Long absence explanation down below. For now, I apologise for the grammar and any spelling mistakes.

Walking the Walk

Dessert is mum's famous apple pie and ice-cream combination (store bought). The conversation is much lighter and dad shares a funny story about a drunken character they had picked up the day before. The old lady had called dad Fabio and begged him to marry her, right before projectile vomiting all over him. Dad took it much better than most by telling her the wedding was off and then handing her to the cell officers.

After dessert Edward thanks mum and says he should be getting home.

"Any time, Edward," she smiles at him, before turning to dad, "C'mon, Fabio, you can help me with the dishes."

Edward and I are still laughing as I walk him out to his car. Once he's at the driver's door he turns around and smiles at me.

"That was fun." I look at him like he's crazy and he laughs. "It was," he affirms. "I honestly thought there would be a bigger lecture coming from your dad than what I got."

"So did I," I admit.

He's watching me carefully with a lopsided smile and reaches his hand out to mine. Our fingertips brush, grip, and he pulls gently. Fingers interlock, toe to toe, I look up into his eyes; the porch light adequate in showing off the many colours within them.

"I need to tell you something," he speaks lowly, his thumb brushes the skin over mine and my stomach flutters.

"Okay…" I peter out, wondering where this is going.

"You know, I've always liked you and I never meant for this to happen. I thought about asking you out, but you were always so distant and I thought there was no way you'd be interested. That night … I didn't mean to … I mean I shouldn't have, because we'd both been drinking and … you know? It was stupid."

He pauses and I can feel tears welling as a sudden breeze of realisation hits, blowing across the nape of my neck and making me heady. He's changed his mind. He thinks this was all a mistake. The world swims around me and I find it hard to look him in the eyes as he continues.

"Last night made me realise that I wish I'd gotten to know you better before this all happened, but I want you to know that I'm not going anywhere. I mean we still have a few months, right? We have plenty of time to get to know each other before she comes."

He pauses again and I'm almost too busy trying to bring my world back into the upright position to hear him.

"I guess what I'm saying is, Bella? Will you go out with me?"

Relief washes over me, and I choke out something between a laugh and a cry.

"Well, that's not the reaction I was hoping for," he says, a slight frown on his face.

"No! No! Sorry, it's just," I look him steadfast in the eyes and beam at him, "Yes, I would love to go out with you," I finish.

He beams back at me and then leans down to plant a soft kiss on my lips. My stomach flutters again, only this time, when I feel a solid kick straight afterward, I realise that it's the baby, not butterflies. Edward deepens the kiss a little, I give into him and pull his hands up to rest on my belly. I smile secretly and wait patiently, expecting nothing, but hoping ... Then it happens. Edward pulls away in an instant and looks down at his hands.

"Was that…?" He looks at me wide eyed in surprise.

It wasn't a very hard kick but it was an unmistakable bump from the inside. I nod and he observes me curiously.

"How long have you been feeling kicks?"

I shrug. "Since that day in the music room, but this is the first time on the outside. I wasn't sure if we'd be able to feel it but she's been kicking up a storm tonight. It's mostly just light fluttering but then some good boots now and then. That was pretty much just pure luck," I laugh lightly.

After waiting around for another five minutes hoping to feel another kick, he finally gives up and kisses me once more before getting into his car and driving home.

Clouds cushion my feet as I glide up to my bedroom and get ready for bed. Sleep is followed by sweet dreams of Edward's lips.

…

Although I am housebound on the weekend, my parents allow Edward to come over and help me with some of my homework. At least that's the reason we gave them for him coming over, though I'm sure they're not stupid.

We spend both days listening to music and talking to find out what things we had in common. As it turns out, not a lot. The first sign of this is when he laughs at me for my music choices.

"What!" I demand, pushing him playfully.

"Nothing, it's just you're such a meek person, I never thought you'd be the kind of person that would listen to Tool and Slipknot. Plus, Fleetwood Mac?" he laughs, pointing at my Fleetwood Mac night shirt on my bed.

"Hey! Don't knock the classics! Besides, maybe the reason I'm so 'meek' as you put it, is because I listen to bands like Tool and Slipknot." He looks at me questioningly. "Okay then music guru, what do you listen to?" I challenge him. "Backstreet Boys?"

He points at me and smirks "Don't be knocking the classics, Bella," he laughs. "But no, I don't listen to the Backstreet Boys."

"Well, then tell me."

"How about I show you?" he replies. "Give me your iPod and I'll make you a playlist of the best music you've ever heard."

"Challenge accepted," I quip, before handing him my iPod.

On Monday I receive a text from Edward saying that he can't come round but that he'll call me. He follows through on his promise and after dinner we talk until I fall asleep.

Tuesday morning I wake with my phone in my hand and jump when it vibrates with a message.

Rise and shine sleeping beauty. You're no longer locked inside your castle. See you soon. P.S you snore :P

I want to be mad at him for his dig at me, but I can't help but smile at the fact that he didn't type one single word in text talk. My hate of text typing was something I had mentioned over the weekend. It is sweet to know that he'd been listening.

When mum drops me off at school I see Jasper, Angela, Edward and Eric all waiting for me. There is another girl there who I guess is Eric's sister, judging by the resemblance.

"Hey fellow convict," Angela jokes as she hugs me.

"Hey," I laugh as I hug her back.

I say hello to all the others and then smile back in Angela's direction when I see Jasper and her are arm and arm.

"Oh boohoo you had to both stay at home," Jasper jokes as everyone starts to walk toward the English block.

"Yeah, well, you know what my dad is like, not exactly a fun person to hang with," Angela retorts.

"I don't know, he seems like a decent guy. He sure loves me," Jasper smiles at her and puffs out his chest a little.

She looks up at him and smiles kindly. "I am yet to work out why that is," she jests.

I am guessing by their conversation that Jasper still visited her house and spoke to her father, and I'm so pleased for my friend that I almost miss Edward's outstretched hand. I look up at him and take it.

"Ready?" he asks.

I nod. "Look them in the eye," I repeat his words from the dinner table conversation and he smiles at me proudly.

"Look them in the eye," he confirms.

"Show them who the boss, Li'l Mumma," Jasper adds.

Everyone slowly disperses and goes to their own rooms, leaving Edward and I standing at his locker, our fingers still linked, our laughter still petering out over stories the others had shared about their weekend. I pull to separate us and get ready to go into my homeroom when Edward pulls me toward him. I look up at him with shock and begin to question him, when he stops me by leaning in, our noses almost touching. His eyes are intense as they bore into me.

"Beautiful, pregnant, and happy. Don't look now, Bella, but everyone is watching you not give a fuck," he whispers, before kissing me with fervour. One hand cups my face, the other rests on my lower back, and for once I couldn't care less about who's watching me. I grip his shirt in my fists and let happiness overwhelm me.

I want to thank everyone that reviewed or messaged me to check on me during my absence. It has been a really tough few weeks. My daughter has a heart condition that meant a hospital trip, my son has been sick 3 times in the last few weeks and I've been sick twice.

I have a condition called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (Wiki surprisingly has good info on it if you would like to learn more) and this past couple of weeks I've slipped/dislocated a rib and am also bedridden as my legs are covered in painful bruises because I sat on a bench seat for a couple of hours on the weekend while out to dinner. Normally i'd use these rest periods to write, but I've been in far too much pain to even think straight let alone write.

I'm hoping to see my physio soon to get my rib put back in place and strapped and hopefully these bruises will go away and take the joint/muscle pain with it soon, but in the meantime I hope you'll understand that I can only write when my body allows me to. After a month or two of minimal symptoms I guess I should have expected a few weeks of complete body failure eventually LOL. (Plus we're moving next month! GAH! Needless to say I am not ready!)

Thanks again for all the amazing support. You people are such genuine and kind people, I hate to have to change my updating schedule on you. Know that I appreciate you all immensely and this story WILL be finished.

All my love

BDB