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 nieenth birthday！〃
24。 SURPRISE
〃No。 No way！〃 I shook my head fiercely and then shot a glance at the smug smile on my
seventeenyearold 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。
〃Mine first；〃 Alice said； and then stuck her tongue out； foreseeing his answer。
〃Mine is closer。〃
〃But look at how she's dressed〃 Alice's words were almost a moan。 〃It's been killing me all day。 That is
clearly the priority。〃
My eyebrows pulled together as I wondered how a key could get me into new clothes。 Had she gotten
me a whole trunkful？
〃I know—I'll play you for it；〃 Alice suggested。 〃Rock； paper； scissors。〃
Jasper chuckled and Edward sighed。
〃Why you don't you just tell me who wins？〃 Edward said wryly。
Alice beamed。 〃I do。 Excellent。〃
〃It's probably better that I wait for morning； anyway。〃 Edward smiled crookedly at me and then nodded
toward
Jacob and Seth； who looked like they were crashed for the night； I wonder how long they'd stayed up
this time。 〃I think it might be more fun if Jacob was awake for the big reveal； don't you agree？ So that
someone there is able to express the right level of enthusiasm？〃
I grinned back。 He knew me well。
〃Yay；〃 Alice sang。 〃Bella； give Ness—Renesmee to Rosalie。〃
〃Where does she usually sleep？〃
Alice shrugged。 〃In Rose's arms。 Or Jacob's。 Or Esme's。 You get the picture。 She has never been set
down in her entire life。 She's going to be the most spoiled halfvampire in existence。〃
Edward laughed while Rosalie took Renesmee expertly in her arms。 〃She is also the most unspoiled
halfvampire in existence；〃 Rosalie said。 〃The beauty of being one of a kind。〃
Rosalie grinned at me； and I was glad to see that the new radeship between us was still there in her
smile。 I hadn't been entirely sure it would last after Renesmee's life was no longer tied to mine。 But maybe
we had fought together on the same side long enough that we would always be friends now。 I'd finally
made the same choice she would have if she'd been in my shoes。 That seemed to have washed away her
resentment for all my other choices。
Alice shoved the beribboned key in my hand； then grabbed my elbow and steered me toward the back
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door。 〃Let's go； let's go；〃 she trilled。
〃Is it outside？〃
〃Sort of；〃 Alice said； pushing me forward。
〃Enjoy your gift；〃 Rosalie said。 〃It's from all of us。 Esme especially。〃
〃Aren't you ing； too？〃 I realized that no one had moved。
〃We'll give you a chance to appreciate it alone；〃 Rosalie said。 〃You can tell us about it。。。 later。〃
Emmett guffawed。 Something about his laugh made me feel like blushing； though I wasn't sure why。
I realized that lots of things about me—like truly hating surprises； and not liking gifts in general much
more—had not changed one bit。 It was a relief and revelation to discover how much of my essential core
traits had e with me into this new body。
I hadn't expected to be myself。 I smiled widely。
Alice tugged my elbow； and I couldn't