Stregoni benefici （a legend actually based on my new fatherinlaw's early exploits with the Volturi； not
that I'd known anything about that at the time）。。。 I'd paid less and less attention as the stories had grown
more and more implausible。 I only remembered vague bits of the later entries。 They mostly seemed like
excuses dreamed up to explain things like infant mortality rates—and infidelity。 No； honey； I'm not
having an affair！ That sexy woman you saw sneaking out of the house was an evil succubus。 I'm
lucky I escaped with my life！ （Of course； with what I knew now about Tanya and her sisters； I
suspected that some of those excuses had been nothing but fact。） There had been one for the ladies； too。
How can you accuse me of cheating on you—just because you've e home from a twoyear sea
voyage and I'm pregnant？ It was the incubus。 He hypnotized me with his mystical vampire
powers。。。。
That had been part of the definition of the incubus—the ability to father children with his hapless prey。
I shook my head； dazed。 But。。。
I thought of Esme and especially Rosalie。 Vampires couldn't have children。 If it were possible； Rosalie
would have found a way by now。 The incubus myth was nothing but a fable。
Except that。。。 well； there was a difference。 Of course Rosalie could not conceive a child； because she
was frozen in the state in which she passed from human to inhuman。 Totally unchanging。 And human
women's bodies had to change to bear children。 The constant change of a monthly cycle for one thing；
and then the bigger changes needed to acmodate a growing child。 Rosalie's body couldn't change。
But mine could。 Mine did。 I touched the bump on my stomach that had not been there yesterday。
And human men—well； they pretty much stayed the same from puberty to death。 I remembered a
random bit of trivia； gleaned from who knows where： Charlie Chaplin was in his seventies when he
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fathered his youngest child。 Men had no such thing as childbearing years or cycles of fertility。
Of course； how would anyone know if vampire men could father children； when their partners were not
able？ What vampire on earth would have the restraint necessary to test the theory with a human woman？
Or the inclination？
I could think of only one。
Part of my head was sorting through fact and memory and speculation； while the other half—the part
that controlled the ability to move even the smallest muscles—was stunned beyond the capacity for
normal operations。 I couldn't move my lips to speak； though I wanted to ask Edward to please explain to
me what was going on。 I needed to go back to where he sat； to touch him； but my body wouldn't follow
instructions。 I could only stare at my shocked eyes in the mirror； my fingers gingerly pressed against the
swelling on my torso。
And then； like in my vivid nightmare last night； the scene abruptly transformed。 Everything I saw in the
mirror looked pletely different； though nothing actually was different。
What happened to change everything was that a soft little nudge bumped my hand—from inside my
body。
In the same moment； Edward's phone rang； shrill and demanding。 Neither of us moved。 It rang again and
again。 I tried to tune it out while I pressed my fingers to my stomach； waiting。 In the mirror my expression
was no longer
bewildered—it was wondering now。 I barely noticed when the strange； silent tears started streaming
down my cheeks。
The phone kept ringing。 I wished Edward would answer it—I was having a moment。 Possibly the
biggest of my life。
Ring！ Ring！ Ring！
Finally； the annoyance broke through everything else。 I got down on my knees next to Edward—I found
myself moving more carefully； a thousand times more aware of the way each motion felt—and patted his
pockets until I found the phone。 I halfexpected him to thaw out and answer it himself； but he was
perfectly still。
I recognized the number； and I could easily guess why she was calling。
〃Hi； Alice；〃 I said。 My voice wasn't much better than before。 I cleared my throat。
〃Bella？ Bella； areyou okay？〃
〃Yeah。 Urn。 Is Carlisle there？〃
〃He is。 What's the problem？〃
〃I'm not。。。 one hundred percent。。。 sure___〃
〃Is Edward all right？〃 she asked warily。 She called Carlisle's name away from the phone and then
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demanded； 〃Why didn't he pick up the phone？〃 before I could answer her first question。
〃I'm not sure。〃
〃Bella；what's going on？ I just saw—〃
〃What did you see？〃
There was a silence。 〃Here's Carlisle；〃 she finally said。
It felt like ice water had been injected in my veins。 If Alice had seen a vision of me with a greeneyed；
angelfaced child in my arms； she would have answered me； wouldn't she？
While I waited through the split second it took for Carlisle to speak； the vision I'd imagined for Alice
danced behind my lids。 A tiny； beautiful little baby； even more beautiful than the boy in my dream—a tiny
Edward in my arms。 Warmth shot through my veins； chasing the ice away。
〃Bella； it's Carlisle。 What's going on？〃
〃I—〃 I wasn't sure how to answer。 Would he laugh at my conclusions； tell me I was crazy？ Was I just
having another colorful dream？ 〃I'm a little worried about Edward。。。。 Can vampires go into shock？〃
〃Has he been harmed？〃 Carlisle's voice was suddenly urgent。
〃No； no；〃 I assured him。 〃Just。。。 taken by surprise。〃
〃I don't understand； Bella。〃
〃I think。。。 well； I think that。。。 maybe。。。 I might be 。。。〃 I took a deep breath。 〃Pregnant。〃
As if to back me up； there was another tiny nudge in my abdomen。 My hand flew to my stomach。
After a long pause； Carlisle's medical training kicked in。
〃When was the first day of your last menstrual cycle？〃
〃Sixteen days before the wedding。〃 I'd done the mental math thoroughly enough just before to be able to
answer with certainty。
〃How do you feel？〃
〃Weird；〃 I told him； and my voice broke。 Another trickle of tears dribbled down my cheeks。 〃This is
going to sound crazy—look； I know it's way too early for any of this。 Maybe I am crazy。 But I'm having
bizarre dreams and eating all the time and crying and throwing up and。。。 and。。。 I swear something moved
inside me just now。〃
Edward's head snapped up。
I sighed in relief。
Edward held his hand out for the phone； his face white and hard。
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〃Urn； I think Edward wants to talk to you。〃
〃Put him on；〃 Carlisle said in a strained voice。
Not entirely sure that Edward could talk； I put the phone in his outstretched hand。
He pressed it to his ear。 〃Is it possible？〃 he whispered。
He listened for a long time； staring blankly at nothing。
〃And Bella？〃 he asked。 His arm wrapped around me as he spoke； pulling me close into his side。
He listened for what seemed like a long time and then said； 〃Yes。 Yes； I will。〃
He pulled the phone away from his ear and pressed the 〃e