Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns everything to do with Twilight, though in my dreams Edward is mine (MINE I TELL YOU! MINE!)
EPOV
"I don't feel like going out today, could you just pick my up a few things?"
Bella's list of what she had called, a few items, was almost done to the floor. How much could one human truly consume? Though I had to admit, each time I placed another grocery into the prison orange shopping cart, I felt a strange sense of pleasure. This is what normal couples did. Truly domestic and utterly boring. There was nothing more I could wish for with my life with Bella.
I can't imagine Cullen and Swan. He just got her knocked up, it's not like it's never happened before.
A sound like nails on a chalk board caught my attention. A high nasal thought droned it's way into my mind, causing my fists to clench and leave dents in the side of the jar of spaghetti sauce I happened to holding. Two girls from the high school stood conversing on the other side of the shelves, their voices barely above a whisper, but yet easily discernable.
"I know what you're saying Lauren. It's just disgusting." The voice of the Stanley girl made my fingers loosen. I wasn't allowed to hit a woman, no matter how much one might deserve it.
"What do think the kid'll look like? I mean, he's gorgeous and all, but…"
So this must be why Bella's list was as long as my arm. She refused to come out and deal with these horrible harpies. No wonder she didn't view me as a monster, teenage girls were terrifying enough.
My poor Bell. I realized now that she had been hiding between my house and hers, avoiding the rumors that followed her like the plague. Where I had come from a marriage such as this would be a cause for envy and celebration, not gossip and ill wishing.
"Oh, I just can't want to see her under whatever Alice Cullen picks out. How much lace do you think they'll need to cover that?" Their cackles grated against
my ears, causing my jaw to tense and eyes to narrow. An older women across the aisle peeked at me, and scuttled away. I couldn't help but laugh tersely. Moronic, selfish humans.
There must be some way to stop the blasphemy. I had to be able to reach minds that could be swayed, and possibly reassure Charlie that this was not a marriage of convenience.
Pushing the cart, I walked into the aisle that held darker demons that I've met. Arranging my face into a sheepish grin, I leaned over the handle.
"Hey there." Their heads whipped around, guilt written on their faces.
I wonder if he heard us? No. He couldn't have, he must have accidentally found us. What is he doing shopping anyways? I bet Bella didn't want to come out. What's she going to do for the wedding? Hire a stunt double?
I had the urge to let my control snap. To bare my teeth to these ghastly gossips, scare them so thoroughly that my snarling face would be etched in their minds for the rest of their life. Bella did not deserve this kind of treatment, but I did. I stole her away from their world, gave her conditions were her needs would only be met if she was put into this situation. I wanted to say that I could let her off the hook, stop the wedding and just live with her for the rest of my days. I know I had told Bella I could live like that, but she had made the decision to continue with the wedding and I didn't fight it. Looking at it now, seeing one of the issues that terrified her most, I realized I should have fought. I couldn't believe how selfish I was being, and how I thought stifling one rumor would fix my mistake. What if she started to resent me for this? I wouldn't be able to exist knowing she was trapped in a body that would last her forever, and forced into a marriage that was supposed to be a celebration of said transformation.
"Do you need help with something Edward?" I was forced out of my reverie by a high-pitched voice and a batting of heavily done up eyes. Jessica's face was in my general direction, but her gaze was firmly directed south. I had the sudden urge to burst out laughing, even with four weeks left to the wedding of the girl I spent almost every waking moment with, Stanely wouldn't take hint.
Goodness, he's so yummy. I bet he's bored, waiting for the baby. Maybe he would want to do something…fun, one last time before the wedding?
Her thoughts brought me back to the task at hand. I turned my face and body shyly away from the girls, hoping to project a sense of insecurity.
"Well you see…" They leaned forward eagerly and I lowered my tone to accommodate the mood, "I'm looking for the…feminine aisle."
"Oh, well we can certainly help you with that." With more grace and speed than I knew they possessed they had grabbed the cart and the shopping list, leading me to the aforementioned shelf. Lauren's smirk seemed to twist her comely blonde face into more disarray. I had never seen such a girl who could have been utterly pretty, but whose personality was so thoroughly ugly that it detracted from the entire image.
"What are you looking for here Edward?" They gestured down the linoleum runway.
"I'd rather not say." This sent them into a twitter.
"Oh you can tell us!"
"We'd never tell a soul." This came from Jessica, her hand pressed over her heart. I had the urge to snort in her face. Unfortunately, Esme would not have approved.
"Well ladies, I thank you so much for helping me. I believe I should finish shopping now." Jessica laid a simpering hand on my arm.
"Don't be like that Eddie!" I cringed at the nickname. "You know we can help you."
"Well, I certainly don't know what I'm looking for. You see, I need to pick up…" I dropped my eyes to the floor, trying to any color to my skin. "Tampons."
I believe I truly did flush on the word, it was not something I was accustomed to. No matter how far I thought I might have evolved, women's hygiene products were not something I would ever be able to easily converse about.
Their thoughts hit me at the same time. Though I didn't need any sort of the insight, seeing as the mute shock was written on their faces. Then plain curiosity started to grow on Lauren's, while I could see Jessica itching to reach for her phone.
"Is there a problem?" I looked each of them in the eye, daring them to question me.
"No, no problem. Here, this would be the best." Both the girls tossed a package into my cart and waved their good-byes. I could see them spreading the incident around the town, Jessica planning how she would form it into one text message. The damage was done. Bella would no longer be plagued by pregnancy rumors.
I wheeled my packages to the check-out counter, and gave the pimply-faced teenage boy my new sheepish smile as he questioned my purchases. He shrugged and bagged them quickly, hoping not to be seen with me.
On my way out I rummaged through the bags, grabbing the offensive bundle. A trashcan was on my right, and I flipped it in easily.
Bella would never have to know.
Hey there! I know this episode is much, much shorter, but I thought I better get it out there. Hopefully, you guys will send more reviews. That would help you know. The more you write, the more I write!