Disclaimer: The characters belong to Stephenie Meyer, the plotline is all mine. Chapter twenty-six
Bpov
July 29th 2007
Edward sat back down beside me on the couch, pulling me onto his lap and nuzzling his face in the crook of my neck.
"It looks perfect on you. You don't know how happy it makes me that you're wearing it," he murmured in a husky voice.
I smiled and closed my eyes. "I'm happy to wear it, Edward. You don't know how many times I have wished fr exactly this moment while I was pregnant."
"Tell me about it. I want to know how those months were for you. How raising Emma alone has been."
I turned my head to look at him, finding his lips close to mine. I bent down to kiss him, letting myself feel what I had right now, before diving back into the loneliest time of my life. I started off by telling him what I'd been thinking about earlier, my first meeting with Jacob.
September 1st 2001
Renee came home after I finished my breakfast and shower.
"Morning, Bella. How are you feeling today?"
"I'm okay. Still throwing up and that's not really something to look forward to when school starts."
"It'll be fine, honey. You should be over the morning sickness soon enough."
I smiled faintly, picking up the book I wanted to read and heading outside. There was a big tree in the backyard that provided ample shade and Charlie had, as per my request, put a lounge chair underneath. I loved that chair and that tree. They were my refuge when I was feeling lonely.
Under that tree, I could think about Edward and not feel only pain and sorrow. There I could remember the months we were happy. I could remember the way his kisses felt without breaking down in tears, the way he held me when we were home alone without falling into a depression. That tree was my safe haven.
I was about to sit down when I remembered the boy that had been over earlier to invite us to dinner. I tossed my book on the chair and went back in the house.
"Renee?" I called, not sure where she was.
"In the laundry room!" she called out.
I frowned. Renee wasn't much of a housewife, so her being in the laundry room was highly unusual.
"Hey, what are you doing in here?"
"I was looking for the keys to Mrs. Humber's house. I need to feed her cat and I think the keys are still in my jeans I wore yesterday," she explained, while digging through the dirty laundry.
"Those jeans are still in your bedroom. I wanted to take them downstairs last night but you said something about wearing them in the garden."
Renee slapped her forehead, grinning and was about to take off for the bedroom, when I put my hand on her arm to stop her.
"Renee, earlier there was a boy at the door. I think his name was Jacob. His dad invited us over for dinner tonight, you're supposed to call whether or not we're coming."
"Ah, that means Billy and Jacob are back. They were visiting friends in Washington state on some small Indian reservation. You'll like Jacob. He's a real sweetheart, takes good care of his dad too. I'll go call him right now."
I laughed at her jumbled concentration, reminded her to feed Mrs. Humber's cat and went back outside to my book. Talking to Renee was a way for me to forget about my own misery for a while. She was easily excitable about anything and everything, but she just as easily gave it up for something new. In the short time I had lived with them, I had seen her go through more hobbies than the average person would have in a lifetime.
It did provide me with ways to learn about new things, because she occasionally dragged me along to one of her classes. That way I learned how to use the sowing machine. When Renee stopped with the classes, I continued. I wanted to make the curtains and bedding for my baby. Something that was personal and made with love and devotion. My baby would know how much her mommy loved him or her.
I absentmindedly rubbed my belly. My stomach was still flat, but I already loved the little person that was growing inside of me more than my own life. I would give anything for it to be safe and loved. I would raise him or her on my own, but I would make sure they knew exactly who their father was and how much we loved each other.
I felt a tear roll down my cheek when I sat down on my chair. Taking a deep breath I allowed myself to feel how much I missed Edward, how much I missed his touch, his kisses, his arms around me, his voice in my ear. I missed him so much it made my chest ache like it was falling apart into a million pieces. Hugging my torso to keep myself from falling apart, I cried for him, for us and for my baby.
Renee left me alone, having learned that during a crying jag I wasn't exactly open to comforting arms and loving reassurance. But when my tears eventually dried, she came out with a pitcher of lemonade and pulled out a chair to sit beside me.
"Hey, sweetie, you okay?"
"Yeah. Just remembering him, you know."
She smiled sadly and wordlessly handed me a glass of lemonade. We sat in silence for a while, both lost in our own thoughts, enjoying the warm weather.
"Bells?"
"Hmm?"
"Will you be okay to go to school on Monday? It's not too late to change your mind about the home-schooling bit."
"No, I'll be fine. I know my work load will be heavy if I want to take more time off after the baby is born, but I'm smart, I can handle it."
"If you're sure then that's all I need to know. We will help you in anyway we can, sweetie."
"I know Renee, I know."
"Oh, before I forget, we're going to the Black's at six thirty," she said getting up to go back into the house.
"I'll be ready," I murmured.
She left the pitcher with my and dragged the chair back onto the porch. Watching Renee hoist the chair up the steps was rather amusing. I tried not to laugh though, because if it were me it would look far worse.
I spent the remainder of my day in the garden reading. I allowed my eyes to drift closed whenever my body demanded and only went inside to get myself some lunch or for a bathroom-break.
That night we went over to the Black's house. It was clear to me why Renee had mentioned that Jacob took care of his father from the moment he opened the door. Billy Black was confined to a wheelchair and although he was quite agile in manoeuvring himself around the house, there were some places he would never reach without help.
Both Billy and Jacob were very friendly and welcoming, but despite that, I still felt a little out of place with them. Maybe it had something to do with the way Jacob looked at me and his father kept shooting Charlie knowing looks. When we got home I confronted Charlie about it.
"What was up with Billy looking at you like you knew something me and Renee didn't?"
Charlie chuckled, shaking his head. "Apparently Jacob was quite taken with you when he met you this morning. Billy called me at work to tell me Jacob was talking his head off about us coming over when he came home from work."
"Did you tell Billy I wouldn't be interested?"
"I did, but he insisted you would change your mind after spending more time with Jacob. Billy seems to think he is a good match-maker since he introduced one if his friends to his wife. It doesn't matter that none of the other matches he has made since didn't work out."
Despite my unease with the situation I laughed at this.
"Don't worry about it, Bells. Jacob is a good kid and as soon as he finds out that you aren't interested, he'll leave you alone."
I grimaced, but dropped the subject. I was too tired to focus on anything but sleeping, so I excused myself, went through my evening routine and crashed into my bed. The last thought I had before falling asleep was of Edward's crooked smile and his hand on my belly, where the baby was.
Sunday was spent much like Saturday. Then came Monday. The first day at my new school. A new school with Rosalie and Jasper. I groaned as I woke up that morning. I had set my alarm clock extra early so I could get my morning sickness out of the way before I went to school.
When I climbed into my beat-up old truck, I felt my stomach tie up in knots due to the tension I felt. Charlie had told my this morning that Jasper would show me around in school if I wanted. Charlie had looked so eager, that I simply agreed to keep him happy. I wasn't too sure about it, though.
I pulled up at school after a ten minute drive. Taking a moment to steel my nerves and control my nausea I laid my head back against the seat and took a few deep, steadying breaths. A knock at my window, made me jump. I whirled around in my seat and was met with the eager face of Jacob Black.
"Hey, Jacob," I said as I opened the door and slid out of the cab.
"Morning, Bella! I didn't know you would be in the same school as me."
"I didn't know either."
"Let me show you the office so you can get your stuff, okay?"
"Sure, thanks."
He gently took my arm to lead me to the office. We only got about three feet when Jasper stopped us.
"Jacob," he muttered as a greeting, keeping his eyes trained on where Jacob's hand was on my elbow.
"Jasper." Jacob answering greeting was just as terse.
"I'll take it from here."
My eyes widened at the display of caveman behaviour. I pulled my arm from Jacob's grip and stomped past them. They obviously didn't like each other and I was not about to stand there and watch them bicker about who got to show me around school. I was perfectly capable of showing myself around.
Jasper came running up behind me. "Bella, wait up!"
I whirled around, a scowl still fixed on my face. "Listen up, Jasper. I can take perfectly good care of myself and I do not like it one bit that you and Jacob seemed to think you need to fight over me, or something to that extent. I'll see you around, but right now I need to do this on my own."
He stared after me, dumbfounded, as I once again walked away from him.
Later that day, in English, Jasper apologized for his behaviour and explained that he and Jacob were the two candidates for pitcher in the baseball team and their competitiveness tended to come out in other places than just the field as well.
"Fine, but do not think you can fight over me like I'm some sort of possession. I am my own person and just so we're clear, I have no interest in anyone as my boyfriend. I haven't forgotten the father of my baby and I most likely never will."
Jasper seemed taken aback by my last statement, but I couldn't care less. It was the truth and the sooner he realized that, the better we would get along.
My little rant had been overheard by one of the girls in class and by the time lunch rolled around the entire school knew I was pregnant. In the lunch room I was approached by a girl I didn't know.
"Hi! I'm Lauren Mallory. Apparently you and I are cousins?"
"Eh. If you say so."
She sneered at me, flipping her blond hair over her shoulder. "I just wanted to warn you to stay away from me. I can not be associated with a slut like you."
My mouth fell open as I watched her retreating form. Jasper was at my side next.
"Don't worry about Lauren. She's pretty vile and she cares for no one but herself."
"Thanks, I guess. But why did she call me a slut?"
"Someone overheard you say you were pregnant when we were talking. It appears that the whole school already knows."
I opened my mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Rosalie yanking me out of the cafeteria.
"How can you do that?" she hissed menacingly.
"Do what?"
"You know exactly what I am talking about!"
"No, Rosalie I don't! Enlighten me, since everyone in this school seems to think they know me without even talking to me!"
"You are giving the baby up after birth! Jessica told me she heard you say that to Jasper! Apparently it doesn't do your dating potential any good. How could you just give up on your own child!"
"Rosalie, shut up! I never said anything of the sort. I love my child with every ounce of my being and I will not give up the only thing I have left of it's father. I never planned on being a mom this young, but I will not give the baby up. I have been in enough foster and group homes to never want to do that to any child of mine."
I shuddered at the thought, momentarily forgetting Rosalie was still standing in front of me. Her quiet tears registered a little later.
"Rose? Are you okay?"
"Oh, Bella. I'm so sorry. I never meant to be such a bitch. If I had known you were keeping the baby I wouldn't have said those things."
"It's fine. Can we just agree to try to be friends, because I already found out I am in desperate need of some friends around here."
"Of course. I will kick anyone's ass who dares speak shit about you."
With that Rosalie and I made our pact. She would prove to be the best friend to have on my side when my pregnancy got more visible and people in school started to think it necessary to taunt me. Rose defended me tooth and nail every chance she got, while I was there to keep her temper in line.
The following week I had my first ultrasound. Renee and Rosalie were coming with me and taking me out shopping later for the furniture I needed for the baby-room. The first glance of my baby was far more emotional than I ever expected. I was crying freely as I watched the small heart thump away. I silently prayed that Edward would one day see his child.
My second trimester came with one big relief, I got rid of my morning sickness. The months glided by rather uneventful. I enjoyed my growing stomach far more that I had originally thought I would. Every night before going to bed I talked to my belly. I told the baby about meeting Edward, falling in love with him and how much he would love him or her if he would ever see us again.
My pregnancy went as it was supposed to and thankfully without any complications. Somewhere during my sixth month I had gotten so sick of Jacob's insistent begging for a date that I begrudgingly agreed to going out with him.
It proved to be a real disaster. I was ready to give up on dating him altogether, but he insisted on a second chance. The second date was even more awkward than the first and at the end of the night we mutually agreed that we were better suited as friends.
February 14th 2002
I had been dreaming about Edward and our first kiss, which had been a year ago today, when I was awoken by a sharp pain shooting through my lower body. Startled I sat up in bed and flicked the light on. I glanced at the alarm clock, noting it read 3AM. I tried to get up, but another contracting pain stopped my movement. When I finally did manage to hoist my heavy body from the bed, my water broke and the liquid quickly rushed down my legs.
"Mom! Dad!" I yelled in a slight panic.
It was the first time I called them that, but in that moment I didn't even think about it.
The door to my room burst open, showing a very groggy and disoriented Charlie.
"Bells? What's wrong?"
"I'm in labour. My water broke a minute ago."
"Go take a shower, I'll wake Renee to help you dress and then I'll call the hospital that we're coming."
I nodded and went into the bathroom in a daze. The hot water did wonders when my next contraction hit, making it very hard for me to step out of the shower so I could make it to the hospital, but I knew I needed to in order to deliver my baby safely.
We managed to get to the hospital half an hour later. My normal doctor wasn't available so I was left with a woman I had never seen before. Her name was Heidi and she looked more like a model than a doctor.
"Bella, I need you to relax so I can check how far along you are and if we still have time for an epidural. Can you bend your knees for me?" she asked in a lilting voice.
I nodded, raising my knees to give her better access. I had to fight to stay relaxed when her fingers moved around to feel for my progress.
"Bella, I have good and bad news. The good news is that it won't be long before you can push to deliver your baby. The bad news is that you are to far along to have use for an epidural. You're going to have to do it without one."
In that minute another contraction hit, this one was far stronger and more painful than the previous ones. I cursed my way through it, no longer caring what anyone thought of me, I just wanted it to be over.
Fifteen minutes later I was ready to give birth. Heidi's calm gentle voice talked me through the contractions, when to push and when to breathe and after pushing for little under an hour, my baby was lying on my chest. She had beautiful auburn coloured curls and the brief glance I had gotten of her eyes had proven to me that she had gotten her daddy's green orbs. I had never felt this happy in my life, even the absence of her father wasn't enough to cloud this perfect moment.
"What's her name?" one of the nurses asked as she took her to clean her up.
"Emma Sophia Swan," I murmured, my eyes still glued to my beautiful daughter.
A/N: So here it is, the new chapter. I originally planned to tell more details of Bella's pregnancy, but as I was writing the characters sort of took ove. In the end I am happy they did, because to me it is omportant to explain how Bella and Rosalie found their way to become friends. It's going to be important for future chapters.
I found a few mistaked in the consistency of my story and made some small revisions in the first two chapters to clear those up. If you're curious check them out, but I promise the changes are minimal.
Please let me know what you think.
I'm going on holiday from the 18th of July til the 1st of August, so I won't be able to updat for a while. I hope I can get one more chapter out before we leave, but I'm not making any promises.
Hugs and kisses to you all,
Mo