DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyers owns these characters. We've only borrowed them for this story.
We know we've been focusing on Jacob & Nessie but this part is important to the rest of the story. Edward & Bella will show up and be front and center soon.
Chapter 4
Jacob's POV
This is so frustrating. She's just like her mother! I remember how Bella could get my dander up with the least amount of effort. Although Nessie is harder to read because she has that calm, calculated side to her--no doubt from her father. I shouldn't say things about Edward. The feud that tore through us years ago is long over. He's a good man. A great friend actually. Our bond over the years had grown immensely. As his relationship with Bella solidified so did my connection to Renesmee. And both he and Bella were happy to support it (after a few months of difficulty). It was harder for Edward. I knew he would search my mind on occasion, to see the type of thoughts I was having about his little girl. But they knew just as well as I did that we were as connected as two people could be without actual strings binding them. Their love was also that way. Bella had tried explaining to me over and over. I couldn't see it at the time. She was all I wanted. But then Nessie came into our lives. My life. And I was changed forever. I knew we would always be in each other's lives. But why her sudden attitude? She seemed almost pissed at when I told her I was going this thing tomorrow night.
I sat on the couch in a huff and dust flew into the air. Guess I had better keep my promise to Billy and clean this place up. I started straightening things up. I did the dishes (as best I could, I really hated cleaning), dusted, vacuumed. All the while, going over and over in my head what happened earlier. Searching for some clue to why Nessie seemed so out of sorts…when did she change her tone…after I told her I was going to that club. Wait! Was that it? Was she mad at me for going out with the guys? She wasn't like that. She never gave me a hard time when it came to them. Then it hit me. Maybe it wasn't them at all. Maybe it was where I was going, not who I was going with?
Nah, couldn't be…she didn't have that in her. She was always so self assured. She had no reason to think like that. I was always honest with her, especially when it came to us. But was that it? Was it about us? I hesitated to think….That was it entirely. My feelings toward her had changed these past few months. I wasn't sure until she went to Europe. I had missed her so much. I felt so empty away from her. But more than our usual reunions, I couldn't let her go once I saw her. I had to keep feeling her near me able to look into her eyes-same as her mother's-they had the same effect on me. Had she noticed? Maybe she did and didn't know how to deal with it? I had always known we were meant to be together. But she didn't fully understand the powers of imprinting, only that we would always be in each other's lives. How do you explain it any other way when talking to a child? Back then it was the easiest answer. I knew I had to talk to her again and explain. At that moment I knew I had to keep my vow that I would never go through that ever again. When Bella walked away... I thought about that for a minute. How I had felt about Bella once. After knowing Nessie, nothing could compare. I loved Bella, I still do. But now we are in a space exactly where we belonged. As best friends, part of the same family. Nessie was my life. My future.
I left the house in a hurry and phased instantly. I was so comfortable with that part of myself that it seemed as simple as breathing. I ran quickly toward the cottage where I was sure Renesmee would be. I stopped short of the path and phased back to my human form and put my clothes back on. I took a deep breath, walked up to the door and knocked.