TLS Special SNEAK PEEK feature

The Lemonade Stand has spent so many years bringing you the best the Twilight fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you even MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE, and now we're lucky enough to share previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction.

Pattyrose is one of this fandom’s talented writers and a TLS favorite. I have followed her writing for many years and I have to say, Begin Again was one of my most loved fics! When I found out Patty was writing a sequel, I was so excited and couldn’t wait to see what angle we would approach these beloved characters from.

banner by Pattyrose

Begin Again...Again

by

Pattyrose

Summary: Bella’s life philosophy has changed a bit in the past few years: Life gets real, and no, you can't start the same batch over, but you can always begin again. She likes this one. But in the face of yet another life-altering event, can both she and Edward follow this philosophy, and adjust their lives…all over again?

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“…actually starting over after so many years…if you knew me, you'd know that's not part of my belief system, Edward. When you fuck up a batch, you fuck up a batch."

"The problem is you're seeing it wrong. It's not starting over, Bella. If you fuck up the batch, you pull out all the ingredients that worked the first time…get rid of the ones that didn't…add in the ones you've picked up along the way, and you begin again."

So begins ‘Begin Again,’ with Bella’s life philosophy, which is the result of a heart that’s been broken more than once, and a burned batch of Nutella Scones.

In Begin Again, Edward Masen, divorced for almost two decades, and Bella Swan Laurent, widowed for almost two years, bumped into one other – literally – after almost a quarter of a century. Due to the mistakes, doubts, and insecurities of youth, their teenaged relationship ended horrendously. Fortunately, when their children from their respective and ensuing marriages, Anthony (aka The Spawn) and Nessie met and fell in love while away in college, Edward and Bella were forced to share all those secrets they kept from one another for so long. In the process, they fell in love again, and Bella’s life philosophy shifted a bit:

‘Life gets real, and no, you can’t start the same batch over, but you can always begin again.‘

There. That summarizes ‘Begin Again.’

But now, it’s time to Begin Again…Again, and Nic, Six, and TLS have been wonderful enough to allow me to offer you all this sneak peek.

‘A new phase of our lives begins every day’ – this is the gist of Edward’s philosophy.

A few years have passed. Edward and Bella Masen are now married and living on the West Coast, as are The Spawn and Nessie. At this point, Edward and Bella’s lives follow many of those patterns common to couples who’ve become ‘empty-nesters.’ They’re in their prime, with grown children, with successful careers, and with friends and family who are sometimes a support system…and sometimes not.

Begin Again...Again opens on Bella’s forty-fifth Birthday – a milestone which makes her uncomfortable for a variety of reasons, of which vanity is only a small part. Nevertheless, her family seems intent on forcing her to acknowledge the day. Take Alice’s early-morning text, for example:

Happy Birthday, Bella! Girl, the way I see it, you’ve got two ways to look at the situation: you’re only five years over forty, or you’re still five years under fifty. Pick one, and deal with it. Love ya!

Then, there’s Edward’s ways of wishing Bella a happy birthday:

“You’ve been moaning about your age since the moment I woke you up this morning.”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Yes, you have. You moaned all morning.”

“Edward, you woke me by skimming kisses from my forehead to my mouth to my neck…to my breasts…and further down to between my legs. My age wasn’t why I woke up moaning.”

Her daughter’s way:

“Come on, Mom. Look around us. Look at these magnificent lives we lead. We rise every morning to a bright blue sun, which sets every evening in the most vibrant shades of coral against spectacularly evergreen palms. Everyone we love most in the world are happy and healthy and warm and safe and right on this boat or in our hearts. So why are you so cranky tonight? Because you’re forty-five? You’re young, Mom! We’re both young! We’re two generations of young, Higginbotham women, and…and yeah.”

“Nessie, sweetie, while that little piece of poetry was somewhat simplistic, non-rhyming, and disconnected, it was pretty and precise, and you had me going with it right ‘til you yelled out my age. That ending needs some tweaking as well.”

And…The Spawn’s way:

“Happy Birthday, Mom.”

His sentiments are offered in a much more subdued tone, with a somewhat abashed smile on his handsome, little face.

“Thanks – oh so much.”

“It’s not that bad,” he grins. “Besides,” taking both my hands in his, Anthony pulls back enough to peruse my outfit, “you look perfect for the occasion.”

Geez, this darn…Spawn – makes it so hard for me to even mentally indulge in my cute, little nickname for him.

And last, but certainly not least, there’s this birthday well-wish from Tanya Dennis, aka Edward’s ex-wife and Anthony’s mother:

“Happy Birthday,” Tanya wishes me dryly as she pulls back. “You look good. You really do. And that’s a cute dress.” Her tone, however, says, ‘You don’t look good. You really don’t. And that’s a shitty-looking dress.’

“Aw, thanks, Tanya.” I smile sweetly. “That means a lot coming from you. I only hope I can look half as good as you do, when I’m your age.”

Yeah, the years and a move to the West Coast haven’t changed Bella much, except maybe in the ways that matter.

But it’s as she and Edward proceed with their daily lives, grateful for some things and not-so-grateful for others, that a huge event strikes them both from left field, and they realize they’ll need to adjust their lives all over again. Because this one event, this one new beginning, well…it’s a game changer for everyone involved, and it’s going to affect all their interactions.

The question is…are Edward and Bella ready to Begin Again…Again?

And are you guys ready to come along for the ride?

‘Begin Again…Again’ will begin posting this Monday, August 27th, and will post three times a week.* It will be approximately ten chapters, give or take a chapter or two.

*I’ll be on vacation for a week starting 8/28, so exact dates of posting for the first week are TBD. (Monday and Tuesday. Definitely Monday and Tuesday).

Hope you all enjoy revisiting Bakerella, The Spawn, and, of course…Edward.

Patty

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I love the way Patty infuses heart, with humor, and a dash of lemons. I can’t wait to get started on Begin Again...Again!!! We are so happy to feature such a talented writer. Come back anytime!

Be sure to put pattyrose on alert and follow along with us.

♥ Nic