Spring break finally arrived. Even though preschool on the rez was a half day, it was disruptive. Renesmee and Leah took turns by the week picking the children up. Today it was Leah's turn, and she pulled into the Blacks' driveway. "Okay, everybody out! We're having a short visit." The children knew that was code for 'I have to use their bathroom,' but Amber and Jimmy headed for the backyard. .
"Aunt Leah?" Jenny lingered by the car. "Where's your new baby? Daddy said you were going to get a baby."
Leah patted her baby bump. "The baby is in here, Jen. Do you want to touch?"
Jenny's eyes widened and she backed away. "No. It's okay." She turned and ran to catch up with the others, and Leah eased herself out of the car. She really had to pee.
"Stay and have a cup of herbal tea, Leah The kids are having fun, and my little ones are napping." Renesmee put the kettle on.
"Sure. Thanks." Leah eased herself into a chair. "We're starting to relax a little, now that the baby is moving around. It's hard to know when she's due though. Amber was fully mature at 24 weeks. Bless our wolfy genes!"
After pouring hot water in Leah's teacup, Renesmee refilled her coffee mug. "I have to admit I'm a little jealous," she said as she took a seat opposite Leah. "It must be amazing to feel that little one moving around inside you."
"I'm sorry, Ness. I didn't mean to gloat…"
"Of course you didn't! I know you better than that." She shrugged. "It's not a big deal. I couldn't love my children any more if I'd given birth to them." She frowned. "Wait a minute - did you say SHE?"
"Yep. Had my ultrasound today, and Carlisle says it's definitely a girl. She can wear Amber's hand-me-downs. We honestly didn't care either way - just so she's healthy. We'd almost given up. We started having sex just for fun."
"Nothing wrong with that!" Renesmee smiled.
"Nessie." Leah cleared her throat. "There's something I've been wanting to discuss with you."
"Sounds serious," Renesmee said, setting her mug on the table.
"It is," Leah acknowledged, playing with her tea bag. She was studiously not looking at her friend. "It's just...Embry did one of those kits. You know, a DNA test." The clock ticked loudly in the silence.
"Oh. And?" Renesmee knew Embry had never known who his father was, though it had to be a member of the Quileute hierarchy since he had phased into a wolf as a teenager. Leah had teased him unmercifully once upon a time, but the subject had been dropped for years now. The contenders were pretty much narrowed down to Billy Black, Quil Ateara IV, or Joshua Uley, since they all had sons who had phased. Of course, the possibility existed that Embry was an only child, or an only son.
"He's waiting for the results," Leah said. "It could be a waste of time, since his father may not be in the database."
Renesmee placed her cool hand on Leah's and spoke softly, though there was no one else in the room. "If it's Billy, it would kill Jake," she said gently. "And as tribal chiefs, they're both in the database."
"That's why I thought you should know, Ness. I'll tell you as soon as I hear anything. In any case, Embry knows he likely has a brother who's been a lifelong friend. I won't ask you not to tell Jake. It's up to you."
"I see no need to worry him at this point, Leah, but thanks for understanding. We never keep secrets from one another, but in this case I just don't want to cause him pain. We'll wait and see."
"I guess it would be nice to know, once and for all. I can't imagine being in Embry's shoes." Leah gave her friend's hand a squeeze. "I guess we should get going. Dinner's not going to cook itself."
Renesmee looked up. "Why don't you stay? We're barbecuing, and you know we always have plenty. I just have to make potato salad and deviled eggs."
Leah brightened. "Deal! And I can help. My deviled eggs are legendary." She grinned and waddled over to the sink to rinse her cup and wash her hands. "I'll just text Embry to come here after work."
Jacob came home on time and showered while the children played, then went outside to start the oversized grill. Renesmee brought out a huge platter of burgers and hot dogs. She gave him a peck on the cheek. "We made potato salad and deviled eggs - Leah's specialty. Let me know when you want them."
"Jenny! Jimmy! I need you for a few minutes." The twins trudged dutifully into the house, followed by Amber. "Are you volunteering to help, Amber? You're a guest, you know, so you don't have to."
Amber smiled. "I'll help too. What can I do?"
Renesmee handed each of the children a bundle to take outside to the picnic table - rolls, napkins, condiments, paper plates, plastic flatware, and a tablecloth. They arranged the cloth quickly, depositing the rest of the picnic things on the table and running back to the swings.
Leah looked at Renesmee. "Is Jenny okay? She's not wearing her usual smile, and she won't look at me."
Ness shook her head. "I don't know. She does seem a little 'off.'" I'll make it a point to have a talk with her later. Probably kid stuff." She picked up the heavy bowl of potato salad and a couple of serving spoons. "I'll come back for the eggs."
"Good grief, Ness! I'm pregnant, not sick!" Leah hefted the plastic containers and followed her outside.
The twins normally had good appetites, but Nessie noticed that Jenny picked at her food. She stole an occasional glance at Leah, and she just wasn't herself. Mei sat in her booster seat and speared hot dog slices with her chopsticks.
When their guests had left, Jacob herded the children into the living room for a game of Chutes and Ladders, He lay on the floor and helped Mei move her pieces while Ness and Jenny finished loading the dishwasher. Sitting on a kitchen chair, Ness drew Jenny onto her lap. "Is something bothering you, Honey? Maybe I can help."
Jenny's eyes brimmed with tears. She shook her head. "It's too awful, Mommy."
Nessie held her close. "There's nothing you can't share with me, Jenny. Nothing's too awful, nothing's too silly, nothing's too sad. I'll bet I can help if you tell me what's bothering you."
"It's just…" her little body was wracked with a sob. "It's Aunt Leah's baby!" Fat tears ran down her cheeks. She wiped at them with chubby hands and whispered, "She ate her baby! She told me the baby is in her tummy!"
Renesmee hugged her daughter tightly. "Oh my dear sweet baby!" she cooed. "Aunt Leah's baby is just fine! That's where babies grow, Sweetheart!"
Jenny looked up at her. "But Clarence didn't grow in your tummy, Mommy. You got him on Grandpa's airplane. Did I grow in your tummy?"
Choosing her words carefully, Renesmee sighed. "You know you and Jimmy have another Mommy in heaven, right?"" The child nodded. Everybody knew that. It was one of their family stories. "Well, you both grew in her tummy. Then, when she went to heaven, Daddy and I adopted you - and now I'm your mommy." How she wished Jake were here to help with this. It was so hard, deciding how much truth a four-year-old could handle. Now, if only she wouldn't ask…
"But how did the baby get in her tummy?" There it was. Terrific.
"It takes a bit of magic, Honey. Ladies have tiny eggs in their stomach. And when you're married, the daddy puts a seed in and sometimes they grow into a baby. Does that make sense?"
Jenny was shaking her head. "That's silly, Mommy." Nessie handed her a tissue, and she wiped her nose and dried her tears. At least she was calmer. Personally, Renesmee thought the possibility that Leah had eaten her baby was even sillier but she kept that to herself.
"You don't have to get it, Sweetheart. You can learn all about it when you're older. For right now, you just need to know that Aunt Leah's baby is fine and happy, growing safely inside her tummy. And I know a secret. Want to hear it?"
Jenny nodded eagerly.
"Aunt Leah's baby is a girl! Amber is going to have a baby sister!"
Jenny's face lit up. "Like my Mei?" She clapped her hands. "Does Amber know?"
Nessie smiled. "Yes. She just found out today, so it's not really a secret. Do you want to go play Chutes and Ladders?"
"Okay." She hopped down. "Are you coming too?"
Renesmee marveled at her daughter's adaptability. "I have a few things to do first. You go ahead." She heard Jacob react when Jenny walked into the family room.
"Let's start a new game so Jen can play!"
"How do I love thee, Jacob Black?" she thought. "Let me count the ways."
She told Jacob about the strange conversation while they folded laundry after the kids were in bed. "Nessie, where ON EARTH would she get such an idea?"
Rolling a pair of socks, she tossed them on Jimmy's pile, between them on the couch. "Think about it, Jake. Look at it from her point of view. None of our babies arrived in the traditional way. It's possible Jenny has never even seen a pregnant woman. And it's not something we felt we had to discuss with them at four years old."
He groaned. "I'll do some research, Ness. See what else we might have been missing. This parenting thing isn't as easy as it looks." He grinned at her ruefully. "Have I mentioned that I love you?"
"Maybe, but I never get tired of hearing it." She leaned over the stack of little boy clothes and kissed him. "I'm glad we have each other. This job is not for wimps."
A/N: Leah's secret ingredient in her deviled eggs is a bit of horseradish.
