We all turned simultaneously to find Alice and Jasper standing there with a platter of freshly cut flower shaped fruit and her damn demon fur ball, Cujo, wagging its tail on the ground.
"Yes, Alice, I am." I reply, stiffly, remembering the last time that she was here, two weeks ago.
She let her dog loose and it chased Pinky and bit her leg, and hurt Roofy's paw.
She and Jasper were lucky that Edward stopped me from kicking their asses. Not that he could have stopped me if I really wanted to wipe the floors with her, but it was enough to deter me in that moment.
I could feel myself tense at the memory, which caused Edward to wrap an arm around my waist before leaning down to whisper in my ear. "Calm down, love. Jasper and Alice aren't staying here with us. They're staying at his place." He whispered, kissing my forehead.
"What's going on? What happened?" Esme asks, looking at me concerned.
"Your daughter has been warned not to bring her mutt around her because it keeps biting my pets...and she keeps bringing it around here… I won't be responsible for my actions if Cujo bites one of my babies again…" I say, my eyes never leaving the demon dog that stands by her feet.
"Don't worry, dear, I'll handle this…" I hear Esme say, before she quickly makes her way over to Alice and Jasper, where she proceeds to tear a new one to Alice before making Jasper leave, only to come back with a large kennel pen for Cujo.
I watched them place the cage next to the stairs of the porch, before placing Cujo in the pen.
I watched them unamused as they slowly made their way over to us.
I realized then it had been stupid to think I could hide my state to our families. Alice being one of them. Plus, I was sure everyone knew about our pregnancies because my mother and
Mawmaw are big gossips, worse than schoolgirls.
It was confirmed as my family arrived. Congratulating Rose and I along with Emmett and Edward.
Somehow after everyone arrives we all get separated. Rose and I were left by the food table, while Edward and Em were now somewhere else fending our family off by themselves.
"So, when is the wedding?" Aunt Jacqueline asked, excitedly.
"Wedding?" Rose and I asked, confused.
"Yes. I'm sure you four will be getting married now that you're expecting, you can't honestly expect to have a child out of wedlock…" she says, horrified.
Rose and I turn to look at each other for a second before busting out laughing.
"What is so funny, girls?"
"Oh, nothing." Rosalie snorts, rubbing her stomach as she starts giggling, before someone calls her away.
"I didn't find anything that I just said to be funny." Jacqueline said.
I snorted, as I made myself a plate of fruit. "I found it funny. You actually think that because you believe it is right to get married before I have any children, I'll be getting married." I explain, amused.
"It's not just what I believe, it's what is expected. You wouldn't want your child to be called a bastard now would you?"
She asked, raising an eyebrow.
Did she just dare call my unborn child a bastard? Oh hell no.
I take a deep breath, setting down my plate on the table before I turn to look at her in the face. "Jacqueline, you don't visit here often, so, you clearly don't know me, so I'll let your stupid ass comment slide, but if you ever call my unborn child, a bastard again... I don't give a fuck who you are, I'll fucking drag your ass out of my house, and proceed to kick your ass. Am I clear?" I respond, feeling a hand touch my shoulder.
"Is there a problem here?" Uncle Benning asks, worried.
"You're damn right there is…" I grit out.
I see his eyes flicker between me and his wife and watch as his shoulders tense as he turns to his wife. "Jackie, I told you to drop this subject on the way here. Why the fuck are you fucking pushing your beliefs onto her?" He asks, shaking his head at her.
I watch as her face turns red, "Ben, you know this isn't right. Besides, I was just talking to her." She said, with an eye roll.
"So, calling my unborn child a bastard is now talking to me? What the fuck kind of world are you living in?! Where would that be considered talking?!" I shout, taking a step towards her.
"What the hell is going on here?!" Mawmaw and Pawpaw ask, wide-eyed.
"Your fucking daughter-in-law just called my kid a bastard that's what!" I growled.
More gasps were heard as more family gathered.
"What did you just say?" My mom asks, angrily, finally making an appearance.
"I said she called my kid a bastard." I
tersely said, turning to look at my mom.
I can see as she registers what I am saying, her expression turning from surprised to furious in an instant.
Oh shit! I know that look. She's about to whoop some ass.
I can feel the tension as my mom takes a step closer to Jacqueline, who takes a step back.
"Neé, calm down, this is neither the place or the time… not in front of the Cullens," my dad said, gesturing towards where Rosalie, Emmett and the rest of the Cullens were all gathered by the door of the tent.
I silently gestured for Rosalie to take the Cullens into the house, before turning back to the unstable ticking time-bomb that is my mother, before stepping with my father taking a step before me.
"No, Charles, this is the right time. Who the hell does she think she is to speak to my daughter like that?" My mother growled, practically shaking with anger.
Before anyone can do anything my mom launches towards my aunt Jacqueline, and grabs her by the hair.I half expect the hair extensions to come off but they surprisingly stay attached to her head, while my mom yanks at them harshly.
We all watch shocked as my mom proceeds to kick her ass, rolling around on the floor, as the two slap, punch, and yank on each other's hair.
My dad and Uncle Benning soon separate them and carry them off to different parts of the house.
I almost wish I wasn't pregnant so I could have been the one to kick her ass, yet I'm sort of amused and proud since my mom kicked her ass for me.
"Well, that was a sight to behold." Aunt Juniper says, amused as she offers me a plate of fruit and gestures for me to sit down.
"Indeed. Did you see where Dad took my mom?" I asked, as I began chomping on a piece of watermelon.
"He took her to the office downstairs, Benny took Jackie-O to the bathroom a few doors down." She said, looking at me amused, "So, how ya feeling?" She asked, quietly.
"Tired, but alright." I say, looking at her.
"Are you happy?" She asks, quietly.
I turn to look at her, nodding fiercely, "Of course, why wouldn't I be?" I ask.
"No reason, I just wanted to make sure. The Universe has ways of speaking. I wanted to confirm it for myself." She says, seriously, before smiling brightly at me. "Can I be your doula?" She suddenly asks, excitedly, changing the subject.
"Doo-lah? What the hell is a doo-lah?" I asked, confused.
The word sounded familiar but I couldn't remember what it was for the life of me.
"It's like a guide, nurse and moral support all in one." She says, excitedly.
Where is Edward when you need him?
"I-uh-I don't know… I mean, not that I wouldn't want you to be my doo-lah...but this is my first baby, I want to experience everything…plus I have to talk to Edward about it." I stammered, looking for any sign of Edward.
"Think about it…" she said, smiling as she skipped away.
I huffed as I watched her skip away before she began dancing around, waving around her arms in the air.
"So, that's quite a family you got there."
I let out a snort, before continuing to eat my fruit. "Yeah, what you saw here, that's not half of the shit you see in the holidays. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and even New Year's Day." I say, nonchalant.
I hear him gasp in response, as I continue eating my fruit.
"How are you feeling, love,?"
I sighed, feeling especially exhausted and exasperated.
"At this point, I just want the damn day to be over." I muttered, shaking my head.
"Do you want to go inside and get some rest? We still have a few hours before the fireworks start." He said, looking concerned.
"Look, I already have my entire family looking at me that way, knock it off, I'm pregnant not invalid." I say, tensely.
He looks at me surprised, "Alright, the food will be ready soon. I'll bring you something." He said before getting up and walking towards the grill, which was being manned by my dad and uncles.
I felt like a bitch for snapping at him, but this is what family gatherings do to me.
I only hoped I survived the nexts few hours.Without killing anyone...