Chapter Two
Homecoming
My eyes popped open exactly one minute before my alarm went off. Today was going to be a fantastic day. I jumped when my feet hit the cold hardwood. Standing up I stretched quickly and took off toward the bathroom. I had exactly two hours to get to the airport. I was off to college, and to home. Washington.
After a quick shower, I curled my hair and then pulled it up into a ponytail, before applying mascara and lip-gloss. And then wandered into my bedroom to dress. I pulled on a pair of sweat pants from and a t-shirt. Flip flops of course because security was a mess, damn terrorist.
I looked around my room one last time before closing the door. All my things had been shipped the week before, clothes and all, I was leaving a few things here with my mom, but I would be going to college while living with my dad.
I hadn't been to Washington in over eight years. We had left the reservation when I was ten, and in the divorce papers that my mom and dad had settled on, Dad was the one who always came to see me. Twice a year. My birthday, and two weeks in the summer. It was finally my turn to come to him.
I said my goodbyes to my mom, with the promise to text at least twice a day and call once a week. She was attempting to give me my freedom. But I already knew I'd be texting at least a hundred times a day and calling every single day. She was a freak sometimes, I laughed softly to myself. I'd miss her though.
The flight to Washington was okay, as far as plane rides go. My dad was suppose to pick me up in Port Angeles, and then it was an hour long drive from there. I was so excited I could barely sit still in my seat. After a while I pushed my ear buds into my ears, and turned the volume up on my ipod. The last thing I remember was listening to Katy Perry before I drifted off to sleep.
"We will be landing in Port Angeles in a few minutes, please put your seats in an upright position and buckle your seat belts." I jerked awake. Pulling my buds from my ears, I stuffed them into my bag and followed the directions from the voice. Before I knew it we were on the ground and people were filing out of the plane.
I followed the people from the plane up to the gate. Hoping my dad didn't forget me. I started laughing as soon as I saw the huge neon orange poster with "CHARI" written on it in thick black letters. I followed the hands holding the sign down to, none other than Jacob Black, my cousin. Next to him on both flanks were his father Billy, and my own father Johnny.
I knew the instant my dad had spotted me, his dark eyes lit up and I ran into his outstretched arms. "Daddy!" I squealed in excitement. Okay so daddy may not be the most mature words, but dad is not the right choice of words for this man, he was my favorite person in the entire world.
The hug between a father and a daughter is like no other. Especially when it's from mine. The warmth of his arms felt like….home.
"Welcome back, honey." he whispered in my ear, before pulling back so I could hug Billy, bending down I hugged Billy's shoulders, he'd been in a wheel chair for a while now, his old age getting to him, and then I moved on to Jacob.
Moving to hug him, I finally noticed him. No really I hadn't before but now I seriously did. He had shot up since I'd last seen him in Houston two years ago. He was probably almost seven foot now and could be easily mistaken for a twenty five year old. "Wow..Jake" I whistled. He chuckled and grabbed me in a bear hug, that took the breath out of me. Before setting me down. After finally getting my breathe back, Daddy and Billy led the way to the car.
I missed half the ride back to La Push, because I had fallen asleep against Jacob, who made a very warm, very comfortable pillow, who knew. "Chari, we're home…" I heard my dad say in a sing song voice. My eyes fluttered open, scanning the car I noticed it was just Daddy and I, Jacob and Billy must have been dropped off at home. Looking out the windows I gasped, the one place I had dreamt of since I had left La Push. Home.
The house looked exactly the same. One story, dark brown with a large screened in front porch, and a huge swing that hung from the ceiling. And the trees that surrounded it. There was a reason green was my favorite color. It was the color of home.
Daddy opened the car door so I could get out, I hadn't even noticed I was still sitting in the car. "Well, whatcha think?" he asked. I smiled, and hugged his neck before taking off toward the house. I couldn't wait to see my bedroom.
The house smelled just like my dad, tobacco and old spice. Everything was exactly how I remember it, but with a few new things, like the flat screen television, and of course the new recliner. I followed my memories to the back of the house, the third door on the right, taking a deep breath I turned the door knob.
Everything was same. All lavender and blue, with black accents. Exactly how my mom had decorated the bedroom, ten years ago. The twin bed had been exchanged for a full, and it looked like the closet had been expanded. My eyes scanned the room, stopping on a framed picture on the bedside table. A little blue eyed girl and a brown eyed boy with copper skin. My hand instantly went to the wolf charm that hung around my neck, running my fingers over it, I smiled. Embry. I wonder what he was up to these days.
"So, what do we need to change, Chari?" I jumped at the sound of my daddy's voice. Turning around quickly to meet his eyes. He smiled.
"Oh, nothing, it's perfect" I smiled, running my hands over the bed.
"That's good, I put all your stuff in the hall closet, if you want to start unpacking. I think most of your clothes should be hung up, I tried to hang as much as possible" He said, "I'll let you have some time to relax, I'm going to go watch some of the game" I nodded, and he closed the door as he left.
I spent the next few hours bringing boxes from the closet into my bedroom and unpacking them. Glancing at the clock, it was well after midnight. I changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top for bed, and went to tell my daddy goodnight.
"Daddy?" I asked, I found him snoring softly in his recliner. Laughing softly, picking up a blanket from the couch, I draped it over him and kissed his forehead, then returned to my bedroom and slid between the blankets. Within minutes I was asleep.
The familiar forms of wolves drifted into my dreams. I had been having dreams of wolves for as long as I could remember. Always a silver wolf, and always with the wolf and I walking on a beach or in the woods.
Tonight was different, I sat on the beach and the huge silver wolf lay next to me, but tonight the wolves eyes reminded me of someone. I couldn't put a name with the eyes, but they were familiar. He nudged me with his muzzle, as if he were trying to tell me something. I just didn't know what it was. Then suddenly the wolf threw his head back and let out a howl, filled with so much agony my heart ached…
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-S
