Chapter 5: Jacob

Nessie

"How'd you know who I was?" I asked Jacob.

"What do you mean?" he asked me.

"Well earlier you said that I've grown a lot. Only someone who knew who I was would make a comment like that,"

"Um. I never said that,"

"Yes you did daddy I heard you," Valerie smiled.

Jacob gave his daughter a look of annoyance. "Thanks,"

"You're welcome," she smiled smugly. "and you shouldn't lie daddy. That's what you always tell me.

I started laughing at the two of them. "She has a point you know," I said.

Jacob sighed. "Okay. I give up. I thought you were someone I used to know a long time ago,"

"But daddy earlier you were thin-" Jacob didn't give Valerie a chance to finish saying what she was going to say. He covered her mouth with his hand.

"Sweetie why don't you go inside the restaurant and tell the nice waitress that we need a table for three,"

I hadn't even realized that we were standing outside of an IHOP now. We stood there watching her walk into the restaurant.

"She's seems like a sweet girl,"

"Oh she's every bit as smart and stubborn as her mother was. It's kind of scary really. She looks a lot like her to,"

"Was?"

"Leah, her mother, passed away several years ago. It's just my daughter and I now. Well I guess I should say up until now. My best friend Bella invited us to live with her and the rest of the Cullen family,"

"You know the Cullens?" I asked curiously. "I'm staying with them right now,"

"Yeah I know them,"

"Come on daddy. There's a table for us," Valerie said as she walked up to us. We hadn't even noticed that she had come back.

We followed her and the waitress through a large crowd of people. Almost as soon as we sat down Dylan started crying.

"What's wrong with him?" Valerie asked me. I could tell that she was really worried.

"Oh he's just hungry so he's a little fussy that's all,"

"Can I feed him?" She asked me a little excitedly.

"Sure," I said. "Here let me show you how to hold him. Like this so his head is supported,"

I was shocked when my son's cries quieted. Normally only I could get him to quiet down that fast. I smiled when Valerie kissed his cheek.

Jacob cleared his throat. By the way he was looking at his daughter I could tell that this bothered him a lot. Maybe he was just afraid that she'd drop him. It looked like she had a very good grip on him though. Surprisingly strong for an eight year old girl. I fixed my son's bottle and gave it to Valerie to feed him.

"She seems to like babies,"

Jacob laughed. "Her like babies? She usually finds them extremely annoying and wants nothing to do with them. This is the same little girl who didn't even like baby dolls. In fact she even swore to me that she'd never have babies of her own when she grew up,"

Now it was my turn to laugh. "Well perhaps my son is just that special. Sorry I don't mean to sound like a bragging parent,"

"Oh Nessie," Jacob laughed. "So why don't you tell me about Dylan's father? Is he your boyfriend?"

My heart skipped a beat as it always did when David's name was mentioned. I'd never given him the drugs that I'd stolen from the pharmacy. It terrified me to think of what was going to happen to me when I saw him again.

"There's not much to say about him. He doesn't exactly want anything to do with his son," except use him as a way to hurt him.

"Well he sounds like a complete jerk then,"

"Daddy why do you always say that word and then get mad at me when I say it?"

Jacob looked flabbergasted. "Because little girls shouldn't be saying that. That's why,"

She pouted.

I laughed again. "Maybe you should lead by example Jacob,"

"Great now there's two of you to tag team against me. Maybe this little guy will be on my side," he stroked my son's head as he said that.

"No he's going to be on our side to daddy," Valerie said with a smile. I burst out into laughter again. Then I gave Valerie a high five.

"Okay if you two are done teaming up against me I have some more questions I'd like to ask you Nessie,"

"Okay, sure," I said. "What's up?"

"Where have you been living before you came to find the Cullens?"

"Oh. My sister and I were homeless,"

"What's homeless?"

"Valerie!" Jacob scolded her.

"What? I'm curious?"

"It's okay Jacob. I don't mind the question. Valerie homeless just means that you don't have anywhere to live,"

"Oh," It seemed that she didn't know what to say.

"You have a sister?" Jacob asked. He looked shocked by the news. Though why me having a sister would be a shock to people is a mystery.

"Yeah my sister Elsa. We're identical twins,"

"Wow that's really cool," Valerie said. "Daddy I need to go to the bathroom,"

"Okay sweetie let's go. I'll wait right outside for you,"

"Daddy I want to go by myself,"

"Sweetie you know I don't want you going to a public bathroom by yourself,"

"I'll go with her. I kind of have to go myself and Dylan probably needs a diaper change anyway,"

"Thanks. I'm sorry maybe I'm coming off as a bit overprotective but she's my only child and I just worry about her a lot,"

I smiled. "That is something I understand completely. The thought of anything happening to my son scares the hell out of me. I won't let her out of my sight,"

Once we were standing in line Valerie turned to look at me. She took a deep breath. "Nessie I think you should date my daddy. He really likes you,"

"What?"

"I think you should date my daddy. He likes you. Trust me I know what he's thinking. He really likes you and I really like you to,"

"You're a really kind little girl but I don't think anybody wants to date a woman who has a baby,"

She giggled. "It doesn't bother my daddy that you have a baby. Trust me I know what he's thinking,"

Let me know what you think.