Stranger in a Strange Land
Disclaimer: All the characters in the story are the property of Stephanie Meyer. I have borrowed them for my entertainment and (hopefully) your reading pleasure. I make no profit from their use.
Chapter 7: My New Life Story
When we return from our visit to the new house, Momma makes me dinner. One of the things that I love about my Momma is that no matter what she is doing, if I am hungry, she will always stop and make me human food. She told me once that it because of her years of practice cooking for Grandpa Charlie and her mother Renee. That's why she is glad that Grandpa has Sue now to take care of him. She won't let him starve.
She is going hunting later with Alice and Auntie Rose, but I don't feel like hunting. Sometimes it's just easier to eat human food. Besides, they are having what they call a "girls' night out." I am not entirely sure of what that is, but I think that it may have something to do with talking about their men. After I'm done, Carlisle calls us together.
"We need to talk about the back story that we are going to tell everyone about the family," he says seriously. "We've been out telling people things already. From what I can tell, the people here in Whitehorse are going to be more curious about us than usual, not to mention friendlier. That means that we need to be consistent in what we tell people."
"So far what have you told everyone, Carlisle?" asks Esme. "You've had the most contact with the humans in town."
"It's the usual thing," he replies. "We have seven children. Four of them, Alice, Emmett, Edward, and Renesmee are adopted. Edward and Renesmee are biological brother and sister, only two years apart in age. Remember that you two! We also have three foster children, the twins Jasper and Rosalie Hale, and our most recent addition, Bella Swan."
"How old are we?" Esme asks.
"We are both thirty," he says. "Our first adopted children were Edward and Renesmee because we couldn't have children of our own. That was seven years ago while I was in med school. You were working from home as an interior designer. Then we adopted Alice and Emmett two years later, but they are not related. Jasper and Rosalie joined us three years ago at the age of twelve and Bella two years ago, also at the age of twelve."
"I'll contact Jenks right away and get the documents," says Jasper. "They should be ready before we go to school."
"That's a good idea," says Carlisle. "The high school didn't make a big deal over transcripts and identification, but Mrs. Miller was more scrupulous."
"She bought the ones I forged easily enough," said Jasper. "But we will need to update the immunizations. They have to have by law here."
"Where was everyone adopted?" asks Esme.
"I think that we should stick with the usual places," says Carlisle. "We will say that Renesmee and Edward came from Chicago, Alice and Emmett were adopted in Tennessee, and then we added the other three in Alaska."
"Wow!" says Momma. "You think of everything."
"Almost, says Daddy. "I was a little too 'parental,' shall we say, with Mrs. Miller. Esme said that I had been very insistent on caring for my little sister from a very young age. I think that we both forgot that I would have been four that we were orphaned, at the time based on what you told her when you first contacted her."
"We did," admits Esme. "And she noticed, but we covered it well. And I was able to fudge the dates by saying that there were lots of people who wanted to adopt the little girl, but not the boy as well. And we also have to be careful of our own ages at the time of the adoptions. We cannot have started adopting at the age of eighteen. That means that we cannot have adopted any of you too young."
"We've been here before," says Carlisle. "Most people don't think too hard about the story."
"I don't know," says Auntie Rose. "Tabitha and Lily made quite a fuss about what special people you are for adopting so many children out of the goodness of your heart."
"They always say that," says Emmett. "Of course now there are seven of us. But still, maybe some other family will move to town and they will lose interest."
"That's very possible," says Daddy. "And you know once school starts up there will be plenty of other things to keep people occupied. Right now, there just isn't that much going on. But I don't see how you will lose your sainthood credentials any time soon. People have always thought that wherever we've gone. At least once they get used to it, all the commentary stops."
"So how did we all lose our parents?" asks Alice. "That's the kind of morbid question that humans like to ask. Bella, we don't have to say too much. If you put a very sad expression on your face when you tell them they won't ask too many details."
"What if they are rude and want more information?" she asks.
"Make like you are going to tear up and say that you can't talk about it," answers Auntie Rose. "Someone will usually tell them to bug off."
"I want the same the same background that I had the last time," says Emmett. "My parents were cooking meth in the house. And when the police busted them, the state took me away because they were using me to deliver the stuff."
"Figures you like that dramatic story," says Alice rolling her eyes. "I'll go with the plane crash. It's boring, but that's better. No one asks too many questions."
"I never heard about that in Forks," says Momma.
"That's because the kids and Forks were scared of us right from the start," answers Emmett. "Some of them asked a few questions, but it never got very far."
"That's because they asked Alice and I first and our stories were too boring. Usually, my parents died in a car crash," says Edward. "I guess this time I will be too young to remember them. And certainly Renesmee will."
"Jasper and I are foster kids from Alaska this time," says Auntie Rose. "How do people die in Alaska? Eaten by a polar bear?"
"Nothing too outrageous that might have made the news," warns Carlisle. "We can pull out the old army vet story about your father's PTSD and suicide. Your Mom ran out on you all before that, and you were traumatized by the whole thing. It's good because it explains why Jasper walks around like he's in pain and you are so self-absorbed. And there is an army base close to Fairbanks."
"What about me?" Momma asks. "I guess that my story only goes back two years."
"I vote for the unwed mother in jail for selling drugs," says Daddy. "Especially since you are a foster child. You were abused by her, and that's why you are so shy. Alice is going to be your best friend anyway, so you can let her do the talking."
"That's a smart idea," says Alice. "At least until she gets better with the whole human acting thing. Everyone knows what a terrible actress she is. Maybe she should act withdrawn."
"Not unless you want me to spend lots of time in the guidance office," says Momma. "I think that less is more and I should just be shy. Besides, two of you are already traumatized."
"Can we pull off putting the two of us in the same classes?" Alice asks.
"We already have," replies Carlisle. "I told them something along the lines of Bella still needs support from her bad experiences, which I left unmentioned by the way. I've also used the Edward as protector motif to explain why he tends to hover over her.
"It will help make things easier, if we keep these things in character. Edward is protective of both her and Renesmee because he is such a kind and thoughtful kid, end of story."
"Don't look so nervous Bella," says Jasper. "We go through this every time. Some of us, like Emmett, want elaborate background stories. The rest of us just want to say as little as possible. And don't worry about what people are thinking. That is what we have Edward for."
"Kids, there's something else that we need to discuss," says Esme seriously. "Speaking of what people are thinking."
"What?" Emmett asks.
"You have to cool it with the PDAs* for at least a year," she says. "Since we know that people will be watching more closely than ever, we don't need any rumors that Carlisle and I are running a dating service, or worse. Things got a little heavy there in Forks for a while."
"Thanks to Jessica Stanley's big mouth," grumbles Daddy.
"It doesn't matter who starts it," says Carlisle sternly. "You are only fourteen and fifteen years old, at least to the humans. No one needs to guess that you are all much older and married. But that's not what they guess anyway. Remember Vermont?"
There is silence around the table and Emmett and Auntie Rose look at each other guiltily.
"I know," says Jasper. "If we don't play it right, we have to move again and we all like it here."
"I think that we can handle it," says Auntie Rose as she looks at Emmett. "After all, we don't sleep."
They all laugh about something, but I am not exactly sure of what. I have a feeling that it has something to do with the alone time that I don't know anything about. But I don't have the nerve to ask.
"Do we need to discuss anything else now?" asks Jasper.
"No," says Carlisle. "I think that we are good for now. I suggest that we stay out of the public eye for a while. I will be going to work at the hospital everyday, but I am sure that you all can find something to do around here. I will also be signing the papers for the house in two days. Once that is done, there will be plenty to keep you all busy. Can you keep out of trouble until then?"
"Sure, Dad," laughs Emmett. "Hey! Anyone want to go hunting tomorrow?"
"Sounds like a plan," says Jasper.
"I think that Bella and I will stay behind this time," says Daddy.
"Got some catching up to do, bro?" asks Emmett.
"Maybe," answers Daddy with a smile.
But Momma glares at him and shakes her head. Uh, oh, I think, alone time again. Momma doesn't like it when Emmett teases her about that.
"Come on, girls!" says Auntie Rose. "Time for a little female bonding time. Do you want to come, Esme?
"No, I think that I'll stay back and keep Renesmee company," she says.
"Okay," she says. "See you later boys!"
On the way out the door, she smacks Emmett on the rear end. The men all laugh and Daddy punches him in the arm. Carlisle smiles and picks up a local newspaper to read. The men go over to the other condo to watch European football.
"What would you like to do?" Esme asks me.
I shrug my shoulders. I really don't know what I want to do. It's one of those times when it stinks being the only kid in the house. But Esme puts her arm around me and takes me over to my room and closes the door. We sit down on my bed together, and I know that we are going to have one of our talks. We usually have them when I am confused about something and Momma doesn't want to discuss it with me because she is too embarrassed.
"Do you have something that you want to talk about, honey?" she asks kindly.
I nod, but I don't know what to say.
"I'm not like your Daddy," Esme comments. "I can't read your thoughts. I'm afraid that you are going to have to say the words out loud. Unless you want to show me what you want to talk about."
I put my hands behind my back. I don't have any pictures for what I want to know. I swallow hard.
"Alone time," I whisper.
Esme's eyebrows shoot up.
"What do you mean, alone time?" she asks carefully, even though she probably knows already.
"I mean," I say softly. "I want to know what it is."
"What do you think that it is?"
I know that I am turning pink now. I just don't know how to say it.
"Does it have anything to do with the way that humans make babies?" I ask looking down at my hands.
Esme is quiet for a long time. Finally, she speaks.
"I know that we taught you a few years ago how humans make babies," she finally says. "And we told you that it was a very special thing that only two people who were married did."
"Yes, I know," I say. "But I guess my question is, do vampires do it too?"
I am not able to describe the look that comes on her face, but I have never seen anyone look like that before. She looks embarrassed, amused, thoughtful, and confused all at the same time. Finally she thinks of something to say.
"Why do you want to know?"
"Well," I explain. "You see, everyone is always talking about alone time. And alone time isn't really alone. It's something that you share with your mate. You lock the door and you stay closed up for hours and hours. And then when you come out, you both look very happy.
"It seems like it's the same thing that humans do to make babies, because that what it seems like in the books and movies with love stories. But I'm confused because why would vampires do that if they can't make babies?"
When I am done, I take a deep breath and wait for my answer.
"Maybe this is something that you should talk about with your Momma," she suggests.
"Please don't make me have to explain that all over again," I beg her. "You're my Mom here in Whitehorse, why can't you tell me?"
Now she gets a funny look on her face.
"Let's just say that I never thought that I would ever be having this kind of conversation with a daughter, real or pretend," she says. "But you're right. I won't make you go through your whole question again. And the answer is this. Yes, vampires do the same thing that humans do to make babies."
She looks like she is hoping that the discussion will end here. But I have another question.
"Why would you do that if you can't make a baby?" I ask.
"Renesmee," she says gently. "There's a reason why we call it lovemaking. Yes, it's the way that humans make babies. But it's also something that two people share when they love each other very, very much. And it's, well, very pleasurable for both.
"And not all humans do it to make babies. In fact in health class this year, you are going to learn about birth control and the different methods that humans use so that they can make love without making babies."
"Okay, that makes sense now," I say. "I guess vampires are lucky that they don't have to use birth control."
Then she looks sad.
"Renesmee, that is something that you should never say again, especially in front of your Auntie Rose," she says. "You see before you came along, your Auntie Rose was very sad that she could never have a baby. That's why she fought so hard to help your Momma have you. When everyone else didn't know what you were, she always believed that you were nothing but a sweet little baby."
"But Daddy knew when he heard my mind," I say. "He told me so. He said that when he heard that I loved my Momma and the sound of her voice that he didn't think that I was a monster anymore."
"But before that it was Rosalie who really believed in you, just like your Momma," she says. "I believed too, or rather I hoped. You see I died in my human life because I had lost my own little baby. And so I tried to kill myself."
"But Carlisle found you and changed you before you died," I say. "I know that story. But were you sad too because you couldn't have a vampire baby, like Auntie Rose?"
"Yes, we were both sad," she explains. "But when your Momma came back pregnant from her honeymoon we did everything that we could to make sure that you were born safely. If it wasn't for your Auntie Rose, you might not have survived at all, or your Momma might have died."
"What do you mean?" I ask, now feeling confused.
"After you were born, your Daddy couldn't take care of you and save your Momma at the same time," she explains. "Rosalie tried to help him with the delivery, but her thirst was too great and there was too much blood. Alice had to get her out if the room before the feeding frenzy started.
"But when your Momma's heart had stopped beating right after you were born and your Daddy had to get the venom into her or she would die. So Rosalie came and took you away so that he didn't have to choose. It was very hard for her to do, but after everything that we had been through, she didn't want either if you to die."
"I remember that," I say. "I remember that I cried because they took me away from my Momma. There was a lot of shouting. But Jacob saved Momma and me, not Auntie Rose. He made sure that Daddy didn't have to choose."
Esme looks like she is in terrible pain all of the sudden. Her face looks very, very upset, like she said something that she wasn't supposed to.
"Mom," I say. "What's wrong? Jacob said that he saved us both."
Then she gets up and in a flash she is out the door. Before I have time to think of it, she and Carlisle are back.
"Renesmee," says Carlisle in his comforting voice. "You need to know the truth about something."
"What is it?" I ask, suddenly feeling sad.
Esme may sits down behind me and wraps me in her cool arms, while Carlisle looks at me with his beautiful, amber-colored eyes.
"Jacob did not always feel the same way about you as he does now," he says kindly. "We didn't want to tell you, because we didn't want you to change your feelings for him. But for a while now, I have thought that you needed to know the truth about what Rosalie did for you."
"My feelings about Jacob won't change," I say slowly. "Why would they?"
"Jacob hated you when your mother was pregnant with you," he says. "He thought that you were a monster who was going to kill her. Even after your Daddy first heard your thoughts, he still hated you.
"After you were born, when Edward asked him to hold you so that he could save Bella, he told him to throw you out the window. He was very upset because he thought that you had killed your Momma. In fairness, he probably didn't even realize what he was saying."
"That's a lie," I whisper hoarsely. "My Jacob would never say that."
"He did," says Carlisle. "Both Edward and Rosalie told us. They hadn't even told your Momma until recently. But if Rosalie hadn't come to take you, then perhaps neither of you would have made it."
"Why didn't they tell me?" I ask.
"Jacob imprinted right after that," he replies. "And even when you were a baby, you responded to him. They didn't want to hurt you. Esme didn't mean to tell you now, but it slipped out when you were talking about babies. She was not trying to say anything bad about Jacob. But she just wanted you to know how much Rosalie loves you. This is not about him. It is about her."
"But I also think that you need to know that you are incredibly special to both Esme and Rosalie, more special than you can imagine. Your Momma has always generously shared you with them because she knows how hard they worked to make sure that you would live. And for them, you have filled an empty space in their lives that they never thought would be filled."
"But what about Jacob?" I ask.
"I don't know what to tell you," he says. "Jacob has very powerful feelings of love and protectiveness for you. They have not changed because we told you this. But he did not imprint until after Rosalie had saved you. And that is the truth. It is something that you need to know as you look forward to the future."
"I always wondered why Auntie Rose never really liked Jacob," I say slowly. "I thought that she was just jealous. Maybe she was, but she loved me first. She saved my Momma and me. She knew what Jacob said, but she never told me, even when she was most mad at Jacob. Why didn't she tell me?"
"She didn't want to cause you any pain," he says again. "None of us really understand the whole imprinting thing. We didn't want to do anything that could threaten your happiness. I'm not even sure now that it was the right thing to tell you the truth."
"It was the right thing," I say. "I needed to know. I need to know. I'm glad that I didn't stay behind in La Push like Jacob wanted. I love my family and how happy we all are together now. And I like laughing and meeting more humans and going to school. Jacob always told me that it would be too dangerous to be away from him. He said that he could protect me better than anyone."
"Based on his genes and cultural background," says Carlisle. "He truly believes that. The nature of imprinting is such that his whole world revolves around you."
"If that's true than why isn't he here?" I ask stubbornly. "I keep waiting for him to come and he doesn't. He doesn't even call to ask how I am, does he?"
"No," says Carlisle reluctantly. "He hasn't even done that."
"And I don't believe the whole protecting thing anymore," I say. "I haven't seen him in six days and nothing has happened to me. And I'm happier than I was before. And I never want to leave my family. I love you all so much."
But even as I say the words, I start to cry. It feels like everything that Jacob ever told me is a lie. But in my heart, I am hurting because he is staying away. Maybe he doesn't care if I am safe anymore. Esme holds me in her arms and Carlisle holds us both. And I feel as safe as any little girl could feel with her grandparents to take care of her. Who needs an old wolf anyway?
*PDA = Public Display of Affection
