Chapter 10- Family Bonds

Bella-POV

After we exchanged our vows Edward played for me again, but a different song this time. I asked him where it came from and he said he was making it up as he went and it was inspired by me. The thought alone was enough to make me smile. After the song was done we went up to our room and I sat down on the bed. "So what am I supposed to sleep in, the only clothes I have are on my back." He grinned at me and went to his closet and opened it. It was filled to the maximum with all different kinds of clothes. There were Clothes that would fit me now and ones that I would grow into as I became more and more pregnant. I also saw all the shoes, oh so many shoes. "Did you do that?" He shook his head no and said, "Alice is a force of nature once she has her mind set on things. She also has a bit of a shopping addiction, but she blames it on the fact that she has no memory of her human life and therefor making up for those lost memories of shopping". I couldn't believe that Alice did all of that. "We should find a way to thank her" He laughed and said, "no need to thank her she already knows your grateful but just promise her you will go shopping with her sometime in the future and let her help with the baby clothes shopping." I couldn't help but smile at the thought of the babies, our girls. "Why do I get the feeling that these girls are going to be the best dressed girls around and have more clothes than days in a year?" I asked him. "Because you are starting to know Alice" I was happy with the thought of having a sister.

After I changed into some cotton pants and shirt that was kind of tight I walked into the bedroom. Edward looked at me like he wanted to make love to me but looked away quickly. I knew he wanted to but he thought he would hurt me and I could wait for him to make love to me. I didn't want to risk hurting the babies. He looked at me again and said, "You look beautiful" He got off the bed and wrapped his arms around me and whispered in my ear, "and you know that I want you so badly, I want to make love to my beautiful wife but it is just too dangerous" I nodded at him and said, "Edward it is fine, just being with you is enough. I know it is dangerous and we will figure something out at another time." I walked over to the bed and climbed in. As we laid there I asked him, "So since we know we are having girls what do you think about names."

We laid there in silence until he said, "Well what do you think" I thought about it for a second and said, " I want to pay tribute to our mothers and fathers in their names, you know have a variation in there somewhere. What about Elizabeth Renee Masen Cullen for one and Charlotte Edith Masen Cullen for the other. Charlotte can be shortened to Charlie if we want and Edith still was the Ed part of Edward in it for your father" Edward said nothing. After about five minutes he said, "I like it, I think it is perfect." He then did something I never expected. He put his head near my belly and said "Hi Charlotte, Elizabeth I'm your daddy" He probably knew I would think he lost his mind because he looked up at me and explained, "Most doctors and medical professionals agree that the babies can hear what goes on around them when they are in utero, there have been many studies Bella. It is good for them to hear my voice as well as yours so they know it when they are born. It is good to talk to them Bella. You do it or at least you used to all the time why is it so strange that fathers do it now as well?" He said. He was right and made a good point. I couldn't help the overwhelming joy that came over me at the thought that I was going to be a mother and Edward a father. Edward seemed to sense this and crawled back up to me and kissed me so passionately it shouldn't even be legal.

While he was kissing me his hands roamed my body as mine roamed his. We couldn't make love but we could enjoy the feeling of each other. After about 10 minutes of this he pulled away and said he loved me but I should get some sleep. I fell asleep quickly and only dreamt of my loving husband lying on the side of me alive and my growing children inside of me. I didn't think I could have been any happier.

When I awoke the next morning Edward was still on the side of me holding me while I slept he was humming the song he came up with last night. When I rolled over to face him he kissed me on the cheek and said that any minute Alice would be in to help me get dressed. She wanted girl bonding time and had asked him last night while I was sleeping if she and Rosalie could steel me this morning. I didn't mind. I wanted to get to know my new sisters so I said, "Its ok, dear, I want to get to know my new sisters. I think I am really going to like having sisters. It was not so fun being an only child" Just as I finished saying that both Alice and Rosalie flew through the door and were hugging me. Alice just said, "I knew you would view us as your sisters not just your husband's adopted siblings" I was happy that my use of the word sister made her so happy. Rosalie chimed in, "I am so glad to have another sister, now our family really is complete, or at least it will be once those girls are born." There were no secrets in this family. No sooner did I think it Alice said, "Nope, we never have any secrets. It is kind of pointless with Edward's mind reading, my seeing the future and Jasper being able to sense your emotions."

As soon as I showered in Edwards huge bathroom attached to his room, well now our bathroom attached to our room, I walked back to the bedroom and Alice and Rosalie had already picked out my outfit. I was apparently wearing the pants they called jeans. I still thought it was strange for woman to wear pants. A light blue tank top with lace along the bottom and a midnight blue sweater that came down to just above the bottom of the tank top showing the lace under it. It was all very pretty but I still felt out of place. Alice then went to the shoes and pulled out a pair of black boots with a low heel. She said, "As much as I would love to put you in heels it really is not a good idea with your being pregnant and balance somewhat off. You are starting to show a bit but it is very cute and I am sure Edward will love being able to see your baby bump." I put the shoes on without complaining and sat on the bed.

Alice and Rosalie sat with me and I didn't know how to do this bonding thing. Rosalie started. "So you are having twin girls right? Have you and Edward decided on names yet?" I smiled at the thought of last night's conversation. "Yes we decided last night. We decided to pay respect to our parents. Elizabeth Renee after both of our mothers and Charlotte Edith as a variation to our fathers names." Alice was bouncing as she pulled out a bag. "I knew the names as soon as you decided so I got each of the girls a baby blanket embroidered with their names on it." I pulled out the blankets one said Elizabeth and the other said Charlotte. It made me so happy I hugged her and rose both. Just then Rose saw my rings and said, "So Edward went out and bought you a new set of rings I see." I smiled at the memory of last night. "yes, we had gone out to dinner in Port Angeles and Edward took me after, when we got home and found nobody here as well as the sweet trail of roses and candles, thank you by the way for that, he asked me to continue being his wife and when I said yes we recited out vows from 1918 to each other and exchanged rings." Alice was smiling from ear to ear and rose was also smiling. "Aw, that sounds so sweet I wish we could have seen it." Rose replied. "It was very romantic and very intimate and it was perfect. Maybe after the children are born we can renew our vows with the family present" Alice started bouncing. "Alice stop bouncing you are going to make me sick" I told her. "Sorry Bella, I am just so excited and happy I can't help myself."

As she finished that statement my stomach growled and they laughed, "time to feed the human". We walked downstairs and Esme was already making me breakfast. It smelt delicious. As we walked into the kitchen Edward rushed over to me and pulled me into a hug and kissed me lightly on the lips. I couldn't help but respond and he deepened our kiss right there in front of his entire vampire family. Edward started holding me tighter when someone cleared their throat, I think it may have been Emmett. Then I knew for sure when I heard, "Why don't you two go back upstairs, its not like she can get any more pregnant than she already is. Edward you did a good job of that the first time don't you think?" Edward pulled away and I heard a smack come from the living room. "Ouch Rose what was that for?" He asked her. Rosalie to my rescue again said, "You idiot, leave them alone. Edward has been without his wife for 87 years. It is ok for them to show a little affection. What would you do if you were without your wife for 87 years." Emmett immediately shut up and said, "Sorry guys" and went back to whatever he was doing.

Esme put my breakfast on the table and smiled as she sat down. "So Bella, Edward said you found out the babies are girls and you decided on names. I really like the names it is sweet to include your parents. Especially since they can't be here. But if there is anything you need a mother's advice for please don't hesitate to ask me. I did go through a pregnancy before I was changed. Unfortunately my son didn't make it and died three days after he was born. I was so grief stricken that I jumped off a cliff trying to kill myself. When I was brought to the hospital, Carlisle heard my heart beat. I was in such a bad way that they brought me straight to the morgue. He changed me and the rest is history." I was in shock at her story. "Oh my goodness Esme, I am so sorry." She raised her hand to stop me and said. "Bella, the one thing I got out of everything was my dear Carlisle. My human husband used to beat me all the time, when I realized I was pregnant I left him for my child. So we could have a better life somewhere. When he didn't make it I was devastated. I think that while my son was in heaven he tried to thank me for trying to give him a better life. He wanted me to have a better life so he gave me Carlisle. Carlisle saved me and I think that my son did that". I looked at her in shock and said, "that is a good way to think of it".

Today had been a great day so far. I managed to wake up next to my husband, bond with my sisters, bond with my vampire mother in law and make Edward kiss me so passionately again. It wasn't even 9:00am yet. Edward had left when Esme and I started talking and managed to come back when we were done and I had finished my breakfast. I heard her say, "Edward, your wife is so sweet. You better never do anything to hurt her or your sisters will most likely tear you apart and burn you to ashes". He laughed and Alice and Rosalie appeared and said, "you go that right". I loved my new family so much already. I wondered what else today had in store for me.

When Edward and I walked into the living room Emmett and Jasper were holding black things with buttons on them and there was a black box attached to a huge flat moving picture box and it was all in color and the things they held controlled their characters on the screen. "Edward what on earth is all this", I asked. He sat me down and Emmett and Jasper paused what they were doing. "Bella, like I said technology has advanced since 1918. The large screen is a flat screen plasma television. Imagine a moving picture show but without the projection booth and you are able to see it in your own home without it." He told me. "Well that makes sense I think". He continued, "Well everything used to be in black and white but they developed the technology and now it is in color and uses new technology to make the picture better and clearer." I decided to ask him to explain more. " So what were Jasper and Emmett doing?" Jasper explained this time, "well this is called a video game. The black box right there holds a game that is made up from different codes that put it into a picture on the TV. These", he handed me the thing he was holding, "are controllers they control our characters on the game. They don't need a wire because the signal is generated and transmitted wirelessly." Everything he said confused me so I said, "It really makes no sense to me but can I watch maybe then it would make sense."

Jasper and Emmett started to play again as Edward and I sat on the love seat and he played with my hair. It was intriguing what they were doing. I wanted to try and they let me. I beat Emmett without a problem. Jasper was harder because he manipulated my emotions to make me nervous and I messed up. Edward yelled at him for cheating. I told him it was fine and continued to bond with my new brothers.

When lunch rolled around Carlisle walked through the door. He went and hugged and kissed Esme and asked how I was feeling. I told him I was fine and he told me to eat something because I was going to get very hungry soon. And as if on cue my stomach rumbled and my brothers laughed at me. When I walked into the kitchen to put a sandwich together Edward was already in there and assembling one for me. He also made me some warm tea. I kissed him as a thank you and he smiled at me. I didn't think things could get better. While I ate Carlisle started to fill me in on new practices in obstetrical care. When I asked him if he had any books on the subject so I could read more about it he disappeared and reappeared even quicker, Carlisle handed me a book and said to take my time and if I had any questions to write them down and he would address them later.

I took the book and went into Edward and my room. Edward followed me and said "I know things can be overwhelming and I am trying to understand where you are coming from with a lot of it. I got you something so you can write down your thoughts and feelings if you wanted to" He then handed me a leather bound journal with my name Isabella Marie Masen Cullen embroidered on the front. I looked at it and said, "Thank You, it really means a lot to me". He kissed my head and said he would give me some time to myself.

I could hardly believe that all morning I managed to bond with every single member of this family and they all seemed to like me. Edward had changed since 1918 but that was to be expected, as he changed and evolved with time. He didn't mind taking care of me by getting me something to eat or explaining things to me. Back in 1918 that was unheard of. He wanted me to go to college and expand my education. He wanted to have an active role in the pregnancy and wasn't afraid to admit it. Of all the things that changed one thing hadn't He loved me more than anything and I loved him as well. We were just beginning the start of forever.