As much as Bella begged, Liz refused to come home. I tried next, coaxing her, yelling at her, it didn’t work. Related her not, she had gotten my stubborn streak.

We waited for three weeks for another call, before Bella finally decided to go to Forks and bring back our under age daughter. I didn’t go. How could I explain to Charlie that fact that I hadn’t aged?

The next morning, the phone rang.

“What is it?” I asked.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Is she coming back?”

Bella was silent for a moment. “No…I can’t take her from this place.”

“Bella…what happened.”

“I-I- he imprinted. On her.”

“Who?”

“Jake.”

I was silent. “He what!”

“It’s not like he can help it. She’s his soul mate. I gave birth to his soul mate!”

“It’s creepy,” I said after a second.

“I know.”

“How do you feel?”

“I feel…”she paused. “Jealous. I feel jealous of my own daughter.”

“Bella-”

“And, that makes me sick. I have to be happy for her. He’ll love her.”

“Tell him to keep his forty year old paw of my minor daughter,” I growled.

Bella laughed slightly. “It’s funny,” she said. “Jacob left at twenty five and returned eighteen years later claiming to be Billy’s grandson and that Jacob, his father died.”

“Genius…” I muttered, remembering how similar Jacob had looked to Billy. It made sense that Jacob could pull it off.

“You’re coming home, right?” I asked.

“Yeah. We’ll still see her. She says she’ll come home this summer.”

I nodded. “What can I say? No?”

“You probably could, but then Jacob will stalk the house.”

I wasn’t surprised, three years later, to find Liz at my doorstep with Jacob in tow. He looked the same, twenty five, big, muscled, and scowling. However, there was something different. Something softer and his thoughts seemed to never be far from my daughter. They were very….I don’t know how to explain them: fond? Worshipping? Don’t get me wrong, they were lustful too, but it was deeper than that and I was reassured. Even though he still stunk. I was also pleased to note that he had stopped phasing which meant he would now age. I envied him for being able to spend a lifetime with his soul mate, while I only got a moment or two.

Personally, I never thought the dog would ask permission to marry my daughter, but he did. We had a small ceremony at our house, with my family and a pack of werewolves present. Now that was awkward. An elopement notice went to the human family members.

Every now and again, we would get emails and letters from Liz. Her first child was a boy and after much arguing she said, they had decided to name him Edward. I was touched and a little amused by the fact that the dog had allowed it. He looked just like his father and I reminded Carlisle not to go back while my grandson was still alive. Twin girls came next. Obviously it ran in Jacob’s family. I never got to meet them, because life ended sooner than I expected.

At the age of sixty five, my Bella was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Though we tried everything, she finally told me to let her go. The pain of living wasn’t worth it anymore and she wanted me to remember her as being strong. Not frail. I saw Liz one last time, with her son Edward, and she kissed me on the cheek.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “For leaving you.”

I couldn’t answer. I just held the part of Bella I had left close to me. “Thank you.”

“Love you dad.”

“Love you too, angel.”

Bella was buried in Forks. In our meadow. Liz helped arrange it and I stood in the shadows of the trees, as the small service commenced. As my life was lowered into the ground, I turned away. I had a plane to catch. I had to go to Italy.