Disclaimer - SM owns it. Does anyone not know this by now?
Grazie! I will still have classes this summer, but not a full load, so that should free up a little time for me to write more. :)
If you didn't read the update yesterday, read it first then this chapter.
Everyone send drinks over to the table of my bodacious beta MalloryKnoxx
"I know the way I live make you wanna cry
but you know I gotta hustle that's the way I survive."
~~ I Got the Hook Up, Master P
Isabella's POV
I was sitting on the couch in the living room with a glass of wine trying to unwind. After seeing Esme awake, I felt better. My bodyguards brought me home because Edward left to handle something as usual. I didn't really mind tonight. I planned on a couple of glasses of wine and passing out in front of the television. Sleep was exactly what I needed.
After the second glass I was dozing while some sitcom rerun droned softly from the screen, when I heard the door open. I waited for Edward to come to me since my body was feeling relaxed. I knew he would carry me to bed.
I waited patiently while the sounds of bags dropping next to the couch struck my curiosity. Smiling because I though he brought me a gift made pry my eyes open.
I was shocked at what I saw.
Edward was standing before me looking very uncomfortable with a blanket in his arms. For once his blank face wasn't on and he looked nervous and dare I say, scared.
"Edward?" squeaked out and my body pulled itself forward.
"Can you take this?" He pushed the blanket towards me.
"What is it?" I asked my stomach knotting in on itself.
"It's for you." He said thrusting the buddle towards me again.
"Edward, this is a baby." My voice rising I stood up, "A baby!"
"I know!" He said shoving the baby into my arms.
I wasn't quite sure what to do with a baby since I hadn't really been around any other than Mallory, but I knew to support it's head.
"Wha- Where did this baby come from? Why-why do you have a baby? What do you mean it's for me?" I asked trying to keep the panic from taking me over. I was trying with everything I had to keep my voice low so I wouldn't wake it up.
"It was dropped off. It belongs to you."
I scrunched my brow and looked between him and the baby over and over. For all of the bizarre things that had happenedin the last year, this definitely took the cake.
"Would you please explain this?" I asked feeling the tears welling up behind my eyes.
"This baby belongs to you. This baby came from Charlie and Kate."
His words hit me harder than if he'd slapped me across the face. I felt my legs giving out and Edward reached out to steady me as I sank back into the couch.
"What?" I whispered.
"Someone dropped it at Carlisle's office saying it came from Charlie and Kate. I'll find out everything I can, but it's been hard to follow. I thought you would want it." he said walking across the room to the bar, bypassing a glass, and drinking straight from the bottle of scotch.
I felt numb as I unraveled the blanket and really looked at the baby. I tugged on the side of the diaper and didn't see a wee wee so I knew it was a girl. A baby girl who I now realized resembled my father.
"She's a girl."
"Yea. It is." Edward replied turning his bottle up again.
"Stop calling her an it!" I screamed.
The baby roused and starting fussing and Edward stared at me blank faced. I stood up and tightened my arms around her looking around blindly.
"What am I suppose to do with her? What is wrong with her?" I asked to no one in particular as her little cry rose.
"I have no fucking clue. Carlisle is suppose to send Mary Alice over here to help you get settled in."
"Settled in? Settled in to what?" I asked pacing around and jiggling my arms. Panic was rolling in small waves, and I knew it wouldn't be long before it crashed down around me.
"Whatever you want it to be."
I was speechless. I didn't understand anything that was going on, and I couldn't focus with the baby's cries filling the room. Edward was drinking and texting like a mad man on his phone. I shifted the baby over to one arm and walked over to the bar. I snatched a bottle at random and took a big swig letting the burn attempt to fight the fear that was residing in my stomach.
"Edward."
"Yea?"
"I don't know."
Esme's POV
Everyone had come and gone. I didn't really feel like talking to anyone. Aro stayed in the bed with me, and I counted down the minutes until my parents would leave for a while so I could talk to Carlisle privately. Aro finally convinced them he wasn't going anywhere. and they agreed to go home for a few hours. Guards were standing in the hallway right outside the door, and I felt like I was suffocating.
How could I not notice I was late? I was on the pill and we used condoms most of the time. Guilt weighed on my mind heavily about all my irresponsible actions for the last five weeks. Drinking and hardly sleeping. I'm sure getting shot didn't help. I silently prayed to God to let my baby live while I cried on Aro's chest.
Carlisle came in shortly after my parents left and closed the door behind him. I didn't have to look at his face because I knew it was bad when I felt Aro stiffen beside me. Carlisle's words were a jumbled string of incoherent sounds as sobs overtook me.
I lost the baby. My baby. A baby I didn't even know about until a few hours before.
Aro held me tight and kissed my hair whispering he would do whatever he could to make it better. Carlisle put some medicine in my IV, and it wasn't long before my body gave way to the black with sleep overtaking me. I was thankful for it.
Mary Alice's POV
Carlisle sent a car with two guys to escort me to Edward's while Jane sat with Mallory. He informed me there would be a baby there and to take essentials for a newborn and he would explain more when he got home. It was the weirdest thing he had requested of me, but I did as asked.
I packed several bags with formula and diapers and clothes Mallory had outgrown. If I hadn't been a little on the lazy side while enjoying all my time with her, they would have already been donated. I walked down the hallway with the guys lugging everything behind me.
I raised my hand to knock and before my knuckles touched the door Edward jerked it open and pulled me in.
"Hey!" I squealed.
"Sorry if I hurt you, please help her!" He mumbled loosening his grip, but not letting go and leading me to the living room. Isabella was sitting on the couch holding the baby with tears streaming down both their faces. A small hospital bag was lying sideways on the floor and baby items littered the coffee table.
"Isabella." I spoke quietly so I didn't startle her. I couldn't understand how one little baby had them both so frazzled.
"Help." She squeaked.
"I will." I smiled at her, "Can I see her?" I asked holding my arms out.
She nodded vigorously and held the baby out to me.
I wrapped my arms around her and gently jiggled her.
"I tried. I really did. She wouldn't stop crying."
"Did you offer her a bottle?" I asked realizing this baby was as small as Mallory was when she was born. Carlisle was definitely going to explain all of this.
"She wouldn't take it. Edward called Carlisle and he just said you would be here soon."
"Okay. Just watch me, okay?"
She nodded and sat down next to me.
I held the baby close so she would feel secure and ran the nipple of the bottom along her lip so she would open her mouth. She latched on quickly and sucked the formula down. I explained the little details as I went through everything. Isabella paid rapt attention, but still looked horrified all the same.
"Will you be okay if I go take a shower?" Edward asked placing his hand on Isabella's shoulder.
She shrugged without looking at him. I waited for him to leave the room before I started asking questions.
"While I show you how to change her, I want you to fill me in. All I know is I was suppose to show up with stuff for a very young baby girl and help you out until you felt comfortable."
"Edward just showed up with her and said she was for me." She paused and took a deep breath, "She's my sister."
I jerked my head up to look at her.
"I know right!" She cried out, "I don't know how to feel about any of this. She's been crying since she got here, and I haven't had time to process any of it. Edward is trying to find out what's going on ,and I don't even know what to do about anything!"
Her tears fell harder and I wrapped my arms around her.
"Everything will work out. I'm here to help and our men are smart. They will figure their end out. We just have to do ours. Now to begin with, you have to relax a little. She can sense you're upset."
"I'll try." She sniffled.
"Why don't you try to pick her up?"
She bundled the blanket back around her and picked her up supporting her neck and kind of holding her in front of her.
"Hold her close to you."
Isabella pulled her closer, and I helped her wrap her arms in a way so the baby would be snuggled against her chest.
"She hasn't been out of the womb long, she feels safe this way. Babies love to cuddle." I smiled at her.
Isabella shoulders relaxed a smidge, and she leaned back into the couch again.
"Okay. This isn't so bad. What now?"
"Just hold her. She'll fall asleep soon and you can lay her down. I brought a pack and play and blankets and clothes, but not much. We'll go shopping soon. Do you know her name?"
Isabella's eyes welled up again and I regretted asking.
"She doesn't have a name."
"It's okay," I cooed, "You can pick something, and I know it will be beautiful."
"Really?"
"Yes." I assured her. "I have to get back to my baby. Do you think you will be okay?"
"Not really, but I'll manage."
"Don't hesitate to call me. Your instincts will kick in. Just hold her for a while and think about names. We'll figure everything else out tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay."