First and foremost this is the original story before I started to rewrite it... and got stuck in the writing of the rewrite. If you are following the rewrite you will notice quite glaring differences between this and the one you have already started following. I do not intend on giving up with the rewritten version, however, I think you guys waiting for me to get over my blank slate of a muse isn't going to happen any time soon. So I am re-posting the original. This was my first completed story and it is very different from how my last stories flow.
Secondly, this is not beta'ed. NOT AT ALL. There will be mistakes in spelling (I'm Australian and some words we spell differently). The layout will honestly have you wondering what the hell I was thinking. I wasn't; well that's not true. What I was thinking was that I knew what I was doing and screw anyone else... yes I was a conceited little shit even at the age of 31.
Thirdly, there are 68 chapters to this story, including the epilogue and two outtakes. All of which have been uploaded to my profile I will try to upload as often as I can. Please understand that I have a busy life in the real world. This includes two children, one grown and the other with disabilities. So while I should be able to update wherever I am, if something happens please understand that I will miss updating.
Last but not lease. I am not SM. Not even close. I do not own the franchise, work in any capacity with the publishing houses or studios. I merely escaped from reality to play with some characters that I fell in love with while reading four books in a matter of days.
B POV
"Bella, you know it's getting really close to Peanut's arrival you know. Maybe it's time you look at that picture you have hidden and pick some names out already." Tanya nudges me back to reality.
It's been oh so quiet these last few months, so quiet that I think I might be imagining it all. Peter and Jasper have fixed Peanut's room for me only waiting for me to pick the final color so they can paint it right. The thing is if I give the color then well you get the point.
"Yeah, Bell's you gotta tell the boys what color to paint the room. Besides I still have no clue how you were able to hide that picture so well I've checked the whole house so many times it's not funny." Char's even worse than she was when the ultrasound was done. I think she's more nervous than I am to tell you the truth.
"Wait a minute; I have to stay in the hospital for at least 2 days once Peanut joins this crazy family. How come the guys can't paint it while I'm here?" I love sidestepping this question.
In fact, I've become a master at the sidestep. Also, this is my last hope of keeping it a secret. After finding Char in my room after work last month I've got to the point that I carry that picture around with me in my purse. And yes its burning holes in it too.
"You know damned well that once Peanut is here Jasper isn't going to be leaving this hospital without you two. As for Peter, he's more excited than any of us "women folk" about that little person in there." Alice pipes in, only Rose is missing this little get together but we're meeting her after this for lunch.
"You know, maybe I want to surprise everyone you thought of that? And I have got some names picked out but I want to talk to Jasper before I decide. The only problem is he's too stubborn to pick names. I quote 'You're carrying Peanut Bella, you should choose.' Damn southern hospitality. I'm close to calling Jane to kick his butt right now." And they laugh, really I'm stressed with getting this final thing done and they laugh.
"Can we get this over with?" throwing my hands up in the air, not waiting for someone to tell me to calm down.
Char and Alice are still giggling, I know what their thinking and I'm not sure if I'm gonna like it. They've been hinting that Jasper wants more now for the last week and while I don't mind, I'd rather it be him telling me and not them. Rose agrees with me, but she also thinks this is why Jasper is leaving the name thing to me. I'm just pissed that he's being distant. I mean seriously it's not like we have to talk about it; I just miss talking to him. Is it so bad?
"Bella honey, have you been stressed; more than usual?" Tanya is all professional now. I haven't heard this tone since the first appointment.
"Huh?" is my lovely reply.
Jeez Bella 4 years at college and this is all you can come up with? Mentally backhanding myself I pay more attention to what's going on.
"Honey, you've only got a week or two at most and your blood pressure is high. Now normally I wouldn't worry about it but as Peter and Jasper have been getting the room ready for Peanut; and I know that the girls have been taking great care of you. I'm a little concerned." Well damn, that's got me crashing down to reality in a hurry; I think I might have to get some oxygen or something.
"Alice, can you set up the sonogram machine for me, Bella we're just going to make sure everything is fine in there okay?" Tanya is on the phone in seconds organizing some tests and other things while Alice has gone to get the machine ready.
Me, well I'm stumped.
"It's probably nothing, just making sure that's all." Char's doing her best to hold her nerves in while seemingly keeping me calm.
"Bella I know we covered this all before at your initial appointment but does your family have a history of blood pressure during the final trimester of pregnancy? Or is there anything you know about Jasper's side of the family having early births? It's really important sweetie." Tanya's no longer just checking my chart for today, but going through all the past checkups including God only knows what.
"Char; do you want to call Jane for me and find out if there's anything we need to know. I'll ring mother and ask her." I'm doing my best here not to get too stressed here.
By the sounds of it, Tanya just wants all details and while she's doing the best she can it's still making me a little worried. Char nods her head and leaves the room while Tanya sets up a line outside the hospital before leaving the room to check on Alice and the sonogram machine.
It takes a few rings before mother picks up the phone, but she's out of breath so she's been either working on her garden or she's been doing something that I really don't think I want to know about.
"Hello, Swan residence." Her usual answer, even if she knows who's calling through the caller ID she still insists on using her professional tone.
"Hey mother, I can't stay long..." I start before I get the usual greeting
"Bella sweetie how is everything. You and Peanut doing okay? How's Jasper and his family. Tell everyone we said hi." My mother could talk underwater with the speed that she's going. Probably she'd be able to launch herself to the top for air the speed her mouth moves.
"Uh, yeah about that. Tanya needs to know if there's any history of problems with the final trimester or delivery in the family. Just to be sure." I get to the point, if I take too long I know she'll figure out that maybe something is up.
I really don't want to put too much into this right now. It's not something that needs to be stressed out on until it absolutely needs to be.
"Oh, um. Let me think. Um; well I know that my blood pressure was fine, a little high near the end, but still within range. And other than you being a little stubborn at your delivery date it was fine. Is there anything else you want to talk about?" there's the scatterbrained mother that I know and love.
She doesn't get too involved unless it's near the end of a conversation when things like this come up. Now if I was asking father this question he'd be on me like fleas on a stray dog. I was never able to keep things from him.
"That's all mother. But I can't stay on the phone I'm at the hospital with Tanya. I was meant to ask you when you were here but it slipped my mind. I'll call you tonight." I answered as Char, Tanya, and Alice come into the room. And really it's a good thing or she'd be talking about everything that's going on at home again.
After a very quick goodbye and promise to give everyone a kiss and passing their regards on I was able to hang up on my mother.
"So what's the verdict? Anything we need to know about?" Tanya must have gotten the information off Char outside as she's just looking at me rather than both of us.
"Other than her blood pressure being a little high but within range nothing to worry about on her end. What about Jane; what did she say?" I replied turning towards Charlotte.
"Nope, apparently the Whitlock women have it easy. That's why she agreed to have Jasper after Peter was born." Well, that makes it a little easier doesn't it; I mean no major problems to worry about creeping up on me.
But apparently Tanya didn't think so.
"Look before we go any further let's just run some tests. And the minute I get the results I'll call you. But you have to promise that you'll take it easy until we know more." With a stern look from the three women in the room who was I to refuse.
It's not like I'd have a choice; Char's with me all the time now that I'm on maternity leave; Alice is visiting every chance she can with Edward. She wants to know what he was like when we were at school. Go figure, it's not like we really knew each other until we started college, even if it was a small school. And you know that Rose is gonna make sure that I keep my ass down to the ground; she's already got enough work for my column to last a few months.
After being used as a pincushion by a couple of vampire trainees (yes people if they want my blood then their vampire's as far as I'm concerned) and a little poke at Peanut who thankfully had his or her back to the screen so nothing was showing; we headed for our lunch date with Rose. It took all of three seconds before both Alice and Char filled Rose on my lovely enforced rules.
"So now that you're on house arrest what are you going to do with yourself?" Rose was adamant that I make sure that I follow the rules about caring for Peanut.
And yep I cringed at the idea of being on house arrest. I liked my freedom, and hell I still had to find a car that was suitable for me to drive once Peanut was born. There was no way I was going to let Jasper or Peter find my car. So far they'd shown me to three cars that all looked like mini tanks. Don't get me wrong I was still keeping the truck but I did need something more reliable for driving with a little human in the back seat. Hell, I hadn't even driven the truck for a month now. I couldn't really fit behind the steering wheel much to Peter's amusement; jackass as he is.
It was strange though, while Alice was the newest addition to the group (only by a month but hey not the point) she was usually the most talkative one; but she was sitting there in the corner just staring at her hands.
"Alice, what's up honey? What's eating you other than Edward I mean?" I asked causing both Char and Rose to choke on their drinks as well as a few others surrounding our table.
Serves them right; they should know by now that I don't keep things to myself. Well since the final trimester started anyway. I blame hanging with Peter and Emmett too much. Well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
"Geez, Bella it's called etiquette for a reason woman." Char chastised me once she got her breath back. Queue childish behavior here, I stuck my tongue out at her. Yep hanging out with Peter too much.
"Spill it, sweetie. I want to help and it's not like I'm gonna give it up any time soon now that I don't have work to keep me occupied right now." Yeah, I'm a nosey bugger so sue me, wait don't I need the money to make sure peanut has everything they need.
"Maybe later?" She softly answered trying to smile but looking more worried than anything.
That my dear friend is not gonna happen. Both Char and Rose saw the look on my face, knowing full well what that meant they quickly made plans to go out for the night for a girl's night or something. I had something I needed to do.
"Alice; come over tonight, and we can talk alright." It wasn't me asking her to come around it was me demanding that she get her butt over to our place and I was going to help her. She nodded her head. Something was definitely wrong with the wood nymph sitting across from me. Quickly catching up with everything that was going on over lunch we all headed our separate ways. Rose back to the office, Alice back to the hospital, and Char and I back home.
After getting the riot act from two more people; that would be Jane and Felix; I found myself sitting in the living room watching some strange movie on the TV. I zoned in and out after a while not really paying attention to what was going on in the movie or the house around me. It wasn't until I heard Char and Peter call out that Alice was here and they were heading out.
Sitting there in the house while everyone else was out was peaceful and daunting at the same time, it really showed that something was up with Alice as she was never one to agree to sit still for more than a few minutes unless she was at work.
"Alright, Alice. I know something is stirring around your pretty little head. What's up? I want to help. It's what I do." I asked, but not expecting the tears when she looked up at me. Something was definitely wrong with my little friend and she needed someone to talk to.
