Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight
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Edward's POV
I watch the little boy run around the playground. His blonde hair blows as he runs. His giggle is infectious. His smile is mesmerizing. My son, Brody is the only thing that keeps me sane anymore. I've spent the last year trying to make up for lost time. 365 days of being his father. 365 days since I made one of the biggest mistakes of my life, leaving Bella.
I don't know why I chose Tanya. Looking back now, I think I was caught up in the thrill of her. She was so carefree yet she still raised my son. We had a relationship for five months before I walked in on her having sex with our son's baseball coach. Luckily, Brody was at a sleep over and he didn't see his mother being plowed, doggy style over the back of our couch. After kicking her little friend out of our house, I noticed how out of it she really was. There were three lines of cocaine on the coffee table next to a rolled up five dollar bill. The expensive bottle of vodka I'd bought for nights were alone only had a few ounces left in it. The smell of pot and sex filled the air.
I didn't know what to do so I did the most logical thing I could think of. I took her to the hospital. They admitted her until her high wore off. They then called in her parents who were her next of kin and suggested they admit her into a rehabilitation center. Apparently it wasn't her first time doing cocaine and it was really messing with her brain. It was then I learned that she'd been admitted to rehab before, when she was pregnant with Brody. He was born six weeks early because of her drug use. He was lucky that he wasn't born addicted like most children.
Tanya got out of rehab and went right back to the drugs. This time I called the police. I wasn't having a junkie around my son. The courts saw this as a third offense and sent her to prison with a possibility of probation after three years. I sent her termination of rights papers while she was in prison and to my surprise, she actually signed them and even requested that there be absolutely no contact between Brody and herself. I agreed and I moved my son out of her apartment. We got our own small house and we began our lives together. He adjusted to not having a mother and I adjusted to being a single parent.
It was during my adjusting that I realized what a big mistake it was leaving Bella. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that she would keep the baby. Bella supported pro-choice but she'd never have an abortion. I sometimes imagine Bella and I's kid. A little girl. I bet she's beautiful. She has to be with Bella as her mother. Knowing Bella, she probably named the baby after her mother or mine. Bella may hate me now, but she'd never keep my parents from seeing the baby. My parents were like Bella's second set of parents.
My parents were pissed at me to say the least. They hated the fact that I'd cheated on Bella. They love Brody but hate that he's the product of my bad choices. They refuse to tell me anything about Bella and the baby. They said that if she'd wanted me to know then she would tell me herself. Or, that if I really wanted to know, I'd come back home see for myself. When they said that, it got stuck in my head. I made the decision that I'd come home temporarily. If things didn't work out or if things got too hard, I'd leave. Plus, I have Brody to think about too. If he doesn't like it there or if it puts too much stress on him, I have to come back to the place he calls home.
" Dad, are we riding on an airplane to see Nana and PopPop?", Brody asks as he bounces over to me. I smile at him and nod.
" Yeah kiddo. They live in Washington remember? We live in California.", I kiss his head and he starts packing up his toys.
" When is we going? I wanna show PopPop my doctor kit.", he holds up the toy doctor's kit that I'd gotten him just after Tanya went to jail. I'd wanted to take his mind off his mother and that seemed to do the trick.
" When are we going, not is. And our plane leaves tonight right before your bed time."
I get Brody loaded up into the car and we head home. I packed a few bags for each of us a few days ago so we wouldn't be rushing to do it. My carry-on has all the necessities like snacks, toothbrushes, combs and Brody's Ipad. Brody's bag is filled to the brim with toys. We leave for the airport about three hours before our plane is due to depart. Brody enjoys watching the planes take off and land as ours is being prepped for boarding. He decides that he wants to be a pilot when he grows up but I'm sure hat will change once he sees something else he likes. Last week he wanted to be an ice cream truck driver.
As hard as he fights it, Brody falls asleep halfway through the plane ride. I feel bad when I have to wake him up so we can get off the plane. We collect our bags and search for my parents. We find them easily enough. They have a sign with Brody and I's names on it. My son runs to his grandparents and they smother him with hugs and kisses but he giggles through it the whole time. My father carries Brody to the car while chatting excitedly with him about all the things they are going to do together while we're here.
It takes about three hours until we're pulling into my parents driveway. I sigh as I remember everything that's happened here at this house and in this town. I fell in love, I lost my virginity, I said goodbye to the love of my life. This is where I grew up but it's also where I made the most mistakes. Mistakes that I can't take back but that I can hope to make up for, if Bella will let me.
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So there we go, chapter two. I hope you enjoyed it. Don't forget to follow, favorite and review!