I stare at Alice, more angry than relieved. "Are you fucking kidding me?" I snarl.
She looks shocked and confused. "I'm sorry, whats-"
"You decide to come back and do all that I love you shit after ignoring me for 3 weeks? You broke the kids hearts! And today of all days you decide to show up at the end of the day? Nicely done, Alice! Well fucking done!" I clap sarcastically as I glare at her.
"I needed some space." She says calmly. "I needed to think and figure it out."
"And I didn't!? Lorenzo cried for you as he came round from his surgery, all he wanted was a mama hug. And I had to sit and tell Lily about why we left. I had to face our family without you, and here you stand saying you needed space? Go. Come back tomorrow, you're not ruining their Christmas."
"You can't make me leave." Alice scoffs. "You wanted me back."
"Three weeks ago I did. Now I'm just pissed at your always excellent timing!"
Rosalie comes over. "Wow, really Alice? Now?"
"Butt out of this Rosalie." Alice snaps.
"No! How could you leave everyone like that with no contact!?" She yells. "How could you leave those amazing children-"
"Don't use my own children against me." Alice snarls. "I was finding a way to fix this mess!"
"And again were back to making decisions alone." I laugh coldly and begin to walk away.
She's behind me in a second and grabs my arm, spinning me around; our faces are inches apart. "I'm. Not. Done." She growls.
"Well I am." I retort and push her back.
Alice growls and begins to push me. Eventually we end up clawing at each other, trying to hurt one another despite it being an impossible act. Eventually we're pulled apart - poor Jasper may have been bitten by me there - and I finally hear Lorenzo crying and Lily screaming for us to stop and I break away from Jasper, running to them.
"I'm sorry you saw that, I'm sorry." I say as I pull Lily close and reach for Lenzy. Esme hesitates but I shake my head. "I'm in control. I swear." I reassure and she hands him to me almost reluctantly. Lils clings to me as Lenzy rubs his eyes, his cries slowing.
"Let me see them." Alice demands trying to push past her brothers.
"Alice, this isn't the time-" Edward tries to say but Alice pushes through. She looks at Lily and Lenzy, both so frightened in my arms, and her eyes soften. "Hi babies.. Its just me."
Lily takes a shaky breath. "Why bother c-coming b-back now?" She whispers.
Alice's eyes flash with hurt again. "I had something important to sort-"
"More important than us? Than your son who was in hospital?" She whispers tearful.
I kiss her head and rub her back. "Take your brother inside, okay? Get ready for bed and choose a movie." I hand her Lenzy and she nods, slowly headed inside. I turn to Alice. "I said not today for a reason, Alice - they're fragile. They're exhausted and hurt and overwhelmed. If you wanted to come back, you could've chose any day but today. So you can go, stay, whatever, just leave them alone. Stay away otherwise I won't hesitate." I threaten before walking inside. How has it come to this?
-
" 'I am a dog, as keen as can be, is there room on a broom for a dog like me?' " I say softly to Lenzy as he drinks his bottle of milk. "'Yes!' cried the witch and the dog cambered on. The witch tapped the broomstick and whoosh they were gone."
He points to the picture. "She got small boom." He says, point to the broom stick.
"She has. Is there going to be enough room for all of them?" I gasp. He looks at me and taps the page demanding me to keep me reading. I laugh, kissing his head before I carry on reading.
" Over the fields and the forest they flew. The dog wagged his tail and the stormy wind blew. The witch laughed aloud and held on to her hat, but away blew the bow from her long ginger plait!"
Lenzy giggles at the pictures as I keep reading. I always read with Lily, at least once or twice a day, and I love that I can do the same with Lorenzo. I look at Lily as she begins to stir and smile as she rolls over to face us. "You missed Room on the Broom baby."
"Darn, Lenzy will have to read it to me later." She mumbles tiredly. I squeeze her hand gently and she looks at me. "Can I speak to Ma later?" She whispers.
"Yes, as long as you say nice things. This isn't your fight my love, leave the arguing and anger to me and mama, okay?" I kiss her head.
She nods and goes to the bathroom to shower. I finish reading the book just as the door knocks and Alice slowly peaks in. I take a deep breath. "Lenzy, look who it is." I put the book down and he lights up when he sees Alice.
"Mama!" He clambers over me and jumps into Alice's arms as she meets him half way.
She closes her eyes as she holds him close. "Mama missed you, monkey." She whispers to him. She looks at me. "Where's Lils...?"
I point to the bathroom door. "Shower. She wants to see you so maybe hang about. I'm gonna go get their breakfast." I say as I climb out of bed.
"Can't we be in the same room together for a few minutes?" She whispers.
"Not right now." I whisper and walk away before anything else can be said. I make my way downstairs and see Esme stood with her arms crossed, tapping her foot. "Don't. I know you're ever pushing for peace but right now I can't stand to look at her. I love her beyond words but I also hate her right now. So stop."
She sighs and pulls me in to a hug making me hug back gently. "I just want us all to get along."
I rub her back. "I know. Maybe we will soon but not this second."
"Okay okay. I can handle that. Wanna go hunting?" She offers.
I exhale. "God yes."
She laughs and gets our jackets as Alice comes down carrying Lenzy and Lily follows. "Where are you going...?"
"To hunt with Esme." I say gently. "Won't be long. Make sure Lorenzo eats his vitamins, usually need Edward to help with that task." I pinch his cheek gently and he giggles. "I'll be back soon." I call before we head out.
I'm not too hungry and neither is Esme, so we just tackle a mountain lion together before we wander the mountains for a few miles. "What do I do?" I think aloud.
Esme looks over. "You know my answer to that - take her back."
I laugh small. "No, no, not about that... Parker writes an email to me every week. I figured it would be okay to see him but I'm not so sure."
"He comes by every now and then to see if there's any news. We had to tell everyone you and Alice went on another mini honeymoon but we never heard from you again - staged a car crash and everything. We made it look like you may be dead but you may be somewhere... We didn't know what would happen ourselves so we didn't want to close that door for you permanently. Your mom was devastated."
I tense a little at her mention." My mom came back...?" Esme nods. "Regina and Emmy... What are they like?"
"Emmy is on her first year nursing at the hospital." Esme smiles. "And Regina is doing art at Washington state."
I take a shaky breath. "I can't believe it... God, Emmys gonna be like 24 soon? And Reg, she's just turned 19. I can't believe it." I shake my head.
Esme laughs softly. "It is incredible how fast time goes by... I mean, my baby should be well over 100. I'm almost 150. Carlisle even older." She smiles and I can't help but smile at her. "Watching people grow is a blessing... You really need to think about walking back into their lives at this point, Bailey. You're 34 years old but you look no older than 21, the age everyone last saw you at. I want you happy, we all do, but remember the consequences."
I force a smile and nod. "I know... Thanks Esme." I hug her tight.
She smiles and squeezes me. "Gosh I always wanted to squeeze you but never could!"
I laugh and we pull away; I instantly spin around as I hear the incoming paws of the wolves. Jacob Black runs out of the tree line in his human form, his eyes wide. "Jacob?" I step forward. "What's happened?"
"Jane... Jane has Lily."