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〃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 hasn't。〃 He touched one finger to Renesmee's 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。〃
Charlie started； then snorted。 〃Huh。 Guess she does。 Huh。 Grandpa。〃 He shook his head doubtfully。 〃Do
I ever get to hold her？〃
I blinked in shock and then posed myself。 After considering for a half second and judging
Renesmee's appearance—she looked pletely 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 wasn't 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 wasn't
sure if this was a reaction to my new temperature or totally psychological。
Charlie grunted quietly as he felt her weight。 〃She's。。。 sturdy。〃
I frowned。 She felt featherlight to me。 Maybe my measure was off。
〃Sturdy is good；〃 Charlie said； seeing my expression。 Then he muttered to himself； 〃She'll need to be
tough； surrounded by all this craziness。〃 He bounced his arms gently； swaying a little from side to side。
〃Prettiest baby I ever saw； including you； kid。 Sorry； but it's true。〃
〃I know it is。〃
〃Pretty baby；〃 he said again； but it was closer to a coo this time。
I could see it in his face—I could watch it growing there。 Charlie was just as helpless against her magic
as the rest of us。 Two seconds in his arms； and already she owned him。
〃Can I e back tomorrow？〃
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〃Sure； Dad。 Of course。 We'll be here。〃
〃You'd better be；〃 he said sternly； but his face was soft； still gazing at Renesmee。 〃See you tomorrow；
Nessie。〃
〃Not you； too！〃
〃Huh？〃
〃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。〃
Charlie's eyecreasing grin lit up his face； taking me off guard。 〃Thanks； Bells。〃
〃Thank you； Dad。 So much has changed so quickly。 My head hasn't stopped spinning。 If I didn't have
you now； I don't know how I'd keep my grip on—on reality。〃 I'd been about to say my grip on who I
was。 That was probably more than he needed。
Charlie's stomach growled。
〃Go eat； Dad。 We will be here。〃 I remembered how it felt； that first unfortable immersion in fantasy
—the sensation that everything would disappear 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 staircase with Jasper's 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。 There was no evidence that the day was ing 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 weren't 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； it's not like you don't look。。。 good。 I'll get used to it。〃
〃Thanks； Dad。〃
Charlie nodded and walked thoughtfully toward his car。 I watched him drive away； it wasn't until I heard
his tires hit the freeway that I realized I'd done it。 I'd actually made it through the whole day without
hurting Charlie。 All by myself。 I must have a superpower！
It seemed too good to be true。 Could I really have both my new family and some of my old as well？
And I'd thought that yesterday had been perfect。
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〃Wow；〃 I whispered。 I blinked and felt the third set of contact lenses disintegrate。
The sound of the piano cut off； and Edward's arms were around my waist； his chin resting on my
shoulder。
〃You took the word right out of my mouth。〃
〃Edward； i did it！〃
〃You did。 You were unbelievable。 All that worrying over being a newborn； and then you skip it
altogether。'7He laughed quietly。
〃I'm not even sure she's really a vampire； let alone a newborn；〃 Emmett called from under the stairs。
〃She's too tame。〃
All the embarrassing ments he'd 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 when I hesitated； and so； a little confused； I gave her to him。
〃What do you mean？〃 Emmett demanded。
〃It's a little dense； don't you think； to antagonize the strongest vampire in the house？〃
Emmett threw his head back and snorted。 〃Please！〃
〃Bella；〃 Edward murmured to me while Emmett listened closely； 〃do you remember a few months ago； I
asked you to