Eleven a.m.
That was what the clock face, on the wall in front of
me, read, letting me know I’d been stuck in this godforsaken place for over an
hour. I was starting to think the staff was ignoring me on purpose. It was the
only way I could reconcile the fact that other people, who had arrived after
me, had gotten to go in before I did. It was either that, or I’d done something
in a past life to make the man upstairs hate me.
Both scenarios were plausible.
The reason behind sitting in the doctor’s office was
simple and irritating at the same time. It was the beginning of November, and I
was one of the first people in Forks to get the flu. I had been puking my guts
out for the past week, and at the insistence of my parents, my boyfriend, and
James, I came to make sure everything was all right. I tried to argue that the
flu had no cure, and all I needed was rest, but my protests were ignored.
Edward ratted me out to my parents, telling them I hadn’t been able to keep
anything down for the last forty-eight hours. Needless to say, Mama Swan was
not pleased and threatened to take me herself. I was a big girl, fully capable
of taking myself to the doctor, so I relented and made an appointment.
I flipped through an issue of Time, not really paying
attention to the words on the page. Sitting in the doctor’s office made my
hatred of waiting, period, amplify times a million. It was like these people
didn’t care if I had something better to do than warm the waiting room seats.
It’s
official. I’ll be old and gray before I’ll ever get out of here.
After I’d finally
been escorted to the back, I’d gone through the standard prodding and poking
the nurses got paid to do. I was convinced they secretly loved doing that shit.
And then came the questions. God, I hated the questions.
What
are you in for today? How long has this been going on? Are you on any
medications?
Ugh. It was enough to make me never want to come back ever again. I knew she was doing her job
but did she have to be sound so bored? I
am a person, you know.
She left after making some notes into a file, and I was
stuck waiting for an eternity again. When the doctor strolled in, he had smile
on his face.
“Hello, I’m Dr. Gerandy. So, what’s going on…?” he
said, looking down at the chart in his hand. “Miss Swan?’
What
I always wanted. A doctor that doesn’t take the time to read a patient’s name,
at the very least. Awesome.
“Um, I’ve been throwing up for the past week, feeling
kinda achy, run down…wanting to sleep all the time. I think it’s the flu. I’m
just here to make sure I’m not dehydrated or something.” I fought the urge to
wipe the grin off his face.
“Hmmmmm. You didn’t have a fever when the nurse took
your temperature.” He walked over to me with his serious doctor face on, but it
turned to a confused expression as he checked my throat, looked in my ears, and
listened to my lungs.
“I want to run a couple of tests to see what we’re
dealing with.”
He closed the file and stepped out of the room. Doctor
Dude was making no sense, but I decided to indulge him. I wanted to be sure to
have an exact reason why I was sick to tell the worrywarts at home later on. I
did not put it past them to take me to the ER later if my diagnosis wasn’t to
their satisfaction.
I leaned back, feeling a little dizzy. I’d tried to eat
some plain oatmeal Edward had given me before I’d left, but it had just come
back up. He had argued with me about going alone, telling me that he’d feel
better if I’d let him drive. I waved him off and promised to be careful. While
I was touched by his concern, I didn’t want him to have to sacrifice his
morning for something unnecessary, too.
I was not happy when the nurse came back to do the
tests. I’d decided, when she’d told me what they were going to do, they weren’t
needed. Needles freaked me out, but, of course, they had to take my blood. I
gritted my teeth and bore it, knowing I’d have a humongous bruise later on.
Peeing in a cup wasn’t all that bad, though. I just really didn’t understand
why I’d had to do it. But the doctor was the one who’d gone to med school, so I
let it go.
Around noon, I’d had it with that place. I was
convinced the quack was trying to milk my insurance for every penny he could. It
was the flu, damn it. I just wanted to get a quick check up and then go home and
die in my bed. Was that too much to ask?
Dr. About-To-Be-Punched came back a half an hour later.
I wondered if they had to build the machines needed to spit out the data
themselves, or if they’d had the samples sent to Timbuktu for analysis. He sat
down on his stool like he hadn’t just wasted more of my time. Bastard.
“Congratulations, Miss Swan,” Dr. Lost-His-Mind smiled.
“Um, okay,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “I wasn’t aware
having the flu was a cause for celebration, but you’re the doc.”
He chuckled and looked down at my chart. “Well, we
don’t normally do that for our sick patients. However, your urine test results
show that you are pregnant. We’ve sent out the blood work, but I’m quite
confident that one will come back positive, as well.”
Oh, good god. I tried to remember when I’d had my
period last, counting backwards. The moment I realized that the doctor was
probably right, and I was very late, I began to hyperventilate. This was the
kind of shit that happened in a fucking movie, not real life. And I was not the
quirky heroine that was going to have the perfect man sweep me off my feet and
give me my perfect ending. Edward was going to freak and run.
“Noooooooo.”
Son
of a bitch.
“Are you okay?” He stood up and came over toward me,
placing his hand on my shoulder.
I had no idea
how to answer his question, so I sent him a blank stare. How did one have a
response to something like that? My life was about to change, drastically, and
I wasn’t sure if I was ready for it.
“Was this not a planned pregnancy?” he asked, his tone
suggesting concern.
“Not really.”
“I see.” The doctor glanced at me and nodded. “I’m sure
things aren’t that bad,” He probably thought I was a mental case and was biding
his time until he could call the white coats to take me away. I’d be lucky if
he’d let me leave at all.
“I don’t know.”
“Well, if you’d like, Susan in reception can set you up
with an obstetrician and help you make an appointment.”
I nodded my head, still trying to process what was happening.
“Good luck, Miss Swan. I wish you the best,” he said,
holding out his hand.
I shook it and left the room, glad I was able to make
my escape. My thoughts were still jumbled when I talked with Susan. She found
me an OB/GYN that was highly recommended, according to her, and called to see
if they could fit me in. I thanked her when she gave me the little blue card
that said I was supposed to see a Dr. Kate Richardson.
The drive home was nothing but a blur. I went back to
my apartment and lay down. Edward had offered to go in early and help Charlie
stock the bar and diner before Downstairs opened. He had also managed to talk
James into coming in on his night off so I could rest. I loved that man so much
and wasn’t sure what I was going to do when he panicked out over my news.
I decided to take a nap after I came home, alternating
between sleep and wakefulness. Dreams of Edward telling me he didn’t sign up
for fatherhood plagued me. In them, he’d accuse me of getting pregnant on
purpose, trying to tie him down. Then he’d tell me that he was moving back to
Seattle to live with his real family—to the people that really cared about him.
It would always end with me seeing him with some faceless woman on his arm, while
I held the child he didn’t want.
I didn’t see Edward until later that night. He came
into my apartment carrying a duffle bag full of his clothes and toiletries.
We’d both been going back and forth, sleeping in each other’s beds. Neither of
us wanted to spend a night without the other but had never said it out loud. I
was about to destroy the perfect bubble we’d found ourselves in. I felt like I
was going to be sick.
The nauseous feeling didn’t go away, and I ran to the
bathroom, emptying the contents of my stomach into the toilet. Dying had to
feel better than heaving hard enough to make my face hurt. I felt a cool rag on
my forehead when I leaned back from the bowl.
“Ugh, go away, Edward,” I said in a small voice.
“No, I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to take care of
you no matter how hard you push me away,” He wiped the cloth against my sweaty
skin.
Why did have to be so sweet?
Once the sick feeling in my stomach passed, I flushed
the toilet and stood with Edward’s help. I felt too weak to protest. He helped
keep me upright while I brushed my teeth and carried me to bed when I stumbled
from the dizzy feeling in my head. He laid me down on the mattress and then
carefully sat down beside me. Brushing the hair off of my forehead, he looked
at me with a frown on his face.
“What did the doctor say?” Edward played with a strand
of my hair.
Shit.
Apparently we are having this conversation now. I suppose it’s too much to ask
for a little more time from the deity in charge.
“I, uh…” I stuttered, the words not wanting to come
out.
“Bella, you’re kind of scaring me here. You don’t have
a terminal disease, do you?” He let out a weak chuckle.
As
if I didn’t feel bad enough. I knew that it wasn’t fair for me to
drag this out. If he was going to leave anyway, I might as well tell him before
he got more comfortable with all of us.
“The doctor ran some tests.” I stared into his eyes,
fidgeting with my fingers.
Edward’s eyes never left my face. It made me more
nervous, but there was no turning back.
“They, um, also had me pee in a cup, which was disgusting
by the way.”
“Okay? I’m not sure why you’re telling me that, but what
did he say?”
Well,
here goes nothing.
“I’m pregnant, Edward. I’m sorry. I don’t know what
happened. God, this sucks. Just promise me you’ll wait until I’m asleep before
you leave. I don’t think I can stand watching you walk out that door.” Tears
formed in my eyes as I rushed out the words.
Edward sat next to me, looking like a slab of marble.
His face was blank as he stared out into the room. I fidgeted, my anxiety
growing with each second that ticked by. I knew it was only a matter of time
before everything came to a head.
“You’re sure. Like, you’re really, really sure?” His
voice came out just above a whisper.
I rubbed my hand over my face. “The doctor was pretty
convinced by the results.”
He sighed and shifted, facing me. “I just…I don’t…”
Edward blew out a frustrated breath and let his words die off. He stood up and
began pacing, his shoulders tense as he moved in a circle.
“I won’t ask you for anything. This is probably my fault.
These types of things tend to happen to me. I can even have it done legally to
absolve you of all responsibilities—”
He interrupted me, sitting next to me with his hand on
his thighs, “Just…please be quiet for a second, Bella. I’m-I’m thinking.”
I waited for him to gather his thoughts, trying to not
let myself hope. The passage of time only tightened the knot forming in my gut.
I couldn’t fault Edward for feeling like the world was crashing down around
him; I’d felt the same way when the news had been delivered to me.
“You must think I’m some kind of jerk, huh?” His voice
was filled with hurt as he lowered his head.
“I don’t know what I did to make
you think I was the type of guy who would abandon you over something like this,
but it’s pretty obvious I’ve fucked up somewhere along the way.”
“No, I don’t. And you’re not. I love you, Edward.
Please don’t think that way. This is my issue, not yours,” I said, pulling his
face toward mine. “I just…it’s only been a couple of months, and we’ve always
jokingly said we’d never have kids. I had no idea how you really felt about the
subject, and I panicked. I guess I was just preparing myself for the worst case
scenario,” I paused to take a breath from my rambling. “I’ve just...I have a
really bad track record with men. I mean, when—”
Edward growled, shaking his head. “Do not say that
fucker’s name. He was a bastard, and it has nothing to do with you. At all.”
I nodded, wiping at my eyes. He was right; it was
Embry’s fault things fell apart and had nothing to do with me. It was just
easier to take on all the blame, because he had told me over and over again
that it was. And that kind of conditioning was hard to break sometimes.
“Please don’t
cry, Bella. It’s okay,” he promised, tilting my chin up. “I have a hard time
hearing you take the blame. After that night at the reservation, anything to do
with him makes me see red. When I think of what could have happened…” He shook
his head and then stared into my eyes. “What do you want, Bella? Do you want
this…this baby? I love you, and I’ll be here no matter what.”
Edward’s thumbs ran across the spot on my stomach where
our child lay. I could see in his eyes that he wanted it. Wanted this. And if I
was honest with myself, the only option that was available was to keep the
baby. I couldn’t imagine my child growing up, not knowing his or her parents.
Not to mention, terminating the pregnancy seemed wrong. There was really only
one answer I could give him.
“Yes.”
Edward pressed his forehead to mine and let out a
relived breath. “Okay. We’re really doing this.”
A small smile formed on my lips. “We are.”
“Charlie’s going to have my balls.”
“What?” I chuckled, laying my head on his shoulder.
“I’m sure he’ll be just as excited as the rest of them. Well, eventually,
anyway. He’s probably not going to kill you.”
“That’s not what I mean,” he said, nudging my face with
his chin. “I mean, what if we just get married? You know, so my manly parts
won’t suffer a horrible fate?”
The tension drained from the room, and I laughed out
loud. “Be serious, Edward. Charlie loves you—probably even more than me.”
A half smile spread across Edward’s lips,
and I knew we were going to be okay. The situation wasn’t perfect, by any
stretch of the imagination, but it wasn’t something we couldn’t work out.
Edward really was a stand up guy; he wasn’t going to bail because things had
gotten complicated, and in my panic, I’d forgotten that. I vowed, from that
moment on, to be better for Rusty. It was the least he deserved.
“What if I am being serious?”
My heart stopped, and then restarted, pounding
furiously against my chest. He couldn’t mean it? Could he? My head swam as the
reasons why it wasn’t a good idea raced through my brain.
“I-what?”
“I know you’re over thinking this. I can see it in your
eyes.” Edward caressed my cheek. “And I know what you’re going to say. People will think we’re doing it because
you’re pregnant. We haven’t been together that long. It’s a crazy Idea. But
I don’t care what people think.
“I love you. And if almost dying from that roadside
bomb taught me anything, it’s that you have to grab a hold of happiness and
hold on tight when you find it.”
I opened and closed my mouth a couple of times, not
able to find my words after his beautiful declaration. He was right. Things
seemed to be moving fast, but I knew that Edward was the one for me. And,
really, no one else’s opinion mattered.
He continued, not having noticed my pause, “Marry me,
Bella. I swear no one will ever love you and our child as much as I do.”
“Yes.” My voice was barely audible as my throat
threatened to close.
He pulled me to him, squeezing me. This felt right. He felt right, and I wondered why I’d had any doubts to begin with.
It was easy for me to imagine myself walking toward Edward, taking his hand,
and saying the words that would tie me to him for the rest of our lives. My
parents, friends, and even James smiling as they witnessed our public statement
of love. But in that picture, one important person was missing.
Jake.
My eyes watered, my brother’s absence skewing that perfect
picture in my head, and I knew, right then, I couldn’t go through a traditional
wedding ceremony. It hurt just thinking about Jake not being there to harass
Edward, or see Jake standing next to Edward, as his best man, in support.
“Edward,” I whispered, not wanting to break the happy
bubble that had surrounded us but knowing that it had to be done.
“What’s wrong?” His smile dropped as his thumb swept
across my cheek.
“I…” I took a deep breath, starting again. “I don’t
think I want to do this, not the traditional way. I can’t. All those guests
will just remind me that my brother can’t be there.”
I rested my head on his shoulder and felt his fingers
playing with the back of my neck. “We could always elope. And we don’t have to
tell anyone we’re doing it. I just want to marry you, and I don’t care how it
happens. Your happiness means everything to me.”
And just like that, Edward proved, once again, what an
amazing man he was. It wasn’t hard to agree, because I knew I’d be a basket
case if my family was present. I didn’t want to hurt their feelings, but, at
the same time, the wound created from Jake’s death was still fresh. Having them
there would only make his absence more noticeable.
We spent the rest of the night making plans to get
married as soon as possible. Edward couldn’t wait to call me his wife, and,
honestly, I couldn’t wait to call him husband. It was as if, for the first time
since Jake had left us, life was perfect.
~.~.~.~
I was fucking pissed.
Edward and I wasted an entire day in Port Angeles,
thinking eloping would be a piece of cake. But, no, we ended up not being able
to get married. It seemed Washington State had a stupid rule that said you had
to wait three days after you applied for and received a marriage license before
you could actually get married.
He was just as upset as I was when the clerk relayed
this information to us. Edward went on a
rant, but when the clerk helping us offered to schedule an appointment with a
judge who could perform the ceremony, once the waiting period was over, he
calmed down. It wasn’t what we’d wanted, but we accepted, because we really had
no other choice.
I still wanted to scream out in frustration. Whoever
decided that the law was a good idea was a fucking moron, and I had to fight
the urge to write my congressman just so I could tell him he was a jackass.
“I take back
everything good I’ve ever said about Washington. This state sucks.” Edward
narrowed his eyes and kept them trained on the road.
“Agreed,” I said, sighing.
We had much bigger problems than stupid laws, though.
Edward and I were going to have to keep the fact that we were getting married,
and the baby, a secret until we could tie the knot. It was going to take a lot
of effort on both our parts thanks to James and my mother.
They had stepped up their efforts lately to get Edward
and me together, calling it “Operation Get Bella Hitched and Pregnant.” James’
contribution to the plan had been to attack Edward with Post-It notes when he’d
thought I hadn’t been looking—sticking them on his back, arm, forehead, and
backside—with suggestions for a perfect, romantic proposal. It had been
ridiculous. When I’d confronted him about his oddball behavior, he’d told me
that I’d never catch “the Post-It Bandit” and ran off like a coward.
But that hadn’t been the worst of James’ shenanigans.
When he’d realized Edward wasn’t going to use one of his outlandish proposals,
he’d decided to execute the baby making part of his plan. That meant Edward and
I’d ended up being locked in the broom closet for two hours after closing. I
should have known the little weasel was up to something when he’d said he’d
needed Edward’s and my help to find the floor cleaner. We’d fallen for it hook,
line, and sinker and had been subjected to James rambling about the best
positions to use in a small, confined space.
Needless to say, James had been lucky we didn’t kill
him that night.
My mother hadn’t been any better. She’d decided that
she’d needed to light a fire under Rusty’s ass and told him that he was no long
allowed to eat any of her homemade coleslaw until either I’d had a ring on my
finger or a bun in the oven. She hadn’t cared, because, in her own words,
“accidents happened sometimes.”
Thanks,
Mom. I’m so glad you’re advocating your daughter to be knocked up out of
wedlock.
I had thought Edward was going to cry when Mom had laid
down the law. But not even his tears had changed her mind. My traitor father
had even taken up the cause, laughing at us when I’d asked him to intervene and
do something about his wife. The old man, it seemed, had caught wedding and
baby fever, too. But we’d just gritted out teeth and barred the crazy.
Well,
until now, anyway. I guess after the family finds out Operation Get Bella
Hitched and Pregnant was a success, Rusty will be getting back his coleslaw
privileges soon.
I was still irritated with Edward when I started my
shift at the bar that evening. He’d thought it’d be a good idea to tell me, the
moment we got home, that no wife of his was going to work, so I better just
quit my job. I’d laughed and told him shove his dickhead attitude where the sun
doesn’t shine.
He didn’t like that, so we’d come to an impasse on my
continuing to work during my pregnancy. What Edward hadn’t realized was that,
if he’d have just asked me to stop working, or given me reasons why he wanted
me to stay at home, I would have considered it. Then again, I loved working at
the bar. It kept me sane on most days, the ones James wasn’t working, and I
knew I’d be bored to death, sitting at home and doing nothing.
Who
am I kidding? I’m not giving my job up. The husband’s just going to have to get
over it.
The night was slow, and it was just Edward, James, and me
working. My wonderful husband-to-be had almost blown our cover multiple times
that night. On one occasion, he refused to let me lift a keg. I knew that it
wasn’t a good idea to do so in my condition, but Edward all but threw a fit
before I could ask him to do it for me. Another time, a male customer hit on
me, and I thought my man was going to hit the roof. He threatened the poor guy
within an inch of his life. I had to give the dude a free drink so he wouldn’t
call the sheriff. Apparently, the caveman inside of Edward had come out and was
trying to protect his woman and offspring.
A
mad Papa Cullen is kind of hot. Not gonna lie.
I leaned back against the shelf that housed the
different liquors we served. Edward joined me, turning me and leaning toward my
face.
“You should go sit down,” he whispered in my ear.
“Being on your feet all night is not good for BC.”
“BC?” My voice was so soft, I was sure only Edward heard.
“Um, yeah, the freak insists on calling our kid Baby
Cullen. I thought initials sounded cooler.”
“Secrets are lies,” James spoke next to my ear, “Especially
ones that are whispered.”
I pulled away from Edward and faced James, rolling my
eyes. “You’re an idiot.”
“The two of you are hiding something.” The diva waved
his finger at us. “I’m going to find out what it is, eventually. You might as
well just tell me now.”
“James.” Edward ran a hand over his face. “We aren’t
hiding anything. If we were, you’d be the last person I’d ever tell.”
I elbowed Edward, trying to shut him up. His comment
was going to do nothing to deter James, and for the millionth time in one
night, he was going to blow everything. I wished he would just keep his mouth
shut.
“Fine, hide things from me. I don’t care. When whatever
you’re whispering about blows up in your face, though, don’t come crying to me.
I tried to warn you,” James said, pursing his lips.
I turned away from my hyperactive friend, pretending he
wasn’t there. When he didn’t get a response, or a confession, out of either of
us, he left in a huff.
“This is too fun,” Edward laughed, throwing his arm
around me. “We should keep things from him more often.”
~.~.~.~
“Here you go,” Mom said, setting down plates in front of
us.
Edward and I had decided to eat in the diner for lunch.
We had one day left before we could go to the courthouse, and we were just
trying to kill time. But I hadn’t considered that my mother was still a woman
on a mission, and I was starting to regret going.
“What’s this?” Edward cast a suspicious glance at his
plate.
“Your healthy meal.” Mom smiled at him.
I snorted in amusement. Edward’s eyes flashed to mine,
showing me he was not amused.
Oops.
“Don’t you love me?” he asked my mother, pulling out
the puppy eyes.
Not surprisingly, Mom was unaffected by his charm. “Of
course. This is why I’m looking out for you.”
“Come on. This is ridiculous.” Edward tossed his head
back in frustration.
“Have you made an honest woman out of my daughter yet?”
Mom placed a hand on her hip and tapped her foot.
“Well, you see Sue…I mean, Mom…I, uh.” Edward looked
down and scowled.
Her lip curled up. “Well, what about my grandbaby. I
told you I’d be willing to overlook a slip up.”
“Actually—”
I kicked his shin under the table. Mr. I-Can’t-Keep-My-Mouth-Shut
was about to ruin it. He crossed his arms and gave me a pleading look. I shook
my head at him.
“No,” Edward said, pouting.
“Then no coleslaw for you. I told you. Until a wedding
or a pregnancy announcement happens, coleslaw does not exist.” Mom ruffled his
hair.
Edward slumped back in his seat, grumbling.
“How’s your food, dear? Any complaints from you?” Mom gave
me a sideways look.
“Nope, none from me. I love salad.” I made a huge show
of taking a bite.
“Good. See you both later,” Mom said in a cheery voice.
She walked away with a satisfied grin on her face. When I was sure she was out
of hearing range, I turned to Edward.
“Are you insane? You almost told her!” I hissed,
clenching my fist.
“She cut me off from having coleslaw. Coleslaw, Bella!
A man can only take so much.” Edward wrinkled his nose and glared at his food.
“Oh, hush. Just eat your food.”
“This is not food, Bella. It’s a fucking salad,” he
whined, sticking out his bottom lip. “Only small, furry animals should eat this
shit.”
“Stop being such a baby. You know, you’ll get your
precious coleslaw back really soon. I, on the other hand, will have to eat this
crap for the next nine months. Cookies, hamburgers, and other yummy foods will
be a thing of the past. Suck it up, sergeant pouty,” I said, waving him off.
“Such a crime. I’ll never forget the Great Coleslaw
Embargo. Next time, we’re telling them you’re pregnant right away, even if we
have to wake them up in the middle of the night.” Edward stabbed the lettuce on
his plate, the grimace never leaving his face.
Before we knew it, we were at the courthouse. Edward
and I decided to forego the fancy clothes, instead opting to dress comfortably.
Our wedding outfits consisted of jeans and t-shirts. I was liking the eloping
thing more and more.
As we took our turn at
the receptionist’s desk, we found out that two witnesses were needed to sign
the marriage certificate. In our great plan of not inviting family, we’d pretty
much screwed ourselves out of having them. An elderly couple standing behind us
had heard our problem and offered to be our witnesses. Edward thanked them,
accepting their services.
To pass the time, we talked with the couple. Peter and
Charlotte Kingston had been married for forty-five years and were still very
much in love. Listening to them talk about love and what they considered to be
a successful recipe for a happy marriage gave me hope. They reminded me of my
own parents, and if I could have half of what the couple or my own parents had,
then I would be a very lucky woman.
Our names were called, and as we were walking through
the office door, Edward handed Bob to Mr. Kingston. I’d talked him into
bringing the small camcorder, arguing that it was our only chance of survival.
It was likely that without it, I would be a widow before I gave birth. Then,
once the child was out of my womb, I’d meet my own demise by the hands of my
mother.
The ceremony was simple, the judge taking us through the
traditional wedding vows. We stood facing each other, with our hands linked, as
he started. It was simple and perfect. I couldn’t help but smile when the judge
announced us as “husband and wife” and said my new husband could kiss me.
Edward leaned in, capturing my lips. He kept it close-
mouthed for our audience, but the passion was still there. It was hard to
believe he was mine, and it was something I’d get to enjoy for the rest of my
life.
We pulled apart and walked over to the desk to sign our
names on the certificate. Once we were finished, Peter and Charlotte signed,
after he handed the camera to Edward. With a handshake, a pat on the back, and
a few hugs, we left the elderly couple. They wished us a happy marriage, and we
wished them good health.
By the time we entered the car, I was exhausted. The
motion of the car on the drive home only made it worse. Not long into the ride,
I was having trouble keeping my eyes open.
“You can take a nap in the car, you know,” Edward squeezed
my hand, never taking his eyes off the road.
“Yeah, I know. This sucks, though. I don’t have time to
be tired.” I crossed my arms and gave him a petulant stare.
“Well,” he said, rubbing my stomach. “You are growing a
person. You need to take care of yourself and my son.”
I rolled my eyes. “Not this again. I told you…the fifth
month is when we find out the sex. Until then, isn’t kind of weird to call our
kid a boy?”
“Nope. A girl means I’ll have to kill idiot teenage
boys who look at my daughter. A boy means I can sleep at night. So, a girl is
not an option. We’re having a son.” Edward punctuated the last sentence with a
nod.
I didn’t agree with Edward’s logic, and I was keeping
an open mind. It didn’t matter to me what the baby turned out to be. As long as
it was healthy, I was happy. I was convinced Edward was stupid because he
wouldn’t even entertain the idea that I could be carrying a girl. I really
hoped that karma would be on my side and kick his smug ass.
“Whatever. We’ll see.”
I ended up passing out not long after our conversation,
the quiet music playing me in the background lulling me to sleep. I woke up
sometime later, in Edward’s arms, and noticed he was walking up the stairs of
our apartment building.
“I can walk, you know.” I pointed out when we reached
my door.
“I know. It’s my job as your new husband to carry you
over the threshold. So, don’t argue with me.” Edward playfully narrowed his
eyes.
Have
I said before how hot this man is when he puts his foot down?
“Fine. You win.” I mock pouted.
He grinned and adjusted his hold. “Of course I do.”
I laughed at him when he realized that he’d have to put
me down to unlock the door. Undeterred from his original plan, he scooped me
back up once he’d opened it and carried me inside carefully. He made sure the
lock and the deadbolt were secure after we were inside and then led me to the
bedroom.
Our clothes came off quickly, and in no time, we were
on the bed wrapped in each other. Edward placed open-mouthed kisses over my
collar bone and throat, worshiping every inch of my skin.
My fingers weaved into his hair as he descended
further. Pausing only to leave a small kiss on my stomach, his lips descended
to the place I needed him most. The feel of him sliding his tongue over my
sensitive folds caused me to arch off the mattress.
“Please, Edward,” was all I could manage.
Edward slid up my torso, peppering my skin with small
pecks.
“I love you so fucking much,” he whispered into my
hair.
The feelings coursing through me from his declaration
threatened to burst out. I’d never felt as loved as I did with that man. He was
my everything.
“I love you, too.”
He entered me without warning, causing me to cry out in
surprise. The pace was slow as Edward gazed into my eyes. I was transfixed by
his stare—full of love and devotion. His hands gripped me softly as he pressed
his forehead to mine. The deliberate thrusts were pushing me higher and higher.
I felt as if I was on the precipice of something great—something that only
Edward could provide.
I ran my hands down his ribcage and moved them to his
lower back, pulling him closer. I anchored him to me by hooking my legs over
his thighs; I could never get close enough. Edward began quickening the pace,
driving into me faster. His eyes continued to stare into my soul, mumbling his
love for me and my body, and I held on tighter.
“Fuck, Bella,” Edward moaned, throwing his head back.
“Oh, Edward.” I
groaned, trying to spur him on. “I’m gonna—”
“That’s it, baby. Come all over me.”
My world began blurring, focusing to where only Edward
existed. He moved faster and began grunting. The feeling of him being inside of
me, his stare, and his hands holding my hips were becoming too much. I was on
sensory overload.
Edward shifted a little, causing his pelvis to rub
against my clit. That was all that was needed to make me explode. I called out
Edward’s name as I came, holding him tightly and exploding into a world of
color and sensation.
I came back to myself and heard Edward let out the last
cries of his own release right before he slumped on top of me, his head resting
into the crook of my neck.
“Goddamn,” Edward said as he breathed heavy.
“I know.” I panted, pushing the hair out of my face.
Eventually, we disconnected and laid beside one another,
completely blissed out. I snuggled into my husband’s side, and he caressed my
back with his fingertips. No words were necessary. We were content to just be.
Loud knocking interrupted our moment of post-coital
heaven. Edward got up, cleaned himself off, and threw his boxers on.
“I don’t care who’s at the door. They’re about to die,”
he promised as he stomped out of the room.
I heard the sound of the lock opening and then hushed
voices echoed from the other side of the closed door. Every once in a while, a
voice would rise, but not enough for me to make out what was being said. After
a few seconds, curiosity got the best of me, and I decided to go see what was
going on.
I cleaned up, got dressed in one of Edward’s t-shirts
and a pair of his boxers, and walked out into the living room. The first thing
I noticed was James and Edward arguing by the door. My diva friend had a bowl
of popcorn in one arm, and a bag hanging from the other. I was kind of scared
to see what James had planned. He noticed me enter the room and whipped his
head around to face me.
“I thought we were friends, Bella.” James glared,
shifting the items he was holding.
“What are you talking about?”
He walked over to me, grabbing my left hand and moving
it to my face.
“This!” He held my hand for a second and then dropped
it. “How could you get married and not tell your best friend? I had to find out
from Mr. Swimsuit Model over there! I had this epic wedding planned and now everything
is ruined. I even had doves. Doves, Bella! What am I going to with them now?”
“You told him!” I yelled, looking right at Edward.
“No!” Edward held his hands up in defense. “He saw my
ring and guessed. I tried to talk my way out of it, but he didn’t believe me.
You’re the one that just confirmed it!”
I yanked my hand from James’ grasp. “Fuck!”
James went over and sat on the couch, placing the
popcorn bowl on the coffee table. He slumped back and hung his head.
“I know I’m pushy, but I though you liked me. I guess
it was wrong of me to assume,” he said, beginning to cry.
“Son of a bitch.” Edward punched the air and then let
his arm drop, sighing.
He walked over to James, sitting down beside him. I
took the other side, wrapping my arm around my friend’s shoulder. The diva was
breaking my heart.
“We didn’t tell Mom and Dad either.” I nudged his
shoulder. “I just…it didn’t feel right to have some kind of wedding without
Jake there. I’m sorry, James. We didn’t do this to hurt you.”
James sniffed and wiped his nose with the back of his
hand, looking up at me with hope shining in his eyes. “Really?”
“Yes.” I looked over James’s shoulder at Edward, giving
him a look.
Edward closed his eyes and then opened them. “You drive
me crazy, but she’s right. We weren’t trying to hurt your feelings. You
know…people like us, who have crappy parents, have to stick together.”
James launched himself at Edward, hugging him tight. “I
knew you loved me.”
I giggled, causing Edward to glare at me.
My new husband patted James awkwardly on the back.
“Yeah, sure. You can even plan a reception. We need one of those, right?”
It was like a switch had been flipped, and James was practically
vibrating in his seat.
“Oh, it will be the best reception on the planet. I’m
sure I can use the doves for something. I came over to finally have our Tom Cruise marathon. Instead, my two favorite baby
makers got hitched. Now we need to step up the efforts to conceive Baby Cullen.
I’m so excited!” James jumped up and down, clapping his hands.
Edward looked at me pointedly, but I shook my head.
There was no way I was going to tell James that there was no need to worry
about BC anymore. Mom was going to blow a gasket when she found out James was
the first to know we were married. I didn’t need to add to it.
“Well, come on, Newlyweds. Get dressed. We have news to
tell.” James stood up and began pulling on my arm.
“Um, I was thinking we could wait until tomorrow.” I
jerked away from him.
“Yeah, not happening.” James scoffed, shaking his head.
“You’re going to have to put the honeymoon on pause. Don’t think I don’t know
you’ve already started…your sex hair gives you away.”
“Hey, we can have that marathon now and forget all
about telling anyone else.” Edward gestured toward the bag still hanging on
James’ arm.
“Nice try, cuddle muffin. We will be having our Tom
Cruise night, but not right now. Mama and Papa Swan deserve the chance to
celebrate, too.” James eyed us, placing his hand on his hip.
I sighed, getting up off the couch. “Fine. Just give us
a few minutes.”
I grabbed Edward’s hand, pulling him behind me. We
entered the bedroom and shut the door behind us.
“We don’t have time for baby making!’ James voice rang
out through the apartment. “Just grab
something from the floor. We’re on a schedule.”
“If he only knew,” Edward whispered, shaking his head
in amusement.
I snorted, smiling. “No kidding.”
We got dressed quickly, putting on what we’d wore
earlier. There was no need to find anything else. It wasn’t like it had been on
for long.
“I’ll tell Mama Swan myself if you don’t move it!”
James voice got louder. “And you know how creative I can be.”
Edward left the room first, no doubt to stop James from
making good on his warning. I entered the living room next and was ready to get
it over with. A thought crossed my mind as we walked down the stairs toward the
diner.
“Edward!’ I hissed, pulling on his shirt to stop him.
“Go get Bob. We need him if we want to get out of this alive.”
“You’re right!” Edward’s eyes
went wide and he turned around and sprinted back up the stairs. James gave me a
curious look, and I shrugged. I wasn’t going to give anything away.
Once Edward returned, camera in hand, we made our
decent again. My parents were standing against the counter of Upstairs, sharing
the newspaper. Each had their heads tilted toward the other as they read the
contents. They looked so cute together; it was shame to interrupt them.
Stupid
meddling James.
I cleared my throat once I was standing in front of
them. “Um, do you think we can step into your office for a moment? We need to
talk to you.”
Dad furrowed his brow. “Everything okay?
“Everything is fine.” Edward smiled, looking down at me.
Mom closed the paper. “Okay, come on.”
We walked back to the office, following my parents.
Edward had his left hand on my back, conveniently hiding his ring. My own ring
clad hand was in my pocket. I figured it would be better to tell them than to
have the flash of gold give us away. James walked behind us, snickering.
When everyone was inside, James shut the door. He took
one of the seats in front of the desk, leaving only one open. Edward sat down,
and I climbed into his lap. Dad was seated in the chair behind the desk, and
Mom sat on the arm. My nerves were shot, and the sick feeling I had in my
stomach was threatening to expose all of our secrets.
Please,
BC. Not now, I begged my unborn child silently. Mommy really needs to keep it together right
now. I’ll give you anything you want if you don’t make me puke on Grandpa’s
carpet.
“So, what’s going on?” my father’s no-nonsense tone
broke the silence.
“Well, lots of things, actually.” I wrung my hands on
my lap.
“I’m sorry, Charlie,” Edward blurted out. “Just know
that I respect you more than anyone in the whole word.”
“O-kay,” Charlie said, drawing the word out. “Now
you’re starting to scare me. Just spit it out.”
“I asked Bella to marry me, and she said yes!” Edward
rushed out.
“Oh, that’s so wonderful. We need to start planning a
wedding immediately!’ Mom jumped up, running over to us and throwing her arms
around Edward and me. Once she released us from the hug, she went back and sat
down on my father’s lap. James scoffed and shook his head at us.
Fucker.
“Um, well…you see. That’s not necessary.” I looked from
my mother to my father. God, this is
harder than I thought.
“Why?” Mom drew the word out.
“Wekindofgotmarriedthismorning,” I said, running the
words together.
“Tell me I did not hear that I was not invited to my
own daughter’s wedding.” My mother leaned forward from her perch on Dad’s chair,
her voice lethal, and glared in my direction.
I looked to Edward for help, pleading with my eyes.
“It’s true.” Edward threw up his hands to protect his
face. “We went to Port Angeles this morning and eloped. Please don’t be mad. We
just didn’t feel right having a ceremony that didn’t include Jake. I’m sorry if
we hurt you. It was never our intention.”
My parents stared at each other for a moment. The
silence was crushing, and I waited for the yelling to start.
“Well, what’s done is done.” Dad nodded, looking down.
“We would have liked to be there, but we understand. You’re right. It wouldn’t
have felt right without Jake present.”
And
this is why I love my father.
“We did tape it, though. That has to count for
something, right?” Edward lowered his hands and asked in a timid voice.
Mom looked at Edward. “I’ll live with a video of my
only daughter getting married. However, mister, you still get no coleslaw. I’m
still not happy I missed it.”
Edward whimpered, sticking his bottom lip out.
“Oh, Mama Swan, we have a reception to plan. Cuddle bug
said I could put one together, and it would be tragic for the mother of the
bride to not help.” James waved his hands as he talked.
My mom actually beamed at him.
Kiss
ass.
I decided that my mom had taken the Coleslaw Embargo
far enough. It was time to let the cat out of the bag and give Rusty back his
coleslaw privileges.
Man
better realize how much I love his pouty ass.
Everyone started to get up and leave, except for Edward
and me. I was still perched on top of his lap. I gazed into his eyes, trying to
communicate what I wanted to say. He nodded his head and smiled, blowing out a
relieved breath.
If
I have midnight cravings, Rusty is totally going to be my bitch. The moment he complains, I’ll dump the entire
batch of coleslaw in the trash.
“There’s something else we need to tell you.” Everyone
stopped and looked at us.
“You know I went to the doctor a few days ago?” I asked,
clearing my throat. “Well, I know what’s wrong with me.”
Mom and Dad grasped each other’s hands, and James
looked worried.
Christ,
do they have to think it’s something bad? I figured they would have worked it
out on their own. Obviously not.
“Sheesh, you guys. I’m not dying, although I’ve felt
like it for the past few days. I’m pregnant, you morons.”
An excited squeal escaped James, and before I knew it,
he was hugging Edward and me. Mom looked like she was going to cry, and Dad…well,
he just smiled. James extracted himself from me, and I went over to my mom,
hugging her.
“I’m just so happy right now,” Mom said, tears
streaming down her face.
“No work for anyone tonight. I’m closing the place
down. If this isn’t cause to celebrate, I don’t know what is.” Charlie hit his
fist against the desktop with a smile.
I let go of my mom to hug my father. “Thanks, Daddy.”
“No problem, kid.” He patted my back lightly.
“Get over here,” Sue said, looking at Edward. He got up
and walked over to her, and she pulled him into a tight hug.
“I guess this means that I need to feed you some
coleslaw. Come with me.” she pulled on his arm. The smile on Edward’s face
could have lit up the room. I couldn’t help but grin in response, even though I
was jealous. I was going to be suffering in health food hell for the near
future, and he was going to get to eat all kinds of junk.
“You are going to be the prettiest girl ever. Auntie
James will make sure of it.” James sank down to his knees in front of me,
placing his hands on my belly.
“Don’t let Edward hear you say that. He’s convinced
we’re having a boy.” I looked down at him.
James tutted and stood back up, putting his hands on
his hips. “I am an excellent guesser of babies. Soldier boy is crazy.”
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