We're getting really close to the end here folks...this and another chapter then an epilogue is all that's left.
Chapter 18 (Edward)
Hello crazy!
"What are you doing here?" I practically growled at Tanya as I shut the door behind me to keep the kids from hearing any more of this confrontation. I had been learning the fine art of 'pinky holding' with Mia when I had heard Bella call for me in a panicked voice. With speed I didn't know I possessed I bolted from Mia's room, asked Molly to watch over the kids, turned the TV on to drown some of the commotion from outside out, and walked out my front door where I saw Tanya and Bella in a standoff while Bella's luggage was tossed all over the yard.
Tanya folded her arms over her chest as she began tapping her foot. "My son is in that house, Edward, and you bring some floozy and let her in there with MY son." She said angrily.
"You don't have a son according to the great state of Tennessee. YOU SIGNED YOUR RIGHTS AWAY WHEN HE WAS JUST HOURS OLD!" I seethed as I stepped closer to her until Bella placed a hand in the middle of my chest and shook her head. I would never hit a woman, especially one that gave me the greatest gift in the world, but this woman had pushed me past my limit.
"She's not worth it, Edward. Think of the kids inside. Noah is innocent to this life and my girls have seen enough of it." She told me softly with a nod in the direction of the house.
What happened next shocked the living shit out of me and all I could do was stare with my mouth gaping open like an idiot. Tanya leapt at Bella, aiming for her long ponytail but Bella must have saw her coming and stuck her elbow up catching Tanya right in the chin before kicking her right behind the knee effectively taking her to the ground. "Don't touch me." Bella snarled in her face before standing up straight and turning to face me. "Close your mouth, babe, and call the cops. I'm going to check on our kids." She said before disappearing inside the house.
I simply shook my head in amazement as I pulled my phone from my pocket dialing 911. As I was on the phone with the dispatch operator I caught Tanya trying to get up but with a tap on the top of her head I shook my head 'no' causing her to sigh before sitting back down. After I was told that the cops were on their way I grabbed Tanya by her elbow and led her to the bench that sat on my front porch. "Have a seat and explain your actions before the cops get here to take you to jail." I told her as I leaned against a post in front of her.
She crossed her legs and looked up at me sadly. "I don't know what I was thinking, Edward. I just saw all that luggage that I knew wasn't yours and lost it. Why are you letting her around him but you won't let me even see him?"
"Because I trust her, Tanya. She is what a mother is supposed to be. You need to get help to deal with your regret and understand why you are doing what you are doing. Don't do it for me or for him. Do it for yourself. Please." I begged her as I spotted the blue lights flash off my house.
"Okay. Can I at least get a picture of our son to help keep me motivated? I have nobody anymore, Edward. Josh left me, my parents are dead, and I've pushed you and our son away. All I'm asking for is a picture to help me get through all the jail, rehab and treatments I'm headed for. Please." She asked me in a resigned voice as several cops climbed from their cars heading towards where we were seated.
With a heavy sigh I nodded and reached for my wallet pulling out a picture from Noah's birthday pictures. He was smiling at the camera with two fistfuls of cake held above his head and the destroyed smash cake in front of him. "Here. Just remember that he IS a happy healthy little boy." I told her as I handed her the picture before stepping back to speak with the cops.
Twenty minutes later Tanya was handcuffed and sat in the back of a cop car with her head hung down in shame while I shook hands with the cop in charge. "Will you please let the judge know that I would rather her get rehab help or psychiatric help instead of jail?" I asked him cautiously.
"I'll pass the word along but can't guarantee anything." He told me before turning back towards his car.
Once the cops left I went back inside to find Bella standing at the French doors that led to the backyard watching the kids play. "Hey." I whispered as I stepped up behind her.
"Hey you. Everything okay?" She asked quietly.
I nodded. "Yeah, just your delicates decorating my bushes is very distracting." I teased as I wrapped my arms around her waist pulling her back against my chest.
She laughed before pushing me away. "Now that she-devil is gone I can go collect my delicates from your lawn before your neighbors get the wrong idea."
With the kids occupied in the backyard that had been a housewarming gift from my brother I followed Bella out the front door where I helped her pick up all of her clothes and bring everything inside.
"Want some lunch?" Bella asked as she stuck her head through the doorway that separated my office from the rest of the house. Looking up from the old fashioned spreadsheets I had been filling in on my desk, I smiled at her. She looked so perfect standing in my doorway in a pair of shorts and bikini top with her long hair piled on top of her head in a sloppy bun because she and the kids had been outside playing all morning.
With a crooked finger I beckoned her to me as I pushed my chair back from my desk. "I want something else first before food." I told her softly as she got within reaching distance of my hands where I snatched her playfully into my lap causing her to giggle playfully. I smothered her giggles with my lips.
After a few playful kisses I allowed her to pull me from my office and into the kitchen where I took a seat at the table with four very tired children. "Did you guys have fun playing outside?" I asked them as Bella slid a sandwich and some chips in front of me along with a glass of water before taking a seat next to me.
All four kids nodded but didn't stop shoving the food into their mouths. Noah and Maci were seated at the table in 'grown-up' high chairs as Bella had called them when she came home with them last week. They really were just booster seats that strapped to the dining room chairs but she had made a big deal out of them so Noah and Maci would want to sit in them. She really was an amazing woman and I had a special date planned for tonight for just us. In the two and a half weeks that she and the girls had been living here we hadn't had a single date where we didn't have kids with us but Rose should be showing up in a few hours to 'kidnap' the kids for the night. When I had voiced my concern about Mia and Maci being away from Bella for an entire night, she had told me to not worry that she was bringing in reinforcements before hanging up the phone. "Sweepy, Dada." Noah said from the other side of the table as he sat down his empty sip cup.
Tossing the last bite of my sandwich into my mouth I stood up to take care of my boy. As I was unbuckling him Maci looked at me with 'that' look and stuck her bottom lip out. "Me too, E?" She asked softly.
Nodding I unbuckled her before scooping them both up in my arms and heading down the hall to their bedrooms. "Come on you munchkins, it's nap time." I told them as I jiggled them playfully as I carried them into Maci's room first. "Princess munchkin first." I told Maci as I lifted her into her crib.
She giggled as she rolled over and blew me a kiss. "Wub you, E." She said softly as she snuggled into her blanket.
"Love you too, princess." I told her as I rubbed a hand over her curls.
Shifting Noah onto my hip I carried him to his own bedroom. "Wub me too, Dada?" He asked sleepily as he rested his head on my shoulder.
Pulling him to my chest I cradled his body close. "Of course I love you buddy. You know, Daddy's can love more than one person, right?" I asked him as I walked into his room and sat in the chair that I had had since he was born.
He nodded against my chest. "Mama wub me?" He asked as he pulled back to look at me with sleepy eyes.
"I'm sure she does, buddy. You know, you've got a lot of people in your life that loves you. Nana, Papa, Auntie Rose, Uncle Em, Sophie, Bella and the girls, just to name a few." I told him as I cupped his cheeks.
"Maci mama my mama?" He asked pointing a finger at himself.
I didn't know what to say to him so I just placed a kiss on his cheek before standing up and laying him in his crib. "Have a good nap, buddy. Daddy loves you so very much."
He didn't respond as he simply curled up and closed his eyes. When I walked out of his room I found Bella sitting on the floor against the wall with tears streaming down her cheeks and the baby monitor in her lap. "Baby what's wrong?" I asked her as I squatted down in front of her.
"Noah wants me to be his momma." She blubbered as she launched herself at me.
I wrapped my arms tightly around her waist as I lifted us from the floor and eased us into our bedroom where I shut the door quietly behind us. "Why does my sweet boy wanting you to be his momma have you so upset?" I asked as I eased us down onto the bed so that we were lying on our sides facing each other.
"They're happy tears, I promise. It just took me by surprise." She whispered as she snuggled into my chest. "I never imagined this to be my life at 30 years old."
I pushed her over to lay down on the bed as I reached for my bedside drawer for a special box I had gotten from my mom a few days ago. Pulling the small wooden box from the drawer I handed it to Bella with a smile on my face. "You know, I never dreamed my life would turn out this way either but I wouldn't have it any other way. Every obstacle, and trying time in my life has led me to you and those amazing girls that are sleeping down the hall. When I built this house I built it with the intentions of filling it with a family one day and now it is full to capacity with the perfect family for me." I told her as I flipped the top on the small box she held in her hands. "This ring was my great-grandmother Cullen's engagement ring and I would be honored if you would wear it next. Will you marry me, Isabella?"
She pulled the ring out of the box and handed it to me with a smile. "Yes." She whispered as tears pooled in her eyes.
Taking the ring from her I slid it onto her left ring finger where it fit perfectly. Sealing it with a kiss to her finger I pulled her to my chest. "Is it weird that we're engaged before we've even said I love you?" Bella asked after a few minutes of peaceful silence.
Chuckling I rolled her over until I was hovering over her. "I thought that was a given, silly. I think I've loved you for a while now. I'm sorry I never thought to voice it but I love you so much, baby."
"I love you too, you silly man."
I laid with her for a few more minutes before heading back to my office to finish working until Rose showed up.
When I heard the doorbell sound off a few minutes before four o'clock I didn't get up because Bella called out that she would get it. Her squeal of "Ali!" caused me to jump from my chair and boot scoot it into the living room. I walked into Bella being wrapped up in a huge group hug by Jasper and Alice while Rose held baby JJ.
"E! E!" Sophie squealed and sprinted towards me as fast as her little legs would take her.
"Hi precious." I told her as I scooped her up placing kisses all over her cheeks and neck causing her to curl around my head as Rose ushered the reunited group of friends into the house so she could shut the door on the summer heat.
We all settled into the living room while the little kids headed for the playroom and Molly kidnapped JJ to her room. "What are you guys doing here?" Bella asked as she settled next to me on the couch.
"Scoping out houses and bringing you all your stuff you left in storage." Alice said with a giggle.
Bella sat up straight and turned to face her best friend. "Excuse me?" She asked as she pushed her hair out of her face which had the other women gasping and me groaning because I knew they had just saw Bella's new piece of jewelry. She shook her head. "Don't think about changing the subject. While I am grateful you brought us our stuff please explain why you are scoping out properties in Tennessee and then I will explain my beautiful ring." Bella said with a firm nod of her head.
It seems that in the weeks that Bella and the girls have been gone from Louisiana Alice came to the conclusion that she needed to be close to her sister and nieces so she convinced Jasper that they needed to move to Tennessee to support Bella and the girls in this next phase of their lives. Because that is what family does. When Bella stuck her hand out for Alice to inspect her engagement ring, Alice began rapid firing wedding questions at Bella until Bella pulled her hand back and snuggled back into my side which caused Alice to huff and settle back against Edward.
"Nothing had been discussed or decided yet, Ali. We have only been engaged for a few hours, let us revel in it for a bit before you tug me down the wedding planning lane. Please." Bella begged her softly as Noah ran up to her holding his little arms up for her. Without a moment's hesitation, she pulled him into her lap with a kiss to his cheek.
Alice nodded as she laid her hands on her stomach. "Okay, but all I ask is don't pick a date that will make me look like a whale, which will be happening fairly soon." She said as she pulled her flowy dress tight against her stomach.
"Emmett and I are heading out of state in early December for a few days because our next child is due to be born on December 5th so please keep that in mind when picking dates." Rose said with a smile and nod in my direction.
Noah looked up at Bella with his big blue eyes. "Mama, I thirsty."
While Bella carried our boy into the kitchen for something to drink Rose leaned forward onto her elbows. "Big day for you today, huh bro?"
I couldn't help but nod. "Yeah, but it's really been a perfect day at home with my family." I told her causing her and Alice to aww while Jasper just winked at me over Alice's head. "Now, what are you plans with our children tonight?" I asked her softly.
"We're going to have a slumber party, Edward. With lots of sweets and cheesy old girly movies and manicures and pedicures. Jasper and Emmett are going to keep Noah and JJ occupied while us girls have some good old fashioned fun." She told me with a laugh as she raised an eyebrow at me daring me to argue with her.
I held my hands up in surrender as I leaned back on the couch. "Just don't make them sick with too much junk food. Please."
She just rolled her eyes at me before hopping up off the couch. "I make no promises."
An hour later Bella and I were blissfully alone for the first time in several weeks. "Did you plan all of this?" She asked as she stepped out of the shower stall as I stood at the sink shaving my days growth off my face.
Sheepishly I nodded. "I did thought I didn't know Alice and Jasper were going to be her reinforcements. I thought we deserved a night out without the kids. We both love them endlessly but we deserve some alone time too."
She nodded as she began towel drying her hair beside me. "I agree and I fully expect to be ravished multiple times tonight too."
Laughing I rinsed the extra shaving cream off my face. "I think I can handle that."