Chapter 42

Mom's having a baby

Our flight home was pretty uneventful considering we slept most of the flight. We landed in Seattle at eleven o'clock where Jasper and Alice were waiting with my truck that Charlie had gotten me for Christmas two years ago. "Hey guys!" I called out to them when Edward and I spotted them. We had come a long way since Jasper and I had broken up.

"Hey Bella. Edward." Jasper said giving me a light hug and Edward a hand shake. "How was the trip?" He asked as we headed out into the rare sunshine of Seattle.

Edward and Jasper chatted about the trip while I fell into step beside Alice who had actually sprouted a small baby bump that was visible underneath her shirt. "How's the baby?" I asked her quietly.

"She's good. We're both good according to the last doctor's appointment." Alice chirped with a pep in her step.

I handed my suitcase to Edward to toss into the back of the truck along with his and our smaller one and our carry-on's. "Have you found out for certain that it's a girl?"

Jasper stepped in then. "No, she's just certain that it's a girl. We won't find out what it is for another few weeks. I'm hoping for a boy to combat all of Emmett and Rosalie's girls."

We all just laughed and nodded in agreement. "Are they here or in Forks or still back home?" I asked curiously as we all climbed into the truck, me in the driver's seat.

"In Forks at Charlie's but they are coming up today. Mom has invited everybody over for lunch. She's going all out too. We are apparently a pre-wedding summer bar-b-que." Jasper said as he helped Alice into the back of my truck.

I just looked at Edward as he stared stonily out the windshield because I told him that I didn't think Jasper and Alice knew yet because Esme thought he should know first because he would take it the hardest. "Thanks for going to get the truck so we have a way back to Forks and saving Charlie the trip." I told them with a smile as I pulled out onto the highway heading towards Port Angeles and an explosion of attitudes and personalities that I'm sure was awaiting all of us.

"It was no problem, Bella." Jasper said as he reached forward squeezing my shoulder gently.

I reached up and patted his hand. "Have you guys decided on names yet?"

We chatted the entire way to Carlisle and Esme's charming little Victorian home on the outskirts of Port Angeles. We all piled out of the truck trudging mine and Edward's suitcases into the house since we were staying for a week. "Hi! You guys made it!" Esme squealed as she raced down the sidewalk towards us with her arms held wide.

She wrapped me up in a hug first since Edward was pulling our biggest suitcase from the bed of the truck. "Yeah, we finally made it. Longest flight ever, I think. How are you?" I asked her as she finally released me from the death grip like hug.

"I'm fabulous now that my babies are here." She said with a sniffle.

Jasper just looked at her like she was crazy while Edward just raised an eyebrow inquisitively. Esme just shook her head at him before wrapping him up in a huge hug. "How are you, my boy?" She asked as she raked her fingers through his hair which cause a red hue to tint his cheeks.

"I'm fine, Ma. Just tired after the trip. Ready to chill out for a little while." He said as he kissed her on the cheek. "I love you, Ma." He whispered with tears in his eyes.

"Oh, my boy. I love you too and everything is going to be perfectly fine." She said with a smile as she cupped his face.

"What's that all about?" Jasper whispered as she and Alice stood beside me.

I just shook my head. "That's not for me to say." I told him quietly.

"Is it bad?" He asked anxiously.

I shook my head again. "Not in my eyes it's not."

"Okay." He said as Esme and Edward walked towards us. "Hi, Ma."

"Hi, son. Hi, Alice." She said patting each of them on the shoulder as we all headed into the house where Carlisle was working in the kitchen.

"Sit. Sit. Sit." Esme said ushering us into the living room, leaving our suitcases in the entry way. "Carlisle, honey, come here please." She called over her shoulder as she sat in a huge overstuffed chair.

"Coming." He called back to her.

"Boys, we have something we need to tell you. Two things actually." Esme said with a smile as Carlisle sidled up behind her chair placing his hands on her shoulders.

"What is it, Ma?" Jasper asked curiously while Edward stayed quiet, gripping my hand tightly in his own.

I leaned into Edward's side curling around his arm. "It's going to be fine, babe." I whispered quietly as I watched Esme take a deep breath when Carlisle kissed the top of her head.

"We're getting married in five days and having a baby that is due in the end of February." Esme said quickly and firmly.

"WHAT!?" Jasper exclaimed standing up and pacing the room much like Edward had done in the coin laundry back in London. "Ma, you can't be serious! You are over 40 years old and expecting your first grandchild in six months." He told her as he stopped in front of Edward and on his way back across the living room. "YOU TWO! You two knew about this! You are the hothead and you are calm as can be." He said glaring at Edward and I before turning on Carlisle. "How could you do this to her? Do you realized how dangerouse-"

"JASPER MICHAEL WHITLCOK THAT IS ENOUGH!" Esme said firmly as she suddenly stood up poking him in the chest. "Carlisle is extremely worried about me and this pregnancy which is made even worse considering he is a doctor. I told Bella, who in turn told your brother while they were still in London yesterday because as you pointed out he is the hothead out of the two of my boys." She said before sitting calmly back down in her chair, folding her legs under as if she didn't have a care in the world.

"Ma-"

Esme just held her hand up to Jasper and refused to even look at him until he sat back down beside Alice with a pout on his face. "Sorry, Ma." He said softly.

"Thank you, Jasper. It's not like this pregnancy was planned because as you so kindly pointed out I am in my forties and at a higher risk for complications. My OB/GYN specializes in high risk pregnancies such as mine and says that so far everything looks fabulous and my blood work is right where it needs to be." She said with a smile. "You boys know that I don't believe in abortions so I have no choice but to see this pregnancy through to the finish and you guys will be fabulous big brothers to your little sister or brother." She said firmly which caused both Edward and Jasper to groan.

Jasper just shook his head. "I'm about to be a father, I didn't want to be a big brother just a few months later." He mumbled softly just as Rose, Emmett, and the three girls came busting through the front door in a flurry of chatter with Charlie following behind them with a casserole dish in his hands.

I jumped up and nearly knocked the casserole dish out of his hands in my urgency to hug him. "Hi daddy." I said as he wrapped his arms around me pulling me close to him.

"Hi, Bells. Nice to see you after so long. How was the trip overseas?" He asked kissing the top of my head.

"I didn't think you were coming today. Our trip was fantastic."

"Traded shifts with somebody. This seemed important to Esme so here I am." He said quietly as he handed Esme the casserole dish with a smile.

Emmett, Rosalie, and Charlie took the news of Esme's pregnancy a lot better than Edward and Jasper had but that wasn't much of a surprise considering who we were talking about.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"Are you upset that our second attempt at having a wedding has been foiled?" I asked Edward as we settled onto the huge limb of the big oak tree in Carlisle and Esme's backyard. We had been hanging lanterns from the tree all day for their wedding tomorrow and had just finished before Edward had the brilliant idea of climbing into the tree for some alone time.

He shrugged beside me as we let our jean clad legs swing gently. "Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for my mom and Carlisle but they could have picked a different time to get married considering this is her third marriage and his second. We've been planning to get married on the beach on the Fourth since right after Christmas so it's not like they didn't know of our plans when they made theirs." He grumbled irritably.

I wrapped my arms around his laying my head on his shoulder. "I know, it hurt my feelings more than anything. I fell like everybody and everything in the universe is working on us not getting married. I'm almost tempted to just go to the courthouse and be done with it."

Edward shook his head. "Absolutely not, you want a wedding, albeit a simple one, but you still want one with all of our closest friends and family there. That is what you will have. It doesn't matter if it takes us six days, six months, or six years to accomplish it that is what we will have."

"Okay. How do you feel about being a big brother again?" I asked. I knew we had already discussed this a little bit but now he has had a few days to let it settle into his mind.

"I'm happy for my mom and Carlisle. I'm just worried about the strain it will take on her body. I just don't want to lose her, Bella, I can't lose her." He whispered quietly.

I sighed hugging him tighter. "I know, babe, I know. She will be fine though, I'm sure she's aware of the risks of being pregnant at her age."

Edward nodded in agreement. "Aside from you, she is the most important woman in my life. I wouldn't know how to go on living if something happened to either one of you." He admitted quietly against the top of my head before placing a gentle kiss there.

"Ditto here, babe. I don't want to even imagine what life would be like without you beside me at every step." I told him just as we heard our names coming from the direction of the house.

"BELLA! EDWARD! DINNER!" Esme called out to us.

We both groaned. "I guess that's our cue, huh?" Edward said quietly as he placed another kiss to the top of my head.

I nodded. "Yep, you hop down then help me down. Please?" I asked him letting go of his arm.

"My pleasure, baby." He said before hopping lithely out of the tree landing squarely on his feet. He turned around winking up at me because if I attempted that I would be attending the wedding tomorrow on crutches. "Your turn." He said holding his arms up for me.

I sighed as I reached down placing my hands in his. "Please don't let me fall." I whispered to him quietly and unnecessarily.

He just rolled his eyes. "As if." He said to accompany the eye roll.

Esme and Carlisle's wedding was simply amazing. They got married beneath an arch of beautiful flowers while all the lanterns had tiny tea candles in them setting a glow around the whole back yard. It was beautiful and simple all at the same time. After a quick dinner at the restaurant up the street they headed for Seattle for a short honeymoon. Esme had explained a few days ago that they were just going to spend three days in Seattle for a short honeymoon until after the baby was born then they would go on a real honeymoon. Jasper and Alice stayed in Port Angeles while the rest of us headed for Forks and Charlie's house.

"Oh it is so good to be back here." I groaned as I flopped on our bed in our attic oasis at Charlie's.

Edward laughed as he pulled up our attic staircase which told everybody down there that we wanted to be left alone. "It is. I'm ready to just settle down in one place for longer than just a few days. All of this travelling and excitement is wearing me out." Edward said as he came and flopped down beside me before rolling onto his side so that he was facing me. "Do you know what tomorrow is?" He asked quietly as he stroked the skin of my inner arm.

I shivered as I rolled onto my side so before scooting over until I was against his warm body. "I do. It was one year ago tomorrow that you accepted my acceptance of your marriage proposal." I told him as I wedged one of my legs between his, wrapped my arm over his waist, and snuggled my head under his chin.

"It doesn't seem like it's been that long ago but being back here reminds me that it has been. I can't wait until I can call you my wife." He said as he rolled me onto my back bracing himself over me.

I reached up sinking my fingers into his unruly hair. "Me either, babe. It will happen when it's meant to happen, I guess." I told him as I tugged his face down to mine. "Kiss me." I demanded quietly.

"My pleasure, my love." He whispered just as his lips met mine.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~**~*~*

"How do you feel about getting married in just a few days considering Esme just got married yesterday?" Rose asked while we watched Abby and Jacqui splash in their little pool outside in the backyard on this rare sunny day. It was the day after Esme and Carlisle's wedding and two days before ours was supposed to happen. I had forgotten to mention to her that we had decided to not go through with ours since Carlisle and Esme had done theirs just yesterday. Edward and I didn't want an anniversary so close to theirs. That was a little weird in our eyes.

I sighed and shrugged. "We're not." I said simply.

"Why not?"

"We didn't want to get married so close to Esme and Carlisle's impromptu wedding plus it would cut into their honeymoon getaway." I said as I squeezed a duck at Jacqui causing her to squeal loudly showing her two bottom teeth.

Rose growled. "That is such bullshit. They should have put their wedding off. You guys have had this planned since right after Christmas."

I nodded. "I know but what's done is done." I said with a shrugging my shoulders.

"That's such bullshit, Bella. It seems like the whole world is against you two tying the knot."

I nodded in agreement again. "I'm happy for them but upset at their shitty timing. Edward and I will get our chance eventually. Fate will let us know when the time is right." I told her softly as I played with the two littlest girls in the pool while Lizzy swung on the swing set that Charlie had built them while we were back in Rhode Island. "On another note, how excited are you to be starting your senior year of college? One more year and we will have to find jobs and become boring old women." I asked changing the subject away from me.

She sighed but went with it. "I can't believe it's finally happening. I was so scared that I was going to fail my classes the semester Jacqui was born but luckily my professors were very understanding and let me make up all the assignments I missed. Em is finishing up his degree this next semester. He will graduate in December."

I nodded. "I thought that's what I heard him talking about a while back. What are you two business majors gonna do with your degrees?"

"Open a garage somewhere since we both love restoring old cars."

I just smiled because as beautiful as Rosalie was she was amazing at fixing all types and ages of vehicles. "That's great, Rosie. Life has turned out pretty damn good for two small town girls if I do say so myself."

She just nodded in agreement.

"Are you guys wanting to come back to Washington or what?"

She shook her head. "Hell no. I need sunlight in my life, more than a couple days a month. We want to be able to open our garage in a medium sized town but live in a smaller town just a bit bigger than Forks to raise our girls. We just haven't settled on a location yet. What about you and Edward? Where do you two want to settle in at and become boring old teachers?"

I just laughed. "Hopefully we will all end up in the same town so that our kids can grow up together."

She nodded. "Yeah, when you have some and stop dodging the questions, Isabella."

"We are talking about living in my family's house in West Virginia if we can land jobs around there somewhere. Don't rush us on the kid's part, it'll happen eventually." I told her with a roll of my eyes. She was the first person beside my father that I had told of our plans to move to West Virginia.

Rose nodded in agreement. "West Virginia was beautiful while we were there back at Christmas. I wonder if that town has a garage that restores and repairs all ages of cars."

I turned to look at her with wide eyes. "Are you serious?" I asked her quietly.

Rose just shrugged. "Yeah, I mean I will have to talk to Emmett about it but at least we would sort of know the area and wouldn't be total strangers to it."

The tears that sprung to my eyes could be denied no more as they slipped slowly down my cheeks. Rosalie immediately pulled me into her arms as I sniffled into her shoulder quietly as the reality of what the people in my life would do for me settled into my soul. "You are an amazing friend, Rosie." I whispered into her shoulder.

She nodded as she pulled back from me so she could look me in the eye. "Don't you know by now, Bella, that we are more sisters than friends? I wouldn't know what to do if you weren't close to me anymore. I mean, we even moved to the same college for Pete's sake what makes you think we wouldn't settle close to each other after college?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, I just don't want you guys to limit yourselves because that is where Edward and I choose to make our lives at."

"Honey, you do realize Richmond isn't that far, right?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

I sighed and nodded. "I know. Charlie said he would move there once he retires from the police force."

Rose rolled her eyes as she let me go. "Of course, he did."

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

Unfortunately Phil, Tarah, and Sarah were unable to make it out for our Fourth of July beach celebration but that was okay because we weren't getting married that day anyways. "Want to go to Middle of Nowhere?" Edward asked as he stuck his head through the opening in the floor that held the stairs to our bedroom.

I nodded quickly scrambling off the bed tossing my journal aside. "Yes, absolutely." I told him as I slipped my feet into my flats hurrying towards the stairs where he was waiting amusedly.

"Missed it that much?" He asked as we walked down Charlie's yard towards my truck that was parked at the curb.

I nodded as I climbed into the passenger seat as Edward held the door open for me. "I have. That place hold a special memory for me and today is exactly one year ago that you accepted my proposition." I told him as I leaned down to kiss him gently on the lips. It was exactly one year ago today that we became officially engaged while I sat atop the piano in Middle of Nowhere and I couldn't be more excited to go back to it, especially since we weren't getting married tomorrow.

"I know it does, baby. That's why I suggested it. Plus Pearl emailed and wants to talk to us about something." He said he hopped in the truck behind the steering wheel cranking the truck.

I just looked at him in confusion. "Did she give a hint as to what she wanted to talk about?" I asked him as he pulled away from the curb.

"Not that I could gather. I guess we will have to wait until we get there to ask her." He said with a shrug as he reached over snagging my hand, linking our fingers together on the middle seat rest.

I nodded and began fiddling with the radio. We drove on in silence listening to the radio, occasionally singing along to a song that struck our fancy until we turned onto the road leading the building. "Will you sing again?" Edward asked quietly as he meandered up the well-worn path.

I shrugged. "Do you want me to?" I asked him giving his fingers a gentle squeeze.

He gave me a shy smile and nod. "Yes." He whispered bringing our linked fingers to his mouth placing a kiss over my engagement ring. "I would love that."

"Okay, I will sing then." I said giving him a huge smile. "For you."

Once Edward had the truck parked we climbed out walking hand in hand to the front door where he pulled it open for me so I could walk in ahead of him. "Do you want to go find Pearl first?" I asked Edward when he stood beside me.

He nodded grabbing my hand heading for the bar where he signaled a bartender I didn't recognize. "Can I help you, sir?" The young man asked.

Edward nodded. "Yes, I need to speak to Pearl. Is she here?" Edward asked seriously.

I was confused when the bartender shook his head because every other time we had come here she had always been around doing something. "No sir, I'm sorry but she's in the hospital in Seattle. She collapsed a few days ago while working in the kitchen. Can I get your name?"

"Edward Masen and Isabella Swan. Is she okay?" Edward asked seriously.

The bartender nodded as he help up a finger turning around to head away from us before reaching under the bar pulling out a stuffed envelope and walking back to us. "She's alive and wanting to come home so I would say she's okay. She said you would be coming when I talked to her on the phone day before yesterday and that I was to give this to you when you showed up." He said handing us a thick yellow envelope with our names scrawled on the top of it.

"Do you know what hospital she's at and what room?" I asked quietly as Edward took the box.

We got the information and left with the thick envelope. "I wonder what's in this?" I asked Edward as we travelled the streets of Seattle going to the hospital where Pearl is a patient at.

"I don't know, baby, why don't you open it and find out?" He told me for the fourth time since we left Port Angeles.

I shook my head. "No, I want to wait until we are with Pearl." I said saying the same thing I had told him every time he suggested it. "I'm ready to see for myself that she's okay."

"Okay, baby." He said as he turned into the hospital parking lot. "You are about to get your chance. We're here."

It took us almost ten minutes to find her room but we eventually found it, knocking on it before opening it. "Who is it?" We heard Pearl yell from the other side of it.

I opened it poking my head around it. "Your two favorite musicians." I said with a smile.

The smile that spread across Pearl's face was priceless when she laid eyes on me. "Get your beautiful self in here then!" She said motioning me in.

Edward and I walked in both of us going to give her a hug before settling into the chairs at the side of her bed.