Southern Comfort: Chapter 23

Southern Comfort

Chapter Twenty Three

"I told my momma we'd be there around noon. so we gotta hurry up," Edward sings as I rush past him and into the bathroom.

"I know, babe, I just didn't anticipate spilling blush on my dress. Give me five minutes," I plead as I grab my toothbrush and attempt at the world's fastest teeth cleaning.

Of course that results in my accidentally jamming the toothbrush down my throat, which in turn has me gagging into the sink. My eye's bulge in their sockets and I can feel the stirring of bile in the pit of my stomach. I can see the mascara I just perfected stream down my face. Great.

Edward's behind me in a flash pulling my hair out of the way. And rubbing soothing circles on my back.

"Shh."

"I'm fine," I croak, grabbing a Dixie cup and filling it with water. Edward mistaken 'I'm fine' as a plea for help or something because he starts babying me.

"Edward, I said I was fine," I snap, pulling out of his embrace, nearly losing a clump of hair because he was still holding it in his hand. "Jesus. I choked on my toothbrush."

"Oh." His face falls. "I thought-"

"You thought what?" My arms are crossed and my bare foot is tapping against the tile impatiently. "That I was pregnant?"

"Yeah," he mumbles.

I let out a frustrated sigh and walked over to the man I love. His head is hung in shame as it should be, because the past week had been tense, what with his not-so-secret yearning for a baby, since my period that's due. I wrap my arms around him in an effort to let him know that yes, I am pissed, but that I still love him.

"You gotta stop, babe," I whisper as he hugs me to him.

"I just thought, you know, you being late and all."

"Edward, I'm like a day late." I pull away. "And how do you know that?"

"I checked that calendar on your side of the bed," he confesses. "And you're never late."

"The day isn't over yet, Edward. I've been stressed with my mom's trip and our engagement, so just give it a couple of days." I kiss his cheek. "I don't want you to be disappointed if this doesn't happen."

"I won't be."

"Edward, you're studying my menstrual cycle and reading ridiculous things about how to properly fertilize my egg. Tell me you won't be put off or upset if I start my period tonight?"

"I won't be, Bells." He kisses my cheek. "I just want this so badly. Almost as bad as I wanted you."

"Well, it's only been a couple of weeks, we waited seven years." I pull out of his arms and grab a washcloth so that I can clear away my makeup. "It will happen if it's meant to happen, Edward."

"I know, darlin'." He checks his watch. "I'm gonna go call my momma and let her know we're running behind."

"Ok. Give me ten minutes."

The second the bathroom door shuts, I lean against the sink heavily. My hand rests upon my still flat stomach. I'm feeling guilty about snapping because the truth is I'm just as obsessive over this topic as he is. I don't want to share with him that ever since I was fourteen my period has been regular, arriving the morning on the same day every month like clockwork. I'm afraid that the elation I felt this morning, when I realized what day it was, will be for nothing. Perhaps the fact that I'm highly sexually active for the first time ever has knocked my cycle off its schedule or something.

I don't feel pregnant and that depresses me.

I remember Rose calling me the week after she and Emmett arrived back from their extended honeymoon. She told me she could feel that she got pregnant on one of their last nights in Cabo. I thought she was crazy, but sure enough a month later she was informed that she was indeed pregnant and the dates matched up.

When she was going through her counseling for the post-partum after losing Aaron and Zaiden, she had me come to one of her grief meetings. There were mothers and fathers from all walks of life sitting in the room, and Rose told the entire group that she never wanted to experience the feelings that she felt upon their conception again. Years later she'd dote on her adopted children, but she never changed her mind about trying for a biological baby.

I longed to feel that sudden peaceful feeling she described come over me. I found myself stalling after Edward and I made love, just waiting for that feeling to rush through me, but it never happened.

"Darlin'," Edward calls through the door. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah, almost finished!" I yell back, washing my face of any trace of makeup.

If the ride is smooth I will try to reapply, but I'm not too worried about it. Tonight we're informing Edward's family that we're getting married, even though I'm sure they already know. Esme knows. She didn't say anything, but I could hear the knowing smile in her voice when Edward told her Maggie and Liam are also coming for dinner. There are ulterior motives in asking them to join us, but we'll wait until later for that.

We arrive at the Cullens' two and a half hours later, due to rain. My face is make up free, other than a little lip gloss and some powder to cover up a few blemishes. Edward insists that I look just fine, but I accuse him of being biased and make him wait so that I can look myself over in the tiny mirror above the visor.

He takes my left hand in his so that we can somewhat hide the engagement ring that we both refuse to remove and walk into the house. Maggie and Liam have already arrived. They are sitting across from Alice and Jasper, talking about the local horse show that Jasper will be taking Jake to in the next few weeks.

Alice looks bored to tears until she notices our presence and dances over to me. "Hey stranger!" She hugs me tightly. "Where you been?"

"Oh, busy with my mom. She came down to visit before she runs off for the next six months." I explain my mother's trip to Cambodia before Esme calls everyone into the dining room.

I'm greeted with another warm over enthused hug from Esme and Carlisle, then Maggie and Liam, before we all sit down. Carlisle's quiet voice says grace, but no one touches their food after 'amen'.

Instead they are all looking at us, Edward and I.

"So..." Esme drawls, leaning over the table on her elbows. "We are here as you've requested. What's goin' on?"

I look over to Edward, giving him the floor because it is his family. He grabs my left hand and says, "Bells and I are gettin' hitched."

Eight seconds of silence pass before Esme bursts into tears and Carlisle, not one to face emotion, slinks away from her side. Alice is staring at me with a smile so wide I'm positive her cheeks are going to ache tomorrow, while Jasper lays a hand on her shoulder to keep her from attacking us. Liam is clapping a hand on Edward's shoulder and Maggie has finally moved to console a now hysterical Esme.

I turn to Edward. "Pass the peas please."

His brow furrows. "But you hate peas." He passes me the bowl anyway in silence.

I spoon out a giant helping when he leans over and brushes my hair away from my ear. "Are you saying that you're-" he whispers, his voice breaking off but his hand travels to my stomach in explanation.

Setting the bowl down, I lean up so that I can speak to only him. "I'm saying that you either fucked my menstrual cycle out of whack or we're pregnant.