EPOV

"So you're telling me that you got the apple from the tree and you ate that apple!" I said to Carlie.

"Yeah!" She said.

"No way!" I said.

"Yes, I did that." she said proudly.

"Wow!" I said, "Nobody even told me there is an apple tree in the house!"

"There is." she replied sincerely, "It's near the pool."

God! She was the cutest person in the whole world!

"Really?" I said.

"Yeah." she said, "Grandpa picked me up and then I got the apple from the tree! And then Grandma cut it for me!"

Grandpa and Grandma! It was so strange to hear her calling Mom and Dad that!

She had met them more than she had met me. Bella had allowed them to meet Carlie even when she had not allowed me the same earlier, and they were really fond of her, so I was glad they could finally hear those words from her!

I wanted to spend more time with them today, but Bella said it was not a good idea. She didn't want me to spend a lot of time with her. She said she was not ready for it, not yet.

I wanted to argue, but well, she was the one deciding everything, and I was afraid that I might fuck something if I argued, so I stayed quiet.

But I definitely needed answers from her.

She needed to give us all an explanation for her selfish decision.

She might have had reasons, and I was dying to know them.

I was waiting for the showdown, but it was not the right time.

Not yet.

She arrived a few minutes later.

"Mama!" Carlie ran into her arms, "I picked an apple from the tree and I ate that."

And she told her the same story! It was such a big deal to her!

It was so strange to see Bella at my parents' house.

The last time we all were here together was the last Thanksgiving we all spent together.

It was quite the time!

Everyone kind of knew we were dating, but we hadn't announced it yet.

Sneaky kisses, sweet hugs, secret dates...

But well, that was history!

Here we were... Glaring at each other as if we could kill each other at any moment!