My Heart Beats For You // Alice Cullen

34. The Now

"Alice, cmon!" I call.

"Lenzy won't get his shoes on, gimme a minute!" She huffs back making me smirk. Lorenzo and shoes? Nightmare. That kid throws a tantrum at the thought of having to wear any item of clothing.

I hide my smirk as she eventually carries the toddler down the stairs over her shoulder, his legs kicking as he screams. I end up laughing which earns me a glare. "It was your turn! Don't sulk at me, Mrs Cullen." I kiss her cheek and grab the school bags. "Ryan, Maxwell, Lily!" I call. They all come running downstairs in their black school blazers and blue ties. Lily is 15, Maxwell is 9 and Ryan is 8. Little Lorenzo is just turning 3.

We head to the cars and I kiss Lorenzo on the head as Alice straps him and Ryan in. "Mommy loves you." I say to him. "Be good for mama. And Ryan, I don't want to hear that you bit the dentist again."

He giggles and shrugs. I kiss Alice gently; she tucks my short hair behind my ear and kisses my head. "See you at lunch?"

I nod and smile. "Fingers crossed Lenzys papers came in."

"I'm almost certain they did." She grins, giggling.

I roll my eyes and climb in my Range Rover, beginning to drive in the opposite direction. I bet this is strange for you all - so, let me fill you in. Alice and I left shortly after our wedding, a story for another time. Sadly, we haven't kept in contact with our family because of safety reasons, so it's been hard. We have been married almost 12 years and I've been a vampire for almost 11. Yes, I've changed. Literally.

My adjustment hasn't been difficult like everyone says, it's been too easy. Alice believes I had a gift - the gift of invisibility. Hence why she could never see me. From what we've gathered from when I was human and since being immortal, no gift has an affect on me. Jasper says he always struggled, Edward says before I was aware of his gift it was easy but after that he struggled to hear my thoughts. Alice has only seen me for a handful of visions. Aro can't read me, Jane can't touch me, even Alec has no affect on me.

While I did struggle with thirst, I dealt with it a lot easier than most. I mean, I understand why Jasper lost it but to me, the craving everyone and everything phase disappeared after only a few months. Since then, I've never almost lost it. Which is why we were able to adopt Lily when she was 4, and Foster over 20 children over the last few years. It's why no one's ever been able to find us - I'm an untraceable speck.

I do feel bad for not struggling as much as others did, but at least I wasn't like Bella. I, at least, struggled some. I did feel every second of the change. Every. Single. Second. And I fear my children will one day want the same, to be with us forever, and it terrifies me that they'll feel what I felt but ultimately it is their choice - once they're 21 years old.

I pull up outside the school and look at Lil and Max. "Be good, okay? Maxy, you have a meeting with your social worker after lunch - would you like Alice or I to be there?"

He shakes his head silently. He doesn't talk much. I smile gently. "OK buddy, have a good day at school. Love you both."

They jump out and head inside. I watch Lily go inside, making sure she does so, before I head home. Lily is very much like I was... A little bitch. I love her to pieces but she's at her difficult phase. It almost makes me feel bad for what I put my parents through.

After spending the morning baking for the harvest festival service at the school tomorrow, I get ready to head to lunch. I smile as I climb out of the car and see Alice pushing Lenzy on the swing outside the restaurant.