20 years ago..
Renee Swan entered the crowded changing room cautiously, her backpack slung onto her shoulder. The room was filled with cooing, and excited laughter, as the pregnant women exchanged stories, and felt each other's rounded bellies. It made her nervous.
Her hand reached instinctively down to her own swollen stomach, and rubbed in soothing circles. Renee took a deep breath, and swept her dirty blonde hair from her face. She could do this, it was only an hour long pregnancy aerobics class, she had been through worse. But then again, she had never been all that great at handling new situations...
She was newly wedded to the chief of police, Charlie, and living happily in the small town of Forks, WA, which suited her just fine, she didn't need any complications. A pang of guilt washed through her as she thought these words, and she looked down at her growing belly. She wanted this baby, she really did, she just didn't know how she would deal with a newborn, if she could give the child the attention it so desperately needed. What if she was a terrible mother?
Renee shook her head, and rid her mind of all the discouraging thoughts. She could do it. She could raise little Emmett by herself if she had to. She sat down on a free bench, and started to change into the comfortable sweatpants and t-shirt she had brought for the class.
On the right hand side of Renee, Esme Masen giggled as Marie Weber told her about her disastrous wedding, how the cake had fallen over, and she had been covered in chocolate icing, how someone had spiked the punch, and half the guests had ended up drunk.
She gathered her caramel hair into a loose pony, and laced up her new sneakers. She was truly happy at this point in her life, it seemed as though magic could really happen. Moving from California, to the small town of Forks had been a risky decision, but it had been worth it after all. If she hadn't moved, she would have never met her wonderful husband, Carlisle Masen, genius medical student at the University of Alaska, and she wouldn't be sitting here right now, rubbing her unusually large belly. Warmth filled her heart every time she thought of her tiny baby, her baby in her arms. What could be more magical than that? As soon as she had found out she was pregnant, she had decided on the name. Edward Anthony Masen. Perfection summed up in three words, she thought.
Lately though, she had been experiencing lower back pains, and Carlisle had suggested this aerobics class. She had agreed to try, and now here she was, sitting in the changing room, with 20 other pregnant women. She turned to the girl with dirty blond hair on her left side, and made conversation. This woman, you may have guessed, was Renee. They chatted about their babies, the due dates, told each other funny stories about their husbands, and laughed heartily. Soon, the two were getting along like old friends.
Emma Hale walked slowly across the parking lot, her round tummy making it harder to get around. Little Jasper was quite a handful already, kicking at every chance he got. This one would be a fighter. Only two months to go...thought Emma wistfully, her white blond hair blowing in the strong wind. Why had Daniel made her do this? Daniel, her new husband, had promised some aerobics would ease the pain she felt every time Jasper kicked, help her to deal with it. He was a science major after all, so she had climbed into the car this morning, feeling like she would regret it later, and drove towards the yoga studio in which the class would be held.
Finally, Emma made it to the front door, and pushed it open, escaping the cold outside. It was November in Forks, and the usually cool air had turned frigid.
The lady at the front desk welcomed her, and she went to change. As soon as she entered, she felt more comfortable. Here were 20 other women, all as pregnant as she was, and all looking just as apprehensive, even if they were laughing. She went and sat beside a woman with caramel coloured hair in a high pony tail. Emma turned to her and asked her name, she told her it was Esme, how pretty thought Emma. She then noticed another woman, with dirty blond hair, peeking out from behind Esme. She stuck out her hand to both of the women. "Hi, I'm Emma." She told them cheerily. The women replied, and they started to talk together.
It was like they were the same person, so alike, yet so different. Renee liked walks on the beach when the sun was setting, Esme liked to watch the sunrise from her bedroom window, but Emma preferred to make pictures out of the stars late at night. This was only one example of their connections, but let's just say that their blossoming friendship was the start of something great, and none of them had any idea what hardships and joys they would be facing together.