Quick note: I realllyyyy messed up, this was supposed to be Chapter 24 and somehow I just completely skipped over it. So I'm going to post it and then move it back to where it should be.
"Don't be a crybaby, Em." I heard Edward huff from upstairs as I put my keys on the table by the door. I shook my head and pulled off my coat. Emmett and Rose decided they needed another weekend off as Emily progressed into her fearsome fives. From what I'd seen she hadn't been that bad, a little destructive and very teary, but not terrible. Edward was doing well with her, so far. I started to wonder if his patience had ran out as ascended the stairs.
"Is that my Emmy-pie?" I asked loudly once I reached the landing. The crying got louder and Edward huffed. I rounded the corner and peeked into the room that Emily stayed in when she visited.
"I want my mommy!" She yelled when she looked up at me. Edward folded his arms and sat back in his chair, rolling his eyes. The sight was actually quite comical. Both of my princesses wore beaus and tiaras, Edward had barrettes in his hair and Emily wore red lipstick that was all over the teacups that sat in between them on a short pink table.
"Hey." Edward said jerking a chin at me. Emily cried and stood from the Emily sized chair that she sat in, running to me.
"Aw, honey." I pouted and squatted down, opening my arms to her. She crashed into me and buried her face in my neck. "What'd Uncle Eddie do?" I asked folding my arms around her tightly. Her tears soaked my shoulder as I held her and Edward scoffed. I furrowed my eyebrows at him and stood, bringing Emily with me. Edward stood too and walked past me, tugging a hand through his hair, yanking out the barrettes and his tiara.
"Emily needs a nap." He told me as he headed down the steps.
"No!" She yelled at him, pulling her head from my neck.
"It's not negotiable." He said, he steps not slowing on the stairs. I stroked Emily's hair and kissed her head.
"I don't know what that means." She whimpered wrapping her little arms around my neck. "He's being mean." I frowned and carried her further into the room.
"I don't want to nap." She said as I put her down for bed.
"I'll nap with you." I offered sliding in next to her. She shook her head, her blonde hair whipping me in the face. I laid down and opened my arms for a hug.
"No!" She yelled taking me by surprise as she slid out of the tall bed warily. "I don't wanna nap!" She took off running and I groaned, falling back on the bed. I heard loud beeping from the phone in the hallway and jumped up. When I reached the hall she held Edward's home phone and was pursing her lips angrily.
"Em, what are you doing?" I asked taking it from her and hanging it up before the call went through.
"Mommy said call 911 if I'm in trouble!" My eyebrows shot up and I shook my head.
"No, no, Emily." I sighed setting the phone on a high shelf before lifting her up. When she realized I was taking her back to the bedroom she screamed, a high pitched, earsplitting shriek. I gasped at the noise and laid her in the bed. She yanked hard on my ponytail and my jaw clenched.
"Emily!" I yelled over her as she started kicking. "Please." She stilled under me and narrowed her blue eyes again before letting out another scream. "What would your mommy do if she saw you acting like this?" I asked.
"Spank me. But you aren't my mommy!" She yelled.
"But I can call her!" I threatened. "Screaming and crying is not going to help you get your way around here." I backed away from her after she shut her mouth.
"Are you mad at me?" She asked sounding sad and angry at the same time. I shook my head and turned on the baby monitor, grabbing the part that we hold and tucking it into my back pocket.
"Take a nap." I said shortly, exiting the room and shutting the door behind me. I sighed and headed down the steps, Edward was in the living room nursing a beer when I entered. Even though I'd been the one to bear the brunt of her anger he was still obviously pissed.
"What's wrong?" I asked sitting next to him and turning on the monitor to hear Emily yelling. I turned it to low and took Edward's beer, taking a sip.
"We lost an account today. Kate's." He palmed his forehead and shut off the monitor when Emily started wailing. "Then Em decides that today of all days she should be as bratty as possible." He rolled his eyes. I moved closer to him and propped my elbow up on the back of the couch, running my hands through his hair.
"That's what your dad was talking to you about?" I furrowed my eyebrows, thinking back on the unscheduled meeting Edward had with Carlisle.
He groaned and nodded. "He thought I was fucking her and that my dating you pissed her off so she left."
"Did you sleep with her?" I asked.
"In high school, but that was a while ago." Kate didn't even go to our high school… What the hell? "She went to Port." He spoke of a not-so-close school.
"Is there anyone you didn't fuck in high school?" I asked rolling my eyes.
"I mom." He said raising an eyebrow. I tightened my hand in his hair, tugging it roughly and he groaned. "Ugh." He moved away from me. "I'm not having a good day. Dad's still pissed even though I told him I didn't fuck Kate... How the hell am I going to make up for that loss?" I shrugged and took his hand between mine, placing our hands in my lap. "I'll probably get fired, then you'll be the breadwinner."
"He won't fire you, Edward. I don't think Cullen and Co can afford to lose another Cullen." Emmett had already decided that the family business wasn't his cup of tea and decided being the Mayor of Seattle was more of his thing.
"True, well I guess it's a good thing Emmett's such a disappointment, huh?" I chuckled and his eyebrows furrowed. "I just want to forget about all of that." He sighed. I pulled his hand up to my lips, kissing it before lowering it and pushing it into my breast.
"I can help." I whispered, leaning forward and kissing his jaw.
"Bella..." I arched into his hand and he let out a soft sigh, squeezing my flesh. "What about Emily?" He asked. I reached back and flicked the monitor on, but turned it almost all the way down as she continued to wail. "I know you're hurting, honey. I'm not going to-" I lifted an eyebrow and his eyes flicked to my crotch.
"You don't have to. Let me take care of you, get your mind off of things." I whisper, pressing my mouth to his and giving him a deep kiss. I lifted one hand and stroked the stubble on his jaw and used my other hand to work on his zipper.
"You don't have to..." He whispered feebly as I moved between his legs on the floor.
"Do you not want me to?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows. I let go of his zipper and he shook his head, reaching up and grabbing two handfuls of my breasts.
"I just want you to cuddle with me." He said, his hands working in spite of his words. He unbuttoned my blouse, before pulling me up on the couch next to him.
"Okay." I sighed as he unhooked my bra and eased me onto my back. He kissed his way up my stomach, then along the undersides of my breasts. "I'm confused." I whispered as he nipped my skin, making me shiver.
"You've never heard of topless cuddling?" He asked with a smile. I shrugged and Emily's monitor went silent. "Damn it." He groaned pushing away from me after a soft kiss and held the monitor to his ear. We both jumped as footsteps echoed through the hall. He picked up my shirt and tossed it at me, I yanked it on, sans my bra and we righted ourselves on the couch. Emily came toddling around the corner and stood in the doorway, glaring at us.
"I'm not sleepy!" She said stomping her foot. I took Edward's beer from the table and used it as an excuse to leave the room. I chugged the last of it once I reached the kitchen and tossed it into the garbage. Edward spoke lowly to Emily, his tone a lot sweeter than when I first walked in.
They soon entered the kitchen and he put her on the barstool.
"We're hungry, Aunt Bella." She said as he sat on the stool next to her. Edward nudged her little arm and she pursed her lips. "And I'm sorry for being mean." I nodded and leaned over the counter. She grinned pecked my cheek. "Can you make a cake?"
"Not for dinner, baby girl." I said moving to Edwards fridge to take inventory. "Fish, chicken-" I listed.
"Make a chicken!" She squealed clapping her hands. I looked at the shelves and shelves of fish, chicken and juice with a curious eyebrow.
"What..?"
"I need the protein." He shrugged and I didn't ask any more questions. I just shook my head and pulled out left overs from what Edward brought home the day before.
"I want to see the chicken!" Emily insisted with a whine. Edward turned her stool towards hip and pinches one of her lips in each hand before opening her mouth.
"Wha-ah-ooh-oing?!" She asked as he inspected her mouth.
"Looking for your off switch." He rolled his eyes as though that was the most obvious answer.
"I-on't-ave-one." She squealed with a giggle.
"I thought everyone had one." He pursed his lips and shrugged.
"Do you?" She asked with wide eyes as I warmed up a plate. I silently asked Edward if he wanted one and he shook his head no. We'd had a large lunch and I wouldn't be eating either.
"Of course I do!" He said putting his hands on his chest while looking indignant.
"Where?" She asked with wide eyes.
"Onl-" As soon as his mouth was open enough, she shoved her small hand into his mouth. He coughed and pulled her hand out, furrowing his eyebrows and cocking his head as he used a napkin to wipe her hand off.
"What are you doing?"
"I was gonna find it." I snorted with laughter as she stared at him with those huge eyes.
"Only Aunt Bella knows, just like I'm the only one that knows hers." I rolled my eyes as I put the plate in the microwave. "She doesn't even know where hers is." He whispered loudly behind a hand that was on the wrong side of his mouth. His eyes left his niece and he winked at me.
"I don't?" I asked, he shook his head and furrowed his eyebrows.
"Oh no, I'm like the button finding guru." He beamed, putting his pearly whites on display. "Nope, but you do have several, I'll show you later." He winked and my vagina imploded.
No big deal or anything.
"Deal." I chuckled, pouring Emily a glass of water. There were four loud knocks on the front door and Edward stood from his stool.
"Be right back." He said heading out of the large kitchen. Emily ate vigorously across the counter from me and I chuckled. "Uh…" Edward trailed.
"What's wrong?" I called, sticking my tongue out at Emily who beamed up at me.
"Can I have juice now, Aunt Bella?" She asked, puckering up her lips.
I nodded and waved her cute self off. "Yep, and free of charge too." I smiled a going to the refrigerator and easily forgetting about Edward.
"Love you!" She squealed pushing off of the counter and giggling as her chair spun in circles. Edward walked back into the kitchen with a shy smile and tugged his hands through his hair.
"You might want to get that." The doorbell rang again and I rolled my eyes.
"What, Tanya back for a romp?" I joked, he pursed his lips and took the juice from me.
"Haha, no. It's your mom." My eyebrows shot up and it was a good thing he took the juice or it would have been all over the floor. My stomach knotted angrily as I looked toward the hallway.
"What?! What the hell is she doing here?" Of course this is probably the only place she felt safe meeting me in. Neither of my parents had set a foot in my apartment yet, because people like them don't go to places like that.
He took my hand and pulled me from Emily. "Language…"
"Sorry-"
"Heard it all before!" Em waved her uncle off. "Can I have ice cream now?" Edward shook his head.
"Babe," He cupped my cheek, ducking to meet my eyes. "I know you've been trying with her, and if you want, I can get rid of 'er." I smiled at his cuteness and shook my head.
"No, I can do it myself." He winked at my words and I chuckled, kissing his cheek. He slapped my ass when I headed towards the hall, making me jump. I flipped him off, and he laughed before heading for Em.
"Isabella," Mom said, only about a foot away from me when I turned. "You seem to be misinformed about the Cullens."
Oh this should be good.
"Come on. I'll listen or whatever." I said begrudgingly as I extended an arm towards Edward's living room, the one that wasn't connected to the living room.
"I know your father told you things about me falling for Carlisle… It's not true, your father just tends to be a jealous man." I lifted an eyebrow, knowing that dad was anything but. My mother however did tend to lie.
"I'm gonna' tell, Aunt Bella!" Emily screamed through loud giggles. She ran past the doorway and mom's head whipped toward the little girl.
"That's Emmett's daughter, right?" I furrowed my eyebrow, wondering what she was trying to imply.
"Yes, you know that mom." Emily ran past the door again and this time Edward was behind her, shushing her.
"Where is she?" Em asked from down the hall.
"She's talking to her mum, we have to be quiet." Edward said lowly, making me chuckle.
"I want to meet Aunt Bella's mommy!" Emily got the right room this time.
I turned to mom and shook my head, a smirk pulling at my lips as Emily crashed into the room. "Uncle Edward said not to come in, but I wanna meet your mommy." She turned to mom and gave her a big hug, taking my mother by surprise. Emily hugged her neck and mom awkwardly patted her back with wide eyes.
"You don't look mean." She smiled patting mom's cheek before moving back to my lap. I blushed and bit my lip. "I think I wanna stay with you, because Uncle Edward is gonna' be mad at me." She opened my arms and pulled them back around her waist, leaning her head against my shoulder as she played with her hair.
"Emily?" Edward hissed from somewhere down the hall. Mom straightened her back, still mildly shocked at Emily's hug and words. Emily pulled my hair up to curtain her face and moved to my side.
"Shh…"
"Are we going to be able to talk?" Mom asked, pointedly looking at Emily. I was surprised to see a soft look in her eyes as she stared at little Emily.
"Yeah, she won't say anything." I said loudly, letting Edward know where we were. He came in shortly after and smiled at me and mom before picking up Emily and slinging her over his shoulder.
"I'm sorry…" She drawled, patting his back to console him. He shook his head and closed the door behind him.
"Okay… Well," Mom then launched into a long winded story about her relationship with the Cullen's. She made sure to hit on how close her and Esme were, and how Carlisle was like a brother to her. She also made sure dad received full blame for my worry. I nodded and let her words go in one ear and out the other. I would love to have a civil conversation, but the entire time she was on the defensive, passing blame and denying claims.
"Oh… kay." I nodded, smoothing my palms down my jeans.
"That's it?"
"I appreciate you coming down." I really did, it meant a lot that she made an effort, even though she was pretty much just making excuses, she tried. She nodded and we both stood, looking at each other awkwardly.
"Well," She spoke as I moved forward to hug her. I dropped my arms and she lifted hers for a hug; unlike me though, she didn't stop, she just pulled me into a tight hug.
"I hope we can be better, Isabella." She whispered, I squeezed her, shocked at the humanity that shone through as she spoke. It was also more than awkward so I just stood still.
I played possum, you could say.
"Uh, me too, Mom." I said softly, she kissed my cheek and pulled back with a nod, her walls visibly rising again.
"Alright then, I guess we'll see you at the gala." She nodded, breezing through the door before I had a chance to ask about what she was talking about.
What gala?
Well I hope you enjoyed!
Once again, this was supposed to be chapter 24, before Bella heard anything about the gala…