Creation & Destruction [3] | Jasper Hale

-13-

"You do realize the danger you're putting yourself in, right"

  "Jasper, just stop," Joanna begged him, clenching her teeth together as Alice slipped the grey contacts on her eyes. Even with being an immortal, she still thrived with sensitive nerves. Blinking quickly, she looked up at her lover who was holding Ethan, whom of which was sleeping away with a purple pacifier in his mouth. "We have to lie and say...say I had the baby already."

  She stopped herself, closing her eyes tightly. Lying to her mother was something she always loathed to do, and this lie was one of the worst. Joanna felt heinous for the lie she was about to tumble from her lips. Saying she was farther along that she knew was the only lie that would be acceptable unless they wanted to straight out tell her, "Oh, by the way, we're all vampires. And guess what? Your daughter is one also!"

  It's been nearly two months since she's seen the familiar face of Callie Hodgson and she wasn't sure if she would survive seeing her. Because all the lies and secrets she was possessing would kill her, even when she was technically dead.

"I know it's goin' to be hard, Joanna, but she would be risking her own life if she ever knew."

  The dark-haired immortal sighed, smacking her palm against her forehead. "She's still going to question everything. I-I don't even know how she's going to react when I explain to her that she wasn't there for when I gave birth without her by my side. That Ethan is already here. I'm a terrible daughter." Beside her, Alice frowned and placed a supporting hand on her friend's shoulder.  

  "You can do this," she encouraged, voice even and firm. Bending down, she fixed Joanna's curls that she had done that morning. "It's going to be difficult and she'll be...she's going to be a wreck when she learns the false information. But when she sees that she has a grandbaby, she'll change. This lie, it's painful and heartbreaking for your mother, but it needs to be done. We can't risk her life by telling her the actual, visible truth."

  If someone said one more thing, one more sentence that involved some sort of warning, Joanna was going to explode.

  Looking away, she listened as Jasper directed orders to her. She should take her steps carefully, making sure her speed was measured so she didn't look like her current form: An immortal. She needed to breathe every other second. Though she hadn't done the action in some time, she knew how to act. Then, she was ordered to act how she was when she was human, which wasn't different from how she was now.

  But the part was going to the most difficult, that after informing the coven her mother was coming over, which ended up making them all frustrated, was staying still when she was around a human. She was still getting used to the scent of Leah and Seth, and with Bella not being around, it was still a struggle. 

  With the separate pack, mostly Seth, the smell they held covered their blood scent. 

  "I-I'm nervous," she breathed when Alice left the room, leaving her alone with her small family. Her grey eyes met another pair of grey eyes. "I'm hoping she believes it all." Then, her facial features harden. "Remember, please, do not use your gift on her."

  "I won't," he promised.

  Outside, they heard the rumble of an upcoming vehicle that launched Joanna out of her seat. Her fingers played with the black, leather belt that wrapped around her hips. A sage-colored, turtleneck dress hugged her figure. Her pearly skin looked graceful with the dress.

  "She's here," she announced the obvious. With a quick kiss to her head and one placed on Ethan's temple by her, they fled the room. She could hear them, Esme and Callie downstairs, discussing quietly.