Chapter 52

Carlisle and Esme returned home from a night out with Charlie and Sue. Almost a month had passed and the lunar eclipse was only a few days away. No one had talked about it for a week or so, but it was on everybody's mind. Esme hung her jacket and glanced at Renesme. She wasn't quite there, but was almost staring to blend in with the rest of the kids. Just a month ago she looked to be of about fourteen. Now, she looked to be just a little shy of Edward's age.

Edward turned toward Esme, "Don't remind me," he said.

"It's so true though, Edward," she told him.

"What's that?" Carlisle asked.

"Renesme doesn't look much younger than Edward and Bella."

"How'd it go with my dad and Sue?" Bella asked with a smile, "You guys have been going out with them a lot."

They both smiled, "It was very nice," Esme said, "And your dad can be very funny."

Bella smiled at the thought of Charlie trying to crack jokes.

"Just a movie tonight," Carlisle added, "No dinner."

"Make Charlie one of us and you guys can out for a real dinner," Emmett commented from his place in front of the television.

Bella looked over toward him and then back to Carlisle and Esme.

"Don't mind him," Esme said loudly.

"I don't know if him and Sue would still.." Bella started, then wasn't quite sure how to word it.

"You don't have to explain anything," Carlisle told her, "Charlie and Sue are fine as they are. We have a good time with them."

"Get any popcorn?" Emmett joked.

"Just a soda," Esme said, "That we pretended to share."

Bella laughed, "Well I'm glad you're all going out like that. Charlie's turning into a social butterfly. I love it."

Edward tapped Bella, "We need to hunt. Your eyes are really dark."

"Oh, yeah," she said, "I kind of forgot. I wasn't even thinking abou it." She was now, more than aware of the burning in her throat.

Renesme took over the Playstation controller from Jasper who decided to join them when Alice motioned for him to come.

"Oh you're toast Ness," Emmett said, going through offensive formations in the Madden game.

She smiled, "Me and Jake play this all time. I've mastered it," she looked at the team that Jasper had chosen, "But I don't know how much I'll be doing much with the Jets."

Carlisle and Esme laughed. Renesme was stunningly beautiful, but was quite the tomboy all the same. She followed sports, at first mainly because of Jacob and Charlie, but now it was merely because she loved to watch the games. She could certainly hold a conversation with any of the boys about the players stats or team standings.

Rosalie excused herself from the room to paint her nails.

"Can you do mine when you're done?" Renesme called as she left.

"Toes or fingers?" Rosalie called.

"Toes."

"Dad," Masen called from his spot on the couch next to Emmett, "When are we going to play baseball? Like a real game, not just passing. They've been telling me it's awesome when everyone plays." He started swinging his arms like he was swinging a bat.

"The second we get a good thunderstorm," Carlisle told him.

"Why only then?"

"You'll see," he smiled.

Renesme handed the controller to Masen, "Here. Take my place."

"Told ya you were going down," Emmett said with a smile. Renesme pretended she was walking away but ran behind him and put her hands over his eyes. The play he was trying to create flopped and she laughed as the Jets defense landed on the fumble after Emmett's quarterback was sacked.

"Hey!" He yelled with a laugh, getting her into an immovable hold.

She squealed with laughter as he began to tickle her. "Stop! Please!" She continued to laugh uncontrollably. "Stop!"

Masen looked at his parents and all three of them laughed.

"Emmett, let her go," Esme said, unable to hold back her smile.

He finally let her go and she caught her breath, "Your ball Masen."

"Thanks," he held out his hand for a high five as she passed.

Renesme gave him five and then turned to Esme, "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure," Esme said concerned, noticing the sudden serious tone in her voice, "Is everything okay?" She looked at Carlisle.

"Yeah. Everything's fine," she assured her, "I just wanted to ask you something."

Esme could tell she wanted to talk without everyone else listening. "Do you want to go upstairs?"

Renesme nodded and the two of them left the guys in the living room. When they were upstairs, Esme couldn't hold back, "What's going on Renesme? Is something wrong that you didn't want to say in front of everyone else?"

She shook her head, "No. Well, nothing's wrong. I didn't really want to talk about it in front all them, though."

They sat down together and Esme smiled, "What's on your mind?"

Renesme looked around, avoiding eye contact, "It's about Jacob," she admitted, "I'm starting to really like him - like really like him."

Esme had a feeling this was coming. Renesme was about fifteen or sixteen now in her short "years". She knew that it was only a matter of time before her feelings for Jacob would begin to change. "I know it's a pretty new, different feeling when you first start to like someone like that for the first time."

She nodded, "Yeah," a huge sigh left her mouth, "I don't know how to tell him, or if I should even tell him."

Esme played her hair, "Well honey, I don't want to see you rush into your feelings for Jacob, but maybe a little while down the road you could really think about what you want to say to him and let him know."

"I want to kiss him," she admitted shyly, but couldn't help a smile despite how hard she tried to fight it.

Esme smiled back, "Well call me old fashioned, but aren't you a little young to be kissing boys?"

"Alice and Rosalie said I'm about sixteen," she said.

"They did, did they?"

Renesme smiled, "Yeah. And I'd have to agree. Isn't that an okay age to, you know, make a move?"

"Well that depends on what kind of move you're talking about," Esme laughed.

"Just a kiss," Renesme pleaded, "Just one time. That's all I want."

"Well, let me warn you," she went on, "That's never how it works. Once you kiss someone once that you really like, you'll want to again. That's why I don't want you to rush. You'll have plenty of time with Jacob down the road, trust me."

"How did you know when it was right to kiss Carlisle the first time?"

Esme shrugged with a smile, "I just knew. I was a little older than you when it happened," she reminded her, "The first time I met him I was much too young to kiss him, even though I wanted to. I was about sixteen myself."

"Really?"

"Really. But it wasn't until years later that it actually happened."

"Years?" Renesme said with an expression of disappointment and shock, "I cannot wait years to kiss Jacob!" A huge smile spread across her face.

Esme laughed and hugged her, "I think it's definitely worth the wait. Maybe not years, but give it some time. It will be more special that way."

"Thanks," Renesme hugged her, "I'll come back to talk to you if I get tempted."

"Don't let Alice and Rosalie tell you any different," Esme warned, "Did you talk to your mom about this?"

Renesme shook her head, "Not yet. I don't know how she'd react," then added with a hint of annoyance, "But I know Dad can read what I'm thinking anyway."

Esme laughed again, "It takes some getting used to, doesn't it?"

"I'll never get used to it."

"They love you very much. Just remember that."

"I know. I love them too. And you."

They hugged again and headed downstairs.

"I hope Emmett didn't hear any of that," Renesme said with a grin.