Chapter 11
The Only One
It was several weeks since the funeral, and my grief was nearly non-existent. Once in awhile I would see something or someone out of the corner of my eye that reminded me of Leo, and I would be sad briefly. Alice and Jasper went back to Canada where they were building a home. Emmett and Rosalie were back in Switzerland. Carlisle and Esme were traveling in Eastern Europe helping to deliver medical supplies to war torn countries. My parents were finishing up their final year at Dartmouth. Dad was studying ancient laws and philosophy. Mom was studying world history and cultures. I started home-schooling, and did most of my school work on line. I had an A in all my classes. I also took an Art class at the University. I continued to draw and paint, usually from memory, but occasionally I would do some still life as well.
I convinced Jacob to stay in New Hampshire. We weren't completely together. We were taking things slow. We mostly spent a lot of time talking, or reading to each other, or I would subject him to my drawings or paintings as my subject. We were having fun together. We went for long walks in the woods, and even took in a movie in town. Jacob dropped out of high school and was studying for his GED. He wanted to start college in the fall and get his mechanics degree. He eventually wanted to open his own repair shop business. He also started working construction during the day. Jacob and I weren't intimate. We were sort of dating. It was sweet and a bit corny at times. We did kiss a lot though. Our kisses got so hot, I thought we would burst into flames. We took our share of cold showers. We weren't rushing into making love anytime soon.
It was Mid-April, and I realized my appetite was getting more extensive. I started hunting again with my parents. I was hunting more often than they were. My human appetite had increased as well. I was eating full portions at meals, sometimes even taking second helpings. Jacob laughed at me at dinner, because I had consumed more food than him.
"Geez, Nessie, you keep eating like that and you'll get a big belly." He poked at my stomach, jokingly. But my stomach was hard as rock, and didn't move. Jacob looked at me funny, then I lifted my shirt and looked at my stomach.
"Nessie?" Jacob's eyes grew wider. "Are you feeling alright?"
I looked at him, then looked at my stomach again. "You're not thinking…" I said trailing off.
"Yes. I am."
"But that's not possible." I haven't been with anyone since Leo, and Jake on New Years. Surely I would have had these babies by now, if they were part vampire.
Jacob carefully put his hand on my belly. I felt a twinge, then Jacob jerked his hand away.
"Nessie, your stomach just kicked me."
"Oh, my god. I am pregnant."
"Very much so."
"I don't understand. How is this possible? I would have had them by now. Mom! Dad!" I yelled for my parents as they were coming in from outside. They rushed to my side. "What's wrong?" They asked in unison. They saw me holding my stomach and Jacob was in shock in his chair.
"I think we have a problem."
They were surprised but concerned. "No. You're not, Pregnant? Nessie!" Mom squealed in delight.
My Dad was not so elated. He was still old fashioned. "How long have you known you were pregnant, Nessie?" Dad looked leering at Jacob.
"Just now. We were sitting here eating dinner, and Jacob and I were joking around and he poked my belly. Then he put his hand on my stomach and it kicked Jacob."
Dad looked agitated. "I'm calling Carlisle."
Mom was just gushing over me, and kept touching my belly. Jacob was still dumbfounded, sitting in his chair. Dad got off the phone.
"Carlisle will be here tomorrow. He's bringing a sonogram machine with him."
"Will he be able to see the baby?"
"Carlisle is guessing he will."
Dad was still staring down Jacob. "What do you have to say for yourself, Jacob?" Dad asked him.
Jacob snapped out of his stupor. "What?"
"What do you have to say for yourself?" Dad repeated himself.
"I can't talk about his right now, Edward."
My Dad must have read his thoughts. "Oh, I see. Well, that's a good point."
"What?" I was confused. "Dad, what was Jacob thinking."
"Nothing. Don't worry yourself."
"Jake?" I asked him.
"We'll talk about it later, Nessie." Jacob gritted his teeth.
"Why?"
"I don't want to upset you, that's why."
"You don't believe the baby's yours is that it?" I guessed.
Jacob gnashed his teeth. "We're not talking about this right now. Got it!"
He got up from his seat and pushed his chair back in forcefully. He sighed heavily and left the room.
"I'm sorry, Nessie. I shouldn't have said anything." Dad apologized.
"He thinks it's not his, and he may be right." My Mom patted me on the shoulder.
"You think it may be Leo's?" She asked.
It's pretty likely. Jacob and I had only been together once on New Years.
"It's possible." I replied.
"Carlisle can test paternity if you really want to know. You wouldn't have to wait until the baby is born." Dad explained.
"Isn't that dangerous, though, Edward?" My Mom asked.
"We'll find out tomorrow when Carlisle comes."
Dad went to talk to Jacob.
"This is so great Nessie." Mom gushed. "I need to call Alice."
She grabbed the phone and called Alice.
"Alice? Guess what? Oh, yes of course you would know. Isn't that the best news? Well, I don't know. Oh, no, don't tell me. I want it to be a surprise. Carlisle will be here with the sonogram machine. I have to call Esme and Rose. We'll know more tomorrow. Okay. I will. See you later."
Mom hung up the phone. "Alice sends her love and congratulates you. I need to call Esme and Rose."
She continued talking on the phone. I placed my hand on my stomach that seemed like the elephant in the room. I wondered what Jacob and my Dad were talking about. I hoped it was positive. I listened to my mother talk to Esme and then Rose making plans for my baby shower already. Rosalie was especially excited for me. I was getting sleepy listening to my mother chat on the phone. I decided to go outside and get some fresh air. It was cloudy out, like it was getting ready to rain. My Mom had taken an interest in gardening and tulips of every color were blooming in beds surrounding the house. I lifted my shirt to look at my small bump of a belly. I rubbed my hands in a circle on my stomach, and looked to the lush green forest scattered with colorful blooms. I closed my eyes and felt the warm damp breeze blow through my hair, listening to the leaves rustle in the wind. I thought I heard someone call my name. I opened my eyes and looked to the trees. I listened again, but only heard the breeze blowing. Jacob came up behind me surprising me.
"Nessie, did you hear me calling you?" He asked.
"Oh, no. I was listening to the wind."
"I was looking for you."
"Is everything alright?" I asked.
"I wanted to apologize about the way I acted earlier. I want you to know I will be here for you, if you need me. I will support you in any way I can."
"Thanks, Jake. I appreciate that." That wasn't actually what I was expecting, but our relationship wasn't ready for anything else.
The following day Carlisle arrived early morning. He assessed my situation, as Jacob looked on.
"Very interesting, Nessie." Carlisle examined me in my room, as Jacob hung out in the hallway, giving me privacy. "It looks like, by my calculations, you are just over 4 months pregnant. You should be due the first week of September. Your pregnancy is progressing normally like a human pregnancy. Much different than what your mother went through."
"That's good right?"
"Yes. You seem healthy. You have a good appetite, but I want you to take prenatal vitamins. Do you want Jake in here for the sonogram?"
"Sure, if he wants to. We'll be able to see the baby on the sonogram?"
"I'm pretty sure."
"Jake?" I called for him. He poked his head inside the doorway.
"Yeah?"
"Do you want to come in for the sonogram?"
"Sure, I guess. If you want me to."
"Of course."
Jacob came in cautiously and sat next to my bed. Carlisle propped me up with pillows and lifted my shirt and squirted cold goop on my belly. He ran the sonogram wand across my little bump of a belly. The monitor was next to me where Jacob and I could see it. Then the figure appeared on the screen, a grey blobby thing. Carlisle pointed out a head, arm and leg.
"Well, what do you know?" Carlisle said curious.
"What? What is it Carlisle?" I asked. Jacob and I perked up.
"Well, Nessie, it looks like you have two babies in there. See." He pointed to two heads opposite each other, one up, one down.
"Twins?" Jacob and I said in unison, then looked at each other.
"Do you want to hear the heartbeats?"
We nodded. Carlisle flipped a switch, and we heard two sets of fast heartbeats, beating opposite of each other. The beating was like fast clocks ticking underwater.
"Wow. That's them in there." Jacob listened intently, and placed his hand on my stomach and smiled. "They're moving around."
"So do you want to know the sex?" Carlisle asked.
Jacob and I looked at each other and agreed. "Yes."
Carlisle scanned with the sonogram wand again. "Look there." He pointed to the obvious outline of a boy. "A boy." Then scanned some more. "This one's a little tricky. But I believe that is a girl." He points again.
"Well, one of each." Jacob acknowledged.
"Twins, can you believe it?" I asked.
"Maybe you're psychic?"
"What do you mean?"
"Remember a while ago a dream you had?"
"Twins!" I exclaimed. "Maybe it was a premonition."
"That's amazing." Jacob kissed me, unexpectantly, but softly on the lips. "Congratulations, little momma." Jacob teased.
"Congratulations to you both." Carlisle said.
Jacob gave Carlisle a curious look.
Just then, my parents came in. Mom came to my side and hugged me. "Edward just told me you're having twins! That's great." She kissed me on the forehead, and was off to call Alice, Esme and Rose. Dad came over and kissed my forehead.
"Congratulations, Nessie." Dad said understatedly. "Carlisle, can I talk to you for a minute?" Dad took him aside and I knew he was asking about the paternity test. I looked concerned and I knew I was scowling.
"What's wrong, Nessie?" Jacob asked.
"If you could know if the babies were yours now, would you want to know?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Dad's asking Carlisle to do a paternity test."
"Well, I don't think that matters right now. I just want you to have a healthy pregnancy. I don't want anything to happen to you."
Dad looked over to us, squinting at Jacob then abruptly stopped his conversation with Carlisle and approached Jacob. He put his hand on his shoulder. "Jake, Nessie's going to be fine. The babies will be healthy. This is different from when Bella had Nessie. Nothing bad is going to happen to her."
I looked at Jacob in bewilderment. "Is that what you were worried about? You're afraid these babies will be like me when I was born?"
"Well, slightly. I'm worried about you. I'm afraid for you."
"You were traumatized by my birth, weren't you?"
"Well, yeah. It was pretty frightening. You were sucking the life from Bella, and when you were born you gnawed your way out of her womb. There was so much blood. It was like a horror movie."
"Jacob. You don't have to worry. Nessie's pregnancy is almost as normal as any human. She'll be fine." Carlisle tried to reassure Jacob.
"I'm just worried. That's all."
"Of course you are. It's only normal." Carlisle smiled at him.
"Carlisle, what about the paternity test?" I asked unexpectedly.
"Well, I wouldn't recommend it with twins. There's a possibility of infection and possible injury to the fetuses. Other complications as well. It could cause premature birth."
"Then no! We can wait." Jacob spoke up.
"Are you sure, Jake? Wouldn't you want to know for sure." I asked again.
Jacob looked at my father. "Carlisle why don't we let Nessie have a chance to talk." Dad eased Carlisle out the door.
I watched them leave, wondering what was going on. Jacob sat beside me on my bed. He took my hand in his.
"Nessie." Jacob looked at my hand and then in my eyes. "I wanted to tell you before that I don't care if I'm the father or not."
"What?" I didn't believe what I was hearing.
"I'm trying to tell you, I love you. I love you no matter what. Always have, always will."
"Jake, how could you even forgive me for what I've done to you. I betrayed and hurt you. I broke your heart. Why would you even give a damn about me?" Tears started to well up inside me.
"Nessie, none of that matters anymore. We've hit a few roadblocks in our relationship, and we're starting to get back on track. I've never stopped loving you Nessie. I knew, somehow, I would have you in my life again. I love you more now than ever, if that sounds possible."
I don't deserve a man like Jacob.
"How can you not want to know if the babies are yours or not?"
"Because I love you. It doesn't matter."
"You're saying if these babies aren't yours, you would still love me?"
Jacob snickered. "You know for a smart girl, you sure are dumb." He hugged me. "I love you no matter what the outcome, and I will love your babies. I have chosen you a long time ago. I forgive you for losing your way. I forgive you for everything."
"You are too good for me, Jacob Black."
"No, I'm not."
I held him tighter to me. He pushed me back from him slightly and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a black velvet box and opened it. My heart sunk into my chest.
"Nessie, I don't want you to think I'm doing this because you're pregnant. I love you. Ever since I left to go back to Forks I've been fighting to get back to you. Fighting vampires, fighting with doubt and betrayal, fighting myself, fighting grief, I'm through fighting. I know I only want to be with you. You are the only one for me, Nessie. You are my world, my life, my reason for being alive. Without you I would be lost." Jacob paused. "Okay, I'm getting a little corny."
We giggled. "I love you, Nessie and I would like you to be my wife." Tears welled up in his eyes and he smiled.
"Of course, Jake. I will be your wife." I accepted and he placed the ring on my finger, again. Then we kissed. I heard a voice in my head.
"Okay, we're leaving the house for awhile." Dad spoke in my head. I smiled while still kissing Jacob. He noticed my grin.
"What is it?"
"My family is leaving to give us privacy."
Jacob smiled widely, that bright white smile I loved so much. "Good, I wouldn't want Edward to see what I'm about to do."
