Disclaimer: I don't nor will I ever own any of the characters/places mentioned in this fic. That right belongs to Stephanie Meyer and any other respective owners.
She sat at the small round kitchen table, coffee cup clutched tightly in both hands, the liquid within long gone cold, her leg jerking up and down in a nervous movement. She stared at the clock above the door to the hallway, watching the second hand tick, tick, ticking closer but still so far from 8am. She had already been up for hours and it was only 6:30am. Waiting for the letter that could potentially change everything.
Briefly taking her attention off the clock as her husband, Paul, walked into the kitchen, black hair mussed from sleep, half asleep and rubbing at his tired eyes, and buck naked. He bee-lined towards the coffee machine, mechanically going through the motions of making himself coffee, before looking down and finally noticing his nudity. He cursed, turned around and stalked from the kitchen, muttering something along the lines of 'fucking pants and social expectations'. Quirking a smile, slightly more relaxed though not by much, she turned her attention back to the clock. 6:33am.
Coming back into the kitchen, now wearing tight, blue denim jeans, though still without a shirt, Paul finally noticed her presence. He walked back over to the coffee machine, before speaking.
"How long?"
"How long what?" she asked feigning ignorance.
Turning he raised an eyebrow and gave a look that clearly said 'I know, you know what I'm talking about now tell the truth' before he turned back around.
Sighing she muttered fast and intelligible. Paul turned back around to face her and just stared, waiting for her to answer. Sighing again she looked into her cup a bit guiltily and answered.
"Since about 2:00am maybe 1:30" her words were whispered and if it wasn't for his wolf hearing, Paul probably wouldn't have heard it.
"Bella, you know fretting about it and not sleeping isn't going to change what that letter will say." His voice was soft, and had a very practiced tone about it, indicating it wasn't the first time he had spoken those words. In fact it was the fourth time that week she had stayed up watching the clock, waiting for the mail to come, hoping yet dread the arrival of that letter.
Bella just continued to stare into her cup, not answering. It was Paul who sighed this time before walking over to his wife, placing his hands on her shoulders he bent and kissed the top her head, before straightening and gathering her soft chestnut brown hair into a pony tail and starting to braid it, her shoulders relaxed, giving in to the feeling of her husband's hands in her hair. He had reached the end, undone it and had started again before Bella spoke.
"I'm scared" her voice was shaky showing just how scared she truly was.
"It's not going to change a thing, you know that. I'll always love you, no matter what" He said, voice soft and comforting.
"But don't you see? It will change everything" she replied
"Only if you let it." He breathed placing her still braided, but unsecured hair, over her shoulder, before returning to the coffee machine and finishing making them both fresh cups of coffee.
Placing a cup down in front her, Paul took a seat at the table, thankful that today was Friday and he had the day off so he could wait with her instead of having to go to work. Neither of them spoke, the only source of noise coming from the clock, indicating the slow passage of time.
Tick. Tick. Tick. 7:59Am. Standing Bella moved into the hallway, now watching the front door. Waiting for any indication that the mail had arrived. Paul came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, enveloping her in his warmth and comfort.
A motor could be heard starting and stopping as it moved down the street, closer and closer to their door. Before long the motor stopped in front of their house and then moved on. They stood silently watching the door for a while longer. Bella finally moved forward, grasped the door handle and turned it, pulling the red painted door open. She took a deep breath and stepped outside walking down the path and to the letter box. She pulled the mail out and returned to the house, and into the kitchen before she started sorting through the letters finally coming to the one they had been waiting for. Written in clear printed words was:
Mrs Isabella Lahote
57 Honeysuckle Drive
La Push, WA 1234
She felt Paul come up behind her and place his hand on her shoulders once again. Taking a deep breath she placed the other letters down on the table, turning the one still in her hand over and slowly tearing the seal. She pull the letter out and placed the envelope on the table next to the other, unopened letters and just stared at the innocent looking paper in her hands. Knowing that whatever was written on it, good or bad, would change everything. Unfolding the letter she stared at the page one word standing out like a neon sign. One word shattering her whole world, her dreams and hopes for their future, gone. Though she guessed they were never possible in the first place.
"It doesn't change anything, honey, there are other ways"
She just shook her head, tears running down her face, eyes, though blurry, were locked onto that word.
Infertile.