Disclaimer: The original characters and plot of the Twilight Saga are the property of Stephanie Meyer. The only thing Twilight related that I own is my BREAKING DAWN 2 TICKET stub!
HOPE SPRINGS
At the end of chapter 36 –
Esme's heart felt as if it was going to burst, she was so happy to see the two children that she had fretted and worried over looking so very happy and in love.
Bella looked up at that moment and her face lit up even more as her eyes met Esme's "MOM!" she shouted across the small airport.
Esme opened her arms and she gathered her children to her.
"Welcome home, my loves."
Bella let out a sigh of contentment – they really were home.
CHAPTER 37 – A new kind of 'normal'
"Hey Baby? Where did you put my blue shirt?"
Bella rolled her eyes at the absurd question. Edward had at least twelve 'blue' shirts, she thought with exasperation as she slipped the cardigan on over her sweater dress.
"Which one?" Bella asked shortly, trying to keep the impatience out of her voice.
His copper head appeared around the door of the closet, "You know, the check one? With the white lines?" Bella ignored his pouty smile and puppy dog eyes.
Bella mentally counted to ten as she slipped her black pumps on and walked across the room to the walk in closet.
She ignored her tussled haired husband as she gently pushed him aside.
Roscoe and Apples watched their charges with lazy interest from their vantage point on the rug on the heath.
Within seconds she had found the navy and white check shirt and the tie that matched it and she handed it to him as she moved to walk past him again, but Edward's hand snaked out and caught her around her waist, which made her stumble against his bare chest.
"Edward, we don't have time for this," she whined impatiently as she tried to free herself.
Edward just chuckled darkly as he nuzzled Bella's neck and almost instantly she felt herself weaken.
"Come on, Babe, oh yeah… no! Now we don't have time! Oh… oh! That feels, yeah…" Edward's mischievous chuckle brought her out of her lust-induced coma and she straightened up and walked back into their bedroom.
Roscoe and Apple looked at their mistress with bright expectation. They were waiting for her to give them breakfast.
As soon as Bella walked towards the bedroom door, both dogs bolted for the staircase.
Bella laughed at their antics as she went downstairs and turned the lights on before she opened the back doors.
The new school year was in full swing and Bella loved her job and her life.
She and Edward had been busy for the rest of the summer and before either one realized it, school was starting and the fall 'flu' season had begun.
Edward and Ned had been talking about employing a fulltime nurse to assist their busy practice and Bella knew that Edward was stressed at having to conduct interviews that week.
"Love, where's my medical bag?" Edward asked as he came around the corner into the kitchen.
Bella bit back a mean retort and just told him that it was where he had left it the night before – at the front door, where he always left it, in case he had to leave home in the middle of the night for an emergency.
"Sit down, and eat," Bella urged as she set a plate of oatmeal and fresh juice on the counter.
Edward wrinkled his nose, "Porridge? What happened to bacon and eggs?" he whined, reminding Bella of her class of five year olds.
"You need to eat healthily and I am not going to let you get out of shape just because we are married. Anyway," she added with an evil glint in her eyes, "you need to watch your weight; you aren't getting any younger…" she sniggered and she ignored Edward loud protest.
Edward sat down as he snorted and shook his head, "Why you little brat! Why don't you play hooky today and I will show you just how out of shape I am?"
Bella giggled as she joined him with her own breakfast, "Don't you think that you showed me that last night? In fact you have showed me every night since our honeymoon!"
For a moment they looked at each other as they remembered their idyllic month in the Caribbean.
With a small sigh they resumed eating as they talked about their plans for that evening.
Edward stood up and carried his plate to the dishwasher before he poured two cups of coffee.
"I can't believe that I'm going to be thirty-two." He said.
Bella nodded, "I can't believe that it's Thanksgiving already! At least we can have a bit of a lazy start tomorrow."
Edward snorted, "Hello? Don't you remember who has been making plans for Thanksgiving for the past two weeks? We will be lucky if we aren't tossed out of bed at six tomorrow morning!"
Bella stood up and after loading the dishwasher and checking the water bowl for the dogs she walked over to where Edward stood in the entrance hall, holding her thick coat out.
After she had slipped the dark coat, scarf and hat on Bella slipped her arms around Edward's waist, "I have an arrangement with Esme. Why do you think that I spent these past four nights baking up a storm? I agreed to produce ten pies tomorrow, if she would leave us be for the morning. We only have to be there after twelve tomorrow, so I will be able to cater to your every whim in the morning." She said throatily.
Edward felt his lower half stir as Bella's eyes grew dark with meaning.
"So, you'll be my love slave?" his expression left no doubt as to what he was thinking.
Bella's cheeks turned pink as she looked up at him, "If that's what you want."
After he had kissed her breathless, Edward answered her, "If? Baby, that's ALL I want!"
They parted at their cars and were both soon on the road to their perspective work.
Bella pulled up in the teachers' parking lot with a small sigh.
It was another grey and wet day and the forecast said that snow could fall for Thanksgiving.
Bella had learned that the cold and wet weather made the children restless, especially if they could not run around outside during recess. Thankfully the school had a large hall that Seth had made available to the younger children for indoor recess when the weather was bad.
Bella unlocked her classroom door and turned the lights and the heaters one.
She loved her classroom and she smiled as she thought back to how her family had helped her to decorate it during the last few weeks of summer.
Emmett, Edward and Jasper had held a painting party while Bella, Alice and Esme had spent hours making posters and other decorations for the walls and the children enjoyed helping. Alice and Makenna had painted a beautiful mural on one wall, which proved so popular that Headmaster Seth had asked the women to quote and paint the hallway and lunch room's as well.
"Morning Bella," Bella looked up and smiled at her teacher's aide, Megan.
"Hi Megan, you are here early."
Megan smiled, "Well, after the Thanksgiving concert yesterday, I think that I'm just ready to have a couple of days off!"
Bella laughed and they walked to the staff room together.
The children were rowdier than usual and it was a relief to finally tidy and lock her classroom at the end of the day.
She hurried to her car and drove into town. She was meeting her sisters-in-laws for lunch at the Purple Cow and she let out an involuntary shiver as she shrugged out of her coat and hung in on the coat hanger just inside the door.
Jessica called out a greeting to Bella as she walked passed with a tray laden with food.
Bella grinned as her stomach grumbled noisily as she made her way to where Alice and Rosalie were sitting in 'their' booth.
Every week, the Cullen women would get together at least once for a meal either at the diner or the pub and it was usually in the evening, but this week with Thanksgiving coming up, they all had things to do so they decided to do lunch.
"Hey Bells!" Rosalie said as Bella slid into the seat next to her.
"Hi" Bella said.
Mike walked up to their table with a grin, "Playing hooky again, ladies? You three are going to give my wife ideas about taking time off!"
They laughed as Jess walked passed and swatted Mike's behind, causing him to yelp.
"Oh Mike, you are in trouble now! Jess has a dangerous look in her eyes." Alice teased.
After they placed their order, the conversation flitted from one subject to another.
When the women parted, Bella noticed that the day had grown darker and she quickly made her way home to put the finishing touches on the pies and to make a heartwarming meal for her and Edward as she thought about what she wanted to talk to Edward about that evening.
The timing was perfect and after discussing it with her ob/gyn, Kebi Malek, she knew that it was a good time to do what she wanted. She was healthy, young and ready.
Bella wanted to have a baby.
For months she tried to talk herself out of it. She told herself that she was too young, they were too busy, her career had just taken off, they were not ready to be parents, but none of her lame excuses could drown out the cry of her heart.
Every time she was around her nephews and nieces she felt the ache that was mostly just a weak but constant throb, accelerate to something just short of pain.
As she watched the children interact with their parents, Bella often found herself blinking back tears.
She wasn't sure what was holding her back from admitting her desire to Edward. He had already expressed his longing to become a father sooner rather than later, and she knew that their family would be completely thrilled if she were to fall pregnant, but something kept her from acknowledging it.
=====HS=====
Edward could not wait to usher his last patient out of the reception area.
"At last! Are you just about ready to go?" Ned asked from the doorway of his office.
"We are so out of here in about three minutes flat!" Edward retorted with a grin.
The two men chuckled as they quickly secured their offices and double checked that their new security system was set before they parted ways at the undercover parking where their cars were parked.
Edward checked his phone and sent Bella a text as he waited for his truck to warm up. He loved being married and he loved the 'domesticity' of his life.
He was used to the various shopkeepers poking fun at him when he stopped by the convenience store to pick up some milk or rice.
Doing their grocery shopping over the weekend was amazing fun and Edward knew that he drove Bella crazy with his constant kissing and handholding, especially when she was trying to select produce or she was trying to put in an order at the butcher, but he didn't care!
He chuckled as he read Bella's reply and he quickly reversed out of the driveway and turned onto Main Street.
Luckily there was parking right outside HS Convenience Store and Edward hurried inside.
"Hey Edward!" Embry called out.
Edward blew warm air into his cupped hands and he nodded and walked over to grab a trolley.
"Shopping again Doc? Your missus really keeps you busy, doesn't she?" the voice cackled and others joined in some laughter.
He sighed and turned to see four older gentlemen standing with Embry.
Pete Thompson and his two cronies, Bob Mackey and Mike Newton Senior were worse than the local gossips, Darla, Cathy, Felicity Cope and Lauren Atera were the of the area! They interfered and poked their noses in to everyone's business and it drove the younger generations of Hope Springs insane!
Pete owned the bait and tackle shop but most days he and his two lifelong pals, Bob Mackey and Mike Newton Senior would sit on the bench outside Mackey's Hardware store and they would pass snide comments on whoever walked past them. Pete employed someone to run the bait shop, which was a good thing, or otherwise he would never have made any money. Bob Mackey's grandson, Simon had taken over the running of the hardware store two years before and Mike Senior had retired from his job as a farming equipment salesman almost ten years before.
They liked to think of themselves as the 'fathers' of the town and thought that they had the right and in fact that it was their duty to shout all secrets and opinions from the roof tops – or in this case from the stage of the community hall whenever there was a town meeting called.
Pat Murphy, the town butcher, was once ordered to have sex with his wife with the curtains and windows closed because when Bob Mackey stood on a ladder and leaned to the left of the crab apple tree in Mrs. Pearson's yard, he could 'see and hear EVERYTHING!'
Edward hid the shudder of revulsion at the thought of what the three men were up to and plastered a smile on his face.
"Good evening Pete!" he nodded to Bob and Old man Newton, "Bob, Mike Senior. You know what it's like Pete, the little wife is at home cooking me a delicious meal and she's stoking the fires at home, so the least I can do is pick up a bottle of her favorite wine." He said mildly.
The three older men nodded seriously, "Good idea, son! Got to keep the little woman happy!" Mike said as he nudged his two companions suggestively.
Embry pulled his nose up as if he had smelled something bad and he quickly moved over to Edward, "Um, yeah, so let me show you where I keep the good stuff, Doc – follow me!" he said quickly as he watched Edward begin to scowl.
"I don't know how you put up with them!" Edward whispered fiercely.
Embry snorted softly and he quickly looked up at the large mirrored wall and ceiling so make sure that the cronies were still where they had left them, because they had been known to follow behind some of the townspeople or to stand in the next aisle, eavesdropping.
"Laurie threw them all out last week after they stood in the personal hygiene aisle and made loud comments to whoever wanted to buy condoms! Eric had to come over and take them home!"
Edward chuckled and shook his head as he reached for several bottles of white and red wine. He quickly paid for his purchases and made his way home. He was grateful when he pulled in to the garage and closed the door on the icy weather.
He quickly put the six bottles of white wine into the fridge that they kept in the garage for excess drinks and such. He took one of the bottles of red wine out of his car and left the rest for the next day.
"Hello, Love." He said as he stepped into the kitchen. Bella looked disheveled and positively edible. She was wearing yoga pants that hugged her tiny hips and a long-sleeved thermal top that revealed that she had obviously slipped her bra off when she had changed.
Her hair had been pulled up into a misshapen bun that was stuck with one of Bella's red marking pens.
Steam and heat from the oven had caused tendrils of hair to fall in soft curls around her face and her lips looked pink and slightly swollen no doubt from nibbling on them as she cooked.
"Hey Baby, how was your day?" Bella asked with a grin as she looked at him with a grin before turning her attention to the pot on the stove.
Edward put his medical bag down beside the door and he put the bottle of wine on the counter before he made his way over to Bella and slipped his hands around her, nuzzling his face in her neck.
"Hmm, you smell so good, love." He said as he kissed the soft skin beneath her ear.
Bella giggled as she felt her knees almost give way – her husband had a wicked mouth.
"I smell like pumpkin!"
Edward hummed again, "Roast pumpkin, cinnamon, some sort of roast and," he spun her around so that his lips were just hovering over hers, "that unique 'Bella' smell that drives me crazy." He muttered as he lips dipped to capture hers in a heated kiss.
Bella's arms snaked up and the spoon that was stirring the pot of rice fell unnoticed to the ground as Bella pressed her body against Edward's resulting in his groaning and his hands gripping her hips.
They broke apart when the need for air forced them to and Edward swung around and lifted Bella to the kitchen counter.
She hissed as the cold granite top came into contact with her naked ass, but she was as eager as he was to shed her clothes.
Soon she was naked as Edward unbuttoned his shirt and then his shoes, pants and boxers joined the pile on the kitchen floor while Roscoe led Apples into the sitting room. He had seen this odd behavior before and he didn't want his impressionable companion to be traumatized by their display.
Edward's hands skimmed Bella's thighs as he stepped forward. His thumbs stroked the sweet smelling, wet outer lips as his almost black eyes bored into her.
"Fuck, baby, you are so wet already," Bella grunted as her hips bucked towards his teasing fingers.
"Edward?"
"Yeah? Oh, fuck sweetheart."
"Edward, I want to go off the pill and try for a baby…"
Edward's ears were ringing as the blood pumped harder through his body and so all he heard was: '…I want to… baby'.
Bella realized that perhaps she had not chosen the best time to discuss such an important topic but she needed to tell him before he forgot.
"Yeah, of course, you can. Hmm, you like that baby? Hmm?" he asked as he licked a bead of sweat from her neck.
Delicious.
"Always, fuck, Edward, you always have me in this state! I can't get enough of you!"
Edward's heart swelled at her words. It was true; they could not seem to get enough of each other's bodies. They were only sated for so long until the need to be joined together swelled again and whether it was during dinner, or in the middle of the night, they would reach for each other, coupling until at last the yearning seemed to be satisfied.
Now, Edward pulled her closer as he positioned himself at her entrance.
His eyes flicked up to her face as he heard her breathing catch.
Bella could not stop the almost animalistic joy that she felt at the sight of his thick, swollen cock as it strained for her. She loved the sight of the precum as it leaked, unable to be contained in the bulbous head.
"You like that, Love? You like to see my cock as it searches for your hot little pussy?"
Bella felt pins and needles in the pit of her stomach at Edward's dirty words. She loved it when he uttered dark and forbidden things to her.
Bella whimpered as she felt the weeping head nudge against her.
"Please, baby, don't tease me."
Edward gripped her firmly and pushed inside her in one movement.
Bella's body shuddered as she spiraled towards her climax.
"Fuck! You… so fucking tight, baby." Edward exclaimed as he set a fast pace.
When he felt his own control slipping he slid one hand between them and pinched Bella's little clit that was swollen and red. It reminded him of a ripe cherry and he knew that he would nibble on that little piece of heaven before the night was over, but for now he leaned back.
"Look at us, Bella! Look at me loving you! Fuck, come for me baby, come now!"
Bella let out a cry as she felt her body convulse as Edward pinched and worked her clit through her climax. Edward's thrusts became erratic as he neared completion and he felt his knees weaken as his seed shot deep inside her heat.
Edward regained some of his strength a few minutes later and he reluctantly stepped backwards. They both moaned at the loss of contact as Bella struggled to sit up.
Edward looked at her and grinned and Bella eyebrows shot up at the mischievous glint in his brightly shining eyes.
"What?"
Edward chuckled as he stepped out of her reach before he answered her, "Well, have you ever heard the expression, 'ridden hard and put out wet'?" Bella growl of outrage had him laughing as she moved to get off the counter.
She looked down at the last minute and she felt her cheeks heat up even more than before, "God, Edward! Look at this mess!"
Edward nodded with undisguised male pride at the sight of their juices smeared over her thighs and the counter.
"That's what I'm talking about!"
He could barely contain his guffaws as Bella ordered him to get her something to clean up with and he quickly handed her some paper towels. Bella narrowed her eyes at him, "What are you up to, Doctor Cullen?" she asked as Edward winked at her and quickly scooped their discarded clothes off the floor and jogged upstairs.
Bella shook her head but she couldn't help the small giggle that escaped as she began to clean herself up.
Sometimes it seemed that Edward had regressed in age to embrace his inner teenager. For the most part Bella loved his quirky impulsiveness, except like the previous week, when he had spotted Mrs. Cope trying to spy on them in the back yard and he had deliberately exclaimed loudly for Bella to 'stop trying to ride his cock!'. Needless to say, they had not seen or heard from Mrs. Cope that week and Mr. Cope had looked embarrassed when he had spotted Bella in town the day before.
When Edward came back downstairs, he was wearing a pair of black sleep pants and his guilty conscience had forced him to bring one of Bella's 'honeymoon' outfits downstairs that he was particularly fond of – a sheer negligee in midnight blue that only fastened with a bow below the breasts but ended at the top of her thighs. Much to his disappointment he found Bella grumbling to herself as she finished disinfecting the counter top, wearing only his button down shirt that had landed on the other side of the counter.
He was hoping to have Bella as close to naked as possible, and he was about to complain, but Bella shot him a warning look and Edward sheepishly tossed her negligee over a chair.
"Did I ruin dinner?" Edward asked as he uncorked the bottle of wine and set the dining room table as Bella began to dish up.
"No – you are lucky. I had already finished the rice and had turned the stove off just before you arrived."
When Bella spotted the discarded nightie, she looked at Edward and raised her eyebrows, "Is that what you want for your birthday?" she asked as the tips of his ears turned red.
Edward shrugged as he took a sip of wine, "Well, that was the idea, but after seeing you in my shirt, I've changed my mind. This way, I have more to unwrap later." He wiggled his eyebrows and it was Bella's turn to blush.
After diner Edward cleaned up while Bella filled the hot tub in their bathroom and when Edward came upstairs a little later, he found his wife sitting in the hot tub wearing nothing but a smile.
Edward didn't complain.
Just before Bella brushed her teeth, she smiled as she threw the empty packet of pills into the waste basket.
Perfect timing.
=====HS=====
Edward's birthday and Thanksgiving passed quickly and the race to the end of the year began in a flurry of parents meetings, lesson plans and extra mural writing club activities for Bella while Edward and Ned had found a nursing sister to employ who was also a qualified midwife and all the women in Hope Springs loved him.
Nurse Jefferson White, or 'Jeffers' as he liked to be called was in his mid thirties and he and his partner, Claude de Roubaix, who was a fairly famous local artist had found the hamlet of Hope Springs quite by accident as they drove through the beautiful autumn Vermont countryside one Sunday. They had been enchanted by the quaintness of the town and when Jeffers' old friend Kebi had mentioned that there was an opening for a nurse at the local doctors offices, Jeffers had begged Claude to just let him apply.
Edward and Ned were not expecting to find such a qualified and competent nurse so quickly, but after speaking to Jeffers and watching him work, they had offered him the job immediately.
Claude and Jeffers had found an old farm house on the outskirts of town, and after some negotiation, they had purchased it and were in the process of converting it into a country inn.
Even in the throes of winter, there was lots of activity at the new 'Hope Springs Inn'. Claude had embraced his new role as innkeeper with gusto while Jeffers entertained the full waiting room of Dr Cullen and Dr Davis with tales of the daily goings on.
Edward and Ned complained that they had never seen the reception area so busy, but they were secretly thrilled with Jeffers as he helped to lighten their load considerably.
Jeffers loved gossip and he was great at finding out the most amazing information. This made him very popular with Darla, Kathy, Miss Tessa and of course Mrs. Cope.
Mr. Cope would have protested, but the man with the odd hair and quirky bowties had green fingers and in no time he had turned the lackluster garden of the old McCrery place into a breathtaking English garden, complete with trellises of climbing roses, honeysuckle, Michaelmas daisies and other pretty pastel blooms. He was good for business and he seemed to keep the gossips in the town busy.
=====HS=====
Christmas came and went and each day it seemed that Edward and Bella became closer. The only smudge on their bright horizon was one that Bella kept hidden from her husband.
After the night before Edward's birthday, they had never discussed having a baby again. Bella knew how Edward felt, and she had been off the pill for almost four months but so far, her period had stayed to a regular twenty-eight-day cycle.
With the exception of the previous month. Bella had been almost ten days late and then it was only a light brown bleed that only last for two days.
Bella's breasts were slightly tender but she knew that she was due for a period within the next few days. She was already late again, and it was extremely annoying because she was getting confused with when her period was due.
Spring was once again in full swing and on a lovely spring day in March, Bella was on her way with Bree to Montpelier to choose a dress for the Senior Spring Dance.
Bella was excited that her young sister-in-law had asked her to join her.
"Bells, thank you for doing this with me." Bree said as she carefully drove down the highway.
Bella smiled at her, "I'm glad that you asked me, but I was surprised why you didn't ask Alice or Rose – they are the 'fashionistas' in the family."
Bella watched as the happy smile faded on Bree's face a little, "I um, I needed to talk to you." Bree said quietly.
Bella felt an uneasy flutter in her stomach. She and Brianna had always been close and the teenager had confided in Bella a number of times and she valued her opinion. Carlisle and Esme were grateful that Bella took such an interest in their youngest child and they knew that they could trust Bella to guide Bree in a wise manner.
Bella felt a little guilty that in the past few months, she had not spent much time with Bree as she had previously.
"Okay, what's up?"
Bella watched as Bree's hands tightened on the steering wheel of the second hand Jeep Cherokee that Esme and Carlisle had helped her buy on her seventeenth birthday.
Bree looked in her rearview mirrors carefully before she pulled over to the side of the road and parked in a rest stop area.
Bella frowned as she watched Bree try to gather courage.
"Hey, little sis, you can tell me anything remember? We were friends long before anything else. You were my first friend in Hope Springs. Now, what's going on?" Bella said gently as she reached out and took Bree's hand in hers. She felt how sweaty it was and she felt the slight tremor, but she didn't comment.
Bree sighed and nodded to herself before she let out a long breath, "Okay, well, as you know Riley and I are more serious than ever…"
Bella hoped that it wasn't what she suspected.
"…and anyway, we see each other once a month," Riley was studying Human Recourses at Cornell University on a full two year scholarship, "…and well…"
Bella hissed impatiently, the suspense was driving her crazy!
"Well, you know that I was going to NYU in the fall? Well, now I want to maybe skip collage and Ri and I want to move in together!" Bree finished in a rush.
Bella let out the breath that she had been holding, "Brianna, are you kidding me?"
Bree had the grace to blush slightly although Bella recognized the stiff set of her shoulders and the determined look in her bright green eyes as she shook her head.
"No, I'm dead serious! Come on Bella! You know what it's like to be young and in love! You know what's it's like to want to be with your man! Riley and I just want to be together!" Her eyes were bright with excitement and anxiety, "We need you to help us tell the 'rents and smooth things over – you know that you can talk them into it!"
Bella waited until Bree was finished gushing before she began to talk in a low tone, "Brianna, I love you and I have told you repeatedly that I am always here for you, but fuck it, girl, you can't just spring this on me and expect me to make magic! You are seventeen; Riley is barely eighteen and a preacher's son to boot! He is on a scholarship and has to live in the dorms for the first two years and you are almost assured of a partial scholarship to NYU to study drama, just like you have always dreamed of and now you want to throw all of this away and 'shack-up' together? Oh yeah, sweetheart, this is going to be a walk in the park!"
Bree stared at Bella for a moment with her mouth hanging open before she burst into loud and noisy tears.
"MY LIFE IS OVER! I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT HIM! I WON'T!" Brianna wailed.
Bella muttered a curse and rolled her eyes as she unbuckled her seatbelt before she leaned over and pulled her young friend into her arms.
It was at times like this that Bella felt so much older than her twenty-one years. She also had to reach down deep to find any empathy for her spoilt sister-in-law.
Although Carlisle and Esme tried to give their children a sound upbringing that included each child having to hold a weekend job while maintaining their grades once they purchased a car, and being committed in their church and community, Bree as the only girl and as the 'baby' of the Cullen's was not used to having anyone say 'no' to her.
"Come on Brianna, stop crying okay? Let's talk this out, hmm?" Bella cooed.
Bree eventually calmed down enough and Bella let her blow her nose and fluff up her hair before she urged her to drive on to Montpellier.
The rest of the drive was completed in a tense silence as Bella wondered what the hell she was going to say to change Bree's mind or at least help her to see the error of her ways.
Bree parked and the two women made their way to the dress shop that Bree had wanted to visit.
They went through the motions of looking for dresses and in the end Bree chose a bottle green dress that was tied on one shoulder and fell to just above her knees with a large black cummerbund around the waist. It was simple and elegant and Bella gave her nod and smile of approval.
Meanwhile, Bree was panicking. How was she going to tell her parents that her SATS had not been enough to get into NYU? Riley had asked her over and over again to tell her parents, but Bree was terrified. All of her family had gone to college and all of them had gone on to have successful, professional careers. Bree didn't want to be a doctor or a lawyer. She didn't want to be a teacher or a vet. In fact for the past year or so, she had no idea of what sort of career she wanted at all.
There had been a time when she had wanted to study drama, but that dream died when she was fifteen. She could only see herself being a wife and mother. She was even too afraid to admit that to Riley because she didn't want to scare him off.
What was she going to do?
Bella looked at Bree only to see her off color and she quickly threw her credit card at the cashier and she hurried Bree out of the shop as quickly as possible.
"Breathe!" she said as she gently pushed Bree against the wall on the pavement.
Bree bent over and she put her hands on her knees as she took several long, gulping breaths.
Bella rubbed Bree's back gently until she had calmed down somewhat and her color looked much better as she stood up.
"Thanks" she said.
Bella nodded, "Have you eaten anything?"
Bree shook her head, "No for the last few days."
Bella sighed and put an arm around her, "Come on, sister, lets go and eat and you can tell me what the fuck is really going on with you." Bella said as she led her back to the car.
They stopped at a small bistro and Bella kept the conversation light until they had finished their burgers, fries and salad and they were sipping their sodas.
At a lull in the conversation, Bella put her hand on top of Bree's and she waited until Bree looked at her, "Now my dearest sister-in-law, please tell me what is going on with you because this is not like you. I know you, Bree and you are not the type to want to 'be taken care of' by anyone!"
Bree wiped a stray tear off her cheek as she looked out of the window.
"I'm so embarrassed, Bella. You are going to hate me – everyone is going to hate me! Edward will never talk to me again!"
Bella bit her lip in frustration but she kept silent.
"I – I didn't get into NYU!" Bree said quickly.
Bella's mouth opened and closed several times before she found her voice.
"What? But you said – wait, did you lie?" Bella was surprised to find that she was not as shocked as she thought she would be. Over the past eight or so months, she had not seen much of the 'book-worm' young girl that she had first met.
It seemed that Bree was always out with friends, at cheerleading practice, or on some committee or other. Bella was disappointed that Brianna had felt the need to lie to her family.
"I didn't really lie!" At Bella's slightly raised eyebrows, she had the grace to blush slightly, "Okay, Not really, maybe I embellished the truth. They did mention the possibility of a partial scholarship if I could keep my grades up when I went for my interview and I didn't." At Bella's look of disappointment, Bree defended herself, "I was distracted, okay? Riley was leaving and I was distracted…"
"Bree…" Bella began, but Bree pulled her hand away and glared at her friend, "You don't know what it's like, Bella! There is all this pressure to do well, and to be perfect and to act like a little angel – all the time and I just can't do it! I'm not like you – I can't just switch my feelings off and pretend that I don't have a life outside of school! And you love what you do!" Brianna said accusingly.
Bella felt her anger rising steadily and in that moment she wanted nothing more than to slap some sense into her friend.
Instead she sat back and took a long sip of her cold drink as she tried to rein her temper in and not do more damage to the already disastrous situation.
Finally Bella sat forward and she spoke quietly, "What exactly are you expecting me to do here Bree?"
Bree shifted uncomfortably in her seat as her conscience pricked at her. She knew what she should do – her parents and her siblings had always lived by the code of being upfront and honest and Brianna knew that her parents would only shower her with support as far as her education went, but she also knew that there was no way in hell that they would allow her to just drop out of school and live in sin with Riley!
"Well, Bells, I don't know what to say to them! I just want to be with Riley and he is freaking out! He says that he doesn't want to come home for my graduation if I haven't spoken to my folks."
"Okay, let's just take this one step at a time. First of all how could you keep this from me until now, Bree? It's almost time for spring break and you are just telling me this now? I love you but Brianna; you have got to see why your parents are going to freak out? You should have told them months ago!"
Bree had begun to cry again although this time the tears and the remorse seemed real as she wiped her cheeks with a serviette.
Bella reached over and held onto Bree's hand, "But, that being said, I am your friend and I am your sister and I will stand beside you through this, I have to say though, we have not finished talking about this and if you want my help there is another condition…" Bella made sure that Bree knew that she meant business by the tone in her voice.
Bree nodded hesitantly, "Okay?"
Bella bit her lip, "I mean it honey, I will support you through this, but you have to promise me that you will do what I ask you – no arguments!" she warned as Bree opened her mouth to protest.
Bella almost laughed at Bree's pout and her sulky, "Alright, fine!"
"Good. Now, I am calling a sibling meeting at my house tonight and you are going to tell your brothers and sisters what is going on and what your plans are for the foreseeable future," Bree began to shake her head and Bella narrowed her eyes at her, "in addition to that, you will sit and listen to what they have to say and after that, you are going to speak to your parents."
"Fuck that, they will kill me!" Bree muttered.
Bella's head snapped up and she glared at the young woman, "You know what? Right now you deserve it because you are acting like a spoilt brat! If you want me to help you then you are going to have to put those big girl panties on and man the fuck up! You want to live with Riley, but you can't even tell your parents that you didn't get into college! That is no way to start a life with someone. Now what do you say? Do you agree to my conditions?"
Bree's green eyes were bright with anger and frustration, but she knew that Bella was the best alley that she could have on her side and so she nodded and stuck her hand out, "Deal, but you had better protect me from my brothers because they are going to go all primal on my ass!"
Bella laughed for the first time that afternoon, "What the hell does that mean? 'Go primal on my ass!' – it sounds disgusting!"
Bree laughed as well and she felt the tight knot of anxiety that had been growing steadily as the months passed, ease its grip on her insides a little.
Bella phoned Edward and asked him to invite his brothers and their wives over that evening. When he asked if everything was okay, Bella's silence alerted him to the fact that there was a problem.
"Are you okay?" Bella could hear the concern in his voice.
"Yes, baby, I'm fine, but we all need to sit down, okay?"
Edward's mind raced as he agreed and he speed dialed his brothers, alerting them to the fact that there was a problem.
Jasper was the one that pointed out that Bella was with Bree that afternoon.
"Fuck! What has that kid done now? If he has knocked her up, Ed, I swear that they won't find the body!" Emmett growled.
Edward nodded, "I agree, but I don't think it's that. I think it's something else. Did you notice that when Riley came over during Christmas break he kept giving Bree these long 'meaningful looks'?. Bella pointed it out to me."
Emmett snorted, "No, but he had better shove his 'meaningful looks' up his ass or I will do it for him!"
Edward laughed as they said goodbye, but his laughter faded as he stared out of the window.
What the hell had Bree gotten herself into now and how did it involve Bella?
=====HS=====
Edward, Jasper and Alice all arrived at Edward's house at the same time. Bella was standing at the front door looking quite nervous as she closed the door behind her and walked over to meet them. She looked up with relief as Emmett and Rosalie pulled up in Emmett's huge Escalade.
Edward walked over and pulled Bella into a hug, "You okay?" he whispered into her ear.
Bella nodded but he noticed that she was tense, "I'm fine," she said quickly and reached up to kiss his jaw before she pulled away and turned to face the rest of the family.
"Hi, listen, before you go in, no one is in danger, pregnant or on drugs, so please stop freaking out about those things. Bree has a problem and she has asked me to 'mediate'. I told her that I would on condition that she speaks to you guys now and then she has to speak to your parents."
Bella took a deep breath as she anxiously looked from Emmett to Jasper to Rosalie to Alice and lastly to her husband.
Thankfully, Alice and Rose took matters into their own hands as they kept a hand on their husbands almost to sooth them, "Thanks for stepping in Bells, who knows what crazy thing Bree would have done if you hadn't, right darling?"
Jasper nodded, "Yeah, thanks sis. Shall we get this over with?"
Bella nodded and she led the way into the formal sitting room, before she went to find Bree, who was shamelessly hiding in the back yard as she pretended to throw the ball for the dogs.
"Bree?"
Brianna swung around as her heart began to pound.
"Y-yeah?"
"Come on Sweetie, let's get this over with."
With Bella's warm hand clasped tightly in both of hers, she let Bella lead them into the sitting room.
The sight of her brother's worried faces brought tears to the teenager's eyes immediately. She knew that they loved her, but she was so concerned about their reaction that she had forgotten how protective they were.
"I'm so sorry!" she said before she began to cry.
Bella nodded to Rosalie and Alice who nestled Bree between them on the sofa as Emmet and Jasper stood behind her, with their hands on her shoulders and Edward knelt at her feet as he patted her knee.
Bree looked up at Bella, "Can, can you tell them, please?" she said softly as Alice passed her a handful of tissues.
Bella nodded and she sat down on a chair facing them.
Bella told them what Bree had told her. Thankfully they waited until she was finished before the pandemonium broke out.
"Are you fucking kidding me? You want to live with that little douche, who probably can't even find his own co"
"EMMETT!"
"I will arrest him and you if you are having sex! I swear to God I will!"
"JASPER, you are NOT HELPING!"
Bree didn't even bother to react to Emmett and Jasper, because their responses were typical of them and she knew that Rose and Alice would be able to talk them down from any hair brained schemes that they could dream up.
Edward was a different story.
She looked over to where he was standing by his piano. His face looked angry and cold and Bree willed him to look at her. She looked over to Bella and shook her head slightly.
"I told you that they would hate me." She said quietly, but Edward heard her and he pinched the bridge of his nose before he rubbed the back of his neck.
He knew that Bree was talking about him. It was no secret that while all of his siblings loved each other, he and Brianna were closer than she was to his brothers. He felt like shit that he had been so engrossed in his own life that he had failed to see that his baby sister was heading for a complete train wreck! She was about to fuck up her life and he had not known about it – how had he and Bella missed it?
He shook his head before he looked over to his sister, "None of us hate you, Bree. I'm so sorry that I have failed you. You should have been able to come to us months ago, but you felt that you couldn't. We have let you down, Munkin, and I for one am so fucking sorry."
Bree stifled a sob as he opened his arms and she almost fell into them. Seconds later, Emmett and Jasper joined them and the sight of the tall men, holding and rocking the slim young girl with nothing but love and remorse on their faces was enough to put tears in the three women's eyes.
"We are going to get some drinks." Bella said quietly as they gave the siblings time alone.
Bella walked over to the fridge and she pulled out three beers and a bottle of white whine that she had already opened.
"Oh thank God! I definitely need a drink!" Alice said.
Bella frowned as Rosalie added ice to their glasses before she added some soda water to her glass.
"Aren't you still breastfeeding?" she asked.
Alice shook her head, "No, it's not as if Dylan is drinking from me – he just uses me as a pacifier and I'm not having my boobs hang down to my navel because my son doesn't like latex!"
The three women laughed as they tapped their glasses together. Bella was still not a lover of alcohol but she enjoyed white wine mixed with soda water and ice.
A few minutes later Jasper came into the kitchen and Bella handed him the can of soda for Bree and the three beers that she had opened.
"Are things okay inside?" she asked quietly.
Jasper gave her a half smile, "There hasn't been any bloodshed, if that's helpful, but she is as stubborn as, well, as the rest of us, I think." He smiled sheepishly and walked out of the kitchen.
The three friends spent the next few minutes talking about what they thought should happen next, when the four Cullen's walked into the room.
Bella looked from Bree to Edward and although noticed that not only Bree's eyes looked red and teary, but all four of them looked as if they had an emotional talk.
Edward immediately walked over and took Bella into his arms, "Thank you for being here for her, for us."
Bella's arms tightened around his waist, "Of course I'm here, baby. There is nowhere else that I would be." Bella assured him.
Once they sat down Edward told them what Bree's future plans were.
After he had outlined the plan, Bella looked over at Bree, "Are you in agreement with this? Because you won't get very far, if this isn't the most important thing in your life."
Brianna nodded, "I know and I promise that it will be. I know that I was pressuring Riley into making a hideous mistake and I'm sorry for what I said to you, Bella. More than anyone here, you have showed me just how much you gave up following your dream. I won't let you guys down, I promise."
They spoke for a little while longer before they decided that they would all go to Esme and Carlisle's house to fetch their children but also to present a united front with Brianna.
Bree was nervous on the drive home, but Bella and Edward kept up a light conversation as Bree sent a text message to Riley.
Riley was relieved that Bree had changed her mind. He had been terrified of what her parents and her brothers would do to him if she had followed through on her crazy idea.
Esme smiled at them as they all trouped into the kitchen where she and Carlisle were just finishing their dinner.
Emmett went over to the pots on the stove and began poking around.
Esme frowned, "I thought that you were all eating out tonight?"
Emmett's eyes opened wide and he looked at his brothers for help.
"I… um, well," he stuttered until Edward came to his rescue with a role of his eyes.
"We didn't have dinner, Mom. We actually had a sibling meeting and now we need to talk to you and Dad." He said calmly.
Carlisle pushed his reading glasses on top of his head as he quickly assessed each of his children. Besides looking nervous, the boys looked fine… the girls seemed to be fine… hmm... his astute gaze flicked back over to his youngest child.
Bree.
For a moment he and Esme's eyes met and their silent communication was rapid and meaningful.
They turned as one and Carlisle took control.
"Why don't we step into the study? I think that we will have more privacy because the kids are in the den watching television." He said with calmness that he was far from feeling.
As he led the way, his hand tightened on Esme's waist and he felt her lean into his warmth.
"Car..." she murmured.
He quickly kissed the top of her head, "Shhhh, baby, its okay, its okay."
He hoped that it was.
Bree didn't waste any time as she quickly explained that she had gotten off track over the past year and she had lost her place at the university that she had wanted to attend from when she was little.
Esme was furious but she managed to hold onto her temper only because she could see that Carlisle was also holding onto his temper by a thread.
Carlisle wanted to turn his daughter over his knee and give her the spanking that she deserved. He realized that what had happened was partly his and Esme's fault. Brianna had been lying to them for months. When he had tersely asked where the notes from her school were, Bree sheepishly admitted that she had forged their signatures onto the notifications from her teachers that her GPA was dropping at an alarming rate.
"This is not about not getting into NYU or having some dumbass idea of forcing Riley to give up his own scholarship just to live with you while you do what? Waitress? Clean toilets? Do you know how many waitresses there are in New York City?" Carlisle gave a hard laugh, "None of those occupations are any less noble than any others but they are usually held by people that cannot get another job, Brianna Jane, not because they don't want to go to school!" his voice rose steadily until his ice blue eyes were glaring at her and his normally calm face was red and angry.
"You were right to be afraid of telling us this bullshit! Quite frankly I don't give a damn if you turn eighteen in six months or not; if you want to live here, you are going to finish high school and you are going to go to college! You will get an education that will qualify you to do something with your life and that is the end of it!"
Esme hurried over to his side and put her hands on his arm, "Carlisle, please calm down, this isn't helping anyone. Please, darling."
Edward realized that Bella was shaking as she watched Carlisle pace the floor until he abruptly sat down behind his desk.
Bella could hardly breathe. She had never see such anger since she had left the Rawlings and seeing Carlisle's fury unnerved her as it brought horrific memories rushing back.
Edward stood up abruptly and he half carried Bella out of the study and into the kitchen.
He sat her on a stool as he poured a glass of water and gave it to her, closing her hand around the cool glass.
Bella took small sips as she felt herself begin to calm down.
"I'm… I'm sorry" she said.
Edward shook his head, "No baby, I'm sorry. I should have warned you that there was going to be shouting. We all know that Carlisle has the patience of Job, but if you upset him or push him to far, he has a fearsome bark, but Bella?" he waited until she looked at him, "My father will never raise a hand to Bree or anyone else in this house. Every time he spanked us as kids was done while we still fitted over his lap. He never struck us in anger, or physically abused us – no matter how mad he was."
Bella nodded as she willed herself to calm down. She believed every word that Edward told her, but the reality of seeing that caliber of anger up close terrified her.
Edward held Bella in his arms until he felt her shaking stop and eventually she pulled away.
"We need to get back in there." She said.
"We don't have to, everyone will understand." Edward said.
Bella shook her head, "I promised Brianna, we all promised her that we were going to support her in this and we can't let her down." Bella said with determination.
Edward nodded and they entered the study as Carlisle was speaking.
"… you know that we love you, Brianna, and we both accept your apology, but come tomorrow, I am going to phone Principal Banner and the three of us are going to interrupt his weekend to discuss your behavior. You will accept any and all punishment for lying and deceiving your teachers and then on Monday you will begin to apply to the community colleges in the area. Your mother and I will expect you to attend community college for two years before you may transfer to university – only if your grades allow it."
Bella stepped into the room and she was shocked to see Bree sitting on her father's lap with Esme sitting next to them with her arms around both her husband and child.
"Thank you Daddy and Mommy. I'm so sorry that I hurt you." Bree said as she hugged her parents.
Bella looked around and she noticed that the room was empty.
"Emmett was feeling the effects of not eating, so they took the kids home. Come and sit down." Esme said.
Edward led Bella over to a sofa and he made sure to keep her tucked into his side as he smiled at his parents.
"Bella – I must apologize to you, Honey. I didn't mean to scare you, and I was hopping mad, but you must know that I would never, ever," Carlisle began but Bella held up her hand.
"You don't have to apologize, Carlisle. I know that anger is normal, but I wasn't expecting it and it just took me by surprise. Edward talked some sense into me." Bella said.
Carlisle nodded, "But still, I am sorry for upsetting you." His eyes slid to his daughter and he patted her leg, "But as for this young lady – I am not sorry that I upset her – she is lucky that she is too big for a spanking!" He growled playfully and Brianna dissolved into giggles.
Bella frowned, "So – that's it? Everything is fine?" She didn't understand why Bree had been so stressed if Carlisle and Esme were not going to punish her for her bad behavior.
Esme shook her head vigorously, "Oh no, my dear, everything is certainly not over or fine. Bree, would you like to tell your brother and sister what your future holds? It will be a good way to remember all of our conditions."
Bree nodded and she began to tick off all of her conditions on her fingers, "So, I am not allowed to drive – unless it's to school and back home or to my job that I have to get within the next week. I am grounded for the next four months – no parties, socializing unless mom or dad say so and there has to be adult supervision. I may only speak to Riley twice a week and if I uphold all of my conditions and my grades improve, I will be able to see him when he comes home for the summer. In addition to graduating well, I have to attend summer school for additional credits and I have to be enrolled and accepted in community college within the month. I have to live at home and I'm not going to be allowed to move into the garage apartment for the next two years." She gave Edward and Bella a sad smile.
Bella knew that the last condition was a huge blow to Bree. She had been talking about moving into the garage apartment as part of her 'rite of passage' ever since Bella had moved out of it.
"Don't forget the apologies that you owe Edward and Bella." Esme prompted.
Bree stood up and walked over to Bella. She sat down next to her and took her hand, "I'm so sorry Bells. I used you and I took advantage of your good heart. You have only ever loved and protected me and you have always given me good advice and today wasn't any different. I'm glad that you told me to accept the consequences of my actions. I'm so glad that you are my sister and my friend."
They hugged each other and then Bree apologized to Edward as well before she was excused and she made her way upstairs to bed.
Thankfully the conversation turned to more mundane things and before long Bella and Edward left.
They sat at the kitchen counter eating grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup later that evening.
Edward stood up to take their plates to the sink but he paused and cupped Bella's cheek in his hand, "You are one of the most extraordinary people I have ever had the privilege to meet, Isabella Cullen." He leaned down and captured her lips.
Bella moaned as he stood up again, "Can you imagine if we were parents now? God! Imagine having to deal with a drama queen like Brianna or a food pit like Emmett! I'm so glad that we have time love. You are still young – I'm definitely not ready to play the 'bad guy'."
Bella's hands gripped the edge of the counter as her jaw dropped at Edward's words.
What the fuck? Was he serious?
He turned and filled the sink with soapy water as he continued to prattle away, "Yeah, we have made the right decision, that's for sure!" as he began to wash the dishes.
"What do you think, love?" he asked over his shoulder.
"Um, yeah, yeah of course!" Bella said quietly.
Luckily he did not turn around and see Bella's face at that moment because she was pale and looked slightly green.
Fuck, he's changed his mind! She thought to herself and she decided there and then to go back on the pill the very next day.
That night she washed away all traces of her silly tears, Edward was right, they should wait a while, she told herself firmly.
She steadfastly ignored the small quiet voice inside her that nudged her and asked: what if you are already pregnant, Isabella?
=====HS=====
Three weeks later, right before the Easter Weekend, Bella Swan-Cullen stood in front of the family drug store in Woodstock, wringing her hands together and looking up and down the street nervously.
Her period was late and if her research was correct, it was very late and she was very pregnant.
Bella could not go to Kebi or Edward until she knew for certain. She had spent hours checking out the Internet, but she was more confused than ever. According to the World Wide Web, she was either pregnant, had a tumor, was dying of a dread disease or imaging it all!
She had panicked at the thought of anyone from Hope Springs seeing her here, but she didn't have another choice.
The entire Cullen clan, including the Hales was going to have a huge Sunday lunch in a couple of day's time and there was so much preparation to do still. Thankfully she had checked Edward's schedule and he was going to busy with appointments so she had no reason to be afraid of running into him.
She took a step into the store as inconspicuously as possible and with her face burning brightly she quickly made her way up and down the various isles until she found the shelf of pregnancy tests which was situated right next to the condoms.
Someone had a sense of humor, she thought as she quickly threw a few into her basket and walked to the till.
"Hiya Mizz Cullen!"
Bella thought that she was going to pee in her pants!
She almost threw her basket at the cashier as she turn around slowly, "Oh! Hi Mr. Thompson, Mr. Newton, h-h-h-how, um how are you?" she asked as the woman rang up her four pregnancy tests and sang out the total.
Mike Newton Senior looked from Bella to where the cashier was bagging her purchases. He didn't have his glasses on but he would swear that she was in the 'sex' aisle! Humph, no wonder she had looked like a petty criminal pacing outside nervously!
"What are you up to?" he asked her gruffly.
Bella jumped as she pushed way too much money into the cashier's hand.
"N-nothing?" she bleated out.
Mike snorted, "We're here to get this 'old man's' prescription filled – he can't piss straight anymore and doc says he should keep away from the whores, but we all know that he can't do that, whoremonger that he is!" Mike said at the top of his voice, ignoring the gasps of shock that echoed around them, as he poked Pete in the ribs.
Pete shoved his friend to one side and the two men cackled together.
Bella closed her eyes and shook her head, how was it that she had to meet these two here of all the people in her town?
She whispered an apology to the woman at the till, grabbed her parcel and hightailed it out of the store. She didn't stop running until she was safely inside her car.
Her heart was pounding as she drove out of the town and it was only when she pulled up in front of her home that she let out a deep breath.
She spent the afternoon hiding the pregnancy tests. Every time she thought of a hiding place, she would be over come with nerves in case Edward found her stash and she would quickly move it again.
Then Bella thought of the perfect hiding place – genius, actually.
She took the paper bag and duct tape and headed into the back yard.
Roscoe and Apples followed closely behind. Roscoe was mostly concerned about his Bella's mental stability. She had been talking to herself all afternoon and what was worse was that it seemed that she was arguing with herself – that just was not normal – even for humans!
Apples loved her mistress's new game and she bounded behind her. When she saw where Bella was headed, she got even more excited – the present in Bella's hand must be for her! Yay! Apples loved presents.
Twenty minutes later and one less roll of tape, Bella made her way into the house to shower and change for her lunch date with the girls at the Purple Cow.
Bella smiled as she sat down with Alice, Rosalie and Makenna.
"What have you been up to on this non-school day? You look all flustered," Alice commented at Bella's over bright eyes, flushed cheeks and her wet hair that had been pulled up into a messy bun.
Bella shrugged, "Nothing much," she mumbled as she buried her nose in the menu.
Makenna leaned forward and stared at her friend, "Bells, what's going on with you? It's obvious that you have something on your mind."
Bella sighed and put her menu down and looked at the three closest friends that she had in the world.
"I want to have a baby-" she began but Alice quickly interrupted her.
"So have you told Edward yet?" Alice asked suddenly.
"No, Al, I told you, it was just a thought, that's all. Edward was right: I'm too young, my career had just begun and I can't drop Seth like that! Besides, we have only been married for a little while!" Bella said firmly.
Alice turned to Rosalie as if Bella hadn't spoken, "What do you think Ro?"
Rosalie looked at Bella in sympathy before she spoke up, "I think that you should mind your own business, Alice Cullen and stop talking out of turn. You know how things get exaggerated in this town and before we know it, everyone will be running around telling Edward that Bella is pregnant!"
"BELLA IS PREGNANT?" Every head in the diner turned to where Jessica was standing with her mouth hanging open.
"What? No! NO!" Bella's face was scarlet as she stood to her feet but she knew that if she didn't stop this immediately, Edward would hear the 'news' within minutes, "Please, listen to me: I am not pregnant, nor are we trying to get pregnant! We were just talking –" she gestured weakly to Alice and Rosalie.
"Why not?" a gruff voice called out, "We saw you buying all those 'sex thingies' in Woodstock, girly!"
Bella looked around the completely silent diner and she noticed for the first time how crowded it was.
"EXCUSE ME?" Bella all but shrieked.
She spotted Billy Black and his cronies in a corner and she groaned inwardly. Old man Thompson, spoke up again.
"I said: Why. Not?" Pete Thompson wondered if there was something wrong with the young missus Cullen. Was she hard of hearing?
"Well, um, well, because, um…" Bella stammered at a complete loss of what to say.
"Oh dear! Is it his plumbing, honey? Its okay, sometimes the plumber is willing but the pipes need changing. My third husband was like that – he was six five and powerful, but the poor thing had two inches of –" Miss Tessa said sympathetically as Darla and Cathy nodded. Jeffers tittered about a 'waste of a beautiful specimen'.
Bella felt the blood draining out of her face as she realized that the town gossips were sitting in the diner.
Fuck! She was never going to be able to contain this clusterfuck! Thank heavens she had hidden the tests where no one would ever find them.
"Oh I think that our young Doctor has all the pipes that he needs, Tess! Remember when we accidentally walked in on him and Bella in the bathroom that time…" Cathy said feeling the need to defend her boss.
Bella looked around wildly for some support. There had to be some way out of this nightmare!
"Look! We don't need help – we 'work' just fine and our sleeping habits are none of your business!" Bella said
The front door bell sounded as it closed behind the Cullen brothers.
Fuck me, Bella thought, can't I catch a break?
"I think that you need to have a talk with your father about the 'birds and the bees, Son," Pete shouted across the diner, "Because you are never going to get Bella pregnant by sleeping together! I wouldn't have thought that you were backwards in coming forwards, Edward – it takes more than sleeping! Did you send her to buy the sex toys?" He said loudly.
Edward felt his jaw drop as he stared first at Pete and then at his wife who had gone from scarlet to the palest shade of green who was standing next to the booth in the center of the room.
His day had just gone from strange to downright otherworldly.
Up until a little while ago, Edward's day had proceeded normally: he had left home early that morning, and he had taken care of the morning patients, working alongside with Jeffers – until he had received a call from Jasper that Apples was loose in town, he hadn't thought anything of it until he had caught up with the dog outside his mother's shop.
She was seemed to be covered in duct tape? Edward knew that Apples loved to dig and she also loved shiny things but where on earth had she gotten duct tape from, he wondered as he tried to catch her.
Apples dodged him halfheartedly but she really wanted to open her present that she had spent a while taking off the inside of the roof in her kennel.
Edward spotted Bella's car outside the diner and he quickly sent a text to Jasper and Emmett to meet him there for a bite to eat later. His idea was to ask Bella for her car keys and take Apples back home, before he returned to eat a late lunch.
Well, that was his plan until he walked into the diner and heard the end of his wife's tirade.
Bella had paled alarmingly when she saw him.
For the first time Bella realized that Edward was holding Apples by her collar, but what was the worst thing was that her dog was covered in silver duct tape and in her mouth she gripped the now torn brown paper bag with her tongue hanging out the side.
"Aaagh, Bella? Could, um, could I see you for a minute?" Edward asked quietly. Apples chose that moment to give her present a 'death shake' and she dropped it triumphantly as the 'guts' spilled out of the bag and four packets of pregnancy test spilled out onto the diner floor.
Bella did the only thing at that she could – she fainted.
A/N:
This was inspired by my fabulous Beta Fiorella. She put ideas into my head! Only two or so chapters to go and then the epi, folks.
We will finish around chapter 41.
xoxo