DISCLAIMER: The characters do not belong to me…they are all the creation of the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. All are human.

My Poor Little Man

Bella's POV

"Bella, hold the dress up a little higher. If the picture isn't just right, Alice will make me take it again," Rose said, adjusting her camera phone in her hand. "Perfect," she said as she snapped a picture. "And…it…is…sent!"

"Think she'll like it?" I asked, running my hand over the soft fabric. It was a beautiful red dress with a deep v-neck—it showed more than I normally would have wanted, but this was a special occasion. And the ribbon that tied to the side, just above the waist, would almost certainly hide the little bit of pregnancy stomach I hadn't lost yet.

"It's red, it's hot, and it's sexy as hell," Rose replied. "I think she'll love it. Hell, I love it! Of course, she'll make you put it on and make me send a picture of that before she'll actually say it."

"I figured," I chuckled. "What's next after this?"

"Shoes to match and then the lingerie."

"You're excited for that part, aren't you?"

"Oh, yeah," Rose chuckled. "You are getting something you normally wouldn't, and it's going to be red, and Edward won't stand a chance. The dress alone is going to be enough to give him a heart attack so by the time he sees what's underneath, he'll be putty in your hands."

"I don't want to give him a heart attack, Rose. I just want to make sure he's too enticed to be worried about anything."

"Don't worry, Bells. Alice and I will help." She looked down at her phone and chuckled. "Speaking of the Pixie. She says to get in a dressing room and put it on. Time for another picture."

I laughed as I turned around and started walking for the dressing rooms. Honestly, I was excited to try it on and I really hoped I could pull it off with my post-baby body.

With a little help from Rose, I got the dress on and I had to admit that I really looked good in it. I even posed for the camera phone when Rose took the picture.

"I love it when you're in the mood to shop," Rose chuckled. "It makes everything so much easier. Not to mention, it's nice to see there really is a little bit of a sexy vixen inside of you."

"I don't know where it comes from, but every so often, I get confident enough to attempt to be sexy. I'm just not so sure I pull it off well."

"Trust me, Bells, if Edward has just seen that pose, your weekend would be starting right here and now."

"I really don't think he's going to be like that, Rose. I think he's going to be really hesitant."

"And you will pull him right out of it, Bella. Just be patient with the both of you and start out small. Don't go right for the big finish part. There's a ton of ways to show each other intimacy without taking off all of your clothes."

"Meaning?"

"Like…Does Edward like his scalp massaged? Emmett loves it when he sits down in front of me and I just lightly scratch and rub through his curls. The man gets so relaxed, he nearly purrs."

"I don't know…Never tried it before."

"One night this week, get him to lay with you and then just test it out. Be very absent-minded about it, like you don't even know you're doing it, and see how he reacts."

"Alright. I can do that. What else?"

"Massages. You can massage pretty much any body part and make it sensual if you do it the right way. A little lotion, or a nice smelling oil—nothing greasy though."

"I think I'm learning more than I want to about what you do with my brother."

Rose snorted and lifted one perfect eyebrow at me. "Would you rather have Alice explain it to you?"

"No way," I replied instantly. "She won't be as tactful as you're being. Then again, my mom probably wouldn't have been either," I added, laughing a little.

Rose just smiled at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing," she said, smiling wider and hugging me. "It's just great to have you talking about your mom with a big smile on your face."

"I've been having a lot of fun looking at old photo albums and telling Charlie all about his grandparents. Rose, I miss my baby."

She chuckled at me. "I know, but we won't be that much longer. Besides, this is good practice for this weekend."

"I'm so nervous about it, and I know that's completely silly since I've been with Edward for so long now."

"It's also completely understandable, Bells. In a lot of ways, this will be like your first time with him all over again."

"Was it that way for Emmett and you?"

"A little bit, but not really. I had a great pregnancy with Lily and I was cleared to be active within five weeks of her birth, so we really didn't have that long of a break. With Edward and you, it's been months of abstinence."

"Do you know I've only had one real kiss from him in all this time?"

"That doesn't surprise me. You've both had a lot to deal with, mentally and physically."

"But you're sure he wants this weekend…that he wants me?"

"Bella, I promise you that I'm being honest. He does have things planned and he is looking forward to it. He has mixed feelings about leaving Charlie, just like you do, but he wants his wife back. More than that, he wants his best friend and lover back. This weekend will be a great way for you guys to reconnect on all levels, not just the physical one. You'll get to have uninterrupted conversations that don't include code words or baby talk, and you'll get to just relax together. As important as it is for you two to focus on Charlie since he's so young, it's just as important to remember to focus on each other. You don't want to end up just being Charlie's parents. You've got to keep your marriage alive and remember to still be Edward and Bella."

"Esme said pretty much the same thing when we talked last night. She's been so amazing to me, Rose. I really want to do something great for her to show her how much I appreciate it."

"Well, with all the number one grandparent items we picked up for Carlisle and her, I'm sure she'll get the hint," Rose chuckled. She looked down at her phone for a second and then laughed. "Alice says to rush to the counter and purchase the dress before you can change your mind about it."

"I'm not changing my mind. I really do love this dress," I said, looking at my reflection in the dressing room mirror.

"Good. I'll leave you to change then."

Once I was dressed in my own clothes, we purchased the dress and headed on to our last stop—and the one Rose had been looking forward to most. It took me an hour and a lot of pleading to finally pull Rose from the store. But at least I had everything I needed for this weekend, and I had honestly enjoyed a day of just being a grown up spending time with another grown up. I was also missing my son terribly and trying pretend otherwise; I didn't want Rosalie to think I hadn't had fun with her.

The second we walked into the house, we were greeted by a very excited Lily and a crying Charlie. "What's wrong with my little man?" I asked, quickly setting the bags down so I could get my baby.

"He's still cranky and stuffy," Esme said as she passed Charlie to me. "I was just getting ready to take him up and check his temperature. I think he might have a bit of a fever."

"Oh, poor little man," I cooed, pressing my lips to Charlie's forehead. "I shouldn't have you left you when you weren't feeling well."

"Bella, don't say that," Esme chastised. "You being here wouldn't have changed the fact that Charlie is catching a cold."

"I know," I sighed. "Just feeling a little guilty for having such a great time while this little man wasn't. You know, he does feel warm. I'm going to take him up to check."

"You should also try to get him to eat. He was very unhappy with his bottle earlier."

"Thanks, Esme," I said as I headed for the stairs. "Hey, Rose?"

"I'll put the bags in my room," she replied immediately. "You just focus on my nephew."

"Thanks," I called out, already at the first landing. Charlie was whimpering and rubbing his face against my shoulder. "My poor little man," I cooed. "Mommy's sorry you're not feeling well. This is one first I wouldn't mind if you skipped, you know."

I brought Charlie into my bathroom and pulled out the baby thermometer. I sang softly to him, trying to calm him while I took his temperature. I was starting to get worried that he might have an ear infection with the way he was pulling away and crying harder each time I got the thermometer near his little ear. I sighed and gave up, knowing I would have to use a regular thermometer instead of the pricey digital once Edward had insisted on.

Charlie was much more compliant with a small thermometer under his arm and I was able to get a good reading…I just wasn't happy with it.

With Charlie crying in one ear, I tried to focus on the nurse speaking in my other one. "…and give him a lukewarm bath to help him feel a little more comfortable. Are you still breastfeeding, Bella?"

"Yes," I answered.

"Good. He may want to feed more than usual, and that's perfectly normal. He'll probably also want you exclusively, just so you're warned."

"Is there anything more I can do for him? That really doesn't seem like much."

"Just do whatever you can to keep him comfortable. Dr. Johnson will see you first thing tomorrow to check out Charlie's ear. If his fever spikes in the night, take him to the emergency room, but I really think you won't have to worry about that. It sounds like a common cold with ear infection."

"Alright, well, thank you so much, Mrs. Elliot. I'm going to try to get him to eat and nap."

"That's the perfect thing for him, Bella," she assured me. "Give that beautiful baby and that hunky husband of yours kisses from me."

"I will," I chuckled.

I hung up the phone and set it back onto its base, and then walked across the hall with Charlie to look for his blanket. I found it resting on the side of his crib and grabbed that, along with his giraffe and brought it all back into my room.

After stacking up a few pillows, I sat down on the bed and moved Charlie so that he was snuggled in my arms. He started crying harder and my heart went out to the little man. "It's okay, baby. Mommy just wants you to try to eat."

The whole time Charlie fed, he kept trying to tug at his little ear and I had to keep moving his hand away. I finally got him to grab onto his giraffe instead and not long after that, he fell asleep. I moved him so he was resting more comfortably on my chest and wrapped his little blanket around him.

Esme came into the room quietly and smiled at the sight of Charlie sleeping. "How is he?"

"Fever and possible earache. Dr. Johnson is squeezing us in tomorrow morning. Did Rose and Lily leave?"

"Yes, they just did," Esme replied, climbing in to the bed next to me. She tucked Charlie's blanket over his foot better and smiled at my baby. "His first cold. Are you worried?"

"Not as much as I thought I would be. I feel guilty more than anything, like I'm not doing enough to make him feel better."

"I think you're doing an excellent job, Bella. If you weren't, he wouldn't be sleeping."

"It's too close to Thanksgiving for him to be under the weather," I sighed, running my fingers through his thin bronze hair. "I wanted his first holidays to be so special."

"They will be, Sweetheart. And it's only Monday afternoon. Charlie will be feeling much better by Thursday, you'll see."

I looked up at my mother-in-law, not sure of what answer I wanted to hear from her. "Esme, is this a sign that Edward and I should postpone our weekend?"

"No," she chuckled, hugging me against her. "It's just a normal part of parenthood. And with Charlie not feeling well, you need to eat more and prepare yourself for the extra feedings. What would you like for a snack?"

"A ham and cheese sandwich and some milk would be perfect."

"I'll be back soon with it," Esme said. She gave Charlie a little kiss and then left the room.

Charlie moved in his sleep, rubbing his little fist against his ear. I wrapped his arm in the blanket, trying to keep him from getting at his ear again. My poor little man whimpered a few times before finally relaxing again. I would probably need to take him down to Rose's room to keep him from having Edward awake all night long. Then again, Edward would probably never allow that.

I reached over and grabbed the remote, turning the television on low just to give me some noise in the room. There was no way in the world that I would leave Charlie alone in his crib while he was sick.

And thankfully, Edward was in complete agreement with me on that. From the moment he'd gotten home and heard Charlie was sick, he'd hardly left our little man's side. He'd been so sweet with Charlie, rubbing his back and trying to keep him soothed. He'd even demanded to be the one to give Charlie his bath.

The three of us were watching television together, with Charlie resting in the crook of Edward's arm. Poor little man didn't want to even hold his giraffe tonight. He just laid there under his blanket, looking tired.

"Edward, I should try feeding him again," I mentioned.

Edward looked down at Charlie and frowned a little; he obviously missed our little man's playfulness as much as I did. "Alright, but I'm taking him back the moment he's done."

"Yes, sir," I chuckled, moving a whimpering Charlie into my lap. "It's okay, baby. I know you're tired and icky, but you have to eat, too." Thankfully, he didn't fight me nearly as much as he had earlier and seemed to actually be eating just a little better.

"I really don't like him being sick," Edward sighed, holding Charlie's hand. Normally, Charlie would have his little fist wrapped tightly around Edward's finger, but he wasn't feeling up to it tonight. "Is he eating any better?"

"I thought so at first, but now I don't know. He keeps stopping. Then again, his little nose is all stopped up. We're going to have to clear it out for him."

Edward grimaced. "I hated watching Rose have to do that to Lily. It looks so barbaric."

"I know, but it'll make him feel better."

Edward and I talked in low voices while Charlie fed. He drank about half of what he normally would have before refusing to drink any more. Hopefully, he'd get hungry in the next couple of hours and want to feed again.

With Charlie fed, we decided to try and clear out his nose. By the time we had our little man breathing better and his temperature checked, he was so mad at us that his little face was red. I walked around the room with him, rocking him in my arms and singing softly to him—he wasn't having it, though.

"Edward, I think you better take a turn," I sighed, trying once again to dry Charlie's face up a little.

Edward took Charlie and set him against his shoulder, bouncing him lightly while rubbing his back in a big circle. That velvet voice I loved so much filled the room as he hummed my lullaby to the baby and after a few minutes, Charlie started to calm down. I pulled his blanket from the bed and put it around him the best I could while trying not to disrupt the calm Edward was creating.

Esme came into the room just as Charlie dozed off in Edward's arms. "Is everything okay?" she whispered. "I heard him crying, but I was in the middle of a bath."

"He's fine. We just upset him by trying to clear his nose out a little," I explained.

"Edward always hated that part, too," Esme said, smiling at her son. "The two of you should go downstairs and eat something, especially you, Bella. I'll stay with Charlie until you come back."

I lay down in the bed and Edward set Charlie on my chest, covering us both with the blanket. "Thank you, Esme, but I really don't want to leave him," I told her.

"Then I'll bring you something up," Edward said. "What would you like?"

"Anything is good. And chocolate ice cream will make it all the better."

"Alright," Edward chuckled. He leaned down and kissed my forehead tenderly. "I'll be right back."

"And I'll be down in my room if you need me," Esme added.

"Thanks, Esme. I'll definitely come to you if I have any questions," I assured her.

They left the room and I looked down at my sick baby, wishing I could take this cold away from him. At least he was breathing better now, even after all of the crying he'd done.

From that point on, we woke up every couple of hours with Charlie. He would alternate between being a little hungry and just wanting to be rocked. I tried to get Edward to let me handle it all, but he was just as worried about Charlie as I was and wouldn't hear of it.

The only thing that seemed to help Charlie at all was hearing our voices, so we took turns talking to him and reading to him. Finally, around four in the morning, Charlie fell into a deep sleep…right along with Edward. I took the book he'd been reading to our baby and laid it on the couch before covering up my boys. And then I just sat on the sofa for awhile, watching over them and feeling very blessed to have them both.

There was still a hint of sadness in my heart that I'd never repeat these moments again, but I was done with the grieving for it. Right now, I had all that I needed and if we ever did decide to expand our family, there would be other ways. I wanted to focus on being thankful that I was physically well and almost completely mentally healed, and that the only major thing left to fix was my marriage.

So much had happened in such a short time to change us both. Edward could barely stand to let me out of his sight, fearing I'd never come back. That was no way for him to live and I had to find a way to get him past that fear. And for myself…I knew that I was still physically attracted to Edward, but what about him to me? And even if that hadn't changed, how much of my body had? Would I feel the same things? Would I enjoy making love to my husband as much as I used to? How much was really broken? And could we overcome and accept whatever was broken?

I used to marvel at the way the littlest choice I made could have such big effects on my life, like the ripples from a small pebble thrown into a huge lake. And then I'd spent the last four months questioning how the little moments beyond my control were shaping everything, making me feel like I'd lost more than just parts of my body—that I'd lost control over my own life. But tonight, I seemed to be having an epiphany of sorts…Life wasn't just composed of the choices we made, but also of the random moments that happened to us. Finding a way to incorporate that randomness with your choices was the only way to keep going forward, to keep on the path to the life you really wanted. So just because something had happened to me, I wouldn't let it derail me from my goal…to be the best wife and mother to Edward and Charlie because they deserved nothing less.

As much as I hated thinking about all of this, it was still easier to deal with those questions than to let my mind turn to Charlie. I was doing great with keeping myself from overreacting to his cold, but it was only because I was doing all I could to focus my mind on other things. I knew in my heart that it was just a cold and that he would be fine, but in my head, every thing that could go wrong kept trying to cut in and get acknowledged. So I just focused on the beautiful sight before me…my little man sleeping peacefully on his daddy's chest with his daddy's arm securing him in place and keeping him safe.

Edward woke me just as the sun was starting to fill up our room. "Bella, love, I'm sorry to wake you, but Charlie's hungry and won't take his bottle."

"No, it's fine," I yawned, getting a quick stretch in before taking my little man into my arms. "How does he seem?"

"About the same," Edward said, sitting down next to me. "I'm going to call in to work as soon as the office staff gets in."

"No, you aren't," I argued. "It's just a cold and there's no reason for you to miss work. I'm completely capable of taking our son to the doctor on my own."

"I know you are, and I didn't mean to imply anything less. I just don't like him being sick."

"Babies get sick, Edward. Kids in general get sick at least a couple of times a year. Let's just be thankful it's a small cold and not overreact or over-worry. Okay?"

Edward reached out and removed Charlie's hand from his little ear. "I hope he won't get an ear infection every time he gets a cold."

"So do I," I replied.

Edward spent as much time as he could with Charlie and me that morning before finally getting up and getting himself dressed for work. He'd finally given in and admitted I was right about him going to work, but only after I'd promised to call the second I'd spoken to the doctor.

And I kept my promise, calling Edward right after and letting him know that Charlie had an infection in his left ear and a head cold. The doctor had prescribed an antibiotic and an eardrop, and he'd even given Charlie a shot to help him start healing faster; I'd hated the shot more than Charlie had.

But that shot, along with the medicine, was returning my baby back to his normal self so I couldn't hate it too much. By the time Thursday arrived, Charlie was only slightly sniffling and he'd completely stopped tugging at his ear. He still didn't want his bottle—just his mom—and he was still sleeping more than usual, but he also had more color and a better appetite.

"Your very first Thanksgiving, little man," I cooed as I got Charlie dressed and ready for the big day ahead.

"It's a shame he's too young to get to enjoy the meal," Edward said. He was lying on the bed next to Charlie, the two of them tugging on a toy together. It was the first time Charlie had felt up to playing in days and I was extremely happy to see it.

"Thanksgiving isn't about the turkey, Edward. It's about spending a day with your family and just being thankful that you're all together. And I know it's something we should do every day, all year long, but with everyone working and having their own kids now, time together has been pretty scarce."

"It'll get easier once we're all adjusted. You and I finally seem to have gotten a pretty good routine going with Charlie."

"Yeah, it only took us four months. And since the twins are nearly seven weeks old, that means Alice and Jasper have about another two months or so before they find a groove. If it works the same for twins."

"With Alice's level of commitment and excitement to everything she does, I'm sure she'll have it all figured out by then."

"How does he look?" I asked, standing Charlie up on the bed.

"Like the little man he is," Edward chuckled. "Let me grab the camera."

Carlisle had decided that since we'd never been able to give Charlie his welcoming party, we would just incorporate it into today, along with welcoming Elizabeth and Brandon. Part of me wished I could have been well enough to have done this earlier, but a bigger part thought it was better this way. Not that Thanksgiving with my family wasn't already special enough, but we did have a ton of things to be thankful for this year.

"Smile, Bella," Edward called out as he pointed the camera at Charlie and me.

"No, take his picture, not mine," I laughed.

The camera clicked and then Edward stood up with a big smile on his face. "I took one of the both of you."

"Well, then it's my turn, Tutor-boy. Hand over the camera," I demanded.

"Sure," Edward chuckled. He passed me the camera and then lifted Charlie up into his arms. "How do I look, Charlie? Personally, I think the tie is a bit much, but since your mother is making you wear one, I thought I'd show my little man some solidarity."

"Solidarity, huh?" I laughed. "I'm sure that within an hour, you'll have lost both of your jackets and the ties."

"You know me so well," Edward replied, giving me my favorite smile. I quickly hit the camera button, getting a great shot of Edward smiling crookedly with Charlie looking right up at him and smiling right along. This Thanksgiving Day was definitely starting out the right way. I had my husband and my son with me, and my little boy was feeling so much better, even smiling again. And once we joined the rest of our family, I was sure the day would be absolutely perfect.

I hope you guys liked this chapter as much as I did. Tomorrow's chapter will cover the rest of Thanksgiving and next weekend's chapters will be all about Edward and Bella's big weekend! I know you guys are excited for that.