Kayla’s POV

Edward was late. He was usually dead on eight if he didn’t turn up before. It was half past eight and I was worried. I paced up and down the living-room. Jacob sat on the couch and watched me. He was just as worried as I was. Edward had impeccable time-keeping, he would call if he was going to be late, he didn’t leave me in the dark like this.
I was thinking all sorts. Had he gone to that stupid castle to get Mitchell? Was that stupid Mitchell here and he’d gotten Edward? Was Edward hurt? Was he having second thoughts about marrying me?
“Kayla, will you please calm down?” Jacob stood up and grabbed my arm to stop me pacing.
“He’s not here!” I cried out. “Where is he?”
I glanced at the clock and saw that three minutes had passed since I’d last looked.
“He might be organising your wedding,” Jacob said, though I could see the worry in his eyes. “I wish you wouldn’t think the worst.”
“He would have called,” I insisted. I searched his face, hoping for reassurance but I got nothing. Why couldn’t things be simple? Why couldn’t he just show up when he was supposed to? Maybe he was just at his house helping Esme and Rosalie and Alice with the wedding? But maybe he wasn’t. I didn’t know and I was getting angry. I was still worried but anger was building up.
“Just sit down,” Jacob said, pushing me onto the couch. “I’ll call Alice, find out what’s going on.”
I wasn’t the only one with a vampire on speed dial. All of the wolves had the numbers of each of the Cullens in case they needed each other fast. Jacob walked into the kitchen while pulling out a cell phone from his short pockets.
How can I be calm? Edward wasn’t here and he hadn’t called and he didn’t say he would be late this morning. As I wrestled with my hands, twisting them and pulling my fingers. I had to do something. I had to go look for him. But Jacob would never agree to it. He would want me to stay here where I was safe. Where was Edward?!
Jacob walked back into the living room and his face looked grave.
“Alice said Edward left their house an hour ago.”
I shot up like I’d just burned my butt on the sofa and ran to the door. Before my hand could touch the handle Jacob’s warm hand was around my arm.
“What are you doing?” he said to me. His brown eyes were hard and his face blank.
“I’m going to find Edward,” I answered and tried to shrug his hand off but it stayed firmly put. Didn’t he understand that Edward could be hurt and alone? Didn’t he understand that I needed to get to him to make sure he was okay? Didn’t he understand that Edward might need me?
“You’re staying here, Kayla.”
“I am not.”
I looked at Jacob with the same hard eyes he was looking at me with. No way was he telling me what to do. If I wanted to look for Edward I would look for Edward.
“Edward wouldn’t want you to go out looking for him if it meant you were in danger,” Jacob said, his hand tightening his grip. “So stay here where you are safe.”
“I don’t care if I’m in danger,” I told him. “I could die while saving him and I wouldn’t care as long as he was safe.”
“This is what I’m talking about,” Jacob growled. “You don’t give two shits about your own life. You won’t kill to protect people you’d rather die instead. What the hell is wrong with you?!”
I stared at him, outraged. So I didn’t want to go around killing people, what was wrong with that? I didn’t want to be a murderer. I apologise that I didn’t want the deaths of numerous people on my conscience. He did have a point. I really didn’t care about my own life when it came to protecting others. I’d die for anyone I loved. Edward, Charlie, Jacob, my mum.
“I’m right, aren’t I?” Jacob said and I could see contempt in his eyes. Not at me personally but at the way I thought about myself. I could understand why. He’d lose me forever if I continued to think like that.
“I’m sorry,” I said, loudly. “I’m sorry that I don’t want to kill people. Like you said, I’m too good a person. I just don’t want to see anyone hurt because of me.”
He pulled me back from the door. I thought he would let go of me but he didn’t. He kept a firm grip on me as he tried to steer me into the living room but I refused to let him control me. I was going to find Edward. He couldn’t stop me.
“Let me go, Jake!” I shouted at him. “You’re not keeping me here!”
“It’s for your own good!”
“Jacob!”
The door opened. I was struggling with Jacob, my nails digging into his chest as I tried to free my arm. Jacob was using his free hand to try to keep me at arms length to protect himself from me but was failing as blood dribbled down his chest. I turned as I heard a gasp and found myself staring at Edward. He didn’t look at me. His eyes were on Jacob. But he didn’t look angry as I thought he would be, finding Jacob manhandling me like this. No. It was something else. Like he’d just realised something. But what? I felt myself instantly calm down and I relaxed. He was okay. He was safe. He wasn’t hurt. Panic over. My fingers left Jacob’s chest and Jacob’s hand left my arm. I ran to Edward and threw my arms around him.
“I thought the worst when you didn’t turn up,” I whispered in his ear. “You stupid vampire, where the hell did you go?”
Edward stepped aside, a smile lighting up his pale face but his eyes didn’t lose that strange look. My mother and Darren were standing behind him and they both had a look of shock on her face. I was guessing they had just seen what had happened between me and Jacob.
“Don’t worry about it,” I said, quickly. I heard Jacob leave us, retreating into the living room.
“What was going on?” Sarah asked, ignoring me.
“Do you want me to sort him out?” Darren asked and his narrow threateningly.
“Nothing,” I insisted and dragged Sarah inside. Darren followed, a protective look in his eyes. He wanted to go in and have a word with Jacob. “What are you doing here?”
“You’re getting married tomorrow,” she said, rolling her eyes. “As if we’d miss it.”
“How did you get here, it must have cost a fortune!”
My eyes slid to Edward who was wearing a guilty smile. My mother laughed when she saw Edward’s face and she hugged me.
“He didn’t want us to miss your big day, darling,” she whispered in my ear. “Be nice to him, his father paid a lot of money.”
“It takes ten hours to get from London to here,” I said. “How did you manage it?
“He has favours in the airlines,” Darren pointed at Edward. “I’m not saying more than that.”
Edward stood next to me and wrapped an arm around my waist.
“Thank you,” I said to him.
“Your welcome,” he replied, gazing down at me with his topaz eyes. That strange look was still there and I still didn’t know why. I ignored it for now. I had guests to cater for. I showed them into the living to find Jacob gone. Jacob. Dammit. I’d give him a call later, sort things out. He only wanted what was best for me. I’d make it up to him.
“Where’s Charlie?” Sarah asked, sitting down on the sofa. Darren sat next to her and his eyes wandered around the room, searching for Jacob.
“He’s out,” I answered. “Do you want a drink?”
“Just coffee for us,” Sarah said. She knew I was changing the subject. She wanted to know why.
I smiled sweetly and walked as quickly as possibly to the kitchen. Edward followed me. He was silently laughing.
“He’s with Tess, isn’t he?” he asked me.
“Yes,” I hissed to him. “I am not telling her he has a girlfriend.”
I went to the kettle and switched it on while Edward placed two cups on the table.
“Someone has to tell her,” Edward said, going to the fridge for milk.
“It can be Charlie then,” I replied, putting spoonfuls of coffee and sugar into each cup. “It would be awkward if I did. She should find out from him.”
Edward handed me the milk and I poured a little in each cup. They both took coffee strong and sweet. I handed the carton back to him and stood next to the kettle to wait for it to boil. Edward was slow putting the milk in the fridge. He went at a slow human pace rather than his own speedy walk. What was bothering him?
“There’s something I want to talk to you about,” he said, his back to me. “I think it’s important.”
Steam poured out of the kettle spout, indicating the water was ready. I picked up the kettle and poured the hot water into the two waiting cups. I put the kettle onto the table before my mind went into overdrive.
It was about the wedding. I knew it. He didn’t want to marry me. Why would he? Oh my god, he was breaking up me! I didn’t want him to leave me. He couldn’t leave me. What would I do without him? I wouldn’t be able to live. Doesn’t he know that? Doesn’t he know how I feel about him? How much I want him? How much I love him? Doesn’t he-
“Calm down,” Edward said, breaking through my panic. He wrapped his arms around me and tucked my head under his chin. “I’m not leaving you. I want to marry you. I wouldn’t fly your mother out here if I was planning to leave you at the altar.”
He wasn’t leaving me. Panic over. I needed to think a bit more before I jumped to conclusions. So if he wasn’t leaving me, then what was this important thing he needed to discuss with me?
“It’s about you,” he said, slowly. “About how much you want a child.”
“Oh,” I said, unsure what else to say. “Right, well. Okay.”
I stepped back and picked up to the two cups of coffee. I carried them into the living room to Sarah and Darren and smiled for them.
“Dad shouldn’t be out too late,” I said. I could feel Edward’s eyes on me. I knew I was acting weird. I was freaked out. He wanted to talk children with me. He couldn’t father a child with me. I knew that. There was no discussion necessary. He didn’t have to tell me what I already knew and increase the pain. No matter how much I said this was just a phase, this was Loretta’s thinking, I didn’t really want kids, I knew I did. Every woman at some point in their lives wonders about having a baby of their own. It just came early for me.
“Where is he exactly?” Sarah asked. She took a sip of her coffee and watched me over the rim of the cup.
“I don’t know,” I tried to lie. “I was with Jacob. He just shouted he was going out and then left.”
Actually he told me exactly where he was going. Port Angeles with Tess to go shopping. She wanted to update his wardrobe and buy him a tux for tomorrow and he agreed willingly like the love sick puppy he is.
“What went on between you and that Jacob?” Darren asked. He still had that protective look in his eyes. He was far too protective of me. He was close to Edward’s scale of protectiveness. Darren had been like this since last year. He blamed himself. He wasn’t the last person to see me, Edward was, but he still felt responsible.
“Oh that? Nothing, just a little tiff.”
I dismissed it with a wave of my hand but it did not ease Darren.
“Do you want me to talk to him?” Darren was persistent. “He was manhandling you. I see your fiancé did nothing to help.”
“Darren!” Sarah slapped him on the leg and then smiled apologetically at me and Edward. “You know what he’s like. I hope you weren’t offended, Edward?”
Edward walked over to me and placed a hand on my lower back.
“I know when and when not to get myself in arguments involving Jacob and Kayla,” he said, smiling his crooked smile at Sarah. “They have arguments like this all the time. They’re always friends again before you know it.”
I smiled for them, trying to show that I wasn’t offended at all when I was. Edward had protected me more times than Darren had. He had no right to say that. But then Darren had no clue what was going on and neither did Sarah. Oh crap. Sarah didn’t know what Mitchell was going to do. She knew Mitchell but she didn’t know that he was going to kill me.
Don’t worry, Kayla, Edward assured me. She’s only here for the wedding then home again. Relax.
I tried to but now my mother and Darren were in danger from Mitchell. It wasn’t Edward’s fault, he was just trying to make me happy. Like he always did. I didn’t even have an excuse for bringing the wedding forward. I didn’t even know if she knew that I was an Azdi. If Charlie was an Azdi for that matter. What do I tell her? Edward and I were so in love we couldn’t wait? I wanted to bed Edward before August? He wanted to bed me before August? What?!
Relax, Edward told me again. He rubbed my back gently. She thinks we booked the dates for the honeymoon wrong.
“Are you okay?” Sarah asked me.
“I’m great,” I answered. “I’m fine. Are you okay? That must have been a long flight.”
“It was.” Darren stretched his arms out. “Maybe we should hit the sack, Sarah?”
Sarah watched me carefully, her eyes studying me. She knew there was something wrong. Mother’s intuition, yet she put down her coffee and stood up.
“Yes,” she said, still watching me. “Let’s go.”
I glanced up and Edward and saw a frown on his face.
“Our bags are in his car,” Darren said to Sarah, pointing at Edward.
“I’ll fetch them for you,” Edward said, moving away from me. “I’ll be two minutes.”
He was gone before I could grab him and pull him back to my side. Now I was alone with my suspicious mother. My mother who knew I couldn’t lie.
“Is everything okay with you and Edward.” Her voice was light and casual but I knew this wasn’t just a random question. She had other ideas about why I was getting married tomorrow.
“Everything is fine, Mum,” I said, smiling. I told her with my eyes to shut up.
“If you say so.” she told me with her eyes she didn’t believe me.
She could believe whatever she wanted to believe. I was getting married tomorrow. She couldn’t stop me.
Edward walked in carrying two suitcases.
“Here you go,” he said, smiling at Sarah and Darren. Sarah took her case, her eyes narrowing at Edward. Darren took his and they both walked up the stairs. l waited. for the guest room door to open and close before I turned to Edward.
“She thinks I’m manipulating you,” he said, his eyes ablaze with anger. “She thinks I’m forcing you to marry me early.”
“She knows something’s not right,” I said.
“Does she know that you’re an Azdi?” Edward asked me.
I shrugged.
“Could you not tell from her mind?”
“No, she wasn’t thinking about that.”
I sighed and picked up the two cups on the coffee table. I carried them to the kitchen with Edward’s eyes on me the entire way. He stood in the doorway of the kitchen as I washed them, dried them and placed them back in the cupboard.
“We need to talk, Kayla,” he said, quietly.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” I replied. I picked up the plates Jacob and I had had our dinner on. I ran the hot tap and proceeded to wash them.
“Kayla.”
“Edward, just forget it,” I said, furiously scrubbing at the already clean plate. “I already know everything you’re about to tell me.”
I threw the plate into the sink as tears spilled onto my cheeks. It shattered into a million pieces. These were tears of anger. Not tears of pain. I didn’t really want children. I didn’t want to have little babies to look after and to love and to see grow up. I didn’t want someone to call me mummy and ask for advice and see married. No. Not at all.
I picked up another plate but Edward’s hand was on mine, forcing it out of my hand. His other hand was around my waist, holding me close to him.
“I wasn’t going to tell you we couldn’t have children,” he whispered in my ear. “I was going to say we could.”
“But how?” I asked him, wiping away my tears.
“Adoption, sperm donors, artificial insemination,” Edward listed. “Just because I can’t father a child doesn’t mean you should be refused the chance.”
“You would bring up another man’s child?” I turned to look at him. He smiled and wiped away another tear that had fallen from my eye.
“The baby would be our child,” he said.
I sniffed. How the hell had I managed to get Edward?
He bent his head and kissed my lips softly.
“Thank you,” I whispered against his lips. “You don’t know how much this means to me.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck and lost myself in his kisses. I loved him so much. He had already given me so much just by being with me. Now he was marrying me and giving me a child. And I had nothing to give him in return.
“You give me everything just by breathing,” he answered my thoughts.
Just then I heard a loud giggle.
“Tess,” Edward and I said together.
He pulled away from me just as Charlie and Tess walked into the kitchen, arms laden with bags.
“Hey,” Charlie said, seeing us.
“Hi,” I replied. “Guess who’s here?”
“Who?”
“Mum.”
Charlie’s mouth dropped and Tess looked from Charlie to me and back at Charlie.
“Yeah, so you deal with that while I call Jacob.”
Edward followed me out of the kitchen trying to contain his laughter. The look on Charlie’s face when I said Sarah was here was priceless. I wish I had taken a picture.
I pulled out my cell phone as we entered my bedroom, dialling Jacob’s number.
Time to grovel.