The more I learned about the Swan girl the less I thought that she was merely unlucky. No, I was starting to think that she was insane and that she liked flirting with death. It was the only reason I could think of that a human girl that knew the truth about us would willingly walk into our home. It was the equivalent to walking into a lion's den. My first thought was the same as Rosalie's, to hide away in the forest till Edward took Bella home, but Alice adamantly protested our departure.
"It's bad enough that Rosalie and Emmett aren't going to be here, but Bella already knew that Rosalie was against her knowledge of us. If you leave, she'll never feel comfortable here." Alice implored and while I wasn't moved, the human girl would get over it. She'd meet us eventually given that we wouldn't be able to avoid her forever, but I didn't think meeting her today was necessary.
"So, meeting the three members of the family that are most supportive of her and Edward's relationship won't be enough for her? What more does this girl need from us? What can she truly be expecting from a species that she doesn't even understand?" I sneered. Jasper laid his hand on my shoulder, and I looked to him. He shook his head and my temper flared. Jasper tended to cave to Alice, he had taken it upon himself to look out for Alice since she had brought us to the Cullens, his form of repayment for what she had done for him, but sometimes this fact annoyed me.
"What exactly do you need from us, Alice? Simple introductions, or something more?" He asked and she beamed.
"Introductions will be enough and then just staying in the house." Alice sang. I could feel Jasper's gaze on the side of my head, but I was entirely focused on memorizing the design in the plaster across the room. I had already made my opinion clear; I wasn't going to change my mind now. Jasper sighed and most have made a gesture to Alice since she pranced out of the room without another word. There was a moment of silence before Jasper moved to stand in front of me. I continued to stare as if I was looking through him.
"Abilene." He said softly, but I continued to ignore him.
"Come now, Abilene. No need for childishness." His words stoked my anger again and I glared at him, giving up the façade of looking through him.
"Childishness?" I spat.
"It's childish to not want to get acquainted with the human girl that should be dead? The human girl that should anyone else find out that she knows our secret will be reason enough for our demise?" I growled and Jasper looked resigned.
"I understand, Abi, but I know you see the other side of this. Alice has told us her fate can go one of two ways, either Edward kills her or she's changed. There's a chance that she'll be a part of this family one day. Rose will come around one day, just like she always does. But you're different, hun. I've felt Bella's emotions for months now, she's insecure. If you ignore her now, feed into the insecurity, you'll never have a relationship with her. If a person is less than outgoing, you're a very hard person to get to know, the two of you are too alike to mend the fence later." I continued to glare at Jasper, not completely sold.
"And should Edward kill her? What then? Then I've created a relationship with someone for nothing." I could see Jasper fighting a smile and I scowled in return.
"What's so funny?" I demanded and Jasper could no longer stop the laugh that erupted from his lips.
"Nothing." He replied with a smile.
"Then why are you laughing?"
"Because your understanding humans has grown so much in the last few decades that it was easy to not think about what it was like before, to remember how little you once understood about humanity. I'm laughing at myself, Abi. I'm laughing because it was foolish of me not to understand." My temper simmered some, but I was still far from happy.
"What am I not understanding?" I asked, this time much calmer.
"Forging uncertain relationships is a very human action. They forge relationships every day that may or may not come to fruition. That uncertainty you feel about meeting Bella and forming that fledgling bond is something that Bella's going to be doing with all of us and she's going to do it without even thinking about it." Jasper explained and I could see what he was saying.
"Abilene, in that way you have been very fortunate. You've only had to feel the pain of loss once with Jonah. For the rest of us it's something we've felt many times before and that we learned to cope with when we were human, so when we changed it wasn't something we had to learn. Sometimes it makes me so angry to think about all the ways your mother wronged you, but I'm grateful that I get to teach you how to handle these things, so I can do so the right way." Jasper rubbed his hands soothingly up and down my arms as he spoke and I calmed considerably, but I was still frustrated.
"I'm going to have to meet her today, aren't I?" I asked glumly and Jasper chuckled but nodded.
"It won't be a big thing like when we met the Cullens and when we encounter nomads. It'll be like when the Denali's came to visit that first time. You don't have to be happy about it, just congenial. We introduce ourselves, we make idle conversation and instead of going out to the forest we come back here and you can paint while I read till Bella leaves with Edward. Actually, it'll be even easier then when we met the Denali's because Bella's going to be formally meeting the others too. Alice, Carlisle and Edward will do most of the talking." Though I still didn't like it, it didn't seem so bad anymore.
"Fine." I said with a roll of my eyes. Jasper chuckled and kissed me before pulling me with him to the sofa where he'd left his book. He sat and I lounged against him looking out the window to the forest behind the house. Jasper's head rested on mine while he read and I idly played with the fingers of his left hand. I sighed contentedly and leaned more against Jasper's shoulder.
"Have I ever told you that I appreciate how patient you are with me?" I asked softly. Jasper leaned back, his book landing on the armrest as Jasper twisted to wrap his arms around me and pulled me into his lap.
"Never in words." He said and I hummed.
"I think I take your gift for granted, just a little. I don't tell you all the things I should." I mused and Jasper hummed.
"It's okay, I tend to take it for granted too, letting you feel my emotions instead of saying them." His lip brushed mine and I smiled.
"Well, I love you, Jasper. More than I can ever say, so I'm glad you can feel it." I said and laid my head on his shoulder again.
"I love you, too, Abilene." Jasper said before I felt a warm sensation wash over my body, the feeling always created a sensation that felt like my heart was trying to beat again. I smiled at the feeling, my eyes falling shut as we sat basking in the feeling. We didn't move till the sound of a loud engine could be heard pulling up the driveway slowly.
"Edward's here." Jasper mused, though he didn't move.
"Maybe once Rosalie calms down she'll quiet that engine." I murmured and Jasper snorted before breaking into laughter.
"If Rosalie quiets that engine, the truck will never run again. The thing's a monstrosity, I felt Rose's emotions when she saw it for the first time, she hates it." Jasper continued to laugh and I wondered what could be so wrong with it other than the loudness of the engine.
I slowly pulled myself from Jasper's hold and moved across the hall to look out Alice's bedroom window where I would be able to see the truck that had just been stopped out front. I watched as a small brunette was helped out of the cab of a large truck that looked like it had once been painted red but had faded to orange in the places that weren't mostly rust. It looked old, similar to the first vehicles I saw when Jasper coaxed me to go hunting for the first time. It wasn't particularly appealing to look at but I didn't understand what made it so different from the vehicles the others drove.
When I said this thought to Jasper he laughed and advised me not to repeat the statement to Rosalie. We listened as Edward spoke to the girl before the front door opened and they entered the house. Carlisle and Esme welcomed her warmly. I saw Alice skip past the doorway just a moment before Edward asked where the three of us were. Jasper and I followed suit, following Alice as she skipped down the stairs as she greeted them. She didn't mind her speed and probably seemed like she just appeared out if thin air as she stopped in front of Bella with a beaming smile.
"Hi, Bella!" Alice chirped before bouncing up to kiss Bella on the cheek. Bella looked shocked but very happy with the action at least till Edward froze up beside her.
"You do smell nice, I never noticed before." Alice said and I wanted to laugh. Bella's face turned bright red and her heart beat a little faster. I felt the twinge in my throat but did my best to ignore it. The whole room was tense and no one seemed to know what to say after that. But Bella's heart started to slow and the blush lessen. Edward quirked a brow at Jasper and Bella seemed to realize what was happening as she looked to Jasper.
"Hello, Bella." Jasper greeted.
"Hello, Jasper." Bella replied with a shy smile and I saw his lip twitch, likely from whatever he was feeling from Bella. I looked to the girl appraisingly.
"You must be, Abilene." Bella said as her eyes landed on me.
"It's very nice to finally meet you." I did my best to give a small smile as I nodded.
"I've heard a lot about you, Bella. It's nice to put a face to the name." I replied and I visibly saw Bella perk up a little. Jasper squeezed my side and I felt a small dose of pride.
"It's nice to meet you all, you have a beautiful home." Bella said as her eyes passed over all of us. Esme beamed at the compliment; with so few guests it was rare that she received such compliments.
"Thank you. We're so glad that you came." Esme replied and Bella's eyes roamed the room again before noticing Carlisle looking to Edward. The room was silent for a long moment before Esme noticed Bella looking at Edward's piano.
"Do you play?" Esme asked as she nodded toward the piano. Bella shook her head.
"No, not at all. It's just very beautiful, is it yours?" Bella asked and I was surprised that Edward hadn't mentioned it.
"No." Esme laughed.
"Edward didn't tell you he was musical?" Esme looked between Edward and Bella as she sought an answer.
"No." Bella said as she turned to glare at Edward.
"I should have known, I guess." Bella said and Esme looked at her questioningly.
"Edward can do everything, right?" Bella asked and there was just a hint of snark in the comment that endeared me to the girl just a little." Jasper and I snickered as Esme looked to Edward reprovingly.
"You haven't been showing off, have you? It's rude." Esme scolded.
"Just a little." Edward admitted with a laugh.
"He's actually been too modest." Bella stated with a wave of her hand.
"Well, play for her." Esme said and Edward looked to her bemused.
"You just said showing off was rude."
"There's an exception to every rule." Esme countered with a smile.
"I'd like to hear you play." Bella added and Esme beamed.
"It's settled then." Esme declared and pushed the two over to the piano while the rest of us slipped from the room.
"That was a lot more awkward then you lead me to believe it was going to be." I accused as the door clicked behind us. Jasper chuckled as he grabbed for my sides and made me giggle.
"Sorry darling, but I'm not Alice, I can only guess at the future, not predict it." I swatted at his hands and quickly moved away should he try to do it again. We returned to our places on the sofa and tried to tune out the conversation Edward and Bella were having in the main room, despite that we could still hear every word.
"Do you want to see the rest of the house?" Edward asked.
"No coffins?" Bella asked and Jasper barked a laugh while I was thoroughly confused.
"Why would she think we have coffins in the house. We are not morticians!" I was appalled at the thought while Jasper struggled to regain his control.
"Don't be offended, hun. You know that humans have explained away why we can't walk in the sun. Many films have us sleeping in coffins during the day to hide from the sun." Jasper explained between giggles and I was still confused.
"What would make them think something so absurd?" I asked and Jasper just shook his head.
"I really want to buy a coffin now. Could you imagine Peter's face?" Jasper was laughing harder and I joined him as I tried to picture showing Peter the 'bed' Jasper had bought for him. I'm sure it would end much like the current conversation if Jasper could hold it together long enough to get through the joke. I giggled and shook my head. Alice was giggling as she walked to our door, a wide smile on her face when peeked her head in.
"I think Charlotte's reaction would be funnier." Alice added and started a whole new round of laughter.
"Is there something you need, Alice?" Jasper asked once we calmed down a little.
"Yeah!" Alice said as she stepped inside the door.
"There's going to be a thunderstorm tonight. When I told Carlisle, he suggested a game of baseball."
"Sounds like fun." Jasper said and looked to me and I nodded, before remembering the vision Alice had told us about earlier.
"Are you sure it's such a good idea with the nomads in the area?" I asked.
"They've headed north, I see them continuing into Canada." Alice said and I nodded.
"Then it sounds fine to me." Alice gave a little squeal as she moved back toward the door.
"I'm going to go tell Edward." She said and sped out the door. We heard her tell Edward and then Edward inviting Bella. I raised a brow to Jasper but he shrugged before chuckling at Bella's commented about needing an umbrella.
"Should be fun, even if it's only to see her reaction."
