"A Reflection in Time"
**Some of the characters belong to Stephanie Meyers**
Beta'd by Princess07890
**Warning – There is a school shooting noted in this story that actually happened. Some names remain the same, as well as some items that are directly quoted from a CNN article to show respect to the students who were lost and injured.**
I decided to put together a party for my new next door neighbor, Alice. She moved in a few months ago and she seems to be a little bit of an Energizer bunny so I asked her for a list of all her friends. I decided to make copies at FedEx Office, and then go out and get Jake, my dog, some more food, after he ran out last night. I also needed some food for myself.
When I got to the FedEx Office to make copies of my invite, I realized that I forgot my wallet at home. I felt like such a fool, I had made 75 copies on cardstock and no way to pay for it!
I heard a deep voice behind me say "Ma'am, I live next door to you. I can cover the cost and then you can pay me back. I don't mind if you don't."
I turned around and there stood a tall man that looked like a god with reddish brown hair that just stood up everywhere. It looked like he never combed it. I have never seen him before, so he must have moved in fairly recently as well.
"That would be awesome if you could. I'm eternally grateful!" He paid for it and told me I could just bring him the money tomorrow. I immediately returned home to grab my wallet.
.
When I got home, I started to carry in the invitations. As I opened the door, Jake pushed past my legs and darted out the door. I dropped the invitations, which went flying everywhere, and took off running down the road screaming at my stupid dog. Jake is so stubborn, it didn't do a world of difference.
The good thing is that all my neighbors know about him and they all came running to help me. Panic struck me as I looked up as a silver car rounded the corner and ran right into my Jake. I let out a horrifying scream and dropped to the ground as Jake fell in front of me. I tried to pick up my dog so I could take him to the veterinarian, but I couldn't lift him. He was just too heavy.
"Sweetheart, it's ok. Let me help you get into him into my backseat; you can get in there with him, ok?" A male voice said from above.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't see him until it was too late. What's your name? My name is Edward."
"I'm Isabella, and this is Jake, my best friend. He isn't moving, do you think he is ok? He has to be… he is all I have left. I know he is just a big black dog, but he is all I have left."
I started to cry and could not stop. I don't even realize that this was the same man who paid for my copies at the FedEx Office. He must think that I am an idiot to cry like this over a dog. But, Jake isn't 'just a dog'. Jake is a black lab that used to belong to my dad. They used to go hunting together. But when dad and my older brother, Emmett, went hunting last year, they were attacked by a large grizzly bear and mauled to death.
When Detective Al Warthen came to the door to tell my mother, she fell to the ground and had a massive heart attack. She died three days later at McKenzie Willamette hospital.
I was living in Chicago at the time. When I was called to come home for a family emergency, I had no idea what had happened. Everyone thought it would be better if they told me when I arrived.
I had moved there after I graduated from Thurston High School in 1998. I couldn't believe it was almost ten years later. When I walked up to my parents' home in Springfield, Oregon and saw Detective Al Warthen sitting on the porch swing, waiting for me, I didn't know what to think.
I had known the Detective since May 21, 1998, when there was a school shooting at Thurston High. It had left two of my classmates dead, and twenty-five others wounded. Kip Kinkel had awaken that morning after he had already killed his own parents. He shot his father with one shot to the back of the head, and then his mother twice in the back of the head, three times in the face, and then one final blow to her heart the night before as she came home from work. He met her in the garage, told her he loved her, and then began shooting.
(The next part, I have asterisked and copied from . to pay respect to the students that lost their lives, or were injured on this horrible two day affair as this has happened and was very heartbreaking to the people that lived in Springfield, myself included. )
** He walked down the hallway towards the cafeteria. On the way he shot Ben Walker and Ryan Atteberry, and then fired off what remained of the 50 round clip from a .22 caliber semiautomatic and one round from a 9mm Glock handgun into the cafeteria. By the time Kip was wrestled to ground by five classmates, two students were dead and 25 others were injured.** (Back to my own writing now, my prayers are with the families of those killed and injured. ) Kip Kinkel was given 111 years with no parole. He was placed in MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility until he was 25, then transferred to the Oregon State Correctional Institution.
After everything that happened, I sold my home in Chicago and moved back to Springfield.
I must have spaced out or something because soon I had Edward shaking my shoulder. He must think I'm some wacko, since I keep spacing out!
"Isabella, hey. We are here; let me carry Jake in for you, ok? I am so very sorry; I just didn't see him when I went around the corner until it was too late."
"It's not your fault, Edward, really. He is so stubborn, just like my dad was. He won't listen at all; he was my dad's."
They immediately took Jake back, and told me and Edward to wait in the exam room while they examined Jake. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the doctor came out to tell me that Jake would need surgery. He had a broken hip and his back leg bones were damaged. He also said that one of Jake's back legs was too badly damaged, and that it would have to be amputated. Before I started to ask, he assured me that Jake would do just fine without it; he would adapt quickly. As I expected, Jake would have to remain at the vet's for a few days, to recover.
I had Edward drive me home, even though I really didn't know him…and he just maimed my dog; I just wanted to go home, put my invitations away, and take a long hot shower before getting a pizza delivered. There was no way I was venturing out again after the day I'd had.
An hour later
I was just crawling out of the shower when I started smelling the most wonderful thing. Garlic, onions, peppers, and basil. Who could be cooking? I live alone. I started to freak out a bit, but figured it must be Alice. She's the only one who has my key, and knows I'm home. So, I just put on a thin tank top, and short pajama bottoms with the word "Angel" on the ass. As I walked into my kitchen, I announced,
"Alice, I know you're just trying to butter me up. You didn't have to do this, but thanks. It smells wonderful!"
The voice that greeted me wasn't Alice's…
"You're right, sweetheart. Alice didn't have to; I did. I hope this is okay, Isabella…I mean, it's the least I could do since I hurt your dog. I thought I could try and woo you with my cooking skills."
All I could do was stare at the ground and hope to all hell that my nipples are not showing through this thin tank top.
"Excuse me for a second, please; I need to go grab a sweatshirt from the hall closet."
I ran down the hall and grabbed the sweatshirt, pulling it on as I continued,
"You did not have to do this; I don't even know who you are. I have never met you until we were at the FedEx Office. How in the hell did you get my key? Are you stalking me, now?"
"No, I'm not stalking you. Alice is my twin sister, and before you ask, I think she's out with Jasper…her boyfriend."
Alice and Edward are twins? She never told me she had a twin. My goodness, could this day get any stranger?
"Oh, I didn't know Alice had a twin. I just met her a few months ago. She didn't mention anything about anyone living with her."
"I don't live with her, the house around the corner is mine. We are close, yes, but not that close. Tink has too much energy for me to live with her; the first eighteen years were enough…we're almost thirty now!"
"I'm sorry I assumed that; I'm glad you have someone you're close to in Springfield, Edward. It's very lonely when you don't. When I lost my family, I closed myself off to everyone for a while. I just moved back from Chicago about five months ago, and didn't know anyone in the neighborhood. That's when Alice introduced herself to me. But, Edward, how did you get my key?"
I came back to the kitchen, and tasted what Edward was cooking. It was heavenly.
"Oh…I asked Alice for it; when she asked why, I told her I wanted to do something nice for her friend, Bella. She talks about you all the time."
"Really? That's surprising…I'm not that interesting."
"Oh, I disagree. Right now, you're very interesting."
"Anyway, Edward, where are you from? Alice doesn't share much about her life, except that she has a boyfriend, and loves fashion."
"We're from a small town in Washington…don't know if you've ever heard of it, but it's called Forks."
"Interesting. Maybe that's why you're such a good cook."
Edward laughed at my attempt of a joke.
After we ate, Edward stood up and headed towards the door,
"Thank you very much for doing this for me. You didn't have to do that. If you talk to Alice tonight, please tell her about what happened to Jake, and tell her that I'm okay and will call her tomorrow night. Have a great night, Edward."
As he walked out my door, my heart was beating so fast that I had to grab my chest as I slid down the door to sit on the floor. I couldn't believe my day. First I met this wonderful man who paid for my things at the FedEx Office, then the same man ran over my dog, even though he didn't mean it, then he snuck into my house, and cooked for me. I dragged myself to my bedroom, sat on the bed, curled into a ball, and cried myself to sleep. It was an emotional roller coaster kind of day.