Chapter fourteen

Friday 8th of May

"Sam!" Bella called as she rushed towards the boy, Edward by her side, ordering her to slow down but she didn't listen to him.

"Bella," Sam sighed, sagging into her arms when she hugged him. "I don't think I can do this alone," he admitted, his eyes widening when they could hear Bree from inside her assigned room.

"Why aren't you in there?" Edward asked with disapproval: he had a hard time warming up to Sam as he had at one point held a gun towards his Bella and their unborn baby.

"They won't let me in because I'm not really the baby's father," Sam sighed, sitting down on one of the red plastic chair along the wall, burying his face in his hands.

"I'll see what I can do," Edward said and disappeared.

"Sam," Bella sat down next to him and pulled him closer to her so he could rest his head on her shoulders, Everything is going to just alright, I promise you," she said in a soft voice.

"It's too early," Sam sighed again, "She still has five weeks left, so why are she in there, in pain and scared, alone?"

"The baby was probably just ready to join the two of you," Bella murmured, stroking his head and kissing his forehead.

Edward came back shortly after wards, Carlisle by his side, and he narrowed his eyes at Sam when he saw him resting his head in Bella's lap, stretched out over three chairs, his feet hanging over the edge.

"Sam, isn't it?" Carlisle asked in a polite and cheerful voice, and Sam lifted his head. "Why don't you come with me?" Sam shot to his feet when Carlisle rested his hand one the door into Bree.

"Sam!" they could hear her call before the door closed behind him.

With a soft chuckle, Carlisle turned to Bella and Edward. "And how is my daughter-in-law?" he asked, stepping closer to them.

"Good," Bella smiled proudly as Edward's sole focus was on her stomach.

"I'm glad to hear that," Carlisle smiled, "And I'm glad to hear that the two of you are sorting through your differences, as well. I am sure I'm speaking for both Esme and me when I say we would like to see you on Sunday for the family dinner."

"I don't think that's such a good idea, dad," Edward said softly, never taking his eyes of Bella and his hand intervened over her swelling stomach.

"Please, think about it," Carlisle said before leaving them alone.

"Why isn't it a good idea?" Bella wondered aloud, looking at Edward.

"Mom kind of laid you for hate when you moved out," Edward confessed, "Don't worry, she threw some colorful words at me as well, words I have never heard her say before, but I think the mama bear kind of woke up inside of her again when I told her."

"Esme hates me?" Bella asked, tears springing to her eyes.

"Shh, she doesn't hate you love, but she's kind of mad at you: it will blow over though."

"Yeah but-"

"It's a boy!" Sam called out loudly, the cries from a baby filling the hall before the door closed behind him. "Ten fingers, ten toes, breathing easily on his own: he's perfect!" Edward was on his feet before Bella could even think about it, and hugged Sam tightly as the boy cried with happiness.

"I want to hug him too," Bella whined as she slowly got to her feet and she was enfolded into their hug.

"Mr. Uley, come and meet your son," Sam reluctantly removed himself from the hug and turned to see a nurse standing in the door with a soft smile on her lips. From inside, they could the soft cries from Bree and Edward wrapped his arms around Bella as she sniffled ever so slightly.

"In a few months, that will be us," Edward murmured as the door closed behind Sam, his hand on Bella's belly.

"I can't wait," Bella sighed, her feet already tired, the extra weight she had gained weighing her down, and wearing her out.

"Let's go home and get you in bed," Edward said softly, glancing it his watch: it was close to midnight and he was starting to feel a little weary as well.

"Sleep does sound like a good idea," Bella mumbled tiredly as Edward started to lead her down the hall and out to their car.

*** C R S ***

Sunday 10th of May

"So, what did you want to become when you were little?" Bella asked Edward, taking a bite of her chicken.

They were having lunch together after visiting Bree in the hospital, seeing little baby Benjamin for the first time. He was a tiny little thing with a thin layer of Bree's dark hair covering his head. Sam, boasting like the proud dad he was, had walked around the little room with Benjamin in his arms as Bree tiredly watched them.

"A musician," Edward answered, removing another bone from his fish.

"Musician?"

"Do you find it hard to believe?" Edward asked, wrapping his lips around the fork.

"A little, yes," Bella confessed, barely able to take her eyes of Edward's mouth, her raging hormones letting themselves being known.

"For you information, I can play the piano, the guitar and the flute."

"Why haven't I ever heard you play then?"

"Tanya," was all Edward said, his smile disappearing. She knew that she would always be a little sore spot for Edward, being his first love and all, but Bella was getting tired of not really knowing much about her. So far, she knew about her crime and the fact that the whore Kate was her cousin, but not who Tanya was as a person.

"Why did you stop because of her?" Bella asked softly, focusing on her chicken.

"During our first year in college, she encouraged me to play for others and share my talent, and I did. But as I continued playing at bars and such, Tanya started to lose her spotlight, I guess, because suddenly, she told me that the talent I thought I had, wasn't really there. I didn't believe her but somehow, she managed to keep people from showing up those nights I played and I guess I just lost hope in myself. And then the shit hit the fan you know, with her cheating and all. I tried to play and write music after she moved away but I didn't have anything to write about."

"You know," Bella started, drying a few tears from her eyes, "If I ever meet Tanya, I just might kill her." A booming laughter filled the restaurant and Bella's head snapped up to see where the sound came from and much to her surprise it was Edward's laughter that filled the small space.

"If you ever meet her, I won't stop you," Edward chuckled as his laughter died down.

"Good to know," Bella smiled.

"What was you dream job when you were little?" Edward asked after a few minutes of silence.

"I never had just one," Bella smiled, "First, I wanted to become an astronaut, even princess for a few months when I was four, then I wanted to become the first female president, queen of England and world ruler, but as I grew up, it slowly changed to teacher."

"And look at you now: you're a teacher," Edward smiled lovingly.

*** C R S ***

"Oh, chocolate," Bella almost squealed as they walked around the supermarket on their way home from lunch, the fridge at home almost empty.

"No," Edward said sternly, picking up the bars Bella had placed in the basket and putting them back on the shelf where they belonged.

"I want chocolate," Bella said lightly, yet sternly and picked up another type, out of Edward's reach and walked away, her back straight and her head held high.

"Bella," Edward warned as he followed her, "You're not going to eat chocolate: it's not healthy."

"I don't care if it's healthy or not," Bella shot back before her eyes landed on the ice cream selection, noticing a new flavor among them: raspberry-chocolate with honey. "Fine, I won't buy the chocolate," she handed Edward the bars and soon as he back where to her, she picked up the largest bucket of the raspberry-chocolate with honey and hurriedly hid it in their cart underneath a sack of potatoes.

"Glad you changed your mind," Edward smiled as Bella popped a grape in her mouth from the bag Edward had filled earlier.

"You're right: chocolate isn't good for either the baby or me."

"Any cravings?" Edward asked as they turned to the isle with all the jars of pickled goods, like pears, apples, pickled, onions and so on.

Bella tapped her chin with her index finger as she scanned the shelves, her eyes landing on pickled radishes. Edward scrunched his nose as Bella placed it in the cart with a glass of expensive mustard, but didn't say a word when Bella dared him to.

At the register, Edward refused to let Bella help him load everything up, making her extremely frustrated, and it didn't help her swinging mood when he glared at her, holding the bucket of ice cream in his hands.

"Put it up there or I will make a scene," she threatened and Edward sighed heavily, doing as he was told.

"You know, just because I'm pregnant, doesn't mean I'm incapable of doing things," Bella said annoyed as they walked to the car, Edward carrying all four bags by himself.

"I know," he said as they reached the car, setting the bags on the ground to open the trunk, "I just don't want you to strain yourself." As Bella lifted one of the bags with ease, he quickly took it from her and Bella snapped.

"I'm walking home!" before Edward could react, she marched off down the road and ignored Edward as he called after her. She heard the trunk being slammed shut with much more force than needed and soon, she heard his feet on the pavement as he ran to her.

"Get in the car," he said in a calm voice, his hand resting lightly on her arm in an attempt to make her stop, but she refused to.

"No," Bella said firmly, continuing walking.

"Bella, get in the car, now," Edward said once again his voice still calm but his grip on her arm tighten, though it didn't stop Bella. "Seriously Bella, get in the car!" Edward's voice rose.

"Let go of me," Bella demanded as Edward pulled her to a stop.

"Is there a problem?" an unfamiliar voice pulled them both out of their angry daze and they turned to see an officer standing behind them, a crown in the parking lot. "Is this man harassing you, miss?"

"Yes!" Bella wanted to say, her anger towards Edward almost taking control of her. "No, sir, we only have a disagreement," she said sweetly but the officer didn't move.

"Sir, please remove your hand from the woman," the officer demanded and Bella felt Edward's anger in his hand before he did as he was told.

"She's my wife," Edward gritted out as the officer took a step closer to Bella, as if he was ready to throw himself in front of her.

"Officer, there's no reason to believe that my husband will hurt me, he only thinks that because I'm pregnant, I'm incapable of doing anything for myself, like a child!"

"Fine!" Edward cried, throwing his arms in the air in frustration, and Bella noticed how the officer's hands twitched ever so slightly. "If you want to talk home, be my guest," Edward snapped before stalking back to their car.

Huffing, Bella marched out of the parking lot and down the road towards their home. It didn't take long before Edward drove past her and Bella waved sarcastically at him, making him pull over about three hundred feet in front of her, just waiting. He didn't drive away as Bella got closer to the car, as if he expected her to get in, but Bella just continued walking and it didn't take long before she heard him pull away from the curb.

Instead of walking home, Bella found herself on Carlisle and Esme's door, knocking softly against the hard wood of the door.

"Bella?" Esme's eyes were filled with confusion as she saw Bella on her doorstep, "What are you doing here?"

"Guess I needed someone to talk to," Bella whispered, looking down at her hands.

"Dear, come in, come in," Esme ushered her inside, leading her to the kitchen and forcing her down on a chair.

"Edward said you hate me," Bella blurred out as soon Esme was seated as well.

"Bella," Esme sighed, a small and sad smile on her lips, "I don't hate, but I can't deny that I was disappointed when Edward told me that you had moved out."

"I only moved out because I thought it would be cruel to wander around him all day after his confession, which I didn't return in the beginning," Bella mumbled, staring down at her hands.

"But from what I've heard from Edward, Carlisle, Paul and, well, everyone else, I don't think Edward could have found anyone who loves him as much as you do," Esme smiled, reaching over to grasp Bella's hands in hers. "So, what did my son do now?" Esme asked, all serious, making Bella laughed.

"He haven't really done anything wrong, he's just driving me crazy right now," Bella confessed, "Before I came here, we went grocery shopping and I refused to let me help load up the grocery for the girl in the register, or carry the bags to the car. When I tried to lift one into the trunk, he quickly took it from me, as if I'm not strong enough to do so."

"Emmett was the same with Rose, hence why they both at one time during the pregnancy with the twins, lived with Edward. Jasper was the same at the end of Alice's pregnancy," Esme assured Bella, "I'm actually surprised that Edward haven't freaked out more."

"Should I be worried that he will freak out?"

"I don't think so, but just keep a firm hand over him if he does."

They talked for hours, Esme making sure to feed Bella when her stomach growled. It was only when Bella felt the need to shed herself of her bra that it was time for her to head home, bumping into Carlisle as she left.

It was dark by the time she reached their front door and the temperature had dropped considerably.

There were no sounds coming from the living room or the kitchen as she closed the door behind herself. After removing her jacket, she slowly entered the living room, her back starting to ache. At first, she didn't see Edward sitting there in the dark and proceeded up the stairs. She was almost on the top when he cleared his throat and Bella gasped loudly, gripping the railing.

"You scared the living daylight out of me," Bella chuckled humorlessly.

"Imagine how I felt when you didn't come home right after me," his voice was low and monotone. "If mom hadn't called, I would have lost my mind, called the police and thrown one hell of a search party."

"I'm sorry didn't call you myself, but I just needed some time to went. Anyway, I'm going bed," she continued up the stairs.

"It's only eight."

"Then I'm going to read," Bella sighed as the pinch in her back got worse.

After a long and hot shower, Bella found a pair of clean underwear and Edward's jersey before crawling into bed, no book at her side.

It was impossible to get comfortable when it felt like something was either not long enough to bed stretched or as if something was stretched too tightly.

"Is it an invitation for a new position?" the sound of Edward's low chuckle made Bella tilt her head so she could see him. As a last resort, she had thrown her legs up against the headboard and for a few minutes, it had helped.

"Can you help me?" Bella smiled sheepishly as Edward continued to chuckle softly of her position.

"Your back is bothering you?" Edward asked when Bella's legs were down and she was leaning somewhat comfortable against their pillows.

"A little," Bella admitted as Edward shed himself of his clothes but his boxers and crawled into the bed with her.

"Peace offering," he smiled, handing her a bowl filled with ice cream, specifically, raspberry-chocolate with honey.

"I'm blaming the hormones for my outburst, at least a little," Bella said around a mouthful of ice cream.

"I'm not blaming anything and I'm still standing by my meaning that you should take it easy, but, since you wish it, I will try not to treat you like a child."

"All I'm asking for," Bella smiled, giving him a messy ice cream kiss.

"Taste kind of good," Edward murmured against her lips, "I wondered if it would taste just as good from here," he smeared a little ice cream on her arm and licked it off.

"Did it?" Bella whispered.

"It did, but I wonder…" he smeared some at her collarbone without finishing his sentence.

"How about here?" Bella asked, pulling the t-shirt a little down to reveal the swell of her breasts.

"Let's put this on the nightstand before we ruin the sheets," Edward murmured against her skin, taking the bowl out of her hands. "How's you back?" Edward asked, pressing a hand underneath her and pressing it against her lower back.

"Again," Bella moaned, the pressure revealing her of some discomfort. "If you do that for a few minutes, you can do whatever you want to do to me, even if I fall asleep," Bella mumbled in a bliss as Edward continued to put pressure on the right spot in her lower back.

"Thank you for the offer, love, but to know I'm giving you some sort of pleasure is more than enough for me right now."

"God, I love," Bella mumbled, closing her eyes.

"Love you to," she heard Edward whispered, feeling his soft lips on her stomach before she fell asleep.