Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. I own the plot.
A major thanks to my ever faithful Beta Dazzled eyes22. I need to look up new ways to say thank you.
AN:
Big applause and thanks to the people who added me to your alerts and commented.
I hope you like what is coming next.
oooooOOOOooooo
Chapter 27
The bathroom stank. I seriously considered plugging my nose, but I figured that was just cruel to the sick little girl that I was trying to change out of yet another set of clothes that she had vomited all over. Poor thing.
"I changed the towels on the sofa again," Alice said when she poked her head through the door. Once more, Elizabeth had thrown up all over the couch. Good thing that my mommy instincts had kicked in and I covered the thing with towels.
"Thanks, Alice. You really didn't have to do that," I murmured. I washed my hands and dried them, before I ran my hands over my face.
"Bella, your boyfriend is on TV," Jasper called from the living room. I closed my eyes for a brief moment. Edward's fame…
"I don't care, Jasper," I yelled back. "Call me when he's here," I muttered to myself. I have to say that I never missed Edward as much as I did now. Elizabeth had caught a stomach bug and was throwing up constantly. She was just downright miserable and I was exhausted. I'd stayed up all night and then tried going to work for a few hours until Angela could take over. Emmett was kind enough to watch her for me. I was grateful for his help. So when Edward would arrive home, it would be a relief.
"We don't have to go, Bella. We can stay home," Alice offered sweetly.
"Absolutely not," I refused. "Go out, have fun. What are you doing anyway?" I faked interest. I was just too tired to really get into it.
"To a movie and then out for a drink. It might be late." She shrugged, like she needed to apologize.
"Have fun." I turned away to avoid her probing eyes. I didn't want to be a stick in the wheel for their night out. I was happy that Jasper was finally brave enough to leave the apartment for social purposes. Alice left while I put a clean set of clothes on Elizabeth. "Come on, sweetie. Back to the couch."
"Mama," she babbled and leaned her head tiredly on my shoulder.
I plopped down next to Jasper, who was all done up to go out. She looked pretty and healthy.
"Can you change the channel please?" I asked, when I noticed she was watching the awards show. It made me uncomfortable. I had a hard time grasping this whole public persona that Edward had opposed to the Edward that was my boyfriend and Elizabeth's father. Today was not the day to deal with that fact, I preferred to naively live in my own bubble, happily ignoring that side of his life would catch up to us sooner or later. On the flickering screen, I caught a glimpse of Edward discretely checking his watch. To me, it was clear that his mind was somewhere else than on the show. With a few minutes of rest, the girl in my arms started crying again.
All the bones in my body were aching from exhaustion as I started pacing again. I had started to feel slightly nauseated from the pregnancy, but more predominantly now, I was dead on my feet from the moment that I opened my eyes until I closed them at night. The fatigue had come out of nowhere three days ago. I didn't remember it being this bad the last time that I was pregnant. Besides my own discomfort, Elizabeth being so sick was making me feel horrible. There wasn't much to be done for her other than pace up and down the floors with her in my arms, singing or talking to her trying to calm her down. She was crying constantly.
"Jasper, come on baby. I'm ready to go." Alice called from the hall.
"Call, if you need us to come home." Jasper offered, but wisely didn't come closer to us.
"Thanks." I smiled appreciatively. "I'm sure that Edward will be here soon."
The door in the hall slammed. "Speaking of the devil." Jasper sang as she stood up.
"Hey, handsome," Alice chirped from behind the couch when Edward was at the door. "Welcome to barf central."
"Hi, Alice. Jasper," Edward said and made a beeline straight for me. He peeled Elizabeth from me, while giving me a quick kiss. "How's my girl?" He cooed and stroked her back. She whined, mumbling dada weakly.
"Sick as a dog." I sighed.
"How are you holding up? I got here as soon as I could," he murmured, while studying my face with those striking and sympathetic eyes.
I didn't answer, just let out a slow telling breath.
"We're out," Jasper called and the door closed behind them.
I stared at him, while muddling through the fog in my mind. "Weren't you supposed to be at the show?" I glanced at the TV that Jasper had left on a news channel.
"It finished filming about an hour ago. I skipped the after party. I had better places to be," he said softly, as he took in Elizabeth's ashen face. His gaze shifted to me. "You go to bed. I got her."
"I'm fine."
Edward cocked a brow at me.
"Okay, maybe not fine, but I'll manage."
"No, you won't. Bed." He ordered softly. "I'll take care of this baby and you take care of the one inside you. Sorry to say, but you look a mess and you should get some sleep."
"Edward." I sighed and smiled. He was so bossy.
"Bed," he whispered sweetly. He kicked off his shoes and shrugged out of his suit jacket, while Elizabeth was fisting her fingers into his hair laying her head on his shoulder.
I did what I was told and for a few minutes I listened to his soothing voice as he sang to her in the living room. It was late in the evening. I closed my eyes when my stomach started churning and I knew that I needed something to eat to settle it. However, I ignored it and let myself drift into unconsciousness. I woke about three hours later feeling like my stomach was turned inside out. I really should have eaten. Having morning sickness and being hungry was like a crime and punishment came instantly. It made the queasiness unbearable.
I tiptoed through the dimly lit living room, noticing that Edward was slumped down on the couch. His head had fallen back awkwardly and to the side, while his mouth was slack. He was sleeping. I gazed down at Elizabeth's unusual pale face and her chalky lips as she was resting in his arms. She was finally sleeping. However, there seemed to be no improvement with her. The coffee table was littered with wipes, half chewed crackers, and several pink sippy cups filled with juice, water or milk. He had been trying to get some fluids into her.
I scoured the kitchen for some fruits and bread and ate while standing at the counter. I finished off with a Popsicle needing something cold to ease the nausea that made the room spin before going back to Edward.
I gently grazed his shoulder and he woke with a startle. He drew a sharp breath. "You shouldn't sleep like that. You'll throw your neck out," I whispered, trying not to wake Elizabeth. "I can take over now."
He rubbed his face with one hand, while groaning lightly. He checked his watch. "That's okay. Get some more sleep, baby." He slumped down on the couch with Elizabeth still clutched in his arms. He closed his eyes.
I turned out the light and ventured back to my room.
I was woken up not long after when Edward switched the light on and placed Elizabeth on the bed. She was crying again. I was instantly blinded by the harsh light and tried to shield my eyes. "Can you take her? I need a shower," he said, as I rubbed my eyes trying to get rid of the grogginess. I took him in and saw that Elizabeth had vomited all over his shirt and down his pants. He was covered in goo from his chest down. Oh no. Welcome to parenthood. I scrambled in bed, while picking her up and trying to settle her again. I changed her clothes while Edward showered.
The night continued in the same manner with one of us walking her, so she would feel a little better. By noon the next day, she finally seemed to improve and was asking for crackers. Well, not really asking as much as whining. The vomiting had finally stopped. Edward and I were both out cold on the bed with our faces burrowed into the pillows. One little creature had literally taken down two grown-ups and left us feeling like the dead.
Alice took over watching Elizabeth for a few hours, so we could get some much needed sleep. She was adamant that she wouldn't catch anything. I had more or less been awake for sixty hours with just a few short naps. Edward wanted me to sleep more and take better care of myself, but I just couldn't when my girl was feeling so sick. Unfortunately by nightfall, Edward had been in the bathroom for hours.
I kept stroking Elizabeth's hair when she was resting in my arms. She was doing far better, but she still pretty bombed from the retching stomach bug. Her energy was drained from her body. For probably the tenth time, Edward's phone went off in my room. It irritated me and I couldn't ignore it any longer. I let the baby rest beside me on the couch and ventured to find Edward.
In the bathroom, he was literally hugging the toilet looking like hell. Sprawled long and lean on the floor in his pajama bottoms and shirt, he looked kind of frail. His normal flawless and pale skin was damp, covered with a sheen of sweat. His eyes were dull and his complexion a startling and indecisive gray. He groaned and hugged his stomach.
"Your phone keeps ringing," I said gently and crouched down beside him. He refused to leave the bathroom and sleep in our bed. He didn't want to give me the stomach bug too. I tried to explain that there wasn't much to be done because I had already been exposed to it, but he wouldn't listen.
"I don't want to talk to anyone." His voice was rough and gritty. Edward's face distorted as he pulled himself up and vomited once more. He was too distressed to even care that I was watching. I smiled mildly. This was like how we first met. However, I was the one puking my guts out. Quickly, I rinsed a washcloth under the cold spray at the sink, before I wiped his forehead. He looked utterly exhausted and let out quiet a moan, while slumping back onto the floor. I placed a glass of water in front of him to rinse his mouth out then I flushed the toilet. The harsh smell was making my own queasiness worse. However, my uneasiness wasn't the stomach flu.
"Mind if answer it?"
"Do whatever. I don't give a shit." I knew that he didn't mean to sound so cold, but looking at his waxy face that looked like it needed to be scraped from the floor with a spatula, I understood him.
"I'll handle it."
"Thanks," he barely murmured and closed his eyes.
I felt so sorry for him. He had been awesome with Elizabeth, helping out with everything and now he was being punished for it. It didn't feel fair, but I guessed it was the hazards of having sick kids. The shit was contagious.
I sank my teeth into the apple hoping to settle my stomach. The nausea was increasing with each passing day.
"You look like you've been through the wringer," Jasper said and wisely kept a wise distance from me.
"Yeah," I murmured.
"Edward's got it bad, huh?" Alice stated more than asked. "A lot worse than you. You're still standing opposed to him. He's seriously the color of a frog." He'd been forced to leave the bathroom for ten minutes, so they could finish for bed.
"Guess that I got lucky," I lied and faked a smile. I didn't let her know that the stomach bug wasn't ailing me, instead this was just your average round of morning sickness. The classic music of Edward's phone's ringtone sounded again. I escaped to my room to answer it.
I flipped the phone open and a male voice basically barked at me before I could say a word. "Edward, where the hell are you? You were supposed to be here two hours ago."
"Uh…"
"Edward?" The man said more gently now.
"Excuse me, but who is this?" I asked carefully.
"Jenks."
I drew a sigh of relief. I knew that Edward trusted this man. "This is Bella." I paused hoping for some sort of recognition.
"Miss Swan. It's nice to meet you, so to speak. I heard a lot about you." His voice wasn't as brisk anymore. "Can I speak to Edward please?" He asked nicely, but straight to the point.
"Um, he is indisposed at the moment."
"Indisposed?" He asked confused.
"Yeah, he's feeling a little under the weather." Well, that was an understatement of the year. It looked more like he was ready take a large shot of dopamine and leave this world for a good few days. I couldn't blame him.
"He's sick?"
"Very."
"Hmm, Edward never gets sick."
"Well, he is now," I countered snidely. I quickly straightened my tone. "Where was he supposed to be?"
"At a movie premiere plus doing some interviews."
"Oh." Since I was exhausted, that was about all I could conjure up. "Well, if he has any other arrangements for the next few days, I think you should cancel them. He's pretty out of it."
Jenks laughed, sounding all throaty like a chain smoker. "Edward's never taken a sick day in his life."
"He has now."
"I see. How long do you think he needs?"
"At least a few days."
"I'll clear his schedule."
"Thank you, Mr. Jenks." I mouthed and took another bite of the apple.
"You're welcome, Ms. Swan. By the way, I have some papers for you to sign when you get the chance." I nodded, knowing full well that he couldn't see that over the phone. "I'm looking forward to meeting you in person," he said kindly.
"Me too." I answered and hung up, before I went back to check on Edward again.
The next three days, we mainly spent in bed… sleeping. No one had energy for anything remotely active. Besides the fact, we had a doctor's appointment.
oooooOOOOooooo
"You sure that ice cream is big enough for you there?" I asked innocently. Emmett made a point to shove an entire scoop of vanilla into his mouth. Since Emmett had been signed with the Jets, he had been so lavish and had taken Elizabeth and me out for ice cream – Twice. He was such a gentleman, but it was strangely the only times that we had seen him. Usually he was not shy to crowd our apartment and empty the fridge, but lately, he hadn't. It was strange.
"We could loop around because I expect this will only be the first serving." He grinned at me. Then he winced from what I expected was a major ice cream headache.
"Slow down, Emmett," I snickered, looking at his face that contorted with sudden agony. I bent down while digging my spoon into my favorite flavor, strawberry, and held a mouthful out to Elizabeth. Her already sticky mouth opened and then she swallowed delightfully, smacking her lips loudly. She reached her hands out whining and I served another spoonful to her. She was back to her usual demanding and cute self.
"So how is Edward treating you?" Emmett asked when I stood up. I narrowed my eyes at him for a moment, waiting for the joke. It didn't come.
"He's very good to me. Why?" Edward was everything that I dreamed of all those months that we were apart. He was attentive, kind and loving. Sure, our last patch of time together was interrupted by the stomach flu and hardly romantic. Edward had still been groggy and pale faced when he left this time, but everything was good and neither one of us would let the separation get to us. That was probably because we both felt reassured that all was good.
Emmett nodded a few times. "Just making sure, but I'm glad to hear that. I like the bastard, but if he harms a hair on that innocent little head of yours or Elizabeth's, he'll be eating through a straw."
"Oh, Emmett. Tell me what you really think." I snickered. He just shrugged, looking all butch and pumped up on testosterone. Emmett was the brother that I never had. Deep down in my stomach, I knew that he would walk through fire for Alice and us the same way that he would for Jasper.
"So how long is he gone for this time?"
"A few weeks, I suspect," I mouthed, as a dollop of icy and sweet strawberries melted in my mouth. Ice cream seriously helped with the nausea.
"Let me know if you need a date or something, if you get bored." Emmett offered generously.
"Thanks," I mumbled knowing that wouldn't be necessary, because every spare moment that I had, I spent sleeping. The second that Elizabeth closed her eyes at night, I did the same. "If you get bored, you could take out Alice and Jasper." I shrugged, while trying to change the subject because after 7 AM, I wasn't going anywhere, but to bed.
"Uh, yeah about that. If I didn't know my sister so well and that no guy in the world or could ever ring her bell, I would've thought Edward was trying to buy his way into a threesome with those two," Emmett laughed.
"You're disgusting!" I spat, before I glared at him. "What do you mean, 'buy his way'?"
"The wedding present. He really dropped a dime on that one."
It suddenly boiled inside of me with irritation. Jasper and Alice still refused to tell me where Edward was sending them. I just didn't see why they wouldn't. They were still such traitors. "You know about that?" I blurted.
"Sure I do. The girls told me." His eyes widened with mock surprise. "You don't?"
I growled under my breath. He knew that I didn't know.
"Oh Bells, you're so testy these days. Such a feisty little kitten. What the hell happened to the sweet and soft Bella?"
She got freaking pregnant! A little monster inside my head screamed. Pregnancy hormones were already making my mood unpredictable and gave me a tendency to snap at people, basically leaving me in a perpetual state of PMS. "I'm still the same," I answered, trying to sound soft and hide the fact that I was lying through my teeth. I fisted my hand around the spoon, so I wouldn't put my hand to my stomach. I felt so bloated and my jeans were feeling like a straightjacket, but there was nothing to see yet.
"Hmm, no." Emmett grinned. "I advise you to take some Midol or perhaps Xanax. That vein in your forehead looks like it is about to pop."
I growled some more, before loading Elizabeth's mouth with ice cream to stop her from flailing around in the stroller wanting more. I pushed my irritation back, knowing I was being completely irate. "So you think Edward's okay?" I asked, though I didn't exactly need his approval. I was dying to know what Emmett thought and how they were getting along. They were both such important people to me.
"Yeah, he's cool. A bit too pretty for my tastes, but generally kind of awesome."
"So how was it going to that benefit with him?"
"It was fun, but talk about a crowd that knows ass kissing by instinct. Seriously Bella, you would think that he was some kind of price bull with spunk made of gold the way those people treated him. People were like bees to honey and the chicks... I have to say, that boy has some charms. I am telling you..."
"I'd rather you didn't, Emmett," I answered somberly, stopping his tirade. I was hardly unaware that Edward and I lived in different worlds, perhaps not even the same planet.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to make you worry. I promise you that he was nothing more than icily polite to all of them. Forget that I even said anything."
"Forgotten." I mumbled, lying. "So you met Rosalie?"
"Sure did," he answered suddenly all excited, but quickly masked his smile chewing off a lump of the cone. What was that look on his face?
"What's she like?"
Emmett cocked a brow at me. "Are you snooping?"
"Desperately."
"She's cool too." All of a sudden Emmett seemed too nonchalant, too indifferent, too… strange. Something was off with him.
"Edward's type?" I prodded, hoping to hide the blush the crept into my cheeks. I was just desperate to know what Emmett's point of view was about her. That may be skewed, but maybe Emmett could reveal the secret that was Rosalie Hale for me and help me get over this jealousy that I felt towards her.
"Strangely, no. Sure, they were polite to each other and smiling for the cameras, but nothing more than that. I can actually see why he never got his rocks off with her." I closed my eyes and sighed. Emmett probably wasn't the right person to go to after all. I suddenly stared at him stunned.
"How did you know that?"
"Know what?" Emmett wouldn't even look at me when he answered.
"About Edward and Rosalie. Oh, God! Please don't tell me that you talked to Edward about… that." My face got hot and I was mortified. How embarrassing was this? Somehow, it was so Emmett for him to know about everybody else's sex life. It was like he was a magnet for it.
"Uhm, Rose told me," he murmured.
I raised my brows at him. Why on earth would she tell him something like that? "Rose? So, now it's Rose?" She was mingling her way into my life from that angle now too? Now, she was more than just Edward's ex? She was buttering up Emmett too? I was starting to hate that little monster in my head and her snarky and envious attitude.
"Oh, you jealous little minx." He grinned loudly. I groaned defeated. "Look, Bella. Rose is… uhm, a good person. I get her. So what if Edward never laid his grubby hands on her… unless, you wanted to have a threesome?" I was about to throw my ice cream at him in frustration and fury. What the hell was with him and threesome's? "I just stuck my foot in my mouth, didn't I?" He asked. I nodded relieved. Maybe, there was hope for him to see this entire absurd conversation from my perspective. "Sorry, but you know me. I say shit, but I don't do it to be mean."
"I know. That's how we put up with you." I shrugged.
"Put up with me? I'm offended." He pouted. His insulted face was faux as his eyes glinted with humor.
I chose to leave the subject alone because I feared my monster and me wouldn't be able to take more information about Rosalie Hale in a calm and composed demeanor. "Does it bother you that Edward is… uhm, well know?" I couldn't even bring myself to say famous. It sounded so… phony. Weird. Emmett laughed loudly and dug into his melting ice cream.
"Uhm, well, when I first learned that his mug was on a poster in all teenage rooms and young girls apparently had wet dreams about him, I had no clue who he actually was, so I googled him. The fact is that it doesn't make any difference to me that he may be Mr. Hot Right Now, because he has always just been Elizabeth's dad to me. That's how I got to know him, so that is what he is to me. However, after going to that 'flash my cash' show, I kind of understand your trepidation about the fame thing."
"Good to know. Thanks, Emmett." I was glad that we saw eye to eye on that detail. I feared that very public side of his more than giving birth again. I was glad that we lived in oblivion.
"Don't mention it, Bells." He hooked his arm around me and gave me a slight squeeze. That brotherly warm gesture was exactly what I needed. My monster stayed quiet.
oooooOOOOooooo
I didn't open my eyes to answer the phone. Blindly, I tapped the nightstand for it. I'd slept all night, but it still felt like I could and should be unconscious for days to come. "Hello," I grumbled.
"Sorry, baby, did I wake you?" Edward's voice was soft and warm.
"Yeah." My face was still deeply burrowed into the pillow, like it had been glued to the sheets.
"You want me to call back later?"
Reluctantly, I pulled back one eyelid leaving a tiny slit open, so I could see my alarm clock. Oh no. "That's okay. I have to get up now anyway."
"How are you feeling?"
"Like I'm pregnant," I snarled sardonically. Oh, there was that little monster again with her snotty attitude and apparently my lips were her mouthpiece. She was never far away.
"Bella…" Edward's voice was a soft whisper.
"Sorry. I'm just really tired and feeling sick to my stomach."
"I know, baby. It'll get better soon." He said kindly. I grated my nerves and grinded my gears. First of all, he didn't know that for sure. Second of all, he was not the one contemplating if a trip to the bathroom would alleviate this dark cloud of nausea. I groaned.
"I hope so," I mouthed, peeling my face from the pillow and sat up. "How are you doing?" I asked and battled a chunk of tangled hair. I had gone to bed last night not bothering to blow dry or comb it out because all I wanted was to sleep. I was paying for that now.
"Same old. Bored stiff. Missing my girls. It's getting a little repetitive doing the same shit every day. I think that I'm about to throw a fit the next time that I hear 'yes of course, Mr. Cullen'," Edward mimicked.
I laughed. "When you come home, I'll make a point of bitching at you over asinine stuff all the time. I'll make you feel all warm and fuzzy. I am telling you that I don't even have to try." I rolled my eyes.
"Hormones?" I could sense his smile. I imagined his beautiful face.
"Yep." I muttered dryly. "Big time."
"Anything that I can do to make it better?"
"I can think of something…" I mouthed playfully, while trying to sound seductive. I failed horribly.
"Yeah, me too." His voice was suddenly all sultry and sweet and making heat flare in my stomach. We hadn't really had a chance to be intimate since the wedding. I missed it. Perhaps, getting laid would actually be able to quench some of the wrenching nausea.
"I'll hold you to it." I yawned, probably killing the mood.
Edward laughed really heartfelt. "Go take a shower, Bella. That might wake you up. I'll call you tonight after dinner."
"Thanks." I paused. "This separation thing is getting easier."
"Mmm, I think so too. But it won't be for much longer. When I come home next time, you get to boss me around for at least a few weeks."
I smiled hugely. "I love the sound of that and I love you."
"Me too." His voice was sincere and warm. It was an unbelievably nice way to start my day. I could get used to his.
I dragged myself out of bed and managed to get to the shower without falling asleep. I took Elizabeth with me to work. I was hoping that I got a chance to be productive. The day was unusually slow. I had a strange premonition that something bad was hanging over my head, like the calm before a storm hit.
Angela and her kind smile arrived at two o'clock, but her eyes were sad. "You okay?" I asked.
She shrugged sadly. "My boyfriend lost his job. Ben was really hoping for an internship with that paper, but instead they fired him."
"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that." I pulled the trash bag out and knotted it.
"We'll bounce back. We always do," she said sweetly. I always loved her positive outlook on a bad situation. "So I was hoping that you might be able to give me some more hours."
"I'm not sure, Angela. I really wish that I could, but last month wasn't going so great. I'll think about it and have an answer for you by tomorrow. Okay?"
"Sure, Bella."
Angela threaded her long hair behind her ears and turned to the customer. Another Café Latte.
I put Elizabeth into the stroller and picked up the bag of trash to throw it in the dumpster on my way out.
The afternoon was a sunny, gentle and warm spring day. Turning the last corner to the apartment, I was chatting with Elizabeth aimlessly and listening to her babble that still made no sense. It was clear that she was learning to form words and getting familiar with the structure. She was getting so big so fast.
It hit me out of nowhere. Instantly, a heard of cameras with people pushing and screaming were surrounding us. It was like mayhem on coke and I was rendered helpless against their attack. It was the paparazzi and it was everything that I feared. Edward's world caught up to us.
oooooOOOOooooo
Thanks for reading.
Please remember to Read Prima Nocte. It is the tale of what happened at the benefit, played out from Emmett's POV. I hope you'll like a peak into his head.
Come find me on Twitter - thumannlegend
Please check out my original story on www thumannlegend blogspot com