77

We finally get an afternoon where everyone has the time to sit down for what is the most important talk of our lives.

Angela and Alice sit on the floor with Ben and Jasper beside them, and all four look up at us expectedly.

"Are we in trouble?" Alice asks nervously, eyes darting between Bella and myself.

"No." Bella laughs, and then grows serious. "Wait, have you done something that you should be in trouble for?"

"Of course not," Alice lies, and I don't even want to think about what she's done.

I take Bella's hand in mine. "We're here to talk about the future."

"Well, considering Bella is what she is, we know you aren't sitting us down to tell us you got her knocked up." Angela gives a smirk. "Are you two getting married?"

"No." Bella laughs again.

"Not yet," I add, and her head snaps up to look at me. "What?"

She just rolls her eyes and turns back to the kids. "We need to talk about what our plans are for the future as a family. Your father and I want to ask if you've thought about your intentions."

Angela perks up and elbows her sister in the ribs with a knowing smile. "You mean are we planning on taking the three-day burn?"

I nod.

"Jasper and I have actually discussed it at great length, and I'd like to start the application for Eternal Life when I graduate," Alice answers. "We can't technically get tested for our bond until I turn eighteen, so we're going to get the process started. If all goes well, I'll be able to be changed before I turn nineteen."

I gulp. "You've thought this through?"

She nods. "Jasper was eighteen when he was changed, and I don't want to be older than him."

"Okay."

Jasper clears his throat. "I was originally against the idea, but we talked, and I'll support Ali in her choice so long as we're married first."

Marriage?

I should be against the idea, considering how young Alice is, but considering what she would be signing up for if she's changed, my view is complicated. I was nineteen when I married Gianna, and we only did it because she got pregnant. There wasn't much love between the two of us. It was more of a ceremony out of necessity because she didn't want to be an unwed teen mother. I doubt we would have lasted as long as we did if we didn't have the girls.

I look at Bella, and she's just as conflicted as I am.

"Okay. You'll technically be an adult and can make your own choices." I sigh heavily. "We'll revisit the idea."

Angela and Ben are holding a silent conversation when Bella asks her what she wants.

Angela looks up and shrugs. "Age is just a number for us. There are things I would like to experience before I'm changed. I want to go to college. I want to turn twenty-one and get drunk. I'd like to go on vacation and do some traveling before I visit Rio."

Ben nods. "I agree. I missed out on a lot of things because I was sick most of my human life. I would like to experience them with Angela before she's changed. I don't want her to have any regrets."

"I won't," Angela adds. "And we aren't in any hurry to get married. It's just a piece of paper that can wait until after I'm a vampire and acclimated to life. Human memories fade, and I'd rather remember such an important moment in my life forever."

Polar opposites, my kids.