"Are you ready to get going? If you want to have a snowball fight with Rosalie and Alice, I want you in your boots and coat. Where are your gloves?"
"Mama?"
"Yes, Renesmee?"
"Why do I have to call you Bella when we're in public?"
"Because you look too old to be my baby, and people would get confused."
"But I'm not too old. I am your baby!"
"I know that, sweetheart, but it's just the way things go. Where are those gloves?"
"I don't know. Grandma Esme took them after they got wet."
"OK. Can you go and ask her for them, please?"
"In a minute. I don't understand why I can't call you 'Mum' when we're out."
"Renesmee, it's really not that difficult, honey. Most people, like Grandpa Charlie, get older a lot slower than you do. And they get older a lot faster than Daddy and I do. It would be very confusing."
"But Mum..."
"Go and ask your grandma about those gloves. Now."
"Edward?"
"Yes?"
"Renesmee wants to be able to call us 'Mum' and 'Dad' in public."
"I can see why. But did you tell her that she can't, under any circumstances?"
"I did. But I was thinking. She's not going to be this size for very much longer. She'll be one in a week, and she already looks like she's about three."
"And what were you thinking specifically?"
"We could take her out as our baby girl. We could let her call us Mum and Dad, and introduce her as our daughter. We can pass for twenty. A three year-old girl with twenty year-old parents isn't going to push the boundaries of the imagination. But soon, she'll be too big. She'll never be able to have the experience of walking down the road, holding her father's hand, and referring to him proudly – and loudly – as her daddy."
"Why would she want to do that, though?"
"When I was really little, I barely saw Charlie. We had a couple of months in the summer, and that was it. I'd get a buzz out of going out with him, and being able to tell people that I saw that I was spending time with my dad. It was wonderful."
"And you think that she'd like that?"
"I think she'd love it."
Edward was braiding his daughter's wet hair as she giggled excitedly about the snowman she had been building with her aunts. When he had finished, he turned her around and looked into her eyes, smiling.
"Ness, I have a proposition to make."
"Yes?"
"Would you like to come shopping with Mama and I this afternoon? We can go to the bookstore and find something to read together. And your mum said something about looking for snow boots that will actually keep your feet warm, not like those ones that Aunt Alice bought you."
"OK!"
"And also..."
"What?"
"I was thinking -"
"About what, Daddy?"
"You've been so well behaved whenever we've gone out. You've never called your Grandma and Grandpa by anything except Mum and Dad. You always call me Edward, and your mum, Bella."
"And I don't like doing that. I don't really understand why it's such a huge problem."
"Mum said that she explained it to you."
"She did, but it's a dumb excuse."
"If you insist... Anyway, I don't know how to say this – it's going to sound strange – but your mum and I have been talking, and -"
"Are you getting a divorce?"
"Ness! Relax! We were actually thinking that, if you want, you could... call us Mum and Dad when we went out today."
"Really?"
"Really really."
"Are you serious?"
"Mmm-hmm."
"Oh my God, this is so cool!"
"Don't say God."
Emmett looked up in surprise as his niece burst into the room.
"Uncle Emmett! Did you hear?"
"Did I hear what, Ness?"
"I can call Mum and Dad Mum and Dad today!" And she danced out of the room.
Emmett shook his head. She was getting more like her aunt every day.
"Auntie Alice, did you hear?"
"I did. I have very good hearing, you know!"
They both giggled. Then Alice turned serious.
"Ness, who told you you were allowed to wear those shoes with that dress?"
"Daddy. He got me dressed today. I like them!"
"I like them too, but they don't really match."
Jasper prodded his wife gently. "I think Ness looks beautiful. I love the hat, honey."
Nessie gave her uncle a kiss on the cheek before running down the hall again. She pelted down the staircase, and made a sharp turn into the living room.
"Renesmee, would you slow down, please?" asked Esme mildly. She was joined instantly on the couch by her bouncing granddaughter.
"Did you hear? Did you hear?"
"Did I hear about what?"
"I'm going shopping with Mama and Daddy today, and I don't have to call them Edward and Bella!"
"What do you mean, sweetheart?"
"I can call them Mum and Dad!"
"I don't understand what you're saying. Can you please slow down?"
"OK. Dad said that when I go shopping with him and Mum today, I don't have to call them Edward and Bella. I can call them Mum and Dad."
"Oh, wow. That's great, honey." Esme smiled lovingly at the excitement in Nessie's eyes. "Why don't you stay here for a second? I'm just going to go and talk to your dad quickly."
"Edward, do you really think this is a good idea? If you see anyone you know, there could be problems. And we're all so happy here. Your father isn't ready to move yet."
"Esme, it'll be fine. Ness is a smart kid. We'll go far away, I'll make sure that there's no-one around that we know. There won't be a problem."
"Well, if you're sure..."
"I'm sure. We're both sure. Ness needs this. It's her last chance. Soon, she'll be too big."
Bella strapped Nessie into her booster seat in the back before climbing into the front seat of Edward's Volvo.
"You ready to go, love?"
"I'm very ready to go. Dad."
Edward, Bella thought, we've got to make it clear to her that this is the one time, OK? In a few months, this will never happen again.
"I know, love," he murmured, quietly enough that Nessie, humming to herself in the backseat, wouldn't easily pick it up. "Let's just give her this one day. We'll talk about it when we get back."
They smiled at each other as Edward turned the music on, and the gentle melodies of Josh Groban filled the car.
The three made a beautiful picture: the bronze-haired man, the petite brunette and the excitable toddler in the stroller. Of course, Nessie hardly needed the stroller; her parents had decided that it would be good for appearances. Something which they had addressed in their pre-expedition briefing...
"Now, Nessie, you understand: what do you call us?"
"Mum and Dad!"
"And if someone asks you where you live, what do you say?"
"I don't tell them."
"And if we get separated, what will happen?"
"I'll cry. And tell the security people that I can't find my Mama and Daddy."
"That's right. And I'll write my cell phone number on your arm, just in case you do get separated and they ask what my number is. I know you know it, but what are we doing today?"
"We're pretending to be normal."
"Good girl."
Bella turned to Edward. "On second thoughts, it would probably be more human to take the stroller, wouldn't it?"
"You're probably right. Can you cope with that, Ness?"
"Mmm-hmm."
"Oh, and Ness?"
"Yep?"
"Try not to sound too smart. Think about the kids that you meet at the park. The three year-olds. Remember how they talk, OK?"
"I'll try!"
"Edward, why are you heading for the expensive part of the mall? What has Target ever done to you?"
"Target? Bella, are you serious?"
"She'll grow out of these shoes in a month. Target is where it's at." She stuck out her tongue playfully at Edward and pushed Nessie's stroller in that direction.
The sales assistant beamed at Edward as he entered the shop three steps ahead of Bella and Nessie.
"Good day, sir. Is there anything I can help you with?"
He smiled back, but made sure to emphasise certain words as he replied, "Yes, my wife and I were looking for some snow boots for our daughter."
The sales girl's smile dimmed. "Oh, well, children's shoes are over that way. Just go through the DVDs and the children's clothes."
"Thanks."
As they walked in that direction, Bella and Edward practised being human. They complained about bills and taxes, and Bella shared an anecdote about the last time she'd been at the supermarket. Nessie just shielded her eyes from the fluorescent lighting.
When they got to the shoe section, they let Nessie out of her stroller and she bounded over to the snow boots.
"What about these ones, Mama?" she shouted happily.
"Calm down please, Renesmee. They're beautiful. I love the pink. But are they warm? And do they fit?"
Bella slid pair after pair of boots onto her daughter's feet as Edward scanned the area for anything of interest. Although he loved to spend time with his wife and daughter, he was less than thrilled at the thought of the hours that he had spent doing the same thing with his sisters.
Apparently, though, with Bella at the helm, shoe shopping wasn't quite so slow. Ten minutes later, she had found two pairs of boots and they were heading for the book section, Nessie on Edward's hip.
"So, Ness," Edward muttered. "If you were incredibly intelligent and loved literature, what would you read?"
Nessie giggled. "Well, Dad, I'd read Dickens. Or Shakespeare. But if I were a three year-old, I think I would get a book about cows. Or beavers. Or balloons!"
Edward shushed her gently. "You are three years old, honey. In fact, you're a bit younger than three. Don't forget that. Speak in shorter sentences."
"I want book with adventure."
Bella suppressed a smile. "Do you now, honey?"
"I do. Book about pirates!" She leant into Edward's ear. "Uncle J and Uncle Emmett were telling me a story about pirates the other day," she whispered. "About pirates and parrots and treasure and adventure and gold. Can we find a book like that?"
"I think we can. Let's have a look."
As they were looking, a stressed-looking woman tapped on Bella's shoulder politely.
"I'm so sorry to interrupt, but I was wondering if I could ask you a question. I was looking for a birthday present for my niece. Your sister looks about the same age as her, and I was just wondering what sort of books you read to her."
"Oh. First of all, she's not my sister – she's our daughter. But she loves all sorts of books."
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I just assumed..."
"No, it's not a problem," Edward smiled. "We were both very young. But she's our baby girl – I wouldn't change anything for the world."
"I can see it now," the woman said, thoughtfully. "She's a combination of the two of you. She's got the most beautiful eyes."
"Thank you so much!" Bella said. "Anyway, books... We like to read all sorts of things to her. The books for kids her age are over here..."
And she went over to the children's section with the woman, while Nessie's heart almost burst with pride.
With arms full of literature, two pairs of boots and a very excited apparently-three-year-old, Edward and Bella contemplated calling it a day.
But then,
"Do you know what we should do, Daddy?" Nessie exclaimed excitedly. "We should see a movie!"
"A movie? Really?"
"Mmm-hmm. Let's see... The Wizard Of Oz!"
"Renesmee, darling, just because you can see The Wizard Of Oz at home doesn't mean that it's on at the cinema. We can go and see what's on, though."
"Awesome! Thank you, mama!" she squealed for all to hear.
In the car drive home, Nessie was half-asleep, exhausted from the exhilaration of one of her dreams finally coming true. Bella and Edward sat talking quietly in the front seat as the car stereo quietly played The Beatles.
When they got home, Edward lifted his sleeping daughter out of the car and carried her gently into her room.
"Should I change her into her pyjamas?"
"Nah, she'll be fine. Leave her."
After laying Nessie down on her bed, he kissed her on the forehead and left her to dream of a world in which she didn't have to hide that she was her parents' child.
The next morning, sleep in her eyes, Nessie climbed into her parents' bed where they had been talking. She smiled at them.
"Mama? Daddy?"
"Yes, love?"
"Thank you for yesterday. I had fun."
"No problems, honey. It was fun for us too."
As she snuggled into her mother's side, Nessie sighed contentedly.
"I love being your baby girl. I wish I could be all the time."
"You're always my baby girl, love. You are now, and you always will be."
And there they stayed, revelling in just being together.