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CHAPTER 31
EPOV ~
I woke up to music playing loudly in the other room and an empty bed. I glanced at the clock; it was already close to eleven.
I threw the blankets back and sat up. "Shit!" I cursed as I scooted my way to the edge of the bed.
Fuck! I thought climbing out of bed. I'll be glad when this shit heals. Once I was dressed, and had the fracture boot in place, I made my way into the bathroom. I really had to piss.
The music was so much louder when I opened the bedroom door, but the sight before me when I walked into the living room ... now that was priceless. Bella and Masen were dancing around the living room to Teenage Dream by Katy Perry. It appeared as if they had been originally attempting to clean, but it seemed as though they were a bit sidetracked.
I chuckled—okay, I laughed, though, I tried very hard to keep it at bay, I really truly did.
"Daddy!" Masen squealed, while Bella stopped dead in her tracks. Slowly, she turned to look at me; her hair was a wild, sexy as fuck mess, and that beautiful blush that I've always known and loved, quickly covered her face and neck.
"Masen!" I exclaimed, scooping him up into my arms as I smirked at Bella.
"What?" she asked with a smirk of her own.
I smiled. "I thought you couldn't dance?" I asked as she grabbed the remote to turn down the music.
Bella scowled at me, before heading into the kitchen. "Masen, you need to finish picking up your toys …in both the living room and bedroom, please."
"Uh oh," I scolded playfully. "You better do as she says." I shrugged. "If you want to go to Papa and Nana Cullen's, that is."
Masen screeched excitedly. "Weally?"
"Yup, but only if you pick up your toys first. Okay?"
He nodded. "Okay, daddy."
I sat him down, and he took off running to his bedroom. I thought, briefly, about stopping him and having him pick up his toys in the living room first, but the mess wasn't too bad. It'd take me ten minutes max to clean up.
"Edward!" Bella yelled when I started picking up the toys that were scattered around the living room. I stood up, and turned to look at her. "He made the mess; he needs to clean it up by himself. We can't keep doing everything for him. He starts preschool this year―"
"He's picking up his room," I reasoned. "I didn't―"
"I bet you he's not," she interrupted smugly. I raised my eyebrows at her in challenge. "Go check. Twenty bucks says he's not cleaning his room. In fact, fifty says he's making an even bigger mess."
"Fine." I smirked. "But, if he is cleaning his room, no more self-pleasure—that was just cruel."
She giggled and that beautiful blush, that I happened to love, returned. "Hey, you had your chance." She shrugged. "And besides, I'm pretty sure you enjoyed it just as much as I did."
"I would have enjoyed it more if you would have let me help."
I still cannot believe she laid there next to me, getting herself off, and wouldn't let me help.
"Yeah, well, will you turn me down again?"
"Daddy," Masen mumbled as he walked back into the living room. "I need hewp. I dwopped a toy behinds my toy box, and I can't weach it."
I chuckled, turning my attention to the pouty child in front of me. "Okay, buddy." I extended my hand to Masen as I turned back to Bella. "And the answer to your question—no, I most definitely will not."
"Then it served its purpose."
I laughed, bringing my focus back to Masen. "Let's go get that toy."
He smiled. "Okay, daddy."
"So, were you getting your room all picked up, buddy?" I questioned as we made our way down the hallway that lead to his room.
Nodding, he said, "Uh huh. I pick up all my toys."
I turned slightly, smirking at Bella. She just huffed and stomped after us. "Good boy."
He had indeed picked up the toys in his bedroom. Was everything in its correct place? No. The majority of his toys ended up in the toy box instead of on the correct shelf or in the correct bin, but hey, at least he tried. I turned to Bella—she just glared at me before turning her attention back to Masen. "Good job, Mas," she praised, before smirking slightly at me. "Daddy's going to finish cleaning up the living room, so you can play while mommy gets ready to go."
"Yah!" Masen exclaimed, while Bella turned and walked out of his bedroom—leaving me standing there looking like a fish out of water.
What the fuck just happened?
"Are you mad?" I asked following her into the bedroom.
She whipped around. "Why would I be mad? You got him to clean his room—I've only been trying to do that for the last month." She turned to walk away from me, but I grabbed her arm, stopping her.
"Stop. You are not walking away from me." She glared at me and yanked her arm out of my grasp, before walking into the bathroom; closing, and I'm sure locking, the door behind her. While I just stood there, staring at the door, wondering what the hell was going on with her.
Seriously, what the fuck just happened? I asked myself once again. There is no way that was over Masen cleaning his room. Knowing that I wouldn't get any answers until she decided she wanted to talk, I returned to the living room to pick up the rest of Masen's toys—toys he just so happened to be playing with.
I had just plopped down on the couch when Bella yelled my name. It wasn't a 'something's wrong' yell, but clearly a, "Edward, get your ass in here now!" yell, so groaning in frustration, I got off the couch and headed back towards the bedroom—tempted to throw back a "yes, dear" but I didn't want to add any fuel to an already blazing fire.
She was standing inside the bedroom door, wearing only a bathrobe as she stood there biting the shit out of her bottom lip. Grabbing my hand, she pulled me the rest of the way in and closed the door. "I'm sorry," she cried.
I pulled her against me and wrapped my arms around her. "It's okay, baby. I get it, trust me." I placed a kiss on her lips. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"I'm afraid of how Masen will handle it. I mean, he seems to be okay with Michael and McKenzie, but Liam's going to be coming home with us … a lot."
I sighed and took a step back. After taking her hand in mine, I lead her to the bed. "I know, baby. I am too. Trust me. I think he'll be okay, but it's really hard to say."
She nodded, as tears fell from her eyes. "I hate her," she whispered. "Why is this happening to us?"
I knew there was something more to this—something more than just her worry about Masen. "I know, baby. But I don't know what to say…."
She didn't say anything; she just sat there staring straight ahead, not really focusing on anything.
"Bella?" She turned to look at me, and as soon as I saw her tear-stained face, an instant feeling of dread washed over me. "Bella?" I asked again. "Baby … can you do this?"
She stared at me, tears streaming down her face. "I—I don't know?"
"Okay. We …." I sighed, trying to find the right words, as I pulled a hand through my hair. "We'll figure this out, Bells. I mean―"
"No, Edward." She shook her head. "I mean, I don't know if I can do this. I—I can't ask you―"
"You're not!" I interrupted adamantly. "Bella, I will not live without you, not again. I refuse. So if you can't do it, I can't do it."
Masen knocked on the door. "Daddy?"
"Just a second, buddy," I replied before turning back to Bella. "Go take your shower. We'll talk about this when you get out."
She nodded and got up to take her shower while I went to see what Masen wanted.
"I can'ts open it." He was holding out a can of Play-doh as an explanation when I opened the door.
"Yeah, I don't think that's going to happen right now, Masen." I took the Play-doh from him, wondering where the hell he got it from in the first place.
"I wanna pay wiff my ice cweam shop," he explained, following me back into the kitchen to put the Play-doh away.
"Not right now, Mas. We're going to Papa and Nanas in a little bit. You don't need to make any more of a mess then you already have."
"Pwease?" he begged.
"No," I responded firmly, placing the Play-doh in the cupboard with the rest of them. Masen ran back to the living room with a pout on his face, while I went to the fridge to grab a bottle of water, though I was pretty tempted to grab the bottle of Corona, instead. I had just sat down on the couch when Bella called for me again.
Is she seriously already done with her shower? I asked myself, getting off the couch.
"Be right back, little man," I told Masen, who was sitting on the floor, watching some cartoon show on T.V. He just nodded in response.
I walked into the bedroom, and Bella was just standing there wearing a towel.
Damn that was the quickest shower she's ever taken.
"I didn't shave my legs," she explained.
"Did I say that out loud?" I asked, lying down on the bed, with my legs still touching the ground.
She sat on the bed next to me. "Say what out loud?" she asked.
"Nothing. I was just thinking that was the quickest shower you've ever taken, then you said you didn't shave your legs."
She nodded, but didn't say anything for a second. "I can't really shave anymore. I mean, I can, it's just, certain areas, are harder to get to."
Okay, I was sooo not expecting that.
I looked at her face; she was as red as a damn tomato.
"Okay … baby, you know I don't really care if you're—well, if you can't shave …." She started to interrupt, but I just kept going. "But, if you'd like me to, uh … help? Or, if you want to go to a salon …. I don't know, baby …."
Fuck, I was sweating. What was she looking for when she brought this up? Fuck!
"You'd really help me?" she asked sheepishly, not once looking me in the eye.
I sat up, turning her face so she was looking at me. "Yes, Bella, I would help you. If that's what you want." She just nodded, not saying anything in response. "Okay," I whispered, placing a kiss on her forehead. "So, does this mean you're not leaving me?"
She pulled back, and stared at me, before pressing a kiss against my lips. "I could never leave you, Edward. I'm just … I'm scared of what she's going to do. I don't think she's ever going to stop trying to get you, and I—I can't take any more misunderstandings."
And I'll make damn sure you don't have to, baby girl, I thought, pulling her into my lap.
"There won't be any more, Bella. I can promise you that! Mom and Dad already said they'd act as the buffer for us, so―"
"Really?" she interrupted, happily, leaning back on my knees. Her towel covered absolutely nothing, due to her very pregnant belly, which meant I had a perfect view of everything—except her glorious tits.
"Yes, really," I chuckled.
"So you won't have to see her today?" I could tell she was nervous, the lip tucked securely between her teeth told me as much.
I shook my head. "No―"
"Oh!" Bella laughed. "She's gonna be pissed … this is great!"
I laughed while she climbed off my lap.
"Feeling better?" I asked, as I stood to go to the bathroom.
She sighed turning to look at me from the closet. "I still don't like it, but it definitely makes it easier for me to deal with."
I nodded with a small smile on my face as I walked into the bathroom.
God, please? Don't let that stupid bitch take her away from me, not again.
**Author's Note**
Okay, so I know I said you were going to meet Liam in this chapter … but I felt this needed to take place first :)
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