The Next Chapter

Ignorance Isn't Bliss

Okay, we're starting the sequel for A Fresh Start. This will probably be slow going as I want to make sure I tell Marie's story well and appropriately. I'd like to thank all of my readers from A Fresh Start and their stories about their children with Autism. Your recollections will help me tremendously in Marie's story. I'm an educator and I'm familiar with the educational ramifications of Autism, but not living with a child with Autism on a day to day basis.

Anyhow, Twilight is not mine. Never will be mine. Ever. *WAAAH!* David, Lizzie and Marie are mine in a literary sense. Ren, too.

I do apologize with the sporadic updates with this one. I struggle with this story and finding the momentum is tough. With that being said, please be patient with me on this one. I do intend to finish it. It'll probably take time. I've planned out the remainder of the story. It's looking to be around thirty chapters, plus an epilogue.

Up next will be some drama with Marie (she's going to have some regression in the following chapter. Dealing with some ignorance and such).

Chapter Nineteen: Ignorance Isn't Bliss

Rose, Alice and Jacob went back to school the following week. I hadn't told Edward about the black truck that followed me, knowing that he'd freak out. No one knew about the black truck except Rose and Emmett. I swore them to secrecy. I'd tell Edward and my family if and when it became an issue. Since that day, I hadn't seen it.

I prayed I never saw it again.

Denial isn't just a river in Egypt.

I really should tell Edward but I'm afraid he's going to explode. He's got enough stress going on with work, at home with Lizzie being a little snot and with Jasper acting like a fucking moron. I didn't need to add my mommy issues to the whole mess.

Just going to wait on telling him. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

With Esme and all of my kids, we were driving back from Marie's appointment with Dr. Marcus. Alice had to take EJ to the doctor for his allergies. She also decided to get Grace tested while she was there. Edward was working late, filling in for a doctor in the ER. Esme decided to take us out to eat at a restaurant on the way back. Pulling into the parking lot, we went inside of the kid-friendly restaurant. As we walked into the lobby, I noticed a black Ford pickup truck park across the street.

It's nothing. Shake it off, Masen. There are a ton of black Ford trucks with blacked out windows all across the country.

Denial, denial, denial...

"Are you okay, Bella?" Esme asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I'm fine," I replied, giving her a tight smile. She eyed me dubiously, not believing my pretty crappy lie. We were seated immediately and had our orders placed for the kids. The section we were seated in had a number of older couples, all eyeing the triplets warily. Marie was already on edge from her session with Dr. Marcus.

"I call BS," Esme said as she sipped her drink. "Bella, you keep looking at the door, expecting someone to walk in."

I sighed and tugged on my hair. "Promise you won't say anything to Carlisle or anybody else. I'm struggling with what to do," I whimpered.

"I'm not going to make that promise if you're in danger, Bella," she admonished gently. "Or if your children are in danger. Tell me. What's going on?"

"I think my mom's stalking me," I muttered. Shooting Esme a sheepish look, I bit my lip. "Ever since our trip to New York City in February, a black Ford truck has been following me and the kids around. I think. It could be a different truck, but it looks the same."