Drowning

23

Family

"Jasper, do you think we could eventually adopt a child?" I asked, nuzzling deeper into his neck. "In the future, of course."

"Is that what you want, darling?" Jasper questioned, rubbing up my back slowly.

"I've always wanted children of my own." I sighed sadly. "But we can't have our own children, so I'd like to provide a home for a child in need of one."

"So selfless." Jasper breathed. "Anything you ask of me, it's yours."

"So generous." I replied, kissing his jaw softly. Before I heard Jasper start reading again, a vision of Jacob phasing in front of Charlie Swan took over my vision in short bursts. And then, Charlie Swan was at our home, in frantic search of something familiar; Bella.

"Jo?" Jasper whispered, tilting my chin up so that our eyes connected. "Jo, what did you see?"

"Charlie will be here shortly." I sighed, reluctantly pulling myself from his arms.

"Swan?" Jasper questioned, discarding the book he'd been reading from and following me into our closet.

"What other Charlie would be heading over here?" I scoffed, reaching for a pair of contacts I kept in case one of us needed to keep up appearances without hunting. "Let's go prepare Bella."

"Alright." Jasper nodded, following me out into the living room. Bella was sat in an armchair, looking tense and wildly uncomfortable.

"I brought you contacts." I said softly, holding out the contact case. "To correct your eye color for Charlie."

"Thanks, Josie." Bella sighed. "Can you put them in for me?"

"Sure." I nodded, unscrewing the caps on the case. "These will irritate your eyes at first."

I gently placed both contacts in her eyes, and walked away from her with a smile.

"The main thing is not to move too fast." Carlisle said, watching as Bella tried to take slower steps than she was now used to.

"Try taking a seat." Esme encouraged. "Crossing your legs."

Bella nodded and turned, eyeing another arm chair across the living room. She raced over to it and sat down, slowly crossing her legs.

"Maybe a tad slower." Esme suggested with a smile. Carlisle hummed in agreement, looking amused.

"And blink at least three times a minute." I added, watching Bella blink far too many times. "Good."

"For a cartoon character." Jacob remarked.

"Hold your breath." Carlisle instructed. "It will help with the thirst."

"Just don't forget to move your shoulders so it looks like you're breathing." Edward tacked on.

"And don't sit so straight." Rosalie snapped lightly. "Humans don't do that."

"Okay." Bella stood, looking slightly overwhelmed. "I got it; move around, blink, slouch."

As soon as Bella was done talking, Charlie pulled into our driveway.

"Good luck." Esme smiled, following Carlisle and I out of the room. Carlisle had gone downstairs to greet Charlie at the door while the rest of the family left Bella and Edward alone in the living room. I left in search of Bree, hoping to spend some time with her. I found her outside, hiding away from Charlie, looking out at the stream.

"There you are." I smiled, standing beside her on the bank. "I feel like I haven't seen very much of you lately."

"Sorry." She apologized, resting her head on my shoulder. "I've been preoccupied with Seth, and trying to get Leah to like me."