As time passed, Alice's belly began to grow gradually. While mine seemed to be growing like I ate insta' grow. She began glowing as her pregnancy progressed, using these pretty maternity clothes that accentuated her baby bump, while I hid mine by using scarves, and loose sweaters that were once my dad's.
Eventually, I did inform Alice of my delicate state, but even then I swore her to complete secrecy. When my bump began to fully show, I recruited her help to help me conceal it by her helping me buy some looser clothing.
I was fine for another week or so. Until all hell broke loose the day I went to a doctor's appointment, and Alice let it slip to Jasper of my condition when Jasper asked if I was sick or something.
To say, he was hurt and slightly worried for me living alone was an understatement. Jasper was practically the brother I wished could have had growing up, and he took his brotherly duties seriously too. He practically had to coerce me to move in with them at their house. When I pointed out that I was only a little over six months into the pregnancy, and would be a while before I needed anyone around for help, he urged me to spend at least the weekends with them at their house.
Sadly, I ran out of excuses to leave, I grumpily agreed that I would try to visit on the weekends if I wasn't too busy.
After that, I told them to not mention it to anyone, while I focused on preparing for the expansion of my bakery. It was a slow transition of the bakery into a bistro. I was planning to slowly add sandwiches, soups, and salads on the menus before fully adding full entrees, appetizers, amongst delicious desserts.
The first part of the transition had been doing great. People seemed to like the soups, sandwiches on freshly baked bread, and freshly cut salads, and dressings. I had even begun to get more regulars throughout the week.
Just like that, the business began to thrive, exceedingly so.
As expected, the holidays turned out to be a great success. I had to hire four new people after Carl, June, and Leona quit just before the holiday rush arrived, due to familial problems along with health problems.
I hired Logan first, he was originally Carl's temporary replacement, The second person I hired was Angela Webber, Logan's cousin, who went to culinary school, and recently graduated, as the new baker. After her, I hired Marco as our new delivery guy, and Demi arrived soon after that as our new cook.
While Logan, Marco, Demi, and Angela were great workers, and exceptional at their jobs. I was still anxious to leave them alone. Though I chalked it up as a crazy overreaction since I knew how wonderful all of them were.
I knew it, as did everybody else.
Angela turned out to be skilled at accounting, she had also been helping me with the books, and baking while I was busy attending
doctor appointments and meeting with possible clients.
Angela and Logan were doing most, if not all, of the baking, while Marco did deliveries, and helped out with the cooking, and Demi did most of the cooking.
The expansion ended up being a great success. Sweet Swan's was now a successful bakery and eatery, and I couldn't be more excited about it.
It was just a few days after Christmas, while I was headed to the doctor's appointment when I got the call from a frantic Jasper informing me that Alice had gone into labor, and she hadn't realized it.
They were at the doctor's office themselves when the doctor realized she was contracting, and Alice couldn't feel them. She was sent to the hospital immediately, where they will be monitoring her before deciding what to do.
The doctor said she was going to give her oxytocin in her IV drip, for a while, to see if the drug sends her into active labor. If it doesn't, they will administer the Pitocin to push her further into labor.
Jasper told me he would keep me informed, but to go ahead and attend my doctor's appointment and to stay calm.
His words only sent me into an already anxious frenzy, as I drove down the street and turned into the private parking lot of the practice, and I silently paid for the hour and a half I would be spending at the doctor's office before I got out.
I slowly walked out of the lot and made my way down the street to the large building with a glass wall, of one-way tinted glass, in the front. The bottom windows were still adorned with a large snowman staring at a large green Christmas tree, and Jolly Ol' St.Nick standing next to Rodolph the red-nosed reindeer.
While the other levels were decorated in garlands of red bows, sparkling lights, and green shrubbery.
The reception area is completely bare of anybody, though overdone with Christmas deco and playing Christmas music in the background, as I walked towards the elevators.
The office of Dr. George Garrison is on the fifth floor. He and Regina Garrison had been my ob/GYN since I had turned twenty-one.
In all honesty, for seven years Regina has anxiously awaited for me to come and announce to them that I am ready to have a baby, so imagine their surprise the day I showed up, practically catatonic, asking for a pregnancy test. Yeah, Regina more or less cried, and George laughed at Regina before sending me to the lab down the hall to give a few samples. When he confirmed it he and Regina congratulated me, and then we went through the history of my family's health.
Now, months later, I still flinch when I see Regina because every time she sees me she always rushes to my side and pulls me in for a hug.
Today wasn't any different. Well, at least I thought it wasn't any different. See, as soon as I walked into the office, Mrs. Esme Cullen was here.
Now, she is a nice woman who occasionally comes to drop off baked goods, or meals for the staff of the office. While this isn't a weird occurrence, what is weird is that she is always peepy and motherly to everyone she meets. That includes my weird-ass. What was different about today, is that she had brought her son with her.
Can you guess who her son is? No? One guess as to who it is.
If I hadn't been wearing my knit sweater, and a thick jacket over it, I would have probably run back out of the office and ran out of that building.
"Bella? Bella, oh my God, it is you!" She called, as I slowly began to unbutton my coat.
"Esme. Hi! Erm, how are you doing today?" I asked, as my stomach churned, and the baby began to move erratically.
"I can't believe it's really you. How are you, dear?" She asked me after she pulled me in for a small half hug.
"Good. It's good to see you too. How have you and your husband been?" I asked, nervously pulling at my sweater.
"We have been great. We just got back from Chicago from visiting my parents. Oh, have I introduced you to my son?" She asked, excitedly motioning for someone behind us.
As my eyes fell on his familiar form, I felt as if I got socked in the stomach through the inside.
I could feel myself begin to get lightheaded as I turn to the familiar auburn colored hair and the mesmerizing green eyes I sometimes dream about. Along with the daydreams that accompany my mind from that night.
As my eyes meet his, I feel the air leave my lungs in a gasp and I fall back heavily into the seat before the room began to spiral.