Chapter Twenty One

Charlie

The dinner party went better than I expected, I hated such formal eating, preferring to eat at the kitchen table with Sophie and Bella but my wife had slowly dragged me up to a better standard of behaviour, or so she told me. Sometimes I wondered if I'd done the right thing marrying her. We were from different worlds, her parents had travelled the world as ambassadors and she was used to high living and expensive things around her whereas I was a Hick town cop. Still, we had gotten along well in the beginning although I had lost touch with my friends on the reservation slowly since the wedding. I guess they just couldn't get along with her and if truth be told I found I had little time for fishing and hunting these days.

The problems had started when Bella came to live with us, after her accident. I appreciated it would be hard for both of them but the atmosphere in the house had changed. Bella spent all her time hidden away in her room and Sophie spent even more time out with her community work. Even an idiot like me could tell there was something wrong although I couldn't put my finger on exactly what it was and neither could, or would, enlighten me.

This evening Sophie had shone as the hostess and the meal was excellent but she had put Bella and Jasper at opposite ends of the table and when I asked why she shrugged,

"Charlie, Bella can't talk to anyone but she can see her friend. I thought that would be better."

I guess I couldn't argue with that although the two youngsters didn't look too happy with the arrangement.

I think my first inkling that things were not as comfortable as I had thought was when we retired to the lounge for drinks. Carlisle asked if he could speak as Bella's doctor for a moment and I said sure wondering what exactly he had to say. In short, it was that in his professional opinion Bella needed at least another two weeks to recover from her ordeal before even thinking of going back to work.

"I happened to see Mrs. Anderson yesterday and told her as much when she asked me how Bella was and what your plans were, I hope you don't mind."

I didn't, I thought it was nice of the doctor to speak up for Bella although I was a little unsure of what plans there were, but Sophie was not amused.

"Really Doctor Cullen, don't you think that was for us as her parents to do?"

Carlisle held up a hand,

"I apologize, it's just the way things are in small towns, everyone knows everyone else but if it upsets you I certainly wouldn't do it again and I apologize."

My wife wasn't sure whether to be charmed by his apology or cross that he had acted but she decided to act graciously,

"Thank you, perhaps I'm a little overprotective towards my stepdaughter but I'm sure you understand why. After all, she has no mother of her own to speak up for her."

After that things settled back down and I wondered how Bella and Jasper were getting on in the kitchen. They had offered to tidy up and fill the dishwasher and as Bella couldn't hear the conversation it seemed a better idea for her and I could see the two of them wanted to be together which was something that pleased me.

When they came in to join us they were holding hands and Bella was smiling.

"Could I ask you a question Chief Swan, Mrs. Swan."

I nodded interested to hear what he had to say.

"I've spoken to Bella and we'd like to make our friendship a little more formal. Would it be OK with you if I dated Bella?"

I grinned, date? I hadn't heard that expression in a long time but somehow it suited him.

"I see no reason why not Jasper. Just remember her problems, she's very frail."

"I'll look after her Chief Swan, I promise."

By the time the Cullens left we were invited to their home for dinner the following weekend and Jasper would be calling for Bella officially in the morning. He would be taking her for a ride to Port Angeles to pick up a parcel for one of his siblings and thought she would enjoy the trip. Bella hung onto his arm until the very last minute and when he kissed her cheek she flushed with pleasure, my girl had it bad and I hoped he wouldn't break her heart but I could hardly keep her a prisoner the rest of her life and he knew of her disabilities so we'd just have to see.

Jasper

I knew there would be trouble with Bella's stepmother the moment I felt her anger and jealousy. I still didn't know exactly what her problem was but Bella and I would not have a smooth ride if she had her way so we would have to be careful. I made it look as if I left with Carlisle and Esme then waited in the trees opposite as Bella's bedroom light went on, then her parents and finally, all the lights were extinguished before crossing to the yard and jumping onto her window sill. This was becoming a regular thing and she left her bedroom window open for me.

In seconds she was in my arms and I felt as the tension left her body. Whenever I came it was the same, she was always tense, almost afraid although she couldn't tell me what of. We were coming along with communicating using our fingers on each other's arms although because her brain injury meant she could not put letters together to make words we devised symbols for such words as Charlie, Sophie, Carlisle, happy, sad and of course love although I guess a kiss wasn't exactly a symbol! She had been watching me closely throughout dinner, noticing that not everything on my plate went into my mouth and I knew she was curious so now was the time to tell her the rest of the truth about me, and about the rest of my family although explaining might lose me her love and her trust but I didn't think so. Bella was very special. I had written it down for her quite bluntly because there was no sugar coated way of saying what we really were.

"I AM A VAMPIRE BUT I DON'T DRINK HUMAN BLOOD ANY MORE. YOU ARE SAFE WITH ME."

She took it to the window to read by the light of the moon, her slim figure silhouetted against its glow looking like a wraith in her pale robe.

For the longest time she didn't move and I wondered what she was thinking, all I knew was that she felt no fear. Then she turned and ripped the note into tiny pieces before throwing them in the bin and opening her arms to me. Her eyes shone with the same love as before she knew, the small fact of my being a vampire had not bothered her in the least, Bella was a very special girl, my girl.

I stayed as always until I heard movement along the hall then left after kissing my sleeping beauty goodbye. This time though I would be seeing her again very soon and officially. Last night had been special for me, I had held Bella stroking her arm and her hair and she had fallen asleep in my embrace feeling happy and safe, in the arms of a vampire.

Sophie

I had enjoyed having the Cullens for dinner, it was only right that the two most important families in town were seen to be on friendly terms but I was not happy about this relationship between Bella and Jasper. For one thing, he would tire of her, a handsome young man like that could hardly be very interested in a girl who could neither hear or speak and was so scrawny so when things did go wrong it could make the relationship between the families strained.

Secondly, no doubt Bella would be devastated and I would be expected to pick up the pieces and thirdly, Bella's money came in very useful for those extras I needed. Of course, I wouldn't dream of using her money to buy for myself but the money I saved using hers for the gas and other things I did for her certainly helped and if those two became serious then I could wave goodbye to that. I would have to think about this, there were ways to make sure the relationship ended, it would just take a little thought. Especially as I would need to be careful no one else found out, Charlie would be livid. He was over the moon that the girl had a boyfriend and was coming out of her shell!