Picking up the Pieces Update

Picking up the Pieces Chapter 28 on FicPad

Picking up the Pieces Chapter 28 on FFn

Picking up the Pieces Chapter 28 on Stars

Picking up the Pieces Chapter 28 on AO3

Picking up the Pieces Chapter 28 on Wattpad

A month had passed since AJ’s birth. In that month, Edward and I went to the doctor to verify my pregnancy in mid-April. We were sitting in the doctor’s office after work. The kids were spending time with Carlisle and my parents. I was in a paper gown, holding Edward’s hand. Gripping it, really.

“Why are you nervous?” he asked. 

“Because I’m old,” I snorted.

“I’m older,” he chuckled. “Two years older.”

“I’m classified as a geriatric pregnancy, Edward,” I argued. “I’m thirty-five and geriatric.”

“You weren’t geriatric when I licked your pussy this morning,” he smirked. I smacked his arm, blushing furiously. “What?”

“Behave, Edward. In a few moments, there’s going to be a doctor in here who is going to shove a transvaginal wand up my hoo-ha to check on our baby,” I grumbled.

“A what?” he asked.

“It’s an ultrasound for new pregnancies. The baby will be too small to be seen with a regular ultrasound,” I explained. “So, the technician will put a condom-covered …”

“This is freaking me out, sweetness,” Edward grumbled. “Why is there a condom?”

“Sanitary reasons, baby,” I giggled, ruffling his hair.

Edward's Home (previously rented by a bunch of deputies)

Renovated basement bathroom

Renovated basement office

Basement

Family Room

Kitchen

Bella and Edward's bedroom

Bathroom

Grace's bathroom

Grace's Bedroom

John's Room

Olivia's bedroom

Renovated backyard

La Musica del Cuore Update ... Epilogue

LMDC Epilogue on FicPad

LMDC Epilogue on Stars

LMDC Epilogue on AO3

LMDC Epilogue on FFn

LMDC Epilogue on Wattpad

“Elijah McCarty Cullen, you get your butt down here,” I snarled, chuckling as I listened to the present my son left for me on my computer. I heard the pummeling steps of my five-year-old son as he ran to the basement of our home. He giggled, looking up at me with his jade-green eyes and crooked smile. “I go to listen to what I worked on last night with Uncle Emmett and Uncle Jas and this is what I hear.” I pressed a button and some simple drum beats fill the room, along with a basic bass line. It was simple, but for a five-year-old to create it? On his own. Color me impressed, but still irked that he was fussing with the equipment in our recording studio.

Eli loves Mommy!
Eli loves Daddy!
Eli loves Aria!
Eli DOESN’T Love Kellee OR Jasen … they smell.

“It’s my new song, Daddy. I loves you,” he said, crawling into my lap. “I loves Mommy.”

“But, you don’t love your new baby brother or sister?” I snickered. He wrinkled his nose, shaking his head. Elijah was Bella made over, in male form, even down to her snark and perfect pitch. However, he had my coloring, but with darker brown hair. “Elijah, regardless, Mommy and Daddy love you very much. That will never change.”

“But, everyone is going blah over Kellee and Jasen,” Elijah said, rolling his eyes. He snuggled against me, toying with the tattoo I had on my arm, an almost full sleeve, representing my family and our binding connection of music, love and family. “They’re babies. All they do is sleep, eat from mommy’s boob and poop.”

“I hate to break it to you, Nugget, you did the same thing when you were a baby,” I laughed, kissing his forehead.

“Nuh uh,” he argued, looking at me and arching a brow. “Don’t call me Nugget.”

“Uh huh and you’ll always be my Nugget,” I teased back, tickling his sides. He laughed, squirming on my knee. “Kellee and Jasen need extra care because they came early, unlike you. You were overcooked.”

“Mommy wanted to make sure that I was baked all the way through,” Elijah said, holding his arms wide. But, he sighed. “I do think they’re cute. When they’re not crying …”

“I agree with you there,” I said. Kellee and Jasen were colicky babies and persnickety about who would feed them. Only Bella could do it. They preferred the breast, but with twins, we had to supplement with formula. I tried to feed them, but they usually screamed. So, I focused my attention on Elijah and did what I could with the twins, which was baths and diaper changes. We were both exhausted, but were making it work with the help of our family and soon, a nanny. “Now, where did my latest track go, computer genius. I need that for Mommy and Uncle Kellan.”

Elijah closed out his recording and pulled up the latest song that we’d recorded for our fourth studio album, Speranze e Sogni, or Hopes and Dreams. We had almost finished it when Bella went into preterm labor in early October with our twins, Kellee and Jasen. We just needed two more songs, which I was working on with the guys, recording when my family was sleeping.

Thank goodness, our studio in the basement was sound-proof.

La Musica del Cuore Teaser

Five years later …

“Elijah McCarty Cullen, you get your butt down here,” I snarled, chuckling as I listened to the present my son left for me on my computer. I heard the pummeling steps of my five-year-old son as he ran to the basement of our home. He giggled, looking up at me with his jade-green eyes and crooked smile. “I go to listen to what I worked on last night with Uncle Emmett and Uncle Jas and this is what I hear.” I pressed a button and some simple drum beats fill the room, along with a basic bass line. It was simple, but for a five-year-old to create it? On his own. Color me impressed, but still irked that he was fussing with the equipment in our recording studio.

Eli loves Mommy!
Eli loves Daddy!
Eli loves Aria!
Eli DOESN’T Love Kellee OR Jasen … they smell.

“It’s my new song, Daddy. I loves you,” he said, crawling into my lap. “I loves Mommy.”

“But, you don’t love your new baby brother or sister?” I snickered. He wrinkled his nose, shaking his head. Elijah was Bella made over, in male form, even down to her snark and perfect pitch. However, he had my coloring, but with darker brown hair. “Elijah, regardless, Mommy and Daddy love you very much. That will never change.”

“But, everyone is going blah over Kellee and Jasen,” Elijah said, rolling his eyes. He snuggled against me, toying with the tattoo I had on my arm, an almost full sleeve, representing my family and our binding connection of music, love and family. “They’re babies. All they do is sleep, eat from mommy’s boob and poop.”

“I hate to break it to you, Nugget, you did the same thing when you were a baby,” I laughed, kissing his forehead.

“Nuh uh,” he argued, looking at me and arching a brow. “Don’t call me Nugget.”

“Uh huh and you’ll always be my Nugget,” I teased back, tickling his sides. He laughed, squirming on my knee. “Kellee and Jasen need extra care because they came early, unlike you. You were overcooked.”

“Mommy wanted to make sure that I was baked all the way through,” Elijah said, holding his arms wide. But, he sighed. “I do think they’re cute. When they’re not crying …”

“I agree with you there,” I said. Kellee and Jasen were colicky babies and persnickety about who would feed them. Only Bella could do it. They preferred the breast, but with twins, we had to supplement with formula. I tried to feed them, but they usually screamed. So, I focused my attention on Elijah and did what I could with the twins, which was baths and diaper changes. We were both exhausted, but were making it work with the help of our family and soon, a nanny. “Now, where did my latest track go, computer genius. I need that for Mommy and Uncle Kellan.”

Elijah closed out his recording and pulled up the latest song that we’d recorded for our fourth studio album, Speranze e Sogni, or Hopes and Dreams. We had almost finished it when Bella went into preterm labor in early October with our twins, Kellee and Jasen. We just needed two more songs, which I was working on with the guys, recording when my family was sleeping.

Thank goodness, our studio in the basement was sound-proof.

Elijah McCarty Cullen

La Musica del Cuore Update

LMDC Chapter 29 on FicPad

LMDC Chapter 29 on Stars

LMDC Chapter 29 on AO3

LMDC Chapter 29 on FFn

LMDC Chapter 29 on Wattpad

Standing on my driveway, staring at my brother was Rosalie. She was dressed impeccably, in a sleek suit and heels. Her blonde hair was cut into a chic bob and her eyes were narrowed. “I asked you a question. You made it abundantly clear that you were done with us. What the hell are you doing here?” I snapped.

“Isabelly, calm down,” Emmett said, his hands out. “It’s not good for …” I shook my head, not wanting Rosalie to know that I was pregnant. I mean, you could tell if you looked hard enough, I still wasn’t showing as much as most women who were roughly five months along, but still. “I’m just as surprised as you are, but we’re just going to talk.”

“You’re going to talk to her? After the grief she put us through? Heaven forbid you stop fucking whatever guy you were with in order to put people who were once your family at ease,” I snapped.

“Like your brother gave me the same consideration,” Rose scoffed.

“If that’s how you’re going to act, you can take your ice princess ass and go home,” Emmett snarled. “The man who tortured us for months said that he raped and lit you on fire. All we wanted was a five-minute phone call, Rose. I know that you want out of our lives, but it’s called common courtesy. Despite our history, we were worried because we still love you.”

Rose pursed her lips, blinking at Emmett. “I was harsh and I’m sorry about that,” she said, tucking her hair behind her ear.

“Harsh?” I growled. Edward came back out, his hand tugging on mine. “NO! You were our family. You were my sister, my best friend, but you threw us away. You blamed us all for what Emmett did. Emmett made the mistake. It’s a mistake he’s going to have to live with, but he was at least remorseful. You were just a bitch when we needed you. I’m done with you. You hurt him, you deal with me and I won’t be as kind.”

“Bells,” she whispered.

“Isabella,” I sneered, turning on my heel and walking into the house. I heard Emmett and Rosalie talking, then yelling. Emmett asked for the keys to the house he now owned without her and I saw the rental car she’d driven pull away. I sipped some water, my hand rubbing my belly. Nugget must have felt the heightened emotions. The baby was doing somersaults inside.

Alice

Kellan

Bella

Edward

Jasper

Nia

Emmett

Bella's dress for the High Life premier

Inspiration for Elijah's bedroom