Multiplying Love

I was swollen with my ninth child right now and I was extremely uncomfortable. It was three in the morning and I kept tossing and turning in bed. I tried not to wake Edward up but that seem physically impossible.

"Let mommy sleep little one," Edward cooed to my stomach to our unborn child.

I was nine months pregnant and my due date was today. I sat up and started crying I was so uncomfortable. My back always hurt, my feet and swollen to double the size they were previously and I kept having morning sickness. It's not even like I could bend down to the toilet my extremely protruding stomach got in the way.

"Bella shh, don't wake up Katie."

Katie was Edward and I's daughter who was barely two years old. Edward had always wanted a large family, but me, not so much. I actually didn't mind it. It was kind of nice. But, we can't always get our way. I have told none of my friends about my life or family except my father. I have kept it all a secret because I guess I was ashamed. I told a friend once and they asked me if I had aids because Edward slept with all of his wives. I was ashamed and embarrassed. I never told anyone from then on, but who knows maybe she told everyone. I am an Amish Polygamist. It feels good to say it and to think it. If I could go back in time I would. I wouldn't be where I am now. It might be crazy but it was the truth, I was Edward's fourth wife. We had been married for twelve years, we had eight children and one on the way. We had Elizabeth who was 11, Nicholas 10, Sophia 9, Charlotte 8, Abbey 7, Brandon 6, Jacob 4, and Katie 2.

As you may notice my children are close in age then there is a gap. About a year ago Edward had said I had "paid my dues," and had enough children. That same year I got pregnant and we didn't want to stir the peace of the community so we did not opt for an abortion, but we didn't want it to seem as if we had an "accident." Amish Polygamist never had accidents, if we did we would be shunned on because we were also Amish. I taught my children school, cooked, cleaned, and made all of their clothes. I did it all. Edward was the church pastor. Our church community consisted of three hundred thousand members. We had the largest church worldwide. Each year the number of church members grew greatly. This happened because man had more than one wife and he could impregnate more.

The first time I met Edward was when I attended church. It was love at first sight and after mass he took me in the back room and made love to me in Gods house. When I found out I was pregnant with our daughter Elizabeth, Edward angered. But, he courted me and he got married quickly so no one would suspect. Everyone just thought we were in love and eager to get married. Edward just wanted to make an honest woman out of me. They also thought we wanted children right away.

I was sixteen when I got pregnant and got married. I was a teen mom. Though Edward had other wives to think about. He was 31 when I was 16 and he was gorgeous and handsome. His first wife was Elizabeth, she was 44 and we named our daughter after her. I was shocked that she was so much older than her. I at least thought she would be younger than him, like myself. But Edward and Elizabeth were madly in love. You should have seen the way that he looked at her like she was the only one in the world.

His second wife was Reaser and she was 37, back when I met her. Now she was 49 and Elizabeth was 56 years of age. Reaser made a lot of the meals for the familys. She was fabulous. Both Elizabeth and Reaser combined had twenty-one children. You could now see how fast our church community really grew. Then there was Kenedy she was 42 and had a loving soul. She was very maternal, as well as the other mothers were too, but some of them could be my mom. Well Elizabeth could at least, and so could Reaser. They were all sweet, kind and loving. Today I am 28 years of age and not Edwards's youngest wife anymore. Sixteen year old Lila would be joining our family this morning forever, because Edward said family is forever.

Edward is right when he says family is forever because there are no divorces in our church. I was astounded Edward picked a bride so young, but yet I shall not be judgmental because I too was a young bride. But, he could have fathered her. I was so upset. I rolled over in bed.

"What's bothering you love," Edward said.

"Nothing," I lied to him. The stress was bad on the baby and couldn't have come at a worst time. I was having a baby and Edward was getting married. Meaning he was going on a three week honeymoon with Lila while I deliver the baby and take care of ten kids, but whatever, I choose this life or did I?

"Why Lila, why not someone more focused towards your age?"

"Well, her father gave her to me. I can't deny her honey."

"She is sixteen you could have been her father."

"So what. Bella just calm down."

I got up and walked in to my daughter Elizabeth's room. She had bunk beds and she slept on the top, leaving the bottom empty so I could easily lay down on it. I silently cried myself to sleep because there wasn't much I could do.

I awoke to find Elizabeth standing and staring at me while I slept.

"Mama Liz told me to wake you, but you looked so peaceful I didn't want to."

"Aww Lizzy, thanks and I love you. Go tell Mama Liz I will be ready in twenty minutes."

Being Amish Polygamist had its perks, like having power. I had known Amish people and they did not like no light policy. "When the sun sleeps, you sleep," was a rule of theirs. We also could shop for our needs. Even though we made clothes doesn't mean they weren't modern it just meant they were modest. Modesty was indeed our policy. Whores and Sluts got shammed on because no man wanted a woman who had slept around before being with him. Reaser came in the room and gently closed the door behind her.

"I remember those days," she said referring to my pregnancy.

"You should be glad. It's a handful being pregnant."

"It's only going to get worse before it gets better Bella, just hold onto yourself."

Her little speech brought me to tears she was the only one who told it straight like it really was. I loved that about her. She left after giving me a hug and telling me it was all going to be ok. After that I got dressed and prepared for the dreaded ceremony. I couldn't wait to see how it would turn out.