Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot of the Twilight Saga are the property of Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. The storyline of Tangled Hearts is all mine.
WARNING: This story is M+ rated so if you are not over the age of 18+ please do not read any further.
I would like to thank both Kasi (TeamAllTwilight), Liz (momma2fan) and Laura (Momma Laura) my pre-readers and betas that have graciously offered to help me with my story.
Michele (PeopleLikeUs or JustGinger), I would like to think you for all your encouragement on getting this story off the ground and posted.
Go check out their stories!
Tangled Hearts – Chapter 5
Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget.
June 2010
BPOV
I never thought this day would come!
Sitting here in the waiting room of Dr. Cullen's family clinic, I was nervous but excited. I had been dreaming of this day for the last month. I had made the appointment following my talk with family and friends after the house warming party.
I knew I'd arrived early, but I wanted to give myself enough time to fill out the hundred and one forms that doctors needed these days.
With the forms completed, all I could do now was sit and wait while I flipped mindlessly magazines. I wasn't even paying attention to what I was doing. My mind was so caught up in thinking back to the day when I had told everyone the choice I had made.
Flashback:
As I was saying good-bye to the last of the guests, I heard my mother and Kate cleaning up the glasses and plates of food in the kitchen.
I walked in to help them, but they had everything under control. I put on the kettle for tea before I organized the dining room table with a few refreshments. As I was walking to and from the kitchen, I was also asking who wanted coffee or tea.
Char had organized the kids upstairs in the living room with a movie and popcorn, so we wouldn't be interrupted for a good hour.
As I placed the last cup of coffee on the table, I took my seat in between my mother and Char.
"Thanks for staying after the party to help me clean everyone, I really appreciate it." The likely responses came, as I knew they would. "As you know, I would like to talk to all of you, and I consider you all a part of my family." I looked around at everyone.
"Honey, we feel the same about you," Peter said.
"There is reason I asked you all to stay behind this evening." I took a deep breath, exhaled to calm my nerves, and continued.
"You all have helped me through the last couple of months, not only with the house, but also with helping me rebuild my life after what happened with Felix." I heard a few muttered words come from different people, but I continued, ignoring the comments. "I know that you are all aware that I have been going to counselling, and that has helped me greatly to get through this mess," I said, waving my hand around. "I have been speaking with Embry about the next phase in my life, and I would like to now discuss with you what I plan on doing."
"I have wanted to start a family for quite some time now, and I have decided that next month I am going to go and talk to a Dr. Carlisle Cullen about making this happen." I heard everyone start to talk, and I held up my hands to silence everyone. "Before you all start talking over each other, let me tell you what I want. Then we can all discuss this calmly and rationally. You all know how much you mean to me, and your opinions are going to be taken into consideration, but you have to let me tell you what I have been thinking for the last past four months, now that I have seriously made up my mind on wanting to do this."
"As you all know, I added a nursery next to my bedroom upstairs. I was planning on waiting until the right man came along, but who knows how long that will take. I was talking to Jacob and Leah, my next door neighbors, and they have just done IVF and are expecting soon. Once Felix and I got married, we were going to start trying to have a baby right away, and that has not changed, the starting a family part, even though I'm not getting married to Felix. So after talking to Leah and Jacob that day, I decided IVF was the way for me to go, a way for me to start my family.
I know that there are a lot of children out there who need a good home, and adoption and foster care are also options I have not ruled out. The waiting lists are so long for adoption, and the process to start foster care can take up to twelve months, if not longer, and both processes are time consuming. So I thought IVF was the way for me to go.
I have done extensive research and decided that a donor from a credited sperm bank is my best option. Then I'll have Dr. Cullen take some of my eggs, and, well, you all know how it works from there. You don't need me to explain that to you. So I have not made an appointment yet; I have just spoken to Embry about it. I wanted to be sure that I am in the right frame of mind to start a family on my own, and he seems to think that I am ready for this next chapter. I have spent the last four months researching all about IVF. I've learned about the hormones I will need to take, the stress I will be putting my body under, the diet I will need to be on to start with–and the biggest obstacle that will affect me is- no caffeine!
So what I am asking from all of you is for support through this if I do choose to proceed. I would like you all to be on my side 100%, and if you can't, then please tell me now. I want an honest and open discussion with you all here and now. I want to know what my family is feeling about what I am saying, because you will all have to live with me through this. I am going to have some good days and some really shitty days. I won't be myself some of the time with the hormones going through my system. I need to make sure that you can help through those not so good days and talk me down off the proverbial ledge.
I will answer any questions you have for me as honestly as I can and with what I know. If I choose to do this, I will make an appointment with Dr. Cullen and talk to him first before I make my final decision." I had said what I needed to and sat back in my chair and waited for someone to start talking.
As I looked around the table, everyone was silently thinking, and I was anxious to know what they were going to say, what questions they were going to ask, and why no one was talking yet.
"I have one question for you. What happens when or if you meet someone?" Charlotte asked.
"Char, you always bring this question up," I grinned at her. "You know there are a lot of single parents out there that find love. I look at it in a way that when and if do find the right person, he has nothing to worry about. My child has a donor father, not a physical father. We can set the rules; he is able to adopt this child as his own if he chooses to. If the person I meet is truly my other half, he will accept my reasoning for doing IVF – whether I meet him while I am pregnant or in the next ten years."
"Bella, honey, what happens if this does not work? What happens if this Dr. Cullen says that you are not ready for this? What will you do?" my father asked.
"I have thought of that, and if Dr. Cullen tells me that I am not ready for this and I need to keep seeing Embry, then that is what I will do. I shall keep going until Dr. Cullen says I am ready. In that time, if I meet the person I am supposed to spend the rest of my life with, then my options will change. I will still talk to Embry to make sure I can be the best mother for any child I bring into this world. As for what will happen if this does not work, I am not sure, Dad, but I will overcome it, just like everything else in my life." I leaned across my mother and patted his arm.
"Bella, how did you find this Dr. Cullen?" my mother asked.
"I was talking to Jacob and Leah, and they were telling me about the clinic they went through. They said that their doctor was really nice, and I should jump on their website and read all about it. While I was looking through the doctors that worked there, I liked Dr. Cullen more than the others, so I chose him. Dr. Cullen owns and runs the clinic; he still treats patients and is the leader in this field. I spoke to Embry about him, and he looked further into it for me. He found out that Dr. Cullen travels the world helping other countries set up similar practices like he has here in New York. His facility also works in conjunction with New York Presbyterian University Hospital and helps run a lot of the research programs they do there. After reading all about him, I just had a feeling to go with him."
By the time we finished, I had answered everyone's questions; I was honest and up front with my family. I had only one question left to ask them!
"I am hoping that you are all content with the answers I have given you. I am now asking for your support, love, and understanding. Are you all willing to be by my side as I take the next step and contact Dr. Cullen and make an appointment?" I asked as I looked around the table. Everyone had either said yes or were nodding in agreement with me making an appointment.
Flashback End.
"Miss Swan." I looked up at the nurse standing near the hallway.
"That's me," I said as I got up from the chair.
As I neared the nurse, she held out her hand. "Nice to meet you, Miss Swan, I am Michelle. Follow me, and I will take you through to Dr. Cullen."
I shook Michelle's hand and then followed her down the hallway. She stopped in front of a door with Dr. Cullen's name on it. Michelle opened the door, and I followed her in.
"Please take a seat, Miss Swan; Dr. Cullen will be with you shortly," Michelle said just before she exited and closed the door.
I took a seat in one of the chairs in front of a big mahogany old style desk and looked around the room. On the wall behind Dr. Cullen's desk were his degrees and awards he had been given over the years. On the wall to my right was a large bookcase full of medical books. To my left was a wall of large glass windows, with the sheers pulled aside so you could see out of them. As I turned around to look at the wall behind me, I was amazed at what I saw. It was a wall full of smiling people holding their babies. I got up from where I was seated and walked closer to the wall to take a proper look.
As I stood in front of this wall assessing all the different families, I couldn't help but smile. Not only were there couples of all races and sexualities, but I was happy to see some single people in the mix, as well. I was overwhelmed by the look in their eyes. Their eyes all told the same story; they were happy, exhilarated, and overjoyed with the bundle they were holding. Their eyes sparkled!
I was so lost in the pictures that I did not hear Dr. Cullen come into the room and jumped slightly when I heard him call my name.
"Miss Swan, sorry! I did not mean to startle you."
"Sorry, Dr. Cullen, I was just looking at your miracle wall here. They all look so happy and content."
"I have never heard anyone call it that before. Yes, it is a miracle wall of sorts, and yes, I have had a lot of success stories. Please, Isabella, come take a seat and let's talk." Dr. Cullen took a seat behind his desk with his hand out to offer me a seat.
Once I was situated, I looked up at Dr. Cullen. It was the first time I had really looked at him. He was a very handsome man for his age which was, I was guessing, around mid-fifties. He had beautiful pale skin, deep red lips, and crystal blue eyes. He also had an unusual color of bright blond hair; it was actually closer to white than it was to blond.
"Isabella, how can I help you today?" Dr. Cullen asked.
"Please call me Bella; I only get called Isabella by my parents when I am in trouble."
Dr. Cullen nodded his head.
"I am looking to start my family, Dr. Cullen. I am turning thirty-three this year and was supposed to be getting married this November. Unfortunately, I caught my partner cheating on me over five months ago. Since that time, I have done a lot of soul searching, and I have decided that I would like to start my family." I took a breath. I knew that I was talking fast, and I needed to calm down. "I know that it will be hard; I have spoken to my family and close friends about this. I have good solid support network behind me to help me through this. After the breakup from my long-term partner, I went to counseling to help get through the pain and the guilt that I was feeling. Once I healed from the separation, I spoke to my therapist about starting a family by myself. We have worked through this for the past two months, and I know this is what I want to do. I want to build the family I have always wanted, and I am here to ask you for your help today. First though, I really need to get some answers to some questions I have."
"I have to say, Bella; you definitely have put a lot of thought into this. You have already done half of the work for me. How about you tell me why you feel that it is time for you to start a family?"
"Dr. Cullen, when my ex and I were together, we had talked about starting our family straight away after we got married. Being an only child, it was always my dream to have at least three children, and it's still my dream. After the breakup with Felix, my ex, that dream never faded. Even through the healing process, that dream never changed. If anything, it has only gotten stronger. My girlfriends, Kate and Char, are behind me on this, but they also wish that I would wait until I've found the right guy for me. To be honest, I don't know when that's going to happen. It could happen next week or in ten years. If it happened in ten years, there is no chance of having children then. I also know down deep in my soul, I am supposed to be a mother. Dr. Cullen, have you ever heard of the children books Pixie-dust Fairies?"
"Yes, Bella, I have. I have six grandchildren, and out of them, four are girls. So yes, I have definitely heard of Pixie-dust Fairies," he laughed. "Why do you ask?"
"I started writing them a year ago. I knew I was going to start having a family soon, and I wanted something of mine to read to them. I am also the writer of Entrusting Wares series, and I know that series is not appropriate for children. So I started my own children's book series. I never expected it to take off like it did, but now everyone loves the fairies," I laughed, and so did Dr. Cullen. "This is not just something that I have thought about overnight. It is, however, something that I have only just decided to put into action in the last month–once I knew I had every member of my family agreeing to stand behind me and help me."
"I have to say again, Bella, you really have done a lot of homework and preparation before coming and seeing me today. How about we start with any questions you might have about IVF and the procedure?"
As I asked my questions and Dr. Cullen answered them, I was taking notes here and there, and he was doing the same. I really did do my homework before I spoke to Dr. Cullen, but I really did not understand the stress this would put on my body. I did not realize the tests I would need to take before we even started. Or about the drugs and hormones I would need to take before they even harvested any eggs. Nor the pain I could go through just to over-stimulate and develop extra eggs. I would need more rest during the whole process, as my body would be under a different type of strain and stress from the hormones I'd be taking. He also told me about the prenatal vitamins I'd need to start taking prior to my cycle; I would need to start taking these at least two to three months before we even began. I told Dr. Cullen that I was already taking the vitamins and had been on them now for two months. I would need to have a flexible schedule as he charted my cycle for the first few months.
Dr. Cullen told me that my diet would have to change. I would have to cut out all coffee, alcohol, and eat food higher in protein and low in salt and potassium. The reason for this is to avoid hyper-stimulation. I had no idea what that was, so Dr. Cullen went on to explain that this is when the ovaries become painful and swollen and a build-up of fluid may accumulate the abdomen or the chest. Personally, I don't want that to happen, so I would be sticking to the diet he prescribed.
Dr. Cullen then told me about the procedure, itself. There were different hormones I could be on and it might affect my body and moods. Dr. Cullen then went on to say that I would need someone to give me the shots. I can bring that person in, and they'll be trained how to do it. Dr. Cullen also informed me that it is good to rotate the shot site from one side to the other, as it can start to get painful after a while. He also said that since I travel a lot, I need to make sure I take the shot at the same time as I would here in New York. He said I might also find that I feel a little bloated after traveling because of the hormones.
Then he told me about the process of the egg removal. I would be given a mild intravenous sedative, and the eggs are then withdrawn with a big-ass needle through the wall of my vagina. Hmm, that sounds like fun–not! He then passes them off to the embryologist. He or she will then separate the eggs in a special solution; once this is done, the sperm is introduced for the good old fertilization to occur. Then they culture the embryos in an incubator for up to five days until they mature. Once this occurs, they place the egg or eggs back into my uterus in a very painless procedure. I liked the thought of the 'painless' part.
Dr. Cullen then touched lightly on Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis. This is where they screened the embryo or embryos for disease, thus eliminating any chance of passing on any abnormalities. This will also allow me to choose the gender of my baby, if I decide I want to. I was more interested in the diseases that could be eliminated, so we talked more on that, than the sex of the baby.
Once we finished talking about everything, Dr. Cullen asked if I had any further questions about the process. I did have a few questions about recovery time and how long I would have to wait to find out if the implantation worked. Once I was happy all my questions were answered, I noticed Dr. Cullen had a few more for me.
"Bella, I would like to ask you a few more questions before I decided if it is viable for you."
"Sure, Dr. Cullen, ask away."
"I'd like to know if you have thought of any options apart from IVF?"
"I have, Dr. Cullen. I have thought about adoption as well as being a foster parent. Adoption is a longer process than this one, and I don't think I could take the heartache or the pain if I was promised a child, got ready for it, and come the day of delivery, they decided they don't want to give the child up for adoption anymore. That would devastate me. I also have no problem adopting any child up to their teens–there are lots of children out there that need a stable home environment, and I am more than happy to do this if you feel this is not the option I should take.
I am still thinking about being a foster parent. I'm not sure if I could give a child a home for a couple of years and help this child develop only to later learn that his or her parents have hurt, abused, or done something to harm the child (whether it be physically or mentally) only for this child to be placed back into the system. That would tear me apart. I know you have to be a really strong person to be a foster parent, and I am not sure I am at that place yet or ever would be."
"Well, I have to say, Bella, you have put a lot of thought into this process from all angles. If I choose not to help you in this area, I really do hope that you are able to adopt. For now though, I think I can help you. I know that you said that you were only coming here for information today, and I hope that I've helped you. If you have any further questions, here is my card. I have my cell number on there so you can call me directly with any other questions you might have."
I took the card from Dr. Cullen. "Thank you for answering my questions and helping me understand the process better. I know that I'd read all the books on the process, but listening to your valuable information has helped. I'll go home and talk to my family some more, and I'll call you back."
"You're welcome, Bella; let me know what you've decided. You have a wonderful week, and I look forward to hearing from you soon."
"Thank you, Dr. Cullen. You, too, have a good week." I got up, shook his hand, and walked back down the hall and out to my car.
I was feeling at peace with myself and knew that this is what I wanted to do; I just hoped that Dr. Cullen felt the same way. Only time will tell. I had to go home now and digest everything I had learned today and talk to my family again.
~~~***~~~T H~~~***~~~
It had been a week since I had spoken to Dr. Cullen, and today I was having my family and friends over for Friday night dinner. Mom and Dad were staying with me for the weekend, and they were dying to find out what had happened. The only thing I had told everyone was that meeting with Dr. Cullen had helped me in my decision on what path I was going to take. I now had to inform my parents and friends what I was going to do.
It was two in the afternoon, and I was standing in my kitchen preparing the pork roast and all the trimmings for tonight's dinner. I had the oven heating, the rolled lean pork on the chopping board, and David Bowie's platinum album playing through the speakers in the kitchen.
I was singing along to Starman when I heard the phone ringing. I turned the volume down on the panel on the wall and looked at my phone. It was my mother.
"Hey, Mom. How are you?"
"Bella, dear, your father and I are running late. Sammy, the young man I tutor, is running late. So we won't be there close to five. Is that okay, dear?"
"That won't be a problem, Mom. Just let me know when you and Dad are close. Be careful; you know city traffic at that time of the afternoon will be hell."
"We know, dear, that's why we wanted to be there around four. Do you need me to bring anything?"
"No, Mom, I have everything organized. I am just doing the pork now, and then I am going to do the homemade apple sauce Dad likes. That will keep me entertained for awhile. Just leave as soon as you can. I can't wait till you get here; I'm really looking forward to spending the weekend with you both. I have tickets for the baseball game tomorrow for Dad and the guys and kids and we, ladies, are going to spend the day at the spa."
Mom squealed like a schoolgirl, "Oh, I can't wait till tomorrow. Now I know the drive over will be worth it."
I laughed at my mother and said good-bye to her and told her to drive safely and I would see her around five.
I turned the music back up and went back to the counter to finish peeling the garlic. Once I had this done, I took one of my small knives and started to enlarge the slits in the pork rind so I could fit the garlic and rosemary into them. Once I had this completed, I grabbed the roasting dish, poured oil into it, and lifted the pork into the dish. I rolled the pork around in the oil, making sure it was coated evenly. I washed my hands so I could rub salt onto the oiled rind and make it perfectly crackly. My father loved my crackly. I always made sure it was never too salty. Once I had all of this done, I put the pork into the oven to cook. Because I was feeding ten people, I got a six-pound roast. It had to cook for close to five hours.
I peeled the apples next for the apple sauce, and I got the ingredients out to make gravy, as well. I hated using a gravy mix. To me, this was the cheating way to make gravy. All you needed were the juices from the pork, plain flour, and a friend of mine's secret ingredient; Vegemite. Yes, she is Australian, and it's not only good for toast but also good for my gravy.
I started peeling all the vegetables. I have decided on butternut squash, potatoes, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and cloves of garlic. I had also gotten broccoli and asparagus, and I was going to do Grandma Swan's cauliflower in white sauce and cheese.
By the time I had all of this done, it was close to three. I wanted to take a bath and set the table before everyone arrived. I'd also gone down into the cellar and picked out a couple of bottles of red to go with dinner; I had picked the 2006 Eyrie Vineyards Dundee Pinot Noir, it was a medium-weight wine not as heavy as a merlot and would go nicely with the pork. I aired both bottles and then set the dining room table.
Once I had everything completed, I went upstairs and started the bath my body needed. I was emotionally somewhere between anxious and excited. Anxious about what everyone would think (hopefully they were all behind me still) and excited about telling everyone how things went.
Once I was fully relaxed, I hopped out of the bath and dressed in my comfy jeans and a T-shirt. I slipped on my ballet flats and headed back downstairs to check on everything in the kitchen. Everything was cooking wonderfully, and the aroma coming from the kitchen was mouth-watering.
I did not realize how late it was till the doorbell sounded. I opened the door and saw my parents through the peep-hole. As I opened the door, I was assaulted by my mother with hugs and kisses, and she was talking a mile a minute about their trip.
"Bella, you should have seen the roads; it's crazy out there. You really should have bought your house outside of the city. There is no parking here, and the traffic jams are horrendous. Do you know that your father and I sat stationary for over twenty minutes? Really, Isabella, they should do something about the roads." Renee was babbling as she walked into the kitchen.
"Hi, Dad. So I guess it wasn't an easy drive over?" I asked as I hugged and kissed him on the cheek.
"You know your mother over-exaggerates everything, dear," he said loud enough for Mom to hear and winked at me.
"I heard that, Charlie, and I do not!" she scolded.
I helped Dad bring in the luggage for their stay. I called the elevator so we could load the luggage and take it up to their room on the fourth level. Mom loved to look over the back garden, and this room had the perfect view. Dad accompanied the luggage up; it was the only time I really used the elevator. I usually used the stairs.
I walked into the kitchen and found Mom making herself a vodka and tonic, so I grabbed a beer out of the fridge and popped it open for Dad.
"How was your day, Mom?"
"I was so busy. I have been cleaning all day, then went and did some shopping for the bare essentials, and then cooked your father a lovely lunch. Thank you so much for the recipe last week, by the way. I then had three students to tutor this afternoon; and that is the reason we were late."
Mom and I talked a while longer waiting for Dad to come back downstairs. We made our way out into the garden and sat at the table under the umbrella. I was filling Mom in on the new book that I had started when I heard the doorbell again.
I excused myself and went to open the door for my friends. Greeting them all and the kids was a loud and rowdy affair. Char took them all upstairs and started a movie for them. As she was coming down, I had a nice glass of red in hand for her, and we made our way back out to the garden. It was nice to catch up with them and see how their week was going and what the kids had been up to.
The timer in the kitchen went off, and Charlie, Peter, and Garrett came to help me pull all the food out of the oven. As I plated the vegetables, the men decided they would carve the meat. It was funny to watch three grown men fight over the best way to carve. I personally say stick a carving fork in it and start cutting. It was like watching doctors getting ready for surgery. Twenty minutes later, I had the gravy done, the food plated, and was ready to serve. I had already put all the other food on the table and called everyone to sit.
We served the kids first and then ourselves. It was nice to sit around and have a meal with my family. Even though Char and Kate were not my biological sisters, they sure felt like they were. It was a typical dinner, everyone trying to talk over each other, loud laughing, and every now and then, a disagreement of some sort, which would end up with someone jeering at someone else for the sake of it. It would always end in tears of laughter, of course.
Once everyone had finished their meals, Garrett went to get the kids settled in front of a movie again, while all of us ladies cleared the table, packed the dishwasher, cleaned what dishes did not fit or could not go in, and made coffee. I placed a red-velvet cake on the table to have with our coffee. I was starting to get nervous now. Would they really support me in my dream to have children?
Once everyone was settled, my mother was the first to start.
"Okay, Bella dear, we all know why we're really here this evening. How did your appointment go?" She was really never one to mince words.
"Dr. Cullen is a very pleasant man. He talked me through the procedure and what to expect over the next couple of months if I choose to do this. He also spoke about other options like we did. But my only concern is everyone around the table. Dr. Cullen could not stress enough that I shouldn't do this if I don't have the support of the people around me. I'm going to need all of you throughout this, from the hormone treatments to the egg harvesting and implantation. So if any of you are truly against me doing this, I need you to tell me now. I can't afford for any of you to be negative around me. My body will be going through enough, and if I know beforehand, at least we can get it all out in the open now. Not in three or four months' time."
I was done talking, and everyone was quiet.
"Bella, you know I love you like a little sister," Peter piped up. "I'm not saying not to do this, but have you really considered and looked into adoption? There are a lot of children that need parents."
"Peter, I have thought about it, and the process to get a child through adoption takes forever. I'm not saying I have ruled it out yet. Dr. Cullen hasn't given the go ahead yet; it was only our initial meeting. He could still turn around and say he won't do this for me. So the option of adoption or being a foster mother is not ruled out. I'm keeping all doors open at this stage."
Kate asked about the process of what my body will go through over the next six months, so I told everyone what Dr. Cullen had told me. I went into depth; I handed out the pamphlets he had given me and some of the information from the books I had read. I told my mother that I would like her to come to as many appointments as possible, to take my mind off what was happening. She told me she would be behind me 100% of the way.
The only person that was not saying much at all was my father. I always knew he was a reserved man, but I really needed to hear what he had to say on this matter.
"Daddy, you are awfully quiet. I need to know what you are thinking? I need to know that you'll support me. If you have any concerns, you can't be quiet on this one–I need your input."
"Baby girl, you know that I'm happy with whatever you choose. I am your father and will support any and all of the choices you make, as long as they're not illegal. I will be there to hold your hand for whatever you need. I know that you're a meticulous person; you would have done hours of research and thought of every avenue. All there is left to tell you is to go ahead and be happy, and if this makes you happy, then I am happy." He smiled at me.
I got up from my chair and walked over and sat on my father's lap. I put my arms around his neck and cuddled him. "Thank you, Daddy. I really appreciate what you just said," I whispered into his ear so only he could hear.
We all talked some more about everything, and once Kate, Charlotte, Peter, and Garrett were happy I answered all of their questions sufficiently, they all gave me their blessing and said they would be beside me every step of the way. Conversation moved on to other topics, and before long, we realized the kids were too quiet. When I looked at the clock, I could not believe it was nearing 10:00 p.m. I said good night to everyone. Mom and Dad were in the kitchen doing the last of the cleaning. I walked in and helped them with what was left.
"Bella, are you going to call Dr. Cullen and set up another appointment tomorrow?" Dad asked.
"Yes, Dad. I don't want to wait any longer; I really want to do this. Now that I have everyone's support, I'm excited. I'm really happy that you both want to be by my side every step of the way."
Mom came over and hugged me. "So are we, baby–I can't wait to be a grandma, even if it's not the usual way, I'm excited all the same. I can't begrudge you this, my baby. You have wanted this your whole life, and I'm glad you've decided to do it on your own."
"Thank you, Mom. I just hope you know how much I love you both."
"We know, dear, we really do know. We both love you, as well," my father said as he hugged me. "Come on now. You have a busy day ahead of you. Let's get some shut-eye."
I followed my parents up the stairs, turning off lights as we went.
Tomorrow is my new beginning, and I was really looking forward to starting it.
Authors Note:
I hope you all enjoy the chapter. I know it is a day late but I have decided that I will be updating on Monday evenings (Australian time.) It makes it just a little easier for me. Also last week was a bit of a no show for me, as I spent the week in bed with a chest infection, laryngitis and bruised vocal cords. I was on bed rest with no talking allowed. I walked around home with a pad and pen. It was no fun at all.
I have a few recommendations for you all. So please go and enjoy them.
Learning to Trust by gypsy411
Bella has been shipped off to live with her dad after her mom decides she doesn't want her anymore. Now Bella must decide whether to continue living how she has been or if she is going to let those around her in. Will she be able to trust the people she thought she once knew? - You will truly hate Renee in this story, but a good read.
Isabella Marie Swan Volturi The Fourth Ruler by TwistedWhiteWolfLegend
sabella Marie Swan Volturi is the sister of the three kings Aro, Marcus and Caius. She can behold any power she wished and the true ruler of the vampires before Aro takes her spot when she leaves to travel the world. In the year 2009 does she only decides to become her original 18-year-old human self and falls in love with Edward.
Only after 300 years on the day of her vampiric birth and the day he left does she return home. What will happen when Edward finds out who Bella really was? - This is an interesting read on Bella life as a vampire. I enjoyed a different out take of her life. Look at it this way she has some wicked powers.
Please sign in so you can get your outtake for the next chapter. I had a few anonymous reviews and I am unable to send you an outtake.
See you all in three weeks.
Fiorella