A/N: I am so very sorry for this long delay again. I am trying hard to get a "normal" update schedule. Thank you for everyone who still reads, reviews, and alerts this story. Special thanks to Tessaholt and The Little Known Ficster for the rec. My Beta Beautification team is quite awesome and I would never post without your magic touch. Thank you Mcc101180 (Desired, sooo good, read it!) Lovebug, Cuppycake, and Simba, I love you!

Disclaimer: Funkmaster Steph owns Twilight, this is just my own Diddy remix

I'm married to a very stubborn woman. I've always loved the way she stood firm on her beliefs, except of course, when I'm on the losing end. We had an indescribable night, and left the hotel in hysterics about our state of undress. We looked like a couple in the middle of an affair. It was classic, and it lit the fuel for an interlude in the taxi on our way home, followed by the finale in our family room. We were more than covered for our next parents' pause once my schedule went back to normal. Reality finally caught up to us and, after a surprise blow job, we quickly showered, and rushed off to get the children from school.

As much as I treasured the previous hours on, behind, and inside Bella, I was excited to pick up the children. We were doing it together, and it wasn't just for show. It may have taken four days but we were finally going to have a night together, just our fearsome foursome. However, we wouldn't get to the school on time if Bella didn't give in as we were currently locked in a stare down, each with a hand on the driver's side door handle.

"I can drive my own car, Edward!"

"I don't know how to be a passenger. I have a condition," I responded.

"Oh, please! What condition? AmateurNascardriveritis?"

"We haven't named it yet. I'm a doctor, I wouldn't make this up!"

"Last time you drove my car to school you got a ticket." She bumped me with her hip.

"Hey! I apologized for that, remember" I smirked at her, knowing from the pinkish tint covering her neck and cheeks she hadn't forgotten my orally presented apology.

"You're such a big baby!" She huffed and walked over to the passenger seat. "To the school, Alfred!"

I stood next to Bella with my hand on the small of her back while we waited for our children to be dismissed, and she immediately became Miss Popular; the other moms approached her with so much to discuss and play dates to plan. The major flaw in all of their commentaries was that they came over to talk to Bella, but directed all their attention at me. Embarrassment was all I felt toward them. My blanket answer to each request was that we couldn't commit to any dates without checking with our children and their schedules. Tanya came over and reenacted the scene, complete with batting eyelashes and fake giggles. I was once again reminded why I appreciated having Tanya in Bella's corner.

The children came bustling out of the building shortly after. Their clothes and hair were in such complete disarray they were unrecognizable, and I assumed that meant they had ended the day with physical education. Masen was in his element as the center of attention. Whatever he had done or said caused his 'crew' to double over with laughter. He was much like his Uncle Emmett in that regard, possessing the ability to make everyone laugh.

We waved to their teachers so they could be released to us.

"I won!" Masen yelled, taunting Maddy before hugging Bella around the waist.

"It wasn't even a race." Maddy pouted and pushed Masen before dropping her backpack at my feet.

How could I forget I was her backpack bellhop?

"Maddy, your hair is so pretty," Bella admired giving Madison a kiss on the forehead. "Did Aunt Rose do that?"

"Yes and my nails. Look!" She forced her tiny hands in both of our faces to show off her mini-manicure.

I scowled at Bella, and mouthed my dislike. I didn't like anything that made my little girl seem too grown up. It was only very light pink polish, but if it was more than clear, it was unacceptable. I smiled for Maddy's sake, but I would be giving my sister-in-law a piece of my mind later.

"So, where to now?" I asked after we loaded up the car.

"Home."

"You don't want to stop and get dinner?"

"No, take-out is only for the weekends. I remember someone preferring it that way." Bella glanced at me with a smirk.

I cleared my throat, but there wasn't much I could say about my previous doucheband – half douchebag half husband - behavior, and I was guilty of serving take-out for dinner. I silently hoped our little passengers didn't rat me out.

"Well, I didn't think you wanted to cook."

"I don't - that's why you're cooking. Did you remember to take something out?"

"Well, since my morning was spent putting something into you, no, I didn't take anything out."

"Edward!" She slapped my arm and looked back to see if the children had heard us but they were in their own world.

"I'm sure we can find-"

"Daddy, did you see Riley's dog today? Can we get one now?" Masen asked while kicking the back of my seat, and banging on the headrest.

We were never going to close this dog discussion.

"No, buddy, I didn't see the dog. Remember I told you we don't have space for a dog." I glanced at him through the mirror trying to gauge his mood and see how far he would take this.

"But we have a big house. I can put him in my room."

"No dog, Masen! When my pony lives with us he might step on your dog and then you will cry like a baby 'waaah waaah waaah'," Madison interrupted, trying to make her case for a pet.

Did they forget we lived in a penthouse apartment in New York City, and not on fifty acres in North Dakota?

"Our home is big for us but not a dog. We don't have a yard."

"Like Nonna and Grandpa?" Masen continued.

"Yes, exactly like that."

"My dog can live with Nonna and then I can take him for a walk. Then Grandpa can give him baths."

I figured this discussion was better saved for home so I let Masen ramble on about how he could manage having a puppy. I would sit him down again and remind him why we couldn't get a pet now. I knew I could at least hold him off with the age argument if worse came to worse. Most discussions could be held off by telling them that it was tabled until they were seven.

We arrived home just as the natives reached their peak of restlessness, and when we got inside, I gathered all of the fixings for tacos and fajitas.

"Ooh yummy, they'll love tacos." Bella kissed my cheek. "I'm gonna head up and get them settled, be back in a bit."

"Daddy, can I help?" Masen asked, running into the kitchen.

"Hey, buddy! You certainly can help, but the correct answer is you may. You ask 'May I help?'" He gave me a blank look, as if to ask, 'Can I help or not?' I got the step ladder out of the pantry for him.

"Be careful up here, and no knives." He nodded eagerly. "Do you know who taught me how to cook?"

"Umm, Mommy?"

"Well it was Nonna, who is my Mommy."

"That's funny, Daddy!"

"What's funny about Nonna teaching me how to cook I was a little?"

"But you're Daddy..."

"You think I've always been Daddy?

"Yup," he deadpanned.

"No, Daddy was your age once too. I've only been Daddy your whole life. Remember the pictures at Nonna's house with Uncle Em holding a baby? That was me."

"With your hair sticking up like now?"

"Hey! Yours sticks up too! Glass houses, buddy. Glass houses."

His brow furrowed, and he looked around the kitchen trying to see if the kitchen was made of glass.

Such an inquisitive and sometimes silly little boy.

"Okay. So, once I chop up the peppers, you can put them in the bowls, okay? These are important tasks, are you ready to do this?"

"Ready!" he shouted.

We worked side by side and I could see his eyes light up over how much he really felt like a mini chef. When I was cutting the chicken into strips, I saw him grab a red pepper, and put it into his mouth.

"No Mase!" I cried, unable to grab it from him since I had been handling raw meat.

"I like it." He laughed. "Can I try the yellow and green ones?"

"Let's wait until they're cooked, okay?"

He pouted, but dropped the inquiry. I let him pour the peppers and sugar into the pan and allowed him to stir. That more than made up for earlier, and I enjoyed passing my culinary lessons on to him.

"Okay, I have to do the chicken because I don't want you to get sick, but you can watch."

As soon as I finished speaking, my phone rang.

"Mase, you can answer it."

I knew that he was more than capable of working my iPhone since he had figured out the passcode lock twice. I was actually fairly certain that he knew more about it than I did.

He hopped off the step stool and ran to grab the phone from where it was sitting on the kitchen island.

"This is Dr. Cullen," he answered trying to make his voice deep.

"Is that how I sound?" I asked with a laugh.

"Hi Auntie Ali! Are you coming to pick me up?" He couldn't get enough of his aunt and uncle, but often forgot they didn't live as close as his other aunts and uncles. I smiled knowing that I would be talking to my sister soon.

"No way." He giggled. "We're making dinner but Daddy is cooking the chicken...the fire station? He's gonna burn the house down? I can call Uncle Em, he has a fire pole at his house. Have you seen it? Yes, I'm very good. I love you too!"

He poked me in the side with my phone. "Daddy, Aunt Ali wants you."

I washed my hands before taking the phone from him. "Agent Preggo of Baby Makers Incorporated, gimme my nephew!"

"Really? Are you going to say that every time we speak until I deliver?" she asked pretending to be annoyed. "I could be having another girl."

"Yes I am; it's in the big brother handbook. No, it must be a nephew so the boys maintain family dominance. Don't try to upset the ratio. We can have a starting five if you do your part!" As I moved around continuing dinner, I noticed my helper had disappeared.

"I thought I was calling my less idiotic brother."

"Less idiotic? Hmm? Nope, that's not me, but I am the most handsome one. I mean, not like your friends didn't already beat that into your head."

"Oh gosh! I'm gonna be sick. The helium in your head is coming through the phone."

"No other Cullen has swagger like me."

"I don't even know what that means! Anyway, I had an actual purpose for this call."

"You're still having Dad deliver right?" I laughed setting out the taco shells and fajita rounds.

"Seriously, what's wrong with you today?" she asked with a hint of annoyance. "Besides, didn't he deliver your children? You went in after Dad-"

"Eww, why would you even say that? I was just kidding, Ali. I do miss you a lot though. Okay, I'm being serious now. How are you and the Whitlock army?"

"Einstein, I miss you too! You need to come visit us in Texas. You know you can afford it, and I'm sure you need the time off. Everyone is really good. Em has a swim meet soon, and Carlie is getting so good at the piano. Jackers is going through a weird phase now as he realizes he won't be the youngest for much longer, so that's a little rough, but we're okay. New baby Whitlock will be a soccer star for sure."

"And Colonel Sanders?"

"Stop calling him that. His name is Jasper! And he's great. He's building a greenhouse out back. Let me call you back, animals on the loose. I love you."

With that, she hung up. I couldn't help but laugh about the mini zoo my sister lived in. Alice made it a point to have all the pets she was deprived of as a child in Chicago. Once she moved to Texas, she purchased land to start a mini farm. Jasper, her Texas born husband, was more than happy to oblige her. She now preferred tending to her horses to navigating Michigan Avenue.

I didn't know where Masen had disappeared to after he handed the phone off to me, but I was able to finish dinner during my phone call, despite my missing assistant. After setting the table, I began to search for my family. First I found Masen. He was in his bedroom playing with his action figures.

"Hey, buddy. I thought you were helping me make dinner?" I asked.

"I did help," he answered without looking up from what I assumed was roll call.

"Well, dinner is ready, so get washed up."

I instructed, and then waited for him to wash his hands because he had a tendency to get distracted.

When we entered Madison's room, we found it was empty, and Mase ran ahead to the family room while I lagged behind.

"I found them," he whispered, or at least tried to whisper.

Bella and Maddy – surrounded by magazines, glue sticks, and construction paper – were snuggled closely together on the sofa. I stared in wonder at the two most important ladies in the world to me. They must have fallen asleep in the middle of working on Maddy's assignment. Maddy was wrapped around Bella like a lion cub, her two tiny legs draped around one of Bella's with one arm holding firmly to her neck. Her free hand was resting above Bella's heart, and was closed in a fist as if she was keeping it for herself.

Bella's hair was shielding Maddy from view and, although I thought it made her look like Cousin It, it allowed me a glimpse of what she'd look like with her mother's hair rather than my multi-colored mess. Madison was even more gorgeous with the tree bark brown waves cascading down her arms. She shared the same button nose and expressive eyes with her mother, but with my hair, everyone said she looked like me. I saw more of Bella in Maddy every day. Madison was a supreme daddy's girl, so it made me happy when she shifted some of that possessiveness to her mother.

I had no idea how long they had been asleep, and I almost didn't want to wake them, but I had to. It was time for dinner and, most importantly, if Madison was unable to sleep through the night, we'd have a cranky bed guest. Kissing them both on the head, I shook them awake.

"Wake up Maddy!" Masen yelled right into her ear, pulling her hair for good measure.

Just as I was ready to shout at him, she slid off Bella, wiping her eyes.

So that's how it works.

"Daddy," she whined with a pout, and lifted her arms.

While I didn't like when she behaved like a baby, I could never deny her anything, especially when it was a hug, so I swooped her up. "Hey Sleeping Beauty."

Masen used that time to hop on a slowly awakening Bella.

"Mommy, it's not bedtime," he informed her while holding her eyes open with his fingers.

"Woah, Mase, you're in 3D right now, and you're spraying DNA samples which I don't need since I gave you much of them." She grabbed his arms before swinging her legs off of the couch to stand up.

"Come on, Mommy. I made dinner," he embellished, pulling her to the kitchen.

I couldn't believe he just took credit for the whole meal; I could only laugh at the little monster I created.

We got the twins washed up and sat down at the table, but not before they engaged in a few rounds of musical chairs.

"Wow, Mase! You made all of this?" Bella smirked at me.

She knew I had made dinner, but she was too great a mother to not let Masen enjoy his accomplishment.

Madison wasn't so accommodating. "No Mommy, he's too little to cook."

My verdict ultimately ended the discussion.

"He did cook, I only helped a little," I added.

"And you were napping with me so you wouldn't know. Maybe next time you can help out," Bella answered.

Such a mama bear.

Dinner was pretty quiet while the children got to make their own tacos and fajitas. More of the fixings ended up on the table than in their bellies, but that was okay. Surprisingly, it turned out that Masen liked peppers whether they were cooked or not.

"Maddy, what were you and Mommy working on?" I asked, scarfing down my second fajita.

"We are making a poster." She looked up at me with a salsa moustache. "Mommy helped me cut pictures because I wanna be a vettynawian. Daddy, you have to come speak to my class about your job. Mommy, you can't come because you don't have a job; you're just Mommy."

I looked at Bella wide eyed as she dropped her head, becoming fascinated by the stray pieces of lettuce on her plate while Madison went back to eating as if she hadn't just taken the wind out of the sails of the woman who sacrificed so many desires for her ungrateful self. I couldn't remember ever being so angry with my daughter, and then a lump formed in my throat as I recognized myself in her behavior. It wasn't like I had been behaving any differently before last night; I had said and done much worse than Maddy.

The confident, ambitious woman from dinner the night before – sliding her plate away and fiddling with her bracelet – was two seconds from bursting into tears, and I was too shocked to do anything.

Living up to his billing as a mama's boy, Masen saved the day.

"Mommy is a job, Maddy. Duh! Mommy makes us breakfast and fills our lunch bags with snacks. Then she makes dinner, and tucks us in with special snuggles. Mommy does everything."

My son was going to make an amazing husband one day. Despite the disregard I'd shown for everything Bella did for us, he was aware of it, and willing to make sure we knew it. Bella gave him a soft smile, and tried to discretely wipe a stray tear with her shoulder as she ruffled his hair. At that moment, I was acutely aware that if she didn't find something that was all her own, we'd lose the one person who always put us first. With everything I had conditioned myself to endure, I knew that was something that would surely kill me.

*MasenosidaM*

BPOV

I was unprepared for the bumpy transition when I returned to a full-time position. Grading the journals could be done on the sofa in my comfy sweats while I munched on cookies. Whereas taking over the advanced writing class, and after school program meant I'd be in school all day, behind the desk and forced to wear my Sunday best. Mainly though, it meant less time with Masen and Madison.

While I couldn't wait to grasp some time for myself and feel like the old Bella by working, I still missed them. My first day back to work, I burst into tears as soon as I turned the corner onto Madison Avenue. The reality that I wouldn't see them again until the next morning hit me hard, and I called Jacob, babbling like an idiot, until he reassured me I was doing the right thing. I missed the daily chats with my brother and felt that could be a big part of why I was hesitant about my return. Every decision from the age of seventeen up had been made with his assistance, and I still valued his opinion. I hoped we would have time to actually get together soon because I missed him and his gorgeous children terribly.

Two weeks later, I felt like I had finally gotten a hang of juggling my schedule. At least that was my outlook in the morning. As the day wore on, work piled up and I felt myself drowning.

This isn't my day!

All day, I had been looking forward to getting home in time for dinner and spending time with the twins. I also wanted to relax with Edward before he would have to leave for the hospital. After school study sessions and an impromptu staff meeting assured that I wouldn't get home until bedtime. Incessantly pressing for the elevator, I tried to remember if I promised that I would be home for dinner or if I had kept it a secret hoping to make it a surprise.

I kicked off my shoes at the door, trying to beat the clock and bedtime I'd set for the twins, but the dark, quiet halls indicated that they were now in slumber-land. After watching them both for a few minutes, saddled with regret for my tardiness, I dragged myself upstairs to get ready for bed.

"Honey, I'm home!" I found Edward stretched across the bed with his arms behind his head. Of course, that was basically an invitation for me to straddle him.

"Hey, babe." He sighed wrapping his arms tightly around me.

"Sorry I'm late." I spoke into his chest before leaning up to kiss him. "I missed you guys all day. Were they sad I wasn't here for bedtime?"

"No more than usual."

I wasn't sure what was bothering Edward - I didn't think I was that late – but his clipped tone and short answers weren't sitting well with me.

"Do you have to go in tonight?" I nuzzled his jaw, just enjoying the essence of him. Peace and quiet for longer than ten minutes was rare these days, and I wanted to savor it while we had it.

"Babe, we need to talk," he blurted out.

"About…" I ran my fingers through his hair, lightly scratching his scalp.

"This isn't working."

"What? Am I too heavy?"

"Are you kidding?" He grabbed my hips to still my motion before lifting his up to press into me. "I love having you on top of me. I just mean…well, I'm at the hospital almost seven hours, then I leave to pick up the kids, we come home and do homework, dinner, baths, and bed, before I leave to go back and do another eight hours. I don't know if you can tell, but it's killing me!"

I slid off of him silently trying to process what I had just heard. So it was possible for my day to get worse. The more things change, the more they seem to stay the same. Anger wouldn't make the situation any better. As difficult as the day had been with trying to find a balance, it didn't mean I wanted to quit my job. That wasn't even an option. Forming a rebuttal in my head I went to put on my pajamas. Edward used my silence as an indication to continue.

"You already know I feel like a failure for not being around as much as I wish I could. Now it's as if I'm teasing the children, and forcing them to relive it twice a day. That's sure what it feels like to me," he whispered clenching and unclenching his fists. "It's one thing to be at work, and be away from you guys but to come home, have dinner, help with homework, smell you, kiss you, and then have to leave everyday…it's killing me."

I'm glad I hadn't flown off the handle. Edward was having issues with his job, not with mine. His behavior since my arrival now made sense. I sat at the foot of the bed prepared, to listen as he tried to work through his current predicament.

"But you do it," I replied with my head down as I wrung my hands that had been sitting idly in my lap.

As much as this hurt Edward, I had to endure it as well. The difference is that I had to deal with the aftermath every day. My heart ached as his scent lingered in each room, but the hardest part was watching the smallest members of our family deal with it. Masen often looked dejected, refusing to share his 'boy stuff' with Mommy, and Maddy had camped herself at the front door more than once, crying for Daddy to return. After battling with them, I climbed into an empty bed wishing my husband was home. I couldn't tell Edward this would all be okay and we didn't mind because that simply wasn't true, and I couldn't pretend it was. Not even to comfort him.

"Edward, we both enjoy having careers, but we obviously love our children and family life more. No matter how hard we try, one is going to suffer and it's up to us to decide if it's going to be work or our children. I'm not suggesting you stay home for the next six years, but honestly, your work schedule isn't conducive to being a parent, at least not an active one. That's something you're going to have to figure out on your own. I do have an idea about how we could revise our current schedules to have more time with the children, as well as each other."

"Well, I'm all ears," Edward answered lifting his head up from his fists while his elbows rested on his knees.

"We could hire a nanny. Well not quite a nanny, but maybe a sitter. Tanya uses one sometimes for Jordan."

"Paying a stranger to watch our children? Isn't that like inviting danger into our home? Like a child molester?"

"Honestly, Edward, do you think I'm going to be looking on a sex offender registry to find a sitter?" I scoffed, raising my eyebrows.

"Well, I know that each summer when we offer camp training at the hospital, they always repeat the same thing: If you want to molest a child, work at a summer camp. Wouldn't we be making it easier by welcoming them into our home, giving them free run of the place, and time alone with our children?"

"Edward, I would never put our children in harm's way. We'd do an extensive background check on whoever we decide to hire. And honestly, do you think the world's biggest tattle tale would let anything slide, or let anyone touch her inappropriately?"

"True." Edward laughed. "I'm sure Maddy's checklist will be worse than the background check."

"She'll be my eyes and ears, the little spy."

"Does this make us bad parents?" Edward asked in a whisper so quiet that I almost didn't hear him. I moved to kneel in front of him.

"Oh, honey." I pushed his hair away from his forehead. "This won't make us bad parents at all. We're simply going to have someone pick up the children, so that when we're home, they'll have our complete attention. It would be different if we needed a sitter while we were home."

He lifted me up to sit on his knee so I would still be able to face him. "This still makes me uneasy…" Edward paused, "…but if you are comfortable with it, then I can get on board."

Throwing my arms around his neck I responded, "Whoever we choose will be someone we both agree on, I promise."

"No guys, because that's just creepy." He scowled.

"So, maybe a hot, young Catholic schoolgirl?" I asked, smirking at him.

"I've already got that, your uniform is hanging in the closet. Wanna put it on?"

"How about I give you the mother of two…" I stood up to stretch "…in the plaid pajamas to hide the stretch marks and c-section scar?"

"This scar…" he lifted my shirt to place soft kisses along the mark "…is the sexiest thing about you."

"You're quite the sweet talker." I kissed him deeply and tugged on his hair before heading to the bathroom. "Now I really have to sleep with you."

"Ha! You might not get my best effort tonight, but I'd be down for a middle of the night pounding when I get my second wind, so be ready around six."

I laughed and turned on the sink.

"Can you put up some ads at work?" I asked while brushing my teeth.

"What was that?" he asked.

Shutting off the toothbrush and stepping back to face him, I asked again, "Can you put up some flyers at work?"

"Sure, and I'll put some up at the library at Columbia. Could you be any hotter right now? I think it's the toothpaste dripping from the left corner of your mouth that's really doing it for me."

I wiggled my index, middle, and ring fingers at him before letting the middle stay up. I would never tire of these silly moments. We could manage any marital issue if we worked together. Now we just needed to tackle our next task of finding a babysitter.

I never imagined it would be so hard to find and choose a babysitter.

Of course, the world was littered with predators and undesirables, but even after getting rid of those, I was still left with a wacky bunch to choose from. No way did I intend on meeting them all. Thank goodness many failed the phone conversation so that eliminated a few prospects. During the first two days I was determined to weed out the teenyboppers. No way would I leave my two six year old children in the care of a fifteen year old. I didn't care how mature they claimed to be. The mothers of young children also couldn't be candidates for us. The last thing I wanted was to take another mother from time with her children to watch mine. Our strangest call came from a woman who was adamant about being live in even after I repeatedly told her the job wouldn't require that at all. Her erratic phone demeanor raised lots of red flags. We narrowed it down to five people to meet at Starbucks. Edward would be conducting the interviews with me so we hoped to find someone immediately.

*MadisonesaM*

"Bree, I'm sorry my husband wasn't able to make it on time. That will in no way reflect on your interview today."

Bree Andrews seemed like she would be a great fit for our family. At twenty-five she was obtaining her master's in child psychology so many of her assignments were field study. The flexibility of babysitting fit perfectly with her schedule. The background check didn't spook her and she was even willing to pay for it herself. She was early to our interview which immediately gave her bonus points. We waited ten minutes for Edward to arrive before we began.

Fifteen minutes later when we were finishing up, he still hadn't shown up.

"Everything looks good. I'll contact your references and conduct the background check."

"Sounds great, thank you so very much for meeting me." She shook my hand before yelping.

"Are you okay?" I asked in concern.

"Oh, I'm fine, just a little flustered. Of course this wouldn't matter since you're married, but there is an extremely handsome man at the bar. My god, he's gorgeous."

"Well that's great for you, I'll try to look but be discreet."

I turned slightly in my seat so I could view the bar. I don't know why I didn't immediately guess from her description.

Edward.

Well this will be awkward.

"What do you think?" she asked eagerly.

Before I could form a response Edward was beside me. "I'm so sorry I'm late." He kissed the top of my head before placing a cupcake in front of me. Bree looked like she wanted to burst tears and I felt sorry for her because I knew it was an honest mistake.

"Hello, I'm Edward Cullen." Edward extended his hand to Bree.

"B-Bree Andrews," she whispered before shaking his hand.

I wanted to provide an out for her as it was clear she was extremely uncomfortable. "Bree, it was so great to meet you, I'll be in touch."

"Thank you, Ms. Cullen." She grabbed up her paperwork and fled Starbucks leaving her nearly full raspberry tea behind.

"What was that about?" Edward asked with a confused look on his face.

"Bree has a little crush on you." I laughed leaning into him.

"That's an automatic no." He hugged me to his chest with a smile. "You look like a sexy teacher. I'm really sorry I'm late. I tried my hardest to get out on time. I can't believe someone fell off of their roof and held me up."

I laughed before rubbing my nose against his and kissing him softly on the lips. "The nerve of some people, don't they know we need a babysitter? Thank you for my cupcake."

I opened the plastic container and began filling Edward in on Bree while we waited for the next candidate. I told him he didn't have to worry about Bree's interest in him as she made an honest mistake. It was clear that she was more embarrassed than anything. If she was who we ended up choosing, I hoped she wouldn't be too bashful to accept the position. Edward was very impressed with Bree's qualifications and even recognized one of her references.

We agreed that she was at the top of the yes list while we waited for Lauren Mallory to arrive. She was already late and still stopped to order a drink. I knew right then I wouldn't like her. Our family operated on schedules and that's what the children were familiar with. If she couldn't arrive to an interview on time, would she get to their school on time? To further piss me off, when she finally made it to our table she introduced herself to Edward first. I was the only one she had spoken to and I even described my appearance and location. She had no idea Edward would even be there. She didn't even know who he was. I was livid at this point.

Trying to power through the interview proved to be difficult. Lauren had extensive background in babysitting and even worked as a teacher's assistant at a neighborhood daycare. The problem was shameless flirting with Edward made it appear that she also had a long history of seduction and home wrecking. My home would not be the next on her list. She didn't even conceal her interest as she called me Bella and Edward, Dr. Cullen. I was positive he didn't even hear his title that much while at the hospital. Interrupting her lame attempts I told her we would be meeting with a few candidates and hopefully make a decision soon.

"Hell no!" Edward confirmed once Lauren had exited the store. He looked so angry, but I doubt it compared to how I felt. I was proud of myself for remaining in control and not going across the table like a panther to tear her to shreds.

"This is exactly why I was hesitant about the whole babysitter thing." He ran his fingers through his hair in distress. "Are the rest of them like this? If so, we'll need to come up with a new plan." He whispered the last part before looking away.

"She's not even an option," I spat before grabbing his hands and linking our fingers. "That was false advertising. She gave a great phone interview, but of course that was before she saw you, Dr. Cullen." I gave him a long kiss on the cheek. "I don't think we're going to find a sitter because they all want to fuck you."

He turned to face me and leaned his forehead against mine. "Are you trying to get me to flip this table? You know what happens when you call me that."

"I'm simply stating a fact." I kissed him softly on the lips trying to smooth the worry lines taking over his face.

I hoped that kiss would be enough to tell him to trust me. Trying to set Edward at ease was easier said than done. If he wasn't on board, it wouldn't matter who we selected. I would use all the time it took to find a suitable individual to look after our children. Once again I would put my needs on hold to make sure the twins were comfortable and that Edward didn't drown in self doubt. The bottom line was family came first, and a happy family more than made up for personal sacrifice, no matter how much I would have preferred to hold onto this small piece of personal independence.

A soft voice broke us out of our embrace, "Hello, I'm Angela." She beamed extending her hand.