A/N: I hope this isn't the lamest final chapter ever. I'm terrible at wrapping things up (among my many other faults). I'm considering an Epilogue but don't want to promise anything because it's taken me so long as it is to finish this story. As some of you know, my other story (the Next Chapter) is being pulled for publishing and will be available via Kindle on February 29th so that's where a lot of my time has gone. Obviously, if you've made it this far, you know that my first drafts are very very rough so it's been a long editing process but it's finally (almost) done! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed and I hope you continue to enjoy anything I may post in the future. Please leave some love in the comments and feel free to check out the Next Chapter, it's up until February 15th and then it will be pulled and made available on Amazon under the name Kirstie Inman. Thank you all, I love you. I hope to see you again soon. XOXO!
I lay on the couch with my laptop propped up on my swollen stomach, the baby kicking furiously at the offending hardware, reading an email from my publisher. Confessions of a New York Call Girl was so grossly popular, it's going into a second printing and they have been asking for me bonus material to add onto the end. My second book, Call Girl Turned Housewife, is set to come out later this year and they want something to reinvigorate the fans in hopes that some of the success from the first book will carry over into the second.
I close the laptop and set it aside, sighing, and the baby settles a little. He's due next month, but I don't know if either of us will make it that long. As it is, he's turned my bladder into his own personal punching bag and he's really starting to run out of room in there. Listening to the quiet of the house, I can hear Edward upstairs and his voice makes me smile. He's reading If you give a Mouse a Cookie to Amelia and she giggles every time he does a funny accent.
It's hard to believe she'll be three this year. We're planning a joint birthday party with Emmett and Rosalie's Twins—Ryder and Emily. I remember so well the night they were born, it seems like yesterday.
Rosalie and I sat on the couch flipping through cover samples my publisher sent over. We have it narrowed down to three but since we can't seem to decide between them, we decided to take another look at the ones we've passed up. Rose and Edward have been so supportive through this whole process, I can't imagine having ever done this without them. I'm dedicating the book to both of them, though it's a surprise—each of them only aware of the other's dedication.
Alice is supposed to stop by with Dallas in a little while, he's getting so big—he started walking last week and he's really starting to get the hang of it. I think about how much I love that little boy, and how much he loves his Uncle Edward and Aunt Bella, and find it hard to believe I ever had a life without them. Not so long ago I was lost, sort of floating by but not really living, and now I had more family than I'd ever dreamed of.
There was a knock on the door and Rose got up to answer it, going a little crazy from being cooped up with me the past week. The Doctor told her to take it easy and Emmett refused to let her work at the shop until after the twins were born, so she'd been spending a lot of time with me while the boys were at work. I loved the company, I was due any day now and Edward was suffocatingly protectice, but I could tell she was anxious about not working. I watched her waddle towards the front door and had just turned my attention back to the task at hand when she gasped and I heard the noise of something unfamiliar hitting the floor. I turned to look and saw the giant wet spot on the back of her dress and the puddle that formed near her feet.
"Bella, my water broke," she mumbled, her expression one of shock. Alice knocked again and I hollered for her to come in, struggling to get off the couch as I hurried to my friend.
"Holy crap," Alice's anxious eyes surveyed the situation before pulling out her phone and sending a quick text. "I guess we're moving this to the hospital."
Edward's driver was waiting outside the building when we made it downstairs and we made it to the hospital within fifteen minutes. I don't know how efficiently this would've happened without Alice's quick mind because I was on the verge of panic as I dialed and redialed Edward and Emmett's numbers, praying for an answer each time but getting nothing but voicemails.
"Where is he," Rose cried when the nurses got her situated in her bed. She was already seven centimetres dilated and they were calling the Doctor. Rosalie gripped the bed rail as another contraction hit and I was starting to get a little light headed, wondering if there would be time for anesthesia—or even time for Emmett to get to the hospital—before the babies were born.
"He's coming, sweetie," I lied unconvincingly, pressing redial once more.
"Hello," Emmett's panicked voice answered on the first ring and I almost cried with relief.
"Oh thank God, Emmett you need to get to the hospital now—"
"Where are you!?" Rosalie yelled and I heard Emmett curse.
"We're on our way, tell her I'm coming. Is she okay? Are the babies okay?"
"Everyone's fine, the Doctor's on his way and nobody seems to be panicking about the babies being early or anything. They're coming fast though, Em; you need to get here."
"NOT TOO FAST!" She hollered, suddenly concerned. "Be careful, I don't want to raise these babies alone."
I opened my mouth to tell him what she'd said when he chuckled, sounding a little more calm than he had a second ago. "Okay baby, I'll be there." The phone clicked when he hung up and I put the phone in my pocket, relieved, and relayed the message.
"I hear we're having a baby," Carlisle's familiar voice called and I wanted to collapse with relief. He was carrying Rosalie's chart, peeking through, then whistled and joked, "a couple of babies."
"Are you my Doctor," Rosalie asked, her voice a new level of alarm. I couldn't say I blamed her — I wouldn't want Carlisle delivering my baby either. I trusted him, of course, but there's just only so much intimacy you can have with your future father-in-law.
"No no, of course not. Dr. Greene is on her way but I was here so when she got the call she called me, as a courtesy, to come check on you."
I stepped away from Rose's bed, giving him space, when I felt a pull around my belly and warm liquid coated the thighs of my yoga pants. Oh no. I'd been having contractions off and on for days but nothing really painful, nothing that made me think the baby was really coming. I glanced down at the floor and saw a few drops of liquid that were escaping the fabric of my pants and falling to the floor.
"I'm just going to step outside for a second," I excused myself, hurrying out to the hallway before they could notice. Alice was waiting outside with Dallas, swaying side to side as he slept in her arms.
"Is everything okay," she whispered when she saw me.
"My water just broke," I told her, feeling the familiar tightening as another contraction started—this one more painful than the last.
"You have got to be kidding me… You two don't know how to do anything halfway, do you?" She rolled her eyes and turned towards the nurses station, taking control of the situation once more.
"Bella," Edward called and I turned to see the three guys hurrying down the corridor towards me. I wanted to cry, I was so relieved, but before they could reach me I was hit with another contraction and this time I doubled over in pain.
"Here we go," a much-too-chipper nurse's voice informed me she was here, taking my arm firmly as she guided me towards the wheelchair she'd brought with her.
"What's happening," Edward asked, his voice alarmed when he reached me seconds later.
"You," Alice pointed to Emmett, "your wife is in there having your babies, you're needed." She pointed to Edward, "yours is eager to make an appearance as well."
"Don't tell Rosalie," I pleaded before Emmett could head into the room. "I don't want to ruin this for her." Alice rolled her eyes, probably remembering Rose and I doing the same for her when she'd had Dallas, and Emmett nodded before he walked away.
Dr. Anderson arrived within half an hour, probably one of the reasons she was held in such high esteem. I told her about the contractions, how painful they were and tried to describe the pain. She did an exam and told us the baby was breeched. "What does that mean," Edward asked, gripping my hand a little tighter.
"It's not that unusual, nothing I haven't seen before. But with Bella's size and how quickly the labor is progressing, I would like to deliver via caesarean. We knew it might be difficult for you to deliver, we'd discussed an elective c-section before, but I think it's the best option for all involved." The idea that my baby was going to be cut out of me terrified me, but so did the thought that there might be complications if I tried to deliver her myself.
"Okay," I nodded and Dr. Anderson looked happy by the easy agreement. She told them to prep the OR and the nurses came to get me ready.
"Did you call your mom," I asked as they wheeled my bed towards the elevator.
"She's in the waiting room with Dallas and Alice is with Rose," Edward nodded, checking his phone quickly for an update. "She's getting ready to start pushing, she's going to send dad to check on you when they know the twins are okay."
I nodded, reaching out to taking his hand and he leaned to place a kiss on my forehead. "I love you," I whispered and he grinned, mouthing the words back to me.
Ryder Mason and Emily Marie Cullen were born at 5:53pm, June 3rd.
Amelia Rose Cullen took her first breath at 6:47pm that same day.
Edward placed a soft kiss on top of my head, bringing me back to reality, and I instantly smiled. "She's out," he told me, bending to give me a proper kiss this time. "How's the book?"
"It's getting there," I shrugged, shifting uncomfortably to make room for him to sit near me on the couch.
"How's our little guy?"
"He's getting there," I responded with a smile and Edward grinned, placing his hand on my stomach and spreading his fingers to feel the baby kick at him. "I can't believe this is my life."
"I know the feeling," he smiled again, shifting closer to kiss me again.
"I love you, Mr. Cullen."
"I love you, Mrs. Cullen."