The next two days actually went more quickly than I’d imagined.
Nessie attended school with Jacob and didn’t come home in tears either day. She aced her quiz, of course. She was learning to adjust to school life. I was grateful for that. I didn’t think I could handle another thunderstorm like she’d dumped on Wednesday.
Jacob was unusually quiet. I could sense his worry over the two newborn vampires. He was dreading their emersion more than anyone else.
Alice had taken time to dress up both vampires. Her choice of clothing was utterly ridiculous. The first thing they’d need to do is hunt and Alice had dressed them in cocktail dresses and stiletto heals. I rolled my eyes.
I would’ve suggested feeding the newborn vampires the grizzly blood, but I remembered how thirsty I’d been. They’d have the fridge empty in minutes and we’d have to send Emmett for another grizzly. He was burned out on hunting at the moment. Bringing home half dead bears wasn’t as much fun as tackling and eating them himself.
We hadn’t seen much of him. He was hanging out at Charlie’s with Rose and Michael.
Alice had pinpointed the awakening of Sarah for Friday shortly after school let out. I had instructed Jacob to take Nessie to Billy’s in La Push after school ended. They could hang out at the beach until we knew how the newborn vampires would behave.
Carlisle, Edward, Jasper, Alice and I gathered in Jasper and Alice’s room. Esme remained downstairs with Grace. Jaron had left Lily’s side to remain out of harm’s way with Tom.
None of us knew how Sarah would behave. Her transformation was almost complete. She must’ve heard my whispered words because she hadn’t screamed—not once, and I was sure that was a relief to Austin. He was standing next to the bed and we waited for her eyes to open.
As he did at my birth as a vampire, Jasper stood protectively in front of Alice. His experience with newborns in his past life had never been good, but no one had ever bothered to explain the process to them. No one had ever given them a chance to be anything but unthinking animals driven by their thirst.
Sarah opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. I could sense her disorientation. It didn’t show on her perfect features or her freaky blood red eyes. She had never been in this room before her surgery. It wasn’t familiar. She turned her eyes to Austin, and she launched herself at him and hugged him with her powerful arms. “Ouch.” He protested, smiling widely.
“Sorry.” She stepped back a moment. She must be remembering that I’d told her how strong she’d be.
Alice peeked out from behind Jasper.
Sarah was acting as tame as I had. Tame newborns. What a concept. I smiled. Jasper looked dumbstruck. He’d been convinced that I was an anomaly.
Alice’s musical voice rang out, “Would you like to check out the new you?”
Sarah nodded hesitantly, but her eyes were on Austin, as if she’d never seen him before.
I giggled. I remembered seeing Edward after my birth as a vampire. It was like seeing him for the very first time. Edward reached for my hand and smiled down at me. He must be remembering, too.
Austin bent to kiss his beloved Sarah. Her response was instantaneous and a little embarrassing for the rest of us.
Carlisle cleared his throat, his elation at this outcome clear in his eyes. “I’m sure you’ll want to hunt.”
She pulled away from Austin, embarrassment showing in her stance. “Hunt?”
Jasper looked at her, a valley forming between his puzzled eyes. “Aren’t you thirsty?”
She was looking at Austin again. “Thirsty?”
“Isn’t there a burning in your throat?” Jasper looked stunned.
“Oh, that.” She was acting like it wasn’t a big deal. A burn in the throat, no big deal. She’d just lived through burning in her entire body. The throat she could handle. “When can I see Grace?” She looked at me then, a small smile of thanks on her lips. I was exultant. She had heard me.
Jasper locked eyes with Alice. I wondered what thoughts they were sharing, but I could guess that it had to do with Jasper’s pre-conceived notions of newborns.
Austin answered her question with a smile. “As soon as we hunt. But Alice told me she’d never forgive me if I didn’t let you get a look at yourself first.”
He led her to the full-length mirror across the room from the bed. She raised her hand to touch her face. Her marble features didn’t show the astonishment I knew she was feeling. “Wow. I’m… I’m…”
She couldn’t finish the sentence. She turned to Austin, her red eyes wide. I understood. The beauty was something but the freaky eyes had made me see a monster.
“You’re beautiful.” Austin whispered and touched her face. He smiled brilliantly at her then turned to the window Alice had just opened.
Sarah’s eyes grew wide. “I have to jump?”
I smiled. I’d played this whole scene myself. “It’s easy. Austin can show you.”
He jumped out the window and Sarah followed. She ran after Austin, light on her stiletto heels. She hadn’t even noticed they were on.
Jasper jumped out the window and followed the couple. After my experience with almost running into the hunters, I knew he didn’t want to leave Austin unprotected against a newborn. I had almost attacked Edward. She could turn on Austin.
Alice turned to me. “That’s how you were supposed to do it, Bella. Tearing your dress and tossing your shoes wasn’t part of the plan.”
I giggled. “The dress didn’t survive my encounter with the cougar, anyway.”
We filed out of the room. One down, one to go. I hoped Lily’s transformation would be as easy as Sarah’s.
Lily woke up a couple of hours later. Her awakening went much like Sarah’s. What a relief.
Both mothers were cuddling their infants when I called Jacob. “You’ll be happy to know that everything is fine. You can bring Nessie home now.”
I could hear the jubilant relief in his voice. “We’ll be right there.” He hung up the phone, but I was sure he was high fiving Seth. They’d both be headed over for dinner. Sue’s cooking just couldn’t compete with Esme’s.