Three more after this then an epilogue...
Bella looked down at her pager and groaned. She had twenty minutes before she was set to go home and she couldn't wait. Her back ached, her feet were swollen and she was craving a large pepperoni pizza with extra anchovies. Edward was getting off at the same time. He had told her he would go and get Emma and meet her at the front entrance and they would grab dinner and some movies before going home. Just a simple night at home. Sounded like heaven to her.
Which was why her pager going off was not a good thing in her book. She headed for the third floor nurses station. She approached, or rather waddled, to the desk where Debbie was talking to a red haired woman whose back was towards her.
"You paged, Debbie?" Bella asked tiredly.
"Yes. I did." She said, a smirk passing over her face. "She asked for you."
Bella turned towards the woman who had turned to look at her. Surprise washed among both of their faces.
"Tanya." Bella said, her heart sinking at the sight of her. She truly didn't bear her any ill will, but she was the person who had been the last straw in their previous relationship.
"Dr. Swan, you're back." She smiled weakly and then turned to Debbie. "I asked you to page Dr. Cullen." She reminded her, clearing her throat uncomfortably.
Debbie blinked and then said dryly.
"I did. You didn't specify male or female. And I couldn't think of one reason why you would need the male Dr. Cullen, so I used my judgment. Guess I was wrong. My apologies. You two have a nice time catching up." Debbie said, winking at Bella before walking away.
The two woman looked at each other uncomfortably.
"You and Edward…' Tanya began.
"Yes. We…uh…got married almost seven months ago."
Tanya suddenly noticed her swollen abdomen. Her eyes widened.
"Oh! You are expecting." She observed.
"Yes. I am six months pregnant with twins." Bella informed her.
"That was…fast." Tanya said.
"Yes, well, Edward and I always did move quickly." Bella said.
"Yeah. I was just in the neighborhood and thought I would stop in to say hi." Tanya said. "When did you come back to Seattle?"
"Almost seven months ago." Bella answered ruefully.
"I left eleven months ago." Tanya pointed out.
"It wasn't like that. We didn't start seeing each other until I came back." Bella defended. Why the hell did she feel the need to defend herself to the person who had kissed him effectively making her leave over eighteen months ago? Damn hormones!
"And you just decided after all this time, after all your commitment issues to just jump into marriage?" Tanya asked.
"There were…circumstances that are really none of your business. The point is we wasted a lot of time with issues and with other people when we could have been happy. And we are happy now. We are a family." Bella asserted. "It doesn't really matter why or how or when."
"I'm sorry…I just he was so unhappy…and then I couldn't handle it and I left and now you are saying he is happy."
"Why did you come here Tanya? To get Edward back?" Bella asked.
Tanya blushed.
"I thought so. Sorry, he isn't for sale." Bella said.
"What does that mean? You own him? How did you pay for him seeing as how he has all the money in your relationship? Oh with sex obviously." Tanya spewed as she looked Bella up and down.
Bella took a step towards her. Oh hell no.
"Hey Bella, I told Jasper he could come over for dinner so nothing weird tonight…" Edward paused when he saw who Bella was talking to. "Tanya!"
Tanya eyes took in the curly haired blonde with bright blue eyes in Edward's arms.
"Oh!" She looked between the three of them, clearly counting the months down trying to figure out when Bella could have been pregnant with this other child.
"I didn't know you would be coming for a visit." Edward said slowly, his eyes flicking between Tanya and Bella.
"I just stopped by. I thought we could talk but I see you are…busy." Tanya said. "Who is this?" She said indicating Emma.
"This is our daughter Emma." Edward said proudly.
"How old is she?"
"I two." Emma said, holding up two fingers.
"How is that possible?" Tanya asked. "You would've had to have already had her when you left…"
"She is not ours biologically, she is my niece and we adopted her a few months ago." Bella told her reluctantly. She didn't want the woman to get brain freeze from thinking so hard. Be nice, she admonished herself. No, the little devil on her shoulder said. Bella shook her head and focused on the conversation at hand.
"I see." Though her tone clearly suggested she didn't.
"I came back seven months ago when my sister died, I decided to take my niece but was told that I would have to get married. Edward so graciously accepted and we got married the day after. We had sex and I got knocked up with twins. We will now have three children ages two and under. Curiosity satisfied?" Bella asked frustrated.
"Bella." Edward said.
"Don't Bella me. I am standing here with swollen ankles and an aching back explaining to your ex-girlfriend how I came to be part of a family unit with you. Like I am not entitled to be with someone as wonderful as you. Like it is so surprising that I am able to be a wife and a mother without the world ending. And as far as Jasper coming to dinner…fine. But I will eat whatever I want!" She swiftly took Emma from Edward. "I will be in the car that you paid for that will take us to the house that you paid for seeing as how it is assumed I am still using you for your money and availability to be my baby's daddy."
Bella ambled off with Emma in tow, fuming.
Edward turned to Tanya.
"What did you say to my wife?" He demanded.
"I was just surprised, that is all. I leave and come back not even a year later and you have a pregnant wife and a two year old." Tanya exclaimed.
"It shouldn't be too surprising, Tanya. I never stopped loving her and you know it. What happened between us was a mistake. I lost Bella because of my stupid decision and I will never let that happen again. I am sorry if that hurts you, I really am. You are a lovely woman but you were never for me. My soul mate is sitting in our car, pissed off and angry. Now, I have to go and buy her what she wants for dinner and rub her feet and make her a huge bowl of some disgusting mixture of items for dessert and I will love every minute of it. It was…nice seeing you Tanya."
"She just…I didn't see her as your type." Tanya said.
"That is where you are wrong. She is exactly everything I never knew I always wanted in my life." Edward smiled. "Bye Tanya."
He sprinted towards the exit.
"You see, that is why I never get in the way of true love. Guess all of us are not so smart." Debbie whispered in Tanya's ear.
Tanya slowly walked out of the same exit Edward had left out of.
That did not go the way she had planned.
I'm sorry, I need the salt, people. The sugar is getting to be too much.