THE OTHER WOMAN
DISCLAIMER: STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS IT ALL.
January 11, 2016
EDWARD
"It's a surprise." Bella says and I can hear the smile in her voice. Wait, how did her mood change so quickly? She was hopping mad a minute ago.
"You're happy. Did Alice cancel your shopping plans?" I try to lighten the mood.
"No."
"Are you still mad at me?" I ask and grab my coat and wallet. I put the wallet in my pants and walk towards the entrance of my office.
"Yes."
Fuck.
"I love you." I whisper and run a hand through my hair.
I love her so much. I'm a big idiot to keep things from her. I should've told her sooner. But, dad hasn't told mom either! I can only imagine how mom is going to react. There is going to be hell to pay. I need to make it up to Bella. Maybe I can make her favorite dinner and ask Matt to grab her favorite wine from home. That would have to make her forgive me. And my girl is not good at holding grudges.
"I love you too, Edward." Bella whispers back and I sigh with relief. The mistake is mendable. Something like 'I know' as a response would've been a bit scary.
I frown when I hear her gasp. There is a lot of commotion on the other line and I hear an audible thud. I hear a squealing of tires and then the sound disappears. My heart skips a beat. I can't hear her on the other line.
"Bella? Baby, what happened? Bella? Love, are you there? Baby?" I ask urgently and feel my heart thundering in my chest. I can't expect the worst. I shouldn't. Why isn't she saying anything?
I rush back to my desk and press on the intercom. "Victoria, Julie, get me Zidek on the line now!"
"Bella?" I call her name again, hoping it's just bad signal.
Suddenly, I hear ragged breathing on the other line. "Mr. Cullen, its Demetri."
"Demetri, where's Bella? What just happened? Why—" He cuts me off.
"I'm taking her to Dr. Cullen's hospital. You need to come." And the line goes dead.
"… and the doctors have taken her to ER right now." Demetri says and I blankly stare out of the window.
"Thank you, Demetri." I murmur and end the call.
I'm completely numb. A car crashed into her. A black shiny Audi crashed into her. Tanya Denali's Audi crashed into her. My Bella. What had she done to deserve all this? She deserves none of it. I'll disappear out of her life if it means that she'll be safe again. I'm the one causing harm to her.
I'll live alone for the rest of my life if I have the knowledge that she is safe and happy. Riley abducted her and scarred her because she loves me. Tanya tried to kill her because she loves me. Do I really want see her hurt again? It's the second time she's been in ER in the last two months. I did this to her!
I close my eyes and feel tears streaming down my face. I feel like a part of me is missing. It's worse than when Riley took her. Somebody I know, somebody I once cared for has harmed her. Tanya is going to pay for this. If something happens to Bella, I can never forgive myself.
My heart jumps out of my chest when Matt stops the car outside the entrance to the hospital. I almost break open the door and dash towards the elevators. It takes what feels like years to reach the third floor where my Bella is. I spot Demetri and dad standing outside the ER, speaking about something.
I rush towards them and they turn to me. I walk past them towards the double doors of the Emergency Room but something stops me. I look down and find a tiny man blocking me from entering the room.
"S—Sir, you—you can't go inside." He stammers out and I growl softly. I grab his collar and almost lift him off the ground.
"Edward son, you can't go in there," I hear dad say and I drop my hold on the man. I turn to dad and his blue eyes look compassionate. "You'll have to wait."
"Dad, my Bella's in there. I need to see her," I murmur and tears prick my eyes. "She needs me. I'll stay away from her later but I need to see her once more before I disappear from her life."
"Come on, you can sit outside." Dad grabs my hand and leads me towards a steel chair. He makes me sit and I bury my face in my hands. I hear him sit down beside me and his hand rubs my back.
"I did this to her, dad. It's all because of me." I croak out and let the tears fall freely.
"Edward, don't blame yourself. And she's going to be fine. You know how brave Bella is."
"Her life is always in danger because she is with me. I can't stay with her, dad. I can't watch her get hurt like this. I'll leave her after I see her once more, I promise. I won't contact her again. I really won't. She'll be safer without me." I sob and hear him sigh.
"Edward, you're in shock. Give yourself some time. Bella loves you, how can she stay away from you?"
"She probably hates me right now. If I hadn't have kept Tanya's pregnancy a secret, Rosalie and Tanya wouldn't have met her and this wouldn't have happened!"
"We'll talk about that later, son. I'll just go check and ask Dr. Kilmer when she'll be moved out of the ER."
I look at dad and wipe away my tears. "Is her life out of danger? She is fine, right?"
"They're running scans and getting the results. She's had a blow to her head. Let me go check."
"I'll come with you." I rise to my feet and dad stands up too.
"Edward, you can't go in. I'll check on everything and let you know. Why don't you sit here? Your mom will be here any moment now. Alice and Will are on their way from LA too."
"Did you tell Jacob?" I croak out and he sighs.
"I told Alex to bring Jacob. But not right away."
"Okay, thank you."
"And you should know something," Dad says in a low voice. "When Bella fell on the street from the impact, she was going to be run over by a minivan but Demetri got there just in time. He saved her." He squeezes my shoulder and walks inside the ER.
I turn to Demetri who is standing far away from where dad and I were. I walk over to him and he gazes at me with wide eyes.
"Demetri, I don't know how to thank you enough for saving Bella. Thank you very much. I'm very grateful that you were there with her, even though she stubbornly told you to go home."
He gives me a tight nod. "It's my duty, Mr. Cullen. I'm sure she is going to be fine. She is a headstrong woman. And stubborn. She is not going anywhere."
I let out a soft chuckle. "I'll tell her you said that."
"I don't think she'll like that I called her stubborn. She doesn't like that word." He says stiffly but there is a small smile on his face.
"No she doesn't," I take a deep breath. "Can you please get in contact with Zidek and tell Officer Call to meet me here?"
"Yes, sir."
Demetri walks away and I find Dorothy walking in my direction, holding a large Ziploc bag in her hands. She has been working at this hospital since its commencement. She gives me a sad smile and tightly hugs me. I blink back my tears and hug her back.
"There, there," She whispers and pats my back. "Your girl is in safe hands. I have something for you."
I release her and take the bag from her hands. "Thank you."
"This is all of Isabella's things."
"It's Bella, she hates her name." I mutter and she smiles.
"Does she? I have to go now. I'll come back when everybody arrives. Take care." She pats my cheek and walks away.
I sit on the steel chair and unzip the plastic bag. I take the ring out and stroke it. She was ecstatic when I gave this to her on New Year's Eve. She came into my mind when I spotted it in a jewelry store. I put the ring in my pocket and get the white clutch out. I put it next to me and gaze at her clothes. There is a hint of blood on them. I shudder internally and try not to stare for too long. I put her phone in my pocket and sigh.
Lastly, I curiously get the gift wrapped box out of the bag and put the bag away. I run a hand through my hair and let out a deep breath. I wonder what is inside. I carefully unwrap the box and open it. There is a smaller box inside. I smile and open it. There is an even smaller box inside. I sigh tiredly and open three more small boxes. I rattle the smallest box and frown. I don't have a clue what's inside.
I open it and find a bunch of small square shaped pages inside. I lift them in my hands. I flip through them and read what's written.
Guess What?!
Wait a minute…
Why don't you try to guess what I'm saying…?
No?
Hold on…
Are you frowning?
My frown disappears and I smile.
You have a handsome smile…
Wait, there's more…
You're getting irritated, aren't you?
Imagine writing this in a gift shop with people staring at you…
I wrote this few hours ago…
What do you think I'm about to tell you?
"Oh come on, Bella!" I whisper in exasperation and shake my head.
You're going to have learn to be patient now…
You have few months for that…
Let me ask again…
Guess what…
As I put the piece of paper behind the last one, I see an adorable hand drawn picture of two pairs of big feet and one tiny pair of feet in between. Is this—Does this—What? I blink rapidly and feel tears forming in my eyes for the nth time today. But this time, they are tears of joy. Is this true? We're having a baby?
I stroke the tiny feet and weep gently. I put the paper behind the pile and read the last piece of paper.
The baby and I wanted daddy to be the first to know…
"Oh my god," I whisper and smile through my tears. "We're having a baby."
I put the stack of papers in the tiniest box and hold it close to me. Bella probably wanted to tell tonight. She must have wanted to see the look on my face when I found out that we're having a baby. She must be so happy. I'm sure she is.
I wish she was here with me and not on a hospital bed in an Emergency Room. I wish I could've hugged her and told her how happy I am about the news. I wish I could've kissed her and told her how much I love her and our baby. I wish she was here with me so that I can tell her that we're in this together.
Instead, I'm sitting all alone in a hospital corridor holding her gift to my chest. This isn't right. I need to be with her. And our baby. They need me. I can't leave her. I want to stay by her side. We can tackle our problems together, no matter how complicated they are.
Will the baby be fine? Do the doctors know she's pregnant? I need to tell them.
I stand up just as the double doors open and dad walks out. He has a heavy-hearted expression on his face and that scares me. I walk over to him and his blue eyes meet mine.
"Dad, Bella is—"
"… pregnant." He completes my sentence and I nod.
"What happened? Is she fine? Is the baby fine?" I ask but he doesn't say anything. "Dad, are they fine?"
"She's had a severe concussion so they are running a CT scan to make sure there isn't a serious brain injury or bleeding."
"What?! Brain injury…" I whisper and pale instantly.
"Edward, the doctors are ruling out the possibility. They are just checking. Dr. Kilmer is 90% sure there are no brain injuries."
"And the baby? Is—is the baby fine?" I ask hopefully and he looks away. "Dad, look at me! Is the baby fine?"
"Senna is conducting a blood test. We'll find out if the baby is still there… or not." He mutters the latter part under his breath but I manage to hear it.
"Did we lose the baby?"
"Edward, I'm not the most ideal person right now to answer your questions. We have to wait. Can you do that for me?"
"Dad, I just found out that we're having a baby," I lead him to where I put the gift. "Look, she made a gift for me. She was going to tell me today," I whisper, and a sob escapes my chest. "I can't find out and lose it the same day. They have to be fine. Bella has to wake up, dad!"
"Hey, she's going to be fine," Dad says and his voice wavers a little. He hugs me and I cry against him. I can feel my heart breaking into millions of pieces. I have never felt so much pain in my life before. "Esme."
"Edward honey, calm down. You have to be strong." I hear mom say soothingly and I turn in her direction.
"Mom, Bella is in there. She needs me."
"I know, hush now," Mom wipes away my tears and wraps her arms around me. I take a deep breath and try to stay positive. "Bella will be fine, I know it. I can feel it."
"I hope so. They won't let me see her." I mumble and she sighs.
"Carlisle, why can't you let our son see Bella?" Mom asks and I hear dad approach us.
"They are conducting a few tests and we can't let anybody see her unless Lance says so." Dad whispers and I let out a shaky breath.
I release mom and she wipes my tears again. She takes me to the chair and stops short when she finds strewn boxes and wrapping paper all over it. I sit on the bench across from it and she sits next to me. I find a nurse making her way to dad and she whispers something. He nods and gazes at me.
"Edward, there are a couple of forms that need to be filled out for Bella. Can you please do that?" He asks and I nod.
I follow the nurse to the elevator and compose the expression on my face. Once we reach reception, I wait for her to give me the forms.
"Are you her husband, Mr. Cullen?" She asks and I nod. Sure, I can lie.
"Yes."
She hands me the forms and I start filling out the details. I sit on the nearest bench and it takes me ten minutes to write everything. I sign it and give it back to her. I return to the third floor and my eyes widen when I find Alex and Jacob there. I see mom consoling Jacob who looks anxious as hell.
I walk over to them and Alex gazes at me with a sorrowful expression on his face. He squeezes my shoulder and sighs.
"She'll be fine." He reassures me and I offer a sad smile.
"She has to be."
I make my way to Jacob and he has tears in his eyes. He takes in my expression and sighs. I don't know what he saw on my face that made him more anxious.
"When will she wake up?" He asks softly and I shrug.
"I don't know."
"You look like you've lost all hope. Is everything really fine?" I've lost hope about the baby not your sister.
Dad and I share a look and I turn to Jacob again. "Yes, Bella's going to be fine. Trust me."
"She is all I have." Jacob whispers and mom frowns at him.
"Jake, you have us too. Never forget that. Oh honey, Bella will wake up soon," Mom says and hugs him. Jacob holds her in a death grip and sobs against her.
And in that moment, I can clearly see how important it is to have parents in your life. I wish Bella and Jacob had that. He is completely lost without Bella.
My attention is diverted to the ER when Dr. Kilmer steps out along with Senna. They walk past us and take a left. I frown and turn to dad.
"They'll let you know when the time is right." He reassures me and I glare at him. It's getting irritating now. I need to see my Bella.
One long hour later, Dr. Kilmer makes his way to us and I hold my breath. He looks calm and composed so maybe everything is fine. Jacob jumps to his feet and stands by my side. Mom grabs my hand in hers and squeezes it.
"How is everything, Lance?" Carlisle asks, and he sighs.
"Ms. Swan has had a severe concussion but luckily there are no brain injuries. She has three broken ribs. Sometimes there is a chance that the edge of the broken ribs can puncture other organs. Since Ms. Swan's broken ribs are in the middle of the ribcage, there were chances of a punctured lung but fortunately, there are no signs that this has occurred. Other than that, she has a mild hit on the forehead. The broken ribs might take up to 4-6 weeks to heal and we'll test her coordination and reflexes once she wakes up." He explains in detail and there is a spark of relief inside me.
Bella is fine. Her life is not in danger. It could've been worse. Much worse. I feel like somebody has lifted a great weight off my chest. I feel better. But, I know Bella is going to need time to recover. She has broken ribs, it'll make it difficult for her to breathe and move from one place to another.
"When will she wake up?" Mom asks and I can hear the relief in her voice.
"She'll gain consciousness when her body is ready. We'll have to wait. We'll be transferring her to a private room upstairs." Lance says and smiles at mom, but he looks hesitant about something.
Mom wipes her tears and goes to Jacob. "Did you hear that? She's going to be fine." Jacob smiles and nods at her.
Lance clears his throat and grabs my attention. "Edward, a word."
I nod and follow him somewhere. I bury my hands in my pockets and take a deep breath. We don't exchange a single word as we ride the elevator and reach the fifth floor. My heart almost jumps out of my chest when I read a far off sign. It's the OB/GYN Department. We walk past multiple corridors and stop outside an office.
Dr. Senna Hill. Oh, fuck.
We step inside to find Senna sitting behind her desk, typing on her laptop. Her grey eyes fall on us and she stops working. She rises to her feet and offers a polite smile. It's the third time I've met her. We bumped into each other in the reception area last month and I met her at my office two weeks ago when she was grabbing lunch with Alex.
"Excuse me." Lance says and leaves the room.
"Edward, take a seat." Senna says quietly and I sit in the chair across from her. She settles in her seat and folds her hands on the table.
"What's going on? Why did Lance bring me here? What is it? Do you have the results? How is the baby? Is the baby fine?" I fire questions at her and she patiently stares at me.
She pulls out a file from her drawer and puts it on the table. "We took her blood test to check the condition of the fetus. It's still in her womb," I smile and relief washes over me. Thank god. "But, we don't know if it's alive. Bella is under close observation for injuries so Dr. Kilmer asked us to wait for the ultrasound."
I swallow the lump in my throat. "Does this mean that we've lost the baby?"
Her eyes sadden. "Edward, I don't want to give you any false hope. These accidents are very common during the first trimester. And Bella is only five weeks along. Dr. Kilmer noticed vaginal bleeding and immediately called me."
I run a hand through my hair. "Okay."
"There is a 15% chance of miscarriage for every pregnant woman. Maybe, just maybe, the baby has survived."
"She's had an abortion before. Does that increase the chances of a miscarriage?"
"No... We'll perform a transvaginal ultrasound to see the heartbeat. Every pregnancy is different, we may or may not see the heartbeat but we can find out about the embryo's condition."
"Okay."
"Edward, have a little faith." She whispers and I sigh shakily.
I don't need faith; I need courage to tell my girlfriend that we may have lost the baby.
"Can I please see her?" I ask Dr. Kilmer for the third time in the last ninety minutes. He gives me a thoughtful look and nods his head.
"You can see her."
"Thank you!"
"She's in Room No. 4." He says and I nod.
I open the double doors and walk into the Emergency Room. I run a hand through my hair and scan the rooms as I walk past them. I pause in front of the door with the number four. I take a deep breath and open the door. I see a nurse noting something on her iPad as she checks the monitor.
Her brown eyes fall on me and she smiles sympathetically. "You can stay for five minutes, Mr. Cullen. We have to perform an MRI Scan shortly."
I nod and she walks out of the room. My eyes race over to the bed where Bella is. There is an IV in her mid-arm and a heart rate monitor is steadily beeping. The room smells of disinfectant. I see a chair next to the bed so I go over and sit in it. I finally take a good look at her face.
I blink back my tears and trace her right hand with my index finger. I sniffle and a tear drops on her hand. She looks perfect. You can't guess she is injured by looking at her. There are no visible bruises, nothing casted and apart from the tape stuck on the left side of her forehead, she looks fine.
But I know she must be in a lot pain. And that hurts me more than anything else. It's going to be difficult for her to breathe; she might have the headache from hell and the news of our baby… No, I shouldn't think negatively about it.
I lift her right hand in mine and kiss the back of it. I kiss her fingers and wrist. I lean over and stroke her cheek.
"Bella…" I whisper and my voice breaks. "Baby, can you hear me? I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. When will you wake up? I need you so much, baby. I don't like to see you like this. You have to wake up for me," I sob and hold her hand to my cheek. "I'm sorry I left for work today. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have left. None of this would've happened. I'm so sorry."
"I won't go to work unless you tell me to, I promise. Please just wake up. We have to go home, angel. We just moved in together, we were just getting started. You can't do this."
Bella doesn't respond to me. Her lovely eyes are still closed and those lashes aren't fluttering like they always do. Her lips are closed, not parted like they are in her sleep. Bella isn't moving, smiling, talking or blushing. God, I miss that blush.
"You have to wake up so that I can take care of you," I smile through my tears and interlace our hands. "It's not just you anymore. Our baby too. I know about our baby," I whisper and stroke her belly. "I know our little baby is in there. You were going to tell me tonight, weren't you?" I ask and my voice cracks. "I saw the gift, it's so beautiful. I'll treasure it forever. I'm so happy, Bella. Do you have any idea how happy you have made me?"
"Can you I tell you something, Bella?" I ask her softly and tears continue streaming down my eyes. "I don't want to lose our baby. I know there is a chance that we have lost the baby but I want to have this baby with you. I want him or her to live. I know it's too soon and a lot of things are happening around us but nothing would make me happier. I'm scared we've lost the baby."
I wipe away my tears and lean closer to her abdomen and plant a gentle kiss on her belly.
"Hi, baby. It's me. Your momma and I are over the moon that you are with us. Please be okay," I say through my tears. "We love you very much already. Everybody is going to love you. You're going to have a grandpa and two grandmas who will spoil you rotten and your aunt and uncles will listen to anything you say. You're going to be so loved. Please be alright. We can't lose you. I don't want you to leave us. You haven't been with us for long."
I sit back in my chair and kiss Bella's forehead. "Baby, we have so much to look forward to. We'll have to set up a nursery, buy clothes and toys for our baby. There is so much to do. And nothing can happen unless you come back to me."
"You know, mom gave nana's ring to me last month. I was going to propose to you the night Riley abducted you. It was going to be very cheesy," I let out a strained chuckle. "I was going to take you to the beach where you first said that you loved me. Remember that night? It was pouring buckets, and you were sitting by the ocean,"
"I had someone decorate the place with string lights and mason jars with candles in them. You like that, don't you? You have put those jars on our balcony. The place looked splendid and everything was going according to plan but then, he took you. I have a weird paranoia about the ring. But not after today. I want to propose to you with that ring, Bella. I want us to get married,"
"Where do you want to get married?" I ask and my voice breaks. "I know you won't want a lavish wedding. You will want a small and intimate ceremony. Tell me, love. We can do an extravagant wedding if you want. Anything you want. Anywhere you want. Maybe we can plan someplace where the media won't reach us. You want that, right? Bella, say something."
"I love you so much, baby. I'm sorry I left tonight. I'm so sorry. I need you. Both of you," I cry and hold her hand to my heart. "Please."
There is a knock on the door and I turn to find the same nurse standing there who left five minutes ago. Her eyes look hesitant and cautious. "Sir, we have to take her."
"Two more minutes, please." I beg softly and she sighs sadly.
"Dr. Kilmer will be here any—" She pauses and Dr. Kilmer comes into my view. He walks in my direction and pats my back.
"Edward son, we're moving her to the private room in the next thirty minutes." He says kindly and I nod. I can wait for thirty minutes.
I lean towards Bella and kiss her forehead. "I'll see you in a bit, baby."
"… and we walked out of there. She said that you were picking her up, so I left. And Demetri was around. I should've stayed with her for a little longer." Aunt Jane says between her sobs as she finished dictating everything that happened few hours ago in the cafe.
"I can't believe this," I hear Alice murmur and then a pair of footsteps approach the room.
I haven't taken my eyes off Bella ever since they moved her to a private room on the sixth floor an hour ago. I watch her chest rise and fall as she breathes with the help of the nasal cannula. Her heart is consistently beating, and it's the most soothing sound to hear right now. I interlace our hands and kiss her knuckles.
I take a whiff and the aroma of coffee assaults my senses. I hear a pair of heavy footsteps approaching me.
"Ed, here," I finally take my eyes off Bella and turn to Will. He is holding a cup of coffee for me.
"Thanks." I murmur and take the cup. I take an inviting sip of the steaming hot coffee and sigh. It's good.
I gaze at my family and find Aunt Jane and Alice sitting on the sofa with Alex next to them. Dad and mom are nowhere to be seen and Jacob is sitting in the armchair staring at his hands with a thoughtful expression on his face. The TV is on and the Discovery Channel is televising an episode of the Pyramids of Egypt. I don't think anybody is watching it. Nobody is watching the news channel because we already know what the headlines are.
My attention turns to Aunt Jane and Alex who are looking in my direction. I think Aunt Jane is talking to me. Her lips are moving and she has tears streaming down her eyes. I snap out of my current state and sigh.
"Edward, did you listen to anything mom just said?" Alex asks and I shake my head.
Aunt Jane wipes away her tears. "You didn't listen to anything she said about Bella meeting with Tanya and Rosalie?"
"I heard that." I murmur and rise to my feet.
"What are you going to do about it?"
"I could kill Tanya but she is pregnant," I say quietly and they gape in my direction. "What?"
Alice stands up. "Should we contact the police?"
"Officer Call is on his way. He'll be here shortly."
"Okay."
My eyes race towards the door when I hear the clicking of heels coming closer and mom comes into my view holding large bags with Canlis printed on them. She brought dinner. Dad is right behind her with another bag in his hand. They make their way to us and Alice takes the bags from her. Dad hands me the bag in his hands and I see my clothes inside.
"We know you'll want stay here tonight. You should wear comfortable clothes." He says and I smile.
"Thanks, dad."
"No problem. We brought dinner for everyone. Eat." He whispers pointedly and I nod.
I don't have an appetite but I still eat a little for mom and dad's sake. I have a couple of bites of the steak and pass the rest to Alex who is all too willing to eat. Jacob is inhaling his food and I realize he must have not have eaten since lunch. I receive calls from Edythe, Kate, Dave, Julie and Victoria to ask about Bella's condition.
The past hour has been a complete blur. Angela, Ben, Sam, Emily, Paul and Seth were here too. I think Jacob informed them about the accident. They left not long ago and mentioned that they would stop by tomorrow after work.
Suddenly Emmett barges in with a frazzled expression on his face. He is in his work clothes and he looks furious. He marches in my direction and I rise to my feet. I glare back at him and wonder what Rosalie has lied to him about me this time. I will not hold back tonight. His eyes gaze at the rest of family members.
"What the hell is this?! Why didn't anybody tell me that Bella had an accident? Am I not a part of this family?" He roars angrily and dad opens his mouth to speak but I stop him.
"I told them not to," I say quietly, and he glowers at me. "Why? Didn't Rosalie tell you that her best friend hit my girlfriend with her car and tried to kill her?"
He suddenly frowns. "What? I haven't spoken to Rose since morning. What are you talking about? Bella's accident is in the news, that's how I found out." He says and I sigh.
"I figure she will have a lot to tell you." I mutter and he sighs.
"We had a fight this morning. Anyway, Bella's health is more important. How is she?" He gazes at her form and back at me.
"Three broken ribs. She'll wake up soon."
"She'll be fine," He reassures me and pats my back. "And what about Tanya? She did this?"
"Yes."
"Oh fuck." Will mutters and I look at him and frown when I notice that his face has lost all its color. I follow his gaze and a growl escapes my lips when I see Rosalie standing in the doorway ready for a nervous breakdown.
I see red when I look at her. Her eyes have tears in them and she gulps audibly. I growl angrily and all the pent up frustration about her comes to me. How she has always humiliated my Bella, how she has degraded her all the time, how she has betrayed my brother. She is a monster. I have half a mind to kill her right now.
"Edward, don't." Alice says behind me but I ignore her.
I march in my sister-in-law's direction and she is trembling like a leaf. I roughly grab her arm and yank her towards the bed.
"Look at her! Look at her!" I yell and she stares at her feet. "You didn't do this to her but you are partly responsible. I give you equal credit for this."
"Edward, I didn't know Tanya would do this. You have to believe me. She—She told me on the phone a while ago and I came here as soon as I could." She says and sobs in her hands.
"What has she ever done to you?" I whisper and she continues weeping. "What has my Bella ever done to you? Has she harmed you in any way? Has she tortured you? No. My Bella would never do that. She is a good person, and she has a pure soul. You toyed with her feelings to hide the mistakes of your past!"
"That's a lie!" She shouts and I look daggers at her. I hold her in a chokehold and push her against a wall. She coughs and tries to squirm.
"Edward, let her go! What are you doing?" I hear mom plead behind me.
"Edward, get your hands off my wife." Emmett says angrily and I chuckle humorlessly.
"Do you see that?" I ask Rosalie and she struggles to breathe. "I lay one hand on you and the whole family is going against me. I probably should tell them everything right now," She pales and shakes her head. "But, I won't. I want Bella to hear it too. I want her to know why she was almost killed today."
I release my hold on Rosalie and she gasps breathlessly. She coughs and glares at me.
"She's fine, for Christ's sake! Why are you being so overly dramatic?!" She has the gall to say.
"Because she's pregnant, you fucking idiot!" Her blue eyes regard me with shock and I hear a couple of gasps behind me. This probably wasn't the best way to announce the pregnancy to my family. "She's pregnant and we don't know if the baby will survive or not! So I hope you feel good about yourself. And if something happens to my baby, I will kill you Rosalie."
My phone buzzes in my pocket and I step out of the room to answer the phone call. It's Officer Call.
"Edward Cullen." I snap and run a hand through my hair.
"Mr. Cullen, its Officer Call."
"Yes, Officer. What is it?"
"We've arrested Ms. Denali. After taking a written statement from Mr. Demetri Bryan and gathering enough evidence from the CCTV footage of the traffic signal, we are sure she is the woman behind the accident. I'll just have to speak with Bella once she gains consciousness."
"Sure, thank you very much. But I thought you were coming here."
"I don't think that will be necessary now." He says and I sigh.
"Okay, thanks again."
"No problem."
I put the phone in my pocket and sigh with relief. Tanya is in jail. Finally. She deserves worse than being in jail. But there is nothing more that can be done right now. Plus, her charges are very severe; it will take a lot of effort for Eleazar and Alistair to get her out of this. I hope they enjoy disappointment because I'm not letting her get out of jail ever.
I pause when I hear Emmett shouting at Rosalie regarding what happened a few minutes ago.
"Do you hear me? You are never speaking to that woman ever again! Bella is pregnant, Rose! This is serious." Emmett says angrily and I don't hear Rosalie's response.
"Rose, why did you do it? Jane told us everything. What were you trying to prove by telling lies to Bella? Why don't you want to see Edward and Bella together? Is there a reason why you loathe them?" Mom demands and I shake my head.
I step inside the room and all eyes turn in my direction. I sit in the chair next to Bella's bed and take her warm hand in mine.
I sense Rosalie approaching me. "Edward, I'm really sorr—"
"Tanya has been arrested." I announce gently and turn to my family.
"Is it wrong that I'm happy?" Mom asks and I chuckle.
"I'm relieved too, mom. I know how you feel."
Emmett clears his throat. "Let's go, Rosalie. I think you have created enough chaos for now."
He walks over to me and I take in his apologetic expression. "Ed, I'm so sorry. Truly. I can't imagine what you must be going through. I'll speak to Rosalie at home," He lowers his voice. "I'll swing by later. Promise me you'll tell me everything about her once Bella is up."
"I promise."
"Okay, I'm off now." Emmett says and gives a quick hug to mom before leaving the room with Rosalie in tow.
Everyone collectively starts talking at once and I turn my attention back to Bella. How can she not wake up when there is so much ruckus in the room? I kiss her hand and sigh. I can hear mom scolding dad for not telling her about Tanya's pregnancy, Alex and Will are trying to calm Aunt Jane down because she blames herself for what happened to Bella. Alice is talking on the phone, probably with Jasper.
I hear footsteps approaching me and I turn to find Jacob walking in my direction. His brown eyes gaze at Bella and then at me.
"Is she really pregnant?" He asks and I chuckle dryly.
"Why would I lie?"
"Is she happy about it?"
"I think so," I whisper and kiss her hand. "I found out after her accident. The creative way she was going to tell me makes me think that she must be ecstatic about it."
"Yeah. Let's hope the baby is fine."
I don't have enough patience to wait and find out.
BELLA
January 12, 2016
I can feel my body burning, it's burning with pain. I ache everywhere. My legs, hands, face, forehead, my chest… god, it hurts. Where am I? I imagine myself at home, fast asleep in Edward's arms but, I'm not. I'm definitely not at home. I hear a couple of hushed whispers near me. They sound familiar. I try to recall something but my mind is completely blank.
I feel exhaustion washing over me as I try to stay up. I remember waking up with Edward and arguing about how we haven't been spending time together. I fell back asleep, and he left for work. I spoke to Angela and Emily… No! No! And I succumb to sleep again.
I woke up with Edward and argued with him about how we don't spend enough time together. I fell back asleep, and he left for work. I spoke to Angela and Emily following that. I took a pregnancy test… The baby! I have to tell Edward about the baby! I spoke to Rosalie and Tanya and then a car crashed into me. I was in an accident.
I need Edward. Is he here? Does he know about the baby? Is my baby fine after the accident? What if… What if something happens? What day is it? What time is it? Ugh, what is going on? Does Edward know where I am?
My stomach clenches with a queasy feeling and fatigue crawls its way back to me.
My eyes flutter open and I find myself lying on a hospital bed. There is a hint of natural light in the room which means it must be dusk or dawn. I hear the heart monitor patiently beating and feel something itchy against my right arm. I try to lift my free arm but something is holding it down firmly.
I raise my head and see a figure sleeping by my bedside. My eyes prick with tears when I gaze at my Edward. He has a tired yet peaceful expression on his face. He must have gone through so much trouble for me. My chest suddenly hurts and I lie down on the bed again. I run my hand through Edward's soft hair and sigh.
What about the baby? Is the baby fine? I have to tell Edward. What if something has happened to the baby? Did we lose him or her? My heart starts beating faster in my chest and I put my hand on my stomach. Tears trickle down my cheeks and I cry softly even though it hurts.
Edward suddenly sits up and frowns sleepily. He runs a hand through his hair and his eyes fall on me. His eyes widen and he takes my hand in his. He gazes at the heart rate monitor beeping like crazy and back at me.
"Baby, what's wrong? Hush, calm down," Edward says soothingly, and a sob escapes me. "What's wrong, Bella? Are you hurting? Should I call someone?"
"Ed…ward." I croak out uneasily and he leans closer.
"Yes, angel? What do you want?"
"The baby," I whisper and his eyes tighten a little. "I'm pregnant."
His lips curl into a smile. "I know, my love. You have no idea how excited I am. Why are you crying?"
"Is the baby alright?" I ask and his grin disappears.
"The doctors need to perform an ultrasound to find out."
I gasp. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"Don't apologize, baby. Please don't," His green eyes fill with unshed tears and he shakes his head. "I love you, Bella."
He moves in my direction and carefully hugs me. I close my eyes and savor the feeling of his warm arms around me.
"I love you." I mumble and he kisses my hair. He puts his hand on my belly and my stomach fills with butterflies.
"You remember Senna, Alex's girlfriend?" Edward asks softly and I nod. "She is an OB/GYN who works here. She took your blood tests. She told me that the baby is in there but they can't figure out if it's alive or not."
"What do you think?" I whisper and sniffle.
"We have to be ready for whatever the result is," He says distractedly and makes soothing circles on my belly. He loves our baby already.
"I'm sorry, Edward. I can't believe I harmed our baby." I say and bawl against him. I'm an emotional mess.
I'm in pain but nothing is more tortuous than knowing that we might have lost our baby. My little baby. This is unbelievable. I don't care about anything else right now. The doctors need to perform an ultrasound immediately.
I pull back from Edward and wince in pain. Ouch. His green eyes are in anguish as he gazes at me. He wipes away my tears and kisses my forehead. I take his hand in mine and sniffle.
"Edward, call the doctor. Can they perform the ultrasound right now?" I croak out and he sighs.
"It's seven in the morning, my love."
"Edward, please. I need to know. I can't lose our baby too," I sob and he hugs me. "I'm sorry, I just can't."
"Hey, we're in this together. No matter what happens, we'll deal with it together. You're not alone this time." He says lovingly and I gaze at him. I whimper and nod my head. He is right.
"Okay."
"And you never know, maybe the baby is fine," His lips curl into a gentle smile. "Let's be patient about it. Can you do that for me, baby?"
"Yes." I reply and he kisses my cheek.
"That's my girl."
Edward tucks me in again and leans away. He wipes the stray tears from my face and pecks my lips. I close my eyes and try to breathe. I can hear Edward moving around and calling someone. Probably a nurse. The less I worry about the baby, the more my body hurts from pain. My head starts throbbing and I moan in pain. My chest aches.
I open my eyes and find that Edward is still on the phone. He hangs up and sits next to me. He caresses my face and I lean against his touch. He brushes the pad of his thumb against my cheekbone and we quietly stare at each other.
"How hurt am I?" I finally ask and his eyes sadden.
"You have a severe concussion and three broken ribs." He whispers and I swallow hard. Whoa, that's a lot.
"How long will it take me to recover?"
"Five weeks, I think."
"That's a long time." I mutter to myself and recall how the car crashed into me.
I was talking to Edward, and it came in my direction out of nowhere. What about the minivan? Did it hit me too? How did I get here? When did Edward find out? Does everyone know? What about Rosalie and Tanya? What happened to them after I left?
I gaze at Edward and find him stroking my face. His face is a mask of worry and I frown. What happened? I realize my heart rate has sped up and I'm lost in my thoughts.
"Sorry, I was thinking about the accident." I whisper and try to calm my breathing.
"Don't think too much, Bella. Please. It's not good for you in this condition, especially after a concussion."
"I know, I apologize," I tug on his hand. "Sit here with me," I pat the space next to me on the bed and he sighs disapprovingly.
"I can't, baby. I don't want to hurt you."
"Please?" I pout and his eyes soften.
"Okay."
He takes off his shoes and sits next to me. I snuggle against him as much as I can and close my eyes. He wraps me in his arms being careful with my arm that has the IV. He kisses my head and gently rocks me. There is a sudden knock on the door and I am startled.
A nurse, probably in her mid-thirties walks in with a beaming smile on her face. Something about her smile puts me at ease. She takes in our position and I blush. Edward unwraps his arms from around me and stands up.
"Good morning, Ms. Swan. How are you feeling?" She asks and I chuckle at her question.
"I've been better."
She nods. "So I've heard. My name is Noreen and you can call me anytime you need me. I just need to do a couple of routine tests and then I'll bring you some water."
"Okay."
Edward steps away and Noreen checks my blood pressure along with few other things. She walks out of the room and re-enters holding a cup of water.
"Slow sips," She mentions and I patiently drink the water. The cool liquid is a soothing balm to my throat and I feel better as I drink it. This water is good.
"I'll inform Dr. Kilmer and he'll be here to check up on you soon." Noreen says and walks out of the room with the empty cup.
An involuntary yawn escapes my lips as I start feeling drowsy. I don't want to sleep. Edward carefully pulls the blanket over me and I shake my head.
"I don't want to sleep." I mumble and he chuckles.
"Shh, you need rest. The doctors can perform the ultrasound once you wake up in a while." He says, and that puts me at ease.
"Okay, but don't leave me." I pull him in my direction again and he climbs back on the bed. I cuddle into him and close my eyes.
"I missed you, Bella." Edward whispers and nuzzles my hair.
"You have to tell me how this happened." I remind him and feel his lips curling into a smile against my hair.
"Yes, baby. I will. Sleep."
"Did you speak to Rosalie?"
"Sleep, Bella." He says pointedly and I sigh grumpily.
"What about Jacob? Does he know?"
"Yes he does. Now, sleep Bella!" He says firmly and I nod.
"Okay," I feel his hand gently brushing against my belly. "I want a boy. You?"
"I am fine with either but I want a little girl."
I giggle but stop short when it hurt. "I want our baby to look like you."
"We'll see. Please sleep, baby." He begs and I drift off to sleep, dreaming about a green-eyed baby boy.
I pray that everything is fine.
I cross my arms over my chest and glare at no one in particular as Noreen wheels me towards a hospital room. I can walk on my own; I don't need to be pushed in a chair. This is so frustrating. And where is Edward when I need him?! I haven't seen him since I've woken up. His carrying me is less uncomfortable than this.
Noreen opens a door and wheels me inside the room. I see a pretty blonde working at her desk and Edward and Carlisle are not far from me, talking amongst themselves. Their eyes fall on me and Carlisle grins.
"Bella, dear, dear. It's so good to see you awake," He leans down and kisses my forehead. I blush and smile shyly. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?"
"I'm alright. I mean, it hurts to breathe and move around but other than that I'm fine."
He smiles. "It'll get better."
"I hope so."
"I have to run now, I have a meeting in two minutes," He checks the time on his watch. "Everybody is coming by this afternoon, I'll swing by then."
"Sure."
"I hope everything is alright," He says and pats my hand. "I'll see you in a bit."
With that he walks out of the room. I frown at his retreated form. Does he know I'm pregnant? Of course he does. Do the others know too? I wanted to keep it a secret until the first three months had passed. I guess that's not happening. I sigh at that thought. I am shaken out of my thoughts when Noreen wheels me towards the hospital bed. I make a face. She's going to get the nurses to pick me up now?
I turn when I see Edward walking in my direction. He kneels in front of me and smiles. His green eyes look anxious but he tries to hide it. He takes my hand in his and kisses my knuckles.
"How did you sleep?" He asks softly and I shrug.
"Fine."
"Why that long face, baby?"
I pout. "I can walk. I don't like to be pushed in this stupid wheelchair. And now Noreen is getting the nurses to put me on the bed again."
Edward chuckles and envelopes me in his arms. He kisses my hair and rubs my back. "Oh baby, is that all?"
"She wanted to walk all the way here from her hospital room." Noreen complains behind me and I snuggle closer to my boyfriend.
Edward releases me and lifts me in his arms. He gently puts me on the bed and kisses my forehead. "There. Better?" He asks and I nod with a smile.
Noreen shakes her head and chuckles. She walks out of the room and I gaze at Edward again. He sits on the edge of the bed beside me and takes my hands in his.
"Do you know where we are?" He asks and I nod.
"I just saw that we entered the Radiology Department."
"Hmm, we are here for your ultrasound." He mentions and gauges my reaction.
My heart beats faster in my chest. Ultrasound. The baby. We will find out if the baby is alive or not. Oh god, this is going to be nerve wracking. I bite my bottom lip and play with my fingers. What if we have lost the baby? No. I should be positive. I imagine a cute little boy with green eyes and copper hair running towards Edward and me.
Edward strokes my cheek and I gaze at him. I put my hand on my belly and tears prick my eyes. I don't want to lose our baby. His eyes soften taking in my expression. He wraps his arms around me and sighs.
"It's going to be fine, Bella." Edward says soothingly and I sniffle.
"Really? What are the chances?"
He doesn't respond and I get more anxious than I already am. I hear a polite throat clear somewhere so I pull back from Edward. I turn and find the pretty blonde standing by the edge of the bed with her hands inside her white coat. She smiles at us and I wipe away my tears.
"Hello, Bella. How are you? I'm Senna." She says in a friendly tone, like she already knows me. That's odd. Senna. Oh! Is she Alex's girlfriend?
Edward stands up and puts his arm around me. "Bella, this is Senna, Alex's girlfriend."
"It's nice to meet you." I say weakly and she nods with a grin.
"And you, Bella. Alex has told me many great things about you," She mentions and puts on a pair of latex gloves. My stomach churns uneasily and I take Edward's hand in mine. He kisses my hair and I try to calm myself.
"Breathe, baby." Edward whispers and I nod.
Senna pushes a curtain away and I see a large machine with numerous buttons and a screen. She starts it and presses a couple of the buttons. I watch her with wide eyes as she prepares for the ultrasound.
"Edward must have told you that I work here as an OB/GYN. I'm going to examine the condition of your fetus."
"Oh."
"Edward, can you please help Bella lie down?"
Edward jumps to his feet and carefully helps me into a lying position. I wince as my body protests in pain. It hurts to move. He sits on the stool next to the bed and Senna asks me to bend my knees. She lifts my gown and covers a wand with gel before inserting it into me.
"You might feel some pressure." She warns gently and I tighten my hold on Edward's hand. I hold it in a death grip and look into his gorgeous green eyes. His apprehension mirrors mine and our gaze breaks when I feel the probe moving inside me. I look at Senna and then at the monitor on my right.
There is nothing but pin drop silence in the room as we look at the screen. The screen shows the inside of my pelvis and I don't understand the rest of it. Seconds pass as we continue looking at the monitor and then my heart stops.
I hear a weird flippy sound and Senna beams towards us. She nods as an answer to the unspoken question and I gasp in surprise. A sob escapes my chest and I cry gently. Edward lets out a deep sigh and I hold on to him for dear life. Our baby is fine. We can hear his or her heartbeat. It's the most beautiful sound I've ever heard. Oh my god, we're having a baby!
Edward buries his face against my hair and gently rocks me. I cry happy tears and grip his t-shirt in my hands.
"We're going to be parents," Edward whispers in my ear and I nod furiously. I pull back and see tears glistening in his eyes. He wipes away my tears and leans his forehead against mine. "Thank you, Bella. Thank you so much."
"I don't mean to interrupt the happy parents but don't you want to see your baby?" Senna asks and we gaze at her. She maneuvers the screen closer and points to a tiny dot. "That is your little peanut. You are five weeks along. We will hear a stronger heartbeat in the coming weeks. I'll provide you with a brochure for the Dos and Don'ts that you can refer to. You might want to start reading a couple of pregnancy books. But first, you need to take care of yourself. "
"Is the baby healthy?" Edward asks with concern and Senna nods.
"Fortunately, yes. You are very lucky. Bella, I repeat, you will have to take extra care of yourself. Eat a healthy diet. No stress, worries, overwork or alcohol. Dr. Kilmer will also be giving you some instructions about it. You will require lots of sleep."
"Okay." I nod and smile at Edward. He kisses the side of my head and strokes my belly.
"I'll give you two a moment." Senna stands up and starts turning off the machine. Edward cradles my face in his hands and kisses me. I smile and wrap my arms around his neck as I deepen our kiss. I don't care if my body is in pain, I just found out my baby is fine. He smiles against my lips and his hand idly plays with my hair.
There is a knock on the door and we sigh against each other. We turn and see Senna in the doorway. She gives us an amused smile and Edward sighs impatiently.
"Yes?" He asks politely, and she clears her throat.
"Just one more thing," She says and looks Edward in the eye. "No sex or sexual endeavors for five weeks, until her fracture heals and we prevent the possibility of a miscarriage."
With that she leaves the room.
"Oh fuck." Edward whispers and swallows hard.
These next five weeks are going to be long.
"Last bite, come on. Open up," Edward says and I roll my eyes. "Bella."
"I'm not a child and I'm not hungry anymore."
"Well, you are eating for two now."
I open my mouth and eat the soup Edward is feeding me. It is delicious but I'm really full. Edward puts the bowl away and holds two pills in his hands. I swallow the medicine and drink a glass of water.
"Good girl," He kisses my forehead and strokes my cheek. "Do you want to rest for a bit?"
"No."
"Okay, what do you want to do?"
I pout, crossing my arms over my chest. "Edward, tell me everything."
"Fine."
I pull him in my direction and he sits on the bed. I curl onto his lap and he kisses my hair. I look up and connect our lips for a soft kiss. He carefully draws me closer and sighs contentedly against my lips. We breathlessly break apart and he touches his forehead to mine.
"I love you, Bella."
"I love you too. Edward, can you please tell me how this accident happened?" I ask softly and he nods.
"Tanya hit you with her car," I gasp and cover my mouth with my hand. "And fortunately Demetri didn't leave after you told him to go home. He was trailing behind you. He saved you before a minivan could hit you."
I take in the information and feel grateful for Demetri. If it wasn't for him, I would've been in worse condition and probably would've lost the baby.
"Where is he? I need to see him. And thank him. He saved me." I say and Edward smiles.
"And our baby. I'm doubly grateful to Demetri," He whispers and strokes my belly. "I told him to take a couple of days off and spend time with his son. He deserves that. He has been under a lot of pressure for the past two months."
I nod. "Hmm, true. You did a good thing. I'll call him later."
"Anyway, so Tanya is currently in jail. Officer Call wants to speak to you soon. But, everything can wait for few days. You need mental and physical rest."
"I know I sound like a horrible human being but I'm so glad she is in jail." I mutter and put my head on his shoulder.
"You're not horrible to think that way, baby. After everything she has done to you, this is next to nothing. I wanted to kill her."
"Jail is enough for now."
"For now." He agrees and kisses the side of my head.
"I still can't believe she's pregnant with twins." I say and he chuckles. I can still recall her huge pregnant bump when she walked into that cafe yesterday.
"She's having boys." Edward answers and I frown at him.
"How do you know?"
"I saw her medical report. They are identical twins."
"Oh," I whisper and put my hand atop his that is on my flat belly. "What about Rosalie? Did she know about the accident?"
"Rosalie claims that she had no clue Tanya was the one behind the accident. But, if she hadn't planned the whole 'Tanya carrying my babies' charade, none of this would've happened."
"Did she really do that so that I would leave you?"
"Yes," Edward says and plants soft kisses on my face. "She wanted to tear us apart. She knows I can't live without you. I would've been devastated. I wouldn't have bothered to share her secret."
"What is the secret?" I ask tiredly and he sighs.
"I promised her that I'd tell everyone once you were awake. I want you to listen as well. You deserve to know why she was trying to manipulate you," He shakes his head. "I still can't believe she did that, Bella. How vile does a person have to be to do something like that? We are part of the same family."
"Hey, everything's fine now. I'm not going anywhere. I'm still here," I stroke his hair and he buries his face against the crook of my neck. "And I'm never leaving."
"What if you would've? I never would've known about our baby." He mumbles and I pull back from him. I look deep into his eyes and stroke his cheek.
"Of course I was going to tell you. It's your baby too. You deserve to know and be a part of his or her life. It was just disturbing to imagine Tanya and you having kids," He shudders and hugs me. "Ever since I found out I'm pregnant, all I keep thinking about is that our baby will be a mini-version of you."
Edward frowns adorably. "I want a girl. I don't care."
I giggle. "I don't think you get to decide anymore, Cullen. It's done. We'll find out in a couple of weeks. Plus, I'm the mom. I know it's a boy."
He rolls his eyes at that. "Sure, sure. We'll see."
"We have to design nursery and shop for baby clothes. I think Alice, Esme and Jane will love that part," I muse to myself and something hits me. I gasp. "Which room will be the baby's room? I don't want the nursery to be very far from our bedroom. And—" He cuts me off.
"Hey, hey," Edward whispers and smiles lovingly. "We still have eight months to figure everything out. We're in this together, remember?"
"Yes," I blush and peck his lips. "You'll make an amazing father. You are sensitive, smart and loving. Our baby is very lucky to have you," I whisper and my smile falters a little.
I wish I had my parents growing up. I know Edward will never leave me and our baby. He loves his family. Unlike my father. I wish my father hadn't left. I don't have parents who I can share this news with. My baby will grow up knowing nothing about my parents.
"Baby, what happened?" Edward asks gently and tips my chin up to look at him. He frowns when a tear trickles down my cheek.
"I miss my mom." I whisper and a sob escapes my lips.
His eyes soften and he envelopes me in his arms. "Oh angel, I'm sorry. What made you think about her?"
"I don't know. We are having a baby and he or she will never meet their grandma. She loved kids." I whisper and tighten my hold on him. I breathe in his scent and try to calm myself.
"Of course the baby will know about Renee. We will hang her pictures in the family room along with the others. She won't be forgotten, I promise."
I feel at peace hearing that. We can put her pictures up in the family room where we have hung photos from various family events. I can't believe Edward cares so much about this. I glance at him and cry softly.
"You're so great. I love you."
"I love you too, baby. Now, why are you crying?"
"I don't know," I croak out and he kisses my forehead. My head throbs a little and I wince in pain. "My head hurts."
"You should rest, my love. You are thinking too much. What did Dr. Kilmer say? No stress or overthinking."
"Sorry." I mumble and get under the covers. I pull Edward with me and snuggle against him. He sighs gently and stifles a yawn.
"You need sleep." I point out and he nods.
"I'll sleep on the sofa."
I frown. "No, sleep right here. This bed is big enough to fit both of us."
He nods, too tired to argue. We cuddle under the blanket and I feel his deep breathing against my skin. He is very tired. He tightens his arms around me and snuggles closer. I smile happily and drift off to sleep.
"… look how much space he is taking up. She needs to be comfortable." I hear a voice whisper.
"Shh, you'll wake them up."
"Aw, aren't they cute Esme? And they are going to have a baby soon."
"I can't believe it. We're going to be Grandmas!"
I frown and let out a deep sigh. I feel a warm body against mine and remember falling asleep with Edward. Then who is talking? Is everybody here? My eyes snap open and I find Esme, Jane and Alice hovering over me. I also see Jake, Alex, Will and Jasper sitting on the sofa, talking about something.
I blush brightly when I take in my position. I am almost wrapped around Edward and he is pressed up against me. I try to move but his arms have caged me in. I try to lift his arm but he just pulls me tighter.
"Bella, I can wake him up," Esme suggests and smiles. "You can sleep more comfortably."
"No, don't wake him up. He is very tired," I murmur and stare at his peaceful face. "I'm sure he went through hell while I was unconscious."
"He did," Jane says and leans forward to kiss my forehead. "It's so good to see you awake, Bella. We're all here to take care of you."
"Thank you."
I have a sudden urge to pee so I try to sit up but Edward has a tight hold on me. I shift but my chest hurts. I wince in pain and close my eyes. I open my eyes and see Esme staring at me with exasperation.
"Bella please, let me wake him up."
"I have to use the bathroom." I mutter and she nods.
"Edward?" Esme shakes him a little. "Edward, wake up."
"No." He mumbles in response and sighs.
"Edward, Bella needs to stand up. Move, honey." She says and he doesn't respond.
I clear my throat and stroke his hair. "Edward sweetheart, can you let me go? You can go back to sleep."
"Hmm." His eyes flutter open and he gazes at me. He unwraps his arms from around me and I carefully get into a sitting position. He sits up and runs a hand through his hair. He gazes at me sleepily and I smile apologetically.
"I'm sorry, baby. I have to go pee," I murmur and peck his lips.
"Not a problem. Do you want me to carry you?"
I blush and shake my head. "No, thank you."
I slowly get out of the bed and clutch the edge of it for support. My chest suddenly hurts and I breathe through the pain. Jane gazes at me with concern and I offer her a small smile. I take my time and walk in the bathroom's direction. I stare at the floor and everything starts spinning around me. I lose my balance and a warm pair of arms wrap around me.
"Oh Bella," Edward whispers against my hair. "You okay, baby?"
I nod and take a deep breath against him. "Thanks."
"Hold my hand," He says and I clutch his hand in mine. He wraps his free arm around my waist and I walk to the bathroom. "Will you be fine on your own?"
My cheeks turn redder and I nod my head. "Yes, honey."
Ten minutes later, I step out and find Edward leaning against the doorway with his back to me. He turns and offers a beautiful smile. I smile back and he leads me to the bed again. As soon as my back hits the mattress, I'm hovered over by every person in the room, except Edward. They all talk at once and my head spins from the overwhelming sight.
Alex is asking about my health, Alice is talking about shopping for baby clothes. Oh god. Esme and Jane want to call the doctor and Jake and Will are asking about the baby's condition.
"Alright, that's enough!" Edward yells in a deafening volume and everyone goes quiet. He glares at everyone and sighs. "Bella's fine. Her body is healing. Dr. Kilmer is going to check up on her again at five. He was here two hours ago. The baby is perfectly healthy and, Alice it's too soon to talk about shopping for baby clothes."
"Whatever." Alice grumbles under her breath.
"Where's Jasper?" I ask quietly and look around the room. He was here few minutes ago.
Alice frowns and shrugs "I don't know."
Edward sits on the bed next to me and I lean against him. He kisses my hair and I close my eyes. He runs his hand up and down my back and whispers something to Jane. I open my eyes when I hear a pair of footsteps approaching the bed. I see Jasper walking in my direction and Carlisle speaking on the phone by the door.
I gasp when my eyes fall on the gorgeous vase Jasper is carrying in his hands. The vase has the most beautiful pink carnations I have ever seen. It's so refreshing to see flowers right now!
"Hey beautiful," Jasper kisses my cheek and smiles. "I got these for you." He puts them on the side table and I beam at him.
"Thank you. They are wonderful."
"I figured they would brighten your mood."
"That's so sweet of you," I murmur and tears gather in my eyes. It was so thoughtful of him. "Edward, aren't they beautiful?"
"Yes, baby. The flowers are great and they are your favorite." Edward says with a smile and wraps an arm around my waist.
Jasper frowns at me. "Why are you crying?"
"I don't know." I whisper and sniffle. I hug Edward and feel everyone moving around the room. I can hear everyone talking about the baby and Edward arguing with Alice about something. It's probably about shopping. The topic suddenly shifts to guessing the gender of the baby and my ears perk up.
"… no, it's going to be a boy! And we'll teach him how to play football and all kinds of cool shit!" Alex whoops and Edward chuckles next to me.
"Shut up, Alex! Edward and Bella are going to have a cute little girl. And I'm going to make sure she doesn't have an aversion to fashion like Bella!" Alice argues and I huff. Whatever.
"How about a bet, Cupcake?" Alex suggests mockingly and I place my head on Edward's chest and watch them talk with each other.
"Sure. $50?"
Alex smirks. "Make it $100?"
"How about $20—"
Jane cuts Alice off. "I think $100 is enough!"
"Anybody else want to join?" Alex asks and everybody agrees. Wow, everyone is really into this.
"Bella? Edward? Want to bet on your own baby's gender?" Will asks and we share a smile.
"Um, sure." I mumble and sigh.
Alex walks over to me. He takes off his cap and beams at me. "Alright, sweetheart. We'll start with you. Boy or girl?"
I blush and feel everyone curiously staring at me. Edward rolls his eyes in my direction knowing my answer. "I think we're having a boy."
"That's my girl." He kisses my forehead and Edward puts two $100 bills in the cap.
Edward clears his throat. "Well, Bella is wrong. And so are you, Alex. It's going be a girl."
"We'll see."
Alex walks around the room and everybody chips in their $100. Esme, Jane, Alice and Carlisle bet for a girl while Jake, Alex and Will think it's a boy. Everyone is chattering animatedly about the topic of discussion and I turn to Edward.
"Having everyone around makes this hospital room feel like home." I murmur and his green eyes lovingly stare at me.
"Of course everyone is here to look after you," He brushes his thumb against my bottom lip. "I love you."
I nod. "I love you too."
Edward cups my face in his hands and kisses me. Suddenly, the room goes quiet and we break our kiss. I turn and find Emmett standing in the doorway with a hesitant expression on his face. His eyes fall on me and he offers a small smile. I smile back shyly. What Rosalie did was no fault of his.
Alex being the enthusiastic person he is drags Emmett inside the room. Emmett frowns curiously when he glances at the cash in the cap.
"So," Alex drawls and grins. "We are betting on whether Edward and Bella are having a girl or boy. What do you think?"
Emmett's eyes widen and he smiles happily. He gazes at us in shock and chuckles. "What? The baby is fine? That's amazing. Congratulations!"
He quickly reaches for me and offers a tight hug. "Oh Bells, you'll make one fantastic mama."
I blush and he kisses my cheek. "Thanks, Emmett."
Emmett hugs Edward too and whispers something in his ear which makes them laugh. Alex clears his throat, points to the cap and taps his foot impatiently.
"Oh right," Emmett stares at me thoughtfully. "I don't know. What did you bet on, Bella?"
"A boy."
He grins. "Alright, it's a boy then."
Edward scoffs. "You guys do realize that saying it's a boy is not going to change the fact that we are having a girl, right?"
"Oh please." I mutter and shake my head.
I try to stay awake and listen to everyone's conversation but it's difficult to keep up. Edward's soothing touch along with the heavy pain medication causes me to drift off to sleep.
I am startled awake when I hear Emmett and Carlisle talking near me. I can feel a warm pair of arms around me and I know Edward is right next to me. They are talking about Rosalie. My heart skips a beat when I hear my name too.
"Will you keep it down? You'll wake Bella up! She needs rest." Edward hisses angrily and I hear a sigh.
"Edward, you have to tell everyone soon." Carlisle whispers and I can hear the warning in his voice.
"Wait a minute, dad knows?" Emmett asks and he sounds shocked.
"Yes, I told dad last night."
"You stupid piece of ass! How can you tell dad—"
"Calm the fuck down, Emmett!" Edward hisses again and I decide to give up on falling back asleep.
I open my eyes and see three pairs of eyes staring at me. Edward sighs sadly and strokes my cheek. He kisses my forehead and stands up.
"We're so sorry. We'll talk outside, okay baby? Go back to sleep." He says quietly and I shake my head as I sit up.
"No, I'm good. Are you guys talking about Rosalie?"
"Yes," Carlisle says and Emmett is fuming with anger next to him. "Let's not talk about it right now. Bella's recovery is more important," He gives a pointed look to his sons.
"I'm fine now," I whisper and my face contracts when I feel sharp pain in my chest.
"Bella—" I cut Edward off.
"I think I'll lie down." I say instead and Edward helps me into a sleeping position. I close my eyes and feel his lips brush against my cheek.
"Lance will come in an hour or two to check up on Bella." I hear Carlisle say and I take in the information.
"Dad, can we talk outside?" Emmett asks and their footsteps disappear. I feel Edward leaving so I grab his hand in mine.
"Don't go," I murmur and hear him sigh.
"Love, I have to make an urgent call to Irina. You've made the headlines again. It's about time things get under control."
My eyes snap open and he kisses my head. "Is everything fine?" I ask and he smiles.
"I can manage just fine. Why don't you take care of yourself and this little one and get some rest?"
"Okay." I close my eyes and try not to think too much.
I wonder when I can leave this boring hospital.
January 16, 2015
I open my eyes and it's still dark in the room. I check the radio alarm and it says 02:00 in the morning. I stifle a yawn and reach for Edward who is supposed to be fast asleep next to me. I frown when I feel nothing but empty sheets. I turn and see his phone on the pillow but he is missing.
I carefully sit up and reach for the glass of water. I take an inviting sip and sigh. I lean my head against the headboard and close my eyes. My stomach growls loudly and I chuckle. Of course I'm hungry. I had dinner at seven in the evening. Thanks to my boyfriend.
I put on my robe and get off the bed. I moan when a sharp pain twists in my chest. It's been four days since the accident but my body still hurts. At least I was discharged from the hospital last night. It feels great to be home.
Dr. Kilmer strictly informed me to take proper care of myself, especially during the first week. That means no work, no stress and also… no sex. Ugh. I can't believe Edward and I have to abstain from sex for five weeks. That's pure torture. I hate this. I shake out of my reverie and step out of my bedroom.
The door of Edward's study is open and I peek in to find him sitting at his desk, furiously typing something on his laptop. He must have missed a lot of work these past few days. I don't disturb him and make my way to the kitchen. I flick on a couple of yellow lights and open the fridge. I ponder upon what to eat.
I'm in the mood for a mushroom omelet. I set the ingredients on the island and start my preparation. A few minutes later, as I am setting my omelet on a plate, I feel someone's eyes on me. I hesitantly turn towards the doorway and find Edward standing there. His green eyes are curiously staring at me and his lips are curled into a beautiful smile.
"Hey." I whisper shyly and blush.
Edward walks in my direction and hugs me from behind. "Hi, baby. Hungry?"
"Very."
"It smells delicious."
"I can share." I suggest and he laughs. He kisses the side of my neck and spins me in his arms.
"Thank you but I'm good."
I gasp when he lifts me and sets me on the kitchen counter. He smiles and connects our lips for a quick kiss. I stroke his soft hair and sigh contentedly. We breathlessly pull back and he kisses my nose.
"I love you." We say in unison and I giggle. He chuckles and lifts my plate.
"Eggs, really?" He whispers and feeds me a bite. I moan when the cheese melts in my mouth. It's delicious.
"It's so good," I mumble and find him intently staring at me. "What happened?"
"Five weeks, love." He says and his lips almost form into a pout.
"Sorry," I shrug and he kisses my forehead.
"It's not your fault. Plus, I have self-control. I can wait."
I scoff, not believe him. "Sure."
He frowns adorably. "Hey! Don't say that. You'll see."
"We'll see, Cullen." I take the plate from him and start eating my meal. Edward patiently watches me and smiles every time I gaze at him. He plays with a strand of my hair and hums an idle tune under his breath.
Suddenly, I take a whiff of my omelet and a wave of nausea washes over me. I put the plate down and push Edward aside. I get off the island and rush to the kitchen sink. I hold my hair back with one hand as I empty the contents from my stomach into the drain. Gross. I feel two hands hold my hair and I try to shoo Edward away.
"You don't have to see this," I say weakly and sigh. I turn on the tap and the water drains everything. I cough and rinse my mouth once.
I take a deep breath and turn to face my boyfriend. His green eyes look worried and I offer a small smile.
"I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" He asks softly and I nod. I hug him and bury my face against his chest. "Senna said that I'll probably start experiencing morning sickness."
"Oh," He kisses my hair and slowly rubs my back. "Do you want to—" His ringing phone cuts him off. "Why is Emmett calling this late?" He murmurs to himself.
"Hey, Em… Emmett, where are you?... What? Emmett, what are you doing?"
I pull back and gaze at Edward—who looks anxious. "What happened?" I mouth and he shakes his head.
"Where the fuck are you, Emmett?… Alright, that's it. I'm coming right now," he pauses and sighs. "Bella's fine. She's asleep… Yes, now tell me where are you?… What? Why are you going to mom and dad's?! How much did you drink tonight?… I will, I promise. Can you wait until tomorrow morning?… Alright! Alright! I'm on my way… Promise me you won't do anything rash… Okay, I'll be there… Stay at the gate; don't go inside, you don't want to wake up mom and dad… I'll be there as soon as I can."
Edward hangs up and his eyes stare at me with apprehension.
"I have to go now; Emmett went to mom and dad's. He's hammered. I don't want him to make a scene. I'll probably bring him back here. Go to bed, you both need sleep. We'll talk about it in the morning." Is all he says and kisses my forehead before turning to leave.
I grab his wrist and he looks at me. "What does he want? Is he OK?"
"He had a fight with Rosalie and wants to know what I have been meaning to tell him all these months. I'll tell you everything once I come back. Okay, love?"
"Can I come?" I ask because even I want to be a part of this. I have wanted to know for three months.
"Baby, you should sleep."
"Please?" I pout and he closes his eyes.
"Don't get cute with me. The answer is no."
"It's cold." I whisper and tighten the coat around my body. Edward sighs disapprovingly and shakes his head.
"You shouldn't be here, Isabella." He whispers back and shuts the door. I grab his hand in both of mine and see a black shiny Mercedes parked at the gate.
We make our way to the car and don't see anyone in the driver's seat. Edward mutters something under his breath and my eyes widen when I see four cars parked outside the porch. Edward and I share a look. Everybody is here. Jane, Alice, Alex, probably Will and Jasper too.
"Okay, why is everybody here?" I ask and Edward glares at no one in particular.
"I have no idea but fuck it," He pulls out his phone and calls someone. "Zidek, send somebody with Rosalie's files… Yes, right now."
"What are you doing?" I ask and he wraps an arm around me.
"Now that everyone's here, you'll find out why I really hate Rosalie so much."
I have a feeling this is not going to end well.
I feel warm once Edward and I enter the den where everybody is gathered. Esme, Carlisle, Jane, Alice, Alex, Will, Jasper and of course… Emmett. Esme is staring at Emmett with concern—who is clearly drunk. He staggers to his feet when he sees us. For some reason, he looks scary. I tighten my hold on Edward's hand and sigh.
I can feel all eyes on us as Emmett slowly walks in our direction. He grins at me and pulls me for a bone-crushing hug. Literally. My chest hurts and tears prick my eyes.
"Emmett, stop it! You're hurting Bella!" Edward yells and pushes Emmett off me. I pant and touch my sides. "Stay the fuck away from her right now." He warns his older brother and turns to me.
Edward cradles my face in his hands and strokes my cheek. "You okay, baby?"
"I'm fine." I say even though it hurt a little.
"I'm so sorry, my love."
"I'll sit." I whisper and he frowns.
"Do you want to go lie down?"
I shake my head. "No."
"Okay." He kisses my forehead and I take a seat next to Alice on the loveseat. She puts an arm around my shoulder and offers me a tiny smile.
"Why is everyone here?" I whisper to Alice and she exhales soundly.
"Emmett called everyone." She shrugs and her blue eyes look worried.
Edward is hissing something to Emmett who whispers something back to him. I feel uneasy and anxious. I have no idea what to expect.
"Okay, what the fuck is going on?!" Alex shouts, startling everyone.
"Alex, language." Jane hisses and he ignores her.
"Why did Emmett call us in the middle of the night? What is the emergency?" He asks and crosses his arms over his chest.
Edward sighs and looks at him. "I wanted to tell Emmett in private but since, everyone is here… why not tell it now... I have somebody bringing a few files that everyone will want to see."
Will clears his throat. "And dare I ask who this is all about?"
"Rosalie." Everyone says in unison.
A few minutes later, everyone starts whispering amongst themselves but my eyes never leave Edward's. He seems nervous and angry. Our gaze breaks when there is a knock on the door. My eyes race over to it and I see a man from security holding three files in his hands. Edward marches over and takes them.
Edward takes a deep breath and puts the first file on the table. "This is Rosalie's medical file. She was pregnant the year she married Emmett. She was actually pregnant when you guys were married."
Why wouldn't she tell Emmett and everyone that she was pregnant? Is it really that big of a deal? What was she hiding? Why did she abort the baby?
Edward puts the second file on the table. "She was pregnant again two years after that. This was four years ago. She aborted, both times. I saw her outside an abortion clinic the second time and did some research."
There is an audible thud at the door and all shocked faces turn towards the source. Rosalie is standing in the doorway, her hair is in utter disarray and she is dressed in her night clothes. There are tears oozing from her eyes and there is a vulnerable look on her face. I really want to feel sorry for her, but after everything she has done… I can't think of a reason to show sympathy towards her.
The only redeeming quality she has is that she loves children. Why did she abort two babies? I could never even think about aborting my baby. Edward and I love him already. Why did she hide the truth from Emmett? Wouldn't Emmett be happy? I bet he loves children too. There is no greater feeling than knowing there is a life growing inside of you.
Edward looks Rosalie straight in the eye and waves the third file in the air. "That's not the worse part. Emmett was not the father of the babies she aborted. It was Royce McAdams. There, I said it Rose!"
Rosalie drops to the floor and cries in her hands. I take my eyes off her and try to register what Edward just shared. Why would she have an affair if she loves Emmett so much? I cannot imagine being in Emmett's position right now.
I gaze at Emmett and find him staring at the files in shock. His face has lost all its color and I have never seen him this helpless and hurt before. I can feel his pain as a tear trickles down his cheek. The woman he loves unconditionally has been cheating on him for more than six years! I am still not able to react to the information.
Esme is staring into space and her fists are clenched at her sides, Carlisle is gazing at Emmett with worry on his face, Jane locks her eyes with mine for a moment and I can see the same surprise on her face. Alex, Will, Alice and Jasper also seem upset.
I feel like this is a bad dream. I wish I could wake up any moment and this wouldn't be true. But sadly, this is the reality.
Edward looks visibly tortured. He hasn't even looked at Emmett while telling everything about Rosalie. I know he feels guilty for not telling him sooner. He is probably concerned that Emmett will be angry with him.
There is nothing but silence in the room as a nearby clock ticks. The only sound coming is from the doorway where Rosalie is crying. Nobody is looking at her. All we care about is Emmett.
What feels like hours later, Edward speaks up again.
"I've had this knowledge for four years. I wanted to tell everything on so many occasions," He whispers and his voice breaks. "And I gave Rosalie three months to tell the truth. She couldn't do it. Since I was going to tell Emmett last week, she met Bella the same day and tried to put wrong idea in her head so that she would leave me. How much more cruel do you have to be to think something so evil?"
"My Bella met with an accident because of you! You and your lunatic best friend who encouraged you to do the wrong things at every point in your life. I'm so sorry, Emmett. I should've told you sooner. But I couldn't watch this family break apart. Everything was finally getting on track…"
Edward gazes at me and his eyes are glistening with tears. Oh, I hate to see him cry. I motion for him to come to me and he walks in my direction. He sits next to me and I wrap him in my arms. I kiss his forehead and wipe away the tear in the corner of his eye.
"I didn't have another choice." He whispers and I nod.
"I know, shh, calm down. He needed to find this out." I whisper back and stroke his cheek.
"I can't get myself to look at him."
"It's okay, baby. It's okay."
I hug him again and he buries his face against my neck. I run my hand through his hair and sigh. For a moment, I forget about everything but Edward. I feel his ragged breathing against my neck and his hands tightly clutching my shirt.
Out of my periphery, I notice a figure standing up. I turn and it's Esme.
"Emmett, please…" I hear Rosalie's feeble voice say and Edward pulls back to look at the exchange.
Esme marches over to Rosalie and slaps her right across the face. "Don't even think about talking to my son ever again! Get the hell out of my house." She says coldly and points to the exit.
"Emmett, please can we talk? Please…" Rosalie begs through her tears and I have never seen her this desperate before.
My eyes remain glued to Emmett and I can see him controlling his rage and tears at the same time. He picks the files up from the coffee table and storms out. Rosalie runs after him and there is an eerie silence in the room.
My ears perk up when I hear the squealing of tires outside. I clutch Edward's hand and his alarmed eyes meet mine.
"Carlisle, I'm getting worried." Esme murmurs and dabs her eyes with a napkin.
"Don't worry; I'll have somebody keep an eye on Em." Edward says and pulls out his phone. He sends a text message to Zidek and puts the phone away.
Jane helps Esme sit down and takes a seat next to her. She gazes at Edward and speaks up. "Why didn't you tell us this sooner?"
Edward runs a hand through his hair. "I wanted her to talk to Emmett about it privately rather than I exposing everything in front of the family, which is what ended up happening."
"Why can't anything be perfect for once in our family?" Esme whispers and cries against Carlisle who tries to calm her.
I lean against Edward and hear everyone asking Edward questions that he patiently answers. I close my eyes and feel exhausted. It has been a very long night. And I can't help but worry about Emmett. How will he cope with this news?
As I doze off, I feel someone shaking me awake. I open my eyes and turn to see its Alice. I stifle a yawn and sit up.
"Bella, do you want to sleep in one of the guest rooms? You'll be more comfortable there." Alice suggests softly and I shake my head.
"It's fine. I'm good."
I look at Edward and see him staring at me with a hard expression on his face. I know he doesn't like that I came tonight. He wanted me to rest at home.
"Sorry." I mumble and hug him. He puts his arms around me and kisses my hair.
"You're so stubborn, my love." He whispers and strokes my back.
"I don't want to leave you." I say and he sighs.
"I'm right here. But remember what Lance said? You need proper rest, baby."
"Edward? Why don't you and Bella stay here tonight? It's late," Esme suggests quietly and I pull back to stare at her tired face. "Bella sweetheart, get some sleep. And don't worry about anything right now. Just take care of yourself and my grandbaby."
I nod and she offers me a sad smile. I know she is incredibly happy about the baby but the issue with Rosalie is overshadowing every joy in the family at the moment.
Edward stands up and offers me his hand. "Come, I'll take you."
"Actually, Alice why don't you take Bella? Esme and I need to have a word with Edward. It won't take more than two minutes." Carlisle says and Alice springs to her feet.
I walk to the nearest guest room alongside Alice who is oddly quiet. She links our hands as we enter the room. I flick on the lamp and hear a sniffle behind me. I turn and find her wiping away her tears. My eyes soften and I embrace her.
"Oh Alice, don't cry," I whisper and stroke her hair.
"Emmett is a good person. This shouldn't have happened to him. He really loved Rosalie."
"I know, but it's going to be fine. He has all of us."
"Yeah," She pulls back and nods. I stifle another yawn and she points to the bed. I roll my eyes and get under the covers. I shut my eyes and hear her moving around the room.
As I start dozing off, I feel a warm hand on my cheek. Edward. I open my eyes and find him quietly gazing at me. His hand traces my face and he interlaces his other hand with mine. He brings my hand to his lips and gently kisses it.
"Go to sleep, I'm right here." Edward whispers softly and smiles.
I frown sleepily. "What about Emmett? Is he okay? Where did he go?"
"Not important at the moment."
I gape at him. How can he say that? His brother just found out that his wife is a cheating bitch and probably can't think straight... I don't understand how unbothered Edward is.
"Did you just say that?" I ask and his face hardens.
"Bella, right now all I care about is you and our baby. Can you please try to make a conscious effort to get yourself healthy again? Stressing about Emmett is not going to make that happen. Don't overthink things. Please."
"Okay but will you please tell me what he is up to?"
His eyes soften. "Of course, love. I know you are worried about him. Everybody is. I'll tell you everything you need to know in the morning."
"Thanks."
"Please sleep," He leans forward and connects our lips for a quick kiss. He touches his forehead to mine and sighs deeply. "You have no idea how lucky I am to have you in my life, Bella."
"I love you," I whisper and peck his lips.
He nods and his green eyes stare into mine. "I know, I love you too."
Our gaze breaks when his phone unexpectedly rings. Edward glances at his screen and shakes his head. He mutters something under his breath and answers it.
"Cullen," He snaps and runs a hand through his hair. "I'm coming on January 18… I'd say for a week… I need a detailed schedule, send it to Vic by today… Fine, we'll talk later."
Edward is leaving? For a week? Where is he going? I don't want to stay away from him for a week. I'll be away from him for almost six weeks once the book tour starts. I hate this. My breathing quickens and a sharp pain twists in my chest. I wince softly.
"Bella, what happened?" Edward asks with concern and I shake my head. "Do you want to go home, love? We can leave right away."
"No, I'm fine."
He takes off his shoes and slips under the covers beside me. I wrap myself around him and bury my face against his chest. I feel his lips pressing against my hair and his hands stroking my back. I pull back and gaze at him.
"Where are you going for a week?" I ask softly and the tension around his eyes melts.
"Oh, that's what this is about," He chuckles and kisses my lips soundly. "You're so cute, Bella."
I frown. "Tell me."
"We are going to Chicago, baby."
My mouth hangs open. "Why?"
"I have important work there but I don't want to leave you all alone."
"Honey, I have work to do. My book comes out in two months. I have pending tasks! I can't just leave everything and come with you to—" He presses his index finger against my lips, cutting me off.
"Shh, you won't be working this coming week. Put everything to the side for now. Do you want the baby to be healthy?"
"Yes." I mumble against his finger and he takes it off my lips.
"I'll ask Victoria to book tickets for Edythe to visit us in Chicago for two days during the week. You can coordinate with her about your tasks. Will that work?"
I beam at him. "Yes," I peck his lips. "God, I love you."
He smiles back. "I love you too, angel. I can show you around Chicago too. If I remember correctly, I promised you a tour of my hometown."
"Yes! I want to see everything!" I say excitedly and he shushes me again.
"Not the best time to be enthusiastic, my love." He whispers and I press my lips together.
"Sorry," I whisper and play with his fingers. "Don't you think we should be here for Emmett? He probably needs everyone's support."
"Everybody else is here for him, baby," He strokes my cheek and I gaze at him from under my lashes. "It's going to be fine."
"Okay, if you say so."
"Now go to sleep."
"Yes, sir."
"… no, I'll talk to Reed about it, don't worry." I hear a familiar voice say.
"Dad, it doesn't matter. There is no way we can hide this. I mean, there are three events in the coming week and people will notice when Rosalie isn't there because she never misses them. Even if you tell everyone that she is sick, how long can you keep telling that to people?"
"Edward is right, Carlisle." A soft voice pitches in. Esme.
My groggy mind tries to recognize my surroundings. I fell asleep at Esme and Carlisle's early this morning. I must still be in their guest bedroom. It's probably mid-morning. I can hear Esme, Carlisle and Edward discussing something important. Why do they always talk when I'm too tired to wake up?
Edward lets out a gust of breath against my hair. "Why are you bothered by what people will think? What's done is done. We need to look after Emmett."
"We need to look after Emmett," Carlisle corrects Edward. "You are taking Bella to Chicago. Keep her mind off things here. If you worry about him, she'll catch on to your mood. It's not recommended for Bella to leave the city but I spoke to Lance and Senna about it. You know our family friends in Chicago; you can call any of their clinics in case of an emergency."
"I hope it doesn't come to that," Edward whispers and I feel warm lips pressing against the top of my head.
"Finish all business with Officer Call and every other person and go to Chicago with a clear head," Esme says and her voice breaks. "I can't believe I'm going to be a grandma but I'm so worried about Emmett. Your lives are at such extreme ends right now."
"It will take time but things will slowly change," Carlisle says soothingly.
"Mom, do you think it is the right time to—"
Esme sharply cuts Edward off. "Yes! You have been holding off since December! Enough is enough. I don't want to hear excuses. You have been planning to take Bella to Chicago for the past two weeks. You don't want to let another set of arrangements go to waste, do you?"
"No, ma'am."
"And honey, Emmett will always be happy for you."
"Yes, ma'am."
What the hell are they talking about?
"Do you want to sleep or should I get breakfast ready?"
"I think I'll catch some sleep. I seem to be missing out on a lot of sleep these days."
"That's true. Get some rest."
I hear footsteps fading away and a door shuts tightly. I suddenly feel a pair of warm lips against my ear.
"How much of that did you hear?" Edward whispers in his velvety soft voice. I snuggle further in his warm arms and sigh.
"Won't remember anything." I mumble sleepily and hear him chuckle. He mutters something under his breath that sounds like 'hope you don't'.
I wonder what he is planning to do…
HUGE THANK YOU TO EdwardsFirstKiss FOR EDITING MY CHAPTER!
I APOLOGIZE FOR AN OVERDUE UPDATE! I HAVE BEEN BUSY WITH COLLEGE AND THINGS HAVE BEEN CRAZY LATELY!
I WILL TRY TO UPDATE THE NEXT ONE SOON!
HOPE YOU LIKE THE CHAPTER!
REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW!
LOVE ALWAYS,
Paint the Walls