"How's she doing, Charlie?" Renee's voice held a deep concern that translated clearly, even across the hundreds of miles of phone wire between them. Charlie could imagine the look on her face as if she was sitting across from him now; the gentle crease between her light blue eyes, the soft pursing of her slender lips and a finger nervously curling and uncurling in the phone cord at the thought that their daughter might be unhappy.
"She's fine," Charlie said in a soothing tenor. "Awkward, clumsy and sometimes aloof but, you know, same ol' Bells." He smiled slightly as he finished his sentence and shifted the phone from one ear to the other so that he could settle back in the recliner to get more comfortable. He'd been watching the game and having a beer after a long shift of catching up on report writing when Renee had called.
"But…do you think we did the right thing? I mean, maybe we should have stayed in Phoenix…" Again, Charlie could imagine Renee chewing on her lower lip as she questioned their decision. It was an adorable habit and one that he'd noticed
Bella had picked up. It would someday both fascinate and torment unsuspecting men, just as it had with him when Renee did it.
"No, no. I promise she's fine. In fact, she took a trip with two girlfriends to Port Angeles tonight. Something or other about dresses." He waved his hand in the air dismissively, getting slightly distracted by the events on his muted TV
screen before focusing back in on his train of thought. "Wait, I don't think I've seen Bella in a dress since she was 3! Isn't that something?"
"Oh, Charlie," Renee crooned. "Our little girl is a woman now. I should stop worrying so much because she can take care of herself. I just miss her. And I can't find anything anymore!" Renee gave a frustrated grunt to enhance her self-depreciative joke.
Charlie grinned, knowing Renee better than she knew herself. Of course she couldn't find anything. If there was one thing she had never been that was present-minded. Although, he'd always thought that was half of her charm…and half of his madness.
"Well, listen, Charlie. Thanks for the chat. I'm sorry to have bothered you with my silliness. Tell her I love her and miss her and can't wait to hear from her, okay? And you'll make sure she calls soon?" She questioned; concern once again
shifting through her voice.
"Of course. Tell Phil I said hello. I'll keep an eye out for him on TV." Charlie rolled his eyes at how ridiculous he must have sounded but decided to let it go as Renee said her whimsical goodbyes.
"Good night," he said with a sigh and a heavy heart.