Chapter 13

Truth

The next morning, Renesmee woke to find her father gone and Jacob asleep with Robbie in his arms. She smiled to herself, as she watched her boys bond over sleep.

Soon, Jacob was startled awake, when Robbie woke up, and his shrill cries entered the room.

"What?" Jacob asked his son.

"Bring him over here," Renesmee offered, reaching out her arms.

Jacob brought the screaming newborn to his mother, and Renesmee took him in her arms. Right away, she noticed that he was making sucking motions with his lips.

"I think he's hungry," She said, looking up at her boyfriend.

There was a knock, and a nurse walked into the room.

"Oh, looks like I came just time," She smiled, walking over to the bed. "I'm Laura. Dr. Montgomery sent me over to help with the breast-feeding?" Her Spanish accent was thick.

Renesmee smiled in appreciation. "That obvious?"

Laura laughed. "Don't worry, Dr. Cullen. A lot of first time mothers are the same."

She walked over to the side of the bed, and helped Renesmee unbutton the shoulder of the hospital gown. She showed Renesmee how to get Robbie to latch onto her breast, and how to get him to drink. It hurt, at first, but then after she fixed the way Robbie was latched, it felt much better.

"Am I doing this right?" Renesmee furrowed her brows, and looked up at Laura.

"Perfectly," Laura assured. She left the side of the bed, and headed towards the door.

"If you need any help, just press that call button on your bed." She smiled, and left the room.

The small family shared this moment together, as Robbie filled his stomach with milk. Soon after he had his fill, the newborn fell asleep.

"I wonder what Mom's going to say." Renesmee muttered, stroking her son's arm.

"When is she coming?" Jacob asked.

"Probably around lunch," Renesmee guessed. "We have a few hours."

"Do you want me to be with you?"

Renesmee thought for a moment, and shook her head. "Maybe you can come later. I don't know…I just don't think it's a good idea to hit her with too much. I mean, finding out that you have a grandson, when you didn't even know your kid was pregnant is pretty big news, and I don't know how she's going to react."

"Well, whatever you feel is best, I don't mind." Jacob kissed Renesmee's cheek, and she brought his face closer to hers with her free hand, kissing him on the lips.

The intimate moment was broken when Jacob's sister burst into the room. She blushed instantly, when she realized that she had ruined their moment.

"I can…come back," She said, unsure of what to do.

"No, no, moment's over…" Renesmee laughed.

"Skyla," Jacob smiled, "come meet your nephew."

She was hesitant at first, but got closer to the bed.

"He's precious," She smiled, looking over to Renesmee.

"You can hold him," The new mother smiled, positing her arms for the transfer.

"Can I?" Skyla's eyes gleamed.

"Of course," Renesmee started handing the small newborn over to his aunt.

Skyla held out her arms to receive him, and she curled him to her chest when the transfer was complete.

"What's his name?"

"Robert Avery Black," Renesmee smiled.

"We call him 'Robbie'." Jacob said.

"Hey, Robbie," Skyla looked down at her sleeping nephew. "I'm your Aunty Sky. We're gonna have so much fun together, when you get older." She rubbed underneath his chin with her pointer finger, and he grasped it his hand.

"Oh, you two are going to love what Alex and I did for his nursery…" Skyla looked up proudly at her brother and his girlfriend.

"Although, if you ask me, you should have had me over to help you finish it a week ago."

"We were busy," Renesmee defended, "with work, and the move, we thought that we'd have some time during my leave."

"Well, this little guy thought differently." Skyla looked back down at her nephew.

"Isn't that right, Robbie?" She laughed.

xXx

After lunch, Skyla left, saying that she needed to call Seattle Art Institute about classes for the fall semester. Renesmee had changed her mind about Jacob leaving when her mother came, and insisted that he stay with her.

As each minute passed, she grew increasingly worried about what her mother would say. She knew that she would be mad—she was surprised her father wasn't. But it was what she would say that bothered Renesmee.

Robbie was in his bassinet, next to Renesmee's bed, sleeping. Jacob was taking a quick cat-nap on the couch by the window, and Renesmee was mindlessly flipping through the limited channels.

Suddenly, there was as knock at the door, which shocked both Renesmee and Jacob, making them both jolt.

"Yeah?" Renesmee answered.

The door opened, revealing Edward and Isabella Cullen.

"Renesmee," Isabella said, walking up to the foot of her daughter's bed.

"Mom," Renesmee's eyes searched her mother's body. "It's been a while."

"Yeah," Isabella agreed. "It has." She looked down, and moved some hair out of her face.

"So, what happened?" Isabella asked, looking back up at her daughter. "Your father said that you had an emergency surgery yesterday."

The new mother nodded. "I did." Renesmee looked at the scratchy hospital blanket, and played with it.

"I, uh, had an emergency cesarean."

"What?" Isabella asked her daughter.

"I started bleeding, and I was unconscious from loss of blood by the time I got here. Montgomery diagnosed it as placenta previa."

Isabella narrowed her eyes at her daughter. "What are you trying to tell me, Renesmee?" The older woman knew what her daughter was telling her, but she didn't want to believe it.

Renesmee motioned for her father or Jacob to hand her Robbie. Jacob picked him up without disturbing the newborn's sleep, and slipped him into his mother's arms.

"Mom," Renesmee took a deep breath, and positioned her son so her mother could get a better look at him.

"Meet your grandson."

"You were pregnant?" Isabella looked to her husband. "Did you know about this?"

When Edward shrugged, Isabella cast a furious glance at her daughter.

"When, exactly, were you planning on telling me this?"

"It never crossed my mind." Renesmee lied.

Isabella knew her daughter was lying, and narrowed her eyes at her daughter, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Look, I was afraid, okay?" Renesmee tried not to cry. "This whole thing was a bloody accident."

"Accident?" Isabella raised her eyebrows.

"His father and I met in a bar." Renesmee said. "We had bad days. We got drunk. Really, really drunk. We didn't know what had happened until we woke up at his apartment."

"And who, exactly, is this child's father?"

Jacob stood closer to Renesmee's bedside. "Me." He said proudly. "Sergeant Jacob Black, Seattle Police Department."

"How could you make such a careless mistake, Renesmee?" Isabella turned back to her daughter.

"Especially right at the most important part of your career? After we paid thousands on your education?"

"Just because you didn't want kids, doesn't mean that I don't." Renesmee spat.

"Renesmee, it's not about whether or not you want kids, this is about your career."

"Well, news flash, Mom, I quit."

Isabella gasped. "Renesmee Carlie Cullen…after all we've done for you, you, you go and throw away your career for this?"

"All 'we've' done?" Renesmee asked. "How about all Dad's done? You haven't cared about me since day one."

Isabella was taken aback. Her eyes were wide with shock, and she looked between her daughter and her husband. It was quiet for a few moments, while the comment settled in the room like dust.

"What do you mean, Renesmee?" Isabella asked quietly, searching her daughter's eyes.

Renesmee narrowed her eyes. "You should know. Spending all of your time at Overlake, caring more about your precious surgeries, than about your own daughter."

Jacob and Edward looked at each other, and knew that they should let the two women talk. Jacob took his son in his arms, and awkwardly, the three left the mother and daughter alone.

"I did that for you." Isabella said darkly.

"I know about the abortion, Mom. I'm not stupid."

"Yes, Renesmee." Isabella admitted. "I didn't want the pregnancy. I didn't want it for selfish reasons. It would slow me down, and I wouldn't be able to do what I wanted. And all for some slobbery, wet, ungrateful child. There's a reason that I don't work in pediatrics, Renesmee. But, your father convinced me otherwise. And nine months later, we get you. A beautiful little girl that looks exactly like her father, but has her mother's eyes. I have never once stopped caring about you."

"Then why the hell didn't you show it?" Renesmee asked. "I've spent my whole life trying to get your praise and attention. You were always too busy for me. You never gave a damn about my life, or what I did. You want to know why I became a bloody surgeon? For you, Mother."

"I worked my ass off for that job, Renesmee, and I wasn't going to throw away that work to be a mother. But that doesn't mean that I didn't love you. And I regret that I didn't spend as much time with you as I should have. I hate being the 'bad guy', Renesmee. But that's what I've become. I would give anything just to turn back time, and start over again."

"Well," Renesmee said quietly. "You may not be able to turn back time. But, you could start over by being a better grandmother." She looked up as Jacob walked back in the room, the newborn cuddled in his arms. She looked at Jacob and nodded her head at Isabella. He walked over and gently placed Robert in her arms and walked back out of the room.

Isabella smiled, as the newborn stirred in her arms. His eyes opened, and examined his grandmother's face.

"What's his name?" She asked, as she allowed her grandson to play with her pointer finger.

"Robert Avery Black." Renesmee smiled. "Robbie, for short."

"That's a beautiful name," Isabella smiled.

xXx

The grandparents left the new parents alone in the hospital room after a long afternoon of visiting. They had agreed to meet the new parents at their house the next day, when Renesmee and Robert would be discharged from Swedish, to help the couple settle into family life.

Renesmee smiled contently at her son, as he slowly fell asleep in her arms. She softly sang a Michael Jackson song to Robert, lulling him to sleep.

"Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it. No one wants to be defeated. Showin' how funky strong is your fight, it doesn't matter who's wrong or right, just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it…"

Slowly, his eyes closed, and he took a content sigh, as he fell asleep. Renesmee smiled to herself, and ran a finger down his soft cheek, letting it trail his small body.

Jacob walked into the room quietly, watching the exchange between Renesmee and Robbie. Smiling to himself, he felt in his pocket the little box that Skyla had given him. Inside the box, his mother's engagement ring. They had found it last week, and Skyla had insisted that Jacob give it to Renesmee. Today, he decided, he would.

Jacob walked up to the bedside, and gave Renesmee a kiss, both startling her, and waking Robbie.

"And I had just got him to sleep…" Renesmee muttered, looking at Jacob, as Robbie began to cry.

He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

She shook her head with a small smile. "No, it's okay."

"You sure?"

"Of course," Renesmee smiled at Jacob. "This just means that you can get him to sleep."

"Well, maybe he'll want to be awake for this." Jacob took his son in his arms, and gave him a newborn –sized binky.

"What do you mean?" Renesmee asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Renesmee…" Jacob started slowly, looking for the right words to say. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Renesmee smiled.

"No," Jacob shook his head, and Renesmee furrowed her eyebrows.

"What?"

"No, no, I love you," Jacob said quickly. "It's…God, Renesmee, this is so much more than a simple 'I love you'. You…you're the best kind of scotch, Renesmee. Complicated. Intense. Intelligent. Renesmee, you gave me a son. I know we've only known each other for a few months, but I feel like we've known each other for years."

He took a deep breath, and pulled the ring box from his pocket. As he flipped it open, Renesmee gasped.

"Oh, my God, Jacob…" She covered her mouth with her hand, and looked up at Jacob.

"Renesmee, will you marry me?"

"Oh, God…" Renesmee cried. "Oh, my God…"

"I should have waited…" Jacob muttered.

"No, Jacob, no," Renesmee cried. "Yes, I'll marry you."

Jacob slid the ring on her shaky hand, his own just as shaky.

"We're a family," Renesmee smiled, taking her son's hand.

"Yeah," Jacob agreed. "I guess we are."

xXx

The next day was a blur, as Renesmee and Robbie were discharged from Swedish. Renesmee was still extremely sore from surgery, and had been advised by Montgomery to stay in the hospital for another two days, but had insisted that she leave with her son. She was constricted to bed and/or couch rest, and she couldn't be too active for a while, but she would be out of the hospital.

Upon arriving home, Renesmee and Jacob were ambushed by Skyla and Alex, who dragged them to the nursery, despite the many protests of Renesmee's parents, who both said that the new mother needed her rest.

The nursery had been painted to match a scene from Classic Pooh. Pooh Bear, Piglet, and Christopher Robin were painted together, looking as if they were walking further into the wall. Piglet was painted in between the two, lifted into the air. Owl's tree house was on the wall behind the glossy black crib, and Owl was perched on a branch, overlooking the crib. Rabbit was tending to his garden, and Tigger was bouncing all over the room, his trail painted behind him. Eeyore was painted next to the rocking chair, like his usual self; alone, and looking slightly depressed. Renesmee felt sad looking at him like that. The furniture in the room was glossy black, and all followed the same Classic Pooh theme, except for the mobile hanging over the bed, which was blue with white teddy bears. There was a shelf above the dresser that held all the Classic Pooh stuffed animals, and in the middle, the classic Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. The room had also been carpeted with a soft, plush, white carpet.

"Sky," Jacob said, looking around the room. "You did all this?"

Skyla blushed. "Alex helped me. It was her idea to do Classic Pooh. I just went along with her instruction."

"Oh, please, if I had done this myself, it'd be a disaster." Alex said. "It was all Sky's doing."

"The paint's still drying a bit, because we had to go back this morning for the final touches." Skyla added.

"It's beautiful," Renesmee smiled, as Jacob helped her towards the rocking chair. He helped her slowly sit down in it, and she looked down at Robbie, who was wide awake in her arms, studying the room carefully.

"What do you think, Robbie?" She asked, playing with his small hand.

Robbie cooed, and Renesmee smiled. "You like it, don't you?"

When he made the purr-like sound again, Skyla smiled. "Looks like I've gotten my first satisfied customer."

The rest of the day went on, and Skyla and Alex eventually left. Edward and Isabella were planning on staying the week, to help Jacob and Renesmee get into the swing of parenthood. Isabella had cooked and froze enough meals to last Renesmee and Jacob a few months, it seemed.

The rest of the week was a blur, and the new parents quickly got into the new routine. Of course, it would still take a couple weeks until they got used to the exhaustion and Robbie on a more stable schedule. They had also announced their engagement to Renesmee's parents, as well as Skyla and Alex, who were all very excited. Alex and Skyla instantly got into the wedding planning, and the date was set for a year from the current date, somewhere in late April or early May of the next year. Renesmee had also announced her resignation to King and Hunt, who were both sad to let her go, but, knew that she was doing the right thing for herself. Mark was the most disappointed when he heard the news, but had grudgingly accepted that she was doing it for her son. Renesmee decided that she wouldn't look at any pediatrician jobs until Robbie was at least one.

Everything was turning out better than they had expected. Everything was going to be okay.

In thirty-six weeks, Renesmee and Jacob had gone from a one night stand, to fiancées. They had gone from an accidental pregnancy, to a family.

Call it what you want. Fate. Destiny. Karma. Or even God. Sometimes, life has a way of working itself out that way. No one knows why, or how. But it's the magical part of life that still gives people hope. It's a beautiful thing.