CHAPTER 49: TOO YOUNG
So, Jake want's to ask my daughter to marry him. And he want's to do it this weekend? How could I allow this? There must be something I can do to stop it. Get him to wait at least another year. The frightening part wasn't that he was going to ask her, it was that I knew, without a doubt, she'd say yes. And then what? I'd lose my little girl forever. I'd not even had 7 year's as her Mom and now she was being snatched away from me. By my best friend. I love Jacob, but I love my little nudger even more. I smiled to myself at the distant memory of being pregnant, only unlike most mother's with teenage daughter's, it wasn't distant because it was so long ago. My memories of expecting Ness were distant because they were mere human memories. Luckily though, the memories of the pain I'd apparently been through had faded over the last few year's, but I still vaguely remembered being on Isle Esme and feeling her move for the first time. My little nudger.
"Bella?" Edward whispered, creeping up behind me. I was sat on the edge of my daughter's bed watching her sleep, I'd been here for almost 3 hour's now, and I knew Edward was getting worried. I hadn't watched her for this long since she was a small baby.
"Go away!" I snapped quietly, not wanting to wake my peaceful daughter.
"What's wrong love?" he asked. What did he mean 'what's wrong?' surely he knew what was wrong. He'd given in and agreed to Jacob proposing, I'd always relied on Edward to be the one who would prevent this from happening too soon. And he had caved so easily, now what should I do? I can't be responsible for causing yet more issue's in my daughter's relationship. She deserved to be happy.
"I just can't believe you agreed to this" I said softly
"Bella love, you are the one who is alway's telling me to let them be happy" he sighed "Just a few week's ago you took me and Jacob to that park and told us you wanted him to get her pregnant!"
"In the future Edward" I hissed, remembering the conversation and the following event's that, as far as I knew, Edward was still unaware of. "Not now, she's still my baby"
"I know love, I feel the same way too" he soothed, wrapping an arm around my shoulder as he sat down next to me.
"Then why did you say yes?" I asked, slightly louder than I had intended to, I looked over to check I hadn't woken my little girl and saw her shift slightly in her sleep and her breathing return to its usual steady rate.
"I didn't have a choice love, he'd have asked her anyway. Wouldn't you rather this happen with our blessing than without it?"
"In a few year's maybe" I sighed "but I'm just not ready to let her go yet"
"We're not letting go" he told me, reaching down with his free hand to hold mine "We're sharing" he smiled
"And if I say no?" I asked, looking over at my precious angel,
"Then we'll push her away" he admitted, I turned to look at him just in time to see his head drop to look at the lilac carpet below our feet.
"But there has to be something" I sighed, looking over at my baby fast asleep in her bed.
"We don't even know she'll say yes yet" Edward said, sounding rather hopeful
"Of course she will" I scoffed sadly, "She love's him"
"You loved me, you didn't say yes straight away" he reminded me
"That was different Edward, I was brought up in 1 parent families, my Mom had told me for year's that marriage wasn't the best thing to do at a young age" I frowned "Ness has grown up living with 4 married couple's, it's normal to her" I sighed, reaching over to softly stroke her face as she slept.
"They're getting engaged love, they don't have to marry straight away" he sighed, pulling me back toward's him.
"That's it!" I exclaimed, as quiet as I could manage "We can tell Jacob that he has our blessing, as long as they wait a few year's to marry"
"Bella" Edward laughed, "You sound obsessed"
"When it comes to Ness's well-being Edward, I am" I snapped
"Bella, what is this going to change? She'll just have an extra piece of Jewellery" he shrugged
"Edward!" I scolded, looking down at my hand, and examining my engagement and wedding ring's, "Is this just a piece of jewellery to you is it?" I asked, incensed by his comment
"Of course not love, but do you honestly think that Ness understand's what marriage mean's?"
"Yes, actually, I do!" I snapped "Just leave me alone please" I added, turning back to face my sleeping child. I heard Edward exhale loudly before he got up from the bed and walked slowly to the door. I sat there completely still for another hour, contemplating all Edward had said. Of course Renesmee would know what marriage meant, as I'd said, she grew up living with 4 married couple's. So she knew exactly what it meant to be married, and the fact she lived with 4 couple's who very rarely argued, in Carlisle and Esme's case I had never seen a single argument. It was true, I had argued that I believed Ness and Jake should try for a baby, but I had meant in at least 10 or 15 year's, I hadn't for a second thought that things would move so fast, so quickly. I kept going over and over the conversation we'd had with Jacob in my head. I didn't doubt he loved her, but why the rush when they had forever? As long as Jacob was still around us he would keep phasing and wouldn't age. So they had as long as they needed together. I didn't understand the need to rush.
"I love you Jakey" Ness mumbled in her sleep, pulling her pillow close and clutching it to her chest, I sighed loudly as I watched her and decided I'd intruded on her sleep for long enough. I walked slowly and quietly toward's the door,
"Kiss me" she mumbled again, as I was pulling the door open toward's myself. Was this what it was about? Sex? Is that why Jake wanted to marry my little girl, so that he could sleep with her? Well I wasn't having that, I thought, storming into my bedroom where Edward was laid across the bed reading.
"What's wrong love?" he asked, looking up from his book
"Sex!" I exclaimed, louder than I had intended, Edward looked at me confused "He want's to marry her for sex!"
"Bella" he half laughed "If that was true do you really think I would have agreed?""Well it's the only explanation that makes sense!" I scowled, slightly annoyed that he found this amusing.
"How about he love's her?" Edward smiled, tilting his head sideway's to stare at me.
"Since when did you become Jacob's best friend?" I snapped, getting more and more frustrated at his laid back attitude.
"I'm not" he laughed, putting his book down on the bed beside him and sitting upright "but I know what he's thinking, and I know how much he love's her. In fact" he paused "if I didn't know better I'd compare it to the way I feel for you"
"If you didn't know better?" I asked, confused by his statement
"Of course" he nodded "Nothing could ever compare to the way I feel about you" he smiled, flashing me my favourite crooked grin. I was almost caught up in it for a moment, before remembering why we were having this conversation in the first place.
"Edward Cullen!" I scolded "stop trying to dazzle me. This is important"
"Bella love, what's important is that we get some time together, without worrying about if's, buts and maybe's."
"No Edward! What's important is our daughter!" I yelled,
"Bella!" Edward sighed, getting up from the bed and standing by my side "You really need to calm down love" I looked at his worried face and felt myself instantly calm, I didn't like seeing him look that worried.
"What are we going to do?" I sighed loudly,leaning into Edward's chest and allowing him to wrap his arm around me, making me feel better instantly. "We have to trust him love" Edward soothed, kissing me lightly on the head.
"She's still too young" I whined
"Bella, honestly" he paused, pulling away to look at me "what age is it going to take for us to consider her old enough?"
"A hundred" I laughed slightly, as he pulled me close to him once more. Before picking me up and carrying me to the bed.
"We'll have to talk to him" I whispered to Edward when I heard Jacob rise around 7 am, "I know" Edward nodded "Did you want to do it now?""Please" I sighed, biting my bottom lip.
"Come on then" he smiled, getting out from under the cover's and dressing again. I followed suit and dressed quicker than I had intended to.
"Jacob?" I called, walking down the stairs a few minute's later.
"Bella" he sighed, looking down toward's the floor, I knew he felt awkward. And I didn't really blame him, I had been pretty hard on him the night before, but I wasn't about to apologize.
"Jake, I just want to say," I paused, taking a deep breath "I will give you my blessing. On one condition" I finished, looking straight at him with Edward stood by my side.
"Name it?" Jake smiled, seeming chirpier,
"You wait a while" I sighed, not wanting the word's to leave my mouth "Before setting a date"
"A while?" Jake asked, seeming apprehensive
"Yes" I nodded "She's still young. If you agree to wait a couple of year's, then I will give you my full blessing" Jacob looked at me, taking in everything I was saying.
"Done" he agreed, reaching out to shake my hand. I ignored his gesture and instead stepped forward to hug him.
Renesmee may be my daughter, but Jacob was still my best friend. And if I had to pick anyone to marry my daughter, I couldn't think of anyone better. I knew he loved her, beyond recognition, and I knew he would alway's be there to protect her. Now I just had to hope he kept to his side of the bargain.