A Modern Day Fairy Tale

Chapter Forty

Disclaimer: All characters are not mine. No copyright infringement was intended. Thank you to Stephenie Meyer for creating Edward and Bella for our enjoyment. I just like playing with them, making them my own ... even for just a little while.

Now, as I said in my FB group (Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation), I know how I want the climax to occur, but I'm not sure how to get there. Leave me some loving. Thank you for reading!

Chapter Forty

Bella

After the performance, the Italian diplomat left us and went back to the Italian consulate. As we waited for the SUV to pull up, I checked my cell phone to see if my father or Linda had contacted me. They hadn't, but an unknown number had texted me.

I'm going into labor ... I don't know if I can do this. Help ... Bella, please. I need someone who is NOT my mother to be next to me. Please?

"Rosalie ..." I breathed.

Masen

Bella blinked up at me, handing me her phone. My heart fell to my feet and it shattered for the broken woman reaching out to my girlfriend. I kissed her temple. "My apologies, everyone," I murmured. "We've got a family medical emergency to attend to."

"Is everything alright?" the deputy mayor asked.

"It will be," I said, guiding a trembling Bella into the idling SUV. Seth was behind the wheel, with Leah and Jake sitting in the very back of the car. "Again, my apologies." I helped Bella inside and gave Seth a nod when I closed the door. We pulled away. "Seth, go to the condo. I'm going to call my pilot to get us flown to Rochester."

"Mase?" Jake asked, leaning forward.

"I got a text from Rosalie," Bella muttered. "She's going into labor. She texted me while we were in the opera. She sounded shattered and she doesn't want her mother next to her while she gives birth to her baby. She's ... so lost." Picking up her phone, she called Rosalie and I listened to her patiently speak to the girl who'd captured my brother's heart. Bella was so calm and loving on the phone, murmuring that she was on her way.

"Masen, you've got meetings the rest of this week," Jake hissed from behind me. "You can't go."

"We fly out tonight and I fly back," I snapped. "You stay with her, every moment."

"You need to sleep, Mase," Jake sighed.

"I'll sleep when I'm dead," I growled. I tugged out my cell phone and called my pilot. "Luc, I need you to lodge an emergency flight plan to Rochester, New York and back by tomorrow morning. I'll pay you whatever ..."

"Your Highness, I'll make the arrangements," Luc said, his voice raspy from being woken up. "I'll be at the airport within an hour."

"How long is the flight?" I asked.

"From preflight to landing, an hour and a half," Luc responded. "What's the emergency, Prince Edward?"

"Family emergency and Bella needs to be with her, um, cousin," I said evasively. "But, I have meetings that I need to attend tomorrow. You'll be up all night."

"I'll survive, Your Highness," Luc chuckled. "I'll make those arrangements."

"Thank you," I said, hanging up the phone. Seth parked the car in the garage. "Jake, I'm sorry about ..."

"I'm well aware of the necessities of Jake's job," Leah said, waving her hand. "I was excited about spending the night with him, but it'll make our reunion on our wedding day even better."