Chapter 11: Getting Closer
Rosalie's POV
Acting on the fact that I decided to grow up, I spent a grueling twenty-four hours ignoring Jacob and his wisecracks. It was giving me a headache and stress lines, but I reminded myself of my baby and how much it needed me.
But of course Emmett noticed it. "Babe, are you sick?"
I gave him a weird look. How could I get sick? "No. Why?"
"You're not acting like yourself. You're quieter, too much like Bella. You've been ignoring Jacob all day, not saying a single word to him whatsoever. If this is something Sam or Adele has done, I'm going to rip them limb from--"
"Emmett, it's not them," I interrupted him. "Well, not completely. You see, Sam--"
He started to turn away. "I'm gonna kill that werewolf if it's the last thing I do!" he bellowed.
I caught up with him, resting my hand on his shoulder and turning him to face me. "Listen, okay? Sam helped me realize that it's time for me to grow up. I've been acting selfish and immature for too long."
Emmett started laughing. "Ha ha. Very funny, Rose. Yeah, right, like you're going to think of others for a change!" He started laughing harder.
I pressed my lips into a thin line and glared. He looked at my expression and his laughter died away. "You're serious? Oh....Sorry. But...why do you want to do this?"
"I've already told you. We have a baby on the way, and I'm too immature to handle that."
He pulled me close to him, kissing my head and running his fingers through my hair softly. "Oh, Rose. Of all the stupid things you've done, this one probably tops the charts. You don't have to change, baby. The baby will want whatever its mother is like, whether its mother is like you, or Alice. And this house will never be the same if you change. Everyone enjoys having you around, you know that." He kissed my forehead.
I looked up at him. "Okay. Fine. But if our child ends up a mess it's all your fault."
He started laughing again. "That's the Rosalie we all know and love!" He glanced at Jake, asleep on the white sofa. "Or, at least most people."
"I hate him, too, so it's equal. Speaking of hate, where's Adele? I haven't seen her around for a long time."
Emmett shrugged. "Terrorizing other vampires, most likely. I don't know, but I don't care, either. But I have this weird noise coming from my engine, so if you don't mind, I need some help fixing it."
Adele's POV
I was standing in the Cullens' garage, admiring all of their cars. My sister's yellow Porsche was the one I envied most. I wondered if she'd ever let me drive it.
Before I had the chance to think about even just taking the car out for a quick spin, Emmett came in the garage, Rosalie by his side. Oh, how those two lovebirds sickened me. Rosalie glared at me and I glared right back. Emmett didn't say anything to me, nor had he said anything at all about our meeting in the kitchen. But I decided to give him some time.
"Hey, Emmett," I greeted, trying to be the better person. "What's up?"
"Nothing. I just wanted Rose to have a look at my Jeep. Something seems wrong."
"Oh. Well, let's hope everything's okay." I shot him a flirty smile while Rosalie opened the hood. As soon as I knew she was absorbed enough in her present activity, I mouthed to him, "Remember what I said. Consider it." He mouthed back, "I would never." I gave him a look that read, "Oh, it's may just happen the way I want it."
Maybe if I was flirtatious enough he would fall into my grasp. All he wanted was a little love, right? That shouldn't be too hard.
Rose closed the hood of his Jeep. "Just needed an oil change." She looked back and forth between Emmett and I, still staring at each other. She grabbed Emmett by the arm and tried to pull him inside. He turned away from me and headed into the house without a word. A couple seconds later, I followed, sure to keep my distance. If the blonde suspected anything, I knew damn right that she would be the road block between Emmett and I. She was the only thing standing in my way. Or so I thought.
"Adele," Alice hissed. I looked around to see her sitting on an arm chair. I came over and sat down next to her.
"What's up?" I asked coolly, though I knew perfectly well something was wrong.
"What the hell do you think you're doing? Em and Rose are married, for crying out loud! It's a sin to do anything to turn him on."
"I'm already going to hell, so what difference does it make?"
"Listen. You do not go around messing with someone's love life. It just isn't right."
"Last time I checked you hated how lovey-dovey those two had gotten. Now I'm solving your problem--and Edward's problem at night, too."
"If you do anything to hurt either one of them, you better not step foot on our property ever again. You could go live with the werewolves for all I care if that happens."
Edward came into the room. Damn, I thought. He's gonna be watching me every move I make, too. He nodded and smiled. The werewolves actually didn't sound all that bad at the moment.
Leah's POV
I hoped Rosalie was here, otherwise I was making a complete fool of myself.
I walked slowly up to the front door of the Cullens' house, not completely intrigued by the fact I was going to a vampire lair. The smell was completely unappetizing, too. I had no idea how Jake handled it so well.
Just as I stepped on the the front porch stairs, Rosalie answered the door. I was swept up in relief that Emmett didn't answer the door, and that Rosalie was home in the first place.
"Hey," I said uneasily, playing with my belt loop on my jeans.
She nodded at me. "Hi." After a brief, uneasy silence, she asked, "What are you doing here? You've never come because of free will."
"Is it true--are you really pregnant?"
She smiled a sweet smile, clearly liking the fact. "Yes. But what do you have to do with it?"
"Sam hates you and Emmett right now, you know."
"That's no surprise. He already hates us vamps, anyway. But he crashed through my wall yesterday. Esme's not liking him, either."
My eyes widened. "Really? He's never gone that far before."
It was quiet again. Annoyingly quiet.
Rosalie broke the silence. "Why are you here--truly? Not just to warn us, I'm sure. You probably could care less."
I shrugged. "Yeah, I could." She gave me a look of expectance, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against a porch post.
I sighed deeply. "I don't feel so alone anymore. I realize that you're a lot like me."
She snorted, but I continued. "You never had a choice to what you were, and you hate it. There's so many things we both want, but almost all of them we can never have. You're getting mainly half of it now, but before you didn't have the option. Neither do I."
She was silent for a minute, her face softer. As soon as her body thawed, she said, "I guess you're right. But I still don't like you werewolves."
"Racist," I mumbled. She gave me a look, but I didn't care. I didn't specifically like her, either. Vampires were cold killers. I guess that's why everything they do to humans is never figured out, then called a "cold case."
"Well, I've gotta go," I said. "Thanks for listening." I turned and started to run into the forest. I was exhausted, but I wasn't able to sleep until I told her this.
And as I turned, I couldn't be sure, but I thought I saw the devil girl smile.
Emmett's POV
Rosalie was in my lap on the floor, watching CNN with me. There was nothing on, but I was completely absorbed with twirling her hair around my finger.
I couldn't believe how fast her stomach had grown. It was about 2 1/2 inches wide already--so much faster than predicted.
"I think you're right," I heard Edward mumble to himself behind me. I turned slightly to look at him. "We probably should tell Carlisle."
"Tell Carlisle what?" Rosalie asked.
"Nothing," I told her. "Just something we, uh, noticed on the news."
She gave me a weird look like I was crazy, but turned back to look at the TV.
Edward was already gone, and I could hear him talking to Carlisle upstairs.
"Rosalie's growing very rapidly," he said. "The baby already kicked--that's at least sixteen weeks for a human! That was only about a day, too!"
"Yes. I know that. I've been watching her very carefully," Carlisle said.
"Well, why do you think this is happening?"
"Adele hit her twice with that power of hers, and they were constantly glaring at each other, and between the sudden and fast change to her body, this should have been expected. But it's slowed. Now she's growing at about a month per week."
I nodded slightly at that information. It all made sense.
"So four more weeks, then?"
I didn't hear it, but I think he nodded, because I heard Carlisle say, "That's about right. Four months equivalent the first day, then the next five months, so five weeks. Then subtract last week. Could be longer, depending how many times Adele looks into her eyes."
"Thanks, Carlisle."
"You're welcome." Edward was back downstairs in a split second. I heard it all, I thought to my brother. He nodded, then settled back on the couch.
Four weeks. A total of a month and a week. Maybe she should know. It was all revolving around her, anyway.
I turned to look at Edward, but he shook his head. "Tomorrow," he mouthed. I looked out the glass wall and realized it was already far past dark.
Tomorrow it was then. At least I had time to prepare myself for the drama.
