EPOV
I was an idiot for even letting Bella get her way. Right now she was cuddled into me asleep, but I could hear her unconscious whimpers. I caused her this pain.
I turned looking at the alarm clock and I knew Mackenzie would be up to start her day soon. That's when I heard a soft thud from the door.
"Oh oh, you have to be careful Drix no running into the door. You could get hurt bad," Mackenzie scolded.
I chuckled, grab my sweat pants and threw them on. I glanced at Bella knowing she would want her to come in so I walked over to my dresser drawer and pulled out one of my t-shirts and another pair of sweats.
I heard Mackenzie start to jiggle the knob and knew she wouldn't be giving up until she got in.
I returned to the bed and gently shimmed the sweats up Bella's legs. She stirred giving me a confused look. "We have a visitor," I explained, giving her a kiss on the head.
She nodded and raised her hands up so I could slip the t-shirt over her.
Then the tapping had begun. "Drix wants in," Mackenzie called through the door.
This time Bella giggled sleepily at her antics, I grinned at Bella and walked over to let her in.
I opened the door to a rumpled sleepy version of my child who had Hendrix standing next to her. I scooped the puppy up and started to close the door.
"Daddy," she frowned.
"Hendrix wanted in," I shrugged.
"I want in too," she confessed with a pout.
"I'm sorry," I said feigning innocence and picked her up with my free arm.
"Goodness," Kenz gasped placing her hands on my cheeks. It was official she was spending too much time with Nana.
"What?"
"You have an owie," she said brushing her little fingers under my left eye.
Shit, I forgot about that.
"I fell," I lied, turning just in time to see Bella roll her eyes.
"Bring my baby to me, Muhammad Ali," she smirked, holding her hands out.
I handed her Hendrix causing Mackenzie to giggle. "She's the cutest puppy ever, Mommy," she gushed.
"I guess so," she sighed playfully.
I turned and landed on the bed, holding a squealing Mackenzie over my head. I looked at Bella's beaming face. This was a great life.
I brought Mackenzie down and squeezed her to me. "Silly Daddy," she got out through her giggles.
In this moment, I knew I wanted more children. I've said it to Bella, but I love this. Having this little person looking up to me… loving me.
"I love you, Kenzers," I said placing a sloppy kiss on her cheek.
Bella shifted slightly, placing Hendrix on my chest next to Mackenzie and snuggled into my side.
"I love you both so much," Bella, murmured her voice shaky.
"Love lots," Kenzie said, mirroring her mother's position as Bell's fingers brushed through her hair.
"I think I want French toast," I announced after a couple moments of silence.
Mackenzie's cheers filled the room as she hopped off the bed and left.
"How are you feeling?"
"Sore, but not too bad."
"I meant what I said last night."
"Carmen said it wouldn't hurt to try," she blushed.
"You asked," I smirked.
"I wanted us to… connect," she said biting her lip.
"Oh we connected."
"There you go making it pervy," she sighed laying her head back on my pillow.
"I'll show you pervy," I grinned pulling the comforter over us. Bella's face grew amused and curious as I slid down to the hem of her shirt. I lifted it and stuck my head under her shirt, attaching my lips to her breast.
"You're going to break your own rule," she breathed as her hands caressed my shoulders.
I sighed against her perfect mounds, knowing she was right and reluctantly pulled away. "Want me to carry you or would you like to hobble around today?"
She glared at me before answering. "As much as I want to hobble it's probably in my best interest if you carry me." She mumbled.
I nodded picking her up, carrying her to the kitchen and sat her next to Mackenzie. I noticed my mother sitting at the table with her.
"Daddy your hair is all funny," she said wrinkling her nose.
It caused the two women to snicker. I began to work on our breakfast and heard Esme and Bella whispering. I knew that wasn't a good thing. It didn't become better when my mother leaned against the counter looking at me expectantly.
"May I help you?"
"Would you mind telling me, my pride and joy, why your best friend has a broken nose?" Mom asked.
"I need to tell Emmett who your favorite is," I snarked, deflecting from the real situation.
"Edward," she warned.
"We're grown ass men I don't need my mommy meddling," I defended.
"If you were a grown ass man you wouldn't be behaving like a child," she hissed looking straight ahead.
I looked over my shoulder and saw Mackenzie sitting on Bella's lap watching us as her mother stroke her curls. My daughter was watching with interest and I forgot how her mind absorbed everything she saw and heard.
"Fine, Jasper said some things that weren't very fucking nice," I said lowly so the young ears couldn't hear.
Before I knew it Esme tapped my mouth, a lot like she did when Em and I were younger and would swear in front of her or Bella. "Mouth," she warned again.
"I know what was said and he shouldn't have said it, but from what I heard from both him and your brother you weren't very nice to begin with."
"Alice…"
"Is a big girl that can handle herself and she knows about where Jasper was going and who he was with. It is her life and decision on whether Jasper can be in her life."
"Mom…" I tried pleading my case again, but she was not having it.
"Edward," Bella said giving me a pleading look. I knew just by the look on her face she forgave him for what he said. That's why she was an angel and I loved her.
My eyes focused on the French toast as I thought about what I should say.
"I'll make no promises, but I'll try not to interfere with them again," I grumbled.
"And you'll make up with Jasper," she pushed.
"Mom," I said again.
"He will make the effort," Bella told her giving me a knowing look, when I glanced back at her.
Mackenzie was still looking at me curiously, so I handed my mom the spatula and strode over to the kitchen table.
"Want to go with me to take Nana home?"
"Can we play the ano?" she asked. She loved to sit with me as I played the piano at my parent's house. I would play either her or Bella's lullaby.
I started to show her a couple of months ago how to play and she had picked up on it amazingly. My dad was convinced she was a prodigy a lot like myself at her age.
"If you play with me," I bargained.
"I play Twinkle, Twinkle," she squealed, making Bella giggle and kiss her head.
That's what we did after breakfast. Bella stayed behind, which made me anxious because the issue of her mother still wasn't resolved. Charlie seemed to be avoiding her and that displeased me more then anything. It had been a week, and he had yet to make an attempt or warn her of her mother's presence.
I sat in my parent's living room as I instructed Mackenzie on playing. She would watch my hands glide on the keys and mimic my movements.
As I finished showing her a few keys of Claire de Lune, applause disrupted us.
"Mackenzie you play beautifully," Dad smiled.
"Watch me play again Gramps," she said excitingly as a few curls fell in her face.
I brushed her hair back as she began playing. She really was a natural and I could feel the pride swelling in my chest.
"Daddy needs to buy you a piano," he suggested
Her posture immediately perked up.
"One thing at a time," I glared at him, I already pushed my luck with Hendrix this was something we needed to discuss.
"Nana has lunch waiting for you, little beauty." She loved that name because it reminded her of Beauty and the Beast. She pointed out more then once Bella was Belle and if that were the case her being called little beauty meant she was like Belle.
Her imagination and logic awed me sometimes.
"Gramps, can I bring Drix with me next time?" she inquired, taking his hand.
"If Nana says yes," he said carefully.
"Drix is sooo cute," she started and I knew Hendrix would be running around the next time she was here, whether mom agreed to it or not.
We enjoyed the lunch Esme prepared for us and took off shortly after. Mackenzie was getting fussy and I knew she was due for a nap. Bella hadn't called or texted me, that concerned me because she was by herself. I knew she was working on Jacob's postponed book release, but she usually sent me some form of communication.
I pulled into the driveway noticing Charlie's cruiser parked on the street. This was not going to be good.
"Pap's here to visit me," Mackenzie mumbled sleepily into my shoulder.
I didn't say anything as we started up the walkway. The door opened with a sad looking Charlie appearing. He walked over to us and kissed Mackenzie's cheek. "I love you, Mack," he said quietly. The only reason I heard was because I was holding her.
She kissed him back repeating his word back to him, with that he was gone. We made our way up to my room where I knew Bella was. She sat staring at the wall; Mackenzie tried wiggling out of my arms. I sat her on the bed and Bella finally looked at me.
"I want you gone," she said brokenly, pulling Mackenzie into her arms. She held her like a security blanket.
"Bella," I tried.
"I want you gone," she repeated. "Not forever, but I can't look at you right now."
"Please," I said placing my hand on her cheek only to have her cringe away.
"Do this for me," she pleaded and I could see the tears willing to break free.
"I'll be back later…tonight." She nodded, cuddling our child closer to her.
I closed our bedroom door and leaned against it, remembrance of a promise we once made to each other hitting me.
I sat my equipment bag and luggage down at the door as soon as I entered the apartment. I spent the past three weeks in Dubai, two and a half weeks in Paris before that, and a week in London covering fashion week. It wasn't as though I was avoiding Bella; I just couldn't deal with the constant disappointment in her eyes.
Her birthday was four months ago and I could still smell, taste, and touch her. She didn't love me like I loved her and that was okay. I hadn't been with anyone since that night. I had plenty of opportunities with the models from the shoots I did, but all I could see was her, I wanted to be with her.
I looked around and nothing seemed different. She had a stack of manuscripts, next to her laptop and her coffee mug had steam coming from it. I walked over to take a sip, I missed American coffee. I almost spit it out, this shit wasn't coffee it was fucking tea. She never drank tea.
"Teaches you not to drink things that aren't yours," Bella said from behind me, I could just hear the smirk in her voice.
I turned around to say something smart-ass back, but I was frozen in shock. She had her hand rubbing over her protruding belly. There was no question this baby was mine, she had never been with anyone else. The guilt consumed me for taking away her first time while she was inebriated.
"It's a girl," she said sarcastically.
"Why didn't you tell me?" I demanded.
"You were busy with work," she snipped, the accusation in her voice evident. She knew I was using work to hide from her.
I couldn't say anything. Here one of my best friends stood in front of me looking almost like a stranger. Her hair was longer and her boobs were definitely bigger. My eyes couldn't seem to focus on anything other then her stomach.
I slowly walked toward her and kneeled in front of her, rolling her tank top to rest just below her breasts. She gave me a wary look as she bit her lip.
"Hi," I murmured placing a kiss against her skin. "I'm your Daddy and a major idiot."
"I think asshole would suffice," she mused.
"Language," I admonished, rubbing where our child rested. "She'll come out cursing like a marine."
"If I can't swear you can't either," she said, running her finger into my hair. I was home.
"I was an asshole," I corrected and she smiled triumphantly.
"We're having a baby," she told me softly.
"I can see that," I rolled my eyes playfully.
I could see annoyance flicker in her eyes from my comment ruining our moment. So I placed gentle kisses around her belly, causing her to giggle.
"Do you have ultrasound pictures?" I asked, wanting to see what my child with her looked like so far.
She moved over to the end table picking up a frame and handed it to me. It was fuzzy, but I knew the blob was my daughter.
Daughter.
"When do we get to meet her?" I asked in awe.
"She's due May sixteenth," she smiled warmly at me.
We had only five months to get things ready for her. My brain was running a million miles per second. "We need a bigger place." I blurted out. "She'll need a crib, highchair, car seats…what the fuck do babies need?"
"Calm down we have time to figure out what we're going to do."
"Not enough time," I mumbled, placing my cheek against her stomach.
"Is this going to be your thing now?" she questioned, nodding to how I was holding her.
"Yes," I said stubbornly, kissing her again. I never wanted to let her go.
After a few minutes I stood, grabbing her hand so she would follow me. We walked to my room and she hesitated in the doorway.
"I'm exhausted," I explained never releasing her hand.
"Ed-Edward," she stuttered nervously.
"You want to go to your room?"
"What are we doing?"
"Well I'm going to sleep and keep you next to me," I told her simply.
"You're not even mad?" she asked incredulously.
"This is my fault, if I didn't stay away I would have known," I said sadly.
"I wanted to tell you, but I wanted to do it in person not over the phone…"
"I assume our families know."
"Your mom has been spoiling me," she said shyly.
"You need to be spoiled," I smiled squeezing her hand before lying down. "I bet the chief wants to castrate me."
"If you didn't come home he would have," she giggled.
"Again I'm an asshole." She nodded.
"Let's promise to never keep big things from each other," I sighed sticking my pinky out to her.
She giggled looping her finger with mine. "Promise," she whispered. "I missed you."
"I missed you too, but thought you hated me," I admitted.
"You're ridiculous I could never hate you," she said shaking her head fervently.
"I'm so sorry."
"Quit it, this might be unexpected but it is a blessing. She is our blessing, I can't have you thinking about her and feeling guilty because I certainly don't."
"I don't feel guilty or regret anything," I said firmly.
"Good," she beamed and her smile was glorious. "Let's go to sleep."
I rolled her on to her side and protectively wrapped my arm around her middle. My hand rested on her stomach where the best thing I had ever done laid.
Caught up in the memory of the promise Bella and I made. I realized I broke it and she would probably never want anything to do with me. My heart broke in my chest as I made my way downstairs to my car. I needed to see my brother he was the only one who never really judged what I did.
A/N: This chapter needed to happen. I'm warning you that there will be a few time jumps, but it is necessary and remember this Edward and Bella handle things differently. So don't hate too much.
Next order of business is I am going to be asking your opinions for later chapters because some big things are going to happen.
There are a lot of you reading I would really like to hear all of your thoughts. So please drop a line telling me what you think.
Major thanks to my beta dolphin62598 and again read and review because I really would love to know what you guys are thinking.