A look into the future …
Pudding Cup
Chapter 20
Bella looks incredibly beautiful, lying on her side with her hands tucked under her cheek, her chest softly rising with each breath. The sun signals a new day, casting a gentle glow inside our master bedroom. It's so peaceful—our new home on a quiet street in Forks, and it's not far from either of our parents.
The charcoal pencil pinched between my fingers scratches and glides as I sketch my wife. My drawing pad is filled with a plethora of early morning inspirations of my girl. Lately, her swollen belly is the star. I can't get over how attractive she looks carrying my child.
She takes my breath away.
Moving back to our hometown was the best decision Bella and I have ever made. It's much more low-key,allowing me to be home more, than not. Starting a medical practice with my mom and dad has been fantastic, enabling us to share the duties that come along with being a doctor.
I'm shading the last of Bella's hair and scribbling the date at the bottom of my paper when I hear feet softly padding down the hallway. I close my sketchpad before my little visitor enters our room, waking up a very pregnant Mommy.
"Snicker Doodle," I whisper, bending down, scooping my three-year-old daughter up into my arms. "Shh, let's let Mommy sleep a little longer. What do you say?"
"O-tay, Daddy." My precious baby girl lays her head on my shoulder, wrapping her arms around my neck. I close my eyes, breathing in the sweet lotion that lingers on her skin.
It's moments like these I cherish.
"How about you and Daddy make some breakfast?" I whisper in her ear as I carry her downstairs to the kitchen we recently remodeled. It has worked out perfectly for Bad Boy Cookies: Lots of counter space, two double ovens and a restaurant sized refrigerator and freezer. The amenities are top notch.
"I halps you?"
"Yes, baby. You tell Daddy what you're hungry for."
"I will like eggs and opiemeal. Wiff lots of sugars."
Chuckling at the way she says oatmeal, I give her a little squeeze, retrieving what I need from the pantry and then grabbing the carton of eggs from the fridge.
"All right, let's get started."
We're almost finished making our stellar breakfast when Puddin' makes her way into the kitchen with our thirteen-month old, Jack, on her hip.
Yeah, you'd think we'd know by now how babies are made.
"Smells delicious in here," she says as she straps little Flapjack in his highchair.
Don't look at me; she's the one who gave him his nickname while she was pregnant since she had an obsession for pancakes.
"Mommy is ravenous." Bella looks our direction. "Aniston, are you helping Daddy this morning?"
Snicker Doodle nods her head and giggles as I flip the fried eggs. Bella waddles over, placing kisses on our cheeks.
"Yay, Daddy," she squeals with excitement and wiggles in my arms. I've become adept at doing things one-handed with two kids in the house.
I tip my head back, laughing at how little things like frying eggs are such a big deal for a three-year-old.
I give my sweet girl kisses on her cheek and then set her down on the floor, so I can plate the eggs and fix the oatmeal.
"Why don't you give Jack some oat rings while I finish up?" I wink at Snicker Doodle, and she gives me her cheesiest smile and runs to the pantry to retrieve the cereal.
Every weekend I look forward to starting my day out with my family. Having breakfast together and then a morning trip to the park is pretty much the highlight of my week. I marvel at how far Bella and I have come.
We've been inseparable since the moment we connected.
And boy have we connected.
My family sits at the round oak table in our breakfast nook and a warm feeling comes over me. In a few weeks, we will be making room for yet another family member. Bella smiles at me from across the table as if she knows what I'm thinking. Her toes inch up the leg of my pajama pants as she cuts her pancake—ones I made especially for her—and feeds Jack a bite. The kids are oblivious to anything other than the oatmeal on their hands as they lick it off their fingers, one by one. I extend my leg until my foot rests on Bella's chair and then tuck my toes under the hem of her shirt, lightly rubbing them along her ribs. She lets out a giggle, and her eyes snap up to mine.
"How are those pancakes, Puddin'?"
"Mmm." She nods her head and licks her lips.
"I made them just for you." I wink and then stuff a bite of my egg into my mouth.
"Daddy?" Snicker Doodle brings me out of my playful banter with Bella.
I look at Aniston as she tucks her knees under herself. She's Bella's mini-me with long dark waves and dark brown eyes. "I wanna go to the park."
I tap her nose and wink. "Of course, cutie. We always go to the park on the weekends. Do you want to pack a lunch and have a picnic?"
Bella's toes creep higher on my leg. I take hold of her foot under the table to stop the torturous teasing she's supplying because I'm trying to focus on the sweet three-year-old sitting beside me.
"Tay."She nods her little head as she spoons a bite of oatmeal into her mouth.
I look back to Bella, a shit-eating grin sitting pretty on her face, and it's high school all over again.
She and I in the cafeteria, teasing one another under the table.
I lay my fork on my plate, clear my throat and then point in my wife's direction.
"You are incorrigible."
"I learned from the best." And she winks, doing exactly what I do to her. She's feisty today and I love it.
I chuckle and give her the 'lopsided-panty-melting grin' as she calls it, the one she loves so much. The one that keeps her pregnant, or so I'm told. "That you did, Puddin'."
She's irresistible.
It's no lie that Bella gives as good as she gets. She's as much of a sexual instigator as I am. Our relationship has grown stronger with each year we've been together, and with each child, the bond has strengthened even more.
She's my better half.
Always has been, always will be.
I clear the dishes from the table while Bella cleans syrup and oatmeal off Jack and Aniston.
"Hey, do you think you'd feel up to a barbecue tonight? We could call everyone and invite them over."
She rests her hands on her hips, her back sways with the weight of number three inside her belly.
"Yeah, this might be one of the last get-togethers before Sam is born."
"Please, no." I walk towards her. "You're not serious about naming him that are you?" I sound like my whiny three-year-old;my hand rubs a circle over her protruding stomach.
"You're the one who got me drunk on Sam Adams and took advantage of me."
"Oh, no. No, Puddin'." I nip at her neck and then whisper in her ear. "If I recall correctly, you took my pants off the moment I stepped inside this house." I suck her earlobe into my mouth, teasing it with my teeth; she shivers, tilting her head in my direction. "Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed every minute of what you did to me."
Bella cups my face in her hands. "Either way, you brought home Sam Adams, and I had a few too many because the kids were with Em and Rose."
"Yes, you did have a few too many." I hold up six fingers and lean in to kiss her lips, and she rolls her eyes. I hear the kids laughing in the playroom off the kitchen, so I know we have a few stolen minutes to ourselves. I skim my fingers along the hem of the boxers she wearing, which happen to be mine, and then slip underneath, brushing the pad of my middle finger against her soft folds. "You really liked it when I touched you like this." I keep grazing the area that makes her hum, and I'm not disappointed.
"Mmm. So it was your fault." She tilts her head into my chest. "Don't stop."
My arm tightens against the small of her back and my dick hardens, pressing into her. "You know we have about thirty seconds left until Snicker Doodle comes in here to remind us about the park."
"Until then, I need your fingers in me."
I groan.
I want to be inside Puddin'.
In fact, I want my cock inside her, not just my fingers. But it's Murphy's Law, if I do what Bella wants, what I want, the kids will be back in here begging for something.
I pull my hand from her boxers and rest my forehead on hers. "This afternoon, honey." I kiss her lips softly and like clockwork, we hear the pitter-patter of little feet scurrying our way.
"Mommy, Daddy!"
Both Bella and I answer in unison, "Yes, Aniston?"
"Jack telled me he's ready to go to the pwark."
We both laugh because Jack doesn't say more than Mama, Dada and baba at this point.
Bella squats down to Snicker Doodle's level. "All right, baby girl, we'll leave as soon as we get dressed and pack our picnic basket."
My heart squeezes at the sight in front of me, my two sweet girls that have me wrapped around their little pinkies. They are practically twins.
.
.
.
We can't go to the park without buying ice cream or visiting our tree.
It's a tradition.
We might be the only parents of toddlers that bring them to the park with other things besides playtime on our minds, like hoping to score a make-out session under the old tree.
I wish.
Oh, who the fuck am I kidding? The park wears these kiddos out, so that Saturday afternoons are playtime for Bella and me at home—in private.
I can't wait.
Once the kids are wiped out from fresh air and running their legs off, we hurry home for nap time. Bella and I have approximately an hour and a half behind our locked bedroom door to have some fun. Usually, she's paying me back for the torture she's inflicted on me.
She knows exactly how I feel about her biting off the end of her cone. Some things will never get old or lose their effect on me. Watching her suck the remaining ice cream from the end of Jack's cone does it for me every time.
"Hurry, Cookie." Bella lies naked on her side when I enter our room. I'm trying to take my shorts and shirt off at the same time but trip over my shoes that I've just kicked off.
"Shit. Fuck." I fall to the bed, landing next to Bella, who is laughing at my ungraceful entrance.
"Losing your swagger?"
My eyes widen at her insult, and I playfully swat her butt. "I'll show you swagger." I nestle behind her and reach around, teasing her nipples, alternating to her freshly sugared bikini area. I spread her lower lips apart and expertly pleasure her. Bella hums and reaches around to stroke my cock. I rock my hips as she jacks me off while my teeth nip at her shoulder and the tip of my tongue licks a path up to her ear. I have her moaning my name as she comes on my fingers.
My mouth touches her soft ear lobe, and I whisper, "Who's lost their swagger?"
I pull her on top of me and grip her ass, helping her move up and down my cock. Watching her tits bounce as we make love turns me the fuck on, still, and it's not long until I'm chanting her name as we both come apart.
"I have to admit, you still got it." She drags her fingers in a swirl over my chest.
"As long as you want my cock, I'll never lose my desire for you. You're my passion, the reason I do everything I do."
"Aw."
My hand skims the soft skin at her waist and thigh, and I bury my nose in her hair. That's when I feel her lips turn up in a smile.
"Love you," she whispers.
"Love you more."
"I should get in the shower in case everyone wants to come for dinner," she says. "I'll need to run to the grocery, too." She untangles from my hold and scoots off the bed.
"Want some help? I am, after all, the one that made you hot and sweaty." I waggle my eyebrows at her when she looks over her shoulder on her way to the on suite.
"I'm okay. Why don't you call everyone before it gets too late and see if they can come tonight."
I hear the spray of the shower, so I grab my shirt from the floor and wipe myself off and then dial Em.
"Hey, bro. Bella wants to have a BBQ tonight. You, Rose and the kids want to join us?"
"Sounds good, but I have to run to the station for a few hours. Is six-thirty okay?"
"Works for us."
Emmett and Rose just found out they are pregnant with their fifth baby, and it doesn't come as much of a surprise. He's quite the romantic. Em helped me sweet-talk Bella a few times and got me back into her good graces, so I can only imagine how he lays the charm on Rose behind closed doors.
But the big guy has always been a big softy at heart, and his sensitive yet charismatic personality landed him his current job at our local radio station. He's quite the celebrity in town now, known to everyone as Emmett McCarty, the Love Guru. His radio show, 'Love Is On the Air', runs weeknights from ten to eleven, and truth be told, I'm usually up listening to my friend and his faithful callers.
I end the call, so I can invite the rest of our friends. It turns out that everyone can make it tonight and are excited since our last real get-together was at Alice and Jasper's wedding six weeks ago. Even Angie and Ben are coming from Port Angeles. They ended up running into one another a year after college and the sparks were still there, and the rest is history. They too are expecting a baby girl, their first, a few months after Sam is born.
"Good news." I snake my arms around Bella while she combs her hair. I clasp my fingers together under her belly and rest my chin on her shoulder.
"Yeah?"
"Everyone can come for dinner."
Bella's eyes shine when she smiles. "I'm so happy. I miss everyone. I have been so busy baking cookies for the annual art show that I haven't had a chance to visit with my girls lately."
"Speaking of the art show."
Bella gazes at my reflection in the mirror. "What about it?" She turns in my arms and swipes a piece of hair from my forehead.
"I need to know you're one-hundred percent on board with everything."
Bella stands on her tippy toes to kiss my lips. "I don't mind, Cookie. I told you already."
"I'll pull it from the exhibit if you want me to, but I just think it's the most beautiful piece I've ever drawn."
"You better say that." She tickles my sides, biting her bottom lip.
It's a sketch of my wife. The background mimics the design from high school. Twigs and flowers adorn the bed frame and my sleeping beauty looks as if she's in the depth of a forest waiting on her prince charming—me. Her belly protrudes from under her silky night gown; bed covers lay slack around her body. Her beauty is still as youthful as years before, yet there is wisdom in the slight smile that plays on her lips and the crinkle at her eyes. Her body nourishes life and her hand cradles the consequence of our love.
I gently take her wrists, stopping her, and her teeth release her bottom lip and she stares into my eyes. "There has never been anything more beautiful than you pregnant with my babies."
Her towel falls to the floor; I take a quick peek in the mirror at her backside, and then my eyes roam the front of her voluptuous form.
Breathtaking.
Beautiful.
Mine.
"You deserve to be recognized for your work. You did, after all, put your art on the back burner for me, for our family."
"I'd walk through fire for you, Puddin'." My hand cups her cheek and she leans into it. "You and these babies …" I kiss her forehead and then place a kiss on her nose and finally another one on her lips. "Are everything to me."
"You have my blessing, Edward."
And I smile.
She's the world's best—everything.
.
.
.
"Bella, you look gorgeous, as always." Ange hugs me tightly and our belly's bump.
"So do you, babe." I pat her stomach. "I can't wait for our babies to grow up together."
"Hey, you two." Rose approaches us on the deck with six-month-old Emalie on her hip. The other kids are running around our fenced in backyard having fun.
We coo over the baby and give our congratulations in person about number five.
"It's awful. We can't keep our hands off one another. When Em gets home from work, it's all I can do not to jump his …," she whispers, "ass."
Ange pats her arm. "Looks like you can't."
I pinch my lips together to stifle a laugh, but my smile breaks the seal and Ange and I giggle.
Rose says, "Something about his voice over the radio just—does something to me." She smirks and kisses Emalie on the cheek.
Alice walks up just in time for the last part of Rose's confession. "And we thought it was his big dick that did that shit to you." She points her finger and twirls it at Rose's belly. Her mouth drops open at Alice's jab. We all laugh loudly, except Rose.
"Shh…" Rose's eyes go wide and her finger goes to her lips. "Baby Em doesn't need to know about her daddy's extra-large appendage." Her head shakes in disapproval.
Our loud laughs turn the heads of our men.
Rose cracks a smile. "Just look at that big guy. Can you imagine …"
"La, la, la, la." Ange interrupts, holding her palm up. "No one wants to imagine anything, okay?"
"What's so funny over there?" Edward asks from the patio chair he's occupying with Jack cuddled into his chest. They guys have cracked open their first of, what will be many beers
"Nothing." We answer in unison.
"Then something is definitely up." Emmett chimes in.
"That's what she said," Alice says,and I have to cross my legs while I laugh so I don't pee my pants.
"I'm hungry," Emmett shouts over our loud cackling.
"That's what he said," Rose says as she walks to him and deposits sweet Emalie in his lap so we can get the food set out and the kids' plates fixed.
Between Emmett, Rose, Edward and me, we have four kiddos at a Fisher Price picnic table and two in highchairs. Alice comments about how soon she and Angewill have kids joining the bunch and something dawns on me.
"Alice?"
"Hmm?" She's feeding Jack a bite of macaroni and cheese.
I walk her way and whisper. "Are you pregnant?"
Alice's eyes widen in shock. She realizes what she said and then they soften and she nods.
"Yeah." The apples of her cheeks lift when she smiles. "Jasper and I found out last week." She looks at me."Honeymoon baby." She shrugs, and I squeal.
Edward rushes over to me. "You okay?" His hands are all over me making sure I'm not going into labor or something.
"I'm fine." I tell him. "Your cousin just made my day." Alice giggles and feeds Jack another bite of his dinner.
I can't contain my excitement and the words slip out of my mouth. "Alice is having a baby!"
Cheers are heard around the deck and Ben stands raising the beer he has in his hand. "This calls for a toast."
Everyone grabs a drink, but the only thing close to me is a pudding cup.
Jasper clears his throat. "To my lovely wife, thank you for having my baby."
Ahs and pussy-whipped can be heard around the table of men. We clink our beverages, well I raise my pudding and offer well wishes for all the babies nestled in our wombs.
.
.
.
It's nine o'clock and the kids are exhausted so we say our goodbyes. Edward already has a sleepy Snicker Doodle in one arm, and I hand him Jack before we head into the house. My sweet little copper-headed boy lays his head on Daddy's shoulder. We make our way upstairs, checking the locks on the doors and turning off the lights as we go.
I watch as Edward climbs the stairs with his arms wrapped around precious cargo.
Every day my husband amazes me, his sweet words and gentle hands with our babies make me love him that much more— if that's even possible.
"Here," I whisper when we reach Jack's bedroom. "I'll put his jammies on and you can get Aniston in her nightgown. We'll do baths in the morning."
Edward nods, leaving me to change Jack's diaper and put his nightclothes on.
I wipe my baby's face and hands with a wet wipe and call it good until morning, and then kiss his little lips before saying a silent prayer.
Edward meets me in the hallway, his face beaming with pure love and devotion to his family. His green eyes sparkle in the dim light and his half-cocked smile beckons me. He reaches for my hand and we link fingers.
"I love you, Puddin'."
"Love you too, Cookie."
He leads me to our bedroom, hand in hand, and quietly closes the door.
The End
A/N:
Many thanks to CeCePrincess1217 for prereading.
My Twinkie, NChanted by Twilight for always having my back.
To Fran for falling in love with my Edward and beta'ing this story. Thank you!
And I can't forget all you amazing readers that have loved the crap out of my characters.
This chapter is truly dedicated to you guys.
Big Cookie kisses.
OhGee
xo