We sprinted headlong out of the door and into the thick, dense woods, Renesmee in the middle, holding both of our hands. My dress was whipping out behind me, so I had to take extra care as to not rip it. We came to the stream and I quickly whisked Renesmee onto my back and leapt harder and further than usual. From there, Edward and I held hands as we ran the short distance back to the Cullen's house.
As we walked in through the door, we were greeted by an air of exuberance and joy. The reason? It was Carlisle's 365th Birthday as a vampire. Alice had been given the perfect opportunity to reuse her graduation decorations. As well as the lights and the bows, there were blue balloons tied to the bows also.
Alice skipped into the room and pulled me and Edward by the hand into the kitchen. This was where all the rest of my family were placed. Rosalie and Emmett were stood with Jasper in the corner by the table. Esme and Carlisle were opposite them. Jacob and his little pack, Leah and Seth were slouched against the wall next to Carlisle and Esme. Leah had that look of shiftiness about her as she always had when surrounded by vampires. I walked over to Carlisle and embraced him. Esme, Rose and the boys came next. Renesmee was still planted on my back so i picked her up, kissed her forehead and breathed in her beautiful scent, then gave her to Rose.
"Happy birthday Carlisle." Edward and I said in union.
"Thank you very much." Carlisle replied with a smile.
"Carlisle, open your presents!" an impatient Alice trilled. I knew what Edward, Renesmee and I had got him. I was looking over the internet for something for him, when my eyes lingered on a book about all the doctors in the world, the great and the poor; the infamous and the unknown. I had checked through all of Carlisle's books and found that he hadn't yet got this volume. I had showed Edward and we both had agreed that this would be perfect for him. So I had ordered it and when it had arrived I wrapped it up and gave it to Alice for safekeeping.
"Will he like it?" I had queried.
"Yes, he will love it." She had said.
"Open ours first." Alice pushed.
"Okay okay." Carlisle chuckled. He picked up an oblong object. It was quite large and flat. He peeled the wrapping paper off and gasped in amusement and surprise.
"What is it, Carlisle?" asked Renesmee in curiosity.
"It's a beautiful picture of all of us, including Jacob, Seth and Leah.
I remembered Alice pestering us about having a picture taken. We were all puzzled but didn't ask because we would have had our heads bitten off by Alice. I remember Jake commanding Leah to smile, and she just about managed a small grimace.
"Can I see?" piped up Renesmee.
"Of course." Carlisle handed her the frame. She admired it for a moment then stood up and glided over to the wall.
"Put it here." Renesmee pointed to the middle of the bare wall.
"Good choice Nessie." Alice said. "That's where I thought it could be placed. Oh and Carlisle, that was from Jazz, Em, Rose and Me." Alice moved to where Renesmee was stood and picked her up and gave her a piggyback back to where we were all positioned, smiling at Renesmee's brazenness.
"Thank you, all of you, it's fantastic."
"Mine next" said Esme. She handed Carlisle a long, slender box which wasn't wrapped. Carlisle lifted the lid off to reveal a beautiful chain with the letters E and C interlocked together. Carlisle beamed and pulled Esme into a crushing bear hug. Next he picked up the larger gift, from us. He swiftly unwrapped it and looked at the cover of the book. Then he flipped it over and read the blurb. Then his eyes lit up and a grin plastered his face once again.
"Thank you!" He exclaimed. "I was wanting this!"