"I wish you could, Rose." I felt my voice become almost sorry.
She sighed. "Just promise me you'll appreciate every mortal moment you have…because one day, you won't have the chance to go back. I accepted that a long time ago…but I'll always remember what it was like before…"
"Do you think she regrets it?" I questioned her. "Mom."
"I can't say that she doesn't recall her human life from time to time." She replied. "But this is the life she wanted…she wanted to be with Edward forever…and they have you. I don't think she'd go back if she had the chance…"
"Sometimes I spend time with Charlie…" I began. (Charlie was my grandfather…and I had the habit of calling him anything but that.) "…and I know that he misses who she used to be…but he's accepted it, I guess."
"Charlie was little resistant at first." Rosalie admitted. "But the moment he saw you…the rest of it didn't matter."
I nodded. Charlie and I were close…I think he often wished that my mother would come visit more, but I knew that there would always be a sort of a wall between them. She was no longer the human daughter he'd raised, and I think it was difficult at times for him to grasp that concept. She had gotten married to my father, had me…and become immortal…all at the age of eighteen.
"Well." I said simply. "I'd better go see what they're up to…"
"Okay." Rose smiled. "Emmett and I are going hunting later, if you want to join us."
"I might tag along." I smiled back at her.
I made my way around the side of the house, and followed the path that led me to the cottage in the woods. It was as perfect as a picture, nestled into the trees…sometimes I imagined it elsewhere, but no other location seemed to fit.
We were still living outside of Forks. I think it would have been hard for my mother if we had moved away… She would always be tied to this small town, because it was where she'd spent a portion of her childhood…Charlie lived here…and it's where she met my father. I hadn't started school here yet…and it was getting more difficult to be seen around the people in town. They were going to notice sooner or later that our family wasn't aging…that I was the spitting image of my mother…and one day, we would have to leave this place. I shuddered at the thought and began to count my steps as I approached the cottage.
I tried to make myself known as I opened the front door, calling into the house as I entered.
"Hey Mom…Dad?"
"We're in here, Ness." I heard my mother return from their bedroom.
I made my way down the hall, tossed my bag into my bedroom, and appeared in their doorway.
"Morning." I smiled.
"How'd you sleep?" my mother asked, meeting me.
"Not so well." I admitted. "I haven't been sleeping much lately…"
"It's probably going to happen more often now that you're older." She said. "I'm sorry you didn't sleep well." She leaned in to smooth my hair and kiss my forehead.
I loved when she did that.
"Bella…" my father appeared from inside the closet that he and my mother shared. "Where—oh, hey Ness."
"Hey Dad." I smiled.
I was later than usual this morning, but they hadn't seemed to notice.
"Here." My mother tossed a shirt to him, and turned back to me. "Have you been up to the house, yet, Ness?"
"Yes." I replied, and turned a little so I could face my father. "Dad…Alice needs you to move the Vanquish so she can get the Porsche out of the garage."
He laughed. "She does, huh? And if I don't?"
A smirk crossed my lips. "She's totaling it…"
He rolled his eyes sarcastically. "I figured that."
I turned back to my mother and held out the box Alice had given me. "And Alice sent a little present for you."
"Good Lord." She sighed with a laugh. "What did she find this time?"
"Open it and see." I smiled with satisfaction.
She untied the ribbon that held the lid in place and slid open the small box. Her eyes widened as she pulled out its contents.
"Is this…?"
"Original?" I finished for her. "Yes."
"Where did she find this?" She was smiling.
"Probably that bookstore you love so much." My father appeared at her side and kissed her forehead.
"She did." I admitted. "Like it?"
"Love it." She grinned. "I'm going to keep it wrapped up…" she turned around and headed out the doorway and down the hallway to the bookshelf in the living room. "Original…holy crow…" I heard her voice become softer. When she was gone, my father's expression was suddenly changed.
My father looked at me with questioning eyes. "How's Jacob?"
Damn.
"Good, I guess." I tried to be nonchalant.
"You've been spending a lot of time with him." What a "father" thing to say…
I ignored him and focused on the floor. I knew that we'd have to discuss it sooner or later…
"Renesmee." His voice was firmer now.
"Yes." I replied.
"You've been sneaking out at night to see him…"
I said nothing.
The cat was out of the bag.
