Paperwork
Summary: After Bella loses her memory in an accident, Edward must recount a journey with her that he has forgotten as well. Along the way they find the reasons they fell in love
Epilogue
Chapter 48: Results
December 19, 2013
Two minutes and fifty-nine seconds left to go. I bite my nail and paced the bathroom. My stomach was in knots as I wondered if these would be the last three minutes of being a singular person.
In three minutes time I could…would be considered two people. The thought seemed so foreign and strange.
I could barely breathe.
I didn't even know how to feel about it. I wanted to be happy. I wanted to be ecstatic and hopeful but I couldn't help but feel a bit of fear.
Memories seemed to flood my mind. I remembered the little life I had carried without knowing and had ultimately lost. The experience had made me very hesitant about pregnancy.
After telling Edward, we had made an appointment to make sure everything was okay. The doctors had informed us that I was healthy and they did not see anything that would prevent a future pregnancy. Even so, Edward had agreed to wait a few more years before trying to start a family.
That being said…
We had not been trying.
We had been careful, but things happened.
I glanced at my watch.
Two minutes and fifteen seconds…
Time seemed to drag on, the second hand moving slower and slower with each tick.
"Bella, are you in here?" Edward asked irritation in his voice. I stepped out the washroom, closing the door behind me.
"Is there something you needed?" I asked, hoping to get him out the room as quickly as possible. I didn't want to tell him until I was sure of the result. Edward would be such a great father and even though he had agreed to wait, I knew he was dying to start a family. I didn't want to get his hopes up if the results were negative.
"This is the second time that beast has chewed up my sheet music," Edward growled, holding a small white dog in one hand and a folder covered in teeth marks. I laughed as the puppy in his hands yawned and squirmed.
I reached for her and wrapped her in my arms. We had invested in a Teddy Bear puppy a few months back. Her small furry face automatically buried into my neck.
"She's just being playful. Maybe if her daddy spent some time with her," I said, nuzzling her head. He rolled his pale green eyes and smirked.
"Maybe if her mother would actually take some time and train her, we wouldn't have these problems," he muttered, walking past me.
I was so wrapped up in my puppy; I hadn't paid attention to where he was headed.
"Bella!" his startled voice came from the bathroom. My stomach dropped.
"Oh boy. Go play," I told her and set her down on the floor.
She trotted out the room, bouncing with each step. I slowly made my way into the washroom. Edward was standing above the counter, staring at the pregnancy test that still had a minute and thirty seconds left.
"What's this?" he asked, his eyes leaving the stick and shooting to mine.
"Well, Edward I think you know…" I mumbled, bringing my thumb to my mouth and biting my nail.
"I know what it is…I just—are you—is this…" he seemed at a loss for words. I walked out the room and sat on the bed. He followed me.
"I've just been feeling strange the past few days and then I noticed I was late…I just—I wanted to rule it out as a possibility," I explained. He kneeled in front of me, placing his hands on my thighs.
"What if it's not ruled out?"
"I don't know. I—I'm not sure I'm ready for this, Edward. What if I lose it again?" I said, expressing the fears I had been hiding. Tears sprung to my eyes and he grasped my face in his hands, wiping the shedding tears with his thumb.
"Oh, sweetheart, you can't think like that. The earlier we know the better prepared we can be? Right?" he said. I knew he was trying to comfort me, but I could see the spark of joy that lay beneath his lake like eyes.
"What if we're parents, Edward?" I whispered, voice trembling.
"Does it really scare you that much?" he asked, trying to fight back his own hope for the possibilities. I took his hands in mine and slowly shook my head.
"Not with you. Even if I suck…you'll be a great dad," I whispered, managing my own small smile. His face lit in joy as he placed his lips in mine, consuming me in his joy. I giggled as I wrapped my arms around his neck. He pulled away before I could get my fill.
"How much longer?" he asked. I looked at my watch.
"Now," I said, swallowing hard.
In a few short moments, I would know. Edward stood and pulled me up. He was practically shaking in excitement.
Just then, our little trouble maker of a dog came bounding into the room, headed straight for the bathroom.
"Damn dog," Edward muttered, following after her. I was a step behind. I watched as the ball of fur slammed into the bathroom counter, shaking it and making my test fall to the ground. In a split second she had it in her mouth and was running out the room.
"Lily!" I shouted, running after her.
Edward was faster and was able to move past me and follow the dog down the stairs. She ran into the living room, making a circle around the room and heading up the stairs. I tried to catch her, but she squirmed out my arms and ran into the guest bedroom, where she effectively hid underneath the bed.
"Lily, get back here right now!" I growled, trying to reach her. I heard the sound of plastic cracking.
"Don't chew that you stupid dog," Edward panted, coming into the room and ducking on the other side of the bed. He managed to just tap her enough with his long fingers. She scuttled over to my side and I wrapped my arm around her, bringing her out from under the bed.
Unfortunately she had dropped the test.
"Stupid dog," I muttered as Edward stood up, holding the test in his hands. I placed the dog down, tapping her backside. She barked and trotted away.
"What does it say?" I asked, nervous.
"I can't…"
He handed me the test. The screen that would have shown me the results was cracked, blurring the answer. I sighed in frustration.
::*::
December 24, 2013
"Okay, done," She said, walking into the bedroom with the capped pregnancy test in her hands. I rubbed my hands nervously on the bed.
After Lily had destroyed the first one, she told me that we should give it a few more days before trying another one. She had only been a few days late at the time. Today she would officially be a week late.
"Are you nervous?" I asked as she sat down next to me, her floral perfume wafting in the air. In about an hour we would have to be at my parent's home for their annual holiday party.
"I feel like this will be the last three minutes of normalcy," she said. She stared down at the white stick, placing her hand over the screen where the results would show.
"We could be parents," I said, feeling my voice shake slightly. She stared at me.
"I thought you wanted this?" she asked, a bit of fear tinged in her voice.
"I did. I do. I just— what if it's a no?" I asked. I had understood Bella's hesitancy in wanting to try. But I was afraid that the experience she had gone through would scare her from ever wanting kids again.
When she had told me about her miscarriage I had been very angry. I was angry that she had kept something so serious from me. I was angry that I had let her go through such a terrifying experience all alone. I was angry at myself more than anything.
I had also felt an extreme amount of sadness. It was the biggest obstacle to get by, but we did.
Since the accident and the events that transpired after, we had grown immensely as a couple. We had learned from our mistakes. Our communication had improved, but I couldn't help but keep some feelings to myself.
I wanted to start a family, but I didn't want to push her into something she wasn't ready for. This pregnancy may have been an accident, but it could be the only chance to show her everything would be okay.
She took my hands in her and squeezed tightly, drawing my attention to her.
"We could…we could try again," she said, smiling softly. I felt the joy swim into my throat.
"Seriously?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow, wanting to hide some of the joy I felt. She smiled at my failed attempt.
"Seriously. I think I'm ready. I'm actually…excited about this," she said, leaning to into my side. I kissed her temple.
"Time?" I asked eager to know the results of our future.
"Ten seconds," she answered, feeling my throat close up.
I watched the second hand on my watch as it neared the conclusion.
Five. Four. Three. Two.
"Edward," she said her voice tight. I looked up to meet her eyes. They were filled with tears and I felt my stomach tighten. I had been so sure it would be positive, hoping for it even, that I hadn't expected it could be a negative.
I tried to sum up my courage, to let her know that we would have plenty of opportunities, but she spoke first.
"You're going to be a daddy," she whispered.
The last thing I heard were her giggles as I attacked her lips with mine.
An epilogue came to mind. This is officially the last chapter of Paperwork.
Enjoy.
