Here's the next chapter! Forever grateful for my beta, madmooey18!
Bella's Point of View
I ran after him into the pouring rain, not even aware of my drenched clothes. "Edward, stop! You don't know what happened!" I yelled.
"Right now, I don't even want to know what happened, Bella. If you really loved me, you would've told me about it by now." He said without looking me in the eyes. He couldn't even look at me anymore.
I was such a disappointment.
"Edward, at least give me a chance to tell you what actually happened." My voice quivered, tears were rolling down my cheeks.
"Goodbye, Bella." He got into his car and rushed away.
The weather was crying for me. The weather was crying for us.
I opened my eyes to the blinding hospital room lights, like I've done time and time again in my recent past. I saw Mom sitting next to my bed in a deep sleep. I took in my surroundings when I heard a knock on my door that woke my Mom up. She asked the person on the other side of the door to come in, while she sat up straight and smoothed out her shirt.
"So, Isabella, how are you feeling?" The nurse said as she checked my vitals and the readings on the machines I was hooked up to.
'"Huh? Oh, you're awake! I didn't even notice," she grimaced and yawned.
"You'd think I would be used to sleeping in hospitals by now, wouldn't you," she chuckled. I smiled sadly.
The nurse looked at me expectantly. "I just woke up, so, I'm not sure yet," I jested.
"Sure. I expect you to take care of yourself, alright? You'll be discharged tomorrow morning. Sleep well," said the nurse, "Mrs. Dwyer, could I get you some more pillows or anything else to make you more comfortable?"
"Oh, a couple of pillows would be amazing, dear. Thank you," Renee replied and the nurse left.
"So, what happened?" I wanted to know if I had dreamed that part or not.
"He found out about Willow, you ran after him in the storm and you yelled at each other. Then the stress triggered a seizure right after he left," Renee vented.
"Where is she?" I asked.
"She's at home with Charlie. Do you wanna see her?" She asked.
As if she needed to ask me that.
"What are you talking about? Of course I want to see her!" I yelled joyously. Renee giggled.
About twenty minutes later, I heard a knock on the door, signifying that Charlie was here with my baby. I couldn't wait to see her.
"Come in," Mom yelled.
If I weren't attached to the machines, I would've jumped up off my bed and taken my baby out from her car seat.
"Shush, I put her to sleep some time ago." Charlie whispered. He put her seat on my bed, right in front of me. She was wearing a little beige beanie and a beige sweater and black pants. She was peacefully asleep. I lifted her out of the carrier and held her close. She stirred a little but then snuggled into my chest without even knowing it. I breathed in her baby scent and it calmed me immensely. I leaned against the back of the hospital bed and closed my eyes.
I was going to have to tell him.
I had to tell him everything that had gone down before and after Willow's birth, how she came to be and what happened to her father. I wanted to put it off for as long as I could, but now it couldn't wait. He probably hated me. My seemingly deceptive behaviour must've hurt him so much. I remembered the broken expression on his face when he saw me with my baby, then he rushed out of the house to get away, to forget my shitty, fucking face. He definitely was going to need time to get used to everything. I felt remorseful for not telling him earlier. But I was afraid that he would leave me. He wouldn't have wanted to deal with the responsibility that comes with a baby.
"She needs to be fed when she wakes up. I gave her a bottle before we drove home. I think she'll be hungry soon," Renee notified me. I merely nodded.
All I wanted to do was snuggle with my baby and sleep for days. She woke up after some time, surprised to see me and she squealed and gave me a gummy smile.
"Hi, baby," I said adoringly, "Are you hungry? You want to eat? Well, Mama's got some food for you," I joked. Charlie turned around as soon as I opened the buttons my hospital gown, revealing my boobs and guided her to my nipple, and she latched on hungrily. I covered myself with a blanket that Mom had brought for me.
"You decent now, Bells? Is it safe to look?" Charlie jested.
"Of course, Dad," I giggled.
Someone knocked on the door and let themselves in.
It was Carlisle and Esme. They nodded at my parents in greeting. Carlisle shook Charlie's hand and Renee rose from her chair to hug Esme.
I blushed and made sure that I wasn't flashing my breasts to them. They had sympathetic smiles on their faces.
"Esme, I'm really sorry that I didn't tell him earlier," I apologised. She walked towards my bed and sat on the edge, playing with Willow's little foot.
"It's alright, Bella. I think I understand the reason behind why you didn't tell him about her," Esme nodded.
"How's he holding up?" I asked.
"He's locked himself up in his room," Esme sighed and after a few moments of contemplation, she said, "Bella, can you please do me a favour? Can you please come home tomorrow and talk to him? You're the only one who can persuade him to break out of his shell. He had been like this when Tanya died, I can't bear to see him so heartbroken, again," her eyes welled with tears, I grabbed her hand with my free hand and squeezed it reassuringly.
"I will surely do that, Esme. I give you my word on it," I promised her.
Willow had pushed herself away from my breast, indicating that she was done. I brought her tiny body against my shoulder and patted her back to coax a burp out of her. She let out a belch and then squealed into my ear. I laughed at her antics. While placing her on the bed, Esme asked me if she could hold her and I told her to go ahead. Esme held Willow under her arms and sat her on her lap, supporting her front and her back, so she didn't fall. Carlisle dragged a chair in front of Esme and smiled at his wife and the happy baby. Willow looked at them with her curious eyes, trying to figure out who they were, as Esme smiled at her and spoke to her, as she bounced her knees.
Willow was now four months old, so she could hold her head up straight and laughed and squealed like there was no tomorrow. She had started to sleep during the night for six hours straight and also was getting used to the Forks weather. I remember having sleepless nights in the beginning when we'd moved to Forks, when the pouring rain scared her and kept her crying and screaming through the night. I was the only one who could calm her down but getting up in the morning to get to school was painful. Willow was a fairly happy baby although, she had her share of fussy days, especially when she didn't get to see me for a few hours because I was at school or with Edward, but then she got used to it. My Mom had insisted on staying with me until Phil was back home, so I could have time to study and bond with Edward. My Mom had really wanted another baby of her own when she was younger but couldn't because a miscarriage had caused a lot of fertility issues. So she made up her "baby-time" by spending time with Willow. Since, Phil had insisted that she quit her job because it wasn't required—though he only meant it with good purpose, so she could spend time with me—had left her with some leeway. But now that she had a daughter who had to attend school and a granddaughter to look after in her mother's absence, so she utilised her time by babysitting for me. When I straight away told her and Phil that I'd get a GED when Willow was older, they refused. They told me that I'd put it off longer and then regret not getting a proper education. Renee knew what having a child at such a young age would entail. I didn't have Willow's father's support, I didn't have a job to pay for groceries or an apartment, I had an incomplete education, which wouldn't get me anywhere in these times. So, she supported me as much as she could, Phil played a big role in it as well. He paid my fees, sent my mother here, so I could study and get a proper education while she babysat for me. I couldn't be more thankful for their support.
Charlie supported me as well, he looked after Willow when I was out running errands or with Edward or at school, when Mom wasn't here. He ordered take out when I wasn't able to make dinner for some reason—mostly it was when Willow was having a bad day.
I always expressed my gratitude to my family for being there for me and my baby. They all adored her so much. How could you not fall in love with such a cute baby?
Willow's whimpering broke me out of my train of thought and I held my arms open for Esme to hand her back to me. Her diaper had to be changed. My Mom handed me the diaper bag and I handled the rest.
"We should get going, I need to make dinner. I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Bella. Sleep well. And you too, little munchkin," Esme said while tickling the baby's sides.
She giggled in response and hid her face in my chest.
"Goodbye, Bella," Carlisle said and kissed Willow's head.
"Have a goodnight. Thank you for visiting," I smiled and waved at them.
"I think I should get going too, I'll be here in the morning to get you back home," Charlie said, kissing my forehead and kissing Willow's fist, "Be good for Nana and Mama."
I pressed the button for the nurses' station and asked them if I could get a crib to lay Willow in. They rolled an oversized wooden crib through the door a few minutes later. I mumbled my thanks and they left.
"Well, it's just you me and Nana, baby," I cooed.
I turned her around to face me and Mom, and supported her back so she could "sit up". My mom indulged her in a game of peek-a-boo, a game she just loved. When Mom would cover her face, Willow would stare at her in concentration and when she would uncover her face and yell "peek-a-boo" she'd be startled for a moment and the start giggling like crazy. I grabbed her little body, under her arms and held her straight as if she were standing, and she started bouncing on her legs. All these games were just an attempt to tire her out so she wouldn't wake up in the middle of the night and disturb our sleep. She soon stopped bouncing and sat, as I supported her back. Mom had made a makeshift bed for herself on the sofa, while I changed Willow's stinky diaper and changed her into her pajamas, which was a little fuzzy romper which covered her entire body and there were cute bears all over it. I held her to my chest and sang her a song "Here Comes the Sun" by The Beatles. I used to listen to the Beatles when I was pregnant with her, so I found it quite soothing to sing one of their songs as a lullaby to my daughter.
Her eyes were droopy as she fell into a fast sleep soon after, and I placed her in the crib, hoping she would sleep through the night. I had a long day tomorrow, and I didn't want to face Edward, being agitated because of a lack of sleep. I was planning to bring Willow along with me so he could meet her.
Thoughts? Don't you all just love little Willow?
A warm welcome to all the new readers!
I'm working on the next chapter and it's appearing to be more than six thousand words long. I'll put it up as soon as possible.
I have recently read Body of Christ by Belladonna and TheFictionFreak and it was sooo good! I'm currently reading Loving Them by knicnort3 and it is just amazing. It is written so well and I'm in love with all the characters and the plot of this fic.
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