I froze with surprise。 Renesmee felt the change； and touched me。 She remembered the last second of
time and wondered why。
〃That's an interesting theory； and quite plausible；〃 Edward said。
For a tiny space； I was disappointed。 What？ No magic visions； no formidable offensive abilities like； oh；
shooting lightning bolts from my eyes or something？ Nothing helpful or cool at all？
And then I realized what that might mean； if my 〃superpower〃 was no more than exceptional self…control。
For one thing； at least I had a gift。 It could have been nothing。
But； much more than that； if Edward was right； then I could skip right over the part I'd feared the very
most。
What if I didn't have to be a newborn？ Not in the crazed killing…machine sense； anyway。 What if I could
fit right in with the Cullens from my first day？ What if we didn't have to hide out somewhere remote for a
year while I 〃grew up〃？ What if； like Carlisle； I never killed a single person？ What if I could be a good
vampire right away？
I could see Charlie。
I sighed as soon as reality filtered through hope。 I couldn't see Charlie right away。 The eyes； the voice；
the perfected face。 What could I possibly say to him； how could I even begin？ I was furtively glad that I
had some excuses for putting things off for a while； as much as I wanted to find some way to keep
Charlie in my life； I was terrified of that first meeting。 Seeing his eyes pop as he took in my new face； my
new skin。 Knowing that he was frightened。 Wondering what dark explanation would form in his head。
I was chicken enough to wait for a year while my eyes cooled。 And here I'd thought I would be so
fearless when I was indestructible。
〃Have you ever seen an equivalent to self…control as a talent？〃 Edward asked Carlisle。 〃Do you really
think that's a gift； or just a product of all her preparation？〃
Carlisle shrugged； 'it's slightly similar to what Siobhan has always been able to do； though she wouldn't
call it a
gift。〃
〃Siobhan； your friend in that Irish coven？〃 Rosalie asked。 1 wasn't aware that she did anything special。 I
thought
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it was Maggie who was talented in that bunch。〃
〃Yes； Siobhan thinks the same。 But she has this way of deciding her goals and then almost。。。 willing
them into reality。 She considers it good planning； but I've always wondered if it was something more。
When she included Maggie； for instance。 Liam was very territorial； but Siobhan wanted it to work out；
and so it did。〃
Edward； Carlisle； and Rosalie settled into chairs as they continued with the discussion。 Jacob sat next to
Seth protectively； looking bored。 From the way his eyelids drooped； I was sure he'd be unconscious
momentarily。
I listened； but my attention was divided。 Renesmee was still telling me about her day。 I held her by the
window wall； my arms rocking her automatically as we stared into each other's eyes。
I realized that the others had no reason for sitting down。 I was perfectly comfortable standing。 It was just
as restful as stretching out on a bed would be。 I knew I would be able to stand like this for a week
without moving and I would feel just as relaxed at the end of the seven days as I did at the beginning。
They must sit out of habit。 Humans would notice someone standing for hours without ever shifting her
weight to a different foot。 Even now； I saw Rosalie brush her fingers against her hair and Carlisle cross
his legs。 Little motions to keep from being too still； too much a vampire。 I would have to pay attention to
what they did and start practicing。
I rolled my weight back to my left leg。 It felt kind of silly。
Maybe they were just trying to give me a little alone time with my baby—as alone as was safe。
Renesmee told me about every minute happening of the day； and I got the feeling from the tenor of her
little stories that she wanted me to know her every bit as much I wanted the same thing。 It worried her
that I had missed things—like the sparrows that had hopped closer and closer when Jacob had held her；
both of them very still beside one of the big hemlocks； the birds wouldn't come close to Rosalie。 Or the
outrageously icky white stuff—baby formula—that Carlisle had put in her cup； it smelled like sour dirt。
Or the song Edward had crooned to her that was so perfect Renesmee played it for me twice； I was
surprised that I was in the background of that memory； perfectly motionless but looking fairly battered
still。 I shuddered； remembering that time from my own perspective。 The hideous fire。。。
After almost an hour—the others were still deeply absorbed in their discussion； Seth and Jacob snoring
in harmony on the couch—Renesmee's memory stories began to slow。 They got slightly blurry around the
edges and drifted out of focus before they came to their conclusions。 I was about to interrupt Edward in
a panic—was there something wrong with her？—when her eyelids fluttered and closed。 She yawned； her
plump pink lips stretching into a
round O； and her eyes never reopened。
Her hand fell away from my face as she drifted to sleep—the backs of her eyelids were the pale
lavender color of thin clouds before the sunrise。 Careful not to disturb her； I lifted that hand back to my
skin and held it there curiously。 At first there was nothing； and then； after a few minutes； a flickering of
colors like a handful of butterflies were scattering from her thoughts。
Mesmerized； I watched her dreams。 There was no sense to it。 Just colors and shapes and faces。 I was
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pleased by how often my face—both of my faces； hideous human and glorious immortal—cropped up in
her unconscious thoughts。 More than Edward or Rosalie。 I was neck and neck with Jacob； I tried not to
let that get to me。
For the first time； I understood how Edward had been able to watch me sleep night after boring night；
just to hear me talk in my sleep。 I could watch Renesmee dream forever。
The change in Edward's tone caught my attention when he said； 〃Finally；〃 and turned to gaze out the
window。 It was deep； purply night outside； but I could see just as far as before。 Nothing was hidden in
the darkness； everything had just changed colors。
Leah； still glowering； got up and slunk into the brush just as Alice came into view on the other side of the
river。 Alice swung back and forth from a branch like a trapeze artist； toes touching hands； before
throwing her body into a graceful flat spin over the river。 Esme made a more traditional leap； while
Emmett charged right through the water； splashing water so far that splatters hit the back windows。 To
my surprise； Jasper followed after； his own efficient leap seeming understated； even subtle； after the
others。 k
The huge grin stretching Alice's face was familiar in a dim； odd way。 Everyone was suddenly smiting at
me—Esme sweet； Emmett excited； Rosalie a little superior； Carlisle indulgent； and Edward expectant。
Alice skipped into the room ahead of everyone else； her hand stretched out in front of her and
impatience making a nearly visible aura around her。 In her palm was an everyday brass key with an
oversized pink satin bow tied around it。
She held the key out for me； and I automatically gripped Renesmee more securely in my right arm so
that I could open my left。 Alice dropped the key into it。
〃Happy birthday！〃 she squealed。
I rolled my eyes。 〃No one starts counting on the actual day of birth；〃 I reminded her。 〃Your first birthday
is at the year mark； Alice。〃
Her grin turned smug。 〃We're not celebrating your vampire birthday。 Yet。 It's September thirteenth；
Bella。 Happy nineteenth birthday！〃
24。 SURPRISE
〃No。 No way！〃 I shook my head fiercely and then shot a glance at the smug smile on my
seventeen…year…old husband's face。 〃No； this doesn't count。 I stopped aging three days ago。 I am
eighteen forever。〃
〃Whatever；〃 Alice said； dismissing my protest with a quick shrug。 〃We're celebrating anyway； so suck it
up。〃
I sighed。 There was rarely a point to arguing with Alice。
Her grin got impossibly wider as she read the acquiescence in my eyes。
〃Are you ready to open your present？〃 Alice sang。
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〃Presents；〃 Edward corrected； and he pulled another key—this one longer and silver with a less gaudy
blue bow—from his pocket。
I struggled to keep from rolling my eyes。 I knew immediately what this key was to—the 〃after car。〃 I
wondered if I should feel excited。 It seemed the vampire conversion hadn't given me any sudden interest
in sports cars。
〃Min