Redshift by Ashlynn Chantrea (free ebook reader for ipad .txt) 📕

“Do they know you’re coming?” He asked.

I snorted, “I doubt we’ll ever surprise them.”

He laughed, “Oh yeah! Alice!”

“Think you can make it?”

“Don’t worry, we’ll be there.”

Before I could even hang up the phone, Rain had a hand on my shoulder and we were there. She disoriented me with how quickly and easily she could do that these days.

All the Cullens were there, waiting for us. Jacob was there in human form, standing hand in hand with Renesmee. She was full grown now, passed the hormonal adolescent stage of her life. Seth was there too, also in human form. It was nice that they were that comfortable with us.

“It’s about time!” Alice said and then leaped over to us, trying to hug all of us at once.

Alice quickly stole the triplets away, no doubt to play dress up with her willing life-size dolls. Renesmee followed after them. Bianca and Hector wandered off with Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie. I could hear them discussing fighting techniques and laughing as they shared stories of past exploits. Seth and Jacob changed into their wolf forms and ran off into the forest, checking in with their pack.

The rest of us stayed in the living room, catching up. They stayed out of sight in Forks these days. Carlisle was itching to move on but Bella was determined to stay until Charlie passed. Their home was far enough out that they didn’t get unsolicited visitors. But Carlisle longed to be of use, serving mankind. I thought it was noble. I told him of my lab and my experiments with cloning human blood, hoping to leave humans out of the equation completely. He was deeply interested.

A few hours later, the Denali’s show up. My family appeared from the places they had scattered to and jumped on Pim the way Alice had on us when we arrived. Laney and I stood back and watched, laughing. Pim hugged the girls and wrestled with Hector for a minute before coming over to say hi.

“It’s been a while.” Pim said with a grin.

I rolled my eyes, “None of you have any patience!” I huffed teasingly. “Four years in the grand scheme of things is not that long.”

He shrugged, “Feels like a long time.”

“Yeah, we missed you too.” I replied.

“The girls have been bugging him for months to come visit.” Laney said. “But you know Adam.”

“Right,” He chuckled, “All work and no play.”

I narrowed my eyes, first glaring at him and then Laney. There was a conspiracy going on here, I could feel it.

Pim laughed, “Zephyr told me what Laney said. She thought it’d be a good joke if I said it too.”

Everyone gravitated to the living room, eager to catch up with old friends. The Denali’s were all happy. There was a sense of unity with them. They were complete, each partnered to their soulmate, each deeply connected as a family. As much as I missed Pim, I was glad he had found his peace.

“We should get a house in Alaska.” The triplets said after listening to Pim go on about how great it was there.

“We’re fine where we are.” I replied.

“It’s not so bad there.” Pim said.

“It isn’t that.”

“Adam is far too caught up in his research and obsessing over the news to have time to think about buying a house.” Laney said in a reproachful tone, “Carlisle, tell Adam to lighten up. He might listen to you.”

Carlisle laughed, “I think I am better off staying out of it completely.”

“It is hard to believe it’s really over.” Bella said, “We’ve faced so much in so short a time. I’m still waiting for the next disaster.”

“With the Volturi gone, there’s nothing standing in the way of our happily ever after.” Edward whispered to her.

“Nothing but forever ahead of us.” I murmured, looking into Laney’s dark citrine colored eyes.

“Enough of the romantic mumbling.” Emmett said, “Who feels like finding some grizzlies?”

There was a roar of approval. We all ran into the woods, the sun starting to set, making the sky come alive with color.

“Another day gone.” Edward sighed as we loped through the trees.

I understood his sadness. Part of what made life beautiful was the transition, the movement, the development, the change and ultimately, the end.

“And here we stay. Locked in time. Never growing old.” I replied, sharing in his melancholy.

Then Hector started to sing, joined quickly by the rest of my family. Even Pim sang along. I recognized the song and the irony wasn’t lost on me. I laughed a little, along with the others as they listened to the lyrics, unfamiliar to some of them. As the chorus approached, my family looked at me expectantly. The Denali’s and the Cullens watched with curious expressions.

I sighed, still smiling. If you can’t beat them, join them.

And so I sang in my perfect tenor voice, “Here’s to never growing up.”

Publication Date: 01-28-2019

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