Repentance - Chapter 32

CHAPTER 32:

Nearly two weeks passed without even a minor disturbance in our lives. Everything was quiet.

The police insisted they had a lot of new information, but couldn’t provide any of it to us. It drove Edward mad, especially because we learned the girl at the flower shop positively identified the guy that took Masen as the same person. They found out who purchased the car from an auto auction a few weeks before the weekend Masen was taken from the playground. That was all they would really tell us. They just kept saying the investigation was still pending and keeping their resources safe and secure was important. They couldn’t give us anymore information for risk of jeopardizing their investigation. They insisted we were not in any immediate danger and they would alert us if they learned differently.

Edward even tried to get Charlie involved. Edward wouldn’t willingly call my dad as often as he had. It seemed as if they finally found some common ground, they both wanted Masen and I safe. Edward and Charlie worked together to see if they could find out any more information, but even Charlie was kept out of the loop. He tried to call in some favors, but everything was very hush hush. Charlie suspected they knew who the guy was and were just waiting to catch him in the act, or do some sort of sting operation, set him up. Charlie couldn’t understand why else everything was kept so quiet.

Edward didn’t like that.

“Catch him in the act? Catch him in the act of what? Taking our fucking children again? Or running Bella off the road? That’s bullshit! If they know who he is, why isn’t he behind bars?”

Charlie was on speaker phone. Masen was in is room playing, at my request. I silently rubbed Edward’s arm, trying to calm him.

“It’s just a thought, a theory, Edward. I don’t know for sure. I just know that normally when they’re quiet like this, there is something else going on that we don’t know about. They seem fairly confident in what they’re doing. The lead investigator assured me that Bella was in no danger, and neither is Masen.”

“That’s it? That’s all we get?” Edward asked.

“I’m afraid so,” Charlie responded.

I sighed, uneasy.

“Charlie, do you trust him? Do you believe Bella’s safe?”

I turned away from Edward and grinned. I loved that he called my dad Charlie now instead of “Officer Sawn, or Mr. Sawn, or Sir.”

“I do trust him, Edward. I went to the academy with his younger brother. They’re good people. They just need to keep whatever they’re doing quiet right now. It will all come out in due time. As soon as I find anything else out, you all will be the first to know.”

Edward inhaled a deep breath and blew it out. “Okay.”

“Now, how’s my girl doing?”

I smiled. “You’re on speaker phone, Dad. I’m good.”

“You eating your vegetables and watching your caffeine intake?”

“Yes sir!” I teased. “Edward keeps me on track.”

“Now, when is she coming again? I need to make sure I can get off work.”

I laughed. “Approximately two weeks. But you never know. Masen was a little late. I hope she’s not late. But, I mean, as soon as I think something’s up, I’ll call you. I can’t really just plan it though.”

Edward and Charlie laughed. “I know, Bella. Is your mom coming up?”

Edward and I looked to each other. I knew my dad was hoping to see her. “I don’t think so, Dad.”

“What? Why not? She was there for Masen.”

“I know, but it’s different now. I want this to be an experience for Edward, Masen and I, not Mom, Alice and me.”

Charlie was quiet for a moment.

“I mean, you know, she would just worry me to death and always be in my space and stay entirely too long.”

Charlie and Edward laughed again. “I guess you’re right, Bells. You’re going to let her come see the kid aren’t you?”

“Of course, Dad. I just want to get adjusted first, and besides, Edward’s parents are coming up and staying a few days too, so between them and you, I’m sure we’ll be fine. I just know if mom were here, she’d want to be in the room when she’s born and she’d make a big fuss and want to hold her all the time and it’s different this time. I’m not a scared little girl having a baby for the first time against my will. We created her, and we want to bring into the world and be the first ones to enjoy her. I’m sorry if that’s selfish.”

“No, I understand, this is different, Bella. You’re becoming such a smart young woman.”

I smiled. “Thanks, Dad.”

Edward and I said our goodbyes to my father. We were both smiling after we hung up the phone. Edward moved closer to me. His fingertips lingered gently on my cheek, as if he was contemplating something.

“Can I kiss you?” he asked.

I smiled. “Edward, you don’t have to ask me.” Our lips met before I finished my sentence. I enjoyed our kiss more than I thought I would. We were both smiling when we finally separated. “I love you.” We said it at the same time and we both laughed. Edward kissed my forehead and my belly before going to retrieve Masen for dinner.


***

The following week I was completely miserable. My back hurt, my head hurt, I ached all over. I walked around our apartment endlessly until Edward finally took a break from studying to watch Masen so I could go for a walk outside. I waddled down the street while on the phone with Edward, it’s the only way he would let me go by myself. If I walked enough, maybe she would come a little early.

I finally turned around to head back to the apartment. It was a nice 70 degrees outside, but I was starting to get warm.

“I didn’t realize how far I had walked,” I said, out of breath, after I turned around to head back.

“You want me to come pick you up?” Edward asked.

“No, no. I need to walk. You could run me a warm bath though.”

“Okay, I can do that.”

By the time I made it back to the apartment, I was completely uncomfortable and crabby. Edward had my bath ready to go and he was working on dinner. He was going to be one hell of a husband one day.

Edward helped me into the bath and left me alone to tend to dinner.

I guess I fell asleep. I was exhausted. A sharp pain in my side, shot around my stomach and went low around my waist. That pain felt familiar to me. I smiled to myself, hoping it was a contraction and I eagerly waited for the next one.

Edward popped his head in, I didn’t even notice. “Dinner’s almost ready.”

I glanced up at him. “Okay, help me?”

Edward entered the bathroom and grabbed a big towel. “What were you smiling about when I came in here?”

“What?” I asked, as he helped me out of the tub.

“You had this big grin on your face before you knew I was here.”

I laughed. “No, I didn’t.” I didn’t want to tell him, or alarm him, or get him excited. It could’ve been nothing and until I was discerning a pattern, I wasn’t going to worry him with it.

He knew I was lying.

“Liar,” he said to me as he wrapped the towel around me.

“She had the hiccups. It made me smile.”

“You can feel her hiccup?”

“Of course. She’s stopped now though,” I said, as I placed a hand on my belly. In fact she had been fairly active earlier on in the day and I hadn’t really felt her that much lately. I prayed she was settling down like a good little girl, getting ready to make her grand appearance.

Edward left me to get dressed.

At dinner, I took the first bite of Edward’s homemade lasagna and I gasped audibly.

“Is it that bad?” he asked.

My face contorted in pain. I shook my head and exhaled a deep breath. “I just had a cramp in my back. The lasagna is good.”

“Is it a contraction?”

“I don’t think so,” I said as I checked the clock on the wall behind him.

He dropped it and we continued eating, mostly in silence. I didn’t feel well. I wasn’t really that hungry but I didn’t want to tell Edward that. His lasagna was good, so I forced myself to eat everything on my plate and I regretted it afterwards.

I had one or two more contractions before we went to bed that night, but there was really no pattern emerging and I fell asleep that night to Edward massaging my back. I don’t think I’d been that relaxed in weeks.

I woke up early the next morning. Edward was shaving in the bathroom. He had to work.

I laid in bed, listening to him humming some song while he was shaving. It was cute.

I started to fell achy, like a contraction was coming on. It got stronger and sharper until I couldn’t stifle my cry.

Edward came out of the bathroom, half of his face still covered in shaving cream. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

I wasn’t able to speak yet. I tried to focus on my breathing until it passed. When the intensity started to lessen, I took a deep breath and blew it out. I couldn’t hide it anymore. “That was definitely a contraction,” I breathed.

Edward disappeared quickly back into the bathroom. I heard the water running and a moment later he reappeared, his face whipped clean, only the left side freshly shaven. I laughed at him. “What are you doing?”

“What am I doing? What are you doing? Don’t we need to go to the hospital?”

He was so funny. “Well, probably, eventually. I need to see how far apart they are. There’s no sense in me sitting at the hospital waiting when I could be here. Labor can last a long time Edward. I was in labor with Masen for nearly 14 hours.

“That is a long time. But shouldn’t you be hooked up to a machine or something? I would just feel better if we were at the hospital.”

“Well, we’re not going anywhere until you shave the other side of your face.”

“Oh, right,” he said as he ran the palm of his hand along his face.

“And while you’re doing that, will you run a bath for me and shave my legs?” I asked sweetly.

He laughed. “Are you sure we have time for all that?”

“I’m pretty sure. And you should call the office and tell them you won’t be there, and call your parents, give them a heads up.”

“Oh, right. The office, that’s a good idea.”

I watched Edward shuffle around me nervously. While he started my bath, I made a few phone calls and made sure I had everything I needed packed in my overnight bag. I made my way to the baby’s room and went through everything meticulously, making sure it was perfect for her. I moved the little bassinet we had been keeping in her room into our room so it was one less thing I had to worry about when she was home.

I felt another contraction coming on, so I laid down on the bed momentarily to ride it out.

“Your bath is getting cold,” Edward warned as he stepped into the bedroom from the bathroom. I raised a finger to him, telling him I’d be there in a minute. He could see the pain on my face.

“Are you okay? Do we need to go?”

I waited a moment to compose myself and looked at the clock. “No, stop pestering me. They’re still 45 minutes apart. When they’re closer to ten minutes apart, we’ll go. It could be a while. Chill out.”

“Oh, okay.” Edward went back to the bathroom and helped me in the tub. When I was finished I sat on the edge, partially covered with a towel, while he shaved my legs. It’s only the second time I’d convinced him to do it, more out of necessity than laziness. This time he even put lotion on for me.

“Thank you, baby. You’re so good at that.”

Edward laughed and I kissed his cheek.


Edward let me relax while he made Masen and I breakfast. I woke Masen up early and we had some mommy/son time before breakfast. I was sort of sad that he wasn’t going to be my baby anymore, but I was excited to meet his sister, too.

Edward took Masen to daycare and we arranged for Rosalie to pick him up. She was keeping him while we were at the hospital. Edward made her swear she wouldn’t lose him or misplace him or let anyone take him. I nudged him when he said that, I know he was trying to be funny, but I’m sure she felt guilty enough as it was.

Edward and I did a few things around the house while we kept an eye on my contractions. Finally, at about 3:00 that afternoon, they were nearly fifteen minutes apart and I was getting to the point that the pain was unbearable so we went ahead to the hospital.

I got checked in and changed into my lovely hospital gown. We got settled in the room and I got hooked up to the monitor. The baby’s heart beat was strong and steady. They confirmed she was in position and examined me. I was nearly seven centimeters dilated. I got my epidural almost immediately. I thought Edward was going to pass out. When I looked up at him, after the epidural was administered, his face was ghostly white.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

He hesitated for a moment. “Yea, I’m okay.”

I sighed. “You better be. It hasn’t even started yet. You have to be conscious through the entire thing!”

Edward laughed. “I will be.”

He seemed to relax then and I tried to get some rest while my epidural kicked in.

I woke a few hours later, extremely uncomfortable. There was so much pressure and need to push. I wanted her out.

When I groaned audibly in pain, Edward turned to look at me from his spot in the chair next to me. He was engrossed in some television program.

“It hurts,” I whined. “I want to push. Will you get the nurse?”

“She was just in checking on you a few minutes ago. She said your contractions were really close together. She just went to call the doctor. I was just going to let you sleep. You looked peaceful.”

I was clammy and sweaty and I ached all over. “I’m hot,” I complained.

Edward went and got me a cold cloth he smoothed along the skin of my forehead, cheeks, and neck. It felt good.

The doctor came in a few minutes later. Without asking he just lifted up my sheet and examined me. Edward looked slightly alarmed and it almost made me laugh. “Well, the nurse was right. You’re ready to go.” The doctor rambled off some orders to the nurse and she hurried out of the room.

“Are you serious? I can start pushing?”

“In just a few minutes,” he responded.

I smiled, excited. I can’t believe I slept through the boring part. I must have been really tired.

Two more nurses and the doctor returned a moment later. The doctor was wearing scrubs and gloves now. A nurse readied the area where the baby would be taken to be checked out and cleaned up.

Edward held one knee back while I pushed and a nurse held the other.

After pushing several times, I was completely exhausted and in a world of pain.

“Just a little more, Bella. I can see her head. Reach down and feel.”

Before I could even let go of Edward to lower my hand, Edward’s head dipped between my legs. “Whoa,” he said, “Look, Bella.”

I reached my hand down and sat up to look in the mirror that was placed behind the doctor. Her head was crowing. Thank God. It would be over soon. I rested for just a moment before I started pushing again.

Thirty minutes later, I felt a huge weight lifted off of me and I heard the contents of my insides spilling out onto the floor.

I was so relieved I instantly started crying, and then I heard her crying and I cried even more.

I opened my eyes as the doctor put her on my stomach for a moment while the nurses attempted to clean her and Edward cut the cord. He looked so proud and happy. I was so grateful he got to be a part of this.

I didn’t even get a good look at her through my tears, before the nurse swept her away. I couldn’t even recall what she looked like and it made me frantic. Her cry was muffled and not as strong as I thought it should be.

Edward was at my side telling me how amazing I was and I urged him to go check on her.

I was so exhausted I couldn’t even keep my eyes open long enough to allow them to follow him across the room.

I vaguely remember hearing them cleaning out her airway and hearing her cry louder.

The next thing I remembered was Edward saying my name.

“Bella. Bella...look at her. She’s perfect.”

Edward was holding our little girl, swaddled in white, with a little hat on her head. I instantly pulled it off, to see her hair. It was dark, but full and wild.

We both laughed, and I cried. She looked like Edward, but with my hair. She had his lips and his animated eyes. I took her from him and she looked at me in wonder.

I talked to her until I didn’t feel safe holding her anymore. I felt sick to my stomach and tired. Edward accompanied her to the nursery for all her little tests and I fell asleep.

**CHAPTER 33 - CLICK HERE**