Thank you guys so much for all of your support with everything that has been happening the last few days. I am leaving on vacation until Monday sometime so this will have to tide you over until I get back. Enjoy your holiday or weekend!
Chapter 34
Thursday, October 25, 2012
BPOV
I was more than a little excited as I climbed from the bed this morning at 5:30. Today marked two years since I opened my first daycare, B's Little Feet. I quietly made my way to the bathroom so Edward could sleep a little longer. Sometimes he got up with me in the mornings but on occasion he would sleep in until it was time to get the kids up and ready for school. He returned the favor on the weekends and let me sleep in. I both groaned and smiled as I saw the little note resting on top of the toilet paper roll as I took care of business.
I picked it up and pulled out the small slip of paper from inside and smiled at the sweet note it read. I was expecting teasing and sexy not sweet and romantic.
Two years ago today you started to rebuild your life despite Jacob still
Out there somewhere. That courage is what eventually led you to me and my kids.
I hope you have a wonderful day today at work, baby. I fall a little more in love
With you every day and that is okay because I know you love me too.
I love you, wife.
Congratulations on the two year anniversary. Go have lunch with Ali or something to celebrate!
You deserve it.
Forever yours to do with as you please, husband.
I tucked the note in the pocket of my robe as I went about my morning routine of getting stuff ready. I got myself ready before sneaking upstairs and checking on Savannah and Adrianna. I quietly crept into Savannah's room and saw her sprawled sideways in her full size bed with one foot dangling off the edge of the bed. We were leery to take her out of the baby bed because of her wild tossing and turning but since we got her such a bigger bed it all worked out good. She's only fallen out a handful of times in the months we've lived here. I tucked her foot back under her covers and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders as I leaned down and kissed her gently on the forehead.
"Mama?" She asked sleepily.
"Yeah, baby, it's me. Go back to sleep. Papa will be up in a little bit." I whispered to her.
"Okay." She said as she shut her eyes again.
I quietly crept out of her room and into Adrianna's. I smiled as I saw her angelic face lying on her pillow with her hair spread out around her. I tucked a piece of her hair off her face and behind her ear. She wrinkled her nose in irritation so I quickly pecked her on the forehead before leaving her room to head back downstairs.
I repeated the same thing with the boys and with Emerson before going downstairs to fix Avery, Landon's and Madison's lunches for school. I pulled out a banana, peanut butter, grape and strawberry jelly from the refrigerator and laid it out on the counter to fix their sandwiches.
Banana and peanut butter for Landon, banana, peanut butter, and strawberry jelly for Avery and peanut butter and grape jelly for Madison.
I also put a pudding cup, orange slices, and a Kool-Aid Jammer into their lunch boxes and lined them up on the counter beside their backpacks and jackets. I made my way into the laundry room and tossed the clothes from the washer into the dryer and started it before making my way downstairs to say bye to Madison.
I found her sitting up in the middle of her bed rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Morning, Maddy." I told her as I poked my head around the doorframe.
"Morning, mama. You leaving?" She asked sleepily.
"Yes ma'am, it's a little after 6 now so I have to go. Have a good day at school today, okay?"
She nodded and blew a kiss my way. I caught it and blew one back in return. "Love you, Mama." She said as she slid off the edge of her bed and headed for her bathroom.
"Love you too, Maddy." I called back before heading out to my car. Since it was starting to get cooler outside, I had taken to driving the short distance to work.
I stopped at the local bakery and bought a variety of doughnuts for myself, my mom, and Ariel as well as the children. I had quickly found out that the rural location of Little Hands was completely different than the city location, it was more laid back and the parents were in less of a rush. I plucked out my cell phone to call Angie as I unlocked the front door.
"B's Little Feet, this is Angie. How may I help you?"
I giggled. "Angie, it's Bella."
"Oh. Hey, Bella. How are things going? Today's a big day, huh?"
I laughed as I switched on all the lights. "Yeah it's a big day for all of us. You have been with me from the beginning too, Angie. Today marks two years of success and hard work." I told her as I began sitting sippy cups and stuff out on the counter to begin filling them up.
"It doesn't seem like it's been two years though."
I sighed and propped up against the counter. "You know some days I felt like I would never make it, but other days seem to just be so easy."
"I know what you mean, but we both just have to keep pushing through the tough days to get to the easy days."
I heard the bell chime above the front door and stuck my head around the corner to see Ariel, my mom, and Brady walking in. "Angie, I got to go. We should get together this weekend or something to celebrate." I told her as I waved to Ariel and my mom.
"Sounds great, Bella. Have a good day at work and bask in your successes." She told me as she hung up the phone.
"I have doughnuts!" I called to Ariel and my mom as I began filling the sippy cups with milk and putting them in the refrigerator.
A couple hours later I was sitting in the middle of the floor coloring with several of my kids when Edward and the little girls strolled in each holding a balloon. "Good morning, guys!" I called to them as I stood from the floor.
"Morning, Mama!" The girls called as they kicked off their shoes and raced towards me with their balloons.
"This for you, Mama." Emerson said as she handed me the string attached to her balloon.
"This, too!" Savannah said as she shoved me her string.
"Mine too!" Adrianna said quietly as she held her string out to me.
"Thank you girls." I told them as I kissed each of them on the cheek. They blushed and raced off to play.
I stood back up with my balloons held tightly in one hand. "Good morning, husband." I said as I wrapped my arms around Edward's neck and he wrapped his arms around my waist.
"Mmm. Morning wife." He said as he leaned down and kissed me gently on the lips. "Congratulations on two years, love." He whispered against my lips.
"Thanks, babe. I can't really believe that it's been that long since I first opened my doors at Little Feet." I told him as I went to tie my balloons to my desk.
He propped up against the edge of my desk, looking handsome as ever in his black slacks and purple dress shirt. He didn't wear suits and ties anymore unless he had to appear in court. "It's amazing how quickly time flies when you are doing something you enjoy."
I nodded and smiled as I looked over the room full of kids all doing various activities but all happy and content to just be here. "Thanks babe. Don't you have a client coming in this morning?"
He sighed and nodded. "Yeah. I am trying to get them to seek couples therapy or marriage counseling instead of a divorce. It is so obvious that they both still love one another but just got off track for a while."
I sighed and cupped his face in my hands. "You can't save them all, Edward. Come over for lunch?"
He nodded, kissed me quickly, and made his way over to his office.
EPOV
Wednesday, October31, 2012
The great thing about having a designer for a sister is that I never had to scour the stores for costumes for me or my kids and this year was no different even though is she is about ready to pop with her twins.
"Edward?!" Alice sing-songed as she and Rosalie both walked in the door to my new law office.
I smiled as I stood up from my chair and went to greet them. "How are my two favorite pregnant ladies?" I said kissing each of them on the cheek.
Alice groaned and Rose smiled. "I'm ready for these little devils to get here already. I can barely get anything done with having to go to the bathroom like every 30 minutes or so." Alice complained as she handed me the bags in her hands so she could go to said bathroom.
"I'm great. The babies are growing a whole lot quicker than I anticipated. Look at this." Rose said as she handed me her bags, too and stretched the front of her shirt tight across her stomach. "I look like I'm five or six months pregnant and I'm only twelve and a half weeks along." Rose said as she smoothed a hand over her stomach.
"Are they treating you okay? Any morning sickness in the last few days?" I asked curiously.
She shook her head as she sat down in one of the chairs in front of my desk. "Nope. I was told that I am lucky because I haven't had hardly any morning sickness. I hope I'm this lucky when I have kids of my own." She said as she crossed her legs and leaned back in the chair.
"That's great, Rose. Are you going out with us tonight for Halloween?" I asked knowing that the entire family usually went with me as I took the kids trick or treating.
"Of course she is. I am borrowing dad's go cart so we don't have to walk." Alice said as she came out of my bathroom.
"I guess I'm going then." Rose said snarkily.
"I designed everybody the perfect costumes for tonight. We are all going as couples while the kids all have different costumes." Alice said as she fell back into my other chair.
"Ali cat, what are we going as?" I asked as I propped up against my desk facing them.
She clapped her hands together in excitement. "Jasper and I are going as a god and goddess because of this huge thing." She said as she rubbed her babies. "Em and Rose are going as a cowboy and cowgirl, while you and Bella are going as a saloon girl and a gunfighter." She said excitedly.
I shook my head. "What are mom and dad going as?"
"Gypsies!" She said rubbing her hands over her stomach.
I smiled at her. "It sounds great, Ali. I take it those are our costumes?" I asked her waving a hand in the stack of plastic bags lying across my desk.
She nodded. "Yeah, they are all labeled so there shouldn't be any confusion." She said as she held a hand out to me so I could help her up.
I leaned forward and gripped her hands in mine so I could heft her from the chair. "When are you going to take off work, Ali?" I asked her as I rubbed her stomach.
She just laughed. "Not until the doctors tell me to, bubba. I do most of my work sitting down these days anyways." She said with a wave of her hand.
I shook my head. "Okay, Ali cat. I love you." I told her as I kissed her on the cheek.
"Love you too, bubba. I'm going to see Bella and all the kids." She said as she headed out the front door.
Rose stood and shook her head. "Don't you start on me, Edward." She said as she put her hands on her hips. "Would you like to say bye to your children before we go visit their Mama?" She said waving at her slightly distended stomach.
I laughed and knelt down in front of her. She lifted her shirt and tucked it beneath her breasts to bare her stomach. "Hi, kiddos, this is your Papa here. I want you to be good for you Aunt Rosie, you hear me? I love you babies so much. You go visit your Mama now, okay?" I told them quietly as I rubbed Rose's stomach gently.
I stood up and cupped her face in mine. "You have to know how much this means to both of us, Rosalie. We can never repay you enough for doing this for us." I told her honestly.
She nodded. "I know, Edward, and you don't owe me anything for doing this for you and my sister. You making her happy and giving her a life she never dreamed she would have is all the payment I need." She told me softly as she placed her hands over mine on her face and squeezed them gently. "You just make her happy and I will keep these babies safe for you guys."
I nodded and kissed her gently on the forehead. "Okay, you got yourself a deal." I whispered against her forehead.
She laughed and pushed me away. "Enough of the mushy stuff, Edward, I'm going to go see my sissy now." She said as she whirled and walked out the same door that Alice had a few minutes before.
I grabbed all of the costumes and went to hang them in the coat closet. I flipped through them after I got them hung up. I groaned at Bella's saloon girl costume, it enhanced a lot of her features and I hope she would be okay with that. I groaned when I saw my costume.
It had old faded jeans, a black duster, cowboy hat, white shirt, brown vest, red bandana, and to top it all off a gun holster with a real live looking pistol in it. I snagged the piece of paper pinned to the front of the plastic bag. 'Bubba, this is what it is supposed to look like. See you at 6 at Mom and Dad's. Love Ali cat.' I smiled and finished rifling through the kids' costumes.
It appeared that all the kids were going as different Disney characters. Savannah had a Tinkerbelle costume complete with wings and wand. Emerson had a Little Red Riding Hood costume complete with basket and cape. Adrianna had a Rapunzel costume complete with long blonde wig and tiara. Madison was going to be Jasmine from Aladdin complete with long black wig and blue balloon pants.
The boys were going to be pirates, each with a distinct difference in their costumes. All in all we were all going to look amazing. I don't know when my sister had time to do all of this, but they were awesome and perfect.
Just then the bell jingled alerting me to my door opening. I smiled when I saw it was Emerson. "Papa?" She asked sticking her head in the door.
"Come on, Emmie." I called to her.
She waved behind her presumably to Bella before racing to my side. "What's up, Emmie?" I asked as I cradled her in my arms.
"Just want Papa time." She said as she snuggled into my chest and sighing.
"Well then Papa time is what you will get." I told her as I propped my feet up on my desk and settled into my chair more comfortably so Emerson could take a nap since it was about that time. I plucked my phone out of my pocket and texted Bella to let her know what was going on.
Emerson wanted some 'Papa time' so she's curled up on my chest going to sleep. Love you baby. –E
Okay, she's been whining all morning about coming to see you but I knew you had clients coming this morning. Are you sure she's okay? –B
She's fine, baby. The Taylor's just left right before Ali n Rose showed up. I'm finished for the day, just taking care of some paperwork. –E
Okay babe. I am shutting shop down at 3 so after the kids wake up we can all go home for dinner and to get ready. –B
Did Alice tell you what costumes she made for us?-E
Yeah, I can just imagine how much skin I'm going to be showing later. She threatened me bodily harm if I didn't wear it like her instructions said. LOL –B
Mine's not much better. I have to wear a cowboy hat and bandana around my neck. –E
Mmm…sounds sexy. Have a good nap with our daughter, see you in a few hours. –B
Sounds perfect. I love you, Isabella Marie Cullen –E
I love you too, Edward Anthony Cullen. –B
I put my phone back in my pocket just as Emerson's snores sounded from her. I wrapped my arms around her laying my head back and closing my eyes gently.
I startled awake as Emerson gently slapped me on the cheeks. "Papa! Wake up!" She giggled from my lap.
I groaned and wrapped my arms around her as I lowered my aching legs to the floor. "Did you have a good nap, Emmie?" I asked her as I sat her on my desk.
She nodded eagerly. "Uh huh..but…" She said as she crossed her legs and bounce on my desk.
I got the hint really quick. I sat her on the floor and patted her jean covered butt as she practically ran to the bathroom. I chuckled and cleaned up my desk so we could go over to her Mama's when she got finished.
"All done, Papa. I thirsty." She said as she came out of the bathroom and showed me her clean hands.
"Where's your cuppy?" I asked her as I tossed the strap to my messenger bag over my head.
She pointed at the wall indicating that she had left it over at the daycare. I held my hand out for her. "Let's go see your Mama and get your cuppy."
She grabbed my hand as we walked out the door hand in hand. I think the kids were so used to it just being me and them for so long that sometimes they still wanted that one on one time with just me. I stepped up to the Suburban to put my bag in the back. "Emmie, go on in to Mama, I have to get our Halloween costumes and lock my door, okay?" I asked kneeling down to her level.
She nodded and tossed her arms around my neck in an enthusiastic hug. "Love you, Papa." She whispered in my ear.
I wrapped my arms around her waist and hugged her tightly to me. "I love you too, baby girl." I whispered back.
I hugged her tightly for a few minutes until she started wriggling to be let go. "Okay, Emmie, go." I told her as I sat her back on her feet. I watched as she headed into the daycare before I headed back into my office to grab all of the costumes.
After fighting with the bags and the back door of the Suburban for almost twenty minutes, I headed into Little Feet and was assaulted by all the kids that were in the front room.
"Eddie! Papa!" came at me from all directions.
I looked across the room and saw my wife and mother- in-law standing there laughing as I was attacked by the ten kids that were previously playing.
I reached down and patted each of them on the heads. "Hi guys. Are you having fun with Izzy B?" I asked them as they slightly backed off some.
"Uh huh!" They all said as they went back to their toys.
I walked over to Bella and promptly pulled her into my arms kissing her smack on the lips. She wrapped her arms around my neck giggling because all the kids started singing "Eddie and Izzy B sittin in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love then come marriage and a baby in a baby carriage."
I pecked her gently on the lips one more time before releasing her. "Hi wife."
She giggled. "Hi husband. Did you talk to our kids this morning?"
I nodded ."I did. Did you?" Knowing she was talking about the babies not our current six kids.
She nodded. "I can't believe how big Rose has gotten in just three months." Bella said excitedly.
"Papa, I want cuppy!" Emerson said tugging on my pants leg.
I looked at Bella who nodded that she had been like this all morning. I scooped Emerson up in my arms. "Are you feeling okay, Emmie?" I asked her as I kissed her on the forehead to check her temperature.
She shrugged her shoulders as she laid her head back on my shoulder. "Jus sweepy." She said as she snuggled into my shoulder.
I looked at Bella worriedly. "Maybe she's just coming down with a cold or something. I will get her some orange juice for a little boost anyways." Renee said as she turned to go into the kitchen.
"She doesn't have a fever." I told Bella as I rubbed Emerson's back. "Emmie, does your tummy hurt baby?" I asked her softly.
She shook her head. "No, Papa, jus sweepy." She said again as she hid a yawn in my shoulder.
"Why don't you take her home and let her take another nap so that she can still go trick or treating tonight with all of us?" Bella suggested.
"What about the rest of the kids?" I asked knowing that one of us would have to either wait on Maddy, Avery, and Landon to get here or go by the school to pick them up.
"I'll get them all. Take my car and go home. I only have an hour left here and the parents should start coming in soon to pick up their kids. I will go pick the other three up from school when I get finished here." She said as she rubbed Emerson's back.
"She just woke up too and she acted fine." I told Bella worriedly.
"She's been whiny all morning and has just been laying around all day upstairs with Ariel and the babies."
I shrugged my one good shoulder. "I don't know, hopefully it will pass." I told Bella as I kissed her again on the lips.
"Here Edward, try to get her to drink on this." Renee said handing me Emerson's straw sippy cup. Normally all the kids drank out of a regular cup with a lid and straw but at the daycare and when riding in the vehicles we reverted back to sippy cups with straws in them as they prevented spills and leaks.
I took the cup and looked at the creamy looking stuff inside of it. "What's in it? I thought you were just getting orange juice?" I asked Renee as I handed Emerson the cup and she started sucking on it immediately.
"I put strawberries, yogurt, orange juice, and a banana in the blender and mixed it up. Bella used to love them when she was sick and it will also fill her up so she doesn't have to eat as much at one time." Renee explained as she stroked Emerson's hair.
I nodded. "Thanks, Renee. I'm going to get this sleepy girl home so she can be rested for trick or treating tonight." I told her as I kissed Bella again and let her kiss Emerson's nose before I left.
Now that you've read please review so that I can have something to come home to on Monday!