Southern Comfort: Chapter 18

Southern Comfort

Chapter Eighteen

Rosalie is a great mother.

I watch her calmly scold Peter for being too loud in the house while she changes Charlotte's diaper and I hope that when the time comes I'll be half the mother she is. She's taken to the two children currently hanging on her ever word and action as if she gave birth to them herself.

There are times when I forget that both Charlotte and Peter are adopted. I can't ever forget the strained call I received from my older brother after he and Rose were married. I had rushed four towns over on autopilot to find my brother bawling his eyes out at the loss of the twins Rose managed to carry full term, but didn't survive after their birth.

They didn't have the heart to try again, so instead they applied for adoption and two years ago brought home a toddling two year old that needed a lot of love. The adoption agency picked the right couple.

Emmett took three months off of work so that he and Rose could help Peter acclimate to their family and the three of them formed an instant bond. Rose became the stay at home mom she longed to be and a few months ago I got an elated phone call informing me that I'd be an aunt once again. Charlotte was the final piece in their perfect family and it hurt to watch my brother fawn over his children as if they were his own.

I see flashes of sheer happiness flash through their eyes when Peter calls them 'mommy' or 'daddy'.

He understands that he has two big brothers in Heaven and that mommy get a little sad around the Fourth of July every year. They visit the twins' graves a lot because they would never forget them.

"What's got you so quiet, Sweets?" Rose asks, sitting up and flopping Charlotte's tiny body onto my lap.

I tense because it's not often that I have the chance to hold a baby. She's calm. Looking up at me with dark brown eyes, taking in my face while I study hers. She's got curly black hair and dark skin, but just like Peter she will never feel different in our family. Rose and Emmett had gone into the adoption plans not caring about race or gender and refused to worry about the later years when Peter will ask about his Puerto Rican background or why his sister is so much darker than him. Her mouth opens into a yawn and my heart melts.

"Oh Lord, I know that look," Rose groans. "You got the baby fever, huh?"

"Is it that obvious?" I blush, letting Charlotte use my finger as a pacifier.

"Honey, does a bear shit in the woods?"

"Oooh momma!" Peter giggles from the floor where he's playing with his blocks and action figures.

"Sorry darlin'." She blows him a kiss before turning to me. "Felt like your ovaries were gonna burst when you saw Edward holding Char earlier, didn't you?"

I nod.

"You're concocting a plan that includes Emmett and I leaving without the kids tonight so that you can keep them?"

"Of course," I laugh.

"You got the baby fever." She grabs my hand. "And there's only one way to cure that, you know?"

"Getting a dog?" I joke.

"I's wantin' a doggy," Peter cackles from the floor before he starts crawling around and barking like a puppy. Rose puts a stop to the charade when he starts licking her pants.

"Alright ,puppy dog. I want my Peter back. Stop slobberin' all over me," she laughs pulling him to his feet. "There he is. What about a real kiss for momma?"

"Ruff!" Peter yelps, holding his 'paws' up and panting.

"Hmm, well puppies aren't allowed to eat chocolate," I say out loud to no one in particular. "I just so happen to have some chocolate custard in my freezer that used to be Peter's favorite when he was a boy. I guess momma and I get to share it since Peter is a puppy."

"No! I's changin' my mind," Peter giggles, wiggling like a worm out of Rose's arms and heading for the kitchen. "Auntie Bewwa come on! I like cust-erd."

Rose takes Charlotte from me and I follow the bouncing human boy into the kitchen. Edward and my brother are shaking hands, but they quickly separate when they realize I'm in the room. Peter is bouncing around in front of the cupboard that holds the bowls.

"I can have a big one?" he holds his arms out to show just how big he wants his bowl to be.

"Well, you can have a big bowl like that, but the custard might get lost in it," I laugh, pulling out the small carton of frozen custard. "Do you still want a bowl or do you want to share this with me?"

"I's can share," he claps excitedly.

"Can I have some, too?" Edward pouts as he sidles up next to me.

"No. Me and MY Auntie Bewwa," Peter pouts. "We's sharin'."

"Hmm. Well, can you share your Bella with me?" Edward kneels down and holds his hand out to Peter. "Because I want her to be mine, too."

"NO!" Peter wails. "Her's mine. NO. DADDY"

Emmett chuckles and picks up the boy. "It's alright lil man. Edward wants Auntie Bewwa in a totally different way." He sends us a wink before heading to the living room. "We'll talk about it when you're older."

I make a move to follow them, but Edward calls my name bringing me back to the kitchen.

"What were you and Emmett talking about when I walked in?" I ask as he wraps his arms around my waist.

"Nothing of your concern, woman." He squeezes my ass cheeks earning a yelp from me. "I didn't get a proper greeting when I came home."

"I didn't expect to have company. They completely surprised me." I smile leaning up and pecking his lips.

"Hello boyfriend."

"Hmm..." he contemplates for a second.

"What?"

"Oh nothing."

For a second I jump to conclusions. Did his conversation with my older brother have anything to do with the topic we do not speak of?

I kiss his lips again, trying to convey as much love and anticipation I'm feeling at the moment and he reciprocates. When we pull away, his shirt is wet from the condensation coming off of the custard carton still in my hand.

I allow him to lead me into the living room and I'm on cloud nine, despite the fact that Peter is a little butt hurt that he has to fight Edward for my affection. He refuses to share the custard with me, instead choosing to sit between his parents, glaring at Edward while he shovels his dessert into his mouth.

Eventually Charlotte grows tired of being passed around so my brother decides it's a good time to leave.

"She'll sleep good in the car," Rose comments as Emmett buckles the baby into her carrier. "She's such a good baby in the car."

"She's beautiful, Rose." I pull her into a hug. "I'm so happy for the two of you."

"Thanks Sweets." She grips me a little tighter and whispers. "You're gonna have it all, too. You just wait for it."

But what if I don't want to wait?