Chapter 21 – The Blacks Visit
I didn't get much Edward-free time the next few days. I was perfectly alright with that. He watched me tinker on my computer, I watched him lift Charlie's old couch and vacuum under it at the same time. He was becoming—slowly, very slowly—comfortable touching me. Holding my hand, touching my cheek, even letting me hug him, once. He was as cold and hard as ice...but comfortable. Comforting. The time with him made me forget the problem of who I was. It made me happy, and when I told him that he made me happy…he smiled.
"I want to take you to meet my family," he said one afternoon. We were outside wiping the mud from my truck, it had been my idea to go through the puddles...
"Hm, you're positive they are ready for me?" I asked.
He laughed, "I asked you to go to a house full of vampires, and you don't think they are ready for you?"
I nodded, "Alright, I'll try to keep the weirdness down to a minimum."
He leaned in, just slightly, and then froze.
I groaned, the moment gone, "What now?"
"A…a complication," he muttered.
I perked up, here it came! "Oh…"
"How about tomorrow after school?" he asked, already backing away to reach his car.
I dug in my pocket, folding the index cards before I handed them to him, "Wait until you get home!" I said, pushing him away as he took the cards with a confused look. I hadn't given him one since the day he had picked me up from school. He shook his head, and I think even rolled his eyes, and got into his car.
A minute later a truck, newer than mine, rolled up the street, and from the opposite direction Charlie's police cruiser came up. I smiled happily, almost smugly, when Jacob climbed out of the truck, Billy in the passenger's seat. Take this, Edward.
"Hey, guys, come up to watch the game?" I said pleasantly, wiping my hands on my jeans.
"Sure did," Billy said, eyeing me suspiciously. "How have you been, Bella?"
"I'm doing really well," I said. "Thank you for asking, Billy. Charlie didn't tell me you guys were coming, I would have cleaned up the house."
"Jacob here has been asking me to bring him up to see you," Billy nodded to Jacob that was behind him, wheeling his chair.
Jacob rolled his eyes, "Thanks, Dad."
"I didn't think you were into sports, Jake."
He shrugged, "If I didn't have to drive him everywhere, I'd be at home working on my car."
I nodded, "Tough break, huh?"
"Totally." He muttered.
I know I didn't want to watch the game, but I grabbed my laptop and took a seat on the couch next to my dad. I wanted to stay present, I didn't want them talking about me while I was out of earshot. I wasn't positive, but Edward and Billy should have met each other on the road.
"You should come down for the next one," Charlie said.
I looked up, the game must be over.
"I think I will," Billy nodded. "Maybe you and Bella would like to come down instead, though?"
"I think we could arrange that," Charlie grinned. "I haven't seen Harry in ages."
"What do you think of that, Bella?" Billy asked.
"Sounds like a splendid idea, Billy," I said dryly.
He narrowed his eyes at me, "Take care of yourself."
"I will," I answered.
The exchange…the warning, went unnoticed between Charlie and Jacob. Just as it was supposed to. Billy knew what the Cullen's were…to an extent. And he had seen Edward leaving the house. He'd eventually warm up to them, but not until the third book. What a drag.
I swallowed hard…would I still be here throughout the third book? No…no, it wouldn't happen. I've warped too much for those things to happen. And after this Edward would believe me, and I wouldn't be able to keep the secret from him anymore. Because he believed me, then I could tell him. And I wanted to tell him…because I had fallen in love with him…not just the fairy tale, but him. I hadn't been his Bella this past week, the Bella of the movies or the books…I had been as much myself as I could be, and I had been…I had found someone I rather enjoyed being with.