Alice came twirling back into view, as Lizzie rolled her eyes....
She was holding a lovely, little Girl Scout uniform in the most putrid shade of green... I knew it was probably paining Alice just to loop her finger through the hanger, but desperate times called for desperate measures...
"Now run upstairs and get dressed while I grab Bella, and we'll be on our way..." Alice said, another eye roll from Lizzie, "Scoot!!! Shoo-shoo."
As Lizzie painstakingly walked up the stairs, I knew it wasn't just the green smock, she was nervous. "Are you sure about this?" I asked.
"Renesmee, I can't believe you would question my judgement..." knowing that not only were Jake and I out of her element, but containing our genes so were Mason and Elizabeth, she knew I had reason to worry...
She wrapped her stone cold arms around my shoulders, ever so gently and oddly comforting while I lay my head on her shoulder, "Ness, I would NEVER put your children in harm's way, I only wish that I had been able to
see this whole ordeal before it ever happened so we wouldn't even be discussing this right now... I will be waiting in the car, and your mother's going to walk her up to the door, I promise it will be fine..." she said, "Please don't worry, besides your father's going to watch Elizabeth's thoughts every step of the way, so we're only a heartbeat away if something should happen."
I raised my eyebrows at her choice of words as Lizzie and my mom came down the steps, "Well, are you ready?" my mother asked Alice.
"Ready when you are!" she said.
I leaned down and kissed Lizzie on the forehead, as Jasper came in the room, "I have complete faith in you honey, I know you can do this. Grandma and Auntie Alice will be there with you every step of the way..." She nodded her head, and I watched amazed as always, while Jasper concentrated his eyes ever so carefully on her and the little frown line between her beautiful, brown eyes faded away as she bounced toward the garage door...
I went up to sit with Mason and listen to his soothing heartbeat on the monitor, hoping it would be enough to keep me calm until this endeavor was over, and my father sat in the corner of the room in a rocking chair,
listening, looking as intent as he did in that chair a little over ten years ago when we were faced with a whole different set of challenges.
My poor dad... my poor family, would they ever catch a break as long as they lived this extraordinary life, and then again as I lay my hand on Mason's neck, sending sweet dream filled images through his mind... perhaps it was a small price to pay for such a beautiful existence....
"Yes," my father said, "Yes, it is..."
Jake wrapped his arms around me, finally slightly rested and kissed the top of my head, as the image of Elizabeth filled my father's mind.... they were there...
As Always With Love Renesmee Cullen-Black as interpreted by Elizabeth Queen
