The Voltaire's

Surprise after Surprise

When everyone arrived at the so-called house (more like a mansion, but in contrast to the castle, it was fairly small), that was discreetly placed in the middle of the forest, everyone ran inside, most things having been already delivered days before. Everyone carried in their own bags and we opened the door, met by Demetri and Felix, who were waiting in the foyer. The girls ran to them, screaming joyfully.

“What's with this?” Bella asked, picking up their dropped bags. “It's only been forty-five minutes since you last saw them.”

“What can we say,” Felix answered with a droopy grin while he dangled each twin from each arm. “We're simply irresistible.” He winked at Bella and she scoffed, causing everyone in the room to laugh. That's when the girls jumped down, all crowding into their newly acquired grandmother's arms.

“We thought you'd died,” Renesmee said, pouting. Renee, seeing her own name and own personality in this child, picked her up first, looking at her.

“Well technically, I did,” Renee said to Renesmee, causing the twins to giggle.

“So what happened?” Charlie asked, a spark coming out in his tone that Bella hadn't heard in so long, long before they were ever immortals.

Renee put Renesmee down as she walked to stand next to Bella and Charlie, everyone else looking on.

Renee sighed, stalling for time, was everyone's best guess, because physically there was no need for a sigh. “Around twenty-five years ago, I was approached by a vampire. He wouldn't say his name, and he wasn't a Volturi guard. All he told me was that this was for my own good, and soon I would understand why. And he bit me.” Bella and Charlie looked aghast, as did everyone else. Renee continued. “Three days later, I awoke, finding out that everyone thought I was dead. I was just told to participate in a memorial service, even though I didn't look the same at all, and then I fled to Forks, surprised to find the house long vacant. Jacob, who hadn't aged a day and I soon found out why, told me that you all had vanished five years prior to that. He seemed...disappointed when he said that, and I'm not sure why.” Renee looked quizzically at Bella, who gave her a nod, telling her to go on and that she'd explain later. “Anyways, I wandered the globe for years and years, trying to find the two of you while experiencing a life I never even dreamed of. Then, around two years ago, I was found and approached by Aro, and surprised to find out that my daughter and ex-husband are apart of the royal family,” she said, smiling at the two in front of her. “He told be how he'd heard of newborn armies starting up again, and that I was to play the part of a woman named Anna Voltaire, who moved here to start a new life for her very large family,” she said, indicating to everyone in the room. “That I would soon have a large house from working at the school as a nurse and going to night school to become a doctor. Before that, I was living in a trailer while this house was being built. Of course in no time it was done, and he had to prepare you all, as well as my granddaughters,” she said, smiling at the three girls who all smiled back, dazzling her with their smiles and porcelain-like features. “He told me not to contact you beforehand, because he wanted to surprise you for your 48th Birthday.” Bella was confused...she'd forgotten all about her birthday until she saw on her phone that today's date was indeed September the 13th. She shook her head in wonder...the things Aro would go through to surprise his queen. 

About that time, everyone yelled out, “Happy Birthday Bella!” and Bella couldn't help but laugh as she shook her head, glad she was no longer human, otherwise she'd been ten shades of red by now. She found herself being engulfed in hugs by everyone, being teased and now she was looking at her mother again, her perfect features displaying the creature she now was, and she hugged her fiercely, before stepping back and choking on a breath, feeling the need to cry but not being able to.