she led Leah to the shower first to clean some of the muck and grime off her. The shaking was getting better so Bella kept talking, telling her what was happening every step of the way. The order thing was working. She told her first off, no phasing in Collin's beautiful clinic. As soon, as the water was the right level, she sprinkled in the contents for a botanical bath.

Her phone had been buzzing in her pocket non-stop since Edward left them. Leah took some deep breaths under Bella's instruction as she sank into the fragrant, warm waters. Bella hit the jets on as well which caused her to jump.

"It's okay, it's just the jets. Relax, Leah. This bath will make you feel better, every girl loves a bubble bath, am I right?"

The she-wolf closed her eyes and shook her head affirmatively. Bella told her she needed to answer her phone but she wasn't leaving. She pulled a chair closer to the tub. The phone was going off again.

"Hello."

"Bells, what the hell is happening? The douche called."

"It's fine. I'm handling it."

Jacob's voice rattled her and Leah made a grimace as well.

"What the fuck do you mean you're handling it? He said Leah was about to phase. I don't ever agree with the leech, but she needs to be outside away from you. What the hell were you thinking bringing her inside?"

Bella told him to get there as soon as he could, but until then he was going to have to trust her. "I did what she needed most. She's completely calm right now. Leah, can you talk, is there anything you want to tell Jake?"

Leah stuck up her middle finger and Bella had a good laugh. She felt that way most of the time too.

"What happened? Are you upset?"

"No, you big dummy. Leah conveyed her true thoughts with a hand gesture. I concurred. I've got this, don't worry and drive safely."

Jacob said they were only thirty minutes away, they'd left before dawn. She was confident she and Leah would be fine for the next thirty minutes. She heard some noise outside the door so she stuck her head out and told Pat, the assistant, she had a sick friend she was helping out, so no one would disturb them.

Bella sat back with Leah. She asked if she could wash her hair for her and Leah finally opened her mouth to speak. "Yes, please." Bella grabbed the shampoo and conditioner and started on Leah's hair. It was several inches longer than she used to wear it.

"How many days have you been going through this alone?"

Her voice was hoarse, "Five, maybe six."

"I'm so sorry, you were all alone. That must have been so frightening. Oh my gosh, you were in Canada. Seth said that earlier. Did this happen on your business trip?"

She said it had, and that it was hard to hide in order to get into the forest. She had to take a long way around to the east and then head south. She struggled like hell to switch back so she could make her way back into the city. She found the abandoned campsite where she found some covering.

"I hate this. I don't want it. Make it stop."

"I would if I could. I want to, but I don't know how to stop it. Did Jake order you? He said he wasn't going to."

Leah twisted her head side to side and told Bella the truth, "No, you did."

~Thanks for reading.

See, not as angsty. It's calming down, I think. I wasn't going to update, but then I changed my mind. Love to hear your thoughts.