All Grown Up: The Story of Jacob and Renesmee Part III

3

Jacob

After a lengthy shower together, Ness and I dried each other off in front of the mirror. I rubbed the body lotion she liked to apply nightly into her skin. We were quiet, and I listened to her deep even breathing as my hands, slippery with the lotion, glided over every curve of her body. She didn't need the stuff, her skin was soft enough, but I did enjoy massaging it in whenever she'd let me.

We got wrapped up in the soft and fuzzy purple towels she'd picked out herself. She'd had fun picking out stuff like that for this house, and I'd had fun watching her. I must say, all of our stuff matched very nicely. She'd done a great job.

She sat at her vanity that was built into the bathroom wall, and I carefully combed through her wet hair. I could tell she was tired. Her eyes were closed, but she was smiling.

"That feels so nice," she mumbled.

"Good." I wanted her to feel cherished, and cared for.

She opened her eyes, and met mine in the mirror. "He's gotten so tall. He's passed up Swan again," she said. Anthony had passed up Swan big time, weeks ago. He'd passed up Ness, even. But this was the first time either of us had brought it up because we knew what it meant. There was no way he was under five foot ten. He was growing every day, right before our eyes. Changing.

"I can't even tell how old he looks anymore," she said.

"Just about old enough to phase is how old he looks," I said, dragging the comb through her curls.

"He's going to soon, isn't he?" she wondered.

"Probably," I sighed.

"You don't want him to," she stated.

"It's not really that. I just don't see how father and son being in each others heads will be a good thing," I said. Ness knew that when you are phased, your every thought and feeling is on display to the rest of the pack. "I don't need to know that Embry takes his morning coffee on the toilet, but unfortunately I do. I really don't want Anthony seeing any part of this last hour, do you? These last few minutes even."

She frowned, seeing my point.

"I'm just gonna have to try not to think of...things that would make him uncomfortable ...when we are both phased. I'd like to avoid us being phased together at all as much as I can. At least at first. I mean, after he's feeling good about it though. Damn it. I dunno," I muttered.

Her eyes raised toward the ceiling, in the direction of the other side of the house.

"He's still awake," she observed.

"I know."

We could feel the tiny vibrations, the only movement in the house, as he paced upstairs.

"He hasn't been sleeping very well. I think he's nervous," she said.

"Probably. But I wouldn't say anything about it, sweetie," I warned her.

"I won't," she promised. She knew what had set me off and caused me to phase that first time. "Do you think I should tell Asa and the girls to give him some space?" I could see the concern for our oldest in her eyes.

Finished combing her dark locks, I set the wide-toothed comb back on the counter. "That might be a good idea. Especially our two little instigators." Mollie and Xandra really knew how to push his buttons.

With my lips parted, I kissed her temple and inhaled her fresh, clean scent. I wrapped my arms around her bare shoulders. "Try not to worry about him too much. He'll be okay, he might even like it once he's used to everything."