Today was the day, August 7. We had gotten the call yesterday saying that we could come today. Emma and Jordan were coming home. They would be officially ours.
"Are you nervous?" Alec asked me as we were getting off the exit, almost to the Casa della Speranza where they were at.
"A little." I admitted. "But I'm mostly excited. You?"
"Same. I can't wait to walk into the house with them."
"That's all I was thinking about when we got the call yesterday. Things are going to be different now. No speeding." I joked, but I was serious at the same time. "At least not while they are in the car."
"I know, I know. I promise I won't speed when they are in the car."
When we arrived, we walked in and the same woman at the front desk greeted us and got Sergio. "Come with me. Natalia is just finishing up getting them ready." he smiled at us.
We walked into the green nursery again and saw the babies in their cribs being fed and changed. We walked into the other door in the room where the infant twins were. Natalia was putting Emma back in her crib and getting Jordan out to finish getting him ready to come home.
"Bella, Alec. It's so nice to see you again."
"You, too, of course." I said.
"Today is the big day. Are you ready?"
"Yes. We're so excited to finally be able to take them home."
"Fantastico. I'm almost done getting them ready. Sergio, would you mind going through the final paper work with them?"
"Of course. Follow me, please." he said. He led us back downstairs and into the office. He pulled our file from a drawer and started going through the stuff, telling us where to sign and all of that stuff. He told us all the things that we needed to know, especially since we were first time parents.
"That's everything. Jordan Charles and Emma Jane Volturi are officially yours. They should be down soon."
A smile broke out on my face and Alec's as well. Natalia came down with both kids a few minutes later and they said their goodbyes to the kids. After putting them in their car seats, Natalia and Sergio gave Alec and I a hug, kiss on the cheek, and a thank you for adopting the kids. "Come back anytime to visit." Natalia said.
Alec pulled out of the drive and we were on our way home. Both kids were awake when we got home and I was thankful for that. They would be awake walking through the doors to their new home for the first time.
I held Emma as Alec took Jordan. Alec unlocked the door and I was half expecting to see the whole castle at the house. Jane had wanted to throw a welcome home party for the twins, but I told her no, wanting no visitors upon arriving home. This was time for Alec and I to be with our kids. Nobody was there.
"Welcome home." Alec said to the kids.
We went up to their rooms. We went to Emma's first. "Hey, Emma. This is your room. It's pink. I think you'll like it. And look at all of these new clothes you get to wear." I walked over to the closet. "You'll have to thank aunts Jane and Heidi and Chelsea later."
We went into Jordan's room next and to each of the other rooms showing them where everything was at and telling them about who everyone was when we would pass a picture. "That's uncle Felix and aunt Chelsea and your cousin Ariana. Uncle Felix is kind of big and looks scary, but you don't have to be afraid of him because he's a big teddy bear. And aunt Chelsea is pretty, just like your momma. And you'll love Ariana, Emma. She's going to teach you who all of the princesses are and she'll teach you both how to kick a soccer ball when you're older." Alec said. When he said that I was pretty, even though he's my husband and I have heard it so many times in so many different ways over the past few months, I knew that, if I were human, I would have blushed crimson. "That's mommy's friends, Jake and Embry and Seth and Quil. They're werewolves. They smell kind of funny. But it's ok. They're still allowed to visit us."
Emma made a small O with her mouth as she yawned and her eyes started to close. I chuckled a little and put her in her crib. I heard Jordan start crying as I was doing this and heard Alec making a bottle.
I sat on the stairs and watched Alec give Jordan his bottle. It was their first day home and he already seemed like a natural at the dad thing. I knew that he would only get better as time went by.
I thought of my own father then. It had been almost nine months since I left. Jake said they were still searching and that they weren't going to stop. I didn't want them to search for me and I told him that in my letter. In a way, it told me that he and Renee and Phil still loved me and wouldn't give up until they found me and I was back in Forks. I was surprised when Jake told me that Renee had moved back to Forks to help- she hated that place. But I didn't want to go. I now called home Volterra and I was married to Alec and had Jordan and Emma. Forks was no longer home and it never would be again.
Alec and I put Jordan in bed and went into our bedroom. "I can't believe they are finally here." I said.
"I know. Me too, that we are actually parents."
"What do you think will happen? In the future when they find out that vampires exist and that their entire family is made up of vampires. What will happen?"
"They'll have a choice. When they are old enough, they will have a choice between this life or a human life. Ariana will have that same choice when she is old enough, too. If they choose this life, then that's fine. If they choose to live a human life, then that's their own decision and we won't love them any less for whatever choice they make."
"I just don't want them to be influenced in any way. I don't want people trying to convince them one way or the other like I was. I mean, everyone told me that I wouldn't want this life, that there were too many things to sacrifice to be happy. But I made my decision to become this and I am completely happy with it."
"I know you are. And there are sacrifices with it. I'm sure that they will weigh each option carefully and know what they are giving up if they do choose this life. I think that they will make their own decision based on what they want. Not what anyone else wants or tries to convince them of."
I heard a small cry and knew it was Emma. "I'll get her." I said. I walked into her room and picked her up. "Hey, Emma. Let's go get you a bottle."
I set her down on the floor while I made a bottle. She was fed and burped quickly and I changed her diaper before putting her back in bed. Jordan woke up again during the night and I was quickly starting to see that Alec and I wouldn't get much done at night if the kids were going to wake up every few hours wanting fed and changed.