Renesmee was uncharacteristically quiet on the short ride to Jake's house, but she sprang from the car a soon as it stopped and ran up the wooden steps.
"Hey, Mr. Black." Renesmee smiled and touched the older man's hand.
"It's Billy," he said. "And Merry Christmas, young lady!" His weathered hand gripped hers briefly but firmly as she stopped in front of his wheelchair on the porch. There was just a touch of grey in his shoulder-length raven hair these days, but his posture and bearing belied his age. Even in the chair, he was a commanding presence - every inch the chief of his tribe.
Jacob took the steps two at a time. "Nessie's here to get her Christmas presents. Anything you need, old man?"
Billy, always a man of few words, shook his head. Jacob held the door and Nessie scooted under his arm into the cozy kitchen. "Come on. It's in the living room." He searched through a stack of presents wrapped in newspaper while she perched on the arm of a brown corduroy recliner. He kissed her cheek and handed her a small box topped with a red bow. "Merry Christmas, Ness."
She quickly tore open the package and gaped at the box. "A PHONE? Are you serious? I mean, does my mom know about this?"
Jake smiled brightly. "Yep, and it's okay with your parents. Both of them," he added. "I convinced them it'll keep you safe." He showed her how to turn it on. "It's not the newest one, but it works. And the camera is great too." Plopping into the chair beside her, he held out a long arm and took a selfie of the two of them. "See?"
"It's great, Jake! Thank you." She leaned back against his shoulder and his arm closed around her waist. "I love your tree. It's so simple, so serene." The tree was a small Douglas fir that perfumed the air with a citrusy scent. It was covered with white lights and natural ornaments - pine cones, bird nests, milkweed pods, and dried flowers. "It's just so...YOU," she said with a sigh.
"It looks like the ones my mom decorated when I was little," he said softly. "She's always on my mind this time of year. She loved Christmas."
Renesmee frowned, looking over at him. "I'm sorry. It must have been awfully hard for your family, losing your mom when she was so young."
Changing the subject, he looked at her. "So you like your phone?"
She hugged it to her. "I love it! I've been bugging my parents for one."
Laughing, Jake nodded. "I heard. My number is already programmed in. But no calls before 6 a.m. unless it's an emergency."
She giggled. "Can I ask you something, Jake?"
He sobered. "Sounds serious. Of course, Ness. You can ask me anything."
"I know about the imprint and all, but now that I'm growing up - are you my boyfriend?"
He breathed in sharply. "Whoa. I wasn't prepared for that, but I'll try to answer honestly. I suppose I might be - some day, when you're older. But for now, let's call ourselves best friends. Does that work for you?"
Renesmee nodded. It was not the answer she had hoped for, but it would have to do. For now. "One more question. Why did you bring me all the way to LaPush for my phone? You're a big strong man. Surely you could have carried it to my house." He recognized the twinkle in her eye.
"Because, Miss Smarty Pants, my dad has something for you too." She was sure his grin was part mischief, part relief for the change of subject. Right on cue, Billy's wheelchair rolled into the room. He needed both hands to control the chair, so the package was nestled next to his leg.
"Merry Christmas, Nessie." He handed her the gift.
"Thank you...Billy," she murmured, carefully peeling the newsprint from an oddly shaped bundle. She took in a quick breath. "Oh! He's perfect!" The beautifully carved figure of a russet wolf was an incredibly lifelike replica of Jacob's wolf. Hugging the figurine to her breast, she whispered "Did you make it yourself?"
"I did," he said simply, but his smile lit up his face.
"It's amazing!" Setting the wolf carefully on an end table, she threw her arms around Billy's neck and kissed his leathery cheek. "I'll treasure it always. Thank you."
On the way home, Renesmee seemed pensive. After a few minutes, she looked over at Jacob. "Can we talk about sex, Jake?" His big hands tightened on the steering wheel but he kept his eyes on the road.
She had just about given up on getting an answer when he said "I don't think that's a very good idea, Ness. Maybe you should talk to your mom."
She snorted. "Mom and Dad talk about it all the time! They don't think I'm paying attention." Her fingers gently stroked his arm, raising a trail of gooseflesh. He shook her off, but gently.
"Cut that out, Ness!" It came out louder than he expected, and he lowered his voice. "I do love you, Honey, but not in that way. It wouldn't be appropriate, and whether you like to admit it or not, I'm much older than you are." He signaled and pulled carefully to the side of the road, letting the car idle and taking her tiny hand in his.
"Jake, you're 26. I'm something like 18. That's not a big deal. And I have - well, these feelings. They're new to me, but it's kind of exciting." Her eyes glistened, but she stared resolutely up at him. "What am I supposed to do?"
"You've done your homework, and you know how imprinting works. Right now, you're my best friend. You're my little sister." He smiled at her grimace. "Besides, I know you've had 'the talk' with your mom."
She yanked her hand from his. "That talk was in the abstract, Jake! I want to talk specifics - you and me!"
He leaned against the car door and studied her. "Where is all this coming from, Ness?"
She clasped her hands and stared down at them, speaking softly. "It's just - when I kissed you today. Like I have a thousand times before. It was just...different, you know?"
He sighed. "I do know. It's called puberty, Ness, and most six-year-olds don't have to deal with it. There's something you need to understand though. It was I who imprinted on you, not the reverse. You are free to explore your own feelings. Date, kiss, even have sex - MANY years from now," he added quickly, "with whoever you want. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
A tear slipped down her cheek and she brushed at it angrily. "You don't want me," she whispered. "You're just stuck with the imprint. I get it."
Suddenly the Rabbit was too small, the air inside too stale. Jacob wrenched open his door and stood beside the car for a long moment. He walked to the passenger side and opened the other door. "Come on. Let's walk a bit. I need you to understand." Out of long habit, her slim hand slipped into his large warm one but she continued looking at the ground. Their boots crunched in the snow-covered leaves that littered the forest floor as they walked.
"I love you, Ness," Jacob finally began. "I will always love you. You're my reason for living, but besides all that - I like you." She could hear the smile in his voice. "That has nothing to do with the imprint. If someday you choose me, that will be great. But always remember you have a CHOICE. You're not chained to me. Give yourself a chance to experience something wonderful when the time is right. Am I making sense?"
Not trusting herself to speak, Renesmee shook her head. They walked in silence for a while. "We should get back," he finally said, reversing direction. He sniffed the air, relying on his wolf sense to guide them back to the road.
As she fastened her seat belt, Jake stooped to look her in the eyes. "Are we okay, Ness?"
She reached out and touched his face tenderly. "We're fine. But there's something you need to understand. My love for you is growing and changing, but it's not going away."
He sighed and kissed her hand. "Just remember what I told you."