way。　His　black　eyes　focused　on　her　face。
  〃What　are　you　thinking　about　right　now？〃
  She　stared　at　him　blankly。　〃Nothing。　What's　going　on？〃
  〃What　were　you　thinking　about　a　minute　ago？〃　he　asked。
  〃Just。。。　Esme's　island。　And　feathers。〃
  Sounded　like　total　gibberish　to　me；　but　then　she　blushed；　and　I　figured　I　was　better　off　not　knowing。
  〃Say　something　else；〃　he　whispered。
  Tike　what？　Edward；　what's　going　on？〃
  His　face　changed　again；　and　he　did　something　that　made　my　mouth　fall　open　with　a　pop。　I　heard　a　gasp
  behind　me；　and　I　knew　that　Rosalie　was　back；　and　just　as　flabbergasted　as　I　was。
  Edward；　very　lightly；　put　both　of　his　hands　against　her　huge；　round　stomach。
  'The　f—〃　He　swallowed。　〃It。。。　the　baby　likes　the　sound　of　your　voice。〃
  There　was　one　short　beat　of　total　silence。　I　could　not　move　a　muscle；　even　to　blink。　Then—
  〃Holy　crow；　you　can　hear　him！〃Bella　shouted。　In　the　next　second；　she　winced。
  Edward's　hand　moved　to　the　top　peak　of　her　belly　and　gently　rubbed　the　spot　where　it　must　have　kicked
  her。
  〃Shh；〃　he　murmured。　〃You　startled　it。。。　him。〃
  Her　eyes　got　all　wide　and　full　of　wonder。　She　patted　the　side　of　her　stomach。　〃Sorry；　baby。〃
  Edward　was　listening　hard；　his　head　tilted　toward　the　bulge。
  〃What's　he　thinking　now？〃　she　demanded　eagerly。
  〃It。。。　he　or　she；　is　。。。〃　He　paused　and　looked　up　into　her　eyes。　His　eyes　were　filled　with　a　similar　awe
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  —only　his　were　more　careful　and　grudging。　〃He's　happy〃　Edward　said　in　an　incredulous　voice。
  Her　breath　caught；　and　it　was　impossible　not　to　see　the　fanatical　gleam　in　her　eyes。　The　adoration　and
  the　devotion。　Big；　fat　tears　overflowed　her　eyes　and　ran　silently　down　her　face　and　over　her　smiling　lips。
  As　he　stared　at　her；　his　face　was　not　frightened　or　angry　or　burning　or　any　of　the　other　expressions　he'd
  worn　since　their　return。　He　was　marveling　with　her。
  〃Of　course　you're　happy；　pretty　baby；　of　course　you　are；〃　she　crooned；　rubbing　her　stomach　while　the
  tears　washed　her　cheeks。　〃How　could　you　not　be；　all　safe　and　warm　and　loved？　I　love　you　so　much；　little
  EJ；　of　course　you're　happy。〃
  〃What　did　you　call　him？〃　Edward　asked　curiously。
  She　blushed　again。　〃I　sort　of　named　him。　I　didn't　think　you　would　want。。。　well；　you　know。〃
  〃EJ？〃
  〃Your　father's　name　was　Edward；　too。〃
  〃Yes；　it　was。　What—？〃　He　paused　and　then　said；　〃Hmm。〃
  〃What？〃
  〃He　likes　my　voice；　too。〃
  〃Of　course　he　does。〃　Her　tone　was　almost　gloating　now。　〃You　have　the　most　beautiful　voice　in　the
  universe。　Who　wouldn't　love　it？〃
  〃Do　you　have　a　backup　plan？〃　Rosalie　asked　then；　leaning　over　the　back　of　the　sofa　with　the　same
  wondering；　gloating　look　on　her　face　that　was　on　Bella's。　〃What　if　he's　a　she？〃
  Bella　wiped　the　back　of　her　hand　under　her　wet　eyes。　〃I　kicked　a　few　things　around。　Playing　with　Renee
  and
  Esme。　I　was　thinking。。。　Ruh…nez…may。〃
  〃Ruhnezmay？〃
  〃R…e…n…e…s…m…e…e。　Too　weird？〃
  〃No；　I　like　it；〃　Rosalie　assured　her。　Their　heads　were　close　together；　gold　and　mahogany。　〃It's　beautiful。
  And　one　of　a　kind；　so　that　fits〃
  〃I　still　think　he's　an　Edward。〃
  Edward　was　staring　off　into　space；　his　face　blank　as　he　listened。
  〃What？〃　Bella　asked；　her　face　just　glowing　away。　〃What's　he　thinking　now？〃
  At　first　he　didn't　answer；　and　then—shocking　all　the　rest　of　us　again；　three　distinct　and　separate
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  gasps—he　laid　his　ear　tenderly　against　her　belly。
  〃He　loves　you；〃　Edward　whispered；　sounding　dazed。　〃He　absolutely　adores　you。〃
  In　that　moment；　I　knew　that　I　was　alone。　All　alone。
  I　wanted　to　kick　myself　when　I　realized　how　much　I'd　been　counting　on　that　loathsome　vampire。　How
  stupid—as　if　you　could　ever　trust　a　leech！　Of　course　he　would　betray　me　in　the　end。
  I'd　counted　on　him　to　be　on　my　side。　I'd　counted　on　him　to　suffer　more　than　I　suffered。　And；　most　of　all；
  I'd　counted　on　him　to　hate　that　revolting　thing　killing　Bella　more　than　I　hated　it。
  I'd　trusted　him　with　that。
  Yet　now　they　were　together；　the　two　of　them　bent　over　the　budding；　invisible　monster　with　their　eyes　lit
  up　like　a　happy　family。
  And　I　was　all　alone　with　my　hatred　and　the　pain　that　was　so　bad　it　was　like　being　tortured。　Like　being
  dragged　slowly　across　a　bed　of　razor　blades。　Pain　so　bad　you'd　take　death　with　a　smile　just　to　get　away
  from　it。
  The　heat　unlocked　my　frozen　muscles；　and　I　was　on　my　feet。
  All　three　of　their　heads　snapped　up；　and　I　watched　my　pain　ripple　across　Edward's　face　as　he
  trespassed　in　my　head　again。
  〃Ahh；〃　he　choked。
  I　didn't　know　what　I　was　doing；　I　stood　there；　trembling；　ready　to　bolt　for　the　very　first　escape　that　I
  could　think　of。
  Moving　like　the　strike　of　a　snake；　Edward　darted　to　a　small　end　table　and　ripped　something　from　the
  drawer　there。　He　tossed　it　at　me；　and　I　caught　the　object　reflexively。
  〃Go；　Jacob。　Get　away　from　here。〃　He　didn't　say　it　harshly—he　threw　the　words　at　me　like　they　were　a
  life　preserver。　He　was　helping　me　find　the　escape　I　was　dying　for。
  The　object　in　my　hand　was　a　set　of　car　keys。
  17。　WHAT　DO　I　LOOK　LIKE？　THE　WIZARD　OF　OZ？　YOU　NEED　A　BRAIN？　YOU　NEED　A
  HEART？　GO　AHEAD。　TAKE　MINE。　TAKE　EVERYTHING　I　HAVE。
  I　sort　of　had　a　plan　as　I　ran　to　the　Cullens'　garage。　The　second　part　of　it　was　totaling　the　bloodsucker's
  car　on　my　way　back。
  So　I　was　at　a　loss　when　I　mashed　the　button　on　the　keyless　remote；　and　it　was　not　his　Volvo　that
  beeped　and　flashed　its　lights　for　me。　It　was　another　car—a　standout　even　in　the　long　line　of　vehicles　that
  were　mostly　all　drool…worthy　in　their　own　ways。
  Did　he　actually　mean　to　give　me　the　keys　to　an　Aston　Martin　Vanquish；　or　was　that　an　accident？
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  I　didn't　pause　to　think　about　it；　or　if　this　would　change　that　second　part　of　my　plan。　I　just　threw　myself
  into　the　silky　leather　seat　and　cranked　the　engine　while　my　knees　were　still　crunched　up　under　the　steering
  wheel。　The　sound　of　the　motor's　purr　might　have　made　me　moan　another　day；　but　right　now　it　was　all　I
  could　do　to　concentrate　enough　to　put　it　in　drive。
  I　found　the　seat　release　and　shoved　myself　back　as　my　foot　rammed　the　pedal　down。　The　car　felt　almost
  airborne　as　it　leaped　forward。
  It　only　took　seconds　to　race　through　the　tight；　winding　drive。　The　car　responded　to　me　like　my　thoughts
  were　steering　rather　than　my　hands。　As　I　blew　out　of　the　green　tunnel　and　onto　the　highway；　I　caught　a
  fleeting　glimpse　of　Leah's　gray　face　peering　uneasily　through　the　ferns。
  For　half　a　second；　I　wondered　what　she'd　think；　and　then　I　realized　that　I　didn't　care。
  I　turned　south；　because　I　had　no　patience　today　for　ferries　or　traffic　or　anything　else　that　meant　I　might
  have　to　lift　my　foot　off　the　pedal。
  In　a　sick　way；　it　was　my　lucky　day。　If　by　lucky　you　meant　taking　a　well…traveled　highway　at　two　hundred
  without　so　much　as　seeing　one　cop；　even　in　the　thirty…mile…an…hour　speed…trap　towns。　What　a　letdown。　A
  little　chase　action
  might　have　been　nice；　not　to　mention　that　the　license　plate　info　would　bring　the　heat　down　on　the　leech。
  Sure；　he'd　buy　his　way　out　of　it；　but　it　might　have　been　just　a　little　inconvenient　for　him。
  The　only　sign　of　surveillance　i　came　across　was　just　a　hint　of　dark　brown　fur　flitting　through　the　woods；
  running　parallel　to　me　for　a　few　miles　on　the　south　side　of　Forks。　Quil；　it　looked　like。　He　must　have　seen
  me；　too；　because　he　disappeared　after　a　minute　without　raising　an　alarm。　Again；　I　almost　wondered　what
  his　story　would　be　before　I　remembered　that　I　didn't　care。
  I　raced　around　the　long　U…shaped　highway；　heading　for　the　biggest　city　I　could　find。　That　was　the　first
  part　of　my　plan。
  It　seemed　to　take　forever；　probably　because　I　was　still　on　the　razor　blades；　but　it　actually　didn't　even
  take　two　hours　before　I　was　driving　north　into　the　undefined　sprawl　that　was　part　Tacoma　and　part
  Seattle。　I　slowed　down　then；　because　I　really　wasn't　trying　to　kill　any　innocent　bystanders。
  This　was　a　stupid　plan。　It　wasn't　going　to　work。　But；　as　I'd　searched　my　head　for　any　way　at　all　to　get
  away　from　the　pain；　what　Leah'd　said　today　had　popped　in　there。
  That　would　go　away；　you　know；　if　you　imprinted。　You　wouldn't　have　to　hurt　over　her　anymore。
  Seemed　like　maybe　getting　your　choices　taken　away　from　you　wasn't　the　very　worst　thing　in　the　world。
  Maybe　feeling　like　this　was　the　very　worst　thing　in　the　world。
  But　I'd　seen　all　the　girls　in　La　Push　and　up　on　the　Makah　rez　and　in　Forks。　I　needed　a　wider　hunting
  range。
  So　how　do　you　look　for　a　random　soul　mate　in　a　crowd？　Well；　first；　I　need