Forget Me Not | ✓

36 | The Hybrid

   
    
36
Breaking Dawn  [Pt.1]
T h e   H y b r i d
   
   
    
   

ADELE STARED OUT of the ceiling-to-floor windows from her spot on the den floor in her vain attempt to look anywhere but at the frail human laying on the sofa only a few feet away from her.

When Bella called her two weeks ago from Isle Esme and told her that she was pregnant with Edward's child, Adele was speechless. How could a human be impregnated by a century old vampire, a man who hadn't been made of normal flesh and blood for a very long time? Naturally, she knew the worst would come of it – how could a weak mundane carry a hybrid child in her womb? – and by the looks of it, she was right. It was just that no one wanted to admit it.

Bella lay propped up against a few pillows on the sofa with a blue-gray afghan draped over her to hide her rapidly swelling belly. Her deep-brown were sunken into her bony face, accompanied by dark purple half-moons that even a human who'd pulled three consecutive all-nighters wouldn't have. No one would have thought it possible for her to grow paler than she already was, but somehow, she was paler than a ghost.

Fury couldn't even begin to describe what Adele felt as she sat there with her back to them. She'd resorted to silence since the newly-wedded couple returned a week earlier than planned. She had lived through many centuries of shit to know exactly how this would turn out for them and she hated it. She wasn't mad at them because they had sex – it wasn't her business and besides, it was their honeymoon – she was angry because everything they'd ever gone through was going to shit.

She watched a tense Jacob Black arrive on his motorcycle and park it hapazardly on the side of the road. He marched up to the door as Carlisle sped downstairs to intercept him. She glanced back at Bella. "Your friend is here." She was glad that her father went down to act as a buffer – she was certainly in no mood.

"Is it true?!" Jacob barked indignantly.

"Hello, Jacob, how are you?" Carlisle smiled wryly and chose to ignore his rude tone.

"Listen," He sighed and raked a hand through his hair. He was under the assumption that Edward Turned Bella over their honeymoon just like she had told him on their wedding night. Adele and Edward couldn't help but feel that that alternative would have been so much better than this. "Just give it to me straight."

"Jake, is that you?" Bella called out stupidly. She was growing tired of the grave expressions from all of the vampires in the room. Adele turned her head again and crossed her arms as the others stood.

"She's here?" He thought Bella was still on their honeymoon, as she hadn't called Charlie in weeks.

"They came home two weeks ago." Carlisle sighed solemnly as he recalled the fearful look on Edward's face when they got out of that car. Jacob barged into the house and pushed past him. "Jac–" But he was already climbing up the stairs in long strides.

He walked into the upstairs den with Carlisle on his heels and paused in his step as Edward, Alice, and Rosalie stood in his way. From behind a protective Rosalie, Bella's voice was hollow and weak. "I'm glad you came."

The sound of her voice prompted him to step around then to look at her, but while Edward and Alice stood down, Rosalie stepped up. She bared her teeth in warning and crossed her arms. "Close enough."

He growled. "What's your problem?"

Bella sighed. "Rose, it's okay."

Rosalie reluctantly stepped aside and kept watchful eyes on him as he stepped closer to absorb the sore sight  that was his best friend – and unrequited lover. He noticed her sunken eyes, her boney face, and her drastic weight loss, but he was oblivious to the monstrosity beneath the thick afghan.