A/N: I have decided that I am too impatient to post only once a week, so I will post still on Sundays and also on Wednesdays. Hope you enjoy and remember to review, all are welcome.
~Miss. E. Thompson
Chapter Two: Avoidance
Dad left early this morning to be in Port Angeles an hour and a half before Isabella's plane was supposed to land for fear that it would land early and he would have to endure Renee's wrath. I slept in a little before getting up and heading down to the diner for breakfast. The diner was almost empty this early in the morning, only a group of four old guys sat talking on the other side of the room. Only the diner owner and his wife were working this early and it was peaceful. I sat down in the corner booth and pulled out yesterday's paper that had been left.
"Here you go pumpkin." Mrs. Lindstrom said as she placed a cup of coffee in front of me.
"Thank you, Mrs. Lindstrom." I said and started to add the cream and sugar to my cup.
"Now Eli, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Aggie?" She said with a stern face as she pointed her pen at me.
"Sorry. Thank you Aggie." I said and smiled at her.
"Now. What do you want today?" She asked and smiled back at me. Aggie and her husband have been running this diner since dad was a boy and she tried to treat everyone like family.
"What's currently cooking in the back?" I asked back. I was up for anything.
"Blueberry pancakes and red skin potatoes. I can put in a couple eggs." Aggie said and I smiled and nodded my head.
"That sounds great." Aggie scribbled it down on her little notepad before taking it to the kitchen. I didn't bother to pick the paper back up because I knew as soon as the order was in that Aggie would be back to talk with me. This was a routine. When I came in for breakfast during the week without dad, Aggie would come to sit and talk with me. Stopping once and a while to take care of a customer.
"So I heard your sister is coming to town. How long is she going to be here?" Aggie asked as she sat down with her own cup of coffee.
"I don't know, to tell ya the truth. Supposedly she's coming to give Renee and her new husband space so Renee can travel with him. It could be as short as a couple months or she could be here till she graduates." I said with a shrug as I took another sip of my coffee.
"What's your mother think about this?" Aggie asked with a knowing smirk. She had been here the whole time Renee and dad dated through till the divorce. She knew how Renee could be.
"She has only called to remind dad to pick up Isabella from the airport on time and to remind me to watch out for my sister. To make sure nothing happens to her baby." I said and Aggie just shook her head with a sad smile.
"What are you planning to do while she's here? I know you're not going to hang out in that house, the two of you have never gotten along." Aggie asked and I smiled. She and Henry knew dad and I real well.
"I've been looking for a place of my own, but when it was only dad and I there really wasn't a need to move out. Neither of us had a special lady and we were good company for each other. I found a place down just passed the res border. Uncle Billy has pulled some strings for me and he says that if I pay for the simple repairs then I can have the place." I said with a proud smile. Aggie smiled at me and patted my hands.
"Your still gonna come visit me right, Eli?" Aggie asked with a playful glare.
"How could I stay away Aggie? It would break my heart not to see you during the week for breakfast." I said and she brightened up and gave me a million dollar smile.
"You know you are quite the charmer." Aggie said as the bell rang from the kitchen. Aggie got up and got me my breakfast. We continued to talk as I ate.
"So how is it coming with that Leah girl from the res?" Aggie asked and I nearly spit my coffee making Aggie laughed.
"What do you mean about Leah?" I asked after forcing my coffee down.
"Don't play dumb with me." Aggie admonished.
"You and I both know that you are head over heels for that girl. What are you going to do about it?" Aggie said and I sighed.
"There isn't anything I can do about it Aggie. She loved another guy and he broke her heart for her cousin. She's still reeling from it. Besides she's only seen me as a friend since we were little." I said and Aggie patted my hand before getting up to take care of one of the guys across the room. I hurried to finish my breakfast and leave. I left a good tip before yelling to Henry in the back that the food was great. I waved to Aggie as I walked out to my old green ford pick-up in the parking lot.
I drove down to La Push and pulled into the store. I needed to get some groceries because if I knew anything Isabella would be cooking and the last thing I wanted was her to bitch about the lack of groceries in the house. I was cashing out when I turned around and came face to face with Jared Cameron. It was the first time I had seen him in about a month. He had shot up and was an inch or two taller than me and had gained some muscle mass.
"Damn Jared. Long time no see." I said and stuck my hand out for him to shake. He smirked, but looked a little guilty.
"Paul and I got jobs as security officers for the res with construction on the side. It keeps us busy." Jared said and I gave a whistle.
"How's that going?" I asked as I shifted the bag of groceries into my other arm.
"Okay. We ran a group of drug dealers off two weeks ago. Mainly it's been little odd jobs here and there for the construction crew." Jared said with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Construction? I'm buying that old house there on the boarder. Would you come take a look at it? Help me fix it up?" I asked. I had yet to call up a contractor to look at the house.
"Sure. I can call Paul and the boss and talk to them about it. I'll give you a call tomorrow to see what they say." Jared said and gave a short nod of his head.
"Thanks man. Talk to you tomorrow." I said before making it out the door and toward my truck. I took the food home and put it away before heading back down to the Blacks'. There were a few other things that needed to be adjusted on the truck before it could be driven and with Jacob's help it would only take a couple hours.
When I pulled up, Billy was sitting on the makeshift porch out front with his coffee and paper. He looked up as I pulled up and gave a wave before going back to his paper. I put the truck in park before hopping out and walking up the steps.
"How are you doing today Billy?" I asked and took a seat on the old porch swing. It creaked as it swung back and I made a mental note to oil it.
"Good. How are you? How's your plans for the old Highwater place going?" He asked as he folded the paper up and put it down before spinning his chair around to look at me.
"Good on all counts. Bumped into Jared today and he said that he and Paul would talk to their boss about coming to take a look at the place for me." I said and Billy nodded his head in acknowledgment.
"You still going fishing with us this weekend?" He asked before taking a draw from his mug.
"I don't know. It depends on the amount of work I get assigned between now and then. The sergeant has been kind, but with exams coming up…" I dragged off. Billy nodded in understanding.
"I have to go out to Seattle at the end of the month to take the exam. I'll be gone for a week. Hope you old farts don't miss me too much while I'm gone." I said and Billy laughed at that.
"Oh yes. What will we do without Elijah Caleb Swan for a whole week? It will be like when none of us had kids." Billy dramatically stated.
"Speaking of kids, how are Rachel and Rebecca and is Jacob home? If he and I get to work on that old truck of yours it will be finished and fully usable in a couple hours." I said as I stood from my spot on the swing.
"Rachel says she's doing well there in college and Rebecca is actually coming to visit in two months with her husband. Jacob's already out in the garage tinkering with that car he's gonna rebuild. I'm planning on giving that old thing to your sister, but I'm guessing you already heard." Billy said and I nodded.
"I'll head around. Dad should be getting home with Isabella soon." I said and started for the back yard. As I got closer I could hear Jacob hitting on something in the garage and hurried around to see what. He was leaned over under the hood of a hunk of metal that resembled the shape of a car; it had a long way to go before it would be finished. The chaise was a faded red and the front was only the metal frame work with the exception of the green hood.
"Where did you find this project?" I asked and Jacob jumped, hitting his head on the hood as he came up. Rubbing his head he turned to look at me with a glare while I just leaned against the wooden beam that acted as a support.
"I didn't hear you coming. How the hell do you walk that quiet?" Jake asked before turning around and closing the hood. I shrugged and stepped away from the beam. I popped the hood on the red monster and started to work. Jake came over and started to help.
"It's gonna be different to have a girl living with you. You ready for the estrogen rush?" Jacob asked with a laugh.
"I wouldn't be laughing if I were you. You're the kid that grew up with two sisters and has one coming home in a couple months. You're the one that's had a crush on her since forever and hasn't gotten the balls to ask her out." I said bringing a blush to the kid's cheeks as he rushed to hide his face in the engine of the beast.
"Come on! Admit it! Everyone knows of your crush on my sister except my sister." I said and Jake snapped around to look at me as I continued to fix the starter.
"What do you mean everyone knows?" Jake asked and his voice got a little bit higher.
"The way you look at her like she can do no wrong and how you jump to do anything with her. I just have to caution you that Isabella isn't who you think she is. You've never spent more than a couple hours with her. Soon you'll find that she's a bitch that robbed an angel of her halo and wings." I said as I got down on the rolling board and rolled under the truck.
Jacob and I finished the truck quicker than I thought we would in relative silence after our talk about Isabella. It gave me time to think about what was going on around me. I would become an officer under my father within the next year and a half. Leah didn't know what she would be doing a year from now. I started thinking about how I had to go to Seattle at the end of the month and how I would be gone for a week. Maybe I could get Leah to come with me. It would get her out of La Push and away from the drama and pity that surrounded her everywhere she went.
After Jake and I finished with the truck we went into the house and watched the basketball game. It had been roughly an hour before Jake got up and went into his bedroom. When he came out he was wearing what I am assuming is his best tee shirt and a pair of dress jeans. I looked at Billy and back to Jake. Billy shook his head and turned his attention back to the TV. Jake had even taken the time to brush his hair. This could only be an attempt to gain Isabella's attention.
"You going on a date Jake?" I asked as I turned my attention back to the television as it showed the last two minutes of the period.
"No. Now that the truck is fixed and running we can take it over to Charlie for Bella." I shook my head. We were all on the edge of our seats as the teams raced across the court as the last ten seconds counted down on the clock. The guy shoots from half court and the buzzer sounds as the ball leaves his hand the ball touched the rim and circles. It slows with each rotation one, two, three, four times and the ball falls off the rim!
"No!" We erupt in protest as the home team loses to the damn under dogs.
"Can we go now?" Jake asked as he sprung up from the couch to grab the keys for the truck. I grudgingly got off the couch and started for the door when my phone went off. I picked up the phone and walked away from the truck as I answered it.
"Hello?" I answered.
"Hey Eli. This is Harry. I was wondering if you would keep Leah company while Sue and I took Seth to his basketball game at the high school." Harry said. I thought about it for a second before agreeing.
"Yeah that alright by me." I said and promised to be over in a couple minutes. I walked back to Jake and Billy. Jake had managed to get Billy into the truck by himself before I came around the corner. Billy was sitting in the passenger's seat. I stopped walking and just stared at the truck.
"What are you waiting for? Let's go, Eli!" Jake yelled through the open window.
"I am not seeing a fifteen year old kid in the driver's seat right now." I said with a raised eyebrow.
"How else am I supposed to get around?" Billy asked casually. I shook my head.
"Sorry Jake, but I have to head over to the Clearwaters'. Talk to you guys later." I said and gave a wave as I hopped into my truck and Jake fired up the beast with a roar. They pulled out first heading toward Forks while I turned farther into La Push. I pulled off on the side of the road as not to block Sue and Harry in before they could leave. I walked up to the door and knocked. The door was almost immediately yanked open by a hyperactive Seth.
"Eli!" He said and we did a little fist bump before he let me into the house.
"Good afternoon Eli." Sue said and gave me a hug.
"You too, Sue." I said as I returned the hug. Sue and Billy's wife Sarah had been like the moms I never had in Renee. They pretty much took me in as one of their own after Renee left with Isabella. They are partly the reason I'm the man I am today. Sue rushed Seth out the door and called out a good bye to Leah. Harry was grabbing the car keys when I stopped him. I stepped outside with him on to the porch.
"I was thinking today about the exams I have to take at the end of the month." I said and Harry nodded a little confused where I was taking this.
"The apartment that I will be renting has two bedrooms. Could Leah come with me? Just to get her out of La Push for a little time and away from the drama." Harry looked conflicted with his decision.
"I'll talk with Sue about it and then with Leah." Harry said and I nodded.
"That's all I'm going to ask." I said and turned to go back inside. Harry put his hand on my shoulder.
"You're a good man Eli. You've always thought of others before yourself. I would be proud to call you my son." Harry said before he walked to the car. I didn't know how to take that. When I got inside Leah was curled up on the couch in pajamas moping like she had been since Sam broke up with her. I walked over, turned the TV off and grabbed her arm. Pulling her up onto her feet as she protested and tried to pull back against me to get back on the couch.
"Go upstairs and get dressed. We're going out whether you like it or not, even if you're still in pajamas. So I suggest you go get dresses." I said and she stomped upstairs and I heard the door slam and the lock click.
"You have ten minutes! If you're not down here by then I'm taking the door off the hinges and dragging you out of this house!" I yelled up the stairs and was rewarded with a muffled scream from Leah through the door. I picked up the hunting magazine that laid on the coffee table and started to flip through till I heard the door open upstairs and Leah stomping down. I stood up and grabbed her jacket and helped her into it before heading out to start my truck. Leah slowly made her way out of the house and walked to the truck. I sat back amused at her attempts to slow whatever I was planning down, but eventually she climbed into the truck and I pulled down the road toward the beach.
Leah had always loved the beach and even though it was cold you could always go to the beach, just there was no going in the water unless you were suicidal. Leah looked at me funny as I pulled into the beach parking lot. I got out and jogged around to her side and helped her out. I started walking toward the end of the beach. I didn't care that Leah was dragging her feet or that she was mumbling about me dragging her out of her nice warm house to freeze at the beach. As we walked she eventually stopped complaining and seemed to relax.
"You need to stop moping about the things you can't change. You have every right to be pissed about what Sam and Emily did to you, I understand that. But staying bitter and bitchy about it is only dragging you down and your name through the mud. You need to get over it…" Leah tried cutting me off, but I held up one finger to stop her and continued.
"Everyone has shit happen to them, but what defines them is how they react to it. Moving on with your life will gradually stop the pain that you have and help you become a better person. Have you thought of what you will be doing next year?" I asked and looked over at Leah. She opened her mouth but stopped and looked down at the ground as she thought.
"Exactly. You haven't thought about how you're going to go on. You're stuck in the pain. Sue and Harry aren't going to be around forever and Seth will have his own life and you're going to be stuck in the past, never moving forward and you're gonna end up alone." I said and it finally seemed to be sinking into Leah what exactly I was saying.
"You should be a psychologist not a cop." Leah said and I laughed at that.
"That's pretty much the same thing." I laughed and Leah looked at me confused.
"How so?" She asked and I calmed down my laughing.
"I will still be dealing with other people's problems, but this way I'm not sworn to secrecy and get the chance to carry a gun and speed through town and not get pulled over. Where if I was a psychologist I would have to deal with a person's mental problems and I have already done enough of that." I said referring to Kerry. Leah laughed at that and I smiled it was the first genuine laugh she's had since the beginning of all this.
"Your right Eli, I need to fix this shit that I've let myself fall into. But I have to ask. Why are you here with me when I heard that your sister's in town?" Leah asked and seemed to actually care about the answer. I sighed.
"Avoidance. You remember her from when we were kid, right?" I asked and Leah shook her head.
"Well then we can go to my house and you can re-meet her." I offered. I was not looking forward to my reunion with my sister, but now I would have a reason to leave and not come back till she was asleep.