Might be my favorite chapter so far. I LOVE Esme.
Sandy had some personal connections to this chapter and I'm happy she loved it!
Melanie said I knew these guys so well by now there wasn't much to add. Best compliment ever!
Ready…set…read!
"What are you doing out there? Get your head in the game!"
Edward glared at his mother, tugging on her shirt to try and get her to sit down and be quiet. They were occupying their usual row in the arena, Alice on the end of the bench with Jasper sitting next to her, his tongue lolling out of his mouth as it always was. Carlisle was sitting next to her, with Esme on his right. Edward had the unfortunate honor of sitting between his mother and his twin. Rose and Emmett were whispering softly, hands and mouths occasionally brushing with lingering touches. It was utterly inappropriate behavior for a roller derby match.
"Take her the fuck out if she isn't going to pull her head out of her ass!" Esme barked once more and this time Edward was unable to still his tongue.
"You do realize that is the woman I love you are talking about. Bell had a tough week dealing with her thesis. Please stop," he demanded, praying she would listen to him. Esme sat with a huff and glared at Edward.
"You know, son, I love her just as much as you do. But f her game doesn't improve then I think they might have to bench her." Edward glared at his mother for a moment before training his attention back to the rink. He hated being so far away from Bell, but they had decided he was just too much of a distraction down near the bench. As he watched his girl skate around the rink with an objective eye, he realized she was playing poorly. She wasn't engaging the other skaters and her stride seemed to be off. He worried she was pushing herself too thin, dealing with Jasper's continued training with Alice and finishing her thesis. He knew finishing her degree was important, but her health was his top concern.
"Finally," Esme muttered under her breath as Bell was finally subbed out of the match. Edward was prepared to see her get angry as she glided over to the bench, but other than a slight scowl, she seemed fine.
Something was going on, and he was determined to find out what.
*()*()*
Edward followed cautiously behind Bell as she walked out of the arena. Her team had managed to pull out a win, but she had passed on going out to celebrate with the team. She'd played like shit and she knew it. After accepting half-hearted congratulations from Edward's family, she gathered up her stuff and stomped out of the building, aware that Edward was following close behind. She didn't have the strength to push him away, even though she knew she should.
Jumping into the driver's seat of her truck, Bell slammed the door shut and rested her head on the steering wheel. She could sense Glasses standing on the other side of the glass, but she just couldn't bring herself to look at him. He would know. The second he looked in her eyes, he would know.
"Bell," he sighed, his voice muffled as it came through the thick pane. She held back a sob at the broken and cautious emotion in his voice. Why had she ever started something with him? He deserved so much more.
Without looking at him, she slid over into the passenger seat and waited for him to open the door. She didn't take her eyes off the flashing lights of the radio as he safely drove them to her cottage, not trusting herself to meet his stare. The ride was nearly silent, her shuddering breath and the low static of the radio the only sounds. She knew once they got to her house she was going to have to talk to him, and the thought of what came next…devastated her.
*()*()*
Edward felt like he was on his way to face a firing squad as he walked into Bell's cottage. The entire ride from the arena was uncomfortable and stilted, her soft sniffles breaking his heart. What could she possibly be hiding that would make her so miserable?
Bell sat down on the couch, her posture stiff and her eyes closed. He couldn't bring himself to sit next to her, choosing to settle on the edge of the coffee table in front of her. When a tear broke free from beneath her lashes, he reached forward and grabbed her hand, desperate to help her.
"Just tell me," he whispered, squeezing her hand gently. As she looked up at him, the pain in her eyes made him gasp softly.
"I'm…I'm so sorry," she sighed, rubbing at her tears with her free hand. Edward waited patiently as she collected herself and started speaking once more. "Please, just don't say anything until I'm done, okay?"
Edward nodded his head as she sat forward and started into his eyes.
"I'm going through the change."
True to his word, he didn't speak, waiting for her to continue even though there were a million questions going through his brain. After she let that sink in, she elaborated. "You know I have an insufficient amount of hormones, but for the last six months, I haven't had a period at all. My doctors warned me that I might end up with early onset menopause, but I never really believed them. I always hoped that maybe one day..." she sighed longingly, more tears coming. She brushed them aside again and continued. "But now it looks like I truly am broken. I'm just a fucking mannequin. I'm not a woman at all anymore. And you need a woman...someone who can give you the things you need and deserve. So as much as it kills me…I'm breaking up with you."
Edward felt his chest start to rumble, laughter surging through his body. Bell looked at him like he was crazy as he chuckled and cackled, tears burning his eyes. When he finally got himself under control, Bell was glaring at him.
"Oh sweetheart, do you really think it would be that easy to get rid of me?"
*()*()*
"Are you sure this is necessary?" Bell grunted as she jumped up onto the examination table. As much as she tried to be angry, she was secretly thrilled that Glasses had refused to leave her. His determination was so damn arousing it made her wish they were somewhere besides a doctor's office so she could show him just how much she enjoyed his stubbornness. But that was the whole reason for their visit, she thought. If she was indeed starting menopause, her body would soon stop responding to his. It made her want to cry, imagining not being able to get wet for the man she loved.
"If we are going to start you on hormone replacement therapy, we need to see how far the endometriosis has spread, first. Too much estrogen could exacerbate the condition and I don't want you suffering from any undo discomfort," Edward said gently, moving so he stood next to where Bell sat on the table. She looked uncomfortable in the thin gown and he wished he could ease her anxiety.
Dr. Meyer chose that moment to enter the room, her no-nonsense attitude and open expression easing some of Bell's tension. The woman didn't hesitate as she busted through Bell's history and started on the exam.
"You can wait in the hall, Dr. Cullen," she said kindly, but Bell's fingers sunk into the thin skin of Edward's wrist, making it painfully clear that he needed to stay with her. Smiling down at Bell, he moved closer to the head of the bed, as not to embarrass her. Bell tried to distract herself from the clicking and discomfort that was going on in her lady parts by looking at Glasses. He was just as nervous as she was, she realized, noticing the way his hair was in a wild mess around his head. There were circles under his eyes and lines around his mouth that hadn't been there when she met him. What had she done to this beautiful man?
"Hmmm," Dr. Meyer said from near her feet. Realizing that was never a good sound coming from the woman wrist-deep in your beaver, Bell jerked her head up, looking down at the doctor.
"What?" she demanded, her palms growing damp as the doctor stayed quiet.
"Nothing. I just need to check a few things," Dr. Meyer said, attempting to reassure her patient. Bell lay back as the doctor fiddled with some machines and looked over at Edward.
"If I die…I don't want you to find someone else. I want you to be miserable and miss me for the rest of your life," she rambled, tears springing to her eyes at the thought of her Glasses loving anyone else but her. Edward ran trembling fingers across Bell's cheek and tried to smile.
"You are not going to die, but I promise to do whatever makes you happy," he responded as the doctor once again warned Bell she might feel a little discomfort. Edward cringed as Bell winced, wishing there was some way he could-
A low, fast, rhythmic sound filled the little room.
A sound Edward had heard several times during his GYN rotation.
Bell was confused when Edward whipped his head toward the monitor the doctor was looking at, his hand suddenly going limp in hers.
"Edward?" she whimpered.
"Really?" he whispered, asking the doctor who nodded and smiled.
"Will someone please tell me what the fuck is going on?" Bell snapped, fear making her tongue sharp. Instead of replying, the doctor simply pushed the monitor over so Bell could see-
The little person on the screen.
"From what I can tell, you are about sixteen weeks pregnant. I know from your records that you were told this was impossible, but obviously it's not."
Bell stared at the monitor, tears streaming down her face as she reached a shaky hand out toward her child.
Their child.
Turning to look at Edward, Bell feared his reaction. What if he didn't want this baby? Did she want to raise a child alone? She knew she would, she already loved the little squirt more than anything and she'd just met it, but it would be hard. She didn't have to worry though, because as soon as her eyes met Edward's she could see the love and joy just oozing out of him.
"You're going to have my baby," he whispered, awed. He had resigned himself to a life without children of his own if it meant being with Bell, because she was more important to him than looking into a little face similar to his own. But now…he didn't have to compromise.
"Oh my God, Edward. We're going to have a fucking baby!" Bell squealed, reaching for him and pulling him into her arms.
"No more derby," he mumbled into her neck and she nodded.
"No, we wouldn't want Squirt to get hurt," she responded instantly, making Edward chuckle.
"Squirt?" he asked, pulling back so he could see her face. She was glowing. He had never seen that kind of happiness on her face before. And as much as he couldn't believe it possible, he felt his love for her skyrocket.
"Yeah…ya know, little Squirt Cullen. I gotta call the buggar something while it's cooking. Once it's out we can come up with another name," she said with a smile, imagining the epic fights they would have as they struggled to name their kid.
"Cullen? Does that mean you'll be mine too?" he demanded, possessiveness flaring through him at the thought of her taking his name.
"Well, if we're going to do it, we better do it soon. I'll have my PhD in another few weeks and it's super hard to change your last name after you have those letters after it," she teased, completely ignoring the doctor who still had a transducer up her twat.
I just love ending a chapter with something up Bell's twat!
Two more…
See you soon!
