Twilight Fan Fiction ❯ The Ties That Bond Us ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

The Ties That Bond Us

 

Chapter Three

 

By: BellaNJake

 

 

AN: Thank you for all of your kind reviews! They really inspired me to write faster—not that I wrote fast enough for some of you. Anyways, on with the story!

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight; or any of the characters in the Twilight series (duh).

 

 

Last time:

When I got home, I sat in the bathroom with the doors locked and did what the tests told me to do. After fifteen agonizing minutes I picked up both of the tests. They were both positive.

 

I was pregnant with Jacob's child.

 

Panic shot through me like a speeding bullet. I quickly sprung up off the floor and stuffed the two tests into the garbage-can by the toilet; holding back my tears. I shoved them to the bottom of the bag, hiding them under a massive amount of toilet paper. I didn't want to believe this was real.

 

I started to clean the bathroom, as if I had obsessive compulsive disorder. I wiped the counters of the sink, and the floors incessantly, even after they were shining brightly—I still continued to scrub. My hands were starting to grow numb. I realized that my mind was subconsciously trying to block out the anxiety I was feeling that moment. I was doing whatever I could to distract myself from thinking about this.

 

After the bathroom was completely spotless; I sunk to the floor below me, my eyes wide with fear. Hot tears pricked at my eyes as reality finally set into me.

 

I was pregnant. There was a child, a human being with a soul and a personality and a life inside of me. How? How did this happen? We had used protection every time. We were very careful, because we knew what we were doing; we knew the consequences of such a thing. I wasn't prepared for this. This shouldn't be happening! My mind screamed over and over at me.

 

I was sobbing now, lying on the cold hard tile of the bathroom floor, but I didn't care. I couldn't bring myself to move. This wasn't right. I was only 18 years old and I had never planned on having children until I was out of college, and married at least. I wasn't ready for this.

 

I wasn't ready for the responsibility of carrying a life, mentally or financially. I barely had enough money to buy the things that I wanted—not that I wanted many things that cost a lot—with my low paying job at the Newton's store. Jacob sure didn't have much of a source of income either, in fact; he had none at all.

 

Renée would be pissed, no doubt about it. She would be so very angry with me, and my irresponsibility. She was constantly drilling into me how much having a child at such a young age had hurt her. It ruined Charlie and hers relationship—not that it wasn't doomed from the start already—and she warned me if this ever happened to me, I would regret it severely. She would rant on and on about how I was ruining my life, just like she did when she married at 18 and had me a year later. There was no way I was telling her about this anytime soon; or Charlie for that matter.

 

Charlie didn't even know Jake and I had a relationship. He still thought that we were best friends; he loved and respected Jacob like a son. I didn't want that to change. But I don't think Charlie would be very happy with this news. He was all too aware of what it had done to Renée; how she had become such a stressed out, worried person. He wouldn't want that to happen to me. He'd throttle Jacob.

 

Jacob.

 

He wasn't ready to be a father he's only 16 years old. Granted, he is much more mature than your average teenager, but he was in no way ready to handle the responsibility of raising a child. Besides the fact that he had no experience with children, he already had a huge responsibility to take care of now; protecting La Push from vampires with the rest of the pack. That was an extremely important job that he was bound to. No time for raising a child.

 

I started sobbing again, raising from the bathroom floor and cleaning once again. My tears were all over the floor; so wet it looked like I had just stepped out of the shower. I wiped them all up and put the towel in the hamper and looked at my face in the mirror.

 

My hair was ragged from being strewn across the floor, and my eyes were red and puffy. My face was red from crying, but it had a kind of glow to it that no makeup could reproduce. I smiled slightly then I heard a loud grumble; my stomach.

 

I opened the bathroom door and stepped out into the empty house. I set off downstairs to the kitchen. I had the strangest craving for grilled cheese sandwiches with pickles. I looked in the refrigerator. No pickles. No cheese either. Just… fish. I really needed to go grocery shopping.

 

I grilled some salmon and put it on toast. It wasn't too bad. Actually it was pretty good; and easy to make. I ate three sandwiches and drank two glasses of milk. I sat there at the table thinking again about this whole situation.

 

A baby would be nice. I little piece of me and Jacob together. It was the ultimate proof of love; a love child. Was it a girl or a boy? Would it have my hair or Jacob's? I found myself growing excited despite my previous depression. A child wouldn't be so bad. It would actually be pretty fun. Teaching them to walk and talk; what would their first words be?

 

Maybe Jacob would feel the same way I do. We would be happier together now that we were going to have a child—not that we weren't already deeply in love—this would strengthen it exponentially (AN: Big word! Me feels smart!). I was dying to see how he would react to the news, but also I was terrified. I didn't exactly know if he would consider this a blessing or a burden. He had so much going on already, I didn't want to add to his stress—not that I could have prevented this from happening any more than we already tried; and I was not going to have an abortion. It doesn't matter what he says. I loved my baby already.

 

I stood and pushed away from the table, grabbing my dishes and hurriedly washed them in the sink. I reached up on top of the refrigerator and took down the jar labeled “Food Money”. I put the money in my purse and headed out the door to my beat up truck.

 

I pulled up to the grocery store and parked near the entrance, trying to ignore the stairs of the pedestrians as they looked at my truck. It wasn't exactly quiet.

 

I got out of my truck and headed into the store. I set off to the fruit and vegetable section and loaded more than usual into my cart. I went to the pharmacy at the end of the store and bought some vitamins that help during pregnancy. Just to be on the safe side. I thought. I didn't really know anything about what your body needs during pregnancy. I'd have to set up a doctor's appointment soon.

 

I went down the aisles, getting random food items—all healthier than normal; it wouldn't hurt Charlie to start eating healthier too—and headed off to checkout.

 

“Bella!” I heard a familiar voice call out to me. I turned around to see who it was.

 

“Emily! How are you?” I asked as she came up to me for a hug.

 

She laughed “I'm doing fabulous, I cannot wait for the wedding. It's going to be so great! I'm so excited. You're going to be my bridesmaid of course.” Emily squealed at me and grabbed my hands. Then suddenly her face curved into concerned look, “How have you been today? Jake told us you were sick with the flu or something. You shouldn't be up and about if you're sick.” She scolded me lightly.

 

Panic shot through me, I wasn't ready to tell anyone about my pregnancy just yet. Besides, Jacob should be the first one to know.

 

“Oh, I think it's over. Must have just been the one-day stomach flu.” I laughed slightly. She didn't look convinced, but dropped the subject.

 

“Well, someone's trying to eat healthy.” She said, gesturing towards my cart of mostly fruits and vegetables, “if only Sue could get Harry to eat these things. His heart isn't doing so well these days.” She shook her head.

 

“What's wrong with him?” I asked. Harry Clearwater was one of my father's fishing buddies; one of his best friends.

 

“He's got heart disease,” she replied sadly as my food was being scanned and bagged, “I don't know how much time he's going to have left if he doesn't start doing something about it.”

 

“Hm…” I said. I was at a loss for words. The subject of death didn't go over well with me.

 

“Anyways, I'll see you later. Come over to the house later tonight, okay?” She requested.

 

“Sure sure.” I replied smiling; using the same words Jacob did when he was looking forward to something. “Bye Emily.” She waved to me and exited the store with a smile.

 

I paid for my groceries and quickly left the store. I pushed my cart to the truck and loaded the bags into the backseat. Then I returned the cart and hopped into the cab. I drove home singing along with the radio, my mood suddenly euphoric.

 

When I arrived home, Charlie's cruiser was parked in the driveway. I called for him to help me carry the groceries in. I could hear his groan of dislike as he sluggishly stepped out into the yard to help me.

 

When we got all the bags into the kitchen he took a look at the contents.

 

“Wow, this looks… good…” He told me uneasily, gesturing towards a hunk of cabbage and spinach.

 

“Well… Emily told me about Harry, Dad. He's not doing so well. His heart…? It put things into perspective for me. I don't want the same thing to happen to you.” It wasn't exactly a lie—I didn't want my father dieing of a heart attack or something—but it wasn't exactly the truth. It was mostly for my baby.

 

But he didn't need to know about that just yet. I wasn't even positive I was pregnant. Even if I used two tests, they could still be wrong. I made a mental note to myself to schedule an appointment at the clinic to get a real test done.

 

Charlie gazed at me sadly. “I suppose you're right Bells, I just hope it's not too late for Harry. He's one of my best friends.” His eyes started to get teary, then suddenly, “Are you staying here tonight? I mean, for dinner…” He suddenly looked anxious.

I looked at him incredulously, “No, I'm going to Emily's. I promised her. Why do you ask?”

 

“Oh, it's nothing. Well I've got to go… uh to work. I'm working overtime..” He shambled out of the kitchen and out the door to his cruiser.

 

“Okay then…” I said to myself, as I watched his cruiser pull from the driveway and down the road—in the opposite direction that the station was—and put the rest of the groceries away.

 

I decided that now was a good as any, and dialed the number for the Forks Hospital, which I had memorized. I scheduled myself an appointment set for 6:00 tonight. It must be a slow day at the hospital for me to get checked up on the same day I asked for an appointment.

 

I hung the phone up when suddenly, I heard the doorbell ring. I trudged to the door, not wanting to deal with visitors right now, and opened the door.

 

“Jacob!” I exclaimed in surprise. He was supposed to be going on patrol right now. “Why are you here?”

 

He looked slightly hurt, and I immediately hurried to reassure him. “No Jake, I mean, I thought you were on patrol now? Where are the others? Was someone hurt?” I asked anxiously.

 

This time he scrambled to reassure me. “No Bells, it's just…” He looked abashed now. “They made me come be with you. They're not too happy with me, I can't focus with you being so sick. It worries me, and you know how that would affect the whole pack. With our mind reading thing and all” He chuckled slightly. “And I wanted to be with you, too.”

 

I smiled and wrapped my arms around his massive waist, enveloping him in a big—for me that is—hug. He instantly did the same, placing a kiss on my head. I sighed in content. I glanced at the clock, it was 5:15. I needed to get ready for my check up at the hospital.

 

“Jacob, I have a doctor's appointment in 45 minutes. I need to get ready.” I whispered at him.

 

I saw him nod. He didn't like the hospital anymore than I did. “I'll see you at Emily's house later tonight then?” He asked me, hugging me tighter.

 

It was my turn to nod. He kissed me deeply then, making me gasp and pant in pleasure when it was over. He hugged me once more and took off into the woods.

 

I showered and blow-dried my hair, not wanting to look too ragged when I went to the hospital.

 

I hopped into my truck once again today and drove down the familiar path to the clinic. I could drive there with my eyes closed, that's how familiar this was to me. Though I did not feel comfortable; I hated hospitals.

 

I parked close to the entrance and got out. I walked into the well-known waiting area, and waited for the receptionist to call my name. I waited for about 15 minutes before she called me up.

 

“To room 212, floor 3.” She said in a bored, slightly menacing tone. What's with that?

 

I walked to the elevator and pressed the button that said `3'. When I got there I turned to the right and instantly my blood went cold when I saw the sign in front of the door.

 

`Room 212' Carlisle Cullen.