A/N: I want to apologize that my timeline on this story is all kinds of screwed up. Every story I say that I'm going to keep better notes and I never do. I've laid out a tentative timeline (with dates) for Bella's pregnancy thus far and will try to be more accurate (read: realistic) on time frames from here on out. If I have to write a couple of flash backs to fill in some blanks, I apologize and I love you all for putting up with me! I'm unsure how many more Chapters there will be, but I know that things are going to start fast-forwarding a bit to wrap things up before they get boring. :) Anyways, please enjoy! Reviews = love -K
In the history of fatherhood, I was relatively certain no one had ever been as anxious as Edward. With Jasper and Emmett both back at work, Edward had taken the day off to come to my first appointment, despite my insistence that he didn't need to. He was excited and I appreciated that, but was it really worth taking a whole day off work? Debatable.
Carlisle had referred us to Dr. Anderson, one of the leading OB/GYNs in the city, and she'd made room in her schedule for Carlisle's son. Her office was located in an office building shared by several other Doctors—nice and professional—but the waiting room was pristine and the exam room was even better. I changed into a cotton gown, no rips or stains like they had at the clinic, and draped a warm, white blanket over my lap as I got comfortable on the exam table. It was very nice, very comforting, but Edward's nervousness was starting to get to me. He was standing beside me, reading one of the charts with all the thing you're not supposed to do when pregnant, and anxiously fiddling with the keys in his pocket.
"What exactly are you worried about," I asked, trying to stay calm despite the way the jingle of the keys was wracking my nerves.
"I'm not worried," he tried to lie and I stared back at him, waiting for the truth. "I don't know, it's just — I never thought I could be so happy, I keep waiting for the floor to fall out from under me."
The truth was sobering and my eyes started to water, they'd been doing that a lot lately. "Come here," I held out a hand to him and he took it, giving me a soft squeeze and a peck on the cheek. There was a soft knock on the door then Dr. Anderson walked in.
Dressed in slacks and a pale pink blouse beneath her white lab coat, Dr. Anderson couldn't have been more than 5'3". She wore her shoulder length brown hair loose and it made her look young, but the wrinkles around her blue eyes told a different story. She smiled kindly at the both of us as she shut the door and offered us each a handshake. "Hello Edward, Bella, I'm Dr. Anderson."
She asked me routine questions about my period – which, to his credit, didn't make Edward squirm – and about any symptoms I might be experience. "No, no morning sickness," I told her. "Maybe some nausea but nothing to complain about. I have been a little hungrier though and everything makes me cry."
Dr. Anderson nodded, making a few notes in my chart, then asked me to lay back so she could start her exam. I swear, it doesn't matter how many times you've had your legs in the Doctor's stirrups, you never get used to pelvic exams. Dr. Anderson talked to us briefly about the ultrasound, then showed me the wand and told me how it worked. Honestly, it didn't looked comfortable—and it wasn't—but it wasn't as bad as I had expected.
"The darkness in the center there," Dr. Anderson explained, using the cursor on the computer screen to point. "That's the amniotic fluid, this brightness around there is the placenta, and this little peanut right there…"
"Oh my God," I whispered and Edward squeezed my hand.
"Based on measurements I'd say you're just under eight weeks, maybe seven four or seven five. That's going to put your due date in June." Like Edward, I thought. Dr. Anderson pointed to a flickering spot on the screen, "and that, is your baby's heartbeat." She adjusted something on the side of the computer and I was overwhelmed when the speaker turned on and we were able to hear it. Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh. "It's very strong, about 150—right where we want it to be."
"That's our baby," Edward asked, stunned.
"Mhmm," Dr. Anderson smiled, clicking a few buttons with her mouse. "I'm going to print you a few pictures to take home."
We talked a little longer about prenatal care: lots of water, plenty of rest, prenatal vitamins, then scheduled the next visit for next month — right before Christmas. Edward was quiet the whole way home and I worried he was freaking out a bit. I wouldn't blame him if he was; hell, I wasn't entirely sure why I wasn't freaking out. I'd freaked out when I found out about the baby so it's the next natural step to freak out when you see the baby. Except now, instead of breaking out, I felt sort of warm and fuzzy inside. Maybe I'd finally lost my mind.
"Say something," I finally demanded, once we were safely back at the apartment. Edward was removing his jacket to hang on the coat hook by the front door but stopped, mid-motion, when I spoke.
"What," he asked, obviously confused.
"You haven't said anything since the hospital and I can't take the silence anymore. I need to know what you're thinking and how you're feeling. Are you freaking out, are you wondering if we should have the baby, are you excited, are you indifferent, are you—"
Edward tossed his jacket towards the couch and shook his head, pulling me into his arms and shutting me up with a kiss. "You're exasperating." I huffed and he grinned, kissing me again. "Of course I'm excited, babe; how could I not be? I've got the love of my life in my arms, our baby inside of her. I'm on top of the world right now."
As he spoke, his green eye lit up and I swooned. Of course I was being ridiculous, Edward was over the moon about the baby. All he talked about was having twelve of them and starting our own sports team—the actual sport was still open for debate. "Then why are you so quiet? What's going on with you?"
"It's nothing," he insisted, but even as he said it I watched the light leave his eyes and knew he was lying to me.
"It's something," I countered.
"You're so stubborn," he sighed and I narrowed my eyes at him.
"You're lying or hiding something, I want to know why or what. That's not stubborn." He quirked an eyebrow; okay, it was stubborn, but screw it. I raised an eyebrow back at him and he sighed, shaking his head and releasing me.
"This is not how I wanted to do this," he mumbled and my heart sunk, anxiety filling my chest.
Oh God, please don't let him leave me. Tears filled my eyes as time seemed to stand still. Then Edward reached into his pocket, produced a little blue box, and knelt on one knee. Holy shit.
"Isabella Marie Swan, you are the most wonderful, most frustrating, most loving, most amazing woman that I have ever met. Before you, my life was in perpetual darkness. You are my sun, bringing me into the daylight and giving me a world of possibilities I never dreamed of before you. You're my future, my whole life, and I don't want to waste another day without you as my wife. Will you marry me?"
Edward opened the Tiffany's box and I burst into tears.
Approximate Timeline with Pregnancy Markers
Monday, September 28th: Bella fainted in Rose's office and Carlisle found out she was pregnant. ~ Approximately 4 weeks
Friday, October 9th: Bella tells Rose that she's pregnant and Rosalie announces her pregnancy. ~ Approximately 6 weeks (Rose is approximately 4 weeks)
Thursday, October 15th: Alice gives birth ~ Approximately 7 weeks (Rose is approximately 5 weeks)
Friday, October 16th: Bella gets her acceptance letters and she runs into James
Thursday, October 22nd: Bella's first OBGYN appointment ~ Approximately 8 weeks