Chapter Four

The door to Bella's room is open a little, so I push it further and peek my head through. She is staring right at me.

"Hi, uh, is it okay if I come back in?"

She nods her head, but then turns it and looks out the window.

Now that she is awake, I don't really know what to say to her. The dark bags under her eyes seemed to have gotten darker, and it looks like she was crying.

"I'm Edward, by the way, Edward Cullen."

I sit in the chair and try to think of something to say when a doctor walks through the door.

"Miss Swan, I'm Doctor Alba, I'm the emergency doctor on call right now." He looks over at me and raises his eyebrow.

"I should go again," I say and get up to leave.

"No!" I look over at Bella, and she looks scared. "I mean, I was hoping I could talk to you. You have my girls."

"I was only going to wait in the hallway. I'm assuming you need to be examined," I look at the doctor when I ask this.

He nods his head. "This will be quick. Because of the nature of your accident, and the fact that you lost consciousness, I want to get you in for some tests right away."

Bella nods slowly. I think she must be still feeling the effects of whatever drugs they gave her. Plus she hit her head really hard, which I know all too well, can have extreme consequences.

"Okay."

I leave the room, but it feels like no time at all before the doctor comes out again and tells me I can go back in.

"Hi. Again." I say as I walk through the door. I start calling myself names in my head but when I see Bella smile a little, probably at my awkwardness, I relax a bit. I have to remind myself: no name-calling.

"Hi. I think I'm a little out of it."

"That's to be expected. I know from experience that hitting your head the way you did can really mess things around in there for a while."

"Are you saying I'm messed up in the head, Rusty?"

"NO! Of course not, I," I stop talking when I see her quietly laughing. Laughing at me, I presume.

"Did you just call me Rusty?"

"Oh, uh, yeah." Now she looks embarrassed. "The girls and I noticed that your hair matched the rust on the back of your old truck. So, it seemed like a logical nickname, and I guess I started calling you that in my head."

I'm not sure how to process this information except that it means she definitely noticed me.

"Yeah, I guess that truck probably needs to be replaced." It's ancient, but I love it. I bought it from my old neighbour, Mr. Banner, when he couldn't drive it anymore, but it isn't exactly something you would take someone on a date in. I tried that once, and it ended in disaster.

"Oh no, I like it," Bella says enthusiastically. "It has so much character. And what's a little rust anyway? It matches your hair."

Then she giggles.

At this point, I feel like I'm flying. She noticed me. She gave me a nickname. She likes my truck. If I wasn't crushing hard on this woman before, I definitely am now.

"Are you always this jumpy?"

And now, I am crashing. I thought I was doing so well.

"Uh, yeah." I cringe. My answers are always so lame. "I have a hard time sitting still if my hands aren't occupied."

"You should take up knitting!" She says this with so much glee on her face that I have to laugh. Then she stops and says, "I'm sorry. I think whatever the nurse gave me is really starting to kick in. I had a terrible headache when I woke up but now I'm starting to feel a little loopy. You must think I'm crazy."

"Can I tell you something that might make you feel better?"

"What?"

"I actually do knit."

"You do?" Her eyes are wide, she reminds me of Maggie with her child-like look of excitement on her face.

I can't help but laugh. She's feeling a little stoned, I can see it in her eyes.

"Yeah, I learned years ago. It's something to do with my hands so I can focus. You're the second person to suggest that."

"Huh." Is all she says.

"Tell me about your mom? You said my girls are with her. How was my baby this morning? Poor Maggie. I hope Frannie did not freak you out too much; she can definitely be a handful. Do you know how long they were alone before you got there?" Bella starts rambling as she scootches down a bit on her pillow and closes her eyes.

Before I have a chance to answer any of her questions, there is a loud, vocal 'knock-knock' at the door and I turn to see a huge, Native American man taking up almost the entire door frame.

He looks pissed.

"Bella Swan, I should kick your ass!"

"I'd like to see you try Jake."

"Are you kidding? By the looks of you, a light breeze would blow you over. You just disappear? You stop answering our calls? Is he the reason why?"

He turns and glares at me. With my nerves going into overdrive I must look almost spastic. I really wish I had something to keep my hands busy with.

"Leave him alone Jake. He's a," she pauses here and looks at me. "He's a new friend who called the ambulance."

And then I am stunned to see this giant of a man look as if he's going to cry as he leans over to hug Bella.

"Girl, we missed you so much. Maria is going to kill you, you know that right?" He holds her for a really long time. When he lets go Bella is full out crying.

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry Jake."

"How are my two sweethearts?" When Jake the giant says this, Bella visibly pales – which is quite the feat since she is already pale and sickly looking.

"What aren't you telling me Bee?"

Bella shakes her head. I can see a teardrop on the tip of her nose, she is looking down, picking at imaginary lint on her hospital blanket.

"Bee?"

"There are three now."

"Three? What do you mean three? Three kids? The last time I saw you, you had two." Jake's face is turning red. "Did you let that fucker touch you again?"

Bella is crying and shaking her head. "Not willingly."

It's quiet but I hear it. Jake hears it and goes as still as a statue, then he looks at me and I don't know what to do. I feel kind of like puking though so I put my head between my knees.

I don't know exactly what is going on, or who this Jake guy is, but that answer was pretty telling.

Not willingly.

And now there are three daughters.

I don't know who this ex-husband of hers is but I'm ready to start throwing punches, and Jake looks like he could start ripping apart the hospital. There is a vein on his forehead that looks ready to pop.

Bella glances over at me then looks at Jake and says something quietly while nodding her head in my direction. I'm not sure what she is saying because it isn't in English. And then Jake starts talking back to her in rapid-fire Spanish. I may not be able to speak the language, but I can recognize it.

After a couple minutes of heated discussion, in Spanish, Jake holds up his hands.

"Stop. I didn't come here to fight with you. I came to take you to get your scans done."

He starts prepping Bella to transfer into the wheely thing that will transport her to her tests. He's obviously still really mad, and Bella is sniffling and wiping her eyes.

"You realize when I tell Maria about all of this she is going to be sharpening her knives, right? You don't piss off a Spanish chef when it comes to the ones you love. Especially a pregnant, Spanish chef." Jake glances up and stares Bella in the eye.

"Oh Jake, I didn't know."

"Of course you didn't." He's shaking his head. "You just had to deal with everything on your own didn't you? And now look where you are. Still the same old Bee."

With one swift movement, Bella is transferred. I don't think I've ever before seen someone do it so quickly, or so angrily.

"Hey careful," I say before I realize what I am doing. He looks up at me and glares again. "Her head really hurts."

His expression softens as he looks down at Bella. "I'm sorry. I'm just so mad at you right now."

We hear another knock at the door and turn to see my father standing there.

"I see I'm a little late. Hello, Jacob."

"Hey, doc."

"Hello, son." He says turning to me. "And you must be Bella."

Jake looks at me and then at my dad. "Doctor Cullen is your dad?"

Dad and I both nod our heads and say 'yes' at the exact same time.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Cullen." Dad reaches out and takes Bella's hand.

Bella stares at my dad.

"I'm assuming these three cuties are your girls?" He holds up his phone. I don't see the photo he is showing her, but from the small smile it brings to her face, I can assume it is something cute.

He's good at this, my dad, at relaxing people.

"I also happen to be Edward's father and my wife is currently looking after your girls. I believe their names are Maggie, Frannie, and Luna – did I get that right?"

Bella's smile gets even bigger. She still looks so tired and scared, and her eyes are red and swollen, but that's a real smile, and it changes her whole look. She is so beautiful.

"That's right." She says softly.

I can see Jake manoeuvring to see the phone, probably trying to get a glimpse of the third baby he didn't know about. His stern expression softens when he sees it.

"That's my baby, Luna," she says, pointing to the phone and looking up at Jake.

"Now, I'm not technically on duty right now, but Edward was worried about you. I still happened to be at the hospital, so I thought I would come down and check on you. The doctor who looked you over while you were still unconscious thinks you need your head examined," with that comment, Bella's eyes go wide. "Sorry, a little neurology joke." My dad chuckles. He is such a nerd.

"What I really mean," he continues, "is that we are going to do some scans, but you already know that so I should let Jacob do his job."

Then Jake looks from my dad, down at Bella laying on the gurney (I remembered what it's called) and back up at me. "I approve," is all he says as he pushes her through the door.

Dad watches Jake wheel Bella out of the room and then he turns to me with a huge grin on his face.

"Your mother is in love." He says this while holding up his phone so I can see the photo. Mom was trying to take a selfie with all three girls, and they're all smiling. Well, Frannie is definitely smiling. Maggie looks happier than she did earlier today and there is a little smile on her lips. She is snuggled closely into my mother's side. Luna is sitting on my mom's lap, chewing on the tail of her stuffed rhino. All you can see of my mother's face is her grin because her head is cut off in the photo.

Those little girls don't know it, but they just found a grandmother whether they want one or not. I know my mother loves me. She has done everything she could for me, even when I didn't deserve it. But life hasn't been the same since my big sister died, and I know she misses having a daughter. I hope Bella lets us in. It sounds like she could use some help.

And then I think of her other words.

Not willingly.

I wonder what the fuck happened in that house. Regardless of what did, that baby is loved, anyone can see that. Little Luna, named after the full moon because 'it was beautiful, just like her.' Maggie said.

I look up at my dad who is studying me, but I have nothing to say.

What is there to say?


A/N: Phew. How you all doing?

SunflowerFran once again used her red pen to make this chapter sound better, and then I, once again, went through and changed things. All mistakes are mine.

You have all been amazing with your comments. Thanks so much for reading! I'll see you next Friday.

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