Author: Cherry Bella
Word Count: 1,230
Picture Prompt #9
EPOV
It was past midnight and I had run out of ideas to coax my daughter into bed. She was glued to the window, staring at the waning crescent for the past two hours.
This was the mutt’s fault and I was seriously going to kill him when I saw him next.
Where is she?
Nessie’s thoughts brought my focus back on her. I closed my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose to remain calm before stepping closer to her.
“For the last time, Nessie, there is no witch,” I repeated.
“No, no. Jake told me the witch comes tonight.”
“There’s no witch!” I shouted exasperated. “You’re old enough to know better.”
“Jake wouldn’t lie to me,” she said petulantly.
I snorted in disbelief. He was too cunning, always making her believe things that weren’t true. She always listened to him. “I doubt it,” I muttered.
Are you calling him a lair? She wondered quietly, finally tearing her eyes off the window to look at me.
“He likes to exaggerate. You should just go to sleep. It’s late and you’re going to be tired in the morning,” I insisted. Besides, Bella was due back any moment and she’d probably twist my neck if she found her still awake.
I’m not tired, Daddy. I want to see the witch.
I moaned, raising my arms above my head, in desperation.
The door of her room opened and Emmett stepped inside, carrying a plate with pumpkin pie.
“Emmett, it’s too late to feed her,” I told him annoyed.
He ignored me, going to sit next to Nessie. “Look what I got here. Your mommy’s pumpkin pie!” he exclaimed.
Nessie gave him a bored look before focusing back on the sky. “I want the witch! They have to be real!” she whined.
“But they’re not!” I insisted. “That’s why the stories are called fiction.”
“The stories about vampires are called fiction too, and they exist!” She pointed out.
“Because we keep our nature hidden from humans. Nessie, magic doesn’t exist,” I almost begged her to understand.
Emmett gasped, widening his eyes. “How can you say that? Magic exists!” She’s still a kid, brother, let her believe it for a few more years, he said silently.
I glared at him, slumping on her bed. Before I could try to explain again, she beat me to it.
“Maybe witches and wizards keep their nature hidden too. And on Halloween night every mythical creature is allowed out and to act naturally. That’s what Jake told me.”
Because he’s a dickhead, I thought to myself. “Do you see us going out tonight?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“No, but…” She glanced at Emmett and grinned. My eyes met his and I knew he was up to something. “Uncle Em told me the same.”
“Who do you believe? Uncle Em and Jake, or me?” I asked upset. Why were they making her believe lies?
Nessie bit her lip in the same way Bella used to, when she was uncertain. “I want to believe you,” she whispered, coming to me and crawling on my lap.
“But?” I urged her, knowing that was coming.
“But, it sounds more real what they told me. If vampires and werewolves exist, why wouldn’t wizards exist?”
I didn’t have a sound explanation for that. I just couldn’t come up with anything – for the first time in my existence, I had no idea how to explain something.
While I was gazing in her eyes, wondering what was the best way to approach this, Bella and Jacob came inside.
Why is she still awake, Edward?
As much as I loved to hear Bella’s thoughts, I didn’t like to hear her when she was upset.
“Why did you tell her that witches exist, Black?” I hissed, narrowing my eyes at him.
“Oh, did you see any?” He asked with a huge grin, stealing my daughter from my arms.
“No, and Daddy says they don’t exist,” she answered, pouting. “Did you lie?”
Jacob gasped, clutching his heart. So theatrical. I rolled my eyes. “I’d never lie to you, sweetheart!” he promised.
“Then Daddy is lying,” she concluded, looking at me over Jacob’s shoulder.
Bella stepped between us before I could twist his neck. “Renesmee, magic people don’t come out tonight, they let humans dress and act like them. They come out when you least expect it,” she explained softly.
Why was everyone lying to her?
Nessie looked at me, searching my eyes and I shrugged making all of them laugh.
“And don’t listen to Daddy, he doesn’t know about this. He never liked these stories,” Bella added before leaning to kiss her head. “Make sure she falls asleep,” she whispered to Jacob before steering me out of the room.
“Can I know why we’re lying?” I whispered once we were in our room.
“Edward, she’s five! Didn’t you believe all those things and more when you were five?” Bella asked exasperated.
“I don’t remember that. Did you?” I challenged her.
“Of course, I did! I was sure our neighbor from three houses down the street was a wizard!” she told me seriously. “Allow her to be a child while she can be. Her childhood will disappear faster than any other kids’ childhood. Let her enjoy it and believe this,” Bella pleaded me.
I thought about it and realized she was right. In a year, Nessie would look like a seven or eight year old, depending on her growth spurt.
“What else did you believe?” I asked Bella, wrapping my arms around her.
She cocked her head to the side, looking in my eyes, smiling softly. “That my Biology partner was a vampire.”
“No!” I gasped in mock-shock making her giggle.
“That’s not all! My best friend made me believe he was a werewolf,” she added seriously.
I grinned, leaning to kiss her. “Such a vivid imagination.”
“And then, I was told that my daughter is half human-half vampire,” Bella continued seriously before bursting in laughter.
“You must have your hands full with such friends,” I whispered, hugging her tightly.
“You have no idea. Now, tell me what was so hard to make her fall asleep?”
“She was waiting for the witch,” I answered seriously. “Then Emmett brought her the pie you made and insisted Jake was right.”
“Wait, she ate pie at this hour? I put some chocolate on it…she won’t sleep,” Bella said worried.
“I don’t think she ate,” I answered just as Jacob’s voice came from the room down the hall. “She ate three pieces and now she’s jumping on the bed!”
I caught Bella’s eye and we burst in laughter. It was times like this that I loved we had him around. He could spend the night calming her down because it was usually his fault she ended up on sugar high, while we spent the night alone.
“Can you lend me a hand?” Jacob shouted.
“Have Emmett help you,” I shouted back, not like we had to shout, but I wanted to make sure Emmett would never again feed her chocolate after midnight.
That’s mean. And I’m doing it because I love her, Emmett grumbled, going to his niece’s room.
With a smile, I led Bella to the bed and as we kissed, I realized I had actually lied to Nessie. “Magic does exist,” I whispered against her lips.
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