Chapter 18: Flashing Lights

Important Author’s Note:

I just want to address a few things that a nasty anon left me.

 First, please remember that this is fiction. Of course a lot of events in this story MAY NOT happen with a real high risk pregnancy of this nature, but that’s why it’s called fan fiction for a reason. Everyone’s story is different and I’m taking a lot of creative license with this plot. Yes I know there’s a high list of complications, including a high chance of infant mortality, but do you honestly expect me to write about an infant dying, or the risks of losing both mother and her babies? This is only rated T and again as I mentioned earlier, I will mention a few details, but never fully get into all of those medical technicalities. I will never get the details one hundred percent correct since A.  I’m not a doctor, so don’t expect me to know every rule in the book. B. Research can only do so much and C.  I’ve never been pregnant so I know I’ll never fully comprehend how the whole process works. So please don’t try to bite my head off when a certain aspect or detail is left out. I’m trying and I am honestly happy with what I’ve written.

Secondly, I know there are gaps in this story. I purposely left certain events out, so they could be later referenced in a later chapter or be written in an outtake. Yes I know people are wondering why didn’t they have a baby shower, or why haven’t they garnered any media or public attention yet?  The house situation?  Patience people. Remember I said things were about to get tough? Yeah, well its coming and a lot of things are going to get explained. Other stuff like B and E’s birthdays and other events I can’t reveal yet, are outtake stuff that I have cute ideas for.  Again some events are probable and some are not. Again its fiction, so please just trust me on this and just go along for the ride.

I’m sorry about my rant. I’m just tired of explaining things and this is not to everyone, just to a couple of mean anon reviewers who feel like they need to bash me for every little thing.

P.S I know this is short, but you can bash me over the head later okay…J

5 months continued…

BPOV

I was going to kill my husband.

I was going to kill him, then hide his body under all the shitty wipes in the baby bin.

Edward gave me a cheery grin that quickly fell to one of awe.

I wasn’t amused in the slightest.

Brayden was still screaming his head off when I carefully extracted him from Edward’s soaked hands. I gave my little man a whiff and wrinkled my nose.  I looked over at Edward. I didn’t even have to get close to him, to know that he smelled bad. He smiled sheepishly.

“You see, I could really get mad right now, but I’m too tired to even exert that kind of energy. I’m not even going to ask any questions.” I sighed, kissing my baby’s head, before handing him back off to Edward.

“Give Bray a bath please or in this case make it a double. You smell bad, if not worse. Whew! I grimaced as the both of them left out the room and into the bathroom. I gathered all the trash out of the bin and cleaned and sterilized the changing table.

My once elevated mood was beginning to drop. I knew I was overreacting but when I went downstairs, it seemed like hell was breaking loose.

Bottles were strewn everywhere, spit up rags were dirty, there were uncovered baby jars lying around. It was like someone undid all of my hard work last night, just to screw with me.

I could hear a voices screeching from the living room and lord knows what was going on in there. I was about to see what was wrong when Edward ran downstairs with Brayden, both freshly cleaned. I didn’t fail to notice that Edward was dressed in one of his good suits. I eyed him wearily, as he passed Brayden off to me.

“Emergency conference. I gotta go, going to be all day I think. Be back for dinner. Love you!” Edward rushed out, giving me a brief kiss on my cheek before heading out the back door.

I stood there dumbfounded for a couple of minutes when I felt a soft tug on my ponytail.

I looked down at the small blue eyes that were slowly but surely beginning to turn green. It was slight, but it was still there.

I was broken out of my reverie, when I heard a wail come from the living room.  Quickly walking into the living room, careful not to stumble over the toys lying on the floor, I was surprised to see Esme holding a wailing Danny.

“What’s wrong with him?” I asked, handing Brayden over to my father, who had Auden sitting back against his chest. I did a quick check to see that all the babies were up and happily gurgling in their swings. I looked back over to Esme. Danny seemed to be wailing louder and I knew it was only a matter of time before it bothered the other babies and they joined in into the commotion.

“Here hand him to me.” I reached out. Esme turned away.

“No I got it.” She pushed. I tried not to frown at her possessiveness.  I knew she was living vicariously through me. I knew she had trouble conceiving and when she had Edward, I knew she was over the moon, but he was my baby not hers. I shook my head and tried not to let that get to me. Danny was still crying so I tried to talk to him.

“Danny. What’s wrong baby boy” I cooed. He turned his head slightly in my direction. All the babies were beginning to understand their name or at least my voice when I spoke to them and we watery eyes looked over at me. Danny reached out one of his little chubby hands in my direction and began crying once more.

“Seriously Esme, let me get him.” I got up and extracted him from her arms. She had a death grip on him.

“But…” she whined. Danny reached out for me again. She let out a defeated sigh.

“Fine.” She quickly let him go and I pulled him to my chest. His cries turned to soft whimpers and then a few suckling noises as he put his thumb in his mouth.

“Is that all little man. All you wanted was a little attention, huh?” I cooed, sitting him up on my lap.

“Careful, you have to support his head.” Esme chastised. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Danny seemed to be enjoying the attention and I began bouncing him on my knees a bit.

“You’re going to make him sick bouncing him like that.” Esme said again. I watched from my peripheral as my Dad and Liam, took Brayden, Auden, Gavin, and Ethan out the room in their arms. Noah was sound asleep in his swing. I could feel the blood beginning to pound in my ears, but I ignored it. I looked by down at my little man who was playing with a tendril of my hair. I kissed his little face that was beginning to get chubby. He gurgled happily in response. I did it once more and leant him back to blow a raspberry against his stomach.

“You’re going to drop-…” She started and I cut her off.

“Or what? Drop him?” I snapped back.

“Well yeah, you’re clearly not support…” I cut her off again.
“No offense Esme, wait I do mean offense, but back off. I won’t drop him okay?” I said coolly.

“But you’re so young and inexpier-…”  She started again and that’s when I snapped.

“Esme, I am a freaking twenty six year old woman. That’s not exactly young and as for being inexperienced, I am learning. Learning is the key word here, and I can’t learn if you’re badgering me twenty four seven.” I growled. She opened her mouth to say something.

“No, I’m not finished. Now Esme, I love you, I really do, but you’re becoming a pain in the effing but. They’re your grandchildren, I get that, and trust they love you too, but I’m their mother and you have to let me do that. I will make mistakes okay, but if you expect me to do them, and then we will get nowhere. If you’re going to help, then help. I’m grateful, I really am, but if you’re going to piss me off, then leave.”  I sighed, playing with Danny‘s fingers.

“I…um, excuse me.”  Esme croaked, walking quickly out the room. I let out a deep breath. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her feelings, but she had hurt mine, by believing I was inexperienced. Yes, it was technically true, but for her to just expect me to make mistakes like that was just hurtful in itself. I sat there for a few minutes when I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. I looked up into the warm brown eyes of my father who had Auden and Brayden drooling sound asleep on each of his shoulders. He gave me a soft grin and I tried to smile back.

My once cheery mood was declining once more.

It couldn’t get worse than this right?

…………………….

4 ½ weeks later… 

6 months….

“Leaving again?’ I asked, feeding Ethan some of the orange glop people call baby food. It looked like puke to me, but he seemed to enjoy it so I didn’t mind

“Yeah, Mr. Volt has some really good plans and expenditures I want to look over. Might be another all-nighter. I might not be back for dinner, so don’t wait up, yeah?” Edward said kissing my cheek and then our children who were all sitting in their feeding chairs.

“Love you.” I called out, just as he left out the door.  I tried to ignore the pang I felt in my chest, every time he left. Edward’s schedule was like clockwork these days. He worked five days and week and even some overtime on the weekend. You would think since he co-owned the place he worked, he wouldn’t be working as hard, but I guess I was wrong. He rose at 8 and didn’t get back until 8 that night. And then with what little time we did have when he was finally home was dedicated to our children and sleep. I admit, I missed my hubby. We hadn’t done the deed since the kids were born and that only added to the frustration I was experiencing lately. I just wanted a little bit of sexy times but I knew we would never get it. The babies were light sleepers and woke up at the drop of a pin. Then when we finally did have time to ourselves, we were too tired to do anything.

I sighed and looked back over at our kids. I was actually by myself for the next couple of hours. Everyone was busy for the next couple of hours and I actually didn’t mind being alone. I was a little bit scared of taking them on all at once, but figured it was nothing that I couldn’t handle.

I had just settled the babies down for a nap, when I heard the phone ring in the kitchen. I hurried to get it, knowing that even the slightest noise could wake them all up.

“Hello?

“Bella!” It was Esme. I was surprised she was even talking to me. After our little argument, Esme kept her distance from me. She still came over to help, but barely spoke more than a few words to me. I wondered what she wanted.

“Esme? What is it?” I asked, hearing the desperation in her voice. Panic began to spread throughout my body. Was someone sick? Hurt? Dead?

“Esme?”

I made a boo boo.”

“Come again?” I asked utterly confused at where this was going.

“I made a huge mistake. You see I was at this party and there was this really snotty woman, who was saying things, and she just kept asking and asking, and I blurted out some things and… But I didn’t realize… and reporter...” she rambled in broken sentences. I tried to comprehend what she was saying when the doorbell rang.

“Uh Esme, you have to hold that thought, someone’s at the door.” I replied, setting the receiver down. The doorbell rang a couple more times.

“Okay, okay. I’m coming.” I called out, careful not to trip over Jerry who was sound asleep on the floor. The doorbell kept ringing until I abruptly swung it open.

“What the hell?”

I was blinded by a flash.