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CHAPTER 37
BPOV ~
"Momma," Masen mumbled groggily, climbing into Edward's king size bed.
"Yeah, baby?" I whispered, my voice still thick with sleep, as I pulled him as close as he could get with my pregnant belly.
"Wiam won't stop cwyin'," he complained, scrubbing his hand over his face. I raised my head, glancing to the nightstand on Edward's side of the bed. The baby monitor was off. I groaned. Edward must had forgotten to turn it back on before he left this morning.
"How long has he been crying, baby?" I asked Masen, getting out of bed.
"He woke me up," Masen whined, burying his face into his father's pillow. I shook my head, walking out of the bedroom.
Liam was wailing, kicking his little legs while his arms flailed all over the place. His face was red and blotchy from all the crying. I hoped he hadn't been at it too long.
"Hey, little guy," I cooed walking towards his crib. "What's all this fuss about?" I pulled him into my arms, and felt the fever immediately. "Oh …."
Cradling him against my chest, I began unsnapping his pajamas. "Someone not feeling well?" I whispered, kissing his forehead before laying him on the changing table. I quickly changed his diaper and then pulled him back into my arms, leaving him in just his diaper.
After checking his temperature – 101.4 – I gave him some Infant Tylenol and then brought him in to lay down with Masen and me. He's probably teething, I thought crawling back into the bed.
It was barely eight in the morning, and apparently neither of my kids were really ready to get up, because Masen was snoring happily while Liam snuggled his little head into my side and fell back to sleep. I was fairly certain Edward fed him a bottle before he left, so he shouldn't have been ready for breakfast yet.
I smiled, looking at both boys; it really was surreal how much they actually looked alike. Liam was definitely his big brother's twin, and the two of them were the spitting images of their father.
I woke up, what felt like only minutes later, to a crying baby kicking me in the belly, while Masen was nowhere to be found. I reached out, placing my hand on Liam's forehead, which was cool thankfully.
"Are you cutting teeth, baby boy?" I asked, scooping him up into my arms after getting into a sitting position. He whined, scrunching up his little face in response. "Hungry?"
Liam and I made our way downstairs, the theme song from Yo Gabba Gabba echoing throughout the open foyer as I hit the bottom step. I cringed the closer I got to the kitchen slash family room, the T.V. was blaring through the surround sound and Liam just wasn't feeling the noise.
"Masen!" I exclaimed walking into the large open room. "Turn that down, now!" Masen jumped at my tone, but made quick work of turning down the T.V. "There is absolutely no reason that T.V. needs to be that loud."
"Sowwy, momma." He didn't even glance at me as he said it; his eyes were trained on the large flat screen T.V. I just rolled my eyes and headed into the kitchen to make Liam a bottle and some cereal, as well as a bowl for Masen.
Momma just didn't feel like cookin', and the smell, hell, just looking at eggs was nauseating, so we ate a lot of cereal … unless Edward was home to cook.
"Masen," I called out, sitting Liam in his highchair. "What kind of cereal do you want?" He didn't answer me. "Masen?" I called again, my voice laced with impatience this time.
"What?" he barked, his eyes still focused on the T.V. He was beginning to irritate me with his attitude as of late.
I looked up from mixing Liam's Gerber cereal. "Watch your tone, Masen Anthony," I scolded, which in turn got him to finally look at me. "Now, what type of cereal would you like?" I asked him kindly.
"I have waffalls?" he asked, his eyes bouncing between me and the T.V.
I nodded. "That's fine, but I'm going to feed Liam first. Would like an apple to hold you over?"
"Yeah!" Masen exclaimed, jumping of the couch.
I placed the blue bowl I had mixed Liam's cereal in on the island next to where I was going to sit, and grabbed an apple out of the fruit basket I had sitting on the counter. Edward never kept much food here before we started staying on a regular basis, and even now, if it weren't for me he'd still have no food in the house.
After cleaning and slicing the apple, I placed it in a bowl and gave it to Masen, along with some apple juice. "Juice stays on the island," I informed, as I handed him the cup.
"Okay, momma," Masen agreed, taking a gulp of his juice.
Liam didn't really eat much of the cereal, nor did he really take in much of his bottle. I was concerned by this, but I remembered when Masen was teething he didn't really eat or drink much either, so I didn't dwell on it for long, and began making waffles for Masen and I. They actually sounded pretty good to me as well.
It wasn't until Masen and I were about halfway through our breakfast that I started getting really concerned about Liam. He vomited all over himself and the hardwood floors in the living room, and when I say vomit, I mean projectile vomit. It was really freakin' gross.
"Eww," Masen exclaimed, watching me clean up the mess. Have I mentioned I no longer have much tolerance for vomit or other bodily fluids? Yeah, I was gagging the whole time, as Masen and Liam giggled at me.
"I'm glad you find this amusing," I cooed, pulling Liam out of his onesie and diaper to get him ready for a bath—the poor baby had vomit in his hair.
"I hewp?" Masen asked following me up the stairs.
"Of course you can," I exclaimed, watching my son soar past me and continue up the stairs.
Once I made it up the stairs, I went to the linen closet and grabbed a clean towel and washcloth, before heading into the bathroom. Masen was standing in the middle of the room, patiently waiting for me, when I entered. I smiled at his enthusiasm, grateful he seemed to be taking to his brother a bit better, and pulled the infant tub down from the hook Edward had it hanging on.
I turned on the water, adjusted the temperature just right for his sensitive skin, and then placed him into the water. He whimpered at first when his skin first touched the water, but then started kicking and squealing in excitement. Masen stood next to me, watching intently as I cleaned the vomit out of his brother's hair. I was pretty much done when he threw up again.
"Really, Liam?" He smiled a big cheesy smile and kicked his legs, effectively spreading the vomit around his bath water, making me gag in the meantime. I quickly turned around, barely getting my own breakfast into the toilet.
"Why he sick?" Masen asked when I turned around to pull Liam out of the water.
"I don't know, buddy," I responded honestly, wondering if it was indeed his teeth. "Hand me his towel, would ya, Mas?"
"Okay, momma." He quickly grabbed the towel off the vanity and handed it to me.
I smiled, taking the towel from him. "You really are a great little helper, baby." He smiled, but he didn't say anything, though I didn't really give him a chance to say anything either. "Thank you, Masen."
He nodded, smiling proudly. "You're welcome, Mommy."
I decided I needed to call Edward, at least let him know Liam wasn't feeling well—to see if he took a bottle earlier that morning.
So after bathing Liam yet again, I wrapped him up in his green and blue baby duck towel, and carried him into his bedroom. After laying him on the changing table, I powdered his little butt and then put a clean diaper on him. I dressed him in a baby blue onesie with a blue plaid giraffe on it, and then checked his temperature – 100.7. I gave him some more Tylenol, and we headed back downstairs. I placed Liam in his baby swing and went to grab the phone.
Edward answered his cell on the second ring. "I'm kinda busy right now, Bells. Can I call you back in a minute?"
"Uh…I guess?" I stuttered, kind of taken off guard by his greeting.
"Everything okay, baby?"
"Yeah, well Liam's thrown up a couple times," I answered.
"He has?" he asked, seconds before I heard a door close.
"Yeah…did he take his bottle this morning?"
"About half of it…is he running a fever?"
"Yeah, 100.7," I replied, sitting on the couch. Masen was watching some cartoon or another on the T.V., and Liam was on the verge of falling back to sleep.
"Did you give him some Tylenol?" he asked.
"Yeah," I supplied. "He just got out of the bath, too."
Edward was silent for a minute, but then asked, "Will you bring him in? I just want to check him out."
I glanced to Liam again. "Yeah…"
"I'm sure he's probably teething," he retorted. "But I'd feel better checking him out."
"Its fine, Edward…do you want me to bring him in now?" I asked, glancing to a now sleeping Liam.
"Just a second, baby," he said seconds after I heard a knock at the door. "Yeah?"
"Sorry to bother you, doctor," I heard a female say. "But Mr. Ryan from CPS is here."
"Alright," Edward answered. "I'll be there in a moment."
"Yes, Sir." I heard a door close mere seconds later.
"Baby?" Edward asked.
"Yeah…"
"Could you bring him in after lunch?" he asked, followed by a shuffling sound.
"Yeah," I said, looking to Liam again. "He just fell asleep, so…"
"Alright, baby, I'll see ya in a little while, then?"
"Yup…"
"Alright, love ya, Bell's."
"I love you, too," I responded seconds before Edward disconnected.
After getting both boys dressed for the day, Liam wearing a navy blue and white striped romper, and Masen in a brown pair of shorts and a brown and white shirt that said 'Surf Monkey' on it, we finally piled into the car.
Liam only slept for about a half an hour after I hung up with Edward, and then when he did wake up, he woke up cranky and pulling at his ears. I decided to go early. The crankiness was really grating on me, and Edward better make time for his sick child.
"Hi, can I help you?" the cute little brunette at the emergency room reception desk greeted.
"Yes, I'm here to see Dr. Cullen."
"Okay, did you need to be seen?" she asked.
"No," I answered, looking down to Liam. "His son does."
"Oh," she retorted, a bit embarrassed, though she had no reason to be, she had no way of knowing who I was. "Okay, I'll let him know you're here, but in the meantime I'll have a nurse put you guys in an exam room."
I nodded my head just as a blonde, a fake blonde, walked up. "I'll put them in a room, Nancy."
"Thank you, Jess," Nancy responded, picking up the phone.
"Follow me." Jess smiled and we followed her down a hallway.
"Momma," Masen asked as we walked down the hall. "I fought we see daddy."
I looked down to Masen, and smiled. "We are going to see daddy, buddy." Masen furrowed his brow at me in confusion, so I explained. "Daddy's working here today, buddy…remember, he works in the office and at the hospital."
"Right here," the nurse said with a smile, gesturing to the door in front of her. Masen and I walked into the room she was gesturing too. "If you want to put him on the scale, I'll go ahead and do his vitals while you wait."
I nodded my head, and placed Liam on the infant scale. I really could have done all this myself, but it was her job, and she seemed nice enough.
Liam weighed in at 13 pounds 9 ounces, and 24 inches long. He was advancing wonderfully, and I could help but feel proud of this fact.
"So, um…" Jess started to say, writing out Liam's stats, as I pulled him back into my arms. "I'm really sorry about…well, that day…I didn't, well, I didn't know about you." I stared at her in complete shock, but I didn't have a chance to respond, not that I really think I could have anyways.
"Hey," Edward cooed wrapping his arm around me from behind, lightly rubbing my belly with his hand as he kissed me on the cheek. "I wasn't expecting you for another hour."
"I'll um…go," Jess stuttered, walking towards the door. "I, uh, took his vitals for you, doctor."
Edward stepped back, turning to look at Jess, totally professional now. "Thank you."
"Uh huh," she mumbled quickly scurrying out the door.
I turned around, staring out the door behind her, still completely in shock. Did she really just apologize to me?
"Bells?" Edward asked, grabbing Liam out of my arms.
I blinked my eyes, shaking my head a bit, as I handed Liam over, but I didn't say anything.
"What's wrong?" Edward asked, looking out the door, where my attention had been trained just seconds before.
"Is that…that was her?"
Edward took in a shaky breath, pulling the hand that wasn't holding Liam though his hair. "Uh, ye—" He cut himself off, shaking his head a bit. "Can we please talk about this later?" I stared at him, shaking my head, trying to clear the visuals that had popped into my head from that dreadful day.
"Baby, please," he pleaded stepping forward, wiping away tears that I had shed. "We'll talk when I get home tomorrow, I promise."
"I—"
"Yes," he cut me off, lifting my face to look at him. "It was her, but Bella, she knows about you, and she knows we're together now…can we please talk about this later?" His eyes flashed to Masen and then back to me.
I looked to Masen, who was watching us intently, and nodded my head. "Okay," I whispered, stepping back, wiping away my tears in the meantime.
"Bells?" he asked, watching me carefully.
"It's fine, Edward," I said, smiling a small, unconvincing smile. "Just tend to Liam. I think it might be his ears."
He looked at cautiously, but dropped it, thankfully. "His ears?" he asked, turning his attention back to Liam.
Nodding my head, I said, "Yeah, when he woke up he was pulling at his ears…I don't know." I shrugged a bit at the end.
"Hmm…" Edward said, setting Liam on the exam table. "Let's take a look at your ears, little guy."
Liam did have an ear infection, and after getting a prescription for an antibiotic, the three of us left. Edward was left there with his bleach blond, blow job giving tramp of a nurse. I'm sure I'll be sleeping wonderfully tonight.
Thank you, Jess!
**Author's Note**
Well, let me know what you thought, please?
