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The next day Jessica came by to drop off some of her extra clothes that she couldn't fit in since before her baby was born, I couldn't return to Edward's apartment, not yet. I tried it all on at Jessica's urging- everything was either too low cut or too short, but it would do for now. I knew how to bargain shop at the Salvation Army- if I could only get there. Kate and Garrett came over to Jasper and Alice's to drop off clothes for me and Edward as well. Kate's clothing fit me much better. As we were settling down in the living room Alice came bundling through the front door laden down with shopping bags from Nordstrom's.
"Hi," Alice said as we introduced her to Kate and Garrett. Handing me a garment bag and a few smaller bags Alice said, "Here, Bella- this is for your day in court."
"Oh, thanks," I said.
"Well go try it on!" Alice said. She was really pushing me. I went to the guest bedroom and unzipped the garment bag. It was a business suit from Donna Karan New York. I gasped. I had always dreamed of wearing DKNY to court. It was brand-new. I ran downstairs.
"Alice!" I cried. Esme and Carlisle were just walking in the door.
"Yeah?" Alice asked.
"Alice, I need to talk to you," I said.
"Why?" she asked.
"In the other room," I said.
"Oh, it's about the suit, right?" she asked. "Oh, I used my discount. Part of fashion design is economics and business."
"But it's-"
"Better than that mismatching cheap polyester blend crap you've been wearing," she said. I blushed.
"Bella, she brought home an Armani suit for me," Edward said. "It's a drop in the bucket for us."
"Her credit card melts if she buys anything besides designer clothes," Carlisle said. Everyone laughed except Alice who dropped her jaw in mock-shock. "How do you think she got that job? She's practically a savant, she can remember people's measurements- she knows one of my arms is an inch longer than the other- and I forget which one it is she remembers which one. She knows the exact breadth of Emmett's shoulders. Most of the time, she can just look at someone, guess and get it perfect. I thought she should have gone into engineering."
"But I love making people look good," Alice said. "It makes them feel better. And then, they do better."
"Go, try it on, let's see how it looks," Esme said.
"Okay, fine," I said. I went to the guest bedroom and found a chemise from La Perla in the bag. Hm. Never heard of that brand before. There was also a matching bra and panty set as well- I only put on the bra. I tried on the pencil skirt and blazer. I took a glance in the mirror. I had tried to tell myself for three years that the stuff I found at the thrift stores matched because it was black, but the moment I saw myself in the Donna Karan suit, I knew I had to have matching clothes from here on out. I looked- I looked like one of those million dollar lawyers who had a personal shopper on speed dial.
I went downstairs to show Alice that it worked- well.
"It's not bad," she said. "I knew we'd have to take it in at your waist a little. And you're going to need shoes."
"Thank you, Alice," I said.
"No, it was my pleasure," she said.
I changed back into a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt that Kate had given me and went back to sit with the family. Emmett and Rosalie showed up about a half an hour later with Thai food.
"I hope you all like spicy!" Emmett said.
Rosalie was starting to show- she was already five months along and looked as beautiful as ever.
"Last chance to guess what we're having," Emmett crowed.
"A girl," Edward said.
"Want to put money down on that?" Emmett asked.
"Nah," Edward said.
"I'm betting with Alice," I said.
"I think it's a girl, too," Alice said.
Jasper, Edward and I bet that it was a girl, while Esme and Carlisle were holding out for a boy. "It's a girl," Emmett said, rubbing Rosalie's stomach.
"You'll have a whole world of penises to worry about!" Alice cried, gleefully.
"Don't remind me, I'm thinking about buying a shotgun to keep the boys away" Emmett grumbled.
"I'm so proud," Esme said, rolling her eyes. "What are you going to name her?"
"We like the name Matilda Rose," Rosalie said. "We'll call her Mattie for short."
"Mattie Cullen, that's cute," Jessica said.
"Yeah," I said.
"Speaking of kids- Bella, have you contacted your parents?" Carlisle asked, "I'd think they'd want to know what's going on after last night since your cell phone is broken."
"I'll do it right now," I said, picking up Edward's phone.
Renée naturally freaked out and demanded that I let her come stay with me and then Charlie got angry and called up the Seattle Police Department, pulling every string he had to find out what he could. Before I knew it, I had a police guard outside of Alice's house, watching out for us.
"See? Cops are good for something," I told Edward that night. "James is going to be arrested for attempted rape, aggravated assault, and breaking and entering once he's out of the hospital."
"I'm glad to hear that, for once," Edward snorted.
"Charlie's got friends in the Seattle PD."
"I knew he'd take care of you," Edward said. "I'm in a battle for you with him, you know that, don't you?"
"He's not like that-"
"Yes, he is," Edward said. "He doesn't want to lose you to me."
"Edward, you're my boyfriend, not my father," I said.
Edward's hands cupped my cheeks, bringing my face up to look at him. "No, I'm the most important man in your life. He's scared, although he'll never admit it. He's just trying to get you to dump me."
"I'll never dump you," I said. "I want you. Do we need to get in the shower?"
"Bella," he said, grinning. "You don't have to have sex with me every time something goes wrong. Sex isn't a band-aid."