Jasper's mate

Moving

Location: Scottsdale, AZ.    

Bella and Diana stand at the end of a Cul-de-Sac on the desert's edge. The sun blazes behind them. Bella bends down and carefully scoops two tiny Barrel Cacti  into two tiny clay pots. Diana stares at the cactus in her hand in a reverie state, until

'Bye Bella. Diana,' said one of their friend. She was blonde and athletic.

Another girl hoped onto the nearest Mercedes convertible and said,' Good luck in your new school girls'.

Bella and Diana smiled and waves back, sweetly. Bella halfheartedly steps of the curb. She trips which sends Diana helping her to steady. When Bella rights herself their friends are long gone. Clearly they were not that close. Bella's grown up demeanor and Diana being a teen mom became apparent.

Bella's mother Renee Dwyer exits their house with William in her hips. The house is low rent for this ritzy neighborhood. Renee is eclectic, scattered, anxious, more best friend than parent type. Which was opposite of Bella and Diana. Given the situation both the girls have to grow up to take care the family and Renee. William dived to Diana. She smiled and picked William.

Renee thrusts a cell phone at Bella.

'It won't work again, baby,' said Renee.

Diana went to load her bags into back trunk of the car. Diana always felt like the fourth wheel in their story. She simply avoids any situation where they clearly have conversation without her in it.

'You put it on hold,' said Bella.

'I did?' Renee asked confused.

'Look, you also called Mexico,' said Bella.

Renee pushes Bella playfully, they laugh. 

'I'll figure it out. You and Diana gotta be able to reach me and Phil on the road,' said Renee. 'I love saying that - on the road.'

'Very romantic,' said Bella.

Phil Dwyer good looking with an athletic's body, exits the house, carrying Bella's and Diana's suitcase with ease.

'If you call crappy motels, backwater towns and ballpark hot hogs romantic,' said Phil.

Phil puts his Phoenix Desert Dogs baseball hat on Renee's head with a kiss. Phil's love of Renee reassures Bella. Phil heads to the old station wagon to load the luggage.

'Thanks, darling for loading,' said Phil and hugs Diana.

'Sure, it's no problem,' said Diana. Phil picks William and spins him. Which makes William laugh.

'I'm going to miss you buddy. More than your mom or your aunt,' said Phil and he hugs Diana and gestures Bella to come for the group hug. Bella smiled and joins in. They part soon when William whines. He doesn't like to be hugged for long time. 

'So... do you still hate group hugs buddy?' said Renee and she ruffles his head. 

'Let's go we have a plane to catch,' said Phil.

'Now, you both know if you change your mind. I'll race back here from wherever the game is,' said Renee.

 But Renee's strained expression tells them what a great sacrifice that would be. Bella and Renee force a smile.

'We won't change our mind, mom,' said Bella. Diana nodded and smiled.

'You both might,' said Renee. 'Neither of you love Forks'.

'It's not about Forks,' said Diana.

'It's about Dad. I mean, two weeks a year, we barely know him,' said Bella.

'Aunt Renee we want to go. We'll be fine,' said Diana.

But as Renee hugs Bella and Diana, You could see dread, doubt, regret on Bella and Diana's face. Struggling to keep their facade. They climb into the back seat of the car..... Diana straps William into his car seat. 

Bella and Diana share a IPOD as they stare, getting a last glimpse if the sparkling malls, chic shoppers, manicured cactus gardens. They park in the airport parking spot. Bella, Diana and William board the plane. It was a four hour plane ride from Arizona to Seattle. Another an hour ride in a small plane from Seattle to Port Angeles. And another hour drive from Port Angeles to Forks in Charlie's car. The plane ride doesn't bother them but the hour in Charlie's car was the Diana was dreading. Neither Bella or Charlie was anyone you call verbose. So the car ride is surely going to be tough for Diana.  When Bella, Diana and William landed in Port Angeles it was raining. They didn't see it as an Omen - just unavoidable. They'd already said their goodbyes to the sun when they got on to the plane.

Charlie was waiting for them with the cruiser. This they were expecting, too. Charlie is Police Chief Swan to the good people of Forks. Diana's primary motivation to buy a car despite the scarcity of the funds was that she refused to driven around town in a car with red and blue lights on top. Nothing slows traffic like a cop. 

Charlie gave Bella an awkward, one-armed hug when Bella stumbled her way off the plane. Diana just shook her head smiling as she hugged Charlie with one arm. William fell asleep in the last plane ride. 

'It's good to see you both,' said Charlie smiling. 'How's Renee?'

'It's good to see to Uncle Charlie,' said Diana smiling.

'Mom's fine, Dad,' said Bella.

They only had few bags. Most of their Arizona clothes were too permeable for Washington. Renee, Bella and Diana had pooled their resources to supplement their winter wardrobe, but it was still scanty. It all fit easily into the trunk of the cruiser. They pass a sign: City of Forks Welcomes You - Pop - 3246. Diana sighs when she saw the sign. They had almost same population in their school itself. 

As the cruiser drives through. Bella and Diana takes in this logging town. Every store front has a wood carving. The Timer Museum's sigh is two loggers sawing a stump. The Police station is a small wooden building across from city hall...

The cruiser pulls up to the old two-story house with three bedroom. A woodshed full of firewood. There's a small boat in the garage, fishing gear an old buoy. Bella climbs out first. Diana unbuckles the car seat with William still sleeping. He stirs but didn't wake up. Bella and Charlie carry their bags. The house isn't stylish but it's comfortable, lived-in. Lots of fishing memorabilia; photos of Charlie fishing with his friend Billy Black. Diana with a large fish and, another picture of her with braces. Bella winces at herself, age 7, in a tutu, sitting stubbornly on the ground. 

Diana lays the car seat and slowly took William in her arms. William snuggles closer to her as she climbed the stairs. Diana got her grand parents room. The room was facing west. It covered the forest. The room looked the same. Light blue in the ceiling and violet carpet. The room has a queen size bed, a wardrobe, a crib and a changing table and a rocking chair. Even though it looked crammed but to Diana it was better. She lay William in his crib. Before it was Diana and Bella's crib that they shared together. Diana took a audio baby monitor and placed it on the changing table near the crib and she took one for herself and came downstairs. 

Bella and Charlie were climbing the stairs. They both bumped one another awkwardly. Bella backs  off, letting Charlie carry the bags upstairs. Bella and Diana were looking at a photo of both of them sitting in the porch in Arizona. They smiled at each other. Even though they are only cousins they are inseparable and acted like siblings. They do everything together. Bella supported Diana through everything from the breakup to pregnancy. They knew that they had to be close and cover their backs. Diana easy going style countered Bella's introvert life. Diana entered Bella's room. It had an antique roll-top desk sits in a corner, with her bed in the middle and a computer desk that is hooked with a phone line. The phone was a mandatory need for Renee. And Diana didn't want the phone to wake William when it rings. Renee would call when ever she feels like even in the middle of the night.