Edward's POV
After snapping Masen's car seat into the base in the back of my SUV, I climbed into the driver's seat and reminded myself to breathe. Just calm down.
It was ridiculous for me to be this nervous about running into Bella again and going to her house to take a look at Elizabeth. I was positive that the only reason she agreed to let me come over was her worry over her child, and I knew that I shouldn't get my hopes up… but I couldn't help it.
During the last few days, we had barely texted each other and we had definitely not spent time together. I had blown it when I had opened my mouth at her place, my logical side regretting it ever since it had happened.
And yet… I found that I couldn't stop thinking about her.
It felt wrong still though. As angry as I still was with Tanya… it still felt in a way like I was the one cheating on her… I felt like I should be grieving the loss of my wife, and the guilt was starting to get to me… especially with the way that I couldn't get Bella out of my head.
By the time I pulled into Bella's driveway, she was already at the door, chatting to a woman that I recognised immediately, my stomach churning at the sight of her. At first I hadn't noticed her truck parked on the road in front of the house, but now it was glaringly obvious and as I cut my engine, I felt myself forcing my body to relax and loosen each individual muscle.
Pushing myself out of the car, I focused on getting Masen out, zipping up his car seat cover and ensuring I had everything I needed – his bag, his formula, diapers, clothes…
"Dr. Cullen." I didn't turn around immediately as she called my name, my skin crawling as I dreaded hearing whatever she was going to say.
"Dr. Cullen." She snapped the words out, and finally I turned around, Masen's seat in one hand and the diaper bag in my other.
"Hello Mrs. Newton." I smiled politely at the woman who was standing directly in front of me, backing up a step and maneuvering around her, not at all interested in whatever she had to say now.
Glancing up, I could see Bella through her kitchen window. She was busy pulling Elizabeth out of her seat and I could see the baby fussing already. I tried to focus on that as I approached the front door and raised my fist to knock on the door, still ignoring Mrs. Newton as I felt her following behind me.
"Dr. Cullen… if that child is my grandson…"
"I can assure you Mrs. Newton that he is not in any way related to you, or your son. My child is one-hundred percent without a doubt, a Cullen child." I snapped as I turned towards her, my anger seeping out through my tone. I didn't have time for this woman and her scare-tactics, and I did not care what accusations she was going to throw at me. Masen was mine.
"When you complete the paternity test and the results come back…" I didn't bother knocking after all, instead grabbing the door handle and walking right into Bella's house, hoping that she didn't mind. As I closed the door a little more roughly than I had intended she looked up at me and I could see the tears forming in her own eyes. At that moment I knew that I would do anything that I could to help and to protect these two people who had crashed into my life.
"She thinks that Mike is Masen's biological father… doesn't she?" Bella bit down on her lip as she asked the question and I nodded, the idea so foreign and ridiculous to me. Masen was my son… and although he looked a lot like Tanya, and very little like me, I was not going to allow any other thought to penetrate my mind.
"That woman is insane." I responded, unable to say what I really wanted, still shaken up from her words.
"She still thinks that Mike is somehow not Elizabeth's father… but he is Masen's father… but she wants custody of Elizabeth…"
"And Masen…" I interjected and she sighed, shaking her head.
"I've found a really great attorney…. Perhaps you should speak to him as well." She said and I nodded, grabbing Masen from his seat and following Bella to the living room where she continued to bounce Elizabeth as she whimpered and scrunched up her face.
"Let me see her?" I asked quietly, turning my focus on to the little girl and moving closer to Bella. As she reached out and took Masen, I pulled Elizabeth to me and moved to the other side of the room – setting her down on the sofa and doing a quick check up on her, asking Bella several questions and listening to her answers.
As I examined her she seemed to settle down a little bit and it seemed that she was just having a fussy day.
"I wanted to apologise for the other day… for my comment… I mean… I shouldn't have said…" I began to fumble verbally again, not sure where this nervousness came from. I had never in my life had trouble articulating my thoughts before now… but something about the woman across from me… her dark brown eyes reading me as I spoke…
"It's okay. I get it. Like I really get it." She cut me off and I smiled, pulling Elizabeth into my arms and propping her up on my shoulder, rubbing her back and grinning wider as she let out a loud burp. Across from me, Bella had Masen in her lap while she sat cross legged… his eyes open wide as he stared up at her face.
"This has been the hardest couple of weeks for me… and I imagine for you as well. Nothing seems right or fair or easy… or even just normal. Talking to you feels wrong somehow… but I can't stop… I mean… I like talking to you… I like having you and Masen nearby…" She trailed off and bit down on her lower lip again. I didn't know what to say. She amazed me and I could feel her strength rolling off of her as she spoke and sorted through her own thoughts.
"So… we can hang out again?" I asked as I left her house later that afternoon, Masen snoozing lightly in his seat while we said goodbye and she smiled at me, playfully smacking my arm.
The rest of the visit had been more relaxed. We had talked for a long time – she was quite the woman and I loved to hear her talk about her family – her mother before she left, and her father… her friends from college and her employees at the store that she treated as though they were family. She told me about her and Mike… and even though I remembered when she had started dating him in high school, I hadn't known much about either of them, never really liking Mike… and simply never paying much attention to Bella.
As much as she told me about herself… I filled her in on my life… telling her stories about my family and my friends, as well as about how Tanya and I had met and what had drawn me to her despite her icy façade and my early suspicions that she wasn't happy with me.
"Of course we can hang out… I need some sanity… and someone who just gets it." She responded with a laugh and I opened the door, heading out into the bitterness. This was one heck of a winter and I wasn't liking it very much.
"Lunch tomorrow?" I didn't know if it was too soon or if it was too formal of an invitation but she smiled and nodded, her eyes brightening as soon as I suggested it.
"Tomorrow… where do you want to meet?" She asked and I smiled, knowing exactly where and telling her I would text her the address.
The last thing I saw as I pulled out of the driveway, was Bella waving from the window, Elizabeth cozied up in the sling and still sound asleep. I felt lighter than I had since the accident… and I knew exactly why. I had found Bella.