Everything Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. That being said, on with chapter 11.
"Good morning. Did everyone sleep well?" Carlisle posed the question to the group, all seated and standing before leaning in to whisper a soft 'happy mother's day, darling' to his wife as he kissed her. Standing upright again, he began looking around the dining room at everyone still in their pajamas. He moved behind his wife and began massaging her shoulders as he took in the large group. He started nodding his head as he began counting the number of people. "Where are Rose and Emily?"
"Feeding upstairs. My man over there goes in and gets the job done." He motioned over to Ethan, sitting on his Uncle Jasper's lap. "Miss Emily likes to take her sweet time and spend forever on the nip. Can't say I blame her though, because…"
"Emmett! It's too early to talk like that, o.k.?" Standing, Jasper handed Emmett his son before walking to the coffeepot to pour another cup of coffee. "Edward and Bella are still asleep upstairs."
"Well, since most of us are here, would anyone mind if we just went to the club for the day? It's Mother's Day, so it will be a little crowded, but relaxing by a pool sounds like Heaven right now and I am all for a day of doing as little as possible." Esme gratefully took the cup of coffee that Jasper handed her.
"I'm all for a nice long swim. What do you say, brother?" Emmett asked, clapping Jasper on his back.
"I say, Alice and Bella probably don't have suits and I am not sure that Tansy can even go in the water." Jasper looked over to his father for input before settling his gaze on Alice and Tansy.
"The tube should not be a problem. If she is able to bathe with it, she can swim with it. I doubt Bella will be putting her under water, anyway. Alice, do you see any other reason?" Carlisle looked over at Alice who beamed at the fact that she was being asked her opinion.
"None I can think of, except her mama. Bella probably won't put her in anyway at the off chance that she may vomit. That would cause a problem for everyone. She's pretty sensitive about that. She'd probably like to bring Tansy, but the public reaction to children with disabilities is pretty pathetic. I suggest that we go and find the most unobtrusive corner in the place and hope for the best. Let's try it." Alice's eyes lit up.
"We'll wait until they wake up and then bring up the subject. If we just say that's what we're doing they won't have much of a choice, will they? Rose may have an extra suit or two to borrow. And if she doesn't, they do have a small boutique for swimwear and pool toys and such. I'm sure you and Bella will find things you need there but I forbid you to pay for it, just tell them to put it on our membership." Esme made plans for the day as she addressed each member of her family, much like a queen giving orders to her royal court.
"Alice, why don't you take some coffee up to Edward and Bella? They might get offended if any of us go in there. Bella has known you so much longer that she probably wouldn't mind you interrupting." Carlisle reached for another 2 cups from the cabinet and handed them to Jasper as he stood waiting with the coffeepot in hand.
"We've already been in there this morning to rescue Tansy. You should have seen Edward and Bella curled up in the armchair together. It was so cute, but I have no idea how they were able to sleep at all. They must have been really tired from the stress of Friday night and Jake's call." Hopping off the barstool, Alice began to help Jasper make the coffee.
"I hope Bella's not disrupting Tansy's sleeping schedule by bringing her over these last few nights. As selfish as I sound, I have to say I am enjoying it. I've never seen Edward so happy and he dotes on that baby something fierce. He's going to make a great father someday." Esme looked thoughtful as she took the cup of coffee her husband made for her.
"Tansy seems pretty taken with him, too. I was talking to Bella yesterday and she said something about Edward being Tansy's hero. Nighttime crying jags aside, she's right, that girl quiets right down when he's near. It's like he's a drug to her." Rose laughed as she entered the dining room and Emily leaned over to Carlisle and Esme. She handed her daughter over to Grandpa Carlisle with a laugh.
"I'll bring this up and tell them to get ready. Edward was at least coherent when we went in there." Just as Alice turned from the kitchen, a sleepy Edward and Bella appeared in the doorway, an expression of guilt apparent on both their faces.
Edward reached for a cup of coffee from Alice and dropped onto one of the empty stools and patting the one next to him for Bella who was searching out her daughter as Alice placed the second cup next to Edward.
"Well, Bella, in honor of yours and Rose's first official Mother's Day, we are going to celebrate. How does brunch at the club and a relaxing lounge around the pool sound? We figured we'd hang out there for a little while and then come back here to party this evening." Alice looked over at Bella, daring her friend to say no.
Bella glanced up from her daughter and looked surprised at Alice's words. She knew better than to suggest that they go out anywhere. Outside of her comfort zone areas, there were very few places where Bella risked taking her daughter and a snooty country club didn't even make the top 100.
"Alice, I don't know, I'm pretty tired." Bella made her way, daughter securely in her arms, to take a seat next to Edward. She knew she was grasping at straws but the thought of people gawking at her daughter while turning their snotty noses down at her as she was practically naked held nothing for her.
"Bella, we would like for the three of you to join us today." The tone of Carlisle's voice left very little room for discussion.
Bella looked around the room and saw that the day's plans lay completely on her shoulders. If she said no, she would most likely be subjecting the group to follow her plans for the day, which she knew would be far less exciting. How many times could you just hang out at a house and watch a movie, after all?
"Fine, we'll go. Just don't expect much." Bella laughed tiredly as she handed Tansy over to Edward while she reached for her coffee.
"Excellent! Well, I know it's still pretty early, but I suggest a nice, relaxing day today. So, we'll meet back down here in one hour, o.k.?" Carlisle reached over and placed his arm around Esme's waist as he pulled her toward the back set of stairs that led up to the bedrooms. She smiled at him warmly before adding, "make that two hours."
Bella jabbed at Edward as she nodded at his parents retreating backs. The two of them laughed. Jasper and Alice joined in as they obviously figured out what Edward and Bella were snickering about.
Shrugging, Rose seemed unconcerned. "I think it's cute that they still dig each other at their age."
Emmett was still oblivious as he looked over at her. "Huh, whadda ya mean they dig each other? You mean my mother and father? Ewww, that's sick, Rose."
"Em? Baby? Are you telling me that when we get older we aren't going to have sex anymore?" Rose practically purred as she moved over to stand against Emmett, causing him to rethink his earlier words.
"Aw, hell. They really aren't that old, are they? I mean if they can still do things at their age then who am I to say they can't. Still, that's just icky." Emmett shook his head as he leaned into Rose and kissed her while the rest of the group disappeared.
"Whose stupid idea was this, anyway?" Bella practically seethed the words at Edward as they walked into his r6oom to get things ready to go.
"I don't know who actually thought of it. Probably Esme, maybe Carlisle. Does it matter?" Edward reached into his closet and pulled out a gym bag. Placing it on the bed, he disappeared again into the walk in closet, leaving Bella to feel slightly braver as she voiced her words through the wall separating them.
"I think I feel sick. I really don't want to go. Why don't you just drop me off at home this morning? Or else, I could just stay here and catch up on sleep and see you all when you come back." Bella was back to grasping at straws.
Edward took a moment to calm himself before coming out of the closet with two towels. He knew what Bella was up to and he refused to let her cave in and hide her and her daughter away. He placed the towels into the bag on the bed and then closed the gap between himself and Bella.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to get out of going out with my family." Edward looked her straight in the eyes as he reached out for Tansy. "I'll hold her while you pack up what she needs for the day. I have a towel for you in my bag – all we'll need to get are suits for you and Tansy." Edward placed the baby against his shoulder and smiled as the little girl settled in and nuzzled his shoulder. The look of joy on Edward's face as he held her daughter brought Bella near to tears.
"I'll just stay in my shorts and a tank top. I'm probably not going to swim anyway. I'll just hold her at the edge so she can at least splash around a little. As long as I keep Ethan away from her, she should be fine." Bella sighed as she caved in, knowing that she would have the protection of the Cullen family around her eased some of her fears.
"Seriously, Bella? You will go in the water if I have to throw you in there. Why on Earth are you suddenly so against having a good time?" Edward bounced Tansy a little as they watched Bella fly around the room throwing things into a bag.
"Good time for who, Edward? Maybe for you guys, and for Alice. But I can guarantee that Rose and I will probably not be having fun. It's embarrassing. I lost some of my weight from Tansy, but still, it's all settled on my stomach." Bella briefly looked down and snorted, suddenly self-conscious.
"Bella, you're being absurd! I can practically see your hip bones. I didn't see you before you had her, of course, but I am guessing that you were probably just as skinny as you are now. Honestly, I wouldn't be able to tell you had a child or not." Edward was looking at Bella now with a frown on his face. "You can't honestly believe that you are overweight? What's this really about, Bella?"
Bella sighed as she dropped down onto the bed and looked up at Edward. She knew she was defeated, her last line of reasoning for not joining in was now being stripped away.
"Would you believe insecurity? I have issues with my body Edward. It's not really about weight, I am not obese and I know that. When I wear jeans and a t-shirt, I'm fine, even a tank top. But something like a swim suit? Yuck. I've just never been comfortable showing off my body for anyone. I just hate feeling so exposed!" Bella crossed her arms over herself to hide and accentuate her point.
"Listen to me, Bella. Number 1, you had a child, a baby. She's right here and she's not even a year old. Two, if I just met you and you told me you had a child, I would call you a liar. Bella, be reasonable. At least come with, and see if Alice and Rose can help you feel more comfortable. For the most part it is going to be just me and my family. No one really mingles at the pool." Edward knew he won once he mentioned her girlfriends.
"I'll go, but only because I'm being forced. I'm going to talk to Rosalie for a minute. Can you deal?" Bella was already at the connecting bathroom door as Edward waved for her to go.
She knocked gently on the door so not to disturb anyone who may be taking a quick nap but jumped as Emmett flung the door open. From the sound of his voice, Bella could tell no one was napping.
"Heya, Bells! Listen, we've all got Tansy's back on this, so don't you worry your pretty little head, alright?" Emmett drew her into a hug as he pulled her into the cramped bedroom before he left through the bathroom, presumably to talk to his brother.
"Geez, I never really looked in here before, but if I knew things were this bad, I would have pushed harder to finish the room." Bella started to pick things up as she made a beeline for Rose.
"It's not so bad, Bella." Rose laughed as she began explaining. "It makes it easier to get to them when they cry during the night. What's up?" Rose barely looked up from where she was carefully placing things in a bag.
Piling the clothes she picked up from the floor onto a corner of the bed, Bella looked over at Rose, shyly. "I was just wondering if you maybe had an extra swim suit that I could borrow, just for today? Edward is insisting on torturing me." Bella walked over to the two cribs where the babies were laying contentedly.
"I'd hardly call spending the day lounging at the pool torture, Bella. Is there something you want to tell me?" Rose stopped packing momentarily before scooting off the bed and closing the bathroom door.
"It's just that, I know I am in pretty decent shape, but I'm just not comfortable yet with hanging out in a swim suit. Are you?" Bella looked uncomfortably at Rose before she let out an exaggerated sigh. She almost forgot who she was addressing.
Rosalie was beautiful. Probably had never been anything but beautiful. Even with her body being out of whack from motherhood and her hair weaved into a no-nonsense french braid, she was glowing.
"Well, bikini days are bye-bye, that's for sure. But I think, no, I know that Emmett prefers me this way. I'm not fat, but I had twins for crying out loud, I'm allowed to have curves." Laughing, she continued. "At least my curves landed in the right places. Bella, trust me, you do not have to worry about embarrassing yourself in a swim suit. The club has a little boutique in it where you can get one. I have one, but I'll need it. Besides, you'll need one for Tansy, anyway. You have nothing to worry about, sister. Alice and I will be there with you." Rose ended her speech by giving Bella a hug.
"Thanks, Rose. I guess I better get this over with." Bella sighed as she went back to Edward's bedroom, passing a smiling Emmett in the bathroom as he went to rejoin his wife.
"So, did she convince you?" Edward said the words as he gave Bella a one armed hug.
"Yeah, she convinced me that this is a horrible idea and that I should just go and let everyone torture me." Bella sighed as she reached over to Tansy and smoothed her hair down. "I don't know if it's such a good idea to leave her with you Edward, she's trying to copy your hairstyle now."
Bella and Edward both laughed as Tansy let out a happy gurgle from between them.
"I was going to ask Alice to have her hair cut. I can't believe how much it's grown. I love the curly, but it does need to be trimmed so it's out of her face." Bella sighed as she put a floppy, blue hat on Tansy's head and tucked her hair under it. "Let's get this over with."
As they walked into the hallway, Jasper and Alice were walking out of his bedroom. "Oh, Edward, is it alright if we ride with you three?" Alice practically pounced on Tansy when she saw that she was wearing the hat.
"Sure, no problem if you don't mind riding in the back next to her car seat." Edward looked at Jasper for confirmation, knowing that Alice would have no trouble in the backseat but Jasper's much taller frame would be contorted into a pretzel.
"No problem. I think Alice needs her 'Tansy-time' for the day." Jasper laughed as he used Bella and Alice's word for special time with Tansy.
After another dramatic sigh from Bella, Edward decided to rush things along.
"Why don't we leave now since Alice and Bella will need to shop before the others get there. I'll get her medication from the fridge and let the others know to meet us there." Taking the diaper bag from Bella, he slung it onto his shoulder with his gym bag before stealing a quick kiss from Bella. "I'll meet you at the Volvo." He said, tossing the keys to Jasper as he made his way down the hall.
Edward stopped short as he entered the kitchen. He laughed as he saw Carlisle setting up an extra large coffeepot in the space where the old 12-cup pot used to be. As a finishing touch, Carlisle slapped a large purple bow onto the machine.
"No more waiting for coffee, especially if you all are going to be bringing your girlfriends around." Carlisle smiled at his son before reaching into the sink to wash the used coffee cups.
"She's going to love it. Hey Dad, could we just meet you at the club? Bella and Alice need swim suits anyway, so they're going to have to look around for a little bit." Edward reached into the refrigerator for the things they would need for Tansy as Carlisle rinsed another cup.
"No problem, I'll let the others know. Your mother just decided to take a quick shower." Carlisle shook the water off the cup before placing it into the drying rack. As Edward looked over at him he could have sworn he saw Carlisle smiling.
"Right. Well, we will see you there." Edward added a cold pack from the freezer to the pouch in the diaper bag and hurried out the door to join the others.
The ride to the club was quick. For once in her life, Bella wished that the L trains ran at street level instead of overhead. She also felt it necessary to point out more than a few intersections that, in her mind, needed a traffic signal. When she started complaining about how few people used public transportation and how there should be more buses on the street, Alice decided she had enough.
"When you are done picking apart the flaws in the transportation system, maybe you could move on toward world peace, Bella." Alice remarked, ignoring the glare Edward gave her in the mirror. "We are going to enjoy the day whether it takes us 5 minutes to get there or 50. Just deal with it."
Bella huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. She threw one look at Alice and realized that her friend was right. Short of a traffic accident, which Bella didn't wish on anyone, no amount of traffic delays were going to stop them from getting to the place where everyone, except Bella, wanted to be.
"I hope they have coffee ready. I feel like I hardly got any sleep at all." Bella voiced to no one in particular. She shifted halfway in the passenger seat to address the whole car. "I apologize, guys. It's just that these things bring out the worst in me. Someone always makes some stupid comment and I get all defensive. Or Tansy will get sick and I'll get upset and we'll have to leave. I just don't normally put myself into these situations on purpose, so that's the reason."
Alice's hand came around and patted her shoulder as Edward reached to take Bella's hand. The rest of the trip was made in silence as Edward, Jasper, and Alice took turns calming Bella down. As they turned into the parking lot of the club and Edward stopped by the valet entrance he turned to her.
"I'll make you a deal. Anyone says anything to you or makes any kind of stupid comment then I'll pay for the swimming suits for you three. If no one says anything, then you pay for your own. Deal?" Edward held out his hand as the attendant opened his door.
"Fine, Edward." Laughing at his goofy expression, Bella shook his hand to seal the deal before she turned to Alice. "Make sure you look for the most expensive suit there is Alice."
Laughing, Alice began gathering up Tansy and her toys from the backseat. "Bella,I am at a country club. In a car being parked by a valet attendant. I am going to spend the day lounging around by a pool and having other people wait on me hand and foot. Houston, that won't be a problem!" Alice finished as Jasper and Bella joined her laughter and Edward just looked worried.
"Bro, I think you've just been had." Jasper reached over and clapped his brother on the back.
As they made their way into the building, Jasper shook his head as if he were trying to figure something out. "Wow. How many people do we need a table for now?" Jasper tried to quickly calculate their number in his head.
"Eleven. 8 adults and 3 babies. Do they have baby seats here?" Edward asked Jasper who still stood with his mouth open that Edward figured out their number that quickly.
"Now how would I know that?" Jasper looked at Edward as if he had grown an extra head.
"Well, go find out then." Edward made a gesture to move Jasper ahead of him. "We brought her car seat in just in case but it would be nice if you could call Emmett and Rose to let them know. At least if we bring in the car seats then no one has to hold the babies the entire time."
"No Edward. I'll just use her sling. I'd rather not sit her by herself." Bella looked scared as Edward took in the expression on her face. Gone was the playful scowl that she had on when he made his silly bet and in its place Edward could see that Bella was afraid.
"Let's just play it by ear, Bella." Edward reached for her hand as they started walking again.
The five of them walked into the club as Edward and Jasper immediately turned toward the restaurant.
"Eleven, please. And could 3 of those have high chairs? Also, if it's not a problem, one long table instead of a round one?" Edward smoothly talked to the woman even though she was completely flustered by his good looks.
Bella couldn't help but admire how comfortable Edward was in this element. To her, it only served to deepened the feeling that this world, his world, a world of country clubs and attendants, would never be one she would feel comfortable in.
"Of course, sir. It'll be a few minutes for them to set up. Name?" The woman looked at Edward personally, rather than address the group.
"Cullen." Edward said confidently, ignoring the woman as he set his eyes on Bella and wrapped his arm around her waist to draw her closer. "We'll be in the boutique until it's ready."
It was only after Edward drew Bella and Tansy closer to him that the woman appeared to notice them. Bella watched the woman's face crumple into a frown. She had seen it so many times before it was almost comical to her now. Almost. The play of human emotions that showed on people's faces when they saw her daughter was like a series of photos being flipped very fast, as if to imitate movement. It usually started with shock. Bella watched in horrible fascination as this woman's emotions began and she wasn't disappointed.
First was obviously the shock, although this time Bella couldn't tell if it was because of her daughter, or because the other woman couldn't believe that someone like Edward would actually show an interest in someone like her. Bella decided on the latter before she watched the woman's eyes turn quickly and take in the three of them, she was obviously trying to decide if they were really together. Bella bristled as she took in these new emotions and wondered briefly if people realized that they did this or if the woman was just snotty enough that she was doing it on purpose. Having had enough of the woman's unspoken criticisms, she did the only thing she could think of.
She handed Tansy over to Edward. As she settled her daughter into his arms, she looked up briefly and winked at him, causing him to falter over her sudden sense of confidence.
"Honey, I think Alice and I are going to try on a few dresses as well as bathing suits." Bella made her voice as sweet as possible. "You and Jasper will be okay with Tansy, right?"
Edward caught on to Bella's game and played along, even going as far as to lean down and give Bella a kiss before replying.
"Of course. You two go enjoy yourselves." Winking back at Bella, Edward shifted Tansy up to his shoulder. "We'll be along soon."
Edward and Jasper watched as Bella and Alice linked arms and crossed the lobby. Realizing that they stared at their ladies retreating backsides for longer than was considered appropriate, Jasper nudged his brother gently.
"Let me help you, brother." Jasper reached over and took the diaper bag from Edward before he crammed it into the empty carrier that Alice had saddled him with before she took Bella's arm. Edward and Jasper followed behind them at a slower pace, mindful that the girls needed time to shop and that someone had to keep an eye on the main entrance to wait for the others who still had yet to arrive.
Bella latched even tighter onto Alice's arm inside the store.
"What did I do back there, Al?" Bella began breathing fast, as the realization hit her.
"You did nothing wrong, that's for sure. That girl was practically stripping Edward with her eyes. I say you rocked, sister! Who the hell did she think she was? And by the way, that little show of confidence you did at the end with handing Tansy over to him, Bravo!" Alice hugged her friend tightly. "You need to realize that he is there for you Bella. Let go a little each time and trust that he will be there for you."
Bella calmed as Alice hugged her. "He didn't even flinch, did he? He caught right on and played along." Her face broke into a genuinely happy smile as she realized that Edward gave her exactly the boost she needed.
Alice held Bella at arm's length and stared directly up into her eyes.
"Bella, what do you mean playing? That was no play. That was real. Edward is real. He is there for you and he always will be as long as you keep letting him in here." Alice punctuated her words by placing her hand on Bella's heart. Nodding her head as Bella gaped at her she moved to change the subject before Bella could argue with her. "Come on, let's go shopping."
Before Bella could come completely to her senses, Alice had her arms full of suits to try on. Holding them up, Bella immediately rejected some, handing them back with a shake of her head.
"Um, Alice, NO. I'll try anything on as long as its one piece and isn't high cut in the leg or low cut in the chest. Don't they have a simple tank suit?" Handing the rest back to Alice dismissively she turned to sift through a rack of one piece suits that looked like they were meant for competitive swimming.
Bella paused in her search to notice that Edward and Jasper now joined them inside the shop. She scowled at him as he smiled at her dilemma.
"Edward, why don't you and Jasper make yourselves useful and look at the baby section to find a suit for Tansy. Probably a 3-month size will do. Oh, and you better see if they have swim diapers. I don't know if Rose will have any." Resuming her search, it was all Bella could do to not grab her daughter and head for the hills. Knowing that if she didn't find a suit, and soon, she would be forced into something that someone else picks out for her.
"Oh my God, this one is mine." Alice said, holding up a black one piece accentuated with gold lame on the sides. "Oooh, the gold will make me look longer." Alice fingered the material almost reverently.
Bella had to agree that the suit would look good with Alice's pale skin and inky black hair. "Aren't you even going to try it on?" Bella asked, crossly.
"No need. I'm going to put it at the register until after we eat." Alice practically waltzed up to the register, mimicking a woman walking in front of her trying to make herself seem more important than she really was. She stopped just before the woman turned around.
"Name?" The cashier, taking in Alice's little performance, smiled at her as she glanced back at the woman who now waltzed out of the store.
"You can put it under the name Cullen." Alice looked over at Jasper and smiled as she flirted with her eyes.
Jasper stood against the entrance to the store, Tansy's carrier and bag forgotten at his feet. He was leaning against the wall and staring at her with his arms crossed in front of him. He had a smug look on his face as he smirked at her and nodded slightly. He had obviously caught her performance, too and barely moved his eyes as the snobby woman Alice mimicked was leaving.
"I'm sorry. You have to have a membership to come in here. Are you a family member?" The girl looked at Alice apologetically. No doubt wanting her to be able to stay but torn between wanting to keep her job.
Alice looked over at Jasper again and took in his slight head tilt. He wasn't going to help her at all, knowing well enough that Alice could handle herself. Alice threw him a glare, letting him know that he should pay attention and see just what she could do.
Leaning over the glass counter as much as possible, Alice stared into the girls eyes. "I'm not a Cullen, yet, but I will be one day. Believe me when I say I have a good, long memory and you do not want me to remember you for this."
The cashier smiled at Alice, clearly happy that she would be able to help her and not have to kick her out. "Yes, of course. Cullen, right?" The girl made a show of typing things into the computer but made eye contact with Alice as she spoke softly. "Thanks for the entertainment, by the way. I get so tired of the snobs that waltz in here every day like they own this place." She took the suit from Alice and removed the hanger before folding it and placing it to the side behind the counter.
Alice winked at the girl before turning to make her way to Jasper. She all but fell into his arms and was rewarded with Jasper embracing her as he leaned over and whispered, "that's my girl."
She turned from his embrace and leaned against his body as they waited for Edward and Bella to finish.
"I'm just going to go with this green one." Bella said as she walked past Edward.
"Do you want to try it on?" Edward asked her suggestively. "I could help you." He whispered the second sentence in her ear slowly. Edward's suggestion stopped Bella in her tracks.
"You've helped me enough today already. I just have to get through this." Bella looked so out of her element that Edward almost regretted bringing her here. He wondered if she used up all her confidence with the show at the restaurant and decided to move her along before she lost her cool completely.
"Let's go, Bella. We're here to have fun today." Edward said, tossing a light green bundle at her. Bella caught just the edge of it and clutched the cloth to her chest as she threw Edward a questioning look. "That's for Tansy. I have an extra towel in my bag that you can use, but she really likes ducks." Edward smiled as he placed his free arm around Bella's shoulder and moved her toward the front of the shop.
"She likes ducks? She told you she likes ducks?" Bella could keep the laughter out of her voice as she walked with Edward and Tansy.
"Yes. She told me she likes ducks. She actually pointed and gurgled to get her point across but I speak her language and she clearly said she likes the duckies." Edward managed to keep a straight face as he led his women to the counter and gave his name as the woman stowed the purchase next to Alice's.
Bella laughed at the nonsense Edward was spouting but could find no fault in his wanting to be playful and lighthearted. She loved this side of him, the happy-go-lucky side. She wrapped her free arm around his waist as she fell into step next to him.
As the foursome made their way back to the restaurant, they noticed that Carlisle and Esme were already seated with coffee cups and food in front of them and a twin in the other. Figuring that Bella would want to sit away from the center of the room, Edward led her to the side that was closest to the wall.
"Let's try again for the 'good morning'. Emmett and Rosalie are already up at the buffet if you would like to join them? Edward, I can hold Tansy if you want. Ethan can sit in the chair by himself for a little bit." Carlisle placed Ethan in the high chair next to him and held out his other arm for Edward to give him Tansy.
"Oh, uh, thanks, Carlisle. Are you sure you can handle these two together? They don't exactly mix well. Kind of like oil and water." Bella looked embarrassed as Edward handed her daughter over.
"Oil and water, my foot – it's more like ammonia and bleach! Don't lie to him Bella!" Emmett came back to the table with his plate piled high with food. He sat down in the chair on the other side of his Ethan's highchair. "I got him, Dad. Thanks."
"Acutally, I think I'll feed Tansy first and then go up. You guys go on ahead." Bella reached for the diaper bag from Jasper and placed it on a chair before she started to dig through it. As she expertly readied her daughter's breakfast she said to herself the same words she had said so many times before. "It may not be breast milk, Tansy, but it's the best I can do for you." With those simple little words, Bella had managed to absolve herself each time of the twinge of guilt. It didn't matter that she wasn't a perfect mother, what mattered, what she had to convince herself of each day, was simply that she was doing what was best for her daughter.
Once she had everything settled, she reached to take Tansy back from Carlisle before settling her into the crook of her arm as she sat down in the corner. She was grateful that those left at the table with her, Emmett, Rose, Carlisle, Esme, and the twins, ignored her as if what she was doing was the most natural thing in the world.
Bella uncapped the NG tube that was constantly taped to Tansy's cheek and was connecting the syringe to give her the mixture. She pressed the plunger a little bit to make sure Tansy was accepting it o.k. Little by little, she pressed it down, slowly giving her daughter the small amounts of nutrition that would help to keep her healthy and hopefully help her get stronger. She was almost halfway through when a waitress came by and seeing what she was doing asked her ignorantly if she wanted to go into the bathroom to finish feeding Tansy.
"Uh, Miss, do you mind taking that into the bathroom?" The waitress asked.
Bella looked up at the woman and paled more than her normal complexion before her cheeks turned pink. She looked at the people around her before decided that she had enough and decided to stand up for herself before anyone else jumped in to fight her battle for her.
"No, I would not like to take this and feed my daughter in a bathroom. Would you eat in a bathroom?" Bella's hurt feelings were pushed to the side as strong Bella came forward to defend her daughter.
"Uh, no miss, I wouldn't but of course, I don't eat like that and uh, it might be better if…" she stammered.
"Better for whom? Certainly not better for my daughter and I." By now everyone that was left at their table was staring at her, their looks somewhere between shock and surprise. "We are not bothering anyone or making any noise at all. So if you don't mind leaving me to finish up here, I would appreciate it." Bella looked down at Tansy so no one could read her face.
"I understand, miss. I just thought you'd be more comfortable in the bathroom, but…" Again Bella cut her off.
"Let me get this straight. You think I would be 'more comfortable' sitting in a bathroom stall, feeding her breakfast rather than sitting at an actual table?" Bella laughed and shook her head as she again looked down at Tansy, signaling to the waitress that the discussion was over.
"Excuse me, is there a problem here, miss?" Carlisle now stood next to Bella with one hand on her shoulder and the other on his hip.
As the waitress started to explain herself again, Alice, Jasper, and Edward came back to their table. Edward never bothered sitting down. He immediately joined Carlisle next to Bella and Tansy.
"I was just trying to explain that we normally encourage breastfeeding and feeding babies in a more inconspicuous area of the restaurant. That's all." The waitress looked embarrassed now as she watched Edward gently brush Tansy's hair with his hand.
"No, that's not all. My daughter was sitting here minding her own business and no one at all was paying attention to her. What you've done is clearly attract attention to her and my granddaughter and I would appreciate it if you would leave my family alone. Now!" Carlisle moved his head to the side indicating that the waitress should leave.
By now Bella's tears were silently dripping down on her daughter's outfit. There always seemed to be someone who said something stupid to her. She wasn't causing any trouble or making a scene. More than the hurtful words spoken by the ignorant girl, Carlisle's words cut into Bella's heart. She hadn't considered herself anyone's family in so long. It felt so nice and comfortable to hear Carlisle speak it with such warmth. His words cradled Bella's heart warmly while also roughly slicing it open.
After the waitress left, Bella looked up at everyone with her eyes full of the tears that didn't yet fall. "I'm so sorry everyone. I swear we were being quiet, she wasn't even crying. I didn't think anyone would care. Thank you Carlisle, that meant a lot to me." Bella leaned over and placed her head briefly on Carlisle's hand that was still resting on her shoulder.
Carlisle crouched down to see Bella's eyes. "Bella, I meant it. I already consider both you and Alice as my daughter. I would expect nothing less than someone in my family to defend another family member. That's what we do. Relax now – we're here to take care of you and Tansy." He leaned over and kissed her cheek before going to sit back down with Esme.
As Edward sat down by Bella's side, his arm never left from around her shoulder. He pulled her chair so it was right up against his and he alternated feeding her as they shared the food from his plate. Bella leaned her head on his shoulder to show her thanks as she continued feeding Tansy.
"You know, Rosie," Emmett said between mouthfuls of food, "Ethan looks kinda hungry, you didn't feed him very long this morning."
Rose looked over at her husband and saw the evil look in his eye. "You're absolutely right, Em, I did shortchange him this morning. I don't know how I could have been so careless. Would you mind handing me that blanket babe?" Rose reached over the table to take their son from Emmett and carefully settled him to nurse as she draped a blanket over her chest, Rose continued eating. The whole table had the same reaction. They were daring another person to come by and make a remark about feeding babies in public.
"I'm sorry, Bella. I should have waited for you. I apologize for leaving you alone like that." Edward leaned over and kissed Bella.
"It's alright, Edward, I sent you to get the food, after all. Like I said before, there's always someone who will make a stupid remark or comment. It's just a fact of life. Before Carlisle came over, she actually suggested I should take Tansy into the bathroom to eat because I would be more comfortable there. I asked her if she frequently took her own meals into the bathroom to eat." The whole table shook with laughter as Emmett said "Must be some special kind of bathroom."
Just as the group was finishing up their brunch, Alice made her way behind Edward and began massaging his shoulders playfully as she reminded him that they were owed new suits and they needed to be picked up at the shop. Edward excused himself as their group stood and began heading toward the door.
Edward met up with them again in the large hallway outside the locker rooms. He handed a large bag to Alice.
"I got a couple of extra towels and a few small toys for the kids." Edward sat down on a bench next to Bella and gave her a kiss.
"That's sweet Edward, thank you." Bella handed him Tansy as she and Alice sorted through the bag. "I can't believe I am really going to do this." Bella sighed as Edward leaned in to her.
"Believe it baby; I can't wait to see you in that suit." Edward whispered the words into Bella's ear so softly she was glad she was sitting down, it would have definitely would have made her weak in the knees. "Do you want to change first or shall I?"
"Go ahead. I can wait. I'll change Tansy and bring her into you before I go change." Bella was turning pink right before Edward's eyes.
"Ladies and gentlemen, might I suggest we take this conversation into the locker room?" Carlisle looked over his group and gestured over to the doors.
"Let's get this over with." She stood and took Tansy from Edward as he grabbed for the diaper bag.
They split up at the doors to the dressing rooms. Rose was carrying Ethan and Emmett was carrying Emily. They gave each other a laugh at their predicament and then reached over to swap the babies. The whole group laughed as Emmett tried to dig a swim diaper and Ethan's suit from the bag that was hanging on Rose's arm.
Bella and Rose waited to change until Esme and Alice were done and then handed the babies off to them as they changed. Bella felt more at ease when she was fully clothed. She wasn't sure how to react to seeing Edward's family so, well, naked. She shouldn't have worried though, Esme made her feel so comfortable. As they got Emily and Tansy ready for the water, she held up her daughter in the little yellow suit.
"Edward has good taste. That suit is perfect on her." Alice came up behind Bella to give her a hug.
"Edward picked out Tansy's suit?" Esme looked surprised.
"Well, he lost the bet, again, so he had to buy our suits. I told him to pick one out for her. He was really cute about the whole thing. He said Tansy told him she loves duckies." Bella looked uncomfortably at Esme to explain that Edward lost the bet.
"Oh, I didn't realize. I was just surprised that you had him pick something out for her." Esme adjusted her robe and slipped on her sandals.
"We made another bet, too. In the car I bet him that someone would say something stupid and sure enough. But if that confrontation is the worst thing I hear today, I'm okay with that. I'll still sleep tonight knowing I did the right thing." Bella handed Tansy to Alice and pulled the green one piece suit out of the bag. She quickly changed, not wanting to be embarrassed in front of Rosalie, who was so comfortable in her own skin. She had none of the insecurities that Bella did even though they had both given birth recently.
"Bella, you worried for nothing, that suit looks amazing on you." Alice handed Tansy back to her as they locked their belongings in a locker.
"Thanks Alice. But it still doesn't mean that I am going to enjoy this." Bella held Tansy directly in front of her as they made their way to the pool area.
"Wow, where do we sit?" Bella looked overwhelmed as she took in the children's play area that was attached to the Olympic size swimming pool complete with diving boards.
"Silly Bella, with the boys of course." Alice immediately went over to Jasper who was eyeing her appreciatively.
She was so busy taking in her surroundings that she didn't realize that the boys were already sitting between where the 2 pools came together.
As she looked over at Edward, she suddenly wished that she was wearing a t-shirt to cover up. He was looking at her, making eye contact, but there was something in his eyes that told Bella he had already looked at her body. She could feel her face turning red as she walked up to him with Tansy covering her in front.
"Thanks for the suits, Edward. They're very nice." Bella held up Tansy for Edward to see her suit, hoping to take the focus away from her own suit.
"I have to agree with you, they are very nice." Edward reached for Tansy to pull her away from Bella's body.
Before she would give her over to him, she looked around quickly. She went and sat at the edge of the pool and dangled her feet into the water. At least this way, no one would see her body. As she sat Tansy down on her lap, Edward came over and sat next to her. He was holding an inflatable baby float for Tansy. As he blew it up, Bella looked over every so often. How could anyone look so good just blowing into an inner tube?
Once he was done, he placed it next to her on the deck of the pool. He jumped into the water and quickly came up next to where she sat.
He reached up and brought the ring into the water. Pushing it up to Bella's legs he motioned for her to put Tansy into the float.
"How deep is the water here Edward? Maybe we should go where it's more shallow?" Bella asked.
"She'll be fine here, Bella. The water is perfect and if we keep her away from Ethan she'll have a lot of fun splashing around with us. It will be like one huge bath to her." Edward again pushed the ring closer to Bella.
She placed Tansy into the ring carefully. Suddenly, she became fearful. She never had Tansy in such a public place and this pool was huge!
"Please hold on to her Edward, just until I get in the water." Bella looked panicked.
"Relax, Bella, I've got her. She's fine. See, she likes it in here." Edward motioned for Bella to come and join them in the pool.
Bella slid down into the pool, going under and quickly coming back up beside Tansy. Her brown hair was matted to her head but she didn't care. The free feeling of being weightless, of having no responsibility on her shoulders felt so good. She couldn't remember when she last felt like this.
As she bobbed next to Tansy, her daughter let out a squeal. She really was enjoying herself. Bella smiled over at Edward, her body issues completely forgotten as she wrapped herself in the moment between her daughter and the man they both loved. Her only worry now was if they could get through this day without another rude comment.