I just ordered "The Happening" on my OnDemand, and it sucks copious ass! If you haven't seen it, don't bother! (And by the way, what happened to all of M. Night Shyamalan's talent? Did it just magically disappear after "Signs"?)
BPOV
Over the next week, we tried at least three times a night—four or five times if we got the kids to bed early. If my Edward wanted another baby, I was going to give him one.
My period still hadn't come, so I took that as a very good sign. I even used that fertility monitor and found out that Wednesday was the optimum day for my ovulation cycle. So we asked Carlisle and Esme if they wouldn't mind watching the kids for a night—again.
Esme rolled her eyes at me, "You silly girl, you don't have to ask if I want to watch my grandchildren for the night. In fact, I was thinking of kicking you two out for a couple of days while I get come alone time with my little angels."
A big part of me was still feeling guilty about leaving my children for any period of time, but at least I knew that—since nothing had gone wrong the first time we left them—they were probably not in any sort of danger.
Edward and I began getting ready to leave around 4 p.m. because he wanted to take me out to dinner. I protested that we should wait until after we tucked the kids into bed, but Edward was adamant, "Bella, they're going to be just fine. Please, I think we need some adult time, don't you?"
I nodded and went upstairs to change into something nice. I slipped on a little black dress and a pair of heels while the twins sat on the bed and watched me get ready.
"Mommy, where are you and Daddy going?" Keely asked.
"To dinner, and then we're staying at a hotel tonight," I replied as I sat down to buckle the ankle strap on my heels. "Don't worry; we'll be back first thing in the morning."
Aina moved over to sit on my lap as Keely jumped up to run to the bathroom, "Wait, let me brush your hair for you."
I held Aina close to me as her sister found my soft bristled brush and jumped behind me to run it through my hair. I began singing softly to them as I reveled in the feeling of the fine, nylon bristles running over my scalp and through my hair. Aina curled herself in a ball on my lap as I rubbed her back gently.
I began to have second thoughts about the whole night again—I just wanted to stay here and curl up with my babies all night long. Edward walked in to find us all on the verge of dozing off.
"Bella, are you ready?" He asked.
I took my eyes off of Aina and gave him a sad look—he sighed.
"Sweetie, they're going to be fine," he said as he walked over.
He scooped Keely up and sat her in his lap as he took his place beside me. "You girls will be good for Grandma and Grandpa, right?"
Aina lifted her head and nodded, giving her daddy a sweet smile.
"Alys and Owen are downstairs with them right now, and they're all going to watch a movie," Edward continued. "Don't you two want to join them?"
Keely jumped out of her daddy's lap and ran out into the living room with Aina hot on her heels. I felt a pang of emptiness run through me as they left. Edward took my hand and kissed it gently before pulling us both to our feet.
"Darling, I promise, everything is going to be fine," he said quietly. "You really need to stop with all of this guilt—you're not a bad mother for spending a night or two away from your children."
"I do keep telling myself that, I just haven't fully come to terms with it yet," I replied.
"Well, just think about it this way, what we're doing tonight is about family," he said. "We're trying to expand it—this is a very good thing."
I nodded, "You're right...you're always right, you've got a nasty habit that way."
"I do, don't I?" He asked smugly as we grabbed our coats and said goodbye to the kids.
EPOV
I took Bella out for some sushi – her favorite food – and then we drove to Alexander's Country Inn. It was the place where we got married and we've spent many an excellent night there, intertwined with each other. And, we were both hoping that it somehow holds some kind of magical key to fertilization.
We considered it a very good sign that we managed to get the same cabin we stayed in on our wedding night – maybe the stars were aligning for us.
As soon as we burst through the door, Bella threw me down on the bed and we frantically took off our clothes like we hadn't made love in weeks. Once we were naked, she straddled me and we moved together until we found our release at the very same moment.
We made love another time before we moved into the bath were we continued our sexual encounter until the bath water turned icy. After we got out and dried off, someone knocked on the door – it was a server bringing us complimentary champagne and desserts.
There was a woman in a nice suit next to the server, a manager named Melissa. "Mr. and Mrs. Cullen, it's so nice to see you again. As some of our most loyal customers, we would like you to accept this gift as a thank you."
"That's wonderful," I said as I let the server by with the cart. "Thank you so much."
I turned to see Bella's eyes light up as she lifted the lid off the serving tray to reveal chocolate covered strawberries, cakes, scones and different types of cheesecake and brownies. Even before the two employees had left, Bella was attacking the sweets with a vengeance.
"Hungry babe?" I asked.
"This is delicious," she replied with a mouthful of cheesecake.
I sat next to her at the table and began to take the food from the cart to set out before us. I took one of the strawberries and dangled it in front of her – she looked up and tried to bite the treat out of my hand, but I moved it at the last second. She turned and gave me a shocked look, "You jerk!"
"Hey!" I retorted. "I'm just playing with you."
"You don't play with a hungry woman!" She said as she sat back and pouted at me.
She looked so adorable; I leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose. "Sorry Angel."
I fed her the strawberry and she bit at it slowly, giving me a salacious look that told me there would be a lot more passionate sex tonight. And she didn't disappoint.
We woke up the next day as the sunlight streamed into the room and shone across our bodies, entwined with each other and the sheets, just as I'd expected. I lifted my head to see my wife lying there with a huge smile on her face. She stirred as I shifted my position and opened her eyes.
"Good morning, my love," she said in a sleepy voice.
"'Morning, Angel," I replied as I leaned over for a kiss. "Did you sleep well?"
"It was alright," she said with a yawn. "It wasn't nearly as good as the sex, though."
"Nothing ever is," I said.
She chuckled and turned to the clock – it read 8 a.m.
"I told the twins we'd be back first thing in the morning," she said.
Suddenly, my phone started ringing; I got up to answer and saw my mother's number on the I.D.
"Hello?"
"Morning Daddy!!" It was Keely.
"Keely, baby, what's going on? Is something wrong?"
"No, I just wanted to ask if you and Mommy will bring us donuts on your way home."
I laughed, "Sure thing, Princess; what kind do you want?"
"Sprinkles!! Pink sprinkles!!" She cried excitedly.
"And what about your brother and sisters?"
There was some mumbling in the background before she responded. "They want sprinkles, too; Aina wants a powered one."
"OK sweetie, we'll be home in about an hour," I said.
"OK Daddy," she said. "I love you."
"Love you more, baby," I replied before hanging up.
"Kids want donuts?" Bella asked as she threw the sheets off of her beautiful body and stood up.
"Mm-Hmm," I responded as I wrapped my arms around her.
"That sounds good," she said as we swayed gently together.
Her breast pressed firmly against my bare chest and I could feel that familiar surge pulsing through my body. I wanted more than anything to make love to her one last time before we left, but a brief tryst would never do us justice. I kissed her softly before dropping my arms and turning to get dressed.
We checked out and went passed Krispy Kreme to get a variety of donuts for us and the kids. Bella stood over the glass case and gazed at the colorful array of pastries hungrily. She picked out two raspberry-filled and a chocolate covered cream-filled donut along with all the sprinkled and powdered ones we got for the kids and my parents.
I tried to hide the gigantic smile that came over my face as I watched her pick out her donuts. She acted just like she did when we thought she was pregnant with the twins – in fact, she never had a really big appetite except when she was pregnant.
We got the food back to my parents' home and the kids nearly tackled us as we walked through the doors. Bella sat down to watch cartoons with the kids while they ate, but I hung back in the kitchen with Mom. She gave me a meaningful look as we sat down with some coffee.
"So, how is she this morning?" Mom asked with a knowing smile.
"Hungry," I replied, returning the smile.
She leaned over and hugged me tightly, "Congratulations, son."
"Well," I began, "Let's save that for the actual confirmation."
"Oh Edward, I think you know in your heart that it's true."
I nodded, "I think so too, but, just the same – the last thing I want is to get Bella's hopes up again."
BPOV
Saturday
I know that the doctor said I should wait a week to take a test again, but I couldn't wait. We took the kids to the movies with Alice and Jasper, and on the way home we stopped to get some food for dinner. As the kids and the dads wandered up and down the frozen foods aisle, Alice and I snuck off to get another pregnancy test.
"I've got a feeling this time," she said.
"You said that last time," I reminded her.
"But I'm totally sure this time," she replied. "You're totally pregnant…I think you ate your weight in popcorn at the movie!"
"True," I said. "I am hungrier these days."
"What about the sickness?" Alice asked. "Are you still throwing up in the morning?"
"Not as much as the past couple of weeks."
We walked back to meet our families at the check-out, and we ran into Leah Clearwater as she was leaving work. I could feel Alice, Jasper and Edward tense up, but I approached her anyway.
"Hello Leah."
She looked nervous as she smiled weakly at me, "Hi Bella; how are you?"
I smiled to let her know I wasn't here to start a fight, "I'm fine. How have you been?"
"OK, I guess," she replied.
"Have you talked to your mom lately?"
She looked down and shook her head, "I don't think she wants to talk to me, anyway."
"I'm sure you're wrong," I said. "We saw them last week, and I think she'd like it if you called."
"Does she seem sad?"
"Not that she'd ever let on, but you can tell – deep down. You know how she is."
She nodded solemnly. I felt a tug on my pant leg and looked down to see Aina reaching her arms up to me. I lifted her into my arms and Leah smiled at us, "Is that one of the twins?"
"Yeah, this is Aina."
"They're getting so big. How old are your kids now?"
"The twins are almost 6; Owen will be 3 in June, and Alys will be 2 in August."
She got another nervous look on her face and looked down at her shoes, "I'm pregnant."
"Really? When are you due?"
"July."
"Wow, you can't even tell," I said – I hated to ask the question on my mind, but I had to know. "Who's the father?"
"I'm not sure…but I think it's James'."
My heart broke for her, "No…how…I'm sorry, Leah."
"Not as sorry as I am," she said as she looked back up. "I'm sorry for everything – I never meant to hurt you or your family, I swear."
"I know…believe me, I know how manipulative that monster can be," I said. "He's tried it on me since the day I met him."
"He made me believe he loved me," she said. "And when I found out I was pregnant, I told him and he said he didn't want to see me anymore – he admitted he was just using me to get to you. But, I still couldn't bring myself to get an abortion."
Edward walked up beside us then and put a comforting hand on Leah's shoulder, "I'm so sorry, Leah. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call us."
She looked up and smiled, "Thank you."
We gave said goodbye and went back to Esme and Carlisle's house. I felt like a freeloader, just shaking up in my in-law's house for the past week. But Esme kept telling me how much she loved having all of us there. At least I could repay her by cooking occasionally.
Edward and Jasper got the groceries in and then we set the kids up in front of the TV while Alice and I made our way up to the upstairs bathroom. She waited just outside while I did the unpleasant part of the job, and then we sat together on the edge of the tub and waited while my watch ticked away one minute. Once the beeper went off, Alice squeezed my hand as we checked the results.
My face broke out in a bright smile, "Pregnant."
"See, my feeling is never wrong!" Alice said as we hugged and jumped around in a circle like a group of squealing, Jonas Brothers fans.
Our celebration brought my most curious child up and into the room.
"Mommy, what's going on?" Aina asked as Alice and I stopped jumping.
"I'm going to have another baby, sweetie," I said as I picked her up and twirled her around.
She laughed as she we spun, until I stopped and set her on my hip. She rested her head on my shoulder and played with my hair, "I want another little brother."
"That's what I'm hoping for too, Angel," I said.
"Can we name him Connor?" She asked.
"We'll think about it," I said. "Let's get ideas from your siblings."
"OK," she said, a little sad.
"But Connor is a really good name, sweetheart. What made you think of it?"
She buried her face in my neck in embarrassment, "A boy at pre-school."
Alice and I laughed as we walked her down to the living room.
"You have a crush," Alice teased.
"Do not!!" She cried, sticking her tongue out at her aunt.
"Hey, what do I say about sticking your tongue out at people?" I scolded gently.
Aina bowed her head in shame, "Sorry, Aunt Alice."
"It's OK, sweetie," she said as she stroked Aina's hair. "But, just remember, boys have cooties!"
I rolled my eyes, "Thanks Al, you're a great influence."
Alice laughed and pulled me into the kitchen as I set Aina down to re-join her siblings and Aiden. I wasn't quite through the door when Esme got out of her chair at the table and approached me and Alice.
"Well?"
Alice and I looked at each other and broke out into big smiles. Esme squealed – causing Edward and Jasper to drop what they were doing – and threw her arms around us.
"I knew it!"
"Knew what?" Edward asked as he walked over.
"Well," I began, "It seems all of our…practicing…has paid off."
It took him a moment, but then his face lit up and he wrapped his arms around my waist, lifting me into the air. He lowered me slowly and our lips met in a gentle kiss.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you, too," I replied.
"So," Esme said, "Are congratulations in order now?"
"You bet they are," Edward said as he kissed me passionately again.