This was my entry for The Fruit's on the Vine TwiFic Contest, which surprisingly won a Judge's Choice Award and Best Other Pairing Award. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. See you at the bottom for some important notes! ;)
Someday I will understand
In God's whole plan
And what he's done to me
Oh, but maybe
Someday I will breathe
And I'll finally see,
I'll see it all in my baby
Someday, Britney Spears
=Rosalie=
Negative.
Another negative result, I think as I look at the pregnancy test in my hand.
Time after time, for the past five years, I've obtained the same result, and yet I can't help but feel frustrated. Disposing the wretched artifact, I turn and look at myself in the mirror.
A reoccurring question plays on a loop in my mind: What is wrong with me?
As tonight's unceasing stream of tears begins to pour forth down my cheeks, a sob erupts from my chest. Pain and devastation overcomes me, leaving me a blubbering heap in the middle of my bathroom.
I want to forget everything, and for a while, I do, but when I know it's getting closer to the time that my husband Emmett will get home, I pull myself together and head for the kitchen.
Once there, I begin preparing a chicken Caesar salad, trying futilely to forget today's earlier events. As I dice the chicken into strips, I think about all the fertility treatments that Emmett and I have subjected ourselves to, and I briefly wonder if it's been worth it.
Probably not.
Sure, we would have gained a baby from it, but this kind of pain is too much to bear.
The unmistakable jingle of keys alerts me of Emmett's arrival, ceasing all thoughts of crushing news. I wipe my hands on a kitchen towel and head over to the living room where his booming voice calls out, "Honey, I'm home!"
Smiling, I walk over to him and wrap my arms around his neck as he leans to press a soft kiss on my lips.
"Hi," I murmur.
"Hi," he says, his eyes full of a personal twinkle, which along with his dimples, display his eternal mischief.
Closing my eyes, I sigh, "I missed you."
He gives me another small kiss, murmuring, "I missed you, too."
"So much," we say at the same time.
A low chuckle escapes me. "How was your trip?"
"Too damn long," Emmett groans. "I don't like sleeping by myself."
I shrug. "Me neither, but there's nothing we can do about it."
"I know," he sighs, shrugging. "But I'm here now, so let's eat!"
"Okay," I agree, as I step out of our embrace, looking down. "I'll set up the table while you go put your stuff away."
"Hey," Emmett prompts, titling my chin with his fingers to get me to look at him, "everything okay?"
"Yeah," I lie easily. "Just had a long day is all."
His gaze is unwavering as he studies me. "Alright then," he exhales, a bit anxious. "But you know you can't talk to me about anything, right?"
"Of course; it's just…" I trail off, exhaling. "It's been a long day."
Thankfully, Emmett knows when not to push me, and this is one of those moments. He moves to grab his suitcase and makes his way to our bedroom, but not without looking at me over his shoulder.
Because he knows something is up.
You see, to anyone else, he's a goofball and the epitome of a meathead, yet he's anything but. Sure, he loves to play around and make a joke out of everything, but Emmett's also very caring and intuitive, except that he generally only shows that side of himself to the people closest to him. Sometimes I wonder if that was a consequence from losing his parents in an accident when he was thirteen, but that's a subject that we mostly avoid, so I wouldn't know for sure.
Given the preconceived image that Emmett has, no one would imagine that he's one of Chicago's top Sports Agents. He not only graduated from Northwestern University with a Business undergrad and Sports Administration major, he also finished with a Business Law degree as well. The result of all his hard work was rewarded when he got hired at Athlete Promotions, where he's managing three different clients.
Jasper Whitlock - a UFC Bantamweight fighter he represents - has made it to the title's preliminaries, hence the reason for Emmett to travel with him constantly at the moment. I admit that I do get lonely sometimes, and it's another reason why I wanted to have a baby, but recently I've become friends with Alice - Jasper's wife - so we hang out together when we can't travel with our husbands.
After walking to the kitchen and setting the plates on the table, I'm startled out of my thoughts by Emmett's hand landing on my lower back.
"What did you make for dinner, oh, wife of mine?" he teases.
I sneer, knowing what his exact reaction will be once I tell him. "Chicken Caesar salad."
"Again?" he grumbles. "All we ever eat is lettuce!"
This would be the perfect moment to tell him that pretty soon, we won't be on any more rigorous diets given that I'm not going through with another fertility treatment, but I lack the courage to mention anything. Instead, I roll my eyes, and say, "The salad has chicken and croutons, Em."
"I know," he sighs, before taking his seat.
Following suit, I take my place next to him on his right, and begin asking him about Jasper's fight.
His blue eyes become alight with excitement as he says, "Man, he totally kicked Brad Pickett's ass!"
Shaking my head at him, I chuckle, "Oh, look at my little man-child getting all excited."
A faint blush appears across his cheeks as he grins sheepishly. "What can I say? I love my job, and knowing that I'm helping out Jasper makes me happy."
"I know," I tell him, reaching out to hold his hand. "And I'm so proud of you because of that, Em."
"Wanna know something else?" he asks, mischievously.
"What?"
"I spoke to Marcelo Ponte, Coca-Cola's Marketing Chief, and he says that if Jasper wins the title, he'll seal the deal on the Powerade endorsement we've been talking about."
"Wow, Emmett, that's awesome."
Emmett nods, smiling proudly. "I know." He takes a bite of chicken and then says, "So, Alice asked about you; she wants to know if you guys could have lunch this week."
"Well, that would be nice," I reply honestly. "What did you tell her?"
He shrugs, looking at me. "That you'd give her a call, just don't forget that we have our appointment with Dr. Gerandy on Wednesday."
Slumping in my chair, I close my eyes, mentally preparing myself to have this conversation. The moment is brief, maybe a few seconds long, but it's enough to steel my resolve. I gaze into his eyes, and say, "We actually need to talk about that, seeing as I've decided that this will be our last appointment with him."
"Okay," he says dubiously. "Do you want to go to another doctor? Because I could just ask Garrett to give us a referral to someone else if-"
I shake my head, smiling ruefully. "No, Emmett, what I mean is that I don't want to continue with the fertility treatments."
"But why?" he asks, looking distressed. "I know the other methods we've tried in the past haven't worked, but there's still a possibility that this last treatment did, Rose; we don't know that it hasn't yet."
Hearing his desperation breaks me, causing my tears to make their presence again. "But I do know," I whisper. "I know that it didn't..."
Emmett exhales deeply and takes my hand. "Rose, we've been through this before, and you know that jumping to conclusions doesn't-"
I level him with my gaze, confessing what I did earlier. "I took a test today, alright? The result was negative. Again."
"Oh, Rosie," he says, standing to pull me into a hug. "Why didn't you wait for me to get home? This was what was bothering you, wasn't it?"
Silenced by the sobs that rock through me, I simply nod, hugging him back.
"C'mon, let's go to the living room, so we can discuss this better," he says, slightly pulling away from our embrace and threading our fingers together.
Nodding again, I follow after him and sit on his lap once he's seated on the couch like I've done many times before.
Emmett wraps an arm around my back, pushing hair away from my face with his free hand. "Are you sure about this, Rosie? You know that I'm more than happy with our family just consisting us both, but I know how badly you wanted this."
What he's saying is entirely true; I was the one who insisted we seek help when we weren't able to conceive naturally after trying for three years. Emmett had been wary about the procedures that we'd be subjected to - my health being his main concern - and had suggested adoption as our solution. He finally relented after much insistence from my part and the reassurance from Garrett, our family doctor and friend, that I'd be fine.
I sniffle, nodding as I look down. "Having your baby is what I want the most in this world, Emmett, but I can't do this anymore... I can't keep getting my hopes up only to have them come crashing down... I just can't."
"It's okay," he coos, rubbing my back. "We still have the option of adopting."
Wiping my eyes, I sniffle. "Will you let me think about it?"
"Take all the time you need, baby," he says. "I just want to do whatever makes you happy."
"I love you," I whisper.
"I love you, too."
So much.
… … …
Wednesday finds us sitting in Dr. Gerandy's office, waiting to be confirmed that I'm in fact not pregnant. Emmett holds my hand as we sit in front of our doctor's desk while he looks over my file with a neutral expression, but his tell is in the slight hunch of his shoulders.
He exhales, looking up at us. "I don't know how to tell you this, but it appears that our third attempt with intrauterine insemination has failed. Now, I know that we haven't discussed gestational surrogacy yet, but it's definitely within our options."
Gestational surrogacy? There's no way on earth I'd allow my baby to develop in another woman's womb, even if it were our last resource.
As if reading my mind, Emmett squeezes my hand, shaking his head at the older man. "That's not a method that my wife and I would be willing to try, Dr. Gerandy, and to be honest, after all of our unsuccessful attempts, we've decided that we no longer want to continue our treatment."
"I'm so sorry to hear that, Mr. and Mrs. McCarty," he says sorrowfully. "I don't know where we went wrong. All of your blood work and fertility tests have proven that there isn't anything wrong with either of you, and yet nothing that we've done has helped. I really wish I could do more for you."
"We understand, Dr. Gerandy," I say, "but as much as it hurts to think about it, maybe we're just not destined to be parents."
"Oh, no," he says quickly. "A young and loving couple like you deserve that and much more."
"Thank you for your kind words, doctor," I say, a small smile appearing across my face.
"It's nothing but the truth," he assures. "What about adoption? Have you considered that? I'm sure that any child would be blessed to have parents like you."
Emmett nods. "We're still thinking about it."
"Well, unless you decide to give assisted reproductive treatment another try, this will be the last time I'll see you." Dr. Gerandy takes a card from its holder and writes down something on it before handing it to Emmett. "This is my personal number; please don't hesitate to call me for anything you need. Your father is a great friend of mine, so all of you are almost like family."
The sympathy in his eyes is too much for me to bear, so I quickly stand and extend my hand to him. "Thanks so much for everything, Dr. Gerandy. We'll make sure to let you know if we ever need anything."
Dr. Gerandy and Emmett stand as well, shaking hands before we exit the office and then make our way to the reception. Despite knowing that we'd be doing this today, I can't help but feel overwhelmed with sadness, yet I remain calm and controlled when Carmen, the doctor's receptionist, approaches us.
"How did it go?" she asks me.
"Same as always," I say dejectedly.
"Oh, Rosalie," she laments. "I'm so sorry."
"It's okay." I shrug. "But it's the last time we do this."
"Are you sure?" she asks Emmett. "Have you guys thought this through?"
Emmett nods. "It's what we want."
"This makes me so sad." She frowns at me. "But you still have my number, right?" At my nod, she continues. "Feel free to call me anytime. Maybe we can go out for coffee together?"
"That would be lovely," I reply with a smile. "I haven't had coffee in ages."
"Then it's all set!" she chimes. "Well, I'll let you guys go, but I expect to see you soon, okay?"
"Okay," I say. "Take care."
"You, too," she calls over her shoulder as she walks away.
"C'mon, babe," Emmett says to me as we make our way to the parking lot. "Let's get you home."
"Home?" I raise my brow at him. "You know I have to go back to the bank, Em."
"How about if I call Jane and have her call Makenna to let her know that you're not feeling well and that you're going to spend the rest of the day with me?"
Chuckling, I revel in the way he mentions our assistants to make me feel important.
"Oh, I see; you're having your people talk to my people?"
"Damn right," he says, smiling smugly. "That way, we can go home, order some pizza and spend the rest of the day watching chick flicks."
I smile sheepishly. "Can we eat some raspberry-cheesecake ice cream, too?"
"We'll do anything you want! Fuck, I'll even let you give me a mani-pedi and paint my toe-nails pink."
Chuckling, I press a kiss to his cheek. "What did I ever do to deserve someone like you?"
"Well," Emmett begins, "lemme know if you ever find out, because I've found myself questioning the same thing and I haven't come up with an answer yet."
I grin before kissing him again, knowing that we're extremely lucky to have each other.
... … ...
The following weeks are spent in a rather bittersweet mood as a result of our decision. Emmett doesn't bring up the subject and he tries his best to avoid doing anything that can upset me, which is why he's a little wary of us visiting his family this weekend.
"Are you sure you want to go?" he asks. "I know that Edward's kids can be a handful, and with everything that's been going on, I don't want you to-"
"I'm sure, Emmett," I say, stopping him from continuing his thought. I don't want our situation to ruin everything for us, and despite knowing that our visit will be challenging, it's something we should do. "Besides, we haven't seen Esme and Carlisle in a long time."
Emmett exhales. "Fine, but we're coming back if I see you showing any signs of discomfort, alright?"
"Okay," I say exasperatedly.
"Baby," he whines. "Don't get mad at me for trying to take care of you."
"I'm not mad, Em, but I just wish that you'd stop handling me with kiddie gloves; I'm not going to break."
"I know, I know," Emmett sighs. "But I just can't help feeling protective of you."
Slumping my shoulders, I walk over to him and wrap my arms around him. As I look up at him, I say, "I'm sorry, baby. I know I should be grateful that you take such good care of me, but it's like I'm in a perpetual state of PMS lately."
Emmett smiles as he mirrors my embrace. "Maybe it's the residual hormones," he muses. "Hopefully with time you'll pass this phase."
"Hopefully," I agree. "But for now, let's get going, or we're going to be late for lunch."
"Okay," he acquiesces before giving me a small peck on the lips. "Let's get this show on the road!"
...
It's fairly quiet when we arrive at Carlisle and Esme's house, probably meaning that Edward and his family aren't there yet. As Esme opens the door and greets us, I realize that my earlier assessment was correct.
"Oh, Rosalie, Emmett, it's so good to see you!" she gushes. "Please, please come in."
"It's nice to see you, too, Ma," Emmett tells her as he wraps her in a hug once we've entered. "Where's Dad at?"
"He just got home from work, so he's changing his clothes, but he'll be out here in a minute."
"We're not too early, are we?" I ask.
"No, not at all," Esme assuredly says. "Both Carlisle and Edward are running a little late, that's all."
"Oh, okay," I say. "Do you need help with anything?"
"Thanks for offering, sweetie, but we're really just waiting for Edward and Bella to get here with the kids to start lunch, so why don't we go to the living room while we wait for them?"
I nod. "Sure, Esme, let's go."
Emmett and I follow after her, sitting together on the love seat when the doorbell rings.
"Oh, that must be them," Esme says before returning to the door.
As soon as she opens the door, Mason - Edward's oldest son - comes running in, yelling, "Grandma!" He stretches up, trying to reach Esme for an embrace. Lizzy, Edward's only daughter and the eldest of his three children, picks Mason up so he can hug Esme. Behind them, Bella stands, watching the exchange as she carries a diaper bag and the kids' coats. Lastly, Edward joins them with Jake perched on his hip.
All three of their kids look so much alike, resembling Edward the most, although their hair is a lighter shade of auburn than his is. Its texture is entirely another matter given that Lizzie and Mason's hair is wavy like Bella's and Jake's is an untamable chaos, going in this and that direction, much like Edward's does. As far as eyes go, Lizzie inherited Bella's chocolate brown eyes, whereas both Mason and Jake have hazel eyes – a combination of Edward's green and Bella's brown.
Emmett grips my hand lightly as I observe them, listening intently to their conversation.
Esme sets Mason down and gives Lizzie a quick peck on the cheek before greeting Edward and Bella the same way.
"We're very sorry we're late, Mom, but Jakey had an "accident" before we left the house, so Bella had to change him all over again," Edward explains as they enter.
"It's okay," Esme says as she hugs Jake. "Emmett and Rose just got here."
"Uncle Emmie!" Lizzie exclaims, running over to the living room and then bouncing with excitement once she stands in front of us. "Hi!"
"Hi," Emmett replies softly. "How's my favorite niece doing?"
Lizzie blushes as she smiles bashfully. "I've been good, and you? I missed you, Aunt Rosie," she says, looking over to me.
"I missed you, too, pretty girl," I reply, extending my hands and threading them with hers.
Lizzie bounces on the balls of her feet and asks, "Why haven't you visited us, then? Mom says it's because you're too busy with work; is that true?"
I nod, knowing that what Bella said isn't entirely true. Sure, I do work late nights sometimes, but when Emmett is on the road, I mostly spend my time alone. I've never been a hermit, but I do isolate myself from the family for one simple reason: Edward's kids are a painful reminder of what I can't have.
"I'll try to visit more often, Lizzie-bird," I say with a smile. "I promise."
Lizzie's face lights up. "And you'll let me braid your pretty hair?" she asks, smoothing my hair out with her small hand.
Chuckling, I nod. "Yeah, you can do that."
"Yay!" she exclaims, running over to Bella. "Did you hear that, Mommy? Aunt Rosie said that I could braid her hair when she visits us!"
Bella grins as she gazes as me. "She did? Well, let's just hope that she visits soon."
"Next time Emmett is out of town, I'll go over," I assure.
"We'll be waiting for you," Bella says. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go put the kids' things down and make sure that Jakey doesn't have another accident."
Emmett and I chuckle, watching as she takes Jake from Esme's arms and then heads to the guest room where a mini nursery is set up.
Mason walks up to us then, placing a kiss on my cheek. "Hi, pretty Aunt Rosie."
"Hi, baby," I say, ruffling his hair. "What's up?"
"Nothing much," he replies, shrugging.
"Have you been behaving at school?" Emmett asks.
Mason nods. "And I've been eating my veggies so I can be as big as you - Mommy said so."
"Is that right?" Emmett asks Edward, raising his brow.
"Yeah, Bella told Mason about how you'd eat your asparagus when we were kids so now you're big and strong," Edward explains.
"Oh," Emmett sighs. "I see. Well, yeah, I ate all my asparagus, Mason, so you should, too."
"Okay, but I'm just wondering one thing, Daddy," Mason says, frowning as he looks at his father. "If you ate your asparagus, too, why does Uncle Emmie have more muscles than you?"
"Well, that's because I eat lots of bacon, little guy," Emmett explains, chuckling, yet as soon as Edward shoots him a pointed look, he adds, "And I eat lots of spinach, too. Like Popeye."
Mason's face lights up. "Really?"
"Yes," Edward says. "And that's why mommy also wants you to eat spinach."
"I'mma be as buff as Uncle Emmie," Mason says, fist pumping the air with both arms.
"And why's that?" Bella asks as she walks over to us with Jake and Lizzie in tow.
"I'mma eat all my veggies, Momma," Mason tells her. "Oh, and lots of bacon, too."
Chuckling, Bella shakes her head. "You had to mention your beloved bacon, Emmett."
My husband just shrugs, smiling sheepishly.
"Okay, everyone, let's go to the dining room, shall we? Lunch is ready to be served." Esme says.
…
After we're all seated, conversation flows easily, all of us catching up about the others while we eat. You'd expect Lizzie and Mason to be seated at a kiddie table, but they're not; they're seated with us along with Jake in his high chair.
When it's time to eat dessert, Edward clears his throat. "So, Bella and I have an announcement to make."
We all turn to look at her when she abruptly says, "I'm pregnant! We totally weren't expecting it, but what's one more baby, right?"
Three things happen then: Lizzie and Mason jump excitedly in their seats, speaking loudly about a new little brother or sister, Carlisle and Esme congratulate Edward and Bella, and lastly, I collapse in my seat.
…
I don't know why it happened, but somewhere in the commotion from the news, I passed out. I know that Emmett brought me to his old room and that at least Edward is with him as I lie in bed pretending to still be asleep.
"I'm so sorry, Emmett," Edward says. "I had no idea that our news was going to affect her this much."
Emmett exhales loudly, sitting on the bed beside me. "It's okay, Ed. I would have warned you if you hadn't meant for it to be a surprise for everyone. And it wouldn't have affected Rosie as much, but since we stopped all of our fertility treatments last month, we're still trying to wrap our head around the fact that we're probably never going to be parents."
"Then this is worse than I thought," Edward sighs. "From what you're telling me, it seems that she had a rage blackout."
Emmett shifts on the bed as he asks, "A rage blackout?"
"Yeah, it's something that happens when someone is consumed by an untimely and random spike of anger. It's mostly likely that Bella's pregnancy announcement was what triggered it."
"Wow," Emmett sighs. "That's just…"
Edward approaches Emmett, moving closer to the bed. "I know, and I'm sorry about you guys not being able to conceive a child, but surely, there must be something you guys can still do. If not, adoption is always an option."
"We're still considering going in that direction, but it's not likely," Emmett tells him. "I'm pretty sure that Rosie wanted the full experience, you know?"
"Definitely," Edward agrees, "but just keep your hearts and minds open to that possibility, alright?"
Emmett probably nods because he doesn't say anything, but I can't take it anymore.
I want out.
I want to cry and scream and destroy.
Because life is fucking unfair.
Because life just keeps screwing me over.
… … …
It's been two weeks since we found out that Edward and Bella are having another baby, and I'm still seething. The only good thing right now is that I have Alice to vent my frustration. She came over to my house after finally setting up a lunch date, and although we'd planned for it to be at a café, we both agreed that it would be better if we did something more privately. I mean, I knew I was going to be an emotional wreck, so having other people present if I lost it wasn't very appealing.
When Alice arrived, she made some tea, but since I hadn't had coffee in years, I opted for it.
And God, coffee has never tasted so motherfucking good.
"I fucking hate her," I seethe as I sit across from Alice.
"Who do you hate?" Alice questions.
Oh, just thinking about it again fuels my rage. "Bella fucking Swan; she's my sister-in-law."
"Your sister-in-law?"
"Yeah," I sigh, feeling mildly embarrassed. "I know that resenting her is shameful, but it's not fucking fair. She and Edward have always had everything handed to them, and Emmett and I have worked so hard and yet, we haven't been able to have the one thing we want the most: a child. And we tried for years, Ali, but we just decided to stop continuing my fertility treatments."
Alice looks at me sympathetically but remains quiet, so I go on.
"Edward and Bella have had it easy; he knocked her up when they were just eighteen. Carlisle and Esme suggested that they get married after their high school graduation, which they eventually did. When it was time for them to go to college, Carlisle and Esme hired them a nanny so they could both go to school. And as if that wasn't enough, Bella became pregnant once more when they were both juniors, causing her to take a break from school for a year. She eventually finished her degree by the time that Edward was in medical school, and since she wasn't working, they decided to have Jake – their only planned baby."
"Wow," Alice says. "They sure stayed busy."
"Uh-huh," I scoff. "And guess what? Bella's pregnant again. Just like that. And Emmett and I? We've worked our asses off to get where we are without abusing the support we've gotten from our family. He played college football for four seasons while getting his Business undergrad and then he did his internship at Athlete Promotions throughout his Sports Administration master's degree.
"We got married after I finished my MBA and him his MSA, and that's around the time that we started trying for a family. It seemed like a good idea at the time since he'd been officially hired by the agency and I started working at Wells Fargo Bank as a Finance Officer. In retrospect, though, I think it's mostly because I didn't want to be alone while he worked part-time and went to school for his Law degree."
I shake my head as if that will rid me of the thought. "Regardless," I add, "we still weren't able to conceive our baby naturally, so it doesn't matter now."
Alice nods before asking, "When did you guys decide to try fertilization treatments?"
"After he graduated and signed Jasper as his first official client," I reply, smiling longingly.
"Oh, my god, I didn't know that," Alice gushes. "I thought that he'd already signed the soccer player."
"No, that's why Emmett is so proud of how far Jasper has gotten in his career."
"Well, to be honest, we feel as if Emmett and you are part of our family, so it doesn't feel as if we're doing business with you guys."
"We feel the same way," I admit. "That's why I feel so comfortable talking to you about this."
Alice laughs, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Okay, so since you're being open with me and all, I have to ask: how is it that Bella is your sister-in-law if Emmett doesn't have any siblings? Or at least that's what I've gathered so far."
"Has Emmett ever told you our story?" I ask, gazing at her to gauge her reaction.
Alice shakes her head as she puts down her tea. "No, he's only told me that you guys are high-school sweethearts and that he loves you very much."
"Of course he would." Looking down, I smile sheepishly. "He's charming like that."
"So, what's your story?" Alice prods. "Did you guys have a shaky start?"
"Yeah, something like that." I nod. "We were both adopted when we were teens - by the same parents."
"What?" she screeches.
"Okay, lemme start at the beginning," I plead. "Otherwise, you'll think it's fucking twisted."
Alice smirks. "I already think that, so go on."
Nodding, I continue. "Emmett lost his parents in a car accident when he was thirteen, and then Carlisle and Esme adopted him. Emmett's dad was Carlisle's brother, so it was the most rational thing to do, y'know? When it happened, they only had Edward; he was eleven-years-old at the time, and they both got along great, as if they were truly biological brothers."
Alice takes another drink of her tea and nods. "Okay, and how did you get in the picture?"
I sigh, frowning as I remember my troubled past. "My mother was a spoiled little rich girl that hung out with the wrong crowd and got knocked up when she was sixteen. You'd think that she would get her act together after my grandfather disowned her, but it wasn't like that. Nope, she loved her cocaine fix more than she loved me."
"Oh, Rosalie," Alice gasps. "I'm so sorry."
"Don't be," I say, shaking my head. "If my mother hadn't been an addict, I probably wouldn't have met Emmett, and that's an unconceivable thought."
"Yeah, you're right," she concedes. "And what happened next?"
"Well, as you can imagine, my childhood wasn't as merry as I would have liked, but things were okay. My mom worked and made sure that we always had a roof above our heads, and most importantly, that our refrigerator was full of food. I'm pretty sure that she was also sustaining her habit, yet it wasn't too obvious. Things went bad when she started dating Royce, her supplier."
A pang of sorrow hits me full force. Out of everything I've told Alice, this is what breaks me down. A quiet sob escapes me as I wipe my tears.
"It was so awful, Alice. I remember being in middle school and getting home to a house full of junkies because Royce was selling out my house. When he eventually moved in with us, shit really hit the fan. I'd be woken up at night by my mother's screams whenever Royce got mad and he took it out on her. And I tried to convince my mom to leave him, to go somewhere else and put everything behind us, but she was in too deep. She was paying off her blow with her body, and when Royce got tired of her, he tried to make me pay for it."
Alice reaches over to me, placing her hands atop mine. Her expression is somber, mirroring mine.
"As unbelievable as it sounds, things got better after that. I ran away and looked for help." I smile grievously. "That's when I met Carlisle; he was volunteering at a clinic where I went with the excuse of getting a physical. All I really wanted, though, was to get some injuries checked after I got in a fight with Royce. I was fourteen at the time, so he had to report the incident to CPS, but he was afraid that I'd fall through the cracks in the system, and consequently, he came to an arrangement with my mom so she could relinquish her rights."
"Wow," Alice whispers. "There are very little people like Carlisle."
"And Esme," I add. "They both took me in their home with open arms." Sniffling, I shake my head. "Esme couldn't have any more kids after Edward was born, but she says she was recompensed with both Emmett and me."
Alice smiles mischievously. "I'm just wondering what she thought when she found out that you guys liked each other."
"She didn't freak out as much as kids from school did," I tell her. "There was this one girl named Jessica Stanley - the biggest gossip from our class - that gave us a hard time in the beginning, but one threat to break her nose and she shut her trap."
"Are you serious?" Alice asks incredulously.
"Oh, yeah," I confirm. "Girls back then were so afraid me, and I've never figured why."
Alice raises her brow. "Can you truly not see it, Rose? You are one of the fiercest women I've ever met; you exude confidence."
I chuckle wistfully. "Yeah, and here I am trashing my sister-in-law for something I should be happy about. She's my family, for fuck's sake."
"Hey," Alice says in an admonishing tone. "Nobody's perfect, alright? And you're only human, so feeling a little contempt once in awhile is okay. Making it something habitual? That's when you've got problems, and not like the ones Jay Z has."
I can't help but smile, and that's when I realize that talking to Alice was exactly what I needed. I already feel a hundred times lighter.
… … …
After that day, my friendship with Alice evolved. Whenever both Jasper and Emmett were on the road and we couldn't join them, he hung out together. Sometimes she'd come over to the house, and other times I'd go over to hers, but we mostly spent our time shopping for things we'll probably never use.
Well, not counting the awesome Loubutin's that I've just purchased. Yeah, those shoes are going to be used for whichever VIP event that Emmett takes me to next.
If Jasper continues winning all his fights, it'll be happening very soon. I hope that he did win this last match, and you'd think that I'd know already because I'd be following sporting news, but that is the furthest from the truth. Emmett understands since he's aware that I don't really know a thing about sports and I just end up frustrated and confused.
He's about to return from his trip, and as usual, I'm waiting for him to arrive. I've been lounging on the couch and watching movies all day long, but I know he'll be here soon. As I'm about to take a bite from a chip, I hear the unmistakable sound of keys.
Putting my bag of chips down, Emmett enters our living room.
"Baby, we're going to Vegas!" he shouts.
"What?" I frown, feeling caught off guard. "When?"
Emmett grins smugly. "In two months when Jasper fights for the Bantamweight title since he just won the semifinals."
"Oh, my God, baby! That's excellent news!" I exclaim, standing from the couch and walking over to him. My arms wrap around his neck while I step on my tiptoes and give him a smoochy kiss. "Congratulations, Mr. McCarty."
"Thank you, baby," he says. "We're going to Evanston tonight for a celebratory dinner with Jasper and Alice at The Stained Glass restaurant."
I grin widely. "That's absolutely wonderful, Em."
"And that's not all," Emmett tells me. "I got you a little present for tonight."
"You did?"
"Yeah, just let me get it out of my suitcase."
"Okay," I say, stepping out of our embrace so he can get my present.
Emmett walks over to his suitcase and takes out a garment bag and a small box before returning to where I'm standing. "I'm hoping you can wear this for dinner tonight," he says, handing them to me. "A little birdie told me that you have the perfect shoes to match this outfit."
I gasp as I open the garment bag and reveal a red peplum dress. "Wow, Emmett, this is beautiful. Thank you so much."
"Anything for you, baby," Emmett says with a smile. "But you haven't opened your other present yet."
I take the small box and open it, noticing a small black leather clutch and belt.
"Everything is perfect!" I tell him before placing a kiss on his lips. "I'll tell Ali later that I liked everything."
"How did you know Alice helped me?"
That's easy. "Only she would buy me a Christian Louboutin clutch that has the same finish as my shoes."
"Oh, okay," Emmett says. "Well, get ready because we have to leave in a few hours."
"Sure, wanna join me in the shower?" I say seductively.
Emmett groans. "I wish I could, but I have to send Jane some reports so she can get started on a presentation for a meeting we have on Tuesday." He wraps his arms around me, and says, "Don't worry, though; the night is still young."
...
Before leaving the house, Emmett tells me that he's reserved a room at The Hilton in Evanston so we don't have to drive home late. He drives us to the hotel where we drop off our BMW and a car service is already waiting for us so we don't have to worry about drinking and driving.
When we arrive at the restaurant, Alice and Jasper are already waiting for us at the bar. They're both dressed formally; Alice in a short black dress and Jasper in a dark charcoal suit. Alice styled her long black hair in waves that frame her face, and kept her make-up light and sophisticated. Both Emmett and Jasper look nice in their tailored suits, fitting them perfectly.
The hostess then leads us to our table and we order our drinks and appetizers.
Both Emmett and Jasper are engrossed in conversation when Alice looks over to me, and says, "You look absolutely stunning, Rosalie."
"Thank you," I tell her with a pointed look. "Everything matches perfectly! And that lingerie we bought last week? I'm wearing it underneath this."
"Emmett's gonna have a heart attack when he sees it!" she quietly shrieks.
"Him? Girl, I'm going to die until I can get that suit off him."
"What are you ladies talking about?" Jasper asks.
"Oh, nothing much," Alice answers, "Rosalie was just thanking me for the presents I picked out for her."
"Well, I'd like to propose a toast," Emmett says, lifting his drink. As the rest of us follow suit, he continues. "To Jasper, for not only working hard and making it through the preliminaries and getting to the finals, but also for becoming Powerade's new spokesperson."
Alice beams at Jasper as I smile at them, happy to be sharing this moment with them.
"What? I don't... I... Wow," Jasper stutters.
"I've been speaking with Marcelo Ponte, Coca-Cola's Marketing Chief," Emmett tells him. "And we'd initially agreed that they'd give you the endorsement if you won the title, but given that you knocked out your opponent on the fourth minute of the third round, it's a given that you'll win."
"Emmett, I don't know-" Jasper begins.
"Wait," Emmett tells him. "I'm not done yet."
"Okay." Jasper nods. "Go ahead."
"Marcelo and I have come to an agreement; Coca-Cola will sponsor your training camp and I'll provide a training fighter," Emmett begins. "I've already asked Jane to start looking for someone that fits your opponent's physique and condition, and starting next week, you'll begin training."
"Thank you so much," Alice tells Emmett. "Your support means so much to us."
"It's the least I could do," Emmett says as he smiles.
...
After dinner, we all say goodbye and then Emmett and I head over to the hotel, making out in the backseat of the car. We're so worked up by the time we get to our room that Emmett pulls me to him and wraps his arms around me as soon as we open our door.
He kisses me languidly, tangling his hand in my hair before pulling away.
"God, I want you so bad," he pants. "And if you don't want me to ruin your dress, I suggest you start taking it off now."
I look up at him through hooded eyes as he pulls away and begins to undo his tie.
Emmett licks his lips, and says, "I'm serious, baby; I don't have any problem ripping clothes off your tight light body."
Knowing that he'll follow through, I take off my belt and turn around before asking him to undo the zipper of my dress. Once he's done, he pushes my hair to the side and begins kissing and nipping my neck. My hands wrap around his neck while his roam down my front, groping and kneading my breasts before reaching my waist and pushing my dress down my hips until it pools at my feet.
"I want you to take you from behind while you're bent over," Emmett whispers in my ear, sliding his hands against my skin upwardly, causing it to break out in goosebumps from anticipation of what's to come. "I want to make you scream my name when you come all around me, Rose."
I clench my thighs together and whimper, wanting that more than anything. "I want that, too," I tell him. "I want it so badly."
"Then what are you waiting to get rid of the rest of your clothes, baby?" he asks, pinching my right nipple over my lace bra cup. "Take them off."
Complying all too willingly, I bend over and grab my dress, stepping out of it carefully while Emmett begins unbuttoning his shirt. He's already removed his suit jacket and tossed it haphazardly on the floor. I face him as I remove my bra, wanting to see his reaction when my breasts are finally exposed to him. Next, I remove my thong slowly, pushing it down my hips.
"Turn around and grab your ankles," he growls. "Make sure to spread your legs."
I do as he asks, and almost immediately, he wraps his arm around my waist. "Get ready," he growls in my ear, as he enters me swiftly without warning. "I'm going to make love to you all night long."
… … …
Walking into the bathroom, I find Emmett kneeling on the floor as he's bowled over the toilet. "Emmett, what's the matter?" I ask, alarmed, as I run over to him. He waves his hand behind him as if to guard me off right before he begins heaving again. I remain behind him, though, waiting so I can take care of him.
From the look of things, neither one of us will be making it to work early this morning. If we don't shower and leave the house quickly, we'll be stuck in traffic for hours – although if I'm being honest, we might not even make it in today.
Once Emmett's done, he turns over and sits against the tub. "Oh, man, I desperately need to brush my teeth, but I'm afraid that even the smell of toothpaste will set me off again."
"How long have you been in here, Emmett?" I lean down and touch his forehead. "Do you think you had a fever last night?"
"Nah," he says, waving me off. "I think I've got the stomach flu, or something. Or maybe… it was those burritos I ate at the food truck yesterday."
Crossing my arms, I narrow my eyes, and say, "Emmett McCarty, you should know better than to eat at the food truck. And burritos? What were you thinking? Those things are huge! No wonder you're sick to your stomach."
"I know, baby, I know. But," he sighs, "I'd had meetings all morning and hadn't been able to eat breakfast, so I was starving. Besides, you know I'm a big boy and I need to get my energy for when I get home."
The mischievous look he gives me causes me to blush slightly, knowing exactly what he's referring to. Ever since we celebrated Jasper's endorsement, Emmett and I have been sexually insatiable. I don't think there's a sole surface in this house that we haven't defiled yet.
"So," I begin, wanting to bring us back to the present. "You still haven't told me how long you've been in here."
"For about an hour?" Emmett scowls. "So much for wanting to make you breakfast in bed."
"You've been here for almost an hour?" I cry. God, I'm a terrible a wife for not noticing that he wasn't in bed with me for that long.
"Yeah, I was in the middle of making breakfast, but as soon as I began cooking some bacon, my stomach revolted from its smell."
"From the smell alone? Was it a putrid smell? Maybe its expiration date passed," I muse.
"Nah, I checked the date before I began cooking it. I'm telling you, Rosie, I don't know what caused it, but the bacon smelled horrible."
"Okay, for you to say that bacon smelled bad, then something huge is really going on."
"Exactly, and I seriously feel like… Oh, God, not again," he says before rushing to the toilet and heaving once more.
…
The next hour passes in the same way, so I decide to call each other's assistants to let them know that we're taking the day off. After Emmett has finally stopped vomiting, I drive him to our physician's office, hoping we can get in without an appointment. When we arrive, the receptionist lets us know that Garrett actually has an opening in an hour so we patiently wait for our turn to get called in.
Around forty-five minutes have passed when Maggie, one of the staff nurses, calls out Emmett's name. As we follow her down the hall, we briefly exchange pleasantries before we reach an examination room.
"Well, Mr. and Mrs. McCarty, what seems to be the problem today?" she asks as she fills out her forms once we're seated.
"I've been puking out my guts all morning," Emmett says bluntly.
Shaking my head, I roll my eyes. "I think he has food poisoning. He ate two burritos from a food truck yesterday," I say pointedly.
"Oh," is Maggie's only response, causing Emmett to scoff.
"What's so wrong with food trucks?" Emmett argues.
"They're mostly unhygienic," Maggie tells him.
"Mostly, but that's not the case with Pedro's truck," my husband reasons. "He even has award from the health department, or something."
Not wanting to get into it, I remain silent, while Maggie takes his vitals and then continues her questioning.
"Are there any other symptoms that have caused you to believe you might have food poisoning?"
"No," Emmett immediately answers, "just the nausea and vomiting so far."
"Okay," Maggie says with a smile. "Dr. Patriot will be right you."
After she exits the room, I walk over to the examination bed where Emmett's sitting. I cup his face and look into his eyes. "Are you feeling any better?" I ask before placing a soft kiss on his lips.
Emmett smiles gently, wrapping his arms around me. "Yeah, I just feel a little nausea now and then, but otherwise I'm good."
We begin kissing again when a knock on the door makes us pull away.
Garrett enters then, smiling at us. "Well, look what the cat dragged in."
"Hey," Emmett says to our former alma mater colleague.
Garrett approaches, shaking hands with both of us before taking a seat.
"So, Maggie tells me that you probably have a case of food poisoning?" he asks.
Emmett nods. "Yeah, I've been feeling a little queasy since yesterday, but it wasn't until today that I actually threw up."
"Get this," I tell Garrett. "He says he felt sick when he was cooking some bacon this morning because it smelled bad."
"Oh, really?" Garrett asks incredulously. "In all the years I have known you guys, this is the first time Emmett has had any aversion to bacon."
"I know," my husband bursts out. "This is a tragedy!" He looks at Garrett and shakes his head. "Please tell me I'm not becoming allergic to my favorite food, Gar. Please."
Both Garrett and I chuckle. I swear to God, my husband is a man-child.
"Relax," Garrett says, appeasing him. "I'm pretty sure that it's just food poisoning as you presumed, so why don't you take off your shirt and lie down so that I can examine you?"
With a nod, Emmett does as he's been asked compliantly. Once he's laid down, Garrett stands and begins his inspection process as we remain silent. When he's done, he tells Emmett he can put his shirt back on and takes a seat again.
"Well," he exhales, "everything seems to be fine, and you haven't had diarrhea, which means it's not food poisoning. I still want to run some blood tests, though, to make sure that it's not your cholesterol. Your blood pressure is under normal levels, so that's not an issue."
I nod. "It might be his cholesterol since he's been eating so many fatty foods."
"What about you?" Garrett asks. "How have you been feeling lately?"
"Me?" I ask, pointing at myself. "I've been feeling fine. Why?"
"Oh, I'm just wondering," he explains. "You haven't been feeling any changes in your appetite lately? Or any changes in your sleeping patterns?"
I frown as I consider his questions. "Not really," I begin. "Unless you count the fact that I have been sleeping like a rock lately, and you know I'm a light sleeper. Just this morning, I didn't hear Emmett in the bathroom until I walked in on him, and he'd been in there for about an hour."
"Hmm," Garrett murmurs.
"What is that supposed to mean?" I ask brusquely.
Garrett and Emmett chuckle while I roll my eyes at them.
"It means you could be anemic," Garrett explains. "And that's why I'd like you to get some blood work done, too."
"I am perfectly fine," I counter. "I'm as healthy as a horse."
"We'll see about that when you come to pick up your results this afternoon, alright?"
"Fine," I exhale. "But if the results don't show anything, and I was poked with a needle for nothing, you're going down, GarGar."
"It's a deal," he says.
…
Before leaving Garrett's office, he tells Emmett to take some Pepto Bismol for his nausea while we find out the results of his blood work. Emmett and I head over to the lab, and get our blood drawn, before heading back home. We spend the rest of the morning lounging on the couch while watching movies between naps until it's time to return to Garrett's practice.
When we've returned, we're taken to Garrett's office where he meets us with a solemn expression. He takes a seat on his desk, opposite from where we're sitting, and remains silent.
"What's going on?" I asked worriedly. "Is there a problem with our results?"
"Kind of," Garrett begins. "I have some good news and some bad news."
"Okay," Emmett says, leaning forward.
Garrett smiles before he speaks. "Well, the bad news is that it seems that Emmett is going to be feeling sick for awhile longer, but the good news is that, Rosalie," he says, looking at me. "You're pregnant."
"What did you just say?" I ask, trying to keep my emotions at bay.
"Oh, my God, Rosie," Emmett says, as he turns and cups my face between his hands. "We're going to have a baby!"
"I can't believe it," I admit. "We weren't even trying anymore."
"I know," Emmett agrees, gazing at me with glassy eyes. "But this is just the best news ever."
I nod as tears of happiness finally begin to stream down my face.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Emmett asks, concerned.
"I think she's in shock," Garrett responds.
We both look at him, finally remembering that he's in the room with us.
"I'm sorry," Emmett says. "We completely forgot where we were."
Garrett just smiles. "It's okay; I understand."
Wiping tears from my eyes, I ask, "How did you know?"
"Emmett's not the first man to come into my office with morning sickness," Garrett explains.
My husband raises his brow. "Morning sickness?"
Garrett chuckles. "That's what happened to you this morning when you were "puking out your guts"."
"Does that happen often?" I inquire.
"No, it's not very common, but it does happen every once in awhile. I thought there might be a possibility that you were pregnant because your hair and your skin look different, so I decided to have both of you tested."
"Wow," I exhale, "I don't even know what to say."
"The shock will wear down eventually," Garrett tells me. "And then I'm sure you'll be reacting accordingly."
I chuckle. "Oh, God, I'm going to be a hormonal mess from now on."
"Actually, I think Emmett is going to go through that as well," Garrett explains.
"I don't mind any of it," Emmett says. "Just as long as I don't get man-boobs, I'm all good."
"Of course," I say, smacking him upside the head. "You wouldn't want your beautiful pecs to be ruined."
Emmett grins. "Exactly!"
"So, you really haven't been feeling any changes, Rosalie? What about your period? When was the last time you had it?"
"Like I said, I've just been sleeping more profoundly. As for my period, I got it last month, and I was supposed to get it again next week, which is why I never imagined that I'm pregnant."
"Is that normal?" Emmett asks.
"Yes, but I'd like you to make an appointment with an OB/GYN doctor as soon as possible," Garrett says.
"Why? Do you think there's something wrong?" Emmett asks worriedly.
"I'm sure there's nothing wrong, Emmie," I appease him. "These things are normal procedures, right?"
Garrett nods. "Yes, and I'm only asking that you do to find out how far along you are in your pregnancy."
"So, it has nothing to do with the fact that Kate, the beautiful OB/GYN doctor, is right down the hall?" I ask, trying to lighten the mood.
"Well, it sure does help that my wife works in my practice, right?" Garrett teases.
"You really are smart," Emmett tells him. "The money comes in from all sides."
"Actually," I add, "I'm pretty sure that Kate demanded to be in the same building so she could run off any possible women trying to get into her husband's pants."
Both Garrett and Emmett chuckle, smiling.
"We should get going," I tell Emmett. "It's getting late and I'm a little tired."
"Yeah, we should," Emmett sighs. "It's been a long day."
As we stand, Garrett walks over to us and gives Emmett a hug. "Congratulations, man."
"Thanks," Emmett says, patting him on the back. Once they step away from their embrace, Garrett walks over to me. "You're going to be a great mom, Rosalie."
And that's when the reality of our situation finally hits me, causing me to breakdown in tears. Garrett hugs me tightly as I sob.
"I'm so sorry," I wail. "I just hadn't thought about it that way."
"It's okay. I told you it would happen eventually. And you know what?" he asks me. "It's good to release your emotions once in a while."
Oh, if he only knew. In a way, he's right, though, because I have always tried to keep my emotions in check.
Garrett releases me and moves to stand by the door. "I expect to see you around, guys," he tells us. "And please let me know if Kate and I can help you with anything besides our medical services."
Emmett smiles. "Thanks, man. We really appreciate it."
...
After setting up our appointment with Kate, Emmett and I head home. During our drive, we hold hands yet we remain silent until we get home. When we're inside our condominium, Emmett leads me to the living room and we take our regular positions on the couch. As I sit on his lap, he reaches for me, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear.
"We're going to be parents, baby," he whispers, cupping my face with his hand and placing a soft kiss on my lips.
"I know," I tell him, my voice wavering. "You're going to be a daddy."
Emmett leans his forehead against mine, closing his eyes. He takes a staggering breath before speaking. "I never imagined what it would feel like to know that I created a life with the woman that is everything to me. This feeling... God, it's the most powerful yet frightening thing I've ever experienced."
"Don't be scared, baby," I say, wiping his tears away. "We're no experts, but we'll definitely figure things out together."
"Yeah, you're right," he sighs.
"So, what happens now?" I ask.
"The first thing I want to do is buy a new house."
My brows furrow. "What's wrong with the condo?"
"What's wrong with it? Look around you, Rosie. Does this look like a place where we can raise a child?"
I do as he asks and realize that he's right. Our home feels cold, as if it's been inhabited for a long time, although we've been living here for almost six years. The gray tones that surround us set the atmosphere, which is something that I had never noticed before. "Alright, then; we'll buy a new a house. I'll have Makenna search for some houses in nice neighbourhoods."
Emmett smiles. "I like that idea very much."
There's a question that forms in my mind, and I want to voice it, but I don't know how to word it. Sensing my hesitancy, Emmett asks, "What's wrong, baby?"
I shake my head. "Nothing, really. I was just wondering about when we're telling our family."
"You want to keep this to ourselves for a bit longer?" he asks with a smile.
"Yeah." I nod. "I can't wait to tell the world that we're having a baby, but I also want us to enjoy this moment a bit longer."
"I get that," he says. "So, how about we wait until we've bought our house to tell them the surprise?"
I grin. "I think that's perfect!" Cupping his face in my hands, I give his lips a small peck. "I love you."
"I love you, too, Rosie. So much." Emmett places his hand on my lower belly and looks down as he says, "And you, too, baby. I haven't even met you yet and I already love you."
... … …
During our appointment with Kate, we found out that I was already two months pregnant, which probably means that we conceived our baby during our trip to Evanston. Emmett is beside himself now that he knows he's going to be a father and Jasper won his Bantamweight title. He says he feels as if he's won the lottery.
Buying our house hasn't been easy, but it hasn't been that hard, either. What took us the longest was finding a house since most that we'd looked at didn't have everything we were looking for.
Fortunately, last month, Emmett and I found what is pretty much our dream home. It has a two-car garage, a large backyard, and most importantly, five bedrooms. Emmett and I are hoping that we'll be able to fill the rooms with children, but even if we can't, we know that we'll have enough space in case our family and friends want to spend the night.
As it is, Jasper and Alice might be doing that tonight after our announcement dinner. We've invited them and our parents as well as Edward and Bella with their mini Brady Bunch: Lizzie, Mason, Jake, and Marie, their newest addition. She was born last month, two months before her programmed due date, surprising all of us.
When we'd been at the hospital, keeping the news of our baby was nearly impossible, especially because I teared up as I held Marie, but everyone attributed it to my longing for a child.
They'll all be here later, but for now, Emmett and I cook dinner with Jasper and Alice.
"So, Ali and I got to talking," Jasper says, "and we've decided that we want to start trying for a family."
"Really?" I ask excitedly as I look at Alice.
She nods. "Yes, and we'd like to ask you to be the future godparents. Well, when the time comes, if you want, I mean."
"We'd be honored," Emmett says. "You guys are practically family now, so it's going to be nice to make it official."
"So, you're cool with this?" Jasper asks him. "There's no problem if I decide to retire once my family starts growing?"
"Not at all," Emmett says, shaking his head. "Your contract is for only two more years, so we'll work something out when the time comes. As far the endorsement with Coca-Cola goes, you still need to stay out of trouble, even if you're not fighting anymore."
"That I can do," Jasper says. "I've never been prone to being in scandals and such."
"Well, that's good," Emmett says. "Maybe after you retire I can look into the opportunity of you becoming a fighting coach."
"Would you really do that?" Jasper asks excitedly.
"Of course," Emmett replies. "Like I said, you guys are like family now, so I want the best for you. Plus, if you become a coach, I'm pretty sure I can schedule you some public appearances at conventions as your agent."
"Of course," Jasper says. "You'll use any excuse to keep pimping me."
...
A little while later, Esme and Carlisle show up with Lizzie, Mason, and Jakey.
"Where are Edward and Bella?" I ask. "Are they not coming?"
"Oh, no," Esme replies, "they're on their way here with Marie. Carlisle and I took the kids to the park so that Bella could get some rest. We agreed to meet here, which is why we got here earlier."
"Oh, okay." I shake my head. "I was just afraid that they didn't want to come today."
Esme looks at me with an understanding gaze. "They wouldn't do that to you, sweetie."
"I know... I'm sorry," I say, looking down sheepishly.
Lizzie approaches me then. "Aunt Rosie, can we play in your backyard?"
I smile. "Sure, just ask your uncle Emmett if he can unlock the door for you."
"I sure can," Emmett says, winking at me. "Why don't you go ahead and make the introductions while I do so."
Nodding, I begin just as Edward and Bella arrive. When Emmett returns, everyone has exchanged pleasantries and we're waiting for him in the living room.
He walks over to me and wraps his arm around my shoulders, looking down at me. "Are you ready?"
"Yeah," I exhale.
"What's going on, guys?" Edward asks.
"We have a very important announcement to make," Emmett says.
"You do?" Bella asks, her face lighting up.
Esme gasps just as I nod, and say, "I'm pregnant."
"Oh, my God!" Esme exclaims. "Congratulations."
A flurry of movement happens then, everyone hugging and congratulating us.
"When did you find out?" Carlisle asks.
"About three months ago, but Rosalie and I agreed to keep it a surprise until now," Emmett explains.
"We had actually planned to make a barbecue to break in the backyard, but Emmett can't stand the smell of meat, so we were forced to make a dinner," I tell them.
"Is that why you haven't been eating hamburgers lately, Emmett?" Jasper asks.
Emmett nods. "I have been deprived of the most precious food in the world, but once my baby is born, I'm going to stuff my face with bacon and every kind of meat."
"So, let me get this straight," Bella says. "You're three months pregnant?"
I shake my head. "I'm five months pregnant now; I was two when we found out."
Alice scowls playfully. "Now I know why you didn't want to buy any more clothes on our last shopping trip."
"I'm sorry," I say. "I would have told you why, but like Emmett said, we wanted it to be a surprise."
"There's so much to be done!" Alice exclaims. "We need to start decorating the baby's room and we're running out of time."
"Yes," Bella adds. "And we need to start planning your baby shower, too."
"You want to do that?" I ask, my voice wavering.
"Of course," she says. "We're family, remember?"
I nod as my eyes tear up. "I'm sorry," I tell them. "Emmett's the one that usually gets emotional, but this is too much for me."
Emmett pulls me closer, pressing a kiss on my forehead.
"Emmett gets emotional?" Edward snorts. "I'd love to see that."
"No," I shriek. "That's not a nice visual."
"So, what other pregnancy symptoms have you being experiencing, Emmett?" Carlisle asks. "Morning sickness?"
"It's the worst," my husband confirms. "I had it worse during her first trimester, but the nausea hasn't gone away entirely."
"Rosalie," Bella begins. "I hate you so much right now."
"Why?" I gasp.
"Because not only are you still skinny, Emmett's having all your pregnancy symptoms," she says with a smile. "That's not fair at all."
"No, having to get up at three in the morning to go through the McDonald's drive-thru because your husband is craving a McFlurry is not fair."
"He makes you go with him?" Edward asks.
"Yes, because if I don't, Emmett will emotional about it, and the last thing I need is for him to start crying."
"Oh, man," Jasper says. "I'm gathering so much ammunition right now."
"If you say a word about this, I'll tell the team about the time that you went commando and accidentally flashed the wife of the president of the UFC committee," Emmett threatens.
Jasper blanches as we all laugh. "Never mind, forget I said anything."
… … ...
Sometimes, you feel as if time passes slowly, waiting for another day to transition into the next. Other times, it flies so quickly that you don't even notice how it went from one month to another and then a new year is looming. I currently find myself in the latter position. I remember the days when I would sit at home and wait for Emmett to return, and it would feel like an endless wait. Now, my days fly by with my family and friends, and somehow, a whole year has passed since Emmett and I announced our pregnancy.
During that year, many things happened. Emmett signed a new client at the agency, while Bella and I became close friends, but most importantly, Emmett and I welcomed our precious Sophie into this world. She was born on a Friday in the morning, bringing me the most wonderful joy any woman could want. She has gray eyes just like her father's, but she inherited my blonde hair, although her little dimples are absolutely from Emmett. When she smiles and laughs, she lights up my entire world.
As I look at her now, I realize how truly blessed I am. I have a family that loves me, friends that support me, and a home that finally feels like my own. Noticing the difference between now and then is astounding.
Just then, Emmett enters Sophie's nursery, where she and I are currently sitting on the floor, playing with her stuffed animals.
"Hey, babe, when did you buy the milk?" he asks, frowning. "It smells kinda funny."
I turn to look at him, placing Sophie on my lap. "It does? I just bought it yesterday."
"Well, it smells like it is rotten, or something. Kinda like it did whenever I smelled meat when you…" Emmett stops speaking and gazes at me through narrowed eyes. "Rosie, does this mean what I think it does?"
Shrugging, I smile. "I don't know for sure. I mean, I am a little late, but you know that's not uncommon."
"Why hadn't you told me?" Emmett frowns momentarily. "How late are you?"
"Two weeks."
"But you haven't been feeling sick, or anything, right? You're just late?"
"Yeah."
"So, if we go to the pharmacy right now and buy a test, can we find out for sure?"
I grin, nodding. "Yes, I'm pretty sure you can find out even if you're only one week late."
Emmett's eyes light up. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
Chuckling, I look at our daughter. "What about Sophie?"
"We'll take her with us," he replies. "She can be part of the experience!"
"Alright, let's go, then," I say as I stand, perching Sophie on my hip.
…
It's been an hour since we returned from the pharmacy and we've been waiting for Sophie to take a nap so I can take the test. Emmett's impatiently pacing her nursery, tugging his short hair, while I'm holding her as we rock in her chair.
"She closed her eyes," Emmett whispers loudly.
I scowl at him. "Yes, and if you keep it up, she'll wake up. Again."
Emmett exhales, rubbing his hands over his face. "You're right, babe. I'm sorry."
"It's okay, just give me five more minutes so I can put her in her crib, and then we'll be all set." I smile as an idea comes to mind. "Why don't you go to the bathroom and start reading the instructions on the pregnancy test?"
Emmett's brow rises. "Don't you already know how to use one?"
"Oh, I do. But you don't," I say pointedly.
"Oh," he gasps, realization dawning on him. "Alright, I can do that." He grins. "I'll be waiting for you, baby."
I nod. "Okay, I'll be there shortly."
…
Once I've laid Sophie in her crib, I make my way to the bathroom and join Emmett. He's sitting on top of the toilet with the pregnancy test in his hand and an instructive on the other.
He grins at me. "All ready?"
"Yeah, so…" I trail off, grinning back at him as I wait for him to stand.
"So?" he asks, clueless.
"I need you to get up so I can pee."
"Oh, yeah, sorry." As he moves to stand, I approach him, taking his face in my hands. "Why are you nervous, baby?"
"It's just…" he exhales slowly. "What if it's negative?"
"I'm pretty sure it's not, but even if it is, it'll be okay. We'll be okay," I tell him. "We have Sophie now, so having another child isn't something we greatly necessitate. And if she's going to have a little brother or sister, it's also okay. We're absolutely ready for that, too."
And it's true. We actually are.
I've come to understand that we weren't in the right place to have children before Sophie came into our lives. Well, at least I wasn't. Until my conversation with Alice, I hadn't realized how bitter I was despite having everything at my hand's reach. My past made me resentful and it invaded every aspect of my life. It wasn't entirely obvious, but the change in me was.
Maybe it's why I hadn't truly allowed Esme and Carlisle into my heart despite knowing they were the best parents I could have.
Maybe that's why I hadn't been able to truly appreciate Bella for the great friend that she truly is.
And maybe, just maybe, it's why I hadn't been able to conceive a baby.
But I don't question it now. I know that God has a plan for me, and whichever it may be, I'm ready to face the obstacles that life puts in my path.
I know without a doubt that I am pregnant again, but I'm doing all this for Emmett. He deserves this experience after everything I have put him through when I wrongfully thought that I deserved a child.
A/N: First and foremost,I'd like to anhanninen for all the wonderful work she did while hosting the contest. It really was a pleasure to write for it! Check out all the awesome entries at TwiTFotVcontest's profile.
Secondly, a huge thank you goes to anahilazo81604 for all the support she gave me while I wrote this. I know I've said it before, but she really is much more than a pre-reader. So, once again, gracias, Anahixx!
And lastly, I'd like to thank Google, Wikipedia, and Yahoo Answers for all the help they gave me while researching for this story. Yup, I thanked a search engine, an online encyclopedia and community, because that's how nerdy I am. But seriously, I did lots of research, and without these three resources, I would have never found all the information I needed.
For those of you wondering if pregnancy sympathy symptoms are real, the answer is yes. I actually based that on my cousin's three experiences when his wife was pregnant with my badass nephews. I feel a teensy bad for making Emmett go through that, but hey, it worked for the story! If this was a lil angsty for you, I recommend you watch Here Comes the Boom. That movie always cheers me up and it was also somewhat of an inspiration for this story.
Any-who, thanks so much for reading! I really do hope you liked it. (: