All Grown Up: The Story of Jacob and Renesmee Part II

I'm Number One

Jacob

"Damn it," Ness said under breath as she noisily let the spoon she'd been stirring instant pudding with, clatter into the sink. Anthony was on the back porch again, howling, looking for Pizza, "I hate it when he does that, it breaks my heart."

I'd been feeling so guilty. Maybe I should've just let the wolves come with us, it's not like thee weren't any up here, they could survive. But what if ours hadn't been able to adjust to Alaska and couldn't or wouldn't eat? I didn't want that on my conscience, it would've been all my fault. I didn't want to hurt them because wolves are precious and also, of course, my son loved them. At least this way, we could go back to Forks and visit them along with the rest of our family we had to leave behind.

Ness dished out the chocolate pudding and gave each bowl a nice big cloud of whipped cream and a cherry. She put a spoon in one and handed it to me.

"Will you see if he wants some?"

I went outside onto the porch and said, "Hey, buddy, want some dessert? Your mommy made chocolate pudding."

"Can I eat out here?" he asked, his eyes not leaving the horizon.

"Okay, but I think she'll miss you if you don't eat with us."

"I'll hug her when I come inside," he assured me.

So we had our pudding without him. We talked about getting another pet but it wouldn't make sense for us. Swan understood that wolves were an exception when hunting but there was no way we could get a dog or a cat. Another pet was pretty much out. We didn't know what we could do for him. It's not like he cried all day but when he would sit outside by himself like that and howl, he sounds so damn sad.

Once everybody was tucked into bed, Ness and I got in the shower together. That hadn't been the original plan but I followed her in there and we got dirty before we got clean. We stood in the front of the bathroom mirror and I admired her as she dried her hair off. If I stood behind her with the both of being naked like this much longer, I'd be poking her soon. I'd have to push her up against the wall or maybe she could hop on the counter and wrap those sexy legs around me.

"We'll have to wear pajamas tonight," she told me.

"Why?" I asked, disappointed.

"I'm thinking we might have a little visitor in the morning."

"Ah, true," I agreed. And she was right.

In the morning, I was woken up by two tiny fists pounding on my chest. 

"It's my birthday! It's my birthday!" 

"Oh is it? I had no idea," I said.

"It is, it is!" Swan shouted.

"Then happy birthday! How old are you today?"

She held up one finger, "I'm number one!" she was giddy with laughter as I held her to my chest and kissed her curly black hair, "You have presents for me?" she asked hopefully.

"Maybe," I replied.

"But... it's my birthday!" she whined.

"I was only teasing, of course, I have presents for you!"

She propped herself up on her elbows and looked at me. She was so striking looking with those bright blue eyes contrasting against her long black curls. I was dreading her becoming a teenager already. When she turns five, I'm buying a gun.

"No teasing on my birthday!"

"Okay, no more teasing," I promised.

Ness reached over, sleepy-eyed, and put her hand on Swan's back, "Hey there, cutie."