Baby Cullens?!

2. Jessica Stanley

Jessica walks over to us, and Bella studiously studies the contents of the shelves, not responding to the name. I pretend to browse the shelves as well.

'Follow my lead,' Bella's voice suddenly floats into my head, almost making me jump! This is the first time Bella has lifted her shield for me. She rolls her eyes at my shock and grins a little.

Jessica places her hand on Bella's shoulder and Bella whirls around, faking surprise.

'I could have sworn it was Bella! She looks like Bella...but more beautiful...' Jessica muses in her mind. Her mind is a dull place, shallow and even at 60? She's chastising Bella's outfit.

"Can I help you?" Bella asks in her soprano voice.

Jessica's eyes widen a little. Then she looks over at me. 'New guy? Who is he? Bella dumped Edward? But no...Bella can't be so young!...' she continues, and I decide to tune her out.

"I'm sorry...I thought you were someone I knew...Isabella Swan?" Jessica asks hesitantly.

Bella's face lightens up as she gives Jessica a breathtaking smile, "Oh! She goes by Bella Cullen now though. She's my mother," Bella lies easily, and I grin.

"Oh! Has your family moved back to Forks?"

"Oh, no...my parents are...in Rome! Yeah, we live in Rome...it's just that, I wanted to stay in Forks for a while," she grins.

"So you live alone? With your boyfriend?" she prods, and the distaste of an entire small town is in her voice.

I chuckle lowly and look Jessica straight in the face. Her breathing tempo increases, making me grin. "I'm not her boyfriend. I'm her older brother. I'm here to keep an eye on her," I say nonchalantly, swinging my arm over Bella's shoulder.

"Oh...so where are the two of you living?" Jessica continues her interrogation.

"At the house my father used to live in?" I venture, trying to keep the grin off my face.

"And we're not living alone. Grandpa Carlisle and grandma Esme did have a son. He's married now. So, Henry and I are living with Michael and his wife," Bella continues. I laugh internally. Carlisle is going to LOVE his new name!

"So, just the four of you?"

"No. Uncle Emmett and Aunt Rose have children as well, as do Aunt Alice and Uncle Jasper," I continue.

'So...they're living almost like how their parents lived? Weird...' Jessica thinks scornfully, not knowing her thought aren't private.

Then a pretty young girl trots over to Jessica. She's got long, blond hair. Her music is blaring in her ears, and she's chewing gum. How unattractive!

"Oh, I haven't got your name!" Jessica suddenly exclaims.

"I'm Amanda, and this is Henry," Bella says hastily.

"I'm Jessica, by the way. I used to be friends with your mother when we were in high school. And this is my daughter Sam," she introduces, pointing out the obviously bored teenager.

"Sam! Don't be rude!" Jessica scolds. Samantha, I assume, scowls and pulls out her earphones, her eyes resting on Bella and I.

'Ohmygod! Who is HE? Is he with her?' her thoughts are so poisonous towards Bella.

She holds her hand out to shake Bella's with a huge fake smile on her face. "I'm Samantha Newton," she introduces in a sugary-sweet voice. Bella reciprocates the smile and takes her hand.

"I'm Amanda Cullen, and this is my brother, Henry Cullen," she volunteers. I give Samantha a lazy smile, and I see desire in her eyes.

This ought to be interesting...