Bells of White

When Jacob and I got to the wedding, we were one of the last people there. I was surprised when I saw Aida there. She was sitting next to her mom, and whom I was assuming her dad. This would be the first time I ever met her dad. All I knew was, evidently, he was having a long going affair with the mother of the bride. Jacob and I took a seat next to them and the ceremony started shortly after we took out seats. Momma and daddy were sitting with Angela and Ben. The others were sitting in the row behind them. I knew a handful of people that were there, others I knew from pictures in my parent's year book. I recognized Lauren in an instant. She was the only person, aside from Angela, that I'd ever met in person and I'd met her when I was with Jacob at a grocery store and she'd sneered at me when she knew I was Bella's daughter. I didn't need to know her to not be very fond of her.

When the music started, everyone looked towards the back and watched Jessica walk down the aisle with a smile on her face looking at Mike. Mike was looking at her to, though I noticed he'd been glancing at momma on and off while he was waiting. I didn't know much about the story between momma and Mike and it wasn't enough of my business for me to care. When Jessica reached Mike, the priest started the ceremony and told them everything there was to being husband and wife. Jacob took a hold of my hand during the ceremony and we held hands the whole time. His thumb would caress my thumb and knuckles tenderly and I would see dad get a weird look on his face. It wasn't angry or sad or upset of any kind. But it wasn't necessarily happy either. It was a Protestant wedding, so it went by pretty quickly. When they said I do and kissed, we all clapped and they smiled as they walked back down the aisle together. The family stayed for pictures and Jessica begged momma and daddy to be in a picture with her and Mike when she saw them. Momma was reluctant, but Jessica was subtly not taking no as an answer.

Afterwards, we left and started driving to Port Angeles where Mike and Jessica's reception was being held. As we were driving, Jacob looked a little starry eyed and had that same little smile on his face that he'd gotten when we were talking on the way to the wedding. I hadn't asked him about it after he'd promised it was nothing, but I knew Jacob well enough to know he was lying to me. And I knew daddy well enough to know when he did or didn't like something Jacob was thinking. But I wasn't sure what daddy thought about it. That was the problem. When we got to the restaurant, I was a little surprised by it. I figured Jessica was a little flashy by nature, but I never thought she would go to the trouble of getting a reservation at The Grill. It was a newer restaurant in the area, but it was a really good place where it was hard to get a reservation.

"Wow." I looked at Jacob and smiled at the surprised look on their face.

"Have you ever been here?" Jacob shook his head.

"Nope. Even if I wanted to, I hear there's currently a month long waiting list for this place." I giggled.

"Who told you that?"

"Amanda did. Evidently, she's dating someone who works here and she got in without a reservation." I shrugged.

"When you're free, everything else is too, I guess." Jacob chuckled a little and kissed my forehead.

"All I can say is the food better have diamonds in it if people have to wait so long to get to eat here." I smiled and kissed Jacob's cheek.

"I wouldn't bank on it." We kissed and smiled at each other a little longer before he took my hand and we walked together into the restaurant. We were one of the first people at the reception seeing as we were the faster drivers. My family was already there sitting with glasses filled with something they wouldn't be drinking.

Emmett and Rosalie were holding Valerie and Ryan close to them. I could never get used to how cute they looked. It was all the cuter to look at Ryan and instantly know that he hated wearing the little tuxedo and couldn't wait to rip it off and roll around in mud just to make Rosalie mad. The thought made me and daddy both laugh. Valerie was a little more accustomed to being dressed up and looked far more comfortable than her brother. She'd been playing with her hair through most of the wedding and wasn't doing much more than that right now. She would rest her head on Emmett's shoulder and just twirl her hair around looking bored.

Jacob was nice enough to drink my root beer for me along with the Corona he ordered. I only needed to smell it to know I wouldn't like it. Jacob was, again, nice enough to not kiss me for a while when he was drinking that. The newlyweds and their parents were the next ones to get there. The other guests arrived in randomly dispersed groups. Aida immediately took a seat next to me when she finally got there. I was surprised to see Coralline there. I never thought this was something she would be made to go to. But Coralline sat next to Jacob and smiled at him politely before she started talking to the friend she'd brought with her. Another guy took a seat next to Aida that I could swear I'd seen before. He had fake black hair and dark brows with platinum blonde along his long bangs and he had snake eye lip piercings, a piercing on his left brow and both his cartilages were pierced. When I looked at his neck, I could see part of a large dragon tattoo that was covered by the suit he was very obviously reluctantly wearing. He also had red eyes. They weren't a vampire's red eyes. Only the eyes of a guy that needed glasses and was making the most of it by getting red colored contacts that purposely made him look gruesome. I finally remembered him, but it was from a while ago.

"Is this the guy that worked at the Spirit Halloween up here?" Aida nodded.

"Yep, this is him. Can you believe it's been almost two years?" I shook my head.

"I really can't. I never pictured you tolerating someone for that long." Jacob laughed a little when he heard that and Aida just stuck her tongue out at me. Then she looked at him and snapped her fingers in front of his face to get his attention. He was now looking at me, but in truth, the man looked a little out of it.

"Nessie, this is Zeppelin. Zeppelin, meet Nessie." He smiled a little.

"Hi." Then he looked away and ordered scotch on the rocks when the waiter got to him.

"He's a man of many words, Aida." She smirked and nodded her head.

"He just doesn't talk much. That's what I like about him."

"Aida." Aida paid closer attention to me when I said her name. "Is he drunk…..or high?" She shrugged.

"Just a dooby. Nothing serious." I nodded my head, having no clue was a dooby was. "A dooby is pot, Nessie." I nodded again.

"I see. Shouldn't he be laughing then?"

"Some people do. But pot makes him mellow."

"Clearly." Jacob was the one to speak next.

"Is Zeppelin his real name?" Aida nodded.

"Zeppelin Freidman. His parents were huge fans." Jacob shrugged and took a sip of his beer.

I looked back over at Rosalie and Emmett so I could be entertained by Ryan. His pout was so exaggerated that it was funny. We also recently found out he likes venison. It happened by accident, of course. Emmett had taken Ryan and Valerie hunting, Ryan caught a deer and he started drinking its blood, but then he started eating the meat. Emmett was grinning all the way back home. Evidently, venison had been something he really liked when he was human and he was happy his son inherited his taste. He even remembered his dad's recipe for venison sausage and made some for Ryan. He ate the whole plate in under ten minutes. Valerie, on the other hand, took one bite and never wanted to eat it again.

When all the guests were at the reception, the waiters started taking our orders. We were allowed to pick anything on the menu, so I picked something easy. I figured Jacob needed some greens anyway, so I ordered a salad to start. Jacob ordered the soup of the day and ate both with a smile on his face. No one appeared to notice. And even if they did, they would just assume he was a pig. I heard daddy chuckle a little when the thought crossed my mind. Then I ordered chicken, not wanting to go with anything too extravagant. Jacob did the same, knowing he was going to be eating most of my food anyway.

The whole dinner went by with most everyone talking to Mike and Jessica and wishing them luck and congratulations. I could tell that Jessica was in love with the attention she was getting from everyone. She seemed to shine from it. Momma and daddy primarily talked to Angela and Ben through the whole dinner. After dessert of brownie cake and French vanilla ice cream, it was time for Mike and Jessica to cute the cake. The cake was enormous. The whole thing was over three feet tall. And it was white with assorted colored flowers with a fabric design on the Fonda and a little bride and groom figurine on the top. There was a round of applause when they fed each other a bite of cake. Then the waiters gave everyone their own slice of cake. But, the cake had coconut, so Jacob wouldn't eat it. He tolerated a bite of mine, but no more than that.

"Why would they pick coconut for their wedding cake? It's gross."

"Some people like coconut."

"And I'm not one of them. I've always hated coconut." I smiled.

"How funny that Rachael doesn't." Jacob rolled his eyes.

"My sister's always been weird, so it's no surprise."

"Why is it that brothers and sisters are always so mean to each other?" Jacob shrugged.

"We just are. Some brothers and sisters are really close like Ryan and Valerie, and Armando and Octavia. But most of the world's brothers and sisters pester each other into insanity. That's what Rachael and Rebecca always did to me."

"Rachael doesn't do that to you."

"Yeah, because she 'matured', or something. Honestly, every time I would come home and say, 'guys, I got a B on my test', Rachael would say, 'Oh you got a B, well I have a license'." I rolled my eyes and giggled while Jacob took a hold of my hand and started rubbing my knuckles with his thumb again.

"That doesn't sound like Rachael, I have to say."

"You didn't grow up with Rachael." I sighed at him with a smile and looked over at Jessica and Mike when they had their first dance as husband and wife. I didn't recognize the song, but it was a pretty, slow song that almost made you fall in love with the first person you saw.

Jacob held my hand through the whole song as he had through most of the day. I saw all the members of my family cuddling to each other and holding hands. Emmett and Rosalie put Ryan and Valerie down so they could dance, though not very well, to the slow song while everyone took pictures of the happy couple and my two cousins dancing the disco, making themselves the real center of attention. Jacob and I got a good laugh out of watching those two. They stopped after about a minute of the song and let everyone concentrate on the bride and groom again. At the end of their first dance, we all clapped and another song came on that the guests were supposed to join in. To this day, I never understood why people did the chicken dance at weddings. I was relieved when my family didn't participate in the dance. Daddy smirked at me when I thought that, assuring me that it was something they'd never do. Especially not mom. Everyone remembered her as being a klutzy dancer, so dancing of any kind wasn't a good idea. Momma and daddy would have a slow dance or two, but that was about it.

While we waited for the chicken dance to be over, Jacob ordered himself a Pepsi and we talked a little while everyone danced. Aida would normally be talking to me, but she was more interested in Zeppelin at the moment. Then I saw momma and daddy get up from their chairs to share a slow dance together. Jacob noticed them too and looked at me with a sparkle in his eyes.

"You want to dance?" I smiled and listened to the beginning of the song. It was Breath You In, a song I was fond of.

"Sure."

JPOV

When I got Nessie to the floor, I held her close to me and just swayed. Even after all the grace I'd magically gotten from shape shifting, I still wasn't much of a dancer. Nessie tied her arms around my neck and tried to be close to me. Even in five in heels, she couldn't reach any further than my chin. She didn't seem to mind, though. She just held onto me and let me lead her, whether I could really dance or not. For most of the song, her head was rested on her little nook and I started humming to the song with my lips close to her ear. I wanted to be with Nessie for a while before Edward would drag me away to talk to me.

I knew he wanted to. While we were driving to the church talking, the weirdest thought came to his head. When Nessie and I were talking about us having kids, it sort of hit me how much I really wanted that. I still wanted her to go to college and make something worthwhile of herself. But I realized that I wasn't sure how long I could wait to be married to her. I could wait to have kids with Nessie, but I didn't want to wait to marry her. Even if she was going out of state for school, I wanted to marry her. I wanted her to be mine in every way there was.

And during the wedding, I even figured out how I would ask her. I would ask her at her graduation party. Knowing Alice, there was no way Nessie would get away with graduating without a huge party to celebrate. And I would ask her in private. Possibly while we were dancing together to a song or even just drag her to the kitchen and ask her there. However I went about it, I knew it would be the best day of my life. I knew Edward and Bella would want to talk this through before I actually asked her. Edward would probably give me a pep talk of some kind or tell me everything I better not do so as to avoid him killing me. After that little talk, the only thing that would be left would be to get a ring.

When the song was over, another song came on that was really odd for a wedding. It was a song by Lady Gaga. Nessie opened her eyes and looked at everyone with a weird face as they were dancing. I kept a firm hold of her hand and pulled her with me as those that wouldn't be dancing left the floor. When we were back to our seats, Aida patted Nessie's hand to get her attention and Nessie looked at her about to listen.

"Why in the hell would they play something by Lady Gaga for a wedding? All her songs are about sex."

"I know. I always thought of her as a guilty pleasures artist, but not something to play at a wedding."

"Jacob." I looked over my shoulder and saw Edward and Bella standing behind me. Bella looked like she was none the wiser about what I was thinking. Edward was the one that looked serous and like he wanted to talk about something important.

"Yeah, Edward, Bells?" Bella smiled nicely, then looked at Nessie and started adjusting her eye makeup. My guess was that there was stray eye stuff on her cheek or something.

"Do you mind if me and Bella talk to you a moment in private?" I nodded and Bella looked at Edward with a little concern, then at me with the same look.

"Sure. No problem." Edward smiled weakly, then took Bella and left to room. I figured they would be going outside. I looked at Nessie and gave her a quick kiss.

"What did you do?" I chuckled and shrugged.

"Just stuff." Aida gave me a suspicious look that sent a chill down my spine, but ignored us for the most part and talked to Zeppelin.

"Ah-huh. What kind of stuff?"

"I don't know, Nessie. Just stuff. I'll be back in a minute." Before she could say anymore, I kissed her lips and got up from my seat towards the door.

As I figured they would be, Edward and Bella was standing outside far away from anyone smoking waiting for me to get there. I saw Edward talking to Bella, then her eyes became a little bit stunned. I suppose he was telling her what we would be talking about before he just brought it up randomly. They looked up at me and I let myself out of the restaurant and started walking the rest of the way to them. When I was close, they started walking away, closer to Edward's Volvo. I followed them without a word. When we got to his car, on the other side of the restaurant, Edward took a deep breath before he started talking in a forcefully calm tone.

"This is sudden."

"How is it sudden? You already knew I wanted to marry her."

"Yes. But I was under the impression you would wait until after she was out of college. That's what you'd been thinking all this time. This is a sudden change of opinion." Bella stayed quiet, but she listened attentively, ready to jump into the conversation at any time necessary.

"I know it is. And I'm sorry if it took you by surprise. I just don't want to wait that long to be married to her. I'll wait for the kids, but not marriage."

"You do remember that Bella and I also have a say in this." It wasn't a question as much as it was a statement.

"Yes, Edward, I know that. That's why we're talking right now as opposed to me just popping the question out of nowhere."

"I know, and I appreciate that you were willing to talk about this before you did anything." Bella patted Edward's arm and looked at me when he was silent.

"Look, Jacob, you have to understand how we're feeling about this. I know that you love Renesmee and I know that you would do anything for her and give her anything and that you're in a position to be able to talk care of her. But it's more than that."

"We won't start a family yet, Bella. I promise that."

"You say that, Jacob, but think about it from our perspective." She sighed, then continued. "Take me and Edward. It took a little persuading, yes, but I was planning to go to college with Edward before he changed me. You know, experience college, as Edward had put it. But the fact of the matter is that Renesmee got involved. I found out I was pregnant, everything happened and I ended up having to change to save my life."

"That won't happen to Nessie."

"Jacob, I mean it. I know she's stronger than I was and the problems I faced wouldn't be an issue for her. But seriously, Jacob. Why should your child have to sit at home with us waiting for mommy to get back from class? A lot of young couples say they'll be careful, but they end up pregnant within a year."

"But Bella, you two were different. You didn't think it was possible, so you didn't bother with protection. I know it's possible and I know how to avoid it. I didn't sit through years of awkward Sex Ed classes with a wrinkly old gym teacher and come out of it with nothing." Bella did laugh a little, but Edward wasn't much in the mood.

"That doesn't mean they're fool proof." I shrugged.

"I know that. But it's better than nothing. And there's always birth control. Carlisle could get some for Nessie pretty easily." Edward sighed and shook his head.

"No, Jacob, he can't." I gave him a weird look.

"Why not? He's a doctor."

"A general practitioner. To get any form of birth control, Nessie needs to go to a gynecologist."

"Why can't Carlisle just take care of Nessie?" Edward sighed heavily.

"Jacob, think about what a gynecologist has to do." I looked at him a minute and my eyes widened a little. When Edward heard the realization in my head, he said, "My point exactly."

"Okay, fine, she has to see someone else for them. But that doesn't mean she can't get them. And for that matter, why is Carlisle willing to help deliver a baby, but not give Nessie an examination?"

"Because, Jacob. Carlisle doesn't want to go probing around his granddaughter's vagina. It's weird. Delivering a baby for her will be weird enough for him. The last thing either of them would want is…that." Bella interrupted us to say something.

"Edward, Jacob." Edward and I looked at Bella to listen to what she wanted to say. "Nessie has just as much say in this whole thing as we do. If Nessie is willing to see another doctor and takes the right precautions, then maybe this could work." Bella looked directly at me. "But I mean it, Jacob. I'm not ready for my five year old to have a child. So avoid it." I nodded.

"Don't worry Bella. I won't. I'm not ready for a baby either. Not yet." Bella smiled then and looked back at Edward.

"Is that alright, Edward?" Edward became thoughtful. Bella and I waited for his response. When he finally spoke, his voice sounded reluctant.

"If she gets pregnant, Jacob, so help me god…"

"You make me a throw rug. I know."

"Glad we came to that understanding." I smiled a little at him.

"Any time, Edward." Bella decided to change the subject a little and looked at me with a smile.

"So I assume you have a plan." I nodded.

"I thought I should do it after graduation. Like the party or something."

"That's a good idea. And once that's done, throw the reigns to Alice and she'll have you two married within a month." I smiled a little wider.

"Sounds like a plan." Edward spoke next.

"That's assuming Nessie says yes." Bella and I looked at Edward and gave him a mean look. Bella probably had up her shield to let Edward know exactly how wrong his comment was. Bella had gotten so much practice with her shield that it was second nature by now. "I'm just saying."

"Edward." Edward looked at Bella with a loving smile.

"Yes, Bella?"

"Shut up."

When we had our conversation, Edward and Bella and I walked back into the restaurant to rejoin the wedding party. When we got back, Alice and Jasper were dancing to a slow song and Rosalie was dancing with Ryan and Emmett with Valerie, Ryan and Valerie standing on their shoes as they moved. They still looked like they were three, But Ryan was a tall three year old. Valerie was a little taller, but nowhere near as much as Ryan. Carlisle and Esme had danced earlier on and were sitting together at their table talking to each other and holding hands. But I didn't see Nessie there. I saw Aida sitting at her table with her date talking to him about something I assumed I didn't want to know anyway. I walked over to her and took a seat. When I was sitting, Aida kissed her date, then turned to look at me. She had a wicked smile on her face and it made me shiver.

"So." I shrugged.

"What?"

"Not what. You and Nessie's parents were out there talking about something."

"That's none of your business anyway."

"I know. But I'm bored. So tell me, what are you up to?" I rolled my eyes.

"It's none of your business, Aida."

"Tell me anyway." I looked at her a moment with a blank stare for a moment. She kept staring too. "I'm a master at the staring game, Jacob. Just talk." I finally rolled my eyes and sighed.

"Fine." I looked around to make sure Nessie wasn't close by. She had good hearing, so I was worried she would hear anyway. "What's your number?" Aida smiled and handed me a little slip of paper with numbers. When I had it in my phone, I walked out of the restaurant again so I wouldn't have to worry about Nessie seeing what we were saying.

Before I tell you anything, you have to swear you won't tell Nessie. Once I had that sent, the conversation started.

Yeah, yeah, don't tell Nessie. I get it. Spill. I looked at my phone reluctantly a moment. I wasn't sure I should tell her. But at the same time, she would never leave me alone if I didn't. And she'd probably tell Nessie was up to something. Not that she hadn't figured that out all on her own anyway. But why make it worse?

I'm going to ask Nessie to marry me after her graduation. Edward, Bella, and I were just smoothing a few things out and talking things out. That's all. I waited a moment before I got a text. I was surprised by it when I did get it.

DIRTY OLD GOBBLER BITCH FUCKER! You're finally gonna do it! It's about fucking time! You've got the girl on such a sexual high wire, she looks like she's ready to hump the first thing in pants. I rolled my eyes before responding.

You're so lucky you're Nessie's friend.

Ooooh, I'm shaking. So what's the ring look like, Romeo?

I haven't picked a ring yet. This was a recent decision.

Whatever. But be sure to tell her soon. I'm sure she'll bend over backwards for the idea. *Wink, Wink*

Don't tell Nessie! You hear? Don't tell her.

Don't get your furry boxers in a knot, sugar tits, I won't tell her. I leave that all up to you.

I didn't send a response to that. I was trying not to get angry. Where did she get off calling me sugar tits? It still baffled me that Nessie could befriend a girl like Aida. She was such a vulgar girl. It was like listening to one of those bad heavy metal bands that opened for Slipknot. They didn't even sing. They just threw shit and fuck into their songs at every blink of an eye while fans try to boo them off stage. I laughed a little as the New Years concert came to his head. He remembered all the people that had attempted to have their friends throw them onto the stage and only have it end in disaster. Nessie had laughed every time it happened.

I walked back into the restaurant and was relieved to see Nessie back at her seat waiting for me. She was talking to Aida, but she didn't look like she was surprised or happy about something. She looked the way she always did. I smiled and walked over to our table and put my hands on the back of her chair and held onto it as I pulled her chair at an angle with her still in it until she was looking up at me. She smiled and crossed her arms waiting for me to say what she was assuming I wanted to say.

"Are you having fun?" She giggled and looked towards the dance floor.

"Not as much as they are." I looked where she was looking and saw a bunch of people dancing around Jessica and Mike with glasses in their hands dancing awkwardly to a Kate Perry song. Then Jessica and Mike were suddenly being carried around the dance floor by all their drunken friends. Broken bones that were just waiting to happen. "You see, this is one of those stories that always start with, 'And then we started drinking tequila'." I chuckled and leaned down and kissed her.

"That's what you get for waking up in Vegas." Nessie laughed at my little joke and kissed me again.

"Exactly. Before you know it, Jessica will kiss a girl and like it." I laughed with her as we continued the joke a little.

"I hope Mike don't mind it." We laughed a little more and just kissed.

"Jacob."

"Yeah, Nessie?"

"When we do get married, let's not serve anyone tequila, okay." I smiled and nodded my head. I felt warm all over when we started talking about it. It made me smirk to see that she didn't realize how close the wedding in question would be. There was no doubt in my mind that she would say yes. We loved each other too much for her to want to wait.

"Tell that to Embry. He loves tequila." Nessie shrugged.

"Not at my wedding he doesn't." I chuckled and shook my head.

"I love you, Nessie." She smirked and I smiled back.

"Shut up and out your money where your mouth is." I chuckled at her little joke and kissed her again. We heard Aida clear her throat at us and we reluctantly stopped kissing each other. I put Nessie's seat back on all fours and took my seat next to her and started holding her hand again.

The reception lasted for hours. By the end of the night, most of the people there were too drunk to drive home and Charlie insisted that everyone check into a hotel for the night. He let me go at least. One beer was hardly enough to make me unable to drive home. Edward and Bella took Nessie back to the house at the end of the night. I asked if I could bring her back with me, but he said no, in so many words. I guessed tonight's conversation made him not want to send Nessie home with me. Bella made me not argue and they were off with everyone else. Before Nessie left, I gave her a loving kiss that didn't last as long as I would have liked it to. She kissed my nose after that before getting in the car and Edward drove away.

No matter what, I was smiling the whole drive home. I wasn't sure how it felt for other people when they made a decision like this, but for me, it was the best feeling in the world. And unlike a lot of other couples, Nessie and I talked about getting married so much it was like we were already planning for it and we were already engaged. The only thing I was nervous about was finding a ring. I knew exactly what Nessie would like. I just needed to find a place that had it or at least had something similar to what I have in my head. It was one of those things where everyone told me that if I knew my girlfriend well enough, the perfect ring would just jump out at me. I was really hoping for that kind of luck.

When I was home, I went up to my apartment and took of my dress clothes as fast as I could. I rarely ever wore anything more than jeans and a t-shirt or a tank. Clothes like that were convenient and easy to get off in case of an emergency and I needed to get to the woods fast. The stuff I'd worn to the wedding made feel stuffy and restricted and I wasn't crazy about it. When I had that stuff in the hamper, I took a long hot shower that I needed. It helped me unwind a little. I suddenly thought that one of Nessie's backrubs would feel great right now.

When I was done with my shower, I put on my sweats and went to bed hoping to get some sleep. But I wasn't really tired. I felt silly about it, but I wanted to talk to Nessie. I glanced over at my phone and picked it up. I started typing in her number and waited a moment before I actually pressed call. Nessie answered by the third ring and when she spoke, her voice was teasing.

"You're lucky my daddy isn't home to hear you calling at one in the morning." I chuckled.

"You're daddy doesn't sleep. I hardly think my calling would disturb him." Nessie and I laughed together a bit before she started talking again.

"Did I leave something at your place?"

"No, you didn't. I just wanted to call you. My neck feels stiff."

"That's a shame. Sorry I'm not there to get the kinks out." I chuckled.

"Me too. One of your rubs would feel really good right about now."

"Maybe I can give you one tomorrow if you're still stiff." I smiled to myself.

"I'd like that, baby. I'll be at the house as soon as I wake up, okay. And I'll be waking you us, just so you know. I won't wait for you to get your beauty sleep before I get the knots out of my neck." She giggled and responded in a teasing tone.

"It's always you, you, you, isn't it?" We laughed together and I responded the only way I could.

"Sorry, honey."

"You should be." We laughed a little longer, then she started talking again. "What were you and Aida texting about by the way? She said you had something you wanted to tell her." Any comfort I'd felt was gone when she said that. I tried not to let my annoyance show. Instead, I tried to sound normal.

"Nothing important. I just wanted her help with something."

"What? With me?"

"No, not you. Something else."

"What was it?" It took me a moment to think of something. I couldn't think of anything.

"Nothing important." I could tell Nessie wanted to say more, even through the phone. But she dropped the matter and changed the subject.

"Whatever you say, Jacob. I better get to bed or I'll be in bed till two in the afternoon. You know how daddy hates it when I do that." I smiled a little.

"Yeah, I know. I'll let you go then. Night Nessie."

"Night, Jacob. I love you." I smiled wider to myself.

"I love you too." With that, Nessie and I both hung up and I laid in bed trying not to let my excitement over today keep me from sleeping.