Authors Note: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer, the rest is just my escape from my mindless day-job. So, the count down to Christmas has begun =) Once more, thank you for the reviews, both the ones I receive here, and the ones posted to me in PM's on other sites, you are my inspiration to keep going when the time I have really is too short. I hope you enjoy this one.

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Chapter 29

Sue

As I heard a door slam shut outside I snapped out of my daydreaming, still clutching one of Seth's old pajama's to my chest. I quickly folded it and placed it on the baby-pile. I looked out the window and saw Phin standing beside her car, looking confused and a little lost. Her expression made me smile as I went outside.

"So, how did it go?"

"I got the shelves I wanted, plus a pair of glass doors for them. I found this really neath couch, you know, just a small one, able to be made into a bed for guests and such."

"Yikes. How did you get all of that into the car?"

It was crammed. I don't think any highway patrol would have appreciated the way stuff were loaded up over the front passenger seat, she couldn't have had any visibility what so ever on that side of the car.

"Oh, but I found this adorable little stool too, I couldn't just leave it there, it has such a lovely green shade."

She popped the back hatch and pulled out a big package, I reached over to help her, realizing it wasn't very heavy at all. Since I had left the door open we carried it right inside, to their part of the house. We left it in the smaller room, that they decided to make a living room out of. She opened the box, and sure enough, there was a tiny little couch inside it. Back outside I saw her 'find', a big, low stool, an about 3 feet square of padding on four legs. It was hideous, but I could see why she loved it, it sported the same green shade as her raincoat, somewhere in between lime and summer green. I shook my head once again.

"It beats me how you got everything into the car at all."

"By being stubborn of course."

Her grinned from ear to ear, radiating with pride. She grabbed the ugly piece of furniture and I helped her to get it in. After that it was time for various little things, curtains and sheets, and I saw the cutest little round mattress. As I examined it, she smiled once more, coming over to stand by my side.

"I've ordered a round, or actually oval, crib. They didn't have it in, but since I'm not due in quite a while and the car was full already I told them they could deliver it when they got it in stock. It'll go nicely with the round bed."

"Round bed?"

"Yeah. I don't know if you missed it, but we don't have a bed.. And I usually roll up, and so do Seth. So we figured a round bed would be the way to go. Ant the crib is amazing, stokke, you can change it as the baby grows."

"Since when does ikea carry stokke products?"

"They don't. I went to their retailer."

"And you still got home an hour and a half early? Phin, how fast did you drive?"

"Not even at speed limit, but I got out early, I was at ikea when they opened, and through it in about half an hour."

"Impressive. Should we bring in the rest?"

"No, it's just the shelves left, let's give Seth something to do when he comes home, he'll be upset if we don't."

True enough. As we turned towards the house she suddenly stopped, placing her hand on her belly with an awestruck expression. Then she reached for my hand, placing it beside hers, and my heart jolted as I felt the feathery kicks against my palm. And then a stronger one, almost pushing my hand away. I looked at her, seeing her eyes dimmed, lost in thoughts. I turned back to marveling at the wonder beneath my hand, just feeling my soon to be grandchild move. I couldn't tell you how long we stood like that but suddenly there was a sound, a chuckle behind us and we both jumped high.

"Could you two keep that inside? Jeez, the youth of today, displaying all of their emotions on the front lawn..."

"Oh, hush!"

Phin scolded Seth for his blunt remark, but it was really mine. I had said those exact words to Leah and Sam, after their last date before his disappearance.
Seth was happy enough to carry in the shelves on his own, muttering a bit about the fact that I had let her carry even the lighter stuff. I withdrew to the kitchen to start dinner, still listening to the two of them bickering about as they started to assemble the bookcases. They were a treat to listen to, just laughing and playing with words. Then I heard how he became serious and walked closer to hear.

"But really, stop goofing around, who came with you. There's no way you fitted a person into the car on top of all this stuff."

"I told you, I managed just fine."

I heard a snarl from my son.

"You went alone, didn't you?"

He sounded really, really agitated. I wondered if I should call the boys, but decided that if there would be problems they wouldn't make it in time anyway.

"So what if I did. The drive would be just as rough no matter if I had company or not."

A deep sigh, and he started to pace the little room.

"Who helped you load the car?"

"People..."

"People? Like someone in the staff helping you all the way or someone in the parking lot helping you when you got stuck?"

"Well, for your information, I'm not fat enough to get stuck in my car yet!"

Oh no. Now he had triggered her again. He had been complaining a bit about her recent mood swings, the hormones made her ignite on all cylinders for anything and everything really.

"I didn't mean it like that and you know it."

"Oh really? Well, exactly how did you mean I got stuck then? Parked myself in?"

"I meant it like you, pig headed as you are, not accepting help before you'd crammed the car full, and need help to wiggle the last little piece in, almost bursting the car in the process."

"Fine. So what if I did?"

"ARE YOU INSANE??? Do you honestly try to kill yourself and our baby?"

"WHAT? Would you rather have me tied down in bed doing nothing? Wait, don't even answer that, I should have known you'd side with the leeches on that subject. Well, you get your wish, I'm going to bed now, the one in Esme's room!"

I heard the door slam so hard that it flew right open again by the force, and her car driving away.

I looked inside the room, seeing Seth sitting on the floor, his face hidden in his enormous hands. I sat down beside him, laying an arm around his big, hunched shoulders and let him sob for as long as he needed.

"Mom..."

"Yes Seth."

"Does she hate me? I don't understand, does she do these things just to torment me?"

"No, I would really doubt it. You said yourself before, she is independent, she hates being taken care of and she likes to do things for herself. I don't think she realizes it might not be good for her, please be patient, soon the belly will be so big she'll have no choice but to calm down."

"If she don't kill them both before that..."

"Oh you big sob, cheer up and go after her. She's probably just as sad as you right now, I remember expecting you, how I'd go from fury to tears in 5 seconds flat."

"Really? You never told me that before. You don't think she'll be angry with me for coming after her then?"

"Maybe, but she'll be even more disappointed if you don't."

He stood up, wiping the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand and walked out of the room. I heard a "thanks mom" as he closed the open door behind him. I just sat there on the floor, pondering what just happened, oblivious to the laundry pile waiting to be attended, and also to the dinner cooking on the stove.

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A N: Don't go AWOL on me, tell me what you think! I won't throw Phin-like fits for bad critique, I promise.
ETA: Thanks Lacrema for pointing out that Sue probably didn't go from "furry" to tears, no matter how hilarious that would have been =)