AN: Another small jump in time, the question you've been waiting for and it's answer. Bella makes a new friend, and it's Edward's time for insecurities to raise their little heads.
We' re nearing the end of the story, only 5 chapters and and an epilogue to go. Then we have a number of outtakes and a futuretake that has evolved into two parts. I just don't want to leave this family, I love them all (except Jake of course).
I have to thank, as always, my lovely ladies who have helped me every step of the way - MeteorOnAMoonlessNight, Midnight Cougar and ghostreader24; fantastic, wonderful ladies.
Thank you to my great reviewers, too. I absolutely love reading your comments every week.
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer STILL owns it all. Why?
Deceit and Destiny Chapter 65
Edward
To say I was displeased with Jacob and his little stunt would be an understatement, especially when the stress of the last couple of weeks finally caught up to Bella.
Dr. O'Donnell had been seeing her a few times a week since the baby shower when her blood pressure had rocketed. It had lowered somewhat in the last week or so, but was still a little higher than it should've been, and I was hopeful we could avoid any more upsets.
However, after this past weekend, it had elevated a little more, and Dr. O'Donnell was adamant that if Bella wanted to avoid a stay in the hospital before our daughter was born, she needed more rest.
"Bella, you need to take this seriously. High blood pressure doesn't always lead to preeclampsia, but it's a warning. If it does develop, there's a danger to both you and your baby, and we would have to deliver her immediately. So, for now, please, rest as often as you can, and if you insist on working, you must reduce your hours and stay off your feet whenever possible. Let Edward take some of the strain of cooking and cleaning and caring for Connor."
Bella reluctantly agreed. She returned to the office and Didi insisted she take the rest of the day off when she heard the details.
She suggested, or more accurately insisted, Bella finish work early every day, and would've reduced her to four days a week, but Bella insisted she'd be bored at home by herself.
I encouraged her to take Didi up on the offer of shorter days, and after a chat with her mom, Renée was happy to keep Connor after school every day until six, so there was no reason Bella couldn't put her feet up and rest.
"You could start your maternity leave now," I suggested later that evening.
"I know," she answered, snuggling into my side. "But I wanted to save all my maternity time so that after she's here, I can spend as much time as possible with her before I have to go back to work."
"I understand, but promise me that if your blood pressure goes up or there's any other change in your health, you'll stop working. Please?" I placed my hand on her stomach where our baby girl was kicking up a storm. "I worry about both of you."
I resisted the impulse to blurt out that if she wanted to, she could be a stay-at-home mom until she was ready to return to full-time or part-time work, however long that might be. I wanted to take care of her, but I didn't want to offend her either.
"Okay, and you know if I'm in the office both Didi and Jess will make sure I stay off my feet," she added, unaware of the direction of my thoughts.
With the music turned down low, we sat in comfortable silence until we retired to bed. I was almost asleep when Bella spoke, her voice quiet.
"Edward, are you awake?"
I pulled her closer to me, murmuring in the affirmative.
"Can Connor and I stay here . . . with you? Permanently?"
The words surprised me, and for a few seconds, I wasn't sure I'd heard right. I'd desperately wanted to bring up the subject for weeks, eventually deciding to let Bella be the one to drive the conversation. My silence must have been longer than I thought because she spoke again.
"I mean, if it's not okay, I understand. There's an apartment in this building available, so we could move in there, or we could stay with my parents. If we've turned your life upside down too much . . . it's no problem—"
I lifted her chin, shutting off the flow of words with a kiss, then pulled back so I could look her in the eye.
"Thank God, baby. I was going out of my mind waiting for you to say something. Yes, yes, please stay. Stay for always. We can live here or find a place together with a nice little yard for the kids. Whatever suits you."
Her face was wreathed in a huge grin as it was my turn to babble now, and she moved to straddle me. I sat up, enclosing her in my arms as she shut off my words with a lingering kiss.
Pulling back, we grinned at each other.
"You've no idea—" We spoke at the same time.
"You've no idea how long I've wanted to ask, although that wasn't quite what I was going to say." She giggled. "I had my speech all planned out with all the reasons why it was a good idea."
"You've no idea how hard it's been to keep the question inside," I replied. "I wanted you to reach the same page as me on your own. Fancy words and reasons aren't necessary; I want you here beside me because I love you and Connor. I meant what I said, though—we can go anywhere you want."
I was already hard when she shuffled back and pulled my cock from my sleep pants. I gasped as she pumped her hand from tip to base a few times before moving her panties to one side and sinking down on me.
Her belly between us prevented me from bringing her as close as I wanted; instead, I brought my hands up to cup her breasts over her top. Pinching each nipple, I rolled them gently between my fingers, Bella arching her back. I slipped the straps of her top off her shoulders, pulling the front down. Sucking and licking each nipple in turn, I blew cool air over them, watching them pucker and harden.
"Ah . . . so good."
The words were exhaled on a shaky breath as Bella leaned back, her eyes closed, lifting then sinking back down again. My hands found purchase on her hips, helping her to rise and fall. Snaking a hand between us, her fingers brushed against my cock as she rubbed her clit.
"Fuck, Edward . . . I'm gonna come."
Bella opened her eyes, catching mine in her gaze. Her love shone out of her eyes, and she mouthed, "I love you," before they fluttered closed again.
It didn't take long for her to tip over the edge, a long drawn out groan leaving her mouth as she stilled above me. I could feel her muscles squeezing my cock as she rode out her orgasm. Leaning back against the headboard, I began to move again, slow at first then speeding up as my orgasm began at the base of my spine. My muscles tightened, and the telltale tingles of pleasure darted up my spine until it was my turn to cease movement as I pulsed and released inside her.
Feeling Bella's hand on my chest, I became aware of my heart thundering under her touch.
"I love you." This time she said the words out loud, and as my heartbeat slowed, I repeated them back to her.
"I love you, too."
~ oOo ~
Neither Bella nor Jess noticed me as I opened the door to the office on Valentine's Day, intending on surprising Bella with lunch. The two women were seated in the client area, opposite a young man who was entertaining them.
I cleared my throat and both of them turned to face me.
"Edward!" Bella stood and headed toward me, her arms snaking up around my neck, as mine encircled her, bringing her as close as possible, and she reached up to kiss me. "What are you doing here?"
From behind my back I produced a bunch of flowers, her favorite pink Gerber daisies. "Happy Valentine's Day, sweetheart. I thought I could take you out to lunch."
Bella looked behind her at Jess.
"It's fine, Bella, go on," she said, smiling. "I can keep Riley entertained until Didi gets back. You have fun with Edward."
While Bella fetched her coat from the breakroom, I stepped forward and held out my hand.
"Edward Cullen, Bella's boyfriend," I said to introduce myself.
"Riley Biers."
Bella stepped up beside me as Riley and I shook hands, his eyes sliding appreciatively toward her. It was the kind of look men used to give Tanya. Irrationally, jealousy reared its head, although I pushed it back down, knowing that Bella was not Tanya.
"Lucky man, Edward, you're a lucky man. Bella's one of a kind."
The words Riley Biers had spoken as he looked at my Bella rang through my head during the drive to one of the small coffee shops on the waterfront. We ordered soup and fresh bread, and I waited until the server had left our food before letting out the question that had been in the back of my mind.
"So," I started. "Who's this Riley character?"
"Oh, he's a new client, looking for a house or an apartment here in Port Angeles. He's starting at the high school as a temporary music teacher for a year."
Jealousy coursed through me as she continued to gush about him, but Bella seemed to be so taken with him that I didn't think she noticed I wasn't answering her.
Putting down her spoon, having finished her soup, she looked at her watch. "Goodness, Edward, it's after two. I really should be getting back to work so Jess can get a sandwich, and I promised Riley I'd look through the listings with him."
After paying the bill, I drove her back to the office, trying my best to shove the negative thoughts to the back of my mind. Bella isn't Tanya. I repeated those words in my head, but they were overlaid with pictures of Bella and Riley laughing and joking.
"Hey, Jess. Sorry, I'm late getting back," she called out as we stepped into the office.
"No problem, Bella. Riley went and got me a sandwich at The Blackbird, and Didi has been back and gone out again. She's over at the Cope's place, now that they've finally made up their minds to sell—again." Jess rolled her eyes, then laughed.
"That's good," Bella answered. "Where is he, Riley, anyway? I was going to go over the listings with him to see if there was anything new."
"Said he had an appointment this afternoon, and would pop by in a day or so."
Bella nodded at her and turned to me. Pulling her into my arms, I hugged her tightly, relieved that Riley wasn't there, but not happy she would be seeing him again.
"Are you okay, Edward? You were pretty quiet at lunch," she asked.
"I'm fine, Bella." I managed a smile. "Just tired, I think. I could do with a day off, but that's not going to happen for a while since I'm trying to build up some vacation time for after the baby comes."
"Well, why don't I cook a special dinner for us tonight? I'll ask Mom if Connor can stay over, and we can spend some quality time together."
"That sounds perfect. Make sure you put your feet up, though, won't you?"
"I will. What time will you be home?"
"Around seven." I kissed her goodbye and climbed back into my car, heading back to the hospital.
Later that evening, I'd managed to push my unease to the back of my mind. I knew Bella and I trusted her. She loved me, and I adored her. We enjoyed the intimate dinner Bella had put together of Chicken Parmesan served with angel hair pasta and non-alcoholic wine.
We stretched out on the sofa, making out like a couple of teenagers whose parents had gone out for the evening.
But later, after we'd made slow, gentle love and Bella had drifted to sleep in my arms, the memory of Riley's appraising look had my mind repeating those words in my head—Bella isn't Tanya. Bella isn't Tanya.
When I did fall asleep, my dreams were filled with images of Bella's face instead of Tanya's on the day I discovered her with Felix.
The worst part of it was that I knew Bella would never cheat on me—not after what Jacob had done. We had a fantastic relationship, based on love and friendship, so I couldn't understand why my brain kept looking for what clearly didn't exist.
~ oOo ~
For the next couple of weeks, every time I dropped into the office, Riley seemed to be there, laughing and joking with the women, or seated right next to Bella while she showed him listings. She was, it seemed, completely unaware of his interest in her, and despite my mind knowing it was innocent on her part, I could feel my heart sink.
What if she preferred him to me?
It came to a head when Bella let me know she wouldn't be able to make lunch, and by the time she arrived home a little later than usual, I was pacing across the living room.
"Edward? What's wrong? Where's Connor?"
I winced at the look of alarm on her face and the worried tone in her voice.
"He's fine, Bella." I took a deep breath. "I asked Renée to keep him tonight because I need to talk to you."
"Okay." The look of alarm was replaced with one of trepidation. "Do you want me to get us something to eat first?"
I gave her a smile and shook my head, then sat at the table, inviting her to come and sit with me. "No, that's fine, I just wanted to talk about how I've been feeling recently," I said.
"If . . . if you've changed your mind, that's okay, we can—" she started.
I reached out to take her hand. "No, of course not."
"Well, what is it then? Tell me, Edward."
"Um . . . I don't really know where to start." I cleared my throat. "Okay, here goes. I'm not happy with you being friends with Riley."
There was silence for a few minutes, Bella looking confused.
"He's just a client, Edward, that's all."
I stood abruptly, Bella moving back sharply, watching me warily. I sighed and sat down again.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. You know I'll never hurt you, don't you?"
"I know that, Edward. Please listen to me. Riley is just a friend, nothing more, and while I understand you're jealous, you have no reason to be. Having said that, I won't allow you to dictate to me who I can and can't be friends with." She was quiet for a moment and she reached for my hand. "Where did this come from, Edward? Do you really think I would cheat on you?"
I shook my head. "It's not you, Bella, it's me."
She sat back as if I'd slapped her. "Are . . . are you breaking up with me?" she whispered.
"What? No! This is about me and my belief in whether or not I can be what you need. I'm . . . I hate to admit it, but yes, I'm jealous of him—of the time you spend with him. Logically, I know you won't cheat, and emotionally, I'm invested in this relationship—in us. It's just the old insecurities that keep whispering in my ear. I was never enough for Tanya, that's why she cheated, and I worry that I won't be enough for you, either."
"Oh, Edward. You know I love you with everything I am," she said softly. "I'll never, ever cheat on you. Trust me."
"I've been talking to a therapist, and after I told her about my relationship with Tanya, she agrees that we probably weren't right for each other. I've come to the conclusion that the breakdown of our relationship was something we were both responsible for. I wasn't there for her, and when I didn't give her the time and attention she needed, she looked elsewhere for it."
I turned to look at her. "I failed her and don't want to make the same mistakes. I want to be the man you and Connor need, the man you deserve."
She rose from her seat and came to sit on my lap, her arms around my neck. Slipping my arms around her waist, I buried my head against her neck.
"You already are, Edward. I believe in you, and I believe in us."
I lifted my head. "I'm sorry I made you doubt everything for even a second. I want you here. You, Connor, and our daughter." I caressed her belly. "A family."
"That's what I want, too."
These declarations brought us closer than ever, and eventually, I recognized that Riley, no matter how he felt, was exactly what Bella had told me—just a friend, though it didn't make me like him any more.
During the first week of March, Bella received an offer on the house. Didi had kept her promise and contacted Mr. James as the listing went live, and he was the first to view it. While his offer was a little below asking price, Bella and Jake accepted the offer, both wanting to have it sold and finalized quickly.
"So, what comes next now that the house is sold?" I asked as we cuddled up in bed.
"Hmm, I'm not sure . . . maybe start looking for a house. I know Connor is happy here, but I'd like him to have a yard to play in."
"Yeah," I agreed. "I never mind taking him to the park, but it does mean he has to wait until either of us is available, and when the baby gets here, that's going to be more difficult. I don't want him to feel she's getting the lion's share of the attention. What do you suggest?"
"I've been thinking . . ." Bella pulled herself up against the headboard. I did the same, waiting for her to continue. "That we should buy a house together? Hear me out, please, Edward."
"Okay."
"What do you mean, okay?"
"I mean, okay, I agree with you. We should buy a house together."
"Just like that?"
"Yep, just like that." I grinned at her, pulling her into my arms. "Sharing this apartment has been almost perfect, but for me, it was never just a temporary solution. I want us to stay together, find a place together, and I think this is the best idea. It's the perfect solution."
We settled down farther into bed, talking about where we would like to live and what sort of house we wanted. We talked about the when and where for a while, deciding it would be best if we waited until our little girl was born.
Bella's blood pressure still hadn't quite returned to normal, although it wasn't high enough to be too much of a worry yet, but she needed rest more than we needed to move. We also had to wait until the sale of her house was complete, but we could look at listings to get an idea of what the market held for us.
~ oOo ~
Friday was going to be the last day of work for Bella, so as of today, she only had two days to go, having reduced her days to four each week. With our daughter due in thirteen days, I'd breathed a sigh of relief that she was finally going to begin her maternity leave and put her feet up for the remaining days.
While the sale of the house was finalized, the distribution of the remaining finances once the mortgage was paid off was taking some time. That did not make Jake happy and he had called and upset Bella a few times, which meant the ongoing stress kept Bella's blood pressure higher than it should have been.
"I hate to admit it," Bella said as the three of us ate breakfast on Wednesday morning, "but I'm actually glad this is my last couple of days. Between the house and work, I've been getting more tired lately."
"Are you feeling okay, sweetheart?" I said, catching her frowning.
"Yes, I'm fine," she assured me. "Just a slight headache, that's all. I didn't sleep well last night since your daughter didn't want to keep still."
"Your next appointment isn't until Monday, but it might be a good idea to schedule one earlier to have your BP and urine checked."
She agreed and leaned in to kiss me before taking a seat at the table.
"Is my baby sister making you tired, Momma?" Connor asked.
"She is, because she's almost ready to be born," Bella answered.
"Did I make you tired, too?"
"Yes, but all babies make their moms tired when they get big."
"How long is it now before she's here?" he asked.
"She's due to be born on the twenty-second of this month, not quite two weeks, although sometimes babies come early or late. She'll decide when she's ready to come."
"How will she get out of your tummy when she's ready?" Connor asked.
"Well, when she's too big to fit inside, and she needs more food than my tummy can give her, Edward and I will go to the hospital where the doctors can help her to be born. Nana will look after you for a little while, then me and Edward, and your sister, will come home and we'll all be together."
I moved from the counter against which I'd been leaning while I drank my coffee and took the seat beside him.
"I'll be there to make sure Momma and your baby sister are okay, Connor. As soon as she's here, Nana and Pops will bring you to the hospital so you can meet her and say hello."
"Will she like me, Edward?"
"Of course she will. You'll be the best brother she could ever have," I assured him. "How could she not like you?"
A knock at the door stopped our conversation; Renée was there to collect Connor for school. After they left, Bella and I went in separate directions to work.
I'd only been on duty for around an hour when I was paged.
"Dr. Cullen," I said. "You paged me."
"Yes, we have a call from someone named Jessica Newton. Will you speak to her?"
I wondered why Jess would need to speak to me, but agreed for her to be put through.
"Hey, Jess. What's up?"
"Edward? Thank goodness. Bella collapsed. She's not unconscious, but she's complaining of a bad headache. She says she had it earlier before she came to work. I've called 9-1-1 and they'll be here in about five minutes."
Despite the fact that I knew there was a chance of preeclampsia given the rise in her blood pressure, a frisson of shock went through me.
"Fuck," I murmured under my breath, running my hands through my hair. "Thanks, Jess, you did the right thing. When they arrive, can you tell them you've spoken to a doctor who says she may have preeclampsia? I'll call Dr. O'Donnell, and we'll meet the ambulance at the door."
"Okay. She's asking to talk to you."
"Edward, what's happening?"
"It sounds as if your headache has gotten a lot worse, so Jess called an ambulance to be on the safe side. How are you feeling now?"
"My head is pounding and the lights are hurting my eyes. I've had a few headaches, and I thought it was just tiredness, but I couldn't seem to stay on my feet."
"Hang in there, okay? I'll meet you at the doors with Dr. O'Donnell. We'll know more once you get here."
"Okay, I'll see you soon. I love you."
"I love you, too, sweetheart."
After calling Dr. O'Donnell, I made my way down to the emergency bay to wait for the ambulance. I paced from one side of the bay to the other, tugging at my hair. What seemed like hours was only around fifteen minutes and as the ambulance drew in, Dr. O'Donnell joined me.
"Try not to worry, Edward. Bella will need you to be there for her as a partner, not a doctor," she said when she saw me.
I nodded mutely, unable to form any words for her at the moment, then dashed to the rear of the ambulance as the doors opened. Despite my knowledge of preeclampsia, I was shocked at her appearance when Bella was unloaded from the ambulance.
Pale, gray, and sweating, almost unconscious and moaning, she was a far cry from how she looked this morning. My heart twisted anxiously.
"Bella, sweetheart." I grabbed her hand as I came alongside the gurney, but other than a slight squeeze of my fingers, she didn't open her eyes.
The paramedics reeled off information, none of which registered in my mind.
I was an obstetrician, a gynecologist for fuck's sake. How had I missed this?
Dr. O'Donnell had carefully monitored her blood pressure every week, and with rest it had stabilized, even if it was a little on the high side. Every week her urine had been tested for protein, and both her general health and that of our daughter had been carefully monitored.
"There was nothing you did wrong, Edward." Dr. O'Donnell's voice broke through the frantic searching my brain was doing, looking for what I might have missed. "You know preeclampsia can come on suddenly, even flaring up in a matter of hours. We've been vigilant, so instead of looking for blame, let's get her blood pressure down, then assess the situation. Okay?"
I nodded and took a deep breath, stepping back from the gurney. "You're right, thank you."
Pushing away any other thoughts, I followed Dr. O'Donnell and the paramedics, as they took Bella directly to Labor and Delivery and transferred her to a bed.
A nurse appeared almost immediately, taking Bella's blood pressure.
"Can you check her in at the nurses' station, Edward?" Dr. O'Donnell said. "The nurse and I will get her ready, then you can come back in and sit with her."
When I returned to the room, Bella was in a gown, with blood pressure and fetal monitors attached. I made my way straight to her side, relieved to see that she was already looking calmer, and her eyes were open.
Now to see where we went from here.
~ oOo ~
