Chapter Nine: Lying on the Grass

Bella's POV

"Thanks for calling me." Jake said as we stood at his car the day he was leaving. He'd stayed a week since he left early last time and I almost hated seeing him go. Each time he left, it got harder on Ava. I didn't like spending time with him, but I just wished he would just move to Washington to make this easier on her.

"Ava wanted you here." I snapped. I certainly didn't want to see him again and I was almost on my way to the court to make sure he'd never see her again. "And, I'm sorry if what I said before hurt your feelings, Jake, but I'm not sending Ava down to live with you for three months. Not now at least."

"Then, when?" He asked. There was no attitude in his voice, but there was some hope there.

"Maybe when she's teenager." I shrugged. "Or you could make this easier on everyone and just move up here to Washington."

"I can't, Bella." He sighed. WE'd had this discussion more times than I could count.

"Why?" I asked. "You're between jobs, your parents said they want to move into a smaller place further away from the tourist area. And, it's what Ava wants."

"I broke your nose last time I was here." He reminded me. "Why are you telling me to move up here?"

"Because, when this happened I should have been able to call you and you should have been able to be there in a few minutes. Not a few hours. You're her dad. Whether I like it or not, she loves you to death and when you drive away...she's going to cry in my lap for an hour."

"She cries when I leave?" He asked, looking hurt.

"Each time." I told him. "She loves you to pieces, Jake. And it hurts her every time you leave. And that's another reason I didn't want you taking her for the summer, it would just be harder for her to be apart form you."

"What am I going to do up here, Bella?" He asked.

"You could work at the zoo," I shrugged. Jake had gone to the University of Florida and studied Marine Biology. He had an internship with Sea World in Orlando right after graduation, but he'd been struggling to find something he really loved doing. He wanted to work there, but when his internship was finished, there was no job openings.

"Bells, I'm a southern boy." He shrugged. "I hate the cold and I want to work with sea animals. There's nothing for me here."

"Except your daughter." I reminded him. "Part of being a parent is being selfless, Jacob. You have to be willing to give everything up for your kid and you have to do it with a smile on your face."

"Come on, please don't make this hard."

"Jake, do you know what I had to give up when I had her?" I whispered. "I couldn't go to the college I wanted to. I was supposed to down to Portland with my friends and go to parties and write term papers and drink coffee and eat pop tarts for four years. I was supposed to be a writer."

"You're taking classes," He shrugged, like it really wasn't a big deal.

"Yes, Jake. I'm taking two online classes a semester because I have to work and take care of Ava." I said, trying not to lose my temper. "How many classes did you take a semester?"

"Between five and seven." He shrugged.

"Yeah, and who knows if I'll actually stay with it." I told him. "I could really use your help too if you were to wake up and move up here. I could actually have some time to myself while she was hanging out with you."

"Bella, you're going to finish."

"I really don't know, Jake. Because right now I am barely able to pay for groceries for the two of us...I'd like to proved for my daughter."

"I'm gonna miss my flight," He said flatly. That was the end of the conversation and I knew it. He wasn't going to move up here to be with Ava. He was going to stay close to his parents and work with the fish.

"Whatever." I spat. "Just fucking go." He rolled his eyes at me as he turned and got into his rental car. I watched as he pulled out of the driveway and actually couldn't believe him. If thing were reversed, and Jake had Ava...I would be doing everything in my power to be close to her so I could actually watch her grow up.

I walked back into the main house where Ava and my mom were baking cookies for the bake sale the next day. I looked at mom and she seemed to understand. She silently told me she'd watch Ava while I went and let off some steam with Alice. That was the great thing about mom and I. We didn't even have to talk to each other, and we knew what the other was thinking.

It was very helpful when we couldn't talk in front of Ava.

I got into my car and drove over to Alice's apartment. I walked into the small lobby and hit her call button. But, when she didn't answer and I realized I should have called first. And, I couldn't go to Rosalie or Mikes because they were probably all together...like the four of us were in high school.

It didn't even phase me anymore when they hung out without me. They knew I would be busy with Ava and they knew I'd say no to going to the bar. It had been that way since they came home for their first winter break from college and it would stay that way as long as Ava was little.

I was about to leave when I saw Masen written on by one of the call buttons. I didn't want to dump my problems again, but he told me if I needed another friend...

I hesitated before pushing the button and hoped a little bit that he wouldn't answer, but he did. I heard the beep that let the big door open and I smiled. I saw the number of his apartment and remembered that he said he lived on the fifth floor. I found his door and knocked.

"Food's here!" I heard him call. He had people over. Of course. "Bella?" He asked when he opened the door and saw me.

"Sorry, I didn't think." I sighed. "I...should have called."

"No, it's fine." He smiled. "It's just my parents, come on in."

"I don't want to intrude on your time with them." I argued.

"They intruded in on me." He said. "They surprised me on Saturday. Come on, we ordered too much food for three people anyway."

"Okay, but I can't stay too late." I finally agreed. "My dad's working late tonight and I wanted to give my mother some 'me time' before he got home."

"I think that's reasonable." He smiled as he led me into his apartment. I stared in awe. It was much bigger and a lot nicer than Alice's, which was strange since they lived in the same building. It was big and open, and just the living room was as big as my entire "apartment."

"Wow, you're place is...wow." I smiled as he took my coat.

"Thanks, it was a graduation present." He explained. He obviously came from money. "Mom, Dad, this is Bella." He said as we walked over to the kitchen area. "Bella is one of my students mothers."

"Single mother?" His mom asked and I couldn't help but giggle. What kind of teacher would have an affair with a parent? It just seemed silly.

"No, mother. Bella and I are sneaking around behind her husbands back. Every night I sneak her out of her home and we have hot, steamy sex in the back of my car." He said and I just stared at him. "Of course she's a single mom."

"But, we still don't do that." I assured them, causing all three of them to laugh.

"No, we do not." Edward agreed. "Bella this is Esme and Carlisle."

"It's so nice to meet you, sweetie." Esme said sweetly as she shook my hand. "I'm glad Edward found someone other than Jasper and Emmett to hang out with here in Seattle."

"I hang out with people other than Emmett and Jasper." Edward defended. "Sometimes I hang out with Seth."

"They've been attached since diapers." Carlisle laughed. "But, it's good for you to branch out, son."

"Twenty six and they still talk to me like they did when I was ten." He laughed as the buzzer went off. "Now, that should be the food."

When the food arrived, Edward set another place at the table opposed of him for me to sit. We took our turn, filling our plates with the pasta and shrimp they had ordered. It had been a long time since pasta had more than a little bit of butter on it so this was another rare treat for me. Edward poured me a glass of wine as we settled down at the table again.

"So, Bella." Carlisle stated. "You look like a very young woman...too young to have a child old enough to be in the first grade."

"Dad," Edward warned.

"I'm not bashing her, I'm only curious." Carlisle defended. "Feel free to not answer."

"No, it's fine." I whispered. I was used to being ashamed of and judged. It didn't bother me anymore. "I got pregnant right before I turned eighteen. Ava is seven now, she'll be eight in May."

"What a pretty name," Esme smiled. "You and the father never married?"

"I met him down in Florida when we were there for the summer and things just didn't work out." I told them. "I found out I was pregnant after we were broken up." I said. I felt like I was lying, but they didn't need to know what I'd told Edward. I looked up and saw him smiling at me. He knew the truth and I was okay with that.

"That's a shame," Carlisle said as he took a bite of food. I was surprised by their reaction. They seemed so understanding and I didn't think they thought I was a slut or anything. Just a girl in a bad situation. "Is he in your daughters life?"

"Yeah, he flies up from Florida when he can and we go there for a summer vacation every year." I told them. "It's not the perfect situation, but we make it up." I found it funny how they were questioning me. It was like they were asking me these questions because I was Edward's...girlfriend...

"What do you do as a job, Bella?" Esme asked after we'd talked about Edward's job and how Chicago was this time of year. I thought we were off the subject of my life, but apparently not.

"I work at a small boutique near my house." I told them. "One of my best friends moms owns it and gave me a job right after I got pregnant. It isn't much, but Ava and I get by."

"She's also taking online classes in order to get a degree in journalism." Edward added, making me blush. He'd actually listened to me when I told him stuff at dinner the other night.

"Journalism?" Esme asked. "What would you want to do with that?"

"Well, the dream is the New York Times, but that's everyone's dream if they want to be a writer." I smiled. "But, I would be happy with a job at a newspaper close to home. Or a magazine. Anywhere that would be willing to have me."

"They'd all be lucky to have you," Edward said, making me blush again. He was just so sweet and a complete opposite of Jake. It was nice to feel special and he had a knack for making me feel better.

He was going to make some girl very happy one day.

"Well, son. Dinner was amazing." Carlisle told him as they walked towards the door. "We're going to meet some friends for coffee, but we'll be back soon."

"Have fun," Edward called as he shut the door. He turned around and took a deep breath, making me giggle. "I'm so sorry or the interrogation. They just...they really like getting to know people. And they can't just settle with what you do and so on."

"No, it's okay." I laughed as he came over and poured me another glass of wine. He pulled a box of chocolate chip cookies out of the cupboard and offered me one.

"Are you okay?" He asked once we sat down on the couch together.

"Yeah, I'm so sorry for barging in on you." I sighed. "I wanted to see Alice, but she wasn't home and I just saw your name..."

"You don't have to apologize, Bella. It was nice having someone else here." He smiled.

"Jake is just being selfish and he won't move up here." I explained. "And it would make everything easier on me and Ava if he lived nearby. She wouldn't cry when he left and when accidents happen, she doesn't have to wait until the next day to see her father."

"Why is he refusing to move?" He asked.

"He hates the cold and he has a degree in Marine Biology." I told him. "Jake doesn't think he'll find a job up here."

"Wait, he went to school when Ava was born?"

"Yeah, at the end of August. He came up for two weeks after she was born, but then he went home."

"I don't care if it was some random girl I had a one night stand with, I would fucking move wherever I had to if I had a baby with her."

"Yeah, well Jake likes his life." I whispered. "He loves Ava, but he can't make a sacrifice for her."

Edward and I talked until our glasses were empty, and then it was time for me to leave. I had to get home to start getting Ava ready for bed and I'd already stayed longer than I had intend. He walked me to the door and we stood very close to each other, without saying anything.

Before anything happened though, I stuck out my hand for a handshake and thanked him for dinner. I ran out of his apartment and tried to breathe again as I leaned against the wall of the building.

"Bella, wait." He said as the door swung open. I turned around and saw him jogging towards me, making me smile. "Would you like to have dinner with me?"

"I think we just did that." I laughed.

"Well, would you like to go out on a date with me?" He asked, his cheeks turning red. This was it. This was the moment I'd been dreading since I had Ava. I so wanted to say yes, but I wasn't sure if it was a good idea. What would Ava think? Was it weird that he was her teacher? Would I be the whore among the other moms for dating a teacher.

"That would be great," I said without even knowing what I was saying. But, it was true. It would be nice to get dressed up, forget about Dora the Explorer for a night and just enjoy myself. When I left the house, it was to usually just hang out with Rosalie or Alice at their apartment.

"Friday?" He asked and I nodded. "I'll pick you up at five,"

"Great." I smiled before turning around and going down the steps. I took a few seconds for the room to stop spinning before I got in my car and drove home. Mom was in our apartment with Ava while she played with her kitchen set when I got home. I got Ava's bath ready, and wrapped her cast while Mom waited patiently in the kitchen for me.

"So? Good night?" She asked after Ava was in the tub.

"Alice wasn't home," I sighed. "So I decided it was a good idea to see if Edward was home."

"Ava's teacher?" She asked with a smile. My mom wanted me to find someone more than Alice wanted me to find someone. Sometimes, I thought they should be mother and daughter. "He was cute."

"Anyway, he thought I was the food delivery people and he let me up. His parents are visiting, but he insisted I stay for dinner with them." I told her. "And then his parents left to do something, and we just talked on the couch for like...forty five minutes."

"Okay. And?" She asked excitedly.

"He asked me on...a date." I told her and the biggest smile I'd ever seen appeared on her face. "For Friday."

"Your father isn't working, we will take Ava." She said immediately without any hesitation. "Go and have fun."

"You're my mom. You should be telling me to be careful and not get my hopes up."

"Be careful, and don't shoot him down right away." She told me. "He seemed like a good guy and you deserve this, Bella."

"Thanks, Mom." I smiled as she wrapped her arms around her.

I had a date Friday with Ava's teacher. I hadn't had a date for eight years...since Jake. But this was good. Everyone was telling me I would feel like men were scum until I met the right guy to show me otherwise.

I definitely found the right guy to prove me wrong.