One Night Standards

Admitting is Only Step One

"Sorry I'm late, Cora," I apologize, rushing in the door of the diner with Ada on one hip, her backpack on my shoulder. "Someone decided she wanted to throw a fit and throw her smoothie all over me," I explain, setting Ades down on a stool at the counter, setting her bag next to her and taking out her coloring book and setting her up. 

"Oh you're fine, sweetie," The woman that has taken me under her wing assures. "Throw on your apron and then you can take the next table," She instructs, giving Ada a quick squeeze before disappearing into the kitchen. 

"Okay, we only have to hang out here for a few hours, okay A? Then we can get Jack to make up dinner," I offer to my sister, her eyes lighting up. 

"And pie?" She questions, doe eyes on display as the bell on the door jingles. 

"You can seat yourselves, I'll be right with you," I call, tying my apron around my waist without looking away. "If you're really, really good, you can bring some pie home for dessert."

"I promise! I'll be so so good!" She promises, making me smile before stepping away, going back to the kitchen to clock in. 

"Hey kiddo, how's it hanging?" Jack asks, waving a knife in the air as a for of an average wave. 

"Its... dangling," I respond, making the man laugh, shaking his head and mumbling something about kids these days. Walking back out of the kitchen, I look around for the newly occupied table, eyes making contact with ones that make my body freeze. 

It's okay, it's okay.

"Stalking me now, Cullen?" I ask, faking cockiness as I approach the entire Cullen-Hale family, sat around a large round table in the corner. 

"I wouldn't call it that," Edward assures, smiling softly at me. "How're you?"

"A little tired, but that's usual," I joke, smiling at Rose and Alice, the girls eyes never meeting mine as Rose's remain glued to my abdomen. I know the bump is going to start soon, but I should still have a few more weeks until he shows up. "How're y'all? It's very rare that us townies see you all in our humble little diner," I comment jokingly. 

"We're all wonderful, Remmington," Esme answers, looking between my abdomen and eyes, obviously trying to keep it discrete. 

"Glad to hear it, do you all know what you want for drinks?"

"Just waters please," Carlisle answers, giving me that dad smile he always does. 

"I will be right back with those."

"Oh my," Esme all but cries as the teen walks away, stopping quickly to check on her sister. "I wasn't expecting to be able to hear the heart beat that well." 

"The baby's so strong," Alice mumbles next. "I've seen her grow up. She's going to be so amazing."

"She?" Edward asks, voice so low that it's even hard for the vampires in his family to hear. 

"You should talk to her, Edward, even if you have to blame your sister's for accidentally telling you. We don't know how this pregnancy will develop and it'd be best for her to know she needs to be especially careful," The patriarch reasons. 

"I don't want to ruin ev-"

"And here are your waters!" I exclaim, approaching the Cullen family once more, obviously interrupting a tense conversation. Moving to hand them out, I can see Edward's eyes following my every move, eyes focused on the one place he has no reason to. Unless he knows.

"You know, don't you?" I question, voice fragile. This isn't where this conversation was supposed to happen. 

"I don't know what you're ta-"

"Please don't lie to me," I interrupt, voice surprisingly hard. "Just the truth so we can both move on from this."

"What if I don't want to move on from this?" Edward asks, now his voice hard, eyes suddenly darker. "You're pregnant with my child, Remmington. That's not just something I can move on from."

"Well you have to, because you're in a relationship and -"

"And she'll understand, a mistake was made but-"

"My child is not a mistake," I interrupt once more, hand on my stomach, angry now although it doesn't last long as a wave of calm washes over me. "And I will not have her exposed to an absent father like I was. So figure out your life so I can figure out mine," I demand, moving away from the table as a whole and to the counter where Cora is, wiping a few stray tears from my face. "Cor, I need you to take that table please."

"What? Aren't you best friends with that Cullen boy? Edward was it?" She asks, knowing well. 

"We were until I ended up pregnant with his kid," I mumble, although based on the look she's giving me, she entirely heard. 

"Oh I am going to hand that boy's ass to him on a platter. I've got you, sweetie."