A/N: Hi! I'm glad you're all back. Thanks for all your great reviews. I love each and every one of them. Just like always, I tried to answer you all, but if I missed someone, please forgive me. I surely didn't mean to.
I want to thank for rec'ing TBL there. It earned me loads of new readers :).
My usual but still undying thanks and love go to EdwardsMate4ever and evelyn-shaye for being the wonderful betas that they are and to LaPumuckl who's my rock.
Now, enjoy the chapter. See you at the bottom.
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight …
******TBL******
Chapter 6 – Baby Steps
EPOV
After a long early shift at Northwestern Memorial, I was finally on my way out, glad to start my weekend.
"So, what are your plans? Meeting Bambi again? Or will you be burying yourself in your books for the next two days?" Emmett asked as we were leaving the building to get to our cars.
"I'll call Bella later to set something up," I answered in an irritated tone.
Em chuckled as he halted at my Volvo. "Are you two dating now or what?"
I furrowed my brows, not sure how to reply to his question. "I'm not sure. I don't think so. I mean, I'd like to take her out but —" The muffled sound of "Bibbedi Bobbedi Boo" coming from my pocket saved me from having to answer the rather complicated question.
"Hey, man, what kind of a gay ringtone is that?" Emmett asked amused, but I was so surprised by Bella's call at this time of day that I didn't care to explain the Cinderella ringtone to him.
"Hi, Bella. What's up?" I greeted her, happy she was calling me, since it was usually me calling her.
"Hey, Edward. Uhm, I have a problem. I tripped at work and fell on my hand. A coworker dropped me off at the ER because my wrist is hurting." She sounded a little embarrassed, although I wasn't sure why.
"Where are you? I'll come and get you." Sure that with roughly one-hundred and twenty hospitals in Chicago chances were slim she was in mine, I jumped into the car, pointing at my phone to explain my sudden hurry to Emmett.
"I'm at Saint Anthony Hospital. You know, I forgot my wallet at work so I can't take a cab home and I can't get a hold of Rosalie," she told me shyly.
"Don't worry. I'll be there in ten minutes," I assured her while I started the engine and drove out of the hospital parking lot.
****TBL****
As I rushed into the ER, there was no sign of Bella in the waiting area. So I turned to the reception desk to ask about her.
"Excuse me, I'm looking for a young woman. She called me and said she was here because she fell on her hand. And she's pregnant." Nervous and worried, I felt the need to add the last piece of information because I wasn't sure Bella had thought of telling them.
The middle-aged nurse behind the desk looked up at me, raising an inquiring brow. "And who might you be, young man?"
"I'm the father — I mean, the baby's father." Oh my, how stupid could I sound?
She nodded and looked down at the papers in front of her. "What's your girlfriend's name then?"
I didn't care to correct her. "Bella," I said with conviction — which quickly vanished when I saw the look the nurse gave me, trying to get me to elaborate. Shaking my head, I was ashamed to realize that I didn't even know her last name. In the almost two weeks we had been talking now, it somehow hadn't occurred to me to ask about that apparently insignificant piece of information.
I felt totally embarrassed and wished that the ground would open up and swallow me whole when I was saved by Bella's voice coming from around the corner. "Edward? I'm here."
I nodded at the nurse, painting a tight smile on my face, and quickly walked to where Bella had called from.
"Hey," I greeted her with a light hug before sitting down in the plastic chair next to hers. "You're still waiting to see a doctor?"
"Yeah. It's pretty crowded here," she answered, looking around. "But they had me come sit here a few minutes ago because I'm supposed to be next. Could you help me fill out these forms, please?" She held up her right hand where a cool pack was wrapped around her wrist. "I'm not really able to write."
I took the clipboard from her hands and looked it over. "Let's start with your full name then."
"Isabella Marie Swan," she stated, smiling at me, and I smiled back.
"Date and place of birth?"
"September 13th, 1989. Forks, Washington."
"Any chronic diseases?"
"None."
In that manner, we filled out the form together, and I actually learned a few more things about Bella, like her penicillin allergy and the fact that she had a few broken bones during childhood due to "extraordinary clumsiness" as she put it. When we were done with the form, she told me about a few of her accidents and that the doctors in the ER back home called it an odd week if she didn't show up at least once.
Bella's stories really made me laugh and she joined in, apparently enjoying my company. I was glad she had loosened up after how embarrassed she'd sounded on the phone. It seemed like only five minutes had passed when she was finally called to an examination room. Unsure of what to do, I stayed back, but when she nodded her head towards the open door, motioning for me to follow her, I did just that. So I entered the room, feeling a little bit out of place.
The doctor was a middle-aged man, introducing himself as Dr. Gerandy. As Bella told him how she overlooked a bag on the floor and fell, catching most of her weight with her right hand, he glanced at the form, and noticed that she was pregnant. Because of that, he decided to do a manual examination, hoping to be able to avoid doing an x-ray, which would possibly harm the baby. Fortunately, he was sure her wrist wasn't broken, but only sprained.
Although he was almost certain everything was okay with the baby, it was standard procedure to do an ultrasound to make sure the little one hadn't suffered from the impact. Of course, it wasn't the first time I'd ever watched a sonogram of an embryo, but it wasn't just any child that suddenly appeared on the screen. It was mine — Bella's and mine.
I felt myself choke up, and I tried desperately to swallow down the lump that had taken residence in my throat when I spotted the little body on the black and white screen. I'd never taken much notice before, so I was all the more shocked to see a real little human being with a big, round head and little arms and legs that were flailing around after only two months. Unconsciously, I grabbed Bella's uninjured hand, holding it tightly in mine.
She looked up at me, surprise evident in her features, but as the room suddenly filled with a quick thumping noise, we both gasped and smiled at each other. I thought, in that second, we both realized for the first time that we were really going to be parents, and that we were in it together. No matter what would happen, we would both always love our child, and we would make it work, come what may.
"So, there's your baby." Dr. Gerandy interrupted our emotional moment and made our gazes return to the screen. "From what I see here, you should be around eight full weeks. The little one measures almost one inch and is totally healthy. No need to worry."
After printing out a picture, which I quickly tucked into my wallet, he cleaned Bella's belly from the jelly used for the ultrasound probe and put a brace on her wrist. He told her to rest it as much as possible and come back to have it checked again in a few days.
We both thanked the doctor, and after helping Bella get down from the examination table, we made our way to the lobby and toward the main exit, which was closer to my car than the ER exit.
When we were about to walk through the revolving door, Bella's name was called by a nurse who had followed us. Apparently, they had forgotten to give her a prescription for Tylenol, and while she explained how they should be used, I strode over to a vending machine to get us both a bottle of water for the way home.
All of a sudden, I went rigid when I heard the last voice I'd expected to hear. "Edward, what are you doing here?" I turned around slowly to meet my father's annoyed stare.
"Hello, Dad. I was picking up a friend who was in the ER. But what brings you here?" I answered with a quick glance at Bella, hoping desperately that the nurse would keep her long enough for my father to leave. I really didn't want to explain her to him here and now. That certainly wouldn't go over well.
Fortunately, he seemed to either have missed my sideways look or he just ignored it, although his brows were furrowed in doubt. "I had a consultation with a colleague. Don't you have work to do?"
I took a calming breath, feeling very annoyed with the question. "My shift ended two hours ago and I'm actually on my way home." Careful to not give him any more information than he asked for, I waited for him to reply.
"Okay, then. Will you be coming for lunch tomorrow? Your mother would like to see you every once in a while." Of course, he had to make sure I knew it wasn't him who had any interest in me. Not that my mother ever made me feel home at their house either.
I answered him hastily, trying to hurry him to leave me alone before Bella returned and I'd have to introduce her to him. "Yeah, I'll be there. See you tomorrow, then."
With a slight shake of his head, my dad said his goodbye, and I was relieved to see him disappear through the door, just as Bella appeared next to me.
"Who was that man you were talking to?" she asked as we made our way outside.
Knowing that I'd open up a whole string of questions, I huffed before I gave her an answer. "That was my father."
She was silent, obviously deep in thought, until we reached the car. Holding the passenger door open for her, I was surprised when she turned to look at me instead of just getting into her seat.
"He doesn't know about me and the baby, does he?" It sounded like a statement rather than a question. Her tone was cautious and a little sad.
I looked down at her, knowing my words would give her the wrong impression. "No, he doesn't."
Bella closed her eyes for a second, then looked at me with resignation. "Edward, you don't have to do this. You can still walk away. I told you, it's totally up to you."
"No, that's not what I want," I instantly assured her. "I want this baby, and I want to be a part of his life." I exhaled, not sure how to explain it so she'd understand. "My parents and I aren't close. In fact, our relationship is very … strained. I will tell them — just not now." My eyes burned into hers, pleading with her to believe me.
"You can't keep this a secret for long." She placed her hand on her still-flat belly. "If you don't want your family to know, this doesn't work."
"I do want them to know. I already told my sister and her fiancé. In fact, I want you to meet them. It's just that my father is — let's say he's difficult. I don't want him to get on our back already. But, of course, I'll tell my parents at some point." I reached out and placed my hand on top of hers, resting on her stomach. "This is my baby. There's nothing more important to me than my child." And you, I added in my mind only, knowing she wasn't ready to hear it out loud. "You have to believe me, Bella. I'll always be there for the two of you."
Flashing me a little smile, she put her other hand on top of mine. "I believe you," she said gravely.
"Okay," I answered, exhaling with relief. "Let me take you home."
After driving in silence for several minutes, something occurred to me. "Do your parents know?"
From the corner of my eye, I watched Bella bite her lip, deliberately looking away from me. "No, not yet. But I have a plan."
My brows rose, intrigued. "So what is that plan?"
She looked over at me quickly before staring straight ahead through the windshield. "I could never tell them I got pregnant during a one-night-stand. I don't want them to think badly of me." I nodded slightly, understanding her reasoning. "A few weeks ago, I told my mom I'd started seeing someone. She tries to set me up with guys all the time, and I wanted her to stop bothering me. Well, I thought I'd go along with that. My father's birthday is in ten days, and I'll fly out there, so I can tell them in person. Then, a few months from now or maybe weeks, I don't know yet, I'll tell them we broke up. I don't want them to think I sleep around, you know?"
I could totally see her point. Remembering her horror the morning she woke up in my bed, it wasn't hard to imagine that she didn't want to tell that story to anyone. "I see, and it kind of makes sense. I wouldn't want to tell news like that over the phone either. And the boyfriend part sounds good, too." Then an idea hit me. "Hey, wouldn't the whole thing be more believable if I came along to your dad's birthday? I could support you when you tell them, too."
Bella turned her body to me until she was facing my side with an incredulous expression. "You'd do that? But I have to fly to Seattle and then drive three hours to Forks."
"Of course, I would," I answered without thinking about it twice. I actually wanted to meet her parents. "I'll get off of work early Saturday morning after the night shift, and I don't have to return until Tuesday."
"Well, uhm, okay. I'll see if I can change my flight then. But I'm afraid you'll have to sleep on the old couch in the living room. The house is really small and there's no guest room." Insecurely, she was worrying her lip with her teeth again. She looked so cute, but at the same time, sexy as hell, and I couldn't hold back a smile.
"No problem. I'm sure I've slept on worse. On-call rooms aren't that comfy either, you know?" It felt good that my comment made us laugh together. "So, if I fly to Washington with you, then you have to go to brunch with me on Sunday to meet my sister." I wasn't aware of how much I wanted her to meet Alice until that moment, and I wasn't going to let her back out of it.
****TBL****
"So, tell me again what they know, please," Bella asked nervously as we sat at the restaurant, waiting for Alice and Jasper. I'd already told her at least twice that they knew almost everything about how we met and what happened afterward. But I didn't mind telling her again if that eased her mind a little bit.
Unlike their normal habits, my sister and my friend made their way to our table right on time. I didn't have any other explanation than Alice being overeager to meet Bella. They walked straight toward us, but instead of giving me the usual hug, Alice passed me and made a beeline for Bella, pulling her into a tight embrace, just like she'd known her all her life.
"It's so good to finally meet you. Edward's told us so much about you," Alice sputtered excitedly.
Bella looked at me, totally dumbfounded, and at the same time, fighting for breath as my pixie sister almost had her in a choke hold. Helplessly, my eyes found Jasper who approached me, shaking his head at Alice's weird PDA.
"Sorry, man. I tried to rein her in, but she hasn't calmed down one bit since you called and told us you were bringing Bella." Jasper patted my shoulder, and I knew exactly what he was talking about. My sister, as much as I loved her, was a force of nature, which, once released, couldn't be held back.
Eventually, she let go of Bella and hugged me quickly before she sat down next to Bella. Taking advantage of the current silence, I introduced them. "Well, so you've met my sister. This is her fiancé and my best friend, Jasper Whitlock."
"Nice to meet you, Bella," he said with a smile as she took the hand he'd extended in greeting.
"It's great to meet you, too," she answered with a shy little grin.
"Aww," Alice cheered from her place at the table. "Come on, you guys. Sit down. I'm sure Bella's starving. After all, she has to eat for my little niece or nephew, too."
Again, I shook my head at my sister's antics but instead of making a comment, I just sat down on Bella's other side.
"So, what's good here?" she asked as she opened the menu, letting her eyes roam the first page.
At once, Alice took the leather-bound folder out of her hands. "We order one of everything and split. That's what we always do," she informed her casually while putting the menu down. "Now, tell us about you. What do you do? Where are you from? I want to know everything."
Obviously feeling uncomfortable being the center of attention, Bella gave a quick account of her life so far. She talked about her parents and her life in the small town of Forks, her love for books, and she briefly mentioned how she ended up at Northwestern, because her boyfriend wanted to go to college in Chicago. I felt sorry for her because she really seemed to miss her parents, but at the same time, I was very grateful to that idiot, Riley, for bringing her here, and later, breaking up with her. Because if he hadn't, she would never have stumbled into my life.
"And now you can read the whole day and make a living of it? That's just perfect. It's great to turn a hobby into a job. I did, too, and I love it," Alice told her with a wide smile.
Bella smiled right back at her. "So, what is it you do?" she asked with interest.
"I graduated from college last spring with a degree in design. Fashion is my life. I just started my own little label. Business is going great, and I get to dress people all the time. It's what I've always wanted to do." She paused for a moment, then an excited smirk appeared on her face. "Bella, we have to go shopping for maternity clothes soon. We'll have so much fun, I'm sure."
I knew Bella wasn't very big on fashion. Not that she was dressed badly, quite the contrary in fact. But she neither wore any labels nor did she usually wear heels, dresses or other fancy clothing. Her style was laid-back, casual and most of all, comfortable but without being boring or shabby. Her tense expression showed me that she wasn't excited about the prospect. "I'm sure there's enough time for that," I hurried to interrupt so she wouldn't have to hurt my sister by turning her down, or worse, agree because she felt obligated. "Bella isn't even showing yet, and she won't be for a few weeks either. We're both still kind of digesting the whole pregnancy thing."
Bella's eyes met mine and there was "thank you" written all over her face. In reply, I nodded infinitesimally to assure her I understood.
Alice smiled warmly as she answered, "Sure, sure. We'll talk about it again in a few weeks."
Fortunately, the waitress showed up at that point and ended the uncomfortable topic. After we'd all ordered our drinks and one of every breakfast dish on the menu, it was Jasper who started the conversation again.
"So, have you two talked about the legal aspect of raising the baby together? Like if you'll be named as the father in the birth certificate, visitation rights or how much child support you'll be paying, Edward?" he asked in a calm but practical tone.
I watched Bella's eyes grow wide with shock, waving her hands dismissively. "No, no, no, no, no! I don't want any child support!" she practically screamed while her gaze jumped back and forth between Jasper and me. Just like she'd been accused of something, she rushed to continue defensively, "Of course, you'll be named in the birth certificate, if that's what you want. And you can see your child as often as you want," she kind of choked out.
"Bella, calm down! It's okay," I tried to ease her mind, instinctively reaching for her hand. "No one's insinuating anything. Jasper's a lawyer. He always sees the legal side to everything." I threw him a dark look. Instantly, his expression turned remorseful.
"Yeah, Bella, I'm sorry," he said apologetically with a genuine smile. "I didn't mean to upset you. I just wanted to point out that there's stuff you have to figure out and maybe put in writing for both your insurance. I want you to know that I'm here for you both whenever you're ready to think about the legal issues, or if you have any questions." His eyes locked with Bella's, and she nodded carefully.
"Thanks, Jazz," I said, then turned to smile at Bella. "And of course, I'll be paying child support. But we can argue about that later." I threw her a wink to finally lighten the mood.
It seemed to work since Bella flashed me a smile that actually reached her eyes.
Again, we were interrupted as our food was being served. Only now, I noticed that Bella must be famished because she dove right in.
"I heard you went to see Mom and Dad yesterday?" Alice started casually, although she knew it was a sensitive topic for me.
I took my time chewing my bite of French toast and swallowed it slowly before I answered. "I was there for about forty-five minutes before I found a way to politely excuse myself to get away from Dad's chastising of my work ethics and his rambling about my career. When will he ever get that I'm not like him and don't want to be either?" I said the last part more to myself than to anyone else.
"Then I take it you haven't spoken to them about the baby? I told you, you shouldn't tell them yet." Although they never put Alice under any kind of pressure apart from finding a suitable husband, they weren't particularly warm and loving to her either. I often wondered how she turned out to be the caring and compassionate woman she was with no role model for that whatsoever.
"No, I haven't, and I won't any time soon. Dad has no business meddling in it anyway," I said a little harsher than I'd intended.
"He'll find out soon enough, and you can deal with it then," Alice answered with a reassuring smile.
I didn't want to make Bella feel uncomfortable since we'd already had a disagreement about my parents before. So I decided to, instead, direct the attention to our upcoming trip to Forks.
We told Jasper and my sister about Bella's plan to make them believe we were a couple. At that, Alice's eyes lit up with an excited gleam, but I was glad she didn't say anything else than that our plan might be for the best.
From there on, we had a nice time. It was unbelievable how much Alice seemed to like Bella, and how Bella, in return, lightened up.
"We so have to do this again," my sister insisted when we were on our way over to the parking lot. "And we have to do that shopping trip some time. Bella, give me your phone and I'll give you my number."
After exchanging numbers and making promises to talk to each other soon, Bella and I made our way to my car. With Bella meeting my sister, the first step toward us becoming a family was taken. Hopefully, next weekend would go equally well …
********TBL********
A/N: Baby steps it was. What did you think of their first sonogram together? Wasn't it cute?
And what about Daddy C? Isn't he a real charmer?
Next up, there's the Forks trip. Here's a little preview for chapter 7 – "Behind Closed Doors":
… The atmosphere was somehow charged, and I felt a strange pull toward the man standing in front of me. Lifting my head to look up at him again, I found his dark-green eyes smoldering. …
I know, I'm a tease but I enjoy hearing your thoughts, here or on Facebook in my group Payton79's Fanfiction.
According to the tradition I started last chapter, here are this week's recs:
WIP rec:
Crossing the Lines – sheviking
Desperate times call for desperate measures. Bella is starving for a better life for her and her son, and taking her clothes off in front of a stranger is just the first of many lines she'll cross.
This story had me hooked after only a few paragraphs. Great writing!
Completed rec:
It's Real Life – xXTailoredDreamsXx
Bella never thought she'd meet a man who could make her want everything she'd been running from most of her life. What will happen when a self professed friends w/ benefits pro meets a self proclaimed recovering manwhore while the cameras are rolling watching their every move? It's Real Life... will they be ready for the reality of it?
This story is one of my all-time favorites. It has everything: romance, angst, drama and just the right amount of smut. But her other stories, Two Makes Three and Two Makes Five, are also great. You gotta check them out!
Okay now, those recs should last you long enough until my next update ;). See you next time, Behind Closed Doors!
