Author's note: Thanks to all who read chapter one and are back for more! I hope this satisfies...
Jacob followed me up to the house, panting with excitement. "Sorry for your trouble, Edward."
It really wasn't his fault. He didn't know Nessie wasn't allowed on the motorcycle. I lost my temper and said something absurd. Of course, he imprinted on my daughter and that's why I felt so grumpy. But then, the whole werewolf pack-imprinting phenomenon would have been ancient history had our coven not moved to Forks. And, of course, he wouldn't have felt a claim to Bella if I hadn't left her. So yes, again, it really was entirely my fault.
Renesmee looked furious when I entered with Jake.
"Edward," Bella pleaded, sounding annoyed. She used her "you-messed-up-you-fix-it" tone of voice. She was quite well rehearsed in it.
Jasper was doing his darnedest to calm the waves between us. Nessie was usually such a good girl, but her nickname appropriately alluded to the monster temper that stirred just beneath the placid surface.
What can I say? She gets it honestly.
"Nessie," I started, sounding even-tempered but firm. "You know I don't want you riding—"
"Yes, but I don't understand. Why not?" she demanded, cutting me off.
I meant that you needed to apologize, Bella told me, lifting her shield.
I tried again, saving the apology for after the lecture. "The bike, Ness… it's got history. If you want to ride, we can do it another way—"
"But that's dumb. What's that got to do with me?" Nessie hissed.
Jasper's eyes widened. Emmett, sensing a knockdown drag out, showed up suddenly, not wanting to miss a show.
"Young lady, you may not speak to me that way. I don't have to explain anything—"
"So Mom's allowed to ride it, but not me?" she asked pointedly, interrupting me for the third time. I looked warily at Bella, hoping for help, but Renesmee continued her rant.
"Yeah, I know its 'history'—Jake told me." She used air quotes sarcastically when she blurted the word history. "But I can't ride it because you can tell me what to do. So this is all really about your frustration because you couldn't control Mom. I think that's the explanation you're looking for. But you know what? I don't accept it, because it's got nothing to do with me! I don't like double standards, Edward."
Whoa! Where had I heard that line before?
Bella sputtered. Everyone was in shock, having never heard Nessie challenge me like this before. Of course, she needed to use my given name in public, but now she was doing it just to be impertinent.
Emmett was surprised by her attitude, but also amused, happy to be here to see me getting raked over the coals by my own little girl. He was—for once—speechless.
"Now just who do you think you're talking to?" I raised my voice and stepped closer.
Bella sighed heavily and came to stand between us, intent on being our mediator. "You two are really wrecking this. Okay, Nessie, you need to say you're sorry." She looked hard at our daughter when she hesitated, protest evident in Nessie's eyes.
"Sorry, Daddy." She didn't mean it and in her haste almost called me Edward again.
"Now," Bella prompted, turning to me, "apologize."
I delayed. This was ridiculous; Renesmee wasn't sorry and neither was I. Bella nodded her head slowly, encouraging me to get on with the apology…authentic or not.
"I'm sorry if I was brusque with you. You're right. It's an old frustration. And I was taking it out on you. I am sorry," I muttered.
"Thank you for the heartfelt apologies," Bella said cynically. "All right, Renesmee Carlie Cullen. Your anger is understandable, but you absolutely may not talk to him like that. He is your father and you must treat him and his control-freakish ways with respect."
"Ha!" Nessie laughed. I frowned.
"Edward," my wife instructed again, "you need to give her a consequence for being disrespectful and intent to break your rule."
"Ohhh…" I wasn't sure what to say. I hadn't ever had to think up a punishment before.
"Well," Nessie suggested, "you said you would send me to my room…or give me a spanking." She was still acting cheeky.
This time, I was the one who was embarrassed. She wanted me to choose the spanking so she could be really angry and have physical proof of how unreasonable and "old" I was.
"Hand over your iPod and phone," I said resolutely, my palm held out for the confiscated items.
Nooo, she wailed in her thoughts. "For how long?" she asked pitifully, roughly shoving the devices into my hands.
"I don't know yet. I'm not grounding you. That wouldn't be fair to the boy," I explained, nodding my head in Jake's direction. I remembered Bella's father trying to keep me away from his daughter—needless to say, it didn't work.
Why won't he just spank me? she thought.
"Don't try me," I warned.
"Ugh!" she screamed and ran out of the room. Jake followed her…like a devoted puppy.
I looked at Bella, who rolled her eyes. I wasn't sure if that was about our daughter's dramatic exit…or if she was annoyed at me. Probably the latter.
Nessie confused me. Who wanted a spanking anyway? Well, Bella liked to be smacked, but that was for other reasons. I couldn't figure why Nessie was trying to bait me…just to be angry about it.
I will never understand girls.
Author's note 2: If anybody's interested, I've written another short story that sort of explains Bella's kinky fetish. Let me know, and I'll post it, too. Thanks again!