The Little Things

42. Niece

It was actually really hard to see Bella again. I had been getting over her and expecting to never see her again. She was just going to be a memory and a distant concept living somewhere far away. But now she was here again and doing terribly.

One day, several days after finding out she was pregnant, I was sitting in the living room with a bunch of the others. Bella now looked like she had swallowed a pumpkin instead of a watermelon now.

"Bella, really?" Rosalie asked. "Edward Jacob? I think there are better names for little boys."

I nodded. No one should be stuck with the name Edward.

Jacob shrugged. "I think it's okay. But maybe Jacob Edward. Or just Jacob. He'll need his cool uncle to be a role model."

"Uncle?" Rosalie scoffed. "How'd you figure that mutt?"

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Well blondie, it works like this. Liana's an aunt. And she's my imprint. When we get married then I'll be an uncle. Easy."

I snorted. "What if it's a girl?"

Bella smiled. "Then I want to mix our moms names Renee and Esme to make Renesmee."

I froze at the mention of moms name. I tried to shake it off by laughing. "That's pretty big for a tiny girl."

Rosalie mused. "Edwards mother was Elizabeth. You could name her some form of that."

I nodded and Bella looked thoughtful. "I don't know."

"What about grandma? You could use her name." I suggested.

"Nah, I don't think so." Bella winced and reached for her cup of blood.

I grimaced and Jacob and I looked away. We no longer left the room, simply because we would be walking back and forth to often. And Bella was very close to giving birth now. Carlisle figured it would only be two more days. He and Esme had gone on a hunting trip, blech, and were supposed to be back before Bella had the baby.

Edward and Rosalie refused to leave Bella, even to hunt and we watched with apprehension as their eyes grew steadily darker.

Stress levels were high and the pack was tense. They were patrolling close, and were not as friendly as before. Only Edward knew the plan that Sam had thought of.

Time was ticking and even though I had been given this extra time with Bella, I hadn't used it. But it was time I did. I asked Rosalie if she could get everyone to be in a different room.

When Bella and I were alone I sighed. Since the wedding and finding out about the impending baby, I didn't really know what to say to Bella.

But I had to try.

"Are you ready for this, Bella? For having a baby and all?" I asked. I was genuinely curious what her deeper thoughts were. She had only talked positively about the situation and yet she must be a little scared.

Bella shrugged weakly. "I'll have a lot of help. And I grew up fast, so I should be able to take care of a baby."

I frowned. "Yeah. I'm not sure that growing up quickly is experience for a super fast growing baby."

Bella leaned against the couch a bit more. "I don't think anything can. But I'm going to take this head on. Mom was scatterbrained and I figured out how to care for two people pretty quick."

At the mention of Mom, I grimaced.

Bella continued. "If you had stayed I would have had even more practice. But we didn't know then, obviously."