Forget Me Not | ✓

44 | Maternal Instincts

44
Breaking Dawn  [Pt.2]
M a t e r n a l   I n s t i n c t s
   
   
   

"AWE, LOOK AT that. He missed you." Rosalie giggled as Asa giggled up at Max while she held him carefully in her lap. She smiled shyly and played with his tiny fingers, which only prompted more giggles.

A large, homemade welcome-home banner hung over the archway leading from the foyer into the living room. Alice and Esme made it for Max's return from the hospital, the arrival of Renesmee, and to welcome Bella as a Newborn.

A day had passed since Max came home and Bella was supposed to awaken today as a Cold One. Adele figured it would be best to let Paul take the children for the day. Despite being Turned from her blood, Adele was not going to risk her children's safety.

Paul was early. As Adele was heading downstairs, the doorbell chimed throughout the foyer and she sped to open the door. He stood on the deck, wearing a simple white cotton shirt and brown khakis.

"Hey."

She offered him a not-so-hostile-stare and led him into the living room where the Cullens were all gathered. Seriously, how do they not get tired of each other, he thought.

"Still on probation?" Emmett looked up from the flat-screen and grinned.

As Adele gathered up Max and Asa's things, Carlisle offered Paul a honeyed smile. "We cannot help you there. If there is anything I know about my daughter, it is that she is stubborn." Besides, he would only forgive Paul when Adele was ready to herself.

From the study on the top floor, Bella was stirring. Edward was murmuring to her. Adele turned to Paul, glancing at the kids as they waited patiently. "She is awake."

"Yep, we're going." He scooped Max up with one muscular arm and Asa with the other. Adele grabbed the bag that they would need for the day, followed him out of the house, and walked towards his car across the road. She opened the door to the backseat and noticed with surprise that there were already new car seats installed. She had figured that she'd have to lend him the ones from her car.

"You bought car seats?"

"Yeah." He nodded as he strapped a smiling Asa into his car seat. Adele fought the urge to glare at the little boy who was a smiling mush right now, but earlier he was a wailing nightmare when she was getting him dressed. Fucking favoritism.

Paul walked around the car to where Max sat in her own car seat and buckled her in. "What time do you want me to bring them home?"

He shut the door and climbed into the driver's side. She shut the door for him and leaned against the open window. "I will call you ahead of time." She glanced back at Max who was poking her befuddled brother. "Are you sure you can handle the two of them at one time?"

"I'm heading over to Emily's to hang out for a bit, then to my place." He reassured her with his lazy, pearly smile. "We'll be fine."

She nodded and bid her children farewell. Then, she backed away from the car and crossed  her arms as the ghost of a smile graced her face. In the distance, she heard Bella and Edward hunting in the woods. It relieved a lot of tension on her part knowing that her kids would be away for the day.

"You are on the way to redemption, Lahote." She used his last name. That was a good sign.

He smiled and winked at her before he set his car into motion and drove off. She watched the car become a dot in the distance – it reassured her – and was beginning to walk back to the house when Jacob Black jogged up behind her.