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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。
〃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 half…vampire in existence。〃
Edward laughed while Rosalie took Renesmee expertly in her arms。 〃She is also the most unspoiled
half…vampire 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 comradeship 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 coming； 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 come with me into this new body。
I hadn't expected to be myself。 I smiled widely。
Alice tugged my elbow； and I couldn't stop smiling as I followed her into the purple night。 Only Edward
came with us。
〃There's the enthusiasm I'm looking for；〃 Alice murmured approvingly。 Then she dropped my arm； made
two lithe bounds； and leaped over the river。
〃C'mon； Bella；〃 she called from the other side。
Edward jumped at the same time I did； it was every bit as fun as it had been this afternoon。 Maybe a
little bit more fun because the night changed everything into new； rich colors。
Alice took off with us on her heels； heading due north。 It was easier to follow the sound of her feet
whispering against the ground and the fresh path of her scent than it was to keep my eyes on her through
the thick vegetation。
At no sign I could see； she whirled and dashed back to where I paused。
〃Don't attack me；〃 she warned； and sprang at me。
〃What are you doing？〃 I demanded； squirming as she scrambled onto my back and wrapped her hands
around my face。 I felt the urge to throw her off； but I controlled it。
〃Making sure you can't see。〃
〃I could take care of that without the theatrics；〃 Edward offered。
〃You might let her cheat。 Take her hand and lead her forward。〃
〃Alice； I—〃
〃Don't bother； Bella。 We're doing this my way。〃
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I felt Edward's fingers weave through mine。 〃Just a few seconds more； Bella。 Then she'll go annoy
someone else。〃 He pulled me forward。 I kept up easily。 I wasn't afraid of hitting a tree； the tree would be
the only one getting hurt in that scenario。
〃You might be a little more appreciative；〃 Alice chided him。 〃This is as much for you as it is for her。〃
〃True。 Thank you again； Alice。〃
〃Yeah； yeah。 Okay。〃 Alice's voice suddenly shot up with excitement。 〃Stop there。 Turn her just a little to
the right。 Yes； like that。 Okay。 Are you ready？〃 she squeaked。
〃I'm ready。〃 There were new scents here； piquing my interest； increasing my curiosity。 S