The Pack

Embrace

One of the things I missed most when I was away was Sunday dinner. I missed how no matter what was going on in our lives my mom made sure all of us would sit together on Sunday and share our that moment in time with each other. In the past I found it extremely annoying but now I realized why she did it. I pulled up in front of my mother's house and I was elated. I needed some time with just her and Seth … oh yeah and Charlie too. I used my key and let myself in. I could smell pot roast as soon as I hit the living room. God, I missed my mom's cooking. I went into the kitchen to see if there's anything I can help move the process along so that I can eat and I see Ness with my mom laughing and talking. I know it's wrong but I felt like the kid had taken my place. It wasn't her fault I mean I hadn't been here so it made sense I guess. I debated whether I was going to interrupt them or just wait until Charlie and Seth made their way into the kitchen.

"Hey Leah," Ness said before I had a chance to back out of the room. She hadn't even turned around but she knew I was there. I was seriously going to have to readjust to being around people with senses as heightened as mine.

"Uh hey," I muttered. "I didn't want to interrupt."

"Leah since when do you worry about that. I've been teaching Ness how to cook because she's going to have to deal with Seth's monstrous appetite." Mom handed Ness the pot of potatoes and milk.

"So I guess you two don't need any help?" I asked as I sat on the bar close to the counter. My mother raised her eyebrows at me and took in my expression. She placed the green beans in front of me.

"Get to snapping," she smirked and I chuckled a little. My mom explained how our little family dinner had grown since I'd been there. Bella and Edward were going to be there which sort of made sense now that Charlie and my mother were married. Mom joked about the fact that at least the food not changing but so much.

"Unless Jacob joins us. He usually tries to make but gets side tracked by work," Ness explained. "The poor guy is always working." The girl said as she mushed the potatoes.

"Yeah, I always make him a doggy bag, no pun intended," mom joked and I rolled my eyes. It was wasn't funny all those years ago and it wasn't funny now. "I like to cook for him especially because he's living alone now. He finally moved out of his father's house. His apartment also serves as his office most of the time." I nodded for lack of anything better to say. I didn't know why they were focused on talking about Jacob so much. I felt like that were looking for a reaction, but all the time Jacob and I were together nobody knew. I was sure that he hadn't told anyone. He would've told me about that.

"So what about Embry, and everyone else. I haven't run into anyone else yet how have they been?" I asked to break the awkwardness of this conversation. Time quickly passed by as the females shared the dramas that have been going on in Forks. After a while the dinner was ready and I went into the dining room and set the table. Again it was the little things like placing mom's china that I'd missed. It was so much better than curling up in front of television with a container of Orange Chicken and watching Mob Wives. Mom came in with the roast and caught me smiling at the table. She placed the entrée in the middle of the table and gave me a little hug and kissed the side of my head. "We need some more help in the kitchen."

Everyone was finally seated at the table and there was on empty chair to my left. I don't know why I'd set a place for him but having the empty space made me even more aware of his absence. Beside this little pang of loneliness dinner was quite enjoyable.

"I can't believe my youngest is getting married before my daughter," Mom said without thinking and then immediately had an apologetic look about her. I wouldn't have minded having this conversation with my mother but I would've much rather preferred it be in private.