When we learned that Alice and Jasper found Nahuel we were understandably excited. Bella was nervous of course but it wasn't anything new. She could stress out about everything that is unknown. Senna wasn't easier in that sense. As I got to know, the Amazons didn't really receive guests. They lived in isolation for so long that they forgot how to socialize with others. We were an exception as my sister's nature could bridge over any awkwardness that might be present. But Nahuel and her aunt were another case. They didn't just happen to be here by accident. They were invited. And so we have to be a presentable host for them.
This is the part where Senna lost her marbles. She didn't have to play host since she was human, and that was hundreds of years ago. She claimed that she got out of practice and it didn't help her out that the world changed drastically since then. She couldn't decide which custom she should hold onto. Edward tried to help out but he caught on the fact that he didn't know how old the guests were. If they are old fashioned then the modern hospitality can be seen as rude. Nothing can be easy, I see.
I was glad that I am just a child and I didn't have to deal with this mess. In my previous life I had my fair share of hosting family meetings and god save me from them. The stress and the complaining cousins were such a pain. So this time I avoided this matter as far away as I could. Renesmee of course wanted to be in the middle of the planning. Her curious mind craved for the challenge that the organization could present. She didn't have any bad experience about it yet.
Because I had no business I had to keep myself busy. So I faced my nemesis that was making my life miserable. My shield. I found myself a peaceful branch to sit on. Far enough so I would be alone but close enough for my parents to find me. After all, I didn't want to get lost in the jungle.
I started my usual breathing meditation as I had no idea how else I can find a mystic force in myself. I sat there for minutes. I tried to relax my muscles. Put my mind at ease. From time to time I got distracted by my own fear from failure. I caught myself spiraling into annoyance and forced myself to just relax. I frowned as I fought my inner turmoil. Why can't I do it? What if I don't have the talent? But my shield exists... I felt small wrinkles on my nose as my face didn't smoothe out.
"If you continue like this, these wrinkles will stay there forever." I heard a chiming voice. I snapped my eyes open to see Alice standing before me.
"Aunty Alice!" I realized happily and rushed to her arms. "You are earlier than we expected." I told her pulling away from the hug.
"Are you scolding us?" Jasper stepped next to us and patted my head.
"No... I would never..." I smiled smugly.
They laughed and I realized I heard six voices, not two. I glanced behind them and I found a small group standing a few feet away. My curiosity peaked as the number didn't add up. There was Kachiri and with her another vampire woman. Next to them stood a man. He was a hybrid. His heartbeat told me that. And then next to him another hybrid girl? What?
"Who are you?" I pointed the question to her. I didn't mean to be rude, but I ended up being one.
"Carlie meet Nahuel." Alice patiently gestured to the stranger. "Huilen his aunt." She then introduced the vampire woman. "And Jennifer, Nahuel's sister." She finished with the new girl.
"Oh! You are Jennifer!" My eyes lit up like I met with a celebrity. An unknown character that was only mentioned but never made it to the films? Such a win!
The girl shared a glance with Alice and Jasper asking: How am I knowing her? They shrugged. I had done stranger things then that. Kindly ignoring them I slipped out from my aunt's hold and I toddled to them.
"Come. My parents want to know you so badly." I grabbed the hybrid siblings hand and pulled them to follow me. They just smiled back at their vampire companions but obeyed.
"Aunty Senna redecorated the whole place while we were waiting. She even went snack shopping in the village. She was so worked up in the last few days. It was funny. Do you like guava? Because we have a lot of them..." They were polite enough to withstand my info dumping.
I made sure that they felt welcomed. I saw that Hulien was a bit concerned about what they might find here. My goal was to convince her that we are a safe community. It worked so far. My chit-chat brought my family's attention to our arrival. I imagine they heard me from miles away. Edward was the first to come to greet us.
"You have returned." He stepped to his Alice's side for a brotherly hug and then he repeated this gesture with Jasper with a more masculine handshake.
"Dad. They are Nahuel and Jennifer. They are just like us. And she is Hulien." I rushed forward to the introduction. The sooner they talk the better our life will be. Edward came and picked me up.
"A pleasure to meet you. I see you already got to know my devil of a daughter." A small childish grin played on the corner of his mouth.
I would have been offended if it didn't set a great tone for this meeting. With a frown I let it slide. For now. Nahuel stepped forward and shaked my father's hand.
"The pleasure is mine." He seemed calm enough.
He was quite open with us. After all, he heard good things about our family. Starting with our parents' true love. Speaking of love. We went into the more comfortable little hut which Senna prepared for us with great care. Bella, Renesmee, Jacob and the other two amazon sisters were waiting there. Bella stood from her seat and with Ren close behind her came to say hi.
"I am so happy that you made it here. Come take a seat." She warmly welcomed them and with that she herded everyone inside.
She seemed overjoyed. It must be due to the fact that both Nahuel and Jennifer looked like two healthy adults. We placed ourselves in a perfect circle. We as the children seated into our parents lap. Our guests sat opposite us.
"When the others told us that you have a child like us in your coven I didn't realize they were twins. They really look identical!" Jennifer stated excitedly.
"Well yes it was a surprise to us all. In the end it came out perfectly. " Bella messed up Renesmee's hair while she talked about her pregnancy like it wasn't a trauma inducing event for all of us.
"They are truly adorable." Nahuel was invested in our dynamic. He found it quite dreamlike. Especially that Bella stood healthy and alive to be our mother. As alive as a vampire can. He took up the question, in himself. Has his father ever tried to change his wifes? Did he know that this was an option? A part of himself was sure that he knew... But then it raised a few other questions that he didn't want to be asked right now.
"Please tell us about yourselves. We were eagerly looking forward to talking to you." Edward asked. He wanted the information to be spoken out loud.
"Yes! Are you a family? Do you live together?" Renesmee joined in. She bounced in Bellas hold up and down.
"Yes. We are a family, but not like yours." Nahuel smiled softly.
"You see, Jennifer is my half sister. Our father is the same man, but our mother was not." There was a bitter taste in his voice but we didn't dwell on it.
"Was? Did she die in childbirth? Like almost our mother did?" Ren asked out innocently.
The room felt a bit chilly all of the sudden. God. How many times I warned her to not rip up scars. With a sight I patted her hand. You did it again sis. She sent me a look of confusion. What did she mess up this time? She just asked a question. Edward picked up our silent conversation and helped me out.
"You know Renesmee, it isn't polite to ask something like this." He taught her softly.
"Is it? Oh I am sorry." She immediately apologized.
"No it is all right. We grew up happily. Our older sister took great care of me. And Hulien raised Nahuel all the same." Jennifer told lightly. Her voice never increased in volume much. Like her every word was a louder whisper. Such a shy girl.
"How many siblings do you have?" I asked this time. I didn't remember how many of Nahuel's sisters were in the original. The curse to be left out from the movies. Nahuel chose to answer.
"I had three sisters. Serena is the oldest among us. She was born around 1810 if I remember correctly..."
"Is she 200 years old?" Bella gasped, disturbing Nahuel in his sentence.
"Yes. Why?" Jennifer didn't understand why this is a conversation stopper. Her sister is not that old. There are older vampires than her.
"It takes a few years while the child stops maturing. After that they live like any ordinary vampires. Like us." Hulien told us. It was the first time for her to talk to us. She wanted to stay out of this, but she understood perfectly well why our mother was so emotional all of the sudden. She went through all these concerns about Nahuel and his well being.
"So they won't grow old?" Edward asked just in case.
"Not in our knowledge." Nahuel finally picked up what the drama was about.
"Thank God. You will be fine." Bella couldn't help herself and pressed kisses on our temple. As if we just got healed from cancer.
"Of course we will." Renesmee and I answered in a no shit Sherlock tone at the same time. Our twin sync broke through.
"Give more respect to your mother." Edward scolded us softly. But he didn't mean it. He was understandably in a good mood. He just let it slip this time...
"Sorry mom." We synced again.
"So about your sisters..." I rolled forward the story. I wanted to know more. Hulien just smiled at me kindly.
"So Serena, our oldest sister, raised me and Maysun. Maysun is our second oldest sister by the way. We live with dad. But he travels a lot, so we learned to be independent." Jennifer told us proudly. "There was a time when they wanted Nahuel to stay with us too but he likes to be with aunty Hulien. So we just visited him instead. Like i do now." Jennifer smiled. She does have the youngest sister vibe. Also it felt like she told us a slightly diferent version of the story, as Hulien felt the need to add into.
"Serena showed up when Nahuel was a few years old. His bastard father didn't even stay at his birth and instead he sent one of his daughters like a servant?! Of course I didn't let her take my boy!" She was offended enough to lose her composure.
"Father just didn't want to cause trouble with all the blood and everything. He would have been there if he could." Jennifer defended her dad.
"It wasn't his first action like this. If he really cared about Pire or her son he wouldn't take my sister like the way he did!" Hulien snapped back. Oh that is a sore point what we are hitting right now.
"Now, now. It doesn't matter anymore. I chose a side and I will stick to it." Nahuel took up the role of the peacemaker. It sounded like a recurring argument between the two women.
"I wouldn't want to disturb, but we collected some snacks. Would you like to have some fruit? Or do you want to go hunting?" Senna chose this moment to start to act like the host she prepared for.
"I think Carlie said that you have some guava?" Nahuel gladly jumped for the distraction. Senna happily accepted this and went to bring in the basket of fruits for dinner.