Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or its characters.
Emmett
I like walking around my apartment.
It's my place.
I get to walk around my underwear as much as I like because I bought it with my money. It was first a bachelor's cave, a place where I brought chicks to have some fun with before escorting them out the door. Then I met Rosalie and after two years together, it became a couple's apartment and I was more than happy with that. I get to wake up and go to sleep with my Rosie forever? Sign me the fuck up.
Then Bella broke up with that ass Jacob and moved out of their own apartment. Of course as my little baby sister, I took my big brother role seriously and took her under my wing. It took some time to get used to the idea that I would have to wait a little longer to walk around in my apartment in my underwear, but it was doable. I'd do anything for my little sister. Usually when I do my thing, Rosie is the only one around since Bella either sleeps in late or goes to work, and it is rare when she catches me in my underwear in our kitchen.
That was when there were only three of us living in my apartment.
Lately, accidents have been happening.
I walked out of my bedroom to make my breakfast when Edward walked out of my damn bathroom, fixing his tie and twisting himself in his jacket.
We stop at the sight of each other.
"Wow, Emmett, mind putting some pants on?"
He walks hurriedly to my kitchen and grabs a cup of coffee from Bella's coffee maker.
"Wow, Edward, mind telling me what are you doing here?"
"The baby is kicking!" Bella strides into the kitchen and grabs something from the fridge. By the looks of it, it's a strawberry shake.
"What happened to your morning coffee?" I ask.
"Bella can't drink coffee," Edward answers. "Bad for the baby."
"Mr. Overprotective is being an unreasonable ass that won't allow me to drink coffee," my sister adds.
"Let her have her dose. You know she is like a caffeine junkie."
"See! That's why he's the best brother in the world!" She kisses my cheek.
"Best brother in the world should know coffee can cause complications in the pregnancy. So now what do you think about that?" Edward says as he makes his own coffee.
"Best brother did not know that," I reply.
Bella scoffs. "You like taking the fun out of everything, don't you?" She asks Edward.
"That's because I want a healthy baby. I can get rid of you whenever I want."
He kisses her forehead. I hold back the urge to gag and he has the audacity to look at me and shrug.
"It started kicking as soon as you and Rosalie went to bed. Her is quite a kicker, I tell you," Bella says, changing the subject.
Edward takes a sip of his coffee.
"She could definitely be a future soccer player. We both fell asleep on the couch." He swallows his drink and gives me an irritated look. "Seriously man, some pants would be great."
"Seriously man, what the hell happened to your apartment?" I mock. I'm not Alice. I don't like people hanging around my apartment. Especially the guy who knocked my sister up. He's lucky I haven't taken my brotherly role and beat his ass. I grab my milk carton and lean on the counter. "So, baby kicking?"
Bella turns her belly to me.
"Junior woke up pretty energetic."
She takes my hand and places it to the right side of her belly, applying the gentlest pressure on my fingertips. Right then, I felt something move.
Holy shit! That's Amazing!
"Does that hurt?" I ask, taking my hand away.
"It feels weird at times, but honestly I'm so excited to care."
"Alright, it's go time." Edward pushes himself off the counter. "I'm dropping you off at work, you ready?"
"Yes," Bella answers.
"Got everything?"
"Yes."
"Phone charged?"
"Yes, sir."
"Lunch?"
"As we agreed. 12 o'clock, Panera."
"Wallet and everything?"
"Edward, you're not dropping me off at the airport, I think I'll be good inside my office all day." Bella laughs and then leans in to kiss me on the cheek. "Love you, bro. Still the best."
"I know. Love you, too."
"Bye Emmett!" Edward shouts as they are running out the door.
"You better GO TO YOUR APARTMENT!" I shout before the front door shuts.
I walk back to my living room with my milk carton in one hand and a bag of powdered doughnuts in the other.
Does it get weirder every day seeing my sister and Edward behave differently? Yes. Since the holidays, Edward and Bella have been attached to the hip and their relationship isn't the same as before. I think I'm not the only one that's noticed. It's something everyone else in our friend group has noticed as well. Am I getting used to it? No. And for the life of me, I cannot figure out why.
My eyes fall on the sports bag lying on the floor next to the couch, along with Edward's weird shaped pillow he uses for his back problems and a spare blanket I know for a fact I've seen in his apartment. What in the actual fuck? Does he live with us now? I leave my milk carton and bag on the coffee table. I opened the bag. All of his toiletries inside there as well as spare clothes. The fuck?
Rose walks out of our room, fixing her earrings. She's all dressed up and ready for work. I, on the other hand, have the day off.
"What are you doing going through Edward's things? Do you think he's the one that took your Chips Ahoy? Because let me tell you, I found the pack in Bella's room and the Coco Puffs."
"Edward moved in," I say, staring at his stuff.
"What?" Rosalie laughs.
"Edward moved in with us." I look at my fiance. "All his shit is here, we always bump into each other in the morning, his-his weird shaped pillow is here-"
"Does that upset you?"
Does it?
"No, of course not. I'd like to know why, though."
Rose sits on the couch, patting the open space next to her and I take it.
"Babe, they're not just friends anymore. They're going to be parents. Maybe it's hard for Edward to spend the night at his apartment , more than twenty minutes away, knowing that Bella could need something or something could happen, god forbid."
"But we are here."
Does he really think I can't look after my little sister?
"Yes, but that's still his baby. He worries and he wants to be there for her every step of the way. It's understandable." She runs her hand through my hair. "I think it's fair we open our doors to him and make this as easy for them as possible."
Yeah, I haven't been doing that lately. It's kind of my fault Bella didn't continue her search for an apartment. The moment I saw her looking at listings on her computer, I stepped in and told her all the reasons why she shouldn't move out. One of the reasons I didn't list on my list of reasons was because I was having a hard time coming to terms that she's... well, she's a full grown woman. I mean, before, I saw her as my baby sister. I saw her as this small, sweet, little girl whom I had to protect. Now she's a woman, she's about to become a mother... fuck, why am I finding it hard to grasp?
In the beginning, I was fine. Completely, utterly fine! I saw her and she was still my baby sister. Now, she's my pregnant sister. She wears maternity clothes, buys diapers and wipes and things that the baby won't use for months. She goes to doctor's appointments regularly, reads books about pregnancy and What To Expect When You're Expecting, steals my sweatpants and Edward... Well, Edward is always here. Literally. Always here.
Days flew by and it was almost the same routine. I would wake up, walk out of my room in my underwear and Edward would be there, making coffee on Bella's coffee maker and making her a smoothie, all while tying his tie and rushing around while my sister took forever to get ready. His towel is in our bathroom! They leave all day then at night, they sit on the couch talking to or about the baby.
Man, this is gonna take some time getting used to.
"Emmett, the baby is kicking!" Bella calls out the moment I walk in Alice's apartment.
"Really?!" I run to the couch, which Edward is taking most of with his fat ass laying across from it and drop in front of her. I place my hands on her belly but feel nothing. "Hey, why isn't he kicking?"
Edward chuckles. His head is on my sister's lap.
"She only kicks when I sing. Check this out." He presses his lips against my sister's belly. He starts humming You Are My Sunshine. He takes my hand and places it on Bella's side. "Feel it?"
I feel it then, right under my finger tips.
"Oh shit, I do!" I lean my head on her belly. "Helloooooo."
Bella laughs and pats my head. "He likes it when Edward sings. He might have a thing for music like his daddy."
"She," Edward says, giving her a side look before pressing his lips to her belly. "Mommy should learn how not to doubt Daddy."
If I thought getting used to the idea of having a pregnant sister was hard, try hearing them refer to each other as Mommy and Daddy all the time.
Bella rolls her eyes.
"Emmett, come here to try this!" Alice calls from the kitchen.
"Coming!" If it's food, I'll gladly try it and Alice, apart from being an expert on clothing, has been taking more cooking classes and they pay off pretty damn well. I try her roasted chicken and moan. "Shit, can I have this for myself?"
"Not until dinner time. Jasper, I am so gonna win Wife of the Year by the end of this year!"
I look at Jasper. "What now?"
Jasper shakes his head and goes back to reading his sports magazine.
"Alice and Rose are having this small contest on who's gonna make wife of the year this year. You know, like cooking, cleaning, all that house wife shit-"
"And sex!" Rose walks out of the bathroom. "Let's not forget, if it weren't for us, those right arm muscles would be slightly bigger than the left."
"I'm left handed," Jasper replied.
"That is TMI, Jasper," Edward says from the couch.
"And who gets to call who wins Wife of the Year?"
"I do!" Bella raises her hand from the couch. "I figured since I spend all my time with them and watch them battle, I get to call the shots."
"What do you know about being a wife?" I ask.
"Hey, I'm gonna be a mother in four months, pretty soon I'll know more than those two put together!"
I laugh. "Whatever you say, sis."
"Dude, check this chick out!" Jasper leans over and shows me the hot girl in a bikini on a full page.
"Ohhh, sweet!" I grab the magazine. I grab a cookie from the bowl on the center of the table and take a bite out of it. "You know, babe, if you cooked dressed like this you would definitely win Wife of the Year in my book!"
A sudden slap hits me on the back of the head. I laugh and go back to watching the hot chicks in the sports magazine.
However, it's hard to concentrate on the hot chicks when all I hear is small giggles coming from the couch. My eyes kept diverting from the magazine to Edward and Bella, curled up on the couch and I bet they're looking at her growing belly.
Jasper catches me looking and leans in. "You can tell they're pretty excited about their baby."
"Yeah..."
Edward sits up and looks at me over the back of the couch.
"Em, can we have a word for a minute?"
"... S-Sure." I get up and walk over to them again. Bella is rubbing her hand up and down her belly and when I sit down beside them, she takes my hand in hers. "What's up?"
"We've been doing some thinking," she says. "I know things are different now that the baby is coming."
"I'm over all the time," Edward points out.
"And it bothers you," Bella adds.
"No it doesn't!" I laugh nervously. "Seriously, it doesn't. I'm cool, trust me. I'm-I'm great."
Bella gives me a look.
"You're not good. You're having a hard time with all this and this is our life, we shouldn't take you under our feet."
"Bella, seriously I'm fine," I insist.
"Emmett, I know you and I know when you're lying. This may be hard, I know it. But it's time for you to let me grow up. I'm twenty six, I can look after myself. Plus, I have Edward. He won't let anything happen to me. We've been talking and he actually had a good idea. He suggested I move in with him and I think it's what's best."
"But-"
"Growing up, Emmett. I moved in with you because I needed a place to stay when I broke up with Jacob. I have one now and even when I live with Edward, I'll have to move out at some point when the baby can fend for itself and I can run to the hills."
Edward pinches Bella's side and she laughs, but we all know she's lying.
"Bella will be fine, Emmett. You can let go of her. She's not five anymore."
"But I really like living with you," I say to Bella, pouting a bit.
"And I love living with you but look at all the sacrifices you already made for me," Bella says. "You're holding back your wedding and I'm invading all your private space with Rose. We'll be okay, Emmett. Trust me."
I want to protest some more, convince my little sister that she doesn't need to move but my eyes divert down to her hand joined with Edward. They're no longer just friends. They're about to be a family.
I really need to let her grow up, don't I?
Edward
Emmett nods, giving in and sits down so his back is against the couch and his head is on Bella's shoulder. Bella kisses the top of his head and gives me a knowing look. We knew Emmett was having a hard time adjusting with all the changes going on and he didn't really try to hide it, but honestly I don't blame him. I still find it hard to see Alice as a grown woman even now when she's married.
"Oh, by the way, Bella, I never knew how your lunch with Jacob went."
"Emmett!" Everyone in the room yells.
Bella's eyes widen and she turns over toward Alice and Rosalie.
"You told them!"
Jasper slaps his forehead with the palm of his hand.
Emmett's eyes widen as well as he lifts his head from her shoulder.
"That's why, I wasn't supposed to say that."
I finally snap into what's going on.
Bella had lunch with Jacob? When? How? When did he come back? My eyes immediately fall on Bella, who shrinks in her spot and gives me a timid smile.
"You had lunch with Jacob!"
"... No... Just a little." She pinches her thumb and index finger.
Just a little? Just a little!
"When?"
"About a week ago," Emmett answers.
Bella hits him in the stomach and he folds over, groaning.
"The car is out of the bag. Why hide now?" He wheezes out.
"So much for I told you guys, I trust you won't tell the boys' plan," Bella said, shooting dirty looks at Alice and Rosalie.
"Hey, this is too juicy not to share!" Rosalie says.
"We're getting off the subject here, Bella. Since when is Jacob back from wherever the hell he went after you two broke up?"
"He's been back for a couple of weeks now. Billy stepped down and Jacob filled in for him."
Great, just great. Jacob Black is back from whatever hole he crawled into when he and Bella broke up, and now he's taking his father's place in the company? They'll be seeing each other every day. Every. Fucking. Day.
"So he's your boss now?"
"Yes. I ran into him the day of our appointment with Dr. Green and well, couldn't hide the obvious." She gestures to her belly. "Jacob for a second thought of it being his-which, I denied immediately! We arranged for lunch the next day and I told him the truth."
I fold my arms over my chest. "So he knows you're carrying my baby?"
"Yes, I told him. Our waiter was relieved that we weren't together." Bella pauses for a moment. "It's weird. I always got so jealous when another woman would hit on him, but when she handed him her number I felt nothing."
I sit back on the couch, feeling nauseous. I'm not sure how I feel about Bella working with Jacob. They were a pretty big deal. Yes, Jacob and I were somewhat of good friends when they were together, but things didn't work out because he didn't want the same things as she did. I fucking hated him the weeks following their breakup because of how broken Bella was.
Now, with everything that has happened, I can't help feeling a bit jealous and scared. He can't just show up out of nowhere and expect Bella to fall back into his arms. He lost his chance.
I can already see it. Bella would fall for him all over again and then my baby will be raised under his roof, along with I don't know how many other kids he'd suddenly be willing to give Bella. I can see it. My baby would spend the weekend with me and live the rest of the time with him.
It wouldn't be Bella and I co-parenting. It would be Bella, Jacob and I co-parenting. We'd be co-dads.
Fuck that.
That won't happen. This is my woman and my baby now, he lost his opportunity.
And I'll lose mine if I don't get the courage to tell Bella how I feel about her, I thought bitterly.
Bella squeezes my hand, bringing me out of my trance.
"Edward, please don't overthink this. The last thing I want is to get back with Jacob. He and I talked, and we both agreed to keep a completely professional relationship. Nothing is going to happen, okay? So you're not going to overthink this, right?"
I force a smile. "Right."
Because I'm not going down without a fight.
Author's Note:
Edward is not going down without a fight!
I'm sorry for the slight delay! I hit a little bit of a writer's block and then my dog gave birth to puppies, so I haven't slept very good as I'm constantly anxious and checking in on them during the night lol but more chapters coming soon and the new chapter for Love and Pride should be up either tomorrow or Wednesday!
