35

"You're staring again."

"No, I'm not," Bella muttered, shifting her eyes from the doorway as Edward and Emmett brought a large cardboard box into her house. Both men groaned as they turned the corner and carried it down the hall.

Rosalie laughed, bouncing Jasmine as she paced back and forth. "Girl, you've got it bad."

"Shut up, I do not," she grumbled, sitting up and trying to adjust the pillow behind her back.

"Need help?" Rosalie asked, moving to lay the baby in her car seat, but Jasmine started fussing as soon as she was pulled away from her mother's chest. "Never mind."

"She's still teething pretty hard, huh?"

"All day and all night," she replied. "I can see it just below her gums, waiting to poke through. Wish it would hurry and put her out of her misery."

"Until the next tooth comes."

Rosalie groaned. "No kidding, Iz."

"Want me to hold her?"

Snorting, she glared at her. "Um, no. What part of bedrest and no heavy lifting did you not understand?"

"I wouldn't be lifting, just . . . snuggling."

Rosalie laughed before she laid Jasmine in her arms. The baby squirmed and fussed for a moment before settling and almost sighing in contentment. "My baby loves you more than me. I have failed as a mother!"

"No, you haven't," Bella whispered, patting Jasmine's backside softly. "I'm sure Little Bit will love you more than me, too."

"Probably." Rosalie sat on the other end of the sofa, laying Bella's feet on her lap. "How have you been feeling?"

"Restless," she admitted. "No more contractions, thankfully, but I don't know, Ro. I can't sleep, even though I am literally exhausted."

"I remember those days."

"I just need Little Bit to stay put for a few more weeks," Bella whispered, kissing the top of Jasmine's head as Emmet and Edward walked into the living room. "I'm just holding her!"

"Whatever, Iz." Edward knelt next to her, his hand covering hers. "Need anything before we head back to Jasper's to pick up the rest of the baby gifts."

"You mean from the baby shower I never got to attend?"

Edward smiled. "You were kind of busy stopping your stubborn son from entering this world too soon."

"I wouldn't say no to some spicy curly fries."

"Oh, me too!" Rosalie added. "Thanks for asking if I wanted anything, dick."

"Your man is right there, Ro. I was asking my woman."

Bella felt her cheeks warm.

"Fine, whatever. Babe?"

"Yes, Ro, I will get you some spicy curly fries, too. If I can drag lover boy away from his woman." Emmett snickered before he grabbed the back of Edward's shirt and yanked him backward. Luckily, Edward was able to get his feet under him so he didn't fall on his ass. "Anything else, ladies?"

"A milkshake," Bella added. "You know, so I can dip my fries."

"Seriously?" Emmett grimaced, but Bella nodded. "Okay, preggo. Whatever you want."

"Thanks, Em."

Edward gave her a chaste kiss before he and Emmett left, closing the door behind them. Rosalie smirked as she looked back at Bella.

"What?" she asked.

"You two are so stinking cute."

"Shut up," Bella laughed.

"Oh, not going to." Rosalie placed her hands on her feet. "Are you happy, Izzy?"

"I am," she admitted. "I mean, it's still hard. I feel guilty for moving on. Dr. Sanders told me it's normal. That a part of me will always be resentful of Carlisle's death, but I can't let it stop me from living."

"Does he know that Edward's moved in?"

"He does."

"And he thinks it's a good idea?"

"Well, I mean, he did express some concern that we were moving too fast."

"Do you think you are?"

"Yes," she confessed. "But at the same time, no. I . . . I will always love Carlisle, Ro. We spent half our lives together, just me and him. He . . . He was my world, and I was his. Most of the time, anyway. But he's not here. He's dead, and I can't change it. And I have to move on if I want to be happy."

"And that includes Edward living with you?"

"Why does it sound like you think it's a bad idea?"

"I don't," she was quick to deny. "I don't, Izzy. I promise I don't. I'm just playing devil's advocate, I guess."

"I love him, Ro. I do."

She smiled, but before she could say anything, someone knocked on the front door. Even though Bella knew Peter Cullen was still sitting in a jail cell, she felt herself tense.

Lauren had stopped by the day after Bella was released from the hospital and told them Peter had been trying to negotiate a plea deal — one that would keep him from spending any time in jail. Thankfully, Lauren refused, and his trial was due to start the next week. She assured Bella she would do everything in her power to convict him on every charge and ask for the maximum punishment. She even went as far as saying that she wished she could add the years of child abuse Edward and Carlisle had suffered to the charges. But unfortunately, the statute of limitations made that impossible.

Rosalie slid Bella's feet off her lap and walked to the door, peeking out the peephole Edward had insisted on installing in their front door. She gave Bella a confused look before she pulled the door open.

"Can I help you?"

"Oh, I was looking for Izzy Cullen? Do I have the wrong house?"

"Esme?" Bella called out, and a moment later, she saw her poke her head inside. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I . . ." Esme glanced at Rosalie, who wasn't moving.

"Ro, let her in. This is Edward and Carlisle's sister."

"Oh, shit, I'm sorry." Rosalie took a few steps backward. "I'm Rosalie, but everyone calls me Ro."

"It's nice to meet you," Esme murmured, walking into the house with a large box in her hand.

"You too." Rosalie closed the door, giving Bella a look before she hurried over and slipped her daughter out of her arms. "Can I get you something to drink? Tea, coffee, water? Sorry, I don't really know what they have."

"I'm fine." Esme placed the box on the coffee table before sitting on the smaller sofa. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay. How about you?"

Esme smiled. "Exhausted. School's kicking my ass."

Bella nodded. "I noticed you cashed my check."

"I did," she confessed. "I wasn't going to, but my mom told me I should."

"She did?"

Esme nodded. "Said there aren't many people who are willing to give so freely, and I needed to think about how much it would help me. So . . . Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Sorry if I'm intruding. I was going to bring this to the baby shower, but then you ended up in the hospital, and, well, I felt weird going without you or Edward there."

Bella smiled. "I don't blame you. I would have, too, if the situation were reversed."

Esme nodded.

"Have you talked to your father?"

"No."

"No?"

"No, Izzy. He's called a hundred times from jail, but . . ." She shook her head. "I was so angry when I found out he'd come after you. Or angrier, I guess."

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?"

"Well, you just ended your relationship with him like it was nothing. I just want to know why."

"Honestly, I didn't have much of a relationship with him in the first place. He only came around when he wanted something. Money, sex from my mom," she added with a grimace. "When I learned how he treated Edward and Carlisle, I knew I had to decide whether having a part-time father was what I wanted or a full-time brother. I think I chose wisely."

"I think you did, too." Bella shifted on the couch to lie on her side, shoving a pillow between her knees. "Where's Garrett?"

"Out in the car."

"Why didn't he come in with you?"

"He wasn't sure you would want him to," she admitted.

"He's such a dork," Bella scoffed. "He can come in."

"Yeah?"

She nodded. "Of course, he can."

Esme smiled and sent him a quick text before walking to the door and opening it. She waved him in, and a second later, Garrett walked in. He shoved his hands into his pockets before looking around, eyeing Rosalie and Jasmine before turning his attention to Bella.

"Hey, Izzy. You've gotten big."

"Thanks?" she asked, sliding her hand on her stomach.

"I didn't mean that the way it sounded," he grumbled. "You look good. Beautiful." He glanced at Esme. "But not as pretty as you."

Esme, Bella, and Rosalie laughed.

"I should just stop talking."

"Probably," Rosalie snickered as Jasmine started fussing again. "She's hungry. I'm just going to use your bedroom, Iz."

Bella nodded and watched as she carried Jasmine down the hallway. She turned her attention back to Garrett and Esme, who had sat back on the sofa. He had his arm wrapped around her, and she was nestled against him.

"When are you two getting married?"

"What?" they asked together.

"You heard me."

"We . . ." Esme glanced at Garrett. "I don't know. Just trying to get through school first."

"Yeah," Garrett echoed. "I'm going to marry her, Izzy, but right now, she's focusing on school, and I'm trying to get myself established as a chef."

"And you can't do that if you're married?"

"I mean, probably," he muttered. "Why do you care?"

"You're important to me."

"We are?"

She nodded. "You're family."

"We are?" Esme asked, smiling. "You really think of me, of us as family."

"Of course I do." She placed her hand back on her belly. "Little Bit is going to need his Auntie Esme and Uncle Garrett in his life. And, well, so do I."

"You do?" Esme whimpered.

Bella nodded. "Carlisle would have wanted you to know our son."

"I wish I would've gotten to know him," Esme said, quietly.

"Me too. He wasn't perfect, but he loved fiercely. While I don't understand why he didn't tell me about you or why he never came to you himself, he did what he felt he needed to keep us both safe."

"So, you forgive him for lying to you?"

"Most of the time," she said.

Esme nodded before leaning forward and picking up the box. "This is for you. Well, you and Little Bit."

"What is it?"

"You can find out by opening it," Garrett told her, placing his hand on Esme's back.

Bella laughed as she shifted so she was sitting upward before reaching for the gift. Esme placed it in her hands and then nestled herself back in her boyfriend's arms. Biting the inside of her lip, she pulled at the ribbon wrapped around the square box.

"Good lord, woman, will you hurry?" Garrett whined, causing Bella to laugh. "You're one of those, aren't you?"

"One of who?"

"Those people who slowly unwrap gifts, savoring every moment."

Bella grinned. "Maybe. Let me guess, you're a rip into it as quickly as you can kind of guy."

"Pretty much."

"Well, this is my gift, so you're going to have to be patient with me."

"Whatever," he grumbled but winked at her.

Bella laughed before she untied the ribbon, placing it on the couch next to her. Starting at one end, she peeled back the wrapping, moving extra slow just to irritate Garrett. Once she had the paper off, she dropped it on top of the box, gasping as she looked at Esme.

"How'd you get this?"

"My father gave it to me for my birthday when I was five. Izzy, I didn't know."

Bella nodded as she lifted the ratty, brown teddy bear from the box. The bear had green eyes, and one of the ears was sewn back with bright red thread.

"I'm the one who fixed his ear," Bella whispered, running her fingers over the string. "Carlisle was in hysterics when it ripped," she cried. "We were seven, and he'd caught it on the top of the chain-link fence in my backyard. He . . . he started crying, saying his father was going to be so mad at him. So I fixed it. He carried him all over the place."

"Edward told me."

"He did?" Bella asked.

Esme nodded. "The night of my birthday party, he . . . After you left, Izzy, he was beside himself, so I took him upstairs to my room. Just wanted to give him the chance to . . . to calm down, I guess, and he saw him sitting on my dresser. He told me that he'd belonged to Carlisle and that he'd lost him. He said Peter had beaten him for losing it. That's when I realized that my father had stolen him from my brother and given him to me for my birthday. I thought . . . I thought Little Bit might . . . might want him."

"His name is Bob," Bella cried. "He named him Bob."

"Why Bob?"

"Bob was their grandfather's name," Bella whispered. "Well, Robert, but everyone called him Bob. He died when Carlisle was only a few years old. He loved his grandsons, he really did. He would never have let them be treated the way they were." She looked at Esme. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She smiled. "There's more."

Bella tucked Bob into her arm before she peeled the tissue paper aside and picked up a small white envelope.

"It's a gift card for a family photo session after Little Bit's born. I thought this way you and Edward could get a family portrait taken."

"Oh."

"I'm sorry. You don't have to include Edward if you don't want to. It was a stupid idea."

"No, it wasn't." Bella laid the gift card on the table. "I love him."

"We know," Esme replied. "I may not have known Carlisle, Izzy, but everything I've learned about him, I . . . I don't think he would want you to be unhappy."

"I know he wouldn't," she said. "I'm not going to sit here and tell you that I'm still not grieving him because I am. I always will. But Edward loves me, and I love him back. Together, we will make sure Little Bit never goes a single day without being told how loved and cherished he is. … By me, by him, and by his father."

Thank you for all the AMAZING reviews! Big thanks to Sunflower Fran for being an awesome beta!