Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D
In response to the fuckery the fandom is currently dealing with I decided to share some love :)
Thirty Six
"I thought you weren't coming back until next month?" I ask once I've calmed down. We're sitting in the kitchen so that we can have a little privacy.
"Oh, I couldn't miss anymore. When you called and told me about the girls, I decided to cut my trip short." Her hands haven't left my belly since she saw it. The twins aren't moving much, but she doesn't care. "It took me a couple of weeks, but I'm here."
"I'm so happy!"
"I know, baby. I missed you," she laughs. "I was going to wait for you to open the box, but I didn't anticipate it being so freakishly hot inside there. I wanted to surprise you."
"You did," I stress. "Thank you."
She informs me that she's planning on getting an apartment close by so that she can come help out once the girls arrive. She's not going on any trips for a while, but she's going to continue writing her articles for the non-profit. I'm telling her about the horrendous cabin by the lake when the door swings open.
"Bells, I know you're glad to see your mom, but we've got a group of ladies out here that request your presence," Jess laughs.
"Sorry." My mom helps me stand and leads me outside.
They make a belly cast and set it out in the sun to dry while we play humorous baby shower games. The plan is for everyone that attended the party to write a small tidbit of advice on the cast before they leave. They guess how many toilet paper squares it will take to wrap around my stomach and it's no surprise that Maggie wins. She can measure a horse from four feet away.
We race sucking apple juice out of baby bottles and I get frustrated when the roof of my mouth grows sore from the suction and take the lid off. Everyone laughs and I get a pink candle shaped like a baby bottle as a prize.
There are so many games I can barely keep up with the rules or objective of the one we're playing before I'm handed something for the next.
Esme has her hands full with a sugar high Charlotte, so she doesn't participate.
Alice loses game after game, eventually giving up and announcing that it's cake time. She makes me cut the first slice and then gets to work serving everyone. My piece is bigger than everyone else's and that doesn't stop me from going for seconds before everyone is served. Jess laughs, but I just use the excuse that the sugar will get the twins up and moving around in no time, so she lets it slide.
"Presents?" Rose asks once I've managed to scarf down half my weight in red velvet goodness.
I rub my stomach and tell her that I'm going to the bathroom first so I won't have to stop in the middle. I grab my bag so that I can call Edward once I'm finished.
"Hey darlin'. How's your shower goin'?" he asks, picking up on the first ring.
"Fantastic! The food was so good," I groan earning a chuckle. "And my mom surprised me. She came back early."
"I know. She called me last week and told me to keep you away from Emmett and Rose's place until the shower."
"You sneaky sneaky man," I pout. "What are you up to today?"
"Oh nothing. Your brother and Peter stopped by, so we're doing some shopping."
"For what?"
"Noneyah!" he laughs.
"Fine. I better get back out there. I'm about to open my presents." I stifle a yawn against my hand. "I might have to lay down for a bit after that though."
"Jess and Alice have spent a lot of time preparing for this shower, Bells. If you fall asleep in the middle, it might insult them."
"Well, when they are carrying around two human beings in their stomachs, they can whine then. Who throws a baby shower that consists of lunch and dinner? Never mind. Don't answer that. Your sister does, that's who," I snort, checking my makeup in the mirror before I go back out. "I'll try to stay awake. See you at seven?"
"On the dot, darlin'. Have fun." He makes a kiss sound. "Love you."
"We love you, too," I choke out, resting my hand over my stomach. "All three of us."
"Don't cry, darlin'," he sighs.
"Happy tears," I sniff. "And I can't help it."
I hang up the phone after we say goodbye once more, and step out of the bathroom to find Esme with Charlotte, who's now conked out on her shoulder.
"You alright, Bella?" she asks, sliding into the bathroom and grabbing a washcloth to clean Charlotte's sticky face off. My niece doesn't even stir. She's definitely crashed from her sugar high.
"I'm alright." I blow my nose. "Just emotional and missing Edward."
"It's only a couple of hours, baby," she chuckles, hiking Charlotte back onto her shoulder. "The baby shower will pass by quickly and before you know it, he'll be here to pick you up."
"I know. I just like being with him. He always knows what I want or need before I do."
"Well, let me go lay this chicken down in her play pen and I'll see about getting you everything you need, alright?" She brushes her thumb under my eye to catch a falling tear. "And there's nothing wrong with being emotional. Hell, I cry all the time! Hell, I cry so much, my husband runs the opposite direction."
I laugh and head back out to the back yard. Everyone can tell I've been crying, but no one says anything. I take my seat next to the stack of presents and my mother takes the seat next to mine with a tablet and a pen.
"Thank you cards," she explains.
"Oh."
I receive more diapers than I'll know what to do with, but any of the guests that arrive that already have children ensure that that will probably last us the first week home from the hospital and I gulp. Receiving blankets, tiny little terry cloth washcloths and more matching pink themed clothes than I can count has me in tears.
They insist that I lay the clothing on my belly and take pictures. I can't believe that in a few short months I'll be dressing Megan and Regan in them. That makes me cry.
My mom gives me a diaper bag filled with all of the necessities and a dual stroller.
Esme decided that the matching infant car seats just screamed for her to buy them. They are the highest rating in infant safety and the tiny dragonflies embroidered into the fabric are too cute. Not to mention the girls' names hand painted in fancy calligraphy along the handles.
"So you don't get mixed up," she winks.
There isn't much left for Edward and I to buy before the babies come. Everyone has been so generous with their gifts and they all allow me my time to cry over each thing. By the time we've managed to pack everything up, the doorbell rings and Jess leaves to pay for the dinner they've had delivered.
I smell the Chinese before I can see it and my stomach growls loudly, earning a chuckle from a few of the girls standing closest to me.
We all gather in the giant media room and you can definitely tell men lived alone in this house before Jess moved in with Sam. The giant surround sound flat screen that adorns the wall is just screaming 'bachelor'. We watch The Breakfast Club because it's my favorite and I'm able to stay awake until the final guest leaves.
"Thank you so much, you two!" I gush when I finally find Alice and Jess in the backyard taking the banners down.
"Don't mention it. That's what family does," Alice says with a laugh because she's still not over the fact that we're now related.
To be truthful, I'm not either.
"Yeah, you never know when it could be one of us in your shoes... you'll have to run around like a chicken with your head cut off to make everything perfect for us," Jessica smiles.
"What?"
"I meant Alice, you twit," she snorts. "I prefer my children old enough to tie their shoes and potty trained."
"Don't worry, Bella. Jasper and I will hold off until the girls are at least out of their terminable two stage," Alice smiles.
"Terrible twos, you mean," I laugh. "Thanks Ali. I'd appreciate that."
She shrugs and goes back to rolling the banner up. I start cleaning up plastic cups and plates, despite their insistence that I sit down and do nothing because it's my party. We're yelling across the yard to communicate about our work lives when I someone grabs me from behind.
I scream.
"It's me, darlin'," Edward chuckles, pulling me into his arms. "I thought you heard me."
I pull out of his arms and stomp towards the house.
"What happened?" he asks no one in particular.
"You jackass! Did you learn nothing from last week? You made her pee her pants!" Alice cackles.
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