A New World Full of Strangers

by Helena Mira

Revised summary: 7 years after Breaking Dawn, the Cullens have moved with Jacob to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. It's Bella and Renesmee's first experience playing the human game. Follow their steps and missteps. Early chapters focus on the adaptation of Jacob's expectations, be patient. Renesmee is still younger than everyone thought that she would be, but that makes for more fun!

38. The Birthday Party

A New World Full of Strangers

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 38: The Birthday Party

Holy cow! This makes two huge surprises in one day! When I woke up this morning, I was excited because after ballet, I was going to Celine's house for a play date. I didn't think at all about the fact that Madame was casting The Nutcracker today. Esme drove me into town and dropped me off at the studio with my note that said that Mrs. Bouchard could drive me to her house after class.

After we had a short two-hour class, Madame made all of us sit on the floor and listen while she explained again the casting of the ballet. I wasn't really listening, because I already knew that I was going to be in the party scene and be a Chinese Tea dancer.

Madame had held auditions last week for Clara; but I didn't even try. Becca, Emma, and Celine tried to convince me to, but I didn't see the point. It was my first year at the school and I thought that I didn't know enough about dancing to play such an important part. No matter what they said, I wouldn't get up and do it. I wasn't the only one though. There were a couple of other twelves who didn't want to either.

We sat and listened as she told the five and unders that they would be angels. The sixes would be clowns with Mother Gignogne, etc. Things started to get interesting when she began to announce the elevens because they were the mice in the first act that would battle the wooden soldiers who were danced by the thirteens.

Then in the second act, they got to dance the Danish marzipan dance. Clara's journey through the Land of Sweets was like like a trip around the world. Celine had been a mouse last year and told me that it was a lot of fun to roll all over the stage, but that the costume was very hot.

Celine's mother had taken pictures of all of her Nutcracker recitals since she was three years old. I noticed that every year the costumes were the same, but Celine explained that they were very expensive, with all of the velvet and tulle. Each year, the mothers volunteered measure the girls and sew the alterations. When Esme heard that, she immediately volunteered. The mouse costumes were very cute, but full of thick padding to make them look roly-poly.

The costumes for the party scene were very rich looking, full of lace and velvet. The Chinese costumes for the Tea dance were very delicate looking. All of the costumes were very pretty, but my favorite costumes were for the Dew Drops. Each girl wore a gauzy, pastel colored tutu with matching leotard.

They were all different colors. I couldn't wait for next year when I would get to be a Dew Drop and a wooden soldier. Because that was the first year point class, a part of the Dew Drop dance was done on pointe. I hoped that my feet would finish growing so I could begin next year.

At fifteen there was the Trepak, the Russian dance, to look forward to. The sixteens and seventeens danced the Coffee dance, the Arabians. They get to wear harem pants over their leotards and dance with lovely flowing scarves. It was all terribly exciting. There were two years together because the older girls played most of the main parts.

Celine had even showed me the video of last year's performance, when she was a mouse with Emma and Becca. I recognized the little girl who played Clara as a beautiful First Nations girl named, Shalayne, who Madame called her "little Tallchief," because she resembled the first Native American dancer, Maria Tallchief.*

All the girls in the studio over the age of ten remembered when the famous prima ballerina had come to visit the studio and taught a master class and talked to the girls. She was very gracious and encouraging. She spoke to each girl individually about how lucky she was to have a teacher such as Madame.

Celine even had a photograph of herself with her in her bedroom. She was only five at the time, but she said that she would never forget her. I was sorry to learn that Maria Tallchief had passed away several years ago so I would never get to meet her.

I started to pay attention when Madame announced that Shalayne would play the Mouse King is the battle of the mice and the wooden soldiers. I sat patiently as Madame announced that the twelves would dance in the party scene and the Tea Dance.

She then announced that Celine and another girl Amber, from one of the other elementary schools would be the "featured" dancers. I was disappointed for Celine, because I knew that she had hoped for Clara. But she smiled and clapped with everyone else for her part. And she threw a kiss over to Amber who smiled and waved.

"There's still hope for Becca and Emma," she whispered to me.

But I was doubtful of that because Celine was a better dancer than either of them. And I was so busy thinking about that, that I didn't even hear the name for Clara announced. All I knew was that Celine was almost choking me and all the other twelve-year old girls were cheering and trying to hug me. I didn't understand.

Why would Madame choose me? I hadn't even tried out. What about all of the other little girls who had been dancing there for eight years like Celine? In addition to never having had a dance class before in my life before I came here, I had not even paid my dues yet. And were all the other girls really happy for me, or were they just being polite? Suppose some of them were very disappointed? Then they wouldn't like me anymore.

We listened while Madame read off the names of the other dancers and then explained that several professional male dancers would be coming in from Vancouver to the dance the part of the Cavalier and other lead roles. And then she was done and said that we could leave.

The other twelves surrounded me now, very excited about our roles in the ballet. Celine looked happier than she had after it had been announced that she was a featured dancer. I was bewildered. Why was everyone so happy for me?

"Congratulations, Renesmee!" said Amber, kissing both of my cheeks. "The part couldn't have gone to a nicer girl."

"I'm sorry," I answered uncertainly. "Madame must have made a mistake. I didn't even try out for the part."

"You didn't have to," she said. "And you don't have to apologize. The part of Clara is actually more about acting than dancing. You have to be happy when you get the Nutcracker, and then sad in the party scene after he is broken by Fritz. Then you have to be 'wide-eyed with wonder,' as Madame says when you travel through the Land of Sweets with the Sugar Plum Fairy. You are perfect."

"But I just got here," I replied. "It isn't fair to the rest of you. You all must have been looking forward to this for so long."

"There are still a lot more years of parts for us to get," said Morgan, another girl from another school. "But this part is perfect for you because you are the new girl in town. And you are so nice too. We all heard about the detention that you got for trying to help a couple of girls in your class."

"How did you hear about that?" I asked, looking at Celine, Becca, and Emma.

"They didn't tell," answered Amber, following my gaze. "My older brother heard about it at the diner.

I turned scarlet red. I was mortified to think that everyone in town knew about he fact that I got in trouble.

"It's not a bad thing," Becca assured me. "Everyone is only talking about you in the nicest way. And like Morgan said, don't worry about us. We are all very happy for you."

Then, Madame came over to kiss both of my cheeks.

"Ah! Ma petite Renesmee!" she said. "You will be such a beautiful Clara! But why do you look so sad?"

"She's afraid that you should have given the part to someone else," answered Celine for me. "Because she only just started."

"I would never make a mistake like that," said Madame. "You are the perfect actress for her. And your friend Emma told me how you got the undeserved detention and then switched the day so that you would not have to miss class. Besides, ever since you have come to my school, you have danced with wide-eyed wonder and joy. And, see? The other girls are happy for you."

I looked nervously at Celine, who put her arm around me.

"I am sure that Renesmee is simply overwhelmed," she said. "And she is very shy, you know."

"Not when she wants to take care of other people," observed Amber.

But then I noticed that the mothers were coming to pick up their daughters from the class. The whole school had been present today for the morning classes. Saturday was the Nutcracker rehearsal day. Madame made sure that every girl was in it. Next week, the rehearsals would start for it. The older girls were looking forward to their last free afternoon until December.

Mrs. Bouchard came over to us eagerly. When Celine told her about our parts, her wide smile flickered a little bit when she heard that Celine did not get Clara, but beamed brightly when she heard that I was Clara.

"You are perfect, Renesmee!" she said. "You must call your mother as soon as we get to the house to tell her."

Celine giggled at that and for some reason, her Mama gave her a sharp look. It was with great relief that we finally left the studio and drive to her house. I was relieved to get away from everyone.

Even though I was looking forward to my play date, I was wishing just a tiny bit that I could go home and think about my exciting morning. But the minute that Mrs. Bouchard opened the door and we stepped into the living room, I forgot all about going home.

"Surprise! Surprise!" shouted a room full of little girls. "Happy Birthday, Renesmee!"

I am stunned once again. How can anyone have two such wonderful surprises in the same day! I hadn't even hoped for a birthday party other than a family party. We were still too new to Whitehorse and we were still pretending that the house wasn't ready for visitors. But instead, I was getting a surprise party at Celine's house. I would never have dreamed of such a thing in a million years.

I take a quick look around the room and see that every girl from my class in school is there, including Terah and Misty. Then I begin to smile so much that I think that my face will break. Standing behind the girls in the back are Momma, Daddy, and Esme! I will get to share my special news with them right away. I want to rush over and jump into my Momma's arms, but I know that I can't.

"So are you surprised?" asks Julie.

"Very much," I say, still feeling a little awed. "I never dreamed that I would ever have such a party!"

"It was Mama's idea," says Celine. "Because your Mom didn't have the house ready yet. And Mama loves to throw parties.

"This party is the most beautiful that I have ever seen," I reply, looking at all the balloons and other decorations.

"Mom," I say the Esme, as I walk back to my family. "I have big news. Madame picked me to be Clara in The Nutcracker."

"She did?" says Esme in surprise as she gives me a hug.

I look over her shoulder and Daddy winks at me. Of course he knew! He must have read it in Emma and Becca's thoughts when they came in. But he didn't tell Momma or Esme. Momma is giving him one of her looks that says that she wishes he had told her. But I see him telling her very quickly and quietly that he didn't want to spoil my surprise for her.

"Congratulations, Renesmee," she says softly as I walk over for hug.

"Thank you, Sissy," I say, as she holds me in her arms.

"Good job, squirt!" says Daddy, cheerfully, pretending that I am his little sister.

I frown at the nickname. He knows that I don't like it, but it is part of the game.

"Thanks, Eddy," I answer, using the nickname for him that I know he hates.

"Come on, Renesmee!" says Celine. "I'm starving! You can talk to your family at home. This is our time with you."

I like the way that her words sound. It is as if I really am special to them. We go into the kitchen, where a party table has been set up with a tablecloth and funny hats.

"This is your place," announces Celine, pointing to a chair at the head of the table. "The birthday girl always wears a crown."

I giggle as she puts the crown on my head. The she takes the seat on my right side, and tells the other girls where to sit. I am happy that Terah is sitting on my left. Momma told me all about the scary thing that happened with their mean old neighbor. I have been trying to be especially nice to her, but it isn't easy because she is even shyer than I am.

Lunch is pizza that Mrs. Bouchard ordered from the local pizzeria. There is also a large tray of salad. It looks good because it has all kinds of great vegetables and cheese in it. Most of the girls don't want it.

"I feel so bad for you, Renesmee," says Becca. "I can't imagine what it would be like to live without pizza and all of the other great food that you can't eat."

"I don't mind," I say. "You can't miss what you've never had. And besides, having a tummy ache is no fun."

Of course, Momma, Daddy, and Esme don't eat either. It would be too difficult for them to pretend in such a small space where everyone can watch more closely. Esme explains that they had a huge Saturday brunch and that we will be having our own small party when we get home.

"It's no wonder that you are all so slender," comments Julie, who is prone tone a little chubby. "Your sister looks like she could be a fashion model."

"So does your brother," giggles Astrid. "My sister says that half the girls in the high school are in love with him. They are all jealous because he is taking his sister to the Sadie Hawkins. They all wanted to ask him."

"It's the only way that I could get her to go," answers Daddy playfully. "She was afraid to ask any of the other boys who would have said yes."

I laugh at Momma's face. Kai and Jed had both hoped that she would ask them. And the infamous Pauline had asked Daddy. All three of them had been disappointed when they found out that they were going together. Daddy sees her face too and ruffles her hair.

"It's okay, Sissy," he says gently, using my nickname for her. "I'll protect you from all the boys who are chasing after you."

"Thanks a lot," she says, quickly and sarcastically under her breath.

Then I realize that Terah has been staring at her. I thought that it was because she was so beautiful, but then Daddy gives me a small nod. He knows what she is thinking and wants me to give her an opening to talk.

"Terah," I say casually. "I think that Bella knows your sister Maggie at the high school."

Terah just nods shyly.

"Maggie is my lab partner," says Bella to her. "She's a very nice girl."

"So are you," she says with a little smile. "Thank you for helping her when she was sad."

But our conversation is cut off by Mrs. Bouchard.

"It's time for the cake!" she announces. "Let's clean up!"

Quick as a wink, all of the lunch things are swooped off the table. Then Esme closes the lights and Mrs. Bouchard comes in with a beautiful birthday cake with thirteen candles. Everyone sings the birthday song and then clap as I blow the candles out. The lights go on again.

"Why are there thirteen candles?" I ask.

"That's twelve for your age and one to grown on," says Mrs. Bouchard.

I giggle because if that is true, then there should be eight candles on the cake. Daddy looks at me and shakes his head a little.

"Now before you make the first cut," says Mrs. Bouchard handing me the knife. "But first, you must blur out your name with the knife for good luck."

I hate to even touch the cake because it is so beautiful. The frosting is white and it is covered with pink roses. In delicate pink cursive writing it says "Happy Birthday Renesmee." I can't eat any of course, but I know that my friends will enjoy it. Esme takes a picture before I cut it. She has been taking pictures all afternoon long.

"Alice and Rosalie will never forgive me if I don't," she says.

"Are they Renesmee's other sisters?" asks Emma.

"Yes," she says. "We are a very close family and the children are all very interested in everything that all the others do."

"That's nice," says Julie. "I have two brothers and they couldn't care less what I do. I wish I had a brother like Edward."

"So do I," says Evie, giggling. "Then all the girls would want to be friends with me."

"But then you wouldn't know who your real friends were," objects Misty.

"Sure I would," she laughs. "They would be the ones who still wanted to be my friends even after they found out that he was going to the dance with his sister. That's a very nice thing to do. I can see where Renesmee gets her nice genes from. Were you parents nice like you?"

"My parents are nice," I correct her.

Everyone looks at me.

"What?"

"Well, um, aren't your parents, um, passed away?" she asks hesitantly.

I think for a minute and then remember that my parents are supposed to be Daddy's parents. But then again, they are also supposed to be dead.

"I don't know my other parents," I say slowly. "The only parents that I know are Carlisle and Esme."

"Of course," says Celine looking at Esme. "Well then I guess you are nice because your parents taught you to be."

"That sounds right," says Daddy. "I really don't remember our biological parents either. They died a long time ago. Renesmee was only two."

"Let's open the presents!" says Mrs. Bouchard brightly, obviously trying to get off the morbid topic.

So while the other girls eat cake, I open the gifts. I remember that each girl is waiting to see my reaction to her gift. So I get ready to like them all. But I don't even have to pretend. Each present is lovely and special because I know that it was picked out for me.

Emma gives me the book Little Women because she knows that I have four older sisters. Celine gives me a lovely music box with a ballerina on top that plays a bit from Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty's pas de deux. Every girl gives me something special. And because I have never had such a party before, I treasure each gift especially.

After the cake is finished, Mrs. Bouchard and Esme sweep away the trash again and then set out trays of beads and slender but sturdy cords.

"You are too old really for party games," says Mrs. Bouchard. "So you can make necklaces and bracelets for yourselves."

Then they leave us in the room by ourselves and go into the living room to talk. This leaves us free to talk about whatever we want. For a few minutes we are quiet as we each organize our ideas for stringing the beads. Then the chatter begins again.

"It's nice to be able to talk to each other in English for once," says Becca. "We even have to speak French at ballet."

"Why is that?" asks Misty.

"Because French is the language of ballet," says Emma, imitating Madame's voice. "But I can't wait for rehearsals to start. I wonder what Madame will do for the Chinese dance this year."

"Won't it be the same as last year?" I ask.

"No," says Celine. "Each year the choreography changes. If it was the same every year then no one would go except for the families of the girls. But everyone in town goes at one time or another to see what she is doing this year. That's why there are five performances. They fill up the high school auditorium for each one."

"It's also the closest Nutcracker to be found until you get to Fairbanks," comments Becca. "People come from all over the Yukon. For a lot of them it's a tradition to come to the city and do their Christmas shopping at the same time. That's one of the reasons why all the merchants support Madame by taking out ads in the program. She is good for business."

"So I'm going to have to perform in front of a lot of people," I say nervously.

"Don't be scared," says Celine. "You are going to be in a beautiful story. When you are in the middle of it, it's easy to forget that the audience is there. The lights are so bright that you can't really see beyond them anyway. If you were dancing in one of our dances it would be harder because you feel more like you are performing. And the party scene feels like you are at a party."

"I wonder which color dress Madame will pick for you," remarks Becca. "She always tried to find something to match your hair. Last year Shalayne wore the bright red dress. It looked amazing with her long black hair."

"Which is very straight," says Emma. "Renesmee's curly red hair is very different."

"I don't think that Renesmee's hair is really red," says Astrid. "I think that it's more like auburn. After all, there is some red in it, but it's mostly dark brown. You look a whole lot like your brother."

"I think that Renesmee would look pretty in the green dress," says Celine thoughtfully. "But not the bright green, the dark hunter green. You're lucky, Renesmee. You won't have to spend intermission getting your hair pinned up into a top bun for the Tea dance."

"Who will play Fritz?" I ask suddenly.

"It's usually someone's brother," answers Becca. "That's where they get all the little boys from, And the parents play adults in the party scene. I bet that Madame is going to try to get your Mom and Dad to play your parents. She always does that."

"What of they say no?" I ask, wondering if Carlisle and Esme would even do such a thing.

"No body ever says no to Madame," giggles Becca.

"Bella did," I say without thinking.

"How did she do that?" asks Celine amazed by my revelation.

"Madame wanted her to come to dance school with me," I explain quickly. "But she was scared to death. So Mom told her to leave her alone. Bella was just too shy."

"I think she's shy," says Emma. "She hasn't said two words all afternoon. Your Mom and Edward do all the talking."

"What about Herr Drosselmeyer?" I ask, to change the subject from my family before I make any more mistakes.

"There is a retired actor in town named Henry Siefert," replies Celine. "He also does magic tricks. He always plays Herr Drosselmeyer. He is a lot of fun. While the dancers are waiting to go on backstage during the second act, he entertains them."

"If you want," says Julie changing the subject. "You can bring cupcakes to school to have during recess. We can sing Happy Birthday to you again."

"Do the other children do that?" I ask.

"Oh yes," says Astrid. "They do it in our school too. It's lots of fun for the whole class."

When I hear that, I decide that I want to do it. Anything that makes things fun for the whole class sounds like a good idea to me. My class has been very nice to me since Mme. Beauclair was so mean. They even wanted to get up a petition to give to the principal to get me out of detention. Thankfully, Mlle. Charles stopped them. I didn't need any more trouble from Mme. Beauclair. Then I remember something.

"It's my Sissy's birthday on Monday," I say. "But I don't think that they bring cupcakes to high school."

The other girls laugh.

"Sometimes the kids' friends do things at lunch," says Kendra who has a sister who is a junior. "You know, they sing happy birthday and bring in brownies and cookies. They aren't allowed to have candles. It's against the rules to have fire in school."

"That makes sense," I say. "But I'm sure that Sissy won't be expecting anything. I don't think that she told anyone. It's the kind of thing that Alice would do for her, but she probably doesn't know about it."

"Then you should tell her," says Celine.

"Yes, and then Sissy won't talk to me for a week," I grimace. "Alice tends to go overboard with these kinds of things."

All the other girls laugh, but I notice that Terah looks thoughtful. But if she tells Maggie and Maggie bakes something, I don't think that Momma will mind. She is like me and she won't want to spoil Maggie's pleasure. Besides I am sure that Daddy is listening to our conversation right now and will tell her what Terah is thinking.

We spend the rest of the afternoon talking about school and other things to look forward to during the school year. There will be a Christmas concert at the high school and as treat, all the seventh graders in the elementary schools in the city are invited to perform as a huge chorus. It is another thing for me to look forward to.

And there is always a play at our school at the end of the year that the seventh graders act in. The girls all speculate about what it will be this year. Last year it was Cinderella. It was then that I learned that Shalayne used to go to our school and she played Cinderella.

"They were very disappointed at the high school when her parents decided to send her to Catholic school for eighth grade," says Kendra who seems to know about these things. "They are hoping that she will get a scholarship to go to a boarding school like Concord or Milton near Boston in the United States. They want her to be close to a city with performing opportunities, but they think that New York is too big."

"Why do they think that she can get a scholarship?" asks Celine.

"Because these schools are always looking to improve their diversity profiles, yoy know, and she is First Nations, very diverse," she replies. "They took her to visit the schools over the summer."

"I wouldn't want to go to boarding school," says Celine. "I wouldn't want to be so far from my Mama. Madame is also going to be disappointed. Shalayne is the best dancer among the thirteens."

"Maybe she won't go," says Emma hopefully.

"Maybe," replies Kendra doubtfully. "I think that her mom is pretty set on it."

Before I know it, it's four o'clock and time for everyone to go home. I stand at the door as each girl leaves (except Celine) and thank her for coming. When everyone is gone, I turn around and give Celine and her mother big hugs.

"Thank you so much!" I say, feeling the tears welling up in my eyes. "This is the most beautiful birthday party that anyone could have."

"I'm sure that your mom will do just as good a job next year," says Mrs. Bouchard.

Daddy carries out my gifts in a shopping bag that Mrs. Bouchard gave him. As we are driving home, Momma asks me what my favorite part was. I think about it for a minute.

"I had two favorite parts," I answer. "The first one was when I walked in the door because I have never had such a surprise in my life. The second was when they all sang Happy Birthday to me."

"Well, we will all do that later," says Esme. "Jacob is coming over and we will have a family party with him."

"May you drop me off at the cabin on our way home, please?" I ask. "I want to tell Jacob all about my day."

"Sure, honey," says Esme.

But when we drive by the cabin, the truck is gone. It isn't out in front of the house or in the garage. Where is Jacob?

"It looks like Jacob went out for the day," comments Daddy.

"He didn't say anything about going out last night," I reply puzzled.

"Maybe he decided to go out when he got up this morning," suggests Momma. "You did tell him that you were going out all day. Maybe he didn't want to sit home all by himself."

"Sure," I say. "But he doesn't have any friends here."

"He could have met up with some of the guys from school," says Daddy. "I'm sure he's fine. You don't want him to sit around waiting for you all day, do you?"

I am sure that he's fine too. It's just that I'm not used to Jacob not being around when I am looking for him. He's always there whenever I want him.

"Don't worry about it, dear," says Momma. "I am sure that he will be at the house in a couple of hours for your party."

I know that he will be too. It is just weird that he isn't here for me now.

*Author's note: I fudged the dates of Maria Tallchief's passing in order to include this bit in the story. She passed away in 2013. I met Miss Tallchief seventeen years ago when she came to teach a master class to the dancers at the school where I was teaching at the time. She was a charming woman and very enthusiastic about encouraging talented young dancers to continue. She is very much missed in the dance world.