Disclaimer/AN: I don't own twilight, SM does. A major shout out goes to letempspasse, for reading over this chapter and fixing everything. This chapter doesn't suck now :]
Two Weeks Later…
Bella POV
"I'm not feeling well. I don't want to go to class today." I said when I woke up. I felt like I was 17 again and Edward was my father. Luckily Charlie agreed to let the twins stay at his house for a couple more weeks, since we were getting nowhere with the divorce.
"Go take a hot shower and I'll email your professors. I'll write a prescription out and we can run down to the pharmacy and get it, ok love?" He said rubbing my back. The small rubbing motion on my back was helping.
I nodded my head 'yes' and pulled myself out of bed. I dragged myself to the bathroom and turned the nozzle, sticking my hand under the spray to make sure it wasn't too hot.
I stripped down to nothing and got in the shower. The combination of the steam and the hot spray relaxed me.
"Bella, love, I emailed your professors and let them know you wouldn't be in. I wrote out a prescription for Flumadine, I thought you'd prefer the cherry flavored syrup or the tablets."
Edward poked his head into the shower curtain, as his dazzling grin spread across his face.
"You know if you weren't so sick, I'd have you in that bed in five seconds flat."
"Well this shower is making me feel better, Doctor." I said, instantly aroused.
Ever since Edward has come back, I've been in an instantly horny mood 24/7 and I was totally ashamed of myself all the time. Acting like this is what got me into the situation with Jake but after the twins were born, I did a complete 180.
Edward's chuckle brought me out of my thoughts.
"Oh, Isabella, what will I do with you? I'm going to go make you some toast. Come down stairs when you are done."
I washed my hair and face as quickly as I could and turned off the water. I wrapped my robe around my body and a towel around my wet hair. I took a look into the mirror, noticing my red, runny nose and bags under my eyes. How could Edward find me attractive at all? I sighed and turned towards the door. I managed to make it down the stairs and into the kitchen without tripping.
Edward had a plate full of toast waiting for me on the counter. I took one look at the plate, and my stomach start to grumble.
"I am so hungry." I said walking over to the counter and picking up a piece of toast.
"I didn't know how much toast would fill you up, so I made you six pieces. As soon as you are done eating, get dressed and we can drive down to the grocery store and get your prescription filled. We can pick up a few things while we are there, also."
I nodded my head and chopped down on my second piece of toast. I ate two more pieces, without realizing how hungry I was. I quickly ran upstairs, tripping on the top step, and jogged into the bedroom. I slipped on a pair of sweatpants, an old hoodie and sneakers then made my way downstairs.
"Want me to drive?" Edward offered, drying off the plate I'd just used. I nodded my head 'yes' and put on my coat. Edward opened the front door and made his way down to the car, while I shut and locked the door behind myself.
When I took a step off the porch, I noticed it was starting to rain. I should of grabbed an umbrella, but opted for just yanking my hood up. I couldn't help but chuckle. It seemed the weather matched the way I felt. Shitty.
"It should be about a twenty minute wait, Mrs. Black." The pharmacist said after I handed her the prescription. I cringed at the fact that she called me Mrs. Black but Edward grabbed my hand and smiled at me. I muttered a 'thank you' and turned on my heels.
I started walking down the medicine isle, looking for Nyquil, Dayquil and some soothing tablets for the shower when I noticed Edward picking up a box of Benadryl.
"Things have changed a lot since the last time I was sick. Well, before I was dying in the hospital I guess you could say."
I saw pain flash in his eyes, and I knew he was thinking back to his human life.
"What do you mean?" I questioned.
"When my parents or I were sick, we were lucky enough to afford a physician. When the cause was actually treatable we were given medicines but they were usually in a liquid form and tasted like a cross between garbage and artificial cherry. It wasn't pleasant in any form. Life would of been less difficult if almost everything was cured and in tablet form."
I noticed his face drop some more. I was wondering if he was trying to remember them; his parents. Trying to remember the life he had, wondering what it would have been like if he wasn't changed.
I reached my hand up and cupped his face. "Don't be sad, Edward. Look at it this way; your sickness brought you to me. I love you very much. You are my life."
I kissed him on the lips and went back to searching for the cough syrup.
I finally found what I was looking for when I heard a voice behind me.
"Bella? Bella Swan?"
I turned around to see Tyler and Lauren standing behind us, holding hands. Talk about a blast from the past.
"Hey Tyler, Lauren. I haven't seen you two since graduation, what has it been? Six years now?" I said, trying to sound polite. Lauren still gave me the same nasty, shit eating grin.
"Yes, yes it has. Oh and who is this? Hi I'm Tyler I went to...school with... Edward Cullen? How long have you been back man, remember me? Tyler Crowley?"
Tyler dropped Lauren's hand, and reached out to Edward. Edward hesitated at first, then took it.
"It's actually Doctor Cullen now. When my family and myself moved, I managed to graduate early and take advanced classes in college. I received my PhD and moved back here to work at the hospital. The rest of my family is also back." He added trying to be polite.
Tyler was about to respond when Lauren cut him off.
"Well Bella you are looking well. Where are your children? Oh and how is your husband doing now a days? Tell him he did a great job, changing the oil in my Mercedes the other day." She snarled at me.
I wanted to gouge her eyes out. She was still acting like we were in high school. Silly me to think people grew up and moved on from petty differences from high school.
"Oh you know Jake, he just loves his work. I'll make sure to pass it along that he's satisfied another customer." I said between my teeth.
"Lauren baby, be nice." I heard Tyler mutter to Lauren. She just looked at him, and gave him a fake innocent smile.
"What? I am being nice. So did you hear Tyler and I are getting married next year? I figured we'd get married first and then try to get pregnant."
I wanted to reply with a snippy remark about how I was surprised she didn't get pregnant whoring it up in high school, but Edward cut me off first.
"Married, wow. So do you two talk to anyone else from high school? I work with Angela in the Hospital. I heard she too was getting married soon, but she never mentioned you two."
"I don't talk to anyone anymore. I used to talk to Jess, but we had a falling out our third semester in school together. I heard she is married or something...who cares." Lauren said, rolling her eyes. "Baby we need to go. We're meeting my mom to try cakes. Bye, Edward. Bye, Bella. Don't forget to tell your husband thanks for the oil change." She said, flipping her hair and walking away.
I stood for a few moments, just blinking back tears and curling my fist. That girl was still pissing me off, as much as she did in high school. Edward pulled me into a hug. "It's ok, love. She doesn't matter." He whispered into my hair.
"I'm going to be the laughing stock of our graduating class. Pregnant, married and divorced all before our ten year reunion. How embarrassing," I muttered into his shirt.
I pulled myself out of the embrace and made my way down the aisle. I walked up to the pharmacist and asked if my prescription was ready yet. I wanted to leave, I wanted to be back in my nice warm bed.
"It will be $89.50 for the Flumadine and then an additional $15 for the Nyquil, Dayquil and Benadryl, making your total $104.50" She nervously said looking at the computer screen. I went to pull out my wallet, when I felt Edward's ice cold hand grabbing my wrist.
"What I need these right, doctor?" I asked between my teeth. The last thing I wanted was to hear a lecture from Edward.
With his free hand, Edward pulled out six 20 dollar bills out of his wallet and handed it to the pharmacist. "Keep the change."
She welcomed us a good day and got back to her work. Too bad my day was already ruined.
The car ride back to the house was silent and uncomfortable. I didn't want Edward to know how I felt about the divorce. How I was constantly embarrassed, because no one on the outside knew what was really going on. When we got back to the house, I stopped in the drive way but didn't get out. I could tell
something was bugging Edward.
"Do you not get health insurance?" Edward asked, finally breaking the
silence.
"No. Jake only got health insurance for himself and it would have cost too much to add me or the twins. I didn't get any being a waitress and part time student."
I looked over at Edward, with a look of disgust on his face. I really didn't want to fight with him but this cold was making me very irritable.
"What if Masen or Eli would have gotten sick?" He asked, worry seeping from his every word.
"We got that CHIP for the twins. God, Edward! Do you really think I'm that bad of a mother?'' I said tears falling from my eyes.
"I was a bad wife and now I'm a bad mother!" I sobbed, tears freely flowing. Edward was out of his door and opening mine before I even blinked twice. He was pulling me into a hug and trying to block the rain at the same time.
"Isabella, you are a wonderful mother. I'd love for you to be my wife some day." He said, kissing my lips.
A short bubble of laughter bubbled up. "Did you just ask me to marry you Edward Cullen?" I asked jokingly.
"Now would I ask you in such an unromantic way?" He laughed back at me, giving me his crocked smile that I loved.
"No." I muttered and playfully pushed him away. I grabbed my massive bag of medication and got out of the car. I walked up the sidewalk and opened the door, Edward trailing behind me. I took off my wet shoes and made my way upstairs. I peeled my wet clothes off and crawled into bed wearing just my
underwear and bra.
"I want you and the twins to go on my insurance." Edward said, stripping out of his wet clothes also. I felt like we were a married couple. My husband comes home from a long day at the office, after the kids are asleep we crawl into bed and snuggle all night. Too bad that was never going to happen.
"Can we? I mean since you and I aren't married, is it allowed? I'd love to not have to pay 60 plus bucks on prescriptions, or not have to pay a 20 dollar co-pay on every doctor visit."
"I'll see what I can do. I'm sure it will be a ton of paper work, but it's not like I have anything better to do while you are sleeping. That is, besides watching you sleep."
I blushed. I can't believe he was still doing that.
"Do you think we can still get the twins tonight?" I asked, trying to not sound too hopeful. I knew his answer before the words even left his mouth.
"I don't think so love, you are still contagious. If you're feeling better tomorrow, we can pick them up. Want me to call Jacob and see if he will switch nights with you? Perhaps he can get them tonight we can get them tomorrow?"
I nodded my head 'yes' popped two Benadryl and closed my eyes. I felt the bed shift as Edward reached for the phone. The conversation with Jacob was short, even though I couldn't hear what was said. I heard Edward sigh and lay back down in the bed.
"He said it was fine. He hopes you feel better." Edward said, reaching for the box of Benadryl. "These are supposed to make you drowsy. How about you sleep and I'll wake you up for dinner." He said, before I drifted off.
I woke up in the middle of the night with the worse pain in my stomach, side and back. I looked over at the night stand and noticed the alarm clock read 2:45 am. I groaned and rolled over to feel Edward's side cold and empty.
I swung my legs off the edge, but doubled over in pain instead. "Edward?" I whispered, knowing if he was in the house that he'd hear.
He came running into the room at vampire speed. "Are you ok? I'm sorry I was downstairs reviewing a case. I didn't want to turn the lights on and disturb you." He sat down on the bed next to me, rubbing small circles on my back.
"Thank you," I managed to get out before I was darting for the bathroom. I started throwing up and couldn't stop until my stomach was clenching, trying to produce something to heave up.
"I'm happy we didn't get the kids tonight. This is a really bad bug," I muttered into the toilet. I pushed to my feet and walked over to the sink. I splashed some cold water onto my face and refreshed my teeth.
"Do you want anything, love?" Edward asked, walking into the bathroom.
"Just the waste basket next to the bed. Stay with me too, please," I begged.
"Always, Isabella," he said and kissed me on the forehead.
"I think you have a fever." he said, a frown pulling at his lips.
He pulled me into bed and cradled me into his arms, his cold body attempting
to lower my fever.
"I want this stupid cold to go away so I can get Eli and Masen tomorrow. I miss having them around." I murmured into Edward's shoulder.
"I miss having them around too." He replied. I could hear the smile in his voice.
I was about to make a comment about him being a good father, when another wave of pain hit me. I pulled away from Edward's embrace, and stuck my head over the bed relieving myself in the waste basket. It's going to be a long night.
A/N: Ok first off Bella isn't pregnant! I just got over the same thing I just wrote about (being sick, stomach/back/side pains) so I thought I'd write about it. Plus I always thought it was funny that Edward was a doctor now, so Bella won't have to be having so many trips to the hospital. Secondly, sorry it took so long for me to post a new chapter, my anniversary was this week and I was sick (again). I'm on spring break starting yesterday so I'm sure I'll be updating more frequently. Oh and I will be adding at least one new chapter to Miserable at Best (If you haven't read it yet check it out.) Lastly, I got a couple dozen PMs saying that people weren't able to comment on the last chapter, I think it was because I deleted a AN I wrote back in December, so techinically everyone was trying to write a comment on ch. 21 twice. So I better get some long love in this chapter. Jkjk. Thank you guys, much love.
-BB