So things are going to start winding up a bit from here on out - only four chapters left, and Bella's due date's getting pretty close now too!
Titbit from last week's reviews: why do the people with the best questions always have un-repliable profiles? :P I was asked: "Why Felix?"
I'm so glad I was finally asked this question, because there is totally a legitimate answer! :L The first time I read Eclipse (and every time after that :P), an off-hand line near the end when the Volturi appear after the battle with the newborns caught my attention.(disclaimer: I had to look this up to even remember which book this idea came from :L)
Eclipse p. 572: 'I was sure I recognized the biggest one, and while I stared, trying to confirm my suspicion, Felix looked up. He let his hood fall back slightly so that I could see him wink at me and smile.'
Right from the beginning, it always made me wonder if, in an alternative universe, there might have been a BellaXFelix thread. :L
(Coincidentally, when I looked that up just now, I had a look in New Moon as well just in case it wasn't just that one line. Turns out on p. 454 of NM Felix is leering at Bella, and on p. 465 he's calling dibs on her. I'm onto you Stephenie. :L)
So there you have it - I didn't want to go down the traditional "In a Team Edward story Jacob is always the bad guy" route [for reasons you will find out eventually ;) ], and I didn't want to use the other option - Mike - as the "bad guy", because really, Mike's a sweetheart who's just never in the right place at the right time. :L So Felix it was! :)
Anyhow...
Enough rambling from me. Enjoy chapter 28! :D
Chapter 28 ~ 32 weeks
Bella stood peering aimlessly around the crowded schoolyard, walking around slowly as she watched the hordes of children enjoying recess. Being on yard duty wasn't that fun when your back started to ache within five minutes of standing still, but she had refused to give it up when Principal Banner had offered her the choice a week and a half ago, when the new school term started. Times like these were her only chance to see how all the children were progressing through the school; usually the only times she was able to catch up with the previous year's first graders, who were now in second grade and – as far as they were concerned – the coolest kids in the school. Her new class of children were still finding their feet and getting to know her, though, so she made sure to keep a special eye on them as well. Suddenly a pair of small, voices next to her made her jump, and she looked down to see Tyler and Jared, not as little as they had been before the summer, grinning up at her in excitement.
"Hi Miss Swan!"
She smiled at them.
"Hi, boys! How are you?"
"We're in second grade now!" exclaimed Tyler, his thick curly hair bouncing.
"That's right! Are you enjoying it?"
Tyler nodded.
"We get to do big kid stuff!"
"Miss Swan, my mom says you have a baby inside your tummy..." cut in Jared unsurely, touching her round belly cautiously with one finger. Bella almost laughed at the nervous look on his face.
"That's right, Jared, I do."
Tyler's mouth dropped open in shock.
"You ate a baby?"
This time Bella did laugh, though she tried to rein it in for Tyler's sake.
"Of course I didn't eat it! It's in a special place in my belly where it can grow until it's ready to be born."
Jared and Tyler looked at her in confusion, and Jared frowned.
"But... how is it going to get out?"
Bella stopped laughing and bit her lip. Damn. She walked into that one.
"Well..." she hedged slowly. "When it's finished growing, I'll go to the hospital and the doctors will help it get out."
Jared seemed satisfied with this answer, but Tyler still looked confused.
"But how did it get in there?"
Bella's face paled.
"Uh..."
"Tyler, Jared, come on!" Bella breathed a sigh of relief as Rachel came running over, a cross look on her face, holding hands with a slightly bemused Paul. "We're not done playing house! I'm the mommy, Paul's the daddy, and you two are the babies."
Bella covered up her snicker as Jared and Tyler reluctantly trailed after Rachel, their faces downcast, and turned around only to almost trip over the small, blonde girl who was standing meekly behind her.
"Oh! Carlie, sweetheart, I didn't see you there!" Carlie was one of Bella's new first graders, a shy girl who had taken to following Bella around whenever she could get away with it.
"My mommy's going to have a new baby too," she said quietly, looking nervously up at Bella from beneath her long eyelashes.
"Wow!" said Bella, taking Carlie by the hand as she spotted some other girls from her class and gently leading her over to them. "That must be exciting!" Carlie grinned at her shyly and nodded. "Hi girls!" Bella said brightly as they reached a pair of children playing in the corner of the sandbox. "Do you think Carlie could join in with your game too?"
The girl on the left looked up and grinned, nodding enthusiastically.
"We're building a princess castle!"
Bella smiled as Carlie sat down nervously next to them, feeling a little sad that she would only be teaching these children for another few weeks before she started her maternity leave.
~o0o~
Back in the teachers' lounge, Bella was accosted the moment she set foot in the door.
"Bella, over here!" Edward grabbed her hand, leading her over to the only comfy chair in the room, which he had obviously been saving for her. She shook her head silently, looking up at him with an amused expression.
"Edward..."
"What?" he said innocently, shrugging his shoulders and grinning adorably. "I just wanted to make sure you got a seat, that's all. You've been on your feet all morning!"
Bella just shook her head again, laughing quietly. She turned as she heard Elaine Berty's voice beside her.
"He's certainly a keeper, Bella. There's not many young men nowadays who behave in a gentlemanly fashion such as Edward here! Such a sad thought to think that simple chivalry is dying out..."
Bella nodded, smiling as she felt Edward's hand slip onto hers from the other side.
"I know I'm lucky to have him," she sighed, rubbing soft circles on her belly. "Especially at the moment."
Elaine's aging face lit up.
"Yes, you must be excited about the baby – not long now!"
Bella laughed.
"Well, I still have almost two months."
Edward snorted from behind her.
"Try eight weeks, Bella. Sounds so much shorter than two months, right?" He squeezed her hand as she bit her lip, and Elaine patted her knee before beginning to gather her things.
"Those eight weeks are going to fly by, Bella, mark my words!"
~o0o~
The following Saturday, Bella was woken late in the morning by the sound of sizzling bacon, the enticing smell engulfing her nostrils as she smiled sleepily yet hungrily. Though rain pounded heavily on the windows already, it was the kind of rain that made her feel warm and cozy wrapped up in her blankets indoors. Edward entered the room with a heavily laden tray, smiling when he saw she was awake.
"Good morning, birthday girl!" He bent down to kiss her lips as she grinned and pushed herself up to a sitting position, balancing the tray carefully on her knees. "I hope you're hungry!"
She laughed as her stomach rumbled right on cue, patting her belly affectionately.
"Always!" She surveyed the food in front of her. "Wow, Edward, this looks delicious! How long have you been up?"
Edward smiled sheepishly.
"A while..."
She laughed. Edward moving in had definitely been a good idea – since he'd begun living with her full time, she had not only felt like she didn't have to lift a finger around the place, but like she wouldn't even be allowed to. It would normally bug her that someone was waiting on her hand and foot, but Edward was being so gracious about it and really seemed to enjoy doing everything for her, that she couldn't find it in herself to get annoyed with him. Most of the time.
Edward slid back into the bed next to her as she heaped scrambled eggs onto wholegrain toast, almost moaning as the hot, buttery taste hit her tongue – eggs always tasted so good in the mornings. Edward gazed at her as she ate, making her feel self conscious.
"Edward, stop staring at me!" she whined, pouting.
"Sorry..." he mumbled, grinning sheepishly and gently poking her stomach teasingly where her belly button had recently popped from an 'inny' to an 'outy', much to his amusement and Bella's chagrin. "So... Are you ready for your gift yet?" He laughed as Bella made a face, and he rubbed her belly as the baby wriggled near his hand. "No, youstill have to wait another while until it's your birthday."
Bella bit her lip as Edward bent to the side, reaching under the bed.
"I hope you didn't spend a lot of money..."
Edward rolled his eyes good-naturedly at Bella's worry.
"I only spent what was necessary, I promise," he said, kissing her gently as he pressed a small rectangular box covered in pink and yellow striped paper into her hand. "Happy birthday." She wrinkled her brow as she unwrapped it carefully, laying the discarded paper onto her breakfast tray as she revealed a plain, black box. Glancing at Edward curiously she opened it, a small gasp escaping her as she glimpsed its contents.
"Oh Edward, it's beautiful!"
She carefully lifted the delicate necklace off of its white satin cushion and held it up to the light, the tiny, navy blue stone framed by a twisted gold loop glistening subtly. Unclasping it, she handed it quickly to Edward, swinging her hair over her shoulder and turning around. "Will you put it on for me?" She felt his warm fingers fumbling at the back of her neck, then he lightly kissed the top of her spine and pulled her back around, looking at the small pendant now resting between her collar bones.
"Beautiful," he said quietly, his loving smile lighting up his eyes and causing them to shine. Bella looked down shyly, her cheeks turning light pink as he continued to grin his crooked grin, and touched the pendant lightly.
"Thank you."
~o0o~
Bella had justfinished getting dressed when a loud pounding began on the door of the apartment, accompanied by a high pitched, authoritative voice.
"Open up, birthday girl! You can't escape the wrath of Alice Brandon!" Bella laughed and Edward unlocked the door as she quickly ran into the living room, in time to see a small, brunette head rush across the room and envelop her in a surprisingly strong hug. "Happy birthday Bella!" Bella laughed and patted Alice on the back.
"Thanks, Alice. But I think you might be suffocating the baby right now."
Alice sprang back, cartoon-like, with a horrified look on her face, immediately bending down and talking worriedly to Bella's stomach.
"I'm sorry, baby! Please tell me you're still alive!" She paused, but neither Bella nor the baby made any reaction. "Please!" Finally complying, the baby suddenly kicked hard up into Bella's ribs, making her double over and wince and allowing Alice to sigh in relief. Bella looked down at her stomach accusingly.
"Ow... You know, you're supposed to be nice to me on my birthday!"
Edward squeezed her shoulder anxiously, always worried about her well-being.
"You ok, Bells?"
She smiled and rolled her eyes as his perpetual concern.
"Yeah, I'll live." She surveyed the room, finally greeting the rest of the guests who had "snuck" in quietly after hurricane Alice. "Any of you guys want to trick my child into abusing me some more?"
Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper laughed, Jasper taking Alice carefully by the hand and leading her out of the way where she couldn't cause any more trouble, as she pouted and muttered under her breath.
"Not my fault that baby does what it's told..."
Bella pretended not to notice her and Rosalie disappearing into the kitchen with a conspicuous white box as she sat on the couch next to Jasper, comfortably answering his questions about how she was feeling these days. After a few minutes a suspicious hush descended over the group as the handle of the kitchen door began to rattle, then Bella groaned as a slightly out of tune chorus of 'Happy Birthday' accompanied Alice and Rosalie as they carefully carried a huge, pink cake into the room, her head dropping into her hands as Edward produced a camera.
"Ok, Bella, make a wish!" proclaimed Alice as the huge cake was placed in front of her. Leaning forward, Bella sucked in a huge breath and blew hard at the candles, scowling as less than half of them went out. She blew out the rest in two more breaths, pulling a face as she looked back up at the others.
"I guess my lungs don't have as much room to expand as they used to."
Edward laughed, sitting on the arm of the couch next to her and handing her a knife.
"Ok, Bells, go for it."
Frowning with concentration, she cut carefully into the centre of the pink monstrosity, the sweet smell of strawberries wafting up to her. She felt herself drooling.
"Rose, Al, this smells amazing!"
Rosalie shrugged. She had inherited a quirky love of baking from her mother, which seemed completely out of character for her but actually worked pretty well living with sugar addict Alice.
"Mom's original recipe!"
Bella handed slices of cake around to everybody on paper napkins, looking slightly perturbed and the large amount of crumbs and gooey frosting that were getting everywhere. Alice noticed her worried look and followed her gaze.
"Relax, Bella, it's just a bit of cake," she laughed. "We'll clean up after, I promise!"
Rosalie raised an eyebrow.
"Bella getting upset about a little bit of mess? That's new one. When we were in college I had to step over your entire wardrobe to get to my bed most of the time!" The boys laughed as Bella blushed and glared at Rosalie, and Alice giggled, her eyes teasing.
"Aw, Bells, are you nesting?"
Bella scowled.
"No, I just don't want your sugary goo all over my clean couch!"
They laughed again at her defensiveness as Edward bent down to her ear, stage whispering loudly.
"It's ok Bella, I won't tell them about last night when you cranked out the vacuum cleaner at eleven thirty because you thought you saw some dust on the rug!"
Bella gave Edward a death glare and elbowed him hard in the ribs as the room was once again filled with laughter at her expense, not caring that he didn't even flinch, and looked around at everyone with a pout.
"Guys, it's my birthday! You're supposed to be nice to me!"
Trivia: the entire reason it's raining when Bella wakes up on the morning of her birthday is because while I was writing this chapter, my brother was playing his guitar and I could not concentrate. So cue rain-noise through my earphones to block it out. :L
Also, the necklace Edward gives Bella for her birthday is actually based on a necklace I got from my cousin as a thank-you for being her bridesmaid last spring. :) I wanted to put a link to it in my profile in case anyone wanted to see it, but the link I found when I was writing this chapter last summer now isn't working. I'll see if I can get a new one and let you know next week! :D
See you soon! :D
