Chapter 38 - Little Fish in a Big Pond

BELLA

I slept pretty well in D's bed. His childhood room was plastered with all kinds of car posters. I guess it was just a foreshadowing of what was to come. I mean looking at his room and knowing he had gotten sent away because he was a car thief made total sense.

I stumbled into the hall and heard his mom hollering at his brothers and telling them to settle down. I had to laugh at the chorus of, "Yes, momma," that rang through the house. I was coming down the steps, when I heard the boys shuffling around again. "He's waking up. Start the music," one of them said.

The strains of a song that sounded part disco and part rap started playing. "Chunky!" the boys all sang, and I couldn't help but laugh. Apparently, they had spent the night choreographing and learning the parts to Big and Chunky, By Will. . If they weren't so funny, I probably would have cried, because they were singing the song to tease D.

They got to a part of the song where they were all stomping, causing the whole house to shake, and his mother came in with a wet dishrag, swatting at the boys to break them up. I didn't know if I had ever really been welcomed by D's family, but I was sure I was someone they would never forget.

The train ride to New York was going too fast and too slow at the same time. I was fidgeting like mad, and when I shredded the third tissue, D grabbed my hands. "What's with you? I would've thought meeting my family would've been the hard part."

I shook my head no. "Your family was great. Very musically talented," I added just to tease him, and he rolled his eyes.

"What's bothering you then? Is it because my momma said not to use Miracle Whip in the coleslaw? I know you put that shit on your sandwiches, but I think you should try it with mayo…"

"D, it isn't the recipe, and actually, it looks pretty yummy on paper."

He pulled the paper from my hand. "Don't be getting any ideas. I don't want you eating this," he said and tucked it in his wallet. "I'll give this back after dinner," he nodded like it was serious, and I rolled my eyes again.

We sat in silence for a while, and his complete disregard for my discomfort was starting to get to me. I finally cracked. "He's here."

"What? Where?" D started looking around. "Who?"

"Not here, in New York, the father of my baby is in New York," I finally confessed.

"Really? Why didn't you tell me this before, B?"

"Because I was embarrassed and felt stupid. I lost all contact with him, because I was an idiot. I don't know how to get a hold of him, D."

"Do you want to?" he asked, and the expression on his face was hard to read.

I shrugged. "I still love him, D, I always have. I just don't know how to find him or tell him about this," I said motioning to my belly.

He leaned back, took a deep breath and rubbed his face. "Okay, what's this fool's name? I know a guy there who has some connections. We might be able to find him."

"It's Edward Cullen."

D rubbed his chin. "That sounds familiar. Did I know this guy?"

"Yes, he was who you and Jasper came down to meet and help out at our junior prom."

"Girl, we came down for you, not Edward. Wait, was he your date that night? The fool who liked your sparkly tits finally got up the nerve to touch them?"

I blushed and laughed at the same time, then nodded my head yes.

"Alright, good for him, although he should've wrapped it," he said rubbing my belly. I swatted his hand away.

"So you think your friend will know how to get a hold of him?" I asked.

He shrugged. "He might. If anyone could find him, it'll be Jasper."

My ears perked up. "Your friend in New York is Jasper?" I asked.

"Yeah, doll, why?"

"I think he's engaged to Edward's sister," I said excitedly.

"What the fuck?" he said and then looked around. Apparently, his momma whacked him when she heard a swear word, and D was still jumpy about it.

"My boy's pulling shit while he's trying to settle down? Is he nuts?" he whispered, as if his momma might hear him, which was just silly, because we weren't even in the same city as his momma anymore.

When we pulled up to the station, D helped me off the train and let me lean on him when I stretched. Don't laugh; it was hard to keep my balance, when my center of gravity changed daily.

I leaned back against him, as we waited for our ride. He reached under my belly and lifted it for me, causing me to sigh in relief. "Oh, thank you. My back is killing me."

He just chuckled and kissed my shoulder. "Well, somebody's got to give you a break from carrying this baby. I used to do this for my momma when she was carrying my baby brother, Darnell."

"Thanks, D, you're a life saver."

EDWARD

Jasper asked me to pick up Demetri and his girl from the train station. I asked why they weren't flying in, and he informed me that Demetri's girl was very pregnant and ready to pop. He didn't want to leave her, and she wasn't cleared to fly.

I was getting ready to leave, when Alice cut me off at the door. "You can still stop this. You don't know how much you're risking. That's my fiancé, and Demetri brought his pregnant girlfriend here. It's someone's father you're messing with!"

I pushed past her. I didn't want to hear her doubts. "It'll be fine, Alice," I said, as I slipped out the door.

She shouted after me, "If anything happens to Jasper, I'll never speak to you again, Edward!"

I wouldn't let my little sister get to me. I knew we would be fine. I had to just get this done and get home to my girl.

I pulled up to the train station and started looking for Demetri. We hadn't been close in school, he ran with another crowd, and Jasper had only recruited him after I left, so we weren't really acquainted well other than by reputation. He seemed pretty cool, if not a horny-assed bastard, when he came down to Forks to help us get rid of Tyler. That all seemed so long ago, though. It had been three years now, and I wondered if he had changed much.

I wasn't spotting him, and realized I probably wouldn't recognize him, so I started looking for pregnant girls. I mean how many could there be in a train station?

The answer was one.

Their back was to me, and he had his arms around her. I saw her belly before I saw her face, but when I did, everything stopped.

"Edward?" Bella said sounding excited to see me, but I couldn't imagine why. "Oh, my god, Edward!" she said hugging me and started crying.

I glared at Demetri and pried Bella off of me. "Can't you control her?" I asked.

My face was suddenly stinging, and Bella was sobbing in Demetri's arms.

"Dude, that was so not cool," Demetri said, as he rubbed Bella's back.

I just shook my head at him, still furious at the pair of them. "Neither is fucking my girlfriend, but that didn't seem to stop you."

"What?" Bella and Demetri said in unison.

I realized she had broken up with me, but that didn't stop her from being my girlfriend in my heart. Okay, that sounded a little stalkerish.

"You got this all wrong-" Demetri started, but was cut off by Bella.

"You stupid son of a bitch!" she yelled and punched me. Yeah, really didn't see that one coming.

"B, you've got to calm down," Demetri said holding her back.

"How dare you!" she shouted at me.

"How dare I?" I started, but Demetri stopped me.

"Don't, man, I guarantee you'll regret it. I ain't sleeping with Bella."

"What?" I was getting confused.

She seemed to be settling down and Demetri let her go, only to have her slap me again. "It's yours, you asshole!" she said and stormed off.

I stood there stunned for a moment, trying to make sense of the words she had said. I looked at Demetri, who nodded yes and then pointed to Bella's retreating form. "We'd better catch up to her. We need to settle her down; it isn't good for your baby."

I was sure I looked pained, as I looked back at him in shock, still trying to process the words "it's yours" and "your baby."

Demetri was already catching up to Bella, when my brain decided to function and move after them as well. "Wait, what?" I shouted after them.

As I approached, I heard Bella crying to Demetri. "How could he even think that?"

"Well, I am pretty irresistible," he teased.

She laughed and hit his chest. I didn't know how they had become so close, but it was starting to bother me. "Bella," I said trying to form a coherent thought in my head besides "get away from him."

She looked up at me with her thick wet eyelashes, and I said the only thing I could think of. "I'm sorry."

She took a shuttering breath and then lunged into my arms, sobbing hard on my shoulder. "I didn't know how to find you," she cried. "I was so scared and all alone, and you were gone."

"Shhh, baby, I've got you now," I said holding her. I looked to Demetri, who was smiling widely at us. If that didn't prove they weren't involved, I didn't know what would.

"Let's get your girl home. She needs some rest after that long train ride," Demetri said, and I realized I finally had Bella in New York. I would do my best to make the most of it.