Renesmee is all grown up
Renesmee has reached maturity, and Jacob does not know how to act around her. What will happen when a trip to South America brings Nahuel back into the Cullen's life?
"Jacob, I still don't understand why you need to stay here. Leah and Seth will be perfectly fine for the few weeks that we will be in South America."
Bella and Jacob were walking in the backyard, pulling down the last of the now customary white lights from the trees. The birthday had been done in shades of green and white, Renesmee's favorite.
"Bells, it has nothing to do with the Pack, I just think that Nessie needs to go on this trip alone. Or at least as alone as you and Edward-."
"Jake, you two have never been apart, I have to practically throw you from the house every night, and now that we are leaving the continent you are perfectly happy to be in different countries. What is going on?"
Jacob pulled down the last of the lights and tossed them on to the large pile, smiling a little as he thought of Nessie's 7th birthday, and then frowning when he thought of the half-vampire, half human girl that he loved.
"Bella, Nessie is getting older now, she's what like 17-18 mentally?"
Edward was yet again pleasantly surprised that Jacob still thought of Renesmee in ways that were easy for a father to hear. He was not looking forward to the day that they moved on to more physical thoughts.
"Bella, I think that Jacob is trying to let Renesmee spread her wings so to speak."
"I really hate it when you do that" Jacob growled.
"I know "Edward smiled Bella's favorite crooked smile, and so she dropped the subject. "For now" she thought.
"Hey Mom, hey Dad". Renesmee gracefully reached out to touch her Mom's arm as she skipped to Jacobs's side. Bella and Edward, both "seeing" what she wanted looked at each other before answering. Bella over the last few years had been working to lift the heavy curtain that protected her mind, she still could not keep it lifted when Edward touched her, but for moments like these it worked brilliantly.
"Well? I don't mind, if you don't." she thought.
Edward nodded slightly and answered for both of them "Sure, but we expect you home by 10. You still need to pack, and finish your essay."
"Dad, PLEASE at least try to not listen in when I'm studying. A girl has to have some secrets." She smiled her own version of Edwards's crooked smile, and Jacob and Renesmee left to go to dinner and then to a movie. Bella could hear Jacob as they entered the highway complaining about how freaky their family method of telepathic communication was.
Edward walked toward the front of the GulfstreamG650 twin engine jet, working very hard to ignore the thoughts of everyone else on the plane. Carlisle and Jasper were tolerable; they were only thinking about the variety of food that a rain forest would offer the Cullen's, specifically the wild cats. Esme and Alice were thinking about the housing situation while they were traveling. Esme wanted them all together, and Alice was hoping for a little more privacy…"ugh, keep walking" thought Edward. A little further on Emmet was thinking about the "honeymoon" that Rosalie was planning "not helping" thought Edward, and Rosalie was simply mesmerized by the diamond sparkle that was her skin. It was still a little unsettling seeing them all on an airplane, in the daytime, with the shades open.
Once Bella decided that she wanted to get her pilots license, Alice started shopping for a plane. "You are not going to stop her Edward" Alice had said, "I don't know why one of us has not done it already. To think we have been flying commercial, when we could be on a private plane!" That had been the end of any hope of talking her out of it. Edward was still slightly concerned when Bella was flying, it was not that they would not survive a crash, he just has a hard time letting go of his protectiveness every once in a while.
Edward made his way to the cockpit, and patted Renesmee on the head.
"Hey kiddo, I will sit with your Mom now"
"Sure Dad" she got up and made her way to a seat in the back by herself.
Bella sighed and looked at Edward. "So tell me again why I did not just drag that dog on the plane and make him come with us. What is he thinking, she is miserable!"
Edward closed the door to the cabin, hoping that would silence their voices enough for Renesmee. "He really is looking out for her Bella. Think about it, in one way he looks at her as the little girl that she is to us. He has watched her grow up, and he loves her. I think he tried to explain it to you with Quil and Claire. Jacob has not looked at her in a romantic way in these short years that Renesmee has been a child. He has simply been everything that she needs in a friend. Now she has become a fully grown woman at age seven, if what Nahuel said holds true, Jacob does not know what to do. I believe he is hoping to use this time for both of them to get used to the idea that they now look, and act the same age."
Edward watched for the few seconds that it took Bella to think over what he had said. "Hmmmm, I had almost forgotten about Nahuel. He lives in the same forest as Zafrina, Senna, and Kachiri."
Edward chuckled; "I am pretty sure that when they told you that they were teasing you. The rainforest does cover most of South America."
"I hope so. Now, go back to everyone and let them know we will be landing soon. You are not allowed up here while I land." And with one last glance as Edward stood up, Bella began their descent into the Amazon.