Bella's POV
The scent of lavender and rain wafted through the open kitchen window, a familiar perfume that always heralded Raven's arrival. My heart did a little happy dance; it had been a while since we'd had a decent family dinner that didn't involve dodging Edward's brooding silences.
The back door creaked open, and there she was, my fiery Raven, a storm cloud hanging over her usually vibrant face. Her black wavy hair, usually in a messy bun, hung limply around her shoulders.
"Hey, honey," I said, my smile faltering a little. "What's wrong?"
She mumbled something about needing to talk, her voice tight, and sank into a chair at the table. Edward, who had been engrossed in the local paper, finally looked up, his brow furrowing in concern.
"Is everything alright, Raven?" he asked, his voice as smooth as velvet, though laced with a hint of his usual stoicism.
Raven hesitated, then blurted out, "I think I might be pregnant."
The air crackled with a tension thicker than the stew simmering on the stove. Edward's paper went limp in his hands, his golden eyes widening in surprise. I felt a surge of emotions - joy, trepidation, a fierce protectiveness for my daughter.
"Oh, Raven," I finally managed, pushing myself away from the counter and pulling her into a hug. The warmth of her body seeped into mine, a stark contrast to the ice that seemed to have encased the room.
She buried her face in my shoulder, her voice muffled. "I took a test this morning. It was positive."
"When were you...?" Edward started, then stopped himself, his voice tight.
Raven pulled back, wiping a tear from her cheek. "We haven't been careful, that much is true. But this wasn't planned, dad."
Edward's expression softened a touch. "Has Connor said anything?"
"No," Raven shook her head, her voice barely a whisper. "I haven't told him yet. I... I don't know how."
We spent the next hour huddled around the kitchen table, a silent storm brewing around Edward. Raven confided in me, her voice trembling.
"Mom, what if he doesn't want this? What if he's not ready?"
"He loves you, Raven," I soothed, squeezing her hand. "And you love him. You'll figure this out together."
A flicker of doubt crossed her face. "But what if we don't? What if this ruins everything?"
My heart ached for her. This wasn't how fairytales were supposed to go. Yet, life rarely followed a script.
"There are no guarantees, sweetheart," I said gently. "But you have each other. Talk to him, Raven. Be honest, be strong. And no matter what, you know we'll be here for you, every step of the way."
As the night wore on, the tension in the room slowly dissipated. Edward, ever the pragmatist, started talking logistics – doctor's appointments, finances, the need to inform Connor. Raven, for the first time that evening, showed a flicker of her usual fire, her chin held high as she spoke about her plans to finish college while raising a child.
By the time Raven left, a sliver of hope had replaced the storm cloud on her face.
Alone in the kitchen with Edward, we washed the dishes in a comfortable silence, the only sound the clinking of china and the soft murmur of the rain outside.
"She'll be alright," I said finally, more to myself than to him.
Edward squeezed my hand, his golden eyes reflecting the worry that still lingered beneath the surface. "She's strong, Bella. Like her mother."
YOU ARE READING
Adventures in an alternate dimension
General FictionA story by two real world "sisters" just trying to make the best of a bad situation by escaping their reality and creating a new one.
