EPOV
I brushed Bella's hair out of her face. She fell asleep as soon as our flight took off and I hated that she was making this trip for me. We called her doctor and she had told us Bella was still able to travel, but not to overdo it. So we had Emerson's shower as planned, but had to leave shortly after.
Bella shifted against me again and I leaned down gently kissing her lips. Last night Garrett told me I should go upstairs because there was yelling and when I saw Alice sprint up to our room I followed. Bella had Grace clinging to her as she paced in front of our bed with the phone in hand.
Emmett stood there trying to calm Bella down, but he like me knew how fiery she could get. My wife, my beautiful stubborn wife had become my protector these past seven years and once she saw me she crumbled. I held her and Grace close while Emmett took the phone ending the call.
That woman said she was your family. Bella signed.
"You're my family, baby," I assured her, letting her curl in my side. "You and Emerson."
Emmett scooped a protesting Grace up and Bella sunk further into me. I didn't want her so sad and stressed during this happy time for us. I wouldn't let Eddie take this opportunity from me. I spent such a long time being bitter for what happened to me, but when I met Bella, I learned that I didn't need all of that hate and anger for my father.
I beat the odds over other children in my situation and lived a pretty normal life. Though I became successful in my career at a young age and had a young, beautiful, caring wife and a baby on the way I couldn't take things for granted.
Carlisle and I talked this over this morning; he explained that legally I had to be in Chicago for the will reading. Esme wanted to come with us and I knew she wanted to protect me, but this was something I needed to do on my own. I felt like I needed to face the demons of my past with my future. Bella was my future.
I watched as the earbud to Bella's iPhone fell out of her ear. I picked it up feeling the tempo thrumming against my fingertip. I gently took her phone out of her lap curious to see what she was listening to. Tupac. I snorted at her eclectic taste in music.
I wasn't familiar with hip-hop or rap like I was with other genres. When I was little, Eddie was obsessed with the Sex Pistols. I remembered the grating voice of Sid Vicious late at night as I tried to sleep and he blasted it through our apartment. Each time my parents would be sent home from rehab and I would be back in their custody Eddie would have his music playing at all times.
Lizzie wasn't home yet she had another few weeks with the doctors and grandmother had the driver bring me home. Eddie had been released so she said I had to go back.
"Christ, that bloody ole' bat doesn't waste any time," Eddie groaned as he opened the door to Marcus and me.
Marcus glared, but smiled down at me. "You be a good boy, Edward."
I nodded holding my bear closer to me. I watched Marcus carry in my bags and Eddie sat on the couch smoking a cigarette. Marcus shook his head, but said nothing. He patted my back before he left. I heard the low sound of music floating into the room.
"Hey, you gonna stand by that door all night?" Eddie asked.
I let out a breath shaking my head.
"You know your mum won't be home for a bit, yeah?" he said waving his hand around, ashes broke off onto the floor.
I shrugged.
"You do talk, don't you? Your gram says you started school, a month ago," he said running his fingers through his hair. "Kindergarten, right?"
I nodded.
"Well fucking speak then," he snapped.
"I'm tired," I told him.
"It's only nine," he replied.
"Miss Jane says I go to bed at eight," I said.
"You have a nanny, then?"
"Yes."
I held my bear closer, Eddie's eyes went together and he was off the couch. He took my bear from me. Before I could tell him that was mine, he tore it's head off.
"I don't get my Lizzie, you don't get the bear. Sounds fair," he shrugged, tossing what was left of my bear to the floor.
I felt my tears and he walked to his room shutting the door before turning his music up. I walked to the room that I remembered was mine. It was still just a mattress on the floor like the last time.
I remembered living with just Eddie for that month. I would try to keep out of his way. He had a short fuse and just about anything could set him off. The thing I think that bothered me most was when I would look into a mirror. Now more than ever I looked exactly like him. I swear Bella could sense my self-loathing when I would be in front of our mirrors at home, she would always give me a kiss or cup my face telling me how much she loved me. She was my saving grace.
I felt her shift against me and her eyes fluttered open. I couldn't help, but steal a kiss. "Hi," I said giving her a smile.
How long was I out?
We should be landing in fifteen minutes.
That long?
I didn't want to wake you. I told her before letting my hand drop to her stomach.
Bella covered my hand with both of hers and laid her head back, closing her eyes. She still looked tired and I felt that much more guilt for her having to be here. "Stop," her mouth said. She knew I had been watching her. You hover. She signed. I rolled my eyes, grabbing her hand in mine and placed a quick kiss on her fingers.
The more I thought about this trip the more I thought about my daughter. She would be here very soon and we were going to give her a different kind of childhood than either one of us had had. Mine had been filled with abuse and neglect. Bella's was much different from mine; she grew up in a two-bedroom ranch style home on the beach. Her parents lived paycheck to paycheck. She had no idea what spoiled was. Emerson would be spoiled and loved beyond anything else.
Bella noticed my over thinking and grabbed my face between her small hands. She squished my cheeks together and began laughing. I wished I could hear that lovely sound, but I let the sparkle in her eyes guide me for what she was up to.
"You look like a fish," she said, letting me go.
I made a fish face on my own and crossed my eyes. She lost it again and wrapped her arms around me as best as she could. I kissed her head as I hugged her back. The stewardess informed us that we were landing and I helped Bella get her seatbelt on. I could see her grumbling and I knew she was uncomfortable.
Before we left, Esme had given her several longer flowey dresses to wear for our trip. My wife had developed a hatred for maternity clothes she was dead set on wearing what she wanted and already had. I was the one to convince her to try one on, which she did. She ended up only taking the dresses. Apparently, they had a built-in bra and Bella loved that fact because she hated wearing those. She also said it felt more freeing or some shit like that. I let her do what she wanted because she was going to do everything her way anyway.
There's a guy holding up our name. Bella signed as I carried our luggage.
I noticed her move closer to my side as we approached Marcus. He smiled warmly and I remembered how nice he had always been to me. He had aged and looked a bit rounder.
"Edward," he smiled then frowned.
When I had been removed permanently from Lizzie and Eddie's 'care' after the incident, Marcus I think felt guilty for what had happened like he should have intervened on some level.
I waved and Bella cuddled closer to me.
BPOV
"And you must be the Missus," The sign holder said, holding out his hand.
"I'm Bella," I told him shaking his hand.
"I'm Marcus, it's very nice to meet you. I've worked for the Masen's since Edward's father was born."
"So you're here to pick us up?" I asked, firmly keeping my arm around Edward's waist.
"Yes, ma'am," he smiled again. "I will be taking you to the Masen's estate in Wilmette."
I looked up at Edward, this time he winked down at me giving me a sweet kiss. "It's okay," he assured me, but I was supposed to be the reassurer.
Marcus's eyes widened at the sound of Edward's voice. I was curious to know his relationships with these people. From what both Esme and Edward have told me, Edward had been rather difficult for his grandparents. His anger and disrespect for the rules in Chicago was what made them so eager to give him to Esme.
"Come on, baby," Edward smiled again, pulling me closer as he handed a shocked Marcus our bags. I snuggled in closer to my husband as we quietly followed Marcus to the car.
I peered up at Edward as he helped me into the lavish Lincoln Town car. I seriously thought rich people only rode in these things in movies not real life. He smirked at me, shaking his head. He was good like that or I guess he could see it on my face.
"You two are the talk of the house," Marcus informed me.
"Really?"
"Mrs. Masen wasn't exactly discreet last night. The maids and kitchen staff heard her yelling from the library. News spread pretty fast after that."
"Not much news here," I told him.
Edward was watching us curiously; he clearly could see what I was saying.
"Sure there is. The long lost grandson of Ed and Margo Masen returns. Not only him, but his wife as well. Just a heads up she said it was a shotgun wedding."
"She said that?" I asked in disbelief.
I touched my stomach and Edward's hand joined mine.
"We've been married a little over a year," I informed him. "I guess you can say we were high school sweethearts. We were where we wanted to be when we got married and then got pregnant a couple months later. None of what we had is 'shotgun'." I defended.
"You both went to college together?"
"Yeah, but I'm still finishing up. Edward graduated early from MIT in Boston. I went to Boston College, but transferred when he got a job offer back home."
"You have made a lot of sacrifices at such a young age."
"You make sacrifices for the people you love," I snapped.
I watched Marcus nod his head and his smile brighten slightly. Edward's teeth grazed my earlobe causing my head to turn and look up at him. "I love you, Bella."
"Well duh," I grinned.
He snorted burying his face in my neck as he nipped my skin. I was laughing like a manic and totally forgot where we were. Marcus cleared his throat. I wondered if this car had one of those divider thingies that you always saw in movies. Edward's nips turned into sucking and I started to moan.
Just as his hand came up to squeeze my boob, I stopped him by grabbing his hand. He pulled away looking curiously at me and I nodded my head in Marcus's direction. Edward gave me a slight nod back and a sheepish smile.
"We're almost to the house," Marcus informed.
The neighborhood we were pulling into was insane. The houses were monsterus, I had never seen houses this big before. I pulled out my phone and started snapping pictures.
"What are you doing?" Edward laughed.
I turned to look at him. "Mom and Em are not going to believe how big these houses are. I need proof," I shrugged.
Edward shook his head with a smirk.
"Uh, how is he responding?" Marcus asked quietly.
"He can read lips," I explained still playing with my phone.
"But he's talking…" he trailed off.
Edward starts signing. You can tell him. I didn't speak after the incident. I wanted to be left alone and it was already hard that I couldn't hear any longer. Then they sent me off to Europe. It's because of you that I communicate.
I almost started crying, but sucked back my tears. I leaned up giving him a kiss, which he responded in kind.
"Edward's always had a voice. That never changed. His vocal chords weren't damaged so… Carlisle always says that's the misconception of the deaf. They can speak they just can't hear what is being said. Edward wasn't hurt until he was six so he knew what words to say and how to for sentences," I finished.
"He never spoke," Marcus muttered. "He always fought and would lash out…"
I sighed because these people remembered an angry young boy not the kind and loving man he grew to be. The next few days were probably going to be exhausting.
A/N: These two kill me… I had to re-write this chapter three times because I wasn't feeling them mesh well. That's why it took so long to get out. This chapter was beta'd by Dolphin62598. I'm thinking I should add another beta if any of you have experience and would like to volunteer message me. I could always use extra eyes. Thanks!