CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
Renee looked like a kid on Christmas morning right before they're about to open a big present when she stepped out of the cab with Phil in tow and came running for me.
Tears welled in my eyes as she excitedly tossed her forgotten bags to the ground and wrapped me in a tight embrace.
"Mom...-" I half cried.
"Oh, Bella! It's been far too long since I've seen your beautiful face." She sighed in relief then, as Jacob carefully collected her things and extended a firm hand to Phil.
He chuckled in good humor and took Jacobs offered hand.
"So, breaking tradition I see? Don't you know you're not supposed to see her the day of the wedding? It's bad luck they say!" Phil mused.
"Yeah, I've heard that, but I don't believe in bad luck. I'm already the luckiest guy on earth cause I get to marry my best friend later. But still, I guess you could say we are sort of breaking the standard tradition." Jacob teased back in return. "No worries though, I assured Bella once you and Renee arrived safe and sound, I'd make myself scarce until the afternoon, and I do plan to keep my word on that."
Renee beamed up at the two of us with such joy that it made my tears return.
"Look at you both. So grown up and ready to take on the world by storm."
"Something like that." Jacob hedged, as he hugged my mother and thanked her for coming all this way.
"Oh, I wouldn't miss this day for the world, Jacob. So, are we headed to somewhere special for the wedding prep? I packed everything I could possibly think of just in case you needed it. You know... something old and something new- something borrowed- something blue."
Renee was practically singing at this and I could only smile while I filled her in on more of the details.
"We're going to Emily's house. She has everything there and Leah is waiting with Sue Clearwater."
"-and your father? Where might he be right about now? With Billy I presume? Hopefully not off on a last minute fishing trip?" She sarcastically fussed.
"Yes, Charlie is at my dads place, getting into their tuxes by now I'm sure. Phil, I got one waiting there for you, too. Renee was kind enough to pass along your size to me. Your rental is waiting along with the others."
Jacob grinned and placed a kiss on my cheek, before starting to leave with Phil following promptly after him, his parting words made me reach for his hand before he could get far.
"I'll see you in a few hours, Miss Swan. Meet me at the alter. I won't be late. I promise."
"I'll be the one in white." I nervously teased him.
He nodded and drew me in for a kiss with his whispered reply.
"You'll be the one I give my last name to. The one who'll have my heart forever."
My breath felt stolen and my knees threatened to go weak, as he drew my lips to his in a heated kiss that made my mother clear her throat from embarrassment. Despite this, Jacob tightened his hold on me and my head spun from the passion that hurriedly began to ignite between us.
"mmm-hmm, think maybe we should get a move on?" Phil abruptly hedged, as I pulled back and stared into the handsome face of the man who'd held my heart, in one way or another, since we were mere teenagers.
Jacob reluctantly let me go and mouthed the words, "I love you," before nodding to Phil and leading him the rest of the way out of the house. Once they were gone, my mother wasted no time in voicing her thoughts.
"He's certainly one for passion, huh?" She teased, and I couldn't hide the vivid blush that formed on my snow white cheeks in response to her observation.
"Yeah, he is. Um, did you by chance get my last email?" I nervously asked, pondering on whether or not now was the right time to tell her that we were expecting. I'd typed a rather lengthy email to her a few weeks ago, but wasn't sure if she'd had the time to open it before her unforeseen arrival here.
I was already starting to show and I knew that I couldn't keep it from her once she caught a glimpse of me out of Jacobs baggy sweats that I was currently donning.
"No, now that you mention it, I don't think I saw a new one from you recently? I'm sorry, honey. Was it something important? I try to keep up with them but sometimes one or two will slip through the cracks."
My face felt flushed at her simple question, but despite my overwhelming nerves, I knew there was no time for truth like the present. I'd kept a lot of things about my life hidden from her before, when I lived in Maine, and I wanted our communication to be better going forward. If that was going to happen, I had to start right now.
"I never knew you suffered from Endometriosis, mom?" I bluntly stated.
Renee stilled her movements at this, her hands pausing over her duffle bag when she turned and looked my way again.
Clear regret was written on her face as she eyed me wearily.
"It wasn't something I wanted to talk about, Bella. You were so young and- with your father and I separating when you were just a small child, I figured-"
"-that I didn't need to know." I hurriedly finished, unable to hide the hurt in my tone with her now.
"I assume your father told you? Nice of him to warn me about that, but I guess that would simply be expecting too much from Charlie."
"Mom, this isn't about Charlie. It's about me." I replied, sinking down on the couch with a heavy sigh. She soon joined me there and lovingly reached out to sweep my hair away from my shoulder.
"What do you mean this is about you? Are you alright, Bella? Is something wrong?"
"I wish I had known it affected you the way it did. Would have made me feel less alone."
Renee's eyes went wide and her face paled visibly.
"You mean-... oh, Bella-... I didn't think you'd- I mean I didn't know you had-... Oh gosh, I'm so sorry."
She wrapped her arm around my shoulders and drew me in close to her side.
"I suffered with it for a long time, mom. In Maine."
"Suffered? Past tense?" She timidly questioned.
"Yes, past tense. I've been doing a lot better."
"I'm so relieved to hear that, Bella. I'm only sorry I wasn't there for you when you needed me most." She admitted.
"It wasn't your fault. I kept it all to myself. You couldn't possibly help me when I didn't tell you what was going on. We do that a lot in our relationship." I regretfully told her.
"Bella, sweetie, I want things to be different with us. Better. I know you're older and that you have your own life and career now, but I'll never stop being your mom. I'll never stop wanting to be there for you."
"-and I'll never stop needing you." I tearfully stated, placing a hand on my stomach and hoping she'd catch on.
A brief silence fell over the room, as her sincere gaze dropped to my middle before it held mine again.
"You look radiant...- like your glowing almost. Happiness looks wonderful on you. Is there more to be celebrating than just this surprise wedding?"
I nodded and found the courage to tell her the rest.
"Yeah, there is. I'm pregnant, mom."
Renee burst into tears of happiness then and cradled my face, as she peppered my cheeks with kisses from hearing the news.
"You're having a baby! Oh my goodness! My baby is having a baby!" Renee squealed in delight. "This is wonderful, Bella! Truly fantastic! I'm going to be a grandmother!"
"Yes, you are." I affirmed, with a wide smile of my own.
"How far along are you? Must be new? Just a few weeks, right? You know, I thought there was something different about you the moment I stepped out of the cab and saw your face! I couldn't put my finger on it, but there was definitely something different. First of all, I've never seen you look so happy and healthy! Jacob must be thrilled!? Is he over the moon!?"
"He is." I told her. "He's elated."
Renee reached for my hands and helped me to my feet with a beaming grin in place when she touched my stomach.
"Oh my gosh, you're already showing a little! Look at you!" She happily mused. "Oh, this is so very exciting! Such a fun time in your life, Bella! Every pregnancy is different I hear, but I bet yours will be just like mine was with you! I loved being pregnant! That might sound crazy to some, but it's true! You should have seen your poor father! Charlie was a nervous wreck from six months on. Every little twinge I made had him fearing the worst, but of course, in the end, you were a very healthy baby. Slept all the way through the night in no time. Tell me, are you having any cravings yet? Mine started immediately. Ice cream. All the time. Couldn't live without it."
"So far, I've been craving anything sweet and lots of it. Jacobs been great at keeping chocolate in the house for me." I chuckled.
Renee's happy looked turned suddenly more serious with her next reply.
"Jacob seems pretty great all around. Known that boy since he was just a toddler and to see you two finally get your chance- it makes me sincerely thrilled for you both. You deserve that kind of happiness, sweetheart. The kind that great novels are made up of. Your father and I made a bet a long time ago that the two of you would end up together one day, but we were way off on the timeline. Guess now I have to fess up and give Charlie what he's owed."
"What was your timeline?" I asked curiously, eager to hear her answer.
Renee ducked her head with a laugh and shrugged.
"Well, you see, your dad thought the two of you would see how perfect you were for each other later in life. After you'd had your big adventure in College and seen all there was to see in the world. He thought you'd end up eventually coming back home and realizing all you ever needed was right in front of you. Right with the same boy on the reservation you used to make mud pies with."
Her admission made me teary as I pondered this.
"...-and you? What did you think?"
"Honestly, I thought you would have seen it much sooner. I bet fifty bucks that you'd never even leave for Maine without realizing just how hopelessly in love you were with Jacob. He was your missing piece. Your home. I didn't even think you'd leave for Maine at all, but I'm glad you did. I'm so proud of you and of all your spectacular accomplishments in nursing school and at Pen Bay Medical. To your father and I, you were the one true thing we got right and we couldn't be more proud of the woman you are today. We'd be lost without you. We love you, Bella."
I hugged her tight and wiped away the tears with my whispered reply to her.
"I love you too, mom."
A/N: Wedding Chapter to come this weekend. Then this story will come to a long awaited close. Thank you for reading and please review. xoxo
