Yesterday | Seth Clearwater

Chapter 32

There's nothing more needs to be said

I'm just bangin' on my old piano

I'm getting in tune to the straight and narrow

~ The Who "Getting In Tune"

Brooklyn was awoken by the sound of Ellie crying. She glanced at the digital clock on her bedside table— it was time for Ellie's midnight feeding. Brooklyn got out of bed and picked Ellie up out of her crib. She sat down in the rocking chair that her mother had put in her room— the motion soothed the baby, and it was more comfortable for Brooklyn to feed Ellie while she was sitting down.

"Shh, it's alright," Brooklyn cooed as she rocked the baby softly, and got her to latch. "Let's get you fed before you wake up Uncle Paul again."

Nearly a month after Ellie was born, Brooklyn and Seth had finally gotten the okay from the pediatrician to begin the trek home. The drive had taken a ridiculously long time— they had to stop at least once every couple of hours to feed and care for their baby. But eventually, they made it back to La Push.

Seth and Brooklyn's mothers had talked about it, and they had decided that Seth and Brooklyn should continue living in their own houses, but that Seth could visit and spend the night whenever he needed in order to care for the baby. Tonight, however, Seth was out with the pack. This happened kind of a lot— he had been getting the night patrol a lot because he wanted to be home during the day to care for Ellie while Brooklyn went to work during the day. She still had her job at Newton's Olympic Outfitters, and she was trying to save up some money while she was still living at home with her mom. Seth had talked to the elders, and they had decided that since he had a child to support, and he was still doing his pack duties for what was the equivalent of a shift at a full time job, that he should earn the same benefits that the older pack members were. They decided that they wanted to use the money they had earned for a place of their own once they turned eighteen.

Both Brooklyn and Seth were exhausted all the time, and Brooklyn couldn't even imagine how tired she would be once school started. Hopefully, Ellie would figure out how to sleep through the night by then. Seth had been talking about dropping out— since being in the pack was now a paying job, and the tribal elders took care of the pack members for life— they had what was the basically the equivalent of retirement benefits once they stopped phasing. But Brooklyn wasn't sure that was the best idea. It would close a lot of doors for him in the future if he ever decided he wanted to find a more traditional job— plus they had a daughter to think about now, Seth needed to set a good example for her. Ellie wasn't even in school yet, but Brooklyn would be beyond pissed off if she ever decided to drop out of school. She just wanted the best for Ellie.

Brooklyn's eyes were starting to feel heavy as Ellie finished eating, and she returned her daughter to the crib. As Brooklyn drifted off to sleep, she thought about her daughter— everything still felt so surreal. A year ago, all of this hadn't even been something that she ever would have considered to be possible. And despite the fact that Seth and Brooklyn hadn't gotten to spend very much time together, and the fact that both Brooklyn and Seth were constantly exhausted, and the fact that they would never be normal teenagers again, Brooklyn loved her daughter. But sometimes she just wished that she could have a day off.

"I can't believe it's your last day," Brooklyn said. It was the next afternoon and she was restocking a shelf of hiking boots.

"I know," Bella agreed. "I promised Edward that I would. He wants me to be safe... You know... While I'm still human."

"Yeah," Brooklyn said awkwardly. She wasn't so sure about Bella's decision to become a vampire, but it wasn't her place to say anything. As long as Bella was happy, then Brooklyn was going to support her decision. "I got the wedding invite. Alice did a great job picking them out."

"It was that obvious, huh?" Bella asked. Everyone knew that Bella wasn't that into wedding planning. Of course she wanted to be married, but she wasn't really into the wedding part of things. 

"Anyone who has ever met you would be able to tell that you didn't pick those out," Brooklyn told her. "If it were left up to you, the invitations would've been written on binder paper."

Bella smacked Brooklyn on the arm. "Hey, I would've at least sprung for card stock," she laughed. "So how are Seth and Ellie?"

"Good," Brooklyn replied. "Seth and I are so tired, like all of the time, but Ellie is worth it."

"She's adorable," Bella agreed. "Are you going to bring her to the wedding? Edward's family would love to meet her."

"I'd have to talk to Seth about it," Brooklyn replied. "The pack is still a little... unsure about how safe it will be for us to go. I think they're being a little over cautious thought because Seth is literally going to be there with me, and I trust the Cullens to keep things normal. Especially with all of the humans that'll be around."

Bella didn't really react to that. "Have you guys heard from Jake at all?"

"No," Brooklyn said. "Just give him time to process his feelings. He'll come back when he's ready."

Jacob Black had taken off when he heard about the news of Bella and Edward's impending nuptials, and no one had heard from him since. The pack was worried about their friend, but they knew that he could take care of himself, and that he would return eventually. There was no way that he would stay away forever.

"Yeah, but will he talk to me when he does come back?" Bella asked. "I don't want to lose my best friend."

Brooklyn knew what that was like— she had felt the same way when Seth had stopped talking to her.

"He's hurt," Brooklyn said. "But one day, he's going to find the person who completes him the way that Seth completes me, and the way that Edward completes you, and all of this won't matter anymore. You just have to wait it out. And lucky for you, you'll be immortal. You have all the time in the world."

Brooklyn drove to Sam's house after her shift to see Seth— who was watching Ellie. Honestly, it was more likely that Emily was watching Ellie while Seth goofed off with the pack. Don't get Brooklyn wrong, Seth was a good dad, he was attentive and loving and protective, but he was also still a teenage boy. And at Sam and Emily's house, he was surrounded by all of his best friends, so he was bound to get distracted sometimes.

Brooklyn was a little jealous that he could get distracted like that. When Ellie was around, that was all she could think about, and considering how often Ellie had to be fed, she couldn't really mess around with their friends like she used to. She had been spending a lot of time in the back room caring for Ellie lately, and she missed out on a lot of the conversations that they had while while she changed Ellie's diapers or while she tried to get Ellie to go to sleep. Sure Seth helped, but it was still so much responsibility that Brooklyn wasn't quite used to yet. She was still adjusting to her new life and her new responsibilities, but she loved her daughter more than anything, and she wouldn't change a thing.

"Hey," she greeted Seth with a peck on the lips as she walked into Sam's house. 

"Hey," Seth replied with a smile. "The baby is sleeping in Sam and Emily's room. She should be down for another hour or so."

"Cool," Brooklyn said as she sat down. She yawned. "Dude, I am so fucking tired." 

"Me too," Seth agreed. "I'm starting to think that Ellie had the right idea with that nap."

"Do you wanna go check on her?" Brooklyn asked. As creepy as it sounded, they liked to watch her sleep. She was just so precious.

"Duh," Seth said as he grabbed Brooklyn's hand and dragged her to the room where the baby was sleeping.

They stood over the portable crib as they watched their daughter's chest rise and fall with her breaths. 

"She's so perfect," Seth said quietly, as to not wake up the baby.

"I completely agree," Brooklyn replied.