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fifth or sixth bite； though； it had cooled enough for me to taste it。 My chewing slowed。 Was there
something off about the flavor？ I checked the meat； and it was white all the way through； but I wondered
if it was pletely done。 I took another experimental bite； I chewed twice。 Ugh—definitely bad。 I
jumped up to spit it into the sink。 Suddenly； the chickenandoil smell was revolting。 I took the whole
plate and shook it into the garbage； then opened the windows to chase away the scent。 A coolish breeze
had picked up outside。 It felt good on my skin。
I was abruptly exhausted； but i didn't want to go back to the hot room。 So I opened more windows in
the TV room and lay on the couch right beneath them。 I turned on the same movie we'd watched the
other day and quickly fell asleep to the bright opening song。
When I opened my eyes again； the sun was halfway up the sky； but it was not the light that woke me。
Cool arms were around me； pulling me against him。 At the same time； a sudden pain twisted in my
stomach； almost like the aftershock of catching a punch in the gut。
Tm sorry；〃 Edward was murmuring as he wiped a wintry hand across my clammy forehead。 〃So much
for thoroughness。 I didn't think about how hot you would be with me gone。 I'll have an air conditioner
installed before I leave again。〃
I couldn't concentrate on what he was saying。 〃Excuse me！〃 I gasped； struggling to get free of his arms。
He dropped his hold automatically。 〃Bella？〃
I streaked for the bathroom with my hand clamped over my mouth。 I felt so horrible that I didn't even
care—at first—that he was with me while I crouched over the toilet and was violently sick。
〃Bella？ What's wrong？〃
I couldn't answer yet。 He held me anxiously； keeping my hair out of my face； waiting till I could breathe
again。
〃Damn rancid chicken；〃 I moaned。
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〃Are you all right？〃 His voice was strained。
〃Fine；〃 I panted。 〃It's just food poisoning。 You don't need to see this。 Go away。〃
〃Not likely；Bella。〃
〃Go away；〃 I moaned again； struggling to get up so I could rinse my mouth out。 He helped me gently；
ignoring the weak shoves I aimed at him。
After my mouth was clean； he carried me to the bed and sat me down carefully； supporting me with his
arms。
〃Food poisoning？〃
〃Yeah；〃 I croaked。 〃I made some chicken last night。 It tasted off； so I threw it out。 But I ate a few bites
first。〃
He put a cold hand on my forehead。 It felt nice。 〃How do you feel now？〃
I thought about that for a moment。 The nausea had passed as suddenly as it had e； and I felt like I
did any other morning。 〃Pretty normal。 A little hungry； actually。〃
He made me wait an hour and keep down a big glass of water before he fried me some eggs。 I felt
perfectly normal； just a little tired from being up in the middle of the night。 He put onN—we'd been
so out of touch； world war three could have broken out and we wouldn't have known—and I lounged
drowsily across his lap。
I got bored with the news and twisted around to kiss him。 Just like this morning； a sharp pain hit my
stomach when I moved。 I lurched away from him； my hand tight over my mouth。 I knew I'd never make it
to the bathroom this time； so I ran to the kitchen sink。
He held my hair again。
〃Maybe we should go back to Rio； see a doctor；〃 he suggested anxiously when I was rinsing my mouth
afterward。
I shook my head and edged toward the hallway。 Doctors meant needles。 〃I'll be fine right after I brush
my teeth。〃
When my mouth tasted better； I searched through my suitcase for the little firstaid kit Alice had packed
for me； full of human things like bandages and painkillers and—my object now—PeptoBismol。 Maybe I
could settle my stomach and calm Edward down。
But before I found the Pepto； I happened across something else that Alice had packed for me。 I picked
up the small blue box and stared at it in my hand for a long moment； forgetting everything else。
Then I started counting in my head。 Once。 Twice。 Again。
Theknock startled me； the little box fell back into the suitcase。
〃Are you well？〃 Edward asked through the door。 〃Did you get sick again？〃
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〃Yes and no；〃 I said； but my voice sounded strangled。
〃Bella？ Can I please e in？〃 Worriedly now。
〃O。。。 kay？〃
He came in and appraised my position； sitting crosslegged on the floor by the suitcase； and my
expression； blank and staring。 He sat next to me； his hand going to my forehead at once。
〃What's wrong？〃
〃How many days has it been since the wedding？〃 I whispered。
〃Seventeen；〃 he answered automatically。 〃Bella； what is it？〃
I was counting again。 I held up a finger； cautioning him to wait； and mouthed the numbers to myself。 I'd
been wrong about the days before。 We'd been here longer than I'd thought。 I started over again。
〃Bella！〃 he whispered urgently。 〃I'm losing my mind over here。〃
I tried to swallow。 It didn't work。 So I reached into the suitcase and fumbled around until I found the
little blue box of tampons again。 I held them up silently。
He stared at me in confusion。 〃What？ Are you trying to pass this illness off as PMS？〃
〃No；〃 I managed to choke out。 〃No； Edward。 I'm trying to tell you that my period is five days late。〃
His facial expression didn't change。 It was like I hadn't spoken。
〃I don't think I have food poisoning；〃 I added。
He didn't respond。 He had turned into a sculpture。
〃The dreams；〃 I mumbled to myself in a flat voice。 〃Sleeping so much。 The crying。 All that food。 Oh。
Oh。 Oh〃
Edward's stare seemed glassy； as if he couldn't see me anymore。
Reflexively； almost involuntarily； my hand dropped to my stomach。
〃Oh！〃 I squeaked again。
I lurched to my feet； slipping out of Edward's unmoving hands。 I'd never changed out of the little silk
shorts and camisole I'd worn to bed。 I yanked the blue fabric out of the way and stared at my stomach。
〃Impossible；〃 I whispered。
I had absolutely no exp