Chapter 23: Bath Time Fun

EPOV

I had no idea how Bella did it. Anthony was covered in bananas, and I had no idea how to take him a bath. I had done it before with Bella's help, but I was at a lost over how to do it without putting Anthony down. I didn't want him to get bananas anywhere else.

I moved the baby tub into our tub trying to balance Anthony on one arm. "Be still, Anthony." I said as he laughed getting a hold of my hair and covering it with bananas. "How does your mom do it?"

I turned on the water testing it until it was just warm, not too hot or too cold. Anthony noticed the water and began to cry. He hated baths and always got cranky around bath time.

"Look at the fishy!" I said grabbing a plastic fish that he bathed with.

"Ma-Ma!" He cried as I attempted to catch his attention by making the plastic fish dance in the air.

"Ma-Ma should be home soon." I said as I sat on the toilet slowly removing his clothes as he played with the fish. I wasn't sure how long the fish would be able to hold his attention.

"Da-Da!" He said waving his arms as the fish fell on the floor, his cries filling the room.

"Calm down," I said gently placing him on the floating hammock of his tub his scream only getting higher.

"Look it's water." I said making my hand splash lightly. I had to find a way of making bath time fun. I instantly regretted showing him the splash, because he let his arm fall causing a bigger splash and getting my shirt wet.

"Not that hard!" I warned grabbing the soap as he entertained himself by splashing. "You're making a mess."

"Da-Da!" He said again his feet kicking up and down causing a larger splash. I was covered in water, it seemed like I was the one bathing instead of him.

"Anthony, no!" I warned as he laughed kicking harder causing water to hit the walls and floor.

I slipped off my shirt picking throwing it to the corner of the bathroom. I finished bathing Anthony, getting more water on me than on him, but sighing in relief when I had taken him out and had him wrapped in a fluffy blue towel.

"You, Mr.," I began as Anthony began to laugh. It was so hard to be mad at him. He was too cute.

"What happened here?" I heard Bella suddenly ask with an amused grin.

BPOV

It felt good to have talked to Renee. Our relationship would never be perfect. I was sure of that. I could never trust her, the way I wanted to, but I would be able to have some sort of civil relationship. She had hurt us to deeply, to ever gain that trust.

"How did it go?" Emmett asked coming towards me as soon as I closed the door behind me.

"Pretty good, I guess." I stated with a small smile. "She is getting better."

"Thank you for coming, Bella." Phil added.

"Thank you for sticking by her." I corrected giving him a hug. "Take care of here."

"I will, Bella. I love her." He stated with a warm smile. He was my mom's other half.

"I know you do." I finished before Emmett and I made our way outside.

Emmett remained quiet until we made it out of the hospital. "Do you feel better?" He finally asked as we walked towards my car.

"I feel better, I'm glad I came. I got to see her progress first hand." I answered with a sigh. "I'm juts confused."

"About?" Emmett inquired reaching for me as we stopped in the midst of all the cars in the hospital parking lot.

"I feel like I'm supposed to hate her now, Em. She put me through so much." I explained taking a deep breath to settle my emotions. "But I don't and I can't. I still love her and I want her to get better."

"So do I, Bells." He answered. "I still love her, even after all the crap she's done."

"But she didn't hurt you the same way she hurt me." I stated a tear escaping my eye and trailing down my cheek.

"Bella, when she took Anthony she hurt us all. I felt helpless, like I should be able to get him back for you some way. I love Anthony, he may be my nephew, but I love like if he were my own son." He corrected.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Was I really that self-centered? Had I not realized that others were as affected by Renee's actions as much as I was.

"I'm sorry." I whispered as Emmett pulled me into a hug his hands smoothing my hair.

"Bells you've been through a lot. And I'm extremely proud of you, and I'm in awe of your forgiving nature. You have a big heart, you're very noble and compassionate." He added making me feel better.

He was right. My brother was a lot wiser than most gave him credit for. I had always been a very forgiving person by nature, and even after all my mom had done I wanted to put it behind us. We would never have the perfect relationship, but I did long to be closer to her. I wanted to get back what we had years before.

"Thanks, Em, for coming." I said with a smile.

"You're welcome, Squirt. Now lets head back, before Edward pulls his hair out with Anthony." He joked as we got into the car.

I dropped Emmett off at his place declining the offer to stay for lunch. I was really starting to worry about Edward and Anthony. I trusted that Edward could care for him, but it was in my innate nature to worry.

I arrived back at home finding the downstairs completely empty. But the kitchen was a mess. The highchair was out of place and Anthony's plate was on the table. Edward had obviously not watched Anthony with the finger food. There was smashed banana pieces all over the floor.

I put the plate in the sink before heading upstairs to look for my boys. As I headed towards our room I heard Anthony's babbles and laughs leading me straight to the bathroom. I was almost afraid to open the door. Edward had never bathed him by himself.

I walked in and I had to hold back the laughter. Edward was shirtless carrying Anthony in a blue towel, but he was completely drenched in water. And as I looked around it seemed like everything was wet except Anthony. How could that have happened?

"Ma-Ma!" Anthony cried when he spotted me almost immediately. I sometimes believed that he had specialty sonar to locate me. He began to squirm in Edward's arms, making it known that he wanted to go to me.

"I can explain the mess." Edward began in a panicked tone. I simply laughed taking Anthony from him and giving him a kiss.

"It's quite funny." I commented gesturing at the mess.

"You're not mad?" He asked tentatively in a perplexed tone.

"Of course not, Edward." I answered giving him a quick kiss. "I'm just trying to figure out if you bathed Anthony or if he bathed you."

"You think you're funny?" Edward asked in a playful tone.

"I don't think, I know." I corrected. "But you should hit the showers. You have pieces of banana in your hair."

"I do not." He complained as I approached taking one off and showing him.

"Do too!" I said triumphantly before leaving to get Anthony read for his nap.

EPOV

I took a quick shower getting all the banana pieces out of my hair. It was a lot harder than it seemed, and I knew I would never feed Anthony bananas again. After I had finished I cleaned up the bathroom, finding Bella picking up in the kitchen.

"Anthony has another word, love." I announced as she dropped the sponge in the sink.

"What did he say?" She asked beaming with pride.

"Da-Da!" I answered happily as she squealed running to me and giving me a hug.

"I can't believe I missed it. And why didn't you tell me before I put him down to nap. Now I have to wait for him to get up." Bella complained with a pout.

"I know I should've, sorry." I stated before kissing her. "How was Renee?" I inquired. I still despised her, but I was trying to work through it for Bella's sake.

"She's doing good. She's progressed a lot. She wants to see Anthony." She stated tentatively as I glared at her. Was Bella crazy?

"Bella," I started.

"Wait, Edward." She jumped in as I gave her the time to explain herself. "She's changed, and we'll both be there and so will Phil. We don't have to take him now, but I want her to see him at least once before we leave for Medical School."

"I just don't want anything to happen to him." I replied.

"We can talk to the psychiatrist and see what his assessment is. But she has changed tremendously." She suggested drying her hands on the dish towel.

"If we talk to the doctor, then I'll think about it." I conceded as she smiled at me. I couldn't say no to her.

"Thank you, Edward." She whispered giving me a hug and kiss.

"Anything for you, my love." I replied with a smile.

A/N: Bath time fun! (LOL) Anyway as I said before there is only one chapter left for this story. The fifth part will start after I finish one of my other stories. Juggling three stories (with regular updates), a job, and school is not easy. Therefore, once I post the last chapter for this story on Friday my updates will go to one a day. One day Vegas the other day Between Love and Duty.

On a side note, my story The Love of a Pirate made it to the last round of Jayeliwood's Sexy Eddie Contest. Make sure to go vote for me!

Next Chapter: Graduation

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