Chapter Two:
Bella's POV
The next day, I found myself in my new room. Thank god Ben had another room in his apartment. I mean, how is that even possible? Never mind. Anyway; I am so glad that Ben gave me a chance to bond with Emma. It was a horrible mistake leaving them. I was such an idiot!
I unpacked my stuff in the room Ben showed me and looked around. It kinda reminded me of my old room in Forks. Walls painted green, wooden shelves nailed to hang on the walls, a couple dressers with lanterns on them, a desk, a rocking chair, and a window overlooking New York.
I hear the door creak open a bit and turned to see Emma toddling with her stuffed lamb in her small arms and her pacifier in her mouth.
"Hey." I said and picked her up when she reached out to me. "What are you doing here? I thought Tucker and Danny were playing with you." I said. She just cooed in response. I take this time to inspect her again after Ben let me hold her about half an hour ago. "Oh right, those two are too dumb for their own good." She cooed again. "I remember how it was in college. Tucker and I would always prank Danny and Ben. One time we exchanged their bed mattresses for dozens of whoopee cushions. Whenever they shifted in bed, the cushions would make fart noises and cause Danny and Ben to argue.
"It was hilarious to see. They eventually found out about the whoopee cushions. Tucker and I couldn't stop laughing after that prank, no matter what, or where we were, we would always laugh and point at them. But they got back at us by putting a net of water balloons filled with Kool Aid over top our dorm room door. Eventually it started a prank war; itch powder in Danny and Ben's underwear drawer, replacing Tucker and my lip balm with glue sticks, super gluing their hands to their beer bottles, them turning up the radio in Tucker's car up to full volume playing Led Zeppelin when Tuck and I went to go grocery shopping, and the list goes on and on." I said laughing.
"College was great, and it got better when Ben and I started dating. I never thought I could love anyone after my ex-boyfriend, Edward, broke my heart and left me in the forest. But then Ben showed up and healed my heart. Fixed it even when it was nearly beyond repair. And when I found out that I was pregnant with you, Emma, I was so happy. I was having a baby. But I was afraid that Ben would leave me, leave us, so I ran.
"I ran away from my fears, not brave enough to face them. When you were born, and I held you in my arms, I couldn't believe that Ben and I had created such a beautiful little girl. But I was afraid that I wouldn't be a good mother, so I left you with Ben, Danny, and Tucker. And that just proved that I'm not a good mother, and a horrible person. I'm so sorry Emma. I was the one with abandonment issues when I left you, I'm such a hypocrite." I said, crying a little. Emma reached up and ran her small, soft hands down my face, wiping the tears a little. I guess that was her intention.
I laughed and wiped my eyes. Walking out, I saw Danny and Tucker looking everywhere for Emma; under the couch, in the fridge, behind the blinds, every nook and cranny. I cleared my throat loudly and they jumped, seeing me with Emma.
"Hey Bella…" Danny said, sounding nervous. "We were just playing, uh, hide-and-seek with Emma…. And um, you found her."
"Yay…" Tucker said nervously. I just looked at them with one raised eyebrow and tapping my foot.
"Boys, don't make me start another prank war. I'll get Riley and Ben to help me, and trust me, it'll be college all over again, but only ten times worse." I said, deadly calm. They gulped and nodded. I smiled sweetly. "Now, I'm going to change Emma's diaper since you two forgot, and I'm going to feed her. Now, you two, clean up this man cave you have here." I said, pointing around. They nodded quickly and got to cleaning the apartment. I nodded, satisfied and moved to Emma's changing bed.
Changing her diaper was easy and I set her in her high chair. I moved toward the fridge and pulled out some baby food that was supposed to taste like strawberries and bananas.
"Emma." I called out in a sing song voice as I held the spoon up. "Open up." She did so and I fed her. She pushed it out a bit with her tongue and I scooped it up. "Ooh, got a little somethin' there, don't ya?" She giggled.
Feeding her didn't take long seeing as she was one hungry baby. She must've gotten that from Ben. And the door opens right away to reveal Bonnie, Ben's mom. But she stops as soon as she spots me cleaning Emma's chin and mouth with a napkin.
"Bella?" She says in shock. Third time's a charm, huh?
"Hi Mrs. Wheeler." I said nervously, knowing that she has quite the temper. And I don't know how she'll react to learning about me staying to bond with Emma. "Um, I talked to Ben and he said that I can take time to bond with Emma." I said to her. "I'm sorry for being such an idiot. Leaving Emma at Ben's doorstep when I should've grown a pair and told him in person. I'm sorry for the adoption papers. And I'm sorry for even bothering to show my face around here." I said the same words that I did to Ben, just in a different way.
She just stared at me for about five minutes before setting her purse on the couch and stepping up to me, pulling me into a hug. I was shocked but hugged back. I did miss her, she was more of a mother than Renee ever was.
"I thought I told you to call me Bonnie, sweetie." She said tearfully. I laughed and felt my own tears gather once again.
"Sorry Bonnie. I was just afraid of what you would say." I told her. She pulled back, and put her hands on my face, wiping my tears.
"Don't ever be afraid of what I would say. I'm only harsh because I love you all and I want you to learn from your mistakes." She told me. "And I'm happy that I have my daughter back." She added. I smiled and hugged her again. And in walked Ben, just coming back from work.
"Aww, I see hugging!" He exclaimed happily. "Hi mom." He said, kissing Bonnie's cheek. "Hey Bella." He kissed my cheek, I blushed a little. "Hi Emma." He said, giving her a big kiss on the cheek, making her giggle and smile in glee. I smiled at that, seeing how much Ben loved Emma made me happy.
"Hungry, guys? I feel like making something good." I said, opening the cabinets and pulling out whatever.
"Just as I remember. Always going into the kitchen to make something. Everything you make is good, Bella. Everything and anything." Bonnie said. Then Danny and Tucker pop out of nowhere.
"Can you please make pie?" They said in unison. I rolled my eyes and nodded, smiling as they silently cheered and high fived each other like young boys beating their video game high score.
There was some lasagna noodles in the cupboard, so I pulled that out as well as cheese, marinara sauce, some ground beef, and all the other stuff.
"Ooh, let me guess, you're making your oh-so-famous lasagna!" Ben said. I made a face at him and stuck my tongue out at him. He grabbed said tongue and held it. "Now that's not very nice, is it?"
"Well, I'mph nawt a berry nice pewson." I said with my tongue still being held. "Let go off mye tongue…" I added. He did so and wiped his fingers right on my face. I stood there with an 'ew' look on my face.
"Haha, you should see your face." He laughed. I laughed sarcastically.
"Well you should see you face after this." I licked my hand and moved it to his face. "The force!" I exclaimed and we began to fight against each other as I held my spit hand up to get it on his face. After six minutes, I finally got it on his cheek. "Ha! I got ya!" I exclaimed in accomplishment.
"Kids! Kids! No fighting in the kitchen." Bonnie said with a grin as she held Emma in her arms.
"Yes ma'am." Ben and I said like scolded children. And with that, I went back to my cooking. Often times, Ben, Danny, and Tucker would try to sneak a taste, but I would smack their hands with a wooden spoon. They soon got the message after about four dozen hits and many red welts on their hands.
Tucker set the table while I took the lasagna out to cool off a bit and Bonnie had to leave for a date. She really didn't want to miss dinner, but she also didn't want to miss this date.
"It's alright, Bonnie. I understand, go on your date and have fun. I promise I'll leave some lasagna just for you and hit the guys with a larger spoon if they try to steal it." I told her. She smiled and kissed my cheek before saying bye and going to her date.
As I began to cut the lasagna up, the others grabbed themselves a portion and while I got mine and got some for Bonnie, Ben got small bit and put it in one of Emma's bowls along with a small plastic spoon that had an airplane shape to the handle.
We all took our seats and dug in, even Emma who was feeding herself, but was a little messy. But by her eating it all very quickly, I'm assuming she loved it.
"Mm, this is the best thing I've ever eaten." Tucker said with his mouth full.
"No talking with your mouth full or there will be no pie for you or Danny." I said, holding my wooden spoon up at them. It was just incase they misbehaved or had any signs of misbehaving.
Dinner was filled with jokes, making Emma laugh, telling each other stories, and lots of eating. When I cut up the pie, the guys practically inhaled it and they looked as if they were in heaven.
"I can't believe it's been so long without Bella's cooking." Danny said.
"Oh, so you only missed me for my cooking?" I asked, crossing my arms.
"Pfft, of course not." He said before taking a huge bite of his pie. "But this is really good pie." I laughed and watched as Emma ate her tiny bits of pie.