Chapter 27: The Unexpected
Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight
Okay, so things were back in order—sort of. Jacob was crazy about his little one, school was goin' great, and their love life was back on track. That was the good part. The bad part was they still didn't have a place of their own, Bella had to sit out another semester, and she felt like she actually saw less of Jacob now than before they were living together, for Pete's sake. Then she was worried about her sweetheart, he was putting in so many hours outside the home that he had to be exhausted. Bless his heart, the boy never once complained. His smile was a constant, despite the weight of his crushing responsibilities.
He came home from work one day, late as usual. After sneaking up behind her and kissing the back of her neck, he sat down to a reheated meal. Bella shoed him away when he offered to help wash up the dishes. "Go sit down, Jake. I've got it."
"You sure?" he asked, as his arms traveled around her waist.
Bella turned her head to look at him. "Yes, I'm sure, now go take your shoes off and relax."
He slid one hand down her arm as she soaped up a dish. "Let me go see that baby of mine first."
She slapped at his hand. "Don't you dare wake Liam up. I just got him to sleep right before you came home."
"Jeez, I'm just gonna take a peek at him. I haven't seen him all day."
He silently crept up the stairs to their room, and watched lovingly as his little boy's chest rose and fell, his eyelids moving rapidly in his sleep. Jacob's heart swelled once more at the sight—his baby—it was like a dream. He had to pinch himself every time he looked at Liam, to convince himself that this was real. He stared at the tiny miracle for a few minutes then headed down the steps again.
Entering the kitchen, he inquired, "Hey, I didn't see the cruiser outside. Where's Charlie?"
Bella reached up to put a cup in one of the upper cabinets. "He's with Sue. I think they're really getting serious." Jacob lifted her by the waist so she could reach it easier, then set her back on her feet.
Her head swung around in his direction. "Will you go sit down, please?"
Pouting lips met her gaze. "Wait, wait, wait, how 'bout a kiss first?"
Spinning her around, he took her face in his hands, and captured her lips quickly. "Now, I'll go sit down."
He was being awfully quiet in the other room. Bella stopped prepping food for a BBQ on the following day, and getting inquisitive, she sauntered up to the couch where he was parked, sound asleep. Jacob always looked so young and vulnerable while he was sleeping. It was such a sweet picture.
She knelt down and removed one of his shoes. His body stirred slightly, and a light moan escaped his lips. Two deep brown eyes slid open slowly as she slipped off the other one.
"Crap, I didn't mean to fall asleep," he groaned.
Bella tugged on his hands attempting to move off of the couch and up to the bedroom. "C'mon, sleepyhead. You need to get upstairs and into bed."
"No, I'm okay. I'll wait for you to finish in the kitchen."
Her hands found their way to her hips of their own accord. All of the deep seated concerns came tumbling off her tongue. "You're not okay! I'm worried about you Jake. You're running yourself into the ground. Maybe you should withdraw from some of your classes."
Pulling her down onto the couch beside him, he took her hand and spouted, "I can't give up now. By the end of this semester, we'll be in the same grade. Don't work yourself up into a tizzy. I'm not gonna get sick or anything—wolf genes, remember? I'll be just fine."
"Says the man who's so tired he fell asleep in less than two minutes. Jacob Black, you've gotta be worn out. Now get in bed, I'll be there a little later."
His puppy dog eyes were doin' their thing on her. "Okay, but … can't you come with me. I don't want to be in that bed all by myself."
Her eyes rolled in her head. "What's the matter big boy? You afraid of the dark?"
"No, I'm afraid of being alone—in bed—in the dark." Jacob wiggled his eyebrows. "Besides, aren't you up for a little horizontal tango, with a little cha cha cha thrown in?"
She kissed his forehead, his eyelids, and ruffled her fingers gently through his hair. He sighed in contentment. "You can't even keep your eyes open, let alone cha, cha, cha."
"Well then, what about a little mambo?" he snickered.
"Tell you what—let's compromise. I'll come to bed and tango with you until you fall asleep, but then I've still gotta get the coleslaw and potato salad ready."
His eyes lit up. "Deal! Dance class is waiting. Let's go waltz up to our room."
The next morning, Bella slipped out of bed as noiselessly as possible, but being Bella, she tripped on the rug and went sailing into the dresser. No matter, Jacob was dead to the world. She got Liam up and ready for the day, before he could let out a peep. It was Saturday, so she let poor Jacob sleep-in.
As she passed by Charlie's room, she noticed the bed hadn't been slept in. She never heard him come in last night either. Looked like Charlie was also enrolled in dance classes. Bella didn't mind; her dad deserved to be happy. It was nice that he finally found a woman to love. He was getting older, and living without a companion for the rest of his life would make for an awfully lonely existence.
At 10:30, a grinning Jacob walked into the kitchen, stretching his muscled arms toward the ceiling. "Man, I feel great. Nothing like a good tango to set your mood right."
Balancing Liam in one arm and scrambling eggs with the other, Bella smiled back at her wolfboy. "You cha cha pretty good too—for a guy. Nice hip action; good rhythm."
Jacob smirked, and replied, "Lots of practice, woman—lots of practice."
Liam started squirming in Bella's arms, so Jacob reached out and grabbed him from her. "C'mere, little boy. Mommy's busy, so come play with your daddy for awhile."
He took him into the living room and placed him on the couch, nuzzling his belly button and blowing raspberries on him, until Bella called him in to eat breakfast. Sitting the infant on his lap, he held Liam's back against his chest while he ate with his free hand.
With the food almost finished, in walked Charlie with his arm around Sue's shoulder. The couple looked up from the table expectantly. No one said a word for a few leaden seconds. Then Sue wiggled the fingers on her left hand, flashing a gold ring in the process. Charlie announced, "Bella, Jacob, I want you to meet the new Mrs. Charles Swan."
Bella stood up from up from her chair and ran to her father, hugging him. "Oh, Dad, I'm so happy for you." Another hug followed for Sue.
Handing Liam to Bella, Jacob slapped Charlie on the back, and shook his hand firmly, congratulating him. "Gotta hand it to you, Charlie. Ya' got good taste in women."
Charlie blushed, "I guess that goes for both of us, huh?"
That head of black hair, nodded up and down. "You got that right," he agreed as he glanced sideways at Bella.
He turned his attention to Sue. "So, you're my mother now. Wow, two good cooks in the family. Wait a minute … jeez, that means, I have another sister and a brother too. Man, this family is growing by the minute. If this keeps up, we'll be our own tribe."
They were all sitting around the table, drinking coffee. "The thing is," Charlie explained, "You two need a place to call your own, and Sue has invited me to share her home. So what would you say if I let you rent this place at $200 a month. Does that seem fair?"
With his mouth falling open, Jacob responded, "Fair? Charlie, I'd be stealing from you."
"Well, you've already stolen my daughter, heart and soul. The house is already paid for, so I say, let's keep it in the family. Two stipulations though—one, can you help me move my stuff over to Sue's? And two, you've got to bring Liam over to visit every Sunday at least."
"You got it, Charlie."
Charlie moved out and Jacob and Bella were beside themselves with joy. For once they didn't have to curb their enthusiasm when those heated moments arose, if you get my drift.
Jeez, life was good, albeit, they still didn't see each other as much as they would like, but still …
Then the next week, one afternoon, Bella had just put Liam down for a nap when the doorbell rang. She froze on the spot as she answered it. There on her doorstep, stood Derek Miller.
His blue eyes brightened as he saw her face. "Hey, Bella, I was just in the neighborhood, and thought I'd stop by."
Oh, hell!