9. CATCHING UP
Author's Note: I believe I owed you some 100% Cullen time, huh? Since Bells is back to Forks and all, where else that interesting would she go? Hope you like Em-bear, because there's going to be lots of him in this chapter! Our curious girl is trying to figure out the bear enigma, seeking for the answers she's sure her spiky haired best friend and her family has, and tries to look Edward's family in the eye. I owe Wendy a big thanks for adding to Esme's speech by the end of the chapter! Enjoy and leave your thoughts! They always matter!
Lots of love,
Nessie
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The next morning, I kept finding little shards from the broken dish in the kitchen that I had missed while I was cleaning up last night. I fell in bed and slept deeply, without any dreams, or nightmares for that matter, and luckily didn’t wake up screaming. Maybe that was the reason Charlie was smiling this morning while drinking his coffee and reading the paper.
I looked at the headlines on the front page.
AND THE SEARCH FOR THE MYSTERIOUS ANIMALS GOES ON
By reports of the local police, no recent findings have made their appearance other than the big footprints of the creatures and the witnesses of a few hikers. The young couple that went hiking two weeks ago is still missing and the search party is beginning to lose their faith in the fact that they’re going to be found alive. It has changed from rescue to recovery at this point.
Charlie changed the page abruptly, bringing me back to reality. I recalled what I’d seen on Forks local channel while I was in New York. I had heard Charlie talking about the hikers’ disappearances and the showings of the animals…
“Dad?”
“Yes, Bells?” he asked, looking at me worriedly.
“What is going on with the hikers? I saw it on the TV, and again in the newspaper…”
His eyes darkened and his lips became a thin line. “I don’t know yet. We’re looking into it. Two hikers have disappeared. Your friend, Angela, came in a couple of days ago to the station and reported that she saw a really big, black bear at the neck of the forest. I’m not sure what’s going on. There are always bears in the woods, but they have never come this close to Forks. They were always keeping a more than safe distance from civilization.” He looked very serious and troubled when he said that. “Could I ask you for something, Bella?”
“Um… yes.”
“Don’t go near the woods alone. I know you… you probably won’t after the accident, but you’ve seen how dangerous bears are. You know better than that now right? Promise to be careful.”
I shuddered. I knew better than better. Although even after all this time I still couldn’t get used to the fact that everyone thought… that Edward and I had been attacked by a bear. Because it wasn’t a bear. It wasn’t a bear at all. Victoria’s crimson eyes flashed in front of me and fear overtook me, as if she was really here. It wasn’t a bear! I wanted to tell Charlie about it so badly, but I knew I couldn’t. I had made a promise to the Cullen’s. It was not my secret to tell. I had to keep quiet about it.
I tried to look composed and calm as I nodded. “Sure, Charlie. I’m not going anywhere near the woods,” I promised.
He pushed his chair back and stood up. “So, I need to get going. They need me at the station. We will send a search party for the hikers again today. Can you do the grocery shopping? I think I’m going to have a full day again.”
“Okay. Then I’ll get to take the Chevy for a test drive too. I’ll go to the Cullen’s after that. Is that okay with you, dad?”
“Yes, it’s fine.”
When Charlie left, I ran upstairs to change into something more warm and comfy before going to the grocery shop. The drive would have been fast if I hadn’t been observing every single thing around town, absorbing all the changes that had taken place while I was gone. There wasn’t much though. Mrs. Newton had replaced the label of her sports equipment shop with a newer one, a new bench had been placed near the police station in the place of a ruined rusty metallic trash can, and the main street had been covered with fresh, raven-black asphalt. The grocery store was almost empty; nobody was shopping except an old lady, who I used to see a lot walking her dog in the afternoons. I hurried back home and put the stuff in the cupboards and the fridge and noticed how empty everything was. Apparently, Charlie was just living off the most basic forms of food; bread, pasta, pre-cooked meatballs. I felt bad that I wasn’t here for him all this time. By the time I reached the Cullen’s house, Alice was waiting at the porch.
I rolled my eyes and looked at her.
“Predictable,” she muttered.
“You wish. Did you know what Charlie had planned for last night?”
“Dinner with Billy Black and Harry Clearwater and their families,” she announced proudly.
I frowned. “Know-it-all.”
“Did you have fun?”
“It was great,” I said as I closed the Chevy’s door. Her gaze fell on my hand. “What?”
“What happened to your hand?” she asked and eyed it carefully, as if it was a nuclear bomb.
“Oh, that? Nothing.” I blushed at the thought of falling on Jacob and replaying the events of last night inside my head. Alice though, apparently not having seen any of that, was making up thousands impossible and highly disturbing scenarios inside her head.
“Nothing?” she asked suspiciously. “Why is your hand all wrapped up and looks as if you borrowed a pharaoh mummy’s glove design?”
I sighed and explained to her about the stupid dish slipping from my grip and me falling on top of the broken pieces. I tried to include as little of Jacob’s involvement in that as possible. I didn’t know why I did it though… I just did.
“Hmm…” She seemed thoughtful. “At least you didn’t get hurt worse. Lucky it didn’t happen at our place. It would certainly give some people a hard time…” I knew that by some people, she meant Jasper. Nobody got into details about why he was having such difficulties with their diet, just that he adopted it more recently than the others. “Come in, Esme and Carlisle can’t wait to see you.”
The Cullen’s house was exactly the same as the last time I had come. The day was cold but sunnier than the typical Forks winter day. The sunrays hit Alice’s skin, causing her skin to sparkle like a thousand little diamonds were plunged deep into her skin. It was beautiful, like always. No matter how many times I saw it, I couldn’t get used to the sight. It was always just as fascinating as the first time.
“Great, Bella, you came just in time. I am making an attempt to bake a cake. With a fifty year old recipe,” Esme said and chuckled. Carlisle held her hand and stroked it.
“Sure, Esme, I could try some.”
“Think you’re going to be our guinea pig for today in general, Bella,” Alice said and I was afraid I knew all too well what that meant. Alice was in the mood of playing Dress up Bella. Oh God. Please. No.
I felt terrified and I showed it. With pleading eyes, I looked at Esme. To my rescue came Emmett though. He pulled me in a sudden bear hug and spun me around. “Still skinny and light as a feather,” he said. “Aren’t you humans supposed to get fat?” he joked and I glared at him.
“Hey, Emmett! I thought you had left with Rosalie…” I said and lowered my voice in fear of Edward’s sister showing up. Her hatred for me was obvious; I really could do without one of her blood chilling hateful looks today.
“Oh, Rose went to see some friends of hers in Denali.” And if this was a movie, the subtitles would go somehow like this, “Oh, Rose wanted to be as far away as possible when you returned.” Oblivious to my thinking, Emmett continued. “I just came for the weekend to see you and I’ll join her. And… I had some unfinished business with your truck,” he said and looked down at my parked truck from the window. “Which looks in way better shape than it was the last time Charlie showed up here to pick it up. Did he take it to a garage or something?”
I looked at my recently painted truck and smiled. Jacob’s smiling face came to my mind. Emmett clicked two fingers in front of me and clapped twice.
“Helloo? Earth to Bella.”
“A friend fixed it for me,” I explained. “Jacob Black. You may have heard of him…? He lives down at the La Push reservation.” I saw the expression of every single one of the Cullens darkening at the sound of La Push. “Did I say something wrong?” I asked, trying to break the silence.
Carlisle pulled it together and regaining his composed look, without giving away his emotions, he shook his head. “No, Bella. Wasn’t this the same boy came last year to prom to tell you to stay away from Edward?” he inquired. I didn’t know all the Cullen’s knew about it. Apparently, Edward had told them.
I half nodded. “Yes… But he’s a nice kid. His dad is just a slightly superstitious man. He believes in the old legends of his tribe. He asked Jacob to tell me this.”
None of them seemed really relieved or anything from my answer. I still couldn’t explain what was up with them. “You don’t really worry they’d tell anyone what you are. They don’t really know anyway. It’s just an old story that points to the fact that you’re vampires.” My words were meant to be reassuring, but I wasn’t sure I sounded like this anymore. “Jacob doesn’t believe. He just knows the stories from his dad.”
“No, they wouldn’t say anything anyway,” Esme chimed in. Emmett and Alice were looking at each other with… I wasn’t sure what their looks were like. Filled with worry? Indecision? I turned back to Carlisle and Esme.
“How do they even have legends about you in the first place?” I asked curiously.
Esme wrapped an arm around Carlisle, and he pulled her closer. After taking an unnecessary breath and without looking at me; staring at the collage of family pictures on the back wall of the kitchen, he began. “You see, vampires weren’t always as secretive about their whereabouts as they are now. In the past, they used to kill in front of whole crowds, or show off their abilities, revealing their identities or not. That was how the myths of most gods the humans believe in were created, like the Greek Gods of Olympus or the ones in Scandinavian legends, the medieval witches and vampires…” he trailed off for a second at the mention of this, recalling his own dark beginning, “… myths such as this of the Snow Queen and many as you know have made it to the modern world.
“People like Native Americans, who hold on to their traditions this strongly often find themselves believing in such stories more than the average human. These people are great storytellers; even the younglings, like your friend, Jacob, know many of the old stories.” It sounded funny to think of Jacob as a youngling… the word made me think of a child; and Jacob was nothing like a child anymore; but I nodded, understanding where Carlisle was going. It was funny how I never asked the Cullen’s about the Quileute’s and their knowledge of the vampires’ existence before.
“I understand,” I said.
A small “Ding!” made Esme turn her focus to the oven and opened the door. The sweet smell of vanilla cake filled the room, and I inhaled deeply. She put on a kitchen glove and placed the cake on the counter, carefully cutting it into thin slices. I thought about telling her that she could make the slices fatter, but I decided against it since it may sadden her. She had embraced the vampire life happily, but I knew that all vampires, or at least the Cullens, felt nostalgia for their human life and what they lost every now and then.
Edward had told me how he envied humans for being able to commit suicide so easily. I never believed this could be the only thing he could miss from human life. If he hadn’t been infected with Spanish influenza, he would have lived a happy and long life as human. A normal life.
Alice dressed me up and did my hair, as if she was trying to make up for what she didn’t get to do with herself as human as well. It must have been even more difficult for her, since she never had human experiences like the others. Judging from the research she did about her past though… maybe it was for the best.
Jasper… well… I bet he could do without the bloodlust part of the eternal life.
Esme was such a sweet mother and had adopted all of them; Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, Alice and Edward more than them all, and loved them as her own children. She had once told me her biological son had died. I always thought this was the reason she held family as something precious and important. The loss of Edward had cost her dearly.
Carlisle became a doctor, trying to expel all the evil he could have become as the price of being a vampire. He helped people, hoping this would purify his soul.
Rosalie… well, I didn’t know really what the deal with her was.
And Emmett… he may be the one who honestly didn’t see any negatives at all in being a vampire. Or maybe all the joking around he did was just a defense… I had no idea, but I didn’t think so. He really was a genuine, fun-loving, big-brotherly bear who loved me like his little sister.
Esme placed two of the thin slices on the plate, and pushed it my way, advising me to wait for it to cool before trying eating any.
“So, little human, I think I need to fulfill my promise to that monster of nature you call a car,” Emmett said all of a sudden. I felt a prick of annoyance at the offence for my truck but sucked in some air and waited for what he had to say. “I believe it’s about time I replace that horrific, reception-less radio of yours.”
“Emmett.” I gave him a strict look. “Don’t hate the truck.”
“I can’t help it! And I regret to inform you that this thing might make it for a while longer than it would now that your do-” He stopped abruptly and snickered. “… your friend fixed it up.”
“Why are you saying friend like that? Is something up? Something that I should know maybe? Ya’ll are acting awful strange every time I mention Jake or his family.”
“Nah… Come on, Bella, you know Emmett. Messing with people as usual,” Alice said while giving Emmett the evil eye.
I shrugged and took a bite from the cake. “Wow, Esme, that stuff is really good. I could eat the whole thing right here and now,” I said.
“And next time our Bella comes around, she can’t even make it through the door… Cause humans get fat…” Emmett chimed in, having his usual wicked, troublemaker grin on his face.
Ignoring his comments and giving him a scolding look, Esme said to me, “You can have the whole cake if you want. It’s not like anybody else around here would eat it.”
“Alright, about time we go upstairs!” Alice said enthusiastically. No, no, why me?!
“And I should get going to replace your radio. The new one has been waiting since your b–” He closed his mouth for a second, the typical reaction when the conversation went there, and they wanted to change the subject in case they’d upset me. Which was most of the time; well, at least before I got back. I am truly trying to change that. Life goes on, right?
“My birthday,” I finished for him. I couldn’t help but feel sad. I always did. But it was part of my life, pushing it away wasn’t a solution either. “I know. It’s alright, you can say it.”
Carlisle cleared his throat. “Hmm… So…”
“I’ll be back in a few minutes. I’ll probably come and watch as Alice tortures you! Muahaha,” and with a fake evil laugh, he opened the kitchen window and landed on the ground gracefully, even for such a big lug.
Alice’s cold hand tucked my sleeve and she pulled me towards the stairs gently. I took the dish with the cake with me and let her lead me to the Torture Chamber. Also known as Alice’s Closet. I had been here before. And sadly, more than once. Alice had a walk-in closet that was bigger than the actual bedroom. It was surprisingly packed. Even more than the last time. I sighed. Go figure. Jasper had been lying in their bed, reading a book, but the way Alice hurried to get me in the closet; I didn’t get the chance to look what the book was about. I barely managed to give Jasper a pleading look and he shook his head as if he was saying, “Sorry, Bella, can’t do anything about this.”
“Let’s see what I have for you,” she said, looking around stalls of clothes so quickly it appeared as if she vanished from one spot and showed herself in another. In her house, she was as much of a vampire as all the Cullen's were.
“Please, Alice. I’m not in the mood for dress up.” I meant it. I just couldn’t stand acting normal with Edward’s sister and changing a dozen outfits. “I can’t.”
Alice didn’t even try to act like usual, doing some teasing around about being nice and giving me just a couple of dresses and finally got her way. She reached out for me, a soft empathizing look in her eyes. “If it’s too hard, I get it. It’s weird for me too. All too weird. I have to walk down the hall and the thought that Edward’s room is just on the other side makes me want to cry.” I bit my lip, feeling on the verge of tears again.
“He’s everywhere.” I tried to hold back a sob. “And nowhere.”
“Come here,” Alice murmured and hugged me. “We’re still here for you. Want to tell me more about last night?”
“It wasn’t bad,” I said eventually. “Harry’s wife and children were there too. Seth is a nice kid. Leah… she’s a little weird. Sort of harsh if you want my opinion. No offense, but she reminds me of Rosalie a bit.”
The corners of Alice’s lips lifted, forming a half smile. “None taken.”
“She really hates me, doesn’t she?” I asked.
Alice wasn’t meeting my eyes. “She… she’s been through a lot. You just look at the world differently, and it bugs her. She likes people who see the world like she does.”
“Then how can she stand Emmett?” I asked and instantly started blushing. I probably shouldn’t go there.
“How can who stand me?” Emmett asked, peeking through the door. “Oh, come on! No dressing up tortures? Where’s the fun in that?”
“See what I mean?” I inquired, nodding towards Emmett. “Doesn’t sound very much like her.”
“Talking about Rose?” He came and sat behind Alice, making her look even tinier in contrast to Emmett’s muscular broad shoulder frame.
“She’s wondering how you and Rosalie can be together since you’re not alike in anything,” Alice filled him in. I really wished my question wouldn’t offend him.
“Simple. We just clicked. It’s the kind of thing that you accept, no questions asked. I wonder that myself a lot. But I can’t see me with anyone else than my Rose.” The look of love and loyalty in his eyes made me smile. Rose was lucky to have a man like Emmett loving her; that was for sure.
“Renee and Phil don’t have much in common either. They’re really happy together though.”
“I bet. So another little Swan will be walking around, huh?”
I nodded. “It feels weird. I have always been an only child.”
“Are you afraid he or she is going to steal all your glory?” Emmett smirked.
I shook my head and tried to smile. “No. I’m past that stage. For crying out loud, I’m eighteen!”
“And I’m seventy one! Ha! I win!”
Alice tried to punch his chest, but he dodged it easily. “And I’m eighty six,” she said.
“Alright, guys, if it’s an age competition, we all know who the loser is here.”
“Right, we have more important things to do; I need to show you how your new radio is working before you press all the wrong buttons and ruin it.”
“Emmett!”
“Typical precautions for someone accident prone like you. I bet that your new radio can send you to the hospital if you don’t know how to use it.”
“How could a radio do that?”
“That is for you to find out,” he said mysteriously.
“Don’t listen to him, Bella. I’m going to ask Carlisle something and I’ll be back,” she said us and left.
I looked out of the window. The forest spread for miles and miles, creating a thick layer of green covering the ground. Only when I looked down, I could see the Cullen’s driveway.
“Wanna take a shortcut to your car?” Emmett asked and I didn’t like his look at all. What was going on in his head?!
“I think I’m going to use the door, if you don’t mind.”
“That’s not fun!” he exclaimed and opened the window. It was stretching from one wall to another and I thought it couldn’t open, but then again, I should expect anything from the Cullen’s.
“No. No. Don’t. Even. Think. About. It,” I warned and took a couple of steps back.
“It’s not as bad as it looks,” he said.
“No. Cut it out, Emmett. You go ahead use the window, but I’m getting out the front door.” Grinning, he caught my wrist. “If you dare to do it, I’ll scre–”
Before I could finish my sentence, I was falling. And before I could actually fix my brain on what was happening, I was on the steady ground.
“-am,” I let out breathlessly. My heart was beating like crazy inside my chest and I wasn’t sure of how I was still standing.
Emmett on my side was trying to keep himself from laughing, which made me blush violet. “Your face is priceless, Bella. You humans are so funny. I had almost forgotten how much, before Edward brought you here.” At Edward’s mention, he became more serious and slowly the laughter died out, leaving us just standing there. He cleared his throat and motioned toward the car. “Erm… shall we go?”
I nodded quietly. On one hand, I was glad that Forks didn’t wake the memories as violently as I had expected, but I couldn’t pretend like it had never happened. It was striking me as odd that his family didn’t seem to be grieving as intently as I did, but I was beginning to understand that it had touched them all.
Rosalie held me responsible for what happened to her brother. I didn’t blame her. I actually agreed with her. If Edward had stayed away from me in the first place, he would have never…
And even Emmett had been touched. I had never believed he was heartless, he just was always teasing and smiling that I hadn’t pictured him sad.
Alice had been probably putting on a brave face for me, but she had admitted to me that she missed him very much.
As for Carlisle and Esme… there was no doubt how much they missed him. I could always notice the sorrow on Esme’s face. I wanted so much to apologize to her for what I had caused. This wasn’t just breaking an antique vase. This was really bad. And I had absolutely no clue how I could make up for it. Esme had taken me in, let me in her house even after everything that had happened. The whole family had embraced me as if I was a part of them, even though I was so much different.
The strong scent of tobacco pulled my focus as I sat in the driver’s seat. Emmett started explaining to me how I could look for radio stations and where I could put CD’s etcetera. I nodded and wondered if I’d remember half of his instructions by the next day.
“And with that you turn it off,” he finished.
“Got it,” I said, trying to look as if I had understood everything he had said.
“It has way better reception that the old one. Honestly, that thing was there since when? The twenties? It’s even older than I am!”
I rolled my eyes. “This car is a model of ’53. Its radio can’t be from the twenties!”
“Never was a math genius,” he murmured, chuckling.
* * * * *
“Esme, really, you don’t need to cook anything for me. I’m good,” I insisted.
“Honey, you really need to eat. We don’t want to make Charlie think we’re starving you after all.”
“This is about Charlie?” I asked.
“No, no. You know how much we love you, don’t you?” she said, taking her eyes from the beef and looking at me.
“I… Yes, I know that. Even though it’s my fault…” I whispered the last part trailing off.
She abruptly shook her head and said, “Isabella Swan, I will never hear you suggest such a thing ever again in this house. What happened to Edward was that he fell in love and gave his heart to you completely. He loved you with all his heart and soul, yes, his soul and would never regret his time with you even in death. You, my dear, made my son happier in the short time you were together than I had ever seen him and for that, I am forever grateful because I know that he died happy. I mean it, never again. You are still a part of this family and always will be. No matter what. And we love you as one of our own. You are our daughter, Edward’s mate and even when you find love again, and you will, you will still be a part of this family!”
With that, she smiled and turned back to the food. I quietly sat on one of the stools by the counter fighting back the tears. How could she love so unconditionally? I made up my mind that I would work harder than ever to be the person that Edward and his family saw me. I wiped my tears, put on my big girl panties and flipped through the pages of a cookbook that was left there open. My mind was reeling. At such moments, I kept wondering how being with the Cullen’s came so naturally. When I had first arrived in Forks, they were something extraordinary and unreachable. Nobody was hanging out with the Cullen “kids” at school; they didn’t even bother. They were the weird newcomers. I was a newcomer too, but the fact that Charlie was my dad made my life much easier. I remembered how Edward was pulling his family away from me; not that they were approaching me; other than Alice that is. At least she really got her way. That little pixie was my best friend now. The person I could tell everything. I didn’t have to keep secrets from her; she knew the whole story about Edward and me, I didn’t have to be cautious about what I said about vampires…
“Charlie’s going to get home late,” Alice announced, entering the kitchen with graceful small steps, almost as if she was dancing. I must look tragically clumsy when I walk next to her, I thought. She gave me her sweet smile and a quick hug.
“Why?” I asked, lifting my head from the cookbook.
“Some trouble with the bear thing. There’s been another sighting. It’s on the TV too.”
The bears… I had to ask Alice… “Hey, Alice?”
“Yes?” she asked and sat next to me, smoothing her black dress.
“Do you know anything about this? The bears, I mean. Are they really bears? Was this really what killed the hikers?”
She furrowed her eyebrows skeptically and eventually shook her head. “Not sure… They’re not nomads though. We would have picked up their scents. Probably it was really animals this time.”
“Did they kill the hikers? I mean, is there any chance they’re still alive?”
She sighed heavily. “I’m sorry, Bella. I don’t think they made it, no matter what kind of animal that was.”
“But it’s January! Don’t bears hibernate or something during winter? How could they be awake and killing people?”
“Even if it wasn’t bears, there are mountain lions all over the place. It’s not the safest hiking area these days.”
I fell silent. “Yeah… You may be right…”
“So… I think I should take you shopping next weekend. How about Italy?”
“More shopping?” I sighed. Then something else hit me. “Italy
“Why not?” I couldn’t believe she was actually serious.
“I-T-A-L-Y. Are you listening to what you’re saying?”
“It’s a very good idea. Milan
I shook my head. “Forget it.”
Her face fell momentarily, but a smile spread on her face almost instantly again. “Wanna know what happened in school while you were away?”
I shrugged. “I guess. I bet nothing too big has been going on. It is Forks we’re talking about after all. And…” I eyed Alice suspiciously. “… Since when do you fill people in with the latest gossip?”
“I don’t! I just thought you’d like to know what happened while you were gone. So that you don’t feel like a total outsider.”
“I am an outsider anyway,” I pointed out. “It doesn’t matter if I know the latest details or not. I’m not good with keeping up with that stuff.” She was looking at me with those pleading puppy eyes, so I said, “But if you want to tell me so badly, go ahead.”
“So… Angela was working on an article for the school magazine.”
“She always does, she’s the head editor,” I interrupted.
“As I was saying, Angela was working on an article for the school magazine. And she wanted to write about mythical creatures.” Oh huh… That sounds like trouble to me. “At first she wanted to write about vampires. But I talked to her. I suggested that it may be a little bit too Halloween-ish for a December article. That it would seem as a belated theme that you wanted to mention before Halloween was completely forgotten.” Nice save. We don’t need any more superstitious people other than some old Quileute men suspecting what the Cullen’s were. “And she picked ghosts. She mixed it with the story of Scrooge and the spirits of past, present and future. It actually turned out well. She’s good at that. I have a copy of the article if you want to read.”
“Um… Sure.” I nodded, suddenly wanting to hear more. What she had said had sparked my interest. Was there more interesting stuff happening around Forks that I had missed? I was beginning to realize that this town was anything but ordinary. I wouldn’t be surprised if tomorrow on my way to school I saw a herd of flying goats flying around. “So what else is going on? How come you never mentioned any of those while I was in Jacksonville?”
“I thought I shouldn’t distract you with such stuff. Since there was the possibility you’d stay there…”
“There was never a possibility! You really thought I might…?”
“Hoped is more like it.” She looked up at me. Alice
“Why would you want me to stay there?” I inquired.
“Forget I said it, alright? I didn’t mean anything; I just thought you’d like to be there with Renee and all. Shall I go on with the news feed?”
* * * * *
After all, the rest was just boring gossip. Although it took a while for Alice
“You okay, Bells?” Charlie asked taking a bite from the pasta I had cooked.
“Yes, fine. Just having a little headache. Why?”
“You seem a little edgy.”
“I don’t.”
“You do. You’re acting like a cat on a hot tin roof. When you came in and saw me coming down the stairs you almost jumped to the other side of the room. And you keep turning your head every time you hear a little sound.” I fell silent for a while, pondering on what he said. Maybe I was a little jumpy after all. “How was your day?”
I shrugged. “Nothing special. I was hanging out with Alice at her place. Esme made us cake. It’s on the counter,” I said and pointed with the back of my fork at the paper bag with the cake.
“Nice. Is Alice intending to steal you for a shopping spree to Seattle anytime soon?”
“She mentioned shopping. But in Italy.” Charlie’s eyes went wide. “I told her she’s crazy. Don’t worry, I’m not running off to Italy. I don’t even want to imagine how it was going to be if I let Alice drag me there.”
“She’s a nice girl. Just… tends to takes some things to the extremes.”
“Tell me about it,” I muttered. “Emmett replaced my radio in the truck.”
“Is it good?”
“Fine, I’m still trying to get used to it,” I said. I was beginning to come to terms with the fact that I was mostly repelling technology, just like my mother. “How did the search go? Find anything?” My voice was hopeful, but after what Alice had said, I didn’t really think the poor hikers had many chances.
Charlie’s expression darkened. “They reported another missing hiker. He hasn’t contacted anyone for two days… Her family began to worry.” And with a good reason, I thought bitterly.
With the news about the new missing hiker lingering between us, we didn’t speak for the rest of dinner. Finally, I picked up the dishes, poured some water and deciding I was too tired to wash them today. I said goodnight to Charlie and headed upstairs.
Last night, still thinking about the dinner with the Black’s and the Clearwater’s and exhausted as I was from the flight and the full day I’d had before, I had just fallen in my bed, barely a few seconds after I had put my pajamas on. I had been instantly lost in deep sleep. Today, I wasn’t physically tired, and I just kept thinking about stuff. The same stuff I’d been thinking since I left the Cullen residence.
Why would Alice want me to stay in Jacksonville?
A thousand thoughts had crossed my mind, from still believing it would help me move on to something really going on around here and her trying to protect me. The Cullen’s had been weird all day. I had no idea why, but the fact that they were weird didn’t go away like that. This, and the whole thing about the bears, didn’t make sense to me.
I sighed and let myself sink into the mattress. God, it felt good to be back in my bed after all this time. I stared at the ceiling, emptying my head of all thoughts and just enjoying the silence…
The ring of the phone made me jump. I almost slammed my head against the shelf filled with books that was over my bed. I sat up for a few minutes, listening as Charlie picked up the phone.
“Yes… She… upstairs. Wait… a… I’ll… her…” I didn’t get the whole conversation; the sounds from cars outside and the clapping of thunder were too loud at times. “Bells!” Charlie yelled and that was actually my cue to get up. I quietly came down the stairs, paying attention to every step so I didn’t fall. And as expected, I tripped on the last step, but lucky for me, I managed to grab the banister just before I hit the ground. I straightened myself, and after smoothing my messy hair a little, I took the phone Charlie was holding out to me.
“Hello?” I said, trying to catch my breath.
“Bella!” I could hear the excitement in Jacob’s voice even from the other side of the line. I smiled as I realized who it was.
“Hey, Jake.”
“How are you? Is your hand alright?”
I looked down at my bandaged hand and frowned. “Yeah, fine.”
“Nice,” he said. “Um, I was thinking, would you like to meet sometime tomorrow maybe…?”
“Tomorrow?” I asked, thinking. “I’ve got school.”
“I know, I got school too,” he said and I could hear him chuckling. “I was talking about the afternoon. You can bring your homework along, and do it at my place.”
“That could work,” I agreed.
“Great! Then see you tomorrow?”
“Okay, I’ll be there around four.”
“Can’t wait. Night, Bella,” he said.
“Goodnight, Jacob.”
“What did the kid want?” Charlie asked.
“He… um… wanted me to stop by his place tomorrow. Do homework together after school. Are you okay with that?” I asked my dad.
His moustache twitched, the way it did when he was trying to hide a smile and was struggling to play it serious and strict father. “Erm, yes. It’s alright. Jake’s a good kid. Just don’t forget to do the homework too, alright?”
“I won’t, I promise. What else would we possibly do, Chief?” I chuckled and saluted him then crossed my heart. He winked back.
I went upstairs and was sure that the moment I had my back turned to Charlie he had let that satisfied wide smile on the surface.
Huh, funny how Charlie likes Jake. Hmmm… I kinda understand. I smiled to myself as I walked up the stairs back to my room for some much needed rest, a little excited about meeting with Jake after school.
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