CHAPTER 2

“M-m-mommy?” Edward stuttered out.

Fuck!

“I’m… I… I’ll be right back…”

He didn’t respond. His eyes were fixated on Masen as Masen’s green eyes stared back.

“Masen,” I heard another gasp from Edward, “… honey, why don’t you go back into your
room for a little while… give mommy a few minutes with her friend… I’ll put on Cars?”

“Okay, mommy,” Masen said following me back to his room.

“Climb up on the bed, baby.” I said as the tears began flowing down my cheeks.

What the hell am I going to do? Fuck! Why did he have to come here?!

“Alright baby, you stay right here and watch Cars until mommy tells you to come out, okay?”

“Uh huh,” Masen said nodding his head. I placed a kiss on his forehead and headed towards
the door when Masen spoke again, “Mommy?”

“Yeah, baby?” I asked whipping my tears away before turning around.

“Who is tat?” I moved back and sat on the bed with Masen.

“That’s mommy’s friend Edward, baby. He just stopped by to see mommy for a minute…
just watch Cars okay? Everything is just fine baby, I promise… I love you, buddy.”

“I love you too, mommy.”

I placed another kiss on Masen’s forehead and returned to Edward, who was now sitting in
my living room on the couch.

“How old is he?” Edward whispered leaning on his knees with his head in his hands.

“Um… three and a half?”

He snapped his head up. “Three and a half? Are you fucking… when’s his birthday?”

“August sixteenth?”

It was silent for the longest time. Neither of us saying anything… neither of us looking at
each other.
“He’s mine?” He whispered breaking the silence. I couldn’t find my voice. I wanted to talk. I
really did I just couldn’t. Nothing and I mean nothing would come out.

“Bella?” Edward hissed, “Is. He. Mine?”

Still, nothing.

“Bella! I want a fucking answer! IS. HE. MINE?”

“Ye-yes,” I sobbed, “He… he’s yours.”

“Why… why in the fuck would you do that Bella? Don’t you think that’s something I had a
right to know… something I’d want to know?”

“I don’t… I didn’t… know?”

“You didn’t know? I fucking loved you! How could you not know?”

“YOU FUCKING CHEATED ON ME EDWARD!” I screamed, “I DIDN’T KNOW!”

Edward sighed. “I didn’t cheat on you Bella… but either way, you shoulda told me.”

“I’m sorry, okay? I know I should have told you... I just… what are you doing here Edward? I
asked you to leave me alone?”

“Are you fucking kidding me…? I wanted to see you, fuck! I haven’t seen you in four years
Bella. Jesus, you just fucking disappeared… excuse me for wanting to see …”

“Mommy?” Masen whimpered from the doorway, “I gotta potty.”

I got up and went to him, “Okay baby, you go potty.” I waited until Masen was in the
bathroom before I spoke again.

“Edward, we can’t do this now… I gotta get him ready for bed…”

“Can I meet him?”

“Wh… what?”

“My son. Can I meet him?”

“Edward, I don’t…” Edward got up and stalked towards me.

“You have kept him from me for three and a half years, its stops today! Can. I. Meet. My.
Son?”
I nodded my head meekly. “Do you want him to know… well, that you’re his dad?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Well I wasn’t sure… nothing…”

“Damn it Bella, don’t do that shit… it still pisses me the fuck off! Now what were you going
to say?”

“I was wondering… I just didn’t… don’t you want a paternity test?”

Edward laughed. “Why? I know you weren’t with anyone else while you were with me… did
you fuck someone within days of us breaking up?”

“Of course not…”

“Okay then, why would I ask for a paternity test? I know he’s mine… you can look at him and
see that.”

“So you want me to tell him you’re his dad then?”

“Yes!”

“I just… Edward …”

“I want to know my son, Bella… don’t make me take you to court…”

“Don’t threaten me Edward...”

“It’s not a threat Bella. I don’t want to do it, but if you don’t let me see...” Masen was
standing in the doorway. I looked over at Edward, his eyes were pleading with me.

“Masen honey, come here for a minute.”

“Okay mommy,” Masen said walking into the living room. He was being shy and watching
Edward timidly. I sat down on the other end of the couch and motioned for Masen to join
me. He climbed up on the couch between Edward and I then scooted to my side.

“Baby, mommy has something to tell you…”

“Ohh, what is it?” He asked excitedly. I kind of felt bad for him.

“Well, honey… you know how Papa is mommy’s daddy?”

He nodded. “Uh huh.”

My eyes filled with tears. I’m not ready for this. “Well, um… Edward, he’s uh… your daddy?”

“My daddy?”

I nodded my head. “Yeah, buddy. Your daddy.”

Masen turned towards Edward. “My daddy?”

Edward nodded his head. “Yeah, your daddy.”

Nobody said anything for the longest time; we all just sat there silently on the couch, Masen
occasionally looking over at Edward. It was actually a rather uncomfortable situation.

“Masen, honey,” I said nudging my shoulder slightly, “Why don’t you go shut off your T.V.
and pick up your room, so you can go to bed.” Masen hesitated in doing as I told him. He sat
there staring at Edward as if he was reluctant to leave him.

I nudged Masen again. “Come on, buddy. Time to pick up.” Masen finally got up and went to
his room. I turned to Edward. “Don’t take it personally; it’s just a lot to take in for a three
year old.”

“Oh, I’m sure it is… I need to spend time with him Bella; he’s never going to get comfortable
with me if I don’t spend time with him.”

I nodded my head. “I… you can see him whenever Edward.”

“Thanks, Bells.” My breath caught at the use of my childhood name.

Edward and I have known each other all our lives. We used to be neighbors in our home
town of Forks, Washington. His sister Alice was my best friend growing up. Edward is about
four and a half years older than me and we started dating just after I graduated from high
school. His family took all of us on a vacation after Alice and I graduated and one thing led to
another with Edward and I. Things just progressed from there. We were together just over
two years when we broke up. Edward was in his senior year at Dartmouth and was starting
his pediatric residency at Franciscan Children’s Hospital & Rehabilitation Center in Boston,
Massachusetts in the spring. I was graduating from The Harvard School of Nursing and
would be working at the Boston Medical Center as a Certified Registered Nurse
Anesthetists. Life was going great… or so I thought…

{Flashback}

I’d finished my exams and decided to make the trip to Hanover a day early. I was super excited
to see Edward and couldn’t wait to start our Winter break, the fact that he was going to be
spending a week in Boston with me looking at apartments for the spring didn’t do anything but
add to that excitement. I couldn’t wait to take the next step in our relationship! I was nearly
jumping with enthusiasm as I approached the driveway of Edward’s townhouse. I was so
excited I didn’t pay any attention to the red Mercedes parked in front of his house. I glanced to
the door as I turned into the driveway and immediately regretted the unannounced trip.
Edward was wrapped up in a strawberry blonde, his hands securely on her waist while her arms
were securely wrapped around his neck – did I mention her lips were securely attached to his? I
suddenly felt violently ill and barley got my door open before the vomit started.

“Edward?” The strawberry blonde questioned causing Edward to turn.

“Bella?” Edward gasped running towards me.

“Edward…?” The strawberry blonde questioned again.

Edward reached to pull the hair out of my face. “Not now, Tanya…!”

“Edward…!” Tanya interrupted sounding pissed off as Edward tried to hold my hair back.

“Don’t!” I yelled sitting up, “Don’t touch me! How… how could you? Oh my god…”

I threw up all over his sock clad feet.

“Bella…”

“NO! Just stop… I’m… I gotta… why, Edward? I don’t… you said… I gotta… go…” I rambled
moving to pull the door closed. I had to get out of there!

“Edward...” the strawberry blonde started, “What…?”

Edward was forcefully holding my door open. “Not now, Tanya! I’ll call you tonight…just go!”

A wrenched sob escaped my chest and I screamed – loud! “LET GO!”

“No! You’re going to listen to me…”

“No, I’m not! Go take care of your fucking girlfriend… let me go!”

“Edward…” Tanya said forcefully as I yanked the door from Edward’s hand and closed it. I
threw my car in reverse and slammed my foot onto the gas pedal – just barely missing Edward
as I reversed out of his driveway.

{End Flashback}
I didn’t talk to Edward again after that day. I moved out of the dorms and in with my friend
Bree until I graduated in the spring. I spoke with Alice maybe a dozen times that first month
then I found out I was pregnant and broke all contact with the Cullen family. I wasn’t ready
to face Edward and what he’d done so that meant sever all ties. I graduated in the spring
and returned to Washington, Seattle to be exact. My dad was offered a partnership at the
law firm of Sands & Sands, now known as Sands, Sands & Swan, in February and gladly
accepted. So Renee and Charlie were luckily already in Seattle when I decided it was
probably best if I moved home, well as close to home as I could get because there was no
way I was returning to Forks. I couldn’t take the chance of running into a Cullen. Life has
been good since I moved to Seattle. I missed Edward terribly in the beginning but slowly
that ache started to subside, that was until Masen started growing into the spitting image of
him. Now there wasn’t a day that passed that I didn’t think about Edward and what might
have been had he not cheated on me… had I told him about his son.

His abrupt return to our life has me a bit shaken up.

The next few weeks flew by in a flash. Edward seen Masen every chance he got and they
were definitely forming some sort of bond. Masen still wasn’t calling him dad though, he
didn’t call him Edward he just didn’t call him anything; he did however look forward to his
arrival. My son couldn’t contain his excitement. He truly liked having his dad around. Edward
and I on the other hand, we weren’t even a quarter of what we used to be – even before we
started dating – our relationship honestly sucked right now! I hate this! I loved the
relationship Edward and I have always had, we’ve always been friends – ALWAYS – there
was never a time we weren’t friends. Now he seems to… well, hate me? It was
heartbreaking to say the least, but I honestly understood it. I hurt him – bad! I could never
make up for what I’d done and I’d honestly be lucky if he ever completely forgave me.

“Mommy?” Masen yelled bringing me out of my inner ramblings.

“I’m sorry, baby… what?”

“Is daddy comin’ ova?” Masen asked excitedly looking at the phone in my hand. I’d just
gotten off the phone with Edward…

“No baby, he’s not. He’s gotta work tonight… but tomorrow, we’re um… we’re gonna go
meet... um, meet your grandparents?”