Please read A/N at the end.
"I'm so sorry son," my father said as he hugged me. "As much as you don't want to," he grabbed my shoulder, "you have to prepare yourself, Edward."
"Prepare myself to lose my baby?" I said as tears sprang from my eyes. "How do I do that dad?"
My father took me in his arms and held me. "Its okay son, we're going to find a match," he said trying to comfort me. "We will."
Never thought I'd be in this place
It's someone else's life I'm living
Wish I were living a lie
The hardest part is when the bough breaks
Falling down and then forgiving
You didn't even kiss me goodbye
I'm choking on the words I didn't get to say
And pray I get the chance one day
Three more days passed and no word on a donor. Lizzie was getting weaker by the day to the point where she could barely eat without getting sick. She had lost some weight and with her already tiny frame, she was so small.
I left my Mom and Alice with her, as I had to go down to the billing office and provide them with insurance information from my job so all of Lizzie's expenses were covered.
As I rode up on the elevator, I was overwhelmed by my emotions that I just broke down. Tears fell from my eyes as my breathing became labored. I was losing my little girl and there was nothing I could do to stop it. When the elevator approached the fourth floor, I tried to compose myself as I stepped out in the hallway. As I was walking back to Lizzie's room, I heard my name called from behind me.
"Edward?"
That voice made me stop dead in my tracks.
I would know it anywhere.
I slowly turned around and saw her standing five feet away from me. After ten years all that stood between us was five feet.
I tried to speak but nothing came out as I looked at her.
Her thick brown hair was longer than I remembered, but her eyes were still the deepest of chocolate brown. Last I saw her she was sixteen years old, a girl, but now, she was a woman and she was still so beautiful.
"Bella?" I choked out.
"Hi," she sad as she slowly walked towards me.
Without saying a word she leaned up on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around my neck. I instantly encircled my arms around her back as I inhaled her hair. I held her to my body where she still fit so perfectly.
"What are you doing here?" I asked as I pulled back. "It's been… so long."
"I know it has," she said "Angela called me. I haven't spoken to her in years, but she called me because she told me she and Alice were talking and Alice had mentioned me in their conversation. She thought Alice would want to hear from me since her niece was sick."
I stepped back from her and then looked at her again. "Angela called you? She told you about Lizzie?"
"Yes, Angela told me she's sick."
Angela is my sister's best friend since they were in high school. Back in high school, Alice, Angela, and Bella were all best friends. The three of them did everything together and spent most of their time at our house.
I remember the day I met Bella. I was home from college after being gone for the better part of four years. Alice had come home with her two friends; I had met Angela before, but there was a new girl with them whom I had never met. Bella's family had moved to Forks two years prior from Jacksonville because her father had gotten an offer to be the police chief. She was just sixteen years old when I met her and I knew it was wrong to look at her the way I did being that I was twenty-two, but she was just so beautiful. From the moment I first laid my eyes on her, I was taken with her.
I cleared my throat. "Uh… yes, she's very sick," I said. "We've been trying to find a bone marrow match for her but we've come up empty. My dad just told me, we're running out of time." I ran my fingers through my hair. "Is that why you're here Bella, because you heard Lizzie was sick? You came back for… Alice?"
"I had to come back to tell you..." She trailed off
"Tell me what?" I asked.
"Edward, when I left all those years ago, I didn't tell you…. I wanted to so badly… but my parents wouldn't let me. But now… I have to."
" Jesus Bella, you're freaking me out… tell me what?"
Just then I saw Bella's Mom walk around the corner with a little boy holding her hand. As they walked closer, my breath caught in my throat when I looked at the little boy. His hair was bronze and his eyes… they were Lizzie's eyes.
They were my eyes.
As they got closer to where I stood, Bella walked over to them and took his hand from her mother's. She walked back over to me and my heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest. I looked at Bella and then back at the little boy by her side, my mouth ran dry.
"Edward… this is Masen." Bella said.
I couldn't speak I just looked at him. I forgot how to speak. I forgot my name. I think I was in shock. I was frozen in place.
"Uh… Mom why don't you go back to the hotel? I can take it from here." Bella said to her mother.
"Are you sure Bella?" Renee asked.
"I'm fine, we're fine." She said to her mother.
Renee nodded. "Its good to see you Edward. I'm keeping your daughter in my prayers." She said as she walked away. I couldn't answer her. I was still stuck.
I was back to looking at this little boy who stood before me. I shook me head and looked away from him realizing I was probably freaking him out.
"Masen honey, why don't you go sit on that chair over there and play your DS so I can talk to Edward."
"Okay Mom," he said as he walked away and went to sit on the chair.
"I don't understand," I said finally finding my voice again. "His eyes. How… how old is he?"
"He's nine Edward and his eyes are the same as his father's," she took a breath. "Masen is your son."
What the fuck did she just say?
I needed to sit down.
My legs felt like Jell-o.
I had a son… with Bella?
My head was spinning.
I looked over at him again and then back to Bella. My mind was racing trying to think back 10 years ago when she left Forks to move back to Jacksonville with her parents.
"Masen?" I sad his name in barely a whisper as I realized the connection.
"I wanted him to have a piece of you, Edward. So I gave him your middle name," she said as she looked over to where he sat. "He looks just like you."
"I don't understand any of this!" I spat finally snapping out of my trance. "You left Forks ten years ago with your parents. You just left me with no explanation Bella and now you come back here after all this time and tell me we have a child together? What the fuck?"
"My parents made me leave because I was pregnant," she said as tears fell from her eyes that she quickly wiped away. "I was on my way to your house tell you when my Mom found my pregnancy test in the garbage. My parents forbade me to tell you and the next thing I knew we were leaving. I had no choice, I was only sixteen" She stopped talking and took a deep breath as she wiped more at her face. "Edward right now none of this matters, we can talk about all of this later, what matters now is your daughter. Angela told me Elizabeth's best chance of a bone marrow match is from a sibling. Masen is her half brother Edward."
My eyes snapped up at her. She brought Masen to be tested for Lizzie. I looked over at him again, it was like looking into a mirror, and a tear ran down my cheek.
"Does he know about me? Does he know the truth?"
"Yes Edward, he knows everything," she said. "I told him everything, but he's always known about his daddy. I have always told him that his daddy loved him very much and if he could have been with him he would have. I told him about Lizzie on the plane and how sick she is and that he might me able to help her feel better."
I choked back more tears. "Can I… talk to him?"
"Of course you can, Edward." She said.
I raked my fingers through my hair and slowly walked over to where Masen sat. I sat down next to him and just looked at him as he played his video game, trying to take all of this in.
"What are you playing?" I finally asked. I knew I had to be freaking him out by staring at him, but hell, I was just as freaked out if not more.
"Super Mario Brothers." He said as he looked up at me.
"I used to love that game." I said.
"We look alike." He said back to me as he looked into my eyes.
"Yeah, we do," I replied. "Do you know why?"
"Mom said its because you're my dad."
"What do you think about that, Masen?"
"Mom always told me you loved me so I guess it's cool," he said. "Mom also told me that I have a baby sister who's sick and might need my help to get better."
"That's right. Her name is Elizabeth, but I call her Lizzie."
"Can I call her Lizzie too?"
"I'm sure she wouldn't mind." I then looked up and saw my dad walking down the hall. "Be right back buddy."
I got up from the chair and walked over to my dad as Bella took my seat.
"Did you know about this?" I asked my father. "Did you know Bella was pregnant with my baby all those years ago?"
"No son, I didn't know, none of us did, but then again Edward, no one knew you and Bella were together… like that." He said with a cocked eyebrow and then cleared his throat. "I'm not even going to try to do the math to remember how old she was and how you were back then because if I did I would want to slap you silly, but I can't now since you're a grown man. Anyway, I just found out when I bumped into Renee leaving the hospital."
Of course he was right. No one knew about us back then, we kept it from everyone because of her age, not exactly something you advertise.
"I can't believe this dad. I can't believe she never told me. We have a child together and she never told me."
"From what Renee just told me son, it wasn't Bella's fault, her parents wouldn't let her tell you before they took her away."
"What about all this time then? I mean he's nine years old, surely she could have told me once she turned eighteen."
"That's something you'll have to ask Bella, son," he said with a sigh. "And you're going to have to tell your mother she has another grandchild."
"She's going to kill me, " I said tugging on my hair. "I can't believe any of this. I have a son," I looked back over to him. "His name is Masen, she named him after me."
"He's a spitting image of you, Edward." My father said. "Its unbelievable."
"I know," I said. "Bella said she brought him here so he could be tested to see if he's a match for Lizzie."
"Well the chances of that are very good. I'll arrange to draw the blood myself."
"Thanks dad." I said.
We walked back over to where Bella and Masen were sitting and Bella looked up when she saw my father. She stood to her feet and without pause my father took her in his arms.
"Its nice to see you again Bella."
"You too Carlisle," she said. "I'm so sorry…I"
"Hey, none of that matters right now, what matters is you're here. You and Masen both."
Bella smiled at him and then looked down at Masen. "Masen, this is your Grandpa."
Masen looked up at Carlisle and then at Bella. "I have another Grandpa?"
"Oh yes little man," Carlisle said. "You most certainly do."
"My other grandpa died."
My father and I both looked up at Bella.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know." Carlisle said to Bella.
"It's okay, its been about seven years now," she said. "He died of a stroke."
"I'm sorry," I said to her.
"Thanks," she said with a soft smile.
"Well Masen, not only do you have another Grandpa," Carlisle said. "You also have another Grandma, and Aunt who will be so excited to meet you. And you also have a baby sister."
"Lizzie?"
"Yeah Lizzie," he said. "Are you ready to see if you can help Lizzie feel better?"
"Okay. Will it hurt?"
"It might a little bit, but I'll be right there with you okay?"
"Okay."
My father took Masen's hand in his and turned back to Bella and I.
"We won't be long."
"I'll see you when you get done sweetheart okay?" Bella said.
"Okay Mommy."
Mommy? That one word hit me with a ton of bricks.
Holy shit.
I had to sit down again.
My head was spinning again.
Bella sat down beside me and I heard her take a deep breath before she spoke.
"I'm sure you have a lot of questions, Edward."
"You could say that." I replied.
"Edward, I'll answer any question you have, I'll tell you everything, but first please tell me about Elizabeth."
I inhaled and let my breath out my nose. I looked over at Bella and smiled.
"She's my whole world, she has been since the day she was born."
"Angela told me your… wife, died in child birth. I'm so sorry."
"Yes… Kate. Right after Lizzie was born, she started to hemorrhage and they couldn't save her."
"How long were you married?"
"Just a years and a half, we met on a blind date and after that we got married a year later. Looking back I'm not sure if it was the best decision, we sort of had a codependent relationship, but it gave me Lizzie and I will forever be grateful to her for that." I said. "But then Lizzie got sick and my entire world just fell out from under me. When we found out that she has Leukemia and that no one in the family was a match, I feel so helpless. I mean she's my baby girl and she's so sick. She's my entire world Bella."
"Oh god Edward, I am so sorry," she said as she started to cry. I was about to grab her hand but I saw my father walking toward us with Masen.
"Hey buddy, how did it go?" I asked him. "Did it hurt a lot?"
"No, not really, Grandpa took care of me." He said. "I got a Spiderman sticker where the needle went," he extended his arm to show me.
"That's pretty cool, bud, I'm sure Grandpa took extra good care of you." I said.
I looked over at Bella who smiled a little when Masen referred to Carlisle as Grandpa.
"I put a rush on the results, we should know sometime in the next 48 hours."
"Thanks dad." I said. Carlisle nodded and then walked away. "Hey, how would you and your Mom like to meet Lizzie?" I asked Masen.
"Can we Mom?" Masen asked Bella.
"Of course we can." She replied. "That would be nice," she said to me.
I nodded and began to walk to Lizzie's room. I stopped when I felt a little hand grab mine. I looked down and saw Masen holding onto my hand. I gently squeezed his hand and led the way to Lizzie's room. Once inside I walked over to her bed and she opened her eyes.
"H daddy." She said with a big yawn.
"Hey baby girl, how are you feeling?"
"I'm tired daddy."
"I know baby," I said as I kissed her forehead. "I have some people I would like you to meet. Is that okay?"
"Okay." She agreed trying to sit up some on the bed. She looked around at the two new people in the room.
"Lizzie this Bella, she's a special friend of daddy's from before you were born."
"Hi Lizzie, it's very nice to meet you," Bella said.
"She's pretty daddy." Lizzie said making Bella blush.
"Yes, baby she is," I said as I smiled back at Bella. "And this is Bella's little boy Masen."
Lizzie looked over at Masen and then at me. "We have the same hair color daddy."
"Yes you do Lizzie," I said as I sat down next to her on the bed. "And that's because, Masen is your big brother."
"I have a brother?"
"You do, a big brother, he's my son like you're my daughter. Bella is his Mommy though like your Mommy was yours. Masen has come a long way to see if maybe he can help you feel better."
Masen walked over to other side of the bed and Bella and I both gasped when he took Lizzie's small hand in his own. She grabbed onto his hand and no words were needed between them, they are already connected.
I noticed as tears fell from Bella's face. "I'm sorry, I'll be right back," she said as she walked out of the room.
"Hey buddy, can you watch after Lizzie for me while I go check on your Mom?" I asked Masen.
He nodded to me and I walked out of the room. I looked to my left and then to my right. I saw Bella down the hall with her back to me. I walked over to her and placed my hand on her shoulder.
"Are you okay?" I asked her.
She turned around to face me as she wiped at her face. "I'm sorry, that was just so… when he took her hand. He loves her already."
"Looks like she's pretty fond of him too," I said. "He's a good kid Bella."
"Yeah he is because he's half of you." She said. "Edward I've made so many mistakes… so many things I wish I could change."
"Bella, there are so many things we need to talk about…"
"I know we do, Edward," she said. "But if it's okay, I'd like to take Masen back to the hotel. It was a long flight and I'm sure he's tired."
"Yes of course," I said. "Are you okay to go back in?"
"Yeah I think so."
We walked back to Lizzie's room and when we got there, my heart swelled. Lizzie was sitting up in bed and Masen was sitting across from her. They were playing rocks paper scissors and Lizzie was laughing. It had been so long since I heard her laugh.
"Hey sweetheart," Bella said to Masen. "We're going to head back to the hotel to have dinner with Grandma and rest up okay?"
"Can we come back tomorrow?" Masen asked.
"Of course we can," she replied. "Say good night to Lizzie and Edward."
"Good night," Masen said to Lizzie as he hopped her off bed. But before he walked over to us, he leaned in and gave his sister a hug and she hugged him back.
"Night Masen," Lizzie said back and then she looked over at Bella. "Night Bella."
"Good night Lizzie, it was very nice to you meet you sweet girl," Bella said back to her.
Masen then walked over to me and I knelt down to him. "I'll see you tomorrow okay buddy?"
"Okay," he said and then he hugged me.
I wrapped my arms around him and looked up at Bella who was standing there wiping the tears from her eyes once again. I reached up and wiped my own from my eyes as I held my son for the first time.
A/N: Few things: There are so many stories out there where
Edward's son's name is Anthony because that's his middle name,
However in this story, Edward's middle name is Masen so there you go. I wanted something different.
So the good news, yes there is bad news too, lol.
Good news I posted this update and will post the first flashback
chapter later today. The response has been great so that's your reward.
Now the bad news: No updates for at least a few days. I need to get some more chapters pre-written so I can update often. By weekend's end chapter 4 will post… deal?
Next chapter will be the first flashback chapter.
It will tell the story of how Edward and Bella first met 10 years ago.
Time line for this story, present day is 2015, Bella is 26 and Edward is 32, so flashbacks will be from the summer of 2005 when she was 16 and he was 22… duh like you can't do the math yourselves!
So why didn't Bella tell Edward about the baby?
Yes, her parents made her go, but why?
Please review.
xoxo
