It took Rosalie several weeks to truly start believing that she is expecting a child. As echo machines don't work on vampires, she has to rely on Carlisle's manual measurements. Eventually though, she started to feel the baby move around. The first time she felt it kick in her stomach was the most beautiful moment in her existence. Even more beautiful than when she formed her mating bond with Emmett, because that had been overshadowed by her regret over her vampire status, particularly the infertility, and his death. This proof of life growing in her made her connection with Emmett so much more meaningful, that she was never happier.
However, neither had she ever been more hormonal. And her darling mate bears the brunt of the force. As the pregnancy progresses her nesting instincts have grown stronger and stronger. She has started hoarding clothes, bottles, toys and other baby paraphernalia.
Mostly we indulge her, because we understand that to a certain extent this is her way of dealing with the fear of the unknown. Our family are the only vampires we know, likely the only in the world, to be living off processed blood. Rosalie is the first to get pregnant, and we have no idea how the child will turn out and if it can be born without complications.
Considering the circumstances we are not overly worried though. By tracking Esme's menstrual cycle we have been able to figure out that this too progresses according to what percentage of the vampire's diet is human food versus processed blood. As Esme roughly goes half and half her cycle takes nearly two months. Rosalie has now converted to entirely human food, and ever since the pregnancy has progressed at regular speed. By Carlisle's calculations the baby must have grown slower when she was still partially drinking bloodshakes, but it does not seem to have hurt the baby, which is very active.
These developments have also made us reasonably sure that the child can be born normally and will either be controlled from the start, or become in control after being fed processed blood for a while. And that it will grow up into an adult vampire after being fed a lot of human food for a couple of decades. Nothing like the eternal chaos and destruction of the immortal children. It was a rough night when Carlisle explained that bit of history, and how the Denali sisters' mother had been prosecuted for making one.
Even Rosalie is quite convinced that her child will be safe, and when she doubts she keeps herself busy.
The latest project is sorting out the living arrangements. She want to remain close to the family, but also have a place for herself and Emmett to live together with the baby. However the only suitable property is a small cottage on the Cullen land. Not only is this too small for her taste, but the roof is so low Emmett can barely stand upright in it. She doesn't want him to feel uncomfortable in his own home.
Emmett, as any sensible man with a pregnant wife would, completely adheres to all her demands. As any man with a pregnant wife though, no amount of pandering will put him in the clear of her irrational anger.
"EMMETT MCCARTY CULLEN. I have waited a century for this baby, everything has to be perfect!"
Oh deary, their argument is escalating again. I collect my school books from the kitchen table and run upstairs to hide in Jasper's study. Thankfully my quickly approaching exams give me the perfect excuse to stay out of their business. I do not believe I would have studied half so much if I was not avoiding them.
Jasper races past me up the stairs and holds the door open for me. He has volunteered to be my personal tutor and helped me so much that I might even get a passing grade in mathematics at this point. We do spend rather a lot of time holed up in his study, but he never seems to mind. He too must me quite eager to stay out of Rosalie's way.
Still, with the continued absence of Edward and Alice he has been more relaxed around the house. Those two expressed a wish to remain in Denali for a longer time, which we heartily encouraged because of Rosalie's pregnancy. We doubt the Volturi would look kindly upon the situation, and Edward and Alice are not protected against their mind reading gifts. Also, either of them might just be petty enough to intentionally rat us out.
The Denali's are not particularly happy about their long term guests, but are willing to keep hosting them in exchange for the promise of Rosalie building them a blood processing machine of their own. They have been eager to try the new diet, but are not willing to convert before they have their own supply chain, since they live so remotely in Alaska.
Carlisle has told the Forks High School a story that Edward and Alice received early acceptance into a university out of state, and therefore sat the GED. Thus they are now officially out of school and I can focus on my graduation without their presence annoying me.
Their nonchalance about staying an extended amount of time away from the family did trigger discussion among the rest of them though. Particularly since they had not believed it possible for Alice to leave Jasper behind, her so-called 'mate'.
I learned then that vampire bonds work a lot more complicated than I had initially thought, as Carlisle carefully explained it all. There is the mating bond, between the vampire and their one true love. Once formed there is nothing that can come between it. However, before it forms it may be surpassed by the sire bond between the vampire and their creator. When a vampire is on poor terms with their creator, this stirs a rather consuming inner conflict in them. So consuming that it might prevent them from forming a mating bond.
Jasper quietly explained that since his creator Maria was still at large, raging for decades about his betrayal, he would not be able to form a full mating bond until she was killed. This was why he had been so grateful for Alice, who thanks to her future vision had been able to see that they were mates even if he could not feel it. Only now it seems she had lied.
A few weeks into their stay in Denali, Eleazar sent a concerned message to Carlisle. Apparently during his time serving in the Volturi guard some experiments had been run at the kings' orders to test the limits of mating bonds. True mates, even without a formed bond, should not survive weeks of separation. As Eleazar had never discussed these particular experiments with the Cullens before and Alice could no longer see our futures, she had not known that her departure would lead to us figuring out her deception until she caught a view of Eleazar typing the email.
I had been worried about Jasper, but to my surprise he was mainly relieved. I learned then that Alice had divorced him months ago, when she first found out about our bloodshake experiment. Frankly I was miffed that nobody had bothered to inform me of this, somehow each had thought that someone else had already told me.
At least this made Emmett's many jokes about Jasper and me less disturbing. And my own growing feelings for him. At this point I might as well admit it : I love him. I love his sensitivity, his loyalty, his kindness to and protectiveness over his family. His wicked sense of humor. The way I can be completely myself around him. The way he gradually lowers his defenses around me. Not to mention that his mere presence lights a fire in my body that drives me to distraction.
Speaking of, I find it hard to focus on my studies as I am sat next to him. His arm occasionally brushes against mine when he points something out in a book, causing me to shiver.
I get a reprieve when Emmett sneaks in, his finger pressed to his lips to shush us, and gestures for us to follow him.
We drive off in his jeep on some errand that Rosalie gave him. It soon becomes clear that he asked us along to be able to talk. He hands us a large manila envelope that had been lying on the front seat and starts explaining.
"Look guys, remember when I suggested to Rose that if she wants to live apart but close to the main house we could get one of those ready-made prefab houses and put it up in the yard?"
"I rather distinctly remember her reacting by flipping out that she did not want her child to grow up as trailer trash.", Jasper answers, trying to keep his tone neutral.
"Ah, yeah, there is that. I stick with my point that a prefab house is very different from a trailer, but whatever she wants. Anyway, open the envelope."
We do, and there are blueprints and design sketches for an absolutely gorgeous small family home inside. The style is a mixture of classic and modern elements, and there is a large porch where I can perfectly imagine Rose sitting with her baby in a rocking chair.
"It's beautiful!", I exclaim.
"Thanks! I hoped so.", Emmett replies. "When we got stuck in our housing argument I asked Esme to help me design a house that we can build near the main one. That way Rose can have her dream house, but we will still be close to the family."
Jasper frowns. "There is no way contractors will be able to build all this before the baby is born though. The foundation alone might take months with the bad weather we have here."
Through the rearview mirror I see a dangerous glint appear in Emmett's eyes. "It would take too long for human contractors. A few vampires with immense strength, perfect precision and endless stamina can build this in time though."
Jasper glares back with trepidation. However, when Emmett confesses that he wanted a second opinion on the plan from us before he tells Rosalie because he is afraid to upset her again, Jasper does not hesitate to reassure him.
"She'll love it!", we both say with conviction.
The whatever it was that Rosalie had wanted us to get was not in stock in the correct color, so we brace ourselves for her wrath when we return.
She is indeed gearing up for another shouting match when Emmett distracts her with his peace offering.
"Rosie love, I have something else for you.", he hands her the large envelope in which he packaged the designs for the house.
Confused, she tears it open and looks at the contents.
"Emmett... It looks perfect! It's exactly what I wanted, but where is it? I thought we agreed to stay close to the family. And we can't move Bella away from her father."
"We won't.", he answers smiling. "It doesn't exist yet. I'm going to build it for you. For us. Our own perfect dream house."
"I'm so sorry.", she sobs. "I love you so much, and you work so hard for us." Her sobs increase in volume. "You do so much for me and I've just been so nasty to you."
Emmett looks rather flabbergasted. Apparently he thought the hormones would calm if Rosalie was no longer mad at him, but now she is mad at herself for being mad at him. From the corner of my eye I spy Jasper inching away to escape her emotional climate.
We sure never have a dull moment in this family, but I wouldn't have it any other way.