I'm praying for the victims and families of the Newtown Connecticut shooting.
Alice had dragged Mom shopping, so Dad and I were spending the day together. We were lounging outside. I was reading a book that Emily had given me.
"Daddy?" I asked.
"Yes, love?" he answers.
"What's going to happen when I get married?" I asked. I set my book down in the soft grass.
"What do you mean, honey?" he asked a bit startled.
Today was just one of those days that my mind couldn't stop racing. I was thinking about the future when I had kids. Would the Volturi want to check on them too? Would I ever be completely out of the woods with them? Would my husband and I live here with the rest of the family, or would we (preferably) have our own home? Would I be married to Jacob? That one was weird to think about.
"When I get married and move out, what's going to happen? Are you guys going to leave? I know you can't stay here forever."
"Renesmee, what brought this on, you still have a long time before you need to even think about moving out," he asked looking at me as if I had announced I was getting married tomorrow.
"When I went to go visit Emily the other day, she gave me this book. It's full of quotes, not just from famous philosophers, but also from pop culture. It's separated into different sections. The one I'm reading now is all about girls."
He looked at me funny, "Sorry, but I'm still not following."
"Listen to this quote," I flipped open to a yellowed page and began reading. "What are little girls made of? They're made of ribbons and butterfly kisses and wonder at Christmas and birthday wishes and a heap of giggles and wiggles and love; these are the things little girls are made of."
"That made you think of when you move out?"
"This quote is directly after it, 'Today, my baby, went from a little girl, to a little lady.'"
"What do you think they're trying to say?" He questioned. I knew he was frustrated because my mind was closed off right now.
"I think they're talking about marriage. Maybe not specifically marriage. I guess, just growing up in general. Marriage is just the first thing that comes to my mind."
"Well, eventually we will have to move. You're correct on that. I'm not sure if they're talking about marriage though. That's not what makes a little girl grow into a young woman. Not to me at least."
"Oh, well, what does it mean to you?" I asked.
"Speaking from personal experience, it means seeing you grow up over the years. How you've become more and more independent." I smiled at him. My dad was such a softy.
"Nessie!" Jacobs voice boomed. I jumped up and brushed off my shorts. I skipped to the sliding glass door and turned around, "I love you, Daddy."
"I love you too," he smiled.
