Chapter 24: Look at me Mommy!
Bella opened the door and smiled. Her room looked just as she remembered it, untouched by time. The soft pastel walls, the shelves filled with her favorite books and mementos, and the cozy bed with its familiar purple blanket all greeted her like old friends. When she went off to college three years ago, she had no idea how her life would turn out. Even if she had had a million guesses, she would never have imagined that she would return home most likely as an immortal vampire.
She chuckled lightly as she walked in and sat down on her bed. The mattress felt just like she remembered it, and for old times' sake, she lay down and closed her eyes. Sadly, she knew it was a lost cause and, with a sigh, she opened her eyes again, staring at the ceiling.
Sitting up, a thought crossed her mind, and she reached for her pillow and brought it to her face, inhaling deeply. The scent of detergent was all she detected, a sterile cleanliness that masked any lingering traces of her former self. Curiously, she got up and walked over to her closet, sliding open the door to reveal her old clothes from high school. The sight of them brought a flood of memories, each piece a reminder of a different moment in her human life.
She knew none of them would fit her new body, but she leaned in, taking a good whiff of the clothes, searching for a trace of the girl she used to be. Surprisingly, and maybe a little disturbingly, she thought her human scent was incredibly delectable. She had to be glad that James had other things on his mind than blood because if she found this scent coming from a criminal now, she would have happily sucked them dry and wished for seconds.
Thinking over everything that had occurred yesterday, Bella couldn't have been more pleased. She had finally told someone the truth about herself, and thankfully, her mom had accepted her with open arms. The weight of her secret, and the constant lying had been just another burden on her conscience, and to her delight, she felt just a little bit lighter now. She had always thought her mom would be understanding, but still, there had been a small, insidious voice in the back of her head whispering doubts and filling her head with an image of her mom running away screaming, all while calling her a monster. She was so relieved that wasn't how it went down.
After her mom had fallen asleep, Bella traveled back to the hotel room she had rented to retrieve her belongings. She had actually arrived in Phoenix the day before meeting her mom. Wanting to make a good impression, she had gone shopping and bought a nice new outfit. Later that night, she had gone out to fully satiate herself. There was no way she was going to take any chances with her mom's safety.
Looking forward to later today was a major understatement. Bella had been dying to show off her abilities to someone, and she couldn't think of a better person than her mom. The anticipation made her feel like a little kid again, eager to demonstrate her skills. "Look at me, Mommy," she thought amusingly, using a child's voice in her head.
While she had always excelled academically, physically she had only proven time and again that she was the world's biggest klutz. This was finally her chance to impress someone with her athletic prowess. The irony that she had only had to become a new person to achieve this goal was not lost on her.
The sound of her mom's heartbeat and breathing started to increase, and Bella knew she would be waking up soon, as dawn had already come a while ago. She left her room, closing the door silently behind her, and walked into the kitchen. Thinking it would be a nice gesture to make breakfast, she started looking through the cabinets and refrigerator to see what was there. Seeing that she had all the ingredients needed for pancakes, she set to work so they would be ready by the time her mom emerged. Plus, it would give her a chance to work with human food again, something she hadn't done for almost two years now, and she wanted to reassure herself that she still knew what she was doing.
The familiar scent of flour, eggs, and vanilla filled the air, but to Bella's chagrin, it all smelled awful now. She moved with practiced ease, recalling how she had taken the reins in the kitchen at a young age because her mom had a knack for burning everything. Memories of their laughter while cooking together filled her mind as she whisked the batter and poured it onto the hot griddle, watching the edges turn a golden brown. The aroma of pancakes and coffee soon filled the kitchen, her heightened senses not liking the smell at all, but she smiled regardless, remembering the joy she had always felt when she made a nice meal. She still had that joy; she just wouldn't be able to partake in eating it herself anymore.
By the time Renée came out of her room fully dressed, Bella had her meal all ready for her. The kitchen was filled with the warm glow of the sun coming in through the windows as she quickly set the table for one.
"Hey, Mom. I hope you slept well. I made breakfast for you. I'm pretty sure it's just the way you like it," Bella said, her voice gentle and filled with affection. She placed the plate in front of her mom, who sat down with a grateful smile. Bella then brought over the pot of coffee she had brewed, pouring a steaming cup for Renée.
"Thank you, sweetheart. You didn't have to do this," Renée said, smiling warmly at her daughter as she watched Bella sit down in the seat she always used to occupy. She poured some maple syrup over the pancakes, picked up her fork, and sliced off a piece, savoring the first bite. "Hmm, these are really good. Thank you."
"It was no problem at all. It was nice to see that I still remembered how," Bella replied, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "You know, it's funny. The food still looks good to me even though I know it will taste like garbage. It smells pretty bad too. Don't take it the wrong way, but I'm trying to use your scent to mask everything else."
Renée chuckled, glad to see that Bella's sense of humor was the same. She glanced at her daughter and suddenly gasped, her eyes going wide and the fork falling back onto the plate.
Bella was startled. She didn't think she had done anything to warrant such a reaction and quickly looked around, making sure nothing was wrong. Seeing nothing amiss, she turned back to her mom and asked, her voice tinged with confusion, "What is it?"
Renée stared at Bella, her eyes wide with shock, and finally whispered, "Your eyes. What happened? Yesterday they were brown. Now they're red, almost shining like rubies."
"Oh, that," Bella said, her voice calm but tinged with unease. "Yeah, well, my eyes are red now. I don't know why they turned this color. It's how they were when I woke up after everything happened. I wore contacts yesterday because I didn't want to freak you out right away. There was already so much I had to explain that would do that job, and I thought adding red eyes into the mix was just one thing too many."
Bella shrugged before continuing, "The contacts seem to dissolve after around seven hours of wearing them. I'm not sure why. The only thing I can think of is that my eyes secrete some sort of acid, but that makes no sense since I can't even cry anymore. I can't produce tears for some reason. Like I said, there are a lot of weird things about me. You don't mind if I keep my eyes like this, do you? I could put some new contacts in, but they make my vision not as sharp, which is really annoying."
"No, no, you keep your eyes as you want. True, they are a bit freaky, but they are actually pretty to look at. They just surprised me, that's all," Renée said, her voice softening as she took in the sight of Bella's ruby eyes. They brought back the memory of when she had bought cat's eye contacts for herself. She had quite liked how she looked in them, but they hadn't gone over well with her friends or Bella for that matter, who had really put up a stink about them. She couldn't help but note that human Bella had not been as progressive or accepting of being different as she was now.
Renée leaned back, her smile growing warmer as she wanted to make Bella feel more at ease. She had noticed how tentative Bella had been yesterday talking about her differences. "So, what's on the agenda for today?" she asked, her tone laced with curiosity and excitement.
"Well, we can do as we talked about yesterday, and I can show you all the cool stuff I can do. You still want to see that, right?" Bella asked, her excitement shining in her eyes. When her mom nodded enthusiastically, Bella's smile widened. "Great! You finish your breakfast, and I'll get some supplies ready. You'll need food and water if we're going to be in the desert for a while."
Renée watched her daughter move around the kitchen with an efficiency and grace that seemed so unusual, especially for Bella. It was hard for her to wrap her head around; Bella moved almost as if she were floating. It was quite spellbinding to watch.
Soon enough, Renée was ready, having finished her breakfast. But before she could even stand up to clean the area, her plate had magically disappeared, and Bella was already at the sink, washing it. Laughing quietly, seeing that everything was being handled, she excused herself to use the bathroom. When she returned, Bella looked all packed and ready to go. Out of habit, though, she asked, "Do you need to go too?"
A beleaguered smile formed on Bella's lips as she prepared to explain this one. "Yeah, again, this is another one of those weird things that doesn't make any sense. I don't seem to have to go to the bathroom anymore."
Renée's eyebrows shot up in disbelief, her incredulous look prompting Bella to quickly hold up her hands in a placating gesture. "I know, I know. As I said, it makes no sense as I can... well, I can drain several people in one meal, and I've never figured out where all that blood goes. Trust me, I tried going for weeks when this first happened to me, but nothing is happening down there."
Renée shook her head, a mixture of confusion and curiosity evident in her expression. "That is a weird one, dear. How many more weird things will you be telling me today?" She had to agree with Bella; even if one was a vampire, that shouldn't mean they couldn't go to the bathroom.
"Well, there is one big one that I plan to show you when we get to the desert," Bella said with a smirk, thinking about her sparkles with a touch of humor. She could laugh a lot more at how ridiculous she looked now that she could turn them off. Seeing her mom's intrigued expression, she couldn't help but add, "Trust me, that one will make the not-peeing thing look insignificant. No hints, though. That one needs to be seen to be believed."
They left the house, Renée locking the front door behind them, before heading for her mom's car. Bella had never been in this car before; her mom had replaced their old one while she was in college. Before getting in, Bella took a moment to look around her old street. A smile spread across her face as a wave of nostalgia washed over her. It felt nice to be home again.
Seeing that her mom was already in the car, she quickly hopped into the passenger seat. The car felt cozy, and she was relieved her mom hadn't opted for leather seats—something she thought should be illegal in Arizona's blistering heat. She was fine with her mom driving, but soon she wanted to be able to get behind the wheel again. That reminded her of something important she needed to discuss.
"Hey, I was hoping you would help me with something," Bella began. "I lost all my IDs and really everything important when this happened. Could you help me get some new ones? A driver's license and passport are the most important. I guess a credit card would be nice, too. I've been dealing with cash only since I reintroduced myself to society."
"Of course, I'll help," Renée said with a reassuring smile. "I have your birth certificate… ahh, somewhere in the house, so that should help a lot with getting your IDs. Now, where am I heading, sweetheart?" She glanced at Bella, her hands steady on the wheel.
"We're heading to the desert. Just drive west. Once we find a remote spot, I can take us further in so we won't be disturbed. And don't worry about the birth certificate. I can search pretty fast these days." Bella smirked, her excitement growing as she thought about what she would be showing her mom in just a little while.
As they drove through the city, Bella noticed familiar sights from her past. She saw her favorite pizza place where she used to hang out with her friends and was glad to see it still going strong.
"Hey, Mom," Bella said, an idea sparking in her mind. "Once I get my IDs, would you like to take a trip to Vegas? I've wanted to go since my 21st birthday, but without an ID, I knew they wouldn't let me gamble."
Renée laughed, "Like you really have to ask. I'd love to go to Vegas with you. I'm glad you've finally seen the light. I've been telling you we should go to Vegas for years, but you kept poo-pooing the idea. We'll have a blast. I went with some of my girlfriends last year, and we had the best time. My friend Rachel got so drunk that she got us all kicked out of my favorite strip club because she kept grabbing the guys'... packages."
Hearing this, Bella burst out laughing, the sound ringing through the car. "Great. You can show me around. I think I'm in the mood to see some... packages." Bella's eyes sparkled with mischief as she grinned at her mom. She was no longer the shy, reserved girl she had once been. Her mom was right; she had finally seen the light. Before she left for college, she would never have entertained the idea of going to Vegas, let alone a strip club. Now, she was ready for all the new experiences and adventures she could find.
Renée smiled, noticing how her daughter was more forthcoming than she used to be. Curiosity piqued, she asked, "I hope you don't mind me asking, but have you had any luck in the men department? You were always on the road this past year. Any hookups you didn't tell me about? I can only imagine what the hot surfer dudes were like in California. You must have been very popular at the beaches. I know you never mentioned anything, but you've never liked to talk about that type of stuff."
Bella grimaced, her fingers drumming lightly on her leg. "I wish I could say yes, but sadly, the answer is no. When this happened, it kind of put the kibosh on my dating life. Now, I'm a little wary of what would happen if I tried anything. I don't think you realize the full extent of my strength yet. You'll see it on full display shortly. I'm just afraid I'd seriously hurt a guy by accident if I tried anything. You don't want to know what I've been thinking might happen."
Renée started wondering what Bella was thinking, but put that aside as she needed to impart what wisdom she had, which was actually quite extensive when it came to guys. "I hear you, but maybe you should put yourself out there, in small steps at least, so you know what's possible. You don't want to grow old and miss out on everything life has to offer, regardless of what you've become."
Bella turned her gaze back to her mom, realizing she hadn't explained her new reality as fully as she had believed. "Ah, Mom, I guess I never said this outright, but I'm pretty sure I'm immortal now. I don't think I'm ever going to age or grow old physically."
Hearing this, Renée's mind seemed to momentarily short-circuit as she tried to process Bella's words. The car began to drift into the adjacent lane, prompting an angry honk from the vehicle beside them. Realizing her mom was distracted, Bella swiftly grabbed the steering wheel, correcting their course and keeping her hand firmly in place.
"Mom, are you okay?" Bella asked loudly, her voice tinged with concern. She kept her gaze on the road, aware that her mom seemed lost in thought and not fully present.
Renée blinked rapidly, Bella's words replaying in her mind, making it difficult for her to fully process them. After a few more moments, she finally shook her head, working to clear the fog of disbelief that had settled over her thoughts. "Immortal? You mean you're not going to age?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Well, I don't know for sure, but I don't think so. That crazy woman who was threatening me made a big deal about how I would go insane for all eternity as a disembodied head. And if you combine that with the legends about vampires being immortal, it kind of makes sense. I won't know for sure until I meet someone else like me, but there are some clues. My body hasn't changed at all since this happened. My hair stopped growing, my fingernails and toenails too. Even my monthly cycle stopped. So, yeah, no grandkids, Mom," Bella added, trying to lighten the mood with a joke, but it fell pretty flat.
Hearing Bella's words, Renée wiped some tears from her eyes. After composing herself, she glanced at her daughter. "I'm sorry, Bella. I know you've said you didn't want kids in the past, but still, I'm sorry."
"I know, Mom," Bella replied softly. "It hit me hard too when I realized it. But I'm okay. Really." Renée looked at Bella and, seeing the sincerity in her eyes, nodded in understanding.
Both Bella and her mom fell into a contemplative silence for a while. Bella watched the city she had grown up in pass by, the familiar sights of her hometown fading into the distance as they drove toward the desert. The cityscape gave way to stretches of open road and vast, rugged landscapes. The air was warm and dry, filled with the scent of sagebrush and sun-baked earth wafting through the car's open windows. Wanting to make sure her mom was fine, Bella gently patted her leg. She was pleased when her mom turned and smiled at her, a silent reassurance that they were okay.
Finally, they reached a spot that Bella deemed remote enough, and she asked her mom to drive down a dirt road for another mile or so. The desert stretched out in all directions, an expanse of rugged beauty under the clear sky. Bella scanned the area, feeling confident it was safe. "This looks good. Go ahead and pull over, Mom," she said.
Renée brought the car to a stop, and they both got out, the dry, warm air immediately wrapping around them. Bella took some of the water and food out of the cooler, placing them into a backpack before handing it to her mom. "That's for later," she said with a reassuring smile. "Now, why don't you hop on my back, and I'll take us out to the middle of nowhere."
Renée looked at Bella with shock, her eyes widening. "Are you sure?" She knew Bella had said she was strong, but this seemed almost unbelievable.
Bella laughed, a light, melodic sound. "Trust me, Mom. I won't even feel your added weight. I'm a lot stronger than I look." Her eyes sparkled with confidence as she got down on one knee, nodding at her and waiting with a patient smile.
Renée slipped on the backpack, feeling the weight of the supplies inside. And Bella was going to carry her with the same ease? She glanced at her daughter, kneeling there with a look of eager determination. "Okay, Bella," she said, shaking her head slightly. "But I've got to tell you, I feel a little foolish doing this." Despite her words, a small smile tugged at her lips, a mix of nervousness and anticipation fluttering in her chest. Would her daughter actually be able to do what she was claiming?
She climbed on Bella's back, wrapping her legs around her waist and her arms around her neck. Bella supported her legs with her arms, ensuring a secure hold. "Okay, I'm going to start pretty slow and then increase my speed. When you're ready for me to start flying, just say the word." Bella paused, thinking for a moment. "Ah, please don't throw up on me. If you feel like you're going to be sick, let me know, and I'll slow down or land if we're already flying."
"Okay. I'm ready." Renée could not believe she was doing this. The last day and today had felt like a dream—the most realistic and strange dream she had ever had.
All of a sudden, they were moving. They were moving so fast, but it was so smooth. She wasn't being jostled around at all. How was Bella doing this, running on dirt? As Bella picked up the pace, Renée marveled at the incredible speed. The desert landscape was sharp and clear around them, each cactus and rock standing out in stark relief as they raced forward. The sensation was surreal, like something out of a movie. She could feel the wind rushing past her face, whipping her hair back, yet there was an odd tranquility to the motion, as if they were gliding.
This was unbelievable. She laughed, a joyful sound that was snatched away by the wind. Bella really was the fastest woman alive. Their speed kept increasing, and Renée realized they were now moving faster than she even liked to drive her car. The ground beneath them was a blur of detail, but she could still make out the majestic mesas and towering rock formations, everything in sharp focus despite their incredible speed. Each massive structure seemed to loom larger as they approached and receded just as quickly as they sped past.
She heard Bella yell if she wanted to try flying. "Yes!" Renée yelled back, the excitement bubbling in her chest. Could Bella really fly? The concept was so foreign, but as she was thinking this...
Oh god, they started soaring into the air. Renée screamed as she saw the ground getting further and further away. They rose 20, 30, 40 feet off the ground, and the sensation of flight took over. The desert spread out beneath them, vast and endless. The sky above was a brilliant blue, the sun casting everything in a golden hue. Renée's heart pounded in her chest, not from fear, but from sheer exhilaration.
Bella really did have superpowers. She could fly. She saved people's lives. In that moment of clarity, Renée realized something profound. Her daughter really was a superhero.
Renée screamed in delight, a sound of pure, unrestrained joy. The world seemed to fall away, leaving just the two of them soaring into the sky, defying gravity, defying everything she had ever known. It was a moment she knew she would never forget.
As Bella glided over the desert, her mom's squeals of joy were infectious, filling the air with her sense of wonder. Bella kept her speed slower than she usually would and avoided doing any special maneuvers to ensure her mom felt secure. The experience was liberating for her, a shared moment of sheer joy that Bella had longed for. The vast expanse of the desert spread out beneath them, a breathtaking tapestry of rugged beauty, so unlike all the other climates she had flown in before.
Smiling, she couldn't help but ask, "Would you like to see the Earth from the clouds? The view is incredible from up there. Do you want me to take us higher?"
Renée already could not believe how beautiful the desert was from up here. When she flew in an airplane, they were already moving so fast, but the way Bella was moving allowed her to appreciate everything in perfect detail. The rugged terrain, the sprawling mesas, and the breathtaking expanse of the landscape all added to the mesmerizing view. Hearing Bella's words only made her grin wider.
"Yes, I'd love to see that," Renée replied, her voice filled with excitement. As the words left her mouth, she felt them changing course and instinctively squeezed her legs and arms around Bella tighter as they shot up into the sky. She looked down, watching as the Earth grew smaller and smaller beneath them, the vast desert stretching out for miles in all directions. Soon, she could see clouds in the distance ahead of them, and as Bella leveled off, they were now at the same altitude as the clouds. Renée looked down again, hardly able to believe where she was. The sense of wonder was overwhelming. In the distance, she could see birds flying below them, adding to the surreal beauty of the moment.
It was then that Bella stopped, and Renée felt a moment of panic. They were not moving at all. Why weren't they moving? How were they staying upright? The stillness was unnerving. "What's happening?" she asked, her voice tinged with fear.
"I like to relax up in the sky, usually at night. Everything is so peaceful from up here. Do you like it?" Bella asked, her voice calm and soothing. She couldn't see her mom, with her clinging to her back, but she could hear her mom's heartbeat skyrocketing all of a sudden and hoped to reassure her.
Renée looked around, her initial fear giving way to awe. The vast sky stretched out in every direction, the clouds drifting lazily around them. "Yes, it's amazing, but how are we staying up? Shouldn't you be flapping your arms or something?" Renée felt foolish asking, but this was really freaky. The sensation of floating, supported only by Bella's inexplicable power, was both thrilling and unsettling.
Bella laughed. "That's not really how it works. I know it seems like I'm flying, and technically I am, but it's kind of weird. My body isn't actually doing anything to fly. I'm just here enjoying the ride like you. It's actually my mind that's doing all the work. I have a bubble around my waist, and I'm moving it around, which makes it look like I'm flying. Weird, right? But the more I practice, the more realistic my movements get. I'm getting faster, too. It'll be fun to see what I can do in five, ten, or twenty years from now. I'll start moving slowly again so we can enjoy the desert. The landscape is really something from up here."
Renée listened to Bella's words with amazement. She thought she understood what her daughter was saying, but it still seemed like a bunch of science fiction mumbo jumbo. She grinned, realizing she was hearing Charlie's skeptical voice in her head. Deciding to just enjoy the ride, she let herself relax a bit more. As Bella flew, she asked, "Do you ever get tired when you're flying? Does it take a lot of energy?"
"Not really," Bella replied, "I haven't once gotten tired since I got this new body. I could run for hours, covering hundreds of miles, and I doubt I'd even be out of breath at the end. I do get hungry sooner if I use a lot of energy, but not tired in the way you're thinking. The bubble around me takes the same effort to maintain whether I'm on the ground or in the air. Flying like this is more mentally demanding, but my brain seems to have an unlimited capacity for handling multiple tasks at once. It's hard to describe, but it's like I can think about hundreds of things simultaneously."
Renée absorbed Bella's words. Truthfully, how she did it didn't matter. The fact that she could do it was what amazed her. Soon, they were gliding high above some of the towering mesas that had always fascinated Bella as a child.
"Do you want to go down and look at one of those mesas up close?" Renée asked, pointing to a particularly impressive one below.
Bella smiled, her mom's suggestion mirroring her own thoughts. "Sure. Going down."
Renée felt them aim downward, and she screamed in excitement as they started descending at a rapid pace, similar to the thrill of a roller coaster drop. Luckily, she loved roller coasters, so the sensation of her stomach dropping didn't make her feel sick. She imagined they must look like an eagle swooping down from the sky. It was a shame they couldn't capture any pictures of them in flight.
As Bella approached one of the mesas, she slowed down and leveled off, stopping about 30 feet above the ground so she and her mom could take in the intricate patterns of erosion etched in the rock face. Bella lifted one hand and lightly touched the surface, feeling the weathered stone beneath her fingers.
Renée couldn't believe the ride she had just experienced. She watched in awe as her daughter studied the ancient formations, marveling at their beauty and history. "Do you want to go stand on top of it, honey?" Renée asked, her voice filled with a mix of excitement and curiosity.
"Sure, Mom. Going up." Renée could tell Bella was having fun as she heard her daughter giggle. Low and behold, they started moving directly upward and then gently glided over the top, toward the center of the giant mesa's surface. As Bella touched down, she carefully helped her mom stand on her own two feet again.
After regaining her bearings and steadying her feet, Renée looked around in awe. She wondered if they were the first humans to ever stand atop this ancient edifice. Well, human and... maybe a vampire? Her daughter certainly didn't act like how she would imagine a vampire to be.
Even though she had loved flying, it felt good to have solid ground beneath her feet again. Renée turned to Bella, smiling brightly. "That was amazing! I had my doubts, but you really can fly. It feels like you broke every law of science I think there is." Renée shook her head in disbelief.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it as much as I do," Bella replied with a grin. "I was actually going pretty slow. I love doing lots of spins and twirls when I fly, but no way was I going to do that with you on my back." Bella saw her mom nodding gratefully in understanding.
Bella looked around the surface area of the mesa top, which was quite expansive. The view was breathtaking, with the vast desert stretching out in every direction. She spotted some rocks nearby and thought this was the perfect opportunity to show her mom the true extent of her strength.
She picked up a medium-sized rock, gripping it in her hand. She grinned at her mom. "Okay, Mom, take a look at this. It might explain why I'm reticent to get... ahh, excited with some hot surfer dude." With little effort, she squeezed, crushing the rock into a fine dust, letting the particles slip through her fingers and scatter in the gentle breeze. Renée's eyes widened in astonishment, her mouth opening slightly in disbelief. Bella then picked up a larger rock and, with a swift, fluid motion, hurled it across the mesa. The rock kept going, flying farther than Renée could see, disappearing into the distance.
"Holy shit," Renée breathed, her gaze fixed on her daughter, a stunned mix of awe and… fuck she didn't know what to think.
Bella knew she had her mom's undivided attention. With the noon sun directly overhead, casting a brilliant light across the mesa, Bella decided now was the perfect moment to reveal her sparkling persona.
"Okay, Mom. I have something to show you. Try not to laugh too hard when you see this. There was one thing I didn't mention about my condition. Now, this affected me for almost the entire time I've been like this. I only figured out how to shut it off a few months ago." Bella could see she now had her mom's undivided attention.
"Okay, so you know the stories of how when a vampire comes in contact with the sun they burn up, right?" Renée nodded, her eyes widening with curiosity. "Well, that first day when the sun started to come up, I got worried. I had just drained that poor man, and I thought I might be a vampire. The sun was rising, and I had nowhere to hide. I looked everywhere, but it was too late. I closed my eyes and waited for the end to come, but it never did. I finally opened my eyes and beheld this. Are you ready, Mom?"
Renée loved hearing Bella tell her story. Of course, the part where she killed someone was awful, but she had quickly decided to gloss over those aspects of her daughter's new life. She nodded eagerly, her curiosity piqued by Bella's cryptic build-up.
"Okay, Mom. When I opened my eyes, I looked like this." Bella grinned wryly, and suddenly, Renée had to avert her eyes. What had happened? She glanced back at Bella, and her breath caught in her throat.
Renée beheld her daughter, who now looked like... what was that? It was as if Bella had transformed into a living, breathing disco ball or a person made up of millions of glittering diamonds. Each facet caught the sunlight, reflecting a dazzling array of colors that danced across the mesa's surface.
"You looked like this in the sun?" she finally uttered, mesmerized by her daughter's radiant appearance. Her mind struggled to reconcile this dazzling figure with the Bella she knew. It was both beautiful and surreal, like something out of a fantastical dream.
"Yep. Until a few months ago, every time I went out during the day, I would look like this. It really was the greatest hindrance to my life," Bella explained. "But when I was in California, I was playing with my bubble, seeing if I could figure out anything new with it, and low and behold, I got the sparkles to shut off. At first, it was only for a very short time, but after working on it for months, I can now shut them off for hours at a time. I would have had a much harder time visiting you if we couldn't go out during the day. Thankfully, that problem no longer exists."
"Can I touch your skin? That's got to be the freakiest thing I've ever seen," Renée asked, her voice tinged with awe and curiosity. Seeing Bella nod, she approached her daughter, who held out her hand. Renée carefully took it, moving it this way and that, marveling at the glittering diamonds that sparkled under the bright sun.
The surface felt just as cold as before, but aside from the dazzling, otherworldly appearance, it was still Bella's hand. As Renée continued to examine it, she realized that, despite the extraordinary transformation, the texture and feel were the same as when Bella appeared normal.
"This is incredible," Renée murmured, her eyes wide with wonder as she continued to turn Bella's hand, the light playing off the myriad facets, creating a mesmerizing display of colors.
"Do you feel any differences when I'm all glitzy, Mom?" Bella asked, intrigued by her mother's observations.
"No, other than the coldness, I don't notice any other difference. Your skin feels the same as when we were flying," Renée answered, her eyes still captivated by the shimmering display.
"Coldness?" Bella repeated, a hint of confusion in her voice.
"Your skin, dear. It's ice cold. Didn't you know?" Renée looked at Bella, who now seemed deep in thought, her brow furrowing slightly as she processed this new information.
"No, my temperature feels normal to me, but that might explain why all the humans I touch, including you, feel extremely hot. I just thought my touch was more sensitive or something. That's interesting," Bella mused, her eyes reflecting the wheels turning in her mind. She tried to remember if she had thought James felt cold, but many of those final moments of her human life were hazy at best.
"Maybe I'm cold because I don't have blood flowing through my veins anymore. At least, I don't think I do. I've never gotten a cut since the incident to find out," Bella continued, her voice tinged with curiosity. "But without a heartbeat, there wouldn't be anything to pump the blood around even if I did have any."
Renée gasped. "You don't have a heartbeat?"
Bella shook her head. "No, I realized it when I went swimming underwater for the first time and discovered I didn't need to breathe anymore. Would you like to feel?"
Renée didn't like hearing that Bella lacked a heartbeat; it made it sound like her daughter was dead. But Bella was right here, vibrant and very much alive. She carefully placed her hand on Bella's chest and waited, and waited. Tears began to fall down her face as she lifted her head to look into her daughter's ruby eyes.
Bella's expression softened, her non-beating heart aching at the sight of her mother's tears. "It won't be beating, Mom," she said softly. "But it's okay. I'm okay. It doesn't change who I am at my core. I'm still me. I'm just going to have a very different and much longer life than we both expected. I like who I've become. I really do."
Renée nodded, struggling to process her daughter's words and everything she had learned in the past day. Then she gasped again in amazement as Bella's sparkles stopped instantly, her skin returning to its normal, smooth yet still otherworldly appearance. She saw her daughter's smile, and in that moment, she knew it was still her Bella. Smiling back, Renée silently conveyed that she was going to be okay.
I hope you all enjoyed the mother-daughter time. Reviews or comments are appreciated. I really enjoy reading your feedback— I think I have a problem as I check it often. If you have any questions or can't remember something, please post them, and I'll happily answer anything as long as it doesn't delve into future events in the story. Sometimes I can give subtle hints, but I don't like giving spoilers. If you do ask a question, I'll usually respond through a private message very quickly.