The Carver Café [Edward/Jacob]

7

Quil is elated. He's bouncing next to Jacob on the bed, only stopping when he hears a loud, pained groan next to him. 

"Sorry!" He was absolutely beaming. If Jacob didn't know any better, he'd think something amazing had just happened to him. Instead, he'd just gotten off a call with Cullen. It went relatively smoothly, even though he could hear in the doctor's voice that he was clearly distracted. He felt bad for calling. He was probably doing something important, but Quil kept hounding him, going so far as to threaten to poke him in the chest if he didn't make the call. So, he made the call. Now, he felt the beginnings of something akin to panic rising in his chest. He's nervous. Why is he nervous?

"Oh, c'mon! Stop brooding. This is a good thing!" Quil basically squeals from beside him.

Jacob thinks the baby is making him softer around the edges. He was building nests, staring at baby ads, and getting excited over Jacob basically setting a doctor's appointment. 

Embry appears right then, probably picking up on Quil's glee through their bond.

"What did I miss?" He takes up the chair that Mike had abandoned an hour prior, mumbling hurriedly about something to do with Yorkie. That got a wolf whistle from Quil which cause Mike to turned around and beam like an idiot, almost running straight into the doorframe on his way out.

"Jacob's going to see Dr..." Quil looks over at him expectantly.

"Cullen. I made an appointment so I could get some stronger pain meds." He fills Embry in, rolling his eyes when the two looked at one another. Embry had this dopey smile on his face at seeing Quil so excited.

Quil had been having some rough mornings, not being able to keep down much and puking up whatever he'd eaten the night before, so Jacob could understand being happy that he was so lively. Though, he'd prefer if it wasn't at his expense. He just...had a bad feeling. 

He was not even remotely excited. In fact, he now regretted indulging Quil immensely. He lets out another groan, less out of pain, and more out of irritation. He's about to voice his palpable annoyance to deaf ears until his phone beeps and he flips it over to see a text from Cullen.

His cousin looks him over expectantly. He tries not to let any tells of nerves show on his face, appear clearly in his mind, or in his scent. He didn't need them misinterpreting anything. Instead, he laid there blankly staring at a short text from the doctor providing him with a date and time. He's about to flip the phone back over when Quil slips it out from between his fingers and stares down at the phone before an impish grin appears on his face. 

The text taunts Jacob as he stares down at it.

Edward assumes Jacob's not exactly busy. Maybe he shouldn't have, but the man is who knows how far along in a pregnancy and he has a few injuries. So, Edward assumes, again, that he's on bed rest. Edward chooses to meet with Jacob at four thirty in the afternoon the next day. 

Which was, in hindsight, an awful idea. As he stares down at the new victim, he realizes his mistake. He's been clocked in for about an hour and all he's gotten done is documenting a couple of similar wounds. 

Emmett notices.

"Maybe Jasper can take this one." Emmett says. He's standing directly in front of Edward, the body in between them. Edward hadn't even noticed his presence. 

"What?" He asks, looking up from the deceased to look around. Jasper's also staring at him from his desk, mouth pinched in a line in the way he does when he's uncomfortable. 

"Maybe Jasper can document the body." Emmett clarifies. He doesn't even bother with explaining why, the look in his eye and the tilt of his head telling Edward that he should already know why.