I was attempting to tame Jacy's monster-hair, standing behind her as she painted her toenails, all the windows open to staunch the smell. Edward's wheels had been racing up and down the street all evening, distracting her from her homework, and me from everything else. Especially math.
The wheels had finally ebbed twenty minutes ago, and I was already kicking myself for missing the chance to run outside in my slippers and talk to him underneath a streetlight, like I was fourteen, and this was some movie I was living. The bandage on Jacy's shoulder snagged in the hairbrush.
"Ow! Mom," Jacy whined. "Pay attention."
"It's a good thing you didn't need stitches today—it would have seriously cut into my ice cream money, and you know how I get when there's no ice cream." I worked the comb through her curls, trying not to yank too hard.
"Are you trying to tell me you want to go for ice cream?" Jacy eyed me in the mirror, and I nodded but then shook my head.
"Yes. And no, because I really mean it. No stitches, ok? No casts. No black eyes."
"Is that it?" she huffed. "What about road rash? Or concussions? Or ruptured spleens?"
"Is that a possibility?"
"Edward says so."
"None of that. Maybe we should find a hobby with less chance of spleen rupturing."
"I like this, Mom. And I'm good at it."
"I know you are—that's what freaks me out. A handstand, only three days in, is taking it a little far."
"I'll be fine. I promise not to break anything."
"Good, because I really like your face all in one piece, ok?"
Jacy was silent for a while, enduring my torment with a thoughtful look on her face. When her brows pulled together like that she looked just like Jake did, when he ran into a problem.
"He likes you."
"Who?"
"Edward. Duh." She rolled her eyes at me.
"Why do you say that?" I asked this carefully, wondering what she was about to say.
"He said you smell nice. And that your name is probably Bella."
"Did you tell him?"
"Nope. He called you beautiful."
"That's not my name."
She shrugged, just like Edward. "I told him if he thought that about you, then he already knew your name."
"And he said Bella?"
"He's smart."
"You barely know him."
"I know him better than you."
"I know. It's weird."
"Why is it weird? Because he's a boy?"
"He is not a boy, Jack. He's a guy. And you're a little kid."
"Don't call me that. He said he wanted to teach his niece, but she hates getting dirty."
"He told me that too. Except it was ballet."
"Same difference."
"Did he say anything else?"
"Yeah, he told me to have fun at Grandpa's house and to dance while I'm there, since I can't take my board."
"He told you to dance?"
"Yeah, he said it would help. Let's go get ice cream."
AN
Props to HH - I'm a mess without her. No joke.
Thank you for reading.
xo/HB