Carlisle's POV
I kept my arm wrapped around Esme as we made our way out into the hall. I was trying to stay calm – show her how happy I was and at ease I felt, but inside I was terrified.
My emotions had gone from shock to overwhelming joy and gratitude, but my brain continued to process what it all meant. I had arrived at the moment of frightened out of my mind.
Esme had not been my human patient in more than ninety years. I first treated her as a girl with a broken leg in 1911. Then a decade later she was delivered to my hospital a destroyed shell, her life forfeit. There was nothing I could do to save her human life and yet the memory of her in her youth compelled me to make a rash decision.
There had been a few incidents over the decades where I had to take care of an errant injury to her being, but this was something completely different.
I believed in every one of her arguments. This shouldn't be possible and what could it possibly mean for her? What would happen to her?
I kept hearing Khalida's words over and over again: Carlisle, you are a doctor. Treat your wife no differently that you would treat a human pregnant woman. This experience will be nothing like Bella's. I assure you, it will be as normal as it can be for her.
There was nothing normal about this and how could I treat her as I would a "human pregnant woman?" The term the trickster said so lightly as if all pregnant women were the same. Esme was not just a pregnant human. She was not a patient who was here today and gone tomorrow. She was my vampire wife.
What else would change? What else would make her "normal?" Was sleep just the beginning? What did that mean for her stamina? What about food? Would she be able to hunt? Would she need human food? Would she need to go to the bathroom? How would her body change? Would she feel pain? Would she cramp? Would she experience morning sickness? Would she grow? Would the contractions hurt? Would the labor be painful? Why 12 months? What would happen after the baby was born? Would she lactate? Would her body return to this state immediately? Although her signs so far were not as volatile as Bella's pregnancy didn't make the situation at hand any less dire or scary.
I didn't want to see her suffer in any way. I always had been fiercely protective of my mate. I loathed seeing her hurt or in pain. She was just as protective of me when it came to my own distress. I wanted to shoulder the load and ease her burden, but in this case I felt lost in my ability to keep her safe.
And that creature…Khalida. I was too driven by emotions – Esme's and my own. I should have demanded answers, but instead I had been too busy being grateful. She was a mystery, but obviously incredibly powerful. A human with a few upgrades and at that time you can decide as a family what the future for your child will be. What did any of it mean? She could keep Edward out of her head and stop Alice from predicting her movements. She had no singular gift – she had many and they were unknown. I didn't think her intention came with any malice as it did without forethought.
What was going to happen to my wife?
When we had reached the living room where our children, granddaughter and Jacob were gathered, I met Edward's eyes first. He knew every thought and fear racing through my mind. He glanced away from me toward Jasper and my eyes followed. Jasper didn't know, but he felt my trepidation. His eyes bored in mine, and the flickered to Esme by my side.
Alice flitted over to him and placed a hand on his cheek. "It's fine, Jasper."
"Alice, what's going on?" Rosalie asked, sounding irritated. "You were texting and then you flew out of the car."
"This isn't my show. It's Esme and Carlisle's," said Alice.
Esme tightened her hold on my arm.
"Grandma, what is it?" Renesmee asked as she took Bella's hand.
"Everyone, please settle down," I asked.
"Listen to your own advice," Edward said under his breath. I looked him and I could see the same fear reflecting back at me. Esme was his mother. His wife was the one whose human life was destroyed by carrying their daughter to term. If anyone could empathize it was him.
"Mom, what is it?" Rosalie asked her voice changed to concern.
I looked at Esme's face. Her expression was mixed with so many emotions, but fear was not one of them.
"We have received some shocking news, to say the very least," Esme stated.
"Are you alright?" Rosalie probed.
"I will be," Esme said, her fingers sliding down my arm and into my hand. She took a deep breath and spoke the words, "I'm expecting."
"Expecting what?" Emmett questioned as it didn't make any sense to be expecting in the usual sense.
"A baby," Esme's voice had a bit of tremor in it again.
"I thought that was impossible?" Renesmee questioned with awe.
"It is impossible!" Rosalie shrilled. "Esme, what kind of joke is this?"
Esme flinch beside me, her biggest concern coming to light.
"Rosalie," I said. "We said the same thing less than an hour ago, but every sign at the moment indicates that it is to be true."
"I've seen it, Rosalie," Alice confirmed.
"You've seen what?" Rosalie mocked. "Esme or Carlisle holding a baby? They could be a thousand explanations for that."
"No, I've seen Esme obviously pregnant," Alice said sounding slightly annoyed. She didn't like being doubted.
"What happened, Carlisle?" Jasper asked.
Edward, Bella and Alice were aware of the events that transpired and sat quietly while Esme and I explained what have gone on with Khalida in our bedroom. There was silence for a moment when we finished telling them what we knew so far.
"And you believe that this is for real, Carlisle?" Emmett asked.
"Esme was unconscious indicating she was asleep and Alice has seen what she has seen, at the moment we are going to assume that it is true," I answered.
Emmett nodded and turned to Esme. "How do you feel, Esme?"
"Overwhelmed. Thrilled. Excited. A little scared," she said placing her free hand over where our hands were joined. "I'm going to need all of your support with this unexpected turn of events. I don't know how things are going to develop other than, in what I believe to be about eight months, you are going to have a new sibling."
I didn't have to possess Jasper's gift to sense how highly charged the emotions were in the room. There was skepticism and confusion, love and pain, happiness and worry.
Emmett broke the silence once again as he slapped his knee and said, "Well alright! Another rugrat! If he or she is anywhere near as fun as Nessie, I'm all for it."
Renesmee rushed forward to her grandmother and threw her arms around her. "Someone younger than me! Although it will be a bit strange to have an aunt or uncle who's in diapers," she said with a giggle. "I knew I liked Khalida."
Edward stepped forward to shake my hand and hug Esme. "No child could be luckier than to have you two for parents, and no one is more deserving of this than you," he said with a grin. "I can't wait to meet my baby brother or sister."
"Brother," Ness declared.
"Why do you say that, princess?" Esme asked with astonishment.
Renesmee shrugged and said, "I'm a girl. It's time for a boy to even out the Cullen's."
I turned to Alice and she waved me off, "Oh no! I haven't seen anything yet, but even when I do I'm not telling." She walked toward us and stood before Esme. She appeared to be so happy that she would cry as she said to her, "I never had the calling to be a mom. It's just not who I am, but I love being an aunt, and I'm sure I'll enjoy being a big sister." They embraced for a long moment and as they broke apart Alice looked Esme up and down to confirm, "Esme, we have some shopping to do."
Jasper came up beside Alice. "There've been moments when you two have radiated happiness, but this is something completely different. I can't help but be happy for you. This child is truly blessed," he said hugging us both. "It will be okay, Carlisle," he whispered in my ear.
Bella moved in next. "Brazil seems to be the land where impossible things become possible. You both took such good care of me during my pregnancy. I want to help you any way I can. Edward and I will even babysit."
"We will?" Edward teased.
"Yes, we will," she said nudging him in the side.
Esme was already watching Rosalie when I turned to my eldest daughter. Other eyes followed.
Rosalie's vision was locked on Esme as they silently communicated with their eyes. She approached Esme slowly. "I'm happy for you. I really am. But I would be lying if I said I wasn't envious. I know you will be great parents as you already are, but I won't deny that it hurts."
Esme took Rosalie into her arms. "I know. I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize for your gift, Esme. Khalida saw in you in a week what we've witnessed for decades. She may have said that she is doing it because of Carlisle, but, no offense Carlisle, your heart and your love has always been so completely unconditional. Even when we fought you, or our behavior was less than our best, you never wavered. We all look to Carlisle and admire him in our own way, but this is your gift. You have always wanted a child since you were a child. It wasn't fair what happened to you when you were human. You were so close to your happiness.
"I know watching you won't be easy, but I'll support you. I love you, Mom," Rosalie said, her voice cracking. I was so proud of her.
I looked around the room at our beautiful children – a family that stuck together by choice. They didn't have to stay. They could have left any time. Not only did they stay, but they embraced being our children. This didn't change how much we loved them. It only added to the love that already existed in our home.
At that moment I saw Jacob. He looked uncomfortable.
"Jacob?" I questioned.
"I guess congratulations are in order," he said with a shrug and raised his hand to absentmindedly scratch his neck. "Am I to understand that this baby will be human, but with upgrades? What does that mean?"
"I don't know. Khalida said she would check in on us. Hopefully she'll impart more information us then. We've told you everything we know."
"I should probably head to reservation and let my brothers know about this latest development," he said as he began heading for the front door shaking his head and mumbling, "You Cullen's. The weirdness never ends."
"Dog boy!" Rosalie growled after him.
"Touché!" he called back as the door closed behind him.
There was silence again.
"So what now?" Renesmee asked.
"Well, we go on with our lives. Besides sleep I'm not sure what else will change. We'll just take it one moment at a time," Esme said gently.
"And for now every moment is a mystery, but we'll take care of Esme…"
"And you, Carlisle," Bella interjected. "You are always this family's rock – our strength and who we turn to for guidance. We will support you both through this exciting time."
There were nods of agreement.
"Thank you," I whispered. How had I come to this? What could I ever have done to possibly deserve one more blessing when I was already surrounded by so many?
Thank you to my betas, December LeNoir and sweetishbubble!
