Chapter Sixty One
Bella
I was worried about Megan. She had never been sick before, never had so much as a headache, yet suddenly she was very quiet and had excused herself from the evening with Carlisle and Esme. Even in Pisa, she hadn't been her usual bubbly self, enthusing over everything.
Jasper had taken her to one side and spoken to her and eventually, she had asked to speak to us both. I didn't know what was going on, but like Jasper, I was concerned.
Sitting across from us she looked nervous and I wondered if perhaps things between her and Alec had become serious. It seemed unlikely, they hadn't seen much of each other and neither seemed reckless, but then I remembered how I had acted when I met Edward. The night he had appeared in my bedroom. I prayed to God that nothing like that was coming.
"Mom, Dad. I have a confession to make."
Jasper sat forward and I could see the tension in his jaw so I took his hand to keep him calm.
"OK. We're listening sweetheart."
I smiled at her encouragingly and she took a deep breath before continuing.
"When I was supposed to be working with Jane on those documents… When you thought I was there I wasn't. I was out with Alec. We didn't do anything. We just walked around, talked and went to the movies but I feel bad because I lied to you."
"I see. Why didn't you tell us, Megan? You could have done so. I don't like to think of you creeping around behind our backs or telling us lies."
She blushed at her dad's reproachful tone.
"I know. I felt bad and that's why I'm telling you now. I knew you didn't want me to go out with Alec dad and I didn't want an argument but I should have asked you and mom."
"Is that all? Or is there anything else you should be telling us?"
She shook her head but it was a half-hearted gesture and so we waited.
"Dad, I know you don't think Alec is right for me but he does like me a lot and I like him. It's hard for someone like me. I don't have anyone my own age and I can't really mix with human teenagers so I think my best bet would be with someone like him. Couldn't you try to like him? Mom said that her dad didn't like Edward but he didn't stop them dating."
I jumped in, "I never said that. He tried to stop us but I was stubborn and stupid and I just ignored my dad's feelings."
"But I don't want to ignore dad's feelings. I want him to try for me. Will you try dad? Please? Alec thinks you are trying to keep us apart and you shouldn't because you're not my real dad but I put him right on that score. I told him flat out that as far as I'm concerned you are my dad. I want you to like him but I don't expect you to do so right away. Will you just give him a chance?"
Personally, I would have kept that to myself. It hardly put Alec in a better light as far as Jasper was concerned, but at least it showed that she was being brutally honest with us.
Jasper sighed, "It doesn't really matter Megan. We're going home in a few days but until then I guess you can see him and I'd rather you did it with our knowledge."
"He's going to visit. Once I get home I mean, and I think I'd like that."
He pounced immediately, "You think? Megan, how do you really feel about Alec Volturi?"
She shrugged, "I don't know. We haven't had much time to get to know each other yet. I like him and I think I could get close to him."
I felt I had to say something, "Megan. Don't try to force it. Just spend time with him and if it's meant to be then it will happen without you trying. You're so young, there are so many places to go and people to meet. There really is no point in trying to rush things. But if Alec wants to visit then your dad and I will make him welcome, won't we Jasper?"
He glanced at me and there was a long pause before he reluctantly nodded.
"I guess if you want him to and he wants to come then we'll make him welcome as your mom says."
Megan looked so relieved as she sprang up to hug her dad and then me.
Despite Jasper's words, I knew he was hating the thought of Megan tied up with Alec. I didn't dislike the boy as much as the fact he was Volturi. There would always be that memory of the fear I had felt when I came here for the first time as a human and met Aro and his brothers. Even now the walls of Volterra made me shudder when I set eyes on them.
We only spent two days back in Volterra before flying home but Megan was absent most of this time with Alec, this time with our, well blessing would be putting it too strongly, but at least with our knowledge and grudging acceptance.
He even spent the final evening with us at Carlisle and Esme's along with Sulpicia, Marcus, Jane and her boyfriend Cosmo. It was easy to see that Jane was truly in love and I thought there might be wedding bells soon for her. I just hoped it wouldn't give Alec any ideas.
He was pleasant, respectful, and probably a little wary of Jasper although if he had wanted to he could have taken us all down with his gift. I guess then though he would have lost Megan so it was a catch 22 situation for him.
He drove us to the airport and even managed to spend a few minutes alone with Megan before we boarded our flight
I watched her during the flight trying to gauge her mood. Was she missing Alec already? Upset at being parted from her boyfriend? Depressed?
I don't know if she expected me to be observing her but she seemed relaxed enough, playing cards with Jasper and then reading a book, in Italian I noticed. She even fell asleep for a while and I wondered if she was dreaming about him.
I remembered how I had felt when Edward left me. Being away from him for even a few hours had seemed like a lifetime and when I thought I'd lost him I had almost given up the will to live. I didn't want that kind of love for Megan, it asked too much of a young girl and it could end in destruction and broken hearts.
Peter and Charlotte picked us up when we landed and Megan chatted gaily about her trip without mentioning Alec except in passing. It was a good move because Peter was still rabidly anti-Volturi and she wouldn't hear the last of it if he discovered she had been dating one of them.
It was great to be home again, back in familiar surroundings and free to do our own thing. Jasper had plans to buy some more horses and begin breeding and when he told Megan she was eager to become involved. She enjoyed riding, something I had never really enthused over, but I think she was more interested in the idea of having foals around.
She still had her pony although she was now too big to ride him and although Jasper had offered to buy her another she was happy to borrow a horse from Peter when the three of them took off for a ride.
The next time the three disappeared for the day Charlotte and I took advantage of their absence for a shopping trip into the city. I was still a little nervous around humans en masse and her steady presence made all the difference.
I bought some new clothes for Megan and Jasper and books and music as we all loved to read and Megan liked to play music loud enough to make your eardrums bleed while she was studying. Or maybe to stop us overhearing her conversations with Alec these days as they were in contact almost constantly.
I had been just the same with Edward, if I didn't see him or hear from him I was sure that either he had left without saying goodbye or didn't love me anymore. I laughed remembering my own teenage angst and thanked the lord that it had worn off with maturity.
As we were driving back Charlotte broached the subject of Darius.
"Has Megan heard from Darius? She seems much more light-hearted recently."
"No, nothing, Have you?"
"Not a word, but I wouldn't expect to. So, who's the lucky guy then?"
"Sorry?"
"Oh come on. Megan's got a boyfriend. It's the only explanation for her smiles and if it's not poor Darius then who? It must be someone she met in Italy and as no one is talking I can only conclude it was one of the Volturi. I promise I won't tell Peter."
Deciding it would be nice to be able to talk about the situation I told Charlotte about Alec.
"Oh my God. I can see why you kept that quiet. Alec Volturi? What did the Major have to say?"
"He wasn't best pleased but she persuaded him to give Alec a chance and the boy is behaving wonderfully. He's actually not that bad when you get talking to him."
"I would imagine he feels like he's walking on eggshells dating the Major's daughter, poor boy. Isn't he a little solemn for Megan though? From what I've heard he acts more like an old man than a boy."
"Not in Megan's company. I am worried though."
"Why? Do you think he might try and take advantage of her?"
"No. I don't think she's that silly."
"Ah, you forget. A teenager in love loses all sense of right and wrong."
I smiled, "I guess so. No, it's something Sulpicia said about Darius. She's convinced the two of them are meant for each other. I'm not sure how I feel about that either. I mean he's a man and she's still a child."
"What you mean is that Megan is your little girl and Darius is a few thousand years old."
"Put that way it sounds obscene."
"I'm afraid that's the way things turn out in our world. Remember Megan has matured so rapidly she's now theoretically about sixteen and Darius was frozen in time in his early twenties I think. They always seemed to fit together perfectly but…"
"But if he's dead or just pushed Megan out of his life then she needs to find someone. I think it's all a little quick as if she's scared if she doesn't find herself a partner she might not get another chance."
"Sound familiar? The frantic haste, the terrible crush? The teenager desperately in love with a guy over two hundred years older than her?"
"That was different. Edward was seventeen and at school with me and I was the same age."
"Yeah, give or take a hundred years or so. Do you remember all the questions Megan asked, questions a kid shouldn't even have considered? You know, about relationships and love, finding the right person? Maybe she understood how dangerous it could be getting it wrong so she wants to get it right the first time around. Or maybe she felt the connection with Darius and it worried her. Who would you rather she chose? If it was up to you, which I know it isn't."
I didn't really have to think about it, "My heart says Darius, my head says Alec."
"Well, maybe it's the same for her. She wouldn't have given Alec a second glance if Darius hadn't pulled a disappearing act but he did, leaving her with Alec."
I groaned, closing my eyes for a second.
"God, I wish she'd stayed a child for a few years longer."
"Putting off the evil day wouldn't have made it any easier, you'd still have to face it. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how she chooses. Alec, or another."
"Or Darius if he returns although I think Megan would give him a really hard time and I don't blame her. I might too, come to that."
We lapsed into silence and I wondered if Darius was still alive and if so where he was and why he had gone to ground. The sensible thing to do would have been to come straight back from Italy and hang around if he truly had feelings for Megan. Wouldn't it?
When the others got back I heard all about their trip which had included a visit to a neighboring ranch to view a couple of mares that were for sale.
"One was so pretty mom, I told dad that we just had to buy her. The owner had called her Maggie and she had a white blaze on her forehead like a shooting star had brushed her head. I'm sure her foals will be beautiful."
"So, I take it we have some new horses coming?"
She nodded then noticed the time and rushed upstairs to wait for Alec's call.
Jasper frowned after her but said nothing. Peter was still here and as Charlotte had said, if he knew what was going on none of us would ever hear the last of it, especially poor Megan.
When she reappeared an hour later she wasn't looking so happy and I knew Jasper, like me, was wondering if things had gone sour between the two of them.
"Alec was coming to visit next month but now he has to go to Germany to sort out some trouble there and then on to Finland. I was hoping he'd be here for my birthday."
"Never mind sweetheart, I'm sure he'll come when he can and he does have duties to perform."
She scowled, "I think Sulpicia did it on purpose. She knew it was my birthday soon. Alec had told her what he planned but she insisted he was needed."
"Now, I'm sure she wouldn't be so petty."
"Alec thinks so and anyway I'm getting fed up with only being able to talk to him. When can we go back to Italy?"
"Not for a while. Don't forget the new horses are coming."
Megan stomped off upstairs and I thought "there'll be tears before bedtime" remembering what Renee used to say to me when I was in a strop.
A few minutes later the music started, loud enough to shake the light fixture and I raised my eyes heavenward. Oh, the joys of parenthood.
I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has left reviews for this story. Be assured that I do read each and every one and appreciate all your comments. It makes the writing that much more worthwhile. Love Jules xx
