Chapter 4: Renee is a heartless harpy.
Alice dragged me downstairs and left Edward alone, lost in thought. I doubt he even noticed Alice and me leave the room. I didn't want to go downstairs and face the curious stares of the others, but I didn't have much choice. Besides, I might as well tell them sooner rather than later because I was sure Edward would tell them anyway.
"Where's Eddie boy? 'D you yell him to death?" Emmett asked once we reached the living room, chuckling at his own joke. Alice rolled her eyes.
"The dick is lucky I didn't rip him to pieces," Alice growled, which was actually kind of scary, coming from her. Don't mess with the pixie, that was for sure.
Emmett looked taken aback by Alice' words, but didn't comment on it. He did turn his gaze on me and frowned. The Ice-Queen was examining her nails, seemingly bored out of her mind.
"What's going on, Ally?" Jasper asked, concerned as he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Alice. She didn't answer, she just turned to look at me with questioning eyes. Could they know or not? I sighed.
"I'm pregnant." My voice was steady and firm, not shaky at all. It seemed the more I said the words, the easier it got to say them. Though, I doubted it would be so easy to put into words in front of my parents.
Everyone exept Alice was looking at me with wide, shock filled eyes, even the Ice-Queen herself. Then, Emmett laughed.
"You're kidding, right?" He asked, thinking this was a joke. I shook my head at the same time Alice did.
"And before you ask, yes it's Edward's and yes she's sure. She's only ever been with Edward, so there's no doubt about it," Alice said, preventing any more insults coming my way.
"Shit," Emmett cursed while the Ice-Queen and Jasper remained silent. I was surprised the Ice-Queen hadn't insulted me yet or anything. If anything, it was unsettling that she hadn't, because I had expected her insults.
"Where's Edward?" Jasper asked Alice. She looked upstairs and back at her boyfriend.
"Acting like a jackass," She muttered. Jasper sighed and nodded, then gave Alice a quick kiss and headed upstairs, probably going to comfort his best friend and tell him that I had tricked him into this for his money or something. I didn't care.
The Ice-Queen a.k.a. Rosalie Hale stood up, glaring at me and walked towards me until she was only a few inches from my face.
"This is a joke!" She spat, venom clear in her tone of voice before stalking away, angry as hell.
"Damn," Emmett muttered before chasing after her. Now I was confused, was I missing something here? I turned to Alice who was staring sadly at the spot where the Ice-Queen had stood just a couple seconds ago.
"Alice?" I questioned. She turned to me and sighed.
"Don't be angry with Rose, Bella. This is hard on her," Alice said, sadly. I looked at her with questions in my eyes, waiting, hoping for her to continue.
"I shouldn't tell you this, but I will because it will help you to understand. Rose had an accident a couple of years ago and she won't be able to have children, the one thing she always wanted in her future. And now you're going to have a baby and you never even wanted this, so I think she resents you for that. You have what she can't have," Alice explained and I nodded, numbly. Now I understood. I even understood her whole bitchy facade as well, she was bitter because of what she lost. I would never call her the Ice-Queen again.
Suddenly, my stomach began to twist and turn. I was going to be sick.
"Bathroom?" I choked out, looking to Alice for help. She turned and walked away, I followed and soon we were in the bathroom and I was puking my guts out. Ugh, I hated this, I completely hated this feeling and would be thrilled when it was gone. Alice held my hair up for me and rubbed my back, helping me more than she'd ever know.
After my very flattering puke fest, Alice and I planted ourselves in front of the TV and watched in silence. Well, maybe she watched, but I didn't, my mind was too occupied with worried thoughts. Neither of us had seen any of the others come back, we didn't know where they were. Though I hoped that Edward didn't bail on me for tonight. I may not like him but I needed him with me when I told our parents.
Hours passed – hours I spend alternating between throwing up, crying and staring numbly ahead at the TV-screen – and finally I was shocked out of my state of numbness by the front door opening and closing. I turned to look at the clock; it was a little past 8pm already, meaning that one or both of Edward's parents had just come home and mine would soon arrive. I could feel the nerves building up again as I heard footsteps heading towards the living room where Alice and I were seated and suddenly I bolted out of my seat straight to the bathroom; I was sick again.
Once I got it all out of my system (for now), Alice and I headed back to the living room only to come face to face with Carlisle and Esme Cullen – Edward was still nowhere to be seen – they both had concerned looks upon their faces.
"Are you quite alright? That didn't sound very pleasant," Mrs. Cullen said, reminding me more of a true mother than my own harebrained mother ever did. I just nodded, not sure what I could say to the woman who's life I was about to disrupt as I had already done with her son's.
"Are you sure? I could take a look if you like," Dr. Cullen offered, I shook my head in the negative; that was the last thing I wanted nor needed right now.
"Why don't we sit down until Charlie and Renee are here?" Alice offered as if she were the hostess and the Cullens were the guests. Amazingly Mrs. Cullen simply smiled and nodded while Dr. Cullen chuckled; both of them sat down on the couch opposite the one Alice and I had been occupying all day.
The room was filled with an awkward silence on my part and lots of small talk on Alice' part (bless her for trying to make this easier on me). Several minutes before 9pm Edward decided to finally grace us with his presence, Jasper tagging along with him. He briefly greeted his parents before settling down on the couch next to me, Jasper seating himself next to Alice.
At 9pm sharp the doorbell rang and I nearly jumped out of my skin, grasping Alice' hand tightly in my own, doing my best to keep the nerves and tears at bay as Mrs. Cullen went to open the door and greet my parents. Earlier today I was unsure whether I'd be able to do this or not, now I was positive I wouldn't be able to. I couldn't do this, I couldn't break my parents' hearts like this, but unfortunately I had no choice. I brought this upon myself and now I had to face the consequences. I just hope they'll still love me after all is said and done.
The room was filled with minutes of awkward, nervous silence after everyone was finally seated and introduced. It seemed no one was quite sure where to begin. Eventually it was my mom who broke the silence.
"Bella, what is this all about?" She asked and there it was, the opening I'd been waiting for. All I had to do now was gently prepare them before I delivered the big blow. Unfortunately it seemed I'd forgotten about the gentle part and headed straight for the blow, clearly blindsiding all of them.
"I'm pregnant. It's Edward's." There, I said it, shocking everyone (even Alice) with my bluntness as well as my words. I could see Dr. and Mrs. Cullen turn their shocked eyes upon their son, who ducked his head in shame just as clearly as I could see my dad's face morph into one of disbelief and disappointment just as my mom's face turned into one of shame and rage – I knew she was the one who would ruin the silence, and I was right.
"ISABELLA MARIE SWAN! How could you be so stupid! Have you no common sense at all? You will go straight to the clinic tomorrow and make an appointment to get rid of that- that THING!" She bellowed at me and at first I sat shameful, knowing I deserved whatever she threw at me, but toward the end of her rant I grew angry – how dare she!
"NO! I will not get rid of my BABY!" I screamed back at her, putting the emphases on the word baby whereas she had used the word 'thing'. If even possible, my mother's face grew even more sour as she prepared for another rant while everyone else was forced to simply watch this spectacle play out, too shocked to do or say anything about it.
"I am your mother, Isabella and you will do what I say as long as you want to live under my roof!" She threw back at me and I froze – did she mean what I thought she meant? It couldn't be. Not this – anything but this. I turned to look at my dad but he sighed sadly and shook his head, a clear indicator he would not side with me during this argument. I was on my own here.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I whispered, already predicting and fearing the answer. I knew my mother and I knew how she could get when she set her mind on something and I had already feared such a reaction from her, but I hadn't actually thought I would get it, especially like this. It seemed too much at the moment. Too much for one person.
Renee sucked in a deep breath and, unwavering in her resolve, looked me in the eye, "I mean, if you plan on keeping this bastard child than you are out of the house and out of my life. It's your choice, Isabella."
I looked at her, eyes filling with tears that I refused to let fall, aware that the choice she had presented me with was no choice at all. I was amazed at how steady my voice was when I spoke, considering the circumstances, "I'm not going to kill my baby."
"Very well," Renee – I couldn't bring myself to even think of her as my mom anymore, not while she was acting like this – snapped and with that she just left, refusing to even look at me as she passed by me on her way out of the house. My breath hitched as I looked at my father who'd stood up as well, "Daddy?"
"I'm sorry, Bella," He whispered, placing a kiss upon my forehead before following Renee out – off course Charlie wouldn't stand up against Renee; he never did. I simply stared at the spot my parents had just stood in shock, unaware of anything that was going on around me. I was dimly aware that this was the point most people would break down in hysterics right about now, but that seemed far beyond me at the moment. In fact, at the moment it seemed impossible for me to even cry while it had seemed so possible just moments ago. Right now I was numb and alone, very much alone. That realization hit me hard as it turned black in front of my eyes as the world around me started to spin; the last thing I heard before I let myself go was Alice' fear filled shout of my name as I went barreling down towards the ground. I was out before I even hit the ground.