Chapter 16
Obviously I'm not Stephenie Meyer. All things in the Twilight Universe still belong to her and I'm stuck here, smacking my head, wondering, "Why didn't I think of that?" Ha, ha, but in all seriousness no infringement is intended on my part.
A guest reader asked if the Quileute have a written language. I'm sure in the beginning such a thing was not necessary for them. All I know is that I found a dictionary of their language online. For the most part they seemed to have adapted their language to have an English style alphabet. There is however, a few letters with special characters that are not available to me. I hope this answers your question. Happy Reading.
After October 10, 2010
"You bastard! You made her like this! Bella, look at you. Seth told me you're a werewolf like him. What the hell made you decide to marry a vampire? Now you're pregnant with…" Charlie's blowing out a gust of air. "What the hell are you pregnant with?"
I'm gasping, trying to keep my tears at bay.
"Sir," Edward's saying, trying to remain patient.
"You." Charlie is thrusting his finger into Edward's chest. "Just shut the hell up. You took her away from me. You did this to her. My god. What's going to happen when your two little demon spawn want to come out? What are they going to do? Claw their way out?"
I'm seeing red. My hands are beginning to tremble in that familiar way just before I wolf out.
"Charlie, maybe you better go and come back after you've had a chance to cool down."
"Don't you ever tell me what to do. Bella is my daughter. No bloodsucking bastard is going to keep me away from her."
"Of course not…" Edward is grabbing me. I couldn't help my reaction. I slipped and I was about to attack my own father. Father or not, no one talks to my mate that way. No one calls my babies demon spawn.
Edward's pulling me tight against him, pressing his lips against my ear. "Bella, baby, calm down."
"What the hell is wrong with her?"
"There's nothing wrong with her. Bella's reaction is perfectly normal for her kind. You need to leave before you get hurt." I can feel my nails growing longer. The angry tone of Edward's voice only adds fuel to the fire.
"Are you threatening me?"
"Can't you see what you're doing to her? Bella's about to loose control and with her extra abilities I don't know if I can stop her from coming after you."
Charlie's finally backing off, muttering as he exit's the house, "I never thought I'd see the day my own damn daughter wanted to kill me."
"She doesn't want to kill you, Charlie!" Edward's shouting after him. "If she did you'd already be dead. I'll have Bella call you when she's calmed down."
"Don't bother. I don't think I have a daughter anymore."
A ferocious roar is emitting out of Edward's chest.
The sound is the final straw for me. I'm phasing. Luckily Charlie's already in his cruiser having been scared by Edward's outburst. He's peeling out as I race after him.
"BELLA!"
"Arrp!" I'm whimpering as I feel a sharp stabbing pain in my abdomen. I'm collapsing on the ground. I can't move. I can't think. My babies are squirming like crazy and the pain is unbearable.
I'm hearing my dad's cruiser come to screeching halt in the driveway and a swish of the air as Edward rushes to get to me.
"Bella, shh, Sweet Girl. Don't move let me look at you."
"What's going on?" Charlie's running up to us. "I swear I didn't go near her with the car. She just collapsed."
"I know, Charlie. I saw everything."
"Bella, honey. I'm sorry, baby girl. I didn't mean any of that. It's just that with Leah missing and Seth and you and now this…"
"Not now, Charlie. Apologize later. Right now I have to get her inside."
"Can she understand me like this."
Edward's laugh is humorless. "Yes, Charlie. Her mind's the same when she's a wolf. She's still the same beautiful girl inside this wolf form."
"I just thought…"
"Never mind that right now. Do you have a blanket in that cruiser?"
"Yes, I'll get it."
The babies are kicking, struggling. Something's terribly wrong. Edward's rubbing my tummy, trying to sooth me, but everything hurts. My heart is pounding so hard I can feel it in my head.
Charlie's back with the blanket. Edward's grabbing it away from him placing it over my trembling form.
"Listen to me, Sweet Girl. I need to get you inside. But I need you to phase back first. Please, sweetheart. I'm not a veterinarian."
Edward it hurts. I don't think I can.
Edward's eyes are widening in surprise. "Bella, I don't know how but I can hear you, baby. Try for me, sweetheart. I have to deliver our babies. Do it for them."
Oh, God! My babies! Their frantic, Edward. What's happening to them?
"No! Oh God, Bella no! You have to phase! They're having trouble breathing!"
"What the hell's going on!" Charlie's screaming as Edward lifts me in his arms.
He takes off towards the house to the room Carlisle has set up for the delivery. "I got you. Phase, baby. Please."
"Carlisle," Edward's talking frantically on his phone, ignoring an equally frantic Charlie. "I need to start emergency c-section. I need you. No. Damn. I think the placenta has detached. It's a long story. I'll keep you on speaker."
"What can I do? What can I do?"
"Charlie don't panic. Try to keep Bella calm."
Charlie's patting my head. I'm growling at him.
Carlisle starts talking to me through the phone. "I know it hurts, Bella, but you need to phase back. For the babies' sake, please try. "
I know he's right. I know he's right.
"It's okay, Sweet Girl. Just take a deep breath." Edward's standing ready by my tummy.
Through the mind dizzying pain, through my blood pounding in my head, through my babies squirming, kicking, clawing to get out, through Charlie annoyingly scratching behind my ears like I'm his favorite pet, through it all I'm desperately trying to concentrate. I'm squeezing my eyes shut tight, inhaling deeply. I'm trying desperately to remember how in the hell I phase to begin with.
I'm concentrating on my hands and feet first. Phasing itself is not pleasant to begin with. Add to that this situation and it's simply unbearable.
"That's it, Sweet Girl. You're doing it."
"You have to hurry, son. The babies are probably in distress."
Edward! Get them out now!
"Calm down, Bella." Edward's rubbing my hip while I'm completing my transformation.
"Good job, sweetheart. I'm just going to lay you on your back now."
Edward quickly but gently eases me on my back before pulling the blanket back to expose my lower half.
"I'm going to give you some morphine."
"No, Edward," I'm crying now. "Just get them out!"
"It's okay, honey. You're husband knows what he's doing," My father says as if he knows anything at all about Edward's medical training.
"This is good, son. Just hold your breath. You remember where to cut?"
"Yes, father."
I can feel the scalpel slicing through my flesh. I begin to hyperventilate.
"Keep her calm, Charlie!"
"Damn it, kid! Quit yelling at me!"
"Shut up, both of you!" I'm yelling at them.
"Okay, Edward," Carlisle's voice calls through the phone, ignoring our rant. "The babies should be in a protective husk. You'll need to bite through it. A scalpel won't begin to penetrate."
"Okay, I see it."
"Hurry, Edward." I'm starting to panic. "The babies stopped moving!"
Edward sinks his teeth into the husk. A crunching sound, like crumbling stone, is following. Now the sound of my wailing infants fills the room.
"Get me some towels, Charlie."
"Please let me hold one," I'm pleading with my husband.
Edwards grin is breathtaking. "We have one of each, Sweet Girl."
"Charlie holds open a towel for Edward to place one baby, our son, in and quickly swaddles him while Edward takes the other towel to swaddle our little girl."
"Here's your mommy, baby girl," Edwards cooing as he places our daughter in my arms.
"You did great, son. Congratulations, Bella and Edward. Esme and I will be home within the hour," Carlisle proudly called through the phone before hanging up.
"I'll give you some morphine before I stitch you up, Bella."
"You sure are a handsome little fellow," Charlie's talking babyish to our son. "Oh my, you're strong too."
"I think he wants his mommy too, grandpa."
I'm smiling up at my dad after tucking my baby girl into one arm and holding out the other for my son. "Gimme, gimme."
Edward and Charlie both are chuckling at my excitement.
"Grandpa. Wow. That will take some getting use to." Charlie's leaning down to kiss my forehead.
"I'm so sorry I upset you like that. I just don't understand why all his is happening. I didn't even get the full story why Leah's missing and then I find out about you and Edward and these little people. It's just overwhelming, sweetheart."
"I know, Dad. I knew you was going to be upset, but I had to tell you. You have the right to know. And I wanted you to know your grandchildren. I'm sorry I lost my temper."
"Bella, Sweet Girl. It's not something you're able to completely control yet. That's the main reason Sam chose Leah over you."
"What are you talking about?" Charlie is asking in confusion hedging on anger.
"Dad, it's a long story. I promise I'll tell you everything, but long story short, Edward and I have an arranged marriage."
"Like hell!" Charlie's glaring at Edward.
"Dad, none of this is Edward's fault. All he's ever done is try to keep me safe. Edward's good to me. And we've come to love each other very much."
"Bella, honey. He's not exactly human."
"Yeah, I know, Dad, but neither am I."
Charlie's sighing looking down at his now sleeping grandchildren. "You two sure do make some beautiful babies. Prettiest babies I've ever seen. Sorry, that's including you and Seth."
"I know," I'm agreeing. "They're my two little sweet peas."
Edward's standing after completing the task of stitching me up. He's pulling the blanket down over my legs, now walking around the bed to gently take our daughter in his arms. I'm moving over to make room for him on the bed.
"Their our two little sweet peas," he's correcting.
"I feel like a complete jackass now," Charlie berated himself. "It's obvious you two are good for each other. I'm sorry I didn't see that right away and I'm sorry I said those awful things about you, Edward and your children. They truly are perfect."
"Thanks, Charlie. I love my family. I know this is a lot for anyone to take in."
"I appreciate that, Edward."
"No problem."
"Bella, honey. I'm going to take off. If it's okay I'd like to bring your mom and Seth by tomorrow."
"Sure, Dad."
"Love you, kid." Charlie's bending down to kiss the top of my head again.
"Love you too, Dad."
I'm sighing contently as I watch my father leave. Edward's smiling down at our baby girl, nestled in his arms. He must be feeling me watch him because he's gazing over at me with an warm smile. I can see the love he has for me and our children shining in his eyes.
My father was right. We are good for each other and our babies are perfect. It didn't matter that they were part vampire. I'd never seen two more perfect beings. Pale with bronze locks like their father. It was still too early to tell what color eyes they would have. If only they could have Edward's eye color from when he was human. It would be nice for him to be able to retain that small part of his humanity.
"Oh, Edward. They're so beautiful."
"Just like their mother."
"They have your hair."
"They have your cute button nose."
I'm rolling my eyes. "Edward. All babies have button noses."
"Well, I don't want them to inherit my big schnozzle, especially our daughter."
I'm giggling at his silly word for nose. It makes me think of the over exaggerated noses on the Sesame Street puppets.
"I think your nose is very handsome. If our daughter does inherit your nose she'll no doubt have a female version. Either way she'll be beautiful."
"We should figure out names for them." Edward's changing the subject.
"You don't like sweet pea one and sweet pea two?"
Edward's laughing, shaking his head. "No, Sweet Girl. Our two little sweet peas have popped out of their pod. Now they need real names."
He's right, of course. Our babies needed names and I want our babies' names to be special. With all the horrible things that have befallen both our families recently I thought I had the perfect names picked out.
"I have some suggestions."
"Yeah?"
I'm nodding with a smile. "What do you think of Carlie Leah Cullen for our daughter and Riley Anthony Cullen for our son."
"Yes, Carlie spelled C.a.r.l.i.e would be a combination of both our father's names. I like that."
I'm nodding because his assessment was spot on.
"I know my sister and I haven't exactly gotten along all these years. I know she's harbored a lot of jealousy towards me and Seth. I think it was hard for her to except Charlie as her step-dad, especially after Seth and I came along."
"I know you love your sister."
"I do and deep down, I know she loves me too. And if something happens and I never see her again…"
"Don't think like that, Sweet Girl."
"I'll try not to."
I few moments pass in silence, thinking about Leah, but I'm finally ready to talk again.
"What do you think of the boy name?"
"I like it too. Leah will be pleased that you've honored her beloved this way."
"I hope so. I don't want to mention of his name to cause her pain."
"I don't think it will."
"You didn't say anything about the middle name I picked."
"Well, I know how much you like my middle name." He's chuckling as if he'd just told the funniest joke.
"And how would you know that?"
"By the way your always screeching my full name, with emphases on the name Anthony, when you're mad at me."
I'm smacking his arm. "Yep, I do like getting mad at you just so I can screech your name."
Edward's laughing. He's kissing me on the cheek. "Thank you for making me a daddy, Sweet Girl."
"You're welcome. Thank you for being a good daddy and a terrific husband."
"You're very welcome, my love."
"And now I think it's time I got my beautiful family cleaned up and dressed before the rest of the Cullens get here.
"Yes, please."
Our sweet little family is together at last and sense Charlie decided not to be an asshole after all, it's starting to look like we might have a HEA after all. Now if we can figure out how to get Leah back.