A/N: A quick thank you to everyone who added this story in their alerts and/or added it to their favorite list.

Chapter 2-

Our lunch was part eventful and part the usual. Isa kept us entertained with tales of her preschool and her upcoming field day, which was to happen early next week in the ground in Forks, considering La Push's only sports ground was undergoing renovation. She was extremely excited to participate in all the races, and in the special dance her class was putting up, ordering both Jake and I to offer our presence.

Silly girl!

Didn't she know I wouldn't miss it for the world?

I hadn't missed any big days in the life of my other two kids so far, and I wasn't planning to start something new now.

Jake seemed amused by the little bout of determination and confidence that our daughter seemed to be, but then again, she was a mini- version of him!

If I had to give it a thought, none of my kids resembled the younger me. Sadly.

Haley was a replica of Jake. She was as absent-minded and careless as him, easily forgetting where she had put what. She needed my help in finding everything from her favorite skirt to her wallet filled with bills, just like her father did. Sigh!

Jeremy wasn't as much a complete Jake. He had slight parts of me too in him. Not as much, but he did like to read. Somewhat. And he had my clumsiness.

Yea…that was nothing to celebrate over. I know.

Anyhow, Jake wanted a fourth kid; had been telling me so since the past three years now. He wanted another son, two and two of each. I, well…I wasn't so sure I wanted to be pregnant again. I was past that stage. I had three healthy children; doing all of that again… plus raising a kid was costly!

It did at times cause a lot of arguments between us, resulting in a few weeks of 'don't touch me', but those moments never lasted. And with time, Jake would come to see my point. He could be stubborn all he wanted, but I wasn't giving in.

Not this time.

I had agreed to all his 'demands' in the past. Heck, I never even wanted to get married. But Billy had a heart attack, and boom, next thing I know, I was a married woman.

I don't blame Jake. Of course not.

He loves me. Maybe more than anyone ever has, or will.

It is just…he is rather firm in his ways.

He wanted us to get married. He wanted a baby. He wanted another baby. He wanted a third child. He wants a fourth child…

No.

I wasn't doing this again.

I loved my kids to the moon and back, but no. This was where I put my foot down.

Jake would just have to deal with it.

"Mom, can I go to Macey's house in the evening? She has a new craft kit. We are planning to make matching bracelets."

"Sure, honey," I responded, the five of us walking out of the café and towards our car.

"Bella?" Long gone were the days when Jake called me his 'Bells'. These days it was mostly an impatience filled 'Bella'. "You take the kids with you back home. I am driving to the garage directly. I will see you in the evening."

I nodded my head in agreement, pushing my chin up for a quick peck on the lips, the two of us drifting in opposite directions as we headed towards our respective duties.

This was what adulthood was…I guess.

X-X-X

"Bells?" Charlie pushed open the door to my house, letting himself in, the sight that greeted him being me cooking our dinner in my open kitchen, with my three kids busying themselves in the living room. Haley was wholly occupied playing some dumb cooking game on the iPad- the irony being that ask her to pick a spoon in the kitchen and the tantrums begin! Jeremy was indulging in some lavish screen time, his eyes too close to the TV for my liking- but it was his screen time and I was forced to keep my mouth shut, as per an agreement between father and son. And my sweetheart, Isa, was busy coloring in her coloring notebook…oh…wait…was she scribbling on my teakwood floor?

"Dad." I acknowledged the man, my eyes on my kids…like they always were. The first thing you learn as a parent- don't look away. Never look away. "How was your fishing expedition? Found anything new?"

"Ah, the usual." He grumbled, passing me a sealed storage bag, my share of his today's catch, as he always put it.

"Jake's going to love this." I grinned, dumping the bag into the fridge.

My husband loved his fish. As the years had passed, his love for anything fish had increased to almost obsessive. He could eat fish each night for dinner without once complaining! A feat I considered impossible for myself.

I needed variety in my meals!

"Bells…I…" Charlie fumbled over his words, his eyes conveying to me that he was now swimming in uncomfortable waters. "Are you and Jake…um…happy? You can talk to me if there is anything."

Er.

Okay.

"Dad, where is this coming from?" I put all my work on a pause, staring into his eyes. "Why such a weird question?"

"Just." He shrugged. "The two of you don't spend much time together these days. Earlier…."

"Dad." I frowned, cutting him off. "Jake and I have been married for a decade now. I have three children with him. Yes, I agree we don't get much couple time these days, but that's a phase. He has expanded his business recently, and I am occupied with the house and the kids. There is absolutely nothing to worry about. We are perfectly fine. Great, in fact."

"If you say so." He offered me a nod.

"I do." I frowned, my voice firm.

Jake and I were perfectly happy. Sure, we each had our responsibilities these days that kept us occupied, but the kids were still young and Jake was trying to expand his business…so that he could provide better for us.

What right did I have to complain?

He was doing this for us…for our family…for me.

I wasn't earning; the responsibility to provide was all on his shoulders.

If he believed spending longer hours at the garage would give us a better lifestyle…I would support him wholeheartedly.

"Well…then…" Charlie looked awkward again. "I…um…I have news."

Okay.

"I have…um…"

"Dad, just say it out." I exasperatedly sighed, my eyes back on my work.

"I am getting married."

.

.

.

What?