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traits had e with me into this new body。
I hadn't expected to be myself。 I smiled widely。
Alice tugged my elbow； and I couldn't stop smiling as I followed her into the purple night。 Only Edward
came with us。
〃There's the enthusiasm I'm looking for；〃 Alice murmured approvingly。 Then she dropped my arm； made
two lithe bounds； and leaped over the river。
〃C'mon； Bella；〃 she called from the other side。
Edward jumped at the same time I did； it was every bit as fun as it had been this afternoon。 Maybe a
little bit more fun because the night changed everything into new； rich colors。
Alice took off with us on her heels； heading due north。 It was easier to follow the sound of her feet
whispering against the ground and the fresh path of her scent than it was to keep my eyes on her through
the thick vegetation。
At no sign I could see； she whirled and dashed back to where I paused。
〃Don't attack me；〃 she warned； and sprang at me。
〃What are you doing？〃 I demanded； squirming as she scrambled onto my back and wrapped her hands
around my face。 I felt the urge to throw her off； but I controlled it。
〃Making sure you can't see。〃
〃I could take care of that without the theatrics；〃 Edward offered。
〃You might let her cheat。 Take her hand and lead her forward。〃
〃Alice； I—〃
〃Don't bother； Bella。 We're doing this my way。〃
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I felt Edward's fingers weave through mine。 〃Just a few seconds more； Bella。 Then she'll go annoy
someone else。〃 He pulled me forward。 I kept up easily。 I wasn't afraid of hitting a tree； the tree would be
the only one getting hurt in that scenario。
〃You might be a little more appreciative；〃 Alice chided him。 〃This is as much for you as it is for her。〃
〃True。 Thank you again； Alice。〃
〃Yeah； yeah。 Okay。〃 Alice's voice suddenly shot up with excitement。 〃Stop there。 Turn her just a little to
the right。 Yes； like that。 Okay。 Are you ready？〃 she squeaked。
〃I'm ready。〃 There were new scents here； piquing my interest； increasing my curiosity。 Scents that didn't
belong in the deep woods。 Honeysuckle。 Smoke。 Roses。 Sawdust？ Something metallic； too。 The richness
of deep earth； dug up and exposed。 I leaned toward the mystery。
Alice hopped down from my back； releasing her grip on my eyes。
I stared into the violet dark。 There； nestled into a small clearing in the forest； was a tiny stone cottage；
lavender gray in the light of the stars。
It belonged here so absolutely that it seemed as if it must have grown from the rock； a natural formation。
Honeysuckle climbed up one wall like a lattice； winding all the way up and over the thick wooden
shingles。 Late summer roses bloomed in a handkerchiefsized garden under the dark； deepset windows。
There was a little path of flat stones； amethyst in the night； that led up to the quaint arched wooden door。
I curled my hand around the key I held； shocked。
〃What do you think？〃 Alice's voice was soft now； it fit with the perfect quiet of the storybook scene。
I opened my mouth but said nothing。
〃Esme thought we might like a place of our own for a while； but she didn't want us too far away；〃
Edward murmured。 〃And she loves any excuse to renovate。 This little place has been crumbling away out
here for at least a hundred years。〃
I continued staring； mouth gaping like a fish。
〃Don't you like it？〃 Alice's face fell。 〃I mean； I'm sure we could fix it up differently； if you want。 Emmett
was all for adding a few thousand square feet； a second story； columns； and a tower； but Esme thought
you would like it best
the way it was meant to look。〃 Her voice started to climb； to go faster。 〃If she was wrong； we can get
back to work。 It won't take long to—〃
〃Shh！〃 I managed。
She pressed her lips together and waited。 It took me a few seconds to recover。
〃You're giving me a house for my birthday？〃 I whispered。
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〃Us；〃 Edward corrected。 〃And it's no more than a cottage。 I think the word house implies more
legroom。〃
〃No knocking my house；〃 I whispered to him。
Alice beamed。 〃You like it。〃
I shook my head。
〃Love it？〃
I nodded。
〃I can't wait totell Esme！〃
〃Why didn't she e？〃
Alice's smile faded a little； twisted just off what it hadbeen； like my question was hard to answer。 〃Oh；
you know。。。 they all remember how you are about presents。 They didn't want to put you under too much
pressure to like it。〃
〃But of course I love it。 How could I not？〃
〃They'll like that。〃 She patted my arm。 〃Anyhoo； your closet is stocked。Use it wisely。 And。。。 I guess
that's everything。〃
〃Aren't you going to e inside？〃
She strolled casually a few feet back。 〃Edward knows his way around。 I'll stop by。。。 later。 Call me if you
can't match your clothes right。〃 She threw me a doubtful look and then smiled。 〃Jazz wants to hunt。 See
you。〃
She shot off into the trees like the most graceful bullet。
〃That was weird；〃 I said when the sound of her flight had vanished pletely。 〃Am I really that bad？
They didn't have to stay away。 Now I feel guilty。 I didn't even thank her right。 We should go back；tell
Esme—〃
〃Bella；don't besilly。 No one thinks you're that unreasonable。〃
〃Then what—〃
〃Alone time is their other gift。 Alice was trying to be subtle about it。〃
〃Oh。〃
That was all it took to make the house disappear。 We could have been anywhere。 I didn't see the trees
or the stones or the stars。 It was just Edward。
〃Let me show you what they've done；〃 he said； pulling my hand。 Was he oblivious to the fact that an
electric current was pulsing through my body like adrenalinespiked blood？
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Once again I felt oddly off balance； waiting for reactions my body wasn't capable of anymore。 My heart
should have been thundering like a steam engine about to hit us。 Deafening。 My cheeks should have been
brilliant red。
For that matter； I ought to have been exhausted。 This had been the longest day of my life。
I laughed out loud—just one quiet little laugh of shock—when I realized that this day would never end。
〃Do I get to hear the joke？〃
〃It's not a very good one；〃 I told him as he led the way to the little rounded door。 〃I was just thinking
—today is the first and last day of forever。 It's kind of hard to wrap my head around it。 Even with all this
extra room for wrapping。〃 I laughed again。
He chuckled with me。 He held his hand out toward the doorknob； waiting for me to do the honors。 I
stuck the key in the lock and turned it。
〃You're such a natural at this； Bella； I forget how very strange this all must be for you。 I wish I could
hear it。〃 He ducked down and yanked me up into his arms so fast that I didn't see it ing—and that
was really something。
〃Hey！〃
〃Thresholds are part of my job description；〃 he reminded me。 〃But I'm curious。 Tell me what you're
thinking about right now。〃
He opened the door—it fell back with a barely audible creak—and stepped through into the little stone
living room。
〃Everything；〃 I told him。 〃All at the same time； you know。 Good things and things to worry about and
things that are new。 How I keep using too many superlatives in my head。 Right now； I'm thinking that
Esme is an artist。 It's so perfect！〃
The cottage room was something from a fairy tale。 The floor was a crazy quilt of smooth； flat stones。 The
low ceiling had long exposed beams that someone as tall as Jacob would surely knock his head on。 The
walls were warm wood in some places； stone mosaics in others。 The beehive fireplace in the corner held
the remains of a slow flickering fire。 It was driftwood burning there—the low flames were blue and green
from the salt。
It was furnished in eclectic pieces； not one of them matching another； but harmonious just the same。 One
chair seemed vaguely medieval； while a low ottoman by the fire was more contemporary and the stocked
bookshelf against the