Hello Sister, Goodbye Life
Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight saga. All recognisable characters, content or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.
Warning: Language.
Chapter Twenty
I first noticed it the morning of the trials, the ache in my boobs, the nausea in my stomach and the incredibly light (and overdue) menstrual flow. Not telling anyone of my thoughts, however, I donned the clothes I would wear to the courthouse and gathered up my briefcase and handbag before following Emmett to my car.
We reached the Cullen's home and Edward got in, reaching through the middle to give me a kiss on the lips. "Are you alright, love? You're looking peakish."
I nodded with what I hoped was a reassuring smile, "just nervous, love."
He patted my shoulder and kissed my cheek.
When we reached the court house, he pulled me into a hug, kissing my forehead. "I've missed you, love."
"Missed you too," I replied, my head on his shoulder. Edward walked me into the court house and, after being scanned by security, Emmett, Edward and I waited for Esme, Carlisle and Rosalie, bringing the kids, to arrive.
I led Edward to the defence counsel table, to my right being the plaintiff, Victoria, and her representative, James Manod, thankfully at a different table.
"All rise for the honourable Judge Margaret Landstone." The bailiff called the room to order and we all stood silently.
"We are gathered here to resolve the custody dispute between Doctor Edward Cullen and Ms Victoria Lionel, am I correct?"
"Yes, your Honour," I replied, flicking my ponytail back over my shoulder, meeting Manod's eyes. I glared, returning my attention back to the judge who was explaining that all arrangements would be made for the best interests of Evangeline and Anthony, who currently sat between Carlisle and Esme, Maddie in Rosalie's lap.
I wanted to slap myself in the face – I should've recognised the name, Margaret Landstone was one of my father's mentours when he was alive, in the sense that he practically idolised the woman for her achievements within the family court, which was probably why it was so easy for the DA to persuade her to sit the trials.
It was a piece of cake. After stating all of Victoria's wrongdoings and then Edward's familial strongpoints, very good family support, successful and stable job, clean track record etcetera etcetera, Landstone had hereby granted full custody of Anthony Masen Cullen and Evangeline Elizabeth Cullen to Edward with two supervised visiting hours every fortnight to Victoria.
Sitting down at the defence table, Edward moved to the visitor's gallery, sitting right behind me. He massaged my neck and shoulders while we waited and I was grateful, my nerves having been taking their toll on me.
"Bella, you look awful," Rosalie's voice was coming from behind and to the left of me. "Are you alright?"
"Yes," I replied, "But my defence for this one isn't as solid."
"We are gathered here today to resolve the custody dispute of Madeleine Grace Swan, correct?"
"Yes, your honour," James said it this time. I don't think I would've been able to, had I tried.
"Ms Swan, where is your defence counsel?" Lakestone arched an eyebrow.
"I'm representing myself, your Honour."
"I figured as much," she replied. "Court in session, Mr Manod, if you will?"
"Mr and Mrs Dwyer feel they owe their daughter that much."
"You don't owe my mother anything," I spat, sneering at the two Dwyers. "Your Honour, may I interject?"
"I'll let your slip slide, Ms Swan, by all means, interject." She didn't look impressed at Manod's words – clearly, she knew that the Dwyers disowned Renée.
After rummaging through my file, I withdrew the two letters. "Your honour, you will find this a letter addressed to my mother from the Dwyers, dated twenty six years ago."
"Renée, you are a disappointment to the Dwyer family and, as of this day, April 21st,1985, you are officially disinherited."
Lauren Dwyer spluttered in outright indignation, but I continued.
"It matches up with the dates her Dwyer accounts were cut off." I handed the papers will shakey hands and Landstone took her time scanning through it. She handed me back both papers and I slid them back into the folder. "That is all, Your Honour."
"Very well, Mr Manod, please continue."
Back at my seat, I downed a glass of water in one and didn't listen to what Manod said.
"Miss Swan, do you have a history of drug abuse?"
I nearly choked on the water I'd just been sipping. "No. Never. I'd like to know where this tidbit came from," I said, a sneer in Manod's direction. "Mr Manod is probably confusing me with himself, from our days in the University of Washington."
When he'd finished his speech, I rose again and headed for the judge, once again bringing with me a letter, this time from my parents, the same one Billy had given me at the reception of my parents' funeral, what seemed a lifetime ago. She read it and I saw a tear trickle down her cheeks.
"A letter from my parents, after they died, per request of their wills."
She nodded, returning the letter to me. "I grant full custody of Madeleine Grace Swan to her sister, Isabella, on the grounds that Madeleine's parents wished for custody of their youngest to go to their eldest. Thus, I will stick to Charles and Renee's wishes."
I sagged in relief, dropping the letter into the folder again and slipping both folders into my briefcase. In the visitor's gallery, I scooped Madeleine up into my arms and cradled the nearly three year old to my chest. Tears streaming down my cheeks and with Emmett holding my briefcase, Rosalie led me out of the court room and into the foyer where she sat me down and I moved Maddie into my lap.
"Momma cry?"
"Happy tears, Maddie. I'm just…. So happy."
"No cry."
"Well, well, well, you're a far better lawyer than I expected, Swanny." James leered down at me, his blonde hair slicked back into a low ponytail and his eyes, once filled with a warmth and happiness that I adored, now hard as stone and cold as ice.
"Piss off, James," Rosalie sneered, "You weren't wanted here years ago, you're not wanted here now."
"Still as frigid as ever, Hale," James scowled.
"Rich, coming from you," Rosalie snapped. She'd been the verbal sparring queen for yonks, she could go on forever. James knew this.
"Shut up, ice queen, I didn't come to get pissed off by the likes of you."
"The likes of me," she repeated, "The fucking likes of me! You're just a bitter son of a because I turned you down after Bella did, you sorry loser. Get out of here."
Mentally and physically exhausted, I hardly noticed when police officers hand cuffed him, arresting him for breaking an entering as well as stalking.
"Love, are you okay?"
"I'm beat," I muttered, leaning my head against his shoulder. "Take me home, love."
When I woke, the sun was set and Edward was reading beside me, something by Stephen King.
"Hullo,"
He smiled down at me, setting his book aside. After flattening his pillow and lying down beside me, he pulled me against him and I realised for the first time that I was in nothing but my underwear. "Pervert, you did this on purpose."
He laughed. "Guilty as charged."
With my head in the crook of his arm, I rolled my eyes and kissed his chest, where I could reach. "Thanks."
"No," he said seriously, "Thank you. What you did today was incredible."
"Meh, s'my job, love… Jesus Christ I'm starving, I haven't eaten all day."
Edward joined me in the kitchen with an extra shirt, one I gratefully donned. I pulled out a leftover box of pizza. "This you've been feeding our children, Edward? Shame on you old man. Shame on you."
"Who are you calling old?" He asked, a fake pout on his lips as he rummaged through the wine cabinet. "Champagne, love?"
I thought about what happened this morning in my flat and sighed sadly. "No thanks, love. I'll just stick to apple juice."
He spun on his heel and set me down on a barstool, moving to stand between my legs. "Alright, you're turning down a glass of champagne. What's the matter? Are you sick? Is something wrong?" he began to run his hands all over me, stopping at my boobs when I flinched away. "Love?"
"I…." He continued downwards, stopping at my stomach. I watched him as he pulled up my shirt and scrutinised my belly.
"You know, I know your body like the back of my hand?" I flushed, but nodded all the same. "So this bump, right here," he ran his hand over a slight rise at my abdomen, "Isn't normal." He grinned. "There something you're not telling me, love?"
"I only put the pieces together this morning," I confessed, "I, uh, my period…. Bleh, this is embarrassing."
"Alright, I'm a doctor, love, a paediatric general practitioner, but all the same, I'm a doctor. What's up with your period?"
"It's a lot lighter than normal and I only got it today. I should've gotten it a week and a half ago. I figured it was just stress until my boobs started hurting."
"Do you want me to check, or do you want me to make an appointment?"
I blushed again – I knew exactly what he meant by check. "No, no, I'll have an appointment, preferably with a female doctor."
"Of course," Edward agreed, "No way am I letting a man see my girl's –"
"Yeah, I got it, thanks love."
This was, by far, the most awkward conversation I'd ever had in my life. Ever. Ever ever ever. Ever.
Edward poured me my apple juice and heated up the Hawaiian pizza.
"I was wondering, Bella," Edward said slowly, "if you would be a mother to Eva and Tony."
"On one condition," I said, smiling, "Only if you be a father to Maddie."
He came back around to stand between my legs again, this time wrapping his arms around me. I sighed, contented, and we stood for a while.
The following day, as I was writing out a report for the trial against Victoria, Rosalie strode into my office, wearing a pair of faded blue jeans and a flannel shirt. "And Tanya? Don't ever fucking judge what I wear, ever again. Don't ever tell me what I can and can't do because, sweetie, I'm better than you. So, suck on that and get back to your secretarial work while I talk to my best friend, who happens to be your boss and also happens to hate you more than I do." Rosalie slammed the door shut and whirled around. "Emmett went to you to get your permission in asking me to marry him?"
If Rosalie's little tyraid hadn't gotten my full attention, that surely did. "I'm sorry?"
Rosalie grinned, holding out her left hand with a gleaming platinum wring with one single diamond on her ring finger.
"Oh my God! Rose, I'm so happy for you!" I sat up and, pushing back the nausea that one action braught, I wrapped my arms around her in a hug that, somehow, portrayed all my emotions to her.
She laughed, a giddy and free laugh that I'd never heard from her before and hugged me back. "God, Bella, he's amazing. I love him so much. He makes me want to be a better person and believes I can do anything. He's…. he's everything I ever wanted and so, so much more."
"Look at you," I grinned, "All sentimental and shit. It's great, Rose, he's perfect for you."
I sat back down, my legs heavy beneath me and she sat across from me, still with an obscenely dorky smile on her face and, yet, I couldn't bring myself to tease her about it.
"You'll be my maid of honour, won't you?"
I looked at her, as if to ask her if she were mad. "Of course I will, I'm surprised you even had to ask. Except…"
"What?" Her eyes widened in panic.
"Shhh, calm down. It's nothing bad. Just…. You might want to wait a while, if you want me as your maid of honour."
"Why….?" She asked, hesitantly, her eyes gone from panicky to worried in an instant. "IS everything okay?"
"There's a 98 percent chance that I am with child."
"Ohmygod!" Her eyes were wide, her mouth was wider and she was jumping up in her seat. "I'm a be an aunty!"
"Can you shut up?" She did so, seemingly with great difficulty. "We're not entirely sure so Edward made me piss in a cup this morning and has gone to get it tested."
Rosalie was bouncing again, a gleeful expression on her face, though it quickly turned ponderous. "It's funny how things are just falling into place."
"Don't you think we've had enough tension recently? Mom and dad dying, Maddie, Royce, the clusterfuck that is Victoria…. I could go on, woman."
"Touche," she concurred, leaning back into the leather apolstered armchair. "Life is much, much more interesting with the Cullens around."
"Here, here."