"Things got bad fast."
When Edward graduated with a criminal justice degree I never thought that we would end up moving to Virginia for Edward's job. We got a big house. Between Edward's pay and the pay I got we would have no problem affording the bills. I got a job at a nearby school as a consoler. I worked mainly with children who had a parent deployed overseas or children who had lost a parent. Edward started his training. It took him a year to finish. During that year Emmett, Rose, Alice, Jasper, Esme, and Carlisle moved close to the military base. They wanted to be closer to Edward. He was deployed almost immediately after finishing training. It was almost six months before I saw him again. He came home for a couple weeks for Christmas. During those couple weeks we spent a lot of alone time together in the bedroom.
About two weeks after he went back I received a call from him, "Hi Bella"
"Hey, are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine." He took a deep breath, "We won't be able to talk for a while after this call Bella."
"Why?"
"I was given a special assignment and will be completely unreachable."
"How long?"
"It could be a couple weeks or it could be a couple months." I heard a man talking in the background, "I have to go."
"I love you."
"I love you too, bye" He hung up.
A month passed and I didn't hear from Edward. But I did notice that my period was late. I went to the store and bought three tests. They all came back positive so I made a doctor's appointment. She confirmed that I was pregnant and did an ultrasound.
She put down the wand and turned to me, "Bella, you're going to have twins."
"What?"
"I know your husband is overseas and this can be scary but it is going to be okay."
"I don't know how to take care of one baby. How am I supposed to raise two?"
"You will do fine. There are a lot of support resources around here."
I kept the pregnancy a secret. I wanted Edward to be the first to know. I didn't hear from him for a long time and I was lonely. I painted the nursery green. I didn't know what gender the babies would be and I really wanted to get the nursery started. I knew that I would likely be alone for the whole pregnancy and the more time that passed, the less I would be able to do. If I asked Edward's family for help they probably would help me but I didn't feel comfortable asking them. In mid-April I was sitting at my computer when I got a Skype request.
I accepted it and was met with Edward's beautiful green eyes, "Hey"
"I've miss you."
"I know, I've missed you too."
"Why did it take so long?"
"It was more complicated than we originally thought. But I have some good news for you."
"What?"
"My work on this project got me put on a list that could possibly lead to a job in the FBI. I would still have to travel but I would be home a lot more."
"It would be nice to have you home. When would you be coming home?"
"It's not definite yet but if I do get the job it would be two, three months tops."
That would bring him home in time for the birth, "I have something to tell you too."
"Hmm"
I was about to say something when there was a loud explosion. It sent Edward and the computer he was using flying several feet. I could feel tears coming to my eyes. When the dust cleared Edward was lying on his side with one leg bent at a weird angle. He had blood coming from his head, ears, nose, and mouth. He was only partially conscious. I called out his name several times but he never answered. I watched his eyes close. There was another loud explosion and the line went dead.
I sat in front of the computer for hours with my phone in my hand hoping to get a call. I never did. No Skype requests either. I knew he was dead and felt so alone. I didn't move until midnight. I only got up because my phone died. My laptop had died hours before. I took both up to the bedroom and plugged them in. I laid down and cried myself to sleep.
"That was the last straw."
