Missed You Just Right, Part I

Part I

Eleven years ago, when Edward walked away and my whole world crumbled, I never thought I'd find happiness again, and I admit when I started with Jake... it didn't begin that way. 

As a teenage girl who'd watched the boy that I thought to be the love of my life walk away, I'd been more than a little lost, and I'm the first to admit that it was a very painful experience. In fact, it was one of the most painful of my life. But, looking back, I've realized that the most painful experiences are often the most meaningful. 

The time I walked away from Jake, the day I thought I lost him for good, the loss of a friend, the first time I gave birth... and the second, even when I almost died - they were all the biggest moments of my life, and they were all painful... in one form or another.  

There's a part of me that still misses him, with his wind-blown copper hair and burning golden eyes, but I know that, in the end, it's for the best that he left. 

It took me over three years after he left to truly accept I was better off, but when I finally did, it was the most free I'd ever been. In some ways, I still believe that Edward was my soulmate, my one true other half, but sometimes there's something better out there for a person... something more fulfilling. 

I found that something. 

But perhaps I should start at the beginning.

***

"I can't believe you want to name her Alice Vanessa Black." Jake shook his head. 

He still hadn't wished me happy birthday, a fact that was more than a little annoying. We'd only been together for the last four years - I knew he knew that today was my birthday. "I let you get away with naming our son Ephraim Wolfe Black. Who gives a kid the name of Wolfe, anyways?" I replied, rolling my eyes. 

"It's a part of his heritage!" 

I snorted. "Look... I know you don't like my old affiliation with the Cullens, but she was my best friend and though I've moved on, I can't forget them. For the short eight months that they were in my life, they meant the world to me. And we both know, I wouldn't be here now if they hadn't saved my life - more than once." No less than four times to be exact, but I saw no point in stating that. 

It was his turn to roll his eyes. "And the other name?"

"We both owe it to her, don't you think?"

He looked away, but not before I saw his eyes fill with tears. 

"She wouldn't want you to be sad, Jake. You know that." Of course, I had no room to talk. I missed her too, though I knew it didn't compare to the way he did. 

"Yeah, we do," he finally replied and walked away.

I sighed and headed in the other direction to give him time.

To be continued...