Apologies for the delay, guys. Real life got in the way for a while.

As always, I want to thank all who have been reading and following this story. To those who left comments on chapter 4 (Ruiniel, Goldielover, leelee202, Synphonia, Nissa-Cullen, Guest, darkangelfantasy, and Bookwormkat1) THANK YOU!

CHAPTER 5

MEMORIES AND MYSTERIES

Charlie's living-room had changed very little over the years. Except for the recliner, that he'd purchased when the old one had broken, the furniture was the same as the early 2000s. So were the beige and brown drapes that adorned the windows on either side of the brick fireplace. Just like in years past, the white mantel held a row of family pictures. And the walls—though recently repainted—were the same greyish blue.

Evidently, Charlie wasn't one for change. But then, Bella didn't mind. If anything, it was comforting. Like a moment frozen in time, she mused as her gaze flitted to the model ship above the fireplace.

Sitting on the couch, with her legs curled beneath her, Bella adjusted the woolen throw on her lap, then returned to the book she had been reading. A book she had inadvertently left behind when she had gone to university.

"Hey, isn't this yours?" Charlie had asked her the other night, after digging through a box he had found next to some old case files up in the attic.

"Oh, wow. Yeah," she had replied, a smile spreading across her face as he had brought the book to her bedside. "I thought I'd lost it."

Her paperback copy of Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde had seen better days, it was true. The corners were dog-eared, and the paper had yellowed with age. But the pages were all there. To this day, the long poem, composed using rime royale, remained a favorite of hers.

As Bella re-read the familiar words, she was only vaguely aware of the fishing show Charlie was watching on his flat screen.

It was a quarter to four. October 15th. Bella had been out of the hospital for over a week now. While she was still sore from the accident and her subsequent surgery, she had made great strides since her car had toppled down that wooded slope, nearly three weeks ago.

Within limits, she could walk around with a lot more ease now. Two days ago, on a rare sunny day, she had even braved a ten minute walk outside.

Today wasn't a good day for a stroll, though. The wind was howling, and it was pretty cold outside. But that wasn't to say she had been idle all day. Though Bella had been following her doctor's orders, and was taking it easy, she had helped Charlie prep a meal earlier, her first cooking endeavor since the accident.

Oh, it wasn't a complicated meal—oven roasted chicken with a side of carrots and mashed potatoes—but both she and Charlie liked it. So did Jacob and his father, Billy, who would be joining them for dinner shortly. Because Sundays were synonymous with Sunday Night Football, Charlie and Billy planned to watch the game together, a tradition they had maintained for a number of years now.

With a glance at her watch, Bella felt it was time to check on the chicken in the oven. When she made to rise, however, Charlie guessed her intentions and gained his feet with a grunt. "It's alright, Bella. You rest up. I'm gonna check on dinner."

"You do realize I'm not bedridden. I can walk to the kitchen and back."

Her father leveled a look at her. "Dr. Coleman said no lifting, remember? That roaster isn't exactly light."

Knowing a lost battle when she saw one, Bella accepted defeat with a half smile and a subtle roll of her eyes.

"Need anything in the kitchen?" Charlie asked as he rounded the couch.

"It's alright. I'm good."

As her father left the room, Bella set her book aside, and glanced out the window. The autumn wind seemed even stronger now. She could hear it against the house, see it in the swaying branches outside.

By the time Charlie returned, saying the food would be ready in another ten minutes or so, Bella was firing off a text to Audrey. Just to say hi and see how she was.

Moments later, her friend's reply showed up on the screen. I'm doing good. Babysitting Cora today.

Bella smiled. Cora was Audrey's niece. A sweet and precocious five year old with a toothless smile and curly red hair.

We're going to Build-A-Bear, Audrey explained. Call you later tonight?

Sure thing, Bella wrote back. Talk to you tonight. In fact, it was their nightly ritual. She and Audrey always touched bases at the end of the day. Have fun! And say hi to the little munchkin for me.

A soft crack and a fizzing sound echoed in the room, and she looked up to see that Charlie had popped a tab on his beer. As her father watched his fishing show, Bella settled into a prolonged silence.

That was the thing with Charlie; just like her, he didn't mind long wordless pauses. Their silences were comfortable, companionable. They allowed her to think.

Thinking… It was something she had been doing a lot of lately. Thinking and debating and weighing her future. Though she was leaning toward ending things with Evan, and moving on with her life, neither of them had gone ahead and taken that decisive step. Except for a few texts and phone calls, the two were taking time for themselves, to evaluate what they wanted out of life, debating if they should spend it together. It was like a part of them was readying for their parting, while another part was reluctant to let go. Walking away after three years—two of them amazingly good—was far from easy. Especially when Bella's mind held to the happier memories, how things used to be. The love and laughter, those crazy, breathtaking moments they had spent together. The life she had once dreamed of living with him.

As Charlie's fishing show went to commercial, Bella looked to her phone again, navigating until she reached Evan's facebook page. With a swipe of her finger, she brought up a picture from his office Christmas party. In it, they were sitting side by side at a table, their cheerful gazes entwined. It'd been a fun night. But it'd been a turning point, too, for their relationship had changed shortly after that. With a heavy heart, Bella stared at the image until an incoming text drew her attention.

It was Evan.

I didn't hear from you last night. Can we talk? By text or on the phone, whatever you prefer. I just need to hear from you, Bella.

Sadness and conflict churned in her being. Reading his text, knowing he wanted to talk to her… it was hard not to miss him. But that's the pattern, isn't it? Evan could be sweet an attentive one day, distracted, evasive, or altogether absent the next. And then there was the fighting, and the nagging question at the back of her mind—where did he go all those late nights he wasn't home?

Bella kept staring at her phone screen, indecision gnawing at her. Thinking Evan deserved an answer to his text, she typed a response, explaining that Jacob and his dad were coming over for dinner. Can I call you around 8?

A moment later, he wrote back. That works. Talk to you tonight.

Another moment went by. Then Evan wrote once more. I miss you.

Her heart twisted in her chest.

"You're staring hard at that phone." Charlie's voice made her look away from those three little words.

Bella blinked a few times, then tucked her phone in the pocket of her cardigan. "Was I? Sorry."

Having spent the better part of the week in pajamas, she had opted to wear actual clothes today. A comfy combination consisting of a t-shirt, leggings, and a thick pair of socks. As for the gray cardigan, it was soft and slightly oversized, a favorite of hers. Wrapping the garment more tightly around herself, she looked to the fire in the fireplace.

"You okay?" her father asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She even gave a small smile.

When Charlie pursed his lips, she could tell he wasn't buying it. Not entirely. While he wasn't one to pry, her old man was good at reading people. A seasoned cop, he could usually smell bullshit from a mile away.

When Bella failed to say anything else, Charlie scratched the underside of his jaw. "I know we don't usually talk about this kind of stuff, but I can tell that things haven't been"—he paused, searching for the words—"exactly good between you and Evan."

Her gaze fell to her lap for a beat, then two. Since there was little point in denying it, she raised her eyes back to his, and said, shyly, "That obvious, huh?"

"I'm not blind, Bella. He's not here. And you never talk about him." Now he set his beer down, and indicated her hand. "But even more telling is the ring you no longer wear on your finger."

She should have known he would notice that.

Not wanting to lie to him, Bella heaved a sigh, and shrugged. "I don't know how it happened, or why, but Evan and I… It isn't working. Things haven't been right between us for a few months now. I don't know if we'll be able to fix it. If we even should." Sinking into her thoughts, she picked at a hangnail, then huffed a dejected laugh. "Breakups, right?" At least I'm pretty sure we're breaking up.

"I get it. Believe me, I get it. I've been there. Sorta," Charlie added, for his past experience differed from hers. For one, Bella's mother had left him with little to no warning. As if that wasn't jarring enough, Renée had left Forks altogether, and taken three month old Bella with her.

"Bottom line is your mother wasn't happy here. And though it took a long time for me to accept it, I can admit that it was probably for the best. That it wouldn't have done either of us any good if she would have stayed."

As Bella absorbed the meaning behind his words, Charlie's gaze went to the row of pictures on the mantel. First, his eyes settled on his wedding picture—a spur of the moment wedding in Vegas. A melancholic smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, he then looked to a picture of the three of them, that a helpful nurse had taken after Bella's birth at the hospital.

Charlie had never been one to bare his pain. Instead, he usually kept it hidden behind his rugged, no-nonsense exterior.

Now, his pain seeped at the edges, conveying what she already knew. Even after all these years, her father had never stopped loving her mother. Her death had hit him pretty hard.

Setting the painful past aside, Charlie promptly gathered himself, and looked to Bella again. "Sometimes you gotta learn how to recognize what isn't good for you," he told her, his mouth quirking a little when he added, "Hey, but what do I know. I'm a terminal bachelor."

Bella's answering smile was genuine. "Famous ladies' man, huh?"

"You know it."

The levity of the moment stretched on. When it faded, Charlie said, "Whatever happens, whether you two stay together or not… I just want you to be happy, Bells."

A loud honk echoed from the outside, making them look toward the entrance.

"Must be Jake and his dad," Charlie said and rose.

By the time Bella made it to the front door, Jacob was already helping his father out of the truck. Confined to a wheelchair due to complications from Diabetes, Billy was Charlie's best friend. A kind man with a white smile and russet skin, he was bundled in a woolen jacket, a black cowboy hat on his head. Except for the gray streaks in his black hair, the man hadn't changed much over the years.

Once Billy was in his chair, Charlie went to meet him. With Jacob's help, he carried his chair up the front steps.

As soon as Jacob caught sight of Bella, a full smile spread across his dimpled cheeks. "Hey! You've cut your hair," he exclaimed, noting her shoulder-length do.

For the longest time, Bella had worn her hair in long, cascading layers that fell all the way to her shoulder blades. But having grown tired of the style, she now sported a slightly shorter do, with choppy layers styled in messy, uneven waves.

"Uh, so did you!" she replied, scarcely believing her eyes. "When did you do this?" The last time Bella had seen Jacob, his black hair had been well past his shoulders, just like his dad. Now his shiny locks were cropped short.

"About a year ago," he said by way of answer. "Long time no see, Bell." His hug was gentle but heartfelt.

"It's good to see you, Jake." It really was. Drawing away from him, Bella looked to her hands, which were now mapping his shoulders. "Wow, you're like… buff." Because he had forgone wearing a jacket, opting instead for a simple black t-shirt, the change in his physique was quite noticeable. "What'd you do? Join a gym or something?" Physical appearance aside, she wondered if he'd turned into a furnace as well. Despite the glacial bite in the air, he certainly didn't look cold. In fact, when she'd hugged him just now, he had felt the opposite of cold. If not for the fact that he looked cheerful, healthy, and strong, she would have thought he was running a fever or something. Jacob seemed fine, though.

"No gym, no." His boyish grin was as charming as ever. "Just good genetics."

Pointing to his t-shirt, Bella had to ask. "Did they run out of coats in La Push? I'm cold just looking at you."

As she wrapped her arms around herself, Jacob only laughed.

Then his father spoke. "You're looking well, Bella. Happy to see you on your feet."

"Well, it's great to see you guys. It's been a while." In truth, she hadn't seen them at all since her return to Forks. Much to her surprise, they hadn't even come by the hospital to see her.

Disappointing? Sure. But between her and her father, it seemed Charlie had been most bothered by their absence. She'd seen it on his face. Luckily, her father wasn't one to hold a grudge, at least not against the Blacks. And neither was she.

While Bella had spent most of her childhood in California and Arizona, she'd spent many summers here in Forks. Because Charlie and Billy often fished on weekends, she had spent quite a bit of time with Jacob over the years.

One of her fondest childhood memories was of the two of them building mud pies together. But then, when she had moved here at the age of seventeen—so her mother could go on the road with her husband, Phil, during baseball season—Bella had formed an even closer friendship with Jacob.

Because they had gone to different high schools, they'd hung out mostly on weekends. Going to the beach. Hanging out in his garage, listening to music and tinkering with stuff. In the summer before senior year, the two had even dated. A puppy love romance that never really took off, mostly because for Bella it had never felt right. After a few movie dates, she had realized they made more sense as friends. And though he'd been somewhat crushed at first, Jacob had moved past it in the end. And now here they were. Friends who could pick up where they left off, no matter how much time went by between their visits.

"I'm sorry we didn't go see you in the hospital." Tucking his hands in his pockets, Jacob regarded her with a look of guilt. "We came by the house earlier in the week, but Charlie was out, and we thought you might be sleeping."

"Oh." She hadn't known. "Well next time, you call or ring the doorbell, alright?"

Jacob gave a nod, then they both smiled.

"Deal."

"It's pretty windy today," Charlie broke in, his shoulders hunched against the cold. "How about we take this inside?"

"No argument from me," Billy said.

"Hope you're hungry. I think we made too much food."

"Uh-uh. There's no such thing as too much food," Jacob said.

"That's true." Billy laughed as he wheeled himself through the open doorway. "Jake's as bad as a teenager. Good thing he pays for his own groceries now."

"So I drove by the auto repair shop and finally saw your car." Jacob chuckled as he helped himself to a second serving of mashed potatoes. "You did quite a number on it."

The four were gathered in Charlie's dining room, where the meal had been laid out in serving dishes in the middle of the table. Connected to the kitchen via a doorway, the space also opened onto the living-room, where the television was playing, but on mute.

"Correction. I didn't do anything to my car," Bella said, then passed the salt to her father. "The bear and that slope did all the work."

"There are a lot of animals in that area," Billy offered in between bites. "They're hard to see, especially at night."

"That's what I told her," Charlie said, then leveled a teasing glance at her. "But did she listen to her old man? Nope."

Bella snorted and rolled her eyes.

"So, what are you gonna do with it?" Jacob asked her. "Your car, I mean. You gonna get it fixed?"

"I'd like to, but it's not exactly new. I'm not sure it'd be cost effective."

"How's the mileage on it?"

"It's getting up there," she admitted, then shrugged. "I had planned on buying a new one next spring anyway. I guess I'll just be hitting the dealerships a few months earlier than planned."

"Well if the car is bound for the junkyard, mind if I take a look at it?"

"You want to fix it?" Bella exchanged a glance with Charlie. Partly amused and partly puzzled, she said, "It's a mess, Jake."

He seemed undeterred. "You forget, I have mad skills when it comes to cars." Reaching for a paper napkin, Jacob wiped his smirking mouth. "Look, if you're worried about costs, don't. I have a few junkers out in the backyard. I'm sure I could find some decent replacement parts. It'd be a weekend project kind of thing. For fun, you know?" His brown eyes twinkled as if to say, "Come on, say yes."

Bella smiled in confusion. "Explain to me why you paint houses for a living? You'd be a kickass mechanic." Just like his dad.

In fact, it was Billy who had fixed the old Chevy truck that had served as Bella's mode of transportation during her high school years. And by old, she meant old. The truck—or the Thing, as she had come to call it—had been nearly fifty years old when Charlie had purchased it from Billy.

Deemed a death trap by some, Bella had loved that truck. Sadly, it had conked out and died during her senior year in high school.

"Simple," Jacob answered. "When it's a job, it's not as fun anymore."

Okay, so he had a point.

"I like tinkering with engines on the weekends," he went on to explain. "It relaxes me. So what do you say? You gonna let me play with your car or not?" When Bella narrowed her eyes in feigned deliberation, he sweetened the pot by saying, "Just think, if I can get it back into shape, you can do whatever you want with it. Drive or sell it. Make a few extra bucks. It's a win-win." Now he just looked smug.

Cocky little bastard, she thought and bit back a laugh. Man, she'd missed him. Missed the easygoing nature of their friendship. "Sure. Fine. Knock yourself out."

His smile broadened, showing perfect teeth. "Great! You won't regret it."

Later, after Charlie and Billy had moved to the living-room to watch the game, Bella lingered at the table with Jacob, where the two were enjoying the last of the apple pie.

"So where's Evan?" Jacob asked between bites. "Been a while since I've seen him."

"He was here for a few days, but I told him to go home." Seeing the question in her friend's eyes, she explained that he had to work. "Life doesn't stop just because my car went off the road."

Jacob studied her for a beat longer than she liked. "Uh-oh."

Shit. He knew.

Ill-at-ease, Bella feigned ignorance. "Uh-oh, what?"

"You might think you're hard to read, but you're not. Not to me anyway. I gather there's trouble in paradise?" It felt more like a statement than a question.

Bella made no reply. Instead, she speared the last morsel of pie, and moved it around her plate.

"I'll take that to be a yes." His tone had softened, his earlier smugness gone.

Seeing that he wouldn't let this go, Bella relented, "Okay. Fine. We're going through some stuff. But I don't feel like talking about it."

At first, she thought he might push to know more. But then, to her surprise, he let it go. "Okay."

Seconds went by. The televised football game played in the background. "Come on, Seahawks," Bella heard her father say.

A smirk finding light on her lips, she turned the tables on Jacob. "Speaking of trouble in paradise, Charlie tells me you're enjoying the single life again. What happened anyway? I thought you and Jenna were pretty solid."

"We were. But you know how things go. After a while, I started getting on her nerves. She started getting on my nerves." His mouth quirked, then he laughed. "It was a disaster. We're better off." Now he waved a hand, and reached for his Coca-Cola. "Besides I've been rather busy lately. I don't exactly have time for love right now."

This piqued her interest. "Oh? What have you been up to?"

"Just stuff around the reservation. Things relating to the tribe." Though his mood was pretty laid-back, Bella sensed he was eager to change the subject, a suspicion that came full circle when he indicated the small scar above her brow. "I hear you were pretty banged up." Oh no. Not the accident again. "Charlie told us how close it was." A look of concern crossed his features. Softly, he said, "I'm glad you're okay, Bella."

A blush of embarrassment crept on her cheeks. Irritated by the incessant fussing, Bella thought she might as well get the topic out of the way.

"It wasn't exactly a walk in the park, but I made it. I'm still here." Sitting here now, Bella thought back on the accident. After her car had toppled down that slope, she'd been pretty out of it. But while she'd drifted in and out of consciousness, Bella remembered enough to know it'd been a very long and very cold night. "Sometimes, I still can't believe Dr. Cullen found me when he did." The fact that he was even there at all boggled the mind.

"Dr. Cullen," Jacob echoed. "As in Carlisle Cullen?"

Bella narrowed her eyes in confusion, for Jacob's easygoing mood had done a complete one-eighty. He seemed tense all of a sudden, alarmed, a deep frown marring his forehead.

"Carlisle Cullen, yeah," she replied, not quite following. "He was hiking in the area when he found me." At least, that's what Charlie had heard. When she'd spoken to Dr. Cullen last week, asking how he had found her, the blond physician had been rather evasive, his features warm but slightly strained when he had said, "A lucky twist of fate, I guess."

In the present, Jacob sat back in his chair, his lips pursed in a brooding manner as he looked away. Before she could ask him what was wrong, he pinched the bridge of his nose, and gave a wry chuckle. "Hiking, right." Now he was shaking his head.

Huh?

Flat-out confused, Bella opened her mouth, then closed it again. At length, she said, "Um… did I miss something?"

In lieu of answering, Jacob pointed to her mostly empty plate. "Are you done with that?"

When he rose and reached across the table, Bella moved her plate so he couldn't reach it. "Forget the dishes. I want to know what happened just now. I mentioned Dr. Cullen and you went all weird."

As the sound of a cheering crowd drifted from the television in the other room, Bella barely registered her father's enthusiastic, "Yes! Touchdown!"

"That was one heck of a play!" Billy exclaimed in turn, oblivious to the puzzling tension in the dining-room.

Paying no mind to the celebratory ruckus, Bella kept staring at her childhood friend.

The muscles of his jaw flexed for second. But then, to convince her, Jacob relaxed a little, or pretended to. He even faked a smile. "Never mind. It's not important." With that, he leaned far enough to grab her plate. After placing the dishes in the kitchen sink, Jacob returned and nudged his chin toward the living-room. "Looks like an exciting game. What do you say we catch the end of it?"

Recognizing a brick wall when she saw one, Bella abandoned her previous query. At least for now.

Later that evening, after the Seahawks had claimed victory, and Jacob and Billy were pulling out of the driveway, she remained in the open doorway, a question sticking at the back of her mind.

"Something wrong, Bells?" Charlie asked when she finally lost sight of them and closed the door.

He was already at the kitchen sink, filling it with hot, soapy water.

"I don't know," she answered, genuinely confused. Passing by the staircase, Bella crossed their small entryway, and entered the kitchen with its white cabinets and pale blue walls. "Just a conversation I had with Jacob. It was… I don't know. Weird."

"In what way?"

Rather tired from her day, Bella shuffled toward their small breakfast table, pulled one of the mismatched chairs, and plopped down into it. Ignoring her lingering aches and pains, she said, "We were talking about the accident, and when I mentioned Dr. Cullen, he got all serious and tense all of a sudden, and wouldn't explain why. I mean, the change in his mood was immediate. You couldn't miss it. I got the feeling that he really doesn't like him."

When Charlie hung his head, his hand rising to rub the back of his neck, Bella gathered that he was irritated but unsurprised. "You know, I wish they would just give the guy a chance. This town is damned lucky to have a physician like Dr. Cullen."

"Wait, you mean Billy has a problem with him, too? Why?"

True she might not know him very well, but aside from a few oddities, Dr. Cullen seemed nice. Kind.

"To be honest, I hardly understand it myself. I asked them about it once, when the two of them made a fuss about Dr. Cullen working at the hospital."

"Wait, is that why they didn't visit me?"

"It's a pretty crummy reason, but yeah. The Quileutes… they're boycotting the hospital."

As Charlie grabbed a dishrag, Bella's mouth fell open. "Because of Dr. Cullen," she echoed aloud. "You're joking."

"Seems pretty stupid, I know. Look, don't get me wrong. Billy and Jacob, they're family to me. But the hostility they feel towards the guy… it doesn't make sense to me. In fact, the whole reservation's up in arms about Dr. Cullen working here in town."

"Why?"

"I wish I knew. They were always pretty vague about it. Something about an old feud between the Quileutes and someone in Dr. Cullen's family tree. Early twentieth century stuff."

"So something happened a century ago, and now they want nothing to do with Dr. Cullen?"

"That's the gist of it." The water in the sink had risen, and the sides were nearly overflowing with suds. Shutting off the water, Charlie rolled up the sleeves of his plaid shirt, and started washing the dishes. "If you ask me, the tribe's not exactly being fair. And they're not the only ones. Some of the folks around here aren't giving him much of a chance either. Just because he's a newcomer. I really don't get it. Dr. Cullen's been nothing but nice."

Though his voice was level, aggravation rolled off of him in waves. "Let's face it, Forks isn't the kind of place that attracts new physicians, especially talented ones. He might be fresh out of residency, but from what I hear, the guy's one heck of a surgeon already. To have him working here, in our Podunk hospital? People should be happy." Having washed one plate, he rinsed it and set it in the drying rack. "Folks around here should think about the people he's helped. People he's saved. More gratitude. Less closed-mindedness."

Bella tried to wrap her brain around it. At a loss for words, she settled for, "Jeez… Small towns, right?" When she rose to fetch a drying cloth from a nearby drawer, Charlie's demeanor softened, and he told her to leave it.

"You've had a long day. You should get some rest."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I got this." He gave a lopsided smile and jerked his chin toward the staircase in the entryway. "Now scoot."

A chuckle as her response, Bella set the drying cloth on the counter. "Fine. I'm going. Good night, dad."

"Night, kid."

After she had brushed her teeth, and changed into her pajamas, Bella padded into her bedroom and grabbed her cell phone which she'd previously placed on the old pine dresser by the door. While the house was largely unchanged, Bella's former bedroom was much emptier than it used to be. For instance, the shelves were mostly bare. And the corkboard, which had once held drawings, pictures, posters, and articles, was now entirely barren.

Because she had yet to turn on the bedside lamp, the room was lit solely by the white string-lights that were strewn across the blue-green walls. Smiling at the fact that Charlie had hung them back up for her, Bella climbed into bed, and checked the time. "Eight o'clock," she murmured to herself. Time to call Evan.

Her heart mired in conflict, Bella dialed her home number, and pressed the call button.

The phone rang once, twice, then a third time. When the answering machine clicked on, Bella gave up with a sigh, and dialed Evan's cell phone instead. Again, no answer. Unsurprised, she huffed a mirthless laugh, and closed her eyes.

I should have known. It was always the same story with him.

When her phone rang a second later, she thought he might have just missed her call and was calling back. But a glance at the screen revealed it wasn't him.

Fine by me.

Her annoyance ceding to genuine delight, Bella answered. "Hey, Audrey. How was Build-A-Bear?"

Her friend's laughter drifted over the line. "I don't know who had more fun. Me or Cora." Bella could easily envision that.

"How is the little munchkin?"

"Good. Full of energy. Did you have a good day?"

"Yeah, it was alright."

Something in her voice must have tipped her off because Audrey's cheerfulness turned to concern. "Oh no. What happened?"

"Guess."

"Evan." Audrey gave a loud sigh.

Her finger tracing the purple designs on her blanket, Bella told her about the text he had sent her, including the "I miss you" part.

"What'd he say when you finally called him?"

"That's just it. We'd planned to talk at eight. I called the apartment and he wasn't there. Then I tried his cell, and he didn't answer. He always does this. We make plans. He lets me down. Most of the time, he says it's work. But this is a Sunday night. I don't know what to think anymore." Exhausted, both physically and mentally, Bella rubbed her right eye with the heel of her hand. God, I feel like an idiot. Why am I putting up with this?

"Do you want my opinion?"

"By all means, fire away."

"Like you, I don't know if he's cheating or not. But even if he isn't… neither of you seem happy." Her friend heaved a long breath over the phone, her voice soft and compassionate when she prodded, "Are you? Are you happy, Bella?"

A moment of silence ensued. Bella's head thudded against the headboard as she sat back. "No." A short answer, and a truthful one.

"I would never tell you how to live your life. But if it were me… Look, we might have hit the big 3-0, but we're not fossils. You're still young. You could start fresh. Find your spark again. Who knows, there might be another Mister Right out there. The real Mister Right. A man who'll worship you, and won't make you wonder at every turn. Someone who's worthy of trust, who'll make your toes curl up, and take your breath away. A real hottie like—"

Bella laughed—a full belly laugh that tapered to a series of tired but earnest chuckles. Leave it to Audrey. Despite being single herself, her friend was a hopeless romantic. "I'm not technically broken up yet, and you're talking about me dating?" With a shake of her head, Bella dragged a hand down her smiling face. "Yeah, I'm not ready for that yet." But being single? Honestly, it didn't sound half bad right now.

Was it time, though? Was she ready to walk away from Evan?

We were happy once, one half of her heart whispered, while the other half doubted things could ever be the same, even if they tried.

After she and Audrey had said good night, Bella found she couldn't sleep. She was annoyed, angry at Evan and herself. What are you doing, Bella? You deserve better than this.

When the numbers on the alarm clock changed from 8:55 to 8:56, her cell phone vibrated, then a ringtone broke the stillness.

Frowning, she reached for her cell, and saw that it was Evan. Several thundering heartbeats later, she answered, but said nothing.

"Shit, Bella, I'm sorry." Those were his greeting words. "Mom asked me over for dinner, and I lost track of time." Evan loosed a breath then, like he was mentally kicking himself. City traffic could be heard in the background. Passing cars and the occasional honk. "I would have answered, but I forgot my phone was set to silent. I'm an idiot."

Unsure of what to say or think, she said, "You wanted me to call earlier. I called."

"I know I messed up. I let you down. Again. But I really did want to talk to you, Bella. I meant it when I said I missed you."

"I'm really tired, Evan. This was a long day, and quite frankly, I just want to sleep right now."

"Okay... Okay," he murmured. "I'll let you get you some rest, but we'll talk in the morning." There was a pause, as if something had netted his attention. "I gotta go."

Her eyes burned, her voice a mere breath when she said, "Okay."

"Good night, Bella. Tomorrow," he promised again, and ended the call…

…or so he thought.

The city sounds became muffled. His phone was likely in his pocket.

"Evan?" It was a woman, her voice just loud enough to hear through the fabric. "What are you doing outside? Our table's ready."

"Sorry, babe. I had to take a call."

Bella's stomach dropped.

Babe. He'd called her babe.

The clicking of heels on pavement carried over the line. Then the woman spoke again. "That was Bella, wasn't it?" Her tone seemed mostly resigned.

When Evan didn't answer, she said, "Let me guess. You still haven't told her about us." The woman sounded more hurt than angry.

"Amber, you gotta give me some slack here. I've been with her for three years. She was in a car wreck. She's still healing from surgery."

Bella heard the words, but her attention snagged on the name. Amber. Amber Emmerson. Bella had met her the week before Christmas, at Evan's office party. An attractive woman with light brown hair and a perfect smile. She'd been working with Evan for close to a year now.

"I know you said you're just waiting for the right time," Amber went on to say. "But sometimes I wonder if the reason you're waiting is because you don't know what you want. I know we fell into this unexpectedly, that neither of us planned this, but I never wanted to be the other woman. To come in second. It's not... It's not what I envisioned for myself."

"Come on, you know you're more than that." The emotion in his voice... Like he genuinely cared about her. Maybe even loved her.

"Then prove it. Sneaking around, it's not my thing anymore. Honestly, it never was. I'm done with it." Amber's voice cracked. "You're going to have to choose. It's her or me."

Bella couldn't stand hearing any more. She had heard enough.

Ending the call, she remained where she was, her knees pulled toward her body, her back resting against the headboard.

She had gotten what she wanted. She'd gotten her answer.

I knew it.

Her eyes had fallen shut.

I knew it, I knew it, I knew it.

Her hand rose to her aching chest, her palm pressing against her heart.

Shit. Why was it so hard to breathe?

Over the past few weeks, Bella had tried to convince herself that she was braced for this, that the moment of truth would hurt less because she had seen it coming.

She'd been wrong.

Now the woman's word came back to her. "You're going to have to choose," she had told Evan.

"No," Bella whispered in the dark. Eyes closed, she shook her head in absolute refusal. He wouldn't get to make that choice. Because the choice was already made. She had made it.

Evan had lied to her face just now. Clearly not for the first time. Dinner with his mother. What a joke.

He was seeing another woman. And yet, he was seemingly incapable of letting Bella go.

You can't have both.

As the wind buffeted the window, her teeth caught her lower lip.

You can't have me.

Nothing he could ever say or do would make her change her mind on this. It was over. They were done.

Evan didn't deserve her. He never did.

So here was chapter 5. Sorry Carlisle wasn't in it. Fear not, though. He'll definitely be in the next one. ;-)