Tidal Wave

[24]

Two months have passed since Renee's shocking revelation at the Cullens' house. Bella had struggled to come to terms with the news that she was not Renee's biological daughter, but the child of a mermaid queen. However, life had gradually settled back into a routine, or at least as much of a routine as was possible with a family of vampires.

The kids were back in school, and Carlisle resumed his work at the hospital. In their free time, they tried to gather more information about the mysterious group that had been kidnapping and experimenting on mermaids, but their progress had been slow. Whoever was behind it was very good at covering their tracks.

Bella's relationship with Renee was strained, to say the least. Renee had moved back to Forks to be closer to Bella, but they didn't talk often. Bella still couldn't believe that her whole life had been a lie, that her memories of her childhood were false. She had asked Renee about Charlie, and Renee had explained that his memories had been altered too, to make him believe that he and Renee had had a child together. Bella still saw him occasionally to keep up appearances, but it was hard knowing that he didn't really know who she was.

Bella's birthday was coming up, and she couldn't believe that she had been living with the Cullens for almost a year. It felt like home, with each member of the family becoming closer to her with each passing day. She and Edward shared a room together, and it had become a comfortable and safe haven for her.

On this particular day, everyone was going about their business. Alice was flipping through fashion magazines, Jasper was reading a book on psychology, and Emmett was tinkering with one of his cars. Bella sat on the couch, lost in thought. It had been a long day at school, and she was grateful for the quiet.

As she sat there, she thought about her real mother. She wondered what she was like, what her life was like ruling over the kingdom under the ocean. She wondered if she had siblings, and if they knew about her. It was hard not knowing anything about the family she was born into.

Suddenly, Alice's voice broke through her thoughts. "Bella, dear, what are you thinking about?" she asked, a mischievous glint in her eye.

Bella smiled slightly, knowing that Alice could always tell when something was on her mind. "Just...wondering about my real mother, I guess. What she's like."

Alice nodded, her expression softening. "I'm sure she's wonderful, Bella. But you have us now, and we love you just the way you are."

Bella felt a surge of gratitude for the Cullens, for taking her in and making her a part of their family. She knew that she was lucky to have them in her life.

As the day wore on, the family settled into their usual routines. Edward and Bella spent some time in their room, talking about nothing in particular. They just enjoyed each other's company, feeling safe and content in each other's presence.

As the evening drew to a close, Bella found herself feeling grateful for the sense of normalcy that had returned to her life. It wasn't perfect, but it was home. And that was enough.