Rose's Swan

40

(Bella is on the phone with Charlie.)

"Well, you sound better.' Charlie said happily.

"I am. I feel much better." Bella reassures him.

"This whole thing must've put a kink in the honeymoon, huh?" Charlie asked.

"You could say that." Bella said.

"Otherwise, married life treating you okay? Edward still walks on water and all that?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah, but, I mean, it is different now." Bella said.

"The important thing is that you're better. And that you're coming home soon, right?" Charlie said.

"Okay, Dad, I don't want you to freak out, but I'm going to a medical center in Switzerland." Bella said.

"What? No, no, you're not. You're not going to Switzerland. What are you... You said you were better." Charlie said.

"I am." Bella said.

"No, Bella. I'm getting on a plane. No." Charlie told his daughter.

"No. It's really more of a spa. And I'm sure that I'd be better by the time you got there anyway." Bella said. Trying to be optimistic.

"Bells... I don't know." Charlie said. Clearly uncertain.

"Dad, don't come. And picture me healthy, like I'm sitting on the couch with you, eating pizza or something." Bella told him.

"You want me to visualize?" Charlie asked exasperatedly.

"They say that it helps. Just picture me like that. Like I was. It'll make me feel better. Dad, I got to go, okay?" Bella told her father.

"Bella." Charlie said.

"I love you." Bella said. Not wanting him to feel like he wasn't loved by her just in case she didn't make it.

"Bella..." Charlie trails off.

(Bella hangs up.)

...

"I'm sorry I've been so angry." Edward said.

"I would be, too." Bella said.

"I've left you alone in this." Edward said. He was apologetic.

"Marriage." Bella said.

"Well, they say the first year is the hardest. What was that?" Edward said.

"What?" Bella asked.

"I thought I just heard..." Edward trailed off. Thinking a bit.

(He puts his hand on Bella's stomach.)

"Just say something else." Edward said.

"Like what?" Bella asked.

(Edward smiles.)

"Edward, what's going on?" Bella asked.

"He likes the sound of your voice." Edward said with a small smile on his face.

"You can hear him?" Bella asked. She wanted to know what her baby was thinking.

"And mine. He likes my voice as well." Edward told her. He was a bit proud of that fact.

"What? What do you hear?" Bella asked curiously.

"It's so strange. I thought he was like me, but he's not. He's like you. Good and pure. He's happy." Edward told her.

"Of course you are. Of course you're happy. How could you not be? I love you so much. What do you hear now?" Bella said to her stomach. She was so happy.