"Yeah, Esme and Alice went a little overboard this year." Edward said studying my expression.
"A little?" I asked.
"Ha. I think they wanted to show off their decoration skills for you." Edward explained. Of course I freaked out.
"For me? Why in the world would they do that?!"
"Well Bella, think about it: you're their future daughter and sister in-law... and besides, we haven't celebrated natal around here in a long time." he said with wistful look in his eyes. All of a sudden I was up in Alice's room, her standing in front of me, smiling a wide fake smile, that even I could tell was fake.
"What is it Alice?" I asked.
"We've got to get you ready."
"For?" I asked cautiously.
"The natal party, duh!" she responded irritably.
"Oh." por that point she had "sat" me down in a chair, and begun her work. After I had been sitting in that chair for what seemed like hours it occurred to me that Edward was not around.
"Alice? Where's Edward? In fact where's everybody?" I asked as I realized that none of the Cullens were around.
"Emmett, Jasper, and Carlisle took Edward hunting. While Esme and Rose went on their own hunting trip. Its just me and you for the entire day." She answered my question.
"Why didn't you go with them?" I continued to ask.
"Look Bella. . . I've got a lot I have to do before they get back. Okay? So just let me get you finished, so that I can get those things done. Thank you." Alice snapped at me. I felt like my coração had been slapped.
"I'm sorry." I whispered. Afraid to push her. She worked in silence, and I sat in silence, praying for Edward to get back soon.
When they finally got back, the tension between Alice and I was still there. Jasper came in first, laughing, until the mood in the room hit him. Between my hurt, self-inflicting guilt, and whatever Alice was feeling, he took a step back, and bumped into Edward, who in return read Jasper's assessment and flashed to my side.
"Let's go." He whispered, as he picked me up, and ran out the door. He stopped running when we got to our meadow. He set me down, and hesitantly asked "What happened?"
"Nothing." I lied, I didn't want Edward to get mad at Alice. He smiled sweetly and said "You don't have to lie, love... Alice is always testy around this time of year."
"Why?" I asked, hoping to justify Alice's behavior.
"Well, remember when I told you that we haven't celebrated natal in a long time?" He asked.
"Yea? What does that have to do with anything?"
"Well, you see the first natal we had with Jasper and Alice, Alice told us about Molly." before I could ask who Molly was he continued, "Molly was Alice's first companion after she became a vampire. This was before Alice had envisioned Jasper or the rest of us. Alice was very young, and very wild, Molly on the other hand was very wise. Molly was friends with the same vampire who created Alice, so when Ja- when that vampire was destroyed, Molly took care of her from afar, until she was sure it would be seguro to do it up-close. Alice was very grateful for her help. So, it nearly killed her when Molly was destroyed." he paused waiting for my reaction.
"What?! por who?!"
"The Volturi." he simply stated.
"Why? Why would they do that?" I asked, bewildered.
"The Volturi saw it as a chance to persuade Alice to cadastrar-se them... they tried to when she was young, because they hoped that she would not have heard, the mais unflattering stories about them."
"But she turned them down?"
"They never got their chance to "ask" because before they arrived she had her vision of her true future with Jasper and us." He explained.
"Aww poor Alice! But what does that have to do with natal time?"
"It happened on natal Eve; the dia her only friend and mentor was unjustifiably killed."
"Aw poor Alice!! Can you take me back to your house?"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes." So, he picked me up and whisked me back to my second-home.
When I entered through the door, Jasper met me five feet into the house.
"Bella, can I talk to you for a minuet, alone?" He asked me.
"Uh yeah, sure." I didn't know what else to say. He led me to the garage, and pulled me a chair beside a work bench that he sat on.
"Bella, I just wanted to apologize for Alice. I also would like to explain her behavior. When Alice was very young, in vampire years, another, older, wiser, vampire took her in. Her name was Mo-,"
"Jasper. I know. And it is okay. I came back to apologize to Alice and ask if there was anything I could do." Evidently my response surprised him.
"Oh. I must of misread your emotions. That is very kind of you to offer your help, but don't worry about it. Tonight, I'm taking Alice back to Biloxi, Mississippi. To Molly's "grave"." Jasper told me.
"Ok. But I still want to apologize." I said. As I stood up to leave, Jasper stopped me.
"That's not necessary, but if you would like to to, you may." So he led me to his and Alice's bedroom, where she was packing clothes. I slowly walked up to her, and put my arms around her and said "I'm so sorry Alice! I didn't mean to upset you today!" por this point I was starting to tear up, and then she wiped away my tears and said "Oh silly Bella! I'm the one who should be apologizing! I'm the one who acted so wicked this morning! Can you ever forgive me Bella?" She comforted me.
"Yes Alice, I forgive you, but was there ever any other choice that I could possibly say? How could I not forgive you?"
"Haha I guess you're right. But you shouldn't feel that way." Alice told me.
"How about, you go with Jasper, and I'll make Edward finish decorating for you?" I suggested.
"That sounds absolutely positively lovely." she agreed, and glanced at Edward, and Jasper. "Jasper you go get the car while I tell Bella what to have Edward do." Alice commanded. "Okay Bella. You need to have Edward finish decorating the tree, put up the garland and to have him go shopping for everybody's gifts, that I'm giving... I'll tell him in private what to get you, and I'll tell you what to get him in private. Also, you need to get some new natal árvore lights, and," she paused and swept her eyes over me once, "Rose! Can you take Bella shopping and get her a decent outfit for the party? Since I'm not going to be here. I've already got her makeup and hair done, but she needs an outfit." por this time Jasper was back and tried to pull her to the door to leave, but she wouldn't budge, so he turned to her and kissed her so passionately that it made me want to give them some privacy.
"You, you" Alice said with a loss for words. He picked her up, and carried her to the door. Esme followed with their bags.
"So. I guess I have some work to do." Edward said from behind me. My cheeks flushed red, I could feel it.
"Sorry, about that. We could just pretend that we decorated." He raised his eyebrow, clearly saying that she would know.
"Unless I'm mistaken, you've got a shopping trip to go on." He smiled my favorito crooked smile... but with a little impish attitude added to it.
When Rose and I got back from shopping Edward had the entire place decorated, and there was an enormous amount of presents under the tree. Rose went and put the ones she and I had bought while we were shopping under the tree, and I noticed that Edward had stopped and picked up the gifts I had bought; which he had insisted I didn't have to do, but as usual I didn't listen to him.
I hadn't realized how tired I was until I sat down on their nice comfy couch. I was suprised when I woke up, my head on Edward's chest, and my legs and feet mostly in Alice's lap. I sat up, and noticed that everyoone was in the living room except Emmett; they were waiting for me to wake up. I blushed.
"Where's Santa?" Alice asked. Then as if on cue, Emmett stepped out from behind a wall, dressed in a big red suit, with a fake white beard on. I couldn't help but bust out laughing.
"Oh my god, Emmett!" I managed to get out through my laughing. Edward was shaking just as much as I was, and said "Thanks bro. You've made my decade!" Emmett flipped Edward off and went to stand por the tree. He started throwing the right packages to the right people and within three minuets had them all passed out. He grumbled to himself and went to sit beside Rosalie.
I had goten two of my gifts opened por the time everyone else had all of theirs opened.
Edward got five CDs, a new outfit; from Alice of course, and I gave him a "free-weekend-with-me-to-do-whatever-you-want-until-I-earn-enough-money-to-buy-you-a-real-gift card".
Alice got clothes. From everyone. Jasper got some new baseball gear, a couple DVD's, a book from me, and from Edward, a set of keys. They were for the motorcycle Edward had bought a few months ago.
Emmett also got some new baseball gear from Carlisle, Jasper and Edward, and got clothes from Alice, Esme, me and Rosalie. Rosalie got a new purse, from me and clothes from everybody else. Carlisle got mostly books, and a new stesthoscope from Esme. Esme got a planner, and and gift cards to varoius stores like início Depot.
I got way mais than I should have. Alice gave me two new outfits and when I protested all she said was "You needed them." Emmett, Jasper, and Rose gave me an Ipod. Carlisle and Esme gave me a book, and a savings bond. Edward leaned seguinte to me and said "My present comes later."
So when I finaly got início I went straight to bed, but when I was about to flop on my bed, I noticed that there were three packed bags on it. I immediatly look at Edward and he said "I'm taking you to Jacksonville to visit your mother for a week. I've already cleared it with Charlie. Our plane leaves in the morning."
"What?! Are you serious? Oh my god thank you Edward!" I jumped into his arms and kissed him. He cleared off my cama and sat me down on it. I went to sleep, waiting for morning to come.
