Evening Star: Edward's Story

Chapter Fifty-Two: A Happy Birthday?

“We know she's original,” Alice responded acidly. “And usually I love that about her. But at times it can be too much. Every once in a while,” and she leveled a penetrating stare at me, “I wonder if she's truly human. I know her body is, but, truly, her mind seems as opposite of a normal teenaged girl as is humanly possible.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but my tiny sister cut me off before I had formed a single word.

“She hates shopping, of all things,” Alice started, ticking off each item on her slender fingers. “She hates new, fashionable clothing. She hates heels...actually, she won't wear any shoe that doesn't have laces. She hates makeup and getting her hair done, even by me. She hates pampering of any sort. She likes brown,” Alice emphasized the color as she approached the end of her list. “And, the piece d'resistance? She hates presents!”

“Really?” Emmett asked curiously, his laughter gone. “She hates presents? Then why did you have us pick out that stereo for her truck?”

“Because,” Alice said cheerfully, “I'm going to have you install it while she's busy opening the empty stereo box so she can't return it, plus it's not from me or Edward; it's from you, Jazz, and Rose. She only asked Edward and me not to spend money on gifts; I deliberately did not give her an opportunity to speak to the rest of you.”

I frowned at my pixie-like sister, not appreciating her manipulation of Bella, but Alice merely grinned and stuck out her tiny tongue at me in disgust. “I had to leave myself some options for gifts, Edward,” she retorted. “How could anyone not like to receive presents?” She shook her head sadly. “I just don't understand that girl sometimes.”

Well, that makes two of us.

Jasper drew Alice into his lap in the chair. “Clever,” he whispered in Alice's ear, and my sister smiled widely at his praise.

“And,” she continued, “Bella won't object to Esme and Carlisle's gift because it's not just for her—it's for Edward, too. She'll be happy to visit her mother which she's been wanting to do for a while now. Edward says she keeps worrying about Renee when she talks in her sleep.”

Glancing at one another in amusement, Carlisle and Esme quickly schooled their faces into serene expressions at my annoyed glare.

“So, what did you and Edward get her, if you aren't allowed to spend any money?” Emmett asked, curious.

Alice and I exchanged a knowing smile. With her help, we had created a home-made gift, which Bella declared was her favorite kind because of the thought, time, and love invested in such a present. Alice had clearly seen Bella's strong emotional response, especially her joyful tears, in receiving our gift.

“You'll have to wait and see,” I answered smugly.

Emmett growled in frustration, starting toward me with an ominous expression, but Esme, foreseeing the possibility of a knock-down, drag-out fight in the center of her living room, raised a hand to stop Emmett, stating peaceably, “I'm sure that Bella will love whatever Edward and Alice made. In fact, I would very much like one as well.”

I moved across the room to hug my mother. “I've already made you a copy,” I promised in her ear. When I pulled back from her embrace, her gentle eyes were bright, as if she would have been in tears had such a thing was possible for our kind.

“Anywhoooo,” Alice picked up the previous conversation, “I chose pale pink for Bella's party because Edward loves to see her blush, and I certainly was NOT going to decorate a birthday party in brown.”

“You should have used bright red, then Alice,” Emmett teased, “since that's the color she turns when she blushes. Hey, Jasper, wanna bet how many times she blushes tonight?” He and Jasper slipped from the room to discuss their bet at length and to also escape the frenzy of decorating that Alice would subject us to.