23. Some Kind of Wonderful

EPOV

Bella continued to work and I continued to look for work. I refuse to be unemployed when our daughter is born. I doubled up my searching and lowered my standards, not too low but it helped. Thirty-four weeks in, I snagged a job at Lulu's Piano Bar battling pianos with four other people four hours a night, 7 days a week.

I wowed the owner with the one and only song I ever wrote, well, at least completed. She actually knew of the song and was more than willing to give me the spot. She even raised my weekly pay which only further sold me on the position. I was fucking relieved, like a weight was lifted off my shoulders and I could breathe again. I couldn't wait to get home and tell Bella.

Of course, she wasn't there. Tanya has her on this daily routine. She says Bella will thank her for it later and so will I. Bella is beautiful and will always be beautiful no matter what happens to her figure. I don't love her because her curves are mesmerizing or that every part of her body catches my attention. Not that those qualities aren't great, but I love Bella because of the wonderful creature that she is. Her loving nature and her sassy side drive me crazy.

So I sat on the couch, adrenaline pumping and heart pounding, and waited for her to return home. Keeping still was a very hard thing to accomplish. So much that I got up and walked around the kitchen a few times. I walked down the hall after I'd seen enough of the kitchen, and during my third pass back toward the bedrooms, my phone went off on the coffee table. I spun around so fast that my foot caught on the throw rug beneath me and slipped on the hardwood floor. I managed to keep my balance and rushed to the phone. It was Bella.

Hey, I'm going to grab something to eat. Do you want something?-B

I want you and nothing else.-E

Be serious Edward.-B

I am being very serious.-E

I'll be home in a few.-B

I sat my phone back down on the coffee table and continued my path down the hall and back. I was elated to be able to provide for my family again. Even though it isn't the greatest of jobs I am qualified to do, at least I'll be able to do something that I quite enjoy. I'd forgotten how much until I played for Mr. and Mrs. Webber just hours ago. I couldn't wait to share the news with Bella.

I heard the door open 10 minutes later and it didn't dawn on me that there was no way she could have made it here that fast no matter where she was getting food. I pushed myself up against the wall and listened to her footsteps as she came closer. When they were just where I needed them to be I lunged out at her through the darkness and took her into my arms. I realized instantly that the person in my arms was not my Bella and moved away quickly.

I flipped the hall light on and saw Tanya smiling. It wasn't a smile I'd seen before on her face but I had definitely seen it before. "I'm sorry, I thought you were Bella."

"Its okay, could have been anyone's mistake." She didn't look away from me and I couldn't look at her for long. A feeling like I was somehow betraying Bella by doing it—It felt too personal—washed over me. We stood there, in front of each other, for a moment; her looking at me and me looking anywhere but at her.

It was odd being in this situation. I've been here many times before but not with the feeling that I have now. "Edward," Tanya said in a heavy tone. It confused me and I looked down only to see her covertly lick her bottom lip.

I knew that all too well, "No Tanya," was all that came out.

"I won't say anything, it can be our secret." She moved closer to me and I backed away only to hit the wall behind me. I was stunned into a numb like state. Tanya is Bella's midwife, isn't there some unspoken law about this kind of thing. How can she be so deceitful? "I've wanted this since I first saw you in the hospital. I've spent so much time here because I had to see you. I needed to be…"

I interrupted her there, the situation was awkward as fuck and I didn't want to be a part of it anymore. "Tanya, I love Bella and unlike you, I would never and will never fucking hurt her. How can you be so conniving?" I asked her serious as a fucking heart attack.

"I can't help the way I feel, I have to try," she said solemnly and then the door creaked. My head snapped away from Tanya's creepy gaze and looked in the direction of the door. I saw Bella through the crack and her mouth was formed in a small O; which, honestly, didn't surprise me at all.

I couldn't speak, but I didn't have to. Bella pushed the door open, it hit the door jam and flew back toward her. She caught it with her hand before it hit her and she was livid. "Get the fuck out of my house," she said, "How could you?"

I wasn't sure if she was talking to me but I had to do something. "Bella, this is not what it looks like." I defended.

"I'm not talking to you Edward," she looked directly at Tanya. "How could you?" She asked again. "I trusted you…I trusted you with my child and you're trying to fuck her father. Get out," she yelled. I've never heard her yell before, even better, I've never seen her so pissed like this either.

Tanya dropped the bags she had in her hands and she walked toward the door that Bella was still holding in front of her.

"I'm sorry Bella. I never meant for anything like this to happen."

"No you're fucking not, you're a whore. Get out," she said once again and Tanya didn't argue. She left without looking back and Bella slammed the door the moment she was out of it. I wasn't sure if she was angry with me but I really hoped she wasn't. "Bella, I swear I didn't do anything. She came on to me and I told her I wasn't interested."

Her eyes were tear stained and she let out a light cry. Her head fell into her left hand and she braced herself with the right hand against the wall.

"Are you okay? Bella, are you okay?" I reached out to her and the moment we connected her knees buckled beneath her. I grabbed at her arm and she slid right between my fingers. She fell to the floor and gasped as she hit. "Fuck Bella."

I got down on her level and she had her arms cradling our baby, "Is she okay?" I asked laced with worry.

"I'm sorry Edward," she cried. "I didn't mean to," she continued. I helped her off the floor and carried her to the couch. The moment I sat her down she let out a high pitch scream that was not helpful in calming my worries.

"What is it? Tell me please," I begged her.

"Take me to the hospital now," she half screamed, bowed over, holding her belly.

BPOV

I never would have expected Tanya to do what she did. That's actually a lie, that is exactly what I expected her to do, but I didn't think she would actually do it. I grew to close to her over the months that she was a part of our lives. I even confided in her, things about Edward, personal things that probably only intensified her feelings. I was feeding her ammunition and I wasn't even aware I was doing it.

When I first saw them, Edward was standing in front of her looking down into her eyes. At first glance I thought I saw Edward about to kiss her. A weird, almost painful shock ran through me and that's when I heard Edward speak.

"No Tanya."

Instead of rushing through the door and assuming the worst, I stayed still and watched attentively. Tanya proceeded to tell Edward that she wouldn't say anything to me, that her sole plan was to steal him away from me. Her whole reason for doing all that she did for me was only to get closer to Edward.

"Unlike you, I would never and will never fucking hurt her. How can you be so conniving?" he growled at her.

My blood was boiling and the sound created a kind of impenetrable bubble around me. I trusted her. I trusted her with my feelings, my baby and I trusted that she wouldn't try to take the one of two things in my life that hold meaning. How could she do this? I felt so betrayed by someone I thought had become my friend.

Something snapped inside me, fury, rage I don't know but I went through the door with determination. I haven't screamed in a long time, probably since after the first time I saw Edward. When I got home from Tampa, I drove out to Tukwila to the dunes and let all of my frustrations and pain out into the air that stretched out before me. This screaming was a different thing all together.

After I slammed the door behind her I started to feel dizzy, the walls seemed to be spinning and I barely heard Edwards defense. I put my hand out and surprisingly found the wall. Bracing myself and trying to keep conscious I felt the light hum of his touch and I was out.

"Fuck Bella," I was on the floor. My arms wrapped protectively around my belly. Edward was persistent at my ear.

"I'm sorry," was all I could say. "I didn't mean to," I didn't mean to fall. I didn't mean to get so upset that I would black out and possibly injure our daughter. I didn't know about the pain until Edward sat me down on the couch.

It was intense, and throughout my entire abdomen. This scream was pain and fright, nothing more nothing less. Edward rushed me to the hospital and the nurses had me in a room in record time. The same wires and monitors I saw when I was here for Rose were placed around my belly. The same beeping rhythm was there and it accelerated alerting me of the coming pain. I felt for Rose even more now, this kind of pain is inhumane. The pain is something that can never be explained, it has to be felt first hand.

Edward called Rose and Alice, they were all on their way. I didn't want them to come and find out about my fall. I didn't want them to be here and witness my misery, the feeling that I might have done something terrible. Got so angry about Tanya and risked the life of our baby. I didn't say anything though, it was better to keep a positive look on things. I refuse to think anything other than she will be fine.

"So," the doctor came in with a clipboard, "you had a fall?" he asked.

"Yes, I blacked out."

"Did something trigger it? What brought it on?"

"I was mad, screaming actually, and once I started to calm down everything got fuzzy and I passed out," I explained.

"Stress," the doctor commented. "Okay, lets check your vitals." He hmmd and haaad and checked the monitors that were monitoring the baby. I wanted to know what they meant, I needed to know that she was okay.

"So everything looks good, the baby's heart beat is good, a little high but nothing to worry about. She seems to be relaxed." The beeping on the monitor started to come quicker and he walked back to it, holding up the paper that was spitting out the read.

Edward's hand wrapped around mine and he leaned in to me, just like we've practiced since twelve weeks. "Here it comes love, breath," he recited. His other hand was at my head, rubbing light circles in my hair. At the peak of the pain I was taking quick breaths and squeezing Edward's hand with all of my might. The force of my hand around his didn't seem to affect him at all, he just continued to breath with me, "Slow and steady," he breathed.

"Okay, it's going down," he informed me softly. My lips were trembling, my palms both sweaty. I didn't want drugs for this, but I was leaning closer and closer to it after each round of contractions.

"It looks like they're about three minutes apart. I need to check how far dilated you are, we might be there." The doctor did his thing and said I was dilated to eight. "Another half hour maybe less and I'll be back. There will be a nurse through in a few to see if there's anything you need. Nothing to eat, but you can have ice chips if you'd like that."

I nodded. Ice chips sounded divine.

He left the room with one last look at my monitor, and Edward smiled widely. "Wow, a half hour Bella," he said excitedly.

"Don't remind me," I breathed. Another half hour of this and I might not be able to do it. It was exhausting and painful and just overbearing.

The telephone next to my bed rang and Edward reached over to grab it. "Hello. Yeah send them in. Alice and Jasper are here." He informed me as he returned the phone to its receiver and a tear fell down my cheek. "What's wrong? Does it hurt?" he asked.

"Fuck yeah," I whined. "But not right now," only with the beeping.

There was a light knock on the door before it opened and a very pregnant Alice came waddling through it. "Of course you get to go early," she teased, "And I have to wait." She wrapped her arms around me at the same moment the beeping started.

I breathed my way through another contraction, and another and another. I asked Edward for drugs once and he asked me to try, and I did. When I finally decided I wasn't going to try anymore, the nurse informed me that I was too far to get it now. She gave me something to dull the pain, which it did but not enough to make a difference.

Rose and Emmett arrived and the doctor came in shortly after. "Let's take a look see," he said and look see he did. "Alright, you're at a ten," he informed us and that's when all the commotion started. Two very long, agonizing hours later, our baby was born and she was healthy. I got to hold her almost instantly and she fit so perfect into my arms; like the position was only there to accommodate her. I never wanted to let her go, but I had to when it came time for cleaning.

Edward took her with a new kind of grin etched on his face. It tugged at my heart and my breath hitched when I saw him touch the tip of his nose to hers. "Daddy loves you gorgeous," he cooed to her before he handed her off to the nurse.

Another nurse helped me clean up and forty-five minutes went by without my daughter in my sight. I was starting to hyperventilate. "What's taking them so long?" I asked, looking to Edward for the answer.

The nurse that was off in the corner restocking the cabinet replied, "They'll be bringing her back in a few; there's a lot to do when you come into the world."

As if on cue there was a knock on the door, and in rolled the heated bassinet. In the center, sleeping soundly was our daughter.

"She's been doing great. We had to poke her a few times and she fell asleep." The nurse positioned the bassinet at my bedside and instantly I reached in to lightly trace my finger over her rosy cheeks. "Congratulations," she said before she left the room.

The phone rang and Edward answered it. I didn't hear a word he said because all of my attention was on our baby snoring soundly beside me. The light skin was all me, but the bronze, thick, wild hair was all Edward. Her uneven lips were me, and the crooked smile I could make out when she moved in her sleep was a hundred percent her fathers.

"Bella," Edward broke my concentration. "That was Jasper, Alice's water broke and they're on their way here," he said improbably. I was speechless; lost in the moment; lost in Edwards stare and the feel of the little hand wrapped around my pinky finger.

EPOV

Had the scare of my life over six hours ago. Now, two-thirty in the morning, holding my daughter in my arms is so surreal. I could see Bella in her chocolate eyes and me in her wild hair. She moved her little body lethargically every time I or Bella spoke. Everyone left shortly after she was born—none of the grandparents had made their appearances by this point—with promises to return later in the day.

I had to hand our daughter to one of the nurses who took her to give her immunizations and a bath. Another nurse took Bella into the bathroom to clean her up as well, leaving me sitting by myself. I laid down on the couch provided for overnight guests and closed my eyes. I wanted to sleep, at least a quick snooze before Bella and our daughter returned. I needed it so I could function. I didn't intend to miss any part of our daughters first day in the world. But my mind wasn't going to stop, it continued to spin and contort everything because of my sleep deprivation.

Bella came out and shuffled her way to the bed with the help of a nurse and I went to her side. Once the nurse was gone I laid next to her on the single bed.

"So, what should we name her?" she asked after a few minutes of silence went by. I was so close to unconsciousness that I almost didn't answer her.

"Do you have anything in mind?" I answered groggily. My brain wasn't working properly.

"I don't know, I was playing around with Renee and Esme. I thought we could try and combine the two." That sparked my interest.

"Have you come up with anything?"

"I don't know. It sounds a little funny, but maybe it could be a middle name," she avoided telling me.

"What about Elizabeth that was my mother's name?"

"Ahh, Emilee Elizabeth," I wasn't expecting the expression on her face, but there it was. "It's beautiful." She tested the two together a few times, "What about her last name? Yours or mine?" she asked.

This I had thought about. This I was sure I wanted. I wanted Bella to be my wife, to share my last name. The last name that I adopted myself and could never be more proud of. Bella is definitely the one for life, the one I will fight to keep and hold onto forever. I will never make the mistake of leaving her side again. That I was also very sure of.

"Well, I was hoping for us to all share the same last name, but if you have something else in mind I'm all ears." I told her but held my breath for her response. I'd never said any of this out loud, this is the first.

"How so?" she pushed.

Of course she would make me say it out loud, "Someday I hope to make you my wife Bella, and I hope you'll adopt my name like I did." I never intended to talk about it until I asked her the question.

She smiled a smile I have only seen twice. I know this because I, of all people, pay close attention to the dynamics of Bella. I notice every subtle change and every move she makes. Not so much in a stalker way like it sounds, but more of an adoring healthy obsession.

"You do?" she said with tears in her eyes. "You want me forever?" she questioned. "Forever, as in, I'm it. No one else for the rest of your life?" she rambled on.

"I don't want anyone else but you Bella, I just wish that you would believe me," I pleaded softly.

"I believe you," her hand wound around mine and she let out a ragged breath. "I believe you."

Alice was brought in due to her water breaking and Bella, Emilee and I went to her room the moment we were notified. She looked just like Bella did just hours prior. "You know, if Alice has her baby in 16 hours they'll have the same birthday," Bella informed me as I pushed her and our daughter down the hall in a wheelchair. "I hope she does."

Bella never looked up from our beautiful baby but who could blame her, I wanted to look too.

We found the room and entered with a knock. I wheeled Bella in, all the way up to Alice's bedside. Charlie and Renee entered the room just after we did. "Ohh," Renee cooed as she took in her two daughters in hospital gowns. She hugged a withering Alice and then ran around the bed until she was next to Bella. "Hey," she said before she looked up at me. "Come here," she held her arms out toward me and I returned it with a quick tight hug. Her attention was turned back to Bella and she begged to hold her new-first granddaughter.

Bella handed her over and Renee rocked and cooed in Emilee's face. Lucky for her, she was sleeping. She didn't have to suffer through all the greetings. Charlie talked to Alice in a reassuring tone until he looked up and saw Renee cradling our daughter in her arms.

"Oh, now is that my granddaughter," he asked looking at me for the answer.

"Sure is, Emilee Elizabeth," I informed him.

"Emilee huh," he made way around the bed until he was looking at her over Renee's shoulder. "Wow, shes' beautiful," he commented. "Has your eyes Bells."

"And Edwards hair," she told him.

Charlie looked up at me with only his eyes then back down at Emilee, who was still sleeping soundly. "She sure does, that mop could only come from Edward." He smiled a cheeky smile and forced his pointer finger into Emilee's little closed fist.

Rose came in suddenly and appeared at Alice's side. "How far are they apart?" she asked.

"About four minutes," Alice replied lethargically.

"Okay, hold on just a little longer. Em is at the airport with Ethan picking up Carlisle and Esme. They shouldn't be but 30 minutes tops," she told her.

"I can't exactly control this," Alice snapped back. "If I could it would be over by now." She took a deep breath and started the breath, breath, breath exhale routine. Jasper came in with a large cup filled to the brim with ice chips.

"Here Ali," he put a wet washcloth on her forehead and put a few ice chips in her mouth. Alice kept her eyes closed and sucked on the ice while she squirmed through another contraction.

Twenty minutes later Esme came thrashing through the door with Carlisle, Emmett and Ethan right behind her. She saw Emilee first thing. "Is this her?" she asked looking at me then down at Bella sitting in the wheelchair.

"Yeah, this is your granddaughter, Emilee Elizabeth," I held her out to her and she took her in her motherly embrace.

"Emilee Elizabeth," she looked up at me with a smile, "Your mother's name. It's beautiful." Then she returned her gaze to Emilee who was sound asleep in her arms. The monitor went on the fritz and everyone looked up at it. Esme handed Emilee back to me. "We'll have time to get to know each other later," she cooed to her and rubbed her nose along her cheek causing Emilee to smile in response. Esme got a kick out of that, then she rushed to Alice's side along with Rose, Renee, Jasper and Charlie. Carlisle came to my side.

"Can I get a look at her?" he asked.

"Of course, she is your granddaughter," I pointed out the obvious.

Carlisle accepted her into his stiff arms and held her with delectation. 12 hours later Alice and Jasper were blessed with a beautiful, healthy baby boy. His eyes were already that emerald green that mirrored his mothers and he had Jaspers wicked grin. Bailey was born 15 minutes to midnight, same day as his cousin Emilee.

Alright, so not quiet at frequent updated as I'd initially hoped. I'm dying to know what you thought about Tanya....wtf was she thinking? Did she really think she could get through Bella so easily? I think not. Edward knows what it's like to live without Bella. And Bella stood up for her man...go Bella. She too knows what it's like to live without Edward...not a pretty sight for either of them. It's going to take a lot more than Tanya to get between these two. Though this is the bad I was refering to, the really good is to come....and there is a little twist in the plot but that will signify the coming end to this story....so I'm going to drag it on as long as I can manage and as long as you want to put up with haha...

Thank you all for your comments, I've been having a wonderful time reading them and hearing your thoughts on certain things. Thank you to my wonderful Beta...Scrimmy...you are amazing as always...Moving is just about complete so hopefully I can get a move on with the chapters...school starts back up on the 5th and I have classes everyday from 8am till 5:30pm...ugh...not looking forward to that. So as much as I can get done the better.

Please leave me sum luv...lil' button just below

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