Chapter 21:Whoops

Bella scrambled around the room to try and clear up the bedding. She was in a panic. How many times had she told him it was too risky? He kept assuring her there wasn't a problem. Even Ness knew his mannerisms and didn't howl for him anymore. He knew exactly when his parents went to bed and when they woke up. He was stealth out the window at night and coming back in. He had tons of practice. He also swore by his body clock and it was true, he'd only overslept one time all those months before when they were innocently spending time together.

What if he got caught? It was first a fear and then another possibility filtered through her mind. Maybe they could get it out in the open, but then she remembered school. No way, would Mr. Black allow her to remain in school. She didn't want to let all those years go to waste. She needed to stick to the plan. He'd be fine, she shouldn't be such a worrier. She was deciding on a what to wear when a pounding at her bedroom door made her jump.

"Bells, are you decent?" He knocked again and she pressed her ear to the door. "Of course you aren't, but I need you out here now. The three of us are about to have a chat. Get dressed."

Her dad said "three." Maybe he meant Embry, but he sure sounded mad. That wasn't normal for him to bark out orders at her and beat on her door. He usually only knocked soft and spoke even softer. Her fears had just rose to an all time high. She barely could get herself composed enough to slip something on.

Right before she opened up, he banged on the wood again. "Now Bells!" She slowly turned the knob, but he jerked the door wide open. She watched as he looked over her shoulder at the disheveled space. Sitting at the kitchen table was none other than her equally disheveled husband.

She was going to give it one more shot at keeping the secret just in case. "Jacob, what are you doing here so early?"

He gave her a solemn head shake. It was blown. Charlie knew, but how much did he know? Her father was trembling in way that was reminiscent to his drinking days. It was worse than when he started trying to quit. She had a horrible thought. What if she pushed him over the edge and he started to drink again. She and Jacob had to fix it and fast.

"Oh please, don't even start that young lady. I caught this sneaky misfit slinking around the side of the house tucking things away. I wasn't born yesterday. This is the respect I'm shown after I gave you both my blessing?"

"Daddy, I'm sorry. You don't understand. We weren't trying to disrespect you." She marched towards the table to join her husband, but Charlie nudged her to head to the couch. He didn't even want them near one another.

"Now, I wanna know what he said to convince you to abandon your values and your morals."

"Come on, Charlie. It wasn't like that. Let me explain."

Her father held up his hand, "Shut up...I asked my daughter, not you."

"That's easy, Dad. He asked me to marry him and I said yes."

"So that's all it takes, a boy proposes and you give him your virtue? I thought you were different than that, honey."

"I am, I meant...Jake's my husband. We're already married."

"What? That can't be. When? Why would you do such a thing? You're only seventeen."

Jacob was finally allowed to speak and he told Charlie all the answers to his questions. There were plenty of reasons, but the top one was knowing his parents were going to push him further and further away from home after the summer and neither him or Bella were going to be able to handle that. He apologized about the elopement for his sake, but he wouldn't change it for the world. They did what they had to do. He got up from the kitchen table and moved next to Bella on the sofa. Charlie didn't protest, he'd taken a step back and wasn't nearly as angry any longer. She felt her body relax just because of his proximity.

"Now what? You've told me why you both think this needs to be a secret for awhile longer, but Billy's my best friend, and in many ways, that man saved my life. How can I keep this from him for months?" After much more pleading, he finally conceded. He'd attempt to keep it to himself until May so Bella could graduate. "But I have your word, after that, we all will sit down and you'll make a full confession?"

"Yes," they said in unison.

"Alright then," Charlie reached out his hand and Jacob took it and they formed a pact. "She's your responsibility now, Jake. I expect her to always come first with you. All I can ask is that you love and protect her."

"I will, Charlie. I swear it." She squeezed Jacob's other hand. "No one will ever love Bella like I do. She's my whole world."

"I believe you, but there might be one other man that feels the same way. One day, you'll have a daughter and you'll know what I mean." He pointed a finger at Jacob and made his stern face again. "But not anytime soon, she's gotta finish school."

"Oh, sure thing Charlie, we know better."

"Come on let's take a walk. Bells, can you throw together some breakfast?" She jumped up and got started on it. Jacob was still trying to get his shoes on when Billy came to the door. He didn't even bother knocking, he walked right in asking if they'd seen Jacob.

He saw his son lacing up one of his boots. "What in the world are you doing, boy?"

Charlie tossed an arm on Jacob's shoulder, "Oh, we've been straightening out the pipes. Jacob's a lifesaver."

"Huh? You're out working at this early hour? Bree never even saw you eat this morning."

"Uh, yeah, couldn't sleep. You know that rooster of Bree's wakes me up sometimes, so I went looking for something to do."

"What's with your shoes? Why you only wearing one?"

Bella took her turn with the fib, "Well, his socks got wet from the snow so I got him a new pair to change them out while I warmed them up with some coffee and a hot breakfast. You hungry, Mr. Black? I have plenty."

"No...no thanks. I already have food waiting at home. Are you done?"

"With what?" Jacob asked.

"The frozen pipes, because I've got one we need to re-wrap."

"Oh, um...are we done, Charlie?"

"No, not quite. We have a few more things to clear up and then you're free to go help your father out."

Mr. Black left them all alone and Bella felt like she could finally breathe again. After she fed them, Charlie actually made Jacob go outside to help him, so he wouldn't seem clueless in front of his father. She suspected he might have a few more things to get off his chest.

It was later that evening before he got some time to come pay them another visit. Charlie told them both they owed him eternally and they agreed. Bella made him a special dinner and invited Jacob to stay. The three of them had a nice time. Charlie made a big production how he'd had such a long day, but he was going to go visit Bree for a special dessert she'd been working on. He motioned at Jacob with some sort of strange head nod and then left them all alone.

"What was that all about?"

"You don't even wanna know. I had to stand there in the freezing snow and listen to his lecture, not the one he gave us. He had a private one especially for me. It was all about dads and their little girls. There are certain things a dad doesn't want to ever think about even when his daughter is all grown up and married."

She felt her cheeks heat up. How embarrassing for all of them. She still felt guilty her father had to have the realization of what they'd done in the way it occurred. "Okay, did you say you'd stay out of my room? Is that what he asked?" She guessed he had the right to make that request but she was really going to miss him and they only three more nights left.

"No, not exactly. He claimed as long as he doesn't hear or see me, he understood our need to be near one another, as he put it. However, he added if I get caught by parents, then I'm on my own."

"I feel weird now, since my dad knows what's going on in my room days that you're visiting."

"Weird enough, that you don't want me to come back?" His arms snaked their way around her waist and he placed moist kisses to the best parts of her throat after lifting up her hair.

"No, let's not be rash, it's only three more days, and I need to store up a bunch of loving if you're not coming back until March."

"Well, I have it on good authority, Charlie and Bree are challenging Mom and Pop to Canasta. You know how long card games can go, especially with our two dads competing to be the winner?"

He motioned for her room and asked, "You wanna?" She took off running. Jacob caught her at the door and threw her on the bed. They didn't bother with all the blankets on the floor like usual and he was right, her bed really did squeak.

~Thanks so much for reading.