Bella took a deep breath and turned the key to open the front door. It had been 6 years since she had set foot in this house. She remembers like it was yesterday, when her mother had come to take her back to Jacksonville. She had been locked in a deep depression when the Cullens disappeared and though it killed her to say goodbye to Charlie, she knew that she needed a change. That night her mother packed her bags and the next morning she was saying goodbye to Washington from the window of a plane.
She had kept in constant contact with her father, though she had asked that he not discuss her life with others. She had wanted a clean break, and though he sometimes would chat about the things in his life, he rarely spoke about the people she left behind.
6 years later she was here, a whole new person. She had floundered for a bit in Florida, unsure what to do with her life, but in the end she found her purpose. She had taken a job working as an assistant at a daycare run by the state and had fallen in love with the children there. She had never spent much time with children before, but now she couldn't imagine that she had ever considered throwing away the chance to be a mother.
She rested her hand on her still flat abdomen.
Unplanned is the polite term, but her pregnancy had been an accident like no other. She had been with a few guys over the years, nothing serious, and mostly just a way to keep away the loneliness. Then, a few months ago, she met an attractive man at a bar. Cliche right? She had gone out to celebrate her college roommate's engagement and had one drink too many. She can barely remember the night, let alone a name, but life happens and when her period was late she knew her life was about to change.
As much as she loved her mother and Phil, they were traveling again, and she was sure she wanted to give her child a more stable home. She had expected Charlie to blow a fuse when she told him that she was pregnant, but he had surprised her. He quickly offered up her own room and he said would be thrilled to have her home.
She had adamantly refused his offer to pick her up from the airport today, as her growing child required frequent bathroom stops and she was looking forward to seeing a bit more of towns along the drive. She had already secured a position at Forks Hospital working in the children's psychology department, with glowing recommendations from her previous employer. She was anxious about how she would feeling being back where her life had first taken a turn, but she was more than excited to get back to working with children.
With a sigh, she flipped on the light in the entry and set her suitcase by the bottom of the stairs. She walked slowly through the house and noted that not much had changed. The house was a bit more tidy, and there was a rug she was fairly certain hadn't been there before, but all in all it was the same. She walked into the kitchen and smiled. Charlie was not known for lifting a finger in the kitchen and so it came as no surprise that it had been left organized just how she liked it. She walked to the counter where a gift bag sat, her name scribbled on the side.
Pulling out the tissue paper, Bella reached into the bag and pulled out a book. Stuck to the cover was a small piece of paper. It read : "Hey kiddo, I'm sorry I'm not there to welcome you home, I picked this up in the hopes that you can harness your magical skill in the kitchen and pass it down. Someone needs to keep Grandpa well-fed."
She laughed as she stroked the cover of the blank book, "Bella's Secret Recipes". She set the book back on the counter and took a peek at the clock before checking the cupboards and fridge. Scoffing at the fridge filled with takeout containers and beer, she grabbed the keys of her rental car and headed towards the grocery store. Charlie was going to eat healthier whether he liked it or not.