Chapter 10: Secret

(Bella PoV)

I pulled out a set of plain white onesies from the clothing rack, looking them over. They were sized 'newborn to 3 months'. Perfect, I thought, lifting another set from the rack and placing them in the cart. Esme leaned against it and I offered them to her. She smiled and nodded, checking it off the list Carlisle had put together for us. Alice and Rose approached then, one with tiny socks and the other with mittens.

Who knew babies had to wear mittens?" Alice mused, tossing them neatly into the basket of the shopping cart. Esme laughed.

"Babies can scratch themselves easily, Alice, with their skin so delicate and not understanding that they have fingernails," she explained to her daughter who contemplated the information before shrugging. Edward snuck up behind me and snaked his arms around my stomach, kissing me on the cheek. I laughed and leaned my head up to kiss his in return before leading us over to some baby bath sets and began to look through the shelves. Rosalie pulled a yellow baby bath from the shelf and dropped it into the cart. Edward and I looked through the soaps and shampoos, choosing one type and adding them to the cart. Alice came around the corner and showed us the soft mint green towel she found. Esme checked off the list as we continued through the store.

I ventured away from the others down the crib isle, looking at the cribs in curiosity. I bent over slightly, examining an elegant white one when I jumped at a voice right behind me.

"Do you like this one?" Edward asked, pulling me against his side. I nodded.

"If it's a girl," I reminded myself. We were due for another ultrasound at 3 today. It was only 2 now and Esme and the girls were going to drop us off. We were going to find out the gender today and we were super excited. We could then design the nursery and we couldn't wait.

Edward pulled me toward the others where they were looking through maternity clothes. They were frustrated as I made a deal with them that they could buy me any clothes they wanted, it just had to be soft and comfortable. They were finding it hard because the stiffest, most uncomfortable clothing felt soft to them so they were working hard to find something I would approve of. I laughed then gestured toward a rack of maxi dresses and tops with an empire waist. I felt the fabric before nodding at the girls, where they began to find my size and place every color imaginable in the cart. I laughed, shaking my head at their antics but not really caring. Clothing was something I had been lacking in recently and I was in my last pair of jeans that fit and a white dressy top with an empire waist to show off my belly, which I loved to do.

"Hey Bella, are you going to breastfeed?" Alice asked, looking through nursing bras. I nodded and she pulled out three in my size and placing them with the growing pile in our cart.

"Ooh, I can't wait to find out if it's a girl or boy," Esme said excitedly and my face fell slightly, sad that we were going to have to disappoint her.

"Actually, Esme, Edward and I want to wait until the baby shower to announce the news," I said hesitantly. Alice screeched in protest but Esme just smiled.

"I understand, honey, it's ok. It will make for such a surprise for everyone," She told me, going back to diaper rack. I sighed, relieved. The Denali coven was coming over for the baby shower to meet me for the first time. They were cautious then excited when they heard about my pregnancy and Alice assured me they were coming with gifts galore so she and the rest of the family wouldn't go overboard. I was nervous about meeting them but Edward assured me they would love me.

When we finally managed to pull Alice away from the racks of baby clothes, promising her we would come back immediately when the gender was revealed, we paid and Esme drove to Forks Hospital. We had told Carlisle of our desire to surprise everyone with the news of the baby's gender and asked him if it was ok if we had Dr. Gerandy do the ultrasound for today. Carlisle had, of course, agreed wholeheartedly, laughing when he admitted he was excited too.

Edward held my hand as we entered through a side door of the hospital up to the maternity ward. We didn't want the rest of the town to be sticking their noses where they didn't belong. When we arrived at the maternity ward, an elderly nurse greeted us and escorted us to an exam room, leaving us be. Edward lifted me onto the exam table and I leaned my head against his shoulder as our hands folded around my stomach. He chuckled and I looked up at him in curiosity.

"The nurse commented on how you look absolutely glowing," he responded and I smiled, laying my head back on his shoulder and closing my eyes, resting. There was a knock on the door then Dr. Gerandy entered the room, shaking my and Edward's hand.

"Hello, you two. I understand this visit for the ultrasound to find the baby's gender," he asked and we nodded. He chuckled.

"Wanting to surprise the grandfather too, I see?" He asked; we nodded sheepishly.

"How far along are you now, Bella?" He asked, looking through his papers.

"14 weeks," I told him and he smiled before asking me to lay back on the table. I complied and pulled my top up to my chest. He squirted the gel onto my bare stomach, placing the wand there and moving it around before stopping. Edward and I were focused on the screen and smiles broke through our faces as the baby's heartbeat rumbled throughout the room.

"There, the baby looks very strong and healthy. And it's in the perfect position for me to tell the gender," Dr. Gerandy said then was silent as he took some measurements. Edward squeezed my hand and I squeezed back, our excitement leaking through as Dr. Gerandy turned to us with a smile.

"It's—"

The smile wouldn't leave my face even after Esme picked Edward and me from the hospital parking lot. Edward's expression matched mine and, during the entire ride home, we would glance at each other and smile secretively. Esme was bemused by our antics but didn't say anything. When we arrived at our house, the rest of the family was there, partially to help us decorate the house for Christmas—which was only a week away—but mostly to make us cave and tell them the gender. We laughed and shook our heads and they gave up after an hour or so, helping us hang garland around the banisters and hand wreaths, bows, and stockings. We had decided to celebrate Christmas here rather than at the main house as it was our first together and the house was newly finished.

After the rest of the family left for the night and I had showered, I curled up on the bed against Edward, our hands entwined as we pressed against my belly. We gazed into each other's eyes for a long time, smiling at the secret only we knew.

Hope you guys enjoyed! Baby Shower/Christmas is in the next chapter! Gender and number will be revealed! ;)

If I get 70 reviews, I'll update!

~Melinda :)