Disclaimer: None of this mine, nor do I claim to be Stephenie Meyer. I just like to dabble in the playground that she created with Bella, Edward and her Twilight characters. No copyright infringement is intended.
Before getting into the epilogue … a few words of appreciation …
First off, thank you to Clo (HeartForTwilight) for the beautiful banner she made for me. She also let me use a few of her manipulations as inspiration for some of the juicier moments.
Secondly, thank you to Christina for betaing for me. I wrote the first few chapters for a fandom compilation and she wielded her red pen (cursor), covering for all my mistakes.
Finally, thank you to everyone who has come with me on this journey. I appreciate every review, every suggestion, and every person who has taken the time to read this story of Grinchward and Angelella.
So, the previous chapter was the final chapter of Falling for a Dark Soul. We now have the epilogue, which will be a few glimpses into their future. Where will they have their destination wedding? Will they give Katie a little brother or sister? What about MAC and everything else?
And without further ado …
Chapter Thirty-Six: Epilogue
Edward
Six Months Later …
"Here are the keys, Mr. and Mrs. Cullen," said the closing agent with a grin. "Congratulations and I hope you enjoy your new home."
"Thank you," Bella said, threading her fingers with mine. I kissed her temple, eager to take her to our new home in the Gold Coast and christen every flat surface. "Shall we go home, Mr. Cullen?"
"I think we should, Mrs. Cullen," I grinned.
We left the closing office, driving to the house we'd found that was going to be our forever. It was larger than Bella anticipated, but she loved the mix of modern and traditional. It was also near Katie's school and my parents' home, as well. Katie was with my parents while Bella and I were dealing with finalizing the purchase of our new home.
Our old home was being sold to David and Shaw. They hated their apartment, jumping at the chance to have something permanent. So, boxes filled the brownstone as we packed up our lives, preparing for our new beginning.
"Grinch, the car usually works better when you turn it on," Bella teased.
"Sorry, angel," I laughed, starting my Tesla. "Just thinking about the last few months."
"It's been pretty intense," Bella smiled as I backed out of the parking spot. "But, in a good way."
"I'm still shocked that Rose and Emmett came back married from their Bahaman vacation," I breathed.
"I think it's perfectly them," Bella shrugged. "They're happy."
"They are," I grinned. "I'm glad that they worked things out."
"Everything worked out, in the end," Bella said. "For everyone."
In addition Emmett and Rose getting married, there had been a number of changes at MAC. Bella had been promoted to a team leader by Rose and her human resources team, taking David as her senior executive. She hated leaving Alice's team, but she was too talented to not have her own team. Alice was also bummed to lose Bella and David, but had two rock stars who had interned at the company. Jasper was her senior executive and the two new hires took over as a graphic designer and junior executive.
Besides, Bella's prowess was giving her notoriety within the advertising circles. She'd been nominated and had won two more Clios, for the York Towne Clothing campaign and New Moon Cosmetics. She worked with both of those clients, bringing them to her team when she'd gotten her own, along with another beauty brand, some hair care company that made specialized shampoos and conditioners specifically for hair-care needs. The formula was completely customizable.
"Wow," Bella breathed as I pulled into the driveway. "I can't believe that this all ours."
"I know," I whispered. I put the car into park. I jogged around to Bella's side of the car, helping her out. I threaded my fingers with hers, walking up the stairs and handing her the keys. "Open the door, angel." She smiled widely, unlocking the door and pushing it open. I swept her into my arms and carried her across the threshold.
"Edward, seriously?" she giggled, putting her arms around my neck.
"I'm carrying my wife over the threshold," I quipped.
"We're not married yet," she said as I walked her into the kitchen and putting her onto the island. She ran her fingers down my cheeks. "Plans are coming together, though."
"You and my mom are awfully secretive," I laughed.
"I told her what we wanted and she's going to town," Bella said, unbuttoning my shirt. Her fingers teased my nipples and I groaned. "Want to christen our kitchen?"
"More than you know, angel," I growled, sliding my hands under her skirt and tugging down her panties. I kissed her deeply, sliding my tongue into her mouth. Her hands clumsily undid my belt buckle and pushed my jeans and boxers down with her feet. I pulled her forward, feeling her wetness and caressing her clit.
"Edward, inside me. Now," she pleaded. I pushed her skirt up and lined up my hardness. I looked down as I ran my swollen cock against her folds. She whimpered with each pass and when I slid inside her warmth, I felt her body shudder. "Fuck, baby. Feeling you in me will never get old."
"I know, angel," I murmured against her lips, reveling in feeling her pussy all around me.
"Fuck me, Edward," she commanded, tangling her fingers into my hair.
I crashed my mouth against hers, thrusting into her and losing myself into my Bella. Our bodies moved together, the slapping of our skin echoing in the empty house. My fingers found her clit, circling it roughly. She moaned, falling back on her elbows. I stared at where we were joined. Seeing my dick disappear into her tightness was the most amazing thing. "Bella, I'm going to come, baby," I breathed. "Are you with me?"
"Yes, Edward," she panted. I looked up and saw that she'd removed her shirt, twisting her nipples with her fingers.
"Holy fuck, Bella. You are …" I groaned. Her head fell back, shuddering as her body clenched around me. My cock swelled and I filled her up. I leaned forward, listening to Bella's rapidly beathing heart. "You're right. This will never get old." I slid out of her and I pouted at the loss. I pulled up my jeans and boxer briefs, handing Bella her panties. She shimmied them back on.
She sat up, taking my face in her hands after she'd righted her shirt and bra. "What if I said that our lovemaking had made a baby?" she asked.
"Bella?" I asked.
"I'm pregnant,' she blushed. "We're pregnant." She took my hand and pressed it to her belly. "We're going to have a baby, Edward."
I stared at her, tears welling in my eyes. I was having a baby with my fiancée. I was having a baby … "Bella! I could have hurt you. I could have hurt the baby," I gasped.
"Edward, you didn't," she said, pulling me closer and kissing me.
"How pregnant are you?" I asked.
"Not very pregnant," she replied. "I just took the pregnancy test when I got nauseous from Jasper's after shave at lunch last week. Rose shoved a pregnancy test into my hands and it came up positive. I have an appointment tomorrow to find out how pregnant we are."
"I'm coming with you," I said.
"That's why your afternoon 'meeting' is with me," Bella quipped. "You're not mad at me?"
"Why would I be mad, Bella?" I frowned. "I've always wanted children."
"We're not married yet," she shrugged, idly playing with my collar. "Granted, it's happening soon."
"Angel," I breathed. "I'm beyond happy. This has been an amazing, perfect day. We closed on this beautiful house and you just told me that I'm going to be father. I'm going to have two amazing children, Katie and this little peanut. Um, when do you think it happened?"
"I think … it was Mother's Day," Bella blushed. "Things were insane with work and I'd missed my appointment to get my Depo shot. It slipped my mind until I puked in the garbage can in Alice's office because Jasper bathed in foul smelling after shave."
"I'm happy about you being pregnant, but I'm not happy at how rough I was with you," I grumbled.
"I wanted one last time where we could …" she chuckled. "Lose control. I know you, Grinch. You've got a protective streak that's a mile wide. If you could, you'd wrap me in bubble wrap."
"That's not really all that sexy," I snickered.
Sliding off the counter, she took my hand. "Let's pick out the room that's going to be nursery, Grinch." Gently tugging on my hand, we began our exploration of the brownstone. We figured out the rooms, deciding on where Katie's room was going to be and the nursery for our baby.
We were having a baby!
"You've got this lopsided, joyful grin on your face, Edward," Bella giggled.
"Bella, all I've wanted since I could remember was a family of my own. I love my parents, but they weren't mine. They were … I don't know," I shrugged. "I wanted to be more than just the adoptive, abused son of Carlisle and Esme Cullen. I wanted to be a dad. I wanted a chance to make things right." I led her to a window seat, holding her on my lap. I pressed my hand to her still flat belly. "Bella, I will do everything for our children. I love Katie and I already love this one and any other children we'll have."
"Edward, you were denied so much and all you wanted was love and to share your love," she whispered, tracing my features. "You have so much to give, baby." She slid her arms around my neck, moving closer to me. "I adore you and I adore our lives …"
"That's why you really picked up speed with the wedding plans," I whispered, looking at her. "Does my mom know about the baby?"
"It has been the motivation to move things up and she doesn't know why. Though, I think she suspects," she said. "I don't want to be the size of a house when we get married. Call me old-fashioned, but I want to be Isabella Cullen when I give birth to our peanut. I also want to be able to fly." She ran her fingers through my hair, moving her hands down my chest. "Just think … in three months, I'll be your wife."
"My wife, the mother to my children, my everything," I whispered, kissing her. She smiled against my mouth, but giggled as her stomach snarled. "It sounds like my fiancée is starving. Let's get something to eat, angel. You're eating for two."
We locked up the house, driving to one of our favorite restaurants. We shared a meal, talking about the wedding plans and the doctor's appointment the following day. We'd go into the office in the morning and go to the doctor. Driving back to my parents' home, we picked up Katie and continued packing up the old brownstone.
The next day, we dropped off Katie at daycare and went to MAC. I sat in a few meetings with Sue's team and Emmett's team. I also checked in with a few executives who were traveling to see clients. After eating lunch with the guys, Bella and I drove to her obstetrician's office. I was a nervous, anxious mess. I was excited, happy about the pregnancy, but terrified that something could go wrong.
"Deep breaths, Grinch," Bella said, weaving our fingers together. "It's all good."
"Isabella Swan," called a nurse. Bella stood up, dragging me with her. She handed Bella a cup. Turning to me, she grinned, "I'm Adele." I shook her hand. Looking back to Bella, she continued, "Bella, if you could pee in this and leave it on the shelf in the bathroom. When you're done, meet me back here."
"Can my fiancé, Edward, come in with me? Not the bathroom, but the examination," Bella laughed.
"Of course," Adele beamed. "Edward, come with me and I'll get you settled in the exam room. I've got to weigh Bella and such. I'm pretty certain that Bella would like to keep that number to herself, hmmm?" Bella nodded, giving me a pointed look.
"Okay, great," I nodded, following the petite woman. She smiled, gesturing to the chair in the sterile room. I read some pamphlets about pregnancy.
Bella came into the room, laughing with Adele. "Okay, Ms. Swan, if you could remove everything from the waist down. Dr. Avery will be with you soon," Adele grinned. "Congratulations to both of you."
Once the door was closed, Bella removed her skirt and panties, draping a sheet over her legs. "You seem to get along well with Adele."
"She's seen my vajayjay. We're almost besties," Bella quipped. "She's worked with my gynecologist, Dr. McNulty. Actually, it was Adele who'd called me about my missed Depo shot. I didn't think much about it because I'd heard stories about women taking years to get pregnant after being on the shot. So, it was shock when I saw the positive test."
"A good shock, I hope," I smirked.
"A very good shock," she breathed. "I'm so happy." I stood up, walking to Bella and kissing her sweetly. She gripped my suit coat, trying to pull me closer.
"Hey now," came a female voice. "That's what got you here in the first place." I blushed, stepping back and looking at the blonde doctor leaning against the door. Bella giggled, hiding her face in her hands. "It's all good. I actually walked in a couple moments away from getting it on. Anyway, I'm Dr. Theresa Avery. You must be Isabella Swan and Edward Cullen?"
"Nice to meet you," I said, shaking her hand.
"Thank you for squeezing us in," Bella murmured, grinning at Dr. Avery.
"It's no problem," Dr. Avery said, sitting down. "I ran a rapid pregnancy test and you are, indeed, pregnant. Congratulations!"
"Thank you," Bella smiled, taking my hand. "It wasn't planned, but very welcomed."
"Is this your first pregnancy?" Dr. Avery asked, opening up the file. "It appears that it is. You do have another child? Adopted?"
"She's my little sister, but we're adopting her after we get married," Bella explained.
"How old is the big sib?" Dr. Avery asked, a wide smile on her face.
"She just turned six in December," I said, pulling out my phone. "Her name is Katie."
"You guys are so stinking cute!" Dr. Avery gushed, looking at my cell phone. "A beautiful family, honestly." She handed the phone back to me, turning to Bella. "Okay, I do want to give you a physical examination and do an ultrasound so we can figure out when your little miracle was conceived."
"Before we get started, I have a few questions," Bella said. "One, can we still travel? We're getting married in August and it's a destination wedding."
"You can travel domestically through thirty-six weeks, internationally through twenty-eight weeks. For me, personally, I want to examine you before you leave and once you come back, but I'm one to err on the side of caution," Dr. Avery said. "Okay, lay back, Bella."
I took Bella's hand as she settled back on the table. Dr. Avery lifted Bella's legs into some metal contraptions. She did an internal exam, talking about what she was seeing and feeling. "Alright, everything looks good externally. You're at a healthy weight and in overall great health. Let me grab the ultrasound machine so we can get a peek at your baby. I'll have to do an internal ultrasound because you're early in the pregnancy." She draped the blanket over Bella's legs. "Be right back, okay?"
Dr. Avery stepped out and I cupped Bella's face. "This is becoming real, angel," I whispered. "I love you so much."
"I love you more, Edward," she breathed, brushing my hair back from my forehead. I pressed my forehead to hers, breathing her in. I kissed her mouth, nipping at her lips. She giggled, pushing me back. "Behave, Edward. You look at me the right way and I'm a mess of arousal. Talk about embarrassing. I have an ultrasound and I'm dripping because you're being all sexy and hot."
"You think I'm hot?" I quipped.
"You're beyond gorgeous," Bella smiled, tracing her fingertips along my jaw. "Both inside and out, Grinch." I blushed, kissing her lips and gathering her in my arms. She must have felt my body trembling. "Hey, what's this?"
"I'm fine," I whispered. I tightened my arms around her, closing my eyes and trying to keep the overwhelming emotions from exploding out. I took a few breaths, stepping back when I heard the door open. I sat down next to Bella, staring at her beautiful eyes, which were swirling with concern and love. "I promise we'll talk, angel."
"I love you, Edward," she smiled as Adele set up the ultrasound. Dr. Avery walked in with a long slender rod-looking thing. "What's that?"
"Internal transducer," Dr. Avery answered, attaching it to the ultrasound. She rolled a condom onto the wand, covering it with some lube. "You ready?" We both nodded as the screen lit up. Bella grimaced as the transducer was slipped inside her. I watched the screen as it moved around. A black space filled the screen with a white speck in the center. "There. You've got a bean."
"We've been calling it a peanut," Bella smiled.
"That works, too," Dr. Avery laughed. "Not very defined right now, but you're about six weeks pregnant. Based on your hormone levels, conception happened in early May."
"Mother's Day," we both murmured.
"How perfect is that?" Adele cooed.
"I know, right?" Bella breathed, squeezing my hand. "This is so amazing, so perfect." She looked up at me, swiping her thumb across my cheek. I was crying, overwhelmed at the emotions going through me. "Our dream, Edward. It's coming true, baby."
"We're having a baby," I whispered. I kissed her.
"We'll print out a few images for you and give you a few moments," Dr. Avery said. They left and closed the door.
I closed my eyes, moving to kneel in front of Bella. I pressed my hands to her belly, rubbing my thumbs over the drape. "Hi, Peanut. I'm your d-d-d-dad," I cried, smiling happily. "You have no idea how happy I am to be your daddy. Your mommy is the most beautiful woman and she loves so readily. I've dreamt of you … for s-s-s-so long and now, I cannot believe that …" I pressed my cheek to her lap, hugging her waist. "I love you both so much."
"We love you more, Edward," Bella sniffled, scratching my scalp. I stood up, crashing her to my chest and we both cried happily, overjoyed at our news. She lightly smacked my arm with a snort. I stepped back, seeing her scowling at me. "You cannot be the emotional one, Edward. I'm the one with the hormones. I'm the one who will be crying. Not you."
"After today, no more tears," I said. "Okay, there may be tears on our wedding day and when the baby is born, but …"
"Okay, okay," Bella said. "We will talk about that reaction, though. Right?"
"I promise, angel," I breathed, kissing her. I handed her the skirt and panties. She shimmied them on, sliding off the table. We left the room. Dr. Avery was standing at the counter with a large bottle and a file folder. "What's in the bottle?"
"Prenatal vitamins," Dr. Avery said. "I sent a script to your pharmacy. There's also some literature about pregnancy and the pictures I'd promised."
"When do you want us back?" Bella asked.
"A month and again before you leave for your destination wedding," Dr. Avery beamed. "Congratulations!" She hugged Bella, who laughed uncomfortably. Dr. Avery turned to me, also giving me a hug. I awkwardly patted her. She grinned at us. "I'll see you in a month."
We scheduled our appointment and left the doctor's office. I drove us back to the brownstone, parking on the street. Walking inside, I sat us down on the couch after I'd tossed off my suitcoat. Bella was looking at the sonograms, a soft smile on her face. She handed the photo to me. I grinned widely, seeing physical proof that I was going to be a dad.
"Talk, Grinch. Why were you trembling in the doctor's office?" Bella said, putting the picture on the cocktail table.
"It's just hitting me that it's real. We're going to be parents," I breathed. "I know I shouldn't compare, but when you told me … I was waiting for you say that …" I frowned, remember what Tanya had done to me. To our unborn children.
"Oh, Edward," she whispered. "I'm so sorry that was the first thing you thought … I would never. Edward, I'm pro-choice, but it's not a choice I'd make for myself. The only way I'd do that is if the baby would not have any quality of life or if …" She frowned. "Or, if I wouldn't make it."
"Don't say that," I choked out. "I hate that I … I know you'd never do that. I'm so excited about all of this." I moved her onto my lap, pressing my forehead to hers. "I will be there for you, every step of the way, for Katie and for our peanut."
"I know you will. You're an amazing father. I see it every day with Katie," Bella said. "You're her hero." She smiled at me. "You okay?"
"I'm better now," I sighed. "I love you, angel." I pecked her lips. I pressed my hand to her belly. "I love you, too, Peanut."
xx FFADS xx
The following weekend, Bella, Katie and I were shopping for furniture for the new house. The furniture that was in our current home was going to be placed in the basement of the house and in a guest bedroom. Katie's bedroom furniture was going in her room, but we were giving her room an update.
"Oooh, this really pretty," Katie said, bouncing onto a couch.
"It's white, Kit Kat. With you? It's not happening," Bella said.
"What does that mean?" Katie giggled.
"You spill everything, Little One," I deadpanned. "You spilled some Kool-Aid on Sam. He was pink for a week."
"Oh, yeah," Katie replied thoughtfully.
"How about we divide and conquer?" Bella suggested, waving at Alice and Rose. She tore her list in half, handing it to me. "You get the kitchen, dining room and office furniture. I'll get the bedroom …"
"Oh, no. I want a say in our bedroom, Bella," I argued. "With Alice and Rose, it'll be some frilly shit."
"You said a bad word, Dad," Katie chided.
"But, it's true about the frilly shit," I snickered. Bella sighed, nodding. "I know both of those women. I respect them, but they would try to convince you to get some overly girly things for our bedroom."
"Okay, you win. We'll get the living room and family room. Meet up with us when you're done and we'll get our bedroom. We have to be done by three. I've got an appointment for my final fitting for my dress." She checked her watch. "Katie, make sure that Edward is back here in an hour. Okay?"
"Sure thing, Mom," Katie grinned. She tugged on my hand leading me away from my fiancée. Katie called us 'Mom' and 'Dad' periodically. She still struggled with a bit of the guilt of replacing her parents with us. However, we had several therapy sessions to help her. We also never pushed her, allowing her to make the choice for herself. "Let me see that list, Edward."
See?
"Here, Little One," I said. "Can you spill the details about the dress?"
"Nope," she sang, looking up and dragging me by the hand. "It's a surprise. You get to see her when she's walking down the aisle."
"You're supposed to be my minion, my spy," I grumbled, checking the price of a casual dining set. "Okay, that's too expensive for something that looks like a kindergartner built it."
"I'm a kindergartner," Katie giggled.
"No, you're a first grader," I argued. "We sat through your kindergarten graduation, Katie."
"But, that is really bad," Katie retorted, her nose wrinkled. "I think my friend, Owen, made a pottery thing that was shaped like that."
"Maybe I'll call Owen to make our kitchen table," I snickered. "Come on. We've got an hour … let's get this done."
Katie and I found some nice options for the dining room, kitchen and office. We sent pictures to Bella, who gave us the thumbs up for each option. I found a sales person and put in the order, handing over my credit card. Most of the items we'd chosen were in stock. The few things that were not in stock were accent pieces like paintings, lamps and décor. Katie did drag back to the center of the store. Bella was waiting with Alice and Rose. We went to find options for our bedroom. However, we didn't find anything we liked.
Okay, let me rephrase. We found something, but we didn't feel comfortable purchasing it with Katie there. So, when Bella left with Katie, Rose and Alice, I finalized the purchase of our bedroom set. I grimaced, slightly, at the total for furnishing the entire new home, but it was our forever. An investment in our future …
The weekend after that, we were moved into our new home with new furniture and an influx of boxes. I hovered behind Bella because she wasn't supposed to do any heavy lifting. She snapped at me a few times, but when I explained my hovering, she softened and started crying.
Those pregnancy hormones were hitting her full force.
That night, cuddled in our new bedroom, under our new bedding and after we'd made love, I was idly scratching her back, relishing in our post-coital bliss. "You okay, angel?"
"I'm better now that we're here," Bella said, looking up at me. "In six weeks, we're going to be married. I can't wait until I'm your wife and that Katie is our daughter. Jenks is okay with doing the adoption?"
"He's getting a free vacation out of the deal," I snickered.
"I wish I could fast forward time," she murmured. "Be on our honeymoon and celebrating our marriage."
"You just want to snap your fingers and have the house set up," I teased.
"Moving is a pain in the ass. I'm surprised I had energy to make love to you," she said, giving me a sly grin.
"Uh, you just lay there, angel," I laughed. "My hips did all the work, not to mention my tongue."
"Hmmmm, they did," she purred. "I can still feel you." She kissed me, yawning deeply. "Perhaps, I can return the favor after a nap."
"I'm kidding, Bella," I said, tucking her close. "Sleep, my love. We have the rest of our lives."
"We have forever," she mumbled sleepily.
xx FFADS xx
Bella
"Kit Kat, if you're not downstairs in the next thirty seconds, you're not going to be going to the wedding," I yelled up the stairs. "The limo will be here in just a few minutes. Come on!"
"I'll go get her," Edward murmured, kissing my neck and cupping my slightly swollen belly. He'd touched it as often as he could, clearly ecstatic that we were having a baby. It was still a secret that only we knew. Well, we knew and the seamstress who'd handled my dress alterations knew. She wanted to make sure that I'd be able wear my gown on my wedding day. So, there were gussets added on the side that could be released if my belly had gotten too big.
"I'm sorry," Katie said, carrying her backpack. Edward was balancing another bag on his shoulder, a wry grin on his face. "I was afraid of flying over the ocean. What if we crash?"
"We won't crash, Little One," Edward said. "Why would you think we'd crash?"
"Aunt Ali showed me a show called Lost," Katie frowned.
"Aunt Ali is going to be hearing a lot of words," I grumbled. "Come on, Kit Kat. We're going to have an amazing time. Perhaps, you'll see a leprechaun when we land."
"Do you think?" she asked, taking my hand.
"Anything is possible, Little One," Edward grinned. "Ireland is magical, absolutely beautiful." There was a knock at the door. Edward opened the door, smiling at the driver. He'd worked for MAC. With a few words, our luggage was loaded in the back of the limo. I checked my phone, verifying everything that needed to be done while Edward and I were on our honeymoon. "Isabella Marie, we're about to fly off to our wedding and honeymoon. The time for work is for when we get back in a month."
"I want to make sure that David …" I argued. "Hey!"
"We're on vacation," he smirked, turning off my phone and sliding it into his pocket. "You can tell David anything you want when you see him at the wedding, but we're not worrying about MAC, or clients, or advertising contracts for a month. Can you do that?"
"I never thought you'd tell me to stop working," I snorted.
"I never thought I'd say that, either. I was a workaholic, but now? I'm focusing on you and our family," he smiled. "my priorities have shifted, angel."
"Um, Edward, why are we pulling into Chicago Executive Airport?" I asked. "I thought we were taking British Airways."
"It's a gift from my parents," Edward explained. "We're flying over in a private jet with our wedding party. Eight hours flying commercial? Not my idea of a good time." The limo stopped.
"You are such a snob," I giggled.
"No, I'm almost six foot three inches. I'm too tall for coach," he grinned, kissing me.
We got out of the limo. The driver was taking out the luggage. Esme and Carlisle were already there. They hugged us as Edward paid for the limo ride. Inside the airport, we went through customs and settled into the waiting area. Alice, Jasper, Rose and Emmett were settled at the gate. The girls commandeered me, dragging me to get some coffee. I ordered some decaf, frowning as my friends drank their espressos. Alice was still trying to convince me to have a bachelorette party, but I put my foot down saying that it wasn't necessary. We could enjoy some naked debauchery for her wedding, which finally had been scheduled for next summer.
No more delays.
"Bells, you're spacing out," Rose snickered, waving her hand in front of my face.
"Apologies," I chuckled. Stupid pregnancy brain.
"Where are you going for your honeymoon? Someplace tropical?" Rose asked. "Where you can wear a bikini or nothing at all?"
"We're doing a tour of the British Isles," I answered. "Spending a week in Ireland, then going to Scotland, Wales and ending in England. Edward doesn't really care for tropical weather." Well, he liked it, but he didn't like going out without a shirt on his body. He was ripped, with muscles upon muscles, but apprehensive of his scarring from his past. He was comfortable with me and Katie because we loved him unconditionally. Random strangers? Not so much.
"So, we're not having a bachelorette party and you're not going on some tropical honeymoon," Rose pouted. "What kind of …"
"Rose," Alice chided. "It's perfect for them."
"Thank you, Alice," I said, giving her an appreciative grin. "But, you're not off the hook. You showed my sister Lost? We practically had to drag her out of the house this morning."
"I had it on my Netflix cue. She pulled it up, enraptured at what was going on," Alice shrugged. "Until the plane went down."
"If she has nightmares, I'm sending her to you, Alice," I grumbled, tossing a sugar packet at her. She smacked it away with a snort.
"Ladies, we're boarding," Edward said, kissing my temple. I handed him my decaf coffee and he took it with a crooked grin. Threading our fingers together, we walked to the large private jet that Carlisle and Esme had chartered for us. It was a gorgeous plane, with more than enough room for at least twenty other people. Edward and I curled up in the back with Katie, watching a movie.
I eventually drifted off. Baking a human was exhausting work. When I woke up, my head was cradled on Edward's lap. He was reading a book, idly scratching my back. "How long have I been out?"
"We're landing in an hour," he said, closing his book and smiling at me.
"Where's Katie?" I sat up and stretched my back.
"Snoozing on Emmett," Edward chuckled, pointing to where Katie was draped over Emmett. He held her protectively. "She's so tiny compared to him."
"Edward, you're tiny compared to him," I quipped. My stomach snarled. "Be kind to Mommy. I'll get you food."
"I'll get you food," Edward said, kissing me. He spoke to a flight attendant, who nodded eagerly. She ducked into the back of the plane and walked to where I was seated with a tray. I practically devoured the whole thing in one bite. Edward wisely didn't say anything since my appetite was touch-and-go. I was either starving and would whatever you put in front of me or picky as fuck. I didn't have a lot of morning sickness, just queasiness.
The queasiness came as we began our descent into Shannon. Edward handed me some ginger candies, which helped settle my stomach. After going through customs, we were greeted by a cherubic man with a bright smile and icy blue eyes. He introduced himself as Liam and was going to be driving us to Ashford Castle where we were having the wedding. Edward did ask if we could get something to eat before we drove the hour and a half to the castle.
Liam drove us to a pub. We ate a large meal and then clambered into the Range Rovers provided by the castle. I was slightly bummed that it was dark when we arrived, but we checked into the castle. Esme tried to push keeping us apart before the wedding, but Edward wouldn't have any of that. Before the wedding, we were staying in an executive suite, but for the night of the wedding we would stay in a private cottage on the land of the castle.
Edward, Katie and I got settled in an executive suite. We enjoyed a snack provided by the staff and we talked about what would be happen in a matter of days. We were having the rehearsal in three days once everyone had arrived from the states, with wedding scheduled the following day. Edward and the guys were going golfing while the girls and I were going to have a spa day.
I was panicking, slightly, at the prospect of the spa day. When I was wearing clothes, you could not tell that I was pregnant. But, my belly was rounded. I wanted to wait to announce the pregnancy until we were firmly entrenched in our second trimester, which would be upon our return from our month-long trip in the British Isles.
"Bella, you look freaked out," Edward said, coming back from tucking Katie into bed.
"I don't know if I can hide the pregnancy," I whispered, pressing my hand to my belly. "I want to keep this between us, at least for now."
"Just keep the robe on, angel," Edward explained, hugging me and smiling when he felt my growing stomach press against his. "I can't wait until I can feel the baby kick."
"At least three more months," I smiled, kissing his nose. "I'll feel something at four and a half months, but you won't until toward the end of the fifth month." I trailed my lips down his jaw and stepped back. "I'm going to shower because I feel gross."
"We rode on a private plane," Edward snickered.
"It was still a plane," I smirked, grabbing some fresh panties and pajamas from our bag. "It was just high-class recycled air."
We fell asleep and Edward was up before the sun to go golfing. I slept in with Katie before Esme called our room. Katie and I dressed casually, meeting them in the lobby for breakfast before heading to the luxurious spa. After we'd been buffed, waxed, massaged and beautified, we enjoyed tea overlooking the small lake on the property. My worries about people seeing my preggo belly were for naught.
By that evening, about half of our guests had arrived at the castle, including my friends from Washington. Linda Newton her husband Mike Sr. and Mike Jr. were in complete shock and awe at the lavish accommodations. Mike also tried to flirt with me despite the glower from my soon-to-be husband and the nearly three carat rock on my left finger. Beverly Crowley came with her boyfriend since she'd recently separated from her husband after she found out he'd enabled their son, Tyler, in his gambling addiction. Mark and his wife, Melinda, came and were treating this trip like a second honeymoon, flying to Paris after our wedding. The last of my Washingtonian friends, Angela and her husband, Ben, would be arriving late tonight since they were flying in from Portland, where they were living. They'd moved closer to Ben's parents since they were older and needed extra help around their house.
The following day, the rest of our guests arrived and we had our rehearsal. I was wearing a white cocktail dress with accents of navy. Edward wore a navy blue suit without a tie. The local vicar was performing our outdoor ceremony. Upon our return to the states, Jenks was going to legitimize our union with Alice and Emmett as our witnesses.
We ran through the ceremony a couple of times before heading back to the castle for the rehearsal dinner. We ate the meal before we passed out our gifts to our small bridal party and for Carlisle and Esme. For Alice and Katie, I got them some beautiful robes and jewelry that matched their soft green bridesmaid dresses. Edward got Emmett and Jenks, who was presenting Katie with the finalized adoption papers, a monogrammed flask and some Irish whiskey.
"Before we split up for the evening, we'd like to take a few moments to thank everyone for being here," Edward said, sliding his arm around my waist. "I know that making arrangements to fly to Ireland was a challenge, but we're so grateful that you're here to share in our wedding. Unfortunately, there are a couple of people who aren't here and we'd like to take a few moments to remember Dr. Phil and Renee Dwyer, along with Chief Charles Swan. All of them were taken from this world too soon." He held up the Waterford goblet filled with white wine. "To Phil, Renee and Charlie …"
"To my parents," I whispered, trying not to sob. Katie snuggled closer to me, her blue eyes brimming with tears. Edward scooped her up, kissing her temple.
"They love you, Little One, watching you from heaven," he breathed as he wiped her tears away. "They're celebrating with us, Katie."
"Can we go up to our room?" Katie asked, her voice cracking.
"Yeah, baby," I said. I reached for her, but Edward shook his head. He was adamant on me not doing any heavy lifting even though Katie wasn't that heavy.
"You go upstairs. We'll handle the crowd. Most everyone knows about your family and they understand your need to be alone," Esme murmured, hugging all of us.
We left the patio and went to our suite. I changed into some pajamas before I gave Katie a bath, giving her a chance to break down without an audience. When she was clean, I put her in some jammies and found Edward on the floor is a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt with an array of ice creams and toppings. "I know that ice cream won't bring back your family, but it will make your tummy feel good," he said, caressing Katie's cheek and smiling warmly at me.
"You're my family, Edward … Daddy," Katie whispered. "I'll always love my mom and dad, but you and Bella … Mommy … you love me and you've been with me. I love you both so much."
"We love you, too, Kit Kat. I get that sometimes the sadness becomes overwhelming," I whispered, dishing out some chocolate ice cream. "Some days the memories still knock the wind out of me, but seeing you smile and loving you has made it okay. More than okay. I'll love you for forever. We both will."
After some more tears and way too much ice cream, we ended up curling up in one bed since we all needed some extra support and snuggles. However, when I woke up, I was snuggled with my sister and there was a note from my soon-to-be husband.
Dearest Bella,
Today, I become your husband and that is the greatest title I can ever think of. Well, besides becoming a father to both Katie and to our peanut. Love is too small a word for what I feel for you and for our family. I cannot wait to see you walk down the aisle, wearing your gorgeous wedding dress.
I hope that you will wear something more … You know the adage?
Something old, something new,
Something borrowed, something blue.
I know my mom is giving you a handkerchief for your something old. The something new is your dress. I'm not sure about borrowed, but I handled the something blue. Check underneath my pillow and you'll find my gift to you. It's blue …
I'll see you at two. I'll be the one wearing the morning coat and grinning widely, eager to claim you as my wife, Mrs. Isabella Cullen.
All my love,
Grinch … but not so Grinchy today … Maybe, I'm the Grinch after his heart grew … I'm rambling. Love you, angel!
I giggled at his letter, but gasped at the beautiful jewelry Edward had gotten me and that woke Katie up. "Too early, Mommy," she grumbled.
"Sorry, Kit Kat," I said, kissing her forehead. "Come on. Let's get up. I'm getting married today."
"Yay!" Katie squealed, hugging me close.
We got up and ate breakfast with Esme and Alice. When we were finished, I was pushed into the bathroom with strict instructions to shower, but not to wash my hair. The hours before my wedding were a blur. I was dressed in wedding gown, a gorgeous A-line, lace dress that skimmed my curves. As my veil was pinned to my hair, I let my emotions bubble to the surface. Esme stood in front of me, taking my hands. "It's a happy day, Bella," she whispered. "Your mom is with you, so is your father, your stepfather. They love you."
"I know," I breathed, dabbing my eyes. "Hormones."
"I can imagine," she quipped. "How far along are you?"
"Ten weeks," I said. "We're waiting until we're past the first trimester before announcing, but the hormones are kicking my ass. Especially lately …"
"I'm going to be a grandmother?" she asked, grinning widely. I nodded and she hugged me. "Okay, your secret is safe with me. Edward knows?"
"Yes, Edward knows," I smiled. "I can't wait until I'm his wife."
"Well, it's time," Esme sang, handing me my bouquet that had been wrapped with her lace handkerchief.
We walked out of the room and I smiled at Carlisle, who was walking me down the aisle. He offered me his arm. "Don't let me fall, Carlisle," I whispered.
"Never, sweet girl," he whispered back.
The string quartet began playing and impatiently I waited as Alice walked down the aisle followed by Katie, who was being escorted by Emmett. I wanted to sprint down to Edward. The music morphed into something romantic that had an Irish flair. Carlisle squeezed my hand, leading me to Edward and vicar. Stopping just short of arbor that was decorated with white roses with accents of green and blue, we waited for the music to swell and fade away.
I looked up and nearly sobbed when I saw Edward. He was also crying, fidgeting next to the vicar. Carlisle took my hand, placing it into Edward's and I felt like I was home. I clung to him as I stepped to him. Handing my flowers to Katie, I weaved my fingers with his. The vicar began the service and I honestly couldn't tell you what he'd said. All that I remembered was repeating our traditional vows and saying 'I do' when the vicar asked if I wanted to take Edward as my husband.
Before we were announced as husband and wife, Jason Jenks stood up and he crouched in front of Katie. He performed an adoption ceremony, asking us if we'd be there for her and love her forever. With a flourish, Jenks announced that Katie would be our daughter and our family. We gave her a Cullen crest, enveloping her into the Cullen family. The vicar grinned and announced us as husband and wife, giving us permission to kiss.
The rest of the afternoon was spent taking pictures overlooking some of the most scenic locations I'd ever seen. However, we did have to run inside because the unpredictable weather gave us a lovely rainstorm. Thankfully, we'd prepared for this and our reception was in one of the ballrooms of the castle. Victoria pounced to fix my makeup which had been slightly smeared from the rain and from Edward's needy kisses.
By the end of the night, my face was hurting from smiling so much and I was eager to begin my honeymoon with my husband.
I had a husband. I was someone's wife. I was Katie's mother and in a matter of months, I'd have a newborn.
As Edward and I were dancing to a slow song, I caressed his cheek. "All of my dreams have come true," I murmured.
"Both of our dreams have come true, angel. I love you so much, Mrs. Cullen," he breathed, kissing me tenderly. "Want to get out of here?"
"I want you, husband," I moaned.
"Ask and ye shall receive, wife," he purred. With a wicked grin, he tugged on my hand and led me out of the ballroom to our honeymoon suite, where we spent the night making love.
Honeymoon sex was fucking awesome.
xx FFADS xx
Edward
A month in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England was amazing, but nothing was better than coming home. I missed Katie and weirdly enough, I missed work. I knew that I'd be taking time off when Bella gave birth to our baby. Bella was also planning on taking at least six months off. David was taking over her team while she was on maternity leave.
Today, it was our five month checkup and we were, hopefully, going to see if the baby was a boy or a girl. I didn't care if we had a boy or a girl. I just wanted the baby to be healthy.
"After the doctor's appointment, can we stop for some tacos?" Bella asked, tapping out an email on her phone. "Peanut wants tacos."
"Peanut or Mommy?" I quipped.
"Both," she growled adorably. "You'd deny your wife and child sustenance they so desperately need?"
"I'm just your humble servant," I laughed. "We'll get you both tacos."
"And elote," she added. I nodded, rolling my eyes as she squealed happily. I pulled into the parking garage. I helped Bella out of the car, cupping her small beach ball that was our baby. She gently swatted my hands away. "You are obsessed with the belly. Just wait until the baby is out of here, the belly won't be so cute."
"I don't care, angel. You're gorgeous," I said, pulling her closer to me and kissing her temple. She snuggled closer to me because the weather was growing colder. We rode up to the doctor's office and were immediately ushered into the exam room after Bella peed and was weighed by Adele. Bella's nose wrinkled when Adele gleefully announced she was up another ten pounds.
Once in the exam room, Dr. Avery came in and checked Bella, happy with the progress of her pregnancy.
"So, are you ready to see if the baby is going to share their gender?" Dr. Avery asked.
"Very much so. We want to know what color to paint the nursery," Bella answered. "It's between a soft yellow, carnival theme if it's a boy or purple fairy theme if it's a girl."
"Either one sounds really adorable," Dr. Avery sang.
"The furniture we picked can go with either option," I smiled.
"Well, let's check it out," Dr. Avery grinned, covering Bella's stomach with blue goo. Bella shuddered, reaching for my hand and twisting my wedding band as Dr. Avery moved the doppler around her belly. The heartbeat filled the room. We smiled, hearing the steady thrum of our baby's heartbeat. "Okay, here's the head and nose. It looks like baby is taking after Dad with the nose." She adjusted the doppler and grinned. "Baby's behaving today. What do you see?"
"Nothing," Bella said. "Are we supposed to see something?" She looked back at me; her eyes panicked. "Edward, what's wrong?"
"We're having a girl," I breathed. "Is that what you're showing us?"
"Exactly," Dr. Avery said, pointing out the anatomy of our daughter. I was having a daughter. I had a gorgeous wife and two beautiful, perfect daughter. "Here, Dad." She handed me a Kleenex.
"Sorry," I snickered, wiping my cheeks. "A baby girl. I can't believe it."
"She's beautiful," Bella said, reaching up to cup my jaw. "We're going to have pictures of this, right?"
"They're printing as we speak," Dr. Avery said. "Including an announcement that you're having a girl. Congratulations! You get to paint the nursery in a purple fairy theme." She gently wiped off the blue goo and covered up Bella's stomach. "I'll see you in a month. Starting next month, you'll come in every two weeks. You'll be meeting your little one in mid-January."
"Can't wait," Bella smiled.
"I'll let you get dressed," Dr. Avery said, removing her gloves. "Your sonograms and the next round of prenatal vitamins will be at the receptionist desk. Call me if you need anything."
I helped Bella back into her leggings, sweater and knee-high boots. With the belly, bending was a struggle for Bella. Draping her leather jacket over her shoulders, I led her back to the receptionist's desk. Adele was waiting for us with a stack of pictures to share with our family and another ginormous bottle of prenatal vitamins.
We made our appointment and while I drove us back to the house, Bella contacted the bakery making the cake for the baby shower. We were going to use the cake to announce what we were having. After we hung up the phone, Bella idly played with her wedding rings. "A girl …"
"How you feeling about that, angel?" I asked.
"I'm so excited," she breathed. "But, the name … I don't know what to name her. Choosing a name for another human is a big deal. I don't want to scar the poor kid by naming her Bertha or something."
"I'm vetoing Bertha right now," I laughed.
"Good! Me, too," Bella snickered. "I want something that is uniquely our child. I also want to honor my mother. The name, Renee, isn't my favorite. I don't know if you want to honor your birth mother or Esme …"
"Esme told me that she hated her name for the longest time and her middle name was her mother's maiden name, Ames," I shrugged. "My birth mother was an irresponsible and selfish, only looking to score her next hit of drugs."
"What about your mother's middle name?" I asked.
"Which one?" Bella asked wryly, giving me a smirk. "Well, that's one of her names. Being Catholic, we have an overabundance of names. Middle name, baptismal name, confirmation name …"
We got to the house, coming up with a couple of options for the name of our daughter. The conversation came to a stop when Katie came home from school. We had time. At the baby shower, we'd announce the gender, but we didn't have to share the baby's name until we were ready.
A month passed and we had our baby shower on Halloween in lieu of the over-the-top Halloween party like the previous two years. While at the shower, we announced we were having a girl. People asked us what the name was going to be, but we were honest in saying that we had no idea. We had a list. A long list, but no idea what to choose.
Thanksgiving was a bit of a nightmare. Alice had grown impatient and upset that everyone else was married, made the executive decision to have a wedding on Black Friday. Alice, Jasper and the rest of their bridal party met up at city hall for a civil ceremony. They'd still have their massive wedding in the summer, but the delays caught up with Alice and Jasper. We were all dressed up, huddled in a judge's chambers for their civil ceremony. Alice wore a chic white dress and funky-looking hat. Her bouquet was an array of bright blooms in fall colors. Jasper wore a coordinating outfit with an excited grin.
The ceremony was short and poignant. Alice and Jasper were so happy to finally be married, even if it was a small civil ceremony. We left the courthouse and went out for lunch at the Walnut Room in Macy's on State Street. Bella was a little uncomfortable since our daughter was using her bladder as a punching bag.
The annual MAC Christmas Eve celebration at our home was moved to Rose and Emmett's place since Bella was not up to cooking for over twenty people. We just ended up bringing up some cookies and premade appetizers. As we were driving to Rose and Emmett's, Bella was rubbing her belly trying to calm down the baby. "I think I'm ready to go on maternity leave," she said. "My body is about to explode and I'm exhausted all the time."
"You're not sleeping well, angel," I said, putting my hand on hers. I felt a subtle kick. I grinned at the feeling. My daughter was trying to kick her way out of her mother's belly.
"Just wait until the baby gets here," Katie chirped. "My friend, Mary, said that her mommy had a baby and all the baby does is cry."
"How did you get so smart?" Bella asked, smiling at Katie.
"It's all in the blood," Katie giggled. "But, no matter what, you're going to be an awesome mom. I should know. I've had two of the best moms."
"I may as well bank up on my sleep," Bella quipped. "Plus, I have an overbearing need to clean every inch of our house, Edward."
"Angel, you can eat off our floors," I snorted.
"Don't argue with the pregnant lady," she said, poking my arm.
"It's called nesting, Dad," Katie explained from the backseat.
"How do you know that?" I asked, laughing as I parked on the street of Rose and Emmett's condo.
"Mary," Katie answered simply.
"Come on, Grinch. We'll talk about the nesting and maternity leave after the party," Bella smiled, kissing me sweetly.
The party was not the same at Rose and Emmett's place. It didn't have the same homey feeling. Emmett and Rose's place was sparsely decorated and overly modern. I could tell Bella wanted to take over, but she stayed seated, sipping some egg nog. She'd developed a craving for it and we went through gallons of it. To be honest, it turned my stomach, but what my wife wanted, my wife got.
"Okay, I know we promised to not talk about work, but I have some gossip," Rose said after we'd finished dinner and the white elephant gift exchange.
"Is it good gossip or juicy gossip?" Alice asked.
"Juicy gossip," Rose smirked. "Remember the skeevy graphic designer that my husband hired?"
"Must you lead with that, Rosalie?" Emmett growled.
"Baby, I love you, but you were the idiot who hired James Holden," Rose snorted, her words slurring. "Anyhow, James Holden was arrested for sexual assault in Vancouver after the charges against him were dropped in Vegas. Anyway, He moved up there and was trying set up a graphic design company. He got completely hammered and attacked a bartender who refused to serve him. It was brutal …"
"Rose, this is not juicy gossip. This is awful," Bella frowned. "Also, little ears." She pointed to Katie, Addy and Kamryn.
"Don't get into the specifics, Rose," Emmett chided.
"Okay, okay. Long story short, he's in jail. For the rest of his life," Rose beamed. "He'll never hurt another person or make another inappropriate pass at another employee again."
"Thank goodness for small miracles," I muttered. "Maybe he'll become more empathetic when his choice is taken away." Bella growled at me. "What? It's true."
"And on that note," Bella sighed. "Come on, Grinch. Help the beached whale to her feet. I'll see you all after I give birth."
"You're going on maternity leave?" David asked.
"I have a human using my bladder as a punching bag. You're in charge until I get back, David. Don't run my team into the ground and keep Jane and Victoria happy. Merry Christmas, everyone," Bella said as I helped her to her feet. I waved, scooping Katie up over my shoulder. She squealed, pounding on my back with giggles.
When we got back to the brownstone, we put Katie to bed and we celebrated Christmas in our own way. I worshipped Bella's body knowing that when our little girl arrived, making love to my wife would be at a premium. As she shattered in my arms, I closed my eyes, and thanked my lucky stars that my wishes had come true.
"I love you, Edward," Bella purred. "Merry Christmas."
"I adore you, angel," I breathed, brushing her hair back.
xx FFADS xx
Bella
I'd washed every single onesie, pair of socks and baby clothes. I was sitting in the rocking chair, folding the mountains of baby clothes in preparation for when our daughter would arrive. She was taking her sweet time, nestled in my uterus and not wanting to leave the comfort of my womb. At this point, I was going to give birth to a fully grown teenager.
My bag was packed and I was eager to meet our daughter.
A daughter that still didn't have a name.
"Angel, I'm home," Edward said.
"I'm in the nursery," I called out. "Do you have Katie?"
"My mom took her, wanting to spoil her since we'll have a newborn in a matter of days," Edward replied, leaning against the door frame of the nursery. He was wearing a navy blue suit with a blue dress shirt and blue paisley tie. "Angel, you're ogling me."
"Because you're hot and sexy while I look like I ate a basketball," I said, rubbing my baby belly. I couldn't even wear maternity clothes. I was wearing oversized shirts and Edward's boxer briefs.
He walked over to me, crouching in front of me. His hands cupped our baby. He kissed my stomach. "Listen to Daddy, Peanut. Give Mommy a break. We're ready to meet you." She kicked toward his voice. I grimaced. "No beating up your mother, kiddo. You could just …" He blinked up to me. "Bella?"
"Normally when she kicks, it's uncomfortable since there's not a lot of room in there. But, this feels like my stomach is ripping," I grumbled, moving forward in the rocking chair. When I moved, my eyes widened.
"Bella?"
"My water broke," I whispered, tears welling in my eyes. "Edward …"
"Okay, baby," he smiled, wiping my tears away. "I think that ripping feeling is a contraction. Give me your hands."
"I ruined the rocking chair," I sniffled.
"I don't care about the rocking chair," he said, helping me up. He put his arm around me and walked me to our bathroom. He started taking off my clothes.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Just humor me, angel," he chuckled, turning on the water and helping me into the shower. "Take a few moments and I'm going to call Dr. Avery." He gently kissed me. "I love you both so much." He stepped back, pulling out his cell phone and pressing a few buttons.
As much as I was confused as to why Edward shoved me in the shower, I was grateful. The hot water calmed me down and soothed the pains I was experiencing from labor. I didn't wash my hair, but just let the water sluice over me. Edward came back in, dressed in a pair of jeans and a hoodie. He helped me out of the shower, drying me carefully. I noticed that he had a pair of my panties with a pad on it. "Dr. Avery suggested this," he said. "Your water breaking is not a gush, but a trickle."
"I've noticed that," I said, wrinkling my nose. Edward helped dress me and guided me down to the car. It was slow going since I was feeling every contraction. Settling me in the front seat with my bag in the back, we drove the hospital. Dr. Avery was waiting for us at the emergency room with a wheelchair and a bright grin.
We were rolled up to the labor and delivery ward. When we got up to our room, I was put into a gown, a fetal monitor and given an IV. Dr. Avery checked how far I was dilated. "You're about four centimeters dilated. Do you want an epidural?"
"If that first contraction was any indication of how painful birth can be, then yes," I nodded, taking Edward's hand. I idly spun his wedding band, trying to keep it together since there was another contraction ripped through me. Edward pressed his forehead to mine, murmuring how much he adored me, adored our daughter.
After Dr. Avery made the call for the epidural and anesthesiologist put me out of my misery, we had a few hours of calm. "We need to pick a name, Edward," I said, idly tracing the veins on his hand.
"I know," he murmured. He pulled out his phone, opening the list of possible names. "Let's at least get rid of the ones we know we don't want."
We whittled the list of names down to three. We decided that we would name her after we both saw her for the first time. Once we'd finished picking our names, my contractions picked up in strength and intensity. Even with the epidural, I could feel them. My labor progressed quickly and by eight in the evening, I was beginning to push. Edward was my strength as I grunted and screamed, trying to push our baby girl out of me.
"Okay, Bella, take a break," Dr. Avery said. "We need to clear out the mouth and nose."
"Can you see her?" I asked, panting heavily.
"I'm afraid to look down there," he chuckled.
"Most expectant fathers are," Dr. Avery quipped. "Seeing their wives like this … it's traumatic."
Edward leaned forward; his lips close to my ear. "Your pussy is a thing of beauty. I know that you are doing an amazing thing with giving birth to our daughter, but she's … wreaking havoc on my favorite place on the planet."
"Hmmm, good point," I snickered. I groaned, tightening my hand around his. "I need to push, Dr. Avery."
"Go for it, Bella. Four more big pushes and your little girl will be here," Dr. Avery sang. With Edward's word of encouragement and Dr. Avery's insistent urges for me to push, our little girl came screaming into the world. "Do you want to cut the cord, Dad?"
Edward looked at me, kissing me roughly. He took the proffered scissors and cut the cord where Adele indicated. Our daughter was crying as she was placed on my stomach. She was hot, squirming and covered in goo. I joined my daughter with my own tears, overjoyed that she was finally here. "Hi, baby," I cried, looking down at her. "We've been waiting for you a long time, Peanut."
"Let me take her, Bella," Adele said. "We're going to clean her up, weigh her while Dr. Avery delivers the afterbirth and then you can have her back."
"Go with her, Edward," I murmured.
"I love you, Bella. You've given me …" he breathed, tears brimming in his crystalline eyes. He kissed me again and I felt his tears fall onto my cheeks.
"Watch over our baby girl," I whispered.
He nodded, pulling himself away and following Adele to take care of our baby. Dr. Avery had me push some more as she delivered the afterbirth. The adrenaline was slowing and exhaustion was starting to kick in. I must have drifted off. When I woke up, Dr. Avery and Adele were gone and Edward was sitting on the recliner, holding our daughter. He was so beautiful, staring at her in awe. He was whispering to her, stroking her cheek.
"Is she okay?" I croaked, shifting and grimacing as my muscles groaned. "Ouch."
"Dr. Avery said that you have some stitches down there," Edward said. "You're going to be tender, she said."
"What time is it?" I asked.
"About three in the morning," he answered, standing up with the tiny bundle in his arms. "We still need to name her. The night nurse left the birth certificate paperwork … We can't exactly put down Peanut as her name."
"Not if we want her to have a normal childhood," I snickered. "Oooh, I can't laugh and I really got to pee." I pressed the nurse call button. A short woman came in the room. She introduced herself as Lexi and she helped me hobble to the bathroom. She helped me into my pajamas after I peed and washed my face. She was very gentle, patient and understanding. She'd had two children of her own and empathized with my discomfort.
Once I was back in the hospital bed with some pain killers, Edward handed me our daughter. She was tiny and pink and perfect. Her hair was wispy and had a subtle hint of red. "What color are her eyes?" I asked.
"Grey, but Dr. Avery thinks they may shift to be hazel or green," Edward explained. "She's six pounds, nine ounces and eighteen inches of perfection who still needs a name."
"You're right," I said, maneuvering her to breast feed since she was nuzzling against my swollen boobs. "What are the three options we agreed on before I pushed her out of my vagina. My poor, poor vagina …"
"I can only imagine," he chuckled as he watched our baby girl latch onto my nipple.
"Focus, Grinch," I chided. "Names, offspring, go!"
He pulled out his phone and opened the list. "The three names we agreed on were Amelia, Olivia and Maya."
"Olivia is a no. I like it, but it's too close to the word 'olive' and I hate olives," I said.
"Interesting logic, but okay," Edward snickered. "No Olivia. That leaves Amelia and Maya."
I looked down at our daughter and I knew in my heart. "Amelia," I whispered. "Amelia Renee Cullen."
"Amelia," Edward breathed. "Our Amelia …" He kissed my lips and brushed Amelia's hair back. "I'm your daddy, Amelia. I'm so happy that you're here."
"We both are," I murmured. "Now, we can send out those announcements about her with her name and not Peanut."
"Amelia will always be Peanut," Edward snickered, holding up his camera. "Smile, angel."
"I must look amazing," I deadpanned.
"You're gorgeous, just like Amelia," he countered. He slid his arm around both of us and snapped a few photos. Once we agreed on one, Edward sent a mass text to our friends … our family …
Welcome to the world Amelia Renee Cullen, born January 19th at 8:40pm at six pounds, nine ounces and eighteen inches long. Mom, Dad and little Amelia are all doing great. Exhausted, but great. Much love to all of you ~ Edward and Bella
We left the hospital two days after Amelia was born. Katie was brought over early the following morning by Esme and Carlisle. She was so happy that the baby was okay and that she had a sister. It was definitely an adjustment once we were back home. Amelia was an amazing baby, but she cried at the least opportune times. She loved to cover Edward with spit up after eating. He took it in stride, but the smell was pungent. I felt like a human cow because of all the nursing.
The biggest help was Katie. She adored her little sister. She helped both Edward and I when we were feeding her, dressing her or anything else. While she was helpful, we also made sure to give her attention since everyone was focused on Amelia. Edward proclaimed that Saturday mornings were for him and Katie. They would have Daddy/Daughter dates while spent time with my girls. Alice, Rose and Esme would come over while Edward was out with Katie. Occasionally, Sue would join them, as would David, Victoria and Jane. Their visits made me feel less like a human cow and more like a person.
On one of those Saturday mornings, I was eating a muffin with Alice. Rose was on a business trip and Esme was picking up groceries for us. Apparently, having a baby meant that we couldn't take care of ourselves, but I wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
"Alice, Edward and I were talking," I said. "About the godparents for Amelia …"
"What's up?"
"Would you be Amelia's godmother?" I asked.
"Really?" Alice breathed. "Oh my word, yes! When is the christening?"
"Next weekend," I answered.
"Who's the godfather?" Alice questioned.
"Edward asked Emmett," I replied. "He cried. Emmett, big Emmett cried." I bent down, scooping Amelia up from the pack and play, kissing her forehead. "Do you want to be snuggled by Aunt Alice?"
"Come here, my little minion," Alice sang, cradling Amelia. "I cannot believe how beautiful she is, Bella. She's the most perfect combination of you and Edward. He's going to have to beat off boys with a stick."
"He's become an overprotective father. Neither Katie nor Amelia are dating until they're thirty," I snickered, sipping some coffee. "It's kind of cute."
"Do you know when he's coming back to work?" Alice asked. "When are you coming back?"
"He'll be back after the christening. I'm coming back in June," I replied.
We talked until Katie came back with Edward, with Esme on their heels. She checked in with Amelia and hugged Alice before skipping up to her room. Alice hung out for another half hour and Esme stayed through lunch before Edward ushered her out of the house.
The last week of Edward's paternity leave was spent bonding as much as he could before he went back to work. We also spent time finalizing the christening with our parish and making arrangements at a local restaurant for a late lunch, early dinner. The morning of the christening, I put on one of my maternity dresses since I still needed to lose the baby weight. It was looser, but I was still self-conscious.
"You look beautiful, angel," Edward murmured, walking to me and kissing my neck.
"I feel huge," I sighed. "But, thank you."
"Come here, Bella," he said, guiding me to the overstuffed chair that had been in my living room before we moved into this new place. Now, it was a favorite spot for Edward to hold me while I held Amelia or Katie. He sat down with me on his lap. "I never imagined that all my dreams would come true with you."
"Based on our introduction, I'd have to agree," I quipped, kissing his nose. "With you, my dreams came true, too."
"Bella, you are my best friend, my wife, the mother to my children and my own personal angel," he whispered. "When we met, I was in a dark place. But, you brought me into the light."
"I think it was a team effort with me and Katie," I argued.
"I agree with that," he snorted. "You have no idea how much your love, acceptance, friendship and everything else did for me. I was resigned to live a life in the darkness, never finding true happiness. I felt like I didn't deserve it. But, now? I can't imagine my life without it. You, Katie and Amelia are my light … you are my happiness. I love you more than words can say. You could have walked away, but you didn't."
"I couldn't walk away from you, Edward. Your history was awful and unfair, but it made you the strong man you are. I fell in love with a man who had a dark soul. But, your soul was never dark … it just needed to be brought into the light. You are so good, so loving, so beautiful and perfect for me, for Katie and for Amelia. I'm honored to be your best friend, your lover, your wife and mother to your children. You've brought me into the light, as well," I breathed, kissing him tenderly. "I can't imagine not being with you."
He slid his arms around me and snuggled me close. We made out for a few moments until Katie said that Amelia pooped her pants. "This is our life," Edward chuckled.
"I wouldn't want it any other way," I smiled. "But, it's your turn to handle the poopy diaper. I got the last one."
He grumbled, lifting me and putting me back on the chair. He pressed his lips to mine before ducking into Amelia's nursery.
I fell in love with a dark soul, my Edward … my Grinch. He just needed to be brought into the light and now? He's my light. He said that we saved him, when in reality, he saved us. He healed us and together, we were able to handle anything.
Absolutely anything.
"Ugh, she pooped through to the mattress of the crib," Edward wailed. "Gross."
Including poopy mattresses.
"Coming, Grinch," I sang with a laugh.
Yeah, we could handle anything.
Fin