〃And　Bella？〃　he　asked。　His　arm　wrapped　around　me　as　he　spoke；　pulling　me　close　into　his　side。
  He　listened　for　what　seemed　like　a　long　time　and　then　said；　〃Yes。　Yes；　I　will。〃
  He　pulled　the　phone　away　from　his　ear　and　pressed　the　〃end〃　button。　Right　away；　he　dialed　a　new
  number。
  〃What　did　Carlisle　say？〃　I　asked　impatiently。
  Edward　answered　in　a　lifeless　voice。　〃He　thinks　you're　pregnant。〃
  The　words　sent　a　warm　shiver　down　my　spine。　The　little　nudger　fluttered　inside　me。
  〃Who　are　you　calling　now？〃　I　asked　as　he　put　the　phone　back　to　his　ear。
  〃The　airport。　We're　going　home。〃
  Edward　was　on　the　phone　for　more　than　an　hour　without　a　break。　I　guessed　that　he　was　arranging　our
  flight　home；　but　I　couldn't　be　sure　because　he　wasn't　speaking　English。　It　sounded　like　he　was　arguing；　he
  spoke　through　his　teeth　a　lot。
  While　he　argued；　he　packed。　He　whirled　around　the　room　like　an　angry　tornado；　leaving　order　rather
  than　destruction　in　his　path。　He　threw　a　set　of　my　clothes　on　the　bed　without　looking　at　them；　so　I
  assumed　it　was　time　for　me　to　get　dressed。　He　continued　with　his　argument　while　I　changed；　gesturing
  with　sudden；　agitated　movements。
  When　I　could　no　longer　bear　the　violent　energy　radiating　out　of　him；　I　quietly　left　the　room。　His　manic
  concentration　made　me　sick　to　my　stomach—not　like　the　morning　sickness；　just　uncomfortable。　I　would
  wait　somewhere　else　for　his　mood　to　pass。　I　couldn't　talk　to　this　icy；　focused　Edward　who　honestly
  frightened　me　a　little。
  Once　again；　I　ended　up　in　the　kitchen。　There　was　a　bag　of　pretzels　in　the　cupboard。　I　started　chewing　on
  them　absently；　staring　out　the　window　at　the　sand　and　rocks　and　trees　and　ocean；　everything　glittering　in
  the　sun。
  Someone　nudged　me。
  〃I　know；〃　I　said。　〃I　don't　want　to　go；　either。〃
  I　stared　out　the　window　for　a　moment；　but　the　nudger　didn't　respond。
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  〃I　don't　understand；〃　i　whispered。　〃What　is　wrong　here？〃
  Surprising；　absolutely。　Astonishing；　even。　But　wrong？
  No。
  So　why　was　Edward　so　furious？　He　was　the　one　who　had　actually　wished　out　loud　for　a　shotgun
  wedding。
  I　tried　to　reason　through　it。
  Maybe　it　wasn't　so　confusing　that　Edward　wanted　us　to　go　home　right　away。　He'd　want　Carlisle　to
  check　me　out；　make　sure　my　assumption　was　right—though　there　was　absolutely　no　doubt　in　my　head　at
  this　point。　Probably　they'd　want　to　figure　out　why　I　was　already　so　pregnant；　with　the　bump　and　the
  nudging　and　all　of　that。　That　wasn't　normal。
  Once　I　thought　of　this；　I　was　sure　I　had　it。　He　must　be　so　worried　about　the　baby。　I　hadn't　gotten　around
  to　freaking　out　yet。　My　brain　worked　slower　than　his—it　was　still　stuck　marveling　over　the　picture　it　had
  conjured　up　before：　the　tiny　child　with　Edward's　eyes—green；　as　his　had　been　when　he　was
  human—lying　fair　and　beautiful　in　my　arms。　I　hoped　he　would　have　Edward's　face　exactly；　with　no
  interference　from　mine。
  It　was　funny　how　abruptly　and　entirely　necessary　this　vision　had　become。　From　that　first　little　touch；　the
  whole　world　had　shifted。　Where　before　there　was　just　one　thing　i　could　not　live　without；　now　there　were
  two。　There　was　no　division—my　love　was　not　split　between　them　now；　it　wasn't　like　that。　It　was　more
  like　my　heart　had　grown；　swollen　up　to　twice　its　size　in　that　moment。　All　that　extra　space；　already　filled。
  The　increase　was　almost　dizzying。
  I'd　never　really　understood　Rosalie's　pain　and　resentment　before。　I'd　never　imagined　myself　a　mother；
  never　wanted　that。　It　had　been　a　piece　of　cake　to　promise　Edward　that　I　didn't　care　about　giving　up
  children　for　him；　because　I　truly　didn't。　Children；　in　the　abstract；　had　never　appealed　to　me。　They　seemed
  to　be　loud　creatures；　often　dripping　some　form　of　goo。　I'd　never　had　much　to　do　with　them。　When　I'd
  dreamed　of　Renee　providing　me　with　a　brother；　I'd　always　imagined　an　older　brother。　Someone　to　take
  care　of　me；　rather　than　the　other　way　around。
  This　child；　Edward's　child；　was　a　whole　different　story。
  I　wanted　him　like　I　wanted　air　to　breathe。　Not　a　choice—a　necessity。
  Maybe　I　just　had　a　really　bad　imagination。　Maybe　that　was　why　I'd　been　unable　to　imagine　that　I　would
  like　being　married　until　after　I　already　was—unable　to　see　that　I　would　want　a　baby　until　after　one　was
  already　coming。。。。
  As　I　put　my　hand　on　my　stomach；　waiting　for　the　next　nudge；　tears　streaked　down　my　cheeks　again。
  〃Bella？〃
  I　turned；　made　wary　by　the　tone　of　his　voice。　It　was　too　cold；　too　careful。　His　face　matched　his　voice；
  empty　and　hard。
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  And　then　he　saw　that　I　was　crying。
  〃Bella！〃　Hecrossed　the　room　in　a　flash　and　put　his　hands　on　my　face。　〃Are　you　in　pain？〃
  〃No；　no—〃
  He　pulled　me　against　his　chest。　〃Don't　be　afraid。　We'll　be　home　in　sixteen　hours。　You'll　be　fine。　Carlisle
  will　be　ready　when　we　get　there。　We'll　take　care　of　this；　and　you'll　be　fine；　you'll　be　fine。〃
  〃Take　care　of　this？　What　do　you　mean？〃
  He　leaned　away　and　looked　me　in　the　eye。　〃We're　going　to　get　that　thing　out　before　it　can　hurt　any　part
  of　you。　Don't　be　scared。　I　wont　let　it　hurt　you。〃
  〃That　thing？〃　Igasped。
  He　looked　sharply　away　from　me；　toward　the　front　door。　〃Dammit！　I　forgot　Gustavo　was　due　today。　HI
  get　rid　of　him　and　be　right　back。〃　He　darted　out　of　the　room。
  I　clutched　the　counter　for　support。　My　knees　were　wobbly。
  Edward　had　just　called　my　little　nudger　a　thing。　He　said　Carlisle　would　get　it　out。
  〃No；〃　I　whispered。
  I'd　gotten　it　wrong　before。　He　didn't　care　about　the　baby　atall。　He　wanted　to　hurt　him。　The　beautiful
  picture　in　my　head　shifted　abruptly；　changed　into　something　dark。　My　pretty　baby　crying；　my　weak　arms
  not　enough　to　protect　him。。。。
  What　could　I　do？　Would　I　be　able　to　reason　with　them？　What　if　I　couldn't？　Did　this　explain　Alice's
  strange　silence　on　the　phone？　Is　that　what　she'd　seen？　Edward　and　Carlisle　killing　that　pale；　perfect　child
  before　he　could　live？
  〃No；〃　I　whispered　again；　my　voice　stronger。　That　could　not　be。　I　would　not　allow　it。
  I　heard　Edward　speaking　Portuguese　again。　Arguing　again。　His　voice　got　closer；　and　I　heard　him　grunt　in
  exasperation。　Then　I　heard　another　voice；　low　and　timid。　A　woman's　voice。
  He　came　into　the　kitchen　ahead　of　her　and　went　straight　to　me。　He　wiped　the　tears　from　my　cheeks　and
  murmured　in　my　ear　through　the　thin；　hard　line　of　his　lips。
  〃She's　insisting　on　leaving　the　food　she　brought—she　made　us　dinner。〃　If　he　had　been　less　tense；　less
  furious；　I　knew　he　would　have　rolled　his　eyes。　〃It's　an　excuse—she　wants　to　make　sure　I　haven't　killed
  you　yet。〃　His　voice　went　ice　cold　at　the　end。
  Kaure　edged　nervously　around　the　corner　with　a　covered　dish　in　her　hands。　I　wished　I　could　speak
  Portuguese；　or　that　my　Spanish　was　less　rudimentary；　so　that　I　could　try　to　thank　this　woman　who　had
  dared　to　anger　a　vampire　just　to　check　on　me。
  Her　eyes　flickered　between　the　two　of　us。　I　saw　her　measuring　thecolor　in　my　face；　the　moisture　in　my
  eyes。　Mumbling　something　I　didn't　understand；　she　put　the　dish　on　the　counter。
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  Edward　snapped　something　at　her；　I'd　never　heard　him　be　so　impolite　before。　She　turned　to　go；　and　the
  whirling　motion　of　her　long　skirt　wafted　the　smell　of　the　food　into　my　face。　It　was　strong—onions　and
  fish。　I　gagged　and　whirled　for　the　sink。　I　felt　Edward's　hands　on　my　forehead　and　heard　his　soothing
  murmur　through　the　roaring　in　my　ears。　His　hands　disappeared　for　a　second；　and　I　heard　the　refrigerator
  slam　shut。　Mercifully；　the　smell　disappeared　with　the　sound；　and　Edward's　hands　were　cooling　my
  clammy　face　again。　It　was　over　quickly。
  I　rinsed　my　mouth　in　the　tap　while　he　caressed　the　side　of　my　face。
  There　was　a　tentative　little　nudge　in　my　womb。
  It's　okay。　We're　okay；I　thought　toward　the　bump。
  Edward　turned　me　around；　pulling　me　into　his　arms。　I　rested　my　head　on　his　shoulder。　My　hands；
  instinctively；　folded　over　my　stomach。
  I　heard　a　little　gasp　and　I　looked　up。
  The　woman　was　still　there；　hesitating　in　the　doorway　with　her　hands　half…outstretched　as　if　she　had　been
  looking　for　some　way　to　help。　Her　eyes　were　locked　on　my　hands；　popping　wide　with　shock。　Her　mouth
  hung　open。
  Then　Edward　gasped；　too；　and　he　suddenly　turned　to　face　the　woman；　pushing　me　slightly　behind　his
  body。　His　arm　wrapped　across　my　torso；　like　he　was　holding　me　back。
  Suddenly；　Kaure　was　shouting　at　him—loudly；　furiously；　her　unintelligible　words　flying　across　the　room
  like　knives。　She　raised　her　tiny　fist　in　the　air　and　took　two　steps　forward；　shaking　it　at　him。　Despite　her
  fe