Chapter 5: Tears, Laughter, and Unzipped Jeans

Chapter 5

BPOV

"Deep breaths, deep breaths. Whatever you do, don't puke." That had been my mental mantra for the past twenty minutes since dinner started. My stomach was in knots and not those of the welcoming variety. I was nervous and basically scared shitless. My nerves probably weren't good for the babies, but I couldn't seem to calm down.

I looked over at Edward to see that he wasn't doing too well either. He was pinching the bridge of his nose, a habit I noticed he picked up over the years when he was nervous or frustrated. What was supposed to be soothing circles on my hand was quickly becoming painful rubbing sensation that was beginning to turn my poor hand red and tender. I pinched his thigh. His bright green eyes flickered up to mine.

"What?" He whispered. I gestured to my reddened hand in pain. Seeing his actions, he quickly released it, but not before pressing a soft kiss to my knuckles. "Sorry." Edward whispered "I'm just a little anxious." He sighed, rubbing his hands through his coppery locks. "It's okay." I replied squeezing his hand. I looked back up at the table.

Esme had really outdone herself. A delectable assortment of food was beautifully arranged on the dining room table. Two tantalizing and moist roasts were situated in front of me, alongside a huge bowl of homemade garlic potatoes with roasted vegetables and homemade sourdough bread. Then there was the Caesar salad drenched in her homemade vinaigrette right next to tonight's dessert of triple chocolate cheesecake with whipped cream. The others sipped on red and white wine, while I nursed my glass of ice water. You know pregnancy and alcohols…not a good combination.

Anyways…tonight felt a little off and I found myself studying them all very closely. Esme threw me a coy smile. Hmm….very suspicious indeed. I knew what she was up to. She just didn't make all my favorites for no apparent reason. I knew she was trying to butter me up. She would just have to wait like everyone else.

Esme had been anxiously waiting for the news of my pregnancy since Edward and I began dating. We have barely been together for 2 months when she proclaimed when we were going to give her some beautiful grandbabies. See grandbabies… I swear she was psychic sometimes.

But back to what I was saying, sometimes I sympathized for Esme. Edward was her and Carlisle's only child and he was the miracle after three miscarriages she had suffered in the first ten years they were married. I knew she wanted grandkids. With Carlisle at work, and her design firm blooming without her, I knew she was lonely, which was why she often threw dinner parties like this. Esme winked at me for the third time in a row and I raised a curious eyebrow at her, but she just shook her head, she did it a few more times and it was beginning to make me a little uneasy in my seat. I looked over at my own mother. She was no better. She was watching every move I made, her blue eyes full of impending questions.

I may have been paranoid, I guess, but it felt like every time I made the slightest movement someone was watching me. When I spoke or asked a question, one of them would quickly turn their head and talk in a soft whisper away from my prying eyes and ears. I swear this was worse than high school, when you felt like everyone is prodding you with their glares, judging you, their eyes full of unyielding thought and questions.

My mental rambling was beginning to turn my building headache into a gradual throb. I was beginning to feel nauseous and hoped that I didn't chuck up all the delicious food I had was going to eat because that would just be a bummer and a waste of good food. I needed to chill.

The rest of dinner went by ridiculously slow. Even blinking seemed to be a tedious task. Esme was just about to pass out the remaining slices of cheesecake when I gave Edward a look that clearly stated that I was about to lose my freaking mind. Everyone was just about to dig in when I blurted out, "Edward and I are going to have sextuplets!"

There I said it. Everyone was silent for a moment and I figured I had shocked them all into silence, but I as wrong. Liam was the first to speak up…Well not so much. He burst out laughing and soon everyone followed in after him.

"Booger that's a good one." He cackled, leaning on Seth's shoulder for support. Edward and I looked on not amused in the slightest.

"Yeah, that was really hilarious you guys. Just think of the odds." Emmett grinned, nearly choking on his wine as he laughed so hard that the table was basically shaking with every breath he took. Tears began to well up in my eyes.

Did they seriously think that this was a joke? They knew how long we struggled to get pregnant and when we finally tell them some good news, they blow it off. Oh the irony. Edward grabbed my hand and tried to rub soothing circles on my hand once more. It wasn't working. It just made me even more irritated than I already was. I let out a huff of exasperation.

"Come on bro, really what is it?" Jasper asked as soon as he recovered from his laughing fit. Edward sent him a pointed glare and his expression immediately softened. A few snickers broke out here and there, but when they all saw my watery gaze, all eyes shifted to me.

"Baby B, what's the matter?" Angela asked. I gave them all a hard look.

"Nothing, nothing at all." I growled, as angry tears fell from my eyes. Edward tried to wipe a few of my tears with the pad of his thumb, but the tears just kept on coming. That's when the well broke and I was a full blown sobbing and slobbering mess.

I pulled out my chair and got up, nearly running out of the room. I knew Edward would want to follow me to make sure I was okay, but I stopped him, nearly crashing into his chest as he came up behind me. When a gentle look he backed away with a hurt look upon his face. I gave him a sad smile and headed towards the patio doors to sit outside. I just wanted to be alone.

EPOV

Seeing her heartbroken expression, just about killed me. Having her turn me away, hurt even worse.

It was completely understandable for them to laugh, knowing it was a very rare chance that someone would get pregnant with sextuplets, let alone on their first pregnancy. I was about to walk back to the dining room to confront the others, but stopped when I saw Bella's purse on the floor, right beside her jar of pickles. I smiled to myself.

I thought she was a little crazy at first, especially the way she ravenously ate them. I simply thought, hmm… usual pregnancy craving, but then she had to go and dip them in peanut butter. That was just fucking gross. I had to open my big mouth and that's when she stuck it in my mouth. Fucking nasty! Just imagine trying to eat that crap and then having to swallow it all. I swear I felt the lining of my stomach start to unravel. Yep….that just shows you how much I love my wife, even if she does have weird eating habits.

But that wasn't what caught my attention. The ultrasound pictures were peeking out the zipper of her purse and I gently pulled them out, my eyes slowly and carefully studying the miracles Bella and I had created. I turned my head towards the commotion coming from the living room. I could hear a cacophony of voices beginning to blend together. I headed back towards the dining room.

"Is Bella okay?" Renee asked her voice etched with motherly concern, as I stood in the doorway.

"I honestly hope so, but how would you feel, if you just revealed the biggest news of your life to your family and friends and they just laughed?" I mumbled coldly.

"What do you mean? This isn't some type of joke?" My mom asked.

"No it isn't mom." I breathed, laying the pictures of the ultrasound on her lap. Her green eyes looked up at me with unshed tears.

"What is this?" she whispered.

"Your future grandchildren." I simply replied, as she passed the pictures from her hands to Renee who covered her mouth with her hand as she let out a startled gasp. The room was so silent you could hear a pin drop. I used their silence to my advantage and made a break for it. I needed to find my wife and reassure myself that she was okay. Screw being alone, I just wanted her in my arms.

I didn't have to look far. She was sitting in one of the lawn chairs, the soft moonlight drifting down on her skin, making it seem luminescent. She was staring up at the sky with a conflicted look upon her face. She mustn't have noticed me, because when I sat beside her she let out a started gasp.

"Sorry." I said, wrapping my arms around her so that she was leaning back against my chest.

"It's okay." She replied, leaning her head back against my chest while I laid my head down on her shoulder. We sat there in silence for a few minutes while she raked her fingers through my hair. I closed my eyes.

"How are you feeling?" Bella asked; her voice so soft that if it wasn't so quiet, I would have never had heard her.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that same question instead? I grumbled, not opening my eyes.

"Well you could have, but I asked you first." She whispered and I could just imagine the smirk she had on her face.

"I'm fine you silly woman." I chuckled. "Now what about you?" I asked.

"I'm okay." She sighed, pulling her hand from my hair. I sighed at the loss of contact.

"Okay? Bella, I'm starting to really hate that word. Can you please tell me what's going on in that head of yours?" I pleaded, opening my eyes. I looked back down at her. She wasn't staring up at the sky anymore, but at my face.

"Well…" she breathed. " I admit at first, I was hurt, but now," she looked back up at the sky. "Another part of me feels like I overreacted a bit, you know?" I nodded my head against her shoulder.

"You have every right to be upset." I replied, turning her in my lap so that she was looking at me. I grabbed her face in my hands.

"I feel silly." She chuckled, although there was no trace of humor in her tone. "I don't even know whether or not to blame it on the hormones." She breathed, a sob getting caught in her throat. I pressed a soft kiss to her temple. I could see the underlying questions in her eyes.

"Love. What's really bothering you?" I asked and that's when I noticed her lips quivering and her eyes furiously blinking trying to hold back tears. "Please?" I breathed and that's when she began sobbing. I crushed her to my chest.

"I'm so scared." She said, her voice slightly muffled. "Six kids? What are we going to do with six kids? I know they're all blessings especially under our circumstances, but what if it isn't enough?" she cried, my shirt dampening by the second as her tears soaked through.

"Love you are enough. We both are." I cooed, rubbing her back as she let out a few more sniffles. She looked up at me through bleary eyes.

"But our house is too small, preparations, the car… I just don't know." She sighed.

"I don't know either, but isn't that all apart of parenthood? Taking the challenges as they come." I said. She nodded her head against my chest.

"And money? I'm CEO and you're an amazing teacher. Money shouldn't be an issue and even if it was, we have amazing friends and family to support us through it all." I whispered in her ear.

"I know. I'm just so scared. It seems like just yesterday we were joking around in the kitchen talking about the future and now we're going to be the parents of sextuplets. Can you believe it?" she asked me.

"No I can't, but screw having the easy life. Don't you like a challenge." I asked and felt her smile against my chest.

"Yeah, I do like a good challenge and trust we're going to get one in short of a few months." Bella said pressing a tender kiss to my lips. I gently raised her off my lap and got up, pulling her up alongside me.

"Well I guess we should get ready, because we are in for one hell of a ride." I laughed pulling her inside. We were definitely in for the ride and you know what?

I was going to enjoy every minute of it.

BPOV

After Edward dried my tear stained face, he gently helped me up and held my hand as we walked back inside. I didn't realize how cold I had gotten, until I felt a shiver course throughout my body. Edward then proceeded to wrap his arms around me and my hands traveled up and around his neck.

"Have I told you lately, how much that I love you?" I asked and he let out a small chuckle.

"Quoting Rod Stewart, are we now?" Edward said, his green eyes dancing in the soft light." I smacked his arm. "You know what I meant." I grumbled.

"Yes you did, but I never get tired of hearing it either." He grinned.

"Okay mister. Fine, I love you Edward Cullen." I grinned, planting chaste kiss against his lips.

"And you, Isabella Cullen." He replied, winking at me and I wrinkled my nose at him.

"Was the formal name really necessary?" I asked disgruntled.

"Yep, now let's get inside. I don't want my babies to get cold." Edward laughed smacking my behind.

"Your babies? I mocked and he gave me a quick incredulous look. "Fine our babies, now come on." He grinned, his joyous laughter filling up the night sky as we continued our way in.

….

My heart thundered in my chest like a racecar as we headed towards the dining room. I didn't know what to expect. I had barely walked through the doorway, before I found myself in my mother's strong grasp. "Oh my baby!" she sobbed against my shoulder. "My grandbabies!" she cried, resting her hand on my stomach. I felt my face break out in a soft smile.

"Yeah, your grandbabies." I laughed. I turned from my mother's grasp into the welcoming arms of my big brother. I could see from my peripheral vision, Edward being congratulated by Esme and Carlisle.

"Hey Li," I smiled, wrapping my arms around him.

"Hey booger." So sextuplets huh? He chuckled. I nodded my head.

"So how does it feel?" I asked and he threw me a confused look.

"You're going to be an uncle dummy, might as well start acting like one. Aren't you excited?" I cheered.

"Hell yeah, I can't wait to tell them all the embarrassing things you did as a kid. Ooh and imagine all the pranks I can teach them to torture you and Edward. Especially this one. He then proceeded to lick his finger and stick his finger in my ear.

"Eww, Li. A wet whilly! That's so gross." I moaned, trying to think of anything besides the fact I now had his spit in my ear. There were just no words. Even if that person did share 50% of the same genes as you did, it was just repulsive.

"What did you do now?" Seth asked, grabbing Liam's ear. "Ouch babe!" he grumbled.

"Wet whilly." I huffed, giving my brother the stink eye.

"I swear the two of you act like you're five." My dad huffed coming up beside me and wrapping an arm round my shoulders. I told your mother not to stand by the microwave while she was pregnant with each of you, but no. She didn't listen to me and look at the both of you; loopier than ever." He grinned, his mustache twitching in amusement.

"Yeah, but you know you love us, daddy." I smiled.

"Sadly, that I do." He grinned, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

"And I do too, mama!" Seth said pressing his hand to my stomach. Edward then came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, as the rest of our family and friends congratulated us.

I kept eying Alice who wouldn't stop bouncing on the balls of her feet. I could only imagine what she was thinking and let's just say that my feelings are never wrong. Even max, who was sound asleep on her shoulder didn't seem to be affected in the slightest from his little pixie mother. Jasper threw me a sheepish grin and I raised an eyebrow at the two of them. I let out a defeated breath.

"Just let it out Alice." I mumbled, and Edward put his hands over my ears, as she let out an ear piercing squeal. Again Max, didn't even flinch. Only Alice and her kid.

"Just think of the possibilities. The rooms, the colors, the clothes. OMG we have to start planning." She beamed.

"Relax Pix; I think there's enough time for that." Edward grinned.

"Oh I know, but first we need to go shopping. Bella's in desperate need of some new clothes." Alice chirped. I looked down at my clothes. I looked perfectly fine. I gave her a confused glance and saw Emmett throw me a smirk.

"What?" I said feeling a little self-conscious.

"Well Bells, Alice is right you are in need of a few things and as your honorary brother, I think you need some jeans that actually zip up. I definitely don't want to see your unmentionables; I'll leave that up to Eddie in that department." Emmett cackled as I looked down at the open fly of my jeans that revealed my cupcake covered underwear. I felt my face flush and buried my face into Edward's chest as he chuckled.

What could I say really?

My man loved his sweets.

EPOV

After a few congrats and pats on my back, our family and friends headed back into the living room. I made sure Bella was taken care of before pulling my father aside in the kitchen.

"Congrats son." He beamed, his eyes wrinkling at the corner that so mirrored mine.

"Thanks dad." I drew off, my nerves kicking back full force. You would think by now at twenty nine years old, I wouldn't be scared to talk to my father, but even now I felt like I was thirteen again, when he finally gave me the talk.

"I already know what you want to talk about son." He grinned, patting me on the back.

"You do?" I asked, rubbing my neck.

"Hey I'm a dad remember?" he laughed. I rolled my eyes.

"The same worries you're having with Bella are the exact same ones I had with your mother.

"When your mother was pregnant with you, I was honestly scared shitless. After those numerous miscarriages, we had even contemplated adoption when she found out she was pregnant with you. You were a miracle. As each month passed, we would let out a sigh of relief. I made sure she didn't lift a finger."

"This of course resulted with me sleeping on the couch a few nights, because I pissed her off. She often claimed I wasn't letting her maintain her independence and to just let her be. I did of course as she asked, but always maintained a watchful eye."

"Then a few months later you were born; wrinkly, pink, and grouchy." I laughed, as he playfully ruffled my hair.

"But you were the most beautiful baby I had ever seen. Your mother and I spent hours looking at you and you at us. Here you were this little creature; a mini combination of the two of us, although I don't know where you got that red hair. Probably from my mother." My dad grinned. I groaned.

"My hair is not red." I huffed. It technically was, but more coppery with brown running through it.

"Whatever you say son. Until you were born, I didn't think there was another way to love someone." He smiled; his eyes slightly teary.

"Aw, Dad don't get all sappy on me." I said, although I had a huge smile on his face.

"Ha, ha Edward. You'll get what I mean once your own kids get here. Now exclude the father to son relationship for a moment. I'm talking to you strictly as a doctor to a patient. You do know the risks right?" My father asked. I nodded my head.

"Yeah, and that was scares me. The list goes on and on. I have to make sure her diet stays on track, her blood pressure low. She can't be on her feet for too long either, but yet not sit down for too long or she'll risk getting sores. I'll be damned, if she even tries to lift a finger on anything weighing more than a pound. I'll watch her like a hawk." I answered. My father gave me a concerned look.

"Now, you now Bella isn't going to like any of that. She's stubborn as a mule just like you which probably is why you two get along the way you do. Son, you can still be the ever caring loving husband that I know you are, but still let her maintain her independence. Keep that in mind eh?" He grinned.

"Thanks dad. I know I should probably talk to her doctor about my concerns, but do you mind if I talk to you a bit about it?" I asked nervously.

"I wouldn't have it any other way son. I'm there if you need me." He grinned, giving me a one armed hug.

"Now let's get back to our wives son, before they come and get us. We've been in here a while and they'll know something's up." He said. I followed behind him.

"I know dad, I know."