I don't own any of these characters. They belong to Stephenie Meyer.
I shuddered at the thought of me being a spy. I was never really good at it. I didn't have a poker face. Hell, I couldn't even PLAY poker without losing. I couldn't make people believe I was innocent. How was I supposed to pull of stealthy?
I made my way through the house slowly and cautiously. I wanted a few minutes alone to check my E-mail and see if Alice had written me about our conversation last night. If I had any luck in the world, she would've E-mailed me and given me more directions that were far more specific on what to do right and how to get out of being caught. She was always the best with these things.
Turns out, Lady Luck decided she was suffering from premenstrual syndrome.
When I logged into our account, I saw that the entire thing had been cleared out. The SPAM folder, clear. The Trash folder, clear. The Inbox, clear. The Outbox, clear. The Drafts, clear.
The Address Book, clear.
For a split second, I wondered why Jacob felt the need to take the time to clear out everything, including my address book. That address book held most of the information I needed to be able to get into contact with some of my old friends, though I never really took advantage of it. And then, like a spark of electricity, I knew.
The Address Book automatically saved every E-mail address that had E-mailed us, as well as the address to every E-mail we've sent. Jacob is trying to hide something.
A red flag went off in my brain as I stared at the bright computer monitor. My eyes felt dry and I began seeing little, red spots, but I couldn't blink. I couldn't tear my eyes away. I couldn't move. Shock filled every crevice of my body and left me stiff, rigid, and immobile.
This can't be right, I tried to persuade myself into believing. He was just trying to make sure we had enough megabytes of space in our inbox and tried to delete the junk and then hit something that was wrong. Everyone knows how computer illiterate Jacob is. This was all just a mistake. Nothing is coming from this. Nothing.
As many times as I said those words to myself, I couldn't really believe them. I sat in half a state of denial, half a state of panic and hurt. It was like a war raging through my mind without any sign of end. There was only one thing I could do.
Mustering up the muscle control to move, I brought my shaking hand to the mouse and clicked on the "X" in the top, right corner of the screen. Now, the only thing staring back at me was the cheesy grin of Claire as the background photo.
Claire woke up soon after that, very disappointed and upset that Jacob wasn't home. The day was full of toys flying through the air, landing in random spots like bombs over Tokyo after the attack on Pearl Harbor. She kicked, screamed, scratched, cried, almost anything and everything imaginable to show her frustration. It was very hard to keep a level head throughout the temper tantrums, but they eventually died down.
Claire exhausted herself throughout the day, which made her whole bedtime routine a breeze, despite that Jacob still wasn't home. Once I put a very tired Claire into bed, I grabbed my cell phone and punched in Jacob's number.
"Hey, this is Jacob. Leave a message at the--" I hung up quickly in a fit of frustration and anger, my face heated as the blood rushed into my cheeks.
Why would he turn in phone off?, I wondered to myself, enraged. He knows that something could always go wrong, especially with me being pregnant. On silent, I can understand, but completely OFF?! He's going to get an earful when he walks through that door.
Jacob escaped the earful by not coming home until I went to sleep.
I woke up the next morning to a dreaming Jacob laying next to me, smelling like a fresh shower. He had cleaned himself up, that was obvious, but I couldn't put my finger on the reasoning. I can't begin to tell anyone of how many bed sheets we've had to throw out in the past because he'd ruined them, refusing to take a shower.
I looked at the alarm clock and realized Jacob must've slept through his alarm, meaning he was late for work. I debated with myself and finally decided that I should wake him up. Despite being absolutely fumed with him, we depended on his income. He needed the job. Being late wasn't an option.
I shook him violently, only to have him push me aside and roll over. This continued for a few minutes before my frustration with him reached its peak.
"Jacob!" I yelled into his ear. "You are SO late, it's not even funny."
I had never seen Jacob move faster than in the split seconds it took for him to jump out of bed. He ran, scatterbrained, throughout the room, randomly picking up items of clothing and sniffing them to check and see if they would pass the ability to be worn without being washed. He clearly left the freshly washed, neatly folded clothes that laid in the laundry basket at the foot of our bed, waiting to be put away.
"I think I'll end up having to stay late," he told me breathlessly, glancing at the clock. "There's no way I'll be able to make it on time."
"Well, maybe they should've let you come home a bit earlier last night. That way, you wouldn't be so damn tired in the morning and would wake up on time. Not to mention, maybe get to see us." The rage that was built up last night was still there, sitting, waiting for its eruption.
"Well," Jacob began slowly. "Well, it was rough yesterday. There was a BUNCH of fixing we had to do. Afterwords, me and a bunch of the guys just wanted to get a drink or two and relax." The look in his eyes as he spoke those words only confirmed that I was turning red. The heat in my cheeks was overpowering. I knew I was a ticking time bomb.
"We'll talk when we get home," Jacob said as he stepped out of the door cautiously, not daring to try to get a good-bye kiss.
As I heard the front door latch and the car start up, I punched my pillow over and over, making an indention that I could swear would be permanent. Jacob wasn't always like this, and the sudden change in him was almost unbearable.
You took vows, I reminded myself. For better or for worse, right? Well, this is the worse part of that. Just stick it out. You will be okay. You're Jacob and Bella. You're meant to be.
If only what my thoughts were saying were true. I wished so badly that we were back in the days of high school, passing notes in between classes and stealing glances when we thought we wouldn't be seen.
I laid my head back into the indention I had made in my pillow and tried to clear my head of everything. It worked for a brief moment, until my phone began beeping at me uncontrollably.
Doctor Appointment - 2:00pm
Never before had I felt the sudden urge to chuck my phone across the room into a wall like now. I had completely forgotten that I had a doctor's appointment today. It was a fairly important one, as I had been having random, sporadic contractions throughout the entire pregnancy. It was even thought that I may not be able to carry the baby to term.
I rubbed my protruding abdomen clockwise as I tried to come up with a plan on how to make it to the doctor's appointment and taking care of Mackenzie. I would have to get a taxi, because Jacob would never be able to leave work to give me the car and watch Claire..oh, Claire. I'd have to find a baby-sitter. Last time I took her to the doctor, she screamed in horror as I was being examined. A sudden punch to my hand ended my thoughts briefly. I smiled.
"It's okay, kiddo," I spoke softly to my, now inside out, navel. "Mommy will figure out something. You'll be fine…Leah." Leah? Never before had I really thought about a name for this little one, but Leah just came to me. I said it over and over again to myself. I liked it. Now, I'd just have to get Jacob to agree. Looks like I'd be having to swallow down spaghetti some other night this week.
I laid in bed for a few more minutes, trying to think of a middle name to go with Leah, just the way I wanted it to be, when a rumble down the hallway caught my attention.
CLANG!
BAM!
"MAMA! 'AKE UP!" Claire shouted through her door and she began knocking on the old, worn wood that was her door. I could almost promise that the door would only hold for a few more months before she could break through it like the Incredible Hulk.
"I'm coming, Claire-bear," I said loudly, more so in a grunt, as I began my fight to get onto my feet. When I was finally in sitting position, I looked to my feet and realized that they had grown overnight. In fact, my hands and almost everything else looked like it had. Not normal growing and not normal pregnancy weight gain. They were more…enlarged in an odd way. They were swollen greatly.
All I could think is that I was a human balloon, retaining water. If I were a boat, I'd be the worst kind. A one way death trap.
I made my way, slowly and slightly more unbalanced, to Claire's room and let the shenanigans begin. As we ate breakfast, I kept trying to think of someone I could have watch her while I went to my appointment. There was no way I could reschedule. The further along I get, the more important these appointments are. I needed to go.
I racked my brain over and over again, only to keep coming to a dead end. Ever since Alice moved away, I lost our circle that we once spent time with. Everyone split ways, as expected, but it left me completely alone and isolated. It was hard, but an adjustment I had to make for the sake of my family.
Claire made her way over to me from her usual spot in front of the television and patted me on the leg, flashing her semi-toothy smile. She was such a little ham.
In any case, I thought to myself, I could just bring her with me again. Sure, it might scar her for life, but…
No. That wasn't an option. Last time, Claire attacked the doctor when she tried to use the fetal Doppler on my stomach. Claire had become extremely protective of me since I became pregnant, even before I knew.
With a sigh, I waddled my way into the kitchen where I had left my cell phone. I picked it up and looked at the bright, green screen. No missed calls. No text messages. I was quite unpopular since I married Jacob.
I dialed in Jacob's cell phone, hoping and praying that he had it turned on this time.
Ring! Ring!
"Hello?" Jacob answered, somewhat sounding breathless as if he had run a mile. "Bella? Are you alright?"
"Yeah, everything's fine," I replied, a little caught off guard by his sudden care and concern for what was going on. "Actually, we have a little predicament that I need help with."
"And what would that be?" Jacob asked, a bit of an edge in his voice. I knew that he was remembering that he told me we would talk when he got home. No doubt in my mind, he was thinking I was getting ready to bombard him with questions, accusations, and off the wall ass-chewings.
"I have a doctor's appointment today at 2. I know you have the car and probably can't get off work, I can call a taxi, that's not an issue. The issue is, the last time I took Claire, it was awful. Is there anyone you know that could watch her?"
There was a small pause in our conversation, filling me with anxiety.
"Well," Jacob sighed. "I can't really think of anyone off the bat that could watch her. I mean, I could try to get off work, but with me being late I doubt that would even be a possibility. Can't you call Anya?"
"I didn't think of that," I told Jacob, lying through my gritted teeth. Of course I had thought of her. And, of course, I shot that idea down. This was the woman that I was assuming to be my husband's mistress. Why should I, or would I for that matter, leave my child with her? Why would I want to associate myself with her anymore?
"Bells?" Jacob said questioningly. "You still there?"
"Yeah, I'm here." I answered. "I'll call her. That's all I needed."
"Oh. Okay. Well, just to give you a heads up, they're having me stay late to work. They're really upset that I was late, completely overlooking the fact that I came in on my day off to fix their screw ups." Jacob's voice had a tone of anger, but it seemed to be overpowered by remorse. False remorse. I couldn't listen to it. I got the strong vibe that he was lying to me.
"That's fine," I told him, coldly. "I'll talk to you later."
Jacob and I said good-bye and hung up with each other on a rather odd note. Something didn't seem right between us, but I couldn't place my finger on it. For conversations like the one I just had, I really wished I had Alice's uncanny gut feelings.
I pulled the phone from my ear and went through my phone book. After having Anya's number highlighted, I pressed the green, dial key. I really didn't want to have to call her, but beggars can't be choosers. I was desperate.
Ring! Ring!
"Hello?" A man's voice was in the receiver.
"Um, hi. This is Bella Black. Is Anya there?" My voice was shaky and uncertain. The man's voice had surprised me.
"Oh! Hello, Bella! It's Edward. I'm sorry, Anya isn't here. She went with some of her friends from out of town. They're in Las Vegas for the week. Did you need anything?" Edward spoke so..so..I couldn't even describe it. It was serene, yet bold. Soothing, but booming. The tone in his voice was like Jacob's once was.
"Well, nothing really," I said hesitantly. "I was just looking for a baby-sitter. I have a doctor's appointment today, and last time I took Claire with me, she went crazy banshee on the doctor."
Edward chuckled slightly and composed himself fast. Even that small laugh was contagious, as I stifled my own giggle.
"Well, she's not here, but I have the kids alone for a week. If you want, you're welcome to bring Claire over here so she can play with Kate and Garret. I'm sure they'd enjoy the company. They really seemed to get along." Edward had a certain charm in his voice, as if he was a male siren.
"Well, if you won't mind, then..sure." My knees felt like jell-o. His voice made my heart skip a beat. I couldn't tell what it was, but it was definitely not static electricity this time. "It's at 2. I'll get a taxi and bring Claire over there around 1. Is that okay?"
"A taxi?" Edward gasped slightly. "No, I'll come pick you guys up. We have a van, it's no big deal. I'll get you and take you to your appointment and then you'll call me when you're done and we'll all come get you. You don't need to be wasting your money on a taxi when you have a perfectly good person here. I got your back."
"Well, um, okay then. I'll see you around 1." I hung up the phone with butterflies in my stomach. Something about seeing Edward again made me feel like a little kid with pent up energy.
I waddled back into the living room, where Claire was still playing, and sat down. My eyes couldn't stay off the clock as I impatiently waited until the right time to begin getting ready for, not only the doctor, but to see Edward.
And BAM! Two chapters! w00t! It'll probably be a bit of a gap for the next few chapters, but I'm trying my hardest!
Again, KristineMcCarty is uh-may-zing. CallMeEmbrys? Probably the best reader EVER, always leaving her comments. She makes me happy. :)