A day in the life of a Father
I had never wanted to spend a single moment without the presence of my wife and daughter, yet Alice had made sure that my desire was unfulfilled today. She had been very thorough in hiding all of her immediate thoughts, well, more so the only ones I wanted to see. The petulant, reluctant expression on my Bella's face made it clear as crystal she was just as repelled by the idea of separation as I was. Where was my insane sister taking my glowing wife?
I stared down at my daughter, completely and utterly engrossed in her. Even the slightest twitch of her dimpled hand did not go without notice. I was certain I would have noticed this even if it was not for the heightened senses. Cradling her in my arms, I hummed a soft tune to her, alternating between three of the songs that appeased her. Ironically, my Bella's lullaby had been one she favored.
I was astonished how much she resembled her Mother, her deep chocolate brown eyes, nearly flushed cheeks…I was astonished that such perfection was possible. Then again, whenever I compared her to Bella, I was reminded she had been in the womb of the most beautiful woman anyone, anywhere had laid eyes on. I was the luckiest man-husband, father in the entire planet.
It also stunned me just how much she took after me, not nearly as much as her mother, but I saw the bronze tint in her hair and the shape of her nose and forehead as well as the angelically paleness. Though, I could never believe just how such beauty and pureness had any part of me inside of her. Yet, that was what was so endearing about her. She was not just me, she was Bella.
She was a part of us.
The evidence was apparent on her face, she belonged to us. Our daughter.
"Daddy," Nessie called to me endearingly, my humming cutting off instantly. Her hand reached out to touch the skin beneath my jaw before raising the other porcelain white hand to the void between my jaw and cheek-bone, trying to grasp my attention. As if she didn't already have it. Nessie. Bella had finally fallen to the temptation of the nickname as well, at first she had believed that it was an insult referring to the Loch Ness Monster. Seth ended up with a pleasant surprise afterwards due to Jacob's nickname. Though, separate from my wife's pulsating aggression and Seth's injuries, I couldn't help but find it somewhat comical. In a dark, odd sort of way.
"Yes, love?" I queried, seeing stunningly vivid images of her mother almost automatically which were just as good as hearing her thoughts. She wanted her Mother.
So did I.
I understood the need Nessie felt to constantly want the soothing support of my beloved Bella's arms, it was natural. I was the second best thing to her though, or so she thought. I was placed directly beside Jacob and Rose, which happened to be an odd placing for the biological Father to be in other's eyes. I could not see the dilemma, my angel still loved me, I accepted the fact that Jacob had imprinted on her (I had to chant several times that I would not kick Jacob Black out of this continent after I heard) and Rosalie had been much more….Involved with the fetus at first. I felt ashamed to even call myself her Father at times when I looked back. I based my names of 'monster' and 'thing' because in my mind that was what she had been, a plague I unleashed upon my frail, human wife. The images of Bella in labor had been permanently burned into my memory, the blood, the unimaginable agony she suffered, my own desperation to save her from death.
"Momma will be back when Aunt Alice comes back," I assured her, wishing that I had an exact time to ease both her impatience and my own. If she didn't have Bella back before four AM I was certain that I wouldn't be able to spend the 'quality' time I had been aching for. Emmett may have his cracks, but it was not as if he were here…Or if he had a rapidly-growing child to worry about. Sexual education would be held off for at least another year or two and to Hell was I going to let our daughter learn about any of that from witnessing 'Momma' and 'Daddy.' If Bella could only keep quiet I was sure we could drag out the talk another year or so…But judging by the way she was always so absorbed in our 'activities' I was never sure of that path. A fourth of the time I had to warn her, if I could.
She seemed to accept that, not necessarily the most gracefully but definitely more so than any other child her age would. No, comparing her to other children was not right because she was so much more than that. My child, my daughter, a part of my everything.
I held her more firmly to my chest when I felt the phone in my back-pocket vibrate. Shifting Renesmee to my left arm, her curious brown eyes stared at my hand as I swiped the phone out of my pocket to check the collar-ID.
Emmett.
"It's Uncle Em," I clarified briefly, my voice as sincere as ever when I spoke to her. This child had the most peculiar effect on people. Just like her Mother. Leaning her head against my shoulder, her bronze cascade of curls fell down the length of my shoulder to the origin of my radius while those large brown eyes still stared at the phone in my hands as well as my face.
"Hello, Emmett?" I questioned his reasoning for calling right off the bat, my eyes focused on the angel on my shoulder.
"Hey, Edward. I was wondering if you'd mind coming over to watch some baseball." Emmett inquired casually, whispers on the other line of the phone distracting me momentarily. Ah, Baseball. I definitely had a passion for that sport. More so than the others, but I still reveled in watching whatever sporting event I could, although I felt as if I could easily beat them all without even having a speck of dust on me. Bella called it arrogance, I called it confidence.
"I don't think so, Nessie should be put to sleep soon and I don't want t go over there while Bella is out with Alice." I replied, tearing my gaze from Renesmee to the framed window of the cottage. I wanted to sigh heavily at the thought of Alice abducting my wife, but then again I had absolutely no objection to spending time with Renesmee. Our little family just felt more complete when she was with us.
"Alice, eh? Think Bella is doing something nice...?" He trailed off suggestively, making me groan in aggravation. "What, you aren't getting any tonight either?" I could just depict the grizzly grin plastered to his smug face at that and I wish I had only reacted differently.
"You have no idea what you are talking about." I rolled my eyes and then they flickered to the peaceful form on my shoulder.
"I think I do little brother." Emmett shot back, the simper slipping into his low voice.
"If I recall you and Rosalie have had some unpleasant escapades in the past. Ones I'd rather not look into at this moment." I recalled, attempting to block the mental images from attaching themselves to my mind. Permanently. I had lived decades with sexually active couples and I had gotten input from said couples after our compromise.
"Hey, at least I've got some." I clenched my jaw, not enjoying the whipping that Emmett was trying to inflict on me. As harmless as he meant it to be, it fueled my frustration. No, harmless it was not. He was intentionally trying to get under my skin. I was not a deprived man by any means…Just these past two weeks. That was because we had been under surveillance because Rosalie had insisted on spending those two weeks with us so she and Alice could be closer to Nessie.
"Goodbye Emmett." I said harshly, and before my fingers maneuvered to end the call I heard the boisterous laughing on the other end of the line as clear as a bell.
My angel who I had pressed against myself had her deep coffee eyes drooping, and I couldn't help but feel my heart lighten a great deal. I was wrapped around her finger more securely than I could have ever imagined possible. "Time to go to sleep, precious." I murmured, and she shook her head sleepily while her fingers hunted for me. The second the satin skin of her hand found my jaw, she sent another wave of images of beautiful Bella.
"You will want to sleep soon enough, Momma will be home soon." Wrapping my other arm around her back, I held her more securely to my chest like a sacred jewel. I began to hum idly to Nessie, the songs ranging from piano pieces to songs such as "Lullaby." I couldn't help myself with that song, it fit so perfectly from my perspective, at least. Nessie put up a good fight to stay awake until her Mother arrived, but eventually I found the songs that had finally eased her enough to slip into a serene slumber.
Sliding the blanket over her sleeping body, I lowered myself to plant a soft kiss on her sweet-smelling, soft forehead. Twirling a lock of her hair, I couldn't help but once again feel the weight of the world lift itself off of me replacing it with undying relief. The Volturi were not after our child, the pack had come to terms with everything, and all was well. Hm, as well as can be expected I suppose.
I almost missed the light footsteps nearing the cottage and I felt my silent heart tug in euphoria. Of course, my joy was dampened slightly by Alice who was approaching the house with Rosalie and I couldn't avoid the moan of exasperation that escaped my lips in a low hiss as to avoid waking up Nessie.
Stalking downstairs, I opened the door in record time, glowering at the three bemused females. Emmett's words continued to repeat themselves in my head like a scratched record and I felt the vexation boil inside my body. "The both of you, out." I commanded, Alice seemed the least unaffected by this, but Rosalie and Bella on the other hand were on the less expecting side of things. I decided to make my intentions known.
"Edward, we can be here if we want, now where is Renesmee?" Rosalie asked, glaring at me coldly for a moment before her mind went off to my child.
"She is sleeping, I will see the both of you in the morning." I growled, and Rosalie, stubborn and pigheaded as always hissed. "You can't hog her all Edward, we can see her if Bella wants us to."
Bella's expression was the most mystified, but I could tell that her composure was still in tact...To a degree at least. "Edward, what are you doing? They-" Before she could even finish the sentence, I shook my head fiercely.
"No. I want to spend time alone with my wife." The words clicked into all of their heads, with the obvious exception of the irritating pixie. Bella was more stunned by my outright attitude and Rose, she seemed almost disgusted at the thought. Winding my arm around Bella, I lead her into the house and closed the door.
"Well, that's romantic." She muttered sarcastically, folding her arms across her torso as her auburn eyes skimmed up the staircase. "And embarrassing." She added, shoving out of the circle of my arms with ease as unwilling as I had been to the prospect.
Starting up the stairs, we both went to check on the gift resting in the iron-barred crib. Bella approached alongside me with sparkling eyes at the sight in front of us.
"How was your day with Nessie?" She asked, her delightful voice ringing in my ears softer than wind chimes.
"Don't you mean 'Renesmee'" I teased, the fury slowly retreating. If I could get into a good position of attack maybe I would have the night that I would have hoped for. Ha, I sounded as if I were planning to go for the kill and that in itself was ridiculous. Bella meant more than any kind of sustenance, she meant absolutely everything to me along with our slumbering angel.
"Ha, ha. Very funny Mr. Cullen." She snapped, and I responded with a lopsided smile of my own along with a shrug. "Simply pointing it out, love." I said coolly, trying not to put any inflection or emphasis on any of the words.
"Yes, we all know you are just hilarious, now shut up." She demanded, her smooth hand on the back of my neck so she could have better access to my lips. Soundlessly, I swept my wife off of her feet and kissed her with as much passion as I felt for her. Which to my pleasure she enjoyed as much as I did.
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IMPLIED SEX SCENE. Lol. Hope you liked this, it was mainly just me rambling on because I adore the new little Cullen family in the book and the book itself was mind-blowing. Not spell checked, or re-read so deal with what'cha got ,yo. One-shot and no…This was not for anyone else except for me because I'm selfish like that…Lol. I seriously am so watch-out. :P