In an unusual turn of events, his thoughts came slowly.
She was late. That was nothing to worry about. Sometimes even perfectly healthy women were late. He'd read about it in Carlisle's medical journals, he'd seen documentaries on it; he'd even heard women thinking about it. So it had to be stress. Even the smallest stresses could take a toll on a body as fragile as Isabella's. Maybe it was the drastic change in weather, or his recent insistence on physically exerting her. If that were the case then he would take the full blame for her worry. It was like a weight on his shoulders, knowing that his being in her life could instigate even the most minor of changes in her. And they hadn't even made the change. He wondered if he would survive the guilt.
He was vaguely aware of Bella examining herself in the full-length mirror, in the corner of his visual range. If—if—Bella is pregnant, He allowed himself to think, what would that mean? Had she been with someone else? They had barely been apart for a significant amount of time before the wedding. In fact the longest he'd been away was on his 'bachelor party' hunt. But then he'd have smelled someone else on her. And her hymen had been intact. But, of course, there are other ways to get pregnant without penetration. So…who? Jacob? Edward shied away from that image. He was sure Bella wouldn't do that.
Even if Jacob was safer. Or warmer.
Or abele to hold her tight without causing the patchwork on her skin that he, himself, had managed.
Besides the smell residue would have been a dead give-away. So, no. Jacob was out of the question.
Edwards' phone blared to life. He ignored it.
So, if not Jacob, was there someone else? Edward could think of no human nor half-human- besides Jacob-that would catch Bella's attention. Mike Newton, and his ilk, were no longer on his radar.
He felt Bella slip the phone from his pocket. What it came down to was that Bella, logically, could only have been with Edward. Bella was five days late. But could she be…? Were they…?
"—Pregnant." Bella's voice cut into Edwards thoughts. Carlisle asked about her last menstruation.
"Sixteen days before the wedding."
He asked how she felt. "Weird. This is going to sound crazy," her voice wavered, "—look. I know its way too early for any of this. Maybe I am crazy. But I'm having weird dreams, and eating all the time, and crying, and throwing up, and…and…I swear something moved inside me just now."
A picture of Bella as a child flashed through Edwards mind. Long dark hair, wide chocolate eyes. Only this child was too pale. Was she pregnant? Were they having a child? Before his eyes the vision changed. The eyes turned blood red, it grinned sadistically, and stood atop a pile of bodies. The top-most of which was his beloved; his Bella. The mother of this…
No.
This wasn't a child, it was a monster.
Edwards head snapped up to look at his young, fragile wife. What was the monster going to do to her? He held his hand out for the phone.
