Chapter 25

Masen was growing by the day, which in itself was a little miracle. He was pounding on the floors with his hands as he crawled, anxiously attempting to walk on his own. The thoughts Edward read in his head were clear, but he couldn't quite get all the sentences out.

Alice snapped pictures, posing him in ways she thought would be cute. Esme smiled watching Alice, knowing she was in her glory.

"I love his hair," Alice said aloud to no one in particular, "She played with Masen's hair and he tried talking back to her, only accomplishing a series of noises."

Edward smiled and couldn't help a laugh. Alice turned her head in his direction, "What?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"Edward! What?"

He laughed again, a little louder this time, "He wants you to leave him alone."

Bella couldn't help me chuckle at the idea of Masen being bothered by Alice's 'Gap Baby' antics. Esme and Carlisle tried to hide back smiles of their own.

Alice didn't accept it, "You don't want me to leave you, do you Masen?"

He seemed to point at her, studying the question.

"Alice," she said pointing at herself, "A-lice."

"Ah. Ah." Masen responded.

"He's almost there," Edward told her.

Masen crawled his way over to a small truck that one of the boys had gotten for him. Alice snapped a picture of him playing with.

Emmett and Rosalie walked downstairs, "Stop being a paparazzi," Emmett told her.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for work?" Alice asked.

"I am ready. He motioned to the scrubs outfit he had on."

There was a mix of sun and clouds for the forecast, and the sun was fighting it's way out in the early morning. Carlisle always made it a point to get to work before the sun came out whenever there was an expected sunny day. If necessary, he'd end up staying late in order to avoid walking into the sunlight.

"Ready pops?" Emmett asked.

Carlisle nodded and stood up, kissing Esme on the cheek.

"Be safe, you two." Esme told them.

Rosalie walked Emmett out and Carlisle picked up Masen and gave him a kiss on the nose, "See ya tonight."

Masen's hands made his way to Carlisle's ears and he gripped on tight.

Esme went over to them with a smile, "Come on Masen. Daddy has to work."

Carlisle unwillingly pried his hands off his ears and played momentarily with the baby's hair.

"I love you," Esme said.

"Love you, too." He kissed her and Masen one more time before walking out the door. Rosalie came back inside as he left.

"Where's Jasper?" Rosalie asked Alice.

"He's turned in to quite the artist," she told her sister, " He bought a sketch pad and has been drawing everything over the past week. He's pretty good."

"What's he drawing now?"

Alice shrugged, "The ocean I think. He's down at the beach."

"Well, do you think it'll keep him occupied for a little while?"

"Probably. Why?"

Rosalie looked at Esme, Alice and then Bella, "I think we should have a shopping day. The guys are at work, Edward maybe you and Jasper could spend the day with Renesme."

Alice raised her eyebrows and let a grin spread across her face, "That is a great idea. We haven't had a real shopping day in sooo long."

"What about Masen?" Bella asked.

"He's coming with us, Bella," Alice said with a hint of 'duh' in her voice.

"What you think, Esme?" Rosalie asked, hoping she'd say yes.

She thought about it for a few minutes and agreed.

Bella was never big on shopping and dreaded every time Jessica forced her to go during her human years, but thought it would be a nice to spead a day with the girls.

"Hey, Bella," Esme said, "Why don't you call Charlie and ask if Sue would like to join us. I'm sure she could use a little girl time."

Alice and Rosalie agreed and Bella made the call. Sue eagerly accepted the invitation.

They all got dressed and ready for the day. Bella scooted to Renesme's room and kissed her gently on the forehead and brushed her hair a few times.

Renesme stirred and stretched her arms out, letting out a loud yawn. Bella laughed, "Good morning... Nessy."

She smiled, "Good morning Mom."

"Dad's going to cook you breakfast. I'm going out with Alice, Esme and Rose."

Renesme smiled, "Okay." She yawned again.

"Be back soon. I love you."

"Love ya."

"Maybe I'll bring you back something," Bella told her with a smile.

Renesme returned the smile, "Alright."

Bella tapped her nose with her finger and went to join the girls.

They piled into Alice's car and headed over to Charlie's. Bella stared up at her old house. There was something she loved so much about the place and truly enjoyed every opportunity she had to take a little visit.

Sue and Charlie walked out of the house and Sue squeezed her way into the packed car. Bella scooted out to quickly hug her father.

"How have you been Bella?" Charlie's face lit up every time he saw his daughter. She could tell she was hugging him a bit too tight again. There weren't many pure humans that Bella hung out with these days. She loosened her grip andfaced her father.

"Great Dad. How are you and Sue?"

"We're doing fine." Her dad was subtle and short when it came to his relationship, but his few words gave away his happiness.

"Well, good." She smiled, "I miss you."

"I miss you too. You should come by the house more often. Jacob is always here with Renesme."

She nodded, "I know. I will."

"I'm going to hold you to it." He waved to Alice in the driver's seat.

Bella smiled, "Okay." She returned to the car and waved goodbye, looking over her shoulder at Charlie waving on the step as they left.

The day came and went. Bags covered the kitchen table and everyone went through the clothes they picked up during the day. Renesme joined the girls, sitting on Alice's lap as she found some cute outfits they had all picked out for her.

"How do you like them?" Rosalie asked.

Renesme held the clothes up in front of her, "I love them!"

Alice snuck her a candy bar and a bag of Skittles and winked.

Bella saw her slide her daughter the snacks, "Alice."

"I'm her cool auntie, Bella. You'll have to just accept it."

Renesme skipped away to the TV with the candy.

"She thinks the outfit is ugly, Alice," Edward told her, "She just didn't want to hurt your feelings."

Alice's head snapped in his directly with ferocity.

He cracked up, "I'm only kidding. She didn't think that."

Alice walked past him and elbowed him hard in the chest on the way by, then turned at looked at him with a grin.

Edward gripped his chest with a look of pain, but laughed as she passed.

"Alice," Esme said, shaking her head.

"He started it."

Carlisle and Emmett entered the house, hanging their coats.

"Honey, we're home!" Emmett called.

"Shhh!" Renesme said, "I'm trying to watch TV."

Emmett walked by and messed up her hair with one hand.

She yelled at him, "Hey!"

Carlisle greeted Esme and picked up Masen from her lap. Masen's tiny arms reached for him.

"Hey Masen. I missed you."

"Da da."

His eyes lit up. Rosalie smiled and put a hand on her chest.

"Did you hear him?" Carlisle asked.

Esme got up from the table and joined them, "Say it again Masen," she encouraged.

Carlisle's eager eyes looked into his son's, "Daddy," he said, "Daddy."

"Da," Masen said, nearly poking Carlisle in the eye.

A loud, approving laugh escaped Carlisle's throat. Happiness covered his face and he twirled Masen around in the air above his head.

"Pay up Rose," Emmett said, "And Alice," he thought for a second, "And Bella!"

"Pay up for what?" Edward asked.

"We made a bet. I said Masen would say Dad first. They thought he'd say Mommy."

Carlisle laughed and put his nose up to his baby's, unable to keep a smile from his face. Esme gushed at his reaction, and grabbed Alice's camera to take a picture of the two of them.

Edward smiled as he heard Carlisle whisper to Esme, "This is the best day of my life."