The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 26. Shiny

I dont know how frequently we should tell Renee ab emerge this, Charlie said, hesitating with star foot out the door. He stretched, and wherefore his fend for growled.I nodded. I know, i dont compliments to freak her out. Better to defend her. This stuff isnt for the fainthearted.His lips twisted up to the side ruefully. I would sop up tried to protect you, too, if Id known how. But I guess youve never fit into the fainthearted category, have you?I smiled back, pulling a blazing breath in by my teeth.Charlie patted his stomach absently. Ill micro(a)k of something. Weve got time to discuss this, right?Right, I promised him.It had been a long day in some ways, and so short in others. Charlie was previous(a) for dinner Sue Clearwater was cooking for him and Billy. That was acquittance to be an awkward evening, still at least hed be eating real food I was felicitous someone was difficult to keep him from starving due to his lack of cooking ability.All day the tension ha d made the minutes pass slowly Charlie had never relaxed the stiff set of his shoulders. But hed been in no hurry to leave, either. Hed watched two whole games thankfully so absorbed in his thoughts that he was totally listless to Emmetts suggestive jokes that got more pointed and less football-related with each aside and the after-game commentaries, and indeed the news, not moving until Seth had re heared him of the time.You gonna stand Billy and my mom up, Charlie? Cmon. Bella and Nessiell be here tomorrow. Lets bum around some grub, eh?It had been clear in Charlies eyes that he hadnt trusted Seths assessment, tho hed let Seth lead the way out. The doubt was still there as he pa officed now. The clouds were thinning, the rain gone. The sun might even make an appearance just in time to set.Jake says you guys were going to take off on me, he muttered to me now.I didnt want to do that if there was any way at all around it. Thats why were still here.He said you could stay for a magical spell, but only if Im tough enough, and if I can keep my mouth shut.Yes but I cant promise that well never leave, Dad. Its pretty complicated___Need to know, he reminded me.Right.Youll visit, though, if you have to go?I promise, Dad. Now that you know/usf enough, I think this can work. Ill keep as close as you want.He chewed on his lip for half(a) a second, then leaned slowly toward me with his builds cautiously extended. I shifted Renesmee napping now to my left arm, locked my teeth, held my breath, and wrapped my right arm very lightly around his warm, demulcent waist.Keep real close, Bells, he mumbled. Real close.Love you, Dad, I whispered through my teeth.He shivered and pulled away. I dropped my arm.Love you, too, kid. Whatever else has changed, that hasnt. He touched one finger to Renesmees pink cheek. She sure looks a lot like you.I kept my expression casual, though I felt anything but. More like Edward, I think. I hesitated, and then added, She has your curls.C harlie started, then snorted. Huh. Guess she does. Huh. Grandpa. He shook his head doubtfully. Do I ever get to hold her?I blinked in wound and then composed myself. by and by considering for a half second and judging Renesmees appearance she looked completely out I decided that I might as well push my luck to the limit, since things were going so well today___Here, I said, holding her out to him. He automatically made an awkward cradle with his arms, and I tucked Renesmee into it. His skin wasnt quite as hot as hers, but it made my throat tickle to feel the warmth flowing under the thin membrane. Where my white skin brushed him it left goose bumps. I wasnt sure if this was a reaction to my new temperature or totally psychological.Charlie grunted quietly as he felt her weight. Shes sturdy.I frowned. She felt feather-light to me. Maybe my measure was off.Sturdy is good, Charlie said, seeing my expression. therefore he muttered to himself, Shell need to be tough, surrounded by al l this craziness. He bounced his arms gently, swaying a little from side to side. Prettiest baby I ever saw, including you, kid. Sorry, but its true.I know it is.Pretty baby, he said again, but it was close at hand(predicate) to a coo this time.I could see it in his stage I could watch it growing there. Charlie was just as helpless against her magic as the comfort of us. Two seconds in his arms, and already she owned him.Can I come back tomorrow?Sure, Dad. Of course. Well be here.Youd better be, he said sternly, but his face was soft, still gazing at Renesmee. See you tomorrow, Nessie.Not you, tooHuh?Her name is Renesmee. Like Renee and Esme, put together. No variations. I struggled to calm myself without the deep breath this time. Do you want to hear her middle name?Sure.Carlie. With a C. Like Carlisle and Charlie put together.Charlies eye-creasing grin lit up his face, taking me off guard. Thanks, Bells.Thank you, Dad. So much has changed so quickly. My head hasnt stopped spin ning. If I didnt have you now, I dont know how Id keep my grip on on reality. Id been about to say my grip on who I was. That was probably more than he needed.Charlies stomach growled.Go eat, Dad. We will be here. I intended how it felt, that first uncomfortable immersion in fantasy the sensation that everything would run in the light of the rising sun.Charlie nodded and then reluctantly returned Renesmee to me. He glanced past me into the house his eyes were a little wild for a minute as he stared around the big bright room. Everyone was still there, besides Jacob, who I could hear raiding the refrigerator in the kitchen Alice was lounging on the bottom step of the stairway with Jaspers head in her lap Carlisle had his head bent over a fat book in his lap Esme was humming to herself, sketching on a notepad, while Rosalie and Emmett laid out the foundation for a monumental house of cards under the stairs Edward had drifted to his piano and was playing very softly to himself. o n that point was no evidence that the day was coming to a close, that it might be time to eat or shift activities in preparation for evening. Something intangible had changed in the atmosphere. The Cullens werent trying as hard as they usually did the human charade had slipped ever so slightly, enough for Charlie to feel the difference.He shuddered, shook his head, and sighed. See you tomorrow, Bella. He frowned and then added, I mean, its not like you dont look good. Ill get used to it.Thanks, Dad.Charlie nodded and walked thoughtfully toward his car. I watched him drive away it wasnt until I heard his tires hit the freeway that I realized Id done it. Id actually made it through the whole day without hurting Charlie. All by myself. I must have a exponentIt seemed too good to be true. Could I really have both my new family and some of my old as well? And Id thought that yesterday had been perfect.Wow, I whispered. I blinked and felt the third set of contact lenses disintegrate.The sound of the piano cut off, and Edwards arms were around my waist, his chin resting on my shoulder.You took the word right out of my mouth.Edward, i did itYou did. You were unbelievable. All that worrying over being a newborn, and then you skip it altogether.7He laughed quietly.Im not even sure shes really a vampire, let exclusively a newborn, Emmett called from under the stairs. Shes too tame.All the embarrassing comments hed made in front of my father sounded in my ears again, and it was probably a good thing I was holding Renesmee. Unable to help my reaction entirely, I snarled under my breath.Oooo, scary, Emmett laughed.I hissed, and Renesmee stirred in my arms. She blinked a few times, then looked around, her expression confused. She sniffed, then reached for my face.Charlie will be back tomorrow, I assured her.Excellent, Emmett said. Rosalie laughed with him this time.Not brilliant, Emmett, Edward said scornfully, holding out his hands to take Renesmee from me. He winked whe n I hesitated, and so, a little confused, I gave her to him.What do you mean? Emmett demanded.Its a little dense, dont you think, to antagonize the strongest vampire in the house? Emmett threw his head back and snorted. PleaseBella, Edward murmured to me while Emmett listened closely, do you remember a few months ago, I asked you to do me a favor once you were immortal?That rang a dim bell. I sifted through the blurry human conversations. afterward a moment, I remembered and I gasped, OhAlice trilled a long, pealing laugh. Jacob poked his head around the corner, his mouth stuffed with food.What? Emmett growled.Really? I asked Edward.Trust me, he said.I took a deep breath. Emmett, how do you feel about a little bet?He was on his feet at once. Awesome. Bring it.I telephone number my lip for a second. He was just so huge.Unless youre too afraid ? Emmett suggested.I squared my shoulders. You. Me. Arm-wrestling. Dining room table. Now.Emmetts grin stretched crosswise his face.Er, Bella , Alice said quickly, I think Esme is middling fond of that table. Its an antique.Thanks, Esme mouthed at her.No problem, Emmett said with a gleaming smile. Right this way, Bella.I followed him out the back, toward the garage I could hear all the others trailing behind. There was a largish granite boulder standing up out of a tumble of rocks near the river, obviously Emmetts goal. Though the big rock was a little rounded and irregular, it would do the job.Emmett placed his elbow on the rock and waved me forward.I was nervous again as I watched the thick muscles in Emmetts arm roll, but I kept my face smooth. Edward had promised I would be stronger than anyone for a while. He seemed very confident about this, and I felt strong. That strong? I wondered, feel at Emmetts biceps. I wasnt even two days old, though, and that ought to count for something. Unless nothing was normal about me. Maybe I wasnt as strong as a normal newborn. Maybe thats why control was so easy for me.I tried to look unconcerned as I set my elbow against the play off.Okay, Emmett. I win, and you cannot say one more word about my sex life to anyone, not even Rose. No allusions, no innuendos no nothing.His eyes narrowed. Deal. I win, and its going to get a lot worse.He heard my breath stop and grinned evilly. There was no hint of bluff in his eyes.You gonna back down so easy, little sister? Emmett taunted. Not much wild about you, is there? I bet that cottage doesnt have a scratch. He laughed. Did Edward tell you how legion(predicate) houses Rose and I smashed?I gritted my teeth and grabbed his big hand. One, two Three, he grunted, and shoved against my hand.Nothing happened.Oh, I could feel the force he was exerting. My new mind seemed pretty good at all kinds of calculations, and so I could tell that if he wasnt meeting any resistance, his hand would have pounded right through therock without difficulty. The pressure increased, and I wondered randomly if a cement truck doing forty mile s an hour down a sharp decline would have similar power. l miles an hour? Sixty? Probably more.It wasnt enough to move me. His hand shoved against mine with crushing force, but it wasnt unpleasant. It felt kind of good in a spiritual way. Id been so very careful since the last time I woke up, trying so hard not to break things. It was a other relief to use my muscles. To let the strength flow rather than struggling to restrain it.Emmett grunted his forehead creased and his whole body strained in one rigid line toward the blockage of my unmoving hand. I let him sweat figuratively for a moment while I enjoyed the sensation of the crazy force running through my arm.A few seconds, though, and I was a little bored with it. I flexed Emmett lost an inch.I laughed. Emmett snarled harshly through his teeth.Just keep your mouth shut, I reminded him, and then I smashed his hand into the boulder. A deafening crack echoed off the trees. The rock shuddered, and a piece about an eighth of t he mass bust off at an invisible fault line and crashed to the ground. It fell on Emmetts foot, and I snickered. I could hear Jacobs and Edwards muffled laughter.Emmett kicked the rock fragment across the river. It shredded a young maple in half before thudding into the base of a big fir, which swayed and then fell into another tree.Rematch. Tomorrow.Its not going to put up off that fast, I told him. Maybe you ought to give it a month.Emmett growled, flashing his teeth. Tomorrow.Hey, whatever makes you happy, big brother.As he turned to stalk away, Emmett punched the granite, shattering off an go down of shards and powder. It was kind of neat, in a childish way.Fascinated by the undeniable proof that I was stronger than the strongest vampire Id ever known, I placed my hand, fingers spread wide, against the rock. Then I dug my fingers slowly into the stone, crushing rather than digging the consistency reminded me of hard cheese. I ended up with a handful of gravel.Cool, I mumble d.With a grin stretching my face, I whirled in a sudden circle and karate-chopped the rock with the side of my hand. The stone shrieked and groaned and with a big poof of debris split in two.I started giggling.I didnt pay much attention to the chuckles behind me while I punched and kicked the rest of the boulder into fragments. I was having too much fun, snickering away the whole time. It wasnt until I heard a new little giggle, a high-pitched peal of bells, that I turned away from my silly game.Did she just laugh?Everyone was staring at Renesmee with the similar dumbstruck expression that must have been on my face.Yes, Edward said.Who wasnt laughing? Jake muttered, rolling his eyes.Tell me you didnt let go a bit on your first run, dog, Edward teased, no antagonism in his voice at all.Thats different, Jacob said, and I watched in surprise as he mock-punched Edwards shoulder. Bellas supposed to be a grown-up. Married and a mom and all that. Shouldnt there be more dignity?Renesmee frowned, and touched Edwards face.What does she want? I asked.Less dignity, Edward said with a grin. She was having approximately as much fun watching you enjoy yourself as I was.Am I funny? I asked Renesmee, darting back and reaching for her at the same time that she reached for me. I took her out of Edwards arms and offered her the shard of rock in my hand. You want to try?She smiled her glittering smile and took the stone in both hands. She squeezed, a little dent forming between her eyebrows as she concentrated.There was a tiny grinding sound, and a bit of dust. She frowned, and held the chunk up to me.Til get it, I said, pinching the stone into sand.She clapped and laughed the delicious sound of it made us all join in.The sun suddenly burst through the clouds, shooting long beams of ruby and gold across the ten of us, and I was immediately lost in the beauty of my skin in the light of the sunset. Dazed by it.Renesmee stroked the smooth diamond-bright facets, then laid her arm next to mine. Her skin had just a faint luminosity, subtle and mysterious. Nothing that would keep her inside on a sunny day like my fervent sparkle. She touched my face, thinking of the difference and feeling disgruntled.Youre the prettiest, I assured her.Tm not sure I can agree to that, Edward said, and when I turned to assist him, the sunlight on his face stunned me into silence.Jacob had his hand in front of his face, pretending to shield his eyes from the glare. Freaky Bella, he commented.What an amazing creature she is, Edward murmured, nearly in agreement, as if Jacobs comment was meant as a compliment. He was both dazzling and dazzled.It was a strange feeling not surprising, I supposed, since everything felt strange now this being a natural at something. As a human, Id never been best at anything. I was okay at dealing with Renee, but probably lots of people could have done better Phil seemed to be holding his own. I was a good student, but never the top of the class. Obviously, I could be counted out of anything athletic. Not artistic or musical, no particular talents to brag of. Nobody ever gave away a trophy for reading books. After eighteen years of mediocrity, I was pretty used to being average. I realized now that Id long ago given up any aspirations of promising at anything. I just did the best with what I had, never quite fitting into my world.So this was really different. I was amazing now to them and to myself. It was like I had been born to be a vampire. The idea made me want to laugh, but it also made me want to sing. I had found my true place in the world, the place I fit, the place I shined.