Defective - Jacob Black {1}

Chapter 53: Reconnections

"No. No way!" Bella shook her head fiercely and then shot a glance at the smug smile on her seventeen-year-old husband's face. "No, this doesn't count. I stopped ageing three days ago. I am eighteen forever."

"Whatever," Alice said, dismissing Bella's protest with a quick shrug. "We're celebrating anyway, so suck it up."

Bella sighed. There was rarely a point to arguing with Alice. Her grin got impossibly wider as she read the doubt in Bella's eyes.

"Are you ready to open your present?" Alice sang.

"Presents," Edward corrected, and he pulled another key - this one longer and silver with a less flashy blue bow - from his pocket.

"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. 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 unbothered by her games.

Alice beamed. "I do. Excellent."

"It's probably better that I wait for morning, anyway." Edward smiled crookedly at Bella and then nodded to Jake, who looked like he had other things on his mind than Bella's presents as he stared at me. Just as I was about to check his mind Edward distracted me. "I think it might be more fun if Jacob was here for the big reveal, don't you agree? So that someone there is able to express the right level of enthusiasm?"

If Jacob was here? Where was he going? I raised an eyebrow in question and he shook his head dismissing it.

"Yay," Alice sang. "Bella, give Ness - Renesmee to someone else."

Bella turned to me. "Aria, do you want her?" I grinned happily, rubbing my hands together excitedly before stepping towards Bella, my arms now outstretched.

"Oh no, not you." Alice said quickly and Bella and I froze, our heads whipping to the side to look at Alice.

"What? Why?" I snapped angrily, I'd hardly had anytime with her today and Alice wasn't going to take it away from me.

"Because it's Seth's turn." She stumbled out and I growled.

"Like hell it is!" I seethed, glaring at Seth, warning him with my eyes not to take a step closer.

"Blue," Jake's use of my old nickname instantly brought me out of my simmering - soon to be boiling - rage. "I thought we could take a night off of babysitting." He tried to feign innocence but from the gleam in his eyes it looked like he had other things planned. I looked down at the ground as my cheeks flamed red. Emmett let out one loud burst of laughter.

Alice sighed. "Can someone just take the baby!" She was growing impatient.

Edward laughed while Rosalie took Renesmee expertly in her arms. Alice shoved the key in Bella's hand, then grabbed her elbow and steered her toward the back door. "Let's go, let's go," she trilled.

"Is it outside?" Bella asked curiously.

"Sort of," Alice said, pushing her forward.

"Enjoy your gift," Rosalie said. "It's from all of us. Esme especially."

"Aren't you coming, too?" Bella asked, realising the rest of us hadn't moved.

"We'll give you a chance to appreciate it alone," Rosalie said. "You can tell us about it... later."