Chapter Two
Bella
Lisa and I hadn't been anywhere for weeks when she arrived at work with an envelope and handed it to me with a grin.
"You'd better accept or the boys will send a snatch squad for you Marie."
I'd stopped using Bella, I wanted a clean break with past so I used my middle name and soon got used to answering to it.
"What is it?"
"Don't look at it like it's a bomb, it's just a birthday party invitation."
"Birthday party?"
"The twins are twelve at the weekend and they especially asked me to make sure you would come, You're a real hit with them. Please say you'll come, they aren't having a big party, just a couple of friends from school."
I thought about it then nodded, a few 12 year olds were hardly a threat to me and I liked the twins, they were good fun and I could be myself with them, even act a little crazy sometimes .
"OK I'll go."
"Great. I'll ring them with the good news and now I can let you in on a little secret, it's a beach barbecue with a sleep out"
At the end of the week Lisa and I packed our bags and headed off to the family home in her old red convertible. I was looking forward to the night-time barbecue and sleep out on the sand dunes. It sounded fun and reminded me slightly of the beach picnics with the other Jake and his friends. Sometimes I missed them but then I remembered how much he'd pressured me to go out with him and how much he reminded me of the Cullens and then I didn't miss him any longer. It was another reason why I didn't go home to Forks often.
"I heard from my mum this morning, she and Phil are moving to Hawaii. He's got a permanent baseball coaching job there. They asked me to go with them but I said I wanted to stay here so I guess I'll be seeing them even less often."
"Marie you don't see them now. When was the last time?"
"I don't remember. She has her life to live and I have mine. Renee isn't an easy person to live with Lisa,"
I still e-mailed Mum at least once a week but after withdrawing from her when Edward left she and I never regained our earlier closeness, we were more like pen pals now. After my news the drive to the house passed as usual with chat about work, the guys, and the latest films. Lisa was into music but she didn't attempt to push me into listening. She knew just enough of my past to know there were aspects it was best to avoid, ex boyfriends being the major No No.
When we parked up there was a car I didn't recognise on the drive and as usual I had a mild panic attack. What I expected I wasn't sure, maybe Carlisle Cullen to come across from the house and welcome me, who knew! Lisa seeing my expression explained it was the father of the twins best friend dropping him off for the sleep over. They weren't having a proper party and only two friends were invited. Seeing Lisa's car the twins came racing out to greet us, bear hugs all round, they were still not too old for a display of affection. I handed out my presents, I'd bought them each a book token because they loved reading and I had no idea which books they already possessed. They thanked me with glee then dragged us in to meet the friends. The two friends were like chalk and cheese, one was tall, dark, and almost Spanish looking in colouring, the other was much shorter with blond hair and dimples but they were both polite and after being told their names and instantly forgetting them the boys all disappeared upstairs leaving us with Mary and Dennis, Lisa's parents.
Lisa's two older brothers were organising the barbecue on the beach and small tents for the sleep over which we were expected to join them for so we just helped carry the boxes of napkins, cutlery, beakers, rugs and all the other incidentals down the steps to the sand. It was getting dark but still warm and the bonfire was lit, the barbecue smoking and the music on. I tried to ignore the music and sat chatting with Lisa and Andy, one of her brothers, the other, Cade, was in charge of the cooking and making sure none of the youngsters set fire to themselves on the bonfire. The barbecue was well cooked, no burnt bits like the Quileute ones, and after two glasses of wine I was relaxed. The younger boys had been swimming and burying each other in the sand before time was called and they grabbed blankets and sat round the fire. Whose idea it was to tell spooky stories I don't remember but it was finally decided that we would all tell one and lots were drawn to see the order of play. Andy went first with his version of the Monkeys Paw then Mary and Dennis left us to it and Lisa did her take on Frankenstein. By the time it got to me most of the well-known stories had been rehashed so taking the bull by the horns I changed names and places and gave an abridged version of the Quileute legend of the Cold Ones. It went down like a bomb with the boys and they went to their tent still discussing if the wolves were real werewolves or shape shifters and if the Cold Ones really existed, not knowing I was a living authority on the subject. Telling the story had reopened a few wounds but they only bled a little these days and I could cope.
"Marie, where did you get that story? I've never heard it before, is it famous?"
"No, it's a legend actually. I just changed a few things. There was a Native American Reservation, The Quileutes, close to Forks where I lived with my Dad. It's just an old story of theirs that's all"
"Really? It sounded fascinating. I'm doing research for a book on legends, do you think they'd talk to me?"
"I don't know Andy. They might but its in books on the tribal traditions if they won't."
"Would you tell me more? Maybe we could go to dinner and you could regale me with more tales of your Native American friends."
I panicked, dinner meant a date in my eyes and I wasn't ready for that. I think he saw my expression because he laughed,
"No date. Just a burger and a chat for my research, honest."
I agreed although once tucked up in my sleeping bag beside Lisa I wished I'd said no. I really didn't want to rake it all up but I could see no way out, I wished I'd kept my mouth shut. I should have known no good would come of talking about any of them, I'd say as little as possible and then run. I liked Andy very much but as a brother and I knew how that could play out remembering Jacob Black.
On the way home the next evening I think Lisa picked up that I was bothered about something and in her forthright way just came out and asked me,
"Is Andy bothering you? If he is I'll tell him to butt out Marie."
"No, he just wants to talk about the legend I used for my spooky tale."
"Oh, and that means dredging up old memories I guess. Why don't you just ring and tell him you changed your mind."
"Won't he want to know why?"
"Probably but just tell him to mind his own business"
"I can't Lisa, it will only lead to more questions. I'll meet him once and that's it. I can forget about it again then."
"Bella, I don't think you'll ever forget about it. Not if your storytelling was anything to go by. Were you in love with one of the tribe?"
I shook my head and sighed,
"No! But he was in love with me."
"Oh I see. Well don't tell him anything you don't want to. Make things up if it makes it easier. By the way, if you ever want to talk...well... you know where I am."
"Thanks but its in the past. It all happened a lifetime ago."
