Chapter 25

Renesmee mentioned, as the two caught up with each other, that she'd promised she would make some apple jams and butters, to which Jacob adamantly agreed. The last time he'd had the apple jam or butter (whatever it had been) was when they'd brought her to the tribe and he recalled a single jar being gone in a matter of minutes.

"We can bring some with us when we go back. I can't imagine what you would put it on, but I'm sure we could think of something."

"We could put the jam on potatoes," Jacob suggested, and Renesmee giggled.

"I know of a Jewish dish where they fry potatoes in oil and serve it with applesauce, so perhaps that might not be so bad. All I need are lots of apples and I can get to work on those jams and butters."

"What is oil exactly?"

"It's just a form of liquid fat. Not terribly healthy as far as I'm concerned. You're better off cooking to potato cakes the way you always do."

"You'll hear no argument from me. How long will the jam and butter take?"

"It's an all day thing. I'm sure mom will be happy to help me. Speaking of helping me," Renesmee said, "pull me to my feet and we'll go downstairs. This could be a good time for you to talk to my family while I'm working; at least until Peter returns."

Jacob stood from the bed and pulled Renesmee to her feet. She took a moment to steady herself and the two walked downstairs together. Jasper already went outside and gathered large quantities of apples for Renesmee so she could get started on the jams and butters. Any other ingredients she'd needed were bought a while ago when she'd first made the suggestion. Everyone stared at them, particularly Jacob, when they both came downstairs. Renesmee went right to the apples and asked Bella to help her fill a few buckets with water so they could start peeling the apples. While they worked, Edward was the first to speak to Jacob.

"So tell everyone when the two of you married," Edward said.

"We married in January under the new moon."

"Can you be a little more specific?" Rosalie asked.

"It would've been January 6th," Renesmee clarified. "He proposed to me at midnight on New Years and we married five days later."

"Well that's romantic," Esme said cheerfully.

"Yes," Edward grumbled sarcastically, "very romantic."

"That bracelet Renesmee's wearing," Alice added, "that's her wedding band, correct?"

"Yes, it is."

"Jacob," Renesmee interrupted, "has Claire been practicing?"

"The violin you mean? Yeah, she's been practicing really hard. You'll have to let her play for you once you get back."

"How do you people have a violin?" Rosalie asked.

"Whenever Renesmee wanted or needed something, we would sneak into the city to get them and we befriended a prostitute that helped us out. She gave us the violin as a wedding present and we stole a smaller violin for Claire when she took a shine to the violin."

"Add thief to the list of things you've reduced her to," Rosalie said.

"Stop it, Rosalie," Bella said. "Renesmee contributed a lot in the way of education did she not?"

"Yes, she did, most of all for me."

"She tells me she had you reading Shakespeare and a classic Greek Epic."

"Ick," Jacob mumbled. "We didn't finish the Odyssey and I'm glad for it. I much preferred reading Othello."

"It's a very good play," Alice agreed. "I'm more partial to Midsummer Night's Dream. Did she make you read that?"

"No, we've not read that," Jacob answered.

"Oh, you'd love it," Alice said. "It's four lovers that end up in the woods being played with by fairies. It's very comedic and very risqué."

"Risqué?"

"It's a French word that refers to something being slightly indecent or shocking especially in terms of being sexually suggestive," Renesmee said.

"Oh," Jacob said rather interested. "Do we have that?"

"I don't recall," Renesmee admitted. "I don't think they let me take that with them when I moved her," she said while nodding her head to her parents.

"Your father's the chief correct?" Edward said. Jacob was taken off guard by the sudden change of topic, but did nod.

"Yes, my father is chief. When he passes away, the title will go to me. It might not entitle me to Allenham Court, but I still have a worthy estate," Jacob managed to joke.

"I'm impressed," Esme said. "You do mean Allenham Court from Sense and Sensibility correct?"

"Where Willoughby stayed with his aunt right?" Jacob asked Renesmee, just to be sure.

"Yes, that's where Willoughby stayed. The rest of the family stayed at Barton Cottage in Norland."

"Okay," Jacob said. "Think of my tribe as the humble little cottage at Barton. It's not much, but it's charming in its own way."

"Shall we demolish our houses and recreate a lot in its image too?" Edward asked sarcastically. Renesmee gave Edward a dirty look while Jacob just chuckled.

"Only if you have the money for it." Everyone, even Edward, simply had to laugh.

"Fucking smart-ass," Jasper said while he chuckled. "We find ourselves in a bit of a conundrum, Edward. We're beginning to like him."

"Speak for yourself," Rosalie said.

"Oh stop it, you laughed too," Alice said.

"Jacob," Renesmee said. "Would you mind helping me and mom peel the apples?" Jacob nodded and grabbed a seat and placed it next to Renesmee. Jacob grabbed a knife and helped peel the apples with precise precision.

"Are there apples near where you live?" Bella asked, making small talk.

"Sure, but we don't usually go through this much fuss over them. We just pick them and eat them."

"It's as good a way to eat them as any," Bella said.

While Peter was away, they all took the time to really get to know Jacob and it made Renesmee happy. She felt relieved that they seemed to be accepting that she loved Jacob and wanted to see what it was she loved so much. Peter and Embry were gone for several hours and didn't return until it was nearing sunset. Edward gave everyone a mile's warning, giving Renesmee time to say goodbye to Jacob for now and for him to leave the house through the back kitchen window. With Jacob gone, Renesmee tried to steel herself to what she was about to do.

"It might not be quite so hard as you think," Edward said. "Emmett seems to have gently persuaded him that divorce is for the best."

"That doesn't mean he won't be upset," Renesmee said. "Where's the paperwork?"

Edward went upstairs to retrieve the paperwork that Renesmee had already signed. All that was missing was Peter's signature. Once he signed it, all Edward would need to do it turn in the paperwork to city hall the divorce would be final. When Edward handed Renesmee the paperwork, he looked at her seriously.

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. Since when are you not?"

"It's not the divorce I'm asking about. It's going back with Jacob that I'm concerned about. Those people in that little town know you and they know Peter. They'll start gossiping and then where will you be?"

"They can say whatever they want," Renesmee replied adamantly. "They don't have to agree with my decision so long as Jacob and I are happy."

"What about that child?" Edward asked. "I'm sure you want more for him than to live in a little village with no means of making more of himself."

"It's not as if he won't have an education. I'll be teaching him everything he needs to know and I'm sure anything I forget you'll gladly make up for."

"You're not thinking about that baby's future, Renesmee," Edward said. "At least if we go east, we can claim he's a nephew. Or we can claim the father passed away and you brought your son with to live with family. No one has to know his lineage and no one has to know the circumstances of his conception. We'll be able to ensure that boy has a future."

"He doesn't need to live in a big city to have a future, daddy. And he certainly doesn't need to be moved around every four to six years so people don't start getting suspicious. He'll be happier staying in a small village surrounded by friends and family than he would be moving around only having his family as friends."

"And what if one day that little boy wants more with his life? What could a life in such a small village possibly offer him?"

"And what did moving all over the country ever offer me, daddy? Never mind that I was a woman imposing on the workplace," she said with sarcasm, "but I was the new woman that no one knew. There's no point in arguing about this, daddy. Once this divorce is settled, I'm returning with Jacob and that's final. You can kick and scream all you want. It won't change my mind." Edward took a deep, needless breath and closed his eyes a moment.

"No one can say I didn't try to reason with you."

Renesmee ignored Edward and focused on preparing herself for the conversation she and Peter were about to have. Everyone waiting until Peter was in the house before stepping outside to give the two of them some 'privacy' so they could talk. When everyone left, it made Peter immediately ill at ease, so Renesmee gave him a moment to relax before she started. He looked at the water buckets filled with apples and attempted to start on a light note.

"You're starting the apples I see," he finally said.

"Yeah. I'll finish them tomorrow. The water has lemon in it, so the apples should keep from browning."

"You'd best get some sleep, then," he said.

"You and I need to talk before that," she said. She rested the papers on the table and looked at Peter, trying to see what he might be thinking. "I know you don't want to sign this, Peter. But I can't imagine that trying to salvage our marriage is making you happy."

"I'm trying to salvage our marriage because I love you, Renesmee." They stayed quiet a moment as Peter stopped to think. "I'm unhappy because somehow, my wife was kidnapped and was not pleased when I came to save her. I'm unhappy because my wife is choosing a child over me."

"Jacob isn't a child, Peter," Renesmee defended. "I can't change that I fell in love with him, Peter. I didn't expect it nor did I intend for it to happen, but it did. Furthermore, I'm pregnant with his child. I'll have my child with Jacob or with no one at all."

"Was there ever a time," Peter began, clearly hurt, "that you loved me in return?" Renesmee stopped, unsure how to answer him. She eventually decided it was best to be honest.

"I care for you, Peter. That's never changed. You're a good man and when I married you, I knew you would be a good husband. However, you and I were together so briefly. I may know things about your family, I may know stories of your childhood, but I still barely know you. I'm fond of you, and as I've said many times, you will make another woman that deserves you a wonderful husband. But the blunt truth is: I'm in love with Jacob. He's the man I wish to spend my life with, have children with, grow old with," Renesmee said with conviction, regardless of her last point being utterly unrealistic, "and I love him."

"So you've only thought highly of me at best," Peter reiterated sorrowfully.

"Yes, Peter, I think highly of you." Renesmee unfolded the paperwork, but she didn't place it on the table just yet. "I just don't love you. Not the way a wife should." Renesmee finally unfolded the papers and smoothed them on the table. "Peter." Peter finally looked at Renesmee and he was taking deep breaths to keep himself calm.

"What am I supposed to tell everyone?" he finally asked. "I've said nothing about the pregnancy. When asked why they've not seen you, I tell them you've been in no mood to be around people after what you've been through."

"I appreciate that," Renesmee said. "You're welcome to make daddy the villain if you need to. I know he's been an ogre since you two met."

"I've said nothing of that as well," Peter sighed.

"Of course not," Renesmee said. "There's one thing you are more than anyone I've ever met Peter, and that's patient."

"Patient," Peter muttered. "Thank you for putting it so well."

"I mean that, Peter. You have the patience of a saint."

"It hasn't done me any good thus far," he said. "But then, yelling hasn't helped me either." Peter breathed deeply again while leaning forward on the table with his hands folded. "I guess there's really no point in arguing over the matter anymore." What followed was one more deep breath while holding out his right hand. "Give me a pen."

Renesmee handed the paperwork and a pen to Peter so he could sign his name, finalizing the divorce. All that was left was for Edward to bring the papers into city hall. After signing the document, Peter pushed it towards Renesmee with a sorrowful grimace on his face. Renesmee wasn't smiling either. She wanted this divorce, yet she couldn't pretend it didn't bother her that she'd hurt Peter so much. Renesmee took the documents and folded them, thanking Peter for signing them.

"I appreciate this, Peter," Renesmee said. Peter remained silent. "I know it might not seem like it now, but I think you'll be happy we divorced in the long run."

"How do you figure?"

"You deserve a woman that wants to be married to you and loves just you. I can't give you that. I want it to be clear, Peter, that none of this happened because of you. You did everything any loving husband would do. There's a woman out there that deserves you, but I'm not that woman."

"Perhaps," Peter said and took a deep breath. "Well, I signed it."

"With mother helping me, I'll be able to get those jams and butter done by tomorrow. We'll leave after that."

"And you said I'm allowed to blame your father?" Peter managed to joke. Renesmee smiled and nodded.

"Yes, you can blame daddy all you want."