I don't own them. SM does. Enough said :)
Chapter Ten
Lunch was better than Bella had expected.
Alice was a talker so any talking she didn't do, Alice covered it.
Jasper was a complete gentleman, his manners were impeccable and it made Bella think of how absolutely opposite he and Peter were.
"I wish Peter had your manners," she blurted.
Jasper smirked and raised a brow at her, "Mama would not be happy to hear you say that about her angel."
"I don't think your mother would be happy to hear anything I have to say," Bella said under her breath.
"Pardon?" Jasper asked with a smirk, which let Bella know he had heard her.
"Nothing," she said with a tiny smile. "You're a wonderful cook."
"Thank you," Jasper said with a nod.
"He's the best husband a girl could ask for," Alice said reaching out and squeezing her husband's hand.
The love in their eyes made Bella slightly uncomfortable and made her heart ache for someone to look at her that way.
"So how did you two run into each other?" Jasper asked tearing his gaze away from his wife.
"Doctor's office," Alice said giving Bella a funny look.
"Routine check-up," Bella said with a smile.
"Ah," Jasper said exchanging a look with Alice.
Bella wondered what that had been about, the two of them seemed to be communicating silently, and Bella's mind rushed back to what Alice had said at the doctor.
"So what do you do Jasper?" she asked.
"I'm a part-time stay at home husband," Jasper said, his eyes twinkling.
"He's a moron," Alice said with a giggle. "He's a contractor, but he's so good he works from home most of the time."
"Which works out perfectly for my designer wife," Jasper said with a wink.
"The children are daddy's babies, so they're much more excited with him home," Alice said.
The children had already eaten and were off in the game room playing, Alice checked on them in spurts.
"Tell us about you," Alice chirped. "Are you just like Pete? Do you only do stills?"
"No," Bella shook her head, "I shoot anything, once I'm drawn to it."
"Really?" Alice asked leaning forward.
"Yup," Bella said.
"So if I were to offer you a job taking photos of some of my models, you wouldn't be opposed to the idea?" Alice asked.
Bella laughed, "I wouldn't mind at all."
Alice gave a whoop, "Bless you!" she cried, "You have no idea how long I've tried to bribe Peter into doing this for me."
"Peter's a very stubborn man," Bella murmured taking a sip of her water.
"That he is," his brother said recalling the phone call he had made earlier.
***PP***
"Peter?" Jasper hissed into the receiver.
He heard shuffling and then Peter was back, "Sorry, I dropped the phone by accident."
"So this Bella?" Jasper asked.
"What is she doing there?" Peter asked gruffly.
"Alice brought her home," Jasper said checking the living room again, the women were still talking. He opened the side door and stepped into the yard, giving them some privacy.
"This is the girl you took home to me the rents?" he asked.
"One and the same," Peter said.
"So this is something...serious?" Jasper asked. His brother had never brought anyone home before, Charlotte didn't matter. She practically lived with them when they had been younger.
"Not anymore," Peter said.
"Why not? She seems really nice," Jasper said.
"It's none of your concern," Peter replied.
"Just asking bro," Jasper said. "You wanna say hi to her?"
"No," Peter snapped, "Look I'm busy over here Jasper."
"Of course you are," Jasper said rolling his eyes. "Don't get any snake bites."
"Fuck off man," Peter said.
"Love you too bro," Jasper said ending the call.
***PP***
"Thanks again for lunch," Bella said smiling at Alice.
"Bye Aunty Bwella," Bradley said, smiling around his thumb.
"Bye squirt," Bella said kneeling down to the boy.
"He calls every female Aunty," Alice said in way of an apology for Bradley's statement.
Bella shook her head, "I don't mind," she said smiling at Bradley.
"Will you come back again?" Bridgette asked. Bella realized she was the quiet type, more of an observer than a talker.
"Would you like that?" Bella asked the girl who was watching her closely.
"Uncle Peter likes you," Bridgette answered.
"I guess so," Bella said trying to keep her smile in place.
"I like dolls," Bridgette said.
Bella grinned, "I like dolls too, want me to come back and maybe we can play with them?"
"And play monster twuks with me?" Bradley asked with a dimpled smile.
Bella nodded, "Of course I'll come back and play with you guys."
Bridgette nodded and retreated behind her father's legs, Bella stood up and smiled at Alice and Jasper, "Guess I'll be seeing you again."
"We can't wait," Alice said moving to hug Bella, "I'll call you about arranging the photo shoot."
Bella nodded, "You do that," she said, "Nice to meet you Jasper."
"See you around Bella," Jasper said with a wave.
Smiling for a last time Bella turned and headed to her car, she was just about to get in when Alice came jogging over.
"Did I forget something?" Bella asked with a frown.
"No," Alice said shaking her head. "I just wanted to say something to you."
Bella tilted her head, signaling that she was listening.
"Don't wait too long to tell Peter about the baby," Alice said then turned on her heel and left a stunned Bella standing there, mouth agape.
***PP***
Bella drove home on auto-pilot, so many thoughts were racing through her head.
How did Alice know she was pregnant?
Why didn't she deny it there and then?
Was she going to tell Peter?
How was she going to tell Peter?
What would Peter's reaction be?
She didn't even know where Peter was.
With a sigh Bella got out and walked to the house, the phone was ringing and she ran to it.
"Hello?" she said breathlessly.
"Ms. Swan?" a female voice said on the line.
"Yes," Bella answered putting her bag down on the table.
"This is Dr. Stevens from the hospital, we've been trying to reach you for hours. I'm afraid your godmother has taken a turn for the worst."
Bella felt the blood drain from her face and her hands started shaking, "I'll be right there."
Bella barely made it to the hospital without getting into an accident. She could barely speak when she made it up to the floor Dottie was on, the nurse took her into the waiting room and gave her a cup of water.
The doctor came in and talked to her, doing little to alleviate her fears however.
"She had another heart attack, this one worse than the one before, we had to operate." the doctor said solemnly, "I'm sorry, she might not make it this time."
Bella knew that this was always possible, but the thought of it actually happening was quite staggering.
"Your god-mother is in recovery but still in critical condition. Do you have someone you can call, to stay with you?" the doctor asked.
"No," Bella whispered her body shaking.
The doctor nodded, "I'll keep you posted," he said patting her shoulder's sympathetically.
Bella sat in one of the chairs trying to calm her nerves, tears flowing freely down her face.
Dottie was the last person she had, she didn't know how she would cope being without her in her life.
She had no idea how long she sat there, people came and went. The nurses came to check on her, giving her any information they could get, which wasn't much.
Bella thought of calling Marcy but she didn't have the strength to send the message or even to call.
Three hours passed and still no solid information could be given, outside was getting dark and Bella was drained physically and emotionally.
"You have to eat something," the nurse who had come in to check on her said.
She started to shake her head, then remembered that she had a little someone growing inside of her that needed her to be there for them still.
"Thank you," she said taking the sandwich the woman offered.
"You're welcome," the nurse said with a kind smile. "I'll go check on Dottie for you ok?"
Bella nodded and devoured the sandwich, she hadn't realized she had been hungry until it touched her mouth.
Oh Peter, she thought, I wish you were here.
She had never felt so alone, as she felt then.
Another half hour passed and still no word, Bella stood to pace again when something caught her attention.
It couldn't be.
She had to be hallucinating.
The door to the lounge opened and then he was there.
She hadn't conjured him after all.
The smell of his cologne wafting over to her and making her heart rate spike.
His dark head was lowered as he spoke to one of the nurses, and Bella didn't even realize her feet were moving until she was standing in front of him.
He turned and looked down at her, no words were spoken as she threw herself into his arms and sobbed.
He was really there.
Peter was there.
A/N: Poor Dottie :(
As for Alice, we all know the Pixie is too observant for her own good, she probably just put two and two together.
But Peter's here now. *sigh* Like a knight in shining armor...
Qahla Kwoli: How could I resist bringing back darling Peter? lol And I agree, the keeping it from him might not be a good idea at all, but I have to wait and see what Bella decides...she's stubborn ;p
Sassy Mami: You're evil twin huh? LMAO...well I guess it worked...:p smh :D
An Avid Reader Forever: Thanks hun, glad you enjoyed, and everything will work out no worries :)
Okay...until next time lovelies ~ Riney.