"Why isn't Alice back yet?" Esme whispered uneasily, quickly, in vain hope that Jasper wouldn't hear her. He swallowed, his eyes closing briefly, but gave no other indication that he had heard, no other indication that he too was worried about Alice's absence. "It isn't like her to be gone this long." Esme fretted.
Jasper turned to smile reassuringly at my wife. "Alice can take care of herself, Esme. She'll be alright." There was something in his eyes, however, something odd.
Esme relaxed, though I was almost certain Jasper was not using his gift. "I'm sure you're right, Jasper. I don't mean to worry you."
"You're fine, Esme." He said, his voice calm, even. He turned back to watch the game with Emmett.
Edward frowned at Jasper, but he didn't seem to notice. What is it? I thought to him. He didn't speak, but instead got up and went outside. I stood and followed a few seconds later.
Out of hearing distance, Edward stopped walking and wheeled about. "He's completely focused on that game." He said, and I could hear the frustration in his voice. I could see it in his face. Jasper didn't really find football at all interesting. It was just something to do with Emmett. For him to pay much attention to the game at all was unusual.
"Do you think he's worried, then?" I asked. Edward frowned as he shook his head.
"He's keeping something from us." He declared. "I thought I caught something about a letter, but it was gone so fast, and all that was left was a recitation of Jabberwocky from Alice in Wonderland."
"Jabberwocky?" I repeated thoughtfully. It was the poem Alice would, from time to time, demand he recite for her, and he would do so, standing straight and tall and looking solemn as could be, save for the gleam in his eyes as he uttered each word of nonsense for her.
And she would watch him, entranced, with a smile on her face and her eyes beaming with delight. She wouldn't move, or breathe, not in the slightest, until he was finished.
"Are you going to ask him?" Edward demanded, breaking into my thoughts. I shook my head. If he were keeping something, I did not want to force him to lie to us.
"Give him his privacy, Edward." I said softly, worried for my son. "He will tell us when the time comes."
Edward was not convinced, nor did he agree with me, but he accepted my decision.
I only hoped I had made the right one.
Disclaimer: I own not any part of the Twilight Saga whatsoever, nor do I own anything else you may recognize, or not recognize.
