A/N: There only going to be one more. I work 3rd shift/night shift and I need to get some sleep.

No copyright infringement is intended. All recognizable characters are owned by Stephenie Meyer. I own the plot and the mistakes.

ENJOY!

7/03/2023

Cherry Pies and Backwards Baseball Hats

Chapter SEVENTEEN

EPOV

36 weeks pregnant

"I hate to do this because I don't want you worried, but we'll need to induce labor at 37 weeks. If we wait until 40 weeks, you may have a baby over ten pounds. He's already pushing eight and a half. You just turned 36 weeks, and the rate he's gaining weight, he'll be at 9lbs by the end of this week."

My leg was bouncing up and down as the doctor talked to Bella. From what she's saying, we'll be parents next week, instead of four weeks. "Will everything be developed enough for him to be born three weeks early?" I'd chew on my fingernails if I didn't already think it was gross.

"Mr. Mason, everything will be fine, and we'll do an ultrasound today to take a look. Your ultrasound last week showed that he needed a little longer. It's amazing how a week can make a difference in developing."

I looked at my wife and she gave me a sad smile. "He'll be fine," she assured me. "We'll just be meeting him three weeks sooner." Bella extended her hand out to me. "Everything's going to be okay."

Bella pushed her leggings down and pulled her shirt up. I stood up and took my place next to my wife. "Let's see what he looks like today."

The ultrasound confirmed that our son would be well enough developed to be born in a week. I tried to imagine Bella giving birth to our ten pound son. I cringed just thinking about it, and felt really, really bad for her vagina.

"I want that egg roll," Bella says as she reached across the table to get what she aimed for.

"That's mine," Jake whined. "You already had one."

"Babe, she's eating for two," Jose says as he spoons out more fried rice onto his plate.

Jake grumbled. "Two schmoo."

"Baby," Bella said to Jake. "Wa, wa, wa, wa. I'm gonna whine cause I'm not getting my way."

Have I said that my wife was very brave when it came to picking on Jake. She was lucky she was pregnant. I've heard some of their stories about when they were kids.

"If you weren't pregnant, I'd tickle you until you piss all over yourself."

It was two days after Bella's appointment, and we were having Chinese, per Bella's request. Jake had picked up all our favorites on his way home from work. It was a Saturday and I worked my half day, and got home as fast as I could.

"There's nothing wrong with tickling the piss out of her. She's been rather lippy the last couple of weeks." I couldn't help the snide look I gave my wife before shoving more sesame chicken into my mouth.

"Edward," Bella said in a warning tone. She only ever calls me Edward when I'm in trouble.

"Arabella," I said like a snotty little kid.

Jake stood from the table and started towards her. Bella's eyes grew wide as he got closer. "Don't you dare."

"Who's going to stop me?" Jake wiggled his fingers at her as he slowly crept closer.

Bella stood from the table and started backing towards our room. "Jacob Charles Black, if you tickle me then I'll tell everyone the real reason you like to watch Dr. Phil."

"I already know," Jose belted out.

"I don't," I argued. "Shut it, Josie."

"It's Jose, Eddie," Jose growled.

"Don't call me, Eddie." I hated that damn name. "Or I'll be doing more than just tickling you."

"Bella, your husband's making a pass at me. Doesn't he know I'm a happily committed gay man?"

Bella laughed then ran her waddling ass down the hallway away from Jake. I scooped up a huge spoon full of the sticky sweet and sour sauce and flung it at Jose. His face was all reddish pink and now sticky.

He looked like he was a little pissed off at me.

I heard Bella laughing and screaming from down the hallway where I knew Jake was torture tickling her.

Then it was all out war between me and Jose. "You're a dick," he says as he stood from the table. I watched him like a hawk as he walked over to the sink, and wet a dish towel to wipe his face off.

I went back to eating and enjoyed listening to my wife laugh with her best friend.

Then it went quiet. That made me listen more intently until I heard Jake scream before he came running out of our room. "She really did pee on me."

I looked down at the front of his dark blue shorts. They were completely soaked.

Jose and I couldn't help the laughter until Bella came out holding a towel between her legs. We shut up real quick as she looked up. "I didn't pee. My water just broke."

"I'm never tickling you, again," Jake says then grabs a dish towel from a drawer in the kitchen.

Jose sat with his eyes wide. "Did she just say her water broke?"

"Yes," I replied and stood from the table to go help my wife get her clothes changed. She may want a shower before she put clean clothes on. "Do you want to shower or wash off and change?"

She started pulling her clothes off and kicking them towards the laundry hamper. "I'll shower real quick because who knows how long it will be before I can shower, again."

"I'll get your clothes; which ones do you want?"

I started rummaging through her underwear drawer and pulled out a pair of her maternity panties. I skimmed over the other ones she hasn't been able to wear for months now wasn't the picture I needed in my head. "Just bring me a pair of my maternity jean shorts and one of your t-shirts."

Her yelling at me to get the clothes she wants, snapped me out of my longing vision of her naked non-pregnant body.

My cock twitched. "Geez, Mason, get a grip. Your wife's getting ready to give birth." I had to talk to myself out loud to make it sound for real.

Then the thought hit me and I looked into the mirror. "This is happening Mason. In a matter of hours, you're going to be a dad. Your wife is in the shower, right now, going into labor." My heart started pounding at the thought.

"Mason," I heard from the doorway. "Is everything okay?"

I turned to see Jacob standing there. "She's just washing off real quick then we'll head to the hospital." I picked out her clothes. "Don't call anyone yet. I just want to see how long it might be."

"It's cool, bro." Bella stepped out of the bathrom with a towel around her. "AnaB, Jose and I are going to head home."

"I'm sure Mason will call you." Bella walked up to him and kissed his cheek. Then she giggled and danced in place. "I'm about to have a baby!"

"Bella, please?" I gave her the eye. "Towel."

"I've seen her in less," Jake says.

My eyes grew wide. "Do I even want to know?"

"Bro, bikini...get your mind out of the mud pit."

I sighed in relief just as my wife grabbed her clothes and wet back into the bathroom leaving Jake behind me. As soon as I pushed the door open to help her, "Holy FUCK!" I yelled, and Jake hit the floor like a ton of bricks. Then Jose came running into the room. "What's all the ..." He trailed off as soon as she saw Jake on the floor. "Oh my God!"

"Call 911," Bella said calmly.

Not only was my wife a lot calmer than the three men in the house because let me tell you this, she was standing with her hands between her legs with our sons head in her palms.

I had the 911 operator on the phone as I helped Bella to the floor and on the rug in front of the sink. "Sir, if you could place a clean towel under your wife or even clean bedding, we'll go from there.

Bella was sitting up as well as she could while I gathered what we needed. "Okay, what next?" I asked the operator.

"Do you have something you can suction the baby's nose?"

"Drawer left of the sink. There's a new one in there," Bella said grunting.

I could hear Jose trying to wake Jake up.

It took me less than a minute to get bulb from the drawer and open it. "All set."

"Go ahead and suction the baby's nose then your wife can go ahead and push the baby out."

Jose finally came into the bathroom with two pillows, more towels and surgical gloves from our first-aid kit.

I could hear the sirens as the ambulance approached. "Bella, you ready?"

"Yes."

"Push, baby. One...two...three."

Jose sat by her head so he could help her push while I took my sons head and Bella bore down.

"Jake's outside to wave down the ambulance." He pushed Bella's hair away from her face. "Okay, AnaB, one more time."

As soon as the EMT's appeared in the doorway, my son was officially born. He started screaming as one of the EMT's took over my position. I made sure to check the time he was born because I'm sure they'll need that information at the hospital.

Jose moved so I could be next to my wife then I was handed a pair of scissors to cut his cord before putting my attention back on Bella. "We did it, baby."

I was crying, she was crying, and Jose was crying. Besides marrying my wife, this was the best day of my life.

Our son was bundled in blankets and handed to me so the medics could assist Bella with the placenta, and up on the gurney.

Jacob had met up with us on our way out of the house. Jose was much better around blood compared to Jake. "Sorry I missed my nephews birth."

"Are you really?" Bella asked.

"No," he admitted. "So, don't even ask me to be there when your next kid is born." He kissed Bella's forehead. "I love you and congrats." One more kiss. "We'll meet you at the hospital."

"I love you, too uncle Jake." Bella smiled up at him. "Can you make all the phone calls for us?"

Jake gave her a huge smile. "It's my pleasure." Jose walked up next, and Jake looped his arm through his. "He can help me."

Jose nodded then leaned over to kiss Bella's forehead like Jake had done. "Thank you for not making me leave the bathroom. Watching child birth can be marked off my bucket list."

That forced a conversation between them that I didn't want to be involved in.

At the hospital, Bella was checked in and taken to labor and delivery. My mom, and Bella's parents were already waiting, but they had to wait a bit longer to get Bella and the baby cleaned up. We wanted to get all the information first so we could share with everyone once they arrived.

It took an hour before I could go to the waiting room to gather our visitors. They had balloons and flowers for us, and a few stuffed animals for our little man.

Only our immediate family was waiting, so I led them back to meet their grandson. Hugs, kisses and congratulations were spread around. "He looks just like Edward when he was a newborn." My mom had tears in her eyes as she looked down at her first grandchild. "Your dad would've been so proud of you."

Jake and Jose finally came walking in. "All right, bro. You two need to share the deets."

All eyes were on us, so we smiled at each other before she supplied what they asked for. "Everyone, we'd like you to meet Benjamin Aiden Mason. 8Lbs. 8oz. and 21 inches long."

Of course the women were crying, but I honestly didn't expect to look up and see Charlie crying. Well, his eyes were glistening because we all know he wouldn't admit to crying if his life depended on it.

Benjamin checked out as being completely healthy. That was music to our ears. "So, you have to tell us all about this little guys arrival." Leah was gushing over her step-grandson. She was going to be NeeNee, my mom is Grandma and Renee is Nanna.

"I guess it's my fault because I was tickling her when her water broke." Jake shrugged his shoulders. "Who needs meds for induction when they have me?"

Bella chuckled. "I don't really know when it all started. I'd been having some cramping since our ultrasound, but I just thought I was gassy."

"No labor pains at all?" My mom asked.

Bella shrugged. "I guess the cramping I had was my labor."

"Yeah, but we didn't even get a chance to get you to the hospital in time. What happened when you went in the bathroom to put clothes on?"

"I slipped my shirt on then when I went to pull my shorts on, I dropped them, so when I bent over to pick them up, I felt pressure like I needed to push. All I did was brace myself on the sink and tried to keep from pushing, but that's when his head started coming out."

"We're just happy that he's healthy and you're okay," Renee says as she tucked some hair behind her daughters ear. "I was only in labor a few hours with you." Then she kissed her cheek. "I called Pops. Him and Gigi will be here in the morning to see you."

Pops and Gigi are Renee's parents which I had met only once. I wasn't sure if Charlie's parents were still alive or lived in Arizona.

A few minutes later, Charlie sidled up next to Bella. "I'm going to take off, kid. Lee's not feeling too well, and Paul needs his dinner." He leaned over to kiss her cheek and took one more glance at his first grandchild. "He's beautiful." He put his hand on her head. "I love you, kid."

"I love you, too, dad. Careful going home."

I patted him on his back as he passed me then mussed up Paul's hair. He smacked my hand away and growled at me, so I mussed at his hair, again.

Jake had called Tanya who came prancing into the room just as Bella's dad was leaving; Eric was trailing behind her. He stood back with me as Tanya gushed over baby Ben. My mom and Renee were still hanging around as they chatted away at Jake and Jose.

"Congrats, man," Eric says. "Is he, like, okay and all? He was born early, wasn't he?"

I nodded. "Yeah. She would've been 37 weeks on Monday, and the doc had planned to induce her because he's so big."

Eric chuckled. "Leave it to you to produce sumo wrestler sized babies."

I smacked him on the back of the head. "Shut the fuck up, man. He's perfect."

"I'm just messin' wit you, bro." He back handed my bicep. "Hey, Tanya's already talking about marriage. I don't think I'm ready for that."

"You love her?" I couldn't move my eyes away from my wife and son. "Cause, if you do, you better do a lot of thinking."

"I already do a lot of thinking. I haven't even passed the bar exam and she's pushing to get a place together." He shook his head. "I hate being away from her, though, and I hate being around her all the same, but I hate being away from her even more. Does that make sense?"

I looked at him stupidly. "I think my aunt dropped you on your damn head too much."

"I'll tell mom you said that," he said playfully.

I laughed at him. "She'll only blame it on your dad."

He looked defeated. "You're probably right."

"I know I'm right. You want to know something cooler than ever?" Eric raised his brows at me. "I got to help deliver my son, and cut his umbilical cord."

Eric clapped me on the shoulder. "I'll leave all the baby making to you. I'm just not ready for that journey."

I stepped over and gently took my son from his Godmother, Tanya. Jake had also agreed to be his Godfather months before. "All right, people, my wife and I are kicking you out so little Ben can eat and hopefully get some sleep. You can come by tomorrow."

I heard grumbles and whines as our parents collected their things, kissed Ben and Bella before hugging me and leaving. My wife looked exhausted even though she really didn't labor, as her doctor called it. "Finally," she said as she tried to adjust herself in the uncomfortable bed. "I know everyone is excited, especially us, but damn, it's like we won the lottery and they're trying to get a chunk of cash from us."

"I know and we did win the lottery of health if you think about it. Ben was born a month premature and he's as healthy as a full term baby."

We glanced down to our son who started to squirm and whimper. "I guess it's time to start writing the next chapter of our lives. The birth of Benjamin."

Thank you!

RTB