Creation & Destruction [3] | Jasper Hale

-16-

For as long as Joanna could remember, acceptance was an action that others around her had difficulty doing. That's why Leah declared she wasn't ready, and possibly never ready, to hold him. To speak with Ethan. It was a visible reminder that her friend was transformed into her enemy.

  Joanna couldn't tell what hurt more: Slowly losing her family or dealing with the fact that she was an enemy to others.

  Motherhood and her second life were supposed to be a blessing. Now, she could only come to believe that Immortality would ruin her.

  "Does not like?" Ethan asks as he runs a crayon over a fresh piece of paper. Grey eyes sparkle with wonder before it fades into silent realization. "Not like me."

  His mother, fixing her hair into a high ponytail, shakes her head quickly. "No, darling. She just needs time." In her heart, she knew that time wouldn't be able to fix all her problems. "Kinda like Daddy when he's learning about you."

  A sorrow-filled smile stretches across his lips, raising his chubby cheeks. "Daddy is like me. He's a learn."

  "A learner," she corrects, running her polished nails through his waves. An art she had come back to partake in. "But, yeah, Leah has a lot in common with us."

  "Like Aunt Belle?"

  "Somewhat," she admits, a hint of lines covering her forehead as she raises her eyebrows. Amber eyes focus on his scribbles before the sound of a door opening catches her attention. Speaking of the human, Bella arrives in the room with a subtle smile coating her pale lips. "Oh, we were just talking about his favorite aunt."

   "Really?" She inquires, taking a seat next to her friend and nephew. Her hand reaches over and ruffles his light waves. "I came to talk about the wedding."

  "I thought that was next year?"

Dark brown locks sway as the human shakes her head. A confirmation that her question was false. "We're planning for early summer." Charastically for Bella, she curls her lips slightly upwards and narrows her eyes in thought. Stuck in deep thought for a moment, Bella remains silent as a mouse before she erupts like a thrilled dog. "I'm thinking May or June. Either way, a date doesn't stop me from freaking out."

  Beside them, Ethan laughs lightly, catching their attention. "Belle wears yellow?"

  "Bella looks disgusting in yellow-"

  In response, Bella smacks her friend's wrist softly before letting a snort roll out of her. Only true friends make fun of each other, Joanna noted because it brought out the best in people. The human was always shy and insecure but could have a fiery temper if one tempted her to bring it out.

   A sound from the other rooms drawls Ethan's attention like a newborn dog. With one look shared with his mother, he quickly cleans up his mess before wandering out of the room. He was most likely going out to find his Grandfather. 

  "He's so smart for a..."

  Joanna looks towards her friend, a delicate smile expanding her lips. "He's looking around the age of four now. He's a genius, I'll tell you that, and firmly believes you're Belle. Brown hair, brown eyes, you fit the role." For a moment, she could imagine Bella decked out in a vast, stunning yellow dress. Though, she knew Bella would rip it off in seconds. She was never one to opt for a dress when it was presented out for her. 

  "So about you freaking out? I get why you would act that way, I mean, Leah was the same. But she was also head over heels for a man that later turned out to be a dick. I haven't talked to Emily in some time, not since her accident-"