Lexie was a free spirit in every sense of the word. Despite being the spitting image of her mother, Isabella Swan, the two couldn't be more different.
In a last ditch effort to change her daughter's reckless behavior, Lexie was sent to an all-girl's...
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||Lexie's P.O.V.||
The day after the dinner fiasco, I was eating a bowl of cereal when my dad appeared at the bottom of the stairs.
"So, you're engaged?" I spoke up around a mouthful of cheerios. They're 'heart-healthy'.
He smiled sheepishly as he walked into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. "Yeah, and I'm actually needing to talk to you about that."
I sighed as I absentmindedly stirred my bowl of cereal. "Right. When's the wedding?"
He chuckled. "It's in less than two months."
I nearly choked on my orange juice. "Wh-What?!"
I felt my eyes grow to the size of saucers.
He took a sip of coffee before he spoke, "I know I probably should have told you sooner, but I didn't want that to prevent you from moving in. I'm so excited that you're here. Really, I am. And I can't wait for our family to grow."
I was stunned. Speechless.
He continued, "Shannon and her daughter will be moving in with us in about a week or so. I was wanting to give you time to get settled in before they joined us in our home permanently."
This can't be happening. Fuck meeee! If it was anyone but Cecilia. Literally anyone. I groaned in annoyance and laid my head down on the table, closing my eyes and wallowing in despair. Yes, I have a flair for dramatics.
"How long have you been seeing her, dad?" I finally managed to speak after throwing a self-pity party that lasted all of thirty seconds.
"We've been official for about six months, but Shannon has been a part of my life for years," he explained, leaning against the counter casually.
"How?" I lifted my head from the table and ran a hand through my hair.
"She's been my housekeeper for going on six years now," he explained.
This sounded like the plot of a cliché Hallmark movie. A renowned heart surgeon falls in love with his maid. I mean, come on.
I nodded in response, unsure what to say to that. "Alright," was all I could muster.
He flashed me a beaming smile and said, "Later, kiddo," before leaving for work.
I was seriously rethinking my decision to move in with him. The words of my mother played on repeat in my mind, taunting me, 'The grass isn't always greener on the side'.
And dammit... She was right.
***
||Edward's P.O.V.||
"Why didn't you tell us?" Carlisle asked, his face pulling down in a frown.
Guilt coursed through me when I realized that he was genuinely hurt by my lack of transparency. Their reaction to finding out the identity of Alexandria's mother went exactly as I expected it would.
He and Esme were standing hand in hand under the back porch awning. I was leaning against a tree with my hands in my pockets, struggling to find the right words to say.
"I'm sorry," I breathed out, meeting their hurt gazes. "I just- I know how important this whole TAH project is to you, Carlisle. I didn't want you to feel forced to give that up on my account."
"I have no problem continuing the research from a different location, son," he assured me. None of us would hold leaving against you. Especially given the circumstances.
Esme offered me a tender smile. "We haven't been to Alaska in quite some time. It would be nice to catch up with our distant family in Denali."
"That won't be necessary," I was quick to say. "I see no reason to leave town."
They looked at me with weary eyes, their thoughts taking on a confused, uneasy tone.
Carlisle pressed his lips into a thin before speaking. "You're still in a fragile state. I would hate to have everything you've worked so hard for be squandered." Your journey to healing has only just begun. I beg of you to reconsider.
"Staying isn't going to jeopardize my mental health. I assure you," I told them, willing myself to believe it.
"Going to school with her daughter is one thing, Edward. How do you think you'll feel if you actually see her out and about somewhere?" My father asked, genuinely curious.
I can't imagine it would hurt any more than actually being in her home while her teenage daughter threw a hellacious party. I didn't say that to them, of course.
"I can handle it," I stated sternly, grateful that my voice didn't waver. "If I think it's going to be too much, I won't hesitate to leave. But I want to make that decision for myself, and if it comes down to that, I wouldn't expect any of you to come along with me."
Esme gasped, sorrow playing in her eyes. "But we would want to come with you. We're family." We love you.
Carlisle nodded in agreement. "Absolutely."
I swallowed hard around the sudden lump in my throat. "If I choose to leave, I would want to be alone. At least for a while."
That much I believed to be true. However, the thought of leaving caused dread to settle in the pit of my stomach, so I knew that I was only speaking hypothetically. Something drastic would have to happen for me to consider fleeing town.
Esme's eyes flooded with sympathy and understanding. Carlisle smiled warmly and nodded, "We understand."
