Edward and I drive into the driveway of my house. Edward turns of his ignition, he says "Are you ready?
I shake my head, tears forming in my eyes again. I look at him and he gazes in my eyes and he says "It will be okay, Bella. Charlie may be mad at first, but he will eventually come to terms with."
He says, "I also want to mention our engagement to him."
I just nod and wipe the tears from my face, with my sleeve. I take a deep breath and say "Okay let's go"
Edward opens the door for and I take his hand. I squeezed it tightly as we enter my house. Charlie is sitting in his recliner, watching TV. He says from his recliner "Hey Bella!" He did seem happy. It may me feel sick that I was about ruin that for him.
Edward and I sit on the couch, Edward and my hands still intertwined. Charlie looks at us confused on why we had decided to come to the living room. Normally we would go to the kitchen and talk. My heart is pounding; I could barley look at him in the eye.
"Chief Swan, if you do not mind, we would like to talk to you?" Edward velvety voice says.
Charlie turns of the TV and pulls his recliner in the upright position. He looks at the two of us curiously. His face seem worried, he knew something was up. What other reason would we need to talk?
I take a deep breath, "Dad" I say softly. I pause. I was terrified to tell him. Edward squeezes my hand gently to comfort me. I continued, "Dad. This is hard to tell you…" I look at Edward and then back at my dad, whose seem anxious to hear what I was going to say, I decide to just spit it out, "I am pregnant"
Charlie eyes grew wide, he try to say something but ended up speechless. Then stands up from his chair glaring down at Edward, "This is your fault!" that was expected, I knew he would blame Edward. I wanted to defend Edward but the vein in Charlie forehead was pulsing, it did that when he was mad. I have only seen him made a couple times, one of the times when I got back from Italy. My dad continues "YOU…leave her in the middle of the woods then 3 months later she goes running after you in Italy!! Then you decide to impregnate her!!" he accuses Edward.
Edward said calmly, as he stands up, he says "This was not my intention, Chief Swan. Though it did happen and we were irresponsible and will take full responsibility for my actions"
I say softly "Dad, it was just as much my fault" I try to defend Edward. Edward looks down at me and shakes his head. Of course he would not want me to take the blame, but I was not going to sit hear and have my father insult the love of my life…when I was the one who basically seduced him.
Charlie glares down at me, with disappointment "So that night, when Jacob called me, to tell me Edward had climbed through your window…he was not lying. I mean that is why I did not confront you about it because I just figure he was being a boy and was retaliating after your fight…"
Edward nods "Yes sir. I did." Charlie looks back up at Edward
"How dare you come in MY HOUSE WITHOUT MY PERMISSION!" He practically screamed. It may me jump.
Tears started streaming down my face "I am sorry dad…" Charlie shakes his head "No…No…No!!"
Charlie growls "You going back to live with your mother. This town is obviously not good for you…"
"No" I snap. As I hastily stood up from the couch, Edward took my hand and looked at Charlie.
"I asked Bella to marry me. I would like you to support this, Chief Swan. So we can raise this baby together"
Charlie laughed coldly "Me support my daughter, to get marry to you"
Edward nodded but I could tell he already knew Charlie's answer.
"Hell, no" Charlie said.
Edward explains "It will make it easier for us to get a marriage apartment at whatever college she plans to attend, I will follow. Most colleges required students to live on campus for the first semester…"
Charlie growls "Do you know she was accepted at Dartmouth and the University of Alaska, both the letters came in the mail, I was curious so I opened them…she should be able to go college, join organizations and be a normal college student…but then you decide to ruin.."
Edward interrupts, he seemed to almost losing his cool "Well Chief. Swan, circumstances are different now, we can not change it. She is 3 months…"
Charlie snarls "So too late to abort this thing…"
My mouth gaped open. I was shocked that my father would say such a thing. "Dad that thing is your future grandchild!"
Charlie looks at me "Bella. I am calling your mother. And I am telling her to come and get you, I can not control you. I should have made you go back, before he came back to ruin your life…"
I snarl "He did not ruin my life. And I am not going back…you expect me to raise this baby in Florida alone?"
Charlie shakes his head "I expect you to be smart about this and give it up for adoption."
Tears was streaming down my face, I say lowly "Well that is not going to happen. I will graduate from Forks High, and then moved in with Edward…"
Charlie snaps "No! You are moving back with your mom!"
He then looks up at Edward and growls "You get the hell out my house!"
I was furious he had no right to talk to Edward like that, "Stop talking to him like that…I am marrying him with or without your consent dad! So you are going to have to start accepting him one way or another!"
Charlie breaths deeply and hits the wall "I will not ALLOW THAT….I mean does Carlisle and Esme even know this…maybe they will find out.." and looks at Edward "and take you back to where ever you went, rehab or whatever it was…"
Edward nods and says "Yes they know. Carlisle is the one who took the blood test"
Charlie asks "Are they happy about this?" Edward shakes his head, "No they are not. But they are willing to support us" Edward was half lying. Though, Carlisle would never tell me he was unhappy about the situation, but he did not seem too mad.
Charlie just mumbles "that figures" he then says. "Edward please now just leaves my house. I do not want to see you any where near my house. You have done enough harm to Bella, to last a lifetime."
I could tell that statement hurt, Edward; his face contorted into a frown, I knew this whole pregnancy thing pained him; he always took blame for things, even if it was really not his fault. Edward says "Very well, then." He heads to the door, but I grab Edward's hand.
"No!" I exclaimed, grabbing Edward's arm. Edward looks back and meets my gaze, he hugs me, and whispers in my ear "I will go where ever you go, I will not lose you. But I need to leave right now, your dad is furious with me. If I stay it will only make it worse on you."
We hear Charlie make a growling sound. "By God, Edward if you do not get your hands off my daughter, I will go get my rifle and make sure that u never do …"
Edward releases me and whispers "It will be okay Bella. I love you" Then he looks at my dad, about to say something, but seems to drop it and leaves out the door.
I turn to dad tears flowing down my cheek "Dad, why can you not just support this…what am I suppose to be perfect all the time??"
Charlie says desperately "When you lived with your mother, you never ran away or made stupid irresponsible mistakes. You were a good girl, then you come to Forks, and you run away with that boy twice! The first time I had to bring you back after spending several weeks in a hospital…"
I say lowly "When I lived with mom, I had no friends to do anything irresponsible with…I just had mom…"
Charlie sighs "Well if that is what keeps you safe. Then you can finish school in Florida have the baby, give it up to parents are responsible enough to take care of a child…and then go to Dartmouth and find a respectable man to marry"
I cry, "No Dad! You can not force me to do that…I am 18 I have the right to make my own choices, I am keeping the baby, marring Edward!"
My dad says "Look. Bella…my decision is final….I just can not look at you right now, I am extremely disappointed in you" his eyes was full with hurt and disappointed, he continues his voice strained "I just do not know who you are, anymore…"
I could not say anything anymore. I was hurt and confused, and I did not want to cut off ties with my father. I knew if he kicked me out, I would go live with the Cullens, and then my dad will stop talking to me…I wanted him to be the one to walk me down the aisle.
I just ran up stairs sobbing. I flew the door open and slammed it shut and set on my bed as I rub my belly, the little bump. I felt cold arms wrap around me, Edward velvet voice seem, cracked "I am so sorry Bella"
I bury my head into his chest, "He hates me now" Edward says, "No. He does not hate you"
I look up at Edward his face was in pain, I lean up and put both my hands on either side on his face. He looks deeply into his eyes and said "Stop blaming yourself Edward. You had no idea this would happen. It is both our fault…"
Edward says "Bella, this is my fault, I should have listen to Carlisle and let him know we were ready to have…and we may of could research it more…"
I shake my head "But what we did was beautiful and spontaneous I will never regret that. If you had done that…it would have not been the same…"
Edward says, "It was all that, but now…he places his hand on my belly…your life has changed and I have no idea if it is for the good or for the worse…"
I just say "It is good. They baby is good."
Edward did not say anything but hold me closer.
Later that night Edward hummed me to sleep, he mentions he would be gone when I wake up. He did want to somewhat respect my dad's wishes, and the fact my dad was checking up pretty frequently, and soon he may get caught in the closet…
I woke up earlier in the morning and could hear my mom and dad fighting downstairs. It brought back memories of when they were married. It made me cringe"
I could not really make it out but I did randomly hear dad scream "take her" it made the tears start forming I curled up in my bed. I was not ready to hear my mom's disappointments either.
So I heard a light knock and the door creak open. My back was facing the door, and I did not move. I felt the bed move, as if someone set on it and a hand softly rub my back. I then heard my mom say softly "Bella?"
I let out a sob "I'm sorry."
My mom responded "Baby, we will figure this out" She said rubbing my back, trying to comfort me.
My mom usually seems more of a friend than a mother. Though she easily knew when to turn on the motherly switch, like when I am hurt or in a bind.
My mom moves my hair behind my ear and kisses me on the cheek. "How about you get dress, and we will go some where and get something to eat, so we can talk about this…"
I sit up and turn to face her as I wipe the tears and nod and ask "where's dad?"
My mom says "At work…"
Then she gives a hug then leaves out of my room. I then take off my tee shirt, the cami Alice game me no longer fit right. I put on me some jeans and another tee shirt; I go to the bathroom and brush my teeth then pull my hair in a pony tail. I then walk downstairs; mom was waiting for me in the kitchen.
Thankfully as we drove to the little diner in Forks, my mom only talked about Phil, I think it was her way of trying to avoid the topic of my pregnancy for right now.
We walk in and were seated. I open up my menu, I was extremely hungry. We sat their silently for a few minutes, finally I spoken up "I do not want to go back with you to Florida…I need to be with Edward"
My mom says "I know. I told Charlie that I was not going to take you back if you do not want to go back…I know from experience running from your problems, does not help anything"
I look up at her in shock. She was the one who always told me since I was little to not get married early, wait. Now I am sitting here, 18 and pregnant and she seems to be taking this too well, I know she is not ready to be a grandmother at 37. Maybe finding love with Phil soften her up a bit.
She explains be seeing my reaction "I know what I have always said about not having kids and getting married early…but you are also 18 and can make your own decisions…and I believe Edward is a good guy"
I say softly "He is actually very considerate, he been making sure I eat healthy and everything…he blames his self for everything"
My smiles and nods, "Yeah I remember when you hurt yourself in Seattle he did not even get up to eat, he stayed in the room with you until you were conscience again…I knew then that was the guy for you…and then the way I saw you look at him, it is the same way I look a Phil…"
I smile and look down fiddling with my straw paper. "Yeah and another good thing is he is a good at cleaning…" I joke. My mom laughs, "That is always a plus"
We set in silent. I still could not get my dad's disappointed face out of my head
I could not hold the tears back anymore. My mom reaches across the table and grabs my hand, "its just going to be hard to stay with dad….he so disappointed in me'
Renee says "He will effectually come to terms with this; no father likes the idea of his little girl having sex…"
I cover my face, it was red with embarrassment. We finally get our food and eat, I tell her all about my life aside from the vampire world, she will never know about. She listens and talks about Phil.
My mom says drving home "So Bella, you are sure with all your heart that Edward is the one for you?"
I nod "I love him, more than anything. You know Mom I never been normal, I am not the type that is going to date several guys before finding the right one…"
My mom nods "I know that. I had always thought this is how you were going to find the one, you always analyze most of your decisions and very observant, that you would know when you saw him, that he was worth to give your heart to…And I understand why he left because young love is hard, but he realize it was right and came back…" She pauses and softly laughs "If you have not notice, I thought about this the whole plane ride"
I say looking out the windshield "Yeah and you hit it on the dot. I know how it is without him and it's not good."
Later she pulls back into my house and we both get out of her rented car, she gives me a hug. 'Sorry, I have to leave so soon…but Phil knee still injured and I need to check up on him…'
I smile and give her a hug 'Its okay I need to try to patch things up with Charlie anyway, but thanks Mom'
She hugs me tighter 'Keep well. And I want you to email the sonograms; I hope maybe u can visit me too. I want to be involved.'
I smile and nod. "I will. Bye. I love you'
She smiles as she starts to get back in the car 'I love you too, baby'
The rest of the day, Charlie was not home. I figure he needed time to sort this out, probably went to Sues. Edward came over and we ordered food. I ate and he watched as usual.
He says "So I assume, your mom took the pregnancy better"
I nod "I should have not been surprised…she seems to understand"
Edward seem quite intrigue he ask "How?"
I take a bite into my hamburger. Yeah since I had a stressful day, Edward gave in and let me have some greasy fast food. I swallow it and explain "Well, she would never admit it, but she was young when she had me, I was supposedly premature, and she had got pregnant on her honeymoon, but a 7 pounds 5 oz, premmie…is hard to believe"
Edward nods "Yeah. You weren't…I read it on your mom's mind… the first time I saw her. I figure it was her place to tell you."
I roll my eyes "Of course you know"
Then I continue "And since Phil, she started believing in love and she see's how I look at you and she knows I in love…"
Edward smiles and I eat the last bite of my hamburger. Edward lays his hand on my stomach and takes a breath, "Bella, I really do hope this baby is good, like you say…I do want this baby, I really do…"
I smile and pull myself in his lap and lay my head on his shoulder, "That makes me feel ten times better." I sigh.
Edward kisses me on the forehead and apologizes. "Sorry, love. If I seem coldly towards the pregnancy, I want more than anything to have a child with you, but I want you to be there when we raise him or her…and I just do not want the child to end up as some monster either"
I say "Edward, I understand that but I wish you could just understand how I know that this baby is good. I just know."
Edward says in my hair, "I will try"
I smile "Thank you."
I spent most of the day with Edward, kissing and talking about the future. He though, still plans on leaving after I fall asleep. He still felt it was impolite to not at least try to respect Charlie's wishes in some shape or form and I assume he is helping Carlisle try to research and finds answers to the future of my pregnancy. Though Edward would be back to pick me up for school tomorrow.
