Tuesday, March 28, 2017

The One That Got Away Teaser

“Dad, we’re going on a field trip,” Lucy said. “We’re going to the aquarium with the third graders. Can you chaperone?” Liam reached into his backpack, handing Edward the paperwork.

Bella was cooking them dinner. Her apartment was out of commission due to a water leak from the apartment upstairs. She was grateful that none of the furniture was hers, but the damage was quite extensive to the dry wall, carpeting and cabinetry in the kitchens and bathrooms. It was almost two weeks since she last set foot in her apartment while they completely renovated and repaired the damage.

“I can’t,” Edward frowned, reading the paperwork. “I have to work at the hospital that day.”

“Miss Archer really wants you to go,” Lucy pouted. “She remembers what you did for the field trip to the science museum.”

“Sweet girl, I can’t,” Edward said, tugging on Lucy’s ponytail. “Maybe Nana can go?”

“Why not Bella?” Liam suggested. “She’s considered to be one of our guardians.” He took the paper from his father’s hands and handed to Bella. “It’s on Friday, in a month, Bella. Right before Halloween.”

“I think it might be doable,” Bella said, reading over the paper. “It’s during midterms, but my students are writing a paper for their midterm and I’m not having class that day. I’ll talk to my boss and request the day off.”

“Yay!” Lucy squealed, running over to Bella and wrapping her arms around her waist.

Bella giggled. Edward wrapped his arms around all of them, kissing Bella’s cheek. Edward filled out the forms and Bella put her contact information to be a parental chaperone. Putting them into the envelopes, the twins stuck them into their ‘home folders’ in their backpacks. Dinner was made and they ate their meal as a family.

After dishes and homework, the twins went upstairs. Lucy, after her bath, went into her brother’s room. “Lee?” she asked, climbing onto his bed. “Do you think Dad is going to marry Bella?”

“I don’t know?” he shrugged. “I’m not a fortune teller, Lucy.”

“Do you want Dad to marry Bella?” Lucy pressed. “She makes him smile.”

“If you’d asked me when he first started dating her, I would have said no,” Liam snorted. “She’d leave us. Leave him, but after their fight … that fight when Dad yelled at her about that lady.”

“That lady is our mom, Lee,” Lucy grumbled. “She looked mean and her clothes were too small.”

“I’m more worried about her. I heard Dad talking to Papa and Chief Swan. That lady is still missing. Dad said that she may becoming unhinged. I don’t know what that means, Lucy. But the look on his face, it can’t be anything good,” Liam shrugged. “I’m surprised that Dad isn’t coming with us on the field trip if he was so worried about that lady. Our birth mom.”

“He trusts Bella,” Lucy argued.

“So do I,” Liam nodded.

“Lee … is it bad that I want to call Bella ‘Mom’? I don’t want to call her Bella. I want a mommy. Bella’s so nice and kind and she’s there for us,” Lucy whispered, toying with her damp curls.

“Me, too, Lucy,” Liam whispered back, hugging his sister.

“Terrors! You’ve got to go to bed! I hear you yammering!” Edward called up the stairs. “School tomorrow!”


“Yes, Dad!” Lucy shouted back. “Good night, Lee.” He waved as he snuggled under the covers. Lucy skipped to her bed and curled around her pillow. As she drifted off, she dreamt of a day where Bella stayed at the house and she was called ‘Mommy.’ 

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