Braving the Storm [One] Who Said All Step Sisters Were Evil? [Jacob Black]
Throughout Twilight, there are many opportunities for the reader to ask, What if? What if Edward hadn't left? What if Bella had stayed in the hotel with Jasper and Alice? What if Jacob had found his imprintee a little sooner? What if Bella had had a sister…?
Let's focus on that last question, what if Bella did have a sister? What if a new pawn had been added to the game at an earlier point? What if, after saving Edward from the Italian royalty, Bella's tiny house became even more cramped? Well, I am going to tell you the answer to the what ifs.
Shannon was 15 when her dad married Renée. She had been all for the marriage because she now had someone to drive cross country with when her dad had games. Before, her dad had insisted that she stay home and had even gone as far as to hire a babysitter… up until her fifteenth birthday. March 27th, freshman year. She almost died with humiliation. Imagine the mortification of a freshman girl opening the door to find a girl who was about 5'10" and head of the basketball squad, asking if this was the right house. Flushed and embarrassed, Shannon had given her directions to an imaginary house behind a QuikMart on the other side of Phoenix.
His over bearing protective traits aside, Phil was the best dad any girl could ask for. If she came home in tears, no questions were asked as he would drop what he was doing to envelope her in a hug. As she would continue onto her room, muttering that she was fine, the stove was being heated. Armed with white bread and deli slices of cheddar cheese, Phil would make his usual pick me up: A grilled cheese sandwich.
When Renée and Phil got marries, the new family of four suddenly dwindled to three; Bella had gone to live with her father in Washington. Shannon had felt slightly resentful and almost insulted as she waved at Bella's plane as it cruised down the runway strip. Was it because of her? Was she the reason Bella had left? That must have been it; she wanted to remain and only child. Shannon sighed every time she thought about this topic. She thought about her mom. Chris had been warm, welcoming and unbelievably tender. She had chauffeured Shannon around over the years to dance, to field hockey, to music lessons (which ended quickly), and everywhere in between. But, Chris had lost her battle with Cancer 6 years earlier, a week before Shannon's ninth birthday.
A twinge of jealousy crossed her mind as she thought about Bella. Bella now had 3 parents, maybe even four for all Shannon knew. But, envy didn't suite Shannon well and it quickly faded.
A year had passed since Bella's departure. It was March when Renée and Phil decided it was time for Shannon to get to know her sister. Shannon was lightly indignant at the idea. Bella had practically given Renée a few heart attacks over the past year; did she really want to have the same effect on her step mom? So there she was, standing in the terminal as she glanced over her shoulder as Phil and Renée watched her. They would be moving to Jacksonville within the next few weeks, leaving the home she had just gotten settled into. She gave them a weak smile and turned back to the line she was standing in. The ticket mimicked Bella's from the previous year: March 3rd Departure: Phoenix, AZ. 8:46 am Arrival: Olympia, WA. 11:56 am.
With a heavy sigh, Shannon boarded the plane. Everything had been worked out with Charlie. She didn't mind sleeping on the pull out couch in the living room… just as long as she had somewhere to keep her clothes other than over the armchair. As the plane started to rumble, Shannon glanced out the window to see her dad and her step mom. She watched as they sent their second child away, their hands clasped together, and Phil's arm around Renée's shoulder. Phil kissed her forehead and murmured something into her hair. Shannon snapped the window cover shut and stared at the seat in front of her. Why was she being so testy? This had been her idea in the first place. Sure, she knew Bella but she was doing a lousy job of being a big sister. Shannon had decided to take the initiative and get to know her, whether Bella wanted her to or not.