that Bella was holding so tight。
〃Honestly； I think you're safe to take more than three。 I'm pretty positive that Sam is concentrating on La
Push。〃
Carlisle nodded in agreement。 It surprised me how willingly he took my advice。 〃If you think so。 Alice；
Esme； Jasper； and I will go。 Then Alice can take Emmett and Rosa—〃
〃Not a chance；〃 Rosalie hissed。 〃Emmett can go with you now。〃
〃You should hunt；〃 Carlisle said in a gentle voice。
His tone didn't soften hers。 〃I'll hunt when he does；〃 she growled； jerking her head toward Edward and
then flipping her hair back。
Carlisle sighed。
Jasper and Emmett were down the stairs in a flash； and Alice joined them by the glass back door in the
same second。 Esme flitted to Alice's side。
Carlisle put his hand on my arm。 The icy touch did not feel good； but I didn't jerk away。 I held still； half
in surprise； and half because I didn't want to hurt his feelings。
〃Thank you；〃 he said again； and then he darted out the door with the other four。 My eyes followed them
as they flew across the lawn and then disappeared before I took another breath。 Their needs must have
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been more urgent than I'd imagined。
There was no sound for a minute。 I could feel someone glaring at me； and I knew who it would be。 I'd
been planning to take off and get some Z's； but the chance to ruin Rosalie's morning seemed too good to
pass up。
So I sauntered over to the armchair next to the one Rosalie had and settled in； sprawling out so that my
head
was tilted toward Bella and my left foot was near Rosalie's face。
〃Ew。 Someone put the dog out；〃 she murmured； wrinkling her nose。
〃Have you heard this one； Psycho？ How do a blonde's brain cells die？〃
She didn't say anything。
〃Well？〃 I asked。 〃Do you know the punch line or not？〃
She looked pointedly at the TV and ignored me。
〃Has she heard it？〃 I asked Edward。
There was no humor on his tense face—he didn't move his eyes from Bella。 But he said； 〃No。〃
〃Awesome。 So you'll enjoy this； bloodsucker—a blonde's brain cells die alone。〃
Rosalie still didn't look at me。 〃I have killed a hundred times more often than you have； you disgusting
beast。 Don't forget that。〃
〃Someday； Beauty Queen； you're going to get tired of just threatening me。 I'm really looking forward to
that。〃
〃Enough； Jacob；〃 Bella said。
I looked down； and she was scowling at me。 It looked like yesterday's good mood was long gone。
Well； I didn't want to bug her。 〃You want me to take off？〃 I offered。
Before I could hope—or fear—that she'd finally gotten tired of me； she blinked； and her frown
disappeared。 She seemed totally shocked that I would e to that conclusion。 〃No！ Of course not。〃
I sighed； and I heard Edward sigh very quietly； too。 I knew he wished she'd get over me； too。 Too bad
he'd never ask her to do anything that might make her unhappy。
〃You look tired；〃 Bella mented。
〃Dead beat；〃 I admitted。
I'dlike to beat you dead；〃 Rosalie muttered； too low for Bella to hear。
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I just slumped deeper into the chair； getting fortable。 My bare foot dangled closer to Rosalie； and
she stiffened。 After a few minutes Bella asked Rosalie for a refill。 I felt the wind as Rosalie blew upstairs
to get her some more blood。 It was really quiet。 Might as well take a nap； I figured。
And then Edward said； 〃Did you say something？〃 in a puzzled tone。 Strange。 Because no one had said
anything； and because Edward's hearing was as good as mine； and he should have known that。
He was staring at Bella； and she was staring back。 They both looked confused。
〃Me？〃 she asked after a second。 〃I didn't say anything。〃
He moved onto his knees； leaning forward over her； his expression suddenly intense in a whole different
way。 His black eyes focused on her face。
〃What are you thinking about right now？〃
She stared at him blankly。 〃Nothing。 What's going on？〃
〃What were you thinking about a minute ago？〃 he asked。
〃Just。。。 Esme's island。 And feathers。〃
Sounded like total gibberish to me； but then she blushed； and I figured I was better off not knowing。
〃Say something else；〃 he whispered。
Tike what？ Edward； what's going on？〃
His face changed again； and he did something that made my mouth fall open with a pop。 I heard a gasp
behind me； and I knew that Rosalie was back； and just as flabbergasted as I was。
Edward； very lightly； put both of his hands against her huge； round stomach。
'The f—〃 He swallowed。 〃It。。。 the baby likes the sound of your voice。〃
There was one short beat of total silence。 I could not move a muscle； even to blink。 Then—
〃Holy crow； you can hear him！〃Bella shouted。 In the next second； she winced。
Edward's hand moved to the top peak of her belly and gently rubbed the spot where it must have kicked
her。
〃Shh；〃 he murmured。 〃You startled it。。。 him。〃
Her eyes got all wide and full of wonder。 She patted the side of her stomach。 〃Sorry； baby。〃
Edward was listening hard； his head tilted toward the bulge。
〃What's he thinking now？〃 she demanded eagerly。
〃It。。。 he or she； is 。。。〃 He paused and looked up into her eyes。 His eyes were filled with a similar awe
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—only his were more careful and grudging。 〃He's happy〃 Edward said in an incredulous voice。
Her breath caught； and it was impossible not to see the fanatical gleam in her eyes。 The adoration and
the devotion。 Big； fat tears overflowed her eyes and ran silently down her face and over her smiling lips。
As he stared at her； his face was not frightened or angry or burning or any of the other expressions he'd
worn since their return。 He was marveling with her。
〃Of course you're happy； pretty baby； of course you are；〃 she crooned； rubbing her stomach while the
tears washed her cheeks。 〃How could you not be； all safe and warm and loved？ I love you so much； little
EJ； of course you're happy。〃
〃What did you call him？〃 Edward asked curiously。
She blushed again。 〃I sort of named him。 I didn't think you would want。。。 well； you know。〃
〃EJ？〃
〃Your father's name was Edward； too。〃
〃Yes； it was。 What—？〃 He paused and then said； 〃Hmm。〃
〃What？〃
〃He likes my voice； too。〃
〃Of course he does。〃 Her tone was almost gloating now。 〃You have the most beautiful voice in the
universe。 Who wouldn't love it？〃
〃Do you have a backup plan？〃 Rosalie asked then； leaning over the back of the sofa with the same
wondering； gloating look on her face that was on Bella's。 〃What if he's a she？〃
Bella wiped the back of her hand under her wet eyes。 〃I kicked a few things around。 Playing with Renee
and
Esme。 I was thinking。。。 Ruhnezmay。〃
〃Ruhnezmay？〃
〃Renesmee。 Too weird？〃
〃No； I like it；〃 Rosalie assured her。 Their heads were close together； gold and mahogany。 〃It's beautiful。
And one of a kind； so that fits〃
〃I still think he's an Edward。〃
Edward was staring off into space； his face blank as he listened。
〃What？〃 Bella asked； her face just glowing away。 〃What's he thinking now？〃
At first he didn't answer； and then—shocking all the rest of us again； three distinct and separate
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gasps—he laid his ear tenderly against her belly。
〃He loves you；〃 Edward whispered； sounding dazed。 〃He absolutely adores you。〃
In that moment； I knew that I was alone。 All alone。
I wanted to kick myself when I realized how much I'd been counting on that loathsome vampire。 How
stupid—as if you could ever trust a leech！ Of course he would betray me in the end。
I'd counted on him to be on my side。 I'd counted on him to suffer more than I suffered。 And； most of all；
I'd counted on him to hate that revolting thing killing Bella more than I hated it。
I'd trusted him with that。
Yet now they were together； the two of them bent over the budding； invisible monster with their eyes lit
up like a happy family。
And I was all alone with my hatred and the pain that was so bad it was like being tortured。 Like being
dragged slowly across a bed of razor blades。 Pain so bad you'd take death with a smile just to get away
from it。
The heat unlocked my frozen muscles； and I was on my feet。
All three of their heads snapped up； and I watched my pain ripple across Edward's face as he
trespassed in my head again。
〃Ahh；〃 he choked。
I didn't know what I was doing； I stood there； trembling； ready to bolt for the very first escape that I
could think of。
Moving like the strike of a snake； Edward darted to a small end table and ripped something from the
drawer there。 He tossed it at me； and I caught the object reflexively。
〃Go； Jacob。 Get away from here。〃 He didn't say it harshly—he threw the words at me like they were a
life preserver。 He was helping me find the escape I was dying for。
The object in my hand was