The Fruit's on the Vine TwiFic Contest
Title: Something Unexpected On the Way
Pairing: Bella/Edward
Genre: Romance/Humor
Summary: Bella doesn't really like Edward, but somehow ends up sleeping with him. When she finds out she's pregnant, can they work out their differences for their baby? Will Bella's feelings unexpectedly change along the way? Entry for The Fruit's on the Vine Twific Contest
Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.
BPOV
"Bella!" Rose slurs, laying her head on my shoulder. "I love you so much, Bella!"
Oh, God… Rose is drunk. She also gets handsy. Oh! There it is… she's feeling up my tits.
"Rose, you're wasted," I say. "Go sleep it off or let Emmett fuck you into oblivion that you pass out from a fuckawesome orgasm or two. Maybe three. Just stop feeling me up. You know I won't give in to your advances."
"Bella, I'm not a lesbian. You know cock is what I'm into. Emmett's cock especially. Yum!"
"Judging by the way you're massaging my tits, Rose, looks like you want to try girl-on-girl action with me."
"I wouldn't pass on seeing that, Bella."
Urgh! That voice. I don't even need to turn around to find out who spoke those words.
Edward Cullen.
That frat asshole loves to get on my nerves. I try to ignore him, but he's just a fly that keeps on coming back no matter how many times you swat at it.
"Edward, go the fuck away! Your ugly ass face is making me want to puke." I let out a fake gag. Rose steps away, thinking I'm actually going to spew. Doesn't want me ruining her thousand dollar Louboutins. Why she'd wear them to one of Emmett's frat parties in the Tau Kappa Epsilon house when they can get a little crazy and messy, I don't know.
"Oh, Bella… you know you want me." Edward gives me a wink. I just roll my eyes and walk away. I get myself another beer and meet up with Alice and her boyfriend, Jasper.
Alice, Rose and I are in the same sorority, Chi Omega, at UW. We love our sorority. We participate in campus activities and we know how to party. We're not stuck up or are prissy rich girls like the Kappas and we are chill.
Emmett and Jasper are Tekes and their frat is also a pretty good fraternity, but definitely can party. I like Emmett and Jasper; they're really cool guys and treat their girls right. It's Edward I can't stand. I don't know how he's a close friend to Emmett and Jasper and I don't understand why Rose and Alice like him either.
He's annoying and pretty rude. He's always up for sleeping with a bunch of girls, whether in a sorority or not in one, and never calls them back. He has a reputation of being a player. Yeah, he's… attractive. When I said he has an ugly ass face, I was lying. I just know that his pretty face isn't going to make me fall into bed with him. I don't want to be one of those girls he fucks then ducks and then hold hope that he'd fall to his knees and beg me to be his forever.
I don't believe in fantasy. I'm realistic. I won't hold on to the belief that Edward and I are going to live happily ever after, so why fuck him to begin with?
I just stand by my best friend as she makes out with her boyfriend. Okay… now it's awkward.
I finish my beer and tap Alice's shoulder. She pulls back from Jasper, putting her attention on me as Jasper moves his lips to sucking on her neck. At least she can multitask, unlike Rose. When Rose and Emmett go at it, there's no stopping it and there's no point in trying to talk to them as they go at it.
"I'm gonna head out. I'll see you back at the house."
"Okay, Bella. Be safe. Love you!" She then lifts Jaspers' head from her neck and plants a hard kiss on his lips.
I take this as my reason to get the hell out of there.
I don't have anything but my school ID, house keys, and phone, which are in my pocket, so I just head on out, bypassing the drunks who are grinding and twerking in the room. They won't miss me, that's for damn sure.
I let the warm spring breeze caress the back of my neck as I walk past my sorority house. I don't really feel like going inside an empty house or going to sleep. I'm not really that drunk and maybe walking and getting some fresh air might do me some good. Maybe actually eating, too. I continue walking until I reach a McDonald's, craving a Big Mac for some reason.
After eating my food, I head on back to the house. I'm not expecting anyone to be back yet. Maybe no one will be back. Some partiers end up passing out there in the frat house. I guess I could enjoy a little peace and quiet at the Chi Omega house.
What I was not expecting was Edward Cullen sitting on the roof of his car in front of the house.
"What the fuck are you doing here, Cullen?" I spit. I was in a pretty good mood when I left the party and walked around. Good mood is gone now. I'm annoyed that he's here.
"I was looking for you," he says. "Wanted to check on you. You just unexpectedly left."
"Yeah. I didn't want to be at the party anymore. Wanted to head home."
"Which you certainly did not do."
"Got hungry. Wanted to walk. It's a nice night out tonight. Why hole myself up inside the house alone?"
"Alright… I can see you're pissed and do not want me here," he huffs. "I'll go. Night, Bella." He slides off his car and walks to the driver's side, opening the door. Before he ducks in I stop him.
"Wait!" I'm gonna regret this later on, I tell myself. He halts and looks at me. I then say, "Why don't you come in? No one's there 'cause they're at the Tekes' house. We can chill."
While I don't particularly care for Edward Cullen, I know he's not only a player. He gets good grades, he's a good person when it comes to holding up to his frat philanthropy, and his interests that don't involve sex are like mine. We both like movies and reading books and a bunch of other random things.
The six of us have gone out on occasion to the movie theater and while Edward and I ignored each other most of the time (the times we did speak, it was because I was telling him to fuck off and leave me alone), I would say if I liked a movie or thought it sucked and he'd give his opinion, too. Most of the time we'd agree and other times we'd argue, which would lead back to me wanting him to fuck off and leave me alone.
I don't care for Edward, but I put up with him. It's weird; I know.
Edward agrees to my offer. We watch movies and hold a real conversation that doesn't result in me kicking him in the balls and kicking his ass out of my house. We laugh and play-argue. We talk about our upcoming graduation and how we're going to miss college and the sorority and fraternity.
I tell him I'm thinking of coming back part time to get my Master's in Creative Writing while trying to get a job with my Psych degree. A weird pair, but it's two options when it comes to a career – counselor, maybe, and an author. I'll continue waiting tables until I hear back from something. Edward confides in me that he's a little scared about the future. He is pre-med and knows that he'd be attending the UW medical school in the fall. And he also confides in me that he wants to grow up and stop being a frat asshole who fucks any girl with a decent pussy. He wants to settle down eventually and take care of his future wife and children because becoming a doctor is an excellent career.
My attitude about him is slowly fading. He'll always be the guy who pisses me off, but I can see he wants to change. He has a good head on his shoulders and wants to be a better person, especially when it comes to relationships.
Now when I think about this and decide to kiss him, it's not because I want to be the girl he'd fall to his knees for. I just live for the moment and kiss him, forgetting about futures and shit.
And surprisingly, he kisses me back with as much fervor.
We make out heavily on the couch, grinding ourselves into one another. He brings me to the brink and he looks quite proud of himself.
"Cocky asshole," I mumble as he lifts himself off of me. So he made me come? What-the-hell-ever.
I see that he's still hard and I'm still horny for him. We've been here for hours and no one has come back. We're in the clear, pretty much, to head up to the room I share with Alice. I stand up and grab his hand and lead him up to my room.
We peel off our clothes rapidly and then our lips and bodies are melded together. He pushes me down onto my bed and covers me with his god-like body. I can't deny that I want him at this moment. He'll always be a douchebag to me, but I want this. I want him.
I throw inhibition away and scream for him to fuck me. He doesn't hold back and he lives up past my expectations of his capability of being good in bed. I see stars a few times as he fucks me good and hard. And when he comes… oh, God, it's so hot.
When he's done, Edward gets up to clean himself up, but comes back with a wash cloth and cleans me up. Okay… he's a gentleman (this time). He kisses me and lays us down so we're spooning in my tiny ass bed. Edward has his arm wrapped around my waist and his fingers intertwined with mine. I feel light kisses being pressed to the nape of my neck. And then I nod off.
When I wake up the next morning, Edward is gone. One thing he did live up to was his fuck and duck nature. He fucked me good and left me. I won't say I feel empty and upset that he left without telling me, but I feel a little embarrassed at myself and completely aggravated that I fell for his charm, letting him into my bed… and somewhat into my heart.
We all graduate a couple of weeks later and head off in our own directions, sort of. We're all still in Washington and I meet up with my friends (except Edward) occasionally, but we have our own lives to live now. It's only mid-June now and I'm still debating about going back to school. I've got a lot on my shoulders now and a lot going on in my head. I also feel fatigued and even a little sick.
I then realize I hadn't gotten my period, which is regular. I always know when it's going to come and it comes on the exact date I predict. But when I expected it, it didn't come. I conclude that I'm pregnant, thanks to WebMD. I'm tired, I can't hold my food down as much, as well as not liking the smell or taste of some of the food I love and it's worse when it comes to the food I know I hate, and I'm peeing a bit more, as well as know my tits hurt like a bitch when I touch them accidentally.
I also take a test to confirm and it had the little pink plus sign… and I take the quote from Juno – "A little pink plus sign is so unholy."
I also conclude that the last time I had sex was a couple of weeks before graduation, the night of the party Tau Kappa Epsilon held. And I know it was with Edward Cullen. He's the baby's father. I'm sure.
Because I never got along well with Edward, I never got his number. But I'd be a bitch to keep it from him, so the first thing I have to do is tell him that I am pregnant and he's the daddy.
I text Alice and ask her to give me Edward's number because it's urgent that I speak to him. She inquires why, but I tell her that I'll tell her once I talk to Edward. If anyone is going to know the news of my pregnancy first, it will be Edward.
I get the number and type out, Hey, Edward. It's Bella. I really need to talk to you, but I want to do it face to face. Are you still in the Seattle area? Text or call me at this number ASAP. Thanks.
I don't get a response until later that night. Apparently, getting back to me as soon as possible does not register in his brain. Though I said I didn't mind a text, he had enough decency to call me.
When I pick up and answer with a, "Hello?" he greets me with a "Hey."
"So what do I owe the pleasure of being contacted by you, Bella?" he asks cockily. I could hear the cocky smirk he's giving off. I roll my eyes, which I'm sure he can tell I'm doing since it's been one of my trademarks since we met freshman year.
"Look… we need to meet up," I say, getting to the point. No back talk, no attitude. I just want to get to the point. "I have something imperative to tell you and I want to do it face to face. Can we meet up?"
He can sense I mean business and he turns off the charm. "Yeah. Um… when and where? I still live in Seattle, so I don't mind meeting up anywhere in the city."
"Great. Um… let's just meet up at Starbucks on 1st and Pike tomorrow at eleven. Sound good?"
"Yeah. I'll be there."
"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow."
At eleven, I arrive at the Starbucks we agreed on. Edward is outside the door, looking around; I guess looking for me. He turns in my direction and smiles, letting out a breath of relief, relieved I showed up. I was more concerned he wouldn't show up.
When I'm in front of him, I say, "Hey."
"Hey." Then Edward kisses my cheek. What was that for? "It's great to see you, Bella."
"Likewise, Edward."
We head in, order our drinks and find an empty table in the back. We settle ourselves into our seats and then I get to talking, not wanting to let this awkwardness continue.
"So there's a reason I wanted to speak with you. We need to talk about… that night."
"That night?"
"Yeah."
"Okay. Is it that you regret it or want to do it again or…?"
"Edward, I never really cared for you that much on a personal level, and though that night was great, I'm not looking for a repeat… I don't really regret it, but I regret that we didn't use protection. At least, I don't think we did."
"Bella, what…?" Edward stuttered.
"I'm pregnant, Edward. I don't think we used protection, 'cause I'm not on the Pill or the depo shot, and if you used a condom, it was defective. I'm pregnant, it's yours… I don't know what you want to do."
"Wh– I don't understand, Bella."
"Oh, come on, Edward!" I whisper shouted, not wanting to draw a lot of attention to ourselves. "You were pre-med and now are off to med school. How do you think I ended up knocked up? It wasn't by means of Immaculate Conception. We had sex, Edward. You didn't use a condom or you used an ineffective one and your swimmers made their way into my uterus. I'm pregnant and you were the last person I had sex with."
My voice had grown louder and a few people were staring in my direction. To avoid further humiliation, I decide to stand up and leave. I make it down the block before I hear Edward coming after me. I stop and let him catch up to me. We happened to be outside a bistro with small tables so we sit down. The bistro isn't crowded and there isn't anyone at the outside tables, either. We're pretty much alone.
"You're pregnant, Bella?" Edward asks.
"What?! How many more times do I have to repeat it till you get it, Edward?!" I exclaim angrily.
"I'm sorry. I just can't gather my head around this information, Bella."
I cradle my head in my hands, not believing that this conversation is like this.
"Are you sure you took the test right?"
"Edward, for an almost med student, you sure are stupid. You pee on a fucking stick. It's pretty much idiot-proof."
Edward groans and stands up to pace. "I know. I'm sorry. It's just… it was one time."
"Again, you're pretty stupid if you're asking those types of questions. Sex can lead to pregnancy without contraception, regardless if it was one time or not."
"Well, I'm sorry if I'm being stupid despite knowing some medical knowledge, Bella," he argues back. "I just found out I'm going to be a father at twenty-two after having a one night stand with you. I have a right to be stupid especially after being stupid."
He collapses into his seat again. "What do you want to do, Bella?" he asks softly.
I look at him. "I don't know. What do you want to do?"
"I don't know either. I just found out. You've known about this a bit longer than me. You're the girl. It's your body. Don't you get to decide?"
I scoff, not believing he'd just assume that because it's my body, I know what to do with it.
"So it's all on me? Just because it's my body, doesn't mean that that I have full control of this decision. This baby is part of you and I wasn't going to be a selfish bitch and decide without you knowing it. You have a right to know. I want to know what you want to do. If you want it with me, fine. We'll go through with it. If you don't, then I'll decide if I want to keep it or not. But I want your opinion, Edward, as you are its father."
"Look… I'm sorry, Bella, that I'm making you think that. I just… don't know. Shit… should we get married? Do you want to get married?"
I let out a humorless laugh. "'Shit… should we get married?' That's a great thing to ask." He looks at me with narrowed eyes. "Sorry, it's just when you put it like that…"
"Bella, I'm trying to do the right thing. I'm sorry that I am trying to do the right thing."
"Then don't ask the wrong questions, Edward." I stand up from my seat. "You know what… just forget that I said anything about this. I'll figure it out. It's not your problem. I initiated the sex by first inviting you into my sorority house – when I was alone – and then kissing you. If I never did, we wouldn't be talking about what we should do. So I'll deal with all of this."
"Bella, wait."
"Just forget it." I then walk away from him.
That night, I make my decision. I'm not getting rid of this baby. It's a part of me and I can't bear to get rid of it. I want it and I'll figure out how to take care of it on my own. And I'm sure that though my parents will be upset that this happened, they'll help me any way they can.
I'm brought out of my happy bubble about having my little peanut when a knock on my door sounds. I get up to answer it and am shocked to find Edward standing there. He must have called one of our friends for my apartment address.
"What do you want?" I ask in a murmur.
"I don't want to just forget it, Bella."
"You don't?"
"No. I want this with you," he tells me. "I'll take care of the both of you. No matter what happens. I'm going to be there. We don't have to get married if you don't want to. It wasn't right to just assume that marriage is the best option when we're not in love. But I promise that I'm going to love this baby and take care of it with you."
"Thank you, Edward," I whimper with a nod of my head.
A few tears spill from my eyes and Edward is quick to catch them by wiping his thumbs underneath my eyes. He presses a kiss to my forehead and I let him hold me as we lie on my couch in my apartment. Despite not getting along and not being in love, I know that we'll make sure to work everything out for our baby. We have something to live for and we shouldn't fight like we did in college because I couldn't stand him, not knowing his exact feelings for me.
Our peanut means everything to the both of us.
The months fly.
All throughout the pregnancy, Edward had been there for me.
He even convinced me that we move in together – not as an in-love couple – because then he knew that he'd be there to care for me and our peanut.
Every time I puked in the morning, he held my hair back. Every time I was craving something, he went out of his way to get it for me. Every time I drove him crazy because of my hormones, he knew when to back off and when to comfort me.
He was there for every ultrasound, holding my hand and pressing kisses to it. He has mini-pictures of those ultrasounds in his wallet, too, and made sure to put them in a baby journal that he insisted we get so it marked every memory of this pregnancy, especially the moments he couldn't be there for.
He also made sure to take pictures of my baby bump growth every week, too. "Flash me the belly, Bella! I want to see it," he'd exclaim, his phone ready to take a picture. He'd tell me he wanted to watch the two of us, meaning me and the baby, grow. He'd upload every picture to a photo album on his laptop to mark every week of my pregnancy since he found out and when I gave birth, he'd make a slideshow to show the changes in belly size for the length of my pregnancy.
And when we found out it was a girl, he hugged me tightly and kissed my cheek. We were both in tears hearing our daughter was growing inside me.
I was glad he was with me throughout all of this because I wasn't sure if I'd be able to handle every little thing that occurred on my own. And when I told him this, he had questioned, "Where else would I be, Bella?"
That caused me to burst into tears.
He did miss the first kick because he had class – med school sure was a pain in the ass because of the workload and the time needed to focus on it – but I made sure to call, knowing it'd go to voice mail, and left a message of me squealing about it and telling him that when he got home he could feel it.
It was a little strange that we were having this baby, but not as a couple. All these experiences made me yearn for that connection… that connection of a man who loved the woman he was having a baby with. The only affection he did show me was the belly rubs, the back and foot massages, the kisses to my growing belly and the kisses to my cheek. But that was about it.
The last time he kissed my lips was the night we conceived our little peanut. And that was the only time we had sex.
Neither of us had sex with anyone else during this time either. I didn't want to sleep with anyone and figured that no one would want to sleep with me. I was having someone else's baby and I was the size of a whale. Edward could have anyone he wanted and he could go out and have fun with his med school buddies and Emmett and Jasper, yet he chose not to. He said it was because he was tired after a long day of school and because of the workload. Maybe that is true, but all the downtime he did have, he spent it with me or when we'd meet up with our friends for dinner. He chose not to fuck anyone he wanted.
Maybe he was growing up… or maybe he was holding the same feelings I had for him. Yes, I have feelings for Edward now. How could I not when he was being the caring guy he was and unlike the guy I knew in college?
My due date is quickly approaching. It's February and in about a week, mine and Edward's daughter is to be born. Edward just began the second semester of med school, but is prepared should the moment arrive. We have everything we needed and the nursery is ready to go. Edward had also made sure I had my bag ready for when I go to the hospital. We were as ready as we could be. Now we just wait for the time to come.
I get bored as I can't work anymore as a waitress in the diner I've worked in since I started college. I'm mainly holing myself up in the apartment that Edward and I share, nesting. I don't know how many times I folded the clothes we received at the baby shower from weeks before or gone through our necessity supply – diapers, bottles, pacifiers, et cetera – to make sure we had enough. I kill time looking through and filling out more information in the baby journal we got and bask in the beauty of pictures Edward pasted in the book. Though I think I look like a whale, he sort of captured the beauty of my pregnant self.
It's as I'm doing this that I feel a sharp pain in my lower back. I freeze. Oh no… no, no, no! This can't be happening now! It's too early to have the baby!
Well, a week ahead is not incredibly early, and I know most babies aren't born on their due date, but I was expecting to not have my daughter until her due date or afterward.
The pain quickly goes away, so I know I'm not going to have her at this exact moment, but I know it's got to be happening and I need Edward with me. I need him here… NOW!
I stand up from the couch and waddle over to the kitchen where I have my cell charging. Unplugging it, I scroll through my contacts until I find Edward's number. I tap the screen and it starts dialing. Three rings and finally Edward picks up.
"Hey, Bella. Look, is this important? I'm just about to go into class." God, sometimes he can be a dickhead. I'm his baby mama; he shouldn't be irritated with me just because of his fucking anatomy class.
"Edward… I think I might be going into labor."
Edward loses the attitude and goes into concerned-mode. "Are you sure? Did you feel contractions?"
"Um… yesterday I had slight spasms, but just now I had a sharp pain in my lower back and Dr. Weber said that's where you'd normally feel the contractions. It only lasted, like, fifteen seconds, but I think it's going to happen soon."
"Alright… how about I leave my phone on vibrate in class. You call me if the contractions become worse, okay? Then I'll just tell my professor it's an emergen–"
I snap. "NO! Edward Cullen, you get your ass home now and be here for me! I don't know if it'll happen in twenty minutes or two days, but I just need you here with me when it does. I can't wait for a really bad contraction to call you and then have my water break and you not here. I need you here! You understand me?!"
"Okay, okay, okay! Shh! Calm down, sweetheart," Edward murmurs to me through the phone. I can picture him pacing outside the classroom trying to calm me down via the phone. "Don't get yourself worked up because that could push you to have the baby sooner than you're supposed to. You need to breathe… take deep breaths and calm down. Drink some water, put your feet up and relax. I'll be home in twenty minutes. I promise."
"You swear?" I ask.
"I swear, Bella. Twenty minutes."
"Okay. Don't drive too fast. I can't have this baby if you're dead or pulled over by the cops or in jail because your temper flares due to being pulled over. Just get to me safely, please."
"I promise, sweetheart. I'll be home soon."
We say our goodbyes and I take his advice of calming down and drinking some water. And in the twenty minutes that I waited for him, I only felt one other contraction that also lasted for no more than twenty seconds.
Maybe I did pull Edward away too soon. Perhaps this really is the early stages of labor where I wasn't going to have the baby the second I felt contractions. I heard that first time mothers could experience labor for hours, maybe days!
Finally, Edward burst through the apartment doors and found me lying on the couch. "Are you okay?" he asks, kneeling down in front of me. My head is cradled between his hands.
"Yeah. Pretty much," I sigh. "The contractions aren't too close and they don't last for long. I'm sorry I pulled you away from class. Maybe this is just the beginning and I won't feel much for hours."
"Don't apologize, sweetheart." He presses a kiss to my forehead. I instinctively close my eyes and relish in the tingles that his lips leave behind. "You never know if this could be time. It could sneak up on you any minute."
"Yeah."
"I told my professor that you could possibly be in labor and that I needed to leave. He thankfully was forgiving enough to let me go and he understood if I didn't come into class on Thursday. I'm taking a brief leave of absence for the rest of the week just in case our daughter decides to arrive on time or in a few hours. I don't want to leave you or her to go to class. I can make it up."
"Edward, don't do that on account of–" I try to say, but Edward interrupts.
"Shh!" he says, putting a finger to my lips. "You and our daughter are more important. I'm going to stand by you from here on out, you hear?"
I nod, smiling. Edward does, too. He also presses another kiss to my forehead before leaning his own head to mine.
After a minute of comfortable silence, he speaks up. "I'll be right back. I'm just going to email my other professors about my not going to classes for the rest of the week and email a couple of my classmates to email me notes and assignments, just so I'm actually trying to make an effort to do work despite my absence."
"Okay. I'm just going to nap for a bit."
Edward leaves me to go into his bedroom to email his professors and classmates on his laptop and I close my eyes.
A couple of hours and a few brief and somewhat painless contractions later, I am shocked out of my slumber when another shot a pain radiates from my lower back to the middle of my stomach. I let out a loud yelp and it alerts Edward. He comes running out of his room to the living room and falls down in front of me.
"What? What's wrong, Bella?" he questions. He looks frightened almost.
"Another contraction," I grunt through my teeth. Fuck, does this hurt way more than the other two I experienced. This one, unfortunately, lasts longer than the first ones I experienced; almost a full minute of pain. I know it's happening now. And Edward can tell, too, by the look on my face.
"Bella, let me know when you feel another one. I'm going to time it, starting now. If it's less than five minutes, we're going to the hospital."
I nod, afraid to speak. Edward runs out of the room and I see him come back out with the bags we packed a couple of weeks ago, when we knew we were in the homestretch of my pregnancy. He drops them by the door and runs into the kitchen to do I don't know what.
After a few minutes and aimlessly watching him run around the apartment, making calls to family and friends and gathering things I may need or want, I then have another contraction. I scream, "Edward!" through my pain and he glances at his watch.
"Okay… three and a half minutes. We're going now, Bella!"
"Wait! Let me get through this before you go and pick me up." After a minute of pain, I let Edward lift me from the couch and get me into his car. He leaves me for a couple of minutes to just gather the bags and to lock up our apartment before returning to me. It's just as he pulls out of the parking garage that another contraction hits me.
"Get me to the fucking hospital, Edward!" I grit through my teeth. "NOW!"
"Ten minutes, baby. Only ten minutes. I swear."
Edward calling me 'baby' doesn't even process through my brain because it hurts so badly.
Hell-fucking-no am I not getting an epidural, no matter what all those stupid-ass blonde soon-to-be mommies said at Lamaze. They are incredibly stupid if they're going to go through labor and delivery without any pain medication. They will crack. They're wimpy ass bitches, if you tell me. They might think that they could handle it, but if I can't, and I'm a tough bitch, they certainly would be wailing in excruciating pain and be begging for something to dope them up.
Ten minutes and three more contractions later, we're at the hospital and waiting for a room. I'm in a wheelchair and Edward is filling out the paperwork. I am about to scream out, "Fuck the paperwork! Get me in a fucking room now!" but I can't.
Just as Edward finishes, I experience one more contraction and also a gush of wetness. I'm stunned and cannot speak. Edward's eyes bug out.
"Nurse! Her water just broke!" he yells.
Two nurses rush over to me and they wheel me down a few halls into a room. It's a private room, which I wasn't expecting, but am glad to have privacy. I get through the contraction and am then undressed out of my soaked clothing and into a hospital gown.
Dr. Weber comes in to check on me. I didn't even know she was called. I look to Edward for an answer.
"I called on the way here. You were having one of your contractions when I did, so you didn't even notice."
"Well, Bella, you're definitely in active labor. Let's just see how dilated you are," she says.
I open my legs, putting them into the stirrups. With Edward next to me, Dr. Weber looks between my legs to see my progress. She pokes and probes my vag for a few seconds and then comes up and smiles.
"You're six centimeters dilated, Bella. That's very good. How long have you been experiencing the contractions?"
"Um… I was feeling slight ones yesterday, but it was maybe around eleven this morning that they became stronger."
"Well, at your last appointment on Saturday, you were already dilating and were only at one centimeter, so over the last few days you were gradually dilating more. How long ago did her water break, Edward?"
"No more than half an hour ago," he says.
"Okay. Good. Your progress, especially for a first time mother is going quite well, Bella. It shouldn't be more than a few hours before you can push her out. Now is the time to say if you want the epidural. I have to check if an anesthesiologist is here, and when it's given, it takes a little less than a half an hour to work. I don't want you waiting till the last minute to say you want it if you don't want it now."
"Excuse my language, but FUCK YES do I want it!" I exclaim.
Edward and Dr. Weber just chuckle.
"Right away," she smiles. "You should practice your breathing to get you through these upcoming contractions. They come sooner and more painful from here on out. If you need ice chips, let the nurse know. I'll be back soon to check on you."
I nod. The waiting game begins now.
Three more hours pass.
My body apparently does not want to let my baby come out.
I'd been given my epidural no more than an hour after Dr. Weber left me and Edward to inquire about an anesthesiologist being on the premises. And about fifteen minutes after being given one, I was feeling no pain. When contractions came, it was barely any pain; just pressure around my stomach and in my back.
I'm only at eight centimeters and I need to be at ten. It took three hours for me to get from six to eight centimeters.
I start to cry and Edward automatically moves closer to me to comfort me.
"Edward, it's been forever. Why can't I just have this baby?" I whine.
"I know, sweetheart. It'll be over soon," he tells me soothingly. He lifts my hand to his lips and kisses it. I just yank it back in anger.
"Three hours, Edward! To dilate two fucking centimeters!"
Edward doesn't answer because he knows what's good for him. So far I haven't screamed that I hated him for doing this to me. I haven't bitched at him until now. He just figures that I might just slap him for back talking to me when I'm pissed and upset the way I am. I want this baby out so I can give her a piece of my mind for making me endure this waiting game rather than causing me pain, to be honest.
As I'm having my little breakdown, Dr. Weber comes in. She smiles wearily at me. She feels for me. She had mentioned to me the last time she checked on my progress that when she had her twins, she had gone through labor for almost a full day, but once she was at ten centimeters, she only had to push for no more than half an hour – and that was just because her daughter was being stubborn and didn't want to come out for fifteen minutes after her brother.
"Hello," she greets. "I guess I don't need to ask how you are."
"Yeah," I huff.
"Let's see where you are, okay?" She checks and she comes back up smiling. "Nine and a half centimeters, Bella. It really should not be much longer now. When you get to ten centimeters, we will right away prepare for you to start pushing. Your body will most likely want you to start as soon as we get to ten. So you'll probably know before I may check on you again in about ten minutes. I'll be back with you then."
Dr. Weber leaves and Edward cradles my head in his hands. "You're almost there, baby. It's almost over."
I giggle, tears still coming down – but because I'm happy it really is almost over. Also because Edward called me 'baby'. I look into Edward's eyes and say, "You called me 'baby'."
Edward blushes, looking down for a few seconds before looking back up at me. He grins then answers, "I did."
"Why?" I think I know the answer, for I feel the same for him now, but I want to hear it from him.
"Because I love you, Bella. Took me nine months for me to admit it, but after all that we've been through… I know that what I feel for you is completely real. I think that I've loved you since we met during Rush Week and I knew I loved you when we had sex that one time that created our peanut; I just messed with you because I'm a guy and that's how a guy shows he likes, or in my case, love a girl.
"I wasn't sure if you wanted to hear me tell you I did because I didn't think you felt the same, even when we had sex, which surprised me that you gave in. I just hope that throughout all this that you've started to feel any amount of what I feel for you, Bella."
I laugh and grab his face, pulling his lips to mine. I kiss him with all that I have – our first real kiss in nine months. "Yes, Edward. I love you, too. It took me some time, but I feel it."
We kiss again, initiated by Edward this time. When he pulls away, he says, "Well, at least now we can say that we have a child together and that we're in love. It'd just be awkward if we just say that we have a kid and there was absolutely no feelings whatsoever."
Again I let out a laugh. "Yeah. And I guess our mothers would be hap– ahh!" I squeal. I feel another contraction, but this time I really to feel the need to push. Oh shit! After I get through it, I mumble, "Call for Dr. Weber, Edward. It's time."
"Shit! Okay." After he calls for her, Dr. Weber comes strolling in, dressed in scrubs and ready to go. She hands Edward a pair and while he excuses himself to change, she checks on me.
"Yep! It's time, Bella."
No more than twenty minutes pass before Edward and I officially meet our daughter.
We name her Olivia Regan Cullen.
During my pregnancy, we had fought tooth and nail over names. Edward had pushed for more of a traditional name for our daughter, whilst I was willing to go with an unusual name – just not as extreme as some celebrity baby names (I mean, come on! Apple? Really?). I was going through the baby name book when I stopped at the name Olivia. Olivia is a traditional name of sorts, with some unusual nicknames backing it up, like Olive and Liv – nicknames I really like. I had brought it up with Edward and the name knocked him off his rampage of vetoing my suggested names. He agreed and he actually liked the unusual nicknames that go along with it. 'Regan' we just both love and it goes with Edward's Irish background.
As I hold her in my arms, I know I am meant to be a mother. She is absolutely perfect and I don't know how I even considered giving her up in any way because of my history with Edward. She is equal parts of the two of us and she is beautiful, with my rich, dark brown hair and nose, and his lips and face. I'm sure she'll inherit his emerald green eyes and his gracefulness, and maybe she'll get my sarcasm when she's older.
"Welcome to the world, Olivia," Edward whispers to our daughter before kissing her forehead. He's holding her in his arms and looks like he doesn't want to give her up. She grasps his finger and doesn't let go. My heart melts at the sight of Edward and Olivia. She's definitely going to be a daddy's girl and he will do anything for his little girl.
A little while later after learning how to breast feed, which feels so weird, by the way, and changing a diaper, our families come barreling into the room to see the new addition. Edward had called them after Olivia was born to let them know she had arrived. Of course they were pissed that they were told by him to not show up at the hospital until Olivia was born, for mine and his sake, but let it slide because of Olivia.
It was then that our parents and our friends got the first look of mine and Edward's love for one another. Edward's kisses to my lips weren't what gave it away, but the look of adoration he gave me when Olivia was in my arms and when she wasn't. Esme was the one to call it out on us first – "It happened! You both admitted your feelings!" – and we both couldn't hide the blushes. We told them that we were in love and Edward even said that one day soon we'll be married.
And I honestly can't wait for that day. I love him… why should I be scared of becoming his wife?
I also know that I don't mind going through this all over again with him.
Two years later…
It's our one year anniversary today.
I still couldn't believe that Edward and I were married… it's so surreal.
We have a beautiful, green-eyed daughter and all that comes along with being married. We also own a house in the suburbs of Seattle because having an apartment, despite how large it was, wasn't what we wanted Liv growing up in. We wanted her to have a huge backyard to play in with future siblings and friends. It also doesn't hurt that Edward and I could invite our families and friends over for barbeques and parties, not having to worry about space.
Edward is in his third year of med school and has been interning in Virginia Mason Medical Center. He's really hoping that within the next two years he'll be offered a position there when he actually becomes a doctor. He also works part time with his father in his private practice to gain experience and make money, as he isn't at the moment.
I'm putting off getting my Master's at the moment to work as a high school guidance counselor and raising Liv with Edward. And I love it. I can't be anymore happier. Maybe I'll just write FanFiction for a bit and then let my writing career take off from there.
As it is our one year anniversary, Edward has handed Liv over to his parents for the night and takes me out to one of the fancier restaurants in the city, wining and dining me, though I limit the amount of wine I consume because I have a surprise to tell Edward.
After a few hours of being in the city having dinner and going out dancing, Edward takes us home to show me how much he loves me. And oh yeah… he shows me he loves me. All. Through. Out. The. Night.
I remember when I hit the six-week mark after having Liv. Edward couldn't take his hands off of me. He'd been denied sex with me for nine months and then an extra six weeks so I could heal. He couldn't wait a single second. He took me hard and fast on the couch after coming back from the doctor. Fuck taking care of me and loving me slowly after going out or something – no… he fucks me rough on the couch. I won't lie and say I didn't enjoy it, because dammit! I was fucking horny for Edward! After a few rounds of fucking and then making love nice and slow, I had to cut Edward off for two days because my thighs hurt so much, even though it was a good kind of hurt.
Our sex life for the last two years has been phenomenal, even with his schooling, my job and taking care of Liv. Neither of those things put a damper on it. We made sure we had sex almost every night and tried new things every now and then to keep the spice up.
And even after two official years being together, nothing between us has changed. He can still be a dick at times and I'm my sarcastic self a majority of the time, but dammit do we love each other something fierce. I can't even imagine what my life would be like if he wasn't in it; I can't imagine what it'd be like if I never had sex that first time with him in my sorority house or if I never met him at all during Rush Week.
Right now, being after midnight and after our anniversary officially passed, lying in my husband's arms, I'm sated. I can't move a single muscle.
"I love you, Edward," I tell him.
"I love you, too, Bella. You and Liv are the best things to happen to me." He kisses me fully on my lips and I respond with an equal amount of passion. I then remember I have to tell him my secret.
"What if me and Liv aren't only the best things to happen to you?"
"What do you mean, baby?"
"I mean… what if we add one more person to that list?" I then sit up and press a hand to my tummy. Edward catches the movement and shoots his own body up, yanking me into his arms. He kisses me again and when he pulls away, his green eyes are glistening.
"You mean…"
"Yeah, Edward."
"A baby?"
"Mmhmm."
"How far along are you?"
"Eight weeks actually. I didn't know until last week. I was feeling a bit off and then I recalled my symptoms when I found about my pregnancy with Liv. I wasn't experiencing everything and the morning sickness hasn't kicked in yet, surprisingly, but I sucked it up, got a test and took it. It was positive."
"We're having another baby!" Edward exclaims after pulling me in for another kiss.
We talk some more and he even questions my wine consumption, which I tell him that the amount I had was okay and wouldn't hurt our nugget. And then he makes love to me again… showing all the love he has for me and me returning the sentiment. I love him so much and I can't wait for the future I experience with him and Liv.
And the son we have seven months later, whom we name Noah Anthony Cullen.
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Public voting: August 26, 2013 to September 13, 2013.