Chapter Twenty Two: Stress
Fortunately Bella seemed to only have to 24 hour flu and was mostly back to normal the next morning. When I stopped by Billy's to drop of the soup Billy told me that Bella had called to check up on Jake and he'd told her that Jake had mono, so she shouldn't call for a couple days since Jake was too out of it to talk. If it wouldn't have been so disrespectful I would have laughed at Billy's cover story, Jake having the kissing disease was a little unlikely, but it was too late now.
By the time I got home Bella had already fired up the computer and googled mono, she was well aware that Jake having it was unlikely and had said so to me at dinner. Thankfully Uncle Charlie had saved us the argument and told Bella to give Jake a few days to recover, because whether it was mono or not Billy wouldn't lie about Jake being sick. Little did Uncle Charlie know that Billy would lie about Jake being sick given the right reason.
Even with Uncle Charlie's input Bella snuck down to La Push while I had my shift at the diner. I was unaware until I got home to find Bella waiting for me. Time hadn't only made her angrier instead of letting her cool down as she ambushed me in the driveway.
"What did Sam and his flunkies do to Jake?" Bella demanded.
"I'm sure, nothing. But even if they did, how would I know, Bella? I've been at school and at work all day." I said indignantly holding out my arms questioningly.
"You're the one that hangs out with them, you probably know what they did to Embry. You would know what they do to people who don't want to be part of their gang. Jake was adamant that he wanted nothing to do with them!" Bella yelled.
"For pete's sake, Bella! They're not a gang! If they were don't you think that the police would have stepped in a long time ago? It's not like La Push and Forks are known for their street gangs. A do you think that Jake; the chief's son would join a god damn gang? Like you said he was adamant that he wanted nothing to do with them, do you really think that would change in the two days since you've seen him? And do you think that Billy would let his son join a gang or did you forget that Billy and the tribal elders advocate for Sam and the boys?" I yelled back and Bella paused for a moment.
"Plus Jake's sick! How many sick people are joining gangs? Do you hear yourself Bella?" I continued and Bella started to blush, most likely because Mrs. Henderson was sitting on her porch down the block and likely watch the drama unfold in our driveway because Bella couldn't even wait for me to get in the house before having this stupid argument.
"We should go inside." Bella said and I shook my head.
"No, you wanted to do this here, we'll do this here. I think you've lost your good damn mind! You've been nothing but a train wreck since you moved here and at some point you decided you needed to know everything about everyone! There are some things people just don't want to talk about, some people actually like to keep their private life, private! If Jake decides that he wants to make new friends that's none of your god damn business! Next time maybe you should think a little before ambushing me in the god damn driveway like I've done something wrong because now the whole neighborhood knows our family drama and it's because you've been nothing but an attention seeking bitch!" I yelled, the last word ringing out as Uncle Charlie wretched open the front door.
"Hey, hey, hey, girls that's enough. Inside!" He said and I marched past him and up the stairs into my room and slamming the door behind me. I could hear Bella trying to defend herself downstairs, but I couldn't hear what Uncle Charlie was saying to her over the sound of the blood pounding through my ear. I was mad, madder than I have been in a long time. Bella had decided to make a spectacle of me in front of the whole neighborhood and was now upset that it turned out to be her looking like the bad person.
Finally I couldn't take listening to the one sided conversation anymore and flipped on my radio to block out her voice. Looking at it now I had partially gone against what I had promised Jake, but I wasn't going to stand around and be Bella's punching bag while she figured her life out, that wasn't fair to me and I wasn't going to let it happen.
It was a long time before I heard Bella stomp up the stairs and slam her door. A couple minutes later there was a knock on my door.
"Anna?" Uncle Charlie said as he poked his head inside.
"I'm not going to say I'm sorry." I said and he sighed as he walked in, closing the door behind him.
"I wasn't going to make you apologize." Uncle Charlie said as he leaned against my desk. I looked to him surprised.
"You weren't?" I asked and he shook his head.
"Bella's been a weird place since that Cullen boy left. At first I thought this all was because she was hurting, but this has gone too far. Those kinds of accusations, especially yelled where other people can hear them, can create problems for all involved even if they're wrong. I don't want either of you in that kind of situation and I want you understand that I know Bella hasn't been fair to you, I thought after some time it would get better, but it hasn't and I'm sorry." Uncle Charlie's voice was a little choked and I could feel the sting in the back of my eyes.
"I know you've been doing your best for me and you've been pulling more than your weight for a long time and I'm sorry for that too, but you don't have to do it anymore Anna. I know things are still going to be rough, but I want you to come to me, you don't have take it on alone. And though I don't want you two to fight, if it comes to yelling all I ask is that you do it inside." Uncle Charlie asked and I nodded as I climbed off my bed and hugged him. He hugged me back and I couldn't fight the tears anymore.
"I'm so sorry, Uncle Charlie. I know how bad you wanted to have Bella living with you and I tried, I tried, but she just pushes me away. I wanted everything to be perfect for you, but I couldn't do, I just couldn't." I sobbed into his chest and Uncle Charlie's arms got tighter around me.
"Shh." Uncle Charlie whispered into my hair as his hand started to rub up and down my back calmly and he started to sway a little.
"You didn't have to put that weight on your shoulders, Anna. Thank you for trying, but you didn't need to do this all for me. You're as much a daughter to me as Bella, you never have to feel inferior." Uncle Charlie whispered and I sobbed a little harder. We stood like that till my tears dried and my my sobs became hiccups.
"Thank you, Uncle Charlie." I said softly and he smiled though I could see the tears in his own eyes.
"You don't have to thank me, kiddo. It's my job and I never want you to feel like you've got to hide stuff like this from me." I nodded and sniffed. Uncle Charlie laid a gentle kiss to my head before walking out of the room and heading back downstairs.
Even though my head hurt from the crying, I felt lighter than I had in a long time, like I could breath easier. It was like Uncle Charlie knew exactly what to say to make everything better. He used to tell Gran that he wasn't good with the 'girly' stuff, but certainly seemed to have gotten the hang of it.
Instead of doing anything productive I changed into a pair of comfy pajamas and crawled under the covers. Glancing at the clock I knew Embry would be home from his patrol and picked up my phone off the night stand to call him.
"Hey." He answered and I smiled.
"Hey." I replied.
"You okay, you sound off?" He asked and I smiled a little wider.
"Better now. Heard Jake had a little drama today." Embry snorted on the other end.
"Yeah. Definitely wasn't expecting her just yet, thought telling her that he was sick would keep her away longer."
"Yeah, but Billy told her that Jake had mono and all she had to do was make one google search to know he was lying."
"Damn."
"Charlie even told her to stay away a little longer, but she obviously doesn't listen." Embry sighed.
"Well, if you know that means Bella said something to you." Embry deduced and I chuckled.
"More like yelled. She ambushed me in the driveway when I got home from work. The whole neighborhood knows about our family drama now." I sighed and Embry groaned.
"Uncle Charlie apologized to me though." I added.
"What? Why? He's not the one who yelled at you."
"He apologized because he knew Bella has been a bitch for a while and he's let it go on this long because he thought she would get better on her own. He said he wasn't gonna let this go on like it has, especially after she was yelling accusations of La Push have a gang and that the chief's son had been sucked into it."
"Whoa." Embry said and I hummed.
"I like your uncle. If someone had to be my dad, I kinda wish it could have been him." Embry said wistfully.
"You should ask him, he'd probably adopt you." I joked and Embry laughed.
"Nah, then we'd be cousins and that would make things weird." I laughed at his reasoning.
"Did something get mentioned today?" I asked concerned, it wasn't like Embry to randomly bring up his paternity.
"Yes and no. Jake's had so many other things going on that today was the first time he realized that my dad had to be Quileute for me to have phased. He wasn't doing it to be a dick, it was just a passing thought that I overheard."
"Why don't you ask Sam to do a DNA test with you?" I suggested and Embry sighed again.
"I thought about it for a split second, even looked up how to get one done, but those things are expensive and what if Sam's not my brother? Then I'm putting the spotlight on three men that were all supposed to be happily married at the time and even if I knew who my father was, it's not like he's suddenly going to step up now. He's known all along and hasn't said anything, my mom refuses to talk about it and no matter what I'm still gonna be the bastard child and I'm risking one of my friends hating me if it comes out that we're brothers and I'm ruining their family. I can't do that, I just rather not know." Embry vented and I nodded.
"Alright, it's your decision. Though nobody's blaming you for being born, Embry." I said gently and Embry made a noise of agreement.
"Yeah, I just wish the counsel so twitchy about it. The guys seem fine about not knowing, I mean we're pack now and that makes us brothers even if it isn't by paternity." Embry reasoned and I smiled.
"That's a good way to think about it. I'll talk to you later, love you."
"Love you, too, Anna." Embry said and hung up.