Ch. 65 Free Spirit

"Ugh...maybe we should just cancel this whole thing. I feel awful..." I looked to Edward from my place on the floor of our restroom. I had been here so often that I had practically moved in as evidenced by my pillow and blanket lying on the floor by me. At least it was beautifully decorated. Esme had really outdone herself with the intricately patterned, black and white Spanish tile which was now splattered with a lovely shade of taupe...AKA my vomit...so, overall, I can say that pregnancy so far has been great, 10 out of 10, 5 stars...

"It's nice to hear that you don't lose your sardonic humor even when sick." Edward smiled slightly from where he stood in the doorway. He never left my side. The man was a saint.

He pushed me forward enough on the floor to slide in behind me, leaning against the wall with his legs spread around me. I fell back into his chest miserably as he placed a cold compress on my forehead.

Alice peeked into the room suddenly. "No! This baby shower is happening even if we have to bring it right here to the bathroom, Iris Elizabeth Cullen." Ohh my whole name...Alice must really mean business. Oh well. Who cares? Let her scream.

I sat forward just in time to retch into the porcelain bowl.

"You're really sick if even the wrath of Alice doesn't motivate you." Edward frowned at me. Yuh think?

"Did you think I was pretending? You should know by now that I'm not that great of an actress...Better than Bella, but still. I need some practice and a bit of venom to reach your status." I smiled weakly, and Edward chuckled despite the wrinkle in his brow which remained in his ever-present state of stress over me...

•PTaT•

"Oh a little jumper! How lovely!" The smile hadn't left Esme's face since we had arrived home three days prior.

Alice wasn't kidding...the family was sitting in our bedroom—which was fully decked out because she had planned the ultimate baby shower, of course, and, as stated, wasn't going to cancel it—while I remained on the bed. Rose and Esme opened gifts and held them up for me to see as I tried my hardest to show the appropriate level of enthusiasm each time, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to respond.

"It's so sweet. Thank you, Rose." Everyone had purchased—or made—clothing which was either gender neutral or something for each gender. Our child had enough clothes to cover him or her into adulthood...I shook my head and smiled to myself when I looked around at the mounds of clothing surrounding me on the bed. "Alice I think you've gone overboard."

"Impossible. My niece or nephew deserves the best, and I'm going to teach him or her the importance of proper attire and presentation." Her speech was as impassioned as if she were talking of stopping world hunger.

"Mary Alice Cullen...saving the day one fashion faux pas at a time..." I smirked.

"Laugh it up, but without my expertise, you would look ridiculous in this time. Your twenty-first century style has done you no favors here." She stuck out her tongue childishly, and I actually giggled past the nausea at how seriously she took her fashion sense.

I moved to stand, and instantly Rose was at one side and Edward at the other.

"Love, what is it? I've told you so many times to ask us for anything that you need. It's no bother to us." Edward's brow creased as he held his hands out ready to run in whichever way I directed him.

Rosalie and Edward wouldn't stop asking me if I was hungry, tired, nauseous, hot, cold, etc...So, you know, I was going insane...

Don't get me wrong, it was fantastic to have all the love and support, but never in my life had I had so many people so concerned about my health...All. The. Time. It was amazing, but also very unnerving. I felt like I was suffocating.

"Well, could you bring the toilet to me then? I'm sure no one would be offended by my use of it right here in the middle of the room, right?" I said with an angelic smile, and Emmett and Jasper burst out laughing. Edward only narrowed his eyes at me with a sigh.

"I love pregnant Iris! She's feisty!" Emmett howled.

"So moody." Jasper agreed with a grin but instantly quieted when I glared at him.

Emmett had certainly been entertained by the pregnancy thus far. "You're as big as a house."

"Emmett..." I snapped. "I'm barely even showing yet..." I looked down at the small, but visible bump accentuated by my slightly too tight cotton shirt I had put on for the party. I yanked the hem of the shrinking shirt down to cover the small sliver of skin peeking out.

"Maybe she needs Edward to calm her down. Should we leave the room?" He wagged his brow. Good lord.

I pushed off the bed to stand even as Rosalie grabbed my hand. I noticed her turn her head slightly and freeze as a breeze blew through the window, wafting my scent all over her unexpectedly.

"Rose, please. I'm completely fine. This is ridiculous and isn't even the hardest part of the pregnancy yet." I swatted away her hand. "Go get some fresh air."

"I'm fine. What can I do for you?" She persisted.

"I think the hardest part may have been back in Bali..." Emmett was rolling on the ground and Jasper snickered. Holy fuck with the sex jokes.

Edward growled at him and probably would have launched himself toward his hysterical brother if he weren't so busy fussing over me. "Love, let me carry you. The bathroom is so far..."

"Iris, you should have paired the lilac top with that skirt. Oh, I'll just go get it myself.." Alice danced past me to the closet.

"Would you like some more juice, dear?" Esme asked sweetly.

Oh. My. God. "Stop!" I shrieked, taking a step back from everyone and putting my hands out in front of me. I shut my eyes and inhaled a slow steady breath as nausea threatened to consume me again. When I opened my eyes, I instantly felt bad for snapping, but I couldn't handle all this attention anymore.

"Love..."

"No, Edward, please." I held my hand up to stop anyone from coming toward me.

The room was silent for approximately two seconds until Carlisle appeared in the doorway shuffling through some papers and not paying a bit of attention to us. "Iris, are you in pain? I could prescribe something for you if you need it...I think it's time you start taking blood as well. We've put it off for as long as we can—" He stopped talking when he noticed my expression.

It was too much. My thoughts were spinning, and I was going to lose my freaking mind in here. The air felt heavy around me with so many people surrounding me. I couldn't take the questions and the hovering and constant 'help' offered to me. I wanted to hurl again. My head was hurting, and it was all just too fucking much. "I'm going to the bathroom ALONE, and don't you dare try your emotion manipulation right now, Jasper!" I turned my head sharply toward Edward just in time to see him shooting a certain look at Jasper who nodded his head minutely. "Edward, you can monitor my thoughts all you want from behind the CLOSED bedroom door. I want complete silence for at least an hour!" I knew I was being irrational. I knew I was being a brat. I just needed one second. It had been non-stop 'shower Iris with love and attention' for the last seven days, and I was going to have to be admitted to the psych ward pretty soon if I didn't get some space.

"Iris, I'm so sorry, dear. I don't mean to upset you..." Esme had her hands outstretched hopelessly toward me.

I took another deep breath, walked to her, and bent over slightly to kiss her cheek as I spoke sincerely, my voice tinged with just a hint of distress. "It's not you, Esme. You're all wonderful. I just need a minute, please. Then you guys can haul me around like the giant whale I will be soon enough." I looked back to Edward who still looked as if he was going to sweep me back into the bed. "This is my last chance as a human to be independent and move around freely before things get bad."

Carlisle moved to where I stood. "You're right, Iris. We're overwhelming you. Let's give her some space everyone." He looked around, meeting each person's eyes, landing on Edward.

"Carlisle—" My overbearing—but good-intentioned—husband began.

"Son." He gave Edward a reproachful look, and he stubbornly sighed to himself but relented.

Immediately, everyone cleared the room, even Edward who left with a slight frown and a parting look.

"Thank you." I whisper to my adoptive father as I placed a kiss on his cheek as well before making my way to the restroom.

A few minutes later I found myself lying on the floor of the bathroom, heaving into the toilet once again. Fuck! I hated that Edward was right. I couldn't do this alone. Damnit.

"Edward..." I moaned, and he was next to me in an instant.

"Come here, back to bed..." he pulled me up, wiping my face off. He carried me back to the bed, undressed me and redressed me in warm, cotton pajamas. I stared at him as I felt incredibly guilty at my outburst from twenty minutes before.

"Aren't you angry with me for how I acted a little while ago? Why are you helping me?"

"Of course I'm not mad...Pregnancy is a difficult time, and I know it can leave you wrought with emotion."

I quirked a brow at him, choosing to ignore his blame of my hormones for my rightful emotions. "Not even a little upset?"

He studied my face for just a second before responding with a sheepish look. "...Ok, I will admit that I was disappointed, but I understand. You're a very independent, free-spirited individual, and I see now that it was unfair of us to expect you to simply change that overnight. I'm glad you're still doing so well—nausea aside—but from everything you have told me about how things went with Bella's pregnancy, I'm going to be watching you very closely in the coming weeks. No arguments. Your extensive medical education has taught you how dangerous childbirth can be even for typical human pregnancies. Please behave yourself." He kissed my forehead, and passed a cup of tea to me which I turned my nose at. It didn't smell right, and I gagged a little.

Edward frowned a bit, but said nothing as I laid back on the pillows. I was suddenly overcome with exhaustion and allowed myself to sink into the fluffy down comforter. Edward rolled to his side so he could hug me close to him as he hummed an unfamiliar tune and my mind wandered into dreamland.

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